Mirai No Kodomo
XXXVIII: My Son (Makino Ruki)


I'm working late in the office tonight, I got a special project I want to get done. I'm surprised we're really going to run it, it might make the news 'cause it's going to be mentioned on the cover but…

…He said he won't mind. Akio's proud. I mean, damn it, he's…Proud of who he is. And I wanted to write this article for him and any mother who at least suspects that their son or daughter is gay.

I can't believe he believed me all those times I made jokes about it being "genetic" with Takehiro and Takato. But I also feel bad since it's the whole reason he had his hopes up on being with Takehiro. I'm sorry Akio, I didn't realize biology was not your strong point…

…I guess this is what I get after ten million gay jokes towards Jen, Takato, Hirokazu and Kenta…Each.Not that I give a shit, Akio's Akio…

…I never wanted kids. Ever. I hate kids. I did not want to deal with the crying, the diapers, the midnight feedings all the crap that comes with that creature Jen and Takato claim is such an adowable wittle miwacle!UGH!

So, the day I found out that damned thing was blue and Akiyama had knocked me up…I was PISSED! Not so much at Akiyama (but he does make a good punching bag) but at myself for not trying harder to avoid "accidents" like that…

…But now?

I know everyone thinks I'm the world's worst mother for telling him this but…Akio really is "Mommy's Favorite Little Accident." I called him that as a baby, when I knew he couldn't understand me but…

…It just sort of stuck. I've liked the kid ever since he pissed on Shiota after we brought him back from the hospital. And raising him? Akio's…an experiment in bad parenting done right. Yeah, we let him swear. Akiyama hates that, so I humor him by telling Akio not to swear in front of non-family grown ups…I know he taught Ryougi and Takehiro some "new words" back when they were little kids, though. Heh heh heh! We let him fight in school, which, again, Akiyama hates, if it's to protect his friends. I'm proud of him for wanting to protect Ryougi and even more proud now that he's learned how not to get his ass kicked. We let him talk back to other adults - not us or our friends, but teachers I'm okay with if he's got a good reason...

…We let Akio get away with a lot of things most parents wouldn't but…

…We have our ground rules, the rules Akio's not allowed to break. And Akio knows this. He comes home every night, does his homework before having fun (he can watch TV while he does homework but…To our surprise, he says it distracts him and avoids it). He has to try to keep his grades up and come to us for help if he needs it (he sucks at math and, again, biology). He's not allowed to pick on his sister (not that he would, Akio's got that "protective big brother on steroids" thing going on). Things like that…

…And he behaves. Akio follows those rules and, despite what I know the others tend to think, he's a good kid! He's a great kid…I'm glad I had him. And Kae, too…

…Kae's got this level of innocence that gets on my nerves sometimes but Akiyama begged me not to "corrupt her" like I did Akio. Akiyama doesn't know this but…I never tried not to! She's just...a nice little girl. Akiyama likes that and Kae loves her "Daddy."

…I swear to the GODS, she's got to have a hell of a dark side coming when she's a teenager, though. I can't wait! That will be some serious Mother-Daughter bonding time…And if Akio's "gay enough," Mother-Daughter-Gay Son bonding time…As much as Akio hates girly shit, he makes exceptions for Kae's girly shit. Ha ha ha, I didn't count stuff like that against him as evidence of him being gay (though the time he played tea party as "Ms. Akioyama" was really tempting, Gods he puts up with a lot from her…), he's just that damned good of a big brother.

But with Akio…Heh, after Kae found out when he told us he's "just gay, not bi," (he didn't realize she was home when he announced it) he's given up hiding. He's out and doesn't care who knows. I guess he didn't want to upset his little sister or something at first…Seriously, Akio, you take guarding your little sister to a greater extreme than Takehiro does protecting his little sister. I love how Akio "adopted" Ryougi as his "practice little sister" when I was pregnant...Akio, you're a Makino, all right! Give those Matsudas Hell!

But, now, kids at Akio's school know he's gay and he's already knocked the teeth out of anyone who called him a fag or any crap like that. He got suspended the day he came out at school, actually. Even I was a little surprised by the phone call…

"Mrs. Makino…Um…We need you to pick up your son, he's been suspended for punching a student."

"I thought we agreed – He protects the Matsuda kid, you don't suspend him."

"He was not protecting Ryougi. He…Um…From what I understand, he asked his teacher if he could address the class. She said 'yes' and…Are you aware that your son is gay, Mrs. Makino?"

"This is actually news to you?"

