đ§ââď¸ Lean's POV:
I spit the toothpaste out dramatically, leaning close to the mirror. "So, Bloody Mary, tell me everything. How was your date with that Midnight Man, hmm? Don't you dare skip the juicy part."
She rolls her eyesâor well, as she always she does. "Ugh, don't even start. It was going perfectly. Candlelight, worms in a bowl, a nice spooky movie about priests falling to sins⌠and then suddenlyâ"
I gasp, toothbrush halfway to my mouth. "Nooo."
"Yes. A bunch of drugged teenagers summoned him! Right in the middle of our date! Likeâhello? Consent? Privacy? He had to vanish mid-bite. I sat there with cold worms and my dignity."
I wipe my mouth, nodding seriously. "Gurl, that's tragic. You deserve better. Like, a ghost who values you."
She smirks. "And you deserve a man who realizes he's already your boyfriend. Anyways I am seeing a Boogie man for last few days!"
"Whaâwhaâwhat?!" I choke on my toothpaste foam, nearly swallowing my brush. "Dominic? Puppers? Boyfriend? No, no, noâhe's justâ" I twiddle my fingers, blushing blue. "He's just⌠Dom. You know. My roommate-slash-grumpy-wolf-with-anger-management-issues.
And..and he isn't even gay Bro!"
"Mm-hmm." Bloody Mary crosses her invisible arms. "well all men are straight till they meet their fated blood sucking twinky!
And how's that situationship going?"
I sigh dreamily, holding the sink like it's a diary. "He's changed, Mary. Like⌠he laughs now. Real laughs. Not that sarcastic huff he does when I trip over my own shadow! Wait I dont have a shadow duh!."
She raises an eyebrow! Well she dont have eyebrows.
"He even takes me to movie nights! And coffee datesâwell, he says they're not dates, but his ears go all red, so like⌠who's he fooling?" I grin, wiggling my fangs.
"He's become so clingy. Like a big, warm, growly golden retriever with attachment issues. Random hugs, cuddles, these littleâthese little forehead kisses before he tucks me in the bed! Oh Satan, and last time I flipped an omelet without burning the kitchen down, he justâhe kissed me on the cheek like some proud househusband!!"
I squeal, covering my face. My cheeks are practically glowing 50 shades of blue.
Mary laughs. "You're hopeless bitch!"
"No, listen! He's teaching me to cook! Like, properly. He scolds me, sure, but then he gives me those stupid puppy eyes and hugs me after like, 'good job, vampy'. He hugs me from the back and puts his chin on my shoulder and whispers sweetly as he holds my hands and help me to cook like a Ratatouille Remy! But...agh why are you so nosey! I can't dude'" I am blushing like my cheeks are painfully freezing!
She tilts her head. "Still you are a bitch on heat bro! Like out of everything who the heaven you got smeared with? a werewolf!, like aren't they blood enemies of vampires.
Well you were always different can't argue, more human then monsters, anyway slay down gurl!
And if that big Dog breaks your heart, I will personally haunt him before snapping his head! Though he's hot have to give it to him, I will take the body you take the soul!"
I snap "No!! I take the damn body!"
"Agh fine! I forgot vampires are horny messes, hehe
Ok And so what about your blood fevers?"
"Oh, that's the wild part!" I grin proudly. "He lets me drink from him now! Only when I need it though. He said it's safer than buying blood from butchers, apparently someone accused him for black magic! Like people he is already a part of monster clan;
and he trusts me." I puff my chest. "And I've gotten so good! I can pull away whenever I want. No feral instincts. No biting his shoulder like a starving bat. I'm practically a gentlevamp now!"
"Impressive! He seems to be a pretty green flag, like who else specially a werewolf will let a vampire drink from him, that man is a keeper bruh, don't mess it up! And he is caring too, like ge totally nursemaid a random vampire when it was in coma for 3 days gay!"
I sigh. "Yeah. Though he still won't let me sleep in his bed." I pout, brushing my curls back. "He just tucks me in, pats my head, and says, 'sleep tight, vamp.' Like I'm some toddler. Rude."
Mary snorts. "Maybe he's just trying not to explode.
Just give the Man some time, he is emotionally dull like most of the alpha complex men are, but is a cupcake at heart, he got many scares too, atleast he is opeing up around you, take things slow gurl! "
"Explode? What do youâ? Oh my hell princeses, Mary!" I blush, smacking the mirror lightly. "Ew! You're worse than Ray!"
She cackles.
"Explode in the sense get flustered you lusty demon! I see why people call vampires lusty!" She stretches her arm out of the mirror to pull my ears! "Ouch Bloody!"
"Anyway," I mumble, grabbing my jacket. "He even took me wolf riding! Not like thatâugh, stop laughing! Who is dirty minded now!" She choked on bad breathe.
"Actual wolf riding, like I rode him like a damn over fluffy horse. Through the forest! His secret hideoutâfireflies, rivers, we hunted fish and bunnies, had a little campfire⌠roasted marshmallows, fish, rabbitâdon't judge! We're both predators afterall! Though he did the cleaning the fur and shining the animal part! I am not a bad dude, he got that nasty hunter instincts, a wolf is a wolf afterall"
Mary hums. "Sounds like a monster date to me."
