RP:Always Brand's Fault

Summary: Even when he does not mean for it to be.

Sage Forest - CalluMeri's Home

Meri's morning has been spent away from the Kelay-Sage house, it is no mystery where she has gone though. She wanted a brunch date with Khitti. It's mid-afternoon by the time that Meri returns, and if Cal was not already within plain sight in their home the blonde would call out to him in a tone that is a little -too- sweet for Meri. What did she do this time? "Caaaal?" A brief pause to see if she can hear him stirring in the home anywhere. "Can you come help me grab a few things from outside? My hands are full." And they were, she had a baby who was snuggly bundled up in a blanket cradled in her arms and a bag slung over her shoulder. Babies required a lot of stuff though, especially when traveling. Meri could not possibly carry it all safely in one trip. "Our nephew is going to hang out with us for a little bit, give mommy and daddy a little break." Okay, so Khitti knows the truth. Meri is trying to kill two birds with one stone, time with Dominic, while also trying to convince Cal that maybe a baby would not be soooo bad.

“ ‘Our nephew’? We’re not married yet, woman,” came Cal’s voice from their bedroom where he’d just made up the crib he bought specifically for these visits. He was joking, of course--mostly. He’d take special care to avoid said child as Meri held Dominic, passing by her to retrieve the rest of the stuff outside. He should’ve made more of an effort since Yule to get that dog he promised Meri. Maybe all of this could’ve been avoided. Cal knew very little about newborns--and when I say little, I mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. “What the heck is in all of these bags? How much stuff could a baby possibly have?,” he said with a heavy sigh as he dropped the things in the living room for the moment.

Meri's initial reaction was a confused one, shown with a slight lift of the brow. He was joking, right? The blonde tries to take it in stride. Cal might try and avoid getting too close to the child that Meri holds, but when he passes by she reaches out to pinch his rear-end in a not-too-rough manner. She doesn't want to hurt the hamster, or leave a bruise. The woman smirks before Cal heads out the door, "Don't be such a dudebro." Maybe if Cal had gotten Meri a puppy indeed. Out the door he goes only to return with the remainder of the bags. Admittedly Meri was not a newborn expert herself. Khitti probably had to give Auntie notes and instructions. Meri was not -fully- expecting to come with all this stuff, but it comes with the territory of children, eh? "Um. A few pairs of clothes, just in case?" Meri was not entirely sure what that 'just in case' was for yet. Who knows, Cal, maybe this ploy would backfire and she'd have a change of heart. "A blanket or two. Milk..." Meri tries to recall everything that Khitti told her that she had packed. "Diapers. A little mini-newborn bed." She of course forgot the formal name for the travel bassinet. "I mean we can't just leave him on the couch and walk away after all, and the floor is only so comfortable."

“Oi!” was all that was said to the dudebro comment, though it was clear Cal wasn’t upset. Okay, maybe a little--he’s not a dudebro damn it!--but not enough for it to matter at all. “Well, no. That’s why I found a shop nearby with a crib while you were gone.” Cal actually did something nice for this kid that he claims is not his nephew? Gasp! Shock! Awe! “They had some nice plant-themed ones in the Enchantment. And, I guess maybe… if we did do this kid thing for ourselves, they’d get use out of it too.” He’d still just like a puppy though. Or maybe a nice cat? Or some sort of talking plant from outer space that says ‘Feed me, Callum!’. But no. He’d probably not get the last two. “But, for now, your nephew’s going to have to have some place for when he comes to visit. I guess.” Cue the long drawn-out and overly dramatic sigh from the witch-guy.

Meri would honestly take a talking plant from outer space over a talking skull. Okay, so the skull may not actually talk but that was Meri's take on the thing. Meri would be fine with the a kitten, but Cal just happened to promise a puppy. Meri was just about to make her way over to the bags when Cal informs her that he bought a crib. Both eyes lift in surprise and the woman stops dead in her tracks, but a smile is quick to form on her lips. "You want to show it to me?" Not that Meri was not familiar enough with their home to be able to figure out where Cal had put said crib on her own. That was not that point! That long dramatic sigh is met with a smirk, but it does not end there. As Cal is leading the way to his purchase, Meri explains to baby Dominic, "See, Uncle Cal only spends his gold on people he actually likes. That means deep down..." Yeah, Meri is still smirking. "Don't worry. He'll come around." As soon as Meri had the crib in sight, Dominic was going down in it and then Meri would step back to really admire Cal's pick.

