Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Phoenix Drop High School: the school that I’d spend the rest of my teenage years attending. It feels very movie-like to attend a new school this year, but it’s what I have to deal with since my mom took that job offer in this town. Now I have no more friends close by, and I have to start over again at this school.

Even so… this feels too stereotypical to be upset, so maybe I can make the best out of it?

“New school, new me,” I recite in my head as I fix on the school’s uniform. It resembles a Japanese middle school uniform, but since we’re in America then it wouldn’t really be called that. I wasn’t too excited upon learning I had to wear a uniform everyday, but after trying it on… It’s pretty cute. Thankfully, the school had werewolf-friendly uniform options, so my tail fit perfectly.

I spun a little to better see my uniform in the mirror. I smiled at myself, feeling at least a little bit better about attending a new school.

I left my room and walked towards the bathroom to brush my hair. On the way, I passed by my mom who was about to leave for work.

“Morning! Are you gonna be okay at your new school?” She greeted with a quick shoulder rub as she continued down the hallway.

“Hey mom,” I shrugged, feeling uncertain, “I’ll be okay, I guess?”

She turned around and came to a stop at the end of the hallway to face me. She noticed the droopiness in my ears.

“If anything goes wrong, you let me know, okay? We’ll get through this together. You’re not the only one starting new here.”

I stopped in front of the bathroom doorway and met her gaze. She crossed her arms with a comforting smile. It had been awhile since my dad had left us, yet my mom had stayed strong for the both of us. I’m probably as proud of her as she is of me for being able to manage. Raising a kid isn’t easy, especially on your own.

That morning, seeing her smile was enough. I really wasn’t alone here.

I smiled back, “Thanks mom. The same goes for you too. Have a good day at work.”

Her smile grew as she waved goodbye. I waved back as we both continued on with our morning.

———

I glanced back down to my phone. The map was open, and I was double-checking to be sure I was walking down the right path. I had already driven this way with my mom before, but actually walking felt completely different.

I crossed onto the street, still looking down at the map on my phone. I never saw the incoming car, even in my peripheral vision.

My only warning was the yell I heard behind me.

My head shot up as I finally realized the car was about to hit me. I felt like a deer in headlights—unable to move. I stared at the vehicle until I felt someone's arms lifting me off the ground.

I found myself on the other side of the crosswalk now, and the car continued on its route while honking as it passed by. My heart beat loudly against my chest. Was I about to die just then? Realistically, probably not… but the adrenaline rush made it feel like I was.

I looked around to get back to my senses. It was then when I finally noticed the person who saved me.

“Are you okay?” He asked me while being noticeably out of breath–which was reasonable. He just ran to carry a stranger across the street.

He was panting with his hands on his knees until he stood up straight. He was quite taller than me—that was the first thing I noticed. Then I noticed wolf ears hidden behind his dark blue hair and brighter blue highlights. Ear piercings. Gray eyes. Broad shoulders. Blue uniform. Dark blue wolf tail. Pretty gray eyes. A faded scar on his face. …Blue uniform?

“Y-Yeah.. Thanks for the save back there…” I stood there, gears in my mind turning. It wasn’t until he glanced to the side looking flustered that I realized I had been staring.

“Oh- Sorry, I’m still…” I made a gesture with my hands. “...Trying to process what just happened, sorry..”

He waved his hand in the air, “No- no, it’s okay…” He let out a big puff of air as he finally caught his breath. He tucked his hands into his pockets, yet his face remained a light red. “You.. You were on your phone. You know that’s dangerous when you’re walking, right?”

I sheepishly glanced away, “...Yeah.. I was just.. worried I was gonna get lost. It’s my first day of school and I haven’t really been there before…”

“I see…” He looked me up and down, then pointed to my uniform. “Phoenix Drop High?”

I looked back up at him, “You know it?”

He grinned then gestured to his uniform, “I’m going there too!”

…That’s why it looked so familiar! What he wore was the exact same uniform I had left at home.

“Then that means you could walk me there! I wouldn’t have to risk my life to check my map every two seconds!” He smiled at me.

“Yeah, but uh… I’ve also never been there before.” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck with a crooked smile. “You see, I’m also new to Phoenix Drop. I’m transferring from an all-werewolf school.”

“Oh… I see.”

“I mean I could still walk you there,” He smiled warmly, “Though I can’t guarantee we won’t get lost from my directions.” He laughed; It was a sweet, charismatic sound—one that made my cheeks warm up. Even if we had just met, there’s no denying that he’s at least a little bit attractive.

I smiled then tilted my head in confusion, “How did you manage to make it this far then?”

He tapped his nose, “The scent of the school. Although that isn’t too reliable, so I may or may not have started following you.” I stared at him with worried suspicion. It took him a moment to realize how weird his reasoning was. He looked panicked as he shook his hands in the air, as if to wave away any sort of bad assumptions. “I- I mean not like in a stalker way, but in a way where I saw someone in the same school uniform and hoped they knew the way better than I did,” He stammered

I laughed, “It’s okay, I get it. I probably would’ve done the same thing anyway.” I walked up to his side then bumped him with my elbow. “We should get to school now, right?”

