HORNS (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 109

Chapter One Hundred and Nine

I like bathing.

The ability to just languish in a tub of hot water after a stressful day was like a little slice of heaven, right up there with cinnamon buns and puppies. It was one of my favorite methods of relaxation, too. Until now, at the very least.

To be totally honest, the bath resting before me was the most unappealing, unenticing, gross-looking thing I'd ever seen. I swear, it looked like the pristine white tub had been filled to the brim with gunky black bubbling tar. I stood there staring at it for what felt like an eternity, not sure if this was some kind of bad joke.

"You can't be serious," I deadpanned, glancing at Sebastian in dismay. "You cannot be freaking serious right now. You expect me to climb in that and soak my whole body in it?"

"I do," the surly werewolf grunted back, nodding at the tub. "Now, get in."

I sighed heavily through my nose, because I really didn't want to, but it was just him and I in this dinky little room and he was blocking my only exit. I ran a hand across my face as a strange pang of guilt went through me, followed by ringing in my ears that made it hard to hear.

My father hadn't so much as shown his face.

He'd helped Sebastian and Raphael carry the huge jugs of black dye in before I'd gotten Echo situated and made my way down to the closest guest cottage to the manor, but he'd made himself scarce before I'd even come inside. Raph hadn't said anything, he'd just patted my shoulder and left me alone with Sebastian, who sort of reminded me of a guard dog.

"Do I really have to dye my hair and fur?" I quietly asked, seriously this time. "If I'm gonna be honest, Bash... I don't... really want to. No, actually, its more like I don't care to, really."

"You don't, not if you're truly against it," he rumbled, lowering his arms and staring me down with a knowing amber gaze. "However, your father is suffering right now. He's never been this distraught since I've known him, and it's because of these changes. Your scent has shifted, Horst... you smell like intense grief, despair, regret, and even death. It's an acidic combo."

I cringed internally, but outwardly, my ears and tail just drooped.

"It won't change the fact that it happened, though," I sadly mumbled, "or that underneath the dye... it'll still be there. My scent won't change back just because my appearance did."

"True enough," he grimly acknowledged, nodding once. "If you don't wish to do this, you don't have to, but keep in mind that doing this will make things slightly easier on Jak."

My mouth twitched. "I'm the one who nearly died, Bash, not Pop. Shouldn't you be more concerned with whether or not doing this will make things easier for me, primarily?"

"I am, but I'm thinking about things on a much broader scale than you," Sebastian grunted, giving me a sharp look. "You will struggle more than anyone else if you don't dye your hair black since you won't be able to explain the shift in your natural hair color to normal, every-day humans. Furthermore... I have reasons for being concerned about your father."

My heart wrenched but Bash didn't meet my gaze, choosing to avert his eyes to the floor and glower. My vision slowly turned grey as a mental movie--

'I was a fool to think you'd be a better man than me.'

My heart palpitated and I clutched my chest, grimacing as my ears crackled with static. Spots covered my vision and I had to focus... had to conjure up more recent visions--