Ottery St. Catchpole

[G. Novella]

Arthur came back to see Timmy grimacing, and he couldn't help but grin slightly, knowing what the kid was thinking.

"They're never going to taste good," he said, "Come on, I'll show you to our room. Any questions after everything today?"

With that, he began moving away.

[kumainpink]

"Nothing, really." Timmy said honestly, as he followed Arthur up the stairs. He swayed a little bit, but managed to hold on okay. Was he really that tired? "But, um, could you wake me up at six? Ms. Louis promised she'd pay me a good amount if I painted her fence for her."

[G. Novella]

"If you're up to it, but judging by your current condition, you aren't going anywhere," said Arthur with a frown as they reached his bedroom. "Ms. Louis can wait, I'll convince her myself. Now, what do you want for breakfast?"

As he said this, he opened the bedroom door.

[kumainpink]

Timmy frowned. He needed to work! If he didn't he wouldn't have enough for next month's wolfsbane! He just hoped he actually felt better tomorrow... "Um, okay. I really don't know what I would want. Maybe some toast and juice?" He hadn't had orange juice in quite some time...

[G. Novella]

"Toast and juice? Is that it?" asked Arthur, leading them into the bedroom. He needed to get Timmy to start asking for more things, that's what normal kids were like, right?

"So, this is my room, now ours," said Arthur.

The room was small. It had one trundle bed pushed up by the wall that used to belong to someone before his grandmother bought it second-hand. The second bed was always pulled out, and it was what Arthur slept in. The sheets were a crisp white, and the two pillows were a little worn. A large blue comforter was messily thrown on the trundle. Across the room was a mirror and a dresser. On the empty wall was a window looking out to the backyard.

"The dresser's half-empty, I'll throw in some clothes for you, and you get the bigger bed since I tend to wake up early. I'll grab you a spare comforter, make yourself comfortable Timmy," said Arthur stepping out of the room.

[kumainpink]

Timmy nodded at the question. He wasn't sure what they had, and he didn't want to be a bother. He started to sway again, feeling slightly dizzy. "Merlin." he mumbled, sitting on the bed.

[G. Novella]

Arthur entered to see Timmy had collapsed on the bed, looking sweaty. He wrapped the kid in the yellow comforter he had found, and tucked a pillow under his head.

"Looks like you need some sleep, you want me to stay with you?" he asked kindly.

[kumainpink]

"Would you?" Timmy said softly, feeling himself go in and out a little bit. "That would be nice."

[G. Novella]

"Sure, I'm just going to be right back," said Arthur, getting up.

He headed downstairs, to find his grandmother had dipped back to sleep. She'd been doing that a lot lately. He was worried she was ill. He headed back upstairs and smiled kindly at Timmy,

"I'm just going to get changed and go to sleep myself," said Arthur. With that, he pulled out a pair of red pajamas, abd begin to strip down. It didn't matter if Timmy saw, he was a kid, and a guy. He pulled on the pajama bottoms, and stared at his chest for a minute in the mirror. Scars intermingled with love bites. After a passing moment of hate, he pulled on the pajama shirt, and took a slipped into bed.

"You awake, Timmy?" he asked, with a yawn.

[kumainpink]

Timmy yawned. "Yup. I'm awake." He snuggled into the comforter, enjoying the feeling of laying on a real bed! He made sure not to look as Arthur got undressed.

[G. Novella]

"Mmm," mumbled Arthur, "You can go to sleep now, I'm right here, do you need anything?"

[kumainpink]

"Nah, I'm good." he murmured. "Thanks for everything." The pull of sleep pulled him in after that. For that night, he would have happy dreams. Dreams of a brighter future, where his status as a werewolf didn't matter.

[G. Novella]

Arthur fell asleep quickly. His dreams were the same sort of dreams. The dream started off with a child being left at a small house. Eventually the child grew up, and people began making fun of him, his grandmother forgetting him, and hia family's whispers always following him around. He watched the boy grow, and eventually end up offering women services for money. The whispers and taunts grew worse, burden, whore, mongrel. The odd thing about the dream was that he couldn't see the boy's face, until the very end, when he turned around, and instead of seeimg his face, it was Timmy's. He woke up with a start.

[kumainpink]

Timmy was woken up by a sudden movement beside him. "Mmm?" he mumbled sleepily. "Arthur?"

[G. Novella]

"Right here, Timmy," said Arthur, realizing he was sweating. The dream had shaken him up. He couldn't let Timmy become like him. Never. "It's okay, you can sleep now," he said, patting Timmy's head the way his grandmother used to when she was younger,

[kumainpink]

"Kay." he mumbled, falling back to sleep, warm and content.

[G. Novella]

Arthur admired Timmy's innocent, sleeping face for a bit, before collapsing back into his bed. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair, feeling sick to his stomach. That dream was going to haunt him. He fell back to sleep, this time thankfully, without dreams.

