Entry tags:

!complete, char: adelaide de blacas, char: blaise zabini, location: residence, time: 2010 02

RP: Hope
Who: Addi/Blaise
When: Friday, February 23, 2010
Where: Addi's cottage
What: Addi and Blaise spend time together, continuing to build a foundation of emotional intimacy.
Warnings: Emotional!Addi


Spending time with Zee and Persephone yesterday had been wonderful, truly, and yet Addi found herself in a twisted up, emotional mess today. She'd tried to refuse breakfast, feeling queasy and lacking appetite, but her mother had insisted she eat something, so she'd made a point to take a few bites to get her mum to leave her alone, and then she'd slipped out of bed to dispose of the rest of the food out the window--it was a terrible waste, she knew, but it was better than her mum knowing she wasn't eating as much as she probably should.

When her mum came back in to check on her later, she found Addi curled up on her side, the blankets pulled up to her chin, and her blue eyes covered in a sheen of moisture as she stared blankly at the wall. Without a word, not knowing what specifically was troubling her middle child though there were plenty of possibilities, Mabel toed her shoes off and slipped onto the bed facing her, laying on top of the covers and wrapping an arm around her, her lips pressing against the top of Addi's head when she heard a soft sob sound in her throat.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mabel asked on a whisper, her hand stroking over her daughter's hair and back.

Addi sniffled and shook her head, burrowing closer to cuddle against her mum without a word. She just let her hold her for a long while, until it felt suffocating and she felt desperate for space. "Thanks mum," she whispered at that point. She still felt awful, utterly twisted up inside, but she knew she wasn't alone. Not in the big picture. "I think I'd like some alone time now, though," she managed to get out. She knew she could count on her mum to hold her and listen to her and help her sort out the mess in her head, but she wasn't ready yet to say the words out loud, to admit to just how deep her pain went.

"All right, then," Mabel whispered back, giving her a gentle squeeze before slipping back off the bed and into her shoes again. The older woman headed downstairs, full of nervous energy herself now, something that always happened when one of her children was hurting and she was powerless to fix whatever was troubling them. She went into the kitchen and got out supplies to do some baking. Even though Addi likely wouldn't eat the treats she was going to make, she could send them over to Quin's for the children, and she knew Cooper would never turn down her cooking.

🌻
Blaise tended to touch base with Addi several times a day. Even if it was just breezy texts or pictures to amuse her. he knew he'd be crazy on bedrest, so he could only imagine what she felt like. He'd tried to find and send a variety of things to occupy her, but there was only so much he could do some days.

But when he didn't hear from her for a while, he naturally grew worried, considering everything -- blackmailing scum, the bump and the bed rest, everything. He sent Buona over, though, instead of immediately leaving work. It was the responsible thing to do and it wasn't as if his elf were an unknown entity to the household now. She'd gone and come back quietly, and told him that Addi had been with her mother.

Some of his worry assuaged though not the bit about how she'd seemed so unhappy. So he finished what he was doing, and told El he was leaving early, and he'd headed immediately to her. Which meant, in this case, directly to the room she was in, with a nice little sound proofing spell to keep curious mothers from hearing voices and barging in.

"Principessa, just the woman I came to see," he said with a charming smile.
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Addi's phone had been turned to silent at some point that morning--she just hadn't been able to handle talking to anyone, and the seemingly constant chime of incoming notifications had rattled her more than she wanted to admit. She wasn't feeling particularly social and definitely didn't have the energy to pretend. On the whole, she'd been doing so well since waking up from her sick-induced coma, but she hadn't coped with all of the changes yet, hadn't processed everything she'd lost with Phillip's death in that explosion, and spending time with Persephone and Zee yesterday had driven that realization home for her.

When Blaise appeared with that soft pop, she didn't even turn her head, didn't have the energy to tell whoever it was to go away. She hadn't showered that morning, had only brushed her teeth out of habit, and hadn't bothered to change out of her pajamas. She looked a disheveled mess, and at his words, she whimpered softly, burrowing a bit more under the covers.
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"Ah, sweetheart," he murmured, more softly. He followed instinct here, and he shrugged out of his suit jacket, draping it over a chair, and toed off his shoes, and he proceeded to slide into the bed alongside her. As charming and effervescent as the man could be, he also knew how to fade into the background or simply be in a moment, something not everyone knew how to do.

A large, warm hand simply rubbed up and down her back through the covers, smoothed her hair carefully. His body was near hers but not imposing, offering warmth but not demanding a single thing from her. Fingers found the nape of her neck, one of the only visible parts of her with her curled up like that, and his thumb rubbed a soothing little circle there.

"If you'd like, I can tell you stories, or I can simply be quiet," he offered, his voice a soft, almost musical smoothness that somehow didn't jar the quiet of the room. "What can I do for you, Adelaide?"
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When Blaise joined her, the tears won the battle again, spilling down her cheeks and over her nose, and at the feel of his thumb moving over the back of her neck, she curled against him much like she had with her mother earlier. Her face pressed against the super slick, purple silk of his shirt, wetting it without registering that she was doing so. She shook her head at his words, though, not having an answer for him in that moment. She didn't know what she wanted, quiet or the smooth timbre of his voice filling the silence or something else entirely.

She was starting to ugly cry now, and if she was more aware of anything outside of her own pain in that moment, she would have been mortified. "He's supposed to be here!" she finally cried out, her voice barely above a whisper, blubbering a bit with it. "He'll never get to hold her; we never got to name her. He's gone, and she doesn't even have a name," she rambled between her tears. She clung to Blaise almost desperately, needing him more than she thought she'd ever needed anyone in her life, needing the comfort and stability he brought.
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He wasn't always the best with tears. He'd admit it, and Kermit would definitely say so. But at least in this case he understood why there were tears and knew more what to do with her and them. So instead of filling the silence, he just kept rubbing her back, tucking her into a bit of a ball. He had to drape legs over his thighs so her torso and bump could snug against him, but he succeeded in the endeavor of cuddling her close enough that he could warm her and keep her close and safe. He knew that was what she craved.

