Re: the woods :: 1x1 RP for Atlas and Imagine- :)

Atlas Sun May 10, 2015 6:21 am

Judd

She was coming closer, yet he could not move. That familiar laugh rung throughout the store, haunting Judd, his memories of her running through his head. She sounded happy, yet it was not the same. Something had changed in her, and it was undeniably because of him. Her head was turning, and now she was making her way over with coffee; he needed to move, now. However, he was frozen in time, unable to avoid his fate. Maybe if he just stayed still and looked away... He did not look like the man he used to be; with his matted, hairy, greasy, and dirty appearance, perhaps she wouldn't recognize him. He wasn't the only one who had changed, though. Luci looked stunning, as always, but she had chopped off a good bit of her beautiful brunette locks. It was a good change, yet Judd couldn't help but feel slightly shocked. Playing with her hair had been one of his favorite things... But why was he thinking about that? It should have been the farthest thing from his mind -- he needed to get out of the shop.

It was unavoidable, and like some cheesy 80's movie, their eyes met. He looked like a deer in headlights, his dull green eyes widened and his face cringing. Luci had a similar reaction; her eyes widened and hot coffee cascading down her hand. Her expression was unreadable, and Judd couldn't tell what emotions she was experiencing. He didn't know what to expect; in the next moment, she could punch him in the face, and he wouldn't blame her. Other than the shock, Judd felt shameful and humiliated. Never in a hundred years would he want her to see him looking like this. He looked like an animal, scruffy, dirty, and neglected. Had he even taken a shower in the past few days? Gross. Besides that, there was also the "incident," more like the time he had nearly killed her. The guilt had never left him, as he knew he had most likely shattered her psyche. Anyone with a brain would be, and should be, afraid of him. So why was she still coming closer?

His hands were trembling in his pockets, but like Luci, he didn't even notice. All sounds and sights faded out, except for Luci. Blood and adrenaline coursed through his veins as she approached. Judd wished he could run from her sight, from her confused and unsure face. They stood, face-to-face, silence lacing the air between them. Finally, Luci spoke up, her voice barley above a whisper. It was just a simple hey. Judd swallowed, his throat dry and hoarse; he rarely spoke anymore, except at his job and occasionally to Skylar (when she was conscious). He tried to work his mouth; there was so much to say, yet nothing at all as well. "Hey," was al he could suffice, his voice as rough as sandpaper. Judd put his hand behind his head at the precise moment Luci nervously moved her hair -- they were in almost perfect synchronization. She asked how she was, a question he didn't feel particularly compelled to answer. He shuffled his feet and glanced down, hoping his silence would be enough to convey his feelings. He was miserable, spiraling towards the impending darkness. Even though he would never admit it, the truth was plainly displayed on his scruffy face.

Her knees were weak, and she was now clutching onto the support of a chair. Judd's fists were clenched in his pockets, his eyes looking around at anything but Luci. Both were so unsure of themselves, as they were crashed with powerful, paradoxical emotions. While Luci felt anger, confusion, fear, and a bit of love, Judd felt humiliation, shame, and longing. However, no matter how much he desired to touch her hands, to play with her hair, to kiss her, he would never allow himself. Judd wanted to keep himself under lock and key; he was a dangerous beast, only fit behind bars. Luci broke the awkward silence again, offering to speak outside. Judd didn't want to speak to her either; there was nothing to say, and he'd rather not have to think about their last encountered. However, they needed to mend some issues -- he needed closure, and he knew Luci did as well.

"Okay," he grunted, unable to say anything else. In fact, he wasn't sure if he could say anything once they went outside. However, they both needed to try, at least. Luci offered him a PSL, a flashback of them at their first, awkward hate-date at Starbucks, so many moths ago. It seemed as if they had gone full circle, with the anger masked beneath the ambiance of the bustling coffee shop. It took Judd several moments to answer, where the churning of the coffee machines and the mindless chatter of customers downing out his mind of the memories. He wanted them gone, and the only was to do this was to close it up with Luci. "No thanks," he mumbled. It would bring too many memories, and he also had no money to buy anything anyways. "I'm not really thirsty." That was all he had to say about that.

Reluctantly, Judd reached his trembling hands forward, and with some difficulty, managed to open the door. The icy air hit his face immediately, but it was quickly dulled by the sounds of Luci following. He turned to face her, his face red from the cold. Where to begin? There was so much ground to cover. Coughing a little and rubbing his running nose on the side of his jacket, Judd gave a small shiver. He'd been working himself to the ground, and he wasn't feeling too great at the moment. He stepped back, leaving a large and respectable distance from Luci -- she probably didn't want to be anywhere near him. Coughing again to clear his throat, he figured it was his turn to initiate. "Luci, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to walk in there; I know you probably want to be left alone. You don't want to see my face ever again. I promise I'll leave, right away if you want me to. What I did was... unacceptable. It will never happen again, nor will I bother you ever again, like I did now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that's all." His eyes dropped to his feet, focusing on the icy streets, every unique crystal embedded on the sidewalk.

There was more to be said, though. Judd intended to keep this conversation as short as possible. He needed to get to work soon, and Luci needed to return back to her job. He was tired, unwell, depressed, and anxious. Every time he gazed at Luci, he felt a stabbing pierce in his heart. "And, if you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. Closure is always a good thing." He was so defeated, he was utterly accepting defeat. He knew there was no hope with him and Luci, so it was better to just accept defeat than painfully deny the impossibilities. He patiently waited to see if she had anything to offer, and as he did so, he sniffled once again and rubbed his nose. Hopefully she'd keep it short; he couldn't bear to look at her for much longer.

Imagine- Sun Jun 07, 2015 8:46 pm

Luci

Luci slowly followed Judd outside, grabbing her jacket off of the hook and zipping it just as she hit the cold. Her brunette locks swung in the wind, covering her face. The pair leaned against the brick wall slightly away from the coffee shop window, a considerable space between them. Squeezing her eyes shut, Luci rifled through her pocket and revealed a small pack of cigarettes. She took one out, placed it between her lips and lit it. No one would peg Luci as the girl who smoked between work breaks, but she found that the deadly habit calmed her if her thoughts became too consuming. Luci would never admit it, but her smoking was a blatant sign of how the 'incident' had messed her up. This habit was nothing good, yet it almost have her a 'sexy' edge. She didn't bother to see how Judd reacted. His sniffles filled their silence for a few minutes and the confused girl attempted to gather her thoughts. As her mind whirred, Judd began speaking in a weak voice, one that was so familiar yet so foreign. His words buzzed quickly through the air and Luci strained to hear them over the howling sounds of the wind. Judd profusely apologized, one after the other spilling out. Luci's eyes dropped to the ground as she blew a puff of smoke. Judd's shoes were dirty. After he finished talking, she bit her lip and sighed. "I guess it's okay- I mean, I accepted what's happened," Luci whispered, not lifting her head up. "It didn't affect me that badly." That was a blatant lie. The girl's feet shuffled as she shivered from the cold.

"I just... Why? Why didn't you tell me before everything got out of control? Even if I wouldn't have believed you... It wouldn't have been a total surprise," she posed, looking to Judd. She blew on her cigarette and looked down again, wiping her eyes. "I loved you, y'know. I love you a lot," she whispered as she closed her eyes. She knew that Judd had loved her, too. Memories of them kissing, cuddling and laughing flooded her mind, but were soon forced away by reality. What they had was shattered, replaced by violent images of a howling wolf and a cowering girl. Luci used her free hand to pull a tissue out of her pocket and blow her nose, then offered another tissue to Judd. Knowing he wouldn't accept, she scooted over and placed it in his pocket, only to step away again. Her heart hammered. "It's um, it's kinda nice of you to check up on me... But I can take care of myself. I'm a grown woman," Luci said, though some of it was a lie. She hadn't been able to take care of herself, and the hollow look in her eyes that mirrored Judd's gave it all away. "But... thanks. It's good to see you're all right, too." By 'all right,' she meant 'alive.' Judd was clearly not all right. His hair was greasy, his beard was overgrown, his clothes were dirty. He needed a good washing. Did he not have a place to wash himself? Though one part of Luci worried for him, another told her that it wasn't her business anymore.

Luci delicately placed her shortening cigarette between her lips, puffed, and blew out a steady stream of smoke. She could feel herself calming down. Sighing, she asked, "How's Skylar doing?" The last time she'd seen the girl, Skylar had been limp and bloody. Surely she'd be better, but was Judd taking care of her? He looked like he couldn't even care for himself. For Skylar's sake, she hoped the girl was at least recovering if not already healed. Luci sneezed, a shiver causing her body to shake. She wasn't sick, but the oddly cold weather wasn't easy on anyone's health. Luci wanted to snuggle up to Judd, have him wrap his arms around her like they used to when they cuddled on her couch. The thought warmed her heart yet also sickened her. Judd would probably never want to do that again, and truthfully Luci wasn't sure if she could emotionally handle it. She thought she was some tough, ass-kicking warrior but in reality even this talk made her scared, hands shaking. At least she could play it off as the cold and not her being emotionally scarred.

Atlas Mon Jun 08, 2015 4:02 pm

Judd

The wind picked up, its audible howls the only noise that filled up the trench between the two. The once best friends, the once almost lovers were nothing more but strangers to each other. And that was all Judd's fault. Now that they were outside with no distractions to divert their attention, Judd could tell that Luci was not okay. While her physical appearance was beautiful as always, her short hair stylishly shaped, there was more evidence that pointed towards the falling-apart territory. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes, she revealed a habit that Judd hoped she would never fall into. A smoker himself, he could attest that it was a damaging, unclean habit. While he always made care to wash off the smoke as best he could for his asthmatic sister, it felt as if the ashes from the cigarette always stayed mixed within him. Just like the shame he had for his behavior, the memories that would never leave him.

While he made no comment of Luci's smoking, the twitching of his lip showed his disappointment and concern. She had never smoked before, and now that she was, he knew why. Smoking helped take one's mind off of problems, and if Luci was still thinking about the 'incident,' smoking was a perfect way to relieve the stress. So, if she died of lung cancer, it was his fault too. His eyes were fixated on the smoke rings that came out of her mouth, flowing and taking shape, drifting on until it was impossible to tell what was the wispy, grey smoke and what was the gloomy downcast sky. It was the perfect atmosphere for such a serious conversation. His face remained stoic and impassive, but an internal frown tugged at his lips as Luci tried to pass off his shift lightly. Of course it had affected her; all of her outward changes were little puzzle pieces that fit into one, big, not-so-secret solution. She had been affected, and badly. While he would not try and argue with her, he only hoped that his small sigh and biting of his lip would suffice to show that he did not believe a single word that came out of her mouth.

She had questions for him, good questions that he couldn't even answer. Sighing and rubbing his dirty neck, he had to gather his thoughts for several seconds. "Well," he began with a sigh, his rough voice emerging to try and explain himself. How could he? How could he possibly explain his actions? Judd wasn't even sure why he did it; the stress, fear, anger, and helplessness had been to much to take, and he'd let the monster out on poor Luci. "I... I never thought that would happen, so why bother telling you? You'd think I was insane or something. You can't exactly tell your friend,"Hey, I'm a werewolf," can you? That night... I never planned on letting it happen in front of you. And for that, I'm truly sorry. I know I said some terrible things to you, but I can assure you that I didn't mean them. It was the alcohol talking, and if you even believe me, the wolf. As silly as it sounds, that thing has a mind of its own." It was a shitty apology, a shitty excuse. He knew he needed to be held accountable for his own actions, and that the whole situation could not be passed off as another drunk outburst. It was so much more than that. "You're right though, I should have told you, even if you wouldn't have believed me," he admitted, not even able to meet her dulled eyes. he was staring at the ground, too. Her legs were shaking.

Her next words stabbed into his heart, worse than any pain he had ever felt. This was akin to being beaten by his alpha, having his skin ripped off his body, only this was ten times worse. It was like seeing his sister, bloody and limp. It was like seeing his father, drunk and detached, uncaring and abusive. All of these, mixed into one, was what it felt like hearing Luci say those words. It brought back memories of old, their conversations, cuddles, and comfort. The love that was between them was no more. These words hurt Judd's throat, burning as he felt some hot tears rising in his eyes. He sniffled, rubbing them and attempting to pass it off as the cold air that sliced into his cheeks. This is not who I wanted you to see. He never wanted Luci to see him so weak, so defeated, so weak. But then she said... She loved him, present tense. Was there some hope that he could hold on to? Or had all the lights gone out? "I... I loved you too, Luci. A whole lot." His voice broke as he could no longer keep eye contact with her. "And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I ruined everything." He'd been cursed with this stupid wolf, and all he wanted to do was go back into the forest and never come out again.

She pulled a tissue out of her pocket to blow her nose, Judd unsure if it was the emotions, the weather, sickness, or all of those mixed up. It was concerning, and he resisted the urge to hug the girl that shivered so. However, he would be of no help. "Are you okay? You're not sick, are you?" He couldn't help but ask; he needed to know if she was okay, and even if she had the slightest cold, he would be worried. he wished he could embrace her, and make it all better. However, he was no longer warm, as he used to be. And then, she stepped closer. She was smart, that girl; he would never accept a tissue, he would never want to take anything else from her. But she placed it in his pocket, too late for him to protest. "Thanks," he grunted, but made no move to get it out. His nose was running, but he refused to clear it in front of Luci. It wasn't manly -- it was weak. "I know you can. I don't know, I guess I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I wasn't even planning on talking to you, until you saw me." I missed you. He longed to say that, to whisper it into her ear. This would most likely be their last interaction, the closure of what had once been a beautiful relationship. He wanted to spill everything, to profess his love and affection for her. All that he could do, though, was stare at her shoes and the infinite snow that lay in between them.

He wasn't alright, but he was glad Luci didn't bother to point out his appearance. He looked utterly disgusting, not even the same boy he had been a few weeks ago. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm alright," he attempted to lie to himself. However, when he got home, maybe he would try and clean up a bit. It would cost him more to use the water, but if he could scrape up enough money on the side... But Skylar's medicine was just so expensive. And of curse, that's what Luci brought up next. It was nice that she was so concerned, but Judd could barley speak up about his fragile sister. "Well...," he sighed, bringing his hands onto his face and rubbing his eyes. "She's doing a little better. se's awake more, but that just means she's in more pain. Her wrists and ankles were finally set, but I'm not sure if I did them right. She's getting used to seeing on one side, she can talk sometimes... But she's got a long ways to go." This was the first person that had asked him about his sister, the one person who could somewhat care about him. And he appreciated it, a lot. "Sorry, it's just... No one really asks about that. How's your mom? How's everything in your life?" He wanted to know, so badly. It probably wasn't going to well... Who was to blame for that?

