Collide

by rubystarr

Summary:

His nostrils flare at the familiar scent of blood. He follows the trail until he happens upon a black wolf poorly hidden under a bush, its paws sticking out like beacons. Satoru approaches cautiously as he looks around, but sensing no other presence, he reaches down to pull the wolf out.

--

Or, Gojo helps a wounded young werewolf and finds its father.

Notes:

What was supposed to be a vampire!Satoru and Were!Toji one shot turned into this... :/
I made up some vampire/werewolf lore and added Limitless into it and sorry if it doesn't make much sense.

Title taken from the song Collide by Justine Skye ft Tyga

There is something magical about the full moon that Satoru has yet to identify. Esthetically, its brightness overshadows the stars and casts the earth in a blanket of glowing light. It has the power to direct the tides of the ocean. The creatures of the night come out of the darkness, emboldened by the power that surges through their veins.

Humans know the dangers of the full moon yet some of them still make themselves available to their predators. Satoru in particular likes to hunt during the new moon and wander during the full moon because he has the opportunity to observe other creatures in their element, especially werewolves.

Werewolves are rare as far as Satoru can tell. In his 300 years of existence he's only seen a handful. As a pup, on a night similar to this, he encountered one as big as a mountain it seemed, with fur as black as midnight and eyes greener than a blade of grass. It told him, ‘Be careful young vampire. It is dangerous for you here.’ Satoru had escaped the Gojo nest to explore the forest denied to him and wandered farther than he'd expected. Despite the wolf's warning, he was safely recovered by his caretaker, who in hindsight looked frantic and relieved once she'd found him. Satoru never saw that wolf again, though he's seen others since, ones with brown fur or white fur. Some that had similarly black fur but not as big or with the same green eyes. Satoru has explored the area he remembers as a pup but only caught sight of two or three wolves out together. Because of the growing tension between vampires and werewolves as of late, Satoru doesn't enter into known werewolf territory often.

He's in a neutral, less inhabited area near his clan's territory when he spots a smattering of dark liquid catching the moonlight. His nostrils flare at the familiar scent of blood. He follows the trail until he happens upon a black wolf poorly hidden under a bush, its paws sticking out like beacons. Satoru approaches cautiously as he looks around, but sensing no other presence, he reaches down to pull the wolf out.

Satoru quickly avoids jaws snapping at him around a threatening snarl. The wolf is clearly weak, blood oozing from a wound in its shoulder. It's small too, about 4 meters in length, and Satoru would think it were a large, normal wolf if not for its clear aura of magic.

Green eyes watch him warily as he considers what to do. His clan would never allow a werewolf into their nest, but this is a young one, probably the only one in existence. Satoru can't let him die. The wound itself is interesting, not obviously caused by another werewolf or vampire. All these put together is too curious to let go.

“My name is Satoru. Let me help you, little wolf,” Satoru says, crouching down and setting a hand on a paw. The wolf flinches but doesn't try to bite him again. Its heartbeat is fast and erratic, whatever poison in the wound doing its damage. Satoru doesn't wait for a reply as he hoists the wolf into his arms, the scent of blood, pine, and citrus wafting over him as he inadvertently presses his nose into the soft belly to adjust his grip. He takes off quickly in the direction of his nest, knowing that whatever hunted the wolf is probably still nearby.

The residence of the Gojo clan is well hidden behind a magical barrier created by a mage who befriended his grandfather many centuries ago. The castle exists unseen and undetected by anyone not given access by clan members, and so they've been well hidden from enemies for a millennia. Satoru enters through with the wolf in his arms, mindful of the guards that still monitor from the towers, and makes his way to the underground level where their healers occupy most of the space.

He finds Miko’s infirmary and bursts in unannounced, double doors opening and shutting quickly behind him. She usually doesn't look up when he interrupts her but she senses the werewolf and watches with wide eyes as Satoru deposits the wolf on the large bed at the far end of the room. He then lights the fireplace next to it with a wave of his hand.

“Satoru,” the blonde haired female whispers harshly, flitting to the doors to lock them before making her way to the bed. “What are you doing?! Is this what I think it is?” she stops behind Satoru, peering over his arm to eye the wolf cautiously.

“I found him in some bushes like this. Do you think you can help him?”

She anxiously twirls a lock of her hair over her finger. “I've read what books we have on Lycans but I'll have to see what's wrong with him first.”

Satoru places a hand on the wolf's head to get its attention. Tired green eyes open slowly and focus on him. The color is so familiar, he feels a wave of nostalgia, but it's unlikely that he's the wolf Satoru met many, many moons ago.

“Little wolf, my friend Miko can help you, but you have to trust her, ok? We won't hurt you.”

Satoru can feel its magic slowly fading. Anxiety clutches at his chest when he thinks about the young wolf dying. They are already so uncommon as a species, and even rarer are young wolves. Werewolf numbers declined in the last 500 years and they never recovered because their reproduction rate was so low. Satoru never cared to know why, but wishes he did after meeting this cub.

The wolf nods imperceptibly and licks its dry teeth. Miko quickly starts to gather water and other supplies while Satoru ponders how he could be best helpful. Other werewolves would know what to do. Maybe he should find one?

“What's your name? Maybe I can locate a member of your pack.”

Green eyes eye him warily and a huff escapes its nose. That's a no, then.

Miko returns and holds a glass bottle with water to give to the wolf. Satoru takes it and lifts the furry head with one arm while carefully decanting the bottle into the corner of the wolf's mouth. It swallows steadily in small gulps until about half is gone. Satoru puts its head back down and scratches behind its ear like he's seen humans do to their domesticated wolves. This one tries to bite rather than lick him.

“Satoru, that's rude. Only pack members do that,” Miko admonishes as she sets up a basin with wash cloths on the bed. Satoru laughs nervously at the wolf's glare and backs away. Miko quietly apologizes to the wolf as she starts to clean its wound. The wolf growls and snarls but doesn't try to attack her. Satoru watches over Miko’s shoulder as the blood clears away to a silver ball fused with a lilac colored substance.

“Wolfsbane,” she murmurs with awe. “We have to clear this out.” She gets up to rifle through her surgery kit at one of her drawers. She returns with a knife and clamps. Her fascination with human medicine has never ceased to come in handy. “Wolf,” she says sternly, never one to sugarcoat, “this will hurt very much. Please bear it as much as you can. Satoru, get ready to hold it down.”

Satoru, fearing for his limbs but wanting to help, braces his body over the wolf's head and neck. Miko starts by cutting to the skin and muscle, her movements efficient, and next uses the clamps to remove the bullet. The wolf snarls and shakes, but makes an effort to stay still. Satoru talks it through until Miko is pouring water over the wound and cleaning it off with a fresh cloth. The cloth continues to come away red with a tinge of lilac. Miko’s expression turns grim.

“The wolfsbane is still in its bloodstream,” she says. “I don't know how to remove it. There's no antidote that I know of!”

“I'll think of something,” Satoru says, straightening and removing his weight off the wolf. He's covered in blood and smells like the wolf, but he doesn't have time to clean up. The elders shouldn't be looking for him. They hunt on full moons if they're not getting the servants to do it for them. “How much time do I have?”

“I don't know,” Miko says, wiping the wound again. The wolf whimpers this time. Satoru sees her heart break. “I'll stay with him and read what I can find.”

“I'll be back,” Satoru promises to both Miko and the wolf.

–

Finding a wolf before sunrise is going to be impossible. His heart sinks just thinking about a dead wolf by moonrise. He can risk being out until just before dawn, which is a few hours away, and tries to stay optimistic. Although dangerous, he starts by going to the place where he found the wolf, hoping that a member of its pack noticed it was missing and could trace its whereabouts there.

His instincts proved to be right as he senses a magical presence near the exact bush he found the wolf cub. The creature sees him before Satoru does because he's reeling back before he knows what hit him, hurtling through several trees until his back collides with a boulder. Satoru coughs up blood, vision fading in and out, as the other creature puts a large paw on his torso, crushing him as claws longer than his hand dig into his skin.

Satoru blinks blurrily up at the giant, black wolf bearing down on him, eyes greener than a blade of grass peering into his soul. Satoru recognizes the smell of earth and cinnamon, the scent he remembered since he was a pup, and underneath that the scent of fury and distress. Unlike their meeting centuries ago, the white, snarling fangs inches from his face could easily tear him apart. Werewolves are the only creatures deadly to vampires, could rip them limb from limb with their powerful jaws.

Satoru sees recognition flash across the wolf’s eyes, as if the wolf has remembered him, too.

“Young vampire,” the wolf says, voice as clear as water and as low and deadly as he remembered. “The scent of my kin is all over you. What have you done?”

“I haven't harmed them,” Satoru wheezes. He trips over his words with the sense of urgency to explain himself. “I found them here and brought them home.” Claws dig further into him, causing him to yelp in pain. “The pup was shot with a silver bullet laced with wolfsbane. Do you know how to treat it?”

Suddenly, the paw comes away, taking its claws with it. Satoru slumps over as he catches his breath and his body stitches itself together. The healing will drain his energy but he tries not to focus too much on that.