A hand cradled the back of her head, and he made a soft, soothing sound. Not hushing, but something reassuring. "I know, and I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm so sorry for all that. But she will have a name. You'll name her, and she'll be beautiful and brilliant. I promise," he told her, and he rested a hand on that bump that was occasionally kicking at his own firm stomach even now, upset because her mum was upset. He soothed the tiny kicker in the belly too, thumb pressing back ever so carefully as if the baby could feel him too.
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Addi took comfort in the way he moved her around, helping her to curl against him, her bump nestled protectively, intimately between them. She adored him all the more for his reassuring murmurs, but it wasn't as much a balm to her wounds as she was sure either of them wanted it to be. "I wasn't supposed to do it on my own. I wasn't supposed to do any of this on my own." Just because they'd broken up didn't mean she was supposed to do it on her own; they'd both been serious about co-parenting, but now they would never have the chance.

"Hype and Zee picked a name. They got to... they got to share that together. But I don't get that. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she sniffled against his chest again, finally realizing just how wet his shirt was getting. "I don't know how to do this on my own," she finally admitted in a pained whisper.
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He went quiet when she spoke, intent on not speaking over her as many men might. Living among the women he had, he knew the value of simply listening at times. He didn't know how to make it better -- he didn't necessarily think he could. But that didn't mean he couldn't be there for her. "No, you weren't," he agreed. He knew they'd been serious, which was one reason why he hadn't wanted to intrude with certain things.

"Shhhh. Don't apologize, principessa," he said, a hand coming up to cradle the back of her skull gently. "You're not on your own, you know. You're not alone. You have a great many people who want to be a part of all of this. Including me," he added, and he leaned in to press his lips gently to her forehead. "Not knowing how to do it is also something I think all mothers feel, oui? But it will work out. We will help you."
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He didn't try to brush it off as irrelevant or make her feel like she was overreacting or any of those things; he just held her and listened, and that meant so much to Adelaide. She'd loved Phillip, and even if she hadn't seen a romantic future with him, she had so wanted to experience all of the things with their growing baby with him. "I know," she said in a pained whisper. "I know I'm not alone, but it's not the same."

Her heart constricted in her chest at his words though, that he was included in those who wanted to be a part of all of this. "Do you? Do you really? It's just, we haven't--you and me and Draco--we haven't talked about any of it, what it would mean or what we want out of it all." She wanted to believe him--he hadn't given her any reason to doubt that he wanted to be with her and that he understood she and the baby were a package deal--but she was also terrified that she was rushing into something again without thinking it through, that people would judge and harass her for letting another man--men--be a part of her and her daughter's lives in a way Phillip would never be able to now.
🌻
His lips quirked into a smile that wasn't quite crooked but implied that it wanted to be. "It didn't precisely seem like the time just yet," he said rather wryly. "And it is a serious thing. I've known from the start that you being pregnant meant something possibly more serious." And he'd kept going anyway. They'd flirted and, he hoped, they'd all been getting to know each other.

"Draco's more high strung, I know, but I think he gets it too." Though it would have to be laid out a little more precisely for the man, but he knew that Draco was crazy about Addi. If he were going to get jealous, which he wasn't, it would have been over that. "That talk is definitely something we need to have at some point, but regardless, we're here for you. I'm here for you. Nothing else needs to be decided for now."

Now that she was a bit calmer, he swiped his thumb under her eyes carefully. He wasn't intent on rushing anything. He simply wanted her to know that she had someone to hold onto in all of this.
🌻
While she could understand why it hadn't seemed like the right time just yet--it hadn't for her either, even if she'd been feeling restless about it as of late and on the verge of bringing it up herself with them--she needed at least a little bit of that reassurance right now. And she did believe him, that he'd known her being pregnant made it a more serious thing from the start. "It's so wildly unconventional. I think that might be one of the more appealing things about it for me," she pointed out with a hint of a smile now, a little bit of levity that she hadn't thought she'd be possible of expressing today.

She nodded slightly when Blaise mentioned Draco. She wasn't sure if Draco had told him about their talk a couple weeks ago, about how he'd brought her the wings for a rocking horse he wants to build her little Peanut, or any of that, but she wasn't going to bring it up right now. That wasn't what she needed now, especially without Draco here to be part of the conversation, but she did need the tenderness that Blaise was offering her. "Another time," she agreed softly. "When he's here too."

Addi tilted her head against his gentle touch, taking comfort in it. "It's ridiculous to be jealous of her, but I am," she admitted. "She and Hype are planning their wedding and building that gorgeous house and making all the decisions for their baby. I'm blaming the hormones. That and being stuck on bed rest--it's driving me crazy." She sighed and curled her arm around him, squeezing lightly in a hug, before shifting away from him, rolling onto her back so that she could reach the tissues on the table beside her bed. She blew her nose and then tossed the soiled tissue in the bin next to the bed before grabbing a second tissue to dab at her eyes.
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"I'm not certain I've ever been conventional," Blaise said wryly. He'd been born to an unconventional family, and it had merely gone from there. Aside from in his mother's presence, he rarely ever feel the desire to conform to anyone's standards but his own.

"Yes, sometime soon with all of us," he said with a definitive nod.

"I don't think it's ridiculous. I think it's perfectly normal in this situation," he told her. "I know I can't really take you anywhere or I would, but I could draw you a bath or something? It would at least be a change in scenery," he teased gently.
🌻
His reassurance that it was perfectly normal helped a little bit. She still felt like she was being ridiculously irrational about everything lately, that she wasn't coping with things well, but she was trying. And, she reminded herself, it helped to open up like this, to feel less alone. She tilted her head up and brushed her lips against his as a quiet way to say thank you for being there for her.

At his suggestion, Addi pouted a bit. "I'm not allowed baths yet, risk of infection and all, but a shower probably would help." If you joined me, she left unsaid, though the look in her eyes expressed as much.
🌻
He brushed his lips back against hers as softly, his lips quirking up slightly. He was glad that she'd at least calmed down and seemed to be feeling a little better. "A shower it is, then," he declared, and he slid out of bed and offered her his hands so he could pull her out of bed.

He oriented them toward the bathroom and then carefully swooped her up into his arms to carry her there with a broad grin on his face.
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It almost felt like it would take way too much energy to get out of bed, but he was there, and she was able to draw energy from him, to let him help her out of the bed. She squeaked softly in surprise when he scooped her up, but it shifted to a chuckle as she slipped her arms up around his neck, her lips brushing against his jaw affectionately.

