Our Blessing

Chapter Seven: The Acceptance

"I'm so sorry, Sora." Riku whispered, handing his head in shame as he walked almost on autopilot towards his car. Pausing to throw a disdainful look at the black car that belonged to Sora's father. "I never meant for this to happen. If I had know...man...I really fucked up this time."

Sora shook his head, watching Riku as the silveret leaned against his car, "No, don't be sorry." He said firmly, dried tear trails on his face, "There was no way you could have possibly known this was going to happen, so it's not your fault." He pointed out, stopping in front of his lover, "If you fucked up, then we both did. No regrets, M'kay?" He pulled the silver haired teen to him, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face in the elder's chest.

Burying his face in soft brown hair, Riku let the tears fall free, "How can you say that? Your father just disowned you. Your mother won't be much better." He all but sobbed into the boy's hair, "What if my parents do the same?! What will we do, where will we go? ...How will we survive?"

"For some reason, I don't see your father throwing us out." Sora mentioned softly, pulling away from Riku to look up at the boy, "And, even if by the slim chance he did, there's has to be someone who'd accept us and our baby."

"Yeah, you're right." Riku replied, nodding, tears still falling, "I'm sure Loz or Yazoo would let us stay with them until we were able to get back on our feet."

"So long as it's not Kadaj." Sora muttered flatly, "He's already a bad influence on us...imagine how bad he'd be for the baby..." The brunet sighed heavily, tugging his lover off of the car, "C'mon we need to tell your Dad before he hears it from mine."

"Sora...I'm n-not dreaming this, am I? This is really happening, isn't it?" It all felt like a horrible dream to him, but he didn't wait for Sora to answer his question, because he already knew the answer. "Yeah...let's go tell my Dad..." He replied softly, moving to open his lover's door for him.

The brunet gave a soft sigh, sadly watching his lover, "Everything will work out." He said softly before he walked over to his lover, standing on his tip toes to press a sweet lingering kiss on the elder boy's lips before he got into the car.

Everything...would be okay. He wasn't sure how it would be. But, something told him it would be.

It had hurt Sora tremendously to hear his father say all those things and it didn't feel any better knowing his Mother's opinion would follow the same lines. But, he had to do what he had to in order to stay with Riku and carry this baby to term. If getting disowned was the price to pay, well then, it was more than worth it.

--- --- ---

Riku heaved a sigh, pulling into his driveway and turning the car off before pulling the key out. It was now...or never. Honestly, he'd prefer never. Because telling his father, meant eventually telling his mother. And, that was one bridge he'd rather not cross.

He gave a nervous glance towards Sora, who returned his look with a warm encouraging smile. With a sigh, he got out of the car followed closely by his lover as he walked up the front steps to his house.

“Dad?” Riku called out hesitantly as he opened the front door, stowing his set of house keys back into his pockets. He hadn't seen his father's car in the driveway, but that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't since he sometimes parked his car in the garage. “Anyone home?” Even though he was the only one of out of the four Tanaka children that lived at home, that never meant that his brother's wouldn't be there sometimes.

Sora followed his lover into the house. Never had it felt so unwelcoming and foreboding. His ocean blue eyes darted around the front room for Riku's father, but the man was no where to be seen.

“Ah, there you ar—Riku?” His father asked as he walked into the front room from the kitchen where he had obviously been making himself something for lunch. The man's eyes widened as he took in their sad, tear-streaked faces and he immediately grew concerned. And, he hadn't missed the fact that Sora was in his pajamas either, “What happened?”

“I...seriously fucked up,” Riku whispered, staring at the floor, unable to look his father in the eye, afraid that he would have the same reaction as Sora's father.

Sora knew Riku's father to be a stern, but caring man. All was not lost when they came to Sephiroth Tanaka seeking guidance in there oh so delicate matter. “We both did.” The little brunet added on just as softly as his lover.

Sephiroth blinked, gazing at both boys for a moment, “Did you kill someone?”

Riku frowned, looking up at his father to give him a strange look, “No...?”

The elder silver haired man nodded, “Did you burn someone's house down?”

The frown on Riku's face deepened before he glanced over to his lover, giving him a look that clearly read, 'Is he serious?' before he answered, “No, but...”

"Did Sora's dad find out about you being lovers?"

“No!...I mean, Yes...wait...” Riku said, “You knew?”

Sephiroth chuckled and gathered both boys into his arms, “Of course I did. I've known for awhile now. How could I not notice how much you love one another? That's all a father could ask for.” That and the man had the pleasure of discovering Riku's journal one night, “That someone truly cares for his son like Sora does for you...” He paused when Riku started crying in earnest. “Oh...I take it didn't go over well with Sora's father, did it?”

