The Love of a Family
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This story is dedicated to AkumaStrife, who likes to show us love by leaving us fantasic reviews. This is our way of showing her our love in return! We really hope you like it!
Kain sat at the kitchen table, sipping at his coffee. It had been a long night for all of them, and then Rosa had been called into the hospital early this morning. Kain had decide to let Cecil sleep in a little, so he alone got up to make sure that the boys got up and ready for school on time.
As predicted, at 7:45 sharp, the sound of two sets of feet coming down the stairs was heard, causing the blond man to look up. Hope and Riku filed into the kitchen, each fixing some part of their school uniform as they entered.
"Good morning, Boys," Kain said, watching as they both retrieved a bowl of cereal and glass of juice for themselves before coming to join him at sitting around the kitchen table.
"Morning," Riku said, stifling a yawn.
Hope however said nothing, remaining oddly silent and refusing to look at Kain, not touching his breakfast.
Kain noticed this instantly, looking over at the younger boy that he had raised as his own since birth, "Is everything alright, Hope?"
Hope shook his head, some of the silvery strands of his hair falling into his pale blue green eyes, "Do you sleep with Mom too, or do you only love dad?"
Kain chose the wrong moment to take a sip of coffee, sputtering as he began to choke. Riku chuckled lightly at his little brother's bluntness before taking pity on the blond man and thumping him several times on the back. "What?"
Hope looked up with wide eyes, "I know you and Dad love each other, and Mom and Dad love each other, but do you and Mom love each other too?"
Taking in a deep breath to regain some oxygen, Kain had to wonder why exactly he had decided to let Cecil sleep in today. He wasn't ready or prepared to answer these questions on his own. "Well, we have a complex relationship, I guess. Both your mother and I love your father very much. However, the relationship between her and I is more like a very deep and close friendship I guess."
"Is that why Seph left last night?" Hope questioned, causing Kain's dark blue eyes to go wide as he looked at the two boys sitting across from him. Both Riku and Hope had inherited Cecil's pale silver hair, and while Hope looked more like his mother, Riku was the spitting image of his father, with the exception of his mother's bright green eyes. Seeing them both sitting across from him, the blond man could find no words to confirm or deny Hope's question. "We heard everyone arguing downstairs last night," Hope continued. "When I heard all the yelling and went to Riku's room to see what was wrong. He told me to stay there with him. Seph left last night, didn't he?"
"He did," Kain said softly, his eyes downcast.
"Why?" Hope asked, sadness in his voice.
Once again, the blond man found himself at a complete loss for words.
"It's because he doesn't think that all of you being together is fair to Mom, isn't it?" At Riku's words, both Hope and Kain turned their gazes upon the teenager, neither one of them expecting to hear those words.
"A…among other reasons, but yes, that is one of the big reasons he decided to leave," admitted Kain.
Riku nodded, not eating any of his cereal, just playing with his spoon. "He used to talk to me about it all the time. That he thought you were trying to steal Dad from her, that she didn't deserve to be treated this way. He kept saying that you were trying to break up our family. I never thought that though, Papa. I think you gave up as much of Dad, if not more of him, than her. It was her choice to allow you back into his life when you came back."
Surprised at the term, Kain just looked at the older boy, "Why are you calling me that all of a sudden?"
Shrugging, Riku couldn't help but smile softly at the surprise in Kain's voice. "I don't know. I've been calling you that all the time in my head. I guess it just kind of felt like the right time to say it out loud. Besides, we both know that you aren't our uncle and you're more like another father to us, so I figured it was okay."
Kain looked over at the two boys he considered to be like his own sons, amazed that despite their young ages just how mature they were at dealing with this situation. "I'm honored that you feel that way."
"So, where did Seph go, Papa?" Hope questioned with concern for his oldest brother very apparent in his voice.
Sighing again, Kain just stared into his coffee, "Your bother left due to many issues, not all of them stemming from his dislike of the relationship I have with your father. As far as we can tell, he has gone to live with Genesis."
"Isn't Genesis Great Uncle Vincent's…?" Hope trailed off. It had been a question that had been plaguing him forever. Ever since Sephiroth had brought his redhead boyfriend home last year, the youngest boy had been trying to convince himself that he hadn't first met Genesis at one of their giant family picnics…
The blond man sighed, "Yes, but that is neither here nor there. I'm sorry that you boys had to hear the fighting last night."
Riku shrugged again, stirring his cereal around mindlessly. Last night had not been the first time he had heard an exchange like that between his older brother and his parents, though it had been the worst. The first time had been just after he had found out that his father and Kain were not brothers or close friends, but as in love as his Mom and Dad were, if not more. He had heard Sephiroth shouting most of that night that they had somehow scarred and corrupted Riku and that they should keep their sins private. The middle brother had never felt the same way, always hiding in his room as roughly every six months these fights took place. Last night was the first time that Hope had heard it though, and that was something that Riku was ashamed of. He never wanted his little brother to bear witness to that side of Sephiroth.
"You're not going to leave though, are you Papa?" Hearing the childlike worry in Hope's voice caused Kain freeze. Of course he had been considering doing just that. After all, he had been the one to intrude on Cecil and Rosa's happy little home life. And despite the pain it would cause him to leave the family he had grown to love more than anything, if it would mend the relationship between Cecil, Rosa and Sephiroth, he would do whatever it took.
"No, he's not going anywhere," a new voice sounded, drawing everyone's attention to the stairs once more. Coming into the kitchen was Cecil, still looking as if he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, which honestly, he hadn't. It was probably a good thing he wasn't flying out today.
"Morning, Dad," two voices rang out as Cecil poured himself a mug of coffee, coming to sit down next to Kain.
"Cecil…" Kain trailed off.
After taking a long sip of dark liquid, Cecil turned to look at his long time lover, "I've already lost you once. You're a part of this family and none of us could bear it if we were to lose you."
The sound of a chair scraping along the tile floor was the only warning Kain had before he found himself surrounded by a set of small arms. Looking down, the blond felt his blue eyes soften at the sight of Hope hugging him tightly. "Please Papa, don't go."
"I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. We'll work through all of this. Sephiroth will come around eventually," Kain said, returning the young boy's hug, surprised when he felt Riku wrap his arms around them as well. Finally, a single adult arm surrounded them as Cecil held them all close.
This was his family, and despite the oddness of it, it was perfect for Kain and it was his. He couldn't ask for anything more, and he would protect it with his life.
If you like this story please check out some of our other stories from our Family Tree Universe in our archives :) And as always, if you would like to see where the pairings and family lines came from please go view our deviant art page, http :/ crymsonpahoyhoy . deviantart . com /, minus all of the spaces ;) The deviations are called FF KH Family Tree.
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