Faze

Chapter 24: Preparing

Chapter Twenty-Four 

Cold air swarmed the forest and grey clouds covered the sky. Theon looked up, wondering if it was going to rain. Suddenly, his back hit the ground and his clothes absorbed the watery slush from where he lay. He looked up, meeting Leland's smirk that he wanted to wipe right off his face.

"What are you thinking about?" Leland asked and pulled him to his feet. "You only get distracted mid fight when you're thinking about something."

Theon positioned himself in a fighting stance, "it looks like it's going to rain."

"Should we tell the others?" He asked, dodging a punch Theon sent. They were cautious of where they stepped. Melted snow covered the ground, the slippery substance was everywhere.

"I don't think it will," Theon shrugged, his head shaking. Leland caught sight of his black roots that started to stick out. Theon hated his natural hair. "I think it's going to snow again."

A groan left Leland's lips. Although he didn't want spring to shed its first rain, he hated winter and couldn't wait until it was warmer. "I think it might rain," Leland dodged another punch and side stepped out of Theon's way. He charged towards his cousin and aimed for his stomach, trying to jump him to the ground.

Theon caught on and flipped him, sending Leland through a pile of wet snow. "Snow," Theon said, giving his cousin a pointed smirk. He enjoyed the sight of him frozen in the snow.

Leland groaned again and back rolled, kicking Theon to the ground. He got up and mirrored Theon's last movement. He leaned over his head and smirked. "Rain," he said, his voice high with attitude.

"Okay, weather boys," Hazel's voice startled them. They stopped their fight and walked towards the shorter girl. "The internet says it's going to hail so unless you want to keep arguing about it, let's go inside."

Theon huffed and Leland stuck out his tongue but they both followed Hazel inside anyways. In the kitchen, Cliff stirred a pot of chilli and Ruth sat at the table watching him. Across from her, Marshal was fixed on a puzzle that was slowly turning into three wolves and a moon.

Cliff suddenly turned and pointed his wooden spoon at the boys, "out of my kitchen with those wet clothes!"

"I'm practically dry," Leland argued and peered over Marshal's shoulder to watch.

Theon opened his arms, "don't you want a hug, uncle Cliff?"

"Don't you dare," Ruth said from the table. Theon put his arms down since Cliff's glare was enough to scare an adult wolf. "I don't need him to be annoyed the rest of the day. Wet wolf is an angry wolf."

Cliff faced her with the spoon, "whose side are you on?"

She smiled bright, ignoring his question and Zephan walked in the room with a loud yawn. "Ew, go change," he said, eyeing his brother and cousin. Cliff muttered a "thank you" as he stirred the pot of food.

Sunny stormed into the room, fighting off Lola, and Cliff nearly exploded. "No, you're not straightening my hair!"

"But I think it will look good!" She argued, pulling on a curl. His hair was more wavy but she was curious, and bored.

"The answer is no!" He shouted a final time, as Lola found someone else to pick on.

"Mackie!" She chirped just as he walked in the room.

"Whatever is on your mind, the answer is no," he said instantly before standing next to Zephan. He made sure their shoulders touched.

"Ugh," she groaned and played with her hair.

"You can dye my hair," Theon shrugged but didn't look at her. The room went silent but excitement washed through Lola's face.

"What colour?" She asked. She fought herself not to get too excited. She didn't want him changing his mind.

"Anything but black."

"Really!"

"No," Theon looked at her. "I was thinking of blond highlights this time."

"Why not black?" Ruth raised her eyebrows, although she already knew the answer. "You know, it's kind of insulting to me."

"The only person it needs to insult is my mother," Theon huffed and left the room after that.

"He has a very specific list of things he hates," Lola said, but she quickly got over it since she finally had someone to practise on.

Theon sat on the toilet with a towel wrapped around his shoulders. Lola stood in front of him and carefully painted his roots brown. He settled with just brown instead of adding highlights.

"I think you'd look handsome with your natural hair," Lola said softly as she coloured his hair. Theon let out a low hum but didn't say anything. "Why don't you like it?"

"I would look just like my mom," he answered.

Lola stopped colouring his hair for a moment to look at him. He showed no emotion, aside from his regular frown. It was hard to see what Theon was feeling. "I think that you'd look just like Ruth."

Theon shrugged, "Maybe Ruth should dye her hair."

Lola offered a smile and she continued to do his hair. "Is that why you have a room here?"

He hummed.

"Can I ask why?"

Theon looked up at her, yet his brown eyes showed nothing. Lola didn't look at him. "My parents favour Hazel because she is an omega. They're rare and special. I'm just forgotten, so I stay here, where I belong. I don't want to think of my mom everytime I look in the mirror. It makes me angry."

For a brief moment, gold flashed through his eyes and Lola wanted to give him a hug, but she knew that Theon wasn't a hugger and it would only make him angry. "Thank you for telling me that," she said and put a plastic bag around his head.

He hummed, "thank you for doing my hair."