Ravi stood just within hearing range of the family, watching them carefully.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure where he should be.

This conversation was important, very much so, and shouldn’t it be privet between Sori and her parents?

But at the same time…….what if things went badly?

What if Sori needed him the rush to her aid?

Get her away from the man and woman who brought her into this world?

Maybe he was fine where he was. He was just far enough away that he couldn’t make out any of the words they were saying so long as they were just talking. But if they started to yell? He could hear and be right there in a second.

“Everything will be fine,” Ravi whispered to himself, “everything will work out.”

He hoped.

--

“So,” Sori glanced up from the ground when her mother started to talk, “how is school?”

“Good,” Sori nodded, trying not to sounds as awkward as she felt, “I’m one of the top students.”

“Good,” her father nodded, “I’m….I’m proud.”

The four fell silent once more.

Lito scowled to himself, not at all happy with the silence. He wanted his family to talk, to be happy and open with each other. They were not going to get there by being so silent.

And yet, he didn’t know what to say to change anything.

“The boy,” their father suddenly said, looking in Ravi’s direction, “he…….he’s your boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Sori nodded, looking over at Ravi as well. She felt herself smiling slightly, grateful that he was close if she needed him.

“He seems nice,” her mother said, smiling softly as she took in Sori’s expression, “how did you meet him?”

“We met at the start of the year,” Sori explained, some of the tension leaving her as she focused on talking about Ravi, “he and I were on the same bus here along with his brothers.”

“He has siblings?” her mother asked, “how many?”

“And who are his parents?” her father asked.

“They aren’t siblings by blood,” Sori explained, kind of hesitant to talk about this, “they all grew up in the same foster home together. They’re just as close as any blood siblings.”

She glanced over at Ravi, wondering if he could hear her. If he was bothered about her talking about his past.

Ravi noticed Sori looking and flashed her a reassuring smile.

“He doesn’t have parents?” her mother frowned slightly, “and he was raised in a foster home? With the ISBIP?”

“Um,” Sori glanced over at Ravi once more before rushing over to him and dragging him to join them, “Ravi, my parents want to know about you.”

“Ok,” Ravi nodded, wondering why Sori would get him for that.

Then he realized why and felt like a moron for not realizing it sooner. Sori probably wasn’t sure if she could talk about his past. What was allowed to be said and what wasn’t. He smiled softly to himself, touched that she was thinking about something like that.

“Sori said that you grew up in a foster home,” Sori’s mother said, “was it with the ISBIP?”

“No,” Ravi explained, “I grew up in a human foster home.”

“Interesting,” Sori’s father nodded and Ravi knew he wasn’t being patronizing or anything like that. He really found Ravi’s past interesting.

“How did you end up there?” her mother asked, just as curious as his husband.

“My parents died when I was three,” Ravi explained, “they were in a car crash with a drunk driver. I was given to a local foster home and just…..ended up staying there.”

“And you met your brothers there?” it was Sori’s father’s turn to ask a question.

“Yeah,” Ravi nodded, “I met N hyung and Leo hyung first. Then Ken hyung. Finally Hongbin and Hyuk joined our little family and we’ve been together ever since.”

“And they’re all supernaturals?” Sori’s mother smiled slightly, “that’s quite the good luck, to have found others like you before coming here, forming a family with them.”

“Are they shifters?” Sori’s father asked.

“Dad,” Lito said, “I told you that Ravi is the only shifter.”

“Right,” the older shifter nodded, laughing slightly at his forgetfulness, “Leo is a nightmare, right?”

“Right,” the three teen nodded.

“And Ken is a warlock?”

“Yeah.”

“Hongbin is the fae, right? And Hyuk the werewolf?”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t seem to recall what N is, though,” the sibling’s father frowned slightly.

“N is a dragon,” Sori said.

It wasn’t a total lie. He was spending most of his time with a dragon aura anyway. Most of the school thought that was what he was so……why not tell her parents that as well?

“They sounds like wonderful boys,” Sori’s mother smiled, “I’d like to meet them if that’s alright. Thank them for tutoring Lito.”

“Thank you for that,” her father said, turning to Ravi, “we’re very grateful that you’re helping out our son.”

“It’s nothing,” Ravi waved their thanks off, “Sori has helped me when I was struggling with stuff, mostly my powers. I thought it was only right to, you know, pass it on? Help someone else like she helped me.”

“I’ll pass it on as well,” Lito promised, “when I’m older and more in control of my powers, I’ll help others with their gifts.”

“What exactly are you gifts?” Sori’s mother asked, “Just the normal ones that come with being a shifter?”

“Ravi is also a dreamscaper,” Sori said, her pride evident. Ravi smiled proudly as well, happy to have such a rare and special gift.

“How wonderful,” Sori’s mother smiled, “shifters don’t have that gift very often. It’s more for spell casters, nymph, and fae.”

“Sori said that when it developed,” Ravi nodded, “just makes me all the prouder to be blessed with it.”

Sori smiled slightly as she watched her……her family talking so comfortable with her boyfriend. Seeing it…..it made her feel more comfortable as well. It made her want to take part in the conversation too, so she did.

However, she didn’t fail to notice one thing that was never addressed the whole talk.

Her parents giving her up.

Maybe that was for the best though. A conversation for another day. A day where she wasn’t so nervous around her parents.

A/N: the long awaited talk between Sori and her parents. It was kind of awkward writing it, but that ‘cuz, well, the conversation is awkward as heck. In the end, I’m happy with it and I hope you all are too.