A delicate but insistent tapping on the door of his bedroom woke G'raha up and he frowned involuntarily in his lover's possessive embrace. Pressed tight against his back and with his arm over the redhead's shoulders, Senri muttered an incoherent complaint against his ears, and his long, black tail flicked with annoyance, loosening its grip around G'raha's thigh. Nearly melting at the surrounding him heat, he almost dozed off again. Still, when the tapping persisted, and Senri shifted delicately and huffed another complaint, he looked toward the door and sighed with resignation.
It didn't seem like whoever it was, was going to take a hint, so he carefully untangled himself from his lover's body and, with a yawn, sat up on the edge of the bare mattress, looking around after his clothes. Spotting the obviously torn material of his pants next to bed, he flushed darkly, biting his lower lip as he glanced at his sleeping mate. He thought briefly that he perhaps should have minded… but seeing him like that, all that deliciously pale skin and the pure glory of his beauty as Senri shifted, sprawling on his stomach in the space he left behind… G'raha's hand outstretched outside his will, following the line of his lover's spine as he half-consciously shifted and leaned over Senri, his eyes devouring the trail of his fingers as they neared the base of his mate's tail, mesmerized with the contrast of the pale skin and ink-black fur...
Focus, Damon chortled when he almost jumped, startled by him. G'raha blinked rapidly and gasped, realizing what he was doing and swiftly pulled his hand back, instantly missing the heat of his lover's skin, but… the tapping grew louder, and he shook his head, trying to clear it as he looked toward it with a quiet, involuntarily hiss of a complaint. The sooner you open and get rid of whoever it is, the sooner you can return to enjoy your man, Raha. Do remember, though it was cut short for you before with all of this… now, that you re-mated, the frenzy is bound to drive you quite… hard.
He flushed darker, rolling his eyes at the immortal's amusement as he stood up, then gathered one of the blankets he left over the last week in Senri's makeshift nest, then carefully used it to cover his lover's body as much as he could – perhaps a tad naively hoping it's going to help him keep his libido in check. A vain hope, as he couldn't help but brush his hand over a messy nest of his lover's dark hair and the quiet, rumbling purr Senri uttered at that… had him swallowing audibly as his unruly imagination dared to instantly supply a tantalizing image of pushing that blanket back and pretty much mounting his mate, finding out how far could he get before Senri would wake up and…
He shook his head violently, trying to clear it as he, with effort, turned away from the bed and marched across the room, swiftly picking a fresh change of clothes and dressing… if his already raging erection wasn't making it any easier. Even knowing what was causing it wasn't working to help his steadily mounting arousal much, so he carefully avoided looking anywhere near his lover's form. At the same time, he impatiently ran his fingers through his messy hair, smoothing them down as much as possible while he headed toward the door. Damon was right, as soon as he could get rid of… He sighed, pulling the door open, and froze, blinking rapidly and flushing even darker at T'rhasa's friendly smile and her tiny daughter's ridiculously adorable, Senri-like grin.
"Can Senri play?" the girl asked cheerfully before he could even open his mouth, bouncing on her heels and visibly trying to peer into his bedroom around him.
"We did bring you two breakfast," T'rhasa chuckled, pointedly looking toward the platter in her hands, then tilted her head slightly when G'raha's felt his face grow even hotter, looking between them and… oh, Thaliak… Damon's downright evil laughter inside his head wasn't helping him as he fought not to think about what his mind was busy with just a second ago… and looking at the little girl's tiny, innocent face – so similar to how his lover looked just yesterday…
"I… t-thank you, but…" he stammered, cursing internally as he shifted, keeping his body in the way that prevented the kit from seeing inside as his mind raced, trying not to remember all the… evidence of their previous activities… unsure what would be a 'too-obvious' thing for a kit this young and… he flinched as flushed even darker when his stomach betrayed him, rumbling loudly.
"Just in time too, I see," Senri's mother grinned at him – and the similarity between them for the first time was truly obvious. Both of her kits apparently inherited her grin…
"I…" he trailed off, trying to figure out an excuse to shut the door and clean up the room before…
"Mom…?" sounded behind him, and he flinched, looking back and involuntarily shifting, apparently revealing the view as his ears twitched and lowered against his head at T'rhasa's shocked gasp. Senri was sitting on the edge of the bed, thankfully with the blanket sprawled across his lap, but seeing quite an owlish look at his beautiful face, G'raha wondered briefly if he even remembered the whole… ordeal. Then he gasped, unceremoniously pushed out of the way, and could only blink as the female marched inside the bedroom, quickly setting the platter on the table in the middle before heading toward the Warrior, whose face grew impossibly pale.
