Hanna let her thoughts flow through her mind silently as Ethan cuddled her on the large bed. Eventually, she gave into her curiosity and wiggled out of his grasp. She didn't miss the barely audible huff he made as she sat up and she resisted the urge to laugh.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XIJeIW57q
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkZ7BKLbER
Hanna moved so she was lying partway on top of him, her breasts on his stomach, her head resting on her arms on top of his chest. Her brown eyes were alight with curiosity. Almost if she saw him as a puzzle that needed solving.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUp8bikMm9
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7CXrpTyMz
Ethan twisted a lock of her hair in his fingers, trying to avoid meeting her piercing gaze. "What?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrSWAJYkpo
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAi0eOjzQk
"Can I ask you some questions?" Hanna asked gently.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQN8U3YM5Tv
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmON5wv3mV7
"What kind of questions?" Ethan asked back tentatively.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6IbtrMZjh
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvx9KPG8PS
Hanna bit her bottom lip, as if she anticipated refusal. "Questions about you, about being Charax, about the heat."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf00at0aup
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSlE4sjyN2
Ethan bit back a sigh. That was a list of most of the things he preferred not to talk about. On the other hand, there were probably things she ought to know. "Go ahead. I'll try my best."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWFR3CYYfw
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakhD7Lsj2H
Hanna smiled back at him eagerly. "What was in the pill bottle, the ones you took on the way here?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qqsn3Pse1
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfeIN3DgwJ
Ethan relaxed a bit. This was a more straightforward question than he had been expecting. "Sleeping pills," he answered honestly.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ElohcQqK1
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA8GlUXGlB
"Special Charax sleeping pills?" Hanna asked.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz47tEPm5O
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw16cVdHPrC
Ethan smiled at that, slightly amused. "No, normal ones. Terran drugs work the same on us. I haven't been sleeping well this week."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTmNchZxCG
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuFfjqs7Nd
"Ever since the heat started?" Hanna suggested.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBhD9s456X
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95qaASX6jx
Ethan's smile vanished. "Yeah, it's one of the symptoms."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxD6G7ssEM
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP4OXQq5vv
"So does that mean there are other symptoms besides...?" Hanna gestured downwards vaguely.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1iWlkBQ4Y
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfW24Wt8QHe
"Besides the arousal?" Ethan sighed at the reminder. "Yes, and they get worse the longer it goes on."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJYIuKs2BE
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkm0E1C5gQt
Hanna glanced down over his still nude body, brief but critically. "But it seems like you're doing better now than you were a couple days ago?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3CTM3iAf9
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgAOECpPN7
"I was talking about longer without sex," Ethan clarified.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1u52NnHCRQ
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2nHqdJRUy
Hanna nodded back. "Right, what are the other symptoms then?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbwuLNKhI4
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxctT3Nxhq
The faint nagging sensation at the back of his mind returned. He'd known that the heat was supposed to push his sex drive to the maximum but that's all he'd been expecting. He didn't realize that it would make him sweat buckets or keep him from getting more than a couple hours of a sleep a night. The changes had caught him off guard and left him scrambling to get everything under control for the first few days.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT0XlEIv5m
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kvfP8P2km
By now, he was well aware of the physical symptoms. The ones he'd experienced so far, that is. He didn't know if his body would keep changing, or it this was what he was going to have to deal with for the rest of his life. It was difficult to believe all the other Charax managed like this. Or maybe there was something wrong with him.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad7LR8386i
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpA9scp0bb
He still had no clue if this was normal, other than that the kidnappers seemed to think it was normal. Not that they were a good source of information. He couldn’t believe anything they said, just because they'd said he'd lose himself didn't mean it would happen. There was no point in even mentioning anything about that, no need to frighten her with what was likely just another lie.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhBjLEG11u
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbfj72rb5Z
"Insomnia, fever, mild tremors, restlessness." Ethan gave her the short list, the certain list.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUuD3GkzkS
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLB1AihslZ
"That doesn't sound fun," Hanna replied sympathetically.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65RZWVAdS5
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4ccLOHzwQ
"It isn't," Ethan mumbled in agreement, before realizing he'd spoken aloud. "But it's not that bad," he added quickly.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIneheDabU
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UDU11dhJ3
Hanna nodded slowly. "So how do you usually deal with it?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGw4BYqhE9
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gncndoAuE
Ethan paused hesitantly. "I haven't had to before."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF7Fg5ySPr
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuJUbJQKZ6
"It's your first heat?" Hanna asked, surprised.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTSOPgEtu2
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7lp8YIT8q
"Yeah, it usually starts about my age," Ethan answered.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFyWnl4zNa
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJ7WBwfLCM
Hanna took a second to process that, she hadn't expected him to be so inexperienced but that fact also answered a lot of other questions. "Okay, then how do other Charax usually deal with it?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMV1vIS1en
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDnbKGfVPr
