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kstewdeux · 3 years

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Tumblr Exclusive For No Raisins

Five Stages of Grief

Struggling to breathe, Inuyasha clutched Kagome’s battered body tightly against his chest - one hand pressing against the wound on her back while the other pressed her ever colder hand against his heart. This was his fault. Completely his fault. That attack had been thrown and he ducked without taking into account the miko’s position. By the time he realized where she was, there was no time to take the hit for her and...and...

“You’re okay” Inuyasha choked as tears streamed down his cheeks and he buried his face in Kagome’s blood soaked hair, “You’ll be fine. It’s just...it’s just a flesh wound. Nothing deep. Just...just stay with me, huh?”

A whine escaped him as the scent of death began creeping into her scent. With trembling hands, he had tended to her wounds as best as he could but it wasn’t enough. At a certain point, he could barely feel his own fingers and every clumsy attempt to stitch up the numerous wounds wound up hurting her more. It wasn’t like this was his first time tending an injury that way. He’d done it thousands of times on himself with even cruder implements than what his miko carried with her from the future but his hands wouldn’t cooperate just like everything else in his body. Amber eyes - usually able to see every blade of grass - could barely see what they were doing. His lungs were barely taking in air and it took everything he had left in him not to simply pass out.

So he stopped trying since all he was doing was making her worse. Oh, he applied bandages and ointments and forced her to swallow those fever pills but she was bleeding out before his very eyes. There was nothing he could do for her. He had failed her in every possible way and now all he could do was pray.

To add insult to injury, the smell of graveyard soil had been steadily growing stronger over the last agonizing hour. Kikyo knew. She knew Kagome was dying.

“You can’t have her,” Inuyasha spat hatefully as the last person he wanted to see came into view, “She’s going to be fine. You’ll see. So...so you can’t take her soul. I won’t...I won’t let you.”

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha tried to find the will to stand and fight but it simply wouldn’t come. With Kagome slipping through his fingers so too did his own desire to live to see another day. He didn’t want to go back to a world without his miko in it. He simply wouldn’t survive.

Squeezing Kagome’s hand as tightly as he dared, Inuyasha tried to muster up more strength from the simple touch to no avail. So he restorted to desperately clutching her to him with both hands like he could hold in her soul through that action alone. The motion aggravated her wounds but with as far gone as his miko was in that moment, she didn’t even react and that sent his panic to all new heights.

“How was she hurt?” came Kikyo’s softly spoken reply and Inuyasha shook his head - burying his nose into ebony locks as his own heart struggled to beat. The scent of Kagome’s impending death was suffocating.

“Inuyasha look at me,” the undead miko commanded in a gentler tone than he’d heard in quite some time. When he merely whined and more tears fell, Kikyo tried to cross the distance between them but stopped at the menacing growl he used to warn her.

“You can’t have her,” Inuyasha managed shakily as he clutched Kagome tighter still. Like the action itself would keep the soul inside its vessel, “She’s mine. She’s mine and I promised...I promised to protect her.”

His voice cracked on that last word and the undead miko felt her unbeating heart crack at the sound.

“She needs new bandages,” Kikyo sighed, “And you’re in no state to...”

“Don’t touch her!” Inuyasha barked as yet more tears fell - one clawed hand blindly swiping to maintain distance through intimidation, “Stay...stay back. I’m warning you!”

Kikyo took another step and Inuyasha’s face contorted in pure unbridled rage.

“Take one step closer and I’ll destroy you,” the hanyou snarled between clenched teeth as his eyes flashed red, “I said you can’t have her bitch so back the fuck up!”

Kikyo let out another sigh before glancing at her soul collectors who nodded subtly and began gliding towards the grieving half-demon who watched with somewhat panic stricken eyes as they moved closer.

“Get those things away from me!” Inuyasha snapped desperately as he tried to get to his feet but any strength he had had long since fled his body, “What...what about you can’t have her did you not understand?!”

“Inuyasha I’m not going to...”

It was becoming terrifyingly obvious that something was wrong with him. Despite his best efforts, his body wouldn’t cooperate and every attempt to scramble to his feet and run resulted in his crumpling to the ground. His worthless ass couldn’t protect her.

He already failed but....

