Trouble In Paradise Pt. 2

[Andraste]

Andraste had been desperately missing Siris. It was his child she was carrying, and he had been the most absent out of her husbands. She couldn’t blame him, as the mantle of the Eternal was exceptionally demanding. He had to operate within the shadows and go far and wide to expand his network. A lot of that meant they had next to no communication while he was away, and Andraste had been spending most of her time at the lakehouse with Cregan.

When it finally popped up on her comm that Siris was going to visit, she was beyond excited, making her way to their apartment. No matter what they accomplished, this apartment was their little corner of the galaxy that belonged to no one else. Andraste knew he’d want to find her here, and she purposely made a point to wait for him ahead of time.

The apartment looked just as they had left it, and it was adorably tiny compared to the palaces in Sith space she now frequented. It was difficult to think that this was where she had started, back when she was still just Alais. Everything had changed since then, and this place held a lot of memories for her.

Andraste ran her hands along the walls, glancing over at the furniture and the Holotv. She looked over at the couch where she spent hours bumming around and eating ice cream. Andraste gazed towards the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, all of it bearing a comforting familiarity for her.

Being six months pregnant, she was always tired and sore, and her journey had left her with swollen feet. Andraste plopped down on the couch, deciding to pop in a movie as she waited for Siris. She decided that she was going to beg for a foot massage first thing from him.

 

[Siris Drast]

After the whole incident with Zanna, it tore Siris' insides every passing moment. He couldn't think of anything else and he absentmindedly went through his business as he flew his ship back home. Sending the message to Alais that he was planning to visit, he didn't even send a location as she knew exactly where to meet. It has been a long time since he had been to his original home and he desperately missed it and the presence of his wife. Siris knew it should have been a happy homecoming between them, one where they laugh and smile and sit on the couch and just eat ice cream together like she would have wanted. But they swore to tell the truth to the other no matter what and it wasn't hard to forget how nearly volatile the situation became when they did lie to each other. Siris knew he had to tell the truth to her, no matter how much it would pain and him her.


Landing on Alderaan, Siris exited from the docks and stood out on the edge of a packed street. Having been working in the shadows and becoming The Eternal, he now always kept his signature suppressed even if it didn't seem needed. There was always enemies lurking in the shadows to take their chances and Siris never wanted to feel exposed like that. It would have been easy to cut a path straight to their apartment, knowing the city well enough to do so and avoid traffic. But Siris took the long way, his hood drawn as he slid his hands into his pockets and walked with the rest of the people and took different streets to their apartment. Siris needed to collect his thoughts before he met his wife, not knowing how he would want to tell her or how he would act if he saw her smile at him. Exhaling softly, he cleared his mind, there was no point in trying to plan for something like this, he would just have to tell her.

Reaching their apartment, Siris silently stood on the outside of the door, his eyes staring into it as if he was boring a hole into it. The sound of the Holotv could be heard before the door and he could sense that his wife was inside, it a beacon to him as he also felt another faint signature in her. Silently opening the door after a few moments, Siris stepped inside quietly as well not wanting to disturb the image of seeing his wife just sitting there and watching a movie. A genuine smile touched his lips as he finally saw his wife in what had been months, her stomach even bigger than before. It was just like a normal wife waiting for her husband, not the empress of an empire. Siris' eyes slowly scanned the pictures and other furniture in the apartment, reminiscing about everything they shared here and only reconfirming how much he missed it.

His gaze finally returned to his wife watching the movie, still continuing his silent approach as it practically second nature to him to not make a sound. When he neared the couch he crouched down, his head behind hears as he gently wrapped his arm around her chest and brushed his lips against her ear, "Hey," Siris planted a light kiss on her, his fingers gripping onto her shoulder lightly as he pulled Alais into him, "I've missed you." Siris murmured softly again against her ear before giving her another kiss on her cheek. Looking at the TV, he pressed his cheek against hers before asking, "Started it without me, huh?" Even though he would tell her the truth, he at least wanted to enjoy his time with her a little before it happened.

 

[Andraste]

By now, Andraste was fully engrossed in the movie. She had picked a scary one this time, and she was hugging a pillow to herself, her eyes wide. She thought she picked a romantic comedy, and it certainly started out that way until the demonic possessions started to happen. Andraste hid behind the pillow for almost half the movie, peeking over the edge every now and then.

When Siris wrapped his arms around her, she was ready to scream, only to realize who it was. She still gasped and had to catch her breath before calming down, feeling his kiss on her cheek. Andraste paused the movie, grinning at him, “You hate watching movies,” She reminded him, tugging at him to come join her on the couch.

