Who

Beris, R'ku

What

Beris and R'ku are both forgetful when it comes to taking things regularly.

When

It is midmorning of the tenth day of the sixth month of the fourteenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Kabelkath's Lair, Igen Weyr

OOC Date 09 Jul 2018 23:00

 

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Kabelkath's Lair

It's only midmorning, but it's already sweltering. At least it's a little cooler inside a weyr, with stone all around, and a breeze barely creeping into the inner weyr. There, Beris can be found, in underwear and a light top, rummaging in the tea chest and taking out ALL the packages of tea, laying them out on the nearest table. She seems very involved in her work; her three fire-lizards watch from their various perches around the place; Zeba and Speedy from the perch, and Lyira from the bed, which she's occupied by flopping herself on it and taking up as much room as possible. Beris is frowning as she gets out every packet, even the ones that are nearly empty.

Too bad it's hot, but not hot enough to cancel morning drills. At least R'ku had left early enough to get the majority of PT and other physical exertions done before the weather /really/ started to warm up, but by the end of things it was probably not the most comfortable time to be slogging around in full riding gear. Thus, R'ku starts to trudge his way into the semi-coolness of the weyr, already shucking his riding gear with every step. There's various thumps and clatters as heavy wherhide and leather gets shed to the floor. By the time R'ku registers what Beris is up to, he's pretty much just in his undershirt and underwear, his dark hair plastered to his head from being stuck under a helmet all morning. He blinks a moment, "Hey, love - something up with the tea?" He has that look on his face as though he's trying to remember if he may have forgotten to do something he was asked - like purchase more of a specific tea or something before heading back from drills.

Beris starts when she hears the noises of someone approaching, looking over her shoulder as R'ku comes in. Zeba and Speedy trill a greeting, but Lyira simply rolls over lazily. It's hot and she's relaxing. All three fire-lizards seem as interested in what Beris is doing as R'ku is. "Um," Beris says, as she places the last packet down on the table and moves to inspect everything that's there. She's stopped looking at R'ku now, looking at the teas with a little too much focus. "Not really. I was just seeing how much tea we had left…especially the one I take." She picks up a nearly-empty packet of said tea, frowning at it as if she's trying to remember something, too.

R'ku kicks at one of his boots, nudging it out of his path as he starts to pad barefoot across the weyr towards Beris. "Which one is it?" he asks, seemingly relieved that perhaps he didn't actually forget a weyrmate-chore or anything, "I can pick some up from the Bazaar later if we're running low." While he does give Beris a fond smile, he doesn't opt to embrace her /just/ yet - he likely feels especially sticky and gross at the moment and is gentlemanly enough /not/ to force that on his weyrmate until he's at least cooled down a bit. He moves over to the cabinet holding all their glassware and ceramics and picks out a tall glass. Then, sidestepping over to the pitcher of water nearby, starts to pour himself a glass of water. "Is there not enough to make a pot now or something?" He eeps his eyes focused on the stream of water pouring into his glass.

Beris gives R'ku a slightly exasperated look that her vagueness about the tea hasn't got the message across (come on girl, you need to say these things properly). "The one that stops me…you know." She wriggles the packet, grimacing. "I can't remember if I haven't got a lot because I've been taking it properly, or if I meant to get more and forgot…." She throws the package down onto the table irritably, but her expression is worried as she looks over at R'ku. In any other situation she'd probably be all over getting him into the bath post-drills, but right now her mind is on other matters.

R'ku is thirsty enough to immediately start to gulp down at his glass of water as soon as he's done pouring it. He's still listening, though, as he's half watching Beris as she tries to explain. He's adorably clueless for a few seconds more and then the words plus the gesture of the packet seems to click in his brain … finally. Unfortunately this causes a bit of water to go down the wrong pipe and he lowers his glass, coughing to clear his airways. "The .. uh .. no-baby tea?" he clarifies in a choked, raspy voice, eyes still watering. He obviously doesn't mind being non-vague about it. He can be embarrassed later if he was incorrect. He stands there for a moment, unsure of what to say as he tries to regain his breath. "Are you .. uh … late?" It's his turn to be vague.