"Are you going to wash my hair?" she asked teasingly, though there was a layer of seriousness beneath it. It was her way of asking him to join her, and she hoped he realized that.
🌻
Blaise was good for energy-deprivation; he rarely was without it himself, though it wasn't anything obvious. He was not a hyper person nor a particularly cheerful sort outwardly. But he was very productive and always managed to get things done.

"I am indeed going to wash your hair," he told her. "And your back. Everyone likes a good back scrub when they have to lay down so much, I suspect." He set her down and proceeded to help her get all her clothes off, a hand reaching into the shower to turn it on to get to the proper temperature first, and then disrobed neatly himself. He couldn't go into the shower with his work clothes on, after all.
🌻
At his response, that promise without any hesitation or doubt, Addi felt the fluttering of butterflies in her belly. It would be so much better if she wasn't limited in what she was allowed to do, but it was still a kind of intimacy that she looked forward to sharing with him. "I would like that, oui," she murmured, brushing her hand over his cheek and jaw as he set her down. Her legs were definitely starting to weaken with lack of use over the past few weeks, but she wasn't about to fall on her face, especially with him there, helping her out of her clothes.

Although she knew it was more efficient for him to do it himself, her hands still rose to his shirt, undoing the buttons for him, wanting to help him out of his clothes as well. It wasn't sexual, mostly because she couldn't allow it to be with her medical limitations, but it was intimate, and she craved that intimacy more than anything just then. Once he was naked as well, she took his hand and stepped into the shower, pulling him in behind her as she stepped into the warm spray.
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He wouldn't lie and say he didn't want something else with her, but he knew she wasn't allowed or capable of it right now and he had no problem with just being with her and it not being sexual. Certainly it would have been a bonus, but Blaise was nothing if not in control. And he respected boundaries, perhaps too much sometimes.

Blaise let her help him out of his clothes, and he followed her into the shower. She didn't have to worry about falling with him there -- he wouldn't let her, and he was on watch for the least little slip. "Good temp?" he asked, tipping his own head into the spray to wet his face for a moment before letting the shorter woman get the brunt of it.
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It was the first time she'd been completely nude with him since the night they'd met, and it was definitely stirring up those memories. Of course, she hadn't been pregnant then, nor had she been through the traumas that had left her feeling so lost and broken inside. But there were pieces of her that were still whole enough and other pieces that were slowly being mended back together again that remembered and yearned for that feeling again, for the fun and excitement and passion. In time, she reminded herself, and though she'd never been particularly patient, in this there was no alternative. She wouldn't risk her daughter's life, not even for the brilliant orgasms she knew him capable of giving her.

Although not consciously aware of it, it was incredibly meaningful that she wasn't self-conscious there with him--not about her protruding belly nor the myriad of scars over her body, as she hadn't bothered with any of her concealment charms. He'd already seen her scars, and he'd already reassured her that he wasn't deterred by her pregnancy. She felt safe and comfortable with him in a way that she'd been unconsciously searching for most of her adult life, though she was trying not to let her thoughts dwell too much on what that might mean.

"Oui, quite," she answered as he wet his own head before stepping under the spray again herself. She lifted her hands to work the water through her locks, and then she turned around so that he would be able to get to her hair easily, the warm water cascading over her front. Her hands slipped over her belly, framing the bulge that was her growing daughter and finally feeling the flutters of her moving around in there. She was far more active than Addi had realized, probably in response to her mum's tumultuous emotions throughout the day.
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It was terribly tempting to touch her in all sorts of ways, but though his touch was intimate and warm, he was striving not to make it sexual -- not always the easiest thing for him, especially since he didn't want to pretend she was his sister. His touch was indiscriminate, though, not lingering purposefully on any one spot, though he would love to test the sensitivity of her scars at some point.

A hand briefly came around to cup over hers, patting absently. "Let's all relax," he said in that warm basso rumble he could achieve, and then his hand went on to snag her shampoo and pour just enough into his palm. He started to work it into her hair with a hum, long fingers massaging it thoroughly into her scalp. He knew how to do it. Soon it was a nice lather, and he made sure to scrape his nails lightly over her scalp.

"Move forward and tilt your head back, I won't let you fall," he instructed, and a hand stayed steady on her back to reassure her before he started to rinse her hair.
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He was awfully good at that, Addi thought as his hands moved over her body, his touch firm and intimate without being sexual, a surprising balance that she didn't think she would be able to replicate if their roles were reversed. She sighed contentedly when his hand rested over hers, leaning back a bit against him and turning her head to brush a damp kiss against his jaw again even as he reached for the shampoo.

There was no holding back that soft moan of pleasure as he massaged the shampoo into her hair and against her scalp. "Mm, mon dieu, so good," she murmured, shivering just a bit as goosebumps rose up on her body in response to the attention he was paying her. It took her a moment longer than it should have for her to register he'd told her to move, and she pouted a bit though she did move through the spray to the other side and tipped her head back. "I know you won't," she replied, confidence and trust in him clear in her tone.
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It wasn't easy, especially when she moaned. He was interested in her. But he also supposed it was part of his keen self control in most cases. Part of his natural ease as a dominant personality. He deprived himself on purpose sometimes, just for the pleasure later on; this wasn't that, but he knew how to go about it all.

And his hands knew not only her body from previous experience, but bodies in general, and he hoped to relax her and put her at ease after her obviously emotional day. Weeks. He knew he wouldn't do well under enforced rest.

Her clear confidence in him was almost more a trial to his desires than anything because it was that aspect of a relationship he'd always enjoyed. Knuckles skimmed down the too-present bumps of her spine and back up before he started to rinse the suds from her hair, just as gentle and thorough as he had been putting them there.
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By the time Blaise finished rinsing her hair, Addi was a very relaxed puddle of goo. She reached out to brace one hand against the cool tile wall, sure that it was the only thing that would keep her upright with both of his hands working through her hair and over her body, and good god, she wished it could be more than just getting her clean. She wasn't even fully aware of him working the conditioner through her hair.

