Meet the Parents! Wait, What?

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Robin Lichester-Raven

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Frankly, Robin was loving Brightstone. It was interesting to see how many people came out to watch his little street show. If that was the enthusiasm shown for a simple busker, La Grande were sure to be welcomed with open arms. Later on that week, Robin's friends would flood the streets with their performances and busker's licenses. Rob liked to think of himself as the smell of good food leading into a small restaurant, drawing people in before the party started. He chuckled to himself at the metaphor.

The main stage was empty of people, though one or two technicians were fiddling around with the lighting and his father stood in the second smaller ring, training the youngsters. Robin had the red aerial silk tissue down and began to wind it around his hands, sometimes rolling himself backwards to strengthen the knots. By the time he was finished, he was well and truly locked into place and ten feet above the ground, dangling by his arms. This was one particular act that he did mind some of the ballerina's attending, because they generally giggled a lot and threw off his concentration. Stomach muscle tensing, Robin finally relaxed for a moment into an iron cross, rolling his neck a few times before wrapping his legs around the trailing sides of the material. He would have continued his training, if the sound of footsteps on the tarp outside hadn't made him look up. Customers? thought Robin, his face involuntarily slipping into a winningwelcoming smile. Little did he know.
 
Lumina lead Jon to the tent where she had seen Robin.
Her eyes suddenly moved to the stage and they met him.
She walked closer to the stage but did not speak at first.
No, her eyes made contact with the other man she recognized- the one who was now Robin's father.
How would she go about this? How could she tell him? In all honesty, he had a right to know but..
He seemed so happy.
Lumina turned to Jon. "Look how happy he is." She said quietly, "Look how.. How wonderful he has become without me."
A lump formed in Lumina's throat and she couldn't swallow.
Her eyes were sore from crying and a little red too.
She couldn't do it. She wanted to turn and leave like a coward.
But she managed to stay. Standing there. Watching.

((sorry for godmodding))
 
Jonathan had to admit it, he was nervous about the plans he had for today. They were not ones that he ever thought he would be doing but here he was...doing them. Following Lumina through Brightstone to a large tent Jonathan followed the mother of his child into the tent and approached the stage. His eyes fell on a young man, Jonathan's lips parted as he looked in amazement. That was his son! He still hadn't quite come to terms with the whole thing yet but seeing his own flesh and blood right there in front of him gave him on dose of reality. Jonathan broke his gaze from the young boy and moved it too Lumina. He frowned lightly at her words, he knew how much she was beating herself up for what she had done, but it was the right thing to do at the time, and in time he was sure their son would come to realise that. "Come on! We've come this far, now's no time for backing down." he said to her encouragingly as possible, which was hard considering how nervous he was about it. "He'll understand. Don't worry." He said again as he looked back to the stage.
 
Strange. The two people who entered through the main archway into the big top didn't look like mystified tourists. In fact, they looks nervous and determined somehow, as though they were there for a purpose. Nevertheless, his smile did not falter as he unwrapped himself carefully around the silks and slid to the stage without a sound. Robin himself was considerably less quiet. "Sir! Madam!" said Rob grandly, spreading his arms as though they were long-lost friends. He had picked up many tricks from his 'father', the ringmaster of La Grande, and his voice was as enticing as his looks were mysterious. "What brings ye to humble Grande," he said with a curling 'r' on 'Grande'. Robin tumbled artfully down the steps and was soon face-to-face with the two people who would change his life forever. "Come for a backstage pass, no?"

Okay, now he was weirded out. The man and the woman were standing together, but they did not look like a couple at all. That, however, wasn't the thing that caught his attention. The people before him looked bizarrely familiar, and it was rather ironic that Robin could not place their features at all. There was a familiar curl to the man's dark hair, and though Robin was usually the last to notice such things, the shape of the woman's face reminded him of someone he knew. Resisting the urge to tilt his head to one side, Rob missed his Papa's frozen features in the background. The man had stopped training and was staring as though his heart was going to stop at any minute.
 
