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Risa sighed, the fae was sitting on one of the steps leading to her front porch. She was waiting for a certain dark haired fae to show up. She had something rather important to tell him--though... what if he left her because of it? She had almost died the first time.. Now..
She looked down at her stomach, almost guiltily. She couldn't let that happen. If she got sick, the baby would die.
Matthias had NO idea what so ever what was going on. Hopefully, it wasn't anything too bad....Risa had sounded a bit upset on the phone.
On the way to her house, he could have sworn he saw two heads of orange darting among the bushes along the street. Odd.
Risa stood up after spotting Matth, and made her way to him. "Hi, Matth." She said, forcing a smile onto her face. Hopefully she was hiding the weight she'd gained well, she had no idea.
"You might want to sit down." She gestured to her porch. The fae took a deep breath. "I think we'd better get married, Matth."
Matthias paled, if that was even possible. "Wh-what?" He said, taking the offered seat. Oh, he had a feeling he'd need to sit down. An ominous, foreboding feeling twisted in his stomach; please, whoever was up there, don't let her be.....oh gods....
"I think we'd better get married." Risa repeated, blushing and moving her arms from in front of her stomach to behind her back. "See.. I'm going to have a baby." Please don't let him faint. Let him be happy.
She would have prayed, but she didn't know who to pray to. "Is that... Is that okay?"
Matthias' eyes widened. "A....baby..." he said, his tone blank. She was having a.... Gods be damned! "I....um...." He was speechless, and looked like he'd just been hit with a ton of bricks. What was he going to do?
"Yeah.. A baby." Risa said with a nod, and a slight frown. "Are you mad?" She asked. That was her worst fear, that he would be angry with her.
She knelt down and gave him a hug.
Matthias shook his head slowly. "No, I am not mad. Just...I am surprised." he said, his tone still blank. He hugged her back, trying to ignore the baby bump.
Risa sat down on the step below Matth's, and leaned against him. She was relieved that he wasn't angry--but he seemed more than just surprised. Even Ben hadn't been this bad when the princess had told him--well, Ben had fainted, but had seemed to get over it rather quickly afterward.
Maybe fainting was better?
Matthias sighed. This is what he got for one moment of being spontaneous. Damn. He put an arm around Risa, giving her a gentle hug. "So....um, when did you find out?" he asked, his tone soft.
"Yesterday." Risa said, looking up at him. "I'd guessed before, but Thali insisted I make sure. She seemed to think it was a funny idea that I'd gained weight by working in a sweetshop." The fae frowned, and shook her head.
"Miles seems to think it'll be a boy--and he's usually right. So... I guess we should start looking up names?"
Matthias nodded. "I suppose we should...." he said, glancing at her stomach. For a second, a split second, he thought of how easy it'd be to rip the unborn child from her womb, to destroy the small obstacle in front of his plans. He shook the idea from his head; he was not a bestial creature, so he would not give in to such urges. Besides....the child was a part of him. He couldn't hurt him or Risa.
As if sensing what Matthias had been thinking, Risa put her hands protectively over her stomach. The fae glared at her companion, and moved an inch or so away from him. She didn't know what he'd thought, but she knew it wasn't good.
"I like the name Milo." She mused, seeming to have recovered.
Matthias blinked as she moved away. Crap, was she a mind reader or something. "I am sorry." he said softly, looking at his feet. "Milo.....that is a very nice name. Simplistic, but nice all the same."
Risa sighed, and moved so she was sitting next to Matth. She leaned her head against his shoulder. If she couldn't trust him, she couldn't trust anyone. "Do you have a name you like?" She asked.
Matthias smiled slightly. "Well, I have always liked the name Loki." he said, giving her a small hug. It, too, was short and simple, but it still carried weight with it.
Risa was quick to return his smile. "The Norse god of fire, right? Loki, the prankster. I like it." She put an arm around him. "Let's plan that wedding then. What colors do you like?"
Matthias smiled, though the smile quickly slipped off his face. "Hm.....dark earthen colors? Like dark ochre, evergreen, and black?" he suggested, highly doubting she'd spring for those colors.
"How about sky colors?" Risa suggested. "Blues, silvers, whites? Oh, and black for you. It brings your eyes out the best." The fae paused. "Oh, not in a church. I don't like churches. Maybe we could have one in Thali's back yard? It's big enough. What kind of flowers do you like, Matth?"
Matthias smiled; as long as he was in dark colors, he didn't really care. Okay, he did, but...it didn't matter. "We could have it in the lot behind Stasia's home." he said, smiling and forgetting to mention what that lot was. "And I like begonias."
"You mean the graveyard?" Risa shook her head, Miles had told her all about that from his last visit with Zemel. "I'd really prefer to do it in Thali's yard--graveyards make Miles sick, and I'd hate for him to have to miss it."
The fae paused, and smiled. "You're referencing to an old threat, aren't you? Begonias are pretty."
Matthias nodded. "Thali's yard it is, then." he said, nodding. He then smiled. "Of course not." he said, his sing-song tone totally giving him away. He smiled. "Perhaps begonias and sweet peas?" he suggested, thinking a bit more about it. "And yellow poppies."
"Sweet pea and poppies are fine, too." Risa nodded, before she gave him a stern look. "As long as they aren't red. No symbols of death at my wedding. Maybe I'll ask Thali's advice on the flowers, she knows more about them than I do, with that garden of hers. Maybe she'll know what flowers to use.. I like lilies, that sound good? White ones." Uh-oh, now Risa was thinking about meanings. "And roses, spirea, lilacs, daffodils." At least all her flowers had possitive meanings...