“Right- yeah. Sorry,” He stumbled to catch up to my pace.

———

From then on the walk was awkwardly quiet. I couldn’t find much to talk about, and he didn’t say much either. Whenever I glanced at him, his eyes looked glazed over—like his head was in the clouds, and he was just going along with the motions. It was scary relying on him for directions, so every now and then I checked my map to be sure we were going the right way. Surprisingly, we were.

As we were walking, I realized something very important. Maybe it was all the events that happened in one morning, but it took me too long to realize I didn’t even know his name.

I glanced over his way; His eyes were still glazed over as he looked around the area.

“Hey uh…” He perked up at the sound of my voice. I figured he wasn’t too used to talking to people. I felt less pressure with that thought, and continued, “This might sound bad on my end… but I don’t think I got your name.”

He looked at me surprised, “Oh, it’s Ein.” He seemed excited that we were talking again; Instead of thoughtlessly looking around, his focus was on me and his eyes were widened—almost like a puppy.

I expected him to ask for my name too, but I was met with silence. I went ahead and introduced myself.

He hummed after learning my name then asked, “...Does this make us …friends now?” I was taken aback by such an obvious question, but I relaxed and smiled his way.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” I assured. A warm smile grew on his face. At that moment, I was certain we were feeling the same—happiness for making our first friend at a new school.

Eventually, said school could finally be seen not too far away. We finally made it to our destination. I stared ahead as we walked, anxious about how Phoenix Drop High would be like.

I looked back at Ein; He was still smiling, and his eyes were no longer glazed over.

“What classes do you have, by the way?” I asked him. He glanced at me then looked up in thought.

“I think Homeroom… somewhere, then Math, English, Lunch B, Werewolf 101, and P.E,” He answered.

“You know all of that from the top of your head already?”

He nodded, “I still don’t know where they are, though. Or who the teachers are.” He shrugged. “I’ll figure it out soon enough.”

I looked at him with concern. Either he doesn’t care at all for school, or maybe he’s trying to avoid going.

“What about the paper schedule they mailed to everyone before school started?” I asked.

“Maybe..?” He started digging in his pockets. He whispered to himself, “...Pencil …Candy wrapper …Eraser …Paper!” He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and unraveled it. His expression froze, then dimmed as he processed the contents of the paper. “Right… that’s not it.”

He grimaced as he crumpled it back up then tossed the paper. I frowned at him, “At least properly throw it away… Do you really have to litter?”

“...Sorry,” but he kept walking ahead. He started to look out of it again. I ran to pick up the paper, and tucked it into my bag.

“Hey, wait up!” I called out while hurrying to his side.

Chapter Text

Ein and I finally found ourselves at the foot of the stairs leading up to our new school. He was silent again after the paper incident, and I didn’t get a good chance to ask what was so bad about it. For a while, I’d be left in the dark, but I made a mental note to figure it all out later.

As we walked up the stairs, we passed by a few nervous freshmen. I noticed some girls with yellow armbands walking around the front of the school. They seemed to be guides for the new students.

I took a moment to stop at the top of the stairs to observe the area I was in. The building was tall, holding about three or four floors, and it was wide too. The school looked as expensive as any other private school would have. I noticed Ein continued on without me, so I stepped back to his side.

“Hey, Ein?” I called out to him and he turned to me. “Do you still know where you’re going?”

He slowed to a stop, so I paused beside him. He chuckled, “No.”

I huffed. “Well then maybe we should ask for help—“

Before I could finish my sentence, an energetic meif'wa girl with bright pink hair and a yellow armband sprouted out from seemingly nowhere. “Did someone say help?!” Her shrill voice caused the both of us to wince. “Kawaii-Chan can hel—“

“No. Thank you,” Ein promptly cut her off before taking my hand and pulling me away from her.

We walked away from the bustle of the school’s entrance, and I would’ve felt more calm if he hadn’t still been holding my hand. Something about his demeanor seemed different though. He seemed annoyed. Sure, that meif'wa girl did seem a bit obnoxious, but this felt unnecessary.

I wiggled my hand free then spoke up, “..You okay?”

He paused and looked back at me. He tried to conceal his expression as he replied, “I- It’s nothing… just that..” His gaze lowered. Brow furrowed. “..We’re werewolves, y’know? We shouldn’t need help from.. meif'was, or humans.”

I tilted my head. “Huh?”

“You get it, right? We’re better than them.”

I stared at him confused. He exhaled.

“Nevermind.”

He shook his head and his expression lightened once he met my gaze again. “Do you know where your homeroom is?”

I still felt confused, but reached for the schedule in my bag anyway. I studied the paper for a second before I told him the room number.

“Great. I’ll walk you there.” He smiled at me, and a hint of his fangs peeked out.

“You don’t even know where it is…” I grumbled as we started walking side by side.

“I’m sure we’ll find it eventually!” He confidently remarked. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m in such good hands,” I replied sarcastically.

“That you are!” He affirmed, completely ignoring my sarcasm.

As we stepped further into the school, I took note of the diverse population of students. There were many humans, meif’was, and werewolves interacting with each other. They all seemed so comfortable with each other. My brow furrowed as I returned to another thought.

