[O] Warming by the fire

Tuzik had been playing by himself out in the yard for the last few hours and had tired himself out as he chased birds and other critters in the forest, despite Lyo telling him to leave them be.

The hound padded into the kitchen, then the library, looking for his Master but swiftly gave up as he walked by the fire place.

The heat radiating from it made him yawn loudly, warmth always attracted hellhounds, they loved it.

He went to step into the gentle flames but paused as his sleeve caught his eye, Lyo would be mad if he ruined his clothes, but then, he was also mad when he got naked.

He looked around intently, there was no one around at all, he was alone...

With a large grin the hound struggled out of his clothes, managing to kick off his jeans without trying to unbutton them, struggling in against his hoody before forcing it off of his head and onto the floor.

He bundled up his clothes next to the couch, that was his version of "putting them away" as his Master had continuously tried to teach him to do.

Once he was naked the eagerly crawled into the large fireplace, curling up on the smoldering coals as flames licked at his skin, though he didn't burn at all, in fact, they didn't hurt him at all or effect his body.

Coilean, dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a black tshirt, padded into the library with a smile on his face.

His hair was pulled up into a long ponytail and his neck was free of a collar, though marked with deep purple spots.

Belial had given him the day to himself.

Instead of going down to see his daughter like he usually did when he was given some time on his own, he decided he wanted to spend the day alone with a book.

It'd be nice to read again.

Coilean didn't even notice the man curled up in the fire as he sat down with his nose already buried in a book.

Tuzik was quite a fan of this fireplace and more than once he had taken a nap in it, the first time he had done so nearly gave his Master a heart attack.

The hound yawned loudly as he stretched out before curling in on himself again, rolling over so anyone looking in would be viewing his muscular back and part of his backside.

He was yet to learn anything about shame, Lyo had attempted to ingrain in him that being naked wasn't appropriate but he had dismissed that lesson.

Lean glanced up when he heard the sound of a yawn.

He'd lost his touch, he thought idly as he stared at the back of the man in the fireplace. He'd gotten too comfortable under Belial's protection that he didn't think to perform tasks like searching for someone's presence before he entered a room.

His mind was still sharp enough to figure out what it was, though.

A Hell hound.

Perhaps in the past he would have jumped up and tried to exorcise it. Send it back to Hell 'where it belonged.'

But his time with Belial had probed that not everything that dwelled in Hell was bad. The man seemed content to just lay in the fire so Coilean could leave him be.

He wasn't causing any trouble.

He clicked his tongue a couple times, holding one hand out in a request to pet the hound as his gaze turned back to his book. Tuzik could choose whether he wanted to leave the comfort of the fire to pet him or not.

Tuzik's head shot up when he heard the clicking, his bright crimson eyes looking over at the man through a mop of red hair.

A large smile spread across his lips, exposing his sharp, canine like teeth.

He eagerly rushed out of the fireplace, shaking off any ash and embers before stepping onto the carpet, he had been scolded before for almost starting a fire.

Tuzik padded over on all fours, sniffing the man's hand for a moment before lapping his tongue over the digits and nuzzling against it affectionately with a contented whine.

Coilean smiled as he felt the touch of Tuzik's tongue and the warmth of his skin as he nuzzled against his hand.

Just like a puppy.

Like how he was almost every day now.

Not harmful in the slightest.

The Lycan's fingers ran through Tuzik's hair in an affectionate pet.

"You're a rather handsome boy, aren't you?" his fingers combed through Tuz's hair, revealing his blood red eyes to him. he did make a handsome man. And a rather affectionate pet.

Tuzik's head tilted slightly as his hair was pulled back and he looked up at the man.

There was a lot of words he was still yet to learn but he knew quite a few now, and though his pronunciation was not the best, people could at least understand him most of the time.

He gave a small whine, handsome, he wasn't sure what that meant.

"Gud boy."
He muttered in a soft growling tone as he nuzzled in against the man's hand, Lyo said that to him a lot, he was a good boy.

He could speak English.

Someone had definitely been teaching him.

This Hound didn't have the temper that he had once associated with Hell Hounds. He was affectionate and calm. Usually he saw Hell Hounds as dangerous creatures that he'd rather send back to Hell than sit around petting like he was doing now.

It was a strange, but not unwelcome, change to be able to sit here without the need to attack him.

"Yes, you're a good boy."

He smiled brightly as he was praised by this man, it made him happy to know he was doing the right thing.

The right thing...

The hound paused for a moment, looking over as his clothes with a soft whine.

He liked to be naked, but if Lyo walked in he would be told off.

Quickly he padded over to them, clumsily trying to push his head through the hole of his hoody, after a moment of writhing about he managed to get it on, it was easier to do when it wasn't unzipped, he didn't hadn't mastered the use of human hands.

Coilean watched the Hound curiously as he padded away with a whine.

He chuckled softly to himself as he watched Tuzik struggle with pulling on the hoodie.

Seeing him struggle like that was adorable. There was no way other than describing it than adorable.

Did he look like that when he forgot how to dress and struggled with it after spending so long without clothing? Did Belial look upon him with fondness when he fumbled with jeans and shirts like he was doing with Tuzik now?

Tuzik was struggling immensely with his jeans, normally he had help with them, trying to pulling the fabric onto his legs was difficult, more so because he didn't normally stand up on his hind legs.

The Hound looked over at the man and whimpered softly as his hands clumsily grasped at the course fabric.

He needed help, he didn't want to get in trouble for being naked again.

A soft laugh sounded.

