The moment his father had parked the car in front of the hotel, Hibiki stepped out and stretched his back. It was dark already, and quiet aside from a few hotel guests talking as they took their leave. As much as he had begrudgingly enjoyed the time with his father, he'd much rather spend time with Tristan.

「Hibiki.」His father said just as he was about to dart up to the entrance. For a moment he contemplated doing so anyway, but his father didn't usually say his name like that. So he turned around and gave him a somewhat befuddled look.

「I just wanted to talk with you for a moment.」

He responded by throwing a firm glance around the parking lot, to question why exactly here of all places. His father simply smiled, and gestured for him to come closer. With a soft huff and an obvious eye roll he did so.

He leant against the side of the car, his arms crossed waiting for what his father had to say that was so important it had to be done in a freezing parking lot.

「It's about Tristan」Immediately his gaze shot up at his father, sharp and piercing as if to warn him against saying anything negative. The man raised his hands and laughed it off. 「Easy there little one, it's nothing bad.」

He sighed and relaxed a little, realising that perhaps he had been too quick to judge. In truth he was tense because he didn't want Tristan to think he'd forgotten about him. Still that wasn't a reason not to hear his father out, so he glanced up again to say he could talk.

「I just meant to say that your mother and I had a chat, and we think that he seems very nice and smart. But, I have to tell you, that it's not going to be easy little one.」

Before he could retort, his father had raised a hand to calm him down.

「Not because we don't want you to. But because there are a lot of things that you will have to consider. We will support you two, we've decided that that is most important. We know that my mother will not though. A lot of people wouldn't either, and once it comes out, everyone will know. Are you sure you are okay with the consequences little one?」His father asked, and as much as he wanted to flip him off and tell him to shove those consequences somewhere deep and dark, he knew it was a genuine concern. One he'd already decided on.

With a deep breath he nodded, as he was prepared to deal with the public image: it wasn't as if he had a good one either way. He didn't imagine that a helping of homosexuality could make it any worse.

「Have you thought about the long term?」His father asked, as he closed the door of the car and ran a hand along his shoulder. While he disliked the doubt, he nodded again.

「What do you think it will be like?」The question was softer, and the serious tone prompted him to puff up his cheeks and look away, now he was expected to have actual adult opinions. He had thought about it, but not much.

'I think we'll live together? Maybe over there? I,- I don't know dad. We haven't gotten to that part yet. But I want to stay with him and figure it out together.'

He signed, begrudgingly admitting that he wasn't too far into his plan yet. The fact that he even had considered some semblance of a future was a step forward, as thus far he'd been doing most things day by day.

「I don't want to discourage you, little one, but there will always be things you'll run into, big or small. Sometimes you won't get what you want, and other times you'll get more than you can handle.」

Although he was sure his father had a point, he didn't want to hear it in pretty proverbs. Not while he was getting cold and hungry.

'I know, I'm not stupid. And neither is he. I wouldn't have brought him here if I didn't think we'd stay together. I love him, and he loves me. Whatever bullshit happens in the future will happen anyway, but right now he makes me really fucking happy. He understands me dad, even without the signs, more than anyone.'

He saw a slight smile break through on his father's face, despite the profanity strewn between his gestures. With a deep sigh he signed again, wanting to get across better what he felt.

'I get what it looks like. Like I am diving into the very first opportunity for love like some idiot. And I know he's not from a rich family, and that that worries you. You try to pretend it doesn't, and I know you're doing your best to be nice, but I can see you're worried about the stuff going on with his mother. That you worry he will take advantage of me, or that his family will. He knows about that too.'

Before his father could respond, he had already continued signing. The impassioned gestures kept his father from interjecting.

'Yes, he's not from Japan, he's not from our culture or our standing, or even close to anything you expected. But I never feel that way when I look into his eyes. All I see is someone who loves me for who I am. Someone who risked being beaten, and ostracised by his family to be with me.

I know you think I haven't thought about this. And maybe I haven't as much as I should, but when I am with him I feel heard, and respected, and loved, and I don't need to think hard to know that is special.

I don't care if the whole world hates me, or if I don't know where we'll live and what we'll do, as long as we're happy. And I don't think you give a fuck about that either dad, because I know grandma hates mom. She hates me, and you still love me too.'

Despite the fury with which he signed, he saw his father smile, endeared by the passion with which he defended his relationship. Still the man tapped his fingers nervously on the car, which struck him as odd. Especially considering he looked proud in every other regard.

'Why are we even having this conversation dad? You know you're not going to change my mind. And I know that if you really think that he was not good for me you'd probably have him brought home, with a very clear message what would happen to him if he ever dared talk to me again.'

The nervous rapping continued, as his father tried to weasel his way out with a smile.

「Well I have to make sure you're prepared.」That was a particularly weak excuse. Curiously he looked back at the hotel entrance, and once more wondered just why he was out here. To test his theory he took a step towards the hotel.

「Hold on,-」The moment his father said it he knew that something was up – and that no amount of excuses would convince him otherwise. With a smirk he turned around and humoured him, if only to rub in that the ruse was up.

He saw his father sigh and lean over the car door, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

「You're too smart for your own good.」The man lamented, but he just smirked, figuring that if anything he was too smart for his father.

「Come here, I don't want to do this by lying to you.」

Despite knowing that there was something waiting for him inside, his father seemed serious, and he wasn't so petty not to take a few steps closer to let him finish the conversation.

His father wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in for a firm hug. He let it happen, wrapping both arms around him too.

「I know we weren't very open to this at the start, but we're really glad you found someone that makes you happy. And you're right that we are worried, we always will be for you, but we're alright with you two being together. Really. We're not idiots either.」

He blew a raspberry in firm protest, causing his father to chuckle.

「Alright, we're not so dumb we can't see you two are very close, and care very much about eachother. Either way I want you to know that we will support you, and that your mom and I approve. We are cautious about his family, but he himself seems like a good,- well, man for you.」His father smiled slightly, clearly still not used to saying it but Hibiki appreciated the attempt. Everything else he said however made him feel warm, and light, as if some weight he had gotten too used to feeling was lifted. He was relieved to know his parents would be there for him, because despite all his rebelliousness he wasn't sure what he would have done if they disagreed.

「But I will tell your mother about those things you just said.」

He pulled back and shook his head, feeling heat spread across his cheeks. It embarrassed him enough that he had let his thoughts run wild in the moment. His father smiled and tousled his hair, much to his dismay.

「I'm not letting you off that easily. Now, go walk to the hotel, but very slowly because I was meant to keep you busy until they were done. We'll just stare at stuff in the lobby.」

He grinned and nodded. Excited by the prospect he sauntered up to the hotel with a spring in his step, ignoring his father's advice to walk slowly and darting inside to where it was warm.

Without skipping a beat, he plucked his phone from his pocket and bit on the tip of his glove to pull it off. Rather than wait for his father, he flopped down on one of the empty seats near the entrance and pulled up his conversation with Tristan.

H: Hey babe, traffic was light, so we're back early

He ran his fingers along his cheek and grinned excitedly, just imagining the chaos that he caused. Eagerly he awaited the response.

T: Really?

H: Yeah, I am on my way up.

He bit his lip, as his dark side purred with sadistic joy. Well aware that he was evil, he couldn't stop smiling.