#and it's awkward for Yata bc he has these abandonment feelings that he's never really even recognized in himself

[ridiasfangirlings]

AU where Yata is Mikoto's kid?

Are we talking raised by Mikoto or just with Mikoto as his dad? Actually the latter could be kinda interesting, like imagine AU where we fiddle with the ages a bit and say Yata's mom had Yata at a young age and Mikoto was his real father. Mikoto knows about the kid but never really tried to be in his life much at the request of Yata's mom, she was embarrassed having a son when she was so young and unmarried and thought having Mikoto around would be more of a burden than it needed to be. Plus even before Mikoto was a King he was still known as something of a delinquent and Yata's mom thought that if everyone were to know about his son then Yata could become a target. Yata sees Mikoto every now and again even after his mom remarries but it isn't often and he only has this vague image of his dad as someone who's kinda cool but largely absent, and maybe as a small child he dreams a lot about Mikoto swooping in like a hero to save him and really become his father and bring his family together.

Then in middle school Yata meets Fushimi and everything goes like in canon until the time they run into Homra in the city. Yata immediately recognizes Mikoto as his dad and he starts to say something when Mikoto throws the bottle and burns it, that's enough to shock Yata quiet as he stares because suddenly it's like his dad really is a hero. When Fushimi starts studying about the 'Red Monster' Yata knows that this is his dad but he doesn't say anything, it's not so much that he wants to keep it a secret as he doesn't really know how to say it – he can't remember the last time Mikoto checked in on him and he doesn't even know if Mikoto was aware of who Yata was when they met in the city that time. It's not until the surprise party that Yata really gets to finally be close to Mikoto, imagine after Yata and Fushimi are rescued Totsuka wonders who these kids are and Yata looks up at Mikoto, trying to find his voice and probably worrying that maybe he really has been forgotten. That's when Mikoto sighs and is like 'that's my kid' and just about everyone present is like wait what.

Yata would probably then be something of a minor celebrity in Homra, like word gets around quick that he's Mikoto's kid and of course that gives him a lot of trust and clout in the clan right away. Unfortunately I could see this impacting his relationship with Fushimi quite a lot though, Yata being even more respected than him right from the start along with this feeling like Yata lied to him by not admitting earlier that Mikoto's his dad. I think Yata would try to explain his reasoning there but it would be hard for him, he's not the best with words and either way it's hard for Yata himself to grasp the real reason why he didn't speak up. I think he'd apologize for not saying anything and consider the matter settled, while Fushimi is still quietly stewing about it and not saying anything. Plus for Fushimi it's like double the blow that not only is he afraid of Mikoto he's afraid of Misaki's father (and it's not like Fushimi's own father issues are going to help in this matter, if anything it makes everything worse) and it's like to Fushimi of course when the time comes that everyone realizes he's not suited for Homra Yata will abandon him because how could Yata ever choose Fushimi over his own father.

I think Yata's hero worship of Mikoto might be stronger here too, or at least I could see him trying really hard to be useful in Homra and get Mikoto's recognition as a way of like making up for all those years that Mikoto never really visited or anything. Yata's always secretly wanted approval from his father and now being in the same clan with Mikoto as his King it's like a dream come true to Yata, his dad is here with him and they can talk together and spend time together and Yata wants to show that he's grown up to be a strong and reliable person. I think though along with that it would probably hit him harder when Mikoto dies, because not only has he lost his dad but it's like Yata alone wasn't enough to convince Mikoto to stay, like maybe Yata was never as important as Totsuka (and I do think Mikoto would regret it in that sense, like he never wanted to abandon Yata and he does want the kid to grow up happy but he also feels like this is the only way out and maybe Anna's not the only one he apologizes to when Munakata's sword finds its mark).