♻ 016 | audio

[tucky]

You know, I been wondering. If a girl gets pregnant and kills the baby, how many of y'all consider that murder? It's a real... hot-button issue where I come from, I guess; it's a big deal. There's people who feel so strongly about it that they believe the ones who actually do it - the doctors and stuff, and the people who work for 'em - deserve to die too. And it happens. People will go in and kill somebody like that, and other people will celebrate.

But then there's other people who say it ain't bad at all, 'cause we got rights to our own bodies and nobody should try and take that away. That's sexual liberation, and it's the same thing that says girls should be able to have a lot of sex and not get called sluts and whores. I always liked that part, at least, 'cause I been called those things before and it makes you feel dirty and small. But I knew guys who had way more sex than I did, and they never got called shit. Ever notice that? It's weird, how that happens.

And then there's the whole issue with condoms - which I use now, mostly, when I remember, so I don't need another lecture about that; don't worry. If you're gonna have sex, you're supposed to use 'em, or you end up with that problem I already talked about. But condoms are a real pain - they ain’t sexy or romantic or anything like that. You got to stop and put 'em on, and then you can feel 'em, and… I don’t know, I just like it better without. And I bet I ain't the only one.

It's confusing to think about; all of this is. But it's all tied together.

[warden filter]

I'm sorry for flipping the bird on the warden filter last week. I was mad and I'm still a little mad, but I think I do trust y'all, and I would like my actions not to be held against me. Please. Thank you.

Comments

[tucky]

I think it.

[absentconstellation]

Thinking a thing does not make it true.

[tucky]

The same goes for when you think stuff, then.

[absentconstellation]

Very astute.

[ He sounds amused. It's difficult to tell if he's making fun of her or not. ]

[tucky]

[She absolutely can't tell, so she just scoffs a little and looks away.]

[absentconstellation]

Are you pregnant, Tiffany?

[ Well there's a change in topic. ]

[tucky]

[And definitely not one she was expecting.]

I-- no, no, no. Nope, I'm not. 'Cause I can't get pregnant here, and I'm sleeping with a guy who can't get people pregnant.

[absentconstellation]

Then I must assume that you are attempting to rationalize your own past actions, or those of someone close to you.

[ He'd like some more context, please. ]

[tucky]

I'm just asking questions. You know, I'm a girl; girls think about this stuff.

[absentconstellation]

In my experience they do so only when they have reason to be concerned.

[tucky]

Maybe I am just a planner.

[absentconstellation]

In that case, I would advise against an unplanned pregnancy. It is quite a simple matter to avoid altogether.

[tucky]

Right, so maybe that's what I'm planning against.

There's no way I can get pregnant on the Barge, anyway.

[absentconstellation]

No, but one would hope that you will eventually be some place other than the barge.

[tucky]

I bet I could stay here forever if I wanted to.

[absentconstellation]

Do you want to?

[ There's no judgment in his voice, only curiosity. ]

[tucky]

What if I did?

[absentconstellation]

Then you would have no reason to be concerned about pregnancy.

[tucky]

So I haven't decided yet. Forever's a long time.

[absentconstellation]

[ He turns serious for a moment. ]

It is. Longer than you know.

[tucky]

... I'm not immortal. It's less for me than you.

[absentconstellation]

Forever is forever, whenever it began.

[tucky]

Right. For me, forever's probably like eighty years.

[absentconstellation]

In one hundred years I will be allowed to return to my Mortal Realms.

[tucky]

I'll definitely be dead by then.