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Chapter 90: The Teleporter

Nathanial sighed as he walked back through his portal and into Ireland; he hoped he walked normally and wasn't mincing his steps at all. Geoff was...wow. What a great fuck. He rubbed his belly in contentment; he may have a chance, after all, judging by how 'hungry' Geoff was. He stepped behind Geoff and hugged him closely, rubbing his cheek on Geoff's shoulder. "I've got to talk to Conor about the teleporter and get to work on it, but, um, when I'm done, can we...? I mean, would you want to--?"

Geoff cut Nathanial off by twisting around and kissing him. He growled deeply into the kiss and smiled when Nathanial whimpered and pushed up into it. Geoff's paw slipped down to cup Nathanial's rump. His voice was husky when he broke the kiss. "Gods, yes. I want to take you again, right now." He began to gently chew on the side of Nathanial's neck, causing the pup to whimper even more and tilt his head farther to the side, giving Geoff complete access.

Liam leaned against Faelen and sniffled; he sounded really congested. "If you are going to be a while, I would like to take my medication and go lay down. I am sure Faelen would appreciate all of these suits being taken off of his paws as well."

Faelen shook his head. "I'm fine, Liam." He looked toward the Wolf molesting the Akita and smiled. "I'll just go put your suit and Nathanial's in your room, sir." He opened the door and walked out into the basement hallway.

Geoff stepped back from Nathanial. "Not 'sir.' No, I'll take ours; we can let the two brainiacs go bore Da and Grandda with their analysis of the teleporter. I got some e-mails from our friends complaining that I didn't go see them last time you were in town, or even let them know I was there. They assumed I was with you last week." They walked out of the room and kept talking as they went upstairs.

Nathanial looked at Liam, concerned. "Why don't you take the medication now? We've talked it over as much as we can; I'm not sure how much help you can be while I'm actually working on it. If I do have questions I can talk to you as long as you're nearby." He frowned. "I'm still not convinced that asking the Society's server to take a look at it is a bad idea. He can see magic the same way I can and he'd be able to bring up a diagram for you to look at." They began walking upstairs. "But all that stuff you kept talking about and referring to was just... I've never heard of it. The server would be able to give his opinion on it and show you what his sensors showed. There're so many things we just haven't figured out yet."

Liam made a slicing motion with his paw. "No. I have informed you of my decision; it has not changed, and further discussion will not alter it. You will not involve any such device created by the Society. The Spirits would be even more opposed to it than I. Mages, as a whole, are despised for what the Society has done to Spirits and other beings the world over. You know this. The decision has been made, and the subject is closed."

Nathanial didn't notice that he was pouting a little. "But don't you think it'd be cool to see if he can use my phone like a tricorder to analyse the magic and give you a readout of the data? That would be awesome!"

Liam growled quietly then broke out in a coughing fit. He waved Nathanial off when the Akita went to support him and soon got himself sorted out. He wheezed slightly as he answered, "Enough. It would not be cool and I know not what a 'tricorder' may be. I assume some fantastic device from your science fiction."

They climbed up the stairs, with Nathanial following Liam in case the Rottie's legs gave out on him. "It's from Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek series."

Geoff was waiting at the top of the stairs impatiently while he held the door open. "Took you guys long enough. Come on." He led them through. "Why are you talking about tricorders and Star Trek? Which series? Captain Archer was cool, but it looks like the new Kirk may be even better, according to the movie."

Liam jumped in before Nathanial could answer. "It is an irrelevant conversation, and it is over for now. You may discuss it after I go to bed. I wish to finish this and sleep; it has been a long and unpleasant day." He turned away, pain etched in every muscle. "Tomorrow promises to be no better. Please, let us just get on with this."

Geoff clapped Liam on the shoulder and pulled the small pup sideways into him. He leaned over to put his cheek on top of Liam's head. "Sorry, Liam. I know this has to be really hard on you. If you want to go sleep, go sleep. If you want to do something, just go do it. Don't worry about anything; we understand, pup." He licked Liam's ear. "We're your friends, right?" He rubbed Liam's arm before stepping around to hold Liam in a full hug.