I wasn't surprised the day I found out I was right…I was upset, though. Not because he's gay but because Akio does not cry easily…

…He really liked Goggles Junior. More than we realized. The fact he was that upset…

…I hate seeing my kids cry. At least Goggles Junior was really apologetic, according to Takato. He had no idea Akio liked him…Are you BLIND, Takehiro? Gods, Akio is obsessed with him at times…Still sort of is, actually…

…Sorry, Akio. Find that better boyfriend, okay? There's someone out there…If I can find someone, it shouldn't be that hard for you.

"…I-I see…Well, he…'Came out' to his class, saying 'anyone who has a problem with it can kiss my ass.'"

"That sounds like him." Akio's teachers hated me, whenever they called me in to speak with him and his teacher for the crap that comes out of his mouth, I'd usually turn to Akio and give him a high five for it if it was funny enough.

"…Yes… Well, a student called him a…certain word…And, well, according to Akio, he just 'strolled down the row of desks' and, in his words, 'planned to punch him until his face collapsed in on itself.' The teacher broke it up after three punches."

"…All right, how long is he suspended?"

"Three days, as he was provoked but—"

"I'll be there in ten minutes, see ya again in three days."

"…Yes…Three days…" Something tells me the school considers any period of time Akio is suspended to be a vacation. My kid's a Hellraiser, I love him!

I picked up Akio and took him out to lunch, giving him the usual 'throw the second punch that way you won't get in trouble' spiel. Akio, though…looked a little more upset than usual for getting suspended (which is actually being upset).

"…Akio, what's wrong?"

"I just...Now I know how Ryougi feels. That jerkass did what they do to Ryougi, except Ryougi doesn't fight back. …I shouldn't have punched him."

"Why?"

"'Cause now I won't be able to protect Ryougi for three days."

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Akio." …I admit, I'm more proud of his fighting than I should be (which is at all) but it's because he does it for Ryougi. Ryougi…Gods, we all know how badly he gets bullied and how Takehiro's kicked a lot of homophobic ass for his little brother…

…Akio cares about his friends. That's important to me and to him, so the fact he regrets being suspended for that reason was enough for me to not tell Akiyama about the fight. Akiyama has some parental control over Akio, he usually dishes out some kind of punishment when he gets suspended, Akio goes with it without complaining.

So, I brought Akio to work with me instead of school, I let him watch TV in my office or whatever he wanted.

…And, instead, we worked on this, what I'm just doing the final edit for:

A pair of articles by each of us for this month's issue of Girly Girl. About being the mother of a gay son and about being that gay son. It was his idea when he heard I needed some more content while I was on the phone.

"Mom, um…You need, like, another article or something?"

"Yeah, it's a slow month and a couple writers missed their deadlines."

"I…Um…I have an idea. Could we try it if you like it?"

"Sure, what is it?"

…Akio wanted an article from me on having a gay son, he wanted to write an article about being that gay son. He says he wanted to do something to "help guys like Ryougi or his boyfriend grow a pair of balls." After Ryougi came out, everyone heard about how scared he was of being gay. I couldn't freakin' believe it! So I really liked Akio's reason for wanting to write the articles. Ryougi told us he had the courage to come out because of how easily Akio accepted being gay...

...I held back on what I thought of the fact the kid with two dads was afraid of coming out and just congratulated him. Too bad Akio didn't like Ryougi instead of Takehiro. But, then again, that'd make me feel bad for that Tarou kid…He loves Ryougi a lot, I haven't seen someone that lovestruck since Kenta to his husband…Or Takato to Jen, too.

We're calling the articles "Mother And Her Son – Gay or Straight: Who Cares?" Akio originally wanted to call it "Who Gives A Shit?" But I told him, "Sorry, Akio, we gotta deal with some language restrictions, I'll let you write something for the more adult stuff we publish when you're older." From the look on his face when I said that, I think he might hold me to it.

We started planning on day one, an outline on day two, some writing on day three and, after school from then on, I'd pick up Akio, he'd do his homework in my office and we'd work on our articles when he was done. We spent a few late nights here, Akiyama called me once, saying, "Ruki, where the hell are you? It's almost nine at night, where did you take my son?"

"YOUR son, Akiyama?"

"…You're right, what was I thinking? Where did you take your son?"

"We're at work, I just made him some coffee. It's gonna be a late night."

"…Akio drinks coffee now?"

"He likes it black, just like his Mom does."

…Except he drank it black for the 'manly image,' not because he liked the taste at all. He was gulping that crap down to avoid the taste…

"…Is he hyper?"