He just wanted to talk to her, so badly. Time was ticking, though, and he knew he couldn't stay much longer if he wanted to keep his job. A little longer, though, just to hear Luci's voice. "If you don't want to talk, it's fine. I have to leave soon anyways, so...," he voice trailing. He hoped she'd stay though, a little longer. Just so he could bathe in her beauty for the last time. The cold wasn't good for either of them, and she suddenly sneezed. "Bless you Luci," he instantly said, concern registering over his face. Before he knew what he was doing, he took off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders, then cautiously edging back. A tissue for a jacket. It was the cleanest thing on him, and if she didn't want to wear it, she could take it off. It was something to keep her warm, though, and he hoped it would. The cold instantly struck his body, causing him to shiver. It was no big deal, though; as long as Luci was warm, it was all that mattered. Now, they exchanged actions. The cold caused his nose to twitch, and he quickly pulled out the tissue that Luci had given to him and turned away. Sneezing loudly into it, he felt so gross. Werewolves were supposed to be strong; they weren't supposed to be like this. Blowing his nose as quietly as he could to avoid attention, he just hoped she wouldn't say anything. Sniffling and still holding the balled up tissue, he turned back to her, the longing in his eyes. As long as she was warm, and kay. That's all he wanted.

Imagine- Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:14 pm

Luci

"No, I'm not sick, Judd," Luci responded, rubbing her nose. If she stayed out here for too long then she would be, but otherwise she was fine. Just a normal sneeze. The two stood in momentary silence after Luci gave Judd the tissue- He didn't use it, but at least he had it if needed. Luci could hear his nose still sniffling. I gave you the tissue for a reason... she thought, almost rolling her eyes. Typical Judd to try and be strong around her. She didn't answer for a few minuets after he responded to her comment, instead smoking and looking around. Finally, she sighed. "Yeah, well I'm doing fine, but it's nice of you to stop by," Luci mumbled, running a freezing hand through her hair. She was almost succeeding at the 'I'm fine, I'm invincible' facade. I think I miss you rang through her mind.

Judd sighed when she asked about Skylar, causing Luci's face to fall a bit. Clearly the fragile girl wasn't doing much better. As he described his sister, Luci but her lip. She hadn't even remembered that Skylar was blind in one eye. The girl seemed to be slipping, even if only a bit at a time, and surely Judd knew. Skylar hadn't even had proper medical attention in the first place. As Judd talked, he appeared increasingly stressed. Luci felt bad, but there wasn't much she could do- Even if she offered, Judd probably wouldn't accept out of pride. When he eventually asked about her mom, Luci took on his exact appearance. Her fingers seemed to fumble with the cigarette in her hand. "She's not much better, either. The cancer hasn't been spreading as rapidly, which is good, but her lungs are really weak and it's painful for her to talk. She can barely care for herself at this point- She's just so fragile," the girl relayed to Judd, eyes a little glassy. Luci knew her mother's time was running short, but saying it out loud always made things more real than she wanted them to be. "I don't know how, but mom's stayed pretty positive during the past few months. I think she's afraid that if she cracks, then I'll crack and dad will go insane," Luci tightly laughed, huffing on her shortening cigarette. Her mom was right, though. If she lost hope, Luci would crumble. She wished Judd could be there to support her. She kind of wanted him over everyone else, but at least she had some friends who helped her.

At Judd's next words, Luci shrugged. "N-No, this has been... nice. Good, yeah? We needed this," Luci whispered, stubbing out her cigarette with her boot. Her security blanket was gone, but she refused to pull another one out. Though she smoked, she also had a limit of how many she would smoke a day. The next thing Luci knew, Judd's jacket was on her shoulders over her own jacket. His worn jacket smelled a little off, yet it still smelled like typical Judd. Luci snuggled into the jacket, slowly warming up. However, Judd seemed to be shaking from being so cold. She felt bad and wanted to give him his coat back, but something told her he wouldn't accept it. "Bless you," Luci subconsciously said as Judd sneezed furiously into a wad of tissues. Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out the entire tissue pack. "Here, just take them, you need 'em more than I do right now," she offered, though it was more of a command. Judd was probably getting sick and if he wouldn't take the tissues on account of his masculinity, Luci would force the tissues on him.

Luci looked down at her shoes for a bit as Judd blew his nose. The air between them was stiff, yet not uncomfortable. When she gazed back up, Judd's eyes were on her. Luci could just make out the longing in his eyes and it reflected back in hers. Yes, Luci wanted Judd back. She really liked him, yet something in her mind told her to be afraid. She couldn't wholly listen to it, but she knew her mind was right on some level. Judd was a creature, a big wolf capable of killing her in seconds. He's not a monster! she screamed back to her mind. He's still a person, a person with feelings. He feels the same way you do. Shaking her head a bit, Luci pushed a stay lock of hair behind her ear and sighed. "Well, Judd, I should probably head back inside soon... I only have a little more of my break left and if I want another one later I'll have to cut this one short," the girl huffed, fidgeting with the hem of Judd's jacket. "You should probably take this back if you're going to walk around- It's freezing and you seem kinda sick already," she added. Slowly, Luci shrugged off Judd's jacket and placed it in his arms, a light smile on her reddened face. "Thanks, y'know. It was sweet of you." A small sneeze escaped Luci's nose. "Hope everything stays all right for you. I'll see you around, yeah?" Luci whispered, biting her lip. Half instinctively, Luci reached out her hand and laced it with Judd's, giving it a gentle squeeze like she always used to. Blushing, the flustered girl gave him a soft smile before entering back into the cafe, leaving the frigid weather and a lonely Judd behind her. Maybe they would meet again- Luci thought she might like that.

Atlas Thu Jun 18, 2015 6:34 am

Judd

Raising an eyebrow at Luci's words, he gazed into her face suspiciously. However, as the wolf within him smelled her tantalizing scent, it could detect no illness. "Uhh, good. Just making sure," he grunted, awkwardly clearing his throat to fill their tense silence. It killed him, the distance that they put up between each other, towering walls of indifference. Luci didn't seem to care much at all, her cigarette puffing tendrils of smoke. She was truly an enigma now; Judd didn't even know her anymore. When she finally spoke, she stated that his visit was nice, but she clearly wasn't too thrilled. Once again, Judd couldn't blame her. Glancing down and scuffing his shoes in the show, he tried to asses why he'd even come in the first place. His mind had no answers for that one; his feet had just led him here, and now he was stuck in quicksand, slowing sinking in the silence.

He had no reply for her, just a brief nod. He didn't want to bother her, but here he was doing just that. Before Luci, he wouldn't have cared. He would have been taunting any girl who stood him up, flirting his way back into their favor. Now, though, he knew when to step back and respect a girl. However, he couldn't quite leave now; he'd asked Luci about her mother, and out of more than pleasantry. He sincerely wanted to know how she was doing, considering how Luci had listened to the tragedy of Skylar's situation. As she went on, letting down her wall, Judd repressed the urge to draw her into his arms. She was lost, and so stuck. Her mother wasn't getting any better, and as time went on, she wouldn't. It seemed as if her mother and Skylar were tied to one fate -- death. "I'm sorry Luci." That was all he could offer, nothing profound or helpful. However, the empathy was in his eyes -- he knew exactly what Luci was going through. She was helpless, unable to stop her mother's fate, unable to heal her of her cancer. "She sounds like a fighter, though," he added, his dull eyes still resting on Luci's warm, brown ones. "I'll keep her and your family in my thoughts. It's tough and it sucks, but I know she can make it. You won't go crazy. You and your ad are going to be just fine, I promise." Luci wanted him to support her, and he wanted that too. He only wished he could; had he been a regular guy, without a savage beast inside of him, he would have in a heartbeat.

The next words came splurging out of his mouth. "Nice? Really? It's been nice talking to some werewolf guy that nearly killed you? You don't have to lie to me, Luci." Sighing and bringing his hand to his face, Judd sighed and watch until his breath turned into a smoky fog. "Sorry, it's just... Don't lie, really. You're not hurting my feelings, and I'll be out of here now." Her cigarette stubbed out, Judd felt some sort of relief as he watched the little flame die out in the snow. It was her choice, but it was a dumb one. Like getting into alcohol, smoking was just as addictive. He'd hoped that Luci would have known better, but she had made her own choice. She was a grown woman, a smart one -- Judd had no right to meddle. Sniffling and drawing his arms around him as he shuddered from the cold, he cast his eyes down as Luci blessed him. He was mortified; as his instincts screamed into him, he was never supposed to show weakness. In his mind, he was still a fighter from his old pack, and fighters never came down with a case of the sniffles. For a moment, he pretended as if he didn't notice the pack of tissues Luci offered, but he knew as seconds went on, she'd keep forcing them upon him. With a regretful scowl, he took them and quickly stuffed them in his pocket. "Thanks," he grunted, unsure of what else to say. It was a generous offer, as Judd currently had nothing, and would most likely spend the next day sneezing his brains out.

As they locked eyes, though, it was clear that their affections for each other hadn't changed. Judd wanted Luci, and Luci wanted Judd. His breath caught in his throat; maybe all of the hell they went through was only a nightmare. Maybe, just maybe... But then, he remembered that he was the nightmare. It was he that had driven them apart, and he who had caused the distance and fear in Luci. She was the beauty and he the beast, and it would always be that way. There was no future for them, and she seemed to know as well. She began to signal the end of their unexpected meeting, giving Judd his jacket back. Holding it in his hands, he knew that when she left, he could smell her sweet scent on it. Letting the sleeve rest in the snow, he listened carefully to her words. The last words she'd ever say to him, most likely. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I won't do it again," he promised, as earnestly as he could. His heart would always pull him here, though. Letting out an aggravated sigh, he began to protest,"I'm not sick Luce-," but then stopped. It wasn't worth getting worked up over; at least she seemed to care. "You're welcome. It was nice seeing you again," he admitted, allowing a little fraction of his now broken smile creep across his face. It wasn't anything like his old, comical, goofy grins, but it was a start. "I hope everything stays alright with you too -- especially your mom." And then, something even more unexpected happened. Luci smiled too, and squeezed his hand. Her familiar palms held his for a slight second, and then let go. She went back into her store, becoming an enigma once again. He stood in the snow for a few moments, watching as she disappeared, and then walked on, leaving a piece of his heart behind him.

Timeskip

"What do you mean, Saturday?"

It had been a few days after his meeting with Luci, and although his cold had gotten better, everything else was falling to shambles.

"I mean Saturday. I want your rent then, and no later. The $300, all in cash."

Judd's eyes couldn't have bulged wider. He needed $300 by Saturday. Saturday. He had about $150 saved up, half of the amount he needed. And somehow, he needed to scramble another $150 by Saturday.

"What the hell, man!" he roared, not waiting an instant to attack. "You can't do that! The rent is due next Tuesday, not this Saturday. You can't do that!" His hands were clenched into fists, his face red and hellfire in his eyes. The landlord, however, was unaffected.

"I can, and I will. Your rent is non-negotiable, as is when you pay it. I can demand for the money as soon as I see fit. Either you give me the money, all $300, by Saturday, or you'll be without a warm room. Good luck to you, sir." the landlord overemphasized the last word in mock contempt, his sharp, rat-like eyes narrowing in distaste. He strode away in the snow, Judd roaring profanities at him.

"Get back here you bastard! Son of a fucking bitch, get your ass back here!" It did no good, as the landlord had already gotten in his car and sped off. "Fuck you!" he screamed with all of the malice and anger he possessed. His wolf was steaming, angry, and as he panted and clenched his fist, he had to fight away the impending shift. And then, there were stronger emotions too. "Jesus christ," Judd muttered, sinking against the wall of The King's Inn. It was far from anything royal; this particular inn was known for being the worst in town. The rooms were small, dirty, and the halls were filled with drug addicts and former prisoners. It was a dangerous, dirty place, but it was the only place Judd and Skylar could stay. And now, it looked as if they might face homelessness again, unless Judd could magically earn $150 in two days. "Shit, oh shit," he repeated to himself, feeling on the verge of tears. This could not be happening; he and Skylar could not be on the streets again, especially in her precarious state. She would surely die, and it was all because of Judd's uselessness. His now shaved (yet still dirty) face was drawn out, his mouth gaping as he fought off the fear and anger that had taken control of him. They were so screwed. Why couldn't he be like Luci, with a steady job, proper eduction, and functioning family? Why couldn't he just be freaking human? He needed help, but would he be able to swallow his pride to accept it? Sighing and rising to his feet, his sniffled and rubbed the corner of his eyes. It was his break -- he needed to take care of Skylar and then return back to work. There was $150 to make in two days.

Imagine- Fri Jun 19, 2015 3:39 am

Luci

Luci hadn't been doing much since her meeting with Judd. However, he was now on her mind nearly all of the time. On one hand, she didn't mind because she liked thinking about him, but on the other hand it just simply bothered her. Luci worked so hard to build herself back up and now here she was, full circle, thinking about Judd. He plagued her mind as she walked down the street on Thursday morning, coming back from Simon's house. They'd spent the night studying for an exam that they had in a few days and by the time they'd finished, Luci had felt too tired to go home. She currently sported her work shirt from yesterday, Simon's sweatpants, and a tote bag stuffed with school materials. Luckily the weather was warmer today- Even the sun shone down, reflecting harshly on the melting snow. Luci had to avert her vision form the bright patches so she wouldn't blind herself or anything.

As the tired girl trudged down the street, she spotted The King's Inn on the next block. That motel was infamous for being a stock house of ex-cons, drug dealers, crackheads, prostitutes etc. Of course, Luci couldn't say she hadn't been there before. She couldn't remember exactly what she'd been there for- Had she slept with that cute drug dealer from the bar last year? or was that somewhere else- but either way she didn't remember it all too well. As the motel came into closer view, Luci saw what seemed to be a fight. Really? This early in the morning? she thought, raising an eyebrow. Not wanting to get involved, the girl pretended to stare at the ground as she approached the motel, but looked on through her peripheral vision. As she got closer, Luci heard strings of obscenities from a voice that was all too familiar. That couldn't be Judd, right? What would he be doing there? Maybe he was mixing with a bad crowd? The figure that Luci assumed was Judd slumped against the wall, head in hands as a car sped off. Luci stood still for a minute, hands in her pockets as she stared. Going over would be weird, but at the same time it would be weird if she didn't go over and see what the problem was.

