"Wow," Jack said, surprised by their generosity.

"Hmm?" Seth asked, turning toward him.

Jack shrugged. "Good of you."

Seth smiled at him. "It's the least we can do. It's hard enough to get people to adopt from shelters. Making it easier to take care of a pet's needs throughout their lives is an important part of being there for the adopters and the community."

"If it sounds rehea.r.s.ed that's because it is," Marius chimed in as he joined them in the lobby. "Seth, why don't you-Peter? Oh no." He shoved the box of donuts into Jack's hands before taking a seat on the other side of Peter.

"Napoleon is gone," Seth filled in for him.

"I'm so sorry, Peter," Marius said, rubbing the other man's back. "You know if there's anything we can do for you or him we'll do it. Right? Anything at all."

Peter nodded, and his shaking slowly subsided.

"What happened?" Marius asked him.

Seth pursed his full lips, and Jack thought it was an odd time to ask that as well, but Peter just shook his head sadly and said, "The vet gave me the results of the latest biopsy. I knew it was cancer from the one he took a few weeks ago, but then he took another, and my poor little Napoleon didn't have much fight left in him. They were good, came and took care of him at our home for me. Even offered to take care of him after for me. But he's not you all. You knew him when he was better. They only knew him as a patient."

Jack nodded. What he said made perfect sense. Silently he went around the desk and back to Marius's seat. Missy was still right where he'd left her, and she looked up at him as he came toward her. He didn't want to find something to do, though. Instead, he sat down on the floor with her and pulled her small body into his lap. She squirmed a bit, getting comfortable, and he tried not to let her bony elbows poke into him too badly once she was settled. She tilted her head back and licked his chin as he circled his arms around her chest. He could hear the others talking quietly, but he focused on Missy in his arms and how nice it was to have her in his life. He'd come into the shelter looking for a guard dog, something to keep away anyone who would ever want to hurt him again. But the little spaniel mix with her wide, frightened eyes, while not being his first choice had seemed to be working out well for him. Marius had insisted and Jack had listened and he found that he was still surprised each day by how much just having her around was comforting him.

MARIUS SHIFTED SHIFTED his gaze to the desk where he'd seen Jack disappear. He wished he could do that as well. Not that he didn't like Peter and want to comfort him, but there was so much finality in death that he preferred not to think about it too much. Looking at it that way made him feel like a jerk, though, so he tried not to dwell on it. Instead, he slipped his hand up to touch the back of Peter's exposed neck and helped ease his pain that way. He could have done it through his shirt as well, though it was harder and much less effective, but having that contact was better. his gaze to the desk where he'd seen Jack disappear. He wished he could do that as well. Not that he didn't like Peter and want to comfort him, but there was so much finality in death that he preferred not to think about it too much. Looking at it that way made him feel like a jerk, though, so he tried not to dwell on it. Instead, he slipped his hand up to touch the back of Peter's exposed neck and helped ease his pain that way. He could have done it through his shirt as well, though it was harder and much less effective, but having that contact was better.

"What a way to start the week," he muttered.

Peter's mouth cracked into a smile, and he nodded. "You'll take good care of him. Won't you?"

"Of course we will," Seth said. "I'll give you a call when he's all ready."

Nodding, Peter handed the box over to him, though his hand lingered on the top. "Bye, Nappy."

"Peter, if you want to stay here for a while with him you can. You don't have to rush off," Marius said, pushing more of his energy into the man's body to continue to ease him.

Peter rose from his seat and gave them both watery smiles. "I know. I just... I should go... I should...." His tears started again, and Seth rose to embrace the man.

"C'mon," Seth quietly said. "I'll take you home in your car. No reason you should be driving right now."

"But how will you get home?" Peter asked him.

Smiling, Seth took the man's keys from where they were sticking out of his pocket. "I can walk just fine. It's less than twenty minutes."

Marius took the box from Seth and placed it gently on the chair next to his. They'd get Napoleon all taken care of tonight when the rescue was closed, and then tomorrow he'd have Seth call Peter and arrange for a small ceremony out back. He watched the two men go until Seth had pulled out of the parking lot and disappeared around the building.

