"Gene, you better have a damn good reason for calling me," Oliver's voice accused down the phone.

Gene peered through the blinds once again.

"Gene—"

"There's someone in my garden."

"What?"

"There is someone in my garden!" Gene hissed. "They're just lying on the ground and—"

"Gene. It is five thirty AM, they probably climbed over the fence while drunk and passed out."

"But they're naked!"

"You're a doctor, you've seen naked people before."

"Yes but that's different!" Gene protested.

He stepped away from the window as the kettle had boiled. Gene ignored his brothers explanation of exactly why his previous statement was ridiculous and focused instead on making two cups of coffee. Hungover people liked coffee right?

"—Haven't you just called the police if you're so worried?" Oliver concluded.

"Because calling you seemed like a better idea?" Gene answered weakly. "I don't know! I didn't want to be over-reacting!"

Gene could almost hear Oliver rolling his eyes.

"Fine. What are you going to do? Do you want me to come over?"

"No, I've made him some coffee."

"What. You made him coffee?"

"I thought it might help if he's had a rough night…"

"I'm coming over. Don't go near him until I get there," Oliver instructed.

"Noll, it'll be fine!"

"He could be anyone."

"Yeah, so he's probably fine!" Gene insisted. "I'll let you know how it goes!"

"Gene—"

Gene hung up. He picked up the two mugs of coffee in one hand and grabbed a blanket from the sofa, which he slung over his shoulder so he could open the back door.

There was very little illumination, the man only visible from the moonlight. As soon as Gene passed out of the house into the garden, the motion sensors set off the patio lighting.

"Hello?"

The man stirred. Gene approached with caution, and threw the blanket over his torso, affording him some dignity.

The man jolted awake. He lurched onto all fours like an animal about to pounce. Gene stepped back in alarm, but the man relaxed. He studied his own hands and arms, sitting back on his heels. His eyes followed the trail of the blanket on the floor up to where Gene was standing.

His eyes widened and he grabbed the blanket to cover his nakedness.

"Uh, where am I? Did I trespass? I'm so sorry! Please don't call the police!"

His voice was almost raspy.

"I'm not going to call the police," Gene said, smiling. "I made you coffee?"

"Why?"

"Well, I thought you might be hungover? And that it might help? I don't really know, I don't drink a lot but I can't see why else you'd be naked in my garden… I'm Gene by the way."

Gene held out the mug of coffee. The man took it, squinting up at Gene.

"Hi, Gene…" He took a sip and smiled gratefully.

"So, was it a drunken rampage?"

"What?"

"That caused you to end up passed out in my garden naked?" Gene prompted.

"Uh, sure, let's go with that."

Gene frowned, this man did not seem to be suffering… Well, not from a hangover. He moved stiffly, like he was not used to his own body. Though, Gene supposed, sleeping outside naked would probably do that to you.

"Well… I can give you some clothes if you want? And money for a taxi?" Gene suggested.

"Oh no, it's fine, I'll just—"

"Just walk through town naked?" Gene asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, I would love to borrow some clothes," the man relented.

"Wait here then."

Gene returned to the house, he locked the door behind him, just in case. He searched for his oldest crappiest t-shirt, joggers and flip-flops. No way was he going to lend a stranger his nice clothing if they might puke on it.

While he folded the clothes so that they looked slightly less crappy, Gene phoned the local taxi company to arrange a lift home for his intruder.

Gene downed his coffee and dumped the mug on the kitchen surface before peering out into the garden again. The man had stood up, one had clutching the blanket around him, the other holding the mug of coffee.

Gene frowned. The man was not shivering, despite it being only just above freezing. With a sigh, Gene ventured back outside.

"Here," he said to gain the man's attention. "I don't know what your size is so I went for baggy stuff."

"Thanks."

The man handed back the now empty coffee mug and hastily pulled on some clothes.

"I called you a taxi. Where do you live? I have enough cash to get you anywhere in town."

"I live near the university," the man replied. "But it's fine, I'll pay when I get there."

Gene decided not to argue, and instead, lead the man around the side of the house to the front, where they waited in silence for the taxi to arrive.

