Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shi-Long was somewhat ashamed to admit that it took him a while to realize what was wrong.

In his defense, there was a lot going on, what with the whole mess with the impostor president and the various murders that had taken place. The boy himself was rather worse for the wear after everything that had happened. While Shi-Long hadn’t been present for most of it, Edgeworth had filled him in on the various breakdowns and the kidnapping. All in all, it was hardly a surprise that young Sebastian would be pale and shaky after finally fleeing the courtroom and his father’s presence, or even a few days later, when Edgeworth had finally been reinstated and everything was finally getting back on track.

What was a surprise was when he all but collapsed in Edgeworth’s office, sliding onto the floor in a trembling heap and making retching noises.

“Sebastian?” Edgeworth was instantly on his feet, taking a step closer, with Kay springing to action as well from where she had been moments before lounging on Edgeworth’s couch. Shi-Long stepped in the way, though, nostrils flaring as he took in the situation.

“Back!” he growled, not quite bothering to keep his voice in the more human registers. “Don’t come closer!”

He heard Kay gasp, could practically feel Edgeworth’s sharp intake of breath, but they didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was the boy collapsed on the floor, the trembling little pup who was making helpless whining sounds. Now that Shi-Long was finally paying attention he could smell it clearly, the faint mixture of pain and fever and change, dangerous and delicious all at the same time.

Shi-Long dropped low to the ground, crawling slowly closer. The only sounds in the room were Sebastian’s pained whimpers that tugged at Shi-Long’s most primal instincts. This was a pup to protect, confused and in pain, and while he couldn’t really take that pain away at least he could try to help.

“Hey, pup.” He touched Sebastian’s shoulder, managing not to flinch as the boy’s head whipped up in an instant, looking at him with feverish eyes. “You all right?”

“N-no.” There were tears streaming down Sebastian’s pale face, and he had apparently bitten his lip hard enough to bleed. “I... I don’t know what’s wrong, it just… it hurts so much, I feel sick…”

“Yeah, I bet you do.” Shi-Long’s eyes darted around what little he could see of the boy’s skin, looking for any marks. There was nothing visible, but then there was very little he could see. The smell was even clearer now that he was up close, though, impossible to ignore even if he had tried. It was almost sickeningly sweet, a blessing that had twisted itself into a curse for a child who had already suffered more than enough. “Mr. Prosecutor? I’ll be making use of your couch for a moment.”

There was no sound of protest, nothing said as he swiftly gathered Sebastian into his arms and carried his trembling form to the couch Kay had vacated. She tried to rush closer, but another warning growl made her step back. Shi-Long laid the boy out on the couch, carefully looking him over for symptoms. Feverish, pale, barely coherent, nauseous if the retching sounds were anything to go by. Check, check, check.

“I’ll call an ambulance.” Edgeworth was already digging out his phone, only to startle as Shi-Long turned in an instant, barking a no at him. “Agent?”

“This… is not something a doctor can help him with.” Shi-Long sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It had been a long time since he’d had to have the Talk with anyone, and this was more or less the worst possible circumstance, yet there was no way he could avoid it. It wasn’t like there was anyone else the kid could turn to for support. Certainly not the one who had done this to him.

“What’s wrong with him?” Kay inched closer, only barely kept at bay by his sharp glare. “Is he sick? It wouldn’t be a wonder, getting tied up like that…”

“I’m afraid it’s something worse.” A faint movement caught his eye, and he spun back to Sebastian to find the boy desperately scratching at one of his wrists. Shi-Long immediately reached out to grasp Sebastian’s arm, pulling down the sleeve despite the faint protests. He wasn’t surprised to see the faint marks of teeth on pale skin, not quite healed yet.

“Agent.” Edgeworth’s voice was all business, now. “Tell me what is going on, now.”

“Soon as I’ve made him feel better, as much as I can.” Shi-Long glanced around the office. “I don’t suppose you have any cold drinks available around here?”

“I’m afraid the only beverage I have on offer is tea.” Edgeworth sniffed. “I do believe there is a vending machine near the break room, however.”

“Perfect.” A quick dig through his pocket brought out some local coins, which he tossed at Kay. “Go get him a drink, doesn’t matter what. Don’t dally, and don’t speak to anyone. This isn’t something you should be spreading around.”

Kay looked rather dubious, but nodded anyway before rushing off with his loot. Shi-Long felt more than saw Edgeworth stepping closer, though he still made sure to keep himself between the prosecutor and the boy. The last thing they needed right now was an accident.

“Something is wrong.”

“A brilliant deduction, Mr. Prosecutor.” There might still have been a hint of a growl to his voice, but really, he didn’t think anyone could blame him. “I’ll explain in a moment, though we should probably wait for the crow girl to show up. I’d rather not repeat myself.”

“And you are sure he shouldn’t see a doctor?”

“Positive.” Shi-Long gave a jerking nod, brushing a lock of sweaty hair from Sebastian’s forehead. “Now, calm down, pup. I know you feel awful right now, but you’ll be all right. I promise.”

“But… I feel sick…”

“Yeah, and you will for a while yet. It’ll get better, I swear.” Shi-Long glanced around again, hoping to find a trashcan in case worse came to worst and the nausea got worse. To his pleasant surprise Edgeworth had apparently thought of the same, carrying a trashcan closer.

“The explanation had better be excellent, Agent.” He might have been offended at the clippy tone if he hadn’t heard the concern underlying it loud and clear.

“Oh, I’ll blow your mind, no problem.” Or have him doubting Shi-Long’s sanity, one of the two.

Kay returned in record time, carrying a few cold cans of soft drinks. Shi-Long grabbed one and opened it with a hiss, setting one hand behind Sebastian’s head to help him lean up enough to drink.

“There you go,” he murmured softly, trying to keep the growl out of his voice for the moment. “It’ll make you feel better, I promise. Slowly, though, we don’t want you bringing it back up again.”

Sebastian obeyed sluggishly, drinking in small, slow sips. The can was almost empty by the time he leaned his head back against Shi-Long’s hand, his voice little more than a murmur. “Am I going to die?”

“No.” That, at least, he could promise, could swear on his very honor. “You’ll be just fine, pup. Just hang in there.”

“Agent?” Edgeworth’s voice was gaining an edge, and Kay was practically bouncing in place with anxiety. “An explanation, if you would?”

“Right.” He doubted Sebastian was in any state to retain anything that was said, but then, Shi-Long would owe him a lot of explanations later anyway. “Let’s cut to the chase and get this out of the way.” He turned his hard gaze on Edgeworth. “Blaise Debeste is a monster.”

“Yes, I am aware,” Edgeworth snapped, ignoring the whimper from Sebastian. “That doesn’t explain this sudden sickness.”

“I mean it in the literal sense.” Shi-Long sighed, running a hand over his hair. He could practically feel his ears twitching, the wolf inside him clawing to the surface in its desire to comfort the poor, scared pup. “What’s your take on myths, Mr. Prosecutor?”

“They tend to lie beyond the realm of logic, and as such I prefer not to involve myself with them.” Of course. All that bloody logic. “However, I have seen things I cannot explain away with what I know of the world, so it would be illogical for me to discount such possibilities outright.”

“Well, that’s a start.” His gaze flitted to Kay. “And you?”

“Eh, I never thought about it much.” Kay gave an easy shrug that was rather at odds with the tense expression on her face. “I’ll find out the truth, whether it’s logical or not! For that’s the way of Yatagarasu!”

“Right.” Shi-Long drew a deep breath. “So what if I told you I believe the older Debeste is a werewolf?”

He could practically see them both jumping to the obvious conclusions, horrified gazes turning to Sebastian. “You can’t mean…” Edgeworth sounded almost nauseous himself.

“From what I can tell, the kid’s been bitten a week ago, at most. Probably less than that. No doubt his father thought he was starting to get out of hand and wanted another way to control him.” Another growl rose from his throat, unbidden. “No way was it voluntary, with the pup as clueless as he is. And that, Mr. Prosecutor, is why I call him a monster.”

“Let’s assume for a moment that this is true.” Because of course Mr. Prosecutor would still have to doubt. “How exactly would you know either way?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He barked out a laugh, though it was rather lacking in humor of any kind. “It takes one to know one, Mr. Prosecutor.” He allowed his eyes to flash a little more golden, his fangs to lengthen just for a grin. Kay gasped as she saw the changes, yet Edgeworth simply nodded.

“Well. That, at least, makes more sense than the rest of this mess.”

And really, Shi-Long wasn’t sure if he should be offended or just laugh, but with a whimpering pup lying next to him, he had no energy for either.

*

“Are you sure everything will be all right?”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Prosecutor.” Shi-Long adjusted his sunglasses, flashing a smirk. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I wish I could think so, but at the moment, I only have your word to go on.” Edgeworth turned to look at Sebastian. The pup was still pale, but at least he was on his feet and more or less coherent, which was more than he had been a few days ago. “Sebastian? How do you feel about all this?”

“I, um… I’ll be fine.” Sebastian toyed with the handle of his little suitcase, looking awfully uncomfortable. “I’m sure Agent Lang will… will take care of me.”

“That I will.” Even if it meant dragging the pup out of the country, because like hell was he going to let Sebastian face his first full moon alone. “I’ll get him back to you safe and sound once things have settled down.”

Edgeworth gave him a terse nod. “And you’re sure you can handle the… situation?”

