homeless_pard | Later...home

Entry tags:

jason au,
starter

Later...home

Who: Khem, Jason
When: Home from WW.
What: Hello pregnancy?

She woke, smiling; how could she not? She was home, in her own bed in the rooms above the shop and her husband was beside her, hair honey in the light that leaked past the curtain. He worked late, so she oft woke before he did, with much to do in this world. Shops were open during the day after all and she had been away some time. Like they'd be short of many key items and no few medicines for her regulars. It felt wonderful to be back in the place she had made for herself honestly. She trusted her high lord to handle the horses that had come with them, and to look upon the grander view of their realm. She had...here.

Here and a husband and it was a wonderful thing. She kissed him gently before slipping from the bed. No matter they'd been months and months upon the search for her anchors in her old world and coming back to the gate, the wonder that was wedded life hadn't faded in the least for her. Her lord, her Jason, had chosen to cleave unto her. She had only to share him with her sworn high lord, a fealty as ingrained and accepted as breathing. Her Jason wouldst ever look for the feeling of the high lord's fangs, and betimes his bed. But otherwise he was hers and she wouldst never time of that fact.

Her bed. Their bed. It was enough to bring heat to her cheeks as she slipped down the stairs to the living quarters above the shop and set her kettle to brewing. Skilled was a mild term to apply to her love honestly. Heated mayhap, eager to share his knowledge...

...skill...

...she poured her morning tea without truly realizing, and lifted the cup to her lips when her talisman of Gunnora flared hot, truly burning and sharp against her chest. She yelped and dropped the cup, cup shattering on the floor as she bent forward to get the molten feeling gem off her skin. Ouch ouch ouch...she looked down at the mark on her chest, bewildered, then turned to go downstairs further to the greenhouse. A burn ointment, best to keep this...mild...and then he was staring at the mark for a moment, considering. What, and why?

What and why indeed?

How long had...her tea was not harmful unless...

...when had she last had a cycle?

She blinked, considering amongst the waving greenery in the glass house.

Unless she was three months in.

Almost on cue with the realization there was roil of mild nausea, she winced and fled back upstairs.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh dear.

She wiped her mouth and brushed her teeth, eyes large and dark in the mirror when she dared glance. She had to go...wake Jason. Right now. Yes. Wake him and apologize.

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The lips beneath the deep hood shifted ever moment; purple, now bloodless and chapped, now thin and stretched over too sharp teeth, but her voice was warm like honest pooling into tea? "How could I not gift the ones who led us here?" she chuckled softly. "Hello Lady Lillian, we will take tea another time you and I."

"Our, ah...shocked delight my lady Gunnora?" Khemrys swallowed. "You've..."

"I look forward to the things your bloodline shall achieve in this world."

Jason's mind was still reeling while the rest spoke with Gunnora.

"I would be honored," Lillian nodded to Gunnora. She thought to pull the probe away while they spoke with the goddess, but she wasn't sure what Jason's reaction would be without that visual distraction.

But...

Jason's gaze shot up to Gunnora, worry etched on his face. "Mattil said there was only so much y'all could...step in about. You...you know for sure you can make this ok?"

gunnora smiled, reaching out a chapped, sword calloused, no, slim and dark as worn wood, or was it wrinkled and aged? hand to touch his brow, "she is mine, young lord. She is mine and and amongst my purview is Childbirth. I wouldst never gift my follower danger."

A brief, resonating touch of warm Power to the worried spouse then she was reaching to touch the scan screen, smiling in all her varied appearances, "and we will discuss this lovely tool I think. Such joys and horrors in turns your world."

He couldn't help but react to her touch of power, and he felt the worry ease back a touch so his voice was less demanding. "You have enough pull here? With how...how our shifters work?"

Lillian cocked an eyebrow. "The machine just shows what's there, Lady: it's on the rest of us whether something is a horror or joy. But either way, it gives us the information we need to deal with it."

"Aye, my truest link here, young lord, is your lady wife. I am strongest through her and that may defeat anything your reality might demand in this case!" she barked a laugh that somehow held the sultry warmth of a maiden's first kiss, the tired snap of a worn mother, and the dusty slowness of a crone knitting by the hearth. "Just as my daughter's avatar is utterly immune to your infections." Just as.

