Chapter Three
One Week, May 25th
"Do you think she'll like them?" Tip asked nervously.
"Tip, I know that she will love them," Oh said sternly. "I promise."
His wife took a deep breath. "Okay," she whispered, and a moment later, she was knocking on the door in front of her.
The door swung open almost immediately, as if she had anticipated them coming, and Lucy gave a short shriek before she pulled the couple into the hallway and shut the door behind them. "Oh Tip, you must be so tired," she gushed and pushed Tip towards the couch.
She threw a look over her shoulder and mouthed 'help me!' mockingly. Lucy pushed her down and Oh placed himself next to her. "And you, Oh, you must be so proud!"
"Why hello to you, too, Mymom," he said dryly.
"Do you want anything? Tea, coffee, water, juice?" Lucy asked, ignoring his humble greeting, and then she directed "Motor oil?" at him.
"No thank you, mom, we're fine," Tip said with an eye roll. "We wondered if you wanted to meet the Boovlings, actually. They're a week old now, and I finally persuaded Oh to allow me to go out." At Lucy's raised eyebrow, she said in a mock whisper, "He thinks I'm so tired after giving birth to three aliens!"
"I am sitting here, you know," Oh said.
Tip gasped loudly. "You are?" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand. Her eyes were sparkling. "Anyways, mom, we brought the kids," she said, gesturing towards the do-it-yourself harness she and Oh had made.
Lucy's eyes went wide. "Oh my, are they my wonderful newborn grandkids?"
"Who else?" Oh asked with a raised eyebrow. "This is Justice; she was born first," he said, and lifted the sleeping Boovling out of the white harness.
"Good grief," Lucy muttered and reached out after her. "She is adorable. How do you tell them apart?"
Tip gave a bit of a guilty look. "Uhm, I actually can't? Oh manage it better than me, but- we have two girls and a boy, and one of the girls is… different from the others. You'll see."
"These… nose things," Lucy said, tilting the baby so she could have a better look. "Am I right when I say that they grow with age?"
"Yes," Oh answered with a small smile.
"Adorable," his Mymom-in-law muttered absentmindedly. "What about the others?"
"This is Abelardo, Mymom," Oh said and handed another sleeping Boovling over. "He was second."
"Another absolutely adorable grandkid," Lucy gushed happily, having some troubles with balancing two babies at the same time. Oh laughed and took Justice back. She grimaced as she was in free air before Oh clutched her to his chest and she calmed down again. Warmth filled his heart and he smiled widely. "You don't mind if I spoil them, do you?" his Mymom-in-law asked.
Tip laughed. "Considering that our kids will be your only grandkids and that you'll be their only grandparent, I think that you'll spoil each other rotten. So nope, no problem at all!"
Lucy handed Oh Abelardo, too, and he snuggled up to his father's chest in his sleep. "What about the last one?"
Tip and Oh shared a look. "Mom, this is Winter," Tip said slowly, as if hesitant, and then she pulled the youngest of their kids out from the harness.
Lucy inhaled sharply. "Oh my goodness," she breathed and reached out. "She's an albino…"
"Mom, if you're going to be like that-" Tip complained, pulling back.
"No, no Tippy that was not what I meant," Lucy interrupted. "Not at all! She's gorgeous! And what a fitting name, too!"
Tip, still hesitant, let her mother take Winter into her arms. "What's this mark?" Lucy asked in curiosity, poking the sickle moon above Winter's left eye gently.
The couple shared another look, and Oh sighed. "It is indicating that Winter has a Boov soulmate."
"Tip has no mark," Lucy pointed out.
"I'm not sure if you remember, but I'm a human, mom," Tip said dryly.
"I see…" Lucy drawled, when the pale Boov began to stir in her hold. "Oh my gosh, she's waking up!" Slowly, the young Boov girl opened her eyes. "So beautiful red eyes," Lucy gasped. "Hello, Winter. I'm your grandmama!"
Winter blinked a few times in confusion before her face broke into a happy, toothless smile, and reached out after Lucy's face, patting her cheek.
Lucy gasped. "She can smile already?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Oh said. "Boov mature faster than humanspersons."
"What a beautiful miracle," Lucy whispered, and looked down at her giggling granddaughter. "Here you go, Tippy."
Tip put Winter back in the harness, then placed Justice down, too, handed Winter to Oh and got Abelardo in return. Oh absentmindedly noticed that Lucy was watching them with interest as he curled up on the couch, leaned against Tip's side and cradled the now-awake Winter to his chest. :I can't believe how lucky I am: he said to Tip as Abelardo slowly woke up and made a gurgling sound.
:Me neither, Oh: Tip answered when he sneezed. :Me neither.:
Two Weeks, June 2nd
Oh was a light sleeper. Always had been, always will be. It was simply a part of who he was. Many Boovs where like that, actually. It was an effect of having to stay on constant guard no matter where or when.
Tip was not a light sleeper. If the world suddenly decided to go under, Tip would just sleep through it. That was probably why Oh woke up before her whenever the kids decided to throw a fit in the middle of the night.
Oh could distinctly remember when he was young and no one cared when he was upset. He didn't want his kids to have that feeling; not now, not tomorrow, not ever.
Which was why he found himself slipping through the yellow door and hurrying towards the crib in the far end of the room. He and Tip had decided that the kids would sleep in the same room, and for now, they would sleep in the same crib. They'd tried to separate them in the beginning, but… well… the results weren't exactly great.
