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fragmentedink-archived · 4 years ago

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Hell to Pay: Part Forty- Five

I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, IX, IX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XVIIII, XXX, XXXI, XXXII, XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XL, XLI, XLII, XLIII, XLIV

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Lev scrunched his nose at Nik, and flicked some water at him. "I think we need more scenty stuff," he said, sighing. "This wasn't enough with the last bath." It'd been a few more days, and Lev still had that lingering undercurrent of death to his scent.

Nik chewed on his bracelet. "I mean, it might be permanent?" Nik said, watching Lev carefully.

Despite himself, Lev's bottom lip trembled. He scrubbed at his face to get rid of the expression. "No," he said stubbornly. "It'll fade. I refuse to smell like roadkill forever. I just need to keep- to keep scrubbing at it." Even if he was already tired just sitting here.

"You don't smell like road kill," Nik said. "Amara's just a bitch."

Lev frowned. "She's blunt," Lev said. "And you agreed! At least that I smell... dead. I don't like it." He held up his rag. "So. Scrubbing."

Nik looked offended. "I didn't say I agreed," he protested, and went on to add petulantly, "If it bothers you that much, you can get axe body spray."

"I think I'd rather smell dead," Lev muttered, scrubbing at himself half heartedly.

"Are you sure?" Nik needled.

Lev threw his rag at Nik and blew a raspberry at him.

Nik caught the rag, smiling a little. "Well, apparently there are worse things to smell like than death, then, aren't there?"

"Hmph." Lev reached for one of the bottles of oils, and poured some in.

"See? I was right."

"Hmph," Lev muttered again, sinking lower in the water. It was hot enough he was flushed gold, but he doubted the warmth would last more than a few minutes out of the bath itself. He lifted a leg and draped it over the bathtub so he could poke Nik. "How long do I have until dinner?"

After grabbing one of Lev's toes and tugging, Nik said, "Until Cameron comes and yanks us out of here."

Lev wiggled his toes at Nik in response, before sighing and sitting up. "Get me a towel?" he asked, pulling the plug.

"Sure thing, Princess." Lev got out while Nik tracked one down, and let Nik rub him down when he got back. He kissed Lev's cheek when he was done.

Lev booped noses with Nik before he went to go find some clothes. Nik wasn't far behind, so Lev just grabbed the first sweater and pair of pyjama bottoms, and backed out of the closet again. He pulled them on and turned to make a beeline for the bed.

Nik caught him around the waist gently. "We gotta eat. Cameron will yell if we don't. Also... I'm hungry."

"We can eat in bed," Lev said, lifting a finger with each point. "I'm sleepy. Cameron never yells, and... we can eat in bed."

"Lev. No. We eat in the kitchen like civilized people do."

"I'm not civilized, I'm a zombie," Lev joked, even as he padded for the hallway.

"You're not a zombie," Nik said sharply, as he pulled Lev towards the kitchen.

"I know," Lev said apologetically as he followed willingly. "I was just joking. I thought it was funny, Nik."

He decided to ignore the look Cameron shot them, and settled at the table, immediately putting his head down.

"Did you not get enough sleep?" Cameron asked dryly.

"I'm sleepy," Lev mumbled.

There was a long stretch of silence, before, "I can see that."

---

Bedtime had become Lev's favorite part of the day. He felt less guilty about sleeping then. Once he was free of dinner, Lev all but dove into bed, and just peeped out from under the covers at Nik. Nik joined him indulgently.

That was all Lev needed to suction himself to Nik's side. He pressed his face to Nik, sighing happily.

"You're not an igloo anymore," Nik said.

Lev hummed. "Good," he said, sitting up and peeling out of his shirt. He flopped back down, closing his eyes. "Maybe the sleeping is helping."

"You mean it isn't my fantastic body heat that's helping?"

"Cuddles help," Lev agreed. "And taking the baths like Ash said probably helped too. Finally."

Nik hummed. "I mean, I guess."

