Something Extra - Hungry Heart - Ch. 8 (Patreon)

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Chapter Eight – Mysterious Waters

“I heard you asked about me.” Varg examined Toru and the healer with cool eyes.

It surprised him to have such a strong reaction to whatever was happening there. In his life, he had never experienced a shortage of lovers, and this sort of feeling was new. Had he been a foolish pup still, he would have called it jealousy, but it couldn’t be that.

The handsome tigershifter was rubbing him the wrong way. Varg knew for a fact that Toru had responded to his kisses, and, without a doubt, he wasn’t unaffected when it came to physical closeness between them. However, he had declared his preference for the healer, and Varg wasn’t a hothead to interfere in such a situation.

His cool head was well aware of why Toru preferred Duril. The healer was the tigershifter’s opposite; he was gentle and patient. He was also quite attractive, although it appeared clear to Varg that he wasn’t at all aware of that.

Of course, he didn’t have half an arm but, after the war, many had returned with missing limbs. Duril, due to his parentage, had healed better; the difference was that those maimed warriors were no longer among them to remind everyone else of the horrors of war.

Duril was. It amazed Varg how quickly humans forgot. For him, Duril’s missing half arm was a reminder of what the war meant. The others saw a deformity, something they were afraid of instinctively, but transformed their fear into hate.

The healer had always kept to himself, and Varg had been too busy to pursue his friendship. But now, he was curious, and he very much wanted to get to know him. Also, he felt a sly satisfaction at the thought that Toru would hiss and turn into a porcupine the moment Varg showed even a modicum of interest in his friend.

“I wanted to know where you were.”

“Why?” Varg asked and began to take off his armor. A little dipping into the hot spring would work wonders for his tired bones. That wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.

“So that I could stay clear of you and your ugly mutt face. Why are you getting naked?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m coming in.”

“Don’t! You’ll taint the water!”

“Toru, what’s with you?” Duril scolded the tigershifter. “Sir … I mean Varg deserves to relax just as much as you.”

“And he could relax at home, not invade others’ hot springs.”

“They’re not ours,” Duril added, talking as if he had to deal with a hard-headed child.

The affection he put in every word wasn’t lost on Varg. He was happy that Toru’s feelings were reciprocated, so what was he still doing there? He was no longer young, impulsive and incapable of restraint when it came to someone who interested him.

Despite these wise thoughts, he stepped into the water, his eyes on Toru. The tigershifter was looking, without a doubt, straight at his manhood, and Varg made no move to hide it. After all, he had nothing to hide; only reasons to be proud, and by how Toru pouted, he could bet that he had come across as quite impressive.

Only when his bottom half disappeared into the water were Toru’s burning eyes raised to his face.

“Duril is chiding me because of you,” he said with petulance.

“He’s right,” Varg replied with a chuckle. He swam toward them, until they were close enough to touch.

Better said, he was close enough to Duril since Toru appeared to use him as a shield between them. Varg could tell the healer was beyond embarrassed, but it was hard to tell what exactly made him feel like that. His eyes kept darting sideways.

Suddenly, it all became clear. Toru’s eyes hadn’t been the only ones following him as he had stepped into the water. Could it be that he had that sort of effect on Duril, too? While the townsfolk had often been open in their distrust of the half-orc, travelers happening by must have seen the healer for what he truly was. At least, one time, if he remembered well, he had seen someone sneaking out of Duril’s hut after spending a few nights there.

Toru could be suspected of lack of enough experience, but not the healer. But Varg wasn’t the kind to reject interest when it was directed at him, openly or not so openly.

He came closer until his body almost touched Duril. “I’m glad to see you taking a break, Duril.” He addressed him on purpose. He could tell Toru was fuming, but unlike the impatient tigershifter, Varg had the time to observe the situation for what it was.

“I … thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. You earned it.”

“Th-thank you.”

“You’re making Duril uncomfortable,” Toru protested. “Why don’t you leave?”

“Toru, stop being so rude,” Duril whispered. “Varg is trying to be your friend.”

