Bonding and Bite Marks

Packing

"We're supposed to be packing," Lin murmured as he accepted another heated kiss, purring low in his throat as their tongues tangled. John hummed his agreement as he knelt on the bed with his arms locked around Lin's neck, eagerly pulling him down. Lin rested one hand on John's arched spine as the other stroked his pale cheek, enjoying the way his body trembled at his touch. He drew back a little to take in his flushed cheeks and hazy eyes, enjoying the swell of love in his chest. "You've just come out of heat...shouldn't you be a little less eager?"

"You're probably right..." John trailed off, though the rush of affection he could feel coming from his mate was enough to keep him from feeling bad. "But I'm not ready to let you go just yet," he admitted needily as he leaned against Lin's chest and breathed deeply. Lin's spiced scent wrapped around him like a comforting shroud, warming him from the inside and making him feel safe. Lin chuckled softly as he climbed onto the bed and eased their bodies down, sensing John's glee as he settled in his embrace, content to be held.

"I booked a hotel in central Kyoto. You said the area we need to find is around six kilometres from the city, so it'll be easier to have a central base." That sounded like a good idea. They didn't know exactly where they would be looking, besides the fact that there was water. At first, John had thought it was the sea, but it could just as easily be a lake, a river, or even a reservoir. If only I'd had more focus, I could have seen more! John tried not to let his frustration leak into their bond. "Don't get any ideas," Lin chided as he turned on his side to look down at him.

"What?"

"You know what..." John could feel Lin's worry seeping into their bond and lowered his gaze, remaining silent. The thought of trying one more time, of asking Gene to let him see it again, had crossed his mind more than once. I'm so sure I must have missed a crucial clue, but...He felt Lin's grip tighten, almost crushing his smaller body against his chest. Watching John suffer, feeling the fear and pain flood their bond, watching as he'd stopped breathing and feeling his body twitch and die in his arms had been terrifying. "I never want to see that again," Lin grumbled as he brushed his cheek against John's soft curls.

"I'm sorry..." John replied quietly, gripping Lin's shirt and nuzzling him in reassurance. Much as he wanted to see it again, he couldn't put Lin through it. He also knew that Gene wouldn't agree to it. Last time had come too close, and he didn't want Lin to worry either.

"There's no guarantee that seeing it again would help...It's been over a year now. The area may have changed." That was another good point. A lot could happen in a year. A landslide, weathering, the sign may have been removed, the barriers could have collapsed, the plants and trees could have been cut down or overgrown. "Either way, you've given us more information than we could have dreamed of. We know it was close to Kyoto, and we know what happened. You've done more than enough." Lin wasn't sure how he'd gone for a year without realising how precious John was.

While John had been thought of as a beta, he'd never taken any sexual interest in him, seeing him as no more than a young colleague. He'd never considered it in his wildest dreams. He was always hesitant to get close to people, and didn't build trust easily. Prior to their mating, he'd actually been closer to Takigawa, but even then, it was just a professional closeness. John had always been kind, gentle and sweet, and he'd thought that perhaps he would have made a fine omega, but he'd never dreamed of the closeness they would share. It often amazed him how precious he was to him. He smiled as he felt John's feet twitch against his leg, a sign that he was happy and content.

"We won't be able to begin the search if we don't pack." In truth, he was just as reluctant to leave the comfort of their bed as John was. John's heat had ended, but the closeness between them lingered, as it would for another two or three days. John grumbled his agreement, and they finally parted. Packing didn't take very long, they simply threw a week's worth of clothing into a shared case. It was a forgone conclusion that they would share a room. Lin also packed a road map for the Kyoto area and marked up a few key sites to visit before checking in with Naru and Takigawa.

Takigawa answered for both Ayako and himself that they were packed and ready to go, though Ayako was busy at the hospital. Naru would be returning home the next day, but he always kept a bag ready to go, so he was packed. Mai was also getting ready as they spoke. Yasuhara wished them luck, but as was usual, he wouldn't be joining them. His studies and other work kept him quite busy these days. Unfortunately, Masako was out of town with other work at the moment, so she would also be unable to attend. With everything ready, Lin returned to John's side to lavish him with attention.

"What will we do about Sebastian?" John asked suddenly as they headed down to the kitchen. It was late in the afternoon and he hadn't eaten since breakfast, which had been a small meal of toast and tea. "We can't take him with us," he added as he followed Lin, who opened the fridge thoughtfully, dark eyes roving over the mostly empty shelves.

"I've already asked Yasuhara to stop by once a day to keep an eye on things," he replied distractedly as he grabbed a box of eggs and some vegetables. John hopped on his usual stool and folded his arms, leaning his chin down to watch him work. He was somehow elegant as he sliced the peppers and onion, and the clean sound of the knife as it chopped was soothing. Lin huffed softly as he sensed John nodding off in his seat, lulled by the sounds of whisking and the crackle of oil in the pan. Lin roused him gently to eat the omelette he'd made and then led him back up to their living area.

They spent a quiet evening reading, though John nodded off in his window seat more than once. Lin eventually took his book away and moved him to the sofa, where he covered him with a light blanket. He was truly bewitching as he slept. He looked so peaceful. Long eyelashes brushed his plush cheeks, his lips had barely parted to let out soft breaths, and his body curled up as he huddled on his side. His hair felt soft as Lin ran his long fingers through the curled strands, only pulling back as John murmured and turned in his sleep. Lin's heart warmed as John sleepily nudged closer to his teasing fingers. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on John's soft lips, hearing a faint mumble in response. He smiled warmly as he settled on the floor to watch over him as he slept.