Dystopian Future

Ezra followed Zemin downstairs, not that he needed any help as soon as he left their room. He had learned the amount of step down the stairs, and through the corridor, even if he was careful. Everything really was strange when he was blind, how he acted differently, and how he walked differently. Sure he wasn't like other blinds, but he still needed to walk with care and count and shit when he couldn't see. When he had the spirits around he didn't do such thing, not needed. He turned towards the direction the voice of Zemin's sound came, he most likely didn't look at the wolf, but at least in his direction.
"No you did not. I wasn't joking, I would have kicked you down from the sofa. Alec may found it adorable for some fucking reason, I do not" he told him honestly, as they continued walking, towards what he understood was his office, but seeing they needed food, or mostly the wolf and he didn't had any in his office he continued walking towards the kitchen.
"No need to apologise, and well sure you may be the reason, seeing I am unused to sleep next to someone, besides the spirits, it was my choice. I could have left whenever I wished for and walked downstairs to get some sleep, but I didn't, so don't blame yourself" he told the wolf manage to find him so he could pat him. He didn't wish Zemin to feel bad because of it, seeing he wasn't to blame.

"EZRA" Jax almost jumped him when they got to the kitchen, but he managed to contain himself enough, not making the shaman fall once more.
"Good morning" he patted the wolf before Jax went over to great Zemin as well, wagging his tail, as they had been absent for weeks, and not seen him a few hours ago.
"Urg" Rivik stated slowly walking into the kitchen. "You look like shit"
Ezra turned towards the fox.
"You are part of the reason" he answered before he started making some tea.
"I am..." Rivik started but seemed to remember yesterday and stopped. "Shit, I am sorry Ezra. Wow did I really do that?"
"You did. Last time I take any of you drinking"
"We had fun" Jax commented as he spun around, almost as he still was affected by the alcohol.
"You two did. I remember being cold as hell, feeling sick"
"I am so sorry, are you feeling better?" Rivik jumped on top of the counter, looking at him.
"I am. Actually it's thanks to Zemin" he started and he could told that Rivik glared at Zemin, trying to figure out how that was possible. "Um... thanks for that Zemin. I know I can be a pain in the ass, but despite being scary, it was also nice, so really, thanks"
He patted the wolf once more as he meant every word. It had been more pleasant than he thought it would. Not that he would make a habit out of it, still feeling a bit weird having someone taking care of you. But he still needed to thank the man, none the less.

Had Ezra actually thanked him for trying to take care of him? At least it seemed like it and to be honest, it felt hella nice to get some appreciation for a change.
To be honest I’m just glad I didn’t end up drooling all over you, Zemin admitted and started leaving small kisses all over Jax's face as the spirit went up to him. The rough tongue stroke across the white fur and up between the ears. Stupid instincts, they really were annoying as hell. Even worse almost.
Not because that’d been ridiculously awkward, but because you’d pushed me down from the sofa and onto the floor..and I prefer the couch over the cold, hardwood floors, he continued and snorted. No laying on top of the floor wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable thing in the entire universe. Of course the fur ended up making almost every surface feel softer and somewhat comfortable, however the wolf was kind of a snob. He liked being comfortable, liked being able to snuggle himself to sleep in a soft bed next to Alec. Maybe that wasn’t something most people’d refer to as being snobby behaviour, but the werewolf actually thought of it as a privilege. Because he knew how it could be and how badly life could actually treat you if it came to that.
Anyways, Zemin continued after staying quiet for awhile. Do any of you want breakfast? I’m literally starving since it’s almost lunchtime and I never skip breakfast, he explained and was shortly thereafter backed up by the rumbling of his stomach. See? I truly am starving.

“Why don’t you go and get some food if you’re that hungry?” Xue asked as he entered the room, followed by Alec.
I don’t know..maybe because I’m waiting to be fed since I’m obviously too stupid to feed myself? Zemin pondered and gave his brother a very nasty look.
“Hey, you're the one choosing to interpret it like that”, the younger one exclaimed and rolled his eyes as well. Irritated much? No, not at all.
To some extent I guess, but I know what you think about me and my puppy behaviour, so don’t act like you don’t! The wolf immediately replied and snorted loudly.
“Can you two stop fighting? It’s really starting to get on my very sensitive nerves. Like I can’t even begin to think about who’s side I’m even on”, Alec complained which made both brothers stop. Sometimes they forgot the fact that other people could hear them, and the word sometimes was a real understatement.

