[By the time the guard finally leaves, Legosi can feel several years that had just been shaved off his life slowly escape away from his body. They're gone, goodbye, he's never getting those back now. He knows Haru didn't intentionally leave him hanging like that (he would have known if she did it on purpose), but still...he's more than a little flustered right now.
And maybe, just maybe, it also has everything to do with the fact that guy just called Haru his wife.]
W-well, I...I did look rather out of place here by myself...
[He says that carefully, hoping Haru will pick up on the fact that they should probably at least try to stick together a bit more, at least until they make it back to the large mammal section. He won't be as out of place there, and Haru...well he won't say it out loud, but she'll probably be more overlooked than he would. At least until people realize that's a very pregnant rabbit in an area meant for lions and shit.]
But he's fine! He's fine. He's going to be the dutiful boyfriend here holding their basket, trying to continue to make himself as small as possible as he remains crouched next to Haru's side.
[Oh dear, sweet Legosi-kun...at least your loss of a few years of life means that you better understand what it's like being an herbivore, where anything that causes your heart to race means knowing you've got seconds less to life. At least he didn't turn white this time...
Unfortunately, Haru was too embroiled with her own annoyance at some security guard attempting to square up with her boyfriend to notice or think much about being called Legosi's wife. Maybe in a few hours...after she's settled in for a good night's sleep she'll actually remember and ruminate over it.
Think about how, in a way, they kind of never did much of their relationship in the expected order. But it's not like theirs is a relationship that could even be expected.]
So? He was obviously looking for a fight! [Now there's the added tapping of her foot, angry on Legosi's behalf, but she also does pick up on what's gone unsaid. The thumping of her foot slows, and she looks at him with a frown.] Do you think we should go to the large mammal section instead?
[Ah, she feels bad, ditching him like that, and she deflates a bit more.]
I'm sorry, I didn't realize I put you in an awkward spot like that. [She looks back down at the pair of clothes they've picked out.] I was serious, though, when I said I like what you picked out.
N-no no! It wasn't like you did it on purpose or anything...this sort of place is just. Erm...
[He glances around, very briefly locking eyes with that Chipmunk lady before he's quick to look away again because he is not here to cause even more of a scene.]
A bit...difficult. To navigate.
[And he means that both figuratively and literally. But you know what? It's fine. He signed up for this when he resolved to having this baby with Haru, it's just one of the many hurdles they're going to have to overcome. It's...okay, well, he can't say it's not worse than being a wolf dating a rabbit because it is, but it's a new kind of challenge. Legosi is more than willing to tackle it for not just Haru's sake, but for the sake of their unborn child.
His ears flick forward with that in mind, a sort of newfound determination causing his shoulders to set as he puts his hand at the small of Haru's back in a sort of gesture that says they're not going to be leaving this section until Haru is ready.]
It's alright. Let's at least finish looking through what they have here before we move on.
[The subject change is grateful and immediately latched onto as Legosi turns his attention back to the baby clothes, eyeing just how many different patterns seem to feature bugs or flowers. It's not surprising; it's a common theme for small children.]
I think that would be perfect. We could get them things themed around what we both like that way, and it would still match fine.
[She nods, a small smile tugging on her face as she looks at the other clothes, PJs and cloth diapers on display. All varying themes, some reflecting popular kids cartoons (she assumes), the plain ones she was initially thinking of…
No matter how the kid turns out, wolf or rabbit or an obvious unmistakable mix of both, it makes the most sense to be unashamed in choosing things that best represent the two of them.] … and when they’re older and they start liking their own things, they’ll be able choose what they want.
But for now, we can get things we both like. It’ll be fun.
[It’s funny in a way, where they as animals and as people are so completely different, yet they work well in that way in where their interests intersect. It’s how she wants to keep living.
And with him still down at her level, his large hand on the small of her back (taking up...all of her back, honestly) she looks him directly in the eye, again taking advantage of the fact he's at her level to rest her hand at his cheek, kissing the side of his muzzle regardless of onlookers.
If anything, it'll embarrass the others into finally minding their own business.]
It's hard for me to navigate too; I'm happy you're here. [And letting her hand fall from his face, she happily clasps her hands in front of her, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.] So, for the less fun part...we should probably do cloth diapers.