Looking into the crib, he found that it was Justice, again, and this time it was more crying than screaming. Her skin was flashing blue and sometimes red, indicating that she wasn't that angry. Her two siblings appeared to be concerned for her, looking up at their father with a lost look.
Oh sighed softly as he picked her up, trying to be gentle with her. Justice was the oldest, but she had the weakest skin even though she could change colors with her emotions. Abelardo, they'd figured out, would only change at the strongest emotions, and only one at a time. Winter couldn't change at all.
Justice's crying cut off suddenly. She probably hadn't expected to find herself in her father's embrace already. "Shh," Oh whispered, and begun rocking her back and forth. "Shh, Justice, darling, it is okay, papa is here…"
"Oh my love, you are my child
although bear another's name
whatever you do, throughout your life,
I'll love you still the same.
and if you should cry I'll hear you
and if you should call I'll come
for although you don't belong to me,
you're still my little one…"
After less than a minute with singing Justice had dozen off again, and Oh pulled her away from his chest.
It wasn't that hard, he thought. "I love you," he whispered. "All of you."
He kissed her forehead, dried away her tears and placed her down into the crib again, pulling the blanket over her body.
It really wasn't that hard to give his daughter what he'd never had.
Four Weeks, June 17th
"They're growing up so fast," Tip sighed as she took in the scene before them. The three Boovlings were sitting on a blanket spread out across the floor of the main room. It appeared that they were trying to speak, uttering some Boovish sounds, some almost-English words and some gurgling now and then. It was very adorable to watch, especially as Justice was rolling around –as a Boov, she could not crawl; instead, she rolled- and bumping into Winter and Abelardo, who were watching her, fascinated.
"What does you mean?" Oh asked confused. This was completely normal behavior for Boovlings at their age, even though the talking part had come early. Oh blamed it on all the speaking and singing Tip and he had done during Tip's pregnancy.
"Right, for you they aren't," Tip said with a huff. "But by human standards this is incredibly creepy. They shouldn't barely be able to keep their heads up or turn around had they been humans," she explained further.
Oh shrugged helplessly. There wasn't really anything they could do about it.
"Justice!" Tip cried as the girl in question poked Winter in the eye. The latter shrieked and fell backwards in her panic, and while Tip scolded the oldest, Oh helped the youngest into a sitting position again. "You can't do that to others, Justice," Tip said sternly.
Justice looked lost. "Tip," Oh said softly. "Perhaps it was accidental. They are young; accidents happens all the time."
As if backing up her father's claim, Justice promptly fell backwards and poked herself in the eye. This time Tip looked lost, shooting looks between her oldest and her youngest.
Oh chuckled lightly and sat down next to Abelardo. He looked up at him with confusion evident in his eyes. "Girls, Abelardo. No one really understands them," Oh said with a wink.
Abelardo only frowned, and Tip chucked a pillow in Oh's direction.
"They understand so much too," Tip said as she sat down between Winter and Justice. "They have so… apparent personalities. Is that normal for Boov as well?"
Oh nodded and watched as Abelardo tried to roll over to Winter. Justice giggled, catching everyone's attention, before she rolled to the left, bumping into Tip's knee. Abelardo frowned and tried again, this time doing it better but not quite like his sister. "It is a way of survival. Boov are prey; our young had to learn things in a very young age," Oh said and smiled as the young boy sighed and promptly gave up. "See, Tip, I told you! If possibility for success falls below fifty percent, Boov give up!"
Tip rolled her eyes. "Abelardo, you mustn't listen to your papa, he doesn't understand things."
"I am more Boov than you," Oh said and crossed his arms.
"And thank God for that," Tip muttered. "Come on, Abelardo," she said to the confused Boovling. "Try again."
He looked skeptic, but did try. "See, Oh, they have human genes in them," Tip grinned and raised her eyebrows threateningly.
Oh smirked. "What a pity," he remarked, and looked down at his kids again. Abelardo had managed to roll over to his youngest sister, this time, and had knocked her over with a shriek. Justice was watching on the sidelines and giggling.
"Well, at least they're calm at night," Tip sighed, and leaned back on her hands.
"Excusing me?" Oh said in disbelief. "You cannot be the serious."
"No, I'm Tip," his wife answered cheekily. Oh shot her a dirty look and she giggled. "Sorry, I've been hanging out with Kyle too much. But yes, I am serious. Why?"
"Curse you and your heavy sleeping cycle," Oh grumbled. "When the kids are waking up in the night I have to calm them down. You would not wake up if an elephant stomped through the room."
Tip grimaced. "Why haven't you told me earlier?"
"I honestly thought you had that knowledge," Oh replied with a shrug. "It does not matter, my dear inyoni. It forms a better bond between father and daughters." Abelardo looked up at him with a pout. "And son," Oh hastily added.
"Oh you take that tone, do you?" Tip grinned. "Challenge accepted, mister." She then proceeded to pick up the Boovlings and run around the whole room, pretending to be a helicopter.
The kids, not prepared for this at all, gave almost identical shrieks of delight, though Justice's was the loudest.
Oh leaned back against the wall behind him with a soft smile. Now that he thought about it, it wouldn't be hard to give any of his children –or his wife- what he'd never had when he needed it the most.
It wasn't that hard to love. Not really.
Six Weeks, July 2nd
"Okay, Tip," Oh said, making a sweeping motion towards the room. "Explain this."
