The Next Day (A Classmate in Need) (Patreon)

Some people were curious about how Lindsay's werewolf stuff works, so rather than write out a bunch of lore I made a little dialogue scene to explain it. This is set the day after the main comic, and before the follow up images I drew.

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“So... Werewolf huh?”

Lindsay’s cheeks reddened slightly, and she turned to look intently at a tree across the quad. “Yeah, basically.”

Antonio scratched at the bandage on his neck. “Basically?”

“There’s different kinds. Proper old-school Germanic werewolves are their own thing, along with a bunch of others. Ones like me are pretty rare.”

The wooden bench they sat on wasn’t doing Antonio’s bruises any favors. He stifled a wince as he adjusted his position.

“Okay so, is it like the movies? Silver bullets, spreading via bite, all that?”

“No, not for me.” A look of alarm crossed her face. “Oh, shit, no. You weren’t in danger of catching what I have. I wouldn’t have come to you if there was any risk of... I mean, technically it’s possible to spread, but not without a whole ritual. No, my thing is usually passed on the old fashioned way. You know...” she paused, then waved a frustrated hand. “Parent to kid. Hereditary.”

Antonio nodded, expression thoughtful. “Gotcha. That’s… good. Not that I don’t think your whole situation is, like-”

“No, it’s fine, I totally-”

“It just seems kinda dangerous, with the whole losing control thing, and-”

“Yeah… yeah.” Lindsay nodded, still avoiding eye contact. “There are upsides too for sure, but it’s definitely not something I would just spring on someone.”

They sat quietly for a moment. Across the grass, other grad students were tossing a frisbee. Antonio glanced over at Lindsay, but she hadn’t shown any unusual reaction to the flying disc. Probably shouldn’t ask.

He coughed. “So um, how does it work then?”

Lindsay blew out a long breath. “I think you got the gist of it. I have this… bestial force inside me. It’s connected with a lot of powerful instincts. As you saw, for my bloodline it’s particularly tied to sexuality.”

Antonio fought back a nervous laugh. “Mhmm.”

“I can tap into it willingly, and I can usually keep some level of control. But the closer the moon is to full, the harder it is to hold on to. And on the night of the full moon…”

She folded her arms over her stomach and leaned forward, eyes downcast. “I lose control every time. Most werewolves can master it, once they’re mature. But not me.”

Antonio wasn’t sure what to do. He hesitated, then placed a hand on Lindsay’s shoulder. She flinched slightly in surprise, but didn’t pull away. He gave what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey, I’m sure you’ll get it.”

Lindsay shook her head. “I don’t know. However this stuff gets passed down, I got a really strong dose of it. When I shift, I’m a lot bigger than anyone else in my family. Stronger too, more violent. They knew to keep me isolated when my abilities started to manifest, thank god. But I’ve had some really close calls.”

She turned, and they locked eyes. Antonio could see the tears there.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Oh, Lindsay. Hey, it’s okay.” He pulled her into a hug, and she buried her face into the hollow of his neck, sniffling. For a moment she kept her hands over her stomach, but then she slid them around his torso. Antonio couldn’t help but breathe in sharply when she squeezed his bruised ribs.

“Fuck, sorry. Sorry,” she stammered, pulling away.

“No, it’s okay! You’re fine,” he assured her as she shrank back. “Look, I can tell you’re dealing with a lot of mixed emotions about last night. But I just want you to know, that was probably the single hottest experience I have ever had. In my life.”

She looked at him incredulously. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“I almost fucking killed you!”

“Yes.”

Lindsay covered her face in her hands. “So what, are big furry monsters like… your fetish?”

Antonio grinned broadly.

Lindsay leaned back, hands failing to conceal the deep blush on her face. She breathed deep, then let it out in a long exasperated groan. After a moment, she spoke.

“Look. Last night was… it was really good. For me too, I mean. And you honestly saved me from going on a rampage and probably hurting a lot of people. I really, really appreciate it.”

“Any time. Seriously.”

Lindsay shot him a look. “Dude. What I’m trying to say is, I can’t put you in danger like that again.”

“Well hang on,” Antonio started.

“Just-” Lindsay raised a hand to his mouth. “Just listen. Next full moon night, I’m isolating myself in the woods. Not up for debate. But…”

Her hand trailed down, and cautiously clasped with his.

“If this is seriously something you’re into, then… Maybe we can try some other stuff on a different night? Some time when I’m a little more on top of my animal side.”

Antonio nodded slowly. “Okay. Yeah. I’d be into that.”

Lindsay adjusted her glasses nervously. “Honestly, even aside from being fun, it would be really good practice for me. Keeping control on lower nights, when my blood gets all hot… I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to keep it together on a full moon. But this could be a good place to start.”

“Deal,” Antonio said. “Text me anytime. I’ll be there.”

Lindsay’s hair hid her face as she turned away, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

“I will.”

“One more thing,” he said.

Lindsay eyed him skeptically. “What.”

“Do you want to go get coffee sometime? Or see a movie maybe?”

Lindsay sighed, and fell back against the bench. “You’re such a dork.”

Antonio opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off before he could speak.

“Yeah, man. I’ll go out with you.”

Antonio couldn’t help but grin. “Cool.”

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