The future

[Faith Augustin]

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
~Eleanor Roosevelt

1st Saun, 717

It was very usual that he was there when she woke, however that particular morning, there were a number of things which were most unusual. It was light outside, which meant that she'd slept past dawn. That was rare in the extreme for her, and Padraig was laying there, head propped on his arm and awake, not sleeping, next to her. Sleep had claimed her and held on that night, although by the time she'd eventually put her head on the pillow, it had already been ridiculously late. As much as she'd been tired, she'd needed to work through the events of the trial before.

"Good morning," Faith smiled in pleasure as she realised that, not only was he awake, he was wide awake and watching her. "What? I don't snore, there are no dimples, I don't care what anyone tells me. Oh." The last, of course, was as memory kicked in and then Faith was wide awake and no longer fighting the urge to curl back up just for one minute more.

"Oh," she said again and she looked at him, checking that it hadn't been a dream. Then, a smile of pure delight lit her face. "We're having a baby. I didn't know that last time I woke up with you." Faith didn't need to ask how he was feeling about it; she could see it, knew it instinctively. It had been what they wanted and planned, but it came with its own unique brand of terror for them both. Usual and unusual there, too.

"I couldn't get to sleep last night," Faith didn't think he'd be overly surprised at that, he knew how she worked. "I made some lists, then I felt better." Twisting around to the small wooden cabinet by her side of the bed, she grabbed the lists, then turned back over so that she was facing him, clutching four bits of paper. "I had to work it through in my head, make sure that I wasn't going to worry. But I'm not my parents. I just needed to be sure of that, so I made some lists with my hands and head while my heart worked it out." She picked out the "To Talk About" and the "Now-Next-Then" ones and handed them to him

It didn't make sense, but it was how she functioned, focus on facts or tasks, things to do or organise and let her emotions run their course. "I'd like to talk about a few things, if we can but, before that. How are you feeling?" At the end of the trial, that was more important to her than anything on the lists. She was nestled next to him and in that moment, she couldn't hide the expression of delight on her face. Her hand moved to his hair, gently running her fingers through it as she listened to his answer to the question which, apparently, she did need to ask after all.

[Padraig]

Padraig had been surprised that when he'd first opened his eyes that morning, Faith was still there sleeping beside him. It just wasn't done, although there were times that she slipped away and then returned before he awoke. It had always been that way. But this time was different. He didn't realize just how long into the night she'd been up. But nonetheless, he resolved to stay there beside her even after the morning was well underway. He'd slept better himself, more soundly, more contentedly than he had in quite awhile. He suspected he knew why, and had wondered if it might be the same for her.

"You do, and you are all of those things," he teased her, and grinned a little when she denied it. A soft snore, dimples and all. "But you are also simply beautiful when you're sleeping, just as you are when awake. I thought I might stay abed and enjoy how the first rays of morning light up your cheek." Did she forget then, just for an instant, he asked when she remembered. "Yes, we are, and I couldn't be happier about it."

Then he laughed and grinned as she reached for her book, and he sat up in bed to lean against the headboard. "You? Lists? Shocking," he uttered dryly as he took what she handed him. More seriously, he frowned and added, "Of course you're not your parents. Neither of us are." And he was not the mother who'd abandoned him or the father whose name he'd never known. It was possible, she hadn't either. "I'm feeling wonderful. Nervous, a little overwhelmed, but wonderful. Proud. Excited. All of them wrapped up in one." So far as he was concerned, they'd be naturals. Or at least he firmly believed that she would. But whatever it was that needed talking about to reassure her of that, he was all in.

[Faith Augustin]

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
~Eleanor Roosevelt

1st Saun, 717

"I understand that snoring is a very unattractive thing, and for that reason I hope I don't," Faith said with a sleepy smile as she nestled herself against him."But it was utterly forbidden and dealt with very harshly. So, I'm pleased if I do, because it means I'm free even in my sleep." Resting her head against him, she smiled, looking up at him as he spoke of her beauty, at least in his eyes. She reached up and stroked his cheek, "any beauty you see is there because of you and your faith in me, your love for me. You make it all possible." It was completely true as far as she was concerned.

