RP:When Push Comes To Presents

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Summary: Hudson presents Alvina with a gift, commonly known as a 'push present' for going through the difficulty of having children. Even though she didn't technically do any pushing. Emilia should really get a gift too, for their removal. She did most of the hard work. It's a stark white Pegasus, aptly named Mercedes.

Under the Canopy

It's a bumpy transition back to Alvina's small home. The sale on the new home in Larket has not yet closed, so while they have more space than they had in the small Frostmaw apartment, it's still not quite set up the way things should be. Nonetheless, BLESS THE NANNY, for she has arrived, and is relieving everyone, including E.L., who has now remembered fully how exhausting babies are. The nanny, whose name is Marge, appears to have infinite patience for all manner of annoying baby-related stuff, and is like a drill sergeant in how under control she appears at all times. Hudson concludes within moments of observing her and the apparent relief on Alvina's face that this woman is the best thing to happen to them since his children were born (and started ruining their lives). It's still mommy + daddy on duty at night, of course, so it's not as if he and Alvina are getting an immense amount of sleep, but he's able to go back to work, and she's able to at least somewhat resume normal human activities - whatever that means, when you're still breastfeeding (possibly it just means washing her hair) - from 9-5. Today, their paths collide, which is to say Hudson has very cryptically told Alvina he has a surprise for her. He'd insisted on blindfolding her and leading her into a carriage. Harder than it looks to lead a woman who can't see around, much less navigate climbing into a carriage. He'd lifted her, in the end. Not surprisingly, as tends to be the case with big romantic gestures, the mood between them is a playful one. To wit, this is now the fourth time Hudson has batted away an attempt by Alvina to guess where they're going. He puts an arm around her, kisses the side of her face without warning. "Can you just enjoy yourself for a second without trying to micromanage the situation," he teases her, pulling free a lock of hair from where it was tangling in the blindfold. "Sometimes baby daddy has everything under control."


Alvina is excited about so many things. With the nanny, she can fully enjoy all the adorable antics of her babies in the twilight hours because she isn’t exhausted beyond belief from not sleeping. This is what she’s started to do while the nanny is here. Of course, Marge, will wake her up every two hours on the spot so she can pump and store the milk so the girls have plenty of food. There’s so much food, how could they ever run out, Alvina isn’t sure but she follows orders. Hudson seems happy to be able to come home and find the girls there, clean (SOMEHOW) and happy. Alvina, looks refreshed and Marge even makes dinner for everyone sometimes. How did this happen? Is she an angel? Alvina doesn’t know how this one woman managed to do all this and more, when it took three healers at the fort. It’s not her fault that she can’t stop guessing what Hudson has planned. Secretly, she’s excited. She’s blindfolded. It must be something big!! SOMETHING GRAND?! LIKE A PROPOSAL?! She dared not hope or hint. Enjoy the ride, she reminds herself, before making another guess and being shot down. She won’t ask Hudson if he’s going to ask her to marry him. That’s too silly. Of course he’s say no, and might even feel like his plan was ruined if she suspects. That’s the downside...women almost always expect, and are disappointed when they are wrong. And disappointed when they are right because they guessed! It’s a bad cycle, whatever, she’s trying to just enjoy being in his arms, on whatever this cute date like thing was. “I’m afraid to enjoy myself too much,” She teases, wiggling a bit. “I trust you- ouch, don’t pull my hair. Are we still near the carriage? It’s not that guy is it??” They'd upset an older gentleman a short time ago because of some disagreement between the couple and himself.


Hudson is oblivious, has no idea that Alvina is building this up in her mind. He's enjoying himself, and thinking that he should really be romantic toward her more often, she is really adorable when she wants to be. He keeps nudging her and causing her to squeal, because she can't see it coming. He doesn't think he'll ever get tired of doing this, also it's necessary as part of basic quality control, he has to ensure that she hasn't been replaced by some other woman, so he has got to check and check often. No complaints about this wiggling, which he thinks is suggestive, he seizes the opportunity to give her backside another squeeze. "Easy with the wiggle," he says to her, looping both arms around her and kissing her soundly on the jaw. "Wasn't that guy, carriage is gone." They're outdoors, judging by the temperature and the freshness of the air, and walking on grass by the feel of it. "Careful," he steers her around something. "Have to say. I'm sort of feeling you having to listen to a hundred percent of what I say and relying entirely on me," he comments dryly, taking her by the hip and directing her to turn with him. "Don't think you've ever been so deferential in the course of our relationship. Yo, stop for a second." He adjusts her blindfold, which is sliding down on her hair somewhat. "OK, good," he pronounces it, and he pulls her by the hand further along. There's a chair, evidently, the wood quite cool because it's been sitting outdoors, and he directs her to sit in it, saying he'll be right back and she shouldn't take off her blindfold or go anywhere. Just sit tight. No one can see her, she doesn't look ridiculous, calm down. He kisses her properly on the mouth more than once and then, mouthing the word, "Sit," against her lips, sneaks off.


