Author: temporal_affairs | The Joker is awfully domestic, in his way. He makes pretty clothes. Nathan's perfectly happy to be a clothes horse for his sartorially-inclined mate. Some of the clothes are distinctly feminine, and Nathan does not wear those, although the Joker could probably talk him into a kilt, even if that's not a Manx thing but only their neighbors. |
Author: manofmyword | But Nathan doesn't complain at all when the Joker decides to lounge around the house in beautiful evening gowns, or cook himself elaborate meals at three in the morning while wearing a frilly floral apron.
And the Joker doesn't complain at all when his clothes are regularly ruined in the course of their sex life. If he likes something enough, he'll repair it by hand or by magic; if not, he'll shrug and throw it out.
It's after one such repair effort, a short white dress torn in half last night and now stitched back together with bright red thread, that the Joker holds the garment in his lap and strokes it contemplatively for a moment, and then— |
Author: yourheartstrings | —changes. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan -
Blinks.
"Babe?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Whatcha think?"
The voice is almost the same, maybe a little smoother. The face is almost the same.
The body, less so.
Same height, though, almost exactly. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I think I'm confused?" he ventures. "Would expect that either this'd be the first thing one would do on getting magic powers, or not on the to-do list at all." |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker shrugs.
(The scars stayed, too.)
"I only just thought of it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Huh. You know, I thought I was straight - albeit a pretty low-key kind of straight that wasn't getting much exercise since turning, but, you remember, the erstwhile wife and kids - till I met you, and then I figured I wasn't, and now I'm not sure what little box to check on the census form." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Oh, sweetie," she says fondly. "Can't help ya there. But if I'm still hot either way, I think that's a clue." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Very," agrees Nathan. "Very-very-very." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Sooo," she says, "if I wanted to take the new body for a spin...?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | She doesn't have to suggest this twice. |
Author: yourheartstrings | What if she wants to do it again immediately afterward? |
Author: temporal_affairs | It's possible Nathan will still beat her to making the suggestion! |
Author: yourheartstrings | She loves him so very very much. |
Author: temporal_affairs | It's extremely mutual. |
Author: yourheartstrings |
Eventually, after many repetitions, she conjures a snuggly blanket and curls up with him on the floor. Finding some comfortable furniture to cuddle on just seems way too much like work. |
Author: temporal_affairs | |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Love you," she murmurs, pillowing her head on his shoulder. It is not very pillowy, but she likes it anyway. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Love you forever, babe." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "How are you this snuggly without being even a tiny bit squishable?" she wonders. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "No idea." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Well, I like it."
Snugglesnuggle. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Good. I have very little memory of what it felt like to be a squishy fleshy thing like you -" (poke, poke) "and don't know if I'd like it, were you disposed to magic me that way." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "We could try it sometime," he says idly, wriggling playfully when Nathan pokes him. "If you want. See if it's fun." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I don't think I'd like being squished, the way you do," Nathan points out. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Well, I won't squish you like that," she says easily. "But it'd make cuddling different." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "If you wanna try it, go for it," he says, kissing her scalp. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Okay," says the Joker.
And lo, he is squishy. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "This is different," he says. "...The floor is much less comfortable now that I have more give than it does." |
Author: yourheartstrings | She laughs.
"Let's go cuddle in bed," she suggests, hauling herself to her feet and reaching down to help him up. |
Author: temporal_affairs | He follows her, not fully steady on his squishier feet but not falling over outright either. |
Author: yourheartstrings | They reach the bed successfully.
It is extremely comfortable and pleasant to cuddle in. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Much better." Hmm, has his squishiness come with a reduction in his strength, too, or can he still squish his mate if he wants? Empiricism is called for. |
Author: yourheartstrings | There is some reduction, just to the point where he doesn't break his own bones or crush his own muscles. But he is definitely still able to squish his mate if he puts the effort in.
"I love you," she hums. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you so, so much," he purrs. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I like cuddling squishable-you," she declares. "Want me to make it so you can switch back and forth when you want?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Sure, babe." |
Author: yourheartstrings | Just for fun, she kisses the end of his nose.
"Your squishiness is now under your control." |
Author: temporal_affairs | He doesn't send the squishiness away immediately, just snuggles up close and kisses her nose. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She giggles and hugs him. Squishily! |
Author: temporal_affairs | "What ratio of girl-shaped to Original Recipe should I be expecting?" inquires Nathan. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Dunno," she says. "Definitely some of both." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Just haven't planned things that far in advance?" chuckles Nathan. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Nope!" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "If we made more of a habit of leaving the condo the neighbors would probably think there were two of you and I was cheating on at least one," observes Nathan. |
Author: yourheartstrings | He laughs.
"Or I'm twins, and you're very, very lucky." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Twins with matching scars," says Nathan, raising an eyebrow, "probably a little less likely to the neighbors' way of thinking than me having a weird scar fetish and having picked up two unrelated persons at a weird scar support group of some kind." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Unrelated people with the same face and the same hair," she counters. "It's weird any way you look at it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "All right, twins with matching scars I picked up at a weird scar support group," agrees Nathan, "and I'm very -" kiss - "very -" kiss - "lucky." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "You are," she says cheerfully, kissing him back. "Mmmm, my squishy snuggly sweetheart. Love you." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you." |
Author: yourheartstrings | Snuggle snuggle snuggggggle.
Snuggle.
Snuggle. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Snuggles ensue. (Also some groping. There are new shapes to grope, and even the old ones hadn't worn off their novelty.) |
Author: yourheartstrings | Mm, groping. Groping is nice.
Eventually, with obvious reluctance, she detaches herself.
"I'm hungry," she says, "I'm gonna make breakfast."
