→ Watching Robin heal had been an experience full of growing relief. Even if Sullivan felt guilt acutely, he got over it quickly. Now Robin was back, and he was safe, and everything was going to be fine. The last couple of days had been touchy, but now that they were returning to Wolf Haven, Sullivan felt his old self again and he moved with confidence as he picked up the stuff that littered the guest room.

→ Healing was slow and there was still a lot of it to be done, but Robin was well enough to be moved from Aubrey's loft back to the house. So he was sitting up on the edge of the bed, wearing borrowed clothed and watching as Sullivan went around picking up the mess they'd made in there the last couple of days. "Hunter said I have to stay at the main house for a while."

→ Forever, Sullivan thought to himself, but didn't say it to Robin. "That'll be good." He said instead, glancing over at him. "Wendell will suffocate you." Because that's what Wendell did best. He didn't mention Haben because he wasn't sure what would happen there. Maybe Sullivan would be pushed to the side, but he wasn't going to leave them alone. Clearly Haben couldn't take care of Robin the way he could.

→ "Do you think when my lip heels that I should just leave it or do you think I should get it pierced again?" he said, not sure if he wanted to or not yet. "Maybe I"ll get snakebites instead." Instead of just the one, because he wasn't sure if there would be scar tissue or not and if there was he didn't want to have to deal with the pain of having to pierce through it.

→ Having no idea what a snakebite was aside from the kind they sometimes got when the weather was particularly dry and the rattlers were out, Sullivan looked a little confused. Not quite knowing how to answer, he shrugged his shoulders, folding the towels they'd used haphazardly on the bed so they could be washed. "I think you'll know by the time it heals."

→ Robin kind of got the idea that he didn't know what snakebites were so he waited for Sullivan to look at him again before he put his fingers against his bottom lip on either side to show him. "here and here. That's snakebites. Instead of in the middle like mine was."

→ Squinting a little, Sullivan seemed to consider it. "I liked the one in the middle. It felt good on my tongue." Honest, not as closed off with Robin as he used to be. "I don't know if those will feel as good." He thought it was brave of him though, to even want to do that to himself again after what had happened.

→ The last thing that Robin wanted to do was spend the rest of his life broken. He'd already been that fragile little thing for so long and now that he was finally able to assert a little of his own dominance he didn't want to lose it. Not on account of what had happened. It would bother him, he was sure, but he was trying to put on a brave face. "Okay, then I'll do the one in the middle again."

→ That made Sullivan smile, and he hated to realize that they were both walking straight back into the troubles that Robin had tried to leave behind at Wolf Haven. Slowly, his smile faded and he tugged his now clean shirt on, lacing up his sneakers so they could leave.

→ Robin didn't have shoes, but since he wasn't really going to be walking he didn't think that it mattered. Instead he focused his attention on Sullivan while he tied his tennis shoes and then stood up so that they could go. Holding his arms out for the other boy to pick him up, he couldn't help but smiel a little, no matter how much it hurt to do it.

→ Having no qualms about being able to pull Robin so close to him, he plucked him easily up off the ground and carried him down to the front where he presumed Hunter was waiting. "Maybe we should make you a little saddle for my shoulders so you can ride around." It was a joke, of course. Sullivan knew Robin was still healing.

→ "Very funny." Robin said, sticking his tongue out. "Besides, I like it when you carry me like this instead. That way I can press my face against your neck and smell you." Which he was more or less doing as Trent toted him down and out of the loft to where Hunter was waiting with the SUV.

→ because hunter doesn't care about the environment

→ Wendell drives a Prius, so he makes up for it

→ lmao

→ Ahaha also, Trent. They are the same character, aren't they

→ damnit.

→ It made his heart thud a bit harder in his chest. Making his way to the car, Sullivan put Robin inside and climbed into the back with him. It wasn't going to be all that long of a drive, but he really didn't like the idea of sitting in the front seat so far away.

→ Once they were inside he leaned his head against Trent's shoulder and just tried to get as comfortable as he could. Hunter started the car and pulled away from the loft after saying a thank you to Aubrey, who waved to them from the curb. He hadn't said much of anything since Robin had been awake and Robin didn't ask about it because he wasn't sure why.

→ "Who was that?" Sullivan finally asked, spying into the rearview mirror to see Hunter's eyes. There was something familiar about his smell, but something profoundly different too. Now that Robin was safe, he wanted to know where they'd been staying.

