#friend's doggo had his tail bitten off by another dog when he was little so now he's not doing well with bigger dogs approaching him

[svantetic]

i'm dogsitting this weekend and started the day by yelling at the old woman in the park to put her husky on a leash. i love dogs but having one in the city is a nightmare because other people suck

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 181

181

“A whoo whoo whooo...”

Curled up in his bed, Lance was woken from his dozing by a sad barking. He hadn’t known he’d caused so much trouble. He’d put his headphones on, and pulled himself together as he did another 180 over Keith. Breaking down the aspects of Keith’s life and his likes, Lance was trying to work out how to make Keith happy. He’d been deep in thought. He wanted to explore absolutely every avenue. Curtis had his demon summoned out of him. Keith might have a chance. His friend helped confirm there was never going to be a way for him to be human again.

Reading in bed, Lance hadn’t meant to doze. The book was boring as heck, a cheap trashy romance book that made very little sense. Normally a perfect distraction... His brain still excited from the three games of chess he’d played with Coran as they tried to distract themselves from Keith’s first turn.

“A whoo whoo... whoo... whoooo”

With another mournful howl, Lance placed his book aside with a sigh. He hadn’t meant to shut Kosmo out, or in. He wasn’t sure where the doggo was hiding. If it wasn’t Kosmo it could be Matt. If Matt had lost track of Rieva he tended to act extremely pathetic. Blue was curled on his bed, her tail flicking at the pathetic sound, probably because it interrupted her beauty sleep. He needed to find Kosmo on the off chance he’d gotten out and tried to follow the others.

Stopping by the bathroom, Lance bundled himself up. Fluffy robe and slippers donned, Lance held his belly for balance, waddling down the stairs with a sign to himself. Coran was sleeping in the office for the night, in case Keith got himself hurt, or he didn’t take the turn well. He felt so fat and unbalanced, carrying not low, but not like high, with Google not exactly giving him a name for looking like a team of basketballs had been breeding in his stomach. With all his amazingly wonderful powers, he didn’t have stretch marks. He wished he did. He wished his belly looked more... pregnant. Not just inflated.

Flicking the switch on for the back, Lance unlocked the back door

“Kosmo!”

It was freezing. Pulling the dressing grown around him, he shuffled out on to the paving. Damn fur sons. He could be sleeping. He’d only just peed but the air was making him need to pee again.

“Whooo... whoo. Whoo”

Maybe Kosmo was hurt? The cries reminded him of the times Kosmo thought he’d been abandoned forever by being shut out the bathroom by the big evil door. Following around to the side of the house, Lance wrinkled his nose at the moist grass. Icky. He’d have to wash his feet and his poor slippers

“Kosmo! Come here, boy!”

Whistling and clicking, Lance realised the mistakes he’d made as he blinked at the black blob in his yard. Fuck... he didn’t think Keith would be back. He thought he was smelling with from where he’d left his clothes with Matt’s and Rieva’s

“Keith?”

With a very mournful and sad whimper, Keith rose to his legs shakily. His whole body moved stiffly. Long legs ended in huge paws. Keith pitch black, eyes brilliant yellow. His teeth kind of really scary... but he looked... sad. Where were Matt and Rieva?

“Keith? Hey, buddy. What are you doing here?”

Slinking over to him, Keith let out a sad howl that embarrassed wolves everywhere. Sitting down. He stared up at Lance, Lance didn’t know what he was supposed to say or do. This wasn’t good. Keith was supposed to be giving into the pull of the moon. He’d liked to think himself educated enough, until he’d gained two werewolf roommates and he’d learned more than he ever needed to

“Did you get lost?”

Keith whined, Lance didn’t speak wolf. Dawn was hours away

“Okay. I gather you’re not having a fun time”

“A whooooo who whooo”

Howling, Keith sounded sadder. Reaching his hand out, the wolf sniffed at it before baring his teeth. Had Matt and Rieva ditched Keith? Or had they brought him back because he was hurt and didn’t want to possibly attack Lance so had already left?

“Okay. No getting too close. Smart one Lance. Go see the fresh turned wolf alone. Of course it wasn’t Kosmo out here. Fucking idiot. You can’t do anything right. Alright, Keith. You come with me with me. Coran is in the office”

“Whooo...”

