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 Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:38 pm
Ariadne had sent out invites to some of new and expecting parents she'd seen going to the fertility clinic to come to a dinner party and meet and greet one another. To that list she'd added some of the Terra children from her younger days, though she doubted any would show. It had been a long time since she'd seen most of them, having gone off their own separate ways after school. Still, it would be nice if some came.
Her Victorian was alive with white and gold decorations, mostly paper baby shoes and toys, some of her trade mark masks hanging about to add splashes of colour. Her best linens were out and Lex's favourite dishes with their elegant gold designs were all about the long table, which could easily seat twenty. She doubted she'd have trouble with that, though. The living room was toddler-proofed, as her little ones were busy crawling about it, their neat toys scattered about and any breakables too high for their soft little fingers.
There were snacks-- mostly healthy, like finger sandwiches and various fruits and veggies-- along a side table, a plat of breads and spreads, but the main course was still out of sight. It had required so much attention that she'd had to wait until the little ones were napping.
For the moment, all was well and she sat in her favourite white chair while waiting for her guests, hands running over her long white dress, pale golden net holding up her long hair. The second and on the clock slowly ticked away from its place opposite the old African mask. As the bell chimed, little Helenus with the green sparks in his eyes looked up and smiled at her while his sister busied herself with trying to get over the gates and to the front door.
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:48 pm
Long enough to look her part, and more than just slightly, Noire was itching for a beer. Not just a little, she was entirely beside herself with thinking about it. It was all she thinked about, really.
But nooo, her father and ghetto 'husband' would sooner kill her than allow it (quite ridiculous when you thought about it that way, as though killing her would solve the problem) and deep down Noire knew she couldn't do something like that to her babies. She was very pregnant, by then, but it helped her modesty none as her pregnant belly showed out naked and unembarrassed just as the half shirt and miniskirt she also had on. She knocked on the door, hands on her back to support her weight, looking entirely unamused, but with a fake smile fixed on her face.
Lo and Behold, Noire was not the only one to show up. Veist had, 'contacts' as it were, and had discovered an old 'contact' through another 'contact' had used the same clinic as he. A phone call and meeting for coffee later and Veist and Noire were caught up, so when he strolled up behind her carting two black haired imps in either hand, it should have been no grand surprise. "Need help.. ah.. Noire?"
"With what Veist? My stomach? Are you going to carry my stomach for me?"
"I was just--"
"Just shut up."
Veist rolled his eyes. He could take her attitude for a little while; he had a gun, she had antimatter, it was a necessary truce.
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:01 pm
Before the mischievous Cassandra could climb over the gate and snap her neck, Ariadne picked her up and put the gate aside as she headed to the door. Opening it with her free hand, the small child on her hip. "Noire!" She'd heard the first of the Terra was pregnant, but it was still such a shock to see her with a big, bare belly of twins. And dressed in a miniskirt, as always. So like the pink-eyed girl she'd known.
"Come in! Please. I'm glad you could come. This feisty girl--" the tot was pulling on an escaped pale blonde tress-- "is Cassandra and my son Helenus is occupying himself with that noise-maker you hear. Please, sit on the couch and relax."
Behind her old friend (if Noire counted as a friend, the self-proclaimed leader of the Terra children) she saw a man with his two dark haired and violet eyes children. "And you have to be one of the parents from the clinic. What adorable girls. What are their names? Oh, please come in."
Helenus had crawled over to watch with those large of his and Cassandra squirmed to get down to her brother. Playing hostess and mother was quite a job.
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:05 pm
Noire's fake smile widened some, becoming a tad more genuine. "Yeah. Looks like you already got busy, Aria.. You live alone though, right?" She came in and looked around, eyebrows lifting. "Nice place. Why?" She asked, referring to being alone. "I mean, I'm only pregnant and if Ari wasn't around to get me milkshakes at four A.M..."
"Veist. Midas, Midan." He lifted each arm accordingly, rousing both of his daughters from would-be half sleep. He followed Noire in, looking suspicious as always, even if she seemed a perfectly 'acceptable' type. "From the same clinic, right?" He said, a small smile at Cassandra. "I don't suppose you two feel like making friends?" He asked his own.
Both of his daughters glared at first, but eventually, the tamer of the two's face brightened and a wave at Cassandra came. "Doh-lo-mah-ne!"
"Shhhh!" Midan hissed, shaking her head. "No!"