It is not breakfast time. But she feels breakfasty. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan, of course, has memorized his mate's eating patterns without even having to try. "Already?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "...Yeah?" she says. She hasn't memorized any patterns; she eats when she feels like it, and she feels like eating now. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Whatcha having?" he asks, rolling up to his feet. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Dunno," she says musingly, heading for the kitchen. "...French toast. I feel like French toast." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "That's got eggs in it, doesn't it?" Nathan asks slowly. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Yeah, why?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "...Babe," says Nathan, "how thoroughly did you turn into a woman?" |
Author: yourheartstrings |
She gives him a puzzled look. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Can you," Nathan says, "get pregnant." |
Author: yourheartstrings |
She blinks.
"Good question," she says. "I didn't think of that." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Neither did I." He sighs. "Unusual hunger - especially for eggs, among things humans eat - is common for people pregnant with half-vampires." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Huh," she says thoughtfully.
And shrugs, and keeps walking.
"Well, pregnant or not, I'm still hungry." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "...Of course. Sorry to distract." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "...What's up, sweetie?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Do you want to have a child?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I don't know," she says, shrugging again. "Haven't thought about it. Do you?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Had some. I think they were mine." Pause. "They were there when I woke up from turning, babe." |
Author: yourheartstrings |
She puts down the frying pan she just got out of the cupboard, turns back to Nathan, and hugs him.
"Oh, sweetie." |
Author: temporal_affairs | He hugs her back. "I didn't know you'd - if I'd - I wasn't trying to knock you up." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I know, hon," she says. "I love you. I'm sorry about your kids." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I'm not sure they were mine. They looked like me, but. I can't remember." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "It's still sad," she says, hugging him some more. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yeah." He hugs her back. "...If you want to keep it, if it's even there and this isn't just a stray craving for French toast and me being paranoid, then the standard procedure is C-section three weeks along." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "That's fast," she comments. "And I don't know what I think yet." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "They're very fast," agrees Nathan. "If you don't do a C-section they chew their way out at about one month." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "That sounds messy." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yes. Also, fatal in all known cases." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "We can do it the other way, then," she shrugs. "I wouldn't want you to worry." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "So you do want it," he says. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Still not sure yet. But if I keep the kid, yeah, we can take 'em out early." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Okay." |
Author: yourheartstrings | ...
More hugs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Weren't you craving French toast," Nathan says weakly, but he hugs her. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She waves a hand. "I unhungried myself," she says. "I want to be hugging you more than I want to be eating." |
Author: temporal_affairs | He hugs her tighter.
(But avoids putting pressure on her belly.) |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I love you, honey," she murmurs into his shoulder. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you, babe." |
Author: yourheartstrings | Snuggggggggle. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Snuggle snuggle snuggle.
"D'you want to know anything else about half-vampires? To help you decide?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Sure, okay," she says, snuggling him some more. "And let's go back to bed and cuddle there." |
Author: temporal_affairs | He picks her up and carries her to bed for further snuggling. "Well, you met the princess, you saw Henry. Half-vampires wind up with very rigid sleep schedules. Usually they crash sometime in the evening, but some of them are nocturnal or sleep mornings or something instead. They grow fast. About ten times as fast as a human till they're six months old and look five, and then it slows down till they stop growing when they're seven and look somewhere between eighteen and twenty. They don't age after that." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Huh," she says. "I wonder what's up with the sleep thing." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan shrugs. "Vampires have no choice but to not-sleep all the time, humans have no choice but to do some sleeping but can do it whenever, that's how those traits happen to combine. Half-vamps are about halfway between humans and vampires in most ways, including speed and strength. They can drink blood or eat food, either one, they mostly like blood or the synthetics of it better though. They don't get sick. They heal about like vampires do, but they're more - biological, with heartbeats and needing to breathe and everything." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "What do you think about kids?" she wonders. "I mean, do you wanna have one? Do you wanna have one right now?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I have honestly never thought about it before. It was only a few decades back that I knew half-vampires were possible, and when I met you I ruled it out, and when you changed yourself I - didn't think." |
Author: yourheartstrings | She laughs.
"Yeah, neither did I." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Well, this isn't the first accidental half-vampire of all time," snorts Nathan. |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker giggles.
"...Aww, man," she says, "if we have a kid there's no way we can keep having this much sex, is there." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "They do sleep," he points out. "But this much? No, not really, not unless we follow the Coven around and hand it off to babysitters many times a day." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Mm, but kids grow up," she muses. "Pretty quick, too, if they're half-vampires. And then we can go back to fucking all the time, if we want." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "That is true," agrees Nathan, nuzzling her throat. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She snuggles up and tips her head back a little.
"And we can fuck all we want now," she murmurs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Might be awkward and/or dangerous after a few days, but now, this time we are currently occupying, oh yes," he purrs.
Yep. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I think I'll make myself all tasty again," the Joker decides. "That was fun." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Er," says Nathan. "As long as you're still pregnant and haven't decided not to have the baby, do make sure I'm not taking stuff it needs?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Sure," she says, and stacks another hex on her regeneration power. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "All right then," he says, pressing his teeth to her neck. |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker makes herself all tasty. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan growls and sets about developing another bellyache. |
Author: yourheartstrings | Mmmmmmmm.
