[PRP][FIN] On Purpose (Kel x Hjortur)

[Menelie]

After the boys had gone to bed, Kelebek paced in the room she shared with Hjortur. She'd let him know she wanted to have a chat before they, too, went to sleep, but now that that time was actually here she was feeling nervous. She wrung her hands, trying to figure out how to bring this up again. She remembered acutely the last time they'd had this conversation, and she'd been so halting and awkward, and while she was very proud of the personal growth she'd made since then, bringing up the topic of children made her feel sweaty and nervous again.

They'd agreed that they did want children, and that when they were ready they'd call the Fairy of Life, but then fate--or chaos--intervened and Sindri and Kadri had been...unexpected blessings. Like all of their children. All twelve of them.

And this business with Sindri wanting to stretch his legs and visit the surface...it made her long for the days when they were chubby, cuddly tadpoles.

So when Hjortur entered the room, after having all these thoughts roiling through her, Kelebek still hadn't thought of what to say, and so what ended up just falling from her mouth was: "I want more children."

She winced visibly and pulled a hand down over her face. Well, that was one way to broach the subject, she supposed, but it was definitely not the way she'd wanted to introduce the topic. She sighed and sat down on their sleeping area.

Daisicle

welp.

 

[Daisicle]

It had been a little while since his peculiarly legged son had come to himself and Kel that she'd asked him for some time to chat. It was rare for her to ask for something so... planned? Was that the right word? Frankly, Hjortur was of the mind she wanted some alone time to lament about the surface world and how her sons seemed drawn to it while the latest kid in question was asleep and unawares. He could offer her such a venting session, for sure. Why, with preparation, they could certainly make a whole evening of it! By enlisting the help of a certain family member in the Palace - ahem, his mother - he'd tactically acquired a bubble of wine he remembered Kel being fond of, along with some fresh snack fish and oysters to have with it.

Couldn't whine without wine.

That said, upon entering the room with his most suave of facial expressions, he'd hardly had a moment to open his mouth for a playful quip or two before she was stopping him in his stride. He blinked silently as he processed what had just happened.

Say what now?

Well, this certainly felt like deja vu from a few days ago - he could guess where Sindri got at least one of his mannerisms from... or perhaps he'd rubbed off on mom?

"Even more?" He asked smoothly, his calm expression hiding his surprise at her sudden question as he swam over to lay a hand on her shoulder. Luckily, given they were under water, the snacks could just gently fall or float without much thought. "I thought you would be satisfied with the boys... even if they are a touch unusual..." He had to admit it had been ironic for them to have them quite literally delivered so unexpectedly after they'd made the decision to call for Mellie at some point, but they'd certainly brought some energy into the place. A lot of energy. Two boys were certainly a larger handful than one had been, even with the enlisted help of family and friends...

Talk about timing though - just when he thought they'd soon return to an empty house and all the more time to themselves.  

[Menelie]

Kelebek shook her head and ran both hands through her hair as she groaned. "That's not how I wanted to start this conversation," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and looked at Hjortur. "Yes, I am satisfied with the boys, who are just perfect the way they are, and yes, I want even more. Ugh, how to explain..." She twisted a lock of hair around a finger, leaning into Hjortur's touch. "I don't think I want more right away," she began again, "but I....I do want more, Hjortur. I do. I want to take our time, and plan, and...and have them on purpose." That was the quiet part out loud, wasn't it. She bit her bottom lip.

"I've got three that came unexpectedly, you've got two of the same, and then there were our boys as a surprise, plus we've got Autumn and Pearl and your three blessings from the Water." This all sounded so horrible when she said it out loud. She loved all her--their--children, and their extended families, so much it felt like her heart would burst some days. And yet--there remained a yearning. "I guess what I'm wanting is to have a choice."

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Hmm... From the way this was starting, perhaps he should have brought the wine bubble with him when he swam over, rather than leaving it floating nearby. There was little he could do but lament his foresight at this point, however, as Kel began her monologue.

It seemed she'd worked herself up into quite the frenzy over a misunderstanding. Though, of course, he was at least partially responsible for that. His comment just a few moments prior should have been better planned out in retrospect - it did have certain implications. He needed to work on that... But he probably wouldn't.

He softly pulled her into him as his rubbed his palms against her shoulder before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "When did I ever say the boys negated our prior conversation?"  

[Menelie]

Kelebek visibly deflated with a quizzical noise. "Wh--" She stared at the wall for a moment, trying to process what he'd just said. "Y--" She furrowed her eyebrows and blew a breath out through her nose. Did that mean what she thought it meant? She'd been fully expecting to meet at least a little resistance and this had her completely bowled over.