“Silver and wolfsbane?” The wolf sounds startled, almost terrified. “Is he dead?”

“No, not yet. But we need to hurry.” Healed enough, Satoru stands to fully address the wolf, who is twice his height and five times that in length. He's not as big as a mountain as Satoru thought, but so much bigger than other werewolves. He must be a pureblood, from a line as ancient and powerful as the Gojo.

“I only have until sunrise,” Satoru prompts when the wolf doesn't move.

“Lead the way,” the wolf says. Satoru takes off towards the east.

The wolf keeps up with him, large body seemingly gliding, paws barely touching the ground. Satoru suspects he can run faster, but this is the best pace Satoru can sustain between the night fading and his healing. He stops when they reach the barrier to the castle and turns to the wolf.

“You can't go in like that. They will hunt and try to kill you.”

Satoru watches in fascination as the large black wolf changes into the form of a man. Dark, shaggy hair, tanned skin, and muscular and handsome in a way that’s devastating. His only flaw, possibly, is a scar down the right side of his mouth. He's completely naked, and perfect, from the broad width of his shoulders to his tapered waist down to his well defined legs. His thick, flaccid cock hangs over his plump scrotum. Satoru awkwardly coughs, aware that he’d been gawking, and removes his cloak.

“Put this on,” he says, hoping his voice doesn't sound as strangled as he feels.

The werewolf tilts his head in amusement. “My kind is comfortable with nudity.”

“Regardless.”

He slips on the cloak but the sleeves are too tight and won’t budge past his shoulders. He tears the sleeves off and shoves the fabric into the pockets. He pulls it snug over his shoulders. It’s a tight fit on him but at least it covers most of his skin, not to mention his scent. Vampires don't nearly have as sensitive of a nose as wolves but its enough to differentiate between their species. The werewolf doesn't smell terrible - the exact opposite actually. The last thing Satoru needs is for his kin to discover his warm, woodsy scent and track him. Wearing something that smells like Satoru should keep that from happening.

Satisfied, Satoru turns back to the barrier and concentrates on creating an opening for them. The barrier can recognize who opens and closes it, but not everyone who enters.

Because it's so close to dawn the guards are back inside the castle. Satoru take the werewolf’s wrist and leads him down to the basement while carefully avoiding high trafficked areas. Miko’s door is locked when they arrive but she quickly lets them in once he gives their secret knock.

Inside, the wolf pup is still breathing but looks weaker than just a few hours prior. The werewolf rushes to its side.

“How is the pup?” Satoru asks Miko.

“Not good,” she whispers back. “From what I could find, the wolfsbane could kill an adult werewolf in less than a day. I've let the wound stay open but he's been bleeding this whole time. He's so weak that I worry he won't be able to recover.”

Satoru approaches the two wolves just as the older werewolf starts to inspect the pup’s wound with large, gentle hands. He then leans down and puts his mouth to it, sucking harshly until his cheeks fill with blood and spits it into the nearby basin of water. Satoru and Miko watch with equal looks of horror.

The werewolf continues for a while longer until he pulls off while wiping his mouth and looks at Satoru.

“I need you to take over while I find him something to eat,” he says. “His blood is starting to coagulate so your saliva should help. Just don't bite him or swallow his blood.”

“What?” Satoru exclaims incredulously. “Werewolf blood is poisonous to vampires.” He learned a long time ago how to discern the human form of a were to a real human to avoid accidentally killing himself. So much as a mouthful is enough to liquefy his body from the inside out. “Tell me what to hunt, and I’ll do it.”

The werewolf gives him an odd look before it disappears. “Who told…? Nevermind, just don't bite him or swallow his blood. The sun is nearly out and you would take forever for what I need. I can be back in less than a few hours.”

Satoru looks skeptically at him but the werewolf sounds desperate. He doesn't know if he should trust him, but he doesn't have any reason not to, not when the pup’s life is on the line. It almost feels like a compulsion. Beside him, Miko is adamantly shaking her head no, but Satoru hasn't felt committed to anything in a really long time.

Decision made, he takes the werewolf’s place and kneels beside the bed. He leans down and tentatively places his lips over the wound. His tongue ventures out, licking into the torn muscle. His mouth waters and his fangs elongate on reflex at the taste of blood. His mouth tingles at the surprisingly sweet taste of it. Mindful of the werewolf’s words, he holds the blood in his mouth and spits it into the basin. When nothing happens, such as his body turning to ash, he does it again, reluctant to let the sweet taste go but knowing that he can't swallow it if he wants to live.

“Good. Keep doing that,” the werewolf says, stepping away. “How can I get back in?”

“Take my talisman,” Miko says, holding out a jade stone engraved with a peony and crane, the Gojo crest. It’s used for those not blood related to the clan. “Hold it to the barrier, and you'll be let in.”

The werewolf takes the talisman with a brief, grateful nod. He turns to leave but Satoru calls out to him.

“Wait!” He wipes the back of his mouth with his sleeve. Green eyes watch the movement closely. “What's your name? And when do I stop?”

“My name is Toji,” he replies. “When the blood is no longer tinged with purple, stop. I will be back before then.” He leaves without another word, the door closing soundly behind him. Satoru looks back at the wolf pup and continues to work.

“Satoru, it's dangerous to keep going,” Miko hisses urgently. “I know you want to help, but you know their blood can kill us.”

Satoru spits out a mouthful before replying, “I won't drink it,” he reassures her confidently.

The blood in the basin is clotted with a layer of lilac on the surface. Miko gives him a new basin as she disposes of the blood extracted, sealing it in a jar and hiding it to burn later. The wolf's fresh blood still holds a streak of lilac in it. His teeth carefully grazes the juicy flesh even as they itch to sink into it. His mouth tingles every time he sucks in a fresh wave of blood, the sweetness of it at odds with its dangers.

Werewolf blood is deadly to vampires. He was warned that a drop of it could weaken and kill him. Blood of any other creature is safe and encouraged to consume for feeding. Satoru doesn't know the nature of what makes werewolf blood poisonous. It's only in more recent literature that it is mentioned, nothing from the time of their origins. Satoru never bothered to question it, seeing as he had no reason to and had no intention of feeding off a werewolf. He intended to admire them from afar.

Toji. The name sounds familiar. Each species has a prominent clan, the Gojo for vampires, the Zen’in for werewolves, and the Kamo for shapeshifters. In addition to werewolves and vampires being enemies, the Zen'in in particular are rivals to the Gojo for land and resources. Satoru is sure that Toji is a pureblood Zen'in. It's the only explanation for his size. As for the wolf pup, he must be a pureblood Zen'in as well given their similarities in appearance.

The wolf's blood starts to clear more by the time Toji returns, hours later. He still has Satoru’s cloak on, but it's dirty and tattered. He has a sack he must have picked up along the way that is seeped with blood. Satoru spits in the basin and wipes his mouth clean.

“What is all this?” He asks as Toji begins to empty out the bag. There are animal organs of different sizes and meats that are neatly butchered. Toji looks at the wolf pup’s wound and hums.

“It's an antidote that should help,” he replies as if Satoru should know this, taking what looks to be a serpent’s heart in hand. He opens the wolf's mouth and shoves his arm in. The wolf startles but swallows.

Toji repeats the action with the rest of the organs and meats. A raven’s lungs. An elephant tongue. The meat is neatly cut in large chunks that Toji tears into more manageable pieces with his teeth before forcing it down the wolf’s throat. Satoru senses the wolf pup’s magic returning little by little as its heart rate evens to a more normal pace. He's not sure how much time passes until the pups eyes open, their glossy sheen gone and replaced with clarity. His wound, previously gaping and bleeding, starts to seal shut.

“Megumi,” Toji murmurs, scratching the pup’s ear. “It's me. How do you feel?” The pup blinks up at him, glazed green eyes finally clearing.

“Toji,” the pup, Megumi, says, voice hoarse and guttural. He slowly rolls onto his belly and tries to lift on his paws, but collapses with a huff. “I'm ok. Just very tired.”

“Go ahead and sleep. We'll leave at dawn.”

The way Toji continues to scratch behind the pup’s ear and talk to him in a hushed tone makes Satoru wonder about their relationship. Toji looks fond of the pup. Given their differences in size as wolves, Satoru infers that Megumi is his son.

Affection between vampires is a foreign concept. Maybe it's because they manipulate and feed off of others, but Satoru hasn't experienced a genuine connection to another ever. He likes Miko because she respects him, and they trust each other, but that's about it. The vampire elders shun him, and the underlings of the nest fear him. He took his share of human pets and later discarded them after they pledged their lives to him, wanting to be 'turned’. One such human, Suguru, might have been someone Satoru thought fondly of, but ultimately let him pass from old age.

He briefly entertained the idea of finding companionship with a werewolf once his fascination with Toji took root. They are proud creatures who tend to stay within their kind, finding mates and forming lifelong bonds with them. Fiercely loyal, they fight passionately and to the death. Satoru didn’t know where to begin with befriending a werewolf, a species that is so opposite from him and would find him lacking, so he discarded the idea as quickly as it had come.

