the_lioness | (no subject)

(no subject)

Eventually, no matter how much has changed, routines develop. Old habits reemerge, and new ones form.

It's comforting to know.

Early this morning, up before the sun, Alanna escaped to the stables to visit and spoil Mithros. There wasn't time for a ride, but she knows that will come soon. The encounter left her smiling and feeling as if things are coming to rights, finally.

Adam had gone back to bed when she returned, after helping her move a few pieces of furniture out of the way, and with the triplets watching her from their baskets, she draws her sword.

Alanna exhales slowly, smile predatory, and feels the weight of it in her hands. Getting back in shape will be a long road, and she's eager to be underway.

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"Alanna, no!" It would be a yell, but even when Being Dramatic Lilly knows better than to scream around babies. It comes out as a very intense whisper.

"I know you're hardcore and all, but even your babies need to be able to raise their heads on their own before you can expect them to spar with you."

Raven pats Lilly's shoulder.

He is not looming over her.

Nope. Not this bird!

"Earlier is better, I am thinking. Also calluses are useful."

Alanna is wise, clearly. And all babies should wield swords.

"Nonsense," Alanna says, pretending as if her back hadn't gone completely rigid in surprise. "Only a fool would start babies with swords."

Sheathing her own, she spins on her back foot and grins widely. It's a lesson to remember to lock the door before she tries this again, but she's thrilled to see both of them.

"Knives first. Less difficult to grip."

"Oh, knives. Duh."

Lilly shakes her head sadly.

"See, this is why I'm not a warrior mom. I have no idea what kind of weapon is appropriate for newborns."

She can't keep herself from grinning at Alanna and the babies through her fake chagrin, making it much less convincing.

"Lookin' good, Alanna. And... mini-Alannas!"

Raven grins at Alanna, wide and bright, then turns to study the babies.

"Possibly throwing knives are better, yes?"

He blinks innocently.

"Also it will keep Adam busy."

Dodge, Antichrist, dodge!

Raven is devious. And mean.

So are the triplets. Probably.

(It is in the genes.)

Mentally, Alanna is regretting feeding this conversation, facetiously or no. But cheerfully so.

"I think, perhaps, we will let them take to throwing their food before we move on to more dangerous things."

Although some food can be quite effective as a weapon when thrown. Cookies, as Raven knows, can certainly stun.

Blushing faintly, Alanna lifts one shoulder in a shrug and smiles at Lilly.

"I still look fat, but it was worth it. Raven and Lilly, may I present Thom, Grace and Jamie?" She points to each corresponding baby. "Triplets, this is Lilly and Raven. What mischief you don't learn from me, you'll learn from them."

Lilly walks over to the triplets, pausing to give Alanna a warm handsqueeze (she's a little wary of tightly hugging a woman who's just given birth THREE TIMES) and ogle her swollen breasts appreciatively.

"Thom, Grace, Jamie. Nice to meet you. I'm hoping you're already learning the sound of my voice and I'm totally imprinting myself as a trustworthy person in your adorable little minds. Because if you trust me, kids? You'll never have to worry about a boring life."

Not that this was likely given their family, but still.

Raven, however, does not appear to care about Alanna's potential fragility, and he gives her a one-armed hug.

There is also hair ruffling.

Poor triplets, they do not yet have enough hair to ruffle.

Raven beeps their noses, instead. Very delicately.

It is not so fine a thing, to make babies cry.

"They are big enough not to lose, I think. It is not so bad a thing."

He's still watching the babies, head tilted, considering.

Catching the ogle, Alanna squeaks quietly and folds her arms across her chest. Thus, Raven gets away with hair ruffling, sans retaliation.

"Indeed, that's a very fine thing," she says dryly. "Although perhaps I ought not to let you hold Jamie."

It's in jest. Really!

She grins, resigning herself to an afternoon of madness. It's a welcome sort of madness.

"And I am happy to report that none of them smell like sulfur."

Don't think she didn't check.

Lilly straightens up hastily. What? She was so not sniffing the babies.

