Chapter Text
Things between Z and Regect have been bad ….like really bad.
Sure, the two’s relationship has mainly been them fighting each other, but that was in a somewhat loving, in a totally normal friend way!! Strictly platonic.
But that all changed that night.
Z, Regect, and of course, Moe, had gone on one of their usual adventures, ran around the man’s world and goofed off. It was a really nice day too, Z got to shoot some of those cave dwellers along with that fuck ass pirate, the trio went fishing, somehow Regect fished up a stack of diamond blocks…. If only the entity was this lucky with gambling…
It was a good day!! No. A great day!
…..
So of course, wanting to chase the high of greatness, the three went to a bar.
And oh, how Z wishes they had just called it a day..
Then none of this would’ve happened…
…..
He doesn’t remember much of that night, he got pretty drunk, but what he does remember is Regect.
The entity was also pretty hammered, maybe a bit worse than Z actually…
But god Z couldn’t stop staring at him… admiring him. When did their hatred for each other dull into ….something else? Something more..
To the entity’s credit, it did try to ease the tension between them that night, kept close, but never too close. Made sure not to make any mistakes.
…..
Z, in his drunken state though, didn’t seem to care about said mistakes that Regect was trying to avoid. He knew what he wanted, so of course, he did something stupid.
He kissed him.
It was probably sloppy.
………
No, it was definitely sloppy.
But after that, the whole night was a blur. Thank god Moe stayed sober, because otherwise the three would’ve been fucked.
He remembers waking up the day after.. a huge ass migraine already banging against his head, clothes gone …and bed sheets feeling way too soft to belong to him.
Looking up was a mistake, because it only made him meet the reality of the situation.
He was in Regect’s bed.
Not some random hookups, or another entity, or literally anyone else’s.
It was Regect’s.
And what made it worse?
Regect was still in it, awake. Staring at him with a weird awed look in that one visible eye.
Fuck.
FUCK-
…..
There was no way to pretend this never happened now.
Because Regect was already awake.
Regect already saw him.
Saw him.
Saw everything.
……
Look, Z isn’t homophobic. Well…. Not anymore at least- but he can’t help but feel a little shame in his body.
No. Not a little.
There’s a lot of shame.
Because why did he have to be made wrong?? Why did he have to have a body of a woman’s even though he so obviously wasn’t one?! And why the fuck was Regect able to see it?!
God… if there even is one, please please help him-
“Ze..” the entity had tried to speak up, voice coming out way too softly as it reached out towards the man, maybe to smooth out those feathers on his wings that start to ruffle up, but before those claws could reach him, Z jolted back.
Clothes were back on in an instant, and Z immediately rushed downstairs, only to be met with the reality of his situation when Moe greeted him with a plate of eggs and toast, and a printed out photo of him and Regect sloppily making out.
…….
If it was anyone else holding the photo, he would’ve decked them in the face.
Moe’s look at first was smug, amused, a teasing honk left her horn as she perked her eyebrows up and down ..but that all quickly fell dead in an instant when the clown noticed Z’s growing dread, she all too quickly shoved the plate into his hands before rushing out apologies and reassurances though that horn.
Z didn’t pay attention though because the that realization only grew.
Regect saw him.
Regect saw him.
All of him.
Z has been doing everything in his power to avoid Regect for the next weeks that passed after the incident.
Was it shitty? Oh yeah. It was really shitty-
But he also just wants to ignore that it happened.. ignore what Regect saw.
Regect seemed patient at first, hell, he even avoided Z a little too after he practically ran out of the entity’s room!!
But of course, things have to go to shit eventually.
“OK DUDE, IM GETTING TIRED OF THIS SHIT!” The voice is loud, accompanied by a loud slam of claws against the table as the entity sat up from his chair, Moe and Wakafante’s eyes immediately darted up to meet Regect’s angry glare, but Z kept his gaze glued to his plate for a bit longer before it slowly meets that same glare with his own look of disinterested and annoyance, “I… I get if you’re mad at me or something, but ignoring me for three whole weeks?! What the fuck man?!”
“Stop making a scene, just eat your food-“
“NO!! Tell me Ze- why the hell are you still ignoring me?! I- I wasn’t that bad in bed… was I?” That last part was quieter, mumbled.. but it still manages to get Z to choke on his food and for the others at the table to cast their gazes onto him instead.
“WHAT?!”
“HONK HONK HONK!!!!”
“Wha- Moe what do you mean.. I don’t need to check the cauldrons- ooh okayy..” Fante tries to protest before the clown drags the two out from the kitchen, leaving Z and Regect alone.
……….
“Dude… WHAT THE FUCK?!”
