Juniper sat on the side of the tub, frowning while rubbing her swollen feet.

Their baby was too damn big, at four months her body was adjusting to the extra weight quicker than anticipated.

Raphael had taken on a large work load, trying to have all of his ducks in a row most likely for Santiago's sake one day.

He hadn't been home much, Juniper kept her disappointment to herself because she knew he was doing his best.

So when the door was opened, Juniper gasped in surprise. Glancing up to see her berserker staring down at her, a look of of relief on his face.

"Baby," he sighed out before kneeling in front of her without hesitation and kissing her gently.

"Hi," she hummed against his lips.

"Let me help," Raphael rubbed her ankles while peeling her socks off. 

"Have to wash my hair," Juniper tilted her head tiredly. "It's past due... how was your day?" she smiled a little while rubbing her eyes.

Raphael frowned, seeing the strain Juniper's body was going through.

"Let me do it," he grunted while standing over her. His hand reached between them to rub her rounded belly mindlessly.

"Do what? Handsome tell me about your day," she pouted while gripping his belt.

Chuckling smally, he rubbed her shoulders. Lifting one of her hands up, he pressed her palm to his mouth.

Kissing her fingers and palm, he trailed them down her arm.

"Did boring shit, talked to boring people, thought 'bout you all damn day. I wanna wash your hair, baby. C'mon up," he pat her side gently and lifting her up himself.

Her eyes widened at his initiative, Raphael had lifted her arms over his shoulders while nipping at her bicep before kissing her cheek.

"You don't have to wash my hair, it's not like yours Raph," her brows furrowed as he fingered at the tight coils of her dark blue hair. He always admired it, how dense and thick it was. Heavy against her waist often and how many styles Juniper did with it baffled him.

"I know it's not like mine, teach me yeah? I already know your routine."

"All those times we showered I never thought you were paying attention to how I washed my hair," she giggled mischievously.

Raphael smirked, "I can multitask no?"

The two stepped in, Raphael wasting no time grabbing her shampoo.

"Need me to use the detangling stuff?" he mumbled as she used her soap first. She nodded sheepishly, "After the shampoo."

"I know baby," he smiled down at her. His fingers found her long tresses, immediately her eyes closed and she hummed. Raphael's blunt nails scratched her scalp gently, the earthy scent filling the stall.

"I feel big," Juniper huffed quietly over the white noise of the shower. Her mate frowned, but he fingers didn't stop as he looked down at her face.

"I feel like you're just startin' to show," he glanced down at her round belly. Her stomach rounded pretty soon in the pregnancy, just because berserker babies got big fast. But her stomach didn't grow outwardly until month three and now four her weight was really shifting.

"Maybe that's why I feel gross," Juniper didn't open her eyes as Raphael tilted her head back under the stream. One hand came to rest over her eyes to shield them from any product. She smiled without having to look at him, blindly she reached for his waist and held him close.

"You sure don't look gross," Raphael kissed her forehead. "So fuckin' pretty."

Juniper frowned a bit, huffing in disagreement.

"You've been feeling okay? How's your back?"

Juniper shrugged. There was a reason no one could carry berserkers- it sucked. Her body was struggling but she knew that going in, it felt like her body was constantly readjusting itself and healing itself but not as quickly as a full blooded berserker might. Hence her back pain, heart burn, aching joints, headaches, nausea... does she have to go on?

He squeezed the water out of her long curls, turning her away from the water before lathering her specific conditioner in.

"Be honest Juni baby."

"It's just tough," she sighed. "I miss you, you're the only thing that makes me feel better."

Her lips pursed out, Raphael bent down to kiss them lightly. His fingers worked out any knots he found along the way, Juniper basked in his soft touches. The fuzzy feeling in her chest made her feel warm, her long nails scratched his back soothingly.

"I know," he kissed her cheek. "I'll be home more, it kills me being away from the both of you."

"It's okay," she whispered.