Pausing to take another deep breath, Kelebek then looked up at Hjortur, hope glimmering in her eyes. "Does that mean....you also want more?"

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Hjorturs expression may have taken a smug turn as he watched and felt Kel's flurry of emotions - even now, there was a part of him that derived some enjoyment from bullying her in trivial ways and her responses after. She was just so cute when she was flustered. He couldn't look -too- proud of himself though, or she might think he was -just- messing with her.

He was, at least mostly, speaking frankly from the heart with her right now.

That said, his eyes wandered from her own that sparkled with anticipation as he elaborated further on his thoughts. "Well, no, not particularly..." He was ready to finally have some alone time with her and couldn't wait to play family sitter with only the minimal amount of responsibility. He glanced back and offered a slight shrug. "But if memory serves me, I promised that when you felt it ready, we would call for Nellie or whomever it was. I highly doubt she was involved in having one of Eris' bring us the boys." Not that he really planned on ever actually telling the boys that's how they came to be. Sindri in particular would probably give quite the attitude if he found out.

Another shrug and a soft smile. "I did say what happens, happens, and I would take what the waters gave me did I not?"  

[Menelie]

Kelebek wasn't sure to make of what Hjortur said. On the one fin, he was right, he had promised. On the other fin, she didn't want them to go through with this just because he'd promised. On the other other fin, she was sorely tempted to take that and go with it, and get what she wanted.

The last thing he said, though, gave her pause. "But it's not just taking what the Waters give us, though," she countered. "This would be us making a conscious decision. I want to make sure it's one we're making fully together."

Kelebek tucked her head into Hjortur's neck, wishing there were easy answers here.

Daisicle

overcomplicating things, as usual

 

[Daisicle]

Hjortur's expression clouded over slightly and he frowned in response to her persistence. "I believe you are making a wave out of a ripple here, love." As far as he could tell, semantics were the only issue involved, and he really didn't understand where the problem therein lay. "I will be content regardless if we have more children by choice, surprise, or even even if we have no more. This is the most I can give without it becoming a lie - would you prefer I did that for your own closure?" His words may have been a bit more pointed than usual, but at this point he was asking something else entirely. Did she want his honest opinion or did she just want to hear what she wanted to hear?  

[Menelie]

Kelebek could feel her beloved getting agitated. She took his hand in one of hers and kissed it softly. "You're right, of course," she said with a little self-deprecating chuckle. "I do have a habit of that." Why was she having such a hard time with this? He was being honest with her, and she kept needling at him.

And then, there it was: the exact thing she'd needed to hear: he'd be content either way. Hjortur had an almost uncanny skill for knowing exactly what to say to calm her anxieties. Kelebek visibly relaxed at these words, and she sat up to face him again, joy spreading on her features like a sunrise. She took his hands and kissed his knuckles. "No, of course not," she said. "I believe you. I'm sorry."

After a moment, she leaned forward and touched her forehead to his affectionately, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply. "I love you," she murmured.

Daisicle

 

[Daisicle]

Hjortur maintained his pouty face - albeit with some resistance - as Kel's little fit quickly subsided. He nodded as she agreed with his assessment of the situation, though he also recognized that she was likely to continue overreacting like that in the future. Especially once Sindri had actually taken his first steps of 'aquatic freedom.' It was going to take DAYS after that before he'd heard the last of it. That was going to be a headache he did not want to think about right now.

He honestly wasn't sure how his words had helped, but his own expression slackened as her features did. It seemed somehow she'd heard what she needed to calm herself down. Good. "Whether they come following another Venus Party or when you feel the time is right - shall I trust you to make that decision?" At this his lips curved into a smile nearly identical to the one he wore the last time they'd had this conversation. "But until then... we have more than enough time to practice~"

As her head touched his own, he freed one of his hands to stroke the back of her head in what he hoped was a comforting manner and her delightfully-wild hair swirled about. "Yes, I know... I love you too." Somehow vocalizing such a thought still sent jellyfish swimming through his stomach in mild embarrassment - you'd think he'd be used to it after this long.  

[Menelie]

Kelebek settled comfortably into his arms. "Mm," she responded. "I'll do it when we're ready," she agreed.

His next comment had her blushing--even after all this time--and she giggled. "I thought you might say that. I did notice you brought some wine~~"

Daisicle

I think this might wrap it up for them