The next two weeks flew by far too quickly... mainly because he was either asleep or eating the majority of the time. Both elder vampires were absent during that time as well, allowing him to truly begin recovering without having to worry about that stubborn peacock, Kova, and the frustrating Vrasje he considered quite comparative to a porcupine. 

Stretching beneath the thick covers Taru had tucked him in with, Marquise gave a wide yawn and content growl before turning and nuzzling into his soft pillow. 

He had somehow gained a bit of weight during the previous two weeks and actually felt well enough to finally try getting up on his own. 

Of course, he knew that Taru would likely tell him that he wasn't ready to be moving about just yet, but perhaps the man wasn't around right th— A soft pat to his head immediately told him otherwise. 

"Good morning, Marquise," Taru said cheerfully, his excited voice making Marquise finally blink open his eye. 

That's when he realized something and lifted one hand to press against the other side of his face. 

"Is it okay? I couldn't save a lot of your skin or tissue around where your right eye used to be, so I put you under a bit of anesthesia while you were already resting and did some grafting. There shouldn't even be very noticeable scars once it heals up," Taru said a bit nervously, as if he might be upset that he continuously tries to help him get better. 

"Maybe we can even try a prosthetic eye if you get tired of patches."

Marquise glanced at him for a moment before refocusing his attention on where his right hand was skimming along surprisingly-smooth skin. Taru had managed to keep his eyelid and the general shape of the area, but he could tell where the grafts had also been stitched in closer to the bridge of his nose all the way up toward his forehead. 

Once he was done checking on the area, he tilted his head on the pillow and smiled. 

"Thank you, master Taru." 

The man's nervous expression immediately morphed into a beaming smile as he moved forward to sit on the edge of the bed, then reached up to rub Marquise's hair like he were petting a dog. 

"I'm glad that you like it. I tried to save as much as I could, but while most of your other injuries are slowly healing, that area just wasn't showing enough improvement and the rot was starting to cross the bridge of your nose toward your left eye. I was really worried that you might end up losing it, too, if I didn't do something soon," he said, his voice quieting gradually as he moved his hand down from Marquise's hair until it came to a rest just to the side of his left eye. 

"I might need to do one or two more small surgeries, but I think you should be good if we keep track of the remaining rot there," he said, then grinned. "I don't want you to lose your good looks, after all." 

Unable to help himself, Marquise burst out into a fit laughter, his lips turning up as his voice rose beyond its normal raspy quietness. 

He laughed for a surprisingly-long amount of time. Even to the point where his eye began to water and his stomach started to hurt. It felt good. After so many years being the one who dealt with every issue from bottom to top, as well as poisoning himself to try and help others, and then facing the fallout and consequences of that decision, he had honestly needed a good, real laugh. 

I can't even remember the last time I thought something was funny enough to laugh out loud at. 

"You're a good pup," Taru said as he wrapped his arms around Marquise's neck, having leaned over from where he'd been sitting to complete the action. 

Marquise expected the hug to last only a few seconds, so when it stretched on for quite a bit longer, he tilted his head a little, trying to see his master's face. 

He tucked it against my neck... and while I'm not a hundred percent sure, I think he's sniffling, but trying to hide it as best he can. 

Marquise was just about to say something to question his actions when he caught himself and clamped his mouth shut. 

Vrasje said that I look like your little brother... 

He didn't need much explanation to draw conclusions from the simple sentence. Instead of talking, he slowly reached up and wrapped his arms around his master's back, then squeezed gently. 

They stayed like that for several minutes before Marquise decided to move one arm upward until his hand could gently sift through Taru's soft hair. 

He wasn't the greatest at comforting people, but he hoped that his decision was a reasonable one. He liked getting head-pats, so perhaps his master might not mind one when he was feeling stressed. He would have honestly liked to pull the blankets up and over the man, too, but there were two problems with that line of thinking. 

One, he was mostly naked beneath them. And two, he would have to move quite a bit to do that, or even ask Taru to move, which he didn't want to do. So, he remained where he was, holding his master as he did his best to sooth him. 

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but at some point he heard a faint sound approaching and tilted his head the slightest bit so that he could look toward the door. 

