Dedication and copyright

To another mystery person, for further reasons of mystery. Even though avwolf is probably the only one who would get the spoiler, and he's already read the story.

Hey, I'm nothing if not thorough.

Also to Laruf. You're never going to read this book, but if you get lucky, somebody might tell you there's a dedication :p

Copyright © 2017 by amenon (key ID 267C5E47)

The world and the notable characters are originally from Twokinds (http://2kinds.com), by Thomas J. Fischbach, and were used under the auspices of Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US licensing. No endorsement of this work by the licensor is implied.

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Fool's Mate

Zen shook himself awake from a dream of endlessly bailing water. That was weird. He hadn't even been near a boat in ages... but the dream quickly receded and he curled back up on the couch, smiling as reality reasserted itself. They'd finally finished cleaning the house. The whole place was spotless, all the musty smells gone, replaced by the pleasant scents of spring as they aired the place out. A breeze tickled Zen's fur and he looked at the windows, still ajar. Those were sparkling clean, too. They might have gotten a little carried away... but, well, they'd had little else to do while they waited, and... it was going to be their home.

Their home with Keith. Just the thought of it filled him with warmth and brought a smile to his lips. He missed the basitin badly, and couldn't wait to see him again. Show him what they'd done with the place. Give him a proper welcome. Home. Tomorrow!

Those were the thoughts he'd dozed off with, so how had he ended up in a dream about bailing water?

He became aware of a faint 'scritch, scritch', and found its source; Natani was carving new grooves in the armrests of his chair. He was staring down an empty corner of the room something fierce, and the book he'd been reading earlier lay forgotten on the table, next to the one on basitin anatomy Zen had been leafing through.

Natani felt... tense. Zen let his good feelings flow into the link, hoping for an echo, but Natani was closed up tight and they just washed over him. This was weird. Zen had thought that Natani had gotten most of the fuming out of his system days ago. Certainly, he'd been in a good mood this morning. And at any rate, this didn't quite feel like that; there wasn't enough anger.

Zen's eyes drifted to the windows, and to the new green of the trees outside. The buzz of life. Surely, it was still too early? But it fit.

"Already?" He still sounded surprised, even to himself.

The scritching stopped. Natani sighed. "Yeah. What gave it away?"

Zen sat up, stretching, and saw the shavings on the floor around Natani. "Well, shredding the furniture is a pretty good hint."

Natani looked at what he'd done. "Oh. Damn." He put his hands in his lap, holding them together. "I'll... fix that. Later."

Zen nodded. "Isn't it a little early?"

Natani sighed. "I think it's all the traveling we've been doing. My body hasn't quite caught up."

True enough, they'd been all over the place. Still, a year ago it had been later...

They were wonderful memories. Zen and Keith had still been a very new thing, still finding their feet. The basitin had been absolutely lovely, so receptive, so... happy for his love that Zen had fallen for him over and over again during those first few weeks. But when the time for estrus had come, Zen had still done the brotherly thing of sneaking away, freeing up all of Keith's attention for Natani. They'd both chided him for it, a little, but he would always be glad that he'd let them have that, just the two of them. It was a special time, for those who were mated.

Of course, it was still a pretty special time for those who weren't. He'd gone out to take in the sights of the season, as it were, and... even that short time with Keith had taught him more about being a lover than he'd ever known before. And that wasn't the only thing that was different. For the first time, he'd been completely free of the guilt of knowing that his brother was suffering. Indeed, whenever he'd needed a bit of inspiration, all he'd had to do was dip into the deep current of lust and love in the link.

He'd made quite the reputation for himself, as someone whose heart might be elsewhere, but whose body was very much there. Ready to help those in need.

Quite the reputation.

"What are you grinning about?"

"Just thinking about last year."

"You'd better not be planning to--"

"No." Zen shook his head. "Definitely not. Maybe I should be, but... I want to see him." Natani looked likely to object to his 'should'. "Besides, last fall wasn't up to me."

"Well... maybe. I think you could have stuck around if you really wanted to."

Maybe he could have, at that. But he'd at least had a really good excuse, and, well... it was hard to see going away as the wrong choice. Spring had been really good for Keith and Natani, and he'd certainly not had anything to complain about, so why not repeat it? And it had been good, but... even more than in the spring, his heart had been elsewhere, and he'd hurried back when he could.

And now, he already hadn't seen Keith for weeks. Zen wasn't going anywhere.

Still... it was too bad Keith didn't go into heat. Though, Natani argued, that was because he was always in heat. And indeed, both times when Zen had made his way back to them, he'd found an exhausted and very, very satisfied Natani, and a Keith who still somehow had the energy to welcome him back. Who wanted his love. Could never get too much of it.

Zen sighed. "Tomorrow."

Natani matched his sigh. "Unless there's another delay."

"It sounded like a sure thing to me."

"Well, I hope so." Natani grimaced. "If this starts for real... ugh."

Hmm... "The first few days aren't that bad, right?"

Natani rubbed his face. "No, not compared to... later. But..." He sighed. "I wasn't supposed to have to deal with this again. And... I miss him. Damn wolves."

Zen smiled faintly. "I'll drink to that. Speaking of...?"

Natani shook his head. "No. We tried that, remember?"

"Err, yeah." Early Magi Brothers strategies for dealing with estrus. Not the best one, as it turned out. "Just one?"

"I... guess that'd be fine. Who knows, maybe it'll make me feel like eating something."

Zen rummaged through their pantry, doing a bit of sorting as he went. They maybe hadn't been all that orderly in storing all this stuff...

One part of making the place livable had been stocking up. The supplies themselves had come from the basitins, delivered to a few useful locations through varyingly indirect means. Maddie had been in charge of that, and Zen wasn't entirely convinced she knew herself how some of it had got there. But it had. Zen smiled to himself, thinking of the little ball of chaos. So they hadn't needed to worry about where to get all this, but none of the supply locations had been very close--Keith was pretty intent on letting this place stay forgotten--and so it had fallen to Zen and Natani to haul all of it, for that last leg. Lots of hiking through the woods.

Zen hadn't minded. Three assassination attempts within two days did wonders for one's ability to appreciate some peace and quiet. If only Natani hadn't... Zen shook his head. No. His brother had done exactly what he should have. It was the wolves who were wrong.

He found where Natani had put the bottles. Basitin ale--no, they'd made that mistake already. Basitin rum--only if they needed to blow something up. That stuff was purely for Keith to drink, and just about the only thing that could actually get him proper drunk. Zen stowed the bottles carefully, smiling to himself. Drunk Keith was utterly adorable.

He found the keidran ale, and poured out two mugs. Not even full. Enough for a bit of a buzz, that was all. He carried the mugs out to the sitting room, and very deliberately put Natani's down on a coaster. They stared each other down for a moment, Zen staying deadpan.

Eventually, a flash of amusement cracked through Natani's irritation. He took the mug and shook his head, almost smiling. "Thanks."

Zen grinned. "Any time, brother." He put his mug out for a toast. "To Keith."

Natani clinked it with his own. "To his fuzzy butt."

They both took a sip. It was good stuff. Zen settled back down on the couch, contemplating Keith's anatomy. Natani seemed to be doing the same, nursing his drink in his lap. Zen raised another toast. "To his ears."

Natani matched the gesture with a faint smile. "His tail."

Another sip. It really was good.

Zen raised his glass again. "His eyes."

"His hips."

They took another sip. Natani had sounded more than a little wistful there. Zen smiled. "I can't help but notice that you're thinking below the belt."

Natani snorted. "I'm going into heat. What's your excuse? Ears and eyes, hmm?"

That was what he'd said. It was weird... it wasn't that he couldn't appreciate Natani's line of thinking, but... it was like he was past being horny. All he could think of was kissing Keith, seeing the joy in his eyes, in the tilt of his ears. And that coy little smile... of course it would lead to things. It always did. But... "I guess I'm just... in love."

Natani gave him a lopsided smile. "At least you didn't say 'hopelessly' this time."

He almost had.

"Anyway, I know what you mean. It's not like I'm going to jump his bones the moment he gets here... no matter what my body is telling me. We need to welcome him properly, first. The both of us."

Zen grinned. "Yeah."

What that would look like, exactly, would depend a lot on Keith. Maybe a nice, relaxing bath... or maybe not just relaxing. But the bath here was great, and it could easily fit all three of them, and Keith really liked a good soak. Then there was food, of course... but most importantly, just being with him. The kisses came first.

They nursed their drinks, in quiet partially shared contemplation. Zen let his anticipation leak into the link, and could feel Natani mellow a bit more, but there was still an undercurrent of frustration there. Not that Zen could blame him. He had some idea of what it was like.

Zen stared down the bottom of his mug. He'd been skirting around this thought ever since he realized what was going on. "Natani?"

"Hm?"

"What if we switched?"

He never could keep up with Natani's reactions in these moments, but the end result was guarded curiosity. "... why?"

Zen scratched at the back of his head. "Well, it's like you said. You weren't supposed to have to deal with it again. I know you can, but... haven't you done it enough? And since I'm pretty used to the body now, I kinda feel like... shouldn't I have offered earlier? All those times you were stuck with it. I could have taken a part of it, but I didn't."

Natani covered his face with one hand. "Oh, you idiot. Of course it would be something like that."

Zen bristled a bit. "Well, what else could it have been?"

Natani looked at him with a long-suffering expression. "To be with Keith."

! "I'd never..."

Natani sighed. "Of course you wouldn't. It might actually be a good idea. Look... I never would have let you do that, even if you'd asked. My body. My problem. It's bad enough that you had to help me. I wouldn't have put you through that."

"I never minded helping you."

Natani smiled, and love shone through the exasperation. "And I never hated that you helped me. Just that I needed it."

Fair enough. But... To be with Keith? To share a heat with someone you loved...

"I know how you feel about him. I can't not know. And I know you think he can't possibly love you as much as you love him. But... you're wrong."

"I don't--"

"Yeah, you do."

Maybe he did.

"So... do you want to?"

"He'd... really say yes?"

"I'd be surprised if he didn't."

Natani wasn't always right about Keith, but it never paid to bet against him. And... Zen could imagine Keith saying yes, much more easily than he could imagine the basitin saying no. It was the question he was having trouble with.

"I know it isn't exactly the way you'd like it to be, but... it's what there is."

"That's not..." He joked about it, but did he really want Keith to be a girl? No. He wanted Keith to be Keith. He'd just never thought he'd be the girl. So to speak. But... "It's the way it can happen. It's what you got."

Natani nodded.

"But what about you? And Keith. Even if he'd be okay with me..." Natani was rolling his eyes, so Zen looked for something irrefutable. "You can't tell me hasn't been looking forward to it. Or that you haven't." How could he take it, at their expense?

"Zen... when has it ever been at my expense? Or Keith's? It's been a year. Would you just learn?" And Natani made his case in the link, with pure emotion; how this was the kind of thinking that had put Zen up a tree in the first place. How they all wanted each other to be happy, and how that tendency for self-sacrifice only got in the way. How, if anything Zen had ever done had hurt Keith, it had been going off on his own, without a word. That if Zen needed this more than Natani did, then Natani wanted him to have it... and so would Keith. And that Natani could actually use a less distractable body at this time, thank you very much.

Zen swallowed. There had been a lot of conviction behind that. "Sorry."

Natani sighed. "I love you, but... you need to get over being the big brother all the damn time. Don't just decide by yourself what's best for us."

That was a thorny patch, best avoided. "What was that last bit, about my body?"

Natani gestured at the book he'd discarded on the table. "These books. I never realized how much there really was to magic. And considering how half the kingdom wants me dead... we're not going to stay holed up here forever, and sooner or later they're going to stop underestimating me. So when they do..."

"... you'd better have some new stuff up your sleeves."

"Yeah. And it's more than that. This stuff is fascinating. It's... you know that feeling when something suddenly makes sense? It's that, over and over again. So yeah, I could actually do with not being completely sex-crazed for a week."

Zen grinned. "You think you won't be distracted if you've got my body?"

Natani grinned back. "Less distracted. I figure I might be able to get away once in a while." His tone softened. "Give you some privacy."

Zen blushed. Originally, the switching had been much more about giving Natani time in a male body, but over time that had changed. Zen had found that he didn't exactly hate being in Natani's body... far from it. They never quite talked about it, in so many words, but of course Natani knew. And so did Keith. Zen had hesitantly made himself clear in every way except words.

Neither of them had judged him for it. Of course, he couldn't even say why they would have--it was Natani's body! And if Natani could borrow his, then of course Zen could borrow Natani's--but still, there had been that feeling that he was being... disrespectful, somehow. It still hadn't completely faded.

But yes, being with Keith in a female body had become a real part of their relationship, not just something incidental. It was a different experience, and it was something he'd never had with anyone except Keith. Something just for them. A special kind of special. So if he let himself think about it, sharing a heat with the basitin... fit. He found himself hoping Keith really would feel the same way.

Yeah, he wanted it.

Zen grinned, nervous. "Well, I wouldn't be much of a brother if I didn't help you with your studies, right?"

Natani rolled his eyes. "Just get yourself in here if you're going to."

Zen pointed at Natani's chest. "Wrappings." It was kind of an odd thought, but not having the breasts there always felt... disconcerting... to him when he felt like they should be there.

"Right." Natani reached into his robe, and as he started pulling out the long strip of cloth, his breasts snapped into being. "I've got an idea for a spell that might make it less weird for you, actually. Should try that at some point."

Zen raised his eyebrows. "Sure. I'll be your guinea pig."

Natani bundled up the strip of cloth and tossed it on the table. "All good?"

Zen nodded, and closed his eyes. He let his consciousness loose from his body, allowing it to flow to Natani's end of the link. Natani made room for him but remained, helping to settle him in, and Zen gained a new understanding of the tension he'd been feeling. There was no language for it, but Natani was holding his mind in a specific way, focusing on... not focusing on his body? Zen tentatively replicated it, and Natani nodded, slowly easing off, then flowing away to enter Zen's vacated body.

Zen opened his eyes to see Natani already stretching and rolling his shoulders. He'd gotten to be quite at home in Zen's body, and Zen had to admit that he carried it well, if a little differently. Still, he was a handsome devil, if he said so himself.

Natani grinned at him, amused. "Still a little in love with yourself, I see."

Zen stuck his tongue out. "Well, can you blame me?"

Natani rolled his eyes, then leaned back on the couch with a happy sigh. "Well, it does have its charms. How's it feel?"

He hadn't been thinking about it, because that was the way Natani had left him, and the reason quickly became clear. He shifted his position, to sit more like himself, and as he did, felt the coarse fabric of the robe against his nipples. That was enough to spark an... awareness... of the body that was more complete than any he'd felt before, from the tips of his toes to the tips of his ears. His breath caught as he felt a need like never before deep inside himself. The thought of doing something about it floated into his mind, unbidden, and his nipples grew hard, causing further echoes from the fabric, and the thought of the feel of the fabric, of anything, against his body, between his legs...

Natani was like a bucket of cold water. Tamp it down! Tamp. It. Down.

Somehow, with help, he did, at least halting it, but he had to fight to even keep his breathing steady. He had maybe been hornier in his life, but not recently, and not for no reason. How can you deal with this?

Natani was frowning. You've got it worse. Or maybe it's the lack of practice... but you're spilling badly. Whatever you do, keep your mind off of it. And don't think of--

Keith! Images of the basitin in various states of undress flooded his mind. Images of exactly how, and how eagerly, Keith could scratch this itch. Just the thought made Zen shudder.

The water was a little less cold, this time. _ Goddammit, Zen. DON'T. THINK. ABOUT. HIM. _

*

Natani wasn't sure if he was reaching Zen anymore. He was in full meltdown, face screwed up, tail wagging furiously. Even his scent had grown stronger as the heat blossomed. The pheromones had no power over Natani, but the feelings and images spilling from Zen were another matter; Natani's control was threatening to fray under Zen's sheer horniness. Keith was in for a time, that was for sure, if Zen made it that far. At least he wasn't pawing at himself yet.

Zen's right hand jumped to his groin, the sensations of him pressing down on his crotch echoing in the link, and Natani could feel himself grow hard in response. He shot up from the couch, stumbling a bit--damn these tight pants Zen liked to wear--before grabbing Zen's wrist and forcing his hand away. "It doesn't help." Zen's left hand joined the fray, and Natani grabbed that as well, forcing it back to the armrest. "It doesn't help!" Uncomprehending, Zen began squirming against the chair, so Natani headbutted him, hard. The pain made it through, and he could feel Zen coming a little under control. He knelt down next to his brother. "It. Doesn't. Help. It makes it worse."

Zen was almost panting. "But it feels so..." words failing him, the rest came through in the link.

Natani gritted his teeth. Yes, he knew what it was like. And he knew that there wasn't anything Zen could do about it. "Trust me, it's not enough. It's never enough. Just... hang in there." He tried to see if he could take the body back, but Zen was all... tangled up in it. Maybe Natani could have forced it, but he wasn't sure what that would do to them.

Magic... could he put Zen to sleep? Without affecting himself?

"What about... what about that toy of yours?"