“Ze please…” his voice is softer now, almost begging as he stares at Z with a desperate look ..one he’s never seen in that eye before, “Please just.. just talk to me!! I don’t.. I don’t like being left alone,” he would’ve felt bad if the shame wasn’t still clawing at his throat, “I know it was probably a mistake but-“
“Yeah.” Z finally speaks up, louder this time and cutting Regect off as he pushes himself up into a stand, “Yeah, it was a mistake. A huge fucking mistake!! I.. I just-“ god he feels sick.. no like, actually sick- ..did he stand up too fast? What the hell?? “I’m done with this. I’m just gonna go-“
He turns and walks ..which is more of a run, off before Regect could protest against it.
……….
The next few days aren’t any better, that sickness doesn’t go away, and Regect won’t leave him the fuck alone.
It had tried many tactics, coaxing, comforting, picking fights.
…
Fighting definitely got Z’s attention, it was kinda hard to ignore the fucker when he punches him.
These fights felt more…. Aggressive than usual though, were they always this violent? Always this painful…
Z’s emotions felt like they were all over the place too, one second he wants to scream at Regect, rant all his anger out onto the entity ..who probably wouldn’t even mind saying how much he’s been doing to get the man’s attention, and the next, he wants to sob his eyes out over something stupid like one of his guns being slightly out of place..
What the hell is going on with him?!?!
That’s not it though, because of course it isn’t. The world that belongs to Z in the first place seems to hate him.
He’s been starting to feel more ..exhausted than usual, even the easy adventures they used to do seem like too much of a hassle to Z now.
They were supposed to go fishing. Z, Moe, and… Regect, but it sounds like a lot of work to get there…. Z just wants to lay down in his bed and sleep.
Sure.. he probably could’ve asked Regect to just teleport them to their usual fishing spot.. but that would also mean talking to Regect.
…..
Z wishes he wasn’t being so dramatic about this whole thing- but every time he looks at the entity, he’s reminded about how it saw him. Saw his body.
Why hasn’t he said anything about it yet?
Why isn’t he calling Z a freak?
…He hates it, doesn’t he? Obviously Regect thought he’d be sleeping with a man so-
His thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a knock on his door, “Hey uhh.. Ze?” Hm.. what was it this time, coaxing? Comfort? ..Regect’s voice did sound a little hesitant this time, maybe it’s something different, “Are you um.. you’re coming fishing with us, right? You haven’t left your room all day so…”
Z doesn’t answer, just burying his face against his pillows with a grumble, Regect seems to take the muffled sound as a sign to enter Z’s room, it’s not. Z wants to scream at him.
He doesn’t.. just shifting his wings to wrap around himself as a makeshift blanket to hide under.
“…Ze?”
“Fuck off Regect.” His voice sounds weaker than he would’ve liked ..god when is this sickness gonna go away?! “I’m not goin’ ..too tired.”
The room goes silent after that, and Z’s stupid enough to believe that Regect left, one of his wings lifting ever so slightly to allow him to peek if he did, and he immediately jolts back when he sees the entity standing right in front of him, that eye wide with concern.
“What?? Are you sick or something?!” Worry. That’s the new tone in its voice, no more hesitance or stalling, Z doesn’t know how he should feel about it, especially when he feels a clawed hand move to press against his forehead, “Fuckk okay.. okay, me and Moe could like.. skip fishing, and get you some medicine or something, how does that sound?”
Z blinks at him… then just stares, for a long time…. Because why is Regect so worried?! Why does he even care in the first place?? Z has been a complete dick, even he can admit that ..so why??
….
Eventually he gains his senses and quickly shoves the hand away, “It’s.. it’s really not that bad, you don’t have to cancel the hangout with Moe over me,” Regect looks like he was about to protest but Z quickly cuts him off by continuing, “I’ll be fine, go fishing without me.”
Regect still doesn’t look fully convinced, but when Z looks away and moves his wings back to cover his face, the entity eventually relents with a sigh, “Fine.. just ugh- don’t die, okay?”
…….
“It probably wouldn’t have been fun with you anyway.”
Regect is being sarcastic. Z knows that with the way the entity’s voice stays soft, how he had to think about the retort before saying it, how Regect just acts in general.
But is he really all that wrong?
Z probably would’ve ignored Regect the whole time again, leaving Moe feeling uncomfortable, sad. She’s practically been working overtime lately with how much work she’s been putting in to get the two to make up.
……
He decides not to think about that though, just rolling onto his side, back facing Regect, “Kay, have fun …or whatever.” He really needs a nap.
Z wasn’t trying to affect the others with his problems. He really wasn’t.
He wasn’t even trying to ignore Regect at this point!!
He’s just.. tired all the time, sick in the mornings…. It’s hard enough to go on any adventures when he’s exhausted, but his brain also screams at him to go back to his room whenever he steps too far out of it-
Those pills Moe and Regect managed to get for him on their fishing trip haven’t really done much to help either.
And what made things worse?
A pain was starting to grow in his lower abdomen.
…..
Maybe this wasn’t just a common cold.
He’s been aching all day so far, staying cramped up in his room for however long this “sickness” has been going on for, he tried laying down for awhile, tried closing his eyes, but today his brain was really loud, and he’s too exhausted to try to ignore it.