"Some morning huh?" he called to Jack as he got up from the chair, took Napoleon in his arms, and started heading toward one of the back rooms.

"Yeah," Jack's m.u.f.fled call came back to him. He looked around the desk and was surprised to see them huddled under it, Missy on his lap, and their bodies mostly obscured by shadows.

"Comfortable down there?" he asked.

He barely caught Jack's shrug. "More or less."

"I'll be right back. Feel free to eat the donuts. Just save the cookie covered one for Seth. They're one of his favorites." Marius went into the back room and put Napoleon's box in a little metal case. Seth would know what to do with it tonight, though Marius would likely help him. It wasn't the ideal job for any of them, but he didn't feel right pa.s.sing the task off to Seth either. Even if Clara had once declared that the sole reason they had an employee at all was to make sure things they didn't want to do got handled anyway.

When he came back he found Jack sitting in his chair, a donut in one hand and a gla.s.s of water in the other. Missy was eating something off the floor, presumably the other chunk of his donut. Marius grinned and took the seat next to his. "I really am amazed that you and she have bonded so fast."

Jack stopped eating long enough to flash him a quick smile. "Why? Isn't that what you expected to happen?"

Shrugging, Marius put his hand on Jack's thigh. It wasn't meant to be a s.e.xual gesture, but if Jack wanted to take it that way he was welcome to. Marius had simply missed touching him in the few hours since they'd last been together. "I knew you two were connected, but I didn't think you'd get each other so quickly. I can see which people would be good with which pets, but I can't tell any more than that. And sometimes it's really vague. With you two, though, it was instant, and I knew you'd be able to help each other out."

Jack dropped his hand to cover Marius's on his thigh and circled his fingers with his own, holding his hand tightly.

"Thanks for coming here today. I would have missed you if I hadn't been able to see you all day," Marius softly told him.

Jack blushed deeply and gave him a quick nod. His donut finished, he was left with sticky residue on his fingers. "I'm gonna go wash up."

Before he could get up, Marius leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the tip of Jack's finger. Jack gasped as his hand tightened on Marius's. He gently licked the sweet glaze off his finger before pulling back. With a raised brow he asked Jack silently for permission to continue. With his cheeks flushed and a wry smile covering his lips, he offered his next finger, which Marius quickly took into his mouth.

"What if someone sees?" Jack whispered.

Marius shrugged and pulled his lips back. "That's why I'm going fast. I'd love to do more to you. But it'll have to wait until tonight."

Jack pursed his lips. "I'm not ready for s.e.x. Just in case that's where your mind went. I don't want to disappoint you, but I just can't. Not yet."

Marius quickly licked his last finger clean, took his other hand in his as well. "I wasn't talking about s.e.x. And you're not disappointing me. At all."

Jack didn't look convinced as he dropped his chin. "I don't know how that's possible. You're you, and I'm-"

"What?" Marius asked, challenging him. "What do you think you are that is so much different than me?"

"You know...." Jack tried, shrugging. "I'm... well.... Broken. I guess."

Huffing loudly, Marius wrapped his arms around Jack's shoulders and kissed his cheek. "No, you're not. You aren't a toy or a piece of wood. People don't break. That's not how this works."

"How would you know? It's not like you've ever been through this," Jack grumbled.

Marius nodded. "You're right. I haven't. But you're already better than you were last week. So who knows where you'll be a week from now."

Jack gave him a tight smile. "I wish I was normal, though."

"Normal doesn't exist," Marius quickly told him.

Jack's smile grew, and he nodded. "True. But I remember how I was. If you'd met me back then we'd be a lot different. I would have taken you home really fast. We'd have had s.e.x in the shower this morning. I wouldn't be so freaking paranoid all the time about being touched or watched or what people were able to tell about me when they saw me." He sighed loudly and hung his head. "Things would have just been so much easier."

Marius nodded. "Maybe. But I like you as you are. I enjoy what we do, and I think that someday when you let yourself get used to the idea of even just the possibility of us being together you'll see we could be really good."

Jack bent his head and kissed Marius's hand. "You think so?"

Marius quickly smiled at him. "Yeah. I do. But there's no rush. Like I said, I'm not going anywhere."

