Blowing off some steam... (PRIVATE: Anime)

"Triplets."

As soon as the word left the ultrasound technician's mouth, Riley's veins filled with ice. His eyes glazed over, and for a second, just a second, he thought he might pass out, but just as quickly he was jolted back to reality. Salone's hand tightened around his, and he knew she needed him. This was their baby- their babies, these were their babies- but as much as they were his children they were also hers, she was carrying them. It was she who would have to deal with being pregnant with three kids at once- no wonder why she'd been so drained as of late- and she needed Riley to help her through it. It felt like a million thoughts and questions swarmed Riley's mind in the same instant: how could they afford this, how could he get through college, how was Salone going to deal with having three children, how would she have them outside of a hospital, how was he going to protect these children? But as the nurse technician dismissed herself, giving them a moment alone before she would bring in the doctor, the question that came to Riley's lips was "Are you okay?"

He met Salone's eyes, and he could tell that she was gauging his reaction to this. Just a few weeks ago she'd been angry with him because he was worried about her being pregnant with one child, and it was right of her to be worried that he would react badly to the news that they were having triplets. Riley laced his fingers through his wife's, squeezing her hand and glancing back to the now empty ultrasound screen. He found himself wanting to know more, and he hoped the doctor would explain more to them when she came in.

Inhaling to help calm, Salone offered a quick smile. “As I will ever be. Are you okay?”

She yanked on his hand slightly, dragging him down to her level before letting go and putting her hand on the side of his face, running her fingers over his cheekbones. “Well then… one thing is for sure. We better come up with a lot more names.”

Salone proceeded to stroke his cheek with her thumb, her brown eyes smiled at him. “Hey, if worse comes to worse we can move back in with your mom or Jance… I would prefer your mom as to having bachelor Jance with his many women pining over him. “Rolling her eyes she smiled at him again, “besides, I bet your mother would love having three newborns under the same roof constantly. Imagine all the snuggle opportunities.”

Wiggling her eyebrows, she lowered her hand to the nape of his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. The Doctor came back in and turned the monitor on again, cutting off their conversation. Salone looked at each child in turn, a look of aw on her face with her hair falling over the edge of the seat she was in. “I think…” Salone murmured to Riley. “We better stock up on diapers.”

The doctor heard them and laughed happily.

"We are not moving back in with my mom," Riley spoke, smiling slightly as Salone's hand moved to his face. He knew that he probably shouldn't, but he sat down on the padded medical-type seat beside his wife, sneaking an arm behind her and around her waist. "The last thing we're going to need on top of three screaming infants is going to be an obsessive forty-five year old woman hanging over us," Riley joked. "Although we could probably use the help."

He met her eyes, and for some reason he was less nervous about this than he should have been. Maybe it was the look on Salone's face, or the fact that he had just seen his babies on that black and white screen, but he couldn't remember to be worried anymore. They were going to be okay. 

"We're going to be okay," Riley told Salone, kissing her quickly before the doctor returned, at which point he withdrew from her reluctantly and moved to stand beside the chair dutifully. The doctor turned on the monitor once again and Riley couldn't help but grin as he noticed the expression of awe on his wife's face. He might have stolen a couple kisses, not on her lips but against her cheek and jawline when the doctor wasn't paying too much attention to him, laughing and realizing that the woman probably realized what he was doing, having seen so many patients before. His own expression must have been entertaining as well, and while he'd had his doubts about it, he knew the second he heard the babies' heartbeats that he was done for. They were just blobs on the screen, but they were his blobs, they were his babies- their babies. When Riley had proposed to Salone, children had been the last idea on his mind, but he'd always figured that would happen far in the future, if at all because of Salone's aversion to it. And now it was here, and while it was unexpected and Riley was completely unprepared- he was kind of enjoying it. He laughed as Salone spoke of diapers, shaking his head. 

"Stock up? We're going to need an arsenal," he joked, laughing gently. The doctor gave them a knowing smile as she began to discuss the babies' progress, and their options. 

"Hospital birth- is it possible to avoid, with triplets?" Riley asked, and the doctor raised an eyebrow in surprise before responding, giving them an apologetic glance.

