Wren happily followed, his posture extremely bouncy and confident.
Stitch nuzzled Coco and began jumping around, yipping to play.
The man slid onto the counter, kicking his legs happily like a small child. He was extremely juvenile.
Adding to the childish demeanor, he unfolded a small blanket and wrapped it around himself, yawning very dog-like as his tongue curled up and his incisors peeked out. The slight claws on his hands pierced the blanket only slightly, and other scratch marks were visible.
“So? Nice cold weather, huh?” he asked, cocking his head as he watched Valentina move around the kitchen.
She rolled her eyes,not bothering to pay attention to the mutt. "Get off the counter,mother will kill you if you shed all over where she cooks. And I hate this weather." She said strictly,boiling the water and making a single cup of hot cocoa.
Wren completely dismissed the woman’s remark, yet hopped off the counter anyway.
“Well, I like the cold. I think it’s nice,” he said with a kind smile. “When I transform in summer, it’s horrible. Way too hot.”
He let out a slight sigh, wrapping the blanket further around himself. He either didn’t notice how hostile the woman was, or didn’t care. Regardless, he just stayed standing there, contently.
She turned around,and handed him the hot cocoa without a word, then headed to the fridge and grabbed a small blood packet, and sipped from it.
“Thank you,” he said in response. A habit of his was being abruptly too polite, but he was never reprimanded of doing so.
He took notice of her stand-offish attitude, so he politely sipped at his cocoa quietly, the blanket looking more like a scarf now than an actual blanket. He leaned over on the counter and sighed, tapping his claw on his mug silently.
"You want anything on the cocoa?" She said, feeling her mothers glare from across the room. She even forced a slight smile, fangs poking at her bottom lip, showing just a little bit. She never smiled much. "Marshmallows, sprinkles, whipped cream?" She asked with a forced tone of slight cheer. As soon as her mother walked away though she returned to her silent,angry demeanor.
“Absolutely everything,” he replied. “Also, your smile is nice. You should wear it more often.”
He gave a grin in response and wrapped his large, clawed hand around the mug. The warmth permeated his skin and he breathed in the sweet scent of chocolate.
She took his cup angrily and began to prepare it with a glare. "Smiling is a sign of weakness. A vampire must never be weak in such a way,as we do not have the strength that you werewolves have. Not that I'm complaining." She said curtly as she handed him the cup. Her mother then called again. "Why don't you two head up to the library? Let the adults talk in peace?" Valentina shot daggers at her mother. "Mom! He'll tear it up!" "I will not have it. You must be more civil Valentina, I've raised you better than this. He hasn't torn up the couches or anything has he? No. Now go on." Valentina glowered and levitated up the stairs.
Wren involuntarily gave a whimper as his heart sank. Realizing that he’d done it, he cleared his throat and hastily followed after the vampire.
After this, anyone with eyes could tell he was trying to be as composed as possible. He hated being reprimanded— mostly because a lot of people actually liked him, he wasn’t used to it.
He ceased from talking or commenting, and walked with less confidence than before. His eyes were noticeably more dull, as were his feelings.
Maybe she’s right, he thought to himself. I am just a monster. Vampires are elegant and beautiful… we aren’t.
He shook his head, as if doing that would cause the thoughts to leave. He sipped at his cocoa quietly, wanting to thank Valentina for it, but instead, he didn’t say a word.
She noticed this,and sensed it in the air. She just couldn't ignore it. "Hey…" She turned around and grabbed his hand. Her eyes softened. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly. Her mind was screaming to stop but her heart,normally cold and dead,was soaring like a bat in a hoard of mosquitos.
Wren almost spit out his cocoa and began coughing slightly.
“W-what? Yeah, no, yeah I’m fine— w-why?” he asked nervously. He cleared his throat and shifted the weight from either foot, glancing at the woman’s hand. He knew how she always talked about werewolves… calling them ruthless and disgusting creatures. But this one act— this one gesture— although her hand was cold, made him feel like she didn’t mean any of it. For that split second, in her eyes, he almost saw warmth. Something he hadn’t seen from her in years.
She sighed. "Liars. And you know how much I despise liars, more than werewolves." She growled out. This was more of an overprotective anger though. "I sense hurt, and nervousness. Remember our senses are heightened differently." Her hand squeezed his slightly as her face rose and fell.
He scoffed at this remark. “Then you’d hate me a load more than you already do— if I’m both a liar and a monster? Good luck.”
Wren kept his eyes locked on hers, growing an air of confidence. It was soon shattered as he felt her hand wrap tighter around his own.
This was so odd. He had absolutely no clue how to react. He could feel his cheeks growing hotter and his skin tingling like it did when he was nervous. All he could do was stand there like a gaping idiot as she interrogated.
"Your not wrong." She took her hand away and walked off to the library, as her face bloomed roses. 'Holy shit Val what are you doing?!?!? Get a grip!' She shook her head and opened the door to the library. She immediately levitated high up and flew off to go get books.
Wren continued to stand in the middle of the hallway, awestruck. He looked more like a puppy than ever.
Finally coming to his senses, he tripped after her, entering her library.
He made sure to keep his hands on his mug and to refrain from sitting down. He tried to be as respectful as he could. Wren stood in the middle of the room, calmly gazing up at the books. Though, not even a good book could get his mind off of what the hell just happened.
Though he seemed like a big doof, Wren loved to read. He felt happy and content as he glanced from shelf to shelf, reading the spines from afar.
