Breath and Count to Ten (Aneirin and Landen)

[Landen]

Landen squeaked when he felt the larger man put an arm around his waist. He wanted to smack the hand away, since he'd known the man for all of about thirty minutes... not even that! But, at the same time, he didn't want to do anything more than bask in the feelings of warmth and protection he got from being held close to this strange Aneirin. It was unfamiliar, what he'd so suddenly began to feel towards this man, but at the same time, it felt like everything was right was it should be.

When Aneirin stopped, Landen was pulled to a stop, too. He gave the man a curious look, tilting his head to the side in silent question. When a hair fell in front of his eyes, he was about to blow it away, when Aneirin moved it for him. The brunette blushed darkly, his mouth agape. "Ah... no! It... uhh.... Don't worry about it. It's fine," he said quietly, smiling faintly up at the man. Yes, he was most definetly feeling strange.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

Aneirin could tell he had spooked the boy and bit his lip in frustration. He was getting nowhere fast, but what else was new. “I am not usually this forward, Landen. I apologise for my odd behaviour, but I…you cannot possibly understand how you make me feel.”

Well. That was rather blunt. Damn him, he had zero experience in this. He had a need of tact, and some of Niaer’s expert advice. He always knew what to do and would help in any way he could… as soon as he was through laughing. He decided that he might was well finish what he’d started. He may not be very eloquent or particularly handsome, but he could be honest with the beautiful boy.

“Landen, I find myself drawn to you in ways I have not felt before and if I have made you uncomfortable, I would like to make it up to you. Could you forgive me?”

[Landen]

Landen blushed darkly at the blunt explanation. "Ah... It's nothing to apologize for. You can't control how you feel," he replied. "And... Well... uh... I... I guess I kinda know what you mean. I mean... ah.... well... You kinda... it... uh... I... the same.... yeah...," he stuttered, not really sure how he could explain what he was feeling. He wasn't able to be as outright as Aneirin was.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

In for a penny, in for a pound, Aneirin remembered Sessek saying once. Yes, that was exactly it, wasn’t it? There was only so much he could do with words. He turned to face Landen, silently asking him if it was alright but too caught up in his actions to wait for the response.
He gently caressed his cheek with his nails, following his jaw line to his chin. He tilted the boy’s face upwards and started to slowly move closer to him, bringing their lips together, waiting to see if the boy would pull away. He hoped against all odds that he wouldn’t because being so close to him, hearing that heartbeat along with his own, it was madness.

[Landen]

Landen shivered as Aneirin ran his nails gently against the younger's face. He looked up at the dark-haired man with a trusting, agreeing look as he watched the other slowly move closer and closer to him. He knew that this wasn't normal. People didn't usually kiss strangers, did they? But Aneirin didn't seem to be a stranger to him. He felt like much more than that; like Landen knew him on a much deeper level than he'd known anyone else.

When their lips met, a shudder went through the brunette's body. The elecrict shock, just like before, went throughout his body, only a thousand times stronger. His heart was filled with belonging and warmth like he hadn't felt before. Landen couldn't stop himself from smiling against the other's lips.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

With the boy so close there was no denying it anymore. This was his mate, his other half. Landen was smiling, he wasn’t rejecting him, and just like that everything fell in to place. On this strange little world with its many strange people he had found that which some sought their entire lives, and he was holding him in his arms. He didn’t know how long they’d been standing there in the middle of the sidewalk but he could feel the animal in him roar with joy, with the desire to claim its mate and he pulled away from those lips. They had tasted better than he had ever imagined and it would not do to ruin it now. ‘I can’t ever let him leave me. It would without a doubt kill me to spend even a moment away from his side,’ Aneirin thought. ‘He must come with me, he simply must.’

“You are so beautiful, Landen. When I touch you, everything is right,” he said, willing the boy to understand.

[Landen]

Landen blushed darkly at the other's words. Things like that weren't said to or about him... ever. He wasn't exactly sure how to react, so he settled with just smiling up at Aneirin. "Beautiful, huh?" he asked quietly, raising a hand to gently caress the other's scarred cheek.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

Aneirin raised an eyebrow at the boy. "You don't believe me? It seems I'll have to prove it to you," he said, sezing the boy's lips in a kiss once again. He would not be as gentle, he wanted to catch the boy's plump lip between his teeth, run his tongue over it and get lost in the noises he made. His fingers had managed to tangle themselves in Landen's hair, he was surprised at how sort it was.

