FIC: Aftermaths, Part 89; end

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 89; end
Rating: NC-17 overall, but most chapters are closer to PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise, and a few other minor pairings
Word count: ~8,325
Warning: AU; written pre-HBP
Author's notes: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising
Summary: Aric and Takeshi are finally alone, but Aric is frightened when his wolfish nature asserts itself.

Part 88 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

Takeshi was lying on the bed, feeling his mate poised to enter him, and he moaned eagerly, tilting his head back in an unconscious gesture of submission. He felt Aric's lips touch his throat, and he panted, his breaths coming in short gasps, aching with ever fiber of his being to finally be claimed by his mate. He had been waiting, longing for this moment ever since his first dream about his black wolf lover...

And then Aric cried out, and there was a loud thump, and Takeshi found himself alone on the bed, the weight of his lover's body no longer covering his own. Confused and disoriented, he rolled over to the edge of the bed and looked down. Aric lay sprawled out on the floor, a frightened and horrified look on his face. Takeshi's body was still aching with need and desire, which made it a little hard to think clearly, but he could think of nothing he had done that would so upset Aric. He climbed off the bed and knelt beside his lover, who scuttled away from him, hands and feet scrabbling frantically against the wooden floor in a way that might have seemed comical if he had not looked so terrified.

"Don't come near me!" Aric shouted.

"What's wrong, Aric?" Takeshi asked, feeling puzzled and hurt. Ignoring his lover's words, he moved closer and reached out to touch Aric's shoulder, trying to calm and soothe him.

Aric slapped his hand away and scrambled backwards until he could go no farther, his back pressed up against the wall. "Don't touch me!" he snapped. "I told you not to come near me!"

"Why?" Takeshi asked, his eyes filling with tears. "What have I done wrong?" Had he pushed too hard, too fast, perhaps overestimating Aric's ability to accept his attraction to someone of the same gender? But that didn't really make sense; by his own admission, Aric had experimented with boys at Durmstrang, and the Slytherins tended to be a little jaded about such things. Sleeping with someone of the same sex wasn't a problem, so long as it didn't interfere with the need to make a proper marriage alliance. And Aric had willingly given up the heirship and his bride, and once he had gotten over the trauma of being turned, had seemed to be at peace with himself, and eager to begin his new life with Takeshi.

"Nothing," Aric said, his expression softening a little. "You didn't do anything wrong. Don't you see, it's not you, but me!" As Takeshi hesitantly reached out to touch him again, he shouted, "Don't! The wolf inside me is so strong, much stronger than it was during the full moon; I can't control it. Just now I almost bit you!"

"Oh, is that all?" Takeshi asked, feeling relieved. It wasn't something he had done, after all.

"What do you mean, is that all?" Aric shouted, beginning to grow a little angry. "Didn't you hear me? I'm a werewolf and I almost bit you!"

"But my love," Takeshi said reasonably, "you cannot turn me when you are in human form."

"That's not the point!" Aric said in frustration. "Just now I was thinking like a wolf, not a human!"

"Humans bite each other in loveplay, too, sometimes," Takeshi said, then gently teased, "I believe it's referred to as giving someone a hickey."

"It's not funny!" Aric snapped. "Even if I'm not contagious, I'm still stronger than a normal human! What if..." His voice shook. "What if I'd hurt you, Takeshi? I wanted to bite you, hard. I could have bitten right through your throat!"

"Oh, Aric," Takeshi said softly, all the amusement gone from his voice now. {Remus was having the "facts of life" talk with the wrong person,} he thought ruefully. "Aric," he said, trying to keep his voice gentle and soothing, "I told you that the wolf's instincts would grow stronger with the full moon."

"But the full moon has passed!" Aric protested.

"There are other times when the wolf's instincts will grow dominant," Takeshi said. "When you or someone you love are in danger, for example. You saw Lukas transform into a wolf when Theodore attacked him, and I don't think it was just the spell that made him transform, although it was the trigger. He knew that Theodore wouldn't really hurt him. It was mostly his desire to protect you, his need to transform in order to save you. He was in his wolf form, Aric, but he was still able to control himself and only bite you, not kill you. Because he loves you."

"I'm not Lukas," Aric mumbled, staring down at the floor. "I can't control the wolf like he does."

"And the wolf's instincts will become stronger when it, ah, wants to mate," Takeshi continued. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, my love. I am part animal, too. Do you remember how I told you that I felt the crane's desire to be joined with its mate that night you came to me at the clinic?"

"That's different," Aric said sullenly. "A crane can't hurt anyone."

Takeshi smiled. "It's true that a crane is not as dangerous as a wolf, and that a crane would sooner flee from an attacker than fight one. But in crane form, my beak is very long and sharp, and I could do someone a serious injury if I wished."

"But not while you're human," Aric argued.

"I am not afraid of you, as man or wolf," Takeshi said patiently. "You need not fear the wolf's instincts, my love. A wolf would never hurt its mate."

He reached out to touch Aric again, laying his hand on Aric's chest. Aric shuddered at the touch, at the nearness of his lover's naked body, which only served to arouse the wolf further, and he desperately struggled against the mindless lust that threatened to overwhelm him, against the need to shove Takeshi down on the floor and take him right here and now, without any gentleness or romance. And he began to grow angry with his lover for brushing off his concerns and refusing to take him seriously.

