FSE

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“Isn’t it a lovely sight? Such a beautiful snowfall. It really makes everything look different. There’s such a luster over everything. Are you looking, Eddie?”

“Yeah, Mom...it’s really something. It’s beautiful out there.”

“I just wish I wasn’t driving through it. I’d appreciate it a lot more if I wasn’t worried about skidding off the road.”

“Oh, hush, dear. That’s not going to happen. You keep your eyes on the road, though, all the same.”

“Of course. Wouldn’t dream of anything else.”

“Too bad, Dad. You’re missing out. It’s really cool when you see the snow falling through the glow of the streetlights. It’s almost like you can see the shape of them.”

“Right now, the only thing I want to see is the road. It wasn’t supposed to snow this much this early. Don’t know what they pay weathermen for these days. If I’d known this was going to happen I’d have set us to leave earlier.”

“It’ll be fine, Dad. Least we won’t have to go anywhere once we’re there. I don’t really mind...the snow looks really nice.”

---

Eddie blinked. The snow was falling into his eyes...from the sky?

Slowly he sat up. His vision was a bit blurry...not just because of the snow, either, it was like he was waking up out of a dream. But...what kind of dream? He couldn’t remember...in fact, he was having trouble with remembering a lot of things. Weren’t they on the road? To visit his grandparents...for the holidays. They had been driving, yes...but. he couldn’t remember them having gotten there.

And why was he outside? And...why wasn’t he cold?

He was sitting in the snow, a fresh layer on top of him. But he didn’t really feel cold...not in the usual sense. That didn’t seem right. He should be cold...no, he should be in the car, still going there. He closed his eyes, and tried to recall…

Everything was quiet...he was feeling himself drift off...and then a scream, a bright light flashing, a sudden lurch...and then rolling, twisting, chaos…

And now he was shuddering. It wasn’t cold, but fear. He wasn’t sure why exactly...he didn’t really know what had happened, but that was enough pieces for a guess. Either his dad had skidded, or another car had...they were probably about to run into each other...his dad tried to correct...and, yes, he could see a steep embankment in front of him, and now he was aware of the car not far from where he was, about 15 feet away. Though, why he wasn’t inside was still confusing, none of the doors were open. But there were several broken windows, and the hood was partly crushed, the sides were heavily dented...the marks in the snow from the road showed a lot of unsteadiness. Maybe the car had rolled.

He stood up and looked himself over. It was weird...he felt fine, mostly. There was just this...odd feeling of slight numbness, all over him, but he didn’t seem to be injured in any way. He couldn’t have been thrown, that would have hurt him except in the case of an absolute miracle. Something really was weird...but, he’d have to look into that later, he didn’t see any sign of his mother or father anywhere, and if they were still in the car…

He walked up to the car, but slowed down a bit as he approached...a serious dread was coming over him. He had this horrible feeling that something...he was going to see something he didn’t want to see. Were they...were they dead? Were his parents...had they not survived? Was he the only one? It wasn’t as unlikely as he would have hoped, not after a crash like what it looked like...he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the truth, but the truth was going to be there where he wanted it to be or not.

As he passed by the rear window, he stopped. It was incredibly dark, and he was still having a hard time seeing things...why his eyes weren’t working properly, he wasn’t sure. But he was certain there was something in the back seat...something that looked like a person.

There hadn’t been anyone else in the back seat.

He stuck his head in through the broken window, the feeling of dread intensifying. His vision was clearing, his focus getting easier, and despite the darkness he was starting to make out the details. The short black hair stained with blood, familiar facial features cut up badly, a frame he’d only ever really seen in a mirror...but this was no mirror.

His stomach plunged. It was him! But...how? He was outside...wasn’t he? He could feel himself standing outside...kind of feel himself, at least. Was he knocked out? Was this one of those out-of-body experience things he’d heard about? Someone’s idea of a sick, twisted joke? He didn’t know, but he had to get out of there, he felt like he might start to throw up if he looked at hi...the backseat any more.

He stumbled up to the front seats. His mother was moaning quietly, seeming to be coming around. Her head was bruised and bleeding, her nose was bleeding from what looked like an impact with the air bag. She didn’t seem to be totally with it...Eddie hated seeing her like this, it looked awful. “Mom? Are you okay?”

She seemed to come around...her eyes came into focus a bit, though she still seemed quite dazed. “Mom...hey, mom! You’re awake...are you okay? D-does...does anything hurt?”

She didn’t respond to him at all...in fact, she didn’t even look at Eddie. Instead she looked over to Eddie’s dad, who was slumped over the steering wheel, breathing hard. He didn’t seem to be unconscious, but he’d been out of it as well, unable to really do much until the touch of his wife brought him back around.

And Eddie felt panic rising up as the two failed to acknowledge him in any way. “Mom! Dad! Hey, can you hear me? Please...say something! Tell me you hear me! Tell me you’re okay! Tell me...tell me I’m okay!”

Nothing. Not even the slightest glance his direction. In desperation he looked around...other people were coming down the embankment, rushing over to the car. He called to them, tried to get their attention, but got the same lack of response. His gut was churning - either everyone was ignoring him, or something was really, truly wrong. It can’t be...please...it can’t be…

His father had managed to come around and get out of the car; he was limping, and his head was bloodied, but he seemed to be in full possession of his senses. With help from the bystanders, he wrenched open the back door, and then crawled in to look at what was back there. Eddie stood on the other side, watching as his father inspected the body...and then as he started to break down, sobbing over the still frame. He heard a wail from his mother as she almost fell into the snow, held up only by several bystanders. And he could do nothing...only helplessly watch it all unfold in front of him, his vision blurring with tears as he himself broke down.

The truth could no longer be denied. Eddie was dead.

---

He wasn’t sure how long he sat in the snow.

He’d watched everything. His parents being taken away by ambulance to be treated for their injuries. His own body being wrapped in a bag and taken away. Interviews with the bystanders by the police. A freak accident from the slick roads - that was what they called it. It seemed so senseless...to just die like that, without any real purpose or meaning to it.

And the worst part was being aware of it all. He was dead...why was he still around to see it?

He’d gotten somewhat numb to it by the time everyone had left, only the wreckage of the car still around to prove that it all had happened. Numb, yes...but not content, far from it, he felt rotten, miserable. It was so unfair, he had so much in front of him...why him, why now? And...what now? Was this it? Was this just how it was going to be for him? What happened to dead people? Did they just wander as ghosts like in those stories he heard? Maybe he was a ghost now...though, if he was, shouldn’t he be seeing other ghosts? He didn’t know...he didn’t know anything, and that was part of what was so awful. It was bad enough to lose his life, he shouldn’t have to be so confused in death on top of that.

It was a blank length of time, he didn’t know and didn’t really care...but eventually something finally broke it. The sound of footsteps in the fresh snow...he’d heard it a lot before, but didn’t really become aware of it until it was getting a lot closer. A shadow came over him in the moonlight...it looked huge on the ground, like a beast of some kind. He started to tremble...he clasped his fingers together, trying to calm himself. He was dead, no one was going to hurt him anyway...but somehow that wasn’t a comforting thought in the slightest. He felt a tear roll down his face again...why couldn’t he just fade away, if this was all he had left? It wasn’t fair…

“Are you all right?”

Eddie nearly leapt out of his skin. It was a deep voice, calm and quiet, but almost vibrating with power...it almost felt like it pierced him to the core, and he knew - KNEW, despite everything before - that it had been addressed to him. To someone who saw him. Knew him. Maybe...maybe he had a chance, maybe there was something…

He scrambled to his feet and turned around, almost desperate to speak to someone...but the words died in his throat as he saw who had spoken to him. At once, he knew it couldn’t be real, couldn’t be someone to prove he was alive...but he was still transfixed by the sight of the massive wolf man in front of his eyes. Half again as tall as Eddie was, with a much broader body, dressed in what looked like a kimono or something, Eddie wasn’t sure but it was what he thought it looked like...he’d never seen any such creature before, and for the first time another emotion breached the sadness, the heavy confusion. “Wh...what?”

“I asked if you were all right.” That voice spoke of patience, and despite the size of the creature, he didn’t look brutish or wild...in fact, his face seemed to bear a smile. It seemed almost out of place on him, but was clearly intended to be comforting...if only Eddie had been in a state where he could be comforted. “You seem to be lost…”

“I...guess you could say that…” It was fresh pain for Eddie, what had been numbness was now a raging ache once more after that faint glimmer of hope was dashed once again. He slumped back onto the ground, head in his arms; the curiosity of the giant wolf-man was abruptly abandoned in favor of his own plight. “I don’t...I don’t know what to do.”

Another sound of movement...the shadow shifted away from over Eddie as the giant wolf-man stepped to his side and sat down in the snow next to him. “I suppose that is normal for someone in a new situation. Especially when it comes from such a trying event...it’s unfortunate, but you are not alone. That is the first thing you should know...it will be of more comfort than you know.”

“I...don’t take this the wrong way, but...one other person being here doesn’t really feel like...that much better.”

“Then you should take solace that it is much more than one other person. However, you are not in the right place to be meeting them...quite the opposite, in fact. Perhaps I should introduce myself...my name is Sajin Komamura. I’m captain of Soul Society’s 7th division of Soul Reapers, protectors of Soul Society, and one of our duties is to find unfortunate souls such as yourself and bring you to safety. You’ll find many more kindred there than you will out here, where there exists, well, mainly unpleasantness and danger.”

Eddie raised his head. “Danger? What do you mean? How can I be in danger? I’m dead, aren’t I?”

“Yes, but your soul still exists...and that, unfortunately, makes you a target for the hollow. When you’re out here, you’re likely to be hunted by them...and even if you evade them, eventually your chain of fate will rust, and you’ll become one of them. So it’s important that we get you to safety sooner rather than later.”

“Chain?”

“Yes...right here.” Sajin guided Eddie’s eyes down to the middle of his chest, and he nearly jumped up in alarm - sticking right out of him was an honest-to-goodness chain, something he’d never actually seen before. How he’d missed it, he had no idea...but seeing it made him feel ill and terrified, it very much felt like it shouldn’t be there to him, and he started to breathe faster. Noticing this, Sajin laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s nothing to fear...it is a normal part of the soul, linking to your body...or it did, until you died.”

That wasn’t exactly reassuring to Eddie. “Can’t I...take it off?”

“No...that would make you a hollow much faster. And you don’t want to be a hollow, nor does anyone else want you to be. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it very quickly, and then you won’t really think much about it.”

