Chapter Text
After the whole Uni-mind and Tiamut debacle, Druig’s exhaustion hits him like a ton of bricks. He barely makes it aboard the Domo of his own power, struggling to keep his fatigue hidden. And the sharp, stabbing pains in his torso from being hit with Ikaris’ laser eyes. His armor protected him from the worst of it, thank Arishem, but it still hurt like hell.
He shut the door to his quarters with a sigh, finally hunching over his midsection and dragging his feet to the bed, wanting nothing more than to drop his armor and sleep for a month. Once seated, he allows himself a few breaths before turning his attention to removing his armor. Starting with the chest piece, he attempts to lift his arm over his head to pull it off but can barely make it halfway. That's when the pain shoots through him like a lightning bolt, white hot agony over his left side, and he cries out. Perhaps he caught a bit more from Ikaris than he thought. At least one rib is broken, maybe more. Taking off the rest of his armor is going to suck. He thanks the soundproof walls, a necessity with Phastos’ incessant banging and clanking around with his various inventions. And after Ikaris and Sersi got married. Gross. At least his cries won’t be audible.
He’s interrupted from trying again by a gentle knock on his door. It opens a moment later, and sunshine peeks through. He takes a moment to admire Makkari, in matching red cotton sleep shorts and a light tank. Her hair is loose and gorgeous, fluffing out around her head. Stunning, is the first word that comes to mind. Then he catches sight of her face, mouth twisted in concern. How bad is it? Why didn’t you tell me? she signs, moving fully into the room and shutting the door behind her. He looks at her in confusion, until she’s suddenly standing beside him in a gust of wind, pointing at his chest.
He looks away from her, signing I’m fine sweetheart, half heartedly. He doesn’t want to worry her, not after all they’ve been through the last few days. He knows she’s as exhausted as he is, they all are. Sersi especially. He reminds himself to go check on her, after a very long healing sleep.
She stamps her foot to get his attention, when simply waving her hands didn’t work. Tell me the truth. How bad is it? She signs again, worry etched in every line of her body.
Not great, he replies in kind.
Can I see?
I can’t get my armor off.
The worry increases. Let me help you?
I don’t need help love. How’d you even know to check on me?
Vibrations genius, exasperation taking over some of the worry. Ah shit. He forgot about that underneath the agony. The walls were soundproof, but the floor? Not so much.
If you can’t get your armor off the normal way, I’ll need to cut it. She signs, mind running in a million directions, considering what, if anything, might get through Celestial built armor. Let me check the lab. Be right back. She’s gone in a flash, before he can think to stop her. When she returns a few moments later, he’s hauled himself off the bed, arms reaching for the chest piece once more. What are you doing? The exasperation returns with her in full force.
You can’t cut through Celestial armor love, I’m gonna suck it up. She holds up a small device before he can continue, about the shape and size of a pen.
You doubt Phastos?
And before he knows it, she’s sliding the pen like object into various creases and joints around his chest piece. To his amazement, it falls off him, piece by piece, until he’s left in only his trousers and black boots. They both finally get a look at the massive bruise covering his left side, and even he winces at how bad it looks.
What the hell Druig!? She starts signing frantically. Why didn’t you say anything sooner? And you let me hug you! You can’t tell me that didn’t hurt. Why are you so stubborn?! Let me help-He finally grabs her hands to stem the torrent of signs.
I just need a bit of rest and time to let the regenerating do it’s thing. Thank you for helping me out love. Now it’s time we both rest.
You’re out of your mind if you think I’m leaving you here like this. Lay down, right now.
He attempts a halfhearted protest.
Doesn’t work with me. Down, now, or I’ll do it for you
Alright, alright!
He knows he’s in rough shape, rougher than he’s ever been, but he still has his pride. When he finally settles onto the cloud like mattress, he looks back at his best mate, hovering nearby in worry, and it’s then he catches a glimpse of the same exhaustion he feels in her face. If she’s going to demand he allow her to take care of him, he’ll be damned if he doesn’t do the same.
