The Talk

## Roleplay

Destiny walked beside Gwyn as the two made their way to the clinic together so Destiny could get an appointment. Destiny seemed a bit uneasy about going to the clinic, but Gwyn's presence gave her some comfort.

The two had met when Gwyn had saved her life when three griffon had tried to attack her. During that moment, Destiny learned of Gwyn's secret and vowed to not tell a soul. Afterwards, the two conversed and got to know each other better and started to become friends.

It was during their conversation that Gwyn had learned about Destiny's amnesia and her knowledge, or lack there of, about sex. She had admitted that she did not recall her parents ever giving her the talk, mostly because she didn't remember her parents at all.

That had lead to the professor trying to convince the girl to go to the clinic in order to be educated out of concern for the girl's health. Understanding the need to take care of her body, Destiny had agreed to go, although she did not wish to be a burden.

However, since Destiny had never been to a clinic before for as long as she remembered, Gwyn and volunteered to go with her. Knowing she could easily get lost and the idea of going alone scared her, she accepted the offer.

Gwyn was walking with Destiny to the clinic so that the girl could get "the talk" from one of the practicioners there. Or at least, that was the hope. If nothing else, they could get her an appointment. And if not...

Well. Better not to dwell on that now.

"It's right in here, if I recall correctly," Gwyn said as the duo approached a building near the coast of the island on which Shade was built. Rubio had given her a map detailing the layout of the academy, and she'd glanced it over, but hadn't given it a thorough examination. If memory served her, the clinic would be right inside this building, along with the gym, a theater or two, and some other things.

Destiny looked up at the building, seeming a bit timid. She was always like that when going some place new. But she also knew that the timidness would be a lot worse had she came alone.

She looked over at Gwyn and gave a small nod to show that she heard her before looking back at the building. A million things ran through her mind as she tried to think positively. She needed the talk so she could keep herself healthy right? And Gwyn had reassured her that she wouldn't be a burden, so there wasn't any harm in making an appointment.

"I...I hope we d... didn't arrive too l..late." She said, remembering neither of them knew what the clinic's hours were.

Gwyn pulled up her shirtsleeve and glanced at her watch, which read 5:00 in the afternoon. "Might be a little close, but we should be fine," she said. Well. She hoped.

She started walking toward the doors, but then stopped in her tracks, remembering that her wings were still visible. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, and her wings began to slowly fade from view.

"There we go," she said once her wings were gone. With that, she opened her eyes and walked into the building. "Now...where's that clinic..."

Following Gwyn in, she looked around to see if she could even help in finding where they needed to go. She was just going to have to follow her instincts on the issue, seeing as she had no idea what to look for. But she might as well try to help right?

She took in every detail, trying to see if anything seemed to scream medical at her. She did take note of what appeared to be a gym. She at least knew what that looked like from passing by one back in Vale. She continued to look around when she noticed a sign.

She noticed that it did read clinic, but the directions on the sign were a bit confusing to her. She turned towards Gwyn as she motioned to the sign.

"D...Do you th...think th..that could h...help us?" She asked softly.

Gwyn turned her attention to the sign that Destiny had indicated, which appeared to be a directory. "This is perfect!" she said. "Let's see...oh, we're close to it! It should be right over there," Gwyn said as she pointed to a nearby hallway.

"Come on then. I think they close soon," Gwyn said as she led Destiny down the hall, desperately hoping the clinic wasn't closed yet. This was something Destiny urgently needed to know about, and if the clinic couldn't see her today...

Destiny nodded her head and quickly followed after Gwyn. She could sense Gwyn's uneasiness and began to feel uneasy herself. This lead to a thousand thoughts swarming in her mind.

What if they were already closed? Would that mean she just came back tomorrow? What if they wouldn't give her an appointment? How else would she learn something that Gwyn had made seem so important to her health?

If they were closed, she wasn't so sure about coming back tomorrow. She would have to come alone and that was a for sure method of her becoming lost, which never was good for her. She didn't want to be an even greater burden by asking Gwyn to also come with her another time. If they didn't give her an appointment, she figured she could find another way. Asking Gwyn might be a good idea but she figured that the professor would be busy preparing lessons for class, which she felt was a lot more important than giving her the talk. She might be able to find a book on it if she had too.

