A few hours earlier, Julien dragged his hands down his face as he paced atop the marble platform, mulling over Remus's words.
"I get what I have to do and why I have to do it."
He dropped his hands and looked at Remus with a lost expression.
"But I don't think you realize what type of person Andrew is."
I don't think I know either.
Watching the man wouldn't be an issue, especially if he was supposed to maintain contact with him anyway. Hell, the only one that would have difficulty with the physical contact would be him.
But there was still a problem.
"He tracks exits almost religiously, notices small details before I do, and both his physical abilities and newfound senses are way out of my league. Tell me, how exactly am I supposed to keep anything from him?"
Myself included.
Remus yawned, standing up from his cross-legged position on the ground and stretching his limbs like a lazy cat.
"Simple."
He wrapped his arm around Julien's shoulder, earning a flustered look from the other as he leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"Just follow my lead, poppet."
—
Julien steered Andrew towards the cozy nook at the far end of the dome—their sleeping quarters for the next two days—while Remus wandered off into one of the 'off-limits' areas.
I wonder if we'll even be able to sleep.
Julien looked up at the larger man besides him for any signs of distress. It was only five and the full moon was still a day off, but unlike on Wednesday, Julien wasn't going to be caught off guard.
"Lean down."
Andrew stopped atop the marble platform and looked at him with a tilt of his head before following his instructions. Julien met Andrew's inky irises and took hold of his face, feeling for any sign of warmth or transformation stirring beneath his skin.
This much is easy for me at least.
Releasing a stunned Andrew, Julien pulled him forward, conscious of the gaze boring into his back.
"Tell me earlier this time if you start to feel bad. Remus told you why we're here right?"
He looked back to see Andrew's nod, then the man opened his mouth.
"Do you trust him?"
Julien stumbled over a protruding root and Andrew caught him by the back of his shirt, pulling him back onto his feet. Readjusting himself, Julien looked around before furrowing his brows and speaking in a low tone.
"Do I have a choice?"
Andrew stared at him.
"You do." He looked away. "You don't need to be here."
Andrew began walking again, the space between them stretching uncomfortably wide. Julien shook his head, pulling up beside him as an inexplicable feeling tightened somewhere low in his chest.
"Are you suggesting I leave you to die?"
Andrew glanced at his face, searching. He shook his head.
"I won't die."
Julien ran a hand through his hair.
"You don't know that."
Andrew licked his canines, remaining silent for the rest of the trek towards their sleeping nook—a tree surrounded alcove covered in dangling leaves with a large bed in the center of it.
Meanwhile, Julien's thoughts were racing.
He can't leave.
Andrew sat at the edge of the bed, his voice heavy as he leveled Julien with a serious look.
"Julien."
Julien looked at his stoic face, the one he was slowly learning how to read.
"You aren't responsible for me."
It was like he was trying to convince himself.
"Remember why I'm here."
Julien wanted to laugh.
"As if I ever knew why you were here anyway."
Andrew paused and Julien stepped forward—unable to relish in the conflicted look on the other's face.
"But regardless of how I may feel about that, this is another issue, Andrew."
One that I caused.
"I can't leave you alone."
Andrew stared at him for a while in what Julien could only describe as stunned silence. Then, the tension was cut by a clearing of the throat.
Julien sighed and looked to his left.
"Remus."
How long was he standing there?
Remus waved, amusement coloring his face as he walked over, spun around, and plopped down in the middle of the bed—interrupting the array of pillows behind him.
"Gotta hand it to ya dollface, you make a helluva mean mug."
Julien furrowed his brows.
"What?"
Remus didn't answer him, simply tossing him a small bottle of pills.
"Take 'em."
Julien glanced at Andrew—who was staring at Remus with a menacing expression on his face—before shaking out a few and staring at them.
Pheno releasers…
He pursed his lips. He'd be lying if he said he was thrilled to be taking these mystery pills, but that wasn't what worried him most…
He looked over to Andrew one more time before throwing the pills into his mouth.
