The Edge of the Forest

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander left the library with a renewed sense of purpose that day. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he was willing to pursue this. Dyten. The name sounded so right in his head and his tongue.

But as he drove away from the building, he disappeared, the car he was on, driverless, crashing against a tree.

...

He took a southern route from the city to the suburban, that led to a slew of apartments, hoping Dyten was there. A year. He was stuck in hell for a year.

He had been taken from the mortal world a year prior, by his six brothers. They tried talking sense into him, strategizing with him, bonding, training, everything.

The road hugged the forest, and Leander reached a fork when the car he'd stolen blew a tire. Cursing, he pulled over the next bend and got out of the car.

He didn't let his brothers faze him. He knew what he felt for the man was real.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten was walking along the path in his wolf form, a collar hanging around his neck. He was of average wolf size, people often thought of him as a husky from the distance. His fur was a stained pink, having had to deal with a particular nasty group of rogues. He was limping slightly, one of them had managed to shred his leg but his fast healing abilities had kicked in.

A car was a little way off, a person he recognized got out of it. His lips curled back and he growled lowly, not initiating an attack but merely pissed off all over again. It was almost a year ago since he had seen the demon, why would he show up now?

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander sensed another presence, a nonhuman one. Before turning, fire engulfed his left hand blazing to life. When it subsided, his previously human arm was now a long, grotesque demon claw.

"Who's there?" he said calmly.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten sat on the footpath, . His tail wagging slightly while he wascuriously tilting his head to the side, his brow furrowing as he showed his mock confusion. To anyone who didn't know him, they'd know it was all fake. He barked playfully, acting like he was only a year old.

Leander hadn't changed a bit, but since when did Demons change? Leander had left him alone, after using and abusing him...

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander's features softened from caution to longing. "Oh," he whispered.

"This thing on me must be bothering you, isn't it?" he said, more to himself than the dog. It wagged it's tail, and Leander felt his lips quirk at the sides. Flames once again swirled around his left arm, engulfing it, then disappearing in smokes. His arm form before was back.

"C'mere, little guy," he said, sitting on the ball of his heels and beckoning with one hand in an inviting manner.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten danced on the balls off his feet, wondering whether or not he should or shouldn't go to the demon. If he let the demon touch him, then he'd know exactly who he was and he couldn't have that. His eyes scanned the ground and they fell on a stick, a wolfish grin covered his features and he bounded forward with his tail still wagging. He began to chew on the stick before taking it straight to Leander, placing it at his feet and going into a playful crouch.

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander grinned for what seemed like so long. "You wanna play, huh?" He stared at the collar around the dog's neck.

He took the stick and it went towards the shrubs, and he inwardly cursed. he had a poor throwing arm.

The pup was gorgeous. And if he interpreted the collar right, separated from its owner. He frowned slightly.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten decided to let loose, he bolted for the shrubs and grabbed the stick. He shook his head around like a rag doll until he released the stick, sending it flying. He paused, like a statue, calculating the distance between him and the stick before taking a leap and poucing on it as if to say... GOT YOU!

He bowed, the front of his body going onto the ground with his rump and tail wagging in the air. He seemed pretty satisfied though, his mind briefly mentioning the look Leander gave to the collar around his neck.

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander followed the pup towards the bushes, and prevented the cooing that threatened to bubble from his throat. The dog was great. He wanted to keep it actually.

He laughed when the dog did a spectacularly silly move. "You know, you remind me of someone I love ... Dyten's happy and chipper like you are."

He was on his toes again, sitting on his ankles and calling the dog to him. "You don't look like you have anywhere to go though," he said, "wanna come meet him with me?"

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten looked up from his stick chewing, his tail still wagging. He dropped the stick and bounded away from Leander before stopping and doing a circle, barking loudly. He bolted back to Leander, full flight before doing a quick turn around the male and taking off again, prancing and barking loudly as it to say... Hurry up goddamnit!

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, I'm coming with you instead," he said, maneuvering through some foliage and following a weather beaten path, where the dog kept barking back, wagging its tail excitedly.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten bolted around, disturbing birds that squealed in terror and took to the skies. He went straight into the scrub, the surrounding area going completely quiet.

Dyten made his way towards a small clearing, he grabbed a pair of torn denim shorts from the tree stump he was at and morphed quickly. He pulled on the shorts and lay against the stump, the stream running and gurgling beside him.

He waited for Leander.

[Leander Asmodeus]

He ducked below a tree branch, weaved around a few tight spots and came a long a small clearing, where he saw, with a bit of alarm, a man sitting on a stump.