"And spider flowers." Matthias said. It was a wonder he was able to keep a straight face and refrain from chuckling. "And black roses." He smiled lightly, trying to ignore the fact that he was nervous.
"Spider flowers, huh?" Risa giggled and shook her head at him. "I think we've done enough of that for now." The fae's smile faded, her eyes narrowing. "I've already said no death symbols, Matth." She said. "If Miles sees them, he'll start thinking about how everyone will die, and get sick again." She gave the dark haired fae a glare.
"I know you don't like him. He's told me."
"I have no idea what you're...." He trailed off as her demeanor changed. "I have nothing against Miles." he said, his tone calm. "He is a fine young man."
"He says you don't like him." Risa said flatly. "He says you act like you're afraid of him, and don't talk to him very often. He says..." She sighed. "Matthias, if we're going to get married, you're going to be his father. He's been really upset about you not liking him."
She paused, and frowned at him. "Is it because of what he is?" She asked. "I suppose oracles aren't very common..." She glared at him. If a certain princess had been there, she would have very helpfully told Matthias that the only way to calm an angry Risa down was to hug her.
"And I said I have nothing against him." Matthias said, getting a little defensive. "I simply do not know him very well, that is all." That, and the little blighter scared him. "And I am fully aware that marriage would make him my son; I am not ignorant of that."
Risa shot him another glare, before her mood shifted entirely. She frowned, and sniffled. "I just want you to get along.." Uh-oh, mood swings. Anyone intelligent would have told Matthias that he was on thin ice, staying around a fae having trouble controlling her emotions.
"I just want... Argh, Matthias!" The mood seemed to shift again. "You and Miles need to have a bonding day. Then we can have the wedding."
Matthias blinked, not sure what to make of the sudden mood changes. Confusion spread across his face, his mouth setting in a frown. "A bonding day?" What in seven hells was that? "Risa....are you feeling okay?" he asked, a little concerned.
Risa frowned at him, and shot him another glare. "You know. Father-son bonding. Since you two don't get along, you'll have a day to settle your differences." She crossed her arms, and leaned into him.
Her expression softened. "Actually, I'm not feeling at all well.." She admitted. "I don't know what's gotten into me."
Matthias just nodded; father-son bonding? Oh, he was SO excited. He put an arm around her, giving her a gentle smile. Oh gods, it was already starting. Someone up there, strike him down now, please?
"I...I am sure you will be fine after some tea and some rest." he said, nodding once.
Risa merely nodded, and stood up carefully. "I'll go do that." She said. "You promise, though? You'll spend the day with Miles?" She spoke as if she expected him to leave, and without waiting for an answer, she went inside.
Ugh, stomach aches.
Matthias nodded. "Yes, I promise." he said, not liking it one bit. He blinked as she went inside, leaving him alone on the steps. He sighed and stood up, stretching a bit.
In all honesty, Risa was really waiting to see if he would follow her. Her stomach was really quite upset--she had expected it though, when she'd found out she was pregnant. "You can come in, you know." She said, opening the door a crack.
Matthias blinked. "Oh..." he said, smiling slightly before heading towards the door. He thought he was being dismissed. (Well, that and he was going to sneak off before he was forced into this "bonding" thing.)
Risa opened the door and led him inside. "Miles! Matthias is here to see you." She called, looking up the stairs. The orange haired boy seemed to be very reluctant to come downstairs.
"Mom, I'm pretty sure Matth's here to see you." He said, before giving Matthias a friendly smile. He turned back to his mother. "Your stomach bothering you again? I told you to take it easy." He shook his head at her. "You look worn out. Been having mood swings again?"
Risa frowned, she still wasn't used to having a son who told her what to do. "I'll go rest. Matth's agreed that you two need to settle your differences and start getting along." She said, looking to Matth, and then her son. "Isn't that right, Matth?"
"Well, actually..." The man sighed; he hadn't expected it to be so soon! "Yeah, that's right." he said, offering a small smile in return and reminding himself to be polite. This was going to be his future son, like it or not, so he might as well get used to the idea.
Risa smiled, and left the living room.
Miles looked to Matth. "You want to play a game?" He asked, giving the man a smile. "It's nice to see you again." Yes, he really was a normal third grade aged boy, when he wasn't predicting something. "Tic-tac-toe, um.. What do you want to do, Matth?"
Matthias nodded. "It is nice to see you as well." he said, looking at the younger one. "You choose the game; I am not very familiar with such frivolities."
"Follow me." Miles said, leading Matth to their backyard. "Want to play catch?" He asked, picking up a red playground ball. "I can teach you how to play, if you don't know how.." He gave the fae a confused look, before smiling again. "Oh.. So I don't forget. Thank you."
Matthias followed him. "I am sure I can figure the game out....it sounds simple enough." he said, nodding once. He then blinked. "What are you thanking me for?" he asked, confused.
Miles nodded and smiled. He was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about what he was about to say next. "Saving my Mom's life. I never thanked you--you went away before I could."
He paused, and threw the ball towards Matth, letting it bounce once before it reached the fae. Maybe Ginger and Zemel were right, maybe he and Matth could get along.
Matthias shook his head. "You need not thank me for that." he said, catching the ball. He examined it a moment before tossing it back. What was the point of this game? He sure didn't know.