“You see? I don’t think there can ever be another who- ”

He was interrupted by the loud beeping of his communicator and he groaned, reaching for the cursed device. He couldn’t leave those people alone for even a second without another emergency arising could he.

“I must deal with this, please, can I see you again?" he asked, his voice laced with desperation.

[Landen]

Landen's mind was still rather fogging from the kiss... or rather, the 'eating of eachother's faces', which he was sure is what it looked like to others... Was it him that had made those sounds? The brunette blushed darkly.

"Ah.... huh?" he mumbled in confusion, the other's words not really processing in his mind that was too caught up in its own thoughts. After another moment, he was able to fully grasp the other's words. "Ah! You're leaving?!" he demanded before nodding. "Yes! Please! I... hmm... well, I told I live across the street from that coffee shop, right? I'm on the third floor, room three-twelve, okay? Maybe you could come over later?" He wondered, briefly, if it was such a good idea to give his address to a stranger, but the 'stranger' thing didn't really seem to apply to Aneirin anymore; so, he let it go.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

Aneirin smiled before pulling the boy in to another kiss. He meant to make this one last but the sheer heat pulsing through his veins warned him to pull away before he lost himself. “I will come. Wait for me,” he said and turned to leave. He took a few steps before he realised he still had Landen’s bag. “I’ll bring this when I return, shall I?” he said with a gentle smile and disappeared around the nearest corner. It took effort to leave the boy he knew was his mate, every one of his instincts was screaming at him to turn back and stop this foolishness, but he stubbornly reached for his pocket computer.

“Alright Beren, get me back. And I warn you, I am not in a good mood so this better be an honest to Zerca emergency or else,” he growled. As soon as he stepped in to the command centre his crew knew something was very wrong with him. Most of them had been with Aneirin long enough to be able to predict his moods fairly well and this one spelled pain, and lots of it. His pupils were narrowed and his eyes shone dangerously, his entire posture screamed anger. He moved more fluidly than he normally would which meant that the beast was very close to the surface. There was only one thing on their minds when the captain was in such a mood and that was ‘scatter, if you value your limbs’. Aneirin was, as usual, completely oblivious to this. His world was tinted in red and that made things a bit difficult to notice. He grabbed the nearest person by the scruff of the neck and pulled him to within an inch of his face. “Now what is it, or are you all going to stare at me like mutes.”

The computer snorted at his antics. “Please calm down Aneirin, they have done nothing wrong.” Aneirin dropped the poor man he was nearly strangling and turned to glare at the screen. “Lovely bag you’ve got there Ani, you simply must tell me where you got it.”

“Beren, I was not joking. I will pull your plug without blinking,” he growled.

“Touchy, touchy! Fine. Sessek left a message, you are to return as soon as possible. That would mean, oh I don’t know…Now.”

He didn’t even think before answering. “No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’? That was an order!” Beren said, sounding outraged.

“And I am disobeying it. I have something important to deal with and I will not leave before it has been dealt with.”

“But Captain, we really must,” Jaren, his second in command insisted. That was a mistake and he realised it as soon as Aneirin pounced. There was no other word for it, he transformed in mid-jump and pinned the poor man to the ground. He had never been so thoroughly out of control and he was screaming at himself as the beast slashed at his Second, but he could not stop. Suddenly he was thrown back, and the world became dark.

[Landen]

Landen watched Aneirin leave with a pout. It felt... wrong that the man was leaving. He didn't like the suddenly loneliness he got when the man was no longer in his sights. He sighed sadly before walking slowly back to his apartment.

The living room was dark and empty when he entered. He did have a room mate, but he wasn't there. He assumed his cat, Martin, was slinking around somewhere. Landen flicked on the lights, tilting his head curiously at his cat at Martin blinked open his eyes from where he was curled up on the couch. The feline glared up at him before standing, stretching, turning, and laying back down. Landen rolled his eyes at his pet before toeing off his shoes. He took a seat on the couch next to Martin and began to pet him, thinking silently before mumbling.

"Well... He told me to wait for him... What do you think, Martin? You fat, old, flea bag of love and cuteness." It wasn't a lie. Martin was old... and fat, and probably did have at least some fleas at some point in his life; the love and 'cuteness' was debatable, though. Said cat merely blinked up at him before closing its eyes. Landen stuck his tongue out at the animal in return. "Meanie," he grumbled before crossing his arms over his chest. "Well...I guess that means I wait for him." As if he'd ever doubted that he wouldn't.

