Difference between revisions of "Logs:You Got Me Pregnant, You Dork"

Inner Caverns, High Reaches Weyr

Within the labyrinth of interconnected chambers that make up the inner caverns, this large, long cavern serves both as a crossroads and a comfortable place for weyrfolk to sit, talk, and keep a nosy eye out for who's going where. Colorful, seasonal tapestries add warmth to the smooth walls and reduce echoes, while large niches house clusters of chairs, and a waist-high stone shelf along one wall provides a perch for drinks or work for residents on the go. Worn brass hooks often hold jackets or other outerwear with workboots stationed beneath, the transitory nature of the cavern lending itself to being treated as a sort of communal foyer where snowy or muddy gear can be kept outside of living quarters. Smaller, higher niches at regular intervals hold glowbaskets kept fresh during the daytime and allowed to dim somewhat at night.

The largest tunnels lead to the main living cavern, to the bowl and to the Weyr entrance, but it's still easy for the uninitiated to get lost within this maze.

With her riding jacket balled up under her arm, Avey emerges from the infirmary, looking out of sorts. 'Pissy' would probably be the technical term. She scowls at some poor resident who never did her any harm, and stalks off down the corridor.

The resident scuttles, nearly bumping in to the taller rider heading up in the other direction. K'del looks genuinely bewildered at the near miss, as the resident hurries past him, but, arms swinging lazily, he wanders onwards, angling past a group of older women knitting. He doesn't get away that easily, and comes to a halt, his recognisable Tillekian tones clearly audible as he says, "No, from what I'm told, they ought to be all done by spring. Not so long, really!"

Avey's head turns; she recognizes that voice. Her expression darkens further still, and she leans against the wall, stuffing one hand into a pocket of her trousers, and waits for K'del to get free of the knitting women and pass this way.

It's not a long conversation: as soon as K'del has reassured the women that no, there won't be convicts at High Reaches forever, he continues on his way, digging both hands idly into the pockets of his jacket, letting his elbows droop. But-- "Avey! Something the matter? Come have a drink with me?"

"I'd probably just puke on your shoes," Avey says to K'del, and adds, with narrowed eyes, "and you would /so/ have it coming, too. Men! I swear by Faranth's first egg."

'Huh?' says K'del's expression, followed very soon after by an audible repetition: "Huh?" And then, in a conciliatory tone, "What's the matter, Avey? How can I help?"

Avey is nothing if not direct. "You got me pregnant, you dork." Okay, there's a hint of humor in her voice there - just a hint; she's really not happy about this, but she's not /really/ furious at K'del. Maybe only a little bit. "I don't think you really can. Unless you want to bring me tea and hot water bottles for a few days. Do you have any idea how bad it cramps when you jump between to stop a pregnancy? ...if it's not too late! It better not be too late." Again, she scowls, and this time she looks worried: that prospect isn't funny at all.

K'del doesn't seem to be following the most of what Avey says: something about the combination of 'you', 'me' and 'pregnant' seems to have gotten him lost, if the bewildered expression on his face is anything to go by. And then, sounding entirely unlike himself, "I did?" Beat. "But... how? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you did!" Avey rolls her eyes, impatient. "'How?' ...do you really want me to answer that one? But yeah, I'm sure. I puked up breakfast three days in a row, and one of the healers just stuck her hand up my hoo-hah, Faranth only knows how they tell anything from /that/ but apparently they can, so yeah."

His eyes as round as saucers, K'del /still/ seems to be having trouble getting this idea into his head. "It's just-- I just-- /wow/." Maybe that's not the reaction she was looking for, nor the way he reaches out with the obvious intention of wrapping her in a hug. "I'm just-- /wow/. I didn't think I could, and this means I can, and we made a /baby/, Avey!"

Avey is too stunned to resist being hugged but she doesn't react to it in the way she usually does; instead, she stands perfectly still, staring at K'del warily until he lets go. "Uh... congratulations?" she says after an awkward silence. "I think. I mean, I'm... glad you're glad, I guess? But K'del. I don't want a baby." She says the last part gingerly, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

K'del is not so excited that he entirely misses Avey's reaction - this time, at least. The hug doesn't last more than a few moments, and as he draws back, his expression has lost most of the previous glee, replaced, now, by wariness. And as she speaks, his eyes close, his breath catches. "Oh," he says, then. "/Oh/. You want to get rid of him or her." So much for that excitement; he sounds crestfallen.