Steps light, Luci walked over to Judd and stood a few feet in front of him. "Judd? Is that you?" Luci asked dumbly, though she knew it was him for sure. "What are you doing here? Are you all right? And where's you sister?," she rambled, staring down at him. Judd didn't say much for a few minutes, so Luci stepped closer and knelt down next to him. "It looked like you and whoever was here were fighting... Is everything okay with you? I mean honestly, what are you doing here? It's not that safe!" Luci exasperated, hands on her hips. She sat down next to Judd, about a foot in between them. Lips pursed, she said nothing, just waiting for him to answer. His appearance screamed 'stress, fatigue, worry.' However, he'd shaved that scraggly beard off, revealing the face that Luci had fallen in love with. Judd wasn't clean still, but even just the shaving made a difference. Luci's bag scraped the ground, hitting a crinkled condom wrapper. "Gross..." She mumbled, shifting herself closer to Judd. Please tell me that's not from him... she thought, staring at the wrapper for a moment. Surely it wasn't (she knew for a fact that Judd bought a different brand because she'd seen them in his bag one day), but the idea still clung in Luci's mind. Sighing, the girl gently nudged Judd's shoulder with her own after a continued silence from him. "You good there, Judd?" She whispered, pushing a lock of hair from her face. Everything she said seemed to be questions, but that's all she had right now. Luci was confused as to why Judd was at this dingy motel, why he looked so frazzled, why he'd been fighting. "I know it's not my place to ask about your situation, but I... Well, I just wanna make sure you're okay, yeah?" Luci said. The air felt tense between the two as they sat in silence, Luci patiently waiting for Judd to answer her multitude of questions. However long it took, Luci would wait. She wanted to make sure he was okay, even if he wouldn't share details.

Atlas Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:15 pm

Judd

Everything he'd worked toward, all of his goals, everything was crumbling. He thought he could financially support himself and his sister. He thought he could survive without a pack. He thought he could at least find a cheap place to temporarily stay, even if it was a place full of crackheads and prostitutes. He was wrong. Judd sat in the snow, not aware of the biting cold; his failure was the only thing on his mind. Head in his hands, staring dully ahead at the blinding snow, he wished he could melt along with it. It was a complete dump he lived in, but he needed it more than anything else on the moment. It was a welcome place, offering a roof over their heads. And now, thanks to the landlord, he could be evicted within the next couple of days. Letting out a shaky sigh and biting his cheeks, it was the only way to maintain his composure.

A familiar scent drifted through the chilly air into his sensitive nose. Closing his eyes and pressing his hands into his forehead, he knew exactly who it was. Just as he expected, a shadow began to float its way over to him, a starch contrast in the blindingly white snow. He didn't dare move his head or look up; maybe he could spontaneously melt into the snow at this moment? The sweet voice confirmed who it was, her question full of concern. It sickened him, the familiar concern that resided in her voice every time he spoke with her. She kept asking various, rambling questions, ones that he could not bring himself to answer. He continued to stare into the snow, his pride shrinking and shrinking as she kept asking him innocent questions.

He would not respond in anger this time, though. At the last question, he could stand it no longer. He was not a child that could curl up and pitch a fit. He needed to admit where he was, and start working harder to get himself out of this predicament. Sighing, he spoke after minutes of silence. Picking his head up, turned to Luci (who was now sitting next to him) and forced himself to look her in the eyes. "I live here," he responded quietly. He waited to see the mixture of pity and horror on her face that would surface within the next few seconds. Before she asked more questions, he knew he'd better explain himself. "It's the cheapest place I can afford right now. I'm assuming you saw the, uh," he faltered, unable to find the correct words,"disagreement with the landlord." Now that he thought about it, he felt so idiotic. By fighting with that rat of a man, he was only asking for more trouble. He could be evicted tomorrow, if the landlord wanted to do so. It was a loosing battle, and anything that Judd did could be used against him. "He wants the rent earlier than normal," he stated simply. He refused to admit to Luci, however, how far he was behind in paying it. She was a smart girl; she could connect those dots herself.

It was best to fill her in with as much as he could, though. The more questions answered, the less awkwardness would lie between them. On most issues, Judd now wanted to be honest. "Skylar's in there, resting," he said, pointing at the grubby, run-down motel. It was dirty, slightly dangerous, and a shitty place to live, but Judd welcomed it in contrast to street-way alleys. They were werewolves, and sure, could live in the wild. As humans, though, there was no way either of them could take the streets. The only place left was the woods, which was infiltrated with his old pack. If caught, Judd and Skylar could be killed. So, the King's Inn it was. Luci wrinkled her nose, kicking a condom wrapper, one of the many things that littered the area. Judd had almost censored those out, as he saw so many discarded condom wrappers, drugs, and the like that he no longer noticed them any more. Deciding to put a spin of good humor on his situation, he forced a chuckle. "Yeah, it's gross. Sorry about that. But, it's not that bad here. If I ever feel the need for a joint, I can walk across the hall and get one form my old pal, Tuco the drug dealer." Hopefully, she knew that he was joking, but he had to admit that he was tempted.

Being caught by Luci here was humiliating, and he didn't want her to be around the area much longer. For a tough-looking guy, it was safe for the most part. For Luci, however, it was not. Forcing himself to stand, he offered his hand to Luci. It was nice to see that she cared about him to come over, despite the stigma about this place. "I'll be fine, don't worry. It's better than nowhere," he attempted, trying to reassure both Luci and himself. He noticed her sweatpants, obviously much too big on her to be hers. It hurt, yet he didn't wish to make any sort of comment. She must have moved on; change was inevitable. "What about you? Are you okay? With work and school and everything?" He stood awaiting for Luci to take his hand, so he could escort her out of the land of drug dealers and prostitutes that was now his home. He still looked and felt defeated, anxious, and terrified, but standing was a better alternative to sinking into the ground and turning into a blubbering infant. He wanted Luci to see that.

Imagine- Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:51 pm

Luci

Eyebrows furrowing, Luci locked eyes with Judd. "Wait, you live here?" She asked incredulously. She then paused. "That came out rude, sorry... But you live here? I didn't even know you could rent out rooms- I assumed you couldn't because this place is so, well, shitty. It's a big shit-hole, so what are you doing here?" She continued, hands gesturing to the grimy building. Judd didn't hesitate to answer her questions, so Luci sat patiently and listened to him explain the situation. She couldn't believe that Judd lived in a place as dirty as this, especially if Skyler was still with him. "Yeah, I saw you two arguing. Didn't look so friendly..." the girl trailed off as Judd started up again. If the landlord wanted the rent earlier than normal, couldn't Judd just scrape up the money? No, he couldn't. He didn't have family to support him and he only worked a minimum wage job- Even if Luci was in his position, she wouldn't have been able to scrape the money together. Was there no other place for him to go? The trucker motels were much better than The King's Inn, but Luci assumed that they were too expensive for Judd's meager budget.

"Skyler's in there? Alone?" Luci questioned, eyes widening a bit. "I mean I'm sure it's fine, but aren't you ever worried that someone might, y'know... hurt her? Try to rob your room? Something bad like that?" She didn't want to imagine a drunken man or woman barging into Judd's room, seeing Skylar and taking their anger out on her, ransacking the place, etc. Surely Judd had thought about it, but... The two sat in silence as Luci kicked the condom wrapper, and Judd cracked a joke at it. "Wait, you know Tuco?" Luci asked, face whitening. After being completely still, she nudged Judd's shoulder with her own. "Nah, just messing with ya. Well, kind of," Luci airily laughed. Truthfully, Luci knew some people around here. A few came into the cafe every once in a while, some causing trouble and others surprisingly well-behaved. Also, she'd been here a few times with, well, some people she'd met over the years, so she probably would recognize a few faces were she to go inside.

Taking Judd's hand, Luci stood up and wiped her pants off. "School's going okay. I'm actually coming back from Simon's house 'cause we were studying. I was supposed to come home last night but we ended up studying until like, 3am so I just crashed at his place. The test is tomorrow so I'll study some more today, but I think I'll do okay on it. It's really memorization more than anything, ya know? Nothing out of the ordinary." The girl took a breath and continued. "Eh, work is same old same old. I've been working more lately for extra money- and because I have extra time- so working is about half of my life right now," she shrugged, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder again.

Luci and Judd stood next to each other, both remaining silent. Suddenly, Luci's big mouth flew open. "What if you stay at my place for a bit? I'm not even home half of the time because of work so it probably wouldn't be that awkward. I've got a couch and some extra space for you and your sister, and Skylar could even take my bedroom on days I'm working overtime. You can stay and save some money until you're more financially stable, yeah? I mean I'd offer you money instead but I know you won't accept it, so..." she rambled, hands in pockets. Luci's eyes stayed on the ground, fixated on a particularly dirty patch of snow. She hadn't thought through what she'd just offered, hadn't thought about how it may make memories from before come back and plague her mind. All she'd thought about was helping Judd, making his situation a little easier and more comfortable. Finally looking up at him, she bit her lip. "Only if you'd be all right with it. I can save ya from that nasty landlord, right?" Luci joked a bit, shuffling her feet against the slush. "There's a bunch of paintings scattered around my living room right now but if I move them there'll be enough space for three people. I think one of the paintings is for you, actually, but that's for another day, yeah?" She rambled again, cheeks flushing. As she waited for a response, Luci gave Judd a shy look and smiled a bit. This was not how she imaged her morning would happen.

Atlas Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:03 am

She took it exactly as he expected -- with incredulity and bluntness. With a sigh, he sarcastically responded,"Yes Luci, I live here. Here, as in the King's Inn. This is Home Sweet Home, the Casa Del Judd. A beautiful palace fit for a fucking king." At this, he spread his arms wide and let them drop as he observed the dump Luci's eyes should never have to see. It reeked, even from where they were standing. Snow covered the roof and the pavement, as no one bothered to scoop it up. And that wasn't even the worst of it, as some obscene items were littered in the snow beneath the windows. Some part of the roof were beginning to cave in with the weight of the snow, and from the inside, most of the rooms leaked. To top it all of, there was a methhead in the back smoking, and the scent drifting off of the smoke smelled distinctly of, well, meth. Luci apologized though, so Judd felt slightly bad at going off at her. Running his hand trough his hair, he apologized. "It's fine Luci. Sorry for snapping. but yeah, it's a big shit hole, for a broke ass guy like me." It sucked to admit to Luci his financial issues, but it was pretty obvious he wasn't doing well. As if to emphasize, he plastered on a fake grin and reached into his pockets. All he pulled out was some of the tissues Luci had given to him when he was getting sick, and 1 $10 bill. "See? I'm totally rich," he scoffed, and after proving his point, shoved the lack of money and tissues back in his pocket.

Judd leaned back against the wall as Luci awkwardly brought up the landlord. At this, Judd was able to chuckle a little, more than he had in a long time. "Sorry you had to see that, but yeah. definitely not the most friendly guy," he admitted with a grin. "He's such an asshole, and somehow he makes money off of this dump. But I guess even the methheads need a place to stay." Judd glanced down into the snow momentarily, his cheeks reddening somewhat. He figured he should probably thank Luci for giving him the tissues; he'd seemed pretty ungrateful when she gave them to him, but it had definitely hurt his pride. In fact, his cold was part of the reason why he was in the mess in the first place. His boss had forced him to take three days off of work (although he recovered in two due to his enhanced healing). Since he hadn't been working at his job for very long, he wasn't given sick leave, so he was $150 shorter than he would normally be. "Uh," he began, clearly feeling awkward about bringing it up,"I just wanted to... Say thanks for the tissues. They came in handy." And that was all he wanted to say about that. He'd said his thanks, and he didn't want to bring it up ever again.

An exasperated sigh snuck its way out of his mouth as Luci became alarmed regarding Skylar's safety. Luci had valid points, but so far he'd been staying at this place for nearly two weeks without incident. Resisting the urge to snap again, he slowly stated,"Yeah, that thought has crossed my mind several times. Which is why I bought a whole bunch of extra locks and chains and stuff. Trust me, the door is pretty chained up; it looks like I'm holding someone hostage." Perhaps it was a little excessive, but Judd wanted to take all precautions possible. The thought of his sister crossed his mind and he felt the urge to go back and check on her, but Luci was too alluring. He couldn't leave now, not when they were finally talking. they were able to take their eyes off the condom once Judd started joking about Tuco the drug dealer. When Luci asked if he knew Tuco, Judd jerked his head up from the scenery (which contained snow, the condom, and more snow) and stared at her. "Wait, you know him?" It was a few moments of panic as he waited for her to respond. how did such a conscientious, driven girl get socialized with a drug dealer? It took him a few seconds to realize she was just joking, leading him to feel pretty stupid. He let out another grin, this one of embarrassment, as he chuckled,"You got me there. Here's a tip; don't talk to druggies. They're batshit crazy."

She delved into her own life, Judd listening contently. It felt nice just to listen to someone else's life, forgetting about his own. he whistled as she mentioned how late she and Simon stayed up; her motivation would always amaze him. "Well, I'm sure after all that work that you'll do fine. Damn, I can't believe you stayed up that late. On the rare occasion when I'd study, it never went past five minutes." Before meeting Luci, he'd never given a second thought to education. Now, though, the fact that he'd never graduated high school was embarrassing, and he wished things were different. Even Skylar didn't let being a werewolf get in the way; before the attack, she'd been taking online courses and studiously pouring over notes. As always when she mentioned Simon, Judd felt a little jealous, but he assumed their relationship was nothing romantic. Work was the same for her too, just a little more hours than usual. "Same here, with the hours," he agreed with a nod. He'd been working as many as he could, often exhausting 11 ours shifts. But it was worth it, as long as Skylar had medicine, food, and a roof over her head.

Then she blurted out the words that looked as if they'd been on her mind for quite some time. He stood with his mouth gaping over for several seconds until the information began to register in his head. Him, stay at Luci's again? After everything that had happened? Was she insane? Was he insane for even considering it? It would be nice to get out of this dump and worry less about the rent. Then, the money for the rent could go more to Skylar's medicine, and his savings. But he couldn't do that to Luci again, especially after he had nearly killed her. Besides, it was humiliating to accept such help; he was a man, and he could make it work. "Absolutely not," he answered back, his face suddenly growing hard and stubborn. "I'm not going to just come into your house and take up your space with the two of us. Last time was... Bad. I don't want to do something like that ever again. Besides, I'm not helpless. I can take care of the two of us just fine. So thanks, but no thanks," he flatly declined. His eyes were fixated on the same dirty patch of snow, not speaking until he heard her say more. Now, she was joking more or less, but he could still tell the seriousness in her tone. In the back of his mind, he was screaming to get out of this dump.

He couldn't take it any longer. He blurted out,"Oh god, save me from this landlord. He is driving me insane." He hated to accept this offer, hated o burden Luci again after everything that had happened. But this could be his only chance to get out of here. It was dangerous leaving Skylar up in the room all day, not to mention the dirty and cold room was bad for her health. Her house was closer to his job, and much better in terms of utilities and food. She wouldn't be around very much, considering she was working and everything. All in all, it was a win situation for him. For Luci, it was defiantly a risk. However, Judd had been sober for a while now, and without alcohol, his wolf would be no problem. Sighing in defeat, he insisted,"Just for a little bit. I can get back on my feet soon, I swear. As soon as Skylar's better, I won't have to spend as much money on medical stuff. Then I can pay rent somewhere better." It was an offer he hated to accept, but at this point he was desperate. "Thank you so much Luci. I promise I'll be out soon, and we won't bother you at all. I can shop for my own food and supplies, so don't even think about doing any more for us." She even had a gorgeous painting for him, something that was pretty hard to believe. "Thank you," he uttered again, so appreciative that she was giving him a second chance.

