[Fiction] Home is where you are... [Complete]

[Long]

"Thank you. You are right about the need for nova reproduction. I've found that many of the world's novas are sterile. There's no logical natural cause for it, and I highly doubt that erruption coveys sterility, since there are some fertile novas. There's something else at work there."

He turns to Sakurako and smiles. "How about it Sakura-chan, what's your reason?" He smiles lightly, showing that he thinks he already knows, but doesn't mind hearing it from her lips again.

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako sighs, patting her belly. "You only described half, Long." Sakurako sits down at a nearby chair. "To be honest, something has been pulling me here. Leading me to this point. I just... I really just thought that this point is where I should be and should have been. It's almost like... I knew... I WANTED this to happen."

She looks towards Long. "I and Long are in agreement on this. I should have joined with him sooner."

[Long]

"I was too busy chasing after the specter of a relationship with Timeslip to notice the feelings she had for me. When she came over back in October, that day I was totally alone. She showed me a kindness I had expected, or deserved. It was then that all those feelings I had for her dug themselves out from my heart. To my suprise, she returned them in kind. We gave ourselves to each other with the only regret of not having done it sooner."

He chuckles. "I'm sure there's an anime out there somewhere that has a plot similar to what I just recounted, but it's the truth I swear."

He nods to each of them. "Now my concern is providing for my family and raising my children in peace. If I can do that,, I will be happy."

[Origami]

"I'm... starting to realize how complex love truely is. I mean, I've wrote the occasional sappy romance novel, but that was for a quick buck. You just can't write something this good."

Origami laughs, sort of brushing it off, but inside is a different matter. For a year she isolated herself from the world after her eruption. To her, being alone had become an instinct all it's own. Now she's practically surrounded by people. Not only that, but the majority is Nova.

Now she is at this point. And her world has changed.

[Long]

"Love is hard to quantify and impossible to control. That said there's an entire holiday devoted to it in the west. I always found it intriguing."

He notds and his tail flicks about before him. "It has a complexity that defies even the smartest of novas, yet at the same time it can also be so simple."

"What about you, have you ever been in love before?"

[Origami]

"No. If I said yes, I woould be lying. The most I have had is a schoolgirl crush in my youth. That is more lust than love."

She sighs. "Then again... when tragedy is involved, then it's..."

She falls silent. The subject of that time to her is a sore one. After that event she fell into her writing and never looked back. What happened that day was too painful for her.

[Long]

"There's a story there, thogh not for now I'd wager."

"So what sort of books do you write? Where do you draw your inspiration?"

[Origami]

"To be honest, my dealings with Novakind have inspired new ideas. I had been writing more mundane fiction before I started getting involved with the Nova community."

"At the moment though... I'm at a loss."

She sits back, looking up at the ceiling. "Science fiction feels so antiquated, fantasy is dead, and superheroes are cliche. So where does someone in my field hang their glasses at the end of the day, hmm?"

[Long]

"Mystery,Comedic Satire, Tradgedy, Romance, they're all still viable I should think. A good comedy would be nice for a change."

He Tickles Endeavor's forearm with the tip of his tail. "What do you think? In the mood for a good Comedy?"

[Sakurako Hino]

Endeavor's retractible tail sneaks out from the cuff of her shorts she decided to throw on earlier, and tickles him in a soft spot she hopes he still has. She giggles from the tickling, enjoying things rather much.

"Hey, anything goes, Ryu."

[Long]

Long's fur bristles slightly, the only sign of being tickled he'd allow to show. He looked back to Origami. "Write what you feel like writing, I'll read it. I had been trying to read more before I left, DO you have any reccomendations?"

"Reading is an old hobby of mine, before the fire my collection was enormous."

[Origami]

Origami sighs. this is a paradox for her. She authors books, but is very finicky about what she lets herself read.

"Well, I would say Stephen King. Particularly the Dark Tower series of books. But lately I've found myself starting to read philosophy and things of that nature.

Then again, I'm sure you're familiar with the Art of War... so that goes without saying. I've been dissecting that while reading some Gibson that I snatched from Sakurako's library.

Odd, she's a fiend for Manga, yet she has a hidden stash of some of the best pre N-Day science fiction I've seen."