The crib was painted a dark forest green, with thin pale green vines crawling around each of the bits of wood that formed the crib as a whole. Meri’s teasing, of course, prompted a bit of blushing on Cal’s part and he was quick to close the curtains and blow out any candles that might be lit in the room for added light in an attempt to hide the ever-reddening of his face. But, that wasn’t the only thing: when the lights were out, the vines acted as a sort of night light. A glittery green aura emanated from the vines and their leaves, just bright enough to dimly illuminate the area, but not enough to keep someone awake. “The pixies were insistent about it when I told them I wanted something plant-themed. Wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. You know how they are.” They were a lot like she-devils sometimes--maybe Meri was actually a pixie in disguise?

Sometimes Meri is able to catch on to Cal's ruse, but this time she is wholly oblivious to his blushing. She does not figure that the reason he is closing curtains and blowing out candles is because he is trying to hide this, but because he is not eager to see Dominic awake and dousing the light. All in all, this was okay by Meri. Baby steps, so to speak, Cal had bought the crib and that was a progression. Maybe not in regards to having their own child, but accepting Dominic into those that Cal counted as his family was important to the blonde if they were going to tie the knot. But baby steps, she was seeing baby steps. While they had at least a little bit of quiet time from Dominic, Meri would snatch Cal's hands and pull him out of the room. Maybe she was a pixie in disguise, but she-devil or pixie she was obviously smitten. Back to the kitchen they would go, where Meri would go for the bags after smooching Cal upon the nose and releasing his hands. She was intent on doing a bit unpacking, baby-food needed to be iced until it was feeding time. "So Khitti was hoping that once Dominic got older you would put your plant knowledge to good use to try and help figure out tasty ways to get Dominic to be healthy and eat his fruits and veggies."

Cal smirked at the smooch and handholding, assuming he did well with the crib. He listened to the suggested given to Meri by her sister and nodded a little, “Hm. Might be able to do that. Might be able to do one better too and just grow the veggies and fruits for the kid here. Produce in a port town isn’t always exactly fresh.” He brought a hand up to his jaw, stroking it idly in thought. “Fruit trees take quite a while to grow and bear fruit though. If we couldn’t find a druid to move things along there, I -could- always use the skull…” Ocean blue eyes got wide as he looked towards Meri again, “With supervision, of course! You or Valrae could be there. Could be part of one of her lessons or something. Teaching me how to control it without letting it control me. Or something. I don’t know. Magic items are out of my depth. That class was taught by a ninety-year-old, monotone-voiced guy at the academy and I couldn’t help falling asleep every day in it.” Cal gave a side-eyed look of embarrassment. “I didn’t want to have to carry around wands and other implements anyway when I was working. It can really be a pain.”

Cal did good with the crib, so good that Meri had this mildly dreamy-eyed expression. Like she wanted to drag Cal off to the living room for some smooching and cuddling, but what he says next snaps her out of that. It is not anger that mars her face but one of concern, those blue eyes briefly flickering off in the direction of their bedroom where that safe is kept. Meri moves away from Cal and finds a seat, but not in a chair. She sees fit to plant her rear on a counter in the kitchen near where they are talking. "I mean we could buy like mini-trees, right? And grow them?" Meri did not want Cal using the skull for such a thing. "I don't know, babe. That does not really seem like a reason to be using something that we have been warned is no good..." She pauses. "But that does not mean learning from Valrae is not a bad idea. Maybe she will be able to offer up some sort of insight, but based on what she told us last we saw her? She said she was still trying to learn a lot herself, so she may not be able to tell anyone much of anything..." Meri frowns at the thought of Cal having to figure his skull out through experimentation. "I guess if you would really like to do this, with myself and or Valrae there, well..." She'd let Cal try and convince her this once, but she did not actually want to give him the satisfaction of hearing those words!

