System of a Wolf - 3. Chapter 3

Erith breathed a sigh of relief as he drove out of the pack complex. Another hazard avoided for now. But he still had to deal with the problem sitting in the seat beside him.

No, that wasn’t right. Blake wasn’t the problem. Erith was the problem. Or maybe it was Gara. Being a werewolf was the problem.

“Talk it out. Let him know what’s going on.”

It was easy for Marin to say; he wasn’t the one who had been used by his family, who was terrified he might hurt his friend by even suggesting some sort of sexual attraction.

“Erith, are you mad?” Blake asked suddenly.

“What? No,” Erith said quickly. “Just thinking.”

“Oh. Can I see Gara today?”

“I let him run for an hour every day,” the elf nodded. “In fact, it’s almost time for him to come out, once we get to my home.”

“I brought my swim trunks just in case.”

Erith was starting to remember the Blake of old. He always jumped from topic to topic, his mind quick to try out new avenues of conversation. Sometimes it was a little harder to figure out the connections between threads. If there even were any.

“You ever try to swim with Val? That tank certainly looked big enough for it,” Erith chuckled.

“Why would I do that? He’s territorial enough as it is,” Blake frowned. “And the tank is only four feet long. I wouldn’t fit anyways.”

“It was a joke Blake. I know you can’t actually swim in the tank. So, why a cichlid?”

“Because they looked cool. And I heard that you could pet them too.”

“Yeah, somehow I don’t think that fish wants to cuddle,” Erith smirked.

“I know. I feed him, I make sure he’s clean, why won’t he let me pet him?” Blake pouted.

“Because he’s a fish?” Erith frowned.

“Yeah, but he’s supposed to be a water puppy.”

“I guess he didn’t get the message.”

They pulled up to a short drive, nearly entirely covered by trees. Parking next to a brick wall covered in creeping ivy, Erith shut off the car.

“Welcome to paradise,” he chuckled, stepping out of the car.

The entire front yard was covered with a mossy lawn. Flagstone steps led up to a deep blue door, various ferns lining the path at irregular intervals. A bird feeder hung from a hook near the front door, and a hummingbird sped away as they approached.

“You did all of this? On your own?” Blake asked, his eyes gazing around the yard in wonder.

“Well, it was either this or leave it the same dirt pit filled with rusted cars it always was when my uncle owned the place,” Erith said uncomfortably. “It only took about four years to get everything right. Well… out here at least. The back… I’m still not sure what I’m doing with that. Something with a pool though.”

“Oh… so no swimming?” Blake frowned.

“Well, not unless we go to the pack pool.”

Erith echoed the mage’s frown as he unlocked the door. The interior of his house was a stark contrast from the yard. Minimalist, with wolf toys scattered all over the floor, the place looked more like a wolf den than anything. A couch and a TV sat against a wall in the living room, with nothing else marking it as the main room of the house. A wide empty space sat between the kitchen and the living room, almost jarring the eye of any who looked at it, and the kitchen itself wasn’t much better. A door sat ajar, leading down a dark flight of stairs to the basement below.

“Sorry… like I said, it’s kind of a mess in here,” Erith muttered, darting around to grab the toys that lay all over the floors.

He tossed them all into a basket with a quiet huff, before turning to face Blake again.

“So… uh, welcome to my home. Here, let me show you the bedroom. I… don’t really have a guest room right now; I turned it into a sunroom.”

“You really like plants,” Blake chuckled, following him through a hallway.

“Yeah. I kind of see it as a test for me. If I can keep plants alive, I should be doing just fine taking care of myself. I have a small garden for vegetables to reinforce that idea. At least until everything gets eaten by Gara. He has the rumblies that only cucumbers can satisfy.”

Erith opened the door to the bedroom, revealing a neatly made bed sitting in the corner of the room. A wolf bed sat underneath, a half eaten antler sticking out of the blankets. The late afternoon light shone through an open window that looked out over a rocky backyard. A desk with a computer and lamp on it sat in front of the window, offering a rather depressing view. There was nearly no vegetation out back; just a wide open space that was begging to be used.

“I use that as an exercise spot for Gara,” Erith said, motioning out the window. “And I don’t really use the bed except during the new moon, so you can take it while you’re here. Gara can sleep in the wolf bed like he usually does.”

“Does that mean I can’t cuddle with him?” Blake pouted.

“Oh not at all. Feel free to pet him or snuggle with him. I’m going to set an alarm for when the moon goes down. That way you don’t have to watch me shift back.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to see an elf’s butt,” Blake smirked, setting his bag next to a desk. “Is that a camera in the closet?”

Erith flinched at the question, his eyes turning toward the open closet. A camera and a tripod were sitting on the shelf, and the elf gulped, wondering how he was going to explain that one.

He could feel the tension in the room. A tension that still made him flinch, even after all these years. Erith was upset, and when people got upset, Blake got hurt. He had to remind himself that Erith wasn’t going to hurt him.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered.

