Heartbeats

Kyp · Jan 16, 2017

Versailles waited quietly just outside the west wing of the hospital. She didn't make eye contact with anyone who walked by, nor did she respond when they asked her questions. Without her hearing, she hardly realised those people existed. There were only three faces she wanted to see right now, and one was in a coma in a different wing. Versa had texted Felix and Angelo, asking them to meet her there and stay for the duration of her appointment, although she hadn't actually told them why she was at the west wing. Angelo could probably guess.

The Fox-girl was dressed in layers agian, hiding the size of her pregnant belly from the world. Felix didn't know yet, and she wasn't quite sure just how to tell him. He may have already known, but Felix was at the resort on vacation: he wouldn't have wanted to pay quite as much attention. Still had to tell him somehow. Prefferably before the appointment, but it was always possible to let the ultrasound speak for itself.

@Poppy @Thoth

Poppy · Jan 16, 2017

As baby crazy he was recently, Felix didn't know anything about pregnancy, so he didn't have a clue Versa was pregnant. She didn't tell him. But he knew she was keeping things from him. He knew a liar when he saw one, and Versa was a particularly bad one at that.

Now, don't get him wrong, Felix considered Versa a friend, but she was exhausting. It was one thing after another with her. First it was Calan, then Jett — and Felix had an active hand in snuffing that one out — and then it was Nim. He wasn't all that interested in trying to pry this one out, because he knew it was going to be a can of worms... and because he knew Versa was going to cave and tell him anyway.

He was right. Whatever this new revelation one, it was going to be big. He arrived at the hospital to meet with Versa again. Last time, they visited Nim and found out he was in a coma. This time, he wasn't sure what for, but he had a few guesses.

All of the guesses got worse and worse as he walked through the Hospital hall. Felix flagged Versa down and walked at a brisk pace towards her. "Hello, Versa." He gave her an expectant look, as if asking her to explain.

Kyp · Jan 16, 2017

Versailles looked up to see Felix, alone, and Angelo was no where in sight. She bit her lip and curled into herself, knowing so well that he was probably fed up. And why wouldn't he be? She'd been nothing but drama that he didn't have to deal with but still did. Versailles was truly grateful that he put in the effort he did to help her in her personal life, and she tried to make it up to him by putting all her focus into her work. Except now she was leaving and in hindsight, it didn't seem to be enough to compare.

Versailles stood when Felix approached, the fox ears betraying her anxiety. She still didn't know how to tell him. He was right here, and he deserved an answer, but she couldn't string the words together to communicate what it was she needed from him.

"Felix I... Before you jump to conclusions, this doesn't... It's completely seperate from the other... I don't need... It's hard to say..."

The fox girl backed up, rubbing at her face. How were people supposed to tell others that they were pregnant? No one just... Found out, five months along. It was always planned, or if it was accidental they found out in the first month. No one could go five months pregnant and not notice any of the symptoms... Except her apparently.

Finally coming to a conclusion, Versailles grabbed Felix's hands and held tight, just throwing it out into the open.

"I'm pregnant."

Poppy · Jan 16, 2017

As Versa held his hands, Felix expected the worst. This was not it. He expected something, but not this. His first response was delighted beaming. "You're pregnant?" he repeated, voice filled with wonder, fantasies of days filled with babies and their soft chubby cheeks and tiny little feet flashing in his head like a spectacle. That was wonderful! Babies were amazing! Felix loved them so much.

But then, implications reared its dirty head. "You're pregnant..." he repeated again, in a much graver tone. Versailles was pregnant. He remembered he had some pamphlets about unwanted teen pregnancy in his jacket, and while Versa wasn't a teen, she was a College student with no source of income. Oh boy. Uh.

And then, an implication worse than the last popped up in his head. This one was a lot worse than teen angst, and Felix did not want to deal with it. He leaned closer, looking at her straight in the eyes. "Versa. Please tell me this isn't Jett's baby."

@Thoth

Romi · Jan 16, 2017

Angelo was not late. He was on time, and everyone else was just early. That was what he told himself as he circled the block to find a parking spot, sprinting along towards the west wing.

He knew why he was there, at least. He knew why Versa would have asked.

Well, he sort of knew. It was something to do with the pregnancy, either way. Maybe an ultrasound appointment if he was lucky. Maybe a miscarriage if he wasn't.

It hadn't helped that he'd had to spent fifteen minutes dealing with Tybalt's squinting over the fact that yes, he was going to do something related to babies, and no, they were definitely not his. Versa was a friend, but she was also like twenty years old, and thus too young for him.

Much to his relieve, Versa--and Felix--weren't hard to find, and he trotted towards them at a record setting pace.

"Did you already tell him?" Angelo asked without any sort of hello, completely missing Felix's most recent question.

@Poppy, @Ghost

Kyp · Jan 16, 2017

Felix's face lit up like fireworks, initially. Then it spiralled downwards, to hit the point that Versailles really didn't want to come across. The father. Now that was just another mess that had to be dealt with. And Lucky Angelo arrived just in time to hear her awkward, stuttered answer.

