bsumone | Slightly less monstrous boys: prequel

"All I've ever learned is that you change on the full moon and that silver can hurt you. That part I can see is true. But about the moon... is it for all three nights or just when the moon is fullest?"

"All three. But it's worse at the fullest. The first and last day it's like you're sort of aware that you can't control yourself but there's nothing you can do. The night of the fullest though? It's just emptiness and you don't remember anything until the next morning."

Which was never a comfortable experience for any wolf. Having a pack helped to lessen that and provide comfort because when feral you just wanted to stay near family. The world was too big, too scary otherwise. It was why a lone wolf could be so dangerous. More so than an entire pack.

That didn't sound like a comfortable experience, period. But Su-jin could relate. There was a time when he'd starve himself to the point of being a true danger to anyone around him. He remembered the feeling, the uncontrollable urge, until the moment his mind went blank. It was like losing consciousness except his body moved of its own volition and when his senses finally returned, he was elbow-deep in someone's abdominal cavity.

Yes, he understood that horror all too well.

"How long does it usually take you to recover from... all this." There's no judgment in his voice. He understood entirely why Silvio's extreme measures were necessary. Cruel as they were, they kept the wolf and the people living nearby him safe when the monster came out.

"The first couple days are the worst because I can't hunt. But after I start getting protein in me it speeds things up. Once I can start walking around on day four then I'm okay. Not fully healed but okay. In total it takes around a week for all this to fully go away."

Not convenient but it was what he was used to. He was lucky he was a monster because no human could survive what he went through every full moon. That was for sure. Sometimes he wondered how he even survived it.

He kept applying the salve as he turned over the information Silvio gave in his mind. He couldn't imagine being so vulnerable for the whole of a week while also being alone. Su-jin spent more time with Tiras the closer his feeding times came. He should eat more frequently, Tiras even encouraged it, but he won't. So he starts to feel weaker and sick. And he starts to spend more time with his partner. Then after, he stayed while the incubus recovered. Usually it was only a matter of days for that, but he couldn't dream of leaving him alone when he's not at full strength. If something ever happened to Tiras, it would be a death sentence for Su-jin.

"That's a long time to be so vulnerable..." As if Silvio wasn't well aware of the fact.

"Good thing I'm out here alone where I'm not likely to deal with dangerous during that time."

It was barely a comfort and he knew that. It was barely a comfort for him either and he was the one who had to live this life now. A lot of lone wolves would rather take their own lives than live like this. But he owed it to his pack to keep on living.

Su-jin's lips bowed into a frown. Not likely wasn't great. If hunters came here before... even if it was ten years ago. Well, at least he could come around to provide some extra protection as long as he and Tiras were staying near this town.

He finished applying the ointment to Silvio's wrists and ankles and moved to carefully dab it along the burn on his neck.

"I may be staying near here for a while. I don't mind coming around."

The whole turning over thing was going to have to happen again soon. He wasn't looking forward to that but Silvio knew that now that his back was taken care of the ointment would have to be applied to the front of him too. So inconvenient.

"...I don't want to bother you. I'm still amazed you came here at all."

"It's no bother." He knew what it was like to be alone and scared. He wouldn't wish it on his most dire enemy.

"C'mon, let's get you turned over again." At least they could get that taken care of before Silvio got too comfortable. "Then I'll go see how that soup's coming along."

"Thanks. You're a good one, Su-jin."

Like he thought, getting turned over was terrible. But now he could rest slightly propped up to get the rest of the ointment put on as well as to make it easier to eat soon. Sniffing the air, he smiled weakly.

"Smells good."

"I hope it is good." He hasn't eaten food in such a long time... He relied solely on recipes for anything and couldn't really be trusted when the directions said to add an ingredient 'to taste.' But a very basic chicken soup wasn't that difficult, even for him.

"Will you be okay for a few minutes?"

"This is already better than I'd usually be. I can manage being alone until you get back."

He smiled at him and settled to just rest. His own nudity hardly bothered him. Especially when he knew it was better for the recovery of his injuries. Food and rest. It was the best thing for his body now.

