Love's Shadow Part 4
#4 of Love's Shadow
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- Love's Shadow part 4. c. Grey K. 1997
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- Love's Shadow part IV,
The feline morph's hair and fur were matted where the dirty
water from the asphalt had soaked him, which was pretty much all over.
Jace knew that Patrick couldn't be comfortable with his hair and coat
like that. The grey feline looked slightly self-conscious but nodded,
"If you don't mind., Thank-you." "Not at all, come with me." Jace set
the Siamese that had been in his lap on the floor, standing up and
helping Patrick to his feet.
Patrick picked up his cane and followed Jace deeper into the
apartment. Jace went into the narrow hallway, stopping at the first
door on the right side. Patrick noticed that there were four doors in
total, two on the right side of the hall, one on the left, and one
directly off the end of the hall. The first door ended up being a
storage and linen closet. Jace reappeared holding a large, solid blue
towel.
He opened the second door on the right revealing a small, trim
bathroom. It was done in a plain dark grey and white with a simple
lay-out having just a sink, commode and large shower stall. The
bathroom was lit by a small window in one corner and Jace flipped the
lights over the mirror on, illuminating things better. Patrick gazed
around, assuming from it's neat, sterile appearance that this was the
common bath, kept orderly for visitors.
Jace caught Patrick's attention, "Fairly straight forward., Sink,
head, shower., You don't have to worry about water pressure or
temperature shifts, or things like that., The plumbing in the building
is kept in perfect condition., Shower is a might tricky though, I've
been meaning to get a new mechanism for it for a while now, I'll show
you a few maneuvers." Jace showed Patrick how to work the shower then
excused himself politely and stepped out of the room.
He closed the door behind himself, with a 'Yell if you need
anything' passed over his shoulder. Patrick eyed the locking mechanism
thoughtfully then thought better of it. He felt oddly safe with Jace and
trusted his new friend not to just barge in unannounced. Setting his
cane against the sink and draping the towel over the shower door,
Patrick looked at the floor and bottom surface of the shower.
The bathroom floor was covered nearly corner to corner with a
thick, fluffy charcoal grey mat that didn't slide when the feline
nudged at it with his foot. The floor of the shower stall was done in
a non-slip substance that the feline couldn't identify but looked safe
enough to not worry about slipping. There was also a thin but sturdy
rail set into the wall of the shower. Patrick assumed that it was
probably meant for washcloths or something but it held his weight
easily and would serve his purposes even if that wasn't exactly what
it was intended for.
Groaning slightly, Patrick rubbed at his battered joint, feeling
dull stabs of pain as he flexed it gingerly. The feline avoided looking
into the large vanity mirror as he pulled his shirt over his silver
maned head. Steadying himself on the sink and lowering into a sitting
position on the toilet seat Patrick proceeded to pull off his shoes and
socks. The weary feline flexed his toes and feet, feeling the silky
softness of the thick bath-mat underfoot.
Standing with some effort Patrick proceeded with getting his
jeans off, unbuckling them and allowing them to drop to the mat, then
stepping carefully out of them to avoid tangling himself up in them.
He was about to remove his under-shorts when there was a sharp rap at
the door. Patrick nearly fell against the shower as he grabbed for the
towel, throwing it around his waist. He relaxed a little when he heard
Jace's voice, "Patrick?," a pause and another knock, "Patrick??,
Paaaatrick, you still alive in there?"
Patrick stumbled across his clothes, bumping against the door
with an audible thud, "Jace?" He heard amusement in the skunk's voice,
"Oh, there you are...I guess., Lemme have your clothes." "What?!" Jace
laughed on the other side of the door, "Your clothes, they're wet and
dirty., Let me have them and I'll put them in the wash." "Oh, uh, OK,
hang on." Patrick stumbled again as he gathered his jeans, shirt and
socks up then reached for the door-knob.
He hesitated as he remembered he was still naked to the waist,
"Shit, oh, uh, um, well..." Patrick shrugged, gritting his teeth and
throwing the door open half-way. His new skunk friend was leaning
against the far side of the hall grinning at him, "Hi there., Come here
often?" Jace burst into laughter as the feline's damp clothes flew
across the hall, hitting him in the chest. He saw Patrick trying not
to laugh as the bathroom door whispered shut again.