Alvina is digging this a bit more than she’d admit. It’s kind of nice, to let Hudson just handle everything. “Good to know,” She replies, in regards to the carriage. When Hudson comments on how nice it is to have her listen to him, she rolls her eyes. That’s why the blindfold is shifting, she just can’t believe him. She stumbles a bit, being moved around in the grass, don’t hit that, go this way. He’s jerking her a bit but it also feels dangerous. Surely, there aren’t a lot of people around right? She strains to listen but doesn’t hear anything but the grass moving below their feet. “I’d not really a ‘do as you say’ kind of girl. I’m more of a brat, if anything.” Which, was entirely true in all forms. She wanted him to fight her, wanted to be wrong, wanted him to scold her...and end up kissing her. Classic good girl. She really should get out more. The air is reasonable for winter. Maybe they are in a park somewhere?? How long had it taken them to get here by carriage? She’s trying to plot points on the invisible map in her brain while he’s asking her to sit down. The wood -is- cold, and she complains about that half heartedly. Don’t leave her alone too long, it’s dangerous, people will stare. He reassures her that it’s all fine, and she wonders where they are? Are they at some inland bay? Did he rent a boat? Is he going to take her out on a boat? These are things people think about right? Maybe just her, since they had that mommy / daddy date night recently. She flirts with him constantly and shamelessly (when the nanny is not around). It might also be because she’s getting more sleep too...and less stressed about the BABY situation. Everything just feels good again...but to say so would mean acknowledging things weren’t good before...and that’s a never ending rabbit hole so instead. Alvina wiggles around in the wooden chair, as subtly as possible. All thoughts of wedding bells have been temporarily suspended in favor of these images. She waits impatiently, growing more nervous the longer he leaves her there. Maybe he isn’t really gone, and he’s just standing nearby watching her to see what she’ll do. And so she resumes what she assumes was the wiggle in the chair.


Hudson isn't actually proposing or up to any elaborate boating shenanigans. Point taken that she's feeling it and him, however, as he goes about his original purpose of this caper, he sort of regrets that it sort of forecloses any sort of... sexy digression. A conversation for a later time, maybe, and by later he's thinking like an hour from now. He isn't gone overly long, actually, maybe around five minutes or so, in time to catch Alvina's wiggle. "Settle down, adorable woman," he calls out to her as he draws closer. She would be able to hear the sound of footsteps in the grass, more than just his. And then, bestial snorting. "Don't be shy," he's clearly with and speaking to an animal of some sort, and there's the sound of grass crushed underhoof again. He talks to Alvina, "I wanted to get you something that wasn't jewelry and I couldn't wrap this so you'll have to forgive all the secrecy." He's close to her now, and he takes her hand to ease her upright. He kisses her soundly for his own benefit before tugging the blindfold off. Before her is a mare, quite tall but technically a pony, with feathered wings, real ones. She's sleek, and all white, except for her forehead, where she has a tiny grey circle cut by three spokes. "This is Mercedes," says Hudson.


Alvina continues to wiggle as Hudson calls to her. Maybe that’s her issue and he’s hit the nail on the head. She’s gotten too much sleep and too much attention from him, and is feeling a bit too overloved. Something that doesn’t look like it’s about to change anytime soon, not that she knows this yet. When Hudson walks closer, and the sound of something else with him becomes clear, Alvina stops trying to be cute and sits very still to listen. It sounds a bit like a horse or was she imagining it? Did he bring Cleo here for them to have a nice little ride around or something? How odd that they would take a carriage here for this surprise. She’s still smiling, under the lip of her blindfold though. It’s such a sweet gesture to go to all this trouble for something so simple. He’d been so attentive lately, in almost every way, not to mention the nanny was saving their lives daily. How was he so amazing? They might not be paying her enough, she thinks, when the animal snorts. All horse snorts must really sound the same but Alvina has a sneaking suspicion this isn’t Cleo. Especially since Hudson is saying he wanted to get her something that wasn’t jewelry...Alvina clumsily gets lifted onto her feet, surprise kissed, the heat of Hudson’s body transferring to hers through her dress, reminding her why she thought they were coming here. Then the blindfold falls, and she blinks rapidly to restore her vision. Before her stands a real life pegasus, unlike Cleo who wore their fake enchanted wings and a harness, this baby was the sleekest sportmare she’d ever seen. “Mercedes??” She asks both Hudson and the pony, stepping forward cautiously to let the creature smell her. If not for the spookable nature of horses, she’d have cried out in delight. Her posture is fluid and tense with uncertainty. Alvina keeps looking at Hudson, to silently make sure this was a real thing that was happening, to her right now. “She’s beautiful….Oh Hudson…” Mercedes decides that, yes okay you can touch me human, but watch the trim. She’s every bit of a diva that Cleo is, so Alvina knows how to approach her once they’ve eyed each other. Her flesh hand comes in contact with Mercedes’ flawlessly white hide and she sighs with palpable relief. What would she do if this gift did not like her?!?


