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Nieni: XD I’ve hit my all-time weird point. This is so crazy I couldn’t stop myself... and I’ll be continuing it too.

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Deak rarely left his apartment anymore, apart from brief grocery runs. The looks people gave him were impossible to bear; the revolted, shocked stares followed him everywhere he went, raking across the small, round pouch sticking out visibly from his stomach... They all knew what it was, and what it would be.

Every week, Deak dreaded opening the fridge door to discover he was out of bread, butter, milk, and eggs. Eggs. That was one word he shuddered to think about- if it wasn’t crispy and coming on toast.

Deak rubbed absently at the growth, massaging the growing eggs hiding just a few inches under his skin- he sucked in a sharp breath when they squirmed at the touch. He would never get used to that particular sensation, no matter how often he experienced it. The fear, the irrational paranoia that something was there that shouldn’t be always lingered in the back of his mind- perhaps some worms from that horror movie had replaced the little eggs and were eating their way through his insides. Ridiculous as the thought was, his lover was forced to assuage his doubts on a regular basis- and he was forbidden from watching horror films because of it.

Walking carefully through the food aisles, Deak eyed the mountainous goods that were forbidden to him, his stomach aching for sweets.... just one little lick of candy couldn’t possibly hurt. A hand inched towards a box of powdered doughnuts.

“Can’t you take a fucking hint?!”

Deak whirled, hand snapping back at the growling, unfamiliar voice. “Wha-?”

A small crowd of angry customers, and even some of the working teenagers from the registers, had formed behind him, following along as he went about his business. Deak’s eyes widened at the apparent disgust and anger showing on each face. A man stepped to the front, obviously the one who spoke.

“We don’t want your kind around here! Get outta here or we’ll cut that thing out-”

“Filthy traitor!” A woman added in, rocking a baby on her shoulder. “Adherent scum! Go back to your alien fuck!”

“HEY! Break it up!” The store manager strode into sight, shooing people from his way as he moved toward Deak. “Alright, enough is enough, adherent! If you’re going to be riling up my customers, you can get out of my store! I don’t want anymore trouble!”

Deak backed away uncertainly, leaving his half-full cart against the cake rack. “B-but I didn’t... I- I was just....”

“OUT!”

Faced with scowling hostility on all sides, Deak took his leave of the store, hands held protectively against his stomach as he rushed to the sliding doors. The manager might have been sympathetic to an extent, but Deak didn’t trust the vicious eyes that followed him outside- he did his best to ignore the more brutal comments thrown his way, frightened by the more violent suggestions revolving around his fragile pouch.

Fortunately, Deak made it back to his car without incident... this time. There was no telling what might happen should he ever dare return to that particular store, or any surrounding store for that matter. They were all the same. He sighed, knowing this final rejection marked off the last food market within a two-hour drive from his apartment... He would have to rely on his lover from this point on.

Cold air rushed out to meet Deak, sending goose bumps across his arms as soon as the front door opened. His apartment was always kept cool, the preferred temperature for the eggs. Pulling his identification key from the lock, he slipped inside and closed the door hastily, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention from his less-than-friendly neighbors by lingering outside any longer than necessary. They appreciated living by an adherent about as much as the store people, but at least they hadn’t acted on their disapproval- yet.

After all, it was common knowledge that the Ija clan had a reputation of getting a tad violent when their mates were trifled with... and Deak’s Ija mate was of a fairly high rank. The neighbors weren’t quite stupid enough to bring down the wrath of a superior, and already irritated, alien race.

A faint clicking alerted Deak to his lover’s presence, the protective Ija usually visited at least once a day, but he walked on to the kitchen as if he hadn’t heard, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He moved through the kitchen, picking out small scrapes of leftovers, and piled the edible finds on a plate to be heated in the instant-cook oven. Lowering the settings to ‘warm’ he slid the plate in and closed the door. There was a short pause and then- bing! The plate came out steamy and warm.

Deak made a small sound of protest as the meager meal was taken from his hands and two of four strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him against a firm form that, until now, had merely lurked behind him. The plate was set down carefully on the counter and he reached out for the clawed, blue-skinned hand that denied him his food.

“Kyie...” Deak sighed, rubbing the dark palm against his cheek, eyes closing. The exotic, musky scent of his lover worked to sooth away his amassed stresses and he welcomed the extra body heat in the kitchen- the coolest room of the apartment.