Once he was finished, she turned back around and closed the distance between them, holding onto his shoulders as she lifted up to kiss him, firmer than she normally might since everything, but she just couldn't help herself. Her hands itched to explore, to touch and entice the way his so easily could, but she knew that she couldn't. If she did, it would only make it more difficult for her to stop, and it wouldn't be fair to put him in the position of having to put the breaks on. And so, she simply kissed him, the curve of her belly pressing against the toned muscles of his lower stomach.

"I can't wait to do this again without the limitations," she whispered against his lips. "I will so enjoy making it up to you." An apology of sorts for her inability to play right now and, hopefully, reassurance that she really did want to.
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He did the conditioner and while it set, he washed her body with the same firm careful hands. They drew her close when she turned, and his kiss lingered slightly though he managed not to deepen it.

"Me as well," he replied. "Though you have nothing to make up," he added. "As much as I adore sex, I can do without, contrary to popular opinion and gossip." Dark eyes twinkled faintly with good humor.

"Let's finish rinsing you off and I'll come keep you and princess bump a bit more company if you'd like." He used the nickname often and it rather amused him.
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Addi managed a soft laugh against his lips before kissing him again, lightly, briefly. "Then consider it making it up to myself, because I am going absolutely insane with all of this self-denial," she reminded him. She'd been careful not to talk to him or Draco about how much she wanted to sleep with them again. And that feeling had only grown the more she'd got to know them the last few weeks.

Her lips curved up in a warm smile at the nickname he used for her bump, and she had the thought that if he was going to call her daughter 'princess' once she was born that she was going to need a promotion to queen. "Yes, dear," she responded teasingly as she stepped back under the spray.

As they were in the shower, Mabel came back upstairs to check on Adelaide, clueless about her visitor thanks to Blaise's sound proofing spell. Once she was in the room, she heard the shower going and smiled softly, relieved that Addi had managed to get up to take care of herself some. She started stripping the bed then, thinking her daughter might enjoy having fresh sheets after her shower. She left the bedding in a pile near the door as she ducked into the closet to get a fresh set of sheets, and when she came back out, she heard the water being shut off. "I'm just changing the bedding, love. Do you need anything?" she called out, not wanting to startle Addi and risk her falling.
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He chuckled, a deep, rich sound. "I do understand." Because in normal things they all would have already slept together again multiple times and in multiple configurations at this point. "Trust me, we are looking forward to it too."

He thought he heard something but initially figured it to be Buona who did often check on Addi and who knew he was there. But then the voice sounded just after he turned the water off. "Oh dear, your mother has about caught me," he said, obviously amused. He rather liked Mabel, though he didn't really understand her in a motherly capacity.
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Addi had been about to respond to him when she heard her mum's voice, and she froze for a moment before the laughter overtook her when Blaise pointed out the obvious. "Should I hide you? Pretend to be teenagers sneaking around?" she asked teasingly. She didn't want to hide him though. Instead, she shifted around him to poke her head out of the shower door, snagging her towel off the hook next to it.

"I'm not alone in here, mum. Just to warn you, so you don't see anything you don't want to see, you know," she called back before shifting back into the shower and holding out the towel for him to dry her off. Perhaps it was ridiculous of her to expect him to, but she'd always got the impression that he enjoyed taking care of the people he cared about, especially in these physical, tangible sorts of ways.

"Is that so?" Mabel called back, her tone highly amused. "Well, perhaps once you're dressed again your guest can bring you downstairs for tea. I think a change of scenery would do you well," she said decisively. She made quick work of remaking the bed, well practiced at it after all her years, and then picked up the bundle of bedding to take downstairs. "The bed's all made again, and I'm heading down now." Giving them the all clear--she wouldn't deny that she was wildly curious about who was showering with her daughter, but she trusted that Addi was staying strong with following doctor's orders.
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"No, actually, I was thinking of walking out there starkers, so." Of course that was probably something he would have done when younger too, simply to be contrary. He was an excellent keeper of secrets but he had to want to keep it.

Blaise took the towel and dried her off rather gently, even kneeling to get each calf and foot. "Hello, little one. Give mum a break, huh?" he murmured to her bump while he was down there. She was right that he was someone far more likely to show things than tell them for all he had talent with words.

"Well at least she didn't come in and scold me," he said, bemused. He never precisely understood having someone else's mother around mothering - it was a foreign thing to him, though it might not seem so since Oya had been perfectly amenable to Addi and even Mabel while helping out when she'd been infected. (He suspected she'd stolen samples of the disease but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone.)

"Let's get you in fresh cloths, principessa, as I do believe we have received a command," he said.
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Addi giggled softly at his retort, thinking that would have gone over oh so well with her mum. Yes, her mother was rather relaxed about a lot of things, but she couldn't see the woman being thrilled with that sort of response. She enjoyed the way he dried her off, not embarrassed in the least by how much she liked being taken care of and doted on in these ways. That he seemed to enjoy doing these things made it even better. At his murmur to her bump, she smiled and brushed a hand over the top of his head, wanting a bit of contact with him at that intimate moment.

"At least she didn't remind me that Peanut is more important than orgasms again," she countered dryly. "Which is what she did when Draco was on his way over a couple weeks ago." She hoped that by now her mum realized that Addi was taking this whole things seriously and doing her best to do right by her daughter.

She pouted just a bit then. "I was looking forward to snuggling up with you in bed again," she told him. "But I suppose that as long I can still curl up on your lap, I'll survive," she added, a touch of drama in her tone. Really, she couldn't help but want to be close with him. Still, she let him lead her back into her room, and she sat on the bed as she let him choose her clothes. By now, he seemed to have a decent grasp of where things were in her closet and drawers, and with his sense of style, she knew she wasn't at risk of looking ridiculous in whatever he chose.
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Blaise couldn't help but snort. He'd heard about that one but oh, it did still amuse him. "She is, even if it's difficult to accept on a visceral level," he said. Though he really did want to make her come, to slip into her heat again. And he really did need to stop thinking about that, or he was going to have something of a problem.

"Well, we can do that. I simply thought you might like to be carried about," he said, lips curving up faintly. He started to poke through her closet. He was indeed a good one to do so, and he found a skirt with a nice, stretchy waistband but was brightly coloured and flowed, and then a soft-fabriced blouse with a cute little over sweater. The effect was casual elegance and comfort, something he excelled at.

