[Tina's quarters - u and me]

[rn_chapel]

The nursery was finished. Everything at work was all set so that she could take her maternity leave without fretting about leaving things undone (Christine had arrived at a perfect time, really). Tina was beyond ready to go ahead and give birth. Just as soon as Darcy was ready

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[gold_ambition]

When.

When he got off shift, James did come over, unannounced, without asking. His being welcome was an assumption, but one he was willing to make. It was easier to assume, and if she wanted him gone, she could say so--and try to make him leave. As yet, she hadn't.

The spicy tang of whatever Tina had eaten still lingered when he entered, but he found her in the bathroom, tidying up for bed.

"Just in time," he murmured from the doorway.

[gold_ambition]

He sobered again.

"What do you want me to say, Tina?" he asked. "If I did say what you want me to... You wouldn't believe me. And the fact is I don't know."

[rn_chapel]

Tina frowned. "I meant it when I said you can take your time. It would be weird if you did know. I just thought you might have questions. Or want to talk about it some more. But if you don't..." She shrugged, then added with a wry smile, "I am actually aware that not everyone is me. You're allowed to have different responses to things than I would."

[gold_ambition]

"I don't know anything about babies," he said. "I don't even know what to ask. This isn't what I..."

He frowned, at a loss. He hadn't planned on still being here. He didn't look up at he spoke, his eyes trained on some part of the blanket.

"I do appreciate what you said. No one's ever offered anything like that."

[rn_chapel]

Tina's heart twisted. She knew James wasn't above making plays for sympathy based on his mysterious, potentially tragic past. Which actually made it more affecting when he said something like that, as though it hadn't occurred to him that it was sad, or that maybe things should be different.

She touched his face again, drawing him down so that she could kiss him on the forehead. "Okay." She kissed his mouth. "It's okay."

[gold_ambition]

James was not above using that. But while he wasn't thinking about it now, he was, consciously or not, leaving out the part where it was because he'd always taken when he wanted, or given what he thought would get him the farthest, that nothing like this had ever been offered.

But he did revel in being the center of attention now, knowing it had to end. Now he cupped her face with his hand.

"I know you'll be all right," he said. "Whatever happens. You'll be a good mother."

[rn_chapel]

Tina smiled. "I'm honestly not worried about that, right now. I guess I feel pretty ready."

Worried about not having any support, about being lonely, sure. But not worried that she wouldn't give Darcy everything she had to give.

[gold_ambition]

James bit his lip, deliberating for a moment. And then it spilled out, as if against his will.

"ItwasapurplerabbitnamedMisterBunny," he said, breathless.

[rn_chapel]

Tina paused, running that burst of sound back in her head a few times, trying to make sense of it. When she realized what he'd said, she grinned.

"At least that name makes sense."

[gold_ambition]

James blushed.

[rn_chapel]

No adult man should be so adorable.

Or maybe they all should.

"Why purple? I guess you probably didn't pick him out yourself, though."

[gold_ambition]

Of course, it had as desirable a result as he could have imagined, even if it'd been planned.

"I don't know," he confessed. "Maybe they don't make children's toys in manly colors, even where I'm from."

[rn_chapel]

"Purple could be manly! Theoretically."

Anyway, manly babies would be weird. Better for children's toys to be in childish colors.

"Did you name him, though?"

[gold_ambition]

"It was not a manly purple," he said. There hadn't even been sparkles. He sighed. "I did name him. It, I mean. It."

[rn_chapel]

Tina giggled. "This really shouldn't make me want to kiss you."

But it did. So she did.

[gold_ambition]

It did. So James was glad he'd said it. He kissed her softly, appreciating it, wondering what the fuck he was doing but not, in the moment, caring.