Trowa POV
It was the end of our trip, something I anticipated with excitement and dread. I had never been in a home that stayed in one place with people that never left. Being raised in a merc ship I had always traveled, mercs always coming and going whenever their job was done. I was excited about living like normal people.
On the other hand, I was afraid. I wasn't certain that Quatre's friends could accept me. What if they turned me away? What if they shunned Quatre because of me? What if it was the same way it was on the merc ship?
It was only Quatre's constant presence in my mind that kept me from hiding. The constant feelings of calmness, happiness, and love kept me from being overly afraid, though they couldn't stop all of my fear.
The climate had changed as we went north, gradually getting colder and colder. Wasn't upset by this change since my natural home, though I had never seen it, was in the forests farther north. I often wondered where the mercs had managed to get me, since werewolves didn't usually come out fo the mountains they inhabited. Other types of weres, like the lynxes and desert foxes, were native to the hotter regions, but not the wolves.
Of course, as I soon revealed to Quatre, I could actually change into any animal. The title werewolf came from the fact that I had to turn into a wolf at the full moon and it was easiest for me to change into that animal. My parents also had to be werewolves, though I had never known them. I had taken part of the day before we would arrive at Haven to show this power to Quatre, partially to enlighten him and partially to help calm myself and expend a little nervous energy.
Most of my burns had healed with the full moon, an occurrence that wasn't unusual. Only the burns on my face, which had proven to be the deepest, lingered. Unfortunately though the burns were gone some heavy scarring had remained. I had never been conscious of the way my body looked before, the worse I looked, the less the mercs grabbed me. Now that I finally had a reason to be glad for my good looks it seemed almost torment that I would end up scarred the way I was.
It only served to make that much more nervous as we approached Haven. What if, baring all other things, Quatre's friends rejected me because I was hideous? What if Quatre couldn't stand to look at me? What if...
"Stop it," Quatre said, interrupting my thoughts as he encircled my waist in a hug from behind and pressed his face into my back. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what?"
"Worrying. My friends are going to love you. I love you. You're beautiful. Nothing is ever going to change my love for you, not even what you look like or what my friends say. Though all my friends are going to be able to say is how beautiful you are. Understand?"
I nodded, the smile on my face matching the excited grin on Quatre's. His reassurance was good, though I still couldn't stop being nervous. But, I realized, I would risk anything to be with Quatre, overcoming this fear wasn't too hard a task.
"Look," Quatre pointed excited over the railing of the ship where we stood, "There it is! There's Haven!"
"Quatre, I don't see anything."
"Oh, of course you don't, but you'll see when we get there. You'll see," he finished mysteriously and I had to wonder about this place. What kind of a castle couldn't be seen? All I could see was rock faces and sharp cliffs in the wide crevace that we had managed to get our ship into.
The maganacs' ship turned sharply toward a granite wall in the tight passage we were in. I grabbed Quatre as we headed for the wall and wondered what in the world had happened to make us crash. I clasped Quatre to me as we headed for the wall and certain death...
When all of a sudden the wall disappeared. Instead, we came to rest in a huge hole in the cliff's face, some kind of underground docking bay. I looked around astonishedly, my eyes finally coming to Quatre, who was smiling mischievously and I realized something.
"You knew all along," I accused, a slight smile on my face. It was a good trick.
"You wouldn't have believed me if I told you," he said, then his smile faded just a bit, "You aren't mad, are you?"
I grinned and pulled him closer.
"I don't know," I said into his ear, "I may have to punish you," I told him, gently biting his ear. He giggled in delight, but quickly put our play to rest.
"Stop, don't let Duo see you doing that, we'll never hear the end of it."
"Why?" I asked, again concerned, "Will he dislike our being together?"
"Oh no, nothing like that. He just teases a lot, you'll get used to him. Come on, I can see them!" Quatre said, taking my hand and leading me to the walkway that had been set up.
I glanced over the rail as we started walking. There were about a hundred people lined up to meet the maganacs. All of a sudden, I felt my body go to ice. I couldn't do it. I couldn't meet all those people. IN my mind, I could see them all turning and looking at me. Attacking me. My place had always been in the shadows, where no one could see me, where I was safe. I couldn't go out in front of all of those people...
