April 3, 1893 - Adlard House, Swallowsbury District, Irvingly

Quincey Honeyduke

"Is Dahlia feeling alright? She looked a bit peaked at supper." Percy asked, his brow furrowed in concern over Quin's young wife. The ladies had just retired from the drawing room leaving the men to their whiskey and cigars in the dining room. Typically Percy wouldn't ask but Annabeth had drawn him aside before this evening to make sure that Percy asked. She enjoyed having the Honeydukes over for dinner and make sure to invite them at least every fortnight. However, she was worried that Dahlia hadn't liked the dishes they had served the past few evenings and had pressed Percy to get to the bottom of the issue. So here he was.

Of course Percy wasn't quite as unobservant as he was often teased. Indeed, he too had noted the change in Quin's bride. She was usually a bright spot of company, lighting up around Annabeth as much as Annabeth did around her new friend. But since the holidays she had become rather more subdued and had often made their excuses earlier than expected, something she had not done during the fall.

  

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Pretties from Lady <3

Quin leaned back in his chair, passing Dahlia a smile that said, we can go whenever you want, as she and Annabeth left the room do to whatever it was that ladies did together without their husbands. Not too much longer, he knew the pregnancy was taking a toll on her and an early night would be the best remedy.

At Percy's question, Quin could only shrug a little, reaching for his glass of whiskey, but abstaining from a cigar. "I think so, I can't pretend to know what a woman goes through at a time like this." His smile was wry; this whole thing was new to both of them and he wasn't so sure Dahlia could explain it any better than he could understand. Still, Quin did his best to be supportive and present, making sure to come home straight away after the shop was closed and cleaned up, leaving the kitchen to the housekeeper when she was around, making sure Dahlia had everything she needed.

"She'd been tired and nauseous a lot, but tells me that's normal?" Maybe he ought to check in with Mrs. Potts to see if there was anything else he should be concerned about. Certainly she had all the expertise.

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"She's in the family way?" Of course Percy shouldn't have been shocked by it. He had established that Quin did indeed know the fundamentals months ago, this was just a natural progression of events from there. What did surprise him was that Quin hadn't yet told him,.

"Congratulations!" Percy leaned to grasp Quin's forearm in felicitation. "Annabeth and Bede will be so happy to hear this." Annabeth, he was sure, would be over the moon to have another playmate for Bede.

Then, because he had been friends with Quin so long and teasing him came so naturally, he added, "Guess you do know where it goes after all."

  

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Pretties from Lady <3

Wasn't it obvious? Maybe Quin could see it already because he was familiar with her frame, but there was just the tiniest hint of their growing child beneath all of the layers of clothes. Still he laughed at Percy's surprise. "Thanks, mate." The phrase in the family way was really the funny part. Obviously this was all very new to him, and he was still mildly terrified about it, but he'd learned to keep those worries to himself. Dahlia's emotions were constantly teetering one way or another and the last thing he wanted to do was upset her in any way.

Without anything to throw at his friend over the last quip, he instead flipped him a rude gesture, shaking his head. Things had been awkward at first but they'd found a satisfying rhythm to their nighttime activities that worked for them. "I'm allowed to be terrified about this right?" He asked on a more serious note; Percy would get it right? Surely before his own had arrived there had to be some anxiety over it? Quin couldn't be the only one? "I've never spent a lot of time around babies." He was fine with the young street kids that frequented the shop; was really good with Billie, but they were older. Even with the host of nieces he had inherited through the Potts ladies, they were all a little older. That three of them were all expecting a child this year didn't exactly help.

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"I don't know any man who isn't." Percy admitted, leaning back in his chair. "Don't tell Anna, but the first time I held Bede I was convinced I'd break him." Percy remembered thinking he'd drop the babe and the small skull would be crushed on the floor. He'd worried over Annabeth too, about her health, Cat had taken on so many of his worries, assuring him with the ease a woman has.

  

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Pretties from Lady <3