Now it’s your turn, he signs. At her predictable, but no less adorable, confused look, he scooches over slightly on the bed and pats the very large space next to him. You’re as exhausted as I am, maybe moreso, from your epic fight with Ikaris, which I still wish I could’ve seen. You won’t rest if you’re worried about me, so how about you keep an eye on me and rest at the same time?
He sees her hesitate for a brief moment, and then she’s walking to the other side to climb into bed beside him. As if he needed more proof of how exhausted she is. She never walks.
He feels a kind of peace settle into his chest when she finally lays down beside him. She turns on her side to face him, and slowly reaches for the bruise, looking at him with a question in her eyes. He gives her a nod, and then he’s clenching his teeth as fire races through him. Her exam is brief but hurts like hell. You broke 3 ribs, the rest are just badly bruised. You’re going to need at least 12 hours of rest to heal this all the way, she tells him, worry clouding her normally bright eyes. I’ve got nowhere to be. Do you? He asks, sassy as always. She rewards him with an eye roll and small smile, and he feels his heart soar again. Not without you, she replies. He reaches for her hand, intertwining their fingers, and a few moments later, they’re both out cold, never letting go of the other.
Chapter Text
Hours later, Druig’s consciousness struggled to fight through the heavy blanket of sleep. An alarm bell rang in the back of his brain, growing louder and louder, a nameless something yelling to get his attention. He didn’t want to leave the sleep realm just yet, sharp points of pain in his chest (smaller than before) reminding him why his rest was so very necessary. The noise got closer and closer, his exhausted brain taking longer than usual to process it.
Comprehension finally struck like lightning, and he jerked into a sitting position, adrenaline coursing through his veins and wide awake in a mere moment. Makkari, asleep beside him, was thrashing in her dreams, shaking the bed, and scaring him out of half a century. Panic set hold, explosions of fear rocking his entire being. Did she get hurt fighting Ikaris? I never asked her what actually happened, what if there’s something seriously wrong? Internal bleeding, brain damage, broken bones? His mind flew through the worst of the many ailments he’d seen in his fragile mortal tribe as he reached for her.
His touch startled her awake, and in a flash of gold she was beside the bed, fists raised. He flinched, one hand coming up to protect his still healing chest, the other still reaching for her, trying to soothe the worry he can see in every line of her body.
Breathe sweetheart, you’re safe here, he signs, needing to calm her down if he wants any hope of determining the extent of her injuries. It takes a few breathless seconds of tension, silence filling the large room, for Druig’s signs to sink in. Her body gradually relaxes, fists lowering until they’re down by her sides, chest still heaving. Her previously glazed eyes slowly focused on him, darting over his person, seemingly checking him over for injuries.
When she caught sight of the arm covering his torso, her eyes shot to the countdown clock built into all their beds that set automatically when the need for a regenerative sleep was detected in the owner. It showed 4 hours still remaining in his healing cycle. She was back beside him in a flash.
Why are you awake? You need 4 more hours!
Are you hurt?
What?
Where did he hurt you?
What are you talking about?
Is it your legs?
You’re the one who’s hurt-
Kari, please tell me, where did that bastard hurt you??
She pauses, not comprehending his signs in her tired haze.
Slowly, she sits back beside him, sensing they both needed the closeness. He relaxed slightly, finally dropping the hand over his side.
I am unharmed Druig. What’s wrong?
You were thrashing around in your sleep. I thought it was because you were in pain. What happened?
This brings a frown to her tired features. A crease appears between her brows as she struggles to recall the moments before Druig’s touch woke her, fatigue slowing her usually lightning fast thought process. Finally comprehension hits and her gaze darts back to Druig’s side. He catches her, he always does. He reaches for her hand and she lets him hold it while she sorts through her jumbled thoughts. Her dreams had showed her a world where Druig never left that crater in the mountain, where she had to dig through the rocks and dirt to recover his lifeless body, where she had to burn his shell, afloat on the ocean, just like they did with Gil. Where she was alone, in the one way she never had been since their eyes met aboard the Domo at the beginning of this planet’s life cycle.
It was a bad dream, she finally tells him. One where you never came back.
His gaze drops to their joined hands, and he squeezes hers, giving her silent comfort while allowing her space to purge the remaining darkness left behind from the nightmare.
