Chapter 23

Shawn woke to Casey squirming restlessly in his arms. The small whimpering sounds from Casey jerked him to alertness; he sounded scared, panicked.

"No, no, please," Casey pleaded pitifully, arching against Shawn's arms wrapped around him protectively. "No, please, I need..."

"What do you need, sweetheart?" Shawn sat up slightly, trying to soothe Casey from the throes of his nightmare.

"T-to change," Casey whispered in an almost child-like voice. "Please, sir, I need the moon."

Shawn frowned. He sincerely hoped Casey wasn't reliving something that had actually happened to him because at first it sounded like he was pleading for someone to stop doing something to him, and that would totally piss Shawn off. But 'to change' and 'needing the moon'...? It didn't really make any sense, but dreams and nightmares sometimes didn't. He shook Casey gently, urging him out of sleep. "Casey, come on, babe, wake up."

Casey slowly blinked at him, jumping at first that someone else was in his bed. But focus and recognition came quickly and he relaxed in Shawn's arms again. He frowned slightly, wondering why Shawn had woken him.

"What's wrong?"

"You were just having a nightmare," Shawn explained, kissing Casey's forehead.

"Really? I don't usually...well, at least I didn't think I had them much anymore," he said, rubbing his face tiredly as he sank back into the pillow of Shawn's arm. "Did I say anything?"

"Just some no's and something about changing and needing the moon," Shawn said carelessly. "Do you remember what you were dreaming about?"

Shawn barely caught a dark frown marring Casey's face before it was buried in his shoulder. "No, not really."

Shawn chuckled, curling Casey closer. "Maybe you dreamed you were a werewolf," he joked.

"Maybe," Casey agreed, as he let out a big yawn. "Sorry I woke you."

"Don't care how often I wake up, as long as you're in my arms," Shawn said, snuggling Casey closer, loving the feel of how the other man's body fit against his so perfectly.

Casey shifted, throwing a leg over Shawn's. "Thank you," he whispered.

Shawn frowned in the dark. "For what?"

"For giving me this time with you."

The breath caught in Shawn's chest as it sounded ominously like that time was coming to an end. "I'll always be here for you."

Casey was heavy now on his side, obviously fading quickly back to sleep. His hand petted across Shawn's chest for a moment before going still. "I hope so. Because I... love... you."

The last words were barely more than a soft whisper on his breath as the man drifted back to sleep, but Shawn stroked the lean planes of Casey's back as he held the man close. "I love you too. So very much."

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Casey was hot. Like really hot. He squirmed slightly in his bed before he realized why he was so freaking hot.

Shawn.

The man was nearly wrapped around him as if protecting him... or keeping him from running away. Casey smiled lazily as he took in all the beautiful golden skin of the man wrapped around him. The dark hair was tousled, and his dark lashes lay peacefully against his cheeks in his sleep. His breathing was deep and even, feathering warm gusts against Casey's shoulder.

Damn, what a way to wake up.

Casey knew he probably should move, but he just couldn't. He was already half hard, just waking up from a pleasant dream, and now he was filling out quickly knowing Shawn's naked body was pressed against him. He bit back a moan as Shawn shifted causing their cocks to rub together. He couldn't help thrusting his hips minutely for the smallest amount of pleasure that he could manage without waking Shawn up.

With memories of last night's lovemaking floating in his mind, he knew he wouldn't last too long. The night had been so perfect. Even with the small amount of pain at first, Shawn had so carefully guided him through it that he barely even remembered it in the onslaught of the delicious orgasm that Shawn had wrung out of him.

And waking up in Shawn's arms this morning, only made the whole night even more perfect. He'd slept with the man he loved. And he wanted to do it for the rest of his life.

He felt Shawn shift again, but he was so caught up in finding his pleasure rubbing against Shawn's body that he didn't realize that Shawn's cock had hardened as well and they were now rubbing together.

Casey sucked in a startled breath when Shawn's arms suddenly tightened around him and his breath came uneven and ragged.

"Morning," Casey grinned as he reached between them and took both their cocks in his hand and began stroking them together.

"Oooh, mooorning," Shawn groaned, dropping his head back.

A few more quick tugs had them both coming nearly together, creating a sticky mess on their stomachs. Casey smiled lazily, kissing Shawn's chin. He was already thinking about just staying here all day.

Maybe Martin wouldn't notice or care if he didn't see Casey before leaving for the clinic.

As if summoned by his thoughts, there was a knock on the door and a rattle of the doorknob. Both of them froze instinctively, but Casey wasn't worried about his uncle actually coming in since he'd locked both locks on his door.

"Casey," Martin's voice called. "Are you still sleeping?"

"Yeah, I was," Casey called, controlling his voice carefully.

"Are you sick? Open the door and let me check on you," Martin demanded. "It isn't like you to sleep in so late. Maybe something is actually off with your system and we need to check before--"

"I'm fine!" Casey yelled cutting of his uncle before he revealed too much to Shawn. "I just stayed up too late reading and listening to my music."

There was a brief silence from the other side of the door. "I did sort of hear your music later than usual. Think I even fell asleep before you turned it off."

"I'll be up shortly, I just need to shower first," Casey said, biting back a chuckle as Shawn swirled his finger through the cum coating Casey's stomach.

"Okay, I'll see you downstairs in a bit."

The both sighed heavily in relief when they heard Martin's footsteps on the stairs. Then they both broke down into fits of laughter.

"Come on, let's get showered and dressed before I get in any more trouble with the warden," Casey joked, shoving Shawn out the bed.

