Running. Legs stretching out, the steady thud-thud-thud as he hit the ground, the rush of his breath, and the pound of blood in his veins. The forest rushed by in a blur of shadows and leaves, and he could see rabbit tails flashing away into the bushes. His attention was caught, though, by something gold flashing in the darkness ahead of him, dodging between trees like a deer. Suddenly he realised that he was on four legs, could see his snout ahead of him, paws churning on the ground, and he was terrified. Why wasn't he in his room? How did he get out? Sweat burst out cold between his shoulder blades, as he kept leaping after the gold thing. It was slowly growing closer, and he didn't want to catch it. Suddenly it seemed within reach of his snapping jaws and-
He woke with a gasp.
It was all bad timing. Sectionals, two days before the full moon. Wes was antsy, hyper-aware of everything, including the fact that his transformation would start the next day. Performing felt like a series of strangely detailed still frames – the bits he remembered, he remembered every hair. Settling into the audience wasn't much better. He could tell the other Warbler's were frustrated with him. It was a relief when they were distracted by the start of New Direction's set. The guy entering from the back surprised him more than it should've, and he chastised himself for being so paranoid even has his mind was cataloguing the blond kid, who smelled normal enough, as harmless. The blonde girl entering from the other door was less of the surprise. However, she was instantly categorised as not so harmless.
He stared as she walked up the aisle, nose flared. He couldn't figure out what she was, but she smelled different. It was infuriating. It was close enough to the full moon that a good portion of his instincts were screaming attack attack. He gripped his armrests, eyes locked on her. He saw when she saw him – just a slight falter – and immediately felt bad. He probably looked like a savage. Still, he couldn't make himself look away. He couldn't tell you any of the songs the rival choir sang – he spent the entire performance with his eyes fixed on her.
As they stood onstage waiting for the results to be called out, Wes' skin pricked with her proximity. Well, to be fair, to probably wasn't just her. The dark haired soloist smelt like wet fur, and the blonde dancer was clearly of Fae descent. She was the most prominent though, solely because he'd never smelt anything like her before, and it was putting him on edge. He went to iDalton,/i he hung around other non-humans all the time, and the fact that he couldn't tell what she was unnerved him. He tried to focus on other things – Blaine's leg was practically vibrating with nerves, and Kurt's wings kept shifting sharply under his harness and competition uniform, and Wes could hear both things like they were happening right in his ears. The squeak of feedback from the microphone was painful.
He was too stressed to muster up any particular emotion about the tie. All he wanted to do was go home, curl up, and attempt to sleep. But it was clear, as the two rival show choirs mixed in the backstage area, that it wasn't going to happen soon. Kurt was in the midst of a group of girls and Wes could see several of the Warblers eyeing the female students speculatively. He moved to the side of the group, settling against the wall, where no one could sneak up on him, and he could see most people. His skin was still prickling, as if he had his hackles raised (he pushed away the animalistic imagery as soon as it entered his mind), and the feeling surged as a cold hand touched his elbow. He jerked, fighting the urge to growl. He wasn't entirely surprised when he saw the blonde girl staring up at him, eyebrow perfectly arched, hazel eyes pinning him with a harsh stare.
"Hello, I'm not sure if I've had sex with you or not, but that seems like the most likely option," her voice was low, low enough that very few – if any – of the surrounding people would be able to hear it. Wes' eyebrows rose, though every muscle in his back was still tense. "I just wanted to let you know in no uncertain terms that I'm not interested in a repeat performance, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone."
"As far as I'm aware this is the first time we've ever been in contact, miss…?" She took in a sharp breath, but lifted her chin, doing an admirable job of remaining calm.
"As far as you're aware is close enough. Thank you." Wes inclined his head, slowly relaxing as he realised she didn't seem to be too aggressive.
"There aren't many times I'm not aware, so it should be." She smiled, but it was tight and humourless, and it made him want to back up.
"Quinn?" It was the blond boy she'd sang with. She looked over at him and Wes saw her expression change to something sweeter. Something a little more human.
"Just a minute." She turned back to Wes, eyes hard. "In my experience men overestimate themselves." She turned and walked away before he could reply, going to her duet partner and kissing him on the cheek. He saw her eyes flash towards him for a moment. He forced himself to turn away.
As hard as he tried that night, sleep didn't come. He was too close to transforming; his body was aching to run. The dorm was stuffy, and he was glad he had a single because if he had a roommate they'd hate him by now. He ending up pouring his energy into homework, of all things, reasoning he wouldn't have much time to work the next few evenings. Teachers did tend to go a little lighter on the full moon, but Wes didn't like to take advantage of that. Classes the next day were torture. He was tired, from the competition, from his lack of sleep, but his veins were ithrumming/iwith energy, and everything was distracting. He tried to focus on his notes, keeping his writing neat and even, and not jerking across the page when someone ran past the classroom. Time dragged. When the bell finally rang to signify the end of last period it was a huge relief.
He forced himself to go to the dining hall and eat – every instinct was screaming that he needed to be outside. When he got back to his room it was an hour until sunset and he itched all over. He tried to focus on homework but the letters swam on the page. He could barely restrain himself from pacing. Time seemed to stretch out, hardly passing, until all of a sudden it was fifteen minutes until the sun was going to set. He looked out of the window and the colours on the horizon sent a weird shudder running through him. He stripped methodically, putting his uniform away methodically. Taking a deep breath he opened the door to the second part of his rooms. The door was thick and solid, and the room it opened to was completely empty, apart from a blanket folded neatly in the corner. The floor was concrete, and the walls were covered in marks and scratches. Wes shut the door behind him, and slid the bolt home.
It was cold, and he pulled the blanket around his shoulders. He wanted to sit down but he couldn't stay still, so he paced around the edges of the room instead. Faint sounds were floating through the building, and he was hyper-aware of them. A shudder passed through his stomach and he knew the sun was setting. He moved to the centre of the room, every muscle in his body tensing in anticipation. The blanket fell from his fingers as his spine started cracking into place and pushingout at his tailbone. He doubled over, choking, feeling his arms go numb as his bones all changed shape. His fingers bent in weird places at odd angles in front of his eyes. His hips shifted painfully, and his teeth felt like they were about to pop out of his gums, and he could watch as his nose push out in front of him.
All of a sudden it was over, and for just a moment he stood on all fours, looking at the room through unquestionable different eyes, before everything disappeared.
She looked just like she had at Sectionals, but all she did was sit and stare at him, hazel eyes wide. He couldn't look away, couldn't speak. All he did was sit, watching her as she watched him.
When he woke up after the last night of his transformation it was to a dull throb in his left wrist. He groaned, pulling himself up and feeling the muscles in his side protest strongly. He was, as much as he hated to use the expression, dog tired. At least it was a Saturday, he thought, as he pulled himself upright, and slid the bolt on the door, letting himself back into his bedroom. He caught sight of a large bruise on his hip as he pulled on his jeans and scowled. He sat down on his bed to wrap an ace bandage around his wrist, knowing that the swelling would be down by the end of the day, and that it would be fine by Monday. It was incredibly tempting to lie back on his bed a just sleep for a few more hours. He glanced at the clock – seven. He let his head fall into his hands, digging his thumbs into his eyes, trying to wake himself up a little.