“Positive.” Shi-Long fixed him with a serious gaze. They were relatively alone, as much so as they could be at the airport, but he dropped his voice anyway. “Don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty much an expert in these things. I’m not going to claim I can make it all easy and painless, but I can make sure this won’t ruin his life.”

“And his father?” Though Edgeworth’s voice was also quiet, Sebastian flinched back anyway.

“Will have no say in the matter.” Shi-Long couldn’t quite suppress a growl, but then the upside of having a reputation such as his was that people didn’t really think twice of him acting somewhat wolfishly in public. “I’ll be there, so he’ll recognize me as his pack. It doesn’t matter who infected him, it all comes down to who his wolf chooses as its own.” He hadn’t had a pack in ages, not a true pack; though his men were loyal above all, they were little more than distractions for his wolf. However, he would be more than happy to claim the pup as his own to keep Blaise at bay.

Someone who would force the change on an unwitting child deserved no pack, or indeed anything better than to be torn apart by Shi-Long’s fangs.

“In this matter, then, I will have to trust your expertise.” Edgeworth turned to look at Sebastian, now. “Sebastian. I hope you will take this opportunity to rest and think things through. And once you return… I would be delighted to help you find your own path as a prosecutor, if that is what you desire.”

Sebastian stood up straighter at that, the metaphorical ears pricking up in attention. “Yes, sir!”

“Well, then. I will trust you in Agent Lang’s capable hands.” Edgeworth paused. “You have my number. Do not hesitate to contact me if you feel the need to do so, even if the reason might seem trivial.”

“Right.” Sebastian hesitated, still fiddling with the suitcase handle. “I, ah… thank you. For everything.”

“I require no thanks for doing what is right. But you are welcome, nevertheless.” Edgeworth’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I do believe Kay would rather like to hear from you from time to time, as well.”

That brought a flush to Sebastian’s face, and, well, wasn’t that an interesting thought. Shi-Long barked out a laugh. “And what of me, then, Mr. Prosecutor?”

“Well, you certainly have my contact details.” Edgeworth lifted an eyebrow, though he seemed slightly less unflappable than usual. “I would appreciate any updates concerning Sebastian’s situation… as well as anything else you would like to share.”

“Count on it.” Shi-Long flashed one last smirk, then turned away. “Come on, pup. We’ve got a flight to catch.”

“Ah — right!” Sebastian trailed after him like an eager puppy, and really, there had been worse metaphors.

Maybe they would all make it through this without too much heartache.

*

The pup was crying.

Shi-Long wanted to help, wanted to do something to ease the poor thing’s pain, but even with the wolf in the forefront of his mind he knew there was nothing he could do besides offer the comfort of his presence. The change was never quite painless, but the first time was always the worst, and though Sebastian’s body had at least had a couple of weeks to prepare for it, that still couldn’t take away the agony of the first time his body actually rearranged itself into a new shape.

At least Sebastian had known what would happen, now, had asked Shi-Long countless questions that he had answered to the best of his ability. There was no use in trying to cover up the truth or make things seem nicer than they were. Sebastian had known he was in for pain, had trembled with fear long before the moonrise, and all Shi-Long had been able to do for him was promise he would be there through it all.

He kept his word, too, sliding through his own transformation as quickly as possible so he could focus on the pup. Sebastian’s change was slower, his body jerkily adjusting to the new shape that was fighting its way to the surface, bones cracking and muscles whining as they readjusted themselves to a new arrangement. The human tears had made way for wolfish whimpers at some point, but the cries were still the same, and all Shi-Long could do was sit next to him and occasionally nudge him gently.

It was long after the moonrise that Sebastian finally settled, body shuddering to a halt. For all the pain, he was a beautiful wolf, lithe and compact with thick fur in shades of honey and gold. The eyes that turned to him were shining gold, too, glazed over with pain and confusion yet full of trust.

Shi-Long would have wanted to play with the pup, showed him that this need not be agony and fear, but it was clear Sebastian had no energy for such things. Honestly, Shi-Long would be impressed if he managed to do anything besides curl up and whine for the duration of the night. That was fine, though. For all that his own wolf had plenty of energy to burn, that could all wait. Taking care of pack came before all else.

With one last nudge, Shi-Long lay his larger form next to Sebastian, hoping his warmth and presence would help at least somewhat. Sebastian whimpered and curled up closer to him, burying his nose in Shi-Long’s fur.

Really, there were worse ways to spend a full moon than comforting a pup.

*

“Everything went all right, then?”

“As much as it could.” Shi-Long glanced over to where Sebastian was curled up on the hotel bed, fast asleep as his body was working to recuperate from the stress of transformation. Shi-Long himself took a sip of his drink, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder. “Wasn’t pleasant, but the pup got through it all right. No problems with his control, either.”

“So… he’ll be able to handle this?” Ah. He should have known Edgeworth would ask about that, particularly after Shi-Long’s comments about control.

“I see no reason why he couldn’t.” Shi-Long hummed in thought. “It’d help if he could establish a proper den before the next full moon, though, especially since I can’t be there.”

“Den?” He could practically see the distaste that must have spread onto Edgeworth’s face with the word. Shi-Long barked out a tired laugh.

“Don’t sound so scandalized, Mr. Prosecutor! All I mean it’ll be easier if he can handle his transformation at home, somewhere familiar that’s his territory.” He paused. “Not his father’s place. Even if it’s familiar, it’ll still be reeking of another werewolf, and that’ll be bad if he doesn’t have pack around to ground him.”

“I was rather hoping to help him find his own place anyway. Their old house has been turned around rather thoroughly for evidence, and I doubt it holds very good memories.” Edgeworth paused. “Is there anything in particular I should keep in mind?”

“Eh, whatever the pup likes will be fine. Don’t worry, you won’t need to look for a cave.” Shi-Long glanced over at Sebastian. “Some privacy wouldn’t be amiss, though. A room without windows, some soundproofing. The first time is the worst, but at least the next few transformations will still be pretty painful until he’s properly adjusted. You don’t want someone calling the police because they hear screaming.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Edgeworth’s voice was rather clipped, but at least he didn’t question Shi-Long. “Ah. How safe will it be?”

“For the pup, or the others?” Without waiting for an answer, he went on, “For Sebastian, physically, he’ll be fine. His body handled the first transformation as well as could be hoped, and it’ll get easier with time. Mentally, it’s going to take a toll, but pretty sure he’d have a lot on his plate anyway.” No thanks to his scumbag of a father. “For others, as I said, his control seems fine. I’d advise you to keep your distance during the actual transformation, his body could lash out during the change regardless of his mind, but other than there’s no danger.”

“So if, say, Kay wants to be around for him during the full moon?”

“Now why doesn’t that sound like a hypothetical?” Shi-Long chuckled, finishing his drink and settling the glass down. “It’s fine if the pup says it’s fine. Even if his control is okay, he might not feel comfortable with it right away, or at all. No pushing the issue, either, the wolf can get antsy around people it doesn’t trust. If the pup’s fine with it and she stays out of the way during the actual change, though, everyone will be nice and safe.”

“I’ll make sure she gets the message, then. Particularly about not pushing.” Edgeworth paused. “How is he right now?”

“The pup? Fast asleep, exhausted as he is. I’d bet he’ll be sore and famished once he wakes up, but I’m prepared for that.” Shi-Long snorted. “Don’t worry. Just because I’m not used to a proper pack doesn’t mean I don’t know how to take care of a new pup.”

“I wasn’t questioning your expertise.” Edgeworth gave a long-suffering sigh. “I am merely concerned, which should be understandable considering my own lack of knowledge about such things.”

“I know, I know.” Shi-Long stretched his body, still feeling the pent-up energy right underneath the surface. He might just have to transform again later in the day just to burn through some of it, once he was sure Sebastian would be fine. “Reminds me — make sure the crow girl doesn’t go babbling about this to anyone. There’s a good reason we’re not public knowledge.” Several good reasons, torches and pitchforks being only one of them.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already made it clear to her. She seems to be very interested in guarding the secret, since it means she knows more than most people.” There was another pause, longer than before. “Ah. And how… how are you?”

“I’m fine, though thanks for asking.” He grinned, not that Edgeworth could see it. “I was born a werewolf, Mr. Prosecutor. I got this stuff under control before I learned to walk. For me the most troublesome thing about a full moon is remembering to put on some pants after.”

“Should I be worried that you will get yourself arrested for public indecency?”

Shi-Long barked out a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m plenty decent already, pants and all.” Though he was rather lacking in the shirt department, still. “You need a picture for evidence?”

“Agent!” He could practically see the flush on Edgeworth’s face. “That’s entirely inappropriate!”

“Hey, you’re the one who asked.” Shi-Long finally shifted the phone to his hand, mostly so he could shrug. “On a more serious note, I’m fine. I’ll be fine. My wolf will likely be whining for a while because I finally allowed myself to have a pack only for the pup to be leaving soon, but that’s a small price to pay.”

“What does that mean, then? Being pack.” Edgeworth’s voice was quiet.

“Pack is family.” Not that he was sure he could entirely explain it to someone who wasn’t a wolf. “Pack is those you love, those you trust more than anything. It’s easier with wolves, but humans can be pack, too.”