→ "Aryk's lover." The fox. Hunter didn't particularly like Aubrey. But he didn't have a reason to hate him so he tried not to. The man was an artist and a lothario but he hadn't hurt Aryk yet and was well aware that if he did he would be wolf meat.

→ There was seemingly a good deal Sullivan didn't know. He nodded and was rather quiet for the rest of the trip home. As they went, Sullivan's wolf reached out, trying to feel at Robin's to see how close he was to another shift. Sullivan needed to go but he wanted to wait until Robin needed to do so as well.

→ Robin's wolf was right under the surface and it reacted to Sullivan in a way that made Robin gasp softly. It lifted and pushed against him, wanting out, but Robin reigned it in as much as he could manage because shifting in the backseat of Hunter's car wasn't a good idea.

→ Sullivan looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, snapping his wolf back quickly, realizing that Hunter would be able to feel it as well. Sullivan had always had immaculate control over his inner wolf. Biting at his lip, he just half-smiled and didn't do it again.

→ Hunter gave him a look in the review mirror and instead of scolding him he just sped up a little bit. That way they could shift first thing when they got back to the house. Robin needed to, badly, but not like he had when they were drugging him. Thinking about it, he shook his head and just shivered.

→ Knowing that the shift this time would probably hurt a great deal for Robin, Sullivan was hoping it was over quickly. Afterwards, he'd probably feel a good deal better. Shutting his eyes, Sullivan was quiet the whole way home. When they pulled into the driveway, Sullivan had to wonder if Austin knew he was gone.

→ Austin knew. And hek new they were back as well but he didn't get up to find him, didn't want to initiate anything. If Sullivan wanted to tell him then he'd come to him. Hunter got out of the SUV and he opeed the door for Sullivan so that he could get out and get Robin out. "Why don't you run while I fix up Robin's room."

→ Sullivan was eager to shift, especially after he'd felt Robin's need as well. Nodding quickly, he tugged Robin gently out of the car and set him down on some grass. Thinking better of that though, he picked him up again and carried him into the woods so that he could shift in privacy. "Do you want me here when you go?" He felt the need to ask.

→ "I don't know." Robin said, sitting in the grass in athe middle of a clearing in the woods. He looked up at Sullivan and he just kind of rubbed his fingers against the bottom of his shirt. "Can you do that thing again, like you did in the car?" Because he was nervous and didn't know if he oculd push himself to shift. He still wasn't very good at it yet.

→ He wanted very much to do that thing he'd done in the car. Keeping his eyes level on Robin, he let the pale fur of his own wolf rise up in him, feeling velvet against his insides. The energy stretched out for Robin, seeming to pass straight through his skin and itch at his bones.

→ Robin closed his eyes and his own beast responded. Instead of pulling it back like had in the car, Robin gave it a strong push forward and he started to shift. It was infinitely more painful than it had been before and he started screaming even though he tried not to. Fur started sprouting everywhere and his bones started breaking and realigning.

→ Everything primal in Sullivan appreciated the shift; he never fought it. To see Robin in so much pain made him whimper, and before he realized it, his own shift had come. The process was quiet for him, save for the crack of a few bones, even though it hurt quite a bit. When he was finished, a large yellow-tinged wolf stood in his place and he tilted his head at Robin, wanting very much to pounce him, but the human part of him knowing that wouldn't be a good idea right now.

→ It took ages for him to shift to completion but once he was finished he just laid there, his head on the ground and his tongue hanging out the sideo f his mouth. He panted and tried to catch his breath, the beast completely taken over now. The last time it had been out it had gone ballistic and ripped apart the little room he was in, but now he was just laying there, docile for a moment.

→ Approaching, Sullivan put his nose down onto the other's neck, whuffing a puff of hot hair through his nostrils before he drew his tongue warmly across Robin's fur. A disproportinatly big paw, as if even Sullivan hadn't quite grown to his full size, came up to touch Robin's side, urging him to get up.

→ It took a little urging before Robin finally was able to roll up onto his paws. His legs were shaky but he managed to stand and then he let his head rub along beneath Sullivan's. Robin was the smallest of all the wolves, still a pup in a lot of ways, and he would never be much bigger than he was. Tilting his snout up he flicked along under Sullivan's chin.