Gwyn found the door to the clinic in the small hallway and was disheartened by the sight of a sign on it that said 'CLOSED'. The office hours were also on the door and indicated that the clinic would re-open at nine the next morning.

But that was crucial time...

\*Guess it falls to me then,\* Gwyn thought. She had REALLY wanted to avoid doing this just because it would be so awkward, but now there was no choice.

With concern obvious on her features, Gwyn turned to Destiny and said, "We, um, may have a little problem..."

Destiny frowned as she became concerned as well, noting that Gwyn's uneasiness seemed to grow. If there was ever a time that she wished she could read minds, now was that time. She was scared to ask but she knew that she would find out sooner or later, so it might as well be sooner.

"W...What i...is wrong?" She asked softly.

She tilted her head slightly as she tried to think of what might have been the cause for Gwyn's dismay. Maybe if she could think of something she could already start thinking of a way to possibly ease some of her concern. After all, it wasn't the end of the world....was it?

Gwyn sighed as she turned to face Destiny, worry on her features. "We missed them," she said, her voice heavy. "They're closed. And I doubt you'll want to come back here later..."

Gwyn closed her eyes and held a hand to her forehead. She thought for a moment, then opened her eyes once again. "You need to know about this stuff, Destiny," she said. "There is an alternative. To the clinic, I mean..."

Destiny looked thoughtful, not all too surprised Gwyn doubted that she would want to come back. It wasn't out of fear or anything, it was the fact she would more than likely have to come alone and she knew she would get lost and that would just be a huge mess.

Looking back at Gwyn, Destiny blinked and tilted her head. She wondered briefly what Gwyn had in mind. After all, it seems like she had been stalking to bring it up. Was it that bad?

"F...Find a b..book?" She asked innocently.

Gwyn let out a small laugh at that, but the dread she felt at what she had to do ensured that it didn't last long. "If it were that easy, I'd have suggested that first," she said. "No, this sort of thing can't really be taught from a book...someone needs to tell it to you to make sure you understand it all."

The succubus in disguise took a deep breath before continuing. This was the hard part. She just hoped Destiny didn't make a big deal of it, or reject it. "I had something else in mind...though a book might help. But I was thinking..." she paused for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "...I could maybe help you..."

Destiny's eyes widened a bit as she blinked. Sure, she had considered that option as well, seeing as Gwyn knew so much about it. She did basically use it to sustain herself after all. She just didn't expect her to suggest it herself.

"I...I really wouldn't want to be a b..burden P.. Professor Stark. I...I mean, I do a.. appreciate it. I...I really do. I...I j..just d..don't want y..you to take t..time out of your w..work. I...I know that educating the...the entire student body is more i.. important." She said softly, matching Gwyn's volume if not softer.

She really didn't want to be more of a burden than she already was. After all, Gwyn had helped her so much all in one day. And with how she handled just talking about how little she knew of the subject, she knew that anyone who taught her would have to be very patient. She wasn't saying that Gwyn wasn't patient, but Gwyn was a professor. She didn't want Gwyn to risk her job just to take the time to teach her something she wasn't obligated to teach.

"No, this is something you need to learn, Destiny," Gwyn said, her tone more insistent. "It's no trouble. I don't have anything I need to do this evening, so don't worry about that. This is my free time most days. And don't worry about me using that on you; I want to help you." To Gwyn this was a labor of love; it would certainly tax her patience, but she figured it was worth it for someone as sweet as Destiny.

The girl really must've had amnesia if she didn't remember getting the talk; it was a defining moment of awkwardness for most teenagers. Gwyn herself hadn't gotten it too gently. Her mother had just sat her down one day and laid it all out for her in a rather blunt manner. Gwyn herself hoped to do better for Destiny.

Destiny gave a soft and grateful smile. While she would admit she had amnesia, she did have an instinctual feeling that she really didn't get the talk. So maybe it would be best if she accepted the offer, especially if she recovered her memories only to remember she never really got the talk to begin with.

"A... Alright. I..If you t..truly insist. I...I promise to p..pay close a.. attention." She said.