“If...if you need to take someone take me,” Inuyasha bargained desperately as one soul collector gently wrapped around his elbow and his body suddenly wasn’t his own. His grip weakened and he watched with heartbroken eyes as another soul collector wrenched Kagome from his arms, “I’ll go with you. I swear I’ll go with you. You can kill me or...or do whatever. I don’t care. Just...just don’t...”

A soft cry escaped him as Kikyo knelt down beside the one person who made his life worth living and gently rested one hand on Kagome’s stomach.

“Kikyo please....please don’t hurt her,” Inuyasha begged miserably as the soul collector immobilizing him pinned both arms behind his back. Kikyo was going to make him watch?! Didn’t she see he was already broken enough already? Why...why destroy him completely? What would be the point?! Did she really hate him that much? He...he’d never done anything to her. Defended her even at the expense of his own happiness. Even though it killed him inside. Every time he returned he had to face the betrayal in Kagome’s eyes which was more painful than any injury he’d received. Ruined every chance he had to be loved for the sake of someone who wanted nothing more than to make him suffer. Hadn’t he done enough? Sacrificed enough?

Inuyasha closed his eyes and willed his heart to give out. He couldn’t watch this. Another tear slipped free.

“These wounds are deep,” he heard Kikyo hum in a worried voice, “The stitches are too loose. Do you have more thread?”

Letting out a shaky breath, watery amber eyes slowly opened to find Kikyo looking at him expectantly.

“I’m not going to hurt her. I want to help,” Kikyo informed him in a slightly chiding tone before adding quickly, “Kagome is essential to defeating Naraku.”

Exhaling slowly, Inuyasha bit back tears as he tried to find his voice but failed. Kikyo gave him a strangely sympathetic look before glancing at the yellow monstrosity Kagome called a backpack and nodding to one of her soul collectors who clumsily tugged it closer.

Inuyasha felt his soul curl up and die as Kikyo began rummaging through the bag. This was a trick. Make him think she was there to help and then do something awful when his guard was down. There would be no holding Kagome one last time. No ability to say goodbye. She’d leave this world never knowing....never knowing how much he loved her. Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha tried to find the courage to say what needed to say before it was too late but his fear that Kikyo would make Kagome’s death more painful stilled his tongue. Two more tears trailed down his cheeks as he tried to remember how to breathe. Kagome had made him believe, if only for a little while, that he could be something more. That he had worth in his ability to protect and care for others but everyone was right about him. He had failed the one person in the world who thought differently of him from the very start. He was every bit the worthless half-breed everyone had always told him he was. Maybe he should’ve been drowned at birth.

It didn’t even register with him that Kikyo was, in fact, helping. Years of sewn distrust blinded him to the possibility that things were not as dire as they appeared. Whether Kikyo was helping or not, though, the scent of death lingered.

Letting out a shuddering breath, Inuyasha tried to struggle against the invisible bonds as his hardwired instinct to protect Kagome finally kicked in. It had shriveled up and died for a brief moment out of a belief that it was too late to do anything but now that the world has shown him once and for all things could always be worse, the instinct came back full force.

“Stop moving so much,” Kikyo sighed as she continued stitching the unconscious miko’s wounds, “You’ll aggravate your wounds.”

Inuyasha, of course, didn’t even know he was injured so that comment went right over his head. It hadn’t even registered that he also had been the victim of a direct hit that had shredded his fire rat robes and that half the blood that drenched Kagome was his own. Inuyasha honestly placed absolutely no value on his own life and the undead miko sighed sadly at that realization as she finished her task before reaching for the bottle labeled disinfectant. Which by the smell of it would probably hurt quite a good bit once applied.

Kikyo flicked her gaze up at the utterly heartbroken and obviously struggling boy watching with agony riddled eyes for just a moment before deciding she could multi-task.

“Inuyasha fear not. I have no intention of letting her die,” the undead miko began softly before looking at the spray bottle with a confused, appraising eye, “You must calm yourself.”

Again, Kikyo underestimated how very far gone Inuyasha was in that moment. His mind filled with panic induced static that was only growing thicker by the moment. Inuyasha was incapable of hearing anything outside of his own heart pounding in his normally sensitive ears. Breathing had gone completely by the wayside for more reasons than one and kiss goodbye his sense of smell with how congested his nose had become. The slow trickle of blood leaking out of the corner of his mouth was flowing completely unnoticed as his vision blurred and his head lolled. The effort he was expending tried to break free was dimming and his body was refusing to cooperate.