“So when you say your wolf considers Sebastian to be pack…”

“In this case, it means he’s my pup, now.” Shi-Long softened his voice. “It’s probably irresponsible of me, claiming him when I can’t stick around all the time, but I’d wager it’s still better than having his wolf imprint on his father instead, or having him flail around with no pack at all. I’ll at least be reachable by phone most of the time, and won’t be twisting the pack connection to push him into anything unethical.”

“I can only trust you on that.” Edgeworth drew a sharp breath. “Wait. If his father is a werewolf…”

Shi-Long sighed. He’d been dreading this question, was almost surprised none of them had asked before now. “He couldn’t hold off the transformation, not during the full moon. And yet, he can’t allow himself to be revealed. Even if he wanted to take the gamble, there are surely others who wouldn’t let it happen.” His eyes settled on Sebastian’s still form, blissfully ignorant for the moment. “You should probably get in touch with the detention center. I have a feeling there will be news for you.”

“Right.” Edgeworth’s hesitation was almost palpable over the phone line. “I’ll — I’ll be in touch.”

“Please do. The man may have been a bastard, but the pup deserves to know.” Shi-Long shook his head slowly. “I — I can probably get some names for therapists local to you. Ones who know about us, that is. Might be useful.”

“Right. I think that would be for the best.” There was a moment’s silence, long enough that Shi-Long wasn’t entirely sure if Edgeworth would be speaking anymore. Finally he did speak again, slow and soft. “Do take care, Agent.”

“You too, Mr. Prosecutor.”

Well. At least he could trust that someone would be looking after the pup even when he wasn’t around.

Not that knowing that would make his wolf whine any less, of course.

Chapter Text

"I'm going to need you to repeat that." Not because Shi-Long hadn't heard her quite well, crackly international connections nonwithstanding, but because he couldn't quite believe what he had heard.

"I said, is werewolfness sexually transmittable?" Kay managed to keep a remarkably even tone through her absurd question. "Or however you say it, I have no idea."

"Lycanthropy is the official term, I believe." It was probably a good thing she had caught him just as he had been heading to bed and was thus alone in his hotel room, or this conversation would have gotten a lot more awkward. "Should I ask why you want to know?"

"It's Sebastian." Of course it was. "He won't even as much as kiss me because he's all afraid I'll turn furry from his saliva or something. And not to be crass, but I want that mouth as close to my lady parts as is safe."

"If that's you not being crass, I suppose I should thank you for your careful words." Shi-Long chuckled, lying down on his bed. "Are you sure he's even interested in this part of the equation?" He rather imagined he knew the answer, from all the flustered comments about Kay Sebastian had made over the phone in the past months, but it wouldn't really have surprised him if Kay had taken his interest for granted without bothering to confirm.

"Considering he's said he'd like to kiss me if he wasn't afraid of the wolf thing, I'd like to think so. Don't worry, I'm not planning on pushing him into anything he's not ready for, but I'd like to at least get started down that path, you know?"

"I suppose I do." Shi-Long looked up to the ceiling, trying to find the best way to word things. "Now, the wolf thing, as you so eloquently put it, is part biology, part magic. Bodily fluid contact alone won't cause infection, you need a bite as well."

"So as long as he doesn't bite me, it'll be fine?"

"Yes and no." Shi-Long rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache, though he doubted it was all Kay's doing. He should probably get his eyesight checked the next time he had enough of a break between cases. "The good news is, since he's a turned wolf and not a born one, his bite is only infectious the few days closest to the full moon. Two days either side, three at most, though you'll probably want to err on the side of caution."

"So about a week, then? And it's just bites that count?"

"Not so fast." Perhaps he wasn't barking out his usual protest as sharply as usual, but it seemed to amuse her anyway, judging by the small chuckle. "Around full moon is also when the instincts are closer to the surface. The pup's control is pretty good, but not perfect. Getting things too heated close to full moon could make him bite without meaning to."

"No naughty stuff around full moon. Got it." He could practically see her nodding to herself at the other end of the line. "Cuddles are fine, though, right?"

"Cuddles are great. Sticking close to pack makes the full moon much easier to handle. Just stay away from anything that causes adrenaline surges and it'll be fine."

"Right!" Was she taking notes? He could swear he heard typing at the other end. "I can tell him to turn to you if he's got any questions, right?"

"He's always free to turn to me if he has questions. The real question is whether he'd find it more awkward to discuss sex with his girlfriend or with me."

"Hey, think positively. If it wasn't for the wolf stuff, Edgeworth might be an option."

That made Shi-Long bark out a laugh. "I'd pay to see that! Though Mr. Prosecutor just might combust. I'm not sure he's stopped believing in storks yet."

"You should ask him some time. Maybe he just needs a nudge, proverbial or otherwise."

"Right, I think I'll wait until I'm good and ready for the sexual harassment charges." Not that he wouldn't have liked to see the unflappable Miles Edgeworth all flustered, but he'd rather prefer that to happen with mutual consent.

"Oh, please, like he'd do that to you." Kay chuckled. "Maybe I should bug him about dating someone, just to get the thought in his head."

"Or you should leave him be and focus on seducing your boyfriend. That's always an option." Shi-Long suppressed a yawn. "I don't need to remind you not to get too pushy with the pup, do I?"

"I'll be good! No pushing the adorable boy with trust issues. Despite all the thief talk I'm not actually a bad guy, you know."

"I don't think you're bad, just rather… enthusiastic, at times. Sebastian doesn't always work as fast as you, and you're not always great about waiting for others to catch up." Shi-Long yawned again. "Now, unless there's anything else, I was about to go to sleep."

"Right! I'll let you get to bed."

"Thanks." Just before he ended the call, something else occurred to him. "Oh, and little crow?"

"Yeah?"

"You can only inherit lycanthropy if your mom has it, so you don't have to worry about that, if it ever gets relevant."

And, really. If she thought she could try to outdo him with embarrassing talk, well, he wasn't the one left spluttering, here.

*

"So, um… are you sure it'll be all right? For me to, ah, be with Kay?"

"I see she already had the talk with you." Shi-Long snorted. Kay clearly didn't waste time, considering she'd barely called him two days ago. "Yes, I am sure. You're a turned wolf, so you're only infectious around full moon, and even then only from a bite. Don't get too excited around then and you'll be fine."

"Um. How — how close to full moon is all right?"

"Hm." Shi-Long had never had to think about such things, being a born wolf, but he did know how things worked, at least. "Basically, if you're feeling the symptoms, there's a risk. You'll just have to try and listen to your wolf."

"Right. I… I can do that. I think."

"Don't push yourself." Which was something he'd been saying a lot ever since this mess started, but the pup needed the reassurance from time to time. "There's no rush to these things. Kay will wait for you to be ready."

"I know. It's just…" Sebastian sighed. "I do want to do that, you know? I love her. I want to be with her. I'm just… terrified of hurting her."

"I know. You're a good kid like that." Shi-Long clicked his tongue. "Listen to your wolf. It's fine with her being around during the full moon, right? That means she's pack. The wolf won't want to hurt pack, the only risk is that the wolf gets confused or startled."

“Right. I’ll… try to remember that.” There was another sigh. “Sorry. This is just so… embarrassing, you know?”

“Could be worse.” His lips twitched. “If you were a female wolf or mated to one, we’d have to have a long talk about mating season.”

“Mating season?” Sebastian’s voice was a sharp squeak. “Th-that’s — I didn’t —”

“Relax, pup. As I said, it’s mostly for female wolves. For us, well, you might get a bit hornier than usual in early spring, particularly if you and crow girl are still dating at that point, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Either way, it’s too early for you to stress over that, your fur will turn grey before you’re twenty at this rate.”

“Right. I… I’ll try not to.” Sebastian didn’t sound too convinced, but hey, it was a start. “Sorry. Um, for being so clueless, I mean.”

“Not your fault. I’ve been dealing with this stuff all my life, you’re still adjusting. Of course you’re clueless, you don’t know anything I haven’t specifically told you.” Which was a constant balancing act, mind, wanting the pup to have enough knowledge to be safe but not so much that he would get too stressed. “If there’s anything you’re wondering about, never hesitate to ask. Lang Zi says: you can’t find your prey without finding their tracks.”

“Still, I’m sorry.” And there was the all too familiar hint of self blame. “It’s just — you never signed up for babysitting me like this.”

“Bullshit.” Okay, perhaps that came out a bit sharper than he meant, but at least it got the pup to listen. “I knew exactly what I was doing when I claimed you as pack, and I have no regrets about doing it. Perhaps my hand was forced by your father’s schemes, but it was still my choice. You’re a good pup, and I’m proud to call you my pack. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, show them your teeth. Even if it’s your own insecurities.”

“...Thanks.” And now the pup was crying, judging by the sniffles. Well, that wasn’t exactly rare, given that he was dealing with Sebastian. “I… I don’t think anyone’s ever been proud of me before.”

“Not true.” He wanted to bark out again, but tried his best to keep his voice gentle. Shi-Long wasn’t the best at this sensitive shit, but at least he could try. “I know for a fact crow girl is proud of you, and Mr. Prosecutor is always talking about your progress when I call him. You’ve got more people in your corner than you realize, pup. That’s what pack is for. We take care of each other, no matter what.”

“Thanks.” This time the word was little more than a whisper. “I… I’m trying to be better, I really am…”

“And you’re doing great. Don’t be afraid to take your time, with the wolf, with the crow girl, with work. Life is not a race.”

