Cold Steel, Warm Hearts

Chapter 6: The Full Moon - Part 2

Time to ask for more time off... Shit, I should've done this sooner...Ted thinks to himself as he walks into work to get changed into his work clothes, knowing full well what is going to happen. I hope I can get the time off. He starts to chant in his head as he makes his way up the stairs to his boss's door. He knew Matthew was a good guy, but he didn't know if he could get the time off. Ted hesitates when he goes to knock on the boss's door when he sees Matthew himself rounding the corner from the break room.

"Ah Ted! Bright and early I see!" Matthew greets the stressed young man in front of his office. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually, yes there is. Would we be able to talk in private?" Ted asks, calming himself as he internally prepares himself to ask.

"Sure Ted, let's head into my office and we can talk." The older of the two said, unlocking his office door. Now, Matthew was a beast of a man, at least to Ted. He stood at least 6'10'', he is a larger set man, and has a large salt and pepper beard, with streaks in his hair to match.

As they sat down, Ted got a good look at all the pictures hanging up around the elder gentleman's office space. Most of them were of what Ted assumed was his grandkids, as well as a lot of bear-related things. Weird, but okay, he wasn't one to judge.

"So, what's going on Ted? Do ya need another map made up?" Matt asks, chuckling to himself as Ted takes a seat across from him. Ted rubs the back of his neck.

"Well, I need some time off." Ted admits, looking right at Matt with no emotions on his face. Matt strokes his beard, pretending to think about it. Ted, meanwhile, starts to sweat a bit, thinking he might not be able to get the time off.

"Well, Ted. This would be the fourth time you requesting time off, and it's always around the same time of month." Matt explains, bringing up Ted's documents to look over. The expression on Ted's face grows to be a mix of embarrassment and panic as he see's what his boss is doing. "And it says here you are a... shapeshifter? Would there be a reason for this?" Matt tasks, adjusting his reading glasses.

Ted clears his throat, trying to think up of a lie to tell his boss to get around this. After a longer than normal pause, Matt sighs, and moves his coffee mug to in front of him. "Is there something you would like to tell me, Ted?" He calmly asks, folding his hands on the desk.

Ted's face drops, lowering his gaze. "Should I go and grab my things?" He asked meekly. Matt grabs the bridge of his nose, letting out another sigh.

"Ted, oh Ted. May I tell you something." He says, taking off his glasses and setting them on the desk.

"Uh, yeah?" Ted questions, thinking he is going to get reemed out for lying on his documentation.

Matthew grabs a picture of a young couple with 2 kids in their arms and hands it to Ted. "This is my only son, with his family. He is my pride and joy, and why I work so hard. Because of him, I've seen what kind of situation you're currently in." He explains as it all goes over Ted's head. He can tell this, and moves the mug closer to Ted. "Ted, what animal is on this mug?" He asks about the mug in question, it's a jungle book mug with Baloo on it, and it says 'The Bear Necessities' on it.

"A... Bear?" Ted asks in return, very confused by all of this. 'Is... is he going to sick bears on me? What the hell have I gotten into??' Ted in a panic thinks to himself.

Matthew lets out a roar of laughter, after a bit, sighs. "Ted, you do know you still have a job, right?" He chuckles out. "Yes, it's a bear. I'm quite particular to them, one may say."

'Does he FUCK BEARS!?' Ted thinks to himself, as nothing is clicking for him. Matt pinches his bridge again, "Ted. Ted are you aware that there is a wide array of were animals? For starters, as you most likely know," Matt started, looking at Ted with a knowing look, "were-canines are tied to the lunar cycle, while were-ursines transform during the winter months to hibernate."

Ted's eyes light up with understanding, as his eyes dart around the office again. "That... makes sense. You would have to be one too. So, you're not mad?" Ted tensely asked, still fearing the loss of his job.

"No Ted, I'm not mad. You're not the only one in hiding, my friend. What day's do you need off again?" Matt reassures, pulling up the work calendar.

"Tomorrow till Thursday. That's all I need." Ted memorizing the days before he came in, blurted out. He was feeling so much more relaxed now, thinking how he wasn't the only were-animal that he knew about now.

"I'll cover you then, but please. In the future, let me know at least a week before hand. I don't mind covering your extra shifts, as I feel you'd do the same for me." Matt plugs in that Ted was approved of time off while telling this to Ted, emphasizing the final part.

Ted nods. "Oh! I would, and I will next time, for sure." He says rapidly, taking a glance at his watch, realizing he was late getting on the floor. "Oh shit, I should've been on the floor already! Thanks again Matt, I need to run though!"

"Of course, Ted, I'll see you down there once I get this paperwork done." Matt waves the eager red-head off as he barrels out of the room and down to the work area. "That boy is something else." Matt says to himself as he starts to change things around so things won't look suspicious.

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Come 3:30pm that day, Ted leaves work after changing and punching out, waving to Matt as he strides out to his car and drives home for the day. When Ted get's home, he lazily takes off his work boots and goes to his room to grab a pair of pj pants then heads straight to the shower, hating the smell of slag that seems to always hang around him.

After a relaxing hot shower, he goes into the kitchen to pull out something quick for dinner, and he decides on sausages. Ted feels like he has gotten all he needs in here, so he heads back up to his room, grabbing some clothing so he can throw a load of laundry on. Once he is finished everything that he can remember to do, he takes his usual spot on the couch and turns on some animal planet to relax after another day of work.

After some hours of relaxing and making dinner, Ted's watch alarm goes off. "Well, time once again." He grumbles to himself as he makes his way up to his room. With a heavy sigh, he opens his bedroom door, revealing what he had already laid out when he was grabbing his laundry: his shock collar and the puzzle-locked box with the keys in it. He straps on his collar, knowing full well that if he somehow broke out of his chains, the collar would at least keep him in his room.

He takes off his clothing that he has on, not wanting to have to go cloths shopping again, and puts the heavy silver alloy chains on. Ted looks around his room to keep his bearings, he knows he has some scuff marks on his lone dresser in his room, the only other things in his room was his bed and the necessity that is his chains. The chains themselves are all interconnected. Each handcuff is double bolted into the ground, then connected with a thick chain that when he wears it, crosses over his chest. He opens the small box, having memorized the puzzle from a young age, to grab the keys within to unlock the chains to put them on.

After about 20 minutes of being chained up, Ted feels the all too familiar burning start in his chest. A low growl emanates from his throat as he feels the fire-like burning spread through his entire body. The sound of breaking bones starts to ring through the room as the monthly forced transformation starts. Luckily for him, since this is a blood curse, he cannot feel his bones breaking and reforming; instead, it's just the burning. The burning and rage that comes with it is all he can feel during the transformation.

Soon enough, the fur starts to spread over his body, starting from his chest out, carpeting his rippling body as his bones find where they are supposed to be. The pain stopped almost as soon as it had started, and what he became was growling husk of his former self. Ted let out a blood-curdling howl, feral instincts are all that remains in his glowing pale yellow eyes as the light of the full moon shines through his window.