Stubborn and the Mutt

nineteen | the feeling

He releases my chin completely, so I open my eyes to look at him. He bites his bottom lip as his hand raises to move dark strands from his face. "I wanted to thank you, firstly, for coming to my house. I'd like to think it was important to you, and so you couldn't wait until you saw me on Monday or something. I also want to thank you for considering this. Us. I can imagine it not being easy considering you now know what I look like if not in human form. It's not easy to digest but I think you did a great job... the second time. The first, I think you were close to passing out. And then you called me a dog—"

"You responded—"

"Only to give you a sense of control in the situation. And besides, you're my mate, I'm ought to listen to you and vise versa. However, like I am saying, you can't go calling them that. Dog, mutt or whatever. Those are trigger words."

I nod slowly. "I understand. I'm sorry, again. Do I need to also apologise to them? Just so they know."

"It's not needed. They assume I will talk to you about it. I also wanted to say thank you, again, for coming back to apologise, and then spending time with me and sharing your thoughts. Of course, we don't have a mind link so I couldn't respond back, but I heard you. I hear you. I appreciate that. I think that was... beautiful. And for petting me." I smirk when he nervously glances away and rubs his own head as though reminding himself of what it felt like. "That felt... nice. It's really nice. Thanks for that."

"Very strange, to be honest. Petting you."

He chuckles. "I know. That's also something I wanted to talk about. I know you said you're willing to give this time, and you also need time, and I can respect that. I also just need you to understand that, what I said about physical contact. I was being serious. Us wolves thrive on it, whether mates with each other or basic friends establishing that physical contact. Almost like yourself and Andrea."

"Yeah but with her it's kind of different. I know she likes physical contact but it's not because she is a wolf. I mean, she isn't one, she'd have told me. But she loves physical contact because that's her love language. I can accommodate that because we're best friends and we're comfortable with each other like that."

"That's up to the two of you— wait... you've seen her naked?"

I shrug. "I guess?"

"You guess?" Micah blinks at me for a bit, then huffs. "Has she seen you naked?"

I pout once again. "I guess."

"Mate."

"Not naked like butt-naked, but we've seen enough. I've done a bikini wax for her once." The both of us stare at each other with wide eyes. I have to clear my throat and forge a casual shrug. "Hypothetically. It didn't actually happen. Mentally, it did."

I think I'm seeing confusion on his face. "You've imagined giving her a bikini wax?"

"Let's forget I said anything." I pout. "Forget it. But I haven't seen her naked like naked naked."

"Anyway... my point is we thrive on physical contact. And some thrive on... things beyond the basic physical contact, if you get what I mean." I roll my eyes when he laughs at that. "We're not at that level and I can respect your boundaries. I just need us to come to a common ground with it as well. What we allow and what we don't. Limits and such."

Never thought I'd ever have a conversation as such, let alone with a wolf whose kind depends and needs intimacy. Is this what consent looks like? That's a bit confusion on my end.

"I mean, why would you ask me what my limits are?" I tilt my head a bit. "If you're a wolf... I don't know. I don't know."

"I've got to ask for your limits because you're also another being who is comfortable with some things and uncomfortable with other things." He looks at me weirdly. "I can't just cross boundaries, mate."