Miles caught the ball, and smiled at his future father. "Still, thank you." He said, before passing the ball back towards the fae. "Um. Matth, do you think we can be friends?" The boy blushed from embarassment. "Ever since I was born, I've wanted a Dad. It'd really.. well..." The boy frowned and shook his head.
"It'd really suck if when I finally got one, we didn't get along."
Matthias caught the ball, then thought a moment. "Friends." he repeated, mulling the thought around inhis head. "Yes, I do believe we could try being friends." he said, nodding once before tossing the ball back. He offered a small smile, but no other words. After all, what was he to say?
Miles gave his brightest smile yet, one that could have rivaled his mother's, maybe. So Ginger and Zemel had been right, after all! Matthias didn't hate him!
He passed the ball back, still wearing that silly grin. He'd have a dad. And younger siblings. "I'll even babysit." Miles said, looking to Matth. "I'm good with Aife."
Matthias chuckled; young ones were so easily pleased. It was almost cute. "'Zuba may not like that; she's taken a liking to babysitting the little ones." he said, catching the ball. "You will have to speak to her about that; I do not think she will willingly give up her job."
For a split second, Miles frowned. Then the smile was back in place. "Alright, 'Zuba can babysit Aife, Ellie and Kole. As long as I get to help take care of the new baby." He gestured to the house. "She hasn't put a claim on him, has she?" He looked so hopeful, it was almost comic.
"I'll be the best big brother on Gaia!" He said, giving Matth a bright smile. "Ellie's hard to be a big brother to, she's always bossing me around." He explained.
Matthias chuckled. "She does not even know of the child, therefor she hasn't laid claim on him." he said, shaking his head. How young ones managed to be so amusing was beyond him. "I am sure you will be, Miles." he said, offering an amused grin.
"That's good." Miles said happily. "What are you and Mom going to name him?" Yes, he knew there would be twins, he knew what their names would be. But he was working hard not to make predictions. He was working hard to make Matthias like him.
The game was forgotten. Miles preferred talking, anyway.
Matthias smiled slightly. "We are thinking either Milo or Loki." he said, looking a bit confused. Didn't the boy already know this? Hmm....maybe he didn't see EVERYTHING...interesting.
Miles nodded, and smiled at the fae. "Nice names. I bet if you name him Loki, he'll turn out like his namesake." He sat on the grass, grinning up at Matth. "He'd be fun to play with, if he was."
Matthias had a feeling Miles was more than guessing, but he didn't voice this thought. "I can imagine." he said, nodding. He sat on the grass carefully, trying to avoid grass stains.
"Milo is a cool name too. Means 'peaceful warrior', right? But I don't know how anyone could be a peaceful warrior.. Warriors aren't very peaceful, are they?" He paused, and looked up to the fae. "Who do you hope he'll look like?" He asked.
Matthias chuckled. "It is a bit of an oxymoron." he mused, folding his hands in his lap. "And it does not matter to me what he'll look like." he answered, being honest.
"I hope he's nice." Miles said with a nod, before pausing and looking at his future father. "Wait. You mean even if he was a scary vampire guy with wings, you'd still like him? Cool! I hope he looks like that! But I don't think he will. You and Mom aren't scary vampire guys, and neither of you have wings." He gave a mock pout. "Lame. But having younger siblings will be awesome!"
Matthias nodded. "Yes, even if he were a scary vampire guy with wings." he said, trying not to chuckle. "I am sure it will be." He reached over, patting the lad on the head.
Miles gave the fae a bright smile. "Good, then you'll have no problem liking me." He decided. If Matthias could like a scary vampire guy, he could certainly like Miles. "Oh, I'm not a vampire guy. See? No wings." He pointed to his back needlessly.
Matthias rolled his eyes. "I can see that, Miles. I am not visually impaired." he said, shaking his head. He sighed, falling into an awkward silence.
Miles looked at Matth, frowning slightly. "Why don't you like me, Matth?" He asked, before looking away from the fae. "I haven't done anything wrong.. I've tried everything to get you to like me... If you'd like a vampire, even.. Why can't you like me? Is it because I'm human? I know we're rather boring.." He sighed. "Aunt Thali tells me so every time she sees me."
Matthias blinked. "I like you just fine, Miles." he said, confused. "I have nothing against you." Okay, so that last one was a little less than truthful, but it was close to honest. "I could care less about race and/or species."
"That's not true." Miles said, shaking his head at the fae. "Everytime you see me, you act as if I frighten you." The boy sighed. "Am I really that scary?"
Matthias frowned. "You do not scare me, nor are you frightening." he said, his tone calm. "I just simply feel a little uncomfortable when I am around you, that is all. And that can be attributed to the fact that I do not know you very well."
"That's what Ginger and Zemel said." Miles said with a nod, though he was frowning. "You seem comfortable around everyone else, though.. Just not me. I mean, you get along with Mom--and you don't know her well."
Matthias frowned. "With your mother....that's different." he said, his tone still calm. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place; how was he going to talk himself out of this one?
"But you don't know her any better than you know me. And you seem comfortable around Joshua, and you've known me longer.." The boy gave him a confused look. "Is it because I'm an Oracle? I can try to get rid of that.. I've been trying."
"Trust me, I am not comfortable around Joshua." he said, chuckling. The boy was friendly enough, though Matthias still found it hard to get used to him. "And I've spent more time with your mother than I have you." He purposely avoided that last question.
