Post by Lerochelle De La Fae on Aug 4, 2010 1:50:21 GMT -5
Asher woke up and groaned, rolling onto his back then blinked realizing he was on the floor. Of the living room. Then he glanced over at the TV it was on the menu screen for the movie he had put in. "Must have fallen asleep again... Sensei?" He sat up slowly reaching up and cracking his neck then running his palm over the tender spot there with a faint blushing. Hearing no answer he got to his feet and went to the bathroom, returning he slipped up to the bedroom in search of Adrik. Not finding him there, he picked up his phone and started dialing while he headed into the kitchen to scrounge for food, his stomach rumbling.
Adrik: "Was groaning too. His body was sore. He;d fought the lions, had one shift...8hours of work in the dojo and one hour of training followed by a nice pass out from pure exhaustion...he had a bump on his forehead from the fall too. Stepping off the elevator he kicked his shoes off and rubbed at the back of his neck, his own stomach roaring. He had no idea how he looked and he didn't want to know. "Gataki?" He half sleepy mumbled. "Your stomach is egging mine on again.""
Asher had his head in the fridge, digging in the back and pulling out some bacon and cheese, then he was digging in the cupboards. Not getting an answer on Adrik's cell had him a bit nervous, then he heard the elevator come up and smiled. "You've got good timing Sensei. I was just about to make... some... thing." He turned around, his words trailing off while he half fell, half slid off the counter, sending a bottle of mustard to the floor. "Sensei?!" His eyes were going over the wounds on Adrik's face and neck, trailing down to his chest then back up to his face again. He hadn't seen him at all since right before he had shifted last night and now.. this. "You... You said I couldn't.. hurt you." Tears were welling up in his eyes at the sight of him, wondering what he had done.
Adrik: ""Shh..sh sh sh" He soothed. "It wasn't you Gataki. Do you remember? We were supposed to meet with Blade and his pride. Blade never showed up, and there was a...incident with the lions." He smushed the fro hawk down to try and hide his eye some then moved to cuddle Asher. "One of the females was in heat...she didn't want the male on her and he was being very aggressive...throwing her into walls and stuff, so I went in to stop him, I wanted to help her..and...his hands shifted Gataki...dark hand claws..more animal then what I do. I fought with him, another lioness attacked me when I wasn't looking and the female Id been trying to help jumped into the fight too to stop me." He shrugged, it was the cliff notes version. "Their male is worse off then I am. I'm ok, I'm just sore after that and work...I need to shift again to fully heal..but I wanted to come home and see you..""
Asher took a few steps back from Adrik until "it wasn't you" registered, then the was curling into and against him, his arms wrapping around his waist tightly, but trying not to hurt him he let go again. "Sorry.. wait.. it.. you fought HIM?!" his hands were featherlight over the marks on his chest, forgetting to hide his fear and that emanated out from him in waves. "Why would you do that Sensei?" He was frowning and confused and even a little bit angry. "Okay I understand the beginning of it.. but... " His fingers had found their way up to his neck "You worked like this?!" Now he was feeling like shit for not working with the considerably lesser aches and pains he had. But he was tugging on Adrik's hand, pulling him toward the couch anyway.
Adrik: "Frowned. "Why are you Angry Gataki." He stopped the fretting with hands over Asher's. "I needed to help her." He added admittedly. "And I wanted to get you some justification and give him a warning.." He blinked. "I shifted first, then worked yes. I may take tomorrow afternoon off..Ill work the morning for the kids, and nap..." He moved a few steps towards the couch then paused. "I will need to shift again tonight..soon..shifting...should also help you feel a bit better.." His hand lightly trailed over Asher's bottom, and his lips found his mark on his lovers neck."
Asher stopped, his neck and shoulders scrunching up and his rear pressed against Adrik's hand a bit tighter. "But you worked.. means someone saw you like this.. and tomorrow you will be healed and... they will know." He wasn't angry with Adrik, other than going to the meeting without him, but with the fight he wouldn't have been much help, and possibly even worse... a hindrance if it really had been HIM. One hand lifted to cradle the side of Adrik's face gently. "I don't want to shift. But you are going to eat first." He already had bacon sizzling in the skillet and toast warming up in the toaster and something else was ready to go in the microwave.
Adrik: ""I need to work Ash...I need to work as often as I can..even if I do take a day off now and then. I know if I really wanted my family would have the money." He shifted uneasily. "I am actually rather well off..but...I wanted..to show everyone..that I could make something of myself. I wanted to live my own life...not live what my family set out for me. I don't want to go to them for much. Even if I just go to my parents, the Chang, my yaya will find out." He touched over his wounds. "I'm not worried about the children..they'd think I was a superhero." He even smiled warmly at that."
"Teens are impressionable..I might loose some..I might gain teen shifters here. The Adults are who worry me...but I run my own business...unless someone makes a REALLY big fuss I should be alright...might have someone be dumb and throw a silver necklace or chain at me but I'm alright in taking prejudices. Business might hurt for a while but Id pick it back up. I wont let it fail. I care about this dojo. I care about giving people the tools they need to defend themselves." He blinked as his face held. "But...if your hurt...it will help Gataki.." He laughed. "Yes, I will eat first Mi Agapo.""
Asher turned around and kissed over Adrik's heart then moved away to the kitchen, returning with a soda and handing it to him. "I understand wanting to do things for yourself, to prove to others that you can do something Sensei, but if we really need the money..." He shrugged and headed back to the kitchen for the gyros he was making, talking across the space but not yelling. "We have my four point eight million nest egg to fall back on." He wrinkled his nose at the thought of shifting, then wiggled his rear and turned his head, feeling the small pains that the movement caused. "I don't want to shift because I.. I like this feeling." He started back in toward him holding up a wax paper wrapped Gyro with a small smile and blush at his own comment, his own wrapped up in his hand.
Adrik: "Eyes narrowed as he took the soda and slipped his hand into Asher's to give it a squeeze. "I don't want you worrying about money. We'll be fine Gataki." His hand and eyes gentled. "I'll take care of you." Soda in his mouth...PSHHHHHT...and then he was dizzy...and promptly had his ass on the floor, soda can held up, and his foot twitched...epic animal fall over! 4.8 Million? WHAT Naw...he miss heard...right? "We...we can always...do it a..again." He still felt dizzy. "I...lost my Gyro." He hoped that wasn't the squishy thing in his ear."
