Enduring the cold is nothing new

Title: Enduring the cold is nothing new
Rating: Everyone/Teen
Pairings/Characters: Fujiwara Shirou, John Marston, John Marston/Fujiwara Shirou, offscreen John Marston/Abigail Marston, John Marston/Abigail Marston/Fujiwara Shirou
Series: Red Dead Redemption, Sex Pistols
Part of: Trying something new won’t kill you, until your imagination runs wild.  Set further into John and Shirou’s relationship, and the relationship between John, Abigail and Shirou.
Beta: None, all mistakes are my own
Warnings: This series completely ignores the ending of Red Dead Redemption, I just want some John and Shirou smut with some sort of plot mixed in.
Summary: It’s damn cold out and all he wants to do is go home.  Though seeing a familiar face seems to help.
Notes: Based on the prompt from the app on my phone (prompt #157): You carefully slip your hand into someone’s coat pocket

Bracing himself against the blowing wind, the sharp chill cutting through his body easily.  Grumbling under his breath and pulling his jacket closer while hunching his shoulders as he ducked his head.  Wishing for a cup of hot coffee or anything that would warm his body, John eyed the small herd as they grazed.  

Usually he would be able to usher the cattle to a small pasture and leave them to their own device.  Lately, though, animals had been disappearing. Both horses and cattle, no matter how many times he had to tame horses or spend money that was starting to dwindle on replacing the missing animals.

Lifting his head at the approaching figure, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Why’re you out here?”  John spoke up, straightening his back as Shirou approached.

“You can’t be that comfortable standing out here, can you?”  Shirou asked, looking him over before continuing. “Abigail wants you inside, you’ve been out here too long.”

A knowing look, the nudge of a shoulder against his and a slight shove.

“Go inside, John and get warm.  You’ve been out here too long.”

John paused for a moment, eying Shirou as he pulled his hand out of his own pocket and slipping it into Shirou’s, giving the warm fingers a squeeze.  Pale eyes lighting up behind glasses and the warmth that Shirou’s body offered. Giving the man a look and the fingers another squeeze, John pulled his hand away.

“Alright, but don’t stay out here too long.”

Shirou gave him a nod, following John to where he left his horse before he felt a hand on his elbow.  Catching the rising color to Shirou’s cheeks before the man leaned in. He wasn’t expecting Shirou’s hand on his hip and the mumbled words that he barely understood.  Giving his side lover a small smile and licking at his bottom lip, he reached for the reins and pulled Shirou close.

Lips to an ear, the reply the reply to those mumbled words and the sudden rush of a heady scent.  A barely there whimper before Shirou gave him a shove, looking away in embarrassment.

“Go on home, John.”

“Sure,” a sound of agreement, “don’t dally in returning.  You still have to keep your promise to Abigail and me.”

John laughed, pulling himself up into his saddle and urging his horse towards Beecher’s Hope.  A glance over his shoulder and to the figure that was half turned, watching him ride away.

Though not everything falls before you, keep your head up

Title: Though not everything falls before you, keep your head up
Rating: Everyone/Teen
Pairings/Characters: Fujiwara Shirou, Jack Marston, hints of John Marston/Fujiwara Shirou, John Marston/Abigail Marston, John/Shirou/Abigail
Series: Red Dead Redemption, Sex Pistols
Part of: Trying something new won’t kill you, until your imagination runs wild.  Set further into John and Shirou’s relationship, and the budding relationship between John, Abigail and Shirou.
Beta: None, all mistakes are my own
Warnings: This series completely ignores the ending of Red Dead Redemption, I just want some John and Shirou smut with some sort of plot mixed in.
Summary: The noise of the winter storm waking him up, Shirou knows that he’ll be unable to sleep.  He didn’t expect to be startled by Jack nor was he expecting the questions that make him question the budding relationship.
Notes: I had this idea back in September/October and love the idea of Shirou being invited into the house once the weather starts to become unbearably cold.  I have no excuse to my lateness 😦

The howling of the wind rattled the window in its frame as the ends of branches scraped along the glass planes, leaving the creaking wood of trees struggled against the wind while the house stood firm against the storm.  He could feel the cold seem through the cracks and under the doors despite the fires blazing in the two fire places.

Burrowing deeper under the heavy blanket, Shirou huffed to himself as he tried to ignore the sounds coming from outside.  If he were to strain and listen carefully, he would be able to hear the howling of the wolves that feared to stray close to the property.  Guarded by one who is extremely territorial, able to feel the aura and the scent that would drive them off.  None of the yipping of pups, only the warning howls to each other.