"N-no, Felix. It's biologically impossible for Jett to be the father. I um... I didn't get a whole lot of symptoms to begin with and up until i left the island i was... Not exactly... All there, so i didn't... Notice anything at all until... Um... New year's eve.. They don't like planes they decided..."

Versa worded carefully, letting the fact that there was more than one child remain hidden until the ultrasound. Her ears twisted, showing very clearly how uncomfortable this topic was. With a little hesitancy, she let go of one of Felix's hands to lift up the loose, baggy shirts and sweater to show just how rounded her belly had become.

"I-I ah... I slept with Jett in november and... Well, this is a little more than past the first trimester. S-sexually speaking there could be a few possibilities but uh... Timewise there's only one. It's... Well. Kind of undeniable who the father is, but um... We should go, yeah? D-Don't wanna be late."

Versailles tugged Felix and Angelo down the hallway to a waiting room. Motioning for them to sit, she checked in with the nurse acting as secretary for the area. Ten minutes. The doctor would be ready in ten minutes.

The foxgirl joined the two older men where they'd sat down, clinging to their hands with a white-knuckled grip as her tail twitched constantly. Her fox ears, despite no sound being heard, flicked in all directions, searching for something that wasn't there.

Poppy · Jan 16, 2017

Felix's eyebrows shot up as she listened to her, his expression growing more and more horrified, vividly recalling Versa being drunk for two days straight at the Costume Party last October. Trimester. She was very heavily pregnant the time. If they were going to have an ultrasound, he hoped to the gods it wasn't unpleasant.

When he saw Angelo, he gave him a nervous smile, feeling a little more assured with his presence here. Felix's calm demeanor was usually a front, a sturdy surface held up by a wobbly, watery base, but Angelo was better. More solid, as a cop and in general. "Good to see you, Angelo," he said, and he meant it.

He allowed himself to be led to the room. Judging from the equipment, just an ultrasound. Alright. Felix squeezed Versa's hand and looked at her with a softer, more motherly expression. There was no need to pile onto her stress; she already had enough. "Relax, dear. I'm sure it'll be fine. And, you know, I'm happy I'll be able to make little baby clothes, I always wanted to try my hand at that~"

Romi · Jan 16, 2017

Once upon a time, Angelo had not been solid. He was only solid because he'd spent years getting his shit together, and was living in a mostly post-drama world.

Well, for him anyway.

He gave Felix a quick nod, wondering how many people Versa had invited, before getting his answer as she scooted them all into the waiting room.

"The father's the closest I've ever been to breaking the rules and using police resources to look someone up," Angelo muttered under his breath. He hadn't, but he was sorely tempted to. "All that really matters is that he's out of the picture, and not going to be providing much... or anything in the way of resources."

Good luck getting child support out of a twelve year old. The whole thing was an absolute disaster.

@Poppy, @Ghost

Kyp · Jan 16, 2017

"I should... Probably warn you." Versailles looked up to Felix, then down at her stomach.

"My aunt and uncle.. They didn't stop at just fusing hybrids. They wanted to create entirely new species. Part of the biology of that, was going through enough generations that it became permanent... So, whatever they did to me, some of it might pass on to the babies. Stray nerve endings, that lead to nothing. I don't think it will, but... Just in case. And then... I think they did something... Weird... To all the animals they worked with. Including me. I've already brought it up to the doctor and there's no way to test it while i'm pregnant but...

When I went to the lab, after New Years, it was... Infested, by some of the smaller species they'd been working with. Birds and martens, rodents. It was overrun. And even with martens and birds of prey to pick off the little ones, there was... Far too many to be possible, with their mating habits and litter sizes. I think my aunt... Altered things, to increase the number of generations they could use. And... They may have also used that on me. I'm the only human test subject and it terrifies me to think that maybe.... It was permanent in more ways then one. That this could happen all over agian, and I still wouldn't know until it started showing."

Versailles released Felix and Angelo's hands, curling up as tight as she could in her chair. There was no end to the anxious flicking if her tail and ears as she wrapped her arms around herself, nails digging into pale skin. She spoke agian, very quiet.

"you can always run from your past, but it always catches up..."

Poppy · Jan 17, 2017

Felix raised his eyebrows at Angelo's statement. "If it's not Jett, it's Calan, isn't it? ...He's still a child? Why hasn't anyone done anything about that?" Outrage aside, he shook his head. "I-in any case, I'm sure there's welfare to be provided by the government for you, especially since you're still a student. I wouldn't worry much about resources."

This was an entirely uncomfortable territory for Felix. As much as he loved babies and taking care of them, passing on his status as untouchable felt like a horror story. This was... arguably much worse. He didn't know why she phrased it like it was their problem, because for years on end (if she was lucky), this was going to be her problem.

"That would depend entirely on the bioengineering they used, if they altered your gametes, and if they would be more dominant than the father's genes. Let's hoping there's some good that came out of his."

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Heartbeats

Kyp

Well-Known Member

Poppy

Well-Known Member

Kyp

Well-Known Member

Poppy

Well-Known Member

Romi

Secretly a Bird

Kyp

Well-Known Member

Poppy

Well-Known Member

Romi

Secretly a Bird

Kyp

Well-Known Member

Poppy

Well-Known Member