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randomweavingFic: Changeling
Characters: John Dorian/Perry Cox
Rating: NC-17 (eventually)
Chapter Rating: NC-17 for language and m/m sex (you read correctly!)
Description: This is a wildly AU story with fantastical elements based on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thuri's Nano writing project. It begins late in season three, before Carla and Turk's wedding, and from there follows the characters as they face the Change, a strange, magical phenomenon that is turning ordinary humans into half-human creatures from fantasy.
Chapter listings: Contents Post
Author's note: Please note the chapter rating! ;)
JD glanced at the phone again, and again managed to resist picking it up and dialing it. Perry didn't need to deal with him calling every few minutes, just because he missed him, and was worried. But now that Jack had finally fallen asleep, JD had nothing left to distract him. And reading was, he'd discovered, nearly impossible. His eyes didn't want to focus that close, and he could hardly get reading glasses made just yet.
So he had the TV on, watching the copy of X-men he'd been quite surprised to find Perry owned. He couldn't help wondering if maybe Jordan had a thing for Hugh Jackman, and if that was why Perry couldn't stand him.
Well, he thought with a smirk, even if that's true, it doesn't matter now.
He giggled to himself, shifting the couch cushions he'd pulled onto the floor a little, and tried to concentrate as Ian McKellan levitated himself on screen.
They'd probably all be asleep by now, back home. Elliot and Carla and Turk, all Changing at once. And all into 'taurs...He had to shake his head at that, wondering why he'd gotten wings, when his friends all suddenly had four legs. Would Perry be a 'taur, too? He'd be fucking hot, if he was, but the sex would be weird. JD blushed, even thinking it, but he couldn't help himself. He'd been imagining sex with Perry for ages, after all, and having the prospect suddenly go from "if" to "when"... well, it was a little distracting, to say the least.
He sighed, shifting again, and glanced at the phone once more. Maybe Perry wouldn't mind... JD could tell him all about his own day, after all. He and Jack had been outside long enough to make them pink cheeked and nearly frozen, building a small snowman together, playing in the snow. And making a snow angel...JD giggled again to himself, now. Having wings made it look a hell of a lot more realistic, after all.
They'd come inside after, and JD had changed Jack into clean, dry clothing and settled down with him by the fireplace, telling him stories as he gradually drifted off to sleep. He remembered again how Perry had called him "Daddy," and it sent a bittersweet warmth through him. Maybe not the way his mom would've expected to get a grandkid, but he still regretted that he couldn't tell her.
Sending up a soft prayer for his dad's safety--though JD held little hope his father would make it out of all this--he turned away from the phone once more and raised the volume on the TV, determined to lose himself in the movie.
Still, when the phone rang, he jumped for it, almost knocking over the coffee table. "Perry?"
* * *
He had to tell JD about it. He knew that. He couldn't NOT tell him--that felt wrong, and even though he'd only be trying to protect him, it would only delay the inevitable. He'd Change, sooner or later (probably sooner, if the trend set by the others held--food apparently DID greatly affect the rate of development). And JD would be upset that Perry hadn't told him as soon as he found out.
Besides, there were... plans that had to be made. Arrangements. He'd called Jordan, when he'd gotten over his initial shock, and asked her to describe her own Changes in detail. He'd listened with dismay as she'd told him about the itchiness on her arms, then the patches of scales.
"It started yesterday morning," she told him, when he pressed for more details. "The scales are spreading, but it's kinda slow. They're about halfway up my forearms now, I guess. Perry... why?"
He sighed, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Because I'm... I'm Changing, too," he replied. "And I've got.. the same thing happening."
She'd gasped. "Oh, Perry--I'm so sorry... but w-what... what about Jack?"
"JD will look after him," Perry replied, feeling numb. "He and I kind of had a talk, and we... we feel the same about each other, but..." Fuck! This was so messed up...
"Maybe it's not the same thing," Jordan offered weakly. "I mean... there are lots of things that have scales, right? Maybe you're just turning into one of those half-snake things..."
"Yeah, maybe," Perry replied dully. "Look, I have to get going. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said. "Danni's coming over to help me out. Listen, Perry, if there's anything you need..."
"Yeah. Thanks, Jordan. Talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay... bye."
He hung up, lowering his head into his hands. Jesus.
Jordan was going to be a mer. And from the looks of things, so was he.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He didn't know if he could do the whole living-on-land in a wheelchair thing--though he knew he'd try, for JD's sake, and for Jack's. He simply couldn't fathom living without them.
God, what a mess. What was he supposed to do?
He'd picked up the phone and dialed JD's number before he even realized he was doing it. He still wasn't sure if he should tell him now--what would be gained by making him worry?--but he suddenly desperately wanted to talk to him.
He almost smiled, when JD's breathless voice answered. "Perry?"
"Yeah," he said, trying to make his voice sound normal, though it trembled a little. "How are you?"
"Missing you," JD admitted, pausing the movie. "But I'm okay. Jack's asleep. I had to read him three stories before he'd even close his eyes, though." God, he sounded so...so wonderfully domestic. "How're things there? Did you get them all settled in?" The unspoken question was, of course, Are you coming home tomorrow?
"Yeah," Perry replied, bringing his fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose again. "Turk can get around well enough to prepare them food, and God knows I practically brought them an entire grocery store, so they should all be fine." He swallowed, feeling like a total ass for hiding from JD, but at the same time appreciating the subject for distraction. He lowered his arm and stared at the scales, wishing that maybe, somehow, they'd vanish if he concentrated hard enough. But they continued to glint up at him undeterred, the silver refracting the slightest shades of coppery brown and red as he angled his arm to the dim lamplight. And...if he wasn't mistaken, there were more of them than there had been earlier.
Christ.
"Well, I'm glad they called, even if the timing was a little sucky," JD said, his voice gone soft. "Poor Elliot..." He couldn't imagine how frightening that must've been, to be stuck there, in her own home, unable to get to anything...He shivered, pulling his mind away from it. He'd imagined a hundred times what it must've been like for Dan and his mom, and he didn't want to think about it again.
Maybe it was that, or just the fear he knew Elliot must've been in, but he suddenly heard words he never would've expected coming out of his mouth. "Do you think you should call the hospital, see how things are? I'd miss you like mad, but with me and you and now Elliot gone, and maybe others, too... Maybe you should stay. People there might need you more than we do, and it'd be selfish of me not to admit it. And that way you could keep an eye on the rest of them, too, and Jordan might need your help..."
Perry swallowed hard, feeling his throat tightening up with dread. No avoiding this, then. "I... I can't," he whispered.
JD felt his heart plummet at the sudden change in Perry's voice. "Perry, what? What's wrong?"
Perry swallowed, barely biting back a sob. God, he was falling apart. He knew the emotional and physical strain of the day had a lot to do with it--he'd learned JD loved him back, then immediately had to leave him behind; he'd spent six hours in a car in adverse weather conditions, dealt with a nearly-hysterical Elliot, spent hours grocery shopping, then had to haul box upon box up two flights of stairs. He was sore, he was exhausted, and he just wanted to go to sleep--and now he was faced with the very real possibility of losing JD and Jack forever. It was a small wonder he was on the edge of breaking down.
Still, for JD's sake, he knew he had to keep it together. He took a few deep, steadying breaths, and closed his eyes. "I'm... I'm Changing, JD," he said softly.
JD closed his eyes, gripping the phone harder as the floor seemed to fall away from him. "Into what?" It couldn't be good, not if it had Perry, Perry Cox, nearly in tears.
"I..." Perry hesitated. Are you sure? his mind begged him. It could be something else--you don't know! Are you certain?
But the cooler, more rational side of him knew he was only kidding himself. What else could it be? Christ--a lizard-taur? He snorted internally, and drew a breath.
"JD... I think... I think I'm going to be a merman."
JD let out a pained, strangled noise before he could stop himself. Fucking...No! No. It couldn't be. It wasn't fair... "Why? Are you having trouble walking? You were in the car for a long time today..."
"I...no." JD's cry had finally loosened Perry's tears; they fell unheeded, sliding slowly down his cheeks. "I'm... I've got scales on my forearms."
