Shifting

by Shifting (anth. )(Rob Knight Editor)(Torquere)(lit)

  "It's just... it's like a growth spurt."

  Bruiser was growling all of a sudden and wiggling, trying to get loose. When he looked at the kid he saw Bruiser was drooling, trying to get to the stove, and his bacon.

  Keith chuckled, grinning over at Seamus. "Some stuff never changes though. You keep hold of him. He'll get hurt."

  "I've got him. He's gonna be ravenous." Seamus was laughing as well, and holding the kid with both hands again.

  "Good thing I have lots of bacon." He started scrambling eggs, listening to the growls and whines and rustles that sounded almost normal, almost right.

  Almost, but not quite. Seamus' growls and rumbles sounded just right, though, soothing all of them. When the first batch of bacon was cool enough to eat, Seamus told him to bring it on over and get the kid started.

  He put bacon and some eggs in a plastic dish, grinning as Bruiser's nostrils flared. "You want me to put it on the floor or give it to you or..."

  He crashed to the ground as Bruiser tackled him, going right for the food.

  "Shit!" Seamus scrambled, extracting him from Bruiser's path and letting the pup lick his food from the floor. "You okay, babe?" He got plopped on a chair as Seamus swung around to keep Bruiser from lunging at the stove.

  "Yeah. I think so." Keith shook his head, a little dazed, a little winded. "He's really heavy."

  "Yeah." The rest of the eggs and bacon got cooked, and thrown to Bruiser and before he blinked, it seemed like Bruiser was asleep in the middle of the kitchen floor, pale skin mottled with his namesakes.

  He looked over at Seamus, more than a touch stunned. "Are we going to live through this?"

  "Yeah." Face grim, Seamus came over and pulled him up for a kiss. "But it will get worse before it gets better."

  "You're not being very comforting, love." He wrapped his arms around Seamus, humming.

  "He's just gonna test us, is all. Especially you. Gotta find his place in the whole fucked up order of things." Low, soothing rumbles landed on his cheek and neck.

  "Oh, grand." He let his fingers tangle into Seamus' hair, stroking. "Poor thing."

  "Yeah. It's a really rough thing, and in a way he's got it worse, because he hasn't seen his agemates going through it, you know?"

  They stood there, cuddling, until Bruiser's snores got so loud they couldn't stand it anymore. "I'll haul him back to his room and then come help you with this mess. Okay?"

  He nodded and grinned. "His stuffed bear's in the front room. That'll help."

  At least until Bruiser decided that stuffed bears weren't cool and wanted a Nintendo and a Playboy instead.

  Oh, God.

  He was in so much trouble.

  ***

  Damn. Seamus had hoped they would have so much more time before Bruiser went on them. The kid was still asleep, had been for almost a week, except to eat, and Seamus swore every time he looked in the kid was in a different form.

  There would be no control for weeks, and it was a very delicate dance he and Keith would have to do. They had to make sure Bruiser didn't hurt himself while teaching him to be human.

  Seamus sighed, and went to get the vacuum to clean the hall. While the kid was fuzzy he was shedding like crazy.

  Keith backed in the door when he was about half done, hands full of grocery bags. "Just me. I got steaks and stew meat and chicken and those little crackers Bruise likes."

  "You're a life saver." He stopped, going to help Keith with the stuff. Lord knew they needed to put the fucking stuff away before Bruiser got up.

  Just like he'd heard his name, Bruiser came barreling towards Keith, all legs and arms and growls and tousled hair.

  Keith eeped a little, but held his ground, refusing to back up. "Bruiser! Stop!"

  Which, of course, Bruiser didn't do. So Seamus stepped in front of Keith at the last minute and took the hit. "You're a menace, kid."

  "Thanks, love. Silly beast." Keith sounded more than a little ruffled; the thin body was covered in bruises and marks from dealing with the pup. "You want a cookie? You'd better be good."

  An odd yip came from Bruiser, that sounded almost like yes, and Seamus wrestled the kid into a kitchen chair. Damn, he was sick of fighting it.