"Come to bed, Aric," Takeshi whispered. "Make love to me. There is nothing to fear, I promise."

"The wolf doesn't want to make love to you," Aric said harshly. He deliberately made his next words crude, to try and make Takeshi realize just how much his wolf instincts had overpowered him. "It just wants to claim you, to fuck you, hard and fast, like an animal--" He broke off as Takeshi's face flushed, but not with embarrassment or revulsion. "My God!" Aric exclaimed, feeling even more horrified than before. "Does that excite you?"

"Yes," Takeshi said, meeting his eyes squarely. "Does that repulse you?" Aric looked away, and Takeshi reached out to cradle his lover's face in his hands, gently but firmly turning it back to face him. "I accept you, all of you, including the wolf. I want you as much as you want me."

"But this isn't how I wanted it to be," Aric said, fighting back tears. "I wanted our first time to be...well...special. I wanted to take my time and savor it, make love to you slowly and tenderly, not just rut like animals in heat."

"You're awfully romantic for a Slytherin, my dear," Takeshi said with a smile, but he was touched by Aric's words. Truly, as much as he loved Aric, he was a little surprised--but not displeased--to learn of his lover's romantic streak. On second thought, it should not have come as such a surprise, not after Aric had given him the jade bracelet and asked for the feather token in return. Still cradling Aric's face in his hands, Takeshi very lightly brushed his lips against Aric's. Even that faint caress was enough to make Aric moan and tremble. He could see Aric's muscles bunching and tensing beneath his skin, fighting to control the wolf, and Takeshi was momentarily distracted--Aric still had the body of an athlete, although he had not played Quidditch since coming to Hogwarts. All those Physical Defense lessons must have kept him in good shape; another thing to thank Lukas for.

Takeshi shook his head slightly to clear it; Aric was not the only one being ruled by his hormones right now. "There are times for tenderness and romance, and times for urgency and heated desire," Takeshi said softly. "Now is the time for urgency, but there will be times for tenderness in the future, I promise. I think perhaps it is because you are newly-turned, and this is our first time together, that the wolf's desires are so strong. You will find it easier to reconcile the wolf's nature with your own as time goes by."

"Are you sure?" Aric asked uncertainly, but with a pleading look in his eyes, wanting to believe Takeshi's words.

"Yes, my love," Takeshi replied, gently stroking his face. "Don't be afraid to give in to the wolf. Don't hate that part of yourself--or else you must hate me for desiring it."

"You...desire...the wolf?" Aric asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Takeshi said, continuing to stroke Aric's face, which seemed to soothe him. "I told you before that you have appeared in my dreams as a wolf." And he told Aric about that first dream, where the black wolf had turned into a man and made love to him with a wolf's ferocity.

Aric moaned and wrapped his arms around Takeshi, pulling him close. It felt so good, almost intoxicating, to feel Takeshi's warm skin and cool, silky hair beneath his hands. But still, he hesitated. "But what if I hurt you without meaning to? The wolf's strength--"

"You will not hurt me," Takeshi said firmly.

"But you don't know that," Aric argued.

"I do," Takeshi insisted. He took a deep breath, hoping that he wasn't making a mistake, then said, "I have been with a werewolf before, and I survived the experience intact."

"What?!" Aric cried. Someone--not just a man, but a werewolf, probably a wolf from his own pack--had made love to his mate before him! He had known that he was not Takeshi's first lover, but for some reason the knowledge that at least one of his former lovers had been a werewolf filled him with an insane, blinding jealousy. He wanted to tear his rival, whomever that might be, into pieces. "Who was it?" he snarled, and Takeshi began to look a little alarmed. Aric felt a twinge of guilt, and at the same time, a perverse sense of satisfaction at his lover's fear. {I told him the wolf was dangerous!} He remembered Ash's admonishment not to break Takeshi's heart, and demanded, "Was it Ash?"

"It doesn't matter," Takeshi said firmly, standing his ground although his face was a little pale. "I have had other lovers in the past, but I am with you now." Aric growled, and Takeshi said in a level voice, "I'm twenty-one years old, Aric, and I only met you last fall. I'm not a virgin and neither are you. Should I be jealous of those girls you said you slept with, or those boys you 'fooled around' with at Durmstrang?"

Aric flushed, his anger receding. "They didn't mean anything to me," he mumbled sheepishly. "You're the only one I've ever loved."

"My werewolf friends meant something to me, but I did not love them as I love you," Takeshi said.

"Friends?" Aric said, his jealousy flaring up again as he picked up on the plural word. "Just how many of them are there, anyway?"

Takeshi sighed, torn between irritation and amusement, but it was mostly his fault for bringing it up in the first place. He had only wanted to assure Aric that a werewolf wouldn't hurt his partner during lovemaking, but he should have realized how possessive a werewolf would be of his mate, although in the case of Remus and Professor Snape, it seemed to be Snape who was the possessive one in that relationship. "How many lovers have YOU had, including the ones you 'fooled around' with?" he retorted.

