All Dogs Go to Heaven... Right? [Mature, Private-Lorne]

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Twilight painted the mountain range a soft amber. Hues of gold touched the autumn leaves with fire, dancing as clouds of vermilion came and went before the setting sun. Mountains cupped the crimson disk as it fell, almost like a mournful goodbye. A cave resting upon a cliff-side overlooked this view, trampled sand the only floor it had. Sitting on the edge was a man with no clothing, a broad frame that was once tan an unhealthily pale hue. His mane of hair cascaded to his stomach, knots and furls from lack of car snarling the crimson locks.

His amber eyes matched the twilight colors, but not their vibrancy. The glazed over iris's took in no joy, merely lifelessness. The sun was leaving him, yet again. Within the back of his mind, a being awaited the dark hours. Neither took joy in what was to come, but neither had a choice. The last slip of light went past the range, a solemn farewell to the being once known as Jhonen.

Standing, he considered the ledge for a moment. The drop was a good thousand feet, enough to easily end his life. No matter how much he wanted, though, he couldn't. He was forbidden from the thought, and learned that only by trial. Turning towards the cave, the large man strode in. His bare feet crunched on the bones of small animals, even a few ribs from that of a human infant. He didn't care, though. He couldn't allow himself to. She wouldn't allow him to.

The night came, and so did the shadows. Instinctually, the Fae crouched. That shadow that was at the back of his mind strode forth, offering an apologetic thought to the man. Cwn knew how painful this was for the boy, now. Bones snapped, ligaments crawling under the skin of the two beings. A whimper came from the male, and pity blossomed in the Black Dog's mind. This change wasn't always painful. But it was a served punishment from his master. Cartilage moved, stretching out at the ears and nose. Shadows collected around the singular being, adding mass to the body. His spine arced, growing for a tail. His legs snapped backwards, conforming to the body of the Dog. Blood dripped from his mouth as his organs rearranged and healed themselves, the process taking agonizing minutes. The once great Lore was now a shadow of his former self, starved to skin and bone like a mutt wandering the streets.

Blinking away the pain, Cwn Anwnn strode once more out onto the cliff. The range was painted over with silver, the argent hues brushing over the valley in the form of mist. The Moon was coming up, reflected in the river as a silver ribbon slicing through the landscape. This was the time for the Lore, his hunting grounds set. Taking in a great breath, the Black Dog let out a bone-chilling howl. Bones formed together, five dogs with flesh hanging from the calcite growths standing up as more and more of the dead came at the call. Eye sockets flared to life, green necrotic magic giving the dead sight. As sinew grew to connect the structures to form more and more detail, organs came into the flesh. As the lungs knit together, the five Dire Wolves added their howls to Cwn Anwnn's.

Their hunt tonight was like any other. Leanansidhe wanted to locate a Nymph in the mountain, who had made a deal with a mother who wished to share her beauty. The price was the mother's first born, and the Fae had already collected her due. Cwn was to kill the Nympadae, and eat the child's heart.

Jhonen shuddered. Memories of leeches, of his flesh being ripped open and healed closed.. Maggots chewing apart his liver and kidneys. Leanansidhe's patience for his screaming...

"We've only eaten twelve times. Cwn's not been allowed to eat a heart in the past three months, he's been saving them for me so that I don't starve..."

Cwn's memories, then. Shredding apart mermaids and elves, ripping out their arterial pumps.

"We were put here because she didn't want you to find us too soon.. We were originally in Cormere, hunting the river Fae. Pixies and the like. I didn't mind that but... It just got worse. I'm.. I'm healthy. We both haven't eaten, but our bodies are as well and whole as they were when you first met us. But..."

Jhonen put his forehead on the Yokai's shoulders.

"I want to go home. I want to eat a greasy hamburger. I want to smell oil and gasoline in my shop. I want to sit there and read smutty novels because I've nothing better to do with my time. Three months with that woman has been long enough for me. I want... I want you, Lorne. Above all else. Please... Don't leave me. Don't let me leave you. Ever. I hated it. I hated every second of it. Every time she dug her nails into my head, going through memory after memory. Her fucking teeth ripping my body apart. Those ravens of hers opening my stomach, taking out my liver just for her to heal my body and send Cwn out for a hunt. Then it restarting. The changes she made when we traded bodies..."

A shudder went through Jho again.

"My bones snapping, tendons stretching to make room for the bones that Cwn has. My jaw.. The scents, the sights, all of it overwhelming.."