And I felt it start to happen.
"Quatre!" I whispered harshly, "There's something I need to tell you! I..."
But it was too late. Quatre turned around and gasped, looking at me with shock. I put my head down in shame. How could I have let this happen? Quatre couldn't take me with him the way I was.
But instead of being annoyed or even angry as I thought he would be, Quatre laughed and knelt in front of me.
"You should have told me," he said, smiling as he rubbed my ears. I licked his hand, hoping he wasn't mad at me. "I had no idea you changed into your wolf form when you're frightened."
He knelt beside me for a few moments, petting me and thinking. After a while he said, "I don't suppose you're going to change back any time soon?"
I shook my head. I didn't really know when I would change back. Sometimes it happened when I wanted it to, sometimes it happened when I felt safer, and sometimes it happened when I wasn't even thinking about it. I had already tried to change back and couldn't so I figured it would be a while before I was able.
"Well, we don't want you to end up naked it if you do change back, but you look big enough, maybe I can..." Quatre began to fiddle with my clothing, eventually getting it rolled up so that it wouldn't fall off my wolf body, though it wasn't exactly comfortable. Still I tolerated it, the last thing I wanted was to be naked in front of all those people.
"Alright then," Quatre said, "Let's go see everyone."
And with that, Quatre led me, still in my wolf form, down the walkway and into the crowd.
A lot of people greeted Quatre. It was instantly obvious that he was fairly popular but, while he was courteous to everyone he seemed to be heading toward a specific group of people. There were five of them, two women, one with two buns on her head, the other with a pair of spiral pigtails. There was a tall, ginger haired man beside a boy with tousled brown hair and blue eyes and another boy with a long, thick braid who was smiling brightly.
"Quatre!" the braided one shouted, "You got a dog! Oh, he's adorable!" the boy said, kneeling and throwing his arms around my surprised shoulders, "And aren't these clothes just awesome! We're going to have to put him in some of my clothes and make him look so cool! What did ya name him? Huh?"
"Duo..." Quatre tried to interject while the braided boy lavished attention on me. I was starting to get a but anxious. The boy was way to close to me and, though I somewhat liked being fawned over, he was overdoing the attention.
"I love him Quatre! I've always wanted a dog! I think I'll give him a kiss!"
WHAT?!
My mind managed to grasp the concept of what was about to happen only as it was too late and the other boy's lips were on mine. I was so shocked I couldn't think.
I did manage to come back to myself when I heard a group of gasps around me and the blue-eyed boy growled, "What the hell?"
I looked down to find myself back in my human body. I suppose that being so surprised by the braided boy I had forgotten about being nervous and changed back.
Chaos erupted. The braided boy jumped back, while the blue-eyed boy took a menacing step forward. Quatre stepped in front of me and tried to explain, but everyone was talking at once and soon they were all yelling.
"What the hell is that, Quat?" the braided one shouted.
"His name is Trowa and he's with me. He's a werewolf..."
"A werewolf! Don't you know those things are dangerous? And you let me kiss him!"
"You were the one that kissed him! I can't believe you would kiss a dog..."
"Hey, shut up! And what about you, you got some bestiality thing going or what?"
"That's just sick, Duo! You have no right to..."
"Boys," the ginger haired man said, trying to calm them, "Enough already."
"Duo shouldn't say those kind of things about Trowa! It wasn't Trowa's fault!"
"Well it sure as hell wasn't mine!"
It was like my nightmare was coming true. They couldn't accept me because of my werewolf blood and Quatre was fighting them because of me. What if...
Guilt assailed me and I suddenly felt sick. The full moon had healed many of my wounds, but I was still weak from the burns. The healing and activity of the full moon had sapped most of my strength. And suddenly it was all I could do to keep from fainting.
"Trowa!" I heard Quatre cry as I began to fall to the floor. There was movement and, strangely, two sets of hands grabbed me and held me up.
"Trowa, can you hear me?" Quatre asked as they held me up, "Can you stand?" I looked up to see Quatre and Duo, no longer angry but looking worried, holding me up. I tried to put my feet back under me, but it felt like my legs were jello. There was a pounding in my head and I moaned, shaking my head as I lowered it.
