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After Ekon had slinked his way out the door to wait outside, Swayer had led August over to some fur to sit.
"Now, child, what ails you?" The male's green eyes crinkled into crow's feet at the corners as he smiled reassuringly.
With a deep breath, August started, "Well, I feel weird. It's hard to explain and it changes depending on the situation... It kinda acts up." His explanation was nearly cryptic. In his defence, it was hard to know how to start on the topic of how he seemed to be inexplicably developing a flash crush.
Nodding in understanding, Swayer started with his typical questions. "When did this start?"
"I'm not sure."
Sighing inaudibly, he asked patiently "How about you give me some examples of when it 'acts up?'"
August fidgeted with his fingers, twisting the strands of fur he was seated on; how could he explain the situation without sounding crazy? "I think I have something like Stockholm Syndrome."
Noting that August had avoided his question, Swayer pressed, "And that is...?"
Not particularly apt at explaining, August fumbled over his words, "Like when a person falls in love with their captor or person abusing them. But my situation is different... Ekon didn't exactly kidnap me. Though he did kinda coerce me by giving me an ultimatum..."
Nodding his head, Swayer patiently waited for August to continue.
"He made me feel cornered after he found me. I don't like him, but my body and brain are weird when it comes to him. It doesn't make sense!" Listing it all out simply made August realise how stressed, embarrassed and overwhelmed he truly was.
Things were so different from what he knew. He'd been doing his best to take things in stride, to be strong, to survive and learn. Now, he was realising that he'd really only been sweeping everything under the rug. August felt like curling up into a ball and crying.
Seeing August's distress, Swayer reached out between them and patted August shoulder. He had an inkling of what was happening, "I assume this started after you and Ekon mated the first time?"
August nodded sullenly, unable to speak through the heavy constriction on his chest. He felt crushed under the weight of everything.
"It's ok August." Swayer started, "It's normal for males to quickly develop feeling for the one they mate with."
"But it's not like that where I'm from!" By that point August was a sniffling mess. "I don't want to have feeling for him! Or any other 'mate' forced on me."
Pulling August into his arms, Swayer offered comfort as he rubbed circles on the small male's back. Swaying as he spoke, "I'm not saying you should forgive him for what he did. By all means it's a conversation you and him should have. Although I understand why he probably did what he did, it's not my place to say." Listening to August's quieting sniffles, he continued, "However, know that there is nothing wrong with you."
"But I have feelings for him when I don't want to." August interrupted in a wobbly voice.
"Hush child, let me finish." Swayer patted August's back as he continued, "Developing feelings so quickly is part of the forming bond between any male and his mate. It helps them develop instincts to care for and please their mate." Attempting to lighten the mood, he added in jest, "It just goes to further prove that you're a male."
August couldn't hold back a snotty giggle. Talking had somewhat help lighten the load he felt pressing down on his shoulders. However, curiosity quickly got the best of him, "What about females?"
"Those, child, are confusing creatures that I have yet to understand. The bond develops differently for them. Usually, it's their choice who to mate into their family. That is, unless if she is found alone, unattended, and in danger. Like in your situation." He added before continuing, "Then, the male who finds her has a right to become one of her mates. Afterwards, she can choose to ignore that male. However, more often than not, if the male is capable protecting and providing, then she will appreciate him."
"That's so messed up..."
Chuckling, "We're creatures of instinct."
Feeling better, August sat up and shuffled back from Swayer, "So that's why Ekon said he had a right to claim me if I was female... But why did he say he could still claim me even though I'm male?"
Resisting all urges to head out the door and cuff Ekon behind the head, Swayer grimaced, "It goes to show that he was desperate for you." Not wanting to continue the conversation any further, "I think we've kept your mate outside for long enough. He'll be busting my door down if we make him wait much longer."
With an unconvinced nod from August, who clearly had more questions, the two rose to retrieve Ekon.
Having heard his cue to enter, Ekon burst through the door and vaulted for August. "I'm so sorry! August, my mate, please forgive me." He practically cried as he cradled the small male to his chest. This time careful not to crush the air out of him. "I don't know what came over me when I saw you. You caught my heart at first sight, and I just had to be your mate. I didn't care if you were male or female... I'm so sorry I made you feel cornered."
"I thought I taught you not to eavesdrop on other's conversations." Swayer had his hands on his hips, much like a displeased mother, while he agitatedly tapped his foot.
Ignoring the older male, Ekon continued, "It wasn't my intention to hurt you. I see now that I was being selfish. Please, my mate, please give me a chance. I'm so -"
"Quit making a fool of yourself!" August squeaked, absolutely horrified at Ekon's rambling.
"But will you forgive me?" Ekon's eyes were once again glassy as he stared down at August in his arms.
--
August huffed as he pushed the embarrassment of the morning and the ensuing awkwardness as they'd left Swayer's hut from his mind. Rehashing the events was not going erase them or change them for that matter.
Instead, he focussed his eyes on the well flattened dirt path they walked back to Ekon's shelter. Counting stones that had been thoroughly trampled into the earth was a decent distracting. So far, he'd counted twenty-one. There were more than that, but he'd lost his count each time his mind wondered back to the events just passed.
Nope. Who was he kidding? Counting stones was not a good distraction.
Switching his attention to passerby, he noticed a female unsurprisingly flanked by a horde of males. However, it was not the reverse harem – which he had quickly noted to be the norm in this world – that had drawn his attention to the group. It was the male with a basket strapped to his back like a backpack. Three small beige furry heads with even fluffier round ears popped out of the opening and swayed as the basket jostled. Three sets of large curious eyes eagerly explored the environment from within the basket containing them.
August slowed his pace when he made eye contact with one of the furry creatures within the basket. He was unable to withhold his cooing when the lion cub flicked its ear and sneezed. Quickly losing interest in the black-haired human, the cub's attention instead when to a nearby stall the male carrying them passed.
"Don't eye other lions so much, you already have one." Ekon grouched as he took August's attention away from the cubs. There was an undertone to Ekon's voice that August couldn't quite place.
Unsure how to answer, he cast a confused and slightly disturbed look at Ekon.
"If you want lion cubs so bad, we can make some." The male whispered in a husky voice, his breath splaying over August's ear and sending shivers down his spine.
Walking – figuratively – right into Ekon's trap, August asked, "How?"
In case Ekon's heated gaze was insufficient in conveying his intentions, then his proud member definitely got his point across.
Eyes the size of saucers, skin aglow, and feeling a shameful stirring in his own loins, "Hell to the N.O." August didn't care that there was the bond bringing them together, no way was he up for kids, babies, or 'cubs' any time soon. He still hadn't even wrapped his head around the idea of him – a male – being able to get knocked up.
Though by the look of Ekon, he'd be needing to accept the 'fact' sooner rather than later.
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Jan 10, 2022
Edit uploaded June 14, 2023