Reaper

Chapter 15 -Evander

Evander arrived home for dinner, his mom smiling at him and welcoming him into the house. He let her hug and kiss him then hesitantly walked to the dining room to see if his dad was present. He took a seat, trying to put everything he wanted to say to his dad in his head. He hadn’t told either of them about the change with Kouzen. He knew he didn’t care what everyone thought but telling his parents seemed to make his stomach drop.

Dating effeminates wasn’t seen as bad, per se but it wasn’t often seen outside of the demons. It had happened for them due to their lack of females. Dragons and other shifters didn’t have that problem. He didn’t want to wait until they were serious for his parents reactions. He felt telling them sooner was smarter, they could get used to it. Not to mention it was Kouzen of all people, his dad had told him to stay away and instead he’d gone and started dating the kid.

“Van, nice of you to join us today,” His dad looked at him pointedly. He shrugged earning him a contemptuous sigh.

“I uh, I need to talk to you and mom. Figured dinner was a good time for it,” his dad looked to him suspiciously. He tried to give a cool smile but he knew it came out just as nervous as his guts felt. His dad was the Beta, his uncle was the Alpha. They had agreed to this arrangement to avoid separating the family when they’d had 2 Alpha boys. His cousins didn’t have the Alpha gene but he did and he knew the clan would rest on him one day—not that he wanted it. It’s why they were always so hard on him when he acted out. This could go a number of ways.

“Oh, what do you need to talk about hun?” His mom started setting the table. He got up to help, surprising both of them. Once everyone was sitting he fixed his plate, mulling the words around in his head as his parents waited.

“I um, I started dating Kouzen. His dad knows, he’s fine with it, no one’s getting sued. We just kind of clicked together two days ago and I wanted you to know,” Evander spit the words out as quick as he’d breathe fire. His dad dropped his silverware, his mom giving his dad a hard glare before looking softly to her son.

“Is ‘clicked together’ code for something? I never know with kids these days,” His mom gracefully set her silverware down, resting her hand on his arm.

“No! Gods no, I wouldn’t tell you about that mom. I meant we realized we liked each other. We’ve been dating for like 2 days,” His face was red and he knew it. His dad was collecting himself, nodding a little. Clearly they’d both thought he was admitting to f*****g his prey.

“Are you sure that’s smart, Van? After all you did to that kid, all he’d have to say is you forced him and everyone would believe it,” His dad’s voice was gruff, trying to be reasonable.

“He wouldn’t do that. He’s not like that at all. If we get to know each other more, maybe he can come have dinner with us sometime,” Evander looked to his mom instead of his dad. He knew appealing to her would be easier. She brightened right up, nodding eagerly. He was relieved, neither brought up concerns with his gender or species.

“Any time! You tell that boy he can come to our home even if you two break up, we owe him after everything you’ve done to him,” His mom patted his arm and started eating dinner.

“I’d like to take him on a date I think on the homestead. I think that’d be meaningful for him. Think Uncle would give me permission to bring him to the Tavern?” He started eating too, the worst of his nerves gone.

“Oh, I’m sure he will. You just have to ask him first baby,” His mom grinned. His dad didn’t seem sold but he figured he’d come around.

“I mean, Van, he’s a guy, right?” His dad tilted his head and he figured he shouldn’t have thought it’d be done.

“He’s an effeminate like this mom. You can tell by his waist,” Evander glanced to his mom who was giving his dad the mom stare.

“Those are the girly ones, right?” His dad looked sheepishly at his mom after catching her stare.

“Yeah. We just started dating though, dad. Whatever you’re worried about we can worry about it later when we know how it’s gonna pan out,” Evander did not want to be there when his mom addressed this with his dad. She was going to lay into him and he was glad at the moment she was taking into consideration he’d made a big deal of telling them.

“Just thinking about your future is all. I mean, you could have yourself a nice girl from the clan. She’d give you good babes, ya know? I met your mom when I was 18,” he glanced nervously between them, trying to judge how far he was overstepping. His mom stopped eating, politely setting her silverware down again.

“Tarben, a word?” His mother stood, her stance unforgiving as she bore down onto him. He quickly stuffed his face, wanting to escape before his parents started arguing. His dad stood up, he was sure for the umpteenth time in his life regretting marrying such a strong woman. His mom gave him a soft smile, patting her son’s cheek before taking his father to the other room.