He held it all up against himself to start and smirked. "Well, what do you think? Can I pull it off?"
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Oh but how strongly she understood that thought, but she did know it was true, especially after almost losing her little Peanut. But she was certain that as soon as the healer cleared her for it, he and Draco would take very good care of her. She looked forward to it.

"I would like that, oui," she agreed with a small smirk. He knew her so well already, and she adored that. And he was so very good at it, though she really couldn't wait until it was safe for her to go up and down the stairs on her own. It would mean she was either off bed rest or at least on a lighter sentence with it.

His antics teased a soft giggle from her, and she realized in that moment just how happy she was that he'd come to check on her, that he was there for her to help her out of her emotional spiral. Her feelings for him were strong, stronger than she was ready to face, but she was okay with that for now. She was enjoying going on this journey with him and Draco at a slower pace, really getting to know them. "You definitely could," she confirmed with a nod. "Are you going to choose my knickers too? I don't think it'd be appropriate to go without around my mum." Though she would definitely save that for another time, when it could be properly enjoyed by him.
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They would definitely be taking good care of her the moment it was allowed. Blaise didn't mind a slow build up - Draco tended to be the more impatient one. But even he wanted to take that step even though he wouldn't do anything to risk her child.

Blaise was very pleased to see her mood slowly improving and he was glad he'd decided to come check on her. Not only had he been worried but he'd wanted to see her.

"Well damn. I suppose I'll have to." He poked around that drawer too. Unsurprisingly, she had many pretty things. He chose one that looked both comfortable and pretty and he dangled it on the end of his finger with a hint of a naughty grin.

Then he knelt again and started dressing her bit by bit, his broad shoulders the perfect thing to help prop her ip if she needed it.
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She could definitely fall in love with him, Addi thought almost absently as he poked through her lingerie drawer. She adored so many things about him and, what was more, she trusted him completely. He was a protector and a Dom, the perfect combination, in her opinion, and with Draco in the mix as well, someone else she knew she could easily fall in love with, she had no doubt that all her wants and needs in life could be met.

Addi giggled softly when Blaise dangled a pair of her knickers from his finger. Having to transition to maternity lingerie had been awkward, but she had a good variety of pretty things still. As he knelt in front of her to start getting her dressed, she couldn't help but touch him, more in her gaze than she was comfortable putting to words just yet, but she cared deeply about him already, and she hoped he knew that. And once he'd helped her into her top, she stopped him, framing his face in both her hands so that she could lean in and kiss him soundly.

"Thank you," she murmured against his lips. What, exactly, she was thanking him for, she wouldn't say, but there were several things, and she had a feeling he would know, that he wouldn't need an explanation. Before he could swoop her up in his arms (ridiculous that she wasn't even allowed to walk down the stairs! Not that she was complaining!), she went over to get the book of baby names she'd been poking through even with Phillip before.
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His lips curved up in a small, warm smile. He knew without being told. He liked taking care of people in his way. Though some might find it odd, it dovetailed with his proclivities as a Dom. He tried never to neglect someone. For all he loved words, he didn't use them as much as he simply used actions to communicate his feelings.

He took a moment to make himself presentable as well. It didn't take much really, though he left off the jacket and let the shirt sleeves be rolled up. Then when she was ready, he swooped her up on a move that seemed effortless.

"Ready?" He asked before heading out the door and to the stairs. "What's today's book club meeting about?" He proceeded to tease, not having seen the title on the book yet.
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"Mhmm," Addi confirmed she was ready with a small nod, giggling softly at the way he'd so easily swooped her up into his arms. One hand held the book against the alarmingly (at least, to her) large curve of her belly, her other hand curled against where his neck and shoulder met, her head resting comfortably against his other shoulder.

At his question, Addi bit her lower lip a moment before turning the book around so that he'd be able to see the title if he glanced down. "Baby names," she finally admitted softly, a bit of shyness that seemed out of place on her. But despite their conversation just a little bit ago about it, this was all new territory for her. She wanted to name her daughter, though, fiercely, and if he really were willing to go through that process with her, all the better, she thought.
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His steps didn't falter, but his head did turn and his lips did press against her forehead. "Ahh, yes, the bumplet does need a name," he mused gently. He worked hard not to trespass onto territory he might not be welcome, but he also wanted her to know that she could discuss these things with him -- before and now.

"Have any favorites yet?" he prompted quietly. Most women seemed have at least an idea of what they would name a child, though he'd never dared ask Callie what her ideas might be. Dora had commented that it had been easy for her, though he hadn't heard a peep in that direction for her current pregnancy.
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Addi snuggled a bit more against him as he started down the stairs, shaking her head slightly. "Not really," she sighed. "I wasn't sure I was ever going to want kids, and then getting pregnant with her was such a shock. Phillip..." She paused, feeling that ache in her chest again at mentioning him. "Phillip and I had started talking about names before the explosion."

She didn't want to focus on Phillip and go back in the spiral of grief about everything, so she took a deep breath before adding, "Draco suggested Gertrude." Of course, that had been jokingly. "But that's definitely a hard no." She sounded amused at the memory. Him coming over just over a couple weeks ago had been wonderful, and she'd been so surprised and touched by the wings and the gift they would attach to once he'd finished making the horse. She suddenly wished that he were here too.
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His arms tightened around her, holding her just a bit more firmly, a tighter sort of embrace. A hug, since she was already in his arms. "Well, obviously nothing has stuck yet, so there's definitely some exploring to be done," he said in a positive manner. He didn't want her to dwell on the sad parts again, not when he'd gotten her to relax a little bit.

"Ha! Gertrude," he said, shaking his head. "I don't think that's royal enough for the bump, here. Perhaps something a bit more grand. I'm sure with your lineage, there are plenty of options to take inspiration from?" Of course, none of the common or boring ones, but there was bound to be a few interesting ones in there somewhere.
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She nodded again at his encouraging words. Yes, there was exploring to be done, which was why she'd brought the book and intended to explore names with him. "It is definitely not royal enough for my little Peanut." She was quiet for a long moment at that second bit as her mind worked through some of the things that had weighed on it when it came to naming. She knew that Phillip hadn't felt a strong urge to honor his family's naming tradition, but Zee had made her feel like she was somehow obliged to, at least in part, which was an extremely uncomfortable feeling for the sometimes contrary woman.

