Phaenora woke up with a soft, croaky little yawn. She blinked slowly as her eyes slowly adjusted to the neon-blue glow sneaking through the curtains.
Vastarael was already awake.
He sat on the bed next to her, surrounded by floating holographic screens filled with reports, energy readings, maps and encrypted communication. The glow cast over his skin and the expression on his face.
Phaenora actually forgot to breathe for a second.
Sometimes she forgot he was a Dynasty Monarch. He joked too much, teased too often and let himself be soft with his beloveds but right now, that sharp, focused stare with his hair falling messily down his back?
She had seen Vastarael serious before but this version was different. She just… stared. For a while.
Last night had been so good that she literally blacked out. She didn't even want to think about how that was possible. Was this what Narisva and Adelasta looked like after their first time with him?
Vastarael finally noticed her awake and his entire mood flipped in half a second. The stern Dynasty Monarch dissolved into pure radiance.
"Morning," he said with that ridiculously warm smile that hit her straight in the chest every single time.
Phaenora blushed so fast it was embarrassing.
"M-Morning…"
He shut all the holograms with a flick and instantly scooped her into a hug, pulling her into his chest like she weighed nothing.
"You okay?"
She nodded shyly.
"I was a little rough to. Sorry if—"
"It wasn't a problem! I … liked it."
Vastarael paused. Then he chuckled and patted her head like she was a flustered kitten. Of course that only made the blush worse.
"Should we head back today?"
Phaenora pulled back just enough to squint at him.
"Why ask me?"
"It might be a while before we can enjoy this again. So technically, it's your decision."
"I want to do this daily," she muttered instantly. "But, you have to go to the Hidden Citadel. Thyrexxa would skin me alive if I tried to keep you."
"True. Duty calls."
There was a tiny silence then Vastarael's eyes glinted.
"Another round?"
"NO!" She shoved his chest. "Absolutely not. Last thing I need is passing out again. I thought I was… I thought I could handle it but—"
"I have the Divinity of Love, you know. It only works on my beloveds. Amplifying your pleasure isn't exactly difficult for me."
"Darling please stop talking—"
"If I hadn't put Soundproof Runes around the room last night, the entire skyscraper would've heard you."
"VASTARAEL."
His smile was pure evil. "You were adorable."
"I was dying—"
"You were very alive."
"Stop. Stop talking. Please."
He didn't. He absolutely didn't. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear like he was doing something innocent.
"You passed out so sweetly too. Like a little—"
"Veneri I swear—"
"Your voice cracked at one point. Did you know that?"
She tried to shove him again. He didn't budge a millimeter.
"Let me go—"
"No," he said cheerfully, wrapping his arms around her from behind so she was effectively restrained in a snuggly, warm death grip. "You're fun to tease."
"This is bullying."
"This is affection."
"I'm going to cry."
"Do you want a hug?"
"You're already hugging me—"
"Then my job here is done."
Phaenora officially gave up and just slumped against him like a defeated pillow. "Why are you like this…"
"Because I love you?" he answered instantly, kissing the top of her head again.
And just like that, her entire nervous system short-circuited all over again.
"Don't— say that so casually..."
"It's not casual." His tone softened, genuinely. "I mean it."
She looked down, fingers curling into the fabric of his pants, heart thudding too fast.
"I know."
Vastarael held her for a long moment, just gently swaying her side to side — comforting, warm, tender in a way only he could be.
Then, quietly:
"Still sure you don't want another round?"
"VASTARAEL, GO TAKE A SHOWER."
He laughed so joyfully the runes on the walls flickered.
°°°°°°
Phaenora watched Vastarael shift after both of them were ready to leave.
His body shimmered, glowed and folded into itself like a crystal rearranging its structure. The air temperature even dropped for a second. A second later, the glow faded and Vastarael stood there as a woman again. His white hair now longer and his voice lighter when he spoke.
"I'll never get used to how easy that looks."
Vastarael scoffed, brushing his now-longer hair over one shoulder.
"What?"
"No, seriously. How does that even work? You just," she waved her hands around, "swap everything without looking like you're dying."
He laughed. "I'm Aeterium, Phae. We're literally built different. I don't feel pain from transforming. My internal and external organs just… rearrange naturally."
Phaenora stared even harder. "So like… EVERYTHING changes?"
"Everything, including what you're thinking about."
"And it doesn't hurt?"
"Not even slightly."
Phaenora processed that then squinted suspiciously.
"Can you be pregnant?"
His expression didn't even change. "Yes."
"WHAT— YOU— SERIOUSLY?"
"If I stay as a woman throughout the entire gestation period, yes. But, pregnancy for Aeterium can last centuries."
"Like… hundreds of years?"
"Yes."
"And you'd just… be pregnant the whole time?"
"Pretty much. I can't shift to a male at that time."
Phaenora sat down on the bed processing what she just heard.
"That's insane."
"We alter our soul and biology at will. We're naturally androgynous, so having both sets of reproductive capabilities is normal for us. I'm just… adaptable."
Phaenora stared at him for a full ten seconds.
"What if I impregnated you?"
Vastarael blinked once then burst into laughter.
"Oh absolutely the fuck not. First of all, I would never allow that. Second, you're female. That's not how this works."
Phaenora crossed her arms. "I can find a way to transform into a male."
"Out of all five of you," Vastarael said, shaking his head with a dramatic sigh, "you have the weirdest ideas. And that's with Narisva in the group."
"I'm creative."
"That is concerning."
"No."
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Phaenora..."
He stopped talking as she slid a hand around his waist.
"You know, none of the others like you as a woman."
He blinked. "They do—"
"No they do not. Adelasta prefers you as a man. Elyonari doesn't care either way but still leans on the masculine nature. Narisva would rather die than admit she has a preference. Asenane is... questionable. But me? I get this version all to myself."
Vastarael's face turned pink.
"You're... being dramatic."
"No I'm being possessive. There's a difference."
Then she kissed him properly as a woman. His hands instinctively found her waist, pulling her closer until the two of them nearly stumbled back into the wall. Phaenora grinned against his lips before deepening the kiss, practically stealing his breath. When they finally pulled apart, Vastarael exhaled shakily.
"Phae…"
She smirked, lifting his chin like she was the one in control here and honestly, she kind of was.
"See? You're way too pretty like this. If the others saw you they would pounce on you."
He rolled his eyes. "Please. They see me like this all the ti—"
"Yes, but they don't flirt with girl-you."
"Because they have taste?"
"No, because they're cowards."
"You're a freak."
"And you like it."
"Unfortunately."
"Come on, let's go. We're checking out this city properly before you disappear into the Hidden Citadel for who knows how long."
He let himself be dragged, shaking his head with a smile.
"I thought you said you were exhausted from last night."
"Oh I am. My legs are still weak, my back hurts and my brain is mush but, you're cute as a woman so I mystically recovered."
"That's not how bodies work."
"That's how MY body works."
"That sounds medically concerning."
"Come on, Veneri. We've got a whole cyberpunk city to explore."