Jake Walker

fineblood:

❛ "YOU SCREWED UP, SO THIS IS YOUR PUNISHMENT,” august said. nothing, in his opinion, weighed heavier than guilt. “it’s because you disobeyed me that he’s going to die.” he wanted to make that clear, that he wasn’t killing jake because he thought jake had done something wrong. he wanted elliot to know his actions had more consequences that concerned others than himself. “isn’t this what you wanted?” he asked as he stared at the other half-wolf bleeding to death at their feet. “you wanted him gone. you told me so yourself, elliot, that i didn’t need him.” he wiped the blood from his dagger against his pants, his expression as cold as ever. he had no patience for misbehavior. “if that’s not what you want, get on your knees and beg me for his life.”

Again Elliot was reminded that he’d screwed up, at this point he really was surprised that he was even still breathing. His eyes flickered between August’s clearly angry face and Jake’s choking form. Elliot only had so long to decide how he wanted to react, whether he could swallow his pride and get on his knees of if he would just let Jake die. Part of him wanted to argue that if he’d really wanted Jake to die he’d kill him himself, but he’d not, he’d let the pet live, but there was no time, every second Elliot spent debating with himself was a second closer to actually letting the other die. And Elliot didn’t want Jake’s death to be on him, he’d rather watch the other fail himself. So he got on his knees and he begged. “Please spare him. Please don’t let him die, he doesn’t deserve that, I’m the one who broke the rules, I’m the one who fucked up, I’m the one who should be choking on their own blood.” Elliot spoke, swallowing his pride, biting down hard on his desire to glare, to deadpan each word and instead infused them with emotion. 

Jake was vaguely aware of what was going on, August’s voice was probably clearest but the other half-wolf’s words echoed in his head. But it was mixed with echoes of Laura’s voice. It might have been startling if things weren’t weren’t so fuzzy around the edges. It was hard to be alarmed when you just felt tired. His eyes weren’t actually shut but he wasn’t seeing much of what was happening anyway.

@fineblood

fineblood:

❛ AUGUST KNEW WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH elliot’s head. he knew elliot was possessive, and that he had harmed jake knowing he could handle whatever punishment august would do to him. physical torture had stopped being effective against elliot long after his half-wolf had built a tolerance for pain. and august was sick of having to coddle his pets like they were misbehaving children. “i gifted you both to each of you, but if this is what you want–” the vampire said as he yanked jake’s head back by his hair, withdrew his dagger, and slit jake’s throat just for him to bleed out slowly. he tossed jake to the floor between him and elliot. “let his death be on your conscience.” only august’s blood could heal him fast enough to save him now, so he waited for elliot to act, or to not act all, and for jake to suffer the worst punishment for it all.

Elliot thought he was prepared for a lot of outcomes, thought that the punishment would come down on him because he’d been the one to act on his primal instincts, the one to fight, to attack so he was utterly unprepared for August’s move. When the vampire just pulled a dagger out and slit Jake’s throat, Elliot’s eyes widened. He tried not to flinch, but he couldn’t help it. He might not yet like the other wolf much, might still harbor issues about himself and the other, but he didn’t think Jake deserved to die, if he did, Elliot would have killed him when he’d been a wolf. He wasn’t sure what to do, what to say but he had to act fast, there was only so much time Elliot had to save Jake’s life. “He doesn’t need to die, I’m the one that fucked up, if you’re going to kill anyone then it should be me.” 

Of all the things he’d anticipated happening, this was not one of them. To be fair, despite there having been a fight, he felt like they’d resolved things between themselves reasonably well. Elliot still didn’t seem to feel as though he would need Jake but a layer of the awkwardness had disappeared. To him that was progress.

This was definitely not progress. 

He had no time to react as August’s fingers twisted into his hair and yanked his head back before dragging the dagger across his throat. It wasn’t a spray of blood but it was a steady stream of it. He was busy trying to stem the flow of blood as he was shoved to the floor but it streamed through his fingers anyway. Jake didn’t try to say a word, though.

fineblood:

❛ IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG AT ALL FOR AUGUST to notice the marks on jake’s body. he had healed jake after the goblin ambush so he knew they weren’t from goblins, and the fact elliot’s scent was all over the young half-wolf gave much away. once they were all home, he grabbed jake by the back of his neck and jutted him out to elliot, his expression dark with anger. “what did i say about touching what was mine?” he barked, his voice thundering in the room. he leered at elliot, fingers gripping the nape of jake’s neck harder. “what did i say!” he roared, demanding a response.

