----------I am a worm, a worthless worm----------
~Asher~
"Stop it."
"But-
"Nope. Knock it off. I mean it, I will ship you to Thailand." Winter pouted, removing his arm from my waist and slouching in his seat next to me. We were sitting in the cafeteria now, which I had hoped would be safe enough.
Except for the fact thet every time a clingy girl or large guy passed by our seats Winter growled and his arm attached to me like a friggin leech.
I grumpily continued eating my food, glaring at the table. I guess it hasn't been a complete disaster today. I mean, I expected more trouble from Brent at the least. He hadn't made me miserable all day, which is nothing short of a miracle. I was still anticipating it, though.
"Sup lovers." Tyde dropped his tray onto the table sitting down across from us. I grunted, while Winter smiled widely at Tyde. I hadn't expected that, that's for sure. I thought Tyde and Winter would clash like wearing red and purple on a Sunday.
But, nope. They're like two peas in a pod, talking happily about the food and school and how I should just accept that Winter is my soul mate. You know, casual talk.
"So, Asher. Why are you not jumping at the chance to date this guy? He's great!" Tyde said, grinning widely. Winter was looking away innocently, but his arm was slowly inching it's way around my side. I sighed, giving up, and letting it slip. It's no use trying to deny Winter, I was slowly figuring out.
"It's more complicated than that." He pursed his lips, letting his eyes drop to Winter's arm around me.
"Uh-huh. Looks real complex there."
"Oh, shut up Tyde. Why do I even put up with you? Care to remind me?" I said, deadpanning.
"Because you're a five foot six pacifist, and need my healthy bodacious body to protect you."
"Right." I grumbled, shifting as Winter moved closer to me. To be honest, I had no real reasons why I didn't pounce on Winter like a blogger to their laptop. I had excuses, sure, plenty of those.
1: Winter was my dog, that's weird, right?
2: Would my parents ever forgive me if I acted on my sexuality, and got myself a boyfriend?
3: Was I really ready for the intense relationship Winter would provide?
I had only been in one relationship before, and two guesses as to who that was with.
"Hey, at least Brent hasn't been up your ass at all today." Tyde smirked, causing Winter to widen his eyes in alarm.
"Not literally, god!" I said, and Winter relaxed. Tyde laughed, and I glared at him.
"Shut up. He's just a little slow."
"A little bit." Tyde chortled, studying Winter.
"I am not slow!" Winter protested, realizing we had been talking about his mental capacity. "I'm faster than either of you, and I could easily prove it."
Oh, Winter.
***
The rest of the day went by smoothly, thankfully Winter had learned that growling wasn't actually a thing that humans did...yet. As soon as we left the school building, Winter took my hand in his, a carefree smile on his face.
"Winter, what did I tell you?"
"You said the rules are for when we're in school, and we aren't in school anymore." My eye twitched in irritation.
"Yes we are! I didn't mean literally in the school!" But how could I have expected him to understand that?
"But..." he pouted, his hand tightening on mine. Oh no, not this. Anything but this.
"Don't you give me that face. Let go of my hand."
.....
"Winter!
"I don't wanna let go!" He whined, latching completely onto me now. It seemed the more I pushed for distance between us the more he wanted to get closer.
I sighed, realizing I would have to compromise. "Alright, fine. We can hold hands now, but quit squeezing me like that!" He obeyed, releasing all of me but my hand and grinning.
Idiot.
We began the slow walk home, and a horrible thought arose in my mind.
It's Monday.
Now, this may not mean much to you, but to me it's the words of death. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Tyde has swim team practice after school, which means he can't walk me halfway home to protect me from Brent and his little posse.
It's not that I don't feel safe with Winter, but...this could spell big trouble if i'm not careful.
Just as I feared, as soon as we turned the corner to walk our way home, Brent and three other guys were in my face in seconds.
"Hey, little buddy. It's Monday! Ain't life grand? I believe we have a date?" Brent smirked, slinging an arm around my shoulder blades. He roughly pulled me to his side, grinning at Winter. I shuddered at the look of fury on Winter's face, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"Let him go, or i'll rip you to shreds." There was a slight growl behind his words, and Brent paused for a moment, uneasily. He just shook his head, his smile returning.
"Hey now, we don't mean little Asher here any harm. This is just our usual after school meet up, right?" Brent shook me again, expecting me to agree, but it was too late to lie for their sake. They were as good as dead as soon as Brent uttered the words 'after school meet up'.
You see, I had told Winter, when he was a canine more or less, about how much I hated the days Tyde couldn't walk me home. Winter had seen the bruises first hand, not to mention the pitiful tears I shed when Brent was feeling ruthless.
