Casa De La Dunphy

Marcus had seen enough sitcoms to know that visiting a new friend's house could go one of two ways—smooth and uneventful, or absolute chaos. Given what little he'd heard about the Dunphy family, he had a feeling it would lean toward the latter.

As he walked alongside Alex toward her house, he took in the suburban neighborhood. It was nice—quiet, clean, and filled with well-kept lawns. His own house was a little more modern and extravagant, courtesy of his mother's designer taste, but this? This felt… cozy.

Alex glanced at him. "You're weirdly quiet."

"Just taking in the atmosphere," Marcus said, rolling a lollipop in his mouth. "Feels very… sitcom-y."

She gave him a look. "What does that even mean?"

Before he could answer, they arrived at her house. Alex pulled out her keys but barely had time to unlock the door before it swung open. A blonde girl stood there, leaning against the frame with a smirk.

"Well, well, well," Haley Dunphy drawled, eyes flicking between Alex and Marcus. "You brought a boy home?"

Alex groaned. "Oh my god, Haley. Really?"

Marcus, for his part, just chuckled. He'd expected something like this.

Haley grinned. "I'm just saying, you never bring guys over. Should I be concerned? Mom and Dad aren't home, you know."

Alex turned red instantly. "It's for a science project!"

"Uh-huh. That's what they all say."

Marcus decided to have a little fun. "Don't worry, Haley. I promised Alex we'd keep things professional."

Alex snapped her head toward him, glaring. "You're not helping."

Haley just laughed. "Oh, I like you." She stepped aside. "Go on in, science boy."

Marcus gave her a small salute as he stepped inside, while Alex grumbled under her breath.

---

Inside the Dunphy Household

The house had a lived-in feel—family pictures on the walls, a slightly messy but functional living room, and the faint smell of something baked recently. It felt… real.

Alex led him to the dining table, dropping her bag onto one of the chairs. "Alright, let's just get started before my family gets any weirder."

Marcus sat across from her, pulling out his notebook. "You sure? I was kind of looking forward to meeting the rest of the cast."

She sighed. "You are so weird."

Before they could start, a young boy suddenly peeked in from the stairs.

"Who's that?"

Marcus recognized him immediately—Luke Dunphy, the wildcard of the family. He looked at Alex, then back at Marcus. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Alex threw her hands up. "OH MY GOD, WHY?"

Marcus barely held in his laughter. "Nah, just a fellow nerd, Luke."

Luke squinted at him. "You don't look like a nerd."

Marcus shrugged. "I hide it well."

Before Luke could ask more questions, Haley walked past, ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, Luke. Alex is just finally expanding her social circle. Took her long enough."

"Haley!"

Marcus popped another lollipop into his mouth. Yeah, he could get used to this.

---

Claire's Interrogation

About an hour into their work session, the front door swung open.

"Alex! I'm home!" Claire Dunphy's voice rang through the house.

Almost immediately, she stepped into the dining area—and froze when she saw Marcus. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the unfamiliar boy sitting across from her daughter.

Alex sighed, already bracing for impact. "Mom, this is Marcus. My science partner."

Claire didn't respond right away. Instead, she folded her arms, staring at Marcus like he had just broken into her house. "Uh-huh. And how do we know Marcus, exactly?"

Marcus, unfazed, leaned back slightly. "Through school. Science class. You know, academics."

Claire's eyes flicked to Alex. "And you didn't think to mention you'd be bringing a boy home?"

"Mom, it's not like that."

"Isn't it?" Claire pressed. "Because, honey, you've never invited a boy over before. Ever."

Marcus smirked, watching Alex struggle. "I feel like I should be taking notes."

Claire snapped her gaze to him. "And you—what's your last name?"

"Carter."

Claire's expression barely changed, but her skepticism dialed up. "Carter… As in the Carters? The ones who just moved in down the street?"

"That's us," Marcus said easily.

She let out a small, forced chuckle. "Oh, great. So you're rich too."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

Claire put a hand on her hip. "Let's see: my teenage daughter brings home a boy for the first time ever, and not just any boy—a wealthy, well-dressed, suspiciously polite boy who looks like he walked out of a fashion magazine. Do you see how this might set off alarm bells for a mother?"

Alex groaned. "Mom. It's just a project."

Claire squinted at Marcus again. "What are your intentions?"

Marcus took a long, exaggerated pause, before deadpanning, "I intend to ace this project."

Silence.

Then, surprisingly, Haley snorted from the kitchen. "Okay, I kinda like him."

Claire exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Fine. But I'm watching you." She finally stepped away but muttered as she walked off, "Not in my house, not on my watch…"

Alex slumped in her seat. "I hate my life."

Marcus grinned. "I think this is going great."