I had to dig through the dirt to find you, and then burn your shell on the ocean like we did with Gil. But I couldn’t let you go, tried going through the water to get you back. That must’ve been what you saw me doing.
Druig’s heart felt heavy in his chest. He remembers the relief on her face when they came together on the beach, remembers her squeezing him so tight he was sure his ribs would break the rest of the way. He doesn’t know exactly how long he was out, doesn’t know how long it took him to return to her. But clearly it was long enough for her to fear the worst.
I’m here sweetheart. Nothing on this or any other planet could take me from you.
She burrowed into his chest, arms wrapped around his waist, the momentum pushing him onto his back. He ignored the groan of protest from his ribs in favor of holding her tighter as she wrapped her arms around his middle. He started humming, knowing she could feel the vibrations, hoping it would soothe her.
After a few minutes she began to relax her grip, and started stroking his skin, feeling his warmth and the rumble of his chest, letting those reminders of him coming back to her sink in. 15 minutes later, and her touch started getting bolder, ghosting over his ribs, up near his collar bones, down his abdomen, barely brushing his waist band, and going back up again. His vibrations changed, and she glanced up to see his eyes shut tightly, a stiffness in his body she wasn’t used to.
When she halted her movements, he looked down to see those beautiful brown eyes focused entirely on him, a question in their chocolate depths.
Am I hurting you?
“Only my willpower darlin” he replied, using his voice to create more vibrations for her to feel in place of his humming. She resumed her ministrations, intrigued when his eyes closed once more and a faint flush appeared on his chest. This time, she stroked along the bottom of his waistband, and was rewarded with a twitch of his abs and another low groan. Emboldened, she drew her hand down his right leg, slowly dragging it back up, glancing off the growing hardness in his trousers. His hand shot out to capture hers, not expecting her boldness
“What are you doin milady?” He asked. She smirked, then reached down and cupped him through his pants.
Whatever I feel like handsome.
“You’re only making this harder sweetheart”
I’d like to see just how hard this will get she replied, wiggling her eyebrows at him. He burst into laughter, one hand going to his side to hold on as the last of the day’s stress left his tired bones.
She even joined in, shoulders shaking in her kind of silent laughter. He could always count on Makkari to bring sunshine back into his life, even on the worst days.
When their laughter eventually subsided, he brought the hand he still held to his lips and kissed it, eyes finding and holding hers. As he hoped, it was her turn to blush.
I’m so thankful you came back to me.
"Not even the end of the world could keep me from you darlin.”
Her answering smile was so big and so bright that it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to lean over and join their lips.
Chapter Text
Once the initial shock wore off and Makkari’s brain came back online, her only thought was more, more, more. The hand Druig was previously holding came around the back of his head, pulling him closer to her. She threw her right leg up and across his torso, pulling the rest of her along with it, needing more full body contact. Druig groaned as their hips rubbed together, unable to help himself from thrusting upward into the heat of her body. His hands weren’t idle either, one smoothing up under her red tank top, the other grasping the back of her thigh, smoothing along her skin, getting bolder with every motion until his hand was up her sleep shorts and grasping the bare flesh of her toned ass. His much louder groan was enough to separate them when she ground down harder on his arousal.
“You’re amazin sweetheart” His voice was basically a purr rumbling through his chest into hers. Her only response was to kiss him harder, scraping his scalp with her nails, drawing her other hand down his chest, pausing when his groan felt less like pleasure than before. She pulled away, only to see him reaching for his side with the hand that was up her tank top.
Shit, I forgot, I’m so sorry!
It’s fine darlin, it’s just sore, he replied, trying to reassure her so they could get back to their very hot make out session. Makkari didn’t appear to believe him, sitting all the way up so she was straddling his pelvis. When he reached for her again but twitched in response to the tug at his side, she rolled her eyes at him.