"I knew it was too early," Tip muttered, rubbing at her eyes. "I bloody knew it."
"You know," Oh said and crossed his arms. "I am thinking that they are doing this with purpose." As if they had heard him, the giggles from the Boovlings increased.
"I'm too young for this," Tip grumbled and pushed herself away from the wall she was leaning against. "Okay you three, listen up!" she barked, causing her kids to freeze in their places, covered in yellow goo. "If you're too young to eat properly, then you're too young to eat candy. Now, I'm going to clean up this mess," She gestured. There was goo everywhere. On the Boovlings, on the walls, on the floor, and God knows how they got goo up into the ceiling, but it was there. "And we're going to give eating a new try. If you can't eat properly then, there will be no candy for the next three weeks!"
They were all staring her in some kind of shock. Abelardo dropped his spoon and tried to sink into his seat, Winter was looking way more guilty than a six-weeks-old Boov should be able to, and Justice was just… looking shocked, with red and yellow stripes running over her body.
"M-" Winter tried, and all attention was suddenly on her. "M… mu…" Tip froze before she straightened up with a shocked look. "Mymom," Winter squeaked with a light, light voice. Oh burst out laughing right there, scolding forgotten. Tip made a surprised sound, and then she looked down at him.
"You know!?" she cried, and didn't have to explain what she meant. Why yes, yes he knows.
"Tip," Oh gasped. "I have been knowing since we found the Gorg super chip!"
She frowned. "The Gorg super chip!? But that- Oh, that's five years ago!"
Oh nodded through his laughter, taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down. "Peh," Abelardo said, tasting the word. Oh was up on his feet immediately, laughter forgotten and staring at his son in anticipation. Tip had already been called Mymom… what would he be called? Abelardo frowned and swallowed, the muscles in his throat working hard. "Pa… papa…" Oh took a sharp intake of breath, but before he could say or do anything, Justice cried out.
"Ead a dell!" she shrieked in outrage, pushing her brother's shoulder hard and crossing her arms. Tip an Oh shared a look and decided not to comment.
"Now," Oh said. "Let us see about cleaning you up, shall we?" And with that, he scooped the three of them up and held them in his arms. Justice fidgeted and tried, to no vail, to get away from her siblings. "Tip, will you do the kitchen? You know how hard these are to wash up."
Tip giggled and nodded. "Sure thing, Oh."
Already out of the door, Oh looked down at the kids he held in his arms. "What did you call me, Abelardo?"
The only other male in the room looked at him as if he was crazy for forgetting so soon, but swallowed and spoke again. "Papa," he whispered, much to Justice's outrage.
"Papa!" Winter said, giggling and nuzzling his chest.
Justice crossed her arms and shook her head.
Oh laughed at her stubbornness. "That is okay, Justice. You talk when you are ready to."
The oldest girl gave him a shocked look, but nodded slowly.
Her father smiled at them. Speaking at six weeks… it was a bit early, but considering their family, it wasn't that much of a surprise.
"Okay," Oh sighed and eyed the bathtub warily. "Wish me good luck, Tip," he said.
"Good luck, Oh," Tip giggled, and Oh sighed again.
Eight Weeks, July 14th
Tip sighed and massaged her temple. "How old do they have to be before we can send them to the Baking Oven, inyoni?" she asked in defeat.
Justice, Abelardo and Winter were all running around through the house as fast as their small legs could carry them. Admittedly, it wasn't very fast, and not very disturbing, but they were all shrieking in delight as they went. "Just two more weeks, Tip, dear," Oh answered with a smile.
He walked away from the wall and placed himself in the middle of the room. "Abelardo!" he called, and the boy stopped short in his tracks, turning around to face his father.
"Ya?" he answered in his tiny voice, and Oh smiled.
"Stay there, will you?" As his son nodded, he straightened up again. "Winter! Justice!" Not long after, and the three Boovlings were gathered in front of him, looking curious and confused at why their playing had been interrupted. "What do you think about going to the Baking Oven in two weeks?"
Justice gasped in delight and nearly had a JoX attack there on the spot. Abelardo looked pleased, while Winter was cocking her head, as if in thought. "Win?" Abelardo asked and poked his sister in the shoulder.
"I-" Winter replied. "am no' like 'em…" she whispered, and Tip and Oh shared a look.
"Winter, darling," Tip said, and stepped forward to hug her daughter. "Come with me; we'll have a talk." Passing by him, Tip gave Oh a look and brushed her hand over his head. :Will you talk to the others?:
He nodded and turned towards the two remaining kids. "Justice," he said with a smile. "Why are you excited?"
"I 'ill 'eet other Boov," she cried and begun jumping up and down. "Other kids!"
"Yes, Justice, you will. And you, Abelardo? What do you think?"
"Well…" the boy said, and scratched his neck. "There 'ill be- lots to, to see, yes?"
"Yes, lots to see and lots to learn," Oh smiled, and Abelardo brightened up. You are an odd one, Abelardo, Oh chuckled mentally. "What were you playing earlier?"
Justice lit up like fireworks and jumped up and down on the spot again. "Tag!" she cried, and poked her father forcefully. Not that it hurt or anything, but she did it forcefully anyway.
Oh raised an eyebrow. "I am it. You have three seconds to run." The Boovlings seemed confused for a moment until Abelardo's eyes widened. "One," Oh counted, and the boy shrieked 'Papa!' and ran for cover. "Two." Justice screamed and bolted the other way when she realized what he was doing. "Three!" Oh yelled, and with that he was running after them.
