Equivocation

-Teanna was seated on the bench outside, a blanket wrapped tightly around her body. She was watching the koi swimming, they were so peaceful, so beautiful. "I hope you like fish...But you won't get any other pets." She seemed to be speaking to someone, yet there was nobody around her. Teanna's hand slid down, and her fingers brushed against her enlarged belly. She was carrying a child. It hadn't come as a surprise to her. Five months in. "Well...Maybe a dog." Teanna giggled and stood up, holding the blanket tight to her. It had snowed that day, snow in spring, that was quite strange. But it wasn't so very cold.

Teanna looked around, there were small areas still covered in snow. But it looked pretty. She glanced down to her belly, she wondered if her lover would arrive in time. Yes, there was quite a while left in her pregnancy, but, it had already been five months. "Where's daddy?" She whispered, then cooed, rubbing her palm against her belly. Maybe she should go back inside. She was getting cold. It wasn't worth it, getting sick, just to be able to breathe in the fresh air and watch the snow melt.

It's been five months. Noah just arrived back in Nede. The first place he wants to visit is Eclipse. It had been awhile. How is Teanna doing? Did she miss him as much as he missed her? Each day, his flesh called for her. His heart called for her. He wanted to feel her body the way he did before. He also wanted to tell her he loved her. Noah felt the familiar twitching of his fingers, and he saw that bright smile of Teanna's. Each morning, he'd wake up, and she'd be the first image he sees. Each night, before his eyes alas closes, the last person he would see, is her. He never thought it'd be possible to feel this way for someone. I miss her.

These months, Noah traveled across the land of Aenied to find Alex. He needed to settle some business, and learn something. Noah came back this time to settle down. Maybe not settle down forever, for Noah's not the type that can stay in one place for too long. But he planned to make Nede his home .. or as permanent a home that he possibly could. It's snowing in Spring. How bizarre. But at least, it's beautiful, right?

Noah reached the gate, and swung a bag over his shoulder. This bag held more than what Noah normally carried, so it's pretty heavy. He pushed the gate open, stepping inside slowly. This felt like a dream to him. He's wanted to come back for awhile. It felt like one of those cliche romance movies when the couple meets again. .. How in the world did Noah know about cliche romance movies?

Lunch, and it was another slow day. There were just a few people in the restaurant, and not many had ordered food. Just drinks, and they just sat there and chattered. She had asked them not to smoke, she couldn't stand the smell of smoke in her restaurant. But as usual, she brought her complimentary salads on small plates to the patrons. It was a sort of a 'thank you for coming' thing. At other restaurants, you got cheap candy that tastes like crap, while in Eclipse, you get fresh salads with your own choice of vegetable mix and dressing.

After serving the people, Teanna sat down at the bar with her small cup of tea, back straight, as always, though it did hurt for her to keep a straight posture. She closed her eyes, spinning the tea cup with her fingers, thinking about her Noah. Her heart ached. She missed him terribly. Noah, Noah. "Yes, we miss daddy don't we?"

Then she heard footsteps, and she sort of hated the fact that she had kept the restaurant open. All she wanted to do was lay down, curl up in a ball and sleep, or at least try to keep the content of her stomach down.-

Noah was inside the building by then. He saw few patrons inside, but he preferred it deserted. .. Not that he didn't want Teanna to profit. Noah just prefer seeing her again alone, without all these people here. Noah felt slightly stiff, around so many people. Shy, indeed he is. He felt tired, after so much traveling. He wanted to see Teanna. Dark hues traveling hurriedly over the people inside, Noah searched for golden hair. Beautiful golden hair...

Throughout the time they've been separated, Noah's aged physically. His facial hair grew up some, and he hastily shaved them away. One could feel the slightest prickling if they ran their hand over his jaw and chin, but otherwise, it's hardly noticable unless someone's up close. His originally dark eyebrows started to lose its hue, becoming white. Aging like this. It must be from Shinoji. That name made Noah angry. He hated the man.

He found her! Noah caught a woman with golden hair. .. The woman's body didn't look like Teanna's. A bulging stomach. Noah stepped closer, not even bothering to take off his boots. It is Teanna! .. She's pregnant? How? Noah felt something boil down inside him. It felt like anger. Did she .. Did she wed to another after he left? Noah's jaw felt taut, and he stared at her, eyes starting to change to an icey blue hue. Oh, Noah was getting angry.