Valentina zipped and flipped from book shelf to ground to bookshelf. Soon she had a pretty good stack and she sat down on the couch and began to read. It was warmer up here, which made her movements faster, quicker. But now she seemed serene. She always relaxed and looked cozy when reading. Like as if she wasn't icy and snappy, but almost calm. Swept away.
Wren almost smiled to himself as he watched Valentina read. She seemed so content— something he never saw often.
He continued to read just the names of the books. He swayed around, setting his empty mug down gently on a coffee table. His attention was still held by the various books.
“I’ve read that… read that… that one, too,” he mumbled quietly to himself, tangling his claws in his hair as he brushed it aside. He silently padded around the room, the quiet making him somewhat jittery and anxious.
Suddenly a book of Vampire and Werewolf romance flung itself at him. Some of these books were possessed or had magical powers. This was one of the ghost ones. It was giving him some early hint. Valentina looked up, but her eyes quickly darted away. 'Thank the gods my brother isn't here to see this.'
Wren forced himself not to grin. He held the book in his hands as it voluntarily flipped its own pages. He didn’t resist the urge to put it back, but it wouldn’t let him.
He glanced nervously back and forth between Victoria and the book, trying to hide it so it didn’t look like he had picked it up on his own account. He tried to force it into its place but it wouldn’t leave his hands. Wren nervously sweat, mumbling to himself worriedly.
Valentina looked up and laughed. "Freidreich! Back on the shelf!" She smiled big and wide as she set down the book, as it squirmed in place and leapt at him. "It'll follow you. I'd suggest reading it before it gets mad at you."
“W-wha.. F-Freidreich? Re-reading this book? This one?” he stumbled over his words, feeling insanely stupid. He didn’t know if it was from the situation or her beautiful smile. “It it good? Have you… have you read it?”
Wren shuffled his feet, looking down at the book and trying to hide his face. He was blushing like crazy, but hoped the hair falling into his eyes would hide it just the slightest.
She laughed again. "Put your hair back cherry cheeks. Freidreich is the name of the ghost that has possessed this book. And of course I've read it. It's written completely in German. That's where werewolves originated ya know? Germany. Killing sheep and cattle." She had almost forgotten there was a werewolf standing in front of her. She was treating you like a friend. She then grabbed the book and sat down. "Can you read in German? If not I could read out loud and translate the story to you. It's a bit cheesy. A vampire falling for a werewolf. Oh but I love it. The idea of the hatred of vampires and werewolves ending when two lovers defeat the odds." She levitated above the couch a bit as she spoke with such passion before falling into it, and was glad she had worn torn up jeans today. "Maybe it's stupid. I mean I never could love one but it'd be cool knowing a vampire who does. At least. I don't think I could." She then looked at you with big wide eyes.
Wren cleared his throat, glancing from her eyes to the book in her hands. His face grew even redder.
“You can, uh, read it aloud. I mean, of course, I know German… but I’m down for a… a storytime,” he stuttered, sitting down next to her. He fiddled nervously with his hands. Why was she acting like this? This was so unlike her…
So he decided to embrace it. Why not? He smiled down at her, his fangs only slightly visible. He brushed his hair aside, crossing his legs at the ankle and getting more comfortable.
“Go ahead,” he mumbled. “Let’s hear it.”
Something in her snapped and her eyes suddenly went cold and sharp as she opened the book, and began to read outloud. At first she started out slow, stumbling over her words, cursing herself inwardly as soon it became fluent and easier. She slowly relaxed into the couch and even leaned on him a bit so he could see the book and follow along.
Wren noticed the change and stayed quiet, genuinely intrigued with the story. Since Valentina was the only vampire he’d ever known, with the exception of her parents, he found it extremely hard to believe that romance between the two races was possible. Though, with her weird swings today, his heart believed it was slightly more possible that it had been before. As he turned his attention away from the book and onto her face, it seemed all the more possible. Maybe, just maybe.
He found himself drifting and shook his head slightly, forcing his attention back to the book.
She blushed a bit when his eyes focused on her sharp and hard features. A jutted out jawline, pointy ears, sharp eyes, pointy nose. She was all angles. Not that she hated it. She had stumbled a bit when he drifted but as he returned his attention to the book, so did she. She was usually very in control of herself. She blamed the love spirit in the book, possessing her to change how she normally was. Yes. That had to be it.
Wren tapped his clawed finger on his knee while he listened. He was a fidgety person, but he kept realizing how close she was. It made his nerves worse. That tingling on every area of his skin lingered as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Not only his face, but roughly his body was flushed. He could feel the inner wolf in him longing to come out— something that happened often when he was anxious. It was just a matter of keeping it at bay, which he was generally good at.
Suddenly her mother called out for Valentina. She dropped the book instantly and bolted for the stairs, more then happy to escape the uncomfortable situation. She then flew down the stairs and into the kitchen, only to be told to go with Wren to the store to buy extra groceries, since they would be staying for dinner. Valentina had only had breakfast an hour ago. She groaned and headed upstairs to get her umbrella, then headed into the library. She said very curtly. "Come alone Wren. We have to go get extra groceries since you and your parents are staying for dinner."
“Uh, oh, yeah, ok,” he said, following her out. He gave one last glance at the book before leaving, grabbing his coat and slipping it on. He walked with Valentina down the stairs. At the base, Stitch ran up to him, whimpering and licking at his hands. He scratched his dog on the head with a smile, then looked at Valentina to see if she had left without him or not.
She was petting Coco. She was an old dog and looked very tired from all this running around. "Good girl. You can go lie down and rest if you want, pretty thing." She kissed the top of her head, opened up her umbrella, and headed out the door, glancing back to make sure he was following.