“Set him down,” Kikyo ordered softly as she spritzed the sanitizer a few times and hummed in understanding, “But be careful. Don’t aggravate his wounds.”

Inuyasha felt his body being laid out as he continued watching Kikyo do whatever the hell she was doing. Kagome was so close. If he could move, he could almost reach out and touch her. The undead miko glanced up then followed his gaze with a sad little smile before reaching over, grasping his hand and pulling it a hair away from Kagome’s wrist. Taking the miko’s wrist then Kikyo placed it atop his palm before helping curl his fingers around the thin flesh so his thumb lay just over her vein.

“Can you feel her heartbeat?” Kikyo asked softly as Inuyasha looked up at her with unfocused amber eyes before those same eyes lowered to where his hand was curled around Kagome’s wrist. For a moment he didn’t react at all before a shuddering sigh of relief gave her the answer he couldn’t give out loud. The steady thrum under his fingertips brought him comfort that couldn’t be voiced with words. At least he’d be with her at the end. Small comfort though that was. Maybe he’d be lucky enough to die soon so they’d be born together in the next life. That would be alright. To find out that soul and him really did have a destiny. Just wrong time and place this go ‘round. Vision blurring Inuyasha closed his eyes and focused on Kagome’s weakening pulse.

“It’s okay ‘Gome,” Inuyasha mumbled tiredly as another tear snaked down his dirtied cheek, “Its okay...”

It had to be several hours later that Inuyasha slowly regained consciousness even though his eyes stubbornly refused to cooperate. He was cocooned in something warm and soft. There was a pleasant pressure running along the front of his body too that one arm seemed to be keeping in place. Kagome was nearby, though, which meant he was being protected and cared for. And...and...

Oh no. Ooooh no. Nope. Not good. Definitely bad.

With a painful sounding groan, Inuysha finally forced his eyes open and nearly died on the spot. A short distance away a calm, indifferent looking Kikyo sat petting her soul collector while her two weird child minions maintained a barrier that surrounded him. As for the pressure against his front, one glance down told him that it was a pajama clad Kagome spooned up against his bare chest while the warmth came from the sleeping bag they’d both been stuffed into.

The rest of that day crashed down onto him moments later.

“Shit,” Inuysha breathed as he suddenly buried his nose into Kagome’s hair and inhaled deeply before whining in relief when the scent of death couldn’t be found. A tear welled in the corner of his eye as he squeezed the miko to him as tightly as he dared. He could smell the somewhat fresh blood from her stomach wound even now and...and his own dried blood? Had he been hurt too? He hadn’t noticed...

“Once you were both stabilized, I had my soul collectors arrange you this way,” Kikyo explained impassively as she glanced over at him, “It seemed the logical thing to do.”

Inuyasha set his jaw - nose remaining in Kagome’s hair as amber eyes watched the undead miko wearily. Had Kikyo been trying to help him? That seemed so absurd he didn’t even know where to start.

For some reason, this was the moment he suddenly remembered that Kagome hadn’t been wearing pajamas. And it would appear his undergarments were gone. His eyes widened in horror for a moment before he pushed that thought as far back in his mind as it would go. W-who cared it Kikyo saw them both naked? That didn’t bother him. Nope. Didn’t bother him at all. It was...

This was fine. Fine. An absolutely fantastic turn of events that wouldn’t keep him awake at night due to the crushing awkwardness. The only solace he could find was that Kikyo may have done a mortifying thing but it was done in the course of a not shitty thing so...

The fact that she had done such a thing when both he and Kagome were unconscious did seem to be the thing that convinced him Kikyo didn’t actually mean them harm. She’d had ample opportunity to kill them. They’d both been so far gone the jostling that must have occurred didn’t even wake them.

That didn’t help the blush on his cheeks or the mortification he felt - although the utter relief he felt that Kagome was alive muted both negative emotions considerably.

“Why help her?” Inuyasha asked suspiciously as his hand slid up to pull Kagome’s torso more fully against him.

“Kagome is essential to defeating Naraku,” Kikyo explained before smiling faintly and running one hand across a nearby silver serpent, “And if something were to happen to her, someone I know would be very sad.”

“What?”