-Teanna's eyes slowly opened, realizing that a person was staring at her. It had made her uncomfortable. "What may I d-" Teanna opened her eyes, and she saw him. She saw her Noah right in front of her. "Noah.." She whispered, her lips curling into a bright smile as she quickly stood up. Her arms wrapped tightly around him, clinging to him. He looked so different, aged, yes, tired from travel. But as she let go of him, she saw the anger in his eyes. It frightened her.

Teanna looked around at the people in the restaurant, then back to him. "Noah...What's wrong?" She whispered, her hand stretching out so that her fingers would brush against his cheek. He really frightened her. The look in his eyes. The anger, the pure, simple, anger. And...And he was angry at her. Was he angry because she was pregnant? No...No that wasn't right. He should be happy. It was his child. And he was...he was displeased?

Noah saw the smile, but he felt his whole body twitching. No, not just twitching. He was shaking. Noah was shaking in fury. I came all the way back to see her wed to another man? His hands clenched, becoming a tight fist. His fist so tight so that the knuckles became white. Teanna's arms were around him, but he didn't exactly react to it. The heat rushed through his body, against his cheeks, and he felt the fierce, raw fury.

Teanna's hand reached up, fingers touching his cheek. ..Don't touch me. Don't you dare touch me. A hand snapped up, fingers tightly wrapping around Teanna's wrist. He didn't care if people stared at them in confusion. All he felt was anger. Noah jerked Teanna's hand away, and he stared coldly at her. "..Whose .. is that?" Noah was looking at her bulging stomach. He felt the heat rushing to his face, and his breathing became heavy, like an animal's.

No...No this isn't...This isn't my Noah. Teanna thought as she felt his stiff body. He hadn't reacted to her touch. No, he did react, he was positively disgusted. And then his fingers curled around her wrist and she yelped in pain. "Noah! You're hurting me!" Teanna yelled and pulled her hand back away from him. "It's your child!" She yelled once more and her hand collided with his cheek, slapping him as hard as she could. She was so hurt by his actions, no not physically. She didn't care about how tight he'd gripped her, that wasn't her problem. His words were. The fact that he believed she would have cheated on him.

"It's your child..." She repeated, her body shaking. "Excuse me..." Teanna whispered, not even looking at him, then turned and walked away. She felt her knees weak, and thought she would fall by the time she reached the stairs. But her hand held tightly onto the banister and she kept herself up. She hated him in that moment. How could he? Her hand pressed against her belly as she moved across the hallway, and into one of the rooms. Teanna fell back against the bed, and curled up into a ball as she had wanted to do before.

Teanna tore her wrist out of his tight grip, and his fingers clenched, closing around the air. Noah was still shaking violently, the anger causing a chilly fire to appear in the depths of his bright eyes. I love her, and she ... The thought stopped suddenly, and Noah stared at Teanna, wide-eyed. He was trying to process what she told him. The anger gradually faded, and Noah's breathing would start to calm. Those brilliant blue eyes darkened, becoming the usual dark brown.

It's my child. Then before he could actually react, Teanna's hand swung, colliding with his cheek. It hurt. The hit caused a slight red mark to appear on his cheek, but it wasn't just the physical part that hurt. She has my child. Noah didn't know if he should cheer in joy, or .. something. Why didn't I trust her? Noah felt .. quite guilty, to be honest. Then Teanna walked off on him, without even giving him much of a glance. Noah stood there, frozen at his own stupidity. What should I do? .. Yes, yes, I should apologize.

Noah chased her down, reaching the room that Teanna moved into. He moved towards the bed, sitting at the edge reluctantly. "Teanna..." Noah's hand reached out, as if to grab hers, then changed course. The hand descended gently, feeling the protruding stomach of hers. Noah felt along the shape of it, in awed. He had given her his seed, and she has given him a child. His child. How could he have been so stupid, to have doubted her?

