Straw, Wood, and Brick
Chapter 3 - Bacon
The house was large. Far larger than anything that had previously been
found on the little curving cul-de-sac. It was made of a dark red
brick, three stories stacked one upon the other, and several small
windows were set at even intervals along the front and the back of the
house. There were no flourishes on the home, no brightly painted
shutters or well-tended flower boxes, and the yard was free of hedges
and bushes or any decorations of any kind. It sat stoically beside a
pile of rubbish that had once been a rather tidy little wooden house,
which in turn was beside a blackened patch of earth that had once
housed a cute straw home. The brick house was sturdy and strong,
standing tall against the elements and presenting a rather imposing
picture. At least, to most.
The knock at the door, which came at just a minute after eight in the morning, was expected.
Chastin opened the door quickly, eager to see his lover again, and was
more than happy to be pulled into the wolf’s embrace, and into a
searing kiss, before even a word was spoken. He clung to Wolfe while
strong arms pulled his body close, while a hungry mouth explored his
equally famished one, and he was breathless by the time that he was
released. It was a very good way to start the day in his opinion.
“Chastin,” Wolfe breathed against Chastin’s lips, unwilling to let him go completely too soon.
“Wolfe,” Chastin knew that his brothers were watching them, but he
didn’t care. Let them watch. He was, for once, and with no help from
them, happy.
The sound of breaking glass from somewhere to their right, behind a
partially closed door, finally distracted the two men from each other.
They shared one last brush of lips and then pulled apart, still smiling
at each other, eyes locked, fingers interlaced even though the rest of
them no longer touched.
“Let me guess,” Wolfe began, a smirk on his animalistic features,
“You’re going to tell me that Caius has gone off to the mountains and
isn’t to be found anywhere near here. Caesar as well, no doubt.”
“Actually,” Chastin responded, “he’s said to tell you that he’s gone to
the shore. He seems to think that you won’t like water for some odd
reason, but he’s probably got you confused with a cat or something.”
Wolfe laughed. Chastin really did seem to be the only member of his family to have gotten any brains.
“And let me guess,” Chastin said, equally amused by their conversation,
“You’re not here for Caius or Caesar. This is my brother Claude’s
house, so it’s him that you’ve come hunting for. Am I right?”
“At least this one has a house that might stand up to an assault,”
Wolfe admitted begrudgingly, looking around at the sturdy brick house.
Then his mouth stretched into a wide grin, and he added, “Not that
it’ll stop me. Nothing will. But it’s nice to encounter a bit of a
challenge now and then.”
“Claude always was the greedy one,” Chastin explained, “He wanted a
house that would protect his things. He thinks of this whole place as
one great big vault.”
Wolfe nodded, then, raising his voice, shouted, “Claude. Sorry to be so
rude, but I intend to steal away your most precious treasure for the
day. The usual deal should be good enough: I’ll take Chastin for the
afternoon and in exchange I’ll spend the rest of the day at the tavern.
Try to run while we’re gone and I’ll come after you. I know where you
live… etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.”
Chastin already had his basket of goodies and the blanket waiting by
the door, and he grabbed them as he in turn was grabbed around the
waist and pulled out the door. He didn’t bother to shut the door behind
them.
They raced each other into the woods, to what they’d both come to think of as their spot, the chase heating their blood. The blanket was thrown down with haste as they arrived nearly simultaneously, the basket of treats forgotten by a tree, clothing shed just as carelessly. Wolfe and Chastin watched each other with hungry eyes trained on the other’s bodies as more bare flesh was revealed, and when at last they stood naked before each other Chastin reached out and ran a hand along Wolfe’s muscled chest, down to his abdomen, reveling in the feeling of soft skin that hid hard muscle for a moment before pushing him back to land heavily on the blanket. Wolfe looked up, shock and amusement in his gaze, curious as to where the dominant streak had suddenly come from in his previously more tame lover. Not that he was complaining. Not at all. In fact, he was happy to lie back and let Chastin do as he wished. He was sure that he wouldn’t be disappointed.
