19
Lathan
Obscura is a busy place on Saturday morning. The dorm hallway is loud with ricocheting voices and hurried footsteps back and forth beyond their door. Staff and student volunteers are organizing the courtyard with more seating, small activities, and tables for barbecued foods and refreshments. It’s the first visitation day of the year; they’re scheduled halfway through both academic terms. And just like move-in day each fall, Lathan hates the event.
His parents have never attended. And even if his dad hadn’t already told him no, they wouldn’t be coming again after they had to make the trip four weeks ago to deal with the ‘incident.’ Shit, they wouldn’t be showing up regardless.
The day starts at noon, when families are welcomed from off campus to see their loved ones attending university. From their room, Lathan stares out the window, his arms crossed, as people arrive early—dads helping lift and move benches, moms organizing baked goods, some complimentary and some purchasable for various student fundraisers. The sun is bright, the temperature is still warm for October; it’s a perfect day to spend outside with your family. If you have any.
He retires from the scene outside, the plummeting of his heart, and plunks down at his desk, opening a book. He never finished the first one, but at this point in the term they’ve long since moved on from it. He intends to have a quiet day on his own, away from the reminder of his shitty parents. A tradition he’s created for himself.
Kylo walks into the dorm—Lathan can see, through the corner of his eye, a flash of skin, shirtless from the shower, and the movement of towel-drying his hair. “You ready?”
“For what?” he asks without looking up from his book.
“Well, we’ve gotta go soon.” He shakes out the pair of pants laid on his side of the beds with a loud crack . “My parents should be here in half an hour.”
Holding his book open with one hand, Lathan slowly turns in his chair. His eyes fixate on the pack emblem tattooed in grey ink on his back. “What do you mean we ?”
“ Weee ,” he sings, kicking out of his loose sweats, “are gonna go see my parents.” He grins cheekily and then peeks at the clock. “Shit. Make that twenty minutes.”
Lathan exhales a quick note when he realizes he’s serious. “Ky,” he says, the book falling closed in his lap. “You didn’t think to—oh, I dunno— ask me first?”
After doing the front button of his olive straight-leg jeans, Kylo scratches his head sheepishly. “Yeah, I’ll be honest, with everything that happened, I kinda forgot about visitation day.” He picks up his charcoal T-shirt and slings it over his head, poking his arms through the holes.
“Right. Well…” Lathan clears his throat. Everything that happened. “I don’t know if it’s a great idea if I’m there.”
Kylo leans his weight onto the bed, holding himself up with his hands. “Come ooon, I need you with me!” he says with a melody, giggling. Taking a pause, he looks down at his splayed fingers on the duvet, his grin and charm melting. “I don’t think I can face them alone today.”
Lathan sighs and stands up, crossing the room to Kylo. I’ve never met my partner’s parents before, he thinks anxiously. But Kylo should see them. He needs to. And if he won’t go on his own…
Lathan curls his fingers under Kylo’s chin and lifts his head to meet his eyes. “I’ll come with you,” he says, “but”—he looks down Kylo’s body, tilting his head with narrowing eyes—“I wish you’d kept the sweatpants on. You always look so good in them.”
Kylo’s face blushes red hot in seconds. Snatching Lathan’s wrist, he tugs him closer, eyelids lowering. “Play your cards right today and I’ll give you more to look at than the sweatpants.”
Lathan smirks, their faces close. He pulls back before he gets carried away—and ends up meeting his boyfriend’s parents while he’s all flustered. He looks back at the clock and crosses his arms again. “Okay, quickly: what are their names? What are they like? Do they know about me?”
“Gods, okay, uh.” He hesitates, thinking. “My mom’s name is Maria, my dad is David. They’re both retired. They’re nice, I guess. And…no, they don’t know about you.” A second passes before he adds, snapping his fingers into guns, “ Yet .”
Lathan blinks at him. “They…what? Ky! They don’t know we’re together, and you’re just gonna throw that at them?” He pinches the bridge of his nose, massaging his tear ducts, then drops his hand. “Do they at least know you date guys? I’m not gonna be that much of a surprise, am I?”
“Oh, gods, yes!” Kylo shakes his hands in protest, outstretched in front of his body. “They haven’t met a partner of mine in years, but they know I’m gay.”
Lathan sits himself on the edge of his desk, relieved, but still overwhelmed by the imminent meeting of Kylo’s werewolf parents. They haven’t been together that long, and they’ve had so many unthinkable things happen. He really hopes today doesn’t add another to the list.
“You’re such a brat, you know that?”