[The fact that it'll save them money goes unsaid. Because that's another not-fun thing to think about]
But! I think we should look at a stuffed toy. It'll be nice to have one around as a reminder. All my toys when I was a baby were hand-me-downs of my older sister's.
[It has the exact effect that Haru desires, that kiss. The Chipmunk lady finally takes the hint and moves elsewhere, but not before her child saw something that she's never borne witness to before, at least not so directly. Of course, a child barely a toddler doesn't yet understand the invisible divide that still exists between carnivores and herbivores, but even she could sense something different about the two. Maybe she's too young to remember it, but there's also a chance she will. Whatever the case, her gaze still lingers on them until they're finally out of sight.
Legosi, for his part, is smiling again. His tail had stopped wagging after that scare they'd had, but now it's slowly sweeping the floor behind him again as he nods. The regular upkeep of a child is something he has far less experience in, though he imagines Haru isn't in much better shape. Perhaps she has some sortof familiarity due to having so many siblings, but it's not something he's asked. It won't matter much anyway, at least in his case. He has no doubts that his grandfather is going to swoop in and teach him everything he's learned from his days as a parent, whether Legosi outright asks for help or not.
He looks up, then, moving to stand while also endeavoring to slouch so he's not standing head-and-shoulders over the aisle they're in.]
Your first toy is something you never forget. I'm pretty sure my Grandpa still has my old toys, somewhere...
[So even though they'll be buying new things, he has no issue with letting their child have the toys he had when he was little, too.]
[Being able to kiss Legosi, in private or public, always has a desired effect. On a personal level, it's because it's still special to Haru after having been with him for so long and only finally getting to a point where she can be more openly affectionate with him and him being more receptive to it without hesitance. And it's always a surefire way to get his tail wagging, a purely canine trait that she can't get enough of. He's inherited the calm and subdued facial expressions and mannerisms from his grandfather, sure, and he can be hard to read at times, but he still has the typical canine body language that make knowing how he feels a bit easier to understand.
The other positive is that it usually gets older or more oldschool-thinking rubberneckers to look away. And in this instance, the lingering gaze of the toddler doesn't bother her, because this is the kind of relationship Haru wants for their kid when they get to that age.
She's perked up immensely now that they're back to just the two of them without any rude interruptions, ears standing straight and eyes bright and attentive when he mentions his own childhood toys.]
Does he? What was your first toy... [she loops her fingers around his belt loop, to keep his hands free but still in touch] a stuffed rabbit?
[Teasing.]
Mine was, actually. It was my sister's...it's still in my old room, actually. When I was a kit I also had this set of building blocks that doubled as chew toys.
[Legosi huffs at that, a cross between a laugh and...well, just him huffing.]
My first toy was...erm. Well...
[He looks up at the ceiling, one of his ears flicking back sheepishly.]
Mine was also...a chew toy? But...more like a canine one......it was a rubber ball. Apparently I used to carry it around in my mouth all the time. I'm not sure if that would be very appropriate for a newborn though...
Apparently, huh? [Another thing to bug Gosha about the next time they pay a visit: ask for evidence of Legosi as a puppy teething on his favourite rubber ball.] But you're right, it probably isn't. Though if they do start teething early...
...now that you say that, I'm realizing they might start very early...
[Like, imagine. A mixture of a rabbit, whose teeth are always growing and need to be worn down, and a puppy who is going to be teething not that long after birth?? They might have to pay even more attention to babyproofing the apartment when the time comes.]
We should see what sizes of bottles they have in this section. We don't want anything too big.
[A truly horrifying prospect. For everyone. They'll definitely have to keep electrical cords as hidden or unreachable as possible too...there've been horror stories down the pipeline in rabbit communities.]
Definitely...and maybe see how much those, uh, pumps cost so we can save up for it-- [This is moving from cute into awkward, body specific territory!! And so she holds her hands up immediately following that, face a bit red despite herself.] Which I can look into on my own! And talk to my mom about later.
I'm definitely getting ahead of myself. It's not like the apartment has a lot of storage!
[Accidentally presenting yet another elephant in the room. So to speak. Just as an actual elephant family enters the department store.]
W-we should focus on the cute and fun things right now. Like clothes, and toys. How about we...look at the large mammal section. See if there's a wolf babydoll or something.
