A/N: Last chapter! Happy New Year!
Happy New Life part 6:
New Years Resolution
Dominic was fuming and tried very hard to stay that way as Adrian and Amy was talking to him.
"I'm sorry, kitten, I shouldn't have said that… it was instinct!" the bear was telling him at the moment.
"Of course we would have talked about it," Amy added urgently. "We understand that now isn't a good time for you, that's why we agreed to wait, right? And for you to be pregnant, well, that will be even more of an impact on your life."
"The child would be born in September, after college started," Adrian nodded. "Although maybe you won't have to miss too many classes."
"I'm sure you could arrange it so you can make those up, somehow," Amy added, "maybe do some of the work online? Most classes have live feeds now, and-"
"I'm not pregnant," the teen muttered.
"Oh," the serval seemed to remember herself after getting carried away. "Sure… at least as far as we know… but… you know... if…"
"There's no 'if'."
"Now, kitten, you might just want to accept that there might be an 'if'," Adrian said. "But how about we discuss that when we know for sure, alright?"
"Alright."
"I can let you go?"
"Yes. I'm sorry for telling you to go to hell."
"I understand… I can't even imagine your shock right now, and I'm pretty astonished myself… this was… a surprise."
"Little bit," Dominic said sarcastically and rubbed his neck as he was let go. "If I'm not pregnant I'm going on the pill, though."
"Of course!"
"And… I think I'll stay on it. I'm not sure I want to be pregnant, I think I'll leave that to Amy."
"Well, thank you, how generous," the woman drawled.
"It's just that it's hard to… identify… with that part of me… you know?"
"I think we both understand… and who knows, maybe in time…?" Adrian said.
Dominic shrugged, refusing to make any promises.
"Are we ready to go join the others?" Amy asked carefully.
"Yeah…" the teen sighed.
"I could eat," the bear nodded.
"When can't you?" his wife chuckled.
"I'm sorry for all the commotion," Xue mumbled to Oliver after they had hurriedly left the room and snuck off to a nearby sitting room instead. "I should have waited to say something, but I thought he knew…"
"Poor Dom… he had no clue about any of this, but I guess it's good that it's happening…? Him meeting the Martins and such I mean… he could have gone through his whole life unable to really connect with anyone, and not understanding why…"
"Yes… I still shouldn't have just blurted it out like that in front of company, though. Oh, well. It happened. Can't change it."
"Remember that when I screw something up, okay?" the teen grinned and raised himself up on his toes for a kiss. One turned into many, until there was a voice in the door.
"Break apart. Lunch is served," Slade told them.
As they left the room Xue caressed the back of Oliver's head.
"That neck thing, does it work on you too?"
"Um… nope! Nope, absolutely not!"
"Hmmm…"
"I have a feeling it works on all cats," Slade said.
"Well… smaller ones, perhaps," the snow leopard sniffed. "Domesticated. I doubt very much it would work on m-"
Oliver turned around when his mate suddenly stopped talking, only to see him hanging helplessly in Slade's grip. The man smirked and released him.
"You're just a pussy cat too, boy. You better remember to behave yourself."
"Yes, Sir!" the snow leopard replied quickly, his eyes wide.
Oliver hid his grin and, for Xue's sake, pretended he hadn't seen anything.
"So Dominic feels better?" he asked his father.
"He's still a bit rattled, but I think so, yes. They might have a few questions for you, Xue."
"I'll help any way I can," the leopard promised, still sounding a bit shaken.
"How soon will we know?" Adrian asked Bruce over lunch. "We've used the new type of pregnancy tests where you can tell after only a few days, but will they work on Dominic?"
"They should, but wait at least a week," the man told them.
"The older 'early tell' versions worked on me," Robin nodded.
"Speaking about 'waiting'…" Dominic spoke up and then looked embarrassed when he realized what exactly he was about to ask at the table full of family. "Xue… umm… I'm not still in heat, am I?"
"No, I can smell that you've had one, that's all."
"So… it would be safe if…? Or maybe we shouldn't…?"
"No precautions should be necessary," the snow leopard said quickly with a small smile.
Oliver stared down on his plate because he was busy thinking about what it would be like when he finally could allow himself to go into heat… would he get pregnant right away? It was very likely… He also wondered what it would feel like, and before he knew it, so many dirty thoughts were running through his head that he felt himself getting hard! While his little sister was chattering about a dream she had during nap-time! Oh, dear god! As Teagan had claimed the only empty chair next to him, Xue had taken the one right across, and the snow leopard was now subtly sniffing the air. Oliver glanced up briefly and got a knowing look.