Aric seemed taken aback by the question, and his eyes turned a little distant, focusing inward as if mentally counting in his head, "Uh...let's see..."

"Never mind," Takeshi laughed. "If you have to stop and think about it, I don't really want to know. I don't want to be jealous of your numerous lovers." Aric blushed, smiling sheepishly, and Takeshi smiled fondly back at him and stroked his cheek. "I have had exactly two werewolf lovers," he said in a quiet, even voice. "And no, I won't tell you who they were. We weren't really lovers, just friends who shared the comfort of our bodies to ease our loneliness. I never loved them, or rather, I only loved them as friends." He said earnestly, "Please, Aric, do not let your jealousy poison our relationship, or your bond with your packmates. Whatever happened between me and any past lover, human or werewolf, is long over. We have both had previous lovers, and to be honest, I don't really like the idea of you having been with someone else, either." Aric flushed again. "But all that is in the past now. I love you, Aric. You are my soulmate, my heart's desire. I have been waiting my entire life to find you, and from now on, I will be with you and no one else. You are all that I want."

"I'm sorry, 'Keshi," Aric whispered remorsefully. "I didn't mean to be such a git. I just went a little crazy there for a minute."

"It's all right," Takeshi assured him. "I think it was the wolf's instincts. I'll have to remember in the future how possessive how a werewolf can be." He smiled and kissed Aric. "So come and make love to me, my wolf. I am yours, and yours alone."

Aric returned the kiss, but Takeshi could still feel him holding back a little, trying to keep the wolf in check. He decided that he would need more than words to convince Aric that it was safe for them to make love, and that Takeshi truly did desire that wolfish side of him.

Aric was startled and a little worried when Takeshi pulled away from him without warning, but then the mediwizard climbed back up on the bed and crouched down on his hands and knees--oh sweet Merlin, on all fours, like a wolf waiting to be mounted. That broke his last shred of self-control, and he moaned wildly, jumped up onto the bed with one great leap that caused the bed to shake, grabbed Takeshi's hips to brace himself, and slammed into his lover with one swift, hard thrust.

Takeshi cried out, and Aric came to his senses, asking anxiously, "Are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

"N-no," gasped Takeshi. "Please...don't stop!"

That was all the assurance Aric--or rather, his inner wolf--needed. He let long-denied passion and lust sweep over him, and resumed thrusting, hard and fast, his need too great, as he had warned Takeshi, for gentleness or finesse. But it didn't seem to matter; Takeshi cried out again, this time with such obvious pleasure that Aric could not mistake it for anything else. He laughed in relief and joy, relishing the sensation of finally being sheathed inside his mate's body, his flesh hot and tight around Aric, yet at the same time yielding and welcoming. Takeshi pushed back against him eagerly, urging him on. It felt so right, so perfect, how could he have ever doubted that Takeshi wanted him? How could he have ever imagined that he might hurt his mate, or that his beloved might be repulsed by him? His fears seemed silly and groundless now.

Takeshi cried out in pleasure as Aric thrust deeply into him. For someone who claimed to have little experience with men, each thrust seemed to unerringly strike the exact spot that sent surges of pleasure racing through his body, pleasure so intense that it caused his vision to blur, the way it might if he were staring directly into the sun. Maybe it was a natural instinct of the werewolf; Remus had never mentioned that in his little lecture! Eyes watering, Takeshi shoved his hips back to meet Aric's thrusts, moaning and crying out uncontrollably. Remus was right about one thing, though: it was very different with a lifemate than a casual lover. If he hadn't already been sure, the feeling of completion, of being made whole, along with the incredible pleasure he felt as Aric thrust into him, would have convinced Takeshi that he had found his dream lover. Nothing in his life had ever felt so good; none of his past lovers had ever made him feel this way, and even the dreams paled beside the real thing.

But as good as it felt to have his mate inside him, each thrust also sent a searing blaze of heat shooting straight through to his groin, causing his erection, which had flagged a bit during his attempt to calm down and reassure Aric, to begin throbbing again. It was a sweet and yet tormenting ache that caused him to moan in frustration. He reached up with his right hand to stroke himself, growing even more excited when he realized that he was living out the dream he'd had, and as if on cue, Aric growled softly into his ear as he had in the dream.

Aric growled softly as he saw Takeshi reach up, in a surreptitious manner, to touch himself. He glanced down to watch Takeshi's hand sliding up and down his growing erection, moving in time with Aric's thrusts. It excited him so much that he began thrusting even harder, with such force that it caused Takeshi to lose his balance and pitch forward, nearly falling on his face. He had to quickly drop his right hand back to the mattress to stop his fall.

Takeshi yelped in surprise, and Aric grinned apologetically and said, "Sorry." Then he growled, "Here, let me," in a low, gruff voice that sent a shiver running down Takeshi's spine, and he reached down to take over where Takeshi had left off.

Takeshi moaned loudly as Aric's hand closed around him and began roughly stroking him, shuddering under an onslaught of pleasure from within and without. He rocked back and forth, pushing back into Aric's thrusts and thrusting forward into his fist, and he didn't know which felt better. It all blurred together into an increasing spiral of ecstasy so intense that it was almost painful, and he wondered briefly if one could die from too much pleasure. Then he no longer cared, rational thought slipping away from him as he frantically begged Aric for more.

