[right][code]Day After Thanksgiving[/code][/right]
After what wound up being almost an entire spin for the Earth, a telepathic signal was passed along to Lelou through powerful White Lux. Mautec Lux, no less: The tribe which the Hunter-Richouxs belonged to. She knew the signal well, as even in Leon’s consciousness, the signature rang clear as the Lady Lynette. There were directions to a location, as well as the equivalent of handing your poker hand to the other players in the form of a full mental impression. 

Oftentimes these were loud things to sort through, and this was no different. Through it, however, Lelou was able to get a very detailed impression of Lynette’s spectrum of emotions, and the underlying intentions that followed them. All of this seemed to be done as a reassurance, that Lynette’s first priority was her Son, and that having him back mattered far more than cold, dead remnants of people she’d never known to begin with. Even toward the ones she did, she was calloused and heartless enough that the mourning almost didn’t even come up.

Ergo, Lelou felt this wasn’t a grand trap in spite of her knowledge of those she was dealing with. Of course she’d never trust it a hundred percent, but it didn’t stop her from wrangling Cass and making way for St. Portwell. The other wolves of the makeshift pack howled and screamed at her departure, her massive canid form moving at speeds the poor lesser beasts could never keep up with.

[color=a36209][i]Only so long until a nap…[/i][/color]

The site had been designated neutral ground: A field just outside town that abutted the national forest nearby. Ground where both parties could feel secure about approaching. There, the stratified corpses had been piled up in neat stacks of magically preserved meat, otherwise practically untouched by anything except careful and clean hands.

But it was gruesome… A triumvirate of powerful Adepts; Andrade, Doctor Nedia, and Furio himself all backed Lynette as she sat in meditation awaiting the arrival of the two. When they did, there were few pleasantries exchanged. The gist seemed to be “Eat and fulfill your agreement, or you’ll regret it.”

Which was a sentiment Lelou shared. 
[color=a36209][i]I better eat quick, or I’ll do something terribly foolish.[/i][/color]
So she set off to work, leaving a raging Furio to contemplate what he had to say to the man inside the monster. At least Andrade seemed relieved, and he started to make way for the vehicles parked nearby, the small Temple work crew taking a well deserved rest.

As for poor Cass…

[color=CAFFB0]”Sister, what in God’s Creation were you [i]fucking[/i] thinking!?”[/color] Andy snapped, practically rushing to Cass as soon as Lelou started her meal.

[color=8882be]”Andrea, for the love of God, can you stop shouting?”[/color] Lynette chided in response before also turning her attention to Cass.
[color=8882be]”Damnit, I really like you! That’s a lot of balls, taming something like that old Bitch!”[/color] she laughed, brushing the hair out of her face as a cold wind gusted across the field.

Cass had been fully prepared to be shouted at, taking it in stride with a rueful smile. She didn't look all that much worse for wear than she had when she was ‘kidnapped’, thanks to magically shifted skin to cover up all the marks Lelou had left. Her clothes had already been torn from the fight, her jacket slung over her shoulders rather than being worn properly thanks to the whole arm that was missing. 

Which meant there wasn't much to protect her from the bitter cold, a shiver running through her as the wind buffeted her. Normally she'd be able to keep her internal temperature up using Green Lux, but she'd reduced her magic use to the base level of spells she had to keep magic circulating. It gave her at least a couple of hours before she'd finally have to collapse and sleep. 

A couple of hours she really hoped they'd let her spend with Leon. She could give them some time to lecture him, but after a certain amount she'd start giving her own demands. 

[color=629c3f]"It ain't hard when you're as sexy as me."[/color] Cass managed to laugh in response to Lynette, having to suppress her fresh anger at the woman for what had been done to both Leon and Lelou. But now wasn't the time, and it wasn't her place… 
[color=629c3f]"I wouldn't call it taming so much as seducing."[/color]

Then she turned to Andy, holding up her hands to try and ward her off. 
[color=629c3f]"I'm fine, honest, Doc! I was just thinking about getting Leon back as easy as possible, and I was never in any danger. She wouldn't hurt me… I came back unharmed, didn't I?! No harm no foul!"[/color]

She tried not to be too blase about it, because she knew at least Andy had probably been genuinely worried. Cass was her patient… And Cass knew she wasn't the easiest one! But she didn't want to lie anymore than she had to, and pretend she'd been scared or anything. They'd probably all think she was stupid but… that was fine. 

She folded her arms across her chest to try and get a bit more warm, head vaguely nodding towards where Lelou was devouring people. 
[color=629c3f]"How long you gonna keep him when she lets him back out? I got, like, maybe two hours left till I drop… So I'd really appreciate spending ‘em with my boyfriend, y'know!"[/color]

[color=CAFFB0]”Your [i]boyfriend[/i]!? That’s really all that’s on your mind right now, while he’s let that walking nightmare practically take him from us!? From you!? And you [i]submit!?[/i]”[/color] Andy did as she was told, refraining from screaming and resorting to a far more strained grunt of frustration.

Lynette gave a loud sigh, shaking her head.

[color=8882be]”Did someone drop you on your fucking head!? She’s the only reason I’m getting my son back, you obsessive shit! Look! Look at that fucking thing, you look at that monstrosity and tell me that she’d have lasted if there were any problems!”[/color] Lynette snapped in Cass’ defence.

[i]Her defence.[/i] For all that was said about Lynette and her life up until now, it seemed like life had passed that. Or, she was really saving all her hatred and vitriol for a last desperate act of defiance. She didn’t seem to be holding the reins on [i]anything[/i] except the personal outbursts of her closest companions. One may get a vague picture of how she [i]had been[/i], or maybe how she was in her day to day life… But for all of that, it seemed that she was far more concerned with being a Mother at this point than principally guiding a group toward a goal.

[color=CAFFB0]”This is ridiculous! These things are nothing but supernatural animals! The ghosts, the fucking ghouls, the monstrosities… [i]You[/i] saddled him with that fucking burden, Lynette! [b]You[/b] did this! And then praise [i]her[/i] foolish behavior in turn!? Because you’re a petulant, self aggrandizing charlatan!”[/color] 

For whatever she was saying, it was a little impressive that none of it was loud. The question was whether or not she was respecting the wishes of her leader, or just because it was the right thing to do. But for all the control that was supposed to be there, Lynette simply let the woman go about her business. It wasn’t like she hadn’t foreseen this, after all. 

She was no charlatan. No cheat. But she knew the quietest questions of her closest. Their doubts, their fears.

[color=8882be]”Don’t be jealous, Andrea. You couldn’t save your sister. But, Cass here [i]easily[/i] saved my son’s life.”[/color] she grinned smugly.

Cass pressed a hand to her face, taking a deep breath. This kind of back and forth wasn't the kind of thing she enjoyed… one side angry, the other venomous. Not that she enjoyed any kind of arguments. But she was tired, even with her Lux bolstering her. Tired enough that she almost decided to detach and drift away… But then she wouldn't be herself. 

[color=629c3f]"Hey now, I dunno what the fuck you're on about with that, but I ain't here for being compared in that kinda way."[/color] Cass dropped her hand from her face, lips pulled into a grimace. She didn't know what had happened to Andy's sister, but she could guess it was Apparition related. 

She understood that many Apparitions weren't good. They weren't human either… but they certainly weren't just supernatural animals. There was a great variety. In her mind, each needed to be treated as an individual case. At least that was how her experience had been so far. 

[color=629c3f]"But they're fucking sentient- she ain't just some animal, and it's way easier to deal with the [I]not evil[/I] ones if you think about it that way!"[/color] She threw up one hand, before groaning. 
[color=629c3f]"I ain't gonna argue and argue to prove my point, but [I]she[/I] hasn't taken him away from us! He's still fucking there! You can go round and round about how he ended up with her or whatever, but they're attached… and it benefits us if they actually work together."[/color]

She glanced past them towards Lelou's monstrous form, then back at the two older women in front of her. It was hard to get more frustrated and pissed off after everything she'd found out. The more she found out about how the Temple was run, the way Lynette was being so petty even in defending her, and Andy talking down to her. Fuck! She just really couldn't take it.
[color=629c3f]"I didn't decide on a whim. I knew Lelou wouldn't hurt me, and she won't hurt Leon either. [I]I'm[/I] the one that spent the past twenty-four hours with her, and I'd make the exact same decision next time. And I don't feel like I'm fucking submitting to anything."[/color]

[color=8882be]”Educated [i]and[/i] morally principled? Christ, if the bag wasn’t getting wrapped around my head for the gallows, I’d be [i]smothering you[/i] in affection. [i]Fuck[/i]!”[/color] Lynette groaned, shaking her head as she spoke.

[color=8882be]”And to think, you weren’t even on my radar… I think I’m starting to really understand why. [i]He’s going to be fine with you.[/i] I know he will be. For however long that may be.”[/color] she finally smiled, looking at Cass with admiration in spite of whatever it is she may’ve known.

Andy was quick to remove herself, the joy instantly stripped at the mention of her deep loss so callously used against her in front of a relative stranger. It was demeaning, and worse when Lynette had always “cared so deeply” for the younger Nedia sibling. [i]And in front of a relative outsider like this?[/i]  It was pain, a stake driven straight through her chest.

[color=CAFFB0]”You’re going to Hell when you die, Lynette… Mark my [i]fucking[/i] words.”[/color] she growled, wiping tears from her face before turning away. But she couldn’t escape fast enough to not be impacted by a Lynette caliber bullet.

[color=8882be]”You’d like that, but you’ll have to wait a while. Maybe in the next lifetime.”[/color] she spoke cryptically, grinning to herself. 
But Andy stepped closer to Cass. Close enough that she could speak softly to her.

[color=CAFFB0]”I’m glad you’re safe… I’m sorry.”[/color]

Defeated, shuffling footsteps saw her off toward the same place Andrade had absconded, hopping into one of the vans and slamming the door shut. Which left Furio and Lynette alone with Cass and the feasting beast. Which wasn’t a quiet process either, as all three heads gobbled up everything they could. Furio remained stationary and silent, his attention almost entirely fixed upon his current target in anticipation of a wrong move.

Lynette shook her head again as she watched Andy leave them, awkwardly clearing her throat to see if it would prompt Cass into anything.

Cass internally groaned, torn between ripping into Lynette for saying something so fucked up and just not bothering at all. It was just another shitty thing added to the pile, and she was worried if she started she wouldn't stop. God… But she may never get another chance like this! 

A little bit wouldn't hurt. 

[color=629c3f]"Well, that was a real fucked up thing to say."[/color] Cass stopped watching Lelou's devouring, turning her head to stare at Lynette. 
[color=629c3f]"I'm sure you don't give a fuck, but I ain't sitting around taking ‘compliments’ in comparison to some kinda fucking loss. Fucking hell!"[/color]

She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans… or, what was left of them. They were a lot more like badly made shorts, completely ripped off from the knee down when she transformed her legs the day before. Good enough to cover shit up. 

[color=629c3f]"But thanks for the blessing, I guess! Ain't something I was looking for but hey, I'll think of it as a relationship achievement or something. Might be the only one we ever get."[/color] Her lips pulled up into a half grin, though any joy within it wasn't really directed towards Lynette. It was just always there, even through all her annoyance.

[color=8882be]”If you ever choose to be a Mother, I assure you, there’ll come a point where you grow weary of being the soft person, or the [i]good[/i] person. When one knows what’s best, it’s paramount to maintain self confidence in the face of adversity and dissonance. It’s charmless [i]Grace[/i].”[/color] she smiled, head turning to look up at the massive wolf. 

She could already feel something happening before any physical signs came. Her Mautec blood, so intrinsically linked to the spirits of this part of the world, recognized Lelou’s energy as it was at all sides. Maybe one would’ve been inclined to compare the two Matriarchal rulers of their domains, especially with Lynette suddenly talking about motherhood. Her cryptic way of calling Cass’ moral compass into question.

With such duplicity in her life, all she could really do about it was project it upon everyone else, and treat them with the expectation that they too would speak without connection to truth or sense. She didn’t question Cass’ morals because she thought they may be shaky: She questioned them to [i]make them[/i] become shaky. To rattle Cass’ own confidence, which she understood would be far easier said than done. And with not a lot of time left to make her miserable, she asked herself what she should really leave behind for Leon… Her sacrificial lamb…

And yet, as Lelou ate, Cass too would be able to feel a drastic change in both the pressure of the air, and the temperature. Frost covering the knee-high grass melted away without effort, dripping down to the ground as the warmth became greater and greater. The speaking head ceased its eating suddenly, spitting out the portion gently to turn and look at the people still gathered.