It wasn't entirely that she forgot, so much, as she realised that it was true, she explained. Something they had both wanted and when he said that he couldn't be happier Faith beamed. She lifted her head and kissed him gently, her arm wrapping around his waist, hugging him and lingering in a kiss.

His laugh at her need to make lists, though, earned him a frown and a grin at the same time. But she was not her parents, and he was sure of that. Now, so was she but she had needed to be clear and work it through. "Neither of us are, no. I know, but it was sitting there and I was worrying at it. So I thought it better to just put it out in the light of the trial and then it could go away." She looked at him as she handed him the lists and she spoke in a very serious tone. "I choose you to be the father of my child. You are the only one I would ever want in that role because I am demanding of the very best." He would be an excellent father, she had no doubt and she twisted around to sit facing him, leaning against his legs.

Wonderful, nervous, overwhelmed, proud and excited all wrapped up together? Faith grinned and nodded. "I feel the same. Like I'm so happy that I could burst, nervous and lots of anticipation. Unknown and a bit scared." Lists, of course, helped. They gave structure and clarity and she knew that it was her own need to have those things which drove the list making. "I thought we should talk about how we're going to deal with all the people outside of us. I think that I'd like to wait to tell people, maybe until Vhalar? But here on Scalvoris, they're quite strict about women who are pregnant, apparently." Faith shrugged slightly. "We've got a chance to plan, to think about work and study both before and after the baby is born."

When they had been in Rharne, the suddenness of what happened, the nature of it meant that they hadn't been able to plan, but now things were different. "I want to do this our way. Which I suspect will mean finishing work sooner than my inclination, for example." With a shrug she considered that, if they were going to do this as theirs from the word go, which was very much what she wanted, then it would need to be that way from now.

[Padraig]

How could something that couldn't be controlled, so far as Padraig was aware, be a punishable offense, he wondered when she denied snoring at all. He knew how, or at least why in fact, and preferred not to think about it. If he did, the anger over the way she'd been treated for the lion's share of her life would simply surface again, to no good end. "I disagree," he told her quietly and with a smile. "It wasn't because of me, or anyone else." Her beauty, he meant. "The first time I saw you there outside my door, was the first time I recognized what genuine beauty was." Before that moment? His life had been little more than shades of gray. He just hadn't known it.

"It's a good thing, isn't it?" he added when she referenced the nerves they were both feeling at once. "I think it would be more concerning if we felt nothing but utter confidence and a complete lack of worry." It would be arrogance and recklessness in the extreme, Padraig thought. And their child deserved better than that. But as it was so often, the questions about others and their reactions arose, and felt to him to be an imbalanced equation. Realistically though, they needed to consider the logistics of that. "The expectations here regarding pregnant women seem a bit archaic," he uttered dryly. But no matter his opinion, they were what they were.

"We can wait as long as we like. No one needs to know until we decide that it's time," he told her. They should handle this, Padraig believed, just as they ought to their wedding. Their way. And yet, some of these were people they needed to work with on a trial by trial basis. And too much irreverence in the face of convention probably wasn't the best of ideas. However, he had a solution for that which he wasn't necessarily prepared to discuss in detail just yet. Plans in fact that were already underway. "I think you can work as long as you want to," he said. "In a sense at least, and not necessarily in an obvious way. I've got some ideas about that," he added with a grin, though clearly he wasn't inclined to share them with her quite yet.

[Faith Augustin]

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
~Eleanor Roosevelt

1st Saun, 717

The first time he'd seen her at his door he'd understood beauty? Faith nudged him in the ribs, "you may disagree all you like, Professor," she whispered, lifting her head to kiss him. "However, I'm afraid in this case, you'll need to defer to the expert. Me." Her finger traced his cheek and her smile was just content. "We changed each other's lives, how about we agree to that? Two equally impossible halves of an entirely impossible whole." As he smiled, her hand moved and she touched her finger to his lips. "You didn't used to smile so much. Brief and usually hidden, that's what your smiles were." They still were, Faith knew, for most other people. It was just with her that the real him showed, and the same was entirely true in her case, also.

Part of that, the relaxing so much and being so comfortable that they were their true and real selves around each other meant that they could read each other, too. There was something he was thinking, she knew, as they spoke of the lists and work. Faith replayed the conversation in her head and wondered if perhaps she hadn't been clear. She realised that she hadn't, or at least that the crux of what she was saying was probably hidden in extraneous stuff.

