44 Chapter 44 - not sick

Declan slowly closed his eyes, willing his sanity back into his body.

He turned around, hiding the literal explosions going on in his head with a calm mask. "Is that what you want?"

Faun earnestly crawled to the edge of the bed like he hadn't been expecting a positive response and now that he had gotten it, he didn't want to lose it.

"Yes, please." He answered quickly with a hopeful look in his soft green eyes.

Declan had to hang his head for a few seconds. "Alright." He agreed after taking a deep breath. "Let me get you some water first."

He forced himself not to run out of the room, there was no need spooking Faun even more. He had to stop to catch his breath in the hallway though, also in the living room, and again in the kitchen.

He was more affected than Faun and his rut hadn't even started, he had to get it together. It wasn't his fault though, he hadn't expected Faun to pull a surprise on him like that.

Ninety-five percent of the time he spent in the kitchen was putting himself together, the remaining five percent was actually getting the water.

Don't get him wrong, it wasn't that he didn't want it, he just wasn't ever going to take advantage of Faun's naivety that way, he knew his limits.

So it meant that Faun had to be the one to make the first move, he was merely concerned about his control snapping.

Faun probably had no idea how much it meant to ask someone to help with his rut and that was fine, Declan was an honourable person. If he had an angel and a demon on his shoulder they would both probably pass out from laughing at that.

Well, maybe not an honourable person, but he could try to be for Faun.

With his mind made up, he hurried back to his bedroom; an odd noise caught his attention as soon as he got to the door but he paid it no mind, pushing open the door with Faun's name on the tip of his tongue.

A wall of Faun's scent slammed into him and his eyes widened, panic expressive in them for a couple heartbeats.

He was just fine though, he would tip the witch well after all this.

He stepped into the room and froze up again; Faun was folded over on the bed like he was in pain, his tail was wrapped around his waist, his ears pressed down on his hair and face.

Declan hurried over to his side, the water spilling a bit in his haste. He just dumped it on his bedside dresser and got on the bed.

"Faun?" He called out with expressive worry, hesitantly reaching for him.

Faun immediately looked at him at the sound of his voice, his soft green eyes hooded.

Declan's hand froze above Faun's head, his concerned questions drying up.

"Declan?" Faun blinked in recognition, crawling over to him. "Where were you? You were gone so long?" He complained, not stopping till he could place both of his hands on Declan's shoulders.

Declan just sat stiffly, quietly watching him.

"I started getting warm after you left again." He reported apologetically, his tail swishing. "And it's uncomfortable down there, I tried squeezing but it just hurts."

Faun's last words made Declan blink, wondering if his eardrums exploded from the pressure inside his head. "What? Why… Why did you squeeze?" He forced himself to ask calmly, beyond curious about Faun's thought process.

"Because it was swollen?" Faun pointed out, staring at him like his brain was rattling around noisily inside his skull like a pea. "You're supposed to press down on swollen body parts to relieve swelling, right?" He added, seeming almost unsure.

Declan didn't know how to react to this; slipping his arm around Faun's waist, he asked gently. "Did you read my first aid manual?"

Faun tucked his head in his shoulders; he wanted to know how to help Declan if something went wrong so as soon as he could, he read it. "Maybe."

Declan bit back his laughter, laughing wasn't the thing to do here. "That's for sick and injured people, are you sick?"

Faun's eyes widened. "I'm not?"

Declan frowned at this. "You think you are?"

His response was a shrug, his eyes leaving Declan's face.

Declan held his face and brought his eyes back to his face. "You're not sick, it's perfectly natural to have ruts." He said firmly.

The sparkle came back into Faun's eyes at this. "I'm having a rut?" He immediately jumped in. "So, you'll kiss me?"

Declan blinked in surprise again. 'Wait? What?'

Before he could put back together his crumbling composure, Faun fell against him, forcing Declan to support their combined weight with his hands pressed on the bed to keep them from falling off the bed.

Faun was pressed against him fully when he leaned back slightly, his heated bare upper body scorching his skin through his shirt.

Faun's face was hidden in his neck, a whimper escaping him as a shudder ran through his body.

Declan glanced upwards like he had a lot of complaints for whoever kept pulling out the rug from under him like this.

"Faun?" He tried to look at Faun's face but he steadfastly hid it.

Declan moved them so he could lean against the headboard; his hands were free now, so he placed both of his arms on Faun's waist in an effort to see his face.

He forced himself to ignore the shiver that rippled over Faun's skin when his hand made contact with the heated skin.

"Faun?" He tried again, his voice gentle.

"I feel weird and it hurts." Faun mumbled, his soft voice muffled by Declan's neck.

Declan slowed down, he had to take care of Faun first. "But I can't kiss you if you keep hiding."

Faun slowly pulled back, his face uncomfortably red. "Will that really help?" He asked doubtfully.

"Do you think I'd lie to you?" He asked with a hint of amusement, hands greedily reaching for more of Faun's skin.

Faun narrowed his eyes at him. "When you say it like that…" He trailed off.

Declan tried his hardest not to laugh; how he could even manage to still laugh was beyond him.

Faun was straddling him, half naked and hard in his pants, it was hardly the situation to laugh. 

[A: pun intended]