Time passed, night coming. Al sat tending to his eggs. Matt's egg was getting warmer.
Al had taken out the flashlight again. Ivan's eggs seemed over half developed now. He smiles softly, before hesitantly pulling out the other drawer.
The other eggs sat inside, staring at him like an admittance of guilt and shame. He stared for a moment before turning on the light.
The insides illuminated, showing a grand amassment of... Nothing?
He blinks checking the next.
It showed the same emptiness. The rest also, his breath hitched pulling over a plate from lunch and cracking one open.
It split in two, slightly cloud liquid pouring out. The yolk fell to the plate, perfectly plain, like one you'd cook for breakfast. They hadn't fertilized!
The shell crumbles in his hand. Shards cutting into his skin. Al curls into himself while emotions raged. These eggs had stolen two of his cubs for nothing...
While he was glad there was nothing of that bastard, he also mourned for the lost. It was bittersweet. He trembles.
The door opened, Ro peering in. She looked like she'd just woken up, still in her pajamas, hair a scruffy mess. Al looked up at the movement, eyes damp.
She didn't look too much better. Due to running around trying to help everyone, she'd missed a lot of sleep, not stopping until she passed out. As such, her sleeping patterns were entirely messed up.
"Um.. hey.." He hurriedly tried to pull himself together.
She frowned softly, coming over. "I know I'm pretty much a child, but I'm not stupid..."
Al looks away sheepishly. She just sat and hugged him. He sighs folding in. She cuddled in, just hugging silently.
Al sat clinging for a while. Ro needed him just as much as he needed her. They sat recovering with each other.
After a while, she asked about Matt's cubs.
"They're fine, all six of them."
"Matt looks tired though..."
"It didn't help that he was sick.."
She nodded softly.
"Wanna go visit?"
"Think he'll mind?"
"I think you might cheer him up some." Al puts his first clutch back on it's shelf, leaving the others on the floor. He forgot about the shell pieces in his palms.
She spotted them when they glinted in the light though, catching his hand gently. "You hurt yourself."
"Oh.. Sorry.."
She shook her head softly, pulling him to the bathroom. "I can fix it."
He follows after obediently. She took him to the bathroom and sat him on the toilet before pulling out the little first aid kit. She'd become a very good little nurse during this whole fiasco.
His fingers twitch slightly as she pulled out each shard. She tried to be quick and gentle, apologizing every time she thought she'd hurt him.
Soon it was wrapped and treated. He gave her a small smile. She smiled back softly, holding his hand longer than she really had to. She'd been getting lonely again lately, what with all this kicking off. She'd been overworked, else ignored...
He didn't mind, gripping back.
"Go see Matt?" she asked softly.
He smiles leading her off. Matt had been moved to one of the bedrooms so he could have privacy with his cubs. Right now, Matt had snuggled up with his cubs, having warmed up to them after resting a bit. They knocked on the door.
Sheets rustled quietly. "...Come in."
Al opens the door pulling Ro behind him. Matt snuggled under his quilt, cubs tucked safely beneath. "Hey Al..."
"Hey, feel any better?"
"A bit... They're sleeping a lot... "
Al smiles softy sitting on the floor next to the bed. Ro shuffled in behind him, smiling shyly. Matt beamed tiredly. "Hey Ro, you feeling better?"
She nodded softly. Al smiles between them. Matt waved her over, getting her close enough to hug. Al folded his arms on the mattress and laid down his head.
Matt smiled at them both. "Wanna see them?"
"Sure."
He pulled back the covers, revealing his six balls of fluff. Ro lit up, eyes shining. Al smiles softly.
Matt tenderly stroked the cub that was injured during birth. "She's coming on better then I thought she would."
"Pick a name yet?"
"Not yet..." his smile saddened. "I want to make sure she'll be okay..."
Al smiles at him. "I'm sure it'll be fine.."
"She's poorly," Ro leaned over, gently touching the injured cub.
"Just a scratch," Matt smiled reassuringly.
Al sits scratching a tiny ear. The cub nuzzled towards him, squeaking softly. He grins brightly. Ro petted another, nearly squeaking herself when Matt said she could pick it up.
Al chuckles mentally. *As tired as she is, babies always seem to cheer her up..*
*It's good she can still smile like that,* Matt grinned softly.
Al smiles gripping his hand. He gripped back firmly, nuzzling a cub. There were bandages there though..
*Tell me what happened to your hand...* Matt wasn't the kind to miss things like this...
*Nothin.. Just being clumsy..*
*How'd you hurt it...?*
*Crackin some eggs.. Gripped a little too hard. Ruined the omelet in the process.*
*It was your second batch, wasn't it...?*
*...am I that bad a liar..?*
*I know you,* Matt smiled softly.
