Realized - a Rhink fanfic

Chapter 12

Rhett left Link snoring on the floor and dragged his feet to the front door. The daily newspaper was slipped under it. Rhett picked it up and glanced at the front page.
"Internetainer Lovebirds?"
He shredded the paper and chucked it to the ground. A part of him still clung on to his old life. He'd been cast out of the baby pool he'd always known into dark, murky waters where his feet failed to find the ocean floor and his eyes failed to find dry land. He was apprehensive. He knew he loved Link, but he couldn't help second guessing the publicity even though that wasn't his fault. And his sexuality now wavered unceasingly, troubling him. It squirmed, it wriggled, it resisted the conventional beliefs drilled into his childhood. The only sure thing was that it just wasn't what he was used to.
Just then Link's phone rang. Danceable synth beats reverberated through the walls. Rhett shook off his misery momentarily and ran back to help Link answer.
"Hello? This is Rhett. Rhett McLaughlin."
A worried voice came through the speaker.
"It's Lily! Dad hasn't been home since yesterday - is he with you? Where is he?"
Link's daughter sounded close to tears. She was in her teenage years - not exactly well trained to look after two younger siblings, so she was naturally in a struggle.
Rhett rubbed his temples. What would he tell her? That her father was going to marry some stupid tall guy she'd met occasionally? Should he just lie when she'd inevitably find out the truth?
"He's at my house. Do you know how to get here? He fell asleep here."
"I'll take the subway."
The phone beeped. Lily had hung up. Rhett turned the phone off and stared at the mess in the house. How would he explain all this? He had two rings on his hands. There was another one on the floor. Strange signs were strewn on the lawn. He'd never be able to hide yesterday's happenings.
Whatever, he waved off the mental burden. He was too worn for this. He decided he'd just have to come clean.
Then Link stirred. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the first day of his new life. The sunlight illuminated the figure standing above him. It defined Rhett's toned arms with a warm highlight and streaked his dirty blonde hair with a magical glow. He appeared like a muse, an angel, perfect as he frowned at the flowing light, his brilliant mind swirling and contorting into great ideas. Ideas beyond tasting bovine sexual organs and soaking in soggy food. They were ideas that reached into an imagined canvas, painting a backlight upon two figures dividing an arch of flowers symmetrically, waiting to bring their lips together amongst a background of applause. Exchanged rings and aerial petals. Black tuxedos on buttercream. Red roses and pouring wine...
...Rhett and Link.
A little smile formed under the man's beard at that thought.
But then the ideas descended into chaos. Accusing fingers adorned with wrinkles wag at a disobedient son as they curl around a crumpling wedding invitation. Five children cry. The internet divides into war. Everything falls into a sinkhole of disappointment and he is forced into reclusion away from death threats and disbelief, where he would live out the last of his days.
Then the doorbell rang. Rhett was once again forced out of the part of his mind that wanted him to imagine anything but reality. He ran to answer the door, but had no need to.
A girl tumbled through the unlocked front door, panting as she regained her balance. Two hoodie-cloaked boys followed suit, stepping cautiously onto the woven welcome mat. The trio looked around as if stepping into a serial killer's basement. Then the girl fixed her keen eyes on Link and charged.
"Dad!"
"Lily!"
Link recognized his daughter as she came bounding to him. Rhett stood silently for the moment, watching. The three children closed in for a group hug with their father. Then Lando removed himself from the pile. His smile faded when his gaze fell on the upturned furniture and blinking rings.
"Dad...what happened?"
Link immediately shook off the hug and sat upright in cold sweat. He tucked the little velvet box behind him cautiously. He felt trapped. The warm suffocation of the hug had now turned into a new breathlessness that felt foreign yet familiar. It displaced his children as it surrounded him. It ran through his veins on hastened heartbeats. Link had found himself feeling like this quite often the past few days and hated it.
Then he realized what it was: shame.
He didn't like the sound of that - he didn't like the idea of hiding who he really was. No, not in front of his children. They deserved the truth he'd been selfishly denying them.
So he furrowed his brows and clenched his wrists in determination. Then he paled again as the truth escaped his lips.
"You're gonna have two dads now."