A grin nearly split Xeph's face in two at Nikhila's confirmation. The end of the year huh? She couldn't have known long. He let out a deep laugh and caught her in what was just shy of a bone-crushing hug. He'd have to be careful, after all.
"And they say it's tough to do," he chuckled at her. "I didn't find the creation process much of a hardship. Did you?"
He couldn't stop smiling. They'd been trying, after all, so it wasn't a surprise... not really. But still, the reality of it was far greater than the dreaming had ever been.
"What do we do now? We need to buy a few things. You need to take care of yourself. Not that you don't. You know."
He stopped himself. Enough babbling. He was a doctor, for crying out loud. Xeph took a deep breath and then looked around.
"And I think we need a bigger place."
What Would You Think If I... (Attn: Aidan)
The rooms were a little small for two people but honestly Nikhila didn't mind. The bed was a bit awkward at times but they'd had that problem before moving in together, neither one of them was exactly petite after all, but since neither of them slept terribly much it didn't really matter. Of course the process of actually moving in wasn't quite complete either. It wasn't unusual for Nikhila to have to run across the hall to get something or even put something away but neither of them really had the time or had really thought about formally vacating her rooms.
She thought perhaps it was a good thing she had moved in now. It seemed that Xeph was.. well he could be distracted and conflicted. He had been last night. And either he wouldn't, or couldn't talk about it. But she understood there were things he couldn't talk about, and some things he shouldn't and she respected that but did her best to support him however she could.
Tonight, so far seemed quiet, which was good. She was half cooking and half reading a scientific journal and apparently more than a little distracted by those two tasks. But it was a third thing that was actually sucking up most of her attention. Hopefully nothing burned or went up in flames in the mean time. Fortunately Aidan preferred his food raw, so it was only her dinner she'd be ruining.
Xeph
14 years ago
Nikhila
14 years ago
That was the best confirmation she could possibly get and she smiled impossibly brightly into his neck.
"Not hard, but exhausting at times."Â?
She rolled her eyes significantly. But, for the moment, she just let him ramble. Nikhila was happy to listen to his babble. You'd never know he was a doctor. Apparently, the realization of first time parenthood made one forget their education. It was cute.
"We do have a deadline on this project but I think there is time to buy a few books and do some planning. I doubt she is going to need a crib tomorrow."Â?
Nikhila craned her neck and quickly sized up their limited space. Well she hadn't quite thought of that but he was quite right. Short of converting the kitchen to a nursery, which might suit Aidan perfectly well, things were going to get more than cozy.
"The other side of the hall isn't much better."Â?
At the rate, they were going the child would have a set of rooms of their own and she and Xeph would have to jaunt up and down the hallway to fetch things. They were turning into quite the non-traditional family.
"Something else on this floor maybe?"Â?
With her closterphobia Nikhila had grown the very much appreciate the skylights and the sense of space. She could do just fine, be quite happy even, with out them but they were nice.
"Not hard, but exhausting at times."Â?
She rolled her eyes significantly. But, for the moment, she just let him ramble. Nikhila was happy to listen to his babble. You'd never know he was a doctor. Apparently, the realization of first time parenthood made one forget their education. It was cute.
"We do have a deadline on this project but I think there is time to buy a few books and do some planning. I doubt she is going to need a crib tomorrow."Â?
Nikhila craned her neck and quickly sized up their limited space. Well she hadn't quite thought of that but he was quite right. Short of converting the kitchen to a nursery, which might suit Aidan perfectly well, things were going to get more than cozy.
"The other side of the hall isn't much better."Â?
At the rate, they were going the child would have a set of rooms of their own and she and Xeph would have to jaunt up and down the hallway to fetch things. They were turning into quite the non-traditional family.
"Something else on this floor maybe?"Â?
With her closterphobia Nikhila had grown the very much appreciate the skylights and the sense of space. She could do just fine, be quite happy even, with out them but they were nice.
Xeph
14 years ago
"What do you mean 'she?' He's going to be a boy." Xeph nodded and gave Nikhila a challenging grin.
He looked around and shook his head. "No. I was thinking more along the lines of something separate."
When they'd first taken over this property there had been talk of building a house for Xeph alone, which he'd shot down almost immediately. Why would the Alpha need his own house? But Xeph had to face that he was no longer a bachelor in spite of his single marital status. He had Nikhila to care for, and now they had a child on the way. More than one, if both of them had their say.
"What about a cabin? Something small. There's room for it."
It would be perfect; someplace that was theirs but at the same time still on the Pack property.
He looked around and shook his head. "No. I was thinking more along the lines of something separate."