"Oh," JD whispered. He pulled his wings in tight around himself, huddling in their shelter, but that didn't make it go away. Fuck. He couldn't ask Perry to live in a wheelchair, find a house with a swimming pool, or right on the beach, and call that a solution. He knew he couldn't. And besides, there were some mers who weren't able to live out of the water, he'd heard, and it'd be just his luck if Perry turned out to be one of them.
But of course he'd be a mer. Because so was Jordan. He'd go back to her, of course, and JD'd be left alone. Probably to look after Jack, but still...JD loved the little boy dearly, but he wanted Perry, too. Wanted them to all be together... "You're gonna have a hell of a time going to the bathroom," he managed, his voice breaking even as he tried to tease.
"I'll...we'll figure something out," Perry said, suddenly more desperate to fix it than he would've been if JD had broken down and cried openly. "We'll make it work. I'll...shit, I don't know, I'll..." but he couldn't think of a damned thing. Nothing that would actually work. Fuck, this isn't fair!
"You'll what?" JD interrupted softly. "Use a swimming pool in the backyard neither of us have? Spend your life in a wheelchair?" He let out a shuddering breath, shaking his head slowly. "We could try, but I think you'd go crazy, Perry. From what I've read, once the Mers are Changed... they don't feel right on land anymore."
Perry swallowed, closing his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "Jordan said her mom, near the end, claimed she could hear waves..."
JD choked back a sob, but rallied. "Can you...can you still drive? Can you come back here, at least for a little while? We probably still have a week or two, before..." He bit his bottom lip, hard, but didn't say it.
Perry nodded, wiping the tears from his cheeks and bringing himself back under control. "Yeah," he answered. "Yeah, I can--and I'm headed out tomorrow, as soon as it's light enough to see." He bit his lip, then said, "JD? We're going to figure something out. I'm not ready to give you up. Not by a long shot."
"I'm not ready for you to give me up, either," JD replied, a thread of stubborn hope winding through the pain around him. "If there's any way...we'll find it. How...how do you feel, otherwise?"
"Fine," Perry admitted. "Exhausted, but that's only to be expected. I'm not even terribly hungry yet--no more than I should be after a day like today--but I'm assuming that comes with the more major changes."
JD nodded. "Yeah...For mers, I think the hunger mostly starts when walking gets harder. And even then it's not bad...they don't grow that much new tissue, just change around what's already there." Stay focused. Stay clinical. He could do this. "I can't imagine how much the 'taurs must be eating...But grab something to take on the way, just in case? It... it might be a different Change, after all." So much for clinical.
JD so clearly didn't believe it himself that Perry didn't bother correcting him. "Yeah," he said. "Maybe. I...I need to get some sleep, but... I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Call me when you leave? So I know when to expect you?"
"You sure? I'm leaving pretty early...I might even be back by the time you wake up, depending on how late you sleep in..."
JD smiled softly, imagining waking up to Perry climbing into bed with him. "Well...maybe not, then. Though I don't think Jack will let me sleep that late, even if he is eating normally again." He bit his lip, feeling it beginning to tremble again. "Listen, drive carefully, okay? And Perry... I love you."
Perry smiled sadly, gripping the phone harder and nodding. "Yeah. Back at you, Newbie. G'night."
"Goodnight."
Perry flipped the phone shut and lowered his head to his hands. And though it was late, and he was tired, and he knew he had a long drive in the morning, he did not move for a very long time.
* * *
JD stared at his phone for a long time, after the line went dead, resisting the urge to throw it hard against the wall. It wouldn't solve anything, no matter how much better it'd make him feel. He shifted his shoulder, grimacing as his right arm twinged again. He wanted to go fly, to empty his mind and just move with the currents of the wind, but even if it wouldn’t have left Jack alone in the house, he knew he wasn't physically up to it.
Lacking the ability to physically get his frustrations out, he fired up Perry's laptop instead, spending the next few hours searching the web, trying to find something, anything else that the scales could mean.
He fell asleep on the keyboard, with nothing found.
* * *
Perry found him that way the next morning.
Despite his exhaustion, he'd only been able to get a few hours of sleep; he ended up leaving at three in the morning, with a large thermos of coffee and stern admonitions from both Carla and Elliot to be careful.
The drive back was uneventful. The snow had finally stopped swirling, and with the vehicle's chains, scaling the mountain hadn't been terribly difficult; it was only ten after eight by the time he walked into the kitchen of the cabin.
He barely bit back a sigh, finding JD slumped over the computer, wings splayed, and wondered how sore the kid's back and neck were going to be because of it. He moved forward and knelt next to the JD's chair, reaching out to gently shake his shoulder. "Newbie? That can't be terribly comfortable..."
JD came awake all at once, flailing a little before he realized where he was. "Huh? Oh...ow, it's not." He stretched, carefully, looking up at the clock, then at Perry, with a rather comic expression of surprise. "You're back!"
He was up in an instant, pulling Perry to his feet and wrapping his arms around the other man immediately.
Perry smiled, returning the embrace, and for a long moment the two of them simply held one another tight. Finally Perry pulled back, studying JD's face, noting the circles under his eyes (not to mention the keyboard impression on his forehead). "You look exhausted," he said.
"So do you," JD replied. He reached up, brushing the curls from Perry’s forehead, then said with some surprise, “Your stitches are gone.”
“Yeah. Gandhi took them out for me last night.”
JD hummed, touching the skin around the scar softly, checking its progress. Then, satisfied, he traced his fingertips down the side of Perry’s face while the older doctor watched him with a small smile, a part of him still unable to believe he was allowed to do this. With Dr. Cox.
"God, how on earth--when did you leave?" he finally murmured, lowering his hand and resting it instead on the side of Perry’s neck.
"Three,” the other man admitted sheepishly. "I... I couldn’t sleep. Missed you." He shrugged, looking away and feeling himself flush. Damn, I’m not good at this romantic shit.
JD smiled, a slow, joyful smile, and slipped his arms around Perry, hugged him close again. "I fed Jack and put him down again about then,” he murmured, head turned against Perry’s shoulder, eyes closed. “He should sleep for a few more hours. Want to try again?"
Perry nodded, though he made no move to stop holding JD, for a long moment. He glanced at the laptop over JD’s shoulder. “What were you doing, anyway?" he asked softly as he finally pulled away, tugging JD’s hand and leading him toward the stairs.
Shrugging, JD followed him, scrubbing his free hand through his hair. "Research. It's not really important..." He hadn't found anything, not really. Scales seemed to be followed by a mer tail, every time, and he didn't want to admit that out loud.
Perry glanced back at him, frowning, but didn't press the issue. Truth be told, he was exhausted; the drive had been taxing, and the only thing that had kept him awake was the thought of seeing JD again as soon as possible. Now, however, all he wanted to do was climb under a pile of fleece blankets (or maybe feathered ones), hold JD close, and sleep. He tried not to think about how his chances to do that might be limited, though it was the underlying fear that had forced him from bed at two thirty and saw him on the road by three.
They headed for the master bedroom, Perry stopping over in JD's room to look in the crib in the corner, checking on Jack. His son was soundly asleep, however, and did not look to be waking any time soon. Perry checked the baby monitor, then headed into the master bedroom, pausing only long enough to strip down to shirt and boxers before he crawled into the bed, collapsing with a soft groan onto his back.
JD hesitated only a moment before following suit and crawling up onto the bed beside him. He lay next to him, close but not quite touching, and reached out to take his hand.
Perry turned to smirk at him. “Get over here,” he murmured, tugging the hand and drawing it around himself; JD followed, smiling, snuggling against Perry's chest, his head on his shoulder, one wing covering them both. His smile widened, as Perry's arms came around him. "Feels just as good as I always thought it would," he murmured, very softly.
"Mmm? What does?"
"Getting hugged by you."
Perry chuckled a little. "Guess I'll have to do it more often," he murmured.
JD grinned. "Mmm, yeah, you will. Sleep, Perry, you sound completely done-in. You're home, now." He knew what was coming, but at this moment...JD didn't want to admit it. So he let himself pretend, as Perry's breathing deepened and slowed a bit, that this could be theirs forever.