He'd planned on working on the homework he hadn't managed to work on over the three nights he'd been incapacitated. It was stupid, he decided, to let his species rule his habits. So he forced himself to stand again. He collected his books, shoving them into his satchel, before going to eat breakfast. He forced himself to get a cooked breakfast, despite the fact that the dining hall served rare meat at all meals (it was necessary in a school with a student body like Dalton's) which looked far more appetising to him in those moments. There were only a couple of other students awake, and none of them were hugely friendly with Wes, so he ate in silence. At least for a little while.
"I thought I smelled dog." Wes raised an eyebrow at the dark haired boy sliding gracefully in the chair opposite him, holding a large glass that, Wes was glad to see, was opaque.
"Morning, Thad." Wes nodded towards the glass. "Find a donor?" Thad grinned smugly in response, fangs showing clearly.
"Of course." He took a long sip, and Wes felt his mouth twist around his fork when he saw a smudge of redness left on the other boy's lips when he pulled the glass away. Considering he'd been a shred of self control away from eating barely cooked steak for breakfast he couldn't exactly judge.
"I didn't think you liked getting up this early." He watched Thad lick his lips, looking satisfied.
"I don't. But I have business that has to be conducted in daylight. So here I am." His eyebrows had drawn together, and his expression was vaguely thunderous, and Wes almost laughed as he scraped the last mouthful of his breakfast onto his fork.
"I don't suppose you can tell me what it is." The look Thad through him in response was scathing.
"Of course not." He sniffed loudly as Wes got up, taking another long sip from his glass. Wes' nose wrinkled of its on accord as the smell wafted over – smelled like Warlock.
"Where are you going, Dog?" Wes picked up his plate to take to the dishes station.
"To the library. I have homework. And stop calling me Dog." Thad ignored him, in favour of his breakfast. Wes rolled his eyes, leaning down to pick up his book bag. There was a twinge in his wrist as he hoisted it onto his shoulder, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
Rain was misting down as he walked the five blocks to the library, rejoicing once again in the fact that one of the only libraries in Ohio that was non-human friendly was so close. The heating was on, and he started sweating the minute he walked into the building, pulling his jacket off quickly before wandering to the near deserted theology section, taking out a few books to start him off on his assignment on Abbadon. He was about an hour into a detailed analysis about the Coptic definition of 'Abbaton' when a familiar smell rounded the corner before the blond girl from New Directions followed it around, holding an armful of Demonology books. She stopped as soon as she saw him, and he tensed in response.
"Hi." His lips barely moved as he spoke, his whole body waiting to respond to whatever she'd do. Which, apparently, was to lower the books slightly and stay at the end of the stack.
"Hi." She shifted her weight slightly, and it was all Wes could do not to compensate. "This isn't the most popular section of the library." He shrugged a little in response, still wary.
"Not too many people come looking for what's here." She nodded slowly.
"What are you looking for?" He moved equally slowly, but held up his notebook.
"Homework." Her eyebrows shot up and she snorted before seeming to check her reaction.
"Your homework involves demonology?" She finally moved a little closer, fingers still clutched tightly around her books.
"Abbadon. Angel, Demon, or Place?" His back straightened automatically as she moved closer, placing her books on the table he was working on, still several feet away from him.
"Or all three?" He couldn't help the grin that took over his face.
"You know your theology. I'm Wes, by the way. Wes Tse." Her eyebrow arched perfectly. He suddenly became aware that he'd been holding her eyes for an awkwardly long time, and his throat dried out. She looked away.
"I do. Quinn Fabray." She opened the first book on her pile, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Wes sneezed. "Bless you."
"What are you doing in this section?" She glanced up briefly at his words.
"I have my own research to do."
It was clear she wasn't prepared to offer up any more than that, so he returned to his books. Somehow the work felt easier with the sounds of page turning and pen scratching coming from beside him as well as from his own work. Eventually, though, his hand started to cramp, and the letters were swimming on the page again, and his stomach growled. He pushed away from the table sharply and was surprised when her head shot up.
"Where are you going?" She sounded honestly curious, and Wes was feeling positive, having enjoyed the companionship she'd offered so far.
"Breaking for lunch. Want to come?" Her eyebrows arched gracefully, and she looked at the book she'd been studying for a moment before sighing.
"Sure."
They didn't talk about what they were researching, why they were in one of the most hated libraries in Ohio, looking for things that most people avoided like the plague. They didn't talk about the way she smelt, or how Wes kept jerking at sounds that were too quiet for most people to hear. They spoke about the blond boy, her boyfriend, Sam, about the tie, about how their respective groups ran. She laughed a little when he mentioned his gavel, saying someone in her choir had one briefly, but was rarely able to take control. By the time they walked back to the library Wes was almost desensitized to her presence, not nearly as on edge as he had been. When he walked past her books he noticed that they seemed to be demonic encyclopaedias. He nodded towards them.
"Are you looking for something specific?" She stiffened.
"Yes. Why?" He shrugged slowly, wondering where the line had been that he'd clearly crossed.
"I've studied a fair bit of that section, maybe I know a bit about what you're looking for." Her eyes widened fractionally.
"Why would you study that?" He wanted to ask 'why would you?'but he restrained himself.
"For school." She raised her chin slightly, before moving into her chair and pulled her books towards her.
"Your school studies demons?" Taking his cue from her he sat back down in his own chair, starting to read over his last paragraph to get back into his work.
"Some of us." He saw her nod a little, out of the corner of his eyes.
"I don't need your help." He frowned at his paper.
"Fine. It was just a suggestion."
They worked in silence until Wes starting to pack up his books, sliding them back into place on the theology shelves. Quinn glanced up, eyes flickering along his paper.
"I was just thinking. Abbadon? I still doubt that's on the curriculum." He smiled politely in response.
"Demonology isn't either." Her nostrils flared, and her eyes bore into his.
"I don't trust you, why should I tell you why I'm here? What kind of school teaches you about Demons?" He laughed.
"Ask Kurt. I thought you knew him." Her expression changed, looking a little regretful for just a moment, before hardening. Her eyes locked on his again, and he couldn't look away. The door to the library slammed, and she jerked, looking back at her books. Wes realised he'd moved towards her, and stepped away automatically. She was apparently fully focused on 'A Moste Excellente Compilation of the Residentes of the Shadows', so he shook himself. "Bye." She didn't reply, but when he glanced back at her before he turned out of sight of the section she was staring after him.
She'd started moving in the dreams. Still not talking, just walking towards him, never seeming to get any closer. Sometimes he tried to walk to meet her, but the air was thick and sweet, like molasses, and his breath ran short within minutes. Sometimes he tried to run away, but she was always there behind him, walking steadily, eyes locked on his form.
The week passed slowly. He spent more time than he really should have thinking about Quinn. Which was compounded by Kurt, wings folded behind him, stopping by the common room where he was studying in the evening.
"I was just wanting to ask why Quinn Fabray was asking about you." Wes shifted, looking up and wondering what the blonde girl had spoken to the boy about.
