Craig heroically comes to Red’s aid (when she gets food poisoning)

Previously:

Craig’s life has been a mess since finding the Merge Necklace. His girlfriend, Lily, was gifted an Amazonian physique but was kidnapped by a mind-controller. His high school bully is now Red, Lilly’s futanari twin, and is helping him find Lily. Craig has only had sex with Red as part of femme fusions, and despite their growing intimacy, is still trying to stay true to the missing Lily.

Craig

The smell hit him as he stepped through the unlocked door. There was enough acrid odor to give the air weight, and it seemed to ooze around him as he entered.

Why the hell am I doing this? Craig asked himself before his second thought answered: Because she’d do the same for you.

Craig girded himself and, with his sleeve over his mouth, made his way towards the bathroom. Red was a trembling mess in the middle of the floor. Her panties hung off one ankle, but she was otherwise bottomless. Her skin gleamed with cold sweat, and she looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“Oh, thank fuck you’re here,” she whimpered. “You gotta help me. I can’t move. There’s nothing left to come out.”

Craig hastily flushed the toilet, trying hard not to look too closely. He identified several bodily fluids sprinkled across the room as he soaked a washcloth with warm water.

“What happened?”

“Ugh, fucking shrimp tacos.”

“Wait. The leftovers you offered Malik? That was weeks ago! Red!” Craig chided.

“I thought they were still good,” Red grumbled sheepishly, her cheeks glowing.

Craig started wiping, but barely finished with Red’s face before the cloth was filthy, forcing him to reconsider his strategy.

“Alright, let’s get you in the shower,” he announced.

Taking Red’s petulant groan as consent, he looped his arms under her armpits to drag her into the shower stall. Even dehydrated, Red weighed considerably more than Craig, and lifting her over the lip of the bath was a struggle.

I wish she didn’t make me feel so small. Lily used to be small enough that even I could toss her over my shoulder if I wanted. Now, they’re both stronger than I am.

The water took a minute to warm up, and Craig made sure to keep the handheld shower attachment away from Red until it was a comfortable body temperature. He gently handed it to her, and she started rinsing her body weakly.

“Mmmm,” she purred. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“So, can you take care of the rest? Or do you need me to…?” Craig wasn’t sure how he’d handle it if she wanted him to bathe her. His libido was tempered by the disgusting situation, but he still couldn’t deny that the mostly-nude futa looked like a Greek statue.

“Nah, I got it. Just-um, can you help me get this bra off? Just over the shoulders.”

Red lifted the tight sports bra off her breasts, but was struggling to get it over her arms.

“Gotcha,” Craig said, positioning himself behind her and grabbing the bra from the back.

His fingers incidentally made contact with Red’s bare back, and she let out a moan that she tried to cover with a cough. He carefully pulled the bra over her upraised arms, trying not to notice the hint of sideboob peeking from around her arm. That done, he closed the curtain and let her finish cleaning herself off.

Craig tossed the smelly garment into the laundry basket and surveyed the damage. After bringing the trash can, a sponge, and a roll of paper towels from the kitchen, he got to work cleaning the floor and walls.

“So,” he called over to Red to keep his mind off what his hands were doing. “Was Cam busy?”

“Huh?”

Craig cleared his throat and repeated his question louder to be heard over the shower.

“Oh,” Red replied. “I dunno. I didn’t ask. Why?”

“It’s just… you know… cleaning, dressing. I thought she would be more comfortable with this kind of thing.”

“Maybe if you couldn’t. But you were my first call.”

Craig bristled.

“So I’m at the top of your puke cleaners list?” he asked, trying to make it sound sarcastic.

“What? No, you don’t have to do that. I called you because I trust you.”

It’s out of character for her to need help from anyone. But she really trusts me that much? More than Cam?

Once Red was done showing, she wrapped a towel around herself, and Craig helped her up and out of the tub. She leaned heavily on him, her legs still trembling. Craig realized she must have shampooed because her hair now smelled strongly floral. The press of her body against his was comforting, and he felt the heat from the shower radiating off of her. Once gently lowered to the bed, Red let out a sigh of relief. Craig went to the kitchen to find the hydration solution he had seen her drink on her exercise streams.

“Horse electrolytes?” He called out skeptically, reading the label on the tub.

“But it’s so cheap,” Red called back from the bed. “And my mane and hooves have never looked better!”

