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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhAJi5AGhu
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdHBdB1iOa
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XHM7wJofQ
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweUfUYKvFT
Ethan twisted a lock of her hair in his fingers, trying to avoid meeting her piercing gaze. "What?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡql0MEJQg16
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJX6i06aRR
"Can I ask you some questions?" Hanna asked gently.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEOkYyWCzc
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8Iht6LxQ6
"What kind of questions?" Ethan asked back tentatively.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNKR34Aj2O
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpNb0V5tCi
Hanna bit her bottom lip, as if she anticipated refusal. "Questions about you, about being Charax, about the heat."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviSmlYFD2g
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CgdXhDnAy
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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gi3cJaEMH
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFSKbPBg0T
Hanna smiled back at him eagerly. "What was in the pill bottle, the ones you took on the way here?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxNdCt1c38
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuIEMEkf0e
Ethan relaxed a bit. This was a more straightforward question than he had been expecting. "Sleeping pills," he answered honestly.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqarvIfedh
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEczR2M0tkc
"Special Charax sleeping pills?" Hanna asked.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP21iojNe5C
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcJ4qn04XP
Ethan smiled at that, slightly amused. "No, normal ones. Terran drugs work the same on us. I haven't been sleeping well this week."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCwOI5OR3z
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK8cXqyHdp
"Ever since the heat started?" Hanna suggested.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHaNgSBKID
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnE8b7nDAbZ
Ethan's smile vanished. "Yeah, it's one of the symptoms."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uu4tRDc4a
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmxeoD0AJH
"So does that mean there are other symptoms besides...?" Hanna gestured downwards vaguely.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xF4Rbeak3
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7Afg4H7NF
"Besides the arousal?" Ethan sighed at the reminder. "Yes, and they get worse the longer it goes on."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gVtlnD6Cl
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfbnZJaQ4D
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23qiJ8IIRZ
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtUuD1ia8D
"I was talking about longer without sex," Ethan clarified.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6UHOftBk1
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdahoYRMhyU
Hanna nodded back. "Right, what are the other symptoms then?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1icCJCIo2
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoMtvzY2BF
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BnA9s5Mko
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbwf80ugXn
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7WsRnYFbd
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2P9STxyQ5
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunh7qL2nng
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA26wEfq4m3
"Insomnia, fever, mild tremors, restlessness." Ethan gave her the short list, the certain list.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTAMu0OGiS
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLevnNAKRll
"That doesn't sound fun," Hanna replied sympathetically.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i1ntSQXyN
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPHs9aZKQ4
"It isn't," Ethan mumbled in agreement, before realizing he'd spoken aloud. "But it's not that bad," he added quickly.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETtMe0FOJu
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6Vt1k2KCY
Hanna nodded slowly. "So how do you usually deal with it?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zVsCaNFex
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTbWD5Mk45
Ethan paused hesitantly. "I haven't had to before."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHyGnqAZDj
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnlOH0Ger4
"It's your first heat?" Hanna asked, surprised.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysCB8gmJym
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0KU4XpE7Z
"Yeah, it usually starts about my age," Ethan answered.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAvRUPxrye
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mhGP3VCzB
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm27gkR9EC
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8hMkKXjkb
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqhSLOdML6
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxWucTLdC1
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRwnLJqSHh
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCokgR4HqDR
"My parents always went on vacations together to isolated places," Ethan offered finally.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm357bTPSJY
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReOi9xuv6W
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...?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUn9y2aK5U7
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGlFevT3Go
"No, not here, I set this place up a few years for an emergency," Ethan explained quickly. "But places like this, yes."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvmcmFkePx
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWNuYsJW6h
"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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJy4Zj1JY6
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7IGXpHJJo
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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDy7LTn2ZJl
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUREfGjbDB
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYjwpQ3tOi
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZfned4Gux
"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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEB9GOob8g
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwLEvXb0Zn
Hanna glanced at his hand. "Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet. How long did your parents' trips last?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANAU0Oubgc
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZ1nwskMgy
Ethan consciously released her arm, slightly embarrassed. "The memories aren't very clear. Maybe a week, maybe a month, but..."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBNq53i1DP
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpY1L78JxK