He watches as his hands instinctively shuffle his blankets and pillows into a nest like shape, something he doesn’t normally do unless he’s sick or can’t sleep. He found the concept of “nesting” for avians pathetic… really, who needs to cuddle themselves in a bunch of blankets piled together in order to sleep??
Not him.
….
Well, not usually.
……….
Ze felt the slight shift in the room before the door even managed to open, feathers immediately puffing up when he hears that familiar voice speak, “Hey Ze.. was just coming in to see… oh-“ the entity immediately pauses when he walks in, staring at Z… who was currently making a quiet hissing sound under his breath.
Wait… he can do that??
Why is he even so angry?? Regect barely entered the room.. “Sorry-“ he eventually mutters out, pushing that sudden anger down and ignoring how his instincts scream when Regect steps closer.
“…What are you doing?” the question causes Z’s eyes to graze back down onto his blankets, now placed together in a makeshift nest, some embarrassment making its way up into his cheeks with a pinkish red, but he tries to push that away too.
“What’s it look like?”
“Hm.. I dunno, that’s why I asked,” Regect scoffs out, trying to tease ..to lighten the mood as he steps closer, examining the nest, Z doesn’t know if his feathers puff up out of pride or defensiveness, “Looks like a mess to me though.”
……
That was…. Definitely the wrong answer.
Because Z can’t stop himself before he snaps at the entity, “Get out.”
“Wha- Ze??”
“GET THE FUCK OUT!!”
When Regect didn’t immediately listen, Z pounced on him, wings flaring out and flapping wildly from behind him, hands punching, legs kicking ..body doing everything in its power to get this intruder out.
He almost feels bad when he hears the panicked protests Regect gives from outside his door, but his body quickly goes back onto focusing on his nest instead.
…………….
He’s half surprised when Regect doesn’t try bothering him again.
It’s been a few hours since …that incident, but weirdly, there hasn’t been a single peep near Z’s room. No knocking, no barging in, nothing.
He doesn’t know if he should feel glad or upset about that.
Z stares at the door while he lays in his makeshift bed for awhile longer.. waiting for something to happen, but of course nothing does.
Well.. if you count the sound of his stomach growling as nothing. Regect was right about one thing when he walked into Z’s room earlier, the man had not left at all.
Not even to eat.
And wow… Z was hungry- why hasn’t Regrct brought anything he got up to cook something yet?
…..
He really doesn’t want to leave his bed, his nest, but.. he’s hungry. His instincts are probably just being annoying again.
So ignoring those constant screams, Z stands up and makes his way downstairs, and into the kitchen. Him, Moe, and Regect have been staying at Wakafante’s house ever since the hole incident and helped the man with having more food options, thanks to Regect’s biggie ass ..but damn- even when Z checks the fridge there’s barely anything. Not anything he wants to eat right now either.
For some reason he’s really craving something meaty.. something small..
……
A rabbit sounds really good right now.
…………
Since the fridge didn’t have anything even close to what Z wanted, and they didn’t really keep any rodent pets.. Z had to go hunt for his food. It probably would’ve been quicker if he used his wings to scan the area, but he’s too exhausted for flying.
It takes awhile, but eventually he finds his meal.
The house is still quiet when Z returns, a dead rabbit in his hands. He doesn’t bother to look for anyone as he immediately darts towards the kitchen, he just wants to make his food then immediately dart right back into his bed.
Catching the prey was actually pretty easy, one quick shot with one of his guns and it was over, the hard part was ignoring the other annoying entities in his world who tried roping him into their antics, hell! He even saw that pirate, who asked him to help make space for a picnic.
..At least he knows Fante is gonna be out tonight.
“What are you doing?” A sudden voice snaps Z out from his thoughts, his gaze immediately darting towards the entity, who was hiding slightly behind Moe.. something Regect usually does during one of their play fights to help the clown feel included, not that it usually worked, or that they were playing at the moment.
“Making Rabbit stew, thought that was obvious..”
“WHAT?!?! Nononono dude!! Me and Moe already decided that we were having Dino nuggets and Mac n cheese for dinner tonight!!!” Regect immediately starts to protest, leaving the safety of Moe and taking a few steps closer to Z, but those steps flatter when it sees Z’s feathers starting to flare out, “Not.. not rabbit stew! What the fuck man?!”
“Honk honk!!” Moe honks her horn frantically in agreement.
“Yeah, well I never said I was sharing.. you guys can have your Dino nuggets or something, I don’t care.”
And with that, Z turned his attention back onto his food, cutting the meat up and putting it into the pot ..Regect though, didn’t seem satisfied and stepped closer to Z. Close enough to wrap his arms around his waist.
