Mat leaned against the damp cavern wall, his ears twitching as he peered into the shadows ahead. The faint glow of the enchanted lantern barely lit the oppressive darkness. "So, we’re just waiting now?" he asked, his voice soft but carrying an edge of restlessness.
Fiona shifted her stance, her blue eyes flicking to the sealed stone door in front of them. "Seems that way. Magic isn’t exactly known for being punctual."
Mat let out a small chuckle, a tired smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Guess that gives us time to talk. Get to know each other better."
She glanced at him, her expression softening just a bit. "Yeah, I suppose it does."
For a moment, there was silence. Then Mat shifted uncomfortably. "It still feels... strange," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Knowing that my kids are growing inside you."
Fiona tilted her head, studying him with curiosity. "Strange how?"
He sighed, leaning his head back against the cool stone wall. “I was bullied for 23 years, Fiona. It’s just… hard to process all this.”
Fiona tilted her head, studying him with a mix of curiosity and sympathy. “23 years?” she echoed softly.
“Yeah,” Mat said, his voice low. “I was bullied to death by Kelvin. That was three hellish years of high school. And then I was born into slavery.” He let out a dry laugh, void of humor. “The masters didn’t exactly care about our personal days.”
Her arms dropped to her sides as she stepped closer, her voice softer. "Mat, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that bad."
He shrugged, though his shoulders sagged as if weighed down by the memories. "It’s not something I like to talk about. But it’s there."
She frowned, her gaze searching his face. "So, which was worse? The bullying or the... slavery?"
Mat let out a slow breath, his ears twitching slightly as he leaned back against the stone. "That’s… hard to answer. Bullying, it’s isolating. They tear you apart in front of everyone, but somehow you feel invisible. And then, when you go home, it’s not over. Especially with social media—it’s like they’re always there, in your head, whispering all the things they think are wrong with you."
Fiona’s brow furrowed, her blue eyes narrowing. "That sounds unbearable."
He nodded faintly. "It was. You start to believe the lies they tell about you. It’s like giving them a key to all your thoughts—your ‘faculties,’ if you will—and letting them mess with them. But at least with bullying, there are breaks. Weekends, holidays… moments when you can pretend it’s not happening."
“And slavery?” Fiona prompted, her voice quieter now.
Mat’s gaze turned distant, his expression clouding. "Slavery doesn’t have breaks. It’s every minute of every day, and it doesn’t care how much you can take. But… you’re not alone in it. There’s this strange, twisted sense of solidarity. Everyone’s suffering together, and sometimes, you find ways to laugh. It’s not much, but it’s something. Misery really does love company, I guess."
Fiona tilted her head thoughtfully. "So… community versus isolation?"
"Exactly," Mat said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Neither is great, but at least as a slave, I wasn’t completely alone. The worst thing about bullying is how it makes you feel like you’re the only one in the world who’s broken."
A flicker of amusement crossed her face. "Didn’t expect to hear something positive about slavery."
Mat gave a hollow chuckle. "There’s no positive, but the jokes and pranks made it less bad."
Fiona frowned thoughtfully. “So, they’re on a spectrum?”
Mat nodded slowly. “Yeah. Bullying, like slavery, isn’t black and white. Some bullying might seem mild, but it always leaves a mark. And slavery—there’s a range there too. Like in ancient Rome, some slaves lived better than free people.
Fiona tilted her head, her expression serious. "Doesn’t matter how ‘good’ it might seem; both are about control and taking away someone’s freedom. That’s what makes it wrong."
Mat sighed, his voice quieter now. “Yeah. No version of either leaves you unscathed. Just different degrees of suffering. But even in the worst of it, we found ways to cope.”
Fiona tilted her head slightly, curiosity flickering in her blue eyes. “Like what?”
He leaned back against the stone, his grin softening as the memory surfaced. “Like the time Kyle swapped a guard’s hamburger with oats. The look on his face when he bit into it—priceless.” His chuckle echoed faintly in the cavern, tinged with nostalgia. “We had to hold back our laughter, but for a moment, it didn’t feel so heavy.”
Fiona let out a soft laugh. "Sounds like you managed to find some light in the darkness."
He nodded. "Didn’t change the system, but it reminded us we were still alive."
Fiona studied Mat quietly for a moment, her arms loosely crossed. “Is there anything you would have done differently?”
Mat hesitated, his ears twitching slightly as he stared into the shadows. “I guess… I would’ve turned off social media. Maybe gotten my GED early and started community college before everyone else.”
Fiona tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her blue eyes. “So why community college?”
Mat shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s a kind of life hack. You can start cheaply, then transfer to a more costly college or university to finish. Saves money, and no one really cares where you started once you’ve got the degree.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, her expression softening. “You really thought about this?”
