The Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Saturday Evening (Fandom Time)

[trigons_child]

With all the time differences between Fandom and Glacia, not to mention time spent in other worlds, keeping track of just what day it was could just be asking for a headache. So Raven was very much surprised when one of the staff told her she had visitors, and even more surprised when she went outside and found the wagon and its occupants waiting for her, bearing birthday gifts.

Much later, after making certain that all her visitors had full stomachs and a place to spend the night, Raven retreated to one of the Estate's sitting rooms, Philia curled at her feet. She clutched some of her presents to her chest as she read and re-read the letters from the children. She wasn't crying. The sitting room was just dusty, that was all.

[Open for those in Glacia or text/phone calls, but it's late, so SP will be in effect!]

Comments

[furnaceface]

//Paper dolls, hm?// Jono gave a little nod of approval as he looked over the toy. //You've done a lot for them, Sunshine. I'm not surprised they're so eager to show you they care. They can't praise you enough, when I get the opportunity in edgewise to get down to teach them a bit of self-defense.//

Because in Kaeleer, it certainly couldn't hurt.

//You're handling it better than I did on my birthday,// he added, a touch wryly. //I hid.//

She probably remembered, Jono. The birthday sex had been fantastic.

[trigons_child]

Raven's cheeks turned pink at that memory. She hadn't know what exactly came over her then, but she had thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I had not even remembered it was my birthday until the children arrived," Raven admitted. "I think Momoko was behind it, as there was a gift from her as well. There are so many letters and drawings and cards -- it may take me a week to go through them all."

But it would be a very happy week.

[furnaceface]

//Well, I can't imagine that'd be a bad way to spend a week,// Jono pointed out. //And with Warren and Karla off to wherever it is Doctor Lecter is taking them for that ultrasound tomorrow, you'll have plenty of free time to do it in.//

Jono still wasn't certain what they needed an ultrasound for. After all, if they really wanted to know if the baby was a boy or a girl, there was any number of empaths and telepaths here who would happily tell them.

//I almost hate to add to the amount of work you've got ahead of you,// he added, just a touch impishly, as he held out the small, neatly-wrapped box he'd brought with him. //But I've brought you another one, I'm afraid.//

[trigons_child]

Raven shared Jono's feelings on that. There was no need for an ultrasound, but she trusted Hannibal and if it made Karla and Warren happy, so be it.

She carefully set aside the paper doll and took the box from Jono. Her gasp as she unwrapped it and opened the box startled Philia momentarily, and Raven had to send her a gentle empathic pat on the head to calm her as she held the choker up. "Oh, Jono, it is beautiful!" she said. "Thank you!"

[furnaceface]

//The choice came down to that one and a similar red one,// Jono shared, pleased that she liked it. //Th'red would've complemented your chakra well, but in the end...//

He shrugged.

//Personal tastes factored in a bit, too.//

She liked black, he liked black, this particular one had seemed like a win/win situation, really.

[trigons_child]

"Either would have been lovely," Raven said. "But black is best."

She stood up, handing the choker back to Jono, then turning around and lifting her hair with one hand. "Help me put it on, please?"

[furnaceface]

Jono was doing that eye-smiling thing again as he took the choker, giving her a little nod as he stepped forward and put it around her neck, carefully re-threading the laces at the back.

//Happily, luv,// he murmured, and if he had a mouth, he might have even stuck out his tongue a little in concentration. Not that it was a difficult task, granted. tying ribbons was fairly straightforward, and he had terribly deft hands. //There, now turn around and let's see, mm?//

[trigons_child]

Raven flipped her hair back over her shoulders and turned around. "How do I look?" she said, striking a pose.

She began wondering if now would be a good time to ask him what she'd found herself thinking about a lot for the past several days, and even more so today. She just wasn't certain at all how he'd react to her request.

[furnaceface]

Worst-case scenario, these days, would probably involve him needing a bit of time to process. Jono had mellowed out a bit over the past few years. And had a bad habit of tiring himself out, over the past few months.

//Stunning,// he informed her, shamelessly. //But that goes without saying, with or without the jewelry, of course.//

He took a half-step back and then reached forward to adjust the choker a little.

//That said, you are wearing it well.//

[trigons_child]

"Thank you," Raven said, preening.

"Momoko got me a new dress as well," she said, turning to pick up the item in question to show Jono. "I cannot wait for an excuse to wear both of them."

As if she needed an excuse for the choker. That could be every day wear for her.

[furnaceface]

//Oh wow,// Jono took a moment to admire the dress, as well, looking thoughtfully between it and Raven. //I'm going to have to get you to model that one for me as well. Or at least let me know when you're planning on wearing it out. It's all rich fabric and flowing bits right now, it's difficult to imagine what it'll look like with you wearing it.//

That said, it was fun to picture, all the same.

//Looks like I wasn't the only one who had been thinking of seeing you in more reds, hm?//

[trigons_child]

"I have been known to dabble in red from time to time," Raven said. Her wardrobe wasn't completely black. Just...mostly.

"I could try it on now, if you would like," she offered with a mischievous smile.

[furnaceface]

Oh, if only Jono could return that smile with a devilish grin...

//I'd be mad to turn down an offer like that,// he shared. //The more fashion shows you put on for me, the better, I say.//

He was still fondly remembering that leather, back in New York.

//This way, I can dress to match at the next aristo function. Keep the Blood second-guessing.//

Which was at least his third or fourth favourite pastime, here in Glacia.

