Poppy (to Victor & Vincent): Good morning, my handsome men. What on earth has caused you both to get up before noon?
Vincent (to Poppy): Isn't it dreadful? We're going to see about finding some furniture for our ever growing collection of children, aren't we?
Victor (to Poppy & Vincent): Mmmm.
Poppy (to Vincent): That's a very good idea... (to Victor) Victor, Aiden sends his regards. It would seem that he's been keeping an ear to ground in regards to news about Hiiri or us... You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? He seemed to be under the impression that I asked him to do it.
Victor (to Poppy): What? Aiden was here? Oh. Wow. Things must be in an uproar at the ISS if it's caught his attention.
Poppy (to Victor): Yes... You didn't by any chance ask him for help through my personal ISS channel, did you, honey?
Victor (to Poppy): No! Well, not exactly. I asked his to keep his eyes open while we were here, and I only know one way to get a hold of Aiden. I knew he might actually do it if he knew you'd be appreciative, and if I made it sound interesting enough. He has a such the crush on you, Mom.
Vincent (to Victor & Poppy): Does he? He has excellent taste, then.
Poppy (to Vincent): Not helping, lover. (to Victor) Cute, honey... If it hadn't actually been helpful to have Aiden keeping an ear out, I would give you such a scolding. It would seem that ISS has a warrant out for our little Hiiri. I'm going to have to cross over and see if I can get it rescinded. It hardly seems right for her to be punished for events that happened before she was born.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee. I'm sorry, hun.
Victor (to Poppy): What? But... That's not fair! What the bloody hell has been going on with the Empire lately?
Poppy (to Vincent): And, no matter how handsome & interesting I find another man. I only have eyes for you, husband o' mine. (to Victor) That's what I intend to find out, honey. Either the Empress has gone insane or someone else is pulling the strings. I'm thinking it may be the latter. I may not have always agreed with Victoria's policies but she's never been vindictive or unjustly cruel.
Vincent (to Poppy): Well, I'm not going to rule out mad. She has the most inexplicable taste in literature.
Poppy (to Vincent): Yes... and, men.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee. It goes without saying! Now might be a good time to take Jacob up on his offer of dinner, lover. If anyone has the latest royal gossip, it will be the Professor.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh, that is true, honey... And, it has been forever since we've seen Robert & company. Will you arrange it?
Vincent (to Poppy): We shall add it to the list. (to Victor) Don't make a face, young man. You've spend more than enough time left to your own devices. (to Poppy) Speaking of Hiiri, I don't suppose Frick and Frack are up and moving just yet.
Poppy (to Vincent): No, I peeked in an hour or so ago & they were sound asleep. They looked adorable all curled up. Looking at them like that they looked just like siblings. (to Victor) Don't make that face. It's completely different than you & Yoyo. And, you know it, honey. I'm not worried about the two of them having children.
Victor (to Poppy): Mom! We ARE being careful, you know. We're not going to have a kid. I've grown up my entire life hearing about what a shock I was for you two. You'll be pleased to know I'm cautious bordering on paranoid.
Vincent (to Victor): Good. You should be.
Poppy (to Victor): Come here. Just so you know, despite the shock, you are the best thing that ever happened to us, honey. I would just prefer that you and Yoyo or whomever you end up being with, get the opportunity to have lives of your own, first. That's all. Your father & I may have been young, but we were definitely not lacking in the life experience department. And, I'm glad you're being careful. Yoyo is a sweet girl.
Victor (to Poppy): I know. I'm sorry. Yoyo is very sweet, and I lo--LIKE her quite a bit, and I promise we will continue to be very careful.
Vincent (to Victor & Poppy): Awwww! Group hug!
Victor (to Vincent): DAD! You are so odd sometimes.
Poppy (to Victor & Vincent): Honey, we're all a bit odd. Or didn't you notice?
An hour or so later:
Hiiri: Huh? ... Where? ... What on earth-- Oops... Hiiri, stop groping around. Not good. Great! There's no way for me to get out the bed without touching Nate... I'll just lay here... He sleeps like a rock. Hmmm... I wonder, if I could open a portal under me & then open one in the hallway? I could just fall through it & land on the hard floor... Maybe, I could bring the pillow with me to soften the landing... That's an idea. Oh, but then, Nate might fall in after me... that would be bad. Maybe, I should make a noise like a car crash? Or a siren?