Riiiiight. No. He didn’t speak wolf

“Keith. I can’t understand you, but I can tell you’re not okay. Come inside, it’s freezing out here”

Keith walked by Lance’s side. Lance trying not to freak out. Keith was hulking. He right out of a movie as some kind of death hound or dark omen. With how stiff Keith watched, he was sure he must have hurt himself. He’d never seen a wolf so stiff, the closest comparison was Keith was walking how Kosmo had after a thermometer to his butt. Maybe Matt... No. He didn’t want to think about Keith moving on and further away from him. He wasn’t suited to him anymore. If Matt and Rieva both felt that way towards Keith, he didn’t stand a chance. It fucking sucked.

Holding the door open for Keith, Keith managed to trip himself over the lip of the step. Lance now certain Keith had hurt himself. No werewolf was this clumsy, turned or not, Keith had spent hours running around as a wolf. His control would be better than this. Leading the way, he knocked on the office door, knowing Coran wouldn’t be sleeping. He just hoped he wasn’t snooping. Coran needn’t have rushed for his sake. He would have emerged from the office eventually. He’d just gotten caught up in his music and trying to make a list of things Keith liked. He was sure Keith would remain in Platt with Shiro for the time being. He was trying to think of how to reintroduce Keith to the things his boyfriend loved

“Coran, open up. I think Keith’s hurt!”

Coran came bustling wearing a borrowed robe, the same Black one Shiro had borrowed when he and Keith first stayed

“Lance? Keith... What are you doing here?”

“He was sitting outside howling. He’s not moving right”

“Oh, dear! He should be off chasing the moon! Keith, you’d better come in quick. You should be healing by now”

Keith carefully stepped his way into the room. Actions jolted

“See what I mean. He’s so stiff”

“Yes, indeed! It’s remarkable he hasn’t attacked!”

“I don’t care about remarkable. I’m more worried he’s hurt”

Coran blinked his way out of staring at Keith. Keith’s wolf was bigger than both Rieva’s and Matt’s, but he was thinner, sleeker. His fur black, unlike the mousy brown tones of his friends

“Can you get up on the bed so we can take a little look?”

Keith huffed, before making the most awkward effort ever to climb up. He was all legs and zero coordination. Coran taking pity and helping heft Keith’s butt up on the bed with the rest of him. Sitting down, Keith started again with the howling

“Whooo. Who... whooooooo...”

“See, he sounds bad. I thought I’d shut Kosmo out, or Matt had lost Rieva. Shouldn’t he be violent and angry right about now?”

“Awhoooooooo”

Keith didn’t seem to like what he’d said. Lance couldn’t help that he was shocked. Keith was being a total sook and not at all the angry anger loaf he’d been since waking

“Is that so my boy. Then what happened?”

“A whoo... whoo... woof!”

Since Coran asked, he must know how to speak wolf

“What’s he saying?”

“I haven’t the foggiest. Let me examine him, why don’t you take a seat. You look awfully uncomfortable”

That had something to do with the pain in his hips. He’d take a massage right about now

“Is it safe?”

“I don’t think he’ll bite. I’ll stop him before any harm can come to you or the twins”

Coran had stopped Matt after he’d torn Lance’s back to shreds... If anyone could, it’d be him. Sitting down in his office chair, Lance winced as he back twinges. Keith giving a loud howl

“Whoooo!”

Lance was going to either burst out laughing or be deafened if Keith kept this out. Probably both... Keith sounded very very unwolf like, despite his appearance. He sounded like he had something stuck in his throat or was trying to mimic a wolf’s sounds when all he had was a dog to go off

“Keith, indoor voice! I’m fine! You don’t have to complain loudly, Coran is going to check you out”

“A whooo... whoo... whooo... woo”

Lance ducked his head. Keith could understand him. His “howl” a little louder than Kosmo’s whining, but not full volume. It sounded that much more strangled as Keith tried to talk. Was this like when he was a bat? When he’d squeak and chirp hoping to be understood even though he knew he would be? Strangely enough Lance’s ego wasn’t riled up by the wolf like he’d thought it’d be. It was agitated, annoyed, pissed about the cold, but not about Keith. Unlike Keith who’d decided to growl at him. Coran ignored all danger as he sat on the bed next to Keith, holding his hand out for Keith to sniff. Keith seemed insulted by whatever he found on there, wrinkling up his muzzle. For a big bad wolf that took up almost all the bed, he wasn’t acting like he should. His first full moon should mean Keith was mental, near rabid with werewolfy needs. Not sitting in his office looking sad. Matt and Rieva were getting a stern talking to about leaving Keith alone.