Shirou ignored the ache in his chest as memories of his childhood surfaced.  Being with his parents and carefree, before everything went to shit.  Before his life changed forever.  No longer could he remember the comforting scent of his mother and her kind smile, nor of his father that taught him how to control his soul.

Poking his head out from underneath the blanket, groaning deep at the chill.  There was no way he would be getting back to sleep, not with the memories that haunted him and the echos of his parent’s voices in his head.

It hadn’t been that long since the cold weather descended upon them, the chill in the wind becoming sharper with each day, Shirou took up the offer when John had almost hesitantly brought it up at the time, one morning when the returner to ancestry came to check in early in the morning and noticed the near freezing temperature.  At the time and still now, grateful for the offer, in the spare room across the hall from Jack’s.  His “old room” in the barn was now being taken up by the cattle at night, giving them a little reprieve from the cold and wind.

Trading one lumpy mattress for another left him little room for complaints.  The room in the house was warmer than the barn.  The nights no longer long and miserable, his elevated body heat only going to far before the cold got to be too much.

Sitting up and pulling the blanket with him, Shirou quietly opened the door and stepped into the near silent hallway.  The crackling of the fire flared several times with every gust of wind, brightening the room before becoming dim once more, leaving just enough light.  Pulling the blanket tighter around his body, moving the chair closer to the fire, just close enough to be heated perfectly.

Before he sat down, Shirou grabbed a book that lay forgotten on the small coffee table, skimming his fingers along the worn and soft cover, he couldn’t make out the title of the book before opening it to a random page.  Curling up in the chair, Shirou read.

It didn’t matter that the page he picked was in the middle of the story, nor did it matter that everything seemed like a mess, even if it worked well enough to suck him in.  Losing himself in the words, a story similar to what he was told while growing up.  Stories told to keep children in line and have them listen to their parents, giving them the consequences of disobeying.  One story, told to him after he wandered away from his mother’s side at a market.  The combination of worry and fury in her normal gentle eyes had him listening.  Even his soft spoken father had taken the same tone of voice.

So deep in his memories and thoughts of growing up, he didn’t hear the creaking of the floor underfoot and the dark head that peaked around the corner.  It would be the hand on his shoulder, the jump and the muffled sound of surprise, dropping the book onto the bare floor.

“Jack?”  Shirou whispered, trying to control his breathing and the racing of his thoughts at being startled by the younger man.  It wasn’t like him to get startled as such.

“Sorry,” Jack whispered back, giving him a little shrug before stepping away from him and closer to the fire, a blanket pulled around his body for warmth, “I didn’t mean to startle you.  I would’ve thought you heard me.”

Biting his lower lip, Shirou swallowed back a question, reaching down to pick up the book that he had dropped.

“Can I ask you something?”  Jack broached, almost hesitant, something Shirou hadn’t thought the teenager wouldn’t be.

Giving Jack a nod, silently telling him to continue.  He should tell Jack that he shouldn’t be afraid to ask him any questions.

“I know you don’t talk much about your family, but what was it like?  Back in your home country?”  Jack paused, gathering his thoughts as though not to offend.

“Why do you stay here?  I mean, this country alone is so huge, but you have the whole world to explore.  You could live anywhere.”

Shirou paused for a moment, seeing the look of curiosity on Jack’s face.  It wasn’t a secret that the boy wanted to see the world beyond Blackwater and the surrounding areas.  The fact that the young man across from him just wanted to explore, not to be stuck here where nothing seemed to happen.

“From what I’ve seen and while it’s not much as to what other’s have seen, there’s just something that draws me here,” Shirou confessed, pulling his legs up to wrap his arms around his knees.

“You mean my father,” the whispered words he wasn’t supposed to hear.  It wasn’t hard to recall the look on Jack’s face when he had found out about his relationship with both John and Abigail.  Twisted as it was, the relationship worked in a way that Shirou could only would continue.

“Well, yeah,” Shirou sighed softly, “during my travels there have been some who were nice enough, I suppose.  But John, he was the only that saw me for me, I guess if I had to explain it.  Offering me a chance when I asked.”  Shirou smiled to himself, worrying the inside of his cheek for a second before looking at the dark haired teen.  “The fact that you, yourself and your mother treat me so swell.”

“The overwhelming feeling of being home, Jack.  That, the feeling of home, I miss it so much,” he tore his gaze away to blink away the tears that started to fill his vision.  “I-” a hitched breath, licking his bottom lip in nervousness.

