Despite his best efforts, Thorne finds that on most weekends, he’s stuck in the manor. Today specifically, he’s stuck sitting in their dimly lit living room, listening to his grandmother’s musings and his sister’s raucous laughter. His mother had gone out earlier with his father to do God knows what, considering that today was one of those unseasonably warm days.

The only thing that was making this bearable was that Virgil happened to be gone as well.

Although Thorne can only feel anxious knowing that Virgil isn’t stuck here with him.

“You know, Alice,” Thorne’s grandmother begins. “I’m starting to tire of pig’s blood and the like. Would you go hunting with me tonight?”

“Of course I will. Oh, it’s always a joy to watch a master at work.”

“You’re much too kind, sweetheart,” she chuckles. “Thorne, would you like to come?”

Thorne eyes his grandmother carefully, not missing the wicked smile on her lips.

So, that’s where Virgil had gotten his from. That same mocking smile that made Thorne’s blood start to boil.

“No, I’d rather not,” Thorne says through gritted teeth. “Not in the slightest.”

“Come now. It’ll be a nice experience for you. Why I’m sure it’ll help curb those budding cravings of yours. It isn’t a healthy practice, Thorne.”

“Thorne’s having cravings?!” Alice exclaims.

“I am not!” Thorne shouts, getting up from the couch. “I am fine! I’m healthy and I’m certainly--”

BZZZT!

BZZZT!

Thorne glances down at the coffee table, watching as his phone vibrates violently against the glass surface. He feels a cold sweat go down his neck as he notices the strange looks his grandmother and Alice’s faces.

Before either of them can peek at the screen, Thorne snatches his phone off of the table, disappearing down the hall. He glances at the screen carefully, feeling strangely relieved and terrified when he sees Jordan’s name flashing across the screen.

They hadn’t exactly talked ever since that day in the library. Jordan ended up wanting some space afterward and Thorne figured it would probably be for the best. Even now, the emotions felt too raw.

Thorne couldn’t be more unsure of the next step. He doesn’t know whether he should keep pushing or open his arms and let Jordan even further in.

Both were dangerous in their own way.

“Hello?” Thorne answers timidly.

“Hey. I was...I’m kind of bored.”

“Bored? You?”

“Well, yeah,” Jordan admits, and Thorne hears him take a deep breath.

“Something on your mind?”

“...do you want to go out somewhere?”

Thorne blinks.

“Like, right now?” he asks, peeking around the corner. It had grown quiet in the other room.

“I mean, if you're busy--”

“I-I’m not busy at all!” Thorne blurts, starting to sink against the wall. “I’m...actually kind of happy.”

“Happy?”

“It’s nothing. Where do you want to go?”

“Oh. There’s this little cafe I like Downtown called Cassandra’s. I-I know you don’t really like being out like this, but I was hoping we could just...talk,” Jordan admits shyly. “Face-to-face.”

Little did Jordan know that Thorne would rather be anywhere than here right now.

“Sure. If that’s what you want, I’ll certainly be there. You said Cassandra’s?”

“Y-Yeah. Um…”

“Something wrong?”

A pause.

“N-NO! Nothing’s wrong!” Jordan yells, suddenly sounding nervous.“I text you the address just in case! BYE!”

Jordan hangs up so fast that Thorne glances to make sure his friend actually managed to press ‘End Call’.

While Thorne isn’t exactly sure what’s got Jordan all skittish all of a sudden, he’s happy that he bothered to get dressed this morning.

Thorne approaches the front door gingerly, trying to avoid the curious gazes of the two women on the couch. He feels like his every move is being analyzed as Thorne preps his bag and starts tugging on his boots. It’s only when he reaches for his parasol that Alice clears her throat.

“Where are you going?” she asks, looking him up and down.

“Out. Don’t worry about it.”

“All of a sudden? That’s odd, even for you.”

“Whatever,” Thorne groans, fiddling with his gloves.

“Don’t tell me...you actually associate with those humans?” his grandmother gasps.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just that I prefer being anywhere that’s not but this dusty, old, decrepit place with you two of all people.”

“YOU--”

“I’m leaving.”

---

Thorne doesn’t go Downtown often. It was already a ways from the manor and while Thorne would’ve driven, surprisingly both of his parent’s cars weren’t in the driveway.

Which forced Thorne to walk to the nearest bus stop at the edge of the woods.

It isn’t always a pleasant walk, considering that Thorne happens to get a whiff of a wolf from time to time. It’s more of an inconvenience than anything else.

When the bus does eventually reach the Downtown area, he’s surprised to see Jordan sitting on the bench right next to the stop, his nose buried in the new book they had just been assigned in class.

It was Romeo and Juliet of all things.

Not that Thorne has anything against the text, but he did find it to be a boring read. Nothing about it really grabbed him. Then again, the first time Thorne had even heard the story was when he was only seven years old and his mother thought it would make a decent bedtime story.

They were right. It put him to sleep every time.

“You really are interested in that one, huh?” Thorne says, his voice catching Jordan by surprise.

“Oh! M-Maybe just a little. I guess I’m trying to make sense of a couple parts.”

“Like?”

“...why doesn’t Juliet at least consider marrying Paris?”

“Who?”

