“No, I just got up and I was doing a bit of reading…” Nathan said. “What's up?”
“Well, um, I volunteered to serve breakfast this morning, but when I didn't see you at breakfast, I figured you might still want it and I brought some for you,” Pierce said holding up the plate of pancakes and sausage. “Being a werewolf must drain a lot of energy and I remembered you ate a lot of meat when we first saw each other here, and, I'm sorry, I'm rambling…”
“Don't worry about it,” Nathan said opening the door more. “Thanks for the food… I really am pretty hungry. Do you want to come in?”
“Uh, if that's alright,” Pierce said stepping in and handing over the plate. “So you live here on nights when you turn into a werewolf, is that correct?”
“Yeah, the cycle started about a week ago…” Nathan rubbed the back of his neck. “At the end of the cycle though, I'll be here anyway on bed rest…”
“Oh, really? That seems a little soon,” Pierce said. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah. I'm pregnant,” Nathan half joked. “But, seriously, just the fact that I have a womb but no vagina makes it a very high risk pregnancy.”
“Wow. That's um… That's a lot of information,” Pierce said blushing. “So then, I'm sure you'd like to spend the rest of your morning resting then?”
“Well, I wanted to use the day to write out my usual schedule with the students for the substitute…” Nathan said going over to the bed. “Actually, while you're here, could you grab my laptop from my bag over there? I'm not great at bending over anymore…”
“Oh, sure!” Pierce grabbed Nathan's bag off the floor, brought it over and took out the laptop. “I'm, um… I'm actually going to be taking over your class for the year.”
“You? Really? But who will be vice principal?” Nathan asked.
“Well, I'll still be VP but Ms. Liu will be absorbing some of my afternoon duties,” Pierce said. “We're a team. We'll make it work.”
Nathan blanched. “You weren't able to find anyone else? Are you sure this will work?”
Pierce put up his hands. “Nathan, calm down. It's going to be just fine. We have it covered. In fact, I'm not used to being a VP. It'll be refreshing to be back in the classroom again.”
Nathan rubbed his head. “Jesus, Pierce… Why do you work so hard? Just thinking about you being a VP and a teacher and volunteering here… I'd go into cardiac arrest.”
Pierce chuckled. “But I love it. And if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.”
“As nice as that sounds, it's still work and a man can only work so hard before…expiring,” Nathan stated. “If anyone needs to rest, it sounds like it should be you.”
“Naw… Don't worry about it,” Pierce said. “I take breaks… Like visiting you today.”
Nathan raised an eyebrow. “You're serving me food and you're still in your apron.”
“But I'm supposed to be doing dishes,” Pierce said. “So it is a break.”
“Uh huh…” Nathan started eating some pancakes. “These are pretty good…”
“Yeah, the chefs really don't skimp on quality,” Pierce said. “They say the chef has like super taste buds so he can tell if there's even the slightest thing off with the food. Sometimes though he takes too long trying to perfect the recipes.”
Nathan chuckled in response and ate a bit more. “…I guess it's better you cover my class than a stranger since you already know the kids.”
Pierce nodded. “I already know the routine and whose got allergies and which kids can't sit together.”
Nathan smiled. “I'm going to miss the kids… I've never been with a more special group. All those kids know what it's like to be different and they work so well together because they're just so keen to learn about each other.”
“What better staff to teach them than a bunch of people doing the exact same thing?” Pierce pointed out. “I love the group we have. I feel like most of us can consider each other friends. I've never been on a faculty so ready to have each other's back.”
“That's true… Nari, Dax and you have been the most help to me. I feel like I can trust you guys… Frankly when I first was contacted by APID I thought it was a joke,” Nathan said chuckling. He had to hold his side though as laughter jostled his stomach too much. “And then when I saw my first alien, I believed them but then I was still very distrustful… It took me a while to warm up to my case workers but it's the people that really make you feel at home.”
“Yeah, I get that… I mean, I remember when my mother told me I'd be summering at a facility in Canada,” Pierce said. “I was so scared and it was the first time I'd ever been away from her for so long. But they made me feel at home here so I can't appreciate it more.”
Nathan smiled and looked down at the plate of pancakes. “Well, I shouldn't keep you from your duties. I'll bring back the plate when I'm done.”
“Well, I mean my shift's pretty much over, so I can wait… That way you don't have to go the way,” Pierce offered.
“Do you want to watch a movie with me then?” Nathan asked.
Pierce blinked. “Really? Sure. I'd love to.”
Nathan patted the bed beside him and pulled up Netflix on his laptop and picked a film. Pierce sat down and slid up against the back of the bed. He sat quietly most of the movie, so Nathan figured he was pretty focused on the plot so he didn’t bother him while he finished his plate. With so much sitting however, it wasn't long before the twins started rolling about and he felt queasy. He rubbed his stomach gently trying to calm them down but it only seemed to excite them more.
“Are they… Are they moving?” Pierce asked.
“Yeah..” Nathan groaned. “I’m supposed to like it I think but at the same time, they just make me feel sick… The doc says it’s because one is pushed up against my actual stomach so when they move, it literally upsets my stomach…”
“Oh, that really sucks…” Pierce said. “Does anything help to settle them?”
“Yeah, walking around and stuff but I need sit down solutions…” Nathan said. “I just try rubbing which sometimes works, sometimes makes it worse, like now…”
“Well, could I try?” Pierce asked. “I want to help.”
“Uh, sure…” Nathan slipped up his shirt, exposing his belly. He motioned over his stomach. “One’s lying like this… The other’s underneath them right now. At least, I think that’s how it feels… Last appointment, this was their general position.”
