Not the Best Way to Break the News Who: Ryan and Delilah When: late morning Where: the spring
Delilah ... had no idea how to feel. She'd woken up pleasantly sore and entangled in Thorne's limbs. It wasn't as though she hadn't known how she got there. That was the problem, she remembered everything. It was hazy and surreal, but she'd retained it all. Ryan, all the fun she'd had on her own, and then Thorne. Two men in one day, that had never happened to her, ever. She knew it had been the pollen, and it wasn't as though she was committed to anyone or anything, but ... still. She'd left her lean-to as carefully as she could and headed for the spring to clean up. Halfway there she stopped, blue eyes widening as the realization hit her that there'd been absolutely no protection used. She hadn't been on the pill even back home; she'd had bad reactions to it in her younger years. She was a firm believer in condoms and ... oh gods.
Her immediate first impulse was to find Ryan and warn him. Then do the same for Thorne. She couldn't believe she might've gotten pregnant under the influence of flowers, for fuck's sake! Shaking a little, Delilah forced herself to start walking again. She would clean up first, she would think, she would go back to consult the sticks and bones she'd collected, and then she would come up with a plan. Shit. Shit shit shit shit.
Ryan was already at the spring. He'd awakened feeling wrung out despite having slept well the night before, and he'd also felt desperately in need of a bath. So he'd rounded up some soap pods and walked over there, luckily finding it empty. He'd scrubbed himself and his clothes the best he could, hung his tank top over a bush and, after wringing out the pajama pants, had put them back on. He would have preferred to let them dry, too, but he didn't have anything else to put on, and he didn't think today was like yesterday. Most likely, people weren't going to be running around naked.
Now, he lay on his stomach in the purple grass, his eyes closed, just enjoying the day and the feeling of being as clean as it was possible to get here. He needed to work on his pottery and braid more cord, but he could do that later.
He was a bit off to the side, but flesh stuck out like a sore thumb in the purple grass, and Delilah spotted him straightaway. She also spotted the red marks down his back that could've only been caused by fingernails. Fingernails she knew very well. Despite the fact that he looked completely peaceful and serene, she put a hand over her mouth to stifle a dismayed little noise. She stood there a moment, not at all sure what to do. She couldn't get in the water without him hearing or seeing her, and she probably shouldn't avoid the conversation they really probably should have and gah! Gods, what had she done? Delilah wiped her face with one hand and took a step or two forward, clearing her throat a touch so she wouldn't startle him. "Hi Ryan," she said.
Ryan hadn't heard her approach. He hadn't been asleep, exactly, but he hadn't been alert enough for her soft steps to filter through. "Delilah," he greeted her, propping up on his elbows. She wasn't close enough for him to see her face clearly, and he squinted up at her. He didn't feel embarrassed about what they'd done yesterday, nor did he wish it hadn't happened. Nothing like that. Of course, he had no idea how she might feel about it. "Everything all right?" he asked, beginning to haul himself up into a sitting position.
He looked perfectly fine. Not regretful or anything. Which was a small relief, but ... her hand settled on her flat stomach and stayed there a moment. She should be answering him, giving the same reassurance. She didn't really regret what they'd done for what it was. Gods knew she'd had one-night stands before. It was the possibility of what it could mean. After a moment's pause, she came forward even more, getting into his range of sight and kneeling down next to his legs. She looked worried, bottom lip caught between her teeth. "I'm not sure," she answered, which was as honest as anything else. "Is everything all right with you?"
Ryan had gotten himself seated, and as she knelt down next to him, he could see her expression. It took him aback a little, and her words did, as well. "You're not sure?" he asked. From what he could see of her, she didn't look like she'd been hurt, which was good. "I, uh... yeah. I'm fine, just kinda tired." As well he should be. He'd had sex with three different people the day before, which boggled his mind just a bit. She looked almost scared, or deeply concerned, and he had the feeling there was something fairly significant that he was missing. "What is it?" he asked, reaching for one of her hands.
Delilah took his hand and clung to it, probably a bit harder than she should have. What did he owe her anyway? It wasn't as though she hadn't been a more-than-willing participant in everything. Hell, she'd kissed him first. And then hadn't resisted anything with Thorne either. She scraped her bottom lip with her teeth again and flailed on how to answer. Out with it, Red, her brother's voice sounded in her mind. "I, well ... erm, after you and I ... well, that night ... I couldn't sleep and Thorne and I ... well, walked and ... other things and I don't ..." she trailed off there and shook her curly head, knowing she was skipping the really important part, but it wouldn't come out yet.