How long will I be alone at this school?

I glanced at Ein as he walked beside me. A small, smug smile persisted on his face. He was confident as we explored the halls. It was reassuring – maybe not when it came to finding my class – but I was glad that I wasn’t going through my first day of school alone.

Further down the hallway, we passed by a group of werewolves. They all shared the same judgemental look, and their attention was focused my way. Initially, I worried that maybe I was wearing the wrong uniform, or maybe there was something in my hair or on my clothes. Eventually I realized that their gaze wasn’t on me. They were looking at Ein.

Ever since we arrived, there was something about him that made all the other werewolf students keep their distance. I thought about it, but I couldn’t figure out the reason. This was my first time attending a school with such a large werewolf population. Maybe there was some social code I hadn’t understood yet?

Regardless, I continued to walk with Ein. After passing the group of werewolf students, they all turned to whisper amongst themselves. I heard words, but not sentences. The most I could discern was something about an “Omega.” I knew this term from previous schools; I assumed it would refer to the “weakest werewolf of the pack.” Either that or the “most isolated,” or “most shunned” werewolf. I didn’t consider Ein to be either of those, except maybe “most isolated.” Even then, I was still his friend, so that was unlikely.

I took a peek at Ein’s reaction to gauge the meaning behind what they could be talking about, but found that his confidence had all faded away. He stared ahead with that same clouded look as earlier.

“H- Hey..” I stammered. He glanced down at me. I realized that I didn’t know what I was going to say. I wracked my brain files to come up with some sort of sentence. “U- Um… What uh.. What was your previous school like?”

The subject of his previous school didn’t do much to lift his mood. He still looked tense as he recalled his memories.

“It was.. fine. I wasn’t exactly the strongest at the school, so I… I got picked on a lot,” he quietly confessed. I quickly realized that this was definitely not the best subject to discuss.

“Ah, I see.. Uh.. Sorry for bringing it up.” He shook his head.

“No, no. It’s okay. You… You’d probably learn about it sooner or later.”

“Still though, it’s probably not something you’d want to reminisce on.”

He let out a breath that sounded like a scoff, then muttered quietly, “I’d do anything to forget…”

All I felt I could do was pretend I didn’t hear him.

———

After walking me to class, we said our goodbyes and promised to meet up again for lunch.

That was the plan until an announcement echoed through the school. The students were informed that an assembly will soon be held, and a club fair after that.

There were about 10 more minutes until then, and I had just gotten comfortable in my seat. I sighed, then looked around at my classmates. Some people must’ve known each other from previous years. Others looked too shy and awkward to socialize. I glanced at the boy who sat next to me; He had bright red hair, green/blue eyes, black werewolf ears/tail, and a few scars on his face. He must’ve sensed me looking at him, because we immediately made eye contact, and he enthusiastically introduced himself with a large grin.

“Howdy there, new seat partner!” He saluted with two fingers. “The name’s Blaze, what’s yours?” His hand stretched out to shake mine. I blinked quietly for a second. I hadn’t expected such a lively interaction.

I answered with my name, then shook his hand. His grip was strong. I almost felt like he was going to pull me out of my chair.

“Good to meet ya!” He responded with a wink. “I don’t think I’ve seen a werewolf like you around before. You new here?”

I hummed, “Mhm, I am. It’s my first year.”

“Oho, freshman huh? I remember my freshman year. I used to be real puny. Like runt of the pack puny. But one day, I was inspired to do better! To be better! Especially for my pack! So I trained and trained; Day in and day out. And now I can say, with confidence, that I’m one of the strongest werewolves at this school!”

His enthusiastic rambling was a bit much, especially as he flexed every other word, but I wasn’t one to judge someone who was passionate.

He continued to talk, “Heh heh… Anyhow, you’re looking at the next alpha male right here. So be sure to remember my name! It shines brighter than the sun! Blaze!!”

The bell rang, signaling that it was time to go to the assembly.

“Ah, see you later, new seat buddy partner!” He waved goodbye then energetically left the room.

With much less energy, I stood up from my seat, and followed the rest of the crowd of people to the assembly.

The assembly had been a whole lot of useless information. I hadn’t paid attention at all. The only thing I picked up on was that the first day was only a shortened day, and after the club fair we would only go to our last period class. Soon after that, I found myself standing before the soccer field. The area had been repurposed for club stands and sign-up sheets. I scanned the people present, searching for a certain dark blue haired werewolf. Maybe I’d get to see him here?

I carefully navigated my way past people, still looking. People were chatting and finding their friends. Words floated around such as, “I haven’t seen you since last year,” or “How was your summer?” I felt out of place. There wasn’t anyone here that I could recognize. No one that I could say was my friend. I only felt more determined to find Ein.

Among the sea of blue uniforms, my eyes eventually fell on the Werewolf Club. A group of werewolves were huddled around and excited to sign up. Maybe Ein signed up too.

I approached the stand and checked the list of people who’d signed up already. His name was nowhere to be found. I sighed and wrote mine down anyway. I’d find my friend eventually.

As I finished writing my name, I noticed a few of the werewolves huddling around me. I turned to face them, and found myself being circled by three.
I blinked, then at the lack of a proper introduction, I initiated. “Uh.. Hello?”