They're both on the same page! Beris nods when R'ku catches up, far more direct about the purpose of the tea than her hints and insinuations. She looks alarmed when he starts choking on the water, but she doesn't have to jump into hitting him on the back or anything, since he manages to talk, albeit hoarsely. "Only a couple of days," she answers his question, cheeks flushing at having to talk about it so frankly. "I'm not usually, like, on the same time every month, but…" Nothing like a bit of paranoia over it, on top of the fortune she got just the other day in the bazaar!

R'ku lowers his glass a fraction, though otherwise seems rather rooted to the spot as his brain works. He doesn't even bat an eyelash at the mention of monthly cycles and their comings or goings - he grew up in a household of sisters, after all, so such things are far from a mystery to him. "You haven't been feeling sick, have you?" he ventures finally, brow furrowing in concern for Beris' well-being more than anything else. "I mean … I've been taking my tea, too .. but … " He trails off momentarily before adding in a somewhat resigned voice, " … well … except for when I missed it once a couple sevendays back due to that surprise Threadfall." Not to mention the other times when he's taken it at different times of the day completely based on his ever-changing schedule.

"No," Beris has a quick answer for that question, sure on that point at least. What a pair they are though, neither of them certain about the reliability of taking their individual concoctions. Beris's eyes, large and dark, move from staring at R'ku and back to the tea back. She, too, is resigned now. "Well." That's all she can say at first as her brain runs through every possibility. "I'd know by now, surely?" Is she looking to him for pregnancy advice? Not like she's got any experience - she stayed away from that sort of thing in the Underground, and hasn't exactly got many close female friends to talk to about it. She studies the mostly-empty tea packet. "I should definitely go get some more today."

R'ku sets his glass down on the nearby table with a soft *clunk* noise of glass hitting wood. "Not everyone gets sick right away, I don't think," he manages after a moment's quiet contemplation, "I know a few times my mother was barely sick at all in the beginning." Not that this is probably doing much to reassure Beris. The shock of the possibility is starting to wear off R'ku and he's finally able to move. He rolls his shoulders slightly and lets out a slow breath. "Well, if you /are/ pregnant … " he begins, his voice still resigned to the possibility, "I did want to start a family with you, love, though I was hoping for us to decide together when you were ready." R'ku moves over to Beris and slips an arm around her waist, "I'll be here for you, whatever happens." He peers down at her, brows furrowed, "You're alright, right? I don't want you to worry yourself to deth over this or anything."

Beris has fallen silent now, chewing over the matter internally. Her eyes have gone distant as she thinks. R'ku's very sensible words bring her back to the here and now, and she looks at him, her eyes shining with uncertainty. His devotion gets a soft smile from her though, even if she's in this weird, oddly worrying situation. "Yeah, I sort of thought it might be later, but…." She trails off as he slips that arm around her waist, and she leans into him for comfort, however sweaty he may still be from the heat outside. "Yeah. Just, I guess I didn't think about what I'd do if this happened like…without us planning it."

R'ku breathes out a sigh, keeping his arm firmly around Beris' waist for the time being, "Best laid plans have a tendancy to go awry sometimes, unfortunately." There's a touch of humor in is voice and he snorts a brief laugh, "It would be silly to have our plans foiled by some tea leaves and surprise Threadfall. But … " He trails off and leans down to press a kiss to Beris' forehead, his voice warming, " … we'll get through it together, yeah?" He considers things for a moment, eyes on the nearly empty tea packet on the table, "Besides - you're only a few days late, right? Maybe we're worrying for nothing? I'm certainly not going to go out and buy a crib and baby clothes just yet."