"Josh said you like him." Miles said, frowning slightly. Had his older cousin lied to him? "You didn't answer my last question." The little oracle said, looking up at the fae. "It must be because of that. It's because I'm different."
Matthias inwardly groaned. "I like him. That doesn't mean I'm used to him." He shook his head. "No, that is not it. To be honest, I could care less if you are "different"."
Miles brightened considerably. "So, you like me even if I'm an Oracle?" He asked, giving the dark haired fae a smile. "You're not scared of me?"
Matthias nodded. "Yes, I like you even if you're an oracle." he said. "And no, I am not scared of you. It takes a lot more than a little boy to scare me."
Miles smiled, having been reassured. He suddenly moved, and put his arms around the dark haired fae. Yay, hugs! "I'm glad you're the one who'll be my dad." He said, before pausing.
"What about Ellie, do you like her? I don't think there's anyone like her."
Matthias blinked, patting the boy. "Uh, many thanks..." he said, feeling a bit awkward. "Ellie is....interesting, to say the least." he said, chuckling. "She will take more getting used to than anyone else."
Miles shook his head at the fae. "If you're really as old as my mom says, how come you don't know how to hug?" He asked. "I'll teach you." He gave Matth another to demonstrate. "See?"
He paused, and gave a grin. "Ellie is different. Mom thinks she's a goddess, or something. But she doesn't talk about that much--she just says Ellie likes stories about Demeter. Hey! What is she -is- Demeter? Isn't she the goddess of the harvest? No wonder flowers keep popping up everywhere!"
Matthias chuckled, simply nodding and listening to the lad. A goddess? That was laughable; she was just a baby! He doubted she actually was a goddess.....but from a goddess, now...now that was another matter entirely.
Miles frowned, and looked up to the fae. "I'm serious, what if she's Demeter? She's always threatening to turn me into a dandelion, Matth. And she can tell the future sometimes! She knew you and Mom'd get married. Did she tell you?"
"Maybe she's just a gifted little girl." Matthias said, his tone calm and serious. "And yes, she told me." Frankly, he wasn't sure what to make of the bossy little girl.
Miles shook his head. "Her skin's green, her blood's white. I found out yesterday when she scraped her knee. It's just like when you pick a dandelion." He looked up to smile at his future father, before...
Well speak of the devil. A brightly clad though obviously green skinned infant was making her way towards the two. It seemed as if she'd just learned to walk properly, though she was still stumbling. Miles groaned.
"Daddy!" Ellie cried, putting her arms out towards Matth, before toddling over to him.
Matthias took a moment before looking, not used to being called "Daddy". He was used to "Orita" and "baba". "Hello, Ellie." he said, greeting the little child as formally as one would an adult. "How are you?"
So much for father son bonding time, Ellie seemed to have taken over with her very presence.
"Daddy." She repeated, before crawling into Matthias' lap. She looked at him with her strange, bright eyes. "I good. Tol' ooo, Daddy. Tol' ooo be my Daddy soon. Ooo no lissen, but I wight. I wight."
Matthias chuckled, patting her on the head. "Yes, yes, you told me. You were right." he agreed, if only to appease her. He offered a small smile to the child, who seemed to have made herself comfortable on his lap.
Ellie gave the fae a bright smile, showing the only teeth she had--three white baby teeth were poking their way out of her green gums. "Luv ooo, Daddy." She said, taking a fistful of the fae's hair, petting it.
Instead of predicting something, she looked up at him. "Pwetty Daddy."
Matthias smiled, giving the little one a small, awkward hug, obviously not used to giving the gesture. "I, uh.....thanks." he said, deciding not to bother arguing with the little one.
Ellie returned the hug as well as she could, smiling brightly. "Tell stowy, Daddy?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "Tell stowy bout Daddy. My Daddy the bestest! Miles lissen too." The tiny goddess glared at her brother, as if he'd refuse. When he nodded, she smiled.
"Tell stowy bout when Daddy little."
Matthias chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no, that would bore you." he said, chuckling. "How about a nice faerie tale or something, hm? That would be much more entertaining." That, and a "faerie" tale wouldn't involve him.
Ellie shook her head, crossing her arms. She looked very much like a rebellious teenager--which was remarkable, since she was an infant. "If no stowy, I cry." She said, her lip trembling.
Matthias sighed; it couldn't be easy, could it? "Ellie, my childhood was not very exciting. You'd be bored." he said, only partially lying. "Please, refrain from crying, okay?" he said, patting the little one on the head.
Ellie sniffled, and nodded. "Tell stowy bout ooo an' Mommy." The green infant said, looking up at the fae. "Tell stowy dat gonna come true. No pass stowy. Cuz ooo was mean to Mommy." The infant looked stern for a moment, before smiling. "Tell happy luv stowy."
Matthias inwardly sighed. "Alright.....who wants ice cream?" he asked, attempting to change the subject. And what better a distraction than frozen dairy treats?
Ellie jumped up from Matthias' lap, bouncing up and down. "Me! Me me me me! I wan ice cweam! Gimme!" She looked around, as if the fae was hiding it somewhere. "Where ice cweam, Daddy? Den tell stowy? Tell faerie tale if no wan tell bout Daddy and Mommy?"
Miles shook his head grinning. "But I was looking forward to that story, Matth.." He did his best to sound disappointed, it didn't work out.
