"That's the spirit." She dipped her head and rose. "Well, I think that's about it! I can go over things ignore detail with you and Tadaaki together. Do you have any concerns?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Um… no, I don’t think so.” Aashi stood up too, then dawdled in the doorway. “Is there… a way to… undo the caffeine damage? I’ve been drinking a lot of tea for the queasiness. I didn’t know.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Oh, the tea shouldn't be a problem! I meant more like coffee and sugar and chocolate--things that keep you awake. And this early it shouldn't be too dangerous. It's the third trimester that you really have to worry about."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Oh.” Aashi relaxed and smiled, relieved. “Good! I was worried.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"You've got nothing to worry about from a little tea. Just don't drink too much and you should be perfectly fine."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Glad to hear that.” She nodded and took a step towards the door. “Thank you! I-I guess I’ll think of how to tell Tadaaki now! I’m nervous and excited!”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Good luck!" She grinned. "I'm sure he'll be absolutely delighted."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Aashi nodded to her. "Thanks again! I appreciate you!"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sera dipped her head modestly. "That's very kind."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(bruh somehow I remembered my medieval torture bookmark I think I mentioned before and now I'm sitting here squirming reading through them hahah)
Aashi grinned at her and then strode into the hall. Right, then. Time to tell Tadaaki. She rubbed her belly, in love with their new child already. It felt like a new start. The marking of their second chance at a lifetime together. One that they weren't going to mess up this time. She headed up the stairs.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius had switched to sitting beside Tomhas when he saw how worked up he was. He was still tense from their earlier argument and he hadn't said anything yet, but Tomhas's breathing had slowed and it seemed like the memory of whatever had frightened him so badly was starting to fade. Gaius was fine with letting it; dredging it back up wouldn't do either of them any good and Tomhas had always had more actual episodes than Gaius.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(They are creative, to say the least. A lot of them are focused intentionally to make sure the victim kept consciousness for as long as possible *grimace emoji*)
Ky was in Tadaaki's bedroom. Neither of them knew what was going on with Aashi, though she'd thrown up that morning so Tadaaki assumed she was probably off to get some medicine or something from Sera, given that she was on the third floor when she ran into Ky while 'not going anywhere'. Tadaaki didn't know why that would make her anxious, though. She wasn't nearly as egotistical as he was, and asking for help didn't seem to make her want to die like it did him.
They'd both decided she was probably fine and should be given some time to work it out herself, and that Tadaaki would go find her in a few minutes. In the meantime, Ky and Tadaaki had settled into a comfortable more-or-less silence after Ky had complained about Emery. Tadaaki didn't admit that he was the one who sent him. Ky told him about the tunnels and said that they spooked her, but didn't share any of the details. No need in worrying him, too.
Aashi pushed the door open.
All three of them froze for a moment, Tadaaki and Ky surprised by Aashi's entrance and Aashi surprised that Ky was here. Then Tadaaki stood up from where he was perched on the bench at the end of the bed with his feet pulled up onto it in front of it and his arms wrapped around his knees.
Ky had been laying on the rug in front of the fireplace, staring directly up at the ceiling, and she, too, stood up as Aashi walked in. "...hey?"
"Hey... Ky..." Aashi said awkwardly, forcing an almost-pained smile.
"Are you okay?" Tadaaki asked, concerned.
"I'm fine." She cast an annoyed glance at Ky. She'd clearly worried him. Aashi looked back at Tadaaki with the same forced smile. "Can we... um... talk?"
Ky looked between them, then nodded. Time for her to go, then. She stepped towards the door.
"Are... you okay?" Tadaaki asked. She seemed more stable now, but Tadaaki had been worried about her for weeks now, and half an hour of laying on his floor hadn't cured her. He didn't like tossing her out.
"I'm fine," she said with a shrug. "Have a good talk!"
She walked out and shut the door before Tadaaki could say anything else. He watched her go with a little sigh, then turned back towards Aashi, brow worried a little. "What is it?"
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(That's the least fun I'm recalling the Judas Cradle at the moment)
"Gaius?" "Mm?" Gaius glanced at his brother in surprise. "What if the dead don't stay dead?" Gaius stared at him for a moment, chest tightening despite himself at the thought. Then he shook his head. "Don't talk nonsense, Tomhas. You're working yourself up for no reason with something like that. Whatever happened, that sort of thing isn't cause to be upset. Dead is dead, and that's that."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(Ah, yes, that was one. The most recent one I read that was particularly gruesome was being sawed in half. They would strap people up upside-down and then saw them starting at the groin, which would put all the blood in their head and prolong consciousness at least until the mid-abdomen and sometimes longer. Horrifying.)
Spoiler
Is Grammarly okay??? Friendly? Just going to go grab a sawing-in-half with the boys!
Aashi took a deep breath. She'd decided on the walk up here to just be direct. "I'm pregnant."
He blinked at her, brain coming to a screeching halt. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. "What?"
She rubbed her belly. "I'm -- we're -- having another baby!"
Tadaaki's entire body was overcome with every emotion imaginable in an instant, knees feeling weak. There was the uncontainable excitement that he'd felt when Aashi told him she was pregnant with Tasia. The pride. The joy. But almost immediately it was followed by grief and the guilt of knowing he'd now fail two children as a sorry excuse of a father instead of just one.
Aashi stepped forward, barely hiding a grimace. He looked absolutely terrified. She put a hand on his forearm. "We--"
Before she could finish her statement, he reached out and pulled her into a tight, tight hug. She smiled and leaned into the embrace.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(Grammarly is nobody's friend; they probably saw people in half when they use the wrong "your" That does almost make me want to get it though.) (And I've seen that technique described before. It's genuinely nightmarish) (And the pear of anguish)
(Also eeeeee!)
Tomhas nodded miserably, shivering. Gaius hesitated, them wrapped an arm around his brother. "Dead is always dead," he said softly. "Why would you ever think anything else?" "I just..." He was silent for a long moment. "It's stupid. I know. Just...Ky and I were exploring the tunnels and we got to talking about the afterlife, and ghosts, and are they real, and I just started thinking too hard and it was dark down there and I know he never--" His voice was trembling. "Never followed us down there but it just I had to get out of there." Gaius's brow furrowed and he nodded slowly. That wasn't like his brother. Not really. His imagination did tend to run away from him sometimes, but Tomhas was a grown man and far too smart to be spooked so badly by the dark and a little ghost talk.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