“Why rabbit stew though?? I’ve never seen you eat rabbit before,” Regect questions, and if Z focuses hard enough he could feel a chin rest against his shoulder, feels the way that tail almost way too casually brushes against his legs and how those claws trail over his jacket, “Kinda gross dude.. aren’t they like- related to rats or something??”
“What?? No- well… maybe? It doesn’t matter!! I’ve eaten this before you’re just TOO BLIND to notice things like that!!” He hisses out, and wow.. he has missed bickering like this, not fully angry, or aggressive, just.. calm, “Plus, I’m a hawk avian.. it’s in my blood to eat this sort of stuff.”
“…Wait, you’re a hawk?? I thought you were some kind of owl or something??!”
“What?! Why??”
“Because of the white wings?? Duh!! Hawks don’t have those!!” He yells, as if Z didn’t know what he was, “I thought you were like.. one of those snowy owls, they’re white.”
…..
This fucking dumbass.
“Regect.”
“What?”
Z leans against that body holding onto him, it’s honestly weird how comfortable it feels.. Regect is like.. half a torso with wonky limps and visible ribs!! Still, it’s nice.. soft, was that fur? Z wants to sleep against it.
“Owls eat rodents too.”
….
“Oh.”
“Honk honk honk!!!” Moe suddenly pitches in again, squeezing her horn less frantically now as she walks over, a smile tugging at her lips as she stares at the two.. probably happy to see they’re finally being somewhat normal after that night…
“Oh right!! Me and Moe are gonna head to the grocery store to get the stuff for dinner, do you wanna come Ze?”
He thinks about it, really thinks about it.. he wants to, hanging out with his friends sounds nice, amazing. Especially after isolating himself, but god- that pain in his stomach is really starting to hurt, “Nah.. no, I’m uh… I’m still feeling sick.”
“Honk honk..?”
“Yeah Moe, I’m fine.. I just-“
“Is the medicine we got you not working?? Shit.. okay.. um, we can get you more while we’re out!! Or uh, do you.. do you need anything?!”
That grip on him tightens for a brief moment ..the warmth feels nice, really nice, but it’s gone before he could bask in it, then he thinks about that question, “Need something… yeah maybe- um.. if you could find me a uh, a heating pad that’d be great.”
“Ha, what, you’ve got cramps or something?”
…..
Regect laughs, but Z can’t move. He freezes, stares up at the entity.. because why would he say that? Say that in front of Moe?? ..Does she know? Did he tell her?
Why isn’t she saying anything?
Why hasn’t she said anything?
Seeming to sense the sudden shift though, the entity immediately stops his teasing, grip loosening even more on Z before it fully pulls away. Z has to fight himself not to chase it, “Right.. sorry- yeah, if we find any we’ll get some.”
The two were quick to leave after that, Wakafante too, but Z only knew that because Dantes was playing a loud ass annoying love song outside of the house to lure the wizard out. God he hates that pirate.
Z went to his room to finish eating his stew, then was planning to pass the fuck out, but…
That pain is constant.
It’s growing too..
It almost feels like somethings moving-
It doesn’t take long for the pain to become what Z feels like is the worst pain of his life. He wants to scream. To call for help. Call Regect.
But he can’t move. His body is frozen, glued to the nest in his bed as he clings onto the blankets for deal life ..there’s definitely something moving inside of him- something that’s not supposed to be there.. but before he’s able to think too hard about it, the pain suddenly …stops?
…..
There’s a sudden weight in his boxers now.. not too heavy, but not too light either. It takes a long few minutes before Z can force himself to look, exhaustion and utter confusion pulling the avian to lay against his sheets, but when he does…
He sees a fucking egg.
“Wha.. what the actual fuck?!?!” Is all Z can say as he stares at it.. can he… can he even call it an it?!?!
He knows that he could biologically do this but…
Holy shit. He just laid a fucking egg-
Did… did him and Regect not use protection when they….
What is he thinking. Of fucking course he didn’t. If he did THERE WOULDNT BE A FUCKING EGG IN HIS NEST BED
“Fuck… fuck fuck fuckkkk- okay okay maybe it’s like… not fertile.. that can happen- right??” Z continues to mutter to himself as he examines the egg, it’s pretty big.. the color looks like a healthy white with a few dark splotches littered over it ..and it’s surprisingly warm.
…….
Did he just have Regect’s baby?
“What.. what do I even do with this?! Do I.. can I like, cook it or something..?” The thought is there, but his instincts immediately scream in protest against the idea, not that he was actually gonna do it …probably.
How is he even supposed to explain this to the others??
How is he supposed to explain this to Regect?!
………..
It might not be the best idea, but the first one that comes to mind is to …just not tell them.
Is it a stupid plan? yes. Will they find out eventually? oh definitely ..it’s not like Z could hide said egg when it eventually hatches and turns into a fucking kid- wait.. is he even going to keep it??
But it’s also the only idea he has..
Z honestly has no idea how he’s supposed to care for this thing… how does one even take care of an egg??
