They got up from the bench, with Peggy calling Brooklyn, "Brooke, come along! Let's get you to eat some solid food down at the dining table!", and Brookyln cheered, getting up from the flower patch, and ran over to them with an attempted flower wreath on her head, "Mumma, do me look pretty like you?", with a wide smile.
Peggy smiled, "The prettiest, Brooke!", before lifting her up, "I'm really starting to enjoy super strength in this situation, no wonder why Steve had no trouble.", with a chuckle as they headed down the stairs, through the main palace to the dining hall, with Audrey up ahead, asking Nola for one of the milk expressors.
And so, Nola did get one, and before they even get officially into the dining hall, Peggy went to express milk out in a trio of bottles from her breasts while Audrey went to explain things to Bucky, with Brookyln playing and eating with the older ones like Toki and the twins.
Feeling better with almost empty breasts of milk, knowing that they will get full again, Peggy finally came into the dining room, smiling at Audrey as she handed over the three bottles, while resting Asher in her arms who is now falling asleep.
Peggy replied, "There you go, Audrey, should be enough between natural feeding and this for the night, starting with now.", while the others take their first look at Peggy of her new looks and all, with Thaddeus and Abraham looking proud already, having seen her already back in the lab.
"Hopefully, this stuff will be good.", Audrey said. "If it'll help Marina… that's all we can hope, right?". Bucky replied, "We wouldn't know if we don't try. And Peggy, you look amazing.", with a smile as he helped take Marina out of the incubator sling that Audrey took off, and with a shake of the first bottle, Audrey adjusted Marina who is hungrily crying, and she then suckled into the nipple of the bottle, her eyes widening as she cooed, gulping eagerly with her little hands on the bottle, somehow holding it okay even with her mommy's hand leverage, almost leaning in, and Audrey gasped softly, "Oh, my! Easy, darling, or you'll have the hiccups.", with a soft laugh.
As to prove her right, Marina gave a hiccup, and looked sheepish, and slightly slowed down, but still held into the bottle as she contentedly closed her eyes, enjoying the milk, as Audrey cried happily with tears on her cheeks as it was the first time Marina actually looked more active than usual, "Look at her, Bucky...Oh, it's like she finally got your appetite...", glancing at Bucky who went to kiss her on the temple with a wide, relieved smile, as the others started to compliment on Peggy's new look.
"I don't eat that much.", Bucky teased as Audrey leaned over to kiss him on the lips. Everybody else was relieved of the wonderful sight as Kida replied, "You know, I think you are in the middle between Milo and Steve in muscle definition, height, and such, Peggy. You look great.".
Peggy chuckled, "Thanks, Kida.", as Milo nodded, "She's right. You look amazing. The world would be on their feet when a super soldier of a woman like you would prove to them that women can fight, not that you and Sia are wonderful fighters down here,", blushing as he stammered, and Kida giggled, kissing his cheek, "Relax, Milo, I know what you mean.", with a smile.
Milo looked relieved with a smile, and Sia chuckled as she nursed Jendayi under cover, "I do hope you give the women's world an upheaval up there, Peggy...I'm still appalled of the treatment that most men don't see women equally from what Rebecca says.", glancing at Rebecca who is nursing Helena under cover as well while Dazis was throwing a ball back to the playing duo of Kory and Vinny.
Rebecca sighed lightly, "It's so shocking of a great change that Atlantis is so open-minded to everything, free, and healthy to all kinds of things like mental care, yet up there, it's...it's like they're slow still, in comparison...It took me a bit of time, but not long thankfully before I got used to seeing males strolling together in love, or women kissing in public, and the kids everywhere, physically or mentally in long aging time, are just carefree and not hungry or under threat of being forced to be something they are stuck in.", with a smile at Thaddeus and Abraham who looked thankful.
Jacques nodded, "Rebecca's got a point...France is more accepting of blacks and some other things compared to some other countries...Still, the work Steve, Bucky did, and now you, Peggy, it should have changed some minds at least.", glancing at Joshua with an apologetic smile.
Moses and Joshua shared a look, and Joshua nodded, "True...I was more accepted when they saw that I was a doctor in Italy and France, but yeah, there was still naysayers, unfortunately. And for ma's people over in America...I understand that England, London was getting too small for people back then, and they need room to expand...but making a mess over the centuries, and even with the treaties, it was a disaster.", referring to his mother Jerika who is sitting next to Moses, as Joshua bottle-fed Gabriella, while Nola was nursing Rirra and Jivin under cover as well.
Jerika exhaled softly, "My son's not wrong...My ancestors, my people...all the seabound diseases and illnesses that we didn't know about until it was too late, with only some of my people becoming immune on the sidelines yet suffering with reservations and such.".