Takeshi was babbling in an incoherent mixture of English and Japanese, but it didn't really matter to Aric, who was too far gone to have understood him even if he had been speaking plain English. He had surrendered to the wolf, and the wolf understood that the urgency in its mate's voice meant "more," even if it didn't understand the actual words.

He thrust as hard and fast as he could, plunging in and out of his mate's body, panting and growling, desperately seeking release even as he wished that this moment could last forever. But he knew that he was close to climaxing, whether he willed it or not. Takeshi moaned, bowing his head forward, his long black hair spilling across the sheets, leaving the nape of his neck exposed. Without thinking, Aric leant forward and bit down hard on the back of Takeshi's neck as he thrust deeply into his mate.

Takeshi cried out, spilling his seed into Aric's hand, while his muscles clenched convulsively around Aric in an almost painful grip, and that was enough to send Aric over the edge, too, and he threw back his head and howled as he came.

Takeshi fell face-down the bed, limp and boneless like a rag doll, and Aric collapsed on top of him, panting and gasping for breath. It felt good to have his mate's body beneath him, and he wasn't inclined to move until he heard Takeshi make a muffled noise that sounded something like, "Mrmph," and he realized that his lover might be having a little difficulty breathing.

"Oops, sorry," Aric said apologetically, rolling off of Takeshi so that they were lying side-by-side instead. "Better?"

"Mm-hmm," Takeshi said, sighing contentedly.

Aric gently stroked the nape of Takeshi's neck, and the mediwizard sighed again. The bite had not broken the skin, but a dark bruise was beginning to form, marring his pale, smooth skin, and Aric tenderly kissed it in apology. "Sorry, 'Keshi," he murmured.

"I'm not," Takeshi said, smiling as he turned to face Aric. "I told you that I wasn't afraid of the wolf. It felt good to have you claim me, as you did in my dream."

"Did I really do that in your dream?" Aric asked, gently nuzzling Takeshi's neck.

"Yes."

"And you liked it?"

"I came both times, as soon as you bit me," Takeshi whispered into his ear, and Aric shivered.

"But doesn't it hurt?"

"A little bit. But it feels good at the same time. Isn't sparring with Lukas sometimes painful?"

"Yes."

"But you feel a rush of adrenaline at the same time, and a sense of satisfaction afterwards."

"Yeah, I see what you mean," Aric acknowledged, grinning. "But it's not quite the same kind of satisfaction."

"I should hope not," Takeshi said, grinning back at him. "Because I refuse to share you with anyone, even your pack leader."

"Now who's the possessive one?" Aric laughed, wrapping his arms around Takeshi and kissing him.

They just lay there together, arms wrapped loosely around each other, and Aric began to doze off, feeling sated and content. But he immediately woke when he felt Takeshi sliding away from him, very slowly and carefully easing out from under Aric's arms.

"Hey, where are you going?" Aric demanded sleepily, wrapping an arm around Takeshi's waist and pulling him back.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you," Takeshi said. "I was going to take a bath."

"Now?" Aric asked, frowning. "What for?"

"Well, for one thing, I am rather sticky and sweaty."

Aric held him more tightly and inhaled deeply, drinking in the rich, musky odor of sweat and semen mingled with herbs and mint, and beneath it all, Takeshi's own scent, hard to define in human terms, yet unmistakable to the wolf. Perhaps it might seem a little ripe to a normal human, but to the wolf, it was heavenly. He also liked that he could smell himself on Takeshi's skin, and Takeshi's scent on himself. He didn't want his mate to wash all those combined scents away. "You smell good," he said dreamily, without thinking, then blushed as he realized what he had said. "Sorry, does that sound a little weird?"

"Not at all, love," Takeshi said, kissing him lightly. "I'm glad that you're beginning to enjoy your wolf senses rather than fear them."

"So forget the bath and stay here," Aric urged, then frowned as Takeshi squirmed restlessly in his embrace. "What, do I smell bad to you or something?"

"Oh no, it's not that," Takeshi hastened to assure him.

"Then stay," Aric said. He felt sticky and sweaty himself, but he didn't care; it felt so good to be lying here, holding Takeshi in his arms.

"Why don't you come take a bath with me?" Takeshi suggested.

"I'm perfectly comfortable," Aric replied.

"That's because you're not lying on the wet spot," Takeshi said with a wry smile.

"Oh!" Aric exclaimed, his face turning beet red, and he looked so mortified that Takeshi burst into laughter. "I'm so sorry!" Aric apologized, reaching for Takeshi's wand on the nightstand, which was closer than his own wand, which lay on the floor inside the pocket of his robes. "Why don't we just cast a cleaning spell?"

"I...want...a...bath," Takeshi said stubbornly, pausing between each word for emphasis. His lower lip thrust out just a little, and Aric kissed it. He had never seen the mild-mannered mediwizard look so mulish before, but he did look kind of cute when he pouted.

"But the bed is so nice and comfy," Aric cajoled. "We can clean up in a few seconds with a quick spell."

"But if we shower together, you can rub soap all over my body, and vice versa," Takeshi purred.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Aric said eagerly, jumping up in bed. Another part of him jumped up as well, despite having been flaccid and spent a moment ago.