The skunk looked at the bundle in his arms seeing jeans, socks,
and a shirt and couldn't resist himself, "Uh, Patrick, I seem to be
missing something(s) here., Unless of course you were missing them to
begin with." He heard Patrick's voice, muffled either by the wood of
the door or embarrassment, "I think I'll keep those if it's all the
same to you..." Jace grinned impishly at the door, "Suit yourself."
He moved off down the hall to the laundry alcove set next to the small
kitchen.
The skunk heard the shower turn on as he tossed Patrick's clothes
into the ancient washing machine but didn't start the machine yet. He
figured there would be the towel to wash too after Patrick was done
drying off. Jace ambled into the living room humming idly as he waited
for his new friend to finish showering. The young skunk folded himself
onto the couch, stroking Cherokee's back and tail with his ebon furred
hands.
Patrick smiled to himself at the skunk's bold disposition as he
closed the shower door and turned on the water. He sighed as the
steaming water coursed through his fur and down his body. The jets and
heat of the liquid eased the throbbing in his head and knee, warming
the tense and cold stiffened muscles, allowing them to relax. The
warmth of the water was gradually erasing the stiffness and freezing
numbness from his body. He would have to remember to thank Jace for
the use of the shower.
Patrick was puzzled at the skunk's openness but felt safe and
unafraid around the morph. He had never felt such an immediate rapport
with anyone before and wasn't sure what to think about it. Patrick
wasn't certain of himself at the best of times but he felt curiously
positive that he liked the skunk and felt comfortable around him. He
hoped that Jace would feel the same about him.
The young feline yawned and unconsciously moved a hand over
the scars that dominated his eye and cheek. He hoped that Jace hadn't
noticed the old wound that ran across his face and neck, extending
down to his chest. So many people were repulsed by the disfigurement
that marred his otherwise handsome features that Patrick had gradually
started doing things to hide his damaged form. Avoiding things like
loose shirts, button-downs and tank-tops, and wearing various hats
and sunglasses to hide his face. Patrick liked winter most of all the
seasons, he could wear large bulky clothes, hats and scarves.
The silver haired feline could move about in public most easily
in winter. Summer was his worst season and the stigmatized feline
usually hid indoors for most of it, never enjoying a trip to the beach
or local pool, not wanting to risk the ridicule of others. After
several years, Patrick's silver hair had grown long enough that he
could use it to conceal the marred part of his face from casual
inspection.
Patrick secretly hoped that the young skunk wouldn't be like
the others in his life, the ones that had forced him to hide his face
and body in disgrace. He didn't have to many friends and Jace seemed
so open, so warm and friendly and eager to get to know him. The feline
wondered if the skunk would like him even if he knew about his past
and how he had been injured. Patrick thought it was probably too much
to ask for but it didn't hurt to try he supposed.
He finished cleaning himself quickly, not wanting to take too
long in someone else's home, and shut off the water. Patrick just
stood against the wall of the shower for a moment and allowed the
water to drip from his fur. The feline saw that the frosted enclosure
of the shower went all the way to the ceiling and decided to relieve
his coat of the excess moisture the old-fashioned way before toweling
off. Squinting his eyes, Patrick shook his body and head, watching the
spray of water bounce off the walls of the shower before it swirled
down the drain.
He opened the door of the stall, taking the towel Jace had given
him and rubbing his fur dry. It took a few minutes for Patrick to dry
himself off, doing a delicate balancing act on his knee to reach the
more inaccessible areas of his body. He stood nude in front of the sink
and mirror, using his hand to wipe the steam from the glass. The feline
didn't often do this, usually simply ignoring the mirror and avoiding
it with his gaze or leaving it fogged until he exited.
Patrick looked at his exposed form in the mirror, holding the
towel in one hand and the edge of the sink in the other to steady
himself. He wished he hadn't looked, Patrick was of the personal opinion
that he perpetually looked like shit. Bizarre fur, hair and eyes, the
feline didn't look anything like his parents or siblings, although
his grandmother had once mentioned he resembled one of her parents.
