I'm the one "for a good time call" [Rhys]

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

A week.

That's how long Maria had known.

When she'd first found out... She wanted to deny it. To believe it was a false positive. That there was no way in hell she was actually pregnant. But as the days passed, the morning sickness didn't end. So, on the 30th she'd finally gone to St. Mungos. To get actual, medical, confirmation. A few spells and the Maternity ward healer confirmed it. Pregnant. The healer also confirmed Maria's even deeper fear (as if being pregnant wasn't terrifying enough). She was still very early. A little over 3 weeks. While muggle medicine would struggle to pinpoint how far along she was this early, magic didn't. Magic would tell you a lot of things that non-magical technology couldn't. 3 weeks. That ruled out every other potential father. Except one.

Maria, who had been so angry at him the past two weeks, was conflicted. She'd done everything she could to try and forget about the asshole. If he wanted to ignore her, fine, she'd ignore him too. She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. She'd done just fine on her own before now. This was no different. She almost didn't want to tell him. Because, to hell with him. And yet, when she'd gotten home and lay on her couch... the thoughts just kept cycling through her head. Over and over again. It would be petty not to tell him. While she could be a very petty person there was a limit. Even for someone like her there were lines she didn't cross. This, unfortunately, was one of them.

So, as much as she hated to admit it, she texted him. Just two words. I'm pregnant. It didn't help that it enraged her that she had his number memorized. She hadn't added his number into her new phone after breaking the last one earlier this month...

Two days.

That's how long it took Rhys to respond.

The day in particular had been a rough one. She had always doubted how bad morning sickness was before now. Just thought pregnant women were being dramatic. She knew very differently now. The exhaustion was also getting to her. She'd slept in way to late today. After finally rousing, from a rough night of throwing up, she took a long shower. Just trying to wake herself up. She'd just walked back into her bedroom, towel drying her hair when her phone buzzed. She glanced down at it and froze. It buzzed two more times as additional texts came in. Look who was back from the grave. Rhys. She'd recognize the number anywhere. She unlocked her phone, eyes scanning the texts.

Maria scoffs. Egypt. He'd ran away to Egypt. Typical. They needed to talk. Obviously. It wasn't everyday someone texted you that they were pregnant. No doubt he doubted he was the father, considering her reputation. But that doubt had already been put to rest in her mind. She tossed the phone onto the bed, not bothering to respond yet. No, she'd deal with that later. He'd made her wait two days. He could wait a few hours. 

And a few hours she took. Only when she felt like she wouldn't burn the phone to a crisp did she finally retrieve it and send him a rather snarky response. Ugh, if they were going to talk, she really wished she could drink. Or smoke. Or something that would help numb her senses so she didn't feel so... agitated. While trying to find something, anything that might give the desired effect without... well, being extremely ill-advised for pregnant women he texted back, saying he was coming over. 

That was when Maria contemplated just locking the door and not opening it when he got there. Not wanting to deal with the conversation despite already acknowledging it needed to happen. But no, she'd already committed. She didn't respond to the text, didn't bother. Instead she headed to the bathroom. She'd been a wreck the past week, but she wouldn't let him see that. She'd do her hair and make up. Dress in form fitting clothes that hugged her curves. No. She'd be the burn-it-all to the ground Maria everyone expected of her. Not whatever she'd been the past week. 

She'd just finished magicking her apartment clean when there was a knock at the door. Appearance wise everything was in it's place, including Maria's appearance. Maria was stretched out on the couch, phone in hand, skimming through Vibe. She didn't bother getting up to open the door, or even looking up. She just waved her hand and the door opened. No, he wasn't worth the effort. Nor did she bother making room for him on the couch, her legs stretched out across the cushions. Maria just kept skimming on her phone.

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

Rhys put his shirt on and looked around for his jacket, he couldn’t remember where he had thrown it earlier in the day. While he thought he ran his hand through his still damp hair, he’d just gotten out of the shower and dressed. His head hurt slightly. Maria had only texted him back a bit ago despite Rhys having texted her just past noon. With the news she had dropped on him via a text message he’d gone into a bit of a panic mode and while waiting for a response from her he’d had a few-several glasses of whiskey while he tried to quell the growing anxiety and then fallen asleep for a short time until his phone woke him up again. It had been a snarky remark and hadn’t done anything for Rhys’ mood. The panic was still in his chest, but his mood overall was rather sour. With the full moon looming a couple of days away it was hard to push that down for what he knew would be an interesting conversation. Walking into the living room he grabbed his jacket of the couch and went outside, locking the door behind him and waving his wand to speak the usual spells he warded his flat with. There wasn’t a need to break the habit now.

