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It was late at night when Ifa returned home.
He gently closed the door behind him, to make as few noises as possible and don’t disturb anyone at that late hour.
The warm flame of a small lamp still burning on the table welcomed him. Next to it was a plate with some Sunsettias and Quenepa Berries, an empty cup and a teapot.
Carefully placing his fingers on the latter, he felt that it was still warm, a sign that it hadn’t been prepared long ago.
A note under the saucer showed a few simple words written in familiar handwriting.
I'll leave you some fruit to sweeten your return after a long day.
Ifa smiled to himself: typical of Ororon to always think of others.
The vet was exhausted after the work at the clinic.
There had been some unexpected emergencies involving a few Tepetlisaurs that had been injured in a minor accident at a nearby excavation site. Nothing serious, they would make a full recovery within a couple of days, but this emergency call had forced Ifa to stay out longer than he should have that day.
That's why it was already past midnight when he finally got home. Maybe there were only a couple of hours left before dawn.
He placed his worn bag on a chair. Inside, Cacucu was snoring loudly, fast asleep for quite some time now.
The man smiled affectionately at his Saurian companion, who continued to snore softly even when Ifa moved him onto the couch pillows.
All the tiredness accumulated during the long day was getting the better of him, so in the end Ifa just took a piece of fruit and drank a few sips of tea, then went to the bedroom.
Without turning on the lights, he let the dim light of the lamp guide him to the room. With one breath, he turned it off just before passing through the door, so as not to wake the man who was probably already sleeping there.
With light steps, trusting his memory, he reached the bed even without seeing it. He got undressed and lay down.
Something fluffy brushed against the back of his neck, snuggling close to him, and a wet tip licked his skin.
Ifa giggled softly at that timid tiny kiss.
"Good night to you too, my little bat." He slurred the words in the darkness.
Feeling drowsy, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
The balmy light filtering through the curtains woke him up, pleasantly warming his skin and tickling it. Ifa buried his head deeper into the pillow to enjoy the warmth without having to open his eyes yet.
Outside, the birds had been chirping for a while, early risers unlike the Saurian vet who had spent a sleepless night.
Next to him, however, everything was silent and still, a sign that Ororon had not yet woken up either.
They were both used to staying up late, so mornings were definitely not their best time of day.
"Rise and shine, bro!" Cacucu's ringing voice echoed throughout the house, even though the Saurian was still in the living room.
At the Qucusaurus' insistent calls, Ifa was forced to sluggily open one eye. The alarm clock on the bedside table already read 9 a.m., indicating that he had definitely overslept compared to his usual routine.
Although the cozy sheets and mattress invited him to simply return to enjoying the warmth of that autumn morning, in the end he opened both eyes.
"Morning, bro." He yawned, reaching out toward the familiar presence of his partner beside him.
However, his hand fell on an unusually empty and cold pillow.
Weird.
Had Ororon already gotten up?
Confused, Ifa turned to look at the other side of the bed.
An indignant squeak caught him off guard when a little, agitated bundle protested under his back.
Ifa immediately recoiled, discovering a furball tangled in the sheets and pressed close to him, trying frustratedly to free itself with little success.
"Hey there, little one! Sorry, didn't see ya." Ifa tried to apologize, while helping the furball to free itself from the tangle of bedsheets. "Is it that time of the month already?"
He casted a quick glance at the calendar hanging on the wall. On the box corresponding to that day was a hand-drawn sketch of a full moon and some stars. The last few days, the man totally forgot about the lunar phases.
Another squeak caught his attention.
Between his hands, a small bat stared intently at him with his large heterochromatic eyes, one magenta and the other cyan. His ruffled fur was navy blue, with some sporadic pale streaks. The large ears occasionally flicked around and the little heart-shaped nose moved adorably, sniffing the scents in the air. The small claws at the tips of his membranous wings clung tightly to the tanned man's fingers so as not to lose his balance.
Ifa couldn't help but let out an involuntary awe squeal from his lips. Ororon's bat form was too adorable and cute!
No matter how many times he had already seen him like this before, his opinion remained unchanged month after month.
The bat's ears twitched annoyingly, and Ororon casted a deadpan look at Ifa, clearly unamused by being addressed as a cute puppy.
