[PLOT][PRP] Well, this is awkward (Miriam, Asher)[FIN]

[Menelie]

Mene

It had been a number of weeks since Miriam had last visited Asher, but in that time she had discovered a bit of a.....problem. Between the physical symptoms and her growing belly...it was fairly clear to her what was happening.

How had it even happened? She thought back to the last time she had visited Asher. Everything had seemed normal...? How confusing.

Her mothers had taken the news....well, all things considered. She did have to listen to a rant about how Men Are Trash from Mother, with support from Aunt Amapola. She tried to protest that he didn't even know, but that didn't seem to change things.

Although she didn't want to, Miriam eventually conceded that she needed to tell Asher. Even if she wasn't going to be involving him in parenting the babies, he at least needed to know. And so she prepared herself, rehearsed a bit, gathered what she would need for a weekend away, and....decided to try something new. She closed her eyes and focused on Asher, wondering if their bond was strong enough to just warp her there instead of flying. When she opened her eyes she was standing on a pier next to Asher.

Dai

Asher was sittin at the dock of the bay, relaxing, enjoying the sun and the breeze as he let his fishing line cast out. He didn't often catch much, but he did this moreso to keep his mind of things than for subsidence or the like... at least when he was off the clock. When he had clients, he was far more attentive and entertaining as she showed them to the boats and to the nearby spots. Some just wanted to view the local reefs, some wanted to try new aquatic cuisine that they'd caught themselves. Frankly, so long as they paid, he didn't really care.

But today was an off day, and it was warm and calm.

For now anyways.

A curious breeze from behind tickled the skin on his back, and as he turned, he instantly caught site of Miriam in the flesh and fir. He visibly jumped before swearing. "Guardians' blessings when the ******** did you get there?"

Mene

Miriam jumped when Asher jumped. "Sorry!" She exclaimed with a palms-out gesture. "I wasn't actually sure if that'd work!" She took a calming breath and put her hands on her hips. "D'you have a few minutes?" Asked Miriam. Her heart raced. She had been putting off this conversation for a long while; she wasn't sure how Asher would react.

Dai

He placed a hand on his chest and breathed out. "No, no it's fine puppy girl, you just spooked me is all." He wasn't going to ask about whatever 'that' was that had evidently worked until later. For now, he just needed to calm his heart. He glanced back up at her with a half-raised brow, not quite able to gauge what it was she was wanting. Which was actually kind of strange - he'd gotten quite good at teasing that out of her, actually.

He gestured to the otherwise empty space around him before giving an ok sign with his fingers. "Well, the fish aren't biting, and the town won't be waking up for a few more hours. What's up?"

Mene

Oh Guardians. How to begin? Miriam scratched above her eye and sat down next to him. "I, uh..." She laughed nervously. "Guardians almighty, this is awkward. Um, well, might as well out with it." She took a deep breath and blew it out, then glanced over at him. "I'm pregnant." She kept a close eye on his reaction. If he got weird about it she could warp again, though she really rather wouldn't.

Dai

Asher raised a brow - was that it? "Uh... congrats?" Was she nervous he'd be grossed out? "For the record, I'll still ******** a pregnant woman... I guess just don't tell the father if you think he'd care? Not like you could get pregnant again anyways."

 

[Menelie]

Mene

Miriam's ears flattened back. "Asher. I'm not sleeping with anyone else."

Dai

Asher tilted his head, his brows furrowed a bit in confusion. "You def slept with at least Tarand recently though?"

Mene

Miriam scrunched up her face. "Not recently enough," she said, almost apologetically. "The timing just doesn't line up." After a beat, she attempted a joke: "I mean if they come out with antlers I'd be willing to concede that, but I'm, uh, rather hoping they don't."

She took another deep breath and looked out over the water. "Either way, I'm, um, I'm planning on raising them myself. I just thought it wouldn't be right, not to tell you."

Dai

"Really?" Was it that long ago? Didn't seem like it... man... that was a good night...

Focus.

"Like, I'm not saying I don't believe you, and I'm not trying to insinuate anything... But you don't look particularly fat or anything, and I know I at least didn't sneak in a shot of a fertility potion or anything." A slight pause. "Huh, there's really no way to say that without sounding like an a**, is there?"

Mene

Miriam shrugged a little and looked down at her belly, which was only beginning to get round. "I dunno either," she said. "But, uh, I'm pretty positive I'm expecting." She paled a little, remembering all the symptoms that had only subsided in the past few days.

"I'm not really sure how it happened either. I'm certain neither of us did anything on purpose, but who knows." She sighed a bit and swung her legs back and forth where they hung over the pier.

"I'm, um, planning to stay at least the night...." Was it terrible of her to hope he'd be in the mood, even after this conversation?

Dai

"You good?" Asher commented as he saw her complexion change, but soon he was leaning back.

"I'mma be honest. This kind of sucks. I wasn't planning on having kids or being tied down, like, ever. But if you're right, it's a bit late for that, huh?" He reached over to stroke her head and then reach over to wrap his arm around her and pull her a bit closer by the shoulder (if she didn't make any resistance to the gesture of affection anyways). "Yeah, stay the night. Guess we gotta figure out this mess a bit."

 

[Menelie]

Mene

Miriam smiled a little at the side-hug. Despite Mother's opinion of men, she felt like there were definitely worse choices than Asher to father an unintended pregnancy. "And, I mean, like I said, I've got no real expectations from you." She chuckled a little. "No offense, but I have no desire to raise kids with you. I'd like to, uh, maintain our existing arrangement as best we can, if you catch my drift."

Dai

Asher smirked. "Well that's fine with me - no expectation of tangible responsibility is what I excel at." That smirk took on a decidedly edgier, yet somehow also playful?, note as he followed up with, "Puppy girl, I gotta take responsibility somehow - I'm nothing if not capable in that regard." That and he'd always been curious what it was like to sleep with a pregnant woman. Might as well make the best of a bad situation.

Mene

Miriam laughed. This conversation had turned much less awkward. "Well," she said, beginning to stand. "I'm going to go check into the inn, think I'll stay a couple days." She smirked lightly. "Why don't you finish up here and then buy me dinner?" She found that she was hungry practically all the time, even moreso than usual. The phrase also worked nicely as a double entendre, especially paired with her particular facial expression.

Dai

Asher laughed lightly as he shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'll buy you dinner. By the way, why use an inn? You're just gonna end up falling asleep at my place tonight anyways - might as well save some money."

Mene

Miriam flushed pink and couldn't help but smile, her tail swishing gently. "That's sweet of you. I'd love to." She put her hands on her hips. "Where should I wait for you? Or I could hang around until you're finished."

Dai

"Nah, nothing's biting anyways. Give me a few minutes and I'll reel it back in. Go ahead and put your stuff at my place, and I'll catch you in a bit."

Mene

"Yes, sir," said Miriam with a flirty giggle, tail wagging. "See you soon~" She headed in the direction of Asher's house with her satchel, usually used for delivering mail but repurposed today as a travel bag.