Al sighs gripping tight.
Matt just leaned into him. *Were they developing?*
*Duds... All of 'em duds..*
*How do you feel about that...?* he hugged him.
*I dunno.. Glad nothing came out of it? But still..*
Matt sighed, pulling him into his shoulder.
He nuzzled in. *Your's seems to be getting warmer..*
*Might let the cubs use it like a hot water bottle...*
Al chuckles.
"How's the cub?" Matt turned back to Ro, smiling.
"Okay," she shrugged, grinning. "I think they're happy?"
Al smiles. The cub looked very content in her arms and she looked happy with it. Matt was half tempted to let her keep it, if only to keep her smiling.
"So who's hungry?" Al asks, it was about time for dinner and bottles anyway.
"Starving!" Matt grinned. Ro just shrugged again.
Al smiles, getting up to go get something. Matt and Ro stayed with the cubs. He comes up later with some bowls of mac. Ro helped prop Matt up on his pillows, herding the cubs into her lap so he could eat.
Al hands out the bowls, hotdogs cut in slices mixed in. (favorite way to make itX3)
Ro looked at it curiously, prodding at the hotdog with her fork. "What're these?"
"Um.." He forgot she tended to avoid meat..
She couldn't quite come to terms with eating another creature... It just felt wrong to her, the very concept of it.
"Um I'll just make you a fresh bowl.. Sorry.."
She nodded softly, handing him the bowl. "Sorry for being difficult..."
Al takes it back downstairs, coming back a few minutes later. She looked up, feeling bad that Al had had to go make her something different.
He just smiles, handing her a plate and taking his own back from Matt. She smiled at her now meatless meal, thanking him softly as she started to eat. Al settles on the floor again, eating.
Matt revived with food, perking up. *Any more?*
*Sure.*
*Would you mind, or Ro...?* Birthing was tiresome...
*Be right back.*
*Thanks bro.*
Al takes the dishes heading back down.
When he came back up, Matt was on his phone, stuttering as he tried to calm down whoever was on the other end. "I know... I... I'm sorry... Please don't get upset..."
Al blinks coming over.
"Gil... Gil, stop... Deep breaths, you'll pass out again..."
Al smirks softly at that.
"In... Out... In... Better? There you go..." Matt smiled warmly. "I'm okay... I'm at Al's."
Al sits on the edge of the bed setting the bowl next to him. Matt flashed him a smile as Gil spoke through the phone. "Um... Hang on, I'll check. Al? You mind if Gil comes over?" *I think he needs to know what happened...*
"Sure.. I should probably call Vanya too.."
"There you go sweetie, Al just said you can come... Yeah, Ro's with me. She's alright - missed you though."
Al glanced to her. She had pinked slightly, but there was a quiet excitement in her eyes that went with seeing good friends. He smiles softly.
"Okay... Alright, love you." Matt hung up, sighing softly. "This is going to be fun..."
Al hugs him.
Matt hugged back, careful of the cubs. *I didn't tell him about them...*
*It's fine.. Kind of a lot to take in..*
*He's gonna freak out...*
Al rubs his back.
*You need to call Ivan... He'll want to see your cubs...*
*Alright. Eat up I'll be back.*
Matt nodded, letting him go. Al headed back to the kitchen quickly for bottles before returning to his nest. He dials his phone as he feed the cubs. The cubs fed readily, suckling strongly.
The phone rang a few times before Ivan picked up. "Fredka?"
"Uh hey.. How are you?"
"Where have you been?! All this time and not even a message?!"
"Sorry been a little busy.."
"Are you alright? Have you been sick?"
"In a way.. Look.. Could you come over? I uh, have something to show you.."
"Where are you?"
"At home.."
"Which home, Fredka...?"
"Virginia.."
"I will be on the first flight over tomorrow."
"Ok.."
Ivan sighed and fell silent for a moment. "... I love you, Fredka, I'll see you soon."
"Love you too.."
"See you tomorrow," he hung up, dialtone buzzing in Al's ear.
Al sighs putting the phone down. He glanced to the cubs in his lap. They'd finished their bottles and snuggled together happily, little fluffy balls of cute.
He smiles softly. "I hope he likes you.." Al bundled them up and stood to dispose of the duds. He really didn't want them around anymore.. They really were just taking up room... It was about time they went to the trash...
He picked them up taking them downstairs to the trash.
Ro smiled softly as he passed through the kitchen, having come down to wash up their dishes from dinner. He smiles back heading to the garage.
The garage was mostly empty, just a few old boxes, the trash cans and a lot of dust... Maybe they could make better use of the space?
He glanced once more to the batch before setting them in the can with a sigh. At least they were gone now... And it was only a matter of time before his eggs hatched.
