Ivan was flipping through the channels, Alfred under his arm. They were trying to make themselves comfortable, despite the blowup that had happened to them earlier. He was still sore, and had quite the bruise on his nose, but that would heal in a day or two. He was more worried about Alfred- he was fragile, especially in his state, and with how his father had reacted… Ivan hated to think what else might happen.
Alfred curled up into Ivan's side, breathing softly as his eyes were half-lidded. He'd hardly slept the night before, he'd been so upset. He could use a nap about now, the warmth of Ivan's body lulling him to sleep.
There was a knock on the door. Ivan flinched as he heard it. Oh god… He had a bad feeling about this. But he got up anyway to get the door. He peeked through the peephole this time, and sighed as he saw Francis and Arthur outside the door. He opened the door slowly, hiding behind it. "Yes?"
Alfred whined softly when his source of warmth was removed, lifting his head and blearily watching his mate approach the door. He froze up suddenly, only guessing who could possibly be at the door. He shrunk into the corner of the couch, covering himself with blankets as he guarded himself from his parents. He didn't want to be taken away from Ivan.
Ivan listened to what they had to say, and then welcomed them inside. "Alfred, they want to talk." He sat beside him and pulled him closer, arm around his shoulders. He turned to Arthur and Francis, knowing this would be at least somewhat professional. They both sounded serious.
Francis was the first to talk, "Alfred, Ivan… I would like to apologize for the way I acted yesterday- it was very irrational and childish of me. I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."
"I'm fine. Alfred?" Ivan turned to him, hoping that Alfred would try to forgive his father.
"I want Ivan to be included in this. In my child's life, in my life, and in the pregnancy." Alfred blurted out, huddling next to the man as he looked at his pop suspiciously. "I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions on this sort of thing. I don't want him left out." He would forgive his father, but he wanted this to be known and accepted first. He wouldn't let his pop cut out his mate, and that was that.
"We're not going to force you apart, Alfred," Francis assured, trying to calm his son. "Me and your father have talked it out. We would like to try and support you." He looked to Arthur, giving his hand a squeeze.
"O-okay." Alfred sniffed, tears welling in his eyes as he loosened his grip on Ivan, drifting towards his pop. "I'm glad then...I'm...I'm really scared and worried and nervous about all of this, and I don't want you guys to hate me." He wiped his eyes, on the verge of crying. "I-I know I messed up, but...I really want you guys to help me. I need it." He was moments from flinging himself at his pop, wanting his comfort and love.
Ivan sighed and stroked Alfred's hair, trying to get him to stop his crying. He brushed the tears away with his thumb and held him close to his chest. But he made sure to hold him loose, in case Alfred wanted to hug someone else.
Francis came over to kneel before Alfred, looking rather concerned. "Non, non, mon petite, shhh… we could never hate you. You are our boy. You frustrate and anger us, but we could never hate you." He cupped Alfred's cheeks and looked him straight in the eyes. "Me and your father are going to support you through all of this- school, the baby, you and Ivan… we want you to have a good life, and we are willing to help you with it."
Alfred pulled his pop into a hug, burying his face in his neck as he did so. He sniffled and cried, yearning for his parent's comfort. He was happy that his pop was going to be understanding about this. He didn't know how he could stand going through the pregnancy without his parents' support.
Arthur scrutinized the Russian, critically analyzing him. He would try to be understanding if his son wanted the man as a mate, but that didn't mean Arthur didn't want to evaluate him first. In a low voice, he grunted, "So. How'd you two become a thing, I'm wondering. You are his teacher afterall."
"Ahh…" Ivan cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well… Your son is a class 1 Omega. I am a class 1 Alpha. We are very compatible… Socially, of course, I mean." He had to be careful of what he was saying. "And, ah… I was very fond of him as a student as well. I was very reluctant to begin this, but…" Oh god, he didn't want to talk about this kind of thing with Alfred's parents. "Your son is very charismatic, and I appreciate his company very much, I love him-" He sucked in a deep breath. "And while I didn't mean for this to happen, I fully intend to deal with the consequences."
"You're a class 1? Well, that's interesting, considering your career. Huh. So who started this relationship." Arthur decided to ask instead. It seemed like Ivan was taking advantage of his son at this point. He was the teacher, he was supposed to be the adult. How could he have let this happen?
"Ahh… Well…Alfred did, and I…was very reluctant. But he's proven to me that he can handle an adult relationship." Kind of. The whole pregnancy thing wasn't going over well with Ivan, but it was Alfred's choice and he would support it.
