masanari | [Futurelandia] It's April and We're under the sheets.

[That's way too serious and this'll pretty much reveal itself anyway. Once they're both out she takes his hand, starting at a quick trot. The closer inward they go the more likely Masaomi is to smell it, too: Ramen, fresh, authentic plucked-right-out-of-Japan Ramen, at that. What she's brought him to is essentially a little pop up restaurant with one cook, and one extra attendant. Their stall looks like it's been tied down to the back of a pickup many a time.]

The line isn't even that big! [There's maybe three people ahead of them, and two are a couple, so.] He came around back in January but you weren't feeling well. I was trying to time this with when he showed up!

[You can't say she doesn't come up with creative dates. There's a lot of other stuff on the menu, anything that could be reasonably made with a mobile oven, really, but Ramen is the most easily recognizable for Emily.]

[ Holy shit that smell...

... Oh man, is this a food truck? Or no, but it's something really close to that, right?! His eyes light up the moment he smells it, and he grins, taking hold of her hand and giving it a firm squeeze as he widens his strides to get them in the line that much quicker. He didn't even know that existed. There's actually a lot of good Asian restaurants in town, but this sort of pop up set up like this is intrinsically different. But all the same- ]

Yeah, January was all over the place. [ the vacation was amazing but then...

Well a lot happened. He shrugs ]

Awesome, that's a nice find, Emily.

[Basically a food truck-shack thing! A somewhat underground one, but it was impossible to see something like this and not think of Masaomi, it's not exactly the prettiest place and she's no expert on Japanese food by far ... But anyone can tell food made with heart from a mile away. Or, rather, that's kind of a weird talent of hers.]

To say the least.

[It was an awful month and she's a lot happier to be squeezing his hand in return as they move up.]

I hoped you would like it. Besides, you're going to be a pretty big part of this too so it made sense to do something special.

[She pauses for a second, debating the question she wants to ask:] Is it different when you're planning it?

[It's no secret that Yamato was a surprise, Junko was probably more of an inevitability, and Koji might have been a little more of a shock considering the small gap between he and his sister. But now there's a concerted effort to go all out with this baby thing, and a vague sensation in the back of her head that it feels different as a result.]

Pretty big, huh? So what are we talking, in terms of percentages? Thirty? Something like that?

[ It could be fifty-fifty purely biologically, but that might not be the way to look at all of this emotionally. This was her baby and her moment, and to some extent he was just making it happen. But that same baby was entering into his pack and it was in a very real way his. His and hers, theirs. It's something nostalgic and pleasant, despite the situation - something he can't help but think people operated like in antiquity.

He laughs all the same, shifting his hand to wrap his loosely around her waist. ]

... It's pretty different though, yeah.

At least forty-five, right? I mean, you planned on being on top at some point, I'm sure.

[As opposed to lying back and just letting her do all the work. It probably is more her moment, but ultimately she's still not entirely ready to be a full on mom. Masaomi's likely to end up guiding this eventual kid just as much as anyone else in the house. It's just the lead up that makes her so nervous and maybe a tad unsure, like following through on something huge.

But that's also why Masaomi was the best choice: Rather than give into that fear she just leans into him.]

Hm. Is it more fun?

Oh, most definitely. Unless you read some guru guide which says I'm not supposed to. I can't be too certain on your important day.

[ But he laughs. He's joking at this point, trying to raise her spirits further in a way which isn't overly sexual. He knows that they will be doing sex later of course, but he wants to... well, he wants to make things feel natural. Like a date or something. A date just for her. He squeezes her and nuzzles against her head a little bit.

More fun...

It's different. It's really different. But he can't help but realize that though she doesn't intend it, she is asking him to compare this to sex with Nariko. That's a whole other thing entirely. But all the same, after mulling it over a moment, ]

It's a lot more exciting for what it is. I'm thinking about the outcome more, and it's really the sort of thing to make someone eager.

If I read anything that says that it's been conveniently blocked from my memory.

[No one can say he isn't good at it. Nariko takes precedence for him beyond everyone else, maybe his own children, but there's something to be said for gaining the attention of her Alpha, of Masaomi himself as a man. It's easy to feel at ease with him and it's always been one of his finer points.]

That's how it's supposed to be for you though, right?

[Honestly, it's a fascinating topic to her.] It's really only natural to want to propagate, that's a drive that Alphas have and others are meant to follow. [And while Emily definitely isn't purposefully asking to compare anything it is interesting to her that one of the somewhat few female alphas in the world has as strong a desire to be surrounded with children as Masaomi now has to create them. It's a grand thing that feels comforting to be a part of, a callback to instincts older than time. He's always seemed to understand that kind of thing, which makes her feel a little less crazy.]