[color=a36209][b]”Mauteca! Na’ad a ra akadda dendet!”[/b][/color]

Lynette never dropped her grin, turning her head and nodding.

[color=a36209][b]”Then I will [i]hunt you with everything I have.[/i]”[/b][/color]

A massive plume of steam vacated from beneath the thick coat of Lelou, the entire body and all three of its heads turning to face both Furio and Lynette. The last thing they could see were the three muzzles in the fog as it rolled over her in a massive cloud. 

[color=8882be]”Oh, I feel so threatened, Tyrant Dog. Smokeshow. Where’s the lights and the guitar?”[/color] Lynette taunted.

[color=C67C12][b]”Back at home, Ma…-”[/b][/color]

All at once, the foggy cloud was pushed out from the center. Just as previously, a massive wolf the size of a house stood in an anticipatory stance awaiting some kind of retaliation. But, where there was once black fur tinged with red and orange, the beast was now a lustrous silver, with streaks of white that ended in little black tips on each individual hair. And, rather than three heads, a solitary face with icy blue eyes stared down at the trio. Black claws dug into the earth, and blood still slicked its muzzle…

[color=C67C12][b]”-Which is where you should be headed. It’s cold; you’ll catch your death out here.”[/b][/color]

Of course, his eyes turned subtly and stared down at Cass. For a moment, there was a true expression of love and longing in those eyes.

[color=629c3f]"Uh, hello?!"[/color] Cass shook her head, staring back up at him with wide eyes. She was a bit confused. It was Leon, right? 

But Leon was a wolf now?! Holy fuck, was she stuck with a wolf boyfriend? Not that she had a problem with that outside of probably needing to develop a whole ton of other spells for certain things… 

[color=629c3f]"What the fuck?!"[/color]

Cass' head started to tilt up and down to take in all of his massive wolf form. It was incredibly cool… Of course it was. He was a massive wolf! Holy fuck, he was a massive wolf!

[color=629c3f]"You- You get to be a massive fucking wolf too?! Awesome! Are you- heh, I'll ask that later.”[/color] She subtly cast a glance towards Lynette.
[color=629c3f]”Totally will confuse you less than it did Lelou… This is so fucking cool! You look hot as a wolf too, Babe!"[/color]

Then she started jumping up and down a bit.

[i]The Wolf smiled back.[/i] The knowing, human smile of understanding consciousness behind a canine form. But he didn’t just smile… He grinned back.

[color=C67C12][b]”You know the answer is yes.”[/b][/color] he spoke to her simply, causing Furio to open up immediately.

[color=de3b1b]”You… [i]Broke the seal![/i]”[/color] he shouted, stepping forward aggressively.
[color=de3b1b]”Years of effort! Your [i]father’s[/i] effort? Ours? Your pal Britney? Do you realize how much sacrifice was made to put that on your back? To keep you as safe as possible? [b]She will steal your life in the night, Leon! She will-[/b]”[/color]

[color=C67C12][b]”She will keep her end of [i]our[/i] agreements, Furio. Because [i]you people[/i] hurt her. Just like you do to the others like me… Constantly forced into things, pushed, guilted, berated if we go against the word. Questioned, hounded, dogged until we provide some sort of use for the plots and schemes of the day.”[/b][/color]

Leon stepped a single paw forward, causing Furio to take a reactive step backward. The meal clearly wasn’t finished, and there were still bodies to be had, but for whatever reason unbeknownst to Cass, the two had picked [i]now[/i] of all times to do this. But, the seal… The massive tattoo on Leon’s back, the ring with the octagons inside it. The thaumatergical sealing circle necessary to out-believe a naturalistic apparitional entity whose entire existence was linked to a single part of the planet. To a single layline of natural energy which kept her grounded and centered and [i]impossibly real[/i], unlike many other entities.

But how could it have broken if it was a tattoo? Obviously it had something to do with the magic attached, but nobody seemed interested in clarifying things at the moment. Lynette simply grinned a big, toothy grin as she stepped forward toward her son.

[color=8882be]”Well, well… If you cared about me catching my death, you wouldn’t be scheming behind my back.”[/color] she said, raising her arms up to him as she made it to his paws.
[color=8882be]”Come on… Give Mama a hug. Angry or not, you love me, and you know just like I do that there ain’t many of these left for you. So, come on.”[/color] she goaded, her hands waving down at him.

He spat a bone out at her feet, shaking his massive head.

[color=C67C12][b]”You’re placated no longer… The seal… My mind… You’ve done unforgivable things, and I won’t let you use your position in my life to justify your sadistic behaviors anymore. You won’t manipulate me and love with one hand while hurting with the other.”[/b][/color]

[color=629c3f]"Yeah, you tell her, Leon!"[/color] Cass literally clapped, because she didn't know how else to express herself in that moment. Fucking proud of him! Because she knew how much Lynette had her claws in him… It wasn't hard to get rid of that, no matter what fucked up shit she'd done.

Lynette was, for once, genuine in her seeking of affection from her son. Where Furio thought of all of what had been done in the past, Lynette could only see the future. [i]The Tyrant Wolf released her son.[/i] This was unheard of. When the Tyrant Wolf came to your village, it was because she was [i]hungry[/i], or because it was time for the tried and true habit of all Witches of the Woods. The Matryoshka Life Dilemma… The necessity to refresh the connection by way of absorbing people connected to the lands. Or, that’s how [i]she[/i] had always been taught things went.

So, her outstretched arms didn’t drop. Neither did her smile.

[color=8882be]”I know… Mama gets it wrong sometimes, Baby… I know I can’t ever take it back. B-”[/color] 

As she stepped a little closer, trying to get any kind of contact with the creature, Leon’s massive paw slipped back and shot forward, toppling and pinning Lynette between two claws.

[color=C67C12][b][h3]”You killed my Father! You killed Maxwell Richoux! Your husband! The man who loved you! He loved you! You! You, you selfish, evil, conniving-”[/h3][/b][/color]

The beam of charged atoms hit Leon’s massive head squarely as it stared down at Lynette, maw leaking as he screamed at her from inside the body itself. But as the first one came and passed, he realized that [i]this[/i] was the kind of power that Lelou enjoyed so deeply… Being able to simply [i]look up[/i], and see that Furio’s eyes were wild with rage and fear all at once.

[color=8882be][i]”Furio, wait! Leon… Do it! Do it, Leon! F-finish it! Please! Make it all stop!”[/i][/color] Lynette shouted from beneath the paw as she realized that Furio was about to defend her.

And in spite of his own rage, and everything else that he was feeling now which he never thought he’d have to feel, he removed the paw. And, he backed off as the Adepts in the vans started to rush back out at the first sign of trouble. Suddenly they were crowded again, and everyone was looking up. Most hadn’t been in a position to see this, or even wanted to. Hadn’t expected such a dramatic transformation… But when Leon’s voice bellowed across the field with accusations in the tone of violence, they all rushed to their lady’s defence.

And, amazingly, Lynette wasn’t trying to get up and make herself look any better. For the first time that [i]anyone in attendance[/i] had seen, Lynette Richoux curled into a fetal ball and [i]wept.[/i] Sobbed, even, as loyalists moved to shuffle her off. She didn’t struggle against them. She couldn’t. The force had broken enough bones that she, for the first time in a long time, was feeling [i]pain[/i] that didn’t come from a natural process. Several ribs, her hip, an arm… He’d mindlessly kicked her! Had to force himself not to stomp on her!

Unavoidably, Andy looked a little smug. She wasn’t in the group rushing to help Lynette, rather standing closer to the vans to stare at the whole thing transpiring. Some looked ready and poised to attack, but Furio quickly waved them off as they bundled Lynette into her vehicle. With his point made, and nobody else seeming interested in trying to push Leon any further, he turned his back and returned to the meal that was still awaiting him… 

It was, after all, no less pleasurable for him now than it was for the beast within. He could taste the fear, the panic, the abject mourning in each corpse that he greedily and gluttonously devoured. His massive haunches sat back down on the ground to rest, leaving the two of them alone once again in that cold field outside St. Portwell…


Fucking hell. A lot had happened so quickly that Cass barely got a chance to respond. There were moments where she went to edge in- to stop Furio attacking Leon again, to stop Leon killing Lynette… but it all was resolved before she could. Which was probably a good thing. She wasn't sure what she would have done. 

Just another fucking awful thing Lynette had done. Fucking hell. 

She wasn't sure what to do now! She watched as Leon continued to each, bouncing from foot to foot to try dissipate some of her agitated energy. She wanted to punch someone, she wanted to explode with magic- but she also wanted to hug and comfort him, but he was still a massive wolf devouring corpses right now! Not the ideal cuddle time! 

Her face was an array of expressions as she went from thought to thought, arms flailing into the air here and there. Then, she started pacing, stuck between going over and not wanting to interrupt his meal. It was a bit more grim now that it was Leon doing it but he was… a wolf right now… With a Wolf Queen inside him. She couldn’t blame him. 

Why was she getting so caught up in this?! If he decided he wanted peace while eating he could bat her away or something! 
After a short period of pacing, Cass nodded to herself, and confidently closed the gap between them as if she hadn't just seemed to have a minor internal dilemma. 

[color=629c3f]"Talk about making the size difference worse… How's that fair?!"[/color] She started teasingly, patting his massive, furry side. Then her fingers slipped into the silver fur, gently rubbing. She looked up at him with wide eyes, playfulness taking the bat seat as sorrow filled them. Finding out your Father was dead was bad enough, but to find out it was your Mother that killed him? And she kept it secret all those years? Even let Leon have hope he was still alive? 

It was awful. 
[color=629c3f]"I'm sorry, Leon. About your dad. I'm so fucking sorry. Fucking… I dunno what to say! Because that's just fucking- Ugh! Ain't anything I can say, really… Fucking hell…"[/color] She trailed off into a mutter, hand clenching into a fist in his fur.

He certainly didn’t want to talk about the seal. He didn’t want to talk about how it’d all been based on a property farmed from his dead father’s Mortific Apparition. He didn’t want to acknowledge that it’d been under his nose the whole time, and that the seal was just as effective at scaring the creature known as Absolution as it was at keeping Leon and Lelou sealed and separated. But it’d been a [i]long, long night.[/i]  He couldn’t have avoided the revelations that his companion was no longer able to compartmentalize from him. With everything as it was, he’d seen [i]everything[/i] that she’d been privy to but disallowed from sharing.

The magic was powerful in that circle… 

[color=C67C12][b]”Empathic sorrow… I don’t even want to think about you casting the empathetic blanket. You’re sorry… I know. I…-”[/b][/color]

He gritted his teeth, snapping down on a mouth full of bones.

[color=C67C12][b]”-I…”[/b][/color]

The mouth of the beast opened wide. There was a rip, and a tear. The beast’s eyes grew grey and dull, losing every bit of their luster as death overcame it… And from the mouth, walking out in the same clothes he’d been in Thanksgiving eve, came Leon. As he lost contact with the giant corpse, it faded away into nothingness like paper burning away in a fire. He was [i]wet[/i], which was pretty gross. Smelled terrible too. But, he still walked toward Cass with tears in his eyes.

He couldn’t really vocalize [i]everything[/i] all at once, so he didn’t try. He just rushed her down, hugging into her with a squelching noise coming from between them as his wet clothing released trapped air.

[color=C67C12]”It’s gonna be alright…”[/color] he wept into her shoulder now, one hand coming up to rub and cradle the back of her head while the other felt the tangibility of her body.
[color=C67C12]”I’m… It’s… Casey knew. Knows. There’s no way he doesn’t. He [i]has to.[/i] And… I… Want to hurt everyone, Cass… I want them all t-to feel… [i]This.[/i]”[/color] he continued, only breaking down to sob harder.

Cass' arms wrapped around him tightly, rubbing his back as he sobbed. 
[color=629c3f]"I know, I know… Of course you do! You've… heard something awful… anger is normal… It's okay, that's not you, that's your grief, Leon."[/color]

She hugged him as close as she could, leaning her body towards him. One hand gently tangled in his hair, fingers pressing into the nape of his neck.

