Dione walked through the hallway upstairs. It was 11am, but Hyde hadn’t come downstairs yet. He never slept in this late. Was he okay? Was he ill?

Hyde’s bedroom door was open. She looked inside and saw no one. She raised her eyebrow. Where was he, then? Her eyes widened as she glanced at the door beside Hyde’s. Should she take a look? What if she was wrong? That would be awkward.

Oh, well.

She opened the door and took a peak. She saw Hyde in Rune’s bed, sleeping with his head on Rune’s chest, Rune had his arm around his back. Dione hummed and quietly closed the door. She knew they liked each other, but she hadn’t realised how far along their relationship already was.

She made her way downstairs. Fallon sat on the couch, elbow rested on the armrest, head in hand, flipping through the newspaper that laid on his lap. He glanced up at her. “Found him?”

“Yeah.” Dione sat next to him. “He’s asleep. In Rune’s bed.”

Fallon’s eyes grew wide.

“With Rune.”

“Yes, I got that.”

Dione let out a chuckle. “I don’t know what magical night they had, but it sure seemed intimate.”

Fallon squinted. “How intimate?”

“They were both wearing clothes, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. He’s twenty-five, he’s old enough. Simply curious how far along their relationship is.”

“Not that far, I guess.” Dione grabbed her chin and hummed in thought. “You think he’ll tell us about all this himself? Not only his relationship with Rune, but about him being gay as a whole?”

Fallon shrugged. “Best not to dwell on it. He’ll tell us if he wants to. And if he doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it, he could only tell us he’s together with Rune like it’s nothing special. In which case, we shouldn’t turn it into a big thing either.”

Dione nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Fallon smiled and rested his head against hers as he continued flipping through the newspaper.

Rune smiled as he thought about the night before. He had wanted this for weeks now, and it finally happened. He opened his eyes and looked down at Hyde sleeping on his chest. He stroked his hair.

Hyde groaned, he pinched his eyes at the sun coming through the window. Rune put his other arm around him too and rolled onto his side, hiding Hyde’s face in his chest, away from the sun. Hyde looked up at his face with narrow, tired eyes.

“What time is it?” Hyde whispered.

Rune shrugged. “Does it matter?”

Hyde rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Rune heard him take a sharp breath and yelped when Hyde abruptly pushed himself up out of his arms. Hyde looked around the room with a slightly panicked look in his eyes. Rune frowned and reached out to his face. “Hey—”

“I should get out of bed, it’s late.”

“What? Hyde—”

Hyde turned his back to him.

Rune reached out to grab his shirt. “No, calm down—”

Hyde left the bed.

“Come back!”

He hurried out of the room.

Rune sighed and let his arm drop on the bed. He blew a lock of hair out of his face.

What came over him? Why did he leave so suddenly? Did Rune do something to freak him out? Where would they go from here? Rune had hoped they could discuss their relationship status in the morning, but no. He wasn’t sure when the next opportunity would arise.

Rune hummed and frowned.

Maybe everything had gone a bit fast for him, last night. They went from first kiss straight to making out. A few hours before, Hyde was too anxious to kiss him at all, despite having the perfect opportunity to do so. He didn’t seem to mind any of it in the moment, but maybe now, thinking back to it, he was anxious about how fast everything had gone.

Rune decided he should give him some space to process last night and his feelings about it. He hoped Hyde would bring it up again himself soon enough.

Dione sat at the dining table with her sketchbook in front of her. A glass of water stood a little further away, she was copying it onto the paper for practice.

Fallon stood in the kitchen, preparing a cup of coffee. He poured it into the cup, then came up behind Dione and looked over her to see her drawing. She was working on the shading. He leaned one arm on the back of her chair and his chin on the top of her head. She scratched him below his ear, he couldn’t help but smile and had to hold himself back from letting a purr out. He pressed a kiss on her head.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Footsteps came down the stairs, then Hyde emerged from the hallway. He noticed his parents at the table and walked over to join them.

“Morning.”

Fallon stood up straight. “A late morning for you. How so?” Just because he had shared a bed with someone, didn’t mean he’d have to sleep in this late.

Hyde tensed his shoulders. “I—couldn’t get to sleep.” He took an interest in Dione’s sketchbook. “What are you drawing?”

Dione poked the glass of water with her pencil. “That.” She looked up at Hyde. “Do you still draw?”

Hyde shrugged. “Not really. I doodle in my notebook.”

“Doodling is still drawing.”

Hyde was tense, Fallon wondered why. He’d had a pleasant night with the guy he likes, was that something to be nervous about? “Why are you so tense?”

Dione slapped his leg out of view from Hyde, making Fallon flinch. What? It was only a question.

Hyde evaded both their gazes and folded his arms. “It’s nothing. Are you warming up or something?” he asked Dione.

“You could say that. I’m not sure what for, though.”

Someone else came down the stairs, Rune walked in. He and Hyde stared at each other for a second before Hyde said, “Morning,” like he hadn’t seen him earlier. Perhaps Rune hadn’t been awake at the time.

“Hey,” Rune greeted back, a bit uncertain.

Even Fallon felt the awkward air between them. He sipped his coffee. He didn’t know what happened between them, but he shouldn’t get involved. Neither should Dione. He’ll make sure she won’t, let them figure it out themselves.

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It was another full moon. Rune hid in his room, he had blocked the door with a dresser. He sat on the bed, reading a book he’d taken from Enath.