"I love you," she says, when he is finally done chewing on her and the wound in her neck has near-instantaneously disappeared. "I love you lots." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you," he says in a half purr, half groan. "And how you taste when you do that." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Good," she says cheerfully. "That's the idea." |
Author: luminous_regnant | A few days later, there is a knock on their door. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan's been too preoccupied to be checking his timer for things like "correct times to get dressed", so he calls, "Just a second!" |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker snaps her fingers, and they are both abruptly dressed—her in a proportions-adjusted version of the white dress that started all this, him in that blood-red shirt he looks so beautiful in and a pair of black pants she made him later. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Thanks, babe," says Nathan, and he gets the door. |
Author: luminous_regnant | It's Bella. "Hello ag-" She stops mid-word, peering at the Joker. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Hi!" she says cheerfully. "I'm pregnant." |
Author: luminous_regnant | "I can see that." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "She turned herself into a woman, we didn't think through the consequences of that, a few hours later she wanted French toast and I guessed, at this point we are pretty sure, she hasn't decided yet about having it but leaning towards yes," Nathan summarizes. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "What do ya think we should name the kid?" |
Author: luminous_regnant | "I went with a variant on a name that appears on both sides of Elspeth's family," Bella shrugs. "Edward's mother was called Elizabeth and Isabella's a variant on the same. I don't know what that would leave you with, if Nathan even remembers any family members' names." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I remember my wife's name," he says. "It was Calybrid. I don't remember much else about her, though, and no other names." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "No part of my family is gonna touch this kid," says the Joker. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan nods. But says, "There are some nice Manx names, if not Calybrid in particular." |
Author: luminous_regnant | "Well," says Bella, "insofar as congratulations are appropriate, you have mine - I assume you're keeping it quiet till you're sure if you'll be giving birth or not? Will you want any help with the delivery?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Mm, will we need it?" she asks. |
Author: luminous_regnant | "It's not impossible. Even with magic, you could find yourselves distracted." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Then sure." |
Author: luminous_regnant | "The capital sites are all equipped for it, a lot of the people who come in for turning are pregnant, but we can just skip that with you. Give me a day's notice, please." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Sure, okay." |
Author: luminous_regnant | "Have we new coins this week?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "We do!" she says cheerfully, and transfers most of them. Unlike previous times, though, she keeps a few of each kind for herself. |
Author: luminous_regnant | Bella observes that but doesn't remark on it. "Thanks," she says. "I'll see you in a couple weeks more." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "See ya," she says agreeably. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Bye, Bella." |
Author: luminous_regnant | Bella closes the door and teleports away. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Manx names, huh?" says the Joker. "Like what?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Ascon, Kerron, Payl. If it's a boy. Girls - Aedyt, Jony, Myghin. Lots of them really, but I like those." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Those're cute." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "You're cute." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Right back atcha, hon," she says, and kisses him. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Well, that leads to predictable places. She's not that pregnant yet. Heck, the baby hasn't even started breaking her ribs. |
Author: yourheartstrings | Mmmm, predictable places.
Yeah, if she keeps the baby, she is definitely going to miss the sex. |
Author: temporal_affairs | About a week later, Nathan says, "This is the best time to ask if you've made up your mind." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Hmm," she says, and thinks, and nods.
"Yeah, I'm keeping the kid." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "All right," he says, and kisses her. "What d'you want to name it? Do you want to hang out with the Golden Coven more so there's babysitters?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | She kisses him back.
"I dunno," she says, "babysitters like who? I guess the munchkin should have the opportunity to make friends, too..." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Gonna be close to Henry's age, and if Rosalie gets her way, close to Henry's next little sibling's age. It'll grow past any wolf pups it meets but there's those around too," Nathan says. "Coven's full of people who'd look after a little half-vampire for a while. They make easy babies, they don't cry much, diapers are not called for, etcetera." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Then sure," she says. "We can follow 'em around for a while." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "You got it, babe," says Nathan. "Names?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "No idea," she laughs. "Your favourites still the same as last time?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Among Manx names, yeah, I could pick some from elsewhere in the world if desired." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Nah, I think it's cute to give the munchkin a name from the same place as you," she says. "Unless they don't like it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "All right. D'you remember my shortlist?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Mmm... there was an Ascon on there?" she hazards. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yes, that was one of the boys' names. Ascon, Kerron, Payl. Aedyt, Jony, Myghin." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "They're all cute," she reaffirms. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "You want me to pick a pair? Or you wanna have a look at the kid when it's born and see if it looks more like a Kerron or a Payl, or whatever?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Hmm... oh, if you leave it up to me, I'll end up waiting until the kid's old enough to have an opinion," she laughs. "So if you want something to call 'em besides 'Munchkin' before then, you better pick it yourself." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Well, it might not actually take that long for an opinion to happen," Nathan says. "We could do that. But then I would expect a name like 'Superman' - or possibly 'Dracula'. I bet that's what you get when you let a week-old half-vampire name himself is a child insisting that his name is Dracula. Let's forestall that. I like Kerron and Aedyt." |
Author: yourheartstrings | She cracks up.
"And if our kid insists on calling themselves Dracula anyway, there's no way I'm not gonna run with it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan addresses her midsection. "Your name," he tells it, "is not Dracula, and I will not take responsibility for explaining why everyone you knew in your childhood calls you that when you are trying to go by Kerron or Aedyt again and asking a cute wolf to sit next to you at the Ultra Olympics." |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker giggles.
"I love you, honey." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you," he tells her comfortably. |
Author: yourheartstrings | Snuggle time?
Definitely snuggle time. |
Author: temporal_affairs | After the Joker has been pregnant for twenty days, Nathan announces, "This is the best time to give Bella her day's notice and move back in with the capital. I believe they're in Jaipur yet." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "All righty," she says, and dresses and teleports them. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan finds his room in this capital site, shows her to it, and brainphones Bella, who refers them to Rosalie, who makes them an appointment for delivery the subsequent day. |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker decides to celebrate with cuddles. Munchkin is breaking the occasional rib by now, but they only stay broken for fractions of a second at a time, so it's not a big inconvenience. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "You're having the easiest half-vampire pregnancy of all time," Nathan tells her. "I wonder why today was best anyway. You'd be fine for days yet as far as I can guess. Tired of being gravid?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Mm, no," she says, "but I might be about to be tired of it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Fair enough." He pats the place under which Kerron-or-Aedyt rests. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She cuddles up and smiles softly.
"Think I'll take a nap," she murmurs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Sleep well, babe," he says, and he kisses her forehead. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She dozes her way through most of the remaining time until their appointment. Occasionally the baby kicks and she wakes up with a squeak or a giggle. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan waits, and when it's time, he picks her up and carries her into the delivery room.
