Over the Moon: Pain and Pleasure

“Don’t glare at me, Covin!” Alejandro shoved Daniel away “It´s only your fault that Oli dislikes you”

“Shut up” Daniel didn’t have a witty come back this time; he hated the sound of his mate´s name in Alejandro´s voice, the familiarity with which Ale had said it.

“You screw it. I was there after you screw it” Ale shrugged with one shoulder as he shoved a couple of grapes in his mouth

“You were there… what?!” Daniel had a threatening tone and some kind of grimace in his face

“As a friend, you idiot. It´s like you don’t know girls at all anymore” Ale rolled his eyes and walked towards the dining room where Eleanor Covin, wife of chief Covin and mother of Daniel and Joel, was calling everybody, her large family. Karen Carbonell, Alejandro´s sister and Joel Covin were together; the Covin were family people, had family gatherings once almost every week. Karen was now considered family to them and Ale was like some kind of unavoidable plus, not that they had ever put it that way; they said he was family too but Ale knew better. He was just glad that his seat wasn´t close to Daniel´s, the guy had gone crazy over his major failure with Olivia and he hated everyone that Oli liked, Oli was friends with Ale which made him enemy number one for the wolf.

“Jealous idiots” Alejandro thought as he sat away from Daniel and his sister. At least Andy, Ricky and little Hope were still good company even if they were the youngest and hadn’t gone wolf yet, maybe that was why they were still good company.

On the third month since Olivia had started to let Daniel stay in her place she started to check the calendar to know when it´d be the full moon. She hated it but made an excuse to appease her mind, she didn’t want to be surprised; she wanted to know when to expect the unwanted man. At some point or another Oli found herself wondering why the man had said three days; for what she knew the moon was full only one night, and it was not like she´d ever been attentive to the moon, she supposed there was one every month but maybe the day before and after it was sort of still full and therefore its influence was still there for people like the wolf-man. When she´d found herself almost about to find information about the moon she´d scold herself for thinking about him but on Sunday afternoon Olivia went up to the attic and  brought a blanket along with a bold and a bottle of water. She´d cleaned the dusty couch, just because it was hers not because of Daniel, she´d told herself

Olivia watched the sun set on the attic stuck window and then went down to make dinner. It was really quiet, it was always really quiet in the house, there was echo, she hadn’t managed to fill all of the rooms with the few things she had, there were old rackety tables and furniture here and there but it was mostly unused and empty and there were many rooms that were empty, that only had darker stains where she supposed furniture once existed. At night it was specially quiet and dark outside. The long winding driveway that led to the place didn’t have a single light and was surrounded by trees all the way until it got to Alejandro´s home where the road continued before it connected with the main road where there were streetlights. During the day it was quite pretty but at night it had been a little bit scary especially after meeting Daniel.

“Olivia! You can´t be thinking about that man!” Oli scolded herself out loud once in bed at around ten thirty at night. She´d been wondering why he hadn´t come, she´d felt relieved and somewhat like she´d been stood up. She turned around under her blanket willing herself to fall asleep and she did, luckily sleep came easy.

An hour later Olivia woke up with a jolt as a wolf howled very close, too close, it sounded just outside of her door. She sat up turning the lights and listened, a minute or so later the howl was followed by scratching on her kitchen door, the one that led to the backyard. It was insistent, like a pet that had been left out and wanted to get inside.

Once downstairs, Oli could hear small barking sounds along with the scratching noises. She turned on the outside lights and peered outside the window and found a huge dog that she knew was a wolf and not just any kind of wolf but one with a human mind. It had open cuts on his thighs, neck and ears.

“What happened to you?!” Olivia exclaimed as she opened her door; puppy eyes was the replied she got followed by some throaty sound when the dog-wolf-man entered and limped upstairs to the attic. Olivia followed him. It sat down in the middle of the dark room making a small whine; Olivia stood on the door way not knowing what to do. After a few minutes the animal started to lick his wounds and at that she left. The bitter sweet smell of concern made the wolf look up to where his mate had disappeared and despite the stinging feeling of the cuts he went to the door which by then was locked.

