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‟Seryozha!”
Sergei stilled, glancing around. Dmitri had fallen much further behind, from the sound of his call.
‟Seryozha, help me!”
There was nothing that should harm his brother - anyone with him, anyone who scented of him - in his territory, but-
‟Sergei!”
Sergei frowned; his brother never called him by name, and that tone . . . he picked up his pace, rushing back to Dmitri. He found his brother. . .
Dmitri stood at the verge of a rushing stream splashing over muddy banks, clear water over thick moss at its centre. Dmitri stood on the far bank. Sergei had simply waded through, but it appeared that Dmitri had stopped short.
And was now glaring at Sergei sulkily.
Sergei smothered amusement, his heart settling again.
‟I’m stuck.” Dmitri said, gesturing pointedly at the stream before him, and Sergei shook his head and jumped lightly into the water, making his way easily back to his brother over the shifting rocks, slippery as they were in places with mud, moss, and algae.
‟All right, all right.” Sergei extended a hand to his brother, calf-deep in the stream, but Dmitri only lifted his chin, folding his arms and refusing to take it. ‟Come here, Dima.” he said fondly, and it took some further coaxing but eventually he got Dmitri to hop up onto his back; Dmitri wrapped his arms around Sergei’s shoulders with a contented little hum, snuggling there.
Sergei hitched his brother a little higher, slogging easily back across the stream and gathering himself to leap out.
He paused there, beyond the bank, but Dmitri didn’t seem inclined to get down and walk. It would probably be faster to get him safely back home - to Sergei’s den - this way anyway, he thought wryly.
‟You know, Dimochka, dear one, you may have to get your feet wet at some point.” Sergei teased gently. ‟During your stay here.” A stay which he had framed as an escape, a visit, but also not put boundaries on; an open-ended promise that made Sergei’s heart sing.
Dmitri sniffed, hugging him a little tighter. Sergei slid his hands a little higher up Dmitri’s thighs, squeezing lightly. Kneading.
Dmitri squirmed against him, which was . . . distracting. Fortunate that Sergei could run this way home practically blind, he thought vaguely.
‟Maybe I don’t want to.” Dmitri said in his ear, and Sergei laughed. As though nature cared. Then Dmitri nuzzled his ear, sliding one hand over his chest, up along his collarbone. ‟And I don’t think you’ll make me do anything, will you, Seryozha?”
Sergei licked his lips. Swallowed.
Yes, well, that was probably true, he thought wryly.
‟As you wish, Dimochka.” Sergei admitted, and he made a pleased little sound, nuzzling down behind Sergei’s ear, kissing his neck.
‟That’s what I like to hear.” Dmitri said, light but soft, and Sergei laughed a little, thumbs rubbing over Dmitri’s thighs as he shifted, making sure his brother was steady before he headed up. Mostly.
‟Anything.” Sergei returned softly, twisting to look at Dmitri over his shoulder.