She could work in a sense and not necessarily in an obvious way? Faith pulled herself close to him and looked at him with mischief in her eyes. "I love it when you're mysterious," she grinned. He was up to something, there was no doubting it. But that was fine, it gave him pleasure to be and she would not deny him that. "When might I expect to find out what you're up to?" Faith asked, unable to hide her delight.

However, they were talking at almost cross purposes she thought, or maybe just about slightly different things. "I don't want anyone else involved until we decide. What I do want, though, very much is for every decision to be ours. Not mine, not yours." In Rharne things had been difficult at the beginning, there had been decisions made which needed to be made individually. This, though, this was an entirely different situation and Faith was in no doubt about that. "I think we should consider telling Galena at the Order," she said, her hand finding his. "I trust her to keep it to herself, but I'd like to make sure that we get medical care all the way through."

In terms of not telling people until they were ready, though, Faith thought that it should be fine. However, morning sickness would need to be disguised or ignored. Thankfully, she was pretty good at stoic, she said with a smile. "However as I get more round, as you so delicately and sensitively put it, it's going to be hard to hide. Because of my shape and size, I think I'll show early but we can deal with that as and when."

Turning slightly, Faith curled into his arms and leaned against him. "I don't have words, you know. This, this is just ours, just you and me and us. So when are you going to spill what you're planning, Professor? I'm sure it isn't good to torment a pregnant woman, you know," she was teasing him and it showed in her voice. "Such cruelty." She rested her head against him and sighed. "We should get up and get to work. You're coming to the meeting about the vineyard?"

[Padraig]

They changed each other? Padraig considered Faith's words, though difficult considering her proximity to him and how her finger traced his lips. "The expert? Well there is a scientific explanation you know. Mutualism. It's the reason that two organisms of different types can coexist in a relationship, in which each individual benefits from the activity and existence of the other. The relationship between living organisms and the inherent bacteria within their unique systems..."

"Very scientific. Except," he added with a grin as he kissed her, "In much more romantic terms than that."

As for her birth trial. "This evening. That's when you'll find out. When you've returned home for supper, and not till then. So don't be making any other plans for that time," he warned. But she was right. Very few others needed to know about the pregnancy just yet. Of course Katie, Cyrus and Luna knew. But they were family and wouldn't be sharing that knowledge until they were ready. But Galena at the order. He agreed completely. In order for Faith and their child to have the best care possible, then someone in the position to help ensure that ought to be aware.

And the meeting at the vineyard? He'd forgotten, to be honest, since his trial would be filled with a number of other concerns. But, his presence would also keep her guessing, which he had to admit he was enjoying a great deal. And besides, he had some help with his plans and his grandfather could fill in for a break or two. So yes, he told her, of course he would be there.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Thread Rewards

Padraig

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Logistics: Planning surprises
➳ Logistics: Planning ways around cultural norms
➳ Logistics: To do lists to aid planning a pregnancy
➳ Persuasion: Mutualism is a scientific thing, honest.
➳ Persuasion: Putting forward emotions as scientific facts
➳ Psychology: Allaying fears
➳ Sociology: Maintaining secrets among immediate family only is culturally appropriate
➳ Sociology: Cultural norms for behavior during pregnancy


Other Knowledge:
N/A (nothing ventured, nothing gained)

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

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Faith

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Interrogation: Trying to find out what secret your significant other is keeping
➳ Logistics: Planning together requires time and communication
➳ Persuasion: Trying to wheedle information out of someone
➳ Psychology: Maintaining the illusion of control helps
➳ Psychology: Put fears out in the open, then dismiss them
➳ Sociology: Cultural norms for behaviour during pregnancy


Other Knowledge:
N/A (nothing ventured, nothing gained)

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: Act of True Love (+3), Confess your Love (+3) = +6

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

Comments:
When nerds have babies ... you all are so adorable. Stahp. Also, far more organized about pregnancy than I ever was IRL (although, I was pretty organized in my mind, but I never made lists). Faith, don’t forget to enjoy your pregnancy—the second trimester is the best! Padraig, you will already be ridiculously good to her, though now is a good time to not let her get away with so much! Yeah, right. Enjoyable as always.