8 - True friend(s)?

Horknath laughed, grinning happily at Carleen before he blinked. "Oh! That's right, we left him in the veranda! Oh no, poor boy, all on his own", he exclaimed, cursing his forgetfulness. He threw an apologetic glance at Sakrish, feeling guilty all of a sudden. "I'm sorry, I know you're allergic to dogs - but I couldn't bring myself to leave him alone in my apartment." On a second thought, he could have left Spike at his parents. Damn it, why hadn't he thought about it earlier?

"Oh, don't worry about it," Sakrish replied with a wide smile. "I love dogs!" He sighed, however. "I'll just refrain from petting him, and I should get away with just puffy eyes and a running nose for tonight, don't worry."

Meanwhile, in his room, Theseus finally stirred awake, and let out a slight groan when it turned out that his painkillers were starting to wear off. He buried his face into Asterius' chest, holding him closer.

Horknath - who was starting to see just how much Carleen actually resembled her father - briefly and silently wondered if Sakrish would manage to refrain from petting Spike, who was pretty famous for being adorable and very good at begging for pats on his belly. Still he smiled unsurely in Sakrish's direction. "Sorry again", he repeated with a little nod. "Would you like to come see him? I think I should let him in from the veranda, or he'll really end up being all cold."

Asterius - who had actually only had a short nap and was now quietly browsing his phone, felt Theseus move and lightly complain as he held himself tighter against his chest. "Ah. The King is among us again?", he asked gently, moving his free hand to pet his boyfriend's hair. "How do you feel? You've been sleeping for quite a while."

Sakrish got up, all excited. "I'd love to see him! His name is Spike, right? Is he a cross-breed?" Oh, he loved dogs, and Carleen had definitely gotten that from him.
He was also a little dumb and would try to pet Spike as soon as the cute doggy would ask for pets, let's be honest. In fact, as soon as he opened the veranda's door, he cooed at Spike and reached for him. He only refrained from petting Spike because his wife called his name with a menacing tone.

Theseus sighed dramatically. "Have you ever had a horse step on your foot, Asterius? The pain it induces feels like a tickle compared to how my foot feels like right now. It feels like I've been stepped on my an elephant. Forget it. An oliphant. Those are bigger, aren't they?" He was still sleepy, so his grandiloquant soliloquy was a bit rusted still. "An army of oliphants," he concluded, mumbling.

Horknath answered that yes, actually Spike wasn't a pure bulldog and was a cross-breed with... probably a pitbull, the people at the kennel had told them so. He tried his best to hide a chuckle behind his hand, and he reached down to pet Spike in place of Sakrish - since he had been called over, he would have felt tricked if he hadn't gotten anything! Spike just wagged his tail a lot, let out a little 'woof' and obediently rolled on his belly, to let himself be pet by justr about anyone who wished to. He was adorable and he knew it. "Don't worry, he won't bother you too much", Horknath reassured Sakrish - even though he knew the older man would have wished to scratch him at least a little, that much was clear. "He's a very good boy."

Asterius held back a smile. "I can't say I've had that experience", he answered honestly, before leaning down to kiss Theseus on the forehead. He was still cute, even when his speech was a little slurred and confused. "I'm sorry. Would you like for me to ask for some other painkillers?"

"He seems very sweet, indeed!" Sakrish replied, once he had straightened up again, and would be sure he wouldn't just give in and rub his hands all over Spike's belly. Which was good, because his eyes were getting itchy, and he blinked a little more than usual by now. "He seems well behaved, too, I'm actually impressed!" He grinned at Horknath. "Carleen told me you've been educating him yourself?"

Theseus nodded. "I'm afraid I might be starving as well, my dear Asterius. Perhaps we ought to get down- provided that we didn't miss dinner time, of course." He shifted a bit in bed and winced. "Oh, blasted limb, stop aching when I can't even move you around!" He kicked the mattress and then groaned between clenched teeth when all he managed to do was to hurt himself a little further.

Horknath flushed a little, feeling a little embarrassed. He kept on petting Spike, who was perfectly happy to stay under his hand- at least until he noticed Carleen, and rolled over to her to get some pets from his mommy instead.
"When we got him, he was quite young. A little unruly, honestly. I asked a professional for some advice, and then started to teach him some tricks and commands. He's improved a lot! ... he still is very bad at understanding by himself when he should be mindful of other people's personal space, but when he gets called out he generally behaves."

"I don't think we did. Your mother had told me she's send someone upstairs with dinner, if we didn't make it on time", Asterius replied fondly, before wincing by reflex when Theseus hurt his foot further. "I think you'll need my help to get up", he observed with a frown, before getting up from the bed himself. He crouched next to his boyfriend's side and offered him his arms to roll into. Leaving him the choice to refuse if he so wished.

Carleen of course had followed suit, and so she was able to coo at Spike and pet him to his heart's content, stratching his belly just the way he loved it.
Sakrish smiled at Horknath. "Well, he didn't jump on me, that's what I call 'well-behaved'. You have no idea how many of my friends have to keep their dog locked outside every time I visit them, or else I risk having them trying to jump on me."

Theseus hesitated for just a moment, before he wrapped his arms around Asterius, so that his boyfriend could lift him up. "Well! Good, then, for I'm starving. And you must be too!" He exclaimed suddenly, when looking at Asterius. "I haven't even inquired about your well-being, Asterius! And yet I've had you go through much today!"

Spike was the happiest dog in the world. At least judging by how hard he was wagging his tail while Carleen petted him.
Horknath laughed, sheepishly scratching his head as he got back up on his feet. "That had to be the first thing we've taught him. Now his first instinct when someone new is around is to sit down and roll on his back." He paused. "He's not great as a guard dog."