Harrison and Amanda looked a bit ashamed as Jerika reassured them, "Harrison, Amanda, I will not put the blame on the descendants for the actions of the ancestors, when you have raised Peggy and your son quite well, accepting of people from all over, though I know you had a bit of time accepting the situation of Thaddeus and Abraham and the culture here, but you aren't bigots, and that means you two are good people.".
"I wish this place was on the surface; the whole time.", Harrison admitted. "If Atlantis was practically leading the world; there wouldn't probably be much in hate or war.".
"I can't say that would be possible.", Kida admitted. "You've been told of the stories of our fall; how we succumbed to our darker emotions, and how it played a part in our punishment.".
Sia then replied, "And I doubt we would come up to the surface any time soon, especially with so many nations threatened and trying to live especially with so many lives lost in the two wars thus now, through one war, if you say that it's looking to be over soon, there's still the war in the Pacific, correct?", looking between Peggy and Bucky.
Bucky exhaled, "That's a very good point...Every nation, even if some nations that avoided both wars in some places here and there, are trigger-prone these days...Perhaps you could consider the next century, Kida?".
Kida hummed thoughtfully, "Perhaps, but I can't still be sure, even if some of you have given news about things here and there up there and of course, into the near future if both wars are won by the Allies and such, it's looking...what's the word? Dicey?", looking at Milo for clarification.
"From the way I heard things, yes.", Milo nodded. "One way or another, once the Germans and Japanese are defeated, it'll turn around into a tense relationship between East and West. The Soviets have only truly been mainly allies of convenience but once that's over; Stalin will very likely be making sure to keep his gains. No one, though, has the stomach for another war so soon. Especially the Russians with how many they've lost.", Peggy added.
Audrey then replied, "But at least anybody wouldn't want to fight anymore afterwards, and there'd be some well-deserved, slightly awkward peace all around.", with a nod.
Abraham said, "Couldn't agree more, Audrey.", with an approving smile as Thaddeus commented, "And we wouldn't have to worry a lot anymore for any of you on the surface.", with a nod as he wrapped an arm around his husband, smiling.
Everybody smiled, agreeing with those last comments, and so, that night passed peacefully, with everyone heading home to their houses and such, putting the kids down for bed.
In Tokivath's growing big boy bedroom, Toki was laying back in bed, listening to his parents reading a story off a scroll with turns, giggling at their acting voices and smiling, with Fluffy purring and sleeping at the end of the bed.
"And so, Alijah and Zuladan rode off into the horizon, planning to spend their rest of their lives exploring the world, with dreams of sailing the seas to their heart's content, and having a family. The end.", Milo finished as Toki cheered, "Good story, daddy, mammy!".
Kida chuckled, "Thank you, darling. Now it's time for adventurers like you to have dreams.", kissing his forehead as she tucked him in, and Toki pouted, "Aww, mammy, can't me have one story again?".
Milo chuckled after he put the scroll away, "You better listen to your mahtim, Tokivath, and besides, if you can't sleep, you wouldn't have energy to play with your friends and cousins and all for tomorrow, hmm?", as he kissed Toki's forehead, ruffling his hair warmly.
Toki smiled, "Okay, Daddy...Mammy, Daddy, can me ask something?", and Kida raised an eyebrow, "Oh?". Toki looked hesitant before looking at them, "Can me have sister or brother?".
Kida and Milo's eyes widened as Toki hesitated before blabbing out, "Rachel and Klaus got each other, Kory got Vinny and Jen, Gabi got Jivin and Rirra, Brooke got Ash...Only me and Helena and Marina only ones! Me know Aunie Becca waiting be mar-marry for long time before sibling for Helena, and Marina still small to play, even if being better now, and parents focusing on her.", as it was true that in the whole family, extended and immediate, it's 13 children total now.
Kida and Milo blushed upon hearing that; not really knowing what to say in terms of an answer. Saying yes or no both had their own wave of issues. Either they're basically unprepared and put on the spot or they hurt their child's feelings by saying no.
They looked at each other, and Milo exhaled, "Toki, you realize that when babies are newborn, they can't really play for a long while, and you can't be rough with them, and you would want to have attention when they would need us.".
Toki argued back, "Me know mamma be carrying long time, and me be bigger boy then, and me can help better, and me watch over baby if mamma or daddy busy with court days for city people in throne room!".
"That's a really big responsibility though.", Kida reminded. "Surely you want to stay like you are and just enjoy your life with no responsibilities at this time?".
Toki looked at her, "Me wanna be great big brother! Me see Brooke being great big sister for Ash, and Kory being great big brother for Jen, because they help and love them! Me wanna help, and I wanna share love!".