Raphael shook his head, "It's not."

Turning her around, he didn't listen to any of her babbling reassurance. Once again, he tilted her head back into the stream of water.

"Brought your favorite takeout," he kissed her nose.

Juniper smiled wide, "I know I could smell it from outside."

Raphael's eyes shone with amusement, "That nose of yours is getting scary, pretty girl."

"Blame your son." Her words were cut off with a short moan as he tugged her hair soothingly.

Juniper felt him wash her off and clean her of any stray hairs sticking to her, squeezing her butt cheekily.

"Can comb it out downstairs hm? Wanna watch your show?" Raphael leaned his own head back underneath the water. Juniper soaped up her hands and cleaned him happily.

"I can detangle it, handsome."

"Let me do this please," Raphael sighed. He'd seen her do it before, watched her lather it in some type of cream and section it. Then she'd use a comb as well as a brush. He wanted to do it, his chest hurt with the need to take care of her.

Shutting off the shower, he wrapped her up in her favorite towel. She squealed as he lifted her up with ease, another towel wrapped around his own waist.

Carrying her around, Juniper smile into his shoulder while breathing him in.

Gripping a crew neck, the huge sweater slid onto her small frame. Raphael slid on sweatpants.

"Can we watch the dating show?" her eyelids were low as she grew tired.

Raphael went to her vanity, grabbing her things under his arm as he held her up with his other.

Soon, they were sat on their large couch. Juniper sat between his thighs, staring at the tv as she shoveled noodles into her mouth. Raphael had her hair pinned in seven different ways but either way she was happy.

He'd gotten started on the bottom half of her head, finding the process methodical and calming.

In her mind, Juniper could just hear him finding a new fixation. She'd have a bald spot with how often he'll attempt to do this now.

Not that she had the heart to complain, especially as he touched her so tenderly.

"Think they'll last?" she waved her fork towards the show as she munched.

Raphael looked away from her deep blue hair, squinting as he thought. Grunting, he couldn't quite remember what was going on the past two episodes.

"Uh... no." His answer was short and rather blunt. Juniper's jaw fell open in offense, rooting for them quietly.

"Why!"

"He's got a wandering eye even the damn camera catches."

Juniper rattled off reasons why they would make it, none of them sounding valid even to her own ears.

She cut herself off, "Ugh. Fine you might be right."

"I am fairly often or are you forgetting that?" They'd finished the last few episodes and Raphael only had two more sections left. The very top right and left sides of her head.

Sudden knocking and ringing of the doorbell sounded, both glanced at each other.

Raphael, who'd tensed underneath her, relaxed slowly. "Seraphina," he grunted to his mate who'd stood from his lap before he could even fully get the word out.

His brows rose as she left him in the dust to get to the door.

The shadow demon was worried, Seraphina showing up unannounced wasn't like her at all. And Raphael would've told her it was Phoenix first if he'd shown up with Seraphina.

Opening the door, her gut was right. Seraphina was teary eyed and on their porch.

Juniper's brows were furrowed, her arms opening. The slender woman cried softly and walked straight into them.

"Juni," she sniffled.

"I'm gonna' kill him."

"No," Seraphina sobbed. Raphael was now standing with his arms crossed at the entrance of the living room, very confused.

"What the fuck?" Juniper hissed to her friend while guiding her to the kitchen table.

Bear was on them, following after closely.

Raphael whistled for him to give them space, yet he followed after while feeling concern rise for his own best friend.

"I was ta-talking about how excited I was for you," Seraphina blew her nose into a tissue. "And we talked about adopting, so I brought it up," she whimpered.

Juniper listened dutifully while pouring her wine.

"And he was so upset about not having our own kids," the guilt of not being able to give birth to Phoenix's babies was weighing on her. "He said he misses when there were berserker women!"

Juniper balked and even Raphael's eyes widened. Neither of them thought that sounded like something Phoenix would say, much less to Seraphina.