Natani hesitated, and Zen sensed that, growing more excited, before Natani pushed back on him. "No. That wouldn't do it." He wasn't quite completely certain--he'd never tried, after all--but he kept that from Zen. Hope was a dangerous thing. "It isn't something you can take care of yourself." He put the grim certainty of that into the link, and felt Zen accept it. He eased up on Zen's arms, hovering near until he felt sure Zen would stay put, before quickly adjusting his clothing. Damn pants.

Zen's eyes were drawn to Natani's crotch.

Neither of them could quite tell where the thought came from.

"No."

"Of course not."

... but the idea hung between them, heavy in the air. Natani looked at Zen--looked at his own body. He knew exactly what that body craved. That knowledge had been burned into him, in far too many seasons past. Keith, bless him, had finally sated that desire, but... that was Keith. Something done to Natani. For him. Well, for both of them. But not something Natani had done himself.

And here, he could. He could give his body all that it had craved, all that he had denied it, with his own power. He felt an echo from Zen. It wasn't just the heat; somewhere deep, there was a matching desire. To take all that his body had to give. They didn't look too closely at each other's reasons, but both could feel the desire growing stronger, the pieces aligning, until they were hanging by a thread, an excuse away.

Zen swallowed. "It's just... it's just touching yourself. What can be weird about touching yourself?"

That would do. Natani pulled Zen from the chair, and he came eagerly, going to all fours on the floor, ass up. Presenting, though still wearing the robe. Natani unbuckled his belt and tugged his pants down, pulling his stiff member free. Zen backed up against him, tail wagging against his erection, ass pushing against his knot, rubbing, almost senseless with need. Natani grabbed his tail by the base and hiked up the robe with his other hand, then hooked the hem with his thumb. Leaving Zen exposed. He was beyond wet. Natani lined himself up, guiding the tip in, and with one solid thrust, hilted himself, his knot still small enough to only meet the briefest moment of tantalizing resistance before pushing in.

The bodies were a perfect match for each other. Zen shuddered around him, clenching, already near to his first climax with his heat, and Natani had to limit the link as much as he could to not get carried away with it, and just start pounding away, rutting Zen for all he was worth, chasing both their pleasure. This body did have limits, and he had to make it last, even if he felt like the doubled pleasure might have let him just... power through. That was a false confidence. Probably. His knot was quickly beginning to respond to Zen's coaxing, and Natani tried to tug it out before they were tied. Zen didn't want to let it go, and the feel of him clenching around it made Natani's toes curl, but he tried again, harder, and it came free with a wet pop. Zen whimpered at the loss, his tail continuing to twitch in Natani's hand.

Zen was so eager for it, yearning to be mated in a way that Natani never quite had. He'd spent so long fighting it that even in fulfillment, he never embraced it in quite that way.

But he could answer it. He began to thrust, slow and steady, each time teasing with the knot but not pushing it in, his thrusts growing harder as the knot grew larger, until he was slapping it against Zen with almost full force. Zen came, hard, squeezing around him, but Natani didn't slow, keeping his own pleasure in tight check even as Zen gasped and moaned, clenching around him even harder, pushing back with his hips, his head first sagging, then dropping down to his arms. Natani was going as fast as he could now, with the damn pants still around his thighs, and Zen had barely recovered, panting, when he was gone again, pushed back over by the relentless thrusting and the rhythmic slam of the knot against him. Natani could feel the heat begin to recede a bit with the second climax, but it wasn't enough, not yet. Still, he had to slow, then stop, gritting his teeth, to not get carried along with it. Zen pushed back against him, grinding against his knot in the throes of his release, still begging for more, whimpering with the body's need. Natani spaced him by his tail, denying, delaying. That would be the end of him, and it wasn't time for that. Not yet.

Finally, Zen started to come off it and calm down. He was a shuddering, panting mess, still leaning his weight against Natani's knot but no longer striving to push it in. Natani wasn't quite ready to continue, and to give himself something to do he pulled Zen's tail out of the robe, letting the hem fall on his back. In the calm, he was becoming aware that his--and Zen's--knees weren't too happy about the floor. And he'd had about enough of the pants, too. He pulled out, then stood up.

Zen looked back at him, still panting. "That... helped."

Natani pulled the pants off. "Not done yet. Couch."

Zen nodded and got up, pulling the robe off and letting it fall to the floor before kneeling down on the couch, his forearms on the backrest, ass raised in invitation, tail still wagging, a little less frantically now. Natani stepped up to him, and only had to lower his stance a bit to line himself up. Again, he thrust straight in, until his knot rested against Zen's entrance. Zen let out something between a sigh and a moan as he was filled, and Natani put his hands on Zen's hips, aiding while he pushed a bit harder, not to force the knot in, but to make Zen lean farther forward over the backrest. Now, he could stand like he wanted, and didn't have those pants limiting him. He pulled almost out, then started with slow, long, full thrusts, each ending with him grinding against Zen for a moment before pulling back for another one. The slow teasing made the heat grow again, until Zen was all moans, wordlessly urging him to go harder. Natani started speeding up, and Zen quickly came again, squeezing on his cock and moaning, his head hanging down past the backrest of the couch, tongue lolling as he panted. Natani kept increasing his pace, slamming the knot against him with every thrust, and once again Zen came off his orgasm already most of the way to the next one. Natani was barely hanging on himself, and the ache in his balls told him that would have to be enough. He'd make it enough. When Zen began to crest again, Natani put the full force of his hips into the next thrust, pulling back hard on Zen's hips, and slammed the knot in.

Natani's focus faltered for a moment and his mind opened more fully to the link, to Zen's moment of pure heat-fueled orgasmic bliss, and Natani was there with him as he gasped, breathless, barely believing it had happened, body squeezing with all it had around the knot, tying them and milking the first of many long jets from Natani as his aching balls constricted. Natani leaned forward, shaky, putting his arms on both sides of Zen on the backrest and propping his shins against the seat of the couch, struggling to stay standing as he gave everything he had to douse the heat. Zen shook under him, lost in fulfillment, and Natani leaned down to pin his brother's body against the backrest and stop him from falling, barely hanging on for the both of them as the shared orgasm wracked their bodies.

Long after he had no more to give, Zen still squeezed a rhythm on his tender knot, unconsciously trying to coax more from him. But it had been enough. The heat had receded, for now, and when Zen came back to he was more or less himself.

The wolves shared a very sheepish moment.

Natani sighed. "We get untied, switch back, and never speak of this again."

"Deal." A few moments passed. "... still don't have the hang of that getting untied trick, huh?"

"Well, maybe I'd have better luck if you stopped squeezing me like that."

"Err, sorry."

A moment of silence, as Zen tried to get Natani's body under control... and in that silence, the sound of someone clearing their throat. The wolves' hackles went up. Zen looked to the source--the doorway--and out of long habit Natani looked the other way, in case it was a distraction.

He felt Zen's elation. "Keith!"

Natani caught wind of Zen's intentions and barely had time to catch his brother by the hip before he tried to lunge toward the basitin, tail wagging, the small matter of being tied momentarily forgotten.

Natani turned to face Keith, with rather more trepidation. What would he think? But Keith looked at him, from smiling at Zen. The basitin looked a little bewildered, but Natani saw no hurt there. They looked at each other for a moment, searching each other's expressions, and Keith went from bewilderment to calm reassurance. Natani let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and found his smile. Keith. "Hey. Welcome home."

Keith dropped his bags at the doorway and stepped closer. He was in simple travelling clothes, pants and a tunic, feet wrapped. He came around to the front of them, where they were leaning over the back of the couch. "Home, huh? I... guess it is." He reached out with both hands, touching them both on the cheek. Zen leaned into the gesture, his tail still wagging, and after a moment, Natani did too. Keith scratched them slowly, smiling, then pulled them both into a hug, the gesture made a little awkward by Natani still being mostly on top of Zen. They both nuzzled him as best they could, welcoming him, relishing his scent. Keith sighed happily, then let them go. "I'm home." He flashed a grin. "So... is this another Magi Brothers strategy for dealing with heat?"

"No."

"No."

Keith smiled gently, and asked again, for real. "No?"

"No."

"Definitely not."

"... might have worked, though."

Natani hung his head with a sigh. "... let's not think about that."

Keith looked at them, thoughtful. "So... let me guess." He scratched Zen's cheek again, causing his tail to wag fiercer. "You wanted to see what it was like, then couldn't handle it?"

Zen blushed. "Yeah."

Keith reached out to Natani again, and okay, maybe his tail did a thing, too. Keith knew just how to touch him. The basitin smiled, with a hint of mischief. "And... what about you?"

"He made some good arguments, okay?"

Keith laughed. "And what were those?"

Natani grinned. "Nothing weird about touching yourself."

"I... huh." Keith laughed again. "I... guess there isn't, huh." He kissed Natani, and put some incredibly fake wistfulness in it. "Do you even need me for anything anymore?"

Natani nipped at his ear. "Yes! And we weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Huh. This was always the date."

Of course. Maddie. A fun surprise, she'd say. Mean it, too. Probably.

And well, okay, it would have been.

... still was, despite everything.

Meanwhile, Zen had been giving his own answer to Keith's question about being needed by trying to nuzzle at his crotch, which he couldn't quite reach. Keith crouched down to kiss him instead, and the wolves became aware that the heat was starting to flare up again, kindled by the basitin's presence. It wasn't inconquerable yet, but it was there. Natani's knot had maybe deflated a bit with the shock of Keith's appearance, but now, between the way he was kissing Zen, and the way that caused Zen to squeeze a new rhythm around Natani--all ground that had been gained was lost.

Natani nipped Keith on the ear again, causing him to stop. "Not helping."

Keith grinned, a marvellous display of fake innocence. "Oh?" Keith came up from his half-crouch, and Natani could see that he was hard as well. Zen made another fruitless effort to reach him, tugging slightly on the knot as he did so, and Natani had half a mind to try the same. Two out of two wolves agreed; Keith needed a thing or two done to him. But the basitin stepped away, possibly reading them, then started to walk around the couch. "Well, maybe I can give you a hand." What was he planning? Natani turned his head to follow Keith, and became acutely aware of his own ass sticking up in the air. Keith wasn't going to... avail himself, was he? That didn't seem like him, but he was definitely up to something. Natani let his tail give a wag, oddly excited by the prospect. He was a little high up for the basitin, could they shift lower? But when Keith touched Natani's rear, it was just for a moment, to say 'I'm here', before the basitin crouched down behind them.

Natani felt Keith's hand on his inner thigh, gentle and welcome, and then... the basitin leaned his forehead against Natani's buttock? "Keith?"

"Ah, sorry. The scents..." There was a shuddering breath, and Keith leaned away, moving his hand from Natani's thigh to low on Zen's stomach.

Natani had been more focused on his own sensations, but as Keith slowly traced his way toward their joining, he was drawn to Zen's. The basitin's touch was electric for him, and Zen was all but biting his lip as Keith gently, ever so gently, probed the slight bulge Natani's knot was making. The whole area was tender with that pressure, and Zen's breathing quickened as Keith's fingers approached Zen's clit. When they settled around it, not touching, Zen whimpered.

Keith sounded a little lightheaded. "You're really in there, huh."

Natani let out a sigh that turned into a groan as Zen squeezed on him, pulling him deeper by the knot. "You're not making it any easier. For either of us."

"Sorry, I got a little..." Keith's hand went away, provoking another whimper from Zen. He was growing desperate again, and what would it take to satisfy him if he was already tied? Natani's thought was interrupted as Keith squeezed his hand in between the wolves, pressing against the base of Natani's shaft, behind the knot, his thumb dragging against Natani's sack, keeping it out of the way.

It was Natani's turn to shudder. "What... are you doing?"

Keith was shifting his hand as he spoke, pressing against this or that part of the base. "Well, blood has to go in, right? So if I can find the right spot..."

Keith's fingers settled on a place, and Natani could feel a counterpoint to his heartbeat there. He didn't immediately feel any different, but quickly, it started to feel almost as if... "Um, Keith?"

"Yeah?"

No doubt about it, his knot was getting more engorged. "Blood has to come out, too, right?"

"Oh!" Keith eased up on the pressure, but left his hand where it was, and Natani could feel the basitin shifting his weight before the other hand appeared, pressing up against Zen, feeling out the knot again. Zen trembled at his touch, and Natani could tell that he was barely holding back from trying to grind against the basitin's hand. Keith pressed on the base of Natani's shaft again, feeling the knot swell in response, and Zen began to pant.

Natani drew in a breath, bracing himself against the force of Zen's need, quickly spiraling back out of control. "Keith."

The 'do something' was silent, but he thought he felt the basitin nod. For a moment, he could feel Keith's breath on his sack as the basitin ducked lower, then leaned forward... and gave Zen a lick. With a gasp, Zen jerked under Natani, pulling on his knot, the sensation and the feelings flooding the link causing his control to crumble. Natani pushed forward, sinking ever so slightly deeper into him. Keith's tongue fell behind, but he quickly followed, teasing at Zen's clit while Natani pinned him into the couch.

With a drawn out moan, Zen started to come once more, clenching around Natani like a vice as the first throes of it took him. It was a slow tip over the edge, an endless moment of heat and lust and tightness before the first spasm was past, giving way to a heartbeat of laxness, followed by an even stronger spasm as he was well and truly gone. Natani was dimly aware that the body he was in wanted to answer, somehow, never mind that they were already tied. Even lost to the lust, he was still aware enough not to try and pull out, but he moved as he could, tugging at Zen with his knot in short, fitful bursts. Another twirl of Keith's tongue, another clench from Zen that made Natani pant and groan, and then Natani could feel through their shared awareness as Keith's tongue was replaced with his hand, the basitin's fingers gently teasing at Zen even in the mids of his rapture. Natani was already nearly gone himself, his nuts starting to tighten in response to the impossible pleasure and Zen's constant milking, then clenching harder with the hot, wet feel of the basitin's tongue drawing up his sack. Keith found his goal, and that was the last straw. Natani's whole body clenched, his mind opening fully to the link, and the world fell away.

*

When Natani finally went limp, Keith was expecting it and had a good hold on both wolves, ready to keep them stable. Unfortunately, he'd misjudged one axis and had to catch Natani's rump with his face to stop them from tumbling on him. Ah well. He pushed back and managed to shift Natani's weight forward and off his muzzle, without tipping the whole couch over. Tied together at the hips, Zen slumped on the backrest, Natani slumped on Zen, and both with their arms hanging over, they were actually pretty stable. But that 'tied together' was a problem. Keith figured he could have just tipped them sideways onto the couch as they were, but... he was pretty sure they didn't want to wake up like that. Especially if it was back in their own bodies, and they usually sorted themselves out in their sleep. So he freed up a hand and snuck it in between them, looking again for the artery, this time on the other side. He wasn't sure if he found it--maybe wolves were just different?--but whether it was his touch or just being down for the count, he could feel the knot start to grow smaller. When he thought it was small enough, he started gently trying to tug it out. Eventually, it came free with a plop. Keith pulled Natani all the way out of Zen--or was that Zen all the way out of Natani?--and was hit again with their mixed scents. He'd been pushing back his own excitement, looking out for the wolves, but now the heat haze threatened to wash over him again. His eyes were drawn to the glistening member before him, and with barely a half a heartbeat of hesitation he found himself leaning forward to nuzzle it. Give it a little lick. Then a big lick, all the way up the back, from tip to knot... The taste of both of them, after so long, and with the heat... before he knew it, he'd licked Natani's softening erection clean, working his way down from the knot to the tip, where he caught one last pearl of the wolf's seed. He suckled on it for a moment, but there was no more to be had. Except...

Keith caught himself, shaking his head to clear it. This was no time to be doing something like this! ...and yet, he knew the only reason he hadn't gone for Zen as well was that he couldn't quite reach. He forced himself to focus, and to reassess the situation. He should be able to push Natani off and have him land on the couch without sliding off. Then he could tip Zen the other way, and get them both into a sitting position...

It worked, and after a bit of wrangling, Keith was sitting on the couch between two sleeping wolves. After a moment, he nudged them both to lean against him. So they wouldn't tip the other way. Of course. He focused on the wolves' warmth, and their steady breathing, and willed his own excitement to subside.

Eventually, he succeeded, and let himself relax. It had been a long day--a long few weeks--and it was good to be off his feet. The couch was comfortable, too. But mostly it was the wolves. This wasn't quite the same as laying down between them, one's or the other's arms around him, but it wasn't too far off. Smiling to himself, he slid his hands down both their arms and took their hands in his, sliding his smaller fingers between theirs. He didn't have a good excuse for that one. He didn't care. He'd missed them.

Keith was just about to doze off himself when he felt the wolves stirring. Both squeezed his hand, rather than let go, and he smiled, oddly grateful for that. Maybe he did need some reassurance, after what he'd walked in on. But if there was any hesitation in his heart, it soon melted away as the wolves, still leaning against him, began to nuzzle him and lick his cheeks. Keith laughed. They were matching each other almost perfectly, but...

"You didn't switch back."

Natani, still in Zen's body, opened his eyes and grinned. "Told you he'd know."

Zen nuzzled into Keith's neck. "Hey, I didn't disagree."

