Dan
Ira was babbling something about medical miracles and Grosh reproduction, but Dan's eyes were fixed on Nick. He stood at a corner, looking uneasy, zoned out, as if pulled away from the world. Dan could see the weight of doubts swirling in his mate's mind, and it hit him like a punch in the gut.
Dan could feel Nick's fear, could almost taste his uncertainty, and it frustrated him to no end. He wanted to cross the room, pull Nick into his arms, and reassure him that everything would be fine. But deep down, he knew it wasn't that simple. Dan had let the priming fever take over, and while he didn't regret claiming Nick as his mate, he knew he should've shown more restraint. Nick deserved to understand what was happening to him, to be eased into this new reality, not thrust into it like this.
Nick's fragile human mind was struggling to cope with the drastic transformation his body was undergoing, and Dan knew what it would mean for his future. Yet, it wasn't just his body that had changed. His entire life, everything he'd believed to be true, was now upended. Dan clenched his jaw, hating the distress he felt rolling off Nick in waves. He needed to show Nick that life could be better than this, a life beyond the artificial skies, the concrete jungles, and the barely habitable planet humanity clung to.
"Dan, are you even listening to me?" Ira shrieked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, you're fascinated by the process," Dan replied absently, his gaze still locked on Nick.
Ira huffed, crossing her arms. "Fascinated? Dan, he's freaking out. You should've seen his face when he looked at his ultrasound."
Dan's jaw tightened. The thought of Nick being scared or upset tore at him. "I'll take care of him," he said curtly.
"Okay, good. And I—"
Dan didn't wait to hear the rest. He was already walking toward Nick.
Stopping in front of him, Dan tilted Nick's chin up gently, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Look at me," he demanded softly.
Nick's voice was small, trembling. "I didn't sign up for this."
"It was inevitable," Dan replied, though he winced inwardly at his own words. Wrong thing to say. He should apologize, but the concept felt foreign to him. Dan had never apologized before not out of pride, but because he'd never cared enough about anyone to regret his actions. Nick, however, was different. Nick mattered.
"Why do you keep saying that?" Nick's voice cracked, his frustration boiling over. "It doesn't make me feel better. Life has never been kind to me, and now it's found a new way to screw with me." He shoved at Dan's chest, but Dan didn't budge.
Dan grabbed Nick's hands firmly but gently, stopping his frantic movements. "Why are you fighting this?" he asked, his voice low and steady. "Accept your fate. It'll be easier more pleasurable."
Nick froze, staring at him like he'd grown two heads. "How can you say that so casually? Do you have any idea what it's like to have your body changed, your organs altered for someone else's benefit?" His voice wavered, and Dan saw his eyes glisten with unshed tears.
"My body changed too," Dan said quietly. "For you."
Nick blinked, his anger giving way to confusion. "What?"
Dan nodded. "The pin...the thing that grabbed you last night? It doesn't develop until a Grosh primes to an omega."
Nick's eyes darted to Ira, who was undoubtedly eavesdropping on every word. Dan didn't care. His focus was on Nick, and Nick alone.
Even as Nick's fear lingered, Dan could sense a shift, a glimmer of something else. Was it arousal? The memory of last night flashed between them like a live wire, and Dan felt his resolve waver. God, what he wouldn't give to show Nick how amazing it could be to surrender to their bond.
Dan leaned in slowly, giving Nick the chance to move away. When he didn't, Dan brushed their lips together, soft and tentative at first. Nick didn't pull back; instead, he leaned into the kiss, his body relaxing as their lips melded. Dan deepened the kiss, savoring the warmth, the taste of his mate, the intoxicating connection that only grew stronger.
When Dan pulled back, Nick's breathing was uneven, his frustration visibly lessened.
"This isn't going to help," Nick muttered, though his tone lacked conviction.
"But it did, didn't it?" Dan whispered, his voice like velvet.
Nick sighed, his gaze lingering on Dan's lips as if contemplating another kiss. But he stopped himself, shaking his head slightly. "What's next, Dan?"
"I want to take you with me to Grosh," Dan said, his voice firm.
"What? Why?" Nick's eyes widened in alarm.
"It's for the best."
"Hold on," Nick said, stepping back with his hands up defensively. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm not leaving my home planet!"
"Nick, don't be stupid," Dan said, stepping closer as Nick retreated.
Nick glared at him. "I'm not leaving! I'm not going to some alien planet hundreds of light-years away!"
"Three hundred thousand light-years, actually. But Grosh doesn't see space distance the way humans do. Besides, Jenovaterra isn't even your home planet. Humans destroyed Earth long ago, they're just squatting here until they deplete this planet too."
