If You Give A Dragon Shelter Part 1

[angelzfurys]

If You Give A Dragon Shelter Part One

Fic title: If You Give A Dragon Shelter
Author name: angelzfurys
Artist name: aggiedoll
Genre: SPN RPF
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG-13
Word count: ~22,000
Warnings: discriptions of male alien body parts, Human X Alien sex

Summary: Alien Jared is awake from his coma and Jensen tries to understand him and teach him to communicate as he figures out how to get Jared home. Jared wants to take Jensen with him.

Authors Note: This is a completed work and is book two in a trilogy. Book three to be posted and linked here later. It's a slow burn that will get darker over time. The idea for this story is based on three different books and some ideas borrowed from Stargate-SG1.

Link on AO3 comming soon

A big shout out to my artist aggiedoll for the wonderful art!

Find the orignial art post here (coming as soon as I get a link)

Thanks to kinkyqu33nspn for the beta work.




Day 1
Awakening

Jared regained consciousness slowly, careful to keep his body regulated as to appear to still be unconscious. As the minutes passed, he began building the mental shields he would need for another day of torture to add to his constant pain. Except there wasn’t any pain. His mind raced and his symbiont flowed over him to help him control his body as he searched his memory for what happened to him. He remembered his escape from the enemy stronghold clearly enough. He’d called for his brothers’ aid as his ship took to the sky. But then he had lost consciousness. Had his brothers rescued him or did his ship made it home?

Fragments of images and feelings mixed with what could only be dreams flashed in his mind’s eye. A handsome male, a strange hairy four-legged beast, a bigger four-legged beast that resembled the wild zapas of his home that he used to hunt as a boy. None of it made any sense, so instead he focused on the present so he could find out where he was and so that he would be prepared for anything to come.

He was not restrained in any way which would work in his favor should he need to protect himself. He was mostly healed with the help of his symbiont, but he was not in his ship, so he must be in a place that was at least somewhat friendly if not completely safe. He could feel that his body was clean and mostly dressed. He was lying on a very soft surface with warm blankets coving him. But none of the faint sounds he could hear were familiar. The strange and unfamiliar scents tickled his nose as he breathed slowly and deeply through it. He was not on his home planet or any planet that he had been to before.

This was not a good sign as he had explored all the territory his people governed and knew all of them by smell. Their ships could only go so far and they had conquered all the planets within reach long ago. They had lost a few in the last few centuries, as their ships could no longer travel the distances they once could. This meant that wherever he was, he had help getting there.

His symbiont did not seem to be in distress. In fact, it seemed to hum with a strength and energy he had never experienced before. Connecting with it, he got the emotions of being sated and happy and safe, hazy images of the handsome male from his dreams accompany the emotions. Whoever the male was, he was kind and knew something of Jared’s people, as it appeared he’d been able to help Jared’s symbiont. Which was a conundrum, as he was sure that he was on a planet he had not visited before. Could his ship have made it far enough out to one of their former subject planets to hide on? If that was true, would they not have been hostel to him as his people once ruled theirs?

He was brought out of his musings by the sound of a door opening close by. He focused his energy on keeping up the appearance of being unconscious while his senses on his surroundings and the being that entered his room. There was only one by the sound of the faint footsteps and he did not hear the clinking of metal of any weapons. His nose could smell food of a fibrous and starchy kind, but no meat. There was another smell mixed in that he could not place. When the being was next to his bed, for that was surely where he lay instead of a harder healing table, he could smell the being himself. It was a male from the tangy and musky undertone, but on top of that were the most delicious scents. Sweet rasca, his favorite flower and sap from the bengo trees with a touch of flum, his favorite fruit.

His body and hormones began to react to the smells, and it took everything in him to switch focus for a moment to not betray himself and become vulnerable. While he got himself in check the being sat down on the edge of his bed. He went on alert and felt the air shift as something came towards him. He reacted instinctually and opened his eyes. He bared his teeth in a show of dominance and warning as his hand came up and grabbed the object coming towards him.

It was an arm of a male who looked to be about his age. A very handsome male. Who was apparently frightened by his expression and from the acidic tang that mixed into his scent. There was nothing in his hand and his other arm stayed still at his side as he made no move to defend himself or get away. Jared was about to let him go when his eye caught the sight of a silvery band of a symbiont on his wrist. He knew instantly that the symbiont was his, and it startled him into letting out a growl purely on instinct. The muscles of the arm within his grasp tensed and to stop the male from fleeing Jared rolled. As he did so, he pulled on the male’s arm yanking him forward and off balance enough to flip him over his body and onto the bed Jared lay on. He kept rolling until he was on top pinning the male down with his body. Which thankfully was no longer reacting to the male’s scent in a pleasure capacity but tensed to fight. He had no idea how this male had gotten ahold of his symbiont when no one else could have despite how hard some had tried recently. His free hand went to the male’s throat and he gripped it hard enough to get the message that fighting back would be pointless. But not hard enough to choke him into unconsciousness. He needed answers before he would decide what to do with the male even if he had been helpful in the time he was unconscious.

But before he could do anything his symbiont acted and not in a way he had ever experienced. It began with a tingle that became unpleasant in the span of a breath and just kept getting worse. His own symbiont was hurting him. It was shocking him bad enough that he let go of the male’s throat and loosened his grip on his arm. As soon as he did, his symbiont stopped shocking him and the energy it gave off was a mild humming vibration. He took a moment to try and puzzle out what was going on and why his symbiont was defending the male it had bonded with.

Then it hit him and he inhaled a deep breath and let primal instinct take over and his symbiont to flood his mind with its presence. This male was his mate, his true perfect mate.

