Thursday came with a storm. Judai groaned not looking forward to him having to tell his friends that they all had to come with him to his house after school. he was grumbling quietly through the day as if aprehensive about even bringing it up.
He ruffled the back of his hair stressing over it. He occasionally got looks from his friends who sat close to the brunette in their classes. Jim Hassleberry and Johan who shared 4 classes with the boy alone were puzzled by his grumbling.
"Penny for your thought mate?" Jim prodded at the brunette who had a deep seeded frown on his face, which was the opposite of the ethusiastic boy they've come to know. Judai glanced up at his Aussie friend who was looking at him almost searchingly, to see if he could dig up anything on his own before bugging Judai for answers.
"Ah…Best save it for lunch…Kinda involves everyone." Judai felt abrasive in his answer almost not wanting to bring it up but considering the group had lunch shortly afterwards it pretty much didnt matter.
He was so drowned in his own thoughts lately that he had forgotten the muffins his mom made him pack yesterday, thankfully she was so busy that morning trying to prepare for that afternoon she didnt bug him about them.
"Whatever you say Sarge. You can always talk to us." Hassleberry gave a thumbs up as he returned to reading the novel they had to read for class. Syrus rubbed his eyes looking to Judai. "No blackouts right? We know how you are at hiding stuff like that." Judai just looked sheepishly at his friend but shook his head.
"Thankfully none of those. Just a jumbled mess in my head these days." Judai couldnt relent to his friends very well. Johan Jim and Hassleberry seemed to have the answers that Judai was looking for but he was afraid to know further than what he already did. He just couldn't handle anymore on his plate with trying to distingush the past memories alone.
He felt as if anyone knew the most it would be Johan. 'Jesse said that the previous Supreme Alpha guided Johan through his past memories… does that mean he's seen everything that happened all those years ago?' His eyes went to the bluenette who sat behind him as a small sigh escaped his lips as he tried to focus his brain back on the novel on his desk.
His brain was in such a fog he didnt hear the bell go off as Johan shook his shoulder. "Huh?" He looked at the teal haired male. "Someones using their brain too much. Are you sick, Ju-chan?" Johan smirked playfully at his attempt at a joke which Chazz and Hassleberry chuckled at gathering their stuff as Judai got out of his seat and grabbed his bag.
"Kinda. My brains just running too much this week." Judai rubbed his temple not really gazing at anything in particular. Chazz shoved the brunette to the door. "Cmon Yuki everyones gonna be waiting for us. Stop thinking and move your damn feet." the black haired male snapped, making the brunette sweat drop slightly.
"Did someone shit in your cereal this morning, Chazz?" Chazz almost seemed irritiable for some reason. Judai found this puzzling cause unless the black haired male had a reason to be his disposition usually involved playful bannter or insults. The fact he hadnt tried to insult anybody meant he was clearly stressing over something.
"Just the whole thing with Alexis." he gruffed out as the group finally made it to the courtyard and walked towards the Cafeteria. "Not used to the attention of a very popular student huh?" Syrus interjected hitting the nail on the head as Chazz groaned.
"I said once before getting her attention would be awesome but now its irritating cause I'm having people look at me with almost glee like theyre happy to see me. I HATE IT!" He cried out annoyed.
The boys looked at him with sympathy. None of them could really handle the attention, nor craved it. "Alexis never used to be popular. At least from what i heard from her mom." Jim commented making Chazz Judai and Syrus remember that the three werewolves were somewhat familiar with Alexis.
"What do you know of her brother?" Chazz huffed curiously. Jim was a knowledgable fellow it wouldnt surprise them at this point if he knew anything about the Queen Bee's older brother who had just turned up recently.
"I heard he had been away at college and on his return to Willow, he kinda went missing. Chazz said somewhere he saw a poster of Atticus saying that he was apparently missing and since I knew the Rhodes family asked me to check the guy out. Who knew the guy he had been caring for at his brother's place was Alexis's missing brother." Jim responded naturally tho half of what he stated was a lie tho the only ones who didnt know it was, was Judai and Syrus.
the group continues to walk to the cafeteria as Chazz pulls Jim aside. "You know more than your letting on and your involved in this werewolf crap. Was Atticus always a werewolf or did something happen..?" Jim ran a hand over his head after taking his hat off.