She knew she could trust Gwyn to be patient with her. And she could sense that she really did care about her and her health. It was a comforting feeling, if Destiny had to describe it. To have at least some sort of adult figure in her life while she was attending Shade, especially while she couldn't remember her own parents. This made her briefly wondered what they were like and where they were, but she had faith that she would find out in due time. Right now, Gwyn deserved her undivided attention.

"Good," Gwyn said, relief mixing with the dread in her voice. "Let's go somewhere a little more private so we can do this." While normally such a statement would have been made in a more suggestive tone, this was not the case today, which was incredibly rare for Gwyn.

She supposed she had an office now, didn't she? Maybe this would be a good chance to give it a look. The location of THAT she did remember. "I think I know a good place," Gwyn said. "Shouldn't be too far off."

Destiny nodded as she took a deep breath before smiling. She didn't know where Gwyn was taking her exactly but discussing it somewhere private was less nerve wracking to her. Besides, she had the time.

"L...Lead the way p... professor." She said.

While she was slowly becoming a bit more comfortable, she hoped Gwyn would start to relax as well. She knew this probably wouldn't be easy for Gwyn just as much, if not more, than it was for her. Perhaps the place Gwyn had in mind was someplace she could be more at ease at, which was just fine for her.

Gwyn nodded and said, "Right this way." With that, she led Destiny out of the building and across the campus.

As they walked across the main concourse, Gwyn pondered how she would lay everything out do Destiny. \*Hmm...do I start with the cliche "when a man and woman love each other"? No...too innocent, even for her. I'll have to think of something else...maybe start by seeing what she knows.\*

After a short while, Gwyn found the right building and began leading Destiny toward it. "I think this is the right one," she said, half to herself and half to Destiny.

Destiny had been looking around as they made their way across campus. She was still trying to figure out where everything was so she figured she had might as well take the chance.

She had been committing everything to memory, making a small mental map for the time being. Hearing Gwyn speak, she looked towards her and tilted her head a little.

"Th...The r..right one?" She asked softly, not sure exactly where they were specifically.

"The right building," Gwyn clarified. "My office should be in here." She just hoped it had furniture. In her experience, not every new space was fully furnished when you got it...

But then again, given Rubio's track record thusfar, Gwyn figured her office would at least have a desk and some chairs, which would suffice for the time being.

As Gwyn entered the building, leading Destiny along, she looked at a small, simple directory on the wall to her right. According to the sign, math offices were on the third floor. "Jackpot," she said with a small, triumphant smile.

Destiny followed after her, tilting her head slightly when she heard Gwyn say jackpot. She assumed that meant that this was indeed the building her office was in.

"D...Did you f...find where y..your office is?" She asked, deciding it would be better to clarify than to assume.

Gwyn turned to Destiny with a smile on her face. "Indeed I did," she said, her happiness at finding her office momentarily offsetting the dread and awkwardness she felt about the conversation to come.

"Third floor, room 323. Shall we?" she said, sounding a little excited, and rightfully so. She was going to see her new office! Hopefully it would be spacious. A big desk would be nice. Lots of workspace. Good for organizing. And for some other things as well~...

\*NO! BAD GWYN! Focus on the task at hand!\* the succubus thought as she reigned in her wandering mind.

Destiny couldn't help but smile back as she followed Gwyn. She noticed that she was very happy and that happiness seemed to rub off on her. She no longer felt as nervous as she did when they first arrived at the building.

Just as she walked towards the stairs, she suddenly stopped, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Her body went tense as her right hand tightly gripped the railing. Her eyes had glazed over slightly, now having a slight shine to them.

Shaking her head a little bit so she could regain her senses, her cheeks took on a bright cherry hue as a blush spread across her face. She quickly hurried after Gwyn as she gently chewed on her bottom lip.

"M..Maybe this w...will add to y..your good mood. Y...You will...umm...get to feed....tomorrow...I..I think," She said before softly muttering under her breath, "Th..The vision w..was a bit f..fuzzy w..with the e..exact d..date."

Gwyn was initially confused about how Destiny knew this, but assumed it was a part of her Semblance. When the realization of what Destiny had said hit her, she smiled widely and chuckled softly.