"So... what's up? Seeing if I've still got it?"

Natani gave his hand one more squeeze before letting go, and then turned to face him, pulling one of his legs up on the couch and propping his head against the backrest to watch the two of them. He smiled at Keith, then Zen. "Tell him."

Zen nuzzled Keith's cheek again, nudging against him for a brief moment before also shifting away to face him. He too let go of Keith's hand, but only to take it again, this time in both of his. He fidgeted for a moment, opened his mouth, then closed it again. Glancing at Keith, then away. Keith looked at him with great interest. Natani was always Natani, but ever since Zen had gotten more comfortable with the female body, he seemed to... play into it, acting a little differently from how he would normally. The word 'girlier' seemed inevitable. It didn't seem to cause any tension between the wolves, so Keith had mostly just taken it in stride; it had been a hitch in thinking of the wolves as who they were, rather than the bodies they were in, but only a small one. If Zen in a female body was a bit less of a charmer, and a bit more of a sweetheart, well, he was still Zen; and in truth he was always both. But Keith had never seen Zen quite like this. Not since he'd confessed had the wolf ever seemed this uncomfortable. Taken by that memory, Keith used his free hand to reach out and touch Zen on the cheek, and to turn his head to face forward. He saw Zen recognize the gesture, and smiled at the wolf. "What is it?"

The wolf blushed slightly. "Would you... would you share this heat with me?"

Oh. He'd never thought of that. Why'd he never thought of that? Keith's smile widened. "Yes! I would love to."

Zen squeezed his hand. "You... wouldn't rather it be Natani?"

How to answer? It was a meaningless question, because there was no world in which Zen asked this unless Natani was for it, and there was no world in which Keith would refuse this when it came with Natani's blessing. He wasn't choosing between them; he was choosing between having this with Zen, or not having this with Zen, and that was so easy it was no choice at all. How could the wolf not see that? What did Keith want to say, to answer that look of vulnerability in Zen's eyes? That odd timidness that made Keith's heart ache with recognition?

"Zen..." He kissed the wolf, gently. "I love you. Would you believe that, already?"

By the smile that slowly dawned on his face, together with the deepening blush, maybe Zen did. The wolf kissed Keith back, but left him the initiative, so he took it, repeating what he'd said, if in not so many words. Finally, Zen was satisfied, and broke the kiss to rest his head against Keith's shoulder. Keith embraced him, and there was a long exhalation from the wolf. "Okay."

Keith smiled into his hair. "Good." He felt Natani shift closer on the couch, then the wolf's arms wrapping around him and finally Natani's warmth pressed up along his back. Natani nuzzled one of Keith's ears, then gave it a lick along its length. Keith shuddered with it, and Natani did it again. Keith let out a strangled, happy sigh. "You approve, huh?"

Natani gave him a squeeze. "Yeah."

Keith hugged Zen tighter and leaned into Natani's chest. Natani took Keith's weight, their connection becoming even more complete, and for a moment Keith just reveled in the sensations of both the wolves, one holding him, one being held, both beyond precious. He nudged Zen to raise his head, then kissed him, wanting to express what he felt in that instant. With the link, it should reach both of them... and indeed, Natani nuzzled his ear again, and Keith could feel his smile. Zen escaped the kiss to give Keith another lick on the cheek, and he laughed. What would Zen be like in full-on heat? Keith didn't know, but he felt sure it would be different from how Natani was. And whatever it was like, Keith would do his best for him. He found Zen's cheeks with his hands, scratched him there until the wolf grew placid, then pulled him up to see his happy smile and give him a little kiss. In response, Natani gave Keith another lick.

Keith let out a long, happy sigh. "How are we going to do this?"

Zen got that slightly distant look in his eyes that meant the wolves were conferring. Finding their balance, in a new situation. Keith fancied he had gotten pretty good at reading them, but this was something he couldn't easily follow. Zen looked increasingly determined, and eventually, Keith could feel Natani nod. Zen looked at Keith, fully present again. "We were thinking..." the wolf blushed. "If you can satisfy me after it starts for real... then we'll switch."

Oh-ho? "That... sounds like a challenge."

Natani sounded amused. "Thought you might see it that way."

But that didn't feel quite right. Keith looked at Zen, and wondered. He thought he saw the gist of the wolves' argument now; Zen obstinate that Natani should get his rightful turn, even though it was Zen's first time. Natani pushing back, because it was always too easy for Zen to put him first... but having to yield because Zen was close enough to right. And he was. Still...

Keith smiled at Zen, then tilted his head up to address Natani. The wolf couldn't see his grin, but that didn't matter; all the best grins are audible. "And then when I satisfy you?"

An amused little sound, shortly followed by Natani carefully raking his teeth over one of Keith's sensitive ears. Right. Answer. Keith let out a little exhalation at the intense touch, trembling, and the wolf held him tighter. The teeth were followed by a long lick, soothing, and Keith sighed with it. Natani finished by placing a kiss on the base of his ear. "Then... we switch again."

Keith turned his attention back to Zen, only to be met by a kiss. It was his turn to be told how Zen--how both of the wolves, with Natani still at his ears--felt about him. What they wanted to do with him. Keith was very aware of his erection, caught uncomfortably in his pants, well before they eased up at all. And so were the wolves. Zen took one hand to Keith's inner thigh, slowly made his way up, then cupped Keith's sack through the cloth, massaging, slowly, gently. Natani, meanwhile, moved one of his hands down, tracing the contours of his hardness with his fingers before pressing against the underside of his tip, rubbing in small, circular motions. Keith could feel Natani growing hard against the base of his tail, and helped it along with a twitch or two. Or maybe the twitches weren't voluntary. They had him nearly panting with his need for them. It had been too long, and they were so...

Natani caught the tip of one Keith's ears in his mouth and tugged. Keith nearly whimpered. He could hear the grin in the wolf's voice. "Feeling a little tight there?"

Zen freed up his mouth so Keith could answer, and now he did whimper. He searched for something clever to say. "Well, unlike some people, I'm wearing pants."

It didn't quite work.

Natani shifted against him, and Keith thought he could feel the wolf's knot rub against the base of his tail. "Noticed that, huh?"

Kinda hard not to. But Keith found his footing, and grinned. "I wasn't sure you had it in you, after earlier."

Zen blushed, and Natani slumped, lodging his muzzle between Keith's ears. "Err, yeah... what would it take for you to forget that ever happened?"

Oh, so that's how they wanted to play it? Keith smiled, and the words spoke themselves. "I'm sure you can think of something."

Cue taken, Natani unbuckled Keith's belt, and Zen reached around him the other way to get to the button to free his tail. Bumping against Natani's erection as he did? Probably. Keith didn't quite know what he thought of what had happened between the wolves, but at least at the moment, the idea of that incidental touch did nothing to ease his excitement. Natani snuck his hands into the front of Keith's pants as Zen tugged on the back, working the pants down and off Keith even though he was sitting on them. Natani cupped his member, keeping it clear of his pants as Zen pulled them round his ass. Natani just held him, not stroking, but his direct touch, the warmth of his hands, felt even better than the teasing earlier. One hand went lower, gathering his sack just before Zen pushed his legs together to get the pants off his thighs. One finger ventured lower still, teasing, and Keith swallowed. How were they planning to 'make him forget'?

Apparently, not like that. As soon as the pants were clear--Zen lingered a moment on his ankles, making Keith shiver--Natani planted Keith properly on the couch, his back to the backrest. They looked at each other for a moment, speaking without words. Keith raised a hand to stroke Natani's cheek, and the wolf kissed him, hungrily, pushing him back. Keith's arms went around the wolf's neck, imploring him to never ease up. Keith could feel Zen's hands on his knees, and spread his legs under the wolf's guidance. Zen knelt, then reached up along Keith's sides, and he could feel the tantalizing tickle of Zen's breasts against his shaft. Zen wrapped his arms around Keith's lower back and pulled; Keith followed, sliding down the couch. His head hit the backrest and Natani kissed him deeper, pinning him there. Zen's arms left him, and Keith could feel the wolf's breath on him, hot, and then shuddered as he felt that long tongue start lapping at his balls, teasing the tender orbs around. He was ready, so ready, and yet they teased. Keith took one of his arms from around Natani's neck, reaching for, finding the wolf's shaft, hard as his own, hanging in the air, just in reach as the wolf crouched over him. Keih wrapped his fingers around it, feeling its heat, feeling it pulse in his hand as he gave it a squeeze, then a slow stroke down to the tip. Back up, slowly, slowly, and Keith hooked his thumb and forefinger above the knot, squeezing it, tugging on it. He felt it throb in his hand, and Natani kissed him even harder, almost with a growl. Zen, still nursing his sack, pushed his legs wider apart, and Keith pleaded with Natani in the kiss for release; to take him right there, if that was what the wolf wanted. Natani pulled away, leaving him panting, and Keith let him go, now pleading with a look. But rather than lining himself up, Natani knelt down, next to Zen, who shifted over to make room. The wolves both grabbed one of his legs, by a wrapped ankle, pulling them against themselves as they went down on their haunches, so on the one foot he could feel Natani's stiffness give the occasional throb right against his ankle joint, and on the other, the rub of Zen's wetness as the wolf rocked slightly. Leaving one hand each on his ankles, holding his legs close, they used the other two to grab his wrists, stopping him from doing anything except reaching new heights of erotic frustration as slowly, oh so slowly, both wolves now nuzzled up to his sack and put their tongues to work, reducing Keith to a whimpering, aching mess. Occasionally, one or both would make their way higher, licking him clean of his quickly accumulating pre before retreating back to his thoroughly slathered sack. Keith couldn't find his words--he wasn't sure words were possible--but as his desperate need grew, the wolves' expressions grew softer, until finally, finally, Zen took his tip into his muzzle, suckling, teasing the underside of his head... while Natani ducked down to really pay him back for what he'd done with his tongue earlier. Keith's whole body went rigid as the moment of his release came, as if all of him was squeezing down to a point to erupt into the wolf's eager mouth. His world seized up, then resumed with that first, luxurious jet squeezing out on the wolf's waiting tongue. After the second one, as he felt Zen swallow around him, he remembered to draw a ragged breath. After the third one, the wolves switched in an instant, Zen pulling off in the same motion as Natani engulfed him, pushing down until he could feel the wolf's nose against his stomach, and his long tongue pushing out to tease at his balls, drawn tight against his body, striving to give the wolf what they both wanted. What they got, as the wolves, in immaculate concert, wrung out of him a climax worthy of the weeks they'd been apart.

An eternity later, Keith's entire body went slack, finishing with his toes uncurling somewhere under the reassuring weight of the wolves. His loves. Natani slowly pulled off him, lingering at the tip for a moment and swallowing one last time before joining Zen in nuzzling and licking his nuts--very, very gently this time, easing rather than teasing, reminding them how to unclench. The wolves had let go of Keith's wrists somewhere during his throes, so he reached out to touch them, stroking the sides of their muzzles, trying to tell them how much he loved them. The wolves slowly nuzzled upwards, beckoned by his touch, and he stroked their faces, their hair, even scratched them behind the ears, netting a deeply amused look--so lovely!--from Natani, and from Zen a gentle blush, something Keith knew he wouldn't have shown in his own body. Both their tails were wagging. Higher still they came, levering themselves onto the couch, and Keith embraced them both, pulling them to himself, squeezing his face in between theirs, cheek to cheek to cheek, slowly rubbing. I am yours, and you are mine. The wolves returned the embrace, and Keith melted into them. He realized he was purring. He let his hands roam their bodies, chasing their contours, feeling out their symmetries and asymmetries. The gesture hadn't started out as sexual, but as his hands encountered on the one side Natani's still hard member, and on the other its counterpart, it reached his fuzzy and imprecise consciousness that it was no good that he was the only one who'd felt that. Almost absent-mindedly he let his hands roam over those most intimate parts, tracing the shapes of his beloveds, the yielding hardness of Natani as Keith played with his knot, the yielding softness of Zen as Keith dipped his fingers into his groin.

Natani chuckled near his ear. "And there he goes."

Zen sighed happy agreement on the other side. "So he does. Can never get enough."

"Not before you do." It was such a simple thing, obviously true, but for some reason both wolves made little sounds, as if surprised. They pulled away a bit to look at him, both with smiles on their faces and love in their eyes. Both kissed him, gently.

Keith kissed them back. Love and devotion.

Natani sighed, but he couldn't hide the happiness he felt. "You're impossible when you get like this."

Zen buried his face in Keith's neck. "Impossible." But there was something in his tone, in his breathing, that told Keith his light touches on the wolf's groin were having a stronger effect than he'd thought. The nascent heat? He probed a little stronger, and Zen shuddered against him, already near his release, his tail twitching as he nuzzled into Keith's throat, under his shirt, taking his scent. Keith pulled his other hand from stroking Natani--a shared glance told him the wolf understood him perfectly--to embrace Zen, and to caress him. Keith stroked his hair, his ears, his cheeks, and held him close as he pushed him over. Keith's palm grew wetter, and with a long, shuddering exhalation, Zen was done. Keith stroked his cheek again, and the wolf unburrowed from his shirt, pressing a kiss, full of smiles, against Keith's lips before falling into a curl beside him, his head on Keith's thigh. Keith scratched him again, smiling.

There was a happy, unguarded quality to Natani's voice that was like precious music to Keith. "If wolves could purr..."

Natani had straightened up, and was standing by the couch. Keith let his eyes linger on the wolf's erection, then looked up at him and smiled. "And how about you?"

Natani grinned. "Want a taste?"

It was an invitation to be coy, but something about the moment had him as disarmed as the wolves. "Yeah."

Natani shook his head, then smiled. "You really are impossible."

"And you love me for it."

The wolf sighed, obscurely defeated, before leaning down to kiss him. It was very tender, this time. Couldn't let a wolf forget about their needs, though... Keith reached out once more for Natani's member, catching the tip between his fingers, rubbing in small circles. He left off petting Zen for the moment to free his other hand, raising it up to ruffle the fur on Natani's cheek. But as he did, he realized where that hand had been; at Zen's groin. It was rich with the scent of a wolf entering heat, and not just any wolf. A wolf he loved.

Keith broke the kiss, and when Natani looked at him, he very deliberately brought his hand to his muzzle and gave it a whiff. Looking at Natani, he let the heat haze get a hold of a corner of his mind, letting the lust shine through. With the hand at Natani's groin, he ran his index finger across the underside of the wolf's cock, and felt it twitch under his touch. "How about that taste?"

His mood caught the wolf, as Keith had known it would. Natani got his knees on the couch and shifted closer, giving him easy access. The wolf towered over him. Keith straightened up from his slouch, thinking clearly enough to make sure he didn't roll Zen off him. On the contrary, the wolf's head ended up more in Keith's lap, not entirely by accident. Keith took his heat-touched hand to Natani's cock, giving it a few good pumps with a tight touch, transferring some of the essence. Then he let the hand fall back to Zen's head, slowly scratching the wolf behind his ears, and with the other, guided Natani's tip to his mouth, to his tongue. Instantly, Keith felt the wolf's member give a twitch, and was treated to some of his pre. He swallowed it, then began to lick Natani clean, enjoying the curious mixture of maleness and heat, letting the lust of it lend a certain hunger to his actions. He had Natani enthralled; the wolf loved it when Keith surrendered to the call of the heat, of his heat, the call to love and adore and fulfill. And this, this was not far different. Every time he felt a twitch, or a slow throb, under his tongue, Keith returned to the tip to collect his prize. When he reached the wolf's knot, the trips became frequent indeed.

Finally, Natani was clean again, glistening in front of him in all his glory, beginning to pant with the pleasure of Keith's attentions. Keith took the tip in his mouth, suckling, massaging the underside with his tongue to invite yet more pre, then slowly started pushing forward, taking Natani into his mouth until the wolf reached his throat, then swallowing to push even farther... until his nose met the wolf's knot. Keith held there a moment, then thrust his tongue as far as he could, giving the underside a long, heavy lick. Natani shuddered with a groan, depositing yet more down his throat, and Keith smiled around his prize. He still had it. Slowly, slowly, he pulled off until just the tip was left in his mouth, milking out two more spurts on the way.