"Azeyma… How beautiful you are, my boy," T'rhasa gushed in a somewhat thick voice, wrapping her hands around his lover's face. "And huge!" she chuckled, then gasped when Senri choked on a quiet whine, and his arms shot out, wrapping around her and pulling her into a tight, almost desperate embrace. G'raha's throat tightened painfully when she sighed and wrapped her arms around his lover's head, delicately brushing her hand over his dark hair. "There, there, baby… It's okay…" she murmured, then looked toward him, raising her eyebrows.
"It is better," G'raha sighed, delicately nudging the gawking girl inside, closing the door, and leaning against them. "But not exactly…."
He wasn't sure who was most shocked when suddenly – as if to challenge his statement – the beast apparently decided to let itself be known, emerging from Senri's back and settling behind him on the mattress. He likely gawked at it most of all, seeing the… difference from its earlier appearance. No longer a manifestation of liquid darkness, now it looked more… there, with a shiny, ink-black coat of fur and its vertically slit eyes instead of an empty abyss, were as pale as Senri's eyes.. more even, wide irises rather white than blue. It twitched its long whiskers, looking between them, and something almost like a humor filled its pale eyes. Only Senri, still in his mother's embrace, seemed utterly unaware of the reason behind the dead silence in the room. That was cut with a near-deafening squeal that made G'raha nearly jump out of his skin.
"Kitty…!" the little girl gushed, rushing toward the bed before he could get a hold of her and keep her back.
"Huh?" his mate hummed, pulling back from his mother's limp now embrace, then turned his gaze behind him, and G'raha could actually see his jaw drop at the sight of the massive feline. "What the fu…?" was cut off by T'rhasa's hand over his mouth, and he flinched visibly, his eyes wide open in astonishment as they moved to her. But she seemed not to notice it, busy looking at the now more animal-looking creature as her blonde tail waved with apparent interest.
Interest… not terror, G'raha would more than expect, considering the intimidating size of the beast. All the while little girl neared the bed, almost funnily cooing at the feline and reaching her short hands toward it.
"Little Rrralla," it rumbled in that deep voice, and the girl startled, freezing, and gawking as the beast shifted around Senri, somewhat awkwardly sniffing at the girl's hand. Then to his surprise, it sagged to sprawl behind his lover's back in a half circle, poised graciously as it inclined its triangular head toward the little girl. That had her instantly squealing enthusiastically, waving her tail as she carefully petted the offered head.
"It talks!" she gushed at her mother with a nearly blinding grin. "Senri has a big, talking kitten, mommy!"
"I see that," T'rhasa replied smoothly, pulling her hand back from her son's mouth, then reached out and gingerly petted the ink-black expanse of the incredibly soft-looking fur on the feline's neck. "But I don't think I ever heard of an animal like that before…" she trailed off, looking toward Senri's shell-shocked expression as he seemed as busy gawking at the beast. "…Senri?"
"That's… a long story," G'raha sighed, then pushed off the door when they all looked toward him. He cleared his throat, headed toward the table, pulled one of the chairs back, and sat down, running his hand over his hair as he looked for words to explain it. Then he shook his head with resignation and caught his lover's stare. "How much do you remember, Senri? From the last few days, I mean?"
"I… remember being a child," his mate replied haltingly, looking between him and his mother, then back at the massive cat-like creature behind him. "But… what is this? And where did it come from…?"
"It's you," he said, and his lover shot him a surprised look that quickly grew quite… deadpan and almost amused.
"Are you… feeling alright, Raha? Hit your head recently?" he snarked, shifting sideways to look at the creature easier as he pulled the blanket tighter around his waist.
"He is quite corrrect," the beast drawled and downright chortled quietly when Senri froze and his ears laid back flat against his head. Something like recognition flared in his expression as his beautiful features pulled into a scowl.
"…Esteem?" he growled under his breath, then shifted and unceremoniously pushed his mother and sister away from the beast. "What in… Why is it like this?" he snapped, standing up and setting himself between the females and the bed, glaring at the feline while self-consciously wrapping the blanket around his waist tightly.