[color=629c3f]"Just get it all out… Sadness, anger, fucking whatever! I'm here! I know it ain't gonna just go away, I know, but just… as long as you need, I'm here. And I know you ain't gonna actually hurt anyone like you're hurting but… you don't deserve to be fucking feeling this. I-"[/color] She cut herself off before she got too into her own anger. Not the place, not the time. 
[color=629c3f]"It'll be alright, even if it don't feel like it right now."[/color]

He knew she was right… And that was the most painful emotion out of all of it. The idea that it was all going to blow over at some point. Even becoming an orphan. Most people did at some point, of course. It was always seen as a negative when a parent outlived their child. But there was an equal point where a young man [i]needed[/i] those people still… The parents. Guidance left unprovided, love left unexpressed.

[color=C67C12]”We’d gotten into a fucking [i]argument[/i], Cass! A fucking dumb argument about one of the gyms down in Sacramento! It was logistical bullshit about lifting equipment and fucking [i]weights[/i] of all things! I was being a teenager, I thought I knew more, I seriously thought he was wrong and he just fucking screamed at me… [i]He called me fucking stupid, Cass…[/i] And I’ll never even be able to force him to apologize to me!”[/color] Leon sobbed, trying his best not to grow weak and flop over.

Cass frowned, only holding him tighter. It was barely possible at this point, but somehow she managed it- body stretching slightly as if to encompass more of him. It was a natural casting rather than anything she thought about. 

[color=629c3f]"You never… get to say what you wanna till it's too late."[/color] Her voice choked up a bit. About his situation, mostly, but about things she'd left unsaid too. Nothing so extreme but… there'd been arguments never resolved for her too. Losing someone unexpectedly tore away any resolution. 

[color=629c3f]"It ain't fair, Leon. There really ain't anything else to it… he should still be here, he should've apologised, you should have that- and it's fucking awful you got that torn away from you then and now! It's fucking… Really not fair."[/color] For all her empathy, there wasn't much she could say. Because she knew… Grief and the intense emotions from it didn't just go away with a few words. The best she could do was hold him, to be there and support him.

[color=C67C12]”That’s the worst fucking part… He’s not gone… He never left! [i]Her and Andrade[/i] forced him into Mortific Ascent, and he turned into a [i]fucking ghost[/i] that she keeps trapped nearby! In the very fucking Temple I’ve spent years in! And she hid it from me! Again and [i]fucking[/i] again! Everything and anything she could do to prevent that fucking ghost from approaching me, she did! Wards, fucking… [i]Tattoo ideas![/i] The one over my heart? Designed in a way where it looks like it’s going to hurt him from his standpoint! She’s made me into a monster designed to strike fear into my own father!”[/color]

He couldn’t hold it in then. Not after everything he’d learned from Lelou’s full merge. Weak knees gave way until he was knelt in front of Cass, desperately clutching around her stomach and lower back as he cried out in real, actual pain. Mental agony and anguish. It was impressive that he hadn’t reacted like this as a wolf until one realized he simply couldn’t have.

After all, this level of abstract mourning and sadness wasn’t primal. One wouldn’t have all these reasons and memories… It would simply be intrinsic: To mourn and to pass. But Terra Lupus? There were four expressive primals: Rage, Lust, Hunger and Action. None of those contained mourning except for [i]Rage.[/i] Hence, Lynette was nearly crushed to death… It was only by Leon’s human spirit deep within still taming the beast that she was allowed to live past that.

Cass curled forward so her face buried in Leon’s hair, rubbing against it and pressing kisses to his scalp. The whole thing was cruel on so many levels. Truly… Evil. From someone who claimed to love her children- to have loved her husband. Maybe she did love her children, but it certainly wasn’t in a way Cass could recognise. 

[color=629c3f]”So she did worse than just fucking killing him- Fuck! That’s so fucking… That’s one of the most fucked up things I’ve heard… Fuck.”[/color] In between a variety of pissed and anguished ‘fucks’ she peppered his head with kisses, extra affection and closeness to try and give something more. The only other thing she could think of was going and burning the whole Temple down… Which she knew she couldn't do.

[color=629c3f]”I can remove it for you. The tattoo, fucking anything physical like that… I know it won’t fucking bring him back, but maybe you’ll get to see what remains. Now that you know, and when she can’t keep you away anymore. But you're not a monster, Leon! She hasn't made you that… you ain't that at all.”[/color]

There were few moments in which Leon felt entirely broken… But fewer moments that he felt so put together. As Cass comforted him and his external body, so too did Lelou finally step from the shadow of Leon’s soul to caress his very spirit. As if a testament to what Cass was offering, Lelou’s hands slipped down across Leon’s inner projection, brushing the ink out of his skin like dust specks shunted from an unused surface. Cass would be able to feel, hear, see and smell the bubbling flesh on Leon’s body as she used her power over physiology to rapidly replace whole sections of flesh now devoid of the pigmentation she’d been half-programmed to recreate.

It was easy to see that it was all the seal’s doing… Because the compulsion was no longer there! It didn’t feel like a natural thing to do anymore! Why would she ever bring him back the same way [i]exactly?[/i] Improvements were always necessary! Oblivium could be cleansed! Cancerous cells devoured, bacteria and viruses scrubbed away, weak joints and flimsy bones, a soft brain…
It was only necessary to put him back as he was to a degree that he’d have no reason to complain over. Perfecting him like a little doll? No… But [i]they[/i] could get rid of these things too.

The curls of smokey steam coming from the bubbling tattoos coalesced beside Cass, forming a small figure that she knew [i]intimately[/i] now… A toy Lelou, a phantom of the vapor. 

[color=a36209][i]”Give not into your despair, White Wolf… Listen to the love of joy! He whom you seek shall not escape your grasp forever, so… Do what you know he would want! Fulfill your own destiny, and with her, deliver unto me our promise! And we shall all know true freedom, Leon! Listen. To. Cassandra!”[/i][/color]

Amazingly, the wisp had a voice! One Cass could hear just as easily as Lelou, even if it may have taken her puppeting his throat and mouth for force the words out… But she [i]wanted[/i] Cass to hear too. So that they’d both [i]feel[/i] what she had to say.

Cass pulled her face back from pressing kisses to Leon's scalp, looking at Lelou with a half smile. Then her hands slipped up to caress his face, gently tilting it up to look at her. She stared at him with watery eyes filled with deep care, affection and concern. Her lips pulled up into a warm smile despite everything. 

[color=629c3f]"Y-Yeah! Listen to both of us! Because… He'd want you to be happy, and free, and living your best fucking life despite what's been set up for you. I know that's fucking hard! But you ain’t what Lynette tried to make you… You love him, and he loved you. Just… remember that. Cause that's what he'd want you to remember, not the last moments, or the shit Lynette's done to keep you two apart since. You're you, and you gotta move forward with the life [I]you[/I] want!"[/color]

She didn't know what promise Leon had made to Lelou that she could help deliver, but it wasn't important to know. She'd do it… Anything that didn't cross her moral boundaries, which she knew they both knew. But now wasn't the time to talk about that. Just to be there for and with him.

It took a long time for Leon to stop coming up with retorts and bullshit before he could finally submit to the feeling that he needed to the most… The feeling of agency fully flooding back into his system. While he’d spent the last six years of his life attached to this spirit, he’d spent it being influenced by such an incredibly subtle spell that even aura detection was useless in tracking it. Because of how intricately woven it was into the circle responsible for keeping Leon stably in control, and that it was only really supposed to affect the Apparition itself, nobody thought to ask questions. 

And Leon himself simply couldn’t. He could never think one hundred percent straight, and only since the control over the leash had been lost, and he’d experienced the strain of working the seal himself, did he find that things didn’t feel right. So, when the leash came again, and it started to be used, it became clear that the discomfort was real. A pure silence in his mind. No thoughts. None. 

[i]Passivity.[/i]

Unable to put a finger on it, he probably would’ve never realized had he not known she was the only way they’d bring the Archserpent down definitively. Every bit of her screamed for the hunt, and it was in that very small moment that it catalyzed and shattered the spell, and the seal, completely. 

All of this he did his best to explain to Cass, eventually finding himself anxious, but no longer needing to melt down in the flood of emotion. It was the first time in a long time he remembered his mind as it was, rather than as it had been: A loud place full of consideration, opinion, interest and drive. He’d been satisfied hanging around the Temple, growing relatively fat and comfortable and making more money through appearances than trying for any titles or fights. Passivity had latched him to the floor, and shut the door to escape. But no more…

The few remains of those left over were interred, Leon and Cass easily able to move a few tons of dirt back and forth to ensure a deep and restful slumber for them. Then, it was back to St. Portwell. Though, Leon made no grand maneuver to transform for their convenience… He did find [i]his car[/i] near the roadway, parked and unlocked with the keys in the visor. Clearly they’d intended to bring him home comfortably… Which meant someone was thinking of them. Probably Casey.

[color=C67C12]”This really isn’t what I expected to find. I… Thought we were gonna be waiting for an Obar to be honest. Probably would’ve been a fucking hundred bucks…”[/color] Leon shook his head, letting go of Cass’ hand finally to open the door to the passenger seat for her.

[color=629c3f]”Thank fuck, cause if it’d been that much I’d be walking! And I ain’t got enough in the tank left for that shit!”[/color] Cass laughed, sliding into the passenger seat. She was really eking it out as best as she could- magical systems at an all time low. The bare minimum that she needed to use to stop her Lux from fucking clogging up and burning her receptors! 

As she got comfortable, she pulled her phone out - which she’d neglected for the past day. Thankfully there weren’t [i]too[/i] many concerned messages. Her general phone time had massively dropped since she’d met Leon, and further still when she moved to St Portwell. No more constant boredom during work! So most of her friends outside of the city weren’t concerned at all.

And clearly Trisha hadn’t been told about it- thankfully, since it hadn’t been something to worry about. 

[color=629c3f]”D’you think if I order food now, it’ll get there around the time we do? I wanna eat a massive fucking meal before I go into a coma!”[/color] She was joking about the coma thing, but entirely serious about the food. 
[color=629c3f]”God, I’m craving fried chicken… But I had to keep that one inside, cause I was worried a bunch’ve wolves would start slaughtering the local population and learning to deep fry shit! Y’know they got me pizza. [i]Pizza[/i]. I dunno what poor sod got that nicked of him, fucking hell.”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”I remember voices talking about a nearby [i]settlement[/i] and its proclivity for baked tomatoes. I think that’s what the wolves were… Uh… Discussing. Some of them are Lelou’s descendents, mortal creatures with her bloodline, so they’re a little more [i]with it[/i].”[/color] Leon explained, giggling a little bit as he fully got into the car and closed the door.

He hadn’t known that Lelou could “make” a bloodline, but she was apparently just as capable of carrying [i]mostly[/i] natural pups as she was of carrying other spirit wolves. Having full access to her brain meant that he not only had tens, if not hundreds of thousands of years of vague history and natural understandings, but a whole historic timeline of her lineages as they existed. 

[color=C67C12]”In fact, I’m pretty sure that most of the wolves between us and the Alaskan coast are generally fucking related back to her. Uh… That’s part of the agreement, by the way. The… The whole agreement, as it stands, is that she’ll be with us until everything is over, and then she and I will find her a new host to manifest through, and… She wants a new litter. To replace that which was taken. I… never imagined I’d be a dog dad, but I guess it’s like Loki, right?”[/color] he giggled again, shaking his head.


[color=629c3f]”Like the time Loki turned into a mare and fucked a stallion kinda like Loki? And got pregnant?! You’re gonna get pregnant with wolf babies?!”[/color] 

[color=C67C12]”No! No, like [i]fucking Fenrir![/i] Wait! Wait! What the [i]fuck[/i] am I thinking of!? I thought- Where’s the fucking wolf come from then!?”[/color] 

[color=629c3f]”Oh Babe… There were no wolves involved in the making of Fenrir. I dunno if it was like traditional fuck, get pregnant, and give birth kinda deal… But Loki had the wolf with a Jotun, Angrboda! They also had Hel, y’know Goddess of Death, and Jormungand, the big ass serpent!”[/color] Cass excitedly answered, her school obsession with various old religions coming in handy. 

[color=629c3f]”Wait, so like. If you ain’t getting pregnant… Are you getting [i]Lelou[/i] pregnant when she gets a new host?”[/color] She did her best to put two and two together in reality, rather than getting caught up in the funkiness of Norse myths. 

He nodded. There was hope that they’d find someone willing: Someone terminal, or otherwise vegetative and whose family would somehow be able to understand the intricate details that made their plans a Hell of a lot more good and noble than they probably sounded outwardly. It’d be hard, certainly, but Leon had confidence and charm. There’d be no need for trickery, he assumed.

