Caretaker Kankri: Kankri X Female!Reader

Part 4

~At your hive~

Life was good. You were currently on your couch with a blanket around your feet, a pawbeast in your lap, a good book in your grasp, and your favorite music playing in the background. Even your occasional cough couldn't detract from your enjoyment of the moment.

And then someone knocked at the door.

You narrowed your eyes at the barrier. What were the chances of you pretending to be absent actually working? You glance at the bright ass reading lamp behind you, then the open window next to the entrance.

Right. Absolutely zero.

"[Name]?" You jerk in surprise, disrupting the pawbeast in your lap. What was Kankri doing here? You were nearly positive you'd scared him off for good! You glance at your pajamas in dismay, which were nothing more than a tank top and a loose pair of shorts, covered by a My Little Hoofbeast robe.

"[Name]?" Kankri called out again. "May I c9me in?" With a sigh you steel yourself for the upcoming humiliating altercation and call out for him to enter. He does so quickly, trying to keep the cold at bay. You catch a glimpse of storm clouds outside and smile. You loved the smell of rain, even if it did mean the world around you would get colder.

"F9rgive me f9r the intrusi9n, [Name], 6ut I came t9 see if y9u needed anything. And, als9, t9 ap9l9gize f9r the way I s9 rudely left y9u earlier. I have since realized, after hours 9f c9nsiderati9n, that y9u have d9ne n9thing t9 warrant such treatment, and that I sh9uld have handled my triggers in a m9re calm and pr9fessi9nal manner." He comes closer and frowns at the blanket wrapped around your legs. "Are y9u c9ld?"

You smile a little. "A bit, to be honest. I didn't want to make a fire, though, so I wouldn't have to get up and tend to it."

"Shall I light 9ne f9r y9u, then? I can tend it."

"You don't have to if the heat would make you uncomfortable." You flush at his thoughtfulness and the concern he is showing you. He merely waves off your embarrassment and sets about lighting the fire. You watch in amusement as he flits about your living space, and soon enough he has a small blaze going in the fireplace, growing under his gentle coaxing. The way he moves around seems to captivate you, like watching the physical manifestation of his voice as it dances through your senses and leaves you humming in pleasure. In fact, you are tired and distracted enough to nearly miss him speaking to you—but not quite.

"Have y9u eaten anything t9day? I mean 6esides the 69wl I fed y9u this m9rning, that is." You guiltily look away. The truth is you haven't, because you were lazy enough all day not to expend much energy, and had not felt the hunger until your flushcrush had mentioned food. Kankri sighed, easily reading the answer from your face. "[Name], y9u really d9 need a caretaker, d9n't y9u? H9w did y9u plan 9n getting any 6etter with9ut eating? Y9u must keep y9ur 69dy healthy if y9u plan 9n rec9vering fr9m y9ur illness within any prefera6le peri9d 9f time. N9w, I am g9ing t9 fix y9u s9me 9f the 6r9th I prepared earlier. Stay here. I will 6ring it t9 y9u." He waits for you to nod before disappearing into the kitchen. As the movements within become audible you smile down at Tarqin, running a hand down his spine as you bask in the pleasure of having Kankri care for you. Even if it is due to his sense of guilt.

As the scents of food waft toward your nostrils your stomach releases a howl loud enough to awaken the pawbeast from his lap nap, and he replies with a plaintive mew of concern—and possibly of reciprocation, as a moment later he leaves to raid his food dish.

Just as you began to shiver from the absence of his warmth, Kankri appears with food for you. You finished it in record time, gleefully enjoying the warmth it brings back to your system—though you're still close to freezing, and Kankri can tell. With hesitant movements he maneuvers himself under your legs, trying to assist with some of his body warmth.

"If y9u have n9t 6een caring f9r y9urself t9day, then what have y9u 6een d9ing with y9urself all this time?" He absently began running his hands over your legs, unaware of the action.

"Reading." You hold out your book to him. The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales. You loved the Grimm Highbloods, and remembered when your lusus was actually around enough to read them to you. Carefully Kankri takes the compendium and flips through it, a thoughtful crease to his brow.

"W9uld y9u like me t9 read t9 y9u?" He flushes a pretty scarlet once he realizes he has said the words aloud. "I-I mean, y9u did say my v9ice s99thed y9u, c9rrect? And y9u need t9 rest..." You smile up at him, causing him to pause in his ranting.

"I would love it if you read to me, Kankri."

He clears his throat and flips to the page you have marked, valiantly keeping his voice steady as his heart tries to outpace him from the riot of unfamiliar and somewhat uncomfortable emotions stirring in his chest. It isn't long, either, until you feel yourself slipping away from consciousness, his rhythmic speech lulling you into a sleep as calm as any which your recuperacoon could give you...