“I’m not accusing you of anything, Shirou, I’m just surprised is all.  I don’t know what you see in my father,” the teenager shrugged his shoulders, hunching forward as though to hide away from him before staring into the fire.  “You seem to get him to calm down.  A lot.  It’s something that ma’s been wanting-  You’re not trying to break up my family, are you?  They’re finally happy.”

Shirou could feel the heavy words, that heavy gaze of Jack as he watched the play of emotions on his face.

“I would never do anything of the sort.  I would,” Shirou paused, breathing deeply as his heart started to pound, “I would leave.  Pack up and leave this place I consider home before anything like that.  Move on.  Jack, I never-” a shuddering breath, realizing that his body was trembling.  He tried to calm himself down, the biggest of his fears pushing to the front of his mind.

“Your family has been so good to me, I-” he stared down at his hands, his attempt to calm himself down failing.  Toughed skin and built up calluses, tiny scars that dotted the tops of his hands and his fingers.  Skin that is thicker than his emotions, able to deal with the brutal elements and unforgiving sun than him sitting there, crushing under the weight of his conscious and the nearly innocent words from Jack.

He didn’t expect the feel of heavy hands on his shoulders nor the scent that had drawn him in weeks and months ago, drowning his senses.

“You should know better by now,” the rough draw as John leaned over the back of the chair, a hand moving with fingers trailing across his shoulders and up towards his neck.  Sliding up and through his hair.  Glancing towards Jack, his eyes down turned and away, cheeks darkening in color with embarrassment, which seemed to be a constant occurrence since finding out about their “arrangement”.

Shirou hoped that his expression wouldn’t give away what he was feeling.  The want and desire for the older man, fighting the guilt he felt for pushing his way into John and Abigail’s relationship.  He was lucky enough that John let him stay.

“What are you both doing up so late?”

The fingers in his hair, turning his gaze to the floor as heat flooded through him, he didn’t see the look that John sent Jack.  If he were to look up, he would catch the mixture of curiosity and warning, possessiveness that he was just starting to find out about the returner to ancestry.

“The noise,” Shirou confessed, dropping his head and pulling away from John’s touch, wrapping the blanket closer.  The warmth from John’s hand had him swallowing past a lump in his throat.  He wanted nothing more than to crawl between John and Abigail, to be cradled between the couple.  Biting down on his lower lip, Shirou’s imagination took over.

The near silent inhaling of a breath, Shirou peeked through his lashes, seeing Jack’s flush darker as he looked anywhere but in front o him.  A mutter that he didn’t catch, footsteps that carried Jack to the other side of the house.

“Jack’s just curious, but don’t let his words bother you,” John comment, fingers lingering along his neck, rubbing against the one spot that usually would drive him to groan out a sound that resembled John’s name before the older male pulled away.

“Both Abigail and myself enjoy you being here.  Besides, you’re over thinking this, not giving yourself credit,” the buttons of long underwear were slipped from the small holes.  A look in John’s eyes told him enough.  Shirou licked his lower lip, pushing himself out of the chair to follow John.

With his senses on fire, he closed the door softly behind him with a soft click.

Who knew looking like that was such a turn on

Title: Who knew looking like that was such a turn on
Rating: PG
Series: Red Dead Redemption, Sex Pistols
Part of: Trying something new won’t kill you, until your imagination runs wild.  Set further into John and Shirou’s relationship
Beta: None, all mistakes are my own
Warnings: This series completely ignores the ending of Red Dead Redemption, I just want some John and Shirou smut with some sort of plot mixed in.
Summary: Shirou shows John a side of himself that he’s never showed anyone.  And revels in the way John gets turned on by the sight of his soul.
Notes: Based on the prompt: You sit in the back of the ambulance with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders.  No ambulance since this is set in the 1900’s, extremely loosely based on the prompt.  Since I’m trying to get over my writers block, I’m gonna be trying to write drabbles with prompts from an app that I have on my phone.

Shirou sat hunched, the blanket over his shoulders as he enjoyed the warm drink he held in his hands. If he were to close his eyes, he would see the motionless figure below him.  The overwhelming scent of cat that filled his senses as his soul took over to glare at the one Madararui that decided to try to knock John out.

His hackles had risen as his form blocked John from the interloper determined to steal the lively hood of his lover’s family. He eyed the stranger as a predator, watching as the middleweight struggled under his gaze. The shaking of hands that dropped the gun as the man tried to take a step back, the guttural sound that escaped his chest as he took everything he had not to lunge.