[ The drive Alphas are meant to have... He grins a little in spite of himself as she says that, and while something he does pride himself on is a certain ability to control himself and his scent, he does let a strong note of out into the air, as if he was primordially both laying a claim to her and issuing a challenge to any other woman in the line to come have his children too.

Indeed.

He does decide to answer her seriously though. If anyone - well, Emily might be the one who could best understand or at least accept his reasoning here. ]

It's a stage, I think. When this all began, I was being scrappy and just wanted to make a home for us all. But coming to this choice and reaching this point feels like an awakening, and it's exciting to be here. It's only that we are in a more rational period which sees me not restricting all children in the pack to being mine.

[She probably would have had an intelligent response to what he said if he'd kept a lid on that. Emily can't help the full body shiver or the sudden drop in her own control, her own scent practically dizzies her because it's concentrated sunflower and desperate in a way that she very rarely feels. Such is the power of an alpha, though.]

I suppose you could liken it to being a new book in your life. [Not even a chapter, because he's so different from the man that happened to take her and Ada in like stray puppies.]

... Is it rude if I eat fast?

[There's some quip to be made here, surely, about the fact that she isn't one to lose control so violently for anyone else, but she's too busy trying to breathe normally to formulate and subsequently vocalize that thought.]

A whole new book? That's a pretty bold statement... but! I'll allow it, even if I know I'm going to be savoring it until it's time to slurp up more.

[ That all came out a little bit disjointed on his end too. Really, it's because while he did lid his scent the moment after it burst (and turned heads oops) he now is sort of pondering the philosophical meaning of what she just had him consider. Because there are things to examine there.

Is he different? ]

Well, they're called books because their ends are meant to come naturally, there's always more until there isn't, right?

[Even she can't imagine him being omnipotent to time - there'll be a day where he can't reasonably continue on with this endless impregnation, but when that time comes it won't be because of a lack of will, but because the world always turns, if nothing else.

They move up in the line and she inches a little closer, trying and failing to squash the part of her that demands contact even though he's taken away something that made her feel whole.]

[ Masaomi is, as always, not really oblivious to his effect on her or a handful of people around thm, but he is trying to hold some degree of norms... for some reason. Maybe just to get as far as the ramen. Still, as they get further in line and he continues the conversation, he does wrap his arm around her side, pulling her in close to lan on him if she so wishes, and snaking a hand up go tease one of her tits through the dress.

It's not much, but he figured she would appreciate it ]

Virtual mortality is a hard concept right after you get over an existential thing. Well, as much as I can, anyway. [ He hums. ] You know, in that sense, maybe that's a bit part of why the note does ring so strong, to make little spin off books.

[Or possibly because he is here with her and while Emily wouldn't be insecure or petty enough to be jealous but it'd sort of be annoying to have to wait for her moment. But thankfully he controls himself for the moment and so she's able to indulge in these affectionate gestures which feel more like an ownership than an emotional relationship - but given what they're leading up to that only feels right.]

Every once in a while I have a good thought.

[The menu is a little easier to see now and she hums at it.]

I know basically nothing about Japanese food.

[Except that to assume it's all sushi is Egregious and Awful as explained by Nariko.]

Then I've really failed you all.

[ Because obviously it's The Best.

Still, he'll keep close to her and brush against her, running his hand up and down the arm that he's got around her. He...

Well. ]

There's always time to learn.

[But that's not a worthwhile train of thought, it seems, because even though he's holding her and it's a great night for making a baby he's still got that look. For a moment Emily is pretty sure she won't ask him about it, but then she remembers how bad an idea it is to let either he or Nariko ferment over things. Everyone is better off if the both of them talk out their thoughts versus just bouncing them around in too-full skulls.]

What's up.

[It's not really a question because a question might give him room to say 'nothing', but it's something.]

[ Is he that obvious? He wasn't really thinking that hard! Hell, he even said that first bit in sarcasm, because of course he can't control what everyone eats, particularly when for years Ada or Nariko had managed who ate what. Well, them or Octavio. Sometimes others. Recently, Yamato or Veronica. Still, he...

Really needs to stop thinking so rapidly.

The man blinks, and he nuzzles her cheek a bit before responding, ]

I was just thinking that I know where we can get a nice glass of wine near here. But that also doesn't really match with the food here.

[She busts out giggling at that.]

Man, I thought it was way more serious!