When it did, the man handed Gene back the blanket and climbed in the back to reel off his address. Gene stuck his head through the passenger side window and handed the driver thirty quid.

"Keep the change," he insisted, knowing that this would be more than enough to get the man to the university area of town, even at this unsociable hour.

"No, it's fine, I'll pay!" the man insisted, but Gene had already begun walking to the house. The taxi drove off and Gene thought that to be the last he would ever see of the strange naked man who had turned up in his garden.

He was wrong.

About a month later, as Gene once again got up early for a shift at the hospital, the man had reappeared in his garden.

"This is ridiculous."

He did not bother calling Oliver this time. Especially not after the complaints he had received last time. Oliver had turned up after the entire fiasco had finished to find no danger. He had not been happy.

Gene stormed out into the garden and poked the man in the side with his foot.

"If you're going to make a habit of this, do you want to leave some clothes at my place?" Gene asked in a loud voice.

The man rolled over, groaned and opened his eyes to see Gene standing over him.

"Shit, it's you!"

"Yes. It's me. Like, the first time it was funny, but this is just taking the piss. I live nowhere near any drinking establishments and I am genuinely surprised that you haven't damaged my fence!"

"I'm sorry, really, it wasn't intentional," the man stammered.

"Just get out."

The man scrambled to his feet, covering his crotch with one hand and brushing grass and mud off with the other. Gene ignored the stab of pity in his stomach.

"I'm really sorry," the man repeated as he made his way to the side gate. "I really don't understand…"

"I don't want to hear it," Gene stated.

He followed the man to ensure he really left, then returned to the house. Guilt seeped into his bones at not helping the man. But really! Twice! He had not even returned the last set of — admittedly crappy — clothes!

Gene growled at the injustice of this action.

It did not quite displace the guilt he felt. It's not like he wanted the man to be arrested for public indecency or anything. He just did not want some random naked guy in his garden in the early hours of the morning! It was not even that he did not like naked guys… Just… He liked them a lot more when he was expecting them.

Especially when they had nice bums.

Like that guy had…

But that was besides the point. That was definitely going to be the last time he ever saw the strange man. Definitely.

"Gene, I need a favour."

Gene pressed his phone against his ear as he stirred the bolognese on the stove.

"Go on?"

"I need you to babysit tonight."

"Tonight?" Gene questioned. "But Noll, it's halloween? Himeko will want to go trick or treating surely!"

"Gene, she's six, it's already almost her bedtime. But Mai and I have to go out for a last minute work related thing," Oliver's voice said, filled with displeasure.

"Eugh, fine. I can be over in half an hour."

"Make it twenty minutes."

Oliver hung up before Gene could protest. So instead, Gene swore and turned up the heat on the hob.

Half an hour later, he found himself on Oliver and Mai's doorstop.

"Gene! Thank you so much!" Mai greeted him as she opened the door. She swept him into a hug. "Come on in, Himeko is just watching some cartoons. It's her bedtime soon, but she's a good girl."

"I know she is," Gene agreed with a smile.

They walked through to the living room, where Oliver and Himeko were sat watching some cartoon that Gene did not recognise.

"Hey Uncle Gene!" Himeko said without looking away from the TV screen. Oliver merely nodded. "Daddy you can go now!"

"Yes, behave for Gene, won't you?"

"Yes Daddy!"

Oliver smiled, kissed his daughter on the top of the head and stood up.

"We'll be back about ten, ten thirty," Oliver said.

"Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge," Mai added.

"Touch my tea and you die," Oliver said.

"And you have my number, so call if anything happens, we'll come straight back," Mai finished.

"It's fine, I know what I'm doing," Gene insisted. "You two have fun."

He ushered them out of the door and then returned to the living room. He slumped down where Oliver had been sitting only minutes before and turned his attention to the cartoon in front of him.

"So what is this?" he asked Himeko.

"Miraculous Ladybug."

Gene frowned, none of the characters looked like ladybugs but what did he know. He soon caught on and realised the superhero's costume was like a ladybug.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Himeko asked as soon as the credits rolled.

