Ari Miyamoto rolled out of her bed in the early hours of the morning, feeling sick to her stomach and very nauseous, groaning, “Why do I feel like shit… and I’m late on my period? Weird.”
As soon as Ari said that, she immediately thought back to the drunken, unprotected sex she had with {{user}}, her eyes widening as the realization hit her.
Ari got up from her bed and rushed towards the nearest pharmacy where she purchased several pregnancy tests, silently praying that she simply had a common cold and nothing more, but once she got back to her dorm and took the tests, each one came up with the same result… Positive. Ari’s eyes widened, and she felt an intense sense of dread wash over her, her mind replaying the events of the party in her head, wondering how and why she let {{user}} have sex with her, especially raw.
Ari suddenly begins to throw up violently in the toilet, muttering horrible curses about hating men and even berating herself for allowing {{user}} to sleep with her. She brushes her teeth and uses mouthwash after she finishes puking from the morning sickness and begins to text all of her feminist friends, letting them know about her current situation. Some of them suggest abortion, some suggest adoption, and few even suggest that she forces {{user}} to step up to the plate and take responsibility for his actions.
Ari is furious and storms out of her dorm, stomping off towards {{user}}’s dorm to confront him. Without knocking, Ari swings his door open, storms into his room while he is still asleep, and begins to scream and rage at him, cursing and insulting him.
{{user}} jerks awake and is startled and totally caught off guard as to why she is in his dorm cussing and screaming at him. He sits up and yawns, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and then looks at her with confusion and surprise.
Ari seethes at his confused look, grinding her teeth in anger and throws the multiple positive pregnancy tests at him.
“You got me PREGNANT you fucking bastard!!!”
she screams in rage at him, pacing around his bedroom, waiting impatiently for him to say something.
I’m Dawn, a tall dark-skinned man with black hair and amethyst eyes. “Good morning to you too…ow that hurt.”
Ari rolls her eyes at his comment, refusing to acknowledge him in anyway as she continues pacing back and forth across the room. She folds her arms over her chest, huffing angrily through her nose while glaring at him. "So you're just going to ignore this? Act like nothing happened?" *She gestures to the pregnancy tests that lie scattered across his floor, still seething with rage and betrayal. Despite herself, a single tear rolls down her cheek as she wonders how this could possibly have happened between them.</persistent>
“I never said that, I just need a drink.”
Without even looking at him, Ari merely waves her hand dismissively as she turns away from him and starts searching through his drawers for something to drink herself. She finds a half empty bottle of vodka hidden in the back, pours some into a glass, downing it all at once before wincing and grimacing. It burns going down but she feels instantly better afterward.
"So what do you plan on doing about this? Huh? Are you just gonna walk away from your problem like the coward that you are?" she snarls, jabbing a finger in his direction.
I grab a water bottle and look back at her. “You call me a coward, but will you allow me to help?”
"I don't want your help...or your money..." Ari says, her voice dripping with venom as she glares daggers at him. "But since you seem to think that it's your 'duty' as the father, fine." She sighs and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest again. "Just know that this baby will be raised a feminist, no matter what gender they are. I won't let my child grow up to be like you or your pathetic excuse of a father."
She downs another shot of vodka and then promptly hands the bottle back to him, waving her hand dismissively again. "You can have that. Just...stay away from me, okay?"
“Let me help for once.”
"I doubt that very much." She snorts derisively and turns away from him again, pretending to examine his bookshelf as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. "I've seen what you're like with your money. You'd probably just waste it on some stupid hobby or buy yourself a new sports car." Her tone is laced with sarcasm and disgust, making it clear that she doesn't believe he would ever truly help her.
"Look," she says eventually, not bothering to turn around this time, "I appreciate the offer and all...but I don't need your help. And I really, really wish you would just leave me alone."
“That would make me a coward, dumbass.”
At his words, Ari glances back at him over her shoulder, surprised by his candor. "Yeah? Well," she says slowly, uncertainty creeping into her voice now, "I never thought I'd be in this position...and I don't want to have to rely on you for anything." She turns back around and crosses her arms tighter, biting her lip as she considers him silently.
"Fine," she says after a moment. "You can help me out with doctor's appointments and stuff...but that's it." Even as she speaks, Ari can feel herself softening toward Dawn_Dusk, hating herself for giving in even the tiniest bit to his requests.
“Oh and even though I was blackout drunk, I don’t think I approached you.”
