(Oh yeah for sure, this woman will not hold back. and the baby for just existing, no symbolism in that at allllll)
Astral couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Simon was just so cute. The same action made Mia saddened. Simon was just so pure…
((oop if there is it’s gonna take me awhile to figure it out and that’s on Dumb Bitch Energy™️))
((DAMN RIGHT HE’S CUTE, SO LET HIM V I B E))
After another moment, Simon ran back over. “Okay I’m all done!” He said, smiling. He’d taken a second longer at the boa constrictor tank, seeming to actually really like the huge deadly snake. But then again, Simon did have a habit of liking things usually people that ended up being deadly to him.
(NAWH, HE GOTTA SUFFER)
Astral saw the fixation on the boa constrictor, smiling some to himself.
"Shall we go then?" Astral asked, offering his hand to Simon again.
“Mhm! Lead the way!” He said, taking Astral’s hand. The poor guy was just so happy, and somehow didn’t suspect a thing.
Astral smiled. He started out of the building, back out into the open air zoo. He hummed softly, glad for Simon's happiness. He was genuinely considering erasing Simon's memories after the birth entirely, not let him remember it was his child too.
((Astral the ass everyone))
((watch Simon have that like….magical parent senses tho, and he’d low key figure it out. Plus the kid will look half like him.))
Simon would stay at Astral’s side, enjoying the gentle breeze and the sun on his face. It was understandable why Astral would want to preserve Simon’s happiness, he just had this whole different air around him when he smiled.
((Astral If you want him to be happy just….stop hurting him???))
(yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee that'll be so much fun!)
Astral closed his eyes a moment. He loved the sunlight, and not just because he was the god of the sun. It was nice, seeing how much people enjoy it. How much went on during it, too, despite the stories of how everything horrible happened in the dark.
(But being nice is haaaaaaard)
((I stg Swim if you’re gonna make him have a child don’t take it away from him lmao))
Simon tugged Astral along if the god ever slowed down, seeming eager as always. So at this rate it only took them a few minutes to reach the big cat area.
((disappointed gay sigh someone send Astral to therapy))
(toooooooo late Astral likes Simon being happy too much and he knows the birth would destroy that)
Astral grinned some when they finally came to the big cats, and now it was his turn to lead Simon over to the leopards. He knelt down by the glass, smiling softly. One of the cats came over, despite how little they did so. Astral put his hand up to the glass, smiling still.
"You're so beautiful," he said, such a sweet tone to his voice.
(Disappointed gay banging my head on the wall He'd probably kill the therapist)
((OMFG SWIMMMMMM. But they gotta have their father child bond and hate Astral together ;w;)) ((haha Astral’s really gonna hate it when Simon gives him the cold shoulder for the months until he actually gives birth))
Simon smiled softly, staying a few feet behind Astral. “Aww they really seem to like you.” He observed, taking a tentative step forward and crouching down next to Astral. The cats really were beautiful.
((wheeze YEAH HE PROBABLY WOULD))
(Don worry we'll still have it!) (oooooo that is gonna be hard on him, and it takes a lot to say that about Ass-tral)
Astral nodded some, his eyes still on the leopard.
"They're my animal," he said, voice soft. "We all have a… connection, so to say." Astral finally glanced over at Simon, grinning.
((okie ;w;)) ((yeahhhhhh that’s part of simon 2.0))
“Oh well that makes sense then.” He said, his smile brightening when Astral turned to look at him. “They really make you happy, huh?” He said, trying to force images of his nightmare from a few nights before out of his mind
"They do." Astral hummed a bit, looking back to the leopard on the other side of the thick glass. He'd completely forgotten what he had done to change Simon's memory into a nightmare.
"It… they're kind of like a part of me, you know? I feel more whole when I'm around them."
((Astral if you’re gonna fuck up Simon’s mind at least r e m e m b e r))
“Aw that’s nice.” He commented. The only reason he was comfortable being this close to the animals was because of the glass. Also because he wouldn’t let a nightmare ruin the leopards for him, he still thought they were beautiful.
((I’m surprised Astral doesn’t have a bunch of them roaming around the house, that definitely fits his elegant yet deadly vibe))
(If he remembered every horrible thing he did to people he'd b r e a k)
Astral nodded slightly. He turned back to the animal, tilting his head just a bit. He moved his hand down slowly, and the leopard followed, laying down. It bumped it's nose against the glass, almost seeming to be in awe.
(I- first off that's a wonderful idea, thank you for that)
(Second, there will in fact be an encounter with a leopard, just not how you're gonna expect <3)
((G O O D))
Simon laughed in mild amazement. “Wow, so do they just listen to you like…unconditionally?” He asked curiously.
((They’re just big house cats, Simon will love them until you inevitably do something mean with them ;( ))
((I am afraid))
((Oh look Astral can train le animals, he should just join the circus on top of that he’s already a clown, he’ll fit right in))
"Yeah, pretty much. It's like… I know just how to tell them to do what I want." He continued to smile some.
"I'm actually thinking of bringing some home. Perhaps someday…"
(They really would be until Astral wants to… play a game)
(Good!)
(OOP–)
Simon felt a small bubble of anxiety begin to expand in his chest when Astral said so. He dismissed it as a primal instinct, shoving the feeling down. “That would be interesting.” He’d be safe as long as Astral was there. The god wouldn’t let anything happen to him, right?
((I can kind of guess what you’re suggesting and I’m already mad but haha Astral can’t seriously hurt Simon until the baby is born))
((Simon: can get literally the biggest red flag about someone “HAHA ISN’T ANXIETY A QUIRKY LITTLE THING :D”))
"Yeah, it would be." Astral looked at Simon.
"They really are harmless, with me around." He smiled softly. "They're just big, lovely fluff balls who want to cuddle."
(I- I highly doubt it XD trueee)
He met the god’s eyes, finding himself calming down rather quickly after that. He nodded, offering Astral a small smile. “They seem like they’d be nice to have around actually.”
Astral grinned. his face lighting up.
"How do you feel about bringing one home today?" he asked. He looked so happy that Simon was okay with this.
(simON NO)
“Okay! But how are we gonna do that?” He asked, genuinely curious. Would Astral just magically steal one? Simon wouldn’t be all that surprised if he did.
((Let Simon have the big house cats lol. They can’t hurt him for the next nine months anyway))
(lol)
(Honestly Astral won't try to do much at all even afterwards with them)
Astral thought a moment, tilting his head.
"Well, do you think we should take one from here? Or is there another way you would be more comfortable with?"
((“Much” 0-0))
“Umm…I don’t know.” He said, not expecting Astral to actually ask him. “It’s kind of hard to just get a leopard any other way. So I guess this will work fine.”
(Astral: Yo let's take this leopard and put it in my palace, it'll be cool)
(Simon: oh okay)
(Oh he ain't changing over night, he won't be just letting Simon completely off the hook)
(of course, who doesn't love a giant house cat?)
"Okay then! We can come back here after we're done walking around the zoo, then, if there's anything else you wanna see." Astral smiled, standing.
((I refer back to this now lmao))
((Simon: can get literally the biggest red flag about someone “HAHA ISN’T ANXIETY A QUIRKY LITTLE THING :D”))