For his part, Perry knew he couldn’t give this up. Home. Yes, he was home, truly home, for the first time in as long as he could recall. Maybe for the first time ever. And even as he drifted to sleep, pulling JD a little closer, he vowed he would find a way to stay here, no matter what it took.
* * *
JD wasn’t sure how much later he woke up. A quick glance at the baby monitor told him Jack still slumbered peacefully, and the deep, heavy silence let him know the snow had started again, even before he raised his head. He couldn’t, at first, pinpoint what it was that had woken him.
Until Perry’s hand moved against his ass again.
The younger man jumped slightly, then grinned, looking up and taking stock of the situation. He was still curled half on Perry’s chest, though at some point in his sleep he’d slid one leg over him. That leg was now tucked firmly between the other man’s thighs. He swallowed, his mouth gone a little dry. As Perry’s hands moved again he realized quite suddenly he could feel something decidedly hard pressing against his hip.
He flushed, growing harder; feeling rather daring, he shifted his hips slightly, rubbing himself against Perry’s thigh, and moaned softly.
It wasn’t fair, he decided, to let Perry sleep through this. Pushing himself up a bit, he leaned in to kiss Perry softly, deciding it was as good a way as any to wake him. He started with a gentle pressure, just lips against lips, before letting his tongue sneak out, tracing Perry’s mouth, gentling between his lips, dipping in to flick against his teeth.
Perry’s hands tightened their hold, and slowly, he started to respond, hips arching softly against JD’s. JD pushed back, giddy with disbelief and arousal, and kept kissing him.
Soon enough, he felt Perry stiffen, and knew he’d woken up. “Hullo,” JD murmured, breaking the kiss and looking down at him, smiling softly.
“Hello?” Perry replied, blinking a little, looking confused but definitely not unhappy.
“You apparently had some ideas,” JD told him, shifting his hips, and Perry colored when he realized where his hand was. He started to draw it away, but JD shook his head quickly.
“I didn’t mind,” he murmured, then ducked his head, blushing at his own daring.
Perry smiled slowly, arousal quickly drowning out his embarrassment. “You didn’t, huh?” he murmured. “So you won’t mind if I do this…?” He drew his other hand up to JD’s ass, cupping it, and squeezed lightly.
JD giggled, and kissed him again. And though the giggle was innocent, and rather sweet, the kiss was anything but. Perry groaned against his mouth, wondering who’d taught him this. Definitely not Barbie...
But such thoughts disappeared as JD’s hands slid up under his shirt, stroking the skin of Perry’s chest gently. Perry drew a sharp breath through his nose, moaning a little in disappointment when JD broke the kiss.
The younger man just smiled, sitting back and tugging his shift off, wings moving in a truly amazing shrugging motion to free themselves from it as well, before leaning back down and helping Perry wriggle free of his. JD let out a soft gasp as their bare chests touched each other, then returned to devouring Perry’s mouth.
For his own part, Perry found himself surprisingly willing to give JD the lead. He certainly seemed to know what he wanted, and it was an unexpected thrill to find out his Newbie was confident in bed.
“Fuck,” JD murmured, breaking the kiss as his hips rolled down again, wings shivering lightly. “Perry...I want you. Now. Can we...?”
“Telling you now, Newbie, if you stop there’ll be hell to pay...” Perry pressed his own hips up, pulling JD down against him with a firm grip on his hips.
JD hummed in the back of his throat, biting softly down on Perry’s collarbone, feeling the other man shiver beneath him. He let his tongue slide over the bite, before sinking his teeth in deeper, looking up in time to see Perry’s head fall back, his eyes closed as he hissed, hips arching up. “Whaddya know?” JD said with a grin. “You like that...”
“Shut up and bite me, Newbie...”
JD did as he was told.
Soon, though, he broke off, panting and squirming a little. "I...Perry..."
"I know," Perry gritted. He took JD's shoulders in his hand and pushed him over, rolling them onto their sides so they were facing one another. He raised his hand, tracing his fingers down JD's newly-muscled bare chest, watching the younger man shiver. He wanted--God, he wanted to do everything, but he felt surprisingly at a loss. Experienced as he might be, he'd never been with another man, and even if he wasn't exactly ignorant of the things they could do, he still hesitated.
JD bit his lip, and pressed closer, kissing Perry again, trying to relax into it once more. But the nervousness wouldn't disappear, and he wasn't sure how to mask it now that they were moving beyond kissing and clothed teasing. He took a deep breath, running his hand over Perry's arm, his side, and then leaned back. "I'm, um...I've never done this before. With a guy..."
"Me neither," Perry murmured, then smiled a little. "But hey, we're doctors, right? We know how this works."
JD giggled. "Don't think you have to be a doctor to figure this out..." He did relax slightly, though, fingers tracing over Perry's chest, the lines of smooth muscle. He still couldn't quite believe he got to be here, got to do this...but he did. If only for a little while. That thought he pushed firmly away, ducking his head to lightly nip Perry's clavicle. "All right. I want you, I can see you want me..." his hips pressed forward, almost of their own volition, rubbing their clothed groins against each other. "So I guess we just... do what comes naturally, right?"
Perry growled, reaching out to grasp JD's hip in his hand and pushing back against him. "Go with what works," he agreed, voice tight.
JD whimpered, and Perry leaned in to kiss him, gentling his movement before pulling away slightly. "And I think," he whispered as he broke the kiss, "I can think of a few things that work pretty well." He trailed his fingers down, tips brushing lightly over JD's abdomen and below, over the elastic of his boxers, before slipping inside the cotton flap and closing around their goal. "Something like this?" he whispered, squeezing gently.
"Oh God," JD managed, hips arching up as Perry's hand--bigger than his own, rougher, not like any other he'd felt hold him like this--curled around his cock. "That's...that's definitely good," he agreed, swallowing hard.
Perry smirked, though inside he was amazed. That he could do this--make JD look, sound like that... he moved his hand, beginning a slow, steady stroking that went from the very base of JD's erection to the tip, then slid back down again. He found he had to swallow, when JD's hips shuddered to life, beginning a slow, involuntary rhythm in time to Perry's movements against him. "I take it you approve, Dr. Dorian?" Perry said softly, the smirk turning to a grin.
"Mmmhmm..." JD managed, his bottom lips still caught between his teeth, his hips still moving. "Christ, Perry..." It’s just a handjob, part of him was insisting. Why're you getting so worked up over this? You've jacked off a million times...
But this was Perry's hand, and he'd dreamed of this moment more than once. Besides, knowing soon enough he'd get to touch the other man in turn...It sent an extra shudder though him, literally ruffling his feathers. "Don't stop..."
"Hadn't planned to," Perry replied, ducking his head to suckle at JD's neck, trying to contain his own desire. JD's reactions were sending shudders through him, shudders that ended in a deep throbbing ache in his already painfully-hard erection; unbidden, his own hips had begun to twitch, jerking every so slightly forward in time with JD’s.
He groaned, pausing in his stroking only long enough to run his thumb over the head of JD's cock, teasing the slit and spreading the fluid he found there.
JD let out a strangled sound, mingled lust and pleasure. He ran a hand down Perry's side, trying to find something to concentrate on, to avoid embarrassing himself by popping off too quickly. Bad enough Jordan was always telling people he was fast...
Okay, dude, not the thing to be thinking about now!
In an effort at double distraction, he curled his hand around Perry's side, and then lightly brushed it against the front of the other man's boxers. And grinned. "Well, hello, Dr. Cox."
Perry's hand paused a moment, and not only because of where JD's currently rested. "Strange, hearing you call me that now," he said, a slight frown on his face as he tried to work out how he felt about it. In his fantasies about the younger doctor, after all, JD had always called him Dr. Cox, or sometimes sir. It always turned him on, before, the sheer power of it heightening his pleasure, his lust. But now... now, it sent an odd pang through him instead.
It's because now I don't just want him, he realized. It's not just physical anymore.
And somehow, being reminded of a time when it was filled him with a strange sort of shame.
JD smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him, long and demanding. "Then I won't,” he murmured. “Perry." He grinned, then, fingers working their way under his waistband, and curling around Perry's cock. He swallowed, hips jerking against Perry’s hand as his fingers traced their handful with trembling awe. "But I'm not calling you Big Dog, either. Even though...woof." He squeezed lightly, ruining his leer with a giggle.