[color=C67C12]”That’s the plan… Uh, well… Shit… There really wasn’t time to say no, y’know? Or, like, can we wait and ask? It was a split second decision, and I… I made it. I’m sorry. Fuck… [i]Fuck![/i]”[/color] he smacked the steering wheel slightly, fist resting on it.

Truly, he just assumed that Cass would go along with whatever, but that was a bad assumption. It wasn’t something he wanted to make a habit of, but this was definitely something he was more used to in the old days: Making decisions for others without consultation in an unnecessary fashion. Frankly, it ran in the family, but at one time he’d absolutely have been considered the worst. One only needed to talk to a few Sycamites to confirm that.

But Lelou was listening just as well, and had enough stake in the situation to at least mentally remind him of certain things.

[color=C67C12]”O-oh! There’s… There’s no time limit! That’s right! There’s, like- It’s not like that’s the first thing that’ll happen or anything. If you wanted, or if you thought it’d help, we can wait until we’re completely secure in our own relationship! And, y’know, God forbid we depart, at least you’ll not have been, like… [i]The second woman[/i] or anything.”[/color]

Now came some new thoughts. Probably just as Cass was thinking she knew Leon, old suppressed feelings, thoughts and opinions were free to leak out. Among them, jealousy and monogamy! And while he’d not disagreed with the course his life had taken in the constant pleasureseeking, he still firmly believed that a core relationship could [i]only[/i] be two people. Not that there wasn’t room in his heart, so much as there wasn’t room in his [i]life.[/i]

[color=C67C12]”Really, I intend on picking my fucking career back up. You know just as well as I do that I haven’t fought anything but exhibitions publicly for the last six years. I want to go for the Ultra-King belt. Hell, maybe I’ll even scrape a few inches off of my shins and spine, then go compete in an MMA league! And, honestly, I want you there for all of that! I want you to enjoy the life with me, and get to see it from my perspective, rather than the one you probably had as a fan! And [i]then[/i] we can talk about kids!”[/color] he enthusiastically explained, trying to redirect the conversation without sweeping the original topic under the rug entirely.

Cass felt like she was being pulled in far too many directions, having to pause her fried chicken order to give him her [i]full[/i] rapt attention- which was rarely needed in that way! But she was really struggling to understand how it all connected. She felt like she was following until he suddenly swapped to his career.

Which was awesome! She was real fucking hyped he really wanted to get back to it! But what the fuck did that have to do with getting Lelou pregnant?!

[color=629c3f]”Whoa, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but slow down a moment!”[/color] Cass waved a hand at Leon, head jerking around like she was trying to follow a laser pointer. Where did she start in responding?! What was the important bit?!

[color=629c3f]”I’m… Well I’m real happy you wanna pick your career back up! Hell yeah I wanna experience it, that’s awesome! But I don’t really… What the fuck does all that gotta do with giving Lelou a new litter?!”[/color] She scratched the back of her neck, trying to piece it all together. Step back, go to the shit before. 

[color=629c3f]”I mean, I ain’t worried about it? Why would I be? It’s not like you doing that with Lelou changes anything between us. I certainly ain’t worried… Unless it’d change how [i]you[/i] see [i]me[/i]? Cause [i]the second woman[/i] ain’t a thing that’s ever been in my mind for any relationship… That’s like, fucked up polygamous or cheating filled relationship shit.”[/color] Her head tilted, then she threw her hands into the air again.
[color=629c3f]”And what’s that got to do with your career?! I mean, sure, that affects what I’m gonna be doing when you get back to it… But I really don’t get what it’s got to do with getting Lelou pregnant!”[/color]

Leon furrowed his brow. Of course it wouldn’t make her [i]different[/i] in his eyes…

[color=C67C12]”She’s not gonna just stick around, Cass. We split, I give her the goods, and she’s out of our life. I’d rather give you the honor, and honor you in my life as my consistent partner by, y’know… Symbolic dedication! So… Maybe it [i]would[/i] make me think differently, but only because I’d feel ashamed for not giving you everything I can first. Because, y’know… You’d be [i]here.[/i] With me. Or, I mean… I [i]assume[/i] you’d be here with me.”[/color]

It was difficult thinking about the situation in that kind of abstract fashion. While it didn’t make him any less inclined to fill their life with rugrats of his own, being the Queen to his King was something he’d grown up with. No matter how many other partners his parents had, they seemed so truly dedicated to one another back in the day. It brought another physical tear to his eye, which he couldn’t hide.

[color=C67C12]”Oh, my fucking God… I’ve actually got to [i]go back to fucking Therapy!?[/i]”[/color] 

The realization was sharp. That all the work he [i]thought[/i] he’d done to himself had been a ruse, and that the only reason he’d been in that fucking office was to refresh and enhance the mental conditioning that had been forced on him to begin with.

[color=C67C12]”Bullshit Pink hypnotherapy bullshit! I’m going to [i]fucking kill Cuomo![/i]”[/color] he snapped, the steering wheel visibly bending and groaning under his iron grip. Little specks of black shot up the veins in his hand, and Cass would be able to watch it actually grow in size.

Professor Gerard Cuomo was, of course, the most skilled and practiced Pink Lux maestro involved in the Temple. His office in Portland was famous for its hypnotherapy, and had a remarkable success rate that he cleverly managed to contribute to “his staunch faith and the lessons learned from it.” Of course, the dogwhistle was always [i]Magic![/i]

[color=C67C12]”I thought [i]this shit[/i] is what we were working out! That my issues with commitment and- [b]Fuck![/b] Fucking… Fuck it… Just… Order the food, please.”[/color] he groaned, finally releasing the wheel from his destructive clutch and looking once again incredibly ashamed of himself.

[color=629c3f]”Leon…”[/color] Cass frowned slightly, reaching out to rub his arm comfortingly. 

She wasn’t happy to just brush it all aside, because it seemed important. Really important. Honestly she’d rather talk things through and clear it up as soon as possible. But if he was distressed about it, it was better to get somewhere they felt they could take as much time as they needed. Because she had a feeling it was more than just the whole Lelou baby thing… Or, at least, since the seal breaking his view on commitment had changed? Which meant they [i]really[/i] couldn’t leave it for later down the line!

[color=629c3f]”Y’know I don’t like just dropping shit but… You’re clearly thinking ‘bout a lotta shit! So, uh, we can pick it back up when we get back? I really ain’t gonna let it stew any longer than that! Obviously there’s a lotta shit you’re thinking ‘bout, and I’m guessing we gotta go revisit that talk ‘bout what our relationship is- But I’ll order the food and you can drive for now! We’ll talk ‘bout all’ve this when we’re back and comfy, yeah?”[/color]

She nodded as if agreeing with herself, withdrawing her arm back so she had both hands on her phone. It didn’t actually take her that long to add shit, because she’d ordered from this place a few times- for the both of them. So she basically copied a previous order with a few changes and additions. 

As she did, she had a sudden realisation.
[color=629c3f]”Is this what its like fucking talking to me?! All’ve the topic changing?”[/color]

He [i]almost[/i] brought himself back into it, but there were plenty of things on his mind that didn’t involve pain and heartache. Like punching Greyson Devola in the face for having access to his mind several times and not [i]helping him.[/i] Clearly his own little joke, or maybe a way of extending his sick revenge fantasies onto someone who actually [i]cared[/i] about him beyond caring to see him locked up. No, no… That was pain too. 

[color=C67C12]”Maybe if you woke up from a coma you could hear in…”[/color]

He paused for a second, with Lelou’s hand on his own. 

[color=C67C12]”Uh… I… I want this relationship, Cass.”[/color] he reached his hand out, grabbing hers.
[color=C67C12]”But… I don’t want to pretend that I’m not [i]just like Casey.[/i] Because, uh… You’re special. Your joy; it broke through that barrier I’ve been in. The feelings I had. Have. They were grey. But, even in all that grey, you had color. Always did. Which is why, uh… Well, I [i]liked[/i] you. But, really… I do think I love you.”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”O- Oh.”[/color] Cass’ mouth opened, then closed, left speechless for once. 

It wasn’t like what he said scared her or anything. She was glad she could be that for him. That she was able to help him break out from what had been trapping him. But she wasn’t there yet! And she’d never actually gotten to the stage in a relationship where the word love was brought into it either way! Sure, in a more friendly sense, but not like [i]love[/i] love. 

So she wasn’t sure how to respond in a nice, neutral, not upsetting him way. Her gut reaction of ‘that’s cool’ certainly wasn’t it! It was fine that he felt that way. She didn’t feel [i]pressure[/i] per say, but more… A hint of worry? Because she’d dated people for at least half a year before and not gotten there! 

[color=629c3f]”Well- Well, obviously [i]that[/i] doesn’t change anything. Uh, well, maybe it does! I’m not there yet… thinking or knowing… But that’s fine! And it’s fine if you think you are, and I’m glad that you’re able to feel those things and [i]colours[/i] more cause’ve me. Really. I’m just… Well I’ve never had anyone say anything like that to me before?! So I dunno how to say ‘that’s really nice to hear, I’m not there yet but I’m sure I’ll get there, but it may be a while, please be patient!’”[/color] She sucked in a deep breath after practically speaking without breathing, slapping the hand Leon wasn’t holding against her forehead.

[color=629c3f]”I guess like that?”[/color]

Leon nodded. What she said didn’t hurt. It left him with a feeling of anticipation that he couldn’t decide on whether it was anxiety or eustress… Probably both. The fact that she didn’t agree immediately meant there was still plenty of time where she could decide she hated him, and run away with the bag leaving him with his feelings in his hands. Like Lena when she’d admitted that her attraction had always been toward Casey. Or any of the countless other women in his life who enjoyed the ride when it suited them, then disappeared once the going got tough.

But on the other hand, he [i]knew[/i] she wasn’t like anyone else. She’d already proven it time and time and time again… He could always maliciously hold her treatment for her condition over her head if things got dicey, but just the thought of doing that gave him a mental slugging as Lelou set him straight without a single word. He didn’t need to worry! Except… Did he feel strongly about their monogamy? Was this dual relationship even something he wanted to begin with?

Lelou was good about it, however. Rather than adjust his hormone levels herself, she gave him a memory of her own. Of ancient times, when she was a younger Queen, and had the opportunity to descend to the darkness and become one of the Brides of the Hound. For any of her contemporaries, this would’ve been the ultimate gift! Eternity by the side of their beloved Father Wolf as one of a million brides.
But, she’d always imagined that the brides would have their own lives. It wasn’t until she dipped a paw into that shadow that she realized the truth… That their commitment was to he, and he alone. Never would she share an intimate moment with another, nor would she have the freedom to do so.

It was the freedom that she craved most. The freedom to do as she pleased, which ultimately drove her away from that gift. Away from that place altogether, and back here to Shimmer. Back to Earth, and to the Pacific Northwest. Back to her own kingdom… And she took as many mates as she could, and let them take mates of their own. Sometimes it was between one another, sometimes outside their world entirely… 

[i]But she’d never locked someone down ever again.[/i] It was a sticking point in her mind, and in the million million times she’d been called a tyrant, the truth was that she only ever used force when there was no other option. She didn’t raise villages and local populations to the ground because she was malicious; she did it because the threat they intended to oppose to [i]her own freedom[/i] was so great, that she had no other choice in her mind.

Her freedom. His freedom. Cass’ freedom. The ability to choose, and be chosen in turn.

[color=C67C12]”That’s typically how you say it, yeah. And, honestly? If you’re not there, I’m glad you’re not trying to force yourself. If I remember correctly, that’s the healthy way to do it, right? Or did Professor Cuomo lie about that too?”[/color] he asked gingerly.

[color=629c3f]”He didn’t! Well… For emotions like this, for sure. Forcing it just ain’t possible… And lying ‘bout it ain’t right either. One person getting there first ain’t a problem, I don’t think… I mean… I ain’t experienced it before, but I’m pretty sure it ain’t. It’d only be an issue if you expected or pushed it, or if I was like… Put off by you already feeling that way for some reason, and didn’t say? Which ain’t the case at all! Totally chill, but-”[/color] Cass paused her rambling, turning her head to make sure she was properly looking at him. 

The food order was made, after all. Would take an age because of how much there was too, so she was sure they’d get back in time for it. 

