Their afternoon was fun, and with their homework done, both Nate and Alex felt quite pleased with themselves. They were ready for Monday and had the time for some fun, and in a way that was great for both of them. For Nate it was reflective of the fact that he'd been able to come "out of the closet" as it were. With all the drama that had gone on in the Anderson family prior to Moon Lake, he'd largely been quiet on that subject for fear that his parents might reject him, either out of prejudice or stress over what had been going on. The fact that Martha turned out to be bisexual weakened those fears and when they found out, those fears died. That was something Nate loved and never wanted to let go of. His family loved him and he'd found that Moon Lake to be openly accepting on the fact that he was homosexual.
For Alex it was actually something that represented stability in a way. While Moon Lake, by a percentage of its total population, had more people that were at least bisexual if not homosexual than other towns in America, much of that related to the fact that werecats and male werecats were all bisexual or homosexual by nature. Among other weres, those "leanings" tended to be more in line with the national averages, and that meant that there weren't that may gay werewolves, and when someone like Nate came to Moon Lake and wanted to be a werewolf, Alex often got the call to participate in the conversion. Alex had been okay with it, but prior to Nate he'd never really had a steady boyfriend. He'd had friends and an occasional date here and there, but nothing that really worked beyond platonic friendship or the transformation of a Normal to Werewolf. Nate, however, had proven to be different, and by now, Alex really couldn't see himself with anyone else. He'd had it planned that he and Nate would live together, hunt together, love together, and go on until old age took them.
Though those were all general things that both young men had to be glad in. More specifically, Alex was also glad at being able to talk Nate into going out for the football team and the Thanksgiving Day game that Moon Lake had. It might only be within Moon Lake High and would pit either upper classmen versus under classmen or predator versus prey, but it did fit and allow for the enjoyment of team sports that despite many appearances Moon Lake did enjoy. Moon Lake didn't compete in Washington State's leagues simply for the fact that the natural strengths and abilities of weres would run the risk of exposing Moon Lake's secrets.
While weres could control themselves and the risk of them infecting players from another town was extremely low, they couldn't hide that in their human forms weres were still stronger than normal humans of a comparable age group. Alex knew that even Eric and Julie as weremers, among the least powerful weres with regard to physical ability on land, were easily stronger than most normal fourteen year olds. It was something that put weres on par with Olympic athletes and would mean that if Moon Lake did compete in the state's sports seasons would surely attract a lot of attention as to why so many athletes from one small town were so physically capable. The town could claim that their sports programs were rigorous, but proving it would be difficult and even with that there would be holes put in it when other towns would then surely try the same training programs and not see a similar output. The only other option would be the truth, which Moon Lake at the moment didn't seem ready for. That meant that simply not participating in the state's sports seasons would keep attention away from Moon Lake.
And that made the intra-Moon Lake High games, football at Thanksgiving and basketball in March all the more special. Right now it was football, and Alex was pleased to have been able to talk Nate into it. But as they made their way out into the woods behind the Ramsey house and to head toward the Anderson home on the other side of the woods between the two spokes that made up Moon Lake's streets, that wasn't what Alex was focusing on. The thought did cross his mind, but it wasn't focused on it. Instead, Alex simply took Nate's hand and enjoyed walking calmly with his boyfriend. Dried leaves and dirt crackled under their shoes as they walked, but all that really mattered was being together.
They passed through the woods that were gradually growing darker as night began to fall on Moon Lake, but even in human form their eyes were able to see quite clearly. It might not be as enhanced as in their wolven forms, but still more than good enough to see in the low light where every bush was, every fallen tree, every root that protruded out of the earth beneath them. The variation in the trees made the forest different from what occurred naturally, even in the areas around Moon Lake, but it worked well enough for Alex and Nate had found himself becoming quite accustomed to it. And it wasn't too long before back of the Anderson home began to become visible through the branches of the trees. In a way it seemed a bit serene in a way to Nate, as many of the deciduous trees were turning color and some had already done so. It created a very postcard like atmosphere that reminded Nate of various postcards that the family got at Christmas from his mom's parents.
"I wish we could stay together longer," Alex said softly as they came onto the backyard lawn at the Anderson home. It reflected the wishes that both of them had, even if both hadn't talked continuously on it.
"I know," Nate smiled, "meeting you... even if the whole were thing wasn't part of it... is special. It's like some great world of magic that says "this is your mate" sings to me... It's fast and it's different from everything I know..."
"Fast for outside Moon Lake," Alex commented, "Within Moon Lake... it's actually rather normal. Some times things don't work out... and when they don't... the fail may often be spectacular, but that isn't common. In that Moon Lake is a special place."
