in the holes of my sweater

(the general idea for this plot was based off a tumblr post)

And really, it starts because the light has gone out of Shannon's eyes. She's always so passionate, but she's always had something to be passionate about, she's always had something to cling to. First it was finding the beast, then it was getting as much evidence as she could to protect her friends, then, briefly, it was protecting them without getting too close for comfort.

But now, that's over. And she doesn't know what to do with herself. Because she just wants something nice, but maybe she also wants something permanent. And the beast thing isn't working anymore. So, on the full moon, instead of letting herself wallow in missing the feeling of searching, she drags Tom out to Bernie's for some coffee and regrouping.

Bernie tries to sell Tom some rip-off deal on chocolate, and Tom goes for it because he's Tom, and to the outside world, they look completely normal. But they're not going in the woods after eating, they're going into town. They're going shopping. Of all things. But she could use a new jumper; her favorite pink one won't last forever. And Tom's dad gave him a bit of money last time he was up in Manchester. So they're trading beast hunting for sweater hunting and cameras and laptops for shopping bags.

"How do I look?" Tom steps out of the dressing room in an overly gaudy, stereotypically tacky holiday sweater.

"Ridiculous."

"Thanks, Shan. I guess it's a no for coming to that Christmas party with me?"

"In that? I bet you'll be surrounded by girls."

"Better not take my chances."

She examines a purple and pink speckled one. "This one's not the same as that pink one, right? It looks really soft. And warm."

"For someone who hated the K's turning the school pink, you sure do wear it a lot."

She rolls her eyes and he laughs as she retreats into the next dressing room. "Why do I hang around with you?"

"Because you fancy me?"

"Yeah, that's exactly it," she calls, though it gets muffled as she pulls off her sweater. "I'm madly in love with you."

"Likewise."

The bickering still exists without the beast, and the sense of normalcy in this abnormal—for them, at least. It's probably not abnormal for the K's or something—situation is a welcome feeling.

Shannon glances at herself in the mirror. It's nice enough. It's warm. And warmth always wins. As well as being made ethically and of natural materials, which it is. They wouldn't evem be in this store if it wasn't.

She opens the door.

"Very nice. Very Shannon."

It's good, and it is. And she's glad that something can be 'very Shannon' anymore. Maybe losing the only thing she's ever known—obsessions, projects—doesn't mean losing herself after all. Of course it doesn't. She's still loyal and smart and quick to think on her feet. There's no delete button for that. And there's no delete button for the look of relief (and maybe something else) Tom shoots her when she smiles at his comment.

So she changes back into her old favorite pink one and buys it and links her arm in his on the way back.

And by the time they're back at her house, she doesn't even mind that her siblings are all running around, being loud.

The littler Kellys settle down and head off to bed with hot chocolate in their stomachs and Tom's promise to play football with them in the morning if they're good keeping them there. They love Tom and Shannon doesn't know how he gets them to shut up, but it's much appreciated, so she doesn't complain.

"Midnight snack?"

"Sure, Tom." He's only offering because he's hungry, but he's a good cook. Much better than her dad, anyway. No wonder her siblings want him to come over all the time.

Shannon grabs her own hot chocolate mug from the kitchen counter and sits down on the sofa. It's nearing midnight, the full moon has almost gone away, she's let herself not think about Wolfbloods, and she's happy. She's genuinely content with her life and her stupid annoying loud (but adorable) siblings and her friends that she's helping by giving these things up. And with Tom, in her kitchen, probably making burgers or something in the silly apron he keeps in a drawer in the kitchen for when he comes over. And for a girl who only just wants to be happy with her life in the end, it's good. It may not be passion and adventure and danger on chilly nights, but it's nice.

Tom comes out of the kitchen now, holding a full plate of burgers, and flicks on the tv.

"You have Bill Nye the Science Guy on your Netflix?"

"I wanted my younger siblings to be interested in science! It's not all boring and stuff!"

He scrunches his nose up. "Yes it is."

"Same as me at a match. I just want it to be over."

"So supportive." He plops down next to her on the sofa. "So what are we watching? Doctor Who?"

"Fine by me."

He takes her hand as she's humming the theme song, and by the ending credits, her head is on his shoulder.

The morning comes quicker than it should, and they run their tired, up-all-night eyes and throw on their new sweaters.

The kids might not actually wolf out or anything, but they'll probably growl a little if they're nor fed soon after they wake up.

So they make chocolate chip pancakes and eggs and even cut up some bananas (Shannon makes a grossed-out face at this, and Tom just finds it amusing) to put on top of cereal.

And when she watches Tom letting her brother score a goal on him, there's defiantly a light in Shannon's eyes.

Maybe searching for the supernatural has nothing on humanity after all.