“Ah!” The three of them unanimously froze.

Two of them were guys; Brown haired with pale red eyes while the other had olive hair and blue eyes. One was a girl with blue eyes and pale blue hair. The girl finally spoke up, “Sorry! We couldn’t help but notice that you were new.”

“Ah.. that obvious?”

They took turns speaking. “Yeah! We haven’t seen you around before. Are you a freshman? Or maybe a transfer?”

“Oh, no, I’m just a freshman. I am looking for my friend though. He’s a transfer from an all-werewolf school.”

They shared a quick glance between each other. They seemed worried. Unnecessarily so. “You don’t mean…?”

I stared at them, confused.

“…The omega from the Western Werewolf Tribe?”

Oh… That’s why.

“Yeah... He’s my friend. Have you seen him?”

Their shared expressions grew more concerned. “You know you don’t have to be friends with him, even if you are new.” Another butted in, “Yeah! We can be your friends. I’m Daniel.” The other two went on to introduce themselves; Rylan and Dottie.

“Ah, well.. it’s nice to meet you.” I told them my name then started stepping away from the Werewolf Club stand. “I still would like to find my friend, so…”

The trio quietly accepted that they couldn’t change my mind, so I said goodbye and continued to look for Ein.

I merged into the crowd again; side stepping as I noticed a rush of people walking by. Even as I saw the coming danger, I failed to keep myself upright when one of the girls accidentally pushed me. I lost my balance and stumbled back. Before I could hit the ground, a pair of familiar arms caught me and grounded me by my waist. I settled back on my feet and started to turn to set my eyes on my savior.

“..That makes the second time today I’ve helped you.” That sounded like…

“Ein! There you are! I had a feeling I’d find you eventually.” I couldn’t help the smile on my face, and neither could he apparently. His hand lingered on my waist a moment longer before he sheepishly looked away.

“So, how’s the past… hour or so been?” I asked.

“Ah- Right, right.. Well, after I dropped you off at your class, I sorta wandered around trying to find my own class. But I got noticed by a teacher, I think? I dunno, but he didn’t like my piercings, so that was a thing. Then another one of those girls in yellow armbands found me and gave me a ‘mentor’ to show me around, but uh… I.. kinda lost her.”

“Huh.. Sounds eventful.”

“Y’know, she was the Alpha!” He seemed to perk up at the thought. “That mentor girl! When I sniffed her though, she didn’t have the scent of a werewolf… more like a.. human.”

“Really? That doesn’t make sense. How could a human be an Alpha?”

He shrugged. I sighed.

“Well.. think you’ll catch up to her?”

He looked around then shook his head. “Probably best I don’t… But she dropped her phone.”

“Really? We should go find her then.” I turned to start my search, but he swiftly took my hand again.

“W- Wait!” I was caught by surprise. Looking into his eyes, I saw nothing but panic. “L- Let’s just.. wait. I.. I can find her some other time.”

“If you say so..” My eyes lowered to where his hand grasped mine. The warmth of his touch was fleeting as he pulled away again. “Let’s.. go look at the clubs then.”

He exhaled in relief, and a smile came over his face. “Yeah.. Yeah we can do that.”

He let me lead the way, and if anything, I was more interested in joining clubs than him. I considered two or three clubs until we made it back to the Werewolf Club, or at least its general vicinity. He stopped us before we could get closer.

“...What’s up?” I asked him. He seemed cautious.

“Those guys… They aren’t gonna like me.” He mumbled.

“Why? What’s wrong?” He looked at me like I was crazy. Or maybe dumb. I let out a quiet huff as I braced myself for the question I knew I’d have to ask sooner or later. Without any further elaboration, I went on to ask, “Is it.. because of the Omega thing?”

He sighed, “Yes.”

“Mh...” I looked back to the club stand, watching the other werewolves. “Well… we don’t have to go there if you don’t want to.” I looked back up at him, making sure he saw the certainty on my face. It was enough to help him relax, even just by a little bit. After that, we walked off to a quiet corner of the field, and found a spot to sit on top of the bleachers.

It was quiet. I enjoyed it. It gave me time to anticipate my life at this new school. The morning sun gave just enough warmth to withstand the cool end-of-summer breeze. I leaned back and rested against the seat behind me. All the chit-chat from the enthusiastic students felt far away. A cozy distance so I could hear my own thoughts. It was nice — sitting in comfortable silence with a friend. At least that’s what I thought until Ein spoke up.

“...So you did know,” he mumbled.

I glanced over at him. He was hunched over, arms crossed over his knees.

“Why haven’t you left yet?”

His voice was quiet, and he stared solemnly down at the students on the field. It felt like he didn’t want to discuss this topic. I watched him for a moment longer. Yes, he looked uncomfortable. Scared that maybe by acknowledging it, it would make me go away.

“An Omega is worthless to its pack. I’m worthless. You know this. And you knew I was the omega. Why did you still look for me?”

I let out a quiet sigh, then followed his gaze to watch the crowd below. “What you are is my friend. I wanted to hang out with you. That’s all.”

I didn’t look back to see his reaction, but I could sense his disbelief.