"Go on then."

Himeko shuffled over to him and cupped her hands around his ear before whispering her secret.

"Mummy and Daddy aren't really going to a work thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they wanted to go on a date!"

Himeko burst into giggles as if this was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

"Oh really. So why did they lie?"

"Because Daddy is silly."

Gene sighed.

"He is indeed. They really had no reason to lie about it…"

"But Uncle Gene, if they lied about what they did this evening, can we lie too?" Himeko asked.

Gene raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to go to bed! I want to go out and get sweeties like everyone else!"

For a whole minute, Gene considered turning this proposition down. But if they went out, he would not have to answer their own door to give other people's children sweets.

And he wanted free chocolate as much as the next person.

"Okay then," he agreed. "But we have to dress up, I don't have a costume!"

Himeko grinned, grabbed his hand and dragged him off the sofa.

"Come on Uncle Gene! I have costumes! You can borrow mine!"

Gene, unconvinced by this statement, nevertheless followed his niece up the stairs to her bedroom. She rummaged in her closet and pulled out a red leotard with black spots.

"I'm going to be Ladybug because I look just like her so you'll have to be Chat Noir," Himeko told him. "Daddy always wears these when he does it so it'll fit you too!"

She handed him a pair of black cat ears.

"But don't we need masks?" Gene asked, deciding to not question his brother dressing up as a cat superhero.

"Yes, I have some face paint too!" Himeko declared happily. "You'll have to do my face though!"

Twenty minutes later, the duo stepped out onto the street clutching a cloth shopping bag each to collect their sweeties in. As they walked, Himeko showed Gene just how good she was with her yo-yo.

Gene praised her every time it returned to her hand.

"Daddy can do cool things with it and he's going to teach me so I can be just like Ladybug!" Himeko said happily. Gene smiled at how much this little girl had his brother under her thumb. He knew that Oliver would have gone out of his way to learn yo-yo tricks just to teach her.

"This house has a pumpkin, that means we can knock right?"

"Yup," Gene said. "And if they pick trick, then you have to show them your yo-yo skills, okay?"

Himeko beamed and skipped up the garden path with Gene in her wake. Gene let Himeko do most of the talking as they go from house to house. He planned to keep going until she was exhausted. At that point, he would carry her home and put her to bed, knowing that he would not have to deal with her being grumpy in the morning. It served Oliver right for lying to him.

Besides, free sweets.

"Come on Uncle Gene!" Himeko whined. "You're so slow!"

"I am not slow!"

"You are too!"

Gene began to jog to the next house, Himeko laughing and racing past him.

"Oh no!" Gene faked tiredness. "I can't keep up! Ladybug is too fast!"

Himeko reached the door of the next house and knocked politely. Gene forced panting as he caught up behind her.

"How do you go so quickly?" he asked.

"I'm not!" Himeko giggled. "You're just slow because you're old!"

Gene pouted, which made Himeko laugh harder.

The door in front of them opened and Gene's pout dropped.

"Trick or treat!" Himeko declared as Gene gawped at the person who had opened the door.

It was the man.

It was the man that he had found twice, naked in his garden. But this time, he was fully clothed.

Gene could not help but appreciate that the man was well dressed and well groomed.

"You!" Gene accused, unsure of where he was going with the statement.

"Hi…" the man responded, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I will… Just get the chocolate."

He disappeared for a moment and returned with a bowl of chocolate bars for Himeko to pick some from. As Himeko set about her very difficult task, he looked to Gene again.

"I have your clothes if you want them, and the taxi money! Give me two minutes to go and get them," the man insisted.

"It's fine, forget them."

"Please, it's the least I can do."

Himeko, who had made her choice, looked around at Gene.

"Do you know him?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

"Kind of, I helped him when he was in… In trouble," Gene replied.

"Why does he have your clothes?"

"Because I was—"

Gene cut the man off quickly.

"Wet, he got all wet and so I leant him some dry clothes."

"Why don't you want them back?"

"Because they're old and don't matter really," Gene insisted. "Come on. Let's get going."

"Uncle Gene, why you are being weird?"