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): Or you could just say, get the fuck off me. I'm awake.
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): Oh! Good morning, Nate... How long have you been awake? Oh god, I'm sorry if I touched you inappropriately. It was an accident. I woke up disoriented and I just-- my hand had a mind of it's own. I wasn't thinking. Please, don't be mad at me.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): What? What the fuck are you talking about?
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): Ummm... I thought I touched your crotch when I was groping around to figure out where I was... Wait... Where did this bear come from? Oh... I think I touched this stupid thing. Wooo... I was worried you were going to yell at me.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): Calm down. I'm not going to start screaming if you accidentally brush up against me. How fucking broken do you think I am? And you found a teddy bear in the dark, and immediately thought it was my dick. I can see where your mind's at.
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): It was the tail. I just set my hand on it. I couldn't see. Give me a break. You were teasing me about groping you before we went to sleep. I was paranoid. You had your hand resting on my boob for half the night. So, don't talk to me about my mind! And... another thing... You are one of the most infuriating person I have ever met. I wouldn't touch you with a 10 ft pole. And, I wish you'd stop making jokes about that sort of thing. It's cruel.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): Whoa. Whoa. I'm sorry! OK? I am. Making fun of shit is how I cope. I'm sorry. This is all a little new to me. Jesus. This is all a LOT fucking new to me. I don't know what to do.
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): Like, I have any clue what to do, either... You can be an asshole to everyone else if you have to, but just stop making those kind of jokes to me. Please? It makes my brain go to memories that aren't mine & it's confusing...
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): I... I'm sorry. I didn't know that.
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): Yeah well, now you do. You are like a mixture of Vincent & Eep. Mouse's feelings get all tangled up with mine. And, it sucks. And, it's weird... She loves them both in different ways. Vincent like a brother, Eep well, you know... I have no experience of my own with either... And, you're all mean & grumpy, because people hurt you, but sometimes you're nice. It hurts my head.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): I won't tease you anymore, OK? I didn't mean anything by it. Are you alright?
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): ... I'm fine. I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just had a bad dream & had trouble sleeping.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): Don't worry about it. Really. I need someone to smack me back into place from time to time. So, what I'm taking away from this is that you want me to be mean to you all the time?
Hiiri (to Nathaniel): Yes... Because, clearly what a teenage girl with potential sociopathic tendencies needs is more emotional cruelty.
Nathaniel (to Hiiri): Yeah? Well, if I ever start being totally nice to you, then you know I think you've snapped. I like and trust you enough to be the complete bastard and emotional basket case I really am around you. I'm just kidding you know. I'm not trying to be cruel to you. I'll, uh, I'll act like a better human from now on. Sorry.
Several hours later:
Victor (to Yukiko): Hello? Yoyo? I'm not interrupting, am I?
Yukiko (to Victor): Hey Victor, I'm just sitting in this big empty house trying to entertain myself.
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Yeah. That sounds awful. How are you holding up?
Yukiko (to Victor): It's okay, I guess... I um, wanted to ask you a weird question.
Victor (to Yukiko): Sure. What is it?
Yukiko (to Victor): I have the opportunity to get into student housing next semester & I was wondering if you wanted to move in with me? We would have an actual apartment, rather than a dorm room... You don't have to answer right now if you want to think about it.
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Oh! Wow. Really? Um... I'll think about it. Are you sure?
Yukiko (to Victor): I wouldn't ask if I wasn't. I miss staying with you... But, I'll understand if you don't want to. I know it's kinda soon.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. Honestly, I really miss being with you, but, um, would you mind if I think about it?
Yukiko (to Victor): No, not at all. I figured you would want to, it's kind of a big deal.
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Heh. Thank you for understanding. I, um, I really like you. I worry about screwing something up.
Yukiko (to Victor): I know. I don't want to screw it up, either. I'm probably just feeling lonely in this big house. Ignore me.