However, when he tried to protest, only more tiny squeaks came out of his mouth, making Ifa giggle even more. So the bat sank his pointy teeth slightly into the man's hand. Even without drawing blood, he hoped the man would understand to stop cooing him.
"Ouch, you're a little edgy this morning, huh?" Ifa chuckled, not really bothered by the bite. Ororon was so tiny that his hands could hold him perfectly.
The bat rolled his eyes, grunting softly.
"All right, all right, gotcha bro. No more jokes, but only cuddles for you." Ifa pressed a very affectionate kiss on Ororon's fluffy cheek.
When the bat tried to smooth down his ruffled and slightly damp fur in a very embarrassed way, the Saurian vet smiled at him fondly. He loved that man in every aspect of himself, even when he behaved so shyly and insecurely despite the fact that the two of them had been dating and living together for years now.
"Come on, let's start the day, shall we?" He gently placed his hands on the pillow to lay the little bat down while he went to find a change of clothes and a clean towel. "I'm going to take a quick shower. I'll be back in five minutes."
He waved at his partner before disappearing into the bathroom.
When Ifa finished the shower, he found Ororon still in the same spot where he had left him, patiently and diligently grooming himself.
He decided to tease him a little more.
"Well, aren't you even going to make the bed today?" He grinned mischievously.
The bat stared confused at him, realizing a little too late the mocking tone of the other's words. So he gave him another unamused glare, waving his wings and gesturing at himself as if to say "with what hands?".
The tanned man booped him on the head, petting and ruffling his fur once more.
"Something tells me that all the chores today will be up to me then." Ifa pretended to sigh resignedly, earning another small indignant squeak from the bat.
The vet scooped Ororon up, placing him on some books on the dresser, while the latter tried to communicate with him between clicks and unintelligible adorable noises. The language barrier when Ororon was a bat was perhaps the most troublesome aspect of Ororon's monthly shift, but by now the vet could almost be considered an expert in interpreting his partner's mood and what he was trying to say even in that tiny form.
"Yep, yep, don't worry, that's totally fine if you would like to make amends with more kisses and cuddles for me in exchange."
He replied absently as he tidied up the room, cleaning the bed and picking up clothes left lying around.
An huffed muffled sound was drowned out by a fluttering of wings.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ifa saw a round pink featherball dart into the bedroom.
"What the heck, bro! No breakfast today, bro?" Cacucu flew around the man a couple of times before landing next to Ororon. Or rather, invading his personal space by pressing too close to him, much to the bat's delight.
They were roughly the same size, except that the Qucusaurus was significantly larger and rounder than the slender, skinny bat.
When the Saurian began grooming the other with his beak nonchalantly, Ororon tried to protest without use. He gave the tanned man a pleading puppy look, widening his eyes and lowering his large ears, to help him escape the Saurian's displays of affection.
Ifa chuckled, enjoying the scene with amusement.
"Come on you two, let’s go get some breakfast."
He stretched out his left arm to offer it to his Saurian companion, while with the other he scooped up the little bat to place him on his shoulder. Ororon's claws tickled slightly through the fabric of the shirt as he tried to cling comfortably close to the man's tattooed neck.
Once they reached the kitchen, Cacucu perched on the back of a chair, loudly demanding breakfast.
"It's coming, just a moment."
Ifa opened the window, pulling back the curtains to let in some light and fresh air, then began to prepare breakfast.
He put the coffee on the stove and, while he waited, cut up some fresh fruit. He offered a full bowl of it to Qucusaurus, who jumped onto the table, satisfied that his request for food had finally been granted.
Then the man cut some for himself and for the little bat still curled up close to his neck, which was cozily enjoying the warmth of the other’s body.
Soon the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of coffee, which seemed to wake Ororon from the slumber nap into which he was slowly falling back.
When his partner sat down at the table and poured himself a cup of steaming coffee, the little bat cautiously climbed down from the arm, taking care not to hurt him.
However, when he tried to bring his snout closer to the cup, Ifa stopped him, pushing him back gently with a finger on his fluffy forehead.
"Babe, there's no point in trying this every month. You know you can’t have it." Ifa explained calmly and patiently. "Coffee is dangerous for all animals. I don't want to risk you getting sick while you're like this."
The bat furrowed his brow, giving him a disappointed look. He waved a wing at him in a mute accusation.
"Well, let's say for most animals." Ifa hastened to add, taking a sip of coffee and looking away from his partner.