"A-Alfred started it?" Arthur gawked, shocked. He wasn't sure which he'd prefer, Ivan pursuing the relationship or Alfred. With Ivan, it seems more like his son was taken advantage of...but with Alfred...what had that brat been thinking? Arthur forced a tight smile, trying to keep himself from trembling with anger. At least Alfred had wanted the relationship, but...goddammit that child. "So, tell me Mr. Braginsky, how old are you? How long have you been teaching? Why did you choose this career when you certainly could have chosen a more...prestigious profession?"
"Ahh… I just turned 37, this New Years. I've been teaching for thirteen years now." Ivan was fiddling with his scarf nervously, forcing an awkward smile. "I chose this profession because I wanted to help young students. As charismatic as I know myself to be, I never felt myself comfortable in the spotlight of business or politics."
"Thir-thiry-seven?" This all came as a huge surprised for Arthur. He looked over towards his own mate with wide eyes, on the verge of taking action. Ivan was almost his age and more than twice Alfred's age. This was getting unbearable. "Yes, I can definitely see how you want to help young students, you-" He cut himself off, scowling as he crossed his arms and looked aside.
"Arthur, calm yourself," Francis snapped as he moved to hush his mat, sitting beside him to soothe him. "Keep yourself with an objective mind."
"No! No, I would…" Ivan had to stop himself to keep from saying 'I would never…' because he was disproving that with Alfred. "Look, I understand this is very shocking, and if I were you I wouldn't stand for it at all. You're already a better man than I for not pounding the living daylight out of me. But I stand by my words when I say Alfred is the only student I have ever done this with, and I can say that by far, he is the only one I would have ever wanted to." …Those words sounded dangerous.
Arthur was steaming at this point. His face was flushed red, his entire being shaking from his attempt to keep himself from punching the man. Honestly, this was inevitable for Arthur, no matter what Ivan's character was like. Because regardless of his character, the situation was the same: a teacher had put his hands on his precious little boy, and worse...he'd gotten him pregnant. Unable to respond, he turned his head, just shutting his eyes in attempt to momentarily ignore the situation. This was too much.
Ivan groaned and just held his face in his hands. "I'm very sorry, sir. I really am. This wasn't meant to happen." But he loved Alfred, and he wouldn't allow them to be separated. "I plan on being in this baby's life, and in Alfred's life- I will help him through school and raise this child with him- I have no plans to be out of his life." Please don't punch me, please don't punch me...
"As you well should be." Francis's grip on Arthur's shoulders tightened, feeling the need for violence in his sinewy form. "You are going to help him raise this baby and you are going to help him with school, and college, and you are going to be that baby's father."
Alfred nodded, agreeing with his pop and Ivan as he held onto his mate's arm, staring at his dad. Arthur looked...angry. Very angry. Not as angry as Francis had been the day before, surprisingly, but definitely upset. "He'll help me out. I love him, and he loves me back. I have full faith that he won't abandon me."
Ivan placed his hand on Alfred's arm, staring at Alfred's parents with a firm resolve. "Alfred is my mate, and I am his. I can not say that this was expected, or wanted, or needed, but I plan on doing everything that I can to make it work. I want us to be a family."
Arthur scoffed at the word family, erupting, "Family. Dysfunctional family at that, you're my age! He's 18, what on Earth were you thinking?" He didn't do anything irrational, but he was going to display his anger and he was going to display it hard.
"Well, obviously I was thinking your son was on the pill like he told me." Even Ivan flinched when he said that. "There have been worse families. This child could grow up in a home where it isn't wanted or loved. And I am going to work hard to make sure that it is both of those things."
"Don't get smart with me, I meant the relationship itself. Why would you agree to something like this? He's a child!" Arthur growled, pointing at Alfred as in accusation. "All of this wouldn't have happened if you could keep your goddamn dick out of the workplace."
"It wouldn't have happened if you made sure he took his damn shots so he didn't go into heat just by being in the same room as me!" Ivan barked right back, his charismatic aura flushing out of him in one big wave. It felt like the entire house shook.
"He takes his shots regularly, why couldn't you cut the relationship off, hm?" Arthur asked, glaring at the man. "This must have been going on for a while if you've claimed each other as mates, why didn't you end it like any responsible adult?" He couldn't believe he was standing the man. Ivan's morals were obviously skewed if he allowed himself to fuck someone so much his younger, his student nonetheless.