Liam's voice was dry, but his tail wagged slowly. He hugged Geoff in return as he said, "I am the pup? Are you not but a mewling babe to me, Geoff?" He suddenly sounded mirthful. "Curse my diminutive stature and immature state." He sobered up quickly. "I wish to be there while Nathanial does his work, even if I am not needed throughout. This teleporter is a very important link between my two lives; it will allow my family to visit Nova Scotia, and it allows you to remain there. If it were not for this enchanted device Alpha McDougal would insist you move back to Ireland immediately. It is entrusted with the safe transport of many I care deeply about, including you and my love, Faelen. I trust Nathanial, but he does not have the same grounding in arcane lore that I do. I wish to be on paw to answer any questions he may have."

The alpha called out from the living room, "Then get in here and tell us what's going on, pups!" He sounded cranky. He was on the couch with Liam's oldest son Aedan and Conor.

Nathanial trembled a little while he walked down the hall to the living room, frequently glancing back to look at Geoff. He could sense Dirk fetching a large tray of tea from the kitchen and Faelen trotting down the stairs with empty paws. The suits must be put away. Liam followed Nathanial down the hall and Geoff watched his Akita go with worry etched on his face.

Nathanial wasn't sure what to make of Geoff's recent behaviour. Was he falling back in love with Faelen or not? He cheated on Nathanial for Nathanial with the one person he knew Nathanial didn't want him to, but Geoff was acting more smitten than he had since the first few days they knew each other. Did having sex with Faelen make Geoff realize just how much the Akita meant to him? Was fucking Faelen merely the fulfilment of a fantasy and it was all over now? Did Faelen put Geoff in his place and Geoff wanted nothing more to do with his employee, sexually, anymore? What did they do together?

Nathanial stood in front of the coffee table in front of the alpha, Conor, and Aedan as if he was giving a school report. He gulped heavily as another comparison struck him: or as if he were standing in front of his mother's desk to answer for some malfeasance. Conor smiled and waved at the love seat, making Nathanial blush as he went to sit down. He scooched over to make room for his friend.

All three Spirits looked at Liam in surprise; Aedan looked like he wanted to say something but glanced at his boss and remained silent. Alpha McDougal exclaimed, "Ancient One, you look terrible! Do go...uh...beings like you get sick? How can a virus work on an immortal?" He glanced guiltily to the door as it swung open, fearing he'd just revealed the secret to a bystander, but it was just Dirk so he relaxed.

Liam glared at the giant Wolf, making the alpha squirm. "I am well aware of my appearance, Alpha McDougal, but thank you for the reminder." The sound of his voice made all of the Spirits wince. Dirk put the tray down and began pouring the tea and raised the first cup toward Liam. Liam nodded and said, "A small dollop of honey and one of the biscuits please." He took them when Dirk passed them over, then addressed the alpha again. "I am in a mortal body; it should not be surprising that it remains vulnerable to mortal diseases."

The alpha took his cup of tea and put it on the table so he could add a splash of liquor to it. Conor shook his head but said nothing, accepting his own tea. Conor took a small sip and waited for Nathanial to get his cup, too. The Water Elemental took another sip. "So, what news? Have we been betrayed?"

The pups exchanged glances. Nathanial shrunk in on himself a little. "Sort of?" The flat looks he received made him expand on it. "It has what look like...safeguards that could end up working against you. Like the other teleporter, the one in Nova Scotia, this one also had extra spells attached to it. I couldn't get solid answers, though."

Alpha McDougal frowned. "Why not? I thought that was the whole reason you came over, pup. You mean you caused this much ruckus and couldn't even do what you came over for?" His eyes didn't match his tone or expression. He wanted something else. He was either trying to goad Nathanial, to cover up his nervousness with bluster, or it was his attempt at teasing.