Takeshi giggled, and reached out to fondle him with light, teasing strokes of his fingers, making Aric shudder and moan. "Remus wasn't lying about a werewolf's stamina," Takeshi said musingly.

"What?!" Aric cried, shock temporarily overcoming lust. "Is THAT what you were talking about in the kitchen?"

Takeshi giggled again, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "He said he wanted to tell me about the facts of life, werewolf style. He wanted to warn me not to be afraid if you bit me, because that is part of the wolf's need to mark and claim its mate. And he wanted to warn me that werewolves have incredible stamina, and are particularly insatiable near the full moon. Poor Professor Snape; Remus must completely wear him out. I wonder, have you ever noticed if he looks exhausted right before the full moon?"

"You talked about his and Snape's sex life?" Aric asked in horror.

"Just in context," Takeshi replied blithely. "Remus says..." He whispered into Aric's ear.

"HOW many times in one night?!" Aric exclaimed. "Even assuming that a werewolf is capable of that, is Snape superhuman or something?"

"Well, Remus says that--"

"Never mind," Aric interrupted hastily. "I don't really want to know. Thinking about Snape having sex makes me a little ill." Indeed, his erection was already beginning to wilt at the thought.

"Well, never mind," Takeshi said consolingly. "We can experiment for ourselves." He grinned impishly. "Consider it scholarly research on werewolf mating habits."

"Are you expecting me to live up to Lupin's standards?" Aric asked warily.

"I'm not sure that I'd still be able to walk afterwards if you did," Takeshi laughed. "Come on, let's go take a bath."

***

Aric followed Takeshi to the bathroom, which contained both a small shower stall and a large tub. "My father had the bathroom remodeled, so that I could have a proper tub," he said with an air of satisfaction. "We had to pay a bribe--excuse me, a 'security deposit'--to the landlord in order to get him to allow the renovations, but it was worth it." He turned on the faucets and began to fill the tub with steaming hot water.

"Are we going to bathe or be boiled?" Aric asked, eyeing the water dubiously.

"A hot soak is good for you," Takeshi said dismissively, as if stepping into near-boiling water (at least, that was how it seemed to Aric) was no big deal. "But we can let it cool off a bit while we shower."

"Shower?" Aric asked in confusion. "Then why are you filling the tub?"

"Sorry, I almost forgot that you do things differently in England," Takeshi said. "You know, that was one of the hardest things about going to Hogwarts for so many years, although I did enjoy my time there for the most part--having to take showers instead of a proper bath. But after I became a prefect in fifth year, I got to use the prefects' bathroom, which is pretty luxurious." Aric just stared at him blankly, and Takeshi patiently explained, "In Japan, the point of a bath is not just to get clean, but to relax at the end of the day. You're supposed to wash off first, then soak in the tub. It's important to keep the water clean, because usually other members of the family will use the same bathwater. Of course, it's just the two of us here, so I suppose that it doesn't really matter, but who wants to sit and soak in dirty water?"

Aric just shrugged. To him, there was little point in sitting in a tub of water after you were already clean. Sure, sometimes it was nice to sit and soak in a hot bath when your muscles were sore, say, after a Quidditch match or fencing practice, but for the most part, he preferred to shower quickly and be done with it. In fact, a cleaning spell would do in a pinch, although it didn't get you as clean as a bath or shower. But this seemed to be important to Takeshi for some reason, so he was willing to humor his lover. After all, there was no harm in taking a bath he didn't really need, if it made Takeshi happy.

So Aric stepped into the shower, which was pretty cramped with both of them in it, but he didn't really mind, because it was a good excuse for them to soap and lather each other's bodies. His wilting erection quickly regained new life as Takeshi stroked him with slippery, soapy hands, and then before he knew what he was doing, he had pushed Takeshi up against the shower wall and was thrusting into him. It took just three quick thrusts before he came. {So much for werewolf stamina!} he thought, feeling somewhat chagrined. Then he pulled out and stared at Takeshi, who remained leaning against the wall, panting a little, the water that was still spraying out of the shower head sluicing away the semen that was running down his thighs.

"I'm sorry," Aric said, in a quiet, subdued voice, suddenly aware that he hadn't bothered to prepare his lover or even ask his consent. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to just shove you up against the wall like that--"

Takeshi smiled and laid a finger across Aric's lips to still his apologies. "It's all right, my wolf. I think you know from experience that I know how to deal with unwanted advances." Aric grinned ruefully, remembering the way he had been violently flung into the wall during his last visit to the clinic. "So you may be sure," Takeshi continued, grinning back at him, "that your advances are most welcome this time."

Aric smiled in relief. "Well, okay, then. But that can't have been, uh, very satisfying for you. Do you want me to...?"

"Although I enjoyed your attentions, I do not have a werewolf's stamina, my love," Takeshi laughed. "But perhaps we can try again later, after I've had a chance to relax. And soak."

So they finished washing each other, their caresses now more playful than seductive, with much laughing and giggling, then rinsed off and stepped out of the shower.

