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The lights were rusted out, it seemed. Dirt and grime clung to every surface. People were sprawled all over the room, eyes glazed, or passed out all together. His mate reeked of alcohol and the blood drained out of his face when he saw lines of white on the table where Tiran had been sitting. \n\nHe ripped his mate from the room, out into the fresh air. Tiran shook, visibly, trying to yank his arm out of Brawn's hold. Tiran threw a hand at Brawn's face, slapping him with all the strength the drugged out cougar could muster, which wasn't much. \"Let go of me, asshole! You don't have the right to take me away from here!\"\n\n\"Yes, I do!\" Brawn roared back, his fangs flashing, fists clenching in anger. \"What the hell, Tiran?\" He gripped his mate's face in his hands, \"Why, baby? Why?\"\n\nTiran pulled from his grip, fell to the ground and growled up at the man who loved him more than life itself, and felt like the biggest prick. [He won't understand!] Tiran's mind cried. [He can't comprehend the pain that is ripping my core...] \"You are clueless, Brawn! Clueless!\" He growled, swiped a sharp-nailed hand at Brawn. \"You don't know what this is like!\"\n\n\"No!\" Brawn yelled back, \"I don't because you won't talk to me! Just weeks ago there was NOTHING we did not talk about! Nothing! Now I find you in a flop house, drunk, snorting heroin!\" His heart broke just looking at Tiran. \n\nTiran flinched and huddled into a ball on his side as the drugs kicked in. His vision wavered and the high took over. He heard another male come up to Brawn and his gut clenched. Raze was a coworker of Brawn's, but Tiran did not like him. He looked too closely at his mate for Tiran's liking. \n\nBrawn sighed at the sight before him and his shoulders hunched, defeated. Raze came up behind him and clapped a hand to his shoulder. \"C'mon, bro, let's get him home. Detox is going to be a bitch.\" Brawn knew Raze was right, and it killed him inside. \n\nBetween both men they hefted the drugged male to the car, lying him in the back as gently as possible. He was tall and heavy as dead weight. Brawn just hoped he wasn't hurt too badly from the shifting into the car. Raze dove, his Jeep bumping along the busted up road u der the tires as they worked their way out of the local slum. Brawn thanked all the Gods that he had found Tiran before the shit had overdosed. \n\nThe ride home was longer than he liked, as he had to watch his mate, his lover, his lifeline, writhe in a drug induced state. Raze's voice cut off as he closed his phone and met Brawn's eyes in the rear view. \"He said that withdrawal can take up to 24 hours before taking effect.\"\n\nBrawn's gut clenched, and his heart broke knowing what laid in his mate's future. Withdrawal was ten times worse than anything he could imagine. \"I have to help him through this, Raze.\" He met his friend's eyes in the rearview, the pain for his mate clear on his face.\n\nRaze just turned back to the road and drove until they reached the house. He parked the Jeep as close to the door as possible without being on the lawn and they bodily carried him into the house, only setting him down when they reached the couch. Brawn refused to let him puke all over their bed, which he knew Tiran would be puking his guts up soon, so the couch was the only option. Raze laid out a tarp on the floor next to the couch to protect the carpet and grabbed the trash can, bringing it close. \n\nNow they had nothing to do but wait. Raze settled on the recliner and Brawn took the other one, so that Brawn was at Tiran's head and Raze and his feet, to hold him if he started to fight the withdrawal, or seize up in pain. Brawn refused to let anything happen to his mate when he was out of his mind. [which seems to be the norm lately.... What the hell is happening with him?] That question had plagued him all day since Tiran had disappeared, for the fifth time in two weeks. \n\nHours passed and the spasms started. At one point Tiran woke and screamed before passing out. Of he just stayed passed out from the pain, then this would be easier. As he held Tiran during the first few spasms he had seen a trail of needle marks all over his inner arm. Raze had raised a brow at all the cussing he'd done before seeing the marks. He'd cussed right along with Brawn after that. \n\n\"I take it his shooting and snorting habit were not something you were aware of?\" He'd asked Brawn. \n\n\"Fuck no.\"\n\n\"What is up with him, my man?\"\n\n\"I have no idea, but when this shit is over he is going to have some serious explaining to do.\"\n\nRaze looked up and glared at Brawn. \"Why are you doing this? He's given you so much trouble lately. He isn't worth this crap, dude.\" Brawn met the hard glare and stared him down. \"I am not walking away from him. We've been through shit before and it will be fine once he is clean and we can talk this shit out. Something happened eight weeks ago and I just have to pull it out of him.\"\n\nRaze looked away and shrugged as Tiran slumped from the end of another spasm. More hours passed. Stronger spasms that deeply worried Brawn came and went. His mate was more and more drawn by the hour. He'd thrown up so many times that he was simply dry heaving now.