We sat there quietly until the bell rang.

Chapter Text

“I hadn’t seen him again after that. The bell rang and we went to our different classes. He seemed hesitant to talk to me, which was fine. We’d just met, so I hadn’t expected us to be all buddy-buddy just yet. I think he might have some sorta insecurity issues that he’s gotta sort out anyway.”

My mom sat across from me at the dining table. I’d gotten home from school a few hours ago, meanwhile she’d just returned home with dinner. She listened to me talk about my first day of school, and was delighted to hear I’d already made a friend. However, the joy might’ve faded a little when she heard more about this friend.

“There was also that thing with that meif’wa girl. He said something about being better than them cuz we’re werewolves or something…” I mumbled. My mom looked concerned.

“Do you believe that?” she asked. I shook my head.

“Of course not. There isn’t really a difference significant enough between me, a meif’wa, or a human to warrant superiority. We’re all just people trying to get by.”

My mom nodded. She herself was a human, and didn’t have any personal experience to teach me about werewolf culture; especially since my dad – who was a werewolf – wasn’t around for very long. Because of this, I grew up around many different kinds of kids – humans, meif’was, and werewolves – but never too close to others of my kind. I hadn’t come across any issues with that yet though.

On top of that, humans are pretty indifferent to the lives of werewolves. They don’t have the same instincts for certain things to be important to them. For example, they wouldn’t give a second thought about whether or not their werewolf friend was an Alpha, Omega, or whatever else in between. It just doesn’t matter to them.

Eventually, I realized I’d been absent-mindedly poking my dinner with a fork. Too quiet for conversation.

“...Anyways, the school day was shorter than I thought. There was the assembly, a club fair, then they had us go to the last class on our schedule, and then we could go home.”

She nodded, then brought up Ein again. “It was nice of that boy to help you cross that street. Maybe we should give him a thank you gift.” After making her suggestion, she took another bite of her dinner.

I hummed as I considered it. “I’m not sure what I’d get for him. I don’t know his likes or dislikes. I did only just meet him anyway. I don’t want him to think I’m weird, but… I could still ask.”

She smiled, “That’d be good. Let me know if you’ll need any help putting something together.”

“Yeah.. So how was your day at work?”

–

I laid in my bed. After finishing dinner with my mom, I went up to my room and settled down for the night. Once the time came for me to go to bed, sleep still felt elusive. My thoughts danced around the events that happened that day. I kept going back to each interaction with Ein. It was crazy how I’d almost gotten hit by a car, only to be saved by a guy like him. A guy as cute as him. My brow furrowed at the embarrassing thought.

Just what are you thinking right now? You just met him. Yeah, he’s cute, and you don’t have to know someone very long to recognize that.

I groaned and flopped over to the other side of my bed. I reached out and pulled an extra pillow into a hug as I sighed. He is cute though.

I shut my eyes and pressed my face into the pillow. And he’s strong. He could carry me so easily. His eyes are really pretty too. Not a lot of people have gray eyes like him.

I’m really not going to be able to stop thinking like this… am I? I groaned again. This is so dumb…

With the next groan, I stopped holding myself back by being embarrassed, and let my mind wander wherever. It’s fine. It’s not like I’ll do anything about it, I kept telling myself.

Soon enough, I drifted off to dream about these thoughts.

—

The next morning, I woke up vaguely remembering a dream about hanging out with Ein. My face felt as warm as my mind felt confused. I huffed and rubbed my eyes before pushing myself out of bed.

I continued my usual morning routine, said good morning to my mom, ate a quick breakfast, then went out the door. To my surprise, Ein was waiting on the sidewalk. I paused for a moment, and stood by the door. My heart felt like it’d picked up pace once I saw him. What’s he doing here? Am I still dreaming? I walked up to him and poked his shoulder. He jolted in place, then turned to look at me with a startled expression.

I chuckled, “Good morning, Ein. What’re you doing here?”

Once he realized it was just me, he breathed out a soft laugh and his expression relaxed.

“So you do live nearby…” he mumbled, like he was talking to himself.

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, uh.. I just figured… Maybe you lived close to my house, since we seemed to have walked the same way yesterday.” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “Um.. In any case, maybe we could walk together again?”

I smiled at him. “Of course! I’m glad you asked. You could help me again in case that driver from yesterday tries to finish the job.”

He laughed, but it sounded worried. “Let’s… hope that doesn’t happen.”

“Of course it won’t happen,” I assured him with a nudge.

He hummed, then we started our trek to school. His tail continued to wag as I walked alongside him. He seemed happier today than he did yesterday at the club fair. That was good. A part of me wanted to pry further into his thinking, and figure out why he thinks he’s worthless. The other part of me knew it’d be too soon to ask something so deep. Then I remembered my mom’s suggestion from last night.

“Hey.. Ein?” He glanced over at me. “I still don’t know that much about you. What kinda things are you into?”

“Hm? Uhh…” He looked up in thought. “Well… My favorite color is blue. I actually dyed my hair this color,” he explained as he pointed to the blue streak in his hair. “Hm… I also listen to Radiohead sometimes.”
lol male manipulator ahh why am i adding this in ugh

“Radiohead, huh? You like rock?” I asked.

