And here is the next part!
Disclaimer: We do not own the Rune Factory franchise.
The next few months had flown by incredibly quick. Watching Frey's belly get bigger with each passing week, the anticipation had only been building up in Doug to the point where he felt like an excited child awaiting a long-promised present. Though he had to listen to Frey's frequent complaints about her clothes not fitting and help her out with her muscle aches, he didn't mind it much. But in the past few days however, there had been moments where he'd caught himself frowning in his reflection. It wasn't that he was unhappy about having a child - he was more than jubilant about it! It was...just a troubling uncertainty that visited him every night as he hugged his wife to sleep, fingers brushing against her growing belly.
And right now in Selphia's inn, it had creeped its way back into his mind, prompting him to release a haggard sigh.
"That's a sound I don't think most expecting fathers would normally make, Doug."
Doug froze, turning around slowly. He hadn't expected anyone to be taking a bath this late into the night. "Oh hey Kiel, late bath you're taking today."
"Just don't tell my sister." the blond-haired male chuckled, slipping into the hot water a small distance away from Doug. He let out a sigh of his own, savouring how the heat of it soothed the tension in his weary body. "She thinks I went back to Amber's house to collect a book I accidentally left behind."
"Wouldn't she notice if you went back without a book though?"
"No, she's still whacking away at her training dummy at this time of the night. I bet she wouldn't even notice!"
Doug's laugh bounced off the walls of the bath. "You're really a handful. I understand why Forte is always so worried about you now."
His long-time friend returned his grin. "I could say that about you and Frey too, you know."
That made the dwarf sit up straight. "What do you mean? There's nothing she should be worrying about now. Have I done something to worry her?"
"No no," Kiel raised both hands in gesture, "She hasn't spoken to me about anything. It's just...I've noticed you've been rather down by something. I'm sure she can see it too, living with you and all. It really comes out in moments like the way you were sighing just now." Kiel replied thoughtfully. "So what's wrong?"
The redhead looked away from him, staring blankly at the blanket of steam that marginally covered the surface of the water. "...It's nothing."
But Kiel was persistent. "That really didn't sound like nothing though. I know that when Forte says that with the same expression you're wearing on your face now, it means it's actually something." He propped his knees up, resting his arms on top and leaning against the wall of the bath.
He shot his companion an expectant look. "Want to talk about it before it gets worse?"
"Man, you're so persistent." Doug sighed, "Remind me to tip Forte off for your future late night bath escapades."
The playful expression immediately left Kiel's youthful face. "Please dont." he said with wide eyes, "I'll never hear the end about getting premature rheumatism when I'm older." He paused, a grimace reaching his lips. "You know, I could never tell her this but, she really fills in for mom... and sometimes she really tries too hard."
Doug flinched. "I-I see... You lost your parents when you were really young too right?"
Though it had been so subtle, it wasn't hard for Kiel to catch it. "Hey Doug..." he suddenly said, "It may be presumptuous for me to ask this but...do you still remember your parents?"
Another flinch.
The soft dripping of water seemed to fill out the entire room as a heavy silence descended upon both men.
"...Why that sudden question?" Doug finally replied.
"Ah, because that's what's bothering you, isn't it?"
Drip. Cue some uncomfortable shuffling of body parts.
"I don't..." Doug whispered, struggling with himself. "I ...- argh, fine! You've got me there - it's bothering me alright! Are you happy now?"
But Kiel's patient silence was his only reply.
"Go on".
He silently cursed at Kiel; it was hard when the other man had such an innocent face. He tried anyway. "Look," he started, "I just don't know if I'm really ready for this - fatherhood, I mean...My parents...I don't remember that much about them. Where...where do I even start?"
More silence.
He groaned. "This is stupid. Ignore that. I've got to head back before Frey gets worried-"
"- I don't remember much about my parents either, you know." Kiel interrupted before he could stand up to leave, "But I don't think that's anything to worry about. After all, Frey is probably going through the same thing as you, and I think it's even scarier for her because she can't even remember anything about her past. We don't come out perfect Doug, and I think neither did our parents. We just stumble along the way and learn." An idea hit him and he smiled. "Look at Forte -even she's not perfect. But she's trying her best, and I don't feel like I'm really lacking in anything."
Kiel's words earned a gape from Doug. It was times like this Doug truly felt that the youngest male in the village wasn't quite as immature as most people take him to be. The younger male may seem to live in fantasies constructed by words - naive and detached from reality - but he'd always wondered if that gave him an insight to this world that was different from everyone else.
Never lacking in anything? That was an entirely different reality from what Doug was used to.
"Did you read that in a book again?"
"Nope!" Kiel laughed, "But in every story where the hero marries the princess, they never include anything about them learning something from their parents before their child is born! They always seem so happy, and I think that's the important part. The story never continues from that point onwards anyway."
"That's not very convincing, Kiel. What if it ends badly, but it's just never written in there?"
"Hmmm..." The blond gave it some thought. "Doesn't mean that it'll necessarily be bad, I guess? Why assume the worst? After all, you came to Selphia assuming the worst about things, didn't you? Look how you turned out. A sad story may have a happy ending just as much as a happy story may have a sad ending. But anyway, you're not a character! Shouldn't you decide things for yourself?"
That was kind of funny coming from Kiel, Doug thought. His friend was the one who was quite the character - being so perceptive all the time, damn it.
"Even if you say that," Doug grimaced, forcing the words out of himself, "I still...wish they were here." He sighed, feeling the load on his shoulder lighten just a little. "Think they would have liked that too - the only son they had continuing the bloodline they thought was so precious."
He received a pat on his shoulder. "I don't think we can change the past, Doug. That's what stories are for. And in any case, you've got Blossom now, don't you? Isn't she like a mother to you?" Kiel said, grinning widely.
He thought that calling Blossom his mother was quite a stretch. It would be taking advantage of Blossom's kindness. He could only try to be her son. He couldn't actually become him. And that's why for the past few weeks, he'd listened patiently to her go on non-stop about the baby. The old woman was practically on cloud nine. What had she called it again? Her 'grandchil-
He froze.
Kiel jabbered on, "And if that's not enough, I can be the baby's godfather if you want! I'll read him or her stories every night, I promise!"
He wasn't really listening. It could have been the amount of time he'd spent in the bath, for a strange warmth bloomed in his chest. Taking a last long stretch, he climbed out of the bath, and headed to the towels. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Without turning around, he replied, "I guess you're right, I don't need to feel like I'm lacking in anything."
His family was already here.
Securing the towel around his hips, he added, "And you're not allowed to be the godfather if you're going to read any of that weird stuff to my child."
"What, no books?" Kiel pouted.
The bamboo screen opened with a scratchy sound. "Nah," Doug said, "Just the ones that end badly."
He would head home, for there was much to make up for.
Thanks again to IncitementToDiscourse for writing this! Next chapter will be another pairing, we are almost done with those!