179. New Beginnings

"What are you still doing awake? Let's go to bed."

"We've been out all day so let me have my time to work too."

Niel smiled and walked to stand behind Elric to observe what had taken his attention away intently as such. As usual, Elric was startled the moment he heard Niel walking in, something that Niel had noticed with his fated however, upon confronting him why he got startled easily, Elric explained it had been due to his past upbringing.

'Having lived with people who don't want you there, you kind of end up finding a coping mechanism so I learned to watch my back and keep to myself but my uncles and cousins would creep up on me as if I were doing something wrong. My mare presence disturbed them and I was never allowed to lock up the guest room they gave me to stay in.'

"You know it's safe here right? You are happy here."

Taking off his glasses, Elric looked up at his fated and and frowned. "Why are you bringing this up again? Why wouldn't I be safe here, with you and our babies?"

Brushing his fingers onto his fated's long hair, Niel smiled affectionately. He'd suspected Elric would be a little moody especially since they had to cut off their vacation from others after complaining of the pain in his back being persistent. Stan's uncle had checked him and insisted they return back for further tests however, not wanting everyone else to worry about his health, he insisted for them to stay, cutting their trip short but Niel knew his fated would have loved to stay longer with everyone else therefore decided on being accommodative to his mood swings.

"The doctor said you shouldn't push yourself too hard."

"I'm not one to stay idle babe." Elric responded then put on his spectacles back on and kept on at what he was doing.

"What are you looking for?" Niel inquired, pulling a chair to sit beside him.

"A simple case I can take. I need something to distract me from being jealous of everyone else."

Niel smiled on and took his hand from Elric's hair, sliding it to his lower back then put a bit of pressure on it. He noticed the slight discomfort from his fated, who tried to hide the ache he felt as he kept on at his work.

"I'd never have known there was this side of you while we were in collage, in fact, I wouldn't want you to know exactly what I thought of you as a person."

"I'm aware what everyone thought about me. Some rich spoiled brat who was arrogant enough to screw everything that breathed." Shrugging his shoulders, Elric formed a smile and said, "It was true though. If I showed my true self, no one would believe me and with a reputation like that, I had to keep playing the game and it was fun."

"Until I came along."

"Not necessarily. I just wanted to have some fun with your scent when I approached you first. It had felt like some form of addiction, or I was becoming addicted with Mijin constantly smelling like you, then that evening happened."

"How did it feel? I've always been curious."

"Fire....hot....suffocating. I felt like I was being chocked yet at the same time, I liked it."

"You like being choked." Niel stated as a matter of fact to which Elric burst out laughing, swirling his chair to face him.

"I do indeed babe, yet you've denied me any pleasure since we got back. That's why I need a distraction lest I pounce on you and have to force you to do my bidding with my scent."

"I'm back to taking inhibitors."

"Why?" Elric asked, seeming disappointed.

"Until you feel better, there will be nothing rough, no bondage or anything of that sort."

"Boring."

"You don't listen when it comes to serious matters so I have to do this. Who do you think your mom will blame if you don't get better?"

"Eer, me. She hardly believes anything I say to her this days especially after not confiding in her about my speculations on Mora's father's escape." Jabbing his index finger on Niel's chest, Elric emphasized. "You are the favorite son now."

Grabbing onto his finger, Niel took it and put it in his mouth. "Hmm. This inhibitor must be strong. I can't even taste your scent. Tell me how you felt the night of your scent manifestation?"

"Why do you keep asking me that...and turning me on at the same time? Whatever I felt that day I'm beginning to feel it now anyways..."

Niel laughed and stood up, his hand still holding onto Elric's index finger. "Lets go to the room. The twins room is next to your study and I don't want us to wake them up."

"Honestly I'd go with you if we were going to get down and dirty but knowing how uptight you are about my health, I doubt any action is going to take place."

"We are just going to talk more until you fall asleep.:

"Talk about what? How pissed of I am at everyone else having fun except us."

"We can have our vacation later..."

"We never went for our honeymoon you know that? I had to plan my bestfriends entire getaway and that's when it hit me that we've been so busy with everything and everyone else that we forgot ourselves. I want our honeymoon babe. Just you and me."

"Then get better and I'll fulfil every desire of your heart."

"I'm a simpleton. You know the things I like already involve us naked and some vigorous thrusting."

"You'll never change will you?"

"To what babe?" Elric asked rhetorically then stood up and followed behind his fated as they walked to their bedroom. He frisked Niel with his eyes, laughing to himself and how his fated ignored him.

"Can't you sense my yearning despite taking inhibitors?"

"If I could shut it off right now, that would be a good thing." Elric replied as he entered their room and closed the door behind Elric, who walked to wards their bed and slumbered on it. He then flinched again, reaching for his lower back and complained of it's soreness.

"What did the doctor say? The one referred by Dr. Jiwon."

"Nothing serious...just that I can conceive but can't carry to full term."

"What else? Your womb was not exactly matured when you had Luca and Lusha."

"Bearing two lives did take a toll on me I admit. Perhaps if you hadn't fed me enough scent I'd have lost all two lies or even worse, followed Luca and Lusha into the after life."

"Don't say such ominous things like that..."

"It's the truth. I used to think about it all the time when you left me alone and went to apprentice with mom but luckily, I delivered early thanks to your scent exciting the twins. I'd say you saved three lives that day."

"You used to put up a brave front claiming you were fine...that habit, it would worry me sometimes until I began to speculate you trusted me less. I'm glad we can talk freely these days that is why I want to ask you. Do you wish to have more children, apart from the twins that is."

"You mean adopt?"

"I...wait, why did you straight jump into adoption? What exactly did the doctor say concerning your health?"

"I told you it wasn't serious but it appears you are aiming for a larger family..."

"Most definitely not! I was asking you since I can sense it from your yearning... It's something you used to think about even before we had the twins..." Elric laughed and assured Niel he needn't explain himself.

"I do, that's true. Having been an only child, I had no one to talk to when I was alone and often times, I'd admire my cousins and how closely knit they were with each other. Luckily, we made Luca and Lusha so none of them will never have to worry about keeping their thoughts to themselves. If I hadn't met Stan, I'd probably turned out worse than a player." Elric studied his fated closely then concluded, "But you don't want a big family do you...despite being an only child like myself."

"I want what you want, whatever would make you truly and genuinely contended but the thought of seeing you in pain worries me. As you said, I am a worry wort. Your health has become a primary concern of mine that any issues raised about it puts me on edge. I spoke to the doctor while you went to take your prescriptions and she confirmed having another child will put you in danger. You will conceive yes, pregnancy might survive but your condition will worsen as opposed to when you had carried the twins."

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes. I may not be able to perceive your scent but I can sense your yearning. Therefore, if you really want to have a bigger family, I'll be happy for us to adopt as many as you wish."

Elric smiled, touched by his fated's concern. It felt new and fresh at the same time, comforting and bittersweet as well. In truth, this was his fated alright, the person he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. "My dad was right. It does feel amazing to be with the person right for you."

"Pardon?" Niel asked, not understanding his fated's statement.

"I mean there is always an option for surrogacy right?"

"Aha! I forgot about that."

Elric let out a low laugh and stood up to plant a kiss on his fated's lips. "Don't worry. I'm here to remind you since I'm the less worrisome of us two. But if you wish to adopt, it still is a favorable option."