He’s really glad Moe was able to find him a heating pad last minute at the store when her and Regect went grocery shopping ..sure, it wasn’t going to help him much now, but, eggs need warmth, right?
Z doesn’t even know why he hasn’t tried getting rid of the thing yet… like, if he just got rid of it the problem would be gone! Wouldn’t that be considered murder though? ..he’s still not entirely sure if there is something in the egg.. he’s tried tapping against it, a few thrills managing to escape from his throat before he forced the sounds away with a cough, but nothing ever answered.
…..
Could anything even answer??
“GOD!!! This is so confusing!!” He just groans into his pillow, one of his wings draped over the egg, instinctively trying to warm it up as if the heating pad already isn’t doing its job.
It’s been a few days now, and Z still has no idea what to do. How to explain this. How to get rid of it.
He doesn’t want to get rid of it.
……
Sure, it’s probably just those stupid instincts clouding his brain again, screaming at him. But he doesn’t try as hard to push them down ..because this was life right? He shouldn’t be trying to get rid of something he made. Plus… it’d be cruel to just abandon the egg.
“Ughh.. what am I going to do with you?” He continues to mutter out, mostly speaking to himself as he lifts his wing to stare at his and Regect’s creation.
…..
Regect’s.
“Fuckk I gotta tell him, don’t I??” One hand moves to pull the egg closer, eyes squinting slightly as he examines it, as if he hasn’t already 1000 times today, “Am I even doing this right?? Are.. are you alive in there?”
……..
There’s no answer. Of course there isn’t. This is an egg, it can’t talk. And if it did.. Z probably would’ve freaked out even more.
The sound of his phone buzzing is what brings him back, checking it, he sees that one of his sisters, Ava, just posted a photo on instagram ..an app the girls made him get just to follow them on.
The picture is a selfie with Ava and Phoebe in it, in their shared apartment, the two had always been close, probably due to how close their ages are from each other while Z is 5 years younger than them.. he always wished he could’ve been closer with them, he’d let them do his makeup over and over again, let them do his hair, do whatever as long as it keeps them close.
They're all he has left after he tried coming out.
Do they understand that he’s a man? Oh, hell no. But at least they’re trying. Or at least pretending to.. that’s more effort his parents are giving.
Back to the picture though…
They’re at home. They’re not busy.
Sure, it might be a stretch but they’re the only potential help he has right now.
…..
The phone rings for about a minute before eventually Ava answers it, “Zahra- I um.. I mean Z!! Hey!! It’s been awhile!!” Z winces at the mishap ..but mistakes happen, he can ignore it, “What’s up man?! You haven’t called us in ages!!!”
She’s right.. maybe Z should call more, maybe then they’d understand more, know that he isn’t her anymore.
But that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is getting help-
“Hey! Yeah um.. I’m really sorry about that, I’ll uh.. I’ll try to call more, yeah- but I um.. I kinda have a problem right now… Phoebe is still with you right?”
“Stalking my posts now? Wow Z..” Ava teases but Z could hear how the phone shifts around slightly in the girls hand, probably getting handed to Phoebe.
“Yeah I’m hear, what’s up-“
“I laid an egg.” The words rush out before he could even think about how to word them, wanting to get problem out of the way, “I laid a fucking egg and I don’t know what the hell i’m doing-“
“You… what?!”
“OMG?! WE’RE AUNTS?!!”
The two voices came at the same time, Z isn’t sure who was who-
“Who’s the dad?!”
“Is he hot??”
“OH MY GODDD WE HAVE TO MEET HIM AHH”
“Z- Z do you think we could come ov-“
“OH MY GOD SHUT UP!!!” He eventually snaps in attempt to stop the flood of questions his sisters soak him with, eyes quickly darting towards his door to make sure he didn’t catch anyone else’s attention from inside the house, “He uh.. he doesn’t know- and I don’t want him to! I just- I need help!”
“Oof, is he like.. an ex or something? That’s kinda shitty Z..” that was Ava this time, and Z wants to scream again, because why won’t they listen to him?!
“Whatever!! Whatever- I just… how do I take care of this thing?! What.. what do I do??”
“Ppfff why would we know? Do you see us having eggs??” Phoebe snorts, clearly teasing, still Z can’t help but feel embarrassed.
“I uh- I dunno?! You’re like… older? Plus you two are both girls so I thought you’d-“
“Aren’t you one too?”
………
“Ana!!” A hushed shout could be heard, but Z could barely hear it, dread starting to fill his chest as he stares at his phone.
“What?! I’m not exactly wrong, am I??”
“I mean..”
Why did he think this was a good idea? Why did he think they’d help?? This is always how these calls go, one way or another.
“Y’know what? You’re right. You guys don’t know how to help me, I should’ve just googled it or something.”
“Wait Z!! we can still-“
He hangs up.
“God I’m an idiot.” Is all he says afterwards, unable to push away the tears that start to form in his eyes as he buries himself into his pillows, bringing the egg closer despite everything.