He had gotten used to Hyde during full moons, but no one else. Like Hyde’s parents. He had no idea what to expect from them, so he decided to avoid them all night. He didn’t know if Hyde wanted to be with him again this night, or if he’d be preoccupied with his parents.

He’d been avoiding him ever since they kissed, avoided being alone with him. Perhaps he didn’t want to be around him during a full moon, either, right now.

Had Rune escalated it too much? Was it his fault? Hyde hadn’t given him any reason to think he wasn’t on board with it. He wanted to talk it through, but Hyde didn’t. Not right now.

He flinched at a bonk against the dresser, followed by some scratching noises coming from his door. It was probably Hyde. Rune didn’t know why either of Hyde’s parents would be trying to get into his room.

He closed his book, laid it on the bed, then stood up. Now there was the sound of something scraping over metal. He pushed the dresser out of the way and cracked the door open.

It was Hyde, kneeling down and scraping his teeth over the door handle. He froze when he noticed Rune staring at him, his ears perked up. He slowly let it go, not moving his eyes off Rune.

Rune chuckled, he was adorable. He couldn’t imagine why he was ever scared of this man-sized puppy. He opened the door further and tugged at Hyde’s arm. “Come here.”

Hyde stood up with a smile and followed him further into the room.

They sat on the bed. Hyde didn’t touch Rune yet, as if he was waiting for permission. He never did that. Rune frowned.

“Do you think I’m mad?”

Hyde looked away with a grumble, tense.

Rune grabbed his hand, he sat cross-legged towards him. “I’m not angry, but… I am confused. You wouldn’t be able to answer my questions right now, would you?”

Hyde seemed unsure, only one ear went down.

Rune shook his head. “Even if you could, you wouldn’t remember this conversation. That’s not fair.” He moved closer to Hyde and pulled him close, Hyde’s head against his shoulder. Hyde relaxed and rubbed his face against him.

Rune placed a kiss on the top of his head. He combed his fingers through his hair, then left his hand below Hyde’s ear and scratched the soft spot below it. Hyde stretched his neck with a purr.

Rune stopped, he sighed. He moved his head back to see Hyde’s face. “Can I ask you one question?”

Hyde pushed off him, he let out a confused grumble.

Rune evaded eye contact as he softly asked, “How do you feel about me?” He had been insecure about it ever since Hyde ran off, and regular Hyde wouldn’t give him the opportunity to ask—if he’d even answer and not avoid the question. But now, he wasn’t avoiding him. He won’t be able to say anything, but he could show him, somehow.

Hyde was thinking, thinking about how to show him. He moved his hand up to Rune’s face, then placed it on his cheek, careful with his claws. He closed his eyes and pushed their foreheads together. He rubbed his face against Rune’s cheek and purred again.

Rune grabbed Hyde’s hand that was still on his cheek, he smiled. He was still learning werewolf language, but it seemed good.

Hyde moved back. Rune hugged him, launching himself at him. Hyde nearly fell back but caught himself, a startled noise came out of his throat. Rune laid against him, his arms around his waist. He could feel the layer of fur under Hyde’s shirt.

“How about we switch cuddling positions for tonight?”

Rune was curious what it would be like to be spooned by a werewolf. He looked at his face for a reaction, Hyde was blushing.

Hyde laid down on his back. Rune laid his face in the crook of his neck, then felt Hyde’s arms snake around him.

He wondered how Hyde would react if Rune rubbed his face against him like Hyde always did. If he used his language.

He laid his hand on the side of Hyde’s neck and nuzzled his face into the other side. Hyde tensed, he brought his knees up slightly and let out a high pitched whimper. Rune chuckled to himself; cute.

He yelped as Hyde turned on his side and pulled Rune along. Rune laid with his back to Hyde’s chest, Hyde had his arms around his stomach. Oh, they really were spooning now. Hyde rubbed his face into Rune’s hair. Rune smiled, he put his hand on Hyde’s. He thought of pulling the covers over them before allowing himself to fall asleep, but the big, furry body pressed against him was plenty warm.

In the morning, Rune awoke with a disappointing lack of werewolf holding him close. He looked beside him, he sighed. He was alone. He had the covers over him, they were pulled up all the way to his chin. Rune never did that himself in the southern summer. Way too warm.

Hyde had left him again, but at least he tucked him in after he took his heat source away.

----------------------------------------

Hyde gave his mom a tight hug.

“Why do you have to leave so soon?” she whined.

“I’ll come back quickly.”

She let him go and gave him a stern look. “You better.”

“And I’ll stay in contact, okay? I’ll let you know where I am.” He turned to Fallon and hugged him now.

“Stay safe,” Fallon told him.

Hyde chuckled. “I will.” He let go. Fallon ruffled his hair with a small smile.

Tayen grabbed Hyde’s arm and pulled him into her own hug, making him yelp. She leaned up to his ear and whispered, “Next time, I’ll expect you to have a boyfriend.”

He glared at her, his cheeks slightly flushed. She smirked back. He stepped away from her, towards Rune to leave. He looked at everyone. His parents and Tayen stood at the door, Warlon was here too to wave him goodbye.

He waved at them and said, “Bye!” with a smile. They all waved back.

“See you soon, honey!” Dione called back.

Hyde turned around to walk into the forest with Rune beside him.