Asher covered his mouth to try to keep his giggling quiet while he crouched down beside Adrik. "You okay?" He was leaning in and brushing his cheek against his jaw then helping to pull him upright again. At least the gyro survived too, though a little flattened, there was a reason he had them wrapped after all! Cuddling into his chest he smiled. "I would do it again but... you have to shift. We can eat on the way if you like though."
Adrik: "Wrapped his arms around Asher and kept them there. "I'm sorry....four point eight what? How? Eh? The..the...nooo rilly?" Babble? Maybe. "And..I meant if you shifted too, I we could make love later and make new fun sores um..but...eat...shift...yeah, what?" HE was in the elevator....he had a Gyro on his mouth as he left the shirt in the house...but he was soooo confused!"
Asher "Wait up!" he dashed into the bedroom quick and grabbed a shirt, tossing it on while he was running after Adrik... barefoot. Not that he minded though. In the elevator he hip bumped him lightly and looked up at him. " Four point eight million dollars, transferred into Euros right now and easily transferred into any one of the American or European banks. If we need it that is." Then he blinked up at him again. "Five cents on every dollar that the gas company made was about two million dollars. Split between four banks, accruing interest for seven years made the total to be about ten million. I told you I gave them back their money.. plus interest." He smiled sweetly up at hi before biting into his Gyro.
Adrik: ""Uh huh...you apparently kept your own interest." He....really had no words for that. "Stay out of trouble." He laughed. "I don't want to bust my man out of jail." He bit into his sandwich again with a deep preening "Puuurow!" It took him until they were behind the building...and he was done licking his fingers...and starting to lick on poor Asher's fingers....for him to figure out why he was in so much heaven. "You made a GYRO..you made a Gyro like a GREEK." Even licked across Asher's lips as they delved further into the woods and he was rather bouncy giddy. "I miss food from home..were you watching Iron chef again?""
Deoridhe heads over the hill, calling out, "Arion! Anyone! Someone in town! Here town, town, town!!!" Her bodyguard, tensing every time there is a noise, circles around her and only barely manages to NOT roll his eyes as she starts calling for the town.
Asher snorted and giggled and tried pulling out of Adrik's grasp. "Not Iron Chef!" His face became serious the deeper in they got. "Just so YOU know.. the Internet is NOT just for porn!" He glanced back up at Adrik, his fingers then suddenly lips are being licked and he almost tossed Adrik the rest of his Gyro and bumped him. His head turned up and he was blinking, pulling Adrik to a stop and hearing someone calling out into the woods. "Huh... lost hiker or... " He tilted his head "Sounds familiar."
Adrik: "Was still suckling the Gyro sandwich from Asher's fingers. "Then-" And he nearly tripped over both their feet. "Porn is healthy!" He quipped back. "There is nothing wrong with it. I didn't hear you complaining when tried one of the kama-" He Blinked hearing someone call for a town and loudly replied. "No toooown! But I can give you two village people!""
Deoridhe is limping a bit when she hears. "Hello! We could use a village, too, as long as it has taxi service!" She heads up the hill, wincing at the blisters on her feet, when Donovan just sort of... picks her up, muttering something about being able to get away fast if they weren't friendly. "You are such a worry wart!" she exclaims as they head toward the voices.
Asher gave Adrik a little push and relinquished the sandwich, wiping his hands off on his pants. "Ugh..." then turns almost purple at the mention of last night in teasing form. "You're mean!" he hissed at him but couldn't keep the small smile from curving his lips. He hung back a bit behind Adrik, then scooted on ahead, getting one look at the...sniff.... sniff... blinks and eyes widen and he is skittering back behind Adrik again. "Deooo! What are you doing out here?" his voice lowered considerably down to a whisper. "With the.. him." The last part only preternatural would hear of course.
Adrik: "Bit into his sandwich with a loud "NYAHM!" But the purple people eater look Asher gave was HI-lariouse and he cackle snorted...poot tomato..it was now on his chin. "Gatakiiii it's not mean its truuue." And he pinched at his bottom. "Riiight riiiiiight?" But he too came to a pause after a stink face...and then a visual...and his eyes narrowed. "You in good company Zoe?""
Deoridhe comes into view being... carried... by a vampire. In a trench coat and floppy hat. Sooooo~ original. "Asher? Adrik?" Her shoes are dangling a bit and she looks tired, head resting against the vampire with a perhaps inappropriate amount of ease. "Oh thank the gods... we got lost." She blinks a couple of times - you can almost hear the poit poit - then, "Oooooh, this is my bodyguard. Donovan. He, um, seems to have decided I don't get to walk for a while, or something. Donovan, these are Adrik and Asher two of my friends."
Asher peered around Adrik's waist chirping at the pinch and hands on his hips to help support him and his peering self. It didn't help that the .. guard.. ah Donovan was nearly as tall as Adrik. "You have that intimidation thing down." he blurted out then ducked behind Adrik and softly cussed under his breath. "stupid.. real *bleep* stupid Kei... *bleep bleep bleeeeeeeeeep*" He started burying his face into the small of Adrik's back then bumping his head against it blushing so much he was sure Adrik could feel it.
Adrik: "Moved his arm to wrap around Asher...it was as protective as it was reassuring. "Eh...not that scary..I dunno..he's like...Walker Texas ranger meets Dracula..I find it amusing." He also looked a bit peeved. He needed to transform and he felt uncomfortable with an unknown Vampire around...although.. "Hey..would your Master meet with a Shifter?" No pint hiding it from him."
Deoridhe can't help but giggle a little. "He sure is tall, isn't he?" she asks. Donovan also seems to have the silent part down; he sort of ...stares at the diminutive cheetah boy, then raises an eyebrow. "He doesn't much listen to me, either, but seeing as I was the one who got us lost, um.... that might be a /good/ thing, overall." She peers at Adrik when he asks his question - is he looking at her? She starts to say, "I don't have a..." when Donovan says in a slightly grumbling voice, "You'd have to ask him." Who'da guessed it; Alucard, New York Ranger has a sense of humor. Zoe, craning her head to look up at Donovan, then back to Adrik and Asher, almost looks comical.
Asher took his turn peeking around Adrik's hip up at Donovan again then was blinking at Adrik, coming full round him "YOU told me to stay away from them and I promised!" He took a deep breath to start to go into a rant then glanced back at Deo and Donovan, chirped and skittered back behind Adrik. "see staying away from them. not that they scare me or anything just that one and the way he looked at me wasn't right and the one in Phoenix... the one in Minneapolis wasn't too bad but the one the other night was faaaaarrr worse." he gasped again for breath, chirped, and promptly shut up.............................................................. Then had add ONE more thing. "I ate all the lemon drops this morning, and the gummy worms... uh.. sorry?"
