ⁱˡᵒᵐⁱˡᵒ

ᵗʰᵉʸ ᵏᵉᵉᵖ ᵐᵉ ᵘᵖ

A/N: almost forgot to post this.

"Dad?" 

Keigo's gaze flickers up from the screen of his laptop but his fingers keep on with their tapping and typing away as Shouto pokes his head in from the door; he's almost done writing out the new terms and conditions to be met in order for him to even consider renewing a contract with his current management team. Good people; mediocre representation. 

"Hi, baby. You're home early; you didn't have class today?" 

Shouto lets himself into the study, dragging his bag behind him as he goes to plop down in the extra chair near the bookshelves. "I did but I wasn't feeling well so I left early today. Went to check on mom before I came in here but he was taking a nap. He's been sleeping a lot lately; is he doing okay?" 

"Oh---mommy's fine, sweetheart. It's just been a very long time since he's had to carry and his body needs a little time to adjust to the new pup. He had a hard time with you four as well but the doctor said everything looks fine right now. I'm keeping a close eye on him; I promise." Keigo reassures him, hands pausing abruptly as he takes his attention away from the screen. The faint scent of distress wafts him and Shouto seems rather nervous as he sits there and chews on his nails. Keigo doesn't call him out right away, instead deciding that his paperwork could wait. 

"You said you weren't feeling well earlier. Are you feelin' alright now, baby?"

A shrug. Keigo hums and plucks the glasses from his face to sit them down on his keyboard. 

"Is there something you want to talk to Papa about? You know you can tell me anything at all---it'll stay right here in this room with us." 

This seems to coerce the omega into relaxing about, the contemplative expression on his face a rather obvious giveaway that he needs to get something off of his chest. 

"I-I just...I know you probably don't care since you and my sire aren't at all on good terms but...I haven't heard from daddy in days and she was supposed to meet me the other day but she never showed. The lady at the hotel she was staying at said she hasn't checked out yet so...I...I mean…" 

"You're worried about Rei." He supplies, quite surprised when Shouto offers a shake of his head. "N-No. I mean...I know she isn't in any trouble. It's just...why would she be avoiding me like this? What did I do wrong? I thought we were doing better but now she doesn't want me anymore…?" 

Shouto's voice cracks and Keigo feels a tug at his heartstrings. He feels horrible that they haven't told him about Rei being arrested or what she'd tried to do to his mother all those days ago---guilty to have let Shouto believe that Rei had simply abandoned him again but it honestly feels like the lesser of two evils. He had wanted to spare Shouto---to leave him with whatever image of his father he'd had that day instead of breaking his heart---but is this really any better?

His poor baby is crying. What the fuck is Keigo supposed to do? Is there really a correct decision to make? He doesn't want to stress Enji out with this---not while he's carrying the baby. They're already preparing for a high risk pregnancy. He doesn't want to lose this pup---he can't. 

"Oh, Princess. C'mere, baby." He stands from his chair, arms wide open until he sits next to Shouto embrace him. His fingers card through mismatched strands of hair, rocking him from side to side in an attempt to comfort him. He can feel warm tears staining the collar of his shirt and, more than anything, Keigo wishes there was a way he could protect his children without hurting them in the process. He never wanted it to be this way. They were supposed to be happy.