Tearing his eyes away from the scene behind him, Julien looked ahead.
The door was right there.
It was right there but—
Dragging his hands down his face, Julien turned back to the incoming wolves, staring at them with indignation.
Should he keep running? Surely Andrew would cool down eventually, right?
Watching the two fight, sweat not even a thought on their faces, he looked down at himself. Dirt, dried blood, sweat—
Exhaustion.
The very picture of a meager human stuck between two unnatural forces.
He drew in a deep breath.
"Huu."
He was tempted, so very tempted, to just let Andrew capture him and be done with it.
What's the worst that could happen anyway?
He whipped his head up as a sharp snarl rang out ahead, a loud bang signaling the start of another violent clash.
Andrew had hold of Remus's hind legs and swung—slamming the man's wolfish body into a tree with a loud BOOM! before his own body shot through the air.
Remus had landed a counterattack.
Andrew crashed into a nearby tree—the leaves scattering on impact as he sent a harsh look towards the other man. Remus returned his anger with a sharp curl of his lips as his wolfish paws shifted into human hands and feet.
The two leapt in once again.
Andrew ran ahead, abruptly veering off in Julien's direction just before the two werewolves could meet. As if expecting it, Remus leapt onto Andrew's back—wrapping his arms and legs around the other man in a chokehold that sent both of them careening to the ground with a loud—
Boom!
The impact kicked up a gust of wind that rustled Julien's rusty red hair.
But the hold barely lasted a second.
Andrew reached back, pulling Remus out from under him before throwing him over his head—or so he tried, but Remus held on, digging sharp claws into the other's arms with an increasingly manic smile on his face.
Then he turned his head.
And Remus's gaze met his for the first time since this final chase began.
Thump thump.
It was like he was asking him a question.
Thump thump.
What are you gonna do?
Julien's eyes trembled and he resolutely squeezed them shut, a deep sigh escaping his lips as he steeled himself for a bad decision that didn't even enter his top ten.
He'd try one time.
If he failed, Andrew could have him. Dignity and physical well-being be damned.
If he succeeded…
"Huu."
Opening his eyes, Julien looked ahead.
Once Remus establishes that bond, they can count me out for full moons.
Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Julien scanned the surrounding area in search of the missing bangle.
Glisten.
Reflecting the light of the moon, the golden band sat patiently in the grass just beyond the tumultuous battleground of the two wolves.
30 paces.
Would he be able to make it that far?
Julien rolled his shoulders, lowering his stance.
Maybe he could.
Let's make it 20.
He pushed off, taking each stride like it'd be his last.
He wasn't fast by any means, at least not when compared to the werewolves he had to avoid to get there, but if he was betting on anything—
It was Andrew's self restraint and Remus's diversions.
A splintered piece of wood came flying in his direction and Julien raised his arm—pushing it off without slowing his momentum.
Julien fixed his eyes ahead.
At the very least, I won't die.
At 15 paces, Julien slid under a falling tree, the impact causing debris to fly and the Earth to shake.
Andrew spotted him.
At 10 paces, he rolled out of the way as sturdy arms reached out to grab him. Pushing off of the ground, shivers ran down his spine.
CRACK!
An impact echoed behind him, but he kept running.
He was too close to look back now.
5 paces away, the confrontation quieted to an unsettling degree as the full moon reached its peak.
Julien strained his ears.
A harsh wind was blowing in from his left.
Pushing ahead, Julien's eyes focused on the golden object in the grass.
3 paces away, trouble struck.
The two wolves burst across his path—their entanglement blocking his way mere moments away from victory.
But he didn't stop.
With only a small gap between them, sharp claws and harsh growls tearing through the air—Julien took a gamble.
And he jumped through the gap between the two werewolves.
Thump thump.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as looks of surprise crossed the faces of the two wolves.
Thump thump.
Julien's heart pounded in his ears as his body slid through the narrowing gap.
Thump thump.
As gravity began to pull him towards the Earth, Julien's fingertips grazed the cold metal surface of his prize—
Got it!
Crashing headfirst into the ground, Julien slid through the dirt—his face a right mess as he scrambled to stand back up.
Holding firmly to the metal armlet, Julien allowed a triumphant smile to cross his face as he spun back around.
His victory was a short-lived one.
Unable to dodge in time, Julien was sent crashing back down as Remus flew into him.
The two of them tumbled across the ground, dirt and moss moving out of their way as their momentum slowed to a halt.
Coughing from the heavy impact, Julien hurriedly checked his hand—the bangle he so desperately tried to acquire was still firmly in his grasp.
Thank goodness.
Of the three gems originally on its surface only one remained and Julien could only hope that wouldn't stop it from opening the door.
Shoving Remus out of the way, Julien scrambled to stand up and looked around.
Andrew was gone.
Looking to Remus for answers as the man stood up, unease crept into his bones.
"What just happened?"
Remus—who Julien only just registered as naked—stared at him for a while, glanced at the bangle, then slowly parted his lips.
"…'s prolly a distraction."
Remus scanned their surroundings as well, his nose twitching as his feet led him to the path ahead.
"Clever thing's a waitin' on ya poppet."