"We met in the library on Saturday; we were researching in the same section. She seemed curious about Dalton, I thought you'd be better person to ask since you know her better." He thought he'd done a remarkable attempt at a poker face, but Kurt still looked skeptical.
"I don't, really. But she seemed interested in you." Wes hoped his awkward shifting wasn't too obvious.
"What do you mean?" Kurt raised an eyebrow and let out a scoffing laugh.
"She asked if I knew what you were. As if it was a completely normal think to tell someone. I didn't tell her, of course." Wes nodded slowly.
"Thank you."
When he went back to the library the following Saturday she was already there, settled into a deep stack of thick books, all in shades of dark leather. He gathered his resources in silence, and settled in at the table, figuring if she was going to act like he wasn't there, he'd pay her the same attention. It was easier as the moon waned - he couldn't smell her as strongly as he had the previous week. The silence, broken only by the turning of pages and the scratching of pens, hung over them like a cloud. Wes did his best to ignore it up until he got up to go for lunch, and she pushed out her chair too.
"Do you mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." The polite words froze in his mouth as he wondered what she was going to ask him. The conversation was stilted and civil until they were seated outside the cafe with their food. She leaned over the table, eyes intent, and he stared at his tea to avoid them.
"Kurt told me that Dalton... was more accepting of its non-human students." Wes nodded in response.
"It is." He started to eat, hoping he appeared calm..
"In what way?" He glanced up and her eyes were dazzlingly intense; he looked back down again after only a moment.
"We have a zero tolerance bullying policy. It's enforced in all cases." He saw her lean back slowly in his peripheral vision, and glanced up to see her gazing at him with a strange expression on her face. She spoke slowly.
"You're the only other person I've seen near the demonology section." She took in a deep breath, and even with his senses fading he heard her heart start to beat faster. "What are you?" He stared at the bottom of his mug, trying to find the best way to word things.
"If you don't know anyone else that's what you are... I am probably not what you're looking for." She seemed to turn the answer over in her mind for a few moments before nodding slowly, looking disappointed. He licked his lips lightly, before offering "But if you would like to talk... I am here." She glanced at him, expression smooth and unaffected. He admired how quickly she'd been able to construct it.
"What would I have to talk to you about?" She looked so sure of herself that he just shrugged.
"I don't know." They finished eating and walked back to the library in silence. Part of Wes wondered why she was taking the trouble to walk with him, but then he realised he'd never even entertained the thought of leaving her. The rest of the afternoon was awkward, until he was struck by an idea and he turned to her, earning a gracefully raised eyebrow.
"You don't have to tell me what it is. But what do you hate most about it?" He could see her confusion, and then the way she considered it, before sitting up slowing, sliding the book she'd been studying away from her.
"I... I hate not feeling like I own my body." Wes thought about watching his bones break, about being forced out of his own head to make way for the wolf, about waking up sore and bleeding and not knowing how it happened. Suddenly he felt very tired.
"I know the feeling." Surprise flickered across her face, but all she did was turn back to her books. After a moment he did the same, but he'd have been lying if he said his thoughts were on his schoolwork for the rest of the afternoon. She left before he did, and he watched her go for as long as he could see her, fluorescent lights gleaming on her hair, moving carefully and elegantly through the stacks. He shook himself once she was out of his sight. There was no use wasting thought on it.
She smiled at him, all white teeth, and smugness. Something panged in his chest. She was scant inches away, and he could smell her. It was unnerving. Her eyes bore straight into his, and he swallowed dryly. Her hand reached up, fingers brushing just lightly over his cheekbone. The touch was icy. It sent a shudder straight down his spine.
The next week passed painfully slowly. Wes' senses weakened as the New Moon approached, and he could feel himself getting stressed as he started to lose his knowledge of the world around him. It felt like everyone was sneaking up on him, just because he couldn't hear them coming as well as he usually could. The day of the New Moon was the worst. Fridays were always the worst days anyway - by the end of the week Wes just wanted to stay in his room and sleep regardless of what else was going on - but on the New Moon his body never moved quite right. It felt like his joints were too loose, his muscles only half as strong as they usually were. When he finally reached his last class of the day it seemed to take hours to even be half over. It didn't help that he kept wondering if Quinn would be at the library the next day.
"Is there a cat somewhere you want to chase, Dog?" Thad, who Wes had been paired with for the lesson's work, sounded highly amused.
"What?" The other boy gave him a scathing look.
"You're clearly distracted by something and you keep sniffing. It's undignified." Wes blinked slowly.
"Sorry, I didn't realise." He must have been trying to scent things, he guessed. If he tried he could just barely smell the blood on Thad's breath, and he was sitting fairly close. He shook himself, trying to push the feeling away. Thad looked at him like he was an idiot, before returning to his work.
She was close to him, her hand on his cheek. They were breathing the same air, she was all he could smell. She wasn't looking at him. He breathed deeply.
The table was empty when he arrived, but within minutes of him sitting down she rounded the corner, surprising him since he hadn't been able to smell her coming, several books already under her arms. She sat beside him without a word, and he glanced automatically at the spines of the books. More of the same; nothing specific enough to tell him anything about what she was looking for. They worked in a comfortable silence until lunchtime again. Wes fiddled with his coffee stirrer, trying to ignore how much his senses were putting him off balance.
"What's it like? At McKinley, I mean. My parents haven't ever sent me anywhere that hasn't been completely friendly to non-humans." Her eyes flickered to his, and for some reason his mouth dried out. She looked away and he blinked heavily.
"People have to hide a lot more. No one has ever spoken to me about whether or not they're human." He wondered why she was taking such pains to avoid referencing herself as non-human, but figured she had her reasons.
"That can't be fun." She shook her head, eyes on her food.
"What's it like at Dalton?" Wes chewed his mouthful slowly before shrugging.
"We're just students. Kurt has wings, one guy's a Kelpie, he sleeps in the pond, and I'm a-" he blinked, cutting himself off. Her eyes widened. He licked his lips lightly before continuing, voice quiet and careful. "I'm a werewolf." Her lips parted slightly, and he saw her take in a slow breath. "You don't have to return the favour if you don't want to." She nodded once.
"I can't."
They finished their food without much conversation. She avoided his eyes, and he wondered if he should have told her. But he ignored it, continuing to work through his report until he closed a book, and realised it had been the last in his pile. He blinked stupidly for a moment, before shaking himself and standing up to return his books. Quinn glanced up when he came back without new ones, looking confused.
"Are you going?" He nodded.
"I finished my research." He couldn't read her expression. "I have a couple of hours free, if you want some help with yours?" She seemed to hesitate for a moment before sliding a book towards him. "What am I looking for?" She took a moment to answer, staring at her own notes.
"Just let me know if you find anything on half-demon offspring." He nodded, flipping the book open and starting to scan through the pages. He couldn't help but smile a little as he worked. It was something.About halfway through the book he got distracted by a passage on Vampire coven wars, and he jerked, surprised, when Quinn shut a book sharply. She gave him an amused look.
"I have to go. So you can probably stop helping me with my research." He smiled back, closing the book before checking the title so he could go back to it. He helped her put the books away, and they walked to the door together. They both stopped outside of the library. Wes scratched his neck, feeling little awkward.