He thought about my question. “I guess so. I haven’t really considered having a favorite genre.”

“So are you the kinda guy to listen to anything?”

“Eh… I dunno. It’s mostly based on my mood.”

“Mhm… What else do you like?”

“Hmm.. Mac DeMarco.”

I chuckled, “I meant like, interests besides music, but that works too.”

“Oh— Sorry, uh… I like.. fried pork noodles,” he sputtered. I chuckled again.

“Pfh, that feels random. Good to know though.”

“Heheh.. yeah, uh.. Sorry.”
cringe

We continued the rest of the walk discussing our interests.

—

Ein walked me to my homeroom class again. I stopped at the door and turned to him, smiling. After I turned to make eye contact, his face looked a little flushed and his tail started to swish behind him again. “Thanks for walking me again. You said you had Lunch B, right?” He nodded. “Mh, I’ll see you then, Ein.”

The corners of his lips turned up. “Y- Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

Before we could finish properly saying goodbye, we noticed a pair of werewolves walking down the hallway, and towards my homeroom class. I quickly recognized one of the werewolves’ bright red head of hair — Blaze.

The reason why this particular werewolf duo had caught our interest was because of their loud bickering over who was the strongest between the two. A few challenging remarks and comedically petty side comments were tossed around, and soon enough there were hands being thrown.

Blaze hurdled into the room, passing us by while tussling with the other werewolf. Blaze eventually shoved the other away and settled down in his own seat.

Having both witnessed such an unprompted event, I turned to look at Ein and we seemed to have been thinking the same thing. I leaned closer to him as we both snickered amongst ourselves. He did the same, effectively keeping our reactions in our own little world. Once the giggling ceased, I started to wave.

“I’ll see you later, Ein,” I told him. He nodded with a soft chuckle.

“Yeah, see you later.” He backed away whilst waving, keeping his gaze on me just a little longer before he had to turn around and leave for his own class. I watched him until he was out of view before I finally stepped into my homeroom. I quietly walked over to my seat.

Meanwhile, Blaze was still spouting his own praises at the other werewolf across the room. When I reached my seat next to him, he cast a glance my way. He sent off one more comment before turning his attention towards me.

“Heey, new seat buddy,” Blaze called out as I sat down. His hair was noticeably more ruffled than yesterday, likely due to the tussle he’d gotten into seconds ago. Even despite the fight, he didn’t seem to sustain any injuries. That's werewolf durability, I guess. Once I’d settled down, he spoke up again, “Hanging around the Omega, I see.”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, and?”

“Nothing,” He rested his head on his hand, “Just a little surprised someone would want to be the guy’s friend. He is part of the pack though, can’t deny that. I personally wouldn’t mind being his friend, but.. Y’know, a lot of the werewolves at this school already don’t like him cuz of where he came from. Oh– And I heard how the Alpha Female treated him yesterday. If the Alpha isn’t even giving him the time of day, then should we?”

“Wait, what happened?” I turned to face him, giving him more of my attention.

“I heard that the Alpha completely disregarded him at the club fair yesterday. She was supposed to welcome him and show him around, but all she did was leave him behind and talked to the rest of the pack instead. And then she got caught up in a challenge for the title of Alpha, but.. That’s irrelevant!”

“Oh… He didn’t tell me that…” I mumbled to myself.

Blaze chuckled, “He’s probably too embarrassed to share that sorta thing with his only friend. I probably would’ve done the same in his shoes!”

I shook my head. I’d have to talk to Ein about that later. Which reminded me about that paper of his that I still had stuffed away in my bag. Maybe I’d bring that up later too.

“On second thought, honesty’s the best policy. No matter how embarrassed I might be about something. Anyhow, be careful talking to that guy,” Blaze warned with an unusually serious look on his face, “People might get the wrong idea, then you’ll end up like him by association.”

I sighed, “That’s not something I’m really worried about.”

Not satisfied with my answer, Blaze leaned in closer as he spoke, “Just hear me out. If I’m gonna be the Alpha this year, I gotta prove to the pack that I’m someone they can rely on. That includes you too. Now, I don’t usually come across people who’d willingly risk being bullied, but I guess it’s different if it’s for a friend…” He seemed to be thinking out loud more than anything. He nodded as he finally understood the reasoning in his mind. He sat up straight with a firm look in his eyes. “I might not know what you and Ein have been through, but it is truly honorable of you to stick by your friend through thick and thin.”

“Yeaah?” I felt cornered even though our desks were basically in the middle of the room. Blaze wasn’t exactly threatening, but he definitely had a passion I wasn’t used to.

“Alright! I’ve made up my mind. If you’re willing to stick by your friends, then I’ve got to do the same!” He grabbed my hand to shake it, as if we were making some sort of deal. “If you or Ein ever come across any meatheads trying to pick a fight, just call out my name! I, Blaze, promise to protect you both as your reliable Alpha!”

He smiled brightly. I couldn’t help but be reminded of his catchphrase from yesterday. It shines brighter than the sun. I returned his smile with one of my own. “Thanks, Blaze. I’m glad you understand.”