"We'll have to carry him," Quatre said, taking control of the situations he often did.
"Here, give him to me," a deep voice said. I felt myself being moved, lifted, and I was suddenly in the arms of someone I didn't know. He smelled good, I realize as my head fell against his chest, not like Quatre but good none the less.
"We can put him in my room. Sally, will that be alright?" I heard Quatre say.
"I don't know, maybe we should take him into the medical wing for some tests. Do you know what's wrong with him?"
"He's weakened. He was terribly burned a short time ago and, though it's all healed, he's still weak and with so much stress... I knew I should have made him stay in the ship! I could have just waited until everyone had gone and taken him discretely up to my room but I was so excited that I..."
"Stop worrying. If everything you've told me is true he's probably just exerted himself too much. Let him sleep for a few hours and he'll be as good as new. Treize, could you take him to Quatre's room? I have to talk with Doc before the maganacs leave again, but I can check on him later. Maybe Wufei could have a look at him? Werewolves are a bit outside of my jurisdiction."
There was a movement, like the nod of a head, and I was suddenly being moved. I couldn't even open my eyes, but I listened to the sounds and heard three more sets of steps. I was relieved not to be alone with the man carrying me, Treize I thought his name was but wasn't quite sure.
We walked for a few minutes and then stopped. There was the sound of a door opening and then we were moving again. A moment later I felt someone laying me down on the bed.
"How is he?" I heard Quatre ask. A large hand pushed aside my bangs and laid on my forehead.
"He's got a bit of a fever, but he seems alright. Let's let him rest. I think Duo and Heero can watch him for now, I need you to come talk with Une and me. There are many things you need to know."
"But... what if he wakes?" Quatre asked.
"Duo and Heero will be here. Right? You two can watch him, can't you?" Treize asked.
"For now. We have to go on patrol in a little while, but there's nothing pressing right now," Duo replied.
"Wufei can watch him once he finishes with his classes. Master O wouldn't let him out of his lessons even for the maganacs arrival. He drives that boy hard, but Wufei loves it. We best get going, Quatre, the longer we wait, the longer until you return." There were footsteps and the sound of the door opening, then closing. I was a bit hurt that Quatre would just leave me with these people like that, but I guess he trusted them, though I did not. I tried to keep myself awake, but must have fallen asleep. Not surprising, really, seeing as how I couldn't even get my eyes open.
"Hey," someone called, shaking me, "Hey, wake up."
I moaned and opened my eyes, feeling a little better though I could tell I hadn't slept long. I closed my eyes again, throwing my arm over them to black out the dim light.
"Hey, you awake now?" Duo asked.
"Yes," I told him raspily.
"Me and Heero have to go on patrol now. Wufei's supposed to be here in a little bit but we just wanted to warn you we were going and tell you not to leave the room. Go back to sleep now," Duo said, moving away from my bed. The door opened and closed and I knew the two were gone.
I tried to go back to sleep, but I was nervous about being alone in a strange place. That, and I had to go to the bathroom. Sighing, I took my arm off of my eyes and got up. I would have to go find a bathroom or a door leading outside where I could do my business. Something so that I didn't soil my borrowed clothes and Quatre's bed.
I stood up and immediately sat back down when my head started to spin. I waited for a minute, then tried again, this time more slowly. I got to my feet and slowly walked to the door, still feeling tired and a bit fuzzy-headed. Opening the door, I checked the hall to see if anyone was around. Seeing no one, I walked out the door and closed it quietly behind me.
I walked down the halls aimlessly for a bit. Though my walk had been short, I was already feeling tired and hoped I would find the bathroom soon or, if not, at least find someone to ask directions from. I had never been in a place so huge.
Fate, it seemed, was on my side when a Chinese boy walked hurriedly around the corner and almost ran into me. He stopped suddenly and stared up at me, his eyes going at once to my disfigured face.
There was a strange emotion in his eyes, not revulsion or fear as I would have thought, but a sort of uncertainty, then a determination that I couldn't understand. Slowly, the boy raised a hand and placed it on my cheek. My face began to feel warm, then to tingle. In a second, the feeling was gone.
