Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 128

I shudder as I curl up next to the toilet, Verando enters the bathroom with an offering of tea, supporting himself against the sink as he considers if I could actually hold it down or not. Paling, I hide my face in my elbow, closing the lid on the toilet with a heavy exhale. "Don't look at me." I manage, as he chuckles. 

"Darling, I've seen you soaked in the blood of our enemies and bathed in grit and debris, I don't think a little vomit is going to make me throw in the towel now. I'm sorry, I didn't think eggs would turn your stomach." The concern creases his brow, he watches me with a cautious cloud looming over the carefully calculated expression. 

He'd attempted to make me breakfast, even though he was still weak and trying to regain his strength. While he tried to put on a good front of me, I kept catching glimpses of him leaning on the counter or supporting himself on a passing chair. His stomach was still healing, it was hard to keep up with Fenrir's appetite while catering to a kinder diet, it was almost as if he was going through withdrawals, and in a way I imagine he was. 

He was also keeping to his word of quitting cigarettes, and while I'd hoped the coma he'd been in would have helped with that, it would seem the habit was as tough to break as the addiction itself.

We had endured a week of hell, just as Ron had promised. I'd not expected to be under the weather with the endless nausea that came with this child, and press meetings had been relentless. With Verando healing, and with me being the Good King, it was pushed upon me to speak for our cause and deal with a whole new series of protests. 

The outcry of the magic community at our resignation from the front lines coupled with the declaration from humanity that we were admitting guilt by stepping aside, the weight of the press standing on my chest like a thick black veil. I'd been to many court sittings, many planning sessions and planned more battles than I cared to mention, yet the reveal of the current media system was truly frightening. 

They had so many pictures, and so much data, all at their fingertips. While Verando nearly felt inclined to ban me from watching the news, it was better to be informed than to wait around and find out so that we could respond with the appropriate amount of rebuttal. While I wanted to devalue every accusation, Verando felt it important to wait and only answer the truly outlandish remarks. 

Everything from our potential divorce to Verando willingly harboring Fenrir, the media had a field day in an attempt to create an uprise from us. Meanwhile, what hurt the worst, was the saddened responses of those who were scared. What would this mean for magical schools, children being forced to hide who they were, and people who were still outlawed for their appearance and abilities. While some abilities could be hidden, others were much more obvious, and they were lumped in with government experiments. 

They were out of work, forced to do odd jobs just to scrape by, and the heroes couldn't possibly help them all. They'd been rooting for us, only to be abandoned. 

With Ron's release from duty, Lotta's forced resignation, and Marcello's pending court case, we were hardly keeping our heads above water. 

Lowering himself to the ground, he hands me a cool, damp cloth that I gratefully take and rest on the side of my neck as I wait for the nausea to subside. "You're white as a sheet, love..." He sighs, resisting the urge to touch me, knowing how finicky my nose had been. 

"I'm sorry." I manage, making him flinch at the realization I might have taken that as an offense, my small smile assures him I was only attempting at humor before I slide toward him to curl up in his lap and enjoy the cool tiles on my side. "You're such a good housewife... I don't even think my castle was this clean."

Smirking, he carefully brushes one of his hands through my hair, I practically purr at the gentle nature in which he separates the strands and trails his fingertips along my scalp. "About all the good I am nowadays. Easier than the alternative, brooding and what have you. We'll be leaving for home in a few days, I'm ready to be back-" Pausing, he considers his words for a moment, catching my attention as I glance up at him and catch the boyish smirk.