A/N: I am very late to the new Faberry Week 2022, so I'll try to post more for each day. Bear with me and if you like, please comment ;)
Prompt: Day 1 - Werewolves
And I run from wolves
She feels it. She has the distinct feeling of being followed but whenever she looks back, there is nowhere really. It's a clear night, despite being past midnight. But it's summer and the moon is high and full above her head.
She keeps walking, holding on to her small purse, wondering if she should have accepted Finn's offer to take her home but she is literally five blocks from Santana and it's Lima.
Nothing happens in Lima.
"Give me your bag and no one will get hurt." The edge of a knife is pressed against her back and she freezes in the spot. She is petrified.
"You heard him, bitch? The purse, now!?" Another man shows up from her right side and she is even more scared now.
"There's nothing…I have nothing, please." She holds on to her small purse. She doesn't want to make a scene but her phone is 3 years old and she has little money. Nothing to gain.
"Give me that!" The guy reaches for the straps but she takes a step to the side and takes off, trying to run for the remaining distance between there and her house. She can scream. She can scream for help.
"Fucking bitch." They are chasing after her. She is quick but they are more. She is just two blocks away, when she is grabbed by the waist and pushed behind someone's garage. It is dark enough to give them any privacy to do whatever they want with her.
"This will teach you a lesson…" The taller guy reaches back with his open palm to deliver a slap, but something stops him. She hears it and then sees the fear in his eyes. It's the same fear coursing through her.
"What the hell is that?" They are backing away from her and she lowers her gaze, to see a big dog growling at them. It's bigger than a dog, but whatever it may be, she only knows that it is scaring them.
"It's just a fucking dog. Kick it, man." The taller guy pushes the other one in front of him, shielding himself.
"Good dog. We are all friends here." He reaches with his hand but the animal lounges for it, almost biting his fingers off. "I'm outta here." He takes off, dropping his knife in the process.
"Carlos! Carlos!" The taller guy looks between Rachel and the dog, wondering if a small purse was really worth it. Clearly not, because he turns on his heels and just leaves almost as fast as his friend has done.
"They're gone." She is talking mostly to herself but it's like the animal can understand her, because the growling stops and the stance relaxes too. "So, I believe I owe you right?" She kneels on the floor and holds her hands up in surrender.
She takes her time to really look at it. It's not just a dog, maybe a breed with a wolf. Or maybe it's just a wolf, even if it'd be the first time to spot one in Lima.
"You saved my life." She reaches out with her hand and when the wolf approaches her, she lowers it just to scratch the side of their head. "Thank you."
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She never has trouble sleeping. Even when it's not school night, she has a tight regimen and she is usually tucked in by 11.30 PM to get her 7 hours of sleep in, before her daily workout calls for her.
She cannot sleep. She keeps tossing and turning. She keeps staring at the full moon outside of her window, shining even brighter and chasing the darkness away.
She stands to open her window and let some of the cooler air in, when she spots it. She spots the familiar silhouette standing in her backyard, crouched under the oak tree where she had always begged her Fathers to build her a treehouse.
She isn't sure how it happened, but she is quick to just slip her feet in a pair of flip-flops and head downstairs, mindful to avoid all the creaky floorboards.
The air is not that chilly and her long sleeved PJ pants keep her from worrying about bugs creeping up her bare legs if she ever sits on the freshly cut grass.
"How did you find me?" Rachel realizes she is talking to a wolf and she won't get any answer, but she really doesn't care much.
The golden wolf sits on their hind legs, tail slowly swishing from side to side, as their head tilts to look at her.
"I gather you followed my scent back here, I am flattered really." She sits cross legged on the grass. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?" She asks but the wolf shakes their head. They can still communicate somehow.
"Alright, you wanted to check on me?" Rachel chuckles and when the wolf leans down, to nuzzle the hand resting on her knee she smiles. "You didn't have to, but thank you." Her palm caresses the underside of their muzzle.
She keeps on stroking it until the wolf lies back down, resting their head sideways against her crossed legs.
"What should I call you?" She strokes her fingers through the fur and the back of their ears, scratching it. "Let's see…Alpha?" She chuckles when the wolf semi growls at her.
"Okay okay." Rachel chuckles and strokes the side of their muzzle slowly. "What about Luna?" She looks up at the moon above their heads. "It means moon, you know?"
The wolf nudges her hand with the muzzle and licks her palm. "Luna, then." Rachel leans down to take a better look at the wolf in her lap, who just settles for more of her gentle caresses.
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It happens again. It happens again and again the following nights. She cannot fall asleep and the wolf shows up, waiting for her.
She cannot fall asleep and she tells them all of her secrets. All of her dreams. All of her hopes.