\n\nBrawn was dying inside, slowly, watching Tiran in pain like this. He racked his brain, thinking over every conversation they had in the last eight weeks, trying to come up with something that would explain what was happening in front of him right now. \n\nHours before he had slid to the floor, pulled Tiran into his arms and cradled him there. He couldn’t let go. There were so many memories of the happier, joyful Tiran flashing around in his mind. Times when things hadn’t been so hard on him. Times when his family had been the loving people he had grown up with. \n\nThe day that they had gone to Tiran’s family, sat down in the quaint little living room where Tiran’s Mother and Father sat watching them both had been a turning point for his cougar. Part of him had died that day.\n\n~~\n\n“Tiran!” his Mother called out from the porch when he and Brawn had pulled up in their only car, a small sedan that was on its last leg. They had been living in their new apartment in New York for a couple of months, had just started investing the little bit of money they had, and had come home for a visit.\n\nBrawn loved the smile that split his man’s face as he raced up the steps and pulled his Mother into his arms. Meri was, by no means, frail in any way. She was almost as tall as Tiran’s father who stood just a mere inch shorter than his son. She was where his silver fur had come from. His father was the traditional colors in creams and browns. \n\n“Hey, Mom!” he chuckled and gripped his Father’s hand as Karn walked out of his office off the side hall of their Vermont home. “Dad! How’s the new project coming?” Karn was a certified welder, and had joined up with a company that was working on a new school building for the neighborhood. They had had a rough year with bad storms and were working with Karn to make sure that anything that hit the Southern Vermont town would never be enough to put the little kits and pups in danger. \n\n“Ah, you know how it goes. Things are going round and round in the city committees until they can decide on something they all like, which has only a snowball’s chance in hell of happening.”\n\nThey all wandered into the living room which had sturdy, comfortably furnature that had seen the wear of three kids. As the oldest, Tiran had his own spot that he always settled on. Brawn swore that it had his ass imprinted there no matter how many months it was between him sitting there. “So,” his Mother smiled and handed each of them a glass of tea she had fetched form her new ‘gormet’ kitchen. The remodel had taken months and she was thrilled with the results. “What brings you two home so soon? Get homesick in New York?”\n\n“Nah!” they laughed and shook their heads. Even though they tried to look and feel relaxed, Brawn saw the tension in his mate’s eyes and in the set of his broad shoulders. He knew that it might make things harder, but he couldn’t resist touching Tiran. He slid a hand to his mate’s thigh and squeezed, showing his support. \n\nHis father’s eyes whipped to the touch instantly and all the laughter died in the room. “What does bring you home, then?” His voice had hardened.\n\n“Well, Dad. You know that Brawn and I have been locked at the hip for years… Well… we realized something after we moved…”\n\n“NO!” his father roared, surging to his feet. \n\n“Dad, I-“\n\n“Karn, please, let’s just hear them out. Maybe it isn’t what you think…” his Mother stuttered.\n\nTiran’s features had fallen, and Brawn could see the pain that now covered the tension in his eyes. “Yes, Mom. It is exactly what he thinks. I’m gay, and Brawn and I are a couple.”\n\nThey both flinched when his father roared again, turned and paced away to turn the room. “What the hell are you doing, Tiran? Do you want to disgrace this family?” He had stormed across the room and grabbed his oldest son by the throat, showing the beast in him that never came out. \n\nHis eyes glowed with anger, teeth flashing, arms bulging with barely restrained emotion. Brawn had never seen the man like this. Karn had always been stable, balanced, and never got angry. This man was not the one who he had portrayed to the world for decades. \n\nHe now shook his son, choking off his airflow. His mother screamed, now standing and backing out of the room. Brawn lunged, grabbed at Karn’s arms, trying to free him.\n\n“You will not shame this family!” Karn yelled. Brawn managed to free Tiran form his father’s grasp and shoved him across the room, bracing his stance over his lover as Tiran choked and struggled for air\n\n“Do you not know him at all?” Brawn screamed back. “He loves you! He loves this family and he has NEVER done a damn thing to make you think of him this way!”\n\n“Do not dare speak to me, Brawn. I expected better of you!” Karn spat at Brawn. The verbal assault was like a bullet in the chest. “You have turned my son against us. You have turned him into…. An abomination!”\n\nBrawn heard Tiran gasp and a sob ripped from his chest. “Dad, please, don’t-“\n\n“No, Tiran. You know your responsibilities. You can either put away this fantasy that you have created and be the man I will one day put in charge of this family, or you will be disowned. You will never be allowed in this household, and if I hear of your siblings having any contact, then they, too will lose everything. I will not have this in my house!” Karn screamed this at both men, a shaking hand pointing an accusing finger across the room at them.\n\n“And you,” he growled at Brawn. “I expected more of you.” He glowered at his son, who sat back on the couch, a hand to his throat where bruises were sprouting from his Father’s hands, skaking, silent sobs raking from him. “This is your only chance, Tiran. Tell me now that this is folly, or some bad joke, or you are never allowed here again. You will be dead to us.”