“I’ve been missing you every day,” She admitted, pulling him close for a hug as she kissed him. Andraste buried her face into his chest, inhaling the familiar scent, taking in the familiar warmth and the feel of him. She had been craving all of it desperately, and she knew her being pregnant with his child had made her extra needy about him. Andraste pulled back slightly, taking his hand and placing it on her belly, “He’s getting big now,” She guided his hand along, smiling down as she allowed him to feel it. After a moment, she felt the baby kick, her eyes widening, “Did you feel that?” Andraste kept her gaze on her belly, “He knows his daddy’s here.”

She leaned against Siris, sighing in contentment, “Please tell me you can stay for a while,” She closed her eyes, entwining their fingers together and leaving their hands on her belly.

 

[Siris Drast]

"I can suffer through them with you." Siris responded with a smirk, her probably being the only one that could make him sit through it. She felt her tug to join him and he stepped around the side of the couch before sitting down next to her. Usually, Siris wasn't the best hugger but he hugged her right back, his long arms around her as he pulled her in close against him. Siris placed his cheek on the top of her head, "The feeling is mutual," Everyday he thought of her and every day he missed her more, still not used to not having her by his side regularly when they first met. Tilting his head so his mouth pressed into her hair, he gave a light kiss before breathing her in as well, her scent traveling through his nose as it reminded him of home and everything he missed.

As she guided his hand to her belly he leaned back, glancing down at it with a smile and soft chuckle, admiring the sight of it as they continued to have a healthy growing boy. "Yeah, he is." Siris still couldn't believe the fact that he was having a child and soon it was going to be born in this galaxy. As his palm continued to press against her stomach, he felt the kick as well and it was directly where his hand was. Siris' eyes widened in surprise too, glancing up at Alais as she stared down at her belly and told him their child knew he was here. The words surprisingly pained him deeply, seeing her so happy and carefree and their child was as well. It just made him think more about what he did and the kick seemed to be a reminder that he had to tell her. But Siris' face didn't show any of it as his emotions continued to battle, still blown away by feeling the kick as he leaned down and placed a kiss against her stomach, "Hey little one," Siris whispered softly against it, figuring even he didn't want to feel left out on his greetings.

Leaning back up, Alais leaned into him and he let her, falling back against the couch with her as she intertwined their fingers and kept them against her stomach. She asked if he could stay longer and he didn't know how to reply at first. Siris wanted to with all his heart, he felt like he could give up an entire month for her and just be like this. The guilt was still tormenting him however and he was sure that their homecoming wouldn't be as pleasant or as long as they intended. "I don't know," Siris answered truthfully, his gaze on the paused picture of a woman during her possession. Siris sighed softly, "I have to tell you something." He thought he could keep up with acting like nothing was wrong so he could enjoy his time with her but he couldn't any longer and figuring it was best to just get it over with now. spare any more pain.

Siris slightly pulled away from her, removing his fingers from hers as he turned to his side to look directly at her. When their gazes met he couldn't say anything, speechless for the wrong reasons as he saw the love and care inside them. His jaw locked slightly as he rested his arm along the spine of the couch, tapping his thumb against the leather as he built up the courage to speak.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste couldn’t help but grin widely at the genuine, surprised look on his face as he felt the kick. It was unlike anything he would have felt before, and she caught him staring at her belly in awe. She remained quiet as he leaned down to kiss against her stomach, her fingers fondly brushing against his hair as he did so, watching him greet his son. "I hope he has your eyes," She said quietly while he was down there.

When he leaned back up, Andraste went back to leaning against him, almost considering unpausing the movie so they could have a moment like old times. However, she felt him tense up slightly, and she immediately looked at him before he even said anything. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, sensing the discomfort from him. When he mentioned he had to say something and pulled away, she was more than a little alarmed.

Had he run into trouble on a mission? Did they lose any assets? She knew the Hutts were causing some issues, so her mind jumped to that instantly. Instead of guessing out loud, Andraste simply nodded, letting him have his space to talk, “What is it?” She blinked at him curiously, genuinely having no clue what it could be.

 

[Siris Drast]

Alais knew him too well and could already sense what was wrong before he did anything, peering at up with a confused look. Siris saw the questions that played across her eyes and he figured she was thinking it was work related. It was the complete opposite of that and Siris had no clue how to tell her. He thought it would be easier to just spill the truth to her but the longer they looked at each other his heart seemed to pound even more. Siris just wished they could rest in each other's arms and watch the stupid movie instead but that was impossible now. After his words, that would probably be a far-fetched dream that he could only wish would happen.

Seconds ticked by as he continued to have his internal struggle of saying the truth. Zanna flashed through his head and everything they did that night, wondering if there was any way he could go back and change it. But Siris also realized that was an impossible task as well, what he did set in stone and unable to be changed. His gaze gave a quick glance to her stomach, wondering if his child could hear Siris' words and was even able to feel disappointment even at such young stage. Exhaling softly, Siris prepared himself for what was to come, knowing it would not be pretty. "While I was gone... I slept with someone else." He just spoke the plain truth, finding no way to sugarcoat or make it appeal any better then what it was.