“O-okay...um…” It was all becoming a lot for Eddie, who was already dealing with a lot...he wasn’t sure he could handle all this new stuff. “I just...I want to...why did I have to die anyway? Why does anyone have to die? Why can’t we just...like...live? Why...why do my parents have to suffer for someone else’s mistakes? It’s just...it’s unfair...they weren’t the reason we crashed...and why did they live and I didn’t? Why couldn’t we all have…”

Sajin shook his head solemnly. “I can’t answer any of those questions...we only guide souls, we cannot question life and death. All we can do is try to make you as comfortable as we possibly can, to help you let go of your regrets from your life. And if you’ll allow me, I will do what I can to help you adjust...I know some people who are very good at helping those in pain adjust and overcome that pain. But I’m afraid there’s not much more I can do for you…”

“But why do I have to go? Can’t I...just, like, watch over my parents, try to help them or something? I don’t know what I can do, but...just leaving them like this…”

“I’m afraid that that isn’t really possible. Clinging to those parts of your past life makes you an easy target for the hollow, and will eventually turn you into one even if you are not consumed. It is a vile fate...as much as I don’t wish to force you into this, I really do implore you to join Soul Society...it is the best outcome for all of us.”

Eddie nodded sadly. The way Sajin spoke, he just knew that he was telling the truth...he couldn’t stay here, it would simply put him at risk for whatever these things were that he talked about. And if he haunted his parents, that probably would just make him ache more and feel worse...even if he didn’t really like the idea, maybe it really was for the better for him to make a new start. “...I guess...c-can you...talk with me more?”

“...Perhaps...I am quite busy, though. My position is...not an easy one, as I am sure you can probably guess. You will likely find many others who will be more than willing to hear you and help you, and will have more time than I do.”

Eddie sighed dismally. “Maybe...but...I’ve always...loved dogs. I guess...hearing it from a dog, maybe...maybe it’ll feel less...I dunno, less bad than from...well, someone else.”

There was a slight twitch in the wolf’s expression. “Ahem...I’m...actually a wolf.”

“Oh. Well...kinda...the same thing, to me.”

“...If you say so. I...don’t know that I can make any promises…”

“Please?” Eddie looked up at the canine with pleading eyes. With so much hurt in his heart, he needed something, anything hopeful to cling to...and something about Sajin made him feel like this was what he needed.

The wolf sighed a bit. It wasn’t exactly his position to form close bonds with souls he brought in, nor did it fit much in his rather busy life. But sometimes it was hard not to feel for them...and the fact that Eddie seemed to have no qualms about his appearance, something he rarely encountered in a soul in any location, made it just the slightest bit more tempting. It was very preferable to talk with someone who didn’t get weird about his appearance. “Very well...I do not know how much time I’ll be able to make, but I will come to see you again.”

“Okay...then...I guess…” Eddie took one last look around at the depressing scene...suddenly being gone from there felt like a desirable thing, looking at any of this made his gut wrench. “You can...take me there.”

“I’m very glad you have come to that decision. Then I shall make it so.” Sajin rose, bringing Eddie to his feet along with him. Once standing, he drew his sword, raising it up above Eddie. The human got a terrified look on his face, but Sajin just shook his head slowly. “I daresay it’s not going where you fear it might go...only a touch with the hilt, and I promise it doesn’t hurt.”

Eddie swallowed and nodded; he’d not been given any reason not to trust Sajin, and if he was a protector of some sort, he supposed it made sense for him to carry a weapon. He allowed Sajin to bring the sword down, touching the hilt to his forehead...and then everything went black.

---

How long he was out, Eddie had no idea. There were moments where he thought he had vague awareness of his surroundings, but they were such a blur and his mind was so foggy that he might have just been dreaming about it. All he knew was a vague sense of moving around, not under his own power, and his body being held by something rather large that was holding him very gently.

Finally he come to properly, eyes squinting in the bright light. He was indeed being carried, by the same wolf that had met him; he could feel the light cloth of his kimono against his body, it felt rather soothing. As his eyes adjusted, he saw Sajin looking down at him, a slight smile on his face. “Welcome back. Are you feeling any better?”

He had to admit, he was, just a little bit...the pain was still there, but it felt like it was dimmer than it was before. Maybe he was starting to accept what had happened a bit? Or maybe the fear of the things Sajin had told him was making it easier to want to move on...he wasn’t really sure. “I guess...where are we?”

“Soul Society. It’s a safe place, and you’ll be able to adjust to a new...life, here.”

A new life...he wasn’t entirely sure he would take to it right away, but something that wasn’t an eternity of nothing at least sounded better. Though, looking around, it didn’t look like any place he would’ve expected for an afterlife. There were plenty of buildings around, but they didn’t look like the ones he’d liven in before...they kind of looked like something he’d seen before in one of his classes, something like feudal Japan or something like that. He didn’t know a whole lot about it, it had been a while back that he’d learned about it and he hadn’t been very interested at the time...now he rather wished he’d paid more attention. Though, just because it looked that way, that didn’t mean it was the same culture and everything...did it?

Too many questions, and he wanted to ask them all to Sajin, but...he was kind of overwhelmed already, and he wasn’t sure he’d totally understand what he was being told. So he settled on just one: “Do I...need to...uh...get some kind of, uh...license or something? To be here?”

“No, and you don’t have to worry. Taking care of these kinds of things is part of our role here, you’re all taken care of. All we need to do is get you somewhere where you can start to get used to things.”

“Okay…” It was only then that Eddie became aware that there were other people around...and they were looking his direction, some of them with odd expressions on their faces. His face started to burn...were they looking at him? Maybe being carried around wasn’t the most normal way to arrive here...now that he was awake, it felt sort of silly. “Um...I’m...okay to walk, uh, Sajin…”

“Oh, yes, of course.” Gently Sajin lowered himself down, allowing Eddie to clamber out of his arms. Adding to Eddie’s awkwardness was the fact that he really liked having the comfort of those arms against him...the want for their presence was more than he thought, making him go redder. But he didn’t say a word about this, it felt like it was too much to say anything about here and now, when he already had so much to deal with. But it wasn’t going to go away easily…

The looks didn’t stop, but Eddie did his best not to pay attention to them - he didn’t need more things to weigh on him. Instead he tried to focus on the non-animate parts of his surroundings. “I...don’t really know this place at all. What am I...supposed to do here?”

Sajin shook his head. “I can’t really tell you that. The options are very wide, people generally do what they wish to. I...cannot speak from personal experience, of course, but from what I’ve heard, it’s not so different from the human world you came from. You could study and learn about what sort of thing interests you, or take jobs doing what you feel like doing. But that would be up to you, I don’t know what it is you like.”

“Oh...so...I’m probably gonna have to find something soon...otherwise I won’t have any money and I’ll starve really quickly…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Hunger is not a thing in Soul Society...eating is a recreation, not a need. Many forgo eating largely or even completely when trying to earn their way to something, you can do the same if you feel so inclined.”

“That’s...that seems weird to me. I guess...it’ll be nice not to worry about eating other people’s food and making it harder on them, though. Is it...dangerous at all here?”

“Mm...it is a far safer place than the outside world, and of course we have rules in place to keep conduct respectable. But I cannot guarantee that there is no danger...after all, there are many people with their own agendas and desires, and some of them do not behave the way you would hope. It is...unlikely that you will run into serious danger, but not impossible.”

Eddie shivered a bit. “Oh...well...I hope I don’t...I already just...just died once, I don’t…like the idea of dying again. If that’s even possible, I guess…or maybe it’s just double-dying...”

The wolf let out a very quiet chuckle, almost indistinct to Eddie. “You don’t need to worry too much. Even if that does happen, you’ll simply return as a new life to the human world. That is the destiny of all who end up here...though, many are in no hurry to do so, and live out happy lives here until their time to return. I hope the same for you, Eddie...I think you will find yourself coming to enjoy this life after not too long.”

Eddie nodded absently. It was hard for him to imagine that, after everything he’d been through...but, maybe that was because it was still so fresh. Maybe that was normal for new arrivals to this weird place...if people all over the world came here after dying, there would have to be a lot of confused and uncertain people here. If he did adjust...maybe that would be for the best. He didn’t know if he’d ever stop missing his parents entirely, but...maybe he could live it out long enough to see them again. He didn’t know if that would happen or not...if everyone who died came here, it would have to be a huge place, and they could end up anywhere in it. But, if dwelled on it too much, bad things could happen...maybe there would be enough to get him into something like a normal life. Or afterlife. Whatever one would call this.

They stepped over a small bridge passing over a narrow creek, where a smaller house stood alone. It felt like a quaint place, quiet and friendly...Eddie got kind of a warm feeling just from being there. A shorter and leaner man was gardening in a small patch of land near the house, while a woman with long hair and a slender frame was sitting in a chair not far away in the shade. Both of them turned their attentions towards Sajin and smiled warmly and him and Eddie as they approached. “Good day, Captain Sajin. It’s been too long,” the man said, with the friendliest voice Eddie could remember hearing.

“It’s always too long, Michio. I hope you’re doing well.” The tautness and formality in Sajin’s tone seemed to have relaxed considerably, to Eddie’s surprise. “You know you don’t have to call me Captain.”

“Ah, but YOU know we love to celebrate your accomplishments. And who is this fine young lad next to you?”

“This would be Eddie. I’ve just retrieved him...he’s new here.”

“Ah...my condolences, Eddie,” the woman said as she rose from her chair and bowed towards him. “You were removed from your life far too soon, I can tell. I imagine it’s been very hard for you.”

“Yeah...I’m still…kinda in shock over it all…” It almost was like he wasn’t talking, but his body was responding for him. He didn’t know these people at all, but he just felt oddly relaxed with them...it almost felt impolite not to respond to them.

Sajin patted him on the shoulder. “He’s been very out of sorts, and I think he could use a helping hand getting adjusted. Eddie, I’d like you to meet Michio and Kasumi. I’ve known them for a long time...they helped me through my own rough periods, and have done the same for many others.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Eddie, despite your unfortunate circumstances,” Michio stated. “There are so many who arrive here with no support, no understanding...finding themselves in a strange place that doesn’t match the world they knew, with no sense of what to do or where to go. Far too many are caught up and struggle for a long time before finding their way...it’s a true shame that some of those don’t ever really get adjusted.”

“We’ve always thought that there should be more aid given to those who arrive anew, and we decided that we would be the change we wanted to see,” continued Kasumi. “Our doors are always open to those who have just come in, and may not know or understand what they should be doing. You’re welcome to stay as long as you feel you need to...our lives are simple and we don’t mind the company. We don’t have too much, but we can offer our hearts and minds, and sometimes that’s the most important thing.”

Slowly, Eddie nodded. It sure sounded like what he needed most...people to talk with, people to help him understand his world, and help him find his direction. “I...thank you. I really, really appreciate it...I promise I won’t be a burden on you…”

“Perish the thought,” Michio replied with a smile. “We have little to be burdened by, and it is all the more worth it to see smiling faces and satisfied lives. Come, let’s get you settled in...Captain Sajin, would you like to come in for tea?”

