proud dad of 7 (8)

[Erin Park]

Erin supposed he could have just told Ben. He could have just told Ben, and had it over with. Willie could go to her appointments, Ben would know and not be shocked (but would likely text and say savage things to Erin whenever he got the chance) and the boys would find out in due time. Likely from Ben. But Erin knew that wasn’t fair to the rest of them, and he knew they would all have something to say if he told Ben… and no one else. Erin, in good mind and heart, would never do that. He would tell them all at the same time, or not at all. And it would always be the former.

Any chance they could, they’d catch lunch together in Hogsmeade - sometimes it was hard to get Ben too, since he worked a lot of hours. It was mostly for Nico - Erin adored his younger brother and felt bad that he was feeling… Well, he didn’t know exactly how Nico was feeling. The usually very sunshiney Park was still sunshiney even when he wasn’t feeling one hundred percent himself, so it was hard to tell. But all the boys had made a point to catch lunch with him, and of course, the rest of the school-aged boys.

They’d only gotten lunch once or twice before this time; this was the first time Ben was able to come. Obviously it w
as important that his healer brother was there as well, and that meant there was no more hiding it. Erin had gotten a room at the Hogs Head Inn, and while that might have seemed strange, it made the most sense for who was all going to be there. Five of the 8 were at Hogwarts, and while Al could have apparated, it would have been a trip to get them all apparated home… in that time Erin could have told them all three or four times.

If it wasn’t obvious, Erin was pretty nervous about telling his brothers, and he didn’t know why? Perhaps it was the anticipation of them never living it down.

Erin had food and the boys were picking away at it, all things he’d snagged from home when he told their mum he’d be meeting the boys - Erin himself wasn’t so much, sitting up by the pillows on one of the beds with his knees up to his chest as he sat quietly. ”Evan, you didn’t tell us where you’ve been getting those leftovers… they can’t be that good of a cook that you’re willing to go to Seoul every night -” Evan nudged Ben, almost knocking him off the bed, but didn’t respond as he had a mouthful of food. Erin hadn’t been around as much as he would have normally, and obviously had no idea what Ben was referring to. He, of course, knew that Evan did find a little fun in Seoul every once and a while, and had even attempted Erin to go with him once. Not his vibe, clearly.

”Channie?” Baby Bird’s voice was soft, but Erin heard it over all the chatter of the other brothers as clear as day, and offered Luke a nudge and a smile. ”Hey,” he started, trying to get everyone’s attention. ”Hey.” he tried again, This time Nico shushed those in the back and Al gave him one of those wide-eyed looks with his hand resting in his chin expectantly. ”The SHINee tickets were a sham, weren’t they?!” Leave it to Jay to right away be concerned with that. Erin looked at him with a furrowed brow and shook his head. ”No, that’s real. We’re seeing SHINee. I wouldn’t lie about that.” he said. The rest of the boys were still looking at him expectantly and he swallowed, not sure where to begin. Where did he begin?


At the beginning, obviously. Which, coincidentally, was the night it happened.

”So,” Erin had his hands folded in front of him and he twiddled his fingers together nervously. He looked to Luke, always a calm in the storm for the eldest Park. ”I’m going to be a dad.” and that was that, the boys were fine, and they went on their ways.

And that was absolutely not what happened.

Jay, always a menace, looked at him with his face stuffed with food and laughed, enough so for Ben to reach across and smack him on the arm for being gross. Alvin was still looking at him, but now in disbelief. What were they waiting for? Erin to laugh and say he was just kidding? ”Seriously?” and Erin nodded. His cheeks were red and he felt stupid - being the dad he typically was to the rest of them, giving them the talk and making sure they weren’t stupid about things, and he was the one telling them all that he was going to have a kid with someone he wasn’t married to. He wanted to keep the part about it being the very first night quiet, but apparently Evan had other plans. ”I knew you planned on making her a Park overnight,” his laugh was enough to make Erin’s face even redder.

The room was kind of quiet, but Evan had put a hand on his shoulder and shook him a little. He glanced at his twin, thankful that he wasn’t being a sh*t about it. The moment it clicked for everyone else, it became a room full of shouts of excitement and “HYUNG!’s” and Erin felt… a bit better about the whole thing. At least… until they all started to dog pile on top of him. Jay on his back, as if he were looking for a piggy back. Alvin climbed into his lap. Luke, Bo, and Nico all on top of him, Ben and Evan not being the absolutely huggy type just kinda shook him from behind, leaving him squishing the little brothers on his lap. ”Gerrooofff,” he tried swatting at Jay, but the boy was absolutely not moving. ”Well at least I met her before she delivered her twins,” Ben snarked from somewhere behind him.

All in all… success?