Siris didn't know how she would react completely, his only guess being that this wasn't going to end well. His gaze leveled with hers the entire time, choosing not to have it falter as he still had the courage to look her in the eye. Even though Alais was good at reading him, mostly through his eyes as he usually had a passive face, the emotions in them were muddy and it was clear it was tearing him up. There were a million things going through him and he still kept his signature suppressed, hiding the rupturing emotions that were going through him. Siris felt exposed, as if his heart laid out in the open and between them, it beating painfully as the entire weight of the galaxy seemed to fall on it once he told her the truth. Just sitting there, he waited for Alais to react to his words, believing himself ready for whatever was about to come.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste couldn’t describe the feelings going through her the moment those words slipped from him. There was a spark of rage, but it only popped up for a moment. Her fingers curled into fists, but quickly unfurled. Andraste said nothing for a long moment, staring ahead at the screen that was still paused on the woman’s screaming face. She thought back to the promises he made her, the promises to be committed only to her and faithful only to her. She had mentioned it was unnecessary, but he insisted. She had grown to love that part of him, and it had set him apart from any other man in her life. Now he had proven to be no different than anyone else.

She felt a whirlwind of emotions go through her, the most prominent one being pain that she felt physically. It was an ache in her chest, a sharp, jabbing pain she couldn’t have expected. Andraste thought she knew Siris inside out, and she never could have foreseen this. She had set him up on a pedestal, and she worshipped him. She had knelt before him. All of that came crashing down around her like the ashes raining down following an explosion.

She thought of the child that was in her belly, a mark of the love she shared with Siris, a love she thought she didn’t share. Andraste tried to rationalize things. She tried to make excuses for him, but at the end of the day it was a promise he broke. It hurt worse than the act itself, as she had never been concerned about her husbands taking on other lovers. No, it was the fact that he had always been so different than the others.

Andraste slowly scooted off the couch to stand, purposely not meeting his gaze. She took in slow, deep breaths and exhaled. Her emotions were difficult to read, her expression almost entirely blank. Andraste still kept her gaze ahead as she finally spoke softly, “Do you love her?”

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris expected anger, he expected her to beat his chest and scream. He was prepared for that, he could deal with her anger. But the one that made Siris feel completely worthless was the disappointment. Even if she tried to hide it, Siris could see right through her mask after knowing her so well and could practically see it plastered on her face. It made his own heartbreak in different ways, feeling the pain spread throughout his chest as he locked his jaw to weather through it. Siris had never wanted to disappoint Alais, she was too precious to him to ever let that happen but somehow he did it anyway. Usually, Siris could control always control himself, but the mask plagued his mind and he wanted comfort.

Siris quietly just sat there, not knowing what to say at the moment in times like these, this being his first time ever having to describe something like this. He just watched as internal and invisible wounds opened inside her, it breaking Siris' heart like he never felt before. His grip on the spine of the couch tightened, his knuckles turning white as he needed something to hold onto to distract and keep him steady. Siris had a vague idea of what was going on through her head but he honestly had no clue and he wished he could see what was going through her head. If she thought he didn't love her or care about her then she was wrong, no one would ever come close to what they have together. Siris may have just tainted it between them but that would never change for him, nothing could ever replace her.

Alais scooted off the couch and his eyes followed her, her face now entirely blank and making even hard for him to read. When she asked the question, Siris nearly widened his eyes in shock at her asking the question. "No, of course not Alais. It was just sex." His voice held every ounce of truth that it could, hiding nothing from her. Whatever he and Zanna have, it was nothing close to love and to what he and Alais had. Standing up slowly from the couch, his gaze remained on Alais the entire time before he took a small step forward to her. If she stayed where she was, Siris would slowly reach out his hand so the tips of his fingers touched her palm. "I love you with all my heart, that will never change no matter what happens. You are the only person I do and have loved in my entire life." His tone was soft, containing the same love that he was telling her about, his fingers sliding further into her hand if he let her.

Intertwining their fingers, he gave her hand a light squeeze before reaching with his other hand and gently gripping her chin before turning her head to look at him. When their gazes would meet, his silver eyes would be different than before, no longer muddy but now having an absolute certainty in them. "You don't deserve this and I am sorry I disappointed you. You and our child mean everything to me, I would never jeopardize that and leave you for another." Siris' eyes remained staring at Alais', helping convey what he felt for her and how much she meant to him.