Takeshi motioned for Aric to step into the tub first, which he did very gingerly, as there were still a few wisps of steam rising from the water. The water was still hot enough to make him wince slightly as he eased himself down, but it was tolerable.

Takeshi watched him with great amusement. "You have no fear of flying Bludgers, and you and Lukas seem to take great pleasure in beating on each other with big wooden sticks in Defense class, but a little hot water is enough to make you cringe?"

"I'm a werewolf, not a lobster," Aric grumbled. "Quit yapping and get in here; it was your idea to take a bath, after all."

"You might be rather tasty with a little lemon and butter," Takeshi teased, but he climbed into the tub, sitting in front of Aric. The tub was just big enough for one person to stretch their legs out in front of them comfortably, but like the shower, it was a bit cramped for two. But again, he didn't really mind the close quarters when it was Takeshi who was sharing them with him. Aric leaned back against the tub, spreading his legs apart so that Takeshi could nestle between them and lean back against Aric's chest, and then Aric loosely folded his arms around his lover.

Takeshi let out a sigh of contentment, snuggling a little closer to Aric, long tendrils of his hair floating on the surface of the water like some kind of exotic seaweed. Aric sighed as well, as his body began adjusting to the temperature of the water. The heat really did feel good as it slowly seeped into his body, all the way to the bone it seemed, relaxing muscles he hadn't realized were tense. They sat there in the tub, in a daze of blissful contentment, for how long Aric wasn't exactly sure, but long enough for his fingertips to begin to wrinkle slightly. And then he gradually became aware of how good it felt to have Takeshi's body resting against his, his back flush against Aric's chest, his rump (and a very nice, shapely rump it was, too) resting against Aric's crotch. And that realization returned a little tension to his body--concentrated in the latter area, of course.

Takeshi lay back against Aric's chest, eyes closed, the heat of the water and the closeness of his mate having lulled him into a near-stupor. And then he abruptly woke from his daze when he felt something hard nudging at him, sliding between his buttocks.

"A-Aric?" he stammered, then moaned as he felt Aric's hands sliding up and down his chest, lightly brushing and teasing his nipples. Maybe Remus was right about the wolf's desire being contagious. He felt an almost uncontrollable urge to push backwards and impale himself on the hardness he felt pressing against him, although he knew that it would hurt without any lubrication.

Aric moaned as he felt Takeshi squirming against him, and quickly pushed him away before the wolf could take over again. "Not here," he gasped. "Not yet. I don't want to hurt you." He still had enough control to joke, "Besides, I thought you didn't want to get the water dirty."

"Ha ha, very funny," Takeshi said, quickly clambering out of the tub; Aric admired the way that droplets of water were running down his body. Meanwhile, Takeshi threw down a couple of thick, fluffy towels onto the floor.

"Don't you want to go back to bed?" Aric asked as he climbed out of the tub.

"No," Takeshi replied, reaching into the medicine cabinet. "I can't wait."

Aric chuckled and slipped his arms around Takeshi, embracing him from behind and nuzzling his neck. "Which of us is the werewolf?"

"I told you that my crane blood is ruled by instinct, too," Takeshi said impatiently.

"And how is a crane's stamina compared to a werewolf's?" Aric asked.

"I don't know," Takeshi replied. "The crane folk don't discuss such things, or at least I haven't met one as open as Remus. As for myself, I thought my stamina was more or less normal, until I met you. Here." He shoved a jar into Aric's hands.

"What is this?" Aric asked, twisting the lid open, and the scent of lavender wafted out, answering his question, although Takeshi still replied, "Healing salve." The scent was diluted by the other ingredients, though, and was not too strong for the wolf's sensitive nose.

Aric dipped his hand in the salve, and it tingled slightly against his skin. "Isn't this supposed to numb the area it's applied to?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's very mild," Takeshi replied, then looked down pointedly at Aric's conspicuous erection. Besides, I doubt that it will hinder you very much or for very long, considering that this is our third time in one night. Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"Did you want to try and break Snape and Lupin's record?" Aric laughed; the idea no longer seemed quite so impossible.

"Not yet," Takeshi said, smiling. "But perhaps we can work up to it."

They lay down together on the towels, and Aric began working his fingers inside Takeshi, with much more skill and confidence this time around. Takeshi moaned and sighed with pleasure. Takeshi had not slept with anyone in months, aside from that one night with Ash, and even that had been three months ago, and Aric had been a most enthusiastic and vigorous lover. Takeshi had been feeling just a little sore after their lovemaking, although also satiated and pleased, and he had not wanted to say anything to Aric, fearing that he might overreact. But now he felt Aric's fingers working the cool salve into his flesh, soothing any lingering soreness. The salve was very effective--as Takeshi knew; he had brewed it himself, after all--and more than capable of healing a bit of chafing. Aric would have forgone another round of lovemaking if he had asked, of course, but Takeshi didn't want to wait. He wanted his mate, and he wanted him now. He wondered just how much of this seemingly unquenchable desire came from his crane blood and how much came from Aric's wolf blood, but he decided that it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they loved each other. Anything else was icing on the cake.