“And yours,” Varg said and placed one hand on Duril’s shoulder.

***

Toru couldn’t even say what came over him at that moment. He lunged at Varg, but his muscles had turned soft in the hot water, so instead of landing with his hands around the wolfshifter’s throat, he had slid down his chest, ending with his head under the water.

Strong hands caught him and brought him back up, but he was too pissed to care. Varg was laughing in his face, so he struggled to regain his footing. He had pushed Duril to one side, to protect him from that mutt’s wandering hands – who knew what he wanted? – so he felt a little guilty, but he had a score to settle.

“Let me go,” he protested.

Varg dropped him back into the water, but hard, so Toru’s feet slipped on the muddy bottom, and he was under the water again. This time, when he reemerged, he went straight for the mutt’s throat, determined not to make a fool of himself again.

But Varg caught his arms deftly and brought him close, keeping him immobilized. Toru stared into the dark eyes with defiance although he couldn’t move.

“Kitten, do you have something against me?” he asked smoothly.

“Varg, Toru, please don’t fight. I don’t understand --”

Duril pushed himself forward trying to to break them apart, and Toru tried to move, and then Varg did something, but the point was that suddenly, the healer was between them, caught without a chance of escaping, too.

“Mutt, let Duril go!”

“Why? It’s nice to keep you both like this, in my arms,” Varg retorted with a sly smile.

Duril wiggled so his butt was rubbing right against Toru’s nether parts. That could not end well. He let out a small moan and then clamped his mouth shut. Varg looked at him with playful eyes. “What was that?”

“It was nothing!”

***

Duril was frozen in shame. No, that wasn’t the correct way of describing the situation. He was hot, too hot. Toru’s manhood rubbed between his buttocks, and his own suddenly asserted its will by taking charge of itself and springing to life.

So, in the back, he had to deal with a sword barely waiting for his body to open like a sheath, while in the front, he found himself in a bout of sword fighting with none other than Varg, who was, Duril had admitted secretly, one of the most handsome men he had ever met.

Both were stiff and touching, and that was completely crazy. Duril could tell Toru was jealous, and Varg should have known better than to provoke a hothead like him. And the wolfshifter was laughing!

It unnerved Duril to no end that he, of all people, was in such a situation. He could barely recall the last time he had been intimate with someone, and now he was caught between two handsome men who appeared to take no note of his deformity, and actually rubbed against him, fully knowing what they were doing.

Varg’s breath was hot on his face. Toru was puffing and huffing behind. Talking about a rock and a hard place. Duril made another attempt to placate the two men. “Please,” he keened.

“I’m doing nothing. It’s this mutt,” Toru protested.

“Don’t I have the right to spend some time with two of my favorite people?” Varg asked.

Duril looked at Varg, blushing when he stared back. Favorite people? It wasn’t like Varg to tease anyone that way.

“Don’t you have any friends?” Toru spat. “Duril is mine! Just go back to your pack already!”

“Why would I do that when I’m having so much fun here?”

Toru let out a string of grumbling words that Duril had to block mentally, scared of how uncouth the young man was. But Varg was still laughing, and he still held both of them in his tree trunk arms. Not even Toru appeared to be able to break free and he was moving against Duril’s ass shamelessly.

Suddenly, Varg let them go, and Duril could finally breathe. Alarmed at what Toru might try to do, he turned. As expected, the steam rising from the pool was nothing compared to the fumes coming out of Toru’s ears, figuratively speaking. Duril placed his hand on Toru’s wet chest. “Varg just likes to tease us. Don’t take it to heart.”

“Just look at him!”

Duril turned, and his eyes grew wide. Varg had hoisted himself onto a ledge, and everyone present had a clear line of sight between his strong muscular legs. Duril gulped for air for a moment, but a movement from Toru convinced him that he didn’t have time for that. “Toru, no!”

They struggled for a bit, Toru clearly bent on finding a way to strangle Varg, while Duril didn’t want any of that.

