Chapter Thirty-Three: Support Me

Onodera stood with his hands on the bathroom counter, staring down at the sink and willing himself not to throw up the breakfast he'd eaten that morning, though it hadn't been much. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head and ran his fingers through his fine-stranded hair, blinking as he saw the reflection in the mirror that manifested as much anxiety as he felt.

And with good reason: he was going to see his father today.

After his mother's disownment, Ryoichi had promised to call his son, but weeks and weeks had ticked by and Ritsu had heard no word. Assuming his mother had managed to turn his father against him, Ritsu had quietly and dejectedly accepted that fact that he now had no parents.

But that had all changed yesterday. In the middle of a catnap, Onodera had been awakened by his cell ringing and had picked it up without looking at the number. This proved to be a bad decision on his part, for when he heard his father's voice over the receiver he just about imploded from shock and had his twins right then and there on the couch. And even while he managed to make his voice sound normal he pinned for a paper bag with which to hyperventilate himself for the entire conversation. The phone call had been short, with Ryoichi suggesting that they meet for lunch the next day and talk things over, though he did not specify what such "things" were.

The vague implications of it all had kept Onodera up and worrying the rest of the day and half the night, and his nerves were growing more and more frantic as the hour of their meeting approached.

Swallowing back a lump in his throat, Onodera straightened his black V-neck sweater, brushing imaginary wrinkles from its sleeves. The restaurant they were going to was more upscale, and Ritsu normally would have worn a blazer, but all the ones he owned would no longer button around his stomach and would have attracted far more attention. The sweater on the other hand was long and a size too large, and although it didn't hide the bump completely, it certainly made it more discreet.

Glancing at the small digital clock on the bathroom counter, Onodera quickly straightened his collard shirt and tie before heading out into the hall where Takano was waiting.

"Ready?"

Onodera nodded once, his eyes glued to the floor as he picked up his messenger bag and put on his coat. As Takano put on his own, his eyes caught the nervousness in Onodera's posture and he inwardly sighed. Onodera had mentioned the meeting to him last night, and naturally Takano had offered him a ride. Even still, he wished he could do more, like be there when Ritsu faced his father. But he knew more than anyone that family matters had to be handled by their own, and his presence would only serve as distraction rather than a buffer.

Takano held the door open as they exited the apartment, and despite all the reasons he had for not interfering, he still wished he could do more.

The two were dead silent as Takano's car pulled in front of the restaurant, though the underlying tension in the air communicated more than enough. Onodera's lips were tight with worry as he undid his seatbelt and glanced at Takano.

"…Thanks for the ride." He murmured.

"Call me when you're done and I'll pick you up." Takano replied.

Onodera was about to reply that his father would probably drop him off, but not having much reassurance that the meeting would turn out for the positive, he knew it would be wise to keep his options open.

"Okay." He replied, reaching for his bag on the floor. Takano's teeth unconsciously clenched as he saw Onodera's face pale and fraught with worry. He gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, trying with all his might not to turn off the car and make that lunch meeting a party of three. Onodera was suffering, and as much as he wanted to storm his way into the man's troubles, he knew that it would only cause him more stress.

Even still, he couldn't…no he wouldn't let the man he loved leave without some kind of reassurance…

"Onodera," He said, letting his hands drop from the wheel.

Ritsu glanced up, his hand reaching for the door handle.

"…Yes?"

Takano leaned over, cupping the pale jaw and leaving a chaste kiss on Onodera's cheek. Ritsu's fretful green eyes widened in shock, and Takano gave him a small smile.

"It's gonna be all right." He said, taking his hand away. "You'll see. Call me if you need anything."

Onodera stared in shock at the other man, his body frozen like a frightened deer. The kiss had certainly been unexpected but what really caught him off guard was the utter sincerity in Takano's eyes, and the consolation of his words.

Masamune's face held genuine traces of love, and Onodera found his emotional mind even more overwhelmed, even more so because he wanted to believe in Takano's tender confidence. But tears stung at his eyes instead and his tight lips began to quiver.

"Thank you," He choked out, opening the door and getting out without another glance. Takano watched him go, his smile fading as he breathed a heavy sigh.

Onodera clenched the rail of the outdoor stairway, blinking rapidly and trying frantically to regain his composure as he approached the restaurant entrance. But when his eyes looked upon the front door, he saw someone waiting right beside it, and his lips parted.

