The First Night's Always Easy
Who: Wally and Ash Where: In the car, at the new apartment (Camelot Place) When: Around 1:00
WARNING: Very NSFW
The car rumbled along pleasantly under Wally's feet, making his talons vibrate a little as he swayed to and fro on the dash to keep himself balanced. He wasn't concerned about being noticed; it was night, and he was so small he could easily be mistaken for a stuffed toy or bobblehead. His orange eyes were locked on the passing scenery. One of the better things about his affliction was that car rides were a lot more entertaining - he'd never before found movement so fascinating. It had occurred to him, of course, that this probably was connected with his occasional desire to eat small, furry, scurrying things, but he tried to tell himself that he had it under control. Traffic watching, now that was harmless.
Even so, he made himself turn away a moment later. The headlights hurt his eyes, anyway. Instead he occupied himself with inspecting the driver. Ash was pale, and he supposed women must find him quite beautiful - not that such things mattered to him. The vampire was his best friend and, in many ways, his teacher, and that was more important than anything so shallow as looks. This wasn't an unusual night for them, driving from place to place, eating at gas stations and crashing in motels. But as routine as it seemed, tonight was different. Tonight they were back in Michigan, and tonight they were going to get an apartment. They hadn't settled somewhere in almost two years now, but life on the road had worn both of them down. It was going to be a break. A few months to live like people again before they went back out, looking for a man who could be unrecognizable, or long dead. Wally let a hoot, gentle for him, though it was a bit sharp for those not familiar with his voice.
"Why don't y'get back into human form Wal?" Ash asked quietly, his eyes locked on the road. It was a dusky night, warm and serene despite the rains from the evening before. He felt almost content, despite the situation he found himself in with his friend. They were getting a home -- and a home was all he really wanted at the moment. His life savings was a little depleted, but he had a degree from a fairly prestigeous college, and work wouldn't be too long coming. It unnerved him to have Wally as an owl when they were on the road. He liked the conversation shared between them, and sometimes that was hard to get when Wally was in his were form. Besides that, it made him nervous to have the man he was bonded to sitting so precariously on the dashboard.
"We're almost there fella." He added as an afterthought, not wanting to sound too chastising. He was far from irritated with the smaller man at the moment, mostly just exhausted and looking for human companionship for the time being. "I can pull over if y'like, so y'can get out an' stretch yer legs, maybe get a drink." He wished he could still drink things -- in particular he missed coca~cola. The burn of carbonation and sting of caffeine. "Only got a little longer to go though."
Wally bobbed his head in a nod, hopping down and into the back, where his clothes were neatly piled. While Ash may have been concerned, Wally wasn't. He knew the kinds of reflexes Ash had, and seriously doubted they'd get into any sort of accident. He hesitated for a moment before he let the change happen, his bones popping and stretching as he grew back into his human body on the floor. It always hurt, but he was getting better at ignoring the pain. It only took him a moment to pull on his pants, and as soon as he was sure there weren't any cars close enough to see, he slid back into the front seat. He'd bother with the shirt later.
"No, no, let's keep going. I'm fine. We shouldn't make the landlord wait too long, anyway." He couldn't help but let a small grin creep across his features. "A place of our own, huh?"
Ash couldn't help the indulgent smile that overtook his features and he nodded. "Yeah. It's gonna be home. Like a real one." He liked the idea of that. Of having a place to come to and kick off your shoes, hang your hat. It was a fantastic idea. Something he'd been missing without even realizing it. "We can even go grocery shoppin' for you. Make your meals at home and all." He was smiling a little broader now, feeling accomplished. This whole change of pace was going to be a sort of adventure on its own. He liked that. Now that Wally was back in human form, Ash could smell him -- the mingling of skin and light sweat that all humans carried. It made his body ache all over with desire. This was a near constant for him though -- Wally's scent was more of a drug than his blood had been when he was a regular human.
Turning the wheel, he found himself on the street their apartment was located on, and his smile grew broader. "In the words of the great Willie Nelson, We are home." He laughed a little, and it was a light, youthful sound. There was a parking spot. Just for them, and he pulled into it, giving Wally a smirk and reaching out to ruffle his hair.