He ran around the couch and nearly crashed into the door leading to the Boovlings bedroom, chasing a giggling Justice through the room, into the bathroom and out to the other side, where Abelardo was lurking, unprepared. "What on earth is going on here?" Tip cried suddenly, and Oh laughed.
"Tag!" he called back, and Winter begun squirming in Tip's arms.
"Wanna play, Mymom!" she whined, and moments later a girl as white as snow was running through the room together with the others.
"Come on, Tip!" Oh yelled. "Help me out! They are fast, the devils!"
Tip giggled and threw herself into the game, much to Oh's delight and the Boovlings' fright. They could outrun their papa for a while, but Mymom? No way. Never. Nope.
But did they give up?
Of course not!
Ten Weeks, July 28th
"I am expecting you to behave, you lot," Oh said over his shoulder as he walked the trio into the Baking Oven they were attending the next few years.
"We will, papa!" Justice grinned. After Abelardo had asked for lessons on talking properly, Justice had picked it up, and Winter had followed after. They were all getting better, and maturing faster than other Boovlings. It was… frightening, in a way, and Oh could kind of understand why Tip was so freaked out in the beginning.
"Alright, Justice, I believe you," Oh smiled. Then he grew serious. "I know that people will try and be mean to you. Do not listen to them unless they are saying the good things, okay? Tell someone if it happens, yes?"
Abelardo nodded so hard that it seemed like his head might fall off, and Winter gave her father a shy smile. "Papa?" she whispered.
"Yes, Winter?"
"I love you."
Oh smiled fondly at his daughter. "I love you too, Winter," he said and knelt down to give all three of them a hug. "Now, go on, and I will go speak to the Boov in command. Have fun!"
They ran off with giggles, and Oh stood up, shaking his head and chuckling lightly. They were just too adorable.
"Hello?" he said and knocked on the door he'd been eying for a while.
It swung open mere seconds later. "Hi," a female Boov answered. And then she recognized him. "O-oh! Hello, Captain JLo, please, come in!"
"Thanking you," Oh said with a smile, and walked into the room beyond the door. "I will not be staying for a long time," he assured her. "I just want to talk about my children."
"Ah, yes, the three youngest," she nodded. "What about them?"
"Please, do not treat them in a special way just because they are mine. I want them to have a normal childhood."
The manager of the place blinked in confusion. "O-kay, as you wish, sir. Is there anything I need to know about them?"
"Winter is… different from the others. Her skin is white, her eyes are red, and she is afraid that people might bully her," Oh said sadly. "I wish I could tell her enough times that she is beautiful, but I am afraid that she does not believe me."
"We are not allowing bullies here, Captain, not to worry. If they are detected then they will be expelled," the manager assured him very, very quickly. "Anything else?"
He looked at her gravely. "They are incredibly smart. Abelardo especially. He can speak English almost better than me, and some simple Boovspeak, too. All of them can speak fairly well, but Abelardo is the best."
She did a double take and widened her eyes. "Are they not ten weeks old?"
"Yes," Oh said and looked down. "Yes, they are. It is scary how fast they are growing up. At this rate, I would say that they are all Big Brain Boovs without the large heads."
The manager made a choking sound. "Should we treat them like that?"
"In some ways, yes," Oh answered. "But do remember, they are still young. They might be smart, but they are still very, very young."
She nodded solemnly. "It is noted, Captain JLo. You will get a notice if we have any troubles with them, and they will be treated like… like BBB's on some points and like normal Boov kids on other."
Oh gave her a warning look. "Do not raise them to be computers like BBB's were raised to be under Smek's command. I want them to live normal, yes?"
"Yes!" she agreed and nodded hard.
"Good," Oh smiled. "Gratuity will retrieve them when the time comes. Goodbye for now!"
"G-goodbye," came the weak reply as Oh disappeared out of the door with a chuckle.
Six Hours Later
Oh had just flipped a page in his book when the entrance door slid open and three Boovlings came running in. Just as he was standing up to greet them, Winter shrieked "Papa!" and threw herself at him. Justice and Abelardo soon followed, and Oh fell to the floor with a huff.
Tip entered a moment later and begun laughing when she saw him under a pile of moving footballs. "Help," Oh wheezed and reached a hand out towards her.
"Drama queen." Tip rolled her eyes and passed by him, walked into the kitchen and placed some bags onto the workbench, and then she walked into the room again.
Oh was trying to shake the young ones off, but to no vail; they stood their ground. "Alright you big doofs, come here," he said and scooped them all up into a hug. "Who is your favorite parent?" he asked, not expecting an answer.
"Mymom!" they all said at the same time, and Oh froze.
Tip burst out laughing. "Seriously?" Oh said.
"And you, papa," Abelardo squealed and hugged him tighter.
"Yes!" the two girls repeated. "Papa, too!"
Tip stopped laughing and Oh grinned. "That is correct," he smiled. "Did you have a good day?"
Justice jumped down from his lap and nodded hard. "I did! It was loads a'fun, the other kids like us!"
"They on't talk mush," Winter whispered. "Why on't they talk to us?"
"Because they can't," Tip frowned.
"They can't?" Abelardo repeated and copied her frown. "Why?"
"They have not learned how to," Oh explained and lifted the boy out of his lap and placed him on the floor.
"Why?" Justice wanted to know.