The wolf bowed his head ruefully. “I’m afraid I must be getting back...I’m sure someone will be wondering after me. But I will try to find some time to stop by again...after all, I did give my word to Eddie, and I wouldn’t want anyone thinking that my word wasn’t good.” He turned to Eddie and nodded. “I...can’t guarantee when I will make it back, but...I will try to honor my word and visit a few times. If it helps you...well, I am in agreement with Michio and Kasumi, I think perhaps we should do more to help new souls adjust to their lives here.”

Somewhat disappointed, Eddie gave Sajin a nod. He wished that Sajin could stay around longer, he felt very comfortable in the canine’s presence...but, it was selfish of him to try to keep him all to himself, when he had other things to do as well. “Okay...I’ll be waiting for you, though.”

“I’m sure you will. But try to learn and get comfortable while you do, I’m sure you’ll find it helpful.”

“Okay...th-thank you, Sajin.” Heart slightly heavy, Eddie turned away from Sajin and joined the two kindly souls as they welcomed him into the house. As he entered, he took one last look back at the retreating form of Sajin...why he felt so compelled for him, he wasn’t sure, but it certainly didn’t change the fact that he did. And maybe he wanted more than just his presence...perhaps that would have to be another thing he considered during this time.

---

It didn’t take as long as Eddie thought for him to settle in to a sort of routine. The first couple days were the hardest, but slowly it got easier as time went on. He didn’t fully forget about his parents, and there was the occasional dream about them that left him with an ache and questions about what they were doing...but the pain was getting less every day, and he wasn’t pining after them constantly. Perhaps he would be able to let go fully at some point after all.

His days weren’t all that busy, at least not yet. A lot of his time was spent wandering around his part of Soul Society, learning the layout and getting to know the place a bit better. Not that he did nothing - on the contrary, he made an effort to try to give back to the couple who took him in so generously, trying to ease the burden of having him living there. It was small things like errands into town to get things for them, work around the house and the garden, and help with some repairs that the house needed. It wasn’t much, but it made him feel like he was earning his keep.

Michio and Kasumi didn’t make him feel like he had to, though. On the contrary, it seemed like they were almost imploring him not to spend too much time on them and focus on finding himself...not that he wasn’t grateful for that, but Eddie couldn’t have just sat around doing nothing for the people who were so gracious to them. Talking with them absolutely helped him come to terms with things, and he doubted he would be on the path to adaptation without their support. The two had wisdom that came from long lives...in fact, longer than Eddie had thought, both of them professed to be over a century old following their last deaths. They certainly didn’t look it, but it would hardly be the weirdest thing Eddie had seen in Soul Society even at this point.

And then there was Sajin. The wolf didn’t come by too often, about the only thing Eddie really lamented - he’d taken a strong liking to Sajin, something about him reminded him of something comforting, and something attractive...he’d always had a bit of a thing for dogs that was outside the norm, especially ones that stood on two legs and talked. Stumbling onto a couple of erotic werewolf fantasy works hadn’t hurt, either. He hadn’t said a word about it to Sajin, of course, but it was probably a good part of why Eddie liked being around him so much. Unfortunately, he seemed as busy as he proclaimed - in the two weeks since Eddie had arrived, he’d only managed to make it around for three tea sessions. Still, he relished those times, and it was pretty obvious to everyone that he got significantly more animated with Sajin around.

And so it went, and so it seemed to be going as a matter of routine...but just as he was getting settled, something threatened to unsettle him once more.

He was on an errand for Kasumi to pick up some supplies for their dinner, going to a place he’d gotten a little more familiar with over his time in Soul Society. Knowing the path, he was a bit more relaxed, and so not paying as much attention to what was around him...until he almost ran into a larger body that had stopped right in front of him. “Oh, uh, sorry…” he started, but his voice trailed off as he backed up a step and realized that the guy was looking right at him...as were the two other guys flanking him.

“You!” The center one was clearly the leader of the trio, at least in spirit. “Who do you think you are?”

“Um...what?”

“We’ve seen you around here,” the rough on the left grunted. “Hanging around with that dog.”

In his confusion, Eddie entirely blanked on what they were saying - even though he only knew one being who qualified as a dog, he briefly thought they were talking about a normal dog. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“The dog!” yelled the rough on the rough, irritated. “We saw him carrying you in here, and you keep hanging around with him!”

“Oh! Sajin...uh, what’s the problem?”

“That’s wrong!”

Eddie simply didn’t know how to respond to that. The three people in front of him seemed angry and hostile towards him, and he didn’t really know why. What was the problem with Sajin? He’d always been nice and friendly, and Eddie had never gotten any impression that he was hiding another side to him. “I’m...sorry? I’m not really sure what you mean...I’m just trying to run an errand.” As he said this, he tried to step around the three, not feeling like he wanted to spend any more time talking to them.

It turned out to be a bad move - the central thug suddenly grabbed him and shoved him to the ground. “Don’t walk away from us! You’re the dumb one here! Treating that fucking dog like he’s normal, like it’s okay for him to be here! You’re just as bad as he is! If it wasn’t for little shits like you, he’d know he wasn’t welcome and would go back to the caves like he should!”

The repulsive speech left Eddie disgusted; he didn’t want to hear any more of it, and tried to get up and get away. But the other two goons stopped that cold, leaping in to stomp and kick at him while he was down. He covered himself up as best he could, curling into a ball as the three dealt blow after blow to him...all he could think of was, why wasn’t anyone stopping it? He hadn’t been alone, there were a few other people nearby, but no one was saying anything...no one was stepping in to stop this assault. And his pain and despair spiraled ever fiercer with the lack of response, making him feel worse and worse both physically and mentally.

Finally the kicks stopped, and Eddie felt one of them spit on him. “That’s what you deserve. Stop hanging around with fucking dogs and start hanging with real people.” Eddie didn’t respond, just waited for their footsteps to recede until he couldn’t hear them anymore. He uncurled himself and slowly rose to his feet, body aching horribly all over...he was sure he was going to have quite a few bruises, and he was rather messy from the dirt they had kicked up. Looking around, he saw a couple people quickly looking away from him...somehow, he was sure they had watched. Maybe they hadn’t wanted to get involved...or maybe they agreed with the goons. He didn’t know...and really didn’t want to think about it. His errand was forgotten as he slowly staggered back to his safe house, hoping it was as safe as he needed it to be.

---

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Kasumi sounded immensely concerned even though a full day had passed since Eddie had gotten his beating. He thought it would be worse, but it didn’t seem like any lasting damage had been done. It just hurt a lot, though the bandages and salves Kasumi had applied were easing the ache. His mood, though, hadn’t gotten a whole lot better.

“I’m okay...I’m sorry, I wish I could be doing more right now…”

“Nonsense. You rest up and recover, there’s nothing we need that we can’t wait for. Are you sure you don’t want help with this? The people who did this to you should have to answer for it.”

Slowly Eddie shook his head. Not that he didn’t agree, but, he couldn’t even really remember what they looked like, it all happened so fast...and he’d never gotten any names, for sure. “I don’t think there’s much I can do...I don’t know who did it.”

“Dear...well, if I hear anything, I will be sure to let someone know. I’m sorry about this...sadly, there are some souls who don’t fit in well, even though we try to help them all. I assure you, though, it is a rare thing.”

“I know...thanks.” He wished Kasumi’s words made him feel better...it wasn’t like most of the people he’d met weren’t friendly, but it still bothered him that no one stood up for him, or for Sajin. What was he going to tell the canine? He couldn’t tell him what the ruffians had said, that would have been terrible. Better he didn’t know about that, right? He had to think of something else…

And he had no time for it, as Michio suddenly returned. “Ah, Eddie. I hope you’re feeling a little better...I brought someone to help cheer you up.” Eddie’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the towering figure of Sajin appear in the doorway. He was putting on a smile for Eddie, but anyone could tell that it was forced.

“I heard that you had a little encounter...I’m very sorry to hear that. Rest assured, this is unusual, we don’t take kindly to that sort of behavior around here, and most people are quite happy to abide by that rule. Have you gotten treatment?”

Eddie nodded slightly, wincing as he did. “Kasumi...her bandages are helping a lot. I...thought it would be a lot worse…”

“Wounds are, ah, somewhat less debilitating here than in your familiar world. At least, so I’ve heard.” The shinigami captain looked back at Michio and Kasumi. “Might I have a few moments alone with Eddie, please?”

“Of course.” The two left, leaving Eddie alone with Sajin. He sat down beside the aching human, his expression getting serious.

“Eddie...do you have any idea why someone would do this to you?”

Eddie looked down and away. “I...I just...have no idea. Maybe...they were just some thugs who like to...I dunno...prey on innocent people. I remember people like that, a bit at least...just people who are no good.”

“Come, now...do you really think I believe that?” The tone was only softly chiding, but it still stung Eddie. “There was certainly another reason...what did they say?”

Eddie swallowed, face screwing up and eyes shutting tight. “They were...they said...that I was...wrong for being around you...that you...they said...stupid stuff about you that isn’t right! Why would they hate you? It’s so stupid…”

A quiet growl rose from Sajin’s throat, leaking out in frustration. “I figured that...I’m truly sorry that you got caught up in that.” He sighed and looked away from Eddie himself. “Unfortunately, my appearance raises some...unpleasantness in some people. I used to hide it away completely so I wouldn’t have to deal with that, but...I got tired of hiding myself. And it doesn’t ever make things truly better. I can deal with myself perfectly fine, but I suppose these cowards wanted to try to attack someone purely for associating with me, because they didn’t have the guts to face me themselves. It is truly despicable.”

“I’m sorry...you shouldn’t have to...deal with that…” sniffled Eddie. He felt awful, they had attacked him just to get at Sajin? He didn’t deserve that at all. “But...I don’t want them attacking you, either...I wish I remembered anything about them, so I could...could report them, or something…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. They were picked up yesterday evening.” Eddie did a double take and looked at Sajin, who still was averting his gaze. “Someone reported what they had done, and they are being dealt with by the judiciary. They will have their penance to perform...they denied what they said, but your statement and the reporter’s statements pretty much confirm each other.”

“So...they won’t bother you?”

“Not personally. Their attitude, however, will always bother me. I don’t want anyone put in danger simply by association with me. Perhaps...it would be for the best if-”

“NO!” Eddie nearly fell over himself as he threw himself on the wolf, wrapping his arms around Sajin and holding him tight. “I don’t want you to stop seeing me! That would be the worst thing! I don’t care what they say, please, don’t leave!”