"So I'll see you next week?" She smiled at him, and he couldn't help smiling back.
"Sure." He nodded, before waving and turning to walk away. He glanced back when he was a little way down the street, and saw her getting into her car. As he watched she sat in it, unmoving, for several moments before pulling out.
Her skin was smooth and cool. Her cheek slid against his - part of him wished he could see her face, but he didn't want to pull away. The cotton of her dress was rough against the palms of his hands. He breathed in slowly and felt her smile. Her eyelashes brushed his cheek.
He didn't know why he was going to the library again - he had another project he could work on, yes, but there were resources of equal value at Dalton to those he could find in the library. He was using it as an excuse, he knew. Thad kept giving him looks that were more superior than normal. Kurt seemed rather bemused by the whole situation. Wes just tried to ignore it, pretending it was vital to his research. It was cold when he walked to the library the next Saturday, and the smell of wet leaves hung heavily in the air. It made him uncomfortable. He could smell her when he drew close to the Demonology section and he smiled before he realised what he was smiling at. He paused at the end of the shelf, before she saw him, and looked at her for a moment. Her hair was hanging over her face as she bent over her books, her hand wrapped gracefully around a pen. Wes didn't even know how you could consider someone holding their pen graceful, but it was the only word he could use to describe it. He shifted onto a floorboard that creaked. She looked up and smiled.
"You're late." He grinned back.
"I didn't realise we were on a schedule." She looked back at her book.
"Later than usual."
"I was joking." He moved towards the table as he spoke, putting his bag down, before scanning the shelves for the texts he knew would be useful. When he turned back towards her she was watching him, a faint smile curving her lips. He caught his breath when their eyes met, but hers flickered almost automatically down to her lap. He settled down at the table without saying anything, and she returned to her own study. The worked in the same silence as always, until she gasped quietly. Wes' head shot up, the sound ringing in his ears like a gunshot. She was staring at the book in front of her, fingers gripping her pen tightly. He watched her, wondering if he should ask, but she abruptly relaxed, shoulders falling, hand loosening around her pen.
"Did you find something?" He leaned over.
"Nothing I didn't already know." She was pulling the book away as he leaned, but his eyes lit on the page before he realised she didn't want him to read it.
'A Cambion is the half-human offspring of an incubus or succubus-'
She shut the book with a snap, jaw tight. He hesitated for a moment, already running through the rudimentary knowledge of demons in his head, trying to figure out if he knew anything about Cambions.
"Sorry." She didn't look at him, staring instead at her hands, which she'd folded into her lap. Her thumb slid slowly along the back of her other hand, but he could hear her heartbeat throbbing at a faster pace than normal. "I don't... I don't really care what you are." She glanced up, face cold and remote.
"Then why did you want to know?" He looked away, blinking, trying to formulate a proper response.
"I guess you have me there." She nodded, pressing her lips tightly together, before turning back to the table. She picked up the book he'd read it in and looked at it for a long moment before flipping it open, apparently looking for the page. She slid it over to him once she'd found it.
"Knock yourself out." Wes grappled with himself for a moment. He couldn't imagine she actually wanted him to read about what she was, with the way she'd reacted to him finding out. But he wanted to know. Partly because it was useful, smart even, to know as much about people as possible when they could rat you out to the neighbourhood you lived in as something that went homicidal three nights a month. But also because he wanted to know about her. She opened another book, resolutely not looking at him. He just watched her awkwardly for a moment, mouth open as he tried to find any words that could possibly make her feel better. None came. He reached for the book, and slowly pulled it closer to him. He heard her let out a shaky breath as he began to read.
'A Cambion is the half-human offspring of an Incubus and Succubus. They are identifiable at birth as appearing stillborn, and remain without breath or pulse until about the age of seven, where it will take on a more human appearance. A Cambion is created when a Succubus acquires a sample of human sperm. She will then give this to an incubus, who will implant it in a human female, who will then carry the child to term. The Cambion survives off sexual energy, and thus requires sexual contact to sustain itself; without it the creature will eventually become comatose.'
He shut the book and slowly pushed it back towards her. She didn't pay him any attention. He searched for something to say but, unable to come up with anything, simply returned to his own research. The silence was tense, and it made Wes uncomfortable. He started to fidget, shifting in his chair incessantly. His foot tapped a fast, steady rhythm against the wooden floor. He could hear her breathing speed in irritation, until finally she looked up at him, eyes bright.
"Do you really find it thatawful to be around me now?" He froze in place, before he started to comprehend what she said and his eyes widened.
"What? No! Why would I?" She just stared at him and he avoided her eyes, feeling even more uncomfortable. "I knew you weren't happy about me finding out like that and I felt bad." Her face was disbelieving.
"You did read it, right? You understood what the words meant?" Her voice was surprisingly scathing, and he drew back a little in surprise.
"One of the guys I'm closest with at Dalton survives off blood, why is it any different?" She looked away, mouth slightly open, as if she couldn't quite understand what he was saying. He looked down, awkwardly. "... Do you want to get lunch?" She just stared for a long moment before shaking her head slightly.
"Sure."
They didn't spend any more time speaking about what either of them were, instead retreating to safer topics. The conversation started slow. They were clearly both still feeling awkward, but it grew stronger as they ate. When they went back to the library the afternoon silence was comfortable again. She sat a little closer to him than she previously had, and her foot kept hitting his when she shifted in her seat. It made him smile into his books. It had been worth coming, even if he hadn't had to.
The skin of her shoulders was pale as she walked away from him. He could see a freckle just above the back of her dress, and he couldn't take his eyes off it. The thought occurred to him that he probably shouldn't be thinking about her that way, but she glanced at him over her shoulder, a small smile on her lips, and he couldn't stop. He moved to follow her but he couldn't seem to get any closer. Until she turned and collided with him, hands resting on her shoulders, forehead leaning against his cheek. It was strange to think that the scent of her had made him so uncomfortable when he'd first smelt it; he breathed it in deeply now and felt a kind of calm fill him to the brim.
His transformation had crept up on him a little, and the following week he was at the library earlier than usual, despite knowing he was going to crash hard the next day. His head was buzzing and he was having trouble sitting still. He could see Quinn getting irritated with him almost within moments of arriving. He took deep breaths, trying to remain calm and composed, but it didn't seem to do much. He kept catching himself tapping his foot. Finally he broke, standing up abruptly.
"I'm just going to get some air." He started walking away before she could say anything. He crouched in the parking lot, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes and trying to focus. After a moment he heard footsteps and soon after Quinn was beside him, looking concerned.
"Are you okay?" Her fingers touched his shoulder lightly, and he looked up.
"Yeah, fine." Her expression was so disbelieving he laughed. "Really. It was the Full Moon last night, this is normal" She still seemed skeptical.
"I would have thought you'd be tired." He stretched slowly, back cracking.
"I will be. Tomorrow." She seemed confused, before comprehension dawned on her face.
"You still transform tonight." He grinned.
"Correct." She nodded slowly, and settled herself down, sitting beside him on the tarmac.
"What's it like? Does it hurt?" He sat properly on the ground beside her and shrugged.
