Walker and Ranger both hurried to the door after slipping on their shoes and coats, then stepped outside onto the front porch. He'd planned to get a good bit closer to the bear so that he could talk to it, but when Marsh suddenly ran in front of him, holding his arms out to either side in an effort to block his movement, Walker hesitated.

He stopped mainly because of Marsh becoming a physical barrier, but also because the guy seemed quite angry all of a sudden.

"What's wrong, Marsh?"

Marsh let out a quiet grumble before crossing his arms over his chest.

"You don't know that bear. Why would you run up to him?"

Oh, I guess you have a point.

He watched as Marsh lifted a finger and pointed at him.

"Walker stays here. I will go talk to Nekosi," he said, making Walker hesitate for only a moment before nodding.

He didn't want to let Marsh risk getting hurt, but he knew that he had a much stronger bear hidden beneath his adorable exterior.

I wonder if it bothers him that I think he's really cute.

Marsh replied immediately through their thoughts as he headed down the steps and began walking toward the barn and chicken coops.

I don't care what Walker calls me, as long as I can call him mine.

Walker felt his face warm as he looked away from his brother, even though Ranger wasn't even focused on him in the least. It was a habit to not show any nervousness or weakness in front of the guy. He loved to pick at it.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Walker took a step closer to the stairs as Marsh removed his clothing and shifted near the first fence. The bear closer to the barn seemed to smell him at that point and turned with a flailing chicken between its jaws.

Oh no, he's got Hena.

Walker watched with baited breath as Marsh calmly waddled closer. The other bear was already up on its hind legs, growling in warning.

Marsh stopped about ten yards away, then flicked an ear and looked away, trying to be as unimposing as possible.

Ranger put his hand up on one of the support beams, clearly keeping himself in check as his animal nudged at the surface. It had never been a fan of trespassers, but thankfully he had decent-enough to control so that it never got out of hand.

They waited silently until, finally, Nekosi slowly lowered himself to the ground. He didn't spit out the chicken, but he at least didn't kill it, either.

When the situation seemed under control enough, Marsh allowed himself to shift back to his human form. Nekosi seemed quite confused, but after a few moments of hesitation he, too, shifted after releasing the hen.

Oh wow, definitely not in the best shape.

The kid was skin and bones, but had a toughness to him that went far beyond his age. He couldn't hear what the two began discussing, but it didn't seem to take long before the younger shifter allowed Marsh to finish approaching him.

They stood face to face for several more moments, then, slowly, Nikosi nervously lowered his head, allowing Marsh to lift his hand to settle it atop his dirty hair. He then began to rub at it a bit forcefully, making the younger guy swat his hand away.

"Looks like they're going to be fine," Ranger said as he finally glanced sideways at him.

He could see the grin on the guy's face, making him nervous but also cautiously optimistic. When he looked back toward the two bear shifters, he was surprised to see Marsh heading back toward them already. He didn't bother picking up his clothing on the way, so Walker figured that he intended to go back to Nekosi soon.

May I feed him? I forgot to ask, but he is very hungry.

Walker smiled at the request.

Of course. I was actually thawing some things for dinner later, but I can easily pull out more. Go ahead and take what is in the fridge.

Marsh nodded in response as he hurried up the stairs. Walker stepped aside to get out of his way, but when Marsh stopped before him and reached up, pulling him down into a quick, yet possessive kiss, his eyes widened.

When he pulled away, Walker was left more than a bit confused with a bright red blush on his face.

"He stays in the barn," was Marsh's response to his odd behavior, making Ranger burst out laughing.

Wait, are you actually jealous? Walker asked, surprised, and likely voicing the question his brother planned to ask once he managed to catch his breath.

There was no way he'd ever look at a kid in such a way. Hell, he barely managed to look at Marsh that way sometimes, and he honestly felt terrible about it.

I love my Walker. You don't need to change.

His fading blush returned in full force as he awkwardly walked to the door just in time to have to step out of the way again as Marsh hurried out it. Instead of waiting on the porch this time, however, he followed him down the steps and partially across the yard. He did stop at the first fence, though, not wanting to push his luck.

Nekosi watched him carefully until Marsh returned carrying something much more interesting. To his surprise, the younger shifter didn't dare reach forward or even flare his nostrils more than twice.

Marsh is the dominant bear. He's in control of the food.

I am. Nekosi knows that he can't win against me. If he thought that he could, though, he wouldn't hesitate to attack.

Walker fidgeted, knowing that he'd have likely not faired nearly as well as Marsh if he'd tried to help the boy.

Thank you for staying away from him. He is a good bear, but he is a bear. There is very little human left in him.

Not wanting to make the boy wait any longer, Marsh calmly sat down in the grass, making Nekosi immediately mirror him. Walker moved a little to the side, making him realize that Marsh hadn't gotten much of the meat from the fridge at all.