The tension across Beris's shoulders and down her spine is easing, thanks to the closeness to R'ku, and his soothing approach to the whole situation. "Yeah," she garees softly with his vercidt on the way they're going to deal with it all side by side. She's looking directly ahead of her, rather than trying to look up at him, or at the forsaken tea packet. "Yeah. I just have this weird feeling, you know? Like it's not just late, but it's maybe something more?" Is that even a thing women have? Being able to KNOW when they're pregnant? Once more, Beris is out of her depths.

R'ku pulls slightly away from Beris, simply because even in the weyr staying too close together for a long time is a bit too warm. He keeps a comforting grip on one of her hands, though, and moves to settle on the edge of the table in front of her - now she's almost forced to look at him, "Weird feeling?" Even he isn't sure about that, "Maybe you're just worried about the whole situation?" He can't help but be concerned for her, even if it may just be her worrying over the unknown, "No matter what, I don't think there's anything much else we can do but wait to see if your bleeding starts or not?" He's in a bit of unknown territory himself, considering he's never been in this exact situation before with the woman he loves. "If it makes you feel any better, we can go to the Healers in a few days?"

Beris certainly isn't going to let go of R'ku's hand any time soon - though she does look a little relieved at not being pressed together for too long in this weather. "Maybe," she concedes, what with R'ku once again being sensible about the whole thing. "Yeah." It's not a topic she's had to talk about very much with other people, so her answers are a little awkward, and rather short. "Yeah." Another short answer, about the healers, though this time she does follow up with more words. "Do you think they'd be able to tell?" She's looking to him for answers now, relying on him as much as she ever has.

R'ku wrinkles his brow in thought at that before slowly shaking his head from side to side, "I honestly don't know, but maybe not. But maybe they'd know better." He glances sideways at the mostly empty tea packet on the table next to him and frowns, "If you /are/ pregnant, is it safe for you to keep drinking that tea? The Healers would know that kind of thing." Cue irrational anxiety for R'ku now, too, and he gives Beris' hand another reassuring squeeze … partially for himself. If their child is actually in there, he obviously wants to be sure it stays alright as much as he wants Beris to be alright. "I mean … I only know basic things from watching my mother be pregnant with my sisters for so long. But it's not like I ever asked her about it very much," he says, slightly amused, "Though the thought of asking my mother for advice about this situation is … well .. /no/." He grimaces at the thought.

Beris turns her head to fix her gaze on the tea packet. "Oh." He's got a good point. "Yeah, maybe I should hold off on it until I've been to the healers…." She probably doesn't know as much about the tea and pregnancy as she probably should do. Finally, she's over being alarmed and anxious enough to find the humour in what R'ku is saying. "Speaking of…we probably shouldn't say anything to her. I'm guessing she'd be the sort fo rush out and buy everything for the baby if she heard?" Thinking back to what R'ku said earlier about being a bit too hasty in getting stuff together for a maybe-maybe-not baby.

R'ku lets the tension in his shoulders relax a bit and nods his head, "Yeah. I'll still take my tea, though … just in case. And we can be a bit more careful until we know for sure." Because it would be too ironic to have Beris get pregnant due to having stopped the tea over fear of a not-baby that actually wasn't there. The tension in the room breaks even more as R'ku snorts a laugh in response to the comment on his mother, "Shards, yes. She'd be gathering a whole care package and lecturing you on the best things to eat to bring in your milk or help you give birth or … whatever." He slumps a bit on the table and bows his head forward, laughing, "I really wasn't going to tell her, even, whenever we decided to, uh, 'retire the watchwher', as it were, and start trying for a family. Because she'd be badgering us and eyeing your waistline for any indication of a bump." He runs a hand over his face and through his mussed hair, chortling, "Best to just wait til the baby is born, whenever that happens - whether it's now or in the future - and show it to her then."