With a crack he appeared in front of a familiar apartment, it had been about a month since he’d been back here and it had been the longest they had gone without seeing one another in any capacity since the spring time. Rhys wasn’t nervous, fearful maybe but mostly just temperamental. Still, he had thought about waiting a day, but he knew he couldn’t wait that long with this feeling inside him. From the look of his phone when he had arrived back home, she had sought him out up until that last text message. ’I’m pregnant.’ His stomach did a flip. He wasn’t ready for this. If it was true, that was. He just wasn’t ready. Rhys walked up to the door and knocked, there wasn’t a response for a moment, and he stood there with his arms crossed annoyed at the lack of urgency. Then the door swung open, but he didn’t see her right away, but when he walked in and shut the door behind, he noticed her on the couch—casual as ever and on her phone. He didn’t know why that annoyed him, wasn’t this a serious situation? And as was her style her outfit distracted him for a moment, but he walked in and stood a few feet away wondering if she was going to say something.

Crossing his arms, he let out a heavy and slightly frustrated sigh and looked away before looking back at her. ”This better not be a fucking joke.” Rhys wasn’t in the mood for any antics especially using pregnancy in any sort of way. Was this some kind of cry for attention, was it all the missed calls and messages because he’d gone to Egypt. He had work—that was his obligation as a functioning member of society, since when was that a crime? He didn’t think about his thoughts before he’d left but standing in the living room, he couldn’t help but remember before he’d left. Rhys had held her on that very couch as they’d both admitted their grief to one another. Now all he could think about was how much he wished he was back in Egypt or literally anywhere else. Waiting for a response he paced a little bit, he felt antsy but then he stopped again and looked at her. ”Well? How do you even know its mine?” The anxiety he felt was starting to manifest into irritability which was common for him but could be volatile with his already short temper. Plus, he was already feeling temperamental, it was not a good combination, let alone with the possible stress of this news.

He let out another frustrated sigh, his last question had been targeted and he thought about the man from Zombie Island and how he knew what she really did for work. This whole time he thought she had just worked at the club but in reality, Rhys was most likely not the first customer she’d slept with in one of those rooms. An assumption, but he stuck by it considering what he knew now.

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

Maria could practically feel his frustration from her lounging on the couch. She didn't look at him as he entered, or when he struck, snapping at her. Normally, Maria would have snapped back. Her fuse was about as short as it could get. But right now? Right now she just didn't even feel like he deserved that sort of attention. "What, do you want a healer's note or something?" Her response was almost too calm. She was pretty damn sure she was pregnant, and a healer had already confirmed it. Technically speaking, she did have one too. A write up from the hospital. Looking at it had made her want to vomit because it talked all about what was happening to her body, and the thing growing inside her. What to do and what to avoid. She didn't look up, just swiped away at her phone, pausing and texting something back to someone. Then, he was pacing, Maria only catching it out of the corner of her eyes. Oh yeah, he was seething.

His doubting if it was his was... understandable. Considering her history. But honestly? That's what finally pissed Maria off enough to look at him. She lowered her phone and tilted her head to stare at him with a "are you kidding me?" sort of look. There was a hint of anger to her eyes, but it was mostly just frustration. She'd already run through this conversation multiple times in her head and every time it had been aggravating. "Unless the laws of reproduction suddenly changed on me, I think it's safe to say that the only man I've had sex with in the past... almost two months, would be the source." She emphasized the word man, as if to make it clear that she had, obviously, slept with other people. Just no one that could get her pregnant. This hadn't been a monogamous relationship, after all. It was just sex. "Plus, according to the hospital it's four weeks along. I don't know about you, but I have a pretty good idea of what, and who, I was doing then." Her gaze was intense as she spoke those final words, before looking away and back at her phone.

Four weeks. That would be the first week of November. That had been when he'd stayed at her place before the full moon. When they'd had some very angry and rough sex. He could still deny it, at which point only a paternity test would satisfy his doubt. But she hoped she hadn't given him a reason to think she was lying. Because while Maria could me many terrible things, a liar was never one of them. Especially not about something of this magnitude.