Jonathan watched as his son skillfully descended to the stage. It was quite the sight to see. Jonathan took a quick glance at Lumina as their son welcomed them, he didn't know who was going to find this situation the hardest; him, Lumina or their son. When their son became face-to-face with his parents Jonathan stared at him a moment finding a few of his features familiar, Jonathan did his best not to gawp at him. "No!" he said maybe a little too quickly. "No, we haven't come for the show." he explained. Jonathan didn't realise how hard this was actually going to be. "You're Robin, aren't you?" he asked, even though he was completely aware he was he just had to be sure.
 
Lumina thought Jonathan very brave to have made the first move but she knew the battle was far from over.
She didn't know what to say.. What did you say to the son you gave up so many years ago.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, under her breath.
Jonathan may have felt she was beating herself up but Lumina thought it was nowhere near enough punishment.
In truth, the worst punishment would be the one delivered by Robin.
And though it would break her heart should he do this, she would understand completely.
 
Now Robin really did tilt his head to the side. They weren't here for the show? Then why were they ... hold on. Right, so how does he know my name? He had to admit, he was slightly freaked out, but Rob had never been one to be scared off just because of coincidence. "I am indeed. What can I do for you today-" he began, but suddenly a hand came down onto his shoulder. Torino Lichester stood behind him, eyebrows furrowed at the woman that Robin just somehow recognised. Frowning, Rob looked between them both. His father knew this woman? The lady had said nothing so far, and he had the strangest feeling that he wanted to hear her speak. Who on earth were these people? Distant relations? Actually, that would make a lot more sense, Rob laughed inwardly, smiling on the outside. Cousins, nieces and nephews were always popping up, and every single one of them called him Uncle Rob, no matter who they were. He wouldn't have been half surprised if they were his mother's brother's half cousin's sister's parents or suchlike.

"You have come to tell him, have you?" said Torino, and Robin really did frown at this. Something was going on, and he wanted to know just what. The hand on his shoulder tightened slightly. Rob folded his arms as a sliver of worry passed over his face.
 
Lumina nodded.
And now she spoke.
"Yes, I have come to tell him. I think it's only right he knows. I'm not going to take him away from you, Torino," she said, remembering the man's name. "Especially not when you have done such a.. a wonderful job.." Lumina summoned a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.
She turned her attention on Robin now. Her eyes smiling to see him again but so sad at what she had done.
"I am so sorry, Robin," Lumina said, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
"I.. I was only young and.. and I didn't know what to do.. I'm not trying to take anything away from.. your parents" yes, she had called them his parents. They may not have biologically been so but they had been there for him, to raise him.
"Robin," Lumina said, looking directly into his eyes, "I'm your biological mother."

((Dramaticness))
 
Okay, now the woman knew his father's name. That was just outright frightening. Even the performers called him 'The Ringmaster'; this woman really must have been a relative. That calmed Robin down a bit, but only until she began to speak. He frowned to himself - her voice was strangely pleasant to him, and he moved subtly closer to Torino, whose hand was clutching his shoulder tighter than ever. "Papa, what's going on?" said Robin suspiciously in a very soft voice. She has come to tell me what? Has someone died? Rob swallowed. His mother was staying with relatives, and suddenly he felt quite ill. She wasn't hurt or worse, was she? Somehow what he heard next was much less of a relief.

"You..." said Robin, his eyes narrowing with abject confusion. "My mother." The tide broke, and he began to laugh. Robin shook his head and pulled away from his father, who's dark eyes were filled with sorrow as he gazed at his laughing son. "Pfft. Nice one, Ringmaster." chuckled Rob, finally turning to Lumina once more. "Who are you, then? My aunt? A second cousin?" Something else walloped him in the gut as he looked at her then. Her eyes were exactly the same as his - a piercing, starling blue. "Robin..." said Torino, moving forward with a hand outstretched. He shrunk back away from his father's touch. "What the hell is this?". Moving back to Lumina, Robin's eyebrows came down, dark and heavy on his brow and not in the slightly bit welcoming. Yet deeper still was the boy who was completely lost, and he reached out to touch his mother's cheek, staring at her. To his utter shame, tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. "It's not true." Robin had not even been told that his true father was standing just behind Lumina. When he did, everything would go up in smoke.
 
