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Your name is Tyzias Entykk, and you love your girlfriend so fucking much. Bookhive dates, napping with your head in her lap, butterfly kisses before meetings so you don't smudge her lipstick, smudging the fuck out of it after meeting goes well and - and spending the night at her hive.
Staying at Stelsa's is like taking a night off from reality. You don't think about everything wrong with your planet, don't think about the courthouse or its contents, and you definitely don't think about the ever-present itch of despair on the back of your neck. That shit stays at the fucking door.
In their place are Stelsas hands on your shoulders ( "-you have far too many knots Zizi, stay still this simply can't wait!" ), her lips on your forehead and if you get lucky; her legs tangled in yours for a stupid movie date on the loungeplank. The movies being the stupid part there- you both take date nights very seriously.
Drone at your door however, you will admit there are certain habits you could be a little more fond of. No, not even habits- exactly one. One habit.
You don't half-ass girlfriend time; never have and never will. Every time you go to her place you're there for the day, either cozy and snuggled up in her recoopracoon or in a mass of limbs on the loungeplank if you don't manage to move in time. Nothing can take you out like her hands running through your hair, a fact she is all too familiar with- so there's really no helping it when she decides it's bedtime.
If she wants you down, she'll take you down.
You're more or less content with that part though, 9/10 times it being for your own good (and her piece of mind).
What you've yet to accept, however, comes several hours later- when it's time to rise again. Your girl rises each and every sunset to jog before work, and each and every time manages to wake you up when she does.
It's not that big of a deal! Not at all, but the lack of big deals makes this big for you, and you feel guilty and whiny whenever you get annoyed by it. She's living a healthier life than you, deal with it.
It's just...harder to deal with than you'd like it to be. And harder to go back to sleep without her there. When you're up for the night- you're up. You don't know how to bring it up without it sounding shitty, so naturally, you just don't.
If you spend the day with Stelsa you wake up at an ungodly time, thems just the sad facts.
You're not in control of your body at that hour and one night out of the blue, you snap. Much like everything you do your snap lacks energy and real bite, but you're as surprised as Stelsa when you hear what exactly comes out of your mouth.
"Babe- hold on I wanna run with you."
She freezes in the doorway, blinking at you. You're half out of the recoopracoon, goopy and half asleep but determined.
You. You want to run with her, that'll solve the problem. It won't matter that she wakes you up every time she goes running because you'll need to be up too, to go with her. It's time to start keeping up.
"Excuse me? Zizi, sweetheart I didn't know you were up if I woke you it was an honest-"
"I wanna come with you," you say again, firmer this time. "You didn't do anything, it's cool, I just think I should start running too."
It takes a second for her to process this, but you can easily tell when it gets through by the way she lights up, clapping her hands together.
"That's wonderful! I've wanted a jogging partner for a while now but I thought for sure you'd be just miserable waking up at this time so I didn't bother asking- up! Up up up we have to go now if you want any chance of getting all the way to the courthouse on time-" her mouth keeps on going, but you're more focused on her hands as they drag you out of the coon.
You did this. You literally asked for this.
You have enough clothes littered around Stelsas hive you don't question it when she presents a pre-made running outfit to you. You had wondered where that shirt went. The sneakers are hers, but you're close enough to the same size you don't fuss. That'll come later.
She's still abuzz, happily chatting to you as you change about stretches and the route and... other things. You can never keep up when you're this groggy, but you try your best.
Shoelaces are... hard. Maybe your fingers aren't cooperating? Or maybe wearing sandals every day has literally given you selective amnesia. Maybe you're just plain stupid.
Eventually, she notices you struggling and slows down, smiling softly as she bats your hands away and crouches down to lace you up herself.
"I know you have a hard time in the evening's Tizzy, but I'm sure you'll like this. I'm sure of it." You're sure of the opposite, but she's kissing you and really? You don't care about jack shit when she's kissing you. "Ready?"
You nod without much thought, and all too soon you're being pulled to your feet. Right. Time to go.
On the elevator ride down you get another run through of the route just in case you want to pull ahead, which is kind of laughable but you listen anyway. She'll probably lose you after the first block, you should figure out where to intercept at least.
