Hayley

[thisismybar]

Ric was... happy. Being able to sleep with Hayley -and really just sleep, god knew the sex wasn't lacking- even with Damon acting as a guard dog, had been good for him. No new bodies turning up, not missing chunks of time, those were pretty good, too. They weren't quite enough for him to let his guard completely down, but he didn't think there was going to be a whole lot of sleeping going on tonight, anyway.

And if there was, well, tonight Hayley would be even more equipped to play guard dog and take care of him. Elijah's reassurance helped keep that one metaphorical and mildly amusing.

He dumped the last load of camping gear onto the ground, and looked up at the sky to check the weather. "I don't think we're going to have to worry about being rained on tonight, but we should probably set up the tent." Who knew what tomorrow would bring,and it would be easier to relax somewhere enclosed. And limit bugs.

Comments

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley fell into a deeper sleep, as well. Yes, she'd made herself a bed by the fire with his shirt, but sleeping on him was better than his shirt by yards. The moon started setting, though, and pulled her back to wakefulness.

A little whimper escaped as she shifted away from him--not really with any thought, but curling in on herself.

[thisismybar]

The whimper roused Ric, even more than her moving away. He propped up on one elbow and rubbed a hand over his face. It didn't take much for him to recognize that time had passed, or figure out what was going on. He lightly, and briefly, brushed his fingers over her fur, but otherwise stayed still. "I'm here." No idea if she could hear that, but he was there, and he wasn't going anywhere.

[littlewolf_girl]

She heard, and whimpered again, before the first bone cracked and she yelped, not as stoic as Hayley tried to be. She fought just as much to hold on, to stay, though, as the girl did. It was just as painful turning in reverse, and the wolf yelped more than a few times in panic and pain before she was a girl again, shivering a little bit on the ground--both cold and from the pain.

What the wolf's body endured more easily the other way, the girl didn't so well, and Hayley quite gratefully passed out as her body finished knitting itself back together.

[thisismybar]

Ric knew more what to expect this time, but it still made him flinch, sent his heart into his throat and broke it all at the same time. He waited until he was sure she was out, though, before he touched her. When he did, it was only to pick her up, carefully as he could, and move her into the pile of blankets in the tent.

[littlewolf_girl]

She moaned softly when he moved her anyway, shifting a bit, though mostly to curl into him. Tremors ran through her, and she instinctively curled into a ball when he laid her down again.

[thisismybar]

Ric didn't make any attempt to move her, or discourage her from curling up. He just very slowly curled up around her, from behind. No restraint, or anything like, just a quiet, steady and warm presence.

[littlewolf_girl]

His warmth was a comfort, easing her trembling some, and Hayley let it soothe her, sinking back under. She'd slept enough as a wolf that her body didn't need quite so much, just enough to finish healing and flood her system with endorphins.

She felt a little dizzy with them as she woke up, confused at first by the inside of the tent and trying to figure out where she was, but not scared--Ric's scent was everywhere in there, and he was at her back. She shifted more deliberately back into him, reaching back to snag his arm and wrap it around her.

"Hey..."

[thisismybar]

He gave her his arm and let her tuck it around her, fingers brushing her stomach. "Hey," he said, voice huskier than usual from sleep - or near sleep, at least. "How're you feeling?"

[littlewolf_girl]

"I'm okay," she said after a moment to assess the situation. She stretched a little, not pulling away from him but shifting, making sure everything was in working order. "How are you?"

She worried, somewhat consistently, that this was going to be too much for him, watching her, seeing her like this.

[thisismybar]

Ric loosened his grip on her to make sure she had room to move, but he didn't back away, either. "A little groggy," he admitted. "Hoping Damon really does bring coffee when he comes back...." He had brought coffee, but he didn't want to get up and make it.

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley froze mid-movement at the mention of Damon coming back and rapidly searched her memory, trying to sort through wolf-impressions which were slightly different than her own memory.

"Oh god...tell me I didn't bite him?"

[thisismybar]

"You didn't bite him. You did get protective and apparently do a pretty good job of herding me, but Damon's fine." He tightened his arm around her, just a little, in reassurance.

[littlewolf_girl]

She breathed a sigh of relief and settled back against him, then squirmed a little to roll over and snuggle into him properly, before giving him a quizzical look? "...Herding?"

[thisismybar]

"Herding," he repeated, smiling. "You did a good job of herding me away from the direction he'd gone." He kissed the tip of her nose. "It was sweet."

[littlewolf_girl]

She wrinkled her nose, then buried her face in his neck. "Oh, god. That's mortifying."

[thisismybar]

He laughed and tangled his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck. "I'm sorry.... But it really was endearing."

[littlewolf_girl]

"I'm glad you thought so..." She was still buried in his neck.

"Everybody back on two legs?" Damon's voice came from...a respectable distance away, in case she hadn't turned back.

[thisismybar]

"Everyone is on two legs,," he called back, stroking Hayley's hair. "But if you don't have coffee, I might bite your head off. Give us a second, here." He was joking. Mostly. Full moon nights were a little bit killer for him in a totally different ways. "You need help getting dressed? Stay in the blankets? How do you want to handle this?"

Besides, you know, him lunging at coffee like a rabid weasle.

[littlewolf_girl]

"You go get your coffee," she said, amusement sparkling. "I'll be out in a second."

Damon might've already seen everything, but that didn't mean she was going to make a habit of putting on a show.

[thisismybar]

"Okay," he agreed, kissed her softly and then crawled out of the blankets - and out of the tent, before he stood up. "Seriously, man. Coffee...."

[littlewolf_girl]

Damon was holding a coffee carrier and a box of donuts and held the coffee out to him. "You think I'd be stupid enough to show up here without it?"

Hayley was a little horrified, still, that she'd almost bitten him, even if she barely remembered it, but she pulled her jeans on and grabbed a tank top and shirt to wear over it. Boots tugged on and she figured she was as ready as she was going to get to face the day, without food, and moved out to join them.

[thisismybar]

Ric put the donuts down on one of the chairs they'd used the night before, and grabbed the coffee. "I was thinking more sadistic than stupid...."

[littlewolf_girl]

Damon shook his head. "I know better."

He looked up when Hayley emerged and gave her a wry smile. "I brought a peace offering?"

She gave him an embarrassed looks she moved to take the coffee. "I think that should be my job."

[thisismybar]

"I don't think it needs to be anyone's job." He moved the donuts so he could sit down and drink his coffee. "Shit happened. None of it had lasting consequences, beyond being a decent lesson and kind of cute."

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley gave him a grateful smile and settled in the other seat, taking her coffee and sipping it. "Thank you for bringing the coffee," she told Damon. "I think we packed some, but it's nice to have it already made..." She reached for the donuts with a happy sigh. "And this is perfect..."

'Cause, god, she's hungry, and Ric brought food, but instant gratification is win to hold it off.

"No problem," Damon said, looking around, and hauling a log over to sit on.