Warning:

Sensitive topics are covered, including anorexia, death, and family issues.

Please do not read if triggered.

Please get help if you are going through this.

Requested by Marie Vargas

[name] = your name

Narrator's POV

Ludwig sighed as he stared at you from the window of the cafeteria.

You were outside, as you usually were when the weather was good, pulling apart bits of your lunch to give to whatever little animals came out from the nearby woods, usually small birds and rabbits.

'Her hair is so soft looking, and she's such a sweet, shy person,'  He thought, staring at you as you broke some bread for a little bird who sat before you.

Oh how Ludwig wanted to approach you, talk to you, even ask you out and yet... something always held him back.

'It's not her personality, it isn't her looks, it's just her scent...'  He thought to himself, brows furrowing slightly.  'Even vhen she first transferred here, she had a sweet scent, just like chocolate and fruit, but zhen zhere's something else... something... bad, something zhat as time goes by gets vorse,'  He thought, staring at you who glanced at your watch before getting up and heading inside, signalling the end of lunch.  Ludwig shook his head.

'I should ask Gilbert about this,'  Ludwig decided, packing up his things once the bell rang time to go.

------------- Time Skip To Later That Afternoon ---------------

Ludwig walked into the kitchen where he found Gilbert munching on some steak that their father had made the night before.

"Hey little bruder, vhat's up vith jou on zhis awezome day?"  Gilbert asked.  Ludwig sighed and sat at the table.

"Bruder, I vanted to ask jou about something."  Ludwig said.  "Something important."  He said in a serious voice.  Gilbert noticed this more serious level of seriousness and nodded.

"Ja?"

"Vell... vhen we come close to our soulmate, our instincts go crazy, right?"  Ludwig asked.  Gilbert nodded, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Ja, our instincts go crazy and we vant to be beside zhem and mark zhem as ours."  Gilbert said.  Gilbert then leaned forward.  "Jou felt zhis instinct?"  Gilbert asked.

"... I've felt something like it."  Ludwig said.  Gilbert raised an eyebrow.

"Something like it?"  Gilbert asked.

"Ja,"  Ludwig said.  "Zhere's zhis person vho transferred back in the middle of fall, completely new to town and vell... I just can't get zheir scent out of my mind."

"Ja, zhat sounds pretty normal."  Gilbert said leaning back on the counter.  "Zhat's instinct telling jou zhat zhat person is zhe one, so vhat's holding jou back?"

"Vell... zhere's zhis other scent lingering around her."  Ludwig said.  Gilbert's face turned serious.

"Like another volf or mate?"  He asked.  Ludwig shook his head.

"Nein... It's more like... entwined in her scent is zhe scent of something... bad..."  Ludwig said, struggling to come up with a proper description, making Gilbert lean closer.

"Ludwig,"  Gilbert asked in a low voice.  "Is it zhe scent of something like food gone bad, or zhe scent zhat makes jou zhink of death?"  He asked.

"..."  Ludwig was silent as he thought.  "I vant to say it's closer to zhe smell of dying animals."  He said.  Gilbert leaned back on the counter with a sigh.

"Zhat's... better, in a vay,"  He said.

"How?"

"Vell, if it had been zhe scent of something like food gone bad or evil, zhat vould mean zhat zhis person is another supernatural creature, like a vampire for instance.  But still... vhat jou told me doesn't bode vell at all either."  Gilbert said, making Ludwig worry.

"Vhat does it mean?"  Ludwig asked, anxiety seeping into his voice.  Gilbert leaned his head back.

"Usually... it means zhat a person is close to death from something like a sickness or a disease of some sort..."  Gilbert said softly.  "Something zhat kills zhem over time... Once zhe scent of death overpowers zheir own natural scent zhey..."  Gilbert trailed off, neither he nor Ludwig wanting to acknowledge what was going to happen;

The idea of someone succumbing to death.

"I have to do something,"  Ludwig said, getting up from his seat.  Gilbert nodded but put a hand on Ludwig's shoulder.

"Ja... but know zhis, if nothing can be done, zhen nothing can be done."  Gilbert said solemnly.  Ludwig grimaced but nodded and headed out, shifting into his wolf form as Gilbert watched from the kitchen.

------------- Time Skip ---------------

Ludwig ran through the woods, eventually finding himself at your house, right around the time the sun began to set.  He halted behind some bushes and watched as you sat under a tree in your backyard, the plate that was obviously your dinner beside you.

You sighed to yourself as you glanced at the window, seeing the outline of your parents fighting, their shouts muffled by the walls.  You then glanced down at a little blue bird that sat beside you, along with a small rabbit.

"At least you guys don't fight,"  You said softly, handing them bits of your dinner as you ate very little yourself.

It was at that moment that Ludwig realized something; he had rarely ever see you actually eat any of your lunches.

During the fall and early spring you'd go outside and share with little woodland animals, yet during the winter you'd be somewhere else, usually the library studying.

'Zhat's vhy zhat scent is zhere,'  Ludwig realized.  'Zhat means vhat's killing her is...'

You sighed as you watched the sun begin to set, knowing you'd have to go back inside to the war zone.  You quietly stood up and picked up your plate, only to hear the sound of bushes shuffling.  You looked over.

A large blond wolf appeared from the bush, staring straight at you as you stared back, a soft smile on your face.

"You hungry?"  You asked.  The wolf tilted its head.  You took a small piece of meat from the plate and held it out to the wolf.  "Want some?  I'm not going to eat it."  You said.

The wolf huffed as it shook its head and walked towards you, using his snout to put your hand towards you.

"Jou should eat it jourself."  It said, making you freeze.

"... Did... Did you just..."

"Talk?"  The wolf finished.  "Ja, I did."  He said.  You put the meat back on the plate and sat down on the ground, rubbing your forehead.

"Okay, now I think I'm starting to hallucinate again..."  You mumbled.

"Again?"  The wolf echoed, worry in its voice.  "So it is true... zhat jou are starving jourself."  The wolf said, sounding sad.

"Why do you sound so sad?"  You asked.  "It's my body, not yours."

"Vell, jou are mein soulmate."  The wolf replied, sitting next to you.  "I vould naturally be upset zhat mein other half is suffering so much."  He said.

"Soulmate?"  You asked.  "Pardon me but, you're a wolf and I'm a human."

"Not quite right frau,"  The wolf replied.  "You are a human, and I am a verewolf."  He said.

"Prove it."  You said.  The wolf nodded and shifted, the sound of bones cracking and breaking startling you as you closed your eyes.  Eventually, the noise stopped, and you cracked open one of your eyes to see your classmate Ludwig sitting beside you.

"Ludwig?"  You asked in disbelief, half believing that you really were hallucinating.

"Ja, I'm here,"  He said.  Gently, he brought you into his embrace.  "So bitte [please], don't do zhis to jourself liebling."  He said.  You felt sparks on your skin wherever Ludwig touched.

"I..."

"Bitte [please],"  Ludwig begged softly, his arms tightening around you protectively.

"I'll... try,"  You whispered out, tears coming to your eyes.  "I'll try..."

"Danke,"  Ludwig whispered back, gently stroking your hair with one hand.

~Fin~