Elliot had been waiting for that moment when August would finally confront him about what had happened with Jake. He’s already resigned himself to whatever punishment would be dished out, had no excuses for what he’d done. “Never touch what’s yours.” Elliot answered, eyes locked on August, the way he held Jake by his neck. He knew that he was in for it, maybe even worse than what had been done to him when he’d fucked Abel.

He’d never really seen August angry before, so this was new to him. Pure stubbornness was the only reason he didn’t wince when the vampire’s hand clamped down on the back of his neck, nearly tripping over his own feet as he was moved. Holding back a whine when August’s grip tightened, he wasn’t quite sure what to do - he couldn’t just blame Elliot for it given his role but trying to tell August that wasn’t all that appealing. “It was my fault too, Master.” He admitted nervously.

Elliot let himself relax, his body not so sore after Jake’s massage. He opened his eyes and looked at the other when he asked about August’s return making Elliot shrug one shoulder. “When he decides to return. Unless he actually gives an amount of time then he could be gone for a long time or no time at all. But he likely won’t leave us here longer than a day, if he’s not back by then we’ll begin the trip home without him.” Elliot explained. He knew the priority was to return home and escape the goblin attack, so if August hadn’t returned after a day Elliot would lead Jake himself. 

❛ “I’LL BE CLOSE,” AUGUST SAID MORE AS A comment than some way to reassure jake that he wouldn’t be too far. with the goblin threat still fairly close, he couldn’t afford to leave his newest pet alone, or even endanger elliot if his other wolf showed up. he had to look out for his own, then possibly return to the scene if he was called upon. “show me your wounds when you’re done bathing,” he said, eyeing jake quickly. 

Elliot was almost disappointed to have the massage over, but he said nothing, remained laid out on his front as Jake sat opposite him. “He made his choice, nothing we could have done about it. Maybe I’ll see him again, maybe I won’t.” Elliot shrugged. He thought about Abel sometimes, where he might be in the world, what he might be doing but it wasn’t often. He just couldn’t let himself dwell like that. “August seemed to think I need that bond again, I don’t. I guess we’ll see who’s right. All I know is he wants this to work between us, wants us to be brothers. Perhaps we will be.” Elliot shrugged. 

Elliot was curious what had changed August’s mind, but that was a question for the vampire, not Jake as he clearly had no insight. “I wasn’t so grateful when he claimed me. I was intrigued, to be told I would be trained to become an assassin, but I didn’t trust him, didn’t even like him for a while. It took time before I started to think of him as more than just my captor. After that, he was my mentor, now…” It was clear now August was far more to Elliot than anyone else would ever be. “There was another pet before you. He left us, it was hard on me, on us both. Having you here brings up those same fears of abandonment I guess.”

Elliot didn’t mind the long pause of silence as Jake thought about his question, just relaxed and surprisingly enjoyed the massage. When the other finally did speak, Elliot listened. He was surprised to hear August sound so compassionate, that he would have done so much for Jake’s sister and then Jake himself. One girl’s death shouldn’t mean anything to the vampire, nor should her brother and yet here they were. “A very sentimental connection. He doesn’t usually encourage those kinds of attachments.” Elliot commented, only slightly lost in thought himself. He wondered if August would go easy on Jake or if he’d be as hard on him as he had been on Elliot in their early days together.

“Maybe because you hate it so much you can’t shift.” Elliot suggested, it was plausible after all, when he shifted he wanted it, he wanted to be in touch with that side of him, be the beast that so many feared. He considered Jake’s answer for why him, but Elliot still didn’t quite understand, maybe he never would. “I guess we are.” He agreed. August had wanted Elliot to have someone other than him, have something like what he’d had with Abel, but it was hard when the person he’d chosen seemed to Elliot to be so much like him. Abel had been so different, the was no crossover, no reason for jealousy. Elliot had been Abel’s protector, now he was to be Jake’s teacher? “Why did you want August?” He asked, trying to understand Jake’s motivations. 

