• Home
• Stories
• Musings
• FanArt
• About
• Links
• Blogs

Fiction~~The Last Pure Human~~Ch. 37

Rui followed the others through the halls in a lust-filled daze. The familiar golden light was too bright to his eyes. The polished stone was slick under his feet and felt icy against his hot skin. His loincloth chafed horribly. His cock was so erect the slick head peeked over the top of it.

His flesh burned down through to his bones.

 He blinked fuzzily at the males in front of him but none of them smelled right. He needed…something else. They passed a doorway on the left that smelled promising and he turned. Maybe it would help?

One of them men – was it Mick? – took his arm and led him back. Mick said something in a mumble. The sound was too low, muffled into an irritating buzz. The smell hadn’t been that good; he could follow again. And they were heading toward more people. He knew that much. More people meant he could find someone who smelled just right. They could take away the unceasing, brutal heat.

He could think of some who would be perfect. Like that blond girl from town, Nisha. Or Aosh. All the guards watched Aosh when he wandered by. Or Zerard. Rui’s body shuddered, nearly having a dry orgasm thinking about him. He’d been so pretty when they’d met at the shift change. And gentle. 

What he wouldn’t give for someone that bright and sweet. Someone who could overshadow the memories of the Haven and the jungle and that awful, unending darkness. Zerard’s scent, the funny half-bend to one of his ears, the shy smile - Rui wanted him. He’d go find him.

He moaned under his breath, palming his erection with his free hand. What was Zerard’s shift today? Or had he gone into the Purists’ Haven? He must have; everyone had.

Rui could find him. Zerard shouldn’t be in that Haven, not now. Kasan had Max, so they should…it should be all finished now. Shouldn’t it?

Rui shambled behind Mick, trying to remember the way to the Haven again. Every thought was melting ice, slipping away with only streaks of purpose left behind. He had to find Zerard. They were going…somewhere…so he could find Zerard.

They walked through an enormous doorway Rui was sure he should recognize. It was filled to capacity with shifting men and women, the sharp and bitter scents of medicine and fear in the air with the smell blood underlying it all. Rui bared his teeth, swaying once before he shook his head to try and clear it. He wasn’t sure which way the other men had gone. Did they know where Zerard was? Had he been following them or not? He couldn’t think!

Two women appeared in front of him, mouths working. Rui stared blankly and wondered faintly why he couldn’t hear their words. He just wanted them to leave him alone; he’d find Zerard on his own. Rui moved to pass them and was stopped by another hand on his arm. Mick again. Mick smelled of blood, heavy dirt, and fungus. Not fear, though. Rui stared at Mick’s fingers, wondering at how soft the skin looked.

“Rui, dear, the healers are this way. They need to look you over and then we’ll find you a partner right away. Rui? Davin, I need some help here. He’s very close. We need to hurry.”

Led by the arm in Mick’s grip, Rui followed them, nostrils flaring. Some of the men and women around him smelled good; he could have one of them. The one in pink smelled so ripe that her scent glowed. Except it wasn’t Zerard and Rui wanted it to be him. He wanted that smell.

They walked faster and suddenly Rui’s ears popped, as though they’d been stuffed with wool and he’d just taken it out. Noise buffeted him. People rushed by with piles of supplies in their arms. Men moaned and cursed on blankets or pillows on the floor, bandaged, with metal loops and sutures. More men and women moved around them offering food and water and comfort.

But none of them was Zerard.

Someone yelled out Kasan’s name. Rui stepped back nervously as a small stampede of people surrounded them beaming and reaching out to touch him or the bundle in his arms.

Kasan finally had to push past them and Rui followed quickly, stumbling. Why wouldn’t everyone get out of their way? Rui wanted them to tell him where to find Zerard but he couldn't seem to find the words. He fumbled silently after them, trying to find him by scent. Was he here?

“Yes, Max is fine, but he needs a healer.” Kasan’s voice repeated a variation of the same phrases over and over again before it took on a deeper growl. “I need you to move, please. We need to see Frodi; my consort needs to be looked at.” 

Kasan was muttering under his breath after they pushed through. “Where are their heads? They should be able to tell we need a healer without my repeating it over and over!”

“They were worried about you,” Mick chided. “You can’t blame the family for what they do when they worry.”

“Yes, I can. Max needs help and they are keeping him from getting it with that shit.”

Davin snorted. “You can be such a worry-bird.”

“And you can be such an ass.”

They made it to a doorway into another room, #2 on the plaque at the side, and Kasan peered in. He was back out, cursing, before Rui caught up

Kasan reached angrily for the nearest healer, realized it was a female, and gripped the arm of the male next to her instead. “Where’s Frodi? He was supposed to be in room #2!”

The man yanked his arm free, growling at Kasan. “I have no idea! We’re too swamped to keep track of things like that!”

Kasan growled back, crowding him, and the woman stepped between. Kasan immediately backed down, giving her space. She rolled her eyes. “Frodi was helping with surgery the last I saw him. We have it set up in the back there. But everyone is helping where it’s most needed so he could be at triage, or lesser wounds, or one of a dozen places! Start with surgery and go from there.”

Kasan mumbled a thank you and Rui followed him. He thought he might have caught a whiff of Zerard’s scent this way. Maybe. And Mick was leading Rui again anyway. They headed to the other side of the room where a series of curtains were set up in a near maze of small, isolated areas.

