New Moon, new Friend (Jon Talbain reader insert)

New Moon, new friend

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Those are the only sounds filling up your ears on this late night, with the occasional sounds of your jacket rubbing against itself and beeps of a turn signal. You shouldn't be up so late, but you couldn't sleep, and now you're driving out on an empty road in the middle of nowhere. The radio doesn't want to work, so the sounds of rain getting spiked by the wind make for some music.

After enough driving, you manage to find a parking lot to turn into, so you can drive back home. There's an old looking sushi place, with only one car in the parking lot. Just as you're about to turn around to leave, your stomach starts to growl at you.

How long have you been driving, anyways? You weren't exactly paying any attention to how long it's been.

Parking next to the lone car and getting out of the car with a small hop, you walk up to the entrance. It's a short journey, so your jacket stays unzipped as you swing the door open softly.

There's only two people here: an employee, who looks surprisingly young to be working at someplace as old as this. He's sweating and his body is tense as he's cutting up salmon. He seems to be the only one working here, but there's only one other person here. It's odd they seem to be under pressure, but maybe they're new to the job? The other is some sort of wolfman, who is shivering with their arms rubbing against his body. His blue fur is drenched, so he must have ran here, somehow.

They're wearing a sour face, clearly not in the best mood. They shouldn't have to be soaked though, so you go up to him without much thought and break free from the warmth of your jacket, sliding it over their shoulders. The wolfman slows down their shivering, as he takes a glance back at you. He's still grumpy, but the smallest of grins can be seen.

It's quiet for a moment as they turn to face the conveyor belt whirring along as it goes before he's able to say anything. "Thank you."

It's quiet again, so you decide to say something for once. "Of course. Would you mind if I sat next to you?" Your voice is a bit soft, probably due to not saying anything in a good while, but he nods his head.

Having nothing else to look at, he stares over at you. You brush your hands through your hair, in an attempt to fix your bed head. "So what's your name anyways? I never caught it." Your brain is on autopilot, so that was the first thing that you could manage to say.

"I never threw it, but it's Jon. Thanks again for the jacket."

"Well, it's nice to meet ya, Jon." He doesn't say anything back, but that grin grows a bit wider.

A few plates of sushi fly across the conveyor as Jon manages to pick up them minus one. The plate remaining is a few salmon rolls, and you gladly take it. Food is food, and you need some now. Plopping one of the rolls into your mouth, you notice Jon has already finished up his plate. There are some wounds on his body too, and they look fresh.

"Are you alright? Those wounds don't look so good." Jon's grin quickly fades. "I'm alright, these are nothing." This doesn't stop you from getting up and out back to your car to nab some bandages, briskly running back in part from being worried but also not wanting to get soaked.

"You might be fine, but you could be finer. If you're not going to put them on to let your wounds heal, then I'll just put them on myself."

You slide your jacket off him, and now that you're up close for a second time you notice the amount of scars he has all over his body, buried beneath his fur. "You poor thing..." You don't have all that much to say, but can't help but feel bad for Jon. He must have been through a lot.

"You don't have to talk about whatever has happened to you, but at least let me treat ya. I'll pay for all this, okay?"

"You don't have to pity me." He's no longer grumpy looking, just sort of sad. But he takes the bandages anyways, slowly wrapping them across his wounds.

"I just wanna make things better. You could let me be a bit of sunshine, or you can keep living in the dark forever. It's your choice." You turn to face right towards him, eyes looking into his. You really want, no, need to give this man some hope. Something to hold onto.

"...Why are you being so nice to me? Humans aren't supposed to be kind to a beast, like me. You're supposed to be scared of me. You're supposed to despise me and hunt me down. So why, why aren't you doing that?"

"I've had no reason to hate you. You haven't done anything wrong, have you?"

"I-"

He chokes. It's as if no one has ever said anything nice to him before. The employee just stares, not knowing what to do before he goes to prepare some more sushi.

"I.. Thank you. I appreciate your kindness." He gives a full-on smile as he grabs another plate of sushi, chowing down on the rolls within seconds. "Are you sure you're okay with paying?"

"Course I am. Just enjoy yourself, alright?"