"It's painful, but I don't really remember much. I just kind of wake up sore and don't know quite how it happened" She nodded, looking at her hands, folded in her lap. He cracked his neck idly, calmed by the fresh air.
"How much is much?" He chuckled a little.
"There's always this moment right after I transform when... I'm a wolf but I'm... It's like I'm in control of it. But then the next thing I know I'm waking up the next morning." He glanced it her. She was nodding slowly, staring out into the parking lot. "Why do you ask?" A faint smile crossed her face.
"No reason." She looked back at him and her eyes were wide and clear. He inhaled slowly, unable to look away. Her eyelids fluttered and her could hear her heart beating faster. He swallowed, feeling clumsy and strange, leaning towards her slightly. She tore her eyes away and he jerked, feeling his consciousness rush back to him. "Sam broke up with me." He blinked, trying to process the sudden change in topic.
"Your boyfriend? Why? Did he... find out?" She shook her head, staring at her shoes.
"No. He thinks I cheated on him, which is-" She let out a short, bitter laugh, "not exactly untrue." He looked down, not sure what to say. "But I don't think I did what he accused me of." She shook her head. "I could have, though." Her hands were clasped around each other, fingernails digging into the backs. He reached over and she seemed to force herself to relax. There were little red marks from her nails and his fingertips brushed them lightly before he pulled his hand back.
"I'm sorry." The words felt awkward in his mouth. She shook her head.
"It's not your fault. What's your transformation like, exactly?" He blinked at the sudden reversion of the topic.
"Uh, not that interesting? It just hurts a bit and then The Wolf takes over." She cocked her head.
"Why do you always talk about it like that? Like it's not part of you." Wes felt himself stiffen. It was a stupid point, he knew, but he couldn't help it.
"It's isn't. Part of me." He knew his voice had gone colder, and he saw her draw back a little. "I'm not an animal." Her fingers touched his arm lightly.
"I know." He took a deep breath, and didn't look up as she stood. "I'll see you inside."
She sighed underneath him, all soft skin and warmth. Her eyes met his as she rocked slowly, and he revelled in the feel of her, the smell of her all around him. She smiled and he leaned down to kiss her, feeling her fingers twine in his hair.
He groaned as he woke up on the concrete floor of his changing room. Everythinghurt. He pushed himself up, wincing when his palm protested the weight. He inspected it as he stood; it looked like he'd bitten himself. The dream he'd been having before he woke rushed through his head and he felt himself flush. He hoped he'd be able to keep his composure the next time he saw Quinn. Of all the things he could dream about. He opened the door to his room, sighing, to find the girl he'd just been dreaming about sitting on his bed. He gaped, hands flying to cover himself automatically. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open as she turned away.
"I'm sorry! I just- you said you'd be tired and sore today, and I thought you could use some company and I brought movies." She babbled, voice startled, while Wes scrabbled at his dresser, nearly yanking his boxers on with both legs in one hole before he realised what was happening. His body protested moving so fast but he figured being dressed around Quinn was more important than a little extra pain. His heart started to slow as he put a shirt on, moving into her line of sight.
"It's fine I just... am not used to people being in my room when I come out." Quinn was avoiding his eyes like the plague, and she gestured awkwardly when she spoke.
"Kurt showed me where your room was and I knocked, but there was no answer and when I tried the door it opened, sorry." She was blushing still, and it made Wes blush again.
"I must have forgotten to lock it last night. It's fine." She glanced at him, and back down quickly, but her eyes caught on something.
"Your hand..." He glanced at it and blinked; he'd half forgotten the bite.
"Oh, right." He moved back to the dresser to pull out his first aid kit. He looked back over to see her staring at her hands in her lap awkwardly.
"Uh. Have you eaten? We could grab some breakfast and watch those movies." He pulled out the things he needed to clean and bandage his hand as he spoke - her eyes were still locked on the wound. She stood, taking his arm and pulling the first aid supplies from his fingers, sitting him down on the bed.
"Okay." He held back a hiss as she cleaned the bite. Her fingers were gentle as she bandaged it, and they lingered on his hand for a few moments before she withdrew them, folding her hands in her lap. Wes blinked and swayed slightly, feeling exhaustion hit him once again as the final scraps of adrenaline from finding her in his room faded. She glanced up at him, looking concerned, and reached up to brush her hand against her forehead. "You're warm..." He shrugged the assessment off.
"I always am, this time of the month. I'm just tired." She stood up, suddenly.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come. You probably want to sleep." She started to move towards the door but he reached out to grab her hand.
"Stay. I'm glad that you came."
He was, but it didn't quell the exhaustion spreading through him. He managed to keep up a good conversation while they ate, but when he led her into one of the common rooms and settled on a couch while a DVD played, he found himself struggling to stay awake. He tried to remain focused and sitting upright, but he could feel himself drooping against the arm rest. Quinn glanced at him several times, as he endeavored to remain awake.
She was curled around him, skin flush against his, just breathing. He felt more peaceful than he had for a long time. She smiled against his shoulder and he wrapped his arm a little more securely around her waist.
He faded back into the consciousness a little to hear low voices. He blinked, taking a few moments to remember where he was, why there was a DVD menu looping on the screen. He sat up to see Quinn still on the other end of the couch, while Kurt was leaning against the door frame. They both glanced at him when he pushed himself upright, and Quinn smiled a little. Kurt stood up properly.
"I'll see you later, Quinn." She nodded to him as he retreated from the room. Wes rubbed the sleep from his eyes, cataloguing the aches that had settled into his muscles as he slept.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." She smiled at him softly.
"I don't mind." She looked at her lap, then away, before starting to stand. "I should go. You should sleep." He stood with her.
"Maybe we could do this again sometime. When I'm less likely to fall asleep on you." She nodded, still looking at the ground. He shifted awkwardly. "I'll walk you out."
They walked slowly out of the school and up the driveway, though neither of them spoke much. When they reached her car they both paused, hovering awkwardly for a second.
"Are you going to the library next week?" His voice seemed too loud in the quiet. She glanced up at him before looked down at her hands.
"I'm not sure. Will you?" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I don't really have any research to do but I can help with yours." She looked up at him again, biting her lip. "Why don't you take a break and just come here again?" He regretted it almost as soon as he'd spoken, but her expression brightened.
"Sure. I'll come by around ten?" He nodded, feeling a smile take over his face. She bid him goodbye, getting into her car, and he stood where he was for a moment, watching her drive off. A thud a few feet away made him jump, and he looked over to see Thad, who'd apparently just dropped out of a tree.
"I'm guessing that's the cat you want to chase. You were so preoccupied you didn't even notice me, Dog." He looked ridiculously proud of himself. Wes blinked, staring at the other boy, who shrugged, grinning enough that his fangs showed clearly. "I fooled a werewolf this close to the Full Moon, I have a right to be proud." Wes just shook his head, turning to walk back up the school's driveway. Thad followed. "If you want the cat you should dosomething, you know."
"She's not a cat, Thad." The other boy just smirked in response.
"Yes, but you're a dog and you want to chase her. It's practically the same thing." Wes shook his head again, but Thad left the subject there. He walked with Wes back to his room, where he stopped in the doorway. "You've been too tired lately, Dog. It's bad for the Warblers. You need to make sure you stay well." Wes stared at him for a long moment, debating whether to shut his door in the other boy's face or not.