“Okay…” Pierce reached out a hand and lightly placed it on Nathan’s stomach. He started moving it around, but he didn’t really keep the pressure even.
Nathan started giggling a bit. “Pierce… Oh my god, that tickles… That’s…not helping…”
Pierce pulled his hand away. “Ah! I’m sorry!”
“You’re nervous,” Nathan said. “Why are you nervous? You’ve touched my stomach before.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t moving before,” Pierce said. “I just…it’s strange on my hand when it moves…”
“Wow. You baby…” Nathan took Pierce’s hand and placed it right where he was feeling the most movement. “Do you feel that?”
Pierce held his breath as he felt something inside press against his hand. “That’s crazy… That’s inside you.”
“Yeah, it's wild,” Nathan said. He looked at Pierce and squinted a bit. “I've been curious for a bit… How old are you?”
“Me? Twenty-nine.”
“Oh. Okay, I was starting to wonder if you were younger than me,” Nathan said. “But you're still pretty young for a VP.”
“Yeah, I feel that,” Pierce said. “It makes it harder for parents to take me seriously I think… But I do my best.” He took his hand away. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven,” Nathan said. “So in adult terms, we're about the same age.”
“Yeah, that's cool. How old did you think I was?” Pierce asked.
“Honestly, I don't know,” Nathan said. “Because it didn’t feel like you could be younger than me because of the VP thing, but then you sort of act a bit younger than the rest of us… Not like in maturity, but you get more excited about things than anyone else I'd say.”
“What's not to be excited about?” Pierce asked. “With the people we work with, and the kids, every day holds new surprises and I can't wait.”
“Well… I admire your positivity…” Nathan said. “But for me, I think I'm just a little more scared of what's going to happen next.”
“Well… Maybe, you could use an extra hand,” Pierce said, his own hand sliding onto Nathan’s shoulder. “It’s just not easy to do these things alone.”
“Yeah… The doc thinks I should try dating,” Nathan sighed. “But I just… I feel like my emotions are really…complicated with all these hormones. Not to mention, he also told me that being a werewolf gives off these pheromones that, like, makes people attracted to me, so I'd hate to think that someone only likes me just because I'm a werewolf. And I don't feel attractive right now…”
“Well… I mean you are attractive,” Pierce stated. “…I, uh… Well, I just feel like people are smarter than pheromones. Like sure, it maybe makes them a little more attracted to you, but then they still have the ability to think about what they actually like about you, like your smile and your work ethic and your tenacity…”
Nathan huffed. “Thanks, but, if I'm to believe the father of these kids, it was pure pheromones that got me pregnant because we absolutely hated each other.”
“Really?” Pierce blinked. “So did he leave you alone like this?”
Nathan waggled his head back and forth. “In a way… He's dead.”
“Dead?” Pierce inhaled. “What happened?”
“Capital punishment happened.”
“Here?!”
“Texas,” Nathan sighed.
“Jesus… So like…do you like bad boys or something?” Pierce asked.
“No. I told you we hated each other,” Nathan said. “But he's also like a were-person as well, and according to him, I was in heat and he couldn't control his bear with those kinds of pheromones about so I'm supposed to believe him… I don't know, it seems stupid to me. I shouldn't even be telling my VP this… God, I'm so stupid.”
“No, it's okay,” Pierce said. “I don't think you're stupid. Things happen and sometimes we don't have control over it. You're a nice guy and anyone would be lucky to be with you.”
Nathan smiled and rested his head on Pierce's shoulder. “Geez, you're so positive. How are you single?”
“Aha, I'm not all that…” Pierce said. “No one would ever want me…”
“What? Why would you think that?” Nathan asked.
“Well, I mean look at me,” Pierce said. “They'd probably be scared I'd bite them or something…”
“So… You've never been with anyone?” Nathan asked. “Ever?”
Pierce shook his head. “…No. Never.”
“So you've never…”
“I haven't even kissed another person before.”
“Pierce… I mean, I'm surprised, but I hope you don't think you don't deserve it,” Nathan said.
Pierce was silent.
“Oh, no. Come on,” Nathan said, sitting up straight again. “You have so much to offer. You're handsome, fun, very hard working, and basically the nicest person. If you're really worried about your teeth, trust me, there are people who are into that.”
Pierce blushed and rubbed his neck. “Thanks, Nathan… I mean, it's not really just my teeth… I don't think I let myself get close to people because…I don't know, I'm worried I won't be able to…perform like I should.”
“Why's that?” Nathan asked.
“Well, um… It's complicated,” Pierce explained. “I just…don't think I want sex as much as normal people… It kind of scares me and I just feel like whoever I date will have desires I can't keep up with.”
“What if you date someone like you?” Nathan offered. “There are other people who feel the same way.”
“But, at the same time, I just don’t know what I like yet,” Pierce said. “Because I haven't tried it yet…”
“That's true,” Nathan said. “But it sounds like you won't be happy unless you find an emotional connection with someone first. So look for that. Worry about the sex stuff later. Someone who really loves you will understand.”
“Yeah… I suppose you're right,” Pierce said. “I just need the right person.”
“Same,” Nathan sighed. “But right now, I feel like I can only concentrate on baking these buns to completion.” He rubbed his stomach caringly. “What a mess they're coming into… But I'm doing my best.”
“Yeah, you are. Keep it up.” Pierce picked up Nathan's plate. “So, uh, I'm gonna run this back. I have to start prepping for lunch.”
“Alright,” Nathan nodded. “Thank you for that again. Very good breakfast. I haven't had someone bring me breakfast in bed in a long time.”
“Well, you deserve it,” Pierce said heading to the door. “See you.”
“Bye.”