Before they could enter, Zonta walked out from behind one, his shoulders slumped and his torso and loincloth covered in blood. Rui caught a glimpse of the man bandaged and lying on a pallet behind Zonta before the curtain closed.

Kasan reacted first. “Zonta!”

Zonta’s head popped up. “Kasan? Kasan! You’re all right! Is Max…why is he wrapped up like that? What happened to him?” Zonta’s hands were already reaching for Max as he spoke, frantically looking for some sign of wounds. Rui stared at the curtain.

“What happened to Max?” Kasan shouted. “What happened to you? You need to get back in there for a healer to look at you!”

Zonta blinked then stared down at his chest and seemed to deflate. “Not my blood,” he said quietly, swallowing. Kasan probably responded but Rui was no longer listening.

“I need to go there,” Rui said hoarsely, and tried to move. Mick wouldn’t release his arm. “I need to go there. It’s Zerard.”

“All right, Rui. I understand, but you need to-”

Rui yanked his arm free with a heavy jerk and darted behind Zonta, ignoring Mick and Davin’s protests, and then he was in. Zerard’s smell hit him like a mallet to the head; he swayed, stunned. Zerard lay on a pallet on the floor, very pale, naked except for the bandage around his abdomen and his calf. He looked over and stared in confusion before his eyes cleared.

“Rui,” he whispered. Then he smiled. “I’m glad you’re all right. I’d wondered.”

Rui swallowed. He needed to talk, if he could figure out the words. “What happened?” Rui crept forward, taking in everything, including another strong inhalation of Zerard’s scent. He needed it so badly. If he could just….

He heard Mick and Davin behind him, Zonta following behind, and a small ‘oh, shit, this isn’t good.’ One of them called out for Zonta, asking questions about Zerard’s injuries.

“Spear,” Zerard said quietly. He smiled again. “But my troop carried me all the way back. They were amazing. The healers said I’ll recover with enough rest.”

Rui nodded, not really listening, and moved in closer. He was content to look at Zerard. Touch him. Or roll on top of him until there was no distance between them at all. So pretty.

Zerard was hurt. Rui could smell the blood. Except under that he smelled so, so good.

Zerard’s nostrils flared as he stared at Rui. “You’re in heat.”

Rui nodded, swaying. “I want you.”

Zerard’s eyes widened, his pupils dilating. “Me?” His voice was squeaky, but he didn’t move from the floor. “But I… haven’t been ripe for very long.”

“You’re ripe enough,” Rui growled. He could smell it. “I want- Would you-?  I need a consort. I…would you-?”

Mick and Davin came up on either side of him. “Rui, he’s injured. Maybe if you had more time, he could heal a bit and it would be all right. But you can't wait, Rui. Zerard’s too injured.”

Zerard looked at them all and swallowed. “You want…me?”

Rui nodded, falling to his knees next to him, still swaying. “You’re so beautiful. And brave. And sweet. Want to know you; don’t have time. Please-”

Mick reached out again, choking. “Rui, I’m so sorry, dear, but you have to find someone else. We can let your husband know about Zerard, so he’ll expect you two to …be friendly while you’re mated…but Rui, you can’t.”

Zerard’s ears flattened and a small growl came out of his mouth. “Yes, he can.”

Mick’s hand stilled. His ears jerked in surprise. “Zerard?”

“I want him to.”

Zonta came up behind them both and looked down at Zerard. He was silent a moment; Rui prepared himself to fight if they tried to take him away. He wanted Zerard!

Instead, Zonta crouched down and brushed Zerard’s hair away from his forehead. “It would hurt, Zerard,” he said softly. “You could do it, with help, but it will hurt, because Rui will have to move to get it done. Don’t you want to think about it?”

Zerard gripped Zonta’s hand, eyes pleading. “I know, but I can do it. They said I’m stable, didn’t they? The nanites repaired the worst, where the veins were cut, didn’t they say that?”

Zonta nodded slowly. “You could do it, yes. Are you sure, though? I’m not exaggerating about the pain; there is no way this won’t hurt.”

Zerard nodded back, looking up at Rui and Rui had never seen anything as wonderful as the want on his face. There was something else there, but all he could think was that Zerard wanted him. He was willing and he wanted him!

Zonta swallowed and looked at Mick and Davin. “I need to stay and help. Zerard got hurt helping me. I owe him. Could you get one or two more people to aid us? Someone to hold Zerard’s other leg, and two for Rui, to restrain him if he loses control?”

Rui could tell Mick and Davin had backed away. He heard a murmur of assent behind him, heard Kasan’s voice talking with someone when they opened the curtain, but he never took his eyes off of Zerard’s smile, even when others trooped in and began touching him, taking off his clothes.

He never took his eyes off of Zerard.

Warmth seeped into his skin, spreading down to his bones, and Max couldn’t be happier. He felt like he hadn’t been warm in ages. Although the smell could have been better. It smelled like the empty terrarium Max had forgotten about for a few weeks in the garage. He turned his face away and yawned. He could take care of it in a second. He wanted to enjoy the heat for a little while longer.

Another yawn and he tried to stretch his arms above his head except they didn’t move. Crap, caught in the covers; he hated that. Max pulled fretfully at his arms but he didn’t put too much effort into it. He was still too warm and tired to bother. The covers were being really damn stubborn, though. What were they made of today, octopi?