::You’ve returned empty-handed... I thought you went out for rations?:: Kyie’o rumbled questioningly, free hand running down his mate’s covered chest to rest on a rounded stomach. He massaged the pouch holding his egg with the tips of two fingers, pushing thin t-shirt material aside. Kissing down his mate’s neck, he clicked his tongue in content; long, heavy tail swaying inches above the black and white tiled floor.

“Mmmm...” Deak turned in his lover’s arms, feeling utterly safe in the strong embrace. All the same, he buried his head against the Ija’s plush, firm chest, his next sigh not quite as pleased as the last. “I.... had some trouble at the supermarket.”

::... Oh?::

Deak hastened to put his lover at ease, hearing the growl in that single questioning word. The protective note sent a thrill up Deak’s spine. “It- It’s fine, really! Just a bit of a misunderstanding is all. Nothing happened.”

Kyie’o was unconvinced. He would have to watch the ship recordings from over the market area later... but, for now, he could see his mate was still distressed and in need of comforting. He lifted the slender human into his arms, hearing the soft sounds of Deak’s slippers falling to the floor. Pale, bare feet dangled and brushed against his legs.

Kyie’o began to move to his mate’s bed, only to abruptly change course at seeing the state of the small room. Honestly, did all humans have such trouble with cleaning their messes, or was his mate unique in that aspect? Kyie’o raised Deak over a shoulder to get at the controls on his upper left wrist, shaking his head at the whining the action caused.

“Kyiiiiiiie- You’re squishing my stomach!” Deak planted his hands on the broad shoulder, pushing himself up and as far out as he could. Leaning back, he balanced with his legs caught in the tight hold of two muscled right arms. “Are you trying to squish the eggs?!”

::Hush, love. Of course not.:: Kyie’o finished sending for transport and lowered his mate in his arms until they were face-to-face. He smiled at the pouting human; sharp, light-blue teeth flashing luminously in the dim apartment. ::The eggs are in their gelatin stage, they will not be squished.::

To prove his point, Kyie’o pressed his hand against the pouch and pushed hard. Deak moaned in discomfort, but the eggs inside squirmed delightedly.

Deak groaned, pushing the hand away. “Don’t... you’ll make me sick and I haven’t even eaten yet....”

::Well, let’s get you fed then.::

Kyie’o walked into the sitting room when his wrist controller began beeping, signaling the decent of their pick-up track, and a circular panel slid from the ceiling to reveal the open bottom of a small ship, ready to carry them up to the main craft.

Still held securely in his lover’s arms, Deak squeaked as a narrow gravity beam carried them up into the empty belly of the transport ship. He blinked in the bright green glow that continued to surround them until they climbed up a ladder into the darkened control area. Finally free to move as he wished, Deak collapsed into a chair, yelping when he half-fell into the padded hole made to hold an Ija’s tail. He pouted as his lover walked by, clicking laughter flowing from the tall Ija.

::Careful- You know this ship isn’t made for humans.:: Kyie’o reminded his mate, teeth bared in an amused smile. He turned to the consol, feeling a sharp tug at the end of his tail; a sign of his mate’s annoyance.

“Shut up...” Deak mumbled. He fiddled with the tail, twisting it in bored spirals around his fingers as he stared out the small triangular window to the right of his seat. Stars passed in lazy blurs as seconds ticked by. He saw the large main ship far in the distance- and they were docking an instant later as they hit a burst of speed.

Blushing, Deak allowed his shirt and sweat pants to be pulled off. By now, it was a familiar custom of the Ija to “show off” their expecting mates- but that didn’t mean he was comfortable with it. Deak cupped his hands over his bulging stomach, only to hear an irritated grunt from his lover and have them smacked away. Sighing, he obediently clasped his hands behind his back and moved to the left, walking just behind his tall Ija as they entered the main foyer. Deak could feel his cheeks burn, completely conscious of his less-than-perfect physique and the egg pouch sticking out oddly from his abdomen.

Other humans could be seen clinging and scrambling after their respective mates; some clothed, others bare and showing signs of egg-bearing. Most were exotic, beautiful examples of humanity- a far cry from Deak’s dull brown hair and pasty skin. He quickly averted his eyes from the dubious gaze of a handsome, young albino.

Kyie’o nodded to the lower ranks, tail flicking in minute greetings as he led his mate through to the less-populated side of the crowded hall, heading for the private hall where the rooms were located. He could sense Deak’s unease, familiar with the small human’s modesty, and lengthened his stride, struggling against the urge to linger and display his charming little mate and healthy eggs.