Perry couldn't help but chuckle. "Fair enough--ahh!" He closed his eyes as JD squeezed again, long fingers tracing him with gentle expertise. "Had a... lot of practice at this, have we, Newbie?" he teased, though by his face and the rough tone of his voice, he certainly approved.
"Mmm, yeah. I'll let you watch sometime." JD grinned, when Perry's cock twitched at his words. "I think you'd like that. Could show you what I'd do when I was thinking about you." He twisted his wrist, stroking Perry from root to tip and back, palm sliding across the head of his cock as his hand twisted again on the way back down. He wondered idly where his newfound confidence was coming from, but he suspected it had everything to do with Perry’s reactions.
"Christ," Perry gasped, the thoughts and images JD's words called to his mind making him impossibly harder. "I... I might just--take you up on that one." He swallowed, realizing his own hand on JD's erection had slowed down some when JD pushed his hips forward encouragingly. He tightened his grip again, hand resuming his strokes, though they were faster this time, and loose. He decided they'd been talking quite long enough, and leaned down, mouth meeting JD's in a deep kiss.
"Long as you...you return the favor," JD panted back, when at last they parted, his hips seeking and once again finding a rhythm, his breath coming faster now. And fuck, they weren't even naked, but this was still the hottest thing he'd ever done. Ever.
"I think we can... work something out," Perry replied, voice tight. Jesus, he was close--already he was close. He couldn't even take care of himself this quickly.
Fortunately, though, JD seemed to be in similar straits. Perry grinned at him, amazed, breath coming in quick gasps. "Don't... think I'm... going to need much more of this," he managed.
"Oh thank God." JD felt himself blush when Perry's hand slowed for a moment. "I mean...I...fuck, me either, and...didn't want to...to be too fast..." Thankfully, Perry kissed him, and he had to stop talking.
"Don't think that'll be a problem," Perry replied when he broke the kiss, and JD grunted a vague response, eyes drifting closed as Perry renewed his stroking.
They abandoned talk, settling for brief kisses exchanged between gasping breaths. JD felt himself beginning to slip; his thrusts grew erratic, and it was all he could do to hold on as the sensations shuddering through his groin finally converged into a single bright point of pleasure so powerful he could not help but cry out. He came, hips shuddering and thrusting frantically, and heard Perry groan beside him; moments later, the older doctor was spurting over JD's hand, coating JD's fingers.
A few long moments passed, and JD felt small aftershocks coursing through his spine and to his cock, which twitched in Perry's loose grip. Finally, the older doctor opened his eyes, giving JD a final squeeze before releasing him, which made JD whimper again. He removed his own hand from Perry, and for a long time they lay together in silence trying to catch their breath, feeling sweaty, slightly sticky, and completely sated. “Good morning,” JD murmured finally, one finger tracing a bite mark on Perry’s collarbone.
Perry chuckled softly. “Good morning to you, too, Newbie. Hell of a wake-up call, there...”
JD giggled, but didn’t argue, his eyes drifting closed again.
Perry smiled to himself, feeling JD's breathing slow as he drifted back to sleep. He held him, his own eyes drifting closed, limbs wonderfully limp and relaxed. But he found he couldn't get back to sleep. His mind wouldn't shut up, wouldn't stop teasing him with warnings and threats.
Enjoy this now, Aqua-man. You won't be able to in a week or two or three.
The worst part was, he knew it was true. And much as he didn't want to think about it, he knew he'd have to make these last few weeks count. His eyes drifted down, and he lifted one arm, examining the ever-widening patch of scales. The patches, which had originally been only a few inches in diameter, had spread; they stretched now from the base of his wrist halfway to his elbow, and were about two inches wide.
He tried to take comfort in the fact that, at least, his legs still worked fine--his hips hadn't begun shifting the way Jordan's had, nor had any scales appeared on his legs, so he took that to be a good sign. Maybe the Change would be slow. Maybe.
His hand drifted up, into JD's hair, and he absently began to stroke. He was well aware, of course, that he might not survive the Change at all. JD had said the primary things were getting plenty to eat--which JD himself would see to, Perry knew--and not fighting the Change. While he could do the first, he knew he would not be able to do the second. There was no way he could peacefully accept a Change that would tear him from his home, his family; no way he could willingly embrace a life that would be cold, dark, lonely and empty.
But what would it do to JD, if Perry died? He tightened his arms a little, and JD shifted slightly before settling again with a sigh. Would he blame himself? Would he be able to take care of himself, out here alone? And what of Jack? Perry knew JD loved the child, but would that last...? When Perry himself wasn't part of the package deal any longer, would JD still want anything to do with his son?
He hated himself for thinking it, knowing he was doing JD a disservice by doubting him, but his overwrought mind couldn't help but worry.
Damn it, this was so unfair. He'd rather have fairy wings than this.
What were they going to do?
* * *
"We're almost out of wood," JD commented later, building up the fire. They’d woken shortly after noon to the sound of Jack fussing, and had moved downstairs, feeding the child before grabbing a bite to eat themselves. The snow had stopped once more, and they’d decided to settle in the den and watch a movie, but JD wanted a fire first.
Perry glanced up from his perusal of the DVDs. “We are?”
"Yeah,” JD replied. “At least, we’re almost out of kindling, and stuff that'll fit easy into the fireplace." He looked up at Perry, blushing softly. "Um. Do you know how to use an axe? Because I'd probably chop my foot off..."
Perry chuckled. "Yeah, I do. Though..." he trailed off, face going somber. "At some point, I should probably show you how," he said. "So you and Jack..."
JD bit his lip, wings slumping a bit. "I guess you probably should,” he murmured. “But we've got a bit, first. Perry...you know I'll look after him, right? I promise, I'll take the best care of him I possibly can..."
Perry gave him a half-smile. "Yeah," he said softly. "I know you will." He banished his worries from before: he owed JD this much trust, if nothing else. He'd never let him down yet, after all.
As if on cue, Jack, from his playpen, began to cry. Perry glanced toward him, then crooked an eyebrow at JD. "Sounds like your cue, in fact," he said. "You go take care of him, and I'll chop some wood--I'll show you how next time." JD was right, after all--they did still have time. Perry was still walking perfectly fine, and even after that he knew it took several days for the tail to completely hinder mobility.
He bundled up as JD moved forward and scooped Jack from his playpen, cooing something soothing. Perry smiled, fear for his son finally melting away completely. He opened the sliding door and stepped into the bitter chill, heading out to the woodpile behind the shed. There should still be some logs back there from the old oak they'd had to fell two summers ago, unless he was very much mistaken, and it would be dead enough to be easily broken into smaller chunks. Later tonight he'd come out and chop some young trees so they could start drying out as well.
He saw with a pleased smile that there was more left of the oak than he'd dared hope, and that it had been relatively protected from the snowfall by virtue of the angle of the wind and the shed. He dragged several large limbs over to the concrete patio on the west side of the shed and, after choosing one as a chopping block, picked up the axe and began to slit them into smaller pieces.
He didn't know how long he'd been out there--an hour, maybe--when the dizziness suddenly hit him. He staggered, shaking his head, trying to clear it, and drew a steadying breath. Maybe he was more tired than he'd realized; he’d already worked up quite a sweat. Of course, it had been a long day yesterday.
After a few moments, though, his vision cleared once more, so he merely shrugged and picked up the axe, prepared to resume his work.
He took a step forward, then suddenly fell to his knees, gasping, as another wave of dizziness hit him, this one far more powerful than the first. He fought to draw breath, feeling as though he'd been kicked in the gut, and despite his blinking, his vision began to blur. He looked up, toward the house, but knew he was hidden from view by the shed; with a great effort, he tried to drag himself forward.
He only made it about three feet, though, before he collapsed forward into the snow. Through his slowly fading vision, he could barely make out the cabin, distant and warm and beckoning, and he reached toward it with one arm in a silent, imploring gesture for help.
Then he passed out completely.
* * *
Next Chapter
* * *
Characters: John Dorian/Perry Cox
Rating: NC-17 (eventually)
Chapter Rating: NC-17 for language and m/m sex (you read correctly!)
