*Warning: Mature Content*

Danny quickly became as hungry for him as he'd been when he'd walked in the door. He was awkwardly eager. Even through raging lust and blinding ecstasy, he found his disjointed efforts endearingly adorable. He savored the way the soap let his fingers easily trace every detail of his body.
He liked it even better when he could taste the remnants of it on his skin when he licked him from head to toe on his bed.
He couldn't get enough of the faces he made. The soft cries of pleasure he released when he neared climax. Hearing him huff and seeing him spasm in orgasmic bliss was erotic and addicting.
He could see the desire growing in Danny's eyes every time he helped guide his strokes to ecstasy. There was a strange satisfied look of lust on his face right before the white hot rolling contractions sent him to perfect release.
He loved it.
He loved knowing Danny wanted him like he wanted him.
The sunlight had mostly faded from the bedroom window.
Lazily he dragged his fingers up and down his chest. Danny's eyes were closed with his head facing him. There was a soft content smile on his lips. He moved the pillow under his head to better support his neck as he lay on his side. Back to caressing his skin as he lost himself in admiration. Danny stretched and blinked a couple times before rolling on his side to face him. He smiled when his eyes looked him over.
Danny's face slowly fell into seriousness.
“I'm going to protect you. I promise.” He whispered.
His heart panged.
Fingers to his cheek. Danny blinked slightly as he let his fingertips run along his cheek bone. He took a deep breath.
“I know you will…thank you,” He breathed out,“I'll always protect you too.”
The boyish grin came back.
Sadness and guilt washed over him as he stared back into those beautifully vulnerable eyes.
“They're coming for me.” He sighed.
“I know.”
“No, I mean literally. Bob called me today.”
Danny frowned, his hand suddenly reaching up to grab his.
“How long?”
“Dunno. They didn't get any leads.”
His frown turned into a face of determination.
“Then we have time to be ready.” His voice was confident.
His jaw felt tight.
“I dunno if we'll ever be ready enough…”
With a huff, Danny shifted to sit up. A look of frustration swirled in his eyes.
“You can't just give up, Chris! And you can't keep running. Eventually they'll catch you, and then you'll really be unprepared.” He said, his tone adamant.
His face was tugging at hopeful strings in his heart.
“We're imprinted now. Hopefully it will convense my pack, but if not, I'll think of something else. I'm not letting you go without a fight. And I don't care if I go down trying. At least I'll know I did the best I could.”
Pain was stabbing through his chest. Gratefulness was joined by humility. Danny's grip on his hand was tight. He squeezed right back.
“You've got me now, okay? You're not alone anymore, you don't have to face this by yourself.” He nearly said in a whisper.
The emotions were so overwhelming it felt like there was a knot in his throat. Unable to undo it with a swallow, he cleared it.
Slowly he nodded, “Thank you, you…didn't have to do any of this.”
His eyes held steady.
“I didn't have to, but I wanted to.” He quietly replied.
His heart did nearly burst from his chest.
A reassuring grin ran across Danny's face.
“We're going to play tomorrow, right? Like, really play?” His voice peppy.
He breathed out a laugh as he stroked his thumb across the back of his hand.
“Really play?” He asked on curiousity.
“Yeah, you've been so awkward lately, it hasn't been that much fun.” He shrugged.
“I'm sorry…”
“It's fine. You'll just have to make it up to me tomorrow,” He paused, his grin getting wider, “And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day…”
A laugh bubbled up from the depths of his belly. A swift movement had Danny pinned beneath him. He tickled him until he was hiccuping and begging for mercy through his laughter.
With a playful shove, and more hiccups, Danny curled his back up against him. Snuggling him tight, he nuzzled his nose behind his ear. He left little kisses on his skin.
As he began to drift into the arms of sleep, a brave new energy burned in his body.
The risk of imprinting was worth it.
Danny was worth living for.
Worth fighting for.
He was going to battle those demons. Stand his ground. Fight to survive. Fight to have what had been stripped of him simply because he didn't fit the mold.
He deserved it. He deserved to not be cursed anymore.
The sleep was the deepest he'd had in years. Just knowing his warm body was in his bed created an unconscious blanketing calm. His scent kept his mind gently craddled. He slept right through the night.
“Hey, wake up, slacker.” His voice was a contradiction of bright and groggy.
When he opened his eyes, he could just barely see Danny's big grin shining above him in the morning twilight. It was a chore to keep his eyelids open. His sleep had been so good, he didn't want to get up.
“You're gonna make me late if you don't get up now.” He teased.
With a tired grin he stretched the heaviness from his muscles.