Toji stands, interrupting Satoru’s thoughts. He gathers the bag he'd brought with him and tosses it into the burning fireplace. Satoru watches, mesmerized, as Toji takes off the cloak he lent him and drapes it over the wolf. Toji’s body, naked and dirty, is the most beautiful thing Satoru has ever seen. He wants to touch and taste it, commit it to memory because he'll never see it again.

“Thank you for your help, Gojo,” Toji says to him. “I'm in your debt.”

Satoru waves him off with a laugh to lighten the mood. “It's not everyday I get to see a werewolf pup. I couldn't let him die.”

“Your assistance was timely. If I'd have found him on my own, he would've died.”

“I'm really glad I could help,” Satoru insists, glancing at the sleeping wolf. Toji follows his gaze.

“I'll ask you for another favor, to keep Megumi’s existence a secret from the rest of your clan.” His expression turns dark, serious. Satoru is reminded of the wolf in the forest, his claws digging into his skin and crushing his chest. He swallows dryly.

“I will. May I ask why?”

Toji looks at him in silence for long enough that Satoru starts to feel self conscious, but then he asks, “You said that werewolf blood is poisonous to you. Who told you this?”

The oddity of the questions catches Satoru off guard. Shouldn’t he know this as well? "It is in our history,” he explains with a shrug. “We can feed from any living creature but werewolves.” Werewolves have the ability to rip vampires apart, he was told, and melt them from the inside, out.

The way Toji continues to stare at him makes him think he's got it all wrong.

“Isn't that what you know about us, also?” Satoru asks weakly.

Toji smirks just then, as if coming to some sort of conclusion, and says, “Allow me to show you something, young vampire, and consider my debt repaid.”

Satoru nods, curious and entranced. He lets Toji take him by the wrist after he grabs a torch and leads him into one of the rooms just across from the infirmary. He lights the fireplace with the torch, casting light into the small space. There's a bed in the center, two chairs and a window. Satoru swallows nervously as Toji closes the distance between them.

“What did you want to show me?” he asks, trying not to retreat as Toji advances. Toji stops less than a foot away from him. He's slightly shorter than Satoru but is more intimidating with his build and magical aura. Satoru can't look away from the green of his eyes. They glint mischievously at him under the orange glow of the fire.

“Your full potential,” Toji replies cryptically, tracing a calloused finger along Satoru’s jaw. Satoru shivers. “Now, take off your clothes for me.”

Both aroused and afraid, Satoru begins to strip. He starts by unbuttoning his shirt and sleeve cuffs. The wool material falls away as he shrugs out of it then works on unlacing his boots and pants. Once completely naked, Toji leans in and nuzzles along his neck, his warm nose pressing against his pale, cool skin. He rests his hands on Satoru’s hips as his tongue comes out to lick along the juncture of Satoru’s neck and shoulder, the place where Satoru would usually bite his victims. His cock hardens against Toji’s abdomen where an equally hot, stiff length greets him.

“Are you going to kill me?” Satoru asks, breathless, as arousal shoots down his spine when Toji grazes his teeth against his collarbone. Toji is warm and smells delicious, sweaty and covered in dried blood as he is. Satoru wants to drink from him, even if it would kill him.

“No,” Toji murmurs with a deep chuckle. His fingers lightly drag up Satoru’s sides, causing him to arch and moan. “Though this might be painful.” He guides him to the bed and has him to lie on his back. Toji crawls over him, mouth not leaving Satoru’s skin for long. He rolls his hips slowly against Satoru’s. Combined with the way Toji licks across his chest, Satoru can't help but thrash and beg, his cock leaking so terribly that he'd be embarrassed if he didn’t want this so bad. He’s never felt so intensely aroused before.

“I've got you, Satoru,” Toji murmurs between licks from his chest to his armpit. He nips at the muscle there and worries the skin with his teeth. “Just let me indulge in you a little longer.”

Satoru doesn't want to wait, can't wait, so when Toji tries to move to his other armpit, he takes a hold of his dark hair and yanks him into a hungry, desperate kiss. Toji growls into it and puts his weight on him, taking his hands and pinning them by his head. Satoru comes hotly between them, his dick spurting as Toji kisses him through it. Once completely spent, he melts against him, unable to fight Toji as he travels down to lick the cooling come off his skin. Toji’s chest rumbles with satisfaction once he cleans his mess and leaves purple marks in his wake. Satoru feels his face heat as Toji pulls back after licking at the armpits he’d been moving towards before Satoru came.

“You taste absolutely divine,” Toji purrs. “Now turn around.”

Satoru feels like he's going to pass out from all the blood rushing to his face. He slowly turns onto his front when Toji releases him and gives him space. Firm, large hands grip his hips and pull them up, forcing Satoru’s knees to bend onto the mattress. He feels Toji move down and spread his ass cheeks apart, warm breath ghosting over his entrance. He's never –

“Wait,” Satoru protests, but it fades into a whimper when Toji licks into him. Satoru’s dick fully hardens with that one single action. It throbs with each prod of the smooth muscle into his body. He subconsciously cants his hips as he moans, embarrassed but turned on by Toji’s hungry, slurping noises.

Toji inserts a finger into them, then two, stretching him. Satoru’s vaguely aware of his own keening moans and pleas for more, only breaking off when Toji leans back over him and inserts a third.

“Relax for me,” Toji whispers in his ear, fingers brushing against a bundle of nerves that lights his body on fire. He comes suddenly, his orgasm ripped away from him like it was caught in a current. When the white noise fades, he hears Toji praising him, telling him how good he'll take his cock. Satoru whimpers weakly as a blunt pressure eases its way into him, filling and stretching him.

“Fuck, that's good,” Satoru says over his shoulder. Toji kisses along his neck and snaps his hips to bury himself to the hilt. Satoru cries out in pain. Toji is so thick and hard that it hurts but Satoru doesn’t feel like it’s enough. When Toji presses a hand between his shoulder blades and starts to fuck him, he forgets his own name.

Toji is rough and relentless, hips pumping like he's in a hurry to get Satoru to make a mess of himself for the third time. Satoru claws at the sheets, his fangs tearing into his lip to keep himself grounded as Toji fucks him, growling ‘mine’ over and over again. The base of his cock feels like it is growing bigger. Satoru cries out every time it catches on his rim, edging him closer to his next climax that he's sure will end him.

“I c-cant,” he begs, reaching back to push at Tojis hips. “Please, Toji.” He feels like he's being fucked within an inch of life, body hypersensitive and focused only on Toji and Toji's cock. Tojii pulls out and flips him on his back. He spreads Satoru’s legs with each hand behind his knees and smoothly thrusts back into him. The swelling at the base of his dick doesn’t breach him as much from this angle.

“You can take my knot another time then,” Toji says. He releases one leg and leans down. Satoru barely registers the iridescent green iris around dilated pupils. “Now, be a good vampire and bite me.”

Satoru, too hungry for Toji in more ways than one, obeys without a second thought. He buries a hand in Toji’s hair and bends forward to latch his fangs into the artery he knows will give him a gush of blood. As soon as he tastes him, his orgasm tears through him, so violently that his vision completely whites out. Every nerve in his bodying ignites like oil to fire. He drinks greedily of Toji’s blood. It is like ambrosia from the gods - warm, sweet, and thick - the best thing Satoru has ever tasted. It fills him completely, mind, body, and soul.

A terrible pain suddenly bursts behind his eyes. Satoru blacks out.

–

The world comes into focus in fits and starts. Satoru feels like he's everywhere and nowhere at once. It's so disorienting that it takes him a few tries to open his eyes, but when he does he feels sick with nausea.

When he can finally open his eyes and keep them open, he notices that he’s in a different room of the infirmary. The fireplace is well lit, casting the windowless room in an orange haze. He's alone and naked under the covers, no trace of sex on him.

Images of Miko finding him in this room and keeping his room warm play before his closed eyes. Before that, of Toji cleaning him up. The words, ‘Goodnight, Gojo Satoru,’ whispered against his forehead before Toji sneaks away with his son Megumi, a young male with dark, spiky hair and a gnarled scar on his left shoulder. Satoru sees them leave, through the barrier, and transform into black wolves towards the rising sun. He sees the elders milling about the castle, talks of werewolves nearby but where? We need to find them for more power. Satoru can see it all, can look back in time and forward to the endless possibilities of the future.

This is the power of Limitless. The birthright of the descendants of the Gojo clan, only awakened by the blood of a werewolf. Many members of his clan had tried to attain it, hunting and breeding and mutilating werewolves to gain access to the ability to see the past and the future, to walk in daylight and kill anything, everyone, they so wish. It was why Satoru, the revered and hated heir was isolated and treated with polite contempt, why he'd been left to do as he pleased but kept caged in ignorance. The elders knew, but kept Satoru in the dark so that they could find the power for themselves instead of risking him - a Gojo only in name - would not harness it to annihilate them.

Toji knew about Limitless. He gave it to Satoru, awakened it within him. For saving his son? On a whim? Even with his sight, Satoru can't read hearts or minds. He touches the bare, smooth skin of his neck. The wolf that bestows Limitless also claims it for themselves. Why didn’t Toji complete the bond? He should have forced his knot into Satoru and tore into him with his teeth.