Rangy muscles stretched under his fur, Patrick felt disgusted
as he realized his ribs showed more than slightly if he took a deep
breath. Admittedly he often had to force himself to eat after a
stressful day, or sometimes he just forgot to eat entirely, repeatedly
going for days on empty till he felt like dropping where he stood.
Patrick thought he looked like a badly treated fur rug stretched
across a warped picket fence. The feline felt ashamed that he could
let himself degrade to such an extent.
Before the incident when he was wounded he was a very handsome
and cheerful person, almost nothing like now. He saw the large flaws
on his skin that marred his fur, running down his face, onto the side
of his neck and onto his chest. Patrick hated his body, frequently
hated himself, a barely noticeable scar running across his left wrist
attested to that. He had tried pills too but both attempts had been
thwarted just barely in time. He loathed having to put up with the
scars, the pain, his disgustingly twisted and swollen knee. They were
everything that held him back, everything that had shattered his life
and spirit, everything responsible for destroying the morph he was and
leaving a nervous, paranoid phantom of his former self in his battered
and twisted body.
Patrick gazed down at the cane propped against the shower on
reflex. His eldest brother had given him the cane he now carried after
he had gotten out of the hospital. Patrick had kept throwing his badly
healed joint out just trying to walk normally. He hated the walking
aide with every fiber of his being, it was as bad a disfigurement as his
face or his knee. The young feline wanted to snap it in half with his
bare hands every time he picked it up. But the damned thing had come to
be like another appendage for Patrick. He couldn't move about without it,
snapping it would be akin to snapping his own leg at this point.
Patrick's knuckles creaked as he gripped the sink, tearing his
gaze away from his abhorrent form in the mirror. He realized with a start
that Jace had taken his clothes and all he had to conceal himself was
the towel. It would be inevitable that the skunk would see his body.
Patrick stood wondering how he could conceal the mars in his flesh from
Jace.
He finally gave up, calling the skunk's name through the door.
Jace got up from the sofa at hearing Patrick's voice, "Yeah, I'm right
here., Do you need something Patrick?" Patrick heard Jace stop outside
the door, "Uh, yeah, the towel you gave me is kind of soaked from
drying off., If it's not too much trouble, do you think you could get
me a fresh one?" Jace looked at the door quizzically, thinking Patrick
sounded upset for some reason, "Oh, you know what?, My robe should be
right there on the back of the door, just go ahead and use it."
He heard the feline's voice move slightly, changing in pitch
in a manner that the skunk couldn't quite identify, "Mmm, OK, yeah,
I've got it., It matches your eyes., You're sure you don't mind?" Jace
felt a warm sensation, that was the exact reason that Thomas had
purchased the robe for him. It matched his emerald eyes perfectly,
"No, I don't mind., While you finish up, do you want something to
drink?, I can put on some coffee or tea if you like." Patrick's voice
sounded weird again, "N-no coffee, thank-you, but some tea would be
nice please."
Jace stepped back, "All right." As he turned Jace remembered
that he had left his favorite mug in his room this morning and spun
to retrieve it. Patrick bundled his shorts up into the damp towel,
taking Jace's robe from the hook on the back of the door and wrapping
it around his body. Patrick's sensitive feline nose caught the skunk's
pleasant smell on the soft, fluffy fabric of the robe. He felt peculiar
as he sniffed Jace's scent, there was a knot growing in his stomach and
he felt almost light-headed.
Part of him wanted to wrap the robe tighter around himself and
just enjoy the skunk morph's scent, the other half wanted to seek out
the skunk himself. Patrick felt torn and agitated suddenly as some
deeply hidden part of him panicked, triggering an almost primal need
to flee in the young feline. Scared out of his wits, but not knowing
quite why Patrick opened the bathroom door and rushed out into the
hall where he collided hard with Jace, who was just coming out of the
main bedroom with his coffee mug in hand.
The skunk gasped, winded, as he tripped backward and fell. He
landed on his rump hard, nearly bruising his tail. Jace gritted his
teeth, sputtering slightly as once again cold liquid splashed across
his face, neck and this time chest, soaking his shirt. Patrick was
still on his feet, grasping the doorjamb and shaking slightly as he
recovered his senses. As he bolted from the bathroom, the feline
hadn't noticed Jace coming down the hall.
