|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:03 pm
Yawning, Antony rested his chin out on his forelegs, eyeing the ground in front of him. He really ought to get up...
But he really didn't feel like it. It was cold out, and cold never made him much inclined towards moving about. Besides, there was no real reason for him to get up anyway, other than habit. Why do something that wasn't necessary.
Then again, pacing was always good for the mental process, and he had so much on his mind today that any little bit of motivation had to help. But did he WANT to aggravate his thoughts?
Meh...to get up, or not to get up, THAT was the question.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:21 pm
Loveless was soaring overhead when she saw the stallion. He seemed.. lifeless, and that made her chuckle to herself. The mare quickly landed a few paces over, before moving herself towards the sleepy head. She was assuming he was either very tired or very lazy, since.. it was almost noonish. Loveless folded her wings back to her sides, which then added more warmth to her body.
The cold didn't really bother Loveless, she rather found it very enjoyable. Dry skin lay hidden in her dark body, whereas her father was constantly bickering at his terrible condition. It always made the female laugh, since he did the same kinds of complaining all year round. Loveless, at the moment, had nothing to complain about, since her mood swings and stomach aches weren't as terrible in the cold.
Bringing herself back on the stallion, she walked over and put her spaded tail in his face. "Good morning, Antony. My, you seem so lively today!" She chuckled lightly, before brushing her tail through his lifeless hair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:30 pm
"I know, it's amazing how much energy one stallion can possess, isn't it? I must be like a hummingbird, albeit on a larger scale." Think of a complication, and that complication would appear, alright...or whatever that charming little saying was. Still, there were good complications and bad complications, and as far as Antony was concerned Loveless was a good complication. These days, at least.
So he was grinning as the tail came into view, nipping at it to punctuate his words. Imp that she was, intruding on his solitude with wild abandon, she deserved it!
Or at least, that was his original thought, before he actually looked up all the way. Pausing almost mid-grin, he blinked rapidly for a few moments as he actually LOOKED at Loveless, then managed to pull himself to his feet, still looking intently at the mare.
Or, to be more specific, the pronounced roundness of the mare's midsection.
WELL THEN.
Tearing his gaze away from her middle, he turned to give Loveless a wry grin. "And speaking of a larger scale...I don't suppose you've just been eating a lot lately, have you?" Complications, NO KIDDING.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:54 pm
Loveless was grinning as Antony was talking, but at his obvious reaction to her body, she could only lift a brow and faintly growl. WHAT? Did he just OBVIOUSLY call her fat?
Loveless' half grin molded into a nasty frown, and she was staring straight into Antony's eyes. She was quite aware of her.. growth.. but for him to address such so rudely?! The mare was horrified! "A larger scale, am I?" she huffed slightly, and tried to breathe in calmly. "Are there any other flaws you would like to point out about my body, Antony? Because I am all ears." She wanted to stomp on him, she really did. He was so rude sometimes, but when she thought about it, she was probably just as rude as well.
"Anyways," she then said, while walking away from the stallion's laziness, "You should probably get up, being lazy like this isn't going to do you any good. What would your father say? He would be most ashamed." For some reason, she felt like dragging the Guilian card into the conversation, in hopes of motivating the lazy boy.
"Maybe I will go EAT more while I am waiting for your lazy a** to get up." she rolled her eyes back on Antony, wondering to herself if she REALLY looked that fat!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:00 pm
As soon as he heard the growl and saw the angry flash in Loveless' eyes, Antony realized he'd said something wrong. WHAT, he wasn't sure, but obviously something. Something that somehow made sense to him in a non-offensive way, but was enough to set Loveless off...
Well, THAT could be anything. Mares were strange at times, especially when pregnant. Hadn't he always been told that the mood swings of a mare were more dangerous than a rampaging kalona (well, unless that mare WAS a rampaging kalona, at which point things became a whole new kind of bad)?