The day was moderately inactive, so there were very little distractions vying for Kyie-o’s attention and they were able to reach his room in a reasonably short amount of time.

Deak squealed as the door closed and he was scooped up into four strong arms. They flung him in through air and he fell with a soft -fwump- in the middle of a great Ija-style bed (thick, silky blankets made up of pounded soft scales, bunched over a circular mattress of something rubber-like and bouncy). The bed quivered as a much larger body landed above his own, caging him in. Deak put his fisted hands over his mouth, muffling a startled giggle.

Kyie’o grinned down at his mate, tail twisting behind him playfully. He leaned down to steal a brief kiss, swiping his slim blue tongue over slim lips. ::What does my mate crave to eat today? I can have something sent in.::

“Ah...” Deak’s eyes drooped, a lazy smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. He breathed in deep through his nose, taking in the musky scent of his lover with a shiver. “Anything’s fine so long as it’s edible.”

Kyie’o frowned. ::No. Pick something you want.:: He wanted to give his mate something he would enjoy- it wasn’t often that he had so much spare time to spend with the human and he wanted to spoil his mate with all he had to offer.

“Uhm.... cheeseburger?” Deak suggested doubtfully, his mind not feeling up to listing his preferred foods. Cheeseburger. Great. He could get even pudgier, until his lover decided to go find a prettier human who could lay eggs and work out at the same time.

::.... No, you eat those too much.:: Kyie’o shook his head, smiling as he bumped noses with his mate. ::Pick something new.... I heard Thrai-r’s mate mention that quiche is a good human food. Have you ever had quiche?::

Deak couldn’t help grinning back at his lover, laughing quietly. The Ija always had a way of making him feel like a spoiled five-year-old being offered candy. “Kyie, you’re ridiculous, you know that?”

::Well?::

“Yea, yea, quiche’s fine- so long as they hold the spinach.”

::I’ll make sure they do so.:: Kyie’o said solemnly, face already set to give whoever was cooking some strict orders.

Deak blinked, then rolled his eyes. Ah, the wasting of a perfectly good joke- but his lover’s oblivious qualities were so charming.

Dinner passed peacefully, disregarding Kyie-o’s near fit when the quiche arrived- heaped with steaming spinach. Deak was even able to ignore the squirming pile of what looked like slimy tentacles slopped down in a bowl in front of Kyie’o. He forced a smile when offered a bite, shaking his head vigorously until the writhing, gooey slice was moved out from under his nose.

“Kyie...?” Deak turned from the door, surprised to find his wrist caught in a tight grip before he could step out into the hall. Kyie’o usually took him home right after a short meal- well, except for those times when the Ija had more intimate plans in store... With the eggs so far along, it was unlikely that his lover would want to add to them. “What?”

::Shouldn’t you... stay here?::

“Oh.... Why tonight?”

Kyie’o pulled his mate close, lower arms looping gently around Deak’s waist. The eggs are due to hatch soon. Can’ you tell?

“What?!” Deak felt his jaw drop, eyes widening. Had it already been a month? He hadn’t even noticed! “H-how soon? You mean, like, tonight?!”

::Tonight is a possibility- but early tomorrow is more likely.:: Kyie’o smoothed a hand through Deak’s hair, clicking. His tail weaved between the human’s legs and squeezed soothingly.

“Oh... oh, wow.... that’s...” A surprise. A shock, if he was being completely honest. Deak allowed himself to be deposited onto the bed, eyes still wide as he draped a hand over his stomach, feeling the soft bumps of eggs just under a thin layer of skin that made the pouch... They felt so small in there; he could hardly imagine that they would be hatching in the morning.

Deak wrapped his arms over Kyie-o’s neck as the large Ija rolled over him, two sets of elbows settled on either side of his body. They shared a long, soft kiss and long crimson fingers tickled across the pouch. Deak felt his breath hitch at the tender touch, a moan falling from his lips as his lover pulled away.

::Shhh...:: Kyie’o replaced his lips with the fingers. ::Continue with those sounds and you might find two pouches in the morning.::

Grinning breathlessly, Deak pulled the Ija down until their noses touched, flicking his tongue over rough lips. “So?”

Kyie’o growled as thin legs locked around his, pulling him down to press fully against his mate. ::Deak...::

Deak pouted at the clear warning, hesitant to release his lover. He would be dragged to bed right after the eggs hatched- what difference did it make if they started a little early?

