"Feliciano, do you mind if we talk about something other than pasta and Ludwig?" I asked as politely as I could manage. He was nice, but his choice of conversation topics got a bit repetitive after a while. Gilbert had ditched me with him because it was the night of the full moon, and he didn't want me to be around when he became a man-eating monster. I didn't get what the big fuss was, I rather liked wolves...
"Oh, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, looking at me as if he just noticed that I was there. "We could talk about my fratello..."
"Pass."
"Or we could talk about you and Gilbert~" he said, smirking in a way I didn't think he knew how.
"What about me and Gilbert?" I asked, trying to keep my slight flush to a minimum. Feli was obviously more observant than he looked, or at least more observant than Gilbert. Had the Italian noticed the way I blushed whenever the albino put his arm around me? The way I beamed whenever he praised me?
"You like him, don't you?" Feliciano asked, hitting the nail on the head.
"Well, he did sort of save my life..." I reasoned, having previously explained to Feli what had happened that night.
"No, I see the way you look at him~ It's OK, you can talk to me about it!" he assured me, patting Kumama on the head.
"I... well, I've only known him for a short while, but he's really nice and funny... and he never forgets about me or mistakes me for my brother!"
Feli looked at me funny. "Who are- Oh, ciao, Alfred!" he said, shaking my hand. I sighed, it was no use trying to get through to this guy.
"It's me, Matthew. You haven't even met Alfred."
"Whoops! I'm sorry. What were we talking about, again?"
"Gilbert."
"Right! Anyway, I think he likes you, too. He's never this attached to anyone, and he usually ends up fighting with other guys!" Feli continued, as if his forgetfulness was, well, forgotten. I brightened up a bit at the thought that the "awesome" Gilbert Beilschmidt might like me.
"You think so?"
"Si!" he replied happily. What neither of us noticed was that it was growing dark. Not that it would have worried us, since we assumed that Gilbert was on the other side of the city, but we still didn't notice and therefore, we weren't prepared for what happened next.
The sun set quickly, and a cold fog set over the place. Feliciano looked a bit nervous, but I pressed on, eager to take a hot shower and eat dinner. The air was mysteriously still, and Feli was strangely quiet. He was still there, walking right next to me, but for once, he was silent. I enjoyed my moment of peace, until...
"Do you hear something, Matthew?"
My footsteps came to a halt and we both stood there listening. When no noise came I grabbed Feli's hand and urged him to keep walking. Then I heard a noise. Turning my head quickly, I caught the last glimpse of a pair of polished boots and an all-too-familiar black cloak ducking behind a corner.
Instantly a feeling of panic set in, and every hair on my neck stood. I felt like I'd been given and electric shock and all my senses shoved into overdrive. Feli whimpered, he didn't have to look to know what was following us. We were being hunted, and we needed a weapon, or some form of protection, fast. Instinctively I ducked into the nearest grocery store and told Feli he needed to go and buy some garlic, as much as he could carry. I needed to think…
Why the vampire was following me again, I had no idea. Maybe it was angry that Gilbert had helped me escape the first time. He would want revenge, on Gilbert too, but mostly me. He probably planned to follow me, with it being a full moon Gilbert couldn't protect me. Feli wasn't a part of this, but if he kept following me the vampire would get him too.
Feli came back with a large bagful of garlic. He carried the bulk of it and I shoved some bulbs in my pockets as we exited the store, taking care not to be seen. Even if Gilbert wasn't here, we could fight back now, I hoped…
But my hopes were short lived, as we cut through the back of the parking lot a cold wind blew and that sense of terror sank in again. I smelled blood and bread, I whipped my head around to look for any sign of the vampire. Feli screamed and we stopped short, staring in horror at the figure in front of us.
Grinning evilly, the creature approached us. Feli got down on his knees and did a little surrender thing, I grabbed a bulb of garlic from my pocket and held it out in front of me defensively. Honestly, I felt pretty ridiculous. But what else could I do?
The vampire chuckled at us and kept coming closer. I threw the garlic bulb at him with all my might, which, thanks to hockey, was pretty mighty. He recoiled, hissing, at the stuff. I chucked another one at him but he still kept advancing. Now I wished I was better at baseball, maybe if Alfred was here he could've pitched a bulb right into his face.
As the vampire kept coming at me I kept walking backwards. Suddenly my foot banged into Feli who was still cowering on the ground and sent me sprawling. The vampire smiled and tensed, like a cat would do when he's trapped his prey. I froze under his gaze. That's it, I thought, we're toast.
A growl behind the vampire made us all freeze. He turned and I saw a large white wolf, teeth barred, red eyes gleaming. There was also that scar, strange he never had it in human form.
It was Gilbert, but then I quickly noticed it wasn't. The wolf part was in control now, feral snarls coming from his throat. Ruby eyes flashed from me to the vampire, to me again, growling all the time. It hurt to think that he didn't recognize me.
Then Gilbert sprung at the cloaked vampire; the vampire met werewolf's spring head on with unnatural speed, meeting the charge with a kick to Gilbert's nose. The wolf was sent sprawling, but recovered his footing quickly. With swiftness of a lightning bolt, Gilbert sprung again, teeth barred and eyes mad. Then whole world felt like it was moving in slow motion as the vampire rolled under the beast's attack, and Gilbert struck. Sinking his teeth into my arm...
Biting my lip, I kicked him away. "Bad dog..." I muttered, wishing I had my hockey stick with me. Gilbert, ignoring me, turned back to the vampire. Feli, finally finding some sense, grabbed my uninjured arm and ran like heck, dragging me with him. Eventually, I managed to find my footing and join him, and we both ran until we stopped outside an apartment building, which was where Feli was staying.
It was then when he noticed my arm, and it was then when he freaked out.
"OhmygodyougotbitMatthewareyo uOKwehavetogetyouinsideandcl eanthewoundohmygodhowdoyoufe elhowmanyfingersamIholdingup ?"
"Easy, Feli. I'm fine." I said, grabbing his shoulders so he wouldn't hurt himself. He took three deep breaths, than grabbed my arm again and pulled me inside.
"Maybe if we hurry, we can prevent it!" he gushed, prepping hot water and bandages and lord knows what else.
"Prevent what?"
"You becoming a werewolf!" he exclaimed, as if shocked that I didn't get it. I shrugged.
"Honestly, I wouldn't really care. Your friend, Ludwig, can control his emotions as a wolf, right? I think it would be easy for me to do that..."
"Matthew! You're not thinking straight! Do you really want this? Think about Gilbert! It's agony for him!" he told me.
As he began binding the wound, I shrugged again. "Maybe I can help him... and if I'm immortal..."
Feli frowned. "You're just OK with this because you'll be able to spend forever with him, but there's always a downside."
"Ludwig told you that, didn't he."
He nodded.
"Feliciano, it doesn't even look like I have a choice anymore, so why bother reasoning with me?" I asked. "Besides, I think he told you that so you wouldn't want to become a werewolf yourself, since I doubt you have much self-control."
He fell silent, focusing his attention on my wound. I winced at times, but kept the pain to myself. I eventually began to wonder how I ought to explain the situation to Alfred, since he'd probably freak out about it even more than Feli did. Eventually, Ludwig knocked at the door and the Italian let him in. The blond man looked worried, especially when he saw my injury.
"Could someone please explain why my bruder is sitting under the kitchen table, crying his eyes out?"
