Fantasy AUs

[nerdietalk]

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[fluidgender]

[They sit up with her, still holding on.]

They say... twelve years. Whatever your natural lifespan would be... he took twelve years from it.

[hououji]

… [ She stares at ranma, trying to process. ]

More? They wanted more from us? Was our daughter, my ability to have children, our guards, our daughter’s sense of security, your father—w-was that not enough?

[fluidgender]

[There's no words. They just... wrap their arms around her in a gentle embrace.]

[hououji]

… twelve years. You’ll be alone twelve years.

[fluidgender]

...you think so? I'm doubtful I'd make it that long even without the fae intervening.

[hououji]

I’ll leave our daughter without her mother twelve years too soon…

[fluidgender]

...maybe. Maybe.

[What else can they possibly say against that? No joke could possibly alleve the inherent pain of such unfair proceedings.]

[hououji]

And—and he’ll get those years?

[fluidgender]

That's our guess. It's how he's lived so long.

[hououji]

[ She closes her eyes, trying to calm herself.

It’s really not working. ]

[fluidgender]

[They stroke her hair gently. Carefully.]

We'll... figure something out. We always do.

[hououji]

Of course… [ But do they? When it comes to the far? ]

[fluidgender]

Besides, maybe your natural life is long-lived. Going from 112 to 100 is...

[Mm, even the attempt to lighten the mood feels crass.]

[hououji]

With our lives, I wouldn’t bet on that. [ She sighs. ]

… Don’t let the girls know? Adora would be devastated. Kaori… she’d do something rash.

[fluidgender]

...If you think that's for the best.

[hououji]

The arrow was meant for Adora, not me. She doesn't need that on her conscience.

[fluidgender]

She might feel worse if she finds out we hid it from her.

[hououji]

What if she does something drastic? I don’t know that she won’t run back to fight.

I lost our daughter twice. If I lose her a third time to my own actions, I don’t know that I’ll be able to survive it.

[fluidgender]

...If she finds out, telling her that might be the only thing that could stop her too.

[And it'd also kill Adora but.]

[hououji]

She never has to find out. [ Fuu rises from bed finally, tucking her hair behind her ear. ] My body was already damaged giving birth. It won’t be a shock if I were to die young.

And I may live quite some time yet. I just… have to make the best of what I have left.

[fluidgender]

And even then... there's way to extend life. [But realizing how that sounds like the fae king-] Not like that, but... healthy living. Good meals, walks, that sort of thing.

[hououji]

Have I not been living well? [ Gurl u have so much stress. ]

[fluidgender]

...We could consider some more soothing teas, at least.

[hououji]

I’ll check the herb garden…

[fluidgender]

But there's other things too. Maybe we should both be going on more... walks. And stuff. [With the confidence of a younger Ranma suggesting date spots.]