Turning his face from Kyie’o, he let his legs slip from the Ija’s hips, feeling his cheeks heat with embarrassment. Even knowing his lover had reasons for the rejection, it was still a bruise against his self-esteem.

He sulked as Kyie’o moved to his side and pulled him into a tight hug. Despite himself, he felt his lids droop; warmth enveloping his entire body as the blankets pulled over his bare lower half, and a small smile trembled against his stubborn frown. Sighing, he gave in and snuggled into the embrace. “Night, Kyie.”

::Rest well, love.::

oOo Seven Hours Later oOo

Deak woke to the unpleasant feeling of something slick gushing across his thighs. Beside him, Kyie’o jerked awake, nose twitching. Groaning, Deak began to sit up, hands lowering on impulse to hold his stomach over the pouch. The eggs were definitely hatched as small forms thrashed restlessly under his skin. Deak forced himself not to look, all too familiar with how the movements would distort his stomach and all too aware of how sick the sight would make him.

“Kyie- KYIE!” Deak smacked at one of the large arms at his side, bringing the half-asleep Ija’s attention to him. Kyie’o blinked a few times, then snapped into awareness. Almost instantly, Deak found a very impatient Ija crouched between his legs, hands holding his thighs wide apart as a long, thin tongue lapped at the thick fluids. Taking a deep gulp of air, Deak chanced a quick peek downwards and whimpered. Something small and clear blue was wiggling in the blankets, barely in view, tiny tendrils reaching into the air curiously, and then Kyie’o was up and away, coming back with a large bowl of cool water.

Cupping the tiny, almost gel-like hatchling into his hands, Kyie’o set it in the water. His eyes were in proud slits, tail lashing behind him. Deak bit his lip, a shudder racking across his body, thighs shaking violently as he felt two more hatchlings sliding from his body and onto the bed with unpleasant wet sounds, big blue hands waiting to gently place them with the first. Deak tossed his head against the sheets, beads of sweat beginning to dot his brow. The process itself was painless; but he could feel his entire body tensing, fighting to dispel the hatchlings that naturally should not be there- the pressure made him ache and tremble, his entire lower abdomen clenching in a cramp.

::Shhh.... shhhh... Only a few more, lovely...:: Kyie’o was back to cleaning his mate of the egg fluids, waiting eagerly for his last four hatchlings. The first three swirled in the water, sending it into a froth of miniscule feelers as they tasted the air for the first time.

“Ah- Kyie....” Deak grit his teeth, back arching as he lifted his legs, pushing out one... then two hatchings, before collapsing limply against the bed. “Augh... That one hurt...”

Why, oh why, did he ever willingly agree to go through this every month? Gasping for breath, Deak squinted down at his lover’s bowed head, then over to the bowl holding the odd, squishy little hatchlings. His eyes immediately softened. Damn love- it killed his common sense the instant he first laid eyes on that stupid Ija.

The sixth and final hatchling slipped out without a fuss and Deak almost mistook it for another flush of fluid- if not for the sudden, intense feel of emptiness in his stomach.

::You did it again, my love.:: Kyie’o crawled up to place a kiss on Deak’s forehead, a wide smile that could make the president piss himself stretching across his face. Helping his mate to sit up, Kyie’o pulled the bowl forward. ::All perfectly healthy and a year in the incubator will grow them into fine Ija specimens.::

“Great....” Deak managed a short smile as his breath slowly returned and he leaned heavily against the wide chest pressed to his back. Turning slowly, he pressed a closed kiss to his lover’s lips, whispering against them with a wry grin. “Don’t think compliments are gonna get new eggs in me tonight, mister. I’m sleeping as soon as you change the sheets.”

Kyie-o’s eyes narrowed, tail flicking, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he gathered the bowl and headed out into the hall. Grinning at his lover’s stiff retreating back, Deak allowed himself to fall back and stretch, toes curling among the damp blankets. It would be a while before Kyie’o returned- the Ija always had a need to brag to the entire ship when the eggs hatched. According to him, all of the other humans onboard had lost at least one pouch of eggs... Deak really didn’t mind either way, since Kyie’o was really the only one who spoke him to him anymore.

Thinking back a few years earlier, Deak could vaguely recall having a good lot of friends... but those times seemed so distant these days, almost as if they’d passed in the life of someone else; a movie he simply hadn’t bothered to remember. Everything beyond the events that lead to this new life was nothing....

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Next Chapter- Back in time

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