So, you can also see how it is much to late to even try to spare their lives. Sigh. Winter was absolutely vibrating with rage now, and his already bright blue eyes seemed to be glowing with a fluorescent light. With each exhale, a growl traveled from his chest and through his clenched teeth.
Brent's friends were seeing the same warning signs I was, and had the sense to back up a bit, their nervous glances shooting between Brent and Winter.
"Uh, Brent," his friend, Justin, started nervously. "Maybe we should lay off for today." Smart boy. But Brent, seemingly blind to death personified in front of him, laughed.
"What? No way, I only get time with Asher three days a week. If his fag friend wants to get in on the fun too, he can." He said cockily. Justin shook his head, his wide eyes trained on Winter, who was beginning to move closer to where Brent had a grip on my arm now.
"Mike, hold him for me." His friend Mike came over, walking as far away from Winter as circumstances would allow, and took hold of me. I noticed his grip wasn't very tight, but tight enough not to be able to escape easily. Shoot.
"Brent," I said, deciding to give him one last warning before he signed his death certificate. "I'm trying to help you by saying don't do this. Really." He laughed again, and I sighed. Well, I tried. That counts for something, right?
"Touch him, you die." Winter growled, sounding more beast than man. I felt Mike shaking now behind me, and if I wasn't about to witness mass murder I would have smiled. Brent had his fists ready to punch me, and it looked like he was forcing himself not to look at Winter.
"Winter-" I was about to suggest that he not demolish them completely, but I didn't get to say anything more than his name before Brent's meaty fist collided with the soft skin of my cheek, snapping my head to the side.
And that would officially be the worst mistake Brent would ever make in his life, because in the next few seconds, all I saw was a blur of white while girlish shrieks of terror filled the air.
Mike pushed me forward and ran, fast and panicked down the sidewalk. Justin and is other friend quickly followed suit, shoving past me and disappearing around the corner. I watched them go, and slowly turned around, afraid to face the scene behind me.
Winter had Brent's pressed to the concrete, his arm twisted behind his back on the verge of breaking. Brent was crying like a sissy girl, whimpering for mercy. His mouth was bleeding, but it didn't look like Winter had done much else to him. Yet.
"Winter," I said cautiously, putting my hands up in a placating gesture. "Please, listen to me. You don't want to kill him." He met my eyes, which were so bright now they were almost pure white. It was beautiful, but terrifying at the same time. Not to me, but in general.
"Yes I do. I really, really do." He snarled, and judging by Brent's cry he didn't like that idea too much.
"No, you don't. Think about it. If you hurt him, you won't be able to see me anymore. You'll be taken away." He looked confused now, his eyes dimming slightly.
"Taken...away?" He didn't like that idea any more than Brent liked the idea of Winter tearing his throat out.
"Yes, taken away. Forever. Do you want that?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He whined, releasing Brent's arm and letting it flop to the ground. Winter leaped off of Brent with stunning speed and agility, coming over to me and holding me to his chest.
"Mine," he growled possessively. I sighed in relief, relaxing instantly. I staved off disaster, for now at least.
"F-Freaks!" Brent squealed, the sound of his shoes slapping against pavement my only indication that he was running away, since my face was presently buried into Winter's warm, slightly vibrating chest.
I could tell he was calming down, as his breathing slowed. It seemed just holding me did that for him, even with Brent's little outburst before he ran off. He clutched me tightly, and I was surprisingly comfortable for being embraced intimately in public.
"Asher," Winter's voice sounded worried, and it hurt a little to hear that tone. "Mine?" He didn't sound possessive now, but desperately worried and sad. Like the worst thing I could have threatened was our separation.
I felt a little guilty, wrapping my arms around Winter and hugging back. "Yeah, Winter. Yours." His muscles relaxed, and he buried his face in my hair, inhaling deeply.
"Mine." He sighed, sounding more human now. It was then that I realized how true it actually was. I'm his now, and there's no helping it. This...whatever this was between us, was too powerful to be dismissed or not pursued.
Our fates are intertwined now, however cliche that sounds. Whatever that entails, well...looks like we're facing it together.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Winter?" I said nervously that night, as we-finally, as Winter put it-cuddled in bed. Ugh, it hurts to say that even in my thoughts.
"Hm?" He mumbled, his chin resting on my shoulder, his eyes shut peacefully.
"I...I just wanted you to know...I think, maybe, I love you too." I glanced over my shoulder apprehensively. At this, a huge smile appeared on his face, his enchanting blue eyes opening slightly to look into mine.
"I know."
And that was that.
----------Unedited, NOT the end yet :P---------