"I'm not!" Gene protested.

"But your cheeks are all red!"

"No they're not."

"Yes they are!" Himeko argued. "They're red just like when Mummy is being lovey and gross with Daddy." She frowned for a moment. Her next words caused Gene to die a little inside. "Do you want to be lovey and gross with him?"

She pointed at the man, who shifted his glasses and looked away with an amused expression.

"No! Come on!"

Gene turned and started to walk away.

"Excuse me Mister, Uncle Gene wants to take you on a date, can he have your phone number please?" Himeko asked.

"Himeko! No! Come on, we're leaving." Gene hurried back to her side and scooped her up onto his hip. "It's time to go home, it's getting late!"

"But Uncle Gene!"

"Of course he can have my number," the man said. Gene faltered. "Let me just…" He grabbed a piece of paper from a table on the side and scribbled something down before thrusting it at Gene.

Himeko grabbed it and grinned.

"Thank you Mister!"

Gene almost ran from the property.

"Uncle Gene, you're so silly!" Himeko said, giggling once again.

Gene chose not to answer. He carried Himeko home and tucked her into bed, still dressed up. He left her share of the sweets at the end of her bed for her to find in the morning and returned to the living room. Himeko had snuck the piece of paper into his bag of chocolate and goodies.

He stared at the note.

Call me on xxxxx xxxxxx,

Yasuhara

"Fuck."

Gene pulled his phone out of his pocket and wrote a message.

Hi, it's Gene here, you know the guy who keeps finding you in his garden? Please ignore my niece, apologies for the intrusion. G.

He sent the message. He had at least two hours before Mai and Oliver would be back, he may as well entertain himself with the inevitable conversation that would ensue.

Hey Gene, no apology necessary! I think you've earned the right to intrude a little on me! I'd love to take you out to dinner as a thank you for not calling the police on me and for your help! Are you free tomorrow night? Yasuhara.

Gene swore again.

"What do I do? What do I do?!"

He stood up and began pacing around the room.

"Well he is definitely cute," Gene reasoned. "And he seemed normal enough when not naked in my garden… But he was naked in my back garden…"

Yes, I'm free. G.

"What am I doing? This is madness!"

Meet you at the french restaurant opposite the university library at 8? Yasuhara.

"French. A safe choice I suppose…" Gene mused. "At least I know he isn't a vampire…"

Gene did not respond to the text until he got home later that night. He had left Oliver and Mai's house as quickly as possible to avoid the possible wrath of the two parents over the sweet fest he had introduced to their daughter.

And so as Gene lay in bed, he re-read the texts.

He had an inexplicable urge to go and yet something made him hesitate. That something being that he did not really believe that Yasuhara had been drunk when he had climbed into Gene's garden.

Gene was not sure what made him think this, but something about the whole situation felt off. But maybe, just maybe, this was the perfect way to find out what.

I'll see you there. G.

Gene arrived at the restaurant early. He was shown to the table that Yasuhara had booked and waited. A waiter had asked him several times if he would like a drink, but Gene waved him away, not trusting himself not to drink himself into a stupor out of fear.

How had he let a six year old get him into this situation?

Because he blamed Himeko one hundred percent for this debacle. If she had not opened her mouth he could have escaped and…

Yasuhara sat down opposite Gene with a smile.

"Hi."

"Hi," Gene echoed.

"So… Have you ordered anything yet?" Yasuhara asked.

Gene shook his head, not daring to speak. Instead, he studied the man in front of him. As with the previous day, he looked a far cry from the naked mess he had found in his garden. Today, Yasuhara was wearing a smart suit.

"Have you come straight from work or do you just enjoy overdressing for a date?" Gene asked, conscious of his own clothing choice.

Yasuhara laughed.

"Yeah, straight from work I'm afraid. Lawyers work long hours," he said with a smile.

"Not as long as doctors," Gene muttered.

"True," Yasuhara relented. "What kind of doctor are you?"

"Pediatric oncologist."

"Child cancer! Serious stuff."

There was a silence. Gene grabbed the menu to hide behind and regretted agreeing to come.

