[PRP] Baby Daddy (Hilal x Tsubaki)

[Painted Moose]

There was something off about Tsubaki that morning. She had arisen long before the sun thanks to an upset stomach, and a bad back. As she walked she felt pressure building on her spine, and with a resigned sigh she settled near a sapling tree. There wasn't an inch of Tsubaki that didn't feel heavy. Even though she still retained her smooth, lanky physique her stomach had been noticeably swelling. Perhaps it was even more prominent to her now because she hadn't gained weight any where else.

At first she had assumed it was because she was finally eating enough of a meal to fill her stomach. Hunting for herself and Kyria had been rough with the Princess demanding finer prey each time. On her own she hadn't cared for food, and with Hilal she fell into a provider's roll once more.She couldn't say that she disliked it this time around, though. Hilal was...different. He was unlike any male she had met, even with her limited interactions with their kind. Although he didn't hold her heart completely at that moment, he was certainly on his way.

It was strange; that she would value the comfortable security of a free love pride over the rigid Amazonian structure she had grown with. Tsubaki valued their rules, but here she was free to stop if she felt weak. She was allowed to breath.

Velveteen Angel

heart

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Hilal was taking a break from his usual rounds around the pride. He liked to make sure that he was visible in the pride, in case anyone needed assistance. He doubted that people would, the Likno had, thus far, been a fairly peaceful pride. He had really enjoyed the time he had spent here, and when he spotted Tsubaki resting under a sapling, he smiled, because she was one of the reasons he had been enjoying the pride.

When she had agreed to come with him, he had felt special. She was a strong female, she didn't need him, but she had chosen to come with him. To him that was a huge compliment, and he tried every day to deserve her presence with him.

"Hello Tsu," he greeted her fondly. He knew they weren't exactly the most 'typical' relationship, but he did want to see her happy. "Are you feeling alright?" She didn't seem particularly comfortable as she rested, and a look of worry crossed his face.

Painted Moose

 

[Painted Moose]

Velveteen Angel

Tsubaki turned her gaze to Hilal and gave him a tired, yet pleasant, smile. Even though she wasn't completely at ease around the male she was warming up to him rather quickly. To this day she didn't know exactly why she had agreed to come with him, but there was a security in being here that she found comforting. Hilal allowed her to be herself, and that earned her never ending trust.

"Hey Hilal." It was so odd being so comfortable around a male. Her mother would have had a heart attack. "I'm fi-" Tsubaki felt a sharp little poke of pressure on her side and uncomfortable shifts. She squirmed to find a more comfortable spot. "...no. I'm not. My back is killing me, and I can't get comfortable anymore."  

[Velveteen Angel]

Hilal moved towards Tsubaki, careful not to crowd her, because he never wanted her to feel like he was pressuring her to be closer physically than she wanted to be at that moment, but the look on his face was pure concern.

"Did you injure yourself in a hunt or anything?" He asked, physically restraining himself from fussing over her like a mother hen. He knew he was not the most typical male, his father had raised him to treat women properly and that meant taking care of them, not just being the male and throwing his weight around. He would do anything to see his mates happy, even if that was not the most masculine behaviour.

"Do you want me to try and rub your back maybe?" He asked cautiously, still not crowding her.

Painted Moose

 

[Painted Moose]

Velveteen Angel

"No, nothing like that." Tsubaki rotated her shoulders, giving into a little sigh when it something popped. Everything just felt so much stiffer these days, and when she ran to work it out she couldn't go nearly as long. If she didn't know better she'd think she was getting out of shape.

Turning her attention fully to Hilal, she gave him an awkwardly sympathetic smile. "I'm not going to bite you, Hilal." There was always a fine line with her about how far she would let him come. The last thing Tsubaki wanted was to make him feel unwanted, though, and walking on that thin line had to be hard. He was far too understanding for his own good. "...I wouldn't mind a back rub, though." She answered sheepishly.

As Tsubaki turned to give him better access, she asked in passing, "Do you think I'm getting fat?"
 

[Velveteen Angel]

He was grateful that she hadn't hurt herself in a hunt; he didn't want her injured just because he was hungry. He didn't hunt very often; unfortunately he had inherited his father's rather bad ability at hunting. His mothers had thankfully been the ones to look after the food situation growing up or he feared he would have starved if they had to rely on Obadias' hunting alone.

"I know you're not," he assured her, but his eyes were still sympathetic. "I just don't want to make you uncomfortable." He moved closer to her though as she agreed to his back rub. He settled by her side, careful not to press against her too much, only laying his paws on her back gently. He began to use the pads of his paws, careful not to let his claws come out, he gently rubbed and patted her back, trying to loosen the muscles.

At her question of fatness, he looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Is this a trap question?" He asked cautiously. "Because I think you look lovely."

Painted Moose

Oh Hilal. So afraid of the ladies.

 

[Painted Moose]

Velveteen Angel

Hilal was possibly the softest male she had ever met. Or lion in general, for that matter. Her entire life had been nothing more than routine based around a need to be stronger, not only to fight off intruders but to fight off Kyria's advances. She had never known a moment that she wasn't training with some sort of anxiety over ruling her. To this day she still had apprehensions about Hilal. He was so sweet that she feared one day he would show his "true" colors, and everything would disappear.