But that couldn’t be? There was no such thing and even if there was this male was not of his species. There should have been no way for his symbiont to bond with the male as it had without his effort to make it. But it had and it seemed stronger for it. He racked his mind to recall anything he had heard or read that would explain what was happening. Besides a few bits of myths his mother had told him of mates long ago there was nothing. Besides that the symbiont bonding had not featured in what he could remember. He looked down into the face of his mate and studied the male. His first assessment that the male was handsome was accurate. The male’s skin was paler than his own and had fine light-colored hairs over most of what he could see. Their noses and mouths were the same but the male’s eyes were different. The pupils were round and the wonderfully green color of the irises didn’t shift although they were flecked with amber. There were tiny darker colored dots sprinkled across the male’s face. He wondered if it was dirt of the planet, purposeful decoration the male had marked himself with, or just a feature of the skin much like the copious amounts of hair. The male’s ears were also different, rounded on top instead of pointed and he wondered if the male’s hearing was affected by the shape.

The male was slightly smaller than him and his clothing was simple enough that Jared could feel the male’s body through it. The male was in fit shape, although there wasn’t much muscle for fighting. He wanted to get a closer look at the male’s body, to inspect it and memorize it before they made love and sealed a mating bond. He wondered what else would be different from his own body, it couldn’t be much or they would not be able to bond. They had to be somewhat compatible for his symbiont to have bonded with the male. He reached out with his free hand again. But this time he stroked the male’s neck gently before leaning up a bit to let his hand trail down to the male’s chest. He could feel the male’s fast heart beat fluttering beneath his skin and bone. He kept his hand in place as he leaned his head down to nuzzle at the male’s neck and breathed in his scent to memorize it.

The smell of his mate was tantalizing, a mix of the things he loved best about his home. His body grew aroused as he inhaled another lungful of air and he let out a chuf in pleasure. That was when his mate decided to move and he was caught off guard as the male pushed him up and rolled away from him. He let out a growl of frustration and sat up before lunging off the bed and darting towards his mate who was fleeing towards the door to the room.

He only spared a second to process that the floor beneath his feet was cool wood, and that besides the bed, he did not recognize anything else in the room as things he had seen before. His main focus and goal was on stopping his mate from leaving the room before they could talk. The door was simple enough, a board of wood hinged to the wall with a knob to enter and exit. The door was the type to swing inward. His mate had managed to get it cracked open before he was close enough to reach over his mate and push it closed before it was wide enough for his mate to slip out. He kept pressure on it to keep it closed and leaned in to crowd his mate against it and block any further attempt to flee. There had been a window he’d seen from the corner of his eye when he had gotten up from the bed. It was closed because there was no air circulation to indicate it was open. There were drapes in the way of any potential view so he did not know how high they were from the ground, but he did not want his mate to attempt to go out it should he reach it.

His mate was muttering something softly that he could not understand and he leaned in further bending his head towards the back of his mate’s neck. Even getting closer did not make the words his mate was saying any clearer. They did not speak the same language it seemed. His actions and lack of communication had frightened his mate. The acidic tang of it soured his natural sweet scent. Jared would have to calm his mate before he could introduce himself and find out where his ship was so he could take his mate home.

He reached out and gently grasped his mate by the shoulder and pulled to turn him so that they could be face to face. His mate’s body was rigid with tension but he slowly turned, however he would not look at Jared’s face, instead keeping his lead bent at the level of his chest. Jared signed and tried to greet him in the universal tongue of his territorial kingdom.

If this planet’s people had been unreachable for a time they might have gone back to their native language. But the common tongue should still have survived, if in part at least.

“Greetings, I am Jared. High king of the Drakon and ruler of the seven planets of Telous. It is a pleasure to meet my mate.”

His mate did not respond except to shake his head from side to side. Jared repeated himself and this time his mate answered, still shaking his head from side to side but he could not understand. His mate did not understand the common language of his kingdom and his translator did not know his mate’s language. His mate’s translator must be new or broken to not know the common language and this puzzled him. He was at a loss of how to continue when his mate spoke again.

****************

Jensen held deathly still. He didn’t even breathe as he waited for Bob to do…well anything really. They just stared at each other for what felt like minutes but was probably only seconds before Bob’s gaze shifted. Bob then let out a menacing growl that was deep enough he felt the rumbling vibration up his arm. Nope. Not good, not good at all. It was time to run. He tensed, ready to flee, but he was too late. Bob rolled on the bed and the unexpected move pulled him off his feet and onto the bed and its occupant. Before he knew it, he was on the in the middle of the bed bodily pinned down and probably about to die a horrible death. He tensed again, readying to try and fight back, but froze when Bob’s other hand closed around his throat. The grip was tight but not actively choking him to death as Bob stared intently at him and it gave him a small glimmer of hope that he might just yet live to see another day. After all, even if he did decide to fight back Bob was not only taller than him, he was heavier by at least fifty pounds and it was all muscle from what he could feel as Bob covered him literally head to toe. He would not come out victorious, best to play docile and wait.

He lay frozen, again not even daring to breathe and tried to give off the look and feeling that he was not a threat. After all, that was what had to be going on in Bob’s mind, or at least he hoped so. Waking up in a strange place with a stranger beside you after you had obviously been through a horrible ordeal of a crash and/or possibly worse, would put anyone on edge. He wasn’t sure he himself wouldn’t act in a hostile manner towards a stranger who appeared at his side. Well, ok if he was being honest, he wouldn’t, but then again, he wasn’t on an alien planet dealing with someone who wasn’t his species.

He was startled when he felt the bands around his wrists and ankles begin the thrum with energy. It was faint, but somehow soothing. Bob on the other hand did not look like he was enjoying the experience. Whatever the bands were doing, they were working in his favor as a few moments later Bob’s grip on his arm slackened considerably and he let go of his throat. Then Bob inhaled deeply and a look of surprise came over his features. He hoped that it was a good kind of surprise and not a bad one.