The boy shook himself, like coming out of some sort of daze. I reached my hand up and felt my face. It was as smooth as it had been before I was burned and the pain was gone. I was shocked that the boy had helped me so, and I wondered why. I looked at the boy once more.
A sort of regret, almost anxiety had come on his face. Abruptly, he started walking again, his head low as he hurried by me.
"Thank you," I managed to whisper before he got around the other corner. He stopped, turned to me, surprise written clearly on his face.
"You're welcome," he said finally, bowing slightly. His words seemed to break the spell my surprise had cast on me.
"Do you know where I can... relieve myself?" I asked, hoping my blush didn't show on my face.
"There is a restroom near the cafeteria," the boy told me curtly.
"I don't know where that is," I replied. The boy looked at me warily, possibly distrustfully. "I new here," I explained, "My name's Trowa." The boy visibly relaxed.
"So you're the one this Quatre brought home. Lord Treize asked me to check on you, he said you were unwell. There is a bathroom in Quatre's room."
"I wasn't really thinking straight when I left," I told him.
"Come. We should get back before Quatre find's you gone and sends out a search party," the boy said and I had to smile. Quatre would indeed send out a search party if he found me missing.
It felt good to be loved.
Quatre arrived at the room much later than we had and Wufei, thankfully, didn't inform him of my little trip. Quatre was stunned by my sudden healing and I later explained to him what Wufei had done. He also explained Wufei's odd behavior to me, telling me that Wufei had come from China and, according to Treize, sorcerers were prosecute in Wufei's homeland.
My next meeting with Duo was not nearly as tense as my first, he even endured some good natured teasing about it. It seemed that Duo wasn't harboring any anger at me from our first encounter, like I feared he would.
Quatre was busy a lot of the time during my first week at Haven. He made time for me and was always truly sorry when he had to run off for some important meeting with the king, but I was still disappointed that he had to be away so much. Being extremely wary of people, I don't make friends easily, so I was often left alone in our room. Duo, Heero, Wufei, or Treize came up to see me sometimes, but they were all busy with their own lives and I didn't want them to pity me so I didn't complain when I was left to my own devises. I didn't want to seem ungrateful, but I was bored and lonely.
It was almost two weeks after I arrived that Duo asked for my help. We were at the table for lunch, Quatre beside me, Duo and Heero in front, Treize and Wufei diagonal, and Une and Sally to my other side.
"So Trowa," Duo asked, "Can you turn into a dog like that whenever you want?" he asked. Quatre frowned.
"It was a wolf, Duo," he corrected.
"Snout, tail, fur, they're all the same," Duo said, waving his spoon around as he chewed on a mouthful of food.
"With that braid you have two out of the three things you named. Does that make you a dog, Maxwell?" Wufei taunted. Duo almost choked on his food and Heero had to pat him on the back while smirking at him.
"Real nice, FeiFei," Duo called back, sticking his tongue out a minute later. I wasn't surprised, Duo and Wufei were fairly good friends and this kind of thing happened often.
"Yes, I can transform at will," I said, bringing the conversation back to me, "Why do you ask?"
"You know 'bout me and Heero being on the Night Force, right? Well, there's a bunch of kids that we keeps seeing but just can't find. They've got this really good hideout and we can't seem to find it. We've had Wufei over there down in the sewers a couple of times looking for the kids, but his magic can't go through the steel of the pipes. What do ya say, will ya sniff 'em out for us?"
"What will you do with them when I find them?" I asked. I really didn't want to be part of a child massacre. I wasn't sure what I'd do if Quatre wanted me to go along.
"We take them to the orphanage," Duo said, releaving my fears, "You've seen it. The nuns run it for us. Every couple of weeks we go out and round up and bring them here. Any more than that and we'd scare them all into hiding. Chase is one of the kids we brought in, you remember meeting him, right? You can ask him about it if you want."
"When do we leave?" I asked.
"Heero and I go on patrols everyday. We'll take you out with us tomorrow afternoon. Hey, maybe if you're good enough we'll keep you as a part of the night force, that is, if Une over there doesn't kill you with those tests of hers."
"I would like that," I said, smiling. I turned to Quatre, who was also smiling. He reached over and took my hand and, for the first time in my life, everything felt like it was going to be okay.