Natani was leaning on the backrest of the couch with one hand, his panting heavier. He was having to hold himself back, Keith could tell... with a nudge, he thought he could get Natani to straddle him and start thrusting into his mouth. The idea held a lot of appeal, especially in his half-lusted state, but it would dislodge Zen... and after how the wolves had teased him, doing this the slow way suited Keith better. So he kept just the tip in his muzzle, angling to press it against the roof of his mouth as he massaged the underside with his tongue. He wasn't teasing, exactly, but it was a slow build. That had its advantages. Keith took his free hand to Natani's sack, rolling the heavy nuts in his palm, feeling their weight, then gently massaging them with his fingertips. There was a huff from the wolf and he half-tensed, before relaxing with a groan. Having his sack tumbled could still feel pretty odd to Natani, but he'd learned to appreciate it, and Keith was rewarded with even more pre. He felt Zen stirring in his lap, nuzzling down to Keith's own member, not quite hard but getting there. The wolf took his tip in his mouth, beginning to suckle on him slowly, and Keith let out a long sigh around the cock in his muzzle. He gave Zen one last scratch behind the ear--which the wolf rewarded by going down deeper on him--before taking his hand to Natani's shaft. He could tell that the wolf was close. Still, he did not swallow Natani again, though that would have done it; it would be a waste for the wolf to spend himself down his throat. Keith kept up his campaign, massaging the underside of the wolf's leaking tip with his tongue, one hand gently tugging at his balls, and the other... he squeezed down gently on the wolf's knot, then cupped it, sliding his fingers behind it, around the base. He felt Natani brace himself to hold still, and looked up at the panting wolf. Their eyes met, and Keith tugged on the knot, squeezing it at the same time. The knot swelled in his hand, Natani drew a shuddering breath, and he could feel the wolf's nuts draw tight against his body. Keith kept squeezing the knot as, with a massive groan, his whole body stiff, Natani began to unload into his muzzle, in slow, big jets that erupted against the roof of his mouth before coating his tongue, heavy with Natani's taste. Keith let it pool, then swallowed before his mouth got full, then let it pool again, all the while gently palming the wolf's sack and maintaining his hold on his knot, squeezing, coaxing a full orgasm from the wolf. As if they'd been tied.

Natani had a lot to give, and Keith took all of it, looking up at the wolf, watching his expression melt into hazy joy.

That was the biggest bounty of all.

Finally, with Natani half-collapsed against the backrest, thoroughly spent, Keith loosened up on the knot so the wolf could start to grow soft. He swallowed the last of Natani's seed, once again fascinated by the fact that the wolves tasted different to him. They hadn't believed him, of course, but he'd continued to get it right.

Even with the blindfold.

And his hands tied behind his back.

The fact of it was, the brothers had different flavors.

He'd grown to like both long ago.

Keith let the softening Natani slip out of his mouth, then placed one last kiss on the tip before letting go. Natani completed his collapse, sliding down to sit next to him, facing him. In Keith's lap, Zen was nuzzling against the base of Keith's member, his long tongue occasionally darting out to give it a lick. Keith rather suspected the wolf had plans for it, and was looking forward to finding out, but for the moment he was more than content to watch Natani's rather dazed expression.

The wolf kissed him, and it was the sweetest thing, pure love and satisfaction. Natani shifted how he sat, propping one elbow on the backrest to settle his hand on Keith's head, thumbing the base of one of his ears before starting to gently caress it. Keith let out a happy sigh, and Natani matched it, then gave him another kiss.

The wolf chuckled. "I'm not sure I can stand."

Keith nuzzled his cheek. "Well, do you need to?"

Natani nipped at the tip of his ear gently. "I should get dinner started. Clearly, you're hungry."

Keith grinned. "I don't know, I feel like I just ate." But of course, that wasn't quite what it was about, with Zen nuzzling at him. He looked at Natani, and could have built a house on the understanding between them. Keith smiled. "I guess I could use something more to eat. It's been a long day."

Natani returned the smile, then leaned close. They nuzzled each other's cheeks for a moment, and then, with a last kiss, the wolf pulled away and stood up. Slowly, testing his feet. He found his footing, then stretched, a rather magnificient sight. He looked at Zen's pants, discarded on the floor, and, with a smile, took off his shirt and let it join the pants, standing fully naked.

A rather magnificient sight.

Natani picked up a book from the table--Keith didn't catch the title, but it looked rather impressive--then with a grin and a wink at the two of them, started towards the door.

The book reminded Keith. "Natani?"

"Hm?"

"There's a bunch of letters for you." Keith nodded his head at his bags, laying discarded in the doorway. "Package in the bag on the right."

Natani's ears perked up, curious, and he squatted down to rifle through the bag, his tail swaying slowly as he kept his balance.

The wolf never not looked good to Keith.

Natani held up the right package, looking at him, and Keith nodded. Natani stood back up, looking at the wrapping, thoughtful. "Should I leave this until later?"

Keith smiled. "I think it can wait, but I don't think it needs to." Most of them were from the female wolves who had been... well, not as much part of the delegation, as adjacent to it. Natani had made more than enemies that day.

Natani nodded slowly, looking at Keith, then left the room with his book and his package.

And his letters.

After a moment of quiet, with Zen still seemingly content to just nuzzle at him, Keith gave one of the wolf's ears a gentle tug. "Hey."

Zen's voice was a sigh. "Hey."

"How are you feeling?"

"Horny and in love."

Keith smiled. "I guess that makes two of us."

He could practically feel the wolf rolling his eyes. "Think we should do something about it?"

"The first half, yeah. The second half, never."

Zen raised his head slowly, getting up on his arms to look at Keith. "You really are impossible, you know."

Keith kissed him, and the wolf yielded, then nuzzled his cheek, then neck, then sighed as Keith put his arms around him. "Being touched by you right now is... I don't really have words for it."

"Is it the heat? Is it getting bad?"

The wolf shook his head, or maybe just nuzzled deeper. "No, it's there, but that's not... well, it's part of it. But it's seeing you, and you wanting to share this with me, and..."

Keith waited a moment, but the wolf didn't continue. "And?"

Zen pulled away from his neck to look at him, clearly hesitating. Keith stroked his cheek, waiting patiently. Zen struggled, but found his words. "And... what happened between me and Natani."

Bweh?

Zen laughed at his expression, a lovely, easy sound. "Not because it was Natani. Because it was my body."

"Ah." Keith grinned slowly. "I didn't think you were that in love with yourself."

Zen stuck his tongue out. "I'm not. But..." the wolf grew more serious.

The silence stretched. "Is this where I say 'but?'"

Zen snorted, then, after a moment of visibly struggling with himself, sighed. "... would you?"

Keith smiled, gentle, not teasing. "But?"

"I..." Zen gathered himself, and found a wan, pained smile. Keith's heart went out to him. "I... hurt someone once. I was young, and stupid, and didn't know what I was doing. Well, I guess neither of us did. But... I wasn't the one who got hurt."

Ah. There had been shadows of that in the past, in how Zen looked at him, in how oddly careful he sometimes was... Keith could see the shape of his catharsis, of... taking what you had to give. There was a sort of penance to it, though Keith wasn't sure if that was really the... right way to think about it. Could see, too, how tangled up Zen, the protector, could get over hurting someone. He stroked the wolf's cheek. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Zen opened his mouth, then shook his head. "I think... I think it'd be too easy right now. I should be in my own body. After... all of this."

Keith nodded. "Do you want me to hold you to it?"

Zen smiled, and it was a bit better than wan. "Please do. I think... I can talk about it now. With you."

"It's a promise." Keith caressed the wolf's cheek again. "And... I'll still love you."

There was the smile he wanted to see. "Yeah." The wolf gave him a kiss. "You will, won't you?"

Keith returned the kiss, pulling Zen closer, offering him reassurance. The wolf took it, and they moved past the moment, forgetting the later and focusing on the now. Keith let his hands roam the wolf, cheeks, neck, sides, breasts... his nipples were hard, so Keith gave them a little tweak, eliciting a cute little gasp. Keith cupped the wolf's breasts, lifting their weight, slowly massaging with his fingers, and Zen grew hungrier in the kiss, needier, pleading for satisfaction. Heat-tinged. That called to something deep within Keith, and he felt himself growing hard again.

He nudged Zen out of the kiss. "Wanna sit on my lap?"

The wolf blushed. "Yeah. I think I do."

Keith shifted into a better position, and Zen straddled him. For a moment, all Keith could see was the wolf's stomach, then his breasts as he lowered himself, searching out Keith's member with one hand to hold it steady. Guide it in. Keith sighed at the slick, sensuous, hot tightness of the wolf as Zen's weight settled on him. The closeness was delicious; not just their coupling, but Zen's thighs against his hips, his feet pressing close on either side, the wolf's arms loosely around his head on the backrest, casually touching his ears... and Zen's breasts in his face as the wolf leaned forward, making himself more comfortable.

Keith settled his hands on the wolf's waist, letting his arms rest along Zen's thighs, then nuzzled his way to a nipple, giving it a playful lick, cherishing how he could feel the wolf sigh against him. "Comfortable?"

He felt Zen's tongue on his ear, paying him back for the nipple, and shivered. The wolf's voice was a close rumble. "More than ever. I mean... it's normally good. You know it is." Keith fancied he could hear the wolf blush. "But it's still a little weird, you know? But right now, it just feels... right. Completely right."

Keith had been nuzzling for the other nipple while the wolf spoke, and now gave it a lick. "The heat?"

He felt the wolf's muzzle against his ears as he nodded. "Yeah, I think so. It's like the body is saying, very loudly, this is how it should be."

Keith smiled. "And you're not arguing?"

"No. Right now, I don't miss my body at all." A long sigh from the wolf. "Though, that blowjob you gave Natani was something else."

Keith grinned. "Felt that, huh?"

"Every lick."

"Well, I couldn't exactly slack off after what you guys pulled on me. Had to give it my best shot."

Zen chuckled, a warm rumble. "Well, you outdid yourself. That bit with the scent was inspired."

Keith laughed. "I know Natani." He smiled mischieviously. Maybe Zen would hear it. "What about you? Do you think you'd like that?"

The wolf nipped him on the ear. "I think I want to find out." A short pause. "I'm not sure I could stay as calm as he did, though."

Ah.

Keith placed a kiss on the wolf's heart, or as close as he could get, anyway. No mischief, now. "You wouldn't have to, if you didn't want to. You won't hurt me."

A half-strangled little sound, and the wolf leaned away, shifting tantalizingly against him as he did. Zen looked down at him, tears in his eyes. "Dammit, Keith."

He reached up, taking the wolf by both cheeks. He longed to kiss him, but couldn't reach. "You won't."

"How do you always..." but instead of finishing the sentence, if it even had an end, Zen came down, crouching. Keith couldn't reach the wolf, but the wolf could reach him, and did. The kiss held the deep, tender feeling of an unreachable place being touched, of something broken beginning to heal. Keith knew it well, too well, and his tears welled in response.

Miracles exist, but they aren't free. Someone has to make them.

Zen let out a long, ragged breath, then nuzzled into Keith's neck. Keith couldn't really get his arms around the wolf's body, so he settled for wrapping them around his neck instead. It seemed to do the trick, in a pinch. Another long breath from the wolf, then a short laugh, almost easy. "I'm starting to feel like we're pretty bad at this sex stuff."

Keith grinned. "Well, depends on what you're looking for. I think we're doing okay."

"... yeah."

Zen stayed snuggled up, and Keith wasn't going to complain. He hugged the wolf closer. "You know..." this felt like the time. "You don't have to be in that body to do this."

Another short laugh. "What, sit in your lap?"

Keith raised his eyebrows. "Well, now that you mention it... I wonder if I could reach you with my mouth if you did."

"... okay, now I kinda wanna try it."

"But you know what I mean."

"... yeah."

Keith tried to make his voice as tender as his feelings. "I'm not saying that you have to. If this is how you want it to be... I'm fine with that. Really. I'm just saying... you can, if you want to. I wouldn't find you any less cute." No response. "I guess what I'm really saying is... if you're holding back, or forcing yourself to act in a certain way, you don't have to. But if you want to show a different side of yourself based on the body... then that's fine. They're both beautiful to me."

"Mm..."

Keith nuzzled into the wolf's long hair... and caught a whiff of the heat-scent. Of course. He'd been stroking Zen earlier, with that same hand... but Keith didn't let it carry him away. Not quite the time.

After a few more moments, Zen drew up, and to Keith's relief the wolf was smiling. "I'll... think about it, okay?"

Keith returned the smile. "Sure." Now? ... Now. Keith pulled a lock of the wolf's hair to his muzzle, giving it a whiff. Zen looked at him quizzically, so he grinned. "The scent. I scratched you with that hand, remember?"

"Ah." The wolf looked thoughtful. "It... really has a strong effect on you, huh?"

"When it's Natani." Keith smiled. "Or you."

Zen raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you're going to say we have different scents, too."

Keith grinned. "Now that you mention it, maybe you do. I'll have to keep a nose--" he felt Zen's hand, briefly, where they were joined, before the wolf pressed it against his nose, rich with his scent, straight from the source. Of course. The brothers thought alike. Keith's nose flared, and as Zen slowly dragged his fingers across it, even his ears went rigid. He breathed in, letting the lust become him, but not ceding control. As the wolf's hand passed to his cheek, he turned his head, following, seeking the enriched fingers with his tongue.

Zen let him suckle on his fingers, then kissed him. Maybe it was the scent in his nose, but the wolf's tongue tasted even better than his fingers had. Keith clutched at the wolf's hips, and Zen began to move, grinding slowly against him. Keith groaned into the kiss, and they parted.

The wolf looked a little overcome, himself, gazing down at Keith, his hips slowly pumping. "Yeah... I like it when you get like that."

"The scent gets stronger, too. And... I haven't given into it yet."

"Why not?"

"Because this is just the beginning. When it really starts... slow isn't going to cut it. So while we still can... I'd like this moment to be just like this."

Zen nodded, and settled against him, the gyrations of his hips making his breasts rub against Keith's face. The wolf whispered into his ear. "I'm in your hands."

The brothers thought differently, too. But then, it was Zen's first time. Keith didn't answer in words; instead, he found a nipple, giving the hard nub a flick with his tongue, letting Zen's reactions draw them both deeper into the lust. He began answering Zen's movements, swaying in counterpoint. They found each other's rhythms, meshing, evolving, until they moved together, their tight coupling a perfect harmony of slow, indolent pleasure. Keith's hands were on the wolf's hips, aiding in their dance, but his muzzle and tongue were free to tease at Zen's slowly swaying breasts, nuzzling, licking, circling the nipples tightly with his tongue, even forming a tight seal and suckling, tugging on the sensitive flesh. Zen in turn teased at his ears, licking along the ridges, nipping, even taking a tip in his mouth and giving it a tug. Teasing fed teasing, and they spiraled on, never speeding up, but growing ever more aroused, more in tune with each other's pleasure, more enthralled by the sensations of their joining, of flesh meeting flesh, lust meeting lust, love meeting love. They were both breathing heavily now, and for Keith his climax had become something inevitable; he could see the cliff coming, even if it was still a ways off, and he could not reach it first, because if he did, his body would fail his silent promise to Zen. He was about to reach between their legs, to give the final push, when he felt the wolf tense, going rigid in the moment before his release, and then it came, as, with a shuddering groan, Zen squeezed around him in rippling pulses. It broke their rhythm, and they grew still, except for the quaking inside the wolf, and the weak twitching of his hips. Keith pulled down on him, desperate to join him, so close--and between squeezes, Zen gathered the tip of one of his ears in his mouth, and on the next wave, tugged. Keith tumbled off the cliff, pushing uselessly up into the wolf, his world narrowing into this moment where the pleasure they had built up crashed over them.

He held tight to his lover in the storm.

Two or three eternities later, Zen sighed, and Keith loved the contentment of the sound. "Slow was pretty good."

They were still as they had been, except Zen had slumped, resting his head on Keith's. It was a good way to be. Keith smiled into the wolf's breasts. "Yeah."

"Is your ear okay?"

Keith laughed, but gently. He flicked the ear, sweeping it across the side of Zen's muzzle. "Yeah. Maybe don't make a habit of it, but it got the job done."

Zen gave the ear a reconciliatory lick, and Keith sighed happily. He worked his arms around Zen's back, but it wasn't quite what he wanted, with how much he had to reach. Perhaps there were better ways to be. He put an arm out and started lowering himself on the couch, and Zen got the idea, lifting off enough for him to slip out from under. Keith, on his back now, opened his arms to beckon, and with a beautiful smile the wolf came, laying his head on Keith's chest. Keith's arms fell around the wolf's back, holding him close.

It was Keith's turn to sigh contentment. "That's better."

He felt Zen nod. "Yeah." After a while, the wolf continued. "The heat... it's going to get even better?"

"Probably? More intense, at least. Why?"

"I've... never felt anything quite like that before."

"Oh?" Keith couldn't have stopped his grin if he'd wanted to. "Does that mean I'm a better lay than Natani?"

Zen laughed. "You're never going to let us live that down, are you?"

"Should I? I mean, if you really want me to forget about it..."

The wolf shifted, getting more comfortable. "It's down to Natani, I think. Mention it at your own peril."

Keith grinned. "I will."

"Fool basitin." But the wolf's tone held nothing but love.

Keith scratched Zen behind the ears, and smiled as the wolf's tail thwumped into the backrest. "Fool wolves."

"I guess we are, to fall for a fool basitin."

No response was necessary, so Keith spent the next while in silence, stroking Zen down. The wolf seemed to be growing somnolent in his arms. It was still light out, but Keith couldn't blame him. He was still riding high on everything that had happened, but he could feel a crash looming. It had been many nights since he'd slept either much or well, and today had been but the last in a string of long days. Though... the honest fatigue of the trip felt better than the fatigue of too many meetings with too many blowhards. But fatigue it still was, and he was very much looking forward to curling up with the wolves, and getting some real rest.