Lev was too sleepy to argue. "Hey, Nik?" he asked, bumping Nik's head with his own.

"Hm?"

"Can you say it again?"

"You mean, 'You're not an igloo anymore'?"

"No," Lev mumbled. "The love thing."

Nik kissed Lev's nose, matching Lev's mumbled tone as he said, "I love you."

A smile crossed Lev's face. "I love you too. So much," he promised sleepily.

"That's because you have taste."

"Not according to Cameron."

"Yeah, well, that's because Cameron's a snob."

Lev laughed softly, but he was already drifting off.

---

Darius had spent the last week and a half, for lack of a better phrasing, hiding. The moment Destris had laid eyes on him, Darius had made good use of the last five hundred years of ghostly practice and kept his distance the best he could.

And the best way he could do that was by keeping Nate company in his house; even if that meant not keeping an eye on his mate in this time. He had barely had a moment where he could go back and just see Cameron and make sure he was getting back to his routine now that Lev was back.

He had spent the last hour or so in Nate's art studio watching Nate paint while his baby napped in a bassinet soundly next to him. At nearly four and a half months Lucas seemed to have grown a bit of chub in his dusted tan cheeks and had seemed to sleep almost completely through the night- especially since Bay and Nate moved Eden to a different room.

The little monster seemed to enjoy screaming in the middle of the night to wake everyone up in the house, especially the little boy who had been sleeping deeply across the room from her. Nate kept side eyeing him from the painting, watching Darius play with Lucas' dark brown locks. "...If you want," Nate said, "I could. Let you hold him? I know you won't hurt him."

Darius hummed faintly. "I know," he said, after a long moment. "However, I'm not too sure that your mate would be as agreeable." Especially since there had probably been a total of two or three people besides Bay himself who had held Lucas.

And that included Nate in the equation.

Nate sighed and leaned back, eyes turning back to the colorful painting he was working on. "Yeah," he agreed. "That's true. Though I think he's getting better." There was such a fondness in his voice, right along with amusement. "He even let Ash hold him, without threatening to break his fingers if he dropped Lucas. I think that's progress to be quite honest."

"Absolutely," Darius said, solemnly. "Besides I don't want to worry about waking the little one up. I'm sure with Eden's shrill lungs it makes nap time a bit difficult."

"The worst. I have the feeling Baylor fights the urge to smother Eden with a pillow on a daily basis."

"He has remarkable self restraint," Darius said, moving up to his feet from the floor. "Would it be alright if I went to check on them?"

Nate flicked him an amused look. "Well you don't need to ask my permission," he said. "Ash said that they seem to be settling back into some kind of normal now that Lev's home. Though I understand if you want to go see for yourself."

Darius gave him a smile before disappearing out of Nate's house to Cameron's. He showed up just in time to see Nik take a sleepy Lev presumably to the bedroom, and while he watched them for a lingering heartbeat, he then turned his attention back towards the kitchen where he knew Cameron would be.

He started his way and settled at the counter, watching as Cameron went about systematically cleaning the kitchen. He had watched Cameron, countless times, in how he cleaned. There was such a meticulous orderliness to it that was fascinating to watch. The kind of order this brought seemed to soothe something jagged within Cameron.

Cameron finished cleaning the kitchen; had wiped down the counters three separate times before finally leaving. He followed Cameron back to the office, settled at the far end of the house from the bedroom, and went to the desk where he promptly went back to doing paperwork.

Darius settled across from him in one of the leather chairs, out of the way. There were carefully stacked blueprints Cameron seemed to be going through while taking and making calls. He did not miss the carefully folded blanket and pillow on the leather couch against the wall, either.

After a while Darius slipped silently from the room and wandered to the bedroom Lev and Nik were sequestered in. He found Lev curled into Nik's chest, out cold while Nik played with Lev's dark waves, half asleep himself.

"It's sad isn't it?" a voice said, from behind him. "Once again you're all alone and left with me. You'd think five hundred years would be enough for you to finally realize you are nothing."

