[Her hands remain folded over the small, rectangular box, and as Legosi makes his way towards her and their all-purpose table, she draws it closer to try and subtly keep it from his view. Besides her attitude and the way she's clammed up, so much so that her ears are giving their usual tell that something's bothering her because she's been sitting on something all day, nothing else should seem amiss. Their makeshift indoor garden has been tended to, and there's even an additional plant added to the mix (a small, down-on-its-luck 'money tree' she picked up from the same drug store). She's cleaned and tidied up; futon rolled up and set aside to make the most of their small home.
So on the surface, everything seems all right.]
I'm feeling okay! Better than the last few days, but I overslept this morning so I didn't bother going to campus today. [and, quickly before Legosi can express concern] My class today was mostly review anyway. [She absentmindedly drums her fingers against whatever it is she's holding close, clearly mulling over something as she looks away from Legosi.] How was work? I know Fridays get busy.
[Look, she's not about to spring 'Also, I realized I missed my period last month' on a guy who just got back from work, ok? Assuming a guy like Legosi even knows what that insinuates.
Swiftly nudging the box down from the table onto her lap, she leans to the side, rummaging through the shopping bag and pulling out a much bigger box of...honestly, what are essentially large-canine protein biscuits.]
I had to go to the drug store to pick something up, and I found these! It's the extra-crunchy kind of cookie you like.
[Well...Legosi would chalk up oversleeping as a normal thing for Haru to do sometimes, if it weren't for the fact that her ears are giving her away. He's at least doing a pretty good job of not making it obvious he's noticed, but that can only take him so far...he decides to just keep everything to himself for the time being as he moves to sit on the other side of the table, folding his arms on the edge of it.]
It was...very busy. Busier than a normal Friday.
[He opts not to mention the frustrating customers, since that's probably a given. Busy doesn't usually always equal nice patrons, in his experience.
The biscuits are a welcome surprise, mainly because Legosi is just now realizing that he'd only eaten once all day. It wasn't on purpose so much as it was that he just had gotten busy with his shift, and also a little too preoccupied to do more than inhale what he'd brought before going straight back to work. Working kept him busy, and being busy meant it was harder for him to lapse into the unending loop his brain liked to fall into at times.
He takes the box in hand, working to get it open with his claws while he talks.]
[Legosi is the sort of guy who internalizes a lot; he seems to have an internal monologue going at all times. So the fact that she's now at a point where she can talk to and with him, understanding him a bit more and what his life is like when she's not around, it makes her happy that she can more easily read between the lines with what it is he's saying. Frustrating customers are a given with his job, and she's anticipated that considering it's a Friday and the weekend overall can be a pain for animals who work in the service industry.
Which is why...she's easing into this, smile coming a bit easier now as he takes the offered box, her gaze moving from his face to his hands as he uses his claws to open it. It's the little things with him that make her feel calm, like knowing how he used to hide parts of himself from her like his claws.]
We can order in tonight. Make things easy for us tonight. [She brings her elbow up on the table, resting her cheek against the heel of her palm as she watches. Waiting for him to eat some of the biscuits before just.
Unloading stuff onto him. She anticipates his question, has been readying herself to bring it up the moment she dropped everything to head to the store, but even still it's really hard to answer him and say it out loud. Because it's one step closer to finding out if what she's thinking is an actual really.] W-well, you know. I was running low on toothpaste, and thought we could use more snack foods since you don't always have time for dinner.
[She's...deflecting. But finally relents and fights through how fast her heart is racing, free hand reaching for the box she had dropped in her lap and unceremoniously sliding it across the table for it to be in full few.]
And I think I need this.
[There's no beating around the bush as to what this is, because in bright pink lettering it reads: Rabbit Ready! Rapid Pregnancy Test]
[Legosi got through two of the biscuits before Haru dropped that veritable nuke right into his lap, and like...okay. Legosi is brighter than most animals, but that doesn't always mean he allows his heart to connect with what's going on in his brain at all times. Because even if his heart knew while his brain merely suspected, it means that both are unreliable and therefore he just has to brush it off as worrying too much. He worries too much! He loves Haru and wants her to be happy and healthy at all times, so of course he's worried about her and who is he kidding-
A half-eaten third biscuit drops back into the box as it falls from his hand, but that is fortunately the most dramatic reaction he has to seeing the pregnancy test beyond the way his already wide eyes grow impossibly wider.
Carefully, he closes the box back up and puts it back in the bag for the time being before reaching out to actually pick up the box on the table with as much delicacy as he can muster, as if Haru had already taken the test and the box was what held all the secrets to their future. And it does, really, he's just...thinking way too far ahead of himself, here. The fact of the matter is that pregnancies between interspecies couples are not only risky, but rare enough that they'd not given as much care to methods of contraception as they likely should have. It's just as likely that even if they were trying to conceive, it would result in disappointment. Their genetic makeup simply wouldn't allow the cross. At least, that's what all the medical textbooks say.
Yet, here Legosi sits, a Grey Wolf with komodo dragon blood in him and a rabbit girlfriend who suspects that she might be pregnant.]
A...are you sure?
[He actually whispers it without meaning to, as if they're not the only ones in the apartment to hear him. It's obvious that she's sure- she wouldn't have bought it if she wasn't- and it doesn't change the fact she's been showing the signs for weeks now. It would be foolish not to at least check, or go to the doctor if it turned out to be negative and due to some other kind of issue going on.]
[His muted reaction comes as a relief, though her heart remains at its rapid rate regardless. She gives him time to assess the situation, hands folded in her lap, shifting a bit nervously in her seat because everything still feels so much at once. It was tempting to take the test immediately, had comes close to it, because if it came back negative she could just toss it in the public trash, out of sight and out of mind and save Legosi the anxiety and possible heartache if this was something he wanted.
She knows about his heritage, after all, his grandfather, and still very little about his mom besides the fact she's gone and that his father was never in the picture. And she knows about Melon, about hybrid children in general.
It's rare, special, and she's worried about setting Legosi up for a false alarm, but if it had came back positive while he was out--
She wants to find out as a couple. There's only so much time they spend together.
There's a pregnant (hahah) pause following his question, and she shifts in her seat. She feels strangely embarrassed.]
I was so busy I lost track of time but it's been six weeks since my period. School's been hectic but not stressful, I've been feeling sick and off and... [She slumps down, chin on the table, staring up at him.] I'm not sure of anything, I'm only sure I wanted to do this when you got back.
Besides, you've been acting weird these past few weeks. Like there's something wrong with me.
[Another deflection, but she did notice some extra care and concern from him these past few weeks, try as he might to be subtle about it.]
[He should have known she would have noticed. Even if he wasn't saying it, she knows him. There's only so much he can hide, especially when he's made it a bad habit early in their relationship of keeping things from Haru in the effort to protect her. Even now, when he's trying to be more honest and open with her...it's clearly still difficult for him to do.
He looks back at her with his expression softening as she lays her head against the table, the box of pregnancy tests suddenly the most noticable thing in the room now as Legosi sets it back down. It's only for a moment that he hesitates before going through with reaching out a hand, gently brushing it over the top of her head in a way that smooths her ears carefully back against her head.]
I'm sorry. I should have said something, but...I didn't want to worry you if it turned out to be nothing.
[And, well, missing your period when they've been sexually active isn't exactly nothing.
He brushes his thumb over her temple. Even now, he can't get over how soft her fur is compared to his own.]
There's...a difference, about you. I can smell it. [He finally admits, one of his ears flicking back.] But...I can't tell if it's just from you having been sick lately, or something else. It's not very noticable, just...enough.