[Aneirin Gwynne]

He wasn’t sure how long he’s been out cold but when he came to his head hurt something awful and he couldn’t seem to move an inch. Opening his eyes was also not the best idea he’d ever had, the light was murder on his eyes. Once he’d adjusted though he saw nearly his entire crew looking at him, some fearfully and some more than a little irate. He stifled a groan when his computer started laughing.

“Ani, love, is there something you want to tell us?” it giggled.

He flexed his muscles experimentally but he was bound tightly, the restraints wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t help it, he hissed. “Let me go.”

“Not until you calm down Captain. Jaren is badly hurt and we’d rather not have a repeat performance,” his Third sneered.

When he managed to speak again it surprised even him how pathetic he sounded. “You don’t understand, I have to go back. Please.”

“I am going to regret this, I just know it,” his Third muttered. “Let him go Beren.”

His restraints fell away and he stood up, somewhat stiffly but he was standing. He heard joints popping when stretched and let out a grunt. It had not escaped his notice that everyone had taken a step back when he moved. “I am not going to attack anyone, on my honour,” he said.

“Tell that to Jaren,” his Third retorted.

“I will apologise to Jaren as soon as he’s well. But I must go back.”

“Ani, what is the matter with you? You’ve been acting very strangely you know. This is not like you at all!” the computer chirped happily. It was taunting him and he knew it. Everyone probably knew it.

“I have to meet someone,” he said reluctantly. It wasn’t like he could hide it forever, he would have to bring the boy on board after all. He just didn’t want anyone to meddle in his affairs. Even the thought of any of them near Landen made his hairs stand on end. “He is my mate. I promised I would be back.”

As soon as the words had left his mouth the crew breathed a sigh of relief. Now that certainly explained a lot, didn’t it? Their stoic Captain was probably more than a little confused with this new development. Drys, his Third, handed him the bag with a wide grin on his face.

“I’m sure he’d like this back Captain. Good luck.”

Aneirin took the bag and nodded. “Thank you. Beren, send me back where you found me as soon as it’s clear.”

Within moments he found himself back in the alley around the corner from the café. It was already getting a bit dark, had he been out for that long? It didn’t matter, he was so close to the boy he could feel him and that was what mattered. He hurried towards the building and up the stairs, nearly running in his excitement. So what if people found him strange? In a little while it wouldn’t matter. When he found himself on the third floor in front of the door to room room three-twelve he knocked without hesitation.

[Landen]

After waiting silently on the couch for so long, Landen had ended up sprawled across the piece of furniture with Martin sprawled across him. The brunette had been sleeping silently but was awakened by an excited knocking at his door. He jumped in surprise, waking up the cat (who glared at him for waking him from his sleep again) before realizing his suroundings.

Landen gently moved Martin back onto the couch as he stood and went to answer the door. When he saw Aneirin standing in the hallway, the tightness in his chest released him greatly, though it still had a slight hold on him. He grinned widely, though sleepily, up at the man. "

"Oh! Aneirin! You're here!" he exclaimed happily. He wasn't quite sure why seeing the other made him so happy, but he guessed it had something to do with why he felt that the other man wasn't a stranger and why he'd been kissing him earlier. "I'm glad you were able to find it okay."

[Aneirin Gwynne]

Aneirin grinned, he couldn't help it. His mate looked incredible, still relaxed from a rather obvious nap. 'To hell with it,' he thought and enveloped the boy in a hug. The proximity made him feel instantly cheered, it was better than anything else in the world. "I apologise if I woke you, I simply couldn't wait another second." He didn't think the boy needed to know he was knocked on his arse by his crew and that he hadn't really been given a choice in the matter. The important thing was that he was there, and that Landed was in his arms again.

He was surprised to hear a disgruntled meow and looked down to his feet. He chuckled when he saw the ball of fur glaring up at him. "I think your friend is not very good at sharing you."

[Landen]

Landen 'oof'ed when he was pulled suddenly into a hug, but he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around the other's shoulders. The contact seemed to make the strange, empty feeling completely disipate. "No, it's okay. I was just napping as I was waiting for you," he replied happily, glad Aneirin had come straight from wherever he'd been.

The brunette looked down at Martin curiously before laughing lightly. "Martin's just surly 'cause I woke him from his never-ending nap," he explained. "Oh! Please, come inside!" he exclaimed, opening the door wider so the man could pass through, "Would you like something to drink? or eat or something?"