[PRP] Return (Mathias & Jove)

[Seussi]

He had remained in the boogeyman office for several hours after getting back. For many of those, he had slept, on a couch in the lounge area of their office. They had been kind to him, allowing him to stay in a place where for that brief period of time he had felt safe again, though through it all he worried. Would the boogeymen make it on time? Would they rescue those who Mathias had left behind? He hoped so. He hoped his escape had not been in vain, his decision not the wrong one to make.

When Mathias awoke, he was given a chance to clean up, though they didn't have anything available for him to change into, instead handing him a blanket he could wrap around himself. They offered him a ride back to the school, or at the very least, an escort to accompany him, but he refused. They had done enough for him already, all he wanted now was to know if the others were found and returned safely as well.

They told him they would keep in touch, and Mathias left.

The walk back to Amityville was a cold and lonely one, and he wrapped the blanket around his shoulders more tightly the further he went. He was limping, sore, in a sad state overall with ears folded down, tired despite all of the sleep he had gotten. He was numb inside, which was good, and he focused on remaining that way, because it was better then worrying anxiously about things that were no longer in his control.

He remembered that it had been three weeks from the date on the calendar that he had seen in the boogeyman's office. Three weeks since his last memory of being at the school, and that was a scary thought, one that nearly broke his resolve to feel nothing.

The school loomed up in front of him as he made his way down the sidewalk, and Mathias paused outside of it's gates, red eyes rising from their down cast position. He was back. He had not far to go until he could be in his room, a place where he would bury himself beneath blankets and pillows within his makeshift burrow, a place where he could perhaps feel safe and comfortable.

With a visible shiver, he went through those gates, and limped his way along the campus paths towards the Monster Dorms, more of a spring in his unsteady step then before as he sped along faster now, reaching the dormitory doors within little time and pushing his way inside.

Then it was just a matter of a maze of stairs and hallways to get to his room.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Although at first he thought it would not be possible, Jove had settled into a routine since the sudden disappearance of his friend. At first he had neglected everything. Pacing where the scent had disappeared that night, wandering the entirety of Halloween Town hoping to regain the scent, he neither slept nor ate. He knew the Boogeymen were looking. It wasn't just Mathias, but several students, and the possessive little pup wanted them all back. But it was thoughts of the wolpertinger in particular that drove him to such frantic searching. He could trace his friend's path from where they last left each other to where the scent disappeared entirely. He knew it in his sleep. Rain had long since washed all trace of it away save for his own routine passage.

But he couldn't put off things forever. He had crashed, and binge-slept for a time, only to panic and go searching again. He grudgingly nibbled on some spookies without tasting them. The pup went back to his part-time job, even the walk to and from the restaurant yielded no trace of his friend. Sometimes he slept to keep his energy up, sometimes he spent the night wandering. Those big blue puppy eyes only got sadder and more endearing as the days went on, and although he had begun losing hope of finding his friend, he couldn't give up his wandering.

And then one night, amidst the all too familiar scents of city fumes and exhaust and garbage, something new. Jove felt a knot in his throat. He began to walk faster, following the scent that was almost too good to be true. He didn't want to get his hopes up. What if it were someone else who merely smelled similar to his friend? Another wolpertinger? He didn't think his heart could take it.

The scent became clearer as he approached the school, and he was in a run by the time he caught sight of a familiar form. It had a bit more slouch, a slightly different gait, but it was enough. Jove broke out in a dead sprint.

The figure slipped into the monster dorm building, and Jove just wanted to shout at him to stop, to wait for him, just stand there for one more minute so he could be sure it wasn't just his imagination playing tricks on him. He crossed the field in nimble leaps and bounds, blasted through the door where he could smell his friend's recent presence, and leapt at the blanket-wrapped figure before he could get too far into the dorms.

Jove clung as tightly as he could, folding invisible tendrils around his friend in a tight hug, praying to Jack that it wasn't a figment or dream.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

There were no scents for Mathias to hone in on, just the idea of a safe place to rest his weary head, to curl up in a ball and sleep and sleep and possibly sleep some more. There were few other thoughts on his mind at the moment, as he continued to block out everything else around him. He didn't want to consider who he might have worried in his three week absence. He didn't want to wonder if anybody even cared or noticed that he'd been gone.

He just wanted to rest and recover.