\n\nTiran shook his head and whispered, “I expected more from you, Father.” He stook, using Brawn for balance. “I expected more from my Father. I expected you to love me no matter what. I expected your acceptance and your unconditional support. You always told us that. You always told us all that you would stand by us no matter what. I never knew what a bigot you are. If I had, then I would have never said a damn thing to you… ever. If I am dead to you, then so be it. I will not be something I’m not.”\n\nHe stalked to the front door, his mother cowering at the kitchen doorway. “Mother, I-“\n\nShe turned her face away, shame clearly on her face. “You shame me, Tiran. You are no longer my son.” His body jerked back, as if she had stabbed him with one of her new shiny knives from her fancy kitchen. Brawn saw him break in that moment, knowing that he could handle loosing his Father, but his Mother, too, was too much. \n\nTiran stormed out of the house, and slammed into the sedan. Brawn had to race to keep up, sliding into the passenger seat knowing that letting him drive was a bad idea, but also knew that saying anything would only make things worse. He simply held on and watched Tiran from the passenger seat as they sped away, the car racing so fast that he’d lose his license if an officer stopped him. \n\n~~\n\nBrawn looked at the drawn, pale, messy face in his arms, seeing the broken man that he had put back together once before. It had taken months. Depression, self-deprivation, and injurious behavior had sank in. The worst moment of his life came when he walked in from his night job at a local diner to find him in the bathroom floor, a razor blade next to his hand, cuts all over his arms, chest, and collar bones. None of them had been life threatening, but the damage that was done to Tiran’s psyche had been deep. \n\nIt took another few weeks to convince him to go see a counselor that a friend, Raze, actually, had recommended. It had worked wonders. The man he loved had broken out of his the shell he wrapped himself in, and had come back to life. The first time after the confrontation when he’d seen Tiran laugh and smile again made Brawn glow inside. \n\nIt seemed that something had broken his mate again. This time he only hoped that he could put him back together. “I’m not leaving you, Tiran. I didn’t when you broke the first time, nor will I now,” he whispered in the mid-afternoon light surrounding them. “I will be here every time you break, whether that is never again, or a million times over.” He laid a soft kiss on his man’s lips and watched as Tiran’s eyes blinked open. They were red and looked like he’d taken handfuls of gravel and rubbed them into the perfect yellow eyes. \n\n“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” He watched as recognition and remembrance registered. Tiran groaned as a spasm hit his stomach. “Easy, baby. It’s the withdrawal. It’s easing, but it will still take time.”\n\n“It hurts,” he cried out, clutching at his stomach and turning into a ball, halfway in and halfway out of Brawn’s lap. “Everything burns…. Everything screaming in pain…”\n\n“I know, baby, I know.” He couldn’t stop touching him. Had to feel him under his hands, to know he wasn’t wasting away. Raze walked in from the kitchen and watched, warily, as Tiran fought the pain before passing back out.\n\n“He needs fluids. I swear I can see the color leaving his fur. It’s like he’s…” He stopped, seeing the pain on Brawn’s face, anger coursing through him seeing his friend hurting. At that moment he hated Tiran and the shit that he had done to put that pain there. \n\n“I know, Raze. I’m hoping Christi can bring some fluids from the clinic and give him an IV?” Raze nodded at that and pulled out his cell. Christi was Raze’s little sister and he knew that she’d do whatever she could to help. The clinic was a family friendly place and the owner loved her like one of his own daughters. When it came to helping people he’d always told the staff, “You need to help someone, then do it. I’m not here for the money. I’m here to save lives. Just let me know the situation and you can take what you need. If it is something that you can’t handle as an RN, then find me. I’ll do what I can.”\n\nShe answered with her pixie voice, “Hey, big bro! What’s happening?” He loved his little sister and her voice was just so perky that he had to smile, but it faded fast. \n\n“Do you remember Brawn and Tiran?”\n\n“Of course! Those two are so cute together!” He rolled his eyes at that. \n\n“They need your help. Tiran got into some bad shit two days ago and is now in withdrawal. I swear I can see color fading from his fur. He needs fluids but can’t keep anything down. He’s been dry heaving even while passed out and only comes back to reality for about a minute before the spasms take him again.”\n\n“Shit,” her voice faded into worry. “I’ll tell Doc Rowan and be on my way. What did he get into, Raze? That’s classic withdrawal for some heavy shit.”\n\n“Yeah, it is. I’ll explain more when you get here. Just hurry. Braze won’t eat anything or leave his side, and I know until he sees improvement he won’t. I’m worried that without help he’ll turn for the worse and the withdrawal will win.” He gripped the cell hard as the pleased feeling at that thought coursed through him. He put on a façade for Brawn because he knew how much the cougar meant to him. In reality, he wished that Tiran would just disappear into the ether, never to return. He’d take proper care of Brawn. Which meant that he would never put the panther in this position. \n\nRaze’s body twitched and his striped fur undulated with it. He was tiger, and a predator at heart. It is what made him so good at his job. He had instincts honed perfectly for security, and was only able to be here to help out because he owned his own business and his second in command, Shade, a snow leopard, had more than willingly kicked him out of the office telling him that he didn’t care what the problem was, but if Raze didn’t get out, he’d kill him for micromanaging. \n\n“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be on my way. I need him on a couch or on the ground so that I can properly give him an IV. I’ll bring meds that will help with the pain and spasms. His muscles are going to hurt bad after this. His whole body had, for lack of a better ananlogy, been running a marathon at 60 mph since this kicked in.”