Mating Rites
folder
1 through F › Big Wolf On Campus
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
1
Views:
3,402
Reviews:
19
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
1 through F › Big Wolf On Campus
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
1
Views:
3,402
Reviews:
19
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the television series that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Mating Rites
Title: Mating Rights
Pairing: Merton/TommyFandom: Big Wolf On CampusRating: FRAOFeedback: is always cherished. :)Category: Slash, Hurt/Comfort,First-time, Slight AUWarnings: SCDisclaimer: The names of all
characters contained here-in are the property of Cinegroupe Images, Big Wolf III
Prods., Telescene, the ABC Family Channel and anyone else who lays claim to
them. No Infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are used here
without permission. But only for the sole purpose of entertainment.
Summary: Merton makes a mistake. Tommy wonders what's going on. The wolf
wants out to play.***
Story Notes: //blah// indicates thoughts. _blah indicates
an emphasis on a word(s).
NOTE: All right, the first and most important thing you need to know
before reading this is that I've never actually seen BWOC. It was recommended to
me by a friend from overseas but by that time, it had already been taken off the
air here in the states. However, I did _try to familiarize myself with the canon
and the characters so please excuse any out-of-character-ness.
Second, as you can tell, I’m using the new FAN RATED RATING SYSTEM (FRRS) for
this story. You can find it at
http://tfrrs.tripod.com/ if you haven’t already seen it so you can
familiarize yourself with it.
And, last but not least, I’m _extremely nervous about posting this. I’ve
never written in this fandom before and I’m not exactly sure where this is
going, though I do have a few vague ideas, so any constructive criticism and
pointers would be much appreciated.
Now, on with the show!
---
Mating Rites
Chapter 1
//I like you, Merton, I really do but -- you’re not Tommy Dawkins, okay? And,
I just, I don‘t think of you, you know, like that.//
Merton’s cheeks burned in embarrassment as the words replayed themselves in his
head for the thousandth time. This was truly one of the moments that he wished
the theories about spontaneous black holes appearing randomly were true. At
least then he wouldn’t have to face the rest of the evening at The Factory with
-- her -- and Tommy and anyone else who might of overhead them.
//I never tried to be Tommy,// Merton scathed mentally, spots of color
burning more brightly on his cheeks. //I was just being me. That’s why I
asked if she wanted to go look at the new book I got about ’Theology in
Werewolf Lore’.//
Merton grimaced, another wave of humiliation churning in his stomach. Lori
Baxter really knew how to cut a man down to size when she put her mind to it.
The only thing that could make it worse was if she went off and told Tommy about
this...
“Oh, god.” The goth whispered, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as he slumped
against the steering wheel of his car. He hadn’t even thought of that before he
had gone off to ask Lori on a date -- well, kind of a date. Okay, so not a date
at all, but still, he had
tried. He had tried because Tommy just wouldn’t leave the fact that he didn’t go
out on dates, alone. So, for the sake of getting the blonde to leave him alone
for a while, he had asked the first girl he could think of: Lori.
Tommy’s girlfriend. Oh god.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Merton moaned, banging his head against the wheel with
every repetition of the word. If Tommy found out about this, there went their
friendship. Hell, there went his life if Tommy decided to wolf out and kill him.
He already knew all about
how territorial wolves were. He’d just about signed his own death warrant.
“Stupi--” Merton murmured again, bringing his head down though, this time, his
forehead didn’t connect with the wheel. It connected with --
“Hey, don’t do that. You’ll hurt yourself.”
Merton swallowed. “Oh, god.” Tommy was here to kill him. It didn’t matter that
Tommy’s hand was holding Merton’s forehead in his palm to keep him from bashing
it against the steering wheel or that the other boy was leaning in his car, eyes
pinched with concern. He was here to _kill him. That's all there was to
it.
“Merton? You okay? Lori said you two had a fight.”
Merton swallowed again, forehead still resting in his friend’s palm as another
swell of nausea overtook him. Lori said they had a fight. Is that what she was
calling it? A fight?