He was starting to break down.

"A-and the children... She took the boy. She can't do anything to him, no, that's why she needed me. Now she has to give him back to his mother, take back the changeling. I've killed two children... They were sick, half dead when brought to me...But that 's no excuse.... If I didn't, she'd open me up again.."

Lorne silently listened to Jhonen, his hand sliding up his back to hold his head gently against himself. Although the Kitsune wanted to stop, to tell him what he went through to find him, Lorne remained silent. As Jhonen would speak, every time he faltered, Lorne would gently kiss his cheek, his other hand gently rubbing his back.

His heart sank when he listened, tearing itself apart. He hated that he wasn't there to help, that he didn't get there any earlier... But as she had planned from the start, Lorne was destined not to arrive there for quite some time, the tracks being put off, them travelling all the way to Comere... Even the distance to that place was incredible and it made him wonder, just how much time did the two spend travelling, and was that the reason why it was almost impossible to find him sometimes?

After he begged him never to leave, Lorne would interrupt for a few seconds, "I never planned to, I love ya Jhonen, I do... I won't leave."

He fell silent once again, listening to him speak of what had happened, of his experiences, of how everything just seemed to turn upside own, of how she tortured him... His breathing quickened and Lorne's grip suddenly was like a vice around Jhonen. "Hey, hey, it's alright Jho, you're never going to have to do that again, ya won't need to put children out of their misery... He will do it for ya, unless Cwn demands it from them... but ya won't have to do it again...

Ya didn't have a choice about it, and trust me, I still love ya the same amount as I did before I went on a giant mission to find you and now... I still love you, you're still the same handsome man who I loved, you're still that person. It's alright, shhh..." Lorne attempted to soothe him, although his own mind was racing.

"I need to collect the heart... then we can go back and get greasy burgers ad go work on those cars of yours." Lorne suggested. If he agreed, Lorne would, with a rather nasty limp from applying a hell of a lot of pressure to his former break, go to retrieve the heart, stashing it in his bag before returning to give him another giant hug... If it wasn't dead... simple. Havilah would fix that...

Jhonen nodded, walking with his limping lover. Gently, he planted a kiss on Lorne's cheek.

"Thank you. You've gone through so much for me... I.. I don't deserve you."

