[OTA] The rabbit has done died.

[starscrownher]

She had really, sincerely, truly been hoping that she had the flu. Even though she was virtually never ill and there was no virus going around the Deck, she'd mostly convinced herself she had one and she'd be over it in a week or so. The five pregnancy tests just had been because she'd been curious about how they worked. But given every single one

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[brightbutler]

He was never going to be an outdoorsy person, but mild days like this he didn't mind too much. Besides, Urania had asked him to meet her, and that was always an agreeable state of affairs. He set the kitchen brats to tasks he was sure even they couldn't mess up too badly and cast an eye over the study that was being refurbished before slipping out and into the sun.

The marauding children received a cursory once-over but he paid them little heed-- thankfully, he didn't see fit to comment. Because that would have been something like 'I pity their poor parents.'

No, instead his greeting was subdued as usual but earnestly warm. "Morning, Rain." He didn't sit, stooping to kiss at her cheek and fiddling momentarily with his tie instead, because there was always some formality that never quite stopped clinging. He'd probably wait to be invited.

[starscrownher]

"...Morning, Isaac. How are things at the Castle?" At least she managed to sound fairly normal and calm about things. That was a good sign, really. Maybe she wouldn't utterly panic when they got to the 'So....I'm going to have a baby' part of the conversation.

This, granted, represented more optimism than Urania usually approved of.

[brightbutler]

One shoulder rose and fell in his usual all-encompassing gesture and his hands both moved behind his back. As always, there were too many details to be worth giving an extremely accurate answer. "Well enough. The new King has brought back a little bit of balance. It's been nearly two hours since Sir Ten's blasted cat last destroyed something."

Normalcy, Urania. Life is Normal.

[starscrownher]

Life is not normal. Life is so far from being normal, Isaac, you have no idea.

But she just tips her head and smiles at Isaac because, really. There's something calming about the normalcy of Diamond Castle. Or what passes for it at least. She's not even going to mention that she's heard two of the Tens now have cats. One bombshell at a time.

"That's good." Then a pause. "So...I need to tell you something."

[needsnomirror]

Guess what you need right now, Urania.
Or rather who you need. Hint, it's the Jack of Hearts with a baby stroller - baby included.

"Troubles, Urania?"

[starscrownher]

Well. If anything was worse than the view into her future via four year olds, it was probably the future five months after she gives birth to...the humanoid she's apparently carrying.

On the plus side, she's a little too flummoxed to put on the creepy as shit act that Dear Dear Sister Athena used to get. "Athena," she says after a pause. "No...just unexpected news."

Don't mind the stare at the royal baby. Clearly has nothing to do with anything.

[needsnomirror]

"Bad news?"

Athena had not met Urania as 'sane' before, so this might even be more unnerving. She follows Urania's gaze, then smirks. "You know, I'd let you hold him. Far less odd than having you staring at him like that."

[starscrownher]

"I haven't figured that part out yet," Urania murmurs, and then blinks.

"I'm sorry," she says, which probably is doing nothing except weirding Athena even more, admittedly. "No, I'm...pregnant."

Oh God.

[somuchheart]

Blythe leans against the back of the bench as she spots Urania looking out over the Green. She'd been taking a walk herself to clear her mind (and also search for that thermos she'd lost last week...), but the older woman looks like she needs a clear mind a lot more than Blythe does. She pauses, then sits down next to Urania.

"Hey. How are you?"

[starscrownher]

"Okay." She smiles a little over at Blythe, brushing a hand through her hair. They hadn't really talked all that much before Urania got reassigned to HR, but she knew Blythe was one of Isaac's friends.

Which meant she was probably going to get flailed at at some point. "How are you?"

[somuchheart]

"Oh, you know. Life is life." Not good yet, but not entirely bad. Blythe looks out, smiling as one of the kids trips a little in her haste to chase after the rubber duck. "Aren't they adorable?"

[starscrownher]

"...Yes." She has to admit that much, at least, and maybe her child will be less rambunctious. It could take after Isaac more than her largely vicious and slightly arrogant side.

Hope. It's springing eternal. "Although I've never seen anyone argue over a rubber duck before, I have to say."

[allthesamemask]

Here. Have someone who vaguely knows what kids are like.

Leigh's cocking her head as she sits down beside Urania. There seemed something odd about her today, but Leigh was reasonably sure she'd identified the right person. "Hi, Urania."

[starscrownher]

But do you know what babies are like, Leigh. This is the pertinent part of this very quiet panic attack.

She smiles, though, leaning back. Urania has a hand pressed over her stomach, like she can't believe what's happening or she has indigestion - honestly? It could easily be either one. "Hi," she says. "It's good to see you getting out more."

[allthesamemask]

Well... okay, fair point, babies are not her area. Still.

"It's... easier, I s'pose. Being out now. I can, um... breathe. Better, I mean." A long inhale and exhale, just to demonstrate, and then she glances down at Urania's stomach. "Um. You all right?"

[starscrownher]

Babies might soon become her area. Urania is already thinking about the details. Of being a Spade when Isaac's a Diamond, and they have a child. What Suit will they be in? More importantly, how many people can she get to babysit?

This is an important consideration when you're growing...cells.

"Good," she smiles again. "I worried about you." Then she has to take a breath. "I'm fine," she says, and looks down. "I'm just...having a baby." Apparently?

[oneirophiliac]

Annie's on her way back to the castle, Aristotle looped round her neck, when she spots Urania and waves. "Hey, what's doing?"

[starscrownher]

Aristotle, at least, gets a brighter grin than what Urania's been giving most people this morning since she left Club Castle and Frankie's office. "Hey there," she says. "I'm getting some sun." And some thinking time.

[oneirophiliac]

"That makes three of us," Annie snickers, letting Aristotle bite harmlessly at her finger. "Aristotle got antsy after the eggs were laid- he's going to be a daddy for the first time- so he practically insisted on being brought out."

[starscrownher]

Urania chokes slightly, which wouldn't be her usual reaction. "So...he's excited about it, then?" she asks after a moment of trying to remember what breathing is. She was pretty sure Isaac was in the shell-shocked state of '...what? no, really, what?'

To be fair, she was right there with him.