[Legosi has, unsurprisingly, committed Haru's scent to memory to a very fine degree, so any slight change in it is going to tip him off. He hadn't even thought about it being an indicator of something like this, though. It's been in the back of his mind absolutely, something he'd pondered even before they were officially together. One day...having a family with Haru. It's a dream come true to think about, but not one he'd gotten his hopes up for.
He knew the risks and the unlikelihood, never mind the trauma it had brought to his own life at a young age. He'd already determined not to let that rule him early on, but still. What if it's true? What if...
Legosi decides to move, then, shifting around the table so he's sitting next to Haru instead of in front of her. With his hand still against her head, he leans in to press a kiss to the base of one of her ears.]
I think checking, just to make sure...is a good idea. I will be here for you, no matter what.
[She's through with staring at the bright pink of the pregnancy test packaging, internally lambasting herself for choosing a brand for its familiar, obnoxious colouring instead of something more subdued. But the sleeker looking packages were the needlessly more expensive ones, and it's not something they could afford to waste money on.
But, just as she's about to lay her face down on the table, Legosi reaches over to run his hand along the top of her head, his touch more soothing that what she'd have gotten from pressing her forehead against a hard surface. The rhythmic warmth of his fingers brushing over her fine fur, down along her ears, it grounds her in a way that reassures her that, no matter what, she has him.
And, for as independent as she may be, strong and resilient, she no longer feels weak admitting to herself that she needs him in the same way that he probably feels he needs her. Even when he says and does things that annoy her.
She's quiet, eyes closing as she relinquishes her nervous feelings to simply focus on his voice and his touch, moving only to accommodate the way the world seems to shift when he takes his spot at her side. He's warm, close, smelling of grease and residual food smells from his job. And it...eugh, turns her stomach in a way that's not intentional but just a reminder of how off and on she's been in terms of her general wellness and how she feels.
Still, she leans in to the kiss at his temple, flopping the full weight of her body into him. And when the wave of nausea ebbs away into nothing, she allows herself another moment. The here and now before taking a test that may determine the fate of their lives and future, or...well, they'll have to visit a doctor regardless of the results anyway.]
...I smell different? It smells? [said suddenly, unintentionally sounding highly offended. Because, she knows just how strong a canine's nose is, and she's fully aware of Legosi committing her scent to memory. But sometimes it escapes her just how sensitive his sense of smell is, and suddenly she's all at once feeling very self conscious.
But Legosi's initial thoughts were right. It's a rock and a hard place, telling your girlfriend she suddenly smells weird. Still, Haru feels slightly flushed, nervousness rising back up in the wake of now knowing she smells different, and she leans forward to grab the test sitting at the center of the table. She tears it open, it's a pack of two, and takes one of the wrapped test out, staring down at it and flicking one ear nervously before standing up, heading towards the door to use the communal bathroom of the apartment complex.]
Stay here. I'll be back.
[Said while exiting. And she keeps the door cracked open for another second or so to peer back at him commandingly, before finally shutting it and...leaving Legosi alone with his thoughts for as long as it takes to-- well, you know.
She really hopes she doesn't run into Zaguan on her way back. Having to pee on a stick is embarrassing enough.]
Ah, it's-! It's not a bad thing! It's just different!
[This is why he didn't want to tell her...not because he wanted to hide it from her, but because it's really fucking weird and he can't exactly blame her for taking offense to it. Legosi certainly doesn't mean it that way, of course, but that's just the way it goes sometimes...his nose is too strong for its own good. Figures it would be strong enough that he could somehow pinpoint the minute changes in her body as her hormones shift to adjust to the fact that she's actively pregnant.
Not that this is common knowledge between them yet, of course. Legosi is still reeling just from the mere suggestion that it might be true...it shows in his expression as much as it does in the way he's sitting despite trying desperately not to let it show. But, really, there's not much they can do other than actually have Haru use one of the tests. Either they'll be facing a false alarm and puzzling over a different problem, or...dealing with the reality of a whole new, greater one.
He sits up straighter as Haru opens the packaging and instructs him to stay put, watching him as if she (rightfully) expects him to get up and wander to the door in the meantime anyway, as if waiting there anxiously will give them both the answers they seek faster. Instead, he nods fervently and resolves to not let his nerves get the better of him in the meantime so Haru can just...take her time with this.
Being left alone with his thoughts isn't the best position to be in, considering...the anticipation may likely kill him before she returns.]
[Luckily, Haru runs into neither of Legosi's neighbors, or anyone else living in the apartment complex both to & and from the bathroom, so beyond the anxiety rattling through her just from the entire situation alone and having to...relax a bit to actually take the test, Legosi doesn't really have to wait long with his thoughts before the door opens and Haru returns to the safety of their flat. She looking down at the test, just as bright and pink as the box, frowning at it.
She's not saying much, fishing out a disposable cup from the lower cabinet of Legosi's kitchenette, silent as she walks back to the table and rest the test in the cup to keep it from touching the actual surface of the table. She's resting it in the cup so that the results remain visible, and the results are...
Standing by.]
We have to wait a few minutes. [Said matter-of-factly, and she reaches for the box again to pass the time, flipping it over to read the instructions on the back.]
If it's a circle, it's negative, but if it turns into a flower, it's positive... [She's grumbling a bit. Very apropos of a hormonal rabbit.] No wonder this was on sale.
[Legosi looks up when Haru returns, an unexpected rush of adrenaline spiking its way through his system as if she'd just be able to tell him the results right away. It makes much more sense that they're going to have to wait for the results...and having the actual test there with the indicator staring up at them isn't going to help his nerves any.
He spreads his hands out flat against his knees, curls them into fists, then repeats the gesture as Haru grumbles, his ears flicking once she addresses him directly.]
I'm not sure...this is probably fine, for now. We could always try it if you feel like you need it later.
[He trusts Haru's judgement with this above all else, especially since all of this is kindof far over his head to begin with. Would it being a large mammal test vs a small mammal one make any difference in how well it works? He wonders...
There's a pause that...quite frankly goes on for a bit too long after that, and it's enough to make Legosi feel like he needs to fill it.]
Is there anything I can get you in the meantime...?
[She hums in response, resting her elbows up on the table and her chin propped up against her balled fists. Her right ear twitching periodically. He's right, the small mammal test is probably fine, and honestly there probably isn't even a difference besides just the size of the test.
Honestly...if anything, after all this regardless of the results, she's going to want to speak to Gosha about this. But it still feels weird to reach out to Legosi's grandpa on her own. A relationship between a reptile and mammal must have been more unpredictable than two mammals after all.
She's so distracted by her thoughts that it takes her a second to register Legosi's question. Not even noticing the oppressing silence, or how intensely she's been staring at the test that remains relatively blank. A faint outline of some shape is starting but--
Oh, she should respond, shouldn't she?]
No, I'm good. [...another second or two. Still nothing. And, realizing Legosi's question was probably more for him and less for her, she looks away from the test and at him.] Oh! Um, actually [she stands] Let me get you some tea! We still have some bottles in the fridge.
[Her enthusiasm is unintentional and forced, and she hurriedly (nervously) heads back to the kitchenette, grabbing a bottle of cold green tea and making her way back to him.
And instead of sitting across from him she takes her seat directly next to him, thigh touching his for comfort and contact as she hands him the bottle.]
It...uh. Feels like we're waiting for lottery results, in a way. [an awkward laugh] I'm kind of hoping... [...what...is she hoping for? She doesn't want to get her hopes up, that lends itself to disappointment, and she doesn't want to make herself or him upset. But then again...] um it's...I want a family with you.