He hadnt wanted this conversation, but Chazz was wiser than Judai so he would've caught on eventually. "If your afraid of me talking, I'll save that for you guys to do with Judai and the others unless you dont trust us."
Jim grit his teeth at Chazz's words his eyebrows scrunched together. "Thats not….Listen its way over your heads. Judai's the only one involved because its his heirtage because of his ancestor.-" Jim tried to explain which Chazz cut him off knowing the answer his arms crossed over his chest looking at Jim sternly.
"Supreme Alpha. Judai's his reincarnation right? You were kinda hinting something along those lines involving Johan being the Protector reincarntated." Jim sweated bullets. He hadnt realized that Chazz was this observant or had been keeping his ears open on all the details.
"You cant say anything. Judai doesnt know… fully about werewolves." Jim half assed explain but Chazz figured enough out to know the tall Aussie meant the three of them. Chazz met Jim's teal eye his ebony eyes hard.
"You make sure nothing happens to him. Or I swear to god I'll pull the trigger on this whole thing and tell him." Jim's gaze didnt waver from Chazz's hard look as he relaxed his shoulders a smile perking the Aussie's lips.
"Its why we are here in the first place. We've watched over him since he came to Willow." Chazz raised an eyebrow but didnt dig deeper on the subject, he would get the answers in time. He was sure that the three were in no rush to tell Judai everything. "So is he turning into one as well…?" Chazz asked curiously wanting to be prepared if one day he ends up finding his bestie a furry animal.
Jim shrugged heavily. "We arent sure. Judai's family roots as they are currently are clean, but yet he's exhibited signs of a possible transformation. The smelling the agressive nature, even down to the visions of the past. Hell He heard the phrase Supreme Alpha from a dream he had the day he passed out at the treehouse." Chazz raised a hand to his jaw thinking heavily.
"Its a slow manifestation. We better keep a better watch on him in case something suddenly happens." The two agreeded before entering the Cafeteria and rejoined the group, Syrus and Hassleberry's anxious voices resounding close by.
"Cmon Sarge! They're here now so tell us whats been bugging you!" Hassleberry grabbed the two and made them sit down on the bench. Aster blushed seeing Chazz sit next to him as Yusuke chuckled at his friend's reaction. Judai wordlessly pulled a tin from his bag. "Firstly, this is a recipe my grandma created and mom's gonna try it out at the bake sale."
"She still competes in that, Jud-chi?" Stella smirks eating her lunch but smiled at her brunette bestie. Judai got flustered and chuckled. "Pretty much. She shoved this at me saying you take this and give it to your friends. And when I told her I made some new friends, she…. Lets say… Got hyper."
Chazz Syrus and Stella groaned heavily. "Oh boy." The others looked at them with confusion. "She demands everyone comes home with me today…." Judai slammed his now burning face into the table hiding his face behind his arms as well.
"Hot Damn your mother's the epitome of embarrassing." Yusuke retorted eating his burger. While Judai had his head down, Johan took up on himself to hand everyone one of the muffins from the tin. Each of the friends at the table took one looking either curiously or enthusiasm at the treat.
"So what did your mom make this time?" Syrus prodded the brunette. His words were muffled against the table but Johan heard him clear enough. "Strawberry Truffle." Syrus and Chazz knew what to expect with Judai's mom's baked goods. They could see the wonder on the rest of the group's faces as the table nearly exploded with cheers and amazed mutters.
"Your mom better make enough goods at that bake sale, cause i might just buy her out." Aster teased, the silverette not being much of a sweets guy himself, was clearly enjoying the delicious muffin.
Judai finally looked up brushing his hair absendmindedly with his hands as Johan takes the corner edge of the seat next to him and holds a muffin to his lips making the brunette turn bright red.
"Hahaha! cmon, Ju-chan just eat it." Judai's ears burned red as he took a bite from the muffin that Johan offered, the whole time the teal haired male teased him.
"I think you just beat the world record of brightest red." "B-baka!! S-shut up!" Judai went Tsundere for a moment wanting to hide his now even bright red face from the teasing teal haired male whos' emerald eyes glistened from humor.
"Hey, Judai? None of my business but does your family know your not straight?" Aster brought up as it came to his mind about the two males at the end of the table.
