FIc: The Night Before

[csi_sanders1129]

Title: The Night Before
Chapters: 1/1
Author: csi_sanders1129 
Genre: Romance. Angst.
Ratings: K+
Word Count: 1024
Pairings/Characters: TommyMerton
Synopsis: Set during 'Thanks'. Merton's having some doubts about Heidelberg...
Comments: Characters aren't mine. Carrie Underwood's song 'The Night Before (Life Goes On)' which inspired this isn't mine either. Now that that rogue plot bunny is finally written, I can get some sleep. Hope you like. Comments are loved.

-The Night Before-

“Are you gonna miss me?” The whispered question was quiet enough that Tommy would have missed it if it weren’t for his sensitive hearing.

He looked over to the boy sitting beside him. Merton was dressed in a pair of pajama pants and one of Tommy’s old t-shirts, snuggled against his side. “Of course I am, Merton. I haven’t been away from you for more than 24 hours since we started hanging out.” It was hard to believe it had only been a year, it felt like they’d known each other their whole lives.

They sat amongst at least a dozen cardboard boxes, all of which were filled with pieces of Merton’s life. The things that would be going with him when he left for Heidelberg tomorrow.

Merton nodded, shifting closer to the other boy as a movie neither of them was paying too much attention to played on the television screen. “I’m gonna miss you, you know.”

Tommy nuzzled against the Merton’s shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent.

“I don’t want tonight to end…” The elder admitted, as Tommy pressed a feather soft kiss to the side of his neck, sending goose bumps up Merton’s arms and legs. “I wish I was staying here. With you.”

“Don’t talk like that. You’ve wanted to go to Heidelberg forever. I’m not gonna stop you from living your dream.” The football player shook his head, running a hand up and down one of Merton’s arms.

It seemed like just days ago he’d been rescued from Sloane’s evil plan, brought back from the dead by his best friend, who’d been more than willing to trade the werewolf to the side of evil to get him back. They’d gotten together that night, at the Prom. When they realized what they’d been missing this whole time. The two had been pretty much inseparable since. And, in less than twenty-four hours, Merton would be leaving for college. “The summer’s gone by so fast…”

“I know.” Tommy agreed, holding tighter to the one he loved, and the wolf told him that the other boy was taking this harder than he thought. He reached over to wipe away a falling tear, as another hit his arm. “Merton… “

“Life’s not fair!” The elder cursed, as more tears burst forth. “It took me 18 years of hell to find you! And now I have to leave! I have to leave the best friend I’ll ever have, to go study under some lunatic who tried to take you away from me! It’s not fair.”

Tommy rocked the boy in his arms, before pulling him to his feet. “Come on, baby, let’s get out of here…” He whispered, sweeping his mate into his arms, walking outside. “Hold on to me.” The black haired boy did so, as Tommy wolfed out, using the extra speed and strength he gained to carry them through the woods at an inhuman pace.

He wasn’t sure where they should go, so he just ran. If he took Merton back to the Lair this soon, the reality would set in even more at the sight of the packed up items. So, he just kept running, deeper, and deeper into the dense woods.

When he finally stopped, they were on top of a small cliff, overlooking the forest around them. No one was around, just the two of them and the silent, star filled sky above. The moon was nearly full overhead; this would be the first transformation they weren’t together for. This was the moment they’d been dreading all summer long. The night before Merton left, moved on with his life. The night before everything changed.

“I… I really don’t want to go, Tommy.” He whispered, clinging to his lover as they sat on the grass covered peak, the werewolf reverting to his human form as he slid his arms around the heart-broken boy. “What if something happens…? I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you!”

“Shh…” The younger boy let his lips linger over the other’s for a moment before kissing him. The tender gesture was enough to temporarily silence him. “Look at me, Merton. I love you. I’ll still be here when you come home.”

Merton shook his head. “You can’t tell me that for sure!” So many creatures had suddenly appeared in their small hometown, would Tommy be able to fight them without Merton there to help him figure out what they were? Would Tommy still be able to control the wolf at all? “What if-”

Tommy cut him off with another kiss, wrapping his sweatshirt around the older boy, who was shivering in the cool summer night. “No, none of that, okay? I want you to go to Heidelberg, ace all your classes, and come home to me once you’ve shown that creep up. After all, no one else there has a werewolf for a boyfriend, do they?”

For the first time in days, Merton smiled. “I suppose not.”

“So, you’ll go? For me?”

He nodded, head buried in the other boy’s chest. “Yeah, for you.”

“Good.” As hard as this was for him, he imagined it was ten times harder for his lover. He pushed the other boy down, hovering over him, intent on showing him just how much he loved him again before Merton would have to leave. “Do you want to stay here for a little while or go back to the Lair?”

“Stay here.” The elder whispered, knowing their remaining time together was slowly ticking away, he wasn’t about to waste another second of it with something like moving. They could just stay right here, in each other’s arms.

Tommy nodded, pressing a kiss to Merton’s collarbone. “Okay, baby, whatever you want.”

“I don’t want the night to end.” He repeated one of his earlier comments, as they continued exchanging lazy kisses in the moonlight. “Why does it have to end?”

“It doesn’t.” Tommy replied. “We’ll stay here as long as you want. We don’t have to go anywhere until you’re ready to.”

They’ve been dreading this moment all summer long…

The night before life goes on.