It’s not its fault he was made wrong. Not its fault that his family won’t accept that he’s not her anymore.
He doesn’t need them.
He can take care of this on his own.
“ZE!! ZE WAKE UP!!!! I SWEAR IF YOU DONT OPEN THIS DOOR ILL-“ god not this again…
Look, Z wasn’t trying to stay isolated in his room… wasn’t trying to avoid his friends, but what if something happens to the egg if he leaves??? What if someone finds it?! What if Wakafante lights the house on fire again?!?!
It’s a dangerous world, Z would know, so excuse him for being a little overprotective.
…..
Still, waking up to the constant banging on his door everyday now is starting to get annoying.
Before Regect teleports inside Z quickly hides the egg under his wings, feathers puffing out wider than they have before, but he ignores that..
Usually Regect would immediately dart towards Z by his spot on the bed, but this time he opens the door to invite Moe in, “ZE THIS IS A INTERVENTION!!”
“…What?”
“YOU HAVENT LEFT YOUR ROOM IN WEEKS MAN!! WEEKS!!”
“HONK HONK HONK HONK!!!!”
“Seriously dude… we’re worried about you! What’s going on?!” Regect’s voice isn’t that normal taunting tone Z’s used to, it’s worried, like.. actually worried, “Are.. are you still sick?? How are you feeling? …Have you even eaten today?!”
Z’s mouth opens to speak, to give some type of protest in response to the entity’s unneeded concern, to tell him that he isn’t hungry, that he’s doing something really important- but all that comes out is a short hissing noise when Moe steps a little too close to his nest.
“Honk.. honk….?” Ah shit- he didn’t mean to do that..
He knows Moe wouldn’t hurt the egg.. he knows she’s safe, so why is his brain screaming at him to attack?! “Dude… what the hell Ze??”
“Look.. I don’t need an intervention, okay?!” He moves his sudden anger onto Regect instead, sitting up to face the entity ..not noticing how closely Moe starts to inspect his wings now, “I’m fine!! I just uh.. been tired or something? I don’t know-“
“You don’t even have a proper excuse!!”
“Oh so now I need an excuse for wanting to stay in my room?!”
“WHEN YOU STAY INSIDE OF IT 24/7 YEAH, DUMBASS!!!”
“HONK HONK HONK HONK!!!” Moe suddenly cuts in, like how she usually does during their fights, but she sounds closer now.. almost as if-
“AH MOE WHAT THE FUCK?!” Z has to stop his wings from slapping Moe in the face with the clown suddenly appears next to him on the bed, her face filled with that same concern in Regect’s voice as she stares at him, squeezing her horn tightly between her fingers.
“Cmon man, talk to us!!” that softness is back as Regect takes the opportunity to sit by Z’s other side the bed, the two entities practically trapping him in, “At least tell me you've eaten..”
The way Z looks away is telling.
But in his defense, he can’t leave the egg alone!! What if something happens while he’s gone?!
……..
“Alright Moe, go grab Ze some-“
“HONK HONK!!”
“Oh.. you want me to grab it? Um.. okay, yeah, I’ll uh, I’ll be right back…” That was probably the smarter move anyway.. Z wouldn’t dare to even think about hurting Moe if she got too close, Regect on the other hand…
The man was about to start reassuring Moe that he’s fine again, but before he could, he felt hands on his wings, “Uh.. hey, HEY- MOE!!”
The feathers bristle up, wings trying to press closer against his back in attempt to hide the precious cargo underneath, but of course, Moe doesn’t let them ..her gentle fingers having a surprisingly strong grip.
It’s not long till she finds what Z has been so desperately hiding.
Finds it.
Finds the egg.
……..
“Moe I-“
“Honk.. HONK?!” Those honks sound surprised.. confused, bewildered, rightly so.. but it still makes Z want to hide away, does she know now?! Will she still see Z as …Z? Not someone else..?
His mouth opens to give an excuse, a lie, something in attempt to distract the clown from what she found, but before any words manage to come out, two hands move to grab the egg, “Honk..?”
If this were anyone else… anyone, Z would’ve killed them. Would’ve grabbed the nearest gun and shoot them dead. But this is Moe.. he trusts her, she wouldn’t hurt him, wouldn’t hurt it.
“Um… yeah, yeah.. that’s an egg- I kinda uh, laid it, awhile ago—“ he looks away when Moe starts to look him over with confused curiosity, cutting her off before she could honk out any questions, “I don’t really want to talk about how I made it, but..”
“Honk honk??”
“Is it Regect’s…? What the hell Moe??!” Z almost chokes at the abrupt question, that dread that was building up now completely dried out as he stares at the clown, eyes wide, face flush ..she isn’t even wrong, that’s the worst part! “No!! Well uh ..yes? I just- this isn’t..”