“Now, my lad. No biting. I expect you wouldn’t find my blood all that palatable”

“A whoooo”

What did Keith have to be afraid of? Coran was a bad arse when he needed to be. He couldn’t take the fae, even if he tried

“Keith, you don’t have to howl. Coran isn’t going to hurt you. How about this, you nod or you shake your head?”

“A whooo...?”

God. He couldn’t help it. A chuckle slipped out, followed by a hiss. Laughing bad

“I have to pee. I don’t know what’s left to pee, but I have to pee. Should I bring Keith back some water?”

“Yes, he’s probably quite thirsty. Make sure you leave the door open so he knows it’s you coming”

Lance grumbled. He wasn’t about to risk being savaged by startling Keith

“I’m pretty sure I’m the only one here who smells like a walking bone that’s both pregnant and very dead”

“Right you are, but any suddenness and things could change in an instant”

Heading to the bathroom first, Lance then stopped by the kitchen on the way back. Grabbing out the jar of pickles and a big block of chocolate from the cupboard, he nearly forgot Keith’s water in the need fo satisfy his weird craving. Deciding on a Tipperary container, given it was plastic and less likely for Keith to break while he drank, he carried the lot back to the office where Keith was laying on his back with his legs up. Zero shame right there. No way was Keith coming near him with that between his legs. His nuts were huge, not that Lance wanted to see, but they were impossible to miss. If Keith found himself a wolfy girlfriend she’d be pregnant in no time

“I brought a bowl. How is he?”

Setting the bowl on the floor, Keith rolled over, giving him an unimpressed look

“What are you going to do? You don’t have thumbs to hold a glass and you’re not messing up the bed”

Keith huffed at him. Tail giving a lazy thump

“I can’t find anything wrong with him. No breaks or blood. Though he is aroused. Perhaps he’s so docile because he already thinks of you as his mate and returned because he misses you”

“Coran, I’m a vampire. He should be gnawing on my leg by now, not wanting to hump it”

Keith whined loudly, nosing at the blankets as if he wanted to hide his face

“He has exhibited signs of thinking of you as his mate. First angry you had been spending time with Allura, then over your joke. This is most unexpected. He’s not the first to receive werewolf blood instead of a bite. This is very interesting”

“Well when you’re done poking at him, he can have a drink and go for another run. He has to work off that energy without destroying my furniture”

“I want to try something first, if you’re okay with it”

For some reason Lance looked to his pickles and chocolate

“I’m not sharing”

“Gracious! No. That combination... I think not. No. I’m interested to see how Keith reacts if I approach you”

That didn’t sound like a good idea. He didn’t want his craving food spilt in the process

“Let me put this down first...”

When Lance turned his back, Coran moved up behind him. Keith leaping off the bed to get between the pair of them so fast that Lance nearly knocked the jar of pickles over. Why did provoking the otherwise docile werewolf seem a good idea?!? As Coran started chuckling, he wanted to hit him. He was jumpy enough without Coran adding to it!

“I hope you proved you point!”

“I think I have. He’s very protective of you...”

“Keith’s been protective of me since day one. Well, maybe not day one, but he did try to defend my honour more than once”

“I must do some further research into this. I mean, naturally I’ve met docile wolves before, even the occasional wolf who’d tolerate a vampire. I wonder if there’s anything in the literature over when werewolves and vampires first fell out...”

Lance had to do a three point turn on the spot seeing Keith wasn’t moving. Lowering himself into his chair, he frowned at the mass of wolf in front of him. He just didn’t get it. Was it in his scent? Rieva had been super attentive to him. Was it in werewolves to protect young, no matter who they belonged too? Nah. That was too optimistic. A female knocked up with a baby that wasn’t her mates could expect aggression. Was it because they were Keith’s scent and somehow he smelt like Keith so Keith knew not to hurt him? That too seemed far too optimistic

“So basically Keith isn’t hurt. He’s just... lonely? Do we find him a female wolf? I don’t know what to do”

Keith snarled at the mention of a female wolf. His eyes narrowing as he gazed up at Lance

“Don’t look at me like that. My arse is not taking that... when you’re not human. I don’t know what to do for you...”