If Darius could actually draw in air, he'd definitely be heaving a long sigh. It wouldn't be worth the energy it would take and instead, he looked squarely at Destris. "I do not need five hundred years to tell me something false," he said. "We're all something and someone, however you just. Happen to be an ass. Are you planning on spending your afterlife watching after Cameron. With me? You could move on... be somewhere not trapped between life and death."

"Have you considered taking your own advice?" Destris asked, mildly. "Or is your infatuation for Cameron just that strong?"

"My love for Cameron is that strong, yes," he corrected. "Not that you would understand, of course. I think any love you had for your family was bled out of you long before Cameron was conceived. And anything that was left was twisted into jealousy."

Destris gave an amused huff of a laugh. "Are you suggesting I am jealous of a bastard?"

A bastard who happened to have admiration and respect earned instead of outright given. "I'm suggesting you find a way to forgive yourself and find peace," Darius said.

The growing amused look on Destris' face was enough that Darius decidedly left and went back to Nate's house, where he knew Destris would not be fool enough to step foot. He found Nate still in the art studio, but this time Lucas was awake and wiggling around on his stomach on the floor.

Nate instantly looked up from his spot on the floor next to his son. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. "You look... upset."

Darius shook his head and settled down on the floor next to him, watching Lucas wiggle and babble happily at Darius. "Hi baby," he said, softly.

Happiness lit up Lucas' face like a thousand little suns. Nate looked fondly at his baby. "He clearly takes after me," he said.

"I can see that," Darius said. "He has a beautiful smile."

"He's a beautiful boy."

While Nate and Darius went about gushing after the baby, Lucas decided to reach for the closest toy he could get his tiny gums on.

---

Lev woke up burning hot. He swallowed a whine, and sat up. Sweat slid down his back as he rubbed his face. After a second, he leaned over and took Nik's pillow from under Nik's head. Nik whined at him, still half asleep, but Lev just got up and crawled in the closet. He closed the door behind himself and set Nik's pillow down right up against it while he dragged his nest closer, and then flopped down, confused.

This was definitely his heat, which made how tired he'd been make so much sense. But with his fever rising, it was getting hard to focus. He couldn't explain why he needed to be here, in the closet, and not out there with Nik.

A few moments passed, and then he heard Nik sit on the other side of the door. "Are you okay? Do you need me to get Cameron?"

Lev watched Nik's fingers wiggle as far under the door as far as they could. "No," he managed. The only thing he could get his omega to tell him was that he had to protect Nik. Not from what, just that he had to do right by Nik and that meant keeping space between them.

"No, you're not okay, or no, don't get Cameron?"

Lev curled tighter. "I don't know," he finally mumbled. His throat tightened. "I don't know," he repeated, but his voice began to rise with barely contained hysteria.

He could hear and smell Nik leaving quickly. The distance between them sent pain spiking through him. He whimpered, bit down on his pillow, tears rolling down his cheeks.

A knock on the closet door startled Lev. Judging by how the pain eased, Nik was back, but it was Cameron who said, "Talk to me."

Lev pushed his back against the door firmly. "My heat- I didn't know- didn't want-"

"I know," Cameron said. "Do you want my help?"

"No," Lev said abruptly. He thumped his forehead against the door, muddling his way through the conflicting instincts. "No, I can't- you can't- no. We didn't talk about- anything before."

"We're talking now. What do you want?"

"No," was all Lev could manage. "I can't think." His fingers found their way to his hair and dug in. "It's so hot. I have to protect Nik. I have to do right by- no. I can't think. I can't- no."

Nik's voice was very high. "What do you mean you have to protect me?"

"I have to- my omega-"

"Let me help you. I want to help you." Nik paused. "Please."

"No." Lev closed his eyes. "No."

"Nik, go call Ash."

