When he came to he felt calm and rested. Warm arms smelling of cloves and vanilla were wrapped around him and he snuggled closer, rubbing his cheek against a pierced chest.

"You have one chance to explain yourself." Iadin's voice rumbled through the skin pressed against Finn's ear and his eyes flew open. The horrifying circumstances leading up to this moment came rushing back.

He lifted his head slowly and met burning eyes that somehow managed to cut like ice. It was overwhelming and frightening and Finn hurriedly dropped his chin.

Iadin gripped Finn's jaw and jerked his face back up. He yelped and his eyes welled with shocked tears.

"One." Iadin repeated in a stony voice that he'd never directed at Finn before.

Finn suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt and he drew in a trembling breath.

"I-I snuck away with N-Noni." He stumbled over the feline's name, remembering white skin covered in blood.

A strong finger dug into his jaw and Finn gasped with pain. Iadin just watched him, eyes half-mast and unfeeling.

Tears ran down the smaller boy's cheeks. "We...we had sex and...and two Ytra were there when we woke up." He coughed, struggling to speak past the painful angle his head was forced into. "One of them w-wanted to kiss me."

"Did you let him?" Iadin interrupted softly and his fingers tightened brutally.

Finn choked with pain and wrapped his hands around the Zithan's wrist, but it was like moving stone.

"No!" Finn wheezed. "I told him no and that I didn't even know his name a-and he misunderstood!" His heart pounded and adrenaline made his legs kick.

"Then Noni. W-woke up...and attacked!" He finished desperately.

Iadin stared through glowing slits a few moments longer. Then his grip loosened.

Finn collapsed forward, sobbing. His jaw throbbed with pain and Iadin stroked the bruises gently.

He was conflicted; wanting to escape further injury but also desperately needing a soft touch. Comfort won and Finn nuzzled closer.

"You ruined the ceremony." The Zithan murmured.

"I'm..." Should he be apologising? Images of bloody limbs flooded his mind and he crushed any self pitying thoughts.

"I'm sorry." He said earnestly. "Is...is Noni okay?"

The mood changed. Finn couldn't pinpoint exactly how, but it was something in the way Iadin's face smoothed.

He felt a cold rush of fear and held very still in those long fingers that could hurt so effortlessly.

Iadin was a being of contradictions. Quick to yell, pet or kiss. But this blank look... It was like the calm before the storm and Finn held his breath, hoping he didn't trigger it.

A long moment passed and Finn started trembling. He tried not to, but he could see his hand, resting against the sheet, shaking. His breaths were quickening and catching in his throat.

After what seemed like an eternity the Zithan blinked and sat up. Finn startled and shut his eyes tight. He wanted to ask if he was being sold. He wanted to ask what the consequences of interrupting a ceremony were. Most of all he wanted to ask about Noni.

But he had an acute feeling that he would regret it if he did.

Iadin gripped Finn's waist and hauled him up. He didn't hug the smaller boy or press him into a warm neck, like he usually did.

Finn stared at the turquoise strands sliding over a creamy yellow shoulder and clenched his aching jaw tight. They were moving, but Finn didn't notice where they went and his eyes burned with tears.

A door creaked and Iadin lowered him, not roughly, onto a soft surface. Finn hoped for a kiss. For a gentle touch. A word, even if it was an admonishment - because being treated with indifference was far worse than anger.

The Zithan's footsteps faded and the door closed. Finn heaved a sob and curled in on himself.

How did things become so awful, so fast? If only he'd behaved differently. Not spoken to the blue Ytra. Stayed with Nizeva.

"...all the pain the world can feel..."

He remembered the Fith's words with a shudder. He hurt. Yes. But he didn't carry a world of pain, surely. Even if it felt like it in that moment.

If only he could find, and heal, the Fith. But that probably wasn't possible, when he couldn't even heal himself.

Just as a heavy, cold feeling sank like lead in his guts, and Finn was gritting his teeth in despair, the mattress shifted. A warm arm slipped around his hip and a tired purr sounded.

Finn gasped and whipped around. Liler stared back at him, crystal eyes exhausted.

He'd been pierced. In his ears, abdomen and groin. Even his wide mouth had two silver rings running down the center of it. It forced his lower lip into a slight pout and dark purple bruises were fading on his neck and chest.

"Itches." Liler mumbled and Finn surged forward.

The feline hissed in surprise, as Finn wrapped his arms around that slim torso and pressed his body against purple skin. He pushed his face into Liler's neck, smelling clean sweat and fur. It was wonderful.

Liler groaned at the pressure against his piercings and squeezed Finn so tight he sobbed out a relieved breath. They stayed that way until Finn's trembling eased.

"What is it?" Liler asked quietly.

Finn pressed his brow against the feline's neck and spoke. Liler's embrace never faltered during the tale and his soft tail stroked across Finn's legs.

He didn't speak until Finn ran out of words and his tears had exhausted him into dry heaves.

"Good thing Noni was there. I would have done far worse." Liler murmured.

Finn choked.

"That doesn't make me feel better." He whispered. If he hadn't felt so wretched he would probably have pulled away. But the thought of losing Liler's touch was unbearable.

"That Ytra was inviting you to his pack. While you were in the arms of your brother."

Finn absorbed this silently. Pressing his lips against warm skin and breathing it in. He thought he understood what that meant.

