[by Jan]

Once upon a time there was a happy young man. He had a special ability, one that was the cause of his happiness. He could keep people close to him safe. It worked without fail. The one he fell in love with first, the happy girl, was the one he focused that ability on.

But one day that power failed him slightly. She was harmed, and so was he. He thought his injury was simply making up for what she had suffered, and so focused that power on her even more. It seemed to work at first until that first failure was magnified... This time instead of being harmed, only injured but alive, that girl was taken from him. And this time he didn't have the luxury of being able to have the same hurt as she did.

The happy man was no longer happy. He was bitter, and angry. He abandoned his power, but by doing so triggered a curse on himself. Instead of just no longer keeping the ones he loved safe, it worked to harm them and take them away.

The curse also started to change his form. He could no longer smile without showing sharp teeth meant for ripping and tearing. Instead of the strong and caring eyes he had a look that was cruel and full of hatred. But even then, against all odds, he was able to find love again. It seemed impossible for someone to be able to look past the curse but they did.

Again he fought to keep her safe. The harder he fought to keep her, the more the curse afflicted him. Hands turned in to claws, and instead of speaking all he could do was howl and snarl. But even as much as he fought she was drawn away. It was more gradual than the first love but just as heart breaking.

The curse had turned him in to a monster. He was no longer human.

He dealt with that for years. Hiding. Helping who he could before the curse could attack him again and drive him back in to hiding even more bestial than before.

Then once more, he thought he found someone that he might be able to trust, who could see past the curse. Their short time together only brought back memories of the ones he could no longer hold and he pushed her away.

However, she didn't thank him for trying to 'help' her. She became angry and bitter as well... a reflection of how he had been at first. It hurt him deeply, deeper than he could ever admit, that he might have passed on that curse. The thought that he had made someone feel like he did was almost too much. The thought that he could stay alive while feeling that guilt seemed like a laughable impossibility.

The cursed man was surrounded by darkness.

...but in that darkness there was a tiny pinpoint of light. A small voice that said, it doesn't matter what you look like. It doesn't matter what happened in the past.

'I know you can be happy again. And it would make me happy if you let me try to help.'

The tiny star started to burn brighter, and slowly he felt himself falling in love again. Instead of working to protect this newest love, the strangest one he'd ever had, he let them protect him.

Slowly the curse started to fade. He could speak without injuring himself or others. He could touch without causing pain. His looks didn't cause fear. He could walk and be among others without feeling like an outcast and was truly happy for the first time in years, all because of this new love, this new crutch.

Until one day it was ripped away without warning. There was disbelief at first. Hope that they would be back soon. Betrayal when promised deadlines were not met. And as much as he feared it, the curse seemed to be returning and affecting him once again.

He is trapped in a form even less human than before, unrecognizable to anyone but that last love.