She instinctively stiffened at his touch. This only exacerbated the problem, so she was forced to loosen under his touch. Tsubaki had to admit; his massage was amazing. The lioness leaned forward, giving into a contented sigh. "It's not a trick question," she chuckled. "I wouldn't bait you like that." Not like Nadeshiko. Tsubaki was much too forgiving for that.

Looking over her shoulder, the lithe lioness turned her honeyed eyes towards Hilal. "I just think I- ow." Tsubaki winced and placed a paw over her distended stomach. The pain was back, but this time it didn't worry her so much as the feeling of it. It had felt as if something had touched her from the inside, and then receded. She kept her paw locked into place, even pressing further to try and feel it once again.

Goddess. How could this be? She hadn't even been with Hilal for very long, not to mention the bare instances she had been with him. Tsubaki's heart beat sped up. Goddess, no.  

[Velveteen Angel]

Hilal smiled at her, softly. Having been raised by his doting father, he was not afraid of being 'soft', at least not around the people he had planned to spend his life with. He did intend to make his relationship with his females work; no matter the cost, and if that included looking weak? So be it.

"I know you're not like the other girls," he chuckled. "You're far kinder." Hilal had never known what his life would be like, it all depended on what kind of females he had encountered and took for his own. He liked Tsubaki though. She wasn't into playing games.

At her sound of pain, his eyes grew wide and panicked. "Tsu? Are you ok? He asked, his concern obvious as he stopped his massaging, afraid perhaps that he had hurt her.

Painted Moose

 

[Painted Moose]

Velveteen Angel

Tsubaki's cheeks warmed. The heat seemed to spread to her neck, where it swamped her in embarrassment. She wasn't used to such compliments, and it made her feel awkward. The only ones who had talked to her like that was the lover who had left her, and an obsessively insane Princess.

"I-I'm fine." Strangely enough, she did feel fine. Physically. Mentally she was crumbling. "Hilal, I-" She turned to face him, but found she couldn't meet his eyes. "I think that was...a cubs kick. I'm expecting." Everything seemed to fall into place in her mind, but it settled in her gut with a sense of dread.

There was no way they were Hilal's. She was simply too far along, and they hadn't been together long enough. Tsubaki didn't notice that she had begun to cry. Whatever hopes she had held for the future were dashed. Males were possessive, weren't they? Why would he stay now that she was carrying another males cubs?
 

[Painted Moose]

Velvie
Hilal was panicking, he was honestly afraid that he had broken her somehow. He had never seen Tsu cry, and it took a moment for the words that she’d said to actually sink in. He drew his paws back away from her, his eyes wide and…terrified. She was expecting? Expecting what?? It took a moment to realise that she meant…cubs. Actual cubs. How could that be? Were they his? He glanced at her stomach, and realised that…if she could feel them move, there was no way they were his. He felt his heart sink a little.

He wasn’t angry at her…but he was surprised to find himself saddened by the news that she was carrying another males cubs. He felt jealous of the male that would sire her cubs. Still, she was with him. Not this other male.

He laid next to her, curling his tail around her and placing a paw over hers. “I hope they have your eyes,” he said softly to her. “I wasn’t expecting us to start a family so quickly, but I am in this for the long haul.” He smiled gently at her. “Do you think they’ll call me Dad?” He mused, almost unconsciously.


Moose
"I'm so sorry Hilal." The words were whispers on her lips. Tsubaki hiccuped, and whiped her eyes with the back of her paw. Even after all of this time Kyria had still gotten her way. As if living in the same pride as the Princess' sons wasn't enough...

She was surprised to see him lay next to her, and her eyes took in the sight of his paw on hers as if it were an alien. When Tsu turned her honey eyes back to Hilal, she seemed at a loss. "You do? Y-you are?" Tsubaki hadn't realized how much she had needed to heard that until this moment. He wasn't going to leave her; and that mattered to her. "...They'll call you Dad, if you let them. I don't really know what Dad's do, but I'm sure you'll be a great one. If you want to be." She shook her head and turned her gaze. Tsubaki kept flinching, as if she expected him to drop the nice act and become violent at any moment.


Velvie
Hilal smiled at her, his heart breaking and wishing he could stop her tears from falling. “You have nothing to apologize for,” he assured her. “Your cubs are my cubs, whether they carry my blood or not.” He had grown up with full-blood leopards as his siblings. If it was one thing his father had taught him was that family was about love, not blood.

“Well, if my Dad is anything to go on,” he said softly, stroking her paw with his gently in hopes of soothing her pain away. “They do everything they can do to protect their family. Love them endlessly. Sing them stupid songs when the nights are scary.” He smiled, brushing her tears away with the back of one of his paws. “And they love the mother through everything.”

Moose

"Your family sounds mythical." While her mother had never been neglectful or cruel, her version of love was pushing Tsubaki to her limit. Her sister had been sweet, though flighty, but the only stable figure in her life had been the blind leopon that had raised her. Shosanda was the reason Tsubaki was so tender, and ultimately the reason why her mother thought Tsu was a failure.

Hesitantly, Tsubaki leaned over against Hilal and placed her cheek against his. "If they love the mother through everything, then they'll love the father too. Even when he sings stupid songs." She gave into a little smile.

Her "family" wasn't going to be typical in the least, but at that moment, Tsubaki thought that it didn't really matter.