Swallow your pride

Threat

Omini's PoV

Anne was buried quietly. The house was filled with sorrow. The babies lay contentedly together in the cradle, Yarra, Ominis and Sebastian sat quietly in the living room. The house elf broke the dead silence, "Sorry to disturb you, sir, but your parents have come to visit." he informed them.
Ominis' heart lurched in his chest. He tensed immediately, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his hands into fists. Beside him, Sebastian's expression darkened, and Yarra's eyes widened with surprise.
"Thank you," Ominis managed to say to the house-elf, his voice low. "You can show them in."
The house-elf bowed and hurried away, leaving Ominis sitting there, his mind racing with thoughts and feelings he had been trying to avoid. Sebastian's eyes met his, his expression one of concern and understanding. Ominis took a deep breath, silently preparing himself for the encounter to come.

Moments later, his parents entered the room. His father, Lord Gaunt, was tall and thin, with sharp features and an air of cold authority. His mother, Lady Gaunt, was petite and fair-skinned, with a perpetually disapproving look on her face. They surveyed the room, their eyes taking in Ominis, Sebastian, and Yarra.

Lord Gaunt's gaze fell on the cradle, his eyes widening. "My grandchild has already been born? Why didn't you let us know?" he snapped at Ominis.
Ominis flinched internally at his father's sharp tone. He had expected this reaction, and yet it still hurt. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.
"Things have been... complicated, Father," he said, his eyes lowering slightly. "There have been... difficult circumstances."

Lady Gaunt sniffed, her eyes narrowed as she looked between the three of them. "Complicated circumstances, you say?" she echoed, her voice dripping with barely-concealed disdain. "And might I ask exactly what these 'circumstances' are?"
Meanwhile, Lord Gaunt walked over to the cradle. His stern expression turned even colder as he scrutinized the babies in the cradle, his eyes widening in surprise. "Twins?" he asked, leaning in closer.
Ominis swallowed visibly, his eyes darting to Sebastian and Yarra, silently pleading for support. Sebastian's jaw clenched, his eyes hardening, while Yarra bit her lip, her face pale.
"Yes," Ominis managed to answer, his voice strained. "Boy and a girl", he lied to them. Better let them think they are twins. He didn't know how else to explain the complexity of the whole situation and what consequences it would have.

Lady Gaunt's face twisted into a disapproving sneer. "Twins? In our family? How... inconvenient." Sebastian's hands clenched into fists, his jaw set in a defiant line. Yarra's eyes flicked nervously from Sebastian to Ominis, her breathing shallow. Ominis felt a pang of defensiveness rise up inside him.
"Inconvenient? These are innocent children, Father, not objects to be sorted and discarded," he snapped, his voice betraying more emotion than had intended. Lady Gaunt scoffed, her nose wrinkling with distaste. "Calm yourself, Ominis. You are being very emotional," she chided. "We're not saying they aren't... acceptable, just that twins, well, it complicates things a bit."

Ominis felt a burst of anger at his mother's words. He took a deep breath to control himself.
"Complicates things?" he echoed, his voice hardening. "How exactly do they complicate things, Mother? Because it sounds like you think having them in the family is some kind of... embarrassment." Lady Gaunt's eyes narrowed even further, her nostrils flaring. "Don't be ridiculous, Ominis," she replied. "It's not about embarrassment, it's about propriety and tradition. Twins are rare in the Gaunt lineage. We're not... accustomed to dealing with such unpredictable scenarios."

Lord Gaunt eyed Sebastian suspiciously. He must have noticed his features in Isadora's face. After a while he took the baby boy out of the cradle and carefully studied his features. He ran a finger through his blond hair and smiled contentedly. "Desired offspring. Does he have a name yet?" he asked.
Ominis' body tensed as his father held his son, his grip on Yarra's hand unconsciously tightening. The sight of his child in the hands of the man he had sought to escape all his life was almost unbearable. He forced his voice to remain steady as he replied.
"We... we named him Aurelius," he said quietly. "Aurelius Ignotus Gaunt."