Kikyo subtly nodded to herself as she realized that statement went completely over his head. Of course he wouldn’t understand the significance of her repeating back those words Kagome had said to her. Her reincarnation sheltered him from the ugliness of the world and if he had known that he almost lost both of them....

It made all the sense in the world to keep what happened that day a secret. Inuyasha had always been an anxious creature and at that time, he was endlessly torn. Kikyo wasn’t a stupid woman. She knew Kagome hadn’t admitted what should have been obvious. That day that seemed so long ago, it had been Kikyo’s intention to kill the competition and yet her reincarnation refused to say as much. This strange girl made it her job to protect Inuyasha from threats real or imagined. To shelter him from ugly truths he was ill equipped to handle like how the woman he still adored was now a being of evil. Kagome loved him for the good man he was and made it her mission in life to convince him to love himself. A strange girl made for an equally strange boy.

“When I was dying, Kagome risked her life to save mine. On more than one occasion,” Kikyo interrupted vaguely as she looked up into the starry sky, “It seemed only right to repay the favor.”

Inuyasha considered this before relaxing somewhat and rearranging to rest his cheek on Kagome’s hair with his eyes partially closed. It was still insanely hard to focus and his head felt ridiculously heavy for no reason. Still, Kagome was alright and that’s really what mattered.

“I love her you know so...so thank you I guess,” Inuyasha mumbled cautiously as he inhaled deeply and relished in the knowledge that Kagome would live.

“I believe that has been made abundantly clear,” Kikyo admitted with a humorless laugh.

Inuyasha snorted softly but didn’t bother arguing. Whether or not Kagome loved him in return was a question he’d prefer to explore with literally anyone else. Hell, he’d even ask Naraku for his thoughts on the matter before he’d ever try to talk about that remote possibility with Kikyo.

“Thank you,” Inuyasha mumbled after a long period of awkward silence, “For saving her. I...I don’t know what I would’ve done if...if...”

The half-demon couldn’t even finish that statement as visions of him permanently turning into a full demon and wreaking havoc across the land entered his minds eye. In his heart of hearts, he knew what he would’ve done. He would’ve gone insane. Just would’ve lost his damn mind and ran around killing people for no...

“It was the least I could do,” Kikyo sighed as she glanced over at the injured pair, “I will protect you until dawn and then I must leave. I believe you will have healed enough by then to take Kagome to a second location.”

Inuyasha nodded against Kagome’s hair as he gave the living, breathing, not dying miko as light squeeze. Of all the things that had ever happened to him, not one had been as terrifying as that morning. He needed to be more careful in the future. Be more aware during battle. Or, alternatively, he could just throw Kagome down the well and destroy it so this would never happen again. That was definitely an attractive option.

“I know you are a man of few words,” Kikyo offered barely above a whisper, “But perhaps it is time you told her. I have no intention of dragging you away from her. You have done enough.”

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at that comment but otherwise stayed silent and nodded. Truth be told, holding Kagome against him was rather nice even if his undead typically murderous ex-fiancé was watching. If he didn’t just say screw it and throw Kagome down the well, he might insist they do this more often. If, of course, Kagome woke up and discovered he was holding her. What he’d do if he managed to pull this off without her knowing was an issue for a different day.

“I love you,” Inuyasha whispered in Kagome’s ear as he settled into a somewhat more comfortable position and nuzzled the skin just above her jaw. The warmth and contentment flowing through his veins soon rocked him to sleep and for the first time in his life, Inuysha slept well.

Kikyo watched on with a melancholy sigh as Inuyasha subconsciously snuggled up against his miko in his sleep.Yes, she was a creature born of evil. Yes, she had made many, many mistakes since she’d been so rudely brought back to life. And yes, her feelings toward the injured half-demon consisted of a mixture of love and hate. But something about his scream this night had triggered something she didn’t know she still possessed. A part of herself all but forgotten. She’d literally flown most of the distance toward him and walked the rest. Cautiously, of course. There most certainly a risk he would strike her down and honestly, she wouldn’t blame him.

When she opened her eyes that fateful day, she’d been in denial over so many things. Mind bucking against his insistence that he had nothing to do with her demise. That she had been cursed into this half-life consisting of little more than pain and misery.

Naturally what followed was unbridled rage at the world. Of course, everyone with eyes knew where that path had led her.