It's the first real friend that doesn't ask for anything back from her. It's the first real friend who just listens to whatever she wants to say without interrupting her.
It's the first real friend who doesn't feel the need to fill her silences with useless words. It's the first real friend she has had in a long time.
It's the last day of the week and her parents are out for the weekend, so she is alone. She has no fears of getting caught spending time with a wild animal in her backyard, until the first rays of the daylight breaks into the night.
So, she waits. She waits in the living room, with a glass of cold almond milk on the coffee table and eyes on the clock ticking away.
She waits until there is a light scratch against the backdoor. It is light. It is so light that she may have made it up herself. She waits again, when the scratching happens again, this time louder.
She bolts from her seat and pads to the backdoor. She has barely time to get it open, when the familiar wolf stumbles through it, collapsing on her kitchen floor.
"Luna!" Rachel drops to her knees at the sight of blood trails behind the wolf's prone form. The wolf is battered and bruised in multiple places, like she has been attacked.
"Who did this?" She strokes her fingers through the blood matted fur and her tears threaten to spill, at the sight before her eyes. "I'll fix you ok?" She leaves the unconscious animal by the door to get the first aid kit they have in the spare bathroom downstairs.
"This will hurt, but be good for me ok?" She has dragged the wolf fully in her kitchen and locked the door behind. She will take care of the blood in the morning. She crouches over the wolf and inspects all the wounds, trying to assess their injuries.
"What happened to you?" She dabs the gauze in the antiseptic and gently dabs the wounds with it. The pain must register because the wolf jumps to their wobbly feet and growls at her. "Luna, it's me. It's me, Rachel." She drops the clams and holds her hands up in surrender.
The wolf circles her, clearly confused by the pain, and keeps on growling low. "I want to help you. You've been hurt and I want to help." The brunette raises herself to her knees.
"Let me help you." With her right hand, she reaches out to stroke the side of her muzzle and when Luna allows her to, she guides the injured wolf back down against her lap.
"I'll take care of you, I promise." She strokes the fur behind her ears and when the wolf drops back down, exhausted she just hugs her a little tighter.
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She doesn't know what time she has finished patching Luna up the best she could.
She has managed to clean all of her wounds and stitch some, despite the wolf's protests to take care of the wounds herself.
She doesn't know what time she has fallen asleep, on the floor of her living room, with the injured wolf right beside her, but away from her Daddy's precious Persian carpet.
What she knows, though, is that there is no wolf beside her. What she knows, though, is that she wakes up to a very naked Quinn Fabray lying beside her, curled on her side with a possessive arm draped over her own waist.
She has to blink a couple of times and she has to fight the urge to pinch herself awake, because she is pretty sure she is not dreaming. She is also pretty sure she has fallen asleep beside a battered Luna and that somehow, overnight, the fierce animal has turned into her long arch enemy. An enemy who is naked and cuddling her.
"Oh my Barbra!" Rachel scurries away as soon as the reality hits her. Luna is Quinn Fabray. Luna is none but Lucy Quinn Fabray.
"Five more minutes, Mom." Quinn turns on her back, but the movement seems not to settle too well with her ribs and the sudden pain quickly wakes her from her restless sleep. "Fuck fuck." Quinn realizes she is not in the safety of her room when her eyes settle on a familiar brunette, who is blushing and looking anywhere but at her. "Fucking perfect." She throws the blanket over her nude self and hides her modesties the best she can, but what's done is done.
"I'll…I'll get you something to wear." Rachel shoots up from the floor and up the stairs, stumbling on a couple of steps while trying to keep her eyes covered with her hand.
Quinn lies back down until she hears footsteps approaching and a bunch of clothes are thrown at her, hitting her face in the process. She has no time to even thank the brunette, who has disappeared into the kitchen to give her some privacy, despite the circumstances.
"Rachel…" She limps her way to the kitchen, holding onto her ribcage with one hand and the other leans against the doorway.
"I made coffee. You can drink it or you prefer some freshly squeezed T-bone steak?" She is angry and hurt. Her tone is nothing but sarcastic and Quinn knows she has every right to be mad at her.
"Rachel, let me explain." She winces when she takes a step forward and her ribs ache.
"Right, why don't you start by telling me how you are some sort of shapeshifter or Animagus? You have magic powers or something?" She looks at her. "Or even better, why didn't you say anything to me? Why didn't you tell me you were you? I opened up to you." She gets into Quinn's face. "I told you things! I told you things that I never told anyone."
"Rachel, I am sorry…" She tries but the brunette didn't want to hear it.
"You should leave. Leave and don't come back." She points to the door. "Please…" She turns her back to her and Quinn knows it's the best thing she can do. She owes Rachel that much.
