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Pain lanced through her abdomen. Great, debilitating waves of it. She could only sink her nails into the sheets so hard, could only grit her teeth so forcefully.
That's how Venti found her, panting and in pain like nothing he'd seen before. Her twisted and tortured form on the bed, sweat beading on her brow and her breath coming in short gasps.
'Lumine? What's wrong?' He asked, panicking. What could have reduced the stoic knight to this? Lumine looked at him through pain-murky eyes.
'Mhmm, it's nothing, you should go.' She desperately wanted him there, or just anyone by her side to ride it out with her. But she didn't want to be seen like this. It went beyond embarrassment, she was humiliated. Injuries and external wounds were fine, but this was pain of a different nature.
'Tell me, I'll do anything I can to help.' His eyes were earnest when they met hers and before she had a chance to say no, he walked over and sat down on the bed next to her. He reached out a bit of healing magic, trying to feel for where she was injured, but found nothing.
'Stop that.' Lumine slurred. The words sounded forced out, grated. His magic felt just as real on her skin as his own touch and she felt it brush against her, discerning and desperate.
'Please Lumine, anything. You know I can't just leave you like this.' She shuddered and bit her lip so hard blood welled in the cut she left.
'It's, it's just my monthly pains, I'm not injured, I just-' She was cut off by the full brunt of another cramp and to her horror, she whimpered, one hand clasped over her mouth. Her eyes were squeezed shut, missing the way Venti's widened in realisation.
'Okay, alright. I understand. Is there anything that usually helps?' Eying the hand that still gripped the sheets, he eased it into his own, squeezing it gently. In response, her hand tightened with such force he feared his bones would break.
'Heat and- sometimes pain medicine. I don't have any. I have a hot water bottle in the bathroom-' Lumine said. Venti nodded, extricating his hand from her grip and he rose, already stepping towards the bathroom.
'Wait there.'
It took an instant for him to spot it on the sink and he quickly turned on the hot tap, waiting for it to run before filling it, watching the plastic sides widen to accommodate the water. He screwed the cap back on with nimble fingers and after hesitating for a second, decided to soak a small cloth under the cold tap too. He plucked it from the sink and hurried back to the bedside, eyebrows furrowed at the sight of her. She was pale, her face knotted. Her hair was sticking to her clammy forehead.
'Here, take this.' He handed her the bottle and watched her slip it under her shirt, whining as she curled around it.
‘Thank you.’ She mumbled, barely audible.
‘That’s alright. Where do you usually get your pain medicine from, hmm? I can go pick some up.’ He placed the cloth on her forehead, tenderly wiping her hair back.
‘Sucrose usually makes it for me. She’s away in Dragonspine at the moment, don’t worry about it.’ As if that was an option for him.
‘I’ll go if you want me to, Lumi. I really don’t mind.’ Venti was certain the bottle couldn’t be helping that much, if her pained expression was anything to go by.
‘She’s busy doing a project for Albedo. It’s fine.’ Lumine looked completely helpless as she was, curled up and feeble. It made Venti’s heart ache. He’d seen her bounce back from horrible injuries and fight through sickness, yet this had her completely indisposed. There was the fact that she hadn’t put up much of a fight with him either. Usually, she was unconscious before she allowed him to tend to her in any capacity, yet this…
‘I’m sure she won’t mind either. She probably understands what you’re going through. There’s no shame in asking for help, starlight.’ He murmured, hands curling into fists as Lumine took a sharp, pained breath.
She muttered something he didn’t hear and he asked her to repeat it.
‘Please just stay.’ Venti’s heart broke for her. She always struggled with being openly needy, and this was clearly pushing her.
‘Alright, hold on.’ He went to the window and drew the curtains, effectively blocking off the dim evening light outside. ‘Can you scoot over for me?’ She did so with a small grunt, creating enough space for him to slip under the covers beside her. She was curled on her side, facing away from him. ‘Can I move you a little?’
She nodded and Venti gingerly moved to curl around her, spooning her with his face pressed to her neck. With a hand he gently parted her legs and put his thigh between them, a position he knew she found to be comfortable. Finally, he reached around her and placed a hand on the hot water bottle on her stomach, holding it firmly against her and keeping it in position so she wouldn’t have to lay at an awkward angle.
‘How’s this? Are you comfortable?’ She hummed in response and he assumed that meant a yes. Regardless, he held her closer and buried his face in her neck, sending small puffs of air ghosting across her skin. When she whined at this, he pressed soft kisses into her nape instead, delighting in her little shivers.
‘Venti, what are you doing?’ She sounded grumbly, but Venti knew she was smiling, he could hear it in her voice.
‘Distracting you. Besides, I feel an intense urge to spoil you right now. You can’t convince me otherwise.’ And she didn’t want to. He’d gone from messing with her hair with one hand to rubbing small circles into the base of her neck, easing her tension slightly as he pushed against the vertebrae with practised fingers. ‘I could do your whole back if you’d like.’ He said, when he noticed Lumine’s contented moans at the pressure melting from her shoulders.
‘Really?’
‘Of course, starlight. Anything you want of me. Here, roll onto your stomach.’ He positioned her so she was laying atop the hot water bottle and then moved to straddle her legs, pushing her shirt up to her shoulder blades.
He didn’t waste a second, setting to work on the small of her back. He kneaded at the tight muscles, feeling them loosen with every roll of his skilled hands and Lumine couldn’t stop herself from releasing blissful little sighs, at points arching her back into them.
Every time another cramp took hold of her, he’d move his hands to her sides and press his fingers into her stomach slightly, making small circular motions that seemed to let the pain flow out of her. She didn’t know when, but at one point Venti had filled the air around them with small traces of his magic. She felt safe and warm there, pliant under him as she contentedly closed her eyes, allowing her mind to wander.
Venti started humming something familiar. An old lullaby from her homeworld she had sung him once. He’d taken care to remember it. At this thought, it wasn’t just her body that was warm anymore, it was her heart.
He continued with the massage until she could barely feel her back, just the smooth motions of his hands running up and down, up and down, tracing small shapes into her skin. At times she recognised small symbols, as her eyelids drooped and her tension eased.
Without meaning to, she fell into a deep sleep.
It wasn’t long until Venti joined her, rolling off her back to hold her to his chest, contenting himself with the feeling of her chest rising and falling. He timed his breathing with hers, slow and steady.
In mere seconds, he joined her in her slumber.