Ezra could tell that Rivik was about to answer something, most likely taunting, but he kept quiet for some reason. Maybe because he knew that Ezra would tell him off after yesterday, or maybe because he was pleased on some level that Zemin had helped Ezra. The shaman didn't know, but and he didn't ask either. He was just pleased that the fox didn't started an argument. He was surprised by that, seeing he normally never cared about that, but maybe it was due too everything Zemin had done too him, and was willing too do. The werewolf was going too help him take down the vampire, and Ezra didn't wish for Rivik too be rude to him because of that. At least not now, he was sure that it was moments when he wouldn't tell the fox off, but at the moment, he wasn't in the mood for Rivik's way.
"But would you really be cold on the floor?" Ezra wondered, seeing the wolf had his fur. He was sure it was situation where the wolf would freeze, like in extreme weather, but where they lived such weather didn't exist. "I would have loved if I had a fur to keep me warm all the nights I slept on the floor"
He didn't wish to be a werewolf, being perfectly happy with what he was, but he must admit that the fur was one of the things he would have liked if he was one. Ezra raised an eyebrow.
"I can't make food appear out of thin air" he answered as he started to heat water, preparing his tea.

Ezra stayed out of the brothers conversation, having nothing to say, not even when Alec asked them to stop. He wouldn't have done so, but seeing that the ghoul was friends with both, maybe he really felt bothered by it. Ezra himself hadn't taken the words to serious, but what did he knew. He wasn't even really sure how people argued, well not without hating each other, and what the guards did to him wasn't really arguing. He never spoke back, unless they demanded it, so well another thing he wasn't really sure about. But when the brothers silenced Jax walked over to Xue, wagging his tail.
"Hi" the wolf said before turning to Alec, seeing almost as happy. Ezra heard Rivik mutter something, but not the words.
"Can't say what food is left in the fridge, but if nothing is to your liking" he started before he made some money appear in his hands, and he placed them on the counter. "Go and buy something that is to your liking"

No, someone like Zemin rarely got cold to be honest. It’d take quite a lot to make him shiver or clatter his teeth, especially while in his true form. Wolves weren’t exactly known for walking around freezing, rather the opposite. When the temperatures in the city rose, the fur often felt too warm and the strands of hair were way too thick. Sometimes it’d feel as if he was constantly sitting in a huge, hot sauna.
I always feel cold but I’m almost never actually cold..I just like to be comfortable, okay?, the wolf muttered and rolled himself up on the floor. Good job, he’d just talked about how he liked being comfortable and now he did the exact opposite.
“Because the floor looks really comfortable, doesn’t it?” Xue pointed out with a loud snort.
“That’s pretty irrelevant though”, Alec quickly said before Zemin was able to protest. “I mean he likes to be comfortable but wolves have a tendency to be able to feel comfortable almost everywhere”, he explained while giving Jax a whole bunch of smooches, squatting down before the spirit.
So the first thing you do is giving Jax a bunch of kisses? Wrong wolf, stupid, Zemin complained which made the ghoul turn his attention towards the darker wolf.
“Jealous much?” The red haired man wondered and raised an eyebrow, before allowing his hands to run through the thick fur. “You’re such a child sometimes, which is ironic since you’re older than me.” Very ironic actually, but neither of them payed any mind to that small fact. Mostly because the older one often tended to act his real age around Alec, trying to prove himself as a mature adult. That was how it’d been before, when they’d attended the same university. Things really do change, don’t they?

When Ezra turned the subject towards food and made the money appear, the conversation faded away into silence.
We can’t take your money, Zemin said and turned his amber gaze to the shaman.
“Keep in mind he’s saying that even though he’s literally starving”, Xue said, while his fingertips played with the white fur on top of Jax’s head. “And you know..we aren’t exactly helpless”, he continued with a crooked, bleak, smile. “The childish puppy to the left of your feet has quite a lot of dough stashed away. Maybe we could even pay you a monthly rent for allowing us to stay in the attic? Or well..at least you get the point that I’m trying to make.”
Pay Ezra back? How much would the renting do the attic even cost? Probably a lot, seeing how it was close to the river and very open and large. It was a nice set of rooms, with a big bathroom and fireplace. And if one was tall enough to get to the view, it was a real beautiful sight. At least when the fog wasn’t cluttering up the windows.
Xue, are you actually dumb? That money is what’s keeping you enrolled! Without it, I wouldn’t be able to pay for your education, which isn’t cheap”, the darker wolf exclaimed and glared nastily towards his younger brother.
“I..wait what? You’re actually using it for that purpose?” Xue asked and immediately stopped squishing the white wolf’s cheeks.
[i]I am, Zemin answered and stood up, making Alec fall onto his butt with a loud thud.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked and shook his head, not allowing his dark brown eyes to leave the amber ones.
“Because he didn’t want to put any pressure on you”, the ghoul hastily explained before carefully retrieving the money from the counter. “I’ll go buy food..Anybody wanna follow?”