You need more rest Druig, not intense physical activity! she signed with a wink. I’m willing to suffer the pain for the pleasure Kari he signed back, wiggling his eyebrows like she did to him earlier. I suppose I could be persuaded she replied, pretending to consider his offer very seriously. I know just the thing babe, so we both get what we want. At the question in his eyes, she drew her tank top over her head, feeling very satisfied with the way his eyes glazed over as her bare chest was presented to him for the first time. He reached for her again, but this time she caught his hands with hers, pressed them to the bed, and wound her tank top around his hands and through a slat in the head board. There. Now you won’t be tempted to reach for me and hurt yourself again. His hands incapacitated, he resorted to using his voice. “I’m at your mercy darlin. Whatever do you plan to do with me now?” He asked cheekily. Whatever I very well please she returned, accompanied with a grind of her hips that had his jaw dropping. She took a moment to appreciate the view, his bare sculpted chest, his hands bound, that beautiful body all hers.
She started at his lips, allowing their tongues to tangle in a hot open mouthed kiss. Too quickly for his liking she dropped lower, sucking on his collar bones, licking her way down to his nipples and laving them with her tongue. When his hips jolted into hers but his hands stayed down, she felt pleased that her plan had worked. Sucking briefly, pulling a whine from his kiss swollen lips, she switched to the other side for a moment before using her tongue to trace a path down to his waistband. In a split second, she yanked off his trousers, and finally Druig was completely bared to her eyes.
Standing by the side of the bed she turned around while slowly sliding her sleep shorts off, giving him a show as she bent over to drop them the rest of the way. Stepping out of them and turning around, her eyes immediately turned to his erection, stiff and leaking pre cum onto his toned abs. She straddled him once more, allowing him to feel the wetness previously contained by her shorts, sliding her pussy up and down his length. His hips jolted once more, a strained “fuck” ground out of him. Deciding to give them both what they were aching for, she placed a hand on his good shoulder, leaned forward and gripped his shaft.
So slowly she nearly drove them both off the edge, she sank backwards, taking his dick inside her for the first time, eyes flying shut and gasping quietly at the sensation of being filled after so long. With slow short thrusts she worked over him until she was sitting on his hips, reveling in the feeling of being fully joined. She opened her eyes to check on Druig and found him straining to join their lips once more. She obliged him, while starting to move above him, sliding forwards until just his tip was still inside her, then driving her hips back down.
Unexpectedly, he planted his feet on the bed and began countering her thrusts, driving into her hard and fast. She leaned forward slightly to give them both a better angle and held on through the waves of pleasure coursing through her.
She felt like she was on fire, every nerve ending lighting up at the ecstasy of their joining, finding a pleasure she had only known from running in millennia.
“I’m close baby, please” Druig cried out breaking their kiss, needing something, anything, a sign from her that she was close too and they could let go together. She reached forward and untied his hands, bringing one to her throbbing clit. She guided his hand in tight, fast circles until his hand pushed hers away to take over. She shut her eyes again and ground down every time their hips mets.
With a long, low moan her orgasm crashed through her like a freight train. She rode the high, Druig’s thumb on her clit prolonging the waves of bliss. When she finally came down, she realized Druig was still thrusting shallowly, desperately chasing his release. She clenched her inner muscles and he sped up with a loud “FUCK”. Only a few thrusts later he was spilling inside her, the sensation of being filled with his essence shaking another mini orgasm out of her.
She collapsed onto his chest, moving slightly to the right to stay away from his bruise, both parties heaving for breath. After a few minutes, she glanced upward to find Druig staring down at her, blue orbs glazed over in pleasure. Something above him caught her eye and her shoulders shook slightly in silent laughter.
“Are you laughin at me baby? A less secure man would be offended by such a thing!” He playfully scolded her. She shook her head and pointed to the clock on his headboard. Craning his neck, he caught sight of the countdown which now showed 2 hours 30 minutes remaining. He laughed with her, realizing that their sex session sped up his recovery time.
She gasped quietly as his chuckling moved her slightly forward on his dick, still rock hard inside her. His eyes went dark in a second flat, hands coming to grab her hips and flipping them before she could recover. “Well well, seems like the tables have turned milady. Looks like it’s my turn” he said, that stupid sexy smirk taking over his features. Her only response was to pull him back down to her, silencing any further snarky comments with her mouth, more than happy to continue his healing cycle.