→ Playfully, he brought his jaws down around Robin's nose, no pressure to them at all. Releasing him just as quickly as he'd grabbed him, Sullivan darted to the side. He was not usually a playful wolf, prefering to strictly run, or hunt, or relax. But the sheer joy he felt at Robin's survival, that which he could not quite express as a human, bubbled over now.

→ Robin took a few playful and bounding steps but his legs were still shakey and he just wiped right out in front of Sullivan. It was remiscent of his first run, when he had been so unsteady that he could hardly get a few paces without falling on his face. Four limbs were just greatly different than two and though he had instinct to fuel him this time his body was just too exhausted.

→ Sullivan barked once, and turned in a circle before lying down. The way he was positioned was welcoming for Robin to curl up next to him. It would be all right not to run or hunt or play just now.

→ Robin got up and came over, climbing right on top of Sullivan. He ended up sliding off of him but he tried twice before giving up and laying down beside him. He supposed that was just as good.

→ If it was even possible, Sullivan scooched closer, content to clean Robin like a pup and then shut his eyes for a nice and serious session of relaxation.

→ While they laid there together, Robin just relaxed and after a little while he fell asleep. It was lucky for him that he was out like a light when he shifted back because it would have been just as painful otherwise. He was naked when he woke and the only reason he did was because he was cold.

→ Sullivan had been awake for awhile, but he didn't move because he didn't want to wake Robin. Sleep was a good thing. But as soon as the other stirred, he was up and tugging Robin to his feet so he could lift him. "We should get inside." He said simply.

→ "Cold." He murmured softly, wrapping his arms around Sullivan's shoulders so that he could hold onto him while they went back to the house. He was tired and hungry again but he thought they could wait until they got to the house and he got dressed again before he mentioned food.

→ Packing him inside, Sullivan made for the upstairs, thinking he could figure out pretty easily which room Robin was going to be staying in. When he found it, he plopped him down on the bed and put some clothes down with him. Pleasantly enough, a change of his clothes were in there too and he put them on.

→ Once Robin was dressed again he just laid back on the bed and brought his fingers up to bruse them against his bottom lip. It was more healed now after the shift than it had been before. He was grateful for that much at least. 'I'm hungry." he murmured, and he wondered where Haben was or what he was doing.

→ Wendell came in, seemingly on perfect cue. He had a tray full of various foods, beef stew, bread, milk, and anything else he could think of. "Robin, I'm so glad you're all right. If you need anything, anything at all I won't be far away." Wendell had sent Haben on an errand, and even though the boy knew full well he was being gotten rid of, he couldn't refuse Wendell.

→ When he came in with the food, Robin struggled to push himself back up and he just smiled at him. "Thanks Wendell." He was trying to be optimistic and cheerful even though he was exhausted and the days away from the haven were beginning to really wear on him.

→ He wasn't about to talk the poor boys ear off. "Should I send Haben up when he gets back?" Not that he expected Robin to say no, but he wanted to make sure something hadn't changed under his nose.

→ "Please." Robin said softly, though he wasn't sure how Haben was going to take all of it. "Thank you." He took some of the bread and broke a litlte piece off so that he could dip it in the broth to soften it up.

→ There was enough for Sullivan too and he sat down on the bed to dig in rather ravenously. Wendell smiled at them and left the room, never one to pass judgment on any of the goings on of the other wolves. Sullivan was quiet while he ate, listening carefully for any signs of Haben. "I'm not going to leave when he comes."

→ "Okay." Robin wasn't going to ask him to, not just then. He felt liek Sullivan deserved to be there, if anything, for having saved his life. He ate slowly, watching as Sullivan wolfed down his foot. "I missed you while I was gone."

→ "Did you? What was it like being on your own?" Sullivan had considered leaving sometimes, but he never went through with it because he couldn't imagine being away from the pack that long. His trip with Austin didn't count because Austin could be his entire pack just as much as all the rest of them could.

→ "Lonely." Robin said. "I needed it though." Just to figure some things out for himself and to adjust to everything that was going on in his life. "I missed this place and the pack."

→ Barring the whole horrible experience, Sullivan could see where that was true. "I guess sometimes you have to leave to realize you belong someplace." When they were done eating, he set the tray on the floor to take away later.

→ Robin laid down on the bed and curled up on his side. He tucked one hand under his head and just let the other arm rest along the bed in front of him. "Did you miss me while I was gone?"

