births ♔ welcome to the fallout

[layonhands]

♬ Dare You To Move - Switchfoot

WHO || Myri, Vi, THEIR BABIES, Risa, Solace, Various visitors and famiree and wellwishers
WHAT ||THE BABIES ARE COMING
WHERE ||Dragon's Light Wing, the Castle
WHEN ||June 15th (Vi) and June 28th (Myri)
HOW || Actionspam

[ Vi's baby comes first, the labor pangs beginning around 9pm on the 14th, while she's alone, watching TV.

Myri's wake her up in the middle of the night, at 4am, on June 28th.  ]

Comments

[littledhampir]

[Rose stares at the chair like sitting down may in fact trigger the apocalypse, casting an uncertain look at Myri and Shayla before practically having to make herself sit down.]

Yeah but you're like a natural at this, I'm... [Her words trail off however as Myri passes Shayla over to her, the Dhampir holding her breath for a long moment, for fear of screwing this up but it seems there's maybe one other person in this room who is a bit of a natural at this. That or maybe babies just like her. (Nat 20.)]

She's really tiny... [Voice barely above a whisper as Rose shifts her arms to cradle her and support her head.]

[witchwoman]

[For a very brief moment, Myri had been slightly worried about Rose holding the baby, just concerned that Shayla might cry. But immediately, the little girl takes to Rose as if they have known each other for ages. Myri smiles as she watches the two of them, sitting in a chair across from them.]

She'll grow before we know it. Already, she feels like she's twice as big as she was when she was born.

[littledhampir]

[As if somehow knowing that a tense Dhampir does not a happy baby make (thanks to that Nat 20), Rose relaxes with Shayla in her arms, exhaling the breath she'd been holding onto as a smile twitches across her lips, something close to awe touching her features as she looks down upon this tiny person. She doesn't have any siblings (that she knows of), has never so much as seen a baby let alone held one until now and there's a thousand, probably very stupid questions all dancing on the tip of her tongue. The longer she holds her though, none of them seem all that important.]

As long as she doesn't try to grow up too fast. [A smile crooking the corner of her mouth.] How are you going? You know with the, lack of sleep and all that, baby stuff.

[witchwoman]

Oh, I'm alright. [you'd be surprised how sleep deprivation from baby stuff seems like a walk in the park compared to being tortured for two months.]

I have plenty of help during the day, which helps when I need a small break.

[littledhampir]

[Rose bobs her head gently, looking down at Shayla. Something appears to shift in her expression though, concern making wrinkles appear at the corners of her eyes and there's a softness to her voice that speaks of greater meaning than just how Myri is doing with the baby when she asks;]

Really?

[witchwoman]

[Her gaze drops slightly.]

It's not easier, but... I have more to do than imagine what I could have done differently. [Which is to say, she has more of a distraction now.]

[littledhampir]

Nothing. [She knows Myri won't believe that any more than Rose would have if their situations had been reversed but she still says it, because it's the truth.] She's going to stay here right? With you, in the Castle?

[Questions that say a lot about Rose if we're being honest.]

[witchwoman]

[She nods]

Its the only home I've ever had.

[littledhampir]

Good. [Rose exhales the breath she'd been holding in, a smile touching her lips though she doesn't look surprised, more like Myri is proving that she's earned the respect Rose has for her.]

My Mom was kind of, like us? Knights but, not. [Rose looks down at Shayla, her free hand coming up to lightly brush across her forehead.] She sent me away.

[witchwoman]

To keep you safe? [She doesn't know Rose's mother but she can see why that might be a thing that a mother would do. Myri just knows that her daughter is safer here with all of the people who would die to protect her than out on her own where evil could be lurking at every turn]

[littledhampir]

More because she had to choose between being a Mom and being a Guardian. [Rose had spent a lot of time considering this. Nobody could have protected her better than her mother could have but her mother had chosen duty over family. Sometimes Rose resented her for it. Other times, Rose understood that it was just the way things were.] Or just, thought she did, I don't know. I never asked.

[witchwoman]

But you're here... being a guardian of a sort, aren't you? [She's not judging, but it is interesting to her.]

[littledhampir]

[The hint of a smile touches her lips. Rose bobbing her head.] I am.

[She opens her mouth to speak, closes it again, taking the time to consider her words before she lets them pass her lips.]

I think... she thought. She could either be a great Mom or a Great Guardian and she chose Guardian. [Her smile widens and softens at the same time as her eyes meet Myri's.] I think you can do both.

[witchwoman]

I hope so. I don't want to let her down. [She looks down at her daughter and tries not to think about all the tings she won't be able to give her. She can't give her a father who will acknowledge she truly exists. She can't give her a safe and quiet life. She can't give her the peaceful life she wishes she could. But they will have a good life. She's sure of that.]

[littledhampir]

You won't. [No hint of doubt in her voice.] I don't think you have to get everything right. I think it's just about, being there. [Which is what Myri would be, mo matter what.]

And you know, when she gets old enough to want to learn how to kick some ass? You've already got a teacher lined up for her. [Grin widening a little.]

[witchwoman]

Oh, I'm sure she'll be coming to you for lessons before we know it. I have a feeling she's going to be a handful and I'll have all of you to thank.

[littledhampir]

I could hit a moving target before I even started at the Academy. Never too young to learn a few tricks. [Rose beaming a little, like she might like the idea of being able to do with Shayla.] At least you'll have an endless supply of babysitters.

[witchwoman]

I have a feeling if I said yes every time someone wanted to watch her for me, I may not see my daughter until she's old enough to walk and talk.

[She feels so incredibly blessed to have so many people in her life that love her and her child as much as they do.]

[littledhampir]

[A chuckle spills over, Rose bobbing her head.]

I know she's yours and that's, a whole other thing but... [Not trying to take away from the fact that Shayla was her child in what she was about to say.] But I think we all needed this. Welcoming new life into these walls rather than always saying goodbye.

[witchwoman]

[Myri nods, understanding just what Rose means. Shayla's birth had been the only thing that could pull her away from her despair at losing Finnick. She imagines that she still has quite a bit of grieving left to do for the loss of her husband, but she has something to live for. She has everything to live for now.]

She's a little beacon of hope in the darkness.

[littledhampir]

And she hasn't cried or tried to throw up on my once so I kind of feel like she might even like me.

[Flashing Myri a small grin, Rose far more relaxed than she had been when she first walked into the room; Terrified she was going to break Shayla.]

[witchwoman]

Of course she likes you. [Myri says, as if that was never anything worth debating.] How could your niece not love you?

[littledhampir]

[Those words all but startle Rose, her gaze lifting from Shayla to Myri and it takes her a moment to really process it. It's something Rose has never felt in any real sense until coming here. Family. She even knows it's not the veil taking that from her. It's just how her life was before now but just like Helen likening her to a daughter had wrapped around her, so was hearing Myri call her own daughter, Rose's neice.]

Auntie Rose... [Her smile taking form as she tries it out for the first time.] Has a pretty good ring to it I think.

[It's not at all hard to see that Myri has just made Rose's day.]

[witchwoman]

[Smiling warmly, Myri just nods and continues to enjoy the time with two of her favorite people. She could really do this all day, just talking with Rose and watching her daughter exploring the new world around her.]