Description: This is a wildly AU story with fantastical elements based on
thuri's Nano writing project. It begins late in season three, before Carla and Turk's wedding, and from there follows the characters as they face the Change, a strange, magical phenomenon that is turning ordinary humans into half-human creatures from fantasy.Chapter listings: Contents Post
Author's note: Please note the chapter rating! ;)
JD glanced at the phone again, and again managed to resist picking it up and dialing it. Perry didn't need to deal with him calling every few minutes, just because he missed him, and was worried. But now that Jack had finally fallen asleep, JD had nothing left to distract him. And reading was, he'd discovered, nearly impossible. His eyes didn't want to focus that close, and he could hardly get reading glasses made just yet.
So he had the TV on, watching the copy of X-men he'd been quite surprised to find Perry owned. He couldn't help wondering if maybe Jordan had a thing for Hugh Jackman, and if that was why Perry couldn't stand him.
Well, he thought with a smirk, even if that's true, it doesn't matter now.
He giggled to himself, shifting the couch cushions he'd pulled onto the floor a little, and tried to concentrate as Ian McKellan levitated himself on screen.
They'd probably all be asleep by now, back home. Elliot and Carla and Turk, all Changing at once. And all into 'taurs...He had to shake his head at that, wondering why he'd gotten wings, when his friends all suddenly had four legs. Would Perry be a 'taur, too? He'd be fucking hot, if he was, but the sex would be weird. JD blushed, even thinking it, but he couldn't help himself. He'd been imagining sex with Perry for ages, after all, and having the prospect suddenly go from "if" to "when"... well, it was a little distracting, to say the least.
He sighed, shifting again, and glanced at the phone once more. Maybe Perry wouldn't mind... JD could tell him all about his own day, after all. He and Jack had been outside long enough to make them pink cheeked and nearly frozen, building a small snowman together, playing in the snow. And making a snow angel...JD giggled again to himself, now. Having wings made it look a hell of a lot more realistic, after all.
They'd come inside after, and JD had changed Jack into clean, dry clothing and settled down with him by the fireplace, telling him stories as he gradually drifted off to sleep. He remembered again how Perry had called him "Daddy," and it sent a bittersweet warmth through him. Maybe not the way his mom would've expected to get a grandkid, but he still regretted that he couldn't tell her.
Sending up a soft prayer for his dad's safety--though JD held little hope his father would make it out of all this--he turned away from the phone once more and raised the volume on the TV, determined to lose himself in the movie.
Still, when the phone rang, he jumped for it, almost knocking over the coffee table. "Perry?"
* * *
He had to tell JD about it. He knew that. He couldn't NOT tell him--that felt wrong, and even though he'd only be trying to protect him, it would only delay the inevitable. He'd Change, sooner or later (probably sooner, if the trend set by the others held--food apparently DID greatly affect the rate of development). And JD would be upset that Perry hadn't told him as soon as he found out.
Besides, there were... plans that had to be made. Arrangements. He'd called Jordan, when he'd gotten over his initial shock, and asked her to describe her own Changes in detail. He'd listened with dismay as she'd told him about the itchiness on her arms, then the patches of scales.
"It started yesterday morning," she told him, when he pressed for more details. "The scales are spreading, but it's kinda slow. They're about halfway up my forearms now, I guess. Perry... why?"
He sighed, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Because I'm... I'm Changing, too," he replied. "And I've got.. the same thing happening."
She'd gasped. "Oh, Perry--I'm so sorry... but w-what... what about Jack?"
"JD will look after him," Perry replied, feeling numb. "He and I kind of had a talk, and we... we feel the same about each other, but..." Fuck! This was so messed up...
"Maybe it's not the same thing," Jordan offered weakly. "I mean... there are lots of things that have scales, right? Maybe you're just turning into one of those half-snake things..."
"Yeah, maybe," Perry replied dully. "Look, I have to get going. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said. "Danni's coming over to help me out. Listen, Perry, if there's anything you need..."
"Yeah. Thanks, Jordan. Talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay... bye."
He hung up, lowering his head into his hands. Jesus.
Jordan was going to be a mer. And from the looks of things, so was he.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He didn't know if he could do the whole living-on-land in a wheelchair thing--though he knew he'd try, for JD's sake, and for Jack's. He simply couldn't fathom living without them.
God, what a mess. What was he supposed to do?
He'd picked up the phone and dialed JD's number before he even realized he was doing it. He still wasn't sure if he should tell him now--what would be gained by making him worry?--but he suddenly desperately wanted to talk to him.
He almost smiled, when JD's breathless voice answered. "Perry?"
"Yeah," he said, trying to make his voice sound normal, though it trembled a little. "How are you?"
"Missing you," JD admitted, pausing the movie. "But I'm okay. Jack's asleep. I had to read him three stories before he'd even close his eyes, though." God, he sounded so...so wonderfully domestic. "How're things there? Did you get them all settled in?" The unspoken question was, of course, Are you coming home tomorrow?
"Yeah," Perry replied, bringing his fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose again. "Turk can get around well enough to prepare them food, and God knows I practically brought them an entire grocery store, so they should all be fine." He swallowed, feeling like a total ass for hiding from JD, but at the same time appreciating the subject for distraction. He lowered his arm and stared at the scales, wishing that maybe, somehow, they'd vanish if he concentrated hard enough. But they continued to glint up at him undeterred, the silver refracting the slightest shades of coppery brown and red as he angled his arm to the dim lamplight. And...if he wasn't mistaken, there were more of them than there had been earlier.
Christ.
"Well, I'm glad they called, even if the timing was a little sucky," JD said, his voice gone soft. "Poor Elliot..." He couldn't imagine how frightening that must've been, to be stuck there, in her own home, unable to get to anything...He shivered, pulling his mind away from it. He'd imagined a hundred times what it must've been like for Dan and his mom, and he didn't want to think about it again.
Maybe it was that, or just the fear he knew Elliot must've been in, but he suddenly heard words he never would've expected coming out of his mouth. "Do you think you should call the hospital, see how things are? I'd miss you like mad, but with me and you and now Elliot gone, and maybe others, too... Maybe you should stay. People there might need you more than we do, and it'd be selfish of me not to admit it. And that way you could keep an eye on the rest of them, too, and Jordan might need your help..."
Perry swallowed hard, feeling his throat tightening up with dread. No avoiding this, then. "I... I can't," he whispered.
JD felt his heart plummet at the sudden change in Perry's voice. "Perry, what? What's wrong?"
Perry swallowed, barely biting back a sob. God, he was falling apart. He knew the emotional and physical strain of the day had a lot to do with it--he'd learned JD loved him back, then immediately had to leave him behind; he'd spent six hours in a car in adverse weather conditions, dealt with a nearly-hysterical Elliot, spent hours grocery shopping, then had to haul box upon box up two flights of stairs. He was sore, he was exhausted, and he just wanted to go to sleep--and now he was faced with the very real possibility of losing JD and Jack forever. It was a small wonder he was on the edge of breaking down.
Still, for JD's sake, he knew he had to keep it together. He took a few deep, steadying breaths, and closed his eyes. "I'm... I'm Changing, JD," he said softly.
JD closed his eyes, gripping the phone harder as the floor seemed to fall away from him. "Into what?" It couldn't be good, not if it had Perry, Perry Cox, nearly in tears.
"I..." Perry hesitated. Are you sure? his mind begged him. It could be something else--you don't know! Are you certain?
But the cooler, more rational side of him knew he was only kidding himself. What else could it be? Christ--a lizard-taur? He snorted internally, and drew a breath.
"JD... I think... I think I'm going to be a merman."
JD let out a pained, strangled noise before he could stop himself. Fucking...No! No. It couldn't be. It wasn't fair... "Why? Are you having trouble walking? You were in the car for a long time today..."
"I...no." JD's cry had finally loosened Perry's tears; they fell unheeded, sliding slowly down his cheeks. "I'm... I've got scales on my forearms."
"Oh," JD whispered. He pulled his wings in tight around himself, huddling in their shelter, but that didn't make it go away. Fuck. He couldn't ask Perry to live in a wheelchair, find a house with a swimming pool, or right on the beach, and call that a solution. He knew he couldn't. And besides, there were some mers who weren't able to live out of the water, he'd heard, and it'd be just his luck if Perry turned out to be one of them.