(I was gonna have him invite her inside for a second while he gathers his things and gets Sky. I wasn't sure if you wanted that though, and I'm getting pretty tired. If you do, just message me tomorrow and let me know, and I can edit this and add it in.)

Imagine- Fri Jul 31, 2015 10:28 pm

Luci

Luci recoiled at Judd's sharp response to her proposal- She had only been trying to be a good friend. However, the girl knew exactly where he was coming from with his refusal. It had been quite bad last time, but Judd saying he'd never do it again made Luci feel a bit insulted. Had he not liked her home? She thought it to be a good place to stay, especially since he had no other viable options. Had he not liked being near her in general? It was irrelevant, she decided. "Oh, well sorry then. I mean I don't really think you have any other options if you don't wanna stay here, but I understand..." Luci finally acknowledged, stuffing her hands into her pockets. Judd's eyes were fixated on the same dirty patch of snow that she'd been staring at earlier. He seemed antsy, as if he wasn't satisfied with the situation. Silence filled the gap between the two adults, Luci rocking back and forth on her boots and Judd shuffling his feet. Judd's exclamation shattered the cold air as he looked up in desperation. He wanted out of the hellhole he was staying in, forcing him to accept Luci's offer as it stood. Luci easily could tell that he didn't want to accept, seeing what had happened last time, but she felt relieved that he understood why she'd proposed the idea and why he should accept it.

"Stay as long as you need, it's fine. I can clear up my living room for you and your sister. You don't have to pay for a lot of stuff, it's really just groceries and maybe some of the water bill if anything. I'll probably be able to bring some food home from the diner if you ever need it, too," she told Judd, nodding her head. "It's really no big deal." After a few moments, Luci motioned to the building behind them. "We should go get your stuff and your sister, yeah?" She suggested. Judd nodded, mumbling about how rancid it would be and saying that Luci should stay outside. She protested and followed him through the door into the hallway. Her nose crinkled at the smell of something dank, the dim light causing her to squint. Thankfully it was mid morning so not many people were out, though voices drifted from a few of the rooms. Judd's was at the end of the hall, securely bolted with a padlock on the handle. Judd unlocked the door and shook it until it gave way, the rusted hinges whining.

Judd's room had a dim lamp on a bedside table, faded curtains hanging limply from rusted curtain rods, and a threadbare quilt loosely thrown over a singular bed. Luci traced her fingers along the peeling wallpaper, eyes transfixed on smudged writing that covered the bare wall beneath. She couldn't make any of it out but she assumed that it wasn't something she'd like to know. As the girl took in the unsightly quarters, Judd scurried around gathering his belongings, not that he had much at all. A simple suitcase housed all of his possessions, which mainly consisted of clothes. Skylar's tote bag was already packed. Judd reached into a drawer to grab some money he'd hidden there and stuffed it into his pocket. As he continued to check his stuff, Luci gently sat down on the bed next to Skylar. The teen girl laid unresponsive as Luci placed a hand on her head. "You poor kid," the girl whispered, brushing a stay blonde lock from Skyler's forehead. Judd coughed to signify that he was done gathering everything up. "I'll help you carry some stuff," Luci offered, taking Skyler's bag and hoisting it onto her shoulder next to her own. "You ready?" She asked. Judd nodded furiously. "Then let's ditch this bitch," Luci shot with a smirk, turning and not looking back.

((We can just assume that they all went back to Luci's house, haha.))

Atlas Sun Aug 23, 2015 6:57 am

Perhaps he'd been to sharp with her. She recoiled at his sudden denial of her kind offer, her lips curving downwards in a frown. Hopefully his outburst hadn't brought back any unwanted memories -- and that was what he was afraid of. There were no time for explanations at the present, though. He finally gave in, and she graciously accepted. She was an anchor for them, always there when he didn't deserve it. The guilt was written in the lines on his face, snaking about his skin and deep into his heart. It writhed and squirmed, his brain screaming a loud no! He wasn't a man at all; he was a helpless child, unable to even function by himself, always relying on an already-burdened girl for help. He was dead weight to her, and it was absolutely disgusting. However, he knew better than to let his pride get in the way. His sister was gravelly wounded, lying in a dark, moldy room. She didn't deserve any of it, and through his shattered pride, all he thought of was Skylar, and the fragmented happy memories he and Luci once shared.

If his pride was shattered by accepting her offer, it was completely obliterated when they entered the shack that had been his home. It was the perfect picture of poverty. The walls were weathered and worn, peeling in multiple spots with concerning stains peeking through. There was no color to be found in the room, aside from the dirty, washed brown cast on by the walls, and the dark shadows casting from the single lightbulb. Little to no furniture could be found, only a tiny table (but every square inch of it somehow filled with bandages and medicines), a broken lamp cast to the side of the room, and a ratty old bed with none other than Skylar lying in it. Wishing to make haste, Judd quickly hurried and began to gather what few belongings he had. Luci was standing in the room, most likely taking in the mess it was. "This place rivals the Palace of fucking Versailles, I tell ya," he chuffed. Even from the back, it was clear that he was highly embarrassed; the tips of his ears were red. After he quickly shoved all of Skylar's medicines and few clothes into a duffle plastic bag, and his clothes into another, he was ready. He'd gotten the emergency money from the drawer. It didn't amount to much, but $40 was better than nothing. He gathered everything, patting down his pockets just to ensure. While he did so, he was aware of Luci gazing compassionately at his unconscious sister. Not wanting to break the touching moment, he observed as Luci moved aside her blonde hair. The poor girl was so gone, she didn't even move.

He gave Luci a few moments, then coughed to signify he was ready. He smirked at Luci's statement; that was more like it. That was the old Luci. He gave a little,"Hell yeah," in response, and then went about to scooping up his things. It wasn't hard. The hard part, though, was picking up Skylar without waking her and effectively putting her in pain. Judd carefully scooped up his fragile sister, taking care to move her slowly and gently. In her sleep, the girl moaned and winced slightly, but as soon as Judd securely held her, she was silent. It was pretty cold outside, so Judd snatched the old quilt blanket from the bed. The landlord wouldn't miss it, probably. His injured sister was covered up and secure in his arms, Luci standing by his side and smirking. The two made their way out of the crackhouse, Judd finally feeling a sense of soaring freedom. He was out; he was free. He whipped his head to Luci, his old grin slowly spreading on his face. He was unthawing after a long winter. "I'm out," he whispered, his green eyes nearly tearing up at the fact. "Thank you."

He was a free man -- almost. The walk back to Luci's was quick, Judd wanted to keep his sister out of the cold for as long as possible. Soon the familiar house began to come int view, the house that had become his second home. He missed it. Luci unlocked the door and lead the way in, Judd a few steps behind. Before entering, he hesitated; was this really the right decision? Sure, he and his sister needed a place to stay. The real question was, though, did Luci need them? Was this really safe, considering how he had shifted the first time? Did she feel safe, taking in two werewolves? However, the shivering of his sister finally prompted him to enter. When he stepped in, all of the memories rushed back. The cuddling on the couch. Playing with each other's hair. watching movies and talking until dawn. It was all here, threaded into his memory. Anything he looked at sparked some sort of response. It stayed about the same, save for some new (breathtaking) paintings. It was all there for him.

He wasted no time in putting the bags down. Then, he made his way over to the couch. The couch where they had made out, cuddled, and whispered sweet nothings. Touching it triggered that memory, that time where they had watched White Chicks and howled and sang through the night. Judd slipped Skylar onto that memory-filled couch, the effect on her almost immediate. Although unconscious, her face relaxed slightly, and Judd threw another blanket on her to keep her warm. Then, he turned to Luci. Mere words couldn't express his gratitude. Without thinking, he came closer to her than he had been in what seemed like forever. He drew his arms around her, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, feeling her curvy body and soft skin. Head buried on her shoulder, he whispered,"Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you." After a sufficiently awkward moment, he stepped back and put his hands in his pocket again. "And I'm sorry for getting mad earlier and denying. When I stayed here last time, it was wonderful. But then... I screwed things up. It won't happen again though, I promise. You won't see that side of me ever again." This he would stick to or he'd leave Luci, to ensure her safety. "I'll pay for my own groceries, I still have that job at BK. I'll pay for the water bill, electricity, anything you need. You have no idea how much I appreciate this, and how much Skylar will too. She really admires you, ya know." He admired Luci too.

However, the matter of the wolf still remained. Judd knew what event was coming up, and it would not be a pretty sight. "I have to be honest with you though," he began, scratching the back of his neck as he always did when he was uncomfortable. They had avoided the werewolf thing for a long time, not bringing it up at all. Now, though, he needed to address it. "There... There's a full moon coming up tomorrow. I'm sure you get the gist of it, you've seen all of the werewolf movies. But I'll be out of here, I'll stay in the forest for the night. Skylar won't be a problem, at most she'll be a harmless, puppy-like wolf. Just stay in the house tomorrow night," he warned, his eyes wide and imploring. There was no doubt the pack would be out, too. He might even see them in the woods, which could result in death for him. Even worse for Luci, and he would have to make sure those mutts stayed away from his friend, his friend who was also some sort of lover. "But yeah, I just wanted to make sure that you're aware of that, and thank you so much for helping us out. We'll be out of here soon," he ended with a shrug, hands in his pocket. Silence passed by. Now what?

Imagine- Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:45 pm

Luci

Luci unlocked the door to her home, shouldering it open- Sometimes in the colder weather it took a little more effort than usual to get the door to budge. Tossing her keys onto the coffee table, she immediately set to work moving her numerous paintings out of the living room. Her art room was already pretty full of supplies and canvases but it would have to fit more anyways. Luci delicately grabbed two paintings at a time and began hauling them away, swinging her art room door open with her hips. The skylight provided enough light for her to see where she could place her works, and she opted for the back corner where some of her unused canvases lie. Her art room was, quite honestly, what some would describe as 'tumblr.' The little square room housed easels, canvases, bottles and bottles of all types of paint (carefully organized, knowing Luci), pictures, brushes, and so forth. As she was putting away her paintings, she noticed one in the corner she'd forgotten about. A medium sized canvas, probably no more than 2' x 4', leaning against the wall portrayed a detailed picture of a black wolf. The details were miraculous- The wolf's pearly fangs, glistening saliva dripping from its mouth, textured black coat with splashes of other colors, glistening green eyes that mimicked emeralds. Luci painted it in the days after Judd had shifted in front of her, the painting helping relieve her suffering. She didn't really know what to do with it, so she'd been letting it sit propped up against the wall for a while. Maybe she'd show Judd one day, although he probably wouldn't want to see it. Shaking her head, Luci backed out of the room and continued hauling canvases back and forth until her living room was clear.

When she came to Judd, Skylar had just been placed on the couch- The girl seemed much comfier already. "Well, it's good she's looking-" Luci started before Judd engulfed her in his embrace. She froze for a moment, not used to this type of emotion from him, but soon relaxed. Judd mumbled words of thanks into her shoulder as Luci's arms snaked around his torso, hands resting gently on his back. Within seconds the pair broke apart, although he continued to thank her-and apologize to her- endlessly. Luci sighed and ran a hand through her short hair. "No, it's okay. At least now we both know what's going on. I think I can handle it a bit better... Anything to help a friend, yeah?" She commented with a shrug. "And you don't have to pay everything, maybe just split some of the electric and water bill with me. Groceries aren't that big of a deal." Luci blushed a bit when Judd revealed that Skyler admired her. It felt good to have someone look up to her, especially because Luci had no younger siblings.

However, the mood became solemn when Judd began speaking again. He confessed that he would have to shift tomorrow night because of the full moon, but he didn't want to stay anywhere near Luci- rightfully so. "No, I'm not having you go into the woods as a werewolf if your pack is still out there. They'd probably kill you on the spot! It's not safe." Luci forcefully argued, crossing her arms. The girl cared about Judd way too much to see him get hurt. She closed her eyes and thought for a few minutes, trying to come up with a safe plan for Judd. Finally, something came to her. "Oh! I know what you can do. Okay, so my parents aren't at their house because they went to visit a family friend just across the border for a few days. My mom hasn't seen her in forever so dad treated her to a little visit. Anyways, their house has a section of forest as the backyard and there aren't too many neighbors around because most of them spend winters in Ontario. We could go to their house tomorrow night and you could shift there, yeah? No one would be around, it's still a forest area and it's pretty safe. Would that work?" she suggested, words flowing a mile a minute. It was the safest option that she could think of. Luci herself really had no backyard, and she had neighbors, so her property was off limits, and there was no way in hell she'd let Judd go alone- Even if it meant having to see him shift again.

Atlas Sun Sep 06, 2015 6:39 am

As Luci left the room momentarily to move out her numerous paintings, Judd awkwardly folded his arms. He felt like an intruder in her house; hadn't she learned the first time that he didn't belong? It was as if nothing had changed, but there was a certain amount of tension in the air. However, as he glanced over at his comfortable-looking sister, who was peacefully sleeping on the couch, he knew in his heart that this was the right decision. Not only was it good for Sky, but it was good for his mentality as well. Finally, the concept of moving on and starting over seemed plausible, now that he was out of such of a toxic environment. Sighing, he drew his arms closer around him, as he observed Luci bustling in and out of the room. He wanted to assist her in moving the paintings, but he knew that she got pretty protective over them -- she probably wouldn't want his grubby hands all over them. Judging from the paintings, she was doing even more than usual. It took her a good few minutes to move everything, and as she did, Judd tried to get as good of a look of them as he could. They were all fantastic, as always.

Painting was a cathartic activity for her to relieve some of the mental trauma Judd had inflicted on her. He was unaware of how his wolf had even inspired another painting -- one of him in his monstrous form. That was something he'd rather not see. As painting was healing for her, Judd found that writing was healing for him. Writing what, he didn't know; they were poems for the most part, but occasionally he sang the verses with his deep voice. So they were songs, but not completely -- he had no guitar, so it was just him and his voice. The "lyric-poem-whatever-it-was" was in his pocket, crumpled and folded multiple times. It as about Luci, of course. Still stuck on the last verse, Judd now knew how he'd end it. Then, perhaps, he could heal too.

