Key To My Heart || Slugterra

25| Mecha Update

"Eli..." I groaned as I heard the bathroom door opened.

"What?" he asked as he walked out of the washroom, drying his hair with a towel.

Thank goodness he wasn't naked this time. He was already wearing his slinging gear.

"My head flopping hurts," I complained as I snuggled in bed, still failing to find comfort.

"Why? Is it because I'm too hot?" he teased, wearing his signature smirk.

I shot my head up and glared at him, before launching a pillow straight at his face. The fact that he caught it with only one hand made me even more annoyed at him.

"Eli!" I yelled at him and he finally laughed it off.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! For real though does it really hurt that bad?" he asked and shot me a concern look as he sat at the edge of the bed. 

"YES!?" I groaned in pain as I curled into a ball. I was at the verge of tears from the raging discomfort at the back of my head.

I was so confused. I was perfectly fine the night before. Where did this pain come from?

I gasped softly when I felt a hand around my waist and he pulled me up into a sitting position, slightly crashing me into him, and with his unoccupied hand, he gently laid my head on his shoulder, stroking my hair while his gentle eyes laid on mine.

My heart fluttered as the pain vanished for one second.

Just for one second though.

"Do you think it's because of the effect Mago had on us yesterday?" Eli asked as he caressed my cheek.

"May-Maybe," I stuttered, biting my lip uncontrollably. My cheeks were bright pink from his warmth, and it was getting difficult to breathe.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense. Mago had the effect on the whole team but you're the only one who's affected," Eli thought out loud. "Do you want to take the day off? You don't have to attend to the rescue mission if you don't feel-"

"Don't even think about it. I'm coming," I cut him off. "I just need to rest for a few minutes, then I'll be good to go."

"You sure?" Eli asked, and I nodded softly, giving him the most confident smile I could put on despite the pain at the back of my head.

He sighed softly, before he nodded.

"The rest of us will go through our plan downstairs. Join us whenever you feel better," he instructed just as Burpy and Phoenix came into the room. They hopped on the bed; they seemed to be excited to say something but their expression changed when they saw me in Eli's arms.

"Don't worry, everything is okay! Alessia just need some rest," Eli said and they looked at Eli, then at me. Phoenix hopped onto my stomach, and looked up at me with those gorgeous, warm red eyes.

She looked tired, just like how she was for the past few weeks, but her colours were still vibrant and was doing all the slug things like socialising, eating and sleeping. The only thing that was off about her was that she was not willing to megamorph anymore.

I respect her. If she doesn't want to, I won't force her.

I gave her a weak smile and petted her head.

"I'm fine, Phoenix," I said, and I slowly noticed something different about her. "And you look a little bloated there. Binge eat a little too much slug food last night, I see."

Phoenix chuckled and I saw Burpy facepalmed himself cutely at the corner of my eyes.

"I guess that's a yes," Eli added after examining his slug's reaction. Phoenix came up to my face, gave one small peck on my cheek, before she headed out of the room with Burpy.