I'd love to know that too, Ethan thought wistfully. Except there's nobody I can ask. He only had one older brother, who'd never even had a heat before they all split up, and no way to contact him, or any of his family on Earth. Plus, it took months to get messages back from Manina so he hadn't bothered trying anyone over there.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPMGnoyJ6O
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31WojnQzO0
He'd never seen his father during one of his heats either. His parents had always been away... and it was suddenly apparent to him why he had so many siblings.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7srB9QgAYB
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb74AgcTLHT
"My parents always went on vacations together to isolated places," Ethan offered finally.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRPgwLpwCf
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJQKmnTiaX
Hanna glanced around the room, noticing how old the place looked. She suddenly had the disturbing idea that they might be lying in the room he was conceived in. "So, um, is this— Did they...?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3nXIZuLE8
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllgqZL2J42
"No, not here, I set this place up a few years for an emergency," Ethan explained quickly. "But places like this, yes."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbkjfVnLJl
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxn2DEuY4f
"We've got that part sorted at least," Hanna said optimistically. "So how long have you been in heat and how long does it usually last?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHzpQsPhi7
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjES26qTpmM
Ethan's breath caught in his throat, he wasn't entirely sure how long it would take to end on it's own, or what would happen to him in the meantime. "About nine days and I don't know."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWMhgj44tQ
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUy9CktPTMG
Hanna looked at him curiously, wondering if he wasn't being honest with her, this seemed like very basic information. He didn't seem to know much about Charax biology at all. On the other hand, it wasn't uncommon for Terrans to get a poor sexual education either. "What about an estimate then? Two weeks? Three weeks?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafq6PcmXTy
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkj9rL84Zr
"I really don't know. My parents' vacations always varied." Ethan's mouth felt dry. "If you need to go... I'll understand." He gripped her arm tight in contrast to his words.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEupWzczSD
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoNmj5HFnY
Hanna glanced at his hand. "Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet. How long did your parents' trips last?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj96fUFGjaB
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq2PgUrq1q
Ethan consciously released her arm, slightly embarrassed. "The memories aren't very clear. Maybe a week, maybe a month, but..."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CYZZvorxu
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz6WVsrpVg
"But what?" Hanna prompted.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonizSaYxnV
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecrLeNexcD
Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "Those trips they went on. My mom always came back pregnant."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCpQbpvsyb
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejkQodARPQ
"Always?" Hanna raised a skeptical eyebrow.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywsJgFzQVX
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsIRrlkUcb
"Always," Ethan confirmed.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIafAMcSKw
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuIp9xj04b
Hanna tilted her head slightly. "That seems odd."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwqeIqHCZa
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkpvxBB5Ef
"Not for us. The more a Charax woman is... stimulated, the more likely it is, and the men are more virile in heat," Ethan explained.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuX4geECJD5
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7juWeWTEhW
Hanna wondered what he meant by 'stimulated' exactly, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know. "The time varied but there was always... so do you think that triggers the end of the cycle?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtVTqlfMe2
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaX9CVPHzl
Ethan looked at her skeptically. "What trigger?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERPfqxpJtN
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3sa8QfP1i
"Do you think pregnancy triggers the end to the heat?" Hanna clarified.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneKBdzD7wZ
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFdVAoeak5
The pregnancy pheromones causing the heat to end early... Ethan didn't know if that was true, he didn't want to think about it. He'd realized it was likely inevitable considering what they'd been doing with zero protection. Or had already started.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0aO6A10D4
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjnOGPsCaN
He mentally kicked himself for not thinking about it sooner. It wasn't only that he didn't feel like himself, he was missing things that should have been obvious. Not considering pregnancy when he didn't want a child, that was a significant lapse. Part of him wanted it, a very primal part, but he knew he shouldn't, for so many reasons. Even though he wanted the heat to end, he didn't want it to end that way.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtH7Hgp3ae
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzt95bJmRr
Which meant he needed to stop this, stop fucking her, but he wasn’t even sure that was possible. Even if he knew that was what he wanted now... in the moment he might completely change his mind. Her being here, so close to him, it was risky.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzybzOdYUA
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20u4hFbDb9
That meant he'd have to ask her to leave. His stomach twisted at the idea. He'd tried isolating himself here at the start and it had been torturous, worse than struggling to hide the symptoms all day. Just a bit of human contact had been worth all the risk of going back to the city at the time. Now he regretted the decision, but he still didn’t want to do that ever again.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVCEfBS9l1
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DTuWbcRqp
He didn't know what staying here on his own for a prolonged period would do to him. Except that the dealers thought he'd go insane.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapZtEUpqPr
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaIiwBwo4g
He couldn't help thinking of the possibility. Without a partner, would he start to lose his mind? Was waiting it out on his own not an option? That didn't seem right... yet it was starting to make a twisted kind of sense.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDVdbEdtOu
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMA6envD1n
He couldn't forget how the dealers had been completely right that he'd had sex with the first woman he could. She had appeared and... he'd done exactly what they said he would. All his earlier intentions had been utterly discarded, and he was still doing it.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXik8vwrwX
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE7bZ6szGc
"So?" Hanna prompted abruptly. "Could it stop the heat?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhm0ytaAnie
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7RDYUFvzX
Ethan saw her, lying on his chest, waiting patiently for his answer. "...it could," he answered reluctantly. "Charax release and react to pheromones. It's possible."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfvoqixhSI
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlC9AXm3m6F
Hanna shrugged slightly. "I guess it doesn't matter, that isn't going to happen anyways."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aHK56QoKj
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAhqIxPNsc
"What?" Ethan lifted his head up to get a better look at her.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvunS6MiLa
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohQwZzLcR0
"Let's just say it'll be a while before my birth control wears off," Hanna answered dismissively, distracted by her own thoughts.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcNJm4ZSWu
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PXuePeQiQ
"Oh," Ethan uttered in a small voice, her answer driving home how idiotic he'd been.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWKwGklhKd
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJxH90JXQg
Ethan realized just then that he'd never actually asked her about birth control. Another thing he missed. He threw his head back against the pillow. He should have asked. He looked up at the blank ceiling. How had this not been on his list of priorities?121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0d07Uv9KQ
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfO94aSyOi
Hanna noticed his troubled expression. "Ethan? Is that a problem?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pbDXoYv19
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFk2xBRYPX
"No. No, it's not. Sorry." Ethan tried to focus on the present. That was one thing he didn't have to worry about, he should be happy about that. "I should have asked about that sooner. Sorry."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjk7X5r9sL
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1iWTrYzPj
Hanna shook her head, concern on her face. "No need to apologize. I know the heat is messing with your head." She saw he was about to protest. "Listen, I knew this would likely happen. It's taken care of." She tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Believe me, I know how it easy it can be to forget things in the moment."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnM7Rjh2at
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5hHTYmfU4
Ethan still looked troubled. "You're sure?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIOViGBGZN
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZRg8kF34x
"I'm certain," Hanna reassured him confidently.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxOqcxjtah
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObr6Q8KLl5
"Okay," Ethan said quietly, his frown not leaving entirely. "It'll got away on it's own. We can wait it out." He paused, watching her uncertainly. "Is that alright?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uQwP8zs4Y
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtfei23Qk5
Hanna smiled suggestively. "I don't mind."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgX89sUbKrZ
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbyKdJYMA1
At least one of us is enjoying this, Ethan thought tiredly, smiling inwardly. He was starting to feel the strain of everything their activity on his body, the soreness bleeding through his turbulent emotions. "Any more questions?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWE4RI3KVh
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBxwyNYZC5
Hanna thought for a moment. "Wait, what happened when your father went into heat and your mother was pregnant? Because don't Charax pregnancies last a long time? Years or something?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvPrDwt2KW
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOYgSKkQPz
"Twenty to twenty three months usually," Ethan corrected her.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4L0zcxl1p
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHojrNJWf2p
"And aren't the heat cycles a lot shorter?" Hanna asked.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wTw5Bb652
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtAs3exsJD
"Four to six months," Ethan added. He frowned as he understood Hanna's point. "I don't know. The timing of it doesn't make sense." He yawned. "Got your next question yet?"121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzMeo0qV0I
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHn2DYldLD
Hanna wanted to ask him more but she was getting the feeling that she was pushing her luck. She needed to think about this for a while. "Just thinking. I'll let you know if I have any ideas."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HTJXZqio6
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lMjydPv2n
"Okay?" Ethan replied uncertainly.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMVSbR4oj9
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmGnqi532d
Hanna sat up and stretched out her arms. "I'm going to go clean up."121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqedxUUMMUz
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dGzPK8RXW
"Okay," Ethan mumbled, pulling to blanket over himself.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPmsajnJBx
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTJj1dOvXq
Hanna went to get her clothes from the bathroom. He'd given her a lot to think about, as even the basic information she had known about Charax heats was so wrong. That itself wasn't much of a revelation, he had been acting nothing like the sex monster she'd been prepared for.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFY9HAmRSDu
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJyLOx7Q2e
The whole conversation had left her feeling more worried than before. She thought the heats usually didn't last more than a week, but Ethan's had already been nine days and didn't show any sign of letting up. He already seemed drained, another two weeks in heat sounded incredibly taxing.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9cjQ28GGs
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1obv3eP2lH
He doesn't enjoy it, even now, she thought sadly. How's he going to be in a week?121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfm2A2wJw7
121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMWi31CSiS
She'd never heard the heats could be dangerous, for the Charax at least. She hoped she wasn't wrong about that.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPs8b4eluhI
Penana
search
登入arrow_drop_down
註冊arrow_drop_down