Luci came back after hauling the many paintings, and he couldn't help himself. She would never fully understand his gratitude, his appreciation. Before he knew it, his arms were hugged tight around her. As soon as his mind caught up with his body, he felt ashamed. He half expected her to stiffen or push him away, but after a few moments, she loosened up and even brought her hands around his torso. Emotion coursed through his body, the distant familiarity of Luci's hands on him. Tighter, closer! His desires and wolf screamed into his mind, and before anything could happen, Judd pushed away again. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking about that..." He stopped talking, though, an listened to what Luci had to say about all of this. "I'm sorry for not telling me; I wanted to tell you from the beginning, but... I wasn't sure if you'd believe me. Hell, it's been years, and I still can't fully believe it," he confessed, his green eyes boldly meeting hers for the first time that evening. "I'm open to questions, if you have them. I've kept the truth from you for so long, you deserve to know." As she mentioned,"Anything to help a friend," a glimpse of hope leapt in his heart. Was he still a friend of hers? God, he hoped so.

They laid out the ground rules, Judd nodding absentmindedly as all of this new information swirled around in his mind. "Anything that'll help you, I'll do. Really, it's no trouble to me." Besides, the more money he spent on necessities, the less he'd have for any alcohol. While he'd been clean for a few weeks, he was terrified of slipping into his old habit -- and Luci wouldn't like that at all. Talking about money was already uncomfortable and awkward, but when Judd brought up the upcoming full moon, you could hear a pin drop. After several moments of silence, he sighed,"Sorry, was that too soon?" However, she had a plan as always. "No, they wouldn't do anything to me. You think they could take me on?" he added with the ghost of his cocky grins. this was a total lie -- if they saw him, he would be dead on sight. He thought of no other options than going out to meet his death, but Luci was concerned, as well as smarter than him. He mulled her idea over for a moment, considering all of the possibilities. It was far enough from his territory, as well as secluded from humans. As long as no one was home, he could chain himself to any trees out in this person's backyard. Skylar had to be accounted for, though. What would he do with his broken sister? "That sounds like a good idea. You have to be sure they won't come home, though. And do they have a big house? Skylar will have to shift too, but I don't want her chained up outside..." As he mulled on this some more, he began to consider Luci even more. "I know seeing it might bring up some unwanted memories. So, if you feel the need to come, please stay inside. I don't want you to... To have to see me like that again." The plan would work and Judd would follow it, as long as she never had to see what sort of monster he was ever again.

Imagine- Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:03 am

(Timeskip to Luci's parents' house)

Luci

Luckily for Luci, there were no problems getting Judd and Skylar to her parents' house. On the way there, she'd been thinking of the space they had and how to "de-wolf" it, as Judd liked to say. Skylar would be easy- her parents' basement was spacious and comfy, perfect for Skylar to shift and not get hurt. The girl had been placed half unconscious on the basement rug, cushioned with pillows and blankets and left with food and water. Judd, on the other hand, would be a bit harder. The backyard undoubtedly was the only place he could shift, but what exactly Luci could do proved harder than she'd thought. After digging through the garage, Luci had found a thick chain her father used for tire traction. The sturdy metal rings clinked as Luci dragged it to the backyard, dropping it in front of the thickest pine tree on the property, right at the edge of the woods and her parents' yard. "Stay here, I'm gonna go get some stuff," Luci told Judd, wiping her hands and heading back inside. A few minutes later she reemerged with a handful of blankets, a bowl of water and a mug full of coffee. At Judd's skeptical look, Luci shrugged. "What? The coffee's for me. I'll need it for this," she defended while placing the blankets and water on the ground, which thankfully was only covered in a thin sheen of snow. "I didn't know if you'd need blankets or anything but I figured I'd get them anyways. Besides, I'll want one if we're here for a while. I'm staying with you even if you don't want me to- I don't trust you by yourself," Luci told Judd, grabbing a thick blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders over her jacket before sitting down. Judd tried to convince her to go back inside, but nothing worked. Luci figured she'd be able to handle Judd shifting. Sure she was mentally scarred from the last time, but she wasn't dead. She could do it again.

The moon shone brightly in the night sky, stars floating among swirls of clouds. Luci pulled a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it, taking a generous drag. Judd didn't seem to pleased but Luci was happier- this was only the third cigarette she'd smoked today. She'd been trying to quit but was having some trouble, although Judd's 'stop smoking you'll die' was annoying enough to make her quit just so he wouldn't lecture her anymore. After a few more puffs, Luci paused. "So how does this work exactly? I mean do you tie yourself with the chain beforehand? Do you just flail around and snap for a while until the shift stops?" She asked, pushing a wisp of brown hair from her eyes. Her nose was red on the end from the frigid air, yet she didn't feel deathly cold. Judd seemed to feel okay, besides the fact that he was worried for Luci's well-being. Stomping out her cigarette, Luci stood up and walked closer to him, gently wrapping her arms around his broad figure. "You'll be fine, I believe in you," the girl whispered, lips dangerously close to Judd's ear. She instinctively pressed her face into Judd's neck for a brief moment before letting him go. "I don't really know how to help you, so I'll probably just sit here and watch unless something bad happens. I hope this doesn't hurt you too much," Luci said, backing a bit away and sitting once more with her coffee mug snug in her grasp. The only time Judd had shifted in front of her, he'd been a growling mess but that was because he'd been angry. How was he when he was changing by force? Did he whine? Did he cry? Was he still a growling mess? There's only one way to find out, Luci concluded as Judd began to twitch. He seemed uncomfortable. Luci thought she recognized the signs of shifting. It was happening; she gathered the mental and emotional strength she would need for it, praying that everything would be okay- That Judd would be okay.

Atlas Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:47 am

They had made a quick getaway in the dead of the night, Luci's headlights shattering the darkness that lie ahead. Skylar lay in the back seat, her head flopping limply against the window, occasional moans coming from her when Luci hit the bump. Judd sat in the passenger seat, his eyes tracing the dark expanse, his heart thumping more than it had in a long time. he'd be shifting tonight, he and Skylar both. Normally, shifts posed no problems; while highly painful, after the shift came a sensation of pure elation. When under the influence of the full moon, he was no longer human. His mind no longer had the thoughts of a human, nor his behavior. Every month, he was allowed an outlet, a way to escape his body and become something wild and free. With Luci driving both of them now, though, to an unfamiliar place, he felt scared. Scared that he would hurt or terrifying the girl, and also scared of the bonds that would hold him down.

They screeched to a halt in front of the large house. All of the lights were off, making it seem a little spooky, but as soon as Luci unlocked the door and let them in, the atmosphere became a little more cheery. Regretfully, Judd and Luci carried his unconscious sister to the basement, where she was provided some blankets, pillows, as well as food and water. This would be their first shifts being apart, and Judd hated leaving her to shift in such a precarious state; the shift would hurt her far more than it would him, as her wolf body would reform and rip in order to perfectly resemble the various injuries she sustained in her human form. After making his little sister as comfortable as possible, Judd followed Luci back up the stairs and into the sprawling backyard. While it was pitch black, Judd could tell that the territory stretched back for miles. In fact, it was almost as big as the pack territory. "Wow," he whistled, gazing around the new surroundings. "You weren't kidding when you meant big." He tried his best to keep the tone light, because in his heart, he was absolutely terrified.

She left momentarily to get some stuff, leaving Judd alone in his thoughts and fears. As soon as she left, he let the facade fall. Taking his head in his hands, he was shielding himself from the world. Why, why was he this way? Why did Luci have to come along? He'd told her, he'd warned her, she'd seen him the last time, snarling and bloodthirsty. While he wasn't drunk this time, his wolf naturally became more aggressive and powerful on the full moon. What if the chains weren't enough to shackle him down? What if he broke loose, what if...? As soon as Luci came back, he had to resume to normality. She had a few things in her hands, like a blanket and a mug. "Uhh, I have to break it to you, but I doubt I'll be able to drink that when I'm, uhh, a doggie." He knew it was for her, though. She'd been very adamant about staying with him, which was all fine and good. He wanted her away, though, as far away as possible. But as he'd learned on the first day they met, Luci never listened to him. "Like I told you, you don't need to be here. In fact, you shouldn't be here. I could break loose, I could bite you...," he trailed off, his eyes unable to meet hers. Sighing, eh shook his head. "Why can't you ever listen when it's for your own good? Honestly, if you're so curious to watch this entire thing, you'd be better off with Sky. She'll probably just sleep the entire thing off..." He was worried about her, too.

Now that he had the chains, he began to tie them around his body. First to his ankles, then the large tree trunk. Then his arms to the trunk, with a little assistance from Luci. Finally, he put the last chain across his mouth, which looked a little silly. Still, when he shifted, it would serve as a muzzle when he changed. Everything was complete, and although Judd began to feel the slight prickling sensation in his bones and the fidgeting, he still had some time. With the chains across his mouth, it made his voice muffled, but he'd be able to talk to Luci for a little bit."Well, I'm chained up. Yeah, I'll basically flail and growl, probably howl some too. And, uhh... Like I said, it's not going to be me. I might not be able to recognize you, and I definitely won't be friendly. If you get too scared, please go inside. I really don't want you to see me like this -- I turn into a complete monster." If she thought she saw the full picture when he was drunk, that was nothing. "But now, we just wait."

They sat in silence for a few moments, Judd observing the wisps of smoke that she blew out of her mouth. It was kinda beautiful and sexy, the smoke covering her face like the clouds covered the moon. at the same time, it displeased him. "You really shouldn't be smoking, Luce. I quit drinking, you quit smoking, got it? You'll get fucking lung cancer..." He needed to talk, anything to keep the shift off of his mind. His body was prickling even more -- it was getting closer. To his relief, she stubbed out her cigarette in the thin patch of snow. As she came closer, though, he recoiled against the tree. What if he was to bite her? However, he still had some time, enough for Luci to whisper sweetly into his ear, and press her head against his neck. If his hands weren't tied up, they'd be around her shoulders. "Thanks," he whispered back. Before he knew it, he broke his facade. "I'm scared," he whimpered, voice trembling slightly as he finally admitted what was on his mind. He could handle the pain, but the look of fear on Luci's face before he lost human consciousness? That'd be buried in his mind forever.

He felt comforted in her embrace, until she regretfully backed off. "Really though, if you get scared or things go bad, run inside and lock the door," he commanded, his hands now clenched into fists. It was coming, now stronger. The foggy sky was beginning to clear, the gentle breeze blowing the clouds from the moon and stars. He cuffed as she hoped it wouldn't hurt him; shifting felt like breaking and regrowing all of the bones in one's body, along with tearing and reforming skin and growing other unnatural body parts. "If only it was a perfect worl- Fuck!" he howled, breaking off his sentence. From inside, he heard the muffled screams of Skylar. He began to strain, wanting to run to his sister, but being dragged back by the chains. "Step ba-ack," he stuttered, his eyes growing wider and turning to an even brighter green, and canines elongating. Now was when the real pain started. His face was red and contorted with pain, tears trickling out of the corners of his eyes. The chains only made it worse. Everything burned, everything from the core of his body down to his toes. His bones were popping and reforming, his body shape altering grotesquely. Now, his screams and Skylar's joined in unison, screaming until they became howls. The memory of his humanity and Luci faded, until he was a massive, black beast.

Growling lowly, the wolf was confused. This was not his territory, this was not his pack, and this was not his home. And then there were chains, looping all around his body and around his muzzle. It attempted a snarl, but it could only part its jaws slightly. Head swiveling around in paranoia and rage, it spotted the culprit. It was the human, the human caught him. She was the one who had tied him up, who had separated him from his sister and pack. This stupid, stupid human. With bloodlust in its eyes, the wolf bared its teeth as bets as it could and ran at the girl, until the chains painfully yanked him back. The massive creature landed in a head on the ground, but quickly stood to his paws again. With the terrifying, haunting gaze, it stared straight into Luci's soul as he lunged again. Mind-linking was something the wolf detested, but ti was the only way to threaten these excuses for organisms. "Let. Me. GO!" the wolf howling into her mind, snapping and flailing about as he tried to break the chains. Eventually, he let out an aggressive howl of frustration, as he could not reach the girl. He was now trembling and whining slightly, yet still had the horrifying look of rage and unrecognizing stare. It was clear that by the look in his eyes, the wolf had no idea who Luci was, and how much his human counterpart loved her. He wanted to run, to be free, and she had trapped him. If he could manage it, he would somehow break free, and bite and kill the girl as his instincts longed to. This was not Judd.

Imagine- Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:36 pm

Luci

Luci nearly dropped her coffee mug when Judd's body started convulsing. Bones snapping echoed through the trees, Judd's green eyes wide and shiny with pain. The girl took a deep breath and wrung her hands through the blanket on her shoulders. Judd's pain was evident but there was nothing she could do to stop it. His body contorted, seemingly defying physics as howls escapes his mouth. Skylar's screams could be heard from inside the house, too, only causing Luci to cringe more. She turned to glance at the house, and when she turned her head back she hitched her breath at the black monster in front of her.

She thought she would be able to handle it. She really thought she could. The incident had been so long ago, and Luci had worked so hard to forget about it, to build up her emotional strength. But the second her eyes locked with the black mass in front of her, something inside of her broke. It's okay, it's just Judd... He won't hurt you. It's okay. It's fine. He's not drunk, Luci tried to console herself, mind swirling in hysteria. She slowly began to stand up, and as she did so the wolf jumped for her but was reared back by the chains. Luci's body shook violently as she jumped back, coffee mug slipping from her fingers and staining the ground's thin sheen of snow a sordid brown. Judd landed in a heap but swiftly stood back up, locking eyes with Luci. In that moment Luci knew that Judd was no longer in control- The wolf's eyes were lit with the fire of pure hatred. Her face went as white as snow when Judd launched for her again, eyes as wide as saucers. Luci's head pounded as words from thin air swept through her mind. "Let me go!" they screamed, and in response she covered her ears and screamed louder- Anything to block out the haunting noise. The wolf was riled up from her screams and lunged again, words jamming into Luci's mind.

The wolf seemed to realize he couldn't release from the chains, but that didn't stop him from howling and snarling like a fiend. Luci's heart slammed against her rib cage. Her anxiety levels were even higher than when Judd had first shifted in front of her. She looked like a shell of herself, as if her soul had fled her body. The wolf lunged again, and in a panic Luci stooped down, grabbed the empty coffee mug and chucked it at the wolf. "Stay the fuck away from me!" she shrieked, tears flowing freely down her face. The wolf let out a haunting howl when the metal mug struck its side, rearing up so fast that one of the chains on its leg snapped. Luci gripped her blanket and wiped her eyes, hands shaking like leaves. The wolf realized it had more movement now and began shaking its other back leg, hoping to release it as well. Luci knew that if the wolf were freed it would strike her, mauling her in merely a second. Run! her mind commanded, yet her legs remained immobilized. They were shaking too much to run for sure.

