Warden felt something gently sift through the damp plumes of his left wing, enticing him to stretch the appendage. After a few moments of that attention he was able to figure out that someone was running a cloth slowly through the pinions.
Cerat?
Drake had run out to get dinner, and unless he came back silently, which was impossible, he would have woken up. He felt a hand rustle against his hair at the thought, then a cool puff of air blew over his ear. A shiver involuntarily ran through his body, earning a quiet chuckle from Cerat.
"You're awake."
Guess there's no way I can hide that fact now.
Blinking sleep from his eyes, Warden yawned and began rubbing at his left one. He realized at that moment that he had a blanket over most of himself, and Cerat was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Warden asked quietly as he pushed himself up, flexing his damp wings.
Cerat shrugged and tugged on a pinion. "Just helping a bit. I was bored."
"You were bored... so you decided to dry my feathers while I was taking a nap?" Warden asked, an unenthused expression on his face.
When Cerat grinned, fangs and all, Warden rolled eyes and fell back against the pillow, letting his wings splay out on either side of him. The left one dipped slightly to the floor while the other took up the entire right side of the small bed, then hung over a little.
"You're hungry, yeah? You could have just woken me up the normal way." He said as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, giving a clear signal that Cerat could drink.
He didn't hear anything for a few moments and was about to open his eyes back up when he felt the bed shift from Cerat's weight. He did his best not to tense, expecting the bite at his throat at any second. When, instead, his mouth was covered by cool lips, Warden jerked his eyes open and reached up, grasping Cerat's shoulders.
He tried to gently push him away, but Cerat grabbed onto his right shoulder with one hand and tangled his other hand in Warden's hair. The actual kiss was surprisingly gentle considering how strong Cerat was holding him.
A few slow, light knocks against the wooden frame by the door had Cerat leaning back and glancing over his shoulder, allowing Warden to see Drake standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.
"Hey leech, let's have a chat, yeah?"
Warden could here the anger in his voice, but was shocked about how well he was holding back. He wasn't even trying to pull Cerat off the bed or anything. Thankfully, Cerat didn't challenge him and got off right away, then walked over to stand in front of Drake.
They watched each other for several moments before Drake glanced over at him and lifted one hand to point. "Stay there, War. I won't kill him... yet."
Drake turned after that warning and walked out of the room, Cerat following and closing the door behind them. They walked out into the living room and as Drake pointed to the sofa, Cerat sat. He then pulled up one of the old chairs from the table and put it a foot or so away from the vampire before dropping down into it.
"Alright, for some reason, my wolf doesn't want to tear you apart, but he sure as hell isn't happy about you trying to encroach on something he wants. So, why are you after my chicken? There are plenty of poultry in this city." Drake said, crossing his arms back over his chest as he leaned back in the chair.
Cerat leaned back, too, but just settled his hands on either side of him as he shrugged. "I like him. He's sweet, in a frustrating way. I didn't think that when I first met him that I'd become attached."
Drake rolled his eyes. "The only time you're attached to him is when you're sucking on his neck."
His words actually got a chuckle from Cerat. "Yeah, I suppose." He replied before leaning forward a little to sit up straight. "What about sharing?" He asked.
The question drew Drake's eyebrows downward and added a scowl to his face, but he didn't reply right away. His wolf was actually thinking about the idea.
What's gotten into you? Why are you even considering this? Where did my ferocious nut job go?
His wolf snorted in his mind in response, but still seemed content with the offered situation. Rubbing a hand down his face, he sighed and shook his head.
"Why should I share with you?" He asked as he removed his hand to lock gazes.
Cerat leaned forward, a small smile on his face. "Because, weather he realizes it or not, he likes me, at least a little bit. He also thinks that I'm his responsibility, which technically, I am, whether I like that information or not."
Drake bared his teeth, but when the gesture got no rise out of Cerat, he grumbled and looked away for a moment before glaring at him. "I could always get rid of you. With the blood you've been drinking, you've gotten stronger, but that doesn't make you a match for me." He said.
"No, it doesn't. But do you think that Warden will be happy if you kill me just because you want him to yourself?" Cerat asked, looking a tiny bit uncomfortable.
Normally, Drake would take advantage of the slip up, but he bit his tongue and thought over his words before replying. "No, he'd find a way to neuter me."
Cerat nodded. "And he would never forgive me for trying to hurt you for such a reason, too, even though we both know that it's very unlikely that I'd win in a fight."
Drake started nodding, but then caught himself and growled. "For such a reason." He repeated. "Nice catch there, leech. Sadly, you're probably right."
