Our Arrangement (Partybeetle Smut/Fluff)

gratahar

Pest lays in bed with Poob, his arms wrapped around them tight and his head in the crevice between their neck and shoulder. Poobs legs were wrapped around Pest and their arms on his back. Pest made a clicking sound to show he was enjoying this moment between them, thankful to Poob for putting themselves aside to help him.

"Can Iz kis u?" Poob put a hand on Pests cheek to carefully stroke it. Pest looked at their face for a moment, taking in their beauty. He didn't like that he was starting to feel new things for them, he wanted to shove them out and push them away like he'd normally do, but he had to keep up his end of the deal. He shook his head no, he did want to kiss but he wasn't sure if he could go back to his usual distant self afterwards if he did.

Poob accepted this and continued to snuggle up to him. This felt so calming and nice, Pest cuddling with them was one of their greatest hopes. Pest didn't want to admit how much he enjoyed just quietly laying there pressed against each other. He tried being careful not to cut them with his sharp mandibles as he rubbed his cheek against theirs. Poob was happy with the affection they were receiving, "Thiz is nice! I... I luv u Pest." Pests heart jumped, it took so much not to panic and just leave them, he struggled to express love and would instead shut everyone that got close out until they left.

"I, uh, yeah. You... You too," Pest struggles holding himself together. He knew he couldn't keep any even platonic relationships because of his issues and getting close to Poob scared him. He wanted to be able to love but just couldn't. He's been to therapy and been working on getting better but still had a long way to come. He decided he wanted to start really trying now, for them.

Pest intertwined his fingers with theirs, "Is that offer for a kiss still available?" Poob giggled, "mhm!" Both of them braces themselves and pulls closer, their lips meeting in-between, they held onto this for a short moment. When the kiss ended Poob had a huge smile on their face and Pest had a blush creeping up his cheeks.

Over the course of a few weeks Pest began slightly improving himself, managing to hold himself accountable and put more effort into their relationship than he would with any other in the past. They would often spend their free time snuggled up on the couch or in bed just quietly enjoying each other's company. Pest liked it like this, the way they'd be almost silent. Poob was usually loud and chaotic but they began to relax for him.

Pest noticed a little difference that would get more and more noticeable each time they were around each other, they'd started feeling ill more often and gained a bit more weight than before. Pest wasn't sure if he should or shouldn't say something but Poob was quite oblivious and clearly wasn't putting the pieces together, at least not until they were two months behind on their period and panicking.

They called Pest, asking him to come over soon, they sounded like they were trying not to cry. Pest knew they had finally put the prices together and rushed over. He found them crying in their bathroom, unsure if they were happy or upset tears. Poob hugged Pest tight while bawling their eyes out. Pest attempted to comfort them, "it's ok, I'm here, don't be scared." Poob whipped away their tears but more formed and they kept coming as Poob tried to speak, it only came out as sobbing gibirish. "You need to calm down, explain it after you stop crying, ok?" Pest attempted to relax them, bringing them over to the couch so they could sit and Pest could cuddle them.

After about an hour of Poob crying they finally calmed down to tell him about the already obvious, "Pest! Plz don't freak outz, promise you'll stayz?" Pest held their hands tightly and nodded, he saw this coming but he didn't want to come to terms with it yet. "Wez gonna have a baby, Pest!" Poob sounded both scared and excited, tightly gripping Pests hands like they were afraid he would disappear the moment they let go. Pest sharply breathed in and hugged them. "Are you planning on keeping it?" Pest was worried no matter what the answer would be, if they did keep it then they would have to raise a kid, if they didn't keep it then his first and possibly only child might be given to another family. "Iz don knowz! I'mz scared,  Pest. Are wez fit to do dis?"

Pest holds them in his arms tight enough to be comforting but not suffocating. "It's your decision, you're the one that's gonna be giving birth to it," he wasn't sure what to do so he left the decision to them. "Iz want... To keepz it. It's ourz!" Poob started crying into his chest again.

Pest carefully pet their back in a soothing matter. He kissed the top of their head, "promise, I won't leave you alone in this. We're going to do this together."