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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLonUfRr8v
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdXDVOQx7X
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Ethan twisted a lock of her hair in his fingers, trying to avoid meeting her piercing gaze. "What?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Jvw8huQPy
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ376BtWbxNQ
"Can I ask you some questions?" Hanna asked gently.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgswhiDZcPg
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"What kind of questions?" Ethan asked back tentatively.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhkTLRlBSx
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Hanna bit her bottom lip, as if she anticipated refusal. "Questions about you, about being Charax, about the heat."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVozwwFPxHO
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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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1tqPcn1fk
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Hanna smiled back at him eagerly. "What was in the pill bottle, the ones you took on the way here?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWcZILIDdQ
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Ethan relaxed a bit. This was a more straightforward question than he had been expecting. "Sleeping pills," he answered honestly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCx8bZk173
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"Special Charax sleeping pills?" Hanna asked.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq8XCMaOGq
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Ethan smiled at that, slightly amused. "No, normal ones. Terran drugs work the same on us. I haven't been sleeping well this week."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTk1beoUv1H
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"Ever since the heat started?" Hanna suggested.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qlp0S6lCU
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Ethan's smile vanished. "Yeah, it's one of the symptoms."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoxpg8w8Rp
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r1rP9uac1
"So does that mean there are other symptoms besides...?" Hanna gestured downwards vaguely.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8461JqXwSe
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"Besides the arousal?" Ethan sighed at the reminder. "Yes, and they get worse the longer it goes on."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlPc2JqWEE
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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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnahDOzhP0v
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"I was talking about longer without sex," Ethan clarified.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb90lTzoaCH
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Hanna nodded back. "Right, what are the other symptoms then?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmvkEpVxla
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OulqQ5ALY
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0ebpvOcxr
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBcQ3yIQGp
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvumPrFPz4
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"Insomnia, fever, mild tremors, restlessness." Ethan gave her the short list, the certain list.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrJRTfFzsk
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"That doesn't sound fun," Hanna replied sympathetically.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1WCAZbpp1
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"It isn't," Ethan mumbled in agreement, before realizing he'd spoken aloud. "But it's not that bad," he added quickly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVYCVnea0V
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Hanna nodded slowly. "So how do you usually deal with it?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtnKZdGNOL
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Ethan paused hesitantly. "I haven't had to before."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLoX1lrmCe
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"It's your first heat?" Hanna asked, surprised.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx02nEpTVEC
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"Yeah, it usually starts about my age," Ethan answered.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV0gIvVLnH
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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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5mFsY8OeI
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GllV0KUtN
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vNPsh0RSE
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5Z0fHx7J0
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"My parents always went on vacations together to isolated places," Ethan offered finally.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22qlRlaPmf
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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...?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDXMyQsGVj
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"No, not here, I set this place up a few years for an emergency," Ethan explained quickly. "But places like this, yes."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlpqwYeowq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOaQl4FP4x
"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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckbSTubWjO
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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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBdoI8t5pX
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AoakHD6gI
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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwexB5PNH4q
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjwHqlqLns
"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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T7qC9AdRu
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Hanna glanced at his hand. "Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet. How long did your parents' trips last?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXRyjejhiM
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Ethan consciously released her arm, slightly embarrassed. "The memories aren't very clear. Maybe a week, maybe a month, but..."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6Qhktfars
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"But what?" Hanna prompted.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0bLxlaXiy
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Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "Those trips they went on. My mom always came back pregnant."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUju5fcwnSJ
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"Always?" Hanna raised a skeptical eyebrow.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPyHqUGFFk
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"Always," Ethan confirmed.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWiglNfN7F
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Hanna tilted her head slightly. "That seems odd."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVOYOnF4Af
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"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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0HhWYvMF7
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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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWEEO6MrcO
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Ethan looked at her skeptically. "What trigger?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVgIbaKON0
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"Do you think pregnancy triggers the end to the heat?" Hanna clarified.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezW6dwLFFp
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEdO4dxQF0
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlcHRtB2Yw
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5ZVzpZbNw
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNBfODjz3r
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbtoVV45Tb
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DGaMY3dT5
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ujtbh7tAH
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLkEjs5PHt
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm8nik71sA
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWSw1i48f2
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVutaHGBypx
"So?" Hanna prompted abruptly. "Could it stop the heat?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3jdynuNDY
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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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi71sSUmkk
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Hanna shrugged slightly. "I guess it doesn't matter, that isn't going to happen anyways."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzKF7Y8ZXs
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk7FUaoZVs
"What?" Ethan lifted his head up to get a better look at her.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYKBsLPuoH
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjCN5MS3Xz
"Let's just say it'll be a while before my birth control wears off," Hanna answered dismissively, distracted by her own thoughts.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fPT7COZBJ
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"Oh," Ethan uttered in a small voice, her answer driving home how idiotic he'd been.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEru9ktpo3
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu98CzFSiPt
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?96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzyYe4Ht1E
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Hanna noticed his troubled expression. "Ethan? Is that a problem?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaaCdJ3ZrH
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"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkqqdf3GJx
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqSsSARVK2
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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBbrL33zRg
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Ethan still looked troubled. "You're sure?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtyptRZNLE
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"I'm certain," Hanna reassured him confidently.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TI2ggoaxv
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuopfMkCin
"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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaXXBry08Z
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Hanna smiled suggestively. "I don't mind."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUCoZO2uEh
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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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMICpdtROS
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7cph75lSY
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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hPVrrdQ1j
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"Twenty to twenty three months usually," Ethan corrected her.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsI5ie8Wz5M
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"And aren't the heat cycles a lot shorter?" Hanna asked.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DjB4gMOAa
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROIiuXDoyh
"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?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qon5SgdXo
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYfRQn80Rs
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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8XhVRkwpK
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdzd3Z3NUJ
"Okay?" Ethan replied uncertainly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡew3bnllfnl
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Hanna sat up and stretched out her arms. "I'm going to go clean up."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSEzu0MPqV
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkbv6od65X
"Okay," Ethan mumbled, pulling to blanket over himself.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkkiOAXCKT
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PoKnseUzy
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB9AK7wEFf
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4un0Elt30
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZpwjAnCN7
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He doesn't enjoy it, even now, she thought sadly. How's he going to be in a week?96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtMuKwyU4x
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She'd never heard the heats could be dangerous, for the Charax at least. She hoped she wasn't wrong about that.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NEhK5KvwP
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