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They walked home silently, both watching Puck's antics. Neither dared say anything, and Shurik was lost in self-reproach, and worries of what Tavir was going to say when they got home. Sure, Tavir had always known about his crush; it was always just there, quietly lurking in the background, but there all the same. They never talked about it, though, and he doubted Tavir knew just how much Shurik loved him. At least, until now. Now he'd gone and brought it out in the open, and he could only imagine what the response would be.

He followed Tavir up to their front door, then inside, shutting the door behind him. He knelt down, unhooking the leash from Puck's collar.

"You're home now, Puck," he said softly, watching the dog begin his explorations.

"Shurik?" Tavir's voice was quiet. He glanced up to see Tavir watching him, his expression thoughtful.

"Yeah?" He rose to his feet, meeting Tavir's gaze, determined not to turn shy and stare at his feet as he usually did.

"I think we need to talk, huh?" Tavir gestured to the sofa, and Shurik nodded, crossing the room to sit down. Tavir didn't sit, however; he started pacing back and forth in front of Shurik. Shurik watched, but finally he had to say something.

"Tavir, I'm sorry, I.." <What exactly am I sorry for? For dumping my feelings on Tavir, I guess. For forcing him to have to deal with them as well.> "I don't care, I mean, it's good just to be friends with you. It doesn't matter that there's nothing more. Not that I'd mind if there was, but.." He trailed off, dropping his eyes now. His babbling wasn't going to help any. Tavir stopped pacing and sat down next to him.

"How long have you loved me this much? And why do you take so much pain for me?" A gentle hand traced his scar, gentler than Reyn's, but he still flinched, and felt his face going red.

"I.. feels like I've always loved you, Tavir. With all my heart. And I'd take.. anything.. to stop it hurting you." He might as well be honest; he doubted he could make it any worse at this point.

"You've always been there for me, haven't you, Shurik?" Tavir's voice sounded wondering, as if he'd only just realized this. "Even when I was caught up in Reyn's spell.. you waited so patiently for me. My gentle Shurik. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner." Shurik snapped his head up at that, his wide, disbelieving eyes meeting Tavir's intense ones.

"You..?" He couldn't say anything else. Tavir's words had left him incoherent. <Does he mean what I'm daring to think he means?>

"You've always been special to me, Shurik. I guess I never realized how much until it was thrown in my face." Tavir leaned closer, hesitant lips pressing against his. This was a moment he'd dreamed of for years, yet never expected to actually happen. All his feelings for Tavir swept through him, and he leaned into the kiss, his unsure lips pressing firm against Tavir's, his arms reaching up to wrap around Tavir and pull him close. Tavir embraced him gently in return, tongue slipping between his lips, and he gasped softly. All those years of waiting and hoping for Tavir.. perhaps he should've spent some of that time learning, too. <I doubt it would've been anywhere near this sweet with anyone else, though.>

Then Puck jumped up onto the sofa, wriggling his way between them. Tavir laughed, breaking the kiss.

"Feeling ignored, Puck?" He scratched the dog's ears fondly, while Shurik tried to recover his breath and calm his wildly leaping heart.

"Tavir.."

"Yes, Shurik?" Tavir looked up at him, smiling, and then reached up a hand to touch his cheek gently. Shurik closed his eyes, leaning his head against the caress.

"I never dreamed.. never dared imagine.." He still couldn't articulate properly. He tried to grasp his thoughts together. "But.. why now? Are you sure.. it's not just.. you're not feeling guilty about.. Reyn beating me up?" He opened his eyes. He didn't want to ruin this dream moment, but he didn't want Tavir's love on false pretenses, either. <I'd rather know now and have just this to remember.>

"I don't think so, no." Tavir said honestly, after a moment of thought. "You were a kid when I first knew you;" he grinned, and Shurik grinned back, remembering. "And then.. I've been wallowing so long in my pain. Reyn broke me to pieces, even before I left him. It hurt so much, I ignored everything." Tavir paused, trying to put his own thoughts together, it seemed. "And then you were injured, and I was so worried about you. It opened up all these feelings.. things I didn't dare think about. I was too scared, after Reyn.. But when you said how you loved me, suddenly it made me so glad, and I knew.. that was what I wanted. I just hadn't dared to admit it to myself. You're not a kid anymore.. but I kept forgetting that."

"What made you cry, then?" Shurik asked softly.

"I don't know.." But it seemed he did, for he went on after considering it. "All the pain you took for me, how long you've suffered for my wellbeing.." Tavir reached out and pulled Shurik into a hug. "Don't do it anymore, okay kid?"

"Only if you don't call me kid." Shurik smiled, nestling into the embrace. Tavir laughed.

"I'll try my best. Now what do you think about me cooking something special for dinner? After all, we've got a new place, a new dog.. a new relationship.." He grinned down at Shurik.

"Anything you like." Shurik replied, catching him for another kiss, and letting himself drown in the sweet taste of Tavir's lips.

"Wow, that was delicious." Shurik pushed his plate back with a sigh. Tavir had cooked them a wonderful meal, going all out with his culinary skills. He'd even managed to find some candles amidst the mess of the half-unpacked kitchen, and they cast a gentle glow about the room.

"I'm glad you liked it." Tavir grinned at him across the table, and he smiled back, feeling suddenly shy. He'd known exactly where he stood with Tavir for years, but now things had changed. It was a wonderful change, his mind spinning every time he thought about it, but it left him feeling unsure of how to be. How affectionate could he be? How close? What could he do, and not do? Maybe he should've gotten involved with someone at some stage after all.. then he'd at least have a vague idea.

