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Harlequin hummed softly as his egg laid over his chest. The soft fabric of his costume was the only good thing about it- Well- That and amplifying his good looks with a black mask over the top of his face to make his green eyes more striking. Maybe that was the reason...
He scoffed and hugged his egg closer, careful to not squish the soft shell too much and disturb the tiny life growing inside. A blanket was pulled over their figures as Doctor insisted on keeping many soft silks and thick blankets in the nest while he was busy with his act so Harlequin couldn't grow "cold". He pressed a soft kiss to the almost leathery like texture of its shell. His mind wondering back to how he even got into this situation in the first place.
It was just a usual day. The sun had long lowered and Harlequin was trying to head to the tent to eat, yet Doctor stood in front of him to block his path. He looked up at him with his usual grin, curious on if there was another experiment that Doctor wished for his help in. So he didn't find it bizarre to be cornered in such a way. Doctor had always been so direct that-
"I have gained a lingering attraction to you."
Harlequin's train of thought halted and he let out a sound of disbelief, a laugh leaving his lips before he could stop it.
"Excuse me? Are you practicing your moves on me? Got someone you like, Doctor?" He teased, brushing the rush of emotions in his chest to his side as he tried to see reason in Doctor's words, yet the Doctor shook his head and stepped closer. A gloved hand reached out and gently grabbed Harlequin's to up it up where cold metal of a golden necklace hit his palm along with a fuzzy, deep red feather. A down feather.
"I understand you may be startled- Some adrenaline is already entering your veins- But I would like to ask for you to consider this, even if it is only for a second. I will leave you so you have time to think without me waiting for some kind of answer." Doctor said, walking away before Harlequin could register what he said. Harlequin looked down at the feather and golden necklace in shock before he snarled. His feet moved quickly to catch up with Doctor who seemed to be running away with how much distance was between them despite him taking simple steps. A tendril wrapped around Doctor's masked beak and harshly yank his face in Harlequin's direction as he held up the items with a glare in his green eyes.
"Is this some kind of joke? You're just going to say that and walk away?" Harlequin snapped, his heart racing in his ears as he felt torn on what emotion should take over the swirl in his chest. Doctor stared silently at him for a moment before Harlequin heard the soft ruffle of feathers under his attire while Harlequin's cheeks warmed.
"I... Did not want to overwhelm you and force your decision one way or another with my presence. You were showing signs of panic so-" Doctor tried to explain, but Harlequin yanked his beak down lower so they were almost eye to eye.
"My friend since adolescence just said he maybe likes me then ran off! Who wouldn't be terrified from that!?"
"There is no "maybe". I do like you, Harlequin." Doctor chimed in, clearing up any way Harlequin could of taken what Doctor said instead of the truth. Harlequin blinked and his tendril loosened around Doctor's beak, yet the Doctor didn't step back from his position as he watched Harlequin closely. Harlequin's eyes flicked away from Doctor's face. He held the feather and necklace tighter in his hand as if trying to force himself to realize that this was very much real and not a joke..
"When?" Harlequin asked before knowing for sure if he actually wanted the answer to that particular question.
"A week after we first met likely." Doctor said it calmly as if he was just stating the sky was blue instead of confessing his decades long affection for Harlequin. Harlequin scoffed and his free hand reached out to grab the front of Doctor's costume to pull him impossibly closer.
"Stop joking around-" He hissed, but Doctor only stared at him in silence before placing a his gloved hand over Harlequin's clenched one that held onto the gentle fabrics of his attire.
"I am not joking. In fact, I have been truthful throughout our current conversation. I was fine with waiting for you, but I... I'm tired, Harlequin. I want to hold you close in the nest I've made for the both of us, I want to adorn you in physical traces of my longing and love be that solely flesh or materialistic like the necklace I've given you-" Doctor took a step closer and Harlequin was so stunned that he stood despite how Doctor brushed his beak gently over Harlequin's cheek, "I want to live my life with you next to me. Ever my attentive nurse or my Sweetie who wakes up every day knowing that someone is waiting for your eyes to bless them with your mere gaze. I want you, my dearest patient."
Harlequin stood there frozen as he let Doctor's shirt go and his chest flooded with warmth that he had long ago shoved down. A warmth that was now beginning to be aimed at someone else. Someone who never met his gazes or even held his face with as much adoration as Doctor was now showing with his eyes alone. He struggled on what to do, a part screaming to run before he changed his mind and the other-
"But- But why now? Why are you telling me now instead-"
"Would you have listened?"
Harlequin shut his mouth so quickly that his teeth ached and Doctor took it as a chance to continue on.
"Your heart races for another. I am not blind nor am I stupid, but I am patient. Today, you did not release as much oxytocin at the sight of him like you had before so I saw it as my chance. Thus, your gifts and my confession, albeit, this much went better in my mental test runs than this very moment. One test run had you putting little tendril sized holes into my flesh to damage the skin and feathers beneath." Doctor explained, standing to his complete height as he put his "chin" into his hand while in thought. Harlequin looked down at his gifts in silence, his face still slightly warmed.
"You planned this out? Thought this over?" He almost whispered, tracing over the gold intertwined on the necklace. Doctor clacked happily beneath his mask which made Harlequin had to force himself not to smile at the familiar telltale sound of Doctor's happiness.
"Yes. Many times. I went through every possibility in the short opening I had. I had those prepared long ago for you. I just needed the prime opening to give them to you-" Doctor boosted, but was quickly interrupted.
"And you thought bombarding me with this information then running off was the best way to go about it?" Harlequin asked, watching how Doctor's animated excitement stilled and returned to his almost professional composure. Doctor tilted his head before turning away as he cleared his throat.