[For the baby of course, and not for Haru to cuddle with whenever Legosi gets home late. Yup.]
[Haru, bless your heart, you're about to give Legosi a heart attack. He's not even sure where he would have begun with that if she hadn't successfully steered the conversation somewhere safer.
It's funny how it's taken this long for it to sink in for Legosi, but preparing for a child is...a lot of work. A lot of little factors come into play that he never would have considered before; to be honest, it's actually a bit overwhelming. He's pretty sure if he didn't have Haru with him here, he'd have been sunk a long time ago.
But, right. Cute and fun things. They still have plenty of time to cover the practical things. It's not like the baby is going to be born tomorow or anything.]
Good idea.
[He's so eager for the idea of moving to a more comfortable section of the store that the potential ulterior motive behind getting a wolf plush is lost on Legosi for the time being as he reaches for her hand, walking with her out of the aisle so they can start heading that way. It's not like they'll get fewer looks here, but at the very least Legosi won't be the first immediate eyesore.]
[Honestly, she would not have wanted Legosi to go shopping on his own for these sort of items either. Not because she doesn't trust him, the guy does do his research to the nth degree when it's something that matters to him (She found...those rabbit behavioral books back in highschool. She Knows.), but because all of this is overwhelming to her, so it must be the same if not worse for him. Her family life was incredibly different from his, after all, and being a rabbit and having the usual extended family as a rabbit has her at least semi-familiar with the basics of what having a kid entails.
Plus, she kind of doesn't...well, as said, she trusts him, but she also trusts that he may either be frozen stock-solid or go overboard in over planning. So, slow and steady (like a lot of aspects in their relationship).
Still, she feels embarrassed bringing up something better discussed with her mom, and her heart is still beating fast from it, feeling yet another fluttering sensation in her stomach which she chalks up to said embarrassment, and it all calms down once she takes Legosi's hand as they head towards the opposite direction of the store towards the larger mammal section. It's kept a distance from the small mammal section for both obvious reasons, and no doubt they walk past same-species couples who are also doing after work shopping for their kids or friends (or similiar species couples...there's a female capybara with a guinea pig in an area for medium-sized mammals who pay little mind when they walk by).
But as they get to the toy aisle, Haru lets go of Legosi's hand to look at the canine toys, though instead of checking out the stuffed animals she instead looks at a rubber ball. Picking it up, she turns and holds it up, gesturing with it.]
Oh! Was your favourite toy something like this?
[There's some give to it, and even though it looks huge in her tiny hand, she squeezes it. And it squeaks.
[While Legosi's own nerves aren't immediately calmed by the change of scenery, it does help immensely. Now he hopes he'll be able to focus his efforts solely on finding things that will work best for their child, and not-]
Hm-?
[He turns his head just in time to see Haru standing there, holding up a rubber ball a mere foot or two away from his nose. It's...more than a little comical how immediate the effect is that it has on him, causing him to go perfectly still with his ears perked as high as they'll sit on his head. His tail swishes over the tiled floor as he adjusts the way he's standing imperceptibly, without even noticing.
It's the perfect image of a dog primed and ready for the ball to be thrown.]
It's exactly the kind of reaction she was expecting from him, and the look on his face, the immediate change in his stance and demeanor, has her holding back a laugh. It does occur to her, from time to time, that this is perhaps the very same look he had that initial night they met. Maybe that's part of why she triggered it.]
Hmm...I see. [Said casually, as though she's considering whether to put it back or not. And with a shrug, she does throw it. An underhand toss straight towards the shopping basket Legosi is holding. He's standing close enough and still enough where it's easy for even someone her size and lacking athletic ability to make it in, assuming he doesn't move to catch it in his own mouth or something.
Either way:] Good. We'll buy it; it's pretty inexpensive.
It's likely that, at this point in time, Haru hasn't yet played catch with Legosi. Not like...explicitly, at least. And maybe, deep down in his wolfy heart, he's wanted to...badly...but it's also kindof weird to ask your girlfriend something like that? Especially when he has no intention of throwing her the ball. Just having it be thrown for him to bring back...endlessly.
So it's instinct and reflex that take over in tandem when she tosses the ball, his head snapping to the side so fast that it actually makes his neck hurt. His teeth close around the ball and just like that, he's holding it in his mouth.