He chuckled, his ears twitching. “I was a nerd in high school. Didn’t get to put it to much use after that, though. Picking and milling wheat isn’t exactly brain-heavy work. But they let us make our own bread sometimes. That was nice.”
Fiona’s lips quirked in amusement. “Bread-making nerd. I can see it.”
"What happened?" she asked gently. "How did you get out?"
He leaned back against the wall, fingers brushing over the rough stone. "The boss was having some kind of big meeting with government officials. Security was lighter than usual. I took a chance, stole a magical map from his office, and ran."
Fiona blinked, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement. “Just like that?”
“Pretty much,” Mat said, his smirk widening. “I don’t think they expected anyone to try something like that during such an important meeting. Guess they thought the big boss being around would be enough to keep us in line.”
Fiona shifted her stance, a small grin playing on her lips. “Well, they underestimated you, didn’t they?”
Mat chuckled softly, the sound echoing faintly in the cavern. “You could say that. I didn’t have much of a plan, honestly. Just grab the map and run. It wasn’t until later that I realized how lucky I was to pull it off.”
Fiona shook her head, her grin softening into a warm smile. “You might call it luck, but it sounds like you knew exactly what you were doing, Mat.”
He met her gaze, his expression growing serious. “Maybe. Or maybe I was just desperate enough to take the chance. Either way, I wouldn’t be here without that map—and without the hope that things could be better.”
Fiona reached out again, her fingers brushing his arm reassuringly. “You made it, Mat. That’s what matters.”
Mat smirked slightly, tilting his head. “Well, I did become a thief.”
Fiona rolled her eyes, her arms crossing over her chest as she gave him a knowing look. “I know, Mat. In order for me to catch a thief, I had to know a thief.”
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. And here I thought I was the clever one. Guess I didn’t realize I was being hunted by someone even more resourceful.”
Fiona smirked, placing a hand on her waist. “Well, I had a team with me, and let’s not forget—you stole a crystal ball from a witch. Not exactly a high IQ play.”
Mat laughed, the sound echoing faintly in the cavern. “Okay, fair. But in my defense, I was trying to help my people out. It wasn’t some foolish grab for greed.”
Fiona’s expression softened, her blue eyes meeting his. “I know,” she said simply, her voice steady.
Mat glanced away for a moment, his smirk fading into something quieter. “It doesn’t make it any less reckless, though. I thought I was being brave, doing something that mattered. Turns out, I was just putting myself in more danger.”
Fiona stepped closer, her tone softening. “But you did it for the right reasons, Mat. That’s what matters. And look where it led you. You made it through, and you’re here now.”
He looked back at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah, here I am. Guess I should be grateful that witch forgave me, especially for drinking that Fertility Potion.”
Fiona blinked, her blue eyes narrowing. “Fertility Potion?”
Mat shrugged, his ears twitching slightly. “I was thirsty when I got there and just grabbed a bottle of water. Drank it without checking. Turns out it wasn’t water.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on her waist. “That’s not exactly proof, Mat.”
He chuckled, leaning back against the cavern wall. “Well, I knocked you up in one go. And we’ve got twins on the way. Sounds like pretty solid evidence to me.”
Fiona rolled her eyes, though a faint smirk tugged at her lips. “Or maybe you’re just that lucky.”
Mat tilted his head, his expression growing thoughtful. “I don’t know. I’m a male rabbit, and you’re a female ferret.”
Fiona frowned slightly, her arms still crossed. “What’s your point?”
Mat shrugged, a small grin tugging at his lips. “Well, I was a nerd in high school, and I remember learning about this stuff. Males have a ton of gametes, and females only have one or a few.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, the smirk fading slightly. “Gametes? What are those?”
“For men, it’s sperm,” Mat explained, gesturing vaguely. “We’ve got millions, even billions of sperm, and they’re… well, pretty disposable. But you? You’ve only got one or two eggs at a time, and they’re precious. Extremely valuable.”
Fiona blinked, her expression shifting between curiosity and mild annoyance. “So?”
Mat leaned forward slightly, his grin widening. “So, you must have felt it—even in your own body—that my ‘disposable’ sperm was worthy of your precious eggs.”
Fiona stared at him for a moment, her blue eyes narrowing. Then she shook her head, letting out a soft laugh. “You really know how to make romance sound like biology homework, Mat.”
He shrugged, his grin unapologetic. “Hey, I’m just saying. Science doesn’t lie.”
Fiona tilted her head, her smirk taking on a teasing edge. “I did sleep with a few jocks, though.”
Mat blinked, his grin faltering for a moment as he leaned back slightly. “Wait… was that real?”
Fiona shrugged, her expression thoughtful but unreadable. “Can’t say for sure. In those memories, I was Edwin’s daughter, so who knows? Either your sperm won out, or that didn’t actually happen.”
Mat’s ears twitched as he considered her words, his expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. “Great. Now I’m competing with imaginary jocks in your fragmented memories.”
