I woke up from another dream. It wasn't the same this time. I was let out of the darkness, and in my arms was a person. She was small and had beautiful eyes. I fell in love immediately. I was confused when I woke up. I didn't know what it meant. Peridot was still asleep, as usual. I sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed. I had a bad headache. I sighed. I didn't understand why my body was acting up. It had been like this for a week. I tried to move myself to get out of bed, but then I began to feel nauseated. I covered my mouth. This wasn't good. I felt really, really queasy. I made myself get out of bed and quickly ran to the bathroom, where my legs collapsed right as I ran inside. I leaned over the toilet and began to cough. My nausea caught up with me, and I threw up. I fell back onto the cold bathroom floor and sniffled. I felt terrible. I felt so sick. I began to sob in pain. I hated this. I heard the loud crashes of Peridot rushing towards me and bumping into walls on the way. She ran into the bathroom, her expression crazed.
"Lapis!" She cried. "What happened?!"
"I-I threw up," I answered.
"Oh my stars," Peridot said. "You need to get in bed!"
She carefully picked me up and carried me back to the bedroom. I sunk my head into my pillow and sniffled. I felt absolutely terrible.
"I'm getting a bowl for you," Peridot said. "If you need to throw up, do that in the bowl."
I nodded as Peridot ran out of the room. She quickly returned with a large metal bowl.
"Here," she said, placing the bowl on the nightstand. "Do you need something to eat?"
"I'm worried that I'll just throw it up," I responded.
"It'll be okay," Peridot said. "You need to get something to eat and probably something to drink too. Do you have a fever?"
"I don't know," I answered.
Peridot pressed her lips against my forehead for a few seconds, and then she pulled away.
"You don't feel any warmer than you usually feel," she said. "I don't think you have a fever."
"That's good," I responded.
"We won't have to worry about dehydration then," Peridot said. "What do you want for breakfast?"
I thought for a second. I wasn't quite sure. Then it came to me.
"I want spaghetti," I said.
Peridot stared at me with her eyes narrowed. "Spaghetti?" She asked.
"Yes," I answered.
"For breakfast?" Peridot asked.
I looked around. "Yes," I answered.
Peridot stayed silent for a second. "You want spaghetti for breakfast," she said.
"Yes," I replied.
She shrugged. "Alright. I'll make spaghetti," she said.
Peridot kissed me in between the eyes and walked away to make my strange request of a breakfast. I hadn't understood my cravings for the past week. Every meal I asked for was different, and it was always a strange one. I also didn't understand how Peridot hadn't gotten used to it just yet.
Peridot soon returned with a bowl of spaghetti. She placed it on my lap and gave me a fork to eat it.
"Here you go," she said. "Spaghetti for the human."
"For the human?" I asked.
"My favorite human." She kissed my head.
"Thanks for taking care of me," I said, carefully eating some of my breakfast.
"It's my job," Peridot replied. "I like making sure that you're happy. Even if you ask for spaghetti for breakfast. You think I could have some of that, by the way?"
"What if you get sick?" I asked.
"Werewolves don't get sick," Peridot answered.
"I guess you can have some then," I said.
Peridot took my fork and ate the noodles that were on it. She gave it back to me and smiled.
"I'd say that's a decent spaghetti," she said.
"I like it," I replied.
"Good," Peridot said. "Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" She quickly pecked my lips.
"Okay," I responded.
Peridot walked out of the room to take care of stuff, leaving me alone. I dealt with some episodes of nausea before finally falling asleep.
I woke up soon after. It was afternoon.
"Peridot?" I said quietly. "Peri?"
I heard Peridot's footsteps approach quickly. She entered the room, clearly concerned.
"You needed me?" She responded.
"I'm okay for now," I said. "I just woke up."
She smiled. "Then good afternoon," she replied. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I actually feel a lot better," I answered. "I don't feel sick."
"That nap must have helped you," Peridot said. "You might begin to feel sick again later though. If you do, I'll take care of you."
"Thank you," I whispered.
"You're welcome," Peridot responded. "Do you want me to stay with you?"
"I'd like that," I answered.
Peridot climbed into the bed with me and pulled me close, letting me lay my head on her chest. I smiled. She was so warm.
"You're so beautiful," Peridot whispered. "Please don't die on me."
"I don't think I'm gonna die," I said. "I probably just have some minor virus. I'll be fine."
"I'll destroy that virus," Peridot growled.
"You're not small enough," I replied, giggling.
"I'll destroy it somehow," Peridot said.
"You can try," I responded.
"I will win," Peridot said.
"Whatever you say," I replied.
I closed my eyes again. I didn't realize how easily Peridot's warmth put me to sleep. She held me close as I fell asleep again.
I had the same dream I had before. It was just as vivid. Nothing changed about it. I remembered everything about it. The same baby was there. Again, she was so pretty. I loved her as if she were my own. I didn't know where she came from or who she was. I wanted to know. I wanted to know more about this dream. I wanted it to be real.