“I mean, it was only a suggestion,” Cal shrugged, choosing to sink himself into the nearest chair. “I’m sure there’d be other ways, like I said. Maybe one of the witches has similar abilities to druids and I can adapt it in some way to arcane magic or maybe there’s an herbomancer around here somewhere. I don’t know.” He wasn’t gonna bother bringing up the fact that it seemed pretty pointless to even keep the skull around if he wasn’t going to use it, regardless of whether or not it was dangerous. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out. The kid’s still got a while yet anyway before he can eat or drink anything but milk, I’m assuming.” His line of sight slid towards their bedroom where Dominic was and motioned with his chin in that direction, “So, what’s your plan with the him then? It’s not like he does tricks or anything.” Cal was joking, of course.

Meri considers Cal's response, abandoning her place on the counter to claim a spot in his lap, which was not characteristic for Meri. It's probably not a spot she will hold for long, she does have some meat on her, but she would claim the spot for a couple of minutes at least. Or until Cal fusses about his legs being numb. "I know it was only a suggestion, babe. I guess I am being over-protective, maybe a little unfairly. I know I have been wary of the skull ever since I was told it was dangerous...A sword is dangerous. I know how to use one of those. My psionic abilities are dangerous. Magic can be considered dangerous. I bet there are plenty of plants you know and handle that are dangerous...." Dangerous enough to almost a kill a king. "You should learn. Seeing a lesson or two may help me feel better about this dang skull. But until we have a better idea of what it does? I don't know if we should use it on little things frivolously until we know how it works a bit better?" The woman shrugs lightly, but a smirk forms on her lips as she reaches out to boop Cal right on his nose with her index finger in a cheeky fashion. "I think my plan is obvious. To introduce you to your nephew. We're getting married, so he is your family too now. And obviously Dominic is going to help convince you that babies are cute and that we should have one of our own. We talked about it on the way here, how he was supposed to be extra cute for you, but I guess he got a little sleepy on the way and decided to have a nap." For now. He'll probably let Cal and Meri he's up soon.

Callum blinked a few times as Meri left the counter and sat on his lap. Really, the only time she did this sort of thing was when she wanted something. He squinted a little, waiting for her to maybe change the subject and ask again for that puppy he owed her? But, when it didn’t come, and she admitted that any sort of tool, whether implement or weapon or magic, was dangerous. Much like her sitting on his lap, this too earned a few blinks. He hadn’t expected her to come around so quickly to the thought of him using it. “Well, how about this then? How about we get the saplings, plant them, hire a druid to give them a bit of a headstart boost with their magic, and we all figure out how the skulls work, with Val and the others. I imagine she can’t stay in hiding forever. Gods know I tried when I first got here; if starving hadn’t been a concern, just sitting around in the forest all day would’ve bored me to tears.” With that boop came a smirk of his own to mirror hers, “I gathered that. I’ve gotten wise to your ways, she-devil.” Cal pulled her in for a quick kiss before shifting his attention towards the bedroom where the kid was at, “I’m surprised they even let you take Dominic so soon after all that happened before he was born.”

Meri struggled to come around to this understanding as quickly as she did, but she felt like a bit of a hypocrite giving Cal any other response. How would she feel if the situation was reversed? And it often is, she often wants to do dumb things or play with dangerous toys. His willingness to accept her adventuring spirit was always something she valued in their relationship, so it seems foolish to not give him the same. Until he turns green or something, her tune might change a little then. "I think this is a deal. We'll shop for the saplings and go from there." Talk of Valrae is given a shrug, "Is it wrong that I am upset with her? Not like...enraged...but I am sore. I am always happy to lend support to a friend in need, and I think we tried to do that with her a lot before her death, but I am sore because it took her so long to come see us. I am sore because we have questions about this skull, and I really hope that she will actually help us find some answers. I think we deserve that much for the help we have given her?" But Meri was not feeling confident they would get the answers with her help, she was starting to feel like they might have to find them on their own. Meri sighs a heavy sigh, because this is not how she wants to speak of Valrae. Out of Cal's lap she goes, instead claiming a chair next to the man. "I think that they are okay with it because Facilier is dead. If he was still a problem, that would be a different story. Plus Khitti knows I would defend Dominic with my life." And Cal would defend Meri, he has already demonstrated he does not have an appreciation for people troubling Meri right in front of him.