Liam sighed. "This was not any fault of Nathanial's. It was a communication problem. He is like a mathematical genius with a grade six education, while I am university educated but of no particular talent. He can do things well beyond me and has incredible insight into mathematical problems using a language of his own development, but there are concepts he just cannot decipher. What he can glean from the teleporter is difficult to translate into a format I can understand. We have worked out that the teleporter is keyed to monitor vital signs; the more agitated one is the more energy it takes."

Conor growled and rubbed his forehead. "Geoff was very nervous when he first came over so it drained a lot of energy out of him. He felt sick for days. This makes him stress out every time he goes through, reinforcing the problem. When Faelen and Faeden went through the last time they were also extremely worked up. Why would he do this? What does it accomplish?"

Nathanial stared into his cup as he mumbled, "What state would someone be in if there was an attack on one side of the teleporter? If Geoff was being attacked in Nova Scotia or if the Clan was being attacked here? It's using the tetra-bioscan formula combined with the type three biochem scanning formula to check for elevated signs of stress. I recognized the spell pattern for the tetra-bioscan formula from the spell used in the testing room for young Mages -- it's designed to detect the heart-rate, blood pressure, breathing patterns, and body temperature of the target. Combine it with the biochem spell, which detects chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol, and you have a very good indicator of the stress a person is currently undergoing. It's keyed to react to a very high threshold, so I'm guessing the Mage didn't think it'd ever activate without something dire happening."

Alpha McDougal's eyes glittered dangerously. "Fascinating. Now, pup, Conor mentioned that you thought there was a chance the teleporter could be shut down by what it detected?"

Conor held up his paw. "I've heard enough, Da. This Mage betrayed me; Dirk and I will be paying him a 'visit.'" He looked at his bodyguard and Dirk nodded in response. Dirk looked absolutely pissed.

Alpha McDougal leaned back and grinned. He put his arm around Conor and patted his shoulder. "Now, now, lad. Let's not be hasty. I want to hear what the pup has to say." He waved at Nathanial with his free paw. "Go on."

Nathanial glanced at Liam nervously. The alpha was scarier when he acted like this than when he was being all cranky. It just seemed so out of character, like he was a bomb just waiting to go off. Liam just shrugged and stayed silent, so Nathanial responded. "I-It's tied to the 'active' part of the teleporter spell, the part that actually sets the destination and triggers the matter-energy conversion, so it can send and receive information across the Atlantic -- including a command to activate the kill switch. This Mage can shut down the teleporter whenever he wants. U-Um, or..." Nathanial curled up, looking at the Spirits nervously. "...r-reroute it."

Conor leapt to his hindpaws; he was manifested before they touched the floor. "What!?" The pipes throughout the house creaked and groaned under intense pressure. There were audible thuds upstairs as Conor's family and Faelen reacted to Conor's shout.

All of the other Spirits were manifested too, and looked ready for murder. Except the alpha. He was manifested, but he calmly retrieved his cell phone and said, "Excuse me," as he left the room. He walked outside and hit Ciaran's phone number. A second later the Earth Elemental calmly stated, "I have an assignment. Meet me in my office in a half-hour." He put his phone away, sighed, then roared. His face was twisted into a bestial mask of blind rage and the ground shook as he gave voice to it. He pulled a chunk of rock the size of a school bus out of the ground and began squeezing it with his Spirit powers. The pressure it was under made the reddish-grey rock start to glow red and sharp retorts of protesting stone echoed across the village.

Liam attempted to soothe the Spirits as Nathanial quailed on the couch in the face of their fury. "Be at peace, if you please. This is not something to be dealt with by barging in and fighting with him. If this Mage deals with Spirits then he will be prepared for just such an event. The easiest way to question him on his intentions would be to ask him to return to check the teleporter and have the late Mrs. Marks's medallion around to shut off his magic when he arrives. Then you may question him and/or kill him at your leisure." He seemed to pause in thought.

Nathanial twitched at each sharp crack coming from outside and timidly squeaked out, "No, h-he can check his spell work remotely. He'd know it's working fine and wouldn't come out to look at it in person. At most, he'd turn down the sensitivity to stress so it'd be less of a drain on people. A-Also he'd probably leave orders for someone to check on him whenever he goes to see a Spirit. I d-don't think he really trusts Spirits, though he may. Maybe it's more of a safeguard to keep Knights and Hunters from using it."

