Learning One Another

Max blinked awake slowly, the lights in the living area had gone out from lack of movement and slowly came up when it noticed he was awake. The light was still dim and from the clock on the wall it was only an hour after midnight. He was pleasantly warm snuggled up against something incredibly soft. Blinking the sleep from his eyes he noticed something white and fluffy covering him like a blanket, it had two black stripes running its length. Max looked over his shoulder into a pair of blue eyes that were watching him intently. Suddenly Max felt apprehension and a touch of fear, but with further examination he realized it wasn't his and he looked at Swytch. "What happened?"

Swytch's emotions were a jumble. Hy had only wanted to protect Max and not really knowing what to do, hy had wrapped him in hys own essence to keep him safe and now... Now hy couldn't really tell where hy ended and Max began. Hy could feel his confusion, and a dawning understanding as he started to remember what had happened. Hy whispered, "I'm sorry, I was only trying to keep you safe."

Max blinked and thought to himself, "Why should you be sorry? I think you may have saved my life."  He was about to say this aloud when he heard, "Because of this. In trying to protect you, I think I bonded us together."  Max blinked and said aloud, "You can hear me? And I can hear you? Am I still dreaming??" Max could sense Swytch's trepidation and worry.

"When I blended your essence with mine in your mindscape to keep you safe, we were already joined subconsciously. After the walls fell, and you were safe, I wasn't able to separate our essences, our minds. I'm so sorry Max, I was only trying to keep you safe please don't hate me..." Swytch begged.

Actually, it helped calm his mind being able to really feel how Swytch felt, he could even hear hym calling hymself 'idiot' over and over again in the back of hys mind. What would hys parents say? They would be here tomorrow afternoon! He felt the edges of panic start to slide into hys mind and on impulse he rolled over to face Swytch and kissed hym which had the added benefit of making hys mind grind to a sudden halt. He leaned his head back from the kiss and managed to blush in the darkness.

"Sorry, for some reason I had this overwhelming urge to just kiss you?" Max admitted.

Swytch just groaned and put hys hands over hys eyes. "Actually, I was thinking I wanted you to kiss me and how nice it would be. Max, I am SO... SO... SO VERY sorry. I'll get this fixed, I promise. I take full responsibility... I'll... I..." and that was when Max gently wrapped his hand around Swytch's muzzle being careful not to get bit and then held it gently closed to quiet hys protestations.

"Do you really care about me so much that you would be willing to lose yourself if I went mad just to save me?"  he thought at Swytch. He saw flickers of images running through hys brain and then Swytch looked into his eyes and nodded very minutely. He could sense in hys mind a very small voice chanting 'please-don't-be-mad-please-don't-be-mad-please-don't-be-mad' over and over again. He leaned his forehead against Swytch's and something like a bridge opened wider and through it he tried to pour his gratitude, his joy, his acceptance, and his feelings for what Swytch meant to him.

Swytch was overwhelmed with the flow of emotions and feelings that poured into hym from Max. Max was just as scared as hy was but he chose to accept what would happen. When he poured forth his feelings, hys heart seemed to stop for a moment before going into overdrive as hy grabbed him with all four legs and both arms pulling Max against hym. He rested Max's head against hys chest as hy laid hys head atop his just hugging him close to hym. Max tentatively wrapped his arms around Swytch hugging hym back and he could feel Swytch relax into him.

"I think this is going to take a little getting used to. Tomorrow maybe we should sit down and establish some ground rules and try to add a little order to what is now our chaos?" he asked curiously wanting Swytch's opinion.

Swytch nodded against his head in agreement. "That is a very good idea; we should probably get some sleep though," hy said reluctantly

Slowly they unwound from each other and giving each other another hug, this one with a lot less limbs, split up and headed towards their respective rooms. Each climbed into bed and laid there staring at the ceiling. Each feeling a bit lost and not really knowing why or what to do about it. Then Max felt a spike of loneliness come from someone that wasn't him and he had to admit he felt it too. Max got up and padded silently to Swytch's door and tapped lightly on it in case hy was asleep but an all too quick response disabused him of that notion. "Come in?"