Now that scene was very familiar. It had happened not an hour earlier to himself when he struggled with his own jeans.

"Come here then."

He'd watched Belial intently as he helped him, committing the actions to memory so he wouldn't feel the need to ask Belial for help again.

People had it so easy; dressing every day like they did. They dressed so often that they could pull on jeans and button them up without thinking.

Coilean's hands lifted to help the Hound. Like Tuzik, his fingers had slowly begun to curl in a shape reminiscent to a paw. He'd been walking around on his hands and knees so often that he felt so much more comfortable with his hands curled like paws.

Tuzik crawled over to him quickly, his pants scuffing along the floor, dangling off of one of his legs which he had managed to put through the wrong hole.

The hound sat in a way that allowed his pants to be pulled up over his hips.

Clothes were such a new thing to him, for so many years he had been trained to stay in his demon form, padding around on his paws, he knew that body so well, he was sturdy and moved effortlessly, this body seemed so clumsy and wrong, but he wanted to learn how to use it properly.

Coielan pulled the Hound's jeans up over his hips and tugged at the zipper.

His lips pursed in concentration as he fumbled with the button a little before finally getting it buttoned up.

There.

"You're done," he informed, resting a hand on top of Tuzik's head and ruffling his hair affectionately.

"Thank you."

The creature murmured in a low rumble as he leaned into the man's touches.

One day he would learn to use his hands properly, but it would take a long time.

Tuzik sat up, crawling onto the couch and nestling into the man's lap, licking at his neck and jawline softly.

Coilean smiled as his neck was lapped at.

It was strange; being shown little signs of submissiveness like this. He wasn't used to it any more.

He was always the one curled up in his Master's lap, licking at his throat and nipples. Being the one receiving that treatment was strange now.

His fingers stroked through the Hound's hair as he lounged back against the couch.

This was inbuilt into the hound now, he didn't show signs of dominance, he wouldn't do anything like that unless he was told my Lyo it was alright to do so.

Loud purring sounded from the creature as he curled up in the man's lap, obviously thinking he was a much smaller dog than he really was.

He nuzzled in against him, enjoying all of these gentle strokes, he liked this man, he understood him, he was nice, not like the other one, that one that shared his appearance.

Coilean had no problems with the Hound curling in his lap like this.

It wasn't uncomfortable even though Tuzik was a few inches taller than he was. Lycan had strength on their side. He could deal with the Hound curled on his lap like a puppy.

He did, however, decide that he wouldn't be doing this with Belial. He doubted the Fallen would be amused with him shuffling around in his lap like this.

He'd stick to laying his head in the man's lap when he wanted attention.

"Tuzik like you."

He muttered, looking up at the man through his thick fringe, clearly he refused to have it cut.

The hound enjoyed this, it was nice to be able to spend time with people, this man was clearly a Lycan, he could smell wolf's fur on his skin.

Like any pup he was already debating dragging him out into the yard to play.

"Tuzik. Your name's Tuzik?"

it had just occurred to him that they hadn't shared names, even after he had found out that the Hound could speak English.

"My name's Coilean."

Realising that his name could be difficult for someone who wasn't familiar with Celtic, Coilean smiled. "But you can call me Lean." It was an easier name to pronounce.

Tuz nodded softly as Coilean spoke, yes, that was his name, small interactions like this was getting easier now, he could communicate to them and know what they were asking, he had come quite a long way.

"Lean."

He replied, he could say that easily enough, perhaps since Coilean looked like that other Lycan he would know of his other friend.

"Lean knows Maccon?"
He asked, tilting his head slightly.

Maccon.

Aodh's dog, Maccon?

"Maccon the husky?" he asked to clarify. His brother's husky dog. He shouldn't be so surprised the Hound knew his brother. Aodh was pretty well known in the mansion. Just about everyone who ventured into the kitchen knew him.

Coilean had just been so distant from everyone who wasn't Belial, Zakhar or Asher that he was surprised that people knew people he knew.

Tuzik nodded as he looked up at the man, if he had a tail in this form it would be happily swaying against the couch.

He wanted this man to meet his Master, they could be friends and play outside together, chasing birds or playing fetch.

"We go outside and play, after reading?"

He asked as he looked down at the man's book, his had far too many words and no pictures, he had no interest in reading that one.

"She is my brother's dog."

He missed the dog. Back when he and Aodh were a package deal, he always had Maccon around. Perhaps he'd find the dog out to play with her for a while. He missed her.

Coilean's eyes flickered from the page of his book as the fingers still stroking through Tuz's blood red hair stilled.

Going out to play.

He hadn't played when he was in a human mindset for months.

"In a bit we'll go out and play."

He wondered if he could find out Belial and see if he wanted to play with them. Running around and pouncing on Tuzik as he chased his favourite ball and tormented Belial sounded more fun than throwing a stick around for Tuz.

"Not allowed to play with Maccon."

He muttered, pursing his lips a little, it still upset him, Maccon was a nice girl, he liked her but Aodh was mean to him and he had decided to stay away from them so he didn't get in trouble.

The Hounds smiled at the man's decision to play in a little bit, he was happy with that.

Perhaps he should read a book of his own while he waited.

Tuzik jumped off the couch and padded over to a shelf where he knew a few books he could read were kept.

He pulled one out and nudged it along the floor with his nose until he was sprawled out at Coilean's feet.

It was a child's book, with large lettering, short sentences and bright pictures.

Carefully he pushed open the first page and began to read slowly, muttering the words gently under his breath.