Haunted Wood Another Chance

Clarence hadn't known what he was expecting, there. The boy watched Santiago as he spoke, slowly relaxing. From what he had thought, Serem and Santiago were kind of... close, and Clarence didn't know much about feelings, but he did know one thing. 

"I don't... like it when you smell like her," he began, ears pressing back and skin burning hot with shame at the confession. "I like your smell. It reminds me of when I left the bad place. Fire and rain. So I don't really like when you smell like somebody else."

Clarence’s wars press back and he’s got a certain look to him that Santi can’t quite place. Nervous maybe? Perhaps something else. Yet it seems the wolf is always nervous so but of course instead of ignoring it, he attempts to read more into it. Snowy eyes watch his companion intently as he speaks once more, not expecting the words to come out.

I don’t like it when you smell like her. Is what he says and Santi’s previously neutral face splits into a teasing grin. Fuck, I like it when the he gets jealous. He decides quickly. Listening to the male talk about how Santi smells like as if he’s written it all down and stored it away. 

Santiago nods. “Noted.” Is all he says to the others sentence before he comes in closer to rest his muzzle beside the wolf-dog’s left ear. “I’m sure you’d like it if I smelt like you, cariño.” He teases back to him, lips dare to ghost over the appendage. “I don’t think I’d mind either.” He hums out shamelessly, his accent rolling out the words enticingly.

Clarence felt his skin heat up underneath Santiago's touch, and even moreso at the teasing. He sighed through his nose and looked off to the side - he couldn't even argue, because the thought of Santiago smelling like him was far better. 

"You wouldn't mind?" he checked, looking up at the larger wolf and trying not to lean into him. Pushed the thoughts of maybe he'd rather be with Serem to the side and decided to just enjoy this moment, here with him. Because at least for now, Santiago wanted to be with him, and that made him... far happier than he thought he would be.

Santiago leans his head back just a tad to see the other clearly and take in the younger as a whole. Those alabaster eyes can’t seem to leave Clarence’s eyes. Absolutely loving the way he shyly looks to the side and exhales softly out his nose. Those blood red eyes gaze expectantly up into his own and Santi might’ve felt his heart make room for an extra beat. It almost makes him sweat, especially when he purposely acknowledges how he could be feeling at this moment.

“Not at all, lindo.” He says sensually back, voice barely above a whisper. His usual Spanish lilt softening due to the whisper. 

A different type of smirk than the monochromatic wolf is known for reaches his face, a sweeter one, devoid of malicious intent or mockery. He inches his face closer and a blacked tongue flicks out to lick over the whiskers, nose, and lips of the others muzzle. The action is languid, unrushed as those eyes usually so full of mischief gaze kindly upon the other.

Clarence hasn't ever felt so overwhelmed and insecure and hopeful as he did in those few seconds before Santiago spoke again. A word that Clarence didn't understand, but paired with the ones he did, could only mean good things. The boy's eyes close as the other lavved his tongue across his muzzle, then opened again to gaze back up at him.

Licking his lips, the boy stepped forward and brushed the top of his head beneath Santiago's muzzle, pressing his side up against his throat and chest and leaning his head back to run his tongue beneath the man's chin. Submissive, innocent, driven mostly by a need to be close and please the dark wolf. 

He didn't have words for it yet, even with what Memory had provided. He was too nervous to say those out loud. But he could manage a quiet, "Could I stay with you tonight?" Going and sleeping by himself at the moment was almost infeasible.

Mild suggestiveness since Santi has a dirty mind ;) and ahhhhhb I love them.

As he’d lapped at the white muzzle, the eyes of the wolf-dog closed briefly and fluttered back open to land on Santi’s own and the large male almost feels himself grow hotter under his gaze. His heart dares to beat faster and the oddity of the beat increasing to anything other than battle stuns him. Sure he’s felt the pleasures of the body and the mental stimulation that comes with it, yet this is worse–or better, he can’t seem to be able to decide yet.

Even though his mind is in such a reel from how the rest of him feels, he is able to keep his cool as the other slides against him. The way he tucks himself beneath his chin and runs his side along his chest make his mind wander crudely. Distracted by the body of the other, he his thoughts wander to another activity that could be induced by the smaller pressing his hips and side to his chest. 

Santi’s mind lewdly paints a picture of the male sliding against him, but instead of him licking his chin and potentially pulling away, it’s something else. Those  alluring eyes gaze back to Santi suggestively and the slight wiggle in his hips and tilt of Clarences tail is what brings him closer.

Yet, Santiago is anything but crass with the piebald boy. He wouldn’t want to spring something like that upon him unless he initiated it first. Even then, Santi would want to double check and make sure that Clarence would be thinking straight before. Believe it or not, the black and white wolf values his presence more than he’d like to admit at the moment.

So when the smaller whispers the sentence to him, he agrees before he really even thinks about it. “Of course. How could I resist?” He says smoothly back. Adding a little more base to his voice, drowning out the whisper.

Briefly nuzzling his cheek against the smaller he pulls back and turns his body to walk towards the spot Santi calls home. Looking down to him with a kind smile he nods his chin in the vague direction. “Let’s go, amor.”