This ball that has probably been touched by countless hands. That they haven't paid for yet.]
...ah... [Her hand has stilled at the end of the toss, hovering as she stares wide-eyed at Legosi standing across from her, ball in his mouth. His head moved so fast, it was practically a blur. She knew exactly what she was doing in throwing the ball, tempting fate and the instincts of a canine, but she didn't actually expect him to go for it.
But--]
I wonder how many other animals put their hands and mouth on that.
[All the parents that come through with their babies and toddlers, grabbing and touching everything...
Like...technically they could just sneak it back on the shelf and pretend they didn't ever see it, but...they would know. That ball would probably haunt them when their kid was in college.
Legosi swallows, slowly lifting a hand to take the ball shamefully out of his mouth. He doesn't even know what to say, his ears laying flat out at their sides as he quickly wipes it off on the front of his shirt.]
I'm just teasing. [She feels bad now; canines wear their shame so upfront and honestly as much as they do with most of their emotions. And with Legosi...probably because his expression is often difficult to read because of his reptile ancestry, his shame reads a lot more intense.
Smiling, she moves towards him, patting his forearm.] You're just being a wolf. I just don't want you picking up gross germs.
[Because kids are gross.]
We'll wash it off when we get home, and maybe tomorrow if the weather is nice we can really play with it.
[The thought of playing fetch with Haru is enough to lift his spirits, easing away the shot of embarrassment to his system he was contending with in the wake of...well, all of that. He's honestly less worried about the germs and more worried about how he's being perceived by Haru in general, so he's glad she seems to be taking it in stride...
He'll just. Carefully put that ball down into the basket, stragetically placing it underneath some other things so he won't be tempted to look anymore.]
Mm...in the meantime, we're supposed to be finding toys for the baby, not me.
Mmhmm true but, now I know what else I can get you for the holidays. [There's probably a fresh jar of tennis balls somewhere out there with Legosi's name on them for Rexmas this year.
But now she's lead them towards the stuffed toys proper, and in the canine section in particular, any dolls or stuffed animals that aren't some kind of canine species or breed veer towards large stuffed insects and anthropomorphized plantlife.
Look, you can't give a puppy a chewtoy in the shape of a raccoon or rabbit, that's just taboo.
And while Haru's initial mission was to find a large stuffed wolf plush for her the kid, she can't help but be taken in by a stuffed mushroom. When she lifts it up to look at it, it's about half her body length.]
Ooh...how cute! Kids get all kinds of interesting toys nowadays...
[Said like she's an old lady and not a rabbit in her early twenties.]
[Cute...how is Haru so impossibly cute all the time...
Legosi's tail has taken to wagging slowly again as they peruse the plush toys together, smiling slightly in spite of himself at the sight of all of the insects. He would have had an absolute field day in here as a kid, though you wouldn't have known it with how bland and soft spoken he was.
He tilts his head a bit as he looks the mushroom over, amused by how large it is in comparison to Haru. Not that that's saying much, but still.]
That's big enough for the baby to sleep on, don't you think?
[Haru hugs the plush close to her, extremely aware of just how big it is compared to her. It's meant to be a big plush toy for a toddler to lounge on and hug, but it's also definitely not made with small mammals in mind. She presses her cheek against it.]
It is...but when I was a kid I used to have dreams about sleeping on a big mushroom.
Or, maybe it was me eating one and growing big? [Somebody definitely read the furry version of Alice in Wonderland as a kid.
But, as cute as it is, she sets it back on the shelf.] I guess a mushroom also looks too much like a penis... [Said bluntly, pressing her thumb to her mouth as she considers the other plush toys. Sure, she came looking for a grey wolf plush in particular, but she looks to Legosi.]
Which ones stick out to you, Legosi-kun? You have a better view of the higher shelves than me.
[...it's funny that Haru says that, because Legosi wasn't even thinking that at all until she brought it up. ....of course, now he can't think of anything else, his ears drooping back as she sets the plush back down. Okay, yeah, probably...probably a pass on the mushroom then...
But hm. Which ones stick out to him?
He turns his attention back to the shelves lined with various soft toys, all of them mostly themed around insects and various plant life, as expected. There's one in particular he hones in on immediately though, right at the top shelf out of Haru's sight. He's picking it up before he can stop himself, bringing it back down to her level.