“B-but everyone else has it all figured out! Kay is so great at everything, and Klavier’s great at both music and law and he’s just my age, and I’m just… I’m just me.”

“Being you is all we’d ever ask for. Also, I highly doubt this Klavier is a typical example of a young man your age, if indeed he’s already excelling in two fields.”

“Klavier is… not typical at all.” Was Sebastian actually crying less now? “He’s a brilliant prosecutor, much better than me for sure, he’s always figuring things out in a flash and turning things around. And he’s a great singer too, it’s not my type of music but he’s really talented, and on top of that he’s nice and smart and really pretty, too.”

“Is that so.” Shi-Long couldn’t help but chuckle. “Should I congratulate you for making new friends, or ask if crow girl should be worried?”

“I wouldn’t!” Sebastian sounded downright scandalized. “I mean, I really like Klavier, too, but he’s my friend. And I love Kay! I’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“I know, I know. You’re a good pup, and we wolves tend to be loyal to a fault besides. I’m just teasing, pup.” He paused, thinking for a moment. “Though, well. We do also like packs, and with me far away and Mr. Prosecutor no doubt busy most of the time, it wouldn’t be strange at all for you to want to extend your pack some more.”

“Um. Right.” Sebastian drew a breath deep enough to be heard over the phone. “Do -- do you have a pack, then?”

“Not really.” It was a subject he didn’t often discuss, but he had promised to tell the pup everything he could. “I haven’t had much to do with my family since I took it upon myself to clear our name, and travelling the world doesn’t exactly help you set down roots. You are probably the first person I’ve had in my pack by claim rather than birth, and the most pack I’ve had in all my adult life.”

“Oh.” Sebastian was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m used to it. Not to say I would mind having a proper pack close by, but that’s not possible in my current life situation, and that’s fine for the moment. Maybe one day I’ll settle down, and when that happens, I’ll probably want to establish a bigger pack. For now, I’m quite happy to play phone support for your end of the pack.”

“So… I shouldn’t feel guilty about calling you?”

“You’re learning, pup. Now try not to make it sound like a question.” Shi-Long chuckled. “Now, I still have some time before I need to be anywhere, so how about you tell me some more about your friend?”

*

“So. Um.” It wasn’t that strange of a start for a call from Sebastian, but rather than go on to actually state his business, Sebastian fell silent instead. And, well, wasn’t that interesting.

“Speak up, pup.” Shi-Long tried to conceal his amusement, but he likely didn’t succeed very well. “For all my talents, I cannot actually read your mind.”

“Ah. It’s just… it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“More embarrassing than a sex talk? Now you have me intrigued.” Shi-Long pushed aside the papers he had not truly been working on for a while anyway. A call from Sebastian was more important than finishing up his paperwork this very second, particularly as whatever he had to say was apparently a rather weighty matter. “Did you get crow girl in trouble? Because in that case we will need a serious talk. I know you’re old enough to make sure you don’t end up with pups before you plan on it.”

“What? No!” Sebastian squeaked, sounding half scandalized, half terrified. “No, that’s not it!”

“Then what is it? Because I can keep guessing, but believe me, the other alternatives I can think of are probably not going to be any less embarrassing for you.” Not that it took much to fluster Sebastian. For someone who had gone through far too much for his young years, he could still sometimes be delightfully naive.

“Ah. I just…” He could hear Sebastian drawing a deep breath at the other end of the line. “What are the rules for telling people? I mean, about… you know.”

Well. That was interesting. “I’m assuming you’re not just planning on casually chatting with strangers.”

“Of course not!” Sebastian sounded almost indignant at that. He had a long way to go on actually growing a spine, but at least he seemed to be making some progress. “It’s just… it’s about Klavier.”

“Ah. Your multitalented friend, correct?” Whose name Sebastian mentioned with almost the same fondness as Kay’s, a fact that had Shi-Long very intrigued.

“Right. I mean…” Sebastian paused, no doubt to gather his thoughts and plan his words. Edgeworth had been teaching him to think through what he was planning to say beforehand, which had cut down on the times he used the wrong words, but it also meant it took him longer to get through important things. “Kay and I, we’ve been talking. And… we both like him, a lot.”

“Go on.” Though Shi-Long could already pretty much tell where this was going.

“So… we were wondering if, you know… if we could, ah, add him. To our thing.”

“You want to make him part of your relationship.” It was a pity he wasn’t a betting man, because he would have won this particular one.

“Right. That’s it.” Sebastian sounded almost relieved not to have to state the obvious himself. “But, you know, we can’t just do that. Not if he doesn’t know about me. So we were wondering if we could tell him, and how we should do it, and everything.”

“I see.” It was certainly a valid concern, and he was glad Sebastian had come to him about it rather than agonize about it on his own. Still, that left Shi-Long with the task of figuring out what to say. “The main thing to understand is that, as you know, this is not something just anyone should hear. Before you even consider telling someone, your first question must be if you can trust that person with your life.” Shi-Long made sure to use his most serious tone. “I am not exaggerating here. Having the wrong people know could be a matter of life and death.”

“I know.” Sebastian’s voice was soft. “I — I know I can trust Klavier. Kay agrees with me. That’s not the problem, I just… we need to know if there are some rules for who we can tell. I don’t want to do something terrible just because I don’t know.”

“Which is a good approach.” Shi-Long hummed to himself, trying to figure out the best balance between scaring the pup into never talking again in his life and babbling about wolves to the first person who even mentioned fur. “The best rule of thumb is to only tell people who absolutely need to know. Mr. Prosecutor and the little crow found out because they were there when you collapsed. And if you’re planning on bringing someone into your relationship on a permanent basis… then, yes, he also needs to know. Even if you simply tried to avoid dangerous situations, it’s only fair to let him decide if he wants to take the risk.”

“So… it’ll be all right if we tell him?”

“If you believe you can trust him.” Which was the problem, wasn’t it. After the mess with his father, Sebastian was rather jumpy about relying on people. Even if he thought Klavier was trustworthy, he was obviously looking for Shi-Long’s approval as well. Which was tricky, given that they were in different countries, but… “Tell you what. Think you can wait a few weeks more?”

“Huh?” He could practically see Sebastian blinking in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I should hopefully be able to wrap up this case soon enough, and after that I was thinking of paying you guys a visit. If you can hold on until then, I could probably be of help with explaining everything to your would-be-boyfriend, and i can definitely help you suss out how he’s going to react.”

“Right. That’s — that sounds good.” There was a definite note of relief to Sebastian’s voice at the suggestion that Shi-Long involve himself. Bingo. It had to be hard, being so desperate to believe in your friends and so hesitant to trust your own instincts.

“So try and keep it down for a little longer, hmm? And when I get there we can make sure everything turns out fine.” Shi-Long chuckled. “Though I have to say, I can’t wait to see Mr. Prosecutor’s face when he realizes you want more than one mate.”

This led to some embarrassed squeaks and blabbering about how that wasn’t it at all, well yes he did want Klavier like that but that wasn’t the only reason, really it wasn’t, and at some point it broke down into incoherency. Not that Shi-Long minded listening to it. It was good to know the pup was at least prepared to defend his choices, even if he wasn’t terribly eloquent about it all.

And, really. Of course Shi-Long wanted to see these new additions to the pack. How could he possibly trust the happiness of his pup in the hands of a complete stranger?

*

“I feel terribly old.”

“Now, now, Mr. Prosecutor.” Shi-Long didn’t even try to hide his amusement. “Considering we are close to the same age, I might get offended at such comments.”

“It’s not about my actual age.” He could practically see the offended little frown. “Just… I’ve been watching Kay and Sebastian.”

“Good. They need someone to keep an eye on them.” That was not a joke. They were both smart young people, but between Kay’s energetic approach to everything and Sebastian’s tendency to go along with her schemes someone had to put on the brakes every now and then.

“Speaking like that, you’re going to make me wonder what they are doing behind my back that you would know about.” Edgeworth snorted. “No, it’s just… they are young. They act young. And while I know I’m not old, I feel terribly so when looking at them.”

“So what is it they’ve been doing that has you so out of sorts, hm?” Shi-Long couldn’t help but grin. “Are you also wishing you could find a couple of pretty people to date?”

Edgeworth spluttered in apparent outrage. “That is certainly not what I meant! Just… Kay is thinking of applying to the police academy.”

“Really?” That was news to Shi-Long. Clearly it was a recent development, then. “Well, good for her. Might be useful, channelling her nosy tendencies more productively. Goodness knows we’re not going to be able to stop her.”

“Yes, well. Between her thinking about her future, and Sebastian working hard to brush up on his skills, and Gavin getting involved with it all… it rather makes me wonder if I’ve become stuck in place.”

“Hm. So that’s what’s bothering you.” Shi-Long chuckled. “Still sure you wouldn’t rather jump the fence and become a defense attorney? That would certainly be a new path for you to take.”

“No, I am confident in my choices regarding that. While the system may not be perfect, it cannot be fixed if all decent people abandon it. If I wish to improve the system, I must do so from the inside.”

“I suppose that’s not a bad way of looking at it.” Shi-Long paused, an idea starting to form in his mind. “Say. You have travelled abroad before, no?”

“Yes. I was hoping to research the different approaches to law enforcement. However, after the recent mess, I doubt many legal establishments would be too eager to welcome me as a guest.”