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

Rhys stopped pacing for a second when she responded but resumed and he glanced at her. A small part of him had wished so badly that she had been joking—that it had just been another game or some kind of way of getting his attention. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t a joke. This was happening. He had let this happen. Rhys’ internal monologue was cursing him for being so greedy, hadn’t he learned his lesson on Zombie Island and had his chance to never see her again? Not to mention how he was going to tell his siblings they were going to have a niece or nephew. That thought brought an instant panic to his system, though he pushed it off for now. His anxiety was barely at bay and only seemed to be held back by his growing annoyance and anger. It was just like the last time he was here, except it wasn’t. Rhys didn’t come here looking for control and revenge he just came here for answers but so far, he didn’t like them. Maybe he should have just gone back to Egypt. ”Just making sure you weren’t pulling some stunt.”

Rhys knew he was just speaking at this point in the sense of he normally was more calculated about his answers especially when it came to her. It was part of who he was, that self-control and stoic nature. Though finally he seemed to create a crack in whatever casual image Maria was attempting to portray, as if this were just another day or another fight between them over something stupid. When she started speaking again Rhys stopped pacing and looked at her, it seemed to do the trick to get her to seemingly care. Was this something normal for her? Was it not the first time she’d texted a man 'im pregnant' and that’s it? Rhys felt his anger growing, and he turned completely towards her. Rhys clenched his jaw and shook his head a bit in irritation and looked away. Again, she rubbed that in his face—her many other partners. It didn’t bother Rhys that they were women, he was just seething at how territorial he was beginning to feel. But it was more irritating that it shouldn’t have mattered. They weren’t together, they weren’t in a relationship—they just had sex and that’s it.

Hearing that she’d gone to the Healers and had gotten this confirmed, all while he was hiding out thousands of miles away made him more nervous. It wasn’t a ploy, it wasn’t a stunt and it wasn’t a game. Her nonchalant attitude still irritated him because he didn’t know how someone could be so calm about this. Four weeks ago, he’d barged in here like…well like an animal. And now here he was face to face with the consequences of him being unable to control himself. She spoke very direction to him, a hint of malice and sarcasm in her tone and he could only meet her gaze and look back with his own fury building inside. Still, even when she hadn’t owed him anything, she’d never lied to him. ”So?” Rhys stopped pacing and faced the couch. He wasn’t thrilled with her attitude at the moment, ”What now?” There were….options. It wasn’t his favorite topic to think about and even his pissed off state he wasn’t going to bring it up, he’d leave that up to her entirely. Rhys paced a bit more, but then suddenly stopped again. ”How the hell are you so calm about this right now?” It baffled him, he was on the verge of either putting his fist through something or a panic attack or possibly both, but really it was just masking how fucking terrified he was.

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

His comment, about her pulling a stunt, practically enraged Maria. A STUNT?! Did he honestly think she was that sort of person?! What the hell! Yeah, she was crazy. She'd admit it! She knew that, and accepted it as a fact of life. She was a hothead who could literally throw fire at you. She was dramatic and flamboyant, and way to promiscuous for her own good. All those things made her absolutely insane. But she was not some desperate girl trying to lock a guy down jsut because he'd ghosted her! She'd been trying so... so hard to be emotionally distant wit him. Because he'd fucking taken her trust and run off with it without a word. But he just infuriated her to no end. "I'm not that desperate," she forced herself to say, almost through gritted teeth as she tried, desperately, not to go all fireballs on him. If he kept it up though...

But his next question was the real one. What now. Maria closed her eyes, finally setting her phone down and pursing her lips. Her blood was still boiling, but at least this was a question that didn't absolutely piss her off. "I don't know." She admitted quietly, her temper from before only being a flare up, before calming back down. She really didn't. Her head had been spinning with the news that, while she knew she had to try and figure this out she hadn't been able to really think ahead. What was she going to do? Almost immediately she thought abortion. She wasn't even twenty yet. She wasn't ready to have a kid. Hell, she didn't know if she'd ever be ready. But despite her promiscuous ways, that thought almost made her sick. Because this parasite growing inside her hadn't asked for this. That... was something she had to decide soon though... wasn't it? She let out a shaky breath, opening her eyes and tilting her head back onto the arm of the couch and staring at the ceiling. Honestly, what to do....

His pacing was getting annoying. He'd pace, then stop, then pace again, stopping again. She wasn't watching it but the sound was starting to tick her off. A lot of things ticked her off right now though. "Because I've been freaking out and throwing up for a fucking week. You try and act like a lunatic when your body is trying to kill you and tell me how it goes." Honestly, she was just so tired. Between the throwing up, her emotional turmoil, and overall lack of sleep she'd just exhausted herself to the point where she couldn't muster up the energy to panic like he was. It was why, even though she'd been fuming a moment ago it hadn't even lasted that long. Just... too much effort at this point.