Thinking about raising a kid, especially one who's like you, it makes me happy. [Now that she's aware of the silence, she wants to fill it, glancing again at the test which feels like it's taking its sweet time figuring what shape it wants to take.] So no matter the result I just wanted you to know how I'm feeling.
[There's something that's been on Legosi's mind since Haru informed him of her suspiscions as to why she'd been so sick lately, but it was one thing he didn't think would be wise to voice. Because ultimately, it's a choice they'd been consciously making as a couple from the start. It's that...this wouldn't have even been a concern if he'd been more proactive with suggesting they use contraception, at least for the time being until they knew for sure that they were ready.
But that...isn't really fair to say. It's not like he's the only one who could make that kind of decision, and if anything Haru has more sway than he does despite being the direct influencer here, as it were. Never mind the fact that the odds of successful conception are so rare that money spent on that would be considered a waste anyway. Then there was the particularly sticky addition of the fact that Legosi...isn't sure he would have wanted it anyway.
Turns out that Haru immediately causes any of those worries and unvoiced concerns of his to instantly become a moot point when she informs him that she wants a family with him. Genuinely. Raising a child that's like him in particular, she...
Legosi sags visibly, something that Haru will be able to feel against her since she's so close. For a moment, he can't even find the words to reply with how he's thinking...it's like there's nothing he could say that would be appropriate right now because this is what he's yearned for since he realized he was in love with Haru. The possibility, however slim, of having a family with her. Of living a normal life...being happy together with a child of their own.
His breath catches, a hand reaching up to press to the side of his face as he laughs under his breath. It's quiet for how big of a guy he is, and when he speaks it's even quieter.]
I'm so glad...I'm so glad, Haru-chan.
[He holds his hand there for a moment longer, smearing it over his muzzle, eyes, then back down the side until it's fallen off and into his lap again. The bottle of tea remains held in his other, so far unopened against his knee.]
I...I want it too. Even if it turns out not to be now...I really want it.
[She was speaking from both the heart and just for the sake of keeping the silence from overtaking the two of them as they waited, so she wasn't expecting Legosi's reaction in the slightest. It takes her by surprised, just how physically he responds, and at his silence in response she puts her hand on his thigh, looking away from the test, focusing all her attention on him. It always astonishes her, how small and quiet his voice can get in a body as large and as encompassing as his.
Haru's only somewhat aware of his anxieties, still having never been told the full extent of what the deal was with Melon and him, and mostly chalking his current nerves up to how any other boyfriend would react to hearing his girlfriend may or may not be pregnant. But the way he physically relaxes, and the rest of his reaction that follows...she knows there's something more to all this. It goes deeper than simply being nervous about having to change their lives for a new life, something that Haru as a full-blooded rabbit might not fully understand.
But she meant what she said, truly. Because she loves Legosi, loves who and what he is, and having a kid with him makes just about as much sense as their relationship does in the first place. Which...it doesn't, but it works because they make it work. She takes his hand soon after it falls into his lap with her own, squeezing it.]
I'm glad too. [And she lets go, only to stand and rest her hand at his shoulder, taking advantage of the moment to kiss his cheek just below his eye. Exhaling, she's about to bend back down to open the bottle of tea for him, when she glances back over at the test.
Because it's bright and pink and eye-catching, and--]
Flower.
[The word kind of just tumbles out of her mouth, heavy and sudden.]
I think that's what that is, right?
[Moving from Legosi, she snatches the test from the cup, holding it between her hands and squinting down at the marker. It's most certainly a flower. A round, multi-petaled, cartoony looking flower, and for a moment Haru is internally grumbling about how stupid and kitschy this test is, one ear twitching, before what it means actually sinks in.]
Oh...ah, I guess that means-- [Looking over at Legosi, wide eyed and visibly nervous, the atmosphere of the room shifting back to what it had been at the start. She shakily holds it out towards him, so he can take and look for himself.] We won?
[You know, that aforementioned lottery? Which...would be pretty helpful to have actually won, their present circumstances considered.]
[The word escapes him a moment after it does Haru, gaze following hers as she hops down from him so she can go pick up the test. Somehow, he hadn't expected it to be ready so quickly, yet here it is. Here's their answer.
It might be stupid and kitschy, but it also means that flowers hold so much more significance in their lives, now. More than either of them could have possibly imagined. They, in quite the literal sense, now represent the real start of Legosi and Haru's little family together.
...they're going to have a family.
Haru holds the test out for him to take in his hands, but honestly he doesn't need to look any closer. He can see it from here, staring up at him in all of its cartoonish glory, so what he will pick up instead is Haru. He sweeps past the offer and instead scoops her up beneath her arms before just...
Holding her close against his chest in a tight embrace, lifted completely up off the ground. He knows he should have something more eloquent to say- or anything profound to say for that matter- but it's just too much to take in all at once. He's such an overwhelming mix of happy, relieved, nervous, frightened, and absolutely giddy that the only thing he can think to do to ground himself is embrace Haru.
He thinks he might have said something in the wake of him grabbing and holding her, something along the lines of being happy and relieved, but it sort of came out indistinct against his face pressed to the side of hers, and before he knows it...ah. He can feel the wetness of tears streaking down the sides of his muzzle, and he hopes he doesn't have to tell Haru that they're positive and not negative ones. Especially not when he's holding her even closer to himself, tight- but not painfully so.]
[The ongoing significance of flowers in their relationship will probably, eventually, reach Haru a few days later: once the surprise and surrealness of what that little emoji-like marker confirms wanes away into what's going to be reality for the next however-many months a hybrid pregnancy lasts. But as of now, Haru's a mess of feeling a whole lot of feelings at once, feelings that get swept away in an instant as Legosi sweeps her off her feet and up into a hug.
It's an uncharacteristic gesture from him, something he hasn't done in awhile, at least, and it's met with the same clinging enthusiasm from her. One hand still holds the test she offered for him to look at, the other gripping his shirt, holding onto him and trying to make out whatever it was he just said, muffled against her, into her fur.
And burying her face into the crook of his neck, she feels the warmth of his tears matting her fur. Pulling him in even tighter, dropping the test to the floor to rake her fingers through the fur at the back of his head. Her heartbeat remains intense, conveying a mind that's suddenly racing with a lot of thoughts, but she recenters herself. Onto him and on living in this moment, filing it away among the many other memories she has with him.]
I'm happy. [Her voice is surprisingly level, thick with her own want to cry, only because he's crying and she's, well, she guesses it's hormones, isn't it?] Scared, but-- [And she presses her face against the warm fur of his neck, voice muffled, keeping him close.] I'm glad.
[The timing of it could honestly have been a bit better; later down the line, with her graduated from classes and him, perhaps, with a better paying job. But they never really did things in the right order, have they? Everything in their lives has been about random circumstances, impulse and instinct.
[The timing is...pretty bad, all things considered. They're not exactly what you'd call in a good place for having a family, between Haru's schooling and Legosi working a minimum wage job with inconsistent hours. But even when he was too young to fully grasp the concept or understand, he knew that this was the way his family originated. His grandmother and grandfather...they loved each other, got married, and had a child in such a short amount of time that it could scarcely be believed, and as much as they turned heads it didn't matter. They were happy.
People could learn a thing or two from living that sort of life, Legosi thinks. One where it's lived to the absolute fullest, every second filled with love.