In the morning when Olivia opened the attic door, there was no naked human on the floor but a very impatient wolf that limped out and away as soon as the door was opened. It was out of the kitchen door before Oli made it there. Several hours later, there was a knock on the door as Olivia prepared lunch. A guy´s head peeked inside, his long hair spilling over one shoulder; he had dirt on his cheek and twigs and leaves on his dark long hair. Olivia sighed and went for the blanket over the couch in the living room.

“Sorry” Daniel said once he entered covered by the blue blanket

“Mhh…” Olivia sighed and went back to stirring the contents of the pan not looking at him. A while later chief Covin went by and brought him clothes and advice given with good humor, even a laugh in his voice, something that Daniel didn’t appreciate but that would keep to himself.

Transformation was painful that night but Daniel knew it´d help to heal faster and without scars, the wounds were already small, of course some of them tore a little before closing again when he changed but they´d healed enough during his afternoon nap. Daniel slept on the couch in the attic; he nuzzled against the clean blanket that had the smell of sun and of Olivia´s touch.

“What happened to you?” Olivia´s scent had woken him up the next morning and he´d hastily covered with the blanket but his unhealed leg was still uncovered

“Got in a fight” Dani murmured

“Not surprising” a tinge of humor laced in her voice, it made Dani half smile.

“Is there anything I can do for you today? Something you need done?” Daniel offered that day after cleaning himself and right before she left the kitchen to have breakfast on her own. Olivia paused for a minute

“You´re injured” she said not making eye contact

“I’m fine, it´s nothing. Should I continue with the garden?” he asked, he´d notice that she hadn’t touched the garden since he´d started to turn the soil the month before

“Well… I don’t know…” she started but there was something she wanted him to help her with

“It´s ok, I can go back to that” he smiled his lopsided smile. Oli inhaled softly and patted the door with her fingers

“Maybe –she said dragging the word- you could help me to dig a hole to plant these little trees I bought last weekend? I mean, if you don’t mind” she hurried to say

“Sure, I can do that. What kind of trees are they?”

“A lemon tree and an orange tree” she said and he grinned

“There´s an orange tree near my window –he said- they blossoms smell really nice”

“So I´ve heard” she smiled politely and left

“Where do you want the trees?” Daniel asked as they both went in the backyard a while after breakfast

“I think that corner will be ok” she pointed to the  corner on her left, where there was still a part of the old fence “that way if and when the blossoms will perfume the kitchen” she chuckled, she´d be able to see the tree from the kitchen

“You want both of them there?”

“No, let´s put the other on the other corner” she looked around before replying

“Ok… er… by any chance do you have a rubber band or even a string to tie my hair –Daniel twisted his hair in some kind of bun but as soon as he let go it went down- dad didn’t bring me any”

“Long hair´s inconvenient” she commented “I’ll find something for you” she said walking up the first step back to the house and then stopped and got rid her white hairband “Does this work?”

“Ah, sure” Daniel untied the white ribbon and leaned his head a little as he lifted his hair for a pony tail

“You´re blond” Olivia commented in almost a whisper as Daniel twisted his hair. At the time he had about a centimeter of blond roots that she hadn’t notice until they were in the same level, she was on a step and his head was bow

“Yeah” he looked her way and a few loose hairs fell on his face. He´d been caught with his guard down, the ribbon that now he wore carried Olivia´s scent. He´d felt an idiotic grin on his face right before she spoke

“Why would you dye it black?”

“All my siblings have darker hair –he shrugged- it´s part of the look” he laughed quietly at himself

“Doesn’t it take time?”

“Not really, it´s quick and easy”

“You do it yourself?” she raised both eyebrows and expanded her eyes a little. He couldn’t tell if it was good or bad

“Yeah…”

“I see –she nodded slowly a couple of times not looking at him- I´ll get the trees” she hopped off the step and went to the other side of the yard. Dani sniffed the scent left behind but he couldn’t tell if she was one of those who didn´t approve of long hair and dyed hair in guys, like his parents, she probably didn’t like it, after all her own hair was one of those very short haircuts, the longest part was a bang that went from the left to the right side of her face.

Olivia stayed outside as he dug the hole, she watered the pots that she had on the opposite side and then asked to help to put the soil over the roots of the small trees, she´d said she wanted to say she at least help to plant them once they were old. When Daniel dug the other hole she went to make lemonade and she laughed a little at that since the lemon tree was the next to be planted. It was nice, Daniel thought, but at night, she still didn’t eat in the same place as him and still didn’t let him explain what happened the first time they met and later, after dinner, he was still locked in the attic.

