“Endry?” Ender suggested.
“I like that,” Killian hummed as he added it to the list, before asking, “How many non-Gorgon traits do you think they will have?”
“Won’t know until they are older, I’m afraid,” the Cryptid mused. “Definitely depends on how early your kind and Cyrus’ develop as well.”
Killian frowned as he had an unpleasant thought. “Can…all Gorgons get pregnant?”
“No, we have sex subsects like your kind does, though we don’t have a mark, and we can’t change our sex at will. You can ask Ruby at the next scan if you want. With them out of my stomach, and that pesky stone barrier gone, she should have a pretty clear view to tell if either has the capability.”
Killian…wasn’t sure if he was ready to know. He also didn’t know how he’d react if the child he sired ended up having a mark…
He smiled weakly when Ender gently ran a hand up and down his back. “It’ll be fine, promise!”
He found the words slightly comforting. And while he couldn’t be one hundred percent certain that he wasn’t imagining it, he was pretty sure the Gorgon was acting a hell of a lot more…friendly? He wasn’t sure if that was the right word. The man just seemed less distant, and part of him was trying to not get his hopes up that Ender had changed his mind about what he wanted with them.
Though, it was easy to distract himself by focusing on taking care of Ender’s needs, and just the eggs themselves. What Killian found not so easy was trying to not think about the fact he’d cried for the first time in years. He’d so far managed to avoiddissecting the moment. Mainly as thinking about it sent him into a bit of a panic.
Either way, his issues aside, the Gorgon was a hell of a lot calmer, and possibly a little less paranoid, now that the eggs were out. Killian was slightly surprised that the sudden drop in hormones didn’t cause further negative effects, but Ruby had assured him that Gorgons tended to level out just fine in the aftermath, and that their main issue was always during pregnancy. Well, aside from the urgent need Ender now had to stay near his eggs.
“How about Nevy?”
“Oh, yes!” Ender gasped.
“We are going to have a list five hundred names long, and be no closer to picking by the time the eggs hatch, aren’t we?” Cyrus said with a chuckle as he walked into the bedroom.
“It’s good to have options,” the Gorgon huffed, the man glaring with him at the Fate.
“It is,” Killian agreed. “This is a name they could have for the rest of their lives. We have to pick a good one.”
“Yeah!” Ender snapped.
Cyrus held up his hand, as if to ward them off. “Okay, okay, I cave. Let’s keep going.”
“We were regardless of what you said,” he drawled dryly.
“Yeah, I feel you two are just trying to bully me.”
Killian let out a fake gasp that mimicked Ender’s, as the Gorgon said, “We would never. Now…go feed my chickens.”
Cyrus let out a groan. “Is that my punishment for arguing?”
“No, it’s just that Quill informed me that they are lonely and need company,” Ender stated cutely, as if it made sense.
The Fate scoffed. “Sounds like a punishment to me.”
“How could you be so heartless to our babies?!” the Gorgon whined.
Killian would have laughed at the dramatics, but instead, his eyes widened at the word ‘our’. He sent a look Cyrus’ way, to see if he had been the only one who heard it and noticed.
The Fate met his wide eyes with ones of his own, mouthing ‘our’ silently, before asking, “Our babies?”
“Yes!” Ender huffed, as if annoyed, but the blush forming on his pale cheeks told another story. “You must understand that you can’t just parent the two new eggies, but also our older eggies too.”
Killian smiled at that, and allowed just a little bit of hope for more with Ender slip free.
“Ah, of course,” Cyrus said with a soft smile. “How silly of me not to realize. I’ll go do that.”
Ender triedto fight the heat he felt in his face, his heart beating double time as Cyrus turned back around and left.
