#siv hoards art | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bedbellyandbeyond · 4 years

Photo

Christmas

(Story Post; ART AT END)

Christmas day, Köbi convinced Sydryn that they should visit Aoife and Reid. Aoife had gifted the dragon a batch of homemade pink cupcakes at work the week before so it was only fair to return the favour. They showed up to the apartment with gifts and wine, and they gathered in the living room for merriment. Syd didn't personally enjoy the idea of Christmas: too many people, too much noise, too much gingerbread. But in Aoife's apartment, it was just the five of them (Aoife, Reid, Samara, Syd and Köbi), they weren't a rowdy bunch, and no one had thought to get gingerbread. “Nathan sent you a gift,” Aoife was saying to Reid, placing a gift bag in his lap. “You should open it.”

Reid blinked and then focused on Aoife before looking down at the present in his lap. “Oh. Aye.” He straightened up in the chair and took the tissue paper out, rooting around. “Card first, right? Did he send one... Here we are.” Aoife sighed and sat back in her chair. Samara came around from the kitchen and handed her girlfriend a mug of hot chocolate with a kiss on the crown of her head. “Oh, look at that...” Reid said holding up the card. “It's got the twins on it in little red and green onesies. Um... Their names...” “Probably inside the card if you can't remember,” Samara suggested. “Right...” He opened the card. “‘Wishing you a relaxing holiday and a quick recovery. It's the season of miracles and I couldn't have had mine without you. Merry Christmas, Dr. Gardi, and a Happy New Year! Love Nathan, Dax, Grace and Gabriel’.” “There you go. That's really sweet of him,” Aoife said. “It is...” Reid said, placing the car back in its envelope and leaving it on the coffee table. “I still feel bad that I missed the birth.” “Wish I had,” Sydryn admitted. “You've never had to calm and sedate a labouring werewolf...” “I guess so...” Reid sighed. “Syd. Did you get my gift?” “Yes.” “And?” “I put it in my hoard.” “On display?” “Yes. It's with the other dragon statuettes I own.” “Nice. Is it the biggest one?” “No. Eat a cookie Reid.” Reid leaned forward and took one from the plate. “Samara, these are amazing.” “I already told you, Aoife made them,” Samara groaned. “Oh. Sorry...” Reid looked down and started nibbling at his cookie. “You can't just get mad at him for not remembering...” Köbi interjected. “It's part of the dissociation.” “It's okay, Köbi,” Reid said. “Samara has every right to be upset.” Samara frowned. “No. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be condescending...” “Reid's getting better,” Sydryn said. “You should only have to put up with it for a short while longer, hopefully. And you don't even live here, so technically the one who should be complaining is Aoife.” “I'm a nurse. I'm just doing my job,” Aoife said. “You say that like we're not even roommates,” Reid complained. “We hardly are. You haven't been home in months,” Aoife said. “I paid my share though.” “You did.” “Well, you say it like we're not even friends.” “We are, but now I have to see you 24/7. If I don't treat you as a patient, I might go mad too, and end up like you.” “I didn't go mad, I had a breakthrough,” Reid countered. “Well, you can't even tell us what the breakthrough is, so...” “I can! I um...” Reid tried to think hard. “...That's not really a nice way to talk to your patient. Learn some bedside manner.” Aoife sighed. “Do we want to watch a movie or something?” “I should head out...” Sydryn said, getting up from the couch. “Reid's doing well. I came to drop off gifts and check on him.” “You don't want to stay for dinner?” Köbi asked. “Not really, no.” “What if I want to stay for dinner?” “You can find your own way home.” Aoife crossed her arms. “Syd, you gotta stay for dinner. It's Christmas.” “You act like that means something to me.” “You brought gifts, didn't you? It must mean something to you.” “I brought gifts because I knew I'd be receiving gifts and I didn't want the guilt.” The dragon put their hands on their hips. “Köbi, you can stay. I have other places to visit so I'll pick you up after...” “Oh, okay. Thanks, Syd.” Köbi smiled. “Where are you off to?” “I have to go visit Camilo and Rheni. I have news for them.” “Not bad news. You can't deliver bad news on Christmas.” “It's just news. How they receive the information is up to them.” “Okay...” Köbi got up to see them out. “Drive safe. Yeah?” “Oh, Syd. Hold on.” Aoife grabbed some cookies and went to the kitchen for a baggie before heading back. “Give these to Camilo and Rheni. And, um, before he says anything, yes, I did tell Camilo you'd sit in on his pregnancy group.” “Are you mad?” Sydryn said, lowering their voice as Samara wasn't supposed to be privy to the knowledge of their pregnancy. “I'm not going to a pregnancy group. My condition is private.” “I only told him you could be beneficial as a doctor,” Aoife said. “You know how worried pregnant people can be. They'll spread home remedies and false information.” “Thank you for letting me know so I can tell Camilo myself that you were mistaken and I will not be attending.” “Syd. You should go.” “In what way would that benefit me?” Sydryn asked. “You’ll be able to learn to care,” Aoife said. “And I’ll stop nagging you about it.” Sydryn clenched their jaw. “I don’t want to.” “If you don’t, I’ll make you take Reid. He can live with you. His hair’s basically pink now. He’ll fit in. Köbi can be his nurse.” “Absolutely not.” “Then go to the group. Think about it. Sleep on it.” Sydryn groaned and just pulled on their coat. “You're a bully.” “If I have to be. Happy Christmas.” Sydryn rolled their eyes and just left.