Patrick's mind seemed to be stuck in slow motion as he saw
his new friend get bowled backward, the half full mug flying up
and emptying it's contents across the skunk's face and upper body
before shattering against the wall. Jace heard Patrick whimper
loudly as he clutched at the door frame. The young feline was
battered agonizingly by long buried memories that came rushing
unheeded from the depths of his mind like a banshee from an open
grave.
A vision of a flying coffee mug and a torturously painful
searing sensation across his neck, chest and face pounded the young
feline until he wanted to scream. Patrick's own cries had been
drowned out by his fathers shouts and curses. The feline had felt
himself beginning to bleed from several locations before the blinding
nova of pain had erupted in his knee and everything had gone black.
The lucid part of Patrick's brain, the part that was still in the here
and now, blessedly immune to the appalling remembrance relayed that
the sound of Jace's cup shattering against the wall had been identical
to the sound of his father's mug splintering as it had hit the floor
nearly five years prior. The instance Patrick's life as he had known
it had ended.
Jace sat still, shaking his head and rubbing cold tea from his
eyes as he tried to figure out what had happened. He heard a shattering
noise then Patrick's voice erupt in a soul rending howl. It sounded
more like the tortured cry of some horribly wounded animal than the
soft, even voice of his new friend, "JACE?!!, OH, GOD!!!, NO!!!"
Patrick stumbled toward the skunk's seated form. He cried out in pain
as his leg skewed out from underneath him again and he went down to
the floor, struggling to get up.
Jace got to his feet as fast as he could, pulling Patrick
upright and instinctively holding the feline tightly to his chest.
Patrick was shaking uncontrollably, like the chill of death itself
had passed through his slender body. There were tears streaming down
his face as he clutched at Jace. He was speaking in a single
unintelligible string, Jace could hardly make out what the feline was
saying till he leaned his ear closer. Patrick was nearly wailing, a
fast stream of words only half of which made any sense at all to Jace,
"Oh God, oh God, Jace, I didn't mean to, it was an accident., Father,
NO!, I'm sorry, I'm sorry., Please stop!, Don't shout!, Oh!, It
hurts!, No, please stop, don't hit, no more!, I didn't mean to, it
hurts, burning!, Oh God it hurts!, Help me please!!!, Jace??!!!"
Jace tried to stop the trembling that washed through Patrick's
slender form, holding the feline tightly, "Patrick..., Patrick!, It's
OK, it's all right., You didn't hurt me, I'm all right." Patrick's
eyes focused suddenly on his face, "Jace!?, Oh, I'm so sorry." The
feline was weeping openly in Jace's arms, pressing his face against
the skunk's neck. Jace held him tightly trying to comfort the
distraught feline, rubbing at Patrick's neck and back gently, "Shh,
it's all right, it's OK., I'm fine., The tea wasn't even warm., I'm
just wet..., You didn't hurt me., Look at me, you didn't hurt me."
The sobbing slowly eased and Patrick lifted his head to look
into Jace's eyes, "You're alright?, You're OK?" Jace smiled at Patrick,
"I'm fine, the tea in the cup was stone cold., I think my favorite mug
is way beyond help, but I'm fine, sticky but fine." Jace wriggled his
nose experimentally feeling the fur on his face getting slightly stiff
from the sugar that had been in the tea. Patrick looked so relieved at
his words Jace almost had to suppress a smile.
The feline's heart skipped a beat and he gasped softly as he
felt the skunk's fingers run lightly across his scarred fur. Patrick
hadn't realized that his hair had moved away from his face and his eye
and cheek were now fully exposed to Jace. The feline suddenly felt
sick to his stomach, as though someone had just punched him hard in the
gut. He turned away, putting a hand up to mask his scarred face from
Jace, feeling still unshed tears welling up against his eyelids.
Patrick couldn't breath properly, he was tense, expecting the
skunk to express disgust at him or pull away. He was shocked to feel
Jace's feather light touch once again, moving up his cheek to gently
brush the disfigured skin around his eye. The tears spilled down
Patrick's face as he opened his eyes again, finding himself looking
squarely into Jace's own emerald green gaze. The feline felt breath-
less, bewildered.