Adrik: "Eye twitched. "Certainly. Point me in his direction." No..no..wait. "Here." He passed over a business card. "Would you give that to him please? I have something important I need to discuss with him...or rather a few things." He then...looked...a bit sheepish. "I...um...have little to no sense of direction...I wander aimlessly...if it wasn't for Asher..." Giving a fond smile he looked over his shoulder at Asher. "It's ok..I'm confidant enough with this one." He pat at Raven hair. "I wish to speak to the Vampire master on your and Zoe's behalf. I told you both Id look into things. I mean to keep my word." And then he was turning full round to face Asher to flail his arms and mew pitilessly. "I never even got any of the gummies!" He looked...fretful. "And the Swedish fish?!!?""
Deoridhe 's brow crumples together as Asher goes... skittering around while Donovan remains all ...still and sort of ...watchful. She's up close to the vampire, so even in the dark catches the slight quirk of his smile. "Donovan!" she squeaks, even while he shifters her so that he's holding her up using ...one arm, "You can set me down, you know;" and he's taking Adrik's business card and sliding it into his pocket. Donovan smirks slightly, then shifts Zoe back so he's holding her with both arms again. "I can walk, you know," she sulks, having forgotten her feet are all blistery, but she's quickly distracted from her sulks into giggles at Adrik's dismay. "You should take him to the candy store," she teases Asher. Then she asks, "Um, do you know... how to get back to town?"
Asher took a step back, his head scrunching down toward his shoulders while they rose up, cringing. "They looked like FISH! YOU ate all the Lox again!" He knew it was him too. Only Adrik used his CLAWS as kitchen shears to open packages. "I'll get you more if you leave my Lox alone!" He was near panicking. "I'm sorry!" Then he blinked at Deo and Donovan, head popping back up and you could see the kittenish 'OOhhhh shiny!' moment on his face "Oh yeah you just take this path on down, well you probably can't see the path but Donovan can cause he's a vampire and they see real well at night and stay up against the steep hill, there is a little ledge to walk on you know and then it widens out into a kind of valley/ no a plateau and keep going due south uhmmm.. " he glanced around quickly then pointed "that way and you should be able to see the back of our.. i mean THE warehouse from there and you know where you are going. Easy!." Then he blinked again and blushed, looking up at Adrik and his flailing arms and cringed again. "We can go to the candy store after you ... yeah shift." pause, blink. "Wait they are gonna be closed by then or would they be opening in a few hours? I can never remember that kind of thing schedules suck balls."
Adrik: ""We get candy every Tuesday....we get mixed bags....OOooh my Gooood....and my sour ropes!" He cupped Asher's face in his hands....knelt..."Gataki...please..tell me...are there any more Em-Em's" He called them. He was MEWLING. "I left you a piece!" Granted..it was a SMALL piece...a corner piece...but it counted!. "Em..EMS!" He gave a few shakes to Asher as he gave directions. "EM EMS!""
Deoridhe goes very wide eyed, watching the two of them. "Uh... um.... um... thanks?" She sounds like a mixture of amused and uncertain. "Do you..." she can't hep but ask, even as Donovan begins to move around the arguing couple, "fight over candy and fish?"
Asher blinked at Adrik when he cupped his face "Ems Ems?" He blinked again and was shaken letting out a loud chirp. "I ate it alllll Sensei!" The glanced back at Deo and gave her a quick flash of a teasing grin. "We are cats... what else is there to argue about other than who gets the best spot in the sun on the porch or if we can manage to keep a fish tank alive for longer than a week." He licked his lips and the smile was gone looking back at Adrik and cupping HIS face in his hands "It's only candy Sensei." But he was also taking a few steps to the side, giving the vampire carrying her PLENTY of room and staying juuuust out of arms reach too.
Adrik: "Pawed up at the small chest. "That's sooo cruel!" Now he was yowling. He did tease at Asher's teasing though. "And he always WINS...course...there was the one time I won the-" Wait Ash would kill him. "And then the.." Grumble.. "He wins them all." He blinked over at Deo. "I'd..show it to you Zoe." He flashed her a grin but sobered. "But I don't think your guard will leave you alone with us." Then his face was squished. "I know....but I really wanted a piece after-" He huffed. "That lox is so mine when we get home."
Deoridhe giggles. "M&Ms, you mean?" she asks, getting carried lightly around them. She's beginning to feel tired - it's obvious by how she's no longer complaining and wanting to be set down - but she tries to keep looking at them anyway. "Adrik!!!" she says on the tail of his 'I'd show you,' "That had better not mean what I think it means!" Her cheeks flame crimson as she's carried beyond them, calling out over Donovan's shoulder,"See you later, I hope? Good luck getting candy! Adrik, stop eating Asher's lox!!!" Her volume increases as she's carried farther away, to try to compensate.
Asher turned long enough to call out after Zoe "Thank youuuuuuuu" Then he was blinking at Adrik again frowning "yeah.. show her what? and i don't win them all! we both won last night." and he leaned down and pecked Adrik's nose before slipping around him and walking on down the path on his toes, knowing exactly what that did to his legs and rear end.
Adrik: ""I meant shift." He blinked innocently. "I thought she might want to pat the tiger." Hmm..he needed to stop talking. "You know what I mean." At 'We both won last night' He found his silence! A small smile curving his lips and that hungry gaze flew to his eyes, his shoulders matching the sway of plump buttock and swishing hips."
Asher could feel those eyes on him and walked just a little faster, slowly picking up to a light jog, then a full out one, all on his toes. Who said learning high heels didn't come in handy! "Shift... riiiiight...." He teased over his shoulder the sniffed and slowed down to a stop, looking around while a thread of fear started to escape him. "Sensei.....?" He knew he was right behind him but needed to hear him. "Did.. did you know where we were heading?"
Adrik: "Felt his beasts desire to shift just as much as humans. The beast was following Asher's Cheetah and bounding after. IT was playful and sexual both. Hey...there were Liger! and Tigons! This could be the start of a Cheeter....wait..Ti-chee!...blar! "Hm?" He bumped lightly against Asher's back. "Um...no?""