A quick text to Camilo placed him at Fay's house as the dragon expected. He hadn't yet arranged for Rheni to move back in with him and while they were getting along, Camilo still didn't feel like he could forgive so easily. Sydryn supported Camilo's decision so long as he had the necessary support at home to help him navigate the world as a pregnant man. With Marcita around, it helped a lot. Pulling up, Sydryn immediately noticed a big bundled coat sitting out on the porch. When they approached, it became clear that the figure was Fay and he didn’t look too comfortable. Frowning, Sydryn feeling safe enough in this rural forested area, blew a flame into their palm and wrapped it into a ball, offering it to Fay. The merman took the ball of flame hesitantly, but it floated an inch off his fingers and only warmed, not burned. “Thanks…” “What are you doing out here?” the dragon asked. “Escaping Christmas…” “Ah.” “I don’t do Christmas. I don’t like Christmas. I’m not Christian. My religion is the sea and I’m barely practicing that…” “I’m not fond of it either. Christmas that is,” Sydryn stated. “Yeah. I assume it’s the people?” “Precisely.” “Dari’s not even a practicing Christian.” “It’s these North Americans… They’ve made it part of their culture, whether everyone likes it or not.” “I wish I’d banned TV as soon as Arianne was old enough to understand. Right now, it’s the only way any of them would’ve learned about Christmas, other than from Dari.” “Mm… Yes, perhaps that would’ve worked.” “I assume you’re here on business?” Fay suggested. “I came to speak to Camilo, yes.” “Well, good luck in there.” “Fay, you can’t stay out here. You’re not a cold-water fish.” “I know. Give me a bit more time.” “Alright.” Sydryn headed inside. Immediately commercial Christmas music blared throughout the house and there were lights and decorations everywhere. Siv was the first to appear and weaved between the dragon’s legs to hide behind them, but at the same time Arianne jumped into the hall and pointed right at him. “I see you!” she yelled. “You can’t hide!” “No!” Siv yelled. “Can’t see me!” “I can! You have to help me find Otter!” she yelled back. “Nooo!” Siv yelled again. Sydryn just moved on, removing their coat and boots and walking into the living room. The living room had a live white fir in the corner and stockings hanging over the fireplace as well as snacks on the table. A big garbage bag full of used wrapping paper and opened toy packaging was beside the tree and various toys, clothes and candy were strewn across the floor. Among it, Milo was sitting playing with Katia who looked to have received a new stuffed dolphin for Christmas. Not seeing who he was looking for, Sydryn moved into the kitchen. Dari was in the kitchen mashing potatoes with Zoe strapped to his back. He heard Sydryn come in. “Fay, I need your help with the—Oh, Jesus Christ! Syd!” Dari nearly jumped when he looked back. “Don't scare me... When did you get here?” “Just now,” Sydryn said. “I'm looking for Camilo.” “Upstairs with Rheni I think,” Dari reported. “You haven't seen my husband, have you? I can’t do this without him.” “Porch.” “Of course...” Dari sighed. “I don't know why he has to be such a scrooge. We agreed we'd do Christmas a long time ago.” “I bet that was before your numbers tripled.” “Still. He can't just mope about. I need help.” “I'm sure he'll be back in shortly,” Sydryn stated. “I only gave him a two minute flame.” “A what?” “Don't worry about it.” Syd headed towards the stairs. “Merry Christmas.” “Merry Christmas!” Upstairs, Sydryn found the light