There was no fear, no hatred, no malice, no loathing, disgust
or disdain anywhere in the skunk's face or eyes. There was only warmth,
tenderness and concern. Patrick felt dizzy, overwhelmed, almost faint
as the skunk's gentle caress played across his face, and at the lack
of malice or fear in Jace's face or body. He heard Jace's voice whisper,
"Is that what happened?" Jace saw more tears well in Patrick's golden
eyes as the feline nodded, "Yes, my father, he, he, he..."
The feline sobbed, trembling again as he replayed the malicious
attack over in his mind. Jace embraced Patrick in his arms, "Shh, shh,
it's alright..., You don't have to think about it, I know., He burned
you and then beat you while you were senseless from the scalding., I
assume your knee is his handiwork as well." Jace felt Patrick nod,
the feline's voice was quaking as he shivered against Jace, "He-he
worked in a factory, wore steel capped boots.,
"Not the ch-cheap shit things you see all over the place
nowadays., Industrial grade steel plate, nearly half inch thick.,
The kind where you can have your toes run over by a fork-lift and not
flinch, they must have weighed a good seven pounds each. You could
bust bricks with them and not stub your foot., After he threw the mug
at me, he started kicking me, broke my arm, collar bone and then
fragmented my knee., Ripped up the cartilage and tendons real bad., I
never really healed right, there was so much damage."
Jace led Patrick into his bedroom, sitting down with him on
the edge of the bed. The feline's grip around his chest hadn't
faltered as he had helped Patrick to walk and sit. The skunk shook
his head, his own father had only ever hit him once, the day things
had ended for his parents. Jace couldn't even imagine how someone
could hate their own child enough to nearly cripple them over God
knows what., "My God, how could someone be so cruel to their own flesh
and blood?, What happened to make him haul off on you so badly, I
can't even imagine."
Patrick dried his eyes with the end of the robe's belt, "My
father wasn't always like that., Wasn't always so abusive and
hurtful., Toward the end his health wasn't so good, he was drinking
and smoking more and more and his job was getting to him, the stress.,
One day we started discussing something then we started fighting., I
don't know why or how but he just got this horrible, cold, dead look
in his eyes and just..... snapped." Patrick popped his fingers for
emphasis, hugging Jace tighter.
The skunk felt his ribs creak at the feline's renewed embrace,
"That doesn't make it right., What did they do to your father after he
did that to you?" Patrick sniffled, then chuckled eerily. Jace couldn't
tell if it was bitterness or sarcasm lacing the feline's laugh. Either
way it made the fur on his neck stand up, "nothing..." The single word
was said flatly with no emotion to gauge it by.
The skunk bristled as he sat aghast, "Nothing!!?" Patrick
sniffled again and Jace felt his tail tap agitatedly against the bed,
"Nothing..., They didn't need to., He-he died., He DIED., Oh God., I
don't remember anything after my father crushed my knee but evidently
all the smoking and drinking and eating shit junk all day for years
gave him a heart attack while he was beating me senseless.,
"Imagine!, The exertion of beating me nearly to death gave the
bastard a massive coronary and, HE_DIED!!" Patrick stifled a sob
against Jace's shoulder. The skunk ran a hand over Patrick's neck,
rubbing it in little circles to try to calm the feline, "And some
people say there's no God., Bolt from the blue." Patrick's breath
slowed at his shoulder, "That's always how I've felt., If he had
gotten any further or had kicked me in the head or neck I probably
would have died."
"I'm glad you didn't..., Otherwise we wouldn't be sitting
here now." Patrick loosened his grip and dried his eyes again,
looking at Jace with his luminous,(though now slightly red), eyes,
"You say things to me that I've never heard from anyone else before.,
I feel like I should be waking up any moment now, like this is just
some cruel dream to tease me." Jace still massaged the back of the
feline's neck soothingly, "I say those things because I mean them and
I'm very much real and here if you need me."
Patrick felt all the fear, apprehension and worry melt from
him. He only felt safe and content as he sank into the skunks arms
again, "I think I do." The feline's nose twitched against the fur on
Jace's neck making the skunk giggle slightly, "What was in that mug?,
It smells good." Patrick suppressed the statement that Jace smelled
good too. The skunk's scent permeated the robe he wore, and being in
Jace's bedroom and in his arms Patrick's nose was filled with it. It
might have just been his imagination but Patrick thought Jace's scent
was getting stronger by the minute.