Bob gave him the once over, this time assessing him as he had Bob when he had been checking him for injury that first day. He blushed at the frank assessment. After a minute of looking him over Bob’s had came back up to his throat and he wondered what Bob had seen in him to make him decide to kill him. But the strangling pressure never came, instead Bob caressed his neck gently as a lover might. Bob put more weight on his lower half, pressing Jensen down harder into the bed as his torso lifted and his hand continued from his neck to his chest. His heart began to beat frantically both from the lack of air since he hadn’t taken a breath in a while and just from the general fear of the goings on in that Bob may kill him at any moment. He panicked and his heart almost burst when Bob leaned his head down and nuzzled at his neck just above his shoulder breathing deeply. He had flashes of Bob’s very sharp teeth sinking into his neck ala Dracula to drink his blood or just savage him to death ala Cujo.

But neither of those things happened, and he sucked in a deep breath in shock as he felt Bob becoming aroused. Bob kept sniffing him before he let out a strange noise that wasn’t really a growl but a mix between a growl, a cat’s purr, and a hiss. Of all the things that could have happened when Bob woke up he had never considered that Bob would want to have sex. Kill him, eat him, flee from him, or befriend him were all likely scenarios but not fuck him. Adrenaline flooded his system and his flight response previously aborted kick back in. This time surprise was on his side and he was able to push Bob up off him enough to roll out from under him and off the edge of the bed.

As soon as his feet hit the floor he staggered upright and ran for the door. He did not look back as he heard Bob’s deep growl before the rustling of blankets that meant Bob was getting off the bed to pressure him. He had to make it out of the room. He didn’t have time to get his gun out of the safe he kept it in tucked in the corner of the closet in his old bedroom now study. Instead, he would have to try to make it to his workshop or the barn where he had tools and bars of metal stashed he could use as weapons.

He had managed to turn the knob and crack the door open enough to see the path of his escape but not actually wide enough to do so before Bob caught up to him. The door slammed shut and wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he pulled and he couldn’t go back as Bob pinned him to the door with the weight of his body. Images of death again flashed through his mind as Bob’s weight pressed the air out of him. It was strange that he had time to think about how fast Bob had recovered to be able to be fast enough to catch him after not moving from a coma like sleep for three days and subsiding on nothing but broth as well in between the flashes of his death.

He was brought back to the immediate present by Bob pressing harder into his back and his prominent erection poking him in the butt and back. He closed his eyes and started to plead to Bob, to God, or to anyone or anything to hear him, a chant of self-fulfillment as he began to shiver in fear and from too much adrenaline with no outlet to burn it off.

“Please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me.”

Bob’s hand landed on his shoulder and it took everything he had not to flinch at the touch. Bob eased back and bit and Bob pulled on his shoulder. He didn’t want to move but Bob was stronger and the pressure wasn’t forceful so instead of fight what would have been inevitable he moved. Bob turned him around so they were front to front. He didn’t dare look at Bob’s face in case it was a sign of aggression or permission or whatever for Bob to keep up his assault. And he did not want to look down at Bob’s lower body to see what he had already felt and again give the impression of permission for further assault. So instead, he stared at Bob’s chest, which was very prominent so close up in his straining t-shirt.

Bob…spoke…was all he could think as a long string of sounds he had never heard before and could not have been produced from a human throat can from just above his head. He shook his head to try and clear the harsh noise from his ears and in disappointment that things would not be earlier. It was obvious that Bob had not understood him and there was no way on Earth that he was going to be able to understand Bob. Earth had language, Bob’s planet…obviously did not. The sounds were more animalistic he decided just as Bob “spoke” again. He wasn’t an expert, but it seemed as if the sounds were the same as before. So Bob was trying to speak to him. That was a good thing. Right?

He kept shaking his head as he replied even though doing so was useless, “I don’t understand you.”

For a second they both stood there in silence while he thought. He decided to try a cliché that he saw in many movies where complete strangers meet and couldn’t communicate. “Jensen” he said softly at first not sure his plan would work. He looked up at Bob’s face, which was in a neutral expression before repeating his name. Bob’s eyebrows came together and he blinked in puzzlement. He brought his hand up slowly to not provoke any reaction from Bob and lightly patted his chest while again repeating his name slowly three times.

When he got to the last time Bob was trying to imitate him and things seemed impossible. He sighed, then sucked in a deep breath as Bob’s hand came up and circled his throat. How had they gotten back to him being killed again? But Bob’s hand didn’t squeeze it just rested there and after a second Bob’s other hand came up and patted him on the chest and a noise came out of Bob’s mouth.

He took a chance and tried again. “Jensen.” Bob “spoke” again this time the tone was smoother and he got the en sound. Before Jensen could say his name again the silvery band on Bob’s wrist became liquid and crept up Bob’s hand towards his throat. He couldn’t see it there but he could feel it twinging around Bob’s fingers and resting over and around his Adam’s apple. When he didn’t speak Bob patted his chest again lightly. “J-e-n-s-e-n” he spoke slowly and enunciated hoping things would get moving on the communication front. Bob tried again to say his name and it’s a better attempt but far from perfect.

They repeat the process four times, each time better than the last before Bob’s silvery bracelet moves back to his wrist and Bob lets go of his throat. He is a bit startled when Bob grabs his own throat and the silvery band flows up to encircle it. Nothing happens for a beat, then Bob slowly says Jensen’s name correctly even if there is an unplaceable accent that makes the sen sound a little more like sean at first before he tries again and gets it perfect.

He actually smiles up at Bob and a wave of happiness washes over him at the idea that with a ton of work they might just be able to communicate if he can teach Bob some basic words. Because there is no way for him to ever learn Bob’s random sounds as language. He just hopes Bob won’t have to grab him by the throat to learn each word. What if he had Bob listen to some of those phonics lessons that parents got their kids when they started or were having trouble in school. Some of the word choices were basic every day words. Or have him watch the lessons on the tv so he could see the pictures that went with the words so Bob would have something to associate them with. After all context was a huge part of communication. It wouldn’t do any good to have Bob be able to say words in English without knowing what those words meant or went with.