"I did try to end it, but in the end I saw that Alfred could make his own choices, and so can I. And not only did I not choose to end it, I also chose not to report you to the school board for bringing in a class 1 Omega- strictly against the rules of the integration project. I did you a favor. In the end I came to find that Alfred is a legal adult, and he can have relationships with whoever he pleases. His parents do not have to approve of it." Well, until now apparently. "He is a bright young man who made a mistake, and now he is paying for it by having to raise a child- at least I am going to help him raise it too. There are many other class 1s who would gladly leave him in the dust."
Arthur made a clicking noise, leaning back against his chair as he crossed his arms. He still wasn't happy about this, but he couldn't deny that Ivan had done Alfred a favor by not reporting him. He looked off to the side once more, shaking his head. He refused to speak anymore. Nothing good could come out of his mouth right now.
Alfred rested his head on Ivan's shoulder, holding him tight. "A-and you want to raise it too, right? You want it?" There was lots of talk about how Ivan would take responsibility, but he wanted to be reassured that he did want the child. That he would love it and raise it because he wanted to, not just because he was obligated to.
Ivan sucked in a breath, surprised by Alfred's interjection. It took him a moment, but he finally replied, "Yes. Yes, I want this baby, Alfred." He took his hand and squeezed it gently. "I want it because we made it. And even though it was an accident… Even if it was…earlier than planned, I want this baby because it came from the two of us."
Alfred smiled, snuggling up to his mate. He held his hand, keeping his eyes low, not really wanting to look his parents in the eyes as he held his lover. He knew they were upset; he didn't want to see their disapproval. Or, more specifically, his dad's disapproval.
Francis sighed as he looked at the two- his son and his son's mate. He hugged Arthur from the side. "Come on, Arthur. we should head home. Alfred, you're welcome to come with us, or stay here, but know that you are more than welcome at home. But whatever you choose, we will support it."
Ivan just gave Alfred a squeeze and looked down to him, expecting a choice to be made. He would stand by him whatever he chose, and he understood the pros and cons of each. But it was up to Alfred.
"I'll be home tonight, I promise. I just want to spend some time with Ivan right now." Alfred nodded, leaning against his lover. He didn't want to go home and face his dad's potential wrath.
Arthur grumbled something unintelligable under his breath before sighing, standing from his seat. He couldn't imagine what his son was going to do with that despicable man while they were together, and he didn't want to think about it. Tugging at his jacket, he took Francis's hand, nodding as he turned towards the door. "Alright. I expect you to make good on that promise, Alfred. I'll see you at home."
"I'll see you to the door," Ivan said as he rose to his feet and walked them out. "You still have my contact information, you can reach me anytime. Alfred has my cell number…" He felt like they should be in the loop. They deserved information.
"Oui, we will get it from him later. Come on, mon cher. Alfred, I will see you at home." Francis decided to drag Arthur away before he could say anything rude.
Alfred smiled at his lover once the door had closed, lying on the couch. He held his arms wide open, inviting him in for a hug. "Well, that wasn't too unbearable. Got a little heated towards the end though..." Alfred's smile tightened a little at that.
Ivan sighed and returned to Alfred's embrace, squeezing him tight. "I'm sorry, I…got a little irritated. It is hard, when everything is so skewed. This relationship makes me out to be some perverted old man when all I want to do is just love you." Maybe he should lie about his age. He was twice Alfred's age, so he could probably fudge it. He looked younger than he was.
"You're not a perverted old man. This relationship begun because of me...they just don't understand. They can't understand. But that's okay, if they don't. They just have to accept it and support me to the best of their ability." Alfred hugged his mate, kissing his neck softly. "I'm just glad they're on board. It makes things easier."
"It really does." Ivan picked Alfred up and moved him into his lap with a sigh. "I just hope that I can get along with them. I…I'm going to have to interact with them more, especially if we're having this baby and they're going to be heavily involved with it."
"I think my pop will be more of the type to try to get along with you. I mean, he's already punched you in the face. Can't get much worse than that." Alfred chuckled briefly, "But yeah, you two would probably get along the most. He's good with people skills. My dad's going to be more of a hassle though...and you'll get to see Mattie a lot too! He told me you were his favorite teacher freshman year...though I'm not sure how much that applies now."
Ivan groaned. "Well…we'll see how it ends up." He stared into the air listlessly, and then wandered upon a thought. "Alfred… Do you think we would survive a marriage?"
"Huh?" Alfred asked, wide-eyed and innocently. "Yeah, of course we would. I mean, why wouldn't we? We're pretty good with each other I think. We've had some minor arguments...excluding the one when I lied to you about the baby...but that's about it. Most of those were school-related too." Alfred still didn't like that he didn't get anything out of being Ivan's mate, but he let it go.