Max opened his eyes and smiled as the first thing he saw was Kasan’s face. “Hey,” he said softly. Kasan glanced down with a soothing half-purr and Max leaned his head back. He felt much better already. He almost fell back asleep until he realized that the pleasant rocking motion was Kasan’s stride. Max wasn’t in bed; Kasan was carrying him.

Why was Kasan carrying him? He looked around, disoriented.

They weren’t even in Kasan’s room. He didn’t know this place at all. Max was pretty sure that should scare him out of his own skin but he didn’t have it in him. He was so tired, and he’d been so freaking scared for so long. And Kasan had him. Kasan wouldn’t let anything happen.

He wasn’t frightened when Kasan was around. But he still wanted to figure out what was going on.

They were in a huge room, noises echoing through what seemed like a giant hotel lobby with tapestries on the walls and rugs underfoot. And there were a lot of people, as many as there had been at their wedding. They dwarfed Kasan and Max both, ignoring them to rush past in every direction. Most disappeared into areas cordoned off with large pieces of blue and red cloth.

Something was going on. Max started to wake more, shaking off another layer of sleep. No one attacked them; they weren’t in danger. But Max noticed that most people’s ears were flat against their heads or twitching like mad. Their shoulders were tense, their strides were quicker than he’d seen before. And their voices were more clipped. He might not be able to understand what they were saying, but the cadence of the language was different today.

How had Kasan and he gotten here, and what were they doing here?

The last thing Max remembered clearly was Kasan, and Kasan had been…oh yeah, the sex fiend to end all sex fiends. Max closed his eyes and tried to breathe through the heat that instantly pooled in his belly. God, he’d been….

That had been insane and, well, amazing. Sex with Kasan was always amazing. How did he do that?  Kasan had made Max beg him for more in front of a freaking audience. Max didn’t even know how long those other cats had been there! Which was…he wasn’t even going to think about it. He couldn’t; his face would combust into flames. But they were going to have words because Max was not a stripper, or a- a public sex-er, and these cats had some serious issues about watching Max have sex all the time. The next time Kasan and he had sex, there had better not be people watching.

Max swallowed. The next time they had sex. There was going to be a next time they had sex. Max had really done it. He’d found Kasan. Kasan was freaking alive.

“Who’re you kidding. You’d probably have sex with the jerk even if you were sex gladiators in a full coliseum of cheering cats and dogs,” he mumbled.  He would, if it kept Kasan was alive. When he’d thought Kasan was dead, he just….  He couldn’t do that again. That had to never happen again.

If Max had to have sex in front of people every day for the rest of his life in order to keep Kasan alive he didn’t freaking care! Or, not too much. Or well, yeah, he’d care a lot but he was totally willing to do it because Kasan was worth it and Max…loved him.

Max opened his eyes to peek up at Kasan’s face, just to prove to himself that Kasan was okay. God but Max was so stupid. How the hell could he love Kasan? He couldn’t even really talk to him yet! And it didn’t seem to matter. Kasan was sweet, and gentle, and he tried to be thoughtful even if he sucked at it. He was freaky protective and he had a hell of a temper but never let it out at Max. And his eyes sparkled when he smiled and he looked at Max. Really looked at him, and he seemed so genuinely pleased and proud over everything that Max did. Max had never, in his life, had someone so happy to see Max just being himself.

Although Kasan was kind of crazy pushy about sex, but Max could sort of understand that if you lived on Extreme Sex Planet you might get a little crazy about sex and hey, everyone had their flaws, right?

It all boiled down to something Max had never had, not with his parents, his friends, or his lovers: Max felt safe with him. Kasan wouldn’t ever hurt him on purpose. On accident, oh sure. Max hurt himself on accident all the time; he couldn't see how anyone else was going to avoid it. But Kasan tried so damn hard. And he cared about Max. Max wasn’t sure how it worked for cats, how they felt, if Kasan’s behavior meant he liked Max just a little or felt something more but still.

Kasan cared. Hadn’t he come after Max? He must have, if he’d ended up in the forest. And when it had grown so damned cold Kasan had held him close, kept him warm, and….

He didn’t really remember much after that.

And Max should start thinking of something else soon, if he didn’t want to start blubbering. Max looked around again. The stone of the walls had the same golden tones as Kasan’s room and the dining hall. The prison Waran had taken him to didn’t. That stone had been different. Did that mean they were back now? Kasan had found the way back already?

If they were home, why was Kasan so tense? Max could feel it in his arms and his chest, and see it in Kasan’s ears and the muscles of his face. He wasn’t growling, but he wasn’t happy.

Were they not safe yet? Had Max been mooning over Kasan like a freaking tween while there were Waran-cats around them? What if they hurt Kasan? Max’s head jerked, cataloguing everyone around him frantically for a few seconds before he could relax. No, most were ignoring them, or smiling as they passed. They didn’t look like they were dangerous.

Aside from being alien cats who were a billion feet tall and could crush him like a pomegranate seed.

Why was Kasan so worried?  Max swallowed, unsure what it meant,  “Kasan.”

Kasan rocked him gently and continued walking. “Shhh, Gisho. Almost there.”