“L-look, I- I didn’t know,” the pleading words as the man held his hands up, completely forgetting that he had dropped the gun.  “I heard that this place was abandoned, an easy place to steal from.  I didn’t know that this your territory and he’s your-” a trembling nod towards the still figure before wetting lips to speak again.  “I’ll keep my mouth shut, I swear,” Shirou narrowed his eyes and refused to call back his form.  “Your relationship with this human is,” a thick swallow before the middleweight gulped.

It was the feel of a hand running through his fur and the cocking of a gun along side him, the heady scent that belonged to John alone that told him everything he needed to know.

“I’m struggled enough as it is and you want to steal from me?”  Voice raspy, blood trickling down from the split bottom lip.  “All this and you have the nerve to mention my relationship with him?”  The hand that had been along his back moved towards his head, giving a gentle shove.

“If I ever see you around here again, be it on or near my property again, make sure you have enough on you for an undertaker because I won’t hesitate to put a bullet between your eyes.”

The man’s eyes widen at the threat, glancing away from John and back to Shirou, whose lips were pulled back in a snarl as he took a step away from John. One step followed by another before the man’s soul took over in fear.  The sight of a cat that flattened his ears before turning tail and taking off.

Shirou let out a woof of air before glancing over his shoulder at John and the shaking of his head.

“It’s never a dull moment around you,” a murmur as a hand reached up to gingerly touching the back of his head, pulling his hand back with a hiss.  “You gonna change back?  You’re kinda,” the wave of a hand and flush of cheeks before he pulled back his soul.

“Don’t know why I’m affected by that,” a confession whispered softly and only meant for John’s ears. Which meant that Shirou heard as well, he didn’t let on that he heard, keeping small spark of happiness from showing. Standing and offering a hand to the downed man, Shirou waited for the older male to steady himself, ready to offer a hand to keep him on his feet.

“Is that normal?” John asked as they walked through the trees and towards Beecher’s Hope, glancing at him briefly before looking ahead. “Changing like that and getting aggressive?”

This time Shirou let the smile grace his face and brushed his shoulder against John’s. Despite the fear he had felt at the sight of John being knocked out, he couldn’t help feel pride.

“No, not normally. I’ve never done that before, but when I saw you go down, I was afraid and let my instinct take over.” Looking up to the expansive night sky that was partially blocked by the trees that surrounded them.  “I wouldn’t do that for just a friend.  What you feel for another, no matter how small or large, instinct will take over.  And that’s what I did.”  Shirou shrugged his shoulders, trying not to let the fear he spoke of soak into his voice.  It was one thing to admit that he was afraid that John was hurt, it was something completely different to let his emotions take over.

“I have to admit I never thought I’d see you aggressive like that,” John said as he reached out to stop Shirou, “just wanted to bend you over and show you.”  The hiss of words as his body was pressed against the rough bark of a tree, the push of hips against his and the feel of hard flesh that he knew well.

“It’s just too bad that there’s no time for that,” John pulled back with a laugh at the scowl that Shirou shot him.  “You’ll see later,” the smirk on scarred lips before they continued.  “Come to the house, I think after what happened we should just drink to it.  Besides, I wanna see it again.”

Shirou struggled to swallow past his dry mouth before nodding, following John through the woods and towards home.

How to deal with something that grabs a hold of you and you just want to bend over

Title: How to deal with something that grabs a hold of you and you just want to bend over
Rating: R
Series: Sex Pistols, Red Dead Redemption
Part of: Trying something new won’t kill you, until your imagination runs wild.  Set after I’m fighting my desires, no matter how much I tell myself I can’t give in but before Sometimes hope is being encased in someone’s mouth and sometimes it’s somewhere else
Beta: None, all mistakes are my own
Warnings: This series completely ignores the ending of Red Dead Redemption, I just want some John and Shirou smut with some sort of plot mixed in.
Summary: After Shirou’s confession, things go back to normal at Beecher’s Hope.  That is, until Shirou’s heat sneaks up on him.  Normally he would just hide away from the world for a week but now that John is aware of his feelings, Shirou has to fight himself from storming the house and begging the man to fuck him.  He’ll just have to use that toy of his.
Notes: This was inspired by reading A/B/O fan fiction and while this series isn’t taking place in that universe, I love the idea of Shirou suffering from his mating season/heat like the omegas in the ABO universe.  Shirou doesn’t have slick seeping out of him, but if he did, I believe even John wouldn’t be able to control himself and end up fucking him in the field XD.  Started this back in September and now finally working on it.  I’m slow as hell.  I also suck at sex scenes, so there isn’t much 😦

After that night that he confessed to John, both what the older man could understand and what he couldn’t decipher what he had been saying, Shirou was glad that their working relationship went back to normal.  Or what normal was between them.  He still ached to be touched by John, wanting what Abigail was given on a normal basis.  At least, Shirou swallowed and licked his lips as he turned on his side in the bed as he tried to get comfortable, he had the chance to have John’s fingers inside him.  Which brought him to his current predicament.