This surgery has historically been performed with a vampire tooth, but apparently Bella's been using her coins, as Rosalie is holding a scalpel instead. "So," she says, peering between the Joker and Nathan, "if she - he? - if your mate's not going to turn, how's this going to work? You going to magic the shell away or something?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Probably," she agrees. "What'd you do with yours?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Bella wished it away, but I wasn't being a human under it, I didn't have a medical emergency as soon as it was opened up," Rosalie says. "You'll need to be quick, or give someone else one of those coins - I can do it, or you can give it to Nathan, whichever." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "What kind of medical emergency?" she asks. "It'd have to be pretty brutal to get me; I heal fast these days." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Opening the shell far enough usually involves breaking the spine, and there's also plenty of blood loss - though admittedly you have better color than the usual patient already - and the amniotic fluid is rather venom-like, so it burns, but can't turn-and-heal like ordinary venom can," says Rosalie.
"I think she'll be fine," Nathan says. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Blood loss, broken spine, venom that doesn't turn me - been there, done that," she says cheerfully. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "All right," shrugs Rosalie, and she looks at Nathan and says, "Want to say when?"
"When," says Nathan, a few moments later, and Rosalie cuts. |
Author: yourheartstrings | The Joker grins and bites her lip. "Tickles." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Rosalie cracks open the shell and picks up a well-formed little baby half-vampire.
"It's a boy," breathes Nathan.
"Mind the teeth," advises Rosalie as she hands Kerron over to his unambiguous-daddy. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Awww," says the Joker, a little breathlessly, as her spine uncracks and her abdomen pours out a gush of not-quite-venom and then seals itself. She wriggles, then holds out her arms. "I wanna kiss my munchkin," she declares. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan kisses him first, then hands Kerron over to the Joker.
"Usually at this point you'd be hurried into the turning room, and now I'm not quite sure what to do with you," Rosalie says to the Joker. "Can you walk? Do you want to just go back to Nathan's room? I suppose he'll have to be moved into family suites." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Hiya, snugglebug," she murmurs, kissing Kerron's forehead. Then she looks up at Nate. "Where do you wanna go, hon?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Our room sounds good," he says. "Conjure up a crib for him while they pick out family quarters for us."
Rosalie, meanwhile, pulls some coins out of her pocket to clean up the operating table - these are not the Joker's transparent-with-color-flecks, but a bright and glowing gold. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Goldie's been busy, I guess," she remarks, and gets to her feet, still cuddling Kerron. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "...Goldie?" Rosalie looks at the remaining coins in her hand. "Bella made these. She just makes the little ones steadily all the time from being thirsty," says Rosalie, "so she gives them out for things like this."
"Her Majesty's interdimensional nickname is Golden," Nathan explains, "and she's not the first one the Joker met." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "That would be Stella," the Joker agrees. "Who I'm pretty sure still hates me, it makes me sad sometimes." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Aw, babe," says Nathan. "She let you come here, didn't she?" |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Yeah," she says, stepping up to Nathan so she can lean against him, her arms being full of baby at the moment and therefore not available to hug him with. "But I don't think she was happy about it." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan picks up her and, with her, Kerron, and heads out towards his quarters. "She looked more uneasy to me than upset," he offers.
Kerron yawns and falls asleep.
"...Well, we know when he sleeps, now, six p.m., could be worse." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Guess it could," she agrees.
Thoughtfully. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan looks at her with a completely faux innocence as they reach his door. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "So, I'm gonna conjure the munchkin a crib," she says brightly, "and put it somewhere way out of our way, and then I'm gonna soundproof our room." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "That sounds good to me!" says Nathan brightly. |
Author: yourheartstrings | They enter the room.
She conjures a crib and tucks the baby into it, then slides it all the way into the corner by the door.
She tips her head to one side and says, "And now I won't get pregnant again until I wanna." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Soundproofing up, babe?" asks Nathan. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Yep!" |
Author: temporal_affairs | Pounce. |
Author: yourheartstrings | Ooooooooh, she's missed him getting rough with her.
He's paying attention to when it'd be a good time to quit having sex, right? Because his mate definitely isn't. |
Author: temporal_affairs | He's got a mental note up to start checking for that in about... seven hours. Half-vamps sleep like metaphorical babies for a minimum of eight.
He checks after seven hours, and says, "Forty-five minute warning, babe," at the next lull in activity. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "I can think of lots to do with forty-five minutes," the Joker says with a grin.
Her turn to pounce! |
Author: temporal_affairs | They use their forty-five minutes productively! And then there is time to get into clothes and for the Joker to heal any injuries she'd been hanging onto and conjure up some bubbly for the baby.
Kerron wakes up right on schedule and says, "Eee." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Hi, cutie," says the Joker, leaning over the crib to give the baby a good-morning kiss. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Eeeeeee," says Kerron.
"Morning, kiddo," Nathan says, scooping up the baby, narrowly avoiding getting bitten, and popping the end of a glass bottle of bubbly into Kerron's mouth. Kerron approves and downs the entire bottle in about a minute with a blissful expression on his face. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Awwwwwww," says the Joker. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Half-vampires are about two steps up from pet rocks in maintenance. Feed once daily, do not psychologically scar," Nathan says, and he tosses Kerron and catches him a couple of times, to Kerron's immense amusement. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She cracks up. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Whoooo's easy to take care of? Izzit you?" Nathan asks, catching Kerron and holding him eye-level, arm's length. "I think it's you!" He hands the baby over to the Joker. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Awwww little munchkin," she says, giggling and hugging the baby, and then hugging Nathan too for good measure. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Aaaaah," agrees Kerron, and he bites at the Joker's arm. |
Author: yourheartstrings | She wishes herself impermeable before the teeth connect, and then lets him chew on her ineffectually. |
Author: temporal_affairs | He appears to find her a highly satisfactory chew-toy.
"Half-vampires don't become -" Nathan does a swirled-finger gesture in the direction of his own head. "Anything in particular in response to the taste of human blood, any more than human children do if allowed to eat cake. If that's what has you concerned and not something else." |
Author: yourheartstrings | "No, it'd just be weird to have my kid getting his teeth in me," she explains. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Fair enough."
