That night, heavy rain suddenly poured outside the window.
Two kittens huddled close together under the porch, eyes half-closed as they groomed their damp fur. The leaves drooped, and the budding flowers were battered by the rain, wilting in despair. Yet, some buds, soaked in water, began to bloom, appearing fresh and dewy.
Stella lay exhausted on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling that finally stopped spinning. Several times she felt as if she were being tossed by waves, almost fainting from the motion.
Leo picked up the scattered items from the floor and threw them into the trash before heading to the bathroom to prepare a warm bath. When he came out, he gently lifted Stella into his arms. At his touch, she whimpered softly, trembling as she clung to him.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Leo asked, feeling guilty.
"It hurts, but not just pain," Stella stammered, tears welling up. "I don't know, every time you touch me, I just can't help but shiver…"
Leo's arms stiffened. He kissed her eyes and took slow, careful steps. "Don't be afraid. It will pass. It's all my fault."
She weakly shook her head, murmuring, "I wanted this."
Leo felt his heart melt, his voice tender as he nuzzled her forehead. "How can you be so sweet?"
The bathtub was large, and the water temperature was just right. Leo carefully placed her in the water, making sure not to hurt her, his forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat.
The flowing water in the bathtub helped alleviate some of the soreness in her body. Stella, both sleepy and tired, leaned against Leo, letting him wash her.
At one point, Stella whimpered in pain, pressing his wrist. "Don't…"
"Be good, baby," Leo soothed, kissing her eyes and cheeks. "We need to wash off the lubricant. I'll be gentle. If it hurts, bite me, okay?"
Stella let go of his hand, burying her face in his neck, low moans escaping her lips.
Leo's shoulders were already marked with the bites and scratches she left in her frenzy. He didn't want to see her in more pain, so he kissed her, prying open her clenched teeth.
Stella's entire body was limp as she lay half-reclined, her mind growing hazier until she finally drifted off to sleep.
When Stella opened her eyes again, she almost thought she was paralyzed. Every part of her body, from head to toe, felt like it had been taken apart and put back together, sore and aching.
"Ah…" she groaned in pain.
She whimpered as she tried to get up, her lower body completely unresponsive, managing to roll a few inches towards the edge of the bed. Catching a glimpse of the clock on the nightstand, Stella's mind buzzed.
3:45 PM!
Oh no, I'm doomed!
She frantically tried to move towards the edge of the bed, grimacing in pain. Hearing footsteps approach, Leo quickly came to support her shaky body. "What's wrong?"
"I skipped class," Stella said, on the verge of tears. "The professor takes attendance every class. Skipping without a reason means losing points."
"Don't worry, you won't lose any points," Leo reassured her, helping her sit up against the headboard. "I already called in sick for you."
Stella panicked even more. "How did you do that?"
Surely, he didn't call the dean or vice-dean directly, did he? Oh no, please no!
Seeing her distressed look, Leo couldn't help but laugh. "I found the student affairs office number on your academy's website and called your advisor to ask for sick leave. Just make sure to submit a doctor's note later."
"Wow, you're so smart," Stella sighed in relief, quickly showering him with praise. "Thank you, Leo!"
"How will you thank me?" Leo teased, tapping his cheek.
Stella planted a quick kiss on his cheek, then asked in surprise, "Did you not go to work today?"
"No, I didn't want to," Leo replied, pinching her cheek. "I wanted to stay home with my wife."
Stella's heart swelled with joy, and she leaned in to kiss him again.
Leo, feeling completely content, kissed her back and then handed her a cup of pear and honey water. "Drink some."
Stella took a few sips through the straw.
"Good, drink a bit more," Leo encouraged, "Your throat is hoarse from all the yelling. It will help soothe it."
Stella choked on the water.
Leo quickly patted her back and wiped her mouth. Once she recovered, Stella glared at him, "You're not allowed to mention that!"
"Okay, okay, I won't mention it."
