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“Alan… Al .”
Alan is being shaken awake, quite urgently. “Eric?” He mumbles, disoriented, “What…?” He trails off, the moonlight from their bedroom window illuminating his partner. His vision is blurry, but in the light he can see Eric is covered in sweat, glistening. “Oh .”
He shoves the blankets off, stumbling as he rushes out of bed. Eric steadies him with an arm around his shoulders and Alan can feel his muscles trembling.
“Careful.”
“Thank you, darling.” Alan turns to look at Eric, reaching up to brush the sweat-drenched hair out of his face. His skin is hot, feverish. “Let’s worry about you now, yeah? Come on.” Eric nods, taking Alan’s hand in his.
Alan leads the way out of their room and down the hallway of their shared flat, Eric at his side. It’s completely dark, but Alan doesn’t need it to find his way anymore. It was a challenge at first, Alan always bumping into furniture, Eric having to steer him away from any hazards. But this has become routine now, he’s used to the path they take to get Eric out of the house and away from their sleeping flatmates.
The cool night air hits them as they step outside, the stark contrast making Eric feel even warmer now. He squeezes Alan’s hand, his muscles beginning to spasm. He pulls away and begins absentmindedly massaging it.
Alan’s gaze follows Eric’s hand, “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Eric manages a reassuring smile as best he can, “It’s only just starting, this is still the easy part.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call any part of this- shit!” Alan trips over a stone, grabbing onto Eric’s arm for support. “Sorry, sorry… I was so focused on getting you out of the house I forgot to grab my glasses. I can’t see a thing out here.”
“That’s probably for the best.” Eric replies, voice rougher now, as if he had a cold.
“It’s nothing I haven't seen before.”
“Still… It’s not a pretty sight.”
“I won't deny that, but- stop scratching-” He grabs Eric’s hand, keeping him from scratching at the stubble that had started growing on his arms, “I won't deny that it’s not the most flattering, but, if I can see, if I can't see: I don't mind either way. I just want to be here for you.”
Eric remains silent, brows furrowed as he comes to a stop. It’s dark and blurry as all hell, but Alan can make out that they've stopped in their usual spot, a clearing in the woods outside their house.
“Alright, you know the drill.” Alan gestures for Eric to bend down, “Clothes off before you rip them.” He begins tugging off Eric’s shirt, folding it neatly and setting it on the ground. He takes a moment to watch as Eric awkwardly removes his sweatpants, his damp skin shimmering in the moonlight. “Ready?”
Eric takes a deep breath before he nods. Alan helps him to the ground, a hand on his back. He can feel the muscles rippling underneath the surface. Eric positions himself on all fours, taking more deep breaths while he still can.
“There we go.” Alan soothes, “You've got this, I’ll be here the whole time.” He moves his hand to Eric’s shoulder, rubbing the tensing muscles.
They relax, for a moment.
And then it really starts.
Eric is wracked with full body convulsions, back arching to an inhuman degree, a choked whimper escaping him as his fingers dig into the ground beneath him. There's a brief pause, and then it starts back up. His arms and legs tensing, his head bowing as he lets out a horrid sound, cut off by him retching and spitting up bile.
Alan feels for Eric’s hand, grabbing it and giving a reassuring squeeze. He can feel thick hair beginning to grow, prickly against his palm. Another dry heave, nothing coming up this time. Alan whispers encouraging thoughts to Eric, he’s doing great, it’s okay, it’ll be over soon enough.
More convulsions, a gut-wrenching cry being ripped from Eric, blending with the sound of bones cracking. It really is a terrible sight, not because of the sweat and the heaving and the unnatural way Eric’s body moves, but because of the sheer amount of agony Eric is in. Still, Alan doesn't look away. He stays by Eric’s side, rubbing circles on his back in between spasms. Eric leans into him, limbs trembling from exhaustion.
There’s a pause in the transformation, allowing Eric to catch his breath in between whimpers and groans. His head hangs limply, hair obscuring his face, his body covered in coarse brown hair, chest heaving. Even without his glasses, Alan can tell that Eric’s form just looks… wrong. His arms and legs are shorter and thinner, as are his hands and feet. His shoulders are hunched, closer together than before.
Alan takes this moment to rest his head on Eric’s shoulder, listening to the rapid heartbeat of his partner. “Almost there, my love. You’re alright.”
Eric makes a guttural noise in protest, as if to say ‘no I’m not’ .
“I know,” Alan soothes, stroking his hair, “It hurts, but you’ll get through it. You always do.”
Eric nods, awkward and stiff, and Alan is suddenly thrown back as another wave of convulsions hits. It’s relentless, Eric’s body continuing to change, becoming more canine than human. The hair on his head became shorter, blending with the stubble that became thick fur, hands and feet became paws, and, though Alan couldn’t see it, he still knew Eric’s face was lengthening, becoming a muzzle. Bones cracked and popped, only audible between wails that now sound more akin to howls.
With one final violent spasm, Eric has completed his transformation, fully a wolf, panting heavily. He finally turns to face Alan, who moves closer again. He stares in awe for a second, still amazed at how the human body could go through such a change. Eric whines, his legs giving out from exhaustion, and Alan gently runs his fingers through Eric’s fur. It’s soft, and Eric is still burning hot. It’s a welcome sensation against the chill of the night.
Alan leans against Eric, placing a kiss on top of his head. “There we go, all done. You can rest now, darling.”
Eric finally relaxes, breathing becoming even as his eyes close and he succumbs to his exhaustion. Alan finds his lack of sleep catching up to him as well, Eric’s warmth and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest lulling him into a peaceful sleep.