Julien trailed behind him, heart dropping as a thought crossed his mind.
"He's by the door."
Remus glanced at him and smiled. Pulling Julien ahead by the waist as he leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"No."
And without any chance to register the answer, Remus shoved him out of the way as Andrew came crashing down on them—a livid expression clearly evident on the man's usually stoic face.
Picking himself back up, Julien hesitated for only a moment before running ahead without looking back—
Three.
Five.
Ten.
Fifteen—
Spotting the door leading to his salvation, Julien gripped the bangle in his hands a little tighter as he pressed the glistening metal against its surface.
Gears began to turn.
Click click click
But the process was painfully slow.
As a soft purple glow began to sprawl across the metal door, the brawl between the two werewolves took a ferocious turn as the two tumbled his way.
Julien made the terrible mistake of meeting the desperate look in Andrew's eyes with his own.
His heart skipped a beat.
He was sure his legs would give out if the door didn't open soon.
Come on, come on.
Click!
Finally, the door clicked the final gear into place and Julien pulled it open, slamming it shut as soon as he was on the other side.
He only allowed himself to breathe when the gears sealed the door back shut.
"Haa, haa."
Julien slid to the floor, his breathing shallow and head spinning as the tension holding him together fled his body.
I made it.
Several chimes went off in his pocket as a backlog of unloaded messages flooded his phone. Whatever signal blocking mechanism was in place within the dome, it was gone.
And he was out.
Leaning his head against the metal door, Julien closed his eyes.
Then he snapped them open.
Something was staring at him from the window above, and meeting his furious amber eyes was all it took for the banging to begin.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
Julien looked on in wide-eyed horror as the man continued to bang on the window. Taking a deep breath, Julien covered his ears, heart beating in his throat.
He can't hurt you.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
The banging grew incessant, and Julien shut his eyes.
He doesn't mean it.
Then just as abruptly as it started, the banging stopped.
A few minutes passed just like that, with Julien's stuttered breathing as the only sound accompanying him in this dark basement.
It'll all be gone in the morning.
Pulling his hands away from his ears and opening his eyes, Julien pulled one of his knees up and rested his cheek on its dirty surface.
This is nothing.
Ding!
His pocket lit up.
Ding!
Then again.
Din—
Julien shifted, pulling out his phone with shaky hands. The glass was caved in some places with spider-like cracks covering its surface—and the back of it was even worse—but it was still usable.
Opening the messages populating the screen, Julien sighed.
It was Nevaeah.
He scrolled to the top of the new messages—the first of which was sent yesterday evening.
Navi: Earth to Julien
Navi: Julie _(:3 」∠)_
Navi: July _(┐「ε:)_
Navi: Jambalaya… _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):
A soft smile crossed Julien's face. He kept scrolling.
Navi: Are you busy?
Navi: Call me back when you get the chance, I have something for you ٩( ᐛ )و
His smile didn't last long.
Navi: It's a full moon today right?
Navi: Is everything ok?
Navi: You're not at home.
Navi: Julien?
Navi: Why are you still in South Borough?
Ding!
Navi: I'm going over there if you don't answer me.
Julien's fingers hesitated over the keyboard. After a few seconds, he finally sent his response.
Jules: We found our werewolf remember?
Jules: He's helping
Nevaeah wasted no time replying.
Navi: Finally!
Navi: Do you know how worried I was?
The text bubble appeared and disappeared a few times.
Navi: If the werewolf has it under control why are you still there?
Navi: Please tell me you're not doing anything stupid.
Julien tapped his phone screen a few times.
Jules: Of course not (￣^￣)ゞ
Then he powered it off.
Jules: ttyl
Taking a calming breath to soothe his rapid heart rate, Julien finally gained the courage to look back at the door.
His blood ran cold.
Dark amber eyes locked with his own, staring at him from behind the glass window without any signs of blinking.
Julien cursed the creators of the door for putting such a fragile barricade in place.
He pulled away from the door, pressing his back against the nearby wall without looking away from the older man. Andrew eyed him the whole way, the gentle tapping on the glass a stark contrast to the loud banging not a moment before.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Julien's heart stuttered to a halt.
"Open the door."
"It hurts."
"Permiso."
"Open it."
There was a long pause as Andrew seemed to get caught up with something behind him, followed by a loud bang.
Andrew's brief moment of gentleness shifted into a smoldering resentment.
"Lo abriré yo mismo."
Click click click.
Before he had the chance to figure out what it meant, the gears began to click into place—causing the door to glow a now-horrifying purple once again.
Julien considered running, he did. But he'd already given it his all.
Waiting for the inevitable, Julien kept his eyes fixed to the door.
Click.
As the door began to open—
Remus wrestled Andrew away from the door, slamming it shut behind him as Andrew's angry howling reached his ears.
After a few moments, Remus peeked through the window himself, his face indifferent.
"In front of the door poppet."
Julien hesitated before slowly pulling himself into his original position. Satisfied, Remus left the glass window—and Julien alone.
Julien leaned his head back against the cold metal, his exhaustion catching up to him as Andrew's gaze fell on him once again.
It would all be gone in the morning.