By the way, my ex said some stuff

[Darastrix]

(Khelek, Winter 1022)

Schuldig had been unusually quiet after Spirit Night.  Well, quiet for him, at any rate.  The fact that his parents had also visited that night served as a good enough excuse, and he got to brood mull things over in relative peace.

He knew he couldn't just barge in and demand to know why Filly hadn't told him about her...situational fertility.  For one, he wasn't even that angry about it (he was still pissed about how that had just been decided for her, but he wasn't pissed at her).  For another, given how their past talks about kids had blown up into arguments, he couldn't exactly blame her for not mentioning it, though it was risky to do when she didn't take any precautions and he wasn't aware that he'd have any where they were concerned.  And he wasn't looking for a fight anyway, nor was that subject the only reason he wanted to talk to his wife.

Efil visiting him on Spirit Night was a Thing That Had Happened, and he wanted to talk to Filly about it.  So he'd waited a few days, partly because he'd needed to sort out his thoughts on his own, and partly because he'd wanted to make sure he was less likely to fly off the handle about certain things.

It was twilight when he reached out for her mentally, wrapping his mind around hers in a caress.  ~Finished with patients for the day?~

[Kender Bard]

Filly's response was to mentally caress him back. ~Yes~ she told him, sending a little burst of simple happiness his way. ~I was just cleaning up. Do you want to spend some time with me?~

[Darastrix]

Schuldig had to roll his eyes at that and gave Filly a small psychic jolt, like a playful nip.  ~No, I'm just asking for my health.~

More seriously, he added, ~I want to talk, actually.  No crisis, but some stuff happened on Spirit Night, and...~  He have a mental shrug.  ~I want to talk about it.~

[Kender Bard]

~Ah...~ She kept her tone neutral but there was a hint of nervous energy that rode on the response. Regardless of his words, 'talks' were never simple affairs for them and she couldn't help the immediate response. ~Well, where would you like to get together? I'll meet you there.~

[Darastrix]

~Bedroom,~ he decided, and teleported away.  His 'brooding room' was his territory.  Probably best to talk where it was more their space.  And the bedroom was more comfortable and comforting, with plenty of space for them to curl up with each other. 

~For what it's worth, I'm not spoiling for a fight here,~ he said as he plopped down onto the bed and drew out the crystaline feather Efil had given him, turning it between his fingers.

[Kender Bard]

~Well, that's good~ Filly said and, after a short while later as she finished tidying up her workroom and herself, she teleported to the bedroom as well, sitting on the edge of the bed and making herself comfortable. "That's a pretty feather," she noted as let her hair down from the ponytail she'd kept it in while doing a bit of delicate work.

[Darastrix]

"'A token of peace,'" Schuldig quoted as he reached over to toy with the ends of Filly's hair. "From Efil."

[Kender Bard]

Filly paused as She Who Should Not Be Spoken Of's name was invoked.

"When did Efil show up?" she asked quietly in a lower voice. She was a little annoyed that the Force seemed like she still couldn't stay out of their lives, but she was mostly concerned for Schuldig.

[Darastrix]

"She came on Spirit Night," he told her. "Apparently to thank me for saving her ass in the battle, but you know how no conversation with me in it stays on one subject. We ended up talking about a few things. It was...decent timing, I guess. I know it'd have ended with me screaming if she'd tried to talk to me at the sanctuary, but this time it was just talk."

[Kender Bard]

Filly struggled not to fidget. She did feel a bit better that he wasn't showing signs of distress currently. "Was it a good talk?" she asked carefully.

[Darastrix]

"Depends on what your definition of 'good' is.  It wasn't a fun talk," Schuldig said.  "But I guess it wasn't exactly bad, either.  Needed, maybe."  He shifted closer and rested his head on her shoulder. 

"I think I've been waiting for something, even if I had no fucking idea what - her to come back so I can yell at her, to say she doesn't remember anything, to say she remembered everything.  Guess it's kind of both.  It's still a fucked-up thing, because hey, I fell for a Force, but I think it's one I can deal with now."

~It's not so much....~  He trailed off and focused for a moment to share the impression of holding something painfully tight.  ~It's not that anymore.~

[Kender Bard]

Filly slipped an arm around Schuldig and draped a wing against him as well. She turned her head to kiss his hair as she listened to him. "I'm glad," she murmured. "Very glad. I don't think any conversation with Efil could be fun, but that she didn't hurt you more is a great relief to me."

[Darastrix]

~Probably gonna set something up with Mikasi anyway,~ Schuldig said.  ~I'm tired of letting this get to me.~

"She mentioned talking to you at one point, too," he added slowly.  "Clarified some stuff."

[Kender Bard]

Filly's feathers ruffled a bit at that as her anxiety spiked again. "Well, yes, we spoke a bit at the Sanctuary," Filly said lightly. "I clarified just how upset I was at having my entire family dragged into the mess."

[Darastrix]

"I think you know or at least have an idea of what I'm talking about," Schuldig said. "I can practically taste it." Anxiety was like a sharp thrust of metal, followed by a nervous fizz like champagne.

"She let slip what she told you; she thought I already knew."