Marathon!

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya had trained faithfully, just like she promised (and despite her period starting a few months after that promise. Really? She didn't need that!). The weights had been added by about the second month of training and she was really, really proud of her stamina!

And the marathon they'd chosen as their first was coming up this weekend, with fund raising as done by Elcy...and yeah. "Don't tell me you have to cancel!" she said into the phone, pulling one foot up to stretch out her thighs. "Don't! I can't go and do this alone!"

Comments

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan set her feet down and started going over the paper. It didn't take long to give it editing, there was rarely anything that she needed to change, then he handed it back.

"No, monkey." Braig said, "Then we'd have ghost hunters trying to break in."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Ghost hunters would have to pay for a tour, and they'd never find anything!" Aya pointed out. "Your ancestors have better things to do than stick around right?" Aha, yeah, not too many changes! She could type the official copy tomorrow!

[sliceitwithwind]

"No making ghost noises." Braig said again, "Really."

Dilan stretched, "Baby videos?"

[mitochondriaaya]

"Alright, no ghost noises." She might play little mute and deaf girl if there was a tour while they were there though. It was fun to go about her day while ignoring people!

"Baby videos!" Aya tucked her books back in her bag and gingerly climbed to her feet. Oh, ow. Yeah. Hobbling to couch now!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Thanks." Braig stuck his plate in the sink, then picked her up again. She really had no clue how he felt about her...it was so frustrating, but. Good for her.

Dilan flopped onto the couch and stretched out to take it all up.

[mitochondriaaya]

Yes, good for her. And far, far better for her brain to get her dating learning experiences with others. She squeaked when picked up, naturally, but took it in stride by pointing cheerfully to the end. "There, I promised to rub Dilan's feet!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Okay." Braig said, setting her down at Dilan's feet, "There you go. Let me get the first one in..."

The first video started out with Elcy, cussing a blue streak in the hospital while the doctor said push.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Wow...mom's got a mouth on her sometimes." Aya noted, rather in awe. She didn't cuss like that! She'd get smacked! That's why Nevada had suggested serial killers! "And these start waaaaaay back." Ow. That seemed painful.

Who'd ever want to do that?!

RUBBING DILAN'S FEET NOW YES!

[sliceitwithwind]

Yinsi was down near the bottom, looking very like an older Braig, and as the camera turned...there was a head! Which already had black whispy hair on.

[mitochondriaaya]

"You looked like a gnome! Bet we're all gnomes! Playing at being different species!" AYa grinned and stretched a leg gently to poke Braig with her foot. "And Yinsi looked like you! Huh...wow, you're a clone..." Clone gnomes. Who knew?

[sliceitwithwind]

"I know, I really am. You should see the photos, they're creepy." Braig said, laughing.

Once he was born, bitty Braig was shown to the camera, and then given to his mother. His exhausted, sweaty, and yet thrilled mother.

"We're naming him Braig." Yinsi told the camera, "After Elcy's father."

[mitochondriaaya]

"And what else?" The camerwoman laughed. "Just Braig? Only one name when he has such an important family? Is that allowed?!" she laughed and zoomed in on the tired mother and wrinkly Braig after a moment of fiddling with buttons.

Aya giggled and poked Braig again. "Gnommmme. I was a tiny tiny gnome! 'cause mom was tiny and we were twins so all squished." Just so he wasn't alone in the gnome-ness!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Wait'll you see Dilan." Braig said, laughing.

"Just Braig." Elcy said, cuddling him and then holding him to her breast, "What else does he need?"

"Isn't he beautiful?" Yinsi crowed.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Oh, all kinds of things, that's why we did the baby shopping remember?" The camera looked between the mother and father for a moment before there was a giggle. "You've been unseated in her life Yinsi! And he's going to be a looker too, you watch!"

"I see Dilan right now," Aya teased. "And his feet!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Of course he is." Elcy said, looking up at Yinsi with love, "Just like his father."

Yinsi reached over to put his finger in a flailing hand, and laughed again, "So strong!"