"I'm a criminal lawyer, but I do a lot of pro bono stuff for animal rights," Yasuhara said.

"That's… Nice."

"Look, if you don't want to be here then—"

"I want a proper explanation of why you were in my garden, twice," Gene blurted out.

Yasuhara winced.

"You're… You're not going to believe me."

"Try me."

"Would you like to order now?" The waiter had returned.

Gene almost growled in displeasure. But they ordered and once the waiter was gone, Gene turned his focus back to Yasuhara once more.

"Well?"

"You're… Really not going to believe me."

Gene sighed.

"Fine."

Gene started to stand up but—

"Wait. Three months ago you held open the door for me in a hospital," Yasuhara said quickly. "It was like three in the morning. My sister had been in hospital with appendicitis and don't want to be left alone after her op because hospitals are creepy. I left her to find myself a drink and I was lost in the hospital and almost walked straight into you. But you held the door open for me and pointed me in the right direction of the vending machines."

"So?"

Gene was, if anything, more confused.

"So you passed me again on my way back and talked to me," Yasuhara went on. "It was for like five minutes. But you were so kind and nice and… And if I hadn't been so tired and stressed I probably would have asked you on a date right then and there. But then my sister got to go home the next day and I never saw you again."

"I don't remember any of this."

"I… I'm not surprised," Yasuhara admitted. "You must meet a lot of people in your line of work."

"This still doesn't explain how you ended up in my garden."

"So… I…" Yasuhara winced again. "I have a really strong sense of smell. And I… On those nights I could smell you and kinda found myself at your house…"

"You live literal miles away from my place I do not believe you could smell me from there. And even if I did believe you had superhuman smelling abilities, why on earth were you naked?!" Gene had to try very hard to not shout.

"Not superhuman per say… More like inhuman…"

"What? You want me to believe you're not human? Like an animal?" Gene asked, eyebrow raised and voice full of skepticism.

"Well, it was the full moon…"

Gene's mouth fell open. But before he could exclaim any number of profanities, the waiter appeared with their food. Gene waited for him to leave before speaking.

"You—" He pointed at Yasuhara. "—Want me—" He pointed to himself. "—To believe that you are a werewolf."

He hissed the final word and Yasuhara winced once again.

"Well I'd like you to but you wanted the truth so…" He sighed. "Masako told me not to bother."

"Let me guess, she's in your pack," Gene mocked.

"Something like that."

"This is ridiculous."

"Yes," Yasuhara agreed. "I suppose I would think so too in your position."

He picked up his knife and fork and began cutting up his steak. Gene looked down at his own food in surprise, having forgotten it was there. He picked up a fork and began to eat.

"Okay, I want to finish this meal, so let's just say I believe you," Gene mused. "That still doesn't explain why you were naked in my garden."

"Because I could smell you and recognised it. It's like… Like dogs running up to people they know? And because wolves don't normally wear clothes… So you know, when you transform back…"

Gene nodded slowly, pretending to agree.

"So why don't you lock yourself up? So you don't go running around naked? That can't be good for business."

"I do…" Yasuhara gritted his teeth. "I don't understand how it's happening. Like its a genuine padlocked cell in my cellar and… It wasn't even broken when I got back? I don't understand it."

"Right… So your transformed self, who has no dexterity in their paws, managed to unlock a padlock and open a door?" Gene asked.

"Well it's that or someone let me out but that would be stupid."

"Yeah, who would break into a random person's house and unlock a caged wolf?" Gene asked flippantly.

"Unless it wasn't random… But still. It doesn't make sense."

"I should have ordered alcohol."

Yasuhara laughed bitterly.

Gene finished eating and wiped his mouth with his napkin before throwing it on his plate. He pulled out his wallet and dumped a twenty on the table.

"It was nice meeting you," he said, standing up. "But I have to go."

Yasuhara did not argue. Gene caught his face falling as he swept past, but did not think any more of it. This man probably needed psychiatric help. But he was off duty.

Gene would worry about that in the morning — or never.

But sure enough, a few weeks later, something happened.

A sudden sound jolted Gene from sleep. He rolled over in bed and groaned.