Hudson watches the two females, like cagey tigers, approach and then seemingly decide to tolerate one another's presence. Maybe more than tolerate, he thinks he can read delight in Alvina's expression. "She is really pretty, she also knows it," he remarks, handing Alvina the lead and standing behind her. He puts his hands on her shoulders, kissing the back of her head as she goes about tentatively familiarizing herself with her new ride. "Not the most like.... 'I'm a mom' horse in the world," whatever the minivan equivalent of horses is, "but that's not really what I'm going for here." He reaches to stroke Mercedes' muzzle, evidently they're already familiar with one another. Had to be, he'd ridden her here while Alvina had been sitting, blindfolded. "Anyway," he addresses Alvina once more, encircling her waist with his arm to squeeze her back against him. "Thank you for being the mother of my children and the love of my life," he says, kissing the side of her face.


Alvina gives Hudson an ‘OMG don’t say that in front of Mercedes’ look. She clearly knew she was a sassy horse that didn’t need anyone’s approval, and flicked her tail high in the air to punctuate Hudson’s previous comment. Shut up, human, I know it. And to be honest, Alvina didn’t want to hitch up a carriage to Cleo and become THE MOM on the block. No one wants to admit they are getting older and falling into a routine that will dominate their day to day lives for the next 18 years. Mercedes is cool with Hudson, they have bonded, that’s great. Cleo really dug Alvina, often would fuss at the woman to save her from Hudson’s lacking treatment to her princess demands. It all makes Alvina smile more than she should. Especially the bit about having his children and being the love of his life. He said LIFE, which meant for this instant, she could feel above Valrae in all ways, even if she doesn’t exactly pinpoint this elated feeling to that. Standing beside Mercedes, wrapped in Hudson’s arms, with their children under the fine nanny care at home...Alvina did not feel less in any category. Thicker or not. Prettier or not. More attractive or not. She felt whole, and loved, and above all those things appreciated and valued. “Stoooop,” She says eventually, holding the lead and turning to face Hudson properly. Her smile is too wide, she can’t look him in the eyes without gushing. Whatever he’s doing is working wonders. Her free metal hand pushes back some stray bits of hair nervously, and she tiptoes to kiss him. All the little fidgets she normally falls into when he says something that gets to her. “I love you so much…” And maybe she’s said it a thousand times before but she feels it like it’s going to cause her to implode; this deep, hefty feeling. How could she ever have doubted it? How could she ever think they wouldn’t make it through? Then, to keep the mood from getting too mushy, she winks at him. Because how do you handle that, you can’t make love in front of your new vehicle in public, no matter how happy you are. “Don’t think I won’t thank you properly later on.” SECRET MINX ALERT. Her expression changes back to one of pure love and innocent joy and she pats Mercedes lovingly on the side. “You really are something amazing.” She says, though it’s not clear if she’s speaking to Hudson or the pony at this point. Probably both.


Hudson can tell he's embarrassing her a little, even if she also likes it. Tricksy woman. "Stop? You love it," he says, adjusting his arms around her as she pivots to face him. For good measure/also no apparent reason, his hands slide a little lower, he gives her backside a squeeze as she kisses him. "Yeah, I know, ditto, babe," he says in response to her telling him she loves him, true to classic cavalier Hudson form. He lifts his eyebrows at what she says next. Yeah, of course she's going to love up on him later. He just bought her this goddamn Mercedes. But beyond that she also worked herself up into a frustrated froth for no apparent reason, he's the natural beneficiary for it because it doesn't just... go away. He's looking forward to that, even though it's not one of the nights they have scheduled for Grandma babysitting and therefore is going to be one of those situations where they try to deal with it very stealthily lest they wake their children. He doesn't know who to thank but even despite the existence of their darling, daughters, they haven't been this into each other in a long while. Maybe it's not 'despite' and is more 'because of their existence,' like they're both on the front lines engaged in constant parenting warfare and therefore grateful and frankly starved for each other. He buries the blindfold in the pocket of her jeans. "For later maybe," he remarks cryptically, turning his attention back to Mercedes after that. "I'll fly us back," he announces. "Let me help you up, babe. Time to meet your new bestie, Mercedes."