“A lovable brat that’s too cute for you to live without, though, right?” Kylo says, smiling as he walks over to Lathan and slips his hands around his waist.
Lathan hums, admitting defeat, leaning in to kiss him. Then he kisses his neck, twice, and pulls back enough to say, “Think I should give you a hickey before I introduce myself?” He’s joking, of course—though he’d much prefer to stay back and do just that with Kylo—because he’s actually nervous about meeting his family. He doesn’t know anything about them, and they have no idea Lathan exists. He isn’t the type of person most people like—even his own parents hate him—so he doesn’t know if there’ll be any sort of good impression made. Especially as a non-wolf. But he hopes so. And he’s going to try.
◆◆◆
“Okay, keep it cool, Kylo.” He blows out slowly like he’s blowing out a candle. “It’s just visitation day, no biggie! ‘Hi, Mom and Dad! Sorry we haven’t talked in a while, life’s been a bit crazy. With what, you ask? Ha ha! Next question!’”
“Yeah, that’s not really driving my confidence,” Lathan says beside him as they wade through families and tables of snacks and all the smiles and laughter. “Just say your courses are keeping you busy.”
Kylo grips Lathan’s hand tighter as they cross the courtyard grass. Looking down at the squeeze, seeing his usual, casual outfit of black jeans with a hanging silver chain and his leather jacket, his hair pulled back lowly, strands spiking out of the elastic, he’s suddenly self-conscious. And he never really cares about that stuff, about what people think. But if he’s to impress anyone , it’s Kylo’s family. Was I supposed to put on something nicer than this?
“KYLO!”
The high-pitched squeal stabs into them like an arrow, aimed by a woman waving both hands excitedly in the air—short, with naturally silver hair and tanned skin, she’s undeniably Kylo’s mother. His dad stands next to her with his hands in his pockets, attempting to look cool, but his deep, inset smile gives him away. A younger woman, spitting image of Maria, lifts a hand as well. And a man with Kylo’s curls, tucked behind his pointed ears, stiffens as his eyes land on Lathan, motionless, unlike the rest of the group.
It’s a whole godsdamned family reunion.
Lathan is silent as he tries to control his face.
“So…they brought my siblings,” Kylo says through gritted teeth, giving the group a single wave as he and Lathan approach from across the greenery.
“I see that,” Lathan utters, trying to be polite by keeping his gaze on the family members ahead. “Anything I should know?”
“Kianna and Lucas,” Kylo says quickly.
Great , Lathan muses, they’re gonna be thinking this is a big family reunion, and I’m bombing it. They’re gonna hate me right away.
Before they can get too close to the picnic table the Garcias have claimed, Maria’s skipping over to Kylo with open arms. “Oh, my sweet boy! Come here.”
Kylo releases Lathan’s hand and wraps his arms around her, and she wiggles him from side to side, making adoring noises. Then David steps up, a bit awkwardly, removing his hands from his pockets for a hug as well. “We missed you, mijo.”
“You too, Dad,” Kylo says softly.
Lathan lingers off to the side, letting them all get their initial greetings out of the way. He already feels out of place, but he tries to maintain a softer face than he normally bears—making the effort to do so. He takes in their mannerisms as they greet their son, noting Maria’s excitability, and David’s false coolness.
He takes a step back as Kylo’s sister barrels forward, lodging herself between their father, to tackle Kylo in an embrace with a giggle—it must have been some time since they last saw each other.
“Damn, Kianna, what are you guys doing here?” he asks in a laugh.
“Lucas was able to get work off, so we decided to surprise you!”
“Ky-o!” a little voice interrupts from behind her, hugging her back leg. She takes notice and steps back from Kylo, ushering her little one in front of her. “Looks like someone else misses you. Go ahead,” she encourages.
The little boy reaches up happily, opening and closing his tiny hands. Kylo laughs again and picks him up. “Hi, Mateo,” he says, bouncing the boy on his hip twice. Looking up, Kylo nods to his older brother, who gives back a taut half-smile before eyeing Lathan again.
Lathan knows he’s being sized up. He tries to offer friendly eyes to Lucas, but his stare is harsh and unwavering. He can feel the silent judgement—he just doesn’t know what, exactly, is being judged yet, though he can only assume.
But he’s distracted by the toddler in Kylo’s arms. He never mentioned he had a nephew, and the little boy is adorable, with the same dark curls that run in the family. He can’t help but smirk at the kid and his innocence.
“Mijo,” Maria sings, “who’s our guest?” Her smile is giddy, impatient, and she almost bounces as Kylo turns toward Lathan and holds out his free hand for him to take.