"Well, with multiples it's difficult. Typically, we won't require a mother expecting multiples to give birth in a hospital, but with triplets it's dangerous not to. There's the fact that in outside facilities it's more risky to use pain-meds, and it's also true that if something were to go wrong, it would be much easier to deal with at a hospital. That being said, there are some mothers who are successful without a hospital birth, but... I've seen very few mothers- particularly first-time mothers- of triplets give birth naturally outside of the hospital," the woman admitted, eyeing them carefully. "We'll monitor your progress. It can be hard to tell, but if there is a possibility of something going wrong during birth it might be necessary to proceed in a hospital. We'll talk closer to your due-date," the doctor promised, and soon enough she was gone, leaving the couple to talk before they left. 

Her due date. Salone wasn't due until around January or so, and while it sounded like a long time it really wasn't. They had so many decisions to make, big and small, three tiny lives in their hands. "What do you think?" Riley asked, meeting Salone's gaze.

Salone caught the look on Riley’s face as the low thrum of three babies’ heartbeats filled the room. She smiled gently and lased her fingers through his again, tickling his palm with her thumb. Then before they knew it the appointment was over and Salone was sitting in the car again with Riley.
“I think… triplets?” Salone started laughing and shaking her head, running her fingers through her hair.  “Only our luck!” Her hair was back to its original length before she had cut it, long beachy gold waves. “Of course we can blame the fact I am pregnant with triplets on you; due to the fact you do have twin cousins.  Your mom and Jance are going to flip.”

The biggest issue however residing in her mind was the fact it was less than likely that Salone could avoid the hospital all together.  However, she would have to do what was best for the children… never in a million years would she have thought she would have to say that.


“Any names you like?”  Salone asked gently, her hand resting on her bump while looking up at him. Another obvious issue, the truck. They were going to need a bigger car.  The thought suddenly stuck her, the stinking sports car! Danni had given it to Riley as a wedding gift… if they sold it… 

Salone pointed this out to Riley; it was so easy to forget that they had a sports car somewhere in storage. She chuckled and explained what she found so funny.  “So who do we tell first, your mother, Alison, or Jance?” She teased him slightly.

"It's not my fault that you're having triplets!" protested Riley. "Okay, maybe a little bit, but I didn't choose- you know what, never mind," Riley argued, blushing slightly as he started up the car's ignition and began to drive. They sat in relative silence; Salone was clearly thinking, but Riley's mind was surprisingly clear. Triplets. That was crazy, but somehow it made their need for planning so much clearer, all of this was so much more real. Triplets. He still couldn't get over it.

"Names- hm, well we have Riley Jr. to start out with," Riley proposed, laughing gently as he exited the office's parking lot. "We have time for that. But I'm open to whatever you like," Riley said, softening slightly. But when Salone proposed selling his sports car, Riley tensed.

"I haven't even gotten to drive it!" Riley protested, obvious dismay in his tone. He knew they would have to sell it, though; they had no choice. It would be a minor sacrifice compared to some of the larger ones they would have to make... he just didn't want to think about it yet. Salone proposed telling their family, though, and Riley relaxed.

"My mom," he said automatically. "She's dealt with situations like this before. She'll know what to do," Riley said, relaxing slightly. "These babies are going to be in good hands- our babies," Riley corrected himself. Shortly thereafter they pulled into their driveway, and after he shifted into park, Riley leaned over to kiss his wife gently. "And again, you're going to make an amazing mother."

Salone chuckled at the red faced Riley, “For the record I had been minding my own business. Or do we need a biology lesson?” She laughed even harder at the flustered Riley, running her fingers through his hair briefly before returning her hands to their original position. They continued the playful banter until they got home.

“You have plenty of opportunities to drive the sports car before January; we don’t need to sell it immediately. Besides, I bet Danni would get you another one if you asked nicely and fed her chocolate.” Salone murmured slightly before Riley kissed her gently. She smiled and encourage the kiss a little more before getting out of the car.


“Honestly, we could be having all girls. Riley Jr isn’t going to work that well if that is the case…. Well okay, Riley can also be a girl name but still. “ Salone arched a eyebrow, waiting for him as she unlocked the door.

"I know, it's just a car, I know," Riley spoke, blushing slightly as she kissed him. "It's just-" Riley took a breath. "I know we keep saying this, but this is all so weird."

