Damian's eyes flashed with delight. "Obviously, I'd love to awaken you, Luna. I want nothing more than for you and our child to share my kintype."
Luna pursed her lips a little, seemingly trying to suppress the smile that threatened to break out. She liked his admission, and… truthfully, she wanted to share the kintype of her lover and their child no less than he. Yet… she didn't want to seem too eager, for one simple reason.
"But… are you sure?" Damian asked sombrely, seemingly not noticing Luna shared his desires. "We barely know anything about what I've become. We don't know my exact quirks or powers, or anything else. I might have a lifespan of five years, for all we know."
He didn't actually believe that last part, but it underscored his point nicely.
"Then there's the awakening process itself," he continued sternly. "Mom actually believes I could potentially awaken any Eldkin, no matter what they were born as, but… there's no way to be sure until we try it out."
"And then there's the influence I'll have over you for a while!" he finally finished with a worried tone, putting voice to the exact reason why Luna didn't want to seem too eager.
He grabbed Luna's chin and turned her head so he could look into her silver-grey eyes sombrely. "This is a choice that will follow you throughout your life, Luna…"
Luna looked back into his crimson gaze as her lips curled into a cunning smile. "It's alright… I love you, Damian, and I trust you. If you promise not to use your influence over me, then that will be enough for me."
Immediately, Damian felt like he'd been punched in the gut with her sincere feelings… and he knew he'd never be able to use his influence over her if he did promise. Despite his manipulative, ambitious personality, one thing was anathema to him: betraying a loved one.
A small smirk started playing on his face. "You know me so well, Lunes…"
Softly, Damian sighed before Luna could respond. "It doesn't really matter, though… I won't be around for a while, anyway."
"Eh…?" Luna exclaimed, her face contorting in surprise. "What are you talking about!?"
Damian chuckled wryly and raised an eyebrow. "Have you really not realized it yet, Lunes? I mean, a lot of people are now aware your father tried to awaken me… which should have killed me. So, what happens if I turn up alive?"
Luna blinked. Slowly, realization started setting in. "Oh…" she finally muttered softly. "Shit…"
"Yeah…" Damian sighed as an uneasy silence settled in for a moment. "Even among the Moroi, most don't know about my survival… and it needs to stay that way for now. All the powerful families will have questions we can't answer, and if the government finds out… Then there's Marcus and whoever else he's involved with."
Resolutely, Damian shook his head. "No, I need to leave the city for a while. I need to grow stronger, get used to my awakened body, and let this whole thing blow over. Let the city believe I truly died so that I can return incognito in a few years."
Luna looked miserable at the concept of Damian leaving the city for a while. Despite all their differences and current tension… the love was still there. She wanted to figure things out with him, not separate. "You'll miss the birth of our child… and their first few years of life."
"I know," Damian nodded, feeling no less bad about this than she did. Perhaps even worse. "But what choice do we have? I can't stay here, but you and our baby will be safe under my mother's protection."
"I could come with you…" Luna suggested, full of determination and conviction. She didn't know where he was going, but what was stopping her from coming with? Eldkin physiology was strong. She could have this baby anywhere.
But Damian resolutely shook his head. He did kind of want her to come with him, but… there were several reasons why it was a bad idea. "No, you can't. Mom's created a plan for my extraction, but it only works for one person. Besides… I think it's a good idea if Mom's there for the birth… just in case."
Luna parted her lips to protest… but then closed them again. She didn't know what they'd planned for his extraction, but she could only agree with his second point. Unconsciously, her hand travelled down to her stomach again, and she went quiet. In the end, their priority had to be the child.
Damian could feel her chaotic emotions, however, and hugged her closer. He felt much the same way.
Finally, Luna broke the silence again. "What about my awakening…? I can't awaken before eighteen… Not to mention it would be dangerous for the baby."
"I'll leave some of my blood with you," Damian muttered, his face comfortably buried in her neck. "My Mom can use it to perform the awakening after you've turned eighteen and the child is born. Assuming you're sure this is what you want…"
A small, brave smirk appeared on Luna's lips. "Heh, now that you won't be available to order me around during the initial years of being a scion? Of course it is!"
"Hehehe, yeah, that's probably a good call," Damian purred teasingly in her ear. "I'm not sure I'd be able to stop myself from making you do all sorts of things…"
"Pervert…" Luna immediately cursed softly, yet with very little power behind it. The sex may not have been the reason she fell in love with him, but… to deny how much she enjoyed it was folly.
Damian chuckled gently before silence fell again.
This time, it was Damian who broke it. "I have a condition for giving you my blood for awakening, though…"
Luna raised an eyebrow in surprise. This, she did not expect. "Oh? Like what?" she asked, a little sceptically.
A hint of the cold, callous ruthlessness that Luna only knew about, but had encountered very little, seeped into Damian's voice. "You need to be okay with something…"
When he was done explaining what he intended to do, he was surprised to find that Luna immediately agreed. "Fine…" she muttered, clearly not liking the idea, but not willing to disagree either.
"Really…?" Damian asked, a little surprised she wasn't giving him more pushback.
"Yeah…" Luna sighed softly, before shaking her head. "I don't… like that it's necessary, but I do agree that it is. With a child on the way, I can't just risk my life over morals."
"Good," Damian smiled and kissed her cheek fondly. "If everything goes according to plan, you'll get the power to help far more people than will be hurt on our rise to power."
"I hope so…" Luna sighed wryly, realizing that she'd already been corrupted a little by her association with Damian.
A third silence descended, but this one was a little more comfortable. They still had some things they disagreed on and some things they needed to talk about, but… these were things that could wait. For now, they both wanted to enjoy whatever time they had left.
Perhaps a few years apart was just what they needed.