His eyes steeled up. "I'll make it up to you. Just you watch."


~~~~~~~~


Jhonen's hands traveled over the crumpled fender of the minivan. The cunt was back, yet again, and this time the soccer mom had gotten in a wreck. The light-pole she had wrapped herself around was still there in the street, but the globules of hot sludge that dripped from the engine had already eaten away at one of his black shirts. It was obvious that the bitch hadn't listened to him when he warned her about sludge in the compartment. She was lucky he was desperate for cash.

The hydraulic lift was doing its job, just as Jho closed his eyes to reshape the metal. Too much had happened these past three months, and within the first week of being back he'd finally gotten some income. Unfortunately, the popping of gum from the woman as she stood beside him broke his concentration.

"Ma'am."

Jhonen's stern gaze would hopefully be enough to make her stop chewing. Instead, the bitch blew a large bubble. Taking a deep breath, the Blacksmith tapped his fingers on the front end of the vehicle. She really was testing his patience. He didn't have a shirt to stop her from seeing the scars on his abdomen and back, which of course lead to her staring. Irritation flared through Jho at this point, and the metal tools around them rose into the air.

"Lady, knock off the bubble blowing in my shop. Go to the waiting room if you're that damned impatient."

Christ almighty Jhonen missed his hair. To get rid of the snarling they had to cut it down to three inches, and the curls stuck to his scalp in an annoying way. Of course, if he hadn't, The hair could've gotten caught in the mechanical machinery. As she strode away, Jhonen went back to his work.

Lorne stretched his leg, massaging where the break had been previously. His leg simply ached and he sighed, his fingers dipping into a container of cream which he had received after his fall. However, Lorne spoke very little of what he had done while Jhonen had been gone, and he was stewing on it. His hand pushed the cream across the surface of the skin. Damn his leg. Damn his limp. Damn the bloody fracture that didn't heal properly.

He sighed, forcing himself onto his feet. He had been wanting to see if any of the creams or gels which the hospitals gave him would help rid Jhonen of the scars, but he had always seemed busy. Busy busy busy.

Lorne walked forward, his hand running against the wall as he braced against it. It was a just in case. Just so that if his leg decided to play up he would have something to ensure he wouldn't fall too far. He heard Jhonens grumpy voice come from the shop, and Lorne made his way over. He suppressed a smile when the popping gum rubbed the red head in all the wrong ways, and Lorne watched from the hallway as he scolded her, telling her to leave.

Lorne watched silently, amusement dancing across his eyes as he waited for Jhonen to at least almost finish before he slowly walked over to him, his hand trailing across the metal of the car. "Having fun?" He would ask casually, one of his tails teasingly brushing against his scarred, shirtless chest.

Even with the horrible scars, Lorne still adored him, he always would. The Kitsune gave a small purring noise, eyes sparkling in mischief.

Jhonen gave a side-long look at Lorne, thankful that his timing was after he had finished rebuilding the interior of the minivan. With a pop, the fender reshaped itself to the picture he had of the original vehicle. A splatter of sludge came down from doing so, along with the bright green drippings of antifreeze. Jho sighed as he got them on his work boots, and gave Lorne an apologetic glance before glaring at the cunt waiting in the sitting room, chattering on her phone.

"Not really. She comes to me because no other automotive company will deal with her painful ass. Especially after this mess. She completely screwed up the engine, I was lucky that she had a garbage back of all the parts that were broken off. Even then I had to use one of my spare aluminum bars to reinforce the frame."

Sighing, Jho let his hands cross over his chest. He always hated showing his scars to Lorne, even if the male didn't seem to mind. He just wasn't sure how to really approach the subject, and had honestly been avoiding it the first week at home.

"Let me just ring her up, Dinner's in an hour."

Putting on the holey shirt, Jhonen went to the shop computer to type up the bill before steeling himself with a deep breath. He had always hated dealing with this woman...

~

After a good ten minutes of arguing with her, he finally got her credit card to ring up the 1200$ of body work and engine line repair. She was lucky he didn't charge more, the only reason he didn't stick a huge bill up her arse was because he needed the money for Lorne's medical costs and his backed up rent payment. His bank account had, thankfully, auto deposited Lea's checks. She was good on her word to Lorne, and didn't let the Shoppe fall under. He wasn't sure what he would've done if he'd lost his home...

After the cunt left, Jhonen pulled the garage doors down, bolting it shut and locking the front door.

Putting a hand on the frame, he was thankful for the five hours he still had before his first Hunt since he returned.

Lorne would be only slightly startled when he heard the popping of the vehicle, the rhetoric question taken too seriously. He took a gentle step forward, his lips gliding across his cheek. Thankfully, the person was a little too busy with chatting on the phone to notice. His tails gently would pat against Jhonens back, trying to reassure him and allow him to calm down from the agitation that he felt. Although Lorne wouldn't even mention it to him, he was a little anxious about the coming night.

After all, it had been a week, as she had said...

Lorne watched sadly as the distracted male would leave again, a sigh escaping from him. He'd talk to him later. When he wasn't so... well, for the lack of a better word, grumpy. "That sounds good," Lorne said easily, smiling a little, "I look forward to it gorgeous." His voice was quiet, a sharp contrast from the shrill laughter of the woman on the phone. Lorne's tails swept across the ground as he turned away again, walking back to the kitchen. Or the closest chair. Whichever one worked.

