Page 31 of Malek

One morning almost a week and a half into his stay at Whitfell, Axel woke up feeling nauseated and made a run to the bathroom. He tried keeping Malek away, but his mate–that had gotten easier to say, and think—followed him in.

And even though to Axel mate had always meant friend, and he would have probably called Malek his boyfriend in the past, somehow he couldn’t think of the man as anything other than his mate.

Axel realised that there was a difference between dating, and what he had with Malek.

When the person you were with could literally feel everything you did, it brought a level of closeness and companionship he’d never experienced.

Axel had always kind of felt lonely. Yes, he had his siblings, and he loved them, they were his best friends in the world, but still there was just this part of him that felt like something was missing.

And he hadn’t understood what it was until Malek’s soul entwined with his. He always knew Malek was close by even when he wasn’t. That feeling was indescribable.

Malek rubbed his back as Axel hurled his guts out.

He looked at his mate, “I think I have food poisoning.”

Malek frowned, “You had the cottage pie yesterday, I would have smelled if it was off.”

“Well, your nose must be off, because…” before Axel could say another word he was hit with another bout of puking. “Oh bugger, I feel minging,” Axel moaned again when he was done retching. This time it was mostly bile and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He rested on the cold toilet, hoping he wouldn’t have to puke again, because he was definitely on empty.

When he glanced at Malek, his mate was looking at him with a thoughtful look on his face.

“What if it’s not food poisoning?” Malek said, his tone hesitant.

Since Axel hadn’t puked in almost five minutes he sat up. His belly didn’t revolt, so he started to get to his feet and Malek helped him up, and led him to the sink. His mate even went as far as putting toothpaste on his brush and handing it to him.

Before he started brushing, he met Malek’s gaze in the mirror, “You were saying, what if it’s not food poisoning…”

Malek nodded, and Axel saw the worried look in his mate’s eyes.

He didn’t speak until he’d spat out the first time. He held his toothbrush to his lips, but didn’t start to brush again, “So what could it be?”

Axel went back to cleaning his teeth and his tongue especially, wanting to get the vile taste out of his mouth, although mixing mint and bile, somehow made him feel like gagging, but he pushed through.

When he spat out again, he noticed Malek hadn’t answered his question, and when he looked at his mate in the mirror, he looked frozen, and that look was back in his eyes.

He focused on Malek’s emotions and he was feeling agitation, but it warred with hope. Was he reading that wrong?

Axel turned and walked into his mate's arms, “Hey your emotions are everywhere babe, what’s wrong.”

Malek's arms went around Axel immediately, but he was still hesitant. When he spoke, it felt like he was speaking to a wild animal, trying to calm it down.

Which was weird since Axel was pretty calm.

“Well,” Malek began, “There is another alternative for your symptoms, or I guess I should say symptom.”

Axel head tilted to the side, thoughtfully, “It’s not flu season, so it can’t be that.”

“Not the flu, this one lasts significantly longer than the flu,” Malek sighed.

“Babe, you’re speaking in circles, can you please just spit it out,” Axel said.

“You could be pregnant,” Malek blurted.

Axel froze immediately, his mind racing. In his mind now he knew it was something that could happen, but also it was so far fetched that a part of him didn’t dwell on it, while simultaneously thinking about it.

It was a weird mixture of thinking about it, believing it was possible, and ignoring it and feeling it was too fantastical.