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

Rhys noticed her finally have a reaction when he mentioned the possibility of a stunt. It had clearly touched a nerve but at least he knew she could react. And while it was slightly reassuring that she wasn’t the type to add a dramatic flair to everything she did in that way he also knew it just meant that she was telling the truth. It was hard to piece his thoughts together and it was as if they didn’t want to because he wouldn’t be able to handle the full picture that formed. There was a new coldness to her, this apathy toward a very urgent and not idea situation that he didn’t understand. Is this why people got frustrated when he didn’t react to things? Is that what that was like? Even with his rapid thoughts he could still sense something was different, she had been closed off with him after so many months but never necessarily cold, especially not that last time he was here. But as her reaction had come, then it had gone, and he felt he was back at square one again.

’I don’t know.’ Rhys rubbed a hand over his face, but his arms were still crossed, if she didn’t know then who did? Rhys certainly never expected to be in this situation, let alone know what to do next. The question seemed to leave Maria in a state of thought as well. It seemed not only were they both two incredibly broken souls they were both also clueless but now forced with some major decisions. ”Shit…” He muttered, mostly to himself. Of all the times to be an idiot about something, it just had to be this and now he was going to be a….Rhys couldn’t even say the word in his head let alone out loud. The idea of it scared him more than anything. He was Fenrir Greyback’s son, he wasn’t supposed to succeed having been born of that monster let alone be a…dad. Rhys looked around the living room, normally there was whiskey or something around here that they both would end up drinking way too much of on most days but he didn’t see it. ”Do you have any whiskey?” Maria being unable to partake wasn’t going to stop him from trying to numb the anxiety he was having.

She snapped back at him, and he physically paused—he’d forgotten naturally. This was something that took a toll on her body, not his. Rhys knew about mornings sickness and basic things such as that, but otherwise he was sure he knew was much as most men in this situation. He stopped pacing and walked over to a piece of furniture he could lean on slightly with his back but still face the couch Maria was completely taking over. He again noticed her outfit, the tight dress than would have immediately had his attention if he had just come over and they certainly wouldn’t have been bickering in the living room as they were now. But his eyes stopped at her abdomen, being so few weeks along she wasn’t going to show yet. But he knew it was there and he almost felt himself go pale. ”I’m….” He trailed off and looked away from her and looked at the floor. ”….going to be a dad?” He was more asking himself, a confirmation that he wasn't in fact dreaming this. The word felt unnatural coming out of his mouth, he’d never had a real father how he hell was he supposed to be one?

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

Maria wished, desperately, that she had all the answers. But she honestly didn't. Some people might be able to decide what to do in this situation pretty easily, but it wasn't that easy for her. The answer should be easy though. She wasn't in a position to have a kid. Let alone trying to raise one with someone like Rhys. Their relationship was purely physical. A child would permanently tie them together in some way. More so then Elias already did. So, what was she supposed to do? And why had she wished that when he came over the answer would suddenly come to her?

Maria let out a breath and rolled over onto her side, facing the couch with her back to Rhys. She was still angry and bitter about him leaving when he did, despite trying desperately not to. They weren't in that sort of relationship. But it had still stung that he didn't even say anything after she'd opened up to him like that. Still stung, actually. She'd learned her lesson now though. That's what made this whole conversation even more awkward. Because she didn't want to say too much. Didn't want to have too deep or meaningful of a conversation with him. "Back of the fridge," she answered, a very bitter tone to her voice. Of course he could still drink. She couldn't until she made a decision, and then it would depend on what decision that was. To help fight the temptation she'd reorganized the fridge, pushing all the alcohol to the bottom shelf, as far back as possible. So she didn't have it staring at her every day.

When Rhys next spoke, Maria wasn't sure what to think. It had sounded like a question, but it wasn't really much of one. It irked her, because it was a stupid question. But also... She felt the question to her soul. Because after finally coming to terms that she was pregnant she'd had a similar reaction. She was going to be a mom. "If I keep it... yeah." There, she finally said. Something that no doubt crossed his own mind. Technically speaking Maria didn't have to keep the pregnancy. She could end it. If that was the decision. But the idea still made her stomach lurch. Or may be that was just the nausea talking. It was hard to tell what was actual morning sickness or her just making herself sick.