"I can't wait to start cooking again." Growing up, there had always been activity in the kitchen. Wally wasn't sure how his parents had managed cooking for themselves as well as for their restaurant, but he'd loved it. Cooking was always a comfort thing to him, and he'd missed it terribly. His smile faltered and faded, however, as his thoughts turned to his gentle, loving parents, and the brutal death they hadn't deserved. He could only hope that the were responsible was one of the ones they'd hunted down back in Dearborn. He turned to Ash, forcing a ghost of his smile back to his lips. Although the vampire had explained what it meant to be his bonded mate, Wally was quite oblivious to the torment his mere presence caused.
When they pulled up, the sight of the building and the sound of Ash's laugh brought a bit more light to his smile. "Home, huh? Oh, hey!" He batted Ash's arm away, but it was a playful gesture rather than an annoyed one. "You'll mess it up!" He ran a hand through his haphazard hair and grinned, pulling out a couple of stray feathers. He was quite aware that it never looked good at all after he changed back.
"You know I couldn't mess it up." He teased, in high spirits -- there were darker times of course, times when he was suffering through a depression and he would snap at Wally, be cruel or cold towards the smaller man, lashing out unnecessarily. Those times were opposite of how he was now, bright, cheerful. "Come on hot stuff. Lets get out of this entrapment of a car an' get into our new home, huh?" He laughed, stepping out into the warm summer night. The stars were brilliant in the velvet blue of the evening sky and he took a deep breath. It wasn't Kentucky, by any means -- but Michigan was almost as good -- sometimes, when he saw how happy being in his home state made Wally, it even seemed better. He flung one arm around the brunette, giving him a squeeze, and fought against the desire that welled in his stomach.
After a pause, his hand slipped down, grasping Wally's, and he tugged his friend to their place, where the landlord waited on the stoop. His eyes were dark, impatient, and with a few exchanged words, the keys were handed over. They were in the basement, but it was spacious, and they'd paid to have it furnished in advance. Pushing open he door, the blonde gave the younger man a bright grin. "Ta da!"
Wally nodded and hopped out of the car, pausing to pull on his shirt. He liked times like this best. He could pretend that things hadn't changed since he and Ash had first become friends, that they were still a couple of hunters out fighting the good fight and looking after each other. "Looks nice from the outside, doesn't it?" Well, after the long line of seedy motels, almost anything looked nice, but the building was solid and clean. He could call this home.
When Ash hugged him, he leaned into the embrace indulgently. The vampire tended to show his affection through touch when it came to Wally, and he'd long since accepted it as the norm. So long as there wasn't... another intention behind the contact, he quite enjoyed the closeness (though he was rarely the instigator these days). He caught Ash's hand as it fell and let himself be led over to the landlord, waiting quietly for Ash to get the key. After all, he'd been the one to set the whole thing up. Wally very rarely had to do the talking in their partnership, what with how paranoid and protective Ash was over him.
The grand reveal derailed his train of thought and he stepped inside, beaming. "Damn, Ash. It's perfect. I didn't think it'd be so big!" Well, it wasn't the biggest apartment ever, but he'd expected something rather cramped. It was a nice surprise. "Want me to grab our things from the trunk?"
"Nah, lets give it some time. Nothin' out there we need right away anyway." Wally's delight delighted him and his bright eyes glinted in the lights of their new place. "You like it?" He tugged the smaller man over to the couch, grinning wildly. This was good -- great even. "Tell you what man, we oughta lounge about an' shit, then maybe we could go an' get some groceries an' you can make yerself some real dinner an' I'll go out later an' get somethin' to eat." He gave Wally a side glance. He didn't like going out to feed without his friend -- didn't like leaving the smaller man alone for too long, or to his own devices. Before, he was comfortable taking the other man with him on feedings, or would simply feed off him. But now that was no longer an option. There was a stab of bitterness, brief but painful, and he pushed it away. "Oh wait, I gotta show you..." He moved again, excited about their new home. "Check this out." He pushed open the bathroom door, revealing a large and comfortable area with a huge shower and sit down tub, made of marble. "When I was a kid I dreamed about showers like this. We had a huge white tub that we filled with water heated on the stove. You never felt really clean 'r nothin. But now, I mean. Lookit it." It was said with pride, obvious and open.
