Bun And Loaf.

Aftermath...?

I woke up the next morning to find that my wife wasn't in bed.

Translating our calendars, yesterday wasn't only the birthday of our children, it was her birthday, as well.

Hence the massage, hot bath and the $1,350 sapphire necklace.

Her favorite time of day is dusk.

I got up and looked in the bathroom.

"Mm-nope."

I went downstairs and saw her getting ready to cook.

"Hey. What do you think you're doing?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Wait. Uh. You don't look like you were even pregnant. What's going on?" I demanded.

"Oh. The kits are on the sofa."

"Yes but, how is it that you're already recovered?" I asked.

"Oh, that? That's normal for my kind.

I told you, remember?" She asked.

"Uh uh. I don't." I said.

"I told you months ago that our kind recover extremely quickly.

In fact, if I hadn't recovered already, there would have been a serious problem and my life would be in danger."

"Huh. Well, if you're certain that you'll be fine...

I suppose I'll leave you alone about it."

"Honestly, I'm grateful for how concerned you are about me.

That said, there's no need to fake a long recovery just for doting and attention." She said, coming over and wrapping her arm around my waist.

"Of course there isn't. I'd do that regardless." I said, running my fingers through the fur between her shoulders.

I knelt down and kissed her.

She dragged her claws on my scalp through my hair and then went back to the kitchen.

I sat down on the sofa and Sophia leaped out of the bassinet and landed next to me.

"They can already jump?" I started.

"Pfft of course they can. That's what surprised you? Look at Sophia's eyes." Sylvia said.

When I did, I noticed that they were still partly gray, but the lower half of both irises were turning the same bright hunter green that mine are.

"I don't understand." I said.

"Some hybrid children's eyes, even if it'sbetween two species, will partially take on the color of the first eyes that they see.

Not only that, she actually loves you, which was surprising to me.

Then I remembered that my assimilation also affected them, so it doesn't surprise me as much, anymore.

Her emotions and thought process will be more reminiscent of a human's than a normal rabbits, so I am actually happy that you'll know the love of a daughter.

As a human, you need that.

At least, that's what I gathered from Dhaña's research into the matter." Sylvia said, smiling.

"What would have happened if I were an Elkish Lop and she weren't a hybrid?" I nervously asked.

"That sort of thing has so few occurrences in Elkland, or Lédânrâc.

That's not to say it's never happened and, fortunately, Dhañalí remembers everything she's ever studied extensively.

She said that the mother would feel her daughter's love toward her father and kill her as to avoid any future problems.

I know you, though, and can feel that your love for me hasn't changed, for the worse, at all.

I didn't know that it was possible but, it's actually stronger than before." She said happily.

"You've changed too, Sylvia. You're developing a love for our children as well.

You said that loving anyone, but their spouse, isn't possible for an Elkish Lop.

I'm happy to report that it's not true." I said, smiling.

"Assimilation hasn't ever done this for any Lops before." She said, looking at her hand as if there might be some sort of clue.

"So? No Elkish Lop has ever married a human before, either." I said.

"Wait.

Humans have extensive capacity for love in multiple forms.

That's what you and Dhañalí said, right?" She asked.

"Absolutely." I confirmed.

"The love for our children only made your love for me stronger and my love for them is doing the same for my love for you...

Humans are weird, but I'd have it no other way.

I get to live a better and happier life than I ever could have hoped before meeting you.

My society would've shunned us without hesitation." She said smiling as she cried.

"That's no society I would want to be a part of.

Not that I would ever want to be a part of any society." I said.

"There was only one species, from my world, who loved their parents, spouse and children." Sylvia mentioned.

"Oh, yeah. The tigers." I said.

"Wait, who told you?" She asked.

"No one told me. No one had to. I could tell by the way she talks and acts like a human. Of course, I'm comparing her actions against humans, to begin with.

She'd be shunned by human women, even if she were one, because of her views and how she acts.

Mainly for them being submissive and interdependent with each other.

Their relationship will be a strong one.

I do suspect that she'd take charge in a fight against an attacker, but she's totally beside him in all matters as his equal."

"Hello, that's exactly how our relationship is.

You love to cook, but so do I.

I asked you if I could cook for us, unless you really wanted to, and you readily agreed.

Even so, keeping you from helping me was a chore until those buns were born.

Now look at you, seven sons who don't seem all that interested in you and a daughter who all but refuses to let me hold her unless she's hungry.

I have a suspicious feeling that she'll grow up to be a strong woman."

"I hope so but, I hope that she doesn't get taken advantage of.

Human men can be disgusting, in terms of their warped view of love and marriage.

The same for our son's, honestly. I hope that they can avoid the same suffering that I went through.

Society destroys people's sense of empathy and compassion." I said.

"Is that why we still live here?

Don't misunderstand me, I love it here.

I'm just curious." She said.

"Only part of the reason, now.

I genuinely want to live as peaceful a life as possible, away from social engineering and societal corruption." I calmly said, sighing.

"Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"Never change that part of you." Sylvia all but ordered, staring at me with a steady, level gaze.

"Why would that change?" I asked.

"Promise me, Clark."

"Okay. I promise.

That's honestly easy because I hate human populated areas, anyway." I said, looking at my sleeping daughter.