The other plopped onto the table, letting out a sigh of disappointment at his personal condition.
The vet handed him a small piece of Sunsettia.
Ororon casted a quick glance firstly at the attempt at bribery, then at the man, raising slightly his snout.
"What about some fresh fruit instead? It staves off hunger and quenches your thirst in one go." Ifa shrugged, casually winking at his partner.
Although not entirely satisfied with that alternative, in the end Ororon had to settle for it. He nuzzled his pinky, wet nose on the man's fingers and then accepted the fruit, nibbling on it.
Ifa smiled, taking another fruit in turn.
All three of them ate their breakfast slowly and without rush, the silence between them broken only occasionally by a few words exchanged between Cacucu and Ifa.
When they finished, the tanned man cleaned the dishes and the table. Then he got ready to go out.
He picked up his bag with his things while Cacucu fluttered impatiently around the room, already full of energy for the day that was yet to begin.
Ororon tried to get Ifa’s attention with some clicks.
"All right, what do you want to do today, little bat? Do you want to stay home or come with me to the clinic?" Ifa asked at some point.
Ororon looked at him from the furniture, tilting his head in a very adorable way. He thought for a moment, then crouched down and took flight. With a few precise, measured flaps of his wings, he reached the man's bag and curled up inside it.
Ifa smiled and affectionately scratched the fur between his ears.
"Of course, I'll give you a free ride, no problem. You weigh practically nothing."
A couple of sharp pointy teeth sank into his flesh without really hurting him.
Ifa chuckled, pretending to be offended, without much success.
Then, all three of them went out.
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
The hours at Ifa's clinic passed quickly, without any particular surprises.
The Saurian veterinarian checked on the critters that had been injured the day before, noting with satisfaction that their conditions were stable and already improving. In a few days, they would be completely healed.
Cacucu kept himself busy with various errands, flying vigorously here and there as usual.
Ororon, on the other hand, had preferred to spend the morning dozing in Ifa's study, in a makeshift nest made from the man's jacket, enjoying the warm and familiar scent of his partner.
At lunchtime, the vet had shared some more chunks of fruit with him and Cacucu, along with some Saurus Crackers, which the Saurian had greatly appreciated while the bat had politely declined.
Later, in the afternoon, the vet continued his routine of visits to the clinic, both for Saurians and pets.
Occasionally, some of the people passing by would stop in awe before Ororon’s tiny figure on Ifa's desk. They made melted expressions and tried to cuddle him, making him flush and back away slightly so as not to be touched by the more daring ones who tried to reach out and pet him.
Luckily, since his snout was covered with a light layer of dark fur, they didn't notice how embarrassed he was by this kind of unused attention.
The only one who laughed in his sleeve was Ifa, who perfectly knew how uncomfortable Ororon was with being the center of attention simply because he was utterly adorable.
Only very close friends and a few other people knew the true nature of that navy bat with heterochromatic eyes. Ordinary people, on the other hand, considered him to be just a simple bat taken in by the vet like any other wild animal in need of care.
That’s why usually Ororon preferred to stay at home during his monthly shifts, precisely to avoid attracting unwanted and unnecessary attention to himself.
However, that day he didn't feel like being alone, so he had followed his partner to work. So now he found himself forced to endure the kind of encounters and interactions that his presence in the clinic entailed.
"Come on, let's leave this little guy alone. Shall we, little lady?" Ifa tried to gently dissuade a young girl who had tried to reach out to Ororon to pet him.
The bat obviously backed away, crouching more between the clothes fabric, but without showing hostility or signs of aggression.
"But it seems so friendly and fluffy!" The girl began to play with the hem of her dress with her fingers.
"I know, but he's not like your kitty, kid. It's best to avoid petting animals that aren't domesticated, you know."
"Why?" She looked at the vet with wide eyes, full of curiosity and innocence.
"Because they're not used to living with humans. So they might get scared and react badly to unwanted physical contact." Ifa explained patiently with a gentle tone. "In some cases, this could hurt both you and them."
"Oh, so Mr. Batty is sick too, since he's here?"
The vet smiled warmly at her, casting a quick glance toward the Mr. Batty in question.
His big, heterochromatic eyes returned the gaze, clearly unimpressed by the nickname. Ororon was sure his partner hadn't missed it.