The next day, once again, he offered his help, told Oli he could help cleaning if necessary.

“I really don’t want to use you as my handyman. I have no way to pay you for that” she´d said, he´d smiled

“Let me help, I´m imposing on you good will by staying here”

“Well… -she´d twisted her mouth- I guess that´s… true… but still… won´t it be like you´re working and I´m not paying you? And can you like do other kinds of repairs and stuff?” she’d looked up at him and felt a little uncomfortable at how close he was, not invading her personal space but closer than he´d been so far which made their height differences way more noticeable. He was really, really tall, over a head taller than she was.

“I like to do stuff like that; besides, it´ll keep me from getting bored. Also… no offense by this house really needs to be repaired” he’d looked around and she laughed despite of herself

“You think?” she shook her head and rolled her eyes and ended up laughing again “It´s a wonder that it hasn’t fallen down”

“These old houses had a good foundation. I doubt it´ll fall but it does need work on the roof, doors and windows, at least from what I´ve seen” He looked around again

“What you´ve seen is the best of the house… except the roof, I guess…”

“I could go around taking a look at the place and let you know what really needs to be repaired if you want?” He said, she lifted her eyebrows and her scent was laced with doubt “I have a part time job in construction and I´m studying mechanical engineering... those might help?” he smiled his crooked smile and now her eyes shone with surprise, the good kind.  That´s what they had done that day, go from room to room, mostly in silence, he´d moved some furniture to inspect the walls and under them, offered to restore the ones who could be repaired. He went in all the rooms except Olivia´s room.

That night was spent in similar way to the one before. Daniel still couldn’t help sniffing or scratching the floor boards even the door but Olivia didn’t shout for him to quiet down, however her scent still laced with annoyance all the while until she fell asleep, soon after that he also tried to sleep. The next morning, the last morning Daniel would be there, Olivia slept a little more. When she came up to unlock the attic door Daniel had been awake for about two hours

“Sorry” she said and with voice rough with sleep. She was flustered as if it was a bad thing to wake up after seven in the morning

“I can make breakfast if you want” Daniel offered as they went down the stairs, he was ahead, she followed still in her pajamas, something he´d never seen

“No, it´s fine” she said

“Aren’t you hungry?” Daniel inquired as she pushed him his breakfast, there was no plate for her, she was eating a banana

“No –she frowned- my stomach hurts today. I´ll be fine though”

“I could make you some tea” he wished he knew how to make her feel better, it wasn’t much but he could sense she was uncomfortable

“It´s fine –she shook her head-  ah, some of the food chief Covin brought wasn’t used. I´ll put them on a bag for you to take back”

“No, it´s fine, keep it, please” he smiled and thought she´d say no

“Ok” she shrugged and left the room. He left a little while later.

It had been two weeks after the full moon. It was close to midnight; Daniel was tossing and turning in his bed as he kept burying his nose in the blanket he´d brought from Olivia´s home. the one that she´d given him the second day in the last full moon, the one that had been on the couch downstairs. It smelled like her, she´d slept on it. It soothed him and made him feel desperate, kept him on the verge of being awake and asleep. He wished she´d let him the circumstances in which he´d made the terrible mistake of taking her to the woods thinking she´d scent him too. It comforted him that this last time he´d been at her place she´d been nicer, had shown some concern when he showed at her door hurt… She´d prepared him a blanket upstairs but she still locked him in the attic and he knew she didn’t trust him. He groaned.

“No one told me it´d be this awful” he muttered and inhaled the scent of orange blossoms and vanilla ice-cream and felt warm inside. How can it both be pain and pleasure, he thought and gagged at his thoughts, sat up and went to his desk, turned on his lamp, took a blank page from his printer and the first pen he found, took a deep breath and wrote.

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Another TME was supposed to be posted today but there´s a part that´s been difficult for me in that chapter so I decided to go ahead and post what I do have which is this one.

I like the last thing Dani says -even if it´s something I wrote, yeah- but I think it was pretty cool haha 

I hope you werent expecting edited stuff because as you know, if you ever read any of my stuff, that never happens