[Long]

"I had a large collection too. It's all gone now though." There's a sad look on his face as he talks. Remembering everything that was lost when Hohiro destroyed his old home is a sadness he could do without.

"Though there's little stopping me from reaquiring much of it. Why have money if you cannot spend it?"

[Origami]

"All too true... then again, sometimes I wonder about people's passtime. I am sort of worried about Miss Hino. Seems she's been working out of her office exclusively. I only see her on rare occasions when she grabs some food or goes to the restroom. Other than that, I wonder if she's losing herself in her work."

She looks genuinely concerned. Sakurako has been losing herself in her work. She doesn't know the reason, so her mind is left to wander.

[Sakurako Hino]

Endeavor's eyes bug out for a second. She grabs her composure realizing her problem is simply explained. "Now that Ryu-kun is back, Kyoko... I feel much more comfortable parading around that I'm with child. Before hand, any number of factors would put me in harm's way. Now that Ryu has returned, I feel much more secure."

She steps over to Kyoko. "And I'm only going to tell you this once, so make it burned in your conciousness. What I do, when I do it, and for what reason is NONE of your concern unless it harms me or others. Are we clear?"

[Origami]

"Harming yourself? That was my concern. Now that the reasoning is clear, I have no concerns. You have to get out more, Sakurako. I think it would do better for you."

Origami starts walking out of the house. "I'm going to catch some air, all. I think I may have been too direct. Besides, I think Sakurako and you need some time together... alone."

Kyoko bows politely to Sakurako and Ryu, knowing she did overstep a bit, but her concern was in the right place overall.

[Sakurako Hino]

"People generally don't like having criticisms laid on their doorstep without prior request, Origami... but you are right in your concern. Thank you... no apologies needed."

Sakurako calms down and returns a bow, knowing perhaps she needs to learn to loosen up. She leans against Long. "So... thinking about following up on Dr. Origami's perscription, Ryu?" She looks up to him, starting to stroke his face. "Besides, I think I'm ready to head out... at least now that you've returned to me."

[Long]

Long watched the ezxchange in silence. He'd rarely seen Endeavor lose her cool, but he knew her hormones were totally out of sync with her pregnancy. After Origami leaves he looks down to her, his hand moving to cover hers.

"Not tonight Sakurako. I am still drained from the process. I have barely any power left at the moment. Right now, what I'd like is nothing more than to take a relaxing bath, and then put in a good night's rest. I promise we'll go out soon, but I need to recover my lost power and relieve some tension in these old mucles and bones."

He smiles as his tail coils up around her left leg. "Of course, It's been awhile and I'm sore, perhaps you would care to join me, on all counts, in case I need some help?" His meaning is barely veiled, and his eyes gleam with Mischief There would be relaxing indeed if Endeavor joined him.

[Sakurako Hino]

"I would be happy to. I was thinking of drawing a bath shortly. Now seeing you here, I'm more than happy to share. And, it's been a while since I had a long bath..." She straightens herself out.

"Just... don't mind me sticking on the surface if the tub. Even looking normal like I am right now I still float. Found that out last bath I took." She laughs bashfully. Knowing her body's current state even before her pregnancy could be called odd if you were being diplomatic. "Just the nature of things I guess. I... did remodel the bathroom. Made it deep enough to easily enjoy as a hot-tub. I thought since our family was going to be getting bigger, we could enjoy a family bath once in a while, and I thought the size was necessary. I even put a couple hand-holds I can use for my tail so I can pull myself down enough so I don't turn into a pice of driftwood in the tub."

[Long]

Long chuckles softly. "That's alright, this is your home after all. I could just see the children using you as a life raft raft in the hot tub." He gets up and smiles. "I'll get the water going. Don't be long." His blue eyes gleam brightly, The promise of a pleasurable night easy to see in his eyes. Though tired, the prospect of sharing a bath with Sakurako had renewed his desire to stay awake.

He gets the bath run and and the room is filled with a thin layer of steam. He slides off his eufiber into a small pile leaving himself nude, and steps into the large tub. Evidently the storage room had been removed and the tub expanded. It was at least twice the size it had once been. "If I wanted I could actually lay out comfortably in my natural form." It was tempting, but he knew his current form was much eaiser to clean, and more manageable. Beyond that, wet fur wasn't normally a pleasant smell. He surrendered himself to the hot water and sighed. It had been a day of change, and now he was, for at least a little while, able to relax.