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"Geez, what happened to her?" Kurt drops his back against the locker besider hers and nods across the hallway, at a familiar girl standing by her own locker.
"I don't know and I don't care." She throws a glance at Quinn, who is leaning heavily against her metal locker and holding her side, despite her best attempts to hide her discomfort.
"Heard Coach Sylvester put a target on her back. Guess it's a payback for her reign of terror don't you think?" He chuckles. "Okay, what's up with you? Quinn Fabray fell from her high pedestal and you're not celebrating it? Not even one bit?"
"There is nothing to celebrate." She shakes her head.
"Right, do we have more important things to focus on? Like a double date with Finn and Blaine." He nudges her. "Breadstix at 6?"
"I don't think it's a good idea, Kurt." She shuts her locker closed.
"Why? I thought you and Finn were giving it a second try after Nationals." He raises an eyebrow at her.
"Finn and I want very different things, it will never work." She furrows her brows when she spots Azimio and a couple of other football players heading towards Quinn, with slushies in their hands.
"But it's your last year, don't you want to make memorable memories? Don't you want to live the moment?" He calls after her but the brunette is already speed walking down the hallway.
"Quinn, look out!" She calls just before the blonde ex-cheerleader is showered with a mix of raspberry and grape slushies.
Too late.
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"You are going to be late for your first period." Quinn leans against the sinks, clad in her underwear that luckily didn't get stained by the slushie attack.
"It's just Spanish with Mr. Schue." She keeps the dress under the air hand dryer. "I learnt more Spanish from Santana's cursing than from him."
"True that." She chuckles but the movement just doesn't go too well with her injuries. "Fuck." She looks at the side of her ribcage.
"You're bleeding." Rachel drops the dress aside and reaches for the stained bandage. "I should have a clean one in my bag."
"You go around with a first aid kit in there, Miss Rachel Poppins?" Quinn smiles.
"You never know when you need to patch someone up." She throws the old one aside and cleans the wound with some antiseptic, before applying a clean bandage on the wound.
"Thank you." Quinn reaches for the hand on her side. "I mean it…"
"No problem." Rachel looks away from her eyes. "Your dress must be ready. It will be a bit wrinkled but it's clean and dry."
"It will be fine." She reaches for it but Rachel beats her to it and helps her. She helps lift it over her, standing in front of the blonde who still has a couple of inches on her.
"You need me to zip you up?" Rachel looks up into her eyes and when Quinn nods, she reaches behind her to lift the zip slowly up her back.
"I never meant to hurt you like that." Quinn's arm slips behind her back, loosely hugging her. "I should have told you who I was but I didn't know how."
"I would have understood, Quinn." Rachel drops her hand. "And I would have kept your secret safe."
"I know, I was wrong…" The blonde drops her own arm and leans back against the sink.
"Yes, you were." The brunette gathers her things and shoulders her bag, heading for the door when the bell rings. "I'll see you in Glee."
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"Honey, can you come here please?" Hiram stands by the window in the living room, with a glass of red wine, and a curious smile on his face.
"What is it Daddy?" Rachel wipes her hands on a towel and walks to where he stands, interested in why he is looking anywhere but outside.
"Why is Miss Fabray standing in our front yard, looking like someone has kicked her puppy?" He sips from his glass and when his daughter just goes for the front door, he spins on his heels.
"Whatcha smiling about?" Leroy looks up from his book to stare up at his husband.
"Call me Cupid." He leans down to kiss the top of his head and then heads to get a refill from the fine bottle they have opened for dinner.
In the meanwhile, Rachel is padding barefoot across the green grass of their porch until she is standing in front of Quinn.
"Hey, am I interrupting dinner time?" She nods to the light in the kitchen.
"No, we just finished." She looks down at her feet. "What are you doing here?"
"I am sorry, Rachel." Quinn takes a step forward but she doesn't take one back. "I am sorry for having kept you in the dark but I never meant to take advantage of your trust."
"But you did. I told you things…" She whispers and wipes her cheek angrily. "I told you things that no one knows about me." She looks at her. "I told you things about us."
"I was bitten during a camping trip with my Dad's side of the family. We were trying to reconnect or something and I just…I went for a walk after the umpteenth dab at my life choices, it was all so fast." Quinn shows her the mark on the side of her neck. "I woke up in the middle of the woods and it felt like I was born again, but this time I could remember that. You know what I mean?"
"I guess?" She steps closer to the blonde to take a better look at the wound on her neck. "Does it hurt? When you change, I mean…" She is tempted to reach out and touch the small punctures.
"No. I don't feel anything." Quinn takes her wrist and gently pulls, until her fingertips dip in her mark. "I know you wanted to touch it yourself."