That horn squeezes again, louder this time, but Z doesn’t want to listen …he knows what Moe is trying to tell him, knows she wants him to tell him, tell Regect, but… he can’t. He can’t- because what will he think?! What will he say… what will he do?!
“I will, trust me I will, Moe- I just—“
“Honk!!”
One of Moe’s hands leave the egg to grab onto Z’s shoulder, forcing his attention onto her instead of the door …wait when did he start watching for Regect to come back?!
The entity could teleport back in here any second now.. could see what’s in Moe’s lap.
Yeah, that’s probably the worst way it could find out about this …whole thing.
…..
“Ill tell him..” he eventually lets out again, voice quieter this time, unsure.. but he knows Moe isn’t going to let him let this go, hands reaching over to take back the egg in the clowns lap as he looks away, “I’ll tell him, I will- I just… give me some time, okay?? I can’t just.. this isn’t something you can just tell someone.. y’know??”
“Honk..?” That horn squeezes again, but lighter now, quieter, the hand still on his shoulder giving a light squeeze as Moe moves closer to trap Z into a hug, the clowns touch was always comforting, its soft, soothing, something no one else could replicate even if they tried ..and god did Z need this right now.
“Yeah.. yeah I know you have questions, hell- you probably have a fuck ton of questions!! But I.. I’m not ready yet, okay? I’ll answer them when I can, I swear I will Moe! I just- give me some time.. please…”
The hug tightens a tiny bit before Moe lets go with a gentle honk, then Z hears the door open.
“ALRIGHT IM BACK WITH THE FOOD!!”
He’s quick to hide the egg before Regect could see, and with that, Moe left the room with a honk of encouragement to both of them.
…..
“Wha… what the hell was that??” The confusion is clear in the entity’s voice as he moves closer, “Don’t tell me you two had a heart to heart without- oh.. dude are you alright?”
What’s with the sudden switch up? Z shifts his gaze to look up towards Regect, and oh. His vision his blurry.. the kind of blurred vision you get when you’re crying. When did he start..
“I’m fine.” Is all that comes out, maybe too quickly, but either way, Z looks away, shifting in his spot in attempt to fit the egg into a more comfortable position in his wings.
Regect stays still for a moment before eventually he moves to sit next to the man on his bed, it only takes till now for Z to realize the entity was holding something in his hands, “Okay… well, I was thinking back to that day where me and Moe caught you making that weird stew.. and I thought ‘hey stew is probably good for sick people, right??’ So I um.. I made it for you.”
“The.. rabbit stew?” Z sniffed out, taking the bowl ..huh, for some odd reason his instincts aren’t screaming at him for Regect being too close, “I’m not sick, dumbass..”
Z could feel how that cat like tail sways against the mattress anxiously, close to touching his hips, but it never does, Regect leans back slightly, that one visible eye glancing over the makeshift nest, similar to how it was the first time Regect saw it.
“You sure? ‘Cause you don’t usually keep your nests for this long,” it hums out, that worry in its tone from before still there, but calmer now, “It um.. looks better now by the way, sorry for saying it looked like a mess-“
“No.. you were right, it was a mess- I dunno what came over me to be honest.” He mutters out, taking a bite from the stew Regent brought him and damn it tastes amazing… not that he’d ever say that out loud, the entity’s ego is already big enough, “I uh.. I don’t know why I attacked you like that- I’m sorry..”
“HEY!! I’m the one apologizing, not you.”
A small grumble just leaves Z’s throat when Regect moves closer, but it was more out of annoyance than anything, brows furrowing for a moment when he remembers what he’s supposed to be telling the entity before he reluctantly moves to place the now half empty bowl onto the dresser next to his bed, “Look.. Regect I gotta tell you something.”
Regect looked like he was about to make a teasing remark, or joke, or do anything in character for him, but instead he stays quiet, the concerned gaze shifting into confusion, “..What?”
“Do you um..” he starts off before looking away, a hand subconsciously coming up to tug his wings closer.. trying to hold the hidden egg, but he doesn’t take it out, not yet, “Do you remember that night.. the one where we uh…”
“We do lots of stuff at night dude.. what are you talking about?”
God was this entity dumb?! Oh right, Z already knew the answer to that, yes!! Regect is as smart as a bag of bricks!
“The night we got drunk?? The one when we went fishing before? The one we fucked?!” He snaps, feathers bristling.
“Oh..”
“Oh?! That’s all you’re going to say?!”
“Oh.”
“Okay.. now you’re really starting to piss me off-“
“Ze..” is all he says, in that all too familiar tone of what he heard when he woke up the morning after, soft, calm, full of ..desire? No that can’t be right, “I am so so sorry about that... I swear!! I mean if I would’ve known you’d hate it I’d-“
“Hate it..?”
“That’s why you’ve been pissed at me this whole time right??” and oh does Z wish that was the case, he wishes he hated it, wishes that he could forget about how Regect saw him, wishes that it never happened.
So why can’t he stop ever thinking about it?