He wouldn't be able to stomach much. I wasn't as skinny when you first found me, but it still hurt my stomach to eat much. Considering how thin he is, it would be a waste of food to feed him too much.

Well, that made sense.

My husband is thinking like a bear, he thought with a bit of humor to his words.

I am also thinking like a provider. I will not waste food that I can feed to my Walker.

He wasn't sure that he could ever get used to Marsh's bluntness, but at the same time, he kind of felt special that someone loved him enough to worry about him having enough to eat.

I want you to have more than enough to eat. I want my husband to get fat.

Marsh's words had Walker snorting out a laugh.

Well, fat is a bit too much, but I do really enjoy the food you catch for me.

Marsh glanced over his shoulder at him, smirking, then returned his attention to the boy in front of him and offered him the two pork chops he'd brought. It was no surprise to either of them when he began tearing into the raw meat hungrily, barely allowing himself time to breathe in between mouthfuls.

He finished both items in less than five minutes, then took a few more to catch his breath as he licked his lips constantly, savoring the taste left on them.

When he'd finally relaxed a little, he noticed a sense of calm begin to settle over the boy.

He really had been starving.

Marsh replied as he split his focus easily between the two of them.

He still is, but he knows that I'm the one who allowed him to eat. I could have easily attacked him for trying to take my husband's chicken, but instead, I took food from my own den and offered it to him.

I see, Walker replied as he leaned against the fence.

He says that he will move on from here right away, and leave your animals alone.

Walker blinked in surprise as he got to his feet.

He doesn't have to go. We aren't mad that he tried to eat our chicken.

Marsh glanced over his shoulder at him, seemingly considering his words. He could tell that he wasn't too sure about another bear in his territory, and he couldn't blame him. He'd come to their home in bad shape, too.

We still need to go to the eye doctor. Perhaps he wouldn't mind settling in the barn tonight and we can talk more later?

He watched his bear consider his words as Nekosi slowly lied down on the ground near Marsh's folded legs. It might have looked cute to some people... perhaps if they were wearing clothing, but Walker knew that the kid was submitting to Marsh.

Okay, Walker. I will tell him that he can stay in the barn for the night if he'd like.

He waited calmly, eventually getting his response.

He will stay for the night and not cause any trouble.

That was a relief. When Marsh stood up and began walking back toward him, Walker saw Nekosi slowly get back to his own feet, then wandered into the barn after a few hungry glances toward the nervous chickens.

As soon as Marsh was close enough, Walker pulled him into a tight hug, then added a quick kiss before leaning back down to pick up his clothing. Marsh reached out for the bundle, but when Walker simply took his hand and began tugging him toward the house, he seemed a bit confused.

"I... don't really mind you being naked," he said, making himself blush as they headed up the stairs that his brother had thankfully vacated some time previously.

In fact, he didn't sense his brother around at all anymore. The thought brought a grin to his face as he shook his head and tugged his bear inside.

He went back to Heian's.

That meant that he would just be cooking for the two of them, and perhaps a little more for Nekosi if his stomach handled the previous food well enough.

"I'm okay with that. The horse can feed the cat," Marsh said, replying to Walker's thought out loud.

Shaking his head, Walker released Marsh's hand and made his way back downstairs to add a few more pieces of meat to their defrosting drawer in the fridge. Once that was done, he grabbed his keys and swung them around his finger with a smile.

"I suppose you do have to get dressed now," he said, earning a half shrug from Marsh as the guy took the clothing Walker had set on the counter a few minutes ago. He got dressed quickly, but after a glance at the clock, seemed to realize something.

"Something wrong?" Walker asked as Marsh slowly walked over to him.

When the guy's hands slowly wound around his waist and he leaned up, Walker realized what he intended to do. For once, he was more than happy to oblige and quickly wrapped his own arms around Marsh. He hadn't intended for the kiss to be very long, or include tongues, but as Marsh took careful control of the situation, Walker found himself just letting things happen.

Well, that was until they somehow found their way to the couch. And he'd somehow gotten onto his back with a certain bear shifter leaning over him, reaching one sneaky hand down his pants.

It wasn't that he didn't like it, but they did have an appointment at the optometrist to keep. He got terribly nervous whenever he was late to something.

"Okay, we can go now," Marsh said abruptly as he got off of him, then reached out to take his hand.

"I don't want to make us late for something Walker did just for me."

Too cute...

Marsh ran his tongue along his lower lip in response to those two words, making Walker hurriedly take his proffered hand and get up from the couch.

"Right, we should go. We can always do stuff later," he said as he headed for the door, tugging Marsh along.

He was already down the front porch steps and halfway to his SUV when he realized what he'd said. His eyes slowly glanced to the side, but Marsh was just out of view, walking the slightest bit behind him.

I don't want to know what expression he has on his face right now.

There was an awkward silence as he they finished their short walk to his vehicle. When he pressed the button to unlock it, Marsh, who had already gone around to the other side, responded through his thoughts.

The happiest face a bear can make.