While Wolfe watched, enjoying every sensation, Chastin proceeded to use his hands and mouth to touch and tease every inch of his body. It took all of Wolfe’s self control to stay where his lover wanted him, to allow himself to be pleasured without taking control of the situation, but something in Chastin’s dark eyes told him that the other man needed this. And Wolfe found that he could not deny him. Then Chastin straddled him, guiding his aching length into his body with a trembling hand, and the wolf positively howled with relief. His hands flew to Chastin’s hips, holding him in place, guiding him, regaining at least some control, and soon they moved in unison. Their breaths came in heavy gasps, the sounds of moans and half-finished words of need and endearment filling the quiet forest. The morning sun caused their sweat to glisten as it ran down their bodies.
Chastin looked down at the daemon beneath him as he rode him, felt the burn of his legs as they bunched and moved, the ache deep within him where they were intimately connected, and he felt his climax rushing towards him. The feral look in Wolfe’s eyes, a possessive, needy look that was only for him, was too much for him. He threw his head back and screamed, pushing his body to move faster, harder, towards his completion. Wolfe’s hands on his hips seemed for a moment to be the only thing holding him together, and he put his own smaller hands atop the daemon’s claw-tipped ones, interlacing their fingers and holding on for everything he was worth.
“Please,” Chastin began to mummer, emotions and thoughts overwhelming him as he raced with Wolfe towards their pleasure, “Please, just let me-“
“Yes.” He didn’t know what he was saying yes to, but at that moment it didn’t matter. He would deny his Chastin nothing. “Anything.”
“Please,” Chastin begged again, the word falling from his lips a moment before his head fell back and a wordless scream was ripped from him.
The sun was riding low in the sky and still the two lovers explored each other, albeit at a more leisurely pace than they had begun with. Chastin lay on his back with Wolfe beside him, the wolf using lips and sharp teeth to leave marks across his chest and neck, using his own mark to replace the numerous ones that decorated Chastin’s pale skin. It settled, momentarily at least, the possessive voice that screamed at him every time that he was near the other daemon.
“What were you going to say,” Wolfe looked up abruptly from his marking of Chastin, a thought occurring to him that he hadn’t had the presence of mind to ask earlier, distracted as he had been at the time.
“Huh?”
“What were you going to say earlier,” his golden eyes twinkled as he watched Chastin’s cheeks pink, knowing that he knew exactly when he was talking about, “You said please just let me… and you didn’t finish. Let you what?”
“Nothing,” Chastin mumbled.
“In my experience,” Wolfe said, “when someone says it’s nothing then it’s not nothing at all, it’s something. So, spill.”
Chastin remained tight lipped and made a great show of studying the surrounding flora.
“Whatever it is,” Wolfe said, his voice growing tender as he used a hand on his chin to force Chastin to meet his eyes, “It’s yours. Just say it.”
Chastin wanted to say again that it was nothing, that he hadn’t had anything in mind when he’d spoken out in a moment of passion, but suddenly his lips were moving and he heard himself speaking without meaning to, as though it were someone else’s voice.
“Please just let me,” he said again, “…I don’t know. Please let me stay with you? Let me be by your side, always? Let me be yours? Yours and only yours. Let me matter, just for a while, because when those golden eyes watch me I feel special for a moment. Let me keep dreaming, because I do, I dream of those eyes, of that look, and when I do I’m finally able to find some peace in those houses. It’s stupid, I know, so just forget I ever said anything.”
Wolfe was speechless. He hadn’t expected to hear such things from Chastin, but, to his surprise, he rather liked the way that they sounded. And, even more surprising, he felt much the same thing within his (previously, it appeared) lone wolf’s heart. He would have said as much as well, but while his mouth was still hanging open, his shock rendering him momentarily speechless, Chastin had gotten up and dressed. He was already down the path and near the trees that would hide him from view before Wolfe even noticed that he had moved.
