[21: video]

[paper_knight]

Unwilling to grace the network with the ~miracle~ of seahorse birth, Mark has spent the final few hours of the event hiding in his closet. Now his wall camera is making up for lost time.

It catches him sitting on his bed, elbows resting on his knees, nursing a mug of coffee. He still looks a little pale, but from the relaxed way he holds himself, he's in a good mood. And with good reason: he's got legs and clothing and caffeine and books that aren't water damaged. And he's not pregnant.

On the side of the bed nearer the camera, there's a largeish saltwater aquarium resting on a wooden stand. At first glance, it appears empty, but there's movement inside: it contains a half-dozen seahorse fry, each less than an inch long. The tank dwarfs them, as if it had originally held something quite a bit bigger.

As the camera pans over the scene, Mark looks sidelong at the tank and smiles bemusedly.

"Guess I should be glad you guys stayed fish."