The Only Exception

5. Shared Walls

"But I want it to be good. For you. For the baby." His eyes dropped to her stomach. "For both of you."

Asi's voice went quiet. "Then be patient with me. And let me make this mine, slowly."

He nodded.

"I can do that."

*

The smell hit her all at once — sharp, buttery, and warm.

Asi was in the middle of unpacking the last of her winter clothes, kneeling beside the closet with a sweater half-folded in her hands when it rolled into her nostrils: eggs. Cooked eggs. Cooked eggs with cheese. Cooked eggs with cheese and something else — maybe green onions? It didn't matter. It flooded her sinuses like a wave, hot and slick, and her stomach lurched so violently she dropped the sweater on the floor and bolted.

She didn't even have time to close the closet doors behind her.

Alaz, in the kitchen, heard the rapid footsteps and turned, spatula still in his hand.

"Asi?" he called, stepping out from behind the island. "Asi?"

But she was already sprinting down the hall, one hand clamped over her mouth, the other bracing against the wall for balance. She crashed into the bathroom, slammed the door behind her, and barely made it to the toilet before her knees hit the tile.

Alaz arrived a moment later, alarmed. He didn't even pause. He pushed the door open just in time to hear her voice, muffled but firm:

"Go away. Alaz, go away."

She was on her knees, hunched over the toilet bowl, her back trembling.

"I'm not leaving," he said, voice low but insistent.

"Alaz, I said—"

But he was already behind her.

Without a word, he knelt down and gathered her black hair gently in his hands, lifting it off her face, holding it in a loose bunch so it wouldn't stick to her skin or fall into the bowl. His hands were calm, steady. He didn't flinch when she retched again, didn't say anything stupid or try to soothe her. He just stayed there, one knee on the ground, holding her hair as if it were something precious.

Asi's breathing eventually slowed. The waves passed. She leaned back, flushed and clammy, resting against the cold bathroom wall. Her eyes were shut. She didn't look at him.

"Are you okay?" Alaz asked quietly.

She nodded. "Yeah. Fine."

She pushed herself up slowly and stumbled toward the sink, running the water. Her hands shook slightly as she rinsed out her mouth, then splashed her face. Alaz stood beside her, still not speaking.

He reached forward and wet his own hands, then gently brushed her hair back and touched her forehead, checking her temperature. His other hand grazed the back of her neck — cool, soft pressure against overheated skin. His touch was gentle, hesitant but instinctive.

Asi's eyes fluttered closed for a second. The sensation was too much — his concern, his closeness, his hands on her. It made her dizzy.

"I'm okay now," she murmured, pulling back just slightly.

Alaz stepped away instantly.

"What happened?" he asked.

She exhaled slowly and turned to lean against the counter.

"Were you making an omelet?"

He nodded, brows pulled together in confusion.

"I can't smell eggs right now," Asi said. "I get nauseous. Like instantly. It's the worst smell in the world."