Elliot didn’t mind the somewhat intimate position Jake had to take when he straddled him, it was just the easiest way for the other to reach his back. He gave a soft sigh as the other pet began to work the tension from his muscles, groaning when a particularly tense spot was pressed. “Sometimes it not enough or maybe you just don’t have it in you. You never wanted to be a wolf though right so what does it matter if you can’t shift?” Elliot replied. At the suggestion that Jake might shift if he or August were ever in danger the red wolf considered that. He didn’t think after how he’d behaved that Jake would still consider him that important. “Why me?” He asked the other.

Elliot set aside the medical supplies back into the small leather pouch he carried them in. August never needed medical attention, they were things Elliot had acquired over time for himself and now Jake as well. He lay down as requested, chin pillowed on his folded arms in front of him. Knowing Jake wasn’t an expert at massages, Elliot wasn’t expecting anything major, but it would still be nice on his aching muscles and joints. “Don’t be afraid to press hard and deep, it’ll hurt but I’ll be better for it.” Elliot instructed. “Fear is a useful trigger, anger, pain, extreme need. They can all trigger a shift. Sometimes your body just knows, like a defense mechanism. Unless you’re truly put in danger I don’t think it’s likely to happen.”

Elliot nodded at Jake’s description. “Yeah, and left long enough it will fill with puss, just get disgusting. I had one infection that nearly killed me. My father didn’t believe in healing his livestock, said it made them stronger or some bullshit.” Elliot shrugged. “Fangs and claws are all some half-wolves will ever master, nothing wrong with that, they’re useful. I’d offer to teach you, but I’m learning myself and I don’t actually know how I’d even attempt to teach you.” He spoke, not sure how to explain the feeling that he needed to harness so as to shift. “Is there anything you’re afraid of?” Elliot asked. He was scared of thunderstorms as amusing as that probably would be to hear, so a thunderstorm would usually trigger his shift. At the offer of a massage he was surprised, given he’d attacked Jake earlier. “Alright.” Elliot agreed.

“Oh, so that’s what that’s called.” Jake said, wrinkling his nose. “They did a lot but they never quite let me die. My punishment was to live.” He would fight the urge to scratch or pick at wounds like he had before. “I guess. I mean the first time I shifted my claws was when I was afraid Laura would be hurt. And when I shifted my fangs I was angry that Laura was dead.” He’d also tried to attack August but it was probably better to leave that part out. “But now... I’m not really sure what that might be.” 

“Infection or you could tear the wound open more if you do something stupid.” Elliot answered. He’d learned the hard way about how a wound you thought would be fine, could take a turn for the worst without proper care. “It’s not something half-wolves can do easily. The first time I ever turned fully was experiencing a trauma, now it takes extreme emotion to trigger a shift, but I’m working on it, on harnessing that side of myself. I’ll never have the smooth transition of a full-blooded wolf, never be as large in size or as strong, but eventually, I might be able to turn at will. It aches like a bitch afterwards though.”

“Always tend to a wound, never think it’s just ‘alright’.” Elliot explained as they sat down and he began to clean each wound properly, applying a small salve Elliot had bought himself from a witch that helped keep away infection. He was happy to work in silence, but he also didn’t mind when Jake asked him a question. “Confusing at first, but your body knows what to do. You lose some rational thought, things become more instinctual. Everything is primal.” He explained as best he could how he’d felt when in wolf form. “Your senses are even better and I’m a good tracker like this, but it really doesn’t compare.”

“Why?” He asked - even though he knew a little about infection. He’d mostly just been left to it after all, and he’d been fine. Of course, there were times he hadn’t been but those were fuzzy. Jake sighed softly - even though August hadn’t seemed to enjoy the idea of a wolf form, and as much as he hated full werewolves, he secretly wanted to be able to shift. “I’ve never - obviously. But I guess I’m still learning a lot of things about that part of me.”