Always find my way to your door

[cockhops]

ALWAYS COME BACK They may be a rambler, a gambler, always on the run, a wanted criminal, someone with a higher calling, or just not the type to spend time with you (which may be fine by you), yet somehow, they'll always find their way back to your door. And they'll, again and again, find themselves wanting you, for support, for healing, for feeling alive, for venting frustration and anger, for anything and everything at all. You'll welcome them with open arms...and an open heart, because you want them close, too. Comment: prefs, info, preferred role, etc. Reply: to others. Thread: with them.

Comments

[bigtuna]

No? [ While phrased as a question, Jim doesn't doubt him. The credits are rolling and he's looking at the names but not reading them. ]

Did it hurt?

[lycanhybrid]

Yeah. A lot.

[He squirms, getting more comfortable as he watches the credits.]

Imagine your bones and muscles changing, Your ribs getting bigger.

[bigtuna]

Huh. [ Jim flops back at that, his head leaning into the backrest and his feet propped up on the coffee table.

His hands press to his torso, feeling for the ribs beneath his cotton shirt. He imagines, just like Michael told him to, but it's highly likely Jim's mind isn't doing it any justice. ]

Do they crack? Your ribs?

[lycanhybrid]

Yeah. You get used to it after the first time.

[If it was that painful every time, he's unsure if he would ever transform.]

It's not as extensive for hybrids, though.

[bigtuna]

I've always wondered about that. [ Jim looks Michael over now, doing his best to be subtle as he regards him head to toe.

He's never actually seen Michael shift before. ] How does it work if you're half?

Do you transform all the way?

[lycanhybrid]

It's more like I turn into something that's a combination of both.

[He bites his lip, already regretting what he's about to suggest.]

I can, uh... show you, if you want. Don't worry, lycans keep their minds when they change.

[bigtuna]

[ Jim takes a moment. Looking at Michael's teeth in his lip, hearing the slight hesitation in his voice--it's not like Jim's particularly scared, but he smiles as he nudges Michael's calf with his toe. ]

Yeah, sure.

I didn't think you'd ever be able to hurt me, anyway.

[lycanhybrid]

Don't say I didn't warn you.

[Michael gets up from the couch and stands in front of him. He wills the transformation, skin turning blue, ribs becoming more prominent, growing claws and his face becoming more wolf-like. His hair and eyes even turn black.

He waves at himself as if to say "you see?"]

[bigtuna]

[ Jim's breath gets caught in his throat.

He didn't expect anything, really. How could he have? But he swallows as he listens to Michael change, as he watches his limbs and body enlarge. When his eyes drift to Michael's face he can still recognise some of his human features, but for the most part, he looks like a different being altogether.

As if this isn't the guy that'd been on the couch with him. ]

Holy shit... [ Jim's first instinct is to reach out and touch, but he stops his hand at the last second in uncertainty. ] That... didn't hurt?

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael shakes his head. If he didn't want to avoid scaring the neighbors, he'd take Jim out back and show off what he can actually do in this form.

He starts to shrink and the blue color fades away as Michael changes back.]

I think you're the only normal person who didn't run off screaming when they saw me like that.

[bigtuna]

To be fair, [ the corner of his lip tugs into a smile ] it's not like you transformed out of nowhere. And I told you--I know you won't hurt me.

But I didn't think your skin'd be blue. [ Realising he's still reaching out towards him, Jim sheepishly lets his hand drop. ] That was probably the most surprising thing of all.

[lycanhybrid]

Trust me, I don't understand that part either. [Though he's been told that in certain lighting it's more of a bluish-grey color.

He sits back down on the couch.]

It hurt like hell when I first changed into that, before my body seemed to get the right balance of vampire and werewolf.

[bigtuna]

Why, does being a vampire make it hard? [ Jim shifts imperceptibly closer, an irrational protective instinct beginning to spark in the pit of his stomach. ] Did you feel like... like your cells were fighting each other?

[lycanhybrid]

More like the vampire and lycan strains were fighting it out to see how a hybrid would actually work before they settled. It only lasted a few seconds.

[He sighs, looking up at the ceiling for a moment.]

They sure didn't teach this in my biology courses.

[bigtuna]

They don't teach you this in the world of paper, either.

[ Jim lets out a little puff of air through his nose, head shaking from side to side. ] But hey, you're here now.

Forget about the whole hybrid thing for a little while... if you can. [ Reaching up to scratch at his nose, Jim's aware of how juvenile he sounds, but. ] I got a shower with hot water and a freezer stocked with ice cream, so.

Doesn't get any more ordinary than that.

[lycanhybrid]

Forgetting about hybrid stuff for a while sounds pretty damn good, actually.

[Michael often wonders if he can ever have an ordinary life again. He's not above trying.]

I could probably use a shower. And whatever else you might have rented.

[bigtuna]

I hope you're a fan of cartoons, because that's pretty much all I got. [ Jim gives Michael's arm a little nudge, getting up from the couch and gesturing for him to follow. He's going to have to tell his roommate, once he gets back with his girlfriend, that he's going to have someone stay over for a while. But he decides to consider the actual logistic of it later.

For now, he shows Michael the bathroom. It's neat enough but nothing to write home about. ] In here.

You're, like... [ Looking him over, Jim gives a brief shrug. ] Somewhat my size? You okay with wearing my stuff?

[lycanhybrid]

As long as they're relatively lighthearted. [He once had a roommate who was really into a lot of dark anime. Not his thing.

He follows Jim to the bathroom.]

Thanks, Jim.

[He smiles at his friend before retreating into the bathroom to shower. Much better than having to gym or take spit baths. Once he's done, he dries himself off and makes his way to Jim's bedroom to find some clothes. He just grabs a t-shirt and sweatpants before coming back out.]

sorry for the slow! rl has assaulted me

[bigtuna]

[ By the time Michael returns, Jim's in the kitchen lazily cooking dinner. It constitutes boiling pasta noodles and cooking mushroom soup with cream in it--the poor man's alfredo, said Jim's roommate once, and he'd be hard-pressed to disgaree.

He only notices Michael's done when turning to grab the pot lid for the noodles has him catching the other man out of the corner of his eye. Jim grins. ] Feeling better? [ The pot is covered and Jim makes some show of dusting his hands together. ]

Blue looks good on you, man.

no worries!

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael can smell the pasta and soup even before entering the kitchen. Thank you lycan sense of smell. He fed a few hours before coming over, seeing as he has the vampire need for blood.]

Thanks. Halloween rolls around, I can tell people I know a very good makeup artist.

[bigtuna]

Have you seriously gone as a lycan to Halloween parties? [ The idea makes Jim laugh. The canned soup gets some canned mushrooms added in, and then one more pack of all-purpose cream. ]

You know I'm going to want pictures now.

[lycanhybrid]

Well, not yet. But it's an idea, you know.

[Man, when was the last time he ate normal food? He's been living off packets of blood substitute for a while.]