I woke up again. To my surprise, Peridot was still holding me. I snuggled closer to her and smiled. I would never understand how she could stay so still.
"What time is it?" I asked tiredly.
"Nearly dinner time," Peridot answered. "Are you hungry? You skipped lunch."
"I'm a little hungry," I said. "Not terribly hungry though."
"Are you feeling well enough to have an actual meal?" Peridot asked.
"I think so," I answered. "I don't feel sick at all, and I haven't felt sick since morning."
"Good," Peridot said.
I sat silently with my head on her chest. I smiled.
"You were talking in your sleep," Peridot said. "Who were you talking to?"
My eyes widened. I felt myself blush.
"N-no one," I answered.
"Are you sure?" Peridot asked.
"I-I'm sure," I answered.
"Do you need anything?" Peridot asked.
"I think I'm alright for right now, thank you," I answered.
"What would you like to do then?" Peridot asked.
"I think I just want to cuddle with you," I answered.
"Then we can cuddle for as long as you want," Peridot said.
She picked me up and carried me out into the living room. We sat down on the couch and cuddled. I began to shiver, so Peridot wrapped the blanket around us.
"Do I need to get that beanie for you?" She asked.
"I-I don't know," I answered.
"I'll get the beanie. Wait here," Peridot said.
She stood up and quickly walked away, leaving me on the couch with the blanket wrapped around myself. Within a minute, Peridot had returned with a navy beanie.
"Here," she said, sitting next to me. "You'll be less cold with this." She put the beanie on my head and pulled it over my ears.
"Thanks," I responded.
"You're welcome," Peridot said. "I really think you're sick. You don't feel like you have a fever, but you just are acting and look like you're sick."
"I don't feel sick," I replied. "Not right now, at least."
"You'll probably feel sick later," Peridot said. "I wouldn't speak too soon."
I nodded. "I'm really glad I have you taking care of me," I responded.
"I'll always take care of you. Whenever you need me," Peridot said.
I tucked a strand of hair into my beanie and smiled.
"Want me to make you some spaghetti for dinner?" Peridot asked
"...with syrup, please," I responded.
"Laz," Peridot said. "You're going crazy on me."
I shrugged. Peridot jumped up and ran away to make the spaghetti. While she was gone, I began to think again. What kind of request was spaghetti with syrup? First of all, no sane person would eat that, and second of all, I was back to the strange cravings. I had no idea how I even came up with these ideas. They were too bizarre for even me myself to comprehend. I was sitting silently, deep in thought, staring blankly at the television with the blanket wrapped around me. I was more concerned for myself than anything else at that moment. I appeared to be sick, I was wanting to eat the strangest combination of foods imaginable, and I had a rather raging headache. I gasped.
This can't be what it looks like. It can't be. It's not possible!
Peridot had been a werewolf for seven years. She knew practically everything about her species. She had said that it wouldn't be possible. I had to be overthinking everything. It just felt too obvious. As if that was exactly what it was. I was panicking then. This shouldn't have been pointing in the direction that it was.
Peridot returned with a bowl of spaghetti and a bottle of syrup. She sat next to me with a confused expression.
"Here's your spaghetti...with syrup," she said.
"Thanks," I responded.
I took the bottle of syrup and poured it onto the spaghetti. I definitely wasn't prepared for the potent dinner my craving decided to give me. I picked up some of the spaghetti on my fork and put it in my mouth. Surprisingly, it tasted rather good. I could see Peridot staring at me from the corner of my eye. She was likely still wondering what was going on with me. I didn't have a certain answer, but all of these symptoms were pointing in a bad direction.
"I'm actually wondering," Peridot said. "What does that taste like?"
"Wanna try it?" I asked.
"I guess," Peridot answered.
I gave Peridot my fork with some of the spaghetti on it. She put it in her mouth, and her face contorted.
"Okay," she said. "It's certainly not the worst food I've ever tasted, but it's pretty close. How do you even like that?"
"I don't know," I answered. "I just think it's pretty good."
"Geez. I honestly think you're going crazy," Peridot said.
Peridot cuddled with me as I ate my rather sweet meal. It tasted so much better than it should have. Peridot was my proof. This is a meal no one would like, and here I was, loving it. What was going on with me? Was I going insane, or were all of these things really trying to show me that this was indeed exactly what I didn't want. I held onto Peridot. I was scared. I didn't want that. I didn't want to have to go home and tell my dad. If this were what I didn't want, I wouldn't be able to hide it for long. There would be a point where it became obvious. What would I tell Peridot? That we were going to be parents? I sighed. Was I supposed to tell her that I was worried again? Last time, she had told me I was just overthinking, and I agreed. I didn't want to have to go through the whole conversation again.
Peridot buried her nose in my hair and hummed a tune. I snuggled closer to her. She loved me so much. It was almost crazier than my dinner. What would she do if we were going to become parents? Would she still act like this? Would she leave? Would she still love me like she did now?
I sighed.
This can't happen. It just can't