The wolf seemed ever so slightly less viscous , growling less and baying more. Luci's breathing was erratic, as if she were being suffocated. Somewhere in her mind she thought to check her watch and realized Judd had been a wolf for only about fifteen minutes. I can't handle this, I can't do it, she thought as her legs gave out. Luci crashed to the ground. Her vision doubled and she felt as if she were floating in a black vortex. She was having a panic attack, yet barely realized it. For a few minutes she lay on the ground, barely moving as panic swallowed her whole. She didn't even remember than a large black wolf was mere meters from her, ready to devour her whole. Eventually she gained her sense back bit by bit. Find something and hold on to it, she urged herself, hands groping the ground until she made contact with a stick. Stick. Ground. You're on the ground. That's good. That's stable, she thought. Her fingers held onto that stick for dear life, channeling all of her energy and focus into it. Luci's body shook, but this time more from being chilled than pure fear. However, the stack of blankets she'd brought out were next to Judd- well, the wolf. She'd get killed if she tried to get one. Hell, she could barely move as it was. Maybe she'd get one when the wolf calmed down, if that ever happened. For now she'd stay huddled in her blanket, laying in the snow and slowly trying to regain her mental strength back. Judd was in that wolf somewhere and he would never hurt her. The wolf, however, was a different story.

Atlas Sun Sep 27, 2015 6:28 am

It was apparent that Judd was gone. Nowhere within those furious, wild, snapping jade eyes were his humorous and cocky sparkle. His grinning, sly mouth was replaced by sharp canines, desiring to rip Luci apart one by one. There was no glimmer of recognition, and it paced around the tree. The wolf stared her down, it's vicious eyes cold and calculating. The smell of fear waving off of this human was utterly disgusting -- it sickened him. Weak, useless things like that had to be taken care of, and quickly. At the slightest movement, the wolf would ensure that this human was euthanized. When Luci stood to her feet, it did just that, lunging at the tall girl. Immediately, the chains tightened and yanked the wolf to the ground as soon as he got too close to the girl. While the fall hadn't hurt him, it sent him into an enraged fury. Snarling and salivating, the wolf got to his feet and lunged again, snapping its powerful jaws as it did so. The more he did this, the more the girl left back and screamed. Already, it was apparent that it was impossible for him to reach the disgraceful human. The chains were strong, rubbing uncomfortably against his ankles, only growing more painful when he'd attempt to lunge. However, it would keep trying and trying -- somehow, he could break the chains and take his revenge on the girl who had chained his freedom.

The strong, foul-smelling liquid fell from her hands into the snow, causing the wolf to curl its lip in distaste. It wanted to be away from the stench, away from the human, and be free to roam with his sister, wherever she was. With his powerful hearing, he could detect small whimpers within the human cave; that's where his sister was. It wasn't surprising -- this girl had captured his sister as well, and was probably planning on torturing her. The wolf let out a bone-chilling growl into Luci's mind.: "Let me go!" It was tired of playing. The wolf lunged again at her, harder and harder, until the slight sound of a chain cracking tingled in his sensitive eardrums. When Luci suddenly screamed in response to his mind-link, the wolf folded his ears back and cringed. With such sensitive hearing, this human was affecting and hurting his sense of hearing. "Silence!" his guttural, wolf-voice hissed into her head. To emphasize this, the wolf lunged again, but only to be greeted with a hard thump on his head. Yelping and recoiling back suddenly, Judd spotted the culprit. A tin, metal object, the one that had held the foul liquid, was what had hit him. It had been sudden and a hard throw, his head now pounding from mild pan. That was it.

Inhaling and exhaling rapidly, the wolf stood there momentarily shaking in anger. Slowly, he flattened his ears, showed his teeth, and rushed forward at the girl. Every part of his mind willed for the chains to break, and after the powerful jump, the chain connected to his back left paw shattered in half. He was free, now with only the cuff rubbing on his skin. Sending a manic grin at Luci, the wolf was now one step closer to mauling her. One chain down, three to go. He had more range of movement now, and could lash at the human better, perhaps even break the other chains as well. There was the scent of fear and salt water lacing the air, tears dripping down the petrified girl's face. Something seemed almost... No, there was nothing, nothing about this obnoxious enemy that had chained him and stolen his sister.

It tried a few more times to lash out at the human, but it began to grow tired. Some blood was pooling out of his ankles, as a result of all of the jumping and yanking. Limping ever so slightly, the wolf gave another growl, looking dead into Luci's eyes. However, it did not attempt to take another attack at her for the time being; instead, it stared into her fearful eyes with its own deep, empty pupils. He kept his stone gaze locked with hers, util the girl couldn't stand it any more. Her legs trembled and she gave out, falling to the ground. For a moment, the wolf was unsure if she was conscious, or even still alive. As much as it detested her, he wanted the girl to die at his paws, not as an outcome of the fear. However, his spot-on eyes could detect her trembling from a mile away,as the girl shook in the snow. This shaking and crying from the petrified girl continued for 20 minutes, the wolf soon loosing interest. In order to quiet Luci, Judd would occasionally growl throatily ad bare his teeth, but for the most part, the girl ignored him. She was far too observed in her own emotions, crying and shaking, refusing to even look at Judd.

She was clutching onto the ground now for support, causing Judd to chuff and roll his eyes in annoyance. How pathetic could one get? this was the worst human yet, her gaze shifted over to the pile of blankets near the wolf -- she seemed to want him. In order to site her, the wolf slightly limped over to the mile, picked them up in his mouth, and shook his head as if he was killing a piece of prey. Parts of the blanket tore, other parts covered in slobber. Narrowing his snapping eyes, the wolf flung the ripped, slobbery blankets at Luci's feet. How would she like those now? However, as Judd kept pacing around the tree, he was certain he'd sen this human before. There was something about her aura, something familiar about her tears and distress that reminded him of something. The linger the wolf stared at the panic-ridden girl, he knew there was something familiar about her. What, he couldn't decide, but some segment of Judd's mind was rising once again.

It regarded this pitiful sight, even allowing himself become slightly sorry for the pitiful, helpless girl. However, the whimpered was very irksome, so it sent,"Quiet, before I lunge again." Mind-links were obviously difficult for the wolf, as his voice was unsteady, slow, yet all the more menacing. Once it became clear that this girl was no linger a threat, Judd laid his head down on the sow, still not taking his eyes off of her. "Let me go, human. Let my sister go. You must obey." This didn't have same the quite amount of energy as before, however, and it was perhaps that the wolf could possibly have an emotion such as pity residing inside of him.

Imagine- Sun Oct 11, 2015 8:10 pm

Luci

Finally gaining mental stability, Luci was able to stand and lean against a large pine tree. Snow covered her jacket and seeped through her thick sweatpants, sending a small shiver through her body. Although she was definitely freezing, something about the whole situation made her feel numb. Pulling her jacket closer, Luci watched as Judd ripped the blankets to shreds, then tossing them to her feet. "Aw, come on! Was that necessary?" the girl whined, sounding like a petulant child. The wolf growled in response, kicking up snow as he paced back and forth- However, his eyes never left her. Luckily for Luci, her tears had stopped, save for the ones that came when a sharp breeze made her eyes water. The wolf had been staring at her for a long time, seemingly examining her or trying to identify her as something other than "disgusting human." Their eerie silence was broken by another one of Judd's mind links, causing Luci's head to pulse. Clearly they were affecting Judd too, as his voice wavered and seemed to drop out at times. The girl squeezed her eyes shut to help relieve the pain, and when she opened then again, the wolf was lying on the ground. He commanded her to let him and his sister go, and Luci frowned. Part of her wanted to yell that she couldn't part of her wanted to run away. Yet somewhere in the recesses of her mind she found the strength to address the wolf directly as if Judd were seated in front of her.

"Look, Judd, I know you're somewhere in that mind of yours. I mean you probably can't register it right now but I'll talk anyways," she started, pausing to cough. "You told me to chain you up to this tree so that you wouldn't hurt anyone... Particularly me. I know you wanna rip me to shreds right now but a while ago you didn't, trust me. And your sister's safe inside shifting where no one will hurt her. I made sure she was okay before we came out here so you could shift." Not sure where to go from there, Luci began listing off basic facts. Maybe she'd figured it would help Judd come to his senses, maybe she did it to assure herself. "We're in my parents' back yard right now because they're away for the week. This is the second time I've seen you shift. The first time was a few months ago, but it was at my house. It wasn't intentional. We started talking again a few weeks ago after I saw you come into the cafe where I work..." Luci slowly said as if running through a list in her head. Her nerves were clearly being shaken at the recounting of the past few months. Subconsciously, Luci rifled through her jacket pockets and whipped out a pack of Marlboros, opening it and placing a cigarette between her fingers. Finding her lighter, she lit the slim roll and placed it to her lips. The wolf seemed to be examining her with curiosity, or maybe annoyance, but she was surprised when it didn't jump at the sight of her lighting fire. Honestly, she should've thought about that it could have triggered him but luckily for her it didn't.

Taking a long drag, Luci blew out a gentle stream of smoke as she continued. "Your sister got hurt a while ago and she's in my parents' house shifting. She was okay the last time we checked on her. You moved into my house again some days ago. You didn't really want to but it's better than that motel you were staying in," the girl commented, drawing another breath into the cigarette. She could feel the nicotine calming her nerves as she visibly loosened up. The wolf continued staring at her, eyeing the cigarette in her hands with its ears slightly perked. Maybe it was actually registering what she was saying. Either that, or it was planning to kill her. Luci rubbed her eyes with one gloved hand, cigarette poised against her mouth in the other. Mumbling to herself, Luci grumbled, "I don't even know what to do now... I could check on Skylar but I don't wanna leave Judd out here. I'm surprised I'm even standing right now. Thank God I remembered to bring my cigs, though." The talking was helping her anxiety levels decrease as she watched the wolf with suspicious eyes, wondering what he was going to try next. Hopefully Judd would break through his mind soon and recognize her because Luci didn't know how much more emotional fluctuation she'd be able to handle.

Atlas Sat Oct 24, 2015 8:10 am

Eventually, both of them calmed slightly. Luci was leaning against a tree trunk, soaked with mushy snow. Likewise, Judd was standing still on all fours; his fur was bristling and his tail arched, but he had visibly calmed. However, the wolf was still alert, warily eying the human at the slightest movement. While he had hated her screaming and incessant sniveling, this was too calm. The wolf's solution had been o harass her, and he had successfully managed to shred the blanket between them. Bits of fiber flew into the air and began to be pulled down to the ground once again, like freshly fallen snow. he felt proud of this feat, and paced back and forth as if to show it. Luci, of course, was dismayed and whiny like a child. If she took this whine in her voice, perhaps it wasn't necessary. In fact, it grated on his ears, and flattening them, he began to uneasily pace back and forth. Judd still had a feral look in his eyes, his pupils expanding and retracting every time he laid his wild eyes on the human.

The mind-links hurt his brain, and as much as he loved to scare the human out of her wits, the pain wasn't worth it. He let out a small whine, rubbing his front paw along his head, trying to rub away any lasting influences of Luci. Humans weren't fit to communicate with; it was like talking to a doorknob. They were too stupid to listen, to ignorant to accept reality. While this human was different, it was still not a task he wished to endure. He'd be quiet, for now. All of the lunging, snapping, and growling had eventually gotten to him. While his strength was increased on the full moon, he felt more exhausted than he normally would have. While the girl's eyes were closed, he flopped himself down into the cooling snow. It was rejuvenating, as if seeping into the bleeding bits around his paws like a poultice. However, even though he had (briefly) laid down, this did not me he was off his guard. In fact, this was far from the truth, as the slightest flutter of Luci's eyelids elicited a growl from the werewolf.

His calm didn't last for much longer. after he had mind-linked and addressed Luci, her responses were unnecessary. All he'd wanted to know was where his sister was and if she was okay. The human began to talk nonsense of "being there." He was standing before her, plain as day -- of course he was "here." She referred to him as Judd, a name so unnatural and unfamiliar with him; there was a part of him called Judd, yes, but it felt like it was in his subconscious mind. He could not easily access his human side, nor did he want to. The wolf was out to play now, and it was not interested in her rambling stories. With some of his old ferocity, the wolf stood back to his feet and ripped out a snarl. With bared teeth and narrow eyes, it hoped to clearly communicate that it was not interested in a word this disgusting human had to say. However, she ignored this and went on. Oddly enough, the longer she was flapping her jaw, the wolf felt himself forcibly drawn into whatever she was saying. There was absolutely nothing else to focus his attention on, and therefore he began to process what she was blabbering.

Shaking his head with a growl, there was no way he had "told" her to do these things. Who, in their right mind, would consent to being tied to a tree? His human wasn't that stupid, b any stretch of the imagination. Had this girl really made his human side become that weak? At her statement of ripping to threads, he made a little bark in response. Finally, this human was making sense. If she took two, maybe three steps closer, he might be able to get a chop out of her fingers. Why couldn't she just come closer, and give up her pathetic human life to him? This desire only grew as she mentioned his sister. "How can I trust you?" it sent in a thunderous mind-link, breaking his earlier vow. "How can I trust a lunatic, who's chained me to a tree, with my sister?" however, he didn't hear any whimpers of pain from within the house; the human hadn't physically harmed him yet, so maybe on the off-chance she was telling the truth?

Before he knew it, he felt him shoulders relax. He was soon sitting upon the snow, wary, yet very calm. while her voice had been incessantly annoying at first, her voice became a little less bearable, soothing even (though he'd never admit it). What she was saying was basic, informing him of the big picture things of the situation. She had parents unlike him, almost like a pack. While he didn't remember it very clearly, apparently he had shifted before. the more he thought about it, fragmented memories came to mind. All that he could picture was her horrified expression, and the screams, the long-lasting damaging mental images and sounds that even his wolf had not forgotten.

There were a few more memories, but the human ones he had little access to. Puzzled, the wolf cocked it's head, dog-like mannerisms becoming more present than the wolf ones. "I... Did? What happened?" When not enraged, the speech was broken and unsure, as the wolf rarely mind-linked to anyone; communication with his sister could be done through body language, or in their native tongue. very little did he have patience or need for mind-link. Now, the wolf was curious, his alert green eyes resting on the girl, waiting for more answers. However, she was beginning to develop her nervous tendencies again. She'd better watch out; if she became a nervous wreck, he would become equally agitated in return, and the entire scene would play out again. However, after she pulled out a paper substance from her pocket, she began to revert to her deadly calm. The human pulled out a lighter, the end of the paper substance alight and smoking. Most wolves were afraid of fire, but Judd was a little fascinated. What was this odd human up to now? However, upon the smell of the cigarette entering his nose, he flared his nostrils. "What is that awful stench? Disgusting human..." why was she inhaling the smoke? It was clearly unhealthy, yet she continued to take deep drags down into her lungs. It was a good thing his sister wasn't around, or this could become harmful to her. Rolling his eyes, he decided to let the odd human remain as odd as she was.