He quickly finished and then put his plate up, retreating to his room as he heard his mom whispering harshly at his dad. He sighed and smiled to himself, Kouzen had been accepted and that was all that mattered. He picked up his phone and pulled up his chat labeled ‘Horns’ with a red heart by it. Kouzen had added the heart, he snorted softly, he was such a little twerp. ‘Told my parents about you. My dad’s learning demon anatomy again via my mom.’

He laid on his bed, folding one arm back behind his head on his pillows as he watched the dots pop up in the chat to indicate he was responding. ‘Why would he need to know that? Sweet that you told them.’

‘Because you’re “one of the girly ones”. He thinks I should get a dragon female from my clan instead,’ he stared at his message a long moment hoping he wouldn’t take it wrong. He sent it and waited, his heart pounding he’d understand correctly.

‘Oh :c I suppose that makes sense. He doesn’t like me then?’ Evander frowned, it wasn’t what he meant but he knew it was the most likely response.

‘I didn’t say that. Plus my mom is so excited. I want to take you on a date, when are you free?’ Evander did his best to be reassuring. His boyfriend was sensitive to how people reacted to him, something he hadn’t noticed before. Watching his friends interact he could tell each time he didn’t think he belonged. He’d have to talk to them all about that too.

‘I’m free like every night, you’re my only friend remember? Haha.’ He smiled, pulling up his calendar to ensure no clan business was happening he’d have to attend.

‘Tomorrow then. I have to get permission to bring you on the homestead and I’ll let you know where to meet me.’ His chest rumbled with joy, almost like a purr of satisfaction as he waited for confirmation.

‘Sounds incredible. See you tomorrow, Van!’ He could picture his prey, big smile on his face, cheeks pink. He loved hearing his nickname come out of his mouth, it had been the cutest thing he’d heard in his whole life when it popped out of him with joy at lunch. He wished he hadn’t spent so long wanting to punch him because dating him was phenomenal so far and it’d only been a couple days.

‘See you tomorrow, Kou.’ He put his phone on the charger and sighed, getting up to do his homework. After homework he put on his workout clothes and headed for the basement. He passed his dad who looked at him but didn’t say a word and then his mom who smiled widely to him.

“Ignore your father, okay? I think it’s great. I’m glad you told us,” She roped him in with her arms, kissing his forehead. He pushed away softly, wiping her kiss from his head with a smile. She tittered and went back to what she was doing.

His workout went smoothly and when it was time to lift he went to the bottom of the stairs, “Dad! I need you to come spot me!”

His dad pissed and moaned a little and he rolled his eyes. He heard him coming down the stairs and gave him an apprehensive look before going back to his bench. He got in position, testing the bar and the weight on it. His dad stood by his head, hands at the ready, “You mad at me?”

“No. I thought you’d want to know since he is a boy. Would rather you get it all out now then find out I’m in love with him and you have a problem later,” Evander looked up at him as he started benching the weight.

“You think you’ll be in love with him? I mean, he can have kids, I think that would be the primary concern,” his dad was straightforward, and he supposed he could appreciate that.

“Dunno. It’s new. It feels like I love him but I’m not naïve. I know it’s because it’s new,” he grunted as he finished another rep.

“Glad you have your head on straight about it. I am happy for you, I don’t want you to think that’s it. I don’t want our line to end with you, you’re going to be a strong leader. Something your cousins don’t have. I’d love to see you have a son that carries that on,” He helped his son hang the weights back on their stand when he finished then helped him sit up on the bench.

“Always worried about my future, dad. I get it,” he gave a tight smile and his dad made a face realizing it was the wrong thing to say.

“Evander, no, not worried about your future. It will be a good future regardless. I’m real bad at this, you’re just going to have to take my word that I am happy for you. My mind just goes to the impact of the clan just like it would any business transaction with the clan,” His dad tried again, trying to get his point across.

“So my dating is a business transaction? Is that why it should be a clan girl? That’s what’s best for the clan?” Evander puffed smoke out at him, his temper rising.