Inexperienced with skunks or anyone in general the feline wasn't
sure if that was good or bad. The skunk didn't show any signs of
relenting in his proximity to him so Patrick assumed it was a good
thing. If he had been more familiar with Jace he might have guessed that
the stronger aroma he had detected was the beginnings of the skunk's
mating scent. Jace fevently hoped Patrick hadn't picked up on his little
pheromonic faux pas. This was the first time the skunk had had another
male in his arms in a long while.
Not that Jace was some perverted sex maniac that got off on
distressed felines, he just couldn't help it. Between Patrick's
physical proximity, which was as close as the two could get without
the feline being in his lap, the fact that the only item of clothing
Patrick had on was his own robe and the way in which Patrick had hugged
him that last time, it had just happened. All those things had just
set the skunk's libido off instinctively, "Blackberry tea., But you
know, you could have just told me I needed a shower too., And now I
need a new favorite mug."
Jace was smiling again trying to breach Patrick's somber mood.
The feline was coming around, "I'm sorry for breaking your mug."
"That's OK., There is another one I like almost as much, but I may
have to hide it now., Tell you what, I'll only use mugs I don't really
like that much, you can throw those around all you like., OK?" Patrick
smiled hesitantly at the gentle ribbing, knowing Jace was just playing
with him. The skunk's hand was settled on the collar of the green robe
near his throat, tugging absently at a loose thread.
Jace shifted next to the feline, adjusting the soft terry cloth
of the dressing gown around Patrick's slim shoulders and chest where
the material had gathered and bunched slightly, "Here, let's fix this a
little, oh..." As he adjusted the bathrobe the material pulled loose
slightly, partially exposing Patrick's slim chest to the skunk. Jace
had seen the scarring on the feline's face and neck but was caught
cold by the marring on the right side of Patrick's chest.
The short, soft, uniform fur over Patrick's chest rippled
slightly from the scalding he had received. Some of the deep pink
scar tissue was very visible through the deep grey fur where the burns
had been worse. The scarred region on the feline's chest was the
biggest on his body, a rough oval shape about four inches in diameter.
It stretched up across his collar bone, almost meeting the scarring on
his neck. Jace could practically trace where the scalding liquid had
impacted Patrick's face, run down his cheek and neck to where some of
it had pooled on his chest.
The skunk looked as though he wanted to touch the scarred flesh
as he had on the feline's neck and face but held back slightly, "Does
it hurt you?" Patrick shook his head, "It's a little sensitive but it
doesn't really hurt." As he spoke Patrick took Jace's outstretched
hand and placed it gently on the marred fur on the side of his chest,
allowing the skunk to do what he had wanted to. The feline was amazed
at the gentleness and warmth of Jace's touch. The skunk never poked or
prodded, always keeping his claws carefully retracted and not applying
too much pressure or force as he caressed Patrick's fur and skin.
The feline mrrr'ed softly as Jace touched the scarred area of
his chest so softly and tenderly. The sensation was unbelievable to
Patrick. No one had ever wanted to actually touch the scars on his
body, even out of curiosity. Much less touch them with the kind of
soothing warmth and tenderness Jace was. The silent moment passed as
Jace moved his hand gently off of Patrick's collar, tugging the robe
back into place over the feline's body.
Patrick didn't want the striped morph to stop, almost voicing
his displeasure. Then he felt the skunk's hip against his own and
caught his tongue, smiling as he gazed over into Jace's emerald eyes.
Patrick started as Jace's hand settled on his leg, about mid-thigh.
The skunk sat up suddenly, snapping his fingers, "Be right back."
Jace remembered something that had been on his mind when he
had entered his room to get his mug earlier. Patrick watched the
skunk rummage in several drawers about the room, finally fishing a
strange looking object from one of them. Jace brought it back to the
bed, proffering it to the puzzled feline. It was a tube of thick
looking material about a half meter long and a little more than the
width of Jace's hand wide.