Sora shook his head after Sephiroth had let the boys go, “No. He disowned me then called Riku a demon.” He said in a flat tone, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes over his father's stupidy, “But, that's not all...” He said, frowning lightly as he looked back up at the man, “I'm also pregnant with Riku's child.”

"Well, technically, he's not entirely that far off the mark," Sephiroth said, speaking as if they were discussing the weather as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He'd never hidden the fact that his side of the family were descendant’s of fairy folk, nor had he announced it to the world. Not even his wife knew. But a demon? Hardly.

Grasping Riku's collar, Sephiroth dragged his youngest son over to the sofa where he made him sit. Then he turned and held out a hand to Sora. "Come here, son. There's some things you boys need to know. Something that must remain a secret between us, understood? Oh...and congratulations," he said, giving the brunet a warm, what he hope to be reassuring, smile.

Sora gave the man a strange look before hesitantly returning the smile as he took a seat next to his lover. He wondered what Sephiroth could possible pop on them now...hopefully it wasn't a discussion on the birds and the bees...because that was so seventh grade, “Thank you...I think...?”

Riku also gave his father a strange look, as if he was off his rocker or something. He'd expected more yelling about sins or denial that such things weren't possible, but to be congratulated. "Um... dad? You're not.. angry?"

"No," Sephiroth blinked. "Should I be? You do love each other right?"

Sora slowly blinked, looking over at his lover for a moment before looking back at the man before him, “I suppose not...but, you're taking this rather...well?”

“Sora...” The elder man started, taking a seat across from the boys, “It goes to say that it takes a lot to surprise me. I've gone to great lengths to hide the truth surrounding my heritage so that my sons may lead as normal of a life as possible. Though...not good enough, apparently, if you're father thinks Riku's a demon.” The man snorted, more out of irritation than anger really, “He's not, but...he's not entirely human either.” He continued, “Which leads me to ask the pair of you if this is the cause of dabbling in witchcraft.”

Riku blinked, not quite sure where his father was trying to get at, “Well, Sora found this book...and we did a spell...” He said, looking at his father with a confused look.

Sora nodded in agreement, “But, we didn't think anything would come of it...because, it's not real...” He paused, looking up at the man, “It's not real...right?”

Sephiroth chuckled softly, “Quite the contrary, it is very real.” He said, giving the boys a soft smile, hopefully it'd cushion the blow he was about to give both boys, “And, if Riku is anything like his brother's he should he quite talented.” He paused for a moment, heaving a sigh, “You see...my mother...she was apart of the Fea folk.”

Silence followed this statement as both boys stared at Sephiroth with twin looks of shock and confusion. Sora was first to break it, “Wait...what?” He asked, not sure he had heard what he thought he heard. He had thought he heard his lover was a real fairy.

"He's a fairy in more ways than one," Sephiroth said, holding back snickers.

"Dad!" Riku shouted, jumping to his feet, embarrassed on top of being confused as well. "Can't you be serious for once!? We're trying to tell you that we're in serious trouble here!"

Sora snorted with laughter, covering his mouth with his hand, “Well...that's almost as shocking as being told you're pregnant when it‘s physically impossible for you to.” He said before glancing up at his lover, having an even harder time covering up his laughter.

"So~ra," Riku said in exasperation, hands going to his hips as he stared at his lover. "Don't encourage him! It's not funny."

"Seriously," Sephiroth nodded, getting to his feet. "I'll show you so that maybe you'll understand better." After removing his jacket and shirt, much to his son's dismay, he stepped back away from the boys, to where there was more room and closed his eyes in concentration. Moments later, a pair of wings materialized on his back, one black and one white. He really couldn't spell it out any clearer than that.

Sora blinked, his eyes widening as he watched the wings appear on Riku's back, “Oh wow...” He said, his voice void of all laughter...at least for the moment.

Riku, on the other hand, was completely speechless. He could only stare wide-eyed at his father.

"Riku?" Sephiroth ventured, cautiously moving closer to the boys. His son looked ready to bolt. "You look like you're going to be sick.... This isn't a dream. Not even your mother knows about this...."

Sora knew that look. It was the nuclear melt down look. He had saw it only once before, when Riku's three older brother's (Mostly Kadaj) forced him into a Tinkerbell costume one Halloween not to far back. Three...Two...One...

"...you're dad is right to hate me..." he barely managed to get out past the urge to vomit. He didn't know which reaction was worse. Being hated or... his father turning out to be a freak. Then that meant that... he was a freak and their baby would probably be one too. "How could you do this to me?" he shouted, then shrugged off Sora's arm to run up the stairs to his bedroom.