Jonathan's mind was going at a mile a minute as he tried to muster up the words that he knew he would have to say sooner or later. If he couldn't say them then it would be a waste of a trip and Merlin only knows when the two would pick up the courage to go and find him again, neither of them were Gryffindors back at Hogwarts so it was understandable. Jonathan lifted his gaze as a man came from behind Robin and spoke to Lumina. So this must be the man that raised Robin! Jonathan thought to himself, his susspesions only confirmed by his words.

Jonathan felt anger boil up within him, how the hell did the man have the right to ask if Robin's parents had come to find him? They had every right to do so and he better not try to stand in their way. Jonathan was a little more than surprised when Lumina began to talk. He was surprised that she had been able to say what she had, she was much braver than him obviously. Jonathan's heart sank a little when Robin started to laugh and deny the truth that he had just been told. "It is true Robin!" Jonathan confirmed. "And I'm your biological father." he told his son, a smile starting to play on the corners of his mouth but he remained solemn-faced so as to match the seriousness of the situation.
 
Yet another blow to his stomach, so powerful that Robin had to fight to not curl into himself. He remained stony-faced and forbidding, but inside he was hyperventilating and throwing chairs around the massive tent. "What. So my mother is not my mother, my father is not my father... you gonna damn well tell me that I was actually raised under a spell and that my real name is Tim?" Robin was shaking his head and there was not a trace of humour on his dark features. His lip was curling upwards as he whirled to face Torino, who almost stepped back at the venom in his son's eyes, never before seen and never having been directed at his father. "And you saw fit not to mention this. Not even as a passing comment in conjunction with a remark about the weather, hm?". Rob was quite eloquent when enraged, but it didn't make anyone feel any better. Torino let out a soft breath. He had known that one day his true parents would return to have him face the truth, but he had not known how his son would react to it all.

Robin's eyes flashed towards his biological mother and father. "So what, am I meant to thank you for not organising my birthday parties or bandaging my knee when I fell?". He knew that his words were hurtful, and the enormity of everything came down upon him at once. Tears did come then, and his breath hitched as he brushed them away angrily. "Ah, geez." Instinctively, the ringmaster moved towards him with familiar comfort in his eyes, but Robin jerked away from him. "Just don't." Without another word, Robin turned and exited the big top, the plastic roof covering what had been his home for nineteen years. Who he was now ... was he even meant to be that person? Rob flopped to the ground against the woodpile outside, eyes scrunched together and battling the pain that he never wanted to feel.

(( I've sort of intended for either Jon or Lumina to go to him outside and share a proper moment. After that, we can wrap things up at our own leisure. What say you? ))
 
(Sorry it took a while, we were trying to decide who should go out! Guess who won the toss xD)

Jonathan said nothing while Robin spoke, he had every right to freak out and Jonathan wasn't going to stop him - it wouldn't have been fair. Jonathan was quite surprised though that the man that had raised Robin did not mention this before, surely he knew the day would come at some stage and rather have the hit blow less when it did come. But Jonathan remained silent, he knew nothing of Robin until a few short weeks ago, it was as much as surprise to him as it was to his son - well maybe not as big but they did share some common ground. When Robin directed his anger at his biological parents Jonathan let out a sigh, he tried to interject but he was never given the chance to before Robin exited the big top. "I'll go." he said with another sigh to Lumina, who was far too emotional as it was already. Making his way after his son Jonathan too exited the big top and looked around outside for sign of Robin. Seeing him sitting beside a woodpile Jonathan slowly and causiously approached him. "Robin...I'm sorry about all of this. It was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you." he said in a soft voice, hoping that the fact they both shared common ground would make it wasier for Jonathan to talk to him.
 
