111. Ready Whenever You Are

It's hot ....why is it so hot?' Niel thought to himself as he slowly awoke, squinting his eyes at the bright light shining through his iris.

"I must have forgottten to switch the lights off." He spoke, feeling his voice heavy from sleep and was about to stretch out his body from the fatigue he felt but stopped at the slight firm hold on him.

'Koala possession every night it seems...' He smiled at the sight of Elric's arms and legs circling him.

'Shit!" His eyes flew wide open. "I was supposed to wait for him before bed. I must have been too tired and fell asleep right away.'

Niel's thoughts drifted to the previous consecutive days when he'd laboured himself in his grandparent's farm, hoping to leave a little work done for them. As much as they looked used to physical work, he wanted to ease up their workload before heding back to the city. Elric had been adamant about staying behind, insisting they return together eventhough most of the day, he'd spend doing house chores, picking up wild fruits and exploring the surrounding area. Despite the unfamiliar territry and rigorous routine, it still amazed Niel how quickly Elric had adapted to the daily activities, only complaining of taking on house chores, which he executed badly that Niel constantly had to proofcheck his work.

They neither had a washing mashine nor a dishwasher hence most of the work were done by hand. Having to juggle up between helping his grandparents out and going through Elric's share of responsibilities, Niel knew his body was bound to shut down someday.

Despite a filled up day, they'd spend the evenings togther exploring the area which Elric seemed to enjoy. He'd declared his stay here was the longest time he'd been surrounded by a vast land of nature and trees tall enough he couldn't see a few metres from him. It was then that Niel remembered the first time he'd payed a visit to Elric's home and was warned how quickly Elric got startled for he'd jumped at any movement in the bushes, or whenever the wind would begin to blow abruptly on the onset of a heavy downpour.

Luckily, they needn't worry about meeting a few wild animals except for the ocational squirrels and rabbits that hid as soon as they sensed anyone's movements. As for those to avoid, Niel was quick enough to pick up any sounds and scents put out as a warning. After all, he'd grown up in this area, calling it his first home.

Most of the nights, they'd go to bed together with Elric upon bidding his grandparents goodnight but the weight of not finding a job yet filled his mind with worry. Perhaps while pondering over the matter, he had drifted off to slumber while waiting for Elric.

'Thankfully, my physical labour ends soon. I'm sure the amount of covered area should be enough to ease up the work for my grandparents so I can return to the city as soon as possible. Staying here gave me some clarity and a break from life but if I stick around longer, it would be harder to leave.'

His back had been facing Elric the entire time. Somehow, everytime he'd shared a bed with his fated, hed awoken spooned by him and trapped at the same time.

Turning slowly, he raised his body gently and released himself from Elric's hold, glad he hadn't woken or startled him from his sleep.

'How can he sleep like this every night when he has more to worry than myself? All I ever think about is my grandparent's health and finding a job yet I hardly sleep well while he has the entire weight of his family with both Yeon's and Mora's case in his mind? ...Or maybe he is used used to this lifestyle? to it?'

Shaking his head to send the thoughts away, he laid down slowly, gently pushing his fated's limbs and arms just so his body's weight wouldn't entirely rest in them thereby restricting proper circulation.

He quietly listened the Elric's slow breathing, observing his changing facial expressions as if he were deeply submerged in his dreams.

'So it has began. I did feel it faintly when I parted from him for a week. Was that me missing him? Perhaps I've began yearning for him already? Nah... He would have sensed it and made me aware of it immediately...

Wait!

Did I just consider missing this guy a possibility?

Shit...but it's not like I wasn't already doomed when we became fated.'

Tapping Elric's lower lip and pressing on it slightly, Niel smiled at himself yet again. 'Of all people, it had to be him. The guy who fucked everything and anything alive. To think he wants and enjoys me dominating him...

I did a lot of play with Mijin but not as much as I've done with him. Mijin was my dominant. From his constant bragging, Mijin was definately his sub... and now I'm currently dominating him.

What a twisted turn of events...'

Letting out a low laugh, Niel thought. 'I can't even wrap my head around the irony of it all.'

