Authors Note:
After a very long time, here is the next chapter. Please forgive me for the… I'm not even sure how long wait. I've been going through some problems, attempting to go completely against my nature and be organized for once, and things have mostly settled down. I haven't even written in my spare time, so I hope you know that it has been hard on all of us.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this!

Seth kept his word, even if it was just to himself.

Though he supposed it wasn't a real test his will. He only had to wait a few hours.

Billy let him stay. Seth suspected that was partly because he knew what was going to happen, but he also thought that Billy knew the reason why Jake had stayed away. For some reason, Seth wasn't mad about that. He knew that if Billy did know the reason behind all of this, then it was for a good reason itself. Particularly that he was honoring his son's choices. Now, whether those choices were good or bad… that was all Jake.

But in the meantime, Billy was kind to him. He greeted Seth at the door, as if he had been expecting him; He talked to Seth, like they had before Jake abandoned him; He made dinner and they continued talking during that. Which Seth appreciated, really. It didn't fill the gaping chasm in his heart where Jake had been…but it helped in a way.

Soon enough though, it got dark outside and after they had retired to the living room, Billy excused himself.

"Don't worry about me." Seth told him, smiling sadly. "I'm going to wait up for Jake." Billy returned the smile in the same way, and said, "I hope you can get through to him, son. The gods know that boy needs a slap upside the head sometimes. In any case, you're welcome to stay the night if need be. In Jacob's room or on the couch if that's what you'd prefer."

Thanks, Billy. Sleep well."

"I hope you do Seth."

Seth didn't sleep.

He stayed up all night, waiting for Jake. And if he was honest, breaking down into silent tears when his feelings overwhelmed and overtook him. But every time, he berated himself. It only made him even more stubborn.

And so he stayed…

Until the morning light… didn't come. When Seth realized it was actually morning, he looked outside only to see it pouring rain. He shivered, feeling even more depressed at the dreary scene outside. He sighed, wrapping his arms around himself in what little comfort he could manage.

He jumped up a moment later, when the sound of the front door opening startled him. His heart pounded in his ears, echoing in his head.

Jake was home.

Said person was stopped dead in his, staring at Seth. Seth stared back, any words he had planned suddenly fleeing.

So they continued to stare in silence. Until, of course…

"Jake…" Seth whispered in awe.

Somehow, in the short time he had not seen him, Jake had grown. Literally. The once lean, skinny Jake with long, sleek black hair, was now a muscled, chiseled man with his hair cropped short. He was shirtless, something Seth had often seen before (take the moment in the car) but never like this. His hair lay flat on his head, wet from the rain. Drops of water were glistening all across his chest, still dripping from his hair.

Seth had definitely never seen Jake like this. He swallowed, feeling hot despite the murky weather.

Jake was still staring, dumbfounded, and Seth suddenly remembered why he was here in the first place. Biting his lips, he hugged himself, all traces of arousal gone.

"Jake… we need to talk."

Jake blinked slowly… and then he was running.

With pain shooting through his chest, Seth ran after him.

"Jake! Jake, wait please!" Jake slowed slightly, but it was enough that Seth was able to grab his arm, pulling at it to get him to stop.

"Jake, please." Seth begged, cursing when his eyes filled with tears "Please, tell me what's going on. I don't know what I did to make you so mad… but please, tell me what I did so I can fix it! I… I don't want you to leave me." Seth was crying, his breath hitching as he tried to calm down and speak clearly.

Then he was surrounded in warmth. Seth broke down, sobbing into Jake's chest as hot, comforting arms wrapped around him. Seth's own arms curled around to clutch at Jake's back as he cried, Jake holding and shushing him.

Finally, he calmed down. He snuggled further into Jake's heat, taking comfort in the contact he had been deprived of. It was heavenly.

Seth sighed, thinking he could fall asleep like this, despite the rain even. All the thoughts of talking to Jake had been pushed to the back of his mind. Nothing was more important than being here with Jake right now.

After what could have been days (but still didn't feel long enough) Seth's curiosity pressed again, and he couldn't shove it out.

Sighing softly, he asked "What did I do. Please. Please tell me."

Suddenly, Jake's arms tightened around him. It was so instantaneous, and the strength behind it made him wonder exactly how strong Jake had gotten while he had… been gone.

Seth gasped when Jake continued squeezing him, making him ache with unexpected pain.

And then he was left bereft and cold when Jake shoved himself away. His eyes were wide with fear and… guilt?

"I'm sorry!" He blurted, hands held out towards Seth as if in self defense. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. Please… are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

And in that moment, the anger returned.

"Am I okay?! How could you even ask that! Of course I'm not okay!"

Jake flinched violently.

"You left me Jake!"

Jake looked up, surprize flitting across his face for a second, before being replaced with guilt again. "I'm sorry." He whispered. He stared at the ground and Seth stared at him, confusion replacing the anger.

Seth took a deep breath, releasing his anger as he breathed out.

"You left me Jake." He repeated softly. "You left and… And I guess I couldn't deal with it. I missed you so much and you haven't been returning my calls and you won't talk to me and I… I thought you hated me. After what happened that night..."

Jake's head shot up, heartfelt pain in his eyes. "I could never hate you Seth. Never. It don't think I could even if I tried. And I would never try to Seth. But…"

Seth had been waiting for the 'but'.

"But you can't be around me. It's not safe."

This time it was Seth's turn to look up sharply. "Are you serious?" He asked. "It's not you, it's me, right?!" Pain and anger made his voice crack. Tears began falling once again from his swollen eyes "I can't believe you're pulling that, Jake!"

"I can't hurt you!" Jake burst out, intense emotion in his gaze. He swallowed, visibly calming himself before speaking again. "Seth, something happened to me. I can't explain it, but I'm different now. I already know I look different, but it's… deeper than that. I'm dangerous, Seth. Don't you get that! I almost crushed you just now!"

"Jake." Seth pleaded, knowing where this was going.

"I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you, Seth." Jake pleaded back. "Don't you understand? I'm dangerous."

Seth was about to respond, try to convince Jake that he wouldn't hurt him.

But a long, drawn out, haunting howl interrupted him.

When it tapered off, Seth returned his gaze to Jake, only to find him looking mournfully back into the forest. Where the howl had just come from.

Jake turned around and began to back up. "I'm so sorry Seth. Please don't come after me. If… if you love me… then stay away. Stop… I can't hurt you…" Jake sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "I need to stay away from you. I can't hurt you."

He turned and ran into the forest.

Seth crumbled. He fell to the ground, sobbing as his heart was impaled over and over in pain.

No… that couldn't be possible.
His heart had just run away from him.

A howl resounded, closer than the first had been. It was heartbreaking, full of grief and melancholy.

It just made him cry harder.

Author's Note:

I don't know about you… But that made me cry. I mean, it literally hurt to write that.

These songs got stuck in my head while I was writing. Maybe it's just me, but they kinda fit.

watch?v=SHFTHDncw0g

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