“I think you insulted him”

“I can see that. Keith, you have to admit, I’m allowed to be confused as fuck. I was expecting a blood thirsty feral beast, not you to be lonely and inside. Could it be because the real full moon is tomorrow?”

“Possibly. Or the slow release of blood into his system. He has been quite aggressive, as we’ve all noticed”

Lance popped the top on the pickles, nodding because it was true. Keith had been a douche. He got it, but it didn’t make it hurt less if he was completely honest

“I think he should head back out and make the most of burning up his extra energy”

Popping a pickle in his mouth, he groaned at the bitter taste. Soooo good. He just knew the chocolate with it would make it perfect. Opening the block of chocolate, he was proved right, moaning loudly at the bitter sweet tastes. Rubbing his butt against the floor, he seemed to have flipped on Keith’s horny switch

“Should I get him a pillow?”

Coran arched an eyebrow

“Whatever for?”

“So he can take care of his urges? I want to help, but that’s a no go. I don’t even know if he likes me that much anymore”

“He does. He was most concerned. Silly boy thought he was no longer Keith now he had his ego”

Hadn’t Lance told him that he was? Suddenly pickles and chocolate turned to tears. Keith was Keith. He was in there. He just needed to relearn to be himself

“I’m sorry. I’m having a lot of emotions right now. Keith, I’m not trying to be mean. I don’t know what to do. Matt and Rieva came as a pair and I know they do things when they wolf out... I guess I’m an arsehole for not understanding what it’s like to be a wolf”

“Whooooooooooo”

Lance shook his head, covering his face as he started crying harder. He wanted his pickles and he wanted to cry, but he couldn’t have both at the same time

“Perhaps it’s best you head to bed. I can stay with Keith”

What? Why? He’d been trying to get Keith outside and now he didn’t want him to go, but he also didn’t want to cause a situation where Keith acted out, because it was the natural wolf thing to do, with a possibly dire consequence

“But he’s meant to be my boyfriend! I told him he was still himself!”

“Keith will be quite safe with me. I’ll take him for a walk”

If Keith wasn’t hurt, then he had to be having trouble working out how to adjust to four legs... How could keith not walk? Then again, he could barely fly as a bat. His ego secretly laughed at Keith, upsetting Lance further. He felt all flustered over crying, making him cry more. Keith was huge and he couldn’t walk... and he wanted to do the do, but Lance didn’t want to do the do with anyone but Keith, and only when they were stable in their relationship with both of them consenting. Why did Coran have to bring him here when Lance was emotionally ready to see Keith?

“He can’t even walk... Coran, he can’t walk... How is he going to protect himself? He can’t walk...”

“He can walk. He simply needs to get used to his body being in a different form. Now, my boy, you head off back upstairs. We’ll soon have Keith adjusted to his new ego and form”

Craning his head back, Keith looked at him, howling mournfully

“A whooooooooo”

“I’m not leaving the house. I have to get some sleep, I’ve been busy since I got home. I need to rest for the sake of the twins, and I need to take my pickles and chocolate with me”

“A... a whoo!”

“You’ll be okay. You should go run. Trust me when I say you’ll feel better. Rieva and Matt always do”

Keith didn’t seem convinced

“Go. Run. Let your ego flare a little. If you’re anxious think of it like training. It’ll be good for you. I’m not trying to make you leave or anything like that, but you can’t pretend you’re not a wolf with wolf urges. That’d be like me trying to live on human food alone. Then in morning you’ll take a shower, clog my drain with mud and grass, but you’ll feel better for it”

Keith huffed, he eyed the bowl on the floor with annoyance. Okay, it was pretty animal like but Keith was an animal right now

“You’re allowed to act like a wolf. Drinking out a bowl doesn’t make you any less. You’ll be okay. You just have to stop overthinking, which I know is hard for you, but you are who you are. Wolf and... all”

Yawning, Lance wanted his bed. Now he knew Keith was alright, he’d be able to sleep then talk to Keith about it in the morning. When had he calmed down from sobs? And how did manage to sound calming when Keith was having an internal crisis. God. He needed sleep. He definitely wasn’t thinking straight

“And with that, off to bed with you”

“Yeah. I’m going. I’ll see you guys in the morning. Night, babe. Be safe”