She then shook her head and returned to the present. The future was in the future. This was the now, and at the moment, Destiny needed her attention. "I saw you stumble a bit there," she said. "Are you okay?"

They were at the second-floor landing. \*Kinda a lot of stairs,\* Gwyn thought. \*Must be a tall building.\*

Destiny nodded, her blush still pretty prominent as she smiled brightly at Gwyn. She didn't want to make her worry, and there wasn't really anything wrong. Maybe since she trusted the young girl with her secret, Destiny could return the favor.

"I...I am alright. J...Just had a v...vision is a..all...I...I sort of z..zone out wh..whenever I have one." Destny explained.

She didn't seem bothered by the amount of stairs, easily keeping up with Gwyn, making sure she wasn't right up on her though. She knew to keep her distance because everyone had their own personal space. Besides, things would get awkward soon enough. She really didn't want to start that before it was necissary.

\*Visions? Now that's something to watch for,\* Gwyn thought.

"Well, if you're sure you're alright," she said tentatively. She was still somewhat concerned for Destiny's sake, but if she said she was alright, then she would proceed. This was going to be awkward enough; she wanted to get it over with.

This wasn't to say Gwyn didn't want to help Destiny. In fact, such a statement couldn't be farther from the truth. No, Gwyn wanted to do all she could to help the girl who had sworn to keep her deepest secret. She was just afraid she'd screw up.

And of course, the whole thing would be unbearably awkward, so Gwyn wasn't particularly looking forward to that. But she would do her best to avoid and/or look past it for Destiny's sake.

Destiny smiled and nodded as she continued to follow Gwyn. She thought she would have to explain a bit more about her visions later. But for now, they should definitely focus on the task at hand.

She did appreciate the fact the Gwyn seemed concerned for her though. It honestly felt motherly to her. She briefly wondered if her own mother shared a similar personality to Gwyn. Perhaps that question would be answered once she regained enough of her memories.

As they reached the third floor, she glanced around and gave Gwyn a sheepish smile. She hated she was about to ask the question currently on her mind, but it also had to be done. Especially if she had to come to meet Gwyn here instead of walking to her office with her.

"U..Umm...W..What was the n..number again? 323?" She asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, that's the one," Gwyn replied as she scanned the hall, looking at the numbers next to the office doorways.

"And there it is," she said with a smile after a moment. It wasn't too far from the stairwell, on the right as you approached it. "Looks like some fine real estate," Gwyn remarked.

"Let's give it a look, shall we?" she asked as she turned to Destiny with a small smile on her face. At this point, she was REALLY hoping it had furniture. She didn't want to have to give Destiny the Talk in an empty room. That would just be...weird.

Destiny nodded as she looked at the door curiously. She hadn't been in many buildings on the school grounds, and she was often very curious. A habit she picked up after living with Jin for so long.

She moved so that she was behind Gwyn, peeking over her shoulder. She made sure she wasn't so close that she was invading her personal space, but she could still see inside whenever Gwyn opened the door. She momentarily forgot why they originally came to the office bit she quickly reminded herself. She knew she couldn't allow herself to become too distracted. Especially if Gwyn was offering to help her in such a way.

Opening the door and looking inside the office, Gwyn was very pleased to see that it was indeed furnished, with a somewhat large desk upon which a desktop computer sat, a comfy-looking chair behind it, and two modest chairs in front of it, as well as bookshelves in the corner.

"Not bad," Gwyn said with a nod as she opened the door and walked in. She slowly walked around her desk and sat down in the chair, which she found to be a bit large for her somewhat diminutive stature, though she really didn't mind.

She looked at Destiny and gestured to one of the chairs in front of the desk, signalling her to have a seat. She felt a bit at home in this office, though that was certainly about to change. "Oh, and could you shut the door? Don't want anyone, ah, listening in," she added.

A brief blush appeared on Destiny's cheeks as she nodded and closed the door behind her as she walked in. She curiously glanced around as she made her way over towards one of the two chairs in front of the desk before taking a seat in the one on Gwyn's right. She brushed the strands of hair the fell in her face before gently clearing her throat.

"S...So....umm...w...where do we b..begin?" She asked softly.