At the mention of his sister once again, Luci's words immediately spurted him into aggression and anxiety. "Hurt?! What do you mean? What did you do to her? She's frail, sickly!" The wolf was standing again, his piercing eyes on the girl. He growled and attempted another lunge forward, only to be yanked back by the remaining sets of chains. He landed with an audible plop on the snow, and for a few moments, he lied motionlessly. The only signs of movement were the faint rises and falls of his chest. She had broken him. He was exhausted, angry, confused, and afraid. no matter how hard he tugged, these damn chains would always pull him back. He wanted to make sure his frail sister was alright, wanted to learn what was going on, and be the free creature that he was meant to be. Afraid and lonely, the wolf would even tae Luci's company. So, curling up in the snow, Judd let out a faint whine, yearning for freedom, and maybe a little comfort from the girl.

Imagine- Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:20 pm

Luci

Luci's mind throbbed from the wolf's mind link, yet the question caused her to laugh. "It's called a cigarette. In your human form you know what they are." Luci continued to babble to herself until Judd spoke up again, his voice frantic. Not expecting the mind link (not that she normally did), she nearly dropped her cigarette, causing her to scowl. "Watch it, my God," the girl grumbled before addressing the wolf's questions. "Skylar's fine as of now- She got hurt a while ago. God, it was definitely a while ago. Your pack attacked her, I think. She'd gotten better from before but it's a long road. I promise-" Luci's words were broken off by Judd's lunge, the chains creaking. He fell with a groan. "I promise she's safe right now. Trust me. I gave her some blankets, left some food and water around and put the radio on for her. She's probably aching from shifting, though..." Luci finally finished, taking a drag from the little paper roll in her hand. She stood eyeing the wolf as he whined on the ground, clearly exhausted. Luckily, he seemed to be calming down in some sense. His mind-links were weaker, his breathing was slower, his eyes were less sinister.

Curled in the snow, Judd nearly reminded her of a dog. Luci was unsure what course of action to take, so she simply remained leaning o the thick pine tree. Maybe there's a way to help Judd come to his senses... she thought. Luci ran a gloved hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. Judd continued to lay nearly motionless, his eyes half closed and his breathing calm. Taking this as a good sign, Luci stubbed out her cigarette and decided on her next move, hoping it wouldn't be a bad risk. She gently took a step forward, boots crunching in the snow. The wolf eyed her, but more with indifference than anger. The unsure girl took another step, and another, and another, until she was a mere few inches in front of the wolf. Making sure to maintain eye contact, Luci slowly squatted down until she sat fully on the snow in front of the wolf. His large head was in line with her legs. Hand somewhat unsteady, Luci reached it out and brought if towards the wolf's head. Judd's eyes were on her hand the whole time, yet he did not spring up in protest. After what felt like hours, the girl's hand made contact with the wolf's soft black coat, resting on the top of his forehead. The wolf tensed for a moment and Luci hitched her breath.

Judd soon seemed to relax, his muscles unwinding as Luci stroked her hand back and forth over his soft fur. "Hey... You seem calmer than you were before..." she whispered, voice as light as a snowflake. The wolf sighed in response, flicking an ear. Was that a good sign? "I guess you're starting to get a grip on your human mind, yeah? I hope it doesn't hurt or anything." Luci's hand had stopped shaking and now started to pet near the wolf's ears. She knew that dogs liked their ears scratched often, and Judd honestly seemed to be no different as his body relaxed even more. "Everything's gonna be fine soon, trust me. I know it's been a wild hour or so, both on my part and yours, but you seem to be winding down now," she soothed. "Also, sorry for throwing my mug at you before, but honestly you're one hell of a scary creature when you lunge at me like you did. But I'm sure you know that," Luci laughed airily. Judd lifted his head and Luci immediately stopped petting him, but just as quickly as she had stopped he had placed his head onto her legs, looking up at her. "I know you're in there, Judd, I can sense it. Do you remember me yet?" The wolf sighed loudly, flicking it's ears once more.

Although this same creature had tried to kill her an hour ago, petting the wolf seemed to have a therapeutic effect on Luci. Her anxiety was lower than it had been before and she felt centered, not frantic. Cupping her hands around the wolf's face, Luci gently lifted him from her lap and looked him in the eyes, her own hazel ones reflecting in his. The wolf's eyes had turned from black to dark hazel, and Luci immediately knew that this whole ordeal was almost over. Bending forward slightly, Luci barely thought through her next action. Cold air swirled as she brought herself toward the wolf, lips brushing the top of his muzzle. There she gave him a gentle kiss, pulling away after a few moments. Her cheeks were flushed- only partly from the cold- and her eyes widened in alarm. "Um, shit. Sorry. Oh God. Judd, I know you're in there. Don't kill me now," she quickly and foolishly babbled. Hopefully Judd was conscious enough to know that he knew Luci as a human and that she meant no harm. She'd kissed him as you would kiss any dog on the nose. God, even though he'd put her through hell and back, Luci wanted the real Judd to be in front of her, not his wolf form. She wanted to hug him, cry to him, and maybe even kiss him. Instead she sat frozen with a wolf's head on her lap, hoping that the wolf didn't suddenly turn and attack her right there after all of the progress they'd made.

Atlas Thu Nov 26, 2015 5:14 am

The human made her strange chuffing noises of amusement in response to his disgusted expression. She tried to explain the "cigarette," but Judd still couldn't understand. Why would one willingly stick something flammable in their mouth? It made absolutely no sense; this human was an enigma. Shrugging, the wolf decided to drop it, ultimately too tired to question any more. He plopped down in the snow and curled up, listening to Luci's account of Skylar in a surprisingly calm manner. normally, at the mention of Skylar's injuries, the wolf would be up and pacing, perhaps going into another frenzy mode. However, for some strange reason, he trusted Luci. She was odd and slightly annoying, but at this point he knew she wouldn't lie. If he focused on his senses, Judd could even smell his sister from within the house; there were no sounds of whimpering or distress, so she was probably sleeping. Even if Luci had plotted tying him up, at least she had given Skylar a comfortable area to experience the shift. before he knew it, his mind link uttered a simple,"Thank you." It was broken and exhausted, but the shimmer in his eyes conveyed his gratitude. Maybe Luci wasn't so bad after all?

With his sister's situation taken care of, Judd allowed himself to relax. The outburst had exhausted him; the fur had nearly been rubbed raw, with small droplets of blood sinking into the snow. He was sore and tired, wishing for nothing more than to drift off to sleep. For a few minutes, it felt as if he had drifted into slumber, as his breathing slowed and eyelids fluttered. His breath crystalized in the cold air in front of him, and he almost felt at peace, until... Crunching snow alerted him and the wolf immediately jerked up. Eyeing Luci suspiciously, he huffed and laid his head back down. So far, she'd brought him no harm, and he was much too apathetic to care. The bright green eyes traced her actions, as she became closer and closer... What was she up to? The expression on his face had changed from hostile to curious, as the human crept within mere inches of him -- a daring move. He silently dared her to lay her fingers on his fur, to touch him, to feel the sensation of their contact. She squatted in front of him, her fingers so close to his face. A voice within him was rooting for this girl, and soon the wolf felt himself desiring her touch as well. His piercing eyes remained plastered to her face, his body motionless. After what seemed like ages, her hands came forward and rested on his black coat. In response, the wolf tensed, not used to any physical contact. It felt like flames licking up and down his body, filling him with warmth yet relaxing him into a stupor. Why did he feel this way?

Judd felt his muscles relaxing as Luci rhythmically stroked him. Up and down, up and down... It was a pattern, some sort of stability within this whole mess. He let out a small whine, the fearsome wolf all of a sudden melting into a a harmless puppy.The giant, jet-black wolf was acting like a domesticated dog, closing those once rage-filled eyes and panting in contentment. The human began to ask him questions again, making observations and the like. He was calmer, that was for sure; he didn't think he'd ever been this calm in this form. Unwilling to acknowledge the obvious feeling of contentment, though, Judd merely grunted and flicked his ear. However, this facade didn't last for long, as bliss fell over the canine once again. Luci's words flowed into his ears. That was it, wasn't it? The night was almost over, meaning that his human side was beginning to influence his behavior. Still, though, the real Judd was locked beneath the surface. Judd's desires and emotions were reflected through the wolf, but the wolf was unsure of the origin of these emotions, or their purpose. All he knew was that he was being pet and shown affection, and he was fucking loving it.

She made her way to his ears, and Judd began to thump his hind leg. His instincts were screaming for him to get a grip, to stop acting like a pup, but he was unable to contain himself. Her voice soothed him, promising that everything was going to alright. The night had taken quite a turn, from a vicious, bloodthirsty wolf to a touching interaction between girl and beast. Exhausted from mind-linking, Judd merely nodded at her statement; there was nothing that couldn't be expressed through body language. he was sore, tired, and drained -- Luci probably was too. They didn't need to invade each other's minds. When she both apologized and admitted his less-than-desirable behavior, a look of guilt crossed his face. Letting out a small whine, his eyes dropped and was unable to meet hers. He was scary, he'd meant to be scary, and for once he felt awful about it.

When he lifted his head, she stopped petting him. he wasn't even thinking as he placed his head upon her legs. He almost looked... innocent. "S-sorry," came the weak, deep voice of his wolf. Too exhausted to make any sort of formal apology, this would have to do. He nuzzled his face deep into her body, desperate to keep this peace and affection -- he didn't want to snap back into an angry monster again. He was no longer jumpy and uneasy of her movements, as he allowed her to lift his head. The two locked eyes, Judd forcing himself to hold her strong gaze. It was difficult, as wolves never made eye contact for long. However, his human side was creeping back in, forcing himself to keep up the stare. Then, something unexpected happened. Luci reached forward and laid her lips onto his cold nose. with his ears folded back and eyes closed, Judd allowed her to do this. She had changed, and so had he. This was just like the beginning of their human relationship; from strong hate came love, passion, and acceptance. When Luci pulled away in embarrassment, the wolf shrugged. "He... Liked it. Me too." The human was growing stronger, the wolf influence dying by the minute. he was tired and needed rest. No doubt the real Judd would remember little to none of this the next day. As he drifted off to sleep though, he made a correction. The innocent, childlike kiss on his nose, and Luci's courage, would not be forgotten. As dawn crept on the weakening night, Judd's eyes finally fluttered closed, and his side remained pressed tightly to hers.

Timeskip

The worst night of the month had passed. In place of the moon was Judd's regular body lying in the snow. Within the course of the night, he was rolled a bit further from Luci. Now, he was facedown on the snow, a good 5 feet separating him and Luci, who had fallen asleep leaning against the tree. Judd's entire body ached from the shift, his wrists and ankles burned from the chains. He felt hazy and weak, how he often felt after his hangovers. This was one of a new kind, though. he slept for a long time, until he heard movement within the snow. Groggily, he opened his eyes to see a pink-faced, shivering, and exhausted-looking Luci. She must had stayed awake to watch the shift, and Judd couldn't have been prouder and more in awe of this girl -- she was so strong. "Hey, Luci," he croaked. What horrors had she seen last night? Would she look at him the same way. His entire body felt like lead as he scooted closer to her, the chains slowly snaking their way across the ground. "How was it?" he asked, worry evident on his face. "I wasn't too rough, was I?" From the ache and burn within his body and heart, though, he knew the answer.

Imagine- Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:40 pm

Luci

Somehow, Luci had gotten a fairly good sleep that night. Maybe she'd been so drained that she just passed out, or maybe she actually felt at ease. Whatever the case, she woke up against a tree, snow soaked into her clothes. "Ugh, dammit..." Luci grumbled, not realizing until now how cold her legs were. Once she bothered to fully take in her surroundings, she noticed a sleeping Judd laying in the snow a few feet from where she sat. He looked stiff. Well duh, he turned into a wolf last night, Luci thought to herself. She braced her hands on the snow-packed ground and hoisted herself up, slowly walking the few feet to where he was laying. Judd rolled over, grunting to acknowledge her presence. When he spoke his voice sounded like sandpaper. “Hey, Judd,” Luci responded as he scooted closer. The girl placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. However, his next questions caused her to stumble on her words. ‘How was it?’ ‘I wasn’t too rough, was I?’ Well, I almost passed out from having what was probably a panic attack, you tried to kill me more than once, and you definitely said some vulgar things… Luci thought, but knew that’s not what she would say. Instead, she offered a small smile and ran her hand through Judd’s tangled hair. “You weren’t too bad. I mean, you weren’t amazing or anything, but I handled it fairly well. It was somewhat better than last time, but I think that’s because I knew what was coming,” Luci informed Judd. “Either way, you turned into a huge fucking wolf so it’s not like it was a walk in the park for both of us, but I gather it could’ve been much worse than it was,” she sighed, dropping her hand into the snow. Judd’s face tightened and he looked like he was about to apologize but Luci stopped him. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I should be okay, and so should you. What matters is that we’re both in one piece, yeah?” After a pause, Luci stood up. “I’m gonna inside to check on Skylar, okay? I’ll be right back,” Luci said before walking towards her parents’ house.

Luci entered the house and sighed in relief at the blast of warm air. Flicking on a light, she proceeded to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and a granola bar for Skylar. The young girl had shifted in the basement, and hopefully she was alright. After all, Luci had left the radio on and given her an abundance of blankets. Heading down the basement stairs, Luci was relieved to see that Skylar curled up on the couch in her human form, gently sleeping. The girl placed her items on the table and went to sit next to Judd's sister. "Hey Skylar, it's Luci. I hope you're feeling okay. Judd's outside right now and he's okay, too," she assured the girl, even though she was asleep. Skylar soon began to wake up, small groans leaving her lips. Reaching over, Luci placed the water and granola bar next to Skylar. "Here, you'll need some energy. We're probably going to head back to my place soon, but take your time," Luci gently said, grabbing Skylar's hand. "I'm gonna go get your brother inside, I'll be back soon." With that, Luci got up and went back outside to help Judd.

"Your sister's doing well," she informed Judd as she approached him. "I brought her some food and water to help her get energized because we should probably head back to my place soon." Reaching out her hand, she offered it to Judd and he stood up slowly, clearly aching. He'd taken the chains off while she'd been inside, so he had some semblance of strength in him. Grabbing the mug she'd thrown at Judd a few hours earlier, and throwing the torn blankets into the trash, Luci guided Judd back to the house. While he found something to eat, Luci managed to get Skylar up the stairs and lay her on the upstairs couch. After spending a few minutes fixing the place up, it looked just as it had when they'd all arrived. "Alright, let's head back to my place- I can use my mother's car 'cause she left it in the garage," Luci said. And with that, they left.