Had he just jiggled him like a baby?! “Not cool, Kasan.” Max tried to lift his hand to point at Kasan – he had to make sure Kasan knew Max was serious – and finally realized why he hadn’t been able to stretch before.

He was wrapped up like a mini-cat mummy. Max sighed. He should be pissed off, probably, but like this was the worst thing that had happened in the last few days? Not even close. “Kasan, let me out.” He thought he knew why he was bundled up like this, a vague memory of Kasan and the others trying to warm him up, but it wasn’t that cold anymore, and Max would kind of like to move.

Kasan didn’t look like he’d heard him. “Kasan. Hey, unwrap me!”  

Kasan flinched, his eyes dark. “Shhh, Max, I won’t hurt you. I swear. You don’t have to be so afraid, little one. I swear I won’t hurt you again.” He didn’t stop walking.

Why wasn’t Kasan stopping, not even to talk with him or find out what was wrong? There were all these cats Max didn’t know and Kasan was acting weird and Max couldn’t move. It was beginning to give Max the creeps. “Dammit, let me out, Kasan.”

“Just a moment, Gisho. They said Uncle Frodi is in triage now. He’ll help you. He’ll make it better.”

Max tried to head butt Kasan’s chest and gave himself an instant headache. Kasan’s pecs were made of solid cement. Max glared at them and wondered if he could get enough traction to bite him. Or maybe lick him. Kasan would let him out for licking, too. Licking would be like an invitation to insta-sex, wouldn’t it? Of course it would. Kasan would turn around and find the nearest wall. Max would be out of this mummy-wear, and life would go back to normal with Kasan screwing Max against another wall.

Max flushed. That had been pretty amazing. Insane, but amazing. And he wanted it. And licking would be a good way to get it. And even if he didn’t want it, he could put up with it, if he had to.

Oh who was he freaking kidding. He wanted to have sex right now just as much as Kasan always did. His dick was erect and rarin’ to go and that was after they’d had so much loud jungle sex that there were probably giant monkeys who needed therapy now. Because Max knew better than anyone that were just some things you could not-unsee. 

Like Kasan’s cock.

Crap. He was doomed; the planet really had made him a nympho sex maniac, just like everybody else. His dick was giving orders and his ass was driving and he was just along for the ride. 

“I blame you, Kasan. I will blame you for the rest of our lives and when we are eighty-year-old sex maniacs I will still tell you how much your fault this is,” Max told him. “And you can’t even understand a word I’m saying. Well you know what? Too bad! If you wanted to know just how much your fault this is you should have learned English, shouldn’t you? Yes, you should have! And you want to know why? Because then I could say I love you and you would know and realize that that’s all your fault too!”

Kasan stared at him, confused.  “Max?”

“No, I’m not saying another word. That’s all the talking I’m doing. I’m ignoring you now.”

Kasan glanced at him once more and then ignored Max like he couldn’t even tell that he was supposed to be upset. He poked his head behind a bright crimson sheet-wall-thing. Two men knelt there facing each other. Both had dark brown hair in a solid braid down their back and dark eyes, but Max didn’t think they were too closely related. One was older and his features were less narrow, more like Kasan’s. He was putting small metal piercings along the length of deep wound in the other’s arm. There was blood smeared along his arm and coating the man’s hands. Max swallowed.

He really, truly didn’t even want to know.

“I need you as soon as you’re done, Uncle.”

The older cat didn’t glance up from what he was doing and Max stared at his profile. He looked familiar. “And it’s lovely to see that you’re alive and well, too, Kasan. You’ll have to wait.”

“Max is hurt.”

Wait, this was about Max? What were they saying about him, then?

The man’s hands didn’t pause but his ears twitched in Kasan’s direction. “You can have the room two doors down. I’ll be right there.”

“Thank you,” Kasan said hoarsely. He carried Max past the curtains and into another area enclosed in hanging fabric. It was curtained away from the general room, with enough space for three, maybe four cats to sit comfortably. A pallet was on the floor with a small closed box next to it.

It was empty. They were alone.

Max’s dick knew exactly what that meant and did a little cha-cha of throbbing to let Max know. Stupid dick.

 Still not speaking, Kasan sat cross-legged on the pallet and plunked Max in his lap like he weighed nothing. Max waited impatiently for Kasan to unwrap him and get started. Kasan rocked Max once in his arms and that was about as much patience as Max had.

“Kasan, get this crap off of me!”

Kasan rubbed his hand over Max’s head, then trailed his fingers of the curve of Max’s ear. Max shivered. Kasan’s hand stopped. He laid Max down on the pallet.

And sat there. Naked but wearing a freaking red scarf. What was that about? And he left Max, the frustrated human sausage, lying next to him untouched.

“Kasan!” Max writhed. He managed to roll himself over onto his stomach accidentally and his face flumped into the stupid pallet. Cursing, Max twisted his head wildly, trying to breathe. “Kasan, help!” He felt like a worm in a cocoon!

“Gisho, what are you doing? You’ll suffocate like that.” Kasan’s hands shook as he reached down and turned Max onto his back. Max gave him the glariest glare he could muster up and Kasan finally, finally seemed to get it. “Oh. The wrappings. Of course. I’m so sorry, little one. You don’t need these anymore at all, do you? I’ll get them off.”