[Yeesh, she's never worrying about him again! Except when she inevitably does.]

I promise you don't need to get me drunk for what's supposed to come next.

[But it's their turn, so let's order!]

What if I wanted to make a mood?

[ A hum. A hum, and then he gets ahead. But okay, let's order! This is a ramen cart so it'd be silly to order anything but Ramen, but he examples what the guy has. He decides that the best one for the moment would be ... Well, let's get some Tokyo Style ramen. He decides to order a Shoyu bowl with egg in it and some other nice garnishes. Anything else...? Oh, they have some old school sweet drinks. He'll get that too. The better for the both of them to get two big bowls.

But no nothing more serious.

Probably. ]

Then we could get wine after ramen!

[She kind of thinks he's still got something more serious going on in there but Masaomi is not always the type to be pushed. She hopes he would talk to her if he felt a need to but in the end that is a job that falls to his mate above all else - and that's definitely not Emily. She's just a regular old packmate, one that orders mostly the same thing because she still doesn't know what she's doing with this food!!! But she'll give it a fair shot.]

Although [Said after the ordering is done, while they're waiting and she points out a table closest to the ocean. It's unintentionally romantic, which is ridiculous since Emily herself isn't acting any different from usual.] wine means we'll just make this kid in front of a whole crowd of people, I think.

Hoooohhhh, well, well, that would be quite the story! We got something to celebrate your last little hurrah of alcohol for a year or so only to have you serve as an attractive glittering object for the masses! I'm sure a good show could be made out of that!

[ He's being intentionally playful at this point, grinning as he rocks his way over to the table. The fact of the matter is that the whole wine and making this important thing...? That's something he's trying to project out. It's not really him and he knows it's not even really Emily, but this was new and was important, so it did deserve some sort of special gravitas, of the sort she was already providing by them being here.

Maybe, though he wasn't allowed to be, he was even a litter nervous. Or well, not nervous, but jittery, with a strange surreal excitement now the hour was upon them. ]

[Contrasting him, Emily is utterly calm but there's a part of her that kind of regrets the fanfare because it really isn't like her, especially not Masaomi. But it just would have felt weird to tell her eventual child that it was conceived without some amount of fanfare, because there wasn't a traditional romantic love to fall back on here. Sure, telling it that he was her Alpha and that was How Things Go would work but then it'd just have the same childhood Emily did! And then that'd defeat the entire point.

Still, as they get their food rather fast she kind of decides to just go for it once they're done eating.]

Oh, that's right! I won't be able to drink as soon as I know, right?

[It's ... Probably better to not drink at all after they've tried given how many hormones she's dosed up on, but those are the little things you can't immediately recall before the nausea sets in.]

Nariko gets final say on that, ... err, other than you - because she's the baby whisperer, buuuut. [ A sage nod as he sets the bowl down. ] Yes.

[ The alpha gives a smile that's somewhere between sympathetic and a bit teasing as he actually takes the seat. The house really is going to feel different as more than one party in it is pregnant. It's... nice. It smells nice, feels right. But it's also going to be strange, and it's something that they all need to adapt to.

Still, he needs t figure out what this all means to me. He's at an odd intersection of instinct and expectation. He lets out a little bit of scent briefly to assure himself again. ]

Might have some other penchants too.

Ahh, yes, the Alpha Bitch does get full reign of the kids.

[With any other woman it might be a point of contention but to Emily it's a relief. Their apparent brood mother is far more experienced and she'll be able to trust her future offspring with them. She knows that more than she knows how they'll make this happen in the next few moments.]

Oh, there's more? Maybe I should have been asking you two instead of reading books.

[Meanwhile she ... tries to figure out how to eat this ramen. How does this even work.]

[ Well, Masaomi, curiously enough despite it being a bit soup-esque is breaking off his chopsticks, getting a few noodles and some of the garnishes on them each time he brings them up to eat, slurp at. He also stirs around the egg, grinning as he does.

... This is good. He'll praise her for it soon. ]

Well that and she's got pregnancy experience. And oh, I've seen and heard some things I'm not sure the people who write books put in them. For comedy's sake, I'm sure.

Emily blatantly watches and raises a brow at the slurping until she remembers hearing that's actually polite in Japan. It was so long ago that she kind of doubts the thought but he's doing it, so!! She tries to imitate, but she's not really the best with chopsticks, so it's taking a little bit of (clumsy) work on her part.]

Such as?

[Give her all the wisdom from your point of view, Masaomi! It's not like Martin will be taking up the mantle.]

[Futurelandia] It's April and We're under the sheets.

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