[ P ] No Cold Feet

A R Y T H M E T I K

It was a beautiful winter afternoon in the Arboretum; the air was cold and brisk, but there wasn’t any wind, making it a perfect day to stroll. (Much better than yesterday, which was freezing and blizzardy at times!) The sun was even out, peeking occasionally behind wispy, white clouds and filtering a pale, yellow light over the forest. Arythmetik had spent the entire morning on important chores to take advantage of the nice weather. He’d already visited the university Library to assure that snow hadn’t damaged any of the books. While he was there, he had a nice chat with the new Librarian and did some organizing. Afterward, he’d journeyed to the edge of the college grounds to pull some willow bark from the tree trunks. It was prudent to keep willow bark stockpiled for pain relief, after all. Aryth even collected some ice and rose hips for the infirmary. Overall, it had been quite a productive morning.


However, now he was feeling a touch chilly and ready to share Grigori’s company. Maybe the roguish outlander was busy with work this morning too—Aryth hadn’t seen him yet today. The russet male, bright and visible amongst the snow and bare trees, trotted toward the den they shared. As he looked around, Aryth released a few short barks to call for his partner. Maybe he’s still busy, the Professor thought to himself. But he hoped the male was available to curl up next to. The thought brought a flutter to Aryth’s stomach.

code by claerie

@Grigori

It’s quite incredible how after resolving obstacles and getting the best possible outcome he could have imagined, Grigori still managed to find new things to worry about. Living with someone he wanted to be around, was.. well, it was uncharted territory, and the prospect of testing the waters with no experience was daunting. Could he be too overbearing if he doesn’t keep his enthusiasm in check? Or worse, what if after he had spent so much time in a relationship where he wanted to be alone, it’ll wear him down when he isn’t? Fortunately, it was all just hypotheticals. The reality was that their duties made spending too much time together, if there was such a thing, simply impossible. And his patrols were solitary, so that worked out just well for alone time. But there was one other concern that wasn’t quite so easy to resolve.

Aryth’s den. It’s been utterly, absolutely and specifically only Aryth’s and no one else’s den for god only knows how long, and now he was supposed to just treat it as his own? It was impossible. Especially with all of Aryth’s precious books being there, so dangerously close to Grigori’s clumsy paws. It was no problem when they were together. But on his own? The blonde male felt like an intruder and couldn’t bring himself to go inside. Even now, he was just lurking in the vicinity despite being done with his work for the time being, waiting for the scholar to come back. It was madness. And having nothing to contribute to the household except for some food did little to help put him on equal footing. All his childhood he had to listen to adults rant about responsibility and how a man has to provide for the family.. but they both are men here, so how’s that supposed to work?

Still, he didn’t want to complain. Not yet, at least. Aryth seemed happy, and that’s what matters. No need to rain on the parade when it’s only barely started. It’s not like Grigori wasn’t happy, either. His life has never been better – he just needed to learn to accept that things actually can be fine.

Finally, the call he’s been waiting for! Grigori trotted towards the den, emerging from between the trees just a few moments after the russet male called. “Hey, great timin’!” Just seeing his lover was enough to make all worries fade away. He approached with a smile, raising a brow once he was sufficiently close to see the dust on the other’s fur. “Look at ye, all dusty. Dove into a pile of books or somethin’?” He aimed a brush of his tongue at Aryth’s forehead, then another, more playful one at his nose.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Aryth’s maw parted in surprise when Grigori popped through the treeline. What were the odds! But the scholar’s startled confusion melted away with the touch of his partner’s tongue. An innocent touch, a playful kiss, it was enough to jolt Aryth’s heart with wild palpitations. He closed his eyes momentarily and leaned into the affection, then smiled and laughed softly as he gained his bearings. “I told you not to make fun of my recurring dream,” Aryth joked. The russet male tilted his chin up to peck a kiss against Grigori’s cheek. The scent of mint was faint in the winter, but it still sent a wave of relief and exhilaration alike through Aryth’s body. “I did spend all morning in the Library, though. Never enough time to organize the College’s tomes.


“What about you?” he added, eyeing his lover with gentle curiosity. “Did you see anything exciting on your patrol?” There was always a small measure of anxiety plaguing Arythmetik when he thought of Grigori’s job. In all likelihood, it was the easiest guard-post in the world. No one had cause to attack the College, after all. But what if the same faction who tried to assassinate the King wanted to scour the College’s precious historical records? What if a predator, deranged from starvation, wandered into the area and Grigori had to fend it off all alone? Aryth knew the College was safer with Grigori on patrol, but a tiny, selfish part of Aryth was realizing how dangerous life was when they were apart. It never stopped them from serving their roles, of course, and Aryth could never admit how much he fretted. All that would do was take away Grigori’s agency and make him feel guilty. Besides, Aryth never felt so…reliant on someone’s company until now. It was foreign territory. Still, he looked over Grigori from head to toe, inspecting him for any injuries.

code by claerie

<3

There was a brief flash of confusion across his features until he caught onto the russet male’s joke, at which point he let out a chuckle. That was a good one. “Hm, what would they do without ye?” Even in this place of learning, there probably were very few others as devoted to safekeeping of books as Aryth was. The kiss left a tingling warmth on his cheek, a sensation to be savored, but also one that made the blonde brute even more acutely aware of the cold that surrounded them.