"Noll, go to sleep…"

His sleep-addled brain took a few minutes to remember that Oliver no longer lived with him.

That he lived alone.

That there should be no noises.

Now alert, Gene slipped out of bed and looked around for something to pick up. In the dim light, he could barely make out his belongings. He settled on his pet cactus, Lucy. Cacti were spikey after all; she was the perfect weapon.

Creeping through his own home, Gene kept his eyes peeled for the source of the noise. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, his blood ran cold.

A howl pierced the night.

Gene dropped Lucy and rushed into the kitchen. He lifted the blind and stared out into the garden where the motion sensor lighting had lit up his lawn. There sat a wolf.

"You have got to be kidding me."

The wolf howled again before lying down. If Gene did not know better, he would have said the animal looked sad. Gene reached for the door handle. Then flinched away.

"Gene, you idiot, what are you thinking? That's a wild wolf!"

He slapped himself around the face.

"This is a dream. This is definitely a dream. I am going to wake up and…"

Gene reached for the door handle again. He pulled open the door and stepped outside. The wolf looked up, but did not pounce on him.

"I'm going crazy. Yasuhara is that you?" Gene asked. He spotted a rake leaning against the side of the house and he picked it up.

The wolf cocked its head to one side.

"Wolves can't speak Gene," Gene muttered to himself. "Idiot."

He stepped forward again.

"I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die."

As he reached the creature, the wolf stuck its nose up and sniffed at him. Gene, whose hand was shaking like a leaf, stroked the animal's head. The wolf leant into him, almost like a dog would.

"Well, you definitely aren't wild…"

The smallest slither of daylight appeared on the horizon and the wolf began to whine. Gene stepped back in alarm, brandishing his rake. But the wolf had no interest in him. It writhed on the floor, rubbing itself all over the grass as its body shook.

Hair shortened, legs straightened and ears shrank.

And Yasuhara was lying on Gene's lawn, naked.

"Oh my! Oh my! Oh it's you. It's real. Magic is real. Oh my!"

Yasuhara looked up.

"Oh shit. I didn't mean to come here. I didn't! Really I didn't! Please don't hit me with a rake!"

Gene looked from Yasuhara to the rake and dropped the gardening instrument.

"I'm not going to hit you with a rake. Sorry you were a wolf and I was… I don't know… Do you want to come inside?" Gene asked. "I have so many questions…"

Yasuhara frowned, blinked and sat up.

"You… You aren't going to kick me out again?"

"No! I thought you were a nutcase! I mean, really, who would believe someone if they said they were a werewolf? But I saw you! I saw it! Oh my…"

"Yeah…" Yasuhara brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Then… How about coffee?"

Gene blinked.

"Are you asking me out on another date? Because I really don't think now is the time."

"Well I was hoping just for a drink to warm up but we can make it a date if you want."

"You're flirting with me. You're naked in my garden and you're a werewolf and you're flirting with me."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really observant?" Yasuhara asked.

"Okay, where has that rake gone…?" Gene turned around to look for it when Yasuhara reached up and grabbed his hand. Gene spun back around and looked down at him. "Okay, one drink."

Yasuhara grinned. Gene pulled him to his feet and they started towards the back door.

"So if you're only settling for one drink now, I suppose that means our date will have to be dinner?" Yasuhara asked.

"Look can you just wait until you're clothed before you ask me on a dinner date? Like—"

"Why, is this distracting?" Yasuhara gestured to his body.

"Just stop."

"So it is?"

"This was a mistake. I'm sending you home." Gene opened the back door and stepped through. He expected Yasuhara to follow, but he did not. Gene looked around. "What?"

Yasuhara stood outside, his confidence gone.

"I… I'll just…" He pointed to the side gate and Gene sighed.

"I'm sending you home after coffee. Get in here and don't touch anything. You're covered in grass and mud. I am going to find you clothes and then we'll talk. Deal?"

Yasuhara smiled.

"Deal."

Author's note: Okay so I hate this but some bits are okay I guess so last year I did vampires so this year is werewolves and next year is gonna be both because Bee said so. Please review!