Lathan blinks, realizing it’s his turn. He steps forward and takes Kylo’s hand, looking from him to the four others before them. His other hand stays shoved in his jean pocket, and he picks at the threads inside.
“Everyone, meet Lathan”—he glances at him, blushed cheeks framing his suppressed smile—“my boyfriend.”
“Ah! Oh, my stars!”
“Oh.” Lathan’s eyes pop open further as Maria rushes at him and wraps herself around his torso. He holds her back delicately, taken by surprise, welcoming him with literal open arms. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you, Maria.”
“It’s so lovely to meet you! I can’t believe Kylo finally has a boyfriend.” She backs up, her hands still on his waist as she admires him from head to toe rather obviously. “And such a handsome one at that!”
“Mama!” Kylo shouts, his face reddening.
“That’s enough,” Kianna chuckles. “Let the poor boy breathe.”
Lathan exhales a small smile. “Thank you,” he says in his deep voice.
“Oh.” Maria looks back at her family with big eyes, hearing Lathan speak again. “He picked a good one, alright.”
“Ma!” Kylo complains again, laughing with nervous embarrassment as his mom ducks away with raised hands in surrender, and David walks forward.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lathan.” He holds out his hand to shake.
Lathan takes it firmly and nods. “And you, David.” He’s glad that in the midst of his overwhelming nerves, he at least remembers the names Kylo told him barely twenty minutes ago. “I hope it’s alright that I’m here,” he adds, directing his words to everyone.
“What about your family?”
Lathan looks at Lucas, still staring with suspicion. He pauses, but answers honestly. “My parents don’t come to these events. We aren’t very close.”
Lucas continues to stare at him, as if wondering why they aren’t close. As if trying to find a fatal flaw in Lathan.
“Well,” Maria chimes, “you’re more than welcome to be with us, then. Come, everyone. Let’s sit.”
The group shuffles to the picnic table. David, Maria, and Lucas sit opposite of Kianna, Kylo, and Lathan.
“How’re classes going?” David asks as they all gather at the table. He and Lucas sit on the ends, sandwiching Maria.
“They’re okay.” Kylo shrugs, plopping himself across from his mom, Kianna and Lathan on either side of him. “I’m really liking my lit classes, but comp sci is kinda boring. The rest are fine.”
His parents both hum in acknowledgement, listening intently—though Lathan doesn’t think David knows what a ‘lit class’ is as his eyes dart to his wife.
Kianna leans over the wooden table to see past her brother. “And what are you taking, Lathan?”
“I’m in law. I don’t have any classes with Kylo, but maybe before graduation—I do like literary analysis, and the skills are quite transferrable.”
“Wow! He’s going to be a lawyer ,” Maria gushes, nudging David’s arm with her elbow.
“Good for you, Lathan!” David says, an impressed arch to his salt-and-pepper brows.
Lathan’s smirk is minute, and he tries not to encourage Maria’s cheeky nudging. “Thanks. Yeah. My parents have a firm, and they’re looking forward to me helping out once I pass the bar.”
“So if you don’t have classes together, how’d you meet Kylo?” David asks, leaning forward onto his forearms.
Glancing at Kylo’s nervousness on the matter—which Lathan feels too—he decides to take the lead on the story. “At a party, actually, at the end of last term. One of the old houses celebrated after exams. He came outside for some air, and I was already there.”
There’s a tug on the back of Lathan’s jacket, and he looks back to find Mateo, who must have climbed off the bench beside his mom without her noticing. The boy, with a slight pout, lifts his arms and clamps his hands over and over, the same way he had for Kylo. Without thinking about it, Lathan picks the kid up and turns back to the table. “We started talking then, but didn’t actually get to know each other until this term started.”
“Mateo!” Kianna nearly jumps up, shooting Lathan an apologetic look, her ears pinning back. “I’m so sorry, he’ll ask anyone to pick him up.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Lathan bounces the giggling Mateo on his knee. “I don’t mind.”
Kianna blinks, and sinks back into her seat. She eyes Maria, who’s already projecting her a specifically sly look, and Kylo tries to squish his smile away with his hands.
Suddenly, Lathan’s heart plummets. He told Kylo’s parents, his whole family, that they met at a party, and that probably wasn’t the smartest move. Hopefully the fact it was after exams curbs any judgement. He’s not even much of a partier.
“So, we’re all werewolves, but you aren’t,” Lucas states bluntly. “What species are you, exactly?”