Sajin was surprised by the move, but fortunately his training kept him from making any rash moves in response - Eddie was far from able to hurt him significantly, and he was very much the opposite. “Oof...you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“S-sorry...I just...I don’t want you to do that! I don’t care who knows that I hang around with you...I...I don’t want to let them win like that, and I don’t want to lose you!”

“...Lose me?”

“I...yeah.” Eddie sniffed a bit, face darkening just slightly. “I guess...I really like you, Sajin. I...you’re kind of...the one thing that’s...making this easier for me to deal with. M-maybe it’s a bit...silly, or something, but I’ve always really liked dogs, they’re just...comforting.”

“Ehm...I’m...kind of a wolf…”

“And the fact that you can talk to me and stuff, that makes it even better...so...I don’t care if it gets me weird looks from some idiots. I really don’t want you to leave...I don’t care who sees me with you. It would be way worse to lose you than to get beat up again.”

Sajin let out a deep sigh; the easy way out suddenly didn’t seem nearly as appealing. Usually distancing from someone he didn’t want to get hurt seemed like the best course of action, but Eddie had made it all too clear how much that would hurt him...and he would have had a very hard time living with himself for that. There was definitely something about him...it was the rare person that was totally comfortable with how he looked, and the rarer one who preferred that. He remembered what a few people had told him in the past, that it would do him good to find someone to care about more than anything and who cared about him more than anything...perhaps it wouldn’t be so wise to try to break off of this.

“Very well. I will...see to it that you receive no more trouble from those people. And I won’t leave you alone...if you want me around, I will come around. And if you have any trouble at all, I’ll do what I can to stop it...but you also should be careful, and don’t try to make a...statement out of it. That would be very risky.”

“I won’t...thank you, Sajin.” Eddie nodded against the wolf’s big body, feeling a lot better after knowing that Sajin wasn’t leaving him alone. Gently, he was picked up and placed back in bed...with the fear wearing off, he was suddenly very tired again. “You’ll...you’ll be back soon, right?”

“As soon as I can be,” Sajin assured him. “Perhaps I can take you somewhere next time, if you’re feeling up for it.”

“Okay...I’d like that.” It was a subdued response, but inwardly Eddie was adamant that he would have to be dead again to not be ready for it.

---

Eddie’s recovery was faster than he expected. Maybe it was the treatment he got, or maybe it was just being in a different realm, but it felt like he was back on his feet and feeling fine the very next day. The bruises were gone by the second day, and it was like he’d never had a bad encounter at all...apart from a couple of people still giving him odd looks in the street, anyway. Whether it was because of associating with Sajin or because they were concerned about what happened to him, he didn’t know, but he didn’t feel like he wanted to spend time finding out.

What he did want was to spend time with Sajin, but that took a bit longer. Just when he thought he might get his chance, there was some kind of commotion elsewhere in Soul Society, and Sajin had gone to try to settle things down. It had left Eddie nervous - he’d heard plenty of bad things about the kinds of trouble that could happen, and he really didn’t want Sajin to be hurt. But things had been dealt with without any serious issues in the end, and he was able to look forward to the moment that Sajin had a chance to come see him once more.

Finally it came, and he was ready and waiting for the wolf to arrive. It had been over a week since the incident, and Sajin had finally dealt with the aftermath and had given word that he was coming for a visit. By the time Sajin made good on his promise and his furry visage graced the cottage, Eddie was standing outside and pacing in anxious anticipation. No sooner had he set foot across the bridge than he was glomped by the eager human; Eddie couldn’t knock Sajin over, but he felt the hit pretty clearly. “Well now...I guess someone was pretty excited about this.”

“I feel like I’ve been waiting forever!” Eddie’s voice was muffled a bit as he was speaking into Sajin’s body somewhat. It was amazing how huge Sajin was, he didn’t come up more than navel height, and his embrace barely wrapped any little bit around the shinigami’s body, it was more like his arms were stretched out to the limit than anything. “I’ve been so worried about you, I’m so glad you’re in one piece and we can finally spend some time together.”

“Indeed. But I don’t know that we’ll be able to do much with you trying to latch yourself onto me like that.”

“Sorry.” Eddie didn’t sound sorry at all, face a bit red but all smiles as he stepped back a bit. “Ah...heh...I guess it’s weird, it’s like the dog coming to greet the human at home, except the other way around, I guess.”

Sajin’s nose twitched. “Yes, and the dog is actually a wolf...ehm, regardless, I...can’t say I’m unhappy at the idea of someone being happy to see me. It’s been a less frequent experience for me than I would like.”

“That’s terrible! I’ll have to make sure you feel a lot more welcome!”

“You’re doing fine. Now then...shall I take you somewhere?”

“Yeah, that would be great! Um...where is this ‘somewhere’ gonna be?”

A small smile appeared on the canine’s face. “I suppose that depends on where you want to go. I could show you some places around the city, places beyond this small area…”

“Ah...I’d...kinda rather not be by, uh, bunches of people right now. I...don’t want to risk anyone giving you a...a hard time.”

“Very well. In that case, there are other options. If you’re feeling averse to people, I know a good place for us…”

---

It was the first time Eddie truly appreciated the countryside in his life.

He’d never really been one for the country, it had always seemed just a bit too dull and boring to him. Quiet wasn’t a bad thing, but there was such a thing as being too far out of the way, where there was almost nothing to do that wasn’t work. But here, work wasn’t an issue at all, and with a giant canine walking beside him, he could appreciate the quiet for what it was.

And it was a beautiful place for quiet, too. Maybe it was because of where he lived, but the countryside was kind of uninteresting to look at in his prior life. But here, there were colorful trees, plenty of streams, and a lot of fantastic scenes...maybe Sajin was only showing him the greatest hits, but they were pretty great hits. There was a nice ring of blossoming trees that almost seemed to light up the air, drawing his wonder for quite some time; there was a stone monument in the middle of nowhere which made him tremble just being nearby it; there was a river that shimmered with lights and sent small wisps of flame into the air, yet was icy cold to the touch. Sights and experiences he couldn’t even imagine in the world he had left behind...maybe letting him appreciate his new state a bit more and get a little more accustomed to the way things were now.

And the last place Sajin took him was perhaps the most beautiful, if not as unusual. A little hideaway in the woods, a small clearing in the trees within which lay a spring with a small, natural fountain. There was a cool mist in the air as they sat by the water, making everything feel perfectly comfortable...it was immensely relaxing, just the quiet trickle of water and the whistle of the wind, draining the stress from Eddie’s body effortlessly.

“I...really wouldn’t have thought you’d know about places like this,” he remarked to Sajin, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit it. “You’re...just such the image of a, uh, a dutiful warrior, and this is...something that would seem more for the, ah, creative and free-wheeling kind of person. Er, sorry if I...”

“It’s fine. Admittedly, it isn’t quite my usual thing...but, when you desire to spend a lot of time alone and away from those who may not...appreciate your presence, these are the kinds of places to go to. Places which are quiet, out of the way, which may have a splendor but also have a quiet distrust about them.”

“Distrust?”

“Yes...it’s very outside the past life experience for humans, I gather. They don’t often know what to make of them...they prefer more familiar things, avoiding reminders of what a different place it is for them than what they had before. Perhaps it’s because they’re more interested in going back…”

“...I guess I understand that. It’s very different...some people would like it, but I guess some wouldn’t. But I think they’re cool and nice...I’m glad you showed them to me. I guess this is a little place for you to rest and get away from it all…”

“I’ve spent a lot of time here. But I’ve never brought another person...everyone seems to be content to leave me this little place out of the way, so I haven’t really had any reason to.”

“Aw...does that meat I’m special?”

“Well.” Sajin was awkwardly quiet for a moment. “I...suppose you’re different. The fact that you’ve been interested in knowing me and keeping me close by, when it’s something most people are averse to...well, that’s definitely unusual in my experience. Not a...bad form of unusual, of course...I’m...glad that you like me so much. It’s...not something I get a lot, outside of my division…”

Eddie looked at Sajin, a little worried. “Do you...have friends?”

“Some. I value them with my life. But...outside of my circle, it is...somewhat hostile, as you have already experienced. I fear I, too, may be one of those things that reminds people here of the differences in this world compared to their familiar one.”

“Maybe...but you’d think you’d find more people who like you. I know there are people back when I was alive who would’ve wanted to be like you. Maybe not a dog, but some other kind of animal person...I’m surprised you haven’t seen any.”

“Hm...I can’t recall ever meeting one, at least. I think I would remember if I met someone who also wanted to be a wolf. But, perhaps I’ve just not met them, and they only know of me and keep their desires silent.”

“That’s too bad. I...wonder if there’s some way they could be like what they want to be?”

“That, I’m afraid, I wouldn’t know the answer to.” Sajin looked up at the sky; the blues were starting to be overtaken by oranges. “It’s getting rather late...I should probably bring you home now.”

“Aw...we can’t stay longer?”

“I’m afraid not. But there’s nothing preventing a return.”

“Hm, except your being busy all the time.”

“Er, yes...well…” Sajin cleared his throat. “After this...incident last week, I’ve been told that it would be...perhaps beneficial for me to...expand my horizons.”

Eddie cocked his head. “Expand your horizons?”

“To put it simply...get out more. Establish a stronger connection to the world, so that I can be...perhaps more aware of the state of Soul Society. It isn’t good to dwell within oneself too much, after all, one becomes more focused on themselves than the world around them and misses what might transpire.” It hadn’t been put quite so delicately to him, but he preferred not to let Eddie hear the exact quote. “Anyway, the point is, I have...adjusted things somewhat, so that I may attend to my duties, but have more time away from my position. So it will be perhaps a fair bit easier to see you more often.”

Eddie lit up like a fireball. “You mean it? That’s great! We can spend more time together!”

“Ah, yes, among other things…ah, well, it may not be a bad idea to get you more experiences as well.” He hesitated to say anything further - he was not certain Eddie was ready for the idea for anything more...or maybe it was himself he wasn’t certain about. “I suppose it would be much better to have a knowledgable person taking you around than you getting lost on your own.”

“I’d rather it be that way anyway.” Eddie latched onto Sajin once more, feeling a great burst of happiness from within. More time with Sajin, what more could he ask for? Once again, he was starting to feel more strongly that this was something he could get used to.

---

The next month seemed to fly by for Eddie, and it seemed to get better by the day. True to his word, Sajin come by much more frequently - more days than not, in fact, meaning Eddie had more than his fill of the big wolf. Every day he learned a little bit more about this world he’d found himself in - the good, the bad, the shocking, the interesting, all sorts of information that made him feel more at home. He still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with himself, but getting more settled in was a good start - if he wasn’t feeling overwhelmed just by existing, he could focus on learning more about what his options were.