"Akiyama, he's a teenager now! He doesn't bounce off the walls from a little triple strength French roast with five shots of espresso!"

…I was a little wrong about that, Akio may be a teenager but…The kid is really short for his age, shorter than Ryougi, even! That 'enhanced' the impact of the caffeine on him, I think. But, if anything, it got his creative juices flowing…

…At a hundred miles a minute. But we finished our articles, Akio is really proud of his and how it turned out. So am I, actually…I didn't know Akio was a writer. It's pretty good, especially for a first timer.

And now, it's going in the magazine. I really like how they turned out, especially Akio's. He talks about how he wasn't afraid of his orientation but about how a friend of his named "Ryuji" was, though he didn't suspect him Ryuji as gay. He, of course, means Ryougi, who came out the day after Akio told us he realized he was "just gay"…

…And Ryougi only came out in the sense that he finally admitted to it! Gods, I should have made that betting pool about him! How the hell did Akio not know that kid was gay? I think my son's blind, just by how his crush on Takehiro and broken gaydar worked with the Matsuda kids…

…Damn it, I lost so much cash on Takehiro! Matsuda Junior, you'd better dump that chick and go after my son NOW! I hope Hirokazu and Kenta saved the receipt for that flatscreen…Damn it…

Still, as I look it over one last time, I'm really impressed by how Akio's article turned out…I didn't think he could organize his thoughts like this but…It's great. He talks about why he's not afraid of being gay, about his first crush (he even, somehow, managed to hold back on how much he loves Matsuda Junior of all people!), about how he protects his "gay friend" from bullies, tips for other gay teens and, my favorite part, he ends with how much he loves his family for supporting him, especially his bisexual father…HA HA HA HA HA! Akiyama's bein' outted to the world…Finally!

But it's true: Akio loves his family. And we love him and Kae. Kae still calls him Jerkface (I don't get that girl and her love of handing out nicknames) but he takes it as a compliment. And as much as Akio hates girly crap, he'll still play tea party with Kae-chan and BelialVamdemon (She insists the Chosen Children are the "real bad guys" in 02, by the way, Vamdemon was "innocent" and "a hero for justice!") and stuff like that. Kae loves her big brother, too, and wants him to find a good boyfriend...

…She even suggested BELIALVAMDEMON! No, really, she's been saying "BelialVamdemon loves Jerkface" while playing with her doll! Akio plays into it, sorta, but…

…Akiyama, I swear to the GODS if I ever find out you dropped her on her head as a baby I'll...I'll…

…I'll understand how her thought process works for once but…SHIT! That girl is weird sometimes! Not that I mind, I think she's just got an active imagination…Or she's batshit insane, I don't know. I just love my daughter and her weirdness.

I make sure all of the papers are here and in order, I'm going to take them to my head editor soon for printing…The magazine comes out in a week. Akio's excited and Kae-chan really wants to read it. So does Akiyama, he's not allowed to read it 'til his subscription comes in…I still can't believe he subscribed to Girly Girl…

…Or the reason he subscribed…

…Akiyama…

I swear, if you…really did feel that way about me at that time

…Thanks. I know this is a weird-as-hell arrangement but…I'm so glad it worked. I'm…I'm glad that I have you. And our kids…

…I love my family.

There, I thought it. I'll never say it, but…I thought it…

…Sorry, Akiyama, but you know me: Feelings and shit like that aren't my thing. I came kind close after Akio was born. When I woke up from the C-section and Akiyama put him in my arms…

"It's a boy."

"…Impossible, you're the father. You sure that ain't the umbilical cord down there?"

"Ruki…"

"…Fine. C'mere, kid…I'm the landlady who's been giving you a free room for the past nine months. Time to get your ass out of there…I got a better room for ya at home, more space. Better view, too."

"So, um, what do you…want to name him?" …Yeah, we're that bad at parenting: The thought of baby names didn't occur to us until a week before my C-section. It was one of those 'oh shit' moments when we realized we can't just call him 'the kid' his whole life!

"…Akio."

"Akio?"

"After his Dad. Akiyama."

…I felt sorta bad Akiyama gave up his surname for me when we got 'married.' 'Distant Autumn Mountain' sounds a lot cooler than 'Distant Grazing Field.' Sacrificing some of his 'cool image' for me…That must've really torn him up.

So, I 'reincarnated' his dead surname as 'Akio.'

"…Thanks, Ruki—"

"Don't ruin it, Akiyama…He's kinda cute."