He had barely limped his way into the building, had only just made his way to the bottom of the stairs, preparing himself for the long trek upwards, when something barreled into him from behind, startling him, his eyes flying open wide, his body stiffening up. Was it the so called Parker who had kidnapped him before, come to take him back to that living hell, to make him relive it again? He let out a startled whimper at the thought, ears wilting, body beginning to tremble as he sagged in whatever grip held him so tight.

It didn't occur to him right away that his attacker had no scent, or had approached so quietly it could not be heard.

"Vas it not enough?" He asked, to whoever was behind him. "Vas making it out alive not good enough?" His words were strained, almost choked off completely as the trembles turned into a violent shudder.

"Please, just be leaving me alone. Please. Bitte." He continued, as the first hot tear trailed down a darkly tanned cheek, cutting through the little dried blood he had missed cleaning off at the bogeyman department.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

When Matty whimpered, Jove whined in response. And when Matty sagged, Jove held on tighter to keep him right there. No, he didn't want to lose his friend to whatever it was making him scared and hopeless, he would sooner take a big chomp out of his friend before letting him go again!

It was all wrong, Jove thought as he clung to his friend's back. He could feel Matty's despair through those patterns of tension, and hear it in that familiar voice. There was so much agony there... Jove wanted to smooth it all away, but he didn't know how. His voice was not calm and comforting like his caretaker was, and he lacked the gentleness with which Ren had always petted his head to relax him. How could he bring the wolpertinger back from those nightmares that had him trembling so much?

"Matty..." He whimpered, pressing his cold forehead against the back of his friend's neck. The exhausted ache returned anew, sharper for having that glimpse of the wolpertinger's pain. His tears were cold too. He had missed Mathias so much...

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

It was the whine that should have registered first, but so lost in his own fright and despair and desperate desire to just be free and clear to go on living out his life the way he wished before his kidnapping, Mathias just did not recognize the sound for what it was. The grip around his form tightened, and any moment now he excepted to be drug away, or perhaps shoved into a sack, stuck with a syringe first so as to knock him out first. Whatever the method, Mathias was sure that resistance would be futile. He had been captured once before, after all, and he refused to believe that he hadn't given it any fight that time......

Something cold was pressed against the back of Mathias's neck and he couldn't help but flinch. But it was the word that was spoken at the same time, the name, that had him quickly perking up once more, his ears twitching and his head rising.

The voice was familiar, though rarely heard, and there was only one person Mathias had ever met so far that had ever called him by that name.

"Jove?" His voice was quiet, tentative as it spoke the name of his friend, the one who he had thought about most while being held captive (that he could remember, at least), the one who he had missed the most and had wondered if he'd ever get a chance to see again. It was only then that everything else really clicked into place, really registered with Mathias. The grip around him was strong, but cold, and seemingly made up of more then arms alone, as ghostly tendrils had also been included in that hold, and the light whine..... Mathias looked down, and recognized the hands locked around him, and this time when his muscles relaxed and his body sagged, it was out of relief instead of resignation, the hot trail of tears on his face, however, hardly ebbing at all.

"Is okay." He started, in a choked off and quiet voice, much unlike how he normally spoke. "Am back now. Is all okay." He attempted to maneuver his arm, to bend his elbow up and place his hand over top of one of Jove's, squeezing it lightly, and if Jove would allow it, he'd also attempt to break free of that hold, at least enough to turn his body around and face the other small boil, finding within him a sudden strong desire to be able to see him face to face, to prove to himself that he was indeed there and this wasn't just some ruse.

Grey Dragon

I think I forgot how to write while I was away

 

[Grey Dragon]

Another whine came in reply. Yes, it was him clinging and crying and if there were any words in his mind at that moment he would have been blubbering over how much he had missed Mathias. There was another little whine when he felt his friend's relief, and then from that moment on he couldn't hold them back. Little whimpers, one after another like an abandoned puppy, almost loud in the dark, still hallway.

It was almost automatic how he relaxed his hold, letting Mathias turn around, only to throw his arms around the wolpertinger's neck in another hug, his own tears smearing against Matty's cheek as he buried his face in his friends neck. That familiar smell, he had searched so long... He thought he had lost it...

In a way he was still afraid, the foreign scents that clung to his friend were unwelcome reminders of his time spent missing. Jove knew from his own experiences that memories were harder to wash off, you simply couldn't replace them with the scents of warm and familiar things. Memories could only be hidden under other memories, like the sharp scent of cleaning fluids lurking under the citrus scent, or the smell of decay amidst a myriad of flower fragrances in the garden.