Wally plopped down on the couch and let himself laugh softly. "Damn straight I like it. I wonder if the all-night supermarket's any good." He figured that was where they'd be getting most of their food. And by 'their food' he meant his food. Ash enjoyed smelling his cooking, but he couldn't do much else. And he couldn't even offer his blood anymore. It was in his nature to offer creature comforts to people he cared about, and he simply couldn't do anything for Ash anymore. While he didn't feel the loss as keenly as his friend, it did weigh on him. "You want company? I mean... they've got places you can, uh, buy blood now, right?" One of the reasons they'd come here was because the area was fairly open-minded when it came to vampires. Unfortunately, it was also open-minded towards weres, but you couldn't have it all.
As Ash jumped up to give him a tour, Wally smiled warmly and followed along behind, peering around his shoulder as he showed off the bathroom. "Impressive. Yeah, with all the time on the road, I haven't felt properly clean in a while myself. We'll be living like kings, my friend. How much money did you drop on this place, anyway?" He refrained from suggesting that Ash try out the shower right away, worrying that the joke would be taken the wrong way - that is, as an invitation. He wanted at least a little while in the new place before he had troublesome memories connected to it.
Ashley considered Wal's offer carefully, weighing the pros and cons. He really didn't like leaving him alone, and... well, if there were places he could get blood... it seemed reasonable. Safer too. He nodded a little, leaning against the bathroom door. "Sure, why don't you come with? We'll find onea' them blood banks or whatever and see what I can get." The idea seemed to calm his nerves and when Wally exclaimed over the bathroom, he looked in again himself, taking in the sight of it. "It was two hundred deposit, and four hundred a month rent. Paid off the first six months." There was pride in his voice and his hand moved, without consent, drifting down Wally's back, caressing there gently. It was an intimate and affectionate touch, one that his body commanded without consulting his mind. With the smaller man close again, he could smell his skin, his sweat, even the faint allure of his hair -- which always smelled so strongly of him it was maddening. His hand moved further, slipping around Wally's waist and he brought the brunette tight against him, his chest tightening as everything that was his companion washed over him. "Our own place." His voice was rough, almost a growl, and when he looked down at Wally it was almost predatory.
"There was that bar, remember?" Wally wasn't sure how the whole thing worked, but it was somehow comforting that Ash would be drinking from a bottle, so to speak. He couldn't help but feel a bit useless when he went out to find other warm bodies to feed from. He let out a low whistle at the cost. "We've got enough for groceries, right? -oh!" He swallowed suddenly as Ash pressed close. He knew those small gestures, and that look in his eyes. Just that was enough to make him sweat a bit more. "Yeah, ours. We going to find that blood bank or not?" He tried to keep his tone light, but it came out a bit strained. "I mean, we should get the fridge and everything stocked, or we're hardly moved in at all. And the bags are still in the car..." The babbling was a stall tactic, but he didn't really expect it to deter Ash. It never did.
"And we've got all night to do those things. If this is a vampire town--" and it most certainly was "-- then a lot of things are gonna be open all night." He shifted, facing Wally entirely now, and pulled him closer, their bodies meeting. He sometimes hated himself when he was overcome like this -- their friendship was very, very much platonic aside from these moments, and before the imprinting had happened, he'd had no attraction to the smaller man. Sometimes he felt like he was the passenger in a car driven by a hormone ridden teen. Still, his hands wandered down Wally's smooth shoulders to his hips, holding there gently. "Hey now..." His tone was soft, charming. He let his fingers pet gently, though the smell of the other man made him want to lose control. Carefully, he caught the hem of Wally's t-shirt and lifted it, up above the brunette's head. Once it was off Wal's scent wafted over him, cologne, sweat, skin and something entirely his own. Ashley shivered, leaning down, and pressed his lips against Wally's neck, feeling the hypnotic pulse. "I thought we could try out the new shower."
"Well... yes, it's not that late yet." Wally closed his eyes a moment, giving in with a small, shaky sigh. He knew it wasn't Ash's fault that he got into these... moods, but he'd hoped they'd be too busy moving in to let things go this far. He shivered at the gentle touch of his fingers, wishing he could just enjoy it and ignore the fact that it was his best friend touching him like this, and a man, at that. But it'd been years since he'd become Ash's bond, and it did get easier over time, if not more enjoyable. He lifted his arms to let Ash pull off his shirt, and stretched his neck out for him, eyes fixed on the ceiling. "If you want, sure." At least if he complied, it was easier to relax. Not to mention less painful for Ash, who knew that the were-owl didn't want this sort of affection from him at all. He licked his lips and pulled back a little. "I'll just... turn on the water, hm?"
