A/N. So. Some of you, especially those who's following 'The Best Thing' might be wondering why I haven't updated yet, only one reason: Tala's a dick that doesn't want to be written. And real life, man, it eats you up. But mainly the first reason. So. Anyway. This here's just a dedicated collection of Tala/Kai (or will be or so help me God, screw you apprenticeship, i'll do you later after much needed R&R) and something to keep me in shape. And, YES, I'm a Tala/Kai fan, too, but don't go on thinking that I won't pick another partner for Mr. Grumpy Pants just because (in TBT, ehem). So, anyway, here's the first entry.

Requests are welcomed, by the way.

update (5/21/2015) - This is episode will be continued in Episode 6.

Wolf Taming

The many disjointed, unrelated, prompts for Tala and Kai across multiple AUs.

Episode 1

Setting a Date

Tala slammed his glass down on the counter, willing the sleek, black phone in front of him to disintegrate. The blasted thing had been burning a hole in his pocket for days and, recently, could now induce his innards to do back flips whenever he sees it.

Damn Kai Hiwatari, anyway.

"Go out with him if you're so bothered by it," Bryan suggested with a snort.

Tala signalled for another shot of vodka, downing it the moment the bartender placed it within his reach, and ordering another one before the deceivingly water-clear, burning liquid could dissipate in his chest. Go out with a Hiwatari? And that Hiwatari on top of that? Like fuck he could!

"Stop being a pussy, man, and what the fuck's your problem? He definitely falls under your type."

"I hardly know the guy!" he snapped, but didn't deny that the red-eyed Seelie was a real beaut.

"Was never an issue before."

Tala scowled, Bryan ignored him, tapping the end of his cigarette on the rim of the ashtray. "He isn't just anybody, Bry. He's from the clans, idiot."

"He could make your dick spontaneously combust. Big deal. He kissed you, didn't he?"

Yeah, sure, that, Hiwatari did. Hiwatari was drunk as a doorknob, maybe, most probably, and it wasn't a tonsil check nor was it lips to lips but a kiss was a kiss. Tala was also loath to admit that he surely made a striking rendition of a deer caught in headlights when the Seelie tiptoed and pressed his lips on the corner of Tala's mouth, the touch soft and like a long forgotten dream. A week later, an unknown number sent Tala an SMS relaying in a very roundabout way that a Kai freaking Hiwatari was asking him for a date.

Fuck it.

Tala grazed an exasperated hand through his hair. "It probably wasn't him, anyway. A troll, maybe."

Bryan mumbled something and before Tala realized what the moron was doing, Bryan was already returning the phone on the lacquered wooden counter top, Hiwatari's supposed number merrily being dialed from it.

"Assho–"

"Ivanov."

Tala clammed his mouth shut. It was loops and bounds different from the silvery dulcets that he used the first time they met but there was no mistaking that no nonsense tone belonged to the Hiwatari Tala met at the gala seven nights ago. Bryan nudged him with his shoulder, shaking him out of his stupor. He glared at the harpie bastard and cleared his throat. "Ye-yeah. Hi."

...What the fuck? Hi?

Bryan sniggered beside him. Tala growled lowly and made a swipe at the back of the bastard's feathery head and missed. Tala clicked his tongue and grabbed his phone, tapping the speaker mode off before sticking the device against his ear, stalking off out of ear shot.

"You'll thank me for this," Bryan called behind him, chuckling.

Tala flipped him the finger.

Tala breathed deeply, steeling his shot nerves, determined to turn down the invitation. Seelies and mongrels did not mix. Nope, no. Never. That was just how the world worked.

:::

Of course when Hiwatari did manage to wheedle Tala into accompanying him to town for an afternoon walk time and time again and it turned out to be a pleasant enough of an experience and his date really was a real beaut, like fucking really, but surprisingly enough he was in no hurry to get into his pants, Tala figured that maybe, just maybe, he did have to thank Bryan.

...Then again, when Tala along with said bastard of a best friend and some others got tangled into filching the heir of the Phoenix's clan out of the capital and somehow deliver him to Suzaku's Shrine for safe keeping because the current head wants him to be Black Dranzer's unwilling vessel–not that Tala will let that fucking turkey take Kai away from him, no, never– well. Thanking Bryan for anything was out of the question.