Matthias stood up. "Alright. Ice cream, the a faerie tale." he said, smiling lightly. He looked over to Miles. "I'm sure you can probably guess the story anyways, Miles." he said, chuckling.
She looked down at her stomach, almost guiltily. She couldn't let that happen. If she got sick, the baby would die.
Matthias had NO idea what so ever what was going on. Hopefully, it wasn't anything too bad....Risa had sounded a bit upset on the phone.
On the way to her house, he could have sworn he saw two heads of orange darting among the bushes along the street. Odd.
Risa stood up after spotting Matth, and made her way to him. "Hi, Matth." She said, forcing a smile onto her face. Hopefully she was hiding the weight she'd gained well, she had no idea.
"You might want to sit down." She gestured to her porch. The fae took a deep breath. "I think we'd better get married, Matth."
Matthias paled, if that was even possible. "Wh-what?" He said, taking the offered seat. Oh, he had a feeling he'd need to sit down. An ominous, foreboding feeling twisted in his stomach; please, whoever was up there, don't let her be.....oh gods....
"I think we'd better get married." Risa repeated, blushing and moving her arms from in front of her stomach to behind her back. "See.. I'm going to have a baby." Please don't let him faint. Let him be happy.
She would have prayed, but she didn't know who to pray to. "Is that... Is that okay?"
Matthias' eyes widened. "A....baby..." he said, his tone blank. She was having a.... Gods be damned! "I....um...." He was speechless, and looked like he'd just been hit with a ton of bricks. What was he going to do?
"Yeah.. A baby." Risa said with a nod, and a slight frown. "Are you mad?" She asked. That was her worst fear, that he would be angry with her.
She knelt down and gave him a hug.
Matthias shook his head slowly. "No, I am not mad. Just...I am surprised." he said, his tone still blank. He hugged her back, trying to ignore the baby bump.
Risa sat down on the step below Matth's, and leaned against him. She was relieved that he wasn't angry--but he seemed more than just surprised. Even Ben hadn't been this bad when the princess had told him--well, Ben had fainted, but had seemed to get over it rather quickly afterward.
Maybe fainting was better?
Matthias sighed. This is what he got for one moment of being spontaneous. Damn. He put an arm around Risa, giving her a gentle hug. "So....um, when did you find out?" he asked, his tone soft.
"Yesterday." Risa said, looking up at him. "I'd guessed before, but Thali insisted I make sure. She seemed to think it was a funny idea that I'd gained weight by working in a sweetshop." The fae frowned, and shook her head.
"Miles seems to think it'll be a boy--and he's usually right. So... I guess we should start looking up names?"
Matthias nodded. "I suppose we should...." he said, glancing at her stomach. For a second, a split second, he thought of how easy it'd be to rip the unborn child from her womb, to destroy the small obstacle in front of his plans. He shook the idea from his head; he was not a bestial creature, so he would not give in to such urges. Besides....the child was a part of him. He couldn't hurt him or Risa.
As if sensing what Matthias had been thinking, Risa put her hands protectively over her stomach. The fae glared at her companion, and moved an inch or so away from him. She didn't know what he'd thought, but she knew it wasn't good.
"I like the name Milo." She mused, seeming to have recovered.
Matthias blinked as she moved away. Crap, was she a mind reader or something. "I am sorry." he said softly, looking at his feet. "Milo.....that is a very nice name. Simplistic, but nice all the same."
Risa sighed, and moved so she was sitting next to Matth. She leaned her head against his shoulder. If she couldn't trust him, she couldn't trust anyone. "Do you have a name you like?" She asked.
Matthias smiled slightly. "Well, I have always liked the name Loki." he said, giving her a small hug. It, too, was short and simple, but it still carried weight with it.
Risa was quick to return his smile. "The Norse god of fire, right? Loki, the prankster. I like it." She put an arm around him. "Let's plan that wedding then. What colors do you like?"
Matthias smiled, though the smile quickly slipped off his face. "Hm.....dark earthen colors? Like dark ochre, evergreen, and black?" he suggested, highly doubting she'd spring for those colors.
"How about sky colors?" Risa suggested. "Blues, silvers, whites? Oh, and black for you. It brings your eyes out the best." The fae paused. "Oh, not in a church. I don't like churches. Maybe we could have one in Thali's back yard? It's big enough. What kind of flowers do you like, Matth?"
Matthias smiled; as long as he was in dark colors, he didn't really care. Okay, he did, but...it didn't matter. "We could have it in the lot behind Stasia's home." he said, smiling and forgetting to mention what that lot was. "And I like begonias."
"You mean the graveyard?" Risa shook her head, Miles had told her all about that from his last visit with Zemel. "I'd really prefer to do it in Thali's yard--graveyards make Miles sick, and I'd hate for him to have to miss it."
The fae paused, and smiled. "You're referencing to an old threat, aren't you? Begonias are pretty."
Matthias nodded. "Thali's yard it is, then." he said, nodding. He then smiled. "Of course not." he said, his sing-song tone totally giving him away. He smiled. "Perhaps begonias and sweet peas?" he suggested, thinking a bit more about it. "And yellow poppies."
"Sweet pea and poppies are fine, too." Risa nodded, before she gave him a stern look. "As long as they aren't red. No symbols of death at my wedding. Maybe I'll ask Thali's advice on the flowers, she knows more about them than I do, with that garden of hers. Maybe she'll know what flowers to use.. I like lilies, that sound good? White ones." Uh-oh, now Risa was thinking about meanings. "And roses, spirea, lilacs, daffodils." At least all her flowers had possitive meanings...