[trigons_child]

With a complete lack of shame, Raven slipped out of her clothes, then pulled on the dress. The flowy bits made it a bit difficult to figure out just what went where, and she had to struggle -- don't you dare laugh, Jono -- to get it on correctly.

Finally she had it on, and she slowly turned in a circle. "Well?" she said.

[furnaceface]

Hey, now. Jono wasn't laughing. Jono got to watch Raven get dressed. Anybody who had an interest in buxom ladies would be insane to not appreciate the show, here, fumbling and all.

//... Bloody hell,// he shared, along with a pulse of raw appreciation, //I'm going to have to write Momoko personally to tell her she made very much the proper choice. You look stunning.//

[trigons_child]

That wasn't going to stop her from preening.

"Thank you," she said. "I think I like it very much. I shall have to wear it at the next Court function we are forced by Karla to attend."

She got a thoughtful look on her face, then moved closer to Jono, looping her arms around his neck. "I want to ask something of you," she said, "but you just have to promise not to laugh and to just allow me to finish before you say anything."

[furnaceface]

//Seems to me like a fair enough request,// Jono replied, letting his hands move up to rest on her hips. He couldn't think of anything she might say that would have him laughing at her out of hand, but then, Raven was full of surprises, wasn't she? //What do you have on your mind, luv?//

[trigons_child]

Raven took a breath to collect herself. "First, I wish to say I will understand if you say no, as it is no simple thing I ask, but I would hope you think about it before you refuse," she said.

The rest came out in a rush. "I wish to have a baby, a child of my own blood, and I would like you to be the father. I would neither demand nor expect any commitment from you, and you may have as large or small a role in the child's life as you wish."

Surprise?

[furnaceface]

Surprised! Jono didn't laugh at all, if only because that was exactly the sort of question to ask if you wanted to knock his mental processors for a loop. He did blink down at her, though, taking a moment to register just what all of those words meant, when strung along, one after the other.

//You want... to have... a...//

There went his brain, shorting out a little, again.

//With me?//

Okay, shorting out a lot. It wasn't that he'd never thought about it, or, hell, even that he didn't want it. He did. He wanted to be a father so much it ached. But there was so much in the air when it came to that sort of thing, not the least of which being his own genetics (nobody wanted to bring an exploding baby into the world, let alone an exploding Starsmore), and the fact that, even these days, even if he hid it well, he was still scraping emotional trauma off the walls every morning so that the hearth witches wouldn't get ill whenever they stepped into his room to change his sheets.

His want sat between them, right along with his worry. He wouldn't wish even a risk of his mutation on anybody, especially not a son or daughter, and while he doubted Apocalypse would ever make his way to Kaeleer...

Of course, he supposed Raven had similar concerns with genetics and large evil relatives to wrestle with.

//I... I'm not going to say no, yet,// he said, carefully. //I'm not going to agree to anything just yet, either. This... is something I'm going to have to think about. Something that requires a lot of talking first, I think.//

[trigons_child]

Raven nodded, relieved he hadn't just refused outright. "Of course," she said, smiling. "I know this is something that would require a great deal of thought."

And because hello, she'd met him, she knew some of the thoughts undoubtedly going through his mind now, and she moved one of her hands to touch his cheek. "And I know you must have fears -- as do I, for different reasons. But think of all the children we have seen over the years in Fandom, children who were happy and healthy and loved."

Well, except Anakin Bass.

"That does not guarantee anything, but whatever gifts this child may or may not have, he or she will be surrounded by so much love and protection and those who will fall over themselves to offer guidance."

[furnaceface]

Exploding babies, Raven. Baby-bombs.

//I know Elizabeth certainly was,// he agreed, leaning his cheek into her touch. //It is a frightening prospect, but...//

He shrugged his shoulders a little.

//I'd be lying if I were to say I wasn't tempted. Still, there's... a lot going on at the moment, especially with Karla and Warren expecting theirs, and a lot of thinking to be done. There's no particular hurry, is there?//

So much of his attention and energy these days went into making certain nobody who meant Karla harm could get to her while she was still vulnerable. He managed to keep most of the fallout from it to himself, the headaches and the nosebleeds, but that would be practically impossible if his attention was split between Karla's well-being, and... this.

[trigons_child]

Exploding baby with a healing factor! Or a baby with a fiery Soul-Self guaranteed to panic people in Jono's world.

"No hurry," Raven agreed, though she was feeling a bit anxious about it. "Certainly not before Karla's baby is born." She'd have her hands full for awhile with that as well.

"Think on it, and ask me any questions you may have."

[furnaceface]

Jono nodded, and then closed his eyes and leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers.

//I'm sure there'll be plenty that come to mind,// he admitted. //Mostly 'what-ifs,' I'm sure. I'm excellent at coming up with worst-case scenarios, unfortunately. I'll try to tamp a few of those down.//

Try.

[trigons_child]

Raven sent him the sensation of a gentle kiss as she leaned against him.

"And I am an expert at seeing the bright side," she said. Well, usually. "So I will counter any unpleasant thing you might think of."

Jono being Jono, of course, that was going to be a challenge.

[furnaceface]

//You've got your work cut out for you,// he murmured, returning that feeling with a gentle kiss of his own, //but I suppose you have plenty of experience with all of my chattering little brainbeasts.//

He paused for a moment, and then tilted his head a bit.

//If... you don't mind my asking, what brought this on?//