And when they both can see what it is, Legosi states simply:]
[Haru watches as Legosi focuses his attention on something just out of view, rising up slightly on the balls of her feet despite knowing she won't be able to see it no matter how much taller she could stretch herself upward. As he brings the beetle plush down into view, she smiles knowingly, bringing her hands back in front of her and absentmindedly resting her hands at the swell of her stomach, subconsciously feeling at ease and finally letting her guard down completely.]
Oh! That was the pet beetle you had at school, wasn't it? [The plush is certainly a cuter caricature of the insect, large enough for a puppy to cuddle without completely overwhelming an animal as potentially small as their kid could possibly be.
Nodding and reaching forward to rest her hands on the soft carapace of the stuffed bug:] I think it's perfect. Just the right size, too!
[Seemingly satisfied, she's about to take it from him to carry it while they continue along, but she stops suddenly, ears going tense and alert as though she's trying to sense something and then unceremoniously grabbing at Legosi's paw with both hands to pull it towards her abdomen not even a second later.
What she had been assuming to be the usual giddy feelings when around him had flared up into something much more purposeful and...not of her own doing, and she hopes Legosi can feel what she feels as she fits the curve of his palm over the curve of her belly.
It's about as small and subtle as the flap of a butterfly's wing, but--]
[When Haru makes a sudden grab for him, he's almost afraid something's wrong. It's not unusual for her to do that, and he'd gotten a bit more used to the often times rapid and unexpected movements that smaller mammals like herself tended to make, but this was different. It's very different, he realizes when his paw goes not to her own hand, but to her stomach.
He goes very still on instinct, and it's a good thing he did. He might not have felt that soft shifting otherwise, so barely there that it's almost imperceptible. But it's there, and Haru will know he felt it by the way his tail lifts several inches to attention.]
They-! I felt it, Haru! Did you feel that?
[Asked dumbly, because...of course she felt it, it's inside her.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
And maybe, just maybe, it also has everything to do with the fact that guy just called Haru his wife.]
W-well, I...I did look rather out of place here by myself...
[He says that carefully, hoping Haru will pick up on the fact that they should probably at least try to stick together a bit more, at least until they make it back to the large mammal section. He won't be as out of place there, and Haru...well he won't say it out loud, but she'll probably be more overlooked than he would. At least until people realize that's a very pregnant rabbit in an area meant for lions and shit.]
But he's fine! He's fine. He's going to be the dutiful boyfriend here holding their basket, trying to continue to make himself as small as possible as he remains crouched next to Haru's side.
no subject
Unfortunately, Haru was too embroiled with her own annoyance at some security guard attempting to square up with her boyfriend to notice or think much about being called Legosi's wife. Maybe in a few hours...after she's settled in for a good night's sleep she'll actually remember and ruminate over it.
Think about how, in a way, they kind of never did much of their relationship in the expected order. But it's not like theirs is a relationship that could even be expected.]
So? He was obviously looking for a fight! [Now there's the added tapping of her foot, angry on Legosi's behalf, but she also does pick up on what's gone unsaid. The thumping of her foot slows, and she looks at him with a frown.] Do you think we should go to the large mammal section instead?
[Ah, she feels bad, ditching him like that, and she deflates a bit more.]
I'm sorry, I didn't realize I put you in an awkward spot like that. [She looks back down at the pair of clothes they've picked out.] I was serious, though, when I said I like what you picked out.
[Changing the subject while she's at it.]
Maybe...we can do a garden theme?
no subject
[He glances around, very briefly locking eyes with that Chipmunk lady before he's quick to look away again because he is not here to cause even more of a scene.]
A bit...difficult. To navigate.
[And he means that both figuratively and literally. But you know what? It's fine. He signed up for this when he resolved to having this baby with Haru, it's just one of the many hurdles they're going to have to overcome. It's...okay, well, he can't say it's not worse than being a wolf dating a rabbit because it is, but it's a new kind of challenge. Legosi is more than willing to tackle it for not just Haru's sake, but for the sake of their unborn child.
His ears flick forward with that in mind, a sort of newfound determination causing his shoulders to set as he puts his hand at the small of Haru's back in a sort of gesture that says they're not going to be leaving this section until Haru is ready.]