The door rattled a little as Nik sat down against it. Lev could hear him calling Ash as told, and he could smell how close Nik was. Lev shoved himself against it, and then he backed up somewhat. He buried his face in the pillow, sucking in a few ragged breaths.

He blocked out whatever conversation was going on on the other side of the door. All he could focus on was how hot he was. Shivers crawled down his spine, and even just laying there was unbearable even with the soft blankets and pillows with him.

For a few minutes, Lev wrestled with his instincts until he could drift into a half conscious doze. Cameron knocking on the door dragged him unwillingly from it just as he was adjusting it.

"Open the door, Levant," Cameron said, alpha firm.

Lev whined, but he scooted away from the door until his back hit the far wall, dragging his Nik-pillow with him. Cameron knelt in front of him. All he wore was a pair of black silk pyjama bottoms, and he had an open bottle of water in his hand. "Drink."

Lev took it warily, but half of it was gone in one go. It helped a little, but Lev just stared blankly at his alpha. When his alpha brushed his fingers against Lev's forehead, his cheeks, Lev held still. His head was spinning, and he could feel the heat radiating off of him.

"It's just a heat," Lev mumbled. "I can't- I can't think. I can always think."

"It's not just a heat. You were dead."

Lev pressed his palms against his eyes. "It's too soon," he whined. "I don't like this."

"You disliked being dead even more."

Another whimper came from Lev. He hunched over, at least until the water bottle started to spill. He sat up enough to stare at it blankly. In the end, he just held it out to his alpha hesitantly. Once the bottle was taken from him, almost gently, Lev folded in on himself again.

"You need to let Nik take care of you."

Lev shook his head. "I hurt- I'll- no. I can't." He didn't know how to explain the sheer conviction that he had hurt his omega before and that he would do it again if he wasn't careful. They hadn't discussed his heat. No one could consent in this. Not while Lev couldn't think straight and the other two would take care of him whether they really wanted to or not. It was how they showed they cared.

"Then what can you do?" His alpha was being so patient. Lev wanted to cry.

Instead he swallowed hard. His thoughts were racing, disjointed. "I can sleep." He pulled at his hair. "I can eat when I need to. But I can sleep through this."

His alpha nodded. "Fine. But Ash is on his way."

Ash. Ash. Lev had to blink a few times before the name clicked. Right. Ash. "Okay," he said in a small voice.

"Are you staying in here? We can move your nest to the bed, if you want."

Lev shook his head fiercely. "No."

His omega poked his head around the closet. "Can I come in there?"

Oh, the tone in his omega's voice. It hurt to whisper his, "No," but he just listed to the side and curled up. "I need you safe."

"Safe from what?" His omega asked, voice rising in confusion.

"Me," Lev mumbled, shrinking back into his nest and trying to crawl under the blankets.

That got his alpha's attention. "Lev, stop that. You're about as threatening as a piece of toast." Lev just closed his eyes and clutched the pillow close. Everything was so warm, and his head was swimming. His alpha put his hand in Lev's hair. "You're not going to hurt him."

It- it made sense, and yet- there was some sort of- voice, deep down, that his alpha was wrong, and he couldn't risk it. He couldn't. Logic had no place in a heat.

"Fine," his alpha finally said, resigned. "Nik's not going to leave. I'll be back in two hours."

Lev was confused until it clicked that it was probably almost three in the morning. Cameron usually got up before the sun, and that's when he started breakfast. At least he was keeping his routine. Lev just curled tighter.

---

Lev heard Ash before he saw him. The beta had the decency to knock on the closet door before he stepped inside. Lev's sleepy yes was enough invitation for Ash to kneel beside Lev's nest. Ash had questions for Lev, but when Lev just stared at him blankly, struggling to form a coherent thought, much less an answer, his omega took over for him from outside the closet.

"Why aren't you letting Nik in here?" Ash finally asked him directly.

Lev burrowed under his blankets. "I said no," he mumbled.

Ash sighed. "You need to stay hydrated," he finally said. "If he gets worse, call me."