He was definitely seeing changes in Sajin, too. The time away from his position seemed to be doing him a world of good - he was starting to show himself as more relaxed, less formal, and happier in general. He liked this side of the canine, it made him feel even more comfortable. Very comfortable, in fact...to the point where it was becoming hard to deny it to himself: he was falling for Sajin. Quite hard.

Of course, numerous doubts persisted in his mind. The thought that Sajin might have no interest in him that way was the first and most obvious one, but there were others, others that he was rather unhappy to be thinking about. Such as whether Sajin would be interested in a human rather than another of his kind...or whether their relationship would be seen as an abomination and get them into trouble...or how he could deal with Sajin putting himself in danger for his job. Things that he didn’t want to let get in the way, but which he couldn’t totally put out of his head.

I don’t want to be stressing out over that stuff...all it would do is kill any romance, if there’s any to be found in the first place. But...would I really be okay with all of that? I already got freaked out when those guys beat me up over him…

Despite his doubts, though, it was becoming clear to him that this wasn’t a passing thing and wouldn’t let up until he got an answer from Sajin. And so he was trying to psyche himself up to ask Sajin how he felt, confess his feelings, and hopefully take their friendship to another level. Or at the very least, know where they stood and be able to suffer his crush in silence…

He had tried for the past few meetings with Sajin, but had bailed out before he could bring the subject to light; there was just a lot of worry about Sajin’s response, and he hadn’t really worked up the spirit to handle a rejection. This time, though...this time, he was determined to get an answer, whatever it was. He could handle it this time...maybe.

“Is something wrong?”

Eddie let out a little eep as he was snapped out of his thoughts. Perhaps the best time to muse on this wasn’t while he was sitting right next to the subject of his affections. “Ah, n-no, nothing’s wrong…”

“Are you sure? You seem preoccupied with something…”

“No...I’m just enjoying the scenery.” They were sitting in Sajin’s little hideaway in the woods, and he was trying to make like he was watching the fountain in the spring. “It’s something that I could watch for hours...it’s almost mesmerizing.”

“Hm, I can relate. I sometimes watch the water for a long time...it’s rather soothing. But it usually lets my mind wander to other things...so I rather suspect yours was as well. It’s all right, you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

If only it was that easy...but I can’t hide it forever. Eddie took a deep breath. “Okay...well...I do have something on my mind. It’s...well...something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ve gotten to know you pretty...pretty well, I think, Sajin. It’s been, well, about two months I think...since you brought me here. And...it wasn’t always easy, but you really helped me out, helped me feel better, and get used to...well, being dead, I guess. Except I guess it’s not really dead in the way I thought it would be…” He shook his head. “Sorry, I guess I’m kinda...beating around it. The thing is...I’ve...kinda...started...falling in love with you. And...I guess...I don’t really know what you think, but...but...I...I’d like to know...if, uh...if you’d...tell me?”

Sajin’s head tilted down, and he raised a hand to cover his face. Eddie felt a lurch in his gut, thinking that he’d just made the wolf angry...but then he heard the quiet, muffled laughter coming from him. His face burned red...he didn’t know whether the laugh was a good or a bad thing, but it still felt a bit embarrassing that he got so worked up over it.

“Ah...I do apologize. It’s simply amusing to see you so flustered like that.” Finally he turned to look down at Eddie, smiling warmly. “You didn’t have to be so nervous...I already knew how you felt. You haven’t exactly been shy about the way you look at me, and how close you try to stay to me. So, no, it hasn’t been a mystery of any sort.”

“...You knew? Oh...wh-why didn’t you say anything? Did you...do you not...”

“Oh, no. I do...I do feel the same way. I’ve...perhaps felt this way for some time now. Something I didn’t expect, but I can’t say it’s unwelcome...I’ve been needing this for some time now, I think.”

Relief and excitement poured through Eddie...along with a bit of confusion and frustration. “But...why didn’t you say anything then? I’ve been so stressed about it!”

“I didn’t want to put pressure on you. I am a high-ranking authority figure in Soul Society...if I were to express any feelings for you, it could be seen as almost trying to force you into a relationship. Even if that wasn’t my intention and you liked the idea, it could be seen that way, which could get me into trouble and probably wouldn’t make you very happy. Waiting for you to come out with it, without saying or hinting anything that might be seen as coercive, was the only right way to do things.”

“Oh...I’m sorry. You were just trying to be helpful, I...shouldn’t have gotten snippy with you…”

“Don’t worry about it, I understand. I imagine it would be frustrating, not knowing if your feelings were shared. But now you can be satisfied...no more worrying, no more uncertainty. You’re attracted to me, and I am to you as well.” Sajin put a hand on Eddie’s shoulder; his entire mitt was broader than the shoulder it lay on, making Eddie feel truly small. But it was a comforting small, as he leaned into Sajin, feeling his heard flutter a bit. “I’m glad I could make you happy, and I apologize for how long it took.”

“It’s okay...it was worth it, in the end.”

“I’m glad you feel so. Next time, I’ll take you on a proper date...provided I can remember what that’s supposed to be like. It has been a long time since I even heard about it...I suspect a few of my colleagues would be all too happy to instruct me on it, however.”

“They...already know?”

“They could tell. And they have been relentless, but good about it. You don’t have to worry about them. And I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about anyone else, either.”

Eddie nodded; he was adamant, internally, that he wasn’t going to let anything ruin the mood now, but it was still complicated and he was happy that Sajin would be there to make sure things were okay. “Thank you...I can’t wait.”

---

Again, it was a wait. Sajin was needed for a special mission, and he wasn’t going to be available for a while...he gave his word to Eddie that it wasn’t a particularly dangerous mission, and that he would take him out on his date the next weekend. Eddie was happy that at least he had little to worry about, but waiting for days for the date was almost torturous. He tried to keep his time occupied with exploring his part of town a little more and looking into job prospects and hobbies to start filling his time. There was no question now that he was in this for the lang haul, no more doubt in his heart, only acceptance, and he wanted it to be fulfilling. Sajin would help a lot with that, but he knew he also needed other things.

Still, it was hard to get his mind off of Sajin, and what their date might be like. He was still a bit on the nervous side, but not nearly so much as when he was trying to confess his feelings. After all, he did trust Sajin when he said there wouldn’t be any problems. It was more just the fact thot he didn’t know much about dating, had certainly never been on one before...he didn’t want to say or do anything stupid for sure, but he wasn’t really sure he knew what “not stupid” was. The saving grace, though, was that Sajin had confessed to him that HE hadn’t ever been on a date either...so, he might not even notice if Eddie did something wrong.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl at times, especially at night when he was trying to get to sleep and couldn’t get the anticipation of the day he’d have his first real date with Sajin. It was rough at times, but thinking about how wonderful it was going to be when it happened kept him in good spirits all the way through...so by the time the big day finally arrived, he was much calmer and more at ease than he had been most of the other times he’d had to wait for Sajin. Michio and Kasumi were a big help as well, giving him ideas for things that Sajin would like and enjoy, so he might know what to expect from the big wolf on his first date.

And then Sajin appeared over the bridge again, and the next stage of the wonderful journey began.

Eddie was there to meet him once more, though not throwing himself at the wolf like last time. Partly because his clothes were a lot nicer - Kasumi had brought him to get something that looked very nice and proper, and he didn’t want to risk doing any damage to them. Sajin also had clearly dressed up, looking very dapper and unlike anything he’d seen on the wolf before. It was making him weak in the knees all over again...he had to work a bit to keep himself in check and under control, but his blush wasn’t going to obey him. Especially not when the first thing Sajin did was present him with a bouquet of flowers. The beautiful arrangement of flowers of shapes and sizes he had never seen before looked teeny-tiny in the canine’s gigantic paw. “Wow...are, are those for me?”

“They are. Do you like them?”

“Y-yeah…” Eddie took the bouquet, blushing furiously. He’d never thought getting flowers would be something he’d care about, but...now he was starting to realize it wasn’t the flowers but what they represented that gave them meaning. “It’s wonderful...thank you.”

“I’m glad you like them. I was a touch nervous that someone was putting me on when they said that this was something that people gave to people they dated. But I suppose this is one of those somethings that I don’t know very well...flowers are not exactly my specialty, and neither is dating.”

“I only know a little bit and that’s all second-hand...but for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a fine job so far.”

Sajin chuckled quietly. “The day is still young, I have plenty of time to err. Shall we be off, then?”

“Ah, yes...but where are we going?”

“Just out into the city first, before we go somewhere to eat. I simply wish for you to see the city more as it is...being with someone who knows it will make it seem far less daunting. And you’ll enjoy it far more than way.”

Eddie nodded; that made perfect sense to him, he’d been hesitant to leave his familiar territory partly for that reason. “Thank you...I’m looking forward to it. You’ll have to show me all the best places for everything, I’m counting on you to dispense all the knowledge you have!”

A toothy grin was his only reply to that.

---

Calling in the best date ever was probably presumptuous, considering it was his first date ever. But Eddie really didn’t know any better way to put it. For him, he couldn’t have imagined much better.

The city he was taken to was enormous and bustling, simply packed with people and quite active. There were buildings all over which looked very nice, nicer than where he was living...it was clear that there was quite a bit higher scale here than he was used to. It almost felt like he didn’t belong, but with Sajin guiding him around, it was a lot less overwhelming.

But he was doing a whole lot more than guiding. They were visiting numerous shops along the way, places offering all sorts of different things, mostly decorative but a few that had useful gadgets. Such gadgets he’d never seen in his neck of the weeds, he had thought they didn’t have them, but apparently they did...and he was shocked when Sajin brought him one without a second thought. Just getting the package handed to him left him speechless, he almost said he couldn’t take something like that, but Sajin had him out the door with it before his brain could snap to attention and lodge a protest.

And this turned out to be a pattern for the next little while; Sajin would wander around with him for a bit, find and enter a shop that suited his whim, and buy something for Eddie, without him even being ready for what he was being treated to. Ornate jewelry, sweet treats, a couple of objects he didn’t even know what they were but they looked really pretty...after the sixth shop that they left, he finally got the mind to speak up. “Are you sure about all this? It’s all...it seems like it’s a lot of money…”

“It’s no problem. I have been drawing a salary for ages with very little to spend it on. It does me no good just sitting around, so I figured I could put some of it to good use.”

“I-I...I mean, I very...appreciate it, yes! But it’s just so much…”

“Hm. Perhaps it’s more than appropriate? I did get advised that gifts were a good idea, especially on an early date...but they didn’t quite specify how many. I suppose this might be more than they were suggesting.”

“Yeah...I think they just meant like one, or maybe two if they were small. But, uh...thank you, I really appreciate the thought.”