“Why aren’t you letting me?” Toru complained.

At least, he stopped, so Duril embraced him to keep him from doing anything stupid. Varg appeared to have a soft spot for Toru, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t change his mind and teach him a lesson. As strong and fast as Toru was, he couldn’t expect to take Varg easily. After all, Varg was a wolfshifter, and Toru but a human, albeit an extraordinary one.

“Be a good boy,” Duril replied.

“A good boy?” Toru bristled. “I’m not a good boy!”

Duril stared, trying to seem as tough as he could manage. “Are you a bad boy?”

“I’m not a mutt! Only mutts like to be called a good boy and petted on their heads.”

From his vantage point, Varg was roaring with laughter. Duril had just had enough with everything.

“Sir Varg, you should know better!”

“Sir? I told you not to call me --”

“And I refuse. It looks to me like you’re forgetting who you are, so someone has to remind you,” Duril scolded the wolfshifter.

Varg’s grin softened. His eyes were taking Duril in with unhidden interest. “I see. You’re not wrong. But you have to admit, kitty over there is just too easy to tease.”

Duril pursed his lips in an effort to hide a smile. If it weren’t for the two men present being so strong and capable of truly hurting each other, he would have found the situation at least a bit amusing.

“I heard you might have come here, and I wanted to join you,” Varg explained. “We all did a great job fighting those enemies. We all deserve a break.”

Duril nodded. “Of course. Please forgive Toru. He’s young.”

“I’m not that young,” Toru protested.

Duril had noticed that by simply holding Toru, he had stopped his rampage. It looked like he preferred to hurl insults at Varg from there, without doing anything.

“Come on, we are all friends here,” Duril added. “Toru, you should shake hands with Varg, and apologize.”

“I won’t,” Toru said defiantly.

“Yes, you will. Varg saved your life.”

“I thought you did.”

Duril was about to open his mouth and mention Agatha, but his eyes crossed with Varg’s, and he remained silent.

“We all saved each other,” Varg offered and jumped from the ledge back into the water.

Duril averted his eyes as the snake of flesh swung between the wolfshifter’s legs. What was with him and such lustful thoughts lately? He could always blame it on Toru and his cuddling. He had not thought of such things in a long time. Then the boisterous youngster had come through the door…

It was time for someone else to take the reins. He took Toru’s right hand and pulled him toward Varg. “Time to make up,” he said sternly.

***

As much as the wolfshifter was pissing him off, Toru had to admit that Varg had a mouth-watering manhood. Usually, he was the one whose body was worshipped by his human lovers, but Toru was itching to play with that thing, grab it and stroke it; just curious about how large it would grow.

But he could bet the mutt would laugh at him if he did anything of the kind. Varg liked to challenge him, knowing full well what that meant.

Duril wanted him to be friends with Varg, so he needed to play nice. Also, he wouldn’t get out of the water just yet since his own manhood had grown to its full length and didn’t want to go down. Having Duril wiggle his juicy butt against him had been too much. He wanted to take it slow, but if his manhood had slipped inside by accident, he wouldn’t have complained.

Varg grabbed him by the back of the neck and squeezed. “I’m your friend,” he said with determination, while looking him in the eye.

He couldn’t deny that. Varg had had his back and more. No one had ever done as much for him. That feeling of safety was dangerous, though. Varg offered him his hand, but he smacked it away.

Of course, it was the wrong move, because Varg caught him deftly and locked him in a tight embrace.

And a kiss. Toru let out a surprised moan, as Varg kissed him, pushing his tongue inside his mouth and giving him a taste. Too late, he realized Duril was there, so he struggled to break free. “Not fair,” he protested, as soon as he could speak.

“Yes, that’s true.”

To his complete shock, Varg took Duril and kissed him, too. Toru’s mind went blank. The hunger in the wolfshifter’s kiss was unmistakable. And Duril seemed to enjoy it! How dared that mutt …?