"Yeah…He is. Think…we're ready for this kinda thing?"

"You're the one who asked when they brought home Ryougi—Son of a bitch! You planned this, didn't you? Admit it, you sneaky bastard! You replaced my pills with tic-tacs, didn't you?"

"N-No! I-I swear, I didn't!"

Heh, I was just screwing with him, just like with how 'pissed' I was at him for being knocked up…I was more pissed at myself and the fact that, well, shit was going to get complicated now.

…Actually, as pissed off as I was…

…When that stupid thing turned blue with that little plus sign, after I got over the initial shock…

…I smiled.

"You've passed on your genes, Akiyama, I can murder you now…"

"R-Ruki…"

At that point, Akio started crying a little…I cradled him in my arms.

"…Fine, this kid obviously likes you. I'll let you live for his sake…C'mon, shut up, shut up, Mommy's here... Come on."

"…Ruki, I just love how you can say 'shut up' in such a soothing and motherly tone."

"Yeah, yeah…Just get this kid a bottle already."

"Um, you've got two with you, y'kn—"

"HELL! NO!"

"I'll go get a nurse!"

Akio stopped crying after Akiyama left…And…

…Okay, Jen, Takato…I saw your point. …When I had my son in my arms, looking up at me for the first time…

…I felt that thing Takato did when his kid was born: "Mother's love."

Akio and I just smiled at each other, that kid was smiling at me. We did that just 'til Akiyama came back with a nurse…

…And from then on, I've been happy being a Mom. Plus, it did come with one little, extra bonus…

"Mmwah!"

"Ru-Ruki…?"

" Good morning, Ryou! What's wrong? You look funny!"

"Ru-Ruki…! Di-Did you…did you…just… kiss me? On the lips? …Without threatening my life if I tell anyone?"

"Of course, I love you, don't I?"

"Uh…Ruki, what…What the hell are you doing?"

"Snuggling up with my husband..."

"…Are you serious?"

"I love you, Ryou…"

"…I'm scared, Ruki, very scared…"

"Call me Ruki-chan, Ryou-chan! …Ryou-chan, why are you screaming like that? What's wrong?"

…I love how Akiyama bought that "Ruki's nice when she's coming off pregnancy hormones" prank both times! GODS he is fun to screw with! I love messing with him!

…Oh, screw it!

I love him.

And I swear to the Gods, if you tell ANYONE I said thatBy the time I'm done with you, you'll be eating through a tube for the short, miserable remainder of your life!

Got it?


A few weeks later…


The magazine's been out for a few days, now…I got some calls from some news stations, asking why I decided to "out" my son…It was his freakin' idea, I told them! Plus his message to anyone who complains: "Kiss my ass." Akio, you always have been and you always will be Mommy's favorite little accident!

Also, um…I…Ha ha ha…I forgot that, um, someone we didn't tell would find out…

…That was a fun phone call…

"Hello?"

"Ruki?"

"Oh, hey, Mom—"

"Since…Since when is Akio-chan gay? I-I just…read your article…"

"O-Oh, um…We…We didn't tell you? He came out a little bit before we wrote that..."

I knew I forgot something! Ugh, this like when she found out I was married all over again…

…Turns out she knew the whole time and just humored me by playing dumb 'til I told her. The fact I was wearing that stupid ring as a necklace tipped her off, she saw it once when she dragged me to a high end department store to try on clothes a few weeks after the "wedding." She saw it as a wedding ring (figuring that's the only piece of jewelry I'd ever wear) and figured I was with Akiyama. Not hard to guess, all the other gay guys I know are with someone…

…I still wear that stupid thing around my neck. Akio and Kae have never seen it, they still think I hate jewelry. And I do!

…Just not this ring.

"I-I see…"

"This…isn't a problem, is it Mom?"

"N-No, but…Ruki, I just…had no idea!I mean…Akio's…Akio! I-I thought he'd be like you."

"He is like me, Mom, he likes guys."

For a couple years, Akiyama and I had a bet going on about that. I kept telling him, Akio has 'my taste,' Akiyama says Akio has 'his taste.'

What's the difference, Akiyama? Especially since he still thinks you're bi…

"I meant, um, before you married Ryou. I honestly thought you would never get married or even date, Ruki…I'm sorry, but you…just never seemed interested or even willing to try it."

"Yeah, Akio's…He's more into dating than I am, trust me. He had a thing for Matsuda Junior."

"Oh, didn't he know how your betting pool turned out? Ha ha ha! So-Sorry, Ruki, but…I-I want to thank you again for my new living room set." …She won a shit load off me! Grrr…If you weren't my Mother, I swear I'd…!