“What, after taking down ambassadors, prosecutors, and half the PIC? Can’t imagine why people would be hesitant to invite you over.” Shi-Long grinned. “There’s one way you could get a lot of different perspectives, though, regardless of the opinions of locals.”

“What do you mean?” Edgeworth sounded rather dubious. Now, why would he be so suspicious? It wasn’t like Shi-Long had ever given him bad advice. Well, not too recently, anyway.

“Join Interpol.”

There was silence for a moment. Then Edgeworth spoke again. “Pardon me?”

“Join Interpol,” he repeated, though he was rather sure Edgeworth hadn’t actually failed to hear him. “Between myself and Sis, you’ve got pretty strong references, and it’d give you plenty of insight to systems around the world.” Shi-Long paused. “Of course, if you’d rather just sit on your ass and stare at the same office walls all day long…”

“Hm. I suppose I could… consider it.” Which was, Shi-Long noted, not a no.

“Let me know if you need me to put in a word for you.” As though he wasn’t already composing a recommendation letter in his head.

“Shi-Long Lang, speaking in favor of a prosecutor? To think I’d see the day.”

“Hey, you showed me not every prosecutor is terrible.” Shi-Long chuckled. “Besides, it’s in my own best interests to increase the number of prosecutors in Interpol I can stand to work with.”

“Ah, I see. So this is all a selfish ploy to get me into your clutches.” And yet, Edgeworth sounded more amused than anything.

“I admit nothing.” He didn’t need to. “So. You going to tell me more about the pups and their scandalous escapades?”

It wasn’t the same as having his pack right within reach, but for now, it was good enough.

Chapter Text

Shi-Long was too well in control of himself to start howling, but he had to admit he was rather tempted.

Being out on the field on the heels of a new prey was always a delight, a sweet thrill that was never going to get old. This time, however, there was the added excitement of a new companion by his side, one he had been waiting to meet again.

“You seem awfully cheerful for a man on the trail of an international serial killer.”

“What can I say?” Shi-Long flashed a grin in Edgeworth’s direction. “The smell of blood in the air gets me going.” The rather literal smell in this case, splattered all over the crime scene, but the metaphor was true, too.

“I should probably not ask what you mean by that, or we might find ourselves going down a very unprofessional conversation path.”

“My, Mr. Prosecutor, did you just make a naughty joke? I am shocked, I tell you.” Shi-Long gave a mocking gasp. “Not to worry. The only thing I desire right now is my prey in my teeth.”

“I’ll make sure not to get between you and your snack, then.” Edgeworth glanced around, no doubt taking in all the police officers rushing around the scene and collecting evidence. “Of course, it seems you’re getting started already.”

“What can I say? No use in wasting any more time.” Of course, they’d gotten an initial investigation report from the local law enforcement, but that was no excuse for neglecting their own investigation. “Unless you have a problem with us actually looking into the matter?” He grinned with bared teeth, though he did his best not to make it appear a threat.

“Let me make one thing clear from the start.” Edgeworth gave him a serious look. “I plan to be present in the investigation as much as I can. This is not because I don’t trust you and your men, or because I am trying to get in your way. I merely prefer to have a direct grasp on the facts.”

“Tch.” Shi-Long snorted. “I’ve been working with Sis for a while now, remember, I know how these things work with the likes of you. As long as you don’t interfere with my work, I won’t interfere with yours.”

“I suppose that’s fair.” Edgeworth’s lips curled into a small smirk, now. “I assume I can also count on you to challenge my theories as usual?”

“That’s how you find any weak points, no?” Shi-Long barked a laugh. “Besides, you’d probably think I’ve been replaced by an impostor if I actually went along with you.”

“I don’t know, it’s possible we might both arrive at the truth together.” Edgeworth’s smile turned almost fond. “Now, go on. I know you are probably itching to get back on the field proper.”

“Wasn’t really waiting for permission, but I suppose I should commend you for knowing me so well.” Shi-Long stepped past Edgeworth, just close enough to get a good sniff of his scent. Not because he was trying to be a creep, just to remind himself. “I’ll let you know if I come across anything interesting.”

A wolf always hunts best in a pack, after all.

*

He was not alone.

This was not something he was used to, not really. Aside from the one moon with the pup, he couldn’t recall the last time when the light of full moon didn’t mean closing himself off in his den, hidden from the world. The wolf was curious, eager to explore this new situation, but he held himself back long enough to stretch a little and get his bearings. His companion probably wouldn’t appreciate getting rushed the moment the wolf emerged.

Shi-Long stretched his body thoroughly, then sniffed at the air. The room was as close to a den as he’d ever had, a hotel room with all sorts of distractions and unfamiliar things but at least his own scent was here. It was strongest in the jacket he’d laid aside right before transforming, and he sank his nose into the fur collar, breathing in the reassuring scent. If things smelled like him, this was clearly his place.

Satisfied that the wolf was calm enough, Shi-Long turned his attention to the other person in the room. Mr. Prosecutor had been sitting quietly the whole time, though Shi-Long seemed to recall some sounds he’d made during the transformation. Whether it had been words or just sounds of distress, Shi-Long wasn’t sure, hadn’t really paid much attention to it.

Shi-Long padded towards his companion now, movements slow and steady. Edgeworth wasn’t backing away, at least, was reaching out a hand towards him even, so clearly he wasn’t afraid. That was good. Shi-Long would have never wanted to make him afraid. Pack should not be afraid.

Shi-Long reached out his tongue, giving the offered hand a tentative lick. He then nuzzled at the palm, enjoying the familiar scent and warm touch.

“Agent?” Edgeworth’s voice was quiet, sounding somewhat uncertain. That was silly. Why would he ever be uncertain of speaking to Shi-Long?

He nodded his head in response, rather lacking other forms of communication at the moment. This apparently satisfied Edgeworth, who proceeded to scratch behind his ear. Some small part of Shi-Long was making sarcastic internal comments about how he wasn’t actually a puppy, yet it was rather undermined by the way he found his tail wagging. He was a wolf, not a dog, but he was also human, which meant he was rather closer to domesticated than wild. Besides, the scratches felt good.

“So… you said you’re in there, still, even with the wolf.” Edgeworth met his eyes, giving off a hint of relief in his scent as Shi-Long gave him another nod. “And you understand me.”

Shi-Long nudged at his hand in agreement. They’d talked about this beforehand, ever since Edgeworth had indicated he might be willing to share the room with Shi-Long during full moon, but he supposed it was good to have a confirmation of such.

After another moment of scratches, Shi-Long stepped away, stretching himself again. He had plenty of energy to burn, but there was no room to run. There rarely was, but he was used to that by now. He was just going to occupy himself with sniffing his way through every inch of the room, familiarizing himself with a dimension of the space that he couldn’t in human form, even if his senses were much sharper than those of average people.

Edgeworth was patient as Shi-Long sniffed his way through every corner of the room. Once or twice he called Shi-Long’s name, as though to reassure himself that he was still being understood. Every time Shi-Long went to his side he got rewarded with scratches, which was going to do a good job of making him listen the next time as well. Scratches, Shi-Long was very quickly deciding, were a wonderful thing.

At some point Edgeworth seemed to have decided that he didn’t need to monitor Shi-Long constantly, instead producing a book and settling down on his bed. That was fine, though. Shi-Long was going to make sure he was safe. His pack was not going to come to harm as long as he was around.

Eventually Shi-Long tired of patrolling the room, having made sure there was no threat to be seen. He found himself padding over to the side of Edgeworth’s bed, looking at him curiously. Edgeworth was still reading, but he smelled tired, which made sense. The moon was getting higher on the sky, which meant it was getting late.

“Agent?” Edgeworth lowered his book and looked at him. “Feeling lonely?”

Shi-Long gave his best approximation of a wolfish shrug. He wasn’t lonely, not with pack so close, but he also wouldn’t complain about having some company, either.

“Well.” Edgeworth’s lips twitched. “I would say you shouldn’t get on furniture, but I am aware you are not actually an animal. Also, I would assume you are more than capable of cleaning up your own fur if you shed all over.”

Shi-Long’s ears pricked up. Did that mean he could get closer?

Edgeworth patted the bed next to him. “Just don’t try to kick me off the bed.”

Recognizing the invitation, Shi-Long hopped up to the bed, curling up. His own bed was sitting empty some ways away, but this was better. The scent of Edgeworth right next to him, the warmth and safety of pack, was better than any amount of free bed space.

At some point Edgeworth got out of bed, shaking Shi-Long out of his half-asleep state. He whined in question, gaining a chuckle from Edgeworth.

“I’m simply going to retire for the night. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Satisfied with the explanation, Shi-Long let his head fall back to his paws and closed his eyes. His ears turned about, though, tracking Edgeworth’s movements around the room. After the various sounds of Edgeworth’s nighttime routines, his presence approached again, accompanied by the new smell of toothpaste, bright and sharp. Shi-Long gave a small, content sigh, shuffling to the side enough to allow Edgeworth to slip under the covers.

He couldn’t remember when he had last felt so safe, so secure. Pack was here, there was no threat and no pain, and he could focus on nothing but the safety of this makeshift den.

Shi-Long dreamed of moonlight and home.