He must have been ignoring Bob for too long stuck in his own head and ideas for what to do because he was brough back to the present by Bob sticking his fingers in his mouth. For a second his instinct was to bite but he checked himself for doing that and then had to stop himself from pulling away. Not that there was much room for that, Bob still had him backed against the door. Bob’s expression was puzzled as he poked at his teeth and he understood. Bob’s teeth were sharp after all and even if they looked a bit similar on the outside, they still had differences. Bob withdrew his fingers and a look of what had to be disappointment crossed his face before he shook his own head as if to clear it. Bob took hold of his wrist briefly inspecting it, or more likely the silvery band around it before bringing it up and placing his hand to his chest.

He could feel that Bob’s heart beat was strong and much slower than his own. He only had a moment to process this before Bob made a noise. Bob waited before repeating the noise and pulling his hand away from then slapping it back onto his chest. Bob was trying to tell him his name. There was no way this was going to work but he had to try just to show Bob that it wouldn’t. From the growing look of disappointment on Bob’s face each time he tried and failed to say Bob’s real name he could see his plan going down the drain as frustration replaced the look of disappointment.

Bob stopped trying to get him to say his name and he waited for Bob to let go of his wrist but Bob just stayed still. He gave a small gentle tug to prompt Bob to let go but Bob’s grip tightened fractionally instead. He signed just as Bob lifted his hand from his chest, but instead of letting go he brought his hand up to Bob’s own throat. He tried to close his fingers but Bob’s other hand came up and manipulated his fingers until his hand was open and resting against Bob’s throat. He didn’t move his fingers just let his hand lay open and flat awkwardly on top of Bob’s throat when the silvery band on his wrist flowed up to mingle with his fingers. He now saw what Bob’s band must have done to his won throat not long ago. Bob said his name again drawing it out much like he had his own and he obliged Bob and tried again without success. After a repeat or two the silvery band went back to his wrist and Bob moved his hand back to his chest. The silvery band became fluid again but this time it flowed up his arm and over his shoulder and moments later he could feel it around his throat. He was a bit worried now as it settled into place and Bob once again said his name.

He thought hard for a moment, going over the sound in his mind before a slight pressure began to grow and he winced a bit as he drew in a breath. He let it out in an imitation as best he could of Bob and felt a sting of pressure and pain in his throat as the sound came out very close to Bob’s. He immediately started coughing and hacking from the pain it caused him and his eyes watered as his next breath hurt his throat. He wondered what the band around his neck had done to him because there was no other way he could have made that sound come out of his throat. The pain and pressure was the other sign it had done something to him and his free hand went up to his throat as he tugged his wrist from Bob’s grasp. Bob let him go and even took a step back to give him some space as he coughed. As he did, a tingling cooling sensation spread through his throat and he stopped coughing. When he was better, the silvery band flowed back down to his wrist. He gave it a nasty glace even though it wouldn’t affect anything, but it made him feel a bit better.

“Jensen” Bob said his name and he looked back up at his visitor. Bob looked concerned and for that he was thankful. Despite Bob’s initial reaction upon waking Bob didn’t seem to want to hurt him. HE noticed out of the corner of his eye that Bob’s erection seemed to have deflated for the most part. There was still a budge in the pants but that may have just been a combination of how big Bob was naturally and the tightness of the pants. He was going to have to do something about that now.

He signed again and sagged against the door in exhaustion even know it was still very early. “What am I going to do with you?” It wasn’t really something he had thought about in much detail and he chided himself for it. Bob had been with him for three days with increased signs of health from when he had found Bob not decreasing health. It should have been a sign that he would wake up. He should have been planning for this moment and for the near future. But he had not and Bob had nothing. No clothes, no shoes, no ready way to learn the language. Nothing.

Unless there were supplies in Bob’s ship. He had ‘fed’ the ship and it had made noises but he besides that he’d done nothing with, for, or to it. He hadn’t tried to find an opening and get inside and it had not opened for him on its own. Could the answer of what to do next lie with the ship? Would Bob just hop inside and be able to fly away home?

He looked Bob over and assessed if Bob was well enough to go out to the barn and the ship. Oh, who was he kidding of course Bob was well enough to go out! But should he take Bob out? It was a cold morning and Bob was barely dressed and his feet where bare. Bob would get cold on the short walk. And what if Bob had a reaction to the outside like some people had allergies in the spring or summer or fall? Bob breathed earth air just fine but what about the other elements of Earth? Had the rain affected him when he got out of his ship on the night he landed? The shower hadn’t seemed to affect him but than again he had already been unconscious. What if he handed all that just fine but had a bad reaction to Pauly or Molly? What if he thought they were a threat, or food? Molly was still in her stall and Pauly was outside probably waiting to be let in. He could move Molly to the pasture and put Pauly in the guest room to make sure they didn’t meet. But that was only a short term solution. What would happen if Bob couldn’t leave?

Well he’d have to deal with that if or when it happened. For now he just had to take it a step at a time. He pushed off from the door and was glad when Bob took another step back to let him move. He took Bob’s wrist and tugged and Bob allowed himself to be turned and led back to the bed. He maneuvered Bob to sit on the edge and frowned when Bob’s erection started to grow again. When he went to move away Bob grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back but he dug in his heels.