→ "I usually miss you when you aren't around." It was a difficult, precarious position, always missing someone because the two he missed were never in one place at one time. Sullivan stayed sitting up, but he shifted his body around so that he was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

→ Robin let his fingers brush against his knee and he just closed his eyes, content on laying there as long as Sullivan was sitting with him. He was anxious to see Haben, but also worried about seeing him as well.

→ Sullivan heard the other boy come inside and he had a brief moment to wonder if he should move closer to Robin or farther away. But he didn't quite have time to make up his mind since Haben was already bounding up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He didn't have his wits about him enough to knock and the door burst open with him on the other side. "Robin," breathless not because the run had winded him but because after that one word he didn't know what to do.

→ Robin turned over slowly and when he saw Haben he just smiled at him. He was tired, but seeing Haben made him feel relieved because the boy was still there and still wanted to at least see him. "Hey." he murmured, shifting to sit up with some difficulty.

→ Haben shot a glance at Sullivan, unable to keep the small amount of jealousy from his features. He was angry at Hunter for choosing Sullivan to go, even though he could understand the reasons why. Deep down, he felt that maybe Hunter didn't want him in the pack, so he was trying to make the bond between Robin and Sullivan even stronger. But he knew that wasn't true. Standing in the doorway gawking at both of them he felt tears well up in his eyes, but they never spilled down his cheeks. "Hey." He finally said back.

→ "Come here already." Robin said, hating that he even had to wait for Haben to come across the room at all. He held his arms out and just waited for Haben to come to him because he needed to touch him and he needed to breathe him in.

→ Haben hesitated, but the desire to go and see that Robin was really there and this wasn't just some fitful nightmare he was having while he slept overtook him and he went to the bed. He was delicate with his movements, crawling onto the other side of Robin and pushing his face against his neck, trying not to move him too much.

→ Robin wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck and held onto him as tightly as he could manage. He let out a soft breath and he just turned his head so that he could lean it against Haben's.

→ He wasn't about to let either one of them see him cry so he channeled his emotions someplace else, stuffed them down into his stomach to be opened up later. Sullivan watched the two of them carefully, feeling protective of Robin, but knowing Haben wasn't going to hurt him. Haben lifted his head after a long while. "I'm sorry, Robin. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have left."

→ "I still might have eventually." He said, not wanting Haben to feel like he'd pushed him into leaving. "I love you, Haben. I'm sorry if I scared you, but I'm here now and if Sullivan has his way I'm not going anywhere."

→ Might have, it wasn't quite good enough for him, but he accepted it. "Not for a long time, anyway." Sullivan piped up. Haben looked over at him, feeling strange about him being there, but knowing he didn't have the place to make him leave. He'd never have that place with Robin and he was going to have to accept it.

→ "Sullivan." Robin said softly, smiling over at the other boy. "Can you take the tray downstairs please?" Because he wanted a minute with Haben, even if Sullivan didn't want to give him one.

→ A lot of him wanted to say that Wendell would do it. "I didn't want to leave you alone." Which was enough to say that he didn't consider Haben to be much company in the sense of caring for Robin. The words made Haben recoil, feeling like a scolded little boy.

→ "Please, Sullivan?" Robin didn't let go of Haben, if anything he tried to hold a little tighter and him moving back made Robin move forward and let out a little grunt.

→ Sullivan didn't move for a good long while, but eventually got up, gathering up the tray and heading out the door. When he was gone, Haben still didn't feel right holding on to Robin, but he didn't want the other to have to strain, so he came back close to him.

→ When he was gone, Robin tried to pull Haben back in closer but he could feel the reluctance so he loosened up his grasp and sank back a little bit. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, something was wrong.

→ "Nothing's wrong, I'm just overwhelmed." He figured that that was true enough even if there was more to it. He was happy that Robin was back and he sat up so that he could look at him more fully. His eyes darted quickly over his body, taking in every bit of lingering injury, bruise, wound.

→ Robin leaned back a little when Haben let go of him and he just chewed a little on the side of his bottom lip, not able to get the middle of it because it would only hurt.

→ Maybe it was selfish of him to want to be the one to save Robin. He was happy that he was all right; he was just afraid that as soon as Robin and Sullivan got closer, he'd be out of luck. "Did you go for a run already?"

→ "Yeah, first thing." Because he needed it. "I almost shifted in the car on the way back." So he was grateful that he had at least made it to the house.