He chuckled with confidence. “No problem!” He let go of my hand to clap his own hands together. “So! What’re your classes looking like today, little buddy?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden conversation change. “Oh, uhh… I’ve got Art, P.E, Lunch B, Werewolf 101, and then English.”

“Hoho! Sounds like you’ll be seeing more of me today! We,” he gestured between the two of us, “..have got the same Werewolf 101 class.”

“Ah.. Great,” I exhaled. “Oh, actually I think Ein might be in that class too.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah. He told me his schedule yesterday. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure he mentioned it.”

“Haha, awesome! More buddies to have!” He cheered. Just then, the bell rang; meaning it was time for first period. “Alright, little buddy. Sounds like I gotta take off. It was nice chatting with you! See ya!”

He hopped out of his chair, and was out of the room in seconds. On the other hand, I sank into my chair. I hadn’t realized how tiring talking to such an energetic person could be. Especially in the morning. I sucked in a breath, then stood up to continue my day.

Chapter Text

I stepped into the cafeteria. The large room was crowded with people either meeting up with friends, finding their seats at tables, and others just trying to get their lunch. I stood in place, searching for any sign of Ein. With no results, I awkwardly shuffled closer to the wall to get out of the way. I bit down on one of my nails.

We hadn’t agreed on a meeting place, and I still hadn’t gotten his number yet. How the heck am I gonna find him? There were too many noises and scents floating around to be able to pinpoint where he could be.

“Surprise!” A pair of hands took me by my shoulders, causing me to yelp. I whipped my head around, only to be met by those same sparkling grays I dreamt about last night.

“E- Ein?! What the heck– You scared me!” Despite my words, my tone and expression were playful as I shoved him.

“Eheh.. sorry, sorry…” He quickly went back to his usual timid demeanor. “You spooked me this morning. I figured it’d be fair.”

“Yeah right! You had to have heard me this morning! You were right outside my house!”

His eyes shifted away from mine as he grew more flustered. “W- Well–! Okay, maybe, but I hadn’t expected you to– to poke me!”

“A poke is still completely different than grabbing my shoulders and scaring me!”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry. I’m sorry–” He leaned down close to my face as he reached out to gently hold both my hands. He spoke softly, but just loud enough for me to hear, “Can you forgive me?”

His sweet tone of voice melted my heart, and my face flushed. I sucked in a breath to try to calm down, but accidentally inhaled the scent of the air around him.

“You’re my friend, right? Friends forgive each other…?” he mumbled. Darn you, Ein. Darn you and your dumb voice and your cute face.

“F- Fine…” I stammered. I let my eyes close just so I could bask in the moment a little longer, but he pulled away – revealing that sharp-toothed smile once again.

“Thanks … ,” his grin widened as he spoke my name. I froze for a moment. He hadn’t said it before until now. It sounded so natural. So right. If only I could get him to say it again.

I averted my gaze before I’d gotten too flustered. “A- Anyway… Can we go get lunch now?”

“Hehe, okay.” He turned and I followed him to the lunch line. I watched his back as we walked past people. A part of me felt reassured that I was protected and safe, just as long as he was around. I smiled to myself. I was glad to have made a friend like him.

Once we’d gotten our lunch, I suggested we could sit and eat outside. He obliged and we walked around for a bit until we settled on sitting on the bleachers again.

—

School lunch was never anything noteworthy. I finished my lunch without a second thought. What concerned me the most in that moment was how I was going to talk to Ein.

I looked to my left, and my gaze fell on the werewolf boy. He sat in the same place as he did yesterday, and he seemed to have finished eating as quickly as I did — if not faster.

He was staring out at the forest beyond the school campus. It was still early September, so the leaves hadn’t changed colors yet. At the same time, though, they weren’t as vibrant a green as they would be in the spring. Needless to say, the trees continued to sway peacefully with the wind, no matter what color they were. I wondered if he was thinking about the same thing.

I set that thought aside and glanced down at my bag beside me. I kept forgetting to check that crumpled paper when I’d be alone, but I also didn’t want to breach Ein’s privacy. There was also still the matter of him being the Omega. I sighed. Curiosity gnawed at me, but I also wanted to be a good friend. Ein must’ve heard my sigh, because I’d caught his attention.

“Is everything okay?” He asked. I turned away from my bag to face him.

“Mhm. All good,” I told him. He scoffed, then perched an elbow on his leg, so he could rest his chin on his hand.

“What’s with the sigh then?” My eyes drifted away from him. Doesn’t seem like I can avoid it now…

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” My fingers anxiously played with the handles of my bag. “...but I didn’t want to push in case it was something important.” I looked back at the paper, then finally decided to pull it out. I only glanced back at him for a second, but I could see his surprise. “Whatever was on the paper seemed to bother you… Did you want to talk about it?”

He stared quietly, yet intensely at the paper in my hand. “You didn’t read it, did you?” I shook my head. He exhaled in relief. “It’s… not that important anyway. I don’t want to get you involved.”

“Why? What is it?” He shook his head. There was a period of silence before he continued.