When they'd first taken over this property there had been talk of building a house for Xeph alone, which he'd shot down almost immediately. Why would the Alpha need his own house? But Xeph had to face that he was no longer a bachelor in spite of his single marital status. He had Nikhila to care for, and now they had a child on the way. More than one, if both of them had their say.
"What about a cabin? Something small. There's room for it."
It would be perfect; someplace that was theirs but at the same time still on the Pack property.
Nikhila
14 years ago
"I think she might have something to say about that."Â?
Nikhila needled him right back. The deed was done and they would both be thrilled with whatever they had. They'd just have to prepare for both until they knew for certain one way or the other.
Something separate? He really was going to give the child rooms of their own. Had no one explained to Xeph that babies were less than independent? A cabin... oh! Nikhila finally caught up with him, it wasn't an option she had even considered.
"Leave the Den? But stay on the grounds?"Â?
The idea had appeal. She liked the idea of their growing family being slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the Pack and of giving Xeph a space where he could unwind a little bit. If they stayed on the grounds, and with the wonders of technology, he wouldn't be anything more than five or six minutes less accessible.
"Do you think? It won't effect your work or the Pack?"Â?
OK it might not hurt to make sure he'd thought of that. Nikhila could be come very attached to this idea and didn't want him to change his mind after thinking it through.
Nikhila needled him right back. The deed was done and they would both be thrilled with whatever they had. They'd just have to prepare for both until they knew for certain one way or the other.
Something separate? He really was going to give the child rooms of their own. Had no one explained to Xeph that babies were less than independent? A cabin... oh! Nikhila finally caught up with him, it wasn't an option she had even considered.
"Leave the Den? But stay on the grounds?"Â?
The idea had appeal. She liked the idea of their growing family being slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the Pack and of giving Xeph a space where he could unwind a little bit. If they stayed on the grounds, and with the wonders of technology, he wouldn't be anything more than five or six minutes less accessible.
"Do you think? It won't effect your work or the Pack?"Â?
OK it might not hurt to make sure he'd thought of that. Nikhila could be come very attached to this idea and didn't want him to change his mind after thinking it through.
Xeph
14 years ago
Xeph's eyes glittered with the minor gamble they'd made. He knew, and Nikhila knew, that any healthy baby would make them happy. They would laugh at whatever they could, though. That was how life should work.
Nikhila seemed agreeable to the idea of being on the grounds but not necessarily in the Den itself. He nodded at her.
"The idea was proposed when we first moved here but I didn't see the reason. It seemed selfish to have an entire house to myself. But I have a family now."
He lifted Nikhila from his lap before they could both lose feeling in their legs. Seating himself properly on the couch he pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on her soon-to-be-expanding waist.
"It won't affect anything," he said. "Folks might have to walk a minute or two to get to us. We'll be just over there," he nodded his chin to indicate the area outside the Den that had been proposed initially. It was still within sight of the main building, in fact.
Nikhila seemed agreeable to the idea of being on the grounds but not necessarily in the Den itself. He nodded at her.
"The idea was proposed when we first moved here but I didn't see the reason. It seemed selfish to have an entire house to myself. But I have a family now."
He lifted Nikhila from his lap before they could both lose feeling in their legs. Seating himself properly on the couch he pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on her soon-to-be-expanding waist.
"It won't affect anything," he said. "Folks might have to walk a minute or two to get to us. We'll be just over there," he nodded his chin to indicate the area outside the Den that had been proposed initially. It was still within sight of the main building, in fact.
Nikhila
14 years ago
They had a family now. And in about nine months, it would be expanding by one. It was still a hard concept to get her head around but it was delightful to try. It thrilled her to hear him already thinking this way.
She helped to shift them around settling in comfortably next to him her head on his shoulder for now.
Good, good he'd thought about it and it didn't seem to be a concern. If moving outside of the Den had been apt to cause any problems at all, she'd not even considered it. And they wouldn't exactly be moving away. No, this sounded ideal.
"Then I think we'd best find a decent architect and contractor. Deadlines you know."Â?
Of course, they'd be able to manage for a few months in these rooms if they had to.
Nikhila was also thinking she'd not be able to do much in terms of helping or heavy work very shortly. And she would want to help if she could.
"You weren't thinking -terribly- rustic were you?"Â?
She helped to shift them around settling in comfortably next to him her head on his shoulder for now.
Good, good he'd thought about it and it didn't seem to be a concern. If moving outside of the Den had been apt to cause any problems at all, she'd not even considered it. And they wouldn't exactly be moving away. No, this sounded ideal.
"Then I think we'd best find a decent architect and contractor. Deadlines you know."Â?
Of course, they'd be able to manage for a few months in these rooms if they had to.
Nikhila was also thinking she'd not be able to do much in terms of helping or heavy work very shortly. And she would want to help if she could.
