“We love you too,” she answered for herself and for their progeny. Orin knew how this worked, it would seem like just the blink of an eye before the children were answering for themselves. She leaned forward and gave him a sincere kiss on the cheek, then looked down at his hands on her belly. They had been growing for just a few weeks but already she was plump and round, and soon enough they would be active little critters in there. She had already felt them move a few times. She smiled as she looked at the hands that felt her.
“You know what's best?” she asked softly, her eyes turning to look into Mars's. “I don't think you'll fail us. And I think I'm happy...” she paused to kiss him again, “...for the first time in a long time.”
Her hands went to the back of his head and she ran her fingers through his hair, then leaned forward, trying to sit so that he could still feel her tummy if he wanted to but so she was nestling up against him. She rest her head on his shoulder and nipped his neck, then cuddled into the spot. Soon enough they would be able to do this more and more. Would she live here with him? Probably. But she knew she needed to be careful until she was secure about Krystalle, and part of her was considering a back up plan in case the woman would not leave. Moving to Cour des Miracles was a risk, but one she was willing to take for their family.
“I'll tell Skye when I go back to d'Arte,” she said, wondering if the man had thought about the fact that she had to return there or if he just hoped she would never leave here again. “I will gather my things and try to be back here within a week or two.” That timing was scary, it was cutting it very close to the day her pups should arrive, but she was sure she could be back with her stuff, with Soraya the Cow, and with the piglet, by then. Traveling back would be harder, though. Her pregnancy will have advanced by then, and she knew the mare Spot belonged to d'Arte, not her, and she would not be able to bring her along when she returned, so she would have to go on foot. Also, it was too late to transform safely for the babies, so she would have to herd the livestock and travel on two legs, with her pot belly. It was all rather scary.
But when she sat up and looked into Mars's eyes, the tumult within her own faded. A soft smile came to her muzzle. Yes, this felt right. She needed to give it a shot. They had been skirting around this for a year, the two of them, best of friends but never admitting how they felt about each other. The puppies had been made by mistake – or was it? - but it seemed a lot of good would come of it.
She leaned forward again and kissed Mars, then nestled down into him again. She felt safe here, in his house and in his arms, and she had been traveling and was so tired. Yawning, her eyes began to flutter closed. “Before I go back can I take a nap?” she said sleepily, but already she was dozing, her body preparing to refresh so she could begin the journey that would have her return to Cour des Miracles, and have this family with Mars Russo.
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