 

[Andraste]

She barely heard anything he said, her mind still on the sense of betrayal. She had always been guarded with how much she trusted and who she trusted. He had been at the very top of that, and the only one she fully trusted. He shattered all that, and she could do nothing to change it. There was a lump in her throat, the girl he met on Dagobah still inside her and wanting nothing more than to run into his arms and forget anything bad happened. She wanted to turn back time to when it was just the two of them, even in that crumbling cave. Back when they were both afraid of how much they loved one another, and how new and terrifying it was. Perhaps this was all her fault in the end.

She felt his hand reach for hers, and for a moment she let it linger. However, she pulled her hand away as he went to grasp it, turning away from him. Andraste said nothing as she quietly made her way to their bedroom. Without a word, she grabbed the bags she had brought over years ago when she first moved in with him. They had been untouched this entire time and had collected dust. Andraste put the bags out and began taking down her clothes and personal items, working methodically to pack everything.

Even if he walked into the room, she had nothing to say to him. Her expression remained the same, and there was even confusion there. Truthfully, she didn’t understand why this hurt her the way it did, but the Andraste side of her was reminded of how her attachments ultimately made her weak. She found strength in that, and she began to pack away her belongings bit by bit, leaving behind the pictures of them together.

Mentally, she tried to be as far away from this place as possible. Her thoughts returned to Sith space, and she reminded herself that she was an Empress now. She had a role to play, and she couldn’t let things like this destroy her. Andraste thought about the alliances she needed to make, which only reminded her about how she was willing to go to war with the Hutts because she simply had a hint of Siris being hurt by them. Her jaw tightened, a small figurine she was packing shattering in her hand. She tossed it aside and went right back to packing, deciding that Lothal would be the only home for her outside of Sith space.

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris thought his words were reaching her, his finger slowly sliding further into her hand before she yanked it away and turned from him. It nearly broke him down right there, it feeling like his heart just plunged into the floor as she ignored him. Siris stood there shocked for a moment, not being able to comprehend that this was happening right now before she started making her way into the bedroom. Not far behind he followed her in, hating the fact at how silent was she was and stonewalling him. Alais had never done this before to him and this was the worst he had felt in a very long time. She used to always have something quirky or funny to say and now that was completely gone from her, making him feel lonely and abandoned as it felt like a part of him just died.

His eyes followed her throughout the room before he realized what she was going for, pulling out bags that they used when she first moved in him. It dawned on Siris what she was doing and it nearly sucked the air out of lungs right there. Did she want to leave him? They had always been together, through the thick and the thin of everything and now it seemed like everything was melting apart between them and just slipping through his fingers. "No, no, no." Siris murmured before walking over to the bed, placing his hand on top of the bag when she placed an item down and stopping her from placing any more. His other grabbed onto her arm tenderly, trying to make her look at him. "Alais stop," She would be able to hear the pain in his voice, it almost unbearable as it was the worst he ever felt and one that Siris couldn't endure.

"Don't do this, don't leave," Siris spoke, his voice containing the same hurt and guilt-ridden. Siris' fingers wrapped around her slender arm slightly tighter, "Look at me," Lifting his hand from the bag, he held onto her other arm before turning her to face him even if she wanted to or not. "Alais, there is nothing between me and her. You are everything to me," He then glanced down at her stomach before back up to her as he placed one of his hands gently on her stomach, "You both are everything to me, don't leave because I made a stupid mistake." Siris then lifted his hand to cup her cheek, "Talk to me, don't shut me out." He couldn't stand her being silent, it was so unfamiliar to him and it was as if she completely disconnected from where they were. Siris caught how she avoided the pictures of them and it pained him deeply, Alais trying to leave behind every reminder of what they had together.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste tried to ignore him as he got in her way, but he was persistent in stopping her. At long last, she finally paused and slowly lifted her gaze to meet his, “The mistake was mine,” She said flatly. She glanced down where he held her arm, her jaw tightening at the sight. With her free hand, she reached down to the bracelet she had made for him and yanked at it forcefully, tearing it apart easily. Andraste looked back up at him, “You are free to do whatever you please. I have other lovers, and you may have the same. I simply would have preferred it if you made yourself abundantly clear beforehand.”

She yanked her arm out of his grip and went right back to packing. It was clear that the rage was building within her now, Alais taking a back seat. Andraste was impervious to his words, and all his pleading had little effect on her. She put more clothing in the bag before she paused for a moment, “Cregan will take the seat of Serenno,” She mentioned without looking at him, “You will return to the Outer Rim at once and keep building out your network. Don’t return until your job is done,” Her tone was ice cold, and it was how she addressed others within the Empire. It was a side of her he had never seen directed at him.

Andraste zipped the bags closed and paused for a moment, looking around the room. There were so many memories here, so much laughter and love and even shared pain. But this was a pain she couldn’t share with him, nor with anyone else. This was for her to handle alone, for her and her child. She turned to meet his gaze, “You are not the man I thought you were,” She said calmly, “The stupid mistake was mine,” She repeated.