Liam nodded. "I agree with portions of that, Nathanial. I was just thinking that he would likely not return here willingly, at least not for the teleporter. I also agree that he would inform someone of his destination in case he went missing. Mages believe Spirits to be violent and unpredictable; he would have many spells and such to protect him whenever dealing with one. He would also ensure the Society would promptly investigate any disappearance when working with a clan. However, I highly doubt that this 'kill switch' is designed to protect his clients; it seems far more likely that it was designed to contain the clan in event of an attack by Hunters or Knights. You also said it is taking energy from those using the teleporter, not just draining it -- that extra energy may could be used to power some sort of defences or weapons." His ears flipped toward the front of the house after a much louder crack followed by a heavy thud.

Dirk composed himself quickly, though he still breathed a little heavily. "Strategically, it makes perfect sense to put in a kill switch to deactivate the teleporter. He probably assumed we'd be moving into, or at least near, the Halifax Clan. Having the clans be able to reinforce each other so easily would provide a huge advantage to the Spirits on both sides of the Atlantic, not just to Cork and Halifax. It's sensible but a very pronounced gesture of bad faith."

The door slammed open, making the house rattle. Alpha McDougal stomped in. "It's a breach of our contract and, if it was done with the knowledge of the Society, an act of war." He flopped onto the couch, scowling fiercely. It was frightening to note that Conor didn't seem to disagree with his father's statement.

Avery was cautiously making her way down the stairs, followed by Geoff and Faelen. Gwen remained in her room, manifested. She was hiding under her bed, holding her bear, with all of her rocks forming a wall around the edge of her bed.

Avery looked pale as she poked her head into the living room. "What happened?" She motioned behind her for Geoff and Faelen to keep back.

Conor forced himself to relax, and the pipes stopped groaning. There were several spots where some of the pipes were close to springing leaks or had bulged from the pressure. Conor's voice was conspicuously calm. "We have been betrayed. Every time Geoff stepped on that blasted thing we were tempting the Fates. That Mage could have abducted him at any point, sending him who knows where, and then cut the teleporter off or set it to drain all of our energy. Possibly enough energy to be lethal."

Liam spoke up, loud enough to be heard over the crackles of electricity and Avery's growls. "That is incorrect. The potential for betrayal was built in, but it was not acted upon. Perhaps it was never intended to be acted on except as a response to our aggression, or perhaps he was not offered enough money by our foes. We do not know. We also do not know if he could alter the spell to automatically drain excess energy outside of the set parameters or to what extent."

Nathanial pulled his knees up to his chest and folded his ears down, pointedly not looking at anyone. He could think of several ways to alter the teleporter so it became lethal, with very little modification to the existing spell structure. Combine that with the built-in capability for it to be modified remotely, and yes, Conor was right. It was a betrayal -- even if it wasn't acted on or was designed to guard against Spirit aggression -- and he didn't know why Liam would even attempt to say otherwise.

Alpha McDougal's deep voice cut through Avery's growls. "Looking at the pup's reaction, I'd say he agrees with Conor, Ancient One. Now, Nathanial, the question is, can you fix it?" He suppressed his powers, an act that was copied by all of the other Spirits.

Liam sounded perfectly confident as he said, "Yes, he can. It is merely dependant on how long you are willing to wait and if we can find the books we need to study from." He gave an explosive sneeze into his handkerchief and then continued, "We think he can do a lot right now, possibly all of it, but there is much we are uncertain of and would prefer to do further research on."

Nathanial was surprised by that. They'd been talking like he was going to go ahead and work on it anyway, regardless of the questions still lingering. Was Liam bluffing or something? Did he actually doubt that Nathanial could do it? Or was he just being cautious? Nathanial wasn't sure what to think about it; he really would prefer to have more time to research it with proper material, but if Geoff would be forced to stay in Ireland with Faelen -- and without Nathanial -- he'd rather go ahead and try.

