#forgebite

" Hey yo! How goes it, fucko? " comes the sound of the world's most deadliest and obnoxious purple people eater. Ready to dap up the younger man as it has been a while since they last saw each other. " I hope life's been treating you good. Don't wanna hear about anyone giving you any trouble, 'cause you know I'll take care of that in no time. "

Arys is just gonna playfully chew on Cù’s ankle, before pouncing back, head down between front paws, rear up and tail wagging. The wolf offers a happy yip, trying to incite the other to play.

The audacity! The betrayal! The disrespect!

The young wolf couldn't help the small yelp of surprise that followed (because the sudden chewing didn't hurt at all!) before being roughly pushed around as if he was the runt of the litter being bullied by his siblings. The significantly smaller wolf's immediate response was to bare his teeth at the one mocking him and showing off how big they are. He would've growled at them to tell them to back off, but it was then that he saw that they were looking forward to play with him. Huh? What was this? Were they some sort of oversized pup that still chased their own tail? Were they actually expecting him to drop everything and go play with a stranger just because they wagged their tail at him?

Tch!

He’s no stranger to the feel of Arys’ skin beneath his fingertips, nor is he unfamiliar with the closeness that they shared, even if it was professional most times and friendly others. He knew each new scar, cut, and scrape the other man possessed… and the old ones, he’s memorized over and over again from patching the other man up diligently.

This time, their closeness was — is — different but the thoughts are still the same as he traced them slowly. His gaze follows the path of his fingers, moving from one mark to the other. His touch rises and falls slightly as it soaks in the raised skin it touches — that it lingers on, that it commits to memory again… and again.

Caio looks up when the blacksmith speaks. It’s nothing more than a quick glance over his glasses, at first, but ultimately rests on him more permanently when Arys moves his hand from a scar on the other man’s stomach, to his chest. The healed cut, he remembers well… and he doesn’t even need to look at the raised skin to know where it sat. “I remember…” he mumbles, fingertips tracing it lightly… but notably distracted.

Arys’ nose brushes his and the doctor angles his head towards the sensation, half listening to what’s asked of him and half.. not. In fact, the man just stares, with hazel eyes first peering into the smith’s own before drifting down. They stop, unsurprisingly, when they reach the other man’s lips… and the hand tracing his scar follows suit.

The nod Caio gives is, like him, distracted. However, the actions that follow speak of anything but. He leans forward to close what little gap rested between the two of them and seals their lips together without further hesitation. The kiss is gentle, intially, and paired with similar actions ( a free hand lifting to cup Arys’ face and the other joining it to hold him still for just a little longer ). The first, however, is followed by a second — stolen, not given — but it’s just as gentle… just as slow.

It’s the third that’s edged with some level of hunger, as Caio follows the man’s lips with his own after they part. Shared breaths mix and mingle as their foreheads now touch and as he speaks softly against Arys’ lips.

“You ask as if I’d say no.”

( prompted - @forgebite )

“This is Louis — he’s a few weeks old, highland breed, s’why he’s so fluffy.” Arys holds the bottle for the hungry calf, smiling to the other, nudging his head towards the bottle. “Wanna give it a try? He’s real eager but he’s sweet. Just grab the bottle firm right here—there ya go.” Rancher moves, one hand guiding Ramses’ and the other stroking the calf gently. “Not bad, for a city boy.”

AH…RAMSES HAD NEVER seen a calf this young before outside of images, nor had he ever been this up close to one either. He found himself fascinated by this small life; endeared to them in all their innocence. ❝Highland cows… I think I have seen them before. I was not aware that even the young ones were fluffy as well.❞ Oh how tempted he was to reach out and touch them, but he’d rather Louis be more comfortable with him before doing such a thing. ❝Y-You want me to feed him?❞ There was incredulity there within his tone, his eyes widening as his attention shifted from the calf, back to Arys. He had…never done something like this before. There was a rare hint of sheepishness that found its way upon his expression, Ramses reaching out hesitantly to take the bottle into his hand, tilting it just a little more so the calf could have easier access. As he watched Louis, warmth flowed through him – a fondness he couldn’t help but feel aiding in the upturn of lips into a smile.

     This was different.

The wolf settles a heavy wax paper wrapped package in front of Jianyu, beaming a toothy grin his way, forearms, neck and chest covered in dry blood. “Saved you a leg from a wild boar I caught! On a side note — can I borrow your shower for a hot second?”