Bloom

When the migraine struck, River was it's prisoner, quite helpless in his cage of pain. He was blinded with flashing spots and craved darkness, not even the underground Limbo could provide. Overwhelming nausea caused by the pulsing in his skull would threaten the mystic to expel whatever his last meal had been. The pain throbbed so violently around the flower. The roots fighting for dominance over the usual buds he'd usually blossom. The beautiful pink and orange petals were no more and the flora that occupied the space was a deep rich blue and to his dismay, only a fourth of its full-grown size. If such a small plant caused so much distress he dreaded the increasing pain to come once it was in full bloom. However, it was temporary and was worth every moment for a lifetime of joy and the laughter of a child.

The agony overwhelming but the determination to share the development of the flower kept him from resting in bed. Instead, his head lay against the table although unhygienic to have his matted hair scattered out where they ate. The stability of the wood gave him some relief. Since the sprouting, greeting his husband with the usual shower of kisses and queries of the day’s event has been far and few in-between. Only doing so when he felt well enough to move from their bed.

The creaking of the front door felt like a banshee shrieking in his ear. Aggravating the pulsing in his head. How he cursed his senses for being amplified making simple sounds and smells overwhelmingly uncomfortable. Lazily he lifted his head from the table. A timid smile spread across his features as a means to greet his partner, while the Witch-man joyful expression quickly shifted to one of concern. “Thou hast to rest, back to bed.I get what thou needs” The stress in his voice was apparent to River but it wasn’t enough to warrant a protest in his usual way.

“Ah, Husband of mine,” Fingers traced along with the pattern of the wooden table. Avoiding his gaze as to not feel the guilt that would come with making Aphrah worry so much. He doted on him since the pressure in his skull began least he’d want is to cause further distress in the man he loved so dearly. “What I want is you.” With arms outstretched beckoning the submissionary.

“I know thou well, husband thy jokes encave the agony thou suffer. 'lest well please return to rest” Persistent yet soft in his request, it made River’s refusal more difficult. Aphrah was a compassionate man but not a pushover when it came to what he held dear. Many arguments had birthed from this trait yet, it was one he adored greatly.

“My arms grow tired holding them out, sit and I’ll explain.” Again met with failure in his protest. Aphrah hadn’t budged from his spot. “If you find my reason unsatisfactory I will go back to bed to ease your mind. A fair compromise?” strenuous pain from holding his arms up forced him to put them down but it wasn’t a sign of yielding in his resolve. Instead, patting his legs to further emphasize his determination.

“I have news about the flower.”

That sentence seemed to draw out his husband’s curiosity the fight Aphrah entered their home with disappeared, evident by his cautious approach, River could tell he was trying to be careful not to squeak any of the boards a fault not of his own it still caused him to wince. The witches hand extended but he refused to take it. “Sit please, I’d feel more comfortable with my head resting against your back.” Both were passively stubborn but he held information about their offspring the cards were in his hand. Relenting to River’s demands made himself comfortable in the smaller man’s lap. Heated skin pressed to the cool white fabric with little care of raven strands covering his face. The pain pulsed but weakened merely by contact with his spouse. Allowing him to think clearly. Aphrah was his comfort and by extension, their child must have been soothed by his presence.

“As you left this morning, A voice echoed in my ear,” He paused struggling to reflect on the day’s events. “No, not my ear. It was a voice inside my head. Not my own it was faint speaking in words I didn’t think I could understand.”

“A voice? what didst it say”

“Hush love, I’m not finished” Basic functions were a struggle even holding a smile proved to deplete his energy. However, if he was able to he would have held it. His tone would have been pitched with excitement at the discovery but his words remained monotone.

“It’s not what was said but whom it had come from. She speaks and frequently. Basic demands and emotions but we talk.”

Hiding his shallow breaths from Aphrah proved to be a challenge with him pressed so closely, but the exhaustion of just speaking made winded him just to speak. The flower was zapping so much energy from him

“She?”

“The energy is female but could change as she takes shape. Something she has yet to do however I see she favours you. She cried for so long yet stopped when you walked through the door.” Sparks of blue fluttered around the couple dancing in what River believed to be an expression of the blooms joy. A simple flower on the surface yet expressed human-like emotions.

Increasing pressure against his skull forced a sharp hiss to escape him, the grip around his husband tighten as his body tensed. Branches twisted and turned erratically the migraine from before has been a cake-walk. This pain was insufferable if he hadn’t been tired before he certainly was now.

“What is happening? if thou are suffering such agony please rest” Aphrah’s comforting hand-squeezed against his own. A gentle reminder while he could do little for the pain he was still there.

“It’s okay, she feels you against me but she strays using my own mana to reach out. Her cries and control over my body have pushed me to my physical limits. Resting seems like a fitting option.”