"Straight…? Straight…" Judai repeated crossing his arms over his chest and bowing his head slightly trying to think. "He means being into women, Yuki." Chazz rolled his eyes at his flirty companion.
"Ewww I don't like girls…" Judai answered their question but now it was annoying Aster further. "I meant does your parents know your not into women!?" That made the brunette flinch slightly.
"W-well…" He doesn't look at anyone as his eyes go to his lap as he clench his fists into his pant legs.
"You never told them, why?" Chazz nudged him slightly on the subject but Judai never responded nor picked his head up. Chazz sighed slightly before standing brushing Aster's arm off his shoulder before pulling Syrus to his feet as the two took Judai from Johan's side and pushed the brunette out of the cafeteria.
Johan looked downcasted. Jim touched his shoulder. "He probably has a good reason for never coming out to his parents." Stella messed with her food absentmindedly as she looked at them. "My jerk of a brother."
"What's your dead brother gotta do with it?" Yusuke grumbled finishing the sweet treat that Judai had given out to them. Stella sighed. "He was… in the closet. Judai knew he was and tried to ask him out… Bruce lashed out and ever since Judai had a target on his back. He's afraid of admitting to anyone that he might be in love let alone asking out Johan. Tho it seems you have your own reasons for not doing it yet either huh?" She met the emerald eyed boy hesitantly as he looked away.
"Johan don't get discouraged alright?" Hassleberry swatted the boy's blue mop of hair. "You'll be mopey the rest of the day so chill okay? Just because he never came out to his parents doesnt mean shit. Besides the conversation never came up. I mean, you never told your dad about it."
"You know why I havent…" Johan looked away scratching the back of his head. Blair huffed and got up and flicked the bluenette in the air making him gap at her offended.
"What was that??" She glared at him and pulled on his ear. "Judai-kun's right your a big baka, Johan! You have almost no faith in him!" she put her hands on her hips looking down at him, scolding the bluenette who sweat dropped heavily.
"O-of course I have faith in him!" Johan barked back at her. She then smiled. "Then when you finally figure out why you havent asked him out sorted then do it!" She returned to her spot next to Stella huffing. The brunette next to her giggled glancing at Hassleberry who cracked a grin ruffling his own braided hair.
Xxx
"H-hey, where are you dragging me to?" Judai murmured looking behind him at his two besties who pushed him down the hall before dropping him down in a corner behind the stairwell.
"Alright Yuki. Tell us how your feeling. You look like a kicked puppy at this moment." Chazz gripped his shoulder making the somber brunette look at his childhood best friends.
"I'm scared…Johan's almost a dream come true. My heart trembles with fear because I'm afraid of being hurt." Syrus and Chazz looked at each other before looking at their friend who's eyes were glued to the floor.
"Aniki, has Johan ever made you feel afraid?" Judai raised his eyes meeting light grey from his shorter friend. He tried to recount ever being afraid of Johan. "Never.." He murmured.
"Yuki, we all know how you look whenever you two are in your own world looking at each other." Chazz claimed ruffling his hair slightly. Judai looks at Chazz his face dusted red.
"So why be afraid? Tell your folks. Bruce isnt here to torment you anymore." The brunette gazed between his friends before looking back down at the ground again. He started remembering back to Johan seeing the scars on his back.
"'"You survived everything… because you were meant to be here. Even In this moment.'" Judai mirrored Johans words as he catched his two friends curiousity. "'You were meant to survive Judai. Cause there's more to your life than your scars, your burdens, your fears.'" Tears filled his eyes as he tried to brush them from his face before they fell.
"He told you that, huh? Very in the moment if you ask me~" Chazz smiled genuinely at his tearful friend while Syrus chuckled. "Pretty romantic if you ask me." The two teased him playfully making the brunette smile wider as his tears dropped down his face.
"Y-yea, guess your both right.." His heart trembled as he felt overcome by emotions. Telling his dear besties helped the confused brunette sort out how he actually felt for the special bluenette in his life.
'I guess this is what love feels like. I just hope that Johan feels the same way… Tho I would wait forever for him to accept my feelings.' Judai thought as the three walked back to the cafeteria to pick up their stuff as the bell rang for next period.