"You're not going to make him?" His omega asked.

Lev almost wanted him to. He ached to be curled up in his boyfriend's lap, not huddled alone in a pile of blankets.

As soon as Ash was gone, Lev wiggled out of his clothes, throwing them out of the closet forcefully. Better. Better.

"Lev?" His boyfriend sounded so small and anxious. "Are you mad at me?"

Tears pricked at his eyes. "No," he choked out. "I love you. But I can't-" He had no idea how to explain the sheer conviction that Nik was safer away from him.

"You can still be mad at me and love me."

"I'm not mad," Lev said, finally starting to cry. "I'm not. I'm not. I just want- I have to do right by you. I just need- I need-"

"What does that mean?"

Lev flinched at the yell. "I don't know," he yelled back, and started crying harder. "I can't think."

"You don't have to think, you just have to let me hold you."

Lev wanted it. Wanted it so bad. His instincts were begging him to go, but he just curled tighter. "Just let me sleep," he said wetly.

"Okay," he heard his boyfriend say, and Lev could hear the tears in his voice too. Lev turned to face the wall, clawing for sleep. Maybe that would help.

---

Two days later, and everything was worse. His nest was soaked in sweat, and if Lev had been in any state of mind to be grateful, he would have been about the fact that he wasn't even a little aroused this heat. Instead he was hot and in pain. Every breath felt like swallowing glass, and he wanted to tear his skin off. It hurt.

Some time in the afternoon, Lev couldn't help it, and started to sob. That hurt too, but he couldn't stop. "Nik," he choked out, digging his nails into his arms to stay grounding. "Nik," he tried again.

The pain spiked as Nik's footsteps retreated. Lev muffled his cry with a pillow, curling tightly around himself. His alpha's scent appeared, but that wasn't who Lev wanted. "Nik," he whimpered.

His alpha grabbed him by the scruff. It was an old hold, one alphas used to make an omega go limp and make them easier to carry. Lev was honestly grateful for it; no matter how much it hurt, his body loosened enough for Cameron to carry him out of the closet. He found himself dropped in a lap.

"Let your mate take care of you," his alpha said firmly.

Lev couldn't argue with that. Not now. It felt right, with his mate's arms around him. Lev immediately started pulling on Nik's t-shirt. Nik hesitated, but let Lev undress him. Skin pressed against him, finally soothing most of the pain. Lev's tears lessened.

"Thank you," Nik mumbled as he held onto Lev.

Through his swimming thoughts, Lev managed to pluck out what he wanted to say. "You were right," he rasped.

"Of course I was. I'm always right." His mate sounded petulant, but all Lev cared about was the arms around him and the heartbeat against his hand.

---

Nik hadn't let go of Lev the moment he managed to get his claws into him. For the next day Lev's body temperature hadn't fluctuated in the slightest. Instead it had remained at a constant sweltering temperature, clinging to Nik the whole time.

He tried keeping his stomach not so pressed against Lev without his shirt. Amara's words about his weight were still ringing in his ears and he didn't need Lev's heightened instincts picking up on any of that.

Nik's head shot up when he heard someone knocking at the doorway. A growl was sitting deep in his chest before he even realized it was Ash at the doorway. That still hadn't stopped Nik from pulling Lev deeper against him.

Lev's only reaction had been a small whine and to dig his nails into Nik's back. Nik gave a small nip in apology before glaring at Ash. It was an effort to remind himself that this was Ash, even as annoyingly preachy as he was at times, he did in fact know what the hell he was doing.

"Can I come in?" Ash asked, from the doorway.

Nik was very aware of how firm his arms were around Lev's shoulders, keeping him as pressed against him as possible. He pressed his lips to Lev's shoulder before looking him in the eye. "Can he?"

Lev only stared at him blankly, eyes fever-bright and beyond gold. Nik took that nonanswer and looked back to Ash. "...sure," he finally said. But he stopped short and said, "Slowly." Unless Ash felt like getting a mouthful of teeth in his carotid. If he was a demon, that would hurt like hell.

