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The time had long passed midnight in the livelihood of the Overworld. The bright moon, which floated behind clouds of cumulonimbus, shined brightly through the glass windows of the inn. It had only been a few hours since she and Petra had decided to temporarily pause their expedition to rest in a nearby village after spotting the storm clouds. The brunette expected the both of them to easily crash for the night, but once Petra had run downstairs ‘to negotiate some ‘things’ with the staff’ as she said, Jesse couldn’t help but stare at the wooden ceiling since her departure.
Regardless of being completely conscious, Jesse wanted to go to sleep. The bed was comfortable, she was excited to be inside and away from the storm, and she didn’t feel the lingering feelings of guilt or anxiety bubbling in her stomach.
Unfortunately, all of that was nowhere near enough to settle the ache coming from her lower abdomen. Jesse flipped onto her other side with a self-pitying whimper as another cramp tore through her senses. For a moment she stared at the empty space on the bed. Petra was still downstairs, most likely making a deal that would later come back to bite her in the ass later.
And even if it did, Jesse would be there for her as she always had time and time before.
The thought of her partner was usually enough to settle most of her nerves whenever she wasn’t available, but distraction became difficult to uphold when she could hardly ignore the aches that seemed impossible to ease. Another sharp pain made itself present in Jesse’s abdomen, causing her to curl into herself. The duvet was halfway pulled up her face as she squinted her eyes shut.
The distant sound of the front door opening and closing weren’t enough for her process, neither the sounds of Petra’s steps (that she had long since come to recognize easily), nor the loud clanks of the red head’s armor and boots echoing through the room as she discarded them off to a random corner.
Petra didn’t speak as she walked up to the bed. She shuffled herself under the covers next to Jesse, taking the time to card her fingers through the brunette’s hair, and dragging them through her bangs before taking out her signature red clip. The clip was then placed behind Petra on the nightstand. Her jacket, gloves, and bandana followed not long before she decided to sink into the mattress of the double bed.
A hum escaped from Jesse’s lips when Petra’s fingers eventually returned to her scalp and lightly scratched against its surface. She then smiled as the red head leaned in to place numerous smooches onto the top and sides of her head “I know you’re awake. You don’t have to fake it.” Petra mumbled.
“Am I? Or did you fall asleep down there and now you’re dreaming of me being awake?” Jesse’s eyes remained closed as she shot back. Her long bangs were brushed away from her face before Petra could snort “Mm-hm, right,” She then finally laid her head onto the plush of the pillow beneath her.
The next couple of seconds were silent with only the sounds of Jesse’s shallow, uneven breaths present to fill the void. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate (Jesse wasn’t sure herself), the red head immediately noticed, glancing over the details of her face to figure out the issue
“You okay, Jess?”
The brunette remained buried under the duvet while she spoke, making her lackluster speech inaudible to the other “Huh? I can't hear you” Petra then pulled the fabric from her girlfriend's head. As the fabric fell from her face, she finally opened her eyes “Mhm.” It was a lie. They both knew that.
“Seriously, Jesse. What's wrong?” Petra scooted closer. Her face was riddled with concern as she pressed harder, and though it was Jesse's original plan to avoid the topic, she felt guilty keeping it from her. So, she gave in.
“It’s just–” She uneasily huffed “these goddamn cramps. Really annoying cramps.” Petra’s understanding ‘ah’ did not go to deaf ears as she leaned in to place another reassuring kiss to the other’s forehead “Sheesh. Yeah, that’ll do it for you.”
Jesse rolled her eyes playfully before rolling onto her back “Thanks.” She then placed her hands near the source of the aches, her head still turned towards her girlfriend attentively.
She nearly laughed at the woman’s anxious stammers and defenses of ‘you know that’s not what i meant’ before she carded her fingers through her ginger threads. “Well, how do you feel? Other than.. You know.”
“I certainly don't feel ‘on top of the world’ if that's what you're asking.” The brunette snarked.
In return, Petra grimaced “Yeah, okay, stupid question. Sorry.” She broke eye contact for a few seconds to rub at the base of her neck, attempting to ease her embarrassment. She then sat herself up, using her elbows as leverage against the mattress as she thought.
Jesse nearly thought it was the end of their conversation when the silence extended. Which she was grateful for on one hand, and irritated on the other. It honestly felt to her like Petra was just rubbing salt on the wound and then aborting the mission afterwards before anything got ‘salty’... no pun intended.
She was then caught off guard from her thoughts as the red head suddenly got up from her position. She nearly tripped over her own feet, but somehow caught herself at the last second before ultimately eating shit against the oak wood flooring. She ignored the distant giggles and snorts coming from behind her.
“Woah!— Okay— Uhm, I'll be right back. Don't move a muscle while I'm gone!” Petra continued her (albeit) unceremonial trip towards the restroom.
Jesse then huffed, her snickers finally dying down as the warmth became noticeably thinner at the loss of company.
“Jess,”
She felt an arm grab hold of her shoulder. Jesse chose to ignore the calls, rolling onto her stomach and pulling the blanket back over top of her head. It wasn’t long until whoever loomed over her attempted to shake her awake.
“Jesse, come on, you gotta get up.” The voice, who the brunette finally registered as Petra, called for her again, tugging the duvet from her body.
Jesse mumbled an onslaught of curses under her breath as the chill air hit against her hot skin. She half-heartedly waved an arm to push away her ‘annoying’ offender with other mutters of what Petra picked up as ‘piss off’.
Petra found herself chuckling at the attempt before she pulled off the rest of the duvet from her girlfriend’s body “Seriously, though. I just filled a hot bath. Let me take care of you.” She watched as the figure beneath her stilled, a feeling of relief washing over her when Jesse’s head peeked out from her arms.