But of course he'd be a mer. Because so was Jordan. He'd go back to her, of course, and JD'd be left alone. Probably to look after Jack, but still...JD loved the little boy dearly, but he wanted Perry, too. Wanted them to all be together... "You're gonna have a hell of a time going to the bathroom," he managed, his voice breaking even as he tried to tease.
"I'll...we'll figure something out," Perry said, suddenly more desperate to fix it than he would've been if JD had broken down and cried openly. "We'll make it work. I'll...shit, I don't know, I'll..." but he couldn't think of a damned thing. Nothing that would actually work. Fuck, this isn't fair!
"You'll what?" JD interrupted softly. "Use a swimming pool in the backyard neither of us have? Spend your life in a wheelchair?" He let out a shuddering breath, shaking his head slowly. "We could try, but I think you'd go crazy, Perry. From what I've read, once the Mers are Changed... they don't feel right on land anymore."
Perry swallowed, closing his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "Jordan said her mom, near the end, claimed she could hear waves..."
JD choked back a sob, but rallied. "Can you...can you still drive? Can you come back here, at least for a little while? We probably still have a week or two, before..." He bit his bottom lip, hard, but didn't say it.
Perry nodded, wiping the tears from his cheeks and bringing himself back under control. "Yeah," he answered. "Yeah, I can--and I'm headed out tomorrow, as soon as it's light enough to see." He bit his lip, then said, "JD? We're going to figure something out. I'm not ready to give you up. Not by a long shot."
"I'm not ready for you to give me up, either," JD replied, a thread of stubborn hope winding through the pain around him. "If there's any way...we'll find it. How...how do you feel, otherwise?"
"Fine," Perry admitted. "Exhausted, but that's only to be expected. I'm not even terribly hungry yet--no more than I should be after a day like today--but I'm assuming that comes with the more major changes."
JD nodded. "Yeah...For mers, I think the hunger mostly starts when walking gets harder. And even then it's not bad...they don't grow that much new tissue, just change around what's already there." Stay focused. Stay clinical. He could do this. "I can't imagine how much the 'taurs must be eating...But grab something to take on the way, just in case? It... it might be a different Change, after all." So much for clinical.
JD so clearly didn't believe it himself that Perry didn't bother correcting him. "Yeah," he said. "Maybe. I...I need to get some sleep, but... I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Call me when you leave? So I know when to expect you?"
"You sure? I'm leaving pretty early...I might even be back by the time you wake up, depending on how late you sleep in..."
JD smiled softly, imagining waking up to Perry climbing into bed with him. "Well...maybe not, then. Though I don't think Jack will let me sleep that late, even if he is eating normally again." He bit his lip, feeling it beginning to tremble again. "Listen, drive carefully, okay? And Perry... I love you."
Perry smiled sadly, gripping the phone harder and nodding. "Yeah. Back at you, Newbie. G'night."
"Goodnight."
Perry flipped the phone shut and lowered his head to his hands. And though it was late, and he was tired, and he knew he had a long drive in the morning, he did not move for a very long time.
* * *
JD stared at his phone for a long time, after the line went dead, resisting the urge to throw it hard against the wall. It wouldn't solve anything, no matter how much better it'd make him feel. He shifted his shoulder, grimacing as his right arm twinged again. He wanted to go fly, to empty his mind and just move with the currents of the wind, but even if it wouldn’t have left Jack alone in the house, he knew he wasn't physically up to it.
Lacking the ability to physically get his frustrations out, he fired up Perry's laptop instead, spending the next few hours searching the web, trying to find something, anything else that the scales could mean.
He fell asleep on the keyboard, with nothing found.
* * *
Perry found him that way the next morning.
Despite his exhaustion, he'd only been able to get a few hours of sleep; he ended up leaving at three in the morning, with a large thermos of coffee and stern admonitions from both Carla and Elliot to be careful.
The drive back was uneventful. The snow had finally stopped swirling, and with the vehicle's chains, scaling the mountain hadn't been terribly difficult; it was only ten after eight by the time he walked into the kitchen of the cabin.
He barely bit back a sigh, finding JD slumped over the computer, wings splayed, and wondered how sore the kid's back and neck were going to be because of it. He moved forward and knelt next to the JD's chair, reaching out to gently shake his shoulder. "Newbie? That can't be terribly comfortable..."
JD came awake all at once, flailing a little before he realized where he was. "Huh? Oh...ow, it's not." He stretched, carefully, looking up at the clock, then at Perry, with a rather comic expression of surprise. "You're back!"
He was up in an instant, pulling Perry to his feet and wrapping his arms around the other man immediately.
Perry smiled, returning the embrace, and for a long moment the two of them simply held one another tight. Finally Perry pulled back, studying JD's face, noting the circles under his eyes (not to mention the keyboard impression on his forehead). "You look exhausted," he said.
"So do you," JD replied. He reached up, brushing the curls from Perry’s forehead, then said with some surprise, “Your stitches are gone.”
“Yeah. Gandhi took them out for me last night.”
JD hummed, touching the skin around the scar softly, checking its progress. Then, satisfied, he traced his fingertips down the side of Perry’s face while the older doctor watched him with a small smile, a part of him still unable to believe he was allowed to do this. With Dr. Cox.
"God, how on earth--when did you leave?" he finally murmured, lowering his hand and resting it instead on the side of Perry’s neck.
"Three,” the other man admitted sheepishly. "I... I couldn’t sleep. Missed you." He shrugged, looking away and feeling himself flush. Damn, I’m not good at this romantic shit.
JD smiled, a slow, joyful smile, and slipped his arms around Perry, hugged him close again. "I fed Jack and put him down again about then,” he murmured, head turned against Perry’s shoulder, eyes closed. “He should sleep for a few more hours. Want to try again?"
Perry nodded, though he made no move to stop holding JD, for a long moment. He glanced at the laptop over JD’s shoulder. “What were you doing, anyway?" he asked softly as he finally pulled away, tugging JD’s hand and leading him toward the stairs.
Shrugging, JD followed him, scrubbing his free hand through his hair. "Research. It's not really important..." He hadn't found anything, not really. Scales seemed to be followed by a mer tail, every time, and he didn't want to admit that out loud.
Perry glanced back at him, frowning, but didn't press the issue. Truth be told, he was exhausted; the drive had been taxing, and the only thing that had kept him awake was the thought of seeing JD again as soon as possible. Now, however, all he wanted to do was climb under a pile of fleece blankets (or maybe feathered ones), hold JD close, and sleep. He tried not to think about how his chances to do that might be limited, though it was the underlying fear that had forced him from bed at two thirty and saw him on the road by three.
They headed for the master bedroom, Perry stopping over in JD's room to look in the crib in the corner, checking on Jack. His son was soundly asleep, however, and did not look to be waking any time soon. Perry checked the baby monitor, then headed into the master bedroom, pausing only long enough to strip down to shirt and boxers before he crawled into the bed, collapsing with a soft groan onto his back.
JD hesitated only a moment before following suit and crawling up onto the bed beside him. He lay next to him, close but not quite touching, and reached out to take his hand.
Perry turned to smirk at him. “Get over here,” he murmured, tugging the hand and drawing it around himself; JD followed, smiling, snuggling against Perry's chest, his head on his shoulder, one wing covering them both. His smile widened, as Perry's arms came around him. "Feels just as good as I always thought it would," he murmured, very softly.
"Mmm? What does?"
"Getting hugged by you."
Perry chuckled a little. "Guess I'll have to do it more often," he murmured.
JD grinned. "Mmm, yeah, you will. Sleep, Perry, you sound completely done-in. You're home, now." He knew what was coming, but at this moment...JD didn't want to admit it. So he let himself pretend, as Perry's breathing deepened and slowed a bit, that this could be theirs forever.
For his part, Perry knew he couldn’t give this up. Home. Yes, he was home, truly home, for the first time in as long as he could recall. Maybe for the first time ever. And even as he drifted to sleep, pulling JD a little closer, he vowed he would find a way to stay here, no matter what it took.
