Felicity's Beast World Apocalypse-Chapter 144: Having You Is Nice

Felicity made a tiny sleepy sound and burrowed closer into his chest.

Steam rose from the bath like ethereal mist, caressing Felicity’s skin as Lucan lowered her into the warm water. She sighed, a sound halfway between pleasure and exhaustion, her eyelids heavy as she fought to stay awake.

Lucan’s large hands supported her back, his touch gentle despite the raw power she knew those hands possessed, the scent of jasmine and vanilla filled the air as Voss emptied bottles of fragrant oils into the flowing water. Rose petals and lily blossoms floated around her like tiny boats on a perfumed sea.

"Rest, little bunny," Lucan murmured, his voice a deep rumble that vibrated through her bones. "Let us take care of you."

Felicity wanted to protest, to insist she could wash herself, but her limbs felt like lead, and the warmth of the water was seeping into her sore muscles, making her even more drowsy. The healing spell she’d cast had taken the edge off the delicious ache between her thighs, but had drained what little energy she had left.

Voss approached with a soft sponge and a bottle of something that smelled like honey and lavender. His movements were precise as he dipped the sponge into the water and began to wash her shoulders with methodical care. His touch was reverent, his pale eyes focused on his task as if it were the most important mission he’d ever undertaken.

"Temperature acceptable?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.

Felicity nodded, letting her head fall back against Lucan’s supporting arm. The beast man’s chest rumbled with a pleased sound as he cupped water in his free hand and poured it over her hair, careful to keep it from her eyes.

Voss worked the sponge down her arms, lifting each one with careful attention, washing between her fingers, massaging her palms with his thumbs. His touch was neither clinical nor sexual, but something in between attentive devotion that made her feel treasured rather than desired.

"You’re safe here," Voss said, his usual detachment softened as he moved the sponge across her collarbone, "rest while we tend to you."

Lucan’s hands worked a sweet smelling shampoo into her hair, his deadly claws retracted as he massaged her scalp with unexpected skill. Felicity’s eyes fluttered closed, unable to resist the dual ministrations of the two men.

"Never had someone... take care of me like this," she murmured, words slurring with exhaustion.

Voss’s movements paused for just a heartbeat before continuing. "Then we have much to make up for."

Time blurred as they washed her, when they lifted her from the bath, Felicity was barely conscious, her body limp with exhaustion and trust. Lucan wrapped her in the towel, patting her dry with surprising gentleness for one so fierce.

Voss disappeared briefly, returning with something soft and pale pink in his hands. "These should suit," he said, holding up what Felicity realized through half closed eyes were pajamas not just any pajamas, but ones adorned with tiny embroidered rabbits, complete with a hood that had long floppy ears.

"Bunnies?" she mumbled, a drowsy smile tugging at her lips.

The corner of Voss’s mouth lifted in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "Lucan calls you bunny, i agree with him you are like a little bunny." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

That little detail made her chest tighten with an emotion she was too tired to name.

With Lucan supporting her weight, Voss dressed her with efficient care, sliding the soft fabric over her skin as if she were made of fragile glass. The pajamas were warm and impossibly soft, the hood falling back to rest between her shoulder blades.

"Perfect," Lucan rumbled, gathering her into his arms once more. Her head nestled against his chest, ear pressed to his heartbeat.

"Thank you," she whispered, not sure if the words even made it past her lips as consciousness began to slip away. The last thing she felt was being carried through the quiet house, cradled against Lucan’s chest like the most precious of treasures, Voss’s vigilant presence following close behind. In this moment, surrounded by their protection, the apocalyptic world outside seemed very far away indeed.

Victor walked into the bathroom, "We should probably go out, the rest of the team gets nervous when shes gone so long."

Voss scratched the back of his neck, "Your right."

The movement was small, sleepy, but it froze him instantly. Her fingers tightened slightly in the front of his shirt and she burrowed closer against him, soft bunny ears from her ridiculous pajamas brushing beneath his chin.

Lucan went completely still.

Voss glanced over his shoulder, already grinning "she awake?"

Lucan lowered his voice instinctively "i don’t think so."

Felicity made a tiny noise, the kind someone makes when they’re half dreaming and don’t quite know where they are, her cheek pressed deeper against his chest "...Lucan?"

The way she said his name almost stopped his heart "I’m here," he murmured without thinking. Her small hand gripped in his shirt like she was afraid he might disappear, she sounded impossibly small "...I used to not have anyone," she mumbled softly.

Lucan’s steps slowed.

Voss stopped walking ahead of them.

Felicity snuggled deeper into his arms, fluffy bunny pajamas bunching slightly as she curled closer against him like she belonged there "...having you now is nice."

The words were simple sleepy and completely unguarded.

Lucan looked down at the small fox bunny curled against him like he was something precious, for a long moment he didn’t speak. Something quiet and dangerous settled behind his silver eyes instead.His arm tightened just slightly around her, like he had already decided the world would have to tear him apart before it ever took that warmth away from her again.

Lucan did not move for several seconds after Felicity’s words faded into sleep. something about what she had said sat under his ribs like a weight. ’I used to not have anyone’ Lucan exhaled slowly.

Voss leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching the two of them with a faint smirk "well," he said quietly, "that’s it."

Lucan lifted his eyes "what is?"

"You’re finished," Voss replied. "Completely doomed."