"Let's just say that Mr. Batty here was suffering from loneliness and was in desperate need of attention and companionship today." Ifa chuckled, confirming Ororon's suspicions, who let out an exasperated sigh. "Just like your Mr. Fuzzypants, after all. There we are! There is nothing wrong with your kitty. He probably just ate too much in a short period of time and didn't digest it well. That’s why he puked everything up a few hours ago."
Ifa handed the old big orange cat he had just examined back to her little owner.
The girl's mouth opened in a deep sigh of relief at the news.
"Ugh, I knew it! You scared me for nothing again! You're always the same greedy, Fuzzy!" She stroked his head, pretending to scold him.
As to reply, the cat meowed lazily, not really bothered by the accusation. It was already the fourth time that month that the same little girl had come to the clinic worried about the health of her chubby cat. Instead, as usual, it turned out that the animal had overeaten due to its greed and bottomless stomach, which drove it to constantly beg for food from the whole village.
The girl bowed, apologizing for wasting the vet time.
"Don't worry. It's better to be cautious and find out it was a false alarm than to ignore a symptom and then regret it when the situation gets serious." The vet shrugged, scratching behind Mr. Fuzzypants' ears.
With her companion in her arms, the little girl thanked the man and said goodbye cheerfully, waving with one of the cat's paws between her fingers. The echo of the protesting meows continued until the girl was out the door.
Finally alone, Ifa stretched his arms above the head. They creaked loudly after a long day of work.
He looked out the window and realized it was already late afternoon. The sky was already beginning to turn orange and red, the same color as the leaves stirred by a light breeze. Some trees were already completely bare, while others would soon lose all their leaves. Darkness would fall within a couple of hours. After all, the autumn days were getting shorter and shorter.
The vet checked one last time on the Saurians left in the nursery. With Cacucu's help, he fed them and tidied up their nests.
Then he could finally call it a day.
He gathered his belongings and announced to Ororon that it was time to go home.
The bat yawned vigorously, waking up from yet another nap of the day. During his shifts, he was even more off duty than usual, because of his bat instincts.
He shook himself to shake off the last traces of tiredness and moved from his partner's jacket.
Wrinkled and with tiny claw marks practically everywhere, the vet cast a muted, inquiring glance toward the bat. However, the latter feigned indifference, as if he certainly hadn't been the one to reduce the man’s piece of clothing to that state.
Ifa rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his white locks. Taking a deep breath, he decided to drop the subject.
"Come on, let's go home." He simply smiled back, offering one arm to Cacucu and the other to Ororon.
The Saurian didn't need to be told twice and perched cheerfully on the man's shoulder, chirping happily, and quickly followed by the little bat on the other side.
Ororon nuzzled close to his partner's neck, rubbing affectionately against him in search of warmth when a light cold breeze greeted them as they stepped outside the clinic.
Ifa playfully scratched the bat's fluffy chin, earning a low soft purring sound in return.
"Yep, someone really needs attention today." The vet chuckled. "Glad to know that my diagnoses are never wrong!"
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
When they returned home, the sun was already setting beyond the horizon. The sky was an intense red that gradually faded into the purple and blue of night. A few faint lights were already peeking through the clear, cloudless sky.
Cacucu promptly headed for his water bowl on the kitchen counter, while Ifa hung his bag at the rack.
The man tapped slightly on Ororon’s tiny claws, still clinging tightly to his shirt so as not to lose his balance, gently announcing that he would scoop him up and place him on the counter in turn.
The bat nodded and let him do it, finding himself pressed against the Qucusaur in the blink of an eye.
"Thirsty, bro! Need water, bro!" Cacucu let out an indignant grumble as he rubbed his beak against the bat.
Ororon narrowed his eyes and a whine escaped his mouth at that sudden invasion of his personal space.
"Coming, coming." The vet replied, taking off his jacket and hat and hanging them too.
He took the now half-empty bowl from the counter and gave it a quick rinse. Then he filled it with fresh, clean water.
The Saurian chirped delightedly and eagerly drank from the bowl.
Ororon, instead, preferred to groom the messy fur that the other had disheveled with his closeness. He had just finished tidying up his muzzle when an intrusive tanned finger scratched him between his large ears, ruining all his progress. Ororon couldn't help but squeak in protest toward the man.