"I'll keep that in mind," he eventually responded, and Thad nodded stiffly before walking away down the hall. Wes shook his head, pushing the door close and collapsing onto his bed, curling around his pillow. He realised, as he drifted off, that he could smell Quinn from where she'd been sitting on the blankets.
He could never get enough of the smell of her. He could almost feel it, like it was twisting around him as they moved together. She made breathy little noises under him and he couldn't keep himself from moaning. She smiled, eyes half lidded, and slid a hand into his hair, pulling him down into a kiss, the fingernails of her other hand digging into his shoulder. She was whispering against his lips, but he couldn't hear what she was saying.
The week passed by before Wes realised. Suddenly it was Saturday, and Thad was looking highly amused as Wes fidgeted in the entrance, waiting for Quinn. Who was late. Which Wes found confusing, because she'd always struck him as a timely kind of person.
"Why are you so nervous, Dog?" Wes shook his head, refusing to look at him. "Are you worried she's not coming?" Wes continued to ignore him. The other boy let out a miffed sounding huff. "Fine, you just wait then." Wes heard the other boy's footsteps fade as he walked away, but he was too on edge to care. So he just paced around the edges of the entrance way, waiting for Quinn.
When she finally showed up she was obviously distracted, and even to his fading senses she smelled a little different. She hardly spoke, staring at the walls with wide eyes as he led her through the corridors to the common room. He struggled with his thoughts as he stuck the DVD in the player, wondering if he should ask, but unsure if she'd want him to pry. When he turned she was sitting curled up on the couch, chin resting on her knees and her shoes kicked off. His eyes met hers, and he felt the breath had run out of his lungs. A strange, sleepy feeling stole over him and he swayed where he stood. Her bare feet slid to the ground and she walked over to him slowly, eyes still locked on his and a smile playing on her lips. When she got close to him she fisted her fingers in her shirt and leaned up to press her lips against his. He gasped, and felt her smile before the kiss deepened slowly.
A door slammed on the other side of the building and she jumped an pulled away, face pale. The sleepy feeling started receding from his brain, and he felt himself blink back to awareness.
"Shit." Before he could say anything she was gone, flying out of the room like she'd been struck. She didn't pick up her shoes. He stood where he was, staring at them, for a long time. Eventually he picked them up and took them back to his room. He moved slowly, feeling strange. He put them by his bed, and sat on the edge, rubbing his eyes. After a moment, he tried to shake the event out of his head, standing up and moving to his desk so he could bury himself in homework.
Fingernails scratching down his arm.
The smell of her hair.
Her lips tracing his.
The New Moon dawned. The only thing Wes had heard from Quinn was a single text, that said only 'Sorry.' He'd asked her if she wanted her shoes but she hadn't replied. Thad was frustrated with him, and he was tired, and achy. The dreams never stopped, and he was starting to try and avoid sleeping for as long a possible in order to avoid them. He felt like he had a cold, which was ridiculous because he was a iwerewolf/i and he hardly ever got sick. He glared at his breakfast as he tried to force himself to eat.
"I told you to look after yourself, you iidiotic/ipuppy." He scowled at Thad across the table, but the other boy just snarled at him, fangs bright. He slammed the cup he'd just emptied down on the table, and walked around the table to grab Wes' arm. Wes tried to pull it away, but he was practically human and it was hard to fight Thad when he was at his strongest. "I'll make sure our teachers know you're sick, you need to sleep. For goodness sake, Tse, you can't even keep yourself alive for more than a month." Wes couldn't do anything but stumble after him, protests dying on his tongue. When they arrived at his room, Thad reached into Wes' pocket to get his key before he could protest. H unlocked the door and shoved Wes inside before handing the key back. "Sleep. Next time you try and kill yourself through exhaustion I won't help."
"It's just the New Moon!" The answer met only a closed door. He nearly growled, frustration filling him, but he pushed it away. He wastired. He stripped down to his boxers, and forced himself to put his uniform away before collapsing on top of his bed, praying to whatever was out there that he wouldn't dream.
Skin.
She spoke softly; he could hear her voice but not the words.
She smiled.
The clock read six-o-five.
A knock on the door.
He was surprised to see her, but she walked in without a word. When her eyes caught his anything he'd been thinking of to say flew out of his mind.
She was silent as she moved with him; it made him feel strange about the noises he was unable to keep from spilling out of his mouth.
She sat up, her face changing from satisfied to shocked within seconds. She looked down and saw her shoes. "Oh." She picked them up slowly, but didn't look at him. She dressed and left before he could think of anything to say.
He opened his eyes to Saturday morning, feeling a little better than he had the previous day. He stretched, trying to remember the dreams he'd had, remember flashes of one that stuck out more than the others. He rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out what was strange. It was like he could smell her, even though his senses were weak. He tried to shake the idea off, standing up to get dressed, when he noticed. Her shoes were gone. He froze for a moment, blinking. He checked his phone, only to find another 'Sorry.' He felt a growl rumble through his chest as he stared at the word on the screen. She had nothing to be sorry for. He had thought he'd dreamed about her. He sat back on his bed, burying his face in his hands, feeling guilt creep into his stomach. How hadn't he known?He clicked through his contacts desperately, trying to call her, but she didn't answer.
He went to the library. He had nothing to do, he just sat at their usual table, flipping through random books, unable to really get involved with anything. She never showed. He didn't leave until well until the afternoon, hungry and stiff, and he walked back to Dalton slowly. Thad was standing in the entrance hall, fangs extended in irritation.
"You smell strange and you shouldn't have gone out." Wes walked straight past him, but the other boy followed at his heels. "What were you thinking, that exhausting yourself further would improve your condition?" Wes rubbed his eyes.
"I feel better." Thad growled, speeding up so he could get in front of Wes before they reached his room.
"You're being a moron, and you'll make yourself sick." Wes shook his head, dodging past Thad to unlock his door. "You're going to seriously injure yourself if you keep going like this, Dog." He shut the door behind him, cutting off the other boy's protests. He tried to call Quinn again, but she didn't answer. He glanced around his room for a moment, at a loss, before moving to his desk and pulling out his school work again. It was, at least, something to do.
It was so dark he could hardly see her, even as close as she was. She ran her hands down his chest, and he shivered against her, fingernails digging into her hips. She pressed a kiss against his cheek, almost shockingly chaste considering what they were doing. He cried out against the skin of her neck.
He hardly slept. The dreams were more lurid, painted across the back of his eyelids with the kind of detail only experience could garner. She refused to answer his calls all week, and finally he just left her a message that said 'I'd really like to talk to you. I'll be at the library on Saturday.'He wasn't sure what else he could say unless it was directly to her. He'd managed to avoid Thad all week, though he only just got out of the school in time on Saturday. It was bitterly cold, and he shuddered into his jacket, holding it close around his as he walked. She wasn't there when he arrived so he settled into their table. He heard someone walking towards his table and he looked up in apprehension before he remembered that he'd never actually heard her coming. Instead Thad rounded the corner, looking highly irritated.