* * *
JD wasn’t sure how much later he woke up. A quick glance at the baby monitor told him Jack still slumbered peacefully, and the deep, heavy silence let him know the snow had started again, even before he raised his head. He couldn’t, at first, pinpoint what it was that had woken him.
Until Perry’s hand moved against his ass again.
The younger man jumped slightly, then grinned, looking up and taking stock of the situation. He was still curled half on Perry’s chest, though at some point in his sleep he’d slid one leg over him. That leg was now tucked firmly between the other man’s thighs. He swallowed, his mouth gone a little dry. As Perry’s hands moved again he realized quite suddenly he could feel something decidedly hard pressing against his hip.
He flushed, growing harder; feeling rather daring, he shifted his hips slightly, rubbing himself against Perry’s thigh, and moaned softly.
It wasn’t fair, he decided, to let Perry sleep through this. Pushing himself up a bit, he leaned in to kiss Perry softly, deciding it was as good a way as any to wake him. He started with a gentle pressure, just lips against lips, before letting his tongue sneak out, tracing Perry’s mouth, gentling between his lips, dipping in to flick against his teeth.
Perry’s hands tightened their hold, and slowly, he started to respond, hips arching softly against JD’s. JD pushed back, giddy with disbelief and arousal, and kept kissing him.
Soon enough, he felt Perry stiffen, and knew he’d woken up. “Hullo,” JD murmured, breaking the kiss and looking down at him, smiling softly.
“Hello?” Perry replied, blinking a little, looking confused but definitely not unhappy.
“You apparently had some ideas,” JD told him, shifting his hips, and Perry colored when he realized where his hand was. He started to draw it away, but JD shook his head quickly.
“I didn’t mind,” he murmured, then ducked his head, blushing at his own daring.
Perry smiled slowly, arousal quickly drowning out his embarrassment. “You didn’t, huh?” he murmured. “So you won’t mind if I do this…?” He drew his other hand up to JD’s ass, cupping it, and squeezed lightly.
JD giggled, and kissed him again. And though the giggle was innocent, and rather sweet, the kiss was anything but. Perry groaned against his mouth, wondering who’d taught him this. Definitely not Barbie...
But such thoughts disappeared as JD’s hands slid up under his shirt, stroking the skin of Perry’s chest gently. Perry drew a sharp breath through his nose, moaning a little in disappointment when JD broke the kiss.
The younger man just smiled, sitting back and tugging his shift off, wings moving in a truly amazing shrugging motion to free themselves from it as well, before leaning back down and helping Perry wriggle free of his. JD let out a soft gasp as their bare chests touched each other, then returned to devouring Perry’s mouth.
For his own part, Perry found himself surprisingly willing to give JD the lead. He certainly seemed to know what he wanted, and it was an unexpected thrill to find out his Newbie was confident in bed.
“Fuck,” JD murmured, breaking the kiss as his hips rolled down again, wings shivering lightly. “Perry...I want you. Now. Can we...?”
“Telling you now, Newbie, if you stop there’ll be hell to pay...” Perry pressed his own hips up, pulling JD down against him with a firm grip on his hips.
JD hummed in the back of his throat, biting softly down on Perry’s collarbone, feeling the other man shiver beneath him. He let his tongue slide over the bite, before sinking his teeth in deeper, looking up in time to see Perry’s head fall back, his eyes closed as he hissed, hips arching up. “Whaddya know?” JD said with a grin. “You like that...”
“Shut up and bite me, Newbie...”
JD did as he was told.
Soon, though, he broke off, panting and squirming a little. "I...Perry..."
"I know," Perry gritted. He took JD's shoulders in his hand and pushed him over, rolling them onto their sides so they were facing one another. He raised his hand, tracing his fingers down JD's newly-muscled bare chest, watching the younger man shiver. He wanted--God, he wanted to do everything, but he felt surprisingly at a loss. Experienced as he might be, he'd never been with another man, and even if he wasn't exactly ignorant of the things they could do, he still hesitated.
JD bit his lip, and pressed closer, kissing Perry again, trying to relax into it once more. But the nervousness wouldn't disappear, and he wasn't sure how to mask it now that they were moving beyond kissing and clothed teasing. He took a deep breath, running his hand over Perry's arm, his side, and then leaned back. "I'm, um...I've never done this before. With a guy..."
"Me neither," Perry murmured, then smiled a little. "But hey, we're doctors, right? We know how this works."
JD giggled. "Don't think you have to be a doctor to figure this out..." He did relax slightly, though, fingers tracing over Perry's chest, the lines of smooth muscle. He still couldn't quite believe he got to be here, got to do this...but he did. If only for a little while. That thought he pushed firmly away, ducking his head to lightly nip Perry's clavicle. "All right. I want you, I can see you want me..." his hips pressed forward, almost of their own volition, rubbing their clothed groins against each other. "So I guess we just... do what comes naturally, right?"
Perry growled, reaching out to grasp JD's hip in his hand and pushing back against him. "Go with what works," he agreed, voice tight.
JD whimpered, and Perry leaned in to kiss him, gentling his movement before pulling away slightly. "And I think," he whispered as he broke the kiss, "I can think of a few things that work pretty well." He trailed his fingers down, tips brushing lightly over JD's abdomen and below, over the elastic of his boxers, before slipping inside the cotton flap and closing around their goal. "Something like this?" he whispered, squeezing gently.
"Oh God," JD managed, hips arching up as Perry's hand--bigger than his own, rougher, not like any other he'd felt hold him like this--curled around his cock. "That's...that's definitely good," he agreed, swallowing hard.
Perry smirked, though inside he was amazed. That he could do this--make JD look, sound like that... he moved his hand, beginning a slow, steady stroking that went from the very base of JD's erection to the tip, then slid back down again. He found he had to swallow, when JD's hips shuddered to life, beginning a slow, involuntary rhythm in time to Perry's movements against him. "I take it you approve, Dr. Dorian?" Perry said softly, the smirk turning to a grin.
"Mmmhmm..." JD managed, his bottom lips still caught between his teeth, his hips still moving. "Christ, Perry..." It’s just a handjob, part of him was insisting. Why're you getting so worked up over this? You've jacked off a million times...
But this was Perry's hand, and he'd dreamed of this moment more than once. Besides, knowing soon enough he'd get to touch the other man in turn...It sent an extra shudder though him, literally ruffling his feathers. "Don't stop..."
"Hadn't planned to," Perry replied, ducking his head to suckle at JD's neck, trying to contain his own desire. JD's reactions were sending shudders through him, shudders that ended in a deep throbbing ache in his already painfully-hard erection; unbidden, his own hips had begun to twitch, jerking every so slightly forward in time with JD’s.
He groaned, pausing in his stroking only long enough to run his thumb over the head of JD's cock, teasing the slit and spreading the fluid he found there.
JD let out a strangled sound, mingled lust and pleasure. He ran a hand down Perry's side, trying to find something to concentrate on, to avoid embarrassing himself by popping off too quickly. Bad enough Jordan was always telling people he was fast...
Okay, dude, not the thing to be thinking about now!
In an effort at double distraction, he curled his hand around Perry's side, and then lightly brushed it against the front of the other man's boxers. And grinned. "Well, hello, Dr. Cox."
Perry's hand paused a moment, and not only because of where JD's currently rested. "Strange, hearing you call me that now," he said, a slight frown on his face as he tried to work out how he felt about it. In his fantasies about the younger doctor, after all, JD had always called him Dr. Cox, or sometimes sir. It always turned him on, before, the sheer power of it heightening his pleasure, his lust. But now... now, it sent an odd pang through him instead.
It's because now I don't just want him, he realized. It's not just physical anymore.
And somehow, being reminded of a time when it was filled him with a strange sort of shame.
JD smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him, long and demanding. "Then I won't,” he murmured. “Perry." He grinned, then, fingers working their way under his waistband, and curling around Perry's cock. He swallowed, hips jerking against Perry’s hand as his fingers traced their handful with trembling awe. "But I'm not calling you Big Dog, either. Even though...woof." He squeezed lightly, ruining his leer with a giggle.