In response, Ifa chuckled and began whistling as if he had done nothing wrong.
The bat, feeling mocked, snorted sulkily. He spread his wings and took a short flight, landing precisely on Ifa's head, ruffling his hair and clinging on tightly so as not to fall.
The man flinched in surprise at the unexpected weight on top of him.
"Ouch! Hey, watch those claws, dude!"
Ororon lay down unceremoniously, dangling the tips of his wings on either side of his partner’s head, who had meanwhile started preparing dinner.
The man had put a pan on the stove to heat up and was cutting up some vegetables to stir them.
"If you slip and end up in the pan too, I won't be responsible." Ifa pointed out, hinting at a teasing smile. A muffled sound was all the reply he got from the creature above his head. "You've been warned."
He shrugged amusedly, not really bothered by his presence.
In fact, deep down, he enjoyed feeling Ororon’s warm, tiny body purring relaxed and quietly pressed close to him. He gave him a sense of peace and tranquility, helping him to relax in turn.
He started humming a soft melody, while the vegetables sizzled in the pan, filling the air with an inviting aroma of spices.
He took some loaves of bread out of his bag, which he had stopped to buy before returning home. He cut them into thick slices, covering some of them with a layer of soft cheese.
When they looked ready, he plated the vegetables.
In the now empty pan, he put a couple of pieces of meat to sear lightly for a few seconds. Then, on another plate, he plated these too, cutting them into very small chunks.
Lastly, he took some Saurus Crackers from the cupboard and refilled Cacucu's bowl before placing it on the table.
A very low grumbling sound interrupted the silence in the room, and Ifa looked up at the ceiling in surprise, returning aware of the presence above his head.
Tiny claws gripped more into the man's white hair, to avoid falling at that slight change in inclination.
"Someone seems to be very hungry." Ifa commented with a smile.
He felt the other’s fluffy head hiding embarrassedly between his locks.
"Come on, dinner is ready!"
"For real, now? Bro, look at the mess you made!" Cacucu chirped, hurrying over to his plate on the table.
"Next time you cook, then." The vet's reply was unbothered. "I can't wait to taste the perfectly edible deliciousness you'll prepare, Cacucu."
The man ruffled the Saurian's feathers affectionately as he eagerly rushed on the food.
He knew perfectly well that the Qucusaurus often repeated phrases he had heard, even though he meant something completely different. It was simply the only way Cacucu knew to express himself.
"And you, Mr. Batty, what do you think? Is today's menu to your liking?"
Ororon looked up from the piece of meat he was slowly nibbling on.
He was so focused on trying to keep the food between his claws without dropping it that he hadn't quite caught the man's words, only feeling himself being called at one point. So, the bat tilted his head, blinking at Ifa in confusion, silently asking him to repeat what the other had just asked.
After a few moments of awkward silence between them, Ifa realized that the bat hadn't honestly understood and simply dropped the joke, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.
"How's the food?" He asked simply instead.
Ororon nodded vigorously, his cheeks still half full of meat.
The tanned man was pleased.
Being a vegetarian, Ifa wasn't used to cooking meat, especially since Cacucu usually preferred to eat it raw. However, the vet had noticed that his partner wasn’t very happy eating raw meat in turn - like a normal common bat - during his monthly shifts.
Ifa was well aware that, with his current appearance, Ororon couldn’t live on fruit and vegetables alone, even though the latter tried to be as little of a burden to him as possible.
His shifts usually lasted about 24 hours, more or less, depending on the duration of the full moon phase, and during that time the Saurian vet didn’t want his partner to starve. So, even without being asked explicitly, he started to learn how to cook meat for him, hoping to do it correctly and that at the same time the other would find it to his liking.
Over time, through trial and error, he discovered that lightly searing it in a pan without too many seasonings or spices was the best way to make it as digestible as possible for Ororon's changed stomach, while also satisfying his wish not to eat it completely raw. It was the best acceptable compromise to prevent him from feeling sick and still allow him to eat without depriving himself of anything.
"Still hungry, bro. Want more!" Cacucu's voice interrupted the man’s stare at the bat’s adorable round cheeks full of food.
The Qucusaurus hopped boldly toward Ororon's bowl, where a few pieces of meat still lay untouched. Before he could stick his beak in, however, the tanned man blocked the Saurian with one hand between himself and the other's bowl.