It's alright. Let's at least finish looking through what they have here before we move on.
[The subject change is grateful and immediately latched onto as Legosi turns his attention back to the baby clothes, eyeing just how many different patterns seem to feature bugs or flowers. It's not surprising; it's a common theme for small children.]
I think that would be perfect. We could get them things themed around what we both like that way, and it would still match fine.
no subject
No matter how the kid turns out, wolf or rabbit or an obvious unmistakable mix of both, it makes the most sense to be unashamed in choosing things that best represent the two of them.] … and when they’re older and they start liking their own things, they’ll be able choose what they want.
But for now, we can get things we both like. It’ll be fun.
[It’s funny in a way, where they as animals and as people are so completely different, yet they work well in that way in where their interests intersect. It’s how she wants to keep living.
And with him still down at her level, his large hand on the small of her back (taking up...all of her back, honestly) she looks him directly in the eye, again taking advantage of the fact he's at her level to rest her hand at his cheek, kissing the side of his muzzle regardless of onlookers.
If anything, it'll embarrass the others into finally minding their own business.]
It's hard for me to navigate too; I'm happy you're here. [And letting her hand fall from his face, she happily clasps her hands in front of her, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet.] So, for the less fun part...we should probably do cloth diapers.
[The fact that it'll save them money goes unsaid. Because that's another not-fun thing to think about]
But! I think we should look at a stuffed toy. It'll be nice to have one around as a reminder. All my toys when I was a baby were hand-me-downs of my older sister's.
no subject
Legosi, for his part, is smiling again. His tail had stopped wagging after that scare they'd had, but now it's slowly sweeping the floor behind him again as he nods. The regular upkeep of a child is something he has far less experience in, though he imagines Haru isn't in much better shape. Perhaps she has some sortof familiarity due to having so many siblings, but it's not something he's asked. It won't matter much anyway, at least in his case. He has no doubts that his grandfather is going to swoop in and teach him everything he's learned from his days as a parent, whether Legosi outright asks for help or not.
He looks up, then, moving to stand while also endeavoring to slouch so he's not standing head-and-shoulders over the aisle they're in.]
Your first toy is something you never forget. I'm pretty sure my Grandpa still has my old toys, somewhere...
[So even though they'll be buying new things, he has no issue with letting their child have the toys he had when he was little, too.]
no subject
The other positive is that it usually gets older or more oldschool-thinking rubberneckers to look away. And in this instance, the lingering gaze of the toddler doesn't bother her, because this is the kind of relationship Haru wants for their kid when they get to that age.
She's perked up immensely now that they're back to just the two of them without any rude interruptions, ears standing straight and eyes bright and attentive when he mentions his own childhood toys.]
Does he? What was your first toy... [she loops her fingers around his belt loop, to keep his hands free but still in touch] a stuffed rabbit?
[Teasing.]
Mine was, actually. It was my sister's...it's still in my old room, actually. When I was a kit I also had this set of building blocks that doubled as chew toys.
[Because, y'know...rabbit.]
no subject
My first toy was...erm. Well...
[He looks up at the ceiling, one of his ears flicking back sheepishly.]
Mine was also...a chew toy? But...more like a canine one......it was a rubber ball. Apparently I used to carry it around in my mouth all the time. I'm not sure if that would be very appropriate for a newborn though...
no subject
Apparently, huh? [Another thing to bug Gosha about the next time they pay a visit: ask for evidence of Legosi as a puppy teething on his favourite rubber ball.] But you're right, it probably isn't. Though if they do start teething early...
[Mmmm.]
Yeah, we should look for baby bottles too...
no subject
[Like, imagine. A mixture of a rabbit, whose teeth are always growing and need to be worn down, and a puppy who is going to be teething not that long after birth?? They might have to pay even more attention to babyproofing the apartment when the time comes.]
We should see what sizes of bottles they have in this section. We don't want anything too big.
no subject
Definitely...and maybe see how much those, uh, pumps cost so we can save up for it-- [This is moving from cute into awkward, body specific territory!! And so she holds her hands up immediately following that, face a bit red despite herself.] Which I can look into on my own! And talk to my mom about later.
I'm definitely getting ahead of myself. It's not like the apartment has a lot of storage!