“No! Dammit Van, hold on,” he rubbed his chin as he thought, pacing the floor a moment, “If you marry the demon prince, it will be just as good. I am sorry that I can’t turn my brain off when it comes to the clan, but I know your happiness comes first.”

Evander calmed down, nodding, “I get it. Thank you, dad.”

His dad clapped him on the back, “Yeah. Good workout by the way, you did 3 more reps than you normally do.”

“Gotta keep Kouzen safe,” he smirked at the way his dad looked at him then rolled his eyes. A dragon male always kept his female safe. Evander would always keep his prey safe in the same way, he needed to be ready for when s**t hit the fan like it did with the two guys that came after him.

“Hey Van, if you two get serious, make sure to tell him the plan after you turn 19. You don’t want to spring that on him just like you didn’t want to spring him on us,” his dad gave him a heartfelt look, hands resting on his hips.

“If I don’t want to be alpha, do I have to go?” He looked at his dad warily.

“It’s your path, Van, whether you want it or not. We need to send you to your Grand Uncle’s clan where our family originated. Your grandpa learned how to lead there, your uncle, I even went in case something happened to your Uncle,” He clapped his shoulder with fatherly affection.

“We’re Norse and Grandpa decided to settle so far away from his brothers to build our clan. I will be so far away from him. I almost feel like I can’t do that to him,” Evander frowned at his dad.

“I know, if it’s meant to be you two will work it out, right? Just make sure to tell him you’ll be attending college in Norway. No surprises, right?” His dad walked away at that, leaving him brooding on the bench. He’d forgotten naturally, it wasn’t like he had needed to worry about it before now. Stats and the guys knew and that’s all that had mattered for so long.

He got up and trudged to his room, he knew he couldn’t take Kouzen with him, that was against his training. His dad had told him about writing his mom every week he was gone since she couldn’t go when he’d told him about it as a little boy. He rubbed his face angrily, he knew this wasn’t a small fling for sure but he couldn’t know if they’d last long enough for it to be a problem. He’d have to take his studies very seriously to get out as fast as possible to get back to him. At least he’d have a phone, he could text him every day. He nodded to himself, it’d be fine.

He could sweep Kouzen off his feet, he still had about a year, he hadn’t been 18 long. He smiled to himself, it was a solid plan. Woo him to see how he fully felt, if it wasn’t love they could go their separate ways. If it was love though, they’d have to make a game plan. He almost didn’t want to tell him, afraid he’d think he’d be wasting his time. That wasn’t true though, he thought through everything, Kouzen enjoyed spending time with him over the past couple days. Even if they had to remain just friends, he knew Kouzen wouldn’t consider it wasting his time.

He looked at his phone, looking at the ‘horns’ chat with the little red heart and smiled. Everything would be fine. He just had to focus on taking Kou on a date and forget everything else. He was going to love coming on the homestead.

Saturday morning he found himself in his Uncle’s office, tapping his fingers impatiently on his knees while he waited. He arrived moments later and Evander stood, greeting him respectfully before sitting back down, “Evander, you come to grovel because you got in another fight? Doesn’t make our clan look good.”

“No, Uncle Brandt. I came to gain your permission to bring my boyfriend onto the homestead. I want to take him to the Tavern for a dinner,” He smiled as his Uncle’s face split into a grin.

“Well that sounds lovely! A much better conversation than I thought we were going to be having. A boy, huh? You going to adopt your heir then?” His Uncle leaned on his desk like it was gossip hour.

“Hah, we just started dating. I don’t think it’s time to think about heirs, but he’s an effeminate demon. If you don’t know much about that, you can talk to my mom,” He smirked.

“Freja would tear me a new earhole if I criticized your choices. I’ll pass,” His uncle laughed making him laugh a little too, “You have my permission. Here’s a pass for him to come on the homestead when he likes.”

He handed Evander a pass for a car and Evander walked out with a wave. He pulled his phone out immediately and took a picture of the car pass and sent it to Kouzen. ‘Hey horns, I got your ticket to dragon town. Do you know where our homestead is?’

‘So excited! I’ll map it.’ Evander laughed as he sent a gif of a toddler celebrating. He felt it was fitting, he was like watching a toddler.

‘Meet me at the gate then.’ He put his phone away and took the pass home.