\n\n“Thanks, sis. We’ll have him ready. He’s already on the floor, so we won’t have to move him.”\n\n“Anytime, Raze. Tell Brawn not to worry, we’ll get Tiran up and moving in no time.” She hung up and he clicked his phone shut, and nodded at Brawn. “Hopefully no more than 30 minutes and she’ll be here.” \n\nBrawn’s gazed locked on the man in his arms, totally oblivious to the glare that Raze was shooting at Tiran. His mind raced to the times of passion where they had taken each other all over their home. It kept him centered to think of his lover that way, stretched out in passion, head thrown back while purrs and moans rippled from him. Him braced over Brawn’s back, cock buried deep into Brawn’s ass, teeth buried in Brawn’s shoulder to pin him down over the kitchen counter. Both of them locked together in the shower with fingers linked together while rubbing each other’s cocks together, heads thrown back, growling into the steam. \n\nHe kept those images in his head, because he had to think that things would be okay. He could not accept that Tiran wouldn’t come back from this. So he held onto his lover’s image as he was before all this shit started. \n\nBrawn was roused from his thoughts when the doorbell rang and Raze walked in followed by Christi. She gasped and he could see the pity in her eyes before it was shadowed, quickly and she got to work. He watched as she set up a the IV bag, hanging it and kneeled down with the needle in her hand. \n\n“When was the last time he spasmed? I have to be careful with this. If he jerks while I’m setting it, it could rip of his arm.” She locked eyes with him and he just nodded. “I’ll hold his arm, he won’t move it, even if the spasms start again. I promise.” A quick jerk of her head and she set to work, finding the vein, prodding it to bring it to the surface, locked eyes with him quickly again, and slid the needle under Tiran’s skin. Thankfully he never twitched. She taped it in place, and wrapped some gauze around his elbow. “If he moves, the gauze will keep him from ripping anything out or hurting the vein. It’ll harden up a bit here in a minute, kind of like a cast. It will hold until we cut it off.”\n\nShe pulled out a needless syringe and placed it at a juncture of the IV tubes. “This is a sedative that will keep him relaxed. It will help the spasms. I’m also going to give him a bit of a pain reliever. Not knowing how he would react to something stronger, it is just a basic med.”\n\nWhen she finished she placed a hand on Brawn’s arm. He was slumped on the floor, legs spread to allow Tiran’s body to lay against him, Tiran’s head just under Brawn’s chin, resting on Brawn’s collar bone. He had Tiran wrapped tightly in his arms, while still allowing Christi to do her work. “He will be fine, Brawn. He is strong and he has you to lean on.”\n\nHe wouldn’t meet her eyes, just kept them locked on Tiran’s face. Just nodded and stared down. She whispered, “Do you know what set this off? Why he did this?”\n\nHe did look up at this point and a frown lined his handsome face. “No. Not a damn clue. Once I can feel okay about letting go of him, I’m going to go into his office and rip it apart. There has to be something in there to tell me what is going on. I’ve look everywhere else. I try to stay out of there, since it is his place of business, but I’ve looked everywhere else. I even went as far as to snoop into his phone and e-mail.” He looked so shamed at that, that she squeezed her hand on his arm in support and understanding. “It is the only place I haven’t searched for a clue. If nothing is in there, then I do not know where to look. If he won’t talk to me…” \n\nHe hated seeing the pity in her eyes. When she spoke it startled him, “Why have you stayed, Brawn? You are so much better than this. You deserve so much more.”\n\nHe bared sharp fangs at her. “I will not leave him!” His tone was hard, but his voice the softest threat. “He is mine and I am his. Nothing will change that.”\n\n“I’m sorry, Brawn, but I had to ask…” Her voice was soft and her gentle features begged him. “Please forgive me. I just… I see how much pain you are in, and part of me wonders what it is that keeps you here.” She looked down at her hands, “There aren’t many who would stay with a mate who had done this, Brawn. He is lucky to have you.”\n\nBrawn didn’t reply, just held his mate closer, caressed his face and watched him. Tiran’s body had eased and was more relaxed in his arms. Brawn refused to break. He had to stay strong for his mate. And he damn well would, forever. He had to take his mate back to the good times, make him remember what they lived for. He had to make him remember what their relationship brought them both. Show him that he had a safe haven in Brawn, that he didn’t need drugs or alcohol or anything else. He had to show his mate what they gave each other, and how they could save each other over and over again, no matter what the circumstances. ", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "6 Weeks Later