Ezra continued stirring the tea inside the cup, he understood him to some extent, how you could feel something without feeling it. Like he felt the pain without feeling it. It was a strange thing really, but none the less it often felt real.
"Good thing you have a comfortable room than" Ezra only answered, he was pleased that the brothers had somewhere comfortable to stay, and once again he was surprised he cared about such things. That Normally he pasted people on the streets, not looking at the twice and how they lived, and yet he wished for the brothers to be comfortable. He pushed those thoughts aside, feeling it was to early for them. It wasn't early, not really, but he was tired after a night without sleep, and all he really wanted to do was go home and sleep, but since he couldn't do that right now, the tea had to do. He took the cup to his lips and sipped from it, feeling the warm fluid making it's way down his throat, and even if it was impossible, he got the feeling of energy right away. It was an illusion, he knew that, but he rolled with it none the less.

He stayed out of the conversation, feeling that he had nothing to ad, and even if he couldn't see, not using either spirits eyes at the moment, he could tell how disgusted Rivik was. Maybe it was because the fox wasn't big on contact, or because of how they acted. Ezra didn't care at the moment, still debating with himself if he should forgive the fox or not. He knew he would in the end, but at the moment he didn't really felt like it.
"Oh yeah, it's like you knocked me down and robbed me, not like I handed you the money, no not at all" Ezra said sarcastic to Zemin, rolling his eyes. "I offered you the money, and I have more than I can ever spend, at without going out of my way to do so"
It wasn't like he had infinite of money, but enough for him to make him through life without a problem, and giving the other three some money for food wouldn't change that, not at all.
"Never said you were helpless, and I say that Zemin helping me with the vampire is enough to make up for the few things I am offering you. So keep your money" he stated, having no intention asking for money, just because they used the attic.
"I am surprised by your reaction Xue, isn't that something families does, help you pay for school, thought you would know that" Ezra said, almost in a teasing, none offensive way. Even if he didn't knew the brothers all to well, he wasn't the least surprised hearing that Zemin payed for Xue's education. And he had learned over the year that it often was the case, seeing that the students was to young to pay for it themselves.
"Can I come?" Jax asked, stroking himself against Ezra.
"If Alec finds your company bearable, you can go" Ezra said, leaving it up to the other man.

Yes, it was a rather good thing that the brothers had one bed each, heating and a lot of space to spread out across - however not in a literal sense. Or well, they did spread out a lot but mostly because Xue was so goddam messy all the time. Zemin was never able to resist the urge of cleaning up the younger wolf’s constantly created chaos. Not to any full extent at least.
I mean it’s comfortable but not really necessary. And to be completely fair there used to be a time when we literally had nothing, so why not live life to its fullest when we have the chance? Even if this life isn’t actually a life, considering all the restraints and threats lurking around every fucking corner. Jesus, i cant even deal, the older wolf mumbled and let out a sigh, rolling his eyes before stretching out across the floor.
“You’re living life to it’s fullest? That’s so fucking bull! All you do is sleep, eat and apparently give up everything for my stupid education”, Xue answered and crossed his arms over his slim, yet muscular chest. “The only thing that’s gotten better for you is that you’re not trying to force off the change..which is quite an accomplishment when taking into account how much you used to hate it”, he continued and looked down towards Jax. Maybe it was kind of odd how the younger one never had understood how much Zemin actually cared and provided for him? But the guardian in question had never told him, so that was an essential part to that equation.
“You know, Zemin doesn’t really like when people know he’s actually really kind and sweet. He always keeps on trying to make everyone think he’s harsh and powerful to maintain his image..guess that applies to his brother as well, even though Xue clearly knows how much of a puppy he is. Their relationship has always been kind of odd, so don’t even think about questioning it”, Alec explained and grinned lightly. Nobody except the wolves themselves understood, and sometimes even they became confused over their own actions and ways.