"Why are you here, Dog?" He hissed. "I know you don't have an assignment due." A growl bubbled through Wes' lips before he could stop it, and Thad recoiled.
"I'm meeting someone. Hopefully." Thad's expression was dark.
"And they couldn't come to Dalton? Or it couldn't wait?"Wes shook his head, refusing to look at him.
"Why are youhere?" He heard a choking noise like Thad was restraining a snarl.
"I'm trying to make sure you don't run yourself into the ground." He heard a door open, and a familiar scent blew in. He felt himself stand up before she rounded the corner.
"Thad, could you excuse us?" The other boy glanced between them for a few moments before baring his fangs at Quinn and stalking away. Quinn stared after him, looking pale. Wes cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry. He's like that with everyone." She nodded slowly, avoiding his eyes.
"What did you want to talk about?" Her voice was quiet, and he felt clumsy and tense. He pulled a seat out for her, gesturing to it, sitting back down only once she was seated.
"I wanted to apologise." She shook her head firmly, still refusing to look at him.
"What do you need to apologise for?" He stared at his lap, lacing his fingers together so he wouldn't fidget.
"For last week." He had to swallow roughly before trying to continue. "I didn't intend-" She cut him off.
"It's not your fault. I didn't warn you about my powers, and I should have." She took a deep breath. "There's no way you could have known." He tried to catch her eye but she was staring firmly at her lap.
"I knew what you were. And I should've been able to... controlmyself." A heavy breath escaped her mouth.
"Look it's... it's nothing. We can just move on. Forget it ever happened." He looked up, wanting to protest, because it didmatter, and everything felt weird between them and he wanted to make it better. But his eyes met hers for the first time in what seemed like forever, and her jaw was tight. So he dropped it, just nodding.
"Okay."
They stayed in the library for the rest of the day, and he helped with her research. They didn't uncover anything, and the space between then remained fraught with tension. It was almost a relief when she flipped her final book shut with a snap and announced she was going back to Lima. Wes watched her drive off, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He felt infinitely more tired than he had that morning. He walked back to Dalton slowly. Thad glared at him when he arrived, but he ignored the other boy, going straight to his room, where he could distract himself from everything else.
Her eyes stayed locked on his as he panted above her. The edge of a smile was hanging off her lips. His fingers traced her sides, and she shivered.
He refused to let the Full Moon slow him down. It was mostly on a weekend, he didn't have an excuse. He was antsy and frustrated. Quinn had let him know she wouldn't be coming to Westerville that week, Nick was experimenting with blood-based charms again so the whole floor stank of copper and salt, and Thad was just always around. He pushed himself through everything, refusing to acknowledge the weird looks Kurt kept giving him, or that Blaine seemed more worried than usual, or that David had pulled his head out of his classwork enough to be on their floor in a more than a superficial way.
Sunday night was his final transformation. When Monday dawned he found himself curled in the fetal position in the corner of his room. He shifted, biting back a yelp as everything seemed to twinge in response. When he noticed a sticky feeling on the back of his arm he looked to see a gaping hole - he couldn't tell if it was a bite or he'd managed to claw himself - that was still bleeding sluggishly. He cursed, grabbing a piece of the blanket that he'd used the previous night to staunch the flow. He steadied himself, trying to stand up, and the room spun in response. He braced himself against the wall so he could make it into his bedroom. He shuffled over to his first aid kit, and sat on his bed, muscles protesting every movement, before there was a knock on the door so hard that it shook in its frame. He forced himself to his feet and over to open it, peering around so they couldn't see his bruised body and lack of clothing. He needn't have bothered: Thad swept his way into the room as soon as the door opened.
"I could smell you from three rooms away. Sit down." Wes just stood where he was, staring, until he was dragged back to his bed and pushed down. His eyes lingered on Thad's fangs, fully extended, as the other boy pulled his arm away from his body, inspected the wound and growling lightly. Wes shifted away, but Thad's grip was too tight to break.
"I can't miss class." Thad's eyes glanced quickly and angrily up to his.
"Like hell you can't." Wes moved to pull his arm away as Thad started to clean it..
"I can do that." Thad just yanked it back toward him, making Wes' bones twinge in protest, and continued. Deciding it was useless to try and fight an angry vampire, Wes waited until Thad finished bandaging his arm before standing up and moving painfully towards the dresser to yank out his uniform. Thad growled again, stalking over to tear the clothes from his hands.
"Sleep, Dog. Now." Wes glared and felt a growl rumble through his chest, which was disconcerting because when had he started doing that so often, but Thad was immovable. After a moment, Wes broke away turning back to sit on his bed. Thad pulled his drawers out, seemingly at random, until he pulled out a pair of boxers that he threw in Wes' general direction before stalking out of the room without a word. Wes pulled the boxers on before lying back on his bed, and let his sore muscles relax.
He didn't dream.
When he woke up it was to someone's hand fiddling with the bandages on his arm. It took him a few moments for Quinn's smell to reach his nose, making him blink properly to awareness. He turned to look at her; she was staring steadfastly at his arm. He shifted, starting to sit up.
"Hi." He wanted to ask why she was there, but the words stuck to the roof of her mouth. She didn't look at him.
"Thad called me. He said you smelled like food and it was weird." Wes swallowed, looking at his lap. It wasn't like there weren't a host of people at the school who iweren't/ivampires, which meant that Thad was, in his own way, trying to help him.
"Right. Sorry you had to drive all the way out here." She shook her head, still not looking at anything but his arm. Her hands were gentle.
"It's nothing." She tucked the bandages properly back into place and stood up. "That looks fine. I should go." He blinked, reached up to stop her before he thought about it.
"Could you stay? I..." He trailed off, before licking his lips and continuing. "I missed you." Her eyes met his for the first time and he saw her expression soften before they flickered down again.
"I- Okay." She sat back on the bed next to him. Her fingers reached out to trace a bruise on his forearm. "It's not usually this bad, is it?" He shook his head.
"I was tired, or something. It makes it worse." She nodded slightly, pulling her hand back. He scooted back onto the bed so he could lean against the wall and she moved with him. He grabbed her hand before he could stop himself, and he heard her gasp a little. She didn't pull her hand away.
"Thad said you were being stupid." Wes snorted.
"He would." Her thumb slid back and forth along the side of his hand and he watched the motion.
"Why?" Wes shook his head, squeezing her hand slightly.
"He thinks I've been exhausting myself. He likes to be in everyone's business." He could feel her staring at him, and he shifted uncomfortably.
"He might be right. I mean this happened." He looked away, unsure what to say. She shifted a little closer to him. "We don't have to talk about it." He squeezed her hand again, feeling probably ridiculously grateful. The conversation continued, meandering in a slow and sleepy manner. Wes forgot that she lived two hours away and probably needed to go home, his awareness slowly narrowing down to the movement of her thumb on his hand.
A blur of blonde hair and pale skin, and her scent, so close he couldn't smell anything else.
He woke up with his face pressed into her shoulder. The dull light from sunrise was shining through the window and he sat up blinking slowly.
"I thought you would've gone back to Lima." She stretched slowly, and he heard the bones in her back crack.
"I probably should have." He moved to the edge of the bed, watching her.