He'll eventually pull his head back, but not very far. Just enough so he can press his forehead to Haru's, his eyes half closed with his vision still blurry with unshed tears.]
Whatever happens now...we'll go through it together.
[He's already committed himself to Haru that much. No matter the sacrifices he needs to make or accomodations that may be required to make this work. There's very little Legosi wouldn't do for Haru, and even less now that they have confirmation that it's not just going to be the two of them for much longer.
He turns his head a little, nuzzling her in a gesture that seems impossibly gentle for a wolf of his size.]
I love you...so much.
please know how hard it was for me to not gagtag you that zootopia comic.
[It's not like they've been a couple of perfect timing themselves anyway...so it's apt for this to have happened so sudden and completely unplanned. There's still a lot to learn about Legosi and what his family life had been like but, a selfish part of Haru feels that in being pregnant, once things are set in motion, she can turn to Gosha and just talk. Turn to him for advice without feeling like she's being nosy. Because it's not like her family has any idea about having a kid that's not a purebred rabbit.
Ah...she'll have to tell them too though. The thought of it making her head spin, mainly about how her dad would take the news but, they liked Legosi. But it's different than just moving in with a guy...
Regardless, that's something for future-Haru to think about. For now, she'll stay focused on the present, in this moment, and hooking her knees around his waist to keep her legs from dangling as he holds her, she cups his face in her hands, resting her forehead, against his. It's firm, solid, warm and comforting, and she can still smell the tinge of grease from his workplace clinging to his fur, even through the tears.]
We better. [There's a teasing edge to her voice, running her thumbs below his eyes to dry whatever remains of his tears. And, in response to his nuzzle, she leans into it, smiling, feeling overwhelmed, and happy.] I love you too. [Said, genuinely, nuzzling him back with her chin, in a very rabbit-like response. And then, following a pause, she pats his cheek.]
What I don't love...is feeling sick.
[But, at least she knows why, and for now it's just a mild, dull feeling, like a wave washing over her following that wave of relief of simply knowing. She pats him again, in a gentle but firm 'put me down' sort of way.]
[Poor Haru...now that they actually know why she's been so ill, it only stands to reason she probably isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to boughts of morning sickness. Because of that, he'll very carefully set her back down on the floor now that he's hugged and cried all over her. He still looks more than a little shell shocked and would probably benefit from blasting himself with a hot shower to clean himself of work, crying, and inevitable stress related residue still clinging to him. Now that he thinks about it, he can't imagine he's very pleasant for Haru to be so near when she's feeling like she does...he'd understandably been distracted the instant he got home.
He puts the still-unopened green tea back on the table, intending for Haru to have it in his stead since he figures she'd benefit from it more than he would right now. There's so much to think about, so much to do, but what he needs to do is remember that while there's a long road ahead, they can still control little things in this moment.]
I'm...going to take a shower, but I'll be quick.
[He doesn't want to leave Haru, but it's not like she's going to explode or like have a baby in the ten minutes he'll be gone.]
Then we can order in.
[A meal they can talk more at length over, he thinks. And even if Haru is still feeling unwell, he imagines she'd feel better eating something.]
[At least knowing why she feels this way comes with added relief and...well, not less stress but, a mysterious illness is a lot more foreboding for a small animal compared to morning sickness. As he sets her down she does hazard another kiss to take advantage of his closeness, atop his muzzle where his fur thins near his wet nose.
It's a mix of butterflies and nausea when she looks at him, and when he does part from her she does exactly what's expected, settling down on her knees at the table and twisting open the green tea still cold from the fridge.]
Take as long as you need-- [Please...you stink of grease...] You're not going to miss anything.
[She sounds amused. Still very much shaken up by all this, evidenced by the way she still has to steady herself before taking a sip from the bottle, but she's happy. Haru would have been happy if it were just the two of them growing old together from now until the end but, the fact that they'll be having a kid? It's a thought that finally sinks in when Legosi leaves for his shower, and she feels splotches of tears falling warm and wet from her eyes from the relief of it all, wiping them away with the back of her wrist.
Yeah, she'll definitely feel better after eating something.]
[With one last crooked grin to leave Haru with, Legosi shuffles off to the washroom to make himself a bit more pleasant to be around. It's going to be some time before he can really process anything, gathering up his clothes in something of a stupor with his thoughts unable to connect on any one topic. They should be a whirling, overwhelming mass, but right now he can't think of anything at all. It's like his brain is on autopilot as a defense mechanism while he recovers from the outpouring of emotions all at once. Shower. Basic needs. That's what he can handle right now.
But then he gets into the shower, alone for the first time since Haru left to actually take the test, hot water striking the back of his head with as literal of a hammer as anything to remind him that this is all real. He isn't dreaming any of it. He's going to return to their apartment to that little white rabbit in the center of the room. His girlfriend. The soon-to-be mother of his child.
He cradles his face in his claws, and he weeps. He thinks about how Gosha must have felt when he heard the same news. He thinks about his mother. Thinks about all of the hybrid children and adults alike that exist in this world, and he wonders...what will mine be like? Will they be healthy? Happy? Or will they seek to hide their heritage from the world, just as his mom once had?
Legosi can only hope for a bright future. It's something he's going to chase after for his child with every last ounce of his strength, at no matter the cost.
He comes back to Haru in a little while, his grey fur fluffy from drying and all of his usual canine/work smell all gone. You can't completely keep a dog from smelling like a dog, of course, but now he smells like freshly bathed dog. A much nicer variation.
Silently, he stoops down next to where Haru is sitting so he can take a seat beside her at the table, setting something down in the middle of it. It's a small pile of menus that they'd collected from various restaurants that deliver nearby.]
[She's managed to quell her tears even as the swell of emotion stays warm and heavy at the center of her chest, a pleasant contrast to the way she'd been otherwise feeling on and off these past few weeks. Still, through her sniffling and wiping her face dry, she manages a few more careful sips of green tea before setting it aside to tidy the place up as Legosi bathes.
Life goes on, and will continue to go on, even if right now she feels like she's in a little bubble of what ifs, most pleasant but some thoughts dipping into uncertain territory. And as she picks up the test from the floor to put it away, washes her hands and tidies up the table in preparation for ordering and having dinner in, she thinks to...
That professor of hers, who she's not seen hide nor hair of outside of what happened well over a year ago at this point. About how happy she had been to see a hybrid adult like him, the trepidation and excitement she had felt. But before she can ruminate or think any further, setting herself back down in her usual spot, Legosi comes back smelling nice and clean and at this point, she's gotten so used to the simple underlying smell of dog that it smells reassuring and of home at this point. Leaning against him as she settles down next to her, she gives herself a moment to just relax against him before leaning forward to sift through the menus he's set down for her to look over.]
Hmm... [She's sitting up on her knees, flipping through the selection. It's not a huge choice of takeout around these parts as it had been near her university, considering how close the complex had been to the Back Alley Market, but she sits back after choosing her go-to place.] I think I can really go for some dumplings tonight. That feels like a safe option.
[She spreads open the menu for him to look alongside her, her ears twitching every so often. It's funny, how normal this all is, while knowing officially that their routine is going to change dramatically in the coming months.]
You should pick your favourite from the menu, too.
[Haru's encounter with Melon isn't something Legosi thinks back on often. Mostly because, well...his primary takeaway memory is that of Haru promising Melon he could eat her, but given what they'd both been through at this point...it's not really something he could hold against her anymore. Far too much has happened for that, especially when it doesn't matter at this point besides. What he does think about, however, is the impact every interaction he had with the hybrid made on him, both good and bad.
