Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Sickly"

Keith whimpered, his ears flattening against his head. His tail was wrapped around his mate's waist. Regris had his own tail caressing Keith's cheek stripes. He hated to see his mate sick. He preferred running him through his paces in the training hall...when Antok let them. Their pack still treated them like kits, which compared to them Keith and Regris were still young.

Speaking of their pack, Regris had to run them out of the nest room, because they were hovering and not doing anything constructive. He knew Thace was watching them through the security camera positioned in the corner near the ceiling. Antok and Ulaz came by and checked on them. Kolivan kept sending messages, asking if they were okay or if they needed something. Regris was also half sure that Kolivan also had access to the security camera. There was no way that the leader of their pack was just taking his word that they were okay without visual proof. Regris knew the pack was going to take an early night and stay in the nest after dinner. He just didn't want them suffocating his mate all day.

Keith whimpered again and snuggled against Regris as if trying to bury himself in Regris's fur. Regris purred to his sick mate and nuzzled him before grooming him a little to make sure his hair stayed out of his face and didn't stick to his skin and fur. When Keith initially got sick, his Galran features appeared. He had large fluffy ears, a tail, cheek stripes, fangs, and patches of violet colored fur. Regris liked how his mate looked now and before. When he wasn't sick, Keith still had the fangs and the cheek stripes.

"Sleep, Keith. I'm here. I'll protect you," Regris cooed, his purr accompanying his voice. Keith tucked his head under his mate's chin. Regris groomed Keith's hair, soothing Keith and lulling him to sleep. Keith's purrs filled the nest as he rested in Regris's protective embrace. Regris rested his cheek against his mate's hair and followed Keith into dreamland.

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Antok and Ulaz peered into the nest room and sighed in relief when they saw the pair of mates asleep. They didn't like the glare Regris kept sending their way when they checked on them. They couldn't not check on them. Keith was still their kit as much as Regris was, and they were worried about him. Galra don't get sick very often, but Keith's immune system didn't seem to have gotten the memo. It could have something to do with Keith being raised on Earth or him ignoring any illness until he collapsed. Fortunately, the kit's Galra genes showed up now when he felt ill. It gave the pack a sign when he should take it easy, and they made sure he did.

Fin