As distressing as it is, the reason doesn’t matter anymore. Satoru will find him. There isn’t a place that Toji can hide from Limitless. Yet strangely, Satoru can’t sense his magic right now.

Miko’s knock at the door pulls him from his thoughts. She looks relieved when she enters and sees him, her lips relaxing into a smile, dim eyes brightening.

“You're finally awake!” She stops in front of him and leans in closer to study his eyes. “Your eyes look different.”

“They feel different. Sensitive,” he says, blinking slowly. She nods and straightens.

“The elders know that you've come into Limitless. They've been asking for you, and they've been sending out the hunter team to look for werewolves.” At Satoru’s look of panic, she says in a whisper, “I haven't told them anything. The two wolves left three days ago. I haven't heard of them since.”

Satoru knows he's been out for three days. When he closes his eyes and concentrates, he can see what Miko reported to him. Thankfully it doesn't seem like they've been able to find any just yet.

“You must be hungry,” Miko says, holding out the goblet in her hands. Satoru opens his eyes and sniffs at the blood, human and warm. He takes it and drinks not for hunger but to make a show of it. He hands the empty goblet back to her with a quiet thanks. She puts it on the table.

“I suppose I should see the elders,” he says, swinging his legs over the bed. Miko passes him a robe she brought in earlier and leaves back to her lab. Satoru slips it on and makes his way to his room.

–

The elders hold meetings in the great hall, a massive room with windows on both sides and a long table in the middle. Now that they've dominated the northern region and made nearly all other vampire clans submit to their rule, there are fewer meetings and more gossiping. Satoru always hated the great hall, the show of feigned power wielded by an old generation too stuck in their ancient ways to be useful. He sees how the hall used to be filled with parties attended by different creatures from nymphs to demons to humans. Over time, the halls filled with music and camaraderie fell silent around the old fools too power hungry to understand what they ruined.

The five elders stand when Satoru walks in. He’s dressed in his white formal wear. The only bit of color he has are the iridescent blue of his eyes, the pink of his cheeks from a meal, and the red silk that decorates the inner lining of his coat. He waves them off dismissively.

“Please don't stand on my account,” he drawls as he approaches them. Their frowns are quickly replaced by indulgent smiles.

“Satoru-sama,” one greets, hair and beard so long they end by his waist. “We've been wondering where you were.”

“Here and there,” Satoru says lightly, sitting. The elders promptly do the same. He tries not to let his irritation show on his face. “You've never cared before.”

“We have always cared about your whereabouts.” another points out enthusiastically, face and head so bald he reminded Satoru of a thumb.

Satoru isn’t subtle about rolling his eyes at that. Anko’s hairless eyebrow twitches, but Satoru doesn’t care. He could smite everyone in this room despite the magical boosts they've given themselves by consuming imprisoned werewolves.

“It is incredible that you have acquired Limitless,” Yuki says with a strained smile. The others murmur ingratiatingly. She's the wisest one here, though not the oldest. Her cunning and deference to Satoru has put her near the bottom of Satoru’s shitlist, But her ruthless ambition makes her the first Gojo that needs to go. “How was it possible?”

“It just was my time,” Satoru replies with a casual shrug. “Wasn't it always going to be me?”

Truth is, yes and no. He's an heir of their first ancestor, but there are many who share his blood. He has a cousin living on the other side of the country who is capable of inheriting their ancestors legacy, for example.

The elders nod in agreement, murmuring praises. Satoru’s patience grows thin, so he abruptly stands and excuses himself, aware of the narrowed eyes following him.

His first agenda is to find Toji and make sure he is safe. He's had an uneasiness since waking, and he's not sure if it's because he is worried about Toji or because he's overwhelmed by Limitless, though possibly both. He will deal with the elders soon after making sure his wolf is safe.

He makes his way to the dungeons to find the werewolves he sensed are there, a feeling of sickness roiling in his gut. He didn’t know this part of the castle existed. Captured werewolves were mutilated and experimented on for centuries. There are two kept in separate cells, a female and a male. The cells aren't dirty, but aren't comfortable either. They seemed to have been kept in relatively good condition, fed and watered to keep their blood flowing.

The female is a recent capture of about a week, with short brown hair and brown eyes, a human turned werewolf by an inconsequential pack in the east. The male is older, having been kept for months, captured near their border. A lone wolf from unknown origins, but born as one. He was more heavily abused.

Satoru easily gets the girl to follow him when he opens her cell door, but the male takes coaxing. He walks out with them, servants and other clan members watching with confusion and awe as they leave the castle. It's dark out, waning moon hidden behind thick clouds. He opens the barrier and exists with them. The werewolves quickly transform and run without looking back like wild animals set free from captivity.

He takes this time to test his new abilities, one of which includes increased speed and teleportation, if his recollection of Limitless was correct. Picturing the bush where he found Megumi, he closes his eyes and concentrates his magic to being there. He feels a burst of energy as his feet leave the ground, then a sensation as if he were being catapulted through space. He lurches and falls into the dirt. He opens his eyes, feeling breathless and drained, to see the bush with traces of Megumi’s blood.

The area looks as if it was combed through. Satoru can see where human hunters tracked Megumi there then disappeared further into the forest. He sees where he and Toji fought, then curiously, a different presence, one ominous and heavy, circling around. It killed the human hunters and tossed their bodies off a cliff. Satoru doesn't know what or who it is, but he can't sense it now.

Getting up, he starts in the direction Toji and Megumi took two days ago. He files the mysterious presence for later.

–

He travels what feels like the entire country before he loses Toji’s trail. The thought that his den must be obscured by a magical barrier crossed his mind, but he’s been able to sense and explore every one he’s come across so far. It must be made of old, powerful magic if it's beyond his new abilities.

His feeling of unease is starting to feel more like withdrawal. It’s a foreign sensation, a type of discomfort that leaves him irritable and wanting. He can’t stop thinking about Toji. It’s maddening.

Satoru decides to stop at a nearby village for lack of anything else better to do. Human villages were a place of welcomed entertainment for Satoru, who liked to indulge in more than feeding on them. Humans are interesting collectively and individually. If he’s in neither mood to feed nor fuck, conversing with them is just as enjoyable. They are also a good source of information.

He enters a dimly lit, rowdy bar in the center of the town. He bought an old cloak off a man to try to blend in more. Other than a cursory glance, the locals don’t seem to mind him. He buys a beer from the bargirl and finds a corner to sit to observe near a group of men huddled together.

“- job is worth fifty gold pieces each. It was seen by the Sharkfin mountains.”

“We might need more men. I heard the animal is bigger than normal wolves.”

Satoru listens in earnestly.

“Fine, but only if we can find them before tomorrow night. I don’t want to screw this up.”

Satory leaves the bar, beer untouched, and goes to the Sharkfin mountain range, a cluster of tall peaks capped with snow. It'd be difficult for a human to scale, and a perfect place for a werewolf den. Circling the base, Satoru tries to feel for a barrier but senses nothing. He treks up the less steep parts, taking his time to study every dark crevasse and hole. He invades the home of rodents and snakes. One small cave hid a mother bear and her cub.

Dawn is a few hours away yet, so Satoru uses all his time to explore the mountains. He finds a stream and follows it to a waterfall hidden within a labyrinth of forest trees leading to a ravine. The air is cold and crisp, and there are beautiful flowers growing everywhere at the base of the waterfall, like a little paradise. He attempts to enter the waterfall, but it expels him, shocking his skin with near-piercing ice cold shards. Smiling, Satoru steps back and studies the powerful magic of the waterfall. He can’t tell if anything is behind it and breaking through to find out would not be wise. Defeated for the moment, he decides to come back the following night. He finds a well hidden cave to sleep, mindful of the other animals sharing the space.

At dusk the next evening, Satoru immediately senses that he’s not alone. A black wolf, almost as big as Toji yet not quite, with a scar above hazel eyes stands at the mouth of the cave. It watches Satoru warily as he stands and dusts himself off. The wolf subtly steps back.

“Limitless,” it says, voice deep and growly. “What are you doing here?”

“My name is Gojo Satoru.” Satoru says, just a touch too excitedly. “I’m looking for Toji.” They haven’t met before, but Satoru knows this wolf is Zen’in Jinichi, one of the Zen’in pack leader’s sons. He is the lead guard dog along with other members of the pack. He was the one the hunters spotted, who were hired by a wealthy human for his pelt and bones. Satoru can almost see the resemblance to Toji, but his scent is off and his fur is much longer.

Jinichi’s nose twitches as he subtly scents him. The wolf looks back towards the mouth of the cave. “Unfortunately, he’s not here. Neither is his brat. I haven’t seen them for a week.”

Satoru’s blood turns cold at the information. “What?” He can’t read a wolf’s body language, but its hulking figure seems to sag, head lowering slightly. “Couldn’t they be anywhere else?”

“We have a few dens, but this is the safest one. After your kind decimated our numbers, we kept to our home in these mountains.”

Unbeknownst to him, the Gojo clan searched endlessly for the power of Limitless, not knowing that it had to be freely given by a special member of the Zen’in clan to a Gojo capable of inheriting the boundless power. Combined with the knowledge that werewolves hold special magical energy that could be harnessed by vampires, the pureblood werewolves were hunted to near extinction, population only falsely buoyed by turned humans.