His own job was a quirky one – the less eventful it was, the better for everyone. But that didn’t stop him from wishing for at least a little bit of excitement at times. “Mmm. Still not a single bear to fight. Tough luck.” That could easily be taken as a joke.. but he’d be glad for that kind of effort and challenge. Then again, the way he imagined it, it was in a vacuum where he could easily retreat if things were to go south. Here, being responsible for others’ safety, he had no such luxury. “Just a lot of cold. We should head inside.” And he moved to do just that. As he walked past the other, he made an effort to drag his tail under Aryth’s chin, looking back over his shoulder with a playful smile before he disappeared into the den.

The low and narrow entrance was always a bit awkward for him to get through, and with how he shifted his weight in the process, crumbs of frozen dirt dug into the wounds on his paws, causing some discomfort. What worried him more was how itchy the damaged skin will get once he warms up a bit.. not that he’d complain. Concern is for severe injuries, anything short of that is just a minor inconvenience.

Once inside, Grigori quickly grabbed a few mint leaves to chew on from his stockpile, then lied down on his side on the bedding. The first couple days he’d been so concerned with how he seemed to take up nearly all the space there, but Aryth seemed to find room for himself just fine by huddling up to him, and it was something the cowboy was more than happy to get used to.

„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Aryth laughed dryly, raising his brows as he nodded placatingly. “Yes, tough luck…for the bear.” He knew Grigori was strong, but no need to test it against a forty-stone killer with claws. However, the professor was easily distracted by the brush of his lover’s tail beneath his jaw. His eyelids fluttered slightly as he followed behind Grigori with admiration; the view had a way of warming him before they even made it inside the den.


Watching the cowboy closely had less pleasant side-effects. Aryth’s eyes narrowed at the awkward way Grigori had to hunch through the tunnel. It wasn’t much different than normal (and perhaps they should do something about that), but for some reason, it looked like the large male couldn’t decide which side to favor his weight. Like his paws were tender or something. Suddenly, for the first time all winter, it occurred to the brilliant scholar that the desert-wolf was unaccustomed to Rionnach’s weather. At first, Aryth didn’t bring it up. He knew Grigori well by now, and he knew the cowboy was too stubborn to admit he was in pain. (That would mean worrying Aryth “needlessly,” after all.) So Aryth kept a close side-eye, tracking his lover’s movements and watching as he plopped down on the bed with his mint. Now Grigori’s paws were exposed and Aryth could clearly see the bright red pads.


“Aha!” he barked, a little too aggressively. “I knew you were hiding something.” Clicking his tongue, the russet wolf hastened to his medicine storage. There was dried calendula, although not much of it, since the go-to remedy was used for other emergencies during the drought. But Aryth had been saving something rarer for some time now. Gently, he plucked some sprigs of poplar buds from the shelf and trotted back over to his companion. He cast an imploring look in Grigori’s direction before lying at the cowboy’s feet and murmuring calmly, “Please humor me.” Aryth chewed a mouthful of the poplar until it was a paste, then if Grigori allowed, he would start to lick his lover’s paws—spreading the herbal remedy against the irritated skin and cleaning the wounds simultaneously. The professor even reached out to set his front paw atop Grigori’s leg, as if expecting him to pull away.

code by claerie

@Grigori

Grigori might have been ready to just lie back and relax, but it was clear his partner had other plans. “Hidin’?” He tilted his head in confusion, until he made a connection by following Aryth’s gaze to his own paws. “Eh, this is nothin’. C’mon, just join me- Aryth, no, put that back, there’s no need-“ But the scholar continued to rummage in his supplies until he found what he wanted, earning a resigned sigh from the blonde brute. This could only be a waste of medicine, of time, and whatever else – small injuries heal just fine on their own. But what hope he had of winning this argument? None, none at all. “Ain’t fair. Y’know I can’t say naw when ye ask like that.” he said, frowning and looking away rebelliously.

Frustrations aside, when was the last time anyone insisted on looking after him like this? He couldn’t recall. Perhaps there were some attempts he’d silenced with a growl, during darker times. But now, with this lovable scholar, maybe he didn’t entirely mind being a little pampered. At least until he felt the paste as a sharp burn on his paw, making him jerk reflexively. “Fuck that stin-“ Just as suddenly, Grigori composed himself and cleared his throat. “-er, tickles.” Couldn’t complain about something so negligible hurting. Nope, no way.

This was going to take a while by the looks of it, and it’d be somewhat awkward to just watch Aryth lick away at his paws in silence… well then, maybe he should try to derive some entertainment from being put through this. Just a little bit of playful revenge. “That reminds me, ye know that some wolves do paw lickin’ as foreplay? I swear, they’ll come up with anythin’.” His lips stretched in a grin, and he wiggled his toes tauntingly. Let’s see if the russet male will be able to wrap this up without blushing now.