Ash moved back, letting Wally go reluctantly. "Go ahead and turn it on, yeah. Fill the big tub..." He took a deep breath, feeling as though he were drugged. It was terrible that he couldn't help himself when he got like this. His head was heavy, hazy, and all he could focus on was Wally's body, his scent and eyes. He really was beautiful... shivering, despite there being no chill in the air, Ashley removed his own shirt and then slipped out of his pants, coming up behind Wally as the smaller man bent over to turn on the tub. He embraced the brunette, and let one hand wander down to the front of Wally's pants. The part of him that still had some control -- the sane, rational part -- knew that it would be easier for his friend if he was at least aroused first. His hand began to make slow, gentle motions over the soft shaft under Wally's jeans. He squeezed now and again, lightly, and let his tongue rake down the salt of the other man's back, tasting him and loving the taste.
They'd been together long enough that Wally knew what was coming as he adjusted the temperature of the big tub, but it was better he do it than the vampire. Ash could fill the tub with ice water and not notice, so he could at least be sure it was pleasantly warm. Still, when he felt Ash's bare arms around him, he bit his lip lightly and closed his eyes, drawing a shuddering breath that didn't have anything to do with arousal. "Hey..." He reached up and squeezed one of his hands, letting himself fall into a state of mind where he could almost forget who was touching him, so long as he didn't let himself think too much.
At first, he simply tensed and held his breath as one of Ash's hands moved over his groin, but slowly he let himself relax. He could feel his skin flushing and his heartrate going up, pounding in his throat as he imagined the few girlfriends he'd had before he met the vampire. None of them had been terribly serious, but the sex was at least mutually desired. With a small whimper, his cock began to stir under Ash's cold, gentle fingers.
Ash could heart Wally's heart. The sound thudded in his ears and reverberated through his head, making him a little dizzy. He missed being able to feed from the other man. Wally's blood was sweeter than wine, and far more intoxicating. Ash however, had self control, and it was easy enough to remind himself of just how toxic Wally's blood was to him. Holding back a quiet sigh of desire, Ashley allowed himself to focus instead on the feel of the flesh under his fingers, the scent of the brunette on the air. Sometimes he wanted to apologize to him for these moments, knowing they were far from mutual, but an apology never actually stopped the act itself from happening, and so he usually just let himself be taken for the ride, trying to enjoy the physical pleasure, as well as the intimacy it allowed him to share with his best friend. When Ash was like this -- sweet, regretful, affectionate -- it was hard to remember how hard and cruel he could be, how ignorantly domineering and harsh. He pressed a gentle kiss to Wally's neck, letting his cool hand close around the slowly growing erection. "Remember that time I took you to the beach and we built that giant sandcastle?" He murmured into the other man's ear. Part of him hoped to make Wally enjoy this somewhat, and his mind always went back to the only time the sex had felt remotely mutual. They'd spent the day in the sun (despite Ash feeling groggy and disoriented the whole time), had eaten (Wally a lunch that Ash had made for him, and Ash feeding lightly off the man who had been human then), and had built a sandcastle that stood nearly six feet tall. It had been a perfect sandcastle, far enough from the waves to stay remotely safe, and detailed enough to be a children's playhouse. Somewhere along the line Ash had tackled his friend into the sand, and unable to ignore his more animalistic urges, had begun kissing him. It was the only time he could remember Wally kissing back, and he thought that maybe his friend had been engrossed enough in the simple affection they shared as companions to forget his sexuality. The memory now almost made the vampire feel warm and he began to stroke the were gently, trying his damnedest to make the whole situation a little better.
