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This is a little story I wrote for the contest started by Crownedclown13, you can ind all the details here : http://www.sofurry.com/view/335228. This story is a What If scenario, in this case how things would have gone if Kyle reacted differently to the loss of his legs, I hope you'll enjoy my interpreation of the possible events !

Obviously, the Werewulf series is written by Crownedclown13 and the first chapter can be found here : http://www.sofurry.com/view/284751.

A special thanks goes to Gritou, who helped me in the editing and proof-reading of this story !

Hope you enjoy this little work of mine !

Nothing. Kyle felt absolutely nothing. It was as if the numbness in his legs had sipped into his bloodstream and brought to his brain, extending itself to his feelings. It wasn't like he couldn't think straight, only that he couldn't experience any type of emotion ; the fact that he knew perfectly that he should have been depressed , or angry, or both was the proof of how much clear his mind was.

The boy had understood the seriousness of his condition when the doctor had explained it, he had even memorized everything he told for further analysis, but every single thought was without the color of emotion. He had rationalized that it was the consequence of his shock or of the anesthesia, or maybe it was a self-defense mechanism; whatever was the reason of his apathy, he just didn't care at the moment.

Taking advantage of his current state, he had thought about the events at the match, about Alice, about the motive of Finn's actions, all things that would have probably hurt with the return of his emotions.

Why had Finn shot him? He had already explained how much of a threat Kyle was to his relationship with the popular girl, a beating would have been enough so why bring the gun? He hadn't done anything with Alice that could have angered the jock to the level of trying to kill his rival; sure, there had been some chemistry between them but they didn't even share a kiss before the attack. Of course, Kyle couldn't know Finn's mental workings, but still his actions didn't make sense at all.

The thought of Finn led immediately to Alice, his date for the night, the girl which caused all of this. To be fair it wasn't really her fault, but she wasn't in the waiting room worrying about him as it was logical when one's date ended up in hospital, he had asked; there was only Quinn, who had remained even after she was told she couldn't see him. Kyle knew her and that she was certainly blaming herself for pushing him into dating Alice and, then, being shot down; that knowledge would have made him deeply worried about her falling into old habits, but in that hospital bed it was only a mere result of an equation.

A movement on the nearby chair made him aware of the one friend who managed to pass through the nurses' defenses by the virtue of lying to them; Duke couldn't really pass as his brother, he was bigger, taller and overly more handsome then Kyle but despite that, or perhaps because of that, his word was good enough for the medical staff to let him in the room.

The boy had been at his side since he woke up after the operation, and at the beginning he had cried and blamed himself for not been able to defend him, but eventually he'd stopped before the absence of emotional reaction from the boy, before the empty words of response. His presence there was of conform, for the lack of a better word, even if he wasn't feeling anything having Duke, having this incredible caring friend there gave him some strength, though his continuous staring of Kyle almost made him feel unease. It seemed like he was looking for signs, of what he didn't know, maybe of his breakdown, and the light of the morning sun was giving a golden shade to his eyes.

The sun remembered him that Duke must have been in that white room all night long, always watchful and without any sleep.

"It's about time you go home and get some sleep, Duke," Kyle said ", I'm out of danger now, and the staff will take care of me. You don't need to be here every moment."

The words, pronounced with a flat tone, didn't make the boy divert his attentive gaze, and his response was quick.

"I can't leave you alone, I won't leave you alone. You need someone with you."

"And why should I need someone by my bed?"

The question caught Duke by surprise, and it took some time for him to give a careful answer, while he passed his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture.

"Well, you have been though a pretty serious operation, and you're still shocked. You need someone who cares about you at your side, I think".

"So that when I eventually have a break down, I will have the shoulder of someone I know to cry into, is that right?"

The insecure nod of Duke's head made Kyle finally feel something, and oddly it was anger. So he thinks that this is the thing that will break me. Now that my legs are dead, he thinks that I will need constant attention, doesn't he? His thoughts were irrational, and he knew all too well, but this unexpected rage toward his friend was the first emotion since his awaking, he couldn't suppress it, it was his way out of the apathy! It did help that a powerful headache was building inside his skull.