"Well… I was just thinking that since we are having a baby together, we are mated… Should we get married at some point? It- it doesn't have to be soon, I understand if you're not ready. I'd just like to know if we could possibly think about that subject, somewhere down the line. It would be good for the baby, you know? To be raised in a household with two loving parents, married and mated… Parents who love it and love each other." Ivan took both of Alfred's hands within his own. "Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, of course. I always just assumed we'd get married once I'm out of highschool or something." Alfred chuckled, squeezing Ivan's hands. "I'm down with this, babe. Once I'm out of highschool, feel free to pop the question whenever. I'm sure you'll find the response to be in your favor."
Ivan smiled and leaned in to kiss Alfred on the lips gently. "I'm glad. Because it might be hard, for the next couple years… But once you are in college everything will get better. I can legally adopt our child, you will be out of school, I can marry you… We can be public." He cupped Alfred's cheek and kissed him again. "We won't have to hide."
Alfred giggled lightly, kissing the other back just as sweetly. "I greatly look forward to that day. It's going to be long and hard, but I've got you, and you've got me...we're going to be okay." Alfred nodded, grinning widely. He was optimistic.
"And we'll have our baby," Ivan whispered as he placed a hand on Alfred's stomach. He pushed against the hard spot that would soon yield a baby bump. "I don't care what your father says, we are going to be a family- and I am going to try damn hard to make it a functional one."
"It'll be functional." Alfred nodded, keeping his hand over Ivan's. "Don't worry about him, he's just upset. He'll come around. It might be a little weird at first...when the baby first comes...but we'll be stable and fine by the time I get to college. Speaking of which, how are we going to handle the baby once I have it? Are you going to come visit it? Am I going to move in?" Well, he doubted he'd permanently move in, though he thought maybe they'd make arrangements for him to spend the night sometimes. More than he did now.
"We'll…I would like for you to move in. If that is possible." Ivan clutched Alfred's hands tightly. "I want to be with this baby, and I want it to be with the both of us for as often as it can. I know that will be hard to manage, what with us both going to the school, but I… I want that baby to be in a place I trust. Not that I don't trust your house! But…"
Alfred brushed Ivan's hair softly, "I understand. I'm...not sure if I'll be able to fully move in, since I am your student and all, but I definitely want to spend most of my nights with you. I mean, I don't want to be the only one who has to deal with a crying baby at 3am." He snorted, teasing the man lightly. "We'll work something out. Maybe I can live with you half the week and with my family the other half...so it's not too conspicuous."
"Well, legally you could still live with your family, but you could stay with me. Ultimately, the choice is up to you…" Ivan sighed deeply and took a few breaths. "But my home is open. To you and our baby- especially you and our baby." He wanted Alfred to be with him, he wanted their baby to be with them. "I love you and I want you to be happy and comfortable."
"I guess we could do that." Alfred smiled, rubbing his nose against Ivan's. "I love you too, babe. You know I want the same...for both of us. I'm nervous, but...is it weird that I'm a little excited? We're having a baby, and he or she is going to be beautiful and adorable. I can't wait to teach it about life...to hear its first word, see its first step, see it experiences its first Christmas or Halloween..."
Ivan finally managed a sincere, wide smile. "Well… I never intended to have a child this early on in life, but I think that I am excited too. It's…scary, honestly. But I can't wait to see our child smile and laugh and…" He cupped Alfred's stomach. "I can't wait to see it for the first time."
"Says the 37 year old man." Alfred snorted at the "early" comment, though he snuggled up into Ivan's arms, nodding as his stomach was held. He liked it when Ivan put his hand on the hard spot on his stomach...it was just nice. "But yeah, babe, me too. It's only 2 months along right now...I can't wait until I actually show."
"…Well, I can wait for that. Because honestly that will be something that needs to be explained away, and I don't want you to get bullied at school." But Ivan could admit it would be nice when they could feel the baby and see Alfred with the glow of pregnancy about him. He already sort of had that glow about him.
"Gee, way to be a downer about it. I just can't wait until I can see the kid...somewhat. And feel it. And cradle it. And have you cradle and touch it and listen to it and do all those cute things you see cute couples do." Alfred grinned, looking up to his mate.
Ivan couldn't help but smirk. Alfred wanted a downer? "I can't wait until it cries for the first time. And the first diaper we have the change. And the first million diapers we have to change. And our first week without sleep. And the fighting that will come along with being cranky and tired."