"What the hell, Tiran?" Brawn yelled over the din of music and voices as he ripped the love of his life away from the small table in the dingy room. The lights were rusted out, it seemed. Dirt and grime clung to every surface. People were sprawled all over the room, eyes glazed, or passed out all together. His mate reeked of alcohol and the blood drained out of his face when he saw lines of white on the table where Tiran had been sitting.

He ripped his mate from the room, out into the fresh air. Tiran shook, visibly, trying to yank his arm out of Brawn's hold. Tiran threw a hand at Brawn's face, slapping him with all the strength the drugged out cougar could muster, which wasn't much. "Let go of me, asshole! You don't have the right to take me away from here!"

"Yes, I do!" Brawn roared back, his fangs flashing, fists clenching in anger. "What the hell, Tiran?" He gripped his mate's face in his hands, "Why, baby? Why?"

Tiran pulled from his grip, fell to the ground and growled up at the man who loved him more than life itself, and felt like the biggest prick. [He won't understand!] Tiran's mind cried. [He can't comprehend the pain that is ripping my core...] "You are clueless, Brawn! Clueless!" He growled, swiped a sharp-nailed hand at Brawn. "You don't know what this is like!"

"No!" Brawn yelled back, "I don't because you won't talk to me! Just weeks ago there was NOTHING we did not talk about! Nothing! Now I find you in a flop house, drunk, snorting heroin!" His heart broke just looking at Tiran.

Tiran flinched and huddled into a ball on his side as the drugs kicked in. His vision wavered and the high took over. He heard another male come up to Brawn and his gut clenched. Raze was a coworker of Brawn's, but Tiran did not like him. He looked too closely at his mate for Tiran's liking.

Brawn sighed at the sight before him and his shoulders hunched, defeated. Raze came up behind him and clapped a hand to his shoulder. "C'mon, bro, let's get him home. Detox is going to be a bitch." Brawn knew Raze was right, and it killed him inside.

Between both men they hefted the drugged male to the car, lying him in the back as gently as possible. He was tall and heavy as dead weight. Brawn just hoped he wasn't hurt too badly from the shifting into the car. Raze dove, his Jeep bumping along the busted up road u der the tires as they worked their way out of the local slum. Brawn thanked all the Gods that he had found Tiran before the shit had overdosed.

The ride home was longer than he liked, as he had to watch his mate, his lover, his lifeline, writhe in a drug induced state. Raze's voice cut off as he closed his phone and met Brawn's eyes in the rear view. "He said that withdrawal can take up to 24 hours before taking effect."

Brawn's gut clenched, and his heart broke knowing what laid in his mate's future. Withdrawal was ten times worse than anything he could imagine. "I have to help him through this, Raze." He met his friend's eyes in the rearview, the pain for his mate clear on his face.

Raze just turned back to the road and drove until they reached the house. He parked the Jeep as close to the door as possible without being on the lawn and they bodily carried him into the house, only setting him down when they reached the couch. Brawn refused to let him puke all over their bed, which he knew Tiran would be puking his guts up soon, so the couch was the only option. Raze laid out a tarp on the floor next to the couch to protect the carpet and grabbed the trash can, bringing it close.

Now they had nothing to do but wait. Raze settled on the recliner and Brawn took the other one, so that Brawn was at Tiran's head and Raze and his feet, to hold him if he started to fight the withdrawal, or seize up in pain. Brawn refused to let anything happen to his mate when he was out of his mind. [which seems to be the norm lately.... What the hell is happening with him?] That question had plagued him all day since Tiran had disappeared, for the fifth time in two weeks.

Hours passed and the spasms started. At one point Tiran woke and screamed before passing out. Of he just stayed passed out from the pain, then this would be easier. As he held Tiran during the first few spasms he had seen a trail of needle marks all over his inner arm. Raze had raised a brow at all the cussing he'd done before seeing the marks. He'd cussed right along with Brawn after that.

"I take it his shooting and snorting habit were not something you were aware of?" He'd asked Brawn.

"Fuck no."

"What is up with him, my man?"

"I have no idea, but when this shit is over he is going to have some serious explaining to do."

Raze looked up and glared at Brawn. "Why are you doing this? He's given you so much trouble lately. He isn't worth this crap, dude." Brawn met the hard glare and stared him down. "I am not walking away from him. We've been through shit before and it will be fine once he is clean and we can talk this shit out. Something happened eight weeks ago and I just have to pull it out of him."

Raze looked away and shrugged as Tiran slumped from the end of another spasm. More hours passed. Stronger spasms that deeply worried Brawn came and went. His mate was more and more drawn by the hour. He'd thrown up so many times that he was simply dry heaving now.