“Megumi was gravely injured a few days ago. They should have been here by now if they were on their way.” Satoru took a longer route, not knowing where to go after having lost their trail half a night into his search, which was strange in and of itself. Satoru could sense the magical energy of all creatures within a certain distance, but he couldn’t detect Toji or Megumi. He assumed they were already hidden away. He was wrong. Jinichi looks troubled by the news.

“They’re probably traveling in non-wolf form, then,” Jinichi supplies. “Your nest is a five day travel by foot from here, as you know.” He seems more confident that Toji and Megumi are fine than Satoru is, but he shifts his weight restlessly.

Satoru nods, setting to leave the cave. “There are human hunters who spotted you and are on their way. I’ll take care of them.” He jumps down the cliff without waiting for a response. The company of ten men are easily spotted just outside the perimeter of the forest. Satoru drains their blood and dumps their bodies in a different mountainous area an hour away. He takes their gold for later use.

He travels the main road by foot, annoyed that he hadn’t thought to slow down in his search. Toji and Megumi could be hiding in another den and so he may have just missed them, but he trust Jinichi’s instincts. There are other vampire nests in the nearby area, but they don’t have anything to gain and everything to lose by engaging with the Zen’in werewolves.

A carriage passes by and Satoru uses the stolen gold to get him a ride on the back. He rides it to a village he skipped just before the one he stopped into. Not finding either werewolf after quickly searching the village, he hitches another ride to the next town over a few hours away. He wards off low level vampires looking for a quick meal of the farmer and his wife steering the carriage.

The next town is larger, more dense. Satoru enters every bar and bathhouse and the different scents leave him nauseous and reeling. Other vampires and werewolves he spots among the humans scuttle away from him. Satoru is tempted to ask if they’ve seen a father and his son but doesn’t want to draw attention to them.

He abandons the town in favor of traveling through the forest on foot to the next human village. He traced the quickest path between the Gojo and Zen’in residences in case Toji decided to follow that route with no luck. The unease he’s been feeling turns into anxiety and fear. There is only one place left…. He focuses his energy and envisions the castle to teleport back. As soon as he lands outside the barrier, he can tell that something is off. The barrier rejects him, a jolt of fire running up his arm when he tries to touch it, reminiscent of the waterfall outside the Zen’in den.

The teleportation zapped a good chunk of his energy, but Satoru concentrates magic at the fingertips of his left hand. It comes up blue, an orb that steadily grows in size the more he focuses on it. He presses it against the barrier with urgency, willing himself to break through. The blue orb won’t pass, instead crackling white and fizzing out. Satoru steps back, heart lurching in his chest as he fights the panic threatening to scramble his thoughts. He extends his right hand and focuses an opposite type of magic than the blue orb, appearing as red at his fingers. He tries pushing it through the same spot he had with blue, the contact sending black sparks out like a flower.

Frustrated, Satoru moves further back. He joins his hands together to create a combination of the two, a deep purple that electrifies his fingers as he focuses on breaking through the barrier, energizing it with his fear and desperation, knowing that the wolves he was searching for are being kept from him.

The purple magic condenses into a small orb that flickers from existence before reappearing larger than Satoru’s body, colliding with the barrier and shattering it. He runs towards the castle, making quick work of the guards who attack him. He finds the elders in the great hall, Megumi in their midst, shackled with silver chains and bleeding every which way. His body is covered in cuts, and Anko hovers over him with a dagger pointed over his right flank. Satoru doesn’t wait for any of them to speak, using his speed to kill them all where they stand by cutting through their throats. He’s angry at them but also himself, for not killing them earlier.

“Megumi,” he says, releasing him from his silver chains. Megumi flutters his eyes open, green among a sea of red.

“Satoru,” he replies hoarsely through split lips. His body sags as Satoru holds him up. Satoru quickly removes his cloak and drapes it over him. He hoists him into his arms, much like he had the first night they met. He takes the katana on his dead uncle’s waist and makes his way to the dungeons, knowing exactly where Toji is being kept, his magical signature muted by silver and wolfsbane. As he cuts through the other vampires of the nest, servants and guardsman of his clan, he discovers that Toji and Megumi were captured shortly after leaving the vicinity of the nest.

“I’ve got you,” Satoru reassures Megumi, holding his body closer. He cuts down the few left who charge at him when he enters the bowels of the castle, the air damp and cool. The acrid stench of filth and death grows stronger. Megumi covers his nose, probably feeling it worse, his face burying in Satoru’s lapel. Satoru shouldn’t bring him down there, but he doesn’t want to leave him alone. He can still detect Toji’s scent, faint in the nauseating mix of decay.

In the farthest end of the dungeon, he hears guttural screams and tearing flesh. Satoru sighs in relief when he sees the flash of a large, black figure. Weak but still able to maintain his wolf form, Toji rips a vampire apart, huge paw on his chest and jaws ripping off his head. He’s cut in different places on his body with silver blades, rendering his wounds slow to heal. Satoru rests Megumi just outside of the wolfsbane ridden chamber to dispatch the rest of the guards attacking Toji. He zips around, easily beheading each of his brethren. At the end of it, he looks at Toji. The large wolf, twice Satoru’s height, trots to Megumi. Satoru focuses on blasting a hole through the castle to get them out, though catches a glimpse of the wolf licking at the blood crusting Megumi’s head. Megumi protests but doesn’t struggle.

The castle is empty of threats, but Satoru knows they should get somewhere far away from there. Calling on the same blue energy he amassed earlier, he creates an opening through the dungeon ceiling out to the ground floor.

“Where do you want to go?” he calls out to Toji. He approaches the father son duo, half expecting Toji to bite his arm off. After all, it was his clan that nearly killed him and Megumi. But Toji doesn’t change his stance or growl as Satoru bends down to lift Megumi into his arms. Megumi wraps his arms around Satoru’s neck, the familiar scent of citrus and pine calming him. He looks at Toji over his shoulder. Deep emerald eyes watch him, blinking languidly. Satoru has so many questions he wants to ask, like about Limitless, so many things he wants to do, like complete their incomplete bond, but he refrains for the sake of their first priority of shelter.

“There’s an abandoned house east of here,” Toji replies, rearing to jump out of the hole Satoru created.

“Are you okay to travel? I can take us there,” Satoru says. The wolf gives him a sideways glance as if to say, are you serious, and leaps along the jutting pieces of broken walls up to ground level. “He’s so stubborn,” he says to Megumi. “Hold on, okay?” Megumi hums as Satoru follows after Toji, jumping along the same bricks until he’s standing among the rubble of what used to be the armory.

Toji leads the way out through a collapsed wall to the forest, running at moderate speed due to his wounds. They leave a faint trail of blood behind, but Satoru will do his best to clean it up after establishing a barrier around their hideout.

It’s a modest cabin, once belonging to a couple who left for a village after having a child years ago. There’s moss on the walls and roof, but it's well made without significant defects in the infrastructure. Toji transforms into human form as he opens the door and enters first. A few bugs scuttle away, but no other animals are present inside. Satoru passes Megumi to him and turns his back to the door to set up a magical barrier to keep their presence invisible. Though he’s never put up one himself, he finds that he instinctively knows what to do, the Limitless providing a roadmap in his mind on ways to manipulate his energy to create it. It takes him several minutes to complete the barrier, draining more than half his remaining energy.

Exhausted, Satoru enters the cabin. Megumi lies on bedding in the living room where Toji breaks furniture to throw into the empty fireplace. Satoru lights it once there’s enough wood. Megumi curls underneath the tattered cloak Satoru wrapped him up in, his shivering less prominent. Toji, completely naked, has fading cuts on his limbs and back. Satoru quickly looks away before the werewolf can catch his lingering gaze.

“I’m going to get rid of our trail and make sure nothing bothers us for the rest of the night,” he says into the fireplace. Toji’s eyes on him feel heavy and charged. He suppresses a shiver.

“Okay,” Toji agrees reluctantly. Satoru chances a look at him. The werewolf looks tired but resolute. “The barrier should hold, so we will be fine while you’re gone.”

Satoru nods once and leaves. He takes the path back and covers their trail. There aren’t any creatures he can sense nearby. The Gojo territory expands for hundreds of kilometers, but the occasional harmless fairy or nature spirit would traverse through. He circles the perimeter around the cabin and sees Toji gathering loose sticks for firewood not far from it. Before he can turn away, Toji notices him.

Embarrassment is rare for Satoru. He has no filter and teases others on purpose to get a reaction. With Toji, he feels shy, maybe intimidated. The werewolf is so beautiful, his body perfect and strong, that seeing him now makes Satoru realize that his memories did him no justice. He doesn’t know where to start. Why did Toji give him Limitless? Why didn’t he stay? They could’ve destroyed the clan together. Satoru planned on confronting Toji, also to lecture him for leaving without putting a mark on his neck, but his words die in his throat as their eyes meet.

“Is Megumi okay?” he asks, his throat clicking dryly as he swallows. Toji nods.

“He’ll be fine as long as he’s warm and resting. Thank you for saving him.”