Tip and Oh shared a look, and then Tip went over and sat down next to him, grabbing his hand. :You have some explaining to do,: she said, and Oh sighed.
The kids shared a look themselves, and then they walked away. Justice muttered something about 'unfair silent talks' and then they were gone.
:I- I don't know why, but they're maturing way too fast. This isn't normal for a normal Boov. They're acting like Big Brain Boovs, but that shouldn't be possible at all.:
:Then what on Earth is going on?: Tip asked with a frown. :Could it be the genes mixing up? Should we talk to someone about this?:
Oh nodded slowly. :That is a possibility. However I think we should wait two months:
Tip cocked and eyebrow at him. :Why? That's- that's eight weeks, almost the double they already are.:
:Because,: Oh drawled. :At that age normal Boov stop maturing quickly; at twenty plus minus weeks most normal Boov would be able to talk some really bad English- unless they have a speaking problem, of course- and act like the 'Lings are doing now. Then they stop maturing until they hit the three-year-old mark, and they age in a humanish speed.:
:Then what the fuck is going on with our children!?: Tip cried.
:Tip,: Oh said softly. :There may be nothing wrong with them. It may be the genes acting up, combining the human mimicking-sounds ability and the Boovs quick learning, or it may be because we sung and talked so much during your pregnancy, or it may be because we actually tried to learn them how to speak. Any of these combined with a desire for learning and/or a high intelligence should be enough for this to happen,: Oh tried to explain, and Tip frowned.
:…alright,: she said after a long pause. :I get where you're coming from. So… no checking stuff until twenty weeks, then?:
:No checking stuff until twenty weeks,: Oh agreed. He exhaled slowly. :…should we tell them?:
:About what?: Tip asked.
Oh winced. :That- that they don't have a normal family.:
Tip looked up and around the room. She smiled sadly. :I think they know already, Oh.:
He nodded. :Perhaps they do.:
July 29th
"Grandmama!" was the first thing said when Lucy opened the door for them. Receiving a hug from three small aliens was the first thing done.
Lucy chuckled and opened the door wider. "Well, don't just stand there," she said and waved them in. "It's warmer inside."
Tip rolled her eyes. "As if it isn't warm enough already," she moaned.
"Well, it's colder then," Lucy shrugged as they stepped inside and walked over to the couch. "Hello, dearies," Lucy said to her grandkids.
"'ello, grandmama!" Justice replied with a smile.
"Now, which one of you was it that wants Boov candy?" Lucy asked as she knelt down to be on their eye level.
"Me," Winter said and raised her hand as far up as it would go. "I said last time," she pointed out.
"Ops, it must be my old age," Lucy said with a smile.
Abelardo frowned. "Grandmama, you aren't old," he said.
"It was a joke, Abe," Justice rolled her eyes.
"O-oh. Sorry."
"That means that Justice wants human candy and Abelardo doesn't care," Lucy muttered absentmindedly. "Wait here, I'll be right back!" She disappeared out into the kitchen, and Winter immediately went over to the couch and held up her arms towards Tip with a pleading expression.
Tip chuckled and lifted her up onto the couch, where she rolled over to Oh and rested against him. "I'm back!" Lucy cheerfully said, and help up two small milk chocolates and a small can of motor oil. "Here you go," she said and handed the motor oil to Winter. "Here you go." Chocolate handed to Justice. "And here's for you, Abelardo." Chocolate handed to Abelardo. Justice opened her chocolate and stuffed the whole bar into her mouth immediately, which caused the adults to smile warmly.
"Mymom?" Winter squeaked, and Oh thought of a burbling mountain river. Again. Tip looked at her daughter with a questioning look. "'an you watsh dis for me?" said daughter asked and held out the motor oil.
"Of course, sweetie," Tip said and put the can into her purse.
"Thanking you," Winter replied politely and jumped down from the couch before she went over to her siblings to play.
Lucy's smile dropped immediately. "They're so mature," she whispered, her eyes going wide. "Makes you wonder how old they really are!"
"They're, uhm… ten weeks, mom," Tip said, her eyes darting around the room as if unsure about what to focus on. "I know it doesn't appear like that, but… Oh and I are wondering if it might be because of our mixed genes. They really are two and a half months old, mom, they really are, it's just that they speak so well and that they have so distinct personalities that makes it seem like they're older."
"And- this is normal?" Lucy asked.
"The personality part? Yes. The talking part? No," Oh replied. "But- but we are believing that it is the human genes and the Boov genes mixing together, and if you are adding the fact that they appear to be highly intelligent for their age and have a desire for learning to communicate, it does make sense in some strange way."
"Huh," Lucy replied. She turned in her chair to watch the young Boovlings rolling around on the floor, and her expression softened into a warm smile. "They're certainly something, aren't they?"
Tip smiled, too. "Yes, mom. Yes they are."
Twelve Weeks, August 10th
"Oh, it's time for us to have a Talk."
Oh looked up and met his mate's eyes with a surprised expression. He'd just put the Boovlings to bed, and while he'd been prepared for cuddling he wasn't prepared for a Talk. "Okay," he replied nonetheless, and followed Tip to the couch. It didn't appear like he had any choice, and it wasn't like they'd ever fought because of the Talks. "What is it?"
"In all the five years we've known each other," Tip begun, and Oh knew, by the look on her face, that they were going to stay there for a while. "We've never talked much about your childhood. Yes, you said that you don't fit in when we'd just met, but that's not what I mean."