Alpha McDougal scowled fiercely. "Half a day, and doubtful. I need Conor with me and I'm not willing to rely on the pup to be the only form of transport between Nova Scotia and Ireland."

Liam's eyes narrowed. "That's unreasonable, lad. Geoff and Faelen can live with Nathanial for the week while Conor stays to help you sort through this mess; there's no reason to limit the work on the teleporter to tonight and tomorrow."

Geoff perked up noticeably in the hall; his tail began wagging rapidly and a bulge grew in his pants. Faelen glanced at his boss in amusement. However, that ended when Avery strode into the living room. "No! Not a chance! You can't leave Geoff and Faelen over there alone! We've already established that it's more dangerous over there than here, and to leave them virtually stranded and with no way to get to them if there's trouble is-is abandoning them! I can't put my boys through that!"

Dirk's glared angrily at Avery. "That's 'boy.' Singular. Faelen is my son, Avery, not yours. We've been through this on more than one occasion. Also, they aren't 'boys,' they're young men. Most pups have spent several weeks away from home by their age, with or without supervision. They're capable, they're strong, and they aren't alone. Garret will be there as an adult to supervise them. Sensei and Walter are nearby if they're needed and, for protection, Agents Ella and Jay have already proven that they are dedicated to keeping these pups safe."

Nathanial spoke up. His trembling voice surprised Avery enough to keep her from arguing with Dirk. "We can talk about this tomorrow. Mr. O'Conall shouldn't be sitting here listening to us argue, he should be with his family mourning his sister. Dirk and, um, Ciaran should, too. There's nothing here that can't wait. It's almost supper time, so why don't we let them go sit with Muireann for a bit longer while we think about it all? I'll get started on the food." He quickly finished his cup of tea while the McDougals glanced guiltily at the O'Conalls.

Alpha McDougal scowled at Nathanial. "Did you eavesdrop on me when I made my call?"

Nathanial blushed and ducked his head. "No more than Faelen did. We can't help but hear stuff we don't want to half the time." He switched to telepathy. *I think it's a bad idea, um, right now. Wait a while at the very least, so he can finish grieving and doesn't get distracted at the wrong time. Even then, this is a very complicated set of spells; Ciaran should have some backup when taking on a Mage with this much skill and power at his disposal. Let him do the legwork, but have Liam and me there when the time comes. I can dismantle enchantments very easily and warn them of magic traps; I don't even have to be right there, just nearby. Liam has centuries of experience. Between the three of us we should be able to capture him.*

The giant Wolf's scowl deepened. "You're a guest, Mage; mind your place. This is none of your concern." He growled and rubbed his muzzle, unaware of the surprised expressions of everyone around him at the non sequitur. "But you're right. About some of it, anyway. Patience is a virtue, or so people keep telling me." He stood up. "O'Conalls, as you will. Geoff, you'll be going back to Nova Scotia tomorrow with your boyfriend. Avery, I've made my decision." He shot her a dark look and she closed her mouth with a click, bowing her head. "Conor, with me."

Aedan's eyes grew huge and his mouth opened and closed a few times, but he remained silent. He composed himself quickly but kept glancing incredulously at Nathanial, Conor, and the alpha. Obviously, learning the clan's Dark Spirit had a boyfriend came as a shock.

The elder O'Conalls filed out, heading back to the viewing for Muireann, and were followed by Alpha McDougal and Conor. Avery growled at the retreating back of the alpha before spinning around and running upstairs to check on Gwen. Nathanial noticed there was a bit of a crowd outside looking at the steaming rock in the alpha's yard; it had scorched all of the grass that Rolph had missed. There was also a gaping hole a good four metres away in Conor's yard where the boulder came from. The crowd quickly dispersed when Alpha McDougal stepped outside.