Lucan did not deny it.

Victor appeared in the doorway a moment later, broad shoulders filling the frame. His gaze flicked immediately to Felicity, checking her breathing, the way her body rested in Lucan’s arms, the way her ears twitched faintly beneath the hood.

Satisfied, he leaned one shoulder against the door frame.

"We should go," Victor said calmly. "Snow Team will assume something terrible happened if we disappear for too long."

"That’s because something usually does happen," Voss muttered.

Victor’s mouth twitched once.

Lucan adjusted his grip on Felicity and stepped past them.

The shift from her space back into the real world still felt strange, one moment warm sunlight and endless fields, and the next moment the dim hallway of their apartment.

Lucan paused instinctively.

Felicity stirred against him.

His arms tightened immediately.

"She’s fine," Voss said, walking beside him. "Just feeling the shift."

Lucan nodded once and continued toward the apartment door.

Victor pushed it open.

The moment they stepped inside, Snow Team reacted.

Sarge was sprawled across the couch with his boots on the table. Tommy leaned against the kitchen counter with a half empty mug in his hand. Ash sat backwards in a chair, arms draped over the backrest. All three of them looked up instantly, sarge blinked when he saw Felicity in Lucan’s arms. Then he saw the pajamas, the enormous rhino let out a low whistle "...bunny pajamas."

Tommy snorted.

Ash covered his mouth like he was trying not to laugh.

Lucan ignored them completely he walked straight past the living room without slowing.

Sarge leaned forward slightly, watching him go "well," he said.

"Well indeed, that’s definitely new," he remarked, eyebrows raised Tommy took a slow sip from his mug "He looks like he’s about to bite someone."

Ash tilted his head "That’s because he is."

Sarge leaned back against the couch with a dramatic sigh "Wow."

Tommy looked at him "What?"

Sarge gestured vaguely toward the hallway "I am so far away from the front of that line."

Ash snorted "You were never in the line."

"Let me dream," Sarge muttered.

Lucan pushed open the bedroom door.

The room was quiet and dim, he walked to the bed and carefully lowered Felicity onto the mattress, the moment her back touched the sheets she curled slightly, nose wrinkling faintly in sleep.

Lucan stood there watching her.

Voss leaned against the wall.

"You going to stand there all night?"

Lucan didn’t answer.

Ivan stepped into the room behind them, the white lion was enormous even in human form. He moved quietly despite his size, walking to the opposite side of the bed and sitting down,his forearms rested on his knees as he looked at Felicity "She’s breathing steady," Ivan said calmly.

Lucan nodded.

"She always sleeps like that after healing spells," Ivan added.

Lucan glanced at him, a smirk dancing on his lips. "You’ve watched her sleep before, haven’t you?" The question hung in the air, teasing yet pointed, as Ivan’s gaze softened on Felicity’s peaceful face."

Ivan didn’t look away from Felicity, "yes."

Voss chuckled "welcome to the club."

Lucan sat down slowly on the other side of the bed.

Felicity shifted slightly, her hand moved across the blanket until it brushed his wrist. Her fingers curled instinctively around it.

Lucan froze.

Ivan noticed "she does that," Ivan said.

Lucan looked down at her.

"She trusts you." Ivan’s voice stayed calm.

"She trusts us." Voss pushed away from the wall and stretched.

"Well someone should stay with her." Ivan raised an eyebrow.

"Someone?"

Voss shrugged "Two someones."

Lucan still hadn’t moved.

Voss grinned "...three someones."

A few minutes later the room settled Felicity slept in the center of the bed, Ivan stretched out along one side, one arm resting loosely across the mattress near her shoulder like a silent barrier.

Lucan remained on the other side, half sitting, half lying beside her, watching her breathe.

Voss sprawled across the foot of the bed with his arms behind his head.

The room grew quiet, Lucan still hadn’t looked away from her. Across the apartment, Victor stepped back into the living room.

Damien followed him.

The mood of the room shifted immediately.

Sarge sat up, "Alright," he said. "What happened?"

Victor leaned against the table "We need to talk."

Kai set his mug down "Leaf Team?"

Victor nodded "They’re interested."

Kai frowned slightly "in her?"

"Yes."

Damien spoke quietly "and in us, well not like her but in our strength."

Pope leaned forward, elbows on his knees "Well that’s annoying."

Ash rubbed the back of his neck "They’re strong."

Sam nodded slowly "very strong."

Victor’s voice remained calm "They also have Dimitri."

Sarge let out a long breath "ah."

Legend grimaced "That man is a walking disaster, like a world boss in a video game, i didn’t even see him fight but i can feel the urge to run when i see him."

Ash added quietly, "And stronger than most commanders we’ve seen."

Victor folded his arms "he looked at her like an asset."

Sarge cracked his knuckles "Yeah that’s not happening."

Ash glanced toward the hallway "Vineyard isn’t safe anymore?"

Victor nodded once "Too many people know about it now."

Kai leaned back in his chair "So we move?"

Marx grinned "Finally, i miss the road."

Sarge rolled his eyes "You hate moving."

"I hate dying more," Marx replied.

Victor looked at each of them in turn "we need to decide what Leaf Team becomes."

Ash raised an eyebrow "we?."

"Ally or enemy." Damien’s voice slipped into the silence "They will choose eventually."