And yet, he didn't want to miss any of today, either. There was still a lot of day left, and even more than sleep, he wanted to see what it would hold. Dinner would be first. Natani might have actually started on it by now... indeed, if he listened carefully, he could pick out some kitcheny sounds, though he couldn't smell anything, at least not yet. But perhaps his nose was just too full of Zen's scent.

"Keith?"

Maybe the wolf wasn't so sleepy, after all. "Yeah?"

Zen got up on his hands and knees and shifted himself higher relative to Keith. He got the idea and moved toward the edge of the couch, making room for the wolf to squeeze in beside him. They settled down nose to nose, Keith feeling a little precarious until Zen put an arm and a leg around him, holding him close.

The wolf booped their noses together, then wrinkled his. "I really did a number on you, huh."

Keith grinned. "Yeah."

Zen gave his nose a long lick, causing Keith's ears to bristle. "Better?"

It was Keith's turn to wrinkle his nose. "Now everything smells like wolf slobber."

Zen stuck his tongue out. "So deal with it."

Keith did, nuzzling under the wolf's chin and down to his throat, wiping his nose on the soft fur there. He pressed down and could feel Zen's pulse under him, and held there for a few heartbeats, enjoying the unusual sensation. Then he reversed himself, smiling. "Better."

Zen kissed him, matching his smile. "Silly."

Keith was content to be silly as charged, and to enjoy the wolf's embrace. Shades of male-Zen?

The wolf grew more serious. "About what you said, about how I'm in this body..."

Apparently! "Yeah?"

"Do you think there's a problem?"

Keith smiled. "Didn't I tell you that I don't know?"

Zen booped him on the nose again. "But you brought it up."

So he had. "Yeah."

The wolf gave him a flat look of 'elaborate.'

Keith tried. "You could say that I'm... aware... that if I hadn't made that request, back then, on our first night, to be with Natani... you wouldn't be in this situation."

Zen growled, a warning tone. "Don't you dare think of regretting that."

Keith laughed. "No regret. But... I'm aware. I made a choice, and it affected you."

The wolf looked at him for a long moment, then sighed. "... I'm going to end up sitting in your lap, aren't I?"

Keith grinned. "Well, it would the manly-Zen thing to do."

The wolf laughed. "I swear, you get me all tangled up."

Keith kissed him, mischievious. "And you love me for it."

"Yeah." Zen reached up touch one of his ears, stroking, soothing. "I do."

Keith buried himself in the wolf's chest--though unusually, but not unpleasantly, it was really his bosom. Zen held him tighter, and Keith nearly purred. He slid his arms around the wolf, just to be closer, and let out a long, satisfied exhalation. This, too, he had missed.

And yet... "You know, I really did mean it, that you can be different if you want. You don't have to do this for me."

Zen stroked his ears. "I know. Right now, I'm doing this for myself. I missed you, you know."

Now Keith did purr, a little, then found his grin. "I mean, I'm just saying... if you wanted to put on a dress, I'd support you."

Zen laughed, a great joyous rumble all around him. "Man. What would Natani say about that?"

That... might not have been a complete dismissal. "Well, Natani can wear a dress too if he wants. Who's going to stop him?"

Another laugh, longer this time. "Nobody. That's who."

"Damn right."

They spent the next while mainly just enjoying each other's presence, and Zen seeing how hard he could get Keith to purr.

Pretty hard.

Eventually, Zen announced what the scents wafting through the house already had. "Dinner's up."

Keith stretched, or as near as he could with a wolf wrapped around him, flexing his legs and pushing up against Zen's chin with his head. Zen chuckled, giving him one last squeeze before letting him go. Keith got up, retreating with a kiss and a smile to watch as Zen stretched in turn, limbering himself before slowly sitting up. The wolf's answering smile was a little fuzzy. It had been a bit of a sleepy moment, for both of them.

Keith looked for his pants--they'd somehow ended up in the far corner of the room--then considered the profoundly naked Zen, and the fact that Natani had left all his--well, Zen's, really--clothes behind. Naked dinner? Seemed inpractical... but maybe also a little fun? But while he was musing, Zen retrieved his robe and wriggled into it, and so Keith followed suit and pulled his pants back on.

Keith went to gather up his bags, next, kneeling down to make sure they were still secure, and Zen stopped next to him, flicking the tip of one of his ears. "Bring anything for me?"

Keith grinned up at the wolf. "Sorry, just myself."

When he stood back up, Zen leaned down to kiss him, tilting Keith's face up by the chin. The kiss lingered, and when Zen pulled back, it was with his best grin. "I'll take that."

Keith sighed, leaning his head into Zen's chest. "I... guess I could give you my leftover rations?"

"... actually, hand 'em over. I feel like I'm in charge of the pantry at the moment."

"Oh?" Keith handed Zen that bag, and the wolf took it. "Is there anything I'm in charge of?"

Zen tousled his hair. "Just relaxing, for now. We've got a handle on everything."

If the wolves wanted him to take it easy... he wasn't going to fight them. Not right now.

"Like what we've done with the place?"

There was clear pride in Zen's voice, so Keith looked around, both in the corridor, and poking his head back in the sitting room. He'd only had eyes for the wolves, earlier. The house felt... comfortable. And everything was certainly clean. "Well, I barely recognize it, really. The last time I was here, it was a little difficult to tell what was real and what wasn't..." he smiled at Zen. "But yeah, I do."

"Do you remember the bath?"

"Oh? There's a bath?"

Zen grinned. "Oh yes."

It would be wonderful to soak for a bit... and Zen's grin was pretty promising. Keith smiled, letting his tail do a happy little swish. "That... sounds nice. After dinner? And you guys, too?" He grinned. "Since I'm in charge of relaxing."

Zen tousled his hair again, smiling. "We don't have a choice then, do we?"

"Guess not."

In the kitchen, the table was laden with food--meat, meat, and more meat, Keith noted with amusement, though he also spied some vegetables and even potatoes--but his eyes were quickly drawn to Natani, seated on one of the long benches, but off to the side from where he'd set any of the places. He'd found a robe for himself, probably not wanting to risk naked cooking. Before him were two small piles of letters, all of them already opened. He was reading one, frowning.

Keith felt Zen's hand on his shoulder. "I'll put these away."

Zen went to a door--that'd be the pantry, then--and Keith stepped up to Natani. He still didn't look up, even when Keith reached out to touch him on the ear--just flicked it against his palm--so Keith put one leg over the bench, then slid his arms around the wolf's neck before sitting down, facing him. That did the trick, and Natani turned to look at him, the frown becoming tinted with amusement. But it was still a frown.

"What's up?"

Natani looked at him, and Keith saw something unusual, for the second time that day. Worry. "Did you get the wolves?"

Ah.

Still...

Keith smiled, mischievious. "I've got all the wolves I want." Natani gave him a long-suffering look, but Keith thought he was amused--maybe even touched--despite himself. Keith kissed his lovely wolf, to deepen the moment, then held for a space, watching Natani's expression. He teetered, then started back toward worry. Keith put on a thoughtful expression. "Though, I think your favorite councilman actually tried to hit on me."

Zen barked a laugh from the pantry. Natani's look was a mixture of pure affront and awe. "The balls on that guy."

Keith grinned. "But yeah, I got the wolves. They've committed to Wreathwood."

"But..." Natani glanced at the letters. "I started something, didn't I."

Keith nodded. "Yeah. They weren't very happy with you." He let his voice cool. "But then, I wasn't very happy with them. In the end, everyone stayed... polite."

"I should have just... grinned and borne it."

"No."

"It was foolish, and reckless, and--"

"And right. I would have stood with you, if you'd let me. I still would." Keith still remembered the weight of Zen's hand on his shoulder, Natani's way of bidding him--bidding them both--to stay back, when he'd finally risen to the bait.

And how.

"But that would have been--"

"Dangerous?" Keith smiled. "Irresponsible? Risking the peace? Yeah." Keith let his arms slide off from around the wolf's neck, and took Natani's head in his hands, caressing his cheeks, ruffling the fur. "There are things that I'm willing to regret, and things that I'm not. I'm with you." He grasped the fur on the wolf's cheeks lightly, then let go. "No matter what." He looked at Natani, resolute. This was the way of the world.

Slowly, Natani's almost vulnerable expression filled up with love. The wolf leaned in, kissing him, letting him know he felt the same; so tender that it brought tears to Keith's eyes. Natani pulled away, and his smile was one of the softest expressions Keith had ever seen on him. "It's a good thing I stopped you, then."

Keith wiped his tears, returning the smile. "If you say so."

Natani looked up, and Keith felt Zen's hand on his head. He turned to look, and there was no question how Zen the big brother felt about Keith's declaration to stand with Natani. Zen straddled the bench behind Keith and sat down, hugging him tightly from behind, and now it was Keith's turn to feel a little vulnerable, with the joy of seeing them again and being with them. Being loved by them. Natani kissed him again, and Keith kissed back, but it was for the both of them, and he thought he felt both in the kiss. Sometimes, in some things, the wolves were as one. Keith put one of his hands on top of Zen's arms, circling him, and the other around Natani's neck, pulling him closer.

A handful of peaceful moments later, Zen loosened his hold and gently nipped Keith on the ear. "We should eat before the food gets cold."

Natani smiled. "Yeah, I'm starving."

Zen sounded amused. "Found your appetite, then?"

Hm? "Have you been ill?"

Natani touched noses with him. "Just missing someone."

... Oh.

The places had been set on three sides of the table, with a stool at the head, but Zen kept Keith where he was--albeit turning to face the table--and Natani re-set the places as they'd been sitting, with Keith between the wolves. They crowded him a little, seemingly unwilling to draw away, hands busy with food but all their tails a tangle behind them. It made finding the space to eat a little difficult, but Keith wouldn't have dreamt of complaining. He would have rather done without the food, good as it was after cold rations, than without the closeness.

After the meal, Zen was picking his teeth with a stick of celery. "So, what's next for Wreathwood? The tigers?"

Keith yawned, the food heavy in his stomach. "Yeah. We've got who we need now, but I'd like to have everyone. The folks up north are probably willing to come to us, but the tigers... maybe not. So I'm officially on my way there now." He smiled. "Though, I'll get delayed. And... might end up putting it off. If you guys have other plans?"

Natani was looking at the letters, thoughtful. "No, I..." He sighed. "I don't know what to make of this. It would be really good to know who some of these are from. Not many are signed."

"Maddie can probably help you there. She's the one who brought most of them in. After you two left, she thought it would be a good idea to insinuate herself 'behind enemy lines', as she put it. Apparently, she was a bit of a hit."

Zen grinned. "She would be."

Natani shot his brother an amused look. "Is she part of your delegation?"

Keith shook his head. "No, she's staying behind. There's a lot of practical decisions to be made, still, and... well, I'm not going to be there. Not without you guys. But we could send word to her. Having her come by here would probably be easiest. She should be able to get away for a bit."

Zen cleared his throat. "Would that be after the, um..."

Keith grinned. "Yeah. I was thinking we'd stay here for..." He'd planned for two weeks, heat permitting, but suddenly felt greedy. "... three weeks?"

Natani nodded. "And then, the tigers. Probably."

Zen sighed. "Jungles? In midsummer? ... if you'll be there, I'll be there."

Keith smiled at him. "As if you're not interested in the natives."

"Right now," Zen pulled him into a one-armed hug, "I'm only interested in you."

And Keith believed it, too. He nuzzled into Zen's neck. There was a spot there that was just... right. "... yeah."

Zen sounded thoughtful. "Though... tigers have a heat in the summer, don't they." Keith laughed, but the wolf took on a more serious tone. "You know... I'm not actually sure if I'll want to."

Keith gave Zen's neck one last little nudge, then pulled away. The wolf looked serious, too. "What, thinking of becoming a one basitin guy?"

"I wouldn't want to..." the 'hurt you' was unspoken, but very clear. The wolf radiated sincerity.

"Zen... None of that needs to change. You don't have to be with me every second of every day. Just... don't run away."

"I... I won't. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Just don't forget."

Zen pulled him close again. "I won't."

Keith rested his head against the wolf's shoulder, content. He heard Natani shifting, then felt a touch on his cheek, his ear, his other ear, and each felt like a blessing. Finally, the wolf leaned in to give him a kiss, light and playful. The kiss broke into a shared smile, and Natani gave him a last lick on the cheek before standing up. "I'll get the bath going."

That sounded good.

Zen let his arm fall away from around Keith, then bumped him upright. "I'll clear and do the dishes."

As the wolf got up, Keith stretched and yawned. "I'll help."

It wouldn't do to get too lazy.

Zen tweaked him on the ear. "I told you, not today. Let us take care of everything."

Well, he had been working hard... and he didn't exactly hate the idea of being taken care of. Of the wolves wanting to take care of him. Keith settled back down, leaning his elbows on the table, then slumping on his arms when Zen cleared enough space. The wolf shot him a grin, but continued to work in silence. When he'd cleared the table, he took an apron off a peg on the wall, revealing a smaller, pink apron underneath.

Keith looked at it for a moment, then sighed. "... That's for me, isn't it."

Zen flashed his best grin. "How'd you guess?"

"Juuuust a hunch." It was a very them thing to do. And harmless enough. Though... could he turn it around on them? The image of himself in the apron, and nothing but the apron, came to Keith. Could he actually pull that off? ... for their reactions? Yes, he could.

Zen looked at him, suspicious. "What are you smiling about?"

Keith did nothing to hide the smile. "Oh, nothing."

Zen's suspiciousness faltered as he caught Keith's mood. The wolf shook his head, smiling, and came over. He leaned down, and Keith raised his head from his arms so Zen could give him a kiss. The wolf finished with a nuzzle, tickling his cheek, then sighed, all happy exasperation. "When you get like that... I think I really could be a one basitin guy, and never miss-- ... hang on, I already am, aren't I."

Keith laughed. "That's where I was going with that, yeah."

"Huh." Zen grinned. "So we'll be okay as long as I don't woo another basitin?"

Keith smiled. "Zen, we'll be okay. ... Though, you probably shouldn't try that. My troops have it hard enough already."

There was that grin again. "Or maybe not hard enough?" Keith laughed, and Zen reached to touch one of his ears, smiling softly. "I think I can manage that."

Keith leaned into the wolf's hand, prompting him into heavier petting, then slowly let his head fall back on his arms, looking sideways at Zen, relishing the sensations as the wolf gently teased at his ear. Keith let his tail wag freely, then made it curl around Zen's ankle. The wolf smiled at being captured, and continued to pamper Keith until his eyes grew heavy and his tail relaxed, letting Zen go. The wolf leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, then went back to his chores, humming to himself. Keith watched him work, listening to the clinking of the dishes, and slowly drifted off.

Keith awakened to the smell of coffee, and found that Zen had just put a mug down near him. His mind a little fuzzy, he stretched carefully, yawning. The dishes were done, and Zen's apron was back on the peg, but he didn't think he'd been out for much longer than that. Which was probably good. Sleeping on a table wasn't the most comfortable.

Zen pointed at the coffee. "Want some rum with that?"

Keith smiled, reaching out to him. "I'm already a little drunk on you guys."

"Oh?" Zen took his hand, smiling. "Want some wolf, then?"

"Always."

Zen came up behind him, and Keith shifted to the edge of the bench, giving the wolf room to sit down behind him. It would have been better if the bench had been a bit wider, but they made it work. Zen wrapped one arm around Keith's midriff, then used the other to hand Keith his mug before picking up his own. Keith leaned into the wolf lightly, finding a place against his breasts, then brought the mug to his nose, taking in the smell for a moment before trying a careful sip.

Zen's coffee.

He was so happy to be with them again.

Zen gave him a squeeze, and, overcome in the moment, Keith rubbed against the wolf, striving to be closer, regretting even the clothes between them. Zen tightened his hold and nuzzled Keith's ear, and he quieted down, content again.

He really was a little drunk on them. Keith settled against Zen, finding all the places they could be in contact; from the tips of his ears all the way down to his waist, then their thighs, knees, ankles... Keith was snug between the wolf's legs. They sipped their coffees in silence, Keith occasionally rubbing against Zen's neck, and the wolf pacifying him with this or that touch.

Eventually, Natani returned. "Bath's about ready."

Keith looked at him, smiling without thought, then reached out with his free arm. Natani smiled, coming to take his hand and sit astride the bench next to them. The wolf kissed him, softly, and Keith let out a happy little sigh against his muzzle.

Natani nuzzled his cheek, still smiling. "You're like this, huh?"

Keith didn't know how to answer that, but he didn't need to. Natani nuzzled down to his neck, pushing him against Zen, and Keith let out a little involuntary purr.

Zen laughed. "We're going to end up on the floor if you start playing."

Natani grinned at him. "And?"

"We've still got coffee!"

"Okay, fair point." Natani gave Keith a long lick on the cheek, making it hard for him to hang on to his mug, then went to pour himself the rest of it. He sat down on the other side of the table, this time, but within seconds his feet found Keith's, nudging, settling so their ankles were together, Keith's pinned between the wolves'. Deeply intimate, in a way that was maybe unique to the three of them in the whole world. It was too bad his feet were still wrapped.

Natani smiled at him across the table. "You're going to like the bath."