Max palmed the door open and saw Swytch laying there on hys bed staring at him and he fidgeted, "Ummm... Well..." He looked up from his fidgeting trying to get the right words to come out.

"I'm lonely too. Come to bed, Max,"  Swytch's hesitant voice echoed in his mind and he watched hym scoot over a bit. Like a high school kid on his first date, Max went over to Swytch's bed and laid down on one side giving Swytch plenty of room on hys side. Max heard Swytch mutter something about humans and with an "EEP!" Swytch drug Max closer wrapping him in hys soft, warm fur and a gentle rumbling could be felt, almost like a purr. With that, they both fell into a restful sleep.

Max woke before Swytch did. He lay in bed snuggled against hys warm fur as his brain started to slowly come online all the way. He lay there thinking about the events that preceded everything, trying to make sense of it all. The entire confrontation in his mind had seemed to take days but in reality, had only taken a few minutes to the outside world. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he could feel Swytch's gentle presence in his mind, hys sleeping consciousness just as snugly attached to his as was hys body against his. He lay there examining everything from Swytch's point of view, for he could see it now, he saw Robert motioning to his guards to hand out weapons to the crowd, he saw the struggle of human versus morph as the two crowds pushed against one another then he heard the shot echo against the buildings again. He saw the wolf morph slowly crumple to the ground, there he stopped the playback. He slowly rewound the memories to the time of the shot and paused it there. Using Swytch's unique abilities and perspective, he stepped outside himself and examined the crowd, something he had been unable to do during the fervor that had happened that day. Max looked at each and every face in the crowd that was faced off against the morphs and then he saw it.

One of Robert's guards was slightly behind the first row, eyes locked on the wolf morph. The crowd was too thick to examine any more closely. Even though he had been there and he had seen and heard and smelled things he hadn't realized at the time, he had never actually seen the gun or the actual shot, only heard it, so the information wasn't there for him to examine more closely.

But he had a sneaking suspicion that the guard hiding in the crowd had shot the wolf morph. There would never be any proof he was sure. Surely the weapon had been disposed of, it would also probably be untraceable, a throwaway. He again flashed on the dead skunk morph bleeding in his arms and even in sleep Swytch's subconscious reached out and quieted his mind allowing him an actual look at the scene without the terror, horror, and guilt he normally had clouding his mind. He examined the street behind him during the time of the explosion before the blast had lifted him and noted that the street behind him had been clear of anyone else. He also noted that there was absolutely no way he could have kept a hold of the knife when the blast wave had hit him. It not only would have torn it from his grasp, but being knocked unconscious would have loosened his hold on it as well. Swytch had been right; it had to have been a setup. He had been too blinded by guilt and his trust in Robert to even question the story Robert had told him. Now, here, he was a fugitive accused of murder, with a different face, a different name, and even different DNA. The only people who knew were Swytch, Robert, and his goons. Was he free now? Or did Robert hold some sway over him still? Swytch tightened hys grip on Max pulling him closer as hy nuzzled into him and Max smiled. What did I ever do to deserve someone like you? I've never been anyone or anything special and yet here you are. You literally saved my sanity but at what cost to you?  he worried. Hy had bonded them so close together trying to save him that when they were both awake, you really couldn't tell where one began and the other ended. He wasn't even Swytch's species, or even close enough to be able to give hym any kind of family or future. He would only end up being an anchor around hys neck and eventually, hy would realize the only reason hy was even still around him was because of their mental bond. Could they even BE separated?

Would Swytch have to follow him around forever against hys will because hy was the only thing keeping him sane? Would he have to follow Swytch around forever in gratitude? Eventually, hy would crave someone of hys own species, someone that could give hym what hy would eventually want. Something he would never be able to give Swytch. Also, how in the hell was this even possible? He had never been empathic or telepathic before, what had happened shouldn't have really been able to happen. Only empaths, or telepaths, could join and blend minds like this, or so he had read. Or was that one of his novels? That's the issue with being an avid reader, sometimes facts and fiction blurred together a bit. Yes, eventually hy would want to be with someone of hys own kind and he would just be the shadow in the background, the mistake Swytch had made that hy couldn't unmake and now hy was stuck with him. He could see it now, hy would find a lifemate, someone to raise a family with and have a real life with and Max would be relegated to a token human in hys life, nothing more than a cherished pet really.