She then watched as the shorter woman’s eyes squinted in her direction. She was skeptical.
“Really?” Her voice grogged out, her fatigue evident. “Yes, really, and unless you want a cold bath, I suggest you get up.” Petra widened her eyes with a raise of her brow before she began to walk towards the ‘now’ open bathroom.
She didn’t look back to see if her partner was actually following her, trusting both her and her gut to listen to her. She hoped she was going to get up, but even if she didn’t, she was just going to act like it didn’t bother her.
Multiple times before had Jesse been there for her, whether it was literally saving her life, comforting and reassuring her, and especially when she decided to leave Beacontown to stay by her side.
Realistically, just helping her with her menstrual cycle was nothing compared to the Witherstorm, PAMA, or even Romeo, but it was a start. That’s all that really mattered, right? If she never made it out, she would have never been able to.
Petra touched a fingertip to the surface of the bath water as she entered the restroom. Thankfully their minor bickering had no effect on the water temperature just yet, and the water was still quite warm. She then walked to the cabinet sink, crouching down as she grabbed a guest towel before she heard padded steps from behind her. She obviously didn’t need to look back knowing it was only her and Jesse, but she still did anyway.
The brunette, who was still obviously waking up, rubbed one of her eyes as she waved, “Hi.” She leaned against the doorway.
“Hey, you,” Petra grinned as she stood from her kneeling position “finally decided to come join me?” She closed the cabinet and placed the towel on top of the sink. Her hands then found themselves in their familiar position on her hips.
Jesse shrugged in response when her own smile formed “Eh. I thought it didn’t sound too bad.” She finally walked the rest of the way into the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
“‘Didn’t sound ‘too’ bad’?” The red head snorted, her brow still not leaving from its playful position. Her girlfriend then joined her laughs, “You know I’m joking!” one of her hands reached back down to her abdomen, holding onto it as if it would ease the pain. Her smile grew strained.
Thankfully, Petra noticed immediately, quickly waving her over to help her undress “You waste a lot of time.” She pulled on the hem of the short woman’s shirt before tugging it off in a few quick movements. Jesse hummed “You would know.”
A glare was shot her way “You are so gross.” There was no malice to her words as she moved to untie Jesse’s bottoms, pulling them down to her ankles before they were then kicked off.
“And you apparently aren’t?”
“Nope.”
Jesse did the honors of unclipping her own bra, letting the fabric drop to the ground along with her underwear. The fluorescent light above them glistened against the flesh of her skin, and Petra couldn’t help her wandering eyes.
She always knew the brunette was attractive, even when they met just before EnderCon, but once they finally made things official after years of pining, she found a new appreciation for the woman’s beauty. It wasn’t always sexual, of course, but it was as if she had been blessed by the Admins herself, and there was no way in hell anyone going to judge her for looking.
“Are you just going to ogle at me all night or do you plan on joining me?”
Shit. Caught staring.
Right when Petra forgot she wasn’t the only one in the room, Jesse decided to speak again. The red head cleared her throat when it became noticeably dry, not wanting to embarrass herself more than she already had at that moment.
She reached down to the edge of her own shirt, pulling it off in one quick pull before tossing it on the floor “Right—yeah, no, sorry. Fuck.” She didn’t need to look up to already know the brunette had an amused smirk on her face as she stepped into the large tub.
Her breath hitched as she lowered herself into the water, not expecting the water to be as hot as it was with how distracted the two of them had been “Holy mother of pearls! It’s like I’m trying to bathe in lava, what the hell, Petra?!”
Petra snickered as she walked behind the porcelain bath. She made quick business of discarding her clothes beforehand and planned to make quick business getting comfortable with her girlfriend.
“I bet it’s not even that bad. Give it a few to cool down.”
“I can’t give it a ‘few’” Jesse pulled air quotes “when I’m already in the bathtub, Petra!” She crossed her arms under the steaming water as she watched the other slowly lower herself behind her, a satisfied groan escaping from her lips. Jesse rolled her eyes and looked forwards again “Of course, you don’t find it hot. You’ve been to the Nether more than anyone else, like, ever.”
Petra leaned over Jesse before wrapping her arms around her midsection, pulling her back against her chest before leaning back. “Hm. That’s true.” The brunette rested her head on her partner’s shoulder with a tut before Petra pressed a few apologetic kisses to the side of her face “I honestly wasn’t sure how long you were gonna take. I didn’t want it to be cold when we finally got in.”
Once said, Jesse affectionately gazed back at the red head, running her hand up the side of her face before she leaned into the touch “You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve told me what you were doing and I would’ve gotten up.” Despite her words, she leaned in to place a grateful kiss on her lips. It was quickly reciprocated.
“I know, but I wanted to give you some time to get some sleep in before—” “Before you rudely woke me up?” “Hm? Yup.”
With her face still held in her girlfriend’s grasp, she leaned in once more, placing gentle kisses around her face and over her eyelids before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips “So, how are you feeling now?”
Jesse hummed in thought as she laid back in her original place against Petra “Definitely better, but I could use some help washing myself.” She faked a sad sigh as she looked over towards the sink. The taller woman chuckled, reaching for a bottle of shampoo next to her “Is that so?” She got an insistent nod in return as she poured a decent amount into the palm of her hand.
Thankfully, without her asking (mostly because she forgot to) Jesse scooted herself forwards before dipping her curls into the bath water, quickly raising herself afterwards.
“Can I do yours after?”
“Jesse, this is for you. You don’t feel good.”
“Pssh—I don’t need to feel good to wash my girlfriend, thank you.”
“Right…”