Andy woke up the following morning, slowly but surely, and realized that he had tangled himself up with another body. A very, very warm and comfortable body, at that. He was just about to snuggle up into them when he realized who it was- and that they were wide awake. Andy pulled away and sat on the opposite side of the couch, blushing furiously.

"What's wrong?" Ashley grinned slyly. Andy said nothing, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. "Oh, come on. It's only 9 A.M. and you're already giving me the silent treatment?"
Andy glared at him. "No."
"And he speaks!" Ashley gasped teasingly, getting up. "C'mon, silly. Get some breakfast so we can talk."
Andy frowned.
"Talk about what?" He gulped.
"You know what." Ashley sighed, getting a bowl down from the cupboard. Andy followed and did the same, quiet. "Look, I'm sorry about last night, okay? I'm sorry that I-"
"It's not that." Andy stopped him and got the box of Lucky Charms, pouring a bit into the bowl and sitting at the counter.
Ashley looked at him oddly, sitting beside him. "Then what?"
Andy shrugged, playing with the cereal with a spoon. "Just- things. That's all. I don't know."

For once, that was the truth. Andy really had no idea what was bugging him. Something about sitting and talking to Ashley about mating made him feel weird; uncomfortable. He felt excited, but he felt sick. He felt conflicted... He wanted to do it, but he also really didn't... He wanted to be accepted and he wanted to be loved, but he didn't want to be shoved into it because of a dumb war pact that was made decades ago.
Andy wanted to fall in love first, not mate first. It felt wrong.
Ashley eyed him curiously as he ate his breakfast, but left the topic alone for a while. He could tell that something was tugging at his mind, but he wasn't sure what it was.
A couple of hours had gone by, which consisted of Andy sitting outside on the balcony and Ashley lying on the couch staring at the dull ceiling.
Andy came back inside and slowly sat at the edge of the couch, next to Ashley's feet. Ashley lifted his head and sat up. "Hey." He nodded.
Andy nodded back and looked at the floor. "So- About this mating thing-"
"Andy, we don't have to talk about it yet." Ashley sighed. "I know it makes you upset..."
"No- We have to talk about it..." Andy shook his head and looked up at him. "I don't want to-"
"Jesus, I know that, Andy." Ashley pinched the bridge of his nose and pursed his lips.
"Let me finish." Andy narrowed his eyes. "I don't want to mate right away. I want to... fall in love first." He said awkwardly, embarrassed that he was finally admitting this to Ashley, much less himself.
"Fall in love, huh?" Ashley smiled slowly. "Alright, then. I can do that."
"Do what?"
"Make you fall in love with me. It's gonna be pretty easy.."
"Is not!" Andy glared stubbornly.
Ashley looked at him and smirked.
"I saw the way you looked at me when I was a wolf. Practically melting into a puddle..." He cooed, ruffling his hair.
Andy swat his hand away, laying down.
"Well. That was wolf me. I'm mating with human you, not wolf you." He smiled tightly. Ashley winked.
"I'm persuasive, baby. Just wait. You won't be able to resist me by the end of the week.."
Andy glared at him harder. "Don't call me baby!" He shouted at him as he walked out of the living room. All he heard was Ashley's loud laughter coming from around the corner.
Andy crossed his arms and grumbled, staring at the ceiling. He closed his eyes, letting himself begin to doze off slowly, his body relaxing into the cushioned sofa. While he was napping, Ashley picked him up and took him to the master bedroom, laying him on the bed.

"Sleep well, Andy..." Ashley smiled faintly and shut the door as he left.

Notes