28. Let me know if you guys see any major typos or grammatical errors. It'll be a huge help.
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(3rd)
The moment Lanius revealed his relationship with Cain, Kyoka quickly invited him in and called everyone except Nei to gather in the living room. The first to arrive was Cain, who froze for a brief moment when he saw Lanius.
He quickly shook off his surprise and broke into one of the biggest smiles Kyoka had ever seen on him. Cain wrapped his arms around his son, whom he hadn't seen in years, and Lanius eagerly returned the embrace.
"Hey, kiddo..." Cain's voice was thick with emotion and rare vulnerability.
It had been far too long since Cain had seen his son, all thanks to his father and siblings. If it weren't for them, he wouldn't have missed so many precious years with Lanius. He had missed crucial moments in Lanius's life, like his first steps and words. Each absence felt like a theft of the honor and joy of fatherhood—the years of bonding and the privilege of watching his son grow from a boy into a man.
Cain had tried to visit Lanius as often as possible and stay for as long as he could manage, but as the years went by, his situation made it increasingly difficult. When he did see Lanius, his visits were shorter than he wished, but it was a necessary sacrifice. He wouldn't risk Eden discovering Lanius's or his mother's identity. Cain would rather face the depths of hell than allow that, as any respectable father would understand.
"Hey, Dad..." Lanius replied, his voice similar to Cain's. "It's been a while..."
"Yeah, it has..." They finally broke the hug, and Cain looked at Lanius with love and pride. "You've gotten big. You're nearly as tall as I am now."
As the two caught up, Kyoka observed the two Latino men navigating a whirlwind of complicated emotions. She felt a mix of fury, hurt, confusion, and shock. So many questions swirled in her mind, but she held her tongue, waiting for the others to arrive.
A few minutes later, everyone was finally in the living room, and the questions began to fly, leaving everyone present stunned.
"Holy fucking shit! You're forty?! How?!! You look just as old as us!!" Himari exclaimed incredulously, her eyes wide in disbelief.
She couldn't wrap her head around dating someone just a year older than her mom or that Cain had a son the same age as her. Strangely enough, she didn't feel disgusted by it. Sure, she was upset that Cain hadn't mentioned his age or that he had a child.
Oh god, did she have a thing for older men?!
Everyone except Zero shared similar thoughts, none particularly angry or disgusted by the realization that they had been involved with a man twenty years older than them.
They were annoyed that he had kept such crucial information from them all this time. However, they had never asked him directly and had simply assumed he was their age.
Zero, on the other hand, couldn't care less about her darling's age or the fact that he had a child; to her, he was still the ideal mate. However, she was annoyed that she wouldn't be the first to bear his child.
"Who would've thought we've been getting down and dirty with a DILF this entire time, eh?" Shushu remarked, clearly amused by the revelation.
Cain and Lanius chuckled at her comment.
"You know, I expected you guys to be disgusted that I'm old enough to be your dad."
"Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I don't mind how old you are because, at the end of the day, you're still the man I'm hopelessly in love with," Shushu replied, looking at Cain with a loving glint in her emerald eyes that made his heart flutter. She then shot him a sultry look. "Besides, you've ruined me for any other man, so you're stuck with me~."
Lanius nearly gagged. "Okay, chill there, blondie. I don't need or want to hear about you and my dad's sex life."
After witnessing Cain and his mom nearly five years ago, he was deeply traumatized. To make things worse, he had a photographic memory, so even if he wanted to forget that day, it was permanently ingrained in his mind.
Shushu looked at Lanius with a mischievous smile. "Oops, my bad~."
"I have a question," Kyoka interjected, drawing everyone's attention. "When was the last time you two saw each other?"
From what she had gathered about Cain and Lanius's interaction, the two hadn't seen or communicated for many years, which she found odd.
"I hadn't seen him for nearly five years," Cain admitted, surprising the girls.
Kyoka frowned. "How come?"
Cain hesitated, unsure of how much to share about his complicated situation. As much as he cared for and trusted the others, he didn't want them entangled in his family drama. That was his, Rogue's, and Lanius's business to sort out.
However, he knew that was wishful thinking; they would eventually get involved whether he liked it or not. He just hoped they would be strong enough to survive.
For now, he decided to share only what was relevant.
"Well, I can't say much, as it's between my family and me, but let's just say my father and older siblings and I aren't exactly on the best of terms. My father only cares about accomplishing his goals, regardless of who he hurts or what he has to do. He doesn't see people as living beings; he sees them as tools to be used and discarded once they've outlived their usefulness. He always needs to be in control, and if he can't control something or someone, well... you get the picture."
He elaborated on his family and childhood for the next hour, recounting how his siblings would regularly abuse and torture him, both physically and psychologically, until he was strong enough to fight back. He described the horrific training he endured, explaining how his father would give him and his siblings pets only to force them to kill the animals when they became attached.
The longer Cain spoke, the more Lanius and the girls found themselves despising his father and siblings. By the time he finished sharing just half of his experiences, they felt utterly drained—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It all clicked for them now; they finally understood why Cain had been largely absent from Lanius's life.
If his father were even remotely aware of Lanius's existence, he would surely subject him to the same kind of treatment and use him as a pawn to get to Cain.
"And I thought my family was a total shitshow..." Himari remarked, glancing at Cain with sympathy. "I'm really sorry you had to go through all that."
Cain shook his head. "Don't be. Thanks to them, I've become as strong as I am today. Honestly, if it weren't for their treatment, Lanius might never have been born, and I wouldn't be here right now." He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't share this with you sooner. I'm not the type to talk about my past much, so please don't take it personally."
The girls exchanged glances, as if sharing a silent conversation, then turned their focus back to Cain.
Kyoka spoke up, her tone firm yet gentle. "We'll forgive you, but you need to be a bit more forthcoming with us from now on, okay?"
Cain smiled. "Yeah, I understand."
"Good." She then turned her attention to Lanius. "Do you have a place to stay? If not, you can stay here for as long as you need."
"Thank you for the offer, Uzen—"
She gently interrupted him. "Drop the formalities; we're practically family at this point. Just call me Kyoka."
Cain smiled at that, clearly agreeing with her sentiment. They were pretty much family already; all they had to do was make it official. However, that could wait a little while longer until they sorted things out with Eden.
"Well then, Kyoka, thank you for the offer, but it won't be necessary. I came to Japan with my mother." Lanius glanced at Cain, who stiffened momentarily before meeting his gaze.
"Your mom is here?" Cain's voice was low.
Lanius nodded. "She wants to see you."
"I see..." Cain's expression became a complicated mix of emotions. "Alright, take me to her." He stood up from the couch. "We'll be back in a bit."
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- Thirty Minutes Later -
"Hey, Mom, I'm back!" Lanius yelled as he and Cain stepped into the penthouse.
"Coming!"
The two men made their way to the living room and settled down on the couches—Cain taking his spot on the right and Lanius lounging comfortably on the left. Cain glanced around the room, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"Your mom always loved going overboard."
Lanius chuckled. "Tell me about it."
They chatted about various topics, passing the time as they waited for Lanius's mom to appear.
A few moments later, a stunning woman with half-white, half-red hair, striking purple eyes, fair skin, and a well-endowed figure strode into the living room.
"Hey, Lani—" she stopped mid-sentence upon catching sight of Cain. "C-Cain?!"
Cain smiled. "Hey, Uta. It's been a while."
End.
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