The four young men went toward the kitchen. Nathanial glanced at Liam with his ESP and waged a bit of an inner war. He really wanted to spend the night cuddled up with Geoff, if only to reassure himself that Geoff was still there and still liked him, but Liam needed Geoff, too. Not Geoff, as such, but... He sighed, his mind made up. "Geoff, why don't you take Liam upstairs and put him to bed? You can bring him his medicine once the kettle boils. It seems I won't be working on the teleporter after all. We can bring him up some food once it's done. Um, put him in your bed. The fog probably isn't all that good for him when he's sick, and his chi could use some balancing. I'll sleep with Faelen, if he's okay with that."

Geoff's ears flopped over as he stared at Nathanial in complete misery. "I-I thought we'd... Aren't we going to...y'know? Did I do something to upset you?"

Nathanial wasn't sure how to answer that. 'Yes' would be the obvious one, but Geoff had been so sweet the last few hours. He decided to go with his heart. "No." He pulled on the tuft on Geoff's chin to lower the Wolf's muzzle so he could kiss him. "I love you and I'd love to have sex with you before I go to sleep, but what's best for Liam right now? A warm bed that's not so humid, and some of your energy. I'll even give you permission to have sex with him if you're both in the mood later." He hadn't meant to stress it like that, but he did.

Geoff winced and his tail curled up between his legs. "I'm sorry. It's... I needed help, I-I couldn't..." He whispered the next part in utter embarrassment. "...keep it up, if you know what I mean. I..."

Geoff looked at Nathanial with such a miserable and ashamed expression that Nathanial felt like a complete asshole for the slip. He wrapped his arms around the distraught Wolf and rubbed his black nose over the pink one. "Shush, silly Wolfie. I know." He pressed his muzzle firmly against Geoff's and gave him a deep kiss. "I didn't mean to say it like that, but you were the one who said we should have a closed relationship and that we needed permission to have sex with anyone else, including Faelen and Liam. That includes kissing, pawing, fingering, or anything else. We can change that at any point, but it has to be before the event, not after." He saw Geoff sinking into a gloomy funk, so he added, "I forgive you, you big goof. I love you and I need you, but for tonight I really think Liam should sleep with you or Dirk. In a real bed, with warm covers, and where the damp won't aggravate his cold." He ground his half-erect penis into Geoff's crotch. "But you are going to have sex with me at least once before we go to sleep. I need my Wolf in a serious way."

Geoff grinned at that and his tail wagged happily. "I love you too, and I need my Akita as much as you need your Wolf. You really are special, Nats. I don't deserve you."

Nathanial blushed and looked down at his hindpaws. "N-No, it's the other way around, Geoff. You're so awesome; I-I really don't know what I did to deserve you." He turned around and dashed some tears from his eyes, then sighed when he was enfolded by Geoff's strong yet gentle arms. He leaned back into his boyfriend's chest. "But I can't keep away from you, no matter what anyone else says. I love you. I need you. Y-You're the best thing that's happened to me in a very, very long time. I feel...safe. Loved. W-Worth something." He ran his paws through the white fur on Geoff's arms, marvelling at how soft and thick it was, and how the muscles underneath just felt so manly. He wanted to stay here forever.

Liam was talking quietly with Faelen by the stove. They seemed to be trying very hard not to disturb Nathanial or Geoff, but Nathanial heard Liam say, "Nathanial is correct, Faelen. I do need to sleep elsewhere tonight. I would like him to sleep with you to acquire some balance in his chi, but there are other factors to consider." The Rottie put his paw on Faelen's chest to steady himself while he tried to muffle a coughing fit. He got it under control quickly, but he looked very weak and kept his paw where it was to help him stay upright.

Nathanial shooed Geoff away. "Now skedaddle. Put Liam to bed before he collapses." He jumped when the kettle began whistling; he didn't realize they'd been talking that long. "Um, oops. Sorry, Liam. Would you please go with Geoff to his room? You need rest." He glanced back at Geoff and blushed again at the ravenous look in the Wolf's eyes as he gazed at Nathanial.

Liam waved at him, then coughed again before wheezing out, "It is no trouble, Nathanial. As I am so often saying, it is a cold, not a serious disease. I will drink my medicine then retire to Dirk's room. If he does not wish to sleep with me, I will go elsewhere. I believe you require Geoff tonight; he seems very submissive today, so you may have a chance to pin him for once."