His heat.

The mating season he never really bothered with before.

Before he had met John, his mating season was just something he dealt with, locking himself either in a rented room or an abandoned cabin or anywhere where it was safe for himself to do so.  Left alone with only himself and the toy that he had carried with him from home, Shirou would manage to get through the week with little problem.  Shop keepers would give him such looks when he purchased petroleum jelly.  Either the knowing looks that told him that they knew and wished him the best, which was few and far between or the looks of disgust, coming to their own conclusions as to what he was doing with it.  It would be times like that when he would pull himself to his full height and let his soul flare, scaring those that looked down their noses at him.  Even if they couldn’t see his soul, Shirou enjoyed watching them cower and scurry away, their nonexistent tails tucked between their legs.

With what lubrication he had left and the item he had tucked at the bottom of his bag, wrapped in his clothing so no one could guess what he was carrying, he would have peace and quiet to get through the week.  The toy that he had grabbed, hand carved and made with what he had believed, at the time, with love and care.  That didn’t matter anymore, it was enough to get him through when his body wanted to betray him and just be fucked.

It was just something he dealt with, an annoyance that he could deal with by himself.

Now that he had a taste of John, the feel of his fingers on his body and inside, dealing with his heat by himself was the last thing he wanted to do.  Laying on bed, blankets kicked off despite the cool air that filled the barn, Shirou couldn’t find a comfortable position as he tried to ignore the memory of John’s fingers on his skin and inside his body.  Turning back on his side, eyeing his bag in the dark and the toy that he had to resort for years since fleeing his home.  Shirou knew that he would have to use that to help him through his heat, even if he didn’t want the poor replica of human flesh.  Clenching his eyes tightly, burrowing his head in the single pillow while his hands slipped down and under the clothing he wore, fingers teasing himself as he gave into the memory of John’s hands.  Scent so think that he could easily recall it as he brought himself to completion.

There was no way he would be able to get any sleep tonight.

~~

Shirou found himself licking his upper lip more than once while working with John, tasting the air and the pheromones the male was giving off.  Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he found himself following the beading and dripping sweat as the hammer rose and fell.  Shaking his head to clear his thoughts and keep his mind on work, Shirou turned his gaze away from the sight of John working.  Cheeks flushing at the thoughts that ran through his mind, Shirou didn’t see the look that crossed John’s face nor did he hear the sigh pass lips he wants to taste.

“Look,” John set the hammer down and pulled off one of his gloves to rub away the sweat and dirt, “I don’t know what’s going on with you, you’ve been off all day.  Is it about-”  John paused, staring at him before tearing his gaze away to look at what they had been working on for the past few hours.  “What we did?  It’s not gonna change anything, you know.  Work needs to come first and then,” the sound of a throat clearing before dark eyes glanced back at him.  “What happened really shouldn’t have happened.  But it did and I don’t want to jeopardize my marriage just to fulfill your fantasies or whatever you think about.”

Shirou could feel his heart break even though that John spoke the truth, swallowing past the cotton mouth feeling and the heavy thudding of his heart.  There was no promise of something more between them, nothing that suggested other than getting one off.  The words were true and there was nothing but honesty on the older male’s face.  It was his fault to begin with, allowing himself to hope and ride on the high that he got from being around the returner to ancestry.  For falling into the deep end of hope, the wishful and painful hope of having something to cling to.

“It- this doesn’t really have anything to do with what we did.  Well, it does.  Sort of.  It’s just something that most if not all madararui go through, at least once a year.  Depending on what they are,” Shirou tried to explain, worrying his lower lip as he leaned away from John.  As intoxicating as the madararui’s scent was, he didn’t want to get caught up in the scent that had drawn him in the first place.  “Mine just took me by surprise, that’s all.  Actually forgot about it,” a mumble as he shifted nervously, scuffing at the dry and brittle grass.  Shame ran through him as he confessed, worse than the confession from that night.