Shit! His mate could smell him being aroused from across the table! That was just not fair! Why the hell did he have to have a nose like that? Suddenly something brushed over his crotch and he gasped, jumping half a foot into the air. It was his mate's long, thick tail! The bastard! Oliver glared at him.
"Ollie? What's wrong?" his mother asked.
"I- uh… nothing... just… got a cramp."
"IH!" Teagan suddenly laughed and grabbed something under the table. "It's Xue's fluffy tail!" she announced and pulled at it, so the tip showed over the edge of the table. The snow leopard winced and slid down on his seat from the assault.
"Sweetie, remember what we talked about, about tails being sensitive? Let go of it." Robin told his youngest sternly. "And Xue? Oliver? No playing at the table."
This left the two mates with beet red faces, and the teen was glaring even more.
"Aw, damn…" Adrian said, breaking the awkward silence. "And here I am with just a stump for a tail…"
"Had no idea you could have that much fun with a longer one," Amy agreed innocently.
"Don't encourage them," Robin sighed.
"What are you talking about?" a frustrated Taylor wanted to know.
"Yeah? What?" his brother piped up.
"Never you mind, kids," Red chuckled.
"We'll find out!" Braden snorted.
"Yeah, we'll figure it out in no time," Taylor nodded.
"Let's hope it takes a few years…" their grandfather sighed.
After lunch Oliver had a feeling that Xue needed some more peace and quiet, so he took him on a long walk around the perimeter of the estate. Snow was falling; huge, soft flakes, and there was next to no wind so all sound, even their own voices, seemed muted.
"That's a cute hat," Xue laughed at him.
"Hey, you should wear one too!" Oliver defended himself. "You'll freeze your ears off."
"Nah." The man took one of the teen's hands, pulled off his glove and put his hand to his own, rounded ear. "Feel the thick fur? They can take a lot colder weather than this. They aren't like your dainty, sensitive little kitten ears."
That, and especially combined with the teasing grin on the snow leopard's face, just had to be rewarded with a snow ball to the face. Oliver was glad to provide one.
Their serene walk turned into a full-out snow war and when they came in an hour later they were both soaked and freezing, thick ears or not.
"Oh my, look at you boys," Alfred said from his wheel chair, as he was being pushed along the hallway by the twins.
"Sorry for dragging snow in, Al," Oliver mumbled as he pulled his jacket off and even more fell to the floor.
"Lovely weather we're having," the old man only nodded serenely. "Have a nice day."
"You too, Alfred," the teen nodded and smiled back in that slightly too-bright way you smile when you're hurting inside.
"Let's go take a hot shower," Xue said softly.
"Is that a command, alpha?" Oliver grinned back, pushing his sadness down. Alfred wasn't sad, after all, he looked pretty happy as the twins took him away, chatting about space and superheroes.
"You bet it is, so you better obey," Xue grinned back.
"Well, seems that I have no choice then…" Oliver sighed dramatically and then sprinted upstairs to his mate's room, with Xue hot on his heels.
A moment later, Oliver watched the man undress and realized something.
"This is the first time I've seen you take your socks off."
"…. What?" Xue blinked.
"Well, it is! It just came to me, that I'll be seeing you do a lot of things for the first time from now on… it's… weird."
"Maybe I should get you a scrap book for a late Christmas present?"
"Maybe you should take off those jeans and give me a new memory?"
"Lucky me," Xue sighed. "I just had to mate with someone who's family motto has to be 'cheeky as hell'."
Oliver snickered, but had to admit; "If we had a family motto it probably would include the word 'hell' in one way or the other, yeah…"
"Get naked."
"And who's cheeky now?"
"That wasn't cheek, that was an order."
"Oh. Well then… yes, Sir," Oliver grinned and started shedding his clothing a little quicker. "Whatever you sAAAAIII!"
"What-?!"
"Snow! Snow in the tail-slit! Slid right down my-… slid right down."
The man laughed at him as Oliver was jumping around trying to stop snow and icy cold water from touching him anymore. "I'll go get the shower hot then," the man then said and the teen got to watch him saunter into the bathroom naked, his long thick tail swinging lazily as he moved. That was another one for the books.
"God, that man is gorgeous…" Oliver mumbled under his breath and quickly chucked his own soaked pants all the way off.
