The witch and the werewolf

An engineer in disguise.

A week after Max had lost their arm, they quit their job, much to the coven and packs pleasure and the townsfolk woe, but after the coven had spread that Max had gotten into in accident that left them with a disfigured arm, they became sympathetic.

Max had rushed home that day, they grabbed onto their arm and hid it under their shirt, they brought it to the manor with hope that Father Yamato could reattach it, but that all faded as their skin rose itself like it was being pinched and pushed against the father and his magic.

Max's eyes were a blue glow as they used magic they didn't know was still there.

"I'm sorry!" They shrieked as their magic was used against them and slammed Father Yamato into the wall.

"It's alright." The man gritted as he stood up on shaking legs.

Max returned to school with a blue cast around their right arm, Corvus guessed that they didn't want anyone to know about the constantly glowing tattoos that were buried beneath the manor and how there was no doctor's appointment on Max's record.

Corvus would have never thought about what Max had planned next for the people of Turnchip.

"Why are you wearing a cast?" Corvus asked as he washed a carrot and shook it before passing it to Max so they could cut it up. "You know you'll have to take it off and people will see that you have you have no arm."

Max huffed a chuckle and leaned over the counter to pat the black cat's belly who laid lazily with his paws in the air and tail swaying.

"But I do have an arm, it's just not technically mine." Max spoke and Corvus tilted his head, confused, so very confused.

Max chuckled, warm and kind as they walked over to Corvus, hand grabbing their cast as they pulled it off, Corvus wrinkled his nose not expecting the metallic scent of blood to assault his senses.

"What-?" He said, his voice stopping midway as he realized what he was staring at.

Attached to Max's stump, was a robotic arm, shiny and bulky, it was thicker than their left arm and was made of multiple pieces of metal bolted together, slick with oil and smooth with careful moulding and care.

Corvus reached out to touch it as Max gave him one of those warm smiles with a tilt of their head, a teasing manner, they knew what he wanted to do, but his arm twitched back as his eyes landed on red wires, they weren't supposed to be red, he quickly realised as he saw more wiring, some black and blue, made with rubber.

They were attached to the metal, but they were also attached to Max's arm, embedded in their skin, that wasn't a colour choice, it was Max's blood which swam through the clear pipes.

"Max?" Corvus shocked on his own saliva as he tripped on the matting on the kitchen floor, meant to catch any spill, Max reached forward and grabbed Corvus's shirt.

"Woah there buddy." Max breathed as they patted Corvus's shoulder as they made him stand up straight on his own to legs.

Corvus frowned, the arm wasn't warm as it patted their skin, Max's skin was supposed to be warm, it was supposed to match his, his lip quivered as he sprung forward and wrapped his arms around Max's neck, pulling them down and pressing their face into his chest.

"I promise that you won't have to replace anymore of your limbs, I-I'll make sure you will never be hurt again. I will protect you." The boy promised.

"Gee, thanks kid." Max said as they pulled the boy up, he immediately wrapped his legs around their body and stabled himself using his hands on their shoulders.

"I promise." The boy said as he pressed his forehead on Max's.

There was a pause where the two just stared into each other's eyes, heartbeats synchronising, warmth engulfing each other, Corvus looked down to his hands and moved them to Max's neck, he wanted his scent over them.

"No."

Corvus blinked and leaned back. "Wh-what?" He gasped. "What do you mean 'No?'"

"You wanna here it in Spanish?" Max tilted their head with a smile.

"No." Corvus shook his head. "What-?"

Max snorted and used their left arm to hold onto Corvus as their robotic arm took one of Corvus's hands in theirs, pressing it to their chin.

"I mean no because there will be no need. I won't be in danger, and neither will you, we're safe here." Max pressed a kiss to Corvus's hand. "We are very safe here, I assure it."

"And if not?" Corvus asked, his voice small as he traced his fingers on Max's jawline and down to their scar.

"Not what?" Max couldn't quite put their finger on what Corvus was asking.

"What if we're not safe?" Corvus looked directly into Max's aquatic eyes.

Max paused and their eyes travelled around the room, thinking on an explanation.

"My wards."

"Your... wards?" Corvus asked.

"My wards, magic ones at that, they surrounded the town and the forest, and they are going to be there until the day I die, they cannot be broken unless acted upon by a force greater than them." Max explained. "I created them soon after you moved in, Father Yamato suggest it, I think he thought you were going to leave due to his petty threats." They chuckled. "But you didn't, and they still stand, they protect us."

"What if they aren't enough?"

"They are, they are made out of my vines, the one tattooed onto my arm." The one that lay buried in a sack under the manor.

"My magic will keep everyone safe." They swallowed thickly. "I will keep you safe." They leaned their forehead into Corvus's and pulled him closer to them, he sighed as they wrapped both arms around him and held him like they never wanted to let them go.

The metallic arm was cold, but it was Max, it had been built by them, it had their blood pumping into it and so on, it was Max, and that was all that mattered.