The house had been unusually quiet for most of the afternoon, and Articus had begun to relax, grateful for the rare peace that had settled over their home. Orion had finally managed to rest on the couch after an exhausting morning of discomfort, his hand gently resting on his swollen belly as he dozed. Articus had hoped this would be the reprieve Orion so desperately needed.
But that fragile peace shattered with a loud, intrusive knock at the front door.
Articus's heart sank. He wasn't expecting anyone—especially not today. He stood from his chair in the kitchen, glancing over at Orion, who stirred slightly but didn't wake. Articus hesitated for a moment, but the knock came again, this time louder, more insistent.
With a heavy sigh, Articus made his way to the door, already dreading what he might find on the other side. As he opened it, he was immediately met by the sight of the entire Black family—piling in together, their faces painted with bright, expectant expressions.
"Surprise!" Walburga announced, her voice loud and cheery as she pushed past Articus without so much as waiting for an invitation.
Behind her, Cygnus, Druella, and Bellatrix followed suit, sweeping into the house with the ease of people who felt they had every right to be there. The unexpected invasion made Articus's stomach drop, and he instinctively glanced back towards the living room where Orion was resting, knowing full well how unwelcome this intrusion would be.
"Mother—" Articus began, but Walburga was already in full swing, surveying the room with her sharp, critical eye.
"We've come to check on our dear Orion," she declared, her tone carrying a hint of condescension, as if Orion's well-being was some fragile thing she alone could manage.
"Is he awake? We've brought some things for him. You know, just to brighten his spirits!" Druella added, carrying a basket filled with what looked like a collection of herbal teas and pregnancy remedies.
Articus felt a pang of frustration rise within him. They hadn't even asked. They hadn't even considered how Orion might feel about this unannounced visit. He opened his mouth to speak, to send them away, but it was already too late.
As if sensing the disturbance, Orion stirred on the couch, his eyes fluttering open. At first, there was confusion in his gaze, but as the sounds of his extended family's voices filled the room, confusion quickly turned to irritation.
Orion sat up slowly, his face tightening in displeasure. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the haze of sleep, but the sight of his entire family crowding into the room had him on edge immediately. The tension was palpable.
"What... are you doing here?" Orion asked, his voice sharp and laced with frustration.
"Orion, darling!" Walburga cooed, striding over to him as if nothing was amiss. She leaned down to kiss his cheek, but Orion shifted back, clearly trying to maintain some semblance of personal space. "We just had to come and see how you were doing. You know, it's been so long since we've had a proper family visit."
"I didn't ask for a visit," Orion shot back, his tone icy. His hand instinctively moved to his belly, cradling it protectively. The tension in the room seemed to thicken with every passing second.
Articus watched the exchange from the doorway, his own frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He had warned them. He had told them time and time again that Orion needed rest, not visitors. And yet, here they were, barging in without so much as a thought for how their presence might affect him.
"We thought you might need some company," Cygnus added, his tone overly jovial as he took a seat on the armchair, acting as though he were settling in for a long stay.
"I don't," Orion snapped, the words escaping before he could stop them. His jaw clenched, and Articus could see the internal battle raging in his son's eyes—Orion was trying, desperately, to hold back his true feelings, but the irritation was building.
Bellatrix, ever the opportunist, smiled wickedly as she approached Orion, her eyes gleaming with a predatory sort of amusement. "Oh, come on, Orion. Don't be so harsh. We're family, after all. Surely, you wouldn't turn us away?"
Orion's patience snapped like a brittle thread.
"Get. Out," he bit out, his voice shaking with barely contained fury. "I'm tired, I'm sore, and I don't want to deal with any of you right now."
The room fell into a stunned silence. Walburga's mouth opened in shock, Cygnus raised an eyebrow, and Bellatrix looked momentarily surprised by Orion's outburst.
Articus stepped forward, trying to salvage the situation before it escalated further. "Orion—"
"No, Dad," Orion interrupted, his eyes blazing with anger. "I've told you. I'm not in the mood for this. I'm not in the mood for their questions, their comments, or their opinions on how I should be handling my pregnancy."
His voice wavered as he spoke, the raw emotion spilling over. "I've had enough. I've been dealing with this for months now, and I don't need them coming here, making everything worse."
Walburga, recovering from her initial shock, drew herself up to her full height, her face hardening with disapproval. "Orion Black, how dare you speak to your family that way. We've come all this way—"
"I didn't ask you to!" Orion snapped, his voice rising. His hands gripped the sides of his belly protectively, and Articus could see the stress starting to take its toll. "I don't need you here. I don't want you here. Just... leave me alone!"
For a moment, no one spoke. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Orion's breathing was labored, his face flushed with frustration and anger. Articus could see that this was too much for him—his son was at his breaking point, and the last thing he needed was more stress.
"That's enough," Articus finally said, his voice firm as he stepped between Orion and the rest of the family. "Orion needs rest, not this. It's time for you to go."
Walburga looked ready to argue, but the steely look in Articus's eyes stopped her short. She huffed indignantly, but she knew better than to push any further.
"Fine," she said sharply, turning on her heel. "But don't expect us to come running when you need help."
With that, she swept out of the room, followed by Cygnus and Druella, both of whom offered parting glances that were anything but friendly. Bellatrix, however, lingered a moment longer, her eyes locking onto Orion's with a smirk.
"Good luck, cousin," she said softly, her voice dripping with condescension. "You're going to need it."
And with that, she was gone, leaving a tense silence in her wake.
Orion let out a shaky breath, his hands trembling as he sat back against the couch, his entire body radiating exhaustion.
"I'm sorry," Articus said quietly, sitting down beside him. "I didn't think they'd just show up like that."
Orion shook his head, his eyes closing as he tried to calm himself. "It's not your fault. I just… I can't deal with them right now."
"I know," Articus murmured, placing a comforting hand on Orion's shoulder. "You don't have to."