Jax’s question hung in the air for quite a while. Almost a minute had managed to pass by when the ghoul finally opened his mouth again, to answer him.
“You wanna go with me? Sure, I could use some company, so why not?” He said and smiled briefly.
“I wanna come too, so I can feel at least a bit useful”, Xue muttered and straightened himself out, brushing off his pants as he did so.
Oh stop that, will you? Zemin exclaimed and clutched his jaws. Don’t make a whole thing out of it, please. When mom and dad got murdered someone had to make sure you were going to make it, and that person just happens to be me..it’s what they’d have wanted so it’s what I’m going to do, the wolf finished and thereby put an end to the discussion. The younger one, in turn, starred at the floor for quite some time before he smiled and gave a short nod.
“You know I love you, right?” He wondered and raised an eyebrow, looking at the wolf with the same grin over his lips.
Of course I do..but right now I’m starving so if you wanna go with them, you better get going.
And with that final sentence the two friends started making their way out from the room, towards the front door. Nobody wanted to stay too long in a room with a hungry Zemin. That would simply never end well, nope. Never.
Hey, you wanna share some of that miracle tea? The wolf in question asked and looked up towards the shaman, after giving Rivik a quick glare.

Ezra nodded, understanding what the wolf talked about.
"Even with threats around us, it a better life than some others have. And life has been worse than it is now, won't you say?" Ezra wouldn't change the things he faced now for the life he had lived before, because this was actually a life. He was free, he could do as he pleased, he was his own. Before he escaped, it wasn't a life, he didn't even felt alive, and how could he had? "And comfortable isn't necessary, but it makes life better, the smallest things often does"
He didn't walked around enjoying the feeling of life every day, rarely did, but it was because he didn't thought about it. He was pleased with what he had, and he didn't took it for granted, but he wasn't one of this fools who enjoyed every minute of life, like they were high. That was unrealistic, seeing everything bright and happy, enjoying every breath you took.
"Who can say how you live your life to it's fullest Xue? That's a subjective view, some will describe the things you just did, as living the life to it's fullest" Ezra couldn't hinder himself from teasing the younger man a bit. He agreed that he didn't thought of it as living your life to it's fullest, but some people may. Some people would consider the possibility to eat everyday, that you lived your life to it's fullest. Ezra was pleased that Zemin seemed to have accepted the transformation to some extent, seeing how they met the first time, and how bad it was than.
"Aren't we all keeping up appearances? And maybe it's not for others, but for us self, trying to be who we want to be for different reasons?" Ezra asked before he patted Zemin on his head. "However, if that's the appearances he wish to keep up, he should stop behaving like such a puppy"

"I do! I like seeing the town and get to know new people" Jax wagged his tail, happy that he was allowed, Ezra just shook his head. His two spirits was so different. Rivik wouldn't have gone with the men unless Ezra really forced him, Jax was happy to do so, glad that he could met someone new, and see a town he had seen so many times before.
"When you are out, you can deliver this" Ezra made some amulets appear, which he handed over to the wolf who gladly accepted.
"Of course" he stroke himself against Ezra who patted the wolf, before he just listened to the siblings conversation, wondering if people who loved each other needed to state or ask if it was known? Maybe it was a common thing, or maybe did that because they didn't know if their love was shown, however it was something that soon left his mind, seeing it wasn't interesting and Zemin soon spoke to him.
"I can do that" he told Zemin as he found his way to a bowl and poured some into it. "Let me cool it off for you"
Ezra waved his hands and made the tea a bit colder, not completely, but enough for the wolf to drink it, before he placed it on the floor.

That was almost a given considering the world they lived in, wasn’t it? There were many, many people that had it a whole lot worse than they did. People being kept in prison, being tortured over and over again until they lost every single ounce of common sense. Beings forced to loose their humanity by being kept in captivity for research purposes. Any life that only revolves around pain and virtually nothing else was barely worth living.
Yeah, life’s been a whole lot worse and of course there are many people who live in poverty, whom clearly have it worse than any of us do, Zemin agreed and looked at the tea during the following silence. Slowly but surely he could hear how the rain started falling outside and how the wind howled in the distance. At least that meant there’d be no fog for the time being, even if it would most likely arrive after the storm. Almost as if it’d been a request. The city might’ve been a very odd scene to live at, but it sure was predictable. After every storm with rain and wind the fog crept over the buildings. He was more than sure that the thunder would join in sooner or later, as it always ended up doing. Down in the souther parts of the land it was totally different. One was rarely able to predict the terrors of the world there, just the same as up in the north. Different climates always bring different stories, which was a fact in the world they all resided in.

