Third Floor Common Room [Monday evening]

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

Celia was not sad that the little girl had left. Not at all. She was relieved -- she'd been exhausted by Margaret's exuberance, and mystified by who her father could be, and all Celia could talk about for the last two days was how much she was looking forward to sleeping the rest of the week.

But now that she was gone, and she'd touched her hair and asked Celia to come with her, and Celia could still remember the feel of her daughter in her arms...well. It was a little different, and she found herself wishing she could take back some of her complaining.

That was why she was sitting on the common room couch with a bowl of strawberry ice cream -- she'd picked a gallon up on her way back to the dorms, after saying goodbye. There had been other flavors, but the selection was overwhelming. She was vaguely watching the television, too, but she couldn't have said what was on.

She wasn't sad. She was just -- regretful, she supposed.

[open cr is open, come be sad or not-sad that your kids are gone. also: ice cream.]

Comments

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

Celia waved that off. "You weren't rude. I'll find someone to photograph her if she returns, at least. I feel silly for not thinking of it myself."

As for this plastic baby, though.... "Don't feel bad for neglecting a doll," she said, making a face. "I think I'd have done the same. What were they trying to teach you? That babies are loud and need attention?"

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

"Mostly that," Eleanor huffed. "Scare tactics, I suppose, to prevent us from exploring our sexualities. Remember that children may result, and children are a nuisance. It seems a heavy-handed way of making a point."

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

Celia's cheeks lit up in a blush, but she shook her head disparagingly all the same. "Not to mention unfair to any children who were...shall we say, unplanned," she added quietly, a little bitter. "Good heavens. Aren't there contraceptives in this time? Sparkle told me all about where to purchase them."

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

"I hadn't thought about that," she said, biting her lip thoughtfully. "That it would be insulting to people who've lived the experience from the other side."

Cruel, even, to imply that your existence was a horrid fate to be avoided at all costs.

"We've discussed contraceptives some," Eleanor said. "I feel that this is perhaps a way of reminding us to use them, diligently. Or to shock us into discovering not all methods are perfectly reliable. As I said, it comes off as scare tactics."

Which made her want to act out all the more. Teenagers.

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

"I have no desire for children any time soon, nor any prospect of having one accidentally," Celia said, blushing more, "but I suppose I don't see the point in scaring us into not engaging in sexual behavior. I don't think any of us are ignorant of how babies are made. But that hasn't stopped people from having sex for thousands of years. An inconvenient squalling doll isn't going to change any of that. The bright ones who use contraceptives will. The ones who make mistakes or have accidents still will. Breeding resentment of infants helps...nothing."

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't say having accidents makes someone less bright," Eleanor objected, mostly on behalf of Celia's forgotten mother. "All the options seem to have failure rates, so even someone very clever might find themselves in an unfortunate situation."

Wait, did that imply that Celia was -- "You know what I mean," she added, hastily.

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

Celia smiled, shrugging a shoulder. "I think my parents were more concerned with each other than with preventing my existence," she offered. "I like to think so, anyway -- that they were blind in love and didn't consider the consequences. Besides, technology now with those...little rubber things? Much better than what's available in my time. I think, anyway. I don't exactly have -- practical experience."

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

Eleanor made a face. "The little rubber things seem so strange," she admitted. "If the point is being close to someone, then ... keeping a layer of rubber between you seems counterproductive."

[pasunereveuse.livejournal.com]

"I know," Celia sighed, making a face back at her. "Maybe by the time it becomes an actual issue for me, they'll have figured out something better. Ooh, maybe I can counteract it with magic?" She frowned. "That still seems very technical, though. Lacking in romance."

[nobloodymessiah.livejournal.com]

"Magic seems less unromantic," Eleanor agreed. "I suppose people in heat aren't fussy. Maybe that's uncharitable."