The room was already filled with steam as he entered, and it was about to become even more so…
"Wow, this is quite a bed…" Adrian said and scratched his head when he saw the very wide thing. "I guess we'll need one of these at home too…"
"I can talk to Bruce," Dominic offered.
"Please do… but only the mattress, I want to build the frame myself. It will be ready for your next visit."
"Aw, I had almost forgotten that you will leave us in… what? Two weeks?" Amy sighed.
"Yes, almost exactly," the teen nodded. He felt sad too… right now it was hard to find a good reason to leave, but he knew his grades might suffer if he transferred now.
"Will you find an apartment, quickly, you think?" the woman asked.
"I hope so… though I'm not sure my parents would want me to live there unless you're there too… I might skip doing my homework or something as terrible as that," the cat said sarcastically, making a face.
"You bad boy, you," the man chuckled. "Well, it's late. Dinner was amazing, but I ate too much… Feel like I could sleep for a week."
"Silly bear," Amy giggled. "Well, I better get my boys to bed, then… wow, what a day, right?"
"Quite," Dominic muttered.
"You're still… nervous?" Amy asked worriedly.
"I'll be nervous until I can take that test," the teen admitted.
"Well, I know it won't help, but worrying about it won't change anything, so try to put it out of your mind for a few days, alright?" Adrian said as he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the wife beater and the hairy chest underneath.
"Easy for you to say, you'll be happy either way… maybe more if I am…" Dominic growled.
"No… and a little bit yes," the man admitted. "I know you'll be upset, which makes me unhappy, but yeah, we have been longing for a child since we married when Amy was eighteen, so… but unless you share our joy it will be… difficult." His brown eyes turned very, very sad and Dominic just wanted to cuddle his big, stupid furry head.
The teen threw his arms out. "Well, like you said: no use in worrying, right?" he tried. "Let's see if the bed is comfy instead!"
They just went to bed, though. Neither of them took the initiative for anything else. The cats snuggled up like cats tended to do, and used the bear as both a pillow and a heating pad, making them end up in one big pile in the middle of the bed.
It was early the next morning, Christmas Day, and the house echoed with greetings of 'Merry Christmas!' from adults and children alike.
As usual they all gathered in the biggest sitting room, around a huge tree filed with glittering decorations, most made by children's hands. Oliver could pick out a few he had made himself, and quietly wondered why he had made a blue chicken with red sparkles for Christmas. Maybe it was supposed to be a swan…
"Can we start? Can we?" Braden asked eagerly.
"Sit your rump down, young man," Slade ordered. "You know how this goes; youngest first. But you two can be Santa if you want."
"Yes!"
It took a while but eventually all the gifts had been sorted through and handed to the right person. Teagan was already tearing into a parcel with a coloring book and pencils. The tradition in the household was to keep most things simple: you got a couple of small presents, often things you needed, and then their parents or their grandpa tended to give them each something a bit more expensive or special, but it rarely got as crazy as Oliver's friends sometimes imagined. No helicopters or private islands. When Bruce stood up and cleared his throat, however, Oliver had a feeling something was up.
"Oliver, Dominic, Alexandra… as you know I own the building you live in, and I have a bit of a surprise for you. As people has moved out over the years, I've bought their apartments, done them up, and rented them out short term, mostly to companies as overnight places, so, if you are interested, there are two apartments ready for you if you want them, and one bottom floor one that might do well as a business for Xue."
"Just two?" Alexandra asked.
"I'm afraid no other leases are up quite yet, but the next one is yours if you want it. Your parents and I agreed that, since you practically live at the Tower already, the other's need for a place of their own had to come first… we hope you understand?"
"Of course I do, grandpa!" the young woman smiled.
"Your dads and I would like to add," Robin spoke up with a smile, "that we get it if it sucks living so close to your parents, although it's temporary for all of you, as Dominic is going to go to college here in Gotham, and Oliver and Xue might move to his childhood home when the time comes… but still, if you want to look for a place to stay further away, we do understand. Though I will call you every day," he added a bit tearfully.
"Can we have our own place too?" Taylor asked eagerly, but rather insensitively.
"No! You two and Teagan are going to live with us forever," Robin told him sternly.
"Okay," the thirteen year old just shrugged. "Hey, can we use their rooms as game rooms?"
"I feel like I'm dead and you're dividing my belongings," Oliver muttered. "But grandpa, Mom, Dad, Father, thank you! It would be great if Xue could have a practice so close to home."
"Well, you did ask for it," Slade said smugly.