-She wanted to hit him again, make him hurt. How could he? How could he assume? How could he believe that she would not be loyal?! "How could you?..." Teanna whispered, glaring at him. After his fingers passed over her belly for a bit, Teanna pulled herself away from him. She felt sick at his touch, out of anger. It wasn't that she didn't love him, or that she loved him any less, she was just angry at him, and she couldn't stand him touching her at that moment.

Teanna's head turned, still looking away from him. "Y-you come in, and the only thing you can think is that I cheated on you?" Teanna then turned towards him, and crawled closer. "I said I'd wait. I tell you I love you. I give you all that I am...And when you return, all you can assume is that I just...gave up?" She leaned in and took his hand, pressing it against her belly. "Your...child..." She sighed, then threw her arms around his neck, holding tightly onto him.

She couldn't stay mad at him. She just couldn't. Her heart was too full. She was too happy that he had come back to her.-

Noah didn't know what to say. How could he? Noah tugged his eyebrows together, feeling a weight on his heart when she pulled away from him. She never pulled away like that before. Noah looked away, feeling his fingers brush against the covers of the bed. He wanted to touch her, to feel her belly, to feel the child inside. His child. That thought's pretty awesome. His child. His child. His child. Noah Mayllen's child. Noah Mayllen's child with Teanna.

Noah tugged lightly at the sheets on the bed, gaze diverted. "I'm .. sorry." Noah has trouble with apologizing to people. It's strange that he never suspected at all, that he could get her pregnant. Then when Teanna crawled closer, Noah felt the weight on his heart starting to get lighter. Noah didn't know what else to say. It was an error on his part, and he would shoulder the consequence of it. His hand pressed eagerly against her belly, and he smiled faintly when Teanna's arms came around him by the neck.

"I love you." That's all he knew to say. Arms wounding around Teanna's body, careful to not hurt her too much, since her stomach is kind of .. well, bulging, Noah pressed his lips against her cheek. "How many months?"

-All she needed to hear his say was that he was sorry. That's all, it didn't matter that it sounded strange, it might just even be because he hadn't often said it. "And I love you." She whispered in his ear, her heart pounding in her chest. So happy. It's as though the past few minutes had been completely erased. Her wrist still hurt, but that didn't matter. Teanna felt his fingers against her belly once more and she grinned. "It's been 5 months, 4 more to go!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

Teanna slid closer to him, allowing her body to lean against his as her fingers traced along his jaw-line. "Don't tell me you want to grow a beard!" She snickered and leaned her head up, pressing her lips along his jaw-line to feel the small hairs against her lips. It didn't matter. It stung a bit, felt strange against her soft lips, but it didn't matter. Then she remembered, when he left he had told her to greet him with his cooking. And, she had food downstairs, and some delicious salads that she'd wanted him to try. "Noah, are you hungry?"

"What'll we name it?" Noah was .. well, in awe. He hadn't expected that Teanna would have his child. His eyes ascended, meeting hers, "Thank you." He didn't even know how to show her how amazed he was. Teanna's having his child. She would have his child. She would have the child of someone who might've taken years to return. She has his child. Noah's never felt such an emotion before. It was incredible. Teanna's incredible.

Noah flashed her a grin. I might need to .. shave soon. "No, I just want to be with you right now." Noah would eat later. He isn't really that hungry. Pushing her back gently, Noah laid Teanna down. His body moved to lay beside her, "How was it like, when you first found out you were pregnant?" Noah wanted to just lay there, listen to her talk, to her voice. He scooted lower, placing his ear against her belly. Maybe he'd be able to hear something .. okay, well, maybe not. But this felt nice, being so close to her.

"I don't know...I mean, if it's a girl, I'd like Bella. And, if it's a boy, I'd like...well...Noah." Teanna smiled, looking at him. She, too, had changed. Her hair was now short, barely to her shoulders, and there were no more waves, it was completely straight. It had also gotten darker, still blonde, yes, but more of a honey shade now. Her eyes had also gotten darker, no longer that icy bright emerald. They were a calmer shade now, a forest green shade. "That'll work just fine." Teanna whispered softly, leaning her hand down to brush her fingers through his hair. He looked so excited, it pleased her. She was glad that the fact that she was bearing his child, pleased him. Some part of her feared that he wouldn't like it, because it meant a lot more commitment. Men were, after all, men.