"It's not Esteem," he said quietly, then stood up, and while his lover growled a warning, he ignored it and moved around him, deftly avoiding his hand when Senri apparently tried to keep him back. He settled on the edge of the mattress, then sighed and leaned against the side of the massive creature, smiling involuntarily as he ran his fingers through the thick, ink-black coat. It was as soft as it looked. The beast rumbled out a deep purr, then nudged his hand, and he complied, rubbing its triangular head as he tossed his lover a sheepish look. "It's quite literally… you, Senri." He looked with uncertainty toward his mother, peering toward him around her son, then cleared his throat and looked away, deciding that the truth could wait until they were alone and that half of it may be more prudent, as he wasn't sure how much his lover would appreciate discussed in front of her. Not to mention the girl… that apparently had her eyes only for the 'talking kitten,' staring at G'raha's hand with such cute but obvious jealousy… he bit his lip not to snort a laugh, then sighed and looked into his mate's eyes. "To restore your… memories, we… Damon, I mean, had to bring it back, Senri, but he didn't want it able to use Ares's gift again. Or let it anywhere near his soul in case… it overreacted again," he dropped his gaze, curling into himself slightly as he looked toward his hand. "But I think… we, ah, explained some… stuff while you were out, love, and I believe it's going to… behave?" he drawled, catching the too-pale – almost sheepish – look in the beast's eyes.
"So long you'rrre mine," it rumbled out, and its long tail wrapped around his waist, flicking lazily as it… tossed a challenging look toward Senri and twitched its whiskers funnily when his lover hissed with indignation, moving toward him and wrapping his hand around G'raha's arm. But he froze and hesitated when the beast snapped its jaw at him with a near-deafening snarl, baring an impossibly sharp-looking double row of fangs. G'raha rolled his eyes, delicately slapped its nose, then wrapped his hand over Senri's in reassurance.
"It's okay, love, it's not going to hurt me," he said soothingly. "It's just posing to scr… to mess with you," he corrected, looking toward the girl behind him. He fought what his mate's proximity – all that deliciously pale skin and sweet scent – was doing to his insides. He cleared his throat self-consciously as he looked hopefully around him and toward the table. "Now, about that breakfast…?" while his stomach rumbled a complaint,
"Break…?" Senri murmured, not taking his eyes off the massive feline as he leaned in and his hand moved up around G'raha's neck, curling into a possessive claim as his pale irises turned into shards of ice. And feeling that – his temper spiking and the way the beast tensed behind his back, all that powerful muscles shifting and growing taut – he barely stopped himself from snorting and rolling his eyes. Without much warning, he stood up, which put his body nearly flat against his lover's. Hidden behind his taller, wider frame, he soundlessly bit down on his flesh, and Senri froze as his breath hitched against his ears. The sudden shift of building-up rage into instant arousal across their bond had him nearly whimpering into his skin, but instead, he breathed shakily as his lover's hands smoothed over his sides and wrapped around his waist, pulling him tight against him. Only awareness that they weren't alone had him pull back. Still, before he looked up into his lover's face, he trailed his tongue over the contour of the bite, shivering involuntarily at another hitch in his mate's breath and the way his scent grew thicker and muskier.
"It is you, love… if it's a tad complicated," he whispered when he did lift his head, smiling sheepishly when Senri's nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed at his mouth, growing nearly glassy and dazed with lust. "So… no need to get jealous," he purred with some amusement, feeling his face heat up unbearably when his lover inclined his head, audibly taking a deep breath. And hearing the beast behind him rumble on that deep, maddening purr… he fought to gather his bearings, turning his head away when Senri's too-pretty mouth headed toward his. "I'll explain over the breakfast… with your mother and sister," he gasped, fighting to keep his arms flat against his sides and not reach for that scorching heat of his lover's skin. His mate flinched slightly, then stilled, perhaps finally reminded of their company… if his hand tightened around G'raha's neck slightly, and his ears twitched with delight at the barely there, quiet whine of a complaint. And gods, but it was so hard to breathe through his clothes and the blanket around his lover's waist feeling the hard length press against his stomach and the way his mate's scent made him want to bite him again, taste that delicious skin…
Focus, Raha, Damon chortled, and he flinched, flushing up to his hairline, and he choked on the frustrated growl. Gods, but he wanted to fuck him sooo bad… it felt like a fever, clouding his thoughts with every shaky, shallow breath… until it suddenly melted away out of nowhere, and he blinked with confusion, looking up into his lover's face. Ares's amused, sky-blue irises welcomed his gaze, and the immortal chuckled at his expression, moving back from him. Ah, I guess that's a solution as well, if less amusing, his immortal chuckled deviously.