He nods, scarfing down some more. If he eats like that all the time, it's a wonder how he's so buff without a bit of pudge on him. But it's pretty cute to see Jon enjoy himself. It's pretty clear that he hasn't been able to let loose in a while, so you feel warm inside from being able to help, at least just a bit.

He grabs a plate and sets it down in front of you. "If I get to eat, so do you. You better eat up, or I'm gonna make you eat!"

You can't help but smile as you grab a roll, tossing it into your mouth and slowly chew it to enjoy the flavor. So far, everything has tasted great. Easy to see why Jon is enjoying wolfing down so much.

You grab one of the rolls from his plate and hold it up to his mouth. "What am I, a pup?" He's got a more playful smile that you haven't seen yet as he bites down on the roll, making sure not to chomp down on your fingers.

After a while of letting go, the both of you have managed to become full, with Jon eating way, way more than you. When you're both done, you get up and head to the cash register. The total bill is a bit pricey, but you take care of it like you said you would. Taking a glance out the window, you see the rain has stopped, but you can hear the wind blowing.

You both walk out at once, feeling the wind mess up your hair even more while Jon keeps the jacket you gave him unzipped. "Smaller restaurants like this always have either great food, or it tastes like garbage. I'm gonna guess it's great, from how much you ate." Jon hasn't stopped smiling as he pats your head.

As you walk to your car however, his smile fades. "What's wrong Jon?" He turns his eyes away. "It's nothing. I'll be alright."

You know something isn't right. "Those two statements contradict each other. You don't have to talk about it though, if you don't want to."

He doesn't take his time to respond with something. "When I go back home, everything is going to be the same again. The world is going to hate me, and want me dead. I never asked to have this curse, but the humans hate me for it anyways. All of them, except you."

"Well... what about the guy in there? He wasn't trying to kill you."

"I could smell his fear."

"There's gotta be someone else who doesn't hate you, right?"
"Just children and this one catgirl. And you. But, that's enough for me. I just, don't want you to go, as stupid as that sounds."

You lean in towards Jon and hug him tight, and he slowly hugs you back. "Well, if you don't want me to go, where should we go together then?" Jon's smile comes back on his face, but you can't see it as you get hugged tighter.

"I know a good place I like to go to when I want to relax. I'm the werewolf warrior who is faster than the wind, so we'll get there in no time."

So he's a werewolf huh? You guess he's in his werewolf form to keep himself warm from the rain right now, since the moon isn't full tonight. "How are you going to get me there? I can't possibly be as fast as you are, Jon."

"Just hold on tight." He stops the hug as he picks you up, holding you bridal style. "You're okay with me holding you like this, right?" You don't say anything as you lean into and wrap your arms around him, taking that as all the confirmation he needs.

Jon stands before he lanches forward like a canon, with a laser coming out of his feet to propel himself forward somehow. You're scared at first, but know that Jon wouldn't hurt you, otherwise he would have already. Doesn't take long for him to get to a stopping point, up by a cliff in the middle of a forest. The view is breathtaking, with lush greens and a flowing river gleaming in the moonlight. It's right under a crescent moon, so what would normally be impossible to see through is lit up enough to be able to see.

"I usually go here for my training. It's easier for me to concentrate here." Jon is still holding on to you, but you don't mind. He lays down, setting you against the grass as he still has his arms wrapped around you as the both of you stare up into the night sky. It's pretty cloudy still, but some stars are still visible.

"Does anyone else know about this place?" You ask. "Just the catgirl I was talking about. Her name is Felicia. Can be a bit much to deal with, but I tolerate her."

"How'd you find this place then? Unless Felicia took you here."

"Found it one day when I was aimlessly wandering, like a miserable pup. I was a fool for letting my guard down like that, but this has become my home now, so I can't be too upset at myself. I got a cabin set up not too far from here, but I like staying outside when I can."

"Well in that case, I might just visit you."

"I wouldn't mind that one bit. I need someone to get me to take a break every once and a while. I keep pushing my body too far, so I'm pretty sore."

"I guess we're both tired then. You're making me too lazy to wanna move with how soft your fur is. If it was your plan to make me too comfy to move, then you have succeeded.

"Wasn't my intention, but I don't mind being with you. Let's get some rest shall we?"

Jon spreads out part of your jacket to wrap you up in, pulling you even closer to him as the both of you enjoy each other's embrace, with you two falling deep into sleep.