"Apparently not, but…He's really confident about it. He says he's already looking for a new boyfriend, one cuter and tougher than Takehiro." Heh, not even Matsuda's gay one is that out and proud, Akio makes no secret: He wants a cute boyfriend who can kick ass like he can…

…Hope ya find him, Akio. And soon.

"Ha ha! Well…Tonight, mind if I call him and talk to him? I just…I want to make sure he's doing okay with it."

"He is, but I know what you mean. But, don't worry, he's really got no problem with liking guys. I don't raise Shiotas, Mom, I raise Makinos."

Akiyama and I couldn't believe he skipped the 'I'm scared, I don't wanna be gay' stage - The one that freaked out Jen and haunted Takato for years…And Ryougi for some reason, what the hell was that kid so scared of? Daddy and Daddy gonna object to their own 'perverse lifestyle choice?' Gimme a break, Ryougi…

But the fact he skipped that scared the shit out of me because Kenta is the only other gay guy I know to skip that part...

…Akio's not like Kenta, though. Thank. The. Gods.

Akio showed off his article at school, actually. This time, when he was made fun of, he got Sunday detention for cussing out the other students, instead of suspension for trying to make their faces turn inside out with his fist ("for Ryougi's sake"). But not a lot of students are dumb enough to mess with Akio - especially after he beat the living shit out of a high school student that called him a 'Momma's Boy' at the park. His little sister went to school with Akio and started it - Akio wouldn't beat her up, but big brother was fair game when he called Akio 'Mommy's Wittle Angel.'

…And like any kid who's sooo not a Momma's Boy: He beat the shit outta the guy and ran home all happy and smiling. He sat next to me on the couch, gave me a big a hug and told me the play by play of what happened…I was so proud of Mommy's Wittle Angel of Death! Even though…he is kind of a Momma's Boy…

…Akio, most kids who get called "Momma's Boy" don't come home, hug and say to their Mom "I just beat the crap outta some jerk! Wanna hear?" But I'd never tell him that…

…Should've seen it comin', though, just from his first word...

Akio's first word wasn't "shit," "kiss my ass," "Closet King Shiota," "Fairy Queen Kenta," "castrate Dad with a rusty fork" or anything like that, as much as everyone expected it to be SOMETHING vulgar...Even me!

Akio Makino's first word…

…was "Mommy."

Thanks, Akio.

Anyway, with the article and his school's reaction...Akio was only upset because Ryougi missed it, he was out sick that day…He wanted us to surprise him and Takehiro with it, we still haven't shown or told them yet…

…I just know he wants to impress Matsuda Junior with it, it's something that Takehiro'd like to read. That kid…I swear, he's…He's so gay for someone straight. He's like a straight version of Shiota, except you call him gay he just shrugs it off! But he also taught Akio some moves for helping Ryougi, 'cause Akio wouldn't give up even when he was getting his ass kicked. He also taught him sort of breathing exercise "for fighting," I know it's really a way to help calm down (I've used the same trick)…Akio's used it and he doesn't realize it but…He's a lot calmer than usual because of "Matsuda's Ass-Kicking Breathing Skill! Haaaiii…YAH! Haaaiii…YAH! Haaaii…YAH!"

Heh…Matsuda Junior's a crafty one…

…Takato raised one hell of a kid, I gotta hand it to him for that. He, Jen and Juri raised two really great kids.

But so did I. And Akiyama helped, I guess.

My son is Akio Makino, my daughter is Kae Makino…

…And I'm damned proud of them.


Ori's Notes:
I wanted to do one more Akio-related chapter and something involving Ruki's reaction to Akio's orientation. I mean, let's face it, she is the queen of gay jokes…

And I hope you got a chuckle out of Ruki's usual "Ruki Rage" going as far as breaking the fourth wall…I couldn't resist it, she just admitted to loving Ryou after all!

Keep in mind, the timeskip in the second part of this chapter takes place a few chapters ahead of where it begins. The next few chapters take place before the timeskip…Sorry if it's a little confusing, but I didn't want to do a part two on this narrative.


Taiki's Notes:

Akio's first word was "Mommy?" Awww! I really like that!

I was hoping Ori would do a Ruki POV chapter at some point, I really like when he writes her. Ha ha, I especially liked Ruki going as far a threatening the reader! Ha ha ha, I'll keep your secret, Ruki! I do not like pain in the slightest!

-Taiki Matsuki