After the anger had subsided, more or less, she’d began to plead with any god who would listen. Obsessed with the desire to return to the ground from whence she came, defeating Naraku became her number one priority. She promised to kill the wicked Onigumo - not out a warped sense of duty but rather because she hoped and prayed that by doing so, she would be freed from this hell. Maybe even gain the affection she once had and even be accepted by the people who once loved her. Inuyasha was a lost cause by that point but Kaede...

Kaede may forgive her yet.

It was the realization that it would be impossible to defeat Naraku on her own and thus not win any favors from the powers that be or forgiveness from her sister that brought her crashing back down to earth. Numb to the world around her, she no longer cared what happened to her or anyone else. No longer cared whether Naraku won or lost. Yes, she still wanted to be the one who killed that horrid beast but...but she knew...she knew that she would not be there to witness her former love’s victory of defeat. There would be no redemption for her. There was no point even trying to do more than just wander aimlessly and help on occasion if she was in the mood to do so. By and large, however, she didn’t do anything productive any longer.

That was, until today. Something about Inuyasha’s anguished cry made something in her snap. It was the sound of a heart breaking with such devastating force that the world itself stood still. Never, never should he be allowed to make such a sound. Bygones being bygones, Kikyo was determined to stop whatever was the source of his pain. It was unacceptable in her mind for whatever reason.

And with this action, she accepted that this was her fate. Such a bizarre thing to realize at the end of an era. There was no one still living who loved her any longer.

She was truly alone.

“Kikyo,” Inuyasha muttered in a concerned tone as his amber eyes blinked open, “I didn’t know you could cry anymore. What’s wrong?”

Or maybe not.

“You must be imagining things,” Kikyo lied smoothly as she stared into the distance, “Such a thing is impossible.”

“Yeah okay,” Inuyasha snorted softly as he settled back down. A few moments passed before he cleared his throat and offered something he hoped brought the undead miko some peace, “Kaede’s been asking about you.”

Kikyo subtly furrowed her brow and glanced in his direction.

“Why do you say such a thing?”

“There are people who still care about you,” he continued hesitantly, “Just because I don’t love you like that anymore doesn’t mean I still don’t love you as a friend. Kaede I know misses the hell outta ya. Go see her. Old bat’d love a visit.”

Kikyo’s lips twitched upwards as she nodded and sighed.

“That was unkind,” she chided gently, “You should not speak of your elders that way.”

“I knew her when she was a brat and I’m still older than her. I can call her whatever the hell I want,” Inuyasha laughed good-naturedly as he settled back down and gave Kagome’s still form a light squeeze before frowning suddenly and clearing his throat to make a peace offering, “Just...just so you know I’m sorry for what happened. Back then I mean. I should’ve known. I should’ve....”

“It was a very convincing plot,” Kikyo interrupted, “And exposed issues that were already present. I failed you more than you have ever failed me.”

“Is that why you helped Kagome?” Inuyasha asked hesitantly and the undead miko shrugged slightly.

“To be honest I do not know why I assisted,” she lied, “This existence is most strange.”

“I bet,” Inuyasha acknowledged wearily before furrowing his brow, “Does it hurt?”

“This form?”

Inuyasha nodded.

“Not any longer.”

#subtle futurama joke #if you get it you get it #trapped in a world of plot holes and spelling errors #leave earth for no raisins #inuyasha #inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha fandom #Kagome #Kikyo is not a bitch this time #inukag

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delimeful · 5 years

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how easy you are to need (2)

warnings: panic, fear, threats of violence, suicidal thoughts, miscommunication

Chapter 2

Virgil woke up surrounded by warmth and the smell of sugar.

It was nice for the few moments it took him to realize where he was and what had happened to get him there. He peeled his eyes open, ignoring the way his whole face felt like a bruise, and found himself… in a small living room? Propped up by a bunch of pillows and nearly smothered in blankets?

His gaze darted around, uncomprehending. He’d expected a cell, at best. Really, he hadn’t expected to wake up at all. What possible reason could these people have for keeping a shifter around? If they felt bad killing him for whatever reason, they should have just left him to bleed out and return to the soil. That was the terrifying and relentless way nature worked.

(Not that he’d cared about the life cycle when he’d seen Patton injured.)

A low sigh made him freeze, and he slowly turned his head to see that there was, in fact, a human in the room.