"I'm glad you didn't." She looked at him and smiled a little. She looked tired.
"I should check your bandages again." She picked up his first aid kit and took his arm, pulling it toward her. They didn't speak much as she changed his bandages, and Wes just watched her. When she finished she looked up and smiled at him. He felt his eyes flicker to her lips and her smell was drifting around him. He felt himself leaning in. He heard her gasp right before his lips brushed hers ever so lightly, but she pulled back almost instantly.
"No." She stood up, shaking her head. "I can't do this." He forced himself to stand too, but she backed away.
"Why?" He tried to take her arm, but she turned away, picking up her bag.
"I don't need you. And you sure as hell don't need me." She started moving toward the door and he moved to grab her arm again. She paused, refusing to look at him. He could hear her heartbeat.
"Why?" he repeated. She licked her lips slowly before answering.
"It won't work." Her voice was harsh and pulled her arm out of his hand as soon as she finished, and strode out of his room. He stood where he was for several moments before turning away from the door and starting to collect the things he'd need for a shower. He just needed to focus on something else.
Thad accosted him as soon as he was out of the shower, baring his fang and telling Wes that he wasn't afraid to get the rest of the floor to manhandle him if Wes misbehaved. Apparently he was under no circumstances going to class until the next day. So he went back to his room, moving slowly, wondering how on earth he was going to fill the day.
Apparently the answer was think about Quinn.
He tried to bury himself in books, or the bits of homework he had left (Thad had refused to give him his make-up work), he even tried to sleep, but he couldn't keep his mind off her. He kept skipping back to that morning, questioning why she'd left. If there was anything he could've done to make her stay. He was still going over it when Kurt dropped by his room at the end of the day.
"Did I see Quinn here this morning?" He leaned against the door frame as Wes turned in his chair.
"Yeah. Apparently Thad called her yesterday." Kurt nodded slowly.
"When you were incapacitated?" Wes nodded. "She looked upset when she left."
"I don't really know what happened." Kurt quirked a brow.
"I'm fairly sure that's how most of the boys she knows feel." Wes turned away, sighing, and Kurt stepped a little further into the room. "Sorry. Look, I won't pretend me and Quinn are bosom buddies, but we did spend some time together in Glee. I can talk to her if you want?" Wes shook his head.
"Thank you, but no." Kurt nodded, eyes still locked on Wes.
"How's your arm? I heard you hurt it."
"It's fine. Or it will be in a couple of days." Kurt quirked an eyebrow, and Wes shrugged. "I heal fast." Kurt nodded slowly again, and Wes resisted the urge to pick at his bandages.
"I'll see you later, Wes." He stared as the other boy withdrew from his room, scratching his neck. The books on his desk seemed to glare at him. He flipped open one at random, still distracted. He wondered, as he looked at the page without taking anything in, if he should've taken Kurt up on his offer. The only problem was he wanted to talk to Quinn himself. Of course, he had no idea where he could find her, without showing up at her school which he doubted she'd appreciate. Shaking his head, and shoving the thoughts aside, he tried to continue reading.
He continued to push the problem away for the rest of the week, while he returned to class and collected his make-up work, and spent his evenings working through it steadily. Kurt didn't bring the conversation up again, and Thad seemed perfectly happy to ignore everything that had happened other the weekend as long as Wes slept enough and changed his bandages regularly. Dreams of Quinn had begun to plague his sleep again, which made avoiding thinking about her harder than it had any right to be. Friday night he spent trying not to wonder if she'd be at the library the next day. He tried to ignore the fact that he never though to question whether or not he should go.
The next morning he settled in to the table, not even
pretending to read. He was tense, and he knew time was going to pass incredibly slowly, but he couldn't focus on anything long enough to distract him from what he was waiting for. Which came faster than he thought it would. She was digging in her bag as she rounded the corner, but she froze when she saw him, eyes flicking down and away.
"I didn't think you'd be here." He stood slowly, but she didn't move.
"I was waiting for you." She folded her arms tightly, and he couldn't make himself move closer. "I wanted to talk to you about the other morning." She was already shaking her head.
"There's not much more to talk about, is there?" He stepped cautiously closer and she inhaled suddenly. Wes struggled to find to words.
"Why did you leave?" A bitter little laugh escaped her lips.
"I toldyou. I don't need you." She looked up, face closed off and he stepped closer again.
"I didn't..." He swallowed before he could continue. "I didn't kiss you because I need you. I wanted to." Her eyes were locked on the floor.
"It doesn't matter." Wes felt his hands spasm into fists.
"Give me one reason why. Why we can't do this?" She looked up and her eyes were bright.
"You know what I am." He shook his head, and she looked away.
"I don't care." She shook her head. He moved closer, until he was scant inches away. "I don't care." He reached for her hand but she stepped away.
"I can't do this." She started walking out of the library and he followed doggedly.
"I want a reason." She shook her head hard, hair rippling down her back as they emerged into the parking lot.
"You don't need one; I'm leaving." He heard himself growl before he felt it rumbling through his chest, and he turned away to try and calm down. When he looked back at her she was staring at him, eyes cold.
"I want to be with you. I knowwhat you are and I don't care." She laughed harshly.
"You know what I think? I think you're a teenage boy who sees an easy fuck." He felt his hands ball into fists, nails digging hard into his palms. He looked down.
"Maybe you don't know me that well then." When he looked back up she was looking away, arms wrapped around her stomach, and lips pressed tightly together. She didn't say a word, and after a long moment he felt the breath rush out of him, and suddenly he didn't want to fight anymore. "Fine." He turned, walking back towards the library slowly.
"Wait." He turned to see her, arms still wrapped around herself, eyes locked on him. "I need to think." He nodded, before continuing to walk back to the library. He forced himself not to look back.
They lay wrapped around each other, hearts beating in time.
She wasn't at the library when he went back the next Saturday. He didn't know why, maybe it was the bad New Moon, but his bonesached. He stayed for an hour, but he felt cold even inside the building, and he couldn't help giving up quickly. He'd spent the entire week on the edge of calling, but he couldn't make himself press the buttons. The wind blew hard through the trees as he walked back to Dalton slowly. He half expected Thad to meet him in the entrance hall, but it was blessedly empty.
The door to his room was open.
He frowned as he moved closer, expecting Blaine, or David, but when he walked in Quinn was standing in the middle of his room. She turned, looking surprised.
"I'm sorry, it's the New Moon, I expected you to be here." He hovered awkwardly in the doorway.
"I was at the library."
"Oh." Her eyes flickered down. "I don't think you know what you're getting into. With me." He shoved his hands into his pockets to stop himself from folding his arms.
"You mean the fact that occasionally you lose control and sleep with random people because it's essential to your survival? I think I can cope." She looked exasperated. "That might sound like I'm not taking it seriously, sorry, I-" he turned to close the door before continuing. "I knew what you were when I tried to kiss you. I know what you do. I still want to be with you." She nodded, avoiding his eyes.
"You said that. I just find it hard to believe." He stepped closer, hand moving of its own accord to her cheek. Her eyes flickered up to meet his.
"Do I get a chance to convince you?" He saw her swallow, eyes never leaving his.
"Yes."