Just as.

She chuckled, her voice oddly close to Lilian's now, "no, this tool is a joy lady, the horrors lay elsewhere in this land."

Jason let out a breath. He didn't sound fully convinced, but no, he wasn't about to doubt Gunnora. Not out loud, anyway. He wouldn't be fully convinced until...

He paled again.

"But...twins?!"

"Jason, I'm sure you'll find plenty of hands eager to help," Lillian snickered. "Lady Gunnora, would you like to see another clever tool of this machine?" She clicked the board and suddenly a rapid whooshing sound filled the room. "Your babies' heartbeats," she explained to Khemrys with a near motherly smile.

Not out loud hmmm? "Shall I ask mym lord to console you as to the coming sleepless nights?" she teased Jason gently, the lips and chin visible now as utterly...Khemrys's just add to the joke. Granted, Mattil would likely stop by later regardless!

Both she AND Khemrys tilted their heads at Lillian's question though; this wasn't exactly something the healer had witnessed in the previous usage of bullet shard locating! "Ah? OH! Oh my..." she actually dropped one of Jason's hands to touch the print out, tears welling in her eyes.

Gunnora chuckled warmly, touching Khemrys briefly, "again my blessing child. Lady Lillian, I look forward to tea," and she was simply...gone, leaving naught but the scent of sun ripened wheat and heavy, mature grapes in her wake.

Jason actually held a high respect for Khem's goddess, but damn if he didn't manage to narrow his eyes somewhat at the joke. Thankfully, Lillian's sudden audio interruption completely stole his attention. The uncertain, crooked smile reappeared while he watched Khemrys reach out. "That's...that's really...them?"

Them. He'd have to get a grasp on that later.

Lillian nodded. "I'll save it as a file for you," she promised. She gave them another moment before slowly pulling the probe back. "Do you want me to try to print some of the pictures for you? I have the files saved but anything I print isn't going to be nice photo paper right now."

Well considering Jason's god was her HUSBAND he BETTER respect Gunnora yes. Teasing was a healthy part of any relationship, she was just channeling Khem for a moment hmm? Mattil would get him a beer. A hard hitting beer.

"Them," Khem breathed, smiling. "Them. Ours, my Jason." There was absolutely no way in the world she would manage to give them up now. Being able to see and hear them? Oh yes. Jason was doomed, if he stayed. She'd try to understand if he ran, but she didn't think he could even consider that...

...could he?

"Thank you dame Lillian," she beamed. "And yes? We might have scan...pictures again later to see how they grow and compare?"

Lillian nodded. "Certainly:most human women have a couple ultrasounds during a pregnancy, but considering the two of you and the fact that these are twins, more frequent ultrasounds might be in order. I'll check in with that midwife friend and see if they have any other thoughts."

The whooshing had stopped and the screen wasn't showing the two small...baby shapes....anymore. Jason's eyes flicked to Khemrys's, and they softened as he swallowed. "Ours," he breathed, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. Maybe it wasn't something he'd completely come to grips with (definitely wasn't), but...

"Aye, and I am...ever going to be too thin and too weakened by my run, and my lord is of the shifters here," she sighed. "Were I not under Gunnora's grace I wouldst fear." And reconsider! But she had never, ever lost faith in the kindness and warmth given her by that deity! "We will come as oft as is needed or you ask." Whichever was more!

For...all their peace of mind!

"I hope, my Jason, they've your eyes. Such beautiful eyes," she smiled.

Lillian handed her a towel to clean the gel from her belly. "I won't say there won't be worry all around for you, but your goddess seems very confident and that makes me feel a lot better." She stood with a smile and moved towards the door. "I'll give you two a moment."

The door closed and Jason slowly stood, carefully pulling Khemrys into his arms and breathing deeply the scent of her hair. The nervous energy still danced across his skin, but it wasn't as desperate as it had been. "As long as you're ok," he murmured.

"In mine own world, Gunnora holds pockets and temples. Places any mother may be safe and healthy, and healed after birthing. And any child might find safety. That is her holding," she smiled and dabbed at the gel gingerly. "I might, if all worry so much and she cannot establish such here, return to my original world for the birthing." If it was safer?

