If embarrassment had a name, he was pretty sure that it would be his right then. Stepping back into the house he shared with his brother, covered in hickeys and with dirty boxers beneath his pants... it was so damn awkward.

He'd asked Marsh to hang out outside for a bit while he calmed down, because both of them had gotten way too heated. Thankfully, the guy stopped the second he'd said he wasn't comfortable doing anymore, but they had definitely done enough for him to feel like he really was his husband.

Christ.

Hearing someone beginning to come down the stairs had him darting into the guest bathroom and slamming the door shut. The person on the steps paused in response, probably surprised or startled, but soon finished descending, then hurried toward where he stood against the back of the door.

Thinking quickly, he locked the door and backed away as he yanked his dirty shirt off and turned to look at himself in the mirror. His heart hammered to the beat of his brother's knocks on the door.

"Walker?" Ranger called from the other side, clearly nervous and confused about his odd behavior.

I'm fine. Just need to process some things... alone.

He could feel his brother's hesitation through his bond, but thankfully he didn't push the issue. Once he was sure his brother had walked away, Walker focused his attention on the man staring back at him in the mirror.

It was a bit of a shock, seeing himself covered in love marks with his lips still slightly swollen and his hair completely disheveled and dirty. He didn't know such a side of him could ever exist. He really wasn't a person who liked physical attention, or other people in his personal space.

Lifting one hand, he traced the outline of a row of hickeys across the left side of his chest, then let his hand slowly drift downward until it settled on the waistband of his pants.

He'd even let Marsh there. Just the thought of doing perverted things, even to himself, made him incredibly uncomfortable, yet he'd let his walls crack with that man again and again.

Swallowing his growing nerves, Walker took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You're okay. Everything that happens between the two of us is what I want to happen. You don't have to do everything, and you don't have to hide behind your fears if you want to try and let him get a little closer... slowly."

He looked away for a moment as he lifted his hand to rub at the back of his neck.

"Extremely slowly," he mumbled before walking over to the shower as the scent of sex drifted to his nose.

As he got the water going, a new thought made his nerves buzz in his mind.

They were taking things very slowly. He knew that, somehow, he drove Marsh crazy. The man seemed infatuated, but he just... didn't. He was definitely beginning to like him more than most, but he wasn't head over heels.

I feel bad about it...

A nudge in the back of his mind told him that Marsh wanted his attention. He'd begun doing that, too. He would kind-of knock when he was feeling stressed instead of just start talking into his mind.

Of course, their bond still wasn't solid, so there was always the possibility of not hearing the other, or a static in the background that made the other hard to hear, but they made it work well enough.

It's okay, Marsh.

With the go-ahead, Marsh comfortably slid into Walker's mind. He could feel the young man's excitement as a hum inside his head, but when he spoke, he was all serious.

I'm not waiting for you to want to have sex with me, Walker.

Walker's hand paused as he was adjusting the temperature of the shower, surprised.

You... aren't?

He was at a complete loss now and the confusion was turning into uncertainty and worry.

I love Walker and want him with me, always. I would love to mate with you one day, but as I got to know you, I realized that you don't like me always right in front of you.

Walker wanted to correct him. To tell him that he really didn't mind, but he bit his tongue. It would have been a lie. He was definitely growing more fond of his possessive bear, but he had never been someone who wanted to be the focus of anyone's attention. It was a lot to get used to.

I found some honey... I can bring you back some if you'd like?

A smile immediately took over his frowning lips as Walker let a quiet chuckle slip free.

I would love that. Enjoy, then bring me some leftovers, he thought back before stepping into the shower.

He scrubbed himself until he smelled like the honey and citrus body wash they left in the guest bathroom, then quickly washed the dirt from his hair before stepping out and drying off.

He stepped back in front of the mirror then, reassessing all the marks on his body.

You would think that I taste like a jar of honey after looking at all of these marks.

Walker tastes better! Came Marsh's enthusiastic reply.

That was hard to believe, but he wasn't going to argue. He didn't understand anything about love, or really how people tasted... since he didn't tend to go around licking or sucking on anyone.

He could sense Marsh wanting to say something in response, but the guy was holding himself back, just barely. It was appreciated. He was already at his maximum perversion emersion for the week.

Finishing drying off, Walker tugged on the spare set of pajamas he left under the sink, then stepped out of the room after tossing his clothing in the small laundry basket in the corner.

"Oh boy."

Marsh stood in the kitchen, naked and covered in honey from his, well, honestly from his head to toe... but more face than anything.

"I brought extra, Walker!" he said with so much enthusiasm that Walker just had to smile.

You're such a bear.

Walking forward, he reached up and settled his finger beneath Marsh's chin, tilting it up just slightly. He had finally stopped with his odd little growth spurts, putting him just about three inches shorter than him.

"I'm not sure I can eat all of that extra, Marsh," he said as he considered leaning in and at least taking a taste.

