A Parliament of Owls {BokuAkaKuroTsuki/IwaOi}

Ten

Akaashi's hands shook when he carefully picked up the picture and held it closer to his eyes.

That boy looked so much like him but it couldn't actually be him. His father had never been around much, not even when he was that young, so there wasn't really an opportunity where a picture like this could have been taken.

"Who the hell is this?" he asked, pretending that his voice didn't shake, Kuroo tensed beside him. "Akaashi, maybe we shouldn't-"

"No! Who the hell is this? Why is he with my dad?" A mix of anger and irrational jealousy bubbled in the young mans chest but he tried his best to ignore it. This was stupid. This was completely and utterly stupid and childish and he should not be behaving this way right now, especially not in front of strangers.

Sugawara and Daichi exchanged cautious looks. "His son, according to Kiyoko and we trust her," the older out of the two explained carefully. "He had him with his wife of twenty years, Akaashi Hana."

Akaashi flinched.

"My moms name was Yuki."

"Keji," Kuroo placed his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder but the younger man just pushed it away.

"My moms name was Yuki!" he repeated louder. "She and my dad never married, this isn't possible."

Sugawara's eyes widened after hearing those words and sudden realization bathed his face in shock. "Oh god," he whispered softly. "No."

Daichi's concerned eyes flickered towards his boyfriend but the older man just stared right at Akaashi. "Are you sure that Yuki is your mother?" he asked carefully. Every person present froze.

The truth is like a puzzle, it's made of different components and while you may be able to see what it's supposed to portray, you'll never get the full picture until every single piece is in its place.

"What do you mean?", Akaashi's voice was shaking, even he himself wasn't sure if it was due to the immense anger that flooded his veins or because of the fact that he could no longer say that he knew what the answer to Suga's question was.

Kuroo opened his mouth as to say something but quickly shut it again, uncertainty and hesitation filled his face with worry, he reached for his boyfriend but pulled his hand away the last second. This couldn't be happening.

See, the truth is harsh and unforgiving, you don't get to choose if you want to accept it or not, because at the end of the day you can't live in ignorance. Trying to do so would do more harm the truth could.

"She has to be," Akaashi answered, but it lacked convincingness. "She raised me."

"Did you ever see your birth certificate? Anything like that?" Daichi asked, warmth and pity tainted his professionality in an ugly shade of empathy. Akaashi despised it.

"She raised me," he repeated stubbornly, his dark eyes were cold and challenging, like he dared the other man to say something else, like he wanted him to say something stupid just so that the younger one could snap. "She was the only parent that I even remotely knew. She was there when I was born, just how I was there when she died. She was the one who gave birth to me and I was the one who killed her, it's that easy."

Sugawara exhaled shakingly. He held his phone in an iron grip, Akaashi wasn't sure if he had held it the entire time or if he pulled it out during their conversation. He decided that he did not care.

"Kiyoko sent your birth certificate," he explained slowly. "Akaashi, you didn't kill your mother."

Once you come to realize what your truth truly is, you no longer will be able to bathe in blissful unawareness. You have to realize that it won't free you, it'll just change your way of thinking.