Robin couldn't look at his real father when he came out to meet him. Every time he took a glance he could see himself in there somewhere. How had he not noticed the lack of resemblance in his own parents? For goodness sake, now that he thought about it, even his skinned tanned a different colours than theirs. He trusted his mother and father so explicitly,and it had never once occurred to him that he might have been adopted. If that was so, why would they not have told him? Rob was central to the circus; he knew everything about everyone and no-one minded a bit because they knew everything about him, too. It wasn't just his hobby; it was his job, his family and his life. Did that mean that he was no longer a part of it all?

"I don't know anything about you," he said softly to his real father. Still Robin looked at the dusty ground, scuffing it with the rim of his flat shoes. There was a short pause before he looked up again and smiled. The smile was small but genuine. "Do I have any more relatives?". Then, at that choice moment, up ran two little brown-skinned children with tragic looks on their faces. Without hesitation, they bundled themselves into Robin's arms and pressed their faces into his chest. "Uncle Rob? Jemima said you were sad, so we came to cheer you up!" they said, already sniffling. With twin fierce looks, they glared at Jonathan. "Did you make him sad?". Rob laughed and wrapped his arms around the girl and the boy. "No one made me sad, little ones. Go play for a sec, will you?". Bottom lips trembling, the twins nodded and tumbled out of his arms, shuffling away to about five meters before stopping and staring at the both of them. Rob let out a sigh. Finally he turned and look up at his father, eyebrows pressed together and looking quite miserable. "I'm sorry that I spoke to you like that, before. It wasn't fair of me."
 
Jonathan cast his gaze down to his son, noticing a few features which they so clearly shared, and now that he thought about it more he could see himself in Robin, a younger self but still, they were definitely related. Jonathan breathed a heavy sigh and if he had half a brain he would have just let his son get over it in his own time and leave him but Jonathan had a lot to make up for, 19 years worth to be exact so he was going to try and make some progress with him. So he took off his jacket and laid it over the woodpile where Robin currently resided and Jonathan joined him. Now sitting on the ground beside him Jonathan was about to speak when two little children ran up to them. Hearing his son being called Uncle Rob was a bit strange but when he figured they had come to talk to him he turned his direction to his tie and loosened it while opening his top button, he was dressed much too formally for this type of thing anyway.

Jonathan raised his gaze for a moment just to see the two children, still there, and glaring at him. Hearing their question Jonathan looked down at the ground again. Pulling his legs up slightly and resting his arms on his knees he waited until his son was finished talking to the children before he started talking again. “No it’s alright. No one expects you to take this in your stride. It’s a hard thing to come to terms too.” he reassured him, heck he was still coming to terms with the whole idea. “Oh and to your previous question, yes you do have more relatives. I’m not sure about your mothers side but on my side there is my parents; my brother – his wife and child, my other sister, and yet another sister who has about 8 daughters.” he said casually leaving out the part that he had only met his older sister a short while ago and just like with Robin, had gone his whole life without knowing about her.
 
“Shiza,” mumbled Robin with his eyebrows pressed together. He wanted to blurt out ‘Not more relatives!’ but figured that it would be hardly polite. After all, he had spent his entire life with several hundred people who were basically his family (some of which actually were. He now knew these to be the family of his adopted parents). What could a few more do to him? Rob couldn’t help but smile; as much as he hated this situation, his entire world turned upside down, he loved people and was more eager to meet his new family than some others would have been in his situation.

Now he took a deep breathe and pondered just what exactly possessed a certain want within him to rise. For some bizarre reason whose origin he-knew-not-what, Robin wanted to hug his biological father. That was ridiculous in itself, wasn’t it? He already had parents and he didn’t need anymore. Worst of all, Rob didn’t even know his father that well. How could you hug someone whose last name you didn’t even know? Speaking of ... “Would my last name have been my mothers, or yours?” he said, looking up into his father’s dark eyes. If so, he would be Robin Spenser or perhaps Robin Sangora; neither of which he knew anything about. Silently, Robin leaned slightly to the side and rested his head on Jon’s shoulder. “This sucks,” he mumbled.
 