A pawing at his leg brought him out of his thoughts.

"What's up, Puck?" He glanced down at the dog, who panted happily at him, tail wagging wildly. "Oh, Puck! What've you done?" Puck's short coat was covered in mud. All of it. Even his ears and the tip of his tail were matted with it.

"What's wrong?" Tavir came around the table to take a look. At the sight of Puck he burst out laughing, and Shurik couldn't help but join in.

"What a mess! What do you think he did?" Shurik shook his head at Puck, who seemed quite delighted with himself.

"Found a puddle from yesterday's rain that hadn't quite dried up, I guess." Tavir crouched down to examine the dog, scratching him between his muddy ears. "I think we're going to have to bathe him."

"Do we have much choice?" Shurik replied with a grin. <Oh well, it'll save me having to figure out how to be with Tavir, at least for awhile.> He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be saved from that, though.

"This is going to get very messy." Tavir decided as he watched Shurik coax Puck into the bathroom. He glanced down at his shirt, one of his favourites, and tugged it off, tossing it onto the sofa. Then he followed Shurik into the bathroom.

"Do you think he's going to try escaping?" he asked Shurik, who was trying to get the water temperature just right. Puck was watching curiously, his tail still wagging.

"Probably. You might want to shut the -" Shurik glanced up and noticed his lack of shirt. His eyes widened slightly. "..door," he managed to say. Then he glanced down at his own shirt. "Messy, you think?" he mused, brushing at the mud that was already on his jeans. Finally he shrugged and pulled off his own shirt, dropping it in the corner of the room. He turned his attention back to filling the bath, his cheeks slightly pink.

Tavir shut the door and leaned against it, watching Shurik. <I've been thinking of him as a kid for far too long. I never even noticed how nicely he's grown up.> Shurik's hair was long, reaching halfway down his back, and a beautifully warm chocolate brown in colour. It tangled about his face, a messy confusion that suited him somehow. And his face itself.. yes, he had that innocence to his features that he'd joked about, but it only heightened his good looks. His skin was clear and pale, his cheekbones loosely defined, and his eyebrows thin, delicate dashes over his eyes; large wide eyes that added to his innocent look, clear honey brown, a syrupy sweetness that he could surely find time to loose himself in. Oh yes, plenty of time. His gaze drifted to Shurik's bare chest. He didn't see it often. Shurik wasn't like him, comfortable with wearing only boxers around the house. But it was a welcome sight, Shurik's lean, muscular shoulders, his washboard stomach, the darker hint of his nipples..

"Tavir?" Shurik's voice was quiet, and when he glanced up, Shurik's face had deepened several shades of pink. <He's so shy.. it's very sweet.> "Can you help me get Puck into the bath?" Shurik had finished filling it, and Puck didn't look quite so curious anymore.

Between them they hefted Puck into the bath, and then the fun part came -- dousing him with lots of water, and scrubbing the mud from his fur.

"Our poor soap," he lamented as Shurik began lathering Puck with it, trying to hold the wriggling puppy and wash him at the same time.

"It's for a good cause." Shurik grinned at him, then tried to rinse some of the soap free. "Look out!" he exclaimed, laughing, as Puck shook himself vehemently. Soap, water, and mud sprayed everywhere.

"What did I say about it being messy?" Tavir said wryly, grabbing the soap from Shurik and lathering Puck's head and front legs.

"At least he's almost clean again." Shurik poured water over Puck's back, rinsing off the last remnants of soap and mud. "How's his head look?"

"Drenched." Tavir ran water over Puck's ears and nose, trying to hold the dog still long enough to get rid of all the soap. "There! Now we just need to dry the poor guy off."

"Err.." Shurik glanced around the empty bathroom. "Knew we forgot something. I'll go get a towel, you hold him still." He climbed to his feet, crossing the bathroom to open the door. At the sight of freedom, Puck wriggled wildly, and managed to free himself from Tavir's arms.

"Puck!" he exclaimed, reaching for the dog, but he was already out the door, avoiding Shurik as well. They both dashed after him.

Puck was running a mad circle around the lounge room, twisting on his side to rub his fur along the carpet, trying to dry it. Shurik skidded to a halt to stop tripping over him, and Tavir ran right into him, knocking them both to the floor.

"Hey, get off!" Shurik squirmed underneath him. He rolled off to one side, and Shurik raised his head. Loose hairs hazed across his face in a wispy mess, and he looked so disgruntled that Tavir couldn't help but laugh and kiss him. Shurik made a surprised noise, before melting into the kiss, his lips soft and smooth, and his tongue hesitantly pushing into Tavir's mouth. Tavir slipped his arms around Shurik, pulling him close. They were both damp from washing Puck, and Shurik's chest was slick and warm against his. He could feel Shurik's heart pounding wildly, and that simple detail aroused him, his groin stirring with longing.

He broke the kiss and opened his eyes. Shurik's eyes were half lidded, still caught up in the feel of the kiss, and that look stirred him all the more.

"Shurik.." he said, his voice husky and questioning. Shurik's eyes opened all the way, staring at him.

"What about.. Puck?" Shurik asked, almost whispering.

"He can dry himself." Tavir replied, watching Shurik's expression, so uncertain, yet wanting and desiring. Shurik's lips touched his in a sudden, passionate kiss, hard and full, and Shurik's whole body pressed against him, quivering slightly. He felt Shurik's member hardening against him, and his own hardened in response. <I'll take that as a yes.> He ended the kiss and sat up.

"C'mon, Shur, there are better places to do this," he said softly, and Shurik nodded silently. They both rose to their feet, and he took Shurik's hand, leading him into his bedroom.