"You did?" Xue added, and gave Oliver a small smile. "Thank you. And thank you, Sirs."
"I'd like to join in on that thank you," Adrian rumbled. "We both hope we'll be able to visit as much as possible throughout spring, and having a place of our own to stay will make things easier."
"Though you will have to build an extra bed," Amy grinned.
"A bed just like the one upstairs has been ordered for you," Robin grinned. "It comes with the place."
"It's too much, it really is… I have no idea how we're going to repay you…" Amy said quietly.
"Easy," Bruce shrugged, "make sure your husband doesn't screw up on the construction sites."
"We'll make sure of that," Dominic chuckled, leaning into the big man.
Oliver then took a present from Xue's very small pile –there hadn't been much time for anyone to shop for the new family members after all− and handed it to him. "It's from me. It's just something stupid…"
"It can't be stupid, it's from you, stupid baby," the man grinned and tore the paper off.
"You probably don't know what it is, but-" the teen began.
"It's a model of the statue you were hiding behind at the museum! I love it… but when did you have time to buy it?"
"When I pretended I left my gloves inside when we were leaving for lunch," Oliver grinned.
"Why were you hiding in the museum?" Slade wanted to know, frowning.
"Easy there, big boy," Robin chuckled. "I have a feeling it was just a game. Yup. See that blush on our son's face?"
"Mom, stop," Oliver muttered.
"I have something for you too," Xue said and stood up, reaching into his trouser pocket. "We haven't spoken about it that much, and you might think I'm against the idea, but I'm fine with breaking Ferocita traditions and create our own. That said, there's still a human tradition I always rather liked…" He smoothly sank down on one knee, his long tail giving him away as it twitched nervously. "Oliver, you are already my mate , but will you also do me the honor of becoming my husband?" he asked while opening the small black box, which contained a wide silver ring with engraved Chinese letters.
"…I… I… y-yes?" the teen eventually managed, tears threatening to run down his cheeks.
"Damn cat!" A deep voice suddenly rambled, but it was followed by a chuckle. "Dominic, Amy and I was going to ask you the exact same thing." The bear and the serval also kneeled on the floor in front of a very red Dominic. "Will you marry us? Amy made the ring, it's only temporary, though…"
"They can do that? Be married all three of them?" Xue whispered to Oliver. The attention might have shifted from them, but that just meant that they could kiss in peace, which they had just done.
"Yeah, the state of New York was the first state to recognize polygamous marriages a few years ago, for up to four people," Oliver whispered back.
"Um, I… sure! Yes! Could you two get up from the floor?" Dominic groaned. "Idiots."
"Very touching proposal acceptance there," Bruce chuckled.
"I wish Conner was here!" Alexandra sighed loudly.
"He wouldn't dare," Slade growled.
"But Daddy, don't you want to give me away?" the young woman asked sweetly.
"If it had been up to me, you'd be an old spinster," Slade smirked.
"You're so mean," his daughter jokingly pouted.
"I'll be your spinster, daddy!" Teagan piped up and the mercenary lifted her up into his lap.
"Thank you darling. It's you and me then, right?"
"Yes!" Teagan nodded. "What's a spinster?"
"A person who usually has a lot of cats," Slade deadpanned.
"Oh… so are you a spinster, then daddy?"
"She's right," Red guffawed. "We might be 'crazy cat men'… it starts with one," he added and put his arm around Robin.
"Your fathers aren't spinsters, they are just a little silly in the head," Robin smiled at his daughter.
"These Christmas parties get wilder each year…" Alfred mused from his chair.
"It's not a party, Al, we're getting married!" Oliver let him know.
"Oh! Congratulations! This calls for some tea, don't you think?"
"Let me pour you a cup," the teen smiled. "I got you the kind you like."
"You're such a sweet boy, little Oliver," the old man nodded.
"Well, this was quite a Christmas morning…" Bruce said when everyone had settled down a bit. "Are you sure you lot shouldn't get married as well?" he asked Slade.
"We could, but I don't think anyone wants us," the mercenary smirked.
"Shut it, sweetie," Robin grinned. "At least our bastards won't have bastards, that's something. This family is coming up in the world."
"Might soon be able to show our faces around town," Red nodded.
"We won't afford to, with two weddings coming up," Slade shrugged.
"We'll pay for ours, of course!" Adrian spoke up.