I glare at her. "You're impossible. Anyway, I gotta go. My shift at the repair shop's starting soon. Someone's gotta feed this house since Mr. Alpha Grumpypaws' allowance is running out."
She laughs, fading away in the mirror mist. "Bye, lover boy."
I groan, facepalming. "She's so annoying."
I grab my backpack and sigh dreamily. "But she's not wrong."
And with that, I head outâfangs gleaming, curls bouncing, heart a chaotic mess of blue blush and butterflies.
đş Dominic's POV:
The clang of dumbbells. The smell of metal and sweat. The rhythmic thud of my heartbeat in my ears.
Yeahâthis is my therapy.
Or at least, it was supposed to be.
Then he opens his mouth.
"Brooooo," Ray drawls from the treadmill like it's his personal gossip pulpit. "You've been smiling a lot lately. You in love, or did you finally discover good coffee?"
I grunt. "Shut up, Miller."
Which, apparently, in Ray language means keep talking louder.
He starts jogging backwardâBACKWARDâjust so he can keep looking at me. "Oh my God, it's the vampire, isn't it? Your little sparkly roomie. You've gone full domestic, huh? Heard you even let him sit on your lap while watching movies. Damn, Dom, should I buy you matching apron sets?"
I almost drop the dumbbell.
Deep breaths, Dominic. You cannot kill him in public.
"How the hell do you even know!?"
"He WhatsApped me!" he grins.
"Lean? You guys talk over WhatsApp? God, it was my biggest mistake giving him a number in the first place!"
"Okay anyway, he's clingy," I mutter. "If I don't let him sit, he'll just⌠hover."
Ray gasps dramatically. "Hover? Like a lovesick fairy? That's ADORABLE."
I glare. He grins wider.
This man feeds on my irritation.
"Also," Ray continues, "I heard from your sparkly menace that you've been going on dates."
"They're not dates."
"Sure they're not. Coffee dates, movie nights, cuddles, random jungle wildnessâtotally platonic. Just two bros sharing tender forehead kisses and omelets."
I squeeze the dumbbell so tight it squeaks. Why did I agree to come here again?
Ray smirks. "So, do you at least tuck him in before bedtime? Or do you just growl softly till he sleeps?"
"I tuck him in."
Ray nearly trips off the treadmill laughing. "YOU WHATâoh my God, you're a boyfriend! You're in your caretaker era! Next thing you know, you'll be cooking him breakfast in a pink apron that says 'Kiss the Wolf.' Who would've thought Fuckboy Quinn would fall in love with a sparkly vampire?"
I throw the towel at his face. He catches it, still laughing.
"Shut up."
"Can't. This is too good."
"He's messy, annoying, breaks stuff, sings off-keyâ"
"And you adore him," Ray interrupts.
âŚ
Silence.
Too much silence.
I look away, wipe my sweat. "He's⌠different," I mumble. "Doesn't treat me like a monster. Doesn't flinch when Iâ"
"âwhen you bark at balloons?" Ray says.
I throw a dumbbell this time. He dodges. Barely. Still laughing.
"Alright, alright," he says, hopping off the treadmill. "But real talk, broâhe's good for you. You're softer. Happier. You even smell less angry. I'm honestly relieved. Do you know I used to take stress meds when you went feral on full moons? I seriously thought I needed hair Transplant. At least now I can rest."
"You did WHAT for me?"
"Bromance my love! Can't let your fuzzy ass get busted by angry farmers whose livestock you rampage!"
He flips his reddish hair like he's the main character.
Nah, I'm alive for this dumbfuckâtoday. Gotta give him that. Why he even cares, I'll never know. Anyway, he's coming to my funeral. Or I'm not dying.
I glare. "What the hell does less angry smell like?"
He shrugs. "Like laundry detergent and mild affection."
I hate that he's right.
Because, truth is⌠these past few days have been different.
Lean's chaos doesn't annoy me anymoreâit fills the house.
His laughter bounces off the walls. His humming echoes in the kitchen. His stupid curls get in my face when he hugs me.
And somehow, the silence I used to love feels empty when he's not around.
"Well the vampire got skills he domesticated the wild wolf! Heh"
I press the towel to my face, muttering, "I'm so screwed."
Ray grins like the devil himself. "Oh, you're so in love, bro."
"I'll kill you."
"Do it after your wedding. I wanna catch the bouquet."
I grab another dumbbellâjust to have something to throw.
But I can't even be mad.
Because, as much as I want to deny it, the idiot's right.
I'm smiling again.
Because of him.
"You're a GAY wolf, Dom!"
"I'm not gay, I'm still into girls!"
"Oh, then bi like me? Yuppies! Lemme text Leanâwe can be Bi Besties and go to Pride with a flag! It'll be so fun!"
Lord, I've got two fools in my life.
And I hate that I can't kill either of themâ
'Cause apparently, I love oneâŚ
And the other?
Well, yeahâI can't live without this idiot either.
If bromance's a thingâit's him.
And I swear I once heard him and Lean talking about some mutual agreement on sharing me. And Googling ways to pet a wolf!
Bro⌠what even am I?