//More like humiliate Merton in ten different ways in ten seconds or less.//
He thought, sucking in a shaky breath. He could feel his face burning with
mortification against his friend’s cool palm. Tommy must have leaned further
into the hearse because suddenly warm breath curled against his ear and another
hand was rubbing against his back.
“Mer?”
“I’m okay.” He whispered, finally. He had never felt so stupid in his entire
life. Even that time in tenth grade when Maryanne Davidson dumped her lunch tray
in his lap because he had spoken to her and he’d had to walk around the halls
all day with chocolate pudding
and spaghetti sauce staining his jeans paled in comparison to this.
What was worse was, Tommy was being so nice to him. So nice. Just like Tommy
always was to him ever since they had become friends. The tall blonde always
made sure Merton was treated pleasantly or, at least, civilly in his company and
always was affectionate towards him. The one time that Merton had ever mentioned
it, Tommy had just shrugged and told him, “it feels right, to take care of you.
Like you‘re my…” But then Tommy had snapped his mouth shut and changed the
subject. Every other time Merton had tried to broach the subject, Tommy had just
smiled, thrown an arm around his shoulder and suggested they do something,
effectively bringing the topic to a close.
“You don’t look okay.”
If Merton had been anywhere else but the school parking lot, he would have
started crying; image be damned. Tommy sounded so concerned, so worried for him.
//And you went off and asked Lori for a date. Just so he’d leave you alone
but look, look what you
did!// The goth chocked.
//God, I’m an idiot.//
“Really, I’m fine, Tommy. I just -- I’m not feeling well, I mean good, I mean --
I think I’m gonna head home.” Merton murmured. All he wanted to do was crawl
back to the Lair and disappear. He really screwed things up this time.
***
If there were two things in Tommy Dawkin’s life that he could honestly say he
hoped he never saw again, they would have to be: that damn wolf that bit him and
Merton J. Dingle looking as though he were about to cry. Not necessarily in that
order, either. Actually,
screw the wolf that bit him, seeing Merton looking like this was like seeing his
worst nightmares come true. And that was saying something with what his life was
like nowadays.
Curling his fingers firmly around his best friend’s forehead, Tommy frowned,
unconsciously leaning forward to sniff his friend’s hair, allowing his
heightened senses to take control. Merton didn’t smell sick, just upset and --
something else. “You don’t feel warm.”
The teary-laced chuckle in response was enough to make the blonde cringe. He’d
never seen Merton like this and it made both sides, the wolf and man, want to
gather the other boy to his side and cradle him for the rest of the day. Hell,
the rest of his _life.
“Tommy, I just wanna go home.” Merton murmured, his head leaning more heavily
against Tommy’s hand for a moment.
The jock didn’t know what to say, not really. His friend’s voice was tired and
the smell of humiliation and dread clung to his skin so thickly that he wasn’t
completely sure he would have had to use his enhanced sense to sniff it out.
“Merton,” Tommy began, hesitating only briefly, “is this because of the fight
with Lori?”
It wasn’t the smartest thing to mention, Tommy knew that the second the words
left his mouth and the distinct smell of dread-filled pheromones permeated the
air inside the hearse. He could feel his stomach clench thinking about any of
the things that his best
friend and his on-again/off-again girlfriend could be fighting about. There was
no secret about the fact that the two, more often than not, had a difference of
opinion when it came to --
“Tommy,“ Merton sighed, pulling his forehead away without looking up. Tommy’s
fingers curled, suddenly missing the weight and heat of his best friend’s face.
Over the past year, he had come to cherish the physical contact that they often
shared, whether by
default or his own doing. Before Merton, he'd never really realized how much he
craved that contact but then, that...need...might just be something that
centered around Merton.
“C’mon Merton,” Tommy pressed, the need to find out the cause for his friend’s
distress burning through him, “you can tell me.”
Merton sighed again, fingers twitching in his lap. “Just drop it, Tommy.“
“Merton --“
“Tell Mrs. Jenkins I’m not going to be in class today.” The Goth cut in, turning
his face slightly away as he began to dig through his bag for his keys.