"Well... yeah." Not even his obvious disappointment will induce Avey to shade the truth, though she does look as though she feels bad about it. "But you could always have a baby with someone else. Right?" She bites her lip, frowning worriedly.

K'del takes a deep breath, even nods. But he doesn't look-- well. He looks pretty pained about the whole thing. "We've been trying," he explains. "Milani and I. For-- I don't know, /months/, now. It hasn't happened. Guess that's why I was so excited, because this means it's /possible/, but, I don't know. If it'll happen. Always wanted kids." He can't seem to help himself: he glances down at Avey's midsection, and has to take a deep breath and glance away again.

Avey looks even more uncomfortable. "Oh," she says, and pauses for a long moment. Finally she says, "I never - I mean, can you imagine me with a baby? It's just not a thing I ever... I'd probably drop it on its head, you know? Then you'd have a stupid baby. With a flat head." She tries to lighten things up a little.

K'del tries to smile, too, though it ends up looking mostly just really awkward. "Hah, right," he says, unable to sell it. Then, taking a deep breath, he adds, "Don't-- I'm sorry. Know this is making things more awkward for you, and the whole thing must be... you could just foster, you know. Lots of people do." Beat. "Um. Not that I'm trying to make you change your mind. it's just-- you know. An option?"

Avey sighs. "I could. I guess. But I'd still have to..." Be pregnant. Give birth. She just grimaces, though, and rolls her shoulders. "Right. Anyway. Um. So yeah, this is kind of awkward, huh?"

Apparently, K'del understands at least part of that, because he looks rueful. "Right. Well--" Deep breath. "Yeah, I guess it is. Sorry, Avey. Didn't-- mean to, you know?" Beat. Another deep breath. "Look, I guess-- it's your body, and your life, and everything. So I'll understand, if you decide-- you know. But. Maybe you could think about it?" He looks utterly hopeful.

"Yeah. I know," Avey says. "I'm not /really/ mad at you. Sorry if I... you know." She offers him her hands. "I'll think about it. Yeah. I didn't know it was going to be... such a big thing for you." She looks unhappy.

K'del's rapid head shake seems to be an attempt to make her feel less bad; he takes both of her hands, squeezing them firmly. "Yeah," he says, finally, after a breath. "Guess I've been-- mis-aiming my reproductive ability." It's his turn to aim at a joke. "I really am sorry, for putting you in this position." In more than one way! "I'll help however I can, whatever you decide, okay? So-- um. Yeah." Awkward.

Avey giggles. "Well, at least at the /time/ it seemed you were aiming it just fine?" she jokes back. "So yeah, I'll... think about it. But, I mean, you're not - we're not going to wind up weyrmates or anything. Even if, you know. That's not what you're wanting, right? Because that would be... weird."

"Surprised the walls are still standing, even! Maybe it's no wonder." laughs K'del, apparently better able to work with levity, now that the shock has worn off. Somewhat. "Oh! No-- no, not at all. You and me, we're just friends. It would be totally weird, and-- no." Beat. "Least that's one thing we're on the same page about, right?"

"Right!" Avey is much relieved. "Yes. Good. Friends. /Exactly./" She squeezes his hands again, and then lets go. "Well," she says with a sigh, "do you still want to go get a drink? I guess I could use one."

K'del's expression is-- well, /fond/, more than anything, as his hands sink back towards his side. One reaches for his pocket again, while the other arm is offered towards Avey once more as he agrees, "Reckon we both could. C'mon, then."

Avey tucks her arm through his in a companionable way, and smiles. "Let's go," she agrees. "How many of those blowjobs do I still owe you?" It'll be a running joke between them, by now, how the number seems to keep going up rather than down; and the grin she flashes at him shows her hope that they /stay/ friends, despite the awkwardness.

"At /least/ two dozen," is K'del's instant rejoiner, bright-eyed and amused: he returns the grin without hesitation, launching their footsteps off towards the Snowasis. He seems to want the same - he's earnest in it, this eagerness to make sure she knows that everything will remain as it should. Regardless.

And if they get up to mischief after drinks, well, at least Avey can't get pregnant twice! Probably.