"I still don't think that's fair to you," Jack said again. "I could be a mess for a long time."

"And I'm not going to argue with you about it. When you're ready you know where I live. If the house is locked there's a lilac bush around the side of the house that has a spare key in a plastic bag behind it. Use it, and let yourself in." Marius picked out a simple cinnamon sugar cake donut from the box and took a big bite of it.

"Thanks," Jack quietly said. "For everything."

Marius nodded and handed him another donut, which he quickly took and began stuffing in his mouth. Between them, Missy put her head on Jack's thigh, eagerly waiting for a treat to fall down for her.

Chapter 16.

AN HOUR HOUR after he and Seth had finished up with Napoleon, Marius walked out of the rescue and through his backyard. It was a nice, summery night filled with the sounds of insects and birds. He heard Jack talking to Missy in the kitchen before he even got to the back door. He'd meant what he said about waiting for Jack to be ready. It wasn't simply that there was a lack of available men he wanted to date in the town. Instead it was that he felt something for Jack, something he wanted to explore and see where it went, when the time was right for the other man. Patience was easy for Marius, and he had no trouble using it for Jack. In fact, he couldn't think of something that he'd wanted more in a long time. after he and Seth had finished up with Napoleon, Marius walked out of the rescue and through his backyard. It was a nice, summery night filled with the sounds of insects and birds. He heard Jack talking to Missy in the kitchen before he even got to the back door. He'd meant what he said about waiting for Jack to be ready. It wasn't simply that there was a lack of available men he wanted to date in the town. Instead it was that he felt something for Jack, something he wanted to explore and see where it went, when the time was right for the other man. Patience was easy for Marius, and he had no trouble using it for Jack. In fact, he couldn't think of something that he'd wanted more in a long time.

Coming home to him like this after a day at the rescue would be a welcome treat. He could see it happening too. He'd go upstairs, shower, Jack would join him, and then they'd come down and eat dinner. Sometimes they'd watch a movie. Other times they could sit outside and talk as the stars came out.

"Hey," Jack said, coming to the back door. "I didn't hear you come up. Ready to come in?"

Marius blushed at being caught in a daydream about Jack and quickly nodded as he came closer. "Yeah. Sorry. My mind wandered a bit."

Jack gave him a quick smile and held the door open for him. "Missy and I are making scrambled eggs and cookies for dinner."

He couldn't help laughing at that combination. "I really need to go grocery shopping huh?"

Nodding, Jack went back to the stove. "Yeah. I hope this dough is still good. I found it in the back of the freezer. I think it's sugar."

"Sounds about right," Marius said, coming up behind him. He slipped his arms around Jack's waist and kissed the back of his neck as he watched the other man scramble some eggs in a pan.

He lowered his hands to Jack's waist and rubbed his thumbs against the small of his back. "It really was nice having you at the rescue today. You're welcome to come visit whenever you want. Seth talks a lot when Clara's not there, so you'd make a good shield if nothing else."

"Ha ha," Jack joked back with him. "And yeah, I had noticed that."

"Kind of hard not to I'm sure." He tried not to show Jack just how much he wanted him, how much he wanted to touch him, but it was hard to keep his hands off the other man. It was as if now that he'd gotten a taste of him he couldn't get enough of him. He pressed up against his back and sighed at the connection between them.

Until Jack froze against his chest and whimpered.

Marius quickly scrambled back, putting a good three feet between them. "Sorry! I just... I'm sorry." He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid, so reckless. Of course Jack wouldn't want that. He took another step back and shook his head, surprising himself with his own foolishness. "Really, Jack, I'm sorry. That was stupid of me."

As he watched, Jack's shoulders slowly loosened, and he nodded. "It's fine. You wanted to touch. That's a normal thing. Normal human thing too. Maybe even a normal werewolf thing. I like touching. Well, I like touching you at least." He slowly turned around and met Marius's gaze. "Just not like that. Not yet at least. Okay?"

Marius nodded instantly. "Of course. Whatever you need. What part wasn't right, though? So that I know not to do it again."