Riley still couldn't imagine what it was going to be like when the babies were born. He'd come to terms with the idea of being a father, but a father of three at one time? The thought was overwhelming. Still, he squeezed his wife's hand, kissing her once more before moving to get out of the car. He would have gotten her door, but as per usual she was out before him, and he just laughed and shook his head as they headed back into the house. She was going to be like this all through the pregnancy, and at some points it would scare him. It wasn't so much of the getting out of the car by herself part that worried him, it was the bigger things- namely demigod related events. But he couldn't think about that now. 

"Riley would be a very good name for a girl!" Riley teased, grinning in that way that he always did when he looked at her. "There's time for name decision. And for now, all we have to do is relax. We can worry about our little buggers more later. We have years to worry after they're born."

Riley wasn't really sure who he was reassuring, but the words sounded too good to pass up. Years. He had years to live with Salone, decades even. And he still couldn't get over that, either.

Laughing softly, Salone shook her head and followed him into their home.

A few weeks passed without much change, Salone worked from home; which she could do thankfully from sitting in bed and typing up reports as a loyal secretary.  Both Danni and Jance visited frequently, mainly to clean which Salone found insulting. But Salone couldn’t get around so well, so it was apparently necessary. Occasionally Danni would find herself being subjected to strange cooking concoctions or being kicked out of the house with the fedora thrown at her head.

Unfortunately Salone could not do that to Jance, he was huge and pure steak.  So they would take turns hurling insults at each other until Jance rolled his eyes and made Salone sit down and watch a Disney movie while he did the dishes.   Upon watching Mulan for the first time, Salone notified Jance and Riley that she wanted a Chinese dragon with a sense of humor like moo-shu.   

It had been around three more months along the time line when one day Danni and Salone where in the kitchen and Salone was going through her mail. She found a white envelope from Jance and her uncle. Upon opening it, she pulled out what was inside.


“Danni… whats this?” Salone showed Danni the engagement announcement with her cousin and best friend on the front, brow arched.

At this point in time, Riley walked through the front door, carrying a paper bag containing a nearly ridiculous amount of Italian food. Since Salone had gotten over her morning-sickness, it seemed that she was ravenous, and craving something different every day. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to cook with the encumbrance that was her belly, burgeoning with the lives of their three children... gods, Riley still couldn't get over that. In just a few months he was going to be a father for the first time, not of one but of three newborn babies, each a legacy of two different gods. 

"I'm home!" he called, tossing his keys on the kitchen counter and setting down the bag of food. Salone stood before Danni- who had become a regular fixture in their home lately- looking dumbfounded. "Everything okay?" he asked, noticing the paper that Salone held and reading it quickly.

"Wait- you- already?!" They had known that Danielle had been dating Jance, but Riley had never known that it was serious enough to warrant an engagement. 








((sorry for the weak post, but we shall keep posting! I had to have him respond, and it felt weird pushing past that. and I'm so sorry for that wait ahhh. should I post with alison? are we continuing with that?))

Danni had been dating Jance for quite some time and had kept it under wraps from the two until recently. That had been roughly around the time Jance had proposed. Salone seemed more amused than anything unlike Riley who seemed to be in shock.

“Jance can get just about anything he can with a girl,” Salone reminded her husband, resting a hand on his arm and the other on her round belly. Danni flushed faintly and itched her nose, the ring flashing on it. Salone was about to make a comment on it when she felt something weird, she looked down and then realized what it was.

“Riley,” She said gently, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. He would feel her skin rolling as one of the babies lashed out with a foot, fist, elbow or knee. This completely distracted from Danni being engaged as Salone looked up at Riley, smiling slightly. At five months pregnant, she felt like a small boat. (yes, we know such a time skip) But the woman hoped with all her might that it would be worth it.


Leaning against the bar, Danni grinned at Salone and Riley’s little moment.

Riley laughed as Salone spoke to him, grinning crookedly towards Danielle. "I'll just have to warn Jance; he might want to reconsider... you weren't the most warm fiancée," Riley teased. He was startled slightly when Salone took his hand, eyes wide, but when she brought it to rest against the fabric of her t-shirt, he understood why. He could feel an almost fluttering beneath her skin; undoubtedly a sign of one of the babies kicking. His features softened, his crooked grin becoming gentle.

"Hi, baby," he said quietly. They were real. These babies were real and moving and so perfectly encased in Salone and he was part of the reason that they were here, and that was pretty magical. 