Timeskip

After entering Luci's residence, she'd gone to place Skylar on her bed to let her sleep some more. Judd had plopped down on the couch, and after changing into cleaner clothes-her staple black Princeton sweatpants and a form-fitting tank top- Luci joined him. Before he grabbed the TV remote, Luci placed her hand on his to stop him. "Hey, um, before we do anything else, I want you to know that I really am okay with what happened last night. I don't think I'm that shaken up over it, and I'm really proud of you for getting through it," Luci told him, smiling a bit. Placing her head on his shoulder, she whispered, "really, I am." Luci had missed the feeling of sitting next to Judd like this, and she made no move to remove herself from where she was. In her mind she knew that Judd missed it, too. Luci really did love him, even if she sometimes didn't admit it to herself.

Atlas Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:53 am

Luci scooted next to him, and it marveled hi that she'd come so close after what he gathered to be a tumultuous night. There were shards of glass littered among the snow that most likely came from the badly broken coffee mug. Had Luci thrown that at him? In alarm, Judd glanced down at the chains on his arms and legs. Well, surprise surprise, but only two out of the four were still attached to him, the ones on his feet. "Oh, shit," he muttered after reaching this revelation,"I broke the fucking chains." Now it all made sense, the glass, Luci's even more shaken appearance, the ache in his body, the rubbed, raw skin on his wrists and ankles. His face became pale, but just as he was about to apologize, Luci began to talk. Judd was silent as she spoke-- what was there to say? She completely underplayed it, judging from the display of shattered glass and broken chains. "You handled it well, but I damn well didn't. I broke the chains, I probably tried to kill you. Why the hell did you stay?" he demanded, an uncharacteristic, vulnerable shake in his voice. His eyes welled with tears of shame. "Why?" he repeated. "Why the hell would you stay for me? You could have gone inside, you could have been safe, but you didn't. Are you stupid?"

Judd covered his face with his hands and took a shaky intake of breath. He was completely baffled as to why Luci would willingly subject herself to this horror -- to him. Why had she stuck around for so long? How had she dealt with him, his mannerisms, addictions, and condition? How had she cared for his sister, supported him, loved him, when he had the potential to turn around and hurt her in this way? Why was he destined to fuck up everything in his life, and leave all his loved ones hurting? Luci must have took the cue, because she quietly announced that she was going to help his sister. He nodded absentmindedly at this, and she briefly left him. By the time she left, he was crying.

The tears trickled down his face slowly, stinging his freezing cheeks. He hadn't cried since Skylar had gotten hurt, but this was different. It wasn't the loud, anguished, racking sobs. This was quiet, filled with shame and remorse. he didn't want to be seen by Luci. He briefly considered running away, into the woods. There, he'd be free -- free from his problems, free from his frail sister, free from Luci's judgement. However, something kept him grounded; it was her. She'd stayed with him, through thick and thin. He needed to do the same, no matter what he had to face up to. In a sign of loyalty, he slowly began to remove the chains. It was hard work, as his entire body throbbed. Wincing, he eventually pried the chains off of his ankles, giving a small moan as the metal rubbed over the red skin. Dried blood clung to his skin, and while he had suffered much worse injuries, these hurt more than any other.

He sat in the biting snow, resisting the urge to run. "I'm staying," he grunted to himself, taking a fistful of snow. He'd stay for her. The screen door creaked, announcing her arrival. Furiously, he wiped the tears from his cheek and tried to maintain an air of normalcy. She answered him before he could even ask, and a faint smile made it's was upon his lips. "Good... Thank you, for everything Luci. We really appreciate it," he admitted. He hated accepting her help, but for the sake of his sister, he needed to. It was time to leave this hell, and Luci offered her hand to him. Judd grasped it and got to his feet, slow and reluctant. It hurt, and the aftereffects were far worse this time than any shift he could remember. It was because of the guilt. Luci grabbed the broken mug and demolished blanket, wordlessly tossing them in the trash. He followed her, equally as silent. It was definitely because of the guilt.

Timeskip

Luci fixed the lace up, Judd found some snacks to eat, and they left. The car ride home was silent, with Skylar sleeping off the pain and Judd without the proper words. The endless possibilities swirled in his head, of his fangs, jaws snapping and salivating, the evil glint in his eyes. He kept his eyes fixed on the flashing surroundings, trying to study the trees as he attempted to block these images. However, no mattered what he attempted, these horrifying intrusive thoughts always returned.

Luci's car pulled up to the familiar little house. "I'll always keep comin' back here, won't I?" he muttered to himself as he open the door and slowly slid from the seat. Limping slightly, he made his way around to the back door to help Luci with Skylar. It was difficult, maneuvering around Skylar's many bandages, but somehow the two were able to get her in the house without causing too much pain. Luci selflessly offered her bed to Skylar, who gratefully murmured her thanks. As soon as Skylar was helped into bed, Judd took his usual seat on the couch. He reached for the remote to drain his mind, but Luci placed her cold palm over his hand before he could even reach the power button. "How?" he whispered, the shame apparent by the droop in his features. "I could have killed you -- I didn't handle that any better than the last time. I've brought nothing but trouble to you. Why do you still want to stay?" She shouldn't have to make excuses for his behavior, or force herself o be "okay." It wasn't okay, it was disgusting. However, it made him feel a bit better as she said he was proud of him. Instead of grappling with his imagination, he really wanted to know what happened. "What actually happened? Tell me the real deal, Luce," he ventured. "Be honest." He needed to know, so he could recover as well.

Imagine- Sat Jan 23, 2016 3:06 am

Luci

Judd's disappointed features made Luci's heart feel as if it were bleeding out. She'd get back to his first question later- She didn't know how to explain why she stayed. He looked so desperate, so hurt, yet she still didn't want to tell him the truth. He didn't need to know, it was over and done and she was pretty much fine after all that had happened. "Do you... Do you really need me to tell you? I mean, come on, it's not that big of a deal," Luci started spewing, scoffing at the end of her statement. Though Judd did not say a word, the look in his eyes clearly stated the opposite of what she wanted to do. Luci huffed a small "fine" before squeezing his hand and beginning the recount of their long night. "Don't interrupt me while I talk because I need to explain everything, okay? Well, you were okay at first. Not like super okay, but nonviolent is probably more what I mean. I forger exactly what I did, but then you started like... Jumping at me and stuff. It wasn't that scary, though-" she paused for a breath, clearly remembering how afflicted she had been in that moment, "-and you just kept jumping and lunging and threatening to kill me. You asked where your sister was and then told me I locked her up in the house to kill her. I think I got frustrated and started arguing back which only made you angrier..." Luci sighed, trying to put the events in order in her mind. "Oh! I threw a coffee mug at you and you almost killed me for that. Not a smart move on my part, admittedly, but the mind link stuff just hurt my head so much and I was really stressed and you were so angry and-" She let go of Judd's hand to rub her face, cheeks flushed and eyes somewhat glassy.

"Anyway, I know you kept threatening me and at some point I passed out..." Judd looked angry, but she stopped him from interrupting. "No, let me finish. I think my anxiety just got a little overwhelming so my mind shut down. I was probably out for half an hour, but you didn't try to kill me while I was knocked out so I'd say that's a positive," Luci said with a tense laugh, a few tears escaping her eyes. Apparently this event had impacted her more than she thought. "Eventually I managed to curl up and collect myself, and somewhere along the way I started talking to you normally and you... understood me. Still defensive, of course, but understanding. I think I even rubbed your head after a while and you didn't kill me..." She trailed off, sniffling once. She didn't feel the need to mention that she'd practically kissed his face while he was a wolf- If he remembered he could say something, but Luci planned on keeping silent on that topic. "I guess we fell asleep sometime after that because we woke up and you were a human... But yeah. That's what happened really. It wasn't that bad, Judd, for real," the girl reassured him, of course partially lying. It had, quite frankly, fucking sucked.
Clearly Luci wasn't fully stable after all of it, but she didn't feel nearly as bad as she looked.

Reaching out to Judd, Luci wrapped her hand in his and shifted over to lay on his side. "I promise I'm okay, yeah? It's just a lot to think about," she mumbled, eyes glassy but not stricken. Her head rested gently on his chest, their breathing slightly mismatched from each other. "Judd?" Luci started, looking up at him. "I'm not stupid for staying with you," she whispered. Looking back down, she quickly and accidentally admitted, "if anything I'm stupid in love with you." Hearing what she had said, Luci's eyes widened and she looked back down at the couch but made no move from her place on Judd. She just told Judd she was in love with him. True, of course, but scary to say out loud. Sure, they were in love with each other before, but after everything Judd and Luci had been through she didn't want to say it in fear that he wouldn't feel the same way. Obviously it was irrational to think that but that wouldn't stop Luci from doing so. A silence ensued between the pair, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Luci pressed her face into Judd's shoulder, finally speaking up as a small smile pulled at her plump lips. "Yeah, I'm in love with you," she whispered, hands shaking as they gripped Judd's shirt. Luci loved Judd and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Atlas Sat Jan 30, 2016 6:50 am

He knew the report couldn't be good, based on her expression. She was hesitant to speak, and quick to try and divert his attention. Frowning, Judd shook his head. He didn't want to say anything that could distract her until she came out with the truth. His body language got the message across, and Luci eventually relented and began to account the night. Before she began, however, he had to utter a solemn,"I promise," in regards to interrupting. It would be difficult, as he was always the type to jump in and demand for details or further clarification. He'd have to keep his trap shut for now, though. As she spoke, he could hardly process the words she was saying. She kept rambling and equivocating; he tried to speak, to urge her on, but remembered his promise. However, the grim details of what was to come next would soon silent him again.

Knowing that he wasn't satisfied with what she had reported so far, Luci delved into the truth. At what she had to say, Judd blanched. He could picture it, the wolf lunging, snapping, and baying for blood. It didn't stop there, though. Luci explained the paranoid, aggressive nature of his wolf -- how had he accused her of hurting Skylar? That was the farthest thing from the truth that he'd ever heard. "Jesus," he muttered to himself in disbelief and shame, but he said no more. However, when she mentioned throwing a coffee mug at his head, he couldn't help but mutter,"That explains the headache." He rubbed his hand behind his head, wincing at the throb that followed. Most of the wounds on his ankles and wrists had healed, but the dried blood lingered -- so did the worst of the story.

As soon as she mentioned that she passed out in the frenzy, a shadow crossed his face. He grew dark and angry at himself for ever allowing such a thing to happen. In his disgust, he nearly stood up and turned away, craved to blurt out something, but Luci's hand kept him anchored. Sighing, he knew he couldn't turn away from the truth now -- he had to face it and accept his consequences, no matter how it made him feel. He raised an eyebrow at her laughter. Him not killing her was nowhere a "positive," nor was it a laughing matter. Still, laughing was both of their ways to cope when faced with such a predicament. However, her next words surprised him. He went from two polar sides, a vicious, feral wolf to something that sounded domestic. Unable to keep his oath of silence any longer, he echoed,"You did what? Rubbed my head?" That did not sound like anything the wolf inside would allow, yet here Luci was to tell the tale. Scrunching his face a little, he tried his best to recollect these foreign memories. Surely enough, if he thought really hard, he could get flashes of pictures. Even stronger than those pictures was the warmth that he seemed to feel. She'd touched him, laid her hands on him, and the wolf liked it -- the both of them liked it.

Blinking, he muttered,"I think I remember some of it." He couldn't gather any of the negative memories, of him howling and raging, but he got glimpses of the peace they had shared after. A sudden epiphany hit him, and he slowly stated,"You kissed me, on the nose." It had been a huge gamble, Luci risking her face to the jaws of a wild wolf, and... He'd allowed it to happen. It was mind-blowing, that Judd went from a raging beast to a puppy within an hour, and how he could hardly remember a lucid moment of it. He shook his head, allowing Luci to finally reach her conclusion. And what did she think overall? That it was no big deal, and wasn't that bad. After that story, he was silent, in utter disbelief that she had put up with all of that, risking her life just to stay by his side. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't comprehend why she would do such a thing.

Sighing, Judd put his face in his hands. He was so ashamed, he couldn't even look at her pale, sleep-deprived, and anxiety ridden face. Pictures kept flashing through his mind, his imagination filling in the details he couldn't remember. He couldn't begin to fathom the look of horror on her face, or her fainting in the snow from anxiety. However, he could see the hungry, satanic wolf, howling and snarling. "I'm so sorry, Luci. I'm so, so sorry," he repeated, uncovering his face. A quick attempt to meet her eyes failed, as Judd's gaze was immediately focused behind her, at her beige wall. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" he muttered, mainly to himself. Judd had never met anyone else who had a greater capacity to fuck things up.

Still, she stayed with him through it all. Luci took a told of his hand, rolling over on her side. Beautiful, faithful Luci. "I don't think that's something you can promise. I put you through hell, how could you possibly be alright?" Exhausted, Judd leaned against the cushions of the couch, as Luci laid sideways on him. It was almost like old times. Absentmindedly, his fingers twirled around her hair."Yeah, it is," he sighed in agreement, his hand tightening over hers. He often liked to consider what his life would be like without this curse. Things would have been so much better; he could have graduated high school, gone to college, gotten a job, and have been a better brother and better friend/lover. "I guess there's nothing that I can say or do to make it up to you. I just wish you hadn't seen that -- again."

Silence fell between them as memories rushed through his mind, of their old movie date nights, picnics, and passionate kisses. Luci's voice brought him back to earth, and grunted,"Hmm?" The following words that tumbled out of her mouth rocked Judd to his very core. Despite all of their time together, they had never said these words to each other. With eyes wide and mouth agape, Judd was convinced that he'd misheard her. How could she still love him, after all of that shit? Luci was equally as surprised by what she'd said -- did she regret it? There were so many things he wanted to respond back, so many buried feelings he'd desperately wanted to express. However, like Skylar with her asthma, the breath was taken out of his lungs, and he had no idea what to do.

She said those blessed words again, this time with confidence and certainty. Before he could think of anything else, the words rushed out of his mouth as well. "I love you too, so much. I've wanted to say that to you forever, Luci. I've never been so in love with anyone than I am at this moment." He'd never been one with words, but there was so much more that could be expressed. Without hesitation, his lips rushed in for the kisses he'd so desperately craved. His lips landed firmly upon hers, as he turned to face her directly. His hands came up to hold her face in his hands, as if he was holding a precious, burning star. He felt like it was burning, with the hot passion of those kisses so long ago. He'd always loved her, he'd never stopped. However, hearing her say those words made the feelings all the more real. Pulling back for a moment, he gently removed stray locks of hair from her face. "You're beautiful, and I couldn't be a happier man." With that, he went in for another kiss.

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