Brawn was dying inside, slowly, watching Tiran in pain like this. He racked his brain, thinking over every conversation they had in the last eight weeks, trying to come up with something that would explain what was happening in front of him right now.

Hours before he had slid to the floor, pulled Tiran into his arms and cradled him there. He couldn’t let go. There were so many memories of the happier, joyful Tiran flashing around in his mind. Times when things hadn’t been so hard on him. Times when his family had been the loving people he had grown up with.

The day that they had gone to Tiran’s family, sat down in the quaint little living room where Tiran’s Mother and Father sat watching them both had been a turning point for his cougar. Part of him had died that day.

~~

“Tiran!” his Mother called out from the porch when he and Brawn had pulled up in their only car, a small sedan that was on its last leg. They had been living in their new apartment in New York for a couple of months, had just started investing the little bit of money they had, and had come home for a visit.

Brawn loved the smile that split his man’s face as he raced up the steps and pulled his Mother into his arms. Meri was, by no means, frail in any way. She was almost as tall as Tiran’s father who stood just a mere inch shorter than his son. She was where his silver fur had come from. His father was the traditional colors in creams and browns.

“Hey, Mom!” he chuckled and gripped his Father’s hand as Karn walked out of his office off the side hall of their Vermont home. “Dad! How’s the new project coming?” Karn was a certified welder, and had joined up with a company that was working on a new school building for the neighborhood. They had had a rough year with bad storms and were working with Karn to make sure that anything that hit the Southern Vermont town would never be enough to put the little kits and pups in danger.

“Ah, you know how it goes. Things are going round and round in the city committees until they can decide on something they all like, which has only a snowball’s chance in hell of happening.”

They all wandered into the living room which had sturdy, comfortably furnature that had seen the wear of three kids. As the oldest, Tiran had his own spot that he always settled on. Brawn swore that it had his ass imprinted there no matter how many months it was between him sitting there. “So,” his Mother smiled and handed each of them a glass of tea she had fetched form her new ‘gormet’ kitchen. The remodel had taken months and she was thrilled with the results. “What brings you two home so soon? Get homesick in New York?”

“Nah!” they laughed and shook their heads. Even though they tried to look and feel relaxed, Brawn saw the tension in his mate’s eyes and in the set of his broad shoulders. He knew that it might make things harder, but he couldn’t resist touching Tiran. He slid a hand to his mate’s thigh and squeezed, showing his support.

His father’s eyes whipped to the touch instantly and all the laughter died in the room. “What does bring you home, then?” His voice had hardened.

“Well, Dad. You know that Brawn and I have been locked at the hip for years… Well… we realized something after we moved…”

“NO!” his father roared, surging to his feet.

“Dad, I-“

“Karn, please, let’s just hear them out. Maybe it isn’t what you think…” his Mother stuttered.

Tiran’s features had fallen, and Brawn could see the pain that now covered the tension in his eyes. “Yes, Mom. It is exactly what he thinks. I’m gay, and Brawn and I are a couple.”

They both flinched when his father roared again, turned and paced away to turn the room. “What the hell are you doing, Tiran? Do you want to disgrace this family?” He had stormed across the room and grabbed his oldest son by the throat, showing the beast in him that never came out.

His eyes glowed with anger, teeth flashing, arms bulging with barely restrained emotion. Brawn had never seen the man like this. Karn had always been stable, balanced, and never got angry. This man was not the one who he had portrayed to the world for decades.

He now shook his son, choking off his airflow. His mother screamed, now standing and backing out of the room. Brawn lunged, grabbed at Karn’s arms, trying to free him.

“You will not shame this family!” Karn yelled. Brawn managed to free Tiran form his father’s grasp and shoved him across the room, bracing his stance over his lover as Tiran choked and struggled for air

“Do you not know him at all?” Brawn screamed back. “He loves you! He loves this family and he has NEVER done a damn thing to make you think of him this way!”

“Do not dare speak to me, Brawn. I expected better of you!” Karn spat at Brawn. The verbal assault was like a bullet in the chest. “You have turned my son against us. You have turned him into…. An abomination!”

Brawn heard Tiran gasp and a sob ripped from his chest. “Dad, please, don’t-“

“No, Tiran. You know your responsibilities. You can either put away this fantasy that you have created and be the man I will one day put in charge of this family, or you will be disowned. You will never be allowed in this household, and if I hear of your siblings having any contact, then they, too will lose everything. I will not have this in my house!” Karn screamed this at both men, a shaking hand pointing an accusing finger across the room at them.

“And you,” he growled at Brawn. “I expected more of you.” He glowered at his son, who sat back on the couch, a hand to his throat where bruises were sprouting from his Father’s hands, skaking, silent sobs raking from him. “This is your only chance, Tiran. Tell me now that this is folly, or some bad joke, or you are never allowed here again. You will be dead to us.”