The soft touches and sweet words melted Wally a little, sending a shiver down his spine. He let out a small gasp and nodded, staring off into the distance a little as he remembered. "That... that was a good day." Of course, things had been so much simpler then. When they were alone under the warm sun together, when he was still human and they cared so much for each other, there had been times he almost looked forward to that attention. He never loved Ash in a romantic sense, but the sex was simply... a way to show the depth of his affection. He could handle that. But he wasn't human, not anymore, and that weighed on him most heavily at times like these. He'd failed Ash by becoming this monster, and worse, his very existence now caused his friend anguish. He could never offer his blood, could never truly join him on a hunt without risking becoming corrupted by another were, and worst of all, he could never be turned. So while he didn't want and didn't deserve the attention, he relaxed back against his partner and moved against his hand gently, little noises escaping his lips as he grew more aroused.
Ashley continued to stroke the were, feeling the warmth from his skin and envying it. Wally was hard in his hand, the flesh smooth and silk and more appealing to Ashley than he could believe. He pressed gentle kisses along Wally's shoulders and back, and then slowly turned the other man, so they were facing each other. The bathwater was running and the tiled room filling up with steam. It was relaxing, even as his arousal made his body tense. "Why don't you get into the tub Wall?" He just wanted to grab the bodywash from the medicine cabinet, where it remained unpacked. The blonde reached into the cabinet and pulled out the small bottle and then returned to the tub, not bothering to test the water before sliding in. The bathing area was huge, more of a small jacuzzi than a bathtub, and Ashley had plenty of room to sit, inching closer to Wally and setting the bottle on the rim of the tub before bringing his friend near. "Try and... think of that time.... if it helps." He murmured and brought their lips together even as his hand found Wally's arousal again.
He rose out of the memories reluctantly, nodding as Ash stepped away. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to strip his pants off and slide into the tub, the pleasantly warm water making him shudder as it lapped at his groin. He watched Ash mutely, envying the grace he had in every step. He could see why someone would want that body, why they would need it and long for it. But the only time that sort of thing ever crossed his mind was when the vampire had been taken with passion like this, and he didn't have any other choice but to see that hungry, sexual creature no one else would ever know. He wanted to find that flattering, but it confused him more than anything. So he kept his mouth shut and reached down to stroke his hard-on as Ash stepped closer. Thank god he remembered some sort of lube this time; the other bottles were still in the car.
When Ash joined him in the tub, he reached out to place a hand nervously on the taller man's thigh, meeting his eyes briefly. Then those arms were pulling him close, and he hardly had time to nod before his lips were captured. Wally'd gotten quite good at being kissed. He let his lips be soft and pliable, moving a little against Ash without actually kissing back. Though he broke away a little with a gasp when cool, gentle fingers found their way to his cock again.
Ash inhaled, holding Wally close. Now that the smaller man was more genuinely aroused Ash could smell him more clearly. The scent was overwhelming, thick and heavy to Ashley's sensitive nose, and he felt his eyes dialate. The room swam into sharp, shocking focus, and suddenly Ashley's lust was overwhelming, impossible to hold back. He lurched forward, pinning Wally back against the rim of the tub, and began to bite and lick along the brunette's neck, pressing the occasional kiss here and there. His hands roamed freely, scratching along Wally's chest and stomach. His hips jerked on their own accord, and he pushed Wally's legs open, one hand dropping between them to probe at the other man's entrance. Warm water sloshed over the edge of the tub with his movements and the blonde raked his teeth along Wally's shoulder. "Fuck. Want you."
Even though he expected it, the change surprised Wally. He fell back hard against the side of the tub and grunted, wrapping his arms around Ash simply to keep steady. Otherwise he went limp and pliable, bearing his neck under Ash's teeth. "Ash! Be careful." He'd broken the skin once or twice, and that never ended prettily. He couldn't help but squirm and whimper a little as Ash's nails caught his skin, but he didn't resist it when the blonde pushed his legs apart. "I... I know, Ash. Just don't forget the soap, please?" He bit his lips, blue eyes pleading with the other man. Hoping he wasn't too caught up to forget his comfort. The few times Ash had left him with a healthy appreciation for lube. But he was caught up in another kiss and decided to just relax. The rest was in Ash's hands now.