Aric smiled, licking his lips at the sight of Takeshi writhing on the bathroom floor. He found that it was easier to control the wolf this time, perhaps because it was somewhat sated from their two previous encounters. Takeshi's body seemed relaxed from their earlier lovemaking, or perhaps it was the long soak in the bath, but in any case, he was soon moaning, "Please, Aric, I want you now," and Aric was more than happy to oblige.

Takeshi started to roll over onto his hands and knees, but Aric stopped him. "No," he said quietly. "I want to see your face this time." And maybe this time there would be time for tenderness. Takeshi smiled at him, rolled onto his back, and spread his legs wide, causing Aric to groan and think to himself, {Well, then again, maybe not!}

Remembering the illustrations from Theo's book, Aric pulled Takeshi's legs up over his shoulders and slowly pushed into him. Merlin, it felt so good! He felt a brief urge to slam into his mate hard and fast as he had done before, but he forced himself to continue moving slowly, and his inner wolf acquiesced with a slightly grudging growl.

Firmly in control now, Aric was determined to savor the moment, and it was Takeshi who moaned impatiently this time. Grinning wickedly, he teased his lover with slow, shallow thrusts, deliberately stopping short of where Takeshi obviously wanted them to go. Takeshi moaned in frustration and tried to push his hips up and shove Aric into him deeper, but Aric firmly grasped him by the hips and held him in place, so that he couldn't move no matter how much he squirmed or struggled. Aric continued moving in those teasing, shallow strokes until Takeshi began cursing at him in Japanese--well, at least he assumed it was Japanese, since he didn't speak the language. And he assumed that Takeshi was merely swearing and not hexing him, since he didn't go flying across the room or turn into a toad.

"Tsk, tsk, such language," Aric chided. "Well, actually I don't speak Japanese, but I assume from the tone of your voice that you're saying something rather rude." Takeshi cursed again and clawed at Aric's back, causing Aric to hiss sharply, and he nearly lost control for a moment, but managed to reign himself back in. "You'll have to do better than that, my dear," he whispered, leaning forward to brush his lips against Takeshi's. "Your nails are so short that they barely tickle."

"You're an evil Slytherin, Aric," Takeshi groaned.

"Why, thank you," Aric replied with a grin. Takeshi struggled wildly, trying to buck his hips upwards, but Aric maintained a firm grip on them. As Takeshi resumed cursing at him, Aric reminded him, "You were the one who wanted me to accept the wolf. And I've found that werewolf strength does come in very handy, after all."

Takeshi was almost ready to scream at Aric, and in fact, was about to do so when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh shit."

"Such language," Aric scolded mildly, raising his eyebrows, not so much for the swear word, although it was unusual to hear it coming out of Takeshi's mouth, but because it didn't seem to be directed at him.

"I didn't put a silence spell on the bathroom," Takeshi said.

"Want me to go get my wand?" Aric offered.

"No!" Takeshi said, bending his knees and tightening his grip on Aric's shoulders, trying to hold him in place. "We can be quiet; just try not to howl." Then he said, leering a little, "Show me just how well you can use your wand, Aric Dietrich."

"Ooh, I think I like it when you talk dirty, 'Keshi," Aric said, grinning.

"How about doing something more than talk?" Takeshi retorted.

Aric pushed partway into Takeshi and then stopped, holding himself very still. In truth, he was on the verge of breaking down, but he did so enjoy the increasingly desperate noises that his lover was making, more whimpering than moaning, as he was biting his lip, obviously trying to keep his voice down so that the neighbors wouldn't hear them. It was almost as delicious as those mewling kitten noises he had made earlier. And he loved the pleading look in Takeshi's eyes, and the almost palpable aura of need that was emanating from him. That was what he savored most, that his mate needed and desired him so much.

"Damn you, Aric!" Takeshi whispered fiercely, glaring at him. "Just fuck me already!"

Aric raised his eyebrows again, pretending to be shocked. Actually, he didn't really need to pretend very much. He'd never heard the always polite, mild-mannered mediwizard swear like that before, not even when he had rightfully been furious with Aric, that night he had come to the clinic drunk. And finally, Aric relented. "I won't fuck you," he whispered tenderly. "But I will make love to you." And he pushed into Takeshi, slowly but deeply, until he was sheathed to the hilt in his mate's body.

Takeshi had willingly played along with Aric at first, enjoying the anticipation that was building. But his frustration and need quickly built to the point where he was seriously considering hexing Aric right through the wall. The only things that stopped him were that first of all, he'd have to pay for the repairs to the wall, and more importantly, Aric would hardly be in any shape to make love to him if he were knocked unconscious. Although werewolves did heal very quickly...

But then Aric finally did move into him, with a slow, deep thrust that made Takeshi sob with pleasure, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be quiet. "Shhh," Aric whispered, laying a finger across Takeshi's lips, his eyes glinting mischievously. And then Aric continued moving in slow, deep thrusts, with such profound tenderness that it dramatically emphasized the difference between "making love" and mere sex. It was amazing how something could be so gentle and so intense at the same time. He looked up to see his mate smiling down at him, with such sheer, unadulterated love in his eyes that it brought tears to Takeshi's own eyes.

"I told you that I wanted our first time to be special," Aric whispered. "But I'll settle for our third."

"A time for urgency," Takeshi whispered, remembering what he'd told Aric earlier. "And a time for tenderness and romance."