on in a room down the hall and figured it was their destination. As they drew near, they could hear chuckling and wet noises from the room with its door slightly ajar. They shivered in disgust and just reached out to knock without looking. “Hello?” “Ah, dios mio!” Camilo was heard startled. “Rheni, stop! Come in.” “I don’t think I want to,” the dragon hypothesised. “Syd?” Camilo came to the door, pulling a shirt down over his stomach which had purple kiss marks all over it. “Hey! You came over fast.” “You seem light spirited,” Sydryn observed. “Well, uh... Es Navidad,” he said blushing. Rheni appeared behind him, passing a hand over Camilo's back. “Hey, Syd! What's up dude?” I'm sorry this took so long, but I've had a lot of work to do in Gardi's wake, and your issue wasn't of high urgency. Anyway, I have your results for you,” they stated. Camilo blinked then looked at Rheni. “Wait... So is the baby Rheni's?” “I never doubted that he was the one to impregnate you,” Sydryn said. “It's the process that I find more interesting. But technically, no the child isn't Rheni's.” “What?” Rheni said, his arms dropping to his sides. “I'm not the father?” “You two don't seem to be listening. Go sit down,” Sydryn said. Camilo went back into the room and sat down on the bed. Rheni sat next to him but didn't touch him. “Good. Now...” Sydryn pulled out their rose-coloured work tablet. “I analysed the sample that you collected from Arrhenius. As I suspected, when performing sexual acts, Rheni's body is capable of producing human DNA completely different from the DNA in the cells that make up Rheni's body. Instead of simple slime gametes like your first pregnancy which were incompatible with Camilo's egg, human male gametes are produced with human DNA which successfully impregnated you with a human child.” “So, I am the father?” Rheni asked. “Well, the thing is, your body had to get the human DNA from somewhere,” Sydryn stated. “Your body is learning from it's environment. It wouldn't just create human DNA from nowhere. It would need to replicate DNA it has access too. But it has access to every human around you: Camilo, Marcita, Dari, etc. But we have record of their DNA and—” “You do?” Camilo interrupted. “Yes, of course,” Sydryn said. “Have to make sure the humans really are human. Also if you were wondering, you're very much human, Camilo.” “I mean, I figured.” “Anyway, the gametes provided to me did not match any of those records of those around you. But...” Sydryn turned over the tablet and showed them a picture. “It does match his.” The pair blinked and stared at the picture. It was an ID portrait of a young man with black hair, a soft face with a defined jaw. “Who's that?” Camilo asked. “That's missing person Michael Zhao,” Sydryn said. “He was attending post secondary school in BC when he was reported missing seven years ago.” They continued to stare at the picture then Rheni moved a hand up to his own face and touched his cheek. “...Is that...Is that me?” “It would be very difficult to conclude otherwise,” Sydryn said. “He is the father of Camilo's baby.” Camilo covered his mouth and tears started rolling down his face. “Oh god, Camilo...” Rheni started rubbing his back. “Are you okay?” “Am I okay?” Camilo sobbed. He pointed to the picture. “It's you!” He sniffled and wiped his eyes. “We found you!” Rheni started nodding quickly, tears coming to his eyes as well. “It is... I know it is...”

#lore #Sydryn #Köbi #Reid #Aoife #Samara #Fay #Dari #Camilo #Rheni #dragon #angel #Ennedi tiger #merman #slime man #mpreg

40 notes · View notes