Keith nudged at Natani with his toes, and the wolf played along, shifting his feet and trapping Keith's toes under his own. The gesture might as well have been an embrace. Keith sighed happily and took a swig of his coffee, and might have dropped the thread of conversation altogether if Natani's expression hadn't prompted him. He was going to like the bath? "Oh? Does it come with a wolf?"

Natani grinned. "It comes with two."

His ears perked against Zen's neck, earning a soft chuckle from the wolf. Both of them... "It's big enough?"

"Easily."

Keith took another swig of his coffee.

A bathroom break later, Keith stood in the room with the bath. Sunlight filtered in through the high windows, sparkling on the surface of the nearly steaming water. And the bath...! It wasn't as big as one of the public baths on the island, but it was easily big enough for the three of them. More than that, big enough that they wouldn't be packed in. He would rather have liked that, as well, but... there was room to move! The door opened, Zen trailing him from the bathroom, and Keith grinned at the wolf. This was way more than he'd been expecting.

Zen grinned back, obviously enjoying his reaction. "Lose the clothes, hm?"

The wolf led by example, pulling off his robe and putting it up on a shelf before going to the pails to get some rinsing water. Keith couldn't help but mark how Zen walked, with a bit more sway to his hips than he'd expect to see if the wolf was in his own body--or certainly, from Natani. He tried imagining both those things, and couldn't help but smile. But then... how would he himself have behaved, in a different body? Odd thing to try and think about. He shook his head, wondering, then started shedding his clothes and putting them away. To finish up, he sat down on a bench to unwrap his feet. He raked his fingers through the matted fur on his shins and ankles, scratching, sighing happily at the sensations, at finally being unbound. It had been too long.

Zen dumped a pail of warm water on him. Keith barely had time to get his ears down before the torrent hit, and he sputtered, quickly turning into laughter. He was dripping wet, and he felt wonderful. He looked up at the wolf, grinning down at him, still dry except for some of the splashback. "I'm going to pay you back for that."

"Oh? Think you'll need a ladder?"

Keith poked his tongue out at the wolf. "Well, I could stand on the bench, or jump. But maybe you should just sit down."

Zen's grin mellowed into a smile, and the wolf sat, giving one of Keith's dripping ears a tweak as he did. Keith grabbed the pail, then went to fill it again, leaving a trail of water in his wake. The pail was rather large, and quite heavy when full. Keith carried it back, and Zen looked up at him in expectation, then closed his eyes and flattened his ears. Keith took it slower than Zen had, initially splashing the wolf when the pail was too full to do otherwise, but then slowly pouring the rest out over him, aiming first for the bridge of the wolf's muzzle, then running the stream up to his ears, and from there in circles. It finally petered out on his already sodden chest, the last rivulets running down between his breasts. Zen opened one eye, in case it was a trick, then the other, then grinned before shaking himself vigorously, spraying Keith.

Curse his short fur. He was still trying to decide how to retaliate when Natani entered, stopping just inside the door as they both turned to look at him, Zen doubtless matching the glint in Keith's eyes.

Natani shook his head, smiling. "Do what you gotta do."

So they did. Keith made sure to empty his bucket first, then quickly hid behind Zen, leaving him to take the brunt of Natani's shake. They shampoeed themselves and rinsed again, faster work for Keith with his short fur, so he used his lead to splash the wolves again before escaping into the bath. The water was just the right kind of hot, and felt wonderful. Keith crouched down, immersing himself up to his neck, and grinned back at the wolves, taunting. They came, answering his mood, almost at a stalk; wading in at two different angles, with a clear intent of 'Oh you'll get yours.' They closed in, but just before they were ready to strike, Keith pounced at Natani, trying to carry him down. The wolf had read him, and was ready, bracing against him to halt his momentum and, after a teetering moment, slam him down into the water on his back. His world distorted by water, Keith tried to assess the situation. Rather than bearing down, Natani was waiting for him to come up. He would be too much on alert, but Zen was closing in... Keith hooked a leg in that direction, mostly blind, caught something, and could feel Zen start to slip. Natani broke his stance, to assist, and Keith grabbed him by the ankle, pushing away, kicking the water to put more force into it.

Both wolves fell. Keith spun, trying to get clear, hoping he wouldn't. They met his expectations, Natani getting one arm around his waist, Zen pinning him by the shoulder with his fall. It became a glorious tangle of a melee, Keith vying for leverage, trying to get in a situation to break away as they tumbled in the water. The wolves, on full alert now, moved perfectly together, so completely unbeatable that he didn't even need to hold back; every attempt to get away met with overwhelming, irresistible force saying 'you're not going anywhere.' Straining, he rapidly burned through the fresh energy of the coffee, his body growing heavy again in the hot water, but the pure joy of it, of being with the wolves, carried him past tired, until he began nearing exhaustion. As he lessened his struggle, the wolves' touches became softer, but still they said 'you're staying right here.'

Finally, they came to a stop with Keith firmly in Natani's arms. The wolf sat up, and Keith came with, not even a token protest left in him, leaning his head on Natani's shoulder. Zen adjusted his hold, and both wolves had their arms around him, with Zen nuzzling at Keith's neck, pinning him into Natani. They were all breathing heavily.

Natani kissed Keith on the top of his muzzle. "Got it out of your system?"

"Yeah, I..." What was it, that he had been doing, exactly? His eyes were drawn to the flickering of sunlight on the surface of the water, and he suddenly found himself in a half-forgotten memory of playing with Alaric... with Nick. That hadn't been the game, not exactly, but... the importance of that part of it, of being caught, had grown in the years when there had been no-one there to try.

Keith's heart caught in his throat, and he must have made a noise, because Natani murmured over his ears, "Just let it happen."

In these moments, Natani knew him, truly knew him, and that was the most difficult, the happiest thing of all. The deepest love.

Keith cried like a baby. For Nick, the friend he never deserved, and yet who'd loved him so; only later had Keith understood the true depth of his devotion, and to this day he didn't quite know the nature of those unspoken ties between them, only their strength. And he never would, because he'd never realized in time, never understood the words he could have spoken to avert disaster. He cried for Laura, the timid girl who had come to live among strangers, just for the hope of seeing him again. He should have given that more weight, and not her betrayal. But he'd only given up his resentment at the end, when he should have gone back years ago, to face her and ask for an explanation, ask why she had broken his heart. A letter, a messenger, anything but those years of fruitless bitterness. He cried for his parents, for whom he could have done nothing, but who had been taken from him, leaving him alone. He could not have known to save them--could not have even known they'd need saving, they were his parents--but he'd spent years hating his father, feeding his every good memory of the man to the flames until there was nothing left. Not even hatred. He should have at least understood that his father was as innocent as Keith himself was; that he could never have hurt his mother.

As he cried for all the should haves and would haves, the wolves never left him, Natani soothing him as he cried on the wolf's shoulder, Zen holding him so tightly it almost hurt. And slowly, from somewhere deep a truth emerged; all of it, every painful step, was a part of the path that had led him here. And that, he could not regret. He would not trade it for anything, and so, he could not just hate his past, and his failures, no matter how costly or painful. And so, some of the pain got out, some of the love got in, and the memories grew a little less painful.

The tears ran their course, as they always did, leaving him exhausted and tender... but not in pain. He let out a huge sigh, and Natani's soothing hands came to a stop. Keith could feel Zen's grip on him lessen, haltingly. When he had some semblance of freedom again, Natani nudged him toward the other wolf. There were signals and signals, between them. Keith turned to Zen.

The wolf had his ears down, tears in his eyes, and a look of complete misery on his face. Ah. Zen had never seen him quite like that, but surely Natani would have... but of course, it was Zen. He would see a loved one in pain, and that would be it, no matter what Natani said.

Keith put his arms around the wolf's neck, pulling him close, cheek to cheek. "I'm fine. Sorry to make you worry."

Zen pulled him into a hug. "I didn't know what to..."

"You did the right thing." Keith found his smile, as the wolf held him closer. "You're still doing the right thing."

"But..."

He just wasn't going to get it. Keith shifted, straddling the wolf's hips, then straightened up, the added height of sitting on the wolf's lap putting them more or less face to face. He pressed his nose against the wolf's, then nudged up, turning it into a kiss, then leaned into Zen, harder, harder, until they toppled into the water. Keith kept the wolf pinned against the floor of the bath for ten or so seconds, before breaking the kiss and sitting back up for a breath. He grinned down at the wolf, distorted by the water but appearing quite animated. Keith could feel Zen start to shift under him, and then the wolf pushed himself up on his arms, breaking the surface. He looked a little lost, which was a marked improvement.

Zen gave an exasperated sigh. "Dammit, Keith. How am I supposed to--"

Keith leaned down to kiss him, letting his gratitude bubble out. "Thank you for being there for me."

The wolf sighed again, giving up his protest. A smile was starting to form on his face. "Well, what else am I going to do?"

Keith smiled at him. "Exactly."

He was aware of Natani, sitting next to them, and turned to look at him, finding a smile matching his own. They exchanged a look, but Keith didn't give him time to say his line; he simply kissed the wolf, all quiet gratitude, and slid his arms around his neck, before slipping past him into the water, pulling Natani down on top of him.

Natani pinned him against the floor of the bath, and he didn't stop at ten seconds. It wasn't a fierce kiss, but it was very solid. Adamant, that Keith wasn't going anywhere.

A few more tears may have found their way into the bath water.

Finally, they surfaced, and Keith gathered both wolves into an embrace. Natani returned it, nuzzling his ear as he did, and Zen wasn't far behind.

Keith thought he could feel Natani's smile, against the arch of his ear. "Ready to get out now?"

Was he? He felt tired, near exhausted, and the water was so wonderfully warm... and the wolves even more so. "I'd like to soak a bit more." Anything but honesty was unthinkable, just then. "If you'll stay with me?"

And of course, they did. Keith eased himself deeper into the bath, then let the water carry him, settling in to float. The wolves joined him, hands finding hands and feet finding feet to keep them all together. Peace, after the ruckus earlier. Keith relaxed, wholly, letting the heat soak into him, to ease the aches and hurts of his body, as the warmth of the wolves did for his heart.

Of course, he thought slowly, as he watched the sunlight walk the ceiling, one day, the wolves would be gone. But it was not this day. And when it came, he would have no regrets. They wouldn't allow it, and neither would he.

And that had to be enough. A clean wound doesn't fester.

The wolves shook themselves off, spraying water everywhere, then sat Keith down on the bench, dropped a towel on him, and went to work on drying him. Keith tried to help, but they wouldn't have any of it, and so he sat there, his hands between his legs on the bench, the towel still covering his eyes as the wolves started with his ears.

It did feel wonderful. Zen was very careful, Natani much rougher, but... it was the right kind of rough. The wolf knew what he could and could not take, and even while Keith squirmed under their touch, his tail curling with it, it was never too much. And Zen, with his obvious care and tenderness... Keith wanted to wrap his arms around them both and never let go.

The wolves left his ears moments before the impulse became irresistible, Zen moving on to rubbing the fur on his face dry while Natani took care of his hair. When Zen got to his cheeks, Keith leaned into his hand, and smiled to himself as the wolf faltered for a moment. He could practically hear Natani rolling his eyes, so he wrapped his tail around the wolf before he could say anything, and heard an amused sigh instead.

It was so good to be with them again!

They got to his shoulders, and Keith could actually see again. He shared a smile with Zen, who was still rather wet after shaking himself off. "I want to dry you, too. At least your head." Keith half-turned his head, and tugged on Natani with his tail. "You, too."

There was that audible eye-roll again. But that wasn't the same as 'no.'

The wolves did his arms, then continued down his chest and back, Natani slowing down a bit; perhaps just getting more into it, or perhaps to keep better pace with Zen. This was something new; his ears were a common target, as were perhaps some other parts, but they'd never gone this far out of their way to get him dry. Not that they made it seem like they were doing a chore. These weren't caresses, designed to entice, but he could feel the love in every touch. Even when they moved down to his stomach and sides, and he shivered with his ticklishness, they stayed gentle, and didn't tease.

Keith swallowed, a little overcome. "If you guys ever want to do this again..."

Zen took one look at him and kissed him, tender as anything, loving as a wolf, drawing out his tears. Natani licked him on the ear, then dried it with the towel, causing him to laugh. Zen glanced past him at Natani, just to make it clear he was speaking for both of them. "You can count on it."

His waist was next, and the wolves had him stand. He had to lean on Zen's shoulders for support as the wolf verrry carefully dried his sack, thumbing over his jewels with the towel, while Natani worked rather more brusquely at the base of his tail. He firmed up, aroused--he wasn't dead, after all--but the wolves didn't make anything of it, past Zen glancing up at him with a smile. Keith let out a long sigh as they worked down his thighs, trying to get himself back under control. Past his knees. Keith braced, but still shivered as the toweling reached his shins, firm and vigorous, and when they grabbed at his ankles with the towel, there was no stopping his erection. They had him sit down again, to get to the bottom of his feet, then his toes as he splayed them, quite involuntarily. They lingered there, and Keith let out a very long sigh.

And then the wolves were done. Natani gave him a quick kiss, then went to drain the bath and start herding all the water they'd spilled back towards it. Zen stayed behind, so Keith stood, and pointed at the bench. Zen plopped down in his place, even mimicing his position of sitting with his arms between his legs. For the first time since they'd gotten in the bath, Keith caught a whiff of the heat scent, though it was faint, even below the rather mild case of 'wet wolf smell'. A reaction to his reaction? That caught his arousal, but he willed it to fall. He'd wanted to pay them back for the start of it, after all, not the end.

Though...

"Is the heat okay?"

Zen nodded, smiling. "Yeah. It's starting to come back, but right now it just feels... nice." Keith grabbed a dry towel and plopped it down on the wolf's head, and Zen laughed. "Did I have an option there?"

Keith smiled, not that Zen could see him, and started carefully drying the wolf's ears, using both hands on the first one. "I think maybe you did."

The wolf was already wagging. "Can I pick again?"

Keith massaged the wolf's ear gently through the towel, working his thumb along the base, watching his tail pick up even more speed. "Well, do you want to?"

The ear tried to flick against his hand, and Zen sighed happily. "Not... just now."

Keith kept working, smiling. After the ears, he dried the top of the wolf's hair--and his bangs--enough that they wouldn't drip, then moved on to his face, the bridge of his muzzle... he was very thorough on the cheeks. Zen kept his eyes closed throughout, and the smile on his face was simply beautiful. He looked almost as happy as Keith had felt. Keith pressed a small kiss on the wolf's lips, and Zen opened his eyes, surprised. They shared a smile, and Keith rubbed again at his already-dry cheek before stepping around the wolf to get at his hair.

He wanted to keep going, but at the same time, Natani had about gotten the place tidy-enough and might be thinking of taking matters into his own hands.

Zen seemed to have been thinking in the same direction. "Two of us, one of you, lots of fur. I can take it from here."

Keith put the towel on the wolf's shoulders, then put his arms around his neck. "Some other time?"

Zen rubbed against him. "Sure."

Keith kissed him on the ear, smiling. "Either body?"

The wolf's breath faltered for a moment, then he laughed. "Either body."

Keith grinned, then found Natani with his eyes. He was just reaching for a towel. "Natani?"

The wolf froze for a moment, then grabbed the towel and threw it to Keith with a sigh. "Fine, fine."

Natani took Zen's place on the bench, and Keith placed the towel on his head, but he was careful not to cover the wolf's eyes. Instead, he smiled down at Natani as he got to work on his ears, keeping a close watch on the wolf's expression. If possible, he was even gentler, even more deliberate than he'd been with Zen. He put all the love he felt for the wolf into every one of his touches, along with his hope that it got through clearly. Natani was prickly to being coddled; not that he thought Keith meant anything untoward with it--they understood each other--but it remained a sore spot regardless. Zen was more open to it, even in his own body, and so Natani had naturally been left with less to deal with--but Keith never wanted Natani to forget any part of what he felt for him, even if it was a little uncomfortable, and so he cherished these rare chances. Keith lingered on Natani's ears, and slowly, slowly the wolf's expression softened into a smile, his eyes drawing closed, and yes, Keith could see his tail start a slow wag.

Keith dried the wolf's hair best he could, then moved on to his face, like with Zen, drying his forehead, the bridge of his muzzle, then gently rubbing along the curve of his smile, thoroughly ruffling his cheek-fur, setting his tail wagging a little faster. He looped the towel around Natani's neck and closed with a tender kiss.

The wolf let out a long exhalation, a flickering smile on his face, then opened his eyes. "You're still like this."

Keith kissed him again. "I suppose I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Maybe I'll put you to bed."

"Oh? How will you make sure I stay there?"

The wolf nudged Keith's muzzle with his own. "Maybe I'll tie you down."

Keith let the blush come over him, but he wasn't embarrassed. "Maybe you should."

Natani looked at him for a moment, then took him by the sides of his muzzle and pulled him in for a kiss. It was still gentle, though. Keith laid his hands on the wolf's shoulders, leaning into him a bit, and returned the kiss.

