Of course Barrel has better options. Belladonna or, hell, just about anyone.

A partner who was soft and nice instead of sharp and difficult.

After a few weeks Barrel decides to confront Lock, after having enough of him being cold and distant. Barrel walks over to Lock, Belladonna had just offered for Barrel to join her pack, and go to the human world with them.

Barrel turned the offer down, saying he had a home here, Lock didn't know that though.

Lock heard Barrel from behind him, "You should go with her" Lock said, his tone cold, distant, "That's not what I want! Is that what you want?" Barrel says.

Lock shrugs, "Who cares what I want.." He mutters, "I do!" Barrel says loudly. "You've been avoiding me all week. You run when I try to talk to you...you're putting distance between us and I want to know why!"

Lock turns around, facing Barrel as he snaps, "Because its going to happen anyway, Barrel!" Lock yells, "It might as well be me who starts pulling back! One day you're going to wake up and realize that being with her is a thousand times easier than all the shit I put you though!"

Lock was pouring it all out now, "She's perfect and I'm just-..It was never going to be me okay?!" Barrel was just standing there, listening to Lock, "So it doesn't matter if I want this! It doesn't matter how much I lo-" Lock cuts himself off, stepping back slightly.

Barrel was surprised, "How much you what..?" He said, Lock froze, turning to run again, but Barrel puts his arms around him, holding Lock's back against his chest, "Fuck! Let go!" Lock yelled, "Let me go!!"

Barrel doesn't listen, "I've let you run too many times" Suddenly, Lock bites his forearm, "You can bite me if you want..but you're going to listen"

Barrel lowers Lock to the ground, talking as he sobs, "I would rather wake up next to you with scratches from your nightmares than unscathed next to anyone else.."

Lock was crying against Barrel's arm, as his green blood slowly rolled down from the bite.