"I was thinking... you know how the Montgomery's have that naming tradition? With the first name pulled from Greek mythology and their middle names being Scottish?" she began softly. He was good friends with Dora and, well, he did seem to have a knack for knowing things about people, so she was assuming he knew about it. "I don't really want to follow the full tradition, but since I'm planning to give her my last name, I was thinking it might be nice for her to have a Scottish middle name, but to let her have a first name that's just hers, not named after anyone in either of our families." Possibly even simply an English first name, since both hers and Phillip's mothers were English.
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"Yes. Dora seems to have tweaked it a bit, but variations on the theme and all. They have the habit of it for several generations at least, give or take." He thought it charming in its own way, really. Sometimes traditions were a lot of fun, and there were worse names out there. Even if this generation seemed a bit... Not cursed, but living more into them.

"I think it would be nice to do that. I think the family would likely be happy for you to tuck something of them into her name." Especially since she wasn't giving her the surname. "Give her a tie in to them that way."

He carried her into the room and smiled politely at her mother.
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It encouraged her some that he seemed to approve of the idea. She knew she didn't need his approval, but she wouldn't deny that his opinion meant something to her. Nodding against his shoulder, she murmured, "Exactly." She did want to give her Peanut something in her name to tie her to the Montgomery family, but she didn't feel like she should or had to give her the Montgomery surname. Maybe if Phillip was still alive, but he wasn't, and she was doing all the work here anyway. It seemed fitting that her daughter should have her last name.

Mabel was just setting out tea on the coffee table when Blaise carried her daughter into the room, and she smiled warmly at them. "I've got to run to the store, do you need anything?" she asked Adelaide. It wasn't really an excuse to give her some alone time with her beau (one of her beaus--it was something Mabel wasn't poking at just yet; her daughter was happier when Blaise and Draco were around, and that's all that mattered to her), but that might have been a small part of the timing.

Addi shook her head. "No, I've got everything I need," she assured her. And then, turning her head toward Blaise, she added, "Though I do need to use the loo," sounding amused. Once he'd set her back on her feet, she went around to the little half bath, sighing softly. She couldn't wait to not have to pee every five minutes anymore.
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Blaise was careful as he set her on her feet, a hand remaining cupped under her elbow until he was certain she had her balance. He made the entire move look graceful. His gaze lingered on her as she left, though he refused to hover in such a manner that might make her feel uncomfortable, before turning his attention to Mabel.

"Ma'am," he said with a polite incline of his head. "Perhaps you could do me a small favor." His smile was charming and winning. "Buy Addi some flowers for me?" He, of course, would pay, but it would be a nice little surprise for her when her mother returned.
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Mabel looked at him shrewdly when he suggested she might do him a favor, instantly suspiciously of that charming smile in a way parents tended to be. But she waited to hear what the favor might be, her lips twitching as a smile fought to spread on her lips when he said his requests. She was a romantic at heart, though Aldrich had always been far more open about his soft, romantic heart than she, and her suspicions eased off. "Do you have a preference for the type?" she asked. She knew each of her daughter's favorite flowers, but she wasn't going to clue him in. Rather, she wanted to see what he would choose for Adelaide.
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His smile never faltered under her scrutiny, his polite attention never wavering. He inclined his head again. He gave the question some obvious thought. "I want them cheerful, so ... let's go with sunflowers, with a few white roses, baby's breath, and just a couple of sprigs of lavender," he said. That way, the scent would not be overwhelming. He was still figuring out Adelaide's preferences, but he knew that combination would make a beautiful bouquet. He reached for his wallet and actually thumbed out some muggle money, which he rarely used but often carried. "Or whatever you might think appropriate, if one of those isn't. But bright and cheerful." Though he was also going for a certain measure of elegance, for that was his default in most all things.
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When Blaise decided on the flowers he wanted for this bouquet, Mabel nodded, thinking they were good choices and knowing that Adelaide would enjoy them--minus the lavender. Although her daughter wasn't normally adverse to it, the smell of lavender had been off-putting for her daughter the last week or so. "I certainly can do that for you," she assured him as she took the money he'd held out for the bouquet, tucking it away quickly in a pocket just in case Adelaide came back. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke again, quietly, "Make sure she eats something, even if it's not much. It's been... a difficult day for her." But her daughter had seemed in much better spirits when he'd brought her downstairs a minute ago, so she was hopeful.

Addi didn't come back out until her mum was rounding the corner into the kitchen to head to the garage and the car Vieve kept there. She smiled at her as she went back into the living room, one hand curled over her bump protectively, sighing softly as she looked at the couch. She was so tired of sitting, and it had only been a few weeks. "I've never been a huge fan of running--" Though she'd done it fairly regularly. "--but I will so run a marathon just because I can once she's born." She pouted a bit as she forced herself to sit on the couch, leaning forward to doctor a cup of tea to her preferences before sitting back against the cushions, the book of baby names on one side of her, her other side open for him to join her.
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He would have to trust that she would nix anything that would disagree with Adelaide - such as the lavender. But he thanked her quietly and then nodded. "I'll see what I can do," he told her. He had noticed she was rather thin but he hadn't had a reason to comment on it.

"I would run with you. I run almost every day." And sometimes chased his sister while in cat form... It made runs more interesting to shake them up like that.