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After they had both showered, together, Casey reluctantly left Shawn alone in his room again, even though all he wanted to do was to snuggle back under the covers with him. He'd opened the window as they dressed, allowing the cool morning breeze to blow in, the salty tang in the air caused an anxious twitch in his belly that radiated down his thighs.

Damn, he could already feel the pull to shift, and the full moon wasn't even until tomorrow night.

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After having left Shawn with a deep kiss, he'd made his way to the kitchen where his uncle was sitting reading the news on his tablet and drinking his coffee. Casey grabbed a banana and ate it while preparing his own coffee. He felt a bit guilty eating while he knew Shawn was waiting upstairs unable to eat and probably starving as much as he was. But he could feel Martin's eyes on him, studying him like he often did.

"You're sure you're okay?" his uncle finally asked.

Casey was sure his smile was brighter than normal, but he was having a hard time taming his emotions. "Yeah, I'm fine. Really."

Casey's hand shook slightly as he stirred the sugar and cream into his coffee. Shit, the shifting urge was worse than it had ever been before, probably because he'd denied his mer side its freedom for so much this last month. Between Martin's demands and spending all his free time with Shawn, he had barely shifted maybe five times in all, and some of those had been in the tank.

Tomorrow night was going to be a bitch to hold back long enough to get to the cove.

"You're shaking," Martin stated, and Casey clenched his fist closed.

"I'm just feeling itchy. I haven't shifted that much this month," Casey admitted.

Martin's eyes pierced him for several long minutes, before he let out a long sigh. "I suspected as much. Your myglobin count is a bit higher this month, but the lack of shifts would account for that. I'll take you out on the boat today, that should take the edge off."

Casey nearly dropped the mug he was holding. "What?" His uncle never offered to take him out to the open ocean without a secondary purpose.

"I have a couple of little charts to finish up, then we'll head out. So go change," Martin said as he wandered into his study and shut the door.

Oh crap, Casey breathed. What the hell was he going to do with Shawn? For a moment, he was bitterly disappointed that he wouldn't get to spend the day with Shawn, since his uncle had obviously chosen not to go in to the clinic. But then he secretly praised his uncle for giving him an out. Today and tomorrow would be torture being with Shawn with the urge to shift constantly itching at his skin. He definitely wouldn't be able to go in the water with Shawn.

But if he was able to go out today for a bit, maybe he could see Shawn later this afternoon. He hoped that maybe Martin was just choosing to go into the clinic a little later than usual rather than not at all.

He quickly brought his thoughts back to focus, turning to the fridge and grabbed several bottles of juice, cream cheese, and jam, as well as a knife . Then he turned to the counter and grabbed the small bag of bagels as well as several pieces of fruit. He managed to juggle everything back upstairs without his uncle noticing.

He nearly stumbled into the door, as he called softly for Shawn to open it. There was a long pause before it seemed to open magically, as Shawn kept himself hidden behind it. Casey quickly dumped the makeshift breakfast on the desk as Shawn raised his brows in amusement before locking the door again.

"I got you some stuff to eat," Casey said breathlessly.

"I see that," Shawn's voice held a tinge of amusement as he opened a bottle of juice. "What? No coffee?"

"Well, I couldn't manage--" Casey started seriously, worried he'd offended Shawn in some way.

"Case, I'm kidding. You've brought a feast," Shawn laughed, then he obviously noted the tenseness in Casey's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

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Shawn could see the odd twitchiness in Casey's hands as he arranged and rearranged the breakfast offerings. Was he nervous now that they had slept together? He hadn't seemed that way this morning, but maybe, now in the full light of the day, especially after facing his uncle, he was having second thoughts.

Shawn moved slowly into Casey's space, soothing an arm down his shoulder before catching one shaking hand in his. He smiled slightly as his touch seemed to calm his lover rather than make it worse. That was a good sign, at least. The tenseness in Casey's shoulders seemed to slide out of them, and his hand stilled in Shawn's as Shawn brought the palm up to press a kiss in it.

"Casey, sweetheart, what's going on? You seem... anxious all of a sudden. Are you upset about last night or this mor--"

"No!" Casey practically yelled as his head shot up in surprise, his hand clamped down around Shawn's as if he were afraid Shawn was suddenly going to disappear. "No, that's not it," he added softly, leaning into Shawn. "That was... that was... the best night of my life. And morning too," he tacked on with a smirk.

"Then--"

"No, it's just some stuff has come up. Uncle Martin wants to go out in the boat this morning."

"Oh good..." Shawn sighed, glad it wasn't something wrong between them, but then he realized that he wouldn't get to spend the day with Casey today. He'd become spoiled on his daily dose of Casey, and this morning wasn't going to be enough. "Oh, I see," he amended, dejection strong in his voice.

"I'm sorry," Casey said softly, clutching his hands in tight fists.

Shawn smiled softly, leaning in to kiss Casey's soft lips. "It's okay. You're his nephew, you're bound to want to spend time with him too."

"No, not really," Casey muttered back. "But he wants to so I think I should."

Shawn had the distinct impression that he probably didn't have a choice in the matter either, but it was probably best for Casey to spend a day with his uncle to help cast off any suspicions the man might have. Shawn was sure the man wouldn't be blind to what was going on forever, but if it made Casey happy to put off any confrontation with the man, then he'd keep quiet.

"Don't worry about it. Go, have fun," Shawn said. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Casey relaxed a bit more. "After we leave, you'll be able to sneak out back to your house, but in the mean time, eat."

Shawn picked up a bagel and spread some cream cheese on it, as Casey disappeared into the closet, reappearing a few minutes later dressed in his swim shorts and a pair of leather sandals. No matter how often Shawn saw Casey, he would never stop thinking that the man was sexy as hell.

He grinned as he bit down into his bagel. And that beautiful man was all his.