"Absolutely nope! Don't you dare, little one." Ifa scolded him, sliding his hand across the wooden table and forcing Cacucu to back away. "How many times have I told you not to put your beak into other people's plates while they're eating? If you're still hungry and want cheering for more, just ask. Stealing food is rude!"
The man headed for the kitchen counter, where he had left some leftover pieces of meat that he planned to save up after dinner.
"There it is, crumb snatcher." He hand-fed him some more raw chunks of fowl, and the Saurian chirped happily.
When he returned to his seat, a slight tug on his sleeve caught his attention.
Ororon approached shyly and pointed with the tip of his membranous wing first at his bowl, shaking his head, and then at the Saurian a few inches away, nodding.
Cacucu's face lit up in a flutter of puffy pink feathers.
Ifa sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Babe, you don't have to give up your portion just because this feathered brat here has a bottomless stomach. You don't have to give in to all his pleas, he's already spoiled enough!"
In the end, however, it was the tanned man who gave in to his partner's big heterochromatic eyes, which innocently and pure stared at him, begging him to grant his request.
He couldn't resist Ororon's puppy eyes when he was human, let alone when he was an adorable squeaking ball of fur.
He waved a hand, grumpily agreeing to his partner's will.
Cacucu didn't need to be told twice and eagerly pounced on Ororon's leftover food, devouring it at incredible speed. "Mr. Batty is the best!"
Ifa furrowed his brow, stung by that statement.
A soft amused chuckle-like sound escaped from the bat's mouth, half-hidden by the tip of a wing.
"No comment, guys! You really enjoy to gang up on me, huh?" The man grunted in annoyed tone, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.
Ororon simply shrugged, spreading his wings slightly as if to say he didn't know what the other was talking about.
Ifa poked him on his fluffy chest with a finger. "You can pretend all you want, but I perfectly know that you are the real menacing evil mind behind Cacucu's insubordinate behavior."
The bat pretended to be innocent, while the other took a long, exasperated breath and began cleaning the table and the now empty plates.
Unable to physically help his partner due to his current size and lack of actual hands to lift and pass him the things, Ororon simply watched him patiently, perched on the back of a chair, imitated by the Saurian, who was busy preening his pink feathers.
When the man finished with the kitchen, putting aside the leftover food for the next day, Ororon flew to him, circling him a couple of times.
Ifa stared at him with a puzzled expression, trying to decipher what the other was trying to say to him without words.
"What is it? Something wrong?"
Ororon shook his head, pointing instead to the back door.
"Oh, you want to go outside for a flight? Sure, no problem, go ahead." Ifa opened the door and waited for him to fly out.
The bat narrowed his eyes, chirping something unintelligible to human ears. He flew close to the man, gently grabbing the edges of his shirt with his clawed hind paws. Flapping his membranous wings, he pointed outside, tugging slightly.
"You want me to follow? Gotcha, bro. Show the way, so."
Ororon nodded, letting out a smug chirp.
He let go of Ifa's clothes when the latter began to follow him of his own accord. He flew into the back garden of their house, where his precious vegetables were planted, landing on the handle of a watering can and tapping it insistently with his paws.
The bat squeaked some more, pointing at the vegetables that were growing luxuriantly. The ground beneath was quite dry, as it hadn't rained for a couple of days now.
"Ohhh, gotcha. You just wanted me to check on your greenies." Ifa realized.
The bat nodded once more, taking flight again while the man filled the watering can to quench the vegetables' thirst.
Even though it was already dark and the only light present was the one which filtered through the window of their house, in a few minutes Ifa watered the entire garden without problems. By now he knew it by heart, having spent hours there with his partner throughout the summer, and he could remember every single plant growing there with his eyes closed.
When the man had finished, a gust of wind a little stronger than usual swept over them. Or rather, it swept away just Ororon, who was flying nearby.
Caught off guard, the little bat didn’t have time to change his flight angle and was therefore swept away by the gust. Carried by the wind, he ended up hitting his partner right in the chest.
"Don't worry! I’ve got you!" Ifa reassured him, holding him tightly with one hand close to his chest, where his tanned pecs peeked out over the edge of the loose shirt.
Ororon's ears flicked nervously and his mismatched eyes widened in embarrassment.
"Come on, don't pretend to be shy. I know that deep down you’re enjoying it." The man teased the bat, hugging him more closely.