"He said he didn't know." Finn whispered. "He didn't know I had a pack. He apologized."

Liler snorted and drew his hand firmly up the back of Finn's neck and scalp, easing a mass of tension. Finn sighed and leaned into it.

"It was a mistake." Liler rumbled, at last saying the right things. "You're not an Ytra. You're still learning."

That single confirmation had tears of relief stinging Finn's sore eyes and he curled impossibly tighter against Liler.

"I'm afraid." He spoke thinly. "Iadin is so cold. Noni was covered in blood. I'm so afraid."

Liler's arms tightened and he turned his head to breathe into Finn's ear.

"I have you. You're safe and so is Noni." The feline said with such simplicity that Finn was tempted to believe him.

"How do you know?" He asked instead, voice cracking.

"I feel him."

Finn lifted his head and their eyes met.

"Do you mean that?" He whispered, searching those slit eyes desperately.

Liler returned his gaze evenly.

"Yes. It's the bond."

Finn's breath caught.

"Can you feel me?" He breathed.

Liler tilted his head slightly.

"A little." The feline finally answered.

Finn didn't want to be felt "a little". He wanted an unbreakable bond. Warmth. Love.

He crushed his lips to that still healing mouth and Liler hissed, startled. But it wasn't long before the feline had Finn on his back, regaining dominance effortlessly.

That rough tongue pushed Finn's aside and a bolt of jewelry swept into his mouth.

Finn shivered in surprise and fisted his hands in Liler's soft hair. He dimly thought of a time when he feared the purple boy. Perhaps even hated him.

Those feelings were long gone. Now all he wanted was to be consumed and, if there was one thing Liler seemed to understand, it was how to take and devour.

The feline felt his urgency strong and clear and he growled into the kiss. Finn arched his spine and spread his legs. Liler gripped his thighs and hefted them around his waist.

Finn pressed his heels into the small of Liler's back and rubbed his cock against a hard, purple stomach. Liler hissed and suddenly a hot shaft was pressing against Finn's entrance.

He gasped. There was no preparation. No softness whatsoever and it was precisely what he needed.

He didn't know what the Natki had done to him, but they must have done something, because his body was opening. Opening. Nothing but a slight burn and delicious fullness accompanying the abrupt invasion.

Liler groaned and pulled out slowly only to pound back in; hitting that sensitive spot so hard it hurt.

Finn ripped his mouth away to gulp in air and wrapped his arms tighter around the feline's neck.

"Again!" He gasped, but Liler was already drawing back and slamming home.

Pain and pleasure flooded him, rolling in a wave from his groin, all the way up to his head, and making his mouth fall open.

Liler snarled, breath hot and damp against the smaller boy's throat and bore down with his weight, forcing Finn's spine flat against the blankets and pistoned.

It was unbelievable. It was painful. It was wonderful. Finn's mouth was slack and he might have been making sounds, but he wasn't coherent enough to care.

His mind went blank. Every nerve focusing on the body against him and the tremendous pressure hammering into him over and over.

The pressure finally exploded and Finn shouted as he spurted all over that purple skin. Liler snarled but didn't slow and the pleasure quickly became pain, then pleasure, then pain. He came a second time but barely felt it amongst all the other sensations.

His mouth was dry and his lungs weren't getting enough air. Finn opened his eyes but sparks were flying and he couldn't focus. Enough.

He clenched his ass as tight as it would go and Liler finally faltered. The purple boy gave a rumbling whine as he pressed to the hilt and heat gushed into Finn. Liler bit down and a trickle thicker than sweat ran down the smaller boy's neck.

The feline carefully unhooked his teeth and licked the bite. He then propped up on his forearms and blinked slowly. His eyes were heavy lidded, pierced mouth dark purple and stained with blood.

"I lose myself, sometimes." Liler mumbled, speech slow and a little slurred.

Finn peered up at him, barely awake. His entire body was a glorious blend of sore and tingling.

"Sometimes?" He whispered.

Liler gave an almost shy half-smile and Finn's breath caught. Like this, barriers torn down, the feline wasn't just attractive; he was stunning.

The feline stroked back the damp curls from Finn's neck and coolness drifted over the area. He sighed happily.

"Noni says I only think of myself."

"Hmm?" Finn hummed and struggled to keep his eyes open as Liler climbed down his body.

"I do." Liler murmured. "But only..." a warm hand stroked firmly over Finn's pelvic bone, "...at first."

Wet heat enveloped Finn's softening cock.

"Haaa!" It was far too soon and he sucked in a pained breath.

Liler set a lazy rhythm. Swallowing and dipping as he alternately pressed his palm into the skin.

Tingling pleasure began to build. So very sensitive. But that patient mouth never ceased and Finn shuddered as he came a third time.

His eyes closed. He was completely drained. Soaked in sweat. It was pure bliss.

Liler lifted and simply rolled Finn's limp body to the side. 

The feline then curled around him. One hand pressing against the Human's chest and the other folding around his waist. A leg hooked around Finn's and he was effectively trapped.

He sighed contentedly and arched his neck. A kiss and a lick of metal brushed obligingly over his throat. The warmth against his backside shifted and a hard shaft slid into him.

"You're not serious." Finn slurred, eyes too weighed down by his lashes to open. Lips brushed over his ear.

"Just for sleep." Liler whispered.

Finn's mouth was now too heavy to argue and in the next instant he was asleep.