Callum shook his head at Meri’s questions, “No. I don’t think you’re wrong for feeling that way. You two seemed close before her death and now…? I’m not sure. I guess I’m not taking as much offense to it -because- we weren’t close on any level. Even less so because she stole from me. It’s water under the bridge more or less now, but I guess if things don’t work out with her, with being my teacher with this witch stuff, I guess I can always seek help elsewhere.” He didn’t know -where- he’d go, but he’d figure it out when the time came. “I definitely think she should’ve either come to us or sent word a hell of a lot sooner than she did--which that, of course, was only because you did some digging and got a hold of her first.” He shrugged, “I don’t know, Meri. She’s very much distracted, but I guess at least it looks like they got that barrier fixed? I’m not sure what else to think of it… This is kind of why I always went at things alone. Friendships are difficult, heh, and a lot of times people can’t be trusted anyway. Not that I think she’s untrustworthy--” Except for that time she stole stuff. “--but…” He shrugged again. This was a difficult situation to be sure and he was starting to think he was making it worse. “Just take it a day at a time. We know she’s in Cenril. We know she’s not dead again, at least. If she doesn’t come around again soon, then let’s go to her, because I’m sure at some point I’ll hate all of this waiting around for her teaching.” If Meri were to let the subject drop, so would he, the dark-haired Catalian averting his thoughts back to the kid in the other room, “Yeah, that’s true.” He paused, his mind taking another turn, “I wonder if he’s going to end up with magic like his parents.” Just the thought of Brand’s fire made Cal shudder. He still wasn’t over that yet. He probably never would be.

Valrae did steal from Callum, Meri had not forgotten. The blonde had very generously turned a blind eye to that theft, generously because there was that chance that everything could have back fired against Callum and -he- would have been the one executed. Is it that hard to come across poisonous plants? Did it have to be from Callum? What if the garden he tended was the only one that housed a particular type of poison? Honestly if he did not save Macon, it could have gone worse for him. So Meri was very generous with this blind eye, because Valrae is a friend and that was a difficult situation. Callum does not seem to be making it better or worse, Meri does not seem to be further upset by the points. She does not and accept his plan of action, because answers were important. "We'll take it day by day." For the second time Cal is looking toward Dominic's temporary room, and this time it inspires Meri to get up out of her chair to fetch the sleeping kid. To make it worse? Meri seems quite intent on depositing Dominic's in Cal's arms. Take that! "Their kid is probably going to be full of magic, I can't imagine Dominic not being kind of sassy handful pain in the ass." Said with love, of course. But. C'mon. Accurate description for both Khitti and Brand. "I think it would be more of a mystery if we had a kid. Are they going to be magically inclined? Or a psion like momma?" Meri smirks.

Callum barely had time to process the fact that Dominic was quite suddenly in his arms because Meri dropped that bomb of a thought onto him. Their kid? Magically-inclined? Or a psion? “Frakking hell… what if it’s both?” Those ocean-hued eyes of his went wide as he stared down at the kid. It’s probably a good thing that Meri -did- say that, because his first instinct otherwise would’ve been to just drop the kid. It would’ve been okay. They bounce, right? Totally harmless. Yes. For a short time, Callum seemed like a cat with its hair all bristly, his upper lip doing this sort of weird, curled up and twitching thing like he wasn’t quite sure how to react to this. “How did he even get this hair color?”, Cal said after a time. “Brand is like this reddish blonde. Khitti’s a redhead. This makes zero sense. The kid’s parents didn’t make sense most of the time, so it sort of -did- make sense there. Meri would probably not like it if he just shoved Dominic back at her, so he adjusted himself somewhat in his chair and sighed, staring down at the baby with a skeptical look. “You know, I thought we talked about getting the dog first -and then maybe- moving on to talk about kids,” he said with a smirk.