[G. Novella]

Arthur got up early in the morning. He leaned over, and was surprised to see a littly boy sleeping beside him. Confused, he stared for a minute, until the memories flashed back. He got up, and felt Timmy's forehead. The boy was red-faced and hot. He was definitely running a fever. He tucked Timmy in gently, and headed for a shower.

Once Arthur was clean, he checked on his grandmother. She was sitting by the window, staring. He tried feeding her, but it was in vain. She was ignoring everything. He managed to change her, and help her bathe, but she was little more than a doll. Once she was reseated, she just stared out the window. Sighing he left some paper by her, and then grabbed some toast. He'd be back to feed Timmy.

His bones ached, and he could feel the transformation looming. He needed the day's wolfsbane. With that thought, he grabbed enough for money for two cups, and threw on a coat. Within minutes, he was back on the same old path to the shelter.

[Chameleon]

Joshua was waking up in the nice quiet house, and dressed up to go to Ottery St. Catchpole. He would need Wolfsbane. The years with it, had quieted him down, and he decided to apparate to a path right with the shelter. It was one of the reasons he had moved closely to where the werewolves rumored to be, and the shelter. He made for the mostly his own, but if he missed it, well there was always the shelter.

[G. Novella]

Arthur arrived at the shelter. He saw a man, probably an older wolf, outside. Ignoring him, Arthur entered. He gave the man no look, but seeing his expensive clothes was enough for Arthur to realize who he was. He was some rich man. He entered the shelter and grabbed a number, waiting in line.

[Chameleon]

Joshua looked around the area, and noticed several people standing there. From the clothes, he supposed they were probably some of these homeless werewolves. He always felt bad, when he came down her, which was why, he almost often made Wolfsbane. He walked in, and knew the ordeal, and grabbed a number too, which was right behind the young man who had arrived before him.

[G. Novella]

Arthur couldn't help but feel irritated when the rich guy ended up beside him. If he'd gotten up earlier, he could have dealt with Grandma earlier and skipped the line. His body stiffened, and he turned away from the older man, not wanting to interact.

[Chameleon]

It was exactly why Joshua never went to the shelter, or tried to. The boys stiffen beside him, was a clear sign on refusal. Joshua had never been good at words, and just said gruffly. "Don't bother, boy. I'm only here for Wolfsbane."

[G. Novella]

Arthur looked up at the rich man, "Bother with what? I was just minding my own business, old man." Take that. I'm not some little kid impressed by your money!

[Chameleon]

Joshua only looked at him with raised eyebrow. "I'm not that old, kid," he just said, before he looked upon the line. Honestly young people these days. It was clear that the kid was one of these who despised Joshua for having money. Joshua didn't see anything wrong into not working low jobs, if he already had the money. He felt sorry for the others, but there wasn't much he could do.

[G. Novella]

"And I'm not a boy," said Arthur with an eye-roll. He glanced up at the line nervously, and then at the rising sun. Timmy would be up soon, and he didn't want the kid waking up feeling sick and alone with just his grandmother.

[Chameleon]

"Alright, kid," he just said while he shrugged. He knew he probably antagonized the boy, but Joshua had long time stopped caring, who he insulted and who he was nice to, except children of course. The boy seemed a bit nervous, he noticed. "Nervous? Wolfsbane doesn't taste well."

[G. Novella]

"I've been having it for ten years, you stop noticing the taste," said Arthur with a shrug. He didn't need to be pitied. He then noticed the receptionist. Patricia. She'd supplied him with free wolfsbane for the past few months. Another illustrious client. For some reason, he once again felt cheap realizing he'd be pocketing the money unlike the rich man who could just pay and not consider a thing.

[Chameleon]

Joshua looked at the boy, and sighed. Tough and hard... Hmm, one of these boys. "The taste's always foul, no matter how long time you take it," he disagreed. Why was he doing this? Discussing with a boy about how foul Wolfsbane was. He looked at the receptionist with a scrutinizing look. He didn't come here often, so he didn't socialize with them, but they seemed always to be a bit friendly toward him, probably because of his money.

[kumainpink]

Timmy woke up sometime later, feeling hot, achy and lightheaded. And yet, oddly comfortable and content. He opened his eyes and was momentarily surprised. Why wasn't he in his hole, huddled in a ball?

And then, the memory of yesterday came to him. Arthur had taken him in and given him a place to belong. Even if it was only temporary. He sat up, allowing it all to sink in. "I'm not alone anymore." he said to himself. "I'm not alone." Without thinking, he jumped up in the air and let out a cry of excitement. He regretted it at once, as he suddenly felt dizzy again. Once his head cleared he got out of bed and decided to go into the kitchen for a glass of water.