POV: Lyra
I choked on my hydration solution, and Orion shot up from his seat and rushed to my side to rub small comforting circles on my back. He passed me a warm hydration cylinder that an android was kind enough to bring without being asked.
After a few minutes, I managed to calm down. Orion still stood by my side, caressing my shoulders in slow, soothing motions, his neural energy calming my system. I looked up at him with furrowed brows and the first words out of my mouth were, "Have you?!"
His concerned look was replaced with confusion. I clarified, "Have you thought about offspring designations?"
He pressed his lips to my forehead, hoping to ease my tension through our bond. "Not yet. I was just curious about whether there were any particular designations that you've decided to name our... I mean, your offspring with one day."
I said frantically, my skin cycling through anxious colors, "No, Orion. I didn't plan any designations. I wasn't even sure how many I wanted until ten minutes ago. I'm not saying that I don't want them with you but I haven't given full thought about every single aspect of—"
He kissed my cheek, neural sparks cascading soothingly. "Star-heart, relax. We're taking this slow. We're not rushing into anything. I just really wanted to know what your dreams are when you think about offspring." He kissed my temple, more calming energy flowing through. "Maybe that was a more appropriate question for a later date. I'm sorry, star-heart."
I calmed down, skin returning to normal silver-blue as I shook my head. "No, don't be. It's really sweet of you to want to know what I want, Orion. Thank you."
"Sweetheart, you really have to stop thanking me for things like this." He kissed my temple again before saying firmly through our bond, "I'm your match and I love you. There is every need to know what you want." He squeezed my shoulders once before retaking his seat.
We consumed in silence for the next few minutes. Orion glanced over at me every few seconds, his pathways flickering with guilt. He felt bad about asking such an in-depth question on our first date. I was already understanding enough to give my thoughts about my general view of offspring and motherhood but asking about designations probably went too far.
We hadn't even discussed cohabitation yet! And there was no doubt that a bonding ceremony was also a distant topic. Not that Orion wouldn't bond with me the very next cycle if he could. But he wanted to give me time. He didn't want me to feel rushed or overwhelmed. He never thought he would want offspring so badly until he met me. But he only wanted to have offspring with me, not with just anyone.
The mere thought of having a female offspring with me made his inner Lyrokan melt with tenderness through our bond. Imagining a little female like that was what got him thinking about whether I already had a designation in mind.
I swallowed the nutrients in my mouth before asking, "Can you tell me about Uncle Conrad? What was he like? From the fact that you like him, I take it that he was different from the rest of the Claws?"
Orion's worry eased, pathways warming. "Oh, he was very different for a Claw. Uncle Conrad was friends with Granpa Brock. That was how my father met my mother, through Uncle Conrad. He was... soft-spoken and more forgiving. He loved to transmit gossip so don't count on him to keep classified data."
I smiled, skin shifting to amused gold. "Did he ever tell on you?"
Orion said, "Once. I told him that I planned to skip academy and go over to Aunt Reida's habitat the next cycle because I didn't want to sit through a whole cycle of briefing on safety protocols. The next morning, my parents waited for me in the nutrition area. And I got a very stern warning so my plan was terminated."
I chuckled at his tale, and my voice calmed his anxiety through our bond.
He continued, "I never told him anything I wanted kept classified after that. Aunt Reida was better with secrets. Uncle Conrad didn't have any malicious intentions but he really just couldn't keep things to himself. That was the only reason why I know more about my father's past than my father himself would like me to know. I'd stick to Uncle Conrad at family gatherings, mostly because I didn't feel comfortable with the rest of them."
I asked, "So Uncle Conrad didn't have any offspring?"
Orion's expression turned sad, pathways dimming. "No. Unfortunately, the med-techs couldn't find a solution for his reproductive malfunction. His match was upset at first but Aunt Charlotte never blamed him or made him feel defective about it as far as I know."
With bright, inquisitive eyes, I asked, "What was Aunt Charlotte like?"
Orion pondered, pathways flickering through memories. "She was not really someone I liked to get close to. She displayed positive expressions frequently but it felt inauthentic, like she was just putting on a performance. As a youngling, I hated it when she pinched my facial structure with those sharp digital extremities of hers. When I got older, she'd ask these very inappropriate, uncomfortable questions."
"Like what?" I cocked my head to one side.
Orion moved uneasily in his seat before looking at me. "Star-heart, before I tell you, I want you to know that these were just her questions. I have not done any of these things, okay?"
"Okay." I responded meekly, skin shifting to curious yellow.