Marriage

Mia and Raven arrived home just a few moments after Will had left.

Mia and Raven's parents were waiting for them at the door as they arrived home.

"You two, follow us." His dad said to the two of them, walking towards the living room.

Mia and Raven fell into step behind him, exchanging glances now and then.

"Take a seat on the love seat," he said while pointing at it.

Mia and Raven obeyed his orders and took a seat side-by-side.

Mia wondered what their dad was going to say while Raven had a general idea when he saw the look he had before he went upstairs with his mother.

When their dad looked at Raven, he could tell he was struggling to find the right words.

"I heard you already know you're adopted?" He asked

Raven affirmed his agreement by nodding his head.

"You're also in a relationship with Mia?" He continued to ask.

Raven didn't respond this time. It was Mia who spoke up.

"I was the one who proposed the relationship, not him."

Their dad's brow furrowed as he looked at his daughter, his expression unreadable.

"I don't recall asking who started the relationship. Also, why are you responding like you're in trouble?"

Mia coughed, trying to stifle the sound as best she could.

She feared he would reprimand Raven for initiating a relationship with her.

Their dad sighed and shook his head understanding what his daughter's thoughts were.

"No, Mia, he's not in trouble. I just want to have a conversation with both of you about this." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"Raven, I want you to understand that being adopted changes nothing about how we feel about you. You're our son, and we love you just the same as if you were our biological child."

Raven nodded, feeling a sense of ease wash over him, along with gratitude.

He had always felt loved by his parents, but hearing it again, especially in the context of his relationship with Mia, was comforting.

He then turned his attention to Mia.

"And Mia, it doesn't matter who started the relationship. What matters is that both of you care for each other and that you treat each other with respect and love. We trust you both to make good choices."

Mia's smile was wide, and she felt a sense of relief wash over her.

She had been fretting about how their father would respond to their relationship, but his reaction was far more accepting than she had expected.

Their mom chimed in, and her words wrapped around them like a warm blanket.

"We've always believed in open communication in our family. If there's anything you two want to talk about or if you have questions, please come to us. We're here to support you."

Raven and Mia exchanged grateful glances, feeling their parents' love and acceptance wash over them.

Their parents' understanding nature was something they were grateful for.

Their dad hesitated and closed his mouth, giving his wife an awkward smile before standing up and leaving.

With a puzzled expression, Mia and Raven look at his back before turning their attention back to their mother.

"We have one rule if you guys have a relationship." Their mother said, her smiling face becoming serious, "You must wear protection if things get a little out of hand."

Raven coughed, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment.

"Don't worry, we've talked about this."

Raven made a sweeping gesture with his hand, as if to physically push the topic out of the conversation.

The situation was also making Mia uncomfortable, and she could feel her ears burning from the roots.

"Well, at least you know." She said, looking at the two with a funny face.

She reached for her coffee on the table, wrapping her hands around the warm mug.

Raven thought for a while and told his mother about the decision he and Mia made when he whispered into her ears to calm her down.

"That mom..." Raven hesitated as his mother looked up from her drink.

"Me and Mia plan on getting married when I turn 16."

He grabbed Mia's hand, and she could feel the tension in his body as he held on tightly.

Their mother's coffee sprayed onto the table as she looked at the two in utter horror.

"Ahem, well… I guess we did say we'll support you two."

She coughed and set her coffee down on the table, taking a moment to gather her thoughts.

"I have to talk with your father tonight about this, as you also need his permission as well."

Raven nodded gratefully, already planning out the perfect proposal for Mia.

The palms of Mia's hands were sweating as she sat quietly on the side, listening to Raven talk about their future life.

Raven noticed her nervousness and began tracing circles on her palm to help calm her down.

His action caused a pink flush to spread across her cheeks.

Just as they were flirting with each other, their mother's tone became serious.

"I hope you're not making any rash decisions. You guys haven't been in a relationship for long."

Raven understood her worries, but when Vanessa said it was a 95% match, he let down all of his worries.

Also, the two have known each other for almost 14 years, though he's known her for 21 years.

"I'm pretty sure about this, and Mia agreed to it," Raven said. "If she wishes to cancel,-"

"No!" Mia's shout echoed through the room, her eyes fixed on him with intensity.

Raven's eyes widened in horror, and he gulped audibly before turning to his mother: See? I think I'm the one suffering.

Seeing his reaction, their mother smiled and made up her mind.

"Alright, I'll convince your father to agree to your marriage." She said, getting up.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

Before walking away, she gave Raven a quick pep talk with a meaningful look.

Raven watched her walk away with a heavy heart and turned to Mia, who was still gazing at him.

"That. Mia." Raven's arms wrapped around Mia, his voice gentle as he whispered her name.

Mia's face turned red as she felt his heart pounding.

She wasn't furious.

The thought of not getting married left her with a nagging feeling that something was incomplete.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief and lifted her up, realising she wasn't angry.

Raven lay down on the couch and made room for Mia to lie down on top of him, as she let out a gasp.

As she pulled away from his embrace, Mia smoothed out her wrinkled clothing.

"We're in the living room." Mia looked at him with shame.

"What if mom and dad see it?"

Raven rolled his eyes, but his lips curved into a smile.

"What if mom and dad see it? They know about us now. Also, does that mean we can cuddle in private?"

Mia's mouth opened as if to refuse, but she simply nodded.

She whispered, her cheeks still red with embarrassment, "Yes, we can cuddle in private," and looked away.

A grin spread across Raven's face. He stood up and embraced her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

"Just wait until we have our own place. We can cuddle all day if we want," he said, his voice laced with laughter.

Mia blushed even deeper and felt her heart race as she imagined a future with him.

"Humph, keep dreaming." Mia said, ignoring the endless buzzing of her phone in her back pocket.

If she checked, she'd find a few pictures of her and Raven holding hands and acting more like siblings…