"Um-num-um-num," Kerron says around the Joker's wrist, "raaaaa."
"God, that's cute," Nathan says. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "It iiiis."
She cuddles the baby and leans against Nathan for hugs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | She can have hugs. She can have all the hugs she wants. |
Author: yourheartstrings | Mmm. |
Author: manofmyword | Hugs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Wuh," says Kerron in mild surprise, and then he settles back down comfortably.
"...Would've expected that to throw him a little more," muses Nathan. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker shrugs. "I'm still pretty much the same, right?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Maybe he'd be more weirded out if he nursed," shrugs Nathan. "I have no test cases to go on here."
"Amumumumum," Kerron says, still gnawing on his chewtoy.
"Why yes!" says Nathan. "That is your mum. Sort of." Pause. "What shall we have him calling us?" |
Author: manofmyword | He shrugs again. "I dunno. Got any preferences?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Maggie and Gianna have their kid calling them Mum and Mamma respectively," says Nathan, "if that's any useful guide. But you probably are going to spend a decent fraction of the time being more mummy-like than papa-like and maybe it'd be simpler to carry on with that regardless." He shrugs. "I can be Daddy." |
Author: manofmyword | "Okay," giggles the Joker, and he kisses the baby's forehead. "Your daddy is the cutest vampire in the world," he says brightly. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Wrrrm," asserts Kerron, peering at the Joker like he's a kaleidoscope. |
Author: manofmyword | He makes a silly face. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Eehee!" Kerron reaches out little arms to bat at the air in front of the Joker like it's full of butterflies.
"We could take him outside," Nathan proposes. "He won't sparkle, just sorta glow like he's an overedited ad for makeup, no particular security risk." |
Author: manofmyword | "Ooh, let's!" |
Author: temporal_affairs | Outside they go! Kerron is fascinated by everything, but most especially people; some of them he waves at the same way he was waving in the Joker's direction minutes ago. He babbles the entire way. |
Author: manofmyword | "I think," says the Joker, "that we have ourselves the cutest munchkin." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I think so too!" Nathan agrees brightly. "Hear that, Kerron, you're the cutest, you win all cuteness contests forever."
"Awaaa," says Kerron. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker hoists Kerron up and kisses his forehead again. |
Author: temporal_affairs | They are complimented six times on their baby by the time they finish their walk. (Nathan translates, on occasions when these compliments are not in English.) |
Author: manofmyword | "See? Cutest munchkin," he says, hugging Kerron. "And a buncha people you're never gonna see again think so too." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Egaba lofta!" |
Author: manofmyword | He giggles. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Encouraged, Kerron babbles some more, although he is distracted by people every time they go by and waves at most of them. He gets waves back and finds this utterly hysterical.
Inside the capital compound again, they run into Alice and Jasper, who are sitting together looking out the window with Alice's head leaning on Jasper's shoulder. "Hallo, Alice, Jasper," Nathan says. "Look what we made!"
Alice looks and says "Awww!"
Jasper looks between the parents and says, "...Made?" |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker |
Author: yourheartstrings | nods. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Jasper does not know what to make of this.
Nathan hands Kerron over to Alice, and she laughs and tosses him into the air. "I haven't been able to see either of you for weeks, now, not that I was trying often before," Alice tells Nathan and the Joker. "Soon I'll have so many blind spots it'll make more sense to talk about where I can look."
"Maybe when there are enough hybrids and wolves getting in your way your power will say oh, for heaven's sake and let you observe them too," Nathan suggests. |
Author: yourheartstrings | "Wonder if you could magic the blind spots away," the Joker muses. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Well, Bella gave me some of those triangles and squares, and I did try, but it didn't work," Alice says.
Kerron is now waving his arms between Jasper and Alice repeatedly, like he's tracing a line between them, and cooing. |
Author: manofmyword | He appears a spare hex and offers it to her. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Oh, this is pretty," says Alice, handing Kerron to Nathan and taking the hex. She closes her eyes, and apparently takes a while to settle on a wish, but ultimately is left empty-handed. "Apparently the wolf gap and the hybrid gap aren't the same thing, but I fixed the second one," she reports. "Hi there, little Kerron, I can see youuuu!" And she throws her head back and laughs.
Japser is now looking somewhat less guardedly at the Joker. |
Author: manofmyword | "Want another one?" he asks cheerfully. "They're going begging today." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Sure!" says Alice, grinning, holding out her hand.
"Aren't you a sweetie," says Nathan, kissing his mate's cheek. |
Author: manofmyword | "Sometimes!" he agrees, and drops a hex into Alice's hand, and hugs Nathan. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Alice makes another wish and then gets up and pirouettes. "Goodbye headaches!" she crows.
"Thank you," says Jasper in his Southern accent. |
Author: manofmyword | He grins.
"Hey, my pleasure," he says, snuggling Nathan. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Alice looks momentarily curious, and then she makes a face and sits back down. "No kidding," she snorts. "You're definitely Stella's boyfriend's alt. She came and consulted me about turning him, and my exact words were that he'd have a 'disturbing amount of fun'." |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker laughs.
"Yeah, that's me," he agrees. "Disturbing amounts of fun." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I'm undisturbed," asserts Nathan.
"Your baby is going to remember everything you're saying when he grows up and put together the clues," Jasper points out.
"Elsie has it worse than that, and she's fine," Nathan says, waving a hand. |
Author: manofmyword | "I think most people eventually figure out that their parents have had sex," the Joker snorts. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yes, but I don't think all the detail he'd be able to figure out by the time he's five on the basis of this conversation is called for," says Jasper.
"Jazz, honey, Kerron's theirs, not ours," soothes Alice.
"Are you going to have one too?" asks Nathan brightly.