He only rested for a few minutes before he heard the familiar locking of the doors, the locks sealing shut to keep intruders away. Lorne grinned, pushing himself back up as he made his way towards Jhonen. When he drew closer to him, he slid his arms around him, pulling him gently back against his chest. A small hum of contempt came from him, his head resting against his shoulder. "Better now, handsome?"

Growling, Jhonen pressed his lips against his lover's neck. His smell was intoxicating to Jho's heightened senses, Cwn's aspect of reality coming to reside in him. The fur of Lorne's tails was incredibly soft, and the locks of his hair did more than justice to his true form. Turning to press his chest against the Yokai's, Jhonen nuzzled into his love's neck. Pulling Lorne closer by his waist line, Jho planted a soft bite on his jugular.

"Every time you get this close to me, I'm reminded of how intoxicating you can be..."

Picking him up easily, Jhonen walked past the door of the shop- parting the metal barrier away and resealing it as he took them into the workshop that also served as his kitchen. More kisses trailed down his collar, a slow one right over his abdomen as he placed him carefully on the bench.

"Don't pretend that standing doesn't irritate you, love. What're you hungry for?"

Picking up the Yokai's hands, the blacksmith gave both wrists a gentle kiss. A dark look came over him, one with hidden meanings as Jho looked into Lorne's eyes. The growl returned as his gaze trailed over the Kitsune, muscles twitching a bit from everything he took in.

"Believe me, handsome. The answer matters."

Woah, jeez. Where'd that come from?

Lorne craned his neck, the soft purr still lingering in his throat as he exposed more of the soft skin to Jhonen. He shifted slightly as the nuzzles sent a shiver down his spine, however... However, he didn't expect the canines to softly bite down into his flesh, leaving marks which would remain for a small amount of time. He pressed his lips gently against his cheek, a second before the man scooped him up, holding him closely to him.

Seeing that his arms were slightly free, he wrapped them around his neck, his fingers entwining with the short red locks, his lips brushing against his forehead. Damn, why was this man so... A smirk pulled at his lips as Jhonen took him away from his chest, setting him down. The black dog stated not to lie about standing bothering Lorne. He simply gave a shrug to him, a smile dancing across his lips.

"Don't pretend that standing doesn't irritate you, love. What're you hungry for?"

Lorne was delving in his own thoughts, his eyes wickedly scheming. Oh how he loved that Jhonen left that open, a comment which could be taken any which way. What didn't help was Jhonens next words...

Already dying from the neglect from the three months, the heartache of never seeing him when he woke, Lorne felt a growl rise in his throat. He pushed himself up to his feet, crossing the grounds in two steps before his lips crushed against Jhonen's own, soft, but firm and demanding. The sudden gesture was also broken just as suddenly, the Kitsune's hands pressing up Jho's waist,

"You're what I want, Jhonen."

Like that, Jhonen pulled Lorne against him, kissing him fervently. Heat boiled deep within the Fae's chest, a growl ripping through his throat as thoughts of night came into mind. The growl Lorne already gave him sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn't help but nearly crush the man in a matching embrace.

Taking a deep breathe, he broke the kiss- the Kitsune's hands on his waist already making his thoughts pull into the bedroom.

"Christ almighty Lorne.. You're throwing me beyond where I can go, ye heathen."

Heart pounding, Jho could feel Cwn's attention focus sharply on what was going on, then. Their thoughts easily lead to the same conclusion, the Black Dog making his presence known by changing Jho's features. A shudder went through them as they returned to nuzzling their lover.

"And now you have Cwn all nice and awake.."

Running a hand through the Yokai's hair, a sigh escaped Jhonen's lips. The things he wished he could do to this man.. He didn't have time for. He had to prep a meal for Cwn before he could hunt, the Scottish tradition still strong from his faith.

"If only I had the time and chance to do with you what I oh so very muchly wish..."

Lorne gave him a loving smile, his hands sliding across his back, holding Jhonen's form against him. A smirk danced across his muzzle at being called a heathen, and he purred, "I so am not, ya can follow, but ya refuse." Lorne's lips pressed against Jhonens cheek, the scent of the black dog driving him forward.

Lorne uttered a silent thanks to the Fae who he had bound himself to serving for the century as Jhonen's form didn't seem to snap and bleed like it had before. He smirked, moving a hand to gently stroke down their face, his eyes blazing with lust. "About time the poor puppy woke up, I'd hate for either of ya to miss it~" He commented, lips dancing across his own once again.

A growl rose in Lorne's throat, oh Jhonen was so lucky! The hand ran through his hair, and Lorne shuddered, the growl loudening in his chest as the desire bloomed again. But that would have to wait, it needed to. He pulled himself away. So help him that he didn't take this man and...

"There's always time after the hunt~" Lorne sang, giving him a wink. Inwardly, he was more than nervous with the hunt looming around the corner. He'd never been on one before, nor been one to really witness Cwn fight. He sighed, giving Jhonen a smile before a grimace as he casually leant against a bench to give himself a bit of relief on his leg.

"So, handsome, what's for dinner?" Lorne asked, giving the Black Dog a rather weak, nervous and strained smile.

The curiosity Cwn felt at this man's response was more than there. Jhonen longingly gazed at Lorne, but understood that he was in pain still. Guilt weighed heavy in his chest. It was his fault, after everything that had happened. Swallowing back the want to pursue him, he closed his eyes.

