Haha! I'm sorry, I really don't know where this came from! Actually I do; I saw the word "petting" and my muse had a field day! Hope you all like it! :D

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He wasn't sure when it started. It certainly hadn't always been this way but at the same time he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment it began. He didn't question it usually; it was so familiar, so normal for them that he didn't even wonder about it until Sally brought it up.

"Are you…Are you petting him?" She asked one night, popping into the living room with a faint whoosh of air like she always did.

Aidan blinked silently for a second, not really aware of what she was asking until he looked down. Josh had fallen asleep on the couch, slumping over to rest his head in Aidan's lap in an effort to get more comfortable. One leg was drawn up on the couch, the other straightened and resting against the coffee table. Josh's arms were crossed over his chest slightly, eyes closed and breathing slow. In the faded, well-worn sweatshirt and torn-at-the-knees jeans, he looked more like a kid that should be throwing a Frisbee on a college campus somewhere, not sacked out after a twelve hour shift at their local hospital.

Aidan's hand had found its way into Josh's hair, his long fingers carding through the thick, surprisingly silky stands. This had happened more than once, he knew, but it was almost reflexive rather than a conscious gesture. Most of the time, he wasn't even aware of it until Josh moved and he had to readjust his hand or move his arm. He was plenty aware of it right now though.

"No!" He protested, loudly at first before dropping his voice when Josh mumbled something unintelligible in his sleep. "No, I'm not "petting" him, I was just-"

"It looks like petting to me." Sally countered, quirking one eyebrow and shifting her hips the way she did when she was trying to make a point.

"Its not petting." Aidan insisted, gesturing with one hand while keeping the other hand resting against Josh's head. "It just seemed…natural. I don't know."

Sally smiled a bit and sauntered over and really, no one without a pulse should look that smug. "So…he curled up on the couch next to you and you just happened to start running your hand through his hair because it seemed natural? And this has nothing to do with him being a dog?"

"Werewolf, and no it doesn't. Josh already has crappy sleeping habits and this just…helps him sleep better." The argument sounded weak in his ears and judging from the look on Sally's face, it was weak to her too.

She smiled again and pulled her feet up onto the chair with her. "Well, I think its kinda cute."

Aidan rolled his eyes and refused to comment. His hand felt twitchy from sitting still but there was no way he was about to start stroking Josh's hair again with her in the room.

Josh mumbled something again, no one could really understand what, but Sally grinned. "Aww, look…he's having puppy dreams…"

"I would love for you to tell him that when he's awake." Aidan muttered, doing his best to concentrate on the book he'd been reading before she wandered in. With his lap now occupied by Josh, the book was resting against the armrest and was serving as a pretty pitiful excuse for a distraction.

"Get em' Josh! Go get em'! Chase em' fast!" Sally encouraged, patting her hands on her legs like she was talking to a puppy.

To his credit, Josh didn't so much as twitch at Sally's bait.

Aidan sent her a look but she only laughed. "Alright, alright. I'll leave him alone." She said, holding up her hands in surrender. She stood slowly, wandering around the couch for a minute before heading back upstairs. "Tell him to give those squirrels Hell." She called over her shoulder as she disappeared around the banister.

Aidan nearly called something back in retort but thought better of it. Instead, he stared at the TV blankly for a few minutes, watching some sitcom ramble onscreen with the closed caption dialogue scrolling along the bottom of the screen. He hadn't been keeping up with the plot so it didn't matter what they were saying. He turned back to his book, re-reading the same paragraph he'd finished before Sally came in.

His hand smoothed through Josh's hair slowly, fingers dragging along his scalp and ending at the back of his neck before swooping back and starting the same journey all over again. He honestly wasn't aware he was even doing it anymore, it was something that was almost ingrained by now. If he had any reason to breathe, it would have been as natural as breathing. But since he didn't have to worry about that constant inhale and exhale thing anymore, this would have to do.

Lol, I love Sally teasing Josh ^.^ And so help me if she disappear from the show I'll be sooooo upset! XI Thanks for reading guys!