But, even as part of him wanted to revolt, the other wanted to stay there and watch, without doing a thing. When Varg licked Duril’s bottom lip, and a small sound escaped his lips, Toru pounced. “What are you doing with my Duril, mutt?!”

Varg didn’t put up any resistance, but a grin split his face ear to ear. “Yours? Have you asked him if he wants to be claimed like this?”

Toru stopped, a bit confused and ashamed. The truth was he hadn’t asked. And Duril was just so kind; he would go along only because he didn’t want to say ‘no’. He had even let the mutt kiss him!

Determined not to lose, he moved and took Duril from Varg’s arms. The healer’s face was transfigured, and he appeared even more confused than Toru.

“Can I kiss you, too?” He stared at Varg for a moment.

Duril just nodded, a fog over his eyes. Toru wasted no more time and pressed their lips together. He took his time and caressed the silky inside of Duril’s mouth with his tongue, playing around, until they were both out of breath.

“Who’s better? Me or the mutt?” he asked. He observed Varg for a moment, and he was met by amused eyes.

Duril shook his head. “Are you both in need of some good old-fashioned discipline? Stop kidding around, or I’ll find a branch to redden your behinds.” His cheeks were so red that not even his complexion could hide it.

Varg burst into laughter. “That would be a sight. I’d love to see Toru with his ass up in the air, getting a bit of spanking.”

“You wouldn’t be spared, Sir Varg,” Duril turned toward him.

Toru snickered. Varg, strong and proud, put in such a shameful position. He would love to see that. And kind-hearted Duril, with one hand raised, ready to administer some punishment, would be too much. He began laughing so hard that he bent from the middle and almost took in a mouthful of water.

“I cannot believe I’m saying this, but you are two naughty boys,” Duril said.

“Please, forgive us. It’s not every day that we have to fight for our lives. We could all use a little bit of laughing,” Varg said courteously.

Duril smiled and then, he started laughing, too. Toru observed the two people he had known only for a few days. He was closer to them than he had ever been to anyone, as far back as he could remember.

***

They had frolicked in the water for a while, the tension gone, happy and free, and now they were back in Whitekeep. Duril had had to resign himself to the idea that his shop would have to wait until tomorrow to be put in order. He walked between the other two and enjoyed listening to their happy banter. No one would believe him if he told that only earlier, the two handsome men had been at each other’s throats, only to kiss later.

Duril was still confused and elated over the kisses he had received, too. He had told the two naughty men to shake hands and make up, but the events had taken a turn completely unfathomable, at least to him.

It had been only a bit of fun, lacking guilt. It had lacked shame, too, but Duril couldn’t complain. He was glad he had defused the situation without too much trouble. Also, he was secretly glad for everything that had happened, although the confusion in his brain was steadily growing.

He was attracted to Toru, but Varg didn’t leave him unaffected. What did that make him? He didn’t have an answer to that and didn’t dare try to think of one too much, either.

***

What could have possessed him to take things so far? Varg wasn’t entirely sure he knew the answer. At first, he had just wanted to tease Toru a little, to see those golden eyes spark, and for the kitty to take out his claws. He hadn’t aimed to turn it all into a sensuous interaction, but it had been so easy, so natural, just to go for it.

Toru was spicy, Duril was sweet. Together, they were a heady combination, and Varg would have stopped and scratched his head while wondering if old age was waiting for him around the corner and was now messing with his brain, but he was certain it wouldn’t help.

All his life he hadn’t known himself to be a lustful person. He had enjoyed his lovers, their bodies, their lips, but nothing from before compared with the heat turned into lava in his loins at the sight of the other two men together.

That was something he would have to think long and hard about another time. For now, he enjoyed the others’ company and didn’t want to ruin it for the world.

***

The mutt was all right, after all. Of course, it had taken Duril’s presence to avoid a rumble between them, but Toru had to admit, reluctantly, that Varg was a likeable mutt. He hadn’t missed how much Duril had enjoyed their kisses, and Toru still had no answer to his question. He would just ask Duril, again, when they were alone. He had to be better than that mutt; he just had to be.