"And spider flowers." Matthias said. It was a wonder he was able to keep a straight face and refrain from chuckling. "And black roses." He smiled lightly, trying to ignore the fact that he was nervous.
"Spider flowers, huh?" Risa giggled and shook her head at him. "I think we've done enough of that for now." The fae's smile faded, her eyes narrowing. "I've already said no death symbols, Matth." She said. "If Miles sees them, he'll start thinking about how everyone will die, and get sick again." She gave the dark haired fae a glare.
"I know you don't like him. He's told me."
"I have no idea what you're...." He trailed off as her demeanor changed. "I have nothing against Miles." he said, his tone calm. "He is a fine young man."
"He says you don't like him." Risa said flatly. "He says you act like you're afraid of him, and don't talk to him very often. He says..." She sighed. "Matthias, if we're going to get married, you're going to be his father. He's been really upset about you not liking him."
She paused, and frowned at him. "Is it because of what he is?" She asked. "I suppose oracles aren't very common..." She glared at him. If a certain princess had been there, she would have very helpfully told Matthias that the only way to calm an angry Risa down was to hug her.
"And I said I have nothing against him." Matthias said, getting a little defensive. "I simply do not know him very well, that is all." That, and the little blighter scared him. "And I am fully aware that marriage would make him my son; I am not ignorant of that."
Risa shot him another glare, before her mood shifted entirely. She frowned, and sniffled. "I just want you to get along.." Uh-oh, mood swings. Anyone intelligent would have told Matthias that he was on thin ice, staying around a fae having trouble controlling her emotions.
"I just want... Argh, Matthias!" The mood seemed to shift again. "You and Miles need to have a bonding day. Then we can have the wedding."
Matthias blinked, not sure what to make of the sudden mood changes. Confusion spread across his face, his mouth setting in a frown. "A bonding day?" What in seven hells was that? "Risa....are you feeling okay?" he asked, a little concerned.
Risa frowned at him, and shot him another glare. "You know. Father-son bonding. Since you two don't get along, you'll have a day to settle your differences." She crossed her arms, and leaned into him.
Her expression softened. "Actually, I'm not feeling at all well.." She admitted. "I don't know what's gotten into me."
Matthias just nodded; father-son bonding? Oh, he was SO excited. He put an arm around her, giving her a gentle smile. Oh gods, it was already starting. Someone up there, strike him down now, please?
"I...I am sure you will be fine after some tea and some rest." he said, nodding once.
Risa merely nodded, and stood up carefully. "I'll go do that." She said. "You promise, though? You'll spend the day with Miles?" She spoke as if she expected him to leave, and without waiting for an answer, she went inside.
Ugh, stomach aches.
Matthias nodded. "Yes, I promise." he said, not liking it one bit. He blinked as she went inside, leaving him alone on the steps. He sighed and stood up, stretching a bit.
In all honesty, Risa was really waiting to see if he would follow her. Her stomach was really quite upset--she had expected it though, when she'd found out she was pregnant. "You can come in, you know." She said, opening the door a crack.
Matthias blinked. "Oh..." he said, smiling slightly before heading towards the door. He thought he was being dismissed. (Well, that and he was going to sneak off before he was forced into this "bonding" thing.)
Risa opened the door and led him inside. "Miles! Matthias is here to see you." She called, looking up the stairs. The orange haired boy seemed to be very reluctant to come downstairs.
"Mom, I'm pretty sure Matth's here to see you." He said, before giving Matthias a friendly smile. He turned back to his mother. "Your stomach bothering you again? I told you to take it easy." He shook his head at her. "You look worn out. Been having mood swings again?"
Risa frowned, she still wasn't used to having a son who told her what to do. "I'll go rest. Matth's agreed that you two need to settle your differences and start getting along." She said, looking to Matth, and then her son. "Isn't that right, Matth?"
"Well, actually..." The man sighed; he hadn't expected it to be so soon! "Yeah, that's right." he said, offering a small smile in return and reminding himself to be polite. This was going to be his future son, like it or not, so he might as well get used to the idea.
Risa smiled, and left the living room.
Miles looked to Matth. "You want to play a game?" He asked, giving the man a smile. "It's nice to see you again." Yes, he really was a normal third grade aged boy, when he wasn't predicting something. "Tic-tac-toe, um.. What do you want to do, Matth?"
Matthias nodded. "It is nice to see you as well." he said, looking at the younger one. "You choose the game; I am not very familiar with such frivolities."
"Follow me." Miles said, leading Matth to their backyard. "Want to play catch?" He asked, picking up a red playground ball. "I can teach you how to play, if you don't know how.." He gave the fae a confused look, before smiling again. "Oh.. So I don't forget. Thank you."
Matthias followed him. "I am sure I can figure the game out....it sounds simple enough." he said, nodding once. He then blinked. "What are you thanking me for?" he asked, confused.
Miles nodded and smiled. He was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about what he was about to say next. "Saving my Mom's life. I never thanked you--you went away before I could."
He paused, and threw the ball towards Matth, letting it bounce once before it reached the fae. Maybe Ginger and Zemel were right, maybe he and Matth could get along.
Matthias shook his head. "You need not thank me for that." he said, catching the ball. He examined it a moment before tossing it back. What was the point of this game? He sure didn't know.