"And me for ours!" Xue added. "As soon as I have the new practice up and running, I should be able to-"
"It was just a joke," Slade interrupted. "The finances will sort themselves out, we'll get there when you start thinking of the where and when."
"Summer," both Xue and Adrian answered and then looked at each other.
"No earlier or we'll disrupt their studies," Amy explained.
"You're welcome to disrupt my studies as much as you want," Oliver grinned at his mate.
"If you slack off, I'll send you home to your mother," the man stated.
"I like you," Robin grinned, while Oliver sighed and shook his head. Seemed like he couldn't win.
"We have more presents to open, could you all stop being boring and icky and kissing all the time?" Taylor finally exclaimed, apparently at the end of his rope.
"Mmph?" Dominic, who was guilty with just that with Amy at the moment, grunted.
"All right, all right. Who's next then?" Robin laughed and ruffled the eager boy's hair. "Go on, open that one. I bought you a lot of socks this year, because I know you love those."
The room returned more or less to normal, but two teen boys were now fiddling with the rings on their fingers, and wearing matching, slightly stunned, smiles.
"It's weird… I mean, my ferocita side knows we're mates and will be together forever anyway, and my human side is yelling at me that it's crazy because we've only met a few days ago," Dominic admitted, looking at the ring Amy had made out of lines of tiny golden beads, somehow woven together into a wide band.
"We'll get you a real one," the woman said apologetically as she saw him studying it.
"No, I love it," Dominic insisted.
"Thank you, but it will probably break easily," she smiled.
"Then can you at least design the replacement as well?"
"Sure, do you like this one?" she asked and lifted Adrian's hand up, so Dominic could take a closer look at his wedding ring. It was really quite manly and understated with clean, geometrical lines.
"Yes, it looks great!"
"Well, thank you, I drew it," the woman smiled. "Both of ours, and then had it commissioned by a goldsmith in the city. I'll have him make you one as well."
"You are so talented, you could do this for a living!"
"Nah, it's just a hobby."
"No, really! Adrian, tell her!"
"I've tried," the man rumbled affectionately.
"It would take too much time anyway, I'd just get stressed. This way I get to do what I love, but only when I feel like it… I don't want it to become my job," Amy explained and the teen nodded, he understood what she meant but it still frustrated him a bit that the world didn't know what an amazing talent his fiancée was. He told her as much and made her blush and kiss him again.
"Eeeewwww…" was heard from one of the twins.
"Can it, dweebs, or I'm going to ask her to kiss you too," Dominic threatened
"Argh! No! Gross!" was the reaction, which intensified as Amy made kissy faces at the hooligans.
"Wow, huh?" Oliver said to Dominic as the triplets found themselves alone for a while an hour later.
"Wow, indeed."
"I'm so happy for you and I hate you a lot," Alexandra said, looking puzzled. "I can't believe you'll get married before me!"
"Well, have a chat with Conner when we get home and we can make it a triple wedding," the black-haired teen smirked.
"Actually… combining it all maybe wouldn't be such a bad idea? We can help plan and won't have two events to stress over… three if Alexandra whips a certain Superboy."
"I'm not going to whip him… I'm not even going to suggest it," the woman sniffed. "I'll just tell him about yours and look really sad."
"He's a man, he won't get it," Oliver warned him. "Not with all the 'super' in the world."
"Fine, maybe I'll give him more of a hint."
"Still won't help," Oliver grinned. "But you want to get married, then? I don't think it's that common with our kind, actually… I mean, the mating is more than enough, after all."
"It's starting to be more common, at least for those who are 'out' in the human world… I mean, it's a legal issue too," Dominic lectured. "The word 'mate' doesn't mean anything when it comes to the rights of couples. Yet."
"I don't care about the legal stuff, I want a ring and a dress and pretty things," Alexandra sighed dreamingly.
"When the hell did you turn into a girl?" Oliver asked.
"Don't let father hear you talk like that, Alex, it will kill him to think that you're that shallow," her other brother smirked.
"Sometimes it's okay to think that those things are important!" the woman claimed. "But yeah, I wouldn't want daddy to hear that either… And I think I'll pass on the wedding for now… wait a few years… make it all about me…"
"Just don't wait until we start having babies," Oliver snickered. "Then you'll just be outdone again."
"Don't you dare have kids before me!" his sister growled.
"Can't promise anything," Dominic said and patted his stomach. He then turned a bit pale. "Oh, shit, I forgot I might be knocked up…"
"You know I love you, right, but it would kinda crack me up if you, of the three of us, would end up a teenage mom," Oliver grinned.