“Dammit, Thorne, have you even started reading the play yet?” Jordan sighs. “He’s this rich suitor that wants to marry her and while I might be overthinking this, it feels like both Romeo and Juliet are responsible for their terrible end. I mean...this could’ve all been avoided if Romeo just stayed in his lane and Juliet went on to marry Paris later in life. In fact, maybe it’s all Romeo’s fault!”

“You really have given this some thought,” Thorne notes, slightly intrigued. “...but isn’t Juliet like twelve?”

“Thirteen...which isn’t much better, to be honest,” he laughs nervously. “I mean, love at first sight is a little silly, isn’t it? Everyone knows that stuff like that only happens in fairytales...or ends horribly wrong.”

“You're probably right. Although, I don't exactly know what I should say to a guy who decided to try and analyze Shakespearean text of all things. It's not like we knew what the guy was thinking.”

“I know. I know. I thought I'd at least give it a shot,” Jordan mumbles, standing to his feet. “Anyway, let's get moving. They have a different special every day and I'm kind of excited to see what it is.”

“Alright. I'm coming.”

Thorne gets up from the bench with a soft smile, carefully opening up his parasol. He notices Jordan stare at the soft lace on the edges before his best friend starts down the sidewalk, Thorne following closely behind him.

“I know I’ve asked before, but aren’t you hot?” Jordan asks. “It must be tiring having to be covered up all the time since your skin is so sensitive.”

“Not really. I’ve just gotten used to wearing turtlenecks and cargo pants. It’s actually a comfortable look.”

“Well, as long as your comfortable,” he smiles. “I kind of wish I knew what kind of clothes worked for me. I mean, my style isn’t consistent at all and I kind of feel bad whenever Luca lets me borrow some of his clothes. I don’t think they’ll look good on me.”

“You won’t know unless you actually try them on. Who knows...it might suit you.”

“Are you being serious right now or are you trying to tease me?”

“I’m actually being serious,” Thorne says, trying to maintain a deadpan expression. “You’d probably look great in a crop top. In fact, we should get matching ones.”

“Pfft! Stop! I can’t take you seriously with that face!”

“What face?” Thorne tilts his head, his lips starting to twitch. “This is my normal, everyday face.”

Jordan simply shakes his head, refusing to look at Thorne’s face. Even then, Thorne can see him fighting back his laughter.

“Good to have you back, dear,” Jordan says, playfully.

“Of course, honey.”

The smile that Jordan gives him is blinding, to the point where Thorne can see the tiny dimples on his face. Thorne didn’t see them often and Jordan had a habit of covering his face whenever he laughed or smiled. To see the pure elation on his face is soothing for Thorne. Honestly, Thorne can’t help smiling himself.

---

“I’m worried about him, mother,” Mathilda sighs, taking a long sip from her coffee. “I’m really starting to wonder if I made a mistake raising him differently than Alice and Raymond.”

“Well, I always figured Thorne would be different but I never thought it would be to this extent,” his grandmother comments. “He has so much potential and yet it’s gone to waste. There’s no benefit of having him live amongst humans.”

“And yet he can’t imagine not being around them. I...I feel like he met someone.”

“Someone that makes him want to cling to this false sense of humanity? They must be pretty special considering he left the manor in such a hurry this morning. I don’t know who this human is, but I don’t like them. It feels as if they’ve done nothing but encourage Thorne to be secretive, spiteful, and reject the rest of us! Mathilda, it’s loathsome!” she exclaims, her grip tight on her own cup. “You can’t intend for this to continue, do you?!”

Mathilda bites her lip, her eyes trained on the simmering brew in front of her. She knew Thorne could be stubborn at times and he had his own wishes, but she couldn’t help but wonder if her mother-in-law’s words had some truth to them. It happened over time, sure, but she does recall Thorne being more open in the past. He was more agreeable and perhaps more accepting of himself.

Yet, that all seemed to change rather instantaneously.

She wishes she could’ve had witnessed what transpired. All she remembers is that Virgil and Thorne came home together. Virgil was visibly bloody but it was clear that the blood didn’t belong to him. A splatter of blood was on Thorne’s clothes as well, his eyes swollen and red from crying.

Neither of them told her what happened and the times Mathilda did ask Thorne, he’d tense up and his eyes would fill with such guilt that she’d regret asking him at all.

The damage was still visible. Even when Thorne and Virgil start fighting with one another, she can tell that Thorne is terrified with every encounter.

“You know what?” Thorne’s grandmother begins. “Perhaps we should enlist The Council’s help.”

“W-What for?”

“Surely you agree that Throne being around humans is quite dangerous. He’s a threat to them and his abstinence makes things worse. We’ve done well to conceal ourselves within the population, so much so that the Hunters haven’t been able to get a whiff of us in years. Thorne threatens that, whether he’s aware of that fact or not. Taking matters into our own hands is for the best.”

“Mother...I don’t know if I should.”

“Mathilda, you will be doing Thorne a kindness. Not only will you be protecting us...you will be protecting Thorne from himself. Doesn’t every mother only desire the safety of their children? Their happiness and preservation?” she asks, taking Mathilda’s hand.

“Yes...Yes, that’s all I could ever want! But--”

“Believe me, my dear. Thorne can only thank you in the end.”