Ah, the porcupine is here. 

He felt an abrupt shock jolt through his mind and winced right as the elder vampire walked through the doorway. The man looked just about ready to chastise him, but his words clearly died on his tongue when he noticed the situation at hand. 

When he realized what was going on he quickly walked over and, with the utmost care, untangled Taru's arms from around Marquise's neck. then lifted him up into his own arms. 

"It's okay, sweetheart," Vrasje whispered gently while rubbing Taru's back with one hand as he walked over to where two armchairs were situated across the room. 

Marquise watched as the man sat down, then allowed Taru to adjust himself however he wished until he was comfortable snuggled into his arms with his own wrapped around his master's neck. 

Behave and stay there. 

He hadn't even realized he'd been about to try and get out of bed until Vrasje's voice in his head snapped him back to himself. 

Settling on the edge of the mattress with his bandaged legs hanging over, Marquise watched the two with an unpleasant feeling in his belly. 

I was doing fine comforting him, he eventually replied, hoping that his words got through their new strange bond. 

It didn't feel nearly as connected as his previous wolfish ones, but he did at least sense it in the back of his mind. 

He could also immediately sense Vrasje's frustration with him, but the man seemed to quell his anger rather quickly before he gave his response. 

Behave and stay there. You did what you needed to, but he is my heir and he needs me right now. 

Marquise bristled at his words, but realized that he truly didn't know his new master all that well yet. He wasn't even completely sure what had triggered his upset, though he did have a feeling that it had something to do with him looking so much like his brother. 

What... happened to his little brother? Marquise eventually asked once Taru had settled down and drifted off to sleep in Vrasje's arms. 

The elder vampire was silent for a long while, prompting Marquise to lay back down as his body began to exhaust from sitting. Once he was comfortable again, he felt the man's presence within his mind again. 

Smallpox. Both him and his brother had been students of mine at university. Taru was the more reserved brother, and due to having to help raise his little brother after their mom passed away, he'd held off on starting college until his brother was ready, too. 

So they were both your students in the same year... Marquise thought. 

Did you... fall in love with him then? 

Considering how old Taru looked, being changed around college age seemed about right. 

No. 

No? Marquise furrowed his brow as he stared at the man holding his master so gently in his arms. 

No? he questioned through their bond, honestly confused. 

Vrasje pursed his lips, then licked them once before looking away from him and at the faintly glowing fire in the fireplace to his right. 

I fell in love with his little brother. 

Marquise nearly choked on his spit. That was not what he had thought the man would say, at all! 

But then, how did things turn out in such a way? 

The door linking their minds together suddenly slammed shut, startling Marquise and making him jump slightly as he pushed himself back up into a sloppy sitting position, using his left arm to hold himself steady.

He wanted to growl at the man quietly to at least get the point across that he wasn't happy with being suddenly cut off like that, but his grumble died in his throat when he saw that Vrasje had shifted a bit in the large seat the two were sharing. He now had his legs crossed on the seat and had bent his own head down to hide his own face against Taru's soft hair.  

Frustrated, and now honestly a bit worried, Marquise closed his eyes and focused inwardly until he found the faint connection linking them together. He tried to nudge the door open again, but it was sealed surprisingly-tightly. 

His curiosity boiled within his body as he continued to try and figure out how to gain access to speak with the other vampire again. He wanted to hear the rest of the story. The ending was clearly not what anyone would have expected from the little bit of information he'd willingly given.

Why is it Taru that's here while his brother is gone, when the brother was the one who had garnered Vrasje's interest? 

He was just about to ask when he heard another set of footsteps and scowled. 

This really isn't the time. 

Whether it was the time or not, Taru's peacock, elder Kova, stepped into the room with a flourish of black and silver coat-tails. Of course, when he saw the situation at hand, he stopped in his tracks and looked rather upset. 

"Take the pup for a walk," Vrasje said quietly, his voice nearly inaudible as he whispered against Taru's hair. 

Marquise frowned and immediately looked back at Kova. He didn't expect the man to do as he was asked... frankly because his love was being coddled in another's lap, but to his surprise, the man immediately walked up to him and leaned down without a word. 