"He was about to pounce," Ares grinned toothily and winked at him, then turned toward T'rhasa. After seeing her distinctively flushed face, he almost whimpered with mortification, feeling like his face would burn away. Of course, if nothing else, she could smell… oh, gods, someone kill him…! And seeing innocent confusion on her daughter's face… He turned away, blinking rapidly as he saw the empty surface of the mattress, the beast nowhere in sight.
Obviously, it won't be able to manifest when Ares's in charge, Damon said in a very matter-of-fact tone, then hummed with interest. But it's quite a fascinating result, I admit. If I had to look THROUGH your mind to see it as you do now.
Huh? He replied with confusion, trying to calm his unruly body as he swiftly gathered the torn materials beside the bed and shoved them under the mattress.
For me, it still appears as the liquid darkness with white pits for eyes, Damon explained, and he blinked with surprise. For his mother and sister… I don't know, but considering their reactions, I would guess not as unnerving. It does make me wonder if it somewhat kept a hint of Ares's gift and can make others see it as whatever it chooses, or is it something else entirely?
"I did wish to thank you for your care, T'rhasa," he heard Ares say behind him and flinched, turning toward them quickly with a sheepish smile if his face still felt more than flushed. "If I can ever repay your kindness, do not hesitate to let me know," the immortal added with a polite bow, then smiled and looked toward him. "If you don't mind, Raha, do let Damon take over? I don't think having you both in charge at the moment is… smart."
He sighed and nodded, understanding his intent: after all this, Senri more than deserved some quality time with his family without the distraction of their frenzy pushing them to mate. He felt the familiar by now push, and Damon took over, inclining his head toward the female with a polite smile.
"It's so… strange," she gasped, looking between them with a frown.
"Tell me about it," Senri sighed, running his hand over his hair, then exhaled slowly and rolled his neck slightly. "I'll… shower and change, then join you," he said, heading toward his still unpacked bag set near the nest. "And you'll explain everything… yes?" he tossed them a narrowed stare, picking up a fresh change of clothes.
"If you wish," Damon replied softly, then looked toward the woman and the girl and motioned toward the table with another polite smile. "Shall we?"
As soon as he set his supplies on the bench in the common showers of the compound, it appeared again, and T'senri growled involuntarily to cover his flinch, glaring daggers at the massive feline as it shook up, making it liquid darkness kind of… ripple. Its empty pits where its eyes should be turned toward him, then away as it set to explore the empty room, sniffing at everything apparently.
I'm not sure if Damon aimed for such… unnerving effect, Ares hummed with consideration in the back of his head. But what Raha said was quite correct, Senri. It is part of you. Think of it as a manifestation of your… well, to be quite frank, I am not sure of what. To say negative emotions, I think, would be oversimplifying it.
"Great," he muttered under his breath, running his fingers through his messy hair and eyeing the creature warily. "So now I have two – no offense – creatures living in my head?"
At that, the beast turned its triangular head toward him, then rippled again, and its empty eyes flashed somewhat strangely.
"Do I frrrighten you, Senrrri?" and if a doubly fanged grin was any indication, it was definitely aiming at it.
"You wish," he snapped and, with a scowl, stepped around it, soon turning on one of the showers.
"I do not," when he looked back with surprise at the statement, the feline was sitting on its hinter legs. Its long tail tapped against the floor while it twitched its long whiskers, and its ears lowered slightly. "The split between us is alrrready bad enough as it is. But I do not apprrreciate being pulled back so suddenly… Especially if it leaves ourrr mate wanting."
T'senri felt his spine shoot ramrod stiff as he slowly turned toward the beast and narrowed his eyes with a warning.
"My mate," he accentuated with a growl, feeling his whole body tense up in anticipation of a fight.
"Ourrrs," the ink-black darkness purred, climbing to all fours as its form rippled again.
"You're really having a hard time with that whole: it's part of you, don't you?" Ares sighed with resignation, taking over so suddenly that T'senri's senses reeled with vertigo as he watched from the back of their shared head how the beast… melted away. "Stop picking a fight with yourself, boy," the immortal chuckled, stepping under the hot stream and washing in quick, efficient movements.
Har, har, he deadpanned. You can see that thing is rearing for a brawl, Ares. And… Raha's mine, he added with power.
"…are you seriously jealous of it?" Ares snorted a laugh, and if he could, T'senri would likely pout at his amusement. "Senri… silly boy, you did take notice of the fact that your beastie is quite genderless, yes? The only way it can 'mate' with Raha is through you… so I'm certain that's why it keeps calling him that, as it seems as possessive of him as you are. So… either start adjusting, or I'll have my hands full splitting you two apart."