[mitochondriaaya]

"Oh the poor boy, whatever will he do with looks like that and strength? It's a super baby! Hide your daughters world!" Lena grinned and sat carefully on the edge of the bed to she could wave the fingers of her free hand toward the little bundle. "And you should shower Elcy, and we can change sheets. You know you'll both rest better in a clean bed and clean clothes. Yinsi? Take your son for ten minutes and I'll help her wash?"

"You know, I'm glad you were born and everything Braig but...wow. Look at your mom! She's wiped out! Is it always that hard?!" Aya asked, reminded again of the 'ew' factor by Lena's words.

[sliceitwithwind]

"Of course." Yinsi cradled his son, just. Astounded. They did that. They made a baby, and he was perfect in every way.

"I think so?" Braig said, "If you want, we can skip to Dilan's birth?"

"Hey! No!" Dilan said, "We've got toddler Braig to look at!"

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya wrinkled her nose a little and shook her head. "No! I want to watch you grow up! I just don't think I want to have kids. It's not like something I can practice for..." And her tactic for daunting physical tasks that might hurt was to train!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Okay, okay." Braig said, laughing. There were several hours of Braig growing up...his first steps were even on video! The three adults more or less stalked him, and compiled a video of all the best parts.

At four, though, they had to switch tapes, "Okay! Enter Dilan!" Braig said, grinning.

Dilan's birth looked easier...he was tiny.

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya, being Aya, actually cheered Braig on during his first steps and halted the foot massaging to clap at his first words. Yes, despite the fact that the grown Braig was right there and obviously not in need of any further encouragement!

And yeah, that did look a lot easier, but...Aya was human so the tiny!baby option wasn't in her future! Still..."Look at you! You look like a little garden statue! And your ears!" Hee! "You're both cute babies!"

[sliceitwithwind]

His first word was, rather expectedly, mine. Followed by mama and dada.

"I look like a drowned rat." Dilan said, laughing. Braig said, "Yeah, you still looked kinda rat-like when I first saw you...you'll see that coming up."

"Sit here, Braig." Elcy, getting her son into one of the big, soft chairs, "Now hold your arms like this...that's right. Here comes the baby!"

Lenna carefully set the green-wrapped bundle in Braig's arms, saying, "This is Dilan, Braigy. He's going to be with you your whole life."

Little Braig looked down at the baby doubtfully for a moment, then frowned up at the two women, "I wanted a kitten." he informed them, just before the infant Dilan smacked him in the jaw. Little Braig blinked big, golden eyes and looked back at the baby, "...I guess babies are cooler than kittens."

[mitochondriaaya]

Lenna looked down at the top of Braig's head, torn between facepalming and stricken at those words. It was an internal war that went on for several moments before she just set her hand in her face and laughed. "Yes, yes they are. And before too long he'll be able to talk with you and play games and a kitten can't do that no matter how long you wait!" So there!

Yinsi, behind the camera, laughed. "And he's half katzu, Braig. I'll show you the animals they're decended from in the book later. But you're a lemur kid and he's part-kitten so..."

"Stop trying to get him to adopt the baby as a pet!" Elcy scolded them both.

Yeah, Aya was laughing.

[sliceitwithwind]

"Okay." said little Braig, "He can be my kitten, then. You're mine, Dilan." he said, nodding severely...and grinning when a flailing baby fist hit him again.

Braig sniffed and said, "Well. He's still my kitten."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Too late!" Yinsi was full out laughing enough to shake the camera now. "It's alright love, it's more a joke than anything else. He'll outgrow it." Surely? They weren't going to let their son grow up to feel entitled to people's lives after all!

"And another set of eyes on Dilan won't hurt," Lenna added, dangling her fingers over the back of the chair to stroke Dilan's forehead gently. "He'll take good care of my boy."

"And the kitten got a monkey...does that mean I have to go out and find a lizard or something?" Aya asked, amused.

[sliceitwithwind]

Elcy sighed, deeply, then rubbed her son's hair. "I suppose so." she agreed, doubtfully.

Lenna crouched by the chair, "Dilan is really, extra special Braigy." she informed him, "He's one of a kind. So you've got to protect him, okay? There'll be lots of people who want things from him when he gets older."

Braig nodded seriously, and gave the baby a careful hug.

"You still do that, too." Dilan mused. "Course I do, dude." Braig responded, "And no, monkey, you don't have to find a lizard. We're good."