However, it seemed that the weight issue was the touchy one, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes as she turned away. "Come on, Loveless, surely you're not telling me you haven't noticed you've gotten round. It's like you swallowed a beach ball, for crying out loud!" Trust a mare to get huffy over silly things; if he'd said something like that to Dodger, he'd have gotten an eyeroll and a cutting comeback, not an emo wilt.
Though he had to admit that she was funny and cute in her huffiness. "Um, Lessy? I AM up, or do you mean up off the ground? I mean, I can fly, but since YOU still have feet on the ground, that would defeat the purpose, don't you think?"
His concern replaced by his usual lightheartedness, Antony hurried up to catch Loveless, nosing at her affectionately to show her that whatever he'd actually offended her with, it hadn't been intentional. "And you know as well as I do that that lump is NOT the result of something you've eaten, so..."
At that point, Antony trailed off, suddenly unsure of how to continue. Somehow, for all this time, he'd managed to ignore this possibility. Random conversation, random discussion of possibilities...all of those things could be forgotten. But visual evidence, now, to say nothing of his most recent chat with his father...
Well, it looked like it was time to face reality. "What're your plans for when they're ready to be born, Lessy?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:17 pm
At this point in time, Loveless WAS used to Antony's little comebacks. She let quite a few of them roll over her head in speech, and rather then dwelling in his immature words, she glanced at the stallion as he caught up with her in pace, and shook her head in distaste. "Well, I am going to raise them of course. I don't dislike the idea of being a mother, if anything, I want to be a better parental unit then my own idiotic parents." Being raised by her egotistical father and a mother with no emotions really set her life off to an interesting start...
"Why, what would you expect me to do? When they are ready to be born, I will be ready for them." Did he seriously not think she would handle it? "I really am not afraid to take this on, if that's what you mean. You don't have to be around, its probably MY fault this happened anyways."
It was easier for the mare to blame herself, and she glanced down at her hooves while taking in the reality all over again. "This 'lump' is something I am currently becoming proud of, and if you don't see things that way, then.. we will have some problems." She shot the stallion another glance, before curling her tongue in a wicked grin. "How do you take this whole pregnancy ordeal, Antony?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:31 pm
"Yeah, well, I figured the raising thing; what I meant was like..." Damn, she was prickly all of a sudden. But he was trying, and that had to count for something. "I meant, what are you going to do when it's actually time for them to be BORN. Is that some sort of intuitive mare thing, or do you have an experienced mare on hand to help, or is there something I can do, or should there be a unicorn around, or..."
Trailing off, he gave Loveless a sheepish smile, hoping that he was getting through and not just setting her even further on the defensive. Which, to be totally honest, he hadn't meant to do...but at the same time, it was proving oddly informative. He hadn't expected her to be so INTO the experience, but that was a good thing, right?
So it was partially from relief at that fact that he gave the mare a sharp head shake. "Hey, if memory serves I was there too, Lessy; don't you worry whether I NEED to do anything, because I WILL be there, for you and the kids. They're mine too, so...yeah. I'm afraid you'll have to deal with having me around, too!"
Man, he was articulate. He really ought to join a debate team, with his skillz!
Though he shook off that fact, instead giving her an impudent grin of his own at the last question. "Honestly? This pregnancy is going by like a breeze for me!"
Physically, at least. Now, mentally...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:09 am
Loveless thought about Antony's question, and she lowered her ears in a slow movement. "I think its just something that mares can handle. I don't feel the need to ask for help, no matter how painful the actual pregnancy is." She sighed, while glancing off at a patch of snowy bushes. "My mother did it herself, so I have no problem handling it myself either. The pain will be what it will be." She chuckled finally, before wondering how terrible the experience would actually be. Loveless was good with pain, but she was sure it would still suck.