The scent hit him full on, bringing back a lot of memories. "D-Dyten!? You—I—" he stared at the collar in Dyten's hands. "You were the dog, weren't you?"

[Dyten Gryn]

The exact same wolfish grin overcame his features, he stood with that cynical smirk on his lips and drew himself to his full height.

"I'm pretty good at acting like a pup, don't you think? It scares the crap out of a lot of people, because they think I'm innocent when I can rip them to shreds." he laughed, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"So you decide to show yourself now, huh? A year later, you're in my territory now buddy...the pack is hanging around too, I wouldn't make any sudden movements. I'm next in line compared to the alpha, they'll do anything I say.."

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander's eyebrows drew together in worry. "Dyten ... why ... why does it sound like you're threatening me?"

He stepped back a few and stared Dyten down.

"You're not happy to see me ..." he said. It was a statement rather than a question. "You're smiling, but then again you almost always do."

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten wouldn't let his hurt show, sure it was a one night stand but he had let the man into his home without asking questions. He felt his gut twist and he wanted to show his eyes, how ice blue they were when he was either upset or angry. The tears made them glassy but it was from anger, he always had issues. Quick to temper and when agitated, always had a bad habit of morphing and shredding his clothes. He couldn't afford to loose another pair of shorts.

"No threat, just warning you."

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander nodded tersely, their staring competition tense and unflinching.

"I've ... I've been waiting to see you again since last year, Dyten ... I hoped you didn't forget me. I guess you didn't ..." Leander said uncertainly, feeling a lump in his throat.

[Dyten Gryn]

"I stayed at that apartment but you never returned, how hurt do you think I felt when I let a stranger into my home and said he could come back when ever he wanted to just so he could have a roof over his head?" Dyten got up quickly, quicker than what a Vampire could. He was inches away from Leander's face, the tears finally spilling.

"I cared about you, it might have been a damn one night stand but I let you feed from me! We bonded!"

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander's eyes widened. "I left the apartment to think! I went to the library to ... to contemplate what I was getting myself into, then, someone helped me see it for what it really was."

He stepped away from the clearly agitated werewolf and sighed, his heart heavy with guilt. "I really, really, like you. I was going back to you, I swear but—and I truly got upset with this—I was called back to hell."

He didn't break contact with his crying eyes, hoping the conviction he had could be seen in his own.

[Dyten Gryn]

"See what for what it really was? The fact that you slept with a wolf? A dirty wolf?" he prodded, keeping his fingers to himself but his voice was laced with malice.

"Maybe you should've stayed there,"

[Leander Asmodeus]

"What? No!" he cried, "I couldn't care less if you're a wolf!"

He stared angrily at Dyten, his fists clenched.

"I ..." he said, choking on his own tears. "I love you ... you don't know how hard it is for me to say that like this. I hate myself. I hate being like this. And ... and you hate me for it too, don't you?" he stepped back, wiping at his tears angrily with his arm.

"Fine. I'll go back," he said with finality, heading for the trees and disappearing.

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten howled in agony, he felt like something had been ripped from his body. It was worse than being hit by a Vampire or even being bitten by one!

He collapsed to the ground and began twitching, almost as if he was having a sesiure. He clawed at his chest, his stomach and his face in pain and agony.

"LEANDER!" he bellowed, his blood pouring down his chest and face.

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander, tears streaking his face, stumbled to a halt after hearing the wind carry his name in the form of a howl.

A pull so great forced his legs to run back, a mantra repeating in his head. Dyten, Dyten, Dyten.

He came back the the clearing panting, his eyes widening in utter shock. he ran to Dyten and skidded onto his knees, grabbing his hands to stop scratching. His face was marred with wounds, and he was thrashing, but Leander barely managed to keep him in check.

"Dyten, Dyten ... it's me, I'm here ..."

[Dyten Gryn]

Dyten continued to howl and squirm, but not scratching at his face. The agony slowly became less, the wounds on his chest slowly healing but the pain in his heart had stopped suddenly. Opening his blood soaked eyes, he saw who he thought he'd never see again...

"Leander," he said, the man's name rolling off his tongue in a gentle whisper. He raised his hand gently, running his finger's along Leander's cheek bones and across his bottom lip with his thumb.

"I thought you left.."

[Leander Asmodeus]

Leander hugged Dyten desperately. "I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... I'll never leave again ..."

He kissed Dyten over and over, relieved and elated. Contact with Dyten was like a drug, and he never wanted to be without him again.

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