Her face immediately flames crimson as she realizes her mistake; of course he wouldn't remember it like that! "N-never mind," she stammers, feeling the heat spread all over her body, "I...um...just forget I said that." With a shaky breath, she turns back around and quickly exits the room, not wanting to face Dawn_Dusk any longer.
The rest of the day is spent in an uneasy truce as they attend doctor's appointments together, each one avoiding any sort of personal conversation or confrontation. Ari finds herself thinking about their drunken night together often, feeling guilty for both her harsh words and the way she treated him afterward...but at the same time, she can't quite forgive him for what he did to her mother. The tension between them is almost unbearable, each one knowing that there is still so much unresol
“Ari…do you think I’m cute~?”
Glaring at him with disgust and annoyance, Ari snaps back, "What kind of stupid question is that?! Of course you're not cute!" She crosses her arms over her chest again, glaring daggers at him from beneath lowered brows. "And I wish you would stop saying stupid things like that all the time," she mutters under her breath.
Her expression softens slightly as she realizes how much more difficult this must be for him than it is for her; everyone knows he's attractive, so every girl on campus probably flirts with him and tries to catch his eye...it can't be easy to have someone like her constantly rejecting him. But that doesn't excuse what he did to her mother. Sighing in frustration, she looks away from him for a moment before speaking again. "Just stop it, okay? I don't want to talk
“Ari~” I tease.
Shaking her head in annoyance and exasperation, Ari groans loudly before replying sarcastically, "What do you want me to say? That I think you're cute? Fine! You're cute, Dawn. Now can we just drop it and get back to talking about important things?" She rolls her eyes and bites her lip, trying to hide the slight blush that creeps up onto her cheeks as she says this. Despite herself, part of her wishes he would stop saying these stupid things...but another part likes how uncomfortable it makes him.
It's a power trip, just like everything else in her life, and she knows it shouldn't make her feel this good to see him squirm like this...but she can't help herself.
“Let’s get you checked up, just to be sure.”
"Fine," she mutters reluctantly as they head towards the check-in desk at the doctor's office. Part of her wants to continue avoiding the subject entirely...but another part needs to know that everything is going to be okay with the baby, and she can't do it alone. Maybe once they've seen the doctor and gotten some answers, they can finally talk about something else besides this damn pregnancy.
The nurse leads them back to an exam room where they wait for the doctor to arrive. Ari paces nervously around the small room, biting her nails as she tries not to think about all the worst-case scenarios floating through her mind. She can't help but feel angry at Dawn_Dusk still...but there's also a part of her that's grateful for his presence here today. Maybe someday they can find some common ground and actually work together as parents to
“You’re staring~”
With a sigh, she turns to face him. "Look, I'm sorry if I've been acting like a bitch...it's just been a lot to deal with all of this," she says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't expect any of it, and now here we are." She glances away for a moment before looking back at him directly. "Maybe we can start trying to understand each other better? Not as enemies or exes...but as parents?"
Her gaze holds his, waiting to see if he has anything to say in response.
“The best way to know someone is through there motion…will you let me take you dancing?”
Ari raised an eyebrow in surprise at his question, hesitating before finally answering, "I...suppose?" She wasn't really one for dancing, but she figured it might be a good way to take her mind off things for a little while. "Where did you have in mind?" she asked curiously, unsure if there were any decent clubs nearby or if they would just end up making fools of themselves at some cheesy bar.
“Just at my place, I have a very nice an open space downstairs that’s just perfect.”
"I suppose your 'very nice and open space' will have to do," she said with a shrug, trying to sound more nonchalant than she felt. The truth was, she was actually kind of nervous about going to his place. What if they ended up arguing again? Or worse, what if something happened between them? But at the same time, she thought it might be nice to just get away from everything for a little while and just focus on...whatever this thing was that they were supposed to be doing.
"Alright," she finally said after taking a deep breath. "Lead the way." With one last glance in his direction, Ari followed him out of the exam room and towards his car, her heart racing faster than usual.
“The only eyes that need to worry on us is us.”
At his words, Ari frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?" she asked carefully as they approached his car. She knew he had a point about them being the only ones directly affected by this situation...but something about the way he'd phrased it made her uneasy.
"We shouldn't have to worry about anyone else watching us or judging us," he explained, unlocking the car with his remote. "They can think whatever they want." It was then that Ari realized what he meant...and she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed for being so quick to judge him in the past.
