JINRŌ | JOSHLER

01

Trudging through a field of wolfsbane and foxglove wasn't the way Josh wanted to spend his Sunday afternoon, but after spending the weekend at his great-grandparents' and inhaling all of the food they placed in front of him, Obaasan Moriko decided that he owed her a favor. Who was Josh to tell his dear old great-granny no after cleaning out her fridge?

Anyway, the task was simple enough; steal the push lawnmower back from Mrs. Lewis' back porch. Mrs. Lewis was an old, condescending, racist bitch. She alway borrows the mower without asking and then all of the plants in her yard pose a threat to Josh's grandmother's skin.

It's not like Mrs. Lewis knew they were werewolves, the old bat was just evil and liked to surround her yard with poisonous plants that just happened to sting at Josh's exposed ankles. He could always just uncuff his jeans, but it would've been too much of a hassle.

As Josh drags the mower off of the elder's back porch, he thinks about what he'll be eating next. Truthfully, he never thinks about anything more than he thinks about food. With his heightened metabolism and everyone in his family loving to cook, it's hard not to love food. Food never disappoints. Food is always there. And then his stomach growls something fierce as if he didn't just have a very large breakfast.

Maybe he'd go out into the woods today and earn his lunch "like a real wolf", Ashley would say, but what does she know? Nothing. It's perfectly okay to have Obassan Moriko feed him like he's a malnourished puppy. A skinny beta's opinion can't shake the fact that Josh loves his great-grandmother and her cooking.

Once Josh has completed the errand, Obassan Moriko rewards him with a smacking kiss on the cheek and a bowl of mochi. Of course it's typical for a canine to be rewarded food for doing a trick, but Josh decides that it's not that deep. When he finishes his treat, he slips his hoodie back on and makes his way down the street to his best friends house. Said best friend is the one and only Tyler Joseph. Tyler's not a werewolf but he has cousins that are pack so he's basically extended family, blood or not. Half of the town is, at this point.

Ever since Obassan Moriko moved into this sleepy, little Ohio town in 1934, she's made quite a name for herself in the werewolf community. Eventually marrying the governor and then turning him gave her free reign over the state and she used the influence to create the largest pack in the midwest.

But who said the midwest was known for it's werewolves? It's not, and that's how the wolves would like to keep it.

Of course, though, select humans are granted admission into the world of the wolves, like the Joseph family, for example.

Pulling himself out of thoughts of lunch and how amazing his great-grandmother is, he knocks on the door of a two-story that's holding his best friend hostage. When Tyler finally opens the door with that ridiculously bright grin he's always sporting, Josh can't help but to scoop him up into a bone-crushing hug.

Josh may have been the runt of his mother's first litter, but he's not the weakest wolf around and the way Tyler goes nearly limp under his grip supports that.

"Okay, big guy, let me go before you start drooling on my pj's." Tyler squirms out of Josh's arms. "You literally just saw me Friday."

"Two days is like two weeks when you're missing your best friend." Josh pouts. "Didn't you miss me?"

"Of course I did, dog breath! I always miss you!" Tyler slings an arm around Josh's shoulders. "You should just move in already."

"Don't joke like that or I'll actually do it."

"Not sure if mom'll let you sit on the furniture."

"Oh, fuck you."