As Max brooded, he never noticed that Swytch woke up. Swytch 'listened' to everything that ran through his head now, hy couldn't help it really, and they were so closely linked now that Max's thoughts were as clear to hym as hys own. Hy tried not to take any of it personally, this was all new to Max and hy could tell he'd never really been in any kind of serious relationship. He always thought that he had nothing to really offer anyone and Max had been resigned to knowing that he would be alone for the rest of his life. Now that there was someone in his life, even by accident, Max worried he would have nothing to offer hym. Hy had to sit back and really examine how hy felt about all of this as well. Hy examined the link between them, no longer a loose rope of two people but an iridescent thick braid humming with emotion and its own type of power; something that could grow even stronger with trust and love. This was the conduit that joined them and there was no separating it, at least nothing hy could do, hy didn't have the training for anything like this really. Hy knew all of the laws and rules that all telepaths prescribed to keep things from happening that were immoral and just plain wrong. Technically, hy hadn't broken any of them, but hy had bent a couple of them into pretzels, hy admitted. Hy had done it out of care and a growing affection and love for someone hy had never expected to find in the arctic of all places. Had it just been the loneliness and fear of being alone for the first time that had led to this? Would hy have bonded, even lightly, with anyone who had been here with hym? Hy examined that thought for a long while, it was important to be sure on this point. They worked well together hy admitted. They got along well, once hy learned to navigate the minefield around him. Now for the important question, did hy save him because hy truly was developing feelings for him, or so that hy wouldn't be alone out here until a replacement could be found? Was it for Max or had it been for hym. Hy had to honestly sit back and look at the entire picture, what did losing Max mean to hym? Without the bond, without the thought of being alone, what were hys real feelings for Max? Hy cracked open an eye and looked at Max as he stared up at the ceiling with his own thoughts. He was handsome yes, but hy had seen the real him in his mind. His previous self had been... average? But there had still been something about his eyes, an innocence, a knowledge that no matter what, he would be alone because it was better that way, no risk of any more hurt.

Those eyes made Swytch want to hold him, to tell him everything would be alright; that if he let hym, hy would stand by Max and be there for him. It was the eyes, the windows to the soul, and his soul felt so alone waiting for its missing pieces to return.

That was why it had been so easy. Why they had started to bond even subconsciously in their sleep. They were part of the same whole and when they came together, two puzzle pieces snapped together snugly as if they had never been taken apart. That was how it felt to be joined with him. It felt right, it made hym feel whole in a place hy didn't know was missing something until it had been returned and hy was certain Max felt it too. If Max could just get over his constant worry that he wasn't good enough. Then hy heard the final thought about Max being nothing more than a pet to hym and hy sat up in bed suddenly and glared at him. "So, you're a pet now? Someone to just trail along behind me like a good puppy? Well, if that's how you feel, I'll just go replicate you a bowl of kibble!" and with that hy rolled out of bed and stalked out of the room.

Max laid there stunned for a few minutes not really sure what had just happened then he felt Swytch's hurt and anger through their new bond and smacked himself in the face with his hand. Stupid, stupid, stupid!  he thought, for which Swytch didn't even dignify with a mental response. He had been wallowing again. Chewing on old self-doubt and hadn't been paying attention to what he was really thinking about. This shared mind bond was going to take some getting used to and the part that made him feel ashamed the most for his train of thought, was how hurt Swytch felt through their link. Pulling a pillow over his face he let vent his frustration with a muffled scream into the pillow just letting it all out. He thought he heard the equivalent of a mental 'blink' come from Swytch then some type of mental wall went up between them. He could still feel Swytch, but could no longer hear hys thoughts. Did that work both ways? It was quieter in his head now but somehow felt lonelier.