[color=629c3f]”Does it change the… Well the exclusivity thing? We’d talked ‘bout tier-stepping, y’know, and- Well y’know what we agreed! But do you wanna bump it up to [i]fully exclusive[/i]? Like, no one else- unless we’re doing something together, I assume, or, like, well, Lelou…”[/color] She looked at him with a completely open gaze, waiting for and perfectly fine with whatever answer he gave.

There just needed to be an answer! And since he’d decided to talk about the whole colour and love thing, it felt like a natural follow up rather than… waiting till they got back like she said they would! Or at least, she’d planned to wait since he’d seemed to want to put off talking about anything he was feeling, before going right into something- admittedly less sad- anyway.

His immediate response was to push for the exclusivity, cutting them down completely to just the three. But, that was incredibly unfair. He may’ve been of a different mind set when he made the initial agreements, but that was no excuse for them to be totally invalidated. Lelou was quick to push him mentally, dredging up the strong emotions relating toward freedom again. There was no way he could chain and cage her. But neither could deny the little nagging question they were left with.

[color=C67C12]”No, it… I’d like to just try and see how I feel. If it’s bad, and we have to reassess, then that would be an ideal compromise, but… Can I ask a question? It’s… I think it’s an anxious question.”[/color] he asked calmly, the scenery of the pristine forested hills slowly changing around them into more and more populated suburbs. 

They’d be on the highway soon, at least…

[color=629c3f]”Sure, shoot.”[/color] Cass responded easily, still looking directly at him.

[color=C67C12]”Is it… Is it super important to you? Like, in the sense that you think you’d want to seek that kind of freedom out away from me? I mean, Lelou keeps beating me over the head with this. But, y’know, the irony isn’t lost that she and I are both animals chained and caged by commitments, so… If, like… Y’know, if… Other guys, other girls, whoever… Is it just the thought that you [i]can?[/i] Or, should I expect other people in our lives like that consistently?”[/color] he asked, furrowed brow and frown both creasing his otherwise handsome face.

Cass rubbed the back of her neck, trying to figure out the best way to answer. She pretty quickly stopped bothering, because the longer she took to answer the more anxious he might get, and her answer would never be well thought out anyway!

[color=629c3f]”I think… you might’ve gotten the wrong idea ‘bout how I am? Wait, no, that sounds bad- More like I might’ve given you the wrong impression! See… I’ve been in all sorts’ve relationships. I wanna talk ‘bout this stuff cause like, yeah, I ain’t always just getting into a monogamous relationship… It’s easiest to sit down and have clear boundaries and shit! I guess I can see where, like, y’think… I need it? Wait, uh, step back, step back, Cass.”[/color] She threw one hand up, hitting the roof of the car with it accidentally. 

[color=629c3f]”No, it ain’t super important to me. [i]Emotionally[/i] I’m pretty exclusive! That exclusivity was sometimes in a throuple, but it was still just that… The only time I wanted to [i]date[/i] someone else was when I was neglected. Physically… Yeah, sure, I like the fun of variety. But most of my relationships with one person tended to be open cause the few times they weren’t, whoever I was with couldn’t handle me alone and weren’t willing to work through shit to reach a compromise. I never really had a preference towards it being open or not.”[/color] 

She explained as best she could, realising that maybe she should’ve been more clear earlier on about her own preferences… In that she didn’t necessarily have them, beyond needing things to be interesting. If she got bored then it was a problem… But if she got bored of someone, she got bored of them whether shit was open or not. She wasn’t worried about that here. 

[color=629c3f]”I wasn’t planning on dating anyone other than you, unless it was, like, a bringing someone else in situation. And I’m pretty fucking satisfied when it comes to sex, so it’d only ever have been if you were away a bunch… But that isn’t [i]neccessary[/i]. I guess the short answer is no, it ain’t important, and ain’t bothered ‘bout seeking that kinda ‘freedom’, exclusivity is perfectly fine with me as much as not, so long as it’s explicit, y’know?”[/color] 

Leon’s brow furrowed further, and his anxiety gripped the words in his throat practically waiting for a second opinion.

[color=C67C12]”Emotional exclusivity requires trust. The kind of trust that, if it gets broken, usually doesn’t get put back together looking the same. If there’s physical freedom, there’s emotional freedom, and I can’t stop you from finding someone else whose intimacy makes you feel better, or warmer, or more [i]something[/i] than mine… I… I think I’m fucking [i]self-conscious![/i] What the absolute fuck? Dad never [i]ever[/i] raised me to be fucking nervous about shit like that! I’m the shit! I’m the best sex you’ve ever fucking had! And I will be forever! There’s no reason you [i]should[/i] need anyone else! So, if that’s the case, then fine! Anyone, anything you want, Babe! Because every other encounter’s just gonna remind you about how much you miss me… Right?”[/color] he asked enthusiastically, a smile actually crossing his face.

[color=C67C12]”I mean… Hypothetically! This is all, y’know, to help me understand things so I can make an informed decision! Does what I said make sense? Like, I mean, verbally: No, it doesn’t change anything. We’re just as we were [i]before.[/i] Just… Know that my feelings are strong, and if you find any kind of want or reason to back out, treat them like that. Treat my feelings like they matter, and I’ll give you everything else you could ever want in a person, Cass…”[/color]

Lelou’s nod echoed through his head without noise. The motion and emotion of acceptance and, potentially, enthusiasm. 

[color=a36209][i]You don’t need a head-shrinker. You’ve got me. We’ll sort you out before I’m gone, White Wolf.[/i][/color] 

Cass didn’t smile where both Leon and the wolf inside him did. Instead, she frowned a bit more. 

[color=629c3f]”What you said makes sense, but I don’t think you listened to anything that [i]I[/i] said? First of all, I said I’m fine- and happy with- [i]emotional[/i] and [i]physical[/i] exclusivity. Second, even if it was just emotional… I’m not a fucking cheater and never would be! Third, I said it wasn’t necessary for me to sleep with anyone else… Shit only changes if you start fucking neglecting me or our relationship goes to shit, in which case I’d [i]break up with you[/i] not cheat.”[/color] Her tone was a bit frustrated, trying her best not to tip beyond that. Cause he was clearly going through a lot of emotions and not thinking completely straight.

[color=629c3f]”What I really don’t want is for you to feel self-conscious about something, [i]admit[/i] to it, then overcompensate the other way like you’ve just done in one fucking minute… Babe, you [i]are[/i] the best sex I’ve ever had, but that doesn’t mean you ain’t allowed to feel anxious or have fucking feelings about that shit. I ain’t agreeing to keeping shit the same just cause you feel we gotta… Cause then it’s gonna blow up in our faces if I [i]do[/i] end up sleeping with someone else, and you’re not actually fine with it.”[/color]

Leon wasn’t sure what he missed now. He was quick to give her the confused puppy look.

[color=C67C12]”That’s… That was [i]overcompensating?[/i] I was just outwardly manifesting reasons I should feel confident, is all… [i]I thought,[/i] at least. But, like… Of course you’re not an emotional cheat. You’re way too noble for that. I should be confident in [i]that[/i] too. But, it’s technically [i]your[/i] reason to be confident, isn’t it? Like… Sure, you can tell me that’s the case, and I [i]do[/i] believe you. But, I’ve… Do you understand that nothing in my life has ever been truly [i]real?[/i] That I’m as close to the Truman Show as a person living in the real world can get?”[/color] he asked her, sounding a little sad again.

[color=C67C12]”Of course I’m fucking self conscious, and of course I’m going to at least [i]try[/i] to compensate for that. You can tell me it’s more than enough or that it ain’t necessary until your face literally turns blue, but that won’t change that promises and reassurances don’t actually mean shit to me right now. It’s action, reaction, and extended observation, and I’m not an asshole whose intentionally ignoring what your saying or how you’re expressing your feelings… I-”[/color]

He gritted his teeth, pausing. Maybe he’d lost the plot too… 

[color=a36209][i]To see is to-[/i][/color]

[color=C67C12]”It’s gotta be tested, Cass. The relationship needs to be tried, tested, and extensively examined over and over again. I’m… Jesus, fucking Christ, I’m… I’m going insane! What the [i]fuck!?[/i]”[/color]

He gripped his head, eyes wide as he came to a stoplight and had the chance to turn and look at Cass fully.

[color=C67C12]”I… I feel like I’m [i]really[/i] fucking this up. Like, totally botching this entire explanation… And I don’t want things to be this way when I’m with you… So, can… Can you and I both just agree that nothing’s changed right now? And, y’know, just… [i]Be satisfied?[/i] I know, I know I keep bringing new shit up and it’s my fault, but it won’t fucking stop!”[/color] he genuinely frowned, confidence dropping off the face of the planet once again.

Cass took a deep breath in, before letting it out as a long exhale. 

[color=629c3f]”Alright. We can agree on that for now, and see how things go.”[/color] She said evenly, managing to breath out any frustration. 

Because Leon was clearly in a lot of distress, dealing with everything he had… Finding out all of that shit about his life. Pushing something like this was pointless if it just made him feel worse. She could read between the lines and guess at what he wanted but wasn’t saying, at least. It wasn’t the ideal situation, but… For now, it was the best resolution.

[color=629c3f]”I’m sorry for pushing it… I know you gotta lot of shit on your mind right now. Ain’t hard to tell… So I really shouldn’t be pushing you to just figure out how you’re feeling so I know I ain’t gonna make a misstep.”[/color] She continued honestly. She leaned towards him, pressing an incredibly quick kiss against his lips while the light was still red. A hand went to rest on his thigh. 

[color=629c3f]”It’ll be fine. I’ll just keep proving to you how totally awesome and dedicated I am, so eventually there won’t be any room for self doubt cause it’ll have a Cass sized foot mark on it from me kicking it away! So… Don’t worry, Babe. Even if you feel like you’ve fucked up this conversation, I don’t feel the same, cause at the end of the day… I just wanna hear your thoughts and feelings, y’know. That’s why I ask these things.”[/color]

She gently squeezed his leg, before withdrawing her hand- mostly cause she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep still for too long, and didn’t want to accidentally smack him in the face while he was driving. 
[color=629c3f]”But we’ll put it to rest for now! You’ve said your piece, I’ve said mine, we’re in agreement and it ain’t… Like anything changes.”[/color]

Leon didn’t [i]want[/i] to put it to rest. But, he also didn’t want to kill every perception of himself that people had come to build over his time as this hollow prison vessel. He [i]liked[/i] that he’d become incredibly easy-going and unburdened by all the self-consciousness that had plagued him during his younger years. It still manifested from time to time, sure. Like when he’d told Trisha to drug Ed [i]just[/i] to try and save face with… Well, with [i]nobody important.[/i] Part of him thought that his inclination had been manufactured in the first place too! 

He wanted to vomit [i]everything[/i] onto Cass’ plate, force her to pick through the bones and decide if she still wanted to eat it. He didn’t want to do some slow reveal where he worked on himself and made slight improvements over time… [i]He wanted everything all at once.[/i]

[color=C67C12]”I… supremely appreciate you. And everything you feel toward me. All of it. I’m just [i]really scared to push you away accidentally.[/i] But all I can really do is keep talking, and praying that something wretched doesn’t come out. I’m scared of myself now… Because I feel like I just got used to being who I’ve become, and I was… I was even comfortable fully embracing her. All of this. But, now it’s been done, and it’s had consequences I didn’t imagine while she couldn’t tell me. And, again, you can reassure me until you’re blue. But, it’s my job to not [i]need you to.[/i] And to seek it out in a healthy way. Your validation, your empathy, your love… And I have it. And me being scared to lose it is completely illogical. But I promise you, I want to keep talking. I want to talk about [i]everything.[/i]”[/color] he finished, hand moving down to grip the one that rested on his thigh.

[color=C67C12]”Because [i]I[/i] love you. And I want everything to be on the table for you. For us.”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”Well… Good! Cause y’know how much I love talking. Too much, really! I don’t really mind all the reassuring, y’know… But I get it. You don’t wanna ‘burden’ me with it and all. We’ll just… take shit one step at a time with all of this! Well, like, I more mean take shit as it comes rather than like… slowly taking a step at a time cause y’know I always bounce and shit I ain’t really one for- Fuck, that ain’t the point. I’ve lost the point I was tryna make! What really matters is… Well it’s ok if you’re scared and all. Just good luck pushing me away accidentally? Unlikely to happen! I dunno what you’d have to say for that…”[/color] She shrugged, lips pulling back up into a smile. 

It wasn’t hard for her to bounce back up. She didn’t like getting stuck on negative emotions, after all. 