Melon was an example. An example of what can come of a hybrid relationship if not taken the proper dilligence and care. One can't predict what their children may do, of course, but even so...Legosi can only hope that whatever their future child turns out to be like, they'll be happy enough with their lives that they don't fall into a similar type of madness. He isn't sure what he would even begin to do in a situation like that.
Legosi shifts an arm around Haru as she leans over to look at the menus, making a much more snug space for her to fold in against his side. Honestly, several more of her could fit against him with how much space he can give, but.]
Mm...
[It only takes him a moment to decide, and it's probably predictable as anything. He points a claw at a listing for Tamagoyaki. Legosi's go-to type of comfort food.]
It won't be the same as the egg sandwiches from Cherryton were, but still good.
[And learning he's going to be a father is plenty worth celebrating with EGG.]
[There's a comfortable, warm feeling that settles in her heart as Legosi affords her a more comfortable spot at his side, herself feeling snug and safe, surrounded by the smell of soap. It's impossible to predict the future, but...unlike whatever had happened to Melon that had him behaving the way he did, she knows that theirs will be a warm and safe home.
She has a hunch as to what Legosi's going to pick, and the moment he points at his choice she smirks, settling in even closer after she fishes her smartphone out of her pocket. Your cellphone savvy girlfriend is going to place this order through Zoober Eats because honestly, she doesn't really want to burst this little bubble of the two of them by talking to some stranger on the phone. Not right now.]
You talk about those sandwiches like they're the girl that got away. [Said chidingly, tapping away at her screen as she speaks.] I'll order some extra sides. Worst case, we'll have leftovers.
[Aaand done and ordered. She draws her feet up close, her full weight now against him, and after a second, something's clearly still weighing on her mind after all this:]
[He's only half joking. He still wonders why his favorite changed so suddenly, but alas...he hasn't had them in such a long time. It's nothing more than a nostalgic memory these days.
With their dinner ordered and on the way, Legosi had been ready to just sit holding Haru for a little while...until Haru is Haru and asks him something he isn't immediately prepared to answer. He's so glad she accepts all the weird canine things about him, but this has got to be one of the harder ones to explain.]
You, ah...well...I mean. You always smell.
[...]
N-not-! In a bad way! Everything has a scent, and yours is absolutely wonderful...I couldn't mistake it for anything. It's just...difficult to explain. It's subtly different, right now.
[His tail curves a bit closer to the both of them.]
[She flashes him A Look when he says she always smells, but it's mostly performance; because, honestly, she knows that nose of his and she's an animal herself. Everyone smells, and she's always the first to point out whenever Legosi stinks.
So she relaxes into him as he explains further, absentmindedly taking his tail in her arms as it curls around them, bringing it over her lap and petting him as she tries to put herself in his shoes. Imagine how the world must be for a guy who can smell that something was up with her before either of them even knew. And, one hand still resting atop his tail, she brings the other down to rest against her abdomen. It's not that she feels anything, it's too early, but it's more the thought of it.
A subtle difference.]
It's weird to think about...that there's something else there. [And that he could sense it before even she knew what was up] Because besides feeling sick, I don't feel anything else just yet.
[It still feels like it's just her, even knowing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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So on the surface, everything seems all right.]
I'm feeling okay! Better than the last few days, but I overslept this morning so I didn't bother going to campus today. [and, quickly before Legosi can express concern] My class today was mostly review anyway. [She absentmindedly drums her fingers against whatever it is she's holding close, clearly mulling over something as she looks away from Legosi.] How was work? I know Fridays get busy.
[Look, she's not about to spring 'Also, I realized I missed my period last month' on a guy who just got back from work, ok? Assuming a guy like Legosi even knows what that insinuates.
Swiftly nudging the box down from the table onto her lap, she leans to the side, rummaging through the shopping bag and pulling out a much bigger box of...honestly, what are essentially large-canine protein biscuits.]
I had to go to the drug store to pick something up, and I found these! It's the extra-crunchy kind of cookie you like.
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It was...very busy. Busier than a normal Friday.
[He opts not to mention the frustrating customers, since that's probably a given. Busy doesn't usually always equal nice patrons, in his experience.
The biscuits are a welcome surprise, mainly because Legosi is just now realizing that he'd only eaten once all day. It wasn't on purpose so much as it was that he just had gotten busy with his shift, and also a little too preoccupied to do more than inhale what he'd brought before going straight back to work. Working kept him busy, and being busy meant it was harder for him to lapse into the unending loop his brain liked to fall into at times.
He takes the box in hand, working to get it open with his claws while he talks.]
Thank you. What was it that you needed?
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Which is why...she's easing into this, smile coming a bit easier now as he takes the offered box, her gaze moving from his face to his hands as he uses his claws to open it. It's the little things with him that make her feel calm, like knowing how he used to hide parts of himself from her like his claws.]
We can order in tonight. Make things easy for us tonight. [She brings her elbow up on the table, resting her cheek against the heel of her palm as she watches. Waiting for him to eat some of the biscuits before just.
Unloading stuff onto him. She anticipates his question, has been readying herself to bring it up the moment she dropped everything to head to the store, but even still it's really hard to answer him and say it out loud. Because it's one step closer to finding out if what she's thinking is an actual really.] W-well, you know. I was running low on toothpaste, and thought we could use more snack foods since you don't always have time for dinner.
[She's...deflecting. But finally relents and fights through how fast her heart is racing, free hand reaching for the box she had dropped in her lap and unceremoniously sliding it across the table for it to be in full few.]
And I think I need this.
[There's no beating around the bush as to what this is, because in bright pink lettering it reads: Rabbit Ready! Rapid Pregnancy Test]
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A half-eaten third biscuit drops back into the box as it falls from his hand, but that is fortunately the most dramatic reaction he has to seeing the pregnancy test beyond the way his already wide eyes grow impossibly wider.
Carefully, he closes the box back up and puts it back in the bag for the time being before reaching out to actually pick up the box on the table with as much delicacy as he can muster, as if Haru had already taken the test and the box was what held all the secrets to their future. And it does, really, he's just...thinking way too far ahead of himself, here. The fact of the matter is that pregnancies between interspecies couples are not only risky, but rare enough that they'd not given as much care to methods of contraception as they likely should have. It's just as likely that even if they were trying to conceive, it would result in disappointment. Their genetic makeup simply wouldn't allow the cross. At least, that's what all the medical textbooks say.
Yet, here Legosi sits, a Grey Wolf with komodo dragon blood in him and a rabbit girlfriend who suspects that she might be pregnant.]
A...are you sure?
[He actually whispers it without meaning to, as if they're not the only ones in the apartment to hear him. It's obvious that she's sure- she wouldn't have bought it if she wasn't- and it doesn't change the fact she's been showing the signs for weeks now. It would be foolish not to at least check, or go to the doctor if it turned out to be negative and due to some other kind of issue going on.]
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She knows about his heritage, after all, his grandfather, and still very little about his mom besides the fact she's gone and that his father was never in the picture. And she knows about Melon, about hybrid children in general.
It's rare, special, and she's worried about setting Legosi up for a false alarm, but if it had came back positive while he was out--
She wants to find out as a couple. There's only so much time they spend together.
There's a pregnant (hahah) pause following his question, and she shifts in her seat. She feels strangely embarrassed.]
I was so busy I lost track of time but it's been six weeks since my period. School's been hectic but not stressful, I've been feeling sick and off and... [She slumps down, chin on the table, staring up at him.] I'm not sure of anything, I'm only sure I wanted to do this when you got back.
