Winter Wonderland

Guests

Naiche 

Naiche stepped out of Citali's bedroom, closing the door behind him and glancing across the living space to where Carbry was sitting at the kitchen counter, attention on his phone. The doctor that had seen to Citali had left a while ago, though he had helped Lee shower and make it back to the bedroom before she was unconscious. The day had been long, she had been through a lot and had needed some pain medication to deal with her bruises and cuts. The only wounds that had not been deep and in need of stitches had been the light scratches on her face, though there was still a chance that she'd scar.

The smell of her blood was still thick in the air, though he picked up the laundry basket, fully of her clothing and his, and proceeded to the laundry machines.

"You still haven't ever taken to wearing shirts, have you?" Carbry murmured, stepping up beside him and walking him through how to spray the clothing down with stain remover, then set the correct wash cycle on the machine.

Once the door was closed and the machine running, Naiche glanced down at himself. He was wearing a pair of pants that Citali had purchased for him, surprised at the softness and warmed of the alpaca wool. "I do when it is cold."

Carbry smirked in amusement, before nodding and turning to walk back into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out two bottles of blood. "I know you already fed earlier with me. But with all the blood, and healing, just have another one."

Naiche snorted, but merely inclined his head and took the bottle, glancing around the now silent house. "Your teams left."

"Most of them are in the mobile command trailer outside. A few of the shifters who like the cold are patrolling, and we have a team staying in your cabin. Ryker is lying down while he heals." Carbry's eyes flickered toward the door to the spare bedroom, a frown of worry crossing his features for a moment. "Meriwa and Daryl are going to be pissed."

"I told you not to lie." Naiche chuckled and took a drink from the bottle, closing his eyes as he felt his body relaxing. The taste of human blood was still a surprising treat for him, after so long without it.

He had forgotten what it was like to feel the relief of feeding, not just satiating the incorrigible hunger that burned through him. After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked toward Carbry, who was watching him with an odd expression on his face.

Carbry caught his eye and smiled carefully. "How long has it been since you fed on human blood?"

Naiche shrugged, shaking his head slowly. "It was easier to not to... if I didn't. So even when I had the opportunity to do it safely, I avoided it. It's more than just the taste, I think... I feel... less foggy than I did before. Though it may also be a product of interacting with people and reading."

Carbry nodded, before frowning down at his own bottle of blood."You're not going to disappear on me again, are you?"

Naiche frowned at his friend, before offering a shrug. "I had not thought about that. You... are here to take Citali home."

"Well... no." Carbry scowled, before glancing up to him and giving him a confident look. "But she has a job, and she is good at it. People miss her. We came because we thought she was in trouble. And with her injuries, she'll be off for a while longer, but..."

"Even she will want to return to her job. She does enjoy it. She speaks about it with a great deal of joy." Naiche nodded and took another drink of the blood, frowning. "I do not know, my friend. I do not think the life I was living a few weeks ago is possible anymore..."

And he didn't want to merely let Citali walk out of his life. He didn't know what they were. Or what they could be, but now that Carbry had brought it up, he realized that she would leave this place eventually and her life was a fair distance away from here.

"We can find a place for you, Naiche." Carbry offered, as if reading his thoughts. "Even if you two are taking it slowly. It may not be the mountains, but I own a lot of land, a great deal of which is undeveloped, where you could remain close to things, but still have your tranquility."

"I would not hold her back." Naiche shook his head, giving the other man a stubborn look. "That isn't even an option I would consider. It is her passion, it is her life. I just... had not had the time to think about it."

Carbry sighed. 'Naiche, I wasn't asking solely for Citali. I was asking for you. No matter what happens with you two... I'm thinking about you, my friend. I know I have no ground to insist, but I really don't want to leave you out here. I know this is what you're used to but..."

There was a tenderness to Carbry's expression, a pain and an openness that his friend used to hide. Naiche had known his friend cared, it was one of the reasons he had put up with the arrogant attitude of the man through their friendship. But now, Carbry allowed the world to see who he was, and it made him smile just a little bit more.

"I will give your world a chance, Carbry." He finished his bottle of blood, before rolling his shoulders in a shrug. "But if you try to dress me, I am leaving."

Carbry barked a laugh, before pausing and giving him a careful look. "What if I just offer to.."

Naiche scowled. "No."

"I have far better resources and taste than I did back then." Carbry scowled right back at him. "And you can't wear jogging pants all the time."

Naiche offered a shrug."I can purchase my own clothing. I don't need taste or fashion."

Carbry gave him a pained look, before shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. "We'll talk about fashion later. For now, we'll relax and allow Lee to heal up."

"We'll?" Naiche raised a curious brow. "I presumed if she wasn't going with you, that you would need to return home."

"I can do my work from here. I have my computers. And I'm not leaving you two vulnerable out in the middle of no where. There are plenty of dangers that could still arise." Carbry muttered absently as he pulled a computer out of a slim black case.

Naiche had seen Citali work on hers a few times, so he shrugged and wandered to the book shelves. "And does Citali know that you intend on remaining here?"

Carbry muttered something indistinguishable, though it sounded like a dismissal of the concern.

Naiche just chuckled and shook his head, knowing Citali would have something to talk to her boss about once she was feeling up to it. For the moment, however, he selected a new book and sat down on the couch to read. Across the living space, he heard Carbry begin to work at his computer, alternating between the tap of his fingers on the keys and answering calls from a variety of people.