[color=629c3f]”Y’know, cause I’m like a rock. A really fast, constantly moving rock, but in that I’m stable… Godamn, that was a shit fucking metaphor, I ain’t like a rock at all…”[/color]

[color=C67C12]”You are like a rock… A specific rock. I think Casey calls them bullets.”[/color] Leon managed to eek out a smile. A warm one.

[color=C67C12]”It’s… There’s a masculine thing that I need to work out. I think it’s the dumb biological urge for genetic dominance. Like, y’know, mammals usually fight for partners, because the best way to guarantee your genes continue is to be the only contributor kind of thing? Not saying it’s right or just when our species has gotten to this point… But, y’know, nature’s kind of a promoter of polygamy, rather than healthy polyamory. [i]Fuck[/i] I’m starting again… Duct tape me shut or something, I don’t know, fill my mouth with fried chicken.”[/color] he joked, or at least did his best impression of a casual joke in the moment.

[color=629c3f]”Dude, we ain’t got back to the fried chicken yet, and I ain’t doing any’ve that shit. Like you don’t listen to me ramble on and on without complaint.”[/color] Cass shot back relatively easily, keeping her tone light. Even though he’d come out of the seal breaking different- more his actual self- it wasn’t like who he was hadn’t been there at all. It mean she could still read him and see through shit when really paying attention… Like what wasn’t really a joke.

Without pointing it out, of course. 

[color=629c3f]”But God, don’t go bringing up fighting and nature’s way of doing things… I’ve been dealing with enough of that the last twenty four hours!”[/color] Cass jokingly groaned, lightly nudging the conversation away from a loop around of polyamory versus polygamy, and what he felt he had to work on. Because yes, it being a masculine thing wasn’t good, but what more could she really say at this point? When she’d said she didn’t exactly need polyamory… But whatever, it was fine. 

[color=629c3f]”Between you and Lelou, maybe I’m gonna change my viewpoint and join the animal kingdom way of doing things. But not yet! Ain’t gonna be getting into any bloody battles for dominance of any kind! Well, maybe the sexy kind. Still down for that… Well, not right now! I actually need some time in the human realm once… I didn’t say it yet cause there’s been so much shit, but, y’know, I really did miss you, Leon! Like a lot!”[/color]

He probably would’ve broken down hearing her say that if he didn’t have to physically keep his eyes clear to watch the road. Pink filled his body, every reflection of the light Lelou had trapped over millennia beaming around in controlled little blasts. It was purely reflexive, and he knew he could never actually cast a spell with Lux again, but it was good to have [i]color[/i] back. Good to feel a flood of emotions when she told him that, rather than simply accepting it and reciprocating.

[color=C67C12]”Oh my fucking [i]God[/i], you wanna talk about missing someone!? Cass, Baby, that’s all I’ve been fucking doing this whole time is missing you… [i]Fuck[/i], it’s such a weird place in there… [i]Inside Lelou.[/i] It’s not her fault of course, but… Everything felt so obscured. Like… Like I was watching the two of you from behind a screen or something. I wasn’t scared, I didn’t think- Well… Maybe I [i]did[/i] think I was gonna lose you! Honestly? I think I did! I think I thought that you and Lelou were gonna have a happy life, and I was gonna be [i]gone![/i] And you have no idea how… How relieving it is to be here with you again. And for you to be so warm, and… And… And you’re not a cheat. So, me having this [i]feeling[/i] like I’m being gassed up by someone whose feeling guilty for something isn’t real. Because it’s not, and I was just stuck not being able to fully observe or contextualize.”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”Babe, if I thought Lelou had just swallowed you forever we would’ve been fighting not fucking… I mean, I ain’t gonna lie and say any of it wasn’t entirely willingly done or some shit. But technically Lelou’s part of this till eventually she ain’t- for both of us. So I ain’t feeling guilty, and yeah… Certainly ain’t gassing you up cause’ve that. No fucking way! If I felt guilty, I’d admit it and apologise.”[/color] Cass shrugged one shoulder, not having that difficult a time keeping her mood where it was. 

Even if he kind of looped back. But it seemed to be with a realisation? Or some new information… She hadn’t realised he’d been sort of watching the whole time, or able to when he was trapped inside Lelou. Not that it changed any of her feelings. 

[color=629c3f]”Either way, it’s you first, Leon. You’re the one I’d choose if I ever had to! I did shit I wanted to, sure, but I was also taking the route that I thought’d make shit easiest for you… For all of us, really.”[/color]

Leon smacked the wheel again with his free hand.

[color=C67C12]”And that’s exactly how I feel too, Goddammit! It’s you first! Which is why [i]our kid[/i] comes before I hand my dick and balls off to a fucking ancient forest spirit! Does [i]that[/i] make sense!?”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”That’s… What you meant with the whole Lelou litter shit?! Oh. Oh!”[/color] Cass’ eyes widened, like understanding was dawning on her. Thinking back, maybe it should’ve been obvious with the way he said some stuff, but there’d been a lot in there. A lot of jumping about too.

There was an assumption there that they’d definitely have children… And still be together at the point they might. Of course, she hoped they would be. And she was fairly certain she wanted kids. She’d always swung between having none of having a whole bunch, but hadn’t exactly made up her mind one way or another. Seemed pretty partner dependent… Sure, with Leon, probably! But it was still too early to really say.

Which would be why he said there was no time limit…

[color=629c3f]”Yeah. That makes sense. You… Gotta spell this shit out for me sometimes, Babe. Sometimes I catch shit real easy, sometimes it flies right over my head. But, uh, yeah… Makes sense you’d want to have a kid with me first I guess!”[/color] Her voice got fairly high and squeaky by the end, as she realised exactly what she was saying.

[color=C67C12]”Which, I do! I… Even if things don’t work out, and we find out somewhere years from now that things ain’t actually what we want, which I’m really hoping never happens… But, I [i]still[/i] want us to come together like that. I… I think the combination of you and I being born into this world is a net positive no matter what!”[/color] Leon enthusiastically chirped, his mood clearly picking up again now that there was a roadblock brushed aside.

It was everything he’d wanted to convey, and thought he had… Which meant he had actually fucked up the exchange in some way without even realizing it. Maybe he [i]did[/i] need to see a new therapist still. But, for now, at least that hurdle was out of the way.

[color=C67C12]”So, I’m glad you got it. I’m actually [i]really glad[/i] you said what you said. That… That I come first. Y’know, boxing came first. The Temple came first. Dad and Ma… They may’ve treated me like the first child, but I could always tell I was never their first [i]baby.[/i] That they’d always be looking out for their interests first, and that if I- We, as the group of kids, - wasn’t involved, that they just didn’t give a fuck! That if we weren’t doing what [i]they[/i] were doing, we may as well have been shitting on their good nature.”[/color]

He didn’t want to shatter her view on Gravity, but there’d been a thousand times that he’d dropped his mask only to Leon… And sometimes it was amazing, proving that Max Richoux was in fact a great man… But other times, it wasn’t so great. 

[color=34ebb1][i]”With your hips, you worthless animal! Use your whole body! Are you stupid, or deaf!? Punch him, for fucks sake, or I’ll cave your skull in with a dumbell!”[/i][/color]

He knew he wasn’t the only one who got shit like that… The dinner table was always the place that it happened most frequently. Plenty of trauma hidden in that apartment… It’s probably why nobody but Mia could stand being in there. Chances were, she was hardly old enough to remember it before family dinners stopped including Dad. Most of the time, Clarissa would feed them separately from Max and Lynette…

[color=C67C12]”Ah… You probably don’t wanna hear about that shit though. I… I don’t want to be the person who demystifies Gravity. There’s a big part of me that wants him [i]re-mystified[/i] myself.”[/color] he admitted, squeezing Cass’ hand again.

[color=629c3f]”Babe… I’ve learned enough about your upbringing- like the fucking Cat you grew up with, where you’ve all had to go through getting its fucking pearl thing removed?- Yeah, kinda demystified already. I can separate the man from the boxer… Maybe it’s hypocritical if it ain’t change how I view [i]Gravity[/i] the boxer so much, but I certainly ain’t a fan of [i]Maxwell[/i] the father.”[/color] Cass responded bluntly, fingers wriggling back against his. 

[color=629c3f]”You don’t get so fucked up by one parent if the other ain’t at minimum neglecting you. I wasn’t sure how active it was with him but… Yeah… I’ve guessed from all the shit I’ve seen and heard. Maybe you wanna re-mystify him, and I ain’t gonna stop you- he’s your dad, and you boxing predecessor! But I sure don’t want you not talking ‘bout shit that clearly still affects me cause you’re worried ‘bout that. I didn’t just tell you that you come first for you to turn around and prioritise my [i]boxing fangirling[/i]! So uh… I do wanna hear about that shit. Anything you wanna tell me, I wanna hear. [i]You[/i] ain’t ruining anything for me.”[/color] She shook her head, though there wasn’t any judgement in her tone. 

[color=629c3f]”I’m dating the guy I’m the biggest fan of anyway, so anything else I can cope with… Not that that’s the point!”[/color]

Involuntary crimson flushed across Leon’s face as he blushed at the compliment. She was terribly insistent, which only made him more grateful in spite of what he may have implied earlier. Just because he couldn’t exactly trust the pretty words, didn’t mean that he didn’t still feel them coming from her. 

[color=C67C12]”Y’know just what to say, Babe… I guess you learn by yapping, huh?”[/color] he managed to crack a smile with the joke, poking his tongue out at Cass playfully.

[color=C67C12]”How’d you get so… [i]like that?[/i]”[/color]

[color=629c3f]"So like what? [I]Awesome[/I]? I dunno, Babe, I was just born like this! Came outta my Ma spitting facts!"[/color] Cass grinned in response, tilting her head back to laugh. 

[color=629c3f]"Nah you're right, practice makes perfect! I said a lotta wrong things to get to saying the right things. Still say the wrong things too! I'm just a lil better at having the right thoughts first."[/color]

Leon, still smiling, gripped her hand with a nod.

[color=C67C12]”We’re really meeting in the weirdest twilight of my fucking life. Thank you… For your confidence and constant reassurances, I owe you a beautiful life. Say what you want… But that’s just how I feel.”[/color]
[hr] 
The rest of the drive home was more chill, with them getting back to the Cannery just before Cass' massive fried chicken order arrived. Though it had a good mixture of other shit- fries, macaroni cheese, shit ton of other deep fried stuff… But most importantly, a ton of fried chicken. 

The order was collected before going up to Cass' apartment- an assumption she made, seeing as they tended to hang out there a lot more than Leon's nowadays. She was fairly certain she was going to be the one passing out for a longer sleep than him anyway, so it made sense it'd be on her own bed. 

[color=629c3f]"Home sweet home… That grove Lelou took me too was sweet as fuck, but it's nice to be back to all the modern shit!"[/color] Cass announced cheerfully as she bounced in, dumping the massive bag of chicken on the kitchen counter. Then she practically sprinted to her computer, wrapping her arms around it and rubbing her cheek against the black exterior case. 
[color=629c3f]"Oh sweet, sweet technology, I fucking missed you!"[/color]

Then she bounced back up and over to her record player, efficiently putting on a more chill, old style rock vinyl. 
[color=629c3f]"Oh sweet sound of more than wolves howling, I missed you! Though howling wolves are cool, nothing beats real music!"[/color]

Only after dramatically hugging various devices in her apartment did she bounce back over to the kitchen, starting to pull out plates and utensils. 
[color=629c3f]"I just ordered the same as we got last time with some extra shit, Babe! So plenty for you but if you're full from the y’know… corpses… it's all good, it can go in the fridge or whatever! I can reheat fried food so it still tastes pretty decent!"[/color]

She threw an entire piece of fried chicken into her mouth wholesale, not caring for how burning hot it was. 
[color=629c3f]"M'got… an hour? Before I really gotta sleep… I'm all yours till then- mm, this is fucking good."[/color]

Leon was, for the first time in so long, actually excited to sit down and eat a meal that didn’t come from Andrade’s kitchen. Cass probably would’ve noticed slightly in the car, but he actually took the chance to show her fully now.

[color=C67C12]”You don’t even know, Cass… Look!-”[/color]

Enthusiastically, he opened his mouth wide enough that she’d be able to see clear into his gullet. Where before there’d been great blotchy patches of blackness blending into one another, it was completely clear and pink. He was free from [i]that[/i] gnawing hunger! Another reason they wanted Lelou sealed, obviously, so that she’d be forced into fat complacency. The cursed Apparitional nutrients were obviously what something like Lelou preferred as food, but in that same vein, she could actually process it through natural means! Leon couldn’t, and had never been able to, so satisfaction only ever came from what was essentially another [i]hit[/i]!