*

The sound of the cell phone starting to ring shook Shi-Long out of his dozing state, making him reach his arm out to the direction of the sound. Miles grumbled something next to him, but shifted enough for Shi-Long to reach over him and grab the phone. Shi-Long rolled over to have his back towards Miles, speaking quietly into the phone.

“Not a great time, little crow.”

“Oh, sorry, were you asleep?” Kay sounded far too cheerful right now. “I thought it was only afternoon over there!”

“It is. That just isn’t much of a comfort when we’ve been running on fumes for the last few days and finally managed to wrap things up enough to fall to bed.”

“Right.” Kay paused, then sounded more teasing as she added, “So… would that explain why you’re answering the wrong phone?”

Shi-Long blinked at the question, taking the phone off his ear. Looking at it, he realized it did, in fact, belong to Miles. Bringing the phone back to his ear, he sighed. “I woke up first and didn’t want him to wake as well.”

“Oh, right. Sebastian does that thing too. I swear sometimes he knows the phone’s going to ring before there’s any sound at all.” The teasing tone wasn’t going anywhere, though. “So should I conclude that you’re sleeping close enough that you can grab his phone before it wakes him?”

“Such brilliant show of logic. I’m sure Miles would be proud.” Shi-Long sighed, too tired to care about such things. “Yes, we share a bed. Is that a problem?”

“Yes!” Wait, what? “I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell us! It’s not like I haven’t been telling you for years to simply make a move!”

“It’s not —” Shi-Long started, then paused. It was, in fact, somewhat like that. He still wasn’t sure exactly how he would classify their relationship, but he was fairly certain it did, in fact, fit the romantic classification Kay had been hoping for. “It’s not like we just looked at each other one day and decided to go on a date, or whatever you are imagining.” He rolled his eyes, not that she could see it. “It just… built up with time.”

Kay gave a thoughtful hum. “Yeah, that sounds about right. I think if you’d actually gone up to him and said that he might have had some sort of a fit.”

“I think you are rather underestimating his tolerance. He is actually capable of speaking about relationships. I know you’ve complained to him often enough about your dating woes.”

“There’s no need to make it sound like I’m constantly in a relationship crisis!” Kay’s voice took on a pouting tone. “I just happened to fall for two people who tend towards the dramatic in their reactions.”

“Right. Because you would never be dramatic yourself, of course.” Shi-Long snorted. “I can smell the bullshit all the way from here.”

“Hey, I never said I wasn’t!” Kay huffed. “Just, last time we had an argument Klavier wrote an album’s worth of break-up songs, and then Sebastian freaked out that he was going to leave us. Which of course meant he was running around the place as a wolf, whining and crawling about, even though it was around new moon!”

“Really? I’m impressed. He’s clearly been working on his control.”

“That’s not the point and you know it.” He could practically see her crossing her arms, if not for holding her phone.

“I know. The point is that you disagreed with me that you’re always talking about your relationship difficulties and then went on to tell me about your relationship difficulties.” Shi-Long smirked at the word from the other end. “I’m amused enough I won’t even tell Miles that you swore just now."

“Oh, come off it, I’m not a kid anymore.”

“No, I would hope not, considering your commitment to not one but two sets of manbits. Well. I’m assuming Gavin didn’t actually leave you two.” As though he wouldn’t have heard about it.

“Of course not. He was just venting with music, but he forgot Sebastian needs these things put nice and clear or he jumps to his own conclusions. When Klavier realized what was going on, he spent the better part of two days convincing Sebastian that he was very much in love and lust both.” Kay snorted. “There were so many blowjobs involved in between all the sweet talk, at some point I was wondering if I should place bets on which one would give in first, Klavier’s tongue or Sebastian’s dick.”

Shi-Long couldn’t help but laugh a little, though he toned it down so he wouldn’t wake Miles. “I see you’ve discovered the personal benefits of werewolf stamina.”

“Oh, have we ever.” Kay gave a very satisfied sigh, then chuckled. “You know, it’s kind of funny how easily you handle talking about sex. Edgeworth still has trouble with it at times, and he at least doesn’t actually consider any of us his kid.”

“Yes, well, I’ve been dealing with the wolf all my life. The wolf doesn’t really get why humans get so terribly precious about sex. You have a mate and neither of you is asexual, sex is going to happen. With the wolf thinking like that, it’s hard for me to be terribly disturbed, either.”

“Hm, interesting.” Okay, that was definitely Kay’s smirking tone. “Think Sebastian could get less flustered in time? You know, since he now has a wolf in his head, too.”

“Hard to say. It’s always a bit of a toss-up with turned wolves, and personality plays into it a lot, too. He’s unlikely to ever get all that indifferent about it, but then, I think you probably prefer him with all his adorable flushes in place.”

“Hm, I suppose so. It is very Sebastian-like to get embarrassed about those things.”

“Right. So be careful what you wish for, I don’t think you want him to get too used to such things.” Shi-Long couldn’t help a smirk of his own. “Think about it, though. Do you think the Sebastian you first met would have even considered a polyamorous relationship, if he hadn’t had his wolf telling him that yes, he’d very much like you both as mates and that’s just fine?”

“Maybe, mabe not. Definitely not so easily, though.” Kay started to say something else, then chuckled as Shi-Long failed to stifle a yawn. “Oh, right. I should let you get back to bed.”

“Never left it, but I’ll gladly take the chance for more sleep.” Shi-Long closed his eyes, smiling to himself. “Bye, crowlet. Tell the boys hi from me.”

“I will!” Kay chuckled. “Don’t worry, occasional misunderstandings aside, we’re taking very good care of your precious pup.”

And, really, there were worse thoughts to fall asleep to.

*

“Something is worrying you.”

Miles gave him a faint smile, though it wasn’t all that joyful. “What, did you smell it on me?”

“Actually I was just looking at that frown of yours, but sure, if that makes you feel better.” Shi-Long took off his glasses and folded them, slipping them into his pocket before he sat down next to Miles. “Going to share it with me, or would you rather just mutter to yourself in silence? Because I can definitely wait for you to be ready to talk.”

“No, it’s nothing like that.” Miles sighed, turning a little towards him. “It’s just… I got a message from the prosecutor’s office. Back in Los Angeles, that is.”

“Right.” Shi-Long lifted his eyebrows. “And how desperate are they for you to return, this time?” It had happened a couple of times before, people calling Miles to get him to return. So far they hadn’t managed to convince him, but Shi-Long did wonder when their offer would be good enough.

“Apparently very desperate, judging by their offer.” Miles rubbed his forehead, sighing a little. “The Chief Prosecutor is retiring.”

“And this has to do with their offer, I presume?” Shi-Long could make a guess, but he’d rather hear it from Miles.

“They want me to take his place.”

“Well, you would certainly be up to the task.” Shi-Long couldn’t hold back his proud grin. “It’d be a chance for you to really start reworking the system.”

“I know. It’s an incredible opportunity, and not one that is likely to repeat if I turn it down.”

“What’s the problem, then?” Shi-Long blinked. “I’m not sure if there’s something at play here that I’m not aware of, but at the face of it this seems like a no-brainer to me. Of course you’re going to accept, it’s everything you’ve been working towards.”

“It is. And yet, there is…” Miles looked at him with serious eyes. “You are not ready to give up the hunt.”

“Perceptive.” Shi-Long shrugged. “No, I’m not. I just don’t see how that would affect your decisions.”

Miles frowned, and really, he would have wrinkles before long if he kept that up. “Shi-Long, I can’t just abandon you.”

“Nobody is asking you to.” Least of all Shi-Long.

“I can’t ask you to give up your hunt, either.”

“I know. And I would never ask you to give up this opportunity, either.” Shi-Long reached out a hand, cupping the side of Miles’s face. “We each are who we are, and we have our goals. We each knew that long before there was an us to consider.”

“That us is important, though.”

“Of course it is.” He leaned in to press a kiss to the adorable furrowed brow, breathed in the sweet scent of his mate. “I like to think it’s also strong enough to withstand some distance.”

“So… you don’t want this to end?”

“Never.” Shi-Long took on his firmest tone, hoping to channel his determination through his voice. “I’m a wolf, Miles, and that means I’m loyal to a fault. You’re not getting rid of me unless you tell me to go, and even then I’ll always be waiting for you. That will never change, no matter where in the world you are.”

“So… you would not blame me for going?” Miles sounded so uncertain, so unlike himself, and Shi-Long wanted nothing as much as to reassure him. “You would not resent me?”

“What’s there to be blamed for?” Shi-Long grinned a little. “You are mine, and I am yours, here or the world apart. All I ask is that when my paws grow tired, you’ll have space for an old wolf at your feet.”

“You know that will always be true.” Miles leaned into the hand touching his cheek. “You are sure, then? I don’t have to give them my answer right away.”

“I am sure. But if it would ease your mind, you can ask me again later, and I will give you the same answer every time.” Shi-Long nuzzled Miles’s hair, relishing the smell of the mild shampoo Miles had switched to after his old one turned out to be too strong for Shi-Long’s nose. “You really think I would complain about knowing that my whole pack is safe and sound in one place?”

“In one place away from you.” Miles took on an almost regretful tone. “I know how hard it is on you to have your pack far away even with me here.”

“I’ll survive. More than that, I’ll be fine.” Shi-Long smirked against the pretty silver hair. “Can’t promise I won’t give you a naughty call or two every now and then. A wolf has his needs, after all.”