The pregnant woman's brows furrowed, rubbing her temples. "And you just left?"

"He had to go for-for a meeting right after he said that. I just left and drove for a while, now I'm here and he'll be home soon. I wish I could just give him-" she began to sob. Juniper cringed, Seraphina was a crier. It was one of the things that balanced them out when they were younger.

"Shut up. Stop thinking about what you can't do. None of this is your fault-"

Raphael rubbed his stubbly chin, "I'm sure this is a misunderstanding."

Both women forgot he was there but Seraphina nodded. Juniper eyed him, he better not be telling Phoenix where Sera is.

Too late, Raphael thought to himself. The couple was in their pajamas, Juniper with her damp hair against her back. Seraphina felt guilt hit her.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have come-"

Both of them looked at her to shut up. "Stop, Sera. Just take a breather, kay? It'll all be alright you know Phoenix loves you. Maybe you can... like... well what do you guys do when you argue?" Juniper tilted her head in confusion.

Seraphina's lips wobbled, "We never argue!"

Both Raphael and Juniper looked at each other. No arguing? Was that english? Didn't seem like anything they understood.

Juniper pushed aside any of her thoughts, "Disagreements happen, hun. They're apart of relationships. People say stupid shit, people get their feelings hurt, if this is your first fight then I think you guys will be fine. But that doesn't mean what he said was okay."

The front door burst open, Raphael sighing and going to greet his friend.

Both the women started whispering back and forth quickly.

"Make him work for it!"

"I don't want to!"

"But-"

"I miss him-!"

"You said it's been an hour!"

"But-"

Phoenix panted in the doorway of the kitchen, Juniper rose a brow.

"Did you run here-?"

"I didn't mean it like that..." he held a hand up from his knee as he braced himself with the other. "Didn't mean it... I..." he sucked in a sharp breath while standing up.

"Shit-" He cursed as Raphael slapped his back reassuringly.

"I meant-I meant surrogacy or-or whatever it's called!" Phoenix floundered rather adorably if the women had to say so themselves. They both peaked at each other.

The silver haired berserkers shoulders fell as he saw Seraphina's glassy eyes, "Phina I'd never say something to make you upset on purpose," he rubbed his chest as if the thought made him ache.

The nymph sniffled and Juniper looked between the two then to Raph who shrugged.

Slowly, Juniper pushed herself up with a little struggle to retreat to her mate.

Is it rude to watch? Juniper spoke into the mind link.

Yes, Raphael responded. Neither moved.

"I should've been clearer. Sera you have to know even if there were berserker women everywhere I'd still only love you."

The nymphs lip wobbled and the two collided. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so upset."

"Don't be sorry. I'd be pissed if you said something like that to me."

Seraphina lifted her head and Phoenix wasted no time laying one on her hard.

Juniper frowned boredly, turning to her mate. "This is gross, if they have sex here I won't be happy."

"They won't-" Raphael and they both looked to see the couple getting... friskier.

"I'll vomit."

"Don't."

"This is our kitchen," Juniper whined.

Raphael rubbed his temples, "O-Okay guys- Yo. Phoenix!" He finally raised his voice and the couple parted looking sheepish.

"Bye," Raphael pointed to the door.

The two bid hasty goodbyes, Seraphina squeezing Junipers shoulder.

"Why don't our arguments end like that?"

"Most of the time they do."

Juniper's head cocked in mild agreement, "That wasn't even an argument. Ours are never that short."

"We're just too passionate baby," Raphael wound an arm around her waist. Juniper smiled cheekily before nodding.

"Match made in heaven," she giggled.

"You bet your ass we are," he kissed her cheek before steering her back to the couch to dutifully finish her hair.

~

this was a fun chapter i read something where a man washing ur hair is more intimate than anything and i thought it was sweet

then i was like how are sera and nix doing? let's find out so we did hehe

hope u enjoyed the update!! next one coming next friday