Suddenly, Elric frowned in his sleep and groaned a little.

'He is so predictable, dreaming of something extremely perverted I guess.' Chuckling, he added to himslelf. 'I must be the biggest pushover I've ever met. First I did everything Mijin asked and ended up turning into someone I hate the most, and this guy made me perverted that I find myself taking time to work on new ways to spice up our play.

Has this been my purpose all along?

Why can't I be a protective marker like others? ...Or just like Stan's protective instinct over Yeon, mine is to submit to my lovers wishes?

Shit.

This guy submits to me every time when in fact, I'm at his beck and call."

Niel halted his thoughts when Elric groaned again.

'I'm I letting out scent? Is that why he is reacting like this?' Sniffing himself, he dismissed the idea for his scent had been too faint to react to. 'Or perhaps he is just this sensitive...'

Niel enjoyed the sight of Elric flinching as he tested out different scents on him, each bringing a different reaction. Smiling, sulking, frowning. 'So this is what scent manipulation is?'

Just then, his senses became alert for he too could feel something from Elric, a familiar sensation in the form of yearning. Without thinking, he advanced foreword and planted a gentle kiss on his fated's lips, slowly responding to Elric's need for him with a particular scent.

'Wait, why did I just do that? And why are his lips so hot? This bastard is going into heat!'

"Hey...Elric..." Niel whispered. "Wake up."

Elric only groaned but his eyes were still shut.

"Elric..." Niel called out once more.

"I was having...a good dream. Why did you wake me up?" Elric croaked. slowly opening his eyes and upon setting his eyes on Niel, his cunning grin formed on his face. "Babe, fell asleep without me..."

"Sorry, I was feeling fatigued... Oh, and I think you are going into heat."

Elric laughed as if dismissing that thought. "I don't think so. It doesn't feel like it, though, I am feeling kinda hot."

Placing his palm on Elric's forehead and comparing the feel of it to his, Niel gasped. "Hey, you're burning up. Are you sure youre feeling okay?"

"I was having a terrible headache before bed but..."

"Damn it." Niel jumped out of bend and threw a shirt at Elric to put on. "I knew this was going to happen eventually if you came here."

Elric inquired why Niel was panicking but was advised to lay back to bed and followed obediently. After putting the shirt on, he watched Niel leave the room and return with his grandparents in a short while. They did the same action, placing their palm on his forehead and comparing it to theirs just as Niel did earlier.

"Well it's the middle of the night. Can you use your scent to comfort him till morning then we'll rush him to hospital at first light?" His grandfather spoke, throwing a concerned look to Niel.

"What's going on?" Elric asked, his voice still cracking a bit.

"Seems you've been keeping quiet about your deteriorating health status. How long have you been feeling like this my dear?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just tired. I should be fine after resting a little..."

"No wonder when you left, he couldn't even lift an axe to help me clear the weeds off the farm. I assumed he'd been raised up too spoiled. Turns out he is just unwell."

Seeing the look of confusion on Elric's face, Niel clarified. "The weather is different here and it rains all the time. We swam in the river a couple of times too in the cold. There is a chance your body might not have adapted well to the change of scenery."

"Are you feeling nausea...or do you have a rumbling or running tummy?"

"Perhaps a loss in appetite?"

"No. He eats for two since he came here so that can't be it." Niel's grandfather concluded. "But wait, it couldn't be that you are already pregnant now could it? If you were to fall ill, you'd have been sick after a week or two of being here, but since it's already been months..."

"No. Thats' impossible!" Niel refuted the idea vehemently. "His womb still has two more months left to mature."

"How do you know?" Niel's grandmother retorted. "Anything can happen seven months post marking and onwards."

"Indeed, but that would be risky."

"Wait, wait! I'm sorry, what?" Elric asked, shifting to Niel and then smiled.

Ignoring Elric's look, Niel turned to his grandparents. "I already confirmed the status of his womb through a knot and it apppears normal, but it's absurd to think of a pregnancy..."

"Knotting?" Both his grandparents asked.

"Yes. Both of us haven't gone to the hospital since the marking. I had to make sure he was okay...in there..."