Ash heard the smaller man's plea and nodded, just barely acknowledging it. One hand held Wally's leg up while the other grabbed the soap. He rose up out of the water enough to lather his cock in the pink colored body wash, pouring a liberal amount over his palm, coating his fingers well. The smell of Wally was overwhelming him, making him go wild, and it was with considerable self restraint that he slid his fingers into the tightness that was his partner, relishing in the semblance of heat he found there. He stretched out the smaller man a little, but all too soon his animal nature took over and he was pushing into Wally, holding him open as his hard cock pushed inside the brunette with little regard or warning.
Wally always tried to keep quiet, for Ash's sake, but it never quite worked. He bit his lip to keep from whimpering as Ash's fingers pushed inside him, familiar enough with the routine to let himself relax, but once the taller man was on top of him and burying his cock deeper with each thrust of of his hips, Wal couldn't hold back his yelps and whimpers. It took all his concentration to keep himself from tensing - that only made it hurt - but his arms tightened around Ash and his fingers dug into his back. It wasn't even that being fucked was particularly uncomfortable anymore, especially when he'd been so carefully prepared. Quite the opposite, in fact. Each thrust sent jolts of pleasure through his belly and groin as he squirmed, impaled on Ash's cock. It was the shame he couldn't stand. It swelled under his racing heart and flushed skin, reminding him with each touch of what he was, of how Ash deserved better than a failed hunter who'd become one of the monsters they'd sworn to destroy. Once the guilt and shame took hold they weren't about to leave him be; instead they grew with each kiss and thrust, overwhelming any hope he'd had of enjoying the sex as much mentally as he did physically.
"Nn. Wally." Ash's breath was short, heavy. He was mindless with desire, the feeling of the smaller man surrounding him intense and maddening. Wally was tight, and the water helped the movements along, making them easier, more fluid. "So good..." His hands roamed the other man's chest before dropping down and finding the heated and swollen erection that his lover was sporting. The feeling of that burning flesh under his hand was amazing, almost too much to endure, and he held the smaller man close, incredibly affectionate in this moment. His thrusts became more even, slower, and angled just right. "You're beautiful Wal." He meant each word and kissed the brunette's mouth after speaking, his breathless compliments all he could manage at the moment. Most times he hated his imprinting, found it unfortunate and cumbersome, but now he found himself thankful that he had bonded to someone like Wally. Someone sweet and gentle, who listened, who was a perfect companion, who was beautiful and smart and... a moan passed his lips as he moved within the younger man lost in all that was Wally.
His name on Ash's lips made Wally shudder and cling tighter. It was getting hard to breath, with the heat of the water combining with how close the two of them were pressed together, but he gasped and clutched at Ash's back, moaning into his shoulder. Water splashed everywhere as they moved together, and Wally was grateful for it. That way Ash couldn't see the tears trickling down his cheeks as pleasure overwhelmed him. Dammit, he wasn't supposed to be enjoying this! He didn't deserve to. It was almost easier when Ash smacked him around than when he was gentle like this, because when the vampire was rough he didn't have to deal with the tightness in his stomach and the rising pressure in his balls. He could think about something else and let Ash do what he wanted. But now, the pleasure grounded him absolutely in the present, and he couldn't escape. Perhaps a bit of him didn't want to, either. "A-ash!" The word came out breathless and weak - he meant to beg the man to finish, to get it over with, but the words died on his lips with a moan.
Ash gasped as Wally cried his name, the sound sending a jolt down his spine. "Je--Jesus..." He felt his balls tightening, the pleasure becoming too much, too soon. He held Wally as close as he could, their bodies moving together, their slick skin in tight contact. His movements sped up on their own accord, his hips jerking into Wally, driving his cock in further, and without thought the blonde man grasped Wally's leg, pulling it up and open, allowing him to move deeper inside. Now he was forceful, still pressing kisses along Wally's jaw but also rocking the smaller body roughly, the pleasure beginning to overwhelm him. A jolt shot down his spine, followed by another, and another. "Nng- God. Wally... you... fuck... love you..." And then he was losing himself, spilling into the younger man hard.