Max heaved a sigh as Kasan very quickly pulled off the thin cloth, unwinding it from around Max.“I wish you could understand; it’s so close to spiking again that it’s hard not to take you right now, little one. But I won’t. I swear I’ll be gentle, Max.”

Max’s hands were free first and as he started helping unwrap his legs Kasan sat back, letting him finish. Max stretched the second he was done. Being bundled up like that was really claustrophobic. It was such a relief to be free.

Such a drafty, kind of cold relief. Oh yeah, naked. Again. He flushed and grabbed at the pile of cloth he’d just taken off, shoving a wad of it in front of his crotch. “You know, just once, I’d like to end up with more clothing as the day goes by. That’d be great.”

Glancing up, he saw Kasan staring at him, pupils blown, and Max’s nipples pebbled. His ass clenched and felt slick. And it didn’t hurt. He’d just had the most sex he’d ever had in his life, all in a few hours of time. His ass should be so sore he wouldn’t be able to sit for a week, but all it felt was slick and, well, empty. What the hell was up with the feeling empty all the time! He was not a car in need of more gas!

…although a little fill-up…

“Crap! You are putting these terrible metaphors into my head, Kasan!”

Kasan didn’t grin at him like he usually did. He flinched, hands dropping to his sides.

“Kasan?” Kasan smiled weakly. Max stiffened, the hair on his neck standing up. “Kasan, what wrong?”

Were those bad guys outside? Had Kasan been trying to- to fool them or something? Did Max and Kasan have to try and escape? Max had thought they were safe, out in the forest, but there had been the other cats with them. Maybe they hadn’t been so good? He struggled again trying to remember. Cold and wind, and then darkness, but no matter how he tried, he still couldn’t remember what else. What else had happened when he’d been out of it? And…

“Androcles, where is he?”

“Ando-kees is in my room, Max. Nothing’s wrong. You’re fine. Uncle Frodi will make this better.”

So Androcles was good, and something was better. Well then what was the problem? Had some people from the jail cell come in and-

Wait! “Kasan!”

Kasan jumped. It was such a surprise that Max almost lost his train of thought again – Kasan, jumpy?  What weirdness was that?

“Kasan, need help Shoru. In the-”

“Don’t worry, little one, he’s already taken care of.” A pause just long enough for Max to let him know he was using words that Max didn’t know. “Shoru is safe, Max. Waran is in a cell, Gisho. He won’t hurt you again.”

Max nodded, leaning back onto the pallet. He squirmed again as he began to notice more about his own body. He was filthy. There was dirt on his knees, green and brown mossy smears over  his stomach, and he thought he felt a leaf or two against his back. And dried semen was, well, everywhere. By the pulling sensation on his face as he frowned, he suspected there was even cum there.

He didn’t want to think how he had to look right now. No wonder Kasan hadn’t tried to have sex yet. Who would want to have sex with the Swamp Thing? 

Shit, where did they keep that cleaning oil stuff? “Kasan? Can I wash? Uh, bathing pool? That’s the right word, right?” Max mimicked bathing himself and he though Kasan finally got it when he turned toward a small box next to the pallet. He looked through it quickly and pulled out a bright emerald bottle of oil and a small cloth.

He offered both to Max and once again stepped back. Where was the pushy Kasan that Max knew? He wasn’t getting in his space, or putting his hand in places they shouldn’t be, nothing.

Max looked around quickly. They were alone, right? Yeah, no other cats. And Kasan was right there, and Max still felt empty and, well, Kasan was standing within touching distance but he wasn’t touching. And Max was pretty sure that he should be.

He carefully wiped his skin off with the oil until he was feeling shiny and smooth – this stuff really was awesome – and then Max very deliberately cleaned his cock. Like he remembered Kasan doing, slowly stroking himself over and over.

Kasan’s cock popped to attention like a soldier in the army of gay.

Max smiled until he saw Kasan’s face. It was frustrated, not aroused. And then annoyed, which was weird beyond words. Kasan looked betrayed by his cock. That was usually Max’s department. Kasan was so big and ass-kicking and he could win Olympic medals in anal sex. Max had never thought he’d see him look embarrassed. It was actually kind of cute. Weird, but cute.

Max handed over the cloth to Kasan and when the big guy looked like he was going to put it away, Max gestured to his body. Max was not the only one who’d been rolling around all over the ground. Kasan hesitated and Max gestured again, as emphatically as he could manage when talking to someone a billion times his size. 

“If you ever want sex again, clean off. I mean it. I will not just lie back and take it if you- Well, I mean, I wouldn’t have that much of a choice, because you’re freaking strong as a wild mutant ox, but I’d…I’d complain a lot, Kasan. A lot. You’re ears would bleed. And I can still kick you where it counts, as long as you’re lying down, and grab your tail and stomp on your toes and don’t think I won’t! So…clean up.”

Kasan quickly wiped down in the most unsexy way possible that was still pretty much sexy as hell, because this was Kasan. He was always sexy, even wearing half the forest floor as a body suit. And Kasan’s hand had been on his own cock, which could not be unsexy, ever.

Would Max ever get to touch that? Their sex was always so fast and crazy and Max never got to. And the more he thought about it the more he wanted it. He could imagine wrapping his fingers around it and sucking the tip into his mouth. What would it taste like? Kasan’s mouth was honey and coffee, was his dick, too? Or something else? Max didn’t even know what Kasan’s cum tasted like.