"Well- I suppose my method could of used more tact, but I did not want there to be any room left for doubt. You were cruelly lead on for years for the benefit of another, so you deserve to know definitely if a potential partner enjoys your presence and actually returns your romantic feelings. I understand this change cannot occur abruptly, but I would appreciate it if you perhaps gave it some thought or me some time to prove my feelings." Doctor said, trying his best not to beg as he got to the end of his explanation. Harlequin, however, paid more attention to the bit of fluff that made up the down feather than Doctor's near plea as he picked it up to admire it against the starry sky. Some buried part of his psyche jumped for joy at the sight of it, but he had no references on why it made his heart feel so aflutter.
"Why did you give me this? Why not a flight feather?" Harlequin asked, unable to hide his curiosity as he brushed the soft fibers over his lips. The action caused Doctor to tense up before he hummed and seemed to ponder it as well.
"I'm not sure to be completely honest. I was preening my feathers years ago and just felt an urge to rip this one out in particular. I suppose... Down feathers are used to keep us warm, so perhaps it was some more of myself that cannot voice itself saying that you will only know comfort when you are with me?" Doctor muttered, the feeling of embarrassment rushing through him as he reached out for it, "If you don't like it then I could-"
Harlequin jerked the down in his grasp from Doctor's hand so quickly that they both stared at each other in startled silence. Harlequin cleared his throat and forced himself to straighten up instead of acting like the feather was the most precious thing in the world at the moment.
"No. That won't be necessary, Doctor. It is... Fine." Harlequin muttered, ignoring how warm his cheeks had gotten as Doctor pulled back once more. Doctor let out a pleased hum and he clacked before he could stop himself.
"Very well. Unfortunately, I need to get to attend to incoming patients. I take it that you will consider my offer?" Doctor asked and Harlequin looked him over before ne slowly nodded.
"I'll let you know." He muttered and walked away as his chest continued to feel warm and the items in his hands felt as heavy as stone. However, he didn't miss how Doctor called back to his retreating form.
"I look forward to your reply."
Harlequin couldn't stop his snort as he used the pad of his finger to draw shapes over his egg, pressing his cheek against the warmed shell. They had stumbled slightly at the start and the first year was mostly courting, but... Not too long after their first year was when Harlequin went into a heat and... Well...
"You came a little too soon, you know? I personally would of liked that honeymoon a little more." He huffed to the egg, but still held it close like it contained the very reason for his being inside. His lips were gentle to press kisses against the leathery shell. He couldn't stop his smile as jewelry hung from his horns and adorned his throat, a few littered with Doctor's feathers that he pulled out at times when preening to hand to Harlequin. There was more down than the beautifully flight feathers, but he didn't mind too much.
"You better look like your father. I want to see what he looked like as a chick." He whispered, smiling as the tiny life inside reacted to his voice with a soft chirp. It was hopeful, but Doctor also commonly chirped to it while taking his turn to brood it. Sometimes he wouldn't care to check if Harlequin was still there and just shove both Harlequin's face and the egg into the soft down plumage that covered his chest where the skin struggled to keep hold.
"Or I guess you could look like me... I'm sure your father would like that." Harlequin sighed, chuckling softly as he wondered if Doctor would be able to stay calm as the egg hatched or if the skin will drop and Harlequin will be stuck laying next to a feathered best and their little life for the next few weeks. Though he wouldn't mind that too much.
"Just come out healthy, alright?" He muttered, his hand brushing over the soft leather once more and he closed his eyes to hug his little chick close. He opened his eyes and smiled as a familiar beak met his eyes. Doctor let out a happy churr and rush to Harlequin's side as he opened his beak to playfully preen Harlequin's curls as a gentle hand tried to push him away.
"Hey! I just bathed yesterday- Don't mess them up." Harlequin scoffed, but any spark of frustration died as Doctor leaned down more and he was able to press soft kisses against his covered beak before letting Doctor move on to brush over the egg laying over his chest with a soft chirp.
"How are you? Do you need a break?" Doctor asked softly, turning his attention to Harlequin who gave him a bored look that he couldn't keep for long.
"I'm fine. Just sitting here. Bored." Harlequin heaved a heavy sigh after he spoke, but a quick chuckle brushed past his lips as Doctor closed his beak over where he left his bite months ago.
"Oh, my Sweetie is experiencing boredom? Truly, this is a travesty. I'll have to put this as a top priority on to do my list." Doctor hummed, even making a point to brush one of his gloved hands on the other side of Harlequin's throat so his claw dragged over where a vein would of pulsed had he truly been born of man. Harlequin gasped and quickly sat up, his tendrils lightly shoving Doctor away as his love hummed curiously.
"Doctor! Hands to yourself- You know very well we're not alone in this nest anymore." Harlequin said, showing off the egg still in his arms that Doctor very much knew was there- He even greeted their little bundle!
"That is very amusing coming from you, Sweetie, but if you truly feel that way then I suppose I should find something to help with that." Doctor teased, preening his hair once before pulling back fast enough to avoid a tendril playfully swiping at his beak. Harlequin watched Doctor as he dug through that would likely be him rambling about one of his experiments while Harlequin listened to him. Harlequin would count that as boring if Doctor didn't cuddle him and their egg close or hold his hand as he spoke about his success and failures with such a joy that he only heard when they were both alone. He couldn't stop his smile nor how his chest warmed in those moments.
He only wished that they had started sooner, but having a smaller version of the two of them wouldn't be so bad.
How good it felt to be cherished.