Ryan now knew where Thorne had slept the night before, at least. He'd kind of wondered, although he couldn't say he'd minded having Ro all to himself to snuggle. Was she upset that she'd slept with Thorne too, if that was what she was trying to tell him? He covered her hand with his free one, rubbing it gently. "Okay," he said, trying to read her expression. "Thorne's pretty easygoing. He's not gonna think bad of you for anything, and I wouldn't, either." He hadn't known it at the beginning of the day, but the pollen had made everyone lose their inhibitions in a major way.
Well ... okay that was a slight relief? Maybe? At least he wasn't mad. It would've been insane for him to be mad, but that didn't mean Delilah didn't worry about it. She genuinely liked the guy, with the little she knew of him so far. And he was a fantastic lay, but that was beside the point. Anything would've been fantastic the day before. "No, I -- I mean, that's good, thank you, but ... Ryan, I'm really worried," she said, and she looked it. She hadn't meant to do it this way, he'd just happened to be there when she was having a freak-out. "I mean, we didn't ... there was nothing. What if I get pregnant? What if I am?"
Man, how dumb was he? She'd had to spell it out for him to get what she was trying to tell him. He was used to sleeping with Thorne, who clearly wasn't going to get knocked up, and now Ro, who was, well... already about to deliver in a matter of weeks. "We didn't," he agreed, sounding a little bit shocked about that. "I am so sorry," he told her. "I mean, I didn't even think of it. Not that there was anything we could've used anyway." They could have done other things besides had actual full-penetration sex, but neither of them had been able to curb their impulses, it seemed like. And it sounded like she hadn't with Thorne, either. "Do you think, uh... Where are you in your cycle?"
She'd shaken her head at his apology, waving her free hand. She hadn't even thought of it either, and it was kind of her job to. Or always had been in the past. He was right about there being nothing to use in the first place. Delilah rubbed a hand over her face when he asked her the question she hadn't ever expected to have to answer in this place. "I don't know," she said, biting into her bottom lip again, eyebrows drawn together. "I mean, coming here kind of ... I can't remember. I know I haven't had a period here yet, but I haven't been here that long, oh god." She winced and put her head down, leaning forward until her forehead was on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think," she mumbled miserably.
"None of us thought about stuff we should've thought of," Ryan consoled her. It was impossible for him to see someone upset and not try to help, most especially if it was someone he liked, and he slid an arm around her when she dropped her forehead to his shoulder. He was starting to wonder what all might have happened at camp that day and what the fallout might be; pregnancy was definitely something to be considered. "Maybe you're not," he offered. "I dunno much about how all that works, but wouldn't it be a while before you'd know for sure?" He was thinking of precisely when they'd need to start really worrying, about a baby that could be his or Thorne's.
Delilah appreciated the comfort. Needed it, probably. "Yeah," she said, though she sounded kind of doubtful. When there was something like that looming, it was easy to assume the worst. Not that having a baby would be the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen to her, but ... it still wasn't good. Despite having a ready-to-pop woman in the camp, everything was so uncertain. They didn't even have a solid roof yet, for gods' sake. She curled her arm around Ryan and squeezed lightly. "Maybe I'm not. We'll ... find out in a few weeks, I guess." She lifted her head again to look at him, blue eyes to blue eyes. "You won't ... you're sure you're not mad?" She wasn't positive what she was asking, she just felt the need to have more reassurance. Maybe that she wouldn't be alone with a baby in this godforsaken place.
Ryan was completely surprised when Delilah asked if he was mad. Why on earth-- or wherever the hell they actually were-- would he be mad? "No way," he said, a sheepish smile on his lips. "You should be mad at me... and Thorne, I guess. I mean, if you are, it's our fault." Some people might think it was odd that he wasn't miffed that Thorne had slept with Delilah, too, but he wasn't. That was Thorne, who'd told him from the start that he was poly, and Ryan was laid back enough not to need to possess someone he happened to be sleeping with. "If you are, it'll be okay, you know? We're all here together, we'll all be with you." That might not be reassuring to her, since she was the one who'd be giving birth to said baby if it existed, but he meant every word of it.
She made a soft sound that was all gratitude, and moved to wrap both arms around Ryan's warm shoulders. "No, it's not your fault. Or not all your -- or his -- fault, it takes two and I was just ..." she let that sentence trail off, far too many adjectives about what she was rolling through her head to pick one. He was being wonderful, though, and she wanted just to concentrate on appreciating that. Delilah buried her face in the side of Ryan's neck and clung for a minute. They were all there together, they'd all be with her. At least that was assurance from one of them, right? If nothing else. "Thank you," she murmured, and lifted her head enough to kiss his cheek a couple of times.