Nathanial shook his head. "Nah, I'd play with him, like rimming or fingering, but I like it when he takes me. I-I was actually hoping he'd be dominating tonight, to show me that he really needs me." He blushed and hastily added, "No pain or anything, just...forceful."

Liam drank his freshly poured tisane in one long draught then put the mug down. "I think you need not worry about that; he appears ready to ravage you right on the counter. However, I am off to bed. I will meditate for a time before sleeping, so please bring up a light repast if you are able." He turned and tottered out of the kitchen, with Geoff following him.

After washing thoroughly Nathanial began preparing a side dish, hot and sour soup, and began making some dough to turn into fresh noodles. "Faelen, could you make some light things, like sandwiches?" Faelen nodded and pulled out a loaf of bread; Nathanial could tell he was waiting for something. Faelen was just so insightful; he really seemed to understand and care about people, but he was often quiet enough that people couldn't see how smart and kind he was.

"I..." Nathanial sighed. "What happened?" He knew Faelen would guess he was asking about the sex thing.

"I'm sorry, Nathanial. I was worried this would hurt you, but my duty required me to help Geoff fulfil his duty to the clan. Geoff needs to sire pups; it's the only way he can ever come out of the c-"

Faelen was cut off by Nathanial's frustrated exclamation. "I know all that, Faelen. What happened?"

"We had sex, I was the top. When Geoff was about to come I had to use both paws to make sure I caught all of his semen, and I couldn't stop him from pushing back and forcing the tie." Faelen really sounded guilty about it. He pulled Nathanial into a hug when the pup leaned over the counter and began crying. "I'm sorry, Nathanial. You know Geoff gets worked up when he's having sex; he doesn't think about anything but the sex. He just forgot. I'm the one to blame; I knew he was like that, but I didn't think of how to catch the semen and still keep him from pushing my knot into him. Don't be mad at him, please."

"I know what he's like, Faelen." Nathanial grabbed onto Faelen's shirt and burrowed his head into the muscular chest. His voice was muffled as he continued, "I had to get Liam to stop him from tying with me before, remember. I-I just... I'm afraid I'm going to lose him to you, even though both of us don't want that to happen. He admires you, he looks to you to protect him, and he still loves you. It's all coming back, all those crushes and stuff. H-How was he, you know, after?"

"Happy, like a dream had been fulfilled, but pretty normal. I was really worried, too. I don't know how this is going to play out, Nathanial, but at least right now he's completely smitten with you again. I barely smell any arousal when he looks at me. Maybe it's a one-off thing, or maybe he feels more attracted to me when he feels vulnerable. I don't know. I do know that I love Liam, not Geoff." He chuckled. "At least not that way."

Nathanial sighed. This was just so comforting, both Faelen's words and his embrace. Liam was a very lucky guy. Nathanial stepped back and smiled at his friend. "Thanks." He wiped away his tears, but he couldn't wipe away the pain in his heart. There was still some hope, though if he had to compete with Faelen for Geoff he was doomed, regardless if Faelen was interested in Geoff or not. Nathanial knew his own flaws, and he was no competition for Faelen. He had an equivalent of a grade six education in magic, with almost no control over it. He was rapidly losing his mind, with huge gaps showing up in his memory where he apparently turned into some homicidal, nursery rhyme-quoting maniac. He was timid, frail, painfully introverted, cowardly, over-protective of his brothers, naggy--

Faelen lifted Nathanial's chin and looked directly into his eyes. "Shut up, Nathanial. I don't know you well enough to know exactly what you're beating yourself up over, but stop it. You really are a lot like Geoff in some ways. Like Liam is always telling you, stop worrying and just relax. We'll play it by ear, for now. Yes, 'we.' I think you're great for Geoff, and I'm on your side in this."

Nathanial nodded and resumed preparing supper. He made a quick prayer to Aphrodite; he just couldn't bear the thought of going on without Geoff. The mere thought made his heart quail and his paw tighten around the handle of the beautiful chef's knife.