Why did he even find that sexy? He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t, but he really, really did. He wanted to make Kasan come and lick it off of him.

That would be…kind of awesome. He’d never thought touching some guy’s junk and licking his cum would be a good thing, not ever, but no guy before was Kasan. Kasan was…he was special.  Hey, maybe Max wasn’t even gay. Maybe he was just Kasan-gay!

Kasan turned around to tuck the oil in a corner and Max eyed his naked body. Those huge shoulders tapering down to his ass with the black furry tail swishing uneasily behind it. Max swallowed, harder than before. The emptiness in his ass grew deeper, like some phantom cock was pushing its way inside. As though wild Tarzan sex wasn’t enough to keep his ass happy anymore. They had to do it again.

Well, gay or not, he was definitely Kasan-gay.

He watched Kasan take the red scarf from around his neck and only realized what it was when Kasan started to wrap it up into a loincloth. Okay, that made much more sense. More than walking around naked while wearing a scarf, anyway.

Why would he do that, though? Max had come on to Kasan – Kasan noticed that, right? Max didn’t come on to just anyone and Kasan was the first guy ever that Max had made shown any interest in and what does he do? He puts on clothes!

“You suck, Kasan.” Max reached for the pile of rags next to them and put them over his shiny, clean dick. Not that Kasan seemed to care. And maybe Max sulked just a little bit, but in a manly way. Because he wasn’t a cat denied his next catnip fix, for god’s sake. He was a normal male, who was normally annoyed by his normal giant cat husband normally putting on clothes.

Fuck.

He thought he was justified in feeling denied. Nudity between them had almost never ended in non-sex. They had sex all the time. Sex was, like, Kasan’s hobby! Why weren’t they having it now? Max wanted it now. But when Kasan turned around with his loincloth all finished up, he didn’t even come over, just stood there watching him from a few feet away.

Max had saved him. They’d had the sex marathon of the ages. Why was he acting this way? If they were home, and safe, and that wasn’t the issue, then what?

Had Max…had he screwed up something? He knew he’d messed up before. He always seemed to do that, but he thought he’d fixed it. He’d fixed it; Kasan knew Max wasn’t scared of him and Kasan was okay now and it was better. Max had fixed it. Max swallowed and patted the area next to him. “Come on. Why don’t you sit down here?” Please, please sit next to him. It was beginning to scare him a little.

Kasan stood near the edge of the curtain, staring at him with the fakest smile Max had ever seen, and didn’t move. What the hell was going on? Why was he acting like this? Had the sex been wrong? Had Max pissed him off? Did Kasan not…want to want Max anymore?

“Kasan, what wrong?” His voice did not quaver. It didn’t! “Kasan good?”

“Shhh, Max. Don’t worry so. You’re safe now. And I’m doing well. Kasan good, Max.” Whatever he’d just said was so obviously a lie that Max wished he’d understood it all. He would have be money it was the cat version of ‘everything’s fine, nothing to see here, move along,’ and was just as believable.

He didn’t know how to call the cat a liar in Hinta, though.

Because Kasan looked, well, he looked so damned sad. What-

A small throat clearing outside the curtain was their warning before the older Kyashin from the other room walked through the door with a leathery bag in his hand. Seeing his face full-on, Max finally remembered him. He was familiar: the molesting guy! He’d been the one to feel up Max’s legs after that stupid room where he’d climbed up the curtain and fallen!

The man walked over to Kasan and wrapped his arms around him. That freaking jerk! They hugged tightly then stayed close, talking in low tones.

He was hugging Kasan and Kasan was letting him. Kasan was letting him and Kasan wouldn’t even give Max a hug, or a kiss, and he was barely fuzzing the top of his head like he was supposed to because that was…that was their thing. 

Max clenched his jaw, fighting back the panic welling up in his gut. Kasan better not be thinking about tossing him over. Max had saved him! That…that counted for something, right? He thought they were married; this asshole couldn’t have him.

“Kasan mine!” he blurted, before realizing just how stupid that sounded and biting his tongue.
They both looked at him, Kasan surprised and the other one looked more amused than anything. Yeah, that was what Max lived for, his moments as cat comedy relief.

“Still feisty,” the man chuckled. “That’s a good sign. He doesn’t look too damaged.” 

“I think - I hope - he escaped before the Purists were able to do anything to him, but- In the forest, he-” Kasan stopped, his ears flat, and he closed his eyes.

Max felt even worse. Kasan looked awful! What the hell was he saying?!

“He was hurt, Frodi. I took him without even waking from the grip of the heat, and he needs healing. We…the Need’s calling already.”

The man gripped his shoulder. “You’re spiking now?” Kasan nodded and the other man hugged him again quickly. Max really, really wished they would stop doing that. “I don’t even want to think about how close it must have been. I’m just glad we didn’t lose you. Now don’t worry, I’ll check him over, make sure he’s as bandaged and healthy as I can make him before you need each other. He doesn’t seem to be suffering too much, from what I see. How long do you think we have?”

“Less than half an hour, if I’m interpreting right. And he’s limping. There was…damage…and he- I- He’s limping,” Kasan said helplessly.

“I’ll treat him carefully, Kasan. You know I will. I shouldn’t need nearly that long to examine him.”