Craig chuckled to himself, mixing a small amount of the powder with some water before bringing it to Red. Wrapped in her towel on the bed, she turned to him as he entered the room. Her look froze him in his tracks. In the low evening light, her eyes glowed with warring emotions: gratitude, warmth, and longing. Craig collected himself and tried to act casual, but his hand trembled when handing over the glass.

Red let out an exaggerated “Ah!” after the first sip and flashed Craig a grin. Her gaze wandered for a moment before she let out a sigh.

“I think I’ll be good now, you don’t have to stay-”

“No, I want to keep you company,” Craig interrupted. He carefully sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. “I’m sorry for bitching so much back there. Marinating in a puke sauna, it made me grumpy.”

“No sweat, bro,” Red said, and placed her hand gently on top of Craig’s.

He watched it silently. He knew he should pull his hand back and defuse the tender moment, but could not think of a reason why.

“So you trust me?” He asked. “Like, more than anyone?”

“Gun to my head? Yeah. It’s you. I mean, we’re still friends even though you know I was Hank. That means a lot to me.”

A friend who knew Hank?

“I guess that narrows it down to me, Lily, and… maybe Malik? Not bad company.”

Red’s brow furrowed at the mention of Lily’s name, but only for a moment.

“What good is an ancient magic necklace if not for weeding out assholes?” Red chuckled before stifling a yawn. “Dude, I’m so wiped out, you have no idea.”

“From what I just cleaned off your walls, I have some idea. But I did notice something.”

“Oh yeah?” Red asked, perking up.

“You must think you’re pretty clever. It was a subtle ruse, but I’m onto you. You intentionally gave yourself food poisoning to match my incredible physique.”

Red let out a surprised chortle.

“It’s dangerous, you know? Dehydrating yourself just to get as shredded and vascular as me,” Craig continued. “Jealousy’s a bad look on you.”

“Oh man,” Red said, holding her belly. “Oh, stop making me laugh, bro. My stomach hurts too much from puking.”

The hand that had been resting on Craig’s now struck a weak, glancing blow off his shoulder. A few giggling spells later, Red finally calmed down. She beamed a warm smile at him that, for an instant, made the rest of the world fade away.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “Not just for tonight, but for everything. I’ve been figuring out who I am, how much of me is still Hank, and you made that easier. You see me, muscles and dick and all, and… you stayed. More than anything, that’s why I used to be so into you.”

“Used to?”

She doesn’t like me anymore?

“Still am, but I used to, too,” she teased, sticking out her tongue.

“Yeah, you got me,” Craig chuckled, before sighing to himself.

“Hey, man. I’m sorry, I thought it was funny. I wasn’t trying to get you up in your feels.”

Craig could only offer a sad smile.

“Yeah, you didn’t mean it, but it feels like I’m always worried you’ll finally see the real me and realize I’m not man enough for you.”

“Not man enough?”

“I couldn’t defend Lily. I froze from an insult from your chat. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that whenever I get merged, the result is feminine.”

“Listen to me, I only want to say this once,” Red looked deeply into Craig’s eyes. “Your strength isn’t in muscles. You’re strong where it counts and when it counts. That’s why you’re my first call.”

“I wish I could see myself the way you see me,” Craig whispered, trying to blink away the tears in his eyes.

“I wish you would let me show you. I hate the way you’re punishing yourself and putting your life on hold for-”

Red suddenly cut herself off, looking away.

For her. For Lily, she was going to say. Except she didn’t because she’s not a bitch. But she thought about it. She thinks I’m holding out for my first love, even though we haven’t had a sign of her in months. And now I’m thinking about it, too, and I hate that she’s probably right. As long as I’m still looking, I can tell myself that I didn’t fail her. Except I have, so is punishing myself really for her, or is it just to satisfy my own stupid pride? Or am I worried that if I start something with Red that I’ll end up losing her, too? I’m getting in my own way and sabotaging what is probably the best thing going on in my life right now. She’s not going to wait for me forever. Who knows how long it’ll be before Malik comes to his senses? I have to tell her that I’m not delusional. I know that I can’t hold out for Lily forever. Alright, I’m doing it. I’m going to tell her she doesn’t have to feel bad about wanting me to let go of Lily.

Craig hadn’t realized how long he was lost in his own thoughts. When he turned to Red, she was fast asleep. Her mouth hung open, and she gave a soft snore with every rise of her chest. One boob had freed itself from her towel, and its nipple was now staring straight at him. After a moment, Craig broke out of his reverie and carefully pulled a sheet over Red and tucked her in. He lingered, tenderly brushing a black and red lock of hair off her face before he silently wished her a good night.