It was a quiet morning at the castle, Ere'ana was sitting in the living room, Kael nestled in her lap, fiddling with a toy sword that Kikidori had made for him. Kikidori lounged on the couch with his legs up on the armrest, looking as relaxed as ever, while Ere'ana softly hummed an old heavenly tune.
The calm was shattered when Yumi and Akuma walked in, hand in hand. Yumi had a nervous expression on her face, and Akuma looked… well, guilty, which immediately made Ere'ana suspicious.
"What's going on?" Ere'ana asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. She could tell something was up.
Yumi shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her mother's gaze. Akuma coughed awkwardly, glancing at Kikidori, who hadn't even bothered to sit up.
"Uh… so…" Yumi started, wringing her hands. "We, um, have something to tell you."
Ere'ana tilted her head, her brows knitting together. "What is it?"
Kikidori lazily waved a hand. "Just spit it out already. We don't have all day."
Yumi took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm pregnant."
The room went silent. Ere'ana froze, her lips parting slightly in shock. Kikidori didn't even flinch, still lying on the couch like he couldn't be bothered to move.
Kael, however, was the first to react. He scrambled out of Ere'ana's lap, standing on the floor with wide eyes. "WHAT?!" he shouted, his little wings twitching. "I don't want to be an uncle!"
Before anyone could respond, Kael turned on his heel and bolted out of the room, his tiny footsteps echoing down the hall.
Ere'ana stood up quickly, her hands flying to her mouth. "Yumi… oh, sweetheart, are you sure? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Yumi replied, her voice soft but steady. "I just… I wanted to tell you first."
Ere'ana reached out, pulling her daughter into a gentle hug. "I just don't want you to be in pain. Pregnancy is… it's hard."
Akuma, still looking guilty, scratched the back of his head. "I'll take care of her, I swear."
"You better," Ere'ana said, her voice sharp but not unkind. "Because if you don't—"
"Relax, babe," Kikidori interrupted, finally sitting up and stretching. "She's got this. And if she needs anything, I'll cover it. I'll even throw some money their way for child support."
Ere'ana turned to him, her jaw dropping. "Money? That's all you have to say about this? Our daughter is pregnant!"
Kikidori shrugged. "Yeah, and? It's not the end of the world. She's an adult. She can handle it."
"Handle it?" Ere'ana repeated, her voice rising. "This is a life we're talking about, Kikidori!"
"I know that," Kikidori said calmly, his tone almost annoyingly casual. "And I trust her. Yumi's strong. She's got Akuma, she's got you, and she's got me. What more does she need?"
Ere'ana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're impossible."
"Maybe," Kikidori said with a smirk. "But I'm also right. She's going to be fine."
Yumi, who had been quiet during their exchange, finally spoke up. "Thanks, Dad. And, Mom, I'll be okay, I promise."
Ere'ana looked at her daughter, her expression softening. "I just want you to know I'm here for you, no matter what. If you need anything—anything at all—you just have to ask."
"I will," Yumi said, smiling faintly.
"Good," Ere'ana said, pulling her into another hug. Then she turned to Kikidori. "And you—you better actually help her when she needs it."
"Of course," Kikidori said, leaning back against the couch again. "What kind of dad do you think I am?"
Ere'ana gave him a look but didn't argue. Instead, she sat back down, her wings drooping slightly as she tried to process everything.
Meanwhile, Kael was still nowhere to be found. Ere'ana frowned, glancing toward the hallway. "I should probably go check on Kael."
"Leave him," Kikidori said, waving a hand dismissively. "He'll come around. He's just being dramatic."
"He's five, Kikidori," Ere'ana said, standing up. "He doesn't understand what's going on."
"Exactly," Kikidori replied. "Which is why he'll get over it."
Ere'ana sighed again but didn't argue. Instead, she walked over to Yumi and placed a hand on her cheek. "If you need anything—anything at all—you let me know."
"I will, Mom," Yumi said, her voice soft.
Ere'ana nodded, then turned and left the room, presumably to find Kael. Kikidori leaned back with a smirk, crossing his arms behind his head. "Well, that went better than I expected."
Akuma shot him a look. "How is this better?"
"She didn't cry," Kikidori said simply.
Akuma groaned, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."
"And you married into this family," Kikidori shot back with a grin.
Yumi just sighed, her hand resting on her stomach. "This is going to be a long nine months…"
End of Chapter 24