Fiona chuckled, stepping closer as her smirk softened. “If it helps, you’re the one standing here with me now. Real or not, you’re the one who matters.”
Mat grinned, his playful confidence returning. “Well, if they were real, that just means your eggs chose me instead.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, folding her arms as she tilted her head. “I don’t think biology works like that, Mat.”
“Sure it does,” he replied, the grin widening. “Survival of the fittest, right? Out of all those other possibilities, my gametes won the gold.”
Fiona rolled her eyes, though a faint laugh escaped her lips. “You really are something else, you know that?”
Mat shrugged, leaning casually against the cavern wall. “What can I say? I like to win.”
Fiona shook her head, her blue eyes glinting with amusement. “Well, congratulations, winner. You’re officially the father of twins. Let’s hope your ‘biology’ explanations don’t make it into their bedtime stories.”
She smirked, placing a hand on her waist as she added, “And besides, I didn’t think saving the universe required birth control.”
Mat laughed, his ears flicking as he leaned forward. “Guess that’s a lesson for the next galactic savior. ‘Step one: save the universe. Step two: pack some birth control.’”
Fiona chuckled, her shoulders shaking lightly. “Too bad it’s a little late for us.”
“Maybe,” Mat replied, his tone softening as he met her gaze. “But I can’t say I regret it.”
Her smirk faded slightly, replaced by a small, genuine smile. “Me neither.”
Mat tilted his head, his ears perking up slightly. “Did you think you were not going to do it at all?”
Fiona blinked, caught off guard by the question. “What? Have kids?”
Mat shook his head, his tone playful but curious. “I mean sex. You didn’t bring the birth control.”
Fiona’s expression softened as she let out a small chuckle. “I stopped ordering it during junior year. Got tired of the meaningless sex.”
Mat’s ears twitched, his gaze steady as he studied her. “Meaningless, huh? So what made this different?”
Fiona looked away for a moment, her fingers brushing the damp cavern wall. “I don’t know,” she said softly, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability. “Maybe it’s because this didn’t feel like just sex. It felt like… more.”
Mat’s playful smirk faded into a warm smile. “It is more,” he said quietly. “At least, it is to me.”
Fiona turned back to him, her blue eyes meeting his. “To me too,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Fiona leaned back slightly, her arms crossed as she glanced at Mat. “So, when should I start showing?”
Mat tilted his head, his ears twitching thoughtfully. “It’s usually after three months.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, her smirk returning. “So, Nerd, tell me about the journey.”
Mat chuckled, leaning against the cavern wall with an amused glint in his eyes. “Well, I knocked you up, of course. You’re a little past month one now.”
Fiona rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t suppress a soft laugh. “Wow. Such an inspiring journey. Truly poetic.”
Mat tilted his head, his ears twitching thoughtfully. “Wait, you meant the whole journey, didn’t you? Like, what’s going to happen.”
Fiona smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Exactly, Nerd. Tell me what I’m in for.”
Mat chuckled, leaning back against the cavern wall as he began. “Okay, well, the first trimester—where you are now—comes with all the fun stuff like morning sickness and fatigue. Your body’s working overtime, so it’s normal to feel more tired. And, uh… cravings might start kicking in soon.”
Fiona tilted her head, her blue eyes narrowing playfully. “Cravings? Like what?”
“Could be anything, really,” Mat said with a shrug. “Pickles, ice cream, weird combinations like… I don’t know, fish and chocolate. Everyone’s different. Just, uh, don’t expect me to judge. Too much.”
Fiona chuckled, folding her arms. “Good to know. So, when does the real fun begin?”
Mat grinned. “The second trimester. That’s when you’ll start showing—probably somewhere around month four or five. Most people say that’s the best part of pregnancy. You might feel more energetic, and the morning sickness should ease up.”
“And then?” Fiona prompted, leaning forward slightly.
“Then comes the third trimester,” Mat continued, his tone growing more serious. “That’s the home stretch. You’ll probably feel heavier, more tired again, and, well… everything gets a little more uncomfortable. But that’s when you’ll feel the babies move the most. It’s… supposed to be pretty incredible.”
Fiona nodded slowly, her expression softening. “Sounds like a lot.”
“It is,” Mat admitted, his voice gentle. “But it’s also amazing. Your body’s doing something incredible, Fiona. And you’re not doing it alone—I’m here for whatever you need.”
Her smirk returned, though it was softer this time. “You really did your homework, didn’t you?”
Mat shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. “Hey, I said I was a nerd. Might as well put it to good use.”
Fiona chuckled, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back against the cavern wall. “Well, thanks for the crash course. I guess we’ll see how accurate your nerd wisdom is.”
Mat grinned, his confidence unwavering. “Oh, it’s accurate. Trust me.”