Ash took that at the promise it was, and slowly came into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed a healthy space from them both. Ash's face was drawn tight. "Can I look him over?"

"Do I have to let him go?"

"No."

"Then go ahead."

Ash maneuvered around them, clearly having to do something like this before, quite possibly with other omegas in heats. The idea of having to deal with Bay during his heats would be nearly hysterical.

"Any changes at all?" he asked, Nik.

"His body temp has stayed the same, and Cam made him get out of the closet and come up here with me. Before that he was crying and in hysterics." When Lev didn't react to Nik's observations, he added, "That too. He just. Doesn't move and only responds when or if I try to move away from him. I think... he's been ignoring his base instincts, right? That's why this is so bad of a heat?" He fought the rising panic in his voice and kept himself carefully around Lev.

Ash's face was drawn tight. "Yeah, I think so. I wish Cameron had moved him to you sooner."

"He was trying to respect Lev's boundaries," Nik muttered irritably into Lev's burning skin. "And Lev got upset if I tried to come into the closet with him." Though that didn't stop Nik from also not wanting to be in the closet in the first place. And the guilt felt like acid.

That seemed to catch Ash's interest. "Why wouldn't he let you near him?"

"He said he was trying to protect me...?"

"Did he say what from?"

"Himself?"

Ash's face turned thoughtful, if a bit rueful. "Maybe he's trying to atone for trying to keep you dead."

Nik winced at that. "Okay but that doesn't even make sense. He doesn't remember doing that so why would he be trying to protect me from that idiocy now. If you haven't noticed, Ash, Lev is a little more alive? Telling me to be dead now would be a moot point."

"Are you, the most neurotic person I know, going to tell me that Lev would be using rational thinking during a heat at this current moment in time?"

When Nik moved to get just a little more comfortable to stop himself from smacking Ash upside the head, Lev whined and pressed deeper into him, promptly halting Nik's impulsivity. If it had been any other time he'd probably be sulking about it. If Ash didn't get a regular dose of a popping then he got unmanageable and too annoying. "We haven't been able to get Lev to eat very much," Nik admitted. "Not even Cam can until I try to help."

"I'll get an IV set up," Ash said, pulling out his phone to make a note. "Also I'm taking the room next to this one. I'm sure Cameron will be fine with it, if not he can get in line with everyone else who seems to have a problem with how I conduct things."

"Go nuts," Nik said, closing his eyes. "I'm sure he'll be fine feeding you as long as you prove to be useful to him."

---

When Bay said sit, Silas sat. He waited patiently on the couch, but when Bay put Lucas in his arms Silas went very still.

"You drop him and I break your arms," Bay warned.

Silas tucked Lucas close obediently, gazing down at Lucas. "Hi, baby," he cooed happily. Lucas babbled back, which only made Silas grin down at the infant.

"Lev's been alive for a week."

Silas stilled. "What?"

Even if Bay's firm look hadn't kept him in place, holding an infant would have. But still. "Hell of a thing to drop on me with no warning."

"Would you rather me have not told you?"

"No," Silas muttered, but he looked down at Lucas, and let the little boy grab onto his finger. That boy had more Nate in him than Bay, and that was probably a good thing.

"That's what I thought. If it makes you feel any better, Nik didn't know either until a few days ago. It was a need to know basis, and you didn't need to know."

Silas made a face, leaning back. "You thought I'd run right over the moment I knew?" Silas asked, lifting a brow.

Bay mirrored his look. "If you're suggesting I don't know you're whipped for that boy and would drop everything for him in a heartbeat, you're sorely mistaken. As far as I'm concerned, this was two birds with one stone. Be mad about it all you want."

"He's hardly a boy," Silas grumbled. "If Lev wanted me to come see him he would have called. I didn't barge over there before he died, I won't now."