Ororon hid his face even more in the soft layer of fur surrounding his head, clumsily lowering his ears.
Ifa giggled, kissing him affectionately on the forehead.
As it was starting to get cold and there was nothing else to do outside, the two returned inside their house.
In the living room, snoring peacefully and blissfully among the sofa pillows, was Cacucu, already fast asleep.
Putting a finger to his lips to signal to Ororon not to make any noise so as not to wake the Saurian, the man quietly made his way to the bedroom.
There, he laid the little bat on the bed, who couldn't help but let out a faint whine at being suddenly deprived of the cozy warmth of the vet's skin.
"Just give me a moment and I'll be right back, my little bat." He winked at him, before a quick stop in the bathroom.
Left alone, Ororon took a deep breath, casting a quick glance at the clock on the bedside table and then at the sky over the window curtains.
In the distance, the small dot of the full moon shone brightly, surrounded by scattered lights in the dark, starry night.
He looked down at his changed hands, now resembling fragile, delicate wings. His fingers were thin and long, supporting the impalpable membrane that formed the patagium of his wings, connecting them to the rest of his fuzzy body. Only a little claw at the tip of his wing allowed him to make movements and gestures, albeit limited, like his usual human hands.
He sighed, plopping down on the pillow with his back and wings spread wide open.
In just a few hours, that monthly shift would also come to an end. He just had to be patient a little longer.
Even though he always tried not to show it, these kinds of days were quite stressful and exhausting for him. Being so tiny and utterly adorable - Ifa's words - really drained him, most of the time. Not to mention his feeling useless and unable to do anything without Ifa's help.
He truly loved that man, but he couldn't bear that once a month he couldn't be totally with him.
Ororon knew it was silly to worry about such a thing - after all, 24 hours was really nothing - but he couldn't help it.
When he was younger and lived with granny Citlali, the problem was the same. So he spent his shifts trying to be as less of a burden as possible, staying out of the way, sleeping, or trying not to interfere with the woman's routine.
Even with Ifa, that habit hadn't changed, although the man had repeatedly assured him with a radiant and sincere smile that his shifts were not a burden or something to be ashamed of.
Sometimes he really envied the vet for the carefree and spontaneous way he approached everything, without thinking too much about hidden meanings or purposes of life.
A soft, resigned sigh escaped his mouth.
He closed his eyes, listening to the slow and cadenced heartbeat.
To keep himself from falling asleep, he moved his attention to the sounds of the house. There was the constant snoring of Cacucu in the living room, the slow rustling of the curtain on the kitchen window that had been left slightly ajar, the hands of the clock on the bedside table, the flickering of the lantern that cast a dim light in the room, and finally the roar of Ifa’s shower in the bathroom.
If the bat focused hard enough, he could even hear the man humming softly under the water, thanks to his advanced hearing in that form.
When the water stopped running, Ororon opened his eyes and sat up, pressing close the wings to his body and lightly smoothing the fur on his chest and belly.
"Here I am again, did you miss me?" Stepping out of the bathroom, the man's tanned body was on full display, covered only by a lower towel around his waist.
Ororon's ears perked up attentively and unconsciously as he lingered longer than necessary on the remaining water droplets glistening on the other's defined figure.
Ifa's eyes squinted a bit, with a mocking grin on his lips. With deliberately calm and slowness, he reached for the drawer to get a change of clean clothes.
Ororon glued his eyes at the other’s toned back as the man put on a pair of light-colored canvas trousers, mesmerized by the curves and lines of his tattoos and the scars that adorned his skin.
"Enjoying the view?" Ifa's tone was teasing and full of malicious mockery.
Ororon was grateful that the dark navy fur on his face prevented him from showing how red he had blushed at being caught peeking. He hastened to rub the clawed tips of his wings over his face to hide his growing embarrassment and flushed expression.
Ifa laughed heartily and, still shirtless, took his place next to the little bat on the bed. He lay down on his side, supporting his head up with one hand while playfully poking one of Ororon's fluffy cheeks with the other.
The bat grunted in annoyance, glancing at the man and pouting slightly, trying not to be distracted again by the other's abs still on full display.
Ifa didn't stop smiling charmingly at him for a second, and leaned forward to kiss him quickly before he had a chance to protest.