“A-and for the record,” Shirou pushed himself up, looking across the rising hill and the grazing cattle, “just because I want you doesn’t mean I want to wreck and destroy your marriage.  I just-”  Pausing, tempted to just run though knowing that he couldn’t, he took a deep breath.  “I want you to fuck me, okay?  It’s my mating season and I just want to be able to fulfill that part of myself with you.”  Shirou could feel the heat rising up on his cheeks as he felt the weight of John’s gaze on him.  Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he caught the press of lips and the narrowing of dark eyes before sighing.

“I’m not expecting anything.  I’ve had my mating season before and been able to get through it by myself.  So that’s why,” shoving his hands into his pockets, Shirou turned away.  “We’re done for the day, right?  I think I wanna go into town for a little bit.”

With his back turned, Shirou didn’t see the curl of lips.  The look of displeasure that crossed John’s face, the clenching of fingers along thighs.  He only heard the hiss of a breath between clenched teeth before a gruff answer from John, the words of “don’t bring anyone here” echoed in his ears.  Biting down on his lower lip, Shirou nodded before heading down to the barn, boots scuffing up the dust as he approached the blue roan tethered to the hitch.  A soft nicker as he reached up to rub the soft muzzle, feeling lips reach and pull at his shirt sleeve.

“You seem to be the only one who is glad to see me,” Shirou murmured as he rubbed along the roan’s muzzle and upwards before untying the reins.  “If only you could talk, I bet you would understand what I’m going through.”

The low snort of air that was followed by a toss of the roan’s head, nearly pulling the reins from his hands.  Leading the horse away from hitch and towards the path, Shirou pulled himself into the saddle, shifting enough to get comfortable before looking to where he had left John.  Head bowed with a hand clenched around the base of the hammer, John looked as though he was getting back to work.  Despite the words that he could go, Shirou couldn’t help the feeling of guilt at leaving the older male to work.  And while he wanted to escape, get away from the place he was calling home, he was about to climb down before he caught the shaking of a head and the toss of the hammer with a muttered shout.

Swallowing thickly, Shirou nudged his heels and urged the blue roan forward, struggling to forget the anger that John showed.  He could only hope that the anger meant something else.

_______

John ignored the twisting of his stomach, keeping his eyes down on the ground while his hammer lay where he threw it.  He couldn’t help the anger that filled him, the very idea of the younger male finding a partner to help him, with whatever it was that Shirou had told him.  Unable to stomach the thought of his friend finding pleasure with someone in town, John pushed himself to his feet to pick up the hammer he threw in a fit of anger before heading towards the barn.

Pushing the door open, he took a deep breath and thought of how Shirou would sniff at the air.  Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, he sniffed at the stale air and closed his eyes.  The mixture of fresh straw and dirt filled his senses, leaving him feeling foolish before he opened his eyes and shaking his head.  Just more proof that the man had been speaking nonsense, even if he had seen something that he couldn’t explain.  Getting ready to turn and leave, John pressed his lips together and eyed the spot where the male had been sleeping.  Debating with himself, not wanting to be that person who is caught poking around another’s room before the irrational side won.  Moving towards the bed that Shirou was using, he bit down on his cheek before trying once more.

It took everything he had to keep his knees from buckling as the perfume like scent hit him.  Thick and heady, John’s pulse quickened as his hand slipped down to his pants, feeling his flesh harden and twitch under his hand at the pressure.  Muffling the sound that rumbled in his chest, John forced himself away as his mind provided images, the memory of watching the male get off.  Remembering the weight of Shirou’s body on his lap, the heat that had surrounded his fingers, clenching and tightening.  The soft cries and whimpers as the male had ridden his fingers, the sound of his name when Shirou came.  He hadn’t told Shirou that afterwards he could smell the male on his skin for days, hadn’t told him of how Abigail had commented how well he smelled.

Tearing himself away from the barn and into the open air, the intoxicating scent that had wrapped around him started to dissipate and clearing his mind.  John could feel the heat climbing up his cheeks in embarrassment, glad that there was no one around to catch him invading someone’s privacy.

Glancing down the dirt road in the hopes of seeing a familiar figure on horseback, John kicked at the dirt.  The slowly setting sun left an ache inside him that he didn’t want to acknowledge.  Moving towards the house and the smell of supper cooking.  Pushing away thoughts of Shirou and the fact that he was still aroused, John slipped into the house to take care of his current problem.