“It was my fault to begin with. I should have killed them sooner.”

Toji sets down the wood, the view of his body now completely unhindered. Satoru looks at the ground. “What matters is they are gone now,” Toji replies. Satoru wants to apologize for everything, but it wouldn’t be enough. He also wants to embrace him. To smell him and not hold him is shredding at his self-control. Satoru must be out of his mind. Toji doesn’t appear to be affected the same way.

“Why…,” he starts haltingly, his excitement ratcheting up when Toji comes closer. He tamps down the compulsion to step back, to maintain the distance between them because he can’t think otherwise. “Why did you do this to me if you weren’t going to finish it?” Satoru chances a look at him. He lifts his eyes to watch Toji step uncomfortably close. Toji’s heat and scent are so intoxicating that Satoru isn’t aware of leaning into him until he tastes the salt of his skin and digs his nails into warm flesh.

“Poor thing,” Toji croons, rubbing his nose into Satoru’s hair. “Should I have given you a mating bite?” He hisses when Satoru drags his nails down his back.

“You’re the worst,” Satoru whimpers. His anger and desire meld into the need to get Toji to complete the bond. At this point, he’ll do anything to have Toji knot and bite him, to use him as he wants, the Limitless at his beck and call to destroy anything. Build anything. Raze empires if Toji wishes it.

As if sensing his want, Toji grabs him by the back of his neck and pulls down, exposing his throat. Satoru moans, oversensitive already from Toji’s body against his. He smells blood from where he scratched Toji and that along with the drag of Toji’s lips on his throat has him coming embarrassingly quick in his pants. When the sparks fade from behind his eyes, he sinks to his knees and sucks Toji down until he’s spilling in his mouth. Satoru catches the remains dripping down his chin with his fingers and licks them clean. He licks up the blood he scratched out of Toji from his nails with a groan.

“Satisfied for now, young vampire?” Toji teases, brushing Satoru’s hair back. Satoru tilts his head up and hums in agreement. For now.

They gather more dry branches to bring back to the cabin. Megumi continues to sleep undisturbed while Toji feeds the fireplace. Satoru sits in the corner with his back against the wall. He’s pleasantly exhausted, the unease from before replaced with a pleasant thrum. He hasn’t had time to analyze the changes in himself the last few days except that he’s aware of his new abilities and Toji. In awakening Limitless, he and Satoru became inexplicably linked. As far as Satoru knows, they are bonded despite the fact that Toji didn’t complete his end of it.

Werewolves have long monogamous relationships within their kind. Vampires on the other hand don’t have such attachments. Satoru never felt the desire to keep a constant partner. His fondness for the human he had a century ago pales in comparison to the attraction and need for companionship that he feels for Toji. They haven’t known each other for long, and maybe the intensity and suddenness of what he feels should be alarming, but it feels right. Like something slotting itself into place.

Limitless is more romantic than raw power, turns out.

“You must be hungry,” Toji says as he sits next to him. The sky is still dark but starting to lighten as dawn creeps up. Satoru closes his eyes and rest his head against the wall.

“I’m more exhausted than hungry,” he replies.

Toji hums. “Could mean the same thing.”

A blue eye cracks open to settle on him. “You gonna feed me?”

“If you like.” He straightens his thick legs as a prompt for Satoru to sit on them. Satoru feels his fangs lengthening in anticipation. Memories of the last time he fed from Toji have him near salivating as he considers what to do. Using his new Limitless abilities drained a lot of his energy but Toji must also be near his limit. He promises himself that he will only take a minimal amount.

Before he knows what he’s doing, he’s crawling onto Toji’s lap. He buries his face into Toji’s neck and his lips find where he bit him a week ago. There’s a faint but textured scar. He feels more than hears Toji purr as his lips trace over the healed skin.

“You’ve lost a lot of blood already,” Satoru says as he leans back to look into tired emerald eyes. He traces the rough scar at Toji’s mouth with his thumb. A wet, hot tongue slides out and licks him. Satoru shivers. “Can you focus?”

“I’ll be fine, young vampire,” Toji says, tongue hiding away. “Go ahead.”

Satoru doesn’t need to be told twice. He leans in, promising himself to take as little as needed. His fangs sink in and warm ambrosia bleeds into his mouth. He sucks gently, savoring Toji’s taste with each mouthful. His fatigue begins to fade almost immediately. He pulls away after a few minutes, wanting more but knowing he’s taken enough for the moment. He watches wound heal slowly, but the scar from earlier remains.

“Better?” Toji asks with an arch of his brow. Satoru gives him a smile and a nod. His hands on Satoru’s hips give a brief squeeze before falling away. It is considerably lighter outside, the first orange rays of the sun breaking in through the battered windows. A dull ache forms behind Satoru’s eyes. Being out this late is more than what he has tried to do in the past - he’s never been out past the witching hour, but Toji’s calm presence and the Limitless make him feel safe.

Toji takes a sleeve of Satoru’s tunic and tears it from the shoulder. “This will help,” he says as he rips it into two strips and ties two ends together to make it longer. He wraps it around Satoru’s eyes, creating a blindfold. The light, now muted through fabric, doesn’t hurt him as much.

“How do you know so much about Limitless?” Satoru asks after Toji secures the blindfold. He can feel Toji against him, but he discovers that he can still sense his magic. Megumi’s as well, a soft pulsing hum by the fireplace. He thought that his clan would know best about it since it is their inheritance, but apparently the ones to unlock the ability are the experts.

“I was told about it from my mother,” Toji replies, settling back against the wall. Satoru resumes his seat at the corner. “In my pack, the mother has a dream about her child holding the Limitless power in their blood. She died a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Satoru says because the loss of a wolf’s mother is worse than a vampire losing his, or so he imagines. “Why did you give it to me?”

He hears Toji take a deep breath, feels the heat from his body and the magic in his core, bright and gold like the sun. “I don’t know. You saved my son, and I wanted you. She told me I could use Limitless for anything I want, but she didn’t tell me that the only thing I would ever want is a mate and a pack of my own.”

Satoru’s chest burns with Toji’s words. “I’ll give you whatever you want,” he vows with an urgency that is almost beyond his reckoning. His mouth moves as if from his heart, not his head. “I can’t give you more pups but, if you want sire them with another wolf -”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Toji interrupts him with an angry growl. Satoru’s teeth clack shut. “I mate for life. I wouldn’t expect my mate to fuck anyone else, even for the sake of pups.” Then, more calmly, “I would be fine with a pack of three. I don’t desire more pups than Megumi. He’s already more trouble than he’s worth.” Satoru discerns the affection in his voice.

“I never thought about having pups of my own,” Satoru says, “but I would like to have Megumi as my pup, if he’d accept me.”

Toji lets out a breathy chuckle as he gets up to stoke the fireplace. The logs are near embers at this point, but the cabin feels comfortably warm. “He will.”

“I remember meeting you when I was a pup,” Satoru starts after a pause. “I’ve been looking for you since.”

“I know, but I couldn’t risk your clan members finding out about me until you already had Limitless.”

Satoru doesn’t need to ask if Toji felt as drawn to him as he did to Toji.

They sit in silence for a while longer until Megumi finally stirs. He looks mostly healed, though his cuts are still visible. Toji picks him up despite his protests, and the three of them walk to a stream about half a kilometer away in the forest, small but secluded. Satoru hesitates to leave the cabin at first, but Toji guides his hand into the sunlight in his. He only feels heat, like when he touches Toji’s skin, and felt awe, like when he first met the biggest wolf he’d ever seen.

At the stream, while the werewolves clean off and play, Satoru keeps to the shade. He could use a dip, but would rather do it alone given the events of the night before. After about an hour or so, in the time that Satoru got a quick nap, Toji goes off to hunt.

“Feeling better?” Satoru asks Megumi as they trek back to the cabin, collecting sticks on the way. He’s noticed that Megumi is more quiet than his father and wonders if its because he is a rare phenomenon and grew up lonely.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“How old are you? You seem so serious for someone young,” Satoru jests, bumping his elbow against his arm. Megumi frowns.

“Old enough,” he grunts in response. Satoru laughs, though knows that Megumi’s life couldn’t have been easy. His pack must have done a good job to keep him hidden for so long. Megumi probably never stepped foot outside until recently. He’s not as tanned as his father, for example.

They must have taken their time walking and collecting sticks because Toji meets them at the cabin, fresh deer in tow. Satoru, curious, joins them. He doesn’t eat anything but is fascinated by Toji and Megumi. Toji offers him a piece of meat and Satoru takes a small bite, chewing carefully. He gives the rest back with a grimace.

Megumi falls asleep shortly afterwards. Toji seems reluctant to, but Satoru is the best rested of all of them and offers to stay awake a while longer. He walks the perimeter of the barrier, takes a swim in the stream they found earlier, then finds a spot by a shady tree near the cabin to meditate. As far as he can tell, every member of his clan is gone. All the magic he can sense now consists of harmless fairies and spirits of the forest.

He spends his time this way through nightfall, when Megumi and Toji wake again. He unwinds his blindfold when the sun is gone and neatly places it in his pocket.