Asher stepped back into that small bump even as he chirped in alarm, reaching back behind him. "This is where they did it.. where they killed that human." He swallowed and blinked, his eyes searching the trampled ground where the body had been, rain had washed away the blood, and the body and all it's parts were gone but, some trees were uprooted and chunks missing from others. There was the faintest hint of blood in the air, but other than that, you could not guess that there had been a body here just a few days ago, being eaten. "Sensei...?" He was remembering the dark man and his arms, then the ones that had wrapped around him six months ago.
Adrik: "Wrapped strong arms around his mate. "Agapo..I'm right here with you, and the man with hands is worse off then I am...I don't think he'll be starting fights right now..he might not even be walking right until tomorrow. I cut his Achilles tendon. Your fast, you'd have a big advantage. Your alright, and I'm right here with you." He repeated"
Asher stiffened for a second, his hands reaching up to those arms, feeling just skin before he relaxed a little bit, closing his eyes and leaning back against him fully. Adrik hadn't hurt him last night, well nothing that Asher hadn't wanted, nothing that scared him. his breathing was a little fast as he nodded biting his lip. "Sensei... I want you to shift like they did... if you can i mean.. I need to face my fears right?" His head tipped up and he looked up at him. "I need to know if I can get over this... and you need to shift anyway." One hand rose up to trace lightly along the claw marks on one cheek then cup it gently. "Please Ma-" He swallowed the English translation of how he was using it, the sound audible in the dark. "Sensei."
Adrik: "Looked worried at the request. "I can.." In fact after how he saw the others behave last night he was willing to bet he probably had the best control..at least for the moment anyway. "Gataki..if you want to face this...don't run. I know your frightened...but I need you to trust me..if nothing else..even over fear, I want you to trust me. I'll do it as slowly as I can...so you can see it in full. I can do just my hands..a maw, ears...tail...even the hair on my chinny chin chin..but I don't know where you want to start or how much you can handle....how much....you can see."
Asher turned around to face Adrik, reaching his other hand up to help tug his head down while he remained on tip toes. The kiss was brief, timid, but he tried. "I am scared Sensei. I can't promise anything but.. that I'm going to try. I want to try. I don't want to be afraid of any part of you." He swallowed again and licked his bottom lip while his fear clouded around him. "All I ever saw of him was his hands, but he was.. halfway? between. The dark man was just his hands and arms." He slowly pulled out of Adrik's arms backing up a few meters then, so he wouldn't just up and bolt at the sight, he sat down, digging his fingers into the ground under him. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he nodded. "A little at a time." trying to be brave, to not run was the hardest, not, asking Adrik to do this for him was the hardest.
Adrik: "Let out a small breath at the timid kiss. "Are you sure....this isn't something you rather do home? I'm worried.....about you freaking out and going deeper in there by yourself." He nodded. "I can use an in between form...a Hybrid form, Biped form...which ever you'd like to call it.." He sat down...close and touching and just as casual as any other day. "We'll star with hands...one in particular....nice and slow." His hands he kept beside himself. "I wont lift them....this way you can see the change up close without it being in your face...you can back up...ok?" He cracked his knuckles to draw attention to his left hand. "I'm going to start now." No surprises....didn't need that. Clearing his throat, fingers elongated....misshapen but human...nails that were once too human grew stronger, longer, more curved that extra claw like a dogs dew claw took form, that back claw. "More shape.." Bones crunched but there was no pain, they popped, twitched, crumpled until a full naked paw took shape up to his elbow, a full tigers arm. "Fur." The white came in a rippling roll like unwound toilet paper, and light cream red stripes glistened from the dawning sun."
Asher nodded and started to scoot back a bit as soon as the change started happening, he couldn't help it, his fear was overriding his thinking. his hands let go of the ground below him and gripped at the top of Adrik's feet, somehow still hanging on or some part of his mind breaking through the fear. his breathing was short and shallow, then big gulps of air , his body getting ready to run while his grip on Adrik's feet tightened. Vivid blue eyes looked up at his face, watching it while the fur flowed down his arm then back his his hand again closing his eyes for a second while he tried to swallow his fear back then blinked at the hand/paw again. "I'm... I'm okay..."
Adrik: ""Easy...easy Mi Agapo.." He whispered as he felt the hands clutching tighter, then offered a friendly smile. "Good..see your ok." He murmured. "Nothings happening. It's me...just a furry me." He glanced at his hand paw. "If you want to take it a step further you can touch it..to know it wont hurt you."
Asher swallowed licking his lips and focused on the biggest difference. Color. Where the ones that had been wanting to hurt him had been dark brown, or black, Adrik's hand was white. Well with stripes too but it was lighter than the others and a tentative hand loosened on Adrik's foot and reached out to lay across the large clawed and furred hand lightly. "Shiro." Okay he knew that sounded stupid, but when he whispered it the way he did, it made sense. White. Then he was thinking again, but his hand didn't move, and a sudden giggle bubbled up from his throat, then another, followed in quick succession by several others, quickly breaking the tension of the moment with that one thought he had had into a fit of giggles then laughter that had tears trailing down his cheeks and his body doubling over itself.
Adrik: "Made sure not to move his hand as promised but he couldn't help but laugh at the word himself. "Kalos, alla..ego skepsi apalos itan beltiono." Well...if someone used his home language with him he used, or any language he knew he used it...but Greek for sure.
Asher rolled, nearly flopping into Adrik's lap, still giggling insanely. "No Sensei... I was just thinking.. you're white... like a white knight." He reached up and tapped on his forehead lightly still giggling. "Your head is as hard as a helmet and your fur is white!" His hand curled around that paw and he stopped his giggling, stopped breathing, holding his breath while he slowly pulled it over to wrap around him, staring up at Adrik with a small tremor escaping him. "I trust you Sensei... my Sensei."
Adrik: ""Esy..milo Ellinikos?" Damn..."Ego ypokrisia milo Iaponas..." He now felt a little funny.."Gataki.." Shaking his head he ran his normal hand threw Asher's hair, the other stayed immobile. "I whined about Em-Ems...I'm not sure I'm a Knight." He stuck his tongue out then licked the tip of his kittens nose. "Eycharisto" He laughed "I think?" Asher taking that paw he lightly scratched his back in a small caress, and then lifted it to his face to touch his cheek. "All yours Gataki, and you are mine, we belong to each other, and no one else."
Asher shivered at the scratching and shuddered when it was placed to his cheek, unable to keep from remembering how many others had touched him like that then gone for his throat instead, but he pushed those thoughts away and nuzzled into that furry paw hand. "Omesan aijou watashi, Sensei. Aijou." He wanted to curl up tighter against him and simply cuddle, but he knew Adrik was in pain too and needed to shift fully. "Sensei.. you should shift.. heal yourself. You think?" He was rolling out of his lap and giving him room to do it, his nose still wrinkled at the kick he had been given to it while he waited and watched for Adrik to shift, worried that maybe it had been too long for his eyes to heal completely, remembering the horror stories he had overheard from others.