Upon hearing the words, his skin appeared to be unsure whether to turn pale blue or just pale in general. He sighed, though. This talk was long overdue. "I was never liked," Oh told her, looking away awkwardly. "The other Boov… thought that I was… weird. That I was- unique. It was- a bad thing, when I was younger, to be happy, to want- to want friends. "Boov do not 'friend',"" he quoted and drew a shaky breath. "It was bad, but I tried to feel happiness. It worked… in a way, but I knew that I was living a lie. Had I not been Boov, I would have been dead."
Tip frowned. "What do you mean, had you not been Boov?" she asked softly.
Oh swallowed and opened his mouth before closing it again, frowning and trying to form a sentence she'd understand. "Boov do not understand suicide," he finally settled with. "Yes, they- many would be considering it if they knew of it, but the idea of killing yourself- it is unacceptable."
"You mean… had you known that it was possible, you would have taken your own life?" Tip gasped, ignoring the bad structured explanation.
"…yes."
She reached over and pulled him into a tight hug. "But not anymore, right?" she whispered.
He shook his head and smiled as his skin flushed pink. Even after five years, it was great to see that she cared about him. He'd never had anyone really caring about him. "Not anymore."
A sudden sob shattered the moment, and Tip released him in favor of detecting the source. "Abelardo!" she gasped.
Oh looked underneath her arm and widened his eyes. Their only son was standing just outside of his bedroom, with wide eyes and- and blue skin. "Papa," he whispered, and Oh slid out of the couch to sit on the floor.
Abelardo threw himself into his arms, hugging him as forcefully as a three-months-old Boov boy could. "The Boov were mean to you?" he asked. He sounded shocked.
He's been listening to the whole conversation, Oh realized and sighed heavily. "Yes," he said, because it would not do good to teach his kids it was okay to lie.
"But you are their captain!" Abelardo whispered in confusion.
"I was not at the time," Oh reminded him.
"But how? Why? You are nice!"
"I dared to be different," Oh told him and pulled away from the hug. "People will always envy others that dare to be themselves."
"Am I different?" Abelardo whispered and frowned.
"Everyone's unique, and therefore different," Tip said and crouched down next to him. "That includes you, and me, and papa, and your sisters."
"Will people be mean to me?"
"We won't allow them," Tip assured him with a hard look. "Now, I think you should go to bed, young man."
Abelardo ignored her. "Papa? Are you okay?"
Oh smiled warmly and hugged his son one last time at the display of affection. Even after just three months, his kids cared about him. Already. Add that to Tip- just Tip, Tip in general-, and you had a great recipe for a happy life. Perhaps not the best, but a damn good one anyways. "Yes. I am now."
There was a moment as Abelardo appeared to consider this, and then he slipped out of Oh's grasp. "Goodnight, Papa, goodnight, Mymom," he muttered, and then he was gone.
"Goodnight, Abelardo," Oh whispered, and drew himself up into a standing position before dropping carelessly down next to Tip, who on the couch again.
"I love you, you know," Tip told him and nuzzled his head, curling protectively up around him as she had done so many times before.
Oh flushed pink again and nuzzled her arm right back. "I know," he said with a smile, and felt himself begin to doze off. "I am happiness that you do," he yawned, his mind not really functioning properly in the sleepy state he was in. "I love you, too." The words were muttered into the abyss, and the last thing he knew before falling asleep was the soothing heartbeat of his wife.
Fourteen Weeks, August 24th
"I don't think we'll need to check them, Oh," Tip said. Oh looked up at her, but she was standing with her back to him, cooking something in a frying pan. Now and then, the sound of hissing oil or melted butter could be heard, but other than that content silence had echoed through the room.
"What does you mean?" Oh asked and returned to chopping cucumber and placing it in a bowl. It was perhaps the only human thing he could eat for a longer time without getting sick. He could of course eat other human things, but if he ate too much of it… well. Let's not go there.
"Well, they haven't done anything more spectacular than learning to speak earlier than other Boov, and in the last month-ish they have barely changed at all. So yeah, it's probably just one of the things you listed," Tip explained and threw a smile over her shoulder at him. At a particularly loud hissing noise, she grabbed a bowl and poured the meat she'd cooked into it. She reached after the salt and pepper, threw some cheese over it all and walked towards the table.
Oh shrugged, put the knife into the dishwasher, grabbed his own bowl and sat down opposite of his soulmate. "I would not be too worried," he said and stuffed some of the watery plant into his mouth, chewing delightedly. "Had that not been the case. It has happened before, and the Boovs were great people, trusting me."
"I do," Tip assured him. "I do."
A rush of affection and appreciation flowed through him, and he ducked his head to hide his blush. Tip laughed. "You do know by now that you can't hide your blush from me, right?" she asked playfully, and Oh blushed harder.
"Yes," he answered, dragging the E sound out and turning mild green. It was just a partial lie anyways.
Tip laughed again and shook her head, eating another spoonful of meat. She nonchalantly grabbed a handful of cucumber from Oh's bowl and dropped it into her own. At Oh's raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "Not enough taste, not enough crunchiness," she explained, waving her spoon around in small circles.
The Boov rolled his eyes and ate another piece of cucumber. A sudden, run-away thought caused him to frown in worry. "How are you, inyoni?" he asked softly, and Tip looked up in surprise.
"I'm fine, why?"
"No," Oh said. "Not now. How are you- in general?"
