Nocturnal Creatures

21

"Makoto honey, if you're joking, this isn't funny."

"Mom, I'm..." Makoto couldn't finish. Makoto's mom had been silent the whole way home after he said Sousuke was a vampire. As soon as they were home, his mom wanted to get it straight.

She sat down at the kitchen table and looked at Makoto expectantly. His ears were pushed back against his head and his tail drooped as he sat down next to her. He knew it was time for him to own up. Makoto didn't wait for his mom to ask again, he said, "I'm not joking. Sousuke, who is a 211 year-old vampire, asked me to marry him two weeks ago, I said yes, and I am apparently carrying his baby." Makoto couldn't believe how strange it all sounded when he said it out loud. It sounded like it had to be a joke. But it wasn't.

"Makoto." His mom paused for a long moment, he knew a lecture was coming. He was surprised by what she said next, "Makoto, why didn't you tell me two weeks ago?"

"I-I..." Makoto stuttered, he had no idea why he waited so long.

"This happened that day where you were at Sousuke's until one in the morning on a week day didn't it?" Makoto could only nod. His mom asked, "Were you afraid of what I would say?"

"Not really but maybe a little," Makoto took a breath, "I mean, I had agreed to marry him when I've only known him for a few months. And I knew you had cautioned me before about giving my hear away so early on, but..." Makoto could feel his eyes start to water.

"Makoto, you know that I am always here for you. Whenever things happen in your life, especially big things like a proposal, I want to be a part of it." She rested her tail tip on his shoulder. "You can always talk to me. Whenever you have before, haven't I always been supportive?" Makoto nodded in response. His mom looked at him more seriously, "But Sousuke being a vampire... I don't want you becoming his next meal."

Makoto could see that his mom was really worried and he wanted to make her feel better, "It's not like that... He didn't want to tell me at first but it wasn't because he was trying to trick me but because he was afraid I would run away. He's been kind and understanding about everything that I wanted and needed. He understands me," Makoto could feel tears spill over, "He knows what it is to be different and having to hide being different. He sees me for everything that I am and he wants to know me."