"Awesome. Your genes must be strong with them."

She eyes the babies speculatively.

"Raven? Is it time for presents yet?"

Raven laughs, perhaps a little more quietly than usual.

It is still a sound remarkably filled with joy, so possibly things could be worse.

"Mostly it is always time for presents, so."

He fishes around in his coat--in his pockets?--for three not-quite-packages.

"They are very soft, I think."

Well, mostly.

Carefully Raven tucks a stuffed monkey by Jamie, a stuffed rhino by Thom, and a stuffed alligator (with bright white teeth--felt, but still) by Grace.

"Also friendly."

Wait. Friendly?

Alanna shakes her head, biting back a pleased smile.

"You really needn't worry about presents, but that's very kind-"

She trails off, blinking, and that smile is suddenly a bit hesitant.

"...Friendly?"

Quickly, she leans over to make sure there aren't any urchins present and accounted for.

"Everybody needs friends," Lilly says innocently. "Especially babies."

"They need nice soft squeezable friends with personality, and we all know Sir Jell and Sir O can't be on duty 24/7."

"Though possibly they are close."

Raven is not snickering, much.

Though he does reach out to pat at Sirs Jell and O. Well. Maybe he pats Alanna's shoulder instead.

He is not always oblivious.

Er.

"Also they are for playing, yes? Friendly is better."

Alanna chokes, quickly covering it up with a cough. It's not terribly convincing.

"Usually, yes." Skeptical, she pokes at one white alligator tooth with her index finger. Grace turns her head, raises her fist and gurgles. "But I think your definition of friendly might be dangerously close to that of troublesome."

They are awfully cute. Alanna is partial to the monkey.

"God, Alanna. I'm- well, I'm hurt."

Lilly presses a hand to her heart, eyes downcast.

"You really think that Raven and I would give you a troub-"

Her personal Oscar moment is sadly cut short when the monkey lifts its head and starts climbing out of the basket. It's really hard to make a serious dramatic statement when you're giggling.

Raven is not laughing.

Raven is entirely serious.

Well.

Mostly serious.

"Possibly close is not so much the right word, yes?"

At least the rhino isn't moving? And Grace does not appear to be too upset at the alligator chomping on her hand.

Hey, the teeth are soft.

"Apparently not," Alanna answers, and it's very dry. "Is that gray beast attempting to herd Thom?"

The rhino is just slow to action, apparently. And now, well. Herd or bore a hole in his side.

Her lips twitch.

"They won't hurt them." It's not really a question.

"Nah, not really. I mean, they could break their hearts one day in a Velveteen Rabbit-esque tale of life, love, parting and sorrow but that's years off."

Lilly's beaming, watching the toys and the triplets.

"This is disturbingly cute, actually. Well done, Raven."

Raven studies the triplets, and their friendly toys.

"Decades, too, perhaps. Still."

He wrinkles his nose, grinning at both Lilly and Alanna.

"They will keep them busy for some time, I am thinking. It is not so bad at all."

Though it would be sad if Thom gnawed off one of the rhino's horns.

Very, very sad.

The monkey seems to have mistaken Jamie's foot for a banana. The baby doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he admits a gurgling sound that seems to indicate approval.

"Busy is good," Alanna admits, a little stunned. "Thank you both."

She means it.

"I'm not sure Adam will agree."

"Adam?" Lilly echoes, looking vaguely puzzled.

"Ohhh, right. The father. Hey, the demon testicles have done their work. You don't need his, ah, input any more."

Raven snorts.

"He will agree when he wants to have sex, at the least."

Raven pauses, frowning slightly, considering.

"Also possibly when you are wanting sex, yes?"

It is, after all, only fair!

Oh, Gods. Raven knows not what he does. Or, perhaps, exactly the opposite. One can never be sure with Raven.

In any case, Alanna is... frustrated. She turns red and makes a small whimpering noise, running a hand through her hair and over her face.

She starts to say something, stops and grumbles under her breath.

