Soft Spot → Sylus

(Un)pleasant Surprise

How long has it been since you've been in the toilet? You aren't sure. It's definitely more than 10 minutes.

There's nothing wrong with the test pack. It works. Surprisingly so, it shows a plus sign — positive.

You're pregnant.

It's definitely Sylus's, which scares you most. The man's a menace, an infamous figure in the N109 zone. Albeit he has a soft spot for you, doesn't mean he expects himself to become a father, especially with his line of work. Not to mention, it's only been a year, give or take, since you joined the Hunter Association's. Both of your careers are at risk.

Not to mention, the baby's life might be at risk, too. Before and after they're born.

A soft knock snaps you from your line of thought. "It's been half an hour, sweetie," Sylus's voice echoes through the bathroom.

Wiping your sweaty palms, you stand up, grasping the test pack in your hand. You come face to face with the door, hesitantly opening it to a room full of expectant gazes. All eyes are on you now.

"Are you alright?" Sylus whispers, looking down at you with barely any expression. It seems like he's trying to maintain his figure.

Without a response, you simply handed him the test pack. The room falls silent, just as it did when you're inside the bathroom. An unexplainable emotion lingers in the air.

Sylus extends his arm out to wrap around your shoulder, gently gripping your shoulder. He guides you back towards the bed, letting you sit on the edge.

"I'd like to have a word," Sylus beckons for the doctor. Both men walk out of the room, leaving you under the watchful gazes of Mephisto, Luke and Kieran.

You stare at your barefooted feet, feeling the inside of your stomach wilding out. The silence of the room is deafening. It doesn't help that you can feel three pair of eyes staring directly at you.

As if feeling your unease, Mephisto caws. The crow flies to your shoulder, its beak taking a strand of your hair playfully.

"I can't believe I'm being comforted by a bird," you chuckle exasperatedly. Raising your hand, you gently stroke Mephisto's steel wing as it caws, probably retorting to your response.

"So, what's the baby gonna be?" Luke inquires, sitting on an armchair a distance away from the bed.

"What?" you didn't quite catch his question.

"The baby's gender?" Kieran responds.

"Oh, uh, I can't really tell yet. I'd need an ultrasound to find out," the thought of it makes your heart leap. Will you ever experience those kinds of appointments? Or, is it just a momentary hope that you'll be able to live those moments?

At this point, your confusion leads you to a dead end. Sylus's decision will greatly affect yours.

"Don't worry, (Name). Boss would never leave you— Ouch!" Kieran feels Luke elbowing him in the stomach.

"What matters now is you get lots of rest and eat some more. Let's think positively in this moment," Luke adds. Both twins begin to whisper to themselves — sounds like they're trying to find a solution to cheer you up.

But, even then, you feel so secluded from the world. It feels like you're trapped in the haziness of your mind, drowning in your anxiety as you desperately try to swim to the top. While you have an option, you can't help but imagine the risks that follows.

If you did end up giving birth, the baby might have a dangerous lifetime. Not only that, but you wouldn't know how Sylus would treat a child. But, if you aborted it, who knows what kind of health risks it might put you through. Regardless of which, what will happen after that?