Onodera Ryoichi gazed upon his son, the amount of open emotion in Ritsu's eyes slightly troubling to him, especially since he has witnessed the events in Takano's car from a distance.

"Hello son," He said as one of the restaurant employees came out and opened the door for them. "Let's go inside."

"Okay," Ritsu replied quietly, following his father with a bowed head.

As the CEO of Onodera Publishing was very recognized at this particular restaurant, the two were given a table immediately, and Ritsu was slightly relieved that it was in a quiet corner next to an array of large windows, away from the busy chatter of other clients. However, it could also be said the more private area isolated them from the protective wall of social courtesy that often did much to subdue tempers, as had been the case at some of the other Onodera family dinners. But Ritsu took comfort that his father was always soft-spoken, even when he was upset or angry, though at the moment it was difficult to see what his father was thinking.

Ryoichi sat very casually and calmly in his seat, and it wasn't until after they placed their orders that he looked over at his son and spoke.

"How have you been, Ritsu?" He said, intertwining his fingers and placing his hands comfortably on his lap. Ritsu had often seen his father do this when he was out with clients or other people; it was unconscious gesture that the man was fairly relaxed and was ready to talk and listen.

"Fine, I guess," Ritsu replied, taking a sip of the hot tea their waitress had brought.

Ryoichi's face crinkled thoughtfully.

"You certainly didn't look fine when you arrived. Were you having a fight with that man?"

Ritsu shook his head.

"No. No dad. It's…It's not like that at all…T—Takano-san has been…very supportive lately…"

"Is he the same man that we saw at the hospital?"

"Yes," Ritsu whispered, setting his cup down and staring at his lap.

"I see," Ryoichi replied, picking up his water glass. Silence overtook the two for a few minutes and Ritsu had to take a few deep breaths as his nerves began to spike again. Finally, he could take the quiet no longer.

"Dad," He said, his slowly lifting towards his father. "Why…Why did you wait so long before contacting me?"

Ryoichi saw the look of pain in his son's eyes and hummed penitently.

"I'm sorry about that son. I was called away to Osaka for nearly two weeks, and could not spare any time. However, that's a poor excuse for ignoring my son who is clearly in so much distress. May I ask your forgiveness Ritsu?"

"No dad," Ritsu said with a flustered blush. "It's all right. There's no need to apologize. I mean, work is work after all."

"Yes, but some things are more important than work Ritsu, and these past few months have taught me that very well."

The elder Onodera placed his folded hands on the table, inclining closer to his son, who swallowed nervously.

"Ritsu," Ryoichi murmured. "I came today to make a decision about you. Your mother is adamant that I disown you from the family, but I am reluctant to comply because of how much I love you. And in addition to that, I cannot very well make a decision when I do not have all the details of the situation. And so…I would like you to tell me how all of this happened from the very beginning…and I do not want anything left out."

Ritsu's lip parted in shock at his father's request, and he knew without a doubt that the following conversation would take every ounce of courage he had. But as he felt a definite flutter in his stomach, he knew that he was going to have to do it regardless of how he felt.

And so, the younger Onodera, for the first time in his life, began to tell his father about Takano-san, starting all the way back to that day when he had first caught his gaze in the high school library.

Hope everyone enjoyed the lemon! :) Thank you for all the enthusiasm you guys give me to write!

And LOL since everyone seemed to vote that Yuu and Hisashi ruin the kitchen for their son, I think I just might do that XD

Puppyfacetwo, HappySunshine, Fauchocolat- you guys are awesome! So happy you enjoyed the chapter :)

The Guy Below Me Sucks- Uhhhh...probably not. This story is starting to get into some more dramatic stuff, especially with Artistica in a bit, so I really don't want to take on Chiaki and Hatori chapters again, though there will be some mentions of them just to keep readers informed. Plus you were right...I do really hate them. Well, maybe just Hatori... But thank you for your review and I hope you continue to enjoy! :)

Leigh's Last Laugh- It's always such a breath of fresh air to hear from you triple L :) thank you so much for your kind and astute critique. And let me say I totally agree with your beef. When I'm in the bathtub reading ain't nothing short the zombie apocalypse is getting me out, let alone a lousy phone call.

Sunset Siren Curse- Spoiler: they don't lose the baby. Though since I'm not writing about them that much, I'm not exactly the person making the decisions XD

More Nostalgia next! THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!

LONG LIVE THE FLU!

TBF101