"Well, I was picturing a more romantic setting than the bathroom," Aric said with an affectionate grin. "But this will do. Maybe next time we'll add some flowers and candles."

"Are you sure those romance books were Remus's and not yours?" Takeshi teased, then gasped as Aric thrust into him a little harder. And soon neither of them were capable of speech; Aric was panting and growling as he thrust into his mate, and Takeshi was biting down hard on his own fist in an attempt to stifle his moans and cries of pleasure.

Aric suddenly paused as Takeshi moaned in protest. Aric pulled Takeshi's hand out of his mouth, gently caressing the deep tooth-marks he'd left embedded in the skin. "Don't," he said gruffly. "You'll hurt yourself. Here." And he offered his own hand instead.

"But--" Takeshi started to protest.

Aric gave him a wolfish grin. "I heal quickly, remember?"

"But..."

"Merlin's Beard," Aric said impatiently. "Do you want to get on with this, or would you rather argue all night?"

Takeshi laughed and gave in. "All right, since you put it so romantically, my love." They resumed their lovemaking, which rapidly grew more urgent and frenzied, yet somehow still retained that quality of tenderness. And then with one especially hard, deep thrust, Takeshi felt his mate come inside him, and then he was coming too, biting down hard on Aric's hand to muffle his cry of ecstasy. Aric was crouched over him, mouth wide open, panting desperately. Takeshi idly observed that he was definitely beginning to develop wolflike fangs, and he was impressed that Aric had been able to keep himself from howling. He released Aric's hand from his mouth, then smiled and tilted his head back, offering up his throat to his mate. "Take me, my wolf," he murmured, and felt an exhilarating rush of pleasure-pain as Aric sank his teeth into Takeshi's throat, which did not quite stifle the werewolf's joyous howl.

"I think the neighbors still might have heard that," Aric said afterwards, as they lay together on the bathroom floor in each other's arms.

"It's all right," Takeshi said, too contented to care at the moment. "Let them gossip. Besides, they know I'm a mediwizard." He grinned and trailed his fingers down Aric's arm. "I'll tell them I'm treating a werewolf, which is true enough."

"So what do you prescribe for a werewolf's insatiable lust?" Aric asked, nibbling on Takeshi's earlobe.

"Lots and lots of sex with his mate," Takeshi sighed, snuggling against Aric's chest.

"Sounds good to me," Aric said, and they just held each other for a couple of minutes. Then he grinned mischievously and said, "Want to take a bath?"

Takeshi groaned good-naturedly. "I'm not sure that I can handle another bath, considering what the last one led to."

"But you're all sticky and sweaty," Aric teased. "You know, I really like this bath thing. I think it's a very good idea."

"I can see a vicious cycle emerging," Takeshi laughed. "Sex leads to a bath, which leads to more sex, which leads to another bath..."

"And this is a bad thing?" Aric asked, still grinning.

"I love you dearly, my wolf," Takeshi said, kissing him. "But my body doesn't recover as quickly as yours, and I would like to be able to walk tomorrow morning."

"Ah well," Aric sighed in mock-regret. "Then how about we skip the bath, just this once, and go straight to bed? To sleep, that is."

"Sounds good," Takeshi said, then yelped in surprise and laughed as Aric scooped him up into his arms.

"No walking required," Aric said playfully, and carried his mate to bed. He made a point of casting a cleaning spell on the sheets, which made Takeshi laugh again, then they turned out the lights and slipped under the covers together. Aric pulled his mate into his arms, breathing in his scent. He could still smell their recent lovemaking on his skin, as well as a hint of lavender and a clean, soapy scent. Yes, Aric decided, despite his earlier objections, a bath was a very good thing indeed.

A low growl of contentment escaped his lips, and he smiled to himself. Who would ever have thought that being bitten by a werewolf would turn out to be a blessing instead of a curse? It had hurt to lose the affection of his parents and grandparents, but it had strengthened his relationship with Erika and Theo, and it had brought him a new family and new friends, in the form of Lukas and his pack, and Lupin and the Slytherins and even the irritable, sour-faced Potions Master. And most of all, it had brought him his mate, the person he treasured most in the world.

"I love you, Takeshi," he whispered drowsily.

"I love you, too, Aric," Takeshi murmured. Then he asked, a little wistfully, "Will you let me stay with you during the next full moon?"

"Of course," Aric replied without hesitation, and Takeshi smiled at him warmly.

"Good," he said, tenderly stroking Aric's face. "I can't wait to see you. I'm sure you'll be a beautiful wolf."

"Will you let me watch you transform again sometime?" Aric asked. "I would love to watch you fly." Then it was his turn to smile wistfully. "That must be an amazing feeling."

"It is," Takeshi said. "I can't do it where people might see, of course; people would think it odd to see a crane flying over London. But when we go to visit my brother, when we are safe in the haven of the crane folk, I will show you." He yawned widely. "But for now, let us sleep, my wolf."

"Okay. Goodnight, 'Keshi."

"Goodnight, Aric."

And that night Aric dreamed that he was a wolf running beneath the open sky, howling joyously at the full moon while a beautiful white crane flew above him.

THE END

Next story in the series: Chapter 1