Perry couldn't help but chuckle. "Fair enough--ahh!" He closed his eyes as JD squeezed again, long fingers tracing him with gentle expertise. "Had a... lot of practice at this, have we, Newbie?" he teased, though by his face and the rough tone of his voice, he certainly approved.
"Mmm, yeah. I'll let you watch sometime." JD grinned, when Perry's cock twitched at his words. "I think you'd like that. Could show you what I'd do when I was thinking about you." He twisted his wrist, stroking Perry from root to tip and back, palm sliding across the head of his cock as his hand twisted again on the way back down. He wondered idly where his newfound confidence was coming from, but he suspected it had everything to do with Perry’s reactions.
"Christ," Perry gasped, the thoughts and images JD's words called to his mind making him impossibly harder. "I... I might just--take you up on that one." He swallowed, realizing his own hand on JD's erection had slowed down some when JD pushed his hips forward encouragingly. He tightened his grip again, hand resuming his strokes, though they were faster this time, and loose. He decided they'd been talking quite long enough, and leaned down, mouth meeting JD's in a deep kiss.
"Long as you...you return the favor," JD panted back, when at last they parted, his hips seeking and once again finding a rhythm, his breath coming faster now. And fuck, they weren't even naked, but this was still the hottest thing he'd ever done. Ever.
"I think we can... work something out," Perry replied, voice tight. Jesus, he was close--already he was close. He couldn't even take care of himself this quickly.
Fortunately, though, JD seemed to be in similar straits. Perry grinned at him, amazed, breath coming in quick gasps. "Don't... think I'm... going to need much more of this," he managed.
"Oh thank God." JD felt himself blush when Perry's hand slowed for a moment. "I mean...I...fuck, me either, and...didn't want to...to be too fast..." Thankfully, Perry kissed him, and he had to stop talking.
"Don't think that'll be a problem," Perry replied when he broke the kiss, and JD grunted a vague response, eyes drifting closed as Perry renewed his stroking.
They abandoned talk, settling for brief kisses exchanged between gasping breaths. JD felt himself beginning to slip; his thrusts grew erratic, and it was all he could do to hold on as the sensations shuddering through his groin finally converged into a single bright point of pleasure so powerful he could not help but cry out. He came, hips shuddering and thrusting frantically, and heard Perry groan beside him; moments later, the older doctor was spurting over JD's hand, coating JD's fingers.
A few long moments passed, and JD felt small aftershocks coursing through his spine and to his cock, which twitched in Perry's loose grip. Finally, the older doctor opened his eyes, giving JD a final squeeze before releasing him, which made JD whimper again. He removed his own hand from Perry, and for a long time they lay together in silence trying to catch their breath, feeling sweaty, slightly sticky, and completely sated. “Good morning,” JD murmured finally, one finger tracing a bite mark on Perry’s collarbone.
Perry chuckled softly. “Good morning to you, too, Newbie. Hell of a wake-up call, there...”
JD giggled, but didn’t argue, his eyes drifting closed again.
Perry smiled to himself, feeling JD's breathing slow as he drifted back to sleep. He held him, his own eyes drifting closed, limbs wonderfully limp and relaxed. But he found he couldn't get back to sleep. His mind wouldn't shut up, wouldn't stop teasing him with warnings and threats.
Enjoy this now, Aqua-man. You won't be able to in a week or two or three.
The worst part was, he knew it was true. And much as he didn't want to think about it, he knew he'd have to make these last few weeks count. His eyes drifted down, and he lifted one arm, examining the ever-widening patch of scales. The patches, which had originally been only a few inches in diameter, had spread; they stretched now from the base of his wrist halfway to his elbow, and were about two inches wide.
He tried to take comfort in the fact that, at least, his legs still worked fine--his hips hadn't begun shifting the way Jordan's had, nor had any scales appeared on his legs, so he took that to be a good sign. Maybe the Change would be slow. Maybe.
His hand drifted up, into JD's hair, and he absently began to stroke. He was well aware, of course, that he might not survive the Change at all. JD had said the primary things were getting plenty to eat--which JD himself would see to, Perry knew--and not fighting the Change. While he could do the first, he knew he would not be able to do the second. There was no way he could peacefully accept a Change that would tear him from his home, his family; no way he could willingly embrace a life that would be cold, dark, lonely and empty.
But what would it do to JD, if Perry died? He tightened his arms a little, and JD shifted slightly before settling again with a sigh. Would he blame himself? Would he be able to take care of himself, out here alone? And what of Jack? Perry knew JD loved the child, but would that last...? When Perry himself wasn't part of the package deal any longer, would JD still want anything to do with his son?
He hated himself for thinking it, knowing he was doing JD a disservice by doubting him, but his overwrought mind couldn't help but worry.
Damn it, this was so unfair. He'd rather have fairy wings than this.
What were they going to do?
* * *
"We're almost out of wood," JD commented later, building up the fire. They’d woken shortly after noon to the sound of Jack fussing, and had moved downstairs, feeding the child before grabbing a bite to eat themselves. The snow had stopped once more, and they’d decided to settle in the den and watch a movie, but JD wanted a fire first.
Perry glanced up from his perusal of the DVDs. “We are?”
"Yeah,” JD replied. “At least, we’re almost out of kindling, and stuff that'll fit easy into the fireplace." He looked up at Perry, blushing softly. "Um. Do you know how to use an axe? Because I'd probably chop my foot off..."
Perry chuckled. "Yeah, I do. Though..." he trailed off, face going somber. "At some point, I should probably show you how," he said. "So you and Jack..."
JD bit his lip, wings slumping a bit. "I guess you probably should,” he murmured. “But we've got a bit, first. Perry...you know I'll look after him, right? I promise, I'll take the best care of him I possibly can..."
Perry gave him a half-smile. "Yeah," he said softly. "I know you will." He banished his worries from before: he owed JD this much trust, if nothing else. He'd never let him down yet, after all.
As if on cue, Jack, from his playpen, began to cry. Perry glanced toward him, then crooked an eyebrow at JD. "Sounds like your cue, in fact," he said. "You go take care of him, and I'll chop some wood--I'll show you how next time." JD was right, after all--they did still have time. Perry was still walking perfectly fine, and even after that he knew it took several days for the tail to completely hinder mobility.
He bundled up as JD moved forward and scooped Jack from his playpen, cooing something soothing. Perry smiled, fear for his son finally melting away completely. He opened the sliding door and stepped into the bitter chill, heading out to the woodpile behind the shed. There should still be some logs back there from the old oak they'd had to fell two summers ago, unless he was very much mistaken, and it would be dead enough to be easily broken into smaller chunks. Later tonight he'd come out and chop some young trees so they could start drying out as well.
He saw with a pleased smile that there was more left of the oak than he'd dared hope, and that it had been relatively protected from the snowfall by virtue of the angle of the wind and the shed. He dragged several large limbs over to the concrete patio on the west side of the shed and, after choosing one as a chopping block, picked up the axe and began to slit them into smaller pieces.
He didn't know how long he'd been out there--an hour, maybe--when the dizziness suddenly hit him. He staggered, shaking his head, trying to clear it, and drew a steadying breath. Maybe he was more tired than he'd realized; he’d already worked up quite a sweat. Of course, it had been a long day yesterday.
After a few moments, though, his vision cleared once more, so he merely shrugged and picked up the axe, prepared to resume his work.
He took a step forward, then suddenly fell to his knees, gasping, as another wave of dizziness hit him, this one far more powerful than the first. He fought to draw breath, feeling as though he'd been kicked in the gut, and despite his blinking, his vision began to blur. He looked up, toward the house, but knew he was hidden from view by the shed; with a great effort, he tried to drag himself forward.
He only made it about three feet, though, before he collapsed forward into the snow. Through his slowly fading vision, he could barely make out the cabin, distant and warm and beckoning, and he reached toward it with one arm in a silent, imploring gesture for help.
Then he passed out completely.
* * *
Next Chapter
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Date: 11 Jan 2007 04:16 (UTC)It's just...amazing. I love it. I love the fantasy element and the way it all seems to blend together so perfectly. I love how I was so easily sucked into the story - that doesn't happen often :D. You guys have something terrific here. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I can't wait for the next chapter!
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Date: 14 Jan 2007 22:38 (UTC)