It looked like a sleeve torn off a wet-suit, but curved in
almost a boomerang-like shape with a small hole at the junction. The
material was thick and spongy, almost rubbery, and coloured a dark
charcoal gray. Jace turned it so Patrick could have a better look,
"Here., It's a knee brace, the kind used by physical therapists., I
used to run track, pulled muscles in my knees every so often., This
helped., It's self conforming, got a thermal lining, and it's water-
proof but it breathes., Pretty high-tech, my mother got it from
someone she knows."
Patrick took the brace from Jace's sable furred hands
tentatively, turning it over and looking at it. The pliable material
was strong and less giving than it looked, it moved and flexed but
hardly had any give to it when Patrick tried to stretch it in his
hands. Jace demonstrated how to wear the brace with his hands,
indicating placement and orientation, "There, like so., With this
over here, and the seam here., That hole goes over the knee-cap for
flexibility., Yeah, like that, oh wait, no, OK, yes, like so."
Patrick nodded listening and watching the skunk, then offered the
brace back to Jace, pulling back the hem of the robe as he spoke,
"Would you mind?, This first time., Just so I can watch how you do
it?"
Jace swallowed hard and took the brace in slightly unsteady
hands, trying not to let it show. He knelt on the floor next to
Patrick's feet, brace in his hands, stoically not looking up toward
where the feline had flipped back the lower hem of the robe,
exposing 95% of a long, lissome, thigh. Not wanting to cast a long
enough gaze, Jace wasn't sure if he caught a flash of paler fur
around Patrick's lower belly and crotch through the swiftly degrading
closure of the robe as the feline shifted on the bed.
Rolling the brace into a ring Jace stretched it between his
hands, "So it won't catch your fur." He explained hurriedly, slipping
the roll of material up over Patrick's foot and knee. The skunk settled
it on the feline's leg about mid-thigh, where his hand had been moments
before. The brace unrolled well, going with Patrick's fur down his leg
to around mid-calf. The material contracted slightly as it unrolled,
hugging the feline's limb, supporting his injured joint nicely.
"There." Jace pronounced getting up from the floor to stand.
Patrick nodded, moving his leg experimentally and feeling the strong
material move smoothly with his leg and knee. Though it didn't catch
in his fur, the sensation was interesting as the two moved against
one another and would take a little getting used to. Patrick wasn't
worried, if there was one thing he was good at, getting used to things,
especially painful or uncomfortable things, was it, "Thank-You, that
feels nice."
Jace smiled offering Patrick a hand up at standing. The feline
wobbled a little bit, instinctively trying to lean on his absent cane
for support. It felt peculiar to have both feet on the floor and be
standing relatively surely without his walking stick in hand. Jace
let go, standing back, but still staying within safety range should
Patrick have problems. The handsome young skunk clapped his hands
softly, "There you go!, Good!"
Patrick felt silly and wonderful at the same time, like some
massive child taking his first unaided steps. In the grey feline's
case it had been a long time, his right hand almost twitched for
lack of anything else to do at the moment. Jace smiled as Patrick
doddered a little but kept his to feet and walked into the hall. The
feline reappeared with his cane gripped in hand. He was still limping
slightly but Jace noticed he was hardly leaning on the aide at all,
using it more for balance than anything else.
Patrick smiled, shrugging modestly at the skunk, "No sense
tempting fate., A little at a time." "Sound words., You've still got a
little bit of a hitch in your get-along, as they say, but you're doing
just fine." Jace's tail flipped around his ankles as he watched
Patrick. The white stripes running down it's length stood out in the
grey light coming through the window.
Almost as if on cue, Patrick stumbled slightly on the carpeting,
falling against Jace as the skunk moved to catch his friend, "Whoa
there!, Careful." Patrick steadied himself on Jace's lean frame, coming
up nearly nose to nose and at perfect eye level with the skunk. He
pulled back slightly, regarding Jace's emerald gaze. His silky, black
furred face and neck, blunt nose & muzzle, and soft lips. Jace
practically felt Patrick's gaze. His luminous lemon coloured eyes were
wide and bright. Their expressive depths were shining in a way Jace
hadn't seen in Patrick before as the feline looked at him and into his
eyes.
The skunk was started from his reverie as Patrick suddenly blurted,
"Jace., Please don't hate me for this.....!!!!"
------------------------->end part IV