Sajin looked a bit embarrassed at the misunderstanding, but it passed quickly, especially as they moved on to dinner. The place they went to was also nice, though not like one of the super fancy restaurants that Eddie had been to a couple times in his former life and hated. It felt like there was almost no actual food at those places, they had these nice dishes but they were small and often had weird tastes...this, though, looked to be a place for very hearty meals. The cuisine blends were a marvel; despite the society seeming like a Japanese one, there was a quite diverse array of foods, perhaps because people from all over the world were ending up here and bringing their own ideas of dishes to share. That made it easy to find things that he knew he liked, which had been one of his initial fears. He was glad for it; not having to eat was nice, but he sort of missed some of his familiar likes - eating wasn’t just about hunger, but also enjoying the food.

He’d initially been hesitant to order too much or the more expensive dishes, but Sajin had encouraged him not to worry about cost...and after the canine placed his order he understood why. Because whatever he was looking into eating, it wasn’t going to be as much as Sajin, and wasn’t going to come close to the cost of his meal. Perhaps he should have expected it from a nearly ten-foot wolf, but Sajin was a HUGE eater. He polished off meals that would have been enough for several of Eddie if he still had to eat, and still only just seemed filled up at the end. Apparently eating wasn’t just a luxury for him, for reasons he didn’t get into with Eddie...at least it assured him that he wasn’t going to be going to any restaurants that were stingy with the food.

And yet, despite wolfing down food like, well, a wolf, he still found the time to make Eddie flush. The words he said, just offhand and casual, about how cute Eddie looked when he was red-faced, or how glad he was to take him someplace that he enjoyed so much to share it with him, wold catch him off-guard and make him feel overwhelmed with delight. Of course he would try to stammer out something in return, but his tongue was quite tied most of the time, unable to come up with what it should for some time, and he’d sometimes mix up a couple different things in his head which would come out in a silly mess. And Sajin would just smile and thank him, regardless of what it was that Eddie said...which would only make him feel redder.

After dinner it was off to a countryside lake, where they watched the sunset next to each other. And Eddie couldn’t think of any better way to finish off the day - just sitting on the ground, leaning against the huge wolfman, watching brilliant colors light up the sky as the sun descended towards the horizon. The evening was getting slightly cool, but nuzzled up against Sajin and with the big male’s arm draped around him, the cold didn’t even register. His hands were clasping Sajin’s - two of them barely big enough for one of the wolf’s.

“Did you have a good day today?” Sajin’s deep voice almost rumbled Eddie, though in the most pleasant way.

“Yeah...the best I’ve had in a long time. Thank you so much, Sajin. I really appreciate this...you’re really making some dreams come true here.”

“Mm. You deserve a few good dreams coming true...you have had it rough, after all.”

“I guess...but, not really that much rougher than anyone else here. They all had to go through these things as well...I guess I never really thought about that until recently. And so many of them are doing just fine here...I think I can, too, if I really try.”

“That’s a very good attitude to have.”

“Mm, yeah. And I owe it to you...you helped me keep things in perspective, and gave me something really positive to look towards. It meant a lot to me...I guess I needed a guide dog to ease me into that.”

“...You DO know that I’m a wolf, right?”

“But now that I’m there...I think I’ve got a better perspective, uh, a better outlook than before. It’s not...just settling for what I can get...I can actually look forward to this type of life, and make something of it. And when I’m ready, I can go back...maybe I won’t remember anything, but, I think a part of me will be comforted. Or something like that...I’m not really all the way sure…”

“Hey.” Sajin’s arm pushed Eddie up a little bit, and as Eddie turned his head he saw Sajin’s right next to him. Before he could ask what was happening, the canine’s muzzle met his face, and his eyes widened as he felt a long, warm tongue sneak out to his lips, moving past them before he could even react. Surprise turned quite rapidly to elation and contentment, his eyes lidding as he moved into the kiss, twining his tongue with Sajin’s and enjoying his strong, spiced taste, an unusual but very appealing flavor from the shinigami. Though he didn’t have the same mouth shape and couldn’t really pucker, Eddie tried to do that with him as best he could, adding his own efforts to the kiss and shifting into Sajin to more fully experience him. His fingers gripped Sajin’s hand tightly, his breathing was almost perfectly in time with the wolf’s, his body shivering slightly from pure delight.

It felt like an age that the kiss lasted, and yet too soon when Sajin parted with him, smiling warmly down at Eddie. “I thought your tongue needed something other than words to occupy its time.”

“Wow...S-sajin…”

“Thank you too, Eddie. I didn’t think that I would find someone who appreciated what I was...it’s meant a lot to me. And I assure you...it will not be the last time I get to express that appreciation, nor the last time you’ll get to taste me like that.”

Eddie was almost seeing stars; even as Sajin leaned him back to watch the last of the sun dip over the horizon line, his mind was still somewhat stalled from the wonderful kiss. He was definitely going to be looking forward to that next time...and if there was that, then maybe…

---

Over the next six weeks, the dates continued, twice or thrice a week. Sajin continued to take Eddie through the city, a different place to eat every time they went out, occasionally taking him into a different part of the city where he could see new places and new people. It had him continually amazed how huge the city was, that there was so much to see and so much to do all over the place; given a hundred years, he doubted he could experience all of it.

True to his word, the wolf toned down the gift-giving, though a week never went by without him getting something new. The greatest gift of all was his presence, though, something that Eddie never got tired of - just being around him was a treat, hugging and kissing him and cuddling and laying against him during the evenings when they retreated out of the city. There were the occasional signs that not everyone would have considered his presence a gift, judging by the looks some people gave them...Eddie tried to ignore that as much as possible, though he felt a prickle of anger every time it happened. But they were the minority; most others seemed to just go about their day and not pay it any mind. Perhaps he was helping to normalize Sajin a little bit...maybe just seeing another person around him made him seem friendlier.

It was an understatement to say that Eddie was extremely content with how things were going. But after as much time as he was spending around Sajin, enjoying his form and his touch, he was starting to let himself have fantasies of a very different flavor, and part of him very much wanted to make those fantasies reality. Maybe he was being hasty, but he’d known Sajin for several months and hadn’t even brought that idea up - and he had plenty of vague memories of TV shows from his prior life where that sort of thing would happen right after meeting someone. So it couldn’t have been that quick, right?

Still, he had enough uncertainty that he couldn’t bring the question up for quite some time. The day of their twentieth date, he resolved that he would bring it up, and see if Sajin was interested. He was hopeful, but nervous...he didn’t really know much about the wolf’s thoughts on such matters, perhaps he wouldn’t want to? But he had at ask, at least, and try to find out.

That evening was warm, and they were spending it out at the misty spring, Sajin’s retreat that he and Eddie often enjoyed together these days. Once again he was leaning up against the wolf’s huge body, enjoying the warmth and imagining how much warmer it might be if he was feeling Sajin’s fur...there was definitely something stirring in him as he thought those thoughts, making him fidget slightly. He was caught between hoping that Sajin wouldn’t notice, or that he would and push him into actually acting...the latter turned out to be the case, as he felt Sajin run his hand over him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not wrong at all...I...I just...uh…”

“You have something on your mind?”

“Y-yeah. I, uh...erm.” Suddenly he was awkward again, fumbling for the words. “You know...we’ve been, uh, dating a while...and, uh...well, I...you know...I might have...uh...I mean...there’s...something I...something that I kinda...well, if you were...uh...okay with it…”

“Yes?” Eddie turned a bit redder as Sajin’s voice had a clear sense of confusion. Why did this have to be so hard...

“Er, yeah...so, uh...I...maybe...uh, is it...it might be too...eager, or, uh, quick...and...uh...well, there’s...I mean...it’s not...we don’t have to, I mean...can we have sex?!”

There was a loud snort from the wolf above him, and he could feel Sajin’s body shaking...his face went even redder as he heard barely stifled laughter from above him. Oh jeez...I must have sounded so stupid there...why did I have to just blurt it out like that…

“Hee...you’re amusing, Eddie. Forgive my laughter, it was just fun hearing you try to get it out.”

“Sorry...I mean...that wasn’t how I wanted to bring it up…”

“It’s quite all right. It’s not an easy thing to talk about for everyone...I had a feeling you might be thinking about it, though. There were some looks you were giving me, I could tell you had something on your mind and after how long we’ve been dating, I thought that might be the case.”

“Oh…” Eddie felt a bit silly after hearing that. “Well...you know...I didn’t want to, uh, put pressure on you or anything...I mean, I still don’t, I just…”

“It’s fine, Eddie. In truth...the only reason I hadn’t broached the subject to you was because I was concerned about pressuring YOU.”

“...What?”

“Same reason that I was wary of mentioning anything about wanting to date,” Sajin said with a smile, holding Eddie a little tighter. “My position means I have to watch out for anything that looks like coercion, even with someone I’ve been dating. That, and my size makes me rather intimidating, which could also be potentially coercive. So I wanted to make sure you said something all on your own, unprompted.”

“I...oh...uh…” It should have made Eddie feel more at ease, but somehow he was more awkward than ever. “I...s-sorry...I...does that mean I’ve...been keeping you waiting?”

“I’m a very patient person, don’t worry yourself over it.”

“Yeah...that’s true...but...does that mean you want to, as well? Even if...you know...I don’t really know what I’m doing? I guess I’m gonna be kinda...you know...not that good at it...”

“Eddie.” Suddenly Eddie found himself being lifted up and turned around. Before he could say a word, Sajin’s face met his, and he found himself once again lost in one of the wolf’s deep kisses. It was always so soothing and relaxing, being taken up by the canine...he closed his eyes and let Sajin’s tongue play in his mouth, wrapping his arms around his desire. As they broke apart, he could see nothing but gentleness and kindness in those eyes. “You don’t have to worry...I’ll show you just what you need to do. I rather suspect you already have the ideas in mind...it will just be actually performing for the first time. Am I correct?”

“...Yeah, you are...I guess...I’ve got the, uh...ideas for what people do...I’ve just...never done it before.”

“It’s quite simple, really. Once you’re past the uncertainty of actually doing it, it all comes quite naturally. I can’t claim to be...highly experienced either, but I have enough to feel confident in what I’m saying. And the easiest way to pass the uncertainty is to get down to it.”

“Yeah...um, but...here in the open? If we...what if someone walks up on us?”

“In all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen a single soul happen upon this location. I have no fear of being discovered...and if they try, they will have to deal with me, and I am not someone people want to see angry at them.”

That was enough for Eddie, who nodded, his face still red but feeling a lot more at ease. “Okay...then...I guess...the first thing I’d like...is to see what you look like...without...anything on.”

“Then, that is how I’ll start.” Sajin let Eddie go and rose to his feet, the human’s eyes locked on him as he rose to his full height. Slowly he shed his robes, the ornate garments falling to the ground in a heap around him; the heavy black robe seemed almost to pool like liquid around the wolf’s ankles, with the white sashes coiling around it. Eddie felt a slight flutter in his chest as he realized that he was seeing Sajin’s actual body for the first time, truly getting a chance to see the chocolate and cream fur all over his body, lighter in his chest and stomach and darker over the rest of him. A sight he’d had hints of before, but never had a chance to truly see it all its glory.