"Yeah, damn goody-two-shoes," Alexandra joined in.
"That's it, I'm switching your pills for candy," their brother growled.
"You have candy?" Teagan asked as she ran into the room.
"No, we were just joking," Dominic explained.
"Are you sure you don't have any?"
"Yes, and even if we did you're not allowed any before dinner," Oliver chuckled and picked her up. "How about we try out that new game you got?"
"YAAAY! Alex and Nick too?"
"Of course."
"Hey, don't volunteer us!" Dominic groaned.
"I just did, no moping," Oliver snickered.
"No moping!" Teagan echoed.
"Fine, no moping," Dominic moped.
The day passed in a blur and Oliver honestly had no idea what else he had gotten for Christmas. An apartment and a proposal was as much as his brain could handle at the moment. After an amazing dinner, courtesy of Amy and her 'team', the whole house went into a sort of coma from all the food. Oliver had hidden away with Xue again and the pair was curled up on a couch in a study, in front of an open roaring fire.
"How are you holding up with all the crazy family life?" the teen asked softly.
"I think I'm actually getting used to it." The snow leopard sounded like this surprised him.
"You're tougher than you thought," the teen chuckled softly.
"Mmm… I'm tough, alright, and if I could move I'd show you some of my other qualities."
"Hula dancing? Brick laying? Accounting?"
"I'd make sure something got laid, alright."
"Heh." Oliver closed his eyes and hugged the man closer for a moment before sighing happily. "Thank you for proposing to me."
It was the leopard's turn to chuckle. "I don't think you are supposed to thank me."
"But I am! Why did you do it? Were you going to all along?"
"No… I brought the ring from home –it was my father's, so it's not a true engagement ring from the beginning – but I didn't know if I was going to propose to you quite this soon. I thought we needed more time to get to know each other before it felt right to be… more than mates. Do I make any sense?"
"Yes… but you didn't think we needed more time, then?"
"No, you stupid baby, I didn't," the man said warmly.
"If you continue to use that term of endearment, people are going to think you're verbally abusing me," Oliver snickered.
"It's not my fault. You stole my toy and then got all whiny when I wanted it back."
"I was five months old!"
"Yeah. Stupid baby."
Oliver sighed and shook his head. "You big cats are a bit thick headed, aren't you?" he teased. "Oh, by the way… the signs on the ring… what do they mean?" he asked, holding up his hand.
Xue traced a finger over the row of tiny signs. "Strength, commitment, loyalty," he said, outlining the signs that made up each word. "My father believed quite a lot in those words, and I thought it was a rather good base to build a marriage on."
"Not love?"
"Love too, but I don't believe love can exist without these three."
"You might be right," Oliver nodded. They both dozed off shortly thereafter and didn't wake up until that evening to calls to come have roasted apples and other snacks.
"Can someone explain," Dominic groaned as they went to bed, "how I could overeat twice in one day?" He fell on top of the bed and curled up on his side.
"It's Christmas?" Amy chuckled. "And thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Want to work it off?" Adrian offered and cupped the teen's ass.
"Touch me again and you're dead," Dominic growled. "If I move, I'll explode."
"I'll work it off with you, darling," the serval grinned at her husband and they were soon making out on the bed. Dominic tried to get interested, but it was useless; he was just too full of food and sweets. He swore never to eat again. At least not this year.
Oliver and Xue spent the days between Christmas and New Years with enjoying Gotham city a bit more; going to a movie, a Shakespeare play and dining out, often just the two of them but they also 'double dated' with Dominic and the Martins, talking about the weddings and making sure they were all on the same page. It was difficult enough for a couple to agree on things, but they were five people, still it seemed to work out, and Amy was commissioned to make all the wedding rings. As she and Adrian already were married, they needed a special kind of marriage permit to add someone to their union, and they had made sure to file for that now seeing those things could take some time.
The only conflict in the family arose on the thirtieth.
"But it's New Year!" Alexandra complained. "Of course I want to spend it with him!"
"But… can't you ask him to come here?" Robin tried.
"Moooom… sit around here with you when there's a party at the tower?"
"Aaaand you're grounded," her father said.
"Daddy!" the woman seemed to take a deep breath and turned to Robin again. "Mom?" When he didn't immediately jump to her defense, she turned to Red. "Dad? Come on, you of all people haven't forgotten what fun is, right?"
"Pretty much, but I remember having some before you guys came along," the man smirked.
