--SYMPTOMS--

He wondered what her reaction would be and - more importantly - how it would affect his physical being. Marvel almost expected the woman to lash out, but had certainly not anticipated Mercury's reaction to the whole ordeal. The creature seemed positively demonic as he slithered forth spouting the word 'lies'. "I'm not lying," came even, flat notes. He was giving his prognosis - and there was no way that he would lie about a thing like pregnancy - especially when he had been involved with the now pregnant woman. He could just as easily be hanging himself by uttering the words - and Marvel had no intention of hanging himself. He watched as the little thing glared at him with the fiercest beady eyes he'd ever seen. He supposed he could handle a glare, though, as long as the thing didn't decide to attack. The healer wasn't sure he could deal with a situation like that.

Jupiter seemed as if he'd given her news of some terminal illness. It was just a pregnancy, no big deal, right? Females were born for this - quite literally - and Jupiter was no exception. Why was she even upset about this? Then again.. some part of him knew why. No matter who the father was ( and he was quite sure it wasn't him ) it was obvious that the man was not linked to Jupiter in any manner besides physical need. Marvel knew the desires of a woman, and knew that beyond physical desire, they longed for a relationship - love. Marvel had never really seen a need for the emotion, but he supposed he wasn't wired the same way the dames were. He was thankful that he wasn't. Still, he hadn't anticipated Jupiter being anything like those other women. She'd been different. He watched as she came to a realization, and then quickly tried to deny it as best she could. But there was no use, as his head swung from side to side to dash any idea she might have.

"There is nothing else, Jupiter." He wasn't exactly doing a good job at being sympathetic, was he? "I'm sorry it's just.. if it was anything else it would have passed through your system by now." He knew deep down she had to know. I mean really, how could a wolf not know that they were carrying around other wolves in their womb? It just all sounded farfetched to him. Sterling eyes met her own - and she seemed to be having some realization without him. Good, perhaps she was getting used to the idea of being a mother. His ears laid back, feigning a look of concern and sympathy. He knew very little about either of those emotions, but he had to try for the Sol. She seemed to calm after he did so - almost like it was a response. Perhaps he'd put on a believable enough look of concern. Marvel would have to congratulate himself at a later time for the brilliant act.

However, his inner feeling of triumph lasted a half of a second before the Sol dropped the bomb on him. He was the father. His heartbeat quickened as his lower jaw dropped a fraction of an inch. Ears tucked tighter against his skull as whatever color and pigment he had left disappeared from his face. Father. He was a father. But that couldn't be! He'd slept with dozens, hundreds of women and had never gotten one pregnant before. Why should he believe that suddenly his most recent conquest had been impregnated by his seed? He shook his head, sterling eyes darting to her face - almost hoping she would laugh or crack a smile to show she was just joking. No such mannerism came. "But I - I can't be the father. Frino, he.. surely you've been with others?" He was the Celeste, he was supposed to be the bearer of parentage, not the Sol. Surely she'd been with someone else besides just him? Sterling eyes followed Mercury as he stormed off into the mangroves. Marvel gulped, bringing his now completely uncertain gaze to the face of his unborn children's mother. "I'm the father." He would repeat in a wavering tone much unlike the cocky lyrics that usually spouted from his maw.

"Speech"