“Well, I’m not worried about satisfying the needs of the wolf, but the man is quite the different matter.” Miles chuckled. “And, speaking of it…”

“Oh, were we speaking about something? I hadn’t even noticed.” Shi-Long drew back to give Miles a delighted grin.

“Oh, hush.” Miles snorted, reaching a hand to cup the pack of his neck. He pulled Shi-Long in for a warm kiss, then murmured against his lips. “I haven’t gone anywhere yet, you know.”

And really, how could Shi-Long ever resist such a sweet invitation?

Chapter Text

“So, is the schedule clear?”

“Of course. What do you take me for, an amateur? I’ve wrangled secret operations a lot more complicated than this.” Kay sounded rather too cheerful about such admissions, really. “We’ve got everything in hand, don’t you worry.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt your ability to keep things running. Just wondering how much of a secret will be left by the time I get over there.” Not that it would be a disaster if people found out about his arrival, but, well. He did hope for a dramatic entrance.

“Please. As I said, I’m an expert in secret operations. Just because two of my usual allies are now off the need to know list doesn’t mean I’m going to fail.” Kay hummed to herself, and his ears caught the shuffling of papers over the line. “Are you sure you want to keep Sebastian in the dark as well? He’d probably love to be part of the planning, too.”

“Positive. I love the pup, and he’s done great keeping the wolf thing under wraps all these years, but I doubt he could actually keep a secret from Miles to save his life.” It was adorable, really, the way Sebastian seemed unable to stop sharing everything important with Miles. Adorable, and a little heartbreaking in how it reminded Shi-Long of another important authority figure who had taken that trust and ground it under his heel, but thankfully he now had protections against such betrayal.

“Oh, I don’t know. He might surprise you one day. But if you want it to be a surprise for him, too, that’s fine! We can totally wrangle all the details between Klavier and me.”

“And you’re sure Miles hasn’t caught on?” It was hard to imagine anyone getting something past Miles’s ever observant eyes, but if someone could manage it, it was Kay.

“Not unless he’s somehow managed to become a werewolf too and gotten your magical lie detecting powers.”

Shi-Long barked out a laugh. “Nothing magical about that part, I assure you, just ears and a nose. And it’s hardly foolproof, you know, or our work would be much easier. Turns out there’s a lot of reasons why someone’s heart might beat faster when they’re involved in a crime investigation.”

“Fancy that.” Kay chuckled. “Seriously, though, Sebastian can get freaky about it. Sometimes he’s called a witness out for lying before they’ve even spoken, and then he has to explain himself because obviously he can’t tell the judge he was listening to someone’s heartbeat half a courtroom away. He always turns out to be right, though.”

“Well, it’s plausible, though I probably couldn’t do that reliably. Some wolves pick up on that stuff better than others, and with his history, he’d probably have a thing about being lied to. There’s probably things I can do he can’t, and that’s fine too.” Shi-Long blew out a breath. “I could have some lessons with him about waiting to speak up, though, if you think that’d help. I mean, not that you’d have any trouble with someone rushing on ahead, but having to explain himself to the judge probably doesn’t help with his anxiety issues in court.”

“It’d be great if you could get through to him. He tries, and we try to help him, but he can’t help but pounce.” Kay paused. “Is that a bad word? I mean, cats pounce, so is it offensive or something?”

That made him laugh again. “Nah, it’s fine. But yeah, that’d happen. He’s still relatively young, both in life and as a wolf, and young wolves don’t always have patience with the hunt. I can probably help him deal with that, but it’ll take time.”

“Well, we already know he works hard when something is important. This probably qualifies.” Kay hummed. “Anyway! With the itinerary you sent me, it’s best to have Klavier pick you up from the airport. He should be free at the time unless there’s a sudden case. You can drop off your luggage at the house, we’ve got a spare key and I know the security codes.”

“And let’s face it, even if you didn’t, you could get me inside without any trouble.” Shi-Long grinned with all his teeth showing. “And I’d imagine he can get me into the office without having to notify anyone, either?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t be much of a surprise if they had to call Miles from the front door, after all.” His ears caught the sound of Kay snapping her fingers at the other end. Clearly she’d picked up some habits over the years. “I’ll probably be tied up with work at the time so I can’t come along to pick you up, but at least I can make sure Sebastian is in Miles’s office at the time so you can surprise them both at once.”

“And of course you just might be there yourself to see their faces.”

“But of course. What sort of a detective do you take me for? Where my prosecutor goes, there go I, especially when there might be new and surprising threats about!”

Shi-Long snorted. “I would hope I don’t count as a threat.”

“Well, no, but he might need some support after getting surprised like that! And what kind of a girlfriend would I be if I didn’t provide that?” He could practically see her gleeful grin.

“Please. You delight in surprising him whenever you can.” It was probably a good thing the wolf had made Sebastian stronger physically, or his heart might have actually given out by now. “I’ll let you know if anything changes. If you don’t hear from me, though, the plan goes forward as agreed.”

“Aye aye, boss!” Kay sounded far too cheerful about the whole thing, but then she always did like a good scheme. At least he could trust her to keep everything in order at the other end.

For what was probably the first time in his entire adult life, he was finally going home.

*

It had been a while since Shi-Long had last entered the building, yet he couldn’t help but look for familiar scents in the corridors.

The presence of Klavier at his side was the most obvious one, of course, but he was fairly sure he could catch traces of other things as well. There was the general scent of the place, of course, one that tugged at some vague memories at the back of his mind, but he liked to think he could also pick up some more familiar tracks. The elevator held no hints of Miles, to absolutely no surprise on his part, but the feel of warmth and friend and pack welled up from the other scents half-buried in the smell of countless strangers. Klavier seemed somewhat amused by his unashamed sniffing, but refrained from commenting. Then, he was probably quite used to such things from Sebastian.

“Now, according to the information Kay provided, Sebastian should be visiting Herr Edgeworth right now,” Klavier told him as they finally stepped out of the elevator and into the corridor holding Miles’s office. “As such, this seems like the ideal time to try and surprise them both at once.”

“I agree.” Shi-Long grinned. “Would you like to knock? Wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise at the last moment.”

“Jawohl.” Klavier chuckled, giving the door a quick rap as they came to a halt in front of it. “Herr Edgeworth? May I come in?”

The easy response made Shi-Long’s heart skip a beat. Of course he called Miles often, but that was hardly any substitute for the actual sound of his voice, undistorted by electronics and distance. He lingered back as Klavier opened the door, then walked in behind him.

For a brief second neither of the people in the room looked over, too focused on some kind of a document spread over the desk. The next moment, though, Sebastian’s head snapped up, and Shi-Long could practically see his ears perking up. With a whip of his head in the direction of the door, Sebastian gasped. “Shi-Long?”

“Myself.” Shi-Long grinned as Miles turned to give him a sharp gaze as well, rather enjoying the surprise on both of their faces. “I see you’ve been busy in my absence.”

“Agent?” Miles’s voice was hesitant, very nearly unsure, before he seemed to settle on an approach and gave him a sincere if slightly puzzled smile. “Shi-Long. What on Earth are you doing here?”

“Greeting the two of you, obviously.” He strode in past the smirking Klavier, giving Sebastian a brief fatherly hug before stopping in front of Miles. He paused for a moment, then drew his beloved prosecutor closer, leaning in for a kiss that he hoped would convey everything he could never put into even his most eloquent phrases. Miles looked slightly dazed as he drew away, which Shi-Long counted as a yes.

“That’s not an answer, though.” Sebastian was frowning, his gaze flicking between Shi-Long and Klavier. “Klav? What’s going on?”

“Oh, I’m just here to provide a ride.” Klavier grinned, lifting his hands as though to ward off any accusations. “The plan to surprise the two of you was all Herr Wolfy.”

“Is this why you’ve been evasive during our last couple of calls?” Miles gave him a sharp, questioning gaze. “I did wonder what was going on.”

“Well, it would be one of the reasons.” Shi-Long shrugged. “Also, there’s the part where I kind of quit.”

“Quit? Quit Interpol?” Miles was just openly staring now. “Why would you do that?”

“I told you, my paws would get tired eventually. And while I’m not ready to give up the chase, I might be willing to confine myself to less widespread hunting grounds.” Shi-Long gave him a lopsided smile. “Think you know anyone who could hook me up with a suitable job around here?”

“I… think I might know a person or two, yes.” Miles smiled, and seemed about to say something else, only for the door to get thrown open. Shi-Long needed neither his nose nor his eyes to know exactly who would be daring enough to barge into the Chief Prosecutor’s office like that.

“Wolfy!” Kay’s voice rang out happily. “I was wondering if you’d gotten here yet!”

“Crowlet! We were going to message you just in a moment. Sorry you missed the first surprise.” He did know how Kay enjoyed seeing people getting surprised.

“Oh, it’s fine. All I care about is that you are here!” And, okay, that was very unlike Kay. She was definitely not the type of person to simply shrug that off without at least a half-hearted complain about having missed the most important bit. And thinking about it, her smile was almost… mischievous. Not her usual, going about her day sort of mischievous, either. That was the smile she wore when she knew something another person didn’t, and was just waiting for them to realize it.

There was something new about her scent, Shi-Long realized. Something that was familiar, but not in a way that reminded him of her. Not anything he’d smelled recently, either. He was having trouble putting a finger on exactly what he was smelling, but it was definitely tugging at some part of his brain that made the wolf want to howl.