“Really need to be going,” Chastin said, his cheeks painted a shade of red so bright it rivaled the setting sun, all the while refusing to look at his lover. He was certain that the wolf would be either angry with him for saying such sentimental things, or that he would laugh, given the chance. He didn’t intend to give him the opportunity to do either. Chastin didn’t think that his heart could withstand either reaction. “I think I left the oven on… or the iron. Yes, the iron. Is that Caesar calling? I think I hear Caesar. Or maybe it’s Caius. They can’t get anything done without me. I’ll see you later!”
And then he was gone.
Wolfe was left alone, lying on the ground, wondering what had just happened and why the ache in his chest was greater than any pain that he had ever known.
The windowpane rattled as something hit it. Then, fast on the tracks of the first, something else hit the window. Then a third something nearly broke the glass. It was well past midnight but Chastin wasn’t asleep. He was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying desperately to forget a certain wolfish bounty hunter. It wasn’t working. So, grateful for the distraction, Chastin got up and padded barefoot over to the window of his bedroom. He pushed open the window just in time to have a rock fly past his head.
“What,” he shouted; ducking as another rock nearly hit him, his longish ear waving just in time to miss it. He stayed close to the ground for a moment afterwards, afraid that more projectiles might be coming, but after a moment he finally gathered up enough courage to poke his head up over the edge of the windowsill. He looked down into the yard behind the big brick house and had to smile at what he saw. Wolfe stood below his window, a rock in his hand, arm pulled back and ready to throw it seemingly at any moment. When he saw Chastin looking at him Wolfe smiled and dropped the rock, waving up at the other daemon.
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.”
“Wrong fairy tale, again,” Chastin chuckled despite the fact that he’d been on edge all night, wondering if he’d ever see Wolfe again, hoping that he would and dreading the daemon’s appearance at the same time, “Besides, it’s not long enough.”
“Oh, I’ve got something nice and long…”
Chastin shut the window with a click, snickering as he heard Wolfe’s voice carry on even without an audience. Then, as expected, another rock hit the windowpane. Chastin opened the window again after what he felt was a suitable amount of time. No need to encourage the man.
“Okay,” Wolfe held up his hands in surrender, “No more bad jokes. Now get down here.”
“Why?”
“Because,” Wolfe said, “I need you.”
Chastin’s heart stopped at the tone that Wolfe used. The words could easily have been lewd or said in jest, but the wolf sounded as serious as Chastin had ever heard him, and even from the second story of the house Chastin could see Wolfe’s golden eyes locked with intent upon him. How could he say no to that?
Chastin was dressed, down the stairs, and out of the house in a flash. He jogged over to Wolfe’s side and just barely restrained himself from throwing himself into the other man’s arms. He needn’t have worried, however, because Wolfe didn’t feel the need for any such restraint. As soon as Chastin was close enough Wolfe pulled the other man to him, wrapping his arms around him and holding on as though he’d never let go, which he thought might not be such a bad idea, claiming his lips with a passion and enthusiasm that he hoped would convey just how much he felt for the other man, just how much what he had said had done to him. He didn’t release Chastin until they were both breathless and slightly unsteady on their feet.
Chastin thought that, when Wolfe gave up control of his mouth, he ought to say something. The problem was, he wasn’t sure what to say, or if he even remembered how to string two words together. Wolfe seemed to have that effect on him, he’d noticed.
Wolfe worked his way down to Chastin’s neck, nuzzling the flesh that was still warmed from the inside of the house, his arms still tight around the other’s waist. Even when Chastin tired to pull back he didn’t let him go, instead tightening his hold.
“You ran off,” he mumbled, mouth still busy with Chastin’s neck.