Miles caught the ball, and smiled at his future father. "Still, thank you." He said, before passing the ball back towards the fae. "Um. Matth, do you think we can be friends?" The boy blushed from embarassment. "Ever since I was born, I've wanted a Dad. It'd really.. well..." The boy frowned and shook his head.
"It'd really suck if when I finally got one, we didn't get along."
Matthias caught the ball, then thought a moment. "Friends." he repeated, mulling the thought around inhis head. "Yes, I do believe we could try being friends." he said, nodding once before tossing the ball back. He offered a small smile, but no other words. After all, what was he to say?
Miles gave his brightest smile yet, one that could have rivaled his mother's, maybe. So Ginger and Zemel had been right, after all! Matthias didn't hate him!
He passed the ball back, still wearing that silly grin. He'd have a dad. And younger siblings. "I'll even babysit." Miles said, looking to Matth. "I'm good with Aife."
Matthias chuckled; young ones were so easily pleased. It was almost cute. "'Zuba may not like that; she's taken a liking to babysitting the little ones." he said, catching the ball. "You will have to speak to her about that; I do not think she will willingly give up her job."
For a split second, Miles frowned. Then the smile was back in place. "Alright, 'Zuba can babysit Aife, Ellie and Kole. As long as I get to help take care of the new baby." He gestured to the house. "She hasn't put a claim on him, has she?" He looked so hopeful, it was almost comic.
"I'll be the best big brother on Gaia!" He said, giving Matth a bright smile. "Ellie's hard to be a big brother to, she's always bossing me around." He explained.
Matthias chuckled. "She does not even know of the child, therefor she hasn't laid claim on him." he said, shaking his head. How young ones managed to be so amusing was beyond him. "I am sure you will be, Miles." he said, offering an amused grin.
"That's good." Miles said happily. "What are you and Mom going to name him?" Yes, he knew there would be twins, he knew what their names would be. But he was working hard not to make predictions. He was working hard to make Matthias like him.
The game was forgotten. Miles preferred talking, anyway.
Matthias smiled slightly. "We are thinking either Milo or Loki." he said, looking a bit confused. Didn't the boy already know this? Hmm....maybe he didn't see EVERYTHING...interesting.
Miles nodded, and smiled at the fae. "Nice names. I bet if you name him Loki, he'll turn out like his namesake." He sat on the grass, grinning up at Matth. "He'd be fun to play with, if he was."
Matthias had a feeling Miles was more than guessing, but he didn't voice this thought. "I can imagine." he said, nodding. He sat on the grass carefully, trying to avoid grass stains.
"Milo is a cool name too. Means 'peaceful warrior', right? But I don't know how anyone could be a peaceful warrior.. Warriors aren't very peaceful, are they?" He paused, and looked up to the fae. "Who do you hope he'll look like?" He asked.
Matthias chuckled. "It is a bit of an oxymoron." he mused, folding his hands in his lap. "And it does not matter to me what he'll look like." he answered, being honest.
"I hope he's nice." Miles said with a nod, before pausing and looking at his future father. "Wait. You mean even if he was a scary vampire guy with wings, you'd still like him? Cool! I hope he looks like that! But I don't think he will. You and Mom aren't scary vampire guys, and neither of you have wings." He gave a mock pout. "Lame. But having younger siblings will be awesome!"
Matthias nodded. "Yes, even if he were a scary vampire guy with wings." he said, trying not to chuckle. "I am sure it will be." He reached over, patting the lad on the head.
Miles gave the fae a bright smile. "Good, then you'll have no problem liking me." He decided. If Matthias could like a scary vampire guy, he could certainly like Miles. "Oh, I'm not a vampire guy. See? No wings." He pointed to his back needlessly.
Matthias rolled his eyes. "I can see that, Miles. I am not visually impaired." he said, shaking his head. He sighed, falling into an awkward silence.
Miles looked at Matth, frowning slightly. "Why don't you like me, Matth?" He asked, before looking away from the fae. "I haven't done anything wrong.. I've tried everything to get you to like me... If you'd like a vampire, even.. Why can't you like me? Is it because I'm human? I know we're rather boring.." He sighed. "Aunt Thali tells me so every time she sees me."
Matthias blinked. "I like you just fine, Miles." he said, confused. "I have nothing against you." Okay, so that last one was a little less than truthful, but it was close to honest. "I could care less about race and/or species."
"That's not true." Miles said, shaking his head at the fae. "Everytime you see me, you act as if I frighten you." The boy sighed. "Am I really that scary?"
Matthias frowned. "You do not scare me, nor are you frightening." he said, his tone calm. "I just simply feel a little uncomfortable when I am around you, that is all. And that can be attributed to the fact that I do not know you very well."
"That's what Ginger and Zemel said." Miles said with a nod, though he was frowning. "You seem comfortable around everyone else, though.. Just not me. I mean, you get along with Mom--and you don't know her well."
Matthias frowned. "With your mother....that's different." he said, his tone still calm. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place; how was he going to talk himself out of this one?
"But you don't know her any better than you know me. And you seem comfortable around Joshua, and you've known me longer.." The boy gave him a confused look. "Is it because I'm an Oracle? I can try to get rid of that.. I've been trying."
"Trust me, I am not comfortable around Joshua." he said, chuckling. The boy was friendly enough, though Matthias still found it hard to get used to him. "And I've spent more time with your mother than I have you." He purposely avoided that last question.
"Josh said you like him." Miles said, frowning slightly. Had his older cousin lied to him? "You didn't answer my last question." The little oracle said, looking up at the fae. "It must be because of that. It's because I'm different."