Meri would have telekinetically caught the kid, very least. Aunt Meri is good for something, sometimes. "If it is both then we're screwed." Cal is left to sit there and bristle and feel awkward holding a child in his arms for perhaps the first time ever. Meri does not seem like she is going to relieve him of the infant in this exact moment, maybe once he relaxes a bit. Having never met the Dominic side of Brand, Meri has no real explanation for why his hair is that color. "I don't know. I think babies hair change color sometimes as they grow. So maybe that is it." Question for Khitti later. "Anyway! How many months have you been promising me a puppy? It's called interest, Cal. I think you're familiar with this word." She smirks, poking fun at the McScrouge. "Maaaaybe if you hurry and get me a puppy, I will be distracted for at least a couple months." The smirk that she still wears makes this statement seem a little less than believable. "Lanara has an open invitation to have us come up and adopt a puppy whenever we would like to. Annnnd she is a skull holder too, so maybe you can ask her some questions about what she has gleaned during the time with her own skull." Double whammy, Cal. Kill two birds with one stone. "I can send her a note whenever you want and we can pay her animal sanctuary a visit."

“Y-yes. Do this thing. The puppy. The skull talk. The Lanara.” Wait, did she say interest? Did she say only a couple months? “Oi! Just because we’re getting a puppy does not also mean you’re gonna end up pregnant after that as soon as you get bored with it. T-this type of thing takes careful planning. Planning on how much we’re going to be drained dry while this imaginary child is growing up. Planning on how our gold’ll be even more drained when they’re ready to go to some magic academy or something. Planning on how I’m going to deal with a moody woman carrying around my kid and eating me out of house and home.” This was all said with love, of course. Mostly. Mostly fear too. Fear of a scary, hungry Meri with fire in her eyes wanting a different food at three in the morning every night for nine months. “Oh god, Brand. What have you and your woman done to me?” It’s always Brand’s fault. Everything. He’s truly the bane of Cal’s existence, even now. “You. You down there. I’m talking to you, kid,” Cal said through narrowed eyes, “If you end up like your father, we’re gonna have words, you hear me?” He paused, staring at Dominic. There was a slight eye twitch in there too.

"Excuse you," Meri chides playfully, "But I have had my horse for a few years now and I have not gotten bored!" But that has not stopped her from wanting a puppy. And it won't stop her from wanting a kiddo either. Cal would be allowed to ramble on about how he needs to plan for this or that, and they were all valid points so Meri was not fighting him on them. At least he -was- thinking about it, it was more than a straight dismissal. It's shortly after the eating him out of house and home bit that she pipes up again, in the same manner as the first time. "Excuse you again. I contribute!" It's right about here that Meri rescues Dominic from Cal and that twitchy eye. Poor Cal. What did Brand do. Remember those days, when Meri was mortified at the thought of having a kid? Now she is holding a little person in her arms delicately like it were some precious thing to her (well he is). "Settle down now, Twitchy, settle down. We'll talk to Lanara and get a puppy, Mal." Meri couldn't resist, Cal was starting to spazz a little and she will never let him forget that day.

Callum pouted. He sort of looked like a toddler that didn’t get his way, his arms crossing over his chest after Meri chided him and took Dominic. “You contribute, but you’re gonna ask me to go get you cake or chicken wings or something gross like pickle ice cream at three a.m.!” The pouting stayed, but he seemed alright now with the kid, “I guess the kid’s fine… He’s not loud and obnoxious like most, at least. But! I’m not changing his diapers.” Nope. Nada. Negative. Aunt Meri would get the pleasure of doing that for the entire duration of Dominic’s stay. And if they were going to have their own kid at some point? He’d have to take all the time in the world to mentally prepare himself for -their- kid’s diapers. Ugh.