Blood from Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

Don's paw stills as he regards her. "I... did I... I didn't push you into-- I know we discussed-- you said you're not-- did I, I can't always recall clearly--"

[Bethany]

"What? Don, no, this is- this is my fault," Bethany says quickly, turning around to look up at him. "You didn't- cum is a fluid, it can... dribble places. The odds are terrible but it is possible to conceive from, umm, run-off I suppose works. Just... luck." Bad or good or... guess that depends on how everyone takes this...

[GamesMaster]

He lets out a breath, clearly relieved. "Just luck. Okay. I-- wait. If it's just luck it's not your fault either, Beth."

[Bethany]

Her eyes duck back down again. "...yes it is," she whispers. "I... I didn't..."

[GamesMaster]

He pauses, waiting for her to continue. "it's... It's my fault, right?" He asks, gently, then repeats in Catfolk, "my fault". As a phrase it can mean something he did wrong, but it also can mean he sired the child, in a culture where that doesn't necessarily make it his child.

[Bethany]

The human blinks, needing a few seconds to process that question. "Yes. Yes, you're the- cause. I don't... I haven't been with any male but you. Well, aside from Zevran but that was years ago. So. I'm. Yes. Your- you caused it or the gods did."

[GamesMaster]

"So, then, if the gods willed an accident to happen and I am the cause, you have nothing to feel sorry for. Right?" He blinks. "Unless you-- but, no, you wouldn't do that. It's fine, Beth."

[Bethany]

Bethany winces, looking away. "There's no such thing as a perfect medicine. Cost, effectiveness or side effects: none are good at all there. The contraceptive I picked was modest price and effective but made me pretty sick for days after each dose."

[GamesMaster]

"You... Yeah, you mentioned some medicine making you sick, I kind of figured..." He says slowly, waiting for this to make sense.

[Bethany]

"It... It can be pretty bad. I can't eat for at least two days. Sick diet for a few more. So. Umm. See... My last dose... You need to take a dose every five months. Roughly. It's actually good for a hundred and twenty or so days, though it tapers off near the end. I..." She licks her lips, eyes on her hands. "It- your heat started on day one oh eight. I didn't want to miss it and- and I'd be twenty for your next heat and- I was going to- to bring it up to you next month but-"  Her words are a rapid stream by then, still understandable but needing some focus to decipher.

[GamesMaster]

"You didn't take it," he breathes, and this time, his paw doesn't resume stroking her shoulder when it pauses.

[Bethany]

"I didn't take it," she agrees in a tiny voice. "I thought... it was still in the hundred twenty- and we don't- you don't penetrate there so- I- I didn't..."

[GamesMaster]

"You didn't tell me." 

He pulls his paw back, turns his face away. 

[Bethany]

Bethany shakes her head a little. "I... no? I... never told you about how I was... preventing things before so... You didn't seem to care. I was going to bring it up in a month or so, before your next heat. Children, I mean. Us having children."

[GamesMaster]

"You said you took care of it. I trusted you. And then you stopped taking care of it, and you didn't even let me know, let alone--" 

He takes a deep breath, and adds, a little more calmly, "I could have used protection, if I'd known. Or, or I don't know. I didn't think you'd make that decision on your own without..."