Bay looked at him for a long, long moment. Gaging. "With the amount you coddled, him, maybe I just assumed you didn't actually know he was an adult. I apologize. Next time your ex boyfriend dies, I'll make sure to act accordingly."

Silas grimaced. "Ouch," he said dryly, before, "Touche."

Bay looked satisfied. "Good." He watched Silas for the longest minute before saying, "If I leave for five seconds to go get my book, can I trust you not to drop my son on his head?"

"I won't budge an inch, Bay," Silas promised. He pressed a kiss to Lucas' forehead, grinned a little when the infant giggled at him around his knuckle.

Bay was only gone for a few seconds, and when he returned, he curled up on the couch opposite Silas and started reading. Silas watched Lucas, humming at him. So Lev was back. And he hadn't called. Which- fair. Not his omega. And Silas had been a shit friend. Maybe everyone was right. Enough people tell him to move on, maybe they had a point.

---

Amara flopped down beside Cin. Once she was settled, he started running his fingers through her hair. "When can we move in again?" Amara mumbled.

"Next week," Cin promised. "Tu pulled some strings."

Cin had found a nice house. Three bedrooms, a kitchen Cin swore up and down he would learn how to use, and two overly large bathrooms. He'd paid for it, and wouldn't let Amara know how much it'd cost. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. She'd promised him she'd let him take care of her.

"I'm assuming we're getting rid of most of my furniture."

"I told you you could keep the things that are sentimental," Cin told her sternly. "Even if it's everything in this apartment."

Amara sighed. "There's not much I want to keep," she admitted.

Cin tugged on her hair. "That's okay."

"Cin?" Amara mumbled.

"Hm?"

"You sure you want to be mated to me?"

Cin pulled her hair again. "I'll say it again, as many times as you need me, Mar. Yes. I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't wanted it."

Amara sighed again, louder, refusing to look up. "I want kids."

"I know."

"And you're okay with that?"

Cin was quiet for a long moment. Eventually he said, "Yes."

"You sure there, Cin?"

"Yeah," Cin promised. "I'm old, Amara. And I actually see a therapist. I think I can handle some kids by this point."

It was Amara's turn to be quiet. "I don't know if I can conceive or carry to term," she admitted quietly. "Not that I've tried, but fuck if I ever managed to keep it longer than a few weeks. Never fucked with protection, didn't care."

Cin let her ramble, and eventually pressed a kiss to her hair. "You've never tried to keep one," he pointed out. "And you've never been sober this long." He hesitated, and then added lightly, "And you're friends with a damn good healer."

"Who, Ash?" Amara asked. "He hates me right now."

"He doesn't hate you," Cin promised. "You should ask for his help, or at least his advice."

Amara grimaced. "Fine. I'll ask. But he's gonna say no."

---

Lev's fever broke two days later. He felt bone tired, and he ached, but he could focus for the first time in days. For a little while he reveled in the closeness, running his fingers down Nik's side, but eventually he looked up at Nik. "Hi," he rasped guiltily.

Nik's face was drawn, and Lev could see the exhaustion on his face. "Hi," he replied.

"I think my heat is over," Lev said in a small voice.

"I can see that. Why don't we get you something to eat?"

"Okay," Lev agreed easily. He hesitated, and then, "Are you mad at me?"

"Are you?"

"Mad at me or mad at you?" Lev blinked.

"At me," Nik clarified.

Lev shook his head a bit. "No?" He touched Nik's cheek lightly. "I wasn't and I am not mad at you. I- I don't know what that was. I can't explain it. My omega- my instincts were- strong. But they didn't make any sense. I wanted you. I promise."

The disbelief in Nik's face made Lev defensive, but he bit his tongue. Eventually Nik just said, "Can I put my shirt back on?"

"Oh. We're naked," Lev said, startled. "Right. Uh. Yeah?" He scooted away enough for Nik to be able to get his shirt. It hung loosely off of Nik. Lev watched him for a long moment, and then, "...mates?"

Nik lifted a brow. "So you remember that?"

