Bonding and Bite Marks

Once More

John stirred, but it was hard. His blue eyes opened lazily before he winced in discomfort, almost unable to move through the ache in his muscles. Feeling the pain through their bond, Lin roused himself from a half sleep and turned over. John was huddled on his side beneath the crisp, fresh duvet. Lin had changed the covers after the previous night's activities, not that John would know. He hadn't even roused himself as he'd carried him through to the bathroom to bathe their spent bodies. He was concerned as John whimpered and closed his eyes again.

"What is it?" Lin murmured worriedly as he stroked his fluffed blonde locks. It was touching how he pressed into his palm, even while suffering such discomfort.

"N-nothing...I'm just a little sore." John watched as the Lin climbed out of bed, still naked from the night before. He couldn't stop his eyes from tracing the curves of his elegantly sculpted body, dropping to rest on his rounded ass. They raked up again to his delicately jutting shoulder blades, cheeks flushing guiltily as he saw the red trails raked into the skin. It was almost enough to make him forget his own pain as he remembered exactly why he'd dug his nails in so hard. The memory made his cock twitch and lingered on the memory as Lin wandered out into the hall.

"Here..." Lin murmured softly as he returned with some painkillers and a bottle of water. John winced as he sat up, accepting them gratefully. He was especially touched as Lin twisted the lid off the bottle with a satisfying crack to save him the trouble. His body wasn't usually so worn and stiff. His muscles, especially those in his thighs and back, ached like he'd run a marathon. It wasn't even like Lin had been all that rough, despite the blue bruises that littered his right hip. "Sorry, I didn't realise I was so heavy-handed," Lin murmured as he leaned down and pressed gentle kisses to the blue circles. It made John's skin tingle.

"You weren't. I can't even feel them." Though there was a slightly tender ache as Lin ran gentle fingers across them. John enjoyed the silence that fell between them, the lazy contentment of simply being near each other. Lin had returned to his place in the bed, allowing John to cuddle against his side, head resting on his chest. Lin held him close, fingers teasing his shoulder and arm. What would it be like to do this every morning? He got to do it during his heats, but since raising the subject of moving in, John couldn't help thinking about it more.

"I can hear Kazuya downstairs...I should probably go and save the kitchen." Naru wasn't very good at cooking. He had some ability, but since he'd always relied on him, it wasn't a skill he'd developed much. John nodded his agreement, falling back against the mattress with a wince as he tried to sit up. His spine didn't like that. Not at all. "You stay here for now," Lin chided, silencing John's objection with a finger on his lips. A black ball of fur darted into the room as soon as Lin opened the door.

"Sebastian!" John greeted as he hopped onto the bed and padded his way up to his bare chest. John squirmed at the strange feel of tickling fur on his bare skin, and the cool press of small kitten paws. Thankfully, Sebastian didn't knead the skin with his claws. Instead, he curled up and settled, allowing John to stroke him while Lin headed down to help Naru in the kitchen. John felt content as he closed his eyes, feeling Sebastian's gentle purr against his skin and breathing in Lin's scent. John's eyes fluttered open as a new set of footsteps padded into the room, accompanied by a sweet, lemon tart scent. "Oh, Naru, good morning." John sat up with a wince, keeping the duvet firmly over his bare waist. Sensing John's movement, Sebastian lightly hopped to the floor, tail swishing curiously.

"Good morning. Lin sent me up first," Naru replied to the silent question as he set the loaded tray across John's lap. There was enough food for three people. It felt homely as Naru climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged in his black cotton pyjamas. His blue eyes darted to Sebastian as he slinked his way into the hall and disappeared, probably to nag Lin about his own breakfast. Naru grabbed a knife and buttered some toast slowly while John sat quietly and watched. He really was elegant. His movements were so light and precise. "I'm glad you're settling in. Lin was really worried...you know, at the start. He really thought you hated him." Naru's blue eyes darted to the photo of his brother with a visible twinge. He'd forgotten Lin kept that picture by his bed, though it didn't surprise him.