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

Rhys felt woefully unprepared and he hated that feeling, not knowing what was going to happen tomorrow or ten minutes from now was not a situation he liked to be in. This was a much longer term….thing. Technically they weren’t even going to see each other after Zombie Island but Rhys hadn’t been able to help himself and now here, they were. Rhys was going to be a father, Maria a mother and together they were parents. Even though he was twenty-five now the thought made him feel like a scared teenage boy. He couldn’t think properly, his thoughts felt jumbled. For now, he continued to stare at the floor though when he glanced back at Maria, he just saw her back, she wasn’t her usually fiery self, Rhys had noted. Well, the attitude was there but the energy wasn’t but he supposed that might have been expected in her condition. It made him wonder how his own mother had felt when she found out she’d been pregnant with him. Fenrir hadn’t exactly asked nicely, and he was the result of what amounted to a brutal attack. It was a fact that he could have gone his whole life knowing but just as the memory of his mother’s death, it had been dredged up and told to him.

He didn’t want his child growing up thinking they were unwanted or unintended. Rhys made his way into the kitchen and pushed things aside in the fridge until he saw the only thing that seemed to bring him any joy today, whiskey. Grabbing a glass from the cabinet he quickly poured himself a drink though it seemed to barely touch the glass as he was already drinking it. The burn in the back of his throat made him feel a bit more grounded, but he was just trying anything to calm his nerves. Rhys left the bottle and glass on the counter and closed the fridge, walking back to the living room to lean against the wall this time and crossing his arms and staring at the floor again but he looked up when she spoke again. It wasn’t something he was going to bring up now. ”Have you decided?” He asked softly, he didn’t feel right pressuring her one way or another since he had no idea what he even wanted yet. Besides, he wasn’t the one carrying the child. Rhys felt as though he was symbolically backed into some corner.

Still, he shook his head—she’d obviously had a lot more time to think about this than he had, and he didn’t like that. Not to mention she wasn’t exactly sharing her thoughts with him. It was a tad irritating, they were stuck in this situation together why was she so closed off with him about this? ”So, what do you want me to do?” He needed some direction and since it was just them now it seemed logical to ask, if she would even look at him. ”You want to talk to me? I’m here. Or are you just going to ignore me all evening?” Rhys’ need to have some kind of semblance of control was pushing him to try an find answers, some kind of resolution and not have so much just in the air. He figured she might want the same, this wasn’t just any situation they were in. It certainly wasn’t just his younger sister finding out her brother was sleeping with someone she disliked immensely, no—this was worse. He re-crossed his arms as he waited for her to respond.

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

Maria lay there silently as he went to fix his drink. Still bitter she couldn't have one herself. Bitter he was here to begin with. Bitter that he hadn't said anything about his disappearing act. Bitter at herself for having let him in, physically and emotionally. Basically, Maria was just bitter. Maybe that was the hormones talking... But who knew. She stared at the back of the couch, as if her gaze might burn holes into the leather if she tried hard enough. After a minute or so the sounds from the kitchen stop, then footsteps as Rhys returned to the living room. While he words were quiet she caught them in the silence of the room. "No," she answered honestly. God, it should be easy. He might make a good parent, but she damn wouldn't. She was just too messed up to be having kids. She'd ruin them. They'd come out just as messed up, or worse, as her. She couldn't put anyone else through what she had. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a slow breath.

His next question was.... troubling. She didn't want anything from him. What was he even supposed to do? What could he even do? It was her body, not his. And god dammit, why did she have the sudden urge to ask him what he wanted her to do. Like she needed his guidance. That just irked her. No, she didn't need him. Didn't need his opinion on this matter, despite being the "father" in the situation. Maria was content to just ignore the question, much like he had her for a month, but he just had to open his mouth again. She rolled back over and finally onto her feet, glaring daggers at him now that they were closer to the same height. "What, like you conveniently ignored me for an entire month?" Her words practically dripped venom. Oh yeah, he'd finally hit a nerve hard enough to get a reaction that didn't just numb back to nothing after. "Regardless of what I tell you you're just going to take off with out a word again. While you can bugger off and screw the consequences I can't." It was almost like a dam had broken and all those pent up feelings from the last month had come flooding back. "I'm carrying my goddamn dead cousin's niece or nephew. How exactly am I supposed to talk about that with someone, let alone said dead cousin's half-brother, who also happens to be the fucking father?!" Putting it into words just... made it sound so.... so much worse. Their entire sexual relationship had been rough enough but now this being added on top. It was the most convoluted story she'd heard. It sounded completely preposterous... and yet here they were. "So please, tell me how exactly we're supposed to talk about that."