_______________

Shirou shivered as a cool wind swept past him and into the plains as he made his way back home.  The trip he had made into Blackwater was nearly a bust, no madararui around to help him through his mating season or at least, they were hiding away.  The few that spared him a glance curled their lips in disgust, their opinions already made about him.  That didn’t stop them from leaning in when he tried to drink down the watered down alcohol, giving up after the second shot.

The only bright side to his trip was the fact that the doctor he had visited had sold him a container of petroleum jelly  that he needed for the week.  When he handed the money over, he caught the knowing smile from the man.  Shirou had been tempted to ask for help, if only for one time.  The man wasn’t handsome, sure, but he seemed to know what he was talking about when giving some advice.  The chuckle when he had flushed had chased away any thoughts of asking.  He would be spending the night alone.

Don’t bring anyone here

John’s words echoed, reminding him that the male didn’t care if he was fucking others.  Chewing on his lower lip as he guided the blue roan back to Beecher’s hope, looking up at the house to the left and the windows that were dark.  He couldn’t help the relief to know that everyone was already in bed, he didn’t need the curious questions and the judging look that John would most likely give him.

As he reined his horse in, climbing down and unsaddling, leading the horse to the small pasture behind the barn before setting up the pump and the small burner to heat up the water.  The prospect of being able to bathe, be it just a sponge bath, was enough to have him smiling to himself as he unbuttoned his shirt, pushing open the door to the barn before freezing in his steps.  The silhouette of a figure sitting in the corner, illuminated by what moonlight filtered through the windows.

“John?”

Shirou took a few steps closer, catching the scent that had caught his attention weeks ago, stronger and thicker now.  Tinged with something he couldn’t put his finger on.

“You’re back early, who’d you fuck?”

It took a few moments for words to sink in as he struggled to see the expression on the male’s face, covered in shadows.  The words alone weren’t enough to give off any indication of jealousy, leaving him to scramble away the hope.  Licking his lips, Shirou continued towards his bed and the shelf off to the side that held the soap he needed.

“Didn’t fuck anyone, just went in for a drink and something that I’ll need for the week.”

He could feel his cheeks heat up, keeping his gaze away from the male in the shadows.  Keeping his back to John, Shirou took a deep breath to gather his courage, he couldn’t bathe himself in his clothes, and started to unbutton his shirt.  What silence that had been growing was broken by a ragged groan that seemed to torn out.  Chancing a glance over his shoulder, he could only make out the sight of a hanging.  The weight of a heated gaze on him, Shirou turned his attention back to removing majority of his clothes.  Soap in one hand and a rag in another, Shirou continued as though his friend wasn’t watching his every move.

A bucket that had been hanging on a nail on the wall was removed, the creak of the door as Shirou walked towards the water he had been heating up.  He could hear the crunch of sand and rocks under boots as John followed him.

“If you didn’t fuck anyone, then why’d you leave?”  John asked, leaning against the door jam and eying him with a blank look.

“Why’re you here?”  Shirou asked, keeping his attention on filling the bucket with water hot enough to ward off the chill as he bathed.  “I mean, you weren’t so concerned about me leaving for the night.  I didn’t bring anyone back here, like you wanted.”

The heavy sigh before John stepped forward, dipping his hands in the hot water with groan of relief.  “Abigail wouldn’t let me stay in the house.”

“Oh?”  Shirou answered, feeling his heart race though knowing he couldn’t look too deep into the meaning.

Dipping the rag into the hot water along with the soap, working up a good lather, Shirou brought the cloth to his face.  With his eyes closed, he didn’t see the way John’s eyes caressed him.  Didn’t see how teeth sinking into a lower lip as the male watched him with wet hands clenching at his sides, only feeling the weight of the male’s gaze on him.  Setting the rag to the side, dipping his hands into the water and cupping, the splash of water as the soap was washed away.

Only when he opened his eyes did he notice how stiff John had become.  Eyes flickering down, seeing the hands that had touched his body just days before.  Shirou looked away, dipping the rag once more before working on his chest. He would rather submerge himself in the hot water, relax before heading to bed to work through his mating season.

Washing away the dirt and grim, he heard the cough and the shifting of feet as he continued to wash away sweat before setting the rag aside.  Stripping off his pants and drawers, folding them before setting them off to the side.  Still nervous though he didn’t show it, Shirou eyed the male before continuing to bathe.

“Do you plan on watching me?”  Shirou asked, keeping his eyes on what he was doing.  He needed to hurry, the hot water he had was turning to lukewarm and the fire he had started was on the verge of dying out.