And that was only one part of the glory that was Sajin Komamura, on full display as he stepped towards Eddie, now fully disrobed. The wolf wasn’t just big, he was BIG - immensely muscled, one forearm of his looked thicker than both of Eddie’s together, and they bulged with muscle that was visibly contoured even through his fur. A massive chest that looked steel-tough stood out in front of him, and abs that were gloriously toned were right at the level of his eyes. It was an image that Eddie had had in his fantasies before, but never had he actually seen a male so attractive so close up.

But his eyes were soon drawn to one part in particular, one he had long been curious about and desirous of. And his patience was being well-rewarded. Between Sajin’s legs was a sheath that looked like it hid something terrifyingly enormous, jutting out rather obscenely in front of him. No wonder he wore loose robes all the time, something like that could easily be seen in anything tight...underneath were balls that were easily the size of large apples, if not in excess of them, unquestionably the largest Eddie had ever seen or even heard joked about. It would have scared him, if not for how much he wanted and needed it...and he wasn’t so sure he had anything to fear here, having learned how much easier it was to handle physical strains and injuries here than in his previous world. He probably couldn’t have even hoped for something like that before...not that there was a chance of actually getting it.

“You know, some say that staring is impolite.” Sajin’s voice broke Eddie out of his trance, and he blushed furiously. The wolf chuckled quietly. “Me, I’m just happy that someone is staring at me out of enjoying the sight for once.”

“Y-yes...you look...you’re gorgeous...I didn’t even dream it would be that good…”

“I’m glad you think so. But I believe that leaves you overdressed.”

That was certainly true, and so Eddie hurried to undress himself as well. He fumbled a bit more with his robes, still not fully used to them compared to what he usually wore before, but it wasn’t long before they were coming off as well. He couldn’t say a thing, his throat had gone a bit dry; suddenly he felt very insecure, he had a muscled god of a wolf man in front of him and he himself was...even if you didn’t compare to Sajin, he didn’t see himself as anything special, or even that good. Somewhat on the thinner side, definitely no muscle, and certainly smaller downstairs than Sajin, it wasn’t even going to be a contest. Somehow, he felt inadequate to be looked upon by the shinigami’s eyes…

But Sajin’s voice sliced through his nerves like his sword through air. “Very nice...you are a very pleasant human to look at.” Eddie’s face went even redder; he wasn’t sure there was any more blood in his body to travel to his head at this point, the mixture of embarrassment and arousal proving a real challenge to overcome. But he tried to control himself as Sajin stepped up to him, his body filling the human’s vision almost entirely.

Those strong hands started to rub over his sides and back and arms, a soothing pressure being applied to his body from the thick fingers. He moaned a bit into the sensual touches, almost falling forward into the furry body in front of him as his mind fogged a bit over again. Once more, it took the smooth, deep voice of the wolf to bring him back. “You can touch as well...I would love to feel that.”

It was halfway automatic as Eddie brought his hands up, starting to stroke through Sajin’s fur and rub against his muscular body. He could only get so high, but it was easy to lavish attention on those fantastic abs, to caress Sajin’s sides, to stroke his thighs and marvel at how amazingly solid they felt. Everything about the wolf was solid, yet he knew how comfortable it could be laying on him...maybe that fur had something to do with it.

Of course, there was something else he wanted to touch as well...but he couldn’t seem to make his hands go there, to rub up against that sheath and play with those massive orbs. It was proving a tougher line to cross than he thought it would be, even as much as he wanted it...after all, he had no experience, he found himself wondering what he should do, if he could do it right. A couple times he wavered close by, but then moved away, uncertainty stonewalling him.

Thankfully, Sajin didn’t wait more than a couple minutes to break that ice. He could feel Eddie’s moves, could tell what he was trying to do and couldn’t quite convince himself to do, and took the initiative. His own hand wandered down Eddie’s body, reaching lower and groping his groin, making Eddie gasp out in surprise and then shaky pleasure. His entire hand was big enough to cup everything that Eddie had with room to spare, and it proved an expert touch, rubbing and gripping with just the right pressure and contact to make Eddie nearly fall over. It was enough to get Eddie past his own hesitation, and he brought his hands to the canine sheath, rubbing it with his fingers and kneading the flesh here and there, enjoying the feeling of the slightly oily fur and skin there that had a unique musky scent to it. It was a scent that made him even weaker in the knees; Sajin was halfway holding him up now, keeping him from just sinking into a puddle of mesmerized goo.

Size was the thing that had Eddie captivated the most. He needed both hands to fully encircle even the sheath, and he could barely palm one of those massive orbs in a single hand. With so much space to cover, he wasn’t sure he was giving Sajin as much pleasure as he could, but he did the best he could with what he had...and he was being rewarded for it, as the pink tip began to poke out of the canine sheath, slowly extending and thickening as it grew out for Eddie. His own excitement seemed to match Sajin’s, his shaft hardening under the wolf’s grip, though more quickly and with a lot smaller apex...but he wasn’t as concerned about that now, not with the sight of Sajin in front of him.

The hesitation had left him truly now, and without any more reluctance he reached to wrap his hands around that enormous shaft. His hands barely seemed able to wrap around it at its thickest, though it tapered to a point at the end which he was better able to play with, making Sajin moan out in pleasure as he brushed and rubbed over that sensitive flesh. And so long, a match for his forearm, maybe even a touch longer than that...nothing he’d ever seen or imagined before could have prepared him for that, but there was no question that he felt only excitement at it. Maybe he should have been more worried, but it was hard to see it as threatening when it was attached to the big wolf who he was certain wouldn’t hurt him.

And then there was the slowly swelling knot at the base...something Eddie had fantasized about with his prior fascinations with wolfmen, but the reality was so much more impressive than his mind. The swollen bulb at the base of Sajin’s cock was still getting larger, but already he couldn’t fit both hands around it and touch any of his fingers together. Getting something like that inside of him, that was going to be an adventure...he wasn’t even sure it was truly possible, even with a body that was more permissive of that it would have been before. But...there was more than one part of him that wanted to try, for sure.

He could hear and see Sajin’s breathing picking up, that cream fur pushing out towards him quite noticeably on each sharp inhale. Suddenly the wolf’s grip shifted from his gonads to his body, shifting them around as he sat down, bringing Eddie’s head closer to his. The two began to kiss again, Eddie’s eyes lidding as he felt that tongue take over his mouth once more. In the new position the wolf’s knot was out of easy reach, but not the tip of his cock, which his hands began to toy with with renewed vigor. Sajin’s hands were again working him over very nicely, one now actively rubbing and squeezing Eddie’s own cock and balls while the other rubbed over his back and rear, keeping him nice and close for the kiss. Eddie was shivering madly with the pleasure, almost feeling overwhelmed in Sajin’s arms...though, it was the best overwhelmed feeling he could have ever imagined.

And he wanted more, now. Wanted it badly, with a force of need he hadn’t ever known before.

With an effort, he broke away from the kiss, pushing away from Sajin slightly. The wolf looked confused, but Eddie’s unfocused, content smile didn’t suggest any sign of trouble, and he relaxed a bit, allowing him to shift around. Though he had some regret pulling away from the stimulating hands, Eddie pushed through it and lowered himself down, to where his head was meeting up with the tip of Sajin’s leaky dick. His hands were once again running up and down the shaft, separately this time, relentless in their pleasure...but now he moved his head forward, breathing in the musky, heavy male scent emanating from the wolf’s groin. It was adding to the dizziness he was feeling quite nicely...with a slow motion, he brought his tongue out and gently licked the very tip of Sajin’s cock, getting a small bead of precum just as it was emerging from his tip.

Sajin’s groan of pleasure came with a rumble to it, almost a growl bit not quite, just an unsteadiness in the sound that Eddie could almost feel. His fingers curled a bit as he felt the human’s tongue on his dick. This was utterly new to him - he’d had sex before, but never done anything like this, no one had even deigned to come this close to his groin with their face before. He always thought it was that heavy scent that put them off, which he didn’t know how to deal with...

But Eddie was dealing, and with eagerness, as the licks came much faster and more thoroughly. He loved Sajin’s taste, that musk was almost intoxicating, and the salty taste of his pre was an additional bit of enjoyment to it all. He kept licking and stroking at the same time, loving the rumbling moans from Sajin, whose head was now tilted back in deep pleasure. Eddie even worked up the nerve to wrap his lips fully around the tip and bob up and down a bit, running his tongue over as much of the surface as he could, while his hands went down to rub and fondle those huge balls again. Any more wasn’t going to be possible - it was just too big to have any hope of going in that way, but he was happy to give Sajin even this level of pleasure, and revel in the wolf’s taste.

At least, until Sajin took hold of him with both hands, and pulled him up and away. Surprised, Eddie looked at him as he sat the human down, pushing him against the wolf’s cock, his awn trapped between that hot flesh and his own body. “Ah...did I...not do it right?”

“You did perfectly...I simply don’t want it to end this soon…” Again, Sajin’s breaths were coming hard, maybe harder than ever before. He started to grind their cocks together, making Eddie moan more now as he felt that hot surface rubbing all the way down his own...it was so much bigger, easily stimulating as much of him as it could touch. His body was doing some of the rest of the work, pretty tight against the huge shaft, as it leaked an ample amount of precum. Sajin started to stroke the wetness, his hand getting nice and slick over a short time. “You know you don’t have to put yourself through this if you don’t want to...I won’t think anything less of you for not being willing to go this far.”

“Ah...I...I really want to...I want to try it…”

“Then I’ll make sure you love it all.” Sajin drew his hand away, and brought it around to Eddie’s rear, probing for the tight pucker with a digit. Eddie took over the stimulation, using his hands again to rub and stroke Sajin’s shaft and grinding his own against it a bit, while Sajin sought out and found his hole. Slowly, gently, he probed in with a single digit, and Eddie gasped - it was so thick, and the tension was a lot more than he had expected, but Sajin was moving so slowly that it didn’t reach the point of being painful. His moans and cries started soft and got louder as the furry finger worked deeper inside him.

“Try to relax...it’ll make it easier.”

Eddie did his best, though as wide as he felt he was stretched already, he wasn’t sure that there was much more he could do. But it did feel a bit easier...and then he gasped again as he felt a second digit join in. The two combined were well thicker than his own cock was, and he was definitely feeling it now, a strain and pressure that wasn’t quite painful but could easily be if it hadn’t been introduced so gently. Sajin moved with him, making sure Eddie didn’t accidentally push himself past his limit when he was grinding against Sajin’s cock, slowly working him open deeper and deeper.