Ororon heated up even more.
He hated to admit it, but although he loved it when Ifa stole kisses from him when he was human, he loved it even more when he did it while he was a bat. Because due to their different sizes, the man basically kissed him whole.
His warm lips against his little head, his familiar scent flooding his nostrils... he loved him so much that every time he had to resist the temptation to melt under his touch, totally giving in to his animal instincts and nothing more.
"Do you mind if I read a little before turning off the light?" The man asked at some point, sitting down and wearing a loose pastel mint undershirt.
Diverted from his inner thoughts, Ororon shook his head. He shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say he didn't care, even though he would have preferred to be cuddled some more by the man.
Ifa took a book from the nightstand, moving the lamp closer to slightly illuminate the pages.
He carefully arranged the sheets to cover himself up to his waist and create a cozy and comfortable nest around himself. Then, he silently patted on the bedsheets right over his lower abdomen.
Ororon couldn't help but let out an involuntary contented chirp, while he hastened to climb over the man to reach his belly.
Ifa smiled once more, pleased that his silent invitation had been received with such joy by the bat. He gently scratched him behind the ears, and soon a low, rhythmic purr began to fill the silence of the room.
Ororon curled up into a round ball of fur on the man's abdomen, enjoying his warmth and attention.
Being a cursed and fractured soul was hard sometimes. Some other, instead, it was just... nice and pleasant.
However Ororon would never admit that out loud.
Ignoring the constant and increasingly intense purring sound he couldn't suppress from within his chest, Ororon put his insecurities aside for once and surrendered completely to the pleasure of that sensation.
He closed his eyes, melting at the other's touch, feeling safe and loved.
Ifa gave him a sweet smile, heartened to see his partner so relaxed and calm for once.
"G'night, my little bat. Rest well."
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
When the first rays of dawn peeked through the curtains, a shiver ran down Ifa's spine.
He wriggled slightly, and beneath the sheets, two warm arms wrapped around his chest, pressing closer to his skin, hugging him affectionately from behind.
A couple of hands traced his features, caressing him slowly and gently.
"Mmh, morning." Ifa slurred the words, leaning more into that warm, cozy embrace.
A face with a messy mass of soft hair nuzzled against the vet neck, leaving some gentle kisses on his skin and tickling him.
"M’rning..." A sleepy, familiar voice greeted back.
Ifa slightly opened his eyes, slowly focusing on the bedside table in front of him. The clock read just before 6 a.m. It was definitely too early for his habits, but he knew they would be waiting for him at the clinic soon.
He wasn't a morning person, but his job forced him to wake up quite early.
He shut down his eyes, turning onto his back and hearing his partner grumble in dissatisfaction at the change of position.
In a tangle of limbs and bedsheets, the two adjusted their bodies to reach another comfortable position for both of them.
Feeling a warm breath close to his cheek, Ifa peeked out from under his eyelashes once more.
The man was greeted by the familiar face of Ororon, human again and totally dozed off.
"Welcome back." Ifa whispered, searching for the other's lips with his own.
Ororon replied with another muffled sound and hugged him tighter, as if afraid that the other might run away at any moment. Although still half asleep, his body had moved on its own, perfectly knowing the other's habits, who instead needed to leave soon because of work.
Ifa giggled softly, returning the cuddles and enjoying that quiet moment of peace.
He slowly slid his arm behind Ororon's head, who in turn nuzzled closer to him.
His bat fluffy ears flicked between a mass of hair that lay messily on Ifa's chest - now turned into Ororon's personal pillow.
A soft content smile appeared on the vet's lips.
Maybe he could have arrived a few minutes late that morning.
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
⋆｡˚⭒ ⋆⊹₊ (㇏(^•ω•^)ノ) ₊⊹⋆ ⭒˚｡⋆
Thanks a lot for reading this silly and self-indulgent one shot! Hope you enjoyed it! 🦇💜
A few days ago, on the train, this idea just popped into my mind and, since the lack of fics about actual bat Ororon, I said to myself: why not, let's do it. So I wrote it practically in one go, without thinking too much about it. Anyway, Happy Spooky Halloween! 🎃👻
Kudos and comments are really appreciated! (•⩊•)💕
Follow me on tumblr, x (twitter) or instagram for more Genshin doodles or updates about upcoming fics! Have a nice day!✨