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Cassian walked into their bedroom to find a red stain on their brand-new bedsheet, Nesta nowhere to be found.
"Nes? You home?" he called out, "I found a stain on the sheets. Were you drinking on the-" He paused. The stain on the sheets was rust-red. That wasn't a wine stain. That was…blood.
"Nes?" He called out.
No response.
"Nesta," his voice echoed through their bedroom and their small quarters.
He heard footsteps-soft and slow-coming up the stairs.
"Nesta?" He called again, taking out his sword.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around, sword up and ready to attack. No one touched his mate. His wife.
"Fuck. Cass, it's just me. What's got you all paranoid?" she lowered his weapon, kissing his cheek gently.
"There was a stain on the bed. Blood. I thought…" he brushed his hands through his hair, relief spreading over his body at the sight of his mate, safe and unharmed. "I thought you'd been hurt."
Nesta snorted. "What, so I can't take care of myself anymore? You trained me, you bat-brained moron. I can handle an attacker."
"I-I know," he stammered, the rush of adrenaline still coursing through his body. She's safe. She's okay. She's alive. Not hurt.
"Cauldron, Cass, it's my time of the month," she said, pulling the sheets off the bed to send off to cleaning.
"Your what?"
"My time of the month? My Period? My 'my body spews out blood once a month and causes me tremendous pain because I'm a female' moment?"
Cassian just stared at her, absolutely dumbfounded.
"You're telling me you have never once--"
"Nope."
"What about Mor?"
"Never came up."
"You've known her for HOW LONG-"
"Can you just stop and tell me what it is?" Cassian demanded.
"Really, Cass?"
He sat down and nudged her, urging her on.
"Whenever you're ready," Cassian teased, giving her a cheeky grin "Let's pretend I'm the student and you're the teacher, and I've been a very bad-"
"We are not fulfilling that fantasy today, bat boy. Now shut up and listen." Oh, yes. Nesta would need all the help she could get educating this Illyrian. Cauldron help her.
She spent the next few hours educating Cassian. Yes, the blood was real. Yes, it happens every month. No, she wasn't dying. No, her organs weren't shutting down.
"Is there pain?" Cassian finally questioned towards the end of their lesson.
"Yes…I-" she paused as pain throbbed through her body, encompassing her every being before eventually curling herself up into a ball on the floor.
He rubbed her back, humming her favorite songs to her as they waited for the pain to subside. Eventually, he took her in his arms, carrying her to the couch, and set her down.
"Was that-"
She nodded.
"What do you need?"
"Heat. Heat always helps."
Cassian left, returning with a heated blanket for her to place on her lower belly. He took a seat beside her on the couch and she leaned into him, letting his wings wrap around her like a warm blanket. She slept, the pain from earlier slowly easing away while Cassian tended to her every need.
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Cassian, ever since, was always prepared. He knew exactly when that time of the month would arise. And every month, without fail, he was right. He would prepare her favorite foods. Ensured there were enough heated blankets to keep the pain at bay. Went to the healers for as many pain-killers as Nesta would need.
His kindness had eased her monthly pains. Nesta no longer felt the overpowering feeling like she was being stabbed to death every month; instead, it was a subtle throb, just a gentle reminder that the time had come.
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Cassian waited. And waited. But she hadn't bled yet. Why hadn't she bled? She's at least two or three days late by now. Maybe it's not a permanent condition?
He contemplated the various possibilities for hours while training with Azriel, even going as far as to ask him what was normal.
"Cass, what are you talking about?"
"Her 'time of the month.' You haven't heard of it?"
"Her…what?"
"What does Elain call it when-"
"I don't want to talk about this, Cass."
"Az-" he started, but Azriel disappeared into the shadows, leaving no trace behind, "prick," Cassian muttered, heading home for the night.
"Hey Nes?" He walked through the door, intent on asking her why she hadn't bled just yet.
She greeted him in the hallway with a grin on her face.
"You're…smiling. You never smile."
"I'm pregnant, Cass."
"Wait. You're-"
"Yes, bat boy. We're having a baby," she grinned, tears staining her cheeks as she brought her lips to his.
"But how do we raise-"
"We have nine months to figure it out."
"NINE MONTHS?!"
"You're going to make a great father," Nesta chuckled, leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around her.
"We're having a baby," Cassian beamed.
"We're having a baby," she repeated, smiling up at him.