He sat next to her and did up his cup a tea, sitting back and draping an arm over her shoulders.
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She'd gone on runs with Phillip--the memory tinged her smile with sadness, and she looked into her cup before taking a sip of the hot liquid within. "Does Draco go running with you?" she asked curiously as she settled back against his side, carefully lifting her legs up to fold next to her. She got the image of them all running together, taking turns pushing a jogging stroller. The thought flustered her, the ease with which she was being able to imagine her daughter being a part of her life overwhelming.
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"Sometimes," he admitted. "Often I go out with my sister in the mornings though. Well. Sometimes we go running together, and sometimes I chase her or make her chase me," he amended, a wicked little glint in his eyes. "It's amazing how motivating it can be to have a big black cat chasing you even if you know it's your own flesh and blood who wouldn't actually pounce you," he added slyly. He wasn't sure if she knew about that aspect of him or not. It wasn't exactly a secret, but he knew he personally hadn't told her. Not that that meant someone else hadn't done so, particularly Draco.
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Addi's brows furrowed when he started answering, not sure what he meant by chase--did they play some sort of game of tag? And then he continued, and her eyebrows shot up high on her forehead when he mentioned a big black cat. "Big, black... cat? What?" she asked, her eyes just a little too wide as she looked at him. For all she knew about magic and had read all sorts of things, she'd never met an animagus and had no clue that he was one.
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"I'm an Animagus," he said easily, playing with a lock of her hair in a relaxed fashion in hopes of urging her to relax as well. "I worked very hard in order to be able to transform into an animal. I'm a black jaguar, or a panther, whatever term you prefer works. I find it ... nice, to transform sometimes. Relaxing." Usually if he'd had a rough day or week, you could find him in a sunbeam or something, or demanding pets as if he were a giant house cat.
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"You're a..." Addi shook her head, blowing out a breath as she tried to imagine him as a panther. As he spoke about it, brief though it was, she was overcome with the desire to see it, to see him in this other form of his. "All these years, I've known about magic, and I never realized there were actually Animagi," she admitted. She'd thought it was something of a myth, though that was likely only because she'd never come across one as far as she knew. She bit her lip for a moment, peeking sideways at him. "Can I see?" she finally asked hopefully.
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"Admittedly, a lot of people can't do it," he said. He couldn't blame her for not knowing. "It takes a lot of work. And possibly a family talent," he added the stray theory in. "A lot of my family has been capable of it." His sister was newly added to those ranks, speaking relatively anyway.

"Certainly, if you wish," he said. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and then stood. He had been one long enough to be able to shift clothes with him, generally speaking. He usually took off his expensive jackets, though, but that was already gone at the moment, so he simply gathered his concentration and moved it towards the cat part of him, and a moment later he was a large black jaguar, sleek and beautiful. He was on the larger end of the creature's size standards, and shiny and surprisingly soft when you petted him.

He strolled up to her and casually butted his head against her knees, letting out a loud start of a purr as he asked for a scritch.
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It was a lot to think about, and she thought she might ask him to bring her some books on the subject soon--it wouldn't be long until he figured out just how deep her thirst for knowledge, especially magical knowledge, went despite the fact that she would never be able to use magic herself. If she hadn't been watching him, she wasn't sure she'd have believed that it was him. She gasped softly as he transformed into the jaguar, and there was no doubt he was absolutely the most beautiful cat she'd ever seen.

And really, when would she ever going to get the chance to pet a jaguar if not for him? Addi leaned forward a bit to set her tea aside and put her feet down from the couch so she could give him the full attention of both her hands. "Aren't you just the most beautiful kitty?" she gushed softly at him. "Mm, so soft!" She wondered if he would take a nap with her in this form sometime.

Of course, in that moment, Matey let out a yipping little bark, hovering near the fireplace and looking at the giant cat rather suspiciously with his single eye. Addi laughed softly and wiggled the fingers of one hand toward her pup. "Oh, come on, Matey, it's just Blaise. You know Blaise!"
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He would definitely provide her with reading material on it if she wanted. He still had everything he'd used to study for it, as well as some stuff he kept up with on the side, the topic having always fascinated him in some way. Most people didn't associate him strongly with anything but the Prophet, but he was a powerful wizard and one who had pursued certain things to some degree after he left Hogwarts.

He purred louder at her praise, pleased that she took it well. Some people never got past fear. He rubbed his head against her, as demanding for attention as any cat anywhere. It was actually a very appropriate animal for him, most realized. He enjoyed attention, and he actually quite enjoyed affection, but like a cat, sometimes on his own terms. Though he proved to be much less demanding as a person, though that wasn't always true.

Blaise looked at the little dog with the superior sort of cat amusement that belonged to all species of it. He yawned largely, sharp teeth gleaming. A statement that, I am bigger than you and I am the boss, but so long as you play nice I'm not going to bother to be a jerk about it.
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If she hadn't seem him transform, she likely wouldn't have taken it so well, but she was utterly enchanted by him in this form, with his sleek, dark coat showing hints of other colors. Her fingers curled and scratched at that fur, her smile wide. "I love magic," she sighed happily. Because, seriously, how else would she ever have been able to pet a panther? Though she wasn't even a little bit surprised that his Animagus form was so stunning and dangerous.

Matey yipped pathetically at that yawn, his little tail tucking between his legs, and Addi sighed softly. "Blaise," she said in warning. "You're scaring Matey, and that's not very nice." One hand dropped from Blaise's soft fur so she could call Matey over to them, but the little pup just whined and backed away. A moment later, she heard the sound of little paws running up the stairs, and she sighed as she looked back at Blaise with a frown. "You should probably turn back. I'm not sure when my mum will be back, but I can't imagine she'd enjoy the shock of walking in and seeing a huge wild cat keeping me company."

Despite her words, she brought her hand back to his neck, giving him so more pets as she leaned in again, shifting her legs apart so her bump wouldn't get squished against her thighs, and dropped a kiss to the top of his furry head.
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He huffed quietly and gave her a look that patently said, I'm harmless. You know I wouldn't do anything. Which he wouldn't. He knew how she felt about the dog. He would have to go cuddle the silly thing now, more than likely. He made a lowkey grumbly noise when she told him he should change back and instead tilted his head up so she could scratch his chin, which felt delightful in this form.

He rubbed his cheek against hers, his whiskers light and raspy, and gave her another purr. Finally, though, he pulled back in order to transform again, and when he sat again, he pulled her comfortably against him. "I like to cat," he told her. "I find it rather relaxing."
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Addi smiled at him when he returned to his human form, settling back against him with her tea contentedly. "That may be so, and I can see why, but I still think my mum should be warned before seeing you that way," she pointed out, amused. She wasn't sure if he was okay with her mum knowing, but she supposed she would find out.

