Matthew Joshua Riley (badnewstravels) wrote in st_margarets, @ 2014-03-15 21:40:00 |
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Current mood: | working |
Entry tags: | character: matthew riley, character: tj reed, location: the woods |
Log: Getting To Grips
WHO: TJ Reed & Matt Riley
WHEN: After class, Wednesday March 5th [Backdated]
WHERE: The Woods
They’d wandered out to a very secluded part of the woods that surrounded the school to make sure that they’d be away from everyone and so that TJ could be confident that they wouldn’t be interrupted. He didn’t want to have to tackle Matt or anything since Matt as a wolf was so much bigger TJ. Though he was faster, and he supposed better in control but he didn’t want to actually have a fight with him since that wouldn’t be good.
TJ hated fighting.
He dropped his bag to the floor and rubbed the back of his neck, rocking on his heels. They’d discussed that it might help Matt to see TJ shift and he looked really uncomfortable now that they were actually there. He shrugged out of his jacket and let out a slow breath. “I’m sorry in advance, mate,” he muttered awkwardly, “I’ve never let anyone see me transform before. I tend to do it alone since it’s-” well, it was embarrassing and it still hurt to force shift, though not as much as it did on the full moon because he wasn’t resisting when he actually wanted to shift.
He tugged his shirt over his head, revealing his well toned and surprisingly defined chest (considering how lanky he was), jeans sitting low on his hips. He toed off his shoes and offered Matt a half grin before the belt was next.
“Always easier to have minimal clothes on. Don’t worry, I’m just gonna take off the jeans and then that’s it. Underwear I’ll sacrifice. I bought more.” He grinned again, though he did look a little embarrassed at being in such a state of undress in front of someone else.
Honestly? Matt had no idea what to expect, but learning to be one with the wolf was proving to be quite a journey albeit a long one which had shaken his confidence way more than Matt was letting on. It was difficult, coming to terms with the sudden change and the subsequent impacts, but as his dad always said, slow and steady wins the race.
When TJ stopped so did Matt and he blew out a breath, sticking his hands into the back pockets of his jeans before he arched an eyebrow as yep there was TJ getting as close to naked as Matt had probably seen him. He should probably look away, that was the polite thing to do, right? Only he didn’t and he just offered TJ a reassuring smile before gesturing.
“You doing secret exercise TJ? Never figured you for having a secret gym habit.” He was joking that much was clear. He did that when he was nervous, it was one of his many coping devices. “So… I just watch you and try to copy?”
TJ grimaced at the tease about him hitting up the gym. “No, it’s a great side effect of being a werewolf, actually. Feel honoured, mate, even Felix and Trent haven’t ever seen me like this.” He rubbed the back of his neck again and then slipped out of his jeans, holding them in front of himself awkwardly, like he didn’t want to drop them to reveal that he was wearing boxer briefs.
He let out a slow breath and rolled his shoulders. “Yeah, pretty much. Figure that’s how you learn best, right? So, just… close your eyes and focus on the wolf, let it come to the fore of your mind and don’t fight it when the wolf wants to shift.” He gave the other teen a reassuring smile and then did pretty much as he said. Less than five seconds later and TJ was shifting, the cracking of bones and sprouting of fur spreading across his body as he shifted and twisted, falling onto all fours.
The transition was swift, though, thankfully, and TJ’s werewolf form was standing in front of Matt, tail wagging a little. He shook his head, overwhelmed briefly by the smells and sounds before he took a few steps closer to Matt, licking his hand and nudging it with his nose.
Matt chuckled and smirked. “Consider me honoured.” Of course when TJ started talking about the wolf his attention shifted, away from a gentle tease to the reason they were out here in the first place, he really needed to get a grip on this wolf thing, sooner rather than later. He’d hated sitting out during the Wendigo thing, especially as he’d wanted to look out for the people he cared about.
The change itself was painful to watch and even more painful to hear, especially as the bones cracked the way that they did and he could see the human body struggling to accommodate the wolf who understandably was bigger in comparison. TJ made it look easy, so very easy and Matt envied him, especially as it seemed to come so effortlessly to him. But that was okay because TJ was teaching him, helping him and eventually Matt would be the same way.
As with most things with Matt it was do or die, there was no try.