It's sweet.
The taste lingered on his tongue, reminding him to remain focused on the task at hand.
When he'd asked earlier if he could just rely on these if phenos was the reason he couldn't manage things alone, Remus promptly shut him down with one simple line:
"Go ahead and take 'em without me around, see what happens."
I'd rather not.
Julien sat beside Andrew, brushing his hands over the soft comforter before laying back and staring at the tree canopy above.
"Remus, how well is your hearing?"
Remus smirked, flipping over so that he was supporting himself on his elbows not far from Julien's head.
"Well enough I can hear whenever y'all argue."
Julien sat up, turning his body to look at the other man directly.
"We weren't arguing."
Remus inched closer and Andrew's arm fell between them sooner than Julien could notice the movement. Glancing at the larger man, Remus leaned over his arm and scanned Julien's face.
"Hm, maybe not."
Staring at him a little longer, Remus's lips curved into something mischievous. He climbed over Andrew's blockade and rustled Julien's hair, but before Julien could react, Remus was shoved away in one smooth motion—pinned onto his back by Andrew as he devolved into breathless laughter.
"So serious. Loosen up would ya?"
Andrew was having none of it.
"Don't—"
He paused, his nose twitching. Then he turned to look at Julien, who in turn looked at Remus before meeting his gaze.
He'd just given the third signal.
Julien placed his hand on the stiff Andrew's forehead, his skin noticeably hotter than it was a moment ago and his eyes entertaining hints of amber.
"We should get ready for bed."
The sun was beginning to set.
—
Julien leaned against the bathroom doorframe, arms crossed, looking down at Remus who was perched on a nearby wooden stool.
He's better to look at when he's quiet.
"What's it feel like?"
Julien blinked, a frown already finding its way to his face.
"What does what feel like?"
Remus glanced into the bathroom, where a lone shower among many ran in the background. Then he made a pill eating gesture with his hands, adding on.
"Never had 'em, never seen a human with 'em either. So?"
The man spun in his seat to face him while Julien shook his head.
"I don't feel anything."
Remus tilted his head, openly sniffing at the air.
"Really?"
Julien rolled his eyes.
"What's it seem like to you?"
The man stared at him, smiled, and slinked out of his seat. Immediately on guard, Julien inched into the bathroom as Remus approached, stopping only when his back hit a wall. Remus's face conveyed innocence as he spoke in a low whisper—the hand gesture he made anything but innocent.
"Ya smell like you've been gettin' busy."
The room fell silent and Julien stared at Remus's proud face for as long as it took the words to register. Then, he looked off to the side, sliding away from the wall and towards the sink.
"I see…"
He could hear chortling from behind him as he splashed his face with cold water and met his burning red cheeks face-to-face in the mirror.
That would've been nice to know beforehand!
But before he could yell at the other man, Andrew stepped out of his stall with a towel tied around his waist—every muscle, every imperfection, every scar on full display.
Especially the ones from Christmas day.
Julien watched the man in the mirror, hairs standing on end as Andrew moved to grab his clothes from a nearby bench—slow, methodical.
His blood ran cold.
Harmless.
He splashed his face with cold water once more and took a deep breath.
He's harmless.
Opening his eyes, Julien stiffened at the sight of Andrew right beside him, staring at him with unbreaking focus.
"Where's Remus?"
Julien felt his breath catch in his throat and he hoped to the gods Andrew didn't hear it too.
"By the door?"
Julien made eye contact with Andrew's reflection in the mirror—his sharp eyes scanning him up and down while a smoldering of amber brewed beneath their onyx surfaces. He turned his gaze towards the door.
That son of a bitch has the worst timing.
…
"You'll be fine if I ditch ya for a bit right, princess?"
Julien frowned, staring at Remus as though he'd grown a second head.
"You're the worst."
Remus raised his hands in surrender.
"Guilty as charged."
Placing his hands on his knees, Remus shook his head.