Taking a sip of her tea, she wrinkled her nose and held the mug out toward him. "It's cooled off," she explained, knowing he could easily warm it back up for her. There were reasons she'd never been interested in dating muggles, though this was the least of them.
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"Oh, I agree, though how on earth would a jaguar get in here?" he mused purely for amusement's sake. "Though I know logic rarely has a place in those reactions and I would rather your mother like me than otherwise." Mothering mothers like her always seemed foreign to him, but he generally handled with an air of polite bemusement.

He took it and carefully used a wandless spell to warm it, though he tested it with a sip of his own to make certain he'd not overdone it before handing it back to her. Then he reached over and plucked up the names book where it had bee set and flipped it open. "Do you start at the letter A, or would you rather hop about all chaotic like while I enunciate everything in outlandish voices?" Of course, with a voice like his, he could read the phone book and be entertaining.
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Snorting a soft laugh, Addi leveled a look at him, which seemed to be unnecessary as a moment later he was iterating just what she'd been thinking--that logic wouldn't be immediately present in a moment like that. "I have no doubt my mum likes you," she told him, leaning into him a bit more so she could brush a light, brief kiss against his lips.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile when he handed her teacup back to her. It was rather a perfect temperature now, she thought with a contented sigh. She was feeling happier and far more relaxed for having him here, and she was grateful that he'd come to check on her. When he plucked up the book, though, she was reminded of her earlier turmoil. Thankfully, his question was just silly enough to keep her from circling back to those sorts of thoughts. She wasn't in this alone, and even though it wasn't with Phillip, as it rightfully should be, it was the best in a difficult situation, and she smiled gratefully at him. "Oh, the second option, definitely," she said with exaggerated seriousness.
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Fingers cupped her cheek for a moment, returning the light kiss. "Good. I'd much rather have it that way." Because while Kermit's mother had said she liked him... he suspected she was behind at least a bit of the shoddy advice and badmouthing that had happened behind his back while he was busy working.

"All righty, then. Let's see." He flipped the book open randomly. "Bernarda. Hmm." Again. "Vanessa. Not bad." Again. "Usha. Probably not." He gave each name a pretty, weighted test in his mouth though. Considering it and allowing her to as well. "Katlyn. Esther. Babina." His eyes glinted at her over the book at that last. "No, I don't see you calling your baby, Babi."
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She did so love his voice, and she knew she was going to find excuses to have him read things to her... probably forever. Which was assuming she'd be around him that long, which was a thought she wasn't going to poke too hard just yet. She enjoyed him--both him and Draco--and she was okay with things going a bit on the slow side. Still, she wrinkled her nose at most of the names, shaking her head especially at the last one.

"Definitely not Babina. I would really love her to have an English first name that is fit for royalty. Not Elizabeth, though, it is too common a name." She would be okay with a relatively popular name, but with Queen Elizabeth heading the monarchy here for so long, and not to mention how popular the name had consistently been throughout history, it just wasn't a name she wanted for her daughter. It was something she hoped she would recognize when she heard it, that she would know that was supposed to be Peanut's name.
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"Though it does have a wide variety of diminutives to choose from," he pointed out. "Choices are much narrower when we go to English names, but there's still some good names. Joanna, Cordelia, Diana. Aubrey or Audrey. Emma." He mused through them relatively slowly, giving each of them the same taste.

He did it mostly from memory, people he knew he'd heard the name with before and such, but no one that he had to liked.
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It did, but she still didn't want to name her little Peanut Elizabeth or any of its diminutives. She liked the sound of Cordelia--loved it, even. "Cordelia de Blacas d'Aulps," she said quietly, saying the name with a bit more of her French accent than English. Of course, Peanut wouldn't have the d'Aulps part of her last name, but unofficially it would be there. "That's beautiful." It was a name she could have seen her mum choosing for her or her sisters, which made her love it even more. "My little sister is Diana, though, so that's a no," she pointed out teasingly. Had she explained her whole huge family to him yet?
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"Ha, that's right. I need to keep your family tree straight," he teased quietly. Also, Cordelia had a delightful variety of diminutives as well, giving the child options as she grew up. "I think the name is lovely though. And you're bound to find a middle name that will pair beautifully with it. There are a variety of lovely Scottish names." And he was certain, if she asked the family, that they might suggest a few for her use as well. "So see, you have a name for your little princess."
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Addi nodded, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she turned her head to look at him with shining eyes--happy tears filling in a sheen over her blue eyes instead of the pained tears of earlier. "I do," she agreed. Cordelia. It really was a beautiful name. She drifted off into quiet contemplation then, thinking about what her daughter's middle name should be, considering the possibility of asking the women in the Montgomery family for suggestions, and just enjoying the simple pleasure of not being confined to her bedroom.

It was a little bit before her mother returned, and she glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen as she heard her mum come in and start putting things away. A couple minutes later, she came into the living room, her face mostly hidden by the large bouquet of sunflowers and roses, and Addi gasped softly. "What...?"

"A bouquet from your beau," Mabel offered as she waited for Addi to set her teacup aside so she could take the bouquet from her mum.

Addi tilted her head down to smell the flowers, her smile broadening as she looked at Blaise. "Thank you," she murmured as she leaned in to give him a soft, lingering kiss--nothing too inappropriate with her mum right there.
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The joy on her face at receiving a surprise bouquet was enough to please him. It's what he'd wanted by ordering it, since he knew it would bring her pleasure on a day in which there'd been little of it, and it would hopefully continue to brighten her day, or at least her room, when he wasn't able to be here.

His hand cupped her cheek and he returned the kiss, equally mindful of her parent standing there. "You're welcome. I thought you might like them."
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"I love them," she assured him before smelling the bouquet again. It was bright and cheerful and so very lovely. She wasn't sure if Blaise had told her mum what to get, but regardless, her mum had chosen a lovely arrangement. Addi handed the bouquet back to her mum so she could set it on an end table in view, though she thought she might ask one of them to bring it upstairs once she had to go back up.

As her mum slipped off, probably back to the kitchen, Addi curled snugly against Blaise's side again, comfortable and content in a way she hadn't been earlier. Hope. She had hope. And her confidence that she wasn't in this alone had been bolstered. And now, now she was simply going to enjoy the time she got to spend with him.