Adrik: "Was groaning too. His body was sore. He;d fought the lions, had one shift...8hours of work in the dojo and one hour of training followed by a nice pass out from pure exhaustion...he had a bump on his forehead from the fall too. Stepping off the elevator he kicked his shoes off and rubbed at the back of his neck, his own stomach roaring. He had no idea how he looked and he didn't want to know. "Gataki?" He half sleepy mumbled. "Your stomach is egging mine on again.""
Asher had his head in the fridge, digging in the back and pulling out some bacon and cheese, then he was digging in the cupboards. Not getting an answer on Adrik's cell had him a bit nervous, then he heard the elevator come up and smiled. "You've got good timing Sensei. I was just about to make... some... thing." He turned around, his words trailing off while he half fell, half slid off the counter, sending a bottle of mustard to the floor. "Sensei?!" His eyes were going over the wounds on Adrik's face and neck, trailing down to his chest then back up to his face again. He hadn't seen him at all since right before he had shifted last night and now.. this. "You... You said I couldn't.. hurt you." Tears were welling up in his eyes at the sight of him, wondering what he had done.
Adrik: ""Shh..sh sh sh" He soothed. "It wasn't you Gataki. Do you remember? We were supposed to meet with Blade and his pride. Blade never showed up, and there was a...incident with the lions." He smushed the fro hawk down to try and hide his eye some then moved to cuddle Asher. "One of the females was in heat...she didn't want the male on her and he was being very aggressive...throwing her into walls and stuff, so I went in to stop him, I wanted to help her..and...his hands shifted Gataki...dark hand claws..more animal then what I do. I fought with him, another lioness attacked me when I wasn't looking and the female Id been trying to help jumped into the fight too to stop me." He shrugged, it was the cliff notes version. "Their male is worse off then I am. I'm ok, I'm just sore after that and work...I need to shift again to fully heal..but I wanted to come home and see you..""
Asher took a few steps back from Adrik until "it wasn't you" registered, then the was curling into and against him, his arms wrapping around his waist tightly, but trying not to hurt him he let go again. "Sorry.. wait.. it.. you fought HIM?!" his hands were featherlight over the marks on his chest, forgetting to hide his fear and that emanated out from him in waves. "Why would you do that Sensei?" He was frowning and confused and even a little bit angry. "Okay I understand the beginning of it.. but... " His fingers had found their way up to his neck "You worked like this?!" Now he was feeling like shit for not working with the considerably lesser aches and pains he had. But he was tugging on Adrik's hand, pulling him toward the couch anyway.
Adrik: "Frowned. "Why are you Angry Gataki." He stopped the fretting with hands over Asher's. "I needed to help her." He added admittedly. "And I wanted to get you some justification and give him a warning.." He blinked. "I shifted first, then worked yes. I may take tomorrow afternoon off..Ill work the morning for the kids, and nap..." He moved a few steps towards the couch then paused. "I will need to shift again tonight..soon..shifting...should also help you feel a bit better.." His hand lightly trailed over Asher's bottom, and his lips found his mark on his lovers neck."
Asher stopped, his neck and shoulders scrunching up and his rear pressed against Adrik's hand a bit tighter. "But you worked.. means someone saw you like this.. and tomorrow you will be healed and... they will know." He wasn't angry with Adrik, other than going to the meeting without him, but with the fight he wouldn't have been much help, and possibly even worse... a hindrance if it really had been HIM. One hand lifted to cradle the side of Adrik's face gently. "I don't want to shift. But you are going to eat first." He already had bacon sizzling in the skillet and toast warming up in the toaster and something else was ready to go in the microwave.
Adrik: ""I need to work Ash...I need to work as often as I can..even if I do take a day off now and then. I know if I really wanted my family would have the money." He shifted uneasily. "I am actually rather well off..but...I wanted..to show everyone..that I could make something of myself. I wanted to live my own life...not live what my family set out for me. I don't want to go to them for much. Even if I just go to my parents, the Chang, my yaya will find out." He touched over his wounds. "I'm not worried about the children..they'd think I was a superhero." He even smiled warmly at that."
"Teens are impressionable..I might loose some..I might gain teen shifters here. The Adults are who worry me...but I run my own business...unless someone makes a REALLY big fuss I should be alright...might have someone be dumb and throw a silver necklace or chain at me but I'm alright in taking prejudices. Business might hurt for a while but Id pick it back up. I wont let it fail. I care about this dojo. I care about giving people the tools they need to defend themselves." He blinked as his face held. "But...if your hurt...it will help Gataki.." He laughed. "Yes, I will eat first Mi Agapo.""
Asher turned around and kissed over Adrik's heart then moved away to the kitchen, returning with a soda and handing it to him. "I understand wanting to do things for yourself, to prove to others that you can do something Sensei, but if we really need the money..." He shrugged and headed back to the kitchen for the gyros he was making, talking across the space but not yelling. "We have my four point eight million nest egg to fall back on." He wrinkled his nose at the thought of shifting, then wiggled his rear and turned his head, feeling the small pains that the movement caused. "I don't want to shift because I.. I like this feeling." He started back in toward him holding up a wax paper wrapped Gyro with a small smile and blush at his own comment, his own wrapped up in his hand.
Adrik: "Eyes narrowed as he took the soda and slipped his hand into Asher's to give it a squeeze. "I don't want you worrying about money. We'll be fine Gataki." His hand and eyes gentled. "I'll take care of you." Soda in his mouth...PSHHHHHT...and then he was dizzy...and promptly had his ass on the floor, soda can held up, and his foot twitched...epic animal fall over! 4.8 Million? WHAT Naw...he miss heard...right? "We...we can always...do it a..again." He still felt dizzy. "I...lost my Gyro." He hoped that wasn't the squishy thing in his ear."
Asher covered his mouth to try to keep his giggling quiet while he crouched down beside Adrik. "You okay?" He was leaning in and brushing his cheek against his jaw then helping to pull him upright again. At least the gyro survived too, though a little flattened, there was a reason he had them wrapped after all! Cuddling into his chest he smiled. "I would do it again but... you have to shift. We can eat on the way if you like though."