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako was amused by Long's comment. Geeze... that's right. I better stay on shore whenever I take the family to the beach. I'm liable to be used as some sort of boat by the younglings...

After long heads off to the bathroom, Sakurako decides it's best to change outside the bath. Stripping down, and grabbing a spare towel large enough to drape her growing tummy, she walks to the bath.

She walks into the warm water of the bath and releases her towel before it gets wet, setting it on the outside of the bathtub. She sits down, but her inherent bouyancy causes her to flop back. Annoyed, she used her tail to reach for one of the handle-like tail-holds to pull herself down by the tail to the floor of the tub. Letting the excess trapped air in her body to go up to her chest and arms. It's awkward, but it works.

She sits against a tub wall and smiles, looking towards Ryu. "So... A good upgrade for the house?" She lets her arms rest on the side of the tub she's sitting against. "I fabricated this myself. With some time and effort. Outside of the tail-holds I think this would be a good line of bathroom fixtures. Water efficient, comfortable, and... oh..." She looks towards a glossy black panel in the floor. She puts her hand on it, and she starts a flow mechanism that slowly circulates the water. Making it feel like a natural pond. "I thought I'd install these for fun."

[Long]

Long watches her climb into the tub, enjoying the view of her nude form, remebering the last time he saw it, and how pregnancy has changed it. He had loved her before, but seeing this beautiful nova who now carried their children within her like this filled his heart with both passion and more love than ever. She was more beatiful in his eyes at this moment than she'd ever been. She would understand his desire to protect them all, She would allow him to be himself. Long's eyebrow arches slightly as she turns the jets on. "Mmmmmmmmmm, this feels good."

His tail snakes underwater and coils around her right leg, helping to hold her in the water. "I like all the changes you've made my dear. All of them." It's obvious that his eyes are looking into the water at her stomach as he talks and smiles.

"I could fall asleep right now, only the beautiful company I keep is keeping me awake at the moment. Though I'm wondering why you're sitting all the way across the bath."

[Sakurako Hino]

She leans foreward, releasing her tail, and rotates around to her back, and pushes her way with her legs over to Long. "I... just wanted to set the water just right..." She strokes his legs, knowing how he's relaxing. "Don't worry, if we fall asleep, I'll make sure we'll be alright." She pushes up to long, and lets her tail wrap around his mid-section. She strokes his face again. "Just relax... recover. You've returned from your journey. Let yourself go for now."

[Long]

Long nods, know what happens next is going to hurt like hell. He releases the human form, fully relaxing in the water. On the sides of the tub where his hands are his claws pop out and imbed into the panelling as pain wracks his body as it returns to its natural form. His eyes close and his teeth grind as his Tiger features reassert themselves. The water rises as his mass increases and he displaces more water than before.

He sags back against the wall of the bath, hen slowly slides further into the water. Weakly his own tail wraps around her expanded waist, as an arm weakly caresses her right shoulder."Oh Sakurako, you've no idea how much I've missed you."

The words barely escape his mouth before his massive head falls over just above Endeavor's. His heart's still beating, his ches rises and falls as he keeps breathing, but the massive nova had succumbed to all of the pain of the day and drifted off to sleep.

Despite the pain, she could see the slight curl to his lips, the white tips of his large fangs just barely poking out. He was smiling, he was finally home, where he belonged.

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako strokes the tiger-man's muzzle. Seeing fully the extent of his changes. "Sleep well. I'll be here waiting for you." She wraps her tail more firmly around Longs waist, and puffs herself up a bit to allow a cushion for Long to sleep on. She feels one of her unborn children kick afterward. Almost as if the child could feel their father's presence. I know... little one. Father's home.

She embraces Long's form with her arms for a moment, then lets go, allowing herself to get as comfortable as she can. She knows he won't drown, but getting rudely awakened with a snout full of water is annoying, so she stays close and makes sure he doesn't fall over. She decided the best way is to move air into her tail, and let him float by her tail, almost like a swim ring. While she herself decides to lounge near him.

I just don't know if this will be our last calm moment... at least for the near future...

Finished