 

[Siris Drast]

Alais finally turned her gaze to look at him, thinking he was at least making headway through the wall she was setting up around her. But when she spoke Siris knew he was back at square one with her, her tone completely void of any emotions that they felt for each other. When she glanced down, Siris arched his eyebrow slightly before following her eyes and finding the bracelet on his wrist. When she reached towards the bracelet, his hand quickly shot forward and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to prevent her from getting any closer to it. No matter what happened between them, the bracelet was always been one of his most cherished items and he would never let anything happen to it.

Siris' gaze went back up to her's, a short of shock in them as Siris realized what she had just tried to do. She had made it for him when he first brought her to his home and after what happened on Dagobah, the memory of the candy shop and pink table flashing through his head. That hurt him more than anything else she had done at this point, the fact that she tried to destroy something she created for him only making his heart ache more. But the ache soon turned into a flash of rage, was this the only conclusion for her after everything they been through? To leave him and their home just because of his stupid mistake? What they been through in this apartment, on Dagobah, Malastare, everything. After what he had been through? Swallowing his feelings about her having other husbands, about putting everything and devoting everything he could to make sure she could get what she wanted?

Her next words surprised him, talking to him as a subordinate even though they were married, them being equal like they always claimed to each other. Siris widened his eyes slightly at her words, realizing that she was exiling him practically without directly saying it. It made him feel entirely cold, barely able to grasp her words as he couldn't believe what was going on. Siris' heart thumped in his chest as if trying to keep up with the constant pain that was slowly spreading through him. His eyes started to water as one of the rarest displays of emotion that only Alais could bring out of him. "Is this what you can only think of? To leave and send me off? Alais it was my mistake and my mistake alone!" Siris' voice was strained, conveying the utter and said emotion in his voice.

As she glanced around he knew she saw the memories of them playing before her, the pictures on the wall only highlighting them. It was painful to her too and he could see it, it only made the ache inside more pronounced. When she finally turned to look at him and speak again, the tears were there but it hit him deep to his core. Now the anger was evident, not able to comprehend Alais saying those words to him. "What?" Siris' voice was completely bare, it horse as those words had a surprising effect on him. Siris couldn't stop his next words, all of them just tumbling out. "You think I enjoy being out there and away from you and our child? You think I enjoy knowing that you are at another one of your husband's homes and being loved by another man there? Because of my one mistake to you, you're ready to just leave me and shut me out? I've suffered through everything with you, I watched and stood there as you married yourself off to other husbands. I've sacrificed parts of myself to let that happen, I went through this entire journey with you to make sure your dreams could come true. I've never complained to you and I stood through every storm you brought, standing through it just for you. If you really want to leave me for this? Then I can't stop you. You've had your way the entire time and it seems you'll have it again."

Siris' hands balled into fists before releasing the tension, controlling the bubbling anger that was going through him as more tears spilled from his face. Emotions were etched across his, anger, shock, sadness. It was one of the times that he was a complete and open book to her, unable to keep up his normal mask as even he wasn't strong enough to hide it.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste calmly listened to his tirade, her jaw tightening and her hands curling into fists. There was no denying it, there was raw, unbridled rage coursing through her. With the hormones, she was even more of a force to be reckoned with. He had almost finished speaking before she coiled the Force around his neck, compressing down to make him begin to choke. Andraste turned her gaze to meet his, her eyes animalistic and devoid of any warmth. This was a side of her he had been trying for years to keep from emerging, and it was out here in full form now.

“I married you for all those reasons,” She hissed at him, recalling his list of everything he had done for her. Andraste pinned him back against the wall behind him, the pictures of them together falling to the floor from the impact. She slowly released her hold around his neck, her demeanor ice cold in contrast to the tears she saw from him, “I was honest with you from the beginning about what I was and how I was. You knew it all along. It doesn’t excuse you from breaking a promise to me.”

She was about to keep going when the baby began to move erratically. Andraste’s cold demeanor dropped at once, and she had to breathe, clutching her belly. She wasn’t used to this much activity from the child, and she had to take a few steps back and sit on the edge of the bed. For a moment, she said nothing, calming down from her outburst of rage. Was she truly angry at him? Andraste felt her belly, reminded of the baby that was living and breathing inside her. The baby that she and Siris had created, the very tangible product of their love. It was love that had withstood every trial it had faced thus far. It was love that stood against time, wars, through the birth of an empire and a new regime. Would she truly toss it away for an indiscretion like this?

She slowly looked up at him, sighing softly. Tears brimmed her eyes now, “Where does it stop, Siris? You will fall in love, marry and have children with this woman? You will do it all to spite me? Because you realize you can’t handle who I am? You want to do this all when I’m trying to lead an Empire and am carrying your child?”

