Celestial Bodies: Of Runts and Lycans

Chapter 7 P.2: The Three J's

Celeste's POV

"So. ." I said, probably very awkwardly. I never really had to put forth any energy into socializing so I don't honestly know the best way to go about it. "Three J's," I point out. They give me confused looks, Josh's is easier to read than Jacob. "Josh," I point to him, "Jacob," I point to the brooding male, "Jared," I point to the door. "Kind of like siblings."

"I've never really given that any thought." Jacobs eyebrow is quirked up. I hadn't stopped thinking about it really. Jared, Jacob, and Josh. Sounds like the name of three main brothers in an action novel where one of them very potentially dies at the end.

"You're right! I've thought of it before but when you're part of the coincidence I don't think it really hits you as much." I nod. That makes sense. Josh gives Jacob a smile before turning back to me. "So you're a runt!" My eyes widen at the bold sounding statement. "What's that like?"

Jacob harshly nudges him in the side. "You can't just ask someone something like that."

Shaking my head, "No, it's okay. No one's really asked about it before? But it's not like I find it a terrible thing. I've never really been happy with myself?" Josh's eyes soften at that while Jacob maintains his semi-harsh stare. "But I think that was maybe because of others more so than it's been my actual state," I echo off the reminder that has been said to me several times before. "I'm fast," my smile regrows, "I love to run. I can't run as long as other wolves but I'm so fast. I can get a good mile or two ahead of those I've run with before, before my energy depletes. It can take a good moment to regain my energy but I've dealt with it for so long that I'm pretty used to how much I can push myself. I love my wolf too, she's one of my best friends if I'm being honest. She's named herself Ancillary." My smile tries to falter as I briefly think about the lack of her presence but Josh's gasp brings me back to the moment.

"Your wolf has a name!?" I nod. "My wolf is called Barrett." Oh! Is he who Zay was talking about? She said it was apparently unusual for werewolves to name their wolves but that she knows someone else. And they're all decently close to Xavier it seems so it makes sense for her to have been talking about him. "He's the best." Jacob snorts loudly this time.

"If by the best then you mean gets you into bad spots then sure." Josh gasps at this supposed accusation. Jacob looks me dead in the eyes, the sight is intimidating but I think if I gave closer inspection then his eyes could be intriguing. "Josh," he lays a hand on his shoulder that slides down in a little too noticeable way, "is a goody-goody. Always has to listen to the rules, always has to follow up with Xavier right away, even gets irked when others mess around in training." Josh blushes and sputters. "But every now and then you'll find him in the most unusual situations. Stuck up in a tree, in wolf form in the human town, with his hand stuck in a nutella jar, getting caught in the middle of a pack party in nothing but a party hat and a not very well placed paper streamer. . ." Josh was raging red now. "And every time you can ask him, 'did Barrett think of this' or 'encourage this' and he'll nod. Nod, not vocally confirm because that's too embarrassing at the end of whatever situation he found himself in apparently." I can't help it; I laugh. I laugh loudly. Josh is stammering, not necessarily denying any of the accusations but trying to make it seem better. The door opens and Xavier stares right at me. I stop laughing, a smile not leaving my lips but perhaps wavering as giggles attempt to escape. Then the image of the awkward guy sitting to my right desperately trying to hide his full view as he wears a bright party hat on his head comes to mind and the giggles escape.