"We're still thinking about it," Alice says, "we weren't pining for a century like Rosalie was, but we might, as long as we can now." |
Author: manofmyword | "Ours was an accident," the Joker says cheerfully. "I wasn't sure I wanted to keep him at first, but I love my munchkin and I don't regret it for a second." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "And you're just going to say all that right in front of him when he has a perfect memory and he'll know the words inside of a month and the concepts in a year and all the implications in four or five," says Jasper, shaking his head.
"I believe Cody knows that he was an accident," Alice points out. "And he's fine."
"It'd be hard to miss in his case. Kerron could've missed the memo if they hadn't said it," Jasper says. |
Author: manofmyword | He shrugs. "Why shouldn't I?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "So you don't give him a complex about whether he was wanted or not," says Jasper.
"I can't see that far off when too many people's choices matter to the outcome, but even without that confirmation I hardly think it's inevitable," says Alice. |
Author: manofmyword | "Did you have a nasty childhood or something?" the Joker inquires. "I did too. Different kind, though." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I don't remember enough of my childhood to know," Jasper says frankly. "It's just common sense."
"Not so common, apparently," says Nathan. "Anyway. We've got a kid. We're pleased to have a kid. The kid will be fine. Won't you, kiddo?"
Kerron is waving patterns in the air again, especially a line leading in only one direction from Nathan to the Joker. "Ububv." |
Author: manofmyword | "Munchkin knows what's up," the Joker observes. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Suit yourselves," shrugs Jasper.
Rosalie walks down the hall, and her little Henry is toddling with excellent balance after her. "Hi, all!" she says. "Hi again, Kerron, d'you remember me?"
She gets Kerron's attention, and a big smile. |
Author: manofmyword | "Awww." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "It's a baaaaby!" says Henry.
"That's right, that's baby Kerron," Rosalie says, her attention instantly trained fully on her son as soon as he speaks. "He's a little half-vampire like you! He was born yesterday."
"I was born last month," Henry says, nodding to himself.
"Yes, you were," Rosalie says with immense pride.
"I wanna hold the baby," says Henry.
"You'll have to ask his parents," Roaslie says.
"Can I hold the baby," Henry says to Nathan and the Joker dutifully. |
Author: manofmyword | "Sure," he shrugs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Henry trots up and holds out his arms and receives a baby, who is not all that much smaller than him and is still carried with ease. "Hi! I'm Henry!" he says to Kerron. Kerron laughs. Rosalie clasps her hands together and smiles. |
Author: manofmyword | "Aren't they cute?" the Joker says happily. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "So cute," Nathan agrees.
"So terribly cute," sighs Rosalie.
"Adorable," agrees Alice, and Jasper nods.
"We're cute," Henry tells Kerron, and Kerron laughs again. |
Author: manofmyword | He hugs Nathan, because Nathan is there and huggable and this spectacle is giving him many huggy feelings. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan hugs back. Henry marches in circles, carrying Kerron, who finds the entire scenario utterly hilarious. Eventually he hands off Kerron to the nearest adult - "Here, Aunt Alice, you hold him!" - and runs back to his mother, who picks him up and sits him on her shoulders. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker giggles helplessly. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I think I'm leaning towards wanting one," Alice says in a not-particularly-private whisper to Jasper.
"Wuthta!" cries Kerron helpfully.
Jasper looks speculatively at the baby, and at Henry. |
Author: manofmyword | "The more the merrier, right?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yeah!" Henry agrees.
"I think you'd be wonderful parents," Rosalie says to Alice and Jasper.
"Thanks, Rose," says Alice cheerfully. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker grins at Henry. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Henry grins back, and starts playing with Rosalie's hair, which is in convenient reach. Rosalie rolls her eyes indulgently.
"Maaaaaa," says Kerron.
"I can't tell if he wants you or if he's just making sounds," Nathan says to his mate. |
Author: manofmyword | "Me either," says the Joker. "You talkin' to me, munchkin?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Ayata kwar," says Kerron.
"I'm going to guess just sounds," says Nathan.
"You can have him anyway, just in case," Alice says, offering Kerron back to the most plausible referent of "ma". |
Author: manofmyword | "Hiya, munchkin," he says, kissing Kerron's forehead. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kerron burbles happily.
"Are you just going to keep calling him 'munchkin' until he tells us whether he likes his name or not?" Nathan asks, amused. |
Author: manofmyword | "Maaaaaaaybe," says the Joker. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Mommy calls me 'precious' sometimes even though my name's Henry!" says Henry.
"That's because you are the most precious thing," coos Rosalie, plucking her son from her shoulders to kiss his forehead. "In all the world." |
Author: manofmyword | "Awwwwwww," says the Joker. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Esme's still dithering," Alice tells Rosalie.
"Is she still? That's a pity," sighs Rosalie. "It's not as though we'd feel like she loved us any less if we had a baby brother or sister who was naturally hers."
"Try telling her that," says Alice. "But I don't think it's that, I think it's about the one she lost, I think filling the void with us adoptees was one thing and having a new baby would be another." |
Author: manofmyword | "That's sad," he murmurs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yes," agrees Rosalie.
"I think - this isn't something I'm seeing, just me knowing Esme - that she'll decide yes," Alice says. "For Carlisle's sake partly, at first, but of course she'll fall in love with it the first time she feels it moving."
"Of course she will," Rosalie says serenely.
"Everybody's reproducing all of a sudden," says Nathan.
"There's finally a way for us to do it," says Rosalie, "of course some of us want to." |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker grins. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "D'you wanna babysit Kerron for an hour or two?" Nathan asks Alice casually, putting his arm around his mate. "Get in some practice, make sure you're decided?"
"Sure," says Alice agreeably. |
Author: manofmyword |
He beams. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "See you all later," says Nathan pleasantly, and he steers the Joker towards their quarters. |
Author: manofmyword | "It's so nice to have babysitters," he says brightly. "And soundproofing." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Oh yes," says Nathan.
When they get to their room, he pounces. |
Author: manofmyword | It is a very, very good thing that they have soundproofing. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Regeneration's also useful stuff.
