meds4sale | Open Post

He knew Arthur had enough weighing on his conscience that if ever it came down to it, the Medicine Seller would know what to do.

"Save your jealousy," he teased, pressing a kiss to his throat, running the washcloth over his chest and belly.

"A terrified teenage girl and her equally terrified family begging for an exorcism really are not the sorts to turn my head."

Another kiss to Arthur's shoulder over the bite scar.

"Astonishing how much just making sure she was well fed before moonrise and not chained up in a dark cellar managed to improve her temperament."

Arthur laid back as the man began to work the cloth over his stomach and belly, laying comfortably as possible in the little tub against him. The scrub of the cloth washed away grime and sweat, leaving him feeling better already. He was still pale and in need of several more filling meals before he was back to peak health, but with the medicine seller beside him, he was sure he was in the best care.

"Was she a bear too?" he asked, "For that matter, are there were-animals for every animal out there? Or just predatory ones?" He'd already stopped hunting bears for meat and pelts on the possibility he'd be doing it to another werebear. He knew the bastard that bit him was still likely out there somewhere as he'd come back to search the place after he'd patched himself up only to find, thanks to tracks, that the bear had gotten up and walked away.

"No, she was a wolf. That seems the most common. I have seen wild cats as well," he explained, "but you are the first bear I have met."

Though it was a good question; one would assume there were were-creatures for any sort of beast. Perhaps even were-chickens and were-deer? It did leave him to wonder in silence over the possibilities of something like a were-llama as he dabbed over the old bullet wound before dragging the cloth along Arthur's collarbone.

"I imagine most would be predatory; such are more likely to bite than a deer or horse."

Arthur nodded, then added, "Probably because the likelihood of surviving bear attacks is rare. I got lucky I think. A wild cat is just as hard to get away from once its got its teeth in yea so, good for them. Wolves, fairly easy I think." he chuckled then. "John got attacked by wolves up when we was hunkered down in Colter. Imagine if he got the curse and I was just gobbled by that bear." he said amused.

Then he thought on it a bit more. "Does the curse always take over when someone is about to die? Or does it vary from animal to animal?"

"I do not know," he said. "I would not rule it out. But there is often a few months between a bite and a change. It may very well have been a fortuitous eleventh-hour save, it may not have been."

He let his hands rove Arthur's torso under the pretense of washing him. Still thin, but he could feel muscle and sinew returning where there had been barely skin and bone last time they met. Best of all, the smell of death and disease had vanished.

"I doubt we will ever know for certain, but I am not too worried about your condition; you have strong control not only of yourself but of the changes themselves, and you are in a place where you are unlikely to come into much contact with humans. Vitality is returning to you, not leaving, and you seemed very comfortable in your own skin as a bear."

He rested his chin on Arthur's shoulder, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I do not say this often, but I am optimistic of the outcome."

He listened to the elaboration, apparently there was much the medicine seller didn't know himself but that they might find together.

He'd been prepared to die on that mountain, expected to without question, either by Micah's hand, or Dutch's, or the sickness having taken its final toll on him. He might have been more upset at the time if he hadn't been so confused and half starved by what he'd become. He hadn't revealed his curse-or maybe gift?-to Hamish what he was, but having him in his life during those early weeks was something to latch onto and keep him from falling into a dark hole.

Arthur entertained the idea of running into the medicine seller again but never thought it'd happen, figuring the man would continue east or head west again to peddle his wares and services.

He was glad to have been wrong. Now he got to spend, at least some weeks with the man he'd come to care about.

Arthur smiled, reaching up to caress the other's cheek and neck. "Hearin' it from you is reassuring." he said honestly.

"Mm. I have no doubt you could be dangerous if threatened, but that is the case when you are human as well," he said, wanting to make sure Arthur knew he had no illusions about him, even as he pressed a kiss into the other man's hand.

"But so far the evidence points to an even temper and capacity to distinguish friend and foe from food, lest you would have eaten the Murfrees and Buell already."

He let his hand travel lower, washing along the inside of Arthur's thighs and gently between his legs.

"I hope that gives you some peace of mind and an ideas on what to focus on...?"

He smiled, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he gave Arthur a playful squeeze.

Arthur closed his eyes with a sigh, which turned into a groan as the medicine seller worked his way down and then began to clean him between the legs. He parted them some, still listening to his reassurances about his predicament, though that was quickly fading.

He groaned again as he was touched, feeling heat begin to pool in his loins.

"Sure does..."

Encouraged by the groan, he gave Arthur a few light, teasing strokes as he mouthed kisses along his shoulder before letting go, fingers teasing over his hip bone.

"Head back, please. I can wash your hair, but I do not want to get soap in your eyes."

Arthur shifted again, holding onto the other's arm as he was teased so slow and light, then he stopped and let out a noise of disappointment.

Later then.

He grunted and sat up and tilted his head back obediently to allow him to wash his hair.

"Where'd you catch them fish by the way? Ain't had much luck catchin' any since the frost. Then again ain't much of a fisherman" he chuckled.

He cupped water in his hands, pouring it through Arthur's hair before smoothing it back in slow, languid motions.

"The rivers yet have some kokanee salmon left. I caught two in my traps, but it is getting a little late in the season to expect that kind of luck again."

He wet Arthur's hair again now that he'd combed away any snags and snares with his fingers, and then began to lather the soap in, massaging his scalp and using his nails to ever so lightly scratch.

"It will be time to do ice fishing very soon. I have not done it since I was last at Lake Akan during the winter."

