Chapter 27
A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back, with the next chapter! :D
Yuma and his beloved are finally out of the hospital, but with everything they have discovered now, how will they do, once they get home again?
Maria: THANK YOU so much, for continuously leaving reviews on my story! It makes me so happy to know that others are still enjoying the weird story of my imagination! xD
Anyway. I hope you enjoy, my lovely readers!
Please, don't forget to R&R ! :)
= 27 =
= 27 =
= 27 =
= 27 =
= 27 =
He couldn't sleep. He was feeling hot and uncomfortable. He sighed and turned on to his side, staring at the peacefully slumbering figure of his partner.
Boldly, he moved a hand and ran his fingers ever so lightly down the arm that was most exposed.
He felt a tingle as he caressed cooler skin, but afraid he would wake him up, he soon retracted his hand once more.
Then he sighed and turned back around again, rising from the hammock and heading downstairs, into the larger bedroom.
Since their visit to Astral World, the alien had become capable of moving further away from the golden key, than he had been before.
He was unsure of why that was, but he assumed it had to do with the pregnancy and him still being solid, despite the time that had passed since his time ended.
He still couldn't leave the house without the key being with him, but the limit of his free movement area had increased to the point where he could go to the bottom of the staircase which lead to the living room, without Yuma having to come along.
It was a good thing for them, seeing as Astral tended to get hungry, or need the bathroom, during the night, and in this way, he didn't have to wake Yuma up every time he had to go.
He could move the same distance away from Yuma outside the house as well, like when they were at school, but he rarely ever did. He much preferred remaining near his other half, still uncomfortable at the looks and attention he continuously received when they were out in public.
He shivered involuntarily at the thought, then glanced around him. First, he looked at the school-uniforms laid out on what was supposed to be Yumas bed, but which hardly ever functioned as anything but storage space.
Then he shook his head and looked around for the snacks which they had started bringing to the room every night, in case he got hungry, quickly spotting them on Yumas' desk.
"Thank you, Yuma" he thought to himself, grateful that the young man had placed the snacks in plain view. Moistening his lips, he sat down in the office-chair in front of the desk and grabbed an apple. They had discovered that he preferred fresh fruit, over rice or vegetables.
He himself, hadn't been surprised at that. The rice was a heavy snack, compared to the fruit. And saltier, usually, as well. Astral preferred it sweet.
Like this apple. It had a beautiful red color, and its juice was cool and sugary. It satisfied some strange need within him, which he wasn't sure where hailed from.
Once he'd finished the apple, he grabbed a few of the crackers as well, before heading out the room, aiming for the bathroom.
He felt a, by now, familiar urge surfacing, though it wasn't urgent yet, and as he was hoping he'd be able to sleep once he returned to the attic, he figured he might as well go and get some relief, before attempting it again.
As he sat down, just like Yuma had told him to, his thoughts started circling around their most pressing dilemma once again.
It had been a week since they came back from the hospital, and Yuma was almost back to his old self, attending school again and receiving extra classes to catch up on what he had missed.
He still had some issues with tiring easily, but his appetite was as big as ever and he still enjoyed playing the duel game on his phone, even as he didn't have much time to duel with his friends for real, at the moment.
Astral appreciated that though. He was worried actual A.R.V. duels might still be too challenging for Yuma, physically and mentally, so it pleased him that Yuma wasn't foolish enough to attempt them yet.
But despite all this, the two of them still hadn't found the courage to inform Haru and Kari of their secret.
He placed a hand on his stomach, sighing quietly.
"You sure give us a lot of worries already little one" he whispered "and you're barely even a couple of months old. I wonder what it will be like later on? And once you get here…".
He closed his eyes and once more reached out for the tiny spark of life inside him.
It was still there, just like it had been every time, since he started attempting to reach it. It couldn't reach back, but he felt that it was there.
He swallowed, then wiped and rose again, moving to the sink where he started washing his hands. The whole house was quiet, except for the sound of the running water. Astral liked that time of night. When no one was sending him strange glances or asking him questions.
It was the most peace he could find in this still, to him, alien world, despite the years he'd spend in it by now. And Astral valued peace.
Suddenly, the blue-skinned being felt a pang of fear so powerful, it made him lean heavily against the sink, his heartbeat picking up speed rapidly.
Next thing he knew, he felt more than heard the panicked calling across the shimmering bond he shared with…
"Yuma!" he cried out, quickly turning off the water and drying his hands in the nearest towel, before busting out of the door and flying back to Yumas bedroom as fast as he could.
The fright he felt was clear as day and he was almost certain he knew what had caused it. At least, he hoped it was only that, and not something more… sinister.
As he came into the bedroom, he could hear the gasps coming from the attic instantly and pushing the door shut behind him with a foot, he quickly moved to the hatch and up into the attic, whilst calling for his partner.
"Yuma, Yuma! I'm on my way, please, calm down! Yuma!" he said and then he popped through the hatch and glanced around him.
Yuma was sitting in the hammock, eyes wide and shining with fear. He was hyperventilating, one hand clutching the key around his neck and the other, the blanket covering his groin, tightly.
Astral groaned inwardly. This really did seem to be the same as all the other times.
Quietly, he flew over to the hammock, hovering in front of Yumas eyes as he reached him, and placing a hand over that of Yumas', which was holding the key.
"Yuma, my love. Breathe. Remember to breathe. Nice, deep breaths. And long, slow exhales. Come on my love, breathe with me now" he said tenderly and started the usual rituals.
After several, long minutes, Yuma finally seemed to calm down and once he did, he fell back in the hammock, groaning with pain and blushing with shame.