Milo chuckled, "Well, he got my brains, and your stubbornness, Kida...Not a bad combination for a prince. Should we obey his Highness?", with a smile. Kida blushed once more, "M-Milo… shouldn't we at least talk about this for a few hours?".
"I don't think this little one will give us the time to talk about it.", Milo chuckled. Kida exhaled deeply, looking between her son and her husband, and she realized that she momentarily forgot that Milo lived lonely because he was an only child, even if Thaddeus had raised him for many years since his parents died, and Fluffy was only relatively recent since before he came here...
And admittedly, she really wanted to have a girl, for her childhood together with Sia was wonderful, and she knew that she had declared that back on the island upon the birth of Toki, she didn't want Toki to be alone, even if she knew he'd have cousins and all, but it wouldn't be the same as a sibling bond is, and honestly, looking after Sia had given her practice into actual real-life of looking after the people as Queen, and since Toki is a prince, it makes sense for him to know the same thing, even if he doesn't want to be king just in case since she gave Kory and Jen the roles of being next in line for the throne.
Kida smiled warmly, "Well, good thing that I got plenty of love to share. Now, Toki, we can't promise that it would happen for some time yet, but we'll try, okay, darling?", gently ruffling her son's hair.
Toki smiled, "Trying better than nothing, right?", and Milo chuckled, shaking his head, "You got that from Uncle Bucky, didn't you, Tokivath?", and Toki blushed with a sheepish smile, "Yes, Daddy.".
"Wouldn't want you to sleep uneasily if you are excited to think so much, darling...How about a lullaby or are you too old for a sleepy song?", Kida asked fondly, and Toki shook his head, "No, mamma lullaby best!", snuggling deeper into his blankets.
Kida smiled, stroking her son's hair as she began singing in Atlantean for several minutes as Toki couldn't keep his eyes open longer and longer before finally, he was out, and she smiled, landing a feather-soft kiss on his forehead, whispering, "Sweet dreams, my little prince.", and then left the bed, heading to the door, passing Milo who gave her a loving, tender smile, as he petted Fluffy, and gently tucked Toki's handmade stuffy toy into Toki's side, kissing Toki on the temple gently and then left the bed, with the couple gazing at their son, flicking off the lights, with the distant window showing off the gentle city lights in the view.
Milo smiled as they closed the door, and a few minutes passed before they were away enough from the room, he then exhaled, "I am sorry if I pressured you there...It's just...it's just that I never got the chance to ask out boldly like that, and my parents...Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved that they are at peace, and having friends in your parents and not being alone either in a way.".
Kida reached over to kiss him on the cheek, "Milo, you didn't do anything wrong, and honestly, I don't want Toki to be lonely like you, not knowing how to be a brother, even if he has cousins and all.".
"Still... I feel guilty that I put you in that sort of spot. You were right after all; this is something we need to talk about, and it's not exactly a time we can be able to slack off with many responsibilities and focus everything on our children for every second. This place still hangs by the knife edge of things. We make one mistake, that's it for your society once and for all.", Milo said.
Kida exhaled softly, "Only if we get discovered by enemies, and I think the Levithan is even more alert more than ever, but enemies are on the surface, and they are more focused on fighting each other in those two wars, and like Peggy said, the West and East would be tense, yet awkwardly peaceful, as they wouldn't want to stomach through another war again, especially with the recovery of many cities and such from the Hydra bombs and all, and besides, the Heart knows how to screen off the surface world's technology now after seeing the good subs' technology and the stolen Hydra sub's technology that is now deaminized and transformed into a useful, good sub, thanks to Jacques.".
Milo hummed lightly, "That's a very good point...And we're sort of more advanced than them in defense and the shield. Yes, it's a relief that we are so far under the sea and under the earth.".
Kida smiled, kissing him on the lips warmly, "Thank you for being my king, Milo...You have learned so much in so little time, and you are doing wonderfully. And besides, you heard Toki. With no urgency now to grow the population, the people are recovering with new children, not just our family, immediate and extended, and with longevity, there would always be decade or century new generation children, and any Atlantean women like me, they got 18 months, so by then, the world wouldn't be tussling with war up there if Peggy and Steve would have anything to do with it, and we wouldn't be then worrying about our friends and such.".
Milo chuckled, "No matter how I get used to it, I am still amazed at how people doesn't really age...and from my memories of you, if I understand right, kids are pretty independent when they reach physically 6, and then slow down over decades and centuries, as they got time to enjoy working with their parents between being able to play all over the city, since they would know the city by heart easily...Toki is a special case...He is amazingly physically like 2 years old, even if chronically a year old, and mentally 3 years old, due to his verbal skills and such, being half American and half Atlantean, and even if he was four months short of the Atlantean pregnancy, he was practically all full term.", with a smile.