Kasan nodded morosely. “I- I need to go find a room for us. He’ll probably want…privacy, so he can show you…where it hurts.” Kasan choked. Max felt like he was watching someone bleed out onto the floor. “I’ll be right back. But you need to stay with him! He can’t be left alone. I know you wouldn’t hurt him, Frodi, but I don’t know if there are others here who might take him. Waran-”

“Yes, I can understand why you’d be cautious. Don’t worry, he won’t be left alone.”

Kasan looked at Max, his lips tight. “Stay, Max. Frodi will…make things better. I’ll be back for you when he’s done.” He left the room without another word.

What the hell? No! Kasan couldn't leave him!

“Kasan? Kasan! Where the hell are you going, Kasan? You can’t just leave me here with some strange, molesting cat! Kasan!” Max jumped up and cursed as pain radiated up from his feet. He fell back onto his ass trying to stand without using his feet. “Ow, dammit! Kasan!”

“Shhh, calm yourself, little one. He’ll be right back. I won’t hurt you. Let’s see what’s making you flinch like that, though. There’s got to be something there.”

Max glared at the man who was talking to him with a tone any human being could recognize, like Max was a three-year-old kid. The guy didn’t even notice, his ears doing some kind of happy dance on his head. And who the hell even was he? The last time Kasan left him with a cat he’d been kidnapped! And now he’d left again and why wouldn’t Kasan jump Max anymore!?

“Dammit, Kasan, who the hell did you leave me with?”

“I’m sorry, Max, I didn’t understand that.”

Max watched him carefully, then pointed to himself. “Max. I’m pleased to meet you.” Then he pointed to the guy and waited. That was clear enough, wasn’t it? At least he’d know his name. So he could yell it when he kicked him in the ankles.

“Of course. I’m Frodi. Pleased to meet you, Max.”

Okay, with that out of the way. “Frodi, what…what do you…here?”

Frodi blinked and then snorted a laugh. “Kasan didn’t even bother to tell you, did he?  Poor boy doesn’t have enough blood left in his brain, I imagine. Eh, don’t worry, I’m here to make it feel better.”

Max wasn’t sure he’d caught that right. “Feel better?  Feel…good?” That did not mean what Max thought it meant, because if it did, he was going to quietly panic….except he was done panicking. Kasan wouldn’t do that to him. He knew that. He knew it. And panicking was old Max, and Old Max was dead. New Max didn’t panic until he knew what was going on, because New Max had made it through that damn maze of corridors and crazy cats and the giant forest and –

“Aaaah, get away from my legs!”

Okay, so maybe he needed some practice still, but the damn cat had just come over and started grabbing! What the hell was he supposed to do? Max hunched at the side of the pallet and looked around for places to run to. Like the curtained slit Kasan had walked out of.

Frodi frowned at him, crossing his arms. “How in the world does Kasan expect me to do this if you panic when he leaves? Max, I, ah, I need to see where you’re hurt. Hurt? Pain? Like this.”  Frodi punched his own leg, making an exaggerated face and saying the cat version of ‘ow.’

What?

He pulled out a small vial from his bag. From the smell, Max would swear it was the same stuff Max had smeared on Kasan’s cuts. Frodi rubbed it over his leg where he’d just smacked it.

Oh thank freaking God! Healing! Kasan had brought him to a doctor. Max’s insides unclenched and he felt unaccountably choked up. Kasan didn’t hate him; he was getting him help. Because he was always helping out Max that way, wasn’t he? And Max had better make sure this Frodi looked Kasan over when he came back. Kasan could have been hurt too. and they’d rolled all over the dirt and leaves and Kasan had those nasty cuts from the thorns the other day that could get infected.

Except…. Max rewound his visual of Kasan’s back and ass in his head and frowned. Had he missed all the cuts over Kasan, or had he really seen smooth, golden skin and nothing else? No, he wasn’t that oblivious. There hadn’t been any cuts on Kasan. Max looked down at his own body, remembering the scratches and scrapes he’d collected trying to escape in the forest and goggled.

He didn’t have any either, and he knew that bark had scraped up his dick like a cheese grater, but…it was fine now. He looked over his arms and his legs quickly and the only thing that hurt were the bottoms of his feet. What the hell? He-

No, you know what? This was not panicking. New Max, no panicking. Because getting some super-powered healing? That was good, not worth panicking over. Maybe it was, like, another STD, to make up for the first one. Alien sex herpes and alien healing cooties. He could live with that.

“Max? Max. Max.” Frodi waved his hand in front of Max’s face.

“Uh, what? Sorry, what’re you saying?” Max flushed.

Frodi smiled briefly and pointed to Max’s body. “Ow?” He held up the lotion.

If they had doctors, then either not all cats could heal like this, or not everything healed. Like his freaking feet. “My feet are killing me.” Max planted his ass on the pallet and stuck his feet out. They were really tender now. He was pretty sure they were swollen, and standing on them when he’d tried to go after Kasan had started them throbbing again. It was like he could feel the prick from every thorn he’d stepped on stabbing with cold needles.

Frodi came over and made concerned, doctoring kinds of noises over Max’s feet, at least that’s what Max hoped they were. “No wonder you’re hurting! I’m betting that stings like mad, you poor thing. Morelenta is about as nasty as it gets.” He grinned, patting Max’s thigh with a bit too much familiarity for Max’s comfort. “Lucky you’ve got nanites now, eh? They’ll have it sorted in a few days but I have something you can use for the pain until then.”

