Howl (boy x boy)

1

They were moving. Again. Talon was getting sick of it. He hated having to get used to a new town, a new school, a new house. Being the new kid at public high schools was the worst. He never had any friends. But it wasn't just the moving. Talon always felt as if he was different. Like there was something that drove other people away from him. He couldn't figure out what it was, though. It was frustrating. High school was hard enough without all that.

Talon gazed out the window of his parents' car, watching the scenery go by. He couldn't count the amount of places he'd seen, how many forests he'd lived near. His parents always went to small towns, not the cities. But that was fine by him. He preferred the outdoors, always had. So much that he'd sleepwalk into the woods. His parents would find him curled up on the ground once every month. Sometimes more than once. They said it was normal. That he just had an issue staying in bed when he slept. But most people would see a doctor about that, get medication for it. Yet he never did. In fact, they didn't seem too worried about it.

Finally, they pulled up at a nice, two-story house. Most of the other places they'd lived had been single-story. So this was a nice change. As he stepped out of the car, hoisting a bag on his shoulder, he breathed deep. For some reason, this place felt calm and peaceful. It felt like home. And that wasn't something he'd ever felt before. Everywhere was just a place. Just another house in another town. This one was much different. It felt as if he'd always lived there. As if he was just returning from vacation or something.

Shaking his head, Talon lugged his bag and suitcase into the house. He immediately went upstairs and started looking around. He opened the door to a bedroom. He knew right then it was his. One window faced East, towards the sunrise and moonrise. The other faced North, towards the woods. The lawn out back led directly to the trees. Talon strode to the window, staring at all that greenery. Through the trees, he saw a blur of brown fur. Not only would Talon have to worry about sleepwalking into the forest, now he had to worry about wolves. Although, most wolves were afraid of humans and would hide. But that didn't mean they wouldn't attack him if they felt cornered.

"I suppose this means you want this room?" A voice asked.

Talon turned to find his mom standing in the doorway, a smile on her face. "Yeah. I want this one."

"Alright. You don't have to unpack today. We've got a few days before you start school. You can explore the house or town if you like."

Talon nodded. "I think I'll go out. I need to stretch my legs a bit anyway."

"Okay. Be careful. Take your phone. And don't be out after dark."

It was the same speech she always gave him. "I know. Love you too." He Kissed her cheek before heading to the front door. His parents wouldn't let him call them mom and dad. They said that respect didn't come automatically. That they preferred he call them by their first names, like anyone else. But it made him uncomfortable. So he avoided really referring to them at all.

He closed the door, glancing around. Out of all the towns he'd lived in, this had to be close to the smallest. And it was the most secluded one. But that was the good thing about it. Talon felt uncomfortable in large crowds. It was probably due to how he felt like an outcast. So in crowds, he felt even more alone than he did with only a few people around. Plus, the smaller the population, the easier it would be to make friends. At least, he hoped so. He was tired of feeling lonely. Of not having friends or anyone to confide in.

He found himself in a small park. There was only a couple of swings, a slide, and a pair of seesaws. But it wasn't empty. There were a few kids playing, with some adults and even teens milling about. He stood and watched, being too nervous to talk to anyone. One teen noticed him: a slight boy with red hair, bright green eyes, and freckles. He beamed at Talon, all teeth showing. He murmured something to a little girl and twin boys before making his way to Talon.

"Hi. You must be new in town. I'm Colin." He held out a hand.

Talon shook it. "Talon."

"You'll be starting school on Monday, right?" Talon nodded. "Well, I'll help you out. I wouldn't say I'm popular, per se. But I'm friendly with just about everyone. So if you have any questions or need something, you can find me."

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Talon rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't used to talking to people. Especially someone as optimistic and...bright as Colin.

Some shouting drew Colin's attention. He turned back to the kids he was with earlier. "Ah. I've got to get back to my siblings. I'll catch you later, Talon." He waved, trotting back to the playground. Talon turned away, smiling slightly. This place was definitely different. Before, he would struggle to talk to people, to try and become friends. But they never seemed interested. This time, someone else made the effort. And it was nice.

Talon kept walking. He found a group of teens hanging out at the end of a cul de sac. They were all males, and welt built. These must have been the jocks from the school. Or the troublemakers. Talon decided to avoid them. He was lousy at socialization anyway. But with people like that...well he didn't feel like getting beaten up. Making enemies with possibly the most influential people before even starting school was never a good idea. Talon did it by accident once before. And it sucked. He'd accidently insulted the most popular guy and he made Talon' S life hell there.

Eventually, Talon found his way home. It wasn't too hard, as small as the town was. Which was why he felt comfortable walking around by himself. The sun was just beginning to set, which meant he was just on time. He knew his parents loved him and worried over him. But for some reason, he felt them holding back a bit. He wasn't sure why and that frustrated him. Whatever they were hiding, it had to be something to do with him. And he deserved to know.

"Welcome back, sweetie. Just in time for dinner."

A/N: this story is actually a rewrite of one I started before. But it was very old and I didn't like how it was written. So I decided to redo it. So far, I already like it a lot more. So enjoy!