Lips lightly pressed into his cheek.
“Gonna go cut up some breakfast,” He watched his eyes flash down, “We have any antibiotic cream?”
The abrupt change of subject made him blink in question. It was suddenly clarified when he felt a flutter of finger pads touch his neck.
“I'm not sure.” He mumbled.
Danny hummed in thought as he scrunched his lips up to one corner of his mouth. He loved how adorable he looked.
“I think I may have some in the bathroom drawer…” He seemed to be thinking outloud.
The bed bounced as he abruptly moved to get off the mattress. He quickly snatched his wrist before he could wander too far.
Danny looked back at him with a quizzical look.
“Commere, goregeous, I didn't get to say good morning.” He said in quiet affection.
Even in the low light he could see his cheeks flush. He crawled back to him. Cupping his jaw in his hands he pressed a soft kiss into his lips.
“Good morning.” He whispered through a smile.
He could feel his, “Good morning.”
“I'll try to find some of that cream. You just worry about the food.”
His eyes were bright.
“Okay.”
This time he let him leave the bed. He watched him go before he sat up. Rubbing his eyes with the heels if his palms, he filled his lungs with a long yawn. It was another battle to actually motivate himself to get up. With compression shorts pulled on, he rummaged through the drawers and medicine cabinets of both their bathrooms. He came up empty handed.
Leaning his palms against one of the bathroom counters, he tilted his head. In the mirror's reflection, the angry welt stood out on his neck. Blue, purple, and red had seeped under his skin like oozing paint. A ragged scab the source of the bruising. He dared touch it. The sore sting still didn't pull him out of his disbelief.
It was Danny that put the there.
His mate had made that mark.
For a while he stared, trying to get the reality to sink in.
He floated down the stairs, dreamily following that charming scent that now had a lingering sweetness. Danny's full cheeks and squinting smile greeted him when he walked into the kitchen. He pushed the cutting board of meat towards him as he sat down.
A glance his neck showed his bite mark was just as bad as his.
“I didn't find any.” He said, reaching for the food.
His cheeks flattened as he watched him swallow.
“Bummer. I'll pick some up on campus. They should have some at our little convenience store.”
He nodded, “Class at nine?”
“Mhm,” Danny hummed as he grabbed more meat, “So ready for the mid term stuff to be over with.”
“How many tests you have?”
“Not many, but the programming one is gonna be a bitch and a half. Dave and I can barely find and correct coding errors in the practice logs the professor posted.”
His lips turned down in a frown.
“Sounds…complicated.” He mumbled.
“That's a mild way to put it.” He snorted.
“Glad I only have to milk and care for cows.
“That sounds tempting right about now.” He grumbled.
He gave him crooked smile, “You're too smart to be working on a farm.”
Danny's eyes brightened.
“Thanks, but I think you're smart too.”
He shrugged, “Maybe.”
“No, you are. It's amazing all the crazy things you know about being a wolf.”
That sent an melting feeling down to his toes.
“Thanks.”
“You're welcome.”
With the last piece finished, they headed out the door.
It was an inexplicable experience. That's all he could classify it as. His awareness of Danny had suddenly increased tenfold. It was like they were connected by an invisible thread. A gentle snagging feeling kept filling his chest. Vague emotions seemed to pop up into his head at random intervals.
It was suddenly making him wonder if imprinting was more than just claiming a mate.
A nudge against his shoulder pulled him out of his wondering.
“I'll go show my dad we're imprinted before I leave for school.”
“You think it's a good idea to show him so soon?”
“Sooner the better right? Gives it time for word to spread around?”
“I don't know. I don't want it to come across like I'm using you…”
“But you aren't…”
“I know, but I think waiting a bit will give the impression that the decision was mutual. Not an irrational impulse of dominance.”
A lick across his cheek.
“Alright, I'll wait a week. Sound good?”
He nuzzled his muzzle across his, “Yeah.”
A soft nip at his ear.
“Bet I can beat you home.” Danny challenged.
Already his tail was wagging as he saw the glittering in his chocolate eyes.
“What are we betting?”
Danny tilted his head as he trotted beside him.
“How about…a full game night of VR, cause you've totally been avoiding that.” He teased.
“Fine, then I say a whole night of FPS if I win.”
“You realize that's a win-win for me either way, right?”
“Deal, or not?” He laughed.
Danny nipped his neck and shot off like a flash of light.
“Deal!” He hollered over his shoulder.
Digging his back paws into the dirt, leaves, and grass, he leapt after him.
He didn't care if he won or not, just feeling the freedom of play with his mate was winning enough.