After clearing her throat, she manages, "Possibly when he wants to sleep, at least."

Lilly arches an eyebrow, intrigued. That was an interesting reaction.

"You have three newborns. There's no such thing as sleep in your life anymore, sorry. The passive or the active kind, it doesn't matter."

Raven looks startled.

"Possibly it is videos, then?"

Beat.

"When they are sleeping?"

Surely they are not abstaining.

Surely.

Alanna mumbles something about physician's orders, ignores Raven and fixes Lilly with a slightly manic smile.

"So I am starting to realize. At least I am properly prepared?"

Wait.

"...For the not sleeping part."

"Which kind of sleeping?"

Lilly is totally not holding back giggles at the muttered words or the manic smile.

"Quiet, peaceful, bundled-in-blankets sleeping? Or naked, sweaty, tingly-feelings sleeping?"

She's also not making it worse, nope.

Raven tilts his head, studying Alanna.

He looks worried.

Almost.

Or something.

"There are plastic things, perhaps. Coyote has said they are helpful, on occasion."

He blinks.

"Also the ones that vibrate."

At this point in her Milliways career, it would be pointless to pretend that she doesn't know what Raven is talking about.

The blush would give her away, in any case.

"The first," she answers Lilly, with as much dignity as she can muster. "If a word of this conversation escapes, I shall hurt you both."

It's said with love, naturally.

And as soon as it's out, she wonders if either of them is likely to take it as a challenge.

Lilly and Raven? Take something as a challenge? NEVER.

"Ooooh, baby," Lilly replies, slinking a little closer to Alanna. "Do you promise?"

There is leering.

Raven pats her boo--shoulder again.

"It is not so much wanting to run free, I do not think."

He does not, however, promise anything.

That would be dumb.

Flatly, "Yes."

See Alanna. See Alanna squeak and shy away from Lilly's leer. See Alanna practically trip over her own feet while doing so.

"Look!" It's desperate. "I think Grace likes the alligator."

"Of course she does," Lilly says smugly. "Raven and I have excellent taste."

And then, because flustered Alanna is seriously cute, she turns back to the redhead and lowers her voice.

"If you ever want to test that out, well. You're welcome to."

"Lilly is very good at kissing."

Raven is not smirking, nope.

Then he appears to abandon embarrassing Alanna for the babies.

"Also the alligator is for liking Grace."

Very carefully he shifts the stuffed toy from where it is attempting to inhale Grace's face (she doesn't seem to mind) and watches, mildly amused, as it begins chewing on his thumb.

"Or possibly it is things that move, yes?"

"I'm sure she is," Alanna laughs, because really, what else can she do?

Testing Raven's theory, she waves her arm around in front of the monkey. It hops on, dangling from her wrist.

"So it would seem. Puff is going to have fits when she sees them. I'm almost looking forward to it."

"Tape it for us?" Lilly asks, laughing a little.

She's gotten the rhino to headbutt her hand instead of Thom. It tickles.

"The animals are flame-retardent, by the way. Raven and I have a bad history with fire, so we thought it was a good call. It should help with Puff, too."

"Babies are not so much for burning."

Raven nods sagely, making a face at Alanna.

"And, I am thinking, neither are alligators."

So.

Let's hope the children do not turn into pyros.

With influences like Alanna, Adam, Lilly, Raven, and Lucifer (when he is resigned to his new familial role)--

Clearly such a thing is entirely impossible!

Puff heard her name.

She exits the bedroom, a pair of Adam's boxers clamped firmly between her teeth, waddling awkwardly to compensate. She blinks at Raven and Lilly with apparent disinterest, then eyes the new toys.

The Pale Tall One won't approve, she purrs. Carry on.

Puff and the boxers disappear into the nursery. Raven, Lilly and Alanna watch her leave in silence.

"Well. I think we're safe," says Alanna. "I need a cookie. Want a cookie?"

Possibly a silly question.

And so there are cookies. And conversation. And when all is said and done, no fires are started, and the toys remain friendly.

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