"Traditionally, I eat a hamburger. Christ almighty they're good. But.."

Jhonen cleared his throat, offering an apologetic look to the Kitsune. He was more than sure that the Yokai would loathe just what he was about to be presented with as the option for his meal. Taking a great breath, he rushed the words.

"But I normally prepare a cow's heart for Cwn to eat as a sign of luck. He won't hunt without it, and I make one for each of his pack as well. That... Means..."

Locking his fingers together, he stared down at his calloused hands. Humor danced in the back of his mind as the Lore watched Lorne's reaction, waiting for his response eagerly. The Black Dog was practically mesmerized by the Kitsune. It was an odd feeling, to say the least, for Jho to be witness to a being tied to his soul be in love with the man he loved. There wasn't jealousy or any bad feeling, but.. It was a mutual need for Lorne to be happy. Truly odd.

"Well. I'll leave it up to you, but."

Shrugging, the once-again human blacksmith strode to the fire top and lit the coals. Christ knew that Lorne would have a tough decision here. He'd make a burger for him any time, though. Mm. Jho loved to watch the man eat.

"Cwn will know if you didn't eat the heart."

Lorne felt his heart skip a beat as Jhonen described just what he and the others ate. The Kitsune's gaze looked a little concerned and curious for a few moments. His mind brought him back to the fact he hadn't really eaten a damn thing since... but... He didn't tell Jhonen...

How could he? The mirage of Lorne's human form saved him from striking worry into Jhonen and Cwn's heart. Lorne didn't have the blessing of asking for someone to restore him to previous states like he had done for them.

Lorne pretended to be thinking about his request, his face a deliberate mask which of consideration. Sure, he was a fox-like being... But hearts. . . He'd never had one before. He always tended to avoid it if he could help it.

"Cwn will know if you didn't eat the heart."

The last few words would bring Lorne to a sigh and he would shake his head, amused. "Now how can I refuse that? If Cwn hunted and knew that I didn't eat it, he'd be heart broken. I can't have that, now can I Jhonen?" He asked, half rhetorically, his lips pressing against his for a second.

"Just ensure not to give me too much of it, yea?" Lorne asked of him, a spark of curiosity dancing in his mind. Had he noticed that Lorne barely could eat? Had he noticed that he avoided large meals, or anything too full of flavour? Thoughts would flicker through his mind and he was a little worried that he'd alert Jhonen or Cwn to this, and he gave them a smile.

"Do ya need a hand making it?"

Cwn caught Lorne's look, and curiosity went through Jhonen.

"No, I won't. I'll give you something smaller, but you've gotta promise you'll take your vitamins."

Walking to the sink, Jhonen had to close his eyes as he turned on the faucet. Water freaked Cwn out, which was understandable. Running water dampened his magic too much for him to exist wholly. Once done, he'd dry his hands off with the towel and stride over to the fridge. Inside, a large Cow's heart sat at the top, waiting for Cwn to eat it. He wouldn't be cooking it, but he did get it out to thaw. Considering the contents of the ice box, Jho tossed out one of his ground beef packages.

There. the hawk heart sat. It was a mistake from the butchery, which was made up by the next two deliveries being free. But it was no bigger than two of Jhonen's knuckles closed. Taking it out, he tossed it onto the now hot skillet- browning it to make sure that Lorne didn't catch any diseases or worry from it. Around it, he cooked his beef- adding only salt and pepper for flavor.

"Also, you're going to want to bring water for the hunt. We won't need the Grimm this time, since Cwn's doing the work. When you and he finish this hunt, the next will be arranged. Pay check will be sent right to your account, as well."

Lorne was a little thankful with Jhonen's next comment, and he gave a small sigh. He was more than relieved that he said that. Casually, Lorne would lazily wave his hand, dismissively. "Of course." He stated rather simply, before limping over to the drawer that he kept them in. He pulled a face. Why the heck did they smell funny?

The Kitsune looked at the bench for a few moments, before taking the bottle of pills and taking two of them out. From another, he took out three. He shivered. They never tasted to nice to the fox.

His sensitive nose picked up the smell of the... food cooking, his ears pricking at the faint bubbling of oil. He glanced up at Jhonen, away from the pills. Did he have to take them? Or could he hide them once more...

Lorne sighed. He couldn't just do that. It was wrong. Lorne gave a frustrated growl, before tossing the pills into his mouth, chewing once, and swallowing. Lorne's hand raised to his mouth, pressing the back of it against his lips, his other hand white against the bench. His stomach threatened to throw the vitamins back out, and he felt the familiar burn rise up against his throat, tearing it out. Lorne was vaguely aware of Jhonen talking, and his ears flicked to hear them.

"Water? Alright, I'll make sure to get some. Will Cwn need it as well?"

Jhonen paused, staring down at the skillet. Did he truly tell him why he would need it?...

"Cwn... Can't be too close to water. He's fine staring at it, but.."

Turning, the blacksmith shook his head. Cwn, as a Fae, could die if he lost his access to the Magics that helped him hold his form.

"It's not a good idea to let him be near it."

Suspicion lit Jhonen's gaze as he looked Lorne up and down, noting the white knuckle grip he had on the counter. His leg must've been acting up again...

Worry tainting his voice, Jho put a hand on Lorne's cheek. "You sure you're up for this?.." If he even hesitated, Jhonen would refuse the change tonight. No matter what happened to him because of it. If Lorne was feigning health for the sake of him, Christ strike Leanansidhe straight through her greasy heart. "Lorne, do we need to take you back to the hospital? I have enough to cover your bills, still. What do I need to do to help you love?.."

