17. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Rollie
We show up barely in time for Cory’s fledging ceremony as planned. Scent blockers are supposed to be safe for me to take early in the pregnancy, but I don’t want to take any risks. I cover my scent change with the deodorant I got when I didn’t realize I was in heat though, just to take the edge off it.
Cory is the youngest fledgling of the bunch this time and he looks so proud standing in front of the entire rave to declare his chosen name and pronouns to his loved ones. I get all choked up at the acceptance he’s so certain is his. I can’t help rubbing the spot where my little kit is growing.
One of the reasons my parents used to justify not pursuing egg preservation was that I might pass along whatever it is that makes me a beta. When I whispered that fear to Seb in the safe confines of our den he hugged me tight and made me look at his face as he promised me that even if they’re a beta or a latent with no animal form at all, our baby will always be loved and accepted for exactly who they are.
My kit might be part raven, but even if they never sprout feathers, this flock will claim and love them and make them feel a part of it. I believe that, surrounded by Seb’s loving extended family, I’ve never felt more at home. My little miracle won’t ever have to prove they belong here. Never have to cut away parts of themself to feel worthy of love and acceptance. The thought has me tearing up as the official portion of the party comes to a close and the new fledglings file inside to shift for their first flight with their recognized adult names.
I’m not the only shifter in the crowd getting emotional. Seb’s alpha mom is openly teary, her omega mate handing her tissues. Cory is their youngest, so I guess it’s extra emotional for him to be growing up and hitting a major milestone. I wipe surreptitiously at my own teary eyes, already imagining our baby standing up in front of the flock to tell us who they are.
Seb shoots me a worried glance, “You good?”
“Yeah, hormones,” I wink at him, and we both grin at the reminder that I get to blame pregnancy hormones for being emotional for the next several months.
“You sure? Everything is okay?” Seb leans in, his words so soft the noise of the crowd should ensure that I’m the only one to hear them.
“Yeah,” I answer just as softly, only for his ears. “Just emotional. This kit is going to be so loved, Sebastian.”
He grins at me. “Obviously. You ready to tell everyone or shall we give Cory time to land from his first flight before we steal his thunder?”
“Thunder?” Bram asks, scanning the sky. “Is it supposed to storm? They shouldn’t be flying in a storm.”
Seb snorts. “Wow, someone is getting broody as hell, you ready to pop yet Bram?”
“He is,” Ty answers. Bram scowls.
“Being safety conscious doesn’t mean I’m broody.” Bram pouts, arms crossed defiantly over his comically round belly. The cub he’s carrying is probably going to be huge from how he’s carrying. I stare a little too hard, wondering what it will be like to be that big closer to my own delivery. I can’t wait to meet my kit, but Bram winces as his belly rolls. Oh, shit, it looks like something out of a chest-burster alien video and he grumbles as he rubs the spot where the cub moved.
“Uh huh, keep telling yourself that,” Seb teases.
“Ow. I’ll remind you of that when you’re nesting when Rollie’s ready to pop. You know that’s a thing with mated omegas, right? Just because he’s the one carrying doesn’t mean you get out of all the weird hormone fluctuations and nesting urges. I’m going to laugh my ass off when you’re trying to drag his furry ass into a literal nest like I did to poor Ty—oh, shit.” Bram freezes and I gape at him, expecting that he’s going to apologize for outing my pregnancy, but no.
Seb hauls me back a step just in time not to have the water that gushes down his brother’s legs splatter up at me. Bram is already yelling for his mate before I’ve processed that his water just broke.
“Ty!” Bram squawks loudly. “Where are you? Go tell my moms they can’t get all weepy about their impending empty nest because our kiddos are spending the night, you’re taking me home to have this cub.”
“What?” I stare after my brother-in-law’s retreating back as he bulldozes through his family to collect his mate, kiss his three older kids and depart.
“Wow, talk about stealing the fledgling’s thunder,” Seb jokes, loud enough to break the tension hanging over the courtyard. Raven shifters start heckling Bram for creating drama, and congratulating the fledglings, calling it lucky that their fledging coincides with the birth of a new flock member.
In the midst of all that, Seb twines our fingers and gives me a questioning glance, in an undertone he asks. “Well, want me to just say it?”
“Yeah, go for it.” I nod. I want him to be the one to share the news. I get to carry our baby, so it only seems fair to give him what special moments I can. I know he’s dreamed of being able to announce a clutch to his family. So it feels right.
“While we’re on the topic of new flock members, Rollie and I have news too.” Seb’s voice cuts through the cacophony, and into the lull he says. “Rollie is carrying our clutch.”