Except, he'd already pushed himself pretty far earlier, and he could feel his stomach begin to shiver at the thought of starting something else so soon.

A sticky finger pressed against his bottom lip, drawing his attention out of his thoughts as his tongue darted out to meet it without consent from his mind.

Sweet.

"Not as sweet as my husband," Marsh replied as he withdrew his finger and pressed it between his own lips to begin sucking.

Pretty soon the guy was going to town on his whole left hand, truly making himself look adorable.

"Once you're done with your snack, how about I help you wash the extra off?" he offered, wanting to try and get a little closer, even though he was still unsure.

Marsh perked up immediately, but then seemed to calm himself down before doing something Walker never thought possible. He shook his head, declining his offer.

"Walker has already given me so much today. I want him to relax," he said at the same time Ranger came back downstairs. He looked freshly showered with a pair of loose jeans and a dark sweater on.

Heian appeared moments later, but took his time descending.

His brother actually looked a little nervous, himself, but considering he didn't poke at him or ask about his odd entrance earlier, he let it slide, too. They were both walking on uneven ground recently.

"I will go wash up, then maybe, would you might want to watch a show with me?"

Ah, yes. I know what you want to see.

"The video about the bears and the salmon migration?" he said, remembering when Marsh had seen the advertisement for the new movie on one of their streaming services.

He had gotten so excited.

When he nodded, Walker returned the gesture with one of his own.

"That sounds like a plan. I'll get us a small bowl of berries to share while we watch," he said, earning an excited cheer from his bear before the guy ran past him to head upstairs.

With him finally gone for the moment, Ranger walked over and draped an arm over his shoulder.

"I'm hearing wedding bells," he said with a wink as Walker shrugged him off and stuck out his tongue.

Heian came up behind Ranger at that point and wrapped his arms over his shoulders, tugging him into a backwards hug as he settled his chin atop his left shoulder. The blush that colored his brother's face was a work of art.

"Am I missing something?" he asked as a smirk began to slip onto his lips.

Sure, they were taking it easy on each other, but they could joke a bit since Marsh was upstairs. It was hard to joke around a serious bear... although, he was getting much calmer.

I'm a good bear now!

The excited response from his bear upstairs made Walker smile and shake his head as he moved to get some berries from the fridge.

"Enjoying that bond, little brother?" Ranger said with a smirk that quickly disappeared when Heian leaned to the side and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

Walker bit back a laugh as he emptied the little container in his hand into a bowl, then headed for the stairs. He patted his brother's shoulder on his way.

"Just remember, Rane, chocolate cake at your wedding ceremony, like we promised each other when we were kids," he taunted lightly.

He'd intended to watch the nature documentary on the big TV downstairs, but as he got to the top of the steps, he knew that he'd made the right decision.

Marsh was just stepping out of his room with soaking wet hair and a pair of loose pajama pants that were definitely not his.

Darn adorable bear.

Walking forward, he noticed Marsh's slightly confused expression. Taking him by the hand, he brought him back to the bathroom and quickly but gently finished drying most of his hair, then tugged him back to their room and shut the door.

"We're going to watch it up here, if you don't mind?" he said as he climbed into their bed and got comfortable.

Right as he finished getting settled Marsh was in his arms.

"Anything with Walker, anywhere, is something I would never say no to," he said as he snuggled in.

Pulling up a blanket, Walker finished settling in and got the show started as he handed Marsh his small bowl of berries. He thought that the show might make him drowsy after their already-busy day, but the enthusiasm Marsh had for each catch the bears made as they fished for their dinner had Walker eventually joining in.

I need to pick up some salmon next time we go to the store.

Realizing that Marsh's head was now blocking most of the screen from his vision, Walker blinked out of his thoughts with a curious smile.

Marsh looked very happy. He soon found out why.

"Walker is going to get a fish for me!"

This guy...

Reaching up, Walker dug his fingers into Marsh's damp hair and pulled him down for a gentle kiss. Marsh broke it after a few moments and snuggled back down to finish watching the show, but Walker could still feel his buzzing excitement within their bond.

I guess I'm going to be proposing with a whole salmon when the time comes...

Feeling eyes on him again, Walker glanced down to see Marsh looking up at him with wide eyes and pursed lips that made the dimples in his cheeks show.

Grinning at the whole situation, Walker set the now-empty bowl of berries aside and rolled Marsh onto his side with a quiet laugh. He could tell that he wanted to say a billion things now, but instead of speaking, Marsh simply scooted forward and snuggled in as close as he could get, the show they were watching completely forgotten.

Neither of them were really tired yet, though, but Walker didn't mind. In fact, he was enjoying just having the man with him quietly, doing absolutely nothing but enjoying each other's company.

He realized then that he could get used to it. The odd love they had for each other, and the perverted parts of it, too, as long as there were plenty of relaxing, snuggling parts in between.

Marsh just might have been exactly what he needed to really want to give relationships a try.