“I think you’re the only one I’ve seen that seems to enjoy getting wet like that,” a nod towards the bucket of water and where the rest of the water stood waiting to be used.

Shrugging a shoulder, knowing that his customs were different than John’s and others.  “I like to be clean and what I want to do tonight, I need to be clean.”  Shirou didn’t mention the fact that if he were to forgo bathing, his scent would thicken and become more pronounced.  He briefly wondered if he hadn’t bathed, left everything and let his scent become more irresistible, would the returner to ancestry make a move?  Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, grabbing the bucket and upturning it over his head to rinse away the soap, Shirou tried not to shiver as the wind picked up just a bit.  Refilling the bucket with more water, he proceeded to clean and wash his backside.

“I- uh, I’ve been trying to catch scents like you’ve been doing,” the low confession from the older male, startling Shirou into dropping the rag into the dirt below.  “What you were talking about earlier, before you left, I think I caught-”

“You caught my scent?”  Shirou asked, his voice low as he bent over to grab the rag and rinse it off the dirt before continuing to wash.

“Well, yeah.  Just curious as to how you do it,” the strike of a match and the glowing tip of a cigarette before the exhale of smoke.  “I wasn’t expecting it to nearly knock me to my knees,” the low chuckle as John continued to watch him.

Pressing his lips to hold back a smile, Shirou ran his fingers down his body, slipping back between his cheeks.  Biting down on his lower lip as he pushed before withdrawing.  He couldn’t do this outside.  Rinsing away the last of the soap on his body, he put out the fire before grabbing his clothes.  “That’s the point of it, really.  A person’s scent is what helps others find their mate.  With it, it helps to figure out when one is in heat and if they’re compatible.”

Shirou swallowed as he walked back into the barn, passing close enough to John to catch the male’s natural scent through the smell of the cigarette he smoked.  Body already stirring with want, Shirou went to his bag to grab the toy that he needed, putting his clothes on the shelf and snagging the container of petroleum jelly.  Taking in the bed, knowing it won’t be the comfort that he needed but it would do, Shirou settled in on the bed, resting his back against the wall and bracing his feet on the edge of the bed.

He didn’t look up, knowing that the older man had followed and taken his place back up in the shadows.  Feeling a mixture of arousal and embarrassment, Shirou chose to ignore John as he closed his eyes to run his hands down the front of his body.  Breath hitching as fingers paused to tease the head of his cock, fingertips ghosting down the sides before making their way back up to fully curl around himself.

Biting down to muffle any sounds that could come out as a name, Shirou’s hips tilted, trying to follow the movement of his hand.  Legs opening further enough to slip further down, cupping his balls gently in his palms.  Shirou imagined John’s hands carefully cradling him.  That it was John’s fingertips pressing against his perineum, moving down to press and coax his body to open for the returner to ancestry.  Longing to feel hands on his shoulders, pushing him down and covering his body, to feel the weight and taste the musk of John on his tongue.

Struggling to open his eyes as his legs trembled, lips swollen as he bit down to hold back the whimpers on his tongue.  With a trembling hand, Shirou grabbed the container of petroleum jelly.  Tossing the lid off to the side and covering his fingers, Shirou opened his eyes to settle on the figure in the shadows.  Seeing the gleam of eyes, his fingers returned to tease himself, pushing a single finger tip in with hiss that trailed off in a gasp.  It didn’t take him long to work in a second finger then a third.  Pumping them gently, legs trembling, Shirou barely heard the groan and the creak of the chair, being pushed back.

Scrambling for the toy that lay at his side as he pulled his fingers free, covering the smooth wooden toy with jelly before teasing the slightly loosened hole with the hard head.  Gentle little pushes, his body accepting the force and swallowing up the toy.  His eyes clenching and head tossed back in pleasure, Shirou found his hand being swatted away as the heavy scent of John filled his senses.

The rhythmic push and pull, rough callused hand pushing at his leg and the burn of heat that filled the space between them.  Forcing himself up through the movements of the toy inside him, Shirou reached out to curl his hand around John’s neck, pulling the male in for a kiss.

A lick and suck, tasting the lingering cigarette on John’s tongue.  Working a hand between them and feeling the straining flesh underneath the cloth of the male’s pants, Shirou’s fingers worked to free the button and lower the zipper.

Mouth moving, whispering a plea to the male that was only for the two before Shirou closed his eyes as John pushed him back against the bed.