They stared at each other for several long minutes before their attention turned to the bedroom door as it was opened and Warden stepped out. He hadn't changed, and Drake didn't hesitate to stare at his bare chest, and everywhere else.
Should have taken your pants off.
Standing up, he walked right up to him and reached around to grab the back of his head, then pulled him forward into a hungry kiss. He could tell that Warden was hesitant to reciprocate it, especially with Cerat there. After a few moments Drake felt a certain vampire nudge his way halfway between them so that he could get to Warden's neck.
A growl echoed around the room from Drake, but besides that, neither of them reacted. Warden was the one to disengage them both after a minute when he carefully detached Cerat's mouth from his neck, then stepped away from him and Drake.
"I don't know what you two discussed, but please, enlighten me, because I can't believe that your wolf isn't doing anything about Cerat getting in your way. You two almost seem like you made a deal or something, and I have an awkward feeling that it involves me... and was without my permission." Warden said as he took another step back, inciting Drake's wolf to try and get him to stalk forward. It took a lot of effort to stay where he was standing, especially because Cerat took a step forward right away.
"You're right, we were discussing you, War." Drake said as he forced himself to take a step back. "I think you've grown on your little leech a bit, and for some reason, my wolf doesn't want his innards displayed on the sidewalk for looking at you that way."
The look on Warden's face was one of utter disbelief. Drake definitely understood. He couldn't figure out what his wolf was thinking, either.
"Let's just accept that my wolf has temporarily gone more insane than usual and I agreed to let Cerat sniff around you a bit, to a point..." He sighed, looking down at the floor before returning his attention to Warden. "What do you think about it?"
Warden looked like he needed to sit down, but when Drake started forward, he lifted a hand, immediately stopping his advance.
"Just, give me a second. Both of you." He said as he backed up until he hit a wall, then slid down it to the old carpeted floor.
Warden tucked his wings behind him as best he could, then took a deep breath in, then out. He was mumbling to himself off and on over the next few minutes and the stress of not having an answer quickly brought Drake's wolf out to pace back and forth on the carpet.
Cerat squatted down, relaxing in that position without a single issue concerning balancing. Drake wanted to run up and headbutt him, just to knock him over because he was staying so still and he couldn't do such a thing himself.
"Alright, let me get this completely straight." Warden said finally, drawing both of their gazes to him immediately.
"You two discussed sharing me in a sexual way, without me being present? And made decisions behind my back?" He asked, his tone more than a little unhappy.
Drake flicked his furry ears and glanced at Cerat as he glanced back at him and pursed his lips, neither of them wanting to open their mouths.
Warden stood up and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at both of them, waiting for a response.
I want to lick his chest.
"I'm not going to be some bottom in your two's orgy fantasies." He growled, impressing Drake's wolf with how animalistic it sounded.
When he replayed what he'd said in his head, however, Drake shoved his wolf back and shifted. "Hell no you won't!" He nearly shouted. He wanted to get up and run over to Warden, but forced himself to stay seated. He doubted he wanted him near him at that moment, and definitely not while completely naked.
"I'm not sharing you that way with him." Drake growled, glaring at Cerat as he spoke.
Cerat returned the stare with a raised eyebrow, and when Drake returned his attention to Warden, he looked just as confused.
"I want you to belong to me... I just, possibly, wouldn't mind him around you slightly physical, sometimes. That is, if you want him to be... or I mean, if you want me to be, too." He mumbled quickly, rubbing a hand through his messy hair. "Fuck, I don't know what the hell I'm saying."
There was an awkward silence for several unsettling minutes before Warden shook his head and headed for the door. Drake shifted back to his wolf form and hurried to follow him as he left the apartment and jogged down the stairs, then exited the building into the alleyway.
Drake had to skid to a stop abruptly when Warden then turned on him, pointing down at him with narrowed eyes. "I need some time alone. You're watching Cerat until I'm back."
Unable to verbally decline, and knowing that he shouldn't anyways, Drake nodded his fluffy head, then sat down as Warden turned and lifted his wings, then thrust them downward. He shot upward, but only for a brief moment before stumbling back down to the ground and nearly falling into a giant puddle of rain water and muck.
"Dammit, really? He only dried one section of one of my wings?" He shouted, making Drake's wolf's nose twitch with humor.
When Warden spun around to glare at him, he glanced away, pretending that he had seen nothing.
"Just watch him Drake, please." Warden sighed.
Looking back at his best friend, Drake nodded slowly, then watched as Warden tucked his wings against his back and turned, then walked away, disappearing from his view moments later.
I hope I did the right thing... but, fuck. It's me. I did the worst thing. He thought before turning and solemnly trudging back inside.