Patton was curled up in a cozy armchair, a worn storybook sliding off his lap, and one leg tucked up against him. The other was laid straight out on a footrest, the pant leg rolled up and the skin bandaged thoroughly. Virgil stared.

Were these humans insane? Leaving one of their injured in the same room as a strange wolf-

He abruptly realized which form he was in, looking down at his pale flesh, and all the pieces clicked into place. With a sword like his, Roman was a hunter, and there was only one reason hunters kept monsters alive, as he knew personally. His breath quickened, head becoming foggy with panic.

He had to get out of here.

As though summoned by the rebellious thought, he heard light footsteps from down the hall. He tore out of the blankets, scrambling to his feet and noting with mild hysteria that he was wearing soft, button-up pajamas. Patton blinked blearily, looking up at him with confusion.

“What-” The footsteps sped up at the noise, and Virgil grabbed Patton’s arm, yanking him out of the chair and in front of him as another human appeared in the hall’s threshold. Roman, surprisingly with his sword sheathed. He wouldn’t need it yet, though, would he?

Patton stumbled on his weak leg, and Virgil kept his face stone cold as he shifted his leg to subtly support the man’s weight. “Wha- huh?” Patton asked, and Virgil wrapped an arm loosely around his throat, claws hovering above the skin in lieu of an answer.

“Don’t take another step,” Virgil instructed, trying to keep the shake from his voice as he watched Roman take in the situation, “or I’ll bite him.”

The human’s face darkened instantly, as he expected. Humans never took well to their own being turned. “Let Pat go.”

Virgil barked out a sharp laugh, eyes wild. “Not a chance.”

Patton shifted awkwardly on his foot. “Um, kiddo? You don’t have to-”

“Stop. Talking.” Virgil cut him off, not wanting to hear the fear, disgust, faux-sympathy in his voice. He couldn’t afford to let himself soften. “I’m going to move to the door, and you’re coming with. O- Or else.”

“I, um… I can’t walk on this leg. Sorry, kiddo.” Patton apologized sheepishly, as though he wasn’t being held hostage. Shit. How was he supposed to keep him from injuring his leg further without giving away that he was supporting him?

Virgil froze up for a moment too long, and then Roman took a step forward, and he knew his bluff had failed.

“Look, it’s okay, just-” Roman started, advancing, and was cut off by the click of the door handle as Logan stood in the doorway, firewood in his arms. A way out.

Virgil didn’t waste a second, shoving Patton at Roman(who naturally dove to catch him) before charging at Logan head-on. The man blinked, startled, and then sputtered as Virgil knocked all the wood out of his arms before ducking around him and out the door.

There was shouting behind him, but he was already running, ignoring the burn of his wounds until they went numb. Unfortunately, numbness didn’t make for good sprinting. It felt like barely no time at all before he went sprawling, hitting the ground and his vision briefly blacking out.

Once he reawoke, everything seemed to hurt ten times worse, and it had begun to rain. He forced himself up on hands and knees, crawling to the shelter of the nearest thick tree trunk.

He longed for the warmth and comfort of his wolf form, but he knew better than to shift, not when he hadn’t gotten far enough to truly be safe. Not when they could come to reclaim him at any moment. They could track him down, kill him, but he wouldn’t give them what they wanted.

Time passed, his vision occasionally darkening, and then he blinked, and another human stood a few paces away. He squinted, wondering which one of them was sent to finish him off.

“Salutations.” Logan said, crouching to be eye level with him. Virgil didn’t speak. “You’re going to bleed out if you don’t shift back or get those wounds treated.”

That, at least, got a hoarse chuckle out of him. Nice try, buddy.

Logan stared at him expectantly for a moment longer, and then sighed. “I am going to pick you up, and walk back to the house. I’m aware that you panicked and would like to reassure you that we don’t mean you any harm. Quite the opposite, really.”

Virgil didn’t believe it for a second, and when Logan leaned forwards, he bared his teeth. To his surprise, the human simply ignored the threat, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and the underside of his knees and lifting him in one motion. He twitched, and Logan stopped moving.

“I do not want to drop you. Please don’t move, we’ll be back at the cabin shortly.”

Virgil didn’t respond, too busy staring at Logan’s neck, inches away. The human started moving again, as though he wasn’t holding a monster right next to the most vulnerable point of his body. As though Virgil couldn’t lunge forward and tear out his trachea as easy as he’d attacked that bear.