[color=C67C12]”-I’m fucking free! I’m fucking [i]so free![/i]”[/color]

Lelou could, thankfully, establish a boundary between her own [i]natural[/i] hunger pangs and Leon’s human biology. The guy was almost seven feet tall; he could put away plenty of food on his own. But, for once, he thought to pace himself rather than mindlessly shoveling what was essentially empty food into his mouth. Suddenly, he couldn’t just [i]taste[/i] the salt and fat… He could [i]feel it.[/i] Ripping into a fried breast of chicken and swallowing, feeling it actually take up room in his gut instead of burning away somewhere in the middle of his throat, caused him to tilt his head back and literally howl in happiness.

[color=C67C12]”Oh, holy fuck!”[/color]

[color=629c3f]"That good, huh?!"[/color] Cass grinned. She was happy to see the lack of black splodges in his throat… She knew it was possible to detox off Oblivium, but that didn't mean he'd have no effects. It'd been a real fear for when shit collapsed. But now it seemed to be all sorted by Lelou. Thank fuck! 

[color=629c3f]"You better react that good when I next cook you something, Babe. Gimme some gratification and that shit."[/color] She laughed, bustling past him to smack a greasy kiss against his cheek. She was going for the fridge, pulling a simple beer out for them both. It was the evening after all, even though all of the time had blurred for her… And one beer wasn't much at all. She deserved a little treat along with her chicken before getting a good night's sleep.

[color=629c3f]"If you want anything else… you can get it yourself!"[/color] She teased, pushing a bottle towards him before finally actually sitting down to eat. Not that sitting for Cass involved sitting still, there was a lot of movement and bouncing. Especially as she really got started into her chicken, crouching in her chair and rocking from side to side with each chew. It was just so fucking tasty.

[color=629c3f]"Mmm, fuck, this is the fucking best… So did, like, the Oblivium shit fuck your taste buds up?! Or was it the weird ass Ghost and Person separation shit?! Cause I assume you're like… really tasting shit again from how you're reacting!"[/color]


It wasn’t like there was too much of a difference between then and now… Sure, things tasted a little more vivid, but his gluttony had always been a bit of a problem. Now, he was just better equipped to handle it. Ignoring all formality, his teeth near-automatically shifted themselves into tools suited not only for rending flesh, but crushing bone down to easily swallowable marrow chunks. It was the deepness, the richness in things that usually wouldn’t have it that he noticed. The extra collagen content in cartilage, again the marrow of the bones themselves… Cass could watch as he easily hucked and crunched down on a whole chicken wing all in the same motion.

[color=C67C12]”The… tastebuds are different! For sure! But, I think it’s because she and I are kind of half-in and half-out. Like, look-”[/color] he paused to show her how in the matter of a couple minutes, his mouth had turned into a front row of razors, with several crushing, grinding plates tucked behind them rather than the usual mouth setup.

[color=C67C12]”I feel like a fucking evolutionary freak. It’s kind of awesome that it just [i]happens[/i]. Like I don’t even need to think about it. But, the real treat is that the Oblivium isn’t eating the food for me. That’s technically what it does to regular food. Like, before, I would taste this, swallow it, and it’d be mostly gone before it hit my gut. Now, I feel weight in there. Like there’s something sitting. Obviously it’s the food, but it’s [i]really satisfying![/i]”[/color] he explained with great enthusiasm.

[color=629c3f]”Hell yeah, I get it! Kinda! I mean… It’s like when you can’t enjoy food cause you’re sick, it always ends up tasting fucking [i]amazing[/i] after!”[/color] Cass nodded, grinning brightly at him. It was kinda fucked up the Oblivium just ate the food like that… She’d hate it if she didn’t get to properly enjoy it. Food was one of the great things about living. 

[color=629c3f]”The naturalness of the transformation too… I mean it ain’t exactly the same, but I don’t think ‘bout it a lotta time either! My body just fucking switches around however’s beneficial. My teeth are only normal now cause I’m running low!”[/color] Cass pulled her lips back to show perfectly normal teeth, the sharp canines and strengthened jaw she’d been sporting for the past day gone for now. 

[color=629c3f]”Ain’t got anything like you do. That’s awesome! You get to enjoy food and easy magic shit! Wait!”[/color] She paused eating, with delectable battered chicken hanging from her fingers in front of her wide open mouth. 
[color=629c3f]”Does this mean you’re gonna be stinking up my toilet later?! Cause if the Oblivium ain’t taking it that means [i]you’re[/i] processing it… Doesn’t wolf shit smell fucking awful?!”[/color] 

Leon only grinned in response, staring Cass down as he chucked another chicken wing down the hatch.

Cass stared back at him, eyes slowly narrowing. 
[color=629c3f]”You’re… You’re shitting downstairs! I’m kicking you out when you gotta go, I ain’t dealing with that, nuh uh! I gotta sensitive nose, take the shit- heh- to your own place!”[/color]

By the end she was back to cackling away, munching on her chicken nugget before going for more. It was good to dig into all this food and actually have the time to eat and enjoy it… Breaks with Lelou had been kept short. 

Her legs jerked out to kick at his, grinning wickedly.
[color=629c3f]”And [i]you[/i] gave [i]me[/i] a hard time ‘bout that deep fried pizza before… Like you ain’t eating whole fucking fried chickens now, bones and all, I bet that- well I don’t fucking know what happens when you eat bones, actually! Does it- Wait, no, I don’t actually wanna think that hard about it!”[/color]

She waved a hand in front of her face, before stuffing more chicken into her mouth to stop herself from continuing further into a topic she’d only brought up as a joke in the first place!
[color=629c3f]”Fucking hell… Welcome back to the land of eating like a sorta human, I guess? Except neither of us [i]really[/i] eat like normal people! I mean you’re literally grinding down bones and shit!”[/color]

Leon was quick to laugh and shake his head. There was plenty of truth in what she was saying: He’d never even eaten normally when he was an Adept. 

[color=C67C12]”I mean… [i]The protein shakes?[/i] Trust me, living with Gravity, nobody ate like a human. You’d think we were a family of Kryptonians or something.”[/color] 

Not that he wanted to eat [i]normally[/i], of course. It was still pleasurable to him to devour, both naturally and thanks to the proclivities of the spirit within. Both entities were hungry animals interested in eating something at pretty much any time of day or night… So there was little need for shyness over it. 

[color=C67C12]”As far as what the bones do? I don’t know, really. Lelou doesn’t seem to be conce-”[/color]
There was a very clear pause, like there was a conversation which Cass wasn’t having.
[color=C67C12]”-Oh… Yeah, so, I guess it’s just like you’d expect. Shards are bad and stuff, but at the same time, the path frequently traveled is reinforced with the rest of the gastro system. Stronger acid softens most of it up, and any remaining shards just end up not getting stuck in the soft bits.”[/color]

At his explanation finish, he reached for the big container of mashed potato and gravy, and started scooping it into his mouth by the practical shovel full.

[color=C67C12]”Oh, shit… [i]The gravy is better.[/i] Again, I think its because I’m picking up tastes that the normal tastebuds can’t. We should figure out how to get you to this point… [i]Which reminds me![/i]-”[/color]
He paused for another bite.
[color=C67C12]”-We need to, when we can, get you working on spell efficiency. I know Andy told you that you’ve gotta burn it all off, but in a situation like… Like Thanksgiving? You can’t throw all of yourself into everything you have. That’s what the Blueberry mash is for, it automatically regulates Lux output. But, you [i]should[/i] be able to do that yourself!”[/color] he intoned, excited to present something like that to her.

[color=629c3f]”It ain’t that bad, is it?! I woulda been fine if I didn’t have to keep going for another day… I mean, I get it with like… Combat shit! But I knew I wasn’t gonna [i]run out[/i] during. I may’ve just spent a day without an arm or some shit.”[/color] Cass responded, not really arguing so much as not getting the seriousness of it. 

She didn’t think her spells were that inefficient? She did a lot of shit others of her magical experience couldn’t… Well, she had a massive pool to work from. But growing limbs and shit took a lot! Or maybe there were leaks she wasn’t noticing. 

[color=629c3f]”Is it really that unregulated? I don’t feel like it is. How can you tell?! Can you, like, smell I’m putting too much Lux into my spells?”[/color]

He shook his head. In truth, Lelou could hear, and with no barrier left to keep their thoughts and memories from melding together, so could he. Unintentionally, of course… But, he could also smell the Blueberry mash, its essence still lingering and causing little wisps of Green Lux to arc off her skin. It was in such a subtle fashion that she’d probably never get the chance to observe it like he could…

[color=C67C12]”There’s a few tells. But, I didn’t have to guess. Lelou’s a wolf: She hears everything. And whatever she hears, I end up hearing down the line. She used to be able to hide things from me, but because there’s no seal, I just get it all rushing back when I’m me. But, also… [i]I know you.[/i] At least, I’m getting to know you pretty well! It’s not hard to imagine you [i]forcing[/i] a spell to happen, as opposed to actually channeling and casting. Not to mention, you’re [i]constantly[/i] channeling! There’s bound to be leakage to account for: You’re really just a lucky girl to begin with, that you’ve got such a big gas tank… But, you’re a supercar! Once you hit top speed, it's only natural that you’re pissing through your fuel at an incredible rate.”[/color]

Looking at her, he could see that she was a little conflicted about this info, so he pushed his non-greasy hand across the table to brush her face.
[color=C67C12]”You’re an incredibly talented and gifted Adept, Cass… But you’re a novice. You can’t escape fundamental training just by virtue of being gifted. And once you’ve acclimated to those basics? You’ll be [i]leagues[/i] ahead of most.”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”Ugh, Lelou snitched on me saying I didn’t wanna do the boring learning stuff!”[/color] Cass jokingly complained, legs swinging back and forth. 

It sucked in a way, cause she shouldn’t still be a novice three years in… But she’d just been learning shit herself before. And she only had reason to really use her magic fully recently, and then got hit by the fucking curse. 

But! It was just the basics she was missing! Leon was saying she was gonna be super strong when she had those down! She could totally suffer through possibly boring shit so that she became the biggest, baddest Green Adept on the block. Hell yeah! Then she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing, apart from the frequent horrendous pain of Lux poisoning!

[color=629c3f]”How do I even start learning that shit? Ain’t like there’s beginner Adept classes… Actually, I bet you guys have em. Like fucking classrooms teaching this shit, like a fucking magical school- God, getting side tracked again.”[/color] She stopped giggling about wasn’t even that funny of an image. She just couldn’t imagine learning magical basics as a teenager or something. 

[color=629c3f]”See, I don’t even really get what you mean by forcing versus channeling and casting. What’s the difference? Obviously I know what the words mean, but I don’t get it in terms of magic! I don’t think I ever do shit differently? It never feels like I’m forcing shit it just… Happens! Sometimes I ain’t even in the driver's seat for it, it’s like natural or whatever. Sure it’ll be based on my thoughts but I barely think at all, it’s like… Breathing! And sometimes its like thinking bout breathing! But I dunno if that’s channeling or casting or forcing… I really gotta go to Adeptal school, don’t I? Actually, is there an Adeptal boot camp, I don’t think I can suffer through school again.”[/color]

Leon was just laughing gently at her reaction, not wanting her to think he was being smug, but hoping that she’d see how happy and excited he was to be taking the journey with her. It was great, and she always had a fantastic question to ask. Something oftentimes like [i]this![/i]

[color=C67C12]”My favorite part is that you know [i]exactly[/i] what the difference is between channeling and casting, versus forcing it… Because you [i]spoke[/i] the difference. You said, and I quote: [i]’It never feels like I’m forcing shit. It just happens.’[/i] It’s because you’re so locked into and fixated on an outcome that you want, that you’re not even bothering to channel with proper concepts and ideals.”[/color]

He didn’t want to make her think it was some philosophical concept: There was literal research done to understand why the Adept’s condition was like it was, and how the Ancients actually intended the power of Lux to be used in turn… Emotion was intrinsic, and while Cass was able to consistently rely on her overall abstract joy, there was never consistency to it. That was the harder part to get across, however.

