Room 213 | Saturday Morning
When Jake woke up that morning, it wasn't because he suddenly realised that he was several inches shorter. It wasn't because he now had long blonde hair and blue eyes. It certainly had nothing to do with how some body parts were missing and he had yet again breasts in return. And it wasn't because his skin was so much paler and his hands were smaller and with perfectly manicured nails.
It was because he was hungry, and not in that growling, empty stomach way. He hadn't felt this hungry since... ever. Not even the hunger after his first transformation compared to it. It was strange how the hunger had changed the smell around him. Or was it even smell? It was red and hot, beating in time with Caroline's heartbeat beside him and he wanted to turn and press himself against her. He wanted to kiss her neck, suck at her skin and sink his teeth in so that hunger would finally go away.
His eyes snapped open and Jake sat up abruptly on the bed. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" That sounded wrong. It felt wrong as long hair fell down to his shoulders and when he glanced down his hands were tiny and pale, and he was pretty sure those breasts weren't his. "The fuck?"
Caroline groaned deeply as she heard complaining beside her. Rubbing her hand over her face, she felt...weirdly normal and relaxed. At least until she touched short, spiky hair and her eyes popped open to peer between her fingers, only to see her own face staring back at her. Another second of thought had her taking in her own physical form, her hands ripping from the hair down to cover her naked and male chest.
"What did you do!" she asked, because clearly she had done nothing to cause this. "Were you wishing you could be like me and now we're stuck in some god-awful freaky Friday mess?" Her giant hands covered her mouth now because that was so not her voice and she was going to freak out here.
At least he didn't need to ask who she was, even if she was wearing his face. It was enough to make him forget about the hunger thing for just a split second.
"How is this my fault?" Oh god, his voice sounded as shrill as she'd be right now if she was herself.
"I don't know!" she cringed, finding her own voice high voice almost painful when it wasn't coming out of her mouth. She got out of bed, a strange tension building in the too-large body as her freakout intensified. Picking up a pair of jeans to pull on, Caroline nearly gagged at the smell. "God, what the hell is wrong with my pants?"
The main issue was that they were made for women. The secondary was that she'd worn them the day before.
"They're too small," he said flatly, not moving from the bed. It was weird watching his own body moving around and hearing his own voice, even if he didn't think he normally sounded quite like that.
The weirdest part, though, was how much he felt drawn towards it and not in some weird self loving, I want to jump my own bones kind of way. Which was a relief if it wasn't for the fact that he was pretty sure he wanted to do some throat biting action. He knew exactly how he was looking right now, the black veins that would be spreading beneath his eyes and the fangs that were pushing against the inside of his lip.
He did the sensible vampire drama thing and jumped off the bed, moving at lightning speed into the bathroom and slamming the door behind him as if it might stop him from being aware of anyone else in the room.
Jesus, was she that dramatic? Caroline threw her pants aside and fumbled in the closet for Jake's bag of clothes, feeling the strangest need to get out and still she was enough of herself to know that leaving meant dressing, even if Jake never seemed to care about that part.
It only took a second, and then she was pulling sweats from a drawer for him in case the whole boobs thing was too much too soon and the reason he was hiding in the bathroom. "Jake, I'm coming in," she announced, pushing the door open and promptly smacking her forehead as she walked into the frame. "Fuck!"
Jake glanced up from where he was sitting on the closed toilet seat.
"You need to duck," he informed her a little too late. She smelled good, way too good and he shook his head to make him concentrate on something else. "And you need to not come closer."
Caroline looked at him much more closely as she rubbed her forehead, taking in the creeping veins under her eyes and it was the worst thing she'd ever seen. "Oh God, the hunger. Oh God, I'm so sorry!" Her guilt was instant and she started moving closer. "Just breathe and tell yourself you don't need it and I'll go grab you some blood and then we'll figure out how to fix this!" Because the last thing Caroline needed was Jake to experience her blood lust and hate her for it.
The instant she stepped closer, Jake jumped up and back as far away as he could. If he hadn't been too busy freaking out, he would have been annoyed at how she was taller than him now.
"I am not drinking blood," he objected, disgusted at the thought even of a part of him thought that actually sounded pretty damn appealing.
"Yeah, I don't think you have an option, sweetie," she told him, finding that his voice saying her words was beyond odd. But still, she slipped out of the bathroom and found his body's speed was almost as good as her own as she rushed to the mini fridge and back in a breath. The blood bag tore with practiced ease and she knew he'd give in, even as the harsh copper scent burned at her nostrils.
It was a wonder to her that he could ever be near her while she drank, the way the blood smell mingled with the sharp sweetness of vampire and turned her stomach. "Come on, I know you want it," she encouraged lamely, half wanting to cry at putting him through her personal issues while the other half of her felt like she was going to burst with anger at the whole situation.