  "I got you something else while I was out Bruise." Keith dug out a shirt, soft and fuzzy and warm, along with a pair of pants. "Wanna feel them? They're soft."

  Those dark eyes twinkled up at him. "Cheap, too. I bought lots."

  Bruiser grabbed the cookie first and snarfed it down, and Seamus grinned at Keith. He loved this man. After the cookies were gone, Bruiser reached for the clothes, patting them clumsily. Damn, he remembered all too well what it felt like to be so out of control of his body. It sucked.

  Keith grinned, rubbed the inside of the shirt against Bruiser's arm. "See? Soft and warm and snuggly."

  A soft, inquisitive noise came from Bruiser, almost a word, but not quite. "Yeah, Bruiser. Clothes. Good clothes, not scratchy."

  Poor kid leaned to sniff the cloth against his arm and pretty much fell right over.

  Keith caught Bruiser's forehead before it hit the table, helping the pup back upright. "You want to put it on, pup? Want to get warm?"

  A sharp whine was the answer, and Seamus couldn't help but root for the kid's vocal structure. Just like a baby human felt the severe frustration of pre verbal communication, a cub at first turn couldn't get those sounds right, couldn't make themselves understood. It was annoying as hell.

  "Come on, Bruise. Let's try the shirt and then another cookie, yeah?" Keith pulled the neck wide, the last two or three shirts had caused more than a little panic.

  Seamus knew he couldn't hold the kid down, which was his first impulse. He had to let Bruiser do this on his own, and while he could smell the apprehension, he was proud as anything when Bruiser and Keith worked together to get the shirt on over the kid's head.

  "Atta boy!" Keith got Bruiser half dressed and then handed over a cookie, grinning over at him. "Taa-daa. Shirt. I deserve a kiss."

  "You do. C'mere." He pulled Keith close, careful not to smoosh Bruiser, who munched noisily on a cookie. Oh, damn. That was nice.

  Keith nuzzled and hummed, one hand petting his belly, loving on him. So good to him, his cub. Made this whole thing so much easier. Seamus tried to deepen the kiss, hands coming up to cradle Keith's head, but Bruiser nosed between them, barking.

  "Oh, you jealous thing." Keith kissed Bruiser's forehead, then shook his head. "No serious kisses for you, Bruise. Jade and Liz would bite my ass."

  "Not to mention that it would feel like incest." Seamus rolled his eyes and pushed Bruiser away from slobbering on him. Jeez. Get a grip, kid. "Okay, Bruise, let's try for the majorly important human male principle of protecting the dangly bits.

  Keith started giggling, shaking his head and backing away. "We're not practicing on mine, thanks. I'll put the groceries away."

  "Oh, sure, leave me with the wiggling cub and the sweatpants."

  Wiggling was too mild a word. Bruiser decided it was playtime, and the sweatpants were a toy, and in the end they were both mussed and bumped and Bruiser had both legs in one leg of the sweatpants and was playing his new favorite game, which looked to be "worm" or "snake".

  Keith whistled and Bruiser looked up. Two cookies were in Keith's fingers. "Put your pants on right, Bruise, and you can have another cookie..."

  Damn, but that was smart, even if Bruiser was gonna look like a fucking butterball turkey if the cookies kept being bait for good behavior. Seamus grinned as Bruiser scrambled into the pants, inside out but on his legs right, and crawled over for his treat.

  "There you go." Keith patted Bruiser and handed the treats over, Bruiser chomping them down, then tackling Keith to the floor and panting, backend wagging.

  "Get up, you big turkey!" Keith pushed, laughing and trying to get out from under the pup's weight.

  "Get off, ya big menace." Seamus found out the advantages of clothes when he grabbed the collar of Bruiser's shirt
and hauled. The cub came away neatly, but turned and wrapped around him, clinging like a limpet, making him stagger. "You need some cuddle time, Bruise? Huh?"

  Keith got up and walked over, fingers scratching Bruiser's back nice and easy, making the pup go limp. "Poor sweet baby. I wish we could go for a w-a-l-k. You think maybe soon?"

