Aaron

[mooningremus]

Remus ate three sausages for breakfast. He was flushed; he tended to get a bit feverish before the full moon. And he managed to get through a morning class without saying a word to anyone, for fear of losing his temper over the smallest thing.

He was also avoiding Aaron as best he could, but when he went back to the room after class, when he thought Aaron would be out, he discovered he was wrong.

"I thought you'd be at practice," he blurted.

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[quitollis]

Aaron turned back in shock when he heard Remus scream.

He witnessed it then, the change. It was horrific. More gruesome than anything he could have imagined. It wasn't a magical transformation, but a physical one. His bones broke and grew and grew back together in their new position. His skin strained, his muscles changed and hair grew from his skin.

Shocked and unable to move, Aaron witnessed the pain Remus was in. It was awful, but he wouldn't abandon him now.

[mooningremus]

When it was over, a wolf was there. A giant wolf, with tawny fur and huge, gleaming teeth. Horrible and beautiful.

It lifted its head and howled in displeasure and, as usual, threw itself hard against the door that was locked with magic, five or six times.

And then it turned, and noticed the window. It growled, low in the back of his throat, and stalked towards the window. And then it bared its horrible teeth, snapping its jaws as it threw itself agains the glass.

[quitollis]

Aaron winced - how could he not - but he didn't move away. He put his hand on the glass, trying to be calming in his gesture.

[mooningremus]

The wolf growled again, teeth bared, terrifying. And then it sniffed, at the air, at the glass.

And stared at Aaron with big, amber eyes.

[quitollis]

Suddenly, Aaron was struck with the beauty of the wolf - and his eyes, almost human, as if there was something still there. Or maybe that was wistful thinking. "I don't know if you can hear me through the glass," Aaron began and moved his hand to the wolf's cheek - or near there. "I'm sorry that you're trapped. It's not fair, I know."

[mooningremus]

The wolf bared its teeth and growled.

It threw itself against the glass a few more times, and at the last time there was a crunch as if a bone was breaking. But then... it whimpered and lay down. Lifting its head to watch Aaron.

[quitollis]

Aaron felt horrible. Remus hurt himself because of him. But he didn't walk away now. "I'm here. I'm sorry I can't help you. But you're not alone."

[mooningremus]

The wolf simply continued to lay there, not taking its eyes from Aaron.

[quitollis]

Frankly, Aaron didn't know if the wolf was wary of him, felt threatened or was calmed. But at least it wasn't hurting Remus now. So, Aaron stayed and told a story he remembered in a calming voice.

[mooningremus]

For the rest of the night, the wolf mostly lay there. Not taking his eyes off of Aaron.

And when the sun rose, suddenly the wolf howled in pain, and convulsed as his bones began to break and his body changed, until Remus was laying there naked instead.

[quitollis]

There were a few times that Aaron thought the wolf would sleep and he would sleep as well. But the wolf did not, and Aaron just stayed there, sitting on a branch of the nearby tree, reading when he could, talking to the wolf and just being there.

Apparently, he did fall asleep, though, because he was woken with a start by the howl of a wolf.

He watched Remus turn back, cracking and reshaping until he was human once more. And he just lay there, naked and alone. Aaron waited for a moment, but then lightly tapped the window.

[mooningremus]

Remus always woke exhausted and feeling like one giant bruise. He did now, too, though perhaps... not quite as bad as usual. He looked up when he heard the tap, and after a moment of disorientation his face relaxed into a smile when he saw Aaron.

He carefully got dressed, and then emerged from the shack.

[quitollis]

Aaron rushed to him as soon as he heard the door unlock. "Are you okay? Do we need to go to the medic?" Because, frankly, Aaron was surprised Remus could stand after that.

[mooningremus]

"I think I'm okay," said Remus, though he sounded terrible. "I just... need to rest." He actually didn't feel quite as bad as he usually did.

[quitollis]

"Yeah, let's get back to our room," Aaron agreed and offered his arm so Remus could lean on him a bit as they walked.

[mooningremus]

Remus was quiet for a moment as they walked and then said, “Was it awful?”

[quitollis]

"Yes," Aaron said. He wouldn't lie about that. "I can't imagine going through that every month. I'm amazed you're even standing right now."

[mooningremus]

"I uh, I don't really remember anything," Remus said. "After right after it starts." He wanted Aaron to tell him. But maybe not until he was lying down.

[quitollis]

"You don't know?" Aaron asked, surprised. "I guess that's good. I'll tell you, if you like, but let's get inside first."

[mooningremus]

"I mean I remember... the beginning," Remus said. The pain, that was. Though he didn't know if it got worse.

[quitollis]

They got to their room first, and Aaron waited for Remus to sit before he explained. "Every bone in your body breaks and shifts to their new position. Muscles transform and you... I know it hurts because you scream throughout. Until the wolf takes over and he howls in pain as well."

[mooningremus]

Remus looked down at his hands. "That sounds about right," he said quietly. "It's all I remember, the pain, but at least I black out pretty quickly."

[quitollis]

Aaron put a hand on Remus' leg, hoping to provide some comfort. "It threw itself against the window a few times, but... it gave up at some point," Aaron continued. "I talked to it. I know that's silly, but I didn't know what to do so I just told it stories."

[mooningremus]

Remus' expression softened into a smile. "You're wonderful," he said softly.

[quitollis]

"It seemed content enough to listen. Or it was just tired. It might have been. After our er...what we did," Aaron said. He never was one to take compliments very well.