"You weren't thinking -terribly- rustic were you?"Â?
Xeph
14 years ago
"Rustic yet modern?" Xeph ventured. "We'll find some floor plans."
Shopping wasn't his forte, but he imagined Nikhila would enjoy it. He laughed softly. Most women got to look forward to redecorating, making a nursery, painting, or something - Nikhila got to pick out an entire house. It made him happy to be able to provide for her.
"I'll get on it. Soon."
Tilting his head down he kissed her forehead. "Maybe not tonight though."
He was going to be a father. He couldn't wait. He would try to be a good one. Not like...
...well, best to let the dead lie, Xeph. He would do his best, in any case.
Shopping wasn't his forte, but he imagined Nikhila would enjoy it. He laughed softly. Most women got to look forward to redecorating, making a nursery, painting, or something - Nikhila got to pick out an entire house. It made him happy to be able to provide for her.
"I'll get on it. Soon."
Tilting his head down he kissed her forehead. "Maybe not tonight though."
He was going to be a father. He couldn't wait. He would try to be a good one. Not like...
...well, best to let the dead lie, Xeph. He would do his best, in any case.
Nikhila
14 years ago
She laughed a gentle soft sound. They'd find something and it would be good for all three of them. Was it too early to feel the 'nesting' instinct? Probably. She was being over anxious, what ever she said about the baby not needing a crib right now, she'd feel better when they were making obvious progress in preparing for her.
"Before or after dinner?"Â?
That is, after all, where this all started. Well not precisely, but tonight it had. And she was still hungry, even if he hadn't worked up an appetite she had.
"Before or after dinner?"Â?
That is, after all, where this all started. Well not precisely, but tonight it had. And she was still hungry, even if he hadn't worked up an appetite she had.
Xeph
14 years ago
"After," Xeph said with assurance. "Much more after."
He stood, taking Nikhila with him, lifting her as if she weighed nothing at all. Raising her up he kissed her once more, full of love that seemed to swell and expand until he thought the Den might explode.
"I'm not finished with you yet."
And he wasn't, not by a longshot. Because she wasn't going anywhere. She was staying here, with him, with their baby. The idea of it made Xeph grin widely all over again.
Carrying her down the short hallway into their small bedroom he lowered Nikhila gently onto the low bed, sitting back on his heels and admiring the way her hair spilled down over her shoulders in pleasant disarray. It didn't matter that they'd just loved each other; he still wanted her. Gently, this time.
And she wasn't objecting too loudly. Or at all, really.
He stood, taking Nikhila with him, lifting her as if she weighed nothing at all. Raising her up he kissed her once more, full of love that seemed to swell and expand until he thought the Den might explode.
"I'm not finished with you yet."
And he wasn't, not by a longshot. Because she wasn't going anywhere. She was staying here, with him, with their baby. The idea of it made Xeph grin widely all over again.
Carrying her down the short hallway into their small bedroom he lowered Nikhila gently onto the low bed, sitting back on his heels and admiring the way her hair spilled down over her shoulders in pleasant disarray. It didn't matter that they'd just loved each other; he still wanted her. Gently, this time.
And she wasn't objecting too loudly. Or at all, really.
Nikhila
14 years ago
"I thought I was supposed to be the one that glowed."Â?
She teased him, for there was no other word for it, he was glowing. Nikhila didn't think she'd ever seen him so happy.
There was no longer anything of being tired or of houses there wasn't even a thought that she -should- protest. This would get awkward in a few months. Besides, how could she not want the father of her child?
There was also no modesty or embarrassment as he just looked at her. Instead she just appreciated gorgeous he was. He hadn't changed much from the first day they met. A bit, here and there, mostly there was maturity there. She looked deep into his eyes, and as always, the mismatch gaze could make her feel slightly dizzy.
Before she got too lost in that look she closed her eyes to clear her head and then with a soft smile crooked on finger in the classic 'come here' gesture.
"I'm not finished with you either."Â?
((ooc: Nikhila and Xeph out))
She teased him, for there was no other word for it, he was glowing. Nikhila didn't think she'd ever seen him so happy.
There was no longer anything of being tired or of houses there wasn't even a thought that she -should- protest. This would get awkward in a few months. Besides, how could she not want the father of her child?
There was also no modesty or embarrassment as he just looked at her. Instead she just appreciated gorgeous he was. He hadn't changed much from the first day they met. A bit, here and there, mostly there was maturity there. She looked deep into his eyes, and as always, the mismatch gaze could make her feel slightly dizzy.
Before she got too lost in that look she closed her eyes to clear her head and then with a soft smile crooked on finger in the classic 'come here' gesture.
"I'm not finished with you either."Â?
((ooc: Nikhila and Xeph out))