"For a while I think I did..." John replied as he reached up and toyed with the soft collar at his throat. Remembering their last date brought colour to his cheeks. His grip on the collar tightened, eyes darting up as he heard Lin's footsteps in the doorway. His chest thudded as their eyes met. Lin knew what he'd been thinking about, or at least he had an idea. His brown eyes burned as they stared at him.

"I'm glad you're settled now...Will you be staying for a while? Lin mentioned you weren't feeling well yesterday," Naru added as he ate his toast and accepted a cup of tea from Lin, who swiftly reclaimed his place at John's side. John felt his heart thud at Naru's words. Lin hadn't told him the exact details of his sickness yesterday. Should I tell him? Gene is his brother...but it will be painful, especially if he wants to know more details...John worried his lip anxiously. He calmed somewhat as long fingers threaded through his hair.

"I might stay until after my next heat if that's alright...I'm a little delicate right now." Naru was quick to say it didn't bother him. He left his fondness for John unsaid and quietly hoped he understood his feelings. His friends were quite perceptive. Most people would say he was cold and uncaring, but those who spent time around him quickly learned to read his smallest quirks and gestures. There was a slight pinch in the corner of Naru's eye that said everything he needed to hear. It said that Naru wanted him to be there. It said he was pleased he was alright.

After the previous day, Lin was understandably reluctant to leave John alone, and planned to stay home that day. In the end, John insisted he was well enough to go outside, so he accompanied Lin and Naru to the office, where they both told him to take things easy. In other words, lie on the sofa until otherwise notified...Lin took his coat and led him over to one of the black sofas, going so far as leading him down by the shoulder. John could have sighed as he lay back on the comfortable cushions, but his body was still sore and he was a little tired.

When she arrived in the afternoon, Mai quickly asked how he was feeling. Naru had told her about him being taken ill the day before. She'd still been at school in the morning when Lin rushed out of the office to find him, and he hadn't come back. John was hesitant as he watched her work. She was close to Naru, and she might say something to him, but she had experience that could be invaluable. I could really use some advice...

"Mai...can you tell me about your dreams? The special ones I mean." John's cheeks flushed as he realised that probably sounded a lot worse than his first question. "The ones that help with our cases." Despite his flustered stammering, it seemed Mai understood what he'd meant from the beginning. She hummed as she looked up from her papers, resting her pen on her bottom lip.

"Well...what sort of things do you want to know?" She wasn't sure where to begin.

"Uh-well...You see I...Yesterday..." John trailed off, eyes darting to Naru's office door warily. It was shut tight, and he knew he was likely hard at work, oblivious to their conversation. Mai's hazel eyes widened ever so slightly. Did John? "I...had a vision," he murmured finally, hearing a small intake of breath. Mai got to her feet and hurried to the kitchen, and the sound of the bubbling kettle soon filled the small office.

"I'll make some tea first." She knew it always relaxed her and Naru to drink tea during heavy conversations. Judging by the soft look on John's face, he felt the same. She quickly delivered cups to Lin and Naru before returning to his side. John was now sitting up on the sofa, prepared for a heavy conversation. "What happened?" He was grateful as Mai passed him his own steaming cup. It burned his hand a little as he cradled it close to his nose and breathed in.

"First, you have to promise you won't tell Naru. I don't think he'd...take it well." He could tell Mai was hesitant. She didn't like keeping secrets from Naru, especially now that they had a tenuous relationship. She gave him a long hard look before finally trusting his judgement and nodding her agreement. "I-I saw Gene's death." He went on to tell her about what he'd seen and experienced. Mai had only been so deeply involved in visions twice before. Usually she was simply a third party, an observer. It wasn't nice, being someone else and experiencing the end of their lives.

"You've had two now...Maybe you should ask Eugene what he remembers next time. He might remember something important..." John nodded his agreement. He was already thinking the same thing. What I really need is to see that first vision again...Maybe this time I could focus enough to remember something. A road sign, the car's number plate, a city name, anything! John's eyes widened as he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, but he knew no one was standing there.

"As you wish." Gene? Blue eyes widened as his body fell limp and his eyes rolled back.