Tommy bit back his own sigh. Merton really wasn’t going to make this easy on
him. Not that he minded, just as long as he found out what Lori had said that
had upset his friend so much. Once he did, then he could make it right.
“Merton, whatever Lori said--” The jock tried again, reaching out a hand to
still his friend’s hands from where they were digging in his bag, “don’t listen
to her, okay? Whatever it was isn’t worth being this upset about.”
//_Whatever it was.// Tommy thought, his agitation growing
by the second. He could practically feel the wolf begging to get out so it could
comfort it’s…
//No!// Tommy thought, throat tightening. //It’s not like that. Merton
and I are not like that. We…we’re just…//
“Dammit, Tommy! I just want to go--” Merton snapped, head swinging back around
to glare at the football player but he cut off abruptly, eyes widening in
realization.
It was only then that Tommy realized that he was growling. Not a
menacing-predatory growl but an almost sub-sonic soothing growl; a mere
vibration deep within his chest that could only be heard by the two of them.
Tommy swallowed, the noise stopping immediately. He could feel his stomach
knotting. “Sorry, I, uh…”
“Tommy?”
The football player said nothing for a moment, face flushing under his friend’s
scrutinizing gaze. “Sorry”, he said again feebly. What else could he possibly
say?
“Tommy, did…were you just…?”
Taking a deep steadying breath, the senior shifted slightly on his feet. He
didn’t want to lie to Merton. It felt wrong to, not just because they were best
friends but because of…something else; some feeling, some sign going off in his
head screaming at him that
_NO it wasn’t right to lie to Merton.
“Look, if you’re going to go home, then I’m coming with you.” Tommy blurted out
finally. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Not this time.
****
Merton blinked, confusion momentarily swimming in his eyes -- had Tommy really
been doing what he think he’d been doing? He couldn’t possibly have been…Merton
shook his head, he’d worry about it later.
Slumping his shoulders further than they already were, he resisted the urge to
rub at his watery eyes. “No, Tommy. You’ve got practice today a-and,” his voice
wavered, “…and you have that date with Lori.”
Swallowing thickly, the teenager pressed his lips together into a thin line. It
was the only way to keep them from quivering. God, he was so damn pathetic. He
couldn’t even talk without feeling like he was going to cry.
“And, anyway,” he began again, ignoring the way his voice sounded choked, “I’m
sick. I…don’t want to get you sick.” What else could he say? //Tommy, I want
you to leave me alone so I can get back to the lair and die before you kill me
for asking out your girlfriend?
Yeah, right.//
Warm fingers curled around his shoulder, squeezing gently. “I‘m not worried
about it.”
Merton cringed, continuing to stare down at his wriggling hands. Tommy wasn’t
making this easy. “Tommy, please. I just want to go back to the lair.” It wasn’t
begging, it was just damn close.
“Merton, don’t be difficult.”
Another sigh escaped his lips as he pulled gently away from the other boy’s hand
and turned his head so he wouldn’t have to see his friend. If he did, he just
might cry. Or worse, tell Tommy, his best friend, he had asked out his
girlfriend behind his back so he
could prove that he wasn’t lonely. “Tommy…”
“C’mon man. You’re sick or, at least, not feeling great. Let me just drive you
back to the Lair; make sure you get there all right.”
He shook his head. No, that wouldn’t do at all. “No, that’s okay. Really. I’m
good enough to get back to the Lair.” He said, turning back to stare at the
steering wheel and casting a quick glance at his friend. He pulled his backpack
onto his lap.
//Thank God.// Merton thought as, if by a miracle, the keys to the hearse
tumbled out onto his lap. Curling one of his hands around the edge of his
backpack, the goth reached down and picked up the keys. He was going to go home
before he started bawling.
A flash of tanned arm was all Merton saw before his keys were plucked out of his
pale hand and in the palm of his best friends'. “Dammit Tommy, I just--”
“Move over.” Tommy said, cutting him off as he pulled away from the car and
pulled the door open.