Alright. Off the elevator. Out the door.
You're ready to go whole ass and bolt- but Stelsa snags your hand and pulls you aside. Right. Stretching is a thing that exists, and will probably help you avoid eating shit on the pavement within the first couple of seconds.
Stelsa helps you, and while her hands all over you like this would normally be cute or flirtatious you're pretty thoroughly distracted by just how many things can pop. You don't even know where some of them came from, but damn if they don't hurt.
Only once she's satisfied you're limber enough do the two of you get going, and it's surprisingly.. not awful. She doesn't shoot off like you thought she might, instead keeping a slow pace with you for a few streets.
Gradually the two of you pick up speed, but she's ready and willing to slow down with you when you get wheezy with encouraging words each time.
"In through your nose and out your mouth dearest, can't just pant- silly thing"
"That was almost a mile on its own Zizi of course we can slow down! I was ready to ages ago." (this one you knows she's exaggerating for your sake)
"Ah ah ah, no sitting down you need to stay upright at the very least or you'll never get your breath back- oh no I'm sorry sweetheart not the sad eyes-" and so on.
You don't like running, you don't like being awake at this hour, you don't like a few of the streets on the route or the idea of Stelsa going down them alone, but all together...you kind of like this.
Not a lot of people litter the sidewalk like normal, the air feels cool and refreshing on your face and...well Stelsa's always gorgeous but you haven't seen this particular brand of it before. You could stand waking up early every night for this. Maybe.
Her apartment building comes back into view around the same the early risers and commuters start poking their heads out of their hives, making the two of you weave through their yawning and drowsy forms.
You start to feel it on the quiet elevator ride back up, as the two of you catch your breath (you more than Stelsa, naturally). Your legs are burning, your...everything is drenched in sweat (gross), and your chest aches something awful. Holy shit. That maybe starts tipping more and more to the no side, now that you're standing still? This sucks, ow.
"Poor thing, look at you." poor thing indeed. You'll go so far as to say woe is you. "I knew we should have gone on a shorter route, but you did very well for your first time- and as such! Guess what you get!"
"A quick death- Stels I can already feel how sore I'm gonna be just end it now plea-"
"The first shower! The hot water will help, go on now- shoo, shoo-" You're gently herded to the ablutionblock, door shut behind you as Stelsa goes to make whatever a razzy blue is for the two of you. You weigh the pros and cons of making running part of your routine as you strip off your soaked clothes (ew) and get into the shower.
Pro. The act itself is pretty nice actually, and despite everything being awful right now you're definitely more awake than you'd normally be.
Con. That whole 'everything being awful' business. Stelsa wasn't kidding, the hot water feels heavenly, but you have your doubts it'll completely save you. You're gonna be stiff as a fucking board.
The door opens again and you can see Stelsa slip in through the frosted glass, setting two blue somethings down on the counter.
"You were right Stel- this is kinda nice, but you're probably still gonna have to carry me out of the courthouse on a stretcher." You're more concerned with the two blue somethings than keeping watch of the blurry pink and grey mass that is your girlfriend, vision in no way helped by A ) your lack of glasses B ) the steam in the air and C ) Stelsas weird shower. Maybe the razzy blues? Could be a drink, they're kind of cup-shaped and you know she's prone to smoothies.
"That's why I'm here sweetness, I forgot a very important part of my routine and I think it'll help you! Drumroll for me."
You do as you're told, drumming your fingers on the glass and rolling your tongue. You only feel a little dorky, but Stelsa like dorks so.
"After stretching! It's just as important to wind down after an exercise as it is to wind up, and if you do it quick enough it can help with soreness quite a lot!" Exercise requires pre-exercise and post-exercise. Of course it does.
"Mmmh...I think it's a little late now don't you think? All for it but-" you're cut off as Stelsa opens the shower door, jogging clothes on the floor with yours. Oh.
"I don't think it's too late Zizi..." she steps in with you, gently pressing you back onto the tile and hands carefully running over your waist. Oh. "There's still time to loosen you up yet." This definitely goes into the pro pile.
Your name is Tyzias Entykk, and there's a whole lot to love about your girlfriend- now including your new evening routine.