Besides, you've been acting weird these past few weeks. Like there's something wrong with me.
[Another deflection, but she did notice some extra care and concern from him these past few weeks, try as he might to be subtle about it.]
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[He should have known she would have noticed. Even if he wasn't saying it, she knows him. There's only so much he can hide, especially when he's made it a bad habit early in their relationship of keeping things from Haru in the effort to protect her. Even now, when he's trying to be more honest and open with her...it's clearly still difficult for him to do.
He looks back at her with his expression softening as she lays her head against the table, the box of pregnancy tests suddenly the most noticable thing in the room now as Legosi sets it back down. It's only for a moment that he hesitates before going through with reaching out a hand, gently brushing it over the top of her head in a way that smooths her ears carefully back against her head.]
I'm sorry. I should have said something, but...I didn't want to worry you if it turned out to be nothing.
[And, well, missing your period when they've been sexually active isn't exactly nothing.
He brushes his thumb over her temple. Even now, he can't get over how soft her fur is compared to his own.]
There's...a difference, about you. I can smell it. [He finally admits, one of his ears flicking back.] But...I can't tell if it's just from you having been sick lately, or something else. It's not very noticable, just...enough.
[Legosi has, unsurprisingly, committed Haru's scent to memory to a very fine degree, so any slight change in it is going to tip him off. He hadn't even thought about it being an indicator of something like this, though. It's been in the back of his mind absolutely, something he'd pondered even before they were officially together. One day...having a family with Haru. It's a dream come true to think about, but not one he'd gotten his hopes up for.
He knew the risks and the unlikelihood, never mind the trauma it had brought to his own life at a young age. He'd already determined not to let that rule him early on, but still. What if it's true? What if...
Legosi decides to move, then, shifting around the table so he's sitting next to Haru instead of in front of her. With his hand still against her head, he leans in to press a kiss to the base of one of her ears.]
I think checking, just to make sure...is a good idea. I will be here for you, no matter what.
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[She's through with staring at the bright pink of the pregnancy test packaging, internally lambasting herself for choosing a brand for its familiar, obnoxious colouring instead of something more subdued. But the sleeker looking packages were the needlessly more expensive ones, and it's not something they could afford to waste money on.
But, just as she's about to lay her face down on the table, Legosi reaches over to run his hand along the top of her head, his touch more soothing that what she'd have gotten from pressing her forehead against a hard surface. The rhythmic warmth of his fingers brushing over her fine fur, down along her ears, it grounds her in a way that reassures her that, no matter what, she has him.
And, for as independent as she may be, strong and resilient, she no longer feels weak admitting to herself that she needs him in the same way that he probably feels he needs her. Even when he says and does things that annoy her.
She's quiet, eyes closing as she relinquishes her nervous feelings to simply focus on his voice and his touch, moving only to accommodate the way the world seems to shift when he takes his spot at her side. He's warm, close, smelling of grease and residual food smells from his job. And it...eugh, turns her stomach in a way that's not intentional but just a reminder of how off and on she's been in terms of her general wellness and how she feels.
Still, she leans in to the kiss at his temple, flopping the full weight of her body into him. And when the wave of nausea ebbs away into nothing, she allows herself another moment. The here and now before taking a test that may determine the fate of their lives and future, or...well, they'll have to visit a doctor regardless of the results anyway.]
...I smell different? It smells? [said suddenly, unintentionally sounding highly offended. Because, she knows just how strong a canine's nose is, and she's fully aware of Legosi committing her scent to memory. But sometimes it escapes her just how sensitive his sense of smell is, and suddenly she's all at once feeling very self conscious.
But Legosi's initial thoughts were right. It's a rock and a hard place, telling your girlfriend she suddenly smells weird. Still, Haru feels slightly flushed, nervousness rising back up in the wake of now knowing she smells different, and she leans forward to grab the test sitting at the center of the table. She tears it open, it's a pack of two, and takes one of the wrapped test out, staring down at it and flicking one ear nervously before standing up, heading towards the door to use the communal bathroom of the apartment complex.]
Stay here. I'll be back.
[Said while exiting. And she keeps the door cracked open for another second or so to peer back at him commandingly, before finally shutting it and...leaving Legosi alone with his thoughts for as long as it takes to-- well, you know.
She really hopes she doesn't run into Zaguan on her way back. Having to pee on a stick is embarrassing enough.]
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[This is why he didn't want to tell her...not because he wanted to hide it from her, but because it's really fucking weird and he can't exactly blame her for taking offense to it. Legosi certainly doesn't mean it that way, of course, but that's just the way it goes sometimes...his nose is too strong for its own good. Figures it would be strong enough that he could somehow pinpoint the minute changes in her body as her hormones shift to adjust to the fact that she's actively pregnant.
Not that this is common knowledge between them yet, of course. Legosi is still reeling just from the mere suggestion that it might be true...it shows in his expression as much as it does in the way he's sitting despite trying desperately not to let it show. But, really, there's not much they can do other than actually have Haru use one of the tests. Either they'll be facing a false alarm and puzzling over a different problem, or...dealing with the reality of a whole new, greater one.
He sits up straighter as Haru opens the packaging and instructs him to stay put, watching him as if she (rightfully) expects him to get up and wander to the door in the meantime anyway, as if waiting there anxiously will give them both the answers they seek faster. Instead, he nods fervently and resolves to not let his nerves get the better of him in the meantime so Haru can just...take her time with this.
Being left alone with his thoughts isn't the best position to be in, considering...the anticipation may likely kill him before she returns.]
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She's not saying much, fishing out a disposable cup from the lower cabinet of Legosi's kitchenette, silent as she walks back to the table and rest the test in the cup to keep it from touching the actual surface of the table. She's resting it in the cup so that the results remain visible, and the results are...
Standing by.]
We have to wait a few minutes. [Said matter-of-factly, and she reaches for the box again to pass the time, flipping it over to read the instructions on the back.]
If it's a circle, it's negative, but if it turns into a flower, it's positive... [She's grumbling a bit. Very apropos of a hormonal rabbit.] No wonder this was on sale.
[looking up at Legosi]
Think I should've gotten a large mammal test too?
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He spreads his hands out flat against his knees, curls them into fists, then repeats the gesture as Haru grumbles, his ears flicking once she addresses him directly.]
I'm not sure...this is probably fine, for now. We could always try it if you feel like you need it later.
[He trusts Haru's judgement with this above all else, especially since all of this is kindof far over his head to begin with. Would it being a large mammal test vs a small mammal one make any difference in how well it works? He wonders...
There's a pause that...quite frankly goes on for a bit too long after that, and it's enough to make Legosi feel like he needs to fill it.]
Is there anything I can get you in the meantime...?
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Honestly...if anything, after all this regardless of the results, she's going to want to speak to Gosha about this. But it still feels weird to reach out to Legosi's grandpa on her own. A relationship between a reptile and mammal must have been more unpredictable than two mammals after all.
She's so distracted by her thoughts that it takes her a second to register Legosi's question. Not even noticing the oppressing silence, or how intensely she's been staring at the test that remains relatively blank. A faint outline of some shape is starting but--
Oh, she should respond, shouldn't she?]
No, I'm good. [...another second or two. Still nothing. And, realizing Legosi's question was probably more for him and less for her, she looks away from the test and at him.] Oh! Um, actually [she stands] Let me get you some tea! We still have some bottles in the fridge.
[Her enthusiasm is unintentional and forced, and she hurriedly (nervously) heads back to the kitchenette, grabbing a bottle of cold green tea and making her way back to him.
