Nobody But You - 7. Chapter 7

Where are they.
Etienne fidgeted in his seat, looking around himself as students filed into the classroom.

Growl.

He realized he was doing it aloud when a black cat girl turned to look at him askance. “Sorry.” He apologized in a small voice. His run beneath the moonlight had changed something inside him and he’d been out of sorts all morning. No messages, no blasting reveals across Facebook.

Ours.

I heard you the first time. Ever since his wolf had shown itself before them, there had been no more hiding it away. He’d argued with himself all night, this inner voice answering him back at every turn. At first Etienne had written it off as the same usual anxiety spewings of his brain, but it wasn’t the same.

Twins.

I KNOW. Damnit, he was doing it again.

He’d arrived early today, making sure that he would be here before the twins. So many questions raced through his mind, chasing round and round inside his head. Why hadn’t they outed him for the freak he was? Were they so disgusted by him now that they’d just decided to cut him off completely? It was nearly time for the bell to ring and he was fast losing hope that they were even coming to school when the tantalizing scent of cinnamon filled his senses. Ours. Etienne didn’t even bother to give the inner voice a retort, after all he was starting to agree with him.

Just as the bell rang for class to start, the door opened wide. Tatsuo entered first, looking dead on his feet with dark circles bruising the skin beneath his eyes. His gaze automatically sought out Etienne bringing a bit of life into him, but it faded almost instantly and he averted his eyes before hurriedly moving to take his seat. Tatsuya followed close behind, barely sparing Etienne a look at all before taking his seat behind his brother. Merde, they really did hate him now.

Ours.

Oh, just shut up already!

“Alright, Everyone,” Mr. Norton’s booming voice drew the class's attention to the front of the room, “Now that the first day back is over with it’s time to get down to business.”

Touch them.

We’re in class, besides they obviously hate us now.

Want.

Yeah, and see where that got us.

Need.

“Mr. Leblanc.”

The intrusion of the teacher’s voice into his thoughts made him jump. “Yes, Sir.”

The gazelle leveled him with his gaze, “Now that I’ve gained your attention, please stand and read the first paragraph on page 8.”

Etienne stood instantly at the command, looking down at the book opened before him in his hands and felt his breath leave him in a rush at the words printed there, almost as though it were a sign sent to him.

“Patience; accomplish thy labor; accomplish thy work of affection! Sorrow and silence are strong, and patient endurance is godlike. Therefore accomplish thy labor of love, till the heart is made godlike, Purified, strengthened, perfected, and rendered more worthy of heaven!”

He’d recognize Longfellow anywhere, for it was one of the very few memories he had of his mother truly bonding with him.

“What do you think Longfellow means by this?”

“He meant that no matter how long and hard the wait, their love was worthy and made stronger by their patience. Bearing the unknown and remaining steadfast in their love only made it greater.”

This seemed to satisfy him thankfully. “Very good, you may sit down.”

Etienne sank down gratefully, the words echoing through his consciousness. He’d felt nothing but sorrow and silence for so very long. His own parents didn’t want him, and the fact that anyone could want him felt anathema. It was his deepest darkest desire and fear to be wanted.

His skin remembered their roving hands and hot rasping whispers, it had all been for him. It had felt like finding water after wandering lost in the desert, so starved he’d been of affection. Whatever wall it had broken inside him refused to be sealed away again no matter how afraid he was of what lay on the other side of it.

Even now he and his wolf were all but drunk on the scent of cinnamon, it seemed to envelop them in a cloud. The dead look in Tatsuo’s eyes when he’d looked at him broke something else entirely inside of his. Like a self fulfilling prophecy, Etienne had finally attained the thing he wanted most and now they were barely sparing him a glance. The spiced aroma was intensifying around him, making it hard for him to find his breath. Daring a glance behind him he caught Tatsuo’s eyes watching him with naked longing, inner violet fire lit his eyes, all the more pronounced against the tired shadows beneath them. A swift kick against his leg from Tatsuya and he was quickly averting his eyes.

There was no way he’d imagined it, that look of want. What if things weren’t entirely hopeless?

Ours.

Yes, Ours.