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:19 pm
"Yes, I live alone. I was too busy at school and after Lex died... well. . With the kids and all, they take most of my time." Milkshakes? She shuddered. "I guess my cravings weren't so bad." Ariadne had a flash back to terrible cravings for pickles and chocolate covered apples-- at the same time.
"Veist, pleasure to meet you. The kids have a play place in the living room. Follow me." His kids didn't seem so friendly and neither did he. But maybe he was just nervous. He certainly felt... suspicious? Now why would he feel suspicious? At least Noire felt less prickly than when she'd opened the door. These two did not seem to get along.
She closed the door behind them and set up the gate again, setting her two down with the toys, though Helenus was now staring out the window and Cassandra seemed more interested in watching the children. Her daughter felt apprehensive. Or was that too complex of an emotion for children?
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:25 pm
"Aw. Sorry." Noire said, looking for the closest place to sit down. "If it makes you feel better I ain't exactly got a sparkling track record in love, either. M'dads still alive though, isn't like it took us that long to grow up." She gave a sigh and patted her belly, "Don't worry. His kids are brats but harmless for now." She elaborated, shaking her head at Midan who'd turned to look over her dad's shoulder and glare at Noire.
Midas had decided to be friendly, however. When daddy set her down with the other kids, she promptly rattled on in more baby language to Cassandra, as if she were paying great attention. Midan had decided to glare pointedly at Helenus, and crawling over, went to bop him on the head. (thankfully, it at least appeared to be a playful, baby-strength bop, her intentions were obvious to the empaths as less than playful. More like a, "HEY! pay attention to me!")
"So whats for dinner Aria-cakes? I'm a vegetarian, yaknow, hope that don't put you out much." Noire said happily when she finally found a spot to sit. "Two boys, mine. I'm glad, really, I wasn't looking forward to dealing with a brat like me." She snorted happily. "But I admit, it is a little bit of a downer, never being able to show someone how to put on makeup and stuff..."
Really. Noire. Makeup. Her caked on eyeliner and lipgloss could probably feed an army of bacteria for dayyys had it been left out in the forest. Or some other equally extravagant comparison.
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:42 pm
"Boys? Do you have names for them? And who is their father?" She avoided talk about love lives, as Ariadne had never had one. She wondered if Allistair had conned Noire into the pregnancy somehow. It wouldn't be past him and that would mean the father was probably another Terra.
Cassandra exchanged baby chatter tiwth Midas for a moment before looking back to see her twin. She glared at Midan and as Aria watched, the small girl toddled over and tried to pull the dark hair one away from her brother. "No el mi." Helenus blinked his pale eyes in surprise and she could feel his confusion over events. He adjusted quickly, though, and his small face contorted into an exaggerated frown. "Whussa mina?"
Ariadne shook her head. Tension was building up among the little ones and her eyes skittered over to Veist, focusing her abilities on the small buzz to the side that was him. "I'm sure they'll learn to get along. Cassandra and Helenus aren't used to other children yet..."
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:48 pm
Veist snorted, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the children. "I don't know about that. Perhaps it would be best if you introduce their social lives with others more..." He trailed off. "Regardless, I won't let my girls hurt them." His tone of voice was strong. Both his daughters looked up and blinked sheepishly before going back to what they had been doing.
Midas pouted some when Cassandra left her. She glared at her sister for destroying the game and crawled over as well. "Neh nurr!" She, too, scolded Midan, leaving Midan extremly aggitated.
"Nurrr GAH!" Midan yelled at Cassandra, glaring. "Brhhgk."
"Midan." Veist interrupted.
"...gweee."
Midas was happy. She waved at Helenus and then back to Cassandra. "Dehh to?" She asked, pointing at a toy.
Noire sighed. "Not really. I wanna see them first and give them a name to fit their faces, you know?" She frowned, her thoughts stepping aside. She was becoming worried Aricin or, forbid the thought, one of his guardians had their own plans for her boys, none the less their names. "It'll be somethin' cool though, I jus' hope they don't get their dads boring blonde ha- ahh, I mean.." She coughed, glancing at Aria's hair. "Aricin, that's the father. Hey, it isn't as dramatic as all that, we just got 'assigned' to each other. Alistair, you know. That son of a -" She glanced at the kids and literally bit her tongue. "It's fine. It could have been worse. He's a clueless jerk and screams at me a lot - okay, I scream at him first most of the time - but he's got a nice a** and seems to care about the kids." She smiled, apparently, such was good enough for Noire, for now.
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