Outcast Villiage

"Maybe not even then because you'll have to look after him or her."

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"I don't like this...the barely being able to use my legs." Citlali moved a hand to nervously chew her knuckles.

"hey, don't worry about it."
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"Oh and what will you be doing?"

Citlali frowned again but nodded quietly, hands moving to clench on her thighs.

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"Alongside you, learning about and looking after the child as well."

"Good." She kissed his lips.
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Alex gently kissed her head.

"I'm not going to leave you to do it yourself. I'm excited about this."

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Citlali smiled weakly but she couldn't keep it for long, too worried.

"Come on baby try and smile. At least now Ranger can't have a go at you."
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She smiled slightly. "So am I."

"Ranger finds every reason to be disappointed and angry at me..." Citlali shifted her weight to start sinking in the water again, shoulders hunched.

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Ephraim moved to kiss her gently, before carefully resting a hand on her stomach. "Get some sleep."

He watched her. "True, you love me."
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She nodded and she curled into him.

"He can't complain. He should be happy that I have a functional relationship. He's just scared you're going to hurt me when he knows I've gone through so much worse than maybe bruising or heart break."

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Ephraim moved to lay next to her, arm around her gently.

"Well actually...About our relationship..."
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She snuggled close.

Citlali twitched, trying her absolute best not to flinch as she readied herself to move. "I-It's okay, I k-kinda understand I suppose. I'm n-not the best. Kinda naive. D-Don't know what I'm doing half the time. R-Ranger always said the first one's don't always last."

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Ephraim rest his head against hers, closing his eyes.

"Actually I was going to as you to marry me." He told her.
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She let her eyes close.

((gotta go))

((Byee))

All of the tension seemed to leave Citlali all at once and she fell silent, at a loss of words. Eventually she mumbled, "R-Really? W-We're still p-pretty young, y-you might change your mind..."

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"Sleep well, Evelyn."

"I'm turning 23 in a few weeks, that isn't eacty young, but I can understand if you don't want to."
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"You to." She mumbled.

"I-I do!" Citlali quickly said. "I-It's just, R-Ranger...and...he'll s-say nineteen is too young or take me away somewhere...though I could get b-back here myself..." She moved to take hold of his hand. "I'd l-love to marry you...I think I understand what it is..."

((Skip until they're both up?))

((ok - you post first?))
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Alex kissed her forehead. "Let me deal with Ranger."

Ephraim woke up after about an hour, sighing softly through his nose and staring at the ceiling quietly.

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Citlali moved to pull his hand over to hold it against his face, smiling at him. "R-Really?"

"Yes really."
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Evelyn stayed asleep.

Citlali nuzzled her cheek against his palm. "What if he really d-doesn't want it to happen?"

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Ephraim slowly and gently moved away, trying not to wake her.

((Should we put something for Moira, Ranger and Xander, Chiquita?))

"Then he is going to have to live with it."

"What if he forces us apart or..." Citlali let his hand go slowly, starting to worry herself. Almost on habit and in panic, her leg was jogging in the bath, causing small ripples in the water.

She stirred. "Ephraim?"
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((if you want to))
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"Hey, don't worry about it."

Ephraim smoothed a hand through her hair, trying to soothe her back into sleep.

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"I can't help but worry...I'm scared I won't get to see you again if R-Ranger...if he..." Citlali moved to hug herself, shoulders hunching slightly.

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Afterwards, Ranger was just lying next to Moira, running his hand gently over her head as he watched her sleep.

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Chiquita was in her bedroom, hands on her hips as she stared at her suitcase that was on the floor. She was looking at the clothes already in there, wandering if she needed anything else for hers and Xander's trip away.

She looked at him. "What's wrong?"
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"Come on baby, let's not worry about it right now."
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Moira was asleep beside him.
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Xander was lying on the bed watching her.

"Nothing, just didn't want to wake up up."

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Citlali sighed softly before nodding, moving her arm to wriggle it around between his back and the side of the tub, so she could wrap it around his waist, and lean against his side, her other arm stretching across his stomach in a loose hug.

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Ranger slowly and very carefully moved to brush some hair from her face.

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"Have I got everything?" Chiquita finally asked Xander's opinion. "It's mostly summer stuff and bikinis and the like. If there's something I need I can always take some money out of the bank before we go and get it exchanged in case I need to buy anything over there."