Wally didn't make it quite as long as Ash did, crying out as soon as his partner began moving more forcefully. The sudden change in position sent the pressure coiled in his groin shooting out and up through his balls and cock, heralded by a small scream as he briefly lost track of which way was up. His hands clawed at Ash's back as he desperately tried to support himself, the last few thrusts growing uncomfortable as his body involuntarily clenched around the vampire's member. But then he could feel his partner's release rushing into him, and the discomfort eased. He let his arms slip from around Ash as he slumped bonelessly against the side of the tub and panted. A thought crept its way into his mind then, as it often did on those rare times sex brought him all the way to orgasm; Ash owned him. It seemed like that sort of idea should scare him, but right now, while he was still impossibly relaxed and woozy, it was comforting. Ash owned him, protected him, and saved him from becoming a monster like all the other weres they'd fought. It was times like this when he realized just how damned lucky he was to have such a friend.
Sometimes, when two people are particularly intimate, they can share a sort of happy telepathy, so it was really not so strange that as Wally was reflecting on Ash's possession of him, Ash was thinking Mine. Mine. Mine. He relaxed against his lover, holding him tight, holding him close. He buried his face in Wally's neck, inhaling and pressing a kiss there. He could feel the heartbeat under his skin, and cursed the were blood that ran through those veins. "Love you Wally." It was said weakly, almost defeated. He knew the smaller man didn't return the feelings, and that his own emotions were triggered by his bonding to the were, but he couldn't help but feel it... but say it. He loved Wally, down to every inch and if... if the other man hadn't been bitten by a were, there might have been time for Wally to learn to love him in return.
There wasn't a bone in Wally's body that protested Ash's tight embrace right now. He leaned against the blonde's cool chest and just breathed in the smells of soap and sweat and sex. His hand crept down to meet with Ash's and he twined their fingers together gently. "You... you're the best goddamn friend I've ever had, Ashley Lauder." It wasn't enough. It wasn't the 'I love you' that he knew Ash wanted to hear. But it was all he had to give right now. "Mm. I think we've tested out the shower pretty thoroughly, huh?" Oh, he was going to be sore the rest of the night, and they still had to move all the boxes inside! Oh well. Maybe he could have Ashley do most of it.
"Mm. I feel that yes, the shower has been tested appropriately." He slowly slid out of the other man. "Come on. You should lie down on the couch, I'll take care of the boxes and everything, you just sit on the couch and look good." He was stifling a look of hurt. He knew the smaller man didn't love him, but it was still painful to behold every time. A single crimson tear leaked from the corner of his eye and he wiped it away, shuddering as he climbed naked out of the tub. "Once you've rested up, we'll get you some food, huh?" He swallowed dryly and grabbed a towel, wiping off.
There had been times where Wally had considered lying. He'd certainly thought of telling Ash that he loved him, and that everything was okay between them. But the idea just didn't sit well with him. He couldn't bring himself to lie to his best friend, even to make him happy - Ash didn't deserve that. "Yeah, all right." He propped his arms on the side of the tub and rested his chin on top. "Could you hand me the other towel? And we're getting you some dinner too, don't forget." They'd need to figure out where you could go in this town to buy blood. He had to admit, that was a major convenience he thought they'd never have. "Don't worry about my chains and all tonight. We've got a couple weeks still to set that up."
"Okay. Sounds good." Ashley handed the smaller man a towel, feeling sated and a little sad. Still, they had a life together now, in a place they could call home, and perhaps Ashley would find his brother. "We'll go to that blood bar maybe... heme. I read about it before we got here." He wasn't starving, by any means, but his thirst was there, gnawing quietly at him. "Otherwise we can just go to a blood bank. I need to get one of those special vampire ID's. People still think I'm seventeen some days." He finished drying off, admiring Wally's body for a moment before throwing on his jeans and heading towards the bathroom door. "I'll go get the boxes." He could do it fast too -- his preternatural speed was the biggest blessing of being a vampire.
Wally stepped out of the tub and dried quickly. He never tried to hide his body from Ash, after all, what would be the point? The vampire had seen him naked and vulnerable in ways that he'd never thought anyone would. He had nothing to hide. "The vampire bar? Yeah, that'd be, um, interesting. Do you suppose they serve regular drinks there, too?" It'd be nice to have somewhere to go where they could both have some refreshment. "And you don't look seventeen." Well, in Wally's opinion, anyway. Ash seemed far too mature and in charge to be that young. Then again, most people didn't believe that he was thirty, either. "Thanks, Ash..." He tugged on a pair of boxers after his friend had left and went to find out how comfortable their new couch was.