"You'll be better off without me those first few minutes ya feel me? 'Specially with the releasers keepin' him stable."
He chuckled.
"Probably."
…
Julien waited for Andrew to finish up before walking back to their room with harried steps, his head throbbing with alarm at the predatory presence behind him whose heavy steps matched his own. He looked skywards at the dome's peak, the skylight retracting as the moon settled into place.
Following the faint light streaming onto the central marble platform, Julien grit his teeth.
An hour.
The sun would completely disappear in one hour.
Julien heard a pained yelp followed by the sharp sound of splintering wood behind him. Pausing only for a moment, he resisted the urge to turn around and kept walking.
"Julien."
Julien clenched his hands into fists, ignoring the throbbing pain of his heart hammering against his ribcage as he continued at a brisk pace.
Don't listen.
"Julien."
Don't turn around.
The sleeping nook was just on the horizon, if he could just hold on for a second longer—
Julien nearly ran head first into the larger man's extended arm, only managing to avoid it by ducking out of the way by instinct.
Looking at Andrew's towering form, Julien's wide lilac eyes met Andrew's bright amber ones.
Don't turn your back.
Trying to sound casual, Julien stood up and slowly backed towards their sleeping quarters, brushing debris off his pants.
"What is it?"
Andrew's breathing was heavy and desperate, yet he somehow remained rooted in place, eyes boring into the sleeping nook that suddenly felt far too distant.
"Sorry."
Andrew clenched his chest, clawing at the shirt he'd only just put on as his fingers lengthened into claws. His face flushed with exertion.
"I need you to run."
Julien's eyes shook and he just barely managed to dart out of the way right as Andrew reached for him. Rolling on the ground, Julien quickly twisted his torso and switched into a running position, dashing the last stretch to safety while ignoring the destruction of the trees behind him.
Why's he like this now?
Julien stared ahead, the answer suddenly clicking into place.
'This' is why he needed to leave?
He drew closer to the room, the destruction behind him growing increasingly quiet until it was no more.
Because Julien could hear his breathing.
Trusting the chill coursing through his veins, Julien crouched down, narrowly avoiding Andrew's grabbing hands.
'This' was the safer route!?
He stood back up, using the momentum to complete the last of the sprint and breathing a sigh of relief seeing Remus right beside the door. That relief didn't last long as Remus grabbed him by the nape of his neck, turning him around to face Andrew's slow approach. A threatening growl erupted from between Andrew's clenched teeth, reverberating in his skull.
"Let go."
Andrew paused. Messing up his hair with blood-stained hands, he lowered his gait as he approached—his breathing growing heavier the closer he got as if he were suffocating.
"Please?"
Julien's heart beat uncomfortably and he looked over at Remus.
The werewolf's composed face twisted into a cold smile as he let out a low chuckle. Releasing Julien from his grasp and sending him into the room, the golden-eyed wolf leaned in, whispering in the larger man's shrinking ear.
"You should beg more often."
—
Julien paced about the room, waiting for the other two to enter while calming his racing heart.
It's still alright.
He opened and closed his hands, mumbling to himself while staring at their abrasive surfaces.
'What if I didn't dodge in time?'
"As long as you ain't as squishy as a toddler, you'd be fine."
Remus grabbed Julien by the arm, shoving him towards the bed with one hand while holding Andrew back with the other.
"Though you humans are known for bein' easy to squash."
Julien frowned, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. He stared up at the restrained shifted in front of him, shifting uncomfortably.
The hungry look lingering on Andrew's face told him he was just waiting for his chance.
Remus sat beside him, pulling Andrew down by the shoulder and acting as a buffer between the hungry wolf and the red rabbit—his face focused on what Julien could only assume was his pheno release.
Not that he could smell it.
Julien glanced at Andrew's face, their eyes meeting despite Remus being the one to administer whatever aid this new werewolf needed.
I wonder what this room smells like.
Julien felt his face warm at the reminder of Remus's prior words.
It was probably better that he didn't know.