[Accidentally presenting yet another elephant in the room. So to speak. Just as an actual elephant family enters the department store.]
W-we should focus on the cute and fun things right now. Like clothes, and toys. How about we...look at the large mammal section. See if there's a wolf babydoll or something.
[For the baby of course, and not for Haru to cuddle with whenever Legosi gets home late. Yup.]
no subject
It's funny how it's taken this long for it to sink in for Legosi, but preparing for a child is...a lot of work. A lot of little factors come into play that he never would have considered before; to be honest, it's actually a bit overwhelming. He's pretty sure if he didn't have Haru with him here, he'd have been sunk a long time ago.
But, right. Cute and fun things. They still have plenty of time to cover the practical things. It's not like the baby is going to be born tomorow or anything.]
Good idea.
[He's so eager for the idea of moving to a more comfortable section of the store that the potential ulterior motive behind getting a wolf plush is lost on Legosi for the time being as he reaches for her hand, walking with her out of the aisle so they can start heading that way. It's not like they'll get fewer looks here, but at the very least Legosi won't be the first immediate eyesore.]
no subject
Plus, she kind of doesn't...well, as said, she trusts him, but she also trusts that he may either be frozen stock-solid or go overboard in over planning. So, slow and steady (like a lot of aspects in their relationship).
Still, she feels embarrassed bringing up something better discussed with her mom, and her heart is still beating fast from it, feeling yet another fluttering sensation in her stomach which she chalks up to said embarrassment, and it all calms down once she takes Legosi's hand as they head towards the opposite direction of the store towards the larger mammal section. It's kept a distance from the small mammal section for both obvious reasons, and no doubt they walk past same-species couples who are also doing after work shopping for their kids or friends (or similiar species couples...there's a female capybara with a guinea pig in an area for medium-sized mammals who pay little mind when they walk by).
But as they get to the toy aisle, Haru lets go of Legosi's hand to look at the canine toys, though instead of checking out the stuffed animals she instead looks at a rubber ball. Picking it up, she turns and holds it up, gesturing with it.]
Oh! Was your favourite toy something like this?
[There's some give to it, and even though it looks huge in her tiny hand, she squeezes it. And it squeaks.
She knows exactly what she's doing.]
no subject
Hm-?
[He turns his head just in time to see Haru standing there, holding up a rubber ball a mere foot or two away from his nose. It's...more than a little comical how immediate the effect is that it has on him, causing him to go perfectly still with his ears perked as high as they'll sit on his head. His tail swishes over the tiled floor as he adjusts the way he's standing imperceptibly, without even noticing.
It's the perfect image of a dog primed and ready for the ball to be thrown.]
It...um. I think...so...
no subject
It's exactly the kind of reaction she was expecting from him, and the look on his face, the immediate change in his stance and demeanor, has her holding back a laugh. It does occur to her, from time to time, that this is perhaps the very same look he had that initial night they met. Maybe that's part of why she triggered it.]
Hmm...I see. [Said casually, as though she's considering whether to put it back or not. And with a shrug, she does throw it. An underhand toss straight towards the shopping basket Legosi is holding. He's standing close enough and still enough where it's easy for even someone her size and lacking athletic ability to make it in, assuming he doesn't move to catch it in his own mouth or something.
Either way:] Good. We'll buy it; it's pretty inexpensive.
no subject
It's likely that, at this point in time, Haru hasn't yet played catch with Legosi. Not like...explicitly, at least. And maybe, deep down in his wolfy heart, he's wanted to...badly...but it's also kindof weird to ask your girlfriend something like that? Especially when he has no intention of throwing her the ball. Just having it be thrown for him to bring back...endlessly.
So it's instinct and reflex that take over in tandem when she tosses the ball, his head snapping to the side so fast that it actually makes his neck hurt. His teeth close around the ball and just like that, he's holding it in his mouth.
This ball that has probably been touched by countless hands. That they haven't paid for yet.]
no subject
But--]
I wonder how many other animals put their hands and mouth on that.
[All the parents that come through with their babies and toddlers, grabbing and touching everything...
Now we have to pay for it.]
no subject
Like...technically they could just sneak it back on the shelf and pretend they didn't ever see it, but...they would know. That ball would probably haunt them when their kid was in college.