But Noah proved to be different. "It was a bit of a whirlwind actually. And nor did it come as the best news, since...since I didn't know when you'd be back, and I feared you might...well...be excluded out of the child's life." Her voice cracked as she passed her fingers through his hair, untangling it.-

Noah remembers the town of Bella. It's built on the great lake of Aenied, and Noah went there often. The name is said to mean true love goes beyond romance. That name would fit fine, if the child is a daughter. But Teanna is naming it after him if it's a boy. It pleased him. Noah glanced up towards Teanna, for the first time noticing the difference in her appearance. She's gotten a haircut. Noah reached up, running his fingers through her hair. "I wonder how our child will look like." Would it be blonde, like Teanna, or black-haired, like Noah was at first? Would it have green eyes, or dark eyes?

"I'm so glad, though." Noah kissed her belly, slipping back up to lay beside her. His head tilted upwards, rubbing his jaw against her hand. He liked the feel of her smooth hands against his rugged jaw. He yearned for her touch, for such a long time. But that would have to wait for now. Noah must tell Camile all about this.

"Well...Wait for 4 more months, and then you'll see." Teanna grinned at him, then laughed at the way he rubbed his jaw against her hand. It was funny to, it seemed like something a dog would do. Her fingers rubbed against his jaw as she continued laughing softly. It was absolutely adorable. But,yes, she was also eager to see how their child would turn out. It would be interesting, they were both strange people. Him with his gray hair and pyrokinesis, and her with her inhuman eyes and ability to blow people up. ...Okay that would be a bit frightening. Small explosions around whenever the child would be scared. And...Little children are always scared. If it's not monsters it's always something.

"How long will you be staying?" She asked him, it was inevitable,and she very much needed to know the answer. It was important for her to know.

Noah blinked. What's so funny? He smiled at the feel of her hand against his jaw, then his lips parted. Noah nipped at her finger idly, sucking on the tip of it. The tip of his tongue reached out, against her finger. The whole of Noah's tongue wrapped around Teanna's finger, and he continued to suck on it as he watched her expression. Would the child have my hair? What of the inherited abilities? It would be an interesting hybrid, indeed.

"I plan to stay for a few years." Noah smiled at her, "Have I ever told you much about Camile?" Noah felt it necessary to tell Teanna of his mother. He had no doubts that Camile would like Teanna.

"A few...A few years?" Teanna's eyes fluttered in disbelief and a large smile formed on her lips. "A few years..." she repeated, and laughed once more. That meant that, that her child would grow with a father, a father he or she knew, not a father that would run away for months at a time and only be back for a single day or two. "No, no you have not." Teanna hadn't even noticed him sucking on her fingers, she was far too excited about the news he'd just given her. She tugged her finger out of his mouth and brought it into hers. She wanted to kiss him. Yes, she'd missed the taste of his lips, the feel of his tongue, but she'd wait.

"I'd like to hear, though." Teanna sat up, leaning back against the headboard as she looked at him.-

Noah tilted his head at her reaction. Is it really that hard to believe? But then again, it probably is. Noah's never in one place for too long, so this would be a new experience for him. But when he made his decision, it felt right. He can't possibly tell her he loved her, then just leave. He wanted to be by her side, at the very least, for a large amount of time. Then Teanna tugged her finger right out of his mouth, to put it in hers. Noah sat up, sitting down beside her.

"I was raised in a land called Eden. I didn't know who my own parents were, actually." Noah took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. He wanted to share with her, to share with her his story.

-She nodded faintly at his words, her free hand moving over his as he held onto her. She smiled reassuringly and pulled him up a bit, tugging him closer to her. "Please, go on." Her head leaned against his shoulder, and she stared up to him, letting her lips press against his neck briefly. She wanted to hear. She wanted to know. She wanted him to tell her who he was.

Noah's eyes fluttered, closing. He pressed closely to her, speaking in a faraway tone of voice. Noah rarely, if ever, spoke of his past. It felt rather strange to, to be honest. There's so much pain in it..
He's only talked of it to Camile. She's the only one he cared much about .. well, before Teanna, of course. Now, Noah will tell his story to Teanna.

