Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

TWENTYTHREE 🌶

Content Warning: We are finally and officially earning the "mature content" rating. *smut on*

Yawning and grumpy, I blinked against the rising brightness that stung my eyes. I tossed and turned in my bed, unable to find a comfortable position. Eventually, I gave in and opened my eyes. The more awake I became, the more intense I felt the throbbing headache and the nausea creeping up my throat. Still unable to fully recognize my surroundings, I reached out blindly from my half-lying position on the nightstand for the water glass. After several attempts, I finally managed to grab it and bring it to my lips, only to frustratingly discover it was empty.

"Feeling hungover?" I turned grumblingly toward the voice coming from the other side of the bed. Elaria sat there on the edge of the bed, as radiant as a blooming spring morning, looking at me.

"Don't ask," I pressed my cool palm to my forehead to soothe the headache. "I drank too much."

"You don't say," Elaria laughed smugly.

My attempt to throw a small decorative pillow at her failed miserably, missing her by several meters. Her laughter grew even louder.

She pulled my hand away from my forehead and eyes, prompting me to look at her. "Get up already, it's well past noon. Everyone's been up and asking about you."

"Who's everyone?" I asked, bewildered, and pulled the blanket over my face again. The light in the room was just too bright.

"Are you kidding me? Your favorite pirates sail the Seven Seas for you, avenge you, beg your forgiveness, and you don't even remember them the next day after a bit of alcohol?"

Suddenly, I threw the blanket off and sat upright in bed. "Fuuuuck." I pressed my hand to my mouth as the sudden movement brought on a wave of nausea. "It's not like that," I said through clenched lips, "I just momentarily forgot, but I remember everything." After somewhat regaining control over the nausea, I turned to Elaria, who was smirking at me. "Why does it seem like I'm the only one hungover?"

She laughed. "You're just a lightweight. Besides, you had a few glasses head start." Then she picked something up from the floor and handed it to me. "Here, drink this. It's one of my special anti-hangover drinks." Gratefully, I took the glass with the greenish liquid and downed it in one go. It tasted awful, but I felt my headache and nausea instantly start to subside.

"If I look as bad as I feel, I can't face any of them today," I said, stretching and yawning deeply.

"Believe me, the guys out there have seen you in far worse shape." She laughed, and I couldn't help but join her. She had a point.

"But seriously, you need to wash up. You smell like a distillery." Elaria stood up and opened the large French windows, letting fresh air in. I glared at her, but she just shrugged with an innocent grin.

A short while later, I took her advice and went to the bathroom adjoining my room. My body and mind relaxed instantly in the warm bathwater, as I inhaled the delightful scent of the bath additives. I submerged several times to clear my head. It reminded me of my dream with San in the lake, and the memories of last night's conversation came flooding back. He had experienced all of it with me. He was the one who created that wonderful clearing for me, helping me escape my nightmares and eventually dispel them completely. I was more than grateful to him, but I still wanted to keep that gratitude to myself for a bit longer. He had some things to explain to me first.

When I felt better and ready to get out of the bath, I dried off and put on some comfortably loose clothing. A simple dark blue, wide-legged pair of pants that shimmered slightly and a matching top that was no more than a camisole with thin straps. By now, everyone important in my life knew about my past, and the marks from King Valthor's violence on my arms didn't bother me as much anymore.