It was a tender tangle, between them, with all their feelings for each other; but slowly, the balance shifted, and they found once again that place where they most completely meshed; Natani asserting himself with gentle strength, Keith yielding, leading, provoking. Natani rose to him, figuratively and literally, standing up without breaking the kiss, turning them around, and sitting Keith down, the impact on his rump doing nothing to curtail his rising arousal. The wolf broke the kiss, but lingered, and Keith sighed against his muzzle, letting his hands fall away from Natani's neck.

The wolf nudged him with another nuzzle, then straightened. "Hang tight, okay?"

Keith smiled up at him, wistful. "Yeah."

Natani got to work drying himself, and Keith noted with some satisfaction that the wolf had responded to their kiss just as much as he had; he wasn't quite hard, but there was a lot to look at. Zen picked up some speed as well; he was still suspiciously damp considering that he'd already had some time with the towel, and Keith got the feeling he'd been more interested in watching him and Natani. And fair enough, it wouldn't have gotten all of them done any faster, anyway.

Keith could still almost feel the wolves' tender touches on himself, and it was a bit of a shame that he hadn't gotten to fully repay the favor... but on the other hand, he now got to admire both of their bodies at length as they toweled themselves off. They'd just about shed their winter coats by now, so they weren't the complete floofballs they would have been a month earlier, but they still had longer fur than his, and that meant more work getting dry.

Keith let his tail do what it would, and gave a few well-placed appreciative sighs as one wolf or the other looked at him. The brothers were well-matched, Natani's body more obviously muscled, but Zen's also fit and, as Keith could personally attest, plenty strong enough when he had the wolf's arms around him. The wolves were very solid and very there; lean muscle and soft fur and utterly, utterly beautiful to him. He let his eyes roam over them shamelessly, shapely ankles and calves to powerful thighs and loins... his eyes lingered thereabouts for a while, before moving on to muscled stomachs, broad chests and Natani's shapely breasts; they would have been too large on a lesser frame, but on Natani's body, they fit perfectly.

Keith was glad beyond words that Natani didn't much regret the body anymore. To see someone you love in pain, and be powerless to help... Natani caught his eye and smiled, amusement streaked with tenderness, then flashed a grin... and both wolves turned around, facing away before bending down to start working on their legs.

Keith laughed, but it was a little strangled, and became a deep sigh when the wolves raised their tails and grabbed their ankles. 'Hang tight' had been the word, and he did feel a little tight, hanging there. They grinned at his reaction, then got serious--and less deliberately sexy--again, and Keith got himself back under control. The wolves finished, standing before him tall, proud, and very fluffy.

Keith smiled at them, letting the wistfulness show. "I want to brush you guys sometime. And I don't just mean your backs."

Zen looked intrigued. Natani shook his head, but he was smiling. "What's next? Plaiting our hair?"

"Well, why not?"

Keith reached a hand toward them, and Natani stepped closer. Keith pulled him near, and then, on impulse, buried his muzzle in the wolf's stomach, smiling into the wispy, soft fur, backed by solid muscle. The body's good, clean scent, and just the faintest whiff of arousal... he would only need to lower his head a bit and he could be nuzzling into the the wolf's groin, pressing his nose against the base of his shaft, perhaps darting out his tongue for a taste of that alluring scent... but the thoughts remained thoughts when he felt Natani's hand on his head, rubbing at his ears. Keith let out a small purr, and could feel Natani's stomach tighten with the wolf's answering chuckle.

"Yeah, I think it's time to take you to bed."

Before Keith really even had time to answer, Natani had scooped him up into his arms, one arm under his thighs, the other under his back.

Keith had no problem with this, but felt like protesting was the done thing. "I can walk, you know."

Natani smiled down at him. "What's that got to do with it?"

"I guess nothing." Keith grinned. "Just try not to bang my head, okay?"

Natani stuck out his tongue. "Maybe you should hang on tighter, just in case."

So Keith did, wrapping his arms around Natani's neck and pulling himself tight to the wolf, nuzzling into his mane, even fluffier than his stomach. There was a small sound from Natani, telling Keith he'd scored a point. Natani re-secured his hold, then started walking, slowly and deliberately, Keith swaying slightly with his movements, the friction of fur on fur both slight and precious. At the doorways, Natani turned sideways, careful not to bang Keith's ankles on the doorframe. Keith just held on tighter, smiling into the wolf's fur. With every step Natani took, Keith could feel the wolf's muscles tensing with the effort of keeping him stable, but his breathing never got ragged, and his hold never faltered. Yup. Plenty strong.

Natani spilled him into a sprawl on the bed; cool, clean sheets, and a mattress that was firm, but not too firm. It was no wolf, but for a bed it felt very good. Keith got his bearings, and discovered that the bed was huge. It might have fit them all twice over, though maybe not.

He laughed. "What are we going to do with a bed this big?"

Natani sat down on the edge, next to him, and Zen was already climbing in. Keith reached out to him, ruffling his chest fluff, catching a fleeting feel of those breasts. Zen grinned at him and came a-nuzzling at his stomach, playful. Keith grabbed at him, pulling him close, then rolled them over so he sat astride the wolf's hips, leaning down to look for that spot on his neck again. Zen tipped him to the side, and away they went, rolling across the bed.

Natani laughed. "I think you just answered your own question."

Zen landed on top of him, pinning him down with a part of his weight, the wolf's breasts rubbing against Keith's ears.

Keith turned to look at Natani, both to look at Natani, and because turning his head meant more rubbing. He smiled. "I guess I did. Come join us?"

Natani joined the fray, and Keith found himself wrestling 400-something pounds of lean-muscled wolves. He wouldn't have fancied his odds if they had been serious, but it was pure play rather than a contest, and he could end up on top just by willing it. It wasn't like the bath, where he had been looking for something; this was pure exultation in each other. He even started a tickle war that he knew he could only horribly lose, which he promptly did, laughing with tears in his eyes under their combined assault until he begged for mercy. They relented, nuzzling him instead, all smiles, their tails a-wag as he rubbed their cheeks. There were quick kisses, Keith darting in and out, answered by a lick here or there, or a slower kiss. He got both wolves on their backs, and rubbed their stomachs; Natani broke first, pinning him down and nibbling on his ear as he squirmed, helpless and loving it.

Underneath it all, there was that thread of arousal, what he knew had to be a shared thought; that here they were, together, naked, all kinds of options available to them--but none of them pressed it, even when a chance touch could easily have led that way; nor did the faint scent of Zen's beginning heat, tantalizing as it was, grow stronger. They reveled instead in the simple intimacy of the moment, every gesture not a lover's touch, but a loving touch.

It was pure bliss for Keith, after their time apart.

Finally, from a half-seated position, he pulled both wolves into an embrace, an arm around each neck, then pushed them over, collapsing on top of them, happy just to lie there. After a beat, the wolves caught his intention, and shifted, letting him fall between them. Keith let out a sigh as they worked their arms around him and nuzzled close, their legs mingling with his.

The room was lit in sunset hues.

Natani licked him on the cheek. "All tired out?"

Keith turned his head to that side. The wolf pressed a kiss to his lips, Zen started nuzzling his ear, and Keith let out a happy little purr. There was a deep weariness in his body, but it was definitely the good kind. "Yeah. I don't think you have to worry about me going anywhere."

Natani gave him an I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it look. "How about a massage?"

That, would be very nice. "You want to spoil me even more?"

Natani licked him on the nose. "You know you want it."

"... yeah."

"It's okay to ask, you know." Natani grinned. "And it might be a while before there's another opportunity. I think you've got your work cut out for you."

Two wolves--more or less--in heat? Yeah. "I guess so. Then..." he smiled at Natani. "Will you give me a massage?"

The wolves disentangled themselves, ducking out from under his arms, leaving Keith to settle on the mattress, spread-eagled. He didn't even have time to regret the loss before their hands were on him, smoothing his fur and teasing out the kinks in his muscles, starting with his arms, one wolf per, then joining together to work on his neck and back. Keith thought he'd been relaxed before, but as the wolves found and eased out even the deepest tensions in his body, he practically melted into the mattress, his soft groans slowly turning into fitful purrs.

Natani sighed. "He's going to add this to his list, isn't he."

Keith could hear the grin in Zen's voice. "Well, there's two of us. I figure he can only pamper one at a time, so the other can still get stuff done."

Oooooh. "So, like... I'd get a day with each of you?" They had time, too, before they needed to travel. If they even were traveling.

Zen's voice mellowed into a smile. "I'm up for it." A little hesitant. "And yes, in either body. We need to have that talk, anyway."

Keith reached for Zen with a hand, found a knee, and gave it a squeeze. "I'd like that."

Silence from Natani.

It was okay to ask, right? "Please? I mean, if isn't too much. But I'd like to."

A sigh. "You're not plaiting my hair."

That was almost as good as a yes. Keith laughed. "I'm sure we can reach some agreement."

"No promises. But... you've... got a date."

Keith looked for Natani's knee, and found a shin instead. He gave it a squeeze, and after a moment, felt one of the wolf's hands on top of his. Keith took it, and for a moment they held hands. "I'm looking forward to it." When the time came, he wasn't going to push, but... it felt like it could happen.

Natani let go of his hand, only to touch him on the cheek. The gesture was a little ambiguous, in this context, but it still made Keith's breath catch. Natani's hand traced its way to his muzzle, and Keith gave his palm a lick, smiling. I am yours, and you are mine. Natani took it off-script--or maybe changed the language--by rubbing his ear, then giving it a flick before going back to the massage.

When the wolves reached the small of his back, they were no longer just alleviating tenseness. There were areas on his body that would always get a reaction from him, and as Zen carefully massaged the muscles around the base of his tail, Keith grew hard against the mattress. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten a massage like this, and he loved the curious mixture of tight arousal and loose relaxation that the wolves' touch could bring out in him. The wolves moved on to his buttocks, enjoying themselves a grope or two while they were there, and then his thighs; the large muscles there needed a lot of work, and it wasn't a particularily sensitive area for him, but occasionally, one of the wolves would send a finger caressing down the inside, tickling his sack, and his erection had no hope of abating. When they reached his calves, the wolves' firm touches made him strain all the harder against the mattress, even as they worked to loosen him up, and at his ankles, their gentle, subtle grips made him groan, nearly overcome. Finally, the wolves came to his pads and the bottoms of his feet, their clever fingers kneading with practiced care, making him moan and splay his toes, only to tease those as well.

Keith sighed into the mattress as the wolves toyed with his feet. They knew exactly how to fan his arousal higher and higher. The massage would continue with turning around, and no doubt they would lend a helping hand, or muzzle--or two, remembering how they'd greeted him earlier. Or maybe they would tease him some more first, maybe get him to make a bit of a mess on his stomach before finally helping him out. And after they'd taken care of him, the massage would continue...

But as wonderful as that would have been, his arousal had brought out a much deeper ache in Keith.

And it was okay to ask.

Keith raised his tail, and let the blush come over him. "Natani? Would you..." He felt the wolf shifting, straddling his thighs, that wonderful weight pressing him into the mattress, then shifting again as Natani leaned over him. Keith could feel the wolf's member slide against the base of his tail, firm, until Natani's knot nestled right against it, making Keith let out a needy little sigh. The wolf lowered his head next to Keith's, giving one of his ears a heavy lick on the way. He looked at Keith, with a wolfish smile, and Keith looked back, blushing up to his ears. "Please?"

The wolf kissed him, nudging at his muzzle, and Keith responded, repeating his plea without words. Natani broke the kiss, then pressed his nose against Keith's cheek, his breath a tickle, his voice a smile. "Of course."

Natani lifted off him, and clambered off the bed, presumably to get some lube. Zen stayed with Keith's feet, moving so he could reach both of them easily, then continued to play with his pads, kneading them with his thumbs. Keith shivered, with both pleasure and anticipation, and became aware that he'd started making a bit of a mess between his stomach and the sheets.

Keith could spy Natani out of the corner of his eye as the wolf returned, settling down next to him on his haunches. He couldn't see what Natani had brought, but that question was answered when he felt the familiar tingly viscosity of a favlow nut dripping down on his opening, followed by the wolf's fingers. Natani took his sweet time lubing Keith up, all the while accompanied by Zen's gentle teasing at his pads, and while the intent might have been just to feed his need... the care Natani was taking reminded Keith of their early days, and his heart filled with love even as he moaned under the wolves' touch.

Natani's hand left him, and Keith swallowed as he felt the wolf straddle his thighs again, one hand pulling his tail aside, and then a familiar, hot, slick pressure, so unlike the wolf's fingers, pressing under the base of his tail, dipping down, inward... Keith yielding, readily, despite the girth, as the wolf slowly, deliberately gave him what he'd asked for. A deep shudder went through Keith's body at the intensity of the sensations as the wolf filled him, inch by inch, and he ached to thrust back, to hurry the moment that was coming, until finally he could feel the knot press against his strained opening, hot and impossible, both fulfillment and a promise of things yet to come.

Then, with Natani hilted inside him, Zen grasped Keith by the ankles... and started pulling his feet together. Keith shuddered, his tail jerking wildly against Natani's hand as the tight fit became even tighter. Natani shifted his position, pulling a moan from Keith, leaning over him, and reached to touch one of his ears, loving, soothing. Ankle met ankle as Zen brought his feet all the way together, and Keith let out a strangled breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

The wolf felt so huge inside him, and still the knot was only pressing against him, giving slow hot throbs against the base of his tail.

Natani's hand on his ear, offering comfort, love, assurance... "You okay?"

"Yeah. Gods, but that feels..."

He could hear the wolf grin. "It's what you wanted, right?"

Keith let out a laugh, but it was transformed into a moan by its own force. "Y-yeah... more?"

Another moan, as Natani leaned down, hands on either side of Keith for support, to place a kiss on his cheek. Several more moans as the wolf looked for his position, no matter how careful he was being in his movements. Keith felt Natani's toes next to his knees, then burrowing under them as the wolf angled his hips, the change forcing a wonderful tension all along his shaft, deep in Keith. Keith's toes splayed, only to be met by Zen's gentle fingers, and he whimpered, needy and unashamed, as Natani got down on his elbows, his larger frame shadowing Keith's. The wolf nuzzled at his cheek, offering a little lick, and Keith tilted his head, finding the wolf's muzzle in a kiss that was made very awkward by the angle, even as Natani's knot kissed his entrance in a way that was just right. With a sigh, he brought his head back down, and Natani rose higher, nuzzling at his ears.

The wolf started moving; slow, short, heavy thrusts, filling those last few inches over and over again, soothing his ache, pressing him into the mattress, and Keith's world became pleasure. Every time the wolf pulled back, even as little as he did, Keith clenched on him, begging him to stay. Natani obliged, grinding even deeper against him, and Keith mewled with every thrust, a ball of need.

Originally, all of this had been for Natani's benefit. Gods know where he'd gotten that strap-on, but he'd had it, and he'd wanted to try it, and Keith... could understand why. He'd been apprehensive; first about the thing itself, then about whether it wouldn't just be a weird parody of the real thing. If it wouldn't just be a disappointment.

If he wouldn't just be a disappointment.

But looking at Natani, he wasn't going to deny the wolf. So they gave it a try. That first time, they'd just gone at it--they'd been smart enough to use lube, at least!--and Keith just hadn't been able to cope. But he'd seen the excitement on Natani's face, and he wasn't ready to give up. So they'd left the harness out of it, and Natani had used the toy with his hands instead. That had still been difficult, but it had gone better, especially after Natani thought to use his wonderful, wonderful muzzle to give Keith a bit of a distraction. Keith didn't think he'd ever forget the sensations of that first time, clenching on the toy like crazy as Natani's tongue coaxed out all he had to give. Natani had kissed it to make it better, afterwards, but he'd still been sore the rest of the day, and tender the next.

So the first time had been mixed at best, but he'd been okay to keep trying. It had felt like maybe it could work. And it did get a little better, the next few times. The distractions a little less necessary. But Keith was still too... tense. It felt like they were making progress, but... whenever they tried the harness, it ended up being a repeat of that first time. And Keith could see that with each failure, Natani was getting less enthusiastic.

So Keith had started sneaking the toy away, for some solo practice sessions. Having the pressure off made a big difference, and he'd finally started getting used to it. Even into it.

And one of those times, Natani had walked in on him.

That was when they'd made the harness work, and that was the first time Natani had come from grinding against the toy while buried deep inside him. After seeing the wolf in that moment--Keith on his back, with his legs wrapped around Natani's waist, the wolf standing over him, in him, thrusting and bucking his hips in tight little jerks, a look of pure electric bliss on his face--any misgivings Keith might have had were gone. He'd wanted Natani to have that any day of the week. And for a while, that's what it had been like; they'd barely had sex any other way. That phase might have died down sooner, except somewhere in there was the first time Keith had come from Natani bucking into him.

He'd liked the wolf's expression even better, that time.

And when the toy had given way to this, a real live wolf pressing against him, flesh to flesh, it had gotten even better. Not because the toy wasn't good--it still saw use, sometimes, and to great success--but because like this, Keith knew that Natani--or Zen, as the case may be--was feeling good in the same way he felt good; that with every tight, delicious thrust, Keith was giving the wolf what he himself got, when the roles were reversed.