Adrik: "Wrapped his arms around Asher and kept them there. "I'm sorry....four point eight what? How? Eh? The..the...nooo rilly?" Babble? Maybe. "And..I meant if you shifted too, I we could make love later and make new fun sores um..but...eat...shift...yeah, what?" HE was in the elevator....he had a Gyro on his mouth as he left the shirt in the house...but he was soooo confused!"
Asher "Wait up!" he dashed into the bedroom quick and grabbed a shirt, tossing it on while he was running after Adrik... barefoot. Not that he minded though. In the elevator he hip bumped him lightly and looked up at him. " Four point eight million dollars, transferred into Euros right now and easily transferred into any one of the American or European banks. If we need it that is." Then he blinked up at him again. "Five cents on every dollar that the gas company made was about two million dollars. Split between four banks, accruing interest for seven years made the total to be about ten million. I told you I gave them back their money.. plus interest." He smiled sweetly up at hi before biting into his Gyro.
Adrik: ""Uh huh...you apparently kept your own interest." He....really had no words for that. "Stay out of trouble." He laughed. "I don't want to bust my man out of jail." He bit into his sandwich again with a deep preening "Puuurow!" It took him until they were behind the building...and he was done licking his fingers...and starting to lick on poor Asher's fingers....for him to figure out why he was in so much heaven. "You made a GYRO..you made a Gyro like a GREEK." Even licked across Asher's lips as they delved further into the woods and he was rather bouncy giddy. "I miss food from home..were you watching Iron chef again?""
Deoridhe heads over the hill, calling out, "Arion! Anyone! Someone in town! Here town, town, town!!!" Her bodyguard, tensing every time there is a noise, circles around her and only barely manages to NOT roll his eyes as she starts calling for the town.
Asher snorted and giggled and tried pulling out of Adrik's grasp. "Not Iron Chef!" His face became serious the deeper in they got. "Just so YOU know.. the Internet is NOT just for porn!" He glanced back up at Adrik, his fingers then suddenly lips are being licked and he almost tossed Adrik the rest of his Gyro and bumped him. His head turned up and he was blinking, pulling Adrik to a stop and hearing someone calling out into the woods. "Huh... lost hiker or... " He tilted his head "Sounds familiar."
Adrik: "Was still suckling the Gyro sandwich from Asher's fingers. "Then-" And he nearly tripped over both their feet. "Porn is healthy!" He quipped back. "There is nothing wrong with it. I didn't hear you complaining when tried one of the kama-" He Blinked hearing someone call for a town and loudly replied. "No toooown! But I can give you two village people!""
Deoridhe is limping a bit when she hears. "Hello! We could use a village, too, as long as it has taxi service!" She heads up the hill, wincing at the blisters on her feet, when Donovan just sort of... picks her up, muttering something about being able to get away fast if they weren't friendly. "You are such a worry wart!" she exclaims as they head toward the voices.
Asher gave Adrik a little push and relinquished the sandwich, wiping his hands off on his pants. "Ugh..." then turns almost purple at the mention of last night in teasing form. "You're mean!" he hissed at him but couldn't keep the small smile from curving his lips. He hung back a bit behind Adrik, then scooted on ahead, getting one look at the...sniff.... sniff... blinks and eyes widen and he is skittering back behind Adrik again. "Deooo! What are you doing out here?" his voice lowered considerably down to a whisper. "With the.. him." The last part only preternatural would hear of course.
Adrik: "Bit into his sandwich with a loud "NYAHM!" But the purple people eater look Asher gave was HI-lariouse and he cackle snorted...poot tomato..it was now on his chin. "Gatakiiii it's not mean its truuue." And he pinched at his bottom. "Riiight riiiiiight?" But he too came to a pause after a stink face...and then a visual...and his eyes narrowed. "You in good company Zoe?""
Deoridhe comes into view being... carried... by a vampire. In a trench coat and floppy hat. Sooooo~ original. "Asher? Adrik?" Her shoes are dangling a bit and she looks tired, head resting against the vampire with a perhaps inappropriate amount of ease. "Oh thank the gods... we got lost." She blinks a couple of times - you can almost hear the poit poit - then, "Oooooh, this is my bodyguard. Donovan. He, um, seems to have decided I don't get to walk for a while, or something. Donovan, these are Adrik and Asher two of my friends."
Asher peered around Adrik's waist chirping at the pinch and hands on his hips to help support him and his peering self. It didn't help that the .. guard.. ah Donovan was nearly as tall as Adrik. "You have that intimidation thing down." he blurted out then ducked behind Adrik and softly cussed under his breath. "stupid.. real *bleep* stupid Kei... *bleep bleep bleeeeeeeeeep*" He started burying his face into the small of Adrik's back then bumping his head against it blushing so much he was sure Adrik could feel it.
Adrik: "Moved his arm to wrap around Asher...it was as protective as it was reassuring. "Eh...not that scary..I dunno..he's like...Walker Texas ranger meets Dracula..I find it amusing." He also looked a bit peeved. He needed to transform and he felt uncomfortable with an unknown Vampire around...although.. "Hey..would your Master meet with a Shifter?" No pint hiding it from him."
Deoridhe can't help but giggle a little. "He sure is tall, isn't he?" she asks. Donovan also seems to have the silent part down; he sort of ...stares at the diminutive cheetah boy, then raises an eyebrow. "He doesn't much listen to me, either, but seeing as I was the one who got us lost, um.... that might be a /good/ thing, overall." She peers at Adrik when he asks his question - is he looking at her? She starts to say, "I don't have a..." when Donovan says in a slightly grumbling voice, "You'd have to ask him." Who'da guessed it; Alucard, New York Ranger has a sense of humor. Zoe, craning her head to look up at Donovan, then back to Adrik and Asher, almost looks comical.
Asher took his turn peeking around Adrik's hip up at Donovan again then was blinking at Adrik, coming full round him "YOU told me to stay away from them and I promised!" He took a deep breath to start to go into a rant then glanced back at Deo and Donovan, chirped and skittered back behind Adrik. "see staying away from them. not that they scare me or anything just that one and the way he looked at me wasn't right and the one in Phoenix... the one in Minneapolis wasn't too bad but the one the other night was faaaaarrr worse." he gasped again for breath, chirped, and promptly shut up.............................................................. Then had add ONE more thing. "I ate all the lemon drops this morning, and the gummy worms... uh.. sorry?"