She felt a knot tighten in her gut as her anxiety rose slightly. It wasn't that she was scared. Fear was an overstatement for what she was feeling. The young girl was just nervous. This was a new topic for her and she honestly did not know how to feel about it.

Gwyn took a deep breath and looked at Destiny while trying to think of an answer to the girl's question. This was something she'd pondered for a bit, and unfortunately still didn't have an answer to.

\*Hmm...maybe she can help me help her,\* Gwyn thought.

"Well," Gwyn said tentatively. "Can you tell me what you know about...um...the, uh, lower portions of your body?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound as awkward as she thought she just did.

Destiny gently chewed on her bottom lip as she seemed to think for a moment. She was trying to think of the best way to answer Gwyn's question. A light blush began to darken as her cheeks heated up before she gently cleared her throat once more.

"W...Well...umm....I...I am aware of w...what it is c...called and w...what generally occurs....d...down there." Destiny explained shyly.

She didn't know how detailed the answer needed to be exactly, but she went with something she knew she could say. She was prepared to explain in greater detail if she had to, but she also knew it might take a while for her to get the words out of her mouth.

Well, that was something at least. And thankfully, Destiny had understood what Gwyn had meant. Hopefully things would continue in this manner so as to not get too awkward.

"And do you know about what happens every, um, month or so, down there?" Gwyn asked. This was where it would start to get awkward. She was hoping Destiny knew about the subject she'd just brought up, but had her doubts.

Gwyn had a bad feeling she'd have to go into the nasty details, but wasn't sure...

Destiny seemed to have been taken back by surprise before she slowly nodded. She knew what Gwyn was talking about and what it usually meant. A kind elderly librarian back in Vale had explained it to her one day. It was a day she would never forget, due to the immense fear she had first felt and the kindness that had been shown to her.

"I...I do. Th....That got explained to me a...after I...I w..woke up in the f...forest." She answered.

The thought of the kind librarian brought a small smile to her face. Perhaps, after her lesson with Gwyn, she could go a write a letter to her, letting her know that she was alright and where she was at. She would of course have to ask Jin to help her find the address of course. And probably where the post office was.

Gwyn let out a small sigh of relief. She was SO grateful she didn't have to explain all that. But did she know anything more about it?

"Okay...um...do you know...why that process is a blessing as well as a curse?" she asked, seeming to gain the tiniest bit of confidence. At the same time, she was somewhat dreading Destiny's answer and very much hoping that it was another 'yes', though as before, her hopes weren't terribly high.

Destiny seemed to be thinking for quite some time. She was trying to recall her conversation with the librarian. Did she ever say why it was a blessing and a curse? Maybe she had but had phrased it differently? She had to think for a moment before going with what she thought was the answer Gwyn was looking for.

"I...Is it..... because......it hurts l...like a b...bitch b...but i...it helps us m..make sure that w...we can give birth to h... healthy children?" She asked timidly.

She was quoting the librarian word for word. Surely that was what Gwyn was referring to. Right? If not, what else could it be?

Gwyn's eyes went wide with shock. Destiny was more well-versed on the subject than she'd thought. But...that wording...where on Remnant had THAT come from?!

Gwyn forced the bewilderment off of her expression. She needed to continue. "That's exactly why," she said to Destiny, trying to take on a gentle tone. "Now...do you know what it means if it just...doesn't happen one time?"

Gwyn was starting to liken this entire conversation to a minefield, except instead of explosives the mines were packed full of awkward. One wrong step, and it would get real awkward real fast.

Destiny gave a sheepish smile. She knew this was where things would get...what was the word?....gauche? It was going to get pretty awkward as this was about the point the librarian lost the young girl.

"A... Afraid n..not...at least... it's a bit.....confusing......" She admitted.

Which was all true. It was all confusing. What did ovens and baking bread have to do with that particular time of the month? And why was Gwyn asking? Did it have to do with the talk that she said was so important?

And here came the first mine. This was where it would start to get awkward. \*Oh well,\* Gwyn thought. \*At least this'll be good practice if I ever have kids of my own.\*

Gwyn sighed deeply and looked away from Destiny while trying to think of how to word her response. She would never admit it to Destiny if asked, but this was hard.