Well, almost the same, as Natani grinded the knot against him, causing him to tremble under the wolf. He couldn't quite imagine what having one of those was like. Taking it, though, he'd gotten quite familiar with, and he knew that in this position, with his legs closed, there was just no way.

But that just made it easier for Natani to tease him with it. Every thrust, Natani pushed it against him a little longer, until he was barely moving at all, just slowly grinding the knot against Keith, hot and heavy; only taking that ultimate pressure off for short moments, and then only to bring it back again with another tight buck of his hips, making Keith gasp and clench around him, his own trapped erection trying to jerk under him as the wolf's weight ground him into the mattress.

Zen was still at his feet, teasing endlessly, and Natani's muzzle was still at his ears, nuzzling, licking, nipping, making that part of him tremble like the rest. It was too much, all of it, but also not enough; Keith flung his arm up, hooking the wolf's neck, working his fingers into Natani's hair and pleading wordlessly for him to come closer. The wolf shifted more to one side, bringing another drawn-out moan from Keith among his panting; and then the wolf was there, up close, looking at him, their gazes meeting, both half-lidded with lust; Natani nuzzling at his cheek, licking at his muzzle... they made the kiss work better this time, hunger meeting hunger. It would have made his toes curl, but Zen was there, pressing against them, pushing against him even in that.

That was the last straw. Keith moaned into the wolf's mouth, feeling the inevitable. "I'm going to..."

Natani straightened up, rapidly, still hilted, and Keith shuddered with the force of the movement. The wolf got his legs out from under Keith, then pulled back, pulling Keith on his side, Zen helping with his feet. Natani never pulled all the way out, and the sensation of turning around the wolf drew a ragged moan from Keith, already overloaded, teetering past the edge but before the fall. He felt Natani's knee pressing against his thighs and curled his legs, into a sideways sitting position, giving the wolf room to rut him again. Natani slammed his hips in, and there was the knot again, pressing, grinding, making Keith's freed erection jump in the air, his toes curling, Zen not there to stop them this time. He felt his balls draw up to his body, and the start of that first deep clench around Natani, drawing a grunt from the wolf but not stopping him from relentlessly teasing Keith with the knot--

And there was Zen, muzzle bobbing for his lap, the wolf's tongue gathering Keith up and guiding him sideways into that wonderful, hot muzzle, just as his first spurt worked its way through his shaft. He jerked, in no control of his hips, pushing deeper into the wolf's mouth, leaving the knot behind, exchanging it for Zen's nose pressing into his hip, but only for a heartbeat; Natani pushed forward, bringing them tight, bringing Keith home as the overload of sensations wrenched an even stronger clench from him, his hips thwarted from movement by the press of the wolves but still twitching in place as he loosed his second volley into Zen's throat. Keith grasped at the wolf's head, uselessly pulling him closer, barely, just barely having the presence of mind to consider that it was okay to do, that the wolf could handle it. Zen's answer was the wolf's long tongue, pushing along his shaft all the way to the base, tickling at the side of his sack, angling to lap at his churning balls.

Keith's eyes rolled back, his mouth hanging open, his whole body shuddering as the orgasm wracked its course. Natani never stopped grinding against him, not until it was done, Keith's hands going limp, letting Zen pull away a bit as the wolf tenderly licked him clean, coaxing out the last of his seed before letting him slide out of his muzzle, only to lean closer and nuzzle past his shaft to lap at his sack, gently easing the tenderness there.

Keith returned to the world, releasing a breath that had gotten caught amidst his throes. When he filled his lungs again, he caught another whiff of Zen's heat, stronger now. Natani had shown him the small mercy of stopping, letting him rest, but the wolf was still in him, knot resting against his entrance. The wolves weren't done, not nearly.

And he was fine with that.

Natani grinned at him. "How was that?"

Keith looked at the wolf, making his slow smile a show of languid indulgence. There was no acting required. "A very good start."

The wolf leaned down, drawing an appreciative sigh from Keith at both the sensation of Natani's girth shifting inside him, and the wolf's face drawing closer. Keith couldn't really roll on his back with the wolf pinning him, so he turned just his head to meet the wolf in a kiss, and he sighed again, reaching with a hand to ruffle Natani's cheek. There was a lot of heat in the wolf's kiss, but it was contained, Natani keeping it aside for the sake of meeting Keith in this moment. Keith returned with love, love, love, as taken with the wolf as the wolf was with him.

Natani's laugh broke the kiss. "You're impossible."

Keith let his head fall back to the side, to avoid getting a crick in his neck. Besides, it let him try out some of his better sideways glances. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Natani gave a short thrust with his hips, and Keith let the moan roll straight through him, stoking both their fires. And the wolf did do it again, to the same results, but didn't rise to the bait, didn't get carried away; rather, stopping again, pressing his muzzle against Keith's cheek, giving him a lick and a promise of things to come. "Stay right there. I'm going to stretch my legs a bit and lube up again."

Was the wolf going to try to knot him sideways? By his grin, probably! Keith answered the grin with a slow smile. "... okay."

Natani rose, and pulled out, slowly, leaving Keith feeling empty but full of anticipation. The ache in him had been appeased, for the moment, but it was still there, waiting for the moment his hips would finally be pulled snug against Natani's, their bond fulfilled.

Keith's attention was drawn back to his groin as Zen continued to lap at him, rolling his orbs with his tongue, and Keith picked up the scent again. The wolf had been like that earlier, too... was the heat making him crave Keith's scent?

... more than usual?

Keith reached down to scratch Zen behind the ear, then stroke his muzzle. "C'mere?"

The wolf nuzzled up his stomach, Keith guiding him with his hand until they were muzzle to muzzle, Zen lying by his side. The wolf had a hazy look about him. It had to be the heat, and Keith wondered again that Zen was so placid with it. Keith kissed the wolf, stroking his cheek all the while, overcome with the need to tell Zen that he loved him, and was there for him, and wanted to help. The wolf's answer was almost a plea, needy; something that would have set the wolves' blood boiling had it come from Keith, but not something Keith was accustomed to receiving. So different, and yet so precious his heart filled with it.

Keith pulled away. "What do you need?"

Zen looked like he wanted to whimper. "You. More. Anything."

Keith's mind filled with images; Zen on his stomach, like Keith had just been, with Keith on top of him; or the wolf on his back, with his legs wrapped around Keith; on all fours, his head falling on his hands as Keith took him from behind; straddling Keith, leaning over him, his hair falling around them as the wolf rode him for all he was worth. Should they take a moment? But there was Natani again, clambering onto the bed. That in itself meant there was another way. And if Zen enjoyed his scent...

Keith kissed the wolf again, promising release. "Turn around."

Zen returned the kiss, lust tinged with gratitude, then pushed himself up off the bed to turn around, bringing himself groin-to-muzzle with Keith. The wolf looked for his place, inching his hips closer and closer, the scent getting stronger and stronger, until Keith could finally dart his head out and score a lick. Straight from the source, the taste was liquid scent, and Keith fell into the heat haze, hungry for more, pushing closer, insistent. He heard a distant moan, and the wolf opened his legs, one rising away to give him easier access, Zen practically thrusting his hips at Keith's muzzle. Keith sunk his tongue in as far as he could, as eager for the wolf's bounty as the wolf was for him to have it. A stronger moan, and Zen shuddered under his tongue, the scent growing even more powerful with the wolf's excitement. Keith wrapped one arm around Zen's rump, pulling him closer until he could lay his head down on the wolf's trembling thigh, settling in for a lavish banquet. He pulled back a bit, to give the wolf's clit a friendly little kiss, and as soon as his tongue made contact with that delightful little nub, he felt all of Zen tense. No teasing, then! He pushed, circling the wolf's clit tight with his tongue, drawing a long, ragged moan from Zen before easing off and starting to lap up the wolf's release, smiling at the happy sound of panting and the thwumps of the wolf's tail hitting the bed.

That was much better.

Natani must have held a moment, not wanting to disturb, but now Keith felt the wolf's hand on his thigh, reminding him of his presence. Keith wrapped his tail around Natani, best he could, and that was all either of them needed to say. The wolf started lubing him up again, and Keith shivered in anticipation. But he didn't forget about Zen, and he settled back in with his cheek on the wolf's thigh, his tongue drawing deep from Zen's bountiful spring, letting the scent of the wolf's heat wake in him a thirst to match.

Zen, meanwhile, had come off his high and was shifting, angling himself, his thigh tensing under Keith as he arched his back to nuzzle towards Keith's groin... Keith opened his legs in turn, and Zen completed the circle, his muzzle pressing into Keith's thigh, inching forward, the wolf's breath on his balls... followed by that wonderful, wonderful tongue, lapping at his sack, making Keith tingle, then roaming wider, even wrapping around the base of his shaft to give it a little tug.

And all the while, Natani's insistent fingers kept working at Keith, promising more to come, making him moan into Zen.

Natani still took his time, but not to the point of outright teasing, and soon Keith felt the wolf's hands leave him for a moment, and then that slick, insistent, precious heat pressing against him. His legs weren't together now, but they were open in exactly the wrong way, making the angle awkward, and the fit, if anything, even tighter. Natani solved the problem by hooking his arm under Keith's raised knee, then leaning forward, using his weight to push Keith back more fully onto his side, leaving his rear exposed and his leg dangling over Zen's side. Zen gathered it up, tucking it under his arm, leaving both of Natani's hands free as the wolf positioned himself again, angling to press at his entrance once more.

It was an unfamiliar angle, but the wolf had used a lot of lube, and Keith was more than ready. Still, his tongue stilled for a moment, and he just focused on breathing--his nose inches from Zen, every breath a new dose of the purest lust--as Natani filled him, inch by hot inch, pressing at his insides in ways oh-so impossible and oh-so familiar, equal parts intensity and pleasure. Keith's member kept twitching as Natani hit all of his buttons, and Zen pulled back, retreating from his lathered sack to gather the tip of his cock into his mouth. Keith shuddered at the unfamiliar sensations of the wolf's tongue pressing against the topside of his tip, then groaned as Zen rested his head back on Keith's leg, the wolf's muzzle pulling down on his member, then groaned louder as Natani sunk even deeper, an electric jolt wringing out a hot dollop of his pre right into Zen's mouth. Zen angled his head down, easing the pressure on Keith and freeing up the wolf's tongue, letting Zen gather up his pre before starting a slow suckle on his tip, waiting for more.

And more he got, as Natani first kissed his knot to Keith's tight ring, then started to pull back... only to work those last few inches into him again. And again. And again. And again, every slow thrust a new moan from Keith, every kiss of that knot making his hips give a tiny little jerk, causing Zen's muzzle to tug on him even as the wolf's tongue gathered up what he had to give.

But he couldn't just lie there and take it; Zen needed him. And so, he forced his mind back on task, giving the wolf a long lick, then plunging in to sate his thirst, then pulling back and placing his muzzle right at the wolf's clit. Every twirl of the wolf's wonderful tongue around his tip, he repaid, kneading at Zen's clit with as much force as he knew Zen could take. The wolf's tongue on him grew more erratic, and Keith answered wild with wild, soon starting to lose his focus in truth as Natani kept plowing into him, time and again, more and more intent, Zen's lust feeding back into him. Keith was already close again himself, the scent and the sensations far, far too much, but Zen still beat him there, his whole body tensing again, then finding its release, making Keith's cock shake with the wolf's muffled moans. Natani's thrusting faltered for a moment, only to steel and redouble, pushing Keith closer and closer. Zen's tongue never ceased, so neither did Keith's, pushing and pushing and pushing at the wolf, all through his orgasm--until Zen tensed again, bucking his hips in an even stronger release, breaking Keith's rhythm.

"Did he just--?"

Natani's panting was heavy in the air. "Yes! Keep going!"

So Keith did, even as he felt his own orgasm begin to unwind, deep inside him in that place that only the wolves could touch. Zen thrashed against him, all semblance of control lost, or maybe bent on keeping his teeth away from Keith, now pressing deeper into his muzzle with every one of Natani's desperate thrusts. Keith didn't think the knot could go in, not at this angle, and as Zen went rigid again, then closed his legs, vicing Keith's head in between, Natani seemed to agree; he lifted up at Keith's hips with one hand, and tried to pull up on his top leg with another, anything to let his hips open up just that little bit more--

The knot slammed in, hot, huge, impossible, and it was as if Keith's whole body clenched down on it, trapping it, sealing it, never wanting to let go. His hips jerked, the sensation of Natani in him, completely in him, throwing him so far off the edge he wasn't sure he'd ever find his way back. That last thrust slammed him to the hilt in Zen's muzzle, pressing the wolf's nose tight against his sack even as his first jet forced its way from his clenching balls into the wolf's throat, swallowing around him. And Natani--Keith could feel the wolf throb and twitch, so hot inside him, then let go, tensing in waves with his release, Keith clenching on his knot in response, adding to the involuntary twitching of their hips, the sensations feeding back and forth as they wrung each other dry.

All three of them were a long time coming down.

Keith was gathering himself, still buried between Zen's legs. The wolf had relaxed his death grip, and it was now just the weight of the leg pressing down on him, not the crushing power of its muscles.

It wasn't at all unpleasant, really.

His muzzle had been thoroughly drenched by Zen's throes, and even now he could have let himself slip, and fall towards the trance-like state of the heat haze--but right now, sated as he was, sated as he thought the wolves were, he could also just be, and let it wash over him, sweet and pleasant and full of promise for later.

Natani shifted, minutely, drawing Keith's attention back to their joining, and it was a wonder he had ever thought of anything else, so profound was the wolf in him, sideways, and so precious the feel of the wolf's hips tight against his. Though, with Keith's foot up, still tucked under Zen's arm, the contact wasn't quite as complete as it could have been. And he didn't think Natani could be very comfortable maintaining that position, hips low, knees spread.

Completing his inventory, Keith could feel the weight of Zen's head on his thigh, and the wolf's breath on his softening member. Zen had let him slip out of his mouth, but Keith didn't think he'd spilled anything.

All he had free was one hand, wrapped around Zen, so he reached up, blind, looking for Natani. It was a muzzle that met him, licking his palm, and Keith suddenly wanted the wolf down there on the bed, with him, close, more than he thought he'd ever wanted anything. He nudged at Zen with his muzzle, and the wolf stirred, raising his leg again, then slowly rolled away onto his back. Keith looked up at Natani, the wolf looking back down at him, and words weren't necessary. Natani gently lifted him by the hips, matching their motions as well as he could to not put strain on their tie. Keith had no useful leverage to help, but the wolf had him, and slowly, ever so slowly lifted him up until he could get one of his own legs behind him, then begin letting Keith down, coming alongside. Keith let out a long sigh as the wolf laid down next to him, easing the tensions between them--and inside him--as Natani settled into a position that was something much more familiar. He felt beloved, both inside and outside; the knot pulling their hips together, and Natani taking care of the rest, pulling Keith to himself and tucking him under his chin. The wolf's folded arm provided them both with a pillow, and his other arm drew around Keith in a loving embrace. Their legs mingled, looking for a comfortable way to settle and easily finding it.

Keith got his arm out from under himself, crossing it over his chest to meet Natani's, laying his hand on top of the wolf's, lightly grasping his fingers. He reached up with his other arm, running his hand through Natani's hair, finding an ear to cup. It flicked against his hand, and he looked for the wolf's muzzle, rubbing him on the cheek, then trailing forward. Natani gave his palm another lick, as Keith had known he would. He lingered for a moment, feeling the wolf lap between his fingers, then brought the hand away, reaching for Zen, still on his back nearby. Keith could reach his knee, and soon after he had, Zen's hand came to join his. Keith tugged on it, and the wolf slowly sat up, the very picture of disheveled beauty, his hair a mess, his smile wide and easy and wonderful. Keith tugged again, and Zen came, slowly getting down next to him. When Keith could reach his muzzle, he did, stroking Zen's cheek and guiding him in for a kiss. Zen drew near--and started licking Keith's nose and muzzle, very thoroughly, as Keith squirmed and laughed, unable to defend himself against the assault. It did get the scent out, and when Zen was satisfied, he shifted so Keith could duck his head into the wolf's chest tuft, nuzzling deep into his cleavage to wipe the wolf slobber from his poor nose. This accomplished, Keith drew back, and Zen returned with his muzzle--and this time, the wolf kissed him, light and playful and full of love. Keith reached up to scratch him behind an ear, and the thwump of his tail against the bed made them both smile. They looked at each other for a moment longer, and Keith nudged the wolf lower, closer. Zen saw his intent, nodded, and gave his cheek a lick before moving down, bringing his head under Keith's chin, nuzzling into his chest. Keith held him close, hand on his head, thumbing idly at his ear and watching his tail wag as Zen made himself comfortable, going into a curl so his feet could meet theirs in a happy tangle.

That, that was much better. Keith could feel himself begin to purr, a deep and rolling rumble, the vibrations reaching all three of them as the wolves held close.

A perfect moment.

Well, almost.

Keith clenched around Natani, drawing a long happy groan from the wolf, then cleared his throat, loading his voice with mischief. "So... am I a better lay than Zen?"

Natani chomped on his ear, but at least he didn't use teeth.