“No” he said firmly as he shook his head. He used his free hand to pry Bob’s hand from his wrist as he said no again. “Stay” he pointed at the bed and took a step backwards. Bob made to get up and he stepped forward and pushed Bob back down firmly. “Stay” he repeated pointing at the bed giving Bob a stern look. After a moment he took a step back and Bob stayed put. Two more steps back and Bob began to get up again. “Stay” his voice was hard as he pointed at the bed and wonder of wonders Bob sat back down. He continued to back up until he hit the door. He took a step forward and fumbled behind him for the knob. He found it, turned it and pulled the door open. Bob stood up but didn’t come towards him. “No. Stay” he pointed at the bed again and after a few second when he thought he was going to have to go back and push Bob back down Bob slowly lowered himself onto the bed. Jensen smiled at him and gave the command to stay one more time before he stepped back out of the door and then closed it. He waited a minute but Bob did not come after him.

He turned and practically ran for the front door. There was a lot he had to do and he needed to do it as quickly as possible before Bob decided to come after him after all. He shoved his feet into his mud boots and struggled into a jacket. After opening and going out the door he locked it so that if Bob did leave the bedroom he couldn’t leave the house. Or at least not without some effort. Then he ran to the barn and over to Molly’s stall. She hawed at him but he didn’t have time to sweet talk her.

“Sorry girl no oats just yet” he muttered as he opened the stall door and grabbed her halter not bothering with a lead. “I’ll give you some extra treats later, I promise” he said as he jogged her out of the barn and down towards the gate for the lower pasture. Molly’s ears went back and she gave off an annoyed bur but didn’t dig her heels in and for that he was grateful. Molly could be stubborn and the proverb about mules said. Jensen got her in the pasture and gave her rump a slap to send her further in before closing the gate and hurrying back up to the cabin wondering where Pauly was since he hadn’t come out to get him to play while he was busy with Molly. When he approached the cabin he spotted Pauly engrossed in digging or filling a hole by some bushes. He didn’t have time to chastise him at the moment and instead called for him to come. Pauly looked over at him and seemed about ready to disobey but came bounding over before he could call again. He groaned internally as Pauly was covered in mud and it was going to get all over the cabin if he put Pauly in his old room. Instead he was going to have to be a bad person and close Pauly up in the pantry. He hope Pauly wouldn’t get into his food stores as punishment. He led Pauly around to the side door and into the kitchen and pushed him in the pantry and managed to shut the door just before Bob came into the kitchen. Pauly barked from the pantry and Bob’s eyes narrowed and he growled.

He rushed over to Bob and bodily manhandled him back into the main room of the cabin as Pauly continued to bark and whine. “No, leave it” he chided Bob just the same way he did Pauly when he got into something he wasn’t supposed to. Bob continued to growl and tried to push back towards the kitchen and Pauly but he held firm. “No” he swatted at Bob’s chest and Bob stopped growling looking down at him with a mixture of anger and bemusement. It was an odd look but Bob didn’t try again to get past him and didn’t growl again.

This was good progress and he looked around for something to help with the next step of his plan and saw the throw on the back of the couch. Keeping an eye on Bob he slowly moved past Bob to get it. Bob turned to follow his movements and he was glad Bob seemed to have given up on trying to get into the kitchen and to Pauly. Picking up the blanket he shook it out to it’s full size and when back over to Bob who was now eyeing the blanket. Taking one of Bob’s hands he put a corner of the blanket in it and Bob reflexively grasped it. Letting go of Bob’s hand after a quick squeeze he hurried around behind Bob and pulled the blanket taught before holding the other corner out to Bob’s free hand. Bob got the idea and took it adjusting the blanket so he would be wrapped up warmly. There was nothing he could do about Bob’s bare feet so he would just have to hurry Bob across the dewy lawn.

He led Bob back into the kitchen where Pauly was now just whining from inside the pantry. Bob paused and he had to give a little tug on Bob’s blanket covered arm to get him moving again. They went out the side door since the front was still locked and he had left the side door open in his haste to get Pauly into the pantry. He jogged Bob across to the barn expecting Bob to stop at any moment and look around and for him to have to pull him along but Bob kept pace at his side the whole time.

Once they were in the barn he slowed down and had enough time to reach out and flick on the lights which he had not when he had taken Molly out. Bob did stop to look around and he saw Bob’s nose flare as he took in several deep breaths. He looked like a dog scenting the air. Jensen gave him a second before laying a hand on his arm and tugging him towards the back of the barn where Bob’s ship was covered by a tarp. When they were within ten feet of the ship it must have sensed Bob because it sent out that tuning fork hum and lifted off the ground and began to hover. The movement caused the tarp to slip off and upon hearing and seeing it Bob dropped the blanket and rushed forward to his ship. He stooped to pick up the blanket and when he looked back up Bob had his hands and forehead against the ships side. The humming sound changed and he could hear a sort of cooing from Bob. It seemed very intimate and he decided to give them a moment of privacy and turned away to look out the barn door.

****************

His mate said something to him but he could not understand the word and it frustrated him. His translator should have worked but it wasn’t. It was not broken he was sure or his head would feel terrible and his symbiont would have tried to repair it. His mate’s hand came up and patted his own chest as he said the word again. He was confused for a moment before he understood that his mate wasn’t talking but saying his name. His mate repeated it a few more times but he couldn’t make heads or tails of it each time. It was not a name he had ever heard from a language he had ever heard. He tried to imitate the sound of his mate’s name but knew he hadn’t done it right. He decided that he would need some help from his symbiont if his translator wasn’t working. As his mate let out a deep breath he brought his hand up to circle his mates neck. He would feel the vibrations of how the sound traveled through his mate’s throat and his symbiont could imitate the pattern and help him control his voice to make the name sound right. When his mate didn’t speak he patted his mate’s chest to let him know that he was ready to try again.

His mate again repeated his name and he could feel the vibrations of sound. It was so very different from his own he knew that something inside their throats had to be different. More than likely his mate would not be able to breath fire. None of the other people in his kingdom could besides the hybrid offspring of his people and the people of the other planets but that was a rare thing. There was a legend about a people now no longer living in his kingdom who could have but he didn’t put much stock in that tale. He tried again to say his mate’s name now that he had a newer understanding of how his voice worked and it was a much better attempt but still wrong.