He paused as if waiting for a response. Max tried to look as confused as possible, which wasn’t hard because he had no freaking clue what the man had just said. “Oh, right. Here, Max, for Max’s hurt.” He put the previous lotion into his bag and grabbed a small jar of salve. When he opened the top, the scent was much sharper, like cinnamon and lemon. “Put this on your feet, like this.”

Frodi dipped a finger into the balm and rubbed a small dab on the sole of Max’s left foot. It went tingly and hot almost immediately, the pain ebbing as the heat grew. The heat was strong, buzzing, almost hot enough to burn, but if it took the pain away, that was all Max needed to know.

“Here, Max, you do the rest.” Frodi handed him the bottle and grabbed a tablet the size of a playing card out of the bag. “I’ll type out the instructions for Kasan. Not sure if you can understand enough yet, dear, and you’ll need this.”  Then he paused. “Max, more hurts? More ow?”

He started gesturing and Max shook his head quickly. “No, Max no hurt.” And then very nonchalantly but faster than the speed of sound, Max pushed the fabric scraps that had fallen off back on top of his dick .

Frodi went back to jotting something down on the tablet and they both jumped when the curtain was yanked open.

“Frodi, we need you! Abdominal stab wound; we can’t get the bleeding to stop!”

Frodi nodded tersely and scribbled fiercely for another second on the tablet before he tossed it to Max. Max grabbed it and fumbled, nearly dropping the tablet and balm both. “Give it to Kasan, Max! Now come on. I promised Kasan I wouldn’t leave you alone. He can find you with me.” He scooped up Max, dropped the fabric preserving Max’s dignity, and scrambled from the room.

“Woah, woah, woah! What are you doing? Wait, what’s going on? Where’s Kasan! He said I was supposed to wait there!” Max raised his voice to yell, looking around frantically as Frodi continued striding along so fast Max couldn’t even see the room he’d just come out of. What was he doing? Doctor or not, he wasn’t supposed to take Max away! How would Kasan find him? Max shoved at him, struggling. “Kasan!”

The woman trotting next to them spoke up. “Is he all right? What’s wrong with him?”

Frodi didn’t slow down, tightening his grip. “He doesn’t understand what’s going on, that’s all. And he was just kidnapped by Waran, so I imagine he’s somewhat unsettled right now.”

What if Frodi was actually another bastard cat, like Waran, only pretending to be nice! Or even just a jerk cat like some of the ones Kasan still talked to even though they scared the crap out of Max!

“Let me down right now, you bastard! Kasan! Help!” Max tried to punch him in the face and missed completely. Frodi sighed.

“Like I said, a little unsettled. Shhh, Max, it’s all right, little one!”

“Screw you, jerk! Kasan is going to kick your ass!”

“Yes, Kasan, that’s right, Kasan will be coming. He’ll – Oh thank God. There he is, see? There’s Kasan.” Frodi stopped and pointed out Kasan sprinting toward them from across the room. Kasan was panting, claws out, and he snatched Max out of Frodi’s arms the second he was close enough. Max had no compunction about latching onto him like a baby freaking monkey. Everyone kept trying to take him!

Kasan’s bellow hurt Max’s ears. “What the hell’s going on, Frodi?!”

“Don’t you snarl at me! He’s still with me, isn’t he?”

“Max is frightened!”

“He’s an adult; he’ll live,” Frodi snapped. “I have an emergency; lives take precedence over comfort, so shut up and listen. Your consort needs medicine applied. Check to make sure he’s done it right; the directions are on the tablet.”

“But what about-”

“I don’t have time, Kasan! Take him to a room or don’t; I’m needed elsewhere!” The last was said over his shoulder as Frodi strode away, talking rapidly with the young woman at his side.

Kasan growled after him but his arms were wrapped around Max and Max couldn’t care less about Frodi. He was with Kasan again; whatever the hell was going on, he could figure it out as long as he was still with Kasan.

Kasan nuzzled the top of his head and Max arched his head a little into it before he stopped himself. So he enjoyed Kasan touching him. So what? He could do that, now. 

“It’s all right, Gisho. I have a room for us. Max and Kasan together, understand?” Max nodded and Kasan sighed heavily. “It’ll be fine. I’ll make sure it’s fine. We can do this. I’ll be gentle this time; please, Max, don’t be afraid.” He stared intently at Max and Max didn’t know what he wanted. What did Kasan want him to say?

He didn’t have a clue. So Max smiled and rubbed his hand over the smooth skin of Kasan’s chest before leaning his face on it. “Max happy,” he said softly. Kasan caught his breath, resting his face on the top of Max’s head for a long moment before he started walking. Okay, so Max hadn’t screwed that one up.

Something was still wrong, but Kasan didn’t look like he was worried about the people around them. He wasn’t watching them as he made his way through the crowd and out into a hallway. And he was holding onto Max so he didn’t look like he was leaving again. Whatever it was that was bothering him, at least he wasn’t still mad at Max.

Max had just fought off giant cats, giant dungeons, giant trees, giant spiky slime balls, and giant dogs. He could do this too. As soon as he figured out exactly what it was.