They'd see!

Ah but then she was being held safe and warm and she pressed her nose to Jason's shoulder, ignoring the goop on her skin as she breathed deeply, "I am well my Jason. Are you?"

He frowned into her hair at that: no, he wasn't about to let her go back there just yet. Just...no. Gunnora would have to beef up her connections here and make good on her...prediction.

Having her close against him did wonders, though. He closed his eyes, thinking for a moment; he wouldn't lie to her. "I'm...shook. It's not...but you're ok? You feel ok?"

Gunnora would be glad to do so, likely part of what taking tea with Lillian was about after all. A clinic was not far from a temple after all.

"It's not...what?" she winced, immediately worried. He was dodging the question and she didn't know what that even meant?! "Ah, not...shook? Shaken? I am well Jason my word to such! Please..."

He let out a breath and pressed his lips to her temple. "Please, please don't let me get you worried, honey. I...it's a shock; it was unexpected. But I'm not...mad. I'm not. Ok?"

And even as shaken as he was, just holding her close was enough to keep him from completely freaking out: if anyone could do this with him, it was Khemrys.

He swallowed, his voice shaking but trying for gentleness. "Their hearts were beating so fast, I didn't realize that's what it was at first."

"So young a body is small," she almost laughed against his shoulder softly. "So small and yet so much is happening that they beat fast for now. They will grow and the sound might steady and be closer to our own..." honest! From her studies anyway? She had not actually had the ability to read a child so young in her own world, in the few cases she worked with the dames in the nearby village but!

She had to be steady here, yes.

"I am so grateful you are not wroth my Jason. I want such as this." She did. To share with him.

"I know," he murmured softly. "And you were so worried that you would have a hard time, so I'm...I'm glad for that." He nuzzled gently against her neck. "Just please, don't get worried if I'm worried about it? I just need...some time to really work all this through in my head."

He pulled away just enough to try for what he hoped would be a reassuring smile despite his nervousness. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere."

"Life might ever surprise us my Jason," she admitted wryly. How not? She shouldn't have had so...easy? A time given who her people were and the fact his did...not? But mayhap it was part of being the first to cross into this world from another?

A, ah, side effect? Who was she to know?

"...aye. And forgive me shouldst I still fret over you, or...them....betimes? I may not be as calm as I am most days?" Best to make a pact now?

A soft laugh escaped him at that. "Well, yeah, I've heard pregnant women can be a little hormonal." He breathed deeply and offered her a small smile. "I'm gonna try too. I just want you to know now that...that I'm not second guessing us or wanting to leave if I tell you things I'm worried about. I just...I want you to be safe. I don't want..." His eyes dropped from hers as he continued quietly. "If I get to have a real family, I don't want to mess things up."

"Ah...mayhap," yes she agreed a touch wryly. "From the few I have met it seems so?" And that might be very odd admittedly. She wasn't certain she'd ever actually consider herself...hormonal? Mayhap she had been when doing her best to convince Jason that she did indeed love him? Was that hormones or sad desperation? The thoughtful look wasn't entirely out of place?

Lillian cleared her throat, amused by the tenderness going on here but..."I'll find you both some guides I think."

He glanced over at Lillian. "Sure, but you know I'm going to be up all day googling shit with or without your guides."

He turned back to Khemrys with a look of tenderness (that yes, still had concern lurking around the edges) and kissed her gently. "You ok to go check in on your patients with Lillian? I can wait out at the car for you."

"Yes, but the guides will give you some actual facts to hold against the google searching panic," she snorted.

Khemrys kissed the corner of his mouth gently, "aye, I'd like to rest assured none here needed me deeply before we leave." She was glad he understood that!

For a brief moment, his expression shifted to its usual dull warning when he saw her shifting to 'healer mode'. "Don't overdo it, ok? You're gonna have to start pacing yourself, so you might as well start now."

"Hmmm," she agreed distractedly already stretching out her senses to feel through the patients as she finished wiping the goo from her belly. "Of course my Jason." Of course.

Gunnora's symbol pulsed slightly at her chest though? SOMEONE had heard him yes.

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Later...home

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