After giving her some water, Leo pulled out a small, rectangular paper box and then lifted the blanket.
"Ah!" Stella exclaimed, curling up under the blanket. She was completely naked under the covers, and the sudden exposure made her feel incredibly embarrassed.
Leo gently pulled her out of the blanket, looking at her flushed face with a tender expression. "I need to apply some ointment," he explained, showing her the tube of medicine. "It will help with the swelling and inflammation."
Stella clutched the blanket tightly. "I'll do it myself."
Leo patted her head gently. "But you can't see where to apply it. Let me help, and it will heal faster."
"Will it hurt?"
Leo spoke softly, "Not at all. I already applied it last night and this morning. Did you feel anything?"
She slept through both applications? Stella was astonished. "No, I didn't feel anything."
"See? There's nothing to worry about. It will be over quickly."
When Leo carried her to the living room, her face was still red. He had helped her dress, layer by layer, from inside to out.
It was mortifying.
"Let me check if the porridge is ready," Leo said, handing Stella her phone. "It keeps vibrating; I think your roommates are trying to reach you."
Stella unlocked her phone and saw the group chat with her roommates buzzing with messages.
[Anna]: @Stella how come you're sick?
[Samantha]: The professor said it was a family member who called in sick for you. LOL, husband turned into a parent.
[Jane]: I think she's not really sick [sees through everything.jpg]
[Jane]: @Stella did you get to the next base?
[Anna]: !!!
[Samantha]: Oh, juicy [lights cigarette.jpg]
[Anna]: How do you know?
[Jane]: They went on a movie date last night. How could she suddenly be too sick to get out of bed?
[Samantha]: So it's that kind of 'can't get out of bed,' huh?!
[Samantha]: @Stella are you okay, darling?
[Jane]: Amazon >> Imported Deluxe Condoms | Super Lubricated and Edible >> Click to Buy
Stella: "…"
What on earth? She didn't want to face anyone now.
"Sweetheart, come eat something," Leo called, carrying a tray with millet porridge and side dishes. Stella was staring at those embarrassing messages, trying to figure out how to respond, and her phone slipped from her hand in surprise.
Leo picked up her phone first, accidentally opening the link Jane sent. He glanced at the product description and asked earnestly, "Do you like this brand?"
Stella nearly fell off the sofa. "No, no, no, it's not what you think. Someone else sent it to me, I didn't even click on it. It's all a misunderstanding!"
Leo thoughtfully examined the product description: "This looks good and has great reviews. We should try it." Then he asked for her opinion, "How did you find last night's? Was it comfortable?"
Stella buried her face in her porridge, mumbling, "Both are fine."
"Good, we'll try both then."
"…"
After breakfast, Stella curled up on the sofa to bask in the sunlight. Leo brought over a plate of sliced fruit and placed it in front of her. As he bent down, the open collar of his shirt revealed a neck covered in red marks—all from her biting and scratching the previous night.
Feeling guilty, Stella said, "Do we have more of that ointment? I should put some on you too."
Some of the marks looked deep and would probably need scabbing over to heal.
"No need, let them be," Leo said, pulling her hand up to kiss it. "I want to keep them."
"… Brother seems to have changed," she thought.
After eating a few pieces of fruit, Leo asked, "Still in pain?"
Stella pressed her lips together, "Yes."
"My fault. I shouldn't have gone so hard on your first time." Leo paused thoughtfully before saying, "For health reasons, how about we limit it to three times a week? Does that sound okay?"
Does this really need a schedule? Shouldn't it be whenever we feel like it? Wait, that might be too much.
Stella, too embarrassed to speak, decided to remain silent, hoping the topic would change soon.
"Is it not enough for you?" Leo wondered aloud, misinterpreting her silence in a way that seemed almost deliberately teasing.
Stella was stunned. "No, that's not…"
"Alright then," Leo said, looking at her with a mix of sweetness and indulgence. "We'll add one more time. But that's the limit."
Stella: "?"
No!