Jove's whimper slowly lost it's desperate urgency, but the heavy sadness lingered. What could he do, when he couldn't make those bad memories go away? The little ghost clung tighter, and with his mind caught in a swirl of emotions he could only fall back on his most instinctual canine behaviours.

The whimper paused for a second as he licked his friend's neck.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

Each whine and whimper stabbed at Mathias's heart as quite suddenly he found himself overridden with guilt. Here he had been, finally returned after what had apparently been three weeks of absence, and all he had even considered upon his return was a chance to curl up in his den, alone, hopefully safe now that he was out of Parker's clutches. He had not thought about seeking out Jove, though that had been more because of his own reluctance to dwell on whether or not anybody had even noticed he had been gone. But now he would pay for those actions by way of feelings that tightened up in his chest and twisted in his stomach, his face falling so that by the time he turned himself around in Jove's grasp so that the could face the other boil, he looked absolutely miserable, and sorry, a pleading look in his eyes just before Jove threw arms around the wolpertingers neck.

There was only half a moment of stunned silence from Mathias, who's muscles had gone rigid, before his own arms were up and snaking around Jove, holding him close in a hug, a familiar motion that he could feel himself melting into (despite the chilliness of it), his tears beginning to ease as he let out a soft sniffle. Was this really happening? Was he really crying so easily in front of his friend, an action that prior to this horrible experience, would have been far too embarrassing to bear? Yes, he was. It was a moment of weakness, of letting go of everything, of bringing down the walls that he kept up since arriving at Amity. For a moment, just that short moment, he could be the lost, scared boil that he had always been, and it was okay, because it was Jove, and that made it okay.

It took him a moment to realize that he was not the only one crying. Something cool and wet had mingled with the heat that had trailed down his own face, and the fact that Jove was tearing up over this reunion was enough to startle Mathias all over again. "Am sorry." He whispered, still hugging the other boil close, cheek resting against the top of his head. "Am so sorry. Have been gone for so long, and vas not intended. Vould not leave vithout saying goodbye, am promising that." He whispered, in a voice still slightly choked and thick with his accent.

The whimpers from Jove were subsiding, and that brought with it at least a small sense of relief. Everything would be okay now. Everything would be.....

A hiccup in his train of thought before it came crashing to a halt completely. There had been a sensation against his neck, cold, wet, familiar but in an altogether unfamiliar way, oddly. Whatever it was had brought upon a shiver that ran down Mathias's spine, even while his heart rate spiked, mixed feelings churning inside of him as his face began to heat up.

And then it came upon him. Much like the desire to turn and find himself able to look at Jove with his own two eyes, to make sure he was real and hold him and comfort him, he now had a desire to do something else, and while the idea would have normally to him seemed like quite an awful one, something he could never do with his friend, at this particular moment, Mathias could not find it within himself to argue over what might be the right way or the wrong way to behave.

"Jove?" He spoke his name, hushed, and questioning, but demanding, as he pulled himself back enough to see the other boils face, one arm removing itself from around Jove's body so that he could reach below his chin with his hand, tilting the other boil's head up with a dark claw.

And then, before he could stop himself or convince himself that this was indeed the most awful idea ever, he leaned in and pressed his lips (and elongated teeth, there was no getting around that) against Jove's, wanting to experience it, to know how it would feel, something he had perhaps always wanted to do but would never let himself.

Grey Dragon

asdglgjsdgasdgas

 

[Grey Dragon]

It didn't even occur to Jove that his friend had any reason to feel sorry, he was back, and that was enough. It hadn't been his fault. Not for a minute had he blamed the wolpertinger for anything, let alone needing a good sleep first and foremost. As long as Mathias could be found, he could go anywhere and do anything he liked, Jove would just find him and join him.

The pup licked his Matty's neck once more, taking comfort from hearing his friend's voice, and the doggy actions he didn't need to think about doing. Jove could be stubborn, and disagreeable, and downright violent sometimes, but he was still a loyal canine at heart. Even his lack of a functional heart couldn't change that.

In a passing thought, he envied the wolpertinger's heartbeat. He was so close the distinction between hearing it and feeling it was too vague to pinpoint, it was like listening to what the heart wanted. It could be rapid, or slow and sluggish, and the change in pace was feedback given with more honesty than words, or even facial expressions.