The mare felt a bit humorous at Antony's next set of words, and she flicked her mane cheerfully before glancing his way again. "So I am stuck with you? Pfft, if I would have known that.." finishing her sentence with a mid eye-roll, she smiled at the male, before knowing too well that his company would be most needed. "I think you will be a good father, and as long as you are cheerful and proud of the kids, I don't see anything to worry about." Antony had the personality to be a father, so why should they think too much into the situation?
"Don't you think you are planning this too much? I like to take things as they come, and just deal with them when the moment arrives." she paused then, while slightly lifting a brow. "Is there a different way that I should be handling this? Because remember.. I am just as new as you, and maybe I am trying to secretly hide my nervousness through nonchalant speech, but." She really didn't want to admit that things would be harder then they imagined, so she kept brushing the situation off casually. "My motto is: If my father handled it, I can handle it." Since.. Ariston was the biggest drama male in the world..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:47 pm
Using Ariston as a role model of perseverance...that was a new one, but if it worked for her, it worked for her! Chuckling at the idea, Antony shook his head at Loveless; speech didn't seem to be on his side as far as helping matters went, so it was probably just best if he shut up about the subject.
Well, after one last thing. "Well, I don't know what IS the right amount of planning for these things, Lessy, or what the father's actual role is. You don't have to worry about me being underfoot all the time, though; I'm not going to try and pin you down or force any sort of arrangement on you; kids aren't exactly something that should necessitate any rash decisions, you know? I'll be around and be an active part, but I don't want you to feel at all crushed, ok?"
Giving her an affectionate headbutt, Antony hoped that what he was saying would make sense and be appreciated. The last thing he wanted was for her to get resentful, assuming that having foals without planning on them hadn't done that already. They were his kids and he would be a good father to them...he hoped...but not at the expense of Loveless' peace of mind. "So if you think I'm around too much, tell me to shove off; or if you want to be able to have some time for just you, then you can just let me know and I can be the 'responsible parent' for a bit. Whatever seems right to you."
But now he was rambling again, and it felt weird, so he should probably just shut up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:22 pm
"Oh Antony, you don't need to worry." she gave him an affectionate look back, before moving herself next to him. "You know, some individuals aren't set out to be parents. But I really think we are meant to, you know? That's why I am being so positive about it.. you are always so positive about everything, so I decided to use the same tactic." Maybe she was copying him.. but Loveless was feeling better about everything by being cheery. "I actually have no doubts about you, and what role you will have. I am more nervous for myself, since I have been so unstable in the past." Loveless was hoping that her children would keep her more stable, if anything.
"Do you have any worries, Antony?" she gave him a calm, but serious look, hoping to let him know that if he had any flaws, she was happy to listen. "I am happy to help you out as well, if you are ever feeling flustered, I won't mind what needs to be done for you to feel better. We are in this together." And THAT was something that was the most comforting of all.
"And I do promise that some of these mood swings will vanish again when this pregnancy is over. I honestly can't control myself. You should be thankful I am not violent, I may be snappy but I have heard of Kalonas actually being very violent to their other." she nipped at Antony's shoulder then, while allowing herself a comfortable laugh. "It would be terrible if the children saw their father all banged up and hurt, and it would be more terrible if we had to explain to them: Momma did that!" Ah yes, the humor of her race!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:47 pm
At Loveless' last comment, Antony gave her a brow raise, wondering if she realized that she'd effectively just described his youth. Then again, the issues his parents had had were hardly topics for dinnertime conversation, so if she didn't know, then so much the bette. However, the memory jog did serve an important purpose: remind him of exactly what he did NOT want childhood to be like for his own kids. Being in the middle of a feud was never fun, after all, moreso when it was the ones you were supposed to depend on for security.
So he simply gave Loveless a smile, one strengthened by resolve. "Well, I think we've addressed the basics already, Lessy; and honestly? I'm not worried, really. Surprised, confused, perplexed, unprepared...THOSE I am in spades, but not really worried. We've got a good base of informants to draw on if we need help, and we get along with each other, so that's good...I guess we'll just have to see what happens." After all, he wasn't much of a kids person, but then he'd only ever dealt with his little siblings as children so it might just be that they were exceptionally obnoxious? Always a possibility...