Alfred nudged Ivan in the side, smile tightening somewhat with that. "We won't fight that much. And it'll be fine. Because all the cute things will make it worth it."
"We will fight, Alfred. There will be a lot of times where we are both tired and cranky, and one of us will snip and snap and the other will snap right back, and we will fight until the baby starts to cry and we will go and comfort it, and then it will be very cute." There was a pause. "But then it will happen again the next day."
"Jesus fucking Christ, way to be a bummer, Ivan." Alfred grunted, folding his arms. "I just wanted to be a little optimistic about this situation and point out all the good things that are going to come out of having a fucking baby when I'm not even out of school yet, but no, apparently that's not allowed." He huffed, scooting farther away from the man.
The Russian sighed, crossing his arms. "You have to understand that this is going to be very hard, Alfred. There will be great moments, and there will be awful ones. I am just saying, you should know that we have a long road ahead of us. I didn't mean to make it sound like it will all be bad…" He gathered Alfred into his arms and held him close. "I just want you to be prepared."
"Yeah, no shit. But hey, instead of dwelling on the fact that the situation is shit, I wanted to look at the good things about having a baby. And then you ruined it with more bad things." Alfred grunted, crossing his arms. He allowed Ivan to hold him, but he wasn't going to be snuggly. Fuck that.
"Having a baby is hard work. But that hard work will pay off." Ivan took Alfred's hand and gave it a squeeze. "That baby will grow up and we will love it no matter what. And even through hard times, we will support it and we will hold it, and everything won't always be happy, but in the end it will be good."
"Yeah, sure. Moodkiller." Alfred replied, sighing. He sat up and rubbed his neck before lying back on the couch once more.
Ivan laughed and grinned to Alfred, opening his arms, expecting him to return to them. "When our baby is a teenager it is going to hate us. But that is okay, because all teenagers hate their parents."
"Oh my god, can you say something happy? Say something happy." Alfred demanded, refusing to go near the man until he did. He grit his teeth and scowled at his mate's grin.
Ivan had to think for a moment, before grinning even wider. "You're going to breastfeed, and I think that is adorable."
"Oh my god." Alfred complained, dropping his hands to his sides. "You know what, forget it. I'm getting enough pessimism from everyone else, I don't need it from you." He stood up abruptly, going to Ivan's bedroom to get his shit.
"What? That wasn't pessimism! I mean it, I think it will be very cute, seeing you breastfeed!" Ivan really hoped that Alfred didn't think he was being sarcastic. "I meant it. You will look adorable feeding our child- and you will be motherly and gentle… I think that is very admirable." And his nipples would be sore and stiff, but he would leave that part out.
"I don't want to think about breastfeeding!" Alfred could admit, that would be adorable, but he knew his nipples would be sore and he knew that the kid would probably want to feed at the wrong times.
"Mhm, we will probably have to ween it early, anyway, especially since you will be off to school. It's alright, we can get a breast-pump and do it that way! Of course, that could result in an oral fixation, since they would be pulled away from a needed bonding experience and it could leave a gap where feelings between a child and a mother should be." Ivan was so good at being optimistic.
"Ivan, I'm going to breastfeed the baby. I'm just saying, that's not exactly what I want to hear right now." Alfred grumbled, folding his arms. He was honestly moments away from just stomping off. "You're not helping."
Ivan sighed and shook his head. "You are thinking too much about the ideal. I know you want this to be perfect with sunshine and daisies, but that isn't going to be all. But." He got to his feet and came up close to Alfred, "I want it to be as close to that for you as possible."
"I'm not expecting this to be perfect with sunshine and daisies, it's already imperfect since I've having a fucking child before we're married, before I'm ready, before I'm out of school, and before you even want one! I'm just trying to look at a shitty situation through an optimistic light, one we haven't been using up until now, and you're ruining it!" Alfred cried, backing away. "I want to think of the good things, not the bad things for once!"
Ivan sighed deeply as he motioned for Alfred to come closer. "Come here, I'm sorry. I was being insensitive. I know that you're trying to make the best of it, and I am not helping." He took Alfred's hands. "We will make the best of what we have and enjoy what optimism is left. Can you forgive me?"
"I don't even know why you'd decide to be so pessimistic. Ass." Alfred huffed, keeping his arms crossed. However, he allowed Ivan to come closer and grab his hands, gently holding his mate's back. "I guess I can forgive you...if you go and make me some more hot chocolate. And I demand burgers tonight."
Ivan laughed and swept Alfred up in his arms, kissing him properly. "I can do that." He left Alfred by the couch and went to heat the kettle once more, humming as he fired up the stove.