Well, at least if one had the wisdom to interpret it the right way.

Suddenly fearing for his friend's state of mind, Jove looked up, fluffy ears perked to hear his name and listen with attentive concern. His eyes were bright, and shiny with tears, causing their natural glow to sparkle on his eyelashes when he blinked. Despite it's muted, tired quality, it was enough light for Jove to see the unreadable expression on Matty's face. But he wasn't given much time to question it.

The pup hadn't minded the close contact before, but this was the first time Mathias had looked to get even closer without reservation. Then the moment their lips touched it was like a light went on, that 'oh so this is what we are doing now' change of topic, and as easy as that, Jove kissed back. It was a thing he never would have imagined doing in the past, but now it seemed entirely appropriate. He may have even gotten a little confused in the process, mixing up the action of a kiss itself with his former gestures of affection, without even understanding the significance of a kiss with a little bit of tongue.

Seussi

I AM SORRY HE IS SO CLUELESS XD;;

 

[Seussi]

Mathias really didn't know what to expect. Resistance, perhaps, or for Jove to be utterly repulsed by what the wolpertinger was doing. Maybe his bold actions would earn him a punch in the shoulder, or a slap to the face, or possibly even a bite....but while all of those consequences seemed likely, Mathias went through with the kiss anyways, unable to resist the temptation that was right there in front of him.

It was his very first real kiss, and he couldn't imagine sharing it, at that moment, with anybody else.

And it was...wonderful, actually. There was no resistance, no being pushed away, or kicked, punched, slapped or bitten. In fact, Jove seemed only eager to return the action, and Mathias, while pleasantly surprised by this fact, was only too eager to let it linger on much longer then first intended, pressing against him, enjoying the cool sensation against his lips, an altogether warm and funny feeling sparking to life in his stomach and chest. It shouldn't have been okay, Jove was his friend, and not anything more then just that.

But this made him believe that was a lie. Jove could be more. Jove could be just what he needed, and at that particular moment, he seemed to need him quite a lot. He was still exhausted, still reeling from the emotional turmoil of being kidnapped and having escaped, though only barely, but for just a moment, that was the furthest thing from his mind, and that was exactly why it was so perfect, why he didn't want it to end, his fears ebbing away in that wash of warmth that was beginning to overtake everything else and....

Cold. Wet. Familiar after he had felt it twice against his own neck. Mathias's eyes had closed but they flew open now just as a startled sound managed to escape his throat. Had Jove just...licked him while they were kissing? The wolpertinger pulled away, eyes wide though arm still wrapped around the other boil, with no intention of letting him go. A face that had been moments before just mildly pink and warm was rapidly heating up and flushing bright red beneath his dark skin. Words had escaped him as he continued to stare, like a deer caught in headlights, his thought process slowly analyzing what had just happened.

Unexpected. But...not bad. No, it was okay. This was...all okay, right?

Wait.....were they still in the hallway???

"Ach der lieber himmel..." His voice was quite small and quiet as he closed his eyes and leaned forward to rest his head against Jove's. "Should be finding privacy."

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Mathias was so warm… His hands, his hugs, his kiss, Jove both envied his friend's heartbeat, and felt a strange possessiveness at the same time. He wanted that heartbeat all to himself, and he wanted the warmth, and he wanted that presence beside him. And when Mathias pulled back to stare, Jove let out a little growl and determinedly shoved his head against Matty's shoulder. There was no way he was going to let the wolpertinger go.

One fluffy ear turned, soft fur brushing across Matty's cheek as Jove listened to the words in that familiar voice and unfamiliar language, but it wasn't until he heard words he could understand that he was able to snap out of his clingy mood.

For a minute or so he didn't lift his head, but his cheeks began to brighten. They were… in the hallway, yes. Doing something that once would have had Jove wrinkling his nose and making disapproving, borderline disgusted faces. Maybe he would have even stuck his tongue out. But right now he couldn't quite remember what all that discomfort was about.

Without really looking up and revealing the blush on his cheeks, Jove tried to turn Matty back around and push him down the hallway.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

Despite how very tired and sore Mathias felt at that moment, his lips were still able to turn up into a very small smile when Jove growled and seemed to hold on tighter, not letting the wolpertinger really pull away as he had wanted to in order to speak with him. Still, the words were said, the smile slipping away because this was a very serious matter indeed, and he waited for Jove to respond.