Figuring that he, once again, got no say in things, Marquise didn't bother trying to put up a pathetic fight and, instead, allowed himself to be picked up and even wrapped his arms around the other man's neck once his legs were situated around his waist. 

Glad I'm at least wearing pants. 

They were rather loose and generally used as undergarments, but they covered what mattered, none-the-less.  

The two of them left without a word, giving the other two privacy. Marquise watched the doorway to the room slowly shrink in his vision as the distance between them grew. When they finally disappeared around a corner and began descending the steps, he hunched a little and settled his chin on Kova's shoulder. 

"Just leave me somewhere downstairs. I don't want to go outside," he said. 

He wasn't exactly dressed to do so, and his legs didn't work quite yet, so walking wasn't going to happen, anyways. 

Instead of getting any kind of response, the man simply ignored him. They quickly finished descending the steps, then headed toward the back of the large home before stepping out into a warm, sunny day. 

Marquise immediately groaned and buried his sensitive eye in the crook of Kova's neck as the hot sun began warming his bare back. 

Okay, this actually feels really good. 

He remained silent as he allowed the man to carry him through the backyard, and even sneaked a few peeks here and there when they passed beneath a shade tree. 

My eye has gotten so sensitive after being inside and asleep for so long. 

He began trying to look around more, forcing himself to blink away tears so that he could get used to the light more. 

They walked quite a bit, making Marquise realize that Vrasje's second home was not only spacious on the inside, but also had a massive expanse of greenery surrounding it. 

The entire area was well-planted with flowers of all kinds, as well as several different trees. He was just looking around again, this time straightening up a bit to get a better view, when he spotted something that made his empty belly grumble. 

Oranges. 

He didn't think that orange trees could survive in such an area...

"That's lord Vrasje's. He's worked hard to keep that alive and treats it with the utmost care, especially during the harsh winters," Kova said, responding to his clear curiosity and interest. 

"You may not have any. It rarely produces more than a few fruits. Even if you were to steal one, he would know immediately." 

Why so much fuss over a simple tree? Could he not just buy some imported oranges at the market? 

Marquise pursed his lips and swallowed a mouthful of saliva as they continued to walk. He stared over the man's shoulder until the tree was completely out of view, then sagged in his arms with a huff. 

His stomach growled in matching dismay as the treat disappeared from his line of sight. 

"Such a dramatic mutt," Kova chastised as he finally slowed to a stop about five minutes later and, surprisingly, jumped right up into a large oak tree! 

Huh? 

Confused, Marquise unwrapped his arms as the man carefully grabbed his waist and removed him from around his body, then lowered him downward. He was soon settled on a decently-sized branch. He wasn't sure what the man was planning, but as soon as he let go and hopped back down to the ground, a strong gust of wind blew through the canopy, making the branch sway and shiver beneath him.  

Marquise shifted his body here and there, trying to balance, while at the same time doing his best to scoot closer to the main trunk of the tree as fast as he could. It was very hard to manage not falling off, and within two pathetic minutes he was beginning to tire and still had another two feet to go before he would have something to hold onto with his shaky hands. 

His entire being focused on just making it those two meager feet, though. 

You were an alpha. One of the strongest and most revered. 

Sure, he was definitely nothing special now, but he still had a miniscule percentage of that stubborn determination that saw him rise to the top of three packs. 

Gritting his teeth in determination, Marquise continued his journey while ignoring everything else around him. He swayed several times when the wind rushed past him and shook the branch he was on, then nearly fell when a bird flitted right past his nose, but he finally managed to reach his destination and embrace the tree's tall trunk after nearly ten minutes of struggling. 

I... will protect my dear master... from that vile beast. 

His muscles spasmed and ached as he leaned his whole body against the firm bark and worked on catching his breath and calming down. 

"Not bad," Kova said from twelve or so feet below him. 

Marquise squinted his eye open after a few moments just to glare down at the damned peacock. 

He even looks like he's preening on the inside!

A frustrated growl rumbled within his chest, but right before he could release it a loud clap of thunder startled him enough to make him slip right from the branch! 

 Of course, he expected Kova to at least catch him, but when something cold and firm slammed into him instead, he winced and clawed at the chest now pressed up against him. 