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

That last question was still up in the air, were they really going to go down this path or just quit while they were ahead. The question didn’t bother him as much as not knowing what her decision was, but he didn’t push it, maybe she would decide tomorrow, and he’d be informed via a simple text message again. However, his next question finally elicited a reaction, though more of what had expected she was like in the first place. Her eyes were full of fury toward him and dark, it was reminiscent of their last fight though at least they weren’t in public this time. Still, she spoke, and Rhys’ own glare seemed to immediately disappear, and he looked away from her. It was an instinctive reaction, and it annoyed the hell of out of him because he knew she was right. He could sit here and deny it to her and himself all day long, but the truth of the matter was that Rhys had run away. After she had shared her memories with him and he’d stayed and they’d even talked a bit he had woken up after the full moon to realize something. It came back to him after being stuff into some dark corner of his mind for the past weeks.

Rhys didn’t even have a chance to think of a response as Maria continued, but he instantly looked back at her for a moment as if he’d been actually stung. ’you’re just going to take off without a word again.’ Rhys felt a strange feeling in his chest, though he might as well have been slapped as well. All that fire and anger was coming up now, and Rhys was honestly a bit surprised—he hadn’t expected his absence to have that much of an effect. They weren’t anything, what did it matter that he’d left. Rhys had realized that he’d missed her, and he’d certainly missed her while he was gone though he’d never admitted it to himself. Rhys was angry. He was angry he was in this situation, he was angry that he’d left and he was angry that he just felt anything at all. When she was done, he waited a moment thinking about what to say and what the consequences of those words would be. He took a step forward from the wall he was leaning on, his arms still crossed. ”I was working.” It wasn’t a lie but was he really supposed to that he’d felt something between them when she likely would reject the idea immediately?

”Is that why you’re mad? Because I left?” Rhys dropped his arms to his side and took a few steps toward her slowly, he wasn’t trying to threaten but merely figure out a way out of the corner he was backed into. When he looked at her he felt anxious. About the baby, about how he felt but even when he opened his mouth to speak, he couldn’t bring himself to say what he probably should have been saying. ”I just---“ But he stopped, rubbing his hands over his face and letting out a frustrated sigh as he brought his arms back down and then he spoke almost calmly. ”You want me to stick around? Fine. I’m here. But you don’t get to be upset with me when we were never anything.” Rhys looked at her, his eyes were dark but not with fury or rage anymore. As soon as those words had left his mouth, he only confirmed how much in denial he was, and it hurt him. ”But, you’re pregnant with my child.” He added, two very strong and conflicting feelings were battling inside of him. The urge to run away as she had already mentioned and the memory instead of him that remembered what being an orphan was like. ”So, I’m here.”

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

Rhys having to work didn't bother Maria. He was a cursebreaker. She knew the basics of his job. It required a lot of travel. No, that wasn't what had her so infuriated but he didn't understand that at all. Didn't seem to understand that Maria's frustration and anger was stemming from somewhere far, far deeper. Completely unrelated to his work. From a place that Maria hated to admit, but regretfully knew about her self. Maria had severe abandonment issues. Crippling abandonment issues. To a point where she shut people out purely because she was irrationally paranoid that everyone she grew the slightest attachment to would leave. It was borderline obsessive, how she kept people at arms length purely so she didn't have to lose them in the end. "I'm not-" She stopped herself from saying mad, pursing her lips and looking away.

He moved closer and she stood her ground, eyes narrowed as she turned her head back to glare at him. She didn't want to give him the luxury of knowing his absence had gotten under her skin. Just not in the way he seemed to be thinking, which was only confirmed as he spoke again. Of course they were nothing to each other. Except whatever the hell you called their current predicament. Though, for some reason it felt like those words were like a knife twisting in her heart. "I'm not mad at you," she hissed. It seemed despite how angry she was, and how hurt she felt, there was a glimmer of trust that remained. Enough that she would admit her actual feelings instead of hide from them or mask them. "I'm fucking mad at myself for deluding myself into believing that there was actually someone on this fucking planet I could trust again." She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes had gone cold. "I don't want anything from you, Rhys. I'll figure this out on my own. I've had enough of people promising me things just to leave."

Just like everything else in her life. She'd figure it out on her own. Because at least on her own, she didn't have to worry about people breaking whatever was left of her. She'd learned her lesson.