Varg bid them farewell, apparently busy with things that only he could handle. Just watching him gave Toru a little thrill. Between Duril and Varg, he got more and more confused. It didn’t help that it had been a while since he had last spent himself inside another’s body.

But now, he needed to behave. Not like a good boy, like a mutt, but like himself; Duril would see that he was the better one and forget all about how Varg had kissed him.

That was something he suspected that he wouldn’t be able to forget, though. Varg had a way of kissing, unlike any other. Maybe it happened because he was a wolf at heart, a cunning beast with a clever mind who could easily get what he wanted.

Reluctantly, Toru had to admit that strength-wise, he had met his match, and that the mutt was smarter, too, although he wouldn’t admit that out loud even if someone pulled his tail. He had to secure his place in Duril’s heart, and that started that moment.

He hooked one arm over Duril’s shoulders and pulled him close as they walked toward their shared home. “Finally, that mutt left us alone.”

“Toru, you should get along with Varg. He’s a good person.”

“You mean a mutt.”

“I have no idea how he lets you get away with that. He is known for being fair, but ruthless. Let no others hear you calling him that. He would be seen with different eyes, and he deserves the respect.”

Toru knew Duril had a point. Also, he didn’t want to hear anyone daring to call Varg names. He was the only one allowed to do that. It made him feel proud for some reason. “Duril, did something happen when I was dead to the world?”

A keen sense told him that he was missing a chunk of whatever had happened to him after the large bird had attacked him.

Duril hesitated. “We didn’t know how to cure you. Varg went and brought Agatha, the town’s witch.”

Call me old witch.

Toru stopped, that voice, hoarse like an old bird’s caw, clear in his head. “The old witch.”

“Ah, so you remember. It puzzled me that you didn’t seem to recall her, but I supposed that’s the way magic works. I haven’t had a lot to do with it, or with Agatha.”

“What did she do to me?”

“That, I don’t know. She pushed us all out and took care of you by herself. Whatever she did, it worked because you’re here, alive and in good health.”

“Then I should go thank her,” Toru said promptly. She had told him things, he was sure of it, and he wanted to know what they were.

“Witches are strange people,” Duril replied. “Agatha doesn’t like to be disturbed. I suppose she only came to see you because Varg insisted.”

“Hmm,” Toru let out, not completely convinced. “I’ll go and see her, anyway. Where does she live?”

“In a hut, at the outskirts of Whitekeep. I’ll show you the way. But wait until tomorrow. It’s getting dark, and I don’t want you roaming the streets, alone.” There was real worry in Duril’s voice, and Toru wondered why.

He puffed out his chest. “I can handle myself. No one scares me.”

“That I know. But you shouldn’t go see a witch after dark. It could be a bad omen.”

Toru laughed. “You worry too much. But will you let me sleep with you? Then I’ll wait until tomorrow.”

“Of course. You’re welcome in my bed. But not as a … I mean … you’re welcome to sleep,” Duril mumbled.

Toru pressed a small kiss against his cheek. “I know I’ll make you forget about girls. But I’ll take my time.”

Duril let out a small, nervous laugh. They were home, or else Toru would have kissed him right there in the street.

***

Toru snuck under the covers, next to Duril, and placed his head on his shoulder. He sniffed around Duril’s neck. “You smell so nice all the time.”

Duril laughed softly and caressed his head. “You know you’re a seducer, don’t you?”

“Am not,” Toru protested, but not too hard.

Unlike other parts of him that had been teased enough all day long.

Duril kissed the crown of his head. “I wish you would stay here forever.”

Toru sighed. “It’s not the way I am. I’m always on the move.”

“You don’t have to be. You have a home here.” Duril fell silent, and Toru knew what he meant, but he didn’t have it in him to lie.

“I will have to go,” he added in a small voice. “It’s just something I need.”

“To be on the road, alone?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds sad. But I’m not,” Toru said with renewed energy. “It’s just something I crave. I sensed this scent --”

He fell quiet. Humans didn’t sense strange scents and follow.

