I was in Greece on vacation when I met them. Not together, just, at the same time. I was eating at my table when one then the other sat down and smiled at me. The darker one smiled warmly.
"Excuse us. We saw you sitting alone and wondered if we could give you company for an hour or so?"
I blinked and looked at the tan one with the dark hair and green eyes. He smiled too but it wasn't warm so much as playful and full of restrained energy.
"You can tell us to fuck off and we will though. But if you're alone and open to trying some company then we're both a solid bet for that." He said genially. I watched the darker one nod.
"Its true."
I blinked as they both smiled at me. The air felt heavier so I leaned forward and breathed in. They waited patiently while I did so. I sat back and pondered.
"Weres." I stated bluntly. They nodded.
"I'm a wolf," the dark one told me. We both looked at the tan one.
"Leopard," he said with a predatory smile. "What about you my dear?" He was clearly putting effort into seeming non threatening. It wasn't working. He buzzed with energy. The dark one did also but deeper in, not on the surface like this one. The darker one was like lava inside a deep volcano. The tan one was like looking at an outlet you were about to touch.
"...cat," I finally replied, sitting back and continuing to watch. "A calico." I tried to sound brave. All Weres are bigger than their animal relatives. A werewolf is bigger than a real wolf. But a cat is one of the smallest Weres you find. Wolves and leopards are some of the biggest. And a girl has to be careful nowadays. Especially when your built tiny even for your small type. Not weak. I keep my cat active to put muscle on her little frame. I refuse to be small AND helpless.
The tan one nods at the dark one and shifts his elbows where he's resting them on the table. "I told you she was feline. If her scent didn't give her away the mannerisms did. She looks like a cat even in human shape." I wondered what he meant by that.
The dark one tilts his head and smiles again. Its full of warmth, like we've been friends for ages. I'd come to learn that was a natural skill of his, much like zero to ten in a heartbeat and back down was his conpanions.
"I'm Assos," he says, and offers me the back of his hand across the table in the universal polite 'here's my scent' gesture Weres developed for civilized society over the centuries. I lean in and delicately sniff a few times, learning the scent. Then I lick with just the tip of my tongue to seal it in my mind. I'm aware that the teasing touch manner in which I do it is flirtatious. I'm drawn to his dark skin, how tall he is, how long and strong his limbs and fingers look. His extremely engaging smile and voice that radiates lightness and cheer. My cat looks over with concealed interest.
I keep my face neutral as I sit back and watch his Were show in his eyes a second, a deep burning golden brown glow around the edge of his iris. Interesting. For our kind, subtle levels of control is like porn and string bikinis for humans. I'm intrigued. I haven't seen extremely fine control like that in a while.
'A wolf. I've never gone on a run with a wolf.'
"I'm free and unattached," Assos says softly. "If you are too then I'd be honored to do a run with you."
I blink. Its been a while since I had a companion. I forget my habit of speaking my thoughts out loud. I sit up straighter, pulling one paw (foot. Foot. Fuck. Be a foot) onto my chair as I study him. "I'm not a free-runner," I warn, knowing a lot of the kids today do runs with no significance attached beyond that nights fun. I'm not one to save the run for life-mate, but I don't run again with a new one every time I turn around either. The run is supposed to signify good strong mate credentials. I hold to that view.
"As do I, kitten," the tan one murmurs. I shift carefully in my seat, prepared to flee or fight still simply because I'm outnumbered and a tourist. So far they aren't coming across as dangerous but you never know do you?
"Kitten?" I raise my eyebrows. Its a bit of a social breech, calling a Were by their animal unless in a bonded relationship. But its not lewd either. Just generally seen as more riske.
Tanned one smiles. "May I call you that?"
I pause. There's really nothing...wrong...with it. Apart from old grey haired people saying there is. And it... it sounds good coming out of his mouth.
"I dunno. Say it again," I reply, eyes roving over him, taking in everything. There's a lot to take in. Tall. Barrel chested. Close cut beard. Hands that see rough work regularly. Eyes that are calmly but thoroughly studying me. He smiles broader. Leans closer. Speaks with a tantalizing low pitch and an edge to it like he's offering something forbidden that I want and he knows it.
"I think you should let me call you kitten. It suits you."
"..." I stifle a sigh. His voice has a deepness and a feel to it that my cat is responding too. She's sitting up and looking curiously at him. I look at his hand until he slides it across the table to me and waits. But unlike Assos who followed propriety perfectly, this Were turns his over, offering his wrist to smell, another indication of intimacy or intent towards intimacy that is too soon. My cat is intrigued by the careful rule breaking. I lean forward and take a soft sniff. She yowls softly and purrs loudly in approval. Before I can stop her she's licked a large swipe across the skin, tongue flat, and already in cat form, the roughness catching more of this man for her to taste.
He smiles knowingly when he feels it and doesn't pull back when I sit up abruptly, embarrassed of myself. He tastes delicious and I can feel the energy charge from them both, am aware of the changes they AREN'T making, while here I am, loosing control of my tongue at the first whiff of a scent like a virgin before her first ever heat. My cheeks flame and I sit up tighter in my seat, looking out the arches to the balcony. I don't want to see the judging. There's always judging on poorly self-controlled Were's, as there should be.
There's a low, soft purr from across the table, too low for the human ears around us to hear. I cringe.
"Look at me kitten." I try and resist but the purring gets slightly louder. My cat is dying to twine tails together with the maker of it. I look over from the corner of my eye. Assos is watching with a gentle smile. I blush more and feel ashamed of that too.
"I liked it." The tan one says. I feel anger and defensiveness flare up. I'm not EASY, just because my cat is strong willed.
"I'm NOT a virgin! Im an adult. I've had partners AND heats! Im not just going to roll over and offer my throat to you because I..." I'm shaking. The sentence is too embarrassing to finish.The humans nearby look over then away. I want to die.
"No one said you were," Assos says quietly, reassurance all over his tone. "There are plenty of males out there who prefer a more responsive partner than what society deems appropriate."
"I liked it kitten. I can smell that you liked it too. Theres no harm done in enjoying ourselves," the tan one murmurs now. My cat whips her head to look at him, tail swishing. The tan one carefully picks up my hand where its gripping my fork. "May I smell you now?"