The table looks at him, at his rude question. Kylo stiffens next to Lathan; Kianna scowls; but the parents seem to want the answer. Lucas ignores them all, boring his strict gaze into the non-wolf across from him.
For a moment, Lathan thought he could get away without their species difference coming up, with how excited and open the rest of the family has already been toward him. But this is what he actually expected, what he’s been worried about before he and Kylo got together.
He clears his throat, still bouncing Mateo. “I’m a vampire,” he says, and he tries to be confident about it, not show wariness, despite his anxiety growing over the past few weeks about who he is. At least he had to ask, and couldn’t just tell by my sclerae…that’s gotta count for something, right?
Mateo hums happily, playing with the zipper of Lathan’s leather jacket. He doesn’t know what a vampire is, nor does he care.
Lucas bites the inside of his cheek, his nostrils flaring.
“Ah, a vampire, just like Julia and George from your old job, right, honey?”
“Yeah!” David agrees loudly, looking at Maria before Lathan again. “They were good friends of mine. I was an accountant for a tech company for…oh, wow, about thirty years! Worked with people from all backgrounds.”
Lathan smiles smally, appreciative that David and Maria are trying to reassure him that they’re ‘cool’ parents, but the fact they even have to is disheartening. And the look on Lucas’s face concerns him.
Mateo looks up at Lathan. “Play?”
“Not now, lovie,” Kianna says, shaking her head from across the bench.
Mateo looks at her a moment, then looks back up at Lathan, confused. “Play?” he asks again.
“Teo.”
Lathan puts Mateo down and slips out of the bench. “You better start running, or I’m gonna catch you!” he teases dramatically to the kid, who starts squealing and fumbling away on the grass.
Kianna sighs. “I’m sorry. It seems someone has found his new best friend.”
“Yeah,” he says back to her, a happiness on his face that’s been missing for a while. “ Me .” And then he takes off after the little boy, scooping him up and dangling him upside down as he wails and laughs happily in Lathan’s arms.
Maybe it’s a distraction from the hateful watch of Kylo’s brother. Or maybe it’s to keep his anxiety over blood at bay in this moment. But as he continues to spin the young wolf in circles, and the joyful screams of a child fill the courtyard breeze, he feels lighter. Even with his boyfriend and his family watching, whispering behind him.
Back on his feet, Mateo is waddle-running back toward the bench. He trips and face-plants, but Lathan plucks him back up before he can sit in his feelings, and brushes the dirt from his hair, making a silly face to distract him. Instead of crying, Mateo starts laughing.
As they rejoin the group, Lathan finds Kylo propping his chin in his hand, face warm, letting out a long breath toward them.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Kylo breathes as Mateo slinks under the picnic table to play with sticks and the laces of Lathan’s boots. “Better than ever.”
And Lathan believes him. Because he feels good too. Better. Like before all the bullshit threatened to break them apart before they could even start. Even with Lucas’s unwelcoming presence, Lathan feels a warmth he wasn’t sure would come back.
Or is that just the sun? He’s hot under his heavy black layers, especially after running and spinning around with the little one. He ignores it, though, hoping that sitting down again will cool him off a bit.
Kylo wiggles closer to him when he sits down, placing his hand lovingly on Lathan’s thigh under the table—but all Lathan notices is his body heat adding to his temperature.
He wants to enjoy this though. Being around an actual family, feeling like maybe he can be part of one. They all chat and laugh—minus Lucas, but Lathan just pretends he isn’t there—and David mentions how he’s now old enough for senior discounts, despite feeling spry as ever.
Sitting in the sun, though, everyone’s faces are a little pink, which is normal for anyone but a vampire. The apples of his cheeks, his nose, and the band of his forehead are also kissed by the sun, but for him that means sunburns. He can feel the itchiness setting in, but he tries to ignore it, wanting to feel normal for an afternoon. He can feel the sweat under his hair, gathering down his neck, down his back, under his clothes. He doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to leave and look rude.
When he finds himself squinting, trying to focus his eyes from the dimness around him, he knows he needs to step away. That he can’t put it off anymore. He leans over to Kylo, whispers in his ear, “I’ll be right back. Going to the bathroom,” and kisses his cheek while he’s hovering there.
When he stands, he knows he’s fucked up. Dizziness rushes at him, and he sways slightly, but forces himself to walk in a straight line toward the main building. By the time he reaches the stairs, his vision has gone so dark he can hardly see. He balances himself with a hand on the railing, then feels for the door. Taking a few steps inside, the cooler air hits him hard, and he collapses just off to the side of the doors.