Her shoulders drooped and she put her spoon down. "Lonely. There's little I can do in the daytime, besides painting and reading books. Yeah, and by the way, I've nearly read through all the books there. Not the ones in Boovspeak, obviously."
He frowned again. "I am sorry, I am not meaning to leaving you alone like that," he whispered. He truly was sorry for it; he missed the longer days he would spend with his mate, before the Boovlings, before moving, before they… before they grew up. Perhaps it had been a mistake, to have children so early… but they brought so much happiness with them, and there was no way to change it now.
"No, it's okay!" Tip hurried to say, gesturing to make her point clear. "I know that you're busy with work and being a Boov leader and everything, and I really, really appreciate that you still manage to make time for me, somehow, in your busy schedule. But it still gets lonely, so I've- I've been filling the time with writing."
Oh raised his eyebrows. "Writing?" he said in surprise. Tip didn't seem like the type to, she usually painted, but who was he to judge?
"Yeah," Tip said and looked away awkwardly. "I know it's not a good idea or whatever, but the community is really good!"
"The community?" Oh asked, his confusion at the situation only growing. Their food was pushed aside, forgotten for good.
"Yeah, I, ah, I've been publishing my writing on the internet, so others can read it too. I've been anonymous, so no one knows that it's me, but the feedback I'm getting is amazing, I've been communicating with so many people!"
"That is great, Tip," Oh said, genuinely happy. He didn't understand half of what Tip was babbling about, but hey, she was practically beaming at him. "I am happy for you!"
"It's still kinda silent in here, and I'd like to get out more often, but it's better after I begun being active."
Oh nodded, considering a few options for what he could do so Tip would get out of the house more often. He could understand that she'd get frustrated after more than a few days, basically locked into their home. Then he lit up. "You could go to the shop instead of me, if you would want, and there is a library being built just around the corner," he said tentatively, watching her face closely for any reaction.
Her eyes widened and she facepalmed. "Gosh, I hadn't even thought of that, wow." She shook her head at her own silliness and Oh smiled. "Yes, that's a great idea, Oh! I could perhaps go to some cafés, too, when I want to write. It's cliché, I know, but it works."
"I am glad I could help, my inyoni," Oh said, and eyed her long forgotten meal. "I am thinking you have been forgetting something," he smirked, and threw the last handful of cucumber into his mouth, jumped down from the chair and placed the bowl into the dishwasher next to the knife.
Tip groaned. "Do you think Justice or Abelardo would like this for their breakfast tomorrow? I'm not hungry anymore."
Oh shrugged and retrieved a glass of orange juice from the fridge. "Put it in the refrigerator and ask them tomorrow."
She sighed. "You have a point."
"Do I not always?" Oh said seriously as he walked towards the door.
"Shut it," Tip giggled and followed him without complaint.
Sixteen Weeks, September 7th
"Papa?" Winter whispered. "Can you sing that song again?"
Oh raised his eyebrows and walked over to her bed, flopping down next to her. "Which?"
"The one 'bout you always loving us," his youngest daughter explained, and wriggled a bit in her bed. Her bright, pale skin was almost glowing in the darkness of the room.
He smiled warmly. "Of course," he answered. "Do you want to sing with me?"
Winter lit up and giggled lightly. "Yes!" she whisper-yelled and jumped in the bed.
They sung, Oh's voice mixing with her's much lighter.
A sharp intake of breath at the door made him aware of Tip's presence, and he grinned. "Goodnight, Winter," he whispered and kissed her forehead, tucked her in and then walked out the door, his wife following after him.
"Oh, did you hear that?" she asked in disbelief, nudging him towards the couch.
"I did."
"Her voice is so beautiful!" Tip whispered and sat down heavily. "My god!"
Oh chuckled. "Yes, if she wants to, one day she will be great."
Tip nodded and rested her head on top of his. "Wow, Oh, we- I never thought that we'd come this far… that we'd become parents…"
"Neither did I, inyoni" he answered and inhaled her scent. "Neither did I."
Eighteen Weeks, September 21th
"Why didn' you tell us!?" Abelardo shrieked as he pummeled into the room, and Tip jumped in surprise.
Oh looked at his son in confusion. "What does you mean?"
"You!" Abelardo said and pointed an accusing finger at the two of them. He was breathing hard. "Saved the world!"
His sisters, who'd hurried in after him, gasped in unison. "You were the first human and Boov soulmates!" Abelardo continued, and Tip winced when the girls gasped louder.
"Yes," Oh said slowly. "Yes, we were."
"And we kind of did," Tip added.
"Why didn' you tell us!?" Abelardo repeated. Oh and Tip exchanged a look, debating silently and quickly.
Oh sighed heavily. "You are still too young to be knowing this," he muttered darkly. "Can we
take this conversation at a later age, please?"
Abelardo was practically steaming, and his skin was slowly turning a dark red color. Winter's eyes were blown wide open, same as her mouth, and it appeared that she didn't know what to say. Understandable, she'd just figured out that her parents had saved the world after all. Justice was bright orange, and it- wasn't a surprise, not really, that she was in awe. "Abelardo," Tip said softly, and the young boy's focus snapped to her. "You're still young, just four months. Yes, you are acting more mature than you should, even for a Boov, and you are aware of this fact –though how I have no idea- but you're still too young to understand. We'll tell you when you turn four, okay? I promise."
And with that, all the anger melted of him, the red color draining away and returning to the same old purple. "…okay," he muttered, looking slightly ashamed of his outburst.