„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Aryth tried to suppress a grin as he spread the medicine across Grigori’s paw pads. The tough outlander acted exactly like he thought he would. But what really warmed Aryth’s heart (and made his stomach flutter) was the way Grigori couldn’t deny him. Maybe it was silly, or immature, but it made Arythmetik feel…special. Needed in a way no one else needed him. And it was doubly cute that he tried to hide how much the cuts actually stung. Aryth did ease up ever so slightly, but only for a moment so that he could smile up at his partner and continue.


Arythmetik had just moved to Grigori’s third paw, lovingly and tenderly pressing the poultice into the cuts, when Grigori took him completely off-guard. The professor froze, his tongue sticking out mid-lick. His eyes popped wide. Slowly, he glanced up at his lover, his entire face hot with embarrassment. A soft, inquisitive whine jumped from his throat. It took Aryth a solid thirty seconds longer than it should have to realize that Grigori was joking. He’d only said that on purpose to tease him. Nice payback. A long huff of air trailed from Aryth’s nostrils as he glared at Grigori dryly and resumed licking.


But when he moved to the final paw (a little faster now), he couldn’t stop thinking about it. What if it does feel good? What if it’s making him…? Aryth was feeling a bit antsy now, shifting his weight. He glanced up at Grigori curiously, watching the cowboy’s face as his tongue trailed a slow, sensual circle around the final paw pad. Regardless of the reaction, his work was done, and he got up to spit the remainder of the herbs at the den’s opening. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Aryth asked, crawling toward the edge of the bedding. He lifted his rear in the air and wagged his tail once, playfully. It was a rare sight, but he was in a certain…mood. “Admit it, you like it when I take care of you.”

code by claerie

@Grigori

Oh, it was difficult to keep it in for so long, but when the other seemed to finally realize that he was just fooling around, Grigori burst out laughing. The almost horrified look on Aryth’s muzzle has been something special! His laugh trailed off after a moment, ending in a content sigh. He had to admit, getting to be so carefree and relaxed wasn’t a bad change of pace. When they were together and on their own like this, life was just.. brighter. To think that he used to have no clue it could be like this… he was one lucky wolf to end up where he did.

To his surprise, the way Aryth went about his licking task has changed after that little prank, and clearly not in the direction of being more shy and careful as one might have expected. The sensation itself didn’t affect his much, the cowboy was rather straightforward in his bedroom habits, but the intention behind it and the way the scholar looked at him all the while.. now that made him feel more than just a little warmer. Grigori blinked, realizing that the treatment was done only after the other male started to move. “Er.. thanks.” he muttered. He still thought the whole ordeal wasn’t necessary, but that doesn’t mean Aryth’s care and time didn’t deserve gratitude.

It would appear the consequences of his humor were long-lasting. “W-well..” Grigori stammered in surprise, eyes glued to the other male as he approached once more. His attention was being so expertly directed that he had no say in it, by the curve of the professor’s back and a swing of his tail, to a promise of shapely haunches, just barely out of sight. The blonde brute swallowed his mint, feeling his heart start to pick up the pace. But if they’re not pulling any punches.. “Who wouldn’t? Yer fuckin’ hot.” He made an effort to look Aryth in the eyes while saying that, but he couldn’t keep his eyes from glancing back to the male’s rear shortly after. Nor could he stop himself from thinking about the double entendre in ‘take care of you’. Was he being too easy to reel in? Maybe. But when it comes to this russet wolf, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

But admit directly, ‘yes I do’, he did not. How could he deprive his lover of an opportunity to drive a hard bargain so quickly? “Why, is there somethin’ other than my paws that ye’d like to.. inspect?” Grigori kicked out his hind legs slowly, just to emphasize the point and pull the other’s attention in a certain direction. Now.. the ball was in Aryth’s court.



„*”

A R Y T H M E T I K

Arythmetik was a learned man. He could teach Grigori about Rionnach’s climate, about the harmful effects of frostnip; he could teach him to read and he could update him on the country’s politics. But this...was always foreign territory. This was the sassenach’s realm of comfortable expertise. The scholar desperately hoped to learn everything he could, to soak up every drop of knowledge so that one day he, too, could initiate these encounters with confidence. Behind his jests and attempts at flirtation, the russet male’s heart was pounding. When he saw his companion stretch in front of him, drawing his eyes down the carved lines of muscle, it was enough to catch his breath. Grigori’s roguish handsomeness was devastating. But maybe it was normal to be this weak and helpless.


Maybe it was normal to be afraid of passion and love.


“Well,” Aryth replied breathily, “there is.” He couldn’t stop thinking about the way Grigori said ‘you’re hot.’ No hesitation. Full eye-contact. That was real bravery. No one could say this stubborn, frosty-footed, damned charming man wasn’t brave. Even as Arythmetik prowled closer, his soft fur brushing against Grigori’s abdomen, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He hovered just millimeters above his lover, maw reaching toward the sassenach’s ear, eyes glancing up teasingly. The space between them had never felt so thick. “I’m a scholar, after all. I must inspect everything I do thoroughly.”


Aryth didn’t want to be afraid forever.


FADE TO BLACK

code by claerie

@Grigori

ooc. Fin here for a newer thread? <3