His symbiont moved up over his hand and around his fingers and his mate’s throat to help. He had to prompt his mate that he was again ready. His mate said his name a few times with him repeating it getting better with each utterance. Finally, when he thinks he has the mechanical aspects of it down if not the physical ones he withdraws his hand from his mate’s throat and places it on his own allowing faster access for his symbiont. It takes only moments for the symbiont to share the knowledge it has gained of how his mate’s vocal cords are structured and function. He says his mates name almost perfectly this time and makes an adjustment on how the muscles flex before finally getting it just right. The name was still not one he had ever heard of in his kingdom but as it became clear in his mind, he fell in love with it. Jensen.

He was rewarded for his efforts when his mate, no, Jensen smiled at him and it made him even more handsome. But a second later he became very concerned. Jensen’s teeth. Something was wrong with them. He stuck two fingers into Jensen’s mouth to open it further and see what was wrong. He was saddened to see that someone had hurt his mate by filing down his teeth into little rounded nubs. He rubbed his fingers over them only to discover that they hadn’t been filed down. Jensen’s teeth were naturally small and round. He let his hand drop and shook his head at the absurdity that Jensen could be so much like him and yet so different that he was going to have make plans for Jensen’s protection from some of the most basic elements of his home when they arrived.

But that was plans for later, right now he had to tell Jensen his own name. He reached out and grasped Jensen’s wrist. He looked down at his symbiont encircling Jensen’s wrist and wondered how this had happened, not that he wasn’t grateful it had but it would bare closer scrutiny later. But right now there was a more pressing issue and he and brought Jensen’s hand to his chest. Jared said his name and waited for Jensen to say it back but he remained silent. He repeated his name and patted his chest with Jensen’s hand to indicate that it was his name and not Jensen’s in his own language.

Jensen made a horrible noise that he almost winced at, then he almost became angry that his mate would be mocking him. But his symbiont sent a flash of memory from when he was young and trying to learn the language of the Aptee, a not very intelligent race within their kingdom before he had the use of a translator. After a few more tries he had to admit things were not working out. He would have to get Jensen to the main body of his symbiont so that he could give Jensen a translator. He would need it in the near future when he would introduce Jensen to his family.

His wrist tingled just as Jensen tried to pull away and he knew his symbiont wanted to help so he didn’t release Jensen’s wrist. Instead he brought Jensen’s hand to his own throat to show him how the muscles worked. Jensen seemed not to want to learn as he tried to stop him, but he managed to get Jensen’s hand in place. Their symbiont moved to intertwine with Jensen’s fingers to help him learn. Much as his mate had done for him, he said his name slowly and repeatedly. But Jensen just could not seem to learn it although he did try. While Jensen’s hand had been on his throat he had felt the difference in their skin textures. Jensen’s fingers and a rough texture that his people did not and he wondered if that was part of the problem. That Jensen could not sense and interpret the vibrations and muscle movements he could. He brought Jensen’s hand back to his chest and the symbiont flowed up Jensen’s arm to wrap around his neck. It would help him by manipulating the muscles into the right patterns for speech.

He said his name again and when Jensen tried to say it the symbiont tried to help. Tried and failed. Jensen almost got it right but the effort of changing how the muscles worked caused him pain. He began to cough and pulled away from him his free hand going to his throat. He stepped back to give Jensen some room and waited as the symbiont healed what it had inadvertently hurt. When it was done the symbiont returned to Jensen’s wrist. He got a fleeting emotion of sadness that it had caused its host pain and that it would not try such an attempt again. Jensen would have to make due with a translator.

“Jensen” he said to get his mate’s attention as the male was scrutinizing his symbiont. He tried to convey how sorry he and the symbiont where with facial expressions and a mental link through the symbiont from him to his mate. He was unsure of just how much of his remorse got across but Jensen seemed to relax as he sagged back to rest against the door. Jensen was speaking again but he didn’t seem to be actively addressing him. He wondered if there was some kind of hidden technology here that he could not see that Jensen was activating. But that couldn’t be right or Jensen would have used it to help himself when he had frightened him earlier.

He was both weary and hopeful as his mate got a serious look about him and looked him over from head to toe. He almost wanted to preen and show off for his mate but he stopped himself when the tightening of his chest muscles made the garment he was wearing tighten. The garments he had been dressed in were quite tight and showed off his body but if he didn’t change soon it would cause him irritation. Plus, they were not the easiest to maneuver in and he was surprised they hadn’t ripped. Jensen stepped away from the door with a determined look in his eyes and he took a step back waiting to see what his mate would do. Would he try to leave or would they try to continue to communicate? He didn’t feel as if he was going into rut and Jensen didn’t look, act, or smell as if he was going into heat. Since Jensen was obviously a different species he wondered if Jensen was even capable of going into heat.

Jensen took hold of his wrist and tugged and he followed Jensen’s lead. Jensen turned his around and took him back to the bed and he began to grow excited. Jensen must feel some kind of compulsion to mate and bond even if he didn’t exhibit or have heats. Jensen had him sit on the end of the bed but instead of joining him he began to move away. He reached out for Jensen to bring him back so they could mate but Jensen said a word in an authoritative voice and shook his head from side to side, much as he had when they had discovered they did not speak the same language. Jensen pulled his hand off repeating the word he’d just said. Then he pointed to the bed and said a different word. Jensen stepped back and annoyed he started to get up so that he could move Jensen bodily onto the bed. But Jensen stepped forward and pushed him back onto the bed and said the word again more harshly still pointing at the bed. He sat and watched Jensen as he tried to puzzle out what to do. He had figured out this new word, or at least he was quite sure what it meant. When Jensen had taken a few steps back towards the door me made to get up again, to follow Jensen at least so as to not be separated from him. But Jensen again pointed to the bed and gave the command to sit.

