Lunatic (Phinny/Taka)

Alfred was in trouble. Huge trouble.
How could he have mixed up the dates?! Sure, he was new to this whole werewolf thing — heck, he'd only been bitten three months ago — but the full moon wasn't something to play around with! It was one thing he was always careful about; he set up a reminder on his phone weeks in advance, wrote the day of the next full moon on the little magnetic whiteboard in his locker every month, and even scribbled a reminder to himself the day before in marker. I must have misread the stupid webpage... that was a one, not a seven! He mentally cursed himself out for not figuring it out sooner — his already-heightened senses had been acting up even more than usual that day, but he'd shrugged it off as nothing to worry about. I really am an idiot sometimes....
Still, it could have turned out a lot worse. He wouldn't have known at all if Arthur hadn't idly mentioned it while they were studying at the other boy's house. Unfortunately, that meant that he was stuck in Arthur's house with sunset and moonrise way too close for comfort. He needed to get out of there, now.
"Uh... hey, Artie," he tried with a nervous laugh. "I, um, I think I'm getting it now, so can I go...? I'm really sorry, but there's something I've gotta go do tonight."

Arthur frowned upon hearing Alfred's statement. He wants to go already? the green-eyed teen thought, quickly shoving aside the disappointment bubbling on his chest.
Lately, Alfred had been quite... distant to him. Before, they studied together, even did sleepovers to help each other with their weak subjects. But now, Alfred had been a bit evasive. Though it only happened a few times. Still, he couldn't help but be a bit sensitive about it.
The Brit stared at Alfred's face, noticing the nervous expression. He wanted to ask him where he was supposed to be going. He wanted to ask what Alfred was up to lately. But he held his tongue and sighed, "I hope you can still do your Literature homework."

Alfred laughed again, trying not to panic as he glanced out of the window out of the corner of his eye. Crap, I've gotta hurry! He winced at the mention of his Literature homework — that stuff could have been French or Ancient Egyptian for all he understood things like 'metaphor' and 'personification' and 'pathetic fallacy' without Arthur's help, and they'd barely even started. Not to mention I'm not even going to be able to write tonight... guess I'll have to try and slap something together at lunch.

"Hah, yeah, sure thing! I totally get, uh... well, everything we talked about! Shakespeare's a breeze with your help!" He packed up his things as quickly as he could, internally screaming at himself to get out of there right now — the sun was almost down and the moon could only be a few minutes behind, if he was lucky. "Sorry about this, I know we planned to stay later, but, um, I kind of messed up some dates... things to do, you know. Anyway, I'll see you in school tomorrow, 'kay?" He clapped Arthur on the back (maybe a little too hard... hey, it wasn't his fault he wasn't completely used to this weird strength thing yet!) and headed for the door, hoping Arthur hadn't seen how anxious he was to get out of there.

"Ah, damn it, don't hit too hard!" Arthur exclaimed to the retreating Alfred, seeing only his back as he exited his door. One hand reached up to rub his now aching shoulder. Alfred's playful hits had become more painful lately, he thought, wincing. And Arthur couldn't even reach the part where it stung the most.

The green-eyed boy sighed as he heard the loud bang of his door. What was Alfred doing lately? He was very eager to leave. It was as if he had a date with someone. Arthur huffed at the thought. Alfred? Alfred, the stupid, handsome idiot who needed Arthur to help him with his studies, had a date? Arthur was very keen on the incredulity of the thought that he didn't notice what he had just described Alfred on his mind.

It couldn't be, though. Alfred was supposed to tell him if he was to date someone. They had an agreement before. But then... Alfred was more blessed with good looks than him, so it could be true. That the git was... was seeing someone.

Arthur didn't understand why he felt gloomy all of the sudden. His hand, by reflex, sought for the emerald pendant on his chest. It had been a habit of his to feel the pendant his grandmother gave him years ago whenever he felt sad or angry. It had a soothing effect on him.

The Briton walked slowly towards his table, where his unfinished homework lay and sat on the chair, staring at his elegant writing but couldn't comprehend a word. He sighed, and looked outside his window, and was a bit surprised to see that the sun had finally set. 'I haven't realized it's dark already,' he mused.

"Sorry!" Alfred yelled over his shoulder, rushing out of the door and putting on the speed as soon as the door slammed behind him. At least there were some advantages to this whole werewolf thing — like the crazy strength and speed, for example — but he'd done just fine without those before, and honestly, would rather have given them up in exchange for getting a normal life back. Thank God for rich parents who barely ever see me, he thought grimly, tearing up the stairs to his house and rushing for the backyard. They hadn't been home when he'd transformed the first time (again, thank God), and hadn't even protested when he'd asked if he could live on his own. Normally, Alfred was a bit embarrassed by the fact that his parents threw around money like there was no tomorrow to the point of buying him his own house, but it sure as heck came in handy on nights like this.

He ripped off his shirt as he booked it through the house, his dog racing out of his way with a whimper. He'd gotten Rocket in part because he'd always wanted a dog (the stupid nanny had never let him get one) and in part to disguise any noises that came from his backyard every full moon. He always felt bad for the poor guy, though — on the day of, Rocket would cower and stay away until he was gone. 'Cause I smell like predator.

He made it outside just as the full moon rose above the horizon; he collapsed on the ground onto all fours, his body starting to change and transform as the silver light shone above. Damn it, there goes another pair of pants, was his last coherent thought before his muscles shifted and moved of their own accord, bones cracking and fur growing rapidly. He raised his head and howled, the sound piercing through the night as Alfred, now a tan-coloured wolf, shook off the last torn shreds of his jeans and ran around the yard at top speed.

His wolf instincts took over in this form, human mind still present and struggling to assert itself but shoved aside until he had worked enough of it out of his system to gain dominance over the wolf instincts again. Once he had thoroughly exhausted himself, he shook his head, trotting over to the porch and nosing at the alarm clock he'd set up there to make sure it was set. Man, I'm going to be bushed tomorrow... why can't the full moon always be on a Friday or something? Still, he couldn't sleep yet; the full moon was better than fourteen cappuccinos and a Red Bull for the amount of energy that flooded through his veins whenever he so much as looked at it.

Alfred chased his tail for a while, then fiercely attacked some of the dog toys he'd thought to set out for himself (and Rocket), finally collapsing in the wee hours of the morning. It seemed like only minutes later that he awoke to the sound of the alarm, outside on the grass (and completely naked). Alfred groaned, already dead tired, and slowly dragged himself inside to get ready for school. I don't even want to think about how that's gonna work in the winter....