"Hi, babies," he corrected, meeting the eyes of his wife and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I still can't believe this is happening," Riley spoke, taking a step back and giving Salone some space. He ran a hand through his hair, watching her as if she were some sort of magical creature. "I mean, I know that we're having kids. And as scared as I am, I'm completely excited to be a dad. But... I feel like Danielle and I were just flying to Italy to come rescue you, and now all of a sudden we're married and going to college and starting a family and... wow," Riley trailed off, blushing as he realized that Danielle was still standing there. He occupied himself by unloading their dinner from its paper bag.

"Hungry?" he asked, mostly to Salone. "You have to feed those things sometime," Riley joked, aware of how much Salone hated it when he called their children "things."

“You weren’t the cuddliest porcupine in the batch either,” Danni muttered while Riley and Salone had their moment. It was cute more than cute… heartwarming?  Salone let herself curl into Riley like a small cat before he pulled away just to look at her. Smiling gently at Riley, Salone  stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek as well before helping him unpack the food.

“Things?” Danni asked, before Salone could work herself into a pregnant woman state. “At least have some manners Riley. Call them little monsters.”

That got a grape chucked at her head. Danni caught it and popped it in her mouth before grabbing plates for Salone and Riley to eat off of.  She had already eaten on the way over and this was fake Italian food. Danni had no love for it whatsoever.


“I think, we should go slightly old fashioned with names.” Salone stated, helping herself to one of the main dishes. This was a usual topic and Salone brought it up more frequently because triplets pregnancies only lasted about 8 months versus the nine because of stress.  That gave them three months to decide and finish everything.  Danni sat down at the bar with her usual bottle of water.

Riley scoffed, grinning. "Trust me, they'll have enough time to be monsters once they've been born. For now I'll call them our little worms, squirming around inside of you," he said, looking at Salone and barely avoiding a grape to the head. They sat at the table, digging into a plate of chicken parmigiana, and Salone suggested that they think about baby names.

"Don't we have time for this?" Riley asked before thinking about it. Salone was 5 months along, 5 months and a week, to be exact- Riley had been counting. And pregnancies usually last 9 months, but since this was a multiples pregnancy, it would be 8 if they were lucky. 3 months. They had 3 months at best to get everything ready and pick names before they were going to be parents, officially. Riley's eyes widened. 

"We don't. Okay. So, slightly old-fashioned? So not as modern as Kaitlyn, but not as old as... Agatha?" Riley grinned, smirking. He himself had a relatively modern name, for which he was grateful. It would be too ironic if he had an old-fashioned name, giving the nature of his powers.

Salone glared at Riley, “Three months Riley. Until I pop and one and a half till I become bedridden. Then I proceed to become stir crazy and watch soap operas.”

Danni bit her lips and laughed to herself while Riley scrambled and brought up very horrible names.

“Agatha,” Salone mused before laughing and then quickly becoming winded. “Defiantly not Agatha.”


Rubbing Salone’s shoulders, Danni rolled her eyes at Riley while smiling slightly. This was going to be a fun conversation. The rest of the conversation was actually slightly serious. Salone loved the names Hanna and Wesley (I can’t remember the other names). After about forty five minutes Salone was curled up next to Riley on the couch while Danni did the dishes. She was laying with her head in Riley’s lap, eyes half closed while they carried on a converstation.

It seemed like ages since the news had passed that Salone was pregnant, not with one but with three babies all at once. Some mornings Riley woke up and wondered if these kids would ever be born. He imagined it was worse for Salone though, who had been trapped in bed for weeks on end, barely able to sit up by herself at this point with her belly ready to pop. 

And yet at the same time it felt like just yesterday that they met in the physical fitness arena back at camp, tumbling off to California. The whole incident with the Hospital could have been yesterday, that's how vividly he remembered it. He still had nightmares, flashes of warm blood and cold fear that woke him up with a shiver, but he was quickly reminded of reality as Salone nudged him, demanding that her bring her another glass of water before she shriveled up and died. Man, pregnant women were scary. But grudgingly Riley got up, retrieving the water lest his wife find a way to get up and walk away with all three of his children.

Maybe he was exaggerating a little bit, but he still couldn't wait for these babies to come for both of their sakes. The gods knew they could only take so much more of this.

OOC: I can't believe how long this thread has been going on. <3