Adrik: "Eye twitched. "Certainly. Point me in his direction." No..no..wait. "Here." He passed over a business card. "Would you give that to him please? I have something important I need to discuss with him...or rather a few things." He then...looked...a bit sheepish. "I...um...have little to no sense of direction...I wander aimlessly...if it wasn't for Asher..." Giving a fond smile he looked over his shoulder at Asher. "It's ok..I'm confidant enough with this one." He pat at Raven hair. "I wish to speak to the Vampire master on your and Zoe's behalf. I told you both Id look into things. I mean to keep my word." And then he was turning full round to face Asher to flail his arms and mew pitilessly. "I never even got any of the gummies!" He looked...fretful. "And the Swedish fish?!!?""
Deoridhe 's brow crumples together as Asher goes... skittering around while Donovan remains all ...still and sort of ...watchful. She's up close to the vampire, so even in the dark catches the slight quirk of his smile. "Donovan!" she squeaks, even while he shifters her so that he's holding her up using ...one arm, "You can set me down, you know;" and he's taking Adrik's business card and sliding it into his pocket. Donovan smirks slightly, then shifts Zoe back so he's holding her with both arms again. "I can walk, you know," she sulks, having forgotten her feet are all blistery, but she's quickly distracted from her sulks into giggles at Adrik's dismay. "You should take him to the candy store," she teases Asher. Then she asks, "Um, do you know... how to get back to town?"
Asher took a step back, his head scrunching down toward his shoulders while they rose up, cringing. "They looked like FISH! YOU ate all the Lox again!" He knew it was him too. Only Adrik used his CLAWS as kitchen shears to open packages. "I'll get you more if you leave my Lox alone!" He was near panicking. "I'm sorry!" Then he blinked at Deo and Donovan, head popping back up and you could see the kittenish 'OOhhhh shiny!' moment on his face "Oh yeah you just take this path on down, well you probably can't see the path but Donovan can cause he's a vampire and they see real well at night and stay up against the steep hill, there is a little ledge to walk on you know and then it widens out into a kind of valley/ no a plateau and keep going due south uhmmm.. " he glanced around quickly then pointed "that way and you should be able to see the back of our.. i mean THE warehouse from there and you know where you are going. Easy!." Then he blinked again and blushed, looking up at Adrik and his flailing arms and cringed again. "We can go to the candy store after you ... yeah shift." pause, blink. "Wait they are gonna be closed by then or would they be opening in a few hours? I can never remember that kind of thing schedules suck balls."
Adrik: ""We get candy every Tuesday....we get mixed bags....OOooh my Gooood....and my sour ropes!" He cupped Asher's face in his hands....knelt..."Gataki...please..tell me...are there any more Em-Em's" He called them. He was MEWLING. "I left you a piece!" Granted..it was a SMALL piece...a corner piece...but it counted!. "Em..EMS!" He gave a few shakes to Asher as he gave directions. "EM EMS!""
Deoridhe goes very wide eyed, watching the two of them. "Uh... um.... um... thanks?" She sounds like a mixture of amused and uncertain. "Do you..." she can't hep but ask, even as Donovan begins to move around the arguing couple, "fight over candy and fish?"
Asher blinked at Adrik when he cupped his face "Ems Ems?" He blinked again and was shaken letting out a loud chirp. "I ate it alllll Sensei!" The glanced back at Deo and gave her a quick flash of a teasing grin. "We are cats... what else is there to argue about other than who gets the best spot in the sun on the porch or if we can manage to keep a fish tank alive for longer than a week." He licked his lips and the smile was gone looking back at Adrik and cupping HIS face in his hands "It's only candy Sensei." But he was also taking a few steps to the side, giving the vampire carrying her PLENTY of room and staying juuuust out of arms reach too.
Adrik: "Pawed up at the small chest. "That's sooo cruel!" Now he was yowling. He did tease at Asher's teasing though. "And he always WINS...course...there was the one time I won the-" Wait Ash would kill him. "And then the.." Grumble.. "He wins them all." He blinked over at Deo. "I'd..show it to you Zoe." He flashed her a grin but sobered. "But I don't think your guard will leave you alone with us." Then his face was squished. "I know....but I really wanted a piece after-" He huffed. "That lox is so mine when we get home."
Deoridhe giggles. "M&Ms, you mean?" she asks, getting carried lightly around them. She's beginning to feel tired - it's obvious by how she's no longer complaining and wanting to be set down - but she tries to keep looking at them anyway. "Adrik!!!" she says on the tail of his 'I'd show you,' "That had better not mean what I think it means!" Her cheeks flame crimson as she's carried beyond them, calling out over Donovan's shoulder,"See you later, I hope? Good luck getting candy! Adrik, stop eating Asher's lox!!!" Her volume increases as she's carried farther away, to try to compensate.
Asher turned long enough to call out after Zoe "Thank youuuuuuuu" Then he was blinking at Adrik again frowning "yeah.. show her what? and i don't win them all! we both won last night." and he leaned down and pecked Adrik's nose before slipping around him and walking on down the path on his toes, knowing exactly what that did to his legs and rear end.
Adrik: ""I meant shift." He blinked innocently. "I thought she might want to pat the tiger." Hmm..he needed to stop talking. "You know what I mean." At 'We both won last night' He found his silence! A small smile curving his lips and that hungry gaze flew to his eyes, his shoulders matching the sway of plump buttock and swishing hips."
Asher could feel those eyes on him and walked just a little faster, slowly picking up to a light jog, then a full out one, all on his toes. Who said learning high heels didn't come in handy! "Shift... riiiiight...." He teased over his shoulder the sniffed and slowed down to a stop, looking around while a thread of fear started to escape him. "Sensei.....?" He knew he was right behind him but needed to hear him. "Did.. did you know where we were heading?"
Adrik: "Felt his beasts desire to shift just as much as humans. The beast was following Asher's Cheetah and bounding after. IT was playful and sexual both. Hey...there were Liger! and Tigons! This could be the start of a Cheeter....wait..Ti-chee!...blar! "Hm?" He bumped lightly against Asher's back. "Um...no?""
Asher stepped back into that small bump even as he chirped in alarm, reaching back behind him. "This is where they did it.. where they killed that human." He swallowed and blinked, his eyes searching the trampled ground where the body had been, rain had washed away the blood, and the body and all it's parts were gone but, some trees were uprooted and chunks missing from others. There was the faintest hint of blood in the air, but other than that, you could not guess that there had been a body here just a few days ago, being eaten. "Sensei...?" He was remembering the dark man and his arms, then the ones that had wrapped around him six months ago.