"So you think that I'm some weak, pathetic invalid now, who can't be let alone. Or you are thinking that now that my legs are dead I have no reasons to live and I could finish Finn's work by fucking killing myself, don't you? And that you need to be here to stop me, uh? Just tell the truth, Duke!"

Duke didn't speak a word, mouth open in amazement before the sheer anger noticeable in Kyle's voice, and his inability to talk made the wounded boy even angrier.

"Guess what, Duke, I'm not going to kill myself, and I'm not going to be depressed or to give in! I won't let that bastard win! I will overcome this, even if I'll end up in a wheelchair for the rest of my life! Do you hea..."

His tirade was interrupted suddenly by the embrace of huge arms, and next thing he knew was that a pair of lips was pressed to his own. That contact froze him on the spot, he didn't think, he COULDN'T think, and when a tongue asked for entrance he let it in immediately, engaging the invader in a hot battle. Just then, his brain defrosted itself and his first thought was that Duke was kissing him, and he was kissing back!

The weirdness, the suddenness of the kiss, the lingering anger and the confusion at last made him separate from the boy, painting for the overwhelming emotion and physical effort. It took him some moments to regain his breath, and to ask a simple "Why?".

Duke took his time too, painting heavily, but he answered:

"Because I thought you were gone, with all that silence and staring in the air, that the pher... the wounds had broken you. Seeing you angry and combative was such a relief, I couldn't control myself..."

Kyle asked a firm "Why?" again, the response to the first not been enough.

"Isn't that clear, Kyle? I love you. No, love can't express what I feel, it's too simple. I want to be with you not" Duke said, looking in Kyle's eyes as if he wanted to burn every word in the other boy's mind "because I think you're weak, but because you can also be so strong despite everything. You weren't submissive to me, you resisted to my desires when all other people would have done everything to please me."

The tall boy stopped, waiting to see the reaction of Kyle, actually looking like it would be a death sentence if it was the wrong one; but the minutes passed, the judge deep in thought. The kiss had been proof enough of what the handsome boy had told, still it was a lot to process and while he did that he began to think of all the things Duke had said and done: his dislike of Alice, his attachment to him, his protectiveness, even his nightly games. All of that gained a new meaning in the light of this revelation.

As the times passed Duke looked more and more distressed by the silence, and when the agony reached impossible levels he was compelled to ask.

"Kyle... Please say something! You kissed me back; I saw the same fire that burns in me into your eyes. Please, tell me you feel that way too. Please...."

"I... don't know what I feel" Kyle said slowly ", this is too much for me now. I'm confused by all of this, it's just too abrupt. You've loved me from the very beginning? From that night in the park?"

"Of course not, I grew to love you; I didn't suddenly fall in love with you."

"In just a few days you realized that you loved me?"

Duke just nodded, hope showing from his very movements. Hope to be loved back Kyle realized, hope to be with me as a lover. But I don't know what I want right now; I don't even understand why I responded to his kiss!

"Can I ask you something, Duke?"

"Sure."

"Can you leave me alone?" The hurt that showed in Duke's face was so intense that Kyle had to add quickly: "Only for now. This is too much to handle, I have to think about it for some time"

"Can I come and see you tomorrow?"

The puppy eyes that Duke gave to him were too convincing, he couldn't deny this little wish to him.

"Of course you can, you're still my friend. But you have to promise to look after Quinn; I'm sure she isn't ok and needs a friend by her side. I can't obviously do it myself, and I don't want anything to happen to her while I'm stuck here in this bed."

The boy didn't seem bothered by this request, maybe because he had been granted what he wished for. Hopefully he wouldn't be jealous of the girl, by his behavior with Alice he seemed to be of the jealous type.

Duke stood up, his expression split between sadness to leave Kyle and happiness at the thought of seeing him again soon enough.

"I will watch over her, I promise! See you tomorrow!"

"Yes, tomorrow."

With that, Kyle was finally left alone. To think about his life and how it would be different now, about the love of Duke and the possibility that he can love him back. All of that while a great headache throbbed in his skull. It would be a long day, and there were few chances that it would bring some answers. But one thing was certain: he would never give up, no matter what.