He waited until Jensen had the door open and was about to leave before standing up again. He was determined to follow his mate but Jensen rebuked him again. This time he got two words, the same words he’s been saying since their failed attempt at communication. He gathered that one of the words meant no but the other he was changing his mind about. After a moment he slowly sat back down. Jensen smiled at him which was encouraging and said what he now had to believe was the word stay. Jensen kept smiling as he backed out of the room and closed the door.

He did not want to be parted from his mate and left to a strange place for who knew how long but he fought the instinct to go after Jensen. Jensen was no longer frightened of him when he had left and he was presumably the one to have been taking care of him while he was unconscious. It was logical to assume that Jensen would return. Maybe he had gone to get something to help them communicate. Of maybe he would get something for him to wear so he would be presentable to anyone else in the vicinity. He knew that they were not on a ship and must be on land. Being in space no matter what kind of ship you were on had a special feeling that he did not feel now.

He looked about the room in more detail now to find any clues about where he could be. The room was simple, a bed and a table with an illumination device. He avoided the window wanting to save it for last and started on the opposite wall where another door stood closed. He went over and stared at the knob for a moment. It was not likely to lead outside or Jensen would have run to it rather than the door further away from the bed. But at the same time, it was not likely to lead to any place where Jensen’s people were likely to be, at least at the moment for the same reason. He grasped the knob and turned to find it was unlocked. The door swung away from him and into the room beyond. When the door was fully opened he leaned forward to do a quick scan of the room. It was small and dim, the light coming from his current room and a small portal window on a side wall. The room was small but not cramped and he stepped inside to find the floor tiled instead of the wooded floor of the bedroom. There was a strange bason next to a very odd looking chair. Along the next wall was a glass box with a door. He left the room since he didn’t need cleaning and that was obviously what the room was for even if he didn’t know how the strange primitive technology worked. With the door closed behind him he moved further down the wall. A large tall wooden structure was next and he went to it. It had boards with handles and he pulled to open one to find a nook filled with clothes. They smelled of faint chemicals and under that the barest traces of Jensen. He closed the nook and opened another to find different clothes but still Jensen’s. He left the clothes holder and moved to the opposite wall avoiding the door Jensen had left through. As he did, he wondered how long Jensen would be gone. If it was much longer, he would go out to find Jensen.

He was distracted from this by a stack of shelves holding books. He could not read the language on the spines and pulled a few out to look at the covers. Some had strange art on them, some had images of people who looked like Jensen in appearance but in clothes he had never seen and two had images of strange beasts. He ruffled the pages of there to find more images of the strange beasts and of a kind of land he had never seen. The ground on this planet was green, it’s waters and sky were blue and he saw a single yellow sun. It’s all a bit much and yet it’s not enough. He replaces the books and moves to the window.

The drapes covering it are thin and light seeps through the fabric so it is day time. Tentatively he reaches out and brushes one side away from the window. The building he is in sits on the ground which is indeed green. There is an open space parameter around the building but there are trees beyond that. They look vaguely like the trees on his home planet and of the rest of his kingdom. It would make sense because he knows from his science lessons when he was growing up that all the trees share some kind of common ancestor. That they were brought and modified or evolved on each planet from a single planet long past the time of record.

He is interested to see this new world and enough time has passed that he should go looking for Jensen. This may be Jensen’s planet but Jensen is his mate now and they should be getting ready to leave. Letting the drape fall back into place he moves to the door Jensen let through. He stares at it for a moment before reaching out and turning the knob. The door is not locked which pleases him and he opens it and steps out unsure of what or who he will see. It’s a hallway with a door opposite him and an opening into a larger room further down. It is silent and he can’t smell another being like Jensen. There is an animal odor and an image of a four legged beast flashes across his mind from his symbiont. An interesting animal and one that is submissive towards his mate.

He crosses the hall and opens the door opposite him to see another but smaller bedroom. HE closes the door and moves down the hall. There is another door to a small cleaning room before he gets to the open space. He can see furniture for reclining and a hearth before he hears his mate enter the building. There is the scrabbling of more than two feet and he makes his way towards the sound coming from a room adjacent to the one he had just entered. When he gets to the new room Jensen is just closing a door from which a menacing animal sound escapes. It sets him on instant alert and instinct takes over and he growls in response to the challenge issued by whatever beast is behind the door. He wants to go over and settle things and protect Jensen but Jensen comes to him and stops him pushing him back a few feet into the room he was leaving. “No” followed by new words Jensen orders but he continues to respond to the beast. Jensen hits him lightly on the chest and tells him “no” in that same authoritative voice and he stops. He is a bit amused that Jensen is so pushy and thinks he can be in charge. The beats is currently not a threat and Jensen doesn’t seem to concerned about it so he decides to let Jensen have his way for now. Besides he is curious as to what Jensen was doing. He has acquired a thicker garment and is wearing some kind of shoes he has not seen before. Jensen must have been outside and he is curious as to why he would go out.

Jensen moves past him and he turns to see what Jensen is doing. He is intrigued when Jensen pulls a blanket from the reclining furniture and shakes it out. Jensen then hands him a corner and begins to drape him in the blanket. He helps Jensen wrap him up even though he is warm and doesn’t know why Jensen would feel the need to cover him. He is dressed in garments that cover his intimate areas. Maybe some of Jensen’s people are coming and Jensen does not have time to get him the proper clothing?

Jensen gives his arm a tug and he follows as Jensen leads him into the other room. He pauses to puzzle out what the room could be used for since again he has not seen any of the items in it before besides the thick table and two chairs. There are some pots and bowls so this must be where Jensen eats and possibly prepares food. Again Jensen pulls on his arm and he moves on to follow Jensen again. They go out a door and he is outside on a new world he has never visited. He wants to look around and explore but Jensen has something in mind for him and he keeps pace as Jensen hassles him towards a strange building not far form the one they just left.