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

He knew he was being unnecessarily defensive. He knew he had messed this up. If he had just stayed and even stuffed down and ignored what he felt this conversation would be going much smoother than this small battle they seemed to be fighting. She didn’t respond right away, and he didn’t know what that mean, was he right? She was just mad that he had left? But why? There was no way she considered him more than just a man who she slept with and toyed with, just as he had said on Zombie Island. Rhys had let her out of benefit for himself. They were both selfish people in their own way but now had entered a situation that required them to not be. Even as he moved closer, she didn’t move or flinch, she had never been scared of him—something that had kept him coming back in the end. Rhys was angry, at her and at himself. It was his age-old pattern of making someone hate him and leave on his timeline rather than risking being hurt out of the blue. It was just what he did.

Her eyes were cold as they leered at him, her walls back up. A look he had seen before but so far from what he had seen a month ago. She spoke with anger targeted at him and he met her gaze with his own cold expression, that is until she revealed a lot more than he had expected. ’I could trust again.’ Rhys looked away and felt that tightness in his chest again. Here it was. Wasn’t it what he wanted? It was the only reasonable way to get rid of his true feelings, wasn’t it? Make them hate him so he’d get over it? Staying angry was easier than admitting he felt awful, she had trusted him, and he had trusted her. It was that simple, wasn’t it? She finished speaking and took a few moments to process what had just been said to him. It was easy to decide that he wasn’t going anywhere, he wasn’t going to be like his own father or the fathers of all the other abandoned kids he’d grown up with. Rhys looked up from where he’d been staring at the corner of the room and looked back at Maria, she wanted to challenge him? Then fine. ”I’m not going anywhere.” He said simply. She could try and set him on fire if she wanted but then her child wouldn’t have a father and they both knew what that felt like individually.

Rhys wasn’t completely calm but even now she still seemed to tell him the truth, which told him there was still something to salvage from the strange ‘relationship’ they had built. Rhys was still terrified, naturally. How was the son of such a monster supposed to have a normal life or ensure anyone else did? ”I’m not abandoning this child like I was. ” He added, his voice was serious but of a different tone than he had been using and it was also the truth. It wasn’t something he’d ever explicitly talked about, she knew his mother was dead and his father had killed her. But all those feelings and details about being raised in an orphanage where nobody wanted him and where had nobody—he’d never talked about that. Maybe it was time to pull that card, but he wasn’t sure how eager she was to listen to anything he said right now. Rhys would rather someone hate him than ever reject him. It was easier to process self-inflicted pain than at someone else’s hand. But the pregnancy complicated things, it went against his usual defense mechanism in that his own abandonment issues overrode his fear of rejection, at least for now. ”You can hate me all you want, I’m not leaving.”

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

"I'm not going anywhere."

Maria's chest tightened uncomfortably at those words. She rubbed her eyes with one hand, letting out an exasperated breath. Why did he have to be so damn stubborn, just like her. Most men would flee as fast as possible when facing Maria's wrath like this. Maybe she should start throwing fire at him. Would that finally motivate him to leave? She was sick and tired of the heartache of people leaving her. She didn't even know what sort of feelings she had for Rhys. She had just felt like he'd weasled his way into her heart. To a level of trust and comfort that she felt with few others. But now she just wanted to slam and lock the door shut, so he couldn't get back into that safe place in her heart. Because it just hurt so god damn much. It had to be the hormones talking, but she was pretty sure she'd really break if he pulled a similar stunt in her current condition.

But what hurt even worse was when he mentioned not abandoning the child like he had. She lowered her hand jsut a touch, staring at him from behind her fingers. She didn't respond but her eyes said it all. It wasn't fair that he'd said that. Because like him, she knew that pain. Knew what it was like to be abandoned by a parent. His father was a psychotic murder and his mother had been murdered by said psychopath. While she'd never told Rhys the specifics of how she'd lost her own parents he knew they were dead. Her mother had died in an accident, and her father, wrought with grief, had committed suicide when she was only seven. Thus, it wasn't fair for him to pull that card. Not when she felt the same.

Without even realizing it, in that moment she'd made her decision. Aborting the pregnancy felt like abandoning this unborn child. Just like both of these two broken souls had been abandoned.

Maria let out a very slow breath, closing her eyes and lowering her hand. She was trying, so hard, not to blow up again, but he was making it so damn hard. Unable to completely fight off her boiling wrath Maria walked away, though as she turned away her hands caught on fire and and she just blindly flung the flames. Unfortunately they made contact with the couch, which burst into flames. "I wish I could hate you," she muttered angrily as she headed towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind her... A moment later and she was throwing up. Maria wasn't positive but she was pretty sure getting so heated wasn't exactly easy on her already sensitive stomach.