  "Yeah. I think so. He's already getting control of his arms. Legs will come along soon enough. And sooner or later, most likely sooner, he'll change back. Close to nightfall." The young ones had no control over the change at all their first few weeks. Which was why they would walk after dark, just in case they suddenly had a naked teenager instead of a dog.

  "Cool." Keith kept scratching, eyes watching him, loving on him. "How're you holding up, love? Been a hell of a few days."

  "M'okay. How're you?" Hell, Keith was probably the worse for wear.

  "Bruised." Keith winked. "A little worried. Way out of my league."

  "Yeah. I think anyone'd feel that way with this one, though. He's a tough bugger. Ew, Bruiser. That slipper has spit on it." Seamus tried not to laugh. It was Bruiser's spit, but something about the human Bruiser chewing it was gross.

  Keith's eyes were dancing. "So, when do we talk to him about personal hygiene?"

  "We? Who's we, paleface? You have much better hygiene than I do. You're the civilized one." He wrested the slipper from Bruiser.

  "Oh, no. No, no, no. I'm not qualified or trained or anything..." Keith shook his head, backing towards the living room with a grin.

  "Oh, you're begging for it, cub." Seamus got up and advanced, hunting his mate.

  Keith's eyes flared gold, the scent of arousal just noticeable. "I don't beg, love."

  "Yeah? I bet I could get you to, babe. Bet I could make you scream." God, his cub got to him hard and deep, a sucker punch to the gut.

  A soft growl sounded, Keith licking his lips. "I don't know, Seamus. You'd have to catch me first..."

  A crash accompanied by a pathetic yelp made him whirl, only to see Bruiser curled up on the floor, the remains of a bowl Seamus hadn't even seen strewn all over the floor, fruit splattered everywhere. Peaches, in fact. Fuck.

  They would have to wait. "Don't move, Bruiser. You might cut yourself."

  Keith sighed and shook his head, heading for the broom. "Good thing I hated that bowl, huh Bruise? Love, why don't you get him in tub and I'll clean in here? I'll bring some clean towels and another sweatsuit when I'm done."

  "Okay." He couldn't even be mad. The poor kid was shaking, the noise and the vulnerable feeling of skin not fur making everything bright and sharp and scary. Seamus picked Bruiser up carefully, dusting off crockery, and headed for the bathroom, crooning away.

  Bruiser wrapped around him, whining and whimpering, so unhappy and miserable and... heavy. Really pretty damned heavy.

  Solid little bugger. Well, okay, not little. Fuck, the kid would probably take him on someday. He got Bruiser into the bathtub and started stripping off clothes, careful to catch anything sharp.

  Bruiser started growling, fighting him a little. The pups weren't fans of the bath at the best of times and this? Not the best. Not even close.

  "Aw, man, come on, Bruiser, I don't like this any better than you." They fought over the clothes and the tub and the water and Seamus finally lost it, snarling right into Bruiser's face and pushing him flat.

  "Don't hurt the big lug, love. He's just fretting. You want bubbles, Bruise?" Keith's hand was in his hair, petting and warm. "I vote we spend some quality time together when the boy goes to bed, Seamus. Some adult time."

  Growling, Seamus backed off, kissing Keith's hand as he slid by, and let his lover handle bath time. He did it so well. Bruiser settled enough to be washed, and by the time the warm bath was done, the kid was drooping.

  "You want clothes, Bruiser? Or just bed?" Keith managed to get Bruiser dried off just about the time Bruiser went fuzzy and limp in Keith's arms. "Oh. Just bed I think. Help?"

  "Yeah. Right here, babe." He was, watching close, just to make sure both of them were okay. He shouldered Keith aside gently and hoisted a just as dense but easier to carry Bruiser, hauling him off to his nest of pillows and blankets.

  The water started up again, in their bathroom this time, low music floating in the air. The lights were off, but he could smell the steam and the scent of his mate.

  It drew him, and Seamus followed the draw, needing.