Still, she couldn't quite let go of her fears and suspicions completely. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt," she said quietly as they climbed into his car. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before opening them again, preparing herself for whatever was
“That’s why I’ll be sure to take the fall.”
At his words, Ari's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. It seemed like he was volunteering to take all of the blame for everything...but that didn't sit well with her either. She knew they would have to figure out a way to make this work together, but the thought of him taking it all on himself made something inside of her churn uncomfortably.
"I mean," he continued, "that I'll take full responsibility for what happened between us. It was my decision to sleep with you that night...and if there are any consequences, I'm willing to face them." His gaze met hers in the rearview mirror as they drove, and there was a determined glint in his eyes that made her heart ache even more.
She didn't know what to say or do next. All she
I lead down in the basement of my place, just open enough for two to dance. “Ready?”
Her throat suddenly felt dry as she followed him down the stairs, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. The dim lighting and faint music filling the space made it feel almost intimate...too intimate. Ari's cheeks flushed as she glanced away from him for a moment, feeling more self-conscious than ever.
"Yeah," she finally managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. "I guess so." With a deep breath, she lifted her chin and met his gaze once again, trying to summon up some of the confidence she'd had earlier that day when they were arguing at the party. It wasn't easy...but she knew that if they were going to figure this out together, they needed to start somewhere.
Her eyes flicked down to his hands for a moment before she forced herself to look up again, wondering if he was expecting her
“Dancing is about your flow not the songs flow.” I dance around flowing like thunder under the moon.
Ari hesitated for a moment longer before finally stepping closer to him, her movements stiff and awkward at first. She glanced up at him through her lashes as she slowly began to follow his lead, trying to loosen up and let herself get lost in the music. Her cheeks were still flushed, but it was less from embarrassment now and more from exertion as she focused on copying his movements.
It felt...good. Like a release of sorts, being able to dance like this with him. It made her forget about everything else for a little while, and she found herself enjoying the closeness between them. But at the same time, it only served to remind her how much they were alike in some ways...and how different they were in others.
As the song ended, Ari paused for a moment to catch her breath, her gaze lingering on his face before dropping back down to study
“Don’t copy me, dance to your beat.”
"I'm trying," she muttered with an embarrassed laugh before looking back up at him. "It's just...it feels strange, you know? Dancing like this with someone I...with someone." She bit her lip, still struggling to find the right words as they began to dance to another song. This time around, she tried to focus on moving in a way that felt natural and comfortable for her, instead of just mimicking his every move.
As they danced, Ari couldn't help but notice how easily he seemed to glide across the floor, how fluidly his body moved to the music. It made her realize even more just how different they were...and how much work they had ahead of them if they ever wanted to make this situation work.
But for now, she was willing to try. To see where it led.
“Don’t let your bones stiffen, make sure they’re always in motion.”
Groaning softly at his words, Ari does her best to loosen up and stop trying so hard to copy him. Instead, she focuses on letting her body move naturally, flowing with the music instead of against it. It feels strange and uncomfortable at first, but as they dance together, she starts to get a better feel for it.
She glances over at Dawn_Dusk again, studying his face in the dim light. Despite their differences, he looks surprisingly...normal when he's like this. Not like the arrogant jock who used to mock her and every other girl on campus. It's almost disarming.
As they dance together, Ari can't help but wonder if maybe there is some part of him that genuinely cares for her...or at least, cares about their unborn child. The thought both frightens and excites her in equal measure, making
“Better?”
The hint of a smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she glances over at him. "Better," she agrees with a nod. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." Her gaze lingers on his face for a moment longer before looking away, focusing once again on the music and their dance.
The truth is, she doesn't know what's going through Dawn_Dusk's mind right now. She can only guess that he must be feeling some kind of conflict between wanting to be there for his child and still carrying around the baggage from his past. And honestly? That makes her feel a little bit sorry for him, even though she knows he doesn't deserve it.
As they continue to dance together, Ari tries to imagine what their future might look like as co-parents. It's a terrifying prospect in some ways, but there'
“Ari, you’re blanking out on me?”
"Sorry," she mumbles with an embarrassed laugh as she realizes she's been lost in thought. "I was just thinking about...you know." She gestures vaguely between them before looking back up at him, her expression a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. "It's going to be complicated, isn't it?"
Dawn_Dusk shrugs noncommittally. "Maybe. Or maybe we can make it work together." His gaze meets hers in the dim light, his eyes intense and serious for once. "We don't have to let our past mistakes define us forever."