“What kind of scent?” Duril questioned.

“I can’t describe it. I just know that once I find it, it would make this feeling here, go.” He took Duril’s hand and placed it over his chest.

“What feeling?”

“It’s … I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like a hunger, but it’s not food it craves. It has grown with me since I was a cub.” He bit his tongue hard.

“A cub?”

“I mean, a child. I’ve always felt it,” Toru said quickly, hoping that Duril wouldn’t dwell too long on his strange choice of words.

“And isn’t it better now?” Duril asked in what appeared to be a hopeful voice.

Toru stopped and thought about it. It wasn’t as demanding as always. Maybe being with someone like Duril made him feel different. But it was there and, sooner or later, it would order his feet to move and take to the road again. He wouldn’t make promises he would end up breaking later.

“Can I kiss you again?” Toru asked.

Duril blushed.

“I know I kiss better than Varg,” he said with a hint of pique.

“I didn’t compare the two of you,” Duril protested.

“How could you not? I saw how you looked after he kissed you,” Toru said and regretted his accusing tone right away.

“He took me by surprise. But he didn’t mean anything by it.”

“But I mean it,” Toru insisted. “Here. Don’t let me kiss you. But you kiss me instead.”

“How is that any different?” Duril wondered.

“It is. Because I’m not imposing anything on you. Do it if you want.”

There was silence, and Toru’s heart sank. What if Duril nurtured feelings toward the mutt, after all? They had lived there for many years, and they knew each other. What if there was some old history between them? What if –

His head was held gently, and Duril’s soft lips were on him. For someone who saw the healer for the first time, it would have been a shock to discover how kind he was, how warm his skin. People looked at him and saw a pair of tusks, a strong body, and a missing limb. But he was more than that, and Toru could vouch for it.

Duril’s kiss was chaste at first. He only pressed his lips softly against Toru, without going further. But Toru was willing to be patient and allow his new friend to practice and discover new things.

Duril peppered small kisses along his jawline, too. He was spoiling Toru, and the need to shift was so great that it was a feat to stop it from ruining everything.

He straightened up, and Duril moved away quickly. “Wow, you’re so good!” he said and breathed out.

“I am? You moved away so fast I thought I might have been doing something wrong.”

“No. You’re too good,” Toru replied.

He lay on his back and turned with his face to the wall. When Duril lay by his side, he grabbed his arm and placed it on top of his thigh. Then, after a short deliberation, he moved Duril’s hand and placed it on top of his hard crotch.

There was just a small sound of protest from the other, but it died down quickly. Toru smiled when Duril’s fingers relaxed and then traced the shape of his manhood, cradling it in a protective gesture.

***

It had to be after midnight when Toru woke up from a strange dream. He was walking through a jungle, and there was someone walking by his side, someone he could feel, but couldn’t see. In his dream, he turned and tried to catch who that was, but all around him, mirrors like mountain walls threw back his own reflection.

The road through the mirrored walls was long, and Toru gave up on trying to discover the face of his companion. Was it a human? Who was it? He was in his tiger form, and walking took no effort. But the road ahead stretched so long and suddenly, a deep painful feeling of longing squeezed his chest.

It had to be because of what had been happening to him lately. He took Duril’s arm and placed it by his side carefully. It was night still, but the restlessness he knew so well wouldn’t let him sleep anymore.

Slowly, without making a sound, he abandoned the warm bed and the one sleeping inside. He needed to find a cure for the hole in his chest, that strange pain that never left him.

What he had to do at the moment was to pay a visit to the old witch. Duril’s warning rang in his ears, for a moment. But those were just the worries of someone who knew fear; he could understand why Duril was like that.

Not him. He quenched fears; he beat them into submission. And now, even though seeking magic at night was something others believed to be a bad omen, he needed to go find Agatha.

Duril didn’t have to show him the way. Like remains from the dream from earlier, the road lay ahead of him, and he only had to walk the path. At its end, he would find the truth he was yearning for.

TBC

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