Finally, she came up with something. "Well...you see Destiny...if that usual...monthly process doesn't happen...it means...well..." she paused for a moment before continuing. It was very hard for her to say, but it had to be said. When she spoke again, it was a good bit quieter. "It means...you're...expecting..."

Destiny blinked as she tilted her head. She seemed to be very confused. Ok, maybe that was an understatement. She was beyond confused.

"E... Expecting? E...Expecting what E... exactly? And w..what does that have to do with b..baking buns?" She asked.

This was all very confusing to the girl. Is this why she was never exactly given the talk before?

Gwyn gave Destiny a confused look. \*Guess she only knows about periods,\* the succubus thought.

"Expecting a child," Gwyn said. "As in...pregnant...baking a bun is a metaphor for that, I believe." Though it wasn't one Gwyn had heard in some time. In fact, she couldn't even recall the last time she'd heard that saying. She supposed that dated it somewhat. Perhaps it was an older person who'd given Destiny what little info she currently had.

Destiny blinked as she processed the information for a moment. Eventually, she tilted her head as she nodded, still seeming a bit confused.

"I....I think I understand." She said softly.

She still struggling to understand what baking had to do with child birth but she figured it was best to not ask. Gwyn seemed a bit confused about it herself anyways. She did say it was a metaphor of some point. Maybe it wasn't a recent one?

"A...Any other q... questions?" She asked.

Okay...that part was over. Here came one that was just as bad, if now worse.

"Do...do you know...how babies are made?" Gwyn asked, doing her best to not stumble over her words. If she had to explain this...Oh boy...

Gwyn was really hoping she didn't have to explain that, but she had a suspicion that she would. Oh well. She supposed this was what she signed up for.

Destiny blinked for a few minutes before looking down. She began to chew on the inside of her cheek as she racked what all she was able to remember.

"Kinda?" She said with uncertainty.

She wasn't fully know everything but she at least understood the concept. At least due to logic. The extent of her knowledge was that whenever a guy and a woman slept together, they had the chance of having a kid. That was pretty much all she knew. She never understood how it exactly happened though.

Gwyn sighed and held her head with her left hand. \*Here we go...\* she thought.

"Okay...umm...well...when a man and woman get in bed together...Sometimes...it's not, umm...just for sleeping, you see," Gwyn said as she turned to Destiny, her face flushed red.

Destiny blinked as she tilted her head, having a light blush as she nodded slowly. Looked like the lesson was officially beginning and so she took small deep breath.

"A... Alright. Th... That's when they do the....umm...thing? Right?" She asked.

She noticed that her body began to feel a bit.....strange. It was almost as if a soft electrical current was coursing through her body. Maybe it was just anxiety?

Gwyn could sense the lust building up in Destiny, which only made her more uncomfortable. "Y-yes," she stuttered. "And if they do...that...and don't use what are known as contraceptives...then the woman will get pregnant."

Gwyn paused for a moment before adding, "Of course if it's two people of the same gender it won't make a baby. Only if it's a man and a woman. But, even if it's a same-sex couple, you need to be careful." Gwyn hoped she was sounding more confident. This was so awkward...

Destiny shifted a little bit, assuming her anxiety was starting to get a bit worse. She sat in silence as she processed what Gwyn said before nodding. She thought she should repeat the information just to be safe though, hoping it wouldn't make things even more awkward.

"I...I think I understand. S...so...if a man and a woman d..do th...that....without c.. contraceptives....the w...woman b.. becomes p.. pregnant....a..and while s...same sex c..couples d.. don't have to w..worry about that....th...there are still things they h...have to be c...careful about....R..right?" She said nervously.

She noticed that the weird tingly feeling she had before become stronger and she couldn't help but shift in the chair she was in. She started to question if it was anxiety but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to make Gwyn worry or make this situation even more awkward.

"Yes," Gwyn replied, still feeling very awkward about the whole situation. Luckily, she was getting to the end...or at least, she thought so. "Some diseases can be transferred from one person to another when they...do that. And it doesn't matter what their genders are. It's something that can happen no matter what you use to try and prevent it, so you always need to be careful and talk to whoever you're doing it with about their history before doing...things, with them. Understand?"