Nate nodded and turned to face Alex and gave a warm smile. Moon Lake was special and it certainly felt that way to him. Particularly with the fact that he'd found and fell in love with Alex so completely and so quickly. But a real part of him was also aware of that much of what made Moon Lake special also made it different that only depended on its secrecy. The outside world was slowly starting to accept same sex couples, but it was slow and full acceptance wasn't likely. He knew that his mother's parents really weren't that keen on same sex couples and neither was his mother's sister. They didn't hate or persecute against gays, but it was fairly clear that they didn't associate with them either, which was something that meant that true acceptance wasn't there yet. It wasn't like with Moon Lake where barely anyone batted an eye at Nate and Alex together.
There was also the issues that related to Moon Lake's secret and how weres tended to handle things like a were's high libido and where that related to when a born were had their first transformation. It was something that the rest of the country wouldn't understand easily and certainly wouldn't tolerate... at least with regard to what Ben and Alex had told him. Nate wasn't any great philosopher or legal expert, but as he looked to Alex's eyes, he could recognize that he was in love and couldn't see that love as anything that was wrong.
"That it is," Nate smiled, "but then... while I wish to be with you all the time too... it is something to look forward to."
"That it is, stud," Alex smiled back and the two shared a brief goodbye kiss, with Alex waiving to Nate as he walked back into the woods and with Nate waiving in reply.
Nate stood there for a few moments and once the sound of Alex walking through the forest weren't easily heard, Nate turned and then moved to head inside. The house was rather quite with only two sets of sounds going on. One was the television, which had something on the National Geographic Channel on. The other was his father's voice talking over what he'd work with for the next week's lectures and activities for his classes. Other than that, he really couldn't hear any other activity, and as he looked around, he found Eric and Julie quietly watching what was on the television.
"Hey, Nate," Eric said to him as he looked up from the television as Nate shut the backdoor.
"Hey," Nate answered, "You guys have fun?"
"Yes," Julie gave a smile, which to Nate betrayed what they'd been up to that afternoon. Nate didn't say anything on that, as it wasn't his business and to a great degree, it looked like Julie and his brother were just as much in love as he was with Alex, as his parents were with each other. In that situation, Nate felt that love really knew no age bracket.
"Well... that's good," Nate managed, "anyone figure out what went on this morning? Alex and I heard the muffled shots but weren't quite sure on what went down."
"Apparently some guy that was living on the other side of the Twists got arrested this morning," Eric answered, "and figured the best thing to do was fight the cops."
"That then lead to a gun battle and he was shot by the police," Julie finished, "and the crook was the battle's only fatality... though I think my dad said that the guy roughed up a couple of the officers before he was shot."
"Sounds like something stupid," Nate commented.
"In terms of fighting the police, yes," Julie nodded.
Nate nodded in agreement and looked around again. He figured that his father was in his study, but with no other sound beyond his father's talking and the television going on in the background, he couldn't really be certain as to whether or not his mother was home or how close they'd be to dinner. He saw no light on in the kitchen area and looked back to Eric and Julie who were sitting quietly and looking up to him.
"Hey, Eric, where's mom?" Nate wondered, "she and dad called me this morning with a head's up on staying safe... but..."
"Mom and Dad came to check on me at Julie's... and as things quieted down we then went to the Local Diner for breakfast/brunch," Eric answered, "apparently when mom and dad came back earlier in the afternoon, Samantha had come home to find Frances wasn't there..."
"She didn't...?" Nate began to wonder. While it was really Eric who had bonded with Frances, Nate had befriended Ben Twist and really didn't want there to be trouble for the family of friends that he'd made.
"Dad doesn't think that Frances was hurt... and from what Mr. Stovall told us at the diner that there were no civilian casualties but that there was the possibility that Frances might have been called to the hospital for some reason," Eric answered, "though what that would be, I don't know. All I know is that dad said that Samantha was out of sorts and Mom ended up taking her to the hospital to find Frances."
Nate gave a small frown, but didn't really know what to say.
"But with our homework done and waiting for Mr. Anderson to finish his prep for the coming week... we've been watching National Geographic," Julie answered, "they have something on life on the Savanah on right now if you'd like to join us..."
"You sure you wouldn't want to check mine?" Nate teased to Eric and leaned over to rub his head.
"Your homework is YOUR homework," Eric answered he ducked down and tried to brush away his older brother's hand, but Nate could almost hear a humorous tone in Eric's voice.
Nate only chuckled and let Eric and Julie scoot over a side so that they were together on one side of the couch. Once they were there, he sat down beside his younger brother. A nature special on National Geographic wasn't exactly the most riveting piece of television, but it wasn't that bad. And at the same time, he'd at least have some company to talk to who could explain the science things that the program would talk on to him if he needed it. It'd pass time while waiting for Martha to return home.