Useless dog, tearing holes in my clothing. 

Marquise blinked as he felt them land, then, in less than two seconds he was passed to more-familiar, gentler arms. 

"Sorry I lost myself a bit back there," Taru said as he hugged Marquise's shivering body to him. 

He actually wasn't cold. His muscles had just been worn out by the simple bit of exercise. Balancing on the tree branch had exhausted his unused muscles quickly. 

"While it was entertaining watching the dog stuck up in a tree... why?" Vrasje asked as he turned to a quite content-looking Kova. 

The man gave them a calm smile and nodded up at the tree. 

"He needs to start using his muscles again, but he definitely can't walk yet. Balancing is a good way to work some of the muscles he's going to need to use in order to walk properly," Kova said as he stared directly at Taru. 

You guys keep calling me a dog but I feel like this guy is begging to be told that he's a good boy for knowing more medical stuff. 

Unfortunately, Taru's eyes lit up when Marquise glanced up at his master's face. 

Please don't fall in love with him, master Taru. He was torturing me, your poor, crippled heir. 

A stifled laugh echoed within his mind as another rumble of thunder vibrated the ground beneath them. 

"Alright, let's go inside before it starts raining. I still need to feed him and then maybe we can work on more balancing stuff inside," Taru said, making Marquise smile, then frown. 

He was about to begin complaining that he didn't want to do anymore therapy that day when he noticed that they were approaching a certain area of the massive yard. 

The oranges...

There had only been three on the tree in total, but they had looked absolutely delicious. 

A surprisingly strong gust of wind battered them with tiny droplets of water, warning them that they were running out of time to stay dry. Taru sped up as soon as Kova did and easily blurred past the oranges Marquise had his heart set on. 

Wait... I need a new reason to live today, he thought pathetically as he resigned himself to just hanging onto his master as he ran. 

They were inside a few moments later, and thankfully, not too wet. Kova disappeared after a moment, likely to go change out of his fancy clothing since they'd at least gotten a bit damp. 

His master, instead, stayed by the door and even turned to look back outside as the storm began to pick up. Marquise looked up and turned in order to see, too. 

Huh? 

A dark form blurred through the rain too quickly for his single eye to keep track of until it was right upon them! 

Vrasje came skidding into the room, completely soaked through and dripping like... well... a dog. His long hair was draped over his back like a soaked curtain and several strands had fallen across his face and gotten stuck there by the clinging water droplets. 

He straightened slowly as Taru hurried over, but before his master could get close, Vrasje was already walking toward them. 

The vampire barely paused long enough to reach out and grab one of Marquise's wrists, pull it closer to himself, then shove something into his hand before muttering "storm knocked it off," then brushing past them and heading up the stairs in a blur. 

What the heck was that? 

And more importantly...

Looking down, Marquise stared at the bright orange fruit now in his hand for a moment before his brows furrowed and he looked back toward the now-empty stairs. 

"It looks like you've got yourself a delicious snack. Let's go change clothes and then how about going down to the dining room for some lunch today?" Taru said as he began heading up the steps, too. 

Marquise would have been a bit nervous about going to eat in the actual dining area, because that meant a whole new level of challenges for his mending body, but his attention was so focused on the orange he was lifting to his mouth that he simply made an affirmative sound of agreement as he was carried. 

The moment he bit into the juicy fruit, skin and all, he nearly wiggled from excitement. The orange wasn't quite ripe, but it was exactly the way he'd always liked them when he was younger. It had been years since he'd had one, but the familiar mixture of sweet and sour made him grin from ear to ear as he happily took his large bite of fruit into his mouth and began to chew. 

"Eating the skin, too, huh? I might have to agree with them this time that you resemble a canine, but I don't think dog is quite the right word," Taru said as they got to the top of the stairs and turned toward his room. 

Not a dog? Do I get to finally be called a wolf? he thought as he began to take another big bite of the delicious fruit he'd been given. 

Taru grinned at him with a hint of mischief in his gaze that made Marquise hesitate completing his bite of orange, making a little line of juice run down his chin as he blinked his one eye at his master's strange expression. 

"You're an adorable puppy." 

P... puppy?