Tiran shook his head and whispered, “I expected more from you, Father.” He stook, using Brawn for balance. “I expected more from my Father. I expected you to love me no matter what. I expected your acceptance and your unconditional support. You always told us that. You always told us all that you would stand by us no matter what. I never knew what a bigot you are. If I had, then I would have never said a damn thing to you… ever. If I am dead to you, then so be it. I will not be something I’m not.”

He stalked to the front door, his mother cowering at the kitchen doorway. “Mother, I-“

She turned her face away, shame clearly on her face. “You shame me, Tiran. You are no longer my son.” His body jerked back, as if she had stabbed him with one of her new shiny knives from her fancy kitchen. Brawn saw him break in that moment, knowing that he could handle loosing his Father, but his Mother, too, was too much.

Tiran stormed out of the house, and slammed into the sedan. Brawn had to race to keep up, sliding into the passenger seat knowing that letting him drive was a bad idea, but also knew that saying anything would only make things worse. He simply held on and watched Tiran from the passenger seat as they sped away, the car racing so fast that he’d lose his license if an officer stopped him.

~~

Brawn looked at the drawn, pale, messy face in his arms, seeing the broken man that he had put back together once before. It had taken months. Depression, self-deprivation, and injurious behavior had sank in. The worst moment of his life came when he walked in from his night job at a local diner to find him in the bathroom floor, a razor blade next to his hand, cuts all over his arms, chest, and collar bones. None of them had been life threatening, but the damage that was done to Tiran’s psyche had been deep.

It took another few weeks to convince him to go see a counselor that a friend, Raze, actually, had recommended. It had worked wonders. The man he loved had broken out of his the shell he wrapped himself in, and had come back to life. The first time after the confrontation when he’d seen Tiran laugh and smile again made Brawn glow inside.

It seemed that something had broken his mate again. This time he only hoped that he could put him back together. “I’m not leaving you, Tiran. I didn’t when you broke the first time, nor will I now,” he whispered in the mid-afternoon light surrounding them. “I will be here every time you break, whether that is never again, or a million times over.” He laid a soft kiss on his man’s lips and watched as Tiran’s eyes blinked open. They were red and looked like he’d taken handfuls of gravel and rubbed them into the perfect yellow eyes.

“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” He watched as recognition and remembrance registered. Tiran groaned as a spasm hit his stomach. “Easy, baby. It’s the withdrawal. It’s easing, but it will still take time.”

“It hurts,” he cried out, clutching at his stomach and turning into a ball, halfway in and halfway out of Brawn’s lap. “Everything burns…. Everything screaming in pain…”

“I know, baby, I know.” He couldn’t stop touching him. Had to feel him under his hands, to know he wasn’t wasting away. Raze walked in from the kitchen and watched, warily, as Tiran fought the pain before passing back out.

“He needs fluids. I swear I can see the color leaving his fur. It’s like he’s…” He stopped, seeing the pain on Brawn’s face, anger coursing through him seeing his friend hurting. At that moment he hated Tiran and the shit that he had done to put that pain there.

“I know, Raze. I’m hoping Christi can bring some fluids from the clinic and give him an IV?” Raze nodded at that and pulled out his cell. Christi was Raze’s little sister and he knew that she’d do whatever she could to help. The clinic was a family friendly place and the owner loved her like one of his own daughters. When it came to helping people he’d always told the staff, “You need to help someone, then do it. I’m not here for the money. I’m here to save lives. Just let me know the situation and you can take what you need. If it is something that you can’t handle as an RN, then find me. I’ll do what I can.”

She answered with her pixie voice, “Hey, big bro! What’s happening?” He loved his little sister and her voice was just so perky that he had to smile, but it faded fast.

“Do you remember Brawn and Tiran?”

“Of course! Those two are so cute together!” He rolled his eyes at that.

“They need your help. Tiran got into some bad shit two days ago and is now in withdrawal. I swear I can see color fading from his fur. He needs fluids but can’t keep anything down. He’s been dry heaving even while passed out and only comes back to reality for about a minute before the spasms take him again.”

“Shit,” her voice faded into worry. “I’ll tell Doc Rowan and be on my way. What did he get into, Raze? That’s classic withdrawal for some heavy shit.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ll explain more when you get here. Just hurry. Braze won’t eat anything or leave his side, and I know until he sees improvement he won’t. I’m worried that without help he’ll turn for the worse and the withdrawal will win.” He gripped the cell hard as the pleased feeling at that thought coursed through him. He put on a façade for Brawn because he knew how much the cougar meant to him. In reality, he wished that Tiran would just disappear into the ether, never to return. He’d take proper care of Brawn. Which meant that he would never put the panther in this position.