Arthur was in heaven, the feel of his fingers threading through his hair had him closing his eyes, not bothered by the snags though grateful for how much care the other man was putting into it all. The smell of the soap and the other's light scratching of his scalp added to the wonderful treatment.

"Ain't sure how to ice fish." he admitted quietly, relaxed as could be as the medicine seller washed his hair. "But also ain't sure freezing my ass off for fish in winter would be worth it" he chuckled.

"Oh, however shall we find a way to keep you warm, I wonder...?" he teased, fingers working down to the fine hairs behind his ears and at the base of his skull.

"I will show you. If you are bundled, it can be quite relaxing, and the scenery here is lovely."

"I guess but unless you got furs in that magical box of yours, only ice fishin' I'll do is as a bear." he said

He sighed as the other massaged the soap down to the roots of his hair, taking his time, lathering every bit of it up.

"Why you takin' such good care of me?" he asked quietly.

Alas, no furs. Just a few changes of clothes, some of which may or may not fit Arthur.

"I am quite taken with you," he replied honestly. No sense in beating around the bush about it as he began to rinse the suds away, following their progress down his back. The freckles looked a bit faded this time of year, but he was sure they would be back in full force with the summer sun.

"There are many reasons for it, but above all, you have a way of making me feel at ease."

Probably not considering he had some height and width on the other man. They’d have to see, or skip it entirely until the thaw. They had plenty on land to feed them so it wasn’t a hard loss if they caught nothing.

“Taken with me?” He glanced over his shoulder. He hadn’t anyone like that since Mary. “Even knowing I’ve killed and hurt folk?”

The medicine seller had mentioned wanted posters so he knew Arthur had run with a lethal bunch responsible for the Blackwater Massacre and numerous other crimes. Still the self hating part of him was surprised anyone wanted to be with him, intimately and in general.

He was, for a moment, reminded of Ochou's question to his other self nearly a century prior.

Are you certain you want me? You want a convicted criminal as a wife?

He answered all the same.

"Mm. Even knowing such things."

Arthur turned some more, enough to lean in and kiss the other man softly on the lips.

He hoped it was enough to let him know he was grateful.

He smiled, caressing the other's cheek before turning back around to let him finish washing him up.

It was enough. He pressed into the kiss, one hand still buried in Arthur's hair, the other trailing down his chest.

Even before seeing the posters, the Medicine Seller had no illusions about the other man; he'd shot the Murfrees like he'd done it dozens, if not hundreds of times. He'd gotten the measure of him fairly quickly.

He'd been quick and efficient, and hadn't seemed to take an ounce of pleasure in it.

There was a saying about idealists and cynics on the tip of his tongue, but that was, at the moment, preoccupied with probing Arthur's lips.

When the other man settled back, he finished rinsing out his hair, giving it a light pat-down with a towel before adding a bit of oil. Soap could be harsh on hair at even the best of times, and so it was good to help things along.

He'd hoped he was harder to read than that during those times, not wanting the-then stranger to get wind of his hefty bounty and end up coming after him. Even as a bear he didn't think he'd have a chance against someone who could make him see all the wrongs he'd done in his life with a puff of smoke.

Arthur allowed the pampering without further interruption, the care the medicine took with hair of all things was interesting but also accounted for the man's own long very well kept locks.

Once oiled up, he spun around once more. "My turn?" he asked, pressing a kiss against the man's lips.

It probably helped the Medicine Seller was supremely uninterested in money, distrustful of authority at the best of times, and had seen Arthur's better nature early on. The former two alone were enough to keep him from even considering betraying him, and the latter had him gladly deciding to remain at his side.

The Medicine Seller cradled his cheek as they kissed, his other hand on his shoulder as, once Arthur was turned, he could settle in his lap.

The water left him feeling warm and lazy, and Arthur was a solid and comfortable presence to lean into, and so he did, bare chest to Arthur's as he passed him the cloth.

"By all means, I am at your disposal."

Arthur would be grateful for that. With his death, he'd resolved to keep up what Sister Calderone had told him, and to avoid the law he had to keep under the radar as well.

Fortunately it seemed in this area of the world the only problems he'd had were with Murfrees, and even then hardly because they seemed just as terrified as anyone when a big fucking bear came charging at them.

As the medicine seller settled against him, Arthur started to wash him up, doing his best to take his time, running the newly lathered cloth over the man's shoulders and then chest.

"Just how old are you anyway? You talk as though you've lived for centuries."

Arthur's ministrations felt profoundly good - so much so that the Medicine Seller couldn't help but arch his back as a content sigh escaped him.

"A little longer than that, I think. I cannot put an exact number on it though."

He gathered his hair, pulling the damp mass aside so Arthur had better access. He let a hand fall under the hot water, gliding lazily along the inside of the other man's thigh.

"...Does that trouble you?"

Imagine being so old one couldn't recall how old. He thought Hosea and Dutch and uncle were old men but they were less than babies compared to this one.

"Nah, just curious." he said, running the cloth over one pec then the other, teasing a little bit over his nipples before making his way down to his belly.

"Was you always a fox, or was you human first?" he asked.

He watched the progress of the washcloth from under hooded lashes, nipples stiffening from the gentle attention. There had been a steady heat in his loins since Arthur had first brought him inside and kissed him, but it had been background noise to the dozens of louder emotions; joy, relief, curiosity, affection...

Lust had taken a bit of a backseat, but it seemed to be creeping towards the front.

"I began as a fox. Small and pale, I suppose my mother thought it kinder to leave me to the late frosts than the inevitable jaws of some beasts. Humans thought otherwise, and raised me first as a kit, and then a child when my form... changed."

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