The nudity didn't bother Su-jin either. He's become far too accustomed to Tiras and his penchant for not wearing clothes. Nudity wasn't always sexual, either. There was a time when he did most of his bathing in public bathhouses. Once he was certain Silvio was settled, he padded off to fetch the soup.

When Su-jin returned, he had a bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He came closer, sinking onto the edge of the bed, and set the water on the nightstand. Handing the bowl to Silvio, he glanced toward the blankets.

"Do you want to be covered while you eat?"

"I'd have to get up to get them out from under me. I'll be fine."

Grateful for the bowl, he didn't bother with using a spoon. He was too shaky for that right now. Instead, he sipped from the bowl, sighing as the heat sank into him. Was it the best soup he'd ever had? No. But it was amazing simply because he hadn't eaten for three days.

"You're a pretty decent cook." He seriously meant that too.

That earned a soft laugh from Su-jin. "That's surprising." He's barely cooked a thing in at least 600 years. Soup, at least, was relatively simple. "I'm glad it's edible." Heating up leftovers was a much easier feat than cooking something fresh and new.

"I can stay for a while if you want company."

"If you're trying to make sure you're my friend it's working."

Really well honestly. And even if the guy wasn't trying it was still working. He was grateful for that as he sipped at the soup some more, letting it fill his empty stomach. Already this was so much better than what he usually dealt with. It almost felt like having a pack again.

"I wouldn't go that far... yet." It's one thing to help someone in need. Another entirely if Silvio still wanted to call him a friend after he recovered. "You might change your mind after more of my cooking."

"I doubt it since usually have to survive off of freshly caught rat." Silvio stopped at about half of the soup gone, not wanting to push his stomach to eat more just yet. Better to pace himself a bit. Instead, he held it out for Su-jin to put somewhere for him before relaxing again as best as the pain would allow.

"I already decided to call you friend. You're stuck with this wolf now."

Su-jin took the bowl, brushing his soft fingers against Silvio's. Though he'd had a long life, it was one free of most labor, leaving him with soft, uncalloused hands.

"I'll put this back on the stove." There was more soup left, simmering now on a very low heat. That said, he vanished a moment then returned, once more sitting on the edge of Silvio's bed. "If you feel like you can stomach it, I also brought some fresh bread. I thought some things that would be easy on your stomach would be best. But if you need to sleep, I can stay in the living room so you can rest."

"You can stay here." And no, he wanted to be more clear about that. "Please stay here. It's been ten years but it's still hard to sleep alone after the full moon. If I can smell you next to me it'll help."

It was truly hard to admit that but this was someone he was claiming as a friend now. He needed to be honest with him. He knew that.

That he could understand. As many nights as he spends with Tiras, it's the nights they're apart that are the hardest. He sleeps restlessly, but deals with it as best he can. So, yeah, he got that.

"Okay," he agreed softly. If it helped Silvio to rest, he'd stay there until he woke up again.

"Thank you."

Being alone for ten years when he never had been the rest of his life? It was hard. Especially as a wolf. The whole lone wolf thing was bullshit and most didn't realize that fact. Having Su-jin there to be near him while he slept meant a lot and he found the exhaustion claiming him, Silvio soon drifting off there on the bed without a care that he was above the blankets.

Being with someone was more important to him.

He waited until he was sure Silvio was resting soundly before he moved. Even then, he didn't go far. Mostly just a few paces around the room, searching for a blanket in case he noticed any shivering from the wolf. But he was quiet about it, lest he disturb his new friend's sleep.

As promised, he would be right there, sitting on the edge of the bed when Silvio woke.

It was hours later when Silvio stirred again. He was tired but he felt...alright. In pain but that was normal. But because he could smell that someone familiar was nearby he didn't feel that sharp pang of loneliness. Opening his unseeing eyes, his hand sought out the body he knew that was within reach and he smiled.

"...you're really still here."

He heard Silvio stir and turned to face him with a smile. Even if Silvio couldn't see it, he wasn't going to temper his expressions or fail to look at him. He's sure Silvio's hearing is better than average on account of him being a wolf and without sight. So he would easily know if someone wasn't addressing him face-to-face.

"I said that I would stay," he murmured quietly as he reached for that seeking hand. "I do my best to stay true to my word. How are you feeling?"

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