Sora heaved a soft sigh, a frown appearing on his face as he cast an apologetic look at Sephiroth. Really, his lover had more than enough right to be angry. He had found out his boyfriend was carrying his child; a feat that was impossible, then his boyfriend's father disowned him and the unborn child, and now his father tells him he's not fully human?

The brunet turned, taking the stairs two at a time to reach his lover in order to do some damage control, “Riku, wait.” He said, pushing his lover's door open. He walked into his lover's room, his own now too he supposed, closing the door behind him. “What's the matter, baby?” He asked, walking over to his lover who was laying on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, “Is it what your Dad showed us?”

“Yeah.” Riku sighed, turning to look up at his lover before beckoning to come over, “I finally break free of one secret, only to gain another.” He said softly, taking his lover into his arms once he was on the bed. He turned to his side, facing Sora, “It's bad enough knowing that it's my fault you got pregnant...but knowing it'll be a freak...I'm so sorry, Sora.”

Sora gave his lover a stern look, “Let's get one thing straight. Being a fairy, though mildly funny, doesn't make you, your family, nor our child a freak. I think it's awesome. Doesn't every parent want their child to be special...well, ours is now.”

"It's not beautiful. My father has fucking wings, Sora," he protested. "Why did he even bother marrying my mom and have all of us when he knew he wasn't like everyone else? How in the hell can I ever be normal? Where in the hell can I go where I won't have to worry about being found out?"

“Hey, if your father never bothered to reproduce then we wouldn't be like this right now.” Sora pointed out with a pout as he clasped his lover's hand in his own.

“At least you wouldn't be in this mess right now.” Riku replied, frowning deeply.

Sora frowned, looking at his lover, “This is a mess I want to be in.” He said, “I'm still with you, right? And, I'm giving you something I never thought I could. Who cares if the baby will be a little different, I'll love it more because of it, just like I love you.” The brunet sighed, his free hand cupping his lover's cheek, “I just want you to be happy again.”

Riku wanted to continue wallowing in misery, but Sora made it so difficult when he always looked at the positive side of things. "I'll try. That's all I can promise you right now."

“That’s all I want.” Sora replied softly, squeezing his lover's hand in an act of comfort and love, “Just try...for me.”

"I will. For you." He certainly wouldn't try for anyone else. His being unhappy would only make Sora unhappy and he never could stand to see even the slightest frown on his lover's face. "He just... he could have cushioned the blow a little better than he had."

Sora couldn't help but to chuckle at that, “Have you ever know your father to cushion anything lightly?” He asked, giving his lover a smile, “How about we break the news to your brothers so they can tease me about being girly more so then they normally do?”

"You're still in your jammies, Sora," Riku reminded him, grasping at his shirt to pull him closer. He wasn't quite ready to let him go yet. Or to see anyone else. Sliding a hand under the silky material, Riku splayed his palm over Sora's abdomen. "I can't believe that's my baby in there."

And in his pjs he would have to stay, because they hadn't had time to grab any of his things when they had that confrontation with his father, “Well, you'd better start. Because, it's in there, growing everyday and soon, it'll be here with us.”

Riku smiled at that, true it was a little forced, but it was genuine none the less, “I love you...so much...” He whispered, hugging Sora to him, burying his face in the boy's soft spikes. He doubted Sora would ever understand how much Riku truly loved him, but that was alright, so long as he was loved in return, “And, I suggest that we send my father over to your house to get your clothes.” He said after a moment, pulling away slightly to look at his lover, “At least your Dad won't see that journal I gave you this afternoon. It's still in my car.”

“I love you too.” Sora replied, grinning happily as he snuggled into the warmth that was his boyfriend, before he giggled against the boy's chest upon hearing the next comment, “Speaking of which, I have a lot to put in there about today.”

"Just don't mention the part about me being a freak, k?" Riku asked, looking up into Sora's face. "Or my dad. Or... that the baby might be too."

Sora giggled lightly, “Oh no, I'm putting every little detail in there....” He said, “How I'm carrying the love of my life's child, about how his dad is absolutely wonderful, and about how our baby might just be born into a happy loving family after all. Even if it is missing a set of grandparents.”

Riku sighed as he sat up, still holding Sora's hand, “Let's send my dad over to your house to collect your things.” He said before standing, pulling Sora up along with him, “Then we can hunt down my brothers.”

“Works for me!” Sora said, nodding in agreement. He already knew Riku's brothers would take it just as well as Riku's father took it, after all, they were the only ones (save for Riku's and Sora's fathers now) that knew about them being together in an intimate way.