[center][h1][color=sienna]Sepia Russet and Family - Various Corridors[/color][/h1][/center]

[hider=Datura][img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/80/3c/e3803cdb6eebd49fc8e51e27c0e6b437.jpg[/img][/hider]
[hider=Soot][img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/f9/92/b3/f992b3c29cf9e7236ae15663adc1ea71.jpg[/img][/hider]

[color=sienna]"Soot, can I ask you something?"[/color] As much as the absence of a certain purple-eyed girl was beginning to concern Sepia, it had provided her with a chance to talk privately with her father. Whenever she called him at their home, Datura was almost always lurking somewhere nearby if not front and center by his request. While the brunette did value his attempts to facilitate friendly communication between the two most important people in his life, she was missing having a private outlet for her feelings and questions.

He smiled with just a hint of sadness behind it. [b]"Of course."[/b] Sepia had a feeling he knew where this was going.

She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before finally blurting out, [color=sienna]"Were you afraid to tell me? About the baby, I mean."[/color] Silence hung in the air for a few moments as she worried her lower lip. Did she really want to know any of the possible answers?

Her father sighed and closed his eyes before replying, [b]"The situation is delicate. Aside from the long list of physical complications, we weren't sure if you might feel that you were being abandoned again."[/b] Huh? They'd never left her, not-oh. He wasn't talking about himself and Datura.

[color=sienna]"Hey. You two had nothing to do with that."[/color] She put a hand on his shoulder, hoping to reassure him. [color=sienna]"If anything, you've been the most constant person in my life. Hell, according to you, you took me straight from the midwife's arms. Pretty good for a teenager."[/color] She let out a small giggle.

He smiled. [b]"Watch your language."[/b] 

---

Things were getting serious. Preparing to defend herself should the need arise sooner than expected, Datura gave a quick once-over to the bracers wrapping around her forearms and lower legs. If last night's assessment of the telescoping function was still accurate, she should be fine in the kind of combat this student seemed ready to engage in.

[color=8882be]"Of course. Now, do you wish to proceed to the gym, or would you rather start getting "calmed down" right now?"[/color] She allowed just a hint of arrogance to slip in at the end. Hopefully, this girl would surprise her with her decision.