Gwyn really hoped she didn't sound as awkward as she felt right now. If anything, she hoped she sounded motherly; that was who should be giving Destiny this talk, her mother! Not some stupid succubus like herself...

Destiny nodded her head. That part was actually rather easy to understand. Well, at least compared to some of the other bits of information it was.

"Y...Yea. I...I understand. Th...They are like m..many other d..diseases...except...th..they pass on d... during the act." Destiny said, wanting to show that she did indeed grasp the concept.

She didn't know why but, she felt the need to earn Gwyn's approval. Almost as if she was a young girl seeking the approval of her mother. Which for Destiny, was odd. She knew Gwyn wasn't her mother but at the same time, Gwyn seemed motherly to her.

Gwyn let out a small sigh. She was thankful that Destiny got it, or at least seemed to.

"Now Destiny," she said. "Since I've told you all this, do you understand why you need to be very careful about doing the deed? I know how ironic it is coming from me, but it's true. If you're not careful...well. I don't think we need to go over any of it again."

Gwyn, feeling that she'd touched base on everything, was trying to wrap up. She felt that she'd gotten her point across well enough, but still doubted herself. It had all been so awkward...what if she'd screwed up, said something wrong? Destiny could pay dearly for her mistakes...the mere thought was starting to give her anxiety.

Destiny gave a warm smile as she nodded. She seemed a bit calmer than when they first began. It was almost as if her anxiety had dissipated, though the tingly electric feeling still seemed to remain.

"I...I understand, P.. Professor S...Stark. I..I promise to be careful. B... Besides....." She said, a light blush starting to form, "...I...I don't think E...Eric or I w.. will be doing it a...any time soon."

Which was true. Eric didn't seem like the kind of guy to rush into something that came with so many risks. That and they had also just started to date not too long ago. So, because of all that, she hoped she was able to put some of Gwyn's concerns to rest.

Gwyn let out a small sigh and gave Destiny a warm smile. "Good," she said, sounding more calm and at ease.

She stood up from behind her desk and stood next to Destiny. "Well, that's about it, I think," she said, sounding more confident. "Unless you had anything else?"

For reasons she couldn't name, Gwyn wanted to help Destiny however she could. It just...felt right. Maybe it was because the girl knew her secret? No, it wasn't quite that...oh well, time to think about it later, she supposed.

Destiny stood up and suddenly seemed nervous. Gently biting her bottom lip, she gently poked her two index fingers together. She obviously had something she wanted to ask, but she seemed uncertain.

How could she go about asking it? How would Gwyn react to her very strange request? Should she go ahead and ask? Or should she just forget about it? Taking a deep breath, she finally made her mind up and shyly looked at Gwyn.

"C...Can I give you a h...hug?" She asked shyly.

Gwyn was stunned, her expression frozen with shock. A...hug??

It had been so long since anyone had last given her one...

"Of course," she said, doing her best not to get choked up. Her mind was a torrent of emotions. She couldn't even form a coherent thought. She didn't know what to think, only that there was no way she could refuse.

Destiny smiled brightly, seeming to immediately perk up. She had said yes! Destiny had been so scared that she would have made things so weird between them and that she might have said no.

Not wanting to risk things becoming weird because of her hesitation, she quickly wrapped her arms around Gwyn. She was so happy to be able to hug the woman who had taken her under her guidance and taught her something, despite how awkward it seemed.

While she hugged Gwyn, she felt a softer of warmth build in her chest. It felt so familiar to her, yet she couldn't yet identify it. It was almost how she felt for Eric, but more in the sense of how she felt for Jin, yet stronger.

Was it the kind of love one had for family? Like the love a child had for their parents? If so, despite not being related to Gwyn biologically, she wouldn't mind Gwyn taking on the role of her mother, especially while she currently had no memory of her real mother.

Gwyn wrapped her arms around Destiny. It was a bit strange since the girl was a good bit taller than her, but she didn't care. She just wanted to protect this girl and keep her close.

It was strange in a way. She'd never felt this way about anyone before, so what made Destiny different? Maybe she would never know. But right there and then, she didn't care, because everything felt right with the world.