“Where do we go next?” Satoru asks. Toji glances at Megumi, who appears grim but less pale.

“There are some members of our clan that I need to sort out,” Toji replies gravely. “An uncle and a nephew, mainly.”

This surprises Satoru. “A nephew? There are other pups?”

“I have cousins,” Megumi adds.

Satoru nods as Toji continues, “We should all be recovered in another day. When we return to the den I will kill Ogi and Naoya. They’re the ones responsible for the attack on Megumi, and the reason why we were easily caught on our escape.”

“I’d been looking for three days and didn’t find you,” Satoru says. “I couldn’t see where you’d gone, like you disappeared.”

“The Gojo hired a talented witch,” Toji explains. “She was able to keep you out of the barrier.”

Satoru closes his eyes and concentrates. He did it earlier to try to find the moment he lost track of Toji, but it was like a black hole in the timeline. He learned that Limitless is only useful if he knows how to use it and where to look. In looking into Zen’in Naoya and Ogi, he can see them plotting with the Gojo elder Yuki, that Megumi had the power to unlock Limitless, as he was the son favored by the twin moon gods, Yuji and Sukuna.

He blinks his eyes open at Megumi, who meets his gaze with a curious tilt to his head. Satoru doesn’t know much about deities except that they are capricious and never interfere with mortal lives. The twin moon gods are myths, as far as Satoru is concerned, but they have indeed visited Megumi. One of the twins has even killed for him.

“I’ll be back.” Megumi gets up from his makeshift bed to leave just as Toji tells him not to wander too far, and Satoru grins after him.

Toji quirks a questioning brow at Satoru. Satoru shrugs, yet wonders how much he should keep to himself and what to divulge. They’ll be mates soon, so shouldn’t he say something to him?

“What do you know about the twin moon gods?”

Toji frowns, thrown off by the abrupt change of subject. “Nothing. We pay tribute to them twice a year, at the winter and spring solstices. Why?”

There’s probably more importance to them than Toji cares to know, so Satoru decides he will just ask Megumi about it later.

“No reason.”

–

They leave the cabin the following night and stop at a village when it nears dawn. Satoru buys clothing for Toji and Megumi before they can all enter together.

The village is one Satoru skipped initially on his way in this direction. It's a wealthier merchant town with many shops, inns, and bars for entertainment. Satoru pays for two rooms and a set of meals to be delivered along with warm water for baths. Megumi takes one room and Toji takes Satoru to the one next to it.

“You should take the bath first and get some rest,” Toji offers as he closes the heavy curtains and lights a few candles around the room.

“We both can't fit?” Satoru asks suggestively, stepping behind the shoji screen and taking off his clothes. He unwraps the blindfold and throws it over the screen. Without sunlight in the room his eyes don’t hurt as much.

“Your legs are too long,” Toji complains. Satoru watched his silhouette from behind the screen.

“You can try fitting between them,” he calls back. The tub is nowhere near big enough for both of them, let alone Toji alone. Satoru steps into the tub and sighs at the hot temperature. His legs nearly bend to his chest at the tight fit. He splashes water on his face and through his hair. Toji appears from the edge of the screen, cloak gone and tunic pulled out of his pants. Satoru reaches a hand out to him. Toji takes it and bends down to lick between his index and middle fingers. Satoru feels his dick harden painfully at the touch.

“You can barely fit,” Toji says in amusement, pulling away and glancing into the bath. “Don't come in the water.” A knock at the door interrupts them. Toji answers it just as Satoru stifles a groan and puts more lavender oil into the bath.

Once done, he slips on a robe provided in the room. Toji is just finishing his meal and setting the tray outside. He checked on Megumi earlier who was just settling into sleep after his meal and bath. Satoru sits on the bed and eyes the random books on the shelf as Toji takes his turn at the bath.

Satoru waits as patiently as he can while Toji finishes. Luckily he's perfunctory and doesn't take long, even by Satoru’s standards. He’s wet and naked as he steps out from behind the shoji screen, one hand ruffling his hair to shake the water from it. Satoru doesn’t realize he’s staring until he has to tilt his head to keep his gaze above Toji’s waistline. The knowing smirk he receives makes his face heat.

“Want to go to bed?” Toji asks as he traces a finger along Satoru’s jaw. Satoru doesn’t want to sleep just yet but there’s a slight ache behind his eyes, and he knows that Toji wants to move in on his pack tonight.

“Yes,” he replies. He removes his robe as Toji slides under the covers and curls up next to his warm body. Toji lifts his arm to get Satoru closer. The sound of his steady heartbeat lulls Satoru to sleep.

–

The confrontation between the wolves is quick and violent.

Megumi was reunited with others in his pack in the den while Toji fought with his uncle and nephew, a two on one fight that made Satoru apprehensive but was forbidden to interfere. Though Toji was outnumbered, he wasn’t outsized. Despite his hulking mass, he was fast. He made short work of Naoya, and Ogi ran away with Toji hot on his trail. Toji returned after some time, dragging Ogi’s dead body by his throat, and the rest of the pack created a pyre to send their souls to the afterlife.

Satoru was relegated to the edge of the forest to keep wandering humans on a safe path. Unable to enter the den and not wanting to watch the fight, he sat facing the road. Megumi had told him that the den is protected by very old magic to keep any creature or otherwise out unless made a pack member. “You’d have to be mated,” Megumi had explained as Satoru stood forlornly in front of the waterfall.

As the pyre burns, Satoru watches Toji limp into the forest and follows after him. His fur is matted with blood and gore, and his right hind leg looks broken. He trudges for what seems like an hour until he finds a small clearing covered with jasmine trees. His large frame takes up nearly the whole space as he lies down with a huff. Satoru slowly approaches him and rubs the bridge of his nose. His hand comes away red and sticky. By the smell of it, the blood is not Toji’s. Green eyes blink slowly at him, and a tongue laps out at his hand. Satoru tamps down the strong urge to ask Toji to be with him forever.

Werewolves have more access to magic in their wolf forms, so Satoru imagines Toji will stay like this while he heals. Satoru sits against his damp neck and takes comfort in the steady movements of his chest.

“How did you find this place?” he asks softly, almost afraid to disturb the quiet.

“A human family lived further down,” Toji begins hoarsely. He clears his throat with a wince. “The daughter liked jasmine trees. She planted them many years ago.” Satoru can see it now, a teenage human digging holes for the seeds in a treeless area. It was a very long time ago. Toji was only a pup when he saw her.

“Beautiful,” Satoru comments. He tries to bury himself as deep as he can in Toji’s fur. He can almost disappear within it.

“The scent of the jasmine helps with the smell of the blood.”

“I’ll protect you,” Satoru chirps from within Toji’s fur, searching for a spot that is clear of blood or guts. He feels rather than hears Toji’s chuckle.

—

A few days pass before Toji heals enough to be able to revert to his human form. His once gaping wounds are freshly pink scars. Satoru hovers close to him and interacts with several members of the Zen’in that come out to visit Toji. They are polite with Satoru and don’t seem to mind that a vampire invites himself to all of their meetings. Toji hasn't entered the den since they first arrived, and Satoru suspects it's because of him.

Satoru starts to wonder whether Toji Intends to mate with him. Generally he doesn't have any insecurities about others wanting to have sex with him - he knows he's attractive - but Toji hasn't touched him other than surreptitious caresses along his back or an arm wrapped around his waist during sleep. Toji hasn't offered himself, and Satoru hasn't asked despite feeling the first cravings for blood since he'd last drank from Toji a week ago. The werewolf is still healing, but Satoru doesn't want anyone else either. So he suppresses his hunger in the hopes that Toji will invite his bite soon.

“It's almost the full moon,” Megumi says apropos of nothing as they walk downstream of the waterfall that protects their den. He's lightly dressed in caribou fur and leather. Contrary to what Satoru started to think, werewolves don’t stay naked all the time and are quite stylish.

“Any special traditions?” Satoru asks, blinking up at the aforementioned bright sphere. “Such as with one of the twin moon gods?” He glances sideways just in time to see a bright blush paint Megumi’s cheeks. Even with nothing but the moonlight, he can see the color clearly on his face.

“I don't…” He sighs in defeat. “There’s no tradition. He found me one night, and I’ve seen him a few times.” Megumi meets Satoru’s sly side-eye. “How did you know?”

Satoru looks up again and crosses his hands behind his head. “I know everything now, Megumi-chan. Everything except thoughts and feelings.” He drops his hands and his gaze. “I don't know what's in your heart, for example.”

“Or dad's,” Megumi says by way of understanding. “Why don't you just ask?”

“Do you know?” Satoru asks him instead, speeding up and walking backwards to face Megumi, who looks somewhat sympathetic .

“I'm not going to say anything. You really can't tell?”

Satoru expertly avoids a rock that would've sent him tumbling into the river. “I'm not sure,” he replies, finger tapping on his chin thoughtfully. “Should I just tell him myself?”

Megumi gives him a small smile. “He knows.”

Satoru wants to argue that no, Toji doesn't because why is he still unmated when he senses Megumi's cousins catching up to them from a distance. The twins, Mai and Maki, are slightly older than Megumi but are smaller wolves with black fur and hazel eyes.