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris saw this his words were beginning to have an effect, her jaw locking and her own hands turning into fists. He could feel the rage inside her start to bubble, like him no longer caring to hide the emotions that were coursing through her. That's when he felt the force wrap around his throat, slowly constricting as his airways were cut off. If anybody, Siris knew how his wife got when she was angry and when he felt the constriction, he quickly called the force to himself and broke the hold around his neck. But he didn't stop her push, his body colliding with the wall as it knocked down pictures but he paid no heed to them, his eyes only locked on Alais.

Siris just stared at her silently, her own emotions different from his as all he could see was the lack of warmth she had for him as Alais looked at him. He didn't say anything to her words, his mind barely able to process what was unfolding in front of him. Not even ten minutes ago they were on the couch, in each other's embrace and about to watch some shitty horror movie. He saw her about to continue before her demeanor just disappeared before clutching her belly and starting to take a few steps back to recuperate. "Alais..." Siris murmured softly, forgetting about the anger and the situation they were in as he immediately went to her side, helping her to the edge of the bed to sit down.

He could sense their child moving sporadically and stood there in front of her, having a protectful gaze on her stomach. Their child was everything to him and her, it was their chance to start a family like the both of them wanted. It reminded him there that everything he did was for her and to make sure their child grew up healthy and void of any struggle. Void of anything that Siris had to live through when he was born, promising to never let his child suffer like he did. When she finally looked up to him and he saw the tears forming in her eyes, it made more start to shed for him as now trails went down each of his cheeks.

Siris slowly got to his knees, kneeling down in front of her as his hands rested on her knees, "It stops right where it is, you are the only person I love and will ever love. You are the only person I will have a child with and start a family with. What is between me and that woman is nothing, it was a fling and that is all it could be. What we have between us, no one will ever come close to what you mean to me, what our child means to me." Siris' words were pained with raw emotion, his misty eyes still locked on hers as he extended a hand forward and touched her bloated stomach. "I know I hurt you but I would never mean to do it on purpose. What happened between me and her wasn't because of you or me wanting to spite you. I was in a dark place and with you away from me... I just needed comfort." Siris' head dipped in shame after he said it before he returned his gaze Alais' eyes and his other hand slid to hers, their fingers mixing together again if she let him. "I told you that you were the love of my life and I have said nothing truer to you except now. You and our child is my life now, whatever happens between us, that will never change. Even if you hate me or banish me, I will always love you and the life growing inside you. Nothing will ever make me abandon the two of you." Once Siris was finished, he just stayed there on his knees, waiting for her response.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste said nothing for a long moment, closing her eyes and reeling back the rage that was there. She knew he was genuine, and she could feel every emotion in him. He was an open book to her, and she could read him without even digging in. Andraste didn’t pull back from him as he entwined their fingers together, feeling him lower himself to his knees.

The baby stopped kicking and moving about rapidly as soon as he placed his hand on her stomach. Andraste felt an odd sense of calm, and she slowly breathed out, simply sitting there in silence for a while. Their baby wasn’t even born yet and had to witness his parents scream at one another. Andraste thought to her own life, the parents she never truly knew, the shame of discovering her lineage to Syresh. Would their child be proud of where he came from?

Andraste placed her hand over Siris’, opening her eyes to gaze into his, “I’m not stupid. I know you have to be gone for months at a time, and I don’t care what lovers you take when you are gone,” She sighed, reaching a hand to trace along the side of his face, “I just want you to return to me. At the end, I want to be your home like you are mine,” She tried to lean down to kiss him, but her stomach got in the way. Instead, she simply laughed softly, brushing her hand through his hair, “Especially since I’m not exactly the best to look at right now…” Andraste despised being bloated like this, and being so short, she felt even more ridiculous with her protruding belly, “I don’t care what you do out there, just be mine at the end of it all,” She had other husbands, and she has no qualms with them taking on lovers. They simply couldn’t marry or father children outside of their marriage to her.

 

[Siris Drast]

Silence overtime but Siris still didn't say anything, able to see that Alais was thinking over his words. When she let their fingers form together it calmed his heart, believing the worst has passed as he gave her hand a light squeeze. Siris also had felt the movement from the baby cease when he put his hand on her stomach as if their child both wanted them to stop fighting and went back to normal after it was done. After a few more seconds of silence, Alais opened her eyes and looked at him, both of them filled with tears as it was obvious the amount of hold they had over each other. She was the only one who could make him cry and it destroyed his heart every time he saw her if it was because of him.

As Siris felt her hand trace along his face, he leaned into the touch, comforted by it and wishing they could never leach each other's arms. "I will always return to you, you are my home and everything between. You are everything I fight for." When she tried to lean down to kiss him but her stomach got in a way, Siris couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight as her hand now went through his hair. He went up before she could lean back fully, his hand cupping her cheek as he gave her kiss on the lips, it lingering there for a few moments before he finally separated. "You've never looked more perfect to me then right now." Siris murmured softly against her lips before heading back down on his knees. "I will always be yours, that is something you will never have to fear." His tone soft and full of warmth as his hands slid back to her knees, giving them both a reassuring squeeze.