Adrik: "Wrapped strong arms around his mate. "Agapo..I'm right here with you, and the man with hands is worse off then I am...I don't think he'll be starting fights right now..he might not even be walking right until tomorrow. I cut his Achilles tendon. Your fast, you'd have a big advantage. Your alright, and I'm right here with you." He repeated"
Asher stiffened for a second, his hands reaching up to those arms, feeling just skin before he relaxed a little bit, closing his eyes and leaning back against him fully. Adrik hadn't hurt him last night, well nothing that Asher hadn't wanted, nothing that scared him. his breathing was a little fast as he nodded biting his lip. "Sensei... I want you to shift like they did... if you can i mean.. I need to face my fears right?" His head tipped up and he looked up at him. "I need to know if I can get over this... and you need to shift anyway." One hand rose up to trace lightly along the claw marks on one cheek then cup it gently. "Please Ma-" He swallowed the English translation of how he was using it, the sound audible in the dark. "Sensei."
Adrik: "Looked worried at the request. "I can.." In fact after how he saw the others behave last night he was willing to bet he probably had the best control..at least for the moment anyway. "Gataki..if you want to face this...don't run. I know your frightened...but I need you to trust me..if nothing else..even over fear, I want you to trust me. I'll do it as slowly as I can...so you can see it in full. I can do just my hands..a maw, ears...tail...even the hair on my chinny chin chin..but I don't know where you want to start or how much you can handle....how much....you can see."
Asher turned around to face Adrik, reaching his other hand up to help tug his head down while he remained on tip toes. The kiss was brief, timid, but he tried. "I am scared Sensei. I can't promise anything but.. that I'm going to try. I want to try. I don't want to be afraid of any part of you." He swallowed again and licked his bottom lip while his fear clouded around him. "All I ever saw of him was his hands, but he was.. halfway? between. The dark man was just his hands and arms." He slowly pulled out of Adrik's arms backing up a few meters then, so he wouldn't just up and bolt at the sight, he sat down, digging his fingers into the ground under him. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he nodded. "A little at a time." trying to be brave, to not run was the hardest, not, asking Adrik to do this for him was the hardest.
Adrik: "Let out a small breath at the timid kiss. "Are you sure....this isn't something you rather do home? I'm worried.....about you freaking out and going deeper in there by yourself." He nodded. "I can use an in between form...a Hybrid form, Biped form...which ever you'd like to call it.." He sat down...close and touching and just as casual as any other day. "We'll star with hands...one in particular....nice and slow." His hands he kept beside himself. "I wont lift them....this way you can see the change up close without it being in your face...you can back up...ok?" He cracked his knuckles to draw attention to his left hand. "I'm going to start now." No surprises....didn't need that. Clearing his throat, fingers elongated....misshapen but human...nails that were once too human grew stronger, longer, more curved that extra claw like a dogs dew claw took form, that back claw. "More shape.." Bones crunched but there was no pain, they popped, twitched, crumpled until a full naked paw took shape up to his elbow, a full tigers arm. "Fur." The white came in a rippling roll like unwound toilet paper, and light cream red stripes glistened from the dawning sun."
Asher nodded and started to scoot back a bit as soon as the change started happening, he couldn't help it, his fear was overriding his thinking. his hands let go of the ground below him and gripped at the top of Adrik's feet, somehow still hanging on or some part of his mind breaking through the fear. his breathing was short and shallow, then big gulps of air , his body getting ready to run while his grip on Adrik's feet tightened. Vivid blue eyes looked up at his face, watching it while the fur flowed down his arm then back his his hand again closing his eyes for a second while he tried to swallow his fear back then blinked at the hand/paw again. "I'm... I'm okay..."
Adrik: ""Easy...easy Mi Agapo.." He whispered as he felt the hands clutching tighter, then offered a friendly smile. "Good..see your ok." He murmured. "Nothings happening. It's me...just a furry me." He glanced at his hand paw. "If you want to take it a step further you can touch it..to know it wont hurt you."
Asher swallowed licking his lips and focused on the biggest difference. Color. Where the ones that had been wanting to hurt him had been dark brown, or black, Adrik's hand was white. Well with stripes too but it was lighter than the others and a tentative hand loosened on Adrik's foot and reached out to lay across the large clawed and furred hand lightly. "Shiro." Okay he knew that sounded stupid, but when he whispered it the way he did, it made sense. White. Then he was thinking again, but his hand didn't move, and a sudden giggle bubbled up from his throat, then another, followed in quick succession by several others, quickly breaking the tension of the moment with that one thought he had had into a fit of giggles then laughter that had tears trailing down his cheeks and his body doubling over itself.
Adrik: "Made sure not to move his hand as promised but he couldn't help but laugh at the word himself. "Kalos, alla..ego skepsi apalos itan beltiono." Well...if someone used his home language with him he used, or any language he knew he used it...but Greek for sure.
Asher rolled, nearly flopping into Adrik's lap, still giggling insanely. "No Sensei... I was just thinking.. you're white... like a white knight." He reached up and tapped on his forehead lightly still giggling. "Your head is as hard as a helmet and your fur is white!" His hand curled around that paw and he stopped his giggling, stopped breathing, holding his breath while he slowly pulled it over to wrap around him, staring up at Adrik with a small tremor escaping him. "I trust you Sensei... my Sensei."
Adrik: ""Esy..milo Ellinikos?" Damn..."Ego ypokrisia milo Iaponas..." He now felt a little funny.."Gataki.." Shaking his head he ran his normal hand threw Asher's hair, the other stayed immobile. "I whined about Em-Ems...I'm not sure I'm a Knight." He stuck his tongue out then licked the tip of his kittens nose. "Eycharisto" He laughed "I think?" Asher taking that paw he lightly scratched his back in a small caress, and then lifted it to his face to touch his cheek. "All yours Gataki, and you are mine, we belong to each other, and no one else."
Asher shivered at the scratching and shuddered when it was placed to his cheek, unable to keep from remembering how many others had touched him like that then gone for his throat instead, but he pushed those thoughts away and nuzzled into that furry paw hand. "Omesan aijou watashi, Sensei. Aijou." He wanted to curl up tighter against him and simply cuddle, but he knew Adrik was in pain too and needed to shift fully. "Sensei.. you should shift.. heal yourself. You think?" He was rolling out of his lap and giving him room to do it, his nose still wrinkled at the kick he had been given to it while he waited and watched for Adrik to shift, worried that maybe it had been too long for his eyes to heal completely, remembering the horror stories he had overheard from others.