[For Shadow] - dated to early Sept.

[theirlawyer]

It still didn't seem real to Ainsley. Maybe it was the lack of all outward symptoms. She was as hungry as she ever was and she had never been regular with...well, that mostly in part to her strange and funny metabolism. So when she just kept going about things as usual, she thought it was her fault, that it was something to do with her.

Having the news otherwise is like some kind of waking dream that she's not sure how to wake up from just yet. She had taken her time and had processed the news and a full day after she heard it, she felt like she was ready to go home and tell Shadow. She took a deep breath as she carried in the food that she brought from the Compound, mainly sweets, and smiled warmly at him. "I had the most wicked craving for apple pie today," she admitted, lifting up the plate. "So I brought us some. No whipped cream because it would probably turn in the heat, but really, a lot of good foods don't actually need it," she rambled idly, setting everything down. "It helps, of course it helps, but I mean, the real taste profile of the apple pie is the sweetness of the pie itself. And the brown sugar. You need brown sugar. You want some?"

Comments

[palmthemoon.livejournal.com]

"I need brown sugar?" Shadow asked as he splashed water into the little water trough Garm and ShorHor both used. It was ridiculous to see them using, but it beat refilling a water bowl twenty times a day. Now they were down to only ten a day.

He straightened up and looked over at her. "I make it a rule to never refuse pie. Especially your pie."

[playingtheenemy.livejournal.com]

Ainsley had already cut up slices and had made sure there were heavy dollops of brown sugar atop and she couldn't help her delighted grin as she watched Shadow. After so long of feeling like she was a failure, it was something else entirely to know that they had done it. It wouldn't be easy, but they had done it. "Well, come on and get it before it gets cold," she invited.

[palmthemoon.livejournal.com]

"Oh, so this is fresh, hot out of the oven pie," Shadow observed with a smile as he wiped his hands on his pants and walked over to the little table. He dropped a kiss to her mouth then brushed his fingers over her arm lightly. "What have I done to deserve all this. Did I forget my birthday? Are there people in the bushes with balloons waiting to shout at me?"

[playingtheenemy.livejournal.com]

"Possibly not exactly freshly out of the oven, but who's counting?" Ainsley asked, sucking some of the pie filling from her thumb and leaning up to kiss him on the lips. "It's an occasion, but it's nothing you forgot, don't worry. And I'm not about to foist any balloons at you, either. I'm not sure I'd ever do that to someone I really care about, actually."

[palmthemoon.livejournal.com]

She tasted sweet against his mouth. Cinnamonny and more than a bit like apples. He lingered there for a long moment, almost chose make out over pie, but finally pulled away with a small smile. "Where balloons are, clowns are, and that's never good," he said as he took one of the plates and dug a fork in.

[playingtheenemy.livejournal.com]

"I'll make a note of our future to never have surprise parties involving clowns," Ainsley said, twirling her fork idly as she turned back to the pie, nerves flaring through her as she carried the small plates to him, feeling like she was going to burst if she kept it in any longer. "So, that means that we won't have any clowns at future children's birthday parties or yours. Or mine."

[palmthemoon.livejournal.com]

Now, Shadow's not stupid, no matter how big and dumb people take him for. But it takes him a while to see the big picture when he's not looking for it. Sometimes, like this time, things just go right on over his head.

"Okay," he agreed easily. "Sounds like a good plan. I don't think there are any clowns here anyway, so no worry there."

[playingtheenemy.livejournal.com]

Ainsley felt like she was bursting mildly, but she didn't want to ruin this momentous moment. It felt different from the rest and she wanted it to go on forever, in a way. She wanted the actuality to be just as good as the anticipation. "Shadow," she began, looking up at him. "Can I tell you something? Not about clowns or apple pie, though the latter is a very important thing."