And instead of sitting across from him she takes her seat directly next to him, thigh touching his for comfort and contact as she hands him the bottle.]
It...uh. Feels like we're waiting for lottery results, in a way. [an awkward laugh] I'm kind of hoping... [...what...is she hoping for? She doesn't want to get her hopes up, that lends itself to disappointment, and she doesn't want to make herself or him upset. But then again...] um it's...I want a family with you.
Thinking about raising a kid, especially one who's like you, it makes me happy. [Now that she's aware of the silence, she wants to fill it, glancing again at the test which feels like it's taking its sweet time figuring what shape it wants to take.] So no matter the result I just wanted you to know how I'm feeling.
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But that...isn't really fair to say. It's not like he's the only one who could make that kind of decision, and if anything Haru has more sway than he does despite being the direct influencer here, as it were. Never mind the fact that the odds of successful conception are so rare that money spent on that would be considered a waste anyway. Then there was the particularly sticky addition of the fact that Legosi...isn't sure he would have wanted it anyway.
Turns out that Haru immediately causes any of those worries and unvoiced concerns of his to instantly become a moot point when she informs him that she wants a family with him. Genuinely. Raising a child that's like him in particular, she...
Legosi sags visibly, something that Haru will be able to feel against her since she's so close. For a moment, he can't even find the words to reply with how he's thinking...it's like there's nothing he could say that would be appropriate right now because this is what he's yearned for since he realized he was in love with Haru. The possibility, however slim, of having a family with her. Of living a normal life...being happy together with a child of their own.
His breath catches, a hand reaching up to press to the side of his face as he laughs under his breath. It's quiet for how big of a guy he is, and when he speaks it's even quieter.]
I'm so glad...I'm so glad, Haru-chan.
[He holds his hand there for a moment longer, smearing it over his muzzle, eyes, then back down the side until it's fallen off and into his lap again. The bottle of tea remains held in his other, so far unopened against his knee.]
I...I want it too. Even if it turns out not to be now...I really want it.
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Haru's only somewhat aware of his anxieties, still having never been told the full extent of what the deal was with Melon and him, and mostly chalking his current nerves up to how any other boyfriend would react to hearing his girlfriend may or may not be pregnant. But the way he physically relaxes, and the rest of his reaction that follows...she knows there's something more to all this. It goes deeper than simply being nervous about having to change their lives for a new life, something that Haru as a full-blooded rabbit might not fully understand.
But she meant what she said, truly. Because she loves Legosi, loves who and what he is, and having a kid with him makes just about as much sense as their relationship does in the first place. Which...it doesn't, but it works because they make it work. She takes his hand soon after it falls into his lap with her own, squeezing it.]
I'm glad too. [And she lets go, only to stand and rest her hand at his shoulder, taking advantage of the moment to kiss his cheek just below his eye. Exhaling, she's about to bend back down to open the bottle of tea for him, when she glances back over at the test.
Because it's bright and pink and eye-catching, and--]
Flower.
[The word kind of just tumbles out of her mouth, heavy and sudden.]
I think that's what that is, right?
[Moving from Legosi, she snatches the test from the cup, holding it between her hands and squinting down at the marker. It's most certainly a flower. A round, multi-petaled, cartoony looking flower, and for a moment Haru is internally grumbling about how stupid and kitschy this test is, one ear twitching, before what it means actually sinks in.]
Oh...ah, I guess that means-- [Looking over at Legosi, wide eyed and visibly nervous, the atmosphere of the room shifting back to what it had been at the start. She shakily holds it out towards him, so he can take and look for himself.] We won?
[You know, that aforementioned lottery? Which...would be pretty helpful to have actually won, their present circumstances considered.]
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[The word escapes him a moment after it does Haru, gaze following hers as she hops down from him so she can go pick up the test. Somehow, he hadn't expected it to be ready so quickly, yet here it is. Here's their answer.
It might be stupid and kitschy, but it also means that flowers hold so much more significance in their lives, now. More than either of them could have possibly imagined. They, in quite the literal sense, now represent the real start of Legosi and Haru's little family together.
...they're going to have a family.
Haru holds the test out for him to take in his hands, but honestly he doesn't need to look any closer. He can see it from here, staring up at him in all of its cartoonish glory, so what he will pick up instead is Haru. He sweeps past the offer and instead scoops her up beneath her arms before just...
Holding her close against his chest in a tight embrace, lifted completely up off the ground. He knows he should have something more eloquent to say- or anything profound to say for that matter- but it's just too much to take in all at once. He's such an overwhelming mix of happy, relieved, nervous, frightened, and absolutely giddy that the only thing he can think to do to ground himself is embrace Haru.
He thinks he might have said something in the wake of him grabbing and holding her, something along the lines of being happy and relieved, but it sort of came out indistinct against his face pressed to the side of hers, and before he knows it...ah. He can feel the wetness of tears streaking down the sides of his muzzle, and he hopes he doesn't have to tell Haru that they're positive and not negative ones. Especially not when he's holding her even closer to himself, tight- but not painfully so.]
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It's an uncharacteristic gesture from him, something he hasn't done in awhile, at least, and it's met with the same clinging enthusiasm from her. One hand still holds the test she offered for him to look at, the other gripping his shirt, holding onto him and trying to make out whatever it was he just said, muffled against her, into her fur.
And burying her face into the crook of his neck, she feels the warmth of his tears matting her fur. Pulling him in even tighter, dropping the test to the floor to rake her fingers through the fur at the back of his head. Her heartbeat remains intense, conveying a mind that's suddenly racing with a lot of thoughts, but she recenters herself. Onto him and on living in this moment, filing it away among the many other memories she has with him.]
I'm happy. [Her voice is surprisingly level, thick with her own want to cry, only because he's crying and she's, well, she guesses it's hormones, isn't it?] Scared, but-- [And she presses her face against the warm fur of his neck, voice muffled, keeping him close.] I'm glad.
[The timing of it could honestly have been a bit better; later down the line, with her graduated from classes and him, perhaps, with a better paying job. But they never really did things in the right order, have they? Everything in their lives has been about random circumstances, impulse and instinct.
So this? It feels right.]
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People could learn a thing or two from living that sort of life, Legosi thinks. One where it's lived to the absolute fullest, every second filled with love.
He'll eventually pull his head back, but not very far. Just enough so he can press his forehead to Haru's, his eyes half closed with his vision still blurry with unshed tears.]
Whatever happens now...we'll go through it together.
[He's already committed himself to Haru that much. No matter the sacrifices he needs to make or accomodations that may be required to make this work. There's very little Legosi wouldn't do for Haru, and even less now that they have confirmation that it's not just going to be the two of them for much longer.
He turns his head a little, nuzzling her in a gesture that seems impossibly gentle for a wolf of his size.]
I love you...so much.
please know how hard it was for me to not gagtag you that zootopia comic.
Ah...she'll have to tell them too though. The thought of it making her head spin, mainly about how her dad would take the news but, they liked Legosi. But it's different than just moving in with a guy...
Regardless, that's something for future-Haru to think about. For now, she'll stay focused on the present, in this moment, and hooking her knees around his waist to keep her legs from dangling as he holds her, she cups his face in her hands, resting her forehead, against his. It's firm, solid, warm and comforting, and she can still smell the tinge of grease from his workplace clinging to his fur, even through the tears.]
We better. [There's a teasing edge to her voice, running her thumbs below his eyes to dry whatever remains of his tears. And, in response to his nuzzle, she leans into it, smiling, feeling overwhelmed, and happy.] I love you too. [Said, genuinely, nuzzling him back with her chin, in a very rabbit-like response. And then, following a pause, she pats his cheek.]