Asterius secured Theseus better in his arms and lifted him up from the bed, careful to leave the wounded foot dangling and not have it bump against the furniture - or the doorway when they actually moved out of the room. "I'm alright", he simply answered, with a little nod. "I was mostly worried about you, to be honest. It was a... challenging day."

Sakrish chuckled. "Oh, but that's alright, you know. I suppose you didn't adopt him to be a guard dog. It'd be like getting children and expecting them to become doctors."
Carleen snorted, and even Ashanti, who had stayed a little behind, let out a chuckle.
"My grandmother still pesters dad nowadays because he didn't become a doctor, like she wanted him to," she explained to Horknath with a smile.

Theseus's expression softened, and he caressed Asterius' cheek with one hand. "I'm sorry I had you worry so much today, Asterius. I promise you I rarely get hurt as often as I've had since we've met each other - but I'll make sure to double my focus and be more careful from now on."

Horknath chuckled. "No, we didn't adopt him to have him be a guard dog", he admitted with a smile. "I just wanted really bad to have a puppy to take care of." He tilted his head, not understanding Sakrish's observation at first, only to let out an 'aah' when carleen clarified to him. "Well, but- you could argue you're doing far better than a doctor!"

Asterius leaned into Theseus' hand, yearning for his touch. "You'd better be", he gently reproached him. "It's one thing to be a bit bloodied after a football match - but you break far too many bones per month to my tastes." Let's ignore the fact that one of them had been his own doing. "Even though I must admit I don't mind carrying you around like this", he added as they made their way down the corridors. He leaned in to brush his lips against his boyfriend's in a soft kiss.

"Oh I could. And I have," Sakrish replied with a chuckle. "Don't worry, before you even have to meet Carleen's grandmother, we'll all have a little preparation talk together. She's got set beliefs, and never once changed her mind in her whole life. She's probably going to ask Carleen for hours why she didn't fall in love with Asterius instead of you."
"Dad, you're being a little harsh", Carleen countered with a chuckle.
"Oh he's being realistic," Ashanti intervened, clearly amused by the conversation. "Get ready for that question, dear." She sighed and looked at Horknath. "India has a system of casts. The highest cast counts a good number of Minotaur families."

Theseus chuckled when he kissed Asterius back. "Don't worry, love. Although I love it when you take care of me, I'd rather be at my best, so that we-" He abruptly paused, thinking hard. "...I'm afraid that our plans for tonight have to be postponed, since Carleen and Horknath will be in the next room, but my injury won't prevent us from, let's say, being alone together in my apartment tomorrow night?"

Horknath offered an apologetic smile to Ashanti. "I see- well, if anything I'm sure Asterius would be very well liked by both your parents", he replied. "And Ariadne! They should like Ariadne plenty as well, I'm sure." He hadn't thought about the possibility that Sakrish's mother would probably go crazy over the fact that her grandchildren had a couple of minotaur siblings to go for and neither of them got paired with the 'right one'. "I'm sure I'll make a good impression anyway!", he added quickly.

Asterius raised a brow at Theseus - and looked away for a second to hide away a smile. "It depends. I hardly think your conditions would allow for the kind of energic kind of 'being alone together' that we had the pleasure of having last night", he answered kindly. "It would depend on what you mean. Maybe, if we can find something to pass the time and that won't make you exert yourself, I could be persuaded."

"Oh, I'm sure Naanee will love you once she's met you," Carleen replied with a chuckle.
She missed the face her father made, though, and the glance he shared with his wife. Oh, they sure already heard her questioning their children about their 'poor choice' in partners.
"Well, let's not worry about this too much until you actually have to meet her," Sakrish kindly joked, before he sneezed. "Uh-oh. I'll get my medicine for allergies, and find you all back into the dining-room."

Theseus grinned. "Mh. Define 'exert'. I won't deny that last night was particularly intense, but I do think there are many more ways for us to pleasure each other. I do remember that there was something in particular that you wanted to try, and of which you talked about during our first night of intimacy."

Horknath missed the glance Carleen's parents had exchanged as well, too busy smiling at Carleen and just inwardly gushing at the fact that she was so convinced he would be well-liked by her whole family. "Oh! Sure, alright", he answered to Sakrish with a little nod. "I wonder if Asterius and Theseus will be able to reach us for dinner."

Oh, Asterius remembered. He did remember, alright. He hummed thoughtfully, nuzzling against Theseus' neck as they stepped down the stairs. "Hm. Vaguely", he lied, murmuring in his ear. "It had something to do with me only pleasing you with my mouth, is that right?"

Carleen shrugged. "I don't know. I hope Thee's okay. He was quite high on painkillers earlier, I suppose his injury must be quite painful."
"Oh, you know your brother. He'll pretend he doesn't need any more painkillers tomorrow." Ashanti smiled to herself. "His pride surely got more wounded than his poor foot."

Theseus's grin grew wider. "I recall something on those lines, yes. I suppose I could even return the favour. We'll find some way." He kissed Asterius' snout as soon as it was within his reach.
And, at the bottom of the stairs, there still was Theseus' wheelchair waiting for them.

Horknath smiled as well. "I'm sure Asterius will manage to gently bully him into taking painkillers, if he sees he's just playing tough", he commented. That was Asterius' way: the gentlest kind of bullying someone could get from a person who cares about them.
Still bullying, though.

Asterius chuckled, letting Theseus kiss his snout. He liked it when his boyfriend kissed him there. He made sure Theseus was settled properly in the wheelchair then before pushing it to the dining room, where they were hoping to find everybody.

"Well, I'm glad he has Asterius, then," Carleen concluded with a smile. Her smile widened when she saw Asterius coming up with Theseus, and guided them to the dining room, where they all had dinner together.

And I'll start something new in a new topic UvU