The joyous whines at the back of his mind finally nudged him in the right direction, his eyes dropping down to her stomach on their own. There was nothing to see there just yet, especially with her usual loose shirt, and yet somehow… “Crowlet?”

“Yes?” Definitely mischievous, now. Sebastian and Klavier were both smiling, too, clearly in on the joke. “Is something the matter?”

“I don’t know.” Shi-Long crossed his arms over his chest. “Would you happen to have any news to share with me?”

“Is it really news if your nose has clearly caught on already?”

“All right, what is going on?” Miles spoke up now, lifting an unimpressed eyebrow at them both. “I do not appreciate being left out of the loop.”

“Of course you wouldn’t, you nosy prosecutor.” Shi-Long chuckled, drawing Miles into a brief one-armed hug to make up for what little sting there might have been in his teasing words. “Nothing too terribly important, you know. Just, my nose is pretty convinced there’s a grandcub on the way.”

“What?” Miles’s eyes widened as he gasped. “Kay? Is that true?”

“Yup!” She actually jumped a little, grinning in clear satisfaction. “We figured we wanted to wait until Wolfy got here so we could tell both of you at once!”

“We’re ten weeks along, now. Still very much a work in progress, ja?” Klavier wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder with a bright grin. “Between the three of us, though, we’ve got it all under control.”

“We figured you’d notice pretty soon, considering Sebastian noticed a change in my scent before I’d even done a test.” Kay chuckled, reaching a hand to take Sebastian’s to draw him closer as well. “Sure, he’s more familiar with my regular scent, but you’ve also got a lot more experience with your nose at this point.”

“Of course he would notice. He’s a good pup and takes good care of his pack.” Shi-Long grinned at Sebastian, who flushed with a sheepish smile. “Is it okay for me to hand out some congratulatory hugs?”

“I really can’t see why not, provided you can keep the werewolf strength in check.” Kay chuckled. “I don’t fancy trying to explain to a doctor that I broke my ribs getting hugged by my sorta-father-in-law.”

“Honestly, I was mostly asking the pup.” Shi-Long shrugged, eyes still on Sebastian who looked a bit startled. “I know pack is pack so instincts shouldn’t really get in the way, but it wouldn’t be that unusual of a wolf to get protective when their first pup is on the way.”

“Oh, he’s protective all right, but mostly just about my climbing up to check high shelves.”

“Because you keep climbing on the counters and jumping around!” Sebastian protested. “I’ve never liked it when you do that, I keep worrying you’ll fall and break something!”

“I know, I know. I think it’s adorable, really. Still, you’ve definitely gotten more fussy lately.” Kay disentangled herself from Klavier’s arms, leaning in to give Sebastian a brief kiss before she skipped over to draw Shi-Long into a tight hug. Clearly this was the best sort of permission, so he hugged her back, unable to resist the urge to spin her about a little. Kay laughed with delight, then hopped over to receive a rather more reserved but no less heartfelt embrace from Miles in turn.

“Congratulations.” Miles tried to keep his expression level, but even he couldn’t hide the small smile edging its way onto his lips. “From all your smiles, I’m not even going to ask if this is good news.”

“It’s the best news.” Klavier apparently decided to hug Sebastian to make up for Kay traipsing off to other people. “I can’t wait for us all to become parents. Right, Mausi?”

“Definitely.” Sebastian hadn’t exactly been tense before, but he still visibly relaxed in Klavier’s arms. Shi-Long didn’t really need to look to notice the slight flare of his nostrils as he drew in the familiar scent. The poor pup hadn’t ever been the best at dealing with emotionally charged situations, even when said emotions were positive. “Though really, we’re relying on Klavier to provide any important fathering insights. I can’t exactly trust mine, and Kay’s memories are… distant.”

That did bring up another question. “So, you got any idea on the genetics? If you don’t mind me asking.” After all, there were two potential fathers in the picture.

“No idea!” Kay answered cheerily. “And frankly, we don’t really care. I mean, the kid might come out looking like one of my boys or the other, but either way, the baby’s going to have two dads.”

“We wouldn’t have it any other way.” Klavier smiled, nuzzling at Sebastian’s hair. “Two loving dads, an incredible mom, and hopefully some extended family to go with all that.”

“If you think I’m not going to embrace my role as a grandpa in full, you don’t know me very well.” Shi-Long grinned, feeling absolutely elated. “Lang Zi says: the bark of a pup is the heartbeat of the pack.”

“One day, I’m going to actually read through everything Lang Zi wrote to see how much of his words you’ve made up.” Still, Miles did step closer as Kay finally let him go and allowed Shi-Long to nuzzle him, so clearly he wasn’t terribly serious about it all. “Of course, at that point you’d probably just start writing down your own proverbs.”

Well. He always did like a challenge. “Lang Shi-Long says: the greatest prey a wolf can catch is a warm den and a pack to fill it.”

“Really, now.” Miles turned towards him, a small smile on his lips. “For once, I think I understand the proverb well enough to agree with it.” Of course, that simply demanded a kiss to wipe off that smile, one that Shi-Long was very happy to provide.

After a moment, something else suddenly dawned on him. With his arms still around Miles, he quickly turned his head to stare at Kay. “Wait. When you said Sebastian could keep a secret better than I thought…”

“I told you. He’s known about the baby before even I did.” Kay’s grin was bright and wide and very nearly smug. “And you didn’t have any idea until you came face to face with me, now did you?”

And, really. Here he had thought he couldn’t possibly be any prouder of his little pack, and yet here they were proving him wrong already.

*

The pup, Shi-Long decided, was a beautiful wolf.

He’d grown since their first full moon together, though only a little, filling up with the muscle of a mature wolf though his actual frame would always be relatively small. His fur was thick and glossy, soft gold and honey as he stretched himself in front of the fireplace. Clearly he’d mastered the transformation over the years, too, though he had still whimpered in the middle of the worst convulsions. Now he was cheerful, though, full of energy as he hopped up and down, clearly trying to invite Shi-Long to play.

Well. Never let it be said that Shi-Long was too old for playing.

The others made some comments as Shi-Long and Sebastian chased each other around the large living room, slipping between furniture and snapping their teeth closed just barely short of catching each other’s tails. Klavier sounded amused, laughing at their antics as he settled down on the couch with Kay’s feet in his lap. Sebastian rewarded him for his amusement by hopping up to lick his cheek before jolting away from Shi-Long once again.

“Don’t look at me,” Miles snorted from his seat in his usual armchair. “I do not wish to be covered in wolf slobber.”

Had Shi-Long been capable of speech, he might have made some comment about how Miles didn’t seem to mind his tongue in other contexts. As it was, he barked a little before chasing after Sebastian.

There was nothing quite like playing on a full moon. Spending time around Miles was wonderful, guarding him and making sure his precious mate was safe, and Shi-Long wouldn’t have traded that for anything. This was even better, though, burning his energy through play rather than patrolling a single hotel room, and Miles was still here nevertheless. Shi-Long knew he was, he made sure to stop by and sniff about Miles’s chair every now and then just to make sure, just like Sebastian occasionally broke off from the chase to go check on his mates. He was such a good wolf, guarding the pack and taking care of everyone. Shi-Long was very proud.

There was only so long they could spend running around, of course, and eventually Shi-Long stretched himself with a yawn. Miles smiled as he trotted closer, reaching out a hand to scratch Shi-Long behind the ears.

“Had enough of playing tag for now?”

Shi-Long nodded with a satisfied little grin, nudging Miles’s legs until he got into the optimal position to rest his head on Miles’s knee. This was accepted with nothing more than a good-natured grumble and some more scratches as Miles turned his attention back to the book he was reading. He could hear Sebastian’s happy little whines as he padded between Kay and Klavier, too young and full of energy to settle down just yet. Not that Shi-Long could blame him. If he’d had a pup on the way he wouldn’t have been able to settle down so easily, either.

It was strange to think of, really, for all that his nose informed him of the truth his eyes couldn’t quite sense yet. There was a pup on the way, a brand new life born out of the bright spark that was their crowlet, and in due time the pack would grow in the most wonderful way possible. Sebastian would be a wonderful parent, they all would, and Shi-Long would make sure no harm ever came to his little pack.

“Happy thoughts?” Miles’s voice was quiet, clearly only meant for him, though Shi-Long suspected Sebastian’s ears flicked in the direction of the words, too. Shi-Long wagged his tail in response, never too proud to show his satisfaction to his mate.

Of course his thoughts were happy. He had his pack, was spending the full moon in this lovely place that had come to mean home, a safe den like he hadn’t had since his childhood. Here was his mate, too, warm and secure and right within reach, and soon enough Shi-Long would curl up at his feet for a nap until Miles was ready to retire to bed. In the morning he would get to wake up to the smell of breakfast and happy voices from the kitchen, to Kay and Klavier arguing over coffee and Sebastian sipping at his own cup bleary-eyed but smiling. There was nothing but warmth and pack and home, and there was nothing he could have wished for that he didn’t have right here.

The wolf wanted to howl, and so did Shi-Long, and just this once he gave in to the urge. Another voice joined him, higher and softer but just as full of happiness, and for once Miles didn’t even tut at the wolfy antics, just continued scratching his head.

It was not a grand reveal, this happiness, but Shi-Long was glad to have had the chance to realize it nevertheless.