[color=C67C12]”When someone like your lady-friend from college uses her magic, chances are she has to think of something real specific. A moment, or a consistently formed feeling that she gets from something trapped inside. She’s uh, Pink, right? So, say she wants to get into your brain. Hypothetically, she starts to channel by working her mind around a subject. Then, she relates either a certain moment, or a certain type of interaction that you guys have a lot… Something grounded and concrete, rather than abstract and loosely based. It trains the path your Lux takes, so that when it hits that track again, it’s already got a direct path to doing [i]exactly[/i] what you want.”[/color] he explained, trying to look for confusion in her face.

[color=C67C12]”Or, closer to home: Y’know how you make another limb, and sometimes it’s got an extra finger, or the end is a foot rather than a hand? All the funny gags that you laugh at when they happen, then improvise around? All signs that you’re essentially forcing magical spells without any real consistency. It’s only by the grace that you’ve got such strong willpower that you’re able to get any kind of consistency at all. And never mind how [i]much[/i] Lux it takes. We can’t even begin to make things more efficient until we get you comfortable with the actual process…”[/color]

[color=629c3f]”I don’t get it.”[/color] Cass admitted, scratching her cheek and frowning. 
[color=629c3f]”Not the whole messing up and doing shit wrong thing- though the foot was only an accident the first time!- I get that bit! I just… I don’t get the fucking channeling thing? Like, what, I just think some specific thought and it’s suddenly channeling and I don’t end up with extra fingers? I don’t understand.”[/color]

Which frustrated her. She hated not knowing things. It turned her off things more than anything… As much as boredom did, feeling like there was a wall between her and understanding just fucking sucked. It’s why she loved what she did- even if there were a shit ton of challenges, it clicked in her brain. It wasn’t like sitting there not getting anything! It was why her school performance had been so varying too… Certain subjects she just didn’t understand, and she couldn’t force herself to work through it. 

But she hadn’t expected that to be magic! 

[color=629c3f]”Is it like… I can’t even think of an example! I ain’t casting on someone else, so I dunno… I look and think about a specific time I was working out or something? I don’t [i]underrrssttand[/i]!”[/color] She threw a handful of pieces into her mouth as once in an attempt to swallow down the frustration, looking at Leon a bit like a kicked puppy.

Leon shook his head, doing his best to grab ahold of the situation so she’d be on the right track.

[color=C67C12]”Well… You’re a Green Adept. But, you may not naturally be a body modifier. Everyone’s got something called an [i]Abstraction.[/i] And that Abstraction is the spell you essentially Kindle into. Do you remember what the first magic thing you ever did was? Or, at least, where you were and what you were doing?”[/color] he asked very simply.

Chances were, she would be able to do just about anything she put her mind to. But, if she could at least recall her basic Abstraction through the Kindling memory, she’d hopefully be able to cast the spell and feel what a difference channeling made for the workload.

[color=629c3f]”Uhhhh…”[/color] Cass furrowed her brow, trying to remember back to when she kindled. 

She was still in Uni when it happened… Early in her last year. She remembered seeing her Nan, and just being real fucking confused. 
[color=629c3f]”I was in my room… I think I got this project I’d been working on finally working! Like I’d spent all summer on it, hoping to finish it then, but I had to keep doing it when uni started back up too… Even though I’d promised Rey I’d totally concentrate on uni that year cause it was the last one. But I finally got it working! I think it was… What was it? I’ve programmed a lotta shit- Uh, probably not important. But… I really… Don’t remember casting any magic at all?!”[/color]

Leon’s brow furrowed. Every one of Lelou’s senses were trying to figure out what the fuck happened there. Obviously, they had a moment of pure joy… A moment to lock onto… But, if nothing was cast at that moment, then she Kindled into a completely unrelated Abstraction!

[color=C67C12]”Well… I guess that probably rules out a natural proclivity for bio-programming! If you don’t remember casting anything in that moment, chances are pretty high that your Abstraction’s totally irrelevant. Uh… Well… If you’ve got a little left in the tank, then you can at least try to channel it and maybe you’ll have an inclination as to what it is! I mean, chances are, it’s probably got something to do with body modification, since that [i]does[/i] seem to come pretty naturally to you. Would you say, in that moment you kindled, that the joy you felt was from success? Or relief that it was over? I’m sure it’s both, but I need you to try [i]real[/i] hard to remember which…”[/color]


[color=629c3f]”I’ve got a lil left… Probably enough! I was planning to sleep soon after I finish eating anyway… Well, I wanted to eek out as much time with you! But I suppose you’ll just have to come to bed with me for a lil while… Anyway, back on track! I’m pretty sure it was the joy of success. It was… Yeah it was that! Alright! Uh… How do I channel it when I don’t know what I’m trying to do?”[/color] Cass’ mood jumped up to excitement, then back down to confusion. 

How did she try to channel something she didn’t know?!

Leon’s brow seemed to be stuck in a wrinkled position as he and Lelou desperately tried to work out a place to start.

[color=C67C12]”Well… Y’still got that computer you were using that day?”[/color] he asked, figuring the easiest way would be to recreate the moment completely.

[color=629c3f]”Yeah, it’s still the one I use… it was pretty new then, and I ain’t rich enough to go replacing a computer every few years! I was planning to upgrade it but I ain’t had any problems with it, so… Don’t fix what ain’t broke!”[/color] Cass nodded.

Then she jumped up. 
[color=629c3f]”Y’think I should use it while tryna channel the spell. That makes sense! Lemme just-”[/color] She stuffed a whole bunch more chicken in her mouth, chewing it and swallowing it down. She’d eaten a shit ton already… And it was just in case casting this spell took out her last little bit of Lux and sent her right to bed. She probably didn’t have long left anyway, her eyelids were already starting to feel a bit heavy. 

[color=629c3f]”Lemme turn it on! I can even pull up the code, maybe that’ll help!”[/color] She said enthusiastically, hopping up and bounding over to her little computer corner to boot it up.

As she turned the computer on, his awareness of it’s magical properties started at the nose. Amazingly, he knew it didn’t smell how the other computers smelled. Not even close. It didn’t take him long at all before he slid down to the tower and put an ear up to it.

[color=C67C12]”Uhhh… Cass?”[/color]

On the floor on his knees, he looked up at her in her seat as a vague grin crossed his face.

[color=C67C12]”It’s breathing…”[/color] he said very quietly, pointing at the PC tower.

[color=629c3f]”Huh? What?”[/color] Cass looked down at him, then at the PC, brow furrowing. 

[color=629c3f]”Computers don’t breath… Oh my God, did a baby crawl in there?! Or- Or a fucking mouse, that’s way more likely- wait- wait- breathing like it’s actually breathing, what the fuck, Leon, why’s my computer breathing?!”[/color]

Not entirely waiting for an answer Cass slipped out of her chair, easily sliding onto his knees so she could get in right up to it. Her senses were still enhanced enough that when she put her ear against it she could hear… Something that didn’t sound quite right. 

[color=629c3f]”Did I give my computer a pair of lungs?!”[/color]

Leon shook his head, terribly enthused at the prospect that this truly [i]was[/i] her Abstraction… That she’d been meant to be around computers all along!

[color=C67C12]”No, definitely not… It’s not breathing like it’s inhaling and exhaling, except… Obviously the fans are working. But, uh… Well, here- Let’s call an expert.”[/color]

Though his entire body didn’t change, there was a strangeness to the motion on his forehead. Like Lelou had done with him, Leon managed to push two golden eyes up to the surface of his forehead, along with a small mouth. The connections to necessary organs formed near instantly as the horrifying summation of Lelou coughed to life.

[color=a36209]”Oh, Heavens above… I don’t prefer this, Leon…”[/color] the forehead face spoke clearly in Lelou’s voice.

[color=C67C12]”Just look at the fucking machine, please.”[/color] Leon chided back.

[color=a36209]”I don’t need to. Don’t ignore your sense: It’s flush with Green Lux. The amount of organic biology in this thing is actually making me squeamish… It’s like anything that the Deer’s children breathe unnatural life into: Disturbing.”[/color]

Almost forcefully, Lelou sucked herself back into Leon’s head, escaping the horror of the outside world within seconds. Leon nodded his head.

[color=C67C12]”Fine, Christ! Yeah, definitely pull that program up, Babe… I seriously think we found your calling here… It’s subtle as Hell, which is actually extra impressive. It basically took me standing here to notice anything off about it, but it fucking stinks. Well, not stinks… It [i]smells[/i] like you do when you’re sick.”[/color] he finished, a hand prompting her forward.

[color=629c3f]”It does? That don’t sound good!”[/color] Cass took a deep breath, trying to smell it herself… But she couldn’t. Maybe she was just used to it? She shrugged, pulling herself back up into her chair to find the program. 

She remembered now why she’d been so excited about it… She’d basically written a whole video calling application cause she wasn’t happy with any of the other ones out there at the time. She’d integrated a shit ton of gaming features that her and her friends could use while on call… All round, it was pretty fucking cool! [i]And[/i] it had gotten a lot of use since they all finished Uni and went off to different places. 

Though recently an actually decent one came out… But that didn’t matter! This was basically tailor made to her and her friends!

[color=629c3f]”Uh, wait… What would happen if I gave this program to other people? I won’t have made their computers freaks of nature too, will I?”[/color] She asked as she pulled up the program. At first glance it seemed to be a small list of servers, and she clicked into the top one. There were five users represented by their icons, with a simple chat and call functionality. It didn’t look so impressive now, but most of the cool features were when actually in a call. 

Though the moment she went online she got pinged by Sal in it asking if she wanted to game, which she just ignored… knowing if she didn’t there’d at least be some back and forth taunting before he let up. 

[color=629c3f]”Wait, lemme just-”[/color] She joined what seemed to be a specific call channel, muting herself and quickly setting it to not let anyone else join. As she did, a whole myriad of different functions appeared. From streaming, to a way to game together- connecting this program to whatever game it was to seamlessly play with whoever was on call without the hassle of trying to join servers within the game and shit like that. 

[color=629c3f]”What am I looking for? Like, uh, what could I have done to this magically? Does it smell too?”[/color] 

Leon totally shrugged at that point.
[color=C67C12]”Well, I don’t know shit about computers. I think Casey’d probably have an identification spell for it, but obviously he ain’t around. Mia’s…-”[/color] he paused a moment, thoughtfully looking up before taking a single breath.
[color=C67C12]”-also not here. So, maybe this is something we’ll fiddle around with when you’re feeling better and we have some time. After all, it has to have been connected. Whatever happened, the program was the source of all your focus, and I bet when you finished it and kindled, you just… [i]Infected it.[/i]”[/color] he shrugged.

[color=629c3f]"Fucking hell, I frankensteined my computer."[/color] Cass shook her head, turning to look at Leon with wide and shining eyes. 

It was a big shock. It was also incredibly cool the more she thought about it. She'd always assumed that her natural spell casting was the transformations… They still came pretty easily, so she figured they must still be something she had aptitude with. But it being biological computing was just even cooler! 

[color=629c3f]"I [I]kinda[/I] get what you mean with the channeling stuff? I mean clearly I ain't even felt it when I was doing it here… but I was focused on the programming rather than the magic. I still don't entirely get it but… that's alright! It's something we can work on, right? It ain't like I'm gonna fall over dead tomorrow cause I ain't doing such a good job at not forcing the magic."[/color] Cass laughed slightly, gaze slipping down to stare at her computer in awe. 

When she concentrated, she could feel a little tingling connection to it. Like if she put her hands on her keyboard she could do all sorts of shit… but not right now! She definitely couldn't let herself right now, or she would pass out in front of the screen. 

[color=629c3f]"Definitely shit to work out at a different time! Ugh, I wanna right now, but I need that Lux refreshing sleep… damnit…"[/color] She grumbled, trailing off into a pout. She was getting tired, and she could feel the last dregs of her Lux being used, but there was a whole new world opening up! One that she'd thought would take a lot of work to break into, but it turned out she'd been doing it the whole time!

Leon finally stood up to his full height as well, kissing Cass on the top of her head before rubbing her shoulder. Of course she was excited… It was simply who she was.
[color=C67C12]”Babe… In another world, I think you’re a Purple Adept. Now, come on… Let’s get you fed, and then I’ll give you a little rock to sleep.”[/color] he smiled widely, kissing her one last time like he just couldn’t get enough of her.

[color=C67C12]”When you wake up, everything’s gonna be way more settled than it is now. I’ll work out all the bullshit with Lelou so it doesn’t roll over onto you by accident.”[/color] he reassured her, ushering her back toward the food as the evening grew into night.