→ "Oh," he forced a smile and nodded, laying his head back down so that Robin couldn't see his facial expressions. "I missed you. I figured you'd gone away so I went to ask Hunter if he knew anything about it. He brought Wendell in to take care of me." Not in the nicest sense, but in the get-rid-of-him sense.

→ "I'm glad." Robin said, though he knew that he wouldnt' want to hear that. "I wouldn't have wanted you to see me like that." It was hard enough to see him when he was already like this, but to have seen him when he was almost dying, that would have been too much.

→ Haben was easily able to hide the frown since he was facing the door and not Robin. "I could have handled it. I've been all over the world you know." He sighed when he heard how petulant his voice sounded and he sat up again, in a constant state of flux. "I'm sorry." He shook his head.

→ Robin just laid down then because he didn't know how to deal with Haben right then because he didn't know what was going on inside of him. He just watched Haben, letting the lion decide what he wanted to do.

→ "Sullivan's not going to leave you, so I should probably go. I cleaned the house while you were away." Away, as if he was just on vacation. "I'll keep it for you until you can move back out there."

→ "So are you just not going to see me until I come back to the house?" Or did he mean he was going to move out when he got back to the house because if that was the case then Robin felt like his leaving in the first place had been justified.

→ "He doesn't want me here." It looked like Haben was finally giving up the fight for Robin, at least for now. "I'll--I'll still come visit you of course." But to be there all the time, Haben knew it wouldn't work.

→ "Don't bother." Robin muttered, feeling really awful in the moment. He knew feeling all right about this would never last. He felt awful about it but he wasn't going to force Haben's hand. He'd alraedy cried and begged and he'd told Haben to do what he wanted, he guessed he finally was.

→ Haben opened and closed his mouth, not expecting that answer. He didn't have a chance to say anything before Sullivan came back into the room. Glancing back and forth between the two of them, he rolled his eyes. "I leave you alone for five minutes and you've both got those faces on?"

→ "I want to be left alone." Robin said, turning over onto his side so that his back was to both of the other boys in the room. He didn't want to even deal with either one of them now, which was hardly fair to Sullivan because it wasn't like he had done anything to piss Robin off.

→ "Well that's not going to happen, Robin." Sullivan was firm on that and he trained his eyes onto Haben. "Are you staying too?" He asked and Haben was also surprised by that response to his presence. The tone wasn't such that would make him want to leave, but was an honest inquiry. After a second, Haben nodded silently. "All right." Sullivan shut the door behind him and sat down on the bed.

→ Robin stayed on his side, not wanting to look at either one of them. Of course he felt like this now. He'd been just so excited to see Haben and then the other boy had come in like that and he didn't know what to do with himself now.

→ All Sullivan really knew was that Robin was upset now and he wished he hadn't been so hard on Haben, even if it had been subtle. So now they were all just sitting there in this uncomfortable silence. Reaching over to take Haben's wrist, he tugged his hand to put it on Robin's shoulder, manuvering him like a pliant rag doll. "Lie down, I'm going to go sit in that chair over there."

→ Robin hunched his shoulder up a little bit to try and make Haben's hand slide away because he knew the lion didn't really want to be touching him. He'd been stupid enough to think that Haben would be happy to see him but it just didn't feel like he was anymore and he didn't know what to doa bout that.

→ Feeling Robin flinch away was hard for Haben and it made his feet want to run for the door. Instead, he took Sullivan's lead and lied down so that his body was spooning Robin's. "Don't pull away, please?" He whispered against the back of Robin's neck, something terribly weak in his voice.

→ "You don't even want to be here." Robin said softly. "I don't want you here just because I'm hurt. I've been hurt before and I made it just fine and if you don't want to be here then go."

→ "I love you, nothing else really matters. That's why I'm here." Why he was still at Wolf Haven even. His warm breath ghosted against Robin's skin and his arms curled around to hold onto him.

→ Robin pulled Haben's arm a little more up against his chest and he just held onto him, tucking his head down a little bit. "I love you too."That was why he had been so happy to see him.

→ Sullivan was almost satisfied by that exchange and that was an odd feeling. Haben finally smiled and the curve of his lips could be felt.

→ Robin still felt a little down in comparison to how he had been when he first saw Haben but it didn't feel quite as crippling now. He held a little tighter to the lion and just closed his eyes, overwhelmed with this.