"I think you should go home, Quinn." Rachel takes her hand back and crosses her arms over her chest.
"Your secrets will be safe with me, I promise." Quinn nods softly and then, turns on her heels to head towards her car.
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It takes her a month to see Luna again. Well, to see Quinn in her wolf form. It's just a month after the full moon and she is sitting on the porch steps, with a mug of tea in her hands. It's chillier tonight.
She spots her from afar and they stare at each other. Rachel stares at Quinn and Quinn stares at her, almost challenging her to stop her. When she does not, the wolf struts to where she is and crouches down, head hanging low over her paws.
"You didn't have to slushie Finn back." Rachel sits her mug down and hugs her knees to her chest. "I know you meant well but violence is never the answer."
When the wolf whines in protest, she scoots to a lower step and stretches her legs out, toes brushing Quinn's outstretched paws. "And you don't have to follow me all the time, I can take care of myself."
Quinn simply nuzzles the side of her muzzle against the sole of her feet, tickling Rachel until she has to tuck her feet under her. "You can be silly, Quinn." She chuckles when the wolf scoots closer, sliding against the grass until her muzzle rests on the curve of her crossed ankles.
"I know you're trying to make up for when you tormented me but it's all water under the bridge." She drops her hand to the top of the wolf's head. "I forgave you."
Quinn nudges her hand and licks her palm. She is surprised she doesn't take her hand away. She keeps it there and uses the other to scratch the top of Quinn's head. "It's getting late, I don't like you wandering around. It can be dangerous."
When the wolf rolls eyes at her, she pushes her back and stands, dusting the back of her yoga pants. "Go and be a wild beast, but don't come back to me if you get hurt again. This isn't a hospital nor a vet clinic."
Quinn sits up and looks at her, with her head tilted to the side and a challenging look. "Have a fantastic night, Luna." Rachel turns on her heels and slams the back door in the wolf's face, making her wince.
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She doesn't know how long she has been standing there, under the porch of the Fabray's mansion, but she musters the courage to knock after some self-pep talk. She straightens her polka dots dress and waits, shifting from one foot to another.
"Rachel?" Quinn looks paler than usual and she is sweating, like someone who has been running a fever.
"Oh my God, Quinn…" Rachel frowns and leans forward, to hold the girl upright as she sees her stumble on herself. "What's wrong?" With an arm over her shoulders, she walks the blonde to the couch in the living room and lays her there.
"It's the full moon." Quinn arches off the couch to groan in pain, nails digging into the cushions. "Rachel, go away…" She groans and whines.
"I'm not going anywhere." She drops to the floor, kneeling by Quinn's head and pulls her gently down, curling her arm around her shoulders to keep her lied down.
"Rachel, leave." She tries again to push the brunette away but she is too weak to win this battle. So, she simply succumbs to the tiredness.
Rachel takes a moment to brush her sweaty hair off her forehead and uses her handkerchief to dab at the glistening skin. She takes another moment to look down at Quinn, passed out on the couch. She takes a moment to study her and just take in every detail. Every small frown or minimal movement. Every twitch.
"Oh, Quinn…" Rachel strokes her hair slowly, caressing her temple with the back of her knuckles.
"Mmm." Quinn leans in her touch and she just keeps going. She strokes down to her cheek and even lower, to the side of her neck where she can see the two small punctures.
She moves her fingers there. She hovers the small marks with her fingers and when she leans forward, a hand grabs onto her wrist stopping her. She shudders and her breath catches in her throat, as her eyes meet Quinn's. They're not hazel anymore. They're not hazel with golden freckles that reflect the sunrise. They're golden. They're so bright.
"Sorry. Did I hurt you?" Quinn lets her go and she rubs the sore spot. It's aching from where Quinn had grabbed her.
"It's okay." Rachel looks away and when Quinn reaches for her, she caresses her wrist slowly with the pad of her thumb. "It's okay, Quinn." She looks at the blonde, who brings it to her mouth and drops a soft kiss below her pulse.
"You shouldn't have come here. I am not…" Quinn breathes slowly and her warm air hits the palm of her hand. "I am not myself."
"I think you are. You've always been you, Quinn, probably even more than what you tried to be last year or the year before." She cups the side of her face, caressing her cheek with her thumb. When Quinn leans in her touch, she leans forward tentatively.
She leans in, to touch their foreheads together and hopes.
She hopes for Quinn to stay with her.
I can see through you
We are the same
It's perfectly strange
You run in my veins
How can I keep you
Inside my lungs
I breathe what is yours
You breathe what is mine
And I run from wolves
Breathing heavily
At my feet
And I run from wolves
Tearing into me
Without teeth
THE END