Legosi swallows, slowly lifting a hand to take the ball shamefully out of his mouth. He doesn't even know what to say, his ears laying flat out at their sides as he quickly wipes it off on the front of his shirt.]
Probably, erm. ...a lot. Of them...
[......]
I'm sorry.
no subject
Smiling, she moves towards him, patting his forearm.] You're just being a wolf. I just don't want you picking up gross germs.
[Because kids are gross.]
We'll wash it off when we get home, and maybe tomorrow if the weather is nice we can really play with it.
no subject
He'll just. Carefully put that ball down into the basket, stragetically placing it underneath some other things so he won't be tempted to look anymore.]
Mm...in the meantime, we're supposed to be finding toys for the baby, not me.
no subject
But now she's lead them towards the stuffed toys proper, and in the canine section in particular, any dolls or stuffed animals that aren't some kind of canine species or breed veer towards large stuffed insects and anthropomorphized plantlife.
Look, you can't give a puppy a chewtoy in the shape of a raccoon or rabbit, that's just taboo.
And while Haru's initial mission was to find a large stuffed wolf plush for
herthe kid, she can't help but be taken in by a stuffed mushroom. When she lifts it up to look at it, it's about half her body length.]Ooh...how cute! Kids get all kinds of interesting toys nowadays...
[Said like she's an old lady and not a rabbit in her early twenties.]
no subject
Legosi's tail has taken to wagging slowly again as they peruse the plush toys together, smiling slightly in spite of himself at the sight of all of the insects. He would have had an absolute field day in here as a kid, though you wouldn't have known it with how bland and soft spoken he was.
He tilts his head a bit as he looks the mushroom over, amused by how large it is in comparison to Haru. Not that that's saying much, but still.]
That's big enough for the baby to sleep on, don't you think?
no subject
It is...but when I was a kid I used to have dreams about sleeping on a big mushroom.
Or, maybe it was me eating one and growing big? [Somebody definitely read the furry version of Alice in Wonderland as a kid.
But, as cute as it is, she sets it back on the shelf.] I guess a mushroom also looks too much like a penis... [Said bluntly, pressing her thumb to her mouth as she considers the other plush toys. Sure, she came looking for a grey wolf plush in particular, but she looks to Legosi.]
Which ones stick out to you, Legosi-kun? You have a better view of the higher shelves than me.
no subject
But hm. Which ones stick out to him?
He turns his attention back to the shelves lined with various soft toys, all of them mostly themed around insects and various plant life, as expected. There's one in particular he hones in on immediately though, right at the top shelf out of Haru's sight. He's picking it up before he can stop himself, bringing it back down to her level.
And when they both can see what it is, Legosi states simply:]
This one looks like Kabu.
no subject
Oh! That was the pet beetle you had at school, wasn't it? [The plush is certainly a cuter caricature of the insect, large enough for a puppy to cuddle without completely overwhelming an animal as potentially small as their kid could possibly be.
Nodding and reaching forward to rest her hands on the soft carapace of the stuffed bug:] I think it's perfect. Just the right size, too!
[Seemingly satisfied, she's about to take it from him to carry it while they continue along, but she stops suddenly, ears going tense and alert as though she's trying to sense something and then unceremoniously grabbing at Legosi's paw with both hands to pull it towards her abdomen not even a second later.
What she had been assuming to be the usual giddy feelings when around him had flared up into something much more purposeful and...not of her own doing, and she hopes Legosi can feel what she feels as she fits the curve of his palm over the curve of her belly.
It's about as small and subtle as the flap of a butterfly's wing, but--]
They're moving.
[Said in case he can't feel it.]
no subject
[When Haru makes a sudden grab for him, he's almost afraid something's wrong. It's not unusual for her to do that, and he'd gotten a bit more used to the often times rapid and unexpected movements that smaller mammals like herself tended to make, but this was different. It's very different, he realizes when his paw goes not to her own hand, but to her stomach.
He goes very still on instinct, and it's a good thing he did. He might not have felt that soft shifting otherwise, so barely there that it's almost imperceptible. But it's there, and Haru will know he felt it by the way his tail lifts several inches to attention.]
They-! I felt it, Haru! Did you feel that?
[Asked dumbly, because...of course she felt it, it's inside her.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)