“I did.” There seemed little point in denying it. At least, he thought, Wolfe didn’t sound mad. That had been his biggest fear. That, and that he might never see the bounty hunter again. That thought had left him sick to his stomach, his blood cold, his heart feeling emptier than it had ever felt before. It had not been a pleasant feeling, and he was glad that it was banished the moment that Wolfe took him into his arms. “I’m sorry.”
“Ake ip up to me.”
“What,” Chastin chuckled, pushing Wolfe ineffectually away from the spot that he was nibbling at on his neck, “Stop that.”
“I said,” Wolfe repeated, pulling away at last, “Make it up to me.”
Chastin gave him a look that said: we played this game all afternoon yesterday… and, is this really the time? Wolfe laughed, the sound almost a howl, before producing a small metal box from his pocket. There were three wires sticking out of the side of the box and a bright red button on the top.
“Make it up to me,” Wolfe said again, grinning at Chastin while waving the box about in front of him. “Do us both a favor and push this button.”
“What happens if I push the button,” Chastin asked cautiously.
“I’m here to take your brothers in, dead or alive.”
“I know.”
“Well,” Wolfe wondered, “which would you prefer?”
Chastin didn’t have to say anything; the answer was clear in his eyes.
“Then do us both a favor and push the button.”
Chastin took the box from Wolfe’s hand, looked one last time at the big brick house that he’d hated all his life, and turned away. He pressed his lips to Wolfe’s at the same moment that he pushed the bright red button. The world trembled, whether from the kiss or the explosion, neither man was certain.
Brick flew everywhere as fire erupted and the night was filled with the sound of a massive explosion. The house was eradicated in one great blast, and Chastin knew that three pigs had gone up with the building. He could not find it in himself to mourn them, even if they had been family. In fact, Chastin was slightly nauseated by the smell of burnt pork and charred debris but he couldn’t remember ever having been happier.
“C-4,” Wolfe said, a manic smile on his handsome face, “Gotta love it.”
Chastin rested, safe for a moment in Wolfe’s embrace as he thought over what had just happened and what was still to happen, but a stray bit of flaming wood falling from the sky nicked him on the shoulder and he knew that the moment was over. It was nice to see his brother’s prized house, and his brothers, for that matter, go up in flames, but it wasn’t exactly the safest place to be at the moment.
“Shouldn’t we move?”
“Probably,” Wolfe said, not making an effort to do anything other than hold his lover, “but it’s such a pretty sight, like fireworks, seems a shame to leave it all behind.”
Chastin agreed, but when another bit of flaming debris came a bit too close for comfort he asked, “Can we at least move back a bit?”
Wolfe looked down at the man in his arms and, if possible, his grin grew even wider, “I’ve got a better idea.”
Chastin arched a brow at this.
“You do know that I’m not letting you go,” Wolfe said, tone suddenly serious, “Ever.”
Chastin felt his heart soar. That was what he’d been wanting to hear almost from the start. Then that oh-so familiar grin was back, and Chastin wondered what he had just gotten himself into.
“So, why don’t we head home so that I can huff and puff an-“ a finger to his lips stilled Wolfe mid-sentence.
“It was cute the first time,” Chastin said softly, the smile on his lips easing the sting, “but that’s getting really old really fast.”
Wolfe laughed, agreeing. He grabbed Chastin’s hand and began pulling him after him, onto the path and one step closer to home, “How about: this little piggy blew up a house, this little piggy fell hard for a bounty hunter, this little piggy has the cutest ass in the realm, and…”
“This little piggy lived happily ever after.”
Wolfe turned back. Chastin was afraid for a moment of what he would see on his lover’s face, but he was glad to see that it was only with a look of curiosity and not anger or reproach that Wolfe regarded him with. It made him certain that this was the right decision.
“Hey,” he said with a shrug, “It’s a fairy tale. That’s the rule.”
Wolfe nodded once then turned back to the path ahead, still dragging Chastin behind him, “It’s a good rule.”