Sure, Z was hella drunk when he and Regect.. got at it with each other- but he does remember how fucking good it felt.
“I didn’t… I didn’t hate it Regect.” The words come out in a quiet mutter, but the entity still perks up like a lost dog hearing its owner calling its name at the sound of them, clawed hands immediately reaching for Z’s.
“You didn’t?!” he sounds desperate, that worry from before almost completely gone as Regect moves closer, claws digging into Z’s skin, “Then.. then why the hell did you ignore me for so long?! Why did-“
“You didn’t hate it?!”
……
Z’s breathing becomes harsher now with his blurted out words, wings begging to flare out, but he doesn’t let them, eyes wide as they stare at that golden one.
When Regect doesn’t immediately respond he continues, “How didn’t you?! I mean.. you thought you were sleeping with a man, right?! Weren’t you disgusted??! Disappointed?? I.. I dunno, ashamed?!”
“Ze..”
“You didn’t want that- I mean, why would you?! I should’ve told you before or something.. not that either of us were at the right state of mind, but-“
“Ze.”
“I just- I know you were disappointed.. you had to be!! I wasn’t what you-“
“OH MY GOD!! ZE!” Regect finally snaps out, those clawed hands moving up to grip at the man’s shoulders instead, and ..ow- that fucking hurts, “Why the FUCK would I care about what you looked like or not?!”
“…What?”
“I don’t give a damn if you have a dick or not, okay?! As long as you’re you, I love you.” Regect is now the one with heavy breaths as it looks directly into Z’s eyes, eye narrowed into that usual glare the man’s used to, but it has more emotion to it now.
“You.. what?”
“…Are you really going to make me say it again?”
“I mean.. I didn’t really hear it sooo-“
“OH MY GOD!!” And with that, something immediately smashes into Z’s face, lips ..it takes him way too long to realize, and wow they taste just as good as he remembers.. he doesn’t fight against it when Regect pushes him to lay flat against the bed.
Z could feel how Regects claws eagerly move down to explore over his body, almost like the entity’s been waiting to do this ever since that night.. and wow it felt good, so good.. too good- Z wants to feel this bliss forever… but it stops all too quickly when those claws find their way onto his wings.
“Hey- HEY WAIT!!”
“WHAT?? WHAT?!” Those hand immediately fly up as if Z had pulled a gun on the entity.. and Z’s almost offended by the motion.. but either way they stopped before they could find what Z’s been hiding..
“I um.. I never got to telling you what I wanted to..”
“What? Confessing your love for me wasn’t what you were planning..?” God Z wants to punch this idiot.
“What?! I didn’t- y’know what? Nevermind!” The man just grumbles out as he pushes himself up, giving Regect a glare as he does, but it quickly dissolves into ..shame? Worry? He’s not really sure, “I um.. I kinda…”
He trails off as he reluctantly pulls the egg from underneath his wings, his gaze gluing itself to the eggs shell as he shows it to the entity, “I kinda laid this after we… after we fucked-“
………
Regect is quiet.
Unnervingly quiet.
Is he upset?! Is he going to leave?? Is Z going to have to take care of this thing himself?!?
“You..” it finally speaks, voice shakier than before, “You can lay eggs?!”
“I-“
“And you didn’t tell me?!” He’s louder now, and yeah.. Z should’ve expected anger- “When.. when did you even lay this thing?? It’s been like ..what? A month now since that night?? Ze what the fuck?!”
“I wasn’t really keeping track..”
“Why didn’t you tell me?? This is like… this is OUR kid Ze!!”
“You’re not.. weirded out about this??!”
“Oh, hell yeah I’m weirded out- I didn’t know that you could… do this— BUT ITS OUR KID!! WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME RIGHT AWAY?!”
“BECAUSE I WAS SCARED, OKAY?!” He finally yells back, wings flaring out from behind him now they weren’t holding anything, feathers ruffled uncomfortably, “I was scared that.. I dunno… you’d leave or something- and I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing and… and-“
The tears were back, and flowing down harder than ever, Z hates it. He hates being this vulnerable, being this weak. Boot camp was supposed to fix that, so why the fuck is he being so weak now?! In front of Regect too??
“Hey.. hey- Ze wait.. I’m sorry for yelling okay?? I’m not going to leave I swear— we can uh, tell Moe, and maybe Wakafante…. Wait actually no- we shouldn’t tell him… but we can figure this out, alright?? Together!! I’m not leaving..”
Z looks up towards the entity with a sniffle, hands coming up to wipe away the tears still falling, “Moe already knows..”
“…..”
“I DIDNT WANT TO TELL HER EITHER BELIEVE ME- YOU AND I BOTH KNOW HOW SHE HAS HER WAYS THOUGH!!”
“Well.. you have help, okay? I might not know what I’m doing.. or you, or hell, even Moe, but we’ll figure this out!! This baby is going to have THE BEST LIFE!!”