Ryan didn't mind the clinging in the slightest. It was a tough life they were living here, and having people with whom he could share closeness of whatever sort was really the main thing that kept him going. He'd never been the loner type and it was unlikely that he ever would be. He slid his arms around her and flushed when she kissed his cheeks, which was fairly silly considering the variety of things they'd done the day before, but he couldn't help it. He wasn't currently under the strong influence of aphrodisiac pollen, thus he was a little more himself. "You're welcome," he said, chuckling a little. "You're bein' really nice about this. If I was a girl, I think I'd be pissed if I thought I might be knocked up." He winked to show that he was teasing her.
Delilah gave him a faint smile and made herself let go somewhat, at least. Even though he was joking, she supposed there probably were women out there that would blame the men. Her? No. It took two to tango, she knew that, and ... well okay, sometimes it took three to tango. Gods. "Maybe I'll be pissed later, I don't know," she said, and tried to make it lighter than it actually came out. "If hormones start kicking in. I know where you sleep." It was lame, but it was an effort. She probably shouldn't have been, but she was already worried that he might change his mind about being cool about it and disown her later or something of the kind.
Ryan laughed when she said she knew where he slept. "Well, you know what, missy, I know where you sleep, too," he told her, arching his eyebrows. "So you better watch out. You might find me hidin' in your bedroll some night." Maybe that wasn't the thing to say when she'd just told him she thought she might be pregnant, but joking around was second nature to him. That didn't mean he hadn't been serious when he'd said he'd stand by her. Hell, once Ro's baby was born, it was going to be a lot quieter in her lean-to than it was in theirs, whenever it got built, that was.
She had to smile at him -- an actual, honest-to-gods smile -- he was just too adorable. And sweet. And wonderful, and there she went hugging him again, just grateful beyond words. She couldn't help it. Delilah couldn't think of anything more awful than being alone and pregnant in this world. "You can hide in my bedroll any night, darling," she told him, throwing the Ukranian endearment in there. It reminded the back part of her brain how he'd sounded the day before when he'd said it was 'fucking hot', but she pushed that memory down. She meant it, he was welcome with her any time. "If I was going to get knocked up by someone, I'm glad it was you," she said, only half-joking, pulling back to look at him with a small grin.
For Ryan, there wasn't any such thing as too much affection, so he was just as happy to find himself nestled in her arms again. He hugged her back, smiling. "I might hold you to that," he said, resisting the temptation to ask her what she'd said at the very end of her sentence. He was thinking of the day before, too; it wasn't as if none of them remembered what had happened, what had been said, how it had felt. He remembered every detail, and he was assuming everyone else did, too. "Might've been me," he teased her, kissing the tip of her nose. "Just think... what if it had been Arlo?" Now there was a horrifying thought.
That made her laugh, which she really truly needed, and Delilah pulled a bit of an 'ew' face. "Then I would probably disavow all knowledge," she said, even though that wasn't remotely true. If she'd had the luck to run into Arlo the night before ... gods only knew what would've happened. As it stood, if it had to happen? Well ... it could've been worse. She smooched his cheek one more time before sitting back and letting him go. "That lovely thought reminds me that I need to bathe. Care to join? In an entirely non-sexual manner?" She offered him a soft little smile; she truly did like his company.
"I just scrubbed myself within an inch of my life," Ryan drawled, "but I'll sit and talk to you. I'm the perfect lookout, 'cause unless I'm right up next to you, I can't see a fuckin' thing." His tone was amused. He'd long since gotten used to what his vision was like, and he knew he was lucky to have any vision at all after what he'd been through when he'd been a young child. He grinned cheekily at her and got to his feet, holding out his hands to help her up if she wanted. It would actually be nice and relaxing just to hang out next to the spring while she washed, he thought.
She laughed lightly and took his hands, standing up and brushing a bit of purple grass off of her knees. "I wouldn't mind if you did watch, darling," she informed him in Russian and winked one blue eye. It wasn't from any remnant of the pollen hanging around, she was in actuality a very flirty person under normal circumstances. Not that these were normal, but, well ... she felt a lot better than she had an hour before. "Come then, be my blind guard dog," she said, taking his hand and starting to lead him toward the spring water. It would be incredibly nice to get clean, and do it with good company.