He walks back inside, just wanting to cuddle with them for a bit.
Ro had waited in the kitchen for him, getting up when he came back. "Hey..."
"Hi.."
Her little smile wavered slightly. "Um... You okay?"
"Yeah." He felt a little lighter at least.
"Okay..." she glanced around a bit then got up. "I'm gonna.. Go back upstairs..."
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled dismissively. "I can see there's somewhere you want to be, so..."
He frowns hugging her. She sighed, hugging back tightly. He rocked gently.
She buried into his shoulder, feeling like he was slipping further and further away from her. She was fading into the background and she knew she was...
"You can talk to me anytime ya know.."
Her grip tightened, voice quiet and tense. "I... W-where do I belong...?"
"With us.."
"That's not what I meant," she pulled back, already fighting tears. "Y-you have Matt, Arthur has Francis, you a-and Matt both have partners and I... T-there just won't be any room for me soon..."
Al frowns holding her tight.
She tensed, so confused and conflicted. She didn't want to be annoying, but she didn't want to be alone either.
"Ya know, maybe I can find you some friends.. Have you ever thought about going to school?"
"I don't even know what a school is! I'm probably too stupid for it anyway..." she knew there was still a lot she didn't know or understand and she hated it.
"School is a place where you learn things. Mostly with people your age. You know you can ask when you don't understand something."
"B-but... Would you come with me? I don't understand the human world, I-I need you to tell me how it works, I...!"
He chuckles. "Tell ya what let's go talk with Matt about it?" It's been a while since he attended school, mostly college courses though.
She whined uncertainly, very scared by the idea. With her knowledge, she wouldn't last at college... Although, her size and innocence would let her pass off for about twelve, if she dressed right. If they could just convince her to go...
Al takes her back upstairs. She was restless now, clearly distressed. Matt picked up on it instantly. *What happened?*
*She's feeling lonely, I asked if maybe she wanted to try going to school.*
*I think it would be a good idea for her, actually. But where would she start? She still can't read or write...*
Al brings her over to sit on the bed. *Well we've kinda been at fault for that.. I figure crash course over the summer?*
*I don't know how readily she'll take to it all... She doesn't look too eager...* Matt wanted her to prosper, but would she cope in school? They could be cruel to people who were different, and her eyes stood out for miles...
*Just an idea..*
*We could try, I just worry about her... *
Al smiles softly.
Matt carefully pulled her over, hugging her tight. "Okay?"
"I don't wanna go..."
Al chuckles. "That's what everybody says."
"I'm too stupid," she muttered, burying into Matt.
"Hey, it's not like we'd send ya in unprepared.. Schools about to end now and won't start up for a while, we can teach you over the summer."
"I'll still be too stupid... That lady you called over looked at me like I was stupid, so I must be..."
Matt frowned sadly, rubbing her back. "Ro..."
Al takes her hand gently. She squeezed, looking over pleadingly.
"Come on it's not like you go tomorrow, give us some time to teach you a few things and think it over?"
"But what if I can't learn...?"
"I doubt that."
She just whined uncertainly.
"Ro..." Matt sat up, coaxing her out a little. "Please...?"
"Just think about it?"
"I don't want to!" she yelped, more out of anxiety than anything.
*Al... I don't think we'll get anywhere like this...*
"..why don't you talk to Patrick and Peter? They went to school last year and they can tell ya all about it."
"Who...?" Ro just frowned in confusion, panicked brain forgetting the child nations. To be fair, she'd only spent a little time with them.
"Molly's little brother and the blonde kid bothering Iggy at Christmas?"
"Oh..." She looked down then up again. "...You go to school when you're little?"
"Yep, most humans go from about ages three to 18 here in my place."
She chewed her lip anxiously as she thought it through.
"You don't have to decide now, classes don't start till fall."
"...I-I wanna try..." She muttered. "I wanna try here, but if I'm not smart enough, I won't go...!"
"That's all we can ask." Al smiles.
She nodded softly, half wondering if they'd just forget after a while. They usually did...
They were trying to be better about it, but suddenly having a little sister after 300 years of just each other is hard to adjust to. Having an unexpected clutch of eggs and a litter of cubs rather threw you off aswell.
Ro was going through a hard patch, having lost her own family, but her new one was so busy and she was so quiet most of the time, she blended into the wallpaper...
For now they did the best they could. Sitting and chatting till it got rather late. Matt was first to pass out, still building back stamina from his cubs. Ro started yawning soon after, getting up to go to her own room.
Al went back to his nest in the library, deciding to snuggle with his eggs tonight. Cubs settled higher towards his chest. Tomorrow was going to be rather exciting, it was just a question of where it was going to be in a good way or bad...
He lay there for a while, nerves eating at his stomach while he protectively held his young.