Raze’s body twitched and his striped fur undulated with it. He was tiger, and a predator at heart. It is what made him so good at his job. He had instincts honed perfectly for security, and was only able to be here to help out because he owned his own business and his second in command, Shade, a snow leopard, had more than willingly kicked him out of the office telling him that he didn’t care what the problem was, but if Raze didn’t get out, he’d kill him for micromanaging.

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be on my way. I need him on a couch or on the ground so that I can properly give him an IV. I’ll bring meds that will help with the pain and spasms. His muscles are going to hurt bad after this. His whole body had, for lack of a better ananlogy, been running a marathon at 60 mph since this kicked in.”

“Thanks, sis. We’ll have him ready. He’s already on the floor, so we won’t have to move him.”

“Anytime, Raze. Tell Brawn not to worry, we’ll get Tiran up and moving in no time.” She hung up and he clicked his phone shut, and nodded at Brawn. “Hopefully no more than 30 minutes and she’ll be here.”

Brawn’s gazed locked on the man in his arms, totally oblivious to the glare that Raze was shooting at Tiran. His mind raced to the times of passion where they had taken each other all over their home. It kept him centered to think of his lover that way, stretched out in passion, head thrown back while purrs and moans rippled from him. Him braced over Brawn’s back, cock buried deep into Brawn’s ass, teeth buried in Brawn’s shoulder to pin him down over the kitchen counter. Both of them locked together in the shower with fingers linked together while rubbing each other’s cocks together, heads thrown back, growling into the steam.

He kept those images in his head, because he had to think that things would be okay. He could not accept that Tiran wouldn’t come back from this. So he held onto his lover’s image as he was before all this shit started.

Brawn was roused from his thoughts when the doorbell rang and Raze walked in followed by Christi. She gasped and he could see the pity in her eyes before it was shadowed, quickly and she got to work. He watched as she set up a the IV bag, hanging it and kneeled down with the needle in her hand.

“When was the last time he spasmed? I have to be careful with this. If he jerks while I’m setting it, it could rip of his arm.” She locked eyes with him and he just nodded. “I’ll hold his arm, he won’t move it, even if the spasms start again. I promise.” A quick jerk of her head and she set to work, finding the vein, prodding it to bring it to the surface, locked eyes with him quickly again, and slid the needle under Tiran’s skin. Thankfully he never twitched. She taped it in place, and wrapped some gauze around his elbow. “If he moves, the gauze will keep him from ripping anything out or hurting the vein. It’ll harden up a bit here in a minute, kind of like a cast. It will hold until we cut it off.”

She pulled out a needless syringe and placed it at a juncture of the IV tubes. “This is a sedative that will keep him relaxed. It will help the spasms. I’m also going to give him a bit of a pain reliever. Not knowing how he would react to something stronger, it is just a basic med.”

When she finished she placed a hand on Brawn’s arm. He was slumped on the floor, legs spread to allow Tiran’s body to lay against him, Tiran’s head just under Brawn’s chin, resting on Brawn’s collar bone. He had Tiran wrapped tightly in his arms, while still allowing Christi to do her work. “He will be fine, Brawn. He is strong and he has you to lean on.”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes, just kept them locked on Tiran’s face. Just nodded and stared down. She whispered, “Do you know what set this off? Why he did this?”

He did look up at this point and a frown lined his handsome face. “No. Not a damn clue. Once I can feel okay about letting go of him, I’m going to go into his office and rip it apart. There has to be something in there to tell me what is going on. I’ve look everywhere else. I try to stay out of there, since it is his place of business, but I’ve looked everywhere else. I even went as far as to snoop into his phone and e-mail.” He looked so shamed at that, that she squeezed her hand on his arm in support and understanding. “It is the only place I haven’t searched for a clue. If nothing is in there, then I do not know where to look. If he won’t talk to me…”

He hated seeing the pity in her eyes. When she spoke it startled him, “Why have you stayed, Brawn? You are so much better than this. You deserve so much more.”

He bared sharp fangs at her. “I will not leave him!” His tone was hard, but his voice the softest threat. “He is mine and I am his. Nothing will change that.”

“I’m sorry, Brawn, but I had to ask…” Her voice was soft and her gentle features begged him. “Please forgive me. I just… I see how much pain you are in, and part of me wonders what it is that keeps you here.” She looked down at her hands, “There aren’t many who would stay with a mate who had done this, Brawn. He is lucky to have you.”

Brawn didn’t reply, just held his mate closer, caressed his face and watched him. Tiran’s body had eased and was more relaxed in his arms. Brawn refused to break. He had to stay strong for his mate. And he damn well would, forever. He had to take his mate back to the good times, make him remember what they lived for. He had to make him remember what their relationship brought them both. Show him that he had a safe haven in Brawn, that he didn’t need drugs or alcohol or anything else. He had to show his mate what they gave each other, and how they could save each other over and over again, no matter what the circumstances. ", "pools_count": 0, "title": "Feral Attraction (Ch 2)", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "2", "views": "146" }