Beris latches onto humour as a relief from the worry of the uncertainty, and fake-shudders at the idea of being given all this advice and help by her mother-in-law. Her lips are curved in a smile though, and her eyes echo her amusement in their brightness as she watches R'ku start laughing. "Oh noo," she says, voice muffled as she now puts her hands over her face at the thought of an eagle-eyed Ouza watching her waistline. "I'd have to wear baggy clothes if I wanted her not to notice. Or stay WELL away from her. Or always hold something in front of my stomach." She's full on grinning now as she finds some absurdity in the situation.

R'ku can't help but break into full blown laughter at that, eyes watering, "Shards. I think even she'd notice if you always came by carrying a giant basket in front of you." At least the humor is a bit of a stress relief, for sure. "I'll make excuses so you don't have to see her. Might be best to wait until the baby is about 3 turns old, though, so she doesn't lecture you on breast feeding," he notes, amusement still filtering through his deep voice. Finally his laughter abates an he breathes out a sigh and leans forward from his perch on the edge of the table, moving to try to pull Beris into an embrace, "I love you." Said without humor. Though hopefully his post-drills sweatiness isn't /too/ off-putting, though he doesn't seem to care at this point. He pulls back after a bit, "Do you have to be at work soon? I need to ave a bath." There's a subtle invitation to join him there, of course. Though that's probably how they got into this mess in the first place.

Beris moves from laughing to giggling at the idea of keeping the baby away for Turns. "We'd have to become very adept liars," she says between bouts of giggling. She's more giggly than she normally would be, probably because of the weird mix of emotions she's feeling in this moment. When R'ku grows serious, Beris falls silent, letting herself be pulled into the embrace and looping her arms around him. "I love you too," she says softly, going up on tip toe to plant a kiss on his lips. Then she shakes her head at the question about work, eyes mischevious. "A nice cool one? Sounds wonderful in this weather." Given this current scare, she really isn't learnign her lesson!

R'ku sighs happily in anticipation of a cool bath, especially one with Beris, "That sounds sharding amazing." He leans forward again and wraps his arms around Beris before he rises from his perch on the table - for a brief moment Beris will likely find her feet going off the ground as he makes an attempt to playfully lift her up before setting her back on her feet. Leaning down, he plants a kiss of his own on her lips before moving across her jawline and to her neck. Then he pauses, breath exhaling against her neck in a sigh, "We're supposed to be being careful until we know for sure, shard it all." With effort, he pulls back and, with a hint of humor in his voice, he adds, "Maybe we should make the bath extra, extra cold?" He starts towards the back of the weyr and the bath, pausing only to shuck the last vestiges of his clothing - undershirt and underwear - before glancing back at Beris and beckoning towards her, "We can try some of that new soapsand I got from the Bazaar the other day."

Beris giggles as she gets lifted up even that small distance, her grip tightening on R'ku as she leaves the floor. Then she's curving her neck happily under his touch, closing her eyes. She almost looks disappointed when he pulls back, but the promise of the bath means she doesn't look that way for long. "Well, I suppose if it's happened, it's happened," she observes, almost ominously. There's something in her eyes for a moment, a far-off look; then she realises R'ku's stripping off and shakes her head a little to bring herself back to reality. She strips too, happy to do so in this weather. "Ooh - is that the one that smells of citrus?" She moves to take his hand, keen to be lead into the bathing room.

R'ku pauses at the threshold into the bathing room, waiting for Beris to join him. "I suppose it is what it is, no matter what's happened," he agrees, perhaps a bit too eager to rationalize any decision that will end in uninhibited bathtime with his weyrmate, "I /did/ take my tea this morning." That realization does seem to push away any sort of niggling worry he might have, as his grin turns mischievous. Slipping his hand into one of Beris', he leans in for another kiss, this one even more heated, before leading her back towards the bath. "Citrus. With a touch of cinnamon," he confirms before he's probably too busy to say much else. Hopefully they'll get around to trying the soapsand.

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