EZRA
I woke up to the next morning, sunlight filtering through the curtains, my body still heavy with sleep. My head ached faintly, but that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the discomfort in my bladder, a sharp, insistent pressure that had me groaning softly. I needed to use the bathroom.
Instinctively, I shifted, trying to push myself up, but the moment I attempted to stand, I was yanked harshly back to reality. My legs crumpled beneath me, dead weight, useless. For a second, I didn't feel much of anything, just the eerie numbness that had become my new reality. But then, pain flared up…sharp, unbearable. A startled gasp tore from my lips as I collapsed onto the cold floor, the impact rattling through my bones. My breath came in short, panicked bursts as I tried to process what had just happened. My legs…they were still useless.
A sinking, hollow feeling settled in my chest, and my eyes burned with the sting of unshed tears. I was crippled.
Forgetting something so crucial, even for a second, had cost me.
The pain in my legs was nothing compared to the humiliation that came next. The sudden shock, the fall, the sheer panic… I lost control. Warmth spread beneath me, soaking into the fabric of the clothes I wore, a betrayal of my own body.
I had wet myself.
The realization hit me like a slap. My breath caught, shame curling in my stomach like a venomous snake. Tears pricked at my eyes as the scent of urine filled the air, a sharp, acidic reminder of my helplessness. I wanted to disappear. No, I wanted to crawl to the nearest hole and bury myself alive.
Malachai.
What if he saw me like this?
My heart lurched painfully, panic flooding through me like a tidal wave. I couldn't let him see me like this…I couldn't let him see me so weak, so pathetic. He already saw too much.
Swallowing a sob, I started dragging myself across the floor, my arms shaking from the effort. My legs were dead weight, slowing me down, making everything so much harder. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to reach the discarded piece of cloth on the chair, anything to clean myself up before Malachai came in. My breathing hitched, sharp and uneven.
But before I could reach it, heavy footsteps thundered outside the room, growing closer.
Then, the door burst open.
"Ezra?" Malachai's voice was sharp, filled with alarm.
I froze. My fingers curled weakly against the floor. My shoulders hunched as fresh waves of humiliation crashed over me. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the ground to swallow me whole. But of course, life was never that merciful.
A moment of silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. Then, I felt the warmth of Malachai's presence as he rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside me. His hands hovered over me hesitantly, like he didn't know where to touch.
"Ezra," he breathed, softer this time. "What happened?"
A sob tore from my throat before I could stop it. I shook my head frantically, trying to scoot away from him, but Malachai wasn't having it.
"Hey, hey," he murmured, catching my face in his hands. His thumbs brushed against my wet cheeks, wiping away my tears. "Why are you crying? Talk to me, love."
I tried, I really did, but the words lodged themselves in my throat. All I could do was tremble beneath his touch, feeling like the most pathetic creature on the planet.
Malachai's gaze drifted lower, and I knew the second he noticed the dampness staining my clothes. A flicker of understanding crossed his face.
And then, to my utter disbelief, he smiled.
Not a mocking smile. Not disgust. Just… gentle, amused, affectionate.
"Ezra, baby," he said, his voice laced with something warm and teasing. "Did you pee yourself?"
I wanted to die. Right there. Just drop dead.
A choked sob escaped me as I tried to hide my face, but Malachai wasn't letting me. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle and pulled me into his arms effortlessly, lifting me off the floor as if I weighed nothing.
"Stop," I whimpered, weakly pushing at his chest. "Malachai, please…."
"Shhh," he soothed, pressing a kiss to my temple. "It's okay, love. Accidents happen."
"But…"
"No buts," he interrupted firmly, carrying me toward the bathroom. "You're my baby. A little pee isn't going to make me love you any less."
I let out an incoherent noise, half mortified, half touched, as he set me down on the counter. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, clinging to him as he turned on the faucet, wetting a cloth.
He started cleaning me up with a tenderness that made my heart ache. Every touch, every whisper of reassurance….it was too much. Too kind. Too loving.
I broke.
A fresh wave of tears spilled down my cheeks as I buried my face in his shoulder. "I hate this," I choked out. "I hate being like this."
Malachai's arms tightened around me protectively. "I know, sweetheart," he murmured. "But you're not alone. You'll never be alone."
I sniffled, clinging to him as he pressed kisses to my damp cheeks, my forehead, my nose, anywhere he could reach. His lips brushed against my ear, his voice dropping to a playful whisper.
"You know," he mused, "if you wanted my attention that badly, you could've just asked instead of wetting yourself."
A strangled laugh burst from me before I could stop it. I pulled back, smacking his chest weakly. "You're the worst," I mumbled, my cheeks still damp but my heart lighter.
Malachai grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "But you love me."
I sighed dramatically, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "Unfortunately."
His laughter was rich and warm, wrapping around me like a blanket. He lifted me again, carrying me back to the bed and tucking me in. "Get some rest, love," he murmured, stroking my hair. "My brother will be here soon with breakfast "
As I curled against him, the embarrassment slowly faded, replaced by something safer. Something I had almost forgotten how to feel.
Loved.
And for now, that was enough.