But oh! That reminded him. Returning the n**, Antony queried, "So, did you hear my father's going to be a new father himself any day now? There must be something in the water"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:56 pm
Loveless raised a brow at Antony's news, and shook her head in a laugh. "Your father is something, alright. Are you excited to have more siblings?" Heh, Antony was probably too old for that sort of excitement, but the mare couldn't imagine what it would be like to have that many siblings. She would probably stay away, if anything.
"Children are an exciting thing, and I think your father has proved to the world that they don't necessarily mean the end of the world. No matter how nervous or unprepared we are, it definitely doesn't end all things for us." If anything, Guilian was sort of like a role model.. but Loveless was kind of weirded out when she thought about it that way. "Your family is quite promiscuous, isn't it? First your sister, your father, and even you? My goodness."
With a fake head toss, she smiled at her words before wiggling her tail around. "Do you think we will make pretty children at least? I was thinking about that.. we are attractive you know, and I would expect that our children would most certainly be the same." As the words came out of her mouth, Loveless couldn't believe how much she sounded like her father. "Its not in me to have ugly children!" She continued to laugh in that one thought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:15 pm
"Me, excited? Lessy, I don't even get excited about the siblings I have. All I hope is that these new ones wind up being less annoying than the last ones." Not that he expected to have much track with them anyway, seeing as how most of Guilian's family was spread out anyway. "But then, I guess I'll be busy with other things." A polite way of putting it, really.
Though he had to chuckle at the promiscuous comment. "Yeah, well, it's all about the role models. M'father always said life was too short to worry about details or tying one's self down...so there you have it. I guess it's kinda weird that there aren't more members of my family line floating around out here, all things considered. Though I myself am pleased with the small numbers." The siblings he had were chaotic enough, and the very idea of having more kids...honestly, he had no idea how his father managed it; he himself could almost feel the grey hairs sprouting as they spoke!
But that growth stopped abruptly at her last words, words that caused him to literally stop moving and stare at her in amused incredulosity. "Lessy...was that a VAIN question I just heard from you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:20 pm
"Its no friggan surprise our fathers are so close.. mine always says the same thing, different words of course." Since everything Ariston did was 'oringal'. The mare sighed suddenly, before raising her eyes to Antony's next question. ...Vain? Well.. maybe..
"Oh, did I say something wrong?" Loveless tried to put it off as if she was innocent, and she strode away from Antony, only to briefly leave some room in between them. "Its not like I would have ugly kids.. I don't know about YOU, but." with shifty eyes, she glanced away from Antony as quickly as she could. It didn't seem as though she was going to get herself out of this situation.. she thought if anything, her words were hilarious enough! Was Antony taking them the wrong way? Now the mare was getting a bit suspicious!
"Its not like I am insecure, I am just confident! Maybe too confident?" ... she really wasn't saving herself at this point.. "Uh, I was just joking, and stuff."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 3:02 pm
"Yeah, well...if there was ever an example that different races could share the same values, I think that our respective fathers are almost textbook examples themselves." Still, Antony himself wouldn't want things any other way; he himself was very fond of Ariston, after all, and enjoyed his company very much; he could completely understand how Guilian could stand spending so much time with a 'big scary kalona'. Granted, the only thing scary about Ariston was his ego...or maybe Tony was just biased.
Like Loveless, automatically assuming he meant something bad by the 'vain' comment. "No, there was nothing wrong, it's just...well, your dad is supposed to be pride and vanity personified, right? I just don't think I've ever heard you say anything that was really egotistical, at least as far as looks go. It's kinda like the way that baby swans look nothing like adult swans; you know the potential is there, but just write it off as a future thing only to be surprised later."
Yeah, that made sense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