Matthias inwardly groaned. "I like him. That doesn't mean I'm used to him." He shook his head. "No, that is not it. To be honest, I could care less if you are "different"."
Miles brightened considerably. "So, you like me even if I'm an Oracle?" He asked, giving the dark haired fae a smile. "You're not scared of me?"
Matthias nodded. "Yes, I like you even if you're an oracle." he said. "And no, I am not scared of you. It takes a lot more than a little boy to scare me."
Miles smiled, having been reassured. He suddenly moved, and put his arms around the dark haired fae. Yay, hugs! "I'm glad you're the one who'll be my dad." He said, before pausing.
"What about Ellie, do you like her? I don't think there's anyone like her."
Matthias blinked, patting the boy. "Uh, many thanks..." he said, feeling a bit awkward. "Ellie is....interesting, to say the least." he said, chuckling. "She will take more getting used to than anyone else."
Miles shook his head at the fae. "If you're really as old as my mom says, how come you don't know how to hug?" He asked. "I'll teach you." He gave Matth another to demonstrate. "See?"
He paused, and gave a grin. "Ellie is different. Mom thinks she's a goddess, or something. But she doesn't talk about that much--she just says Ellie likes stories about Demeter. Hey! What is she -is- Demeter? Isn't she the goddess of the harvest? No wonder flowers keep popping up everywhere!"
Matthias chuckled, simply nodding and listening to the lad. A goddess? That was laughable; she was just a baby! He doubted she actually was a goddess.....but from a goddess, now...now that was another matter entirely.
Miles frowned, and looked up to the fae. "I'm serious, what if she's Demeter? She's always threatening to turn me into a dandelion, Matth. And she can tell the future sometimes! She knew you and Mom'd get married. Did she tell you?"
"Maybe she's just a gifted little girl." Matthias said, his tone calm and serious. "And yes, she told me." Frankly, he wasn't sure what to make of the bossy little girl.
Miles shook his head. "Her skin's green, her blood's white. I found out yesterday when she scraped her knee. It's just like when you pick a dandelion." He looked up to smile at his future father, before...
Well speak of the devil. A brightly clad though obviously green skinned infant was making her way towards the two. It seemed as if she'd just learned to walk properly, though she was still stumbling. Miles groaned.
"Daddy!" Ellie cried, putting her arms out towards Matth, before toddling over to him.
Matthias took a moment before looking, not used to being called "Daddy". He was used to "Orita" and "baba". "Hello, Ellie." he said, greeting the little child as formally as one would an adult. "How are you?"
So much for father son bonding time, Ellie seemed to have taken over with her very presence.
"Daddy." She repeated, before crawling into Matthias' lap. She looked at him with her strange, bright eyes. "I good. Tol' ooo, Daddy. Tol' ooo be my Daddy soon. Ooo no lissen, but I wight. I wight."
Matthias chuckled, patting her on the head. "Yes, yes, you told me. You were right." he agreed, if only to appease her. He offered a small smile to the child, who seemed to have made herself comfortable on his lap.
Ellie gave the fae a bright smile, showing the only teeth she had--three white baby teeth were poking their way out of her green gums. "Luv ooo, Daddy." She said, taking a fistful of the fae's hair, petting it.
Instead of predicting something, she looked up at him. "Pwetty Daddy."
Matthias smiled, giving the little one a small, awkward hug, obviously not used to giving the gesture. "I, uh.....thanks." he said, deciding not to bother arguing with the little one.
Ellie returned the hug as well as she could, smiling brightly. "Tell stowy, Daddy?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "Tell stowy bout Daddy. My Daddy the bestest! Miles lissen too." The tiny goddess glared at her brother, as if he'd refuse. When he nodded, she smiled.
"Tell stowy bout when Daddy little."
Matthias chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no, that would bore you." he said, chuckling. "How about a nice faerie tale or something, hm? That would be much more entertaining." That, and a "faerie" tale wouldn't involve him.
Ellie shook her head, crossing her arms. She looked very much like a rebellious teenager--which was remarkable, since she was an infant. "If no stowy, I cry." She said, her lip trembling.
Matthias sighed; it couldn't be easy, could it? "Ellie, my childhood was not very exciting. You'd be bored." he said, only partially lying. "Please, refrain from crying, okay?" he said, patting the little one on the head.
Ellie sniffled, and nodded. "Tell stowy bout ooo an' Mommy." The green infant said, looking up at the fae. "Tell stowy dat gonna come true. No pass stowy. Cuz ooo was mean to Mommy." The infant looked stern for a moment, before smiling. "Tell happy luv stowy."
Matthias inwardly sighed. "Alright.....who wants ice cream?" he asked, attempting to change the subject. And what better a distraction than frozen dairy treats?
Ellie jumped up from Matthias' lap, bouncing up and down. "Me! Me me me me! I wan ice cweam! Gimme!" She looked around, as if the fae was hiding it somewhere. "Where ice cweam, Daddy? Den tell stowy? Tell faerie tale if no wan tell bout Daddy and Mommy?"
Miles shook his head grinning. "But I was looking forward to that story, Matth.." He did his best to sound disappointed, it didn't work out.
Matthias stood up. "Alright. Ice cream, the a faerie tale." he said, smiling lightly. He looked over to Miles. "I'm sure you can probably guess the story anyways, Miles." he said, chuckling.