Why did Damon do this to me? he whined with annoyance.
Ares stilled momentarily, then sighed and rested his hands on the wall, inclining his head under the stream.
"My husband didn't do this. You did this yourself, Senri. All Damon did, was make sure it could not take hold of you and me… to avoid it being able to pull a stunt it did ever again," he said quietly, then set to wash his hair. "The fact that without your beastie, your soul is so tiny it can fit only a child… is all your doing, boy. You fed it bit and pieces of yourself with such determination… you over-stuffed it, to put it simply. Now you have to deal with consequences."
I don't understand, he replied reluctantly.
"I know, boy," the immortal chuckled sadly, then closed his eyes, raising his face toward the stream, and stood like that for a long moment, apparently looking for words. "Senri, you have to stop… avoiding all of your negative thoughts and emotions. Pushing them down and never dealing with them is not a solution, boy. You had the… bad luck that at the wrong moment, Esteem got involved in something it should not... and apparently, after consuming it, your… How do I even call it…? Alter ego…? Other self…? Eh… It appears it ate Esteem and… grew quite powerful from that. Why it looks the way it does – I don't know. Apparently, that's how you… saw it, at least internally. But, again, as I said, it is you, boy. And if you feel it's 'rearing' for a fight… Likely, you are right. Whatever Damon did – and trust me, he can be quite… precautious, especially when upset – I can no longer read your beast's mind. But considering everything that happened… I'm guessing it may be quite… cranky with you, Senri. Or with its circumstances in general, that's also possible."
Like I care, he hissed. After what it did to us…? Not to mention it fucking suggested… he trailed off, flinching at the reminder. Nevermind.
"There you go again," the immortal sighed loudly, then turned the water off and headed toward the bench where T'senri had left the towel. "Avoiding. Not thinking about it. Not dealing with what bothers you. Moving on and pretending that you don't wither in terror at the thought that it was right and, somehow, you raped Raha. It is not true," he said with confidence when T'senri whimpered involuntarily at that. "Believe me, Senri, if he didn't want it – didn't want you – you would know. For the simple enough reason that if that were the case, there would be no frenzy between you two, my boy," he chuckled somewhat funnily, drying himself off.
What… what do you mean? He hesitated a question. It is quite… common. And the way it felt… it's overwhelming, so…
"Common, yeah… for males and females, you mean?" Ares chortled, then shook his head and started dressing in the fresh change of clothes. "Not as fierce, yes, but the idea is the same, Senri, as the mating bond of your kind drives them to procreation. But in your case… it's your souls that crave the union – not your bodies," he motioned toward himself meaningfully, then sighed and sat down on the bench, resting his elbows on top of his knees and staring at the floor. "Hence… as soon as I took over, the need was gone. And… that's why your beastie is so sweet on your boy now, I would guess. It got a taste of the real thing last night – and as it is part of your soul, Senri, I can only imagine what kind of effect entangling with Raha's had on it. Perhaps it'll tell you if you stop antagonizing it… But what I mean is… you did not hurt him, Senri, especially that way. And what your beastie did – both to you and me…" he trailed off, then sighed deeply and ran his hand through his wet hair, pushing them back from his eyes. "I don't want to excuse it, believe me… but I think I can somewhat understand it. It was already in so much pain… that I can only imagine how terrified it grew thinking Raha's about to reject it, too. Reject you both… and in its twisted way, it attacked us to spare you that…."
Doesn't change the fact that I hate it, T'senri scoffed with indignation. And I don't want it near Raha, my family… or friends.
"That's the issue," Ares hummed with consideration, then stood up and gathered T'senri's things, then headed toward the door. "I think unless you learn to forgive… it, it won't get better, Senri. You are not going to get better. This beast – and all it represents – is a part of you, and unless you accept it… I don't think it'll go anywhere. As for your dear ones… Damon told me he would ensure it can't harm anyone you care about – especially Raha. So about that, you don't have to worry, but, Senri… I think when alone, and the frenzy relents some… do try to talk with Raha about that, okay? Why it bothers you so much, and about your side activities? I believe what you hear may surprise you… and your beast, perhaps."
What do you mean…? He asked hesitantly, then flinched harshly and almost stumbled as he, too suddenly, regained control of his body.
Simply… You two are a match in more than one way, Senri, the immortal replied with a chuckle and T'senri frowned, then swiftly smoothed his expression and headed back toward their bedroom.