She was right. The instant he smelled the blood (it was strange how his sense of smell was dead to anything but that hunger that seemed to be eating him up inside), he felt his body respond. He should be stronger than this. All the past years training to control himself and it did nothing to stop him now.
In the blink of an eye, he'd moved across the room and snatched the bag from her. He didn't even have the patience to move away, but he turned his back towards her as he sucked the blood from the bag. It was everything that mattered, everything he wanted right now. He should be disgusted, he should be gagging at the coppery taste and the strange texture as the blood was still cold, but he gobbled it down like it was the best thing on earth.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, feeling more awful than she'd thought possible about having to watch herself hunched over a blood bag, making sounds of pleasure as it was sucked dry. She set the dropped clothes on the sink and backed out of the room, letting him deal without having to look at her for a moment.
It wasn't her fault, but he was barely aware of what she was saying. Only when the bag was empty did he feel marginally human again and he plopped back down on the toilet seat as he stared at the empty bag.
He felt awful, gagging a little at the thought of what he'd just done and still there was a part of him that felt hungry. It was beyond him how she did this every day. He tossed the empty bag in the bin and buried his face in his hands as he forced himself to take slow, deep breaths.
It wasn't fair. That was the only thought on Caroline's mind as she paced her bedroom. She didn't notice how few steps it took her to cross the room or how massive her fists looked all clenched in balls at her sides. Those were details that sane people might have recognized and wondered at, but Caroline was a little busy going insane here.
It was one thing for Jake to be aware of her hunger and passingly get that she craved blood even more than food or sex or anything. It was entirely other to know that he was experiencing that hunger and would know exactly what kind of freak he was dating.
He couldn't stay forever in the bathroom. He knew that, but it was damn tempting. Except that he could hear Caroline pacing in the other room and eventually he pushed him to go out and face her.
He recognised that mood all too well and it took a moment before he realised what was going on. "I didn't change for a whole week."
"Huh?" Caroline didn't recognize the meaning behind his words for a moment. "You didn't?" Oh God, they didn't need this. They so didn't need this and she groaned, sinking onto the edge of the bed and shoving her fists into her hair. "I can't do this right now!"
He bit his lower lip and stepped closer. Even with the blood in his system, he still felt that hunger, but it seemed more manageable now and he moved within arm reach so he could thread his fingers through her hair. It usually helped with him so maybe...
"You don't have to, but it makes things... easier. You'll be calmer and more focused afterwards."
It was weird to look up and see her own face frowning down at her. "I want to go back to yesterday," she complained, her voice far less endearing like this and it made her growl a little and jerk away from Jake's touch.
So much for trying the touching route and Jake pulled back, a little grateful to get away from that delicious scent. He moved across the room to find that pack of cookies he'd bought the other day. "You and me both, babe."
"Maybe I should go," she suggested, watching him cross the room. "If I freak out and go all puppy it'd probably be best if I wasn't trapped in the building, right?"
This was the part where she wanted him to offer to come along because she was a little freaked out to burst out of her clothes hulk-style and grow fur and teeth and gnaw on teal deer.
Jake was tearing open the bag of cookies and he glanced across the room at her. "You shouldn't change on your own," he told her. "I mean, you'd be better off in the preserve, but you shouldn't go on your own. What if you can't change back?"
He was so helpful.
"Why wouldn't I be able to change back?" Caroline asked, eyes going wide as she watched him start to stuff his face. God, she did that constantly, didn't she? He probably thought she looked like a cow chewing its cud. "And could you put some clothes on? I give enough free shows on my own without you adding to the mix."
"Oh," he glanced down at himself, absently eating another cookie. It was a nicer view than when he looked like Leah, at least. "Um, what do you want me to wear?"
She might have to repeat her question.
"I gave you clothes. I don't care what you wear so long as you don't ruin anything I like, because I am getting my body back. Jesus, is it hot in here?" Caroline tugged at the neck of the shirt she'd put on, feeling too warm for comfort in the room.
"No," Jake blinked, looking a little surprised at the realisation he'd just had. "It's kind of cold in here, actually."
Which was his cue to head back into the bathroom to grab the clothes she'd left him. "Can I go bra free?"
"Oh my God," she made a little whining noise and shoved her face in her hands. "You're good so long as you're not planning to go for a jog. And why the hell aren't you answering my question? Is this some wolf thing? Am I going to get stuck all furry and smelly and outside for a week and miss spring break?"
Yes, Caroline had priorities.
No bra then. Getting them off was one thing, he didn't want to think about putting one on.
"You're going to be fine," Jake assured her as he tugged on the sweat pants and top. "It's just freaky the first time and disorientating, but you're not going to be alone and as long as you can focus and stay calm, you'll be fine."
"Whatever," she grumbled before suddenly standing and getting back to pacing around. "Ugh, I just feel all trapped in here. Like, this is the tiniest room ever and I need out and why do you stay here? God, I would go insane if I felt like this all the time," she told him crankily.
