Cassiopeia relented, letting her son be and leaving Adi to take care of him as she remained seated beside her husband. A cup of tea gradually cooling in her absent grasp. She didn’t know what to say in the given situation now that things were clearly awkward between the four parents. Besides, the woman’s own son had hit enough buttons with or without his words. It was clear the young man her son had chosen wasn’t about to bow to Indira’s wishes.

Whoever Miss Divja was.

“They grow up so fast…” Lukas absently mused to break the silence. “And we always want what’s best for them.”


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Benny didn’t care if there was anyone in the kitchen to notice him, merely stalking on through until he got to the familiar location he often had sat back here to watch one or more parents while he was growing up. His back was towards everything, his gaze staring out into nothingness as he tried to calm down. He only vaguely registered another presence nearby until he felt Adi’s chin upon his clothed shoulder, his eyes closing as he sought to cling to the closeness for comfort, the familiar smell of his boyfriend sweeping into his senses.

“She blames me…” he managed to say when he finally broke his own silence while Adi encircled him in a hug from behind. His parents’ support as well as Saieed’s was something he was grateful for, but it was marred by the cutting words of his adopted mother. All too soon the hug was released and Benny opened his eyes to watch him come around in front of him. A hand reaching out to swat his boyfriend’s arm at the comment. “Of course not.”