Nathan checks the best time to fetch Kerron from Alice, and supplies a ten-minute warning when it is time (some three hours later). |
Author: manofmyword | For once, he doesn't think of Good Things to do with those ten minutes; he just heals all his cracked ribs and snuggles up.
"Love you, sweetie," he sighs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you too," sighs Nathan, "and I am so glad I found you." |
Author: manofmyword | "So's damn near everybody," he observes. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Yes. I have a very trustworthy timer," Nathan says contently. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker kisses him. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kisses. Kisses can occupy their ten minutes. And then they can get into clothes and go retrieve their son. |
Author: manofmyword | Mmmmm lazy snuggly kisses.
And... clothes.
Kid time? |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kid time.
Alice has taken Kerron to her room, where she is just now finishing reading him a storybook. Kerron - or somebody - has bitten a corner off this book, but it's still readable less the page numbers. "The end," she says, as Nathan and the Joker appear. "Hi guys!" |
Author: manofmyword | "Hi!" says the Joker. "You want me to fix the book?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I think it adds character," says Alice. "Henry bit it, anyway, it wasn't Kerron." |
Author: manofmyword | He laughs. "Okay." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Alice hands over the baby, who is babbling up a storm and waving his hands around like he's trying to fingerpaint the air. |
Author: manofmyword | "Somebody's excited," he says, giving the baby a hug. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Ewupda!" crows Kerron. |
Author: manofmyword | "Love you too, munchkin," he laughs. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Alice giggles, and Nathan steers the Joker out of her room. |
Author: manofmyword | "I feel like taking the munchkin out for another walk," the Joker decides. "Whatcha think?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Sure. We've got a few hours before he falls asleep again." |
Author: manofmyword | "Great," he says cheerfully.
Off they go! |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nate leads them on a different route through Jaipur, and Kerron continues to babble and wave at everyone they pass close to, and everyone continues to find him adorable. |
Author: manofmyword | "I love you, munchkin," the Joker murmurs when they get back, and he kisses the top of Kerron's head. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Wug," says Kerron. |
Author: manofmyword | "Snugglebug," he says, kissing the baby again. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Uggawug."
"Maybe he's run through all the phonemes he's heard so far and now he's trying his hand at imitation," speculates Nathan.
But the next thing Kerron says is "Ludigamifrax!", which sounds nothing like anything that has been said recently. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker giggles. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Time goes on. The capital moves to Russia, and this time teleportation is involved instead of the historical piling onto airplanes. Kerron gets bigger, noticeably, daily. Various babysitters babysit, and the Joker and Nathan acquire a reputation as insatiable new-mates, one of whom will happily solve any problems that present themselves with magic much more casually than the Empress will. Nathan's newly mated leave ends, and he is obliged to report to work as needed, though as promised Bella does restrict her questions to batches when Kerron and the Joker are both asleep whenever she can.
Kerron manages to go without meeting Addy until he is two weeks old, walking and uttering simple sentences.
The instant he sees her, he runs up to her and hugs her leg, beaming up at her.
"Oh, wow," exclaims Addy. "Aren't you a tasty little combo platter?"
"...Excuse me?" says Nathan. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker raises his eyebrows. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "He's a twofer! He's an ingot and a witch!" cries Addy, picking up a giggling Kerron. |
Author: manofmyword | He relaxes, smiling. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Oh, I wasn't gonna eat him, he's a half-vampire, he wouldn't even be tasty," scoffs Addy. "I'm tasting his magic. And he knew it! Got two, closely related powers. The ingot bit is sensing - goals, wants, intents, that sort of thing. Witch bit sees how he, personally, fits into them. Very tidy package. He knows what I like and he knows he can help so he came straight up to me! Aren't you a helpful little cutie!" She boops Kerron's nose.
"I'm helpful!" Kerron beams. |
Author: manofmyword | "He is a helpful little cutie," the Joker agrees, grinning. "Well. Ain't that special." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Completely unprecedented," pronounces Addy.
"What's my magic taste like?" Kerron asks winningly.
"Pineapple and coconut," she tells him. "The pineapple is the ingot part."
"Mummy can I try those tastes?" Kerron asks, looking away from Addy and at the Joker. |
Author: manofmyword | "Sure," he says, and snaps his fingers, and there is a glass of thick, pale yellow juice in his other hand. "Or did you mean separately?" And he steps up and does the pulling-a-quarter-out-of-your-ear trick, except that instead of any kind of coin, he extracts from thin air a divided plastic bowl with slices of pineapple in one half and chunks of coconut in the other. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kerron giggles madly, and holds his hands out for both dishes.
"God but do I ever love you," Nathan tells his mate. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker hands over the solids first, flashing a smile over his shoulder at Nathan. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kerron tries some of the pineapple, and then some of the coconut, and then goes on alternating until it's all gone, and then he grabs the glass and drinks it down.
"I'm tasty," he announces. "Not as good as bubbly though." |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker disappears the containers and leans over Kerron to kiss his forehead.
"Y'know," he says musingly, "I wonder if that stuff tastes so great in comparison because it's that much better, or 'cause being a half-vampire makes other stuff that much worse. Does anybody know?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | Addy says, "It's hard to compare directly across memories, but I think it's a combination of the two, mostly the second." |
Author: manofmyword | "Think I should fix it?" he asks, glancing between Nathan and Addy and Kerron. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Fix it so food tastes as nice as blood or bubbly or whatever to Kerron?" Nathan asks. |
Author: manofmyword | "Mmhmm. Whaddya say, munchkin?" |
Author: temporal_affairs | Munchkin says "Yay!" |
Author: manofmyword | Laughing, he snaps his fingers.
And pulls a large, ripe strawberry out of thin air next to munchkin's ear, and offers it to him. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Kerron bites the strawberry right where it is, not even taking it.
Then he beams and seizes it and eats the rest, leaves and all.
