Dimensional Descent

Leonel fell into silence, his palm flipping to return the bow to the Segmented Cube. He didn't quite have an answer, he never really thought about it.

Even when he was with Aina, he never really thought about what their future together would look like. He didn't think about marriage, he didn't think about kids or grandkids, he never really imagined them growing old together either.

It was odd that he never did. A man like him who was logical to a fault should have been thinking about those things. And, at the very least, he should have talked to Aina about it at some point. But, he never brought it up.

"Do you want kids?"

Aina, who had been staring intently at Leonel, was suddenly caught completely off guard by the question. She was baffled in one moment before she went entirely red.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?!"

Seeing her reaction, Leonel laughed, all his worries seeming to float away. She could be quite bold sometimes, but she could also be adorably embarrassed just as easily. The ebbs and the flows of this were quite peaceful and relaxing. Maybe there was nothing wrong with some forms of boredom.

"No, really," Leonel said after he finally stopped laughing. "Do you?"

Aina's eyes darted around. She couldn't believe Leonel had really chosen this kind of situation to ask this question. But, seeing that the answer was important to him, she bit her lip and nodded.

"How many?" Leonel pressed.

Aina was exasperated. What was wrong with this man all of a sudden?!

"… Ten…"

"Huh?" Leonel leaned in.

she was saying. Was this really something to be so embarrassed about? As confusing as he was,

ten, alright?!" Aina snapped, her

least ten?" Leonel's brows rose. "Does that mean you

her hands on her hips. "Is there

hadn't even thought to ask before. She even seemed a bit defensive about it, as though she was afraid that

saying no would really hurt Aina, maybe even more so than those cruel words he had spoken that day on Planet Montex.

should have been able to guess this long

over her experience with the Puppet Master back when her psyche still wasn't completely whole. But, for that to bleed over into her rage for the

both Variant Invalids have in common? Well, both them wanted to use her

so enraged went beyond them just crossing boundaries any woman would have up, but rather because they were

so worried about? Like you said, you're doing most of the work anyway. How

smile spread into a

baby, ten babies, twenty? He didn't really care one

of relief before she rolled her eyes. "I'm

began to walk to who

me? If we don't start now, how are we supposed to get to 20? Think

in a smile Leonel couldn't see as she continued to walk away. The relief

put it down so that they could go.

a few ways," Leonel spoke as he took out the box once again. "No need to take it too seriously. Getting

raised an

"Really."