What I don't love...is feeling sick.
[But, at least she knows why, and for now it's just a mild, dull feeling, like a wave washing over her following that wave of relief of simply knowing. She pats him again, in a gentle but firm 'put me down' sort of way.]
I would have screamed and accepted my fate
[Poor Haru...now that they actually know why she's been so ill, it only stands to reason she probably isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to boughts of morning sickness. Because of that, he'll very carefully set her back down on the floor now that he's hugged and cried all over her. He still looks more than a little shell shocked and would probably benefit from blasting himself with a hot shower to clean himself of work, crying, and inevitable stress related residue still clinging to him. Now that he thinks about it, he can't imagine he's very pleasant for Haru to be so near when she's feeling like she does...he'd understandably been distracted the instant he got home.
He puts the still-unopened green tea back on the table, intending for Haru to have it in his stead since he figures she'd benefit from it more than he would right now. There's so much to think about, so much to do, but what he needs to do is remember that while there's a long road ahead, they can still control little things in this moment.]
I'm...going to take a shower, but I'll be quick.
[He doesn't want to leave Haru, but it's not like she's going to explode or like have a baby in the ten minutes he'll be gone.]
Then we can order in.
[A meal they can talk more at length over, he thinks. And even if Haru is still feeling unwell, he imagines she'd feel better eating something.]
i can still take this thread in that direction.
It's a mix of butterflies and nausea when she looks at him, and when he does part from her she does exactly what's expected, settling down on her knees at the table and twisting open the green tea still cold from the fridge.]
Take as long as you need-- [Please...you stink of grease...] You're not going to miss anything.
[She sounds amused. Still very much shaken up by all this, evidenced by the way she still has to steady herself before taking a sip from the bottle, but she's happy. Haru would have been happy if it were just the two of them growing old together from now until the end but, the fact that they'll be having a kid? It's a thought that finally sinks in when Legosi leaves for his shower, and she feels splotches of tears falling warm and wet from her eyes from the relief of it all, wiping them away with the back of her wrist.
Yeah, she'll definitely feel better after eating something.]
THIS READS LIKE A THREAT
But then he gets into the shower, alone for the first time since Haru left to actually take the test, hot water striking the back of his head with as literal of a hammer as anything to remind him that this is all real. He isn't dreaming any of it. He's going to return to their apartment to that little white rabbit in the center of the room. His girlfriend. The soon-to-be mother of his child.
He cradles his face in his claws, and he weeps. He thinks about how Gosha must have felt when he heard the same news. He thinks about his mother. Thinks about all of the hybrid children and adults alike that exist in this world, and he wonders...what will mine be like? Will they be healthy? Happy? Or will they seek to hide their heritage from the world, just as his mom once had?
Legosi can only hope for a bright future. It's something he's going to chase after for his child with every last ounce of his strength, at no matter the cost.
He comes back to Haru in a little while, his grey fur fluffy from drying and all of his usual canine/work smell all gone. You can't completely keep a dog from smelling like a dog, of course, but now he smells like freshly bathed dog. A much nicer variation.
Silently, he stoops down next to where Haru is sitting so he can take a seat beside her at the table, setting something down in the middle of it. It's a small pile of menus that they'd collected from various restaurants that deliver nearby.]
Pick your favorite.
THERE WAS NOTHING BESIDES THIS TAG RIGHT HERE
Life goes on, and will continue to go on, even if right now she feels like she's in a little bubble of what ifs, most pleasant but some thoughts dipping into uncertain territory. And as she picks up the test from the floor to put it away, washes her hands and tidies up the table in preparation for ordering and having dinner in, she thinks to...
That professor of hers, who she's not seen hide nor hair of outside of what happened well over a year ago at this point. About how happy she had been to see a hybrid adult like him, the trepidation and excitement she had felt. But before she can ruminate or think any further, setting herself back down in her usual spot, Legosi comes back smelling nice and clean and at this point, she's gotten so used to the simple underlying smell of dog that it smells reassuring and of home at this point. Leaning against him as she settles down next to her, she gives herself a moment to just relax against him before leaning forward to sift through the menus he's set down for her to look over.]
Hmm... [She's sitting up on her knees, flipping through the selection. It's not a huge choice of takeout around these parts as it had been near her university, considering how close the complex had been to the Back Alley Market, but she sits back after choosing her go-to place.] I think I can really go for some dumplings tonight. That feels like a safe option.
[She spreads open the menu for him to look alongside her, her ears twitching every so often. It's funny, how normal this all is, while knowing officially that their routine is going to change dramatically in the coming months.]
You should pick your favourite from the menu, too.
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Melon was an example. An example of what can come of a hybrid relationship if not taken the proper dilligence and care. One can't predict what their children may do, of course, but even so...Legosi can only hope that whatever their future child turns out to be like, they'll be happy enough with their lives that they don't fall into a similar type of madness. He isn't sure what he would even begin to do in a situation like that.
Legosi shifts an arm around Haru as she leans over to look at the menus, making a much more snug space for her to fold in against his side. Honestly, several more of her could fit against him with how much space he can give, but.]
Mm...
[It only takes him a moment to decide, and it's probably predictable as anything. He points a claw at a listing for Tamagoyaki. Legosi's go-to type of comfort food.]
It won't be the same as the egg sandwiches from Cherryton were, but still good.
[And learning he's going to be a father is plenty worth celebrating with EGG.]
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She has a hunch as to what Legosi's going to pick, and the moment he points at his choice she smirks, settling in even closer after she fishes her smartphone out of her pocket. Your cellphone savvy girlfriend is going to place this order through Zoober Eats because honestly, she doesn't really want to burst this little bubble of the two of them by talking to some stranger on the phone. Not right now.]
You talk about those sandwiches like they're the girl that got away. [Said chidingly, tapping away at her screen as she speaks.] I'll order some extra sides. Worst case, we'll have leftovers.
[Aaand done and ordered. She draws her feet up close, her full weight now against him, and after a second, something's clearly still weighing on her mind after all this:]
...so...do I still smell?
ZOOBER EATS
[He's only half joking. He still wonders why his favorite changed so suddenly, but alas...he hasn't had them in such a long time. It's nothing more than a nostalgic memory these days.
With their dinner ordered and on the way, Legosi had been ready to just sit holding Haru for a little while...until Haru is Haru and asks him something he isn't immediately prepared to answer. He's so glad she accepts all the weird canine things about him, but this has got to be one of the harder ones to explain.]
You, ah...well...I mean. You always smell.
[...]
N-not-! In a bad way! Everything has a scent, and yours is absolutely wonderful...I couldn't mistake it for anything. It's just...difficult to explain. It's subtly different, right now.
[His tail curves a bit closer to the both of them.]
Like...there's something adding to it.
[A second scent.]
it was between that and PawDash
So she relaxes into him as he explains further, absentmindedly taking his tail in her arms as it curls around them, bringing it over her lap and petting him as she tries to put herself in his shoes. Imagine how the world must be for a guy who can smell that something was up with her before either of them even knew. And, one hand still resting atop his tail, she brings the other down to rest against her abdomen. It's not that she feels anything, it's too early, but it's more the thought of it.
A subtle difference.]
It's weird to think about...that there's something else there. [And that he could sense it before even she knew what was up] Because besides feeling sick, I don't feel anything else just yet.
[It still feels like it's just her, even knowing.]
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we can probably timeskip to a new scenario if you want!