"Nicely done," laughs Nathan. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker giggles. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I wanna have weekly check-ins with Combo Platter here," says Addy. "See how he's developing, make suggestions. This is a critical period, with him so little."
Nathan looks at the Joker. |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker shrugs. "Your call, munchkin." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Addy explains directly to Kerron. "I wanna have weekly taste-tests and see if I can get you clearer pictures of the flying color-shapes," she tells him.
"Okay," says Kerron affably. |
Author: manofmyword | "Fine by me, then." He smiles at Addy. |
Author: temporal_affairs | "Splendid. Kerron, can you watch those color-shapes real close all week and then later you can tell me what you find?" she asks with a winning smile.
"Okay," says Kerron.
"Lovely." She hands him over to the Joker. |
Author: manofmyword | He hugs his munchkin. |
Author: temporal_affairs | A week later, Kerron is handed off to Addy for "magic lessons" and Nathan announces that they'll pick him up in an hour, that being the best time to do so. They go back to their room. To... test the soundproofing.
But this is not their room, this is Milliways.
"Huh," Nathan says. "...We could spend days in there and Kerron wouldn't even miss us." |
Author: manofmyword |
"Let's do it," he says brightly. "I'll show you my old room. Did I tell you I had a room? It's cozy. I got shot there once, it was fun." |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan never quite likes hearing about other people having injured his mate - for roughly the same reason he's not thrilled when reminded that other people have had sex with his mate - but the fundamental idea is sound. In they go!
Right behind them, there is a person in a terrifying, expensive bat costume of negligible festiveness, stumbling in and clutching a gut wound! |
Author: manofmyword | The Joker makes a sympathetic noise and spends a pentagon.
No more gut wound. |
Author: temporal_affairs | The Bat is extremely surprised.
And, less distracted by pain.
"You. You're supposed to be on an asteroid."
Nathan is not so much looking daggers at her as he is looking glowing razor-sharp magical poisoned swords at her. |
Author: manofmyword | "I left," he says succinctly, and teleports himself and Nathan up to his room. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan hugs his mate very, very tight. |
Author: manofmyword | "Love you, baby," he says, hugging back. Speech and hugs are both difficult under the amount of pressure Nathan is putting on him, but the Joker has practice. "Don't eat her, okay? I'd be sad." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I hate her, I hate her, I hate her," growls Nathan. |
Author: manofmyword | "Oh, honey," he says, hugging Nathan tighter. "I love you. I'm sorry you hate her." |
Author: temporal_affairs | "I love you," sighs Nathan. |
Author: manofmyword | "Love you too."
Snuggle? |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan relaxes the squishing marginally.
Snuggle. |
Author: manofmyword | "Mmmm," says the Joker, and he pulls Nathan into bed. |
Author: temporal_affairs | Nathan is on board with this trajectory. Yes. |
Author: self_composed | Meanwhile, downstairs, who should walk in but a certain Stellar Bell? |
Author: pythbox | The Bat is still near the door, scowling under her mask, with blood soaking her damaged armour but no wound to show for it.
When she sees Stella walk in, she intercepts.
"We need to talk." |
Author: self_composed | "I believe I owe you three wishes, if that's what you have in mind," Stella says, tilting her head. |
Author: pythbox | The Bat growls under her breath.
"About the Joker," she clarifies. |
Author: self_composed | "Work-release program. One of my alts' staff did this inconvenient irrevocable-love-at-first-sight thing with him so I let her take him home so her employee wouldn't be eternally despondent. My very best guess is that he won't be terrorizing Gotham from there. Why, is he here?" |
Author: pythbox | "He was," she says, still much growlier than usual. "Did your 'work-release' involve giving him three wishes?" |
Author: self_composed | "Uh, I believe Golden did turn him into a mint, that being the work in question. My staff precog assures me that he's much less dangerous that way. Apparently it takes all the fun out of wreaking havoc." |
Author: pythbox | "I don't believe that," she says flatly. |
Author: self_composed | "Well, I'll give you your three wishes, howabout, and if you run into him in your own world again - I don't expect it, he looked pretty happy to go with Golden - then you'll be more equipped to handle it? I can't unmint him, that's not something wishes can do. But I can tell you my emergency mint containment protocol." |
Author: pythbox | "...Fine," she says reluctantly. |
Author: self_composed | Stella squares off three restricted hexes from her bandolier and hands them over. "These will do anything normal hexagons can do except I don't want people in worlds with no Bells making new mints willy-nilly so they don't do that," she says. "That's stuff on the scale of granting someone a new permanent magical superpower. The mint-containment protocol is: you can only make a wish if the coin is in contact with your skin. They appear that way, but if you wish a coin-repelling envelope around somebody, they can't make wishes. He can make all the coins he wants but won't be able to do a thing with them. Sound like a plan? And please only do this if he makes trouble for you at home. Golden's got him handled in her world, and he could come here even when he was on his asteroid." |
Author: pythbox | The Bat eyes Stella with deep suspicion, but finally nods. |
Author: self_composed | "Look, I don't like him any more than you do - actually, no, I probably do like him more than you, but I don't like him - but I trust my precog and I trust my alt," Stella says. "And his template is really useful as a mint. Golden's probably going to be able to save more lives with him in her employ than he ever took, not that that erases the initial crimes." |
Author: pythbox | She scowls, but nods again. Grudgingly. |
Author: self_composed | "How've you been doing?" Stella asks conversationally. "You seem to be covered in blood yet mysteriously uninjured." |
Author: pythbox | "I... was stabbed in the gut," she admits, and with reluctance adds: "The Joker fixed it." |
Author: self_composed | "He does have a crush on you, however idiotically he went about demonstrating this before," Stella says. |
Author: pythbox | The mask does surprisingly little to hide how deeply uncomfortable she looks. |
Author: self_composed | "Sorry." |
Author: pythbox | She frowns. |
Author: self_composed | Stella shrugs. "I'm gonna go have a look in the Belltower." And she teleports up. |