When the shamans hand carefully stroke over the dark fur on the wolf’s head, small chills immediately traveled up his spine. Not because it was scary or uncomfortable, but more because it was a total surprise. He wasn’t used to Ezra touching him on his own accord. The wolf was almost always the one seeking contact with the older and not the other way around.
I guess we’re both bad at keeping up appearances? You know you just touched me by your own will, right? Zemin wondered and gave the man a long, confused look. It was just so extremely weird and the wolf wasn’t fully able to grasp what had just happened. Fuck, how did Ezra always mange to completely fuck up his thoughts? Because goddam it was seriously starting to get on the younger ones nerves.
Without realising it, the confused look soon turned into an intensive glare and the body froze into some kind of weir stance.
Not that im not thankful for the tea, but you confuse me more than I confuse you..and I’m fucking sure of it, he complained and continued with his nasty starting. However he softened up after maybe a minute or so and started licking up the tea from the bowl. Perfect temperature, just as he’d expected coming from the shaman in question. But he wouldn’t had been surprise if Rivik somehow needed up making it boiling hot. Not even a tiny bit. Even if the spirit wasn’t actually a fox, he still couldn’t stop thinking about the old saying: wolves and foxes don’t get along. It just seemed to bounce around inside his head and return a loud echo every time it did so. Really annoying.

Ezra didn't need to see to know that Zemin stared at him, he felt it, and he wasn't sure of what to think about it. It didn't made him feel uncomfortable, not that it made him feel good either, just strange.
"Depends, seeing that I have very few close people I need to keep up any appearances too, seeing it's easy to fool people, and I am not sure what appearance I keep up towards you" he confessed, being the truth. It was easy enough to fool people on the streets that he was a blind, helpless, normal human, but towards the brothers. He didn't even knew what kind of appearance he showed them, he was mostly himself, the same way he was at home, but maybe he fooled himself there as well, however he didn't know how. He had no idea in which way he fooled himself, so maybe he didn't fool himself, or he was just that good. "Actually, I didn't thought of it"
Ezra grabbed his own hand, surprised as he never thought he would do something like that, and couldn't understand why he had done it. It wasn't unpleasant, just strange. But he had started to get used to that so much around the other man was strange, maybe even accept it, seeing it wasn't something he could change, unless he stopped meeting Zemin, something he at the moment didn't feel like. He knew that could and may even happen depending on what the wolf did and how he reacted, but at the moment he didn't felt like it.

"I am unsure of what any of it has to do with the tea" Ezra stated and he could feel that Rivik smirked at those words, but he was still silent, as he drank his own tea. "And how can you be sure of that?"
Ezra turned towards the wolf, even if he couldn't see him, so he may not look at him, but at least in his direction.
"My behavior may be unlike others, that's true, doesn't mean you don't have more experiences about any social situation than I have. You know how to normally react to things, response to them and how to make them work. I can fake to some extent, or behave as I have learned, still make everything I am unused to confusing, which is most things. So doesn't matter how confused I make you, I am sure you make me more confused" he informed him, almost smiling over his own words, like he had made it sound like a competition. "However it wasn't my intention to make you confused, so if whatever it is that bothers you, let me know and I will stop"

To be honest, Zemin was very confused by Ezra. The other man seemed to have a talent for making his thoughts crumble and brain boil with questions. Sooner or later it’d probably start oozing from his ears and spill out on the floor. Actually that wouldn’t end up being the weirdest thing that ever happened to him, which was kind of sad considering his young age.
Well we’re two when it comes to that..you always keep changing your behaviour around me. One moment you want me to go away and the next you seem to change your mind totally about that, the wolf muttered and rolled his eyes. Very confusing, least to say.
But since you actually just grabbed your own hand, I guess you’re equally as confused, aren’t you? He continued and snorted. Then he fell silent and thought for a moment. No, it wasn’t uncomfortable for him to be caressed by the shaman. Not at all. Being touched by one’s mate was rarely a bad thing, or rather never a bad thing. It was impossible to explain, just as it’d been before. He himself was deeply riddled by the whole thing, but could do virtually nothing to change that. Maybe he could manage to find a book about it and read up on it? However the information there might not apply to his own experiences and feelings. Everybody was different, even werewolves like it or not.

No, it doesn’t bother me, Zemin finally admitted and shrugged. But I’m guessing you already knew that? He continued and walked a couple of rounds around the shaman. Eventually he stopped and pushed his head under one of the hands with something resembling a grin over his face.
You’re sure that I make you more confused? Hm, I guess. I have a tendency to be so adorable almost anyone could fall for me..apparently even you, which is kind of a surprise considering you really wanted nothing to do with me before.
The wolf soon thereafter continued forward, after his little speech, and then turned. Carefully he managed to jump up onto the desk where he sat down before starting to lick Ezras hair, cleaning it thoroughly. He probably stepped over the line yet again, but at the moment he really didn’t care wether he did or not. For some reason he just felt an urge to be extra close to the older man and spreading his own scent was an excellent way to do so.