Hear Me Roar: Lions Pride One Shots

As All That I Am

Raph had been going to this specific therapist for nearly six years at this point. They smiled and greeted him by a nickname here. They knew his problems here. They knew him here. They had even gotten him birthday presents whenever he had an appointment near his birthday.

Usually Raph enjoyed their smiling faces and positive mindsets on what he had considered for most of his life—his fault. Today however, felt different. They still greeted him with those same happy faces and upbeat personalities, but Raph knew this would be one of his last visits at this therapists office. He was graduating in a week, then he would spend a short summer home before finally heading off into the world on this own for the first time—as all that he is.

To put it simply, Raph was terrified. He didn't mind being alone—that was when he was most at ease. The thing that scares him the most is being who he is...on his own. Growing up, he remembers the play dates, birthday parties, holidays, or anywhere he was around people who didn't already know him and his disabilities, the same thing would inevitably happen.

FLASHBACK:

It was a block party for the neighborhood. Adults stood around large tables holding a variety of different foods brought by everyone on the block. They chatted about workloads, house renovations being planned, whose getting married, whose having a baby, and other majorly stereotypical "adult things" that the children would find beyond boring.

The children themselves ran from front yard to front yard laughing without much of a care. They were even allowed to play in the road considering they closed it off. It was a beautiful day, warm too.

Ithilien and Clara had managed to make a lot of friends within their own neighborhood. Theo was building dirt castles with two twin boys—who Theo first met due to them bonding over him also being a twin, and a little girl who gloated over having a collection of pet worms in her backyard.

Clara could be found across the street sitting with a group of girls playing in a water-table complete with little toy boats, dolls, action figures, and a fake island—which was actually just a bunch of grass, twigs, and dirt they threw in there.

Regina had been keeping her spot next to Cady as she decided staying near her talkative wife would be better than having to stare and sulk as more people wanted to talk to Sonia than her. Cady herself was well liked within the neighborhood, people considered her one of the bubbliest people they had ever met, and think she's one of the best mothers around.

The two stood around one of the many food tables discussing the aforementioned "adult things". This is when the topic of their children were brought up. Usually Cady loves talking about her kids. How smart they are, how talented they are, and how happy they are. Except this time almost immediately, Regina could sense was different than before.

Her name was Noelle, and she was a woman who lived with her five year old son, and her mother. She lived only a few doors down from the Heron-George's, but everyone knew who she was. This was due to her infamous habit of speaking without giving it a thought. She was loud in every sense of the term, obnoxious, and at often times...rude. Still, as she was part of this neighborhood...she deserved to be there just as anyone else did.

She trotted up to the table, grabbed a few fruit cubes on sticks, and smirked at everyone around her.

Noelle: Heyyyy! How's everyone doing over here?!

A few adults jumped, while Regina was just trying to keep an eye roll hidden beneath her long well mascaraed eyelashes. Noelle glanced up and her smile grew even more upon seeing Cady and Regina. She had always voiced her opinion about how happy she was to say their block had a same sex couple with children living on it. She said it made their community look inclusive. But this time, she had a different topic on her mind.