"Argh!" the frustration came off the young woman in waves. "What is the problem here? I'll be safe, they are all heroes! Mom, it's the next generation of your old team! Actually Gar and Cy might even be there!"
"Yes, but we always spend New Year's together," Robin objected.
"But that's because we always celebrate it here… it's not really a family holiday, it's a party holiday and we almost never go to a real party… if we do, it's just a stuffy business one. Mom, please! I'll be with my mate! Ollie and Dom get to, it's not fair."
"Still, it's…"
"Would you understand if he had been a ferocita? You were very understanding when the Martin's dragged Dominic away!"
"That's too far, young lady!" her father growled, making the girl cover slightly and then hang her head.
"Yes, I know, I'm sorry… but he is my mate, just as much as my brother's are… it's... difficult to be away from him for so long."
"Fine…" Robin sighed. "Fine, you may go."
"Yes! Thank you mom!" Alexandra whooped and hugged him hard.
"And my vote doesn't count?" Slade muttered.
"Sorry, sweetie, but I don't think it does. They are growing up and leaving us," Robin sighed and went from his current hug to cuddle in Slade's arms instead. "Almost makes me want to have more."
"Haaaaang on a minute! Alexandra, please assure your mother that you are just leaving for a party!" Red hurriedly said.
"We're not having more children, you'll have to do with grandchildren," Slade said firmly.
"I know, I know… but I'm only thirty-four you know! That's not old!"
"Exactly, so let's not waste more of our youth having babies," Red smirked. "Maybe we should go to a party of our own? No kids, just us… drinking, dancing…"
"Like daddy can dance," Alexandra snickered. She got a look from the man and paled. "No… no please tell me he doesn't dance when you're out? Please! I can't take it! My brain! AAAHHH!" she said and hurried away.
Oliver and Dominic, who had been sitting very quietly in the background with their mates, trying to look like they minded their own business, looked at each other and winced. Oliver stood up and grabbed Xue's arm.
"We need to go for a walk on our own," he said.
"But I'm fine?" The man, who had actually been engrossed in a book the whole time, blinked. "I don't need to get away…?"
"No, but I do," the teen groaned, "because soon my parents will probably start discussing dancing, maybe even… even… show us-"
"We'll go on that walk too!" Dominic decided and shot up from his seat. Fresh air! Great!"
"And that's how you get rid of the kids," Red chuckled as they walked out.
On New Year's Eve Adrian had driven into town for a while to go to their apartment and water the plants, pick up a few groceries as Dominic would come back with them for the last few days before the family left for Jump City, and so on. When he came back he was holding a brown paper bag and looking peculiar.
"So… Nicky…?" he asked.
"Yeah?" The teen and Amy were sitting in a sofa looking through old photo albums of the triplets as babies. Alfred had always made sure that there were old fashioned albums and Bruce had kept up the tradition when the old butler no longer could. All the photos had little notes of the year and situations. Some were from Jump, but most of them seemed to be from Christmas time in Gotham.
"I… I bought a… a test."
Dominic's heart stopped for a moment and he swallowed. "Oh… I− I guess… I guess I should take it, then?"
No one had said a word about the possibility of him being pregnant in a week, and though it had popped into his mind occasionally, he had been able to shrug it off… and suddenly he was faced with it again… and now he'd know.
"I know how it works, should I go with you, or do you want to read the instructions?" Amy asked.
"I think you telling me what to do right now will work the best…" the teen smiled shakily. "let's go to our room, though."
As he stood up the bear pulled him into a tight hug. "You can't 'fail' this test, alright? Whatever it says we'll do the best of the situation, okay?"
"I know," the young man mumbled quietly and nodded.
It was the hardest piss he had taken in his life. He didn't mind that Amy was there; he had used public urinals before and she was his mate… it was just peeing… it was just getting anything out that was the problem.
"If you don't have to go we'll just try later," the serval said.
"That's just it, I do have to go… it's just not happening."
"Want me to leave?"
"No, I… just… need… to… focus."
Eventually he managed it, the drops required were collected and then the waiting began. It was a two minute test so they took it out to Adrian who was waiting outside. The man set a timer on his phone.
It didn't beep for an eternity, but when it did, it was too soon.
"Could… could you look?" Dominic asked Adrian.
The man nodded and the cats both watched him intently as he walked over, grabbed the test and looked down on it.