“Tommy,” Merton began again but was effectively cut off as the other boy simply
pushed him over and piled into the hearse.
“I don’t know what Lori said to you but whatever it was, it was enough to make
you cut class and I’m not going to let you do it alone.” The jock reasoned,
slamming the car door shut and slipping the keys into the ignition.
“But,” Merton protested, even as he reflexively began pulling on his seat belt.
“you have practice today and…”
“No buts. I know you, Merton. And, anyway, there is no way I can pass Mrs.
Jenkins test without you there to cheat off of.”
Merton looked at his friend then, a frown tugging at his lips. No matter what
Tommy said, Merton knew that the other boy didn't cheat; he also knew that there
was no way that he'd let Tommy cheat off of him unless his friend learned it
first. But, then, his eyes
lighted on Tommy’s tentatively teasing smile and pleading eyes. He shook his
head and sighed, turning his head back forward to stare hard at the dashboard.
It figured Tommy would use something like that to make him look at him.
Ignoring the way he felt Tommy‘s eyes boring into him, he shifted in his seat,
lips pinching together tightly. “Seriously Tommy, you don’t need to baby-sit
me.”
It was Tommy’s turn to sigh as he put the hearse into gear and pulled out of the
parking spot. “I’m not babysitting. You’re my friend. This is what friends do.”
Merton couldn’t help but roll his eyes, grimacing at the blonde as he curled his
fingers around his bag. How many times had Tommy said something like that? “This
is what friends do.” Like Merton didn’t have a clue what a friend was.
“Well, before you, neither did I.”
//Damn.// Merton tugged at his bag strap, he hadn’t realized he said that
out loud. “Tommy, you don’t need to do this. I mean, don’t you have Lori to get
back to or something?” //And I didn’t mean for that to sound half as bitter
as it did. Shit!//
Silence filled the hearse for a short time then, only disturbed by the hum of
the engine and both their breathing. Tommy carefully maneuvered the vehicle
around and out of the school parking lot and into the non-existent traffic of
the Pleasantville streets.
Merton swallowed, biting his bottom lip. A quiet Tommy was never a good sign and
worse yet, he felt like an ass. A complete and utter ass.
Here Tommy was, driving him home because the Goth didn’t “feel well“, cutting
class even though they both knew that Tommy would get more hell than Merton ever
would because he would most likely be missing football practice for the day, and
what was the cause?
Merton asking out Lori for a date -- of which, Tommy didn’t know yet.
“Tommy,” Merton murmured, glancing away from where he’d been staring out the
window to look at his best friend, effectively breaking the uneasy silence that
had filled the hearse.
Tommy Dawkins was truly a sight to behold when he was worried. Bottom lip
sticking out ever so slightly, blonde hair mussed from where he had run a hand
through it in frustration, eyes crinkled in concern, tanned skin…
Merton gave a strangled groan, a flush burning up his cheeks as he hastily
looked back out the window. God, he was just checking out his best friend. His
best friend. //My best GUY friend. Hello? Shouldn’t that come
into the equation at some point?//
“Merton,” Tommy murmured back, seconds later as they pulled to a halt at a STOP
sign, “look at me.”
The goth flinched, slumping down further in his seat. Jesus, had Tommy seen him
checking him out? Could he dig himself any deeper?
“Tommy, I --”
“Look at me." The cut in command was enough to make Merton shudder. The hard
edge in Tommy’s voice meant one thing: he was going to wolf out if he wasn’t
listened to. Merton looked over, another shudder racing down his spine. Gold
tinged eyes were looking
at him, still crinkled in concern but also with something that was purely
animal, purely lupine.
“Lori can take care of herself.” The other boy growled softly, his eyes flashing
a brighter yellow before the teenager turned his head back to the street.
Merton didn’t know what to say. Not even when Tommy pulled back out into
’traffic’ and headed to the lair. He was speechless; he was terrified; he was
waiting to die; he was...
//Trying not to think about how...good...Tommy looks right now.//