Jack bit his lip and turned back to the eggs. Marius thought for a moment that he wouldn't answer him. But then Jack replied, and Marius had to struggle not to go hunt down the men that had attacked him. "I can't have anyone on my back. Not yet. It's from what they did. How they did it. I just... I can't. Okay?"

Marius heard Jack's voice break, and he came up to his side. "Okay. I won't. Not again."

"Not until I'm ready?" Jack asked him. Marius nodded and dipped his head to kiss Jack's shoulder.

"You got it. Now, is there anything I can do to help with dinner?" he asked.

Jack gave him a wry smile and shook his head. "It's not too weird of a combination? Eggs and cookies I mean?"

Marius shrugged. "It's not bad. It's a bit weird, but it's not awful by any means. I'll go shopping tomorrow before I leave for the rescue."

"Can I come with you?"

Though he was surprised Jack wanted to come shopping with him, he quickly nodded. "I'd like that." They shared a quick smile, and Jack emptied the pan of eggs onto a plate.

"I hope you like them scrambled, I don't know how to make them any other way," he said as he turned and handed the plate to Marius.

"I do. Thanks." He grabbed a fork out of the drawer and took a bite as Jack started on another batch of eggs. Seeing this, Marius frowned at him. "You didn't have to give me your share."

Jack shrugged. "I don't mind. At all."

Still, Marius lifted some of the scrambled egg to his lips and blew on them, cooling them down before putting the fork in front of Jack's face. He gave Marius a look before accepting the bite. "No reason the cook should go hungry," Marius explained.

Jack scrunched his nose at him before turning back to the hot pan in front of him. "Thanks," he said after a long moment.

Marius smiled at him as he took another bite. Ten minutes later they were both at the table, Missy warming their feet as they ate their eggs and snacked on a pile of cookies between them. Marius didn't remember ever having cookies and eggs for dinner, but he didn't mind the combination either. Especially when Jack would stop and smile at him.

"We took care of Napoleon," he said, filling the easy quiet.

Jack nodded. "Poor Mr. Davis. He looked really broken up about it."

Marius took a drink of his water and chased it with a big bite of cookie. "Yeah he was. That cat meant a lot to him. Seth will give Peter a call tomorrow and arrange a ceremony for him."

"That's really great that you do that for your adopters," Jack said, eating one of the cookies as well.

Shrugging, Marius finished off his cookie and leaned his elbows on the table. "I don't mind it. It's the least we could do. Clara will take the credit for that one but actually it was my idea. See, we had this little patch of dirt out behind the rescue. It's technically in my backyard and I didn't really want to do anything with it. But I couldn't just leave it bare. So I planted a flowering bush to make it look nicer. Then we had a man come in, and he was looking for a dog to make the pa.s.sing of his family's pet dog a little easier on his kids. When he was spending time with one of the possible dogs we had up for adoption he saw the little bush and asked if we'd considered making a memorial garden for owners and that he'd like to have his dog's ashes buried under that plant. I said of course he could, we arranged the rest of it, and now we have a memorial garden behind the rescue."

Jack gave him a small smile and covered Marius's hand with his own. "That's good of you."

Marius shrugged. "I like being able to help. And a lot of the people we've helped over the years were the ones that stood by me when werewolves first came out."

"Did you have to do that?" Jack asked him.

"No. It was completely voluntary," Marius quickly explained. "But with so many others revealing who they were across the globe I decided I wanted to as well. Some of us aren't that excited about it. My brother's one of them. He's not upset at other people for coming out. But it's not something he's ready to do. I think people a.s.sume that he is when they see us together since they know he's my brother. But he doesn't look much like me, so he could still get away with being a half sibling maybe. I don't go to where he works anymore so that he doesn't have to be outed there and have people talking about him. He doesn't think they'd be as accepting as they are of me here. Maybe he's right. But he still lives in the closet for being gay too, so I doubt coming out as a werewolf is very high on his list of things to do this year."

"He's gay too?" Jack asked, looking surprised. Marius nodded. "Must be hard for him."

Marius agreed, but after so many years of trying to get his brother to be who he really was or at least move to a more accepting town, he'd grown tired of his words dying in the wind between them.