"I was adopted by an old couple. They were wealthy, but had no children of their own. They named me Noah, and let me adopt their last name, Mayllen. They were really strict people, with great manners and such. Maybe they were abit snobbish." Noah felt the memories come back, and his grip on her hand tightened slightly. "I thought that, even if I don't know my own parents, I'd have these good people to look after me. But that's not the case."

-Teanna watched him intently, he seemed very uncomfortable to be telling her this. Teanna held his hand tightly, and leaned in, pressing her lips against his forehead. "If it hurts you, telling me I mean, you don't have to." She didn't want to see him hurt. But her eyes sparkled with curiosity, maybe his past could explain why he had kept away from her for so long. Why he had been so distant.-

"I can continue." Noah's eyes were opened, staring at her. Yes, she's curious. Noah placed her palm above his heart, threading his fingers with hers. "Whenever I misbehaved, or if I did something wrong, even by accident, they would beat me. Sometimes they used their hands, but mostly a belt, or sharp item of some sort. Overtime, scars were left on my body. They won't ever fade." Noah lifted the front of his shirt, showing her the scars that shows just how badly wounded he was.

"That wasn't so bad. Eventually I could take the pain." Noah nodded, and his voice became quiet, eyes glazing over, "They locked me up in the dark. It was a tiny cell, like a box. It opens up from the top, but they close the top entirely. The top has small holes, for air. It was hard to breathe in there. All dark .. just pitch black..." His voice trailed away, and the tips of his fingers twitched, "Sometimes it'd be days. No food."

Even those words, couldn't describe how terrible it was. Noah kept talking, it felt harder and harder to stop. His voice was becoming soft, and fear came alive in the depths of those dark eyes. "I'd count in my head. One. Two. Three. Four. I kept going and going, until they finally opened the top. I tried to tell myself it was a game they played, just to have some fun. I told myself mother would come back for me." Noah could see it all over again. His dark hair, grown too long, all over his face. His face, thin and lacking in color. But oh, those dark brown eyes were always so determined, so strong. He had to curl in a ball in that cell. The cell was so tiny that even his arms or legs wouldn't be able to stretch out. It got more difficult as he aged. But Noah was most scared of the dark. The pitch black, when you don't know what else is around you, for the cell lies underground. One never knows when they can get fresh air..

-She stared at him in utter disbelief. How could parents treat their children like that? Why would they? But then again, she hadn't known the perfect mom-dad-daughter relationship thing. Her fingers stretched out, brushing against his scars as she had done before. There was so much pain, so much pain that his body and mind had gone through. She'd never known the feel of starvation, she'd always been provided for at the cost of her freedom. "How did you survive?"

Teanna whispered as she watched him intently, how...how had he survived? It was.. impossible.

Insipidly hued optics descended, peering at her hands, of which the fingers extended to feel his faint scars. Noah considered her question. How did he survive throughout such chaotic times? Well .. he just did. Noah shrugged those broad shoulders of his, as casually as he possibly could, "I just .. did." He sensed the inadequacy of his answer, so he would add, "Eventually they died of old age. Their fortune, all left to me." His lips curved up, smiling without mirth, "They gave me all this money, but didn't provide me with what's truly relevant."

"So that explains my fear of the dark." Perhaps it isn't just a fear. Whenever Noah's in the dark, it terrorizes him. That's how bad it is. Perhaps that's insufficient to describe the sensation, though.

-Teanna's head shook faintly at his response, that did not explain his fear of darkness at all. Fears are fears. Distressing emotions aroused by impending danger, whether the threat is real or imagined.Currently, it was just the subconscious at work. The threat had passed, now it was imaginary. So there was no more reason for him to be afraid.

Maybe she should not be so judgmental of him, after all, she feared silence. But she adored music. Music that frightened her, that waltz, that soft, smooth waltz, flowing like blood, like ambrosia. It drove her completely insane when she heard that music, it filled her with pain and guilt and sorrow and she adored that feeling. Why? Well there's no answer to that. She felt as though it was her fault, no, no it was her fault, and playing that same song on and on in her head was her way of punishing herself for what she did. So, she shouldn't judge him. "When did Camile come in?"