Siris glanced to her before to the door that led to the living room, a slight smirk touching his lips before he stood up and gripped Alais' hands and brought her up with him. "The movie is still paused if you care to finish it with me." Alais was the only one that could make him sit through an entire movie but now Siris wanted to do it himself, find a moment of normalcy after what just happened. It was better for the both of them and the baby in her stomach. Siris' hand came back up to her cheek, wiping away whatever tears there were from both of her cheeks. "If I get scared I'll make sure to hold onto your hand." Siris murmured with a soft chuckle as he arched his eyebrow slightly, wondering what she thought of his proposition.

 

[Andraste]

Andraste didn’t stop him as he closed the distance to kiss her, remembering just how much she savored it. She grasped his face in her hands, closing her eyes and letting the kiss linger before she allowed them to part. There was no denying how much she loved this man, and parts of her despised herself at how forgiving she could be with him. The darker sides of her began to question whether he was truly a weakness. Would he break her trust or cross boundaries in the future? How far would she go? She stopped that dark line of thought there, deciding it was a spiral she didn’t want to fall into.

She distracted herself by focusing on the moment, allowing him to tug her up to her feet slowly. Andraste followed him back out into the living room, sitting on the couch she spent so much time simply being entirely lazy on. She ran her fingers along the material, thinking back to the days when she was just Alais. She didn’t know where her path would lead her, and she never saw herself as a leader back then. Andraste glanced over to the kitchen, recalling the vivid memories of when she was on the kitchen counter and she had made Siris promise something.

And how she forced him to break that promise by giving him an ultimatum.

She was guilty as well. Andraste couldn’t look away from the counter for a long moment, thinking about how she pulled him into every path he never wanted to walk. She forced him to watch her fall further into darkness, exploiting the true love he had for her. Andraste sighed, glancing down for a moment. Perhaps it was herself she needed to question whether was deserving of forgiveness or not.

Andraste sat next to him on the couch at last, scooting in close to him like old times. She unpaused the movie and resumed playing. Andraste barely lasted twenty more minutes before she slumped against Siris, falling fast asleep and using him as a pillow. It was clear she was beyond exhausted, and he always had a way about him that made her feel entirely relaxed. Much to his amusement, she actually began to quietly snore, something she had never done before. Right there in the middle of all the screaming and yelling going on in the movie.

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris watched as she sat down, running her hand over it as he could tell she was thinking of the past. Their home always seemed to have that effect on them, bringing memories back of when they first met and how it was all so different then. They both had been through a lot when it came to this place, one of them nearly causing them to leave each other right then and there if things didn't go well. Alais' eyes went over to the kitchen and staring at the exact spot where she sat on the kitchen counter and where he promised that he would never let her fall to darkness. Siris had failed spectacularly at that and even though he loved her with all his heart even with how she was now, it was still one of his biggest regrets that he couldn't keep it.

As much as Siris would have liked to say something he couldn't, he preferred the silence now compared to what was being said earlier and it seemed Alais didn't want to speak as well. He had a general idea of what she was thinking about and though it was his biggest regret not to keep his promise, it was also his choice to stay and be with her. While she may have thought it was an exploitation of him, Siris was the one that put himself willingly in that situation. Reaching towards her hand, he gave it another light squeeze, a subtle message not to beat herself up over it. Sitting down next to her, he was comforted by Alais' presence, his arm wrapping around her and pulling her in tighter against his figure.

Siris completely eased up next to her, all the tension from being The Eternal and the dangers that surrounded them both evaporating from his system. It always happened when Alais was near him and he always savored it when he could, finally feeling at home with her in his arms. As he watched the movie with her, his face remaining passive the entire time, he felt her body press against his before the sound of light snoring came from her. Siris glanced over at her with an arched eyebrow, this being the first time he had ever heard her snore and it made a soft chuckle escape from him, "That's new," With her out and Siris not particularly fond of movies, he quickly shut off the Holo TV as the room went dark and the only sound was Alais snoring.

Siris would have carried her over to the bed but he didn't want to see the packed bags or the fallen pictures, his heart had already taken enough and the couch seemed perfectly fine for the both of them. Adjusting his position without waking her up so it was more comfortable for the both of them, Siris rested his head against the spine of the couch as he stared up into the ceiling. It didn't take for sleep to take him as well, his eyes slowly closing as his thoughts went to Alais.