Nick's expression darkened. "You talk about humans like we're parasites. How do you expect me to trust you when you hate my people?"
"I don't hate humans," Dan said simply. "I'm stating facts. But there's more to the universe than NEAE. Come with me, and I'll show you."
"What if I don't want to come with you?" Nick said, his tone almost challenging—or perhaps hinting at a possibility he wanted Dan to consider.
There wasn't much that scared Dan not the vastness of the universe, nor the thought of its eventual end. But this... this terrified him. The thought of being separated from his mate, of not having Nick by his side, sent a deep ache through him. Yet, Dan knew he had to respect Nick's wishes if he wanted any hope of truly winning him over.
"There is a way to reverse the Priming," Dan said, his voice steady despite the dread clawing at him as he revealed the truth.
"An anti-venom, of sorts."
"Anti-venom?" Nick asked, his interest piqued.
"Yes," Dan replied. "When a Grosh is dying or close to death their venom changes. If that venom is injected into their mate, it can reverse the Priming bond. You'd be free of me. Your body would return to its original state."
Nick stared at him in shock. "So... you'd literally have to die for me to be free of you?"
"Do you want to be free of me?" Dan asked, the ache in his chest deepening as he spoke.
Nick's voice softened, tinged with uncertainty. "It doesn't matter. I can't kill you."
Dan's tone turned serious, and he placed a hand gently on Nick's face. "Do you want to be free, Nick?"
"I don't want you to die," Nick whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Death is a better option than forcing you into this relationship," Dan said, his words weighted with conviction. "I'm not afraid of death. No Grosh is."
Nick frowned, confusion flickering across his face. "Why?"
"It's not a conversation for right now. There's a lot you don't know about the Grosh yet... but you will, eventually, if you choose to stay with me," Dan said, his voice softer now. "But Nick, as I was saying, if you want to end this, if you want to be free, then the choice is yours. You can have your old life back."
Nick drew in a shaky breath. "You've put me in an impossible position."
Dan's gaze bore into him. "Would you have ended this if my death wasn't part of the equation?"
"I... I can't answer that," Nick stammered, his uncertainty palpable.
"Nick," Dan said firmly, his tone commanding. "Stop evading the question and just answer it. Be honest."
Nick squeezed his eyes shut, his thoughts racing. Then, in an unexpected burst of emotion, he threw his arms around Dan, clutching him tightly.
"When are we leaving?" Nick asked, his voice muffled against Dan's chest.
Dan felt his heart lurch at Nick's unexpected embrace, his arms instinctively wrapping around his mate's trembling form. He could feel the rapid thrum of Nick's heartbeat against his chest, a chaotic rhythm that mirrored the storm of emotions Dan himself was struggling to contain. Relief washed over him in waves, but he knew this was only the beginning of their journey.
"Are you sure?" Dan asked softly, his voice low and careful, not wanting to spook Nick.
Nick buried his face against Dan's chest, his voice muffled but resolute. "I don't know. And I can't pretend that I don't want you. That I havn't imagined a life with you. It's scary but there have been more scary things I have done...this is the only time I am more excited than nervous.
Dan's hand moved to the back of Nick's head, his fingers threading through his hair. He knew what this decision cost Nick—what it meant for him to leave behind the life he knew, the safety of what was familiar. "I'll make this right, Nick. I promise. You'll see it's worth it."
Nick pulled back just enough to meet Dan's gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's not just about you making it worth it, Dan. I need to find a way to be okay with this... to accept myself, not just... this bond."
Dan nodded, his grip on Nick tightening for a brief moment. "You will. I'll be with you every step of the way."
A throat cleared behind them, breaking the intimate moment. Both turned to see Ira standing a few feet away, arms crossed and an impatient look on her face.
"Are you two done with your melodrama?" she asked, though her tone was more teasing than annoyed. She turned to Nick, her expression softening slightly. "Are you sure about this, Nick? Once you leave with him, there's no going back. Not to your old life. Not to the NEAE. Not to Earth."
Dan gritted his teeth, irritated at Ira for confusing Nick more than he already was. But he also knew she had Nick's best in her heart.
Nick hesitated, he looked at Dan and he must have seen something in Dan because it made him smile.
"I'm sure," Nick said finally.
"Fine." Ira threw up her hands. "Don't say I didn't warn you when you find yourself missing decent coffee and breathable air."
Dan smirked. "Grosh has better coffee. And better air."
Ira waved him off, muttering something about Alpha arrogance, before turning back to her work.
***
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