The inside of the building was illuminated a few seconds after they entered and he had a moment to look around. The structure was wood and beasts were kept here. He scented the air but it was all new, there was nothing familiar and there were too many scents to sort out what came from what. Jensen touched his arm getting his attention and leading him further into the building. When they were close to the back his symbiont came to life thrumming with energy. His ship was here and it rose to greet him. He ran forward dropping his blanket covering and embraced his ship. He reassured it that all would be well and thanked it for taking care of him. It opened for him and he turned to invite his mate to formally meet their symbiont but Jensen had turned away.

It put him on alert, was there something out there that was a threat? Their symbiont didn’t seem to sense any danger but again this was an alien planet. He could not be sure their symbiont would have knowledge of this planet if it has been unreachable for a long period of time. His ship hummed at him and his symbiont sent out an emotion of calmness. All was well, Jensen was just a bit emotional.

He was unsure of how long he had been unconscious but it must have been some time to allow his symbiont to bond with Jensen enough to relay information between the three of them. Or at least relay what it picked up from Jensen to him, but not yet form him to Jensen. Of course, as time went by and the bond grew stronger and they mated they would be able to share thoughts and feelings and images directly to each other thought the symbiont rather than have it as a relay filtering the information before passing on the basics.

He turned back to his ship and climbed inside. He needed to contact his brother to let them know he still lived. He did not need rescue from anything hostile but if they could get close to his position he could meet up with them and get an escort home for himself and his mate. He needed information on what had happened since his kidnapping. If they had discovered who was behind the plot and to plan with them the necessary steps to take revenge.

A chair formed for him to sit in and a viewing screen materialized in front of it. As he sat the armrests of the chair flowed over and encased his arms, small tendrils of silver crept up his biceps and over his shoulders to wrap around his neck in a loose collar. He focused his mind and let the consciousness of his symbiont in.

“Brothers” he broadcast his thoughts out into the energy matter of space, his symbiont channeling the energy through itself and directing it to where it needed to go.

“Jared!” came the reply moments later and he smiled. The view screen remained blank of the audio came through just fine. His brothers must be too far away for the energy to broadcast images. “It is good to hear from you, we had begun to worry” the voice was now recognizable as his brother Michael.

“I am alive and well despite the plotting of others” he replied. “I am not in any immediate danger. But I suggest we rendezvous at this location. Do you have my coordinates? Can you reach my location?” He had changed his mind about where meet his brothers if they could come to him. It would give him more time alone with his mate before they would be toured around his kingdom. Also this planet seemed to be very good for his symbiont and it just might be for his brother’s symbionts as well.

“Yes, we have pinpointed your location. But getting there may take a few days, you are in uncharted territory.” Michael’s response was not a surprise.

“How long?” Jared would have to make the best use of his time with Jensen to mate with him and secure the bond before his brothers came. Not that he was worried that any of his brothers would try to steal Jensen.

“Five or six days” Michael’s voice interrupted his thoughts of wooing Jensen.

“I will look forward to seeing you then” with that Jensen disconnected his contact with his symbiont. His brothers were used to his abrupt communications and would not take offence at his sudden leave of absence. With communication established with his brothers he could focus on his plans to mate with Jensen.

When he emerged into the structure that was his symbionts temporary home he looked around for his mate and panicked when he didn’t see him. He ran to the door and scanned the surroundings easily spotting Jensen not far from the door. He had his back to Jared and seemed to be watching something in the distance. Jared turned his head to follow Jensen’s line of sight as he walked towards him. In the distance was a single four legged beast that resembled the wild zapas of his home. It was the beast from the impressions and memories his symbiont had supplied to him. This beast was not for eating apparently because Jensen kept it captive and treated it well and had given it a name. He couldn’t grasp the name but it did have one. Jensen must have heard him because he turned to face him and he was please to see how handsome his mate looked with what had to be sunlight playing across his face. Jensen seemed to be assessing him and something must not have met his satisfaction because a slightly confused look and frown marred his stunning features.

“Home?” Jensen’s tone was that of inquiry as he made a series of hand gestures. Jensen pointed to him then back to the structure where their symbiont was and then up at the sky. He looked up to see if there was something in the sky that he had missed in their dash to their symbiont but the sky was clear of ships or other objects or animals. However the clouds, for what else could they be they looked so similar to what clouds on his planet, were white and fluffy looking as they drifted in a blue sky.

He looks back to Jensen as his mate repeats the word he said just a moment ago and Jensen again says the word and makes the hand motions. He does not know what Jensen is trying to convey this time and attempts to guess. He knows it has something to do with him and their symbiont, the pointing to the sky is the trickier part. Does he mean that is where they came from? Is he asking where he came from? Is he trying to ask if they should be up in the sky flying? Or is Jensen asking him to leave? All he can do is shake his head and say that he doesn’t understand.

Jensen lets out a sigh and hangs his head and he knows that they will have to do something very soon about their lack of common communication. Jensen raises his head and extends his hand which is holding the blanket from earlier out to him. He feels only a mild chill but Jensen has on thick layers so it must be cold of this planet for Jensen’s species. He doesn’t need it but he takes it as a sign of good will and to make Jensen happy. He drapes it around himself like Jensen had done before and once done Jensen reaches his hand out for to him again. He stares at it for a second before he realizes that Jensen wants him to take it in his own. Jensen wants to hold hands. As soon as he places his hand in Jensen’s Jensen says a new word and gives a small tug before turning and beginning to walk back towards his home. He gladly follows Jensen hoping that with the immediate concerns of establishing a link to his brothers and thus home out of the way Jensen will submit to the beginning of their mating bond.