"But what?" Hanna prompted.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGB6np7Q96
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxQKlyj6IH
Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "Those trips they went on. My mom always came back pregnant."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2jZBGqTV9
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7r9vrDMXW
"Always?" Hanna raised a skeptical eyebrow.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1v9DJ8Frvv
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTnBR018pf
"Always," Ethan confirmed.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCT5dgJ2sH
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN9Kj2RIpQ
Hanna tilted her head slightly. "That seems odd."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgi2DvrPiXR
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFsYBNDFP2
"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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNtitlJyNy
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7fUuhRxVC
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXlUfbO9YM
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0xn429UGI
Ethan looked at her skeptically. "What trigger?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CrkwhO9AE
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdPu8bxo5Q
"Do you think pregnancy triggers the end to the heat?" Hanna clarified.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXwdiJHhyH
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8moSvFisG
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX0N5BG1ZZ
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe46QeXK1a8
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kjE5SS54I
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtT1u6cHDc
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY05TOoGKDL
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0V869p7rjU
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aoep3w4x8
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dVRovMDI6
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOI97XDt7H
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20w6Kk818b
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLlN0nPPuY
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5qR1IPP80
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKAFUN4ade
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72lejZDETn
"So?" Hanna prompted abruptly. "Could it stop the heat?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDq9tEsJNl
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxff95eNNl
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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYxn5Ycpgl
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGNvQ2Ne0J
Hanna shrugged slightly. "I guess it doesn't matter, that isn't going to happen anyways."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoKzmk9AUp
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4kxsfxztS
"What?" Ethan lifted his head up to get a better look at her.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2dzq0uqaQ
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvap8928IhZ
"Let's just say it'll be a while before my birth control wears off," Hanna answered dismissively, distracted by her own thoughts.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITmB2UE00O
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9bDHs9siZ
"Oh," Ethan uttered in a small voice, her answer driving home how idiotic he'd been.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ495CEIq1qH
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnojrHJde1
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?156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwynLRj87U6
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEE88AoS0Ml
Hanna noticed his troubled expression. "Ethan? Is that a problem?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN39ydnJGE8
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPryAAIGc0f
"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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHyZEhByy4
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3oLYKl9lH
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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM59JDI9U04
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEhLVXocWr
Ethan still looked troubled. "You're sure?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59Hy7wi5gS
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBrDZA4zYi
"I'm certain," Hanna reassured him confidently.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShnIs6zC47
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupL4hVS156
"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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wIhF0iPd6
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHCHLeBeTl
Hanna smiled suggestively. "I don't mind."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo299uyAI1U
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVWLCsG91D
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUKCFFf2Uu
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmHzVmGCOq
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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIhgwjftiP
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5EGnHOxxj
"Twenty to twenty three months usually," Ethan corrected her.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KfVh9kNa9
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4sOKNPeMR
"And aren't the heat cycles a lot shorter?" Hanna asked.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1M7x81sEzL
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CHO090xp1
"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?"156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbpvPbVnk7
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOhg7JdA0r
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."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDX9u2FJRb
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5q8mg1JsVW
"Okay?" Ethan replied uncertainly.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HoFAjFOVC
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSjU2PJJUp
Hanna sat up and stretched out her arms. "I'm going to go clean up."156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MrPymdCCP
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXz8BhpX1B
"Okay," Ethan mumbled, pulling to blanket over himself.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8ejISkhm1
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTJKaCRjDO
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5q9BbOS6r
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRShw6WrGDR
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.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDyHxy2MAV
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn1xQpeUqb
He doesn't enjoy it, even now, she thought sadly. How's he going to be in a week?156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeaHS0IqI6
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8mpm7yRdD
She'd never heard the heats could be dangerous, for the Charax at least. She hoped she wasn't wrong about that.156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hpxvd7kTV
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