“Mai thinks she can beat me up the mountain,” Maki says, her grin showing her sharp, gleaming fangs. “Want to join?”

Megumi glances at Satoru then lets out a heavy sigh. He begins to strip out of his furs and transforms into a wolf. He's bigger of the three, by about half a meter in height and bulkier in size, but Satoru gets the sense that Maki is extremely agile and powerful despite the difference.

“This will be quick” Megumi says to him, lining up beside his cousins.

“Want to count?” Mai asks Satoru, tail swishing in anticipation. Satoru happily starts a countdown from three and watches them spring away at one, nearly knocking him back with the dirt they kick up as they take off.

He stares after them until they are rustling in the trees up the mountain. He picks up Megumi's clothes and folds them neatly to carry back with him, humming to himself.

By the time gets to the hidden alcove of the waterfall, he sees Toji walking along the base of the cliff in shorts. Satoru feels a wave of happiness and relief when their eyes meet. Toji is the most beautiful creature Satoru has ever seen. He sees him and wants. Does Toji know?

“Hi, just in time,” Satoru says, swallowing against the hunger in his mouth. He runs his tongue along his fangs, a habit he started to distract himself from thinking about Toji’s neck. He holds out Megumi's clothes. Toji takes them with a brush of his fingers against Satoru’s. “Megumi is running around with his cousins.”

“They should be back soon,” Toji says, glancing past Satoru’s shoulder. Satoru nods. Sensing the three wolves not more than a kilometer away. “No sign of trouble?”

“Nope.”

“Good.” The moonlight casts shadows on the definitions of Toji’s muscles when he steps closer to scent Satoru along his jaw. It always makes Satoru weak when he does it, and he always feels Toji grin when he sucks in a sharp breath. “Shall we?” He prompts, pulling away. “My business is done here for now.”

Satoru nods dumbly in agreement. Toji walks past him towards the opening of the alcove. He runs a hand through his hair to gather himself before following. The ground shakes as the three wolves barrel down the mountainside. Maki leads the pack with Megumi shortly behind. Mai tumbles out covered in twigs.

“Time to go inside,” Toji tells them over their excited yips. He shoves the clothes into Megumi's jaws. “We'll see you in a few days.”

Maki shake’s Mai off her and passes Toji first with a bow of her head. Mai follows after her. Megumi gets his nose pet by Toji and whips his tail against Satoru’s face as he goes.

“Oopth,” the wolf says, not apologetic at all. Satoru laughs. As soon as the three wolves disappear behind the waterfall, Toji leads Satoru towards their usual place by the jasmine tree.

Satoru has never spent so much time outdoors, but he finds that he enjoys it. The nights are warm enough, and the days are pleasant underneath the shade of the tree. They spent their time learning about each other’s pasts, Toji telling him about the discord In his family leading to the recent events.Similarly, Satoru told of the politics in his clan and their search for Limitless, though Toji seemed to know more about it than he did.

“You're strangely quiet,” Toji interrupts his thoughts. Satoru meets his gaze. “What's on your mind?”

“You,” Satoru says with an easy smile. It earns him a chuckle.

“Anything in particular about me?” Toji asks as he stops. He takes Satoru’s wrist and draws him close, Satoru wants to say, everything, but his breath catches in his throat. With a knowing tilt of his lips, Toji cradles Satoru’s jaw and kisses him softly. Satoru parts his lips with a sigh. They haven’t touched each other like this in days, and he didn’t realize how hungry he was for it until now.

“You’ve been so patient,” Toji says when they pull apart. Satoru accidentally cuts his tongue on his fang.

“I’m dying, Toji.” He swallows his bitter tasting blood. Toji kisses him again and chases after it, licking against the cut. He only stops when it heals and tugs Satoru along the path. When they get to their usual place by the jasmine trees, Toji guides him to lie down.

Satoru nearly trips over himself to sit on the grass. Toji follows, kneeling over him and capturing his mouth in his. This time, Satoru bites the scarred edge of Toji’s bottom lip, drawing blood and drinking it as Toji rips his shirt away from his body with a growl.

”You taste so good. Did I mention that?” Satoru gasps into Toji’s mouth, trying to both kiss and suck on his cut lip. He lifts his hips to help Toji peel off his pants.

”So do you,” Toji replies, “and yes, you have.” He pushes Satoru flat with a hand on his chest and licks from the base of his neck to his jaw. Satoru squirms as Toji scrapes his teeth against the skin there, a threat of a bite. He arches his back and paws impatiently as Toji’s broad shoulders. “I’m going to mark you right here,” Toji promises hotly.

”Do it now,” Satoru demands. He holds the back of Toji’s neck to pull him closer. This is what he’s wanted from the day Toji had him like this, his cock buried in him and his fat knot begging from entrance but denied. Satoru knows what it means now, for a knot to go in, for a werewolf to sink their teeth into the vulnerable curve of a neck and hold. Every inch of his body burns with the need for Toji to claim him, to bind them properly. He can’t stand not to be, anymore.

”I have you, Satoru,” Toji reassures him, resting more of his weight on Satoru to calm him. The solid mass of his body does just that and Satoru stops writhing as much in an effort to get closer to him. Toji moves on to taste other parts of Satoru’s body, licking his armpits and chest, further down his torso to his groin and sensitive crease of his thighs. Satoru’s cock leaks steadily, the shift nearly purple in its rigidity. taking pity, Toji swipes his tongue across the wet tip and sucks once.

Satoru comes just then with a startled cry. The orgasm is too much and yet not enough. His hole quivers emptily. Toji drinks him down and leans back with a satisfied grin. It’s enough to make Satoru shiver.

“Turn over,” he says and removes his furs. Satoru obeys automatically to get on his knees and forearms.

“Hurry,” Satoru begs, knees spreading wider. He feels Toji’s large, warm hands exposing him. “I want it. I want you.”

”I have you,” Toji says again. He licks into him, hot wet tongue coaxing him loose and slick. Satoru whimpers because he knows Toji is going to take his time with this, the fucking bastard, and he’s hard again because Toji is so sexy, feels so good and tastes even better. Satoru was sure of it before, but even more so now, he would do anything for Toji. So if Toji wants to eat him out for what feels like hours he’ll wait. But fuck if he isn’t dying for him.

When Toji finally pulls back, Satoru is a shivering mess, half out of his mind with want. Toji kisses up his back and presses the blunt head of his cock against his soft, wet entrance.

“You’re doing so well for me, Satoru,” Toji murmurs against the nape of his neck. “Thank you for letting me taste you.” Satoru can’t do more than moan as the thick shaft penetrates him slowly, steadily, creating a place for itself deep in Satoru’s body. Toji starts a careful pace. He shifts slightly just before each snap of his hips, waiting until Satoru cries out and cants his ass higher to get more of that feeling. He vaguely hears Toji’s, “Ah, is that good?”

A litany of obscenities spill from Satoru’s lips. Finally having Toji inside him is almost just as good as drinking his blood. “Toji, keep fucking me just like that,” he moans as Toji’s dick hits the spot that has him seeing stars over and over again. He can feel the base of Toji’s cock swelling and slipping more and more into him with each thrust. He spreads his knees wider and cants his hips higher.

“I’m going to knot you,” Toji warns him, voice guttural and breathless. Satoru tries to look back at him, to see his muscles flexing with each brutal thrust but he can’t focus enough to do that.

“Please,” he begs again. He expects it to hurt, and it does initially as the engorged flesh forces its way inside, followed by white hot pleasure that singes every nerve in his body. He comes, cock spurting untouched, as Toji sinks his teeth into his neck, fangs penetrating deeply just as his knot pulses and pumps his seed deep inside Satorut’s body. Satoru feels their magic meld between them, shattering and reforming a new, blended shape that is the two of them. He whimpers as he stays still, shuddering minutely under Toji’s hold as the bond takes place.

Satoru slumps forward once Toji unlocks his jaw. Toji licks the wound with a low growl while Satoru whimpers through it. He turns his head when Toji nuzzles against his cheek, and they exchange a lazy, slow kiss. He can taste his blood on Toji’s teeth.

“Are you alright?” Toji asks. His eyes are an iridescent green, the glow of them almost eerie. Satoru hums with a small nod. Toji carefully rearranges them so that they lie on their sides while still connected. Satoru sighs in contentment once Toji curls up behind him and drapes an arm over his waist. He brings Toji’s hand to his lips and falls asleep.

—

The waterfall that protects the Zen’in clan doesn’t hurt Satoru anymore.

He passes through behind Toji, who leads him past the sound of rushing water, through darkness, and out to the open. At the base of the mountains are wooden houses built along the curve and partially obscured by trees. He can sense Megumi and the others below. There are a few black shapes traversing the cliffs

”Will we have a ceremony?” Satoru asks excitedly, in awe of the hidden compound. It’s unlike anything he could have imagined. Toji chuckles beside him.

“If you’d like. Everyone already knows.”

Satoru hums in thought as he touches the scar on his neck and decides that he won’t need one, then.

Notes:

Did it seem rushed? It took me a couple months to complete it and seemed a little rushed at the end but I just wanted to get to the mating smut already lmaoooooo.
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