The other boil didn't really. Not at first that Mathias could see, and he began to wonder if the ghost did not really care that they were in the hallway at all, but at the same time all the wolpertinger could think about was getting out of the hallway and to his bedroom, so he opened his mouth to speak again, this time hoping to make more of an impact on his frien---boilfriend?

A matter to be sorted out soon, hopefully.

"Jov--" He began, but then found himself with cold hands trying to turn him back around. A startled "Ach!" Escaped him as he was forced to be facing the way he had previously been before Jove had tackled him from behind, finding himself quite suddenly pushed and made to begin walking with stumbling steps down that hallway.

"Voah, voah.....!" He reached out behind himself, awkwardly bending his arm in an attempt to grab one of Jove's hands from off of his back. "Is not needing so hasty." That hadn't quite come out the way he'd wanted so he tried again. "Slowing down, please." If Jove would allow him, he'd close fingers around Jove's and pull on them, in an attempt to get the boil to walk beside him instead of behind. "Am still very...not vell." He admitted, with ears wilting.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Jove's ears perked, and he paused, letting his hand be grabbed with an expression of curiosity on his freckled face. Usually when Mathias spoke in his other language, it was a sign of strong emotions that were difficult to express. Or emotions the wolpertinger was reluctant to express. In this case, reluctant to express in the hallway. Naturally the pup thought it was about time to find a better place to be.

A part of him was still amazed. Being with Mathias was as comfortable as ever, it was like he could forget for a moment the weeks without him, and the hours he had spent pacing the town. It was comfortable, but also new in a way, and he could only glance down at Matty holding his hand with a giddy, overtired feeling of wonderment. Like it wasn't real, like if he went to bed now he would wake up the way he had woken up that morning, and the morning before...

A murmuring noise was Jove's reply, the sort that was meant for reassurance. Neither of them were exactly well, Mathias in particular, but a good sleep, and maybe a hot bath, would do wonders for shaky nerves. Even without fears weighing one down, nights could be long and lonely...

The pup walked a bit closer to Matty's side, squeezing the wolpertinger's hand as though afraid to be separated again.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

It still hurt to walk, though somehow it felt as if at least some of the weight had been lifted off of his shoulders as he made his way through the maze of hallways to the place where his bedroom was located. He definitely felt lighter now than he had felt before Jove had found him. There was definitely a sense of relief and happiness somewhere in that turmoil mess of emotions writhing away in his belly. There was most definitely a comfort there, in having that cold hand in his, in having him near, that had been quite absent these last three weeks.

As they walked along, however, Mathias did not want to take the time to decipher any of it. Right now, he wanted to just live in the moment, appreciate what he had, and that he didn't have to face the rest of the evening alone. His hand gave a return squeeze to Jove's, his eyes closing as he let out a small sigh, letting the quiet, reassuring sounds that his friend was making roll over him and do their part in making him feel better, however much or little it helped.

He was content for now to move in silence, and when they came to a stop at his dorm room door he reached out, hand hesitating for a moment, trembling, his head bowing.

"This vas vhere he took me. Vhen vas going in room, he vas just inside door." He let his hand drop, and he turned towards Jove.

"Vould never be admitting to anyone but...Jove? Ich habe richtig Angst..I...I am really scared..." The last part was said quietly, ears twitching and wings drawing down around his shoulders as if he could hide behind them.

Grey Dragon

 

[Grey Dragon]

Jove floated in that sense of unreality as he was pulled through the hallways. He could have walked the path in his sleep, like he could walk to Ren's old room, having paced it's length almost daily in the time his friend had been gone. But instead of relief to have returned to a safe place, he felt Mathias hesitate.

It was... The hairs on the back of Jove's neck rose, bristling. Although he had not consciously thought about it, he knew. He had followed that scent back and forth until time washed it away. Having it confirmed was enough to let a dark rage creep into his heart. The pup's expression darkened, and for a second it became something entirely different from the usual inquisitive, unsmiling face. It was almost feral.

But then Mathias turned, and the moment he spoke the darkness in the pup vanished. Jove squeezed his friend's hand tight. There were no joking or judgemental looks, he was a bit scared himself. Afraid of waking up to nothing again.

He gently reached out and opened the door himself, and while he only seemed to hold the wolpertinger's hand, invisible tendrils crept up his friend's arm and around his shoulders like a hug. Mathias would go at his own pace, and Jove would go with him every step of the way.

Seussi