Max rolled out of bed and looked around Swytch's room, he saw a few personal touches, holophotos, nick-knacks, the usual stuff; then he looked closer at the holophotos. Holy crap, hys dad was quite bright. There was one of hys mom, a couple of friends, pictures of home... Hmmmm... Max palmed the door open snagging Swytch's fur brush as he left the room. Swytch was in the kitchen washing something in the sink, pointedly avoiding looking at him. Max grabbed a chair from the table and hauled it over to where Swytch was, brush in hand, and picked up Swytch's tail and put it in his lap and then started to brush the ruffled fur. Swytch stopped what hy was doing for a minute and yanked hys tail out of Max's lap. Max waited a minute and picked hys tail back up again, placed it in his lap and started brushing again. Again, Swytch yanked hys tail away as hy muttered under hys breath.

Max waited patiently again and picked up hys tail and started brushing the fur again. This time, although hy still muttered, hy didn't yank hys tail away and Max took his time brushing the fur from tip to butt, then he started to work on Swytch's flanks. This went on for some time; there was a lot of fur after all. Eventually, he made his way up to Swytch's long black hair and there he meticulously worked the bed head look out, brushing out tangles and just paying attention to Swytch instead of his rambling thoughts of self-doubt. Finally, he finished and set the brush aside on the counter and scooted his chair back and sat patiently while Swytch opened hys eyes again having completely forgotten about whatever hy had been washing. He hadn't brushed any fur in any sensitive areas, he was careful of that, he wasn't sure where any of this was leading but he was definitely NOT going to cross that line anytime soon.

Swytch turned around and crossed hys arms over hys chest and glared at him for a minute. "Let's go sit down, we need to talk."

Both Max and Swytch settled on the large couch, Swytch leaning against one of the arms as hy thought. Max sat there waiting patiently. Swytch sighed and hys expression cleared as hy looked at him. "Max, I know this is new for you, I grew up with every skunktaur in the area in my head, kind of like a computer network. But for you, this is probably a bit overwhelming. You've never had to learn how to guard your thoughts or to really sense and understand the thoughts and feelings of others. You're a part of a completely different world now and I know it is going to take time to get a handle on all of it. I'll try my best to help teach you what you'll need to survive until we can get some formalized training for you," Swytch explained patiently. "And, yes, I said WE. I will be there with you every step of the way. I don't know either how this is possible, the only thing I can come up with is that whatever that 'gene therapy' was they gave you to change your looks and DNA profile must have triggered a dormant ability or simply activated something that all humans have and very few can tap into. Don't worry though; our link is much different than if you were to walk up to a complete stranger. You're not going to get a fresh helping of noise in your head every time you meet a new person. Our bond is like a highway between us both sending and receiving. Everybody else will be more of a multi-directional blast that you might pick up the edges of if you're trying. We won't be able to learn more until we have you tested and our bond evaluated. The evaluation part is what scares me a bit though. The council may decide that I overstepped my moral responsibilities with you and decide separating our minds to be the best course of action."

Hy looked troubled at this, "Normally only lifelong mated pairs end up with a bond like ours and we have only known each other for a few months. And we seem to be linked stronger than that. I do have an idea and I wanted to discuss it with you?"

Without thinking about it, Max had picked up Swytch's tail setting it in his lap and was gently running his fingers through hys fur there while he was listening to hym and nodded at hym to proceed.

"My parents are coming to the ARCS to see me for my birthday tomorrow. They will be here all weekend. Mom is an instructor at the Clan Redpaw training facility for telepaths. I propose, rather than trying to hide this from hym, which I doubt we could do if we tried, we tell hym everything. Even to go so far as for me to share the entire experience with hym. What do you think?" Swytch asked hesitantly.

Max had gone from running his fingers through Swytch's tail fur to hugging hys tail to his body like a life preserver in a hurricane, his eyes distant. Hy gently lowered the shield hy had put up and heard