  Keith was already naked, thin and fine under the spray, hands running over those lean muscles. "Mmm... Love."

  Zero to a hundred in no time. Seamus stripped off his soiled clothes and threw them in the corner. Stepping in, he reached for his Keith.

  Keith moved right into his arms, face lifting for a kiss, eyes glowing gold. "Need you."

  "Love you, babe. So much." That was just what he needed, just what he wanted. The first touch eased something that was clenched deep inside, the fear that he would fuck up, that he would do wrong by his pack.

  His mate knew right where to touch, just where to ease him, make him fly. Soft little growls and rumbles pushed into his lips.

  "Yeah. Oh, cub." God, he was hard as a fucking rock, rubbing and pushing, bending Keith back over his arm to kiss him hard and deep.

  Keith moaned, fingers tangled in his hair, lips open wide and taking all he had to give.

  Seamus took. Aggressive, needing, he crowded his mate into the corner, lifting him off the slick floor of the tub, up against the tiled wall. "Want you."

  "Yes. Please. Love." Legs wrapped around his waist, holding on tight, a sharp nip bright on his bottom lip. "Need you."

  "Fuck yes." He couldn't wait. Luckily, he didn't have to. His cub was no fragile flower. Seamus pushed in, dragging Keith close, hands digging into his mate's hips.

  They rubbed together, snarls and yelps filling the air. Keith growled for him, squeezing tight and hot around him.

  Biting deep into the skin of Keith's neck and shoulder, Seamus drove home, losing himself in the best place he'd ever been. "Love. Need."

  "Yes. Please. Love you." Keith took him in deep, shaking in his arms, lips hot and open as they panted together.

  Nothing that good could last, and soon he was roaring toward a finish, growling, licking Keith's skin. He got one hand under Keith's ass to hold him, and the other went to Keith's cock, pulling as he thrust so deep.

  A low howl echoed against the tiles, Keith jerking as he came with desperate, harsh jerks.

  Seamus growled low, teeth closing an inch from Keith's throat as he shot hard, pumping into Keith's body.

  "Love you. Oh, Love. Good." Keith was shaking in his arms, tongue sliding over his skin.

  "My cub. Love you." Damn. He was shaking too, and they were sliding, so Seamus reluctantly let Keith slide to his feet so they could get under the water and rinse off.

  They stumbled out of the shower and through the drying process and into their bed in a tangle of limbs. Keith was plastered against him, licking and nuzzling at his skin.

  He couldn't let go. Tomorrow they'd have to deal with Bruiser again. Tonight was for them. Together.

  ~Chapter Eighteen~

  The sound of that low, challenging growl was becoming increasingly familiar, Bruiser unhappy with the food or the temperature of the house or what was on TV or one of any number of things.

  It was getting old, and between Alpha Male Senior and the Alpha in Training? Keith was about to bite someone's balls off and serve them in a stew.

  "Eat your breakfast, Bruiser. I don't have anymore bacon. I'll get some this evening when I go out."

  "Bacon."

  Oh, Bruiser had perfected that tone of growly command. Well, except when it cracked a bit in the middle. But he was definitely learning from the master, who appeared in the door.

  "Shut the fuck up, Bruiser. He said later."

  He gave Seamus a tired half-smile. They were all getting their asses kicked by this whole teenager thing. Eventually, somebody was going to break. "Coffee?"

 
"Yeah. Thanks, babe." Seamus lifted a lip at Bruiser as he passed and came to give Keith a kiss.

  Oh, that made things better. Always. He pressed close for half a second, enjoying Seamus' warmth before Bruiser made his distaste with sausage and their affection clear.

  The plate hit Seamus square on the back and his lover whirled, leaping for the cub, a hair raising snarl ringing loud. His hackles rose as they fought, his low growls lost beneath the darker barks and sounds of flesh hitting the ground.

  Maybe this was the best thing, though. If Seamus could put Bruiser firmly in his place, at least for a while. The fight was short, but vicious, both Seamus and Bruiser serious in intent.