(Um... please put out the couch hahahhahaa!)

[rhys alexander greyback]

did i build this ship to wreck?

---

December 2, 2025
@maria

---

Rhys wasn’t sure if Maria had actually expected him to leave, to take the wide-open door she had just tried to hand him or rather shove him through. Though her frustrated sigh almost made him think she did just want him to leave and never see him again. As soon as that thought entered his head, he felt a strange feeling in his chest, that wasn’t what he wanted. Not at all. Again, he thought of his little epiphany he’d had the day he left for Egypt, for work, but still he’d felt something though he didn’t know how to describe it. But why? How much did they really know about one another except for just how damaged they were? He supposed their physical connection was the foundation and how she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him as he was with her or how she could handle his turbulent side that he kept locked away in public. Something about him leaving had hurt her and Rhys did regret that, and the more the thought about it the timing wasn’t fantastic. That morning they had spent together, and she shared secrets with him, but not anything. She’d shown him actual memories, and one could even consider that a form of intimacy in itself. And naturally, he’d run away.

She looked at him, or rather leered at him from behind her hand but at this point Rhys had been sort of used to such angry glares from her and he’d note the shift in her eyes though it was still the same from before. Rhys made eye contact with her, he wasn’t going to back down from this and he knew that she knew that he was right. He had said it because it was true, he wasn’t going to let this child have the life that he’d had but also he knew that it was something sensitive for her as well though she hadn’t told him the specifics. There was a lot they didn’t seem to know but what they did know was significant in terms of it wasn’t just random knowledge. Maria may have known that Fenrir had murdered his mother right in front of him when he was five, but she certainly didn’t know what his favorite color was. She lowered her hand and Rhys watched her carefully, wondering what her next move was going to be.

Suddenly she turned to walk away and Rhys’ eyes widened when he saw her hands create flames and he took a step back and grabbed his wand ready to block whatever attempt she made him burn him to ashes. But instead she managed to hit the couch, probably unintentionally and she stormed to the bathroom but not without an angry last word. Rhys quickly used an extinguishing spell and inspected the charred couch for any embers he might have missed and saw that he was in the clear, in the meantime he heard a door slam and he could only look over and sighed. He didn’t follow her immediately, instead taking a chance to have a moment to himself since this whole thing began. Again, he leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths, he almost wished he had been slapped or something so he would know this wasn’t a dream. Rhys was going to be a father. Though now other thoughts came to his mind. ‘Shit’. He thought—his siblings.

He felt tired, as short as his temper could be it still took a lot of energy from him. His anxiety still lingered heavily though. He waited a few more minutes, figuring she could use a second to herself just as he had needed but he slowly walked over to the bathroom door she had slammed shut earlier and took a deep breath. He was still likely the last person she wanted to see but she was carrying his child, the least he could do was check on her. He lightly knocked, wondering if she was above setting the door on fire. ”Maria?” He called to her, ”You alright?”

[Deleted]

December 2, 2025
rhys alexander greyback

Maria should listen to the healer. They'd told her try and avoid stress. Something about stress being bad for her and the thing growing in her stomach (she still struggled to acknowledge it was a baby). And while she knew stress wasn't good, as she was dealing with the consequences, it was so god damn hard not to. She just wanted to hit Rhys upside the head. He knew exactly what buttons to push to push her over the edge. Normally, that had been a good thing. Maria had enjoyed his ability to rile her up like no one else, then take whatever she threw at him. Likewise, she'd done the same to him. It was why they, physically, worked. While both had severe temper issues, they were resilient, making them perfectly compatible to withstand each other's wrath. Now though, Maria's own god damn temper was proving to be her downfall.

After her body was done trying to purge itself (though there hadn't been anything in her stomach to begin with) and she'd washed her face, she sat down on the bathroom floor, back against the tub and her head tilted back over the lip of the tub. Her eyes were closed. While she felt... better (ish), she still looked, and felt a little green. She really was sick of throwing up. She'd almost forgotten that Rhys was still in her apartment, until there was that light knock and his face. She opened her eyes, lifting her head to glare at the door. There was a moment she felt tempted to set the door on fire, though that would just be a pain to deal with later. She lay her head back down on the lip of the tub, eyes closed once more. The cool surface of the tub helped cool the burning rage a bit. "Just peachy," she answered sarcastically. She took a slow breath. "If you're so determined to stay, make yourself useful and find an anti-nausea spell or potion." That was only half sarcastic. Maria had been skimming some of her old school books to find something like that, but unfortunately she hadn't found anything yet.