Leon sat on the couch. Sitting across from the strapping minotaur lad were two women. One was his mom, and the other was "Aunt" Brienne. Brienne wasn’t really his aunt, but she was such a constant presence in his and his mom’s life that she had essentially become part of the family. That’s not to say that Brienne didn’t have her own family.
It truly boggled the mind how many children Brienne, her sister Rina, and her mother had reared in their odd polygamous marriage. Leon’s best friends, first loves, greatest rivals, and worst enemies were all Brienne’s children, nieces, or nephews, simply due to sheer numerical superiority. They were all tied together by Brienne.
It was odd, Leon thought. Brienne was known far and wide as a marshmallow cuddle bug—the kind of person who was kind, gentle, and sweet to everyone. Everyone except him, that is. It wasn’t that Brienne was mean or cruel to Leon—quite the opposite. She was always there for him, teaching him how to hunt, fish, and defend himself. Yet, whenever he did something really stupid, Brienne was right there to tan his hide.
Now he was here, sitting across from his mom and Brienne. The last time he sat in this same position, they had given him The Talk.
“Sooooo,” he said in a languid drawl, “what’s this about? Because I’m pretty sure I already got the ‘Birds and the Bees.’”
Brienne, for the first time in his life, looked uncomfortable in her own skin. Her incessant fidgeting was only calmed by a gentle poke into her pregnant belly from his mom.
“I’m your father, Leon!” Brienne exploded.
“…,” the young man raised a finger before putting it down. “…What?!”
His mother sighed. “It’s true, sweetie. Brienne is your father.”
He sputtered, “But don’t you need—”
“Cursed magical armor,” his... dad? cut him off. “When I was a man, I was a bit careless in my proclivities. It was only when I was pregnant for the first time that I truly realized I didn’t want to do what my dad did to my kids. It took a year of tracking, but I found you and Dora.” Brienne paused, catching her breath. “We’ve confirmed it—you are my son.”
His mother gripped Brienne’s hand. “I wanted you to have your father in your life, but we kept the full truth from you until you were old enough to fully understand.” His mother hesitated. “I may not have made the best choice, but it was the one we thought would be best for you. We understand if you don’t agree with that.”
Leon wasn’t in much of a mood to agree or disagree; his brain had nearly shut down. However, it misfired, and he blurted out, “So… are you two going to get married?”
Brienne and his mom blushed.
“Well, sweetie, we wanted to give you some time to process before we announced that I would be joining Brienne as a fellow sister-wife to her husband.”
It truly boggled the mind how many children Brienne, her sister Rina, and her mother had reared in their odd polygamous marriage. Leon’s best friends, first loves, greatest rivals, and worst enemies were all Brienne’s children, nieces, or nephews, simply due to sheer numerical superiority. They were all tied together by Brienne.
It was odd, Leon thought. Brienne was known far and wide as a marshmallow cuddle bug—the kind of person who was kind, gentle, and sweet to everyone. Everyone except him, that is. It wasn’t that Brienne was mean or cruel to Leon—quite the opposite. She was always there for him, teaching him how to hunt, fish, and defend himself. Yet, whenever he did something really stupid, Brienne was right there to tan his hide.
Now he was here, sitting across from his mom and Brienne. The last time he sat in this same position, they had given him The Talk.
“Sooooo,” he said in a languid drawl, “what’s this about? Because I’m pretty sure I already got the ‘Birds and the Bees.’”
Brienne, for the first time in his life, looked uncomfortable in her own skin. Her incessant fidgeting was only calmed by a gentle poke into her pregnant belly from his mom.
“I’m your father, Leon!” Brienne exploded.
“…,” the young man raised a finger before putting it down. “…What?!”
His mother sighed. “It’s true, sweetie. Brienne is your father.”
He sputtered, “But don’t you need—”
“Cursed magical armor,” his... dad? cut him off. “When I was a man, I was a bit careless in my proclivities. It was only when I was pregnant for the first time that I truly realized I didn’t want to do what my dad did to my kids. It took a year of tracking, but I found you and Dora.” Brienne paused, catching her breath. “We’ve confirmed it—you are my son.”
His mother gripped Brienne’s hand. “I wanted you to have your father in your life, but we kept the full truth from you until you were old enough to fully understand.” His mother hesitated. “I may not have made the best choice, but it was the one we thought would be best for you. We understand if you don’t agree with that.”
Leon wasn’t in much of a mood to agree or disagree; his brain had nearly shut down. However, it misfired, and he blurted out, “So… are you two going to get married?”
Brienne and his mom blushed.
“Well, sweetie, we wanted to give you some time to process before we announced that I would be joining Brienne as a fellow sister-wife to her husband.”