As TJ approached, licking and nudging at his hand, Matt gave a smile and rubbed his hand over his friend’s ears.
TJ pushed his head up into the touch to his ears, tail wagging in a way that was more akin to a domestic pet than a fierce werewolf. He nudged Matt’s thigh with his muzzle, nipping gently at the fabric of his jeans before padding in a slow circle around the human who smelt like a wolf and a human and whose presence didn’t upset TJ as much as some other weres.
He dropped back to sit beside Matt patiently, head tilted and big eyes just watching, waiting for him to join him. He let out a quiet yapping sound, the only other sound he was making was that of his tail as it wagged against the ground, leaves getting stuck in his tail and fur.
Matt knew exactly what TJ was asking him to do, but he was nervous. But then when had nerves stopped him from doing anything? Prior to being bitten he’d been super confident and daring, this whole thing had really knocked him for six. It was definitely time to stop being slave to this and start commanding it instead. One way or another.
“Alright, alright,” Matt said as he leaned down to tug off his boots followed by his socks until he was barefoot in the woods. “Gimme a second here.” Matt slid out of his top and placed it to one side before his fingers went to his belt, eyes flicking to TJ as he sat there just watching. “I guess fair’s fair.”
And with that he slid out of his jeans and then eyed his underwear. He could probably sacrifice those.
TJ made another noise, rocking forward on his front paws like he was about to jump at Matt but then thinking better of it. In fact, his ears twitched to the left and he darted off after a rabbit, upper body disappearing into a bush. He’d run with all intention of chasing it, but then backed up a little bit, shaking his head to get rid of the leaves that had clung to him, trotting back over to sit patiently in front of Matt again.
He tilted his head, whining a little as if he were trying to get Matt to come on and shift already. Human!TJ knew the value of patience, but wolf!TJ wanted his playmate. It was evening time, there was decent light out, there was plenty of opportunity for play! It was being wasted.
He bounced on his front paws, lowering his upper body, tail wagging.
Was it wrong to find wolf!TJ cute? Probably. Oddly he reminded Matt of his family’s pet Huskies, Shiloh and Sheba. Not that it made TJ a dog or anything, but some of his mannerisms did make Matt think of the faithful loyal dogs he’d known since being old enough to recognise and understand what they were.
He was nervous, but he couldn’t let that stop him.
Matt took a deep breath and tapped into the wolf within himself until sure enough he struck up a dialogue and in mere minutes he shed his human visage, settling into a large wolf form that did dwarf TJ, but the familiarity between the pair kept wolf!Matt from lashing out in aggression.
His head tilted and large blue eyes regarded wolf!TJ, intelligence clear and recognition present. Perhaps he was further along this journey than he’d first thought.
TJ bounced again as Matt changed in front of him, tail wagging and trotting forward, nudging Matt’s muzzle with his own. Matt was huge as a wolf, muscular and just large whereas TJ was smaller and more lithe, despite the fact that he was relatively tall as a human. He supposed that was indicative of the fact that he would never be an Alpha wolf. To be honest, some of the female weres at this school dwarfed him in size too.
Another butt of his muzzle against Matt’s then had TJ asking him to play, his own eyes excited as if the wagging of his tail wasn’t a dead giveaway. He yapped and turned on the spot, waiting for Matt to look and start getting excited too. This was good! This was fun! They could play when there was light and not in the dark of the dungeons! They were outside!
Matt wasn’t quite as exuberant as TJ, but he he returned the nudge with one of his own, even going so far as to give a playful nip at TJ’s ear before a glint of intent entered those eyes and Matt shifted his weight until giving TJ a look as if to say that he’d best keep up.
This was good, really good.
With teeth bared and an encouraging sound the larger wolf turned and bounded off, fully expecting TJ to fall into stride beside him. So far so good.
TJ sprung into action with a happy growling sound, paws thudding as he hurried to catch up with the larger wolf, having to push himself a little harder because Matt’s strides were long, made easier by the sheer size of the other werewolf.
It was no matter, TJ was used to his own wolf form and caught up soon enough, jumping over a log as the two of them just ran through the woods, TJ making sure to keep Matt’s attention on the woods around them and him so that he didn’t get distracted by any of the other sounds that could have caused them a problem.