[PLOT] Turin and Kelebek

[Teigra]

Turin nodded slightly, muttering, "True enough." He had enough experience with people with short tempers. His own problems revolved more around over-reacting to particular threats...but that didn't include something like this. And he'd never admit he had that certain issue anyway.

He rose as she did, nodding again. "Yes, I suppose I should go." A moment of awkwardness as he wondered how they were supposed to end this meeting. Shaking her hand in farewell felt a little...too formal, considering...

So, even if a bit awkwardly, he moved to give her a brief hug. "Err...keep in touch and take care of yourself, alright?"  

[Menelie]

Kelebek's heartbeat increases when he hugs her, and she hugs him back with perhaps a bit more energy than he had. "I'll definitely do that," she agrees. "Um...I'll come to court and find you when the baby is born," she says, nodding slightly.

"You take care too," she says, then gives a little wave and tries to find her way back out to the open ocean.  

[Menelie]

 

[Menelie]

Some time later, Kelebek finds herself again in court, again looking around for Turin. If possible, she's even more nervous this time around. She has no idea where to find him, and she's terrified she'll get lost, or lose one of the children, who float close to her and wiggle their pudgy tails to stay in her aura.

And yet she still manages to bump into nearly everyone she passes, even while paying attention to where she's going. "Sorry, sorry!" she says earnestly to those she disturbs.  

[Teigra]

Murmurs were whispering in the hallways, passing from mouth to ear fin, and sometime overheard by an unintended target.

Like the object of such murmurs.

Luckily, he wasn't in the middle of anything too important, so the Captain was quick to excuse himself and vanish into the crowds in the hallway. Could it be true? His eyes scanned the crowd, locking on the small group milling about as if lost.

Shoving his way over to them, no concern for the moment whether he's being rude or not, Turin gaped. It was true...

"Oh...my..."  

[Menelie]

Kelebek blushes and looks down and off to the side when she finally finds Turin. Or, rather, when he finds her. Again. He's obviously gawking at her and the children, and that hurts more than a little.

She'd hoped that he would be as thrilled as she was, but she can see now how stupid that was of her. Then again, what she'd really hoped for was a family. A complete one. But that's even more stupid--what could he possibly want with her? The realization makes her cheeks flush even redder.

"Well I couldn't very well leave them home, could I?" she says defensively.  

[Teigra]

Blinking away his momentary stupor and disbelief, Turin shook his head, moving closer so he could speak quietly. "No, no, it's not that. I just never expected..." He watched the little ones wiggling around awkwardly, like...newborn tadpoles. He almost smiled at the thought...but another crossed his mind that made him frown with concern. Reaching out for Kelebek's shoulder, he asked, "Are you....alright?"

Afterall, what did the Captain know about having kids? Not much, but from what he heard, it wasn't exactly a pleasant process, even for only one or even two...but three?!?  

[Menelie]

Kelebek nods softly. "Well, it hurt. Quite a lot, actually. But I didn't really notice much more pain after the first one, y'know?" She giggles and touches each of the children's noses. "But it's been a while so I'm mostly better. Sore, yes, but I can obviously still move."

"Um, I hadn't decided on names...I had hoped..." She shakes her head. "Well, nevermind what I'd hoped." She takes a deep breath, the slightly far-off tone she'd had a minute ago gone from her voice completely. "I just thought I would bring the little ones by to say hello...this little pink one's the girl," she says, indicating the child patterned in various shades of light and dark pink. "And these two are boys," she finishes as she indicates the red-and-orange one and the light pink and light orange one. "Aren't they...I mean, I think they're just darling..."  

[Teigra]

Turin shifted so that instead of one hand on her shoulder, his arm was around her. "I'm...so sorry..." he muttered, frowning. He felt guilty, not only that she'd had to go through that in the first place, but also that she'd done so alone.

Still...the sight of the little ones wiggling about... The Captain wasn't aware of the smile creeping onto his face as he muttered, "...they're beautiful."

They were still clumsy, yes, but they were mobile! One of the little 'tadpoles,' the little girl, wiggled away from her brothers and mom, looking at the new big person from closer. Who was this? No idea.

Okay, closer look then. She wiggled up, latching onto the big male's face, one of her pudgy hands managing to snag his earfin as she let out a happy-sounding coo.  

[Menelie]

Kelebek shakes her head. "Don't be sorry. It's over now, no sense feeling bad about it. Aie! Come, little one, don't do that!" she exclaims, afraid she'll hurt him or irritate him or otherwise antagonize him. She gently tries to corral the little pink girl back into her own personal space.

She'd caught a glimpse of that smile, though, on Turin's face, and her heart swells with hope. Maybe she wouldn't have to do this all alone, then.

One of the chubby little boys giggles at his sister's antics, but he stays close to his mother. He instead prefers to latch onto her pretty pink hair and let himself float.  

[Teigra]

"Owowowow ow ow..." Turin reached up, gently attempting to loosen the child's hold on his fin. He chuckled a bit while doing so, shaking his head in relief once she's freed. "She's alright, just...clingy little one, isn't she? Heck of a grip too."

Disappointed at being dislodged, the little girl pouted, lip quivering. As she was pulled away from the mysterious big one, she started to sniffle and fuss, squirming from her mother's grasp. She wanted to look at the funny man!

Rubbing his earfin for a moment, Turin hid a cringe. "She's alright, really. You can let her go." Reaching out for the child, he gently poked her nose with one finger. "Now now, you can't go around grabbing people's faces like a little octopus," he chuckled. "It hurts and you won't make many friends that way."  

[Menelie]

Kelebek giggles softly at the antics of the little ones. She lets the little girl go again to float back toward her father.

"I was thinking..." she decides to try again. "If you have some time free later you could come by and visit. Maybe we could think of what to name these little tadpoles." She smiles hopefully.  

[Teigra]

"Well, I sorta' excused myself earlier without much explanation," Turin admitted sheepishly, still half smiling at the little girl who seemed eager to return to his grasp. He couldn't help but notice the 'tadpoles' reference. They did seem like it, didn't they? "If you could give me a moment, I can go make sure that someone can cover for me for a while."

Eyes crossed attempting to stare at the finger poking her nose, the little girl blinked a few times, making herself dizzy with the effort. So, instead, she cooed, reaching up and grabbing the big man's finger tightly.

Chuckling slightly, Turin shook his head again. "Heck of a grip," he reiterated.  

[Menelie]

Kelebek beams at them. "Yes, they do hold on pretty tight," she says proudly. "It's so they can grab onto you while you're swimming, I think."

The red-and-orange boy peeks out from his mother's hair. The new person hadn't hurt his sister yet, so perhaps that meant it was safe. He floats out of Kelebek's protective space and toward Turin. He tilts his head sideways to get a better look, and winds up doing a barrel roll. He shakes his head, dizzy.

Kelebek giggles at the little boy. "He's normally not this shy..." she says. "But I'm glad he finally made it out of my hair to see you. So, should I go find a room to cloister myself and the children out of the way in while you ask permission to leave?" she asks.  

[Teigra]

"Makes sense," he mused aloud, loosening the little girl's grip again. "Just a moment, little one, and I'll be back." He gently ruffled the little tuft of hair on her head before shuffling her back to her mother.

"It shouldn't be a problem. We could go somewhere else, but...if you want to stay here, most of the conference rooms are empty today anyway. Right down this hallway," he pointed. "Anyway, I shouldn't be long if you want to wait." He paused, smiling slightly before swimming off. "Being in charge has its perks."