---​

When Alais woke up, she would find herself with a blanket covering her and her head resting on a pillow. He still woke up earlier than her and right now Siris was in the kitchen, cooking something up like usual for breakfast. If she glanced around the apartment, she would find the pictures that were knocked down before back at their usual spots, the bags put away as well as he had cleaned up the place while she slept. When she did wake, Siris glanced over at her with a smile on his lips, "Morning," The apartment smelled delicious again, the smell of food drowning both of their senses.

After a few minutes, he finally walked back into the living room, carrying a plate of pancakes with enough sugar just the way she liked it. Siris placed it down on the table in front of the couch, steam wafting up from the freshly cooked food as he also put a glass of water down. He didn't know if she even liked them anymore, knowing pregnancy changed people's appetite and he hated the fact that he didn't even know what she liked or what she craved. It was her favorite thing before she became pregnant and he hoped it was still something she enjoyed.

 

[Andraste]

Like usual, Andraste was asleep with no sign of waking up anytime soon. She was entirely oblivious to Siris rising up or even cooking. It was the smell of delicious food that finally roused her, and she blinked sleepily. It took her a moment to realize where she was and what had transpired the night before. It had left a bad taste in her mouth, but she knew they put their differences aside in the end.

Andraste grumbled to herself as she rose to sit up, her back and shoulders already hurting. She half considered asking him for a massage, but he was already busy cooking. For a moment, she simply watched him, being reminded of how this had become a tradition for them. She smiled at him as he greeted her, watching him walk over, “Wait wait! Can you um.. “ She looked embarrassed for a moment, “Can you put some pickles on the side?” Pickles with pancakes sounded amazing right now, and she had a craving for it.

He barely got to set the plate down before she grabbed it and began to eat, “I missed this so much,” She said in between bites, gobbling down her strange breakfast combination. There were some traits about her that were very distinctly Alais and this was one of them. Andraste didn’t put her plate down once till she finished everything, surprising him with her almost wolfish behavior, “Sorry, your son has some high demands. I can probably clear out an entire buffet nowadays.”

She set the plate down and sighed in contentment. Andraste rubbed the sleep from her eyes, glancing over to the side at him, “Sometimes I worry about the kind of galaxy I’m bringing him into,” She glanced down at her belly, rubbing her hand over it, “And being a mother that people fear or hate,” Andraste looked up at him again, “Will he ever know that you are the Eternal?” In some ways she envied him. He could play the role of loving father and anonymously bring death and destruction in his wake under another identity. Her son would always know who she was and what she was.

 

[Siris Drast]

Pickles and pancakes were a weird combination, to say the least but he guessed it was one of these newfound cravings. Heading back into the kitchen and picking up a jar of them, eyeing it with a suspicious look for a few moments before making his way back over and scooping some out and putting it on the side of the plate like she asked. Siris sat on the table across from her, his elbows resting on his knees as he could only chuckle at the sight of her scarfing it down like her life depended on it. "I've missed it too." He murmured softly, the small act being cherished by him as with the mantle he carried, he rarely got to do it anymore and he was surprised at how much he missed the simple act of cooking for her.

When she apologized for their son's demands, it caused a genuine smile to come out of him as he glanced down at her stomach. "Seems like he has his mother's appetite then. Maybe he'll even be addicted to sugar just as much as you." When she moved to place the plate down, he reached out with his hand before placing it down on the table for her and pushing it out of the way so he didn't threaten to knock it onto the ground. Alais' next words took him by surprise, Siris bringing his gaze back over to her as he thought to himself for a few moments. Would his son ever know that he was The Eternal? Siris had no clue if the information should be shared or not if their son would hate their father because of the mask he wore and the things he would have to do under the mask.


It wasn't something a normal family would tell their son, that their dad was an assassin and a murderer and brought down hell wherever he went. It would also be a lie if hadn't thought of the galaxy they were bringing him into, the countless dangers they would face as a family and the target their child would have for just being their flesh and blood. It wasn't the perfect situation for any child but they couldn't pick and choose how the galaxy acted. "Just because people fear or hate you doesn't mean our son will. The only thing he will know is the loving mother you will be." Siris glanced down at her belly once more before looking back up to her, "There will always be danger lurking in every corner, there's nothing we can do about that. But we can make sure to give him the best life we can and keep the danger at bay."

Siris moved off the table before sitting down next to her, their shoulders touching as he tilted slightly to look at her, "When it's the right time I will tell him, he deserves to know who his father is, even the baggage he carries with him." Siris didn't want to lie to their son and keep him in the dark about what he was. Even if it wasn't something to be proud of, their child would deserve to know. It was better that way than having him find out for himself, to find out his father was a monster just like the others in the galaxy. It's what Siris would have wanted himself and to hide it something like that reminded him of his father, how the man hid everything from him and only cared for his next hit or bottle. Siris vowed to not be like his father, even if it would hurt to tell the truth to their child.