That sets off even more celebratory noise from the flock. I lose track of all the people who congratulate us. The shifters ruffle our hair and pat our shoulders, all the friendly preening affectionate touches I’m used to from years with Seb. I knew they included me in their number, but it feels good to have my kit accepted and celebrated so enthusiastically. It heals something inside me that I wasn’t really aware was shattered.
Eventually their focus dissipates back to the youngsters the night is meant to be about. Cory is the center of a knot of attention given that his siblings are the ones at the heart of the drama. He rolls his eyes at us when we congratulate him on his fledging and apologize for taking the attention for a moment.
“Eh, everyone just want’s to see the cub, so Bram’s really the one who should be sorry. Maybe they’ll name the little one Diva after this,” Cory jokes. He really doesn’t seem upset surrounded by his friends and cousins. Myra brings over two slices of cake and plops down next to him at the edge of a cuddle pile of fledgling raven shifters. They both dig into their sweets.
“You good with being an uncle again Cory?” Seb asks tentatively.
“Sure, why not? Bet Myra will like a cousin she can send home instead of dealing with crying babies all the time, huh cuz?”
“Yeah, they’re a lot, but mostly I like having siblings.” Myra licks her fork. “Congratulations Uncle Seb and Uncle Rollie. Once the kid is big enough to need a babysitter I’ll let you have my family rate.”
“Is that so?” Seb asks.
“Yep.” Myra nods solemnly. “I charge extra for bedtime and I don’t do diapers, so it’ll be a while. Anyway, do you guys think I can have a fledging ceremony too? I know I’m not a raven, but it would be cool, I dunno. Just the babies will get to have a ceremony, so I’ve been thinking it might be nice to be included too?”
My heart clenches at the vulnerability of her question. I don’t know whether to be glad she trusts us enough to ask or to ache for the fact that she feels like she needs to check if she gets to be included. If she counts as enough of a raven.
“Absolutely!” Seb grins at her. “You tell your mapa and dad when you’re ready to announce and they’ll get it arranged.”
“Yeah?” Myra glances at Cory who gives her a thumbs up.
“Told you so, you don’t have to fly to have the ceremony. That’s just for funsies. If you want to you could take your fur and climb a tree or something instead though.”
“Yep, You’re part of this flock, Myra.” Seb ruffles her hair affectionately.
“Cool.” Myra goes back to eating cake, asking Cory a question about a show they both like. My stomach grumbles and Seb drags me over to the refreshments to fill up a plate for me. Before long we’re both ensconced in soft pillows along with the same cousins we usually spend these gatherings with. Lydia makes sure Seb and I my beverages stay full of soda and free of booze, and otherwise nothing really changes.
We’re still part of their little sub flock, still subject to teasing and jokes about our mating.
“So, are you two going to have to move once the little one arrives? Your place only has the one bedroom, right?”
“Um, sort of? There might be a second bedroom upstairs. Just, the ceiling is low cause of the gabled roof.” Seb hunches his shoulders sheepishly. He’s told everyone that we’re not mates and we just share the bedroom since we don’t have a second one for years so that admission is met with an uncharacteristic silence before Lydia socks him in the bicep.
“Oh. My. Gosh. You know I half-believed you that you two really weren’t mates all along because of the bedroom thing?” Lydia chuckles and shakes her head in disbelief. “So dare I ask, is going public because of the clutch or because the mating really is new?”
Seb takes my hand and we exchange a speaking glance, I can tell he wants to tease her, and considering how much they’ve teased us over the years, I’ve got no issues with that. It’s not the sort of lie that’s going to hurt anyone or obfuscate anything that matters.
“I dunno, Lydia, what seems more likely?” Seb taunts.
Lydia throws her hands up in exasperation, then looks shrewdly between us. “You really want me to guess?”
Seb glances at me again and I shrug. Lydia is insightful enough that I wouldn’t want to poke her about something sensitive, but this isn’t really a surprise. “Go for it.”
“Rollie?”
“Yeah. What do you think?”
“I think you two are idiots who didn’t admit you’re both madly in love until Rollie’s heat. I think we all knew you were it for each other before you had the slightest inkling. And I think none of that matters as long as you two are happy. Congrats on the clutch.”
“Ah, thanks, Lydia. We’re really excited.”
“You’re going to be amazing dads. Just remember all the times you came over and riled up my hatchlings with candy when I finally get to meet my new little cousin in a few months.” Lydia cackles at Seb’s ‘oh shit’ face in response. She knows him too well to point out the obvious fact that he thought he’d never have to face that kind of payback, avoiding the sore spot while still teasing him relentlessly.
Lydia gives Seb an absolutely gleeful wink. Even if only a fraction of the mischief he’s told me those two got into together as children is true, we’re going to have our hands full if our kit is anything like their raven side. I wouldn’t have it any other way, I can’t imagine a better place to raise my family with Seb.