Gath didn’t know what to expect as he walked in. Well, he’d been watching Retvik build his little nest on and off over the last few days, but he hadn’t expected Retvik to end up taking the entirety of the casual living area. He didn’t even know they owned so many pillows and blankets.
“I suppose I should be impressed…”
“You think it is over the top…” Retvik though was not happy. In the middle of the pillow nest was a dip, covered in a plastic sheet, positioned in such a way that any liquids would be unable to run out. Retvik was currently testing this with a small glass of water and a large wad of paper towels.
“Um, maybe?” Gath spoke cautiously. The next three or so weeks were going to be tricky. Once the egg was out, Retvik would calm down a little, but right now the most strenuous thing he was doing was moving cushions around, and any little thing could make Retvik snap and become aggressive. It wasn’t his fault, he was just hormonal.
“It is too much…” Retvik tutted as he started removing some of the pillows, throwing them into a pile. “You need living space as well…” He quickly got tired of moving things around though, and lumbered into the kitchen. As he did so, Gath noticed he was wearing five layers of stomach wrap, rather than the normal two.
Gath followed Retvik into the kitchen. He was hungry. Retvik though was thirsty, and was scanning the fridge for things to drink.
“Should have asked you to get more milk…” Retvik’s mood was not improving. “I drank what we had earlier and the other bottle has not defrosted yet.”
“We can always put the bottle in warm water,” Gath suggested. “May you pass me the mash leftovers? I fancy a small snack.”
Retvik handed over two foil trays, hinting that he was also hungry. After finding nothing satisfying in the fridge, he decided just to have a glass of water. Or two. Or three. Before he knew it, Retvik had downed four and a half glasses of water.
“Do you think we should speak to a medic or something? Get you checked out? Make sure you are healthy?” Gath was getting slightly concerned.
“I do not want to leave this house…” Retvik muttered, finishing off his fifth glass. “I want to stay here where I am safe and comfy and no one can talk to us or bother us.”
“I know, but the last time we got this far, I became a recluse and I do not believe that was healthy for me. And you…”
“Do not bring that up!” Retvik hissed, taking a sip from a sixth glass of water. The flaring emotions had started. “That will not happen! I am going to stay here, in the safety of my own home! Where no Deitic dickhole will harm me!”
“I know, I know, dear…” Gath put on his best soothing voice. “At the very least, will you let me call a medic and get them to come here and check you over?”
Retvik poured himself a seventh glass of water, then decided to stare at it. He had just realised that, not only had he snapped at his partner, but he had also downed six glasses of water with ease.
“Fine. We shall call a medic. Perhaps the nice one Elksia recommended a while back. But they are to come here. I do not want to go out there and be told by half the population of Palaestra that I have put on weight.”
Retvik had finally relented. Gath smiled, just a little. “Very well dear. Thank you for agreeing with me.”
“I am sorry for snapping at you…” Retvik sighed as Gath put his arms around him. “I just feel… so conflicted…”
“I know, my darling. It is fine. I understand…”