And then a third finger joined in, and Eddie grimaced just slightly as it became a bit painful. This was quite a thickness going back there, more than he was ready for...but he relaxed, tried to soothe himself and let Sajin work him open. And soon the pain dissipated, fading into pleasure as those digits slowly pumped in and out, making Eddie feel very full but also very happy. He got more vigorous in his stroking and grinding, pushing back slightly into the fingers now, almost like he was trying to get them deeper. And yet he knew that Sajin’s cock was thicker still, and so much longer...the feelings of daunt returned a bit, but he bit them down. He wanted this, there was no question of it, and if he had to endure a bit, he would gladly do so.

Finally Sajin pulled his fingers out, and lifted Eddie up again. The gigantic shaft had been thoroughly coated with precum, and Eddie felt a very hot and wet pressure just up against his hole. Sajin didn’t push him down, just waited, looking at him, while Eddie braced himself. He did his best to relax, wanting so bad to just feel it shove in but knowing he couldn’t handle it like that...he just tried to calm down and loosen up as much as possible, prepared for it to be a bit tough. Eventually he gave his nod to Sajin, ready as he would ever be.

Sajin leaned forward and began to kiss him again, just as he started to lower Eddie down onto his shaft. The distraction was unexpected but not unwelcome, taking Eddie’s mind just slightly off of the invasion of his ass...it wasn’t as bad as it could have been thanks to the preparation, but it was still a lot to take, thicker than he had gotten before, and he was just on the verge of feeling unpleasantness. His hands took hold of Sajin’s fur on his chest as he leaned into the kiss, letting the wolf slowly work his way inside...with his tongue at one end and his cock at the other, it felt like he was going to be doubly impaled.

Sajin paused the kiss and pulled away as Eddie reached about halfway down on his cock. He could see Eddie breathing hard, but thankfully the human didn’t look distressed. “Are you doing all right?”

“Ah...yeah...I’m...good.” There was enough tension in there that Sajin knew he should take it even slower from here. He leaned in and kissed Eddie again, trying to relax him further and let him get used to the size in his body. Something Eddie deeply appreciated, he was already past the point where the fingers had stretched him out and it was only going to get more intense from there...his body seemed to get used to it, slowly but surely. He wanted it all, so bad, but...he still had work to do before getting there.

Slowly Sajin’s entry resumed. It was a crawling pace, each bit stretching Eddie wider and deeper, while Sajin allowed his precum to spurt around and slicken up the passage for him to make it easier on the human. Both of them breathed heavier with each new push, faces now breaking away from each other as they had to become focused on the task at hand. Eddie’s moans were loud, tense, as he tried to will himself to handle everything that went in without discomfort...every now and then he would feel a spike of unpleasantness, but Sajin would immediately cease all movement and wait, almost as if he could feel it himself. It was feeling like a lot, like so much more than he had ever been prepared for...but the desire to feel it all was more than his apprehension at the growing stretch deep inside him.

Finally, he felt himself settle against the knot, a heavy exhale of relief as he realized he was in all the way...or as all the way as he was getting at this point. The feeling of fullness was almost impossible to describe, it was like he was being stretched out from every direction from the inside. He leaned forward a bit as he was held fast, resting his head against the wolf’s fur and listening to his breathing. Sajin was panting pretty hard, too, and holding him firmly in place, making sure he didn’t cause any trouble by moving around too much and hurting Eddie before he was ready. The human had such a tight grip on his cock, one he hadn’t felt in so long, and never so satisfying as this...it was taking a lot of his control to keep himself going at a pace that he felt Eddie could handle.

Eddie surprised him, though, by being the one to get things moving again, as he pushed back upright, steadied by Sajin’s big hands. “Okay...I think...I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll find out...at least…”

Sajin nodded, and took the invitation. He lifted Eddie up a bit, just a few inches of his cock emerging from the human, before pushing him back down, a little bit harder than before. Eddie moans, strained at first but then relaxing as he was fully entered again. Sajin repeated this a few times, before pulling out a bit more...he kept the pace fairly slow, but picked it up just a little more as he pulled Eddie up farther and farther. Eddie’s cries were getting louder, but not distressed...he was still enjoying it, despite the slowly increasing pace and intensity. Each thrust put an enormous pressure on him, but his pleasure points were being just as potently stimulated, his prostate under constant pressure and rubbed by the massive shaft with each movement. And all the pleasure was making it easier to handle whatever Sajin was giving him.

And soon, that was all of it...or at least, all of his cock. Sajin was pulling almost all the way out of Eddie now, slick squelches getting very loud as he worked his shaft in and out at a quite rapid clip. Eddie could handle it, now Sajin had no doubt, seeing how well he was taking this, and he was less worried about having to hold back for fear of harming the human. His thrusts started to get faster and harder, his hips pushing into it to some degree now as he pulled Eddie down more quickly and forcefully. Eddie helped steady things as he leaned forward a bit, clinging to Sajin’s fur once more to keep himself steadier with the wild thrusts.

More and more, Sajin was pushing with added pressure as he hilted Eddie. His knot starting to smack at the human’s hole, requesting entry, a request he knew could rapidly turn into a demand...there was no preparing Eddie for it, nothing could stretch and pressure him like that could. But, his control was slipping...it had been so long, and wolfen instinct was catching up to him ins the haze of pleasure and lust. “Ngh...Eddie...rrr...I’m...I might not...be able to...stop myself from...tying you...if...we go...too much...further…”

The warning sent a spike through Eddie, though it was a bit hard to notice it through all the waves of pleasure going through him. He could feel how huge that knot was, even the thickness of Sajin’s cock hadn’t gotten him close to that...Sajin wanted to put that in him? It seemed unlikely even for as unlikely as they had gotten this far. But...at the same time, maybe it was lust-fueled courage, or lust-fueled foolishness, but...he wanted to feel it. He wanted to feel everything Sajin had to give him...he didn’t know if he could handle it, but he couldn’t stand the thought of not trying. “Ah! Sajin...d-do it! Please!”

He could almost see the shift in Sajin, going from shock to enjoyment...an animal gleam in his eyes, he definitely wanted this even if he was reluctant to do it. But that reluctance left quickly as he gripped Eddie tighter and started slamming in harder, pulling Eddie off a little less but applying much more force, that knot smacking against his ass wetly and trying to loosen him up for entry. Eddie’s cries got louder, the intense thrusting an added strain, but not unwelcome as he felt that bulb pounding against his pucker, trying to get it to yield. He leaned further into Sajin, wrapping his arms around the wolf as he tried to relax enough for this...not that it seemed to be helping much. His ass simply didn’t seem to want to give in, maybe stretched too far out already for him to relax it any farther. He kept trying, and Sajin kept trying, to impose their wills on Eddie’s taxed body…

“Nrgh...Sorry…”

Suddenly Eddie found himself flipped backwards, his back hitting the grass and his grip on Sajin faltering. Sajin’s massive, powerful hands held Eddie in a death grip, and without warning he drove in hard, every bit of those powerful muscles applied to ramming that cock in his ass. He felt it stretch just a little bit more against the knot...then Sajin pulled back and slammed in even harder, growling viciously. Eddie cried out breathlessly as he felt the stretch coming again, pain spiking as he was pushed harder, but again Sajin didn’t take that one, instead pulling back again and repeating.

Every thrust was quick, harsh, merciless, and effective. Each one made Eddie’s hole surrender just a touch more, the knot getting a bit more purchase but still unable to breach. Each one made Eddie scream out, a mixture of pain and pleasure as the stretch went overboard, but wanting it too badly to even think of trying to stop it. His legs spread as wide as he could get them, almost begging Sajin to get the knot inside and finish it once and for all…

And then finally, one final thrust, Sajin didn’t let up, pushing with every bit of might against Eddie’s hole, and finally it accepted him, yawning open obscenely to suck in that thick bulge and snapping shut tight behind it. Eddie’s scream didn’t come, breath ripped from him by the incredible strain...what did come was a powerful, mind-blowing orgasm, his cock spurting freely as he writhed around on the ground. And almost the same instant, Sajin let out his own feral yell as he too hit his limit, the tightness around his knot easily triggering his climax and making him shoot hard into Eddie. Thick gushes of hot wolfcum poured into the human, redoubling his squirming as he felt himself pumped even fuller than he already had been, the fluid filling up all the space that Sajin’s cock hadn’t reached. More and more he felt stretched, bloated inside, and yet in the haze of his own resounding climax, he couldn’t imagine anything he wanted more.

Sajin’s grip on him loosened, and with a motion just as sudden as the first, he wrapped his arms around Eddie and rolled them onto their sides, holding the panting human tight as he continued to fill him with hot seed. Eddie’s climax couldn’t hold up to his, he only could spurt so much before his load trickled off, just making a meager mess between the two of them...but Sajin’s huge balls refused to quit, shooting deep into him and making him feel a continually rising pressure. So much that he barely could tell when it stopped...it took a long time, but finally he realized that he wasn’t getting any fuller. It felt like all the space inside him was taken up, but there was such a feeling of weary satisfaction, of completeness that he hadn’t had before...he’d done it, he’d taken Sajin all the way, and though it had hurt a bit at the end, he loved how it turned out.

So had Sajin, apparently, as he felt the wolf’s hands rub up against him. “Eddie...you feel so good…”

“Ah...Sajin, you...you do, too…”

“I’m sorry...I was so harsh in the end...that...I just couldn’t…”

“It’s okay. I...I really enjoyed it. I liked your roughness...and that you worked so hard to tie me, I...I really wanted that.” Eddie rubbed his fur reassuringly. “I asked you to...and I could handle it.”

“Mm...yes, you could…” Slowly Sajin rose again, taking Eddie with him as he sat up. He was more disheveled than Eddie had ever seen him, the intense effort definitely having taken a bit out of him. He leaned down and kissed Eddie again, only a brief one this time as both of them were a bit too tuckered out to do too much more. “Try to get comfortable...it’s...going to be a while.”

“I know...I’m okay with that.” Eddie leaned into Sajin wearily, feeling exhaustion hit rather quickly after the adrenaline faded. The sound of Sajin’s heart, still going at a rapid pace, was very soothing to him...he rested his head against the fur, going very quiet as he fell off into slumber in the beefy arms of his lover.

Sajin noticed Eddie falling asleep on him and smiled, holding him firmly yet gently to make sure he stayed warm enough. He was fairly tired, too, but the urge to make sure his new mate wasn’t in any danger was enough to keep him awake. How things had changed...as he listened to the trickle of the spring in the background, he thought about how long he’d been on his own, a beast of solitude. Perhaps those days were over, and he had something else to look forward to in the future, whatever else it brought.