"There we go" Astral said caringly and moved until he could lie down next to Yuma, face to face.
Yumas eyes were closed, so Astral moved a hand slowly to his partners chest, feeling the young mans' heartbeat beneath his palm.
It was still more rapid than what was normal, but it was slowing little by little.
He also felt cold-sweat on the otherwise warm skin, and he knew, without a doubt, that this had been one of the worse anxiety attacks, Yuma had experienced.
"Are you feeling better now Yuma?" he asked softly, moving a hand to caress Yumas bare arm with slow, calming fingers, as he observed him. Yuma nodded slowly.
"Where were you?" he then asked, not with any blame in his voice, only tiredness.
"I could not sleep, so I went downstairs to get a bit to eat. Then I went to the bathroom for a short while. I was going to return here before long, and I know we have school for the full day tomorrow, so I didn't want to wake you. Forgive me, my love" Astral replied, moving his head to kiss Yumas forehead briefly, before relaxing again.
"You were gone… I had the nightmare again and I woke up and… and you were gone. You weren't here… You weren't here!" Yuma cried out, voice shivering with emotions.
"I know Yuma… I know. I am sorry" Astral responded, still looking at his other half.
A few moments later, Yuma suddenly opened his eyes again and his red, locked on Astrals gold and silver. "From now on, you wake me every time you leave, okay? I… I felt so scared when you weren't there… Just like… in my dream…" the young man said, before his voice broke and he silenced.
"If you wish me to, I will do as you ask my love. Though I do not myself, find it a clever idea. You need to sleep properly, whenever you have the chance. We may not be in the hospital anymore, but you ARE still recovering, after all" Astral commented, but Yuma just told him to shut up, and then inched closer to him, until he could place an arm around the aliens' waist.
His other hand, he put under his head, to lie better in the hammock, which swung lightly from side to side after his moving about.
"I don't care. Wake me Astral, you got that?" he mumbled, eyes now closed again and head resting near Astrals shoulder.
"Of course, Yuma" the alien responded, sighing lightly afterwards.
He felt more tired now, than he had before. Surely now, he'd be able to sleep a bit, before they'd have to get up again, to prepare for school…
"Hey… Hey, you! Astral!" Yuma whispered, eyes on the distant-looking alien beside him.
Astral was playing with a pencil between his fingers, seemingly not paying any attention to their sensei.
Yuma frowned, then poked his partner with an elbow.
"Astral!" he whispered again and this time, the other seemed to jolt slightly in his chair, before turning his head to look at the other. "Are you feeling alright?" Yuma asked in a low voice and Astral blinked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he responded, in an equally lowered tone.
"You seem… kind of far away" Yuma commented, glancing at the textbook between them, trying to keep track of where they were in it, as well as what might be going on with his pregnant lover.
"Oh, I do?" Astral replied, lowering his eyes again and staring at the pencil still in his hand.
"Yeah, you do" Yuma said, frowning now. "So, what's up?".
Astral sighed. "I guess I'm just worried" he replied.
"About what?" Yuma asked.
"Well… We've been out of the hospital for more than two weeks now and we still… Haven't told your family about… You know what" the alien responded.
"Well, we're in no hurry, right? I mean, we've still got plenty of time to go on, don't we? Nothing is gonna show for another month or more, if it ever will, considering your… origin. So, I just figured… We'd do it when the timing felt right" Yuma said, blushing faintly at his own insecurity and anxiousness in telling his grandma and sister.
"Yuma… They should be told soon… We may not have as much time as you think" the blue being responded, making Yumas frown deepen.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Astral swallowed, then lifted his head and looked at him.
"I have read that human females are pregnant for 40 weeks, meaning 10 months. But Astralians usually carry their child for far less. In fact, it is as little as 24 weeks, or 6 months. And considering that in our case, it is me, the Astralian, that is carrying the child, we have to be prepared for a potentially shortened pregnancy" the alien replied, making Yumas eyes widen slightly.
"So, what you mean is… You could give birth almost 4 months earlier than a human would?" he asked and Astral nodded.
"But, but… the child is going to be half-human as well. So, how high of a risk is there for that happening?" Yuma now asked, eyes still locked on Astral.
"I would say a fairly high one Yuma. Perhaps not after 6 months, but I do not believe it will be much longer than that. Maybe 7, but that is only because the child, as you state, will be half human too. The 6 months is how long it takes for an Astralian child to develop fully and prepare itself to be born.
The one to give birth, is not the only one who is risking life during the delivery. The child too, may suffer, for it will spend energy on being born, just like the one birthing it will spend energy, giving birth.
And it can be quite overwhelming to come into the world, especially for an Astralian child, who by nature, is far more mentally developed when it is given life, than any human one will ever be" the blue being replied, making Yuma scratch the back of his head somewhat nervously at his partners serious expression.
"Well, good thing it's half human as well then. Maybe it won't be as challenging for it, than if it had been purely Astralian" he said, his voice too, reflecting his current nervousness. He was insecure about how to react to Astrals words.
His other half was most definitely being very serious, and what he was mentioning seemed to worry him greatly, so how was Yuma supposed to react?
"Maybe" Astral repeated, lowering his head again and once more focusing on his pencil. "But because of these uncertainties, I think we should tell your family about the child as soon as possible… Today, if we can".
Yuma jolted in his chair at that proclamation, but after a few moments, he turned away from Astral and sighed quietly.
"Oh… alright then Astral… Maybe we can do it at dinner" he replied, voice barely audible.
"After all, I have school until 5 today" he added, before he silenced and seemed to focus on the class once more.
He didn't though. He couldn't. Not when all his thoughts now circled around what, and how, to tell Kari and Grandma, once they got home…