// I love them too <333

Clarence had no idea what Santiago was picturing, but the heady scent in the air was new. The boy had never truly experienced anything like what the dark wolf was picturing - he'd been too young for breeding when he'd escaped, and though he'd seen other dogs and wolves mount one another in dominance, it'd never been for the reasons Santiago might want to do it. And if Clarence did know, if he did ever decide to try that one day, it would certainly take some getting used to. 

A soft, pleased rumble grew in his chest when Santiago nuzzled him, and the boy followed him eagerly. It was getting darker out, and a chill permeated the air. Spring would arrive soon, though, and with it warmth and sunshine and things Clarence had never been able to experience before. It was all new, and he loved it.

The walk to the den was short, and soon Clarence found himself climbing up the stairs to rest in the little alcove Santiago had chosen. Normally, the piebald wolfdog slept in the main den with the rest of the pack, but he thought he liked Santiago's more.

Laying down in the nests the older wolf had created, Clarence rested his head on his paws, tail thumping the ground happily. Safe, secure, calm. They weren't things the boy had experienced much of in his short life, but they were things he found in Santiago.

The bite of the cold stung him, yet he was used to being cold. He’s eager to curl up to the piebald male for the night and possibly get some warmth until the sun shines the next day. So when Clarence pounces up the few rocks that lead up to his sleeping spot before Santi does and he grins. 

Expertly climbing the same path he’s taken so many times before, he paws over to the other male. “Take up all the room then, amigo.” He teases, with a soft smile.

Though it doesn’t go far as Santiago flops down next to the other. Lying on his side and leaving against his elbow, legs pressed up against the others side. For a comfortable few seconds he sits there staring at the white wolf-dog. Then a certain look twinkles in his eyes.

Merely admiring his features, he leans into the other males ear. “You’re so fucking edible, cariño.” He rolls out smoothly into his ear, the sentence oddly low and smooth despite the curse. 

Then he slowly pulls his head back, face smoothing out and becoming more casual. “I’m lucky to have you in my bed, no?” He says this with a cock of his head and a winning smile.

"You're welcome to lay with me," he responded with a hint of mischief in his own eyes - he wasn't used to this... flirting. In fact, Clarence hardly knew the word itself. But this teasing back and forth felt natural and comfortable with Santiago, like maybe he was safe enough and cared about enough for it all to be okay. 

And Santiago did lay down with him, pressed against his side, which drew a happy sigh from Clarence's maw. He was just about to close his eyes to rest when Santiago spoke again.

For a moment, Clarence didn't know what he was talking about. In fact, he didn't really grasp the true meaning behind the words, but he knew the voice. "I'm not food," he argued with a pout, visibly confused and concerned, and tipped his head to the side. 

The second one he grasped a bit better. Kind of. "I'm lucky to be in your bed," he responded, not truly understanding the meaning of his own words. Sex and anything associated with it were... foreign ideas. Things never explained to the boy. 

"I don't understand a lot of what you talk about," he admitted then, blinking up at Santiago. "Will you teach me?"

When the male mentions he’s not good with a cute pouty face Santi loses it. Damn, it went right over his head. He thinks to himself. The fit of laughter he tries to hold back cannot be contained, for it bubbles up his throat and squeezes past his lips in a hearty laugh.

“Amor, I know you’re not food. I was trying to fuck with you. Y’know?” He asks slightly, still thinking that he might not understand. 

“Nevermind that, lindo.” The male continues the ghost of a smile from his precious laughing fit remains. And the other male speaks with a voice unsure. Talking about how he doesn’t understand half of what Santiago says and he smiles sweetly back at him. 

“Of course, I’ll teach you.” He reassures. When the smaller looks to him with those round eyes of his, it strikes something into him. “How could I not? When you look at me like that.” The silky smooth, sweetness his voice holds possibly only for the younger.

The laughter did nothing to help Clarence's pout, and his ears swiveled to the sides in a sort of "airplane" fashion. But eventually he decided he very much liked being the cause of Santiago's laughter, and a small smile formed on his own maw. 

Santiago was going to teach him so he wouldn't be so in the dark anymore. It made him feel better, honestly, because he was often worried that he was missing out on something important. And maybe he was, now.

The boy tipped his head back and ran his tongue across Santiago's muzzle, then lowered his head to rest on the man's paw. He was getting quite sleepy. "Thank you," he responded quietly, tail thumping on the ground behind him.

Fade and archive?

With ears pressed down and that cute frowning face looking up to him Santi feels his chest grow tight and he laughs once more when the other can’t help but crack a smile as well. Then as the males pink tongue crosses over his muzzle Santi’s snowy eyes watch Clarences own.  Returning the affection with his own bout of quick kisses. He hums to the others reply, a low “Not a problem, lindo.” coming from him before he lies his own head down beside the others. His eyelids grow heavy and sooner or later they’ll flutter closed.

Clarence smiled at the kisses and closed his eyes, leaning into Santiago's side with a soft rumble of appreciation. He took a deep breath It was remarkably easy to fall asleep that night, surrounded by the smell of ash and rain.