#so even THIS piece isnt what was originally intended from my initial deviation from the thought LMFAO

[lost-at-hacketts-quarry]

"The Bark Is Worse Than The Bite" (Furblyg Angst)

[Nick's hanging with Abi at his house and all of a sudden she goes pale and shies away from him.] Nick: "Hey, your demeanor changed. What's wrong?" And that's when he feels it. Them. The all-too-familiar, ugly teeth of those awful creatures infiltrated his mouth yet again. Tearing into his leg wasn't enough for them the first time, and now they continuously invade and slowly make what's his theirs during these monthly "events". Nick: "Sorry...it was careless to try to see you today. You should go before it gets worse. It's not even sunset yet though, so I don't get why this is happening now...you shouldn't see me like-" Abi, quietly but assertive: "Like what, Nick? This is nothing new to me- to us. It's almost been a year. Plus..." Nick: "Plus what...?" Abi: "...plus your eyes have been yellow for awhile, the teeth are just what caught me off guard." Nick instinctively reached up to touch his face as if that would confirm his fears. Claws, that he didn't know were there, ever so slightly grazed his cheeks, causing him to recoil in disgust.

Nick, now frantic: "Abi...how have you managed to stay here this long with me? For Christ's sake, how are you even ok with being next to me right now? I did notice you gradually move away though, and I really can't blame you. But why didn't you tell me sooner...? You shouldn't be here, and it has to be getting worse- I literally didn't even realize I had already-" Abi, doing her best to pacify Nick's and her own distrust: "Well, your eyes still hold some of you. Yes, they're no longer the comforting and safe brown-almost-black I find myself staring at for far too long, but I can still somewhat see that kindness- your kindness- in them, even now. But..." Nick, skeptical: "But...?" Abi, gradually losing any confidence she had: "Your mouth- your words- aren't as kind as your eyes when you're...'here but not here', so any change there reminds me of that night. Your teeth are sharp and scary and that awful, searing pain arises every time I see them again. What you said at the pool house hurt worse than being thrown, to be brutally honest. And like...you're still you right now, but I...I don't want to be hurt again like that, Nick." Nick, somber: "...I think one of the most fucked up parts of this whole "condition" is that I don't even really remember that night. Or the month's that followed. Or the next one's. And I'm not going to remember whatever happens tonight, either. The cruelest part, though, is that you have to."

The two of them are quiet for a few minutes before Nick finally speaks up.

Nick: "Sometimes...I wonder which of us is really cursed. I'm sorry, Abi."