"Elric briefed us of your complicated circumstances while you were away but still, as fateds, you should have prioritized health first. Nowerdays, a lot of complications come up last minute during womb maturity for marked males. A womb is not something we are born with. That's why for female markers, they too visit the hospital to follow up on the changers in their genitalia."

"I won't fault you Nelnel for knotting your partner but you should know how painful it can be if his womb is still in that growing stage. You two should have paid a visit to the hospital before coming here, despite the circumstances of what brought about your fateship."

Turning to his pair, Niel's grandfather assured. "My dear, that's how we used to do it in the past without all these technologies. It's more natural and our Nelnel was only performing his duty using a traditional technique."

Suddenly, all the three gazes turned to Elric, whose silence had been quite too loud.

"Are you scared?" Niel's grandmother asked.

"I think you should ask Nelnel that." Elric gestured with his hand.

"Oh my." Niel's grandmother gasped when he saw the frightened look on his grandson's face. "You knew this was bound to happen as soon as you got intimate..."

"But it's way too early grandma..."

"Then you have to care for him more. It's going to be more complicated especially for him from now on."

"Or perhaps he is just ill..." Niel refuted the idea of Elric being expectant.

"Well, he has been eating for two as I said before...and he eats a lot." Niel's grandfather pointed out. "He was craving a lot of wild fruits that we walked miles to bring them from the market."

"We musn't speculate grandpa. That is just how he eats. Tomorrow we have to go to the hospital. He does have a feaver..." Niel replied.

"But we don't have a doctor for fated mates here. And even worse, can you imagine him being pregnant and ill at the same time? A sheltered person like him, he won't survive here long. His health will begin detoriating from now, if it alredy hasn't began yet. Your scent won't be enough. Taking him to the hispital would have only worked if it was only his feaver alone but a presumed pregnancy just complicated things."

"Then we have to leave tomorrow morning back to the city..."

"But I like it here." Elric complained. "It's a break from the rush in the city and a break from the stressful expectations from my family."

"Well Nelnel, there is a way you can find out if he is indeed pregnant so we can rule out him catching a mare cold. We taught you all these when you were a child..."

"Nope! I can't do that again."

"What is it?" Elric asked.

"He has to knot you again. If you bleed out, it's a negative but if you don't, that just means your womb has already began preparing to nurture a life within you. The walls in the uterus normally thicken, it's blood vessels expanding to provide proper nourishment to a growing life hence you wont bleed if you are indeed expectant."

"How long ago did he knot you?"

"He...bled then." Niel answered in Elric's stead, who appeared to have been unaware of it.

"Nelnel, if that is the case then don't mind giving you two some privacy tonight."

"It is indeed going to hurt." Niel's grandfather nodded while looking at his wife then back at Elric.

"I don't mind getting hurt." Elric declared.

"My goodness I love him everyday!" Niels grandmother exclaimed excitedly. "I also prefer the natural way as opposed to all these medicines I can't keep up with."

"Then what if he is actually sick? It would be pointless..."

"And what if he is pregnant Nelnel?" His grandmother rhetorted. "Then we'll be able to know which direction to follow. Either way, if he is indeed expectant, you two can stay here a few days longer and if he is sick, then you can leave tomorrow for a fated mates doctor in the city.

"I agree. I want to know my status too." Elric said.

"See. Your fated doesn't oppose the idea despite him being the one who'll hurt. Why are you always overthinking that brain of yours?"

"Fine then." Niel agreed halfhartedly. "We don't have to wait till tomorrow to make a decision. Is tomorrow evening okay with you?"

"Tomorrow evening? How about tonight?" Elric asked.

"Hey Elric, its the middle of the night..."

"I think I left my axe in the farm, with my poor eyesight, I doubt I would find it alone." Niel's grandfather spoke suddenly.

Opening the door to exit, his wife added before closing it behind them. "Let me help you dear. I may have forgotten a couple of things in the shed too."

Once alone, Niel looked at a smilling Elric and sighed exasperatedly.

"I'm ready whenever you are Zaddy."