Jho felt sick at the mere thought of putting Lorne in danger. He couldn't stand to lose him again not after everything that'd happened to the two of them..

Lorne normally would have accepted the worry willingly, however, he was agitated, off his guard. He felt exposed and weak, his true form would have shown it easily. Thank goodness he still looked fine in the partial transformation. However, in response to the kindness Jhonen showed, Lorne almost angrily battered away the concern as he looked up, "I'll be fine. I'm up for tonight, and besides, I have to go on the hunt tonight. This is just a price which I have to pay for your safety. A deal I made. One that I cannot break, and ya bloody know it. To break it would be like throwing ya back to ravenous wolves waiting to tear ya apart, limb from limb, and then recreate ya just to do it all again! I'd not break my word.

It's just these damn pills, they never sit well with me." Lorne explained with a sigh, his heart regretting his words. His mind eventually cleared from the clouds which seemed to gather around them. He sighed quietly, giving him a rather sad smile.

"I'm sorry my love, I just..." He growled at himself, throwing the damn pills back into the bloody drawer. "Am completely sick of pills and my damn limp. But ah well, it'll only get better from here. Besides, it's worth it as I found ya again." Lorne said, moving across to hug Jho for a few moments, if he would allow it.

Jhonen practically reeled away from Lorne's agitation, the sharp words cutting as he had almost intended. Guilt made the smithy feel sick, and he had to hold his stomach in order to hold back any negative response. It was reasonable for the Yokai to be agitated. He had given a hundred years to Leanansidhe in exchange for a miserable beast like himself.

Swallowing back tears, Jho offered a smile.

"I'm sorry to have agitated you, Lorne. I didn't mean to make a sore subject worse." Accepting the embrace, a frown made its way to Jhonen's face. "When we're done with the hunt, though..." Eyes filled with worry met Lorne's as a bitter smile came to the Fae's lips. "I think you should let me get a good look at your leg. I've been reading some medical stuff, and have an idea on how to help..."

It wasn't a lie, either. Jhonen had spent the entire week on medical reports about how metals in the body affected health and bone growth. He even had a plan, which was part of why he was cooking this particular heart in with his beef. Iron and minerals to help his idea, so that he could get a better feel of how Lorne's body was injured and repairing itself.

Ergh! That was exactly what he didn't want to have happen. His heart wrenched itself, threatening to tear itself in half as he saw the sadness dance across his eyes. Lorne rose his hand to caress Jhonen's cheek, a smile blooming on his lips as he gently kissed him.

"You're fine Jhonen, ya truly are. It's not your fault, I never blame ya for any of this. It's my own fault. But, surely, ya know I couldn't truly blame ya for something like this." Lorne murmured, bringing his lips to Jhonen's again. Damn him, if he didn't brush the sadness away from his lovers eyes.

Lorne would gently take a step beside Jhonen, long tails sliding across the mans back. Their tips curved, gently holding Jho in an embrace. They were hanging in a way so that he would be able to move still if he needed, allowing gaps to form. Lorne curled three of his other tails around themselves, gently pressing against the ground to ease some pressure off his leg. His heart ached, not wanting to move from Jhonens side, not after he had made the man upset.

The Kitsune thought and pondered on Jhonens words for a few moments, an eyebrow slightly raised. "Of course ya can try and look at it. But... If I may ask... How would ya go about it?"

Nodding, Lorne's reaction eased the guilt on Jho's stomach. Walking carefully to put more pepper over the meats, a spatula stirred the skillet's contents without Jhonen's touch. Granted, his influence was still there.

"The same way I can manipulate metals. From everything I've read, your platelets have a content of iron in them. If I'm able to.. To see through a wound, and add a bit more, I might be able to let them push out the clotted blood from the bruise, which would give your bone a better chance of healing."

The doctors had all said that this was the greatest difficulty he had had, and the worst pills Lorne had to take were the blood thinners. He couldn't bring himself to force them down the man's gullet, every time he even swallowed a pill he looked like he was going to vomit. Running a hand through his shortened hair, Jho shrugged. The metal utensil set itself on the edge of the skillet so that Jhonen could return his attention to his lover.

"However, I can't control blood. It's running water in your veins. I'll have to be still as long as I do it, as each cell in your body will have to be individually controlled. I've never wanted to do it, and probably wouldn't if it were anyone but you. The strain on my mind would be heavy, but... I've been through worse." The blacksmith swallowed a lump in his throat as he thought about having to stitch himself up with a needle and thread for Lea's pleasure, as her ravens ate chunks out of his internal organs. Nothing, and he meant nothing would be as bad as those memories..

"My point is. I'm sure I can do it if you'd let me."

Lorne slowly nodded at Jhonens explanation, a thoughtful expression coming over his face. This was true, everything that which Jhonen said seemed to line up with what Lorne had found out in the past. His methods were a little different to Jho's, who probably read the information and talked to people about it.

However, as Jhonen continued the explanation, Lorne's face became a little concerned. If Jhonen were to do that, with every cell in his body... There were millions, if not billions, of cells in the human body. Surely such a task would have been impossible to do, even with his experience with manipulating metals, Lorne was still a little worried. All he'd seen him use them for is for opening and shutting doors, reforming cars which had damage, manipulating dust...