Dominic told himself that it was unlikely. It was his first heat, and not even his mother had become pregnant on his. It was like… a pre-heat, a practice run. And the man was a bear. Cat and bear. He and Amy had tried for years. There was no way, that-
Adrian's lips seemed to quirk but then his face froze like he wanted to stop the emotion from showing.
"No…" the teen gasped. "I'm… I'm…?"
"It's positive," the man said, still holding on to that carefully blank expression.
"I... I… I need to… I…" He made a dash for the door, when Adrian called out after him.
"Wait! We should talk!"
"No! Not now! I … I need to think about this alone, without your… influence, okay? I just… just give me an hour." His alpha nodded and the teen left, at a slower pace now. Down the stairs, to the door, where he put on his boots and jacket, and then out the front door, into a world of snow.
It had been falling almost constantly since right before Christmas. They had given up clearing anything but the absolutely necessary paths, but the teen didn't care; he headed straight out across the lawn, even though the snow reached his thighs. He walked and walked until his legs burned and sweat was pouring off him, making him feel colder in the end. He stopped by some trees, realizing that for all that time walking he hadn't even gotten half way around the estate; the snow had slowed him down considerably. He leaned against a tree trunk, fighting the urge to sit down. He'd rest a while and then go back. He had probably been walking close to an hour already. It was time to think.
"I'm pregnant." He said it out aloud just to see what it sounded like. It sounded unreal. Was he horrified, though? Yes, a bit. Enough to end the pregnancy? That was the question. How would it affect his life? His relationship with the Martins? No. No, he stopped himself there, he couldn't think about their feelings, not right now, at least, not as a first step. It was he who would be affected the most, at least during the first nine months of this. He would be the one who would be throwing up and be in pain, which might affect his studies. I certainly would affect his first month or two in college. Once the baby or babies –he had to take some deep, steady breaths when he thought of that – were born, he had Amy and Adrian to care for it or them when he was at school, so he wasn't that worried about that part. The breastfeeding could-
"Shit and fuck and damn and hell! I'm gonna get boobs!"
"Not what you expect to hear your son say…" a voice behind him chuckled.
If anyone would follow him, Dominic would have expected his mother or Adrian, not his father, but Slade was standing there calmly, looking at him and giving him an encouraging smile.
"Your mom was worried about the cold, but if you need more time…? Though it sounds like you made your mind up."
"It does?"
"You said 'I'm going to get boobs'," his father pointed out.
"Yes… well… If I go through with it… but is there even a way out?"
"Yes, an abortion pill would still be effective after just a week. Bruce is standing by to get you some, and a doctor, if that's what you want."
"Will it hurt?"
"Yes, you'll get some quite bad cramps."
"Will it take long?"
"Hours or days, it depends."
"Will they hate me?"
"They wouldn't dare. Besides, Adrian told me to tell you that you can't make a wrong choice here, they will support you either way."
"That doesn't help…" Dominic muttered.
"It doesn't? Seems to me it would make things easier."
"What do you think?"
"I think that what you have now is a clump of cells. If you keep it, it will grow to become the centre of your universe, you will love it unconditionally in a way you can't imagine. And if you get rid of it, it's just a clump of cells. It has no more meaning at this stage. You'll have more children, carried by Amy, who might be better prepared for-"
"You don't think I can do it?!" Pale silver eyes were blazing.
Slade smirked and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "I think you'll do amazingly. I know you will. So are you going to make Bruce a great grandfather or not?"
"You'll be a grandfather in that case…"
"Oh, I know. Red is complaining about being too young as we speak," the man chuckled.
"Well…" Dominic said and then sighed before straightening up. "I guess he has to get used to the idea."
"May I tell Bruce? I'll buy you the whole nursery if you'll let me," his father grinned and then pulled him into a long, firm hug.
That night they all watched the fireworks over Gotham from the balcony as the clock struck midnight. Dominic, who had alcohol free cider in his glass, while the others had champagne, stood cuddled between Amy and Adrian. The bear had barely let go of him the whole day. like he was afraid that he'd run away. The teen was calm now, though. With this family, what was there to fear?
"Happy New Year!" Oliver grinned at him and clinked his glass.
"I don't think that's quite appropriate for us two, brother," Dominic grinned back and raised his. "Happy New Life!"
The End.
A/N: Yup. That was it. No more cats! And I'm starting a new job in seven days so I might be quiet for a while… I AM working a bit on a new Sladin thing, though, because of a plot bunny, but we'll see…
Now when it's all over… what did you think? And what part was your fav, the 'present' or the 'future'?