Jonathan let a light chuckle slip from his lips at his son's reaction, it was slightly more refined than he had expected. Jonathan hadn't reacted to all of his nieces as badly as he had his sister but through his work at the school he had known most of them, well he had known of them not that they were his nieces. He knew this whole thing would be a lot for his son to take in, Jonathan would still trying to get over it all himself. At Robin's question Jonathan frowned his eyebrows, it wasn't something he knew. "Well...when you were born I knew nothing about you. So if your mother hadn't have given you away it may have well have been Sangora, it would have been up to Lumina if she had wanted to call you Spenser." he said, only assuming what he thought was the truth, then again he couldn't tell for sure. Feeling his son's head land on his shoulder Jonathan smiled softly, placing his arm around him. "I know it's quite a lot to take in. But you know you never have to see us again if you don't want to. Everything can go back to the way it was before today. We just figured you had a right to know." he informed him, the words were a lot harder for him to say than he imagined, but he would understand if that was Robin's wish.
 
Robin couldn't help but leap up at his father's last words. It had been surprisingly comfortable sitting like that and he was loathe to leave his true father's embrace, but he had been well and truly shocked by such a notion. He shook his head as though to both clear it and to shake such a thought off of Jonathan. "Don't be ridiculous, of course I want to see you again!" he blurted out before calming himself enough to articulate his thoughts. "No ... no I couldn't do that. I know you weren't suggesting I forget about you entirely, but imagine if you were I. Some could leave things as they are, but me? Surely you understand, I'm your son after all-" Rob went to explain, but paused as his heart jolted in shock. Yes. Yes that's right, I am his son. "I meant to say that ... after all this, I couldn't possibly pretend that you didn't exist. I have a whole other family outside of this place," he said, his hand on the thick plastic walls of the big top. Hesitantly, he smiled at Jonathan. "And I want to meet them."

Suddenly, a terrible thought struck him. After that little tirade of his, hadn't it occurred to him that he might have just missed the point? Maybe this was his biological father's polite way of saying that he wanted nothing more to do with him. Maybe he was just another burden. Rob swallowed silently. "Well. That is, if you, er ... want me in your family." he said carefully, tearing his eyes away from his father's to look at the ground.
 
A small smile crossed Jonathan's lips as his son confirmed that he wanted to see his real parents again. It may seem strange but Jonathan felt a connection with his son, already, and it was a connection that he didn't want to break yet. Jonathan listened to Robin's words, they were comforting to the man. Having gone all of Robin's life not knowing about him Jonathan was glad that he was been given a chance to meet his son and get to know him.

Family was an important thing to Jonathan and over the past few weeks his family had grown to greater proportions than he could have ever imagined. Then again Jonathan had always wanted a big family, he loved children, which was one of the reasons why he had become a Professor in the first place. "Of course I want you in my family!" he shot back, almost shocked that Robin had thought otherwise. "And I have a few nieces that would love to come see you." He said with a grin, wondering if Juanita would let a few of the younger girls come someday to see Robin, at their age they would be fascinated by the circus.
 
Robin paused before giving Jonathan a small smile. The small smile turned into a wide smile, and then suddenly he was beaming. Having a different father to what you thought you had wasn't so terrible, after all. He'd just gained an entirely new circle of family and potential friends. He hadn't had the chance to speak to his biological mother properly yet, but she seemed like a nice person and Jon was a good sort of bloke who had his heart in the right place. Rob wasn't intimidated by the amount of family he'd apparently just gained; after all, the entire circus was his family, and he loved people more than life itself. Nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, who knew? Young children especially. He loved entertaining kids the most, there was much he could show them that they had probably never seen before in their lives. The possibilities were endless. That wasn't to say that Robin wasn't still conflicted about his adoptive parents lying to him all those years. He was just trying to make the best of a shocking and confusing situation. In the end, he was hurt and needed some answers that he hoped Torino would provide.

Slowly, Rob stood and offered his hand to his father. "Let's go inside, shall we?". Every time he looked at Jon, he could see the similarities. The dark curls, the eyes and build. Sometimes he would glance over and be shocked; it was like looking into a mirror. Together they walked back inside the tent, eager for a cup of tea and a good explanation of what had been happening over the years. Robin smiled to himself. He could do this whole 'adopted kid' thing.

END SCENE​
 
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