But surely connecting with each individual cell is incredibly hard, borderline impossible.

Lorne looked away, his mind mulling over the thoughts as he tried to come to a decision. Either he let Jhonen at least try, or he would have to rebreak his damn leg. But Jhonen wouldn't do a thing to hurt him, would he?

"Well, if ya think that that is the best way, and ya think ya can do it... Then I'll let ya do it."

With that, Jhonen's burger was done. Setting out potato buns, he added some ketchup and lettuce. The heart only had a moment longer, before he picked it up with tongs. Rolling it in a bit of sage, he prepped a plate for Lorne as well- offering him the smaller heart.

Munching on his burger, Jho set the plate next to the Yokai.

"I know I can. I've ripped buildings apart in my youth. If you ask me, I'm still young and kicking." He'd give Lorne a wink, before finishing off the burger. Even though his appetite was there, he couldn't bring himself to eat much more. If Cwn were to truly hunt and get what he wanted done, Jhonen would only have to worry about a slight stomach ache. But.. The real cause for worry was the fact that his mind hadn't caught up with his body in the whole healing thing. "Besides. I've been practicing with sands and dust. I don't have to manipulate every cell, just.. The ones that are important." A grimace smacked across his face as a growl came out. "I'd rather not have to rebreak the bone... I know I could do it easily and cleanly, but.." Biting his lip he shook his head.

"I can't do that to you."

Lorne took a slight step away from Jhonen to allow the man to freely work, watching curiously as he set the burgers up. In all honesty, these were something which the Kitsune simply refused to have. Well, normally. They weren't exactly something that settled well with his stomach, but maybe the different meat would change that. He was a fox-like being, and sometimes he forgot that.

Taking the burger up in his hand, Lorne would bite down into it, ignoring the slightly more gritty feeling which it had. The heart... He pulled his eyes away from that thought, chewing and swallowing the softer meat. He lowered his head a little, it surely was a different taste... But nothing that was completely horrible. Lorne considered it for a few moments. One day he might, MIGHT be able to get use to the taste of it.

He finished the food off quickly, before returning his thoughts to Jhonen. He blinked at the honesty of his words, and Lorne raised an eyebrow. Why did he have to love such a crazy man? "Well, I'm sure that you did..." Lorne said steadily, a grin on his face.

However, the next words caught Lorne off guard and he gave the man a gentle rub on the back with his tails. "Trust me, I wouldn't want ya to do it, I'd do it to myself to save ya from doing that.

Mind ya, for a heart, that wasn't too bad..."

Loud, boisterous laughter came from Jhonen. Approval flooded through him as Cwn once again matched his thoughts, and he had to hold his stomach to retain the ability to breathe.

"Ahhh... Christ. Why was that funny to me?"

Broadly grinning, Jho shook his head. He always found the words Lorne put to certain things worth a thought. Though, it could also be a result of euphoria from being released from the obligation of breaking his lover's leg. Probably both, to be fair.

"Alright, well. We've gotta head out, now. Only an hour left before sundown."

Picking up his backpack, Jho stuffed the Cow's heart into a container before placing it in the bag alongside fresh clothes. The thought then actually struck him. Tongue in cheek, the blacksmith turned around and eyed Lorne. Did he actually know what he had gotten himself into, or did he only do it for him? Well. For him without any prior information about the subject?

"You.. do know that we're going on the outskirts of Xas, where no one else is, for Cwn to come out and about.. right? Did I tell you everything that you need to know? Are there any questions?"

Of course, now he was embarrassed. Lorne would be witness to how he prepared for a Hunt.

Lorne blinked at the eruption of laughter from him, a grin on his face after the initial moments of being startled died down in his heart. He shook his head, before leaving for a few moments, taking up a bottle of water and stuffing it in a bag. Apparently, he would need that, so there was no harm in taking it... right? "Well, I guess I am, but ya know, I've witnessed ya hunt before. Cwn, at the time, didn't seem to do much." He commented, giving them a wink. Lorne meant no offense by the comment, genuinely stating something which he had been confused about since he had met Cwn out in the forest...

Perhaps that was something to ask about another time. Maybe he just didn't like to hunt? Lorne wouldn't know.

However, after putting that thought away for future thinking, he nodded to Jhonen. "No, I'm ready... I think. Maybe. Do I need to bring my damn pills?" Lorne asked with a groan, before sighing. Yup. Just a handful of painkillers...

His hand flung the drawer open, which he would stop with his hip. He quickly unscrewed the lid, grabbing a handful of orange coloured tablets. These things were damn strong, but if he were to be running, there was a good chance that he may need to...

Lorne shook his head. He stuffed them into a pocket, to ensure that they wouldn't fall out later. Maybe. He transferred them back to the bag. "I have everything that ya said to grab now, but... Yea, it'll be fine." Lorne said dismissively. He'd need that damn Havilah persona again... He couldn't let that taint himself.

Shrugging, Jhonen headed out through the backdoor. The night was cold, air frosty as his breath came in wisps of white cloud. Glad he remembered to keep the heater on, Jho locked the door with his house key. Cwn was much more awake now, mentally pacing as he kept track of where the sun sat in the sky. The disk was low, fat and orange as it sat upon its throne of mountain.

Without hesitation, Jho set off on his usual route. Mindful of the pace that Lorne would have to keep, he stuck to a stride.