"What!?" Justice cried. "You're just- givin' up like that!?"
Winter swatted at her arm. "It's their rules, Jess," she whispered. "The're our creators, dey decide."
Tip choked and Oh widened his eyes, skin paling. That- came as a shock. "Winter, darling," he said shakily, correcting her. "We are your parents, not- not creators. That is- not the right term. At all."
"Oh," Winter said. "Who're our creators then?"
Tip choked again and looked at Oh with alarmed eyes. "Uh, ah, Winter, we will tell you that, too, when you hit four, yes?"
She frowned but nodded slowly.
"What am I to know then?" Justice piped up, and Tip massaged her temples.
"This is way too much work," she muttered. "What do you want to know?"
"Uh." Justice cocked her head as if in deep thought, furrowing her cute little Boov eyebrows. "Nevermind."
Tip reached over to him and grabbed his hand in hers. Skin against skin, brown and purple, and the connection flared to life. We have to talk, inyoni.
Oh swallowed and looked at the Boovlings now chatting happily among themselves. Agreed.
The light in the room had an almost non-existent glow to it, dark and toned down. It was throwing shadows upon Tip's features, giving her an eerie, almost evil look. "What are we supposed to tell them?" she said and turned on her heel when she bumped into the wardrobe.
Oh followed her movements from his place on the soft bed. "The truth?" he proposed.
"When they're four?" Tip turned again, crossing her arms in thought.
"Well, maybe not everything, but- the truth would be a good start," Oh shrugged and closed his eyes to clear his mind. "Tip, I cannot think when you are wearing that dress," he complained, rubbing his temple in a fruitless attempt at focusing.
She made a choking sound that could have been a surprised noise and could have been to cover a snort. "Sorry."
Oh raised an eyebrow. "You do not sound apologizing," he pointed out, and she made that sound again. Definitely to cover a snort, then.
"Anyways," she said pointedly, turning sharply and staring at him with those sparkling green eyes of hers. "How much do we tell them?"
Oh thought about it. "Well," he slowly said. "By now Abelardo should have told the girls all he knows, and in three years they will know a lot more."
With a heavy sigh, Tip sat down on the bed next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Then what do you propose?" she muttered into the almost-darkness of the room.
It was another one of those moments. Damn. His skin flushed pink, and in the dark room it seemed like he was glowing. "Let them ask us," he answered quietly and turned his head to nuzzle her shoulder, the pink color of his skin intensifying. "Or tell the story."
His best friend and wife giggled lightly. "You're adorable, Oh," she said and sneaked an arm around him, pulling him closer. "I feel like we're too young to be doing this, sometimes."
"Doing what?" Oh asked, alarmed. Be together? Raise the kids? Be independent? In love? He didn't want to stop with this little life they'd begun in the middle of the sky, but- but if she wanted to… he'd do it.
The pink color dimmed, but Tip didn't seem to notice. "Have kids, you know. One or two had been fine, but there's three of them and they're our responsibility."
"Tip, are you okay?" Worry tainted his voice, and Tip turned bright, bright eyes towards him.
"Yeah," she whispered. "I have you; everything's fine."
And the pink color intensified again. Tip giggled, and the vibrations went through his body like electricity in water. In any other setting, it would have been sexual, but now- it was oddly comforting. "And after all, they go to the Baking Oven now, which gives us more free time."
Oh made a non-committing humming sound, reaching out to place a hand on her chin. When he made a move to turn her head she did so willingly, and their gazes met.
Blue with specks of green.
Dark green ones, lit up from the inside.
And in two long seconds blue searched green, looking for the answer to a question no one had asked.
Green eyes lit up with love, with adoration, affection, hope, trust and friendship, but none of these was the answer.
And the blue eyes looked deeper.
Happiness.
Their lips met in a warm, slow, happy kiss.
(YO GUYS IT'S AMEEEE, MARIO!
IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE!
Seriously though, I have a question for you. Is it okay if I write in first person, or is that a no-no?
I warn you, if no one gives me an answer, I will answer it myself. It might not be the outcome you want.
And hey! Do you wanna see Justice's POV, Abelardo's POV or Winter's POV first? The plan –I repeat, plan- is that Winter comes first, then Abelardo and then Justice but it depends.
Plus alsoes too! It might take a while before the next chapters come up, but it will come, alright? I'm too deep into this to let it go. I've just barely begun sketching the Boovlings' lives, so please do not murder me in my sleep if the next chapter is late.
Now that I think about it, don't murder me when I'm awake either. Or dozing off. Or showering. Or eating. I
If you murder me there won't be any more chapters, so there's that.
Review!
PS: I must apologize- Oh came out very, very, very OOC. I'm sORRY! In my defense, he's, ah- hold on. The Boovlings were born in 2019, he was- sixteen at the time? Four year lat-
oh.
oh my.
I've made him twenty fucking years old.
What the fuck.
I did not realize that.
Lord help me.
wELL-
there you have it, I guess. He's twenty now, he's allowed to be more mature than he is in the movie, so please please don't kill me oh my god please don't
EDIT: alright, listen up! This work will not update before:
-it receives at least 50 views (we're on 20 now)
-at least one review on each chapter, excluding the one that's already there, OR at least five reviews
-at least two follows AND/OR two favorites
Okie dokie. There you got it. So, if you review, please answer my question- 1st person view okay?
Alright, I'm done, you can review now.)