And he was right, wasn’t he? Because Virgil couldn’t. He should, he really should, even if it took harnessing the spite and fear building within him, as a last act of defiance. Even if just to hurt them the way they were going to hurt him, to vent how unfair it was that he saved them and ended up captured, he should close the gap between them and ruin Logan’s life the way his had been ruined.

But he wouldn’t. Even imagining the act made everything in him recoil, because despite everything, he still wanted his humans to be alive and happy and together. He wanted Logan to see the stars and Patton to see his garden’s first harvest and Roman to finally be satisfied with the composition of his songs. He wanted them safe, even if it meant getting rid of a threat like him.

As Logan approached the clearing, he wondered absently if this was what having a pack felt like. It was certainly a bittersweet feeling.

Patton and Roman were out on the porch, the former sat on the edge of the stairs and the latter wearing a groove into the wood with his pacing. Virgil could see his hand resting on his sword hilt, white-knuckled, and felt an astonishing lack of fear. They both looked up as Logan approached, eyes zeroing in on Virgil.

“Logan!”

“Specs! Is he- ?”

“He’s conscious, but many of his wounds are reopened. We’ll need the first aid kit again- ”

Logan’s voice slipped away along with Virgil’s grasp on consciousness, and he was out again.

When he woke for the second time in the cabin, Roman was there.

He was once again laid out on the couch, with mounds of knit blankets tucked around him. It was startling, how different these humans treated him compared to the last hunter. Maybe they figured they’d get more flies with honey. He shifted, and Roman’s head turned at the movement, looking down at him with a surprisingly neutral expression.

He was sat on a throne-like chair next to the couch, and his sword was laid across his legs. He followed Virgil’s gaze down to it.

“Don’t worry, this is for Patton, not you.” He told him, lips turned up at the edges, and Virgil snapped out of his groggy state as though he’d been hit. Patton? Why would- Oh. Oh no.

He leaned forwards, trying to convey the honesty of his next words.

“I- I didn’t bite him. He’s not turned.” Please don’t kill him.

It was Roman’s turn to reel back, eyebrows raised. “No, no! I- I know, it was… It was just a joke. Patton has been trying to hover over you all day, and he needs to be off his feet to recover. He’s not- I wouldn’t-” He sighed, holding up a rag that Virgil hadn’t noticed in his other hand. “I’m just cleaning the blade. On my honor.”

Virgil settled back into the couch, injuries stinging. “Oh.” There was a long pause, in which Virgil steadfastly didn’t make eye contact.

“I don’t know how much you remember, but you’ve been sleeping for around three days, not counting your… brief escapade.” Roman said. “How are you feeling?”

Virgil stared at him for a long moment. Was he serious? “... Bad.”

Roman’s face fell, but anything he was going to say was cut off by Logan entering from the hall, holding a tray of empty dishes. He paused, and then nodded at the two of them.

“Good to see you awake.” He said, passing them by to enter what Virgil assumed was a kitchen. “Give me one moment and I will check your injuries. And Roman, please stop indulging in your self-soothing mechanisms. You’re making our guest uneasy.”

Roman grumbled but finished wiping down the blade and sheathed it as light clinking sounded from the kitchen. Logan returned a moment later, small kit in hand. Virgil eyed it warily, already dreading what he knew was to come.

One checkup later, he was left fairly confused. Logan packed the unused bandages and antiseptic back into the small box, saying something about Patton wanting to visit, apparently satisfied with just… tending to Virgil’s wounds. He hadn’t taken anything from him, not blood or hair or teeth. There was no way Logan, who had mentioned complex magical theory several times in the past, didn’t know about the powerful properties of shifter’s bodies. He exhaled heavily, some of the stress leaving him.

They were just in it for the biggest prize then. That was good, better than he’d expected from humans. It meant he had time. It was just after the new moon, so… he had some time before the full moon hit and he was forced to transform.

They’d try to get him to transform earlier, he was sure, since they were probably as unhappy about a shifter in their house as he was unhappy to be captured. Still, he was nothing if not stubborn enough to resist whatever they threw at him.

If they wanted his pelt, they were going to have to wait him out.

#sanders sides #werewolf au #ts virgil #ts roman #ts logan #ts patton #writing #my writing #werewolf #heyatn #how easy you are to need #taglist coming soon

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