"Because you give me something to focus on," he replied as he reappeared in the bedroom and he quickly snagged up the box of cookies again. "Can we stop at J,GOB? I'm kind of worried something bad is going to happen if I stop eating."
"There's a giant bag of potato chips on the top shelf of the closet," she sighed, leaning her head against the hall door and hating that she had to deal with him knowing all her personal stuff while she tried to cope with his freaky transformation issues. "It's for emergencies and yes, I was holding out on you Thursday, but you can't complain because I ordered that pizza and you only had to wait half an hour!"
He seriously didn't care about Thursday if it meant he could eat the chips now and Jake grabbed those as well.
"It's fine," he assured her, moving up behind her once he was weaponed with enough food to tide him over until they got to J,GOB. "Okay, should we go then?"
Nope, he wasn't remembering to wear a coat.
"Yeah, okay," Caroline said, appeased that he didn't seem upset with her for hiding food from him. She went back to the closet to find her coat and bag and... "I guess you'll need these. Where's your jacket?" Because she couldn't find anything for the life of her.
"Um.... I've got the leather one at the very back," he blinked at the whole coat thing. "Not that you'll need it, but I guess I do, huh?"
Caroline sighed, not wanting to accidentally destroy his pretty leather jacket even though it felt completely wrong to go outside in February without a coat. At least she had a pair of tennis shoes on, even if they just made her feet feel more massive. "You're gonna freeze in the woods. I don't care what people say about vampires not succumbing to the elements, the elements suck."
"Right," he dropped the food reluctantly and went over to grab that coat she'd just offered. "I'm so not used to layers anymore, but you're kind of all cold."
"Yes, and you're burning hot. There is something seriously wrong with us being together," she decided, reaching out to try and fix her hair for him.
"You look like hell." And it was bothering her. A lot.
"I look fine," he objected, pulling her coat more firmly around him. It was kind of weird to have her fussing like that, but he patiently stood still since it was her reputation here. "Don't make me wear makeup."
"You're so lucky that I don't have that kind of patience right now," she replied, working her fingers through her-his hair until she was satisfied and willing to leave.
He grimaced at her, but it had nothing to do with what she was doing with his hair. "Sorry, the temper kind of comes with the body."
"Oh sure, blame your temper on the body you inhabit. See if you're any more patient as me." Which was probably unlikely the way he was chowing down on food like he hadn't eaten in days when she'd gone through almost her entire two week blood supply in the last week. It was slightly disconcerting, if she was being honest.
"Wait until you see someone trying to come on to me," he replied, moving back to grab the food again. "Come on, let's take you out for a run."
It was so much more funny when it wasn't him turning into the wolf.
"If I had wanted to avoid people coming on to you, I wouldn't have fixed your hair," she replied like a brat. Only now she didn't have any hair to flip over her shoulder as she stalked out of the room...smacking her forehead on the doorway as she went.
That was going to be an issue.
"Please, don't give me brain damage," Jake complained as he stalked after her. "And if you're willing to let anyone come on to me, then you're the most ineffective, alpha werewolf I know."
"Whatever, like your head isn't used to the abuse," she told him, rubbing her skull and trying to shake it off. "Ugh, it actually hurts. This sucks that everything is so small. How did I miss you living like a hunchback?" As she said that, Caroline tried lowering her head to keep a nice distance between any doors they might need to go through.
"It's just a matter of being used to it," Jake said, grabbing a handful of chips from the bag. "You kind of just duck out of default." Which explained why he kept doing it now too. "You're so short."
"I am not short! I am tall for a girl and you're not even wearing heels so don't give me that short bullshit!" Caroline complained, instantly turning to snatch the bag of chips away. Like that would help with her building frustration the way it normally helped with her burning hunger.
"Hey!" Jake protested, looking a little panicked at the disappearance of his food. "I need that. How do you manage to go without eating anyway?"
"I eat constantly," Caroline insisted. "Maybe you just don't notice because you're busy being angry and wanting to go outside." And could the stairs be any farther from her room? She told herself it would be rude to use super speed.
"I'm not constantly angry and waiting to go outside," Jake sighed. "I used to be, but I've gotten a lot better at this. Actually, I've been pretty much in control since we started dating. Not that it's doing me any good right now." He was just going to have to stuff his face some more and he reached out to grab the chips back from her.
"Well, we're still dating, why aren't I all in control?" Caroline asked, giving up her hold on the chips.
"Same reason I went all vamped out earlier," he guessed. It was still weird to think he'd drunk blood and it made him stop chewing on the chips for now.
"This is a mess. But at least it means we get donuts," she said, glancing over at him. "You wanna race down the stairs? See who's faster now?"
"I'm faster... I mean, you are," he frowned. "Whatever."
And then he was racing all the way down the stairs and he might not stop until he'd reached J,GOB.
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