Mates of a Human

Part Two. Chapter Eight. Michael

The salmon that Eric prepared may just have become my favourite dish... well maybe second.. no third favourite dish. Gammon and venison steaks still remain my favourites.

Eric had made a little chive sauce to go with the fish and a side of green vegetables. He set the table, before urging us all to sit around it. I confess, we didn't bother using it all that often. My odd shifts and taxing hours meant that we were lucky to be together when we ate our meals, usually on trays in the living room with the television on. Eric never complained though.

Eric said something to Alex that made him giggle, it was one of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard. Not the high pitch giggle of a petite submissive trying to act all cute, but light laugh filled with honest joy. Eric placed the dishes onto the table with an exaggerated flourish, clearly showing off in front of our mate. I felt a little jealous that Alex had opened up so well to Eric, despite fainting because of him earlier, but that was all swept away when my boy smiled at me. Mesmerising. Eric coughed to recapture our attention as he sat down and told us to enjoy.

The salmon was tender and moist, becoming flaky when my fork pressed into the pink flesh. It burst into flavour on my tongue, but it lacked the bite of a steak, I was complaining inwardly when I heard a clatter of a fork falling upon china. "Are you alright?" Eric was asking Alex. My wolf whined pitifully when we noticed that Alex was pressing his fingers to his lips and tears were pouring down his shallow cheeks.

"Eric, you didn't add chilli flakes to the sauce, did you?" I asked, with a slight groan.

"I wouldn't do something so stupid!" He hissed at me, but then poked the sauce with his little finger and dabbed it on his tongue, before looking at me with a satisfied expression. Alex chuckled with a slight sobbing sound.

"I'm sorry," he sniffed, I grabbed him a piece of kitchen towel from the side in order to mop up his tears. He took it from me gratefully. "I didn't mean to cry, it's just it tastes delicious."

"Well I am good," Eric preened in jest. "But it's probably nothing to cry over."

Alex shook his head. "I'm not explaining this well," he said. "It's just that I haven't been able to taste anything in three years, so..."

"So, happy tears?" I asked. He nodded and wiped his eyes gently. I wonder what happened to make him lose his sense of taste?  He picked up his fork and proceeded to taste a little of everything on his plate. His eyes half closed and his tongue flickered out between his pink lips as he captured any flakes that attempted to escape him. Tiny moans of delight followed eat and every bite.  Eric and I both allowed our food to go cold, completely hypnotised by this little show. We were only unable to snap out of our reverence once every morsel upon his plate had gone.

"Were you not hungry?" He asked as he sat back on his chair rubbing his tiny stomach. We both glanced at our plates and at each other. Eric grinned and quickly polished off his meal. And I discovered that salmon was my third favourite meal.

*****

We curled up on the sofa in the living room, Eric and I on either side with Alex in between us.  We were still a little uncertain of Alex' stance on our three person mating, so we were only so close as to feel the warmth eminating from his body, but not so close as to touch him physically.  Although, I know we both longed to.  We were watching some sitcom or other, I can't say I was paying it much attention.  I don't think any of us were as none of the scenes were causing any laughter, either that or it just wasn't that funny.

"Sweetheart?" Eric called out this endearment and I'll be damned if Alex didn't turn to look at him.  That sly cat was already burying his way under our skittish mate's skin, if he kept that up, I suspect it wouldn't be long until he buried his way into his pants as well.  I felt myself harden at the thought.  "Would you tell me what happened three years ago to make you lose your sense of taste?"  This question had been on the tip of my own tongue since Alex' confession, but watching him enjoy his food had been too much of a distraction for me to ask it.