“...It’s …It’s because I’m the Omega.” His voice was quiet and full of shame, like he didn’t want to admit to it. “A group of werewolves from our school found me before I met you…” He reached out to carefully pluck the paper from my hands. He unfolded it as if he were uncovering a vulnerable secret of his past, then turned the paper to show me.

“Filthy Omega!! Get out of our school! You’re worthless.”

I read the words carefully. My heart clenched as I thought of what he could be going through. When I looked back at him, the shame in his face remained.
“I don’t want you to be targeted too…” He murmured. “It’s why I can’t understand how you could be my friend, especially when you know the consequences.” He looked down at the paper in frustration before crumpling it up again. “...I’ll make sure to properly throw it away this time.”

I watched him silently as he shoved the paper back into his pocket. I couldn’t find the right words to help him feel better. He muttered something else, but it was lost under the ring of the school bell.

“H- Hey, Ein…” He looked my way. I held his gaze a moment longer before finishing my sentence, “...I still want to be your friend.”

That’s all I could piece together. He let out a huff, but I figured my words were what he needed to hear.

“Do you want to walk to class together?” I suggested. I studied the look on his face. His eyebrows were pressed together and he was faintly frowning. “...We don’t have to go just yet,” I mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“N- No, no… Sorry.” He turned away and ran a hand through his hair. “I just… Why are you changing the subject? Does any of this matter to you?”

I turned my head down to stare at my hands. I’d been fidgeting with my fingers ever since the conversation turned more tense. “I’m… not that good with other werewolves,” I quietly admitted.

He stared at me in confusion. “How? You are a werewolf. Your parents are werewolves. It’s in your blood. How do you not know?”

I felt embarrassed at my lack of knowledge, but it was the truth. I shook my head. “Just my dad is a werewolf, but he’s… not around anymore. It’s just me and my mom, and she doesn’t know much either.”

Silence settled between us. I glanced at him, but I couldn’t read what he was feeling at that moment. I sighed then continued, “The Alpha/Omega rankings never really mattered to me before because it never affected me. My mom always put me in mixed schools, and none of my close friends have been werewolves. I’ve been in werewolf-related classes, but that doesn’t compare to actually interacting with people like you…” I paused to rephrase. “...People like us. I’m sorry.”

I kept my gaze away from him. It felt too embarrassing to admit these things to someone who was so clearly impacted by the nature of our culture. I started to hear him laugh.

It wasn’t a regular laugh. This was one of disbelief, and maybe even condescension.

Eventually, I managed enough courage to view his reaction. He held his face in his hands while his arms kept him propped up by his legs. Once the laughter ceased, he moved his fingers away from his eyes to look at me.

“You’re serious?” He asked. I nodded. His hands lowered to his sides, but a smile remained on his face. “I’m sorry for laughing. I just… Didn’t think someone like you could exist.”

I tilted my head and gave him a look that urged him to elaborate. He shifted closer to me.

“I’m saying that I’m glad I met you. I think we’re going to be very good friends.”
His tone was warm, and it made me want to believe him whole-heartedly.

As he leaned in closer, his smile grew more genuine. “What’s your next class by the way?”

“Werewolf 101.”

Before I could continue he exclaimed, “Ah! That’s the class that we have together!” His smile brightened, and his tail swayed. You wouldn’t have guessed that just moments ago, we were discussing him being bullied. I nodded feebly.

“Hehe.. In that case, I’ll make sure you pay attention in class! You’ve got a lot to learn, little one,” he teased as he brushed a strand of hair out of my face.

“Wh- Little one?” I snapped back while grabbing hold of his wrist. He leaned his head back as he laughed in amusement.

“Of course! You’re my apprentice now.” He turned his gaze back on me. “I promise to teach you everything I know. You’ll need it anyway, I don’t think there’s a better teacher for you.”

I huffed then let go of his hand, but he still lingered. As I stared into his eyes, his smile widened into a sly grin. For a moment, I thought he was going to initiate, but instead, he lowered his hand.

“Let’s get to class now..” He murmured. Right on cue, the bell rang again and alerted us that there was only two minutes left until the next class period started.

“Shoot..” I looked behind me at the campus building, then contemplated the distance between where we sat on the bleachers and the Werewolf 101 classroom. I turned back to face Ein. “Do you think we’ll make it on time?”

I watched as he observed the building before us. A lightbulb seemed to go off in his mind. “I have an idea, but do you trust me?”

“Do I get to know what the idea is first?” I chuckled. He stood up then held out his arms, and I realized he meant that he’d carry me there. I felt my face flush. “W- Wait, seriously?”

He laughed softly at my reaction. “I’ve carried you before, haven’t I?”

“I- I mean you have… but isn’t this a little embarrassing to do at school?”

“Just trust me. At least we’ll get to class on time.”

I let out an exasperated sigh, then stood from where I sat. “Fine.”

“Hehe,” he giggled. I wrapped my arms over his shoulders, securing myself in place while he lifted me off the ground. He took a few steps forward to grab my bag before suddenly bounding off of the bleachers. Shocked by the movement, I held Ein closer and closed my eyes.

Then… There it was again. That scent in the air that was only unique to the boy that carried me in his arms.

This sucks. This sucks. This sucks. This sucks.
My heart is beating way too fast right now. I hope he doesn’t notice.