~~~


The last vestiges of Sunlight filtered through the pine needles. The earthy smells were overbearing on Jhonen now and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself. The tupperware was open with Cwn's meal, but that probably wouldn't be enough to distract from the six-three foot tanned Scot holding his knappers. He didn't want to bust his clothing, and had packed it away in an effort to conserve them. However, he was a shy bastard when it came to dangling bits. Sighing, he waited for the damn sun to set so that he could just forget about standing in the cold, naked as a newborn child in his mum's grasp.

"Lovely weather, huh?"

Lorne would, to give his partner a little privacy while he sat there, be slightly turned away from him. However, he couldn't help a feeling of warmth spread through him at the sight of his shirtless partner. The fox hummed a sigh, watching the golden rays of light slip further and futher behind the trees, their spindly forms casting wicked shadows across the grounds. The city lay behind them some while away, and Lorne knew that he would need to be rather cold and ready to follow Cwns orders. It felt weird to him, as Cwn seemed to be a younger dog, but... He also was, by the definition of the word "age", he was incredibly old.

Older than Lorne himself. And he was ancient.

Lorne sighed, sitting down on the ground next to Jhonen, keeping his eyes away from his naked form. Fingers would trail down Jhonens back, Lorne humming a rather bored and amused tune. "I suppose, but ya make the sight stunning." He purred easily, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. As much as he loved and cared for them both, he always felt gut wrenched when either had to leave.

But Lorne pressed himself to spend as much time with one as he did with the other...