Chapter Text
Nine months later…
A deer would be enough to satisfy her for a week or so. Apo lapped up the last of the blood from the puncture wounds in the animal’s neck, making sure not to waste a drop. It made her stomach churn, the sickly sweetness clogging her throat and the ever-present guilt weighing her down, but what choice did she have? Her hunger stilled for just a moment, and Apo let out a relieved sigh as the pain in her stomach and the burn in her throat briefly abated.
The moon was full tonight, if Apo let her gaze unfocus its light would be a bloody scarlet, shining down and illuminating her sins in all their gory detail. No one would be home tonight, Cherri and the dogs were out hunting so Cherri could get her energy out during her shift and wouldn’t hurt Apo by accident, so Apo could slip back in and pretend she’d never left. Cherri would know she was acting though, she always knew. Apo turned and made her way towards the tree line.
She didn’t even make it ten steps before she heard the rustling of bushes behind her. She turned to see a hulking shape emerging from the dark. A seven foot tall wolf person with long brown fur and a scar over her left eye. Two german shepherds followed behind at her heels, one with a pink collar, the other with a red one.
Apo froze, fear and shame flowing through her. More than ever, she was hyperaware of how monstrous she was. The way wrongness radiated out from her tainted soul. Cherri tilted her head in confusion, letting out a little cautious growl, and Apo flinched, fear spiking as she realized how much danger she was in right now.
Apo knew Cherri loved her, of course she did! But she also knew that werewolves were usually at their most in tune with the supernatural during a shift, and Cherri was no different. Even Apple and Blossom still got nervous around Apo sometimes on bad days, and they were just normal dogs! Cherri didn’t have enough higher brain function to recognize that Apo wasn’t dangerous right now, she’d only see the monster they tried so hard to pretend not to be.
Cherri took a step forward, moving slowly and deliberately, each movement clearly choreographed, head and tail high. She didn’t break eye contact for a second, her one good eye staring at Apo intently. Apo stayed frozen, fear rooting her to the spot. Soon, she and Cherri were face to face. Apo squeezed her eyes shut, expecting the pain of claws ripping through her skin any second now.
Instead, those claws gently brushed the hair from in front of their eyes, and a massive paw cupped her face as gently as if she were a baby bird. Apo opened her eyes to see Cherri staring down at her with the most loving expression they’d ever seen on a giant wolf. Apo could hear the repeated thumps of her tail wagging against the ground, and gave a small, wavery smile in response.
Cherri hugged her, and Apo felt as though she could hear all the words their girlfriend couldn’t say in this form. It’s not your fault. I see you. I love you. I’m here for you.
Before she even realized it, Apo was crying. Their tears soaked into Cherri’s fur, but she didn’t move or let go until Apo was finished, at which point she carefully picked them up and carried her back towards home.
Cherri could just barely fit through the back door in her wolf form if she crouched, they’d made sure of that when they first got it replaced. She sat down at the foot of the couch and grabbed the blanket off the back to put over Apo’s shoulders before wrapping her arms back around them. Apo leaned into Cherri’s chest and closed her eyes, trusting that she was safe to rest.
—
Apo stirred at the sound of Cherri muttering sleepily to herself. “Why am I at home? Damn it, did I break the door again? It took months for Apo to let me live that down last time— Ow! Apo, that’s my ribs.”
Apo loosened her embrace slightly so as not to hurt her girlfriend any further. “Thank you.”
“You’re, uh, welcome? What for?”
“Just… for being here. For sticking with me.”
Apo could feel the warmth of Cherri’s smile without looking up, and felt the love within it. “Of course.”