Lev shook his head. "I remember what I felt. And I remember needing you. It got more fuzzy once Cam made me leave the closet." He tucked his face in the pillow briefly. "After that it's like my heat kicked into gear for real, and all I remember is it being hot."

"Yeah, you looked pretty out of it." He pinned Lev with a look "Please don't do that again. I thought you were out of the closet years ago."

Lev sat up slowly. "I won't," he promised earnestly. As Nik slid off the bed, Lev scooted towards the edge to follow. Nik was in the process of trying to pick Lev up when Ash barged in.

"Put him down," Ash snapped firmly.

Lev, who had barely made it of the bed, found himself plopped right back down. Nik looked guilty, but he glared at the bed rather than turn and face Ash.

"Hi, Ash," Lev said sheepishly, peeking around Nik. "I think my heat's over."

Ash glared at him, eyes glowing green with his magic. "Yeah, I can see that."

"I thought you couldn't see anything," Nik muttered.

Ash ignored Nik. "How are you feeling?"

Lev watched Nik sit down beside him before he said, "Better. Tired. Kind of achey, but- honestly I'm kind of hungry."

"I mean, probably. You haven't eaten anything in two days."

Lev blinked. "Oh." He stared at the IV in his arm for a good long moment, and then said, "I didn't mean to be such a-" He paused, frowning. "I can go eat now, can't I?"

"A little bit, yes," Ash said. "Your stomach is probably sensitive again."

Lev made a face this time. "Back to broth?" he asked sadly. He pushed himself up, holding onto the IV stand.

"If you hadn't ignored your instincts, we wouldn't be back to step one," Ash reminded him.

"I know," Lev replied. "I'd say I should have thought that through, but I wasn't exactly thinking at all." He looked back at Nik apologetically, and then said, "At least I'm better now."

Ash pointed to the bed. "Sit back down. You lost your standing rights. I'm getting you a wheelchair."

Lev blinked at him sadly. He would have argued, but his knees were already weak, and his head had been spinning lightly since he stood. He opened his mouth to agree, but even taking the step back to the bed was apparently a bit much. The ground rushed up to meet him.

Between Nik and Ash, Lev didn't actually hit the floor. Nik leaned over him as soon as they had him in the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Apparently not," Lev muttered, rubbing his forehead. He looked to Ash. "A wheelchair is probably a good idea."

Ash sighed. "Isn't it?"

"Can I do anything?" Nik asked, still sounding a bit panicked.

"I was going to get some pants," Lev said. "If you could get me some...?"

Nik was gone instantly. Lev peered out at Nik, and then at Ash. "I can still go get dinner, right?" Lev asked anxiously. "Just- with a wheelchair?"

Ash nodded. "It would do you good to get you out of this room."

"Can we go eat by the pool?" Nik asked in a small voice, setting Lev's pants down on the bed. Lev blinked, startled. He hadn't even known they had a pool. Of course Cameron had a pool.

"As long as Lev doesn't try to swim or drink the pool water, I guess."

Nik looked pleased, and looked to Lev, almost as if for permission. When Lev nodded, he all but beamed, and leaned over to kiss Lev's cheek. When Nik pulled away, Lev tugged him close again, pressing their foreheads together. He kissed Nik, soft and chaste. To his relief, Nik kissed back, if a little hesitant.

Lev pulled away before Ash could get annoyed, and looked down at the pants Nik had brought. "How am I gonna get dressed if I'm not able to stand up?" He asked pitifully.

"I'll help you," Ash replied.

And, well. That was that, Lev supposed.

Tagging: @incandescent-creativity @idreamonpaper @solangelo3088 @halstudies @littleyellowdinosaur @caelisis

#writeblr #writers on tumblr #wip boost #hell to pay #ch: cameron #ch: nik #ch: ash #ch: bay #ch: nadia #ch: darius

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axbxlx · 4 years ago

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Hell to Pay: Part Forty-Five