“Yeah, it’s a camera,” Erith sighed. “Don’t mess with it, okay?”

“I won’t,” Blake promised.

His curiosity had been roused, but he fought the urge to ask about it. That would make Erith feel bad, and that was the last thing Blake wanted. His hand slipped into his pocket, curling around his paci, but the mage hesitated. Sure, Erith had said he was okay with all of this, but was he really okay with it? Or was he just saying that? Blake’s headphones were still covering his ears, their pressure a comforting presence to the man. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Remove his headphones and replace them with the paci? Or leave them on? He couldn’t wear them the entire time he was here of course, but they were already helping him ease into the new setting.

“It’s a little late. Dr. Marin said you have a schedule you like to keep,” Erith mentioned.

“Oh yeah. Dinner, and then a bath, and then I like to relax on the couch,” Blake nodded. “With… with a warm bottle too…”

He pulled the bottle out of the side of his bag. Eyes glancing at Erith nervously, Blake let out a relieved breath at the somewhat bemused look on the elf’s face.

“I have some almond milk. It’s probably not what you’re used to, but it is milk.”

Blake relaxed slightly, a small giggle escaping him as the tension bled out of the room.

“How does Dr. Marin deal with your… little space?”

Blake shrugged.

“He just… lets me be little. If I need a hug, he lets me have one. And I can watch cartoons, but I have a bedtime. He does help me with more adult things though,” the man said, twirling the wire that hung from his headphones.

“Like your bottle?” Erith asked.

“And helping me get the bath ready,” Blake nodded.

A surge of excitement hit him, and his arm shot out to the side, shaking harshly.

“Are… are you okay?” Erith frowned.

“Yeah, just excited,” Blake chuckled.

“A little flappy, too, huh?”

The two laughed quietly. Blake held out his bottle, and Erith took it.

“Okay, bath first then. I think I have bubbles somewhere.”

“Really?” Blake beamed.

“Lilac and sandalwood,” Erith smiled. “Or, it should be lilac and sandalwood. I haven’t used it since Gara decided baths were a bad thing.”

“Why does Gara not like baths?” Blake asked.

The tone of his voice took on the slightest whine. His paci slipped into his mouth almost automatically.

“I don’t know. It probably has something to do with not being able to dry off properly or the scents being taken off his coat,” Erith shrugged. “I’ll get your bath going, but I need you to let me know what temperature you want.”

“Okay,” Blake said. “But I need my diaper first.”

He pulled a fresh diaper from the bag, grabbing a set of clothes. The headphones came off, and the paci fell into his bag. Silently, he followed Erith to the bathroom.

“So… why are you wearing a diaper if you don’t plan on using it?” Erith asked as he turned on the faucet in the tub.

“It makes me feel little,” Blake said, pulling his shirt off.

“Oh…”

Again, discomfort filled the room, and Blake found himself confused. He didn’t think he’d done anything wrong, but Erith seemed to be making an effort not to look at him as the mage removed his pants. He wasn’t naked; Blake still wore his briefs. Besides, he didn’t have anything that hadn’t been on display before.

Water poured into the tub, the roar making his ears ring, and Blake fought the urge to flinch back from the sound. This was the worst part of baths, but once he got through the sound, he could enjoy the bath properly.

“Is…”

Erith swallowed tightly, still staring at the water.

“Is this warm enough?”

Blake leaned over, dunking his hand under the faucet. The water burned at his skin and he pulled back quickly, nodding.

“Yes. It will cool in the tub. Why are you staring at the water?”

“Because you’re naked,” Erith frowned.

“Oh. Am I supposed to take a bath with my clothes on?”

Blake giggled at the thought, the laughter dying off at the look Erith gave him.

“Did you get naked around Dr. Marin?”

“No… he always makes me wait until he leaves the room. I don’t get it. Everyone’s seen me already; why am I supposed to hide?”

“I haven’t seen you, Puppy. And the last time I checked, I’m still someone,” Erith said quietly.

He stood up and opened a cabinet, eyes studiously avoiding the naked man beside him. Blake shivered slightly at a sudden chill.

“Oh. And you don’t want to see me naked. That’s why you’re upset,” he replied.

“I’m not... “

The elf stopped short, hands in the cabinet. He sighed quietly and Blake tensed at the noise. He knew that noise; nothing good ever came from it, even with Dr. Marin.

“No,” Erith said. “I don’t want to see you naked. You deserve your privacy. I’m not upset either. I just need to figure out my emotions, and doing that while you’re naked next to me is not the best idea.”

He dripped a bottle into the water, and bubbles started filling the tub. A sweet scent filled the room, and Blake felt himself relaxing even deeper.

“You don’t wanna wash me?”

“I need to get your bottle made,” Erith denied.

“Okay.”

The water shut off, and Erith hurried out of the room, the door closing securely behind him. Blake frowned after him, pulling his underpants off. It was almost like Erith was scared of him, but he didn’t know why. The mage supposed he would have to figure that out later. For now, he was just going to enjoy a nice, warm bath.