Making a House Call (invite only)
Xeph had toyed with the idea of sniffing around Reign's house in wolf form again, but he was here on a mission of peace and while the idea was tempting, it wouldn't do to incite Bastian. Xeph was still missing a few pieces of the puzzle himself, but he knew enough for now.
Bastian's car was nowhere to be seen, which was fine. Reign, however, was in. Xeph parked on the road at the end of the driveway and walked to the door. The sun was just setting, casting a dim orange glow over everything. He looked around with human eyes before knocking; this was a nice neighborhood. Quiet, out of the way. Most of the lawns were neatly landscaped, grass mowed and hedges trimmed. Not the kind of place you'd expect a break-in.
Resettling a small brown box in his hand, Xeph reached up and knocked lightly on the door. There were things he wanted to clear up with Reign; not just because she was a client, but because he liked her and considered her a friend. He didn't know if she was also a were but he didn't think so. Even if she were, though, it was important she understand he had not been trying to cause her trouble.
Always curious about history, and since he was a bit enthusiastic she had to nose in that area some.
"Do you have any idea why it changed? Why your Amaroq decided the Illamar shouldn't be treated equally or how long things stayed that way?"Â?
She hoped she'd gotten the terms right, she probably had mispronounced them a bit but it was a good first try. From what she was hearing the return was fairly recent.
That was a bit of a black look. Probably not a good memory and she didn't press on the subject at all.
"That's how family works isn't it."Â?
One flat statement that's all there was to it and it was that simple for Reign. What was hers or part of her she kept safe if at all possible. He obviously felt the same way.
She waved off the semi apology, he'd already done that and just nodded her thanks. Yeah she did need to know and felt more prepared to do battle, what ever that battle maybe.
The Doc earned himself a double take at his offer.
"Ummm... thanks?"Â? Reign sounded a bit dubious not quite sure what to make of that, but decided he was kidding. "Well that's a bit of a permanent test isn't it? I was think more along the lines of a Petri dish or donating some blood. I mean I was just thinking some times even though all the circumstances are perfect people don't always catch things, nothings 100% right?"Â?
Nope not going into intimate details not with a vet, that would just be... weird.
She huffed, some what irritated. You'd think they'd have narrowed that down. It was important shit. But if it could lie dormant in a person... see this is why she'd given up on science classes, they burned. OK no big deal just act on the theory that she was a carrier.
"That's a bit of a bummer but not devastating right?"Â?
Xeph chuckled at the idea of sticking Reign in a petri dish, but the laugh died away. When she voiced her half-statement half-question that she might not necessarily have the virus, he gave her a half-shrug in response. He'd already told her what he thought and he didn't think her chances of missing out were as great as she seemed to want. Xeph wasn't about to give her false hope in that regard.
"It's not the end of the world," he reasoned. "I mean, I'm not unhappy with my lot. It's not as if I don't live a normal life. Sure, being a wolf has its pros and cons but for the most part, I like who I am. I wouldn't want to lose myself."
“No democracy among wolves huh?”
Maybe that accounted for some of Bastian’s attitude. Well probably not.
The honesty, well lack of reassurance, was oddly comforting. He wasn’t going to lie about things. She digested what he said, analyzed it very carefully and thought about it one word at a time. Really knowing what he was wasn’t any surprise at al, it fit, it seemed natural.
“For you its good, for you it works. Its gotta be one hell of a culture shock for some people. And don’t give me any politically correct speech about people always being informed. I won’t believe it.”
Reign's observations were met with another nod. "I've been living with this my entire life... of course it's culture shock to someone who hasn't. And I'm not going to lie to you. Information may be what I prefer in a perfect world, but of course it doesn't always happen that way. We can't all be charming even in wolf form like me."
He smiled winningly, even as it hit him that he might actually consider Gifting Reign if she were interested. She'd make a hell of a wolf.
“OK yeah, point taken voting is out.”
In the mean time, she was going to watch more documentaries. Hell, if she were attacked maybe she could mimic the right body language to get left the hell alone. Yeah, that was stupid but worth a shot. What did she have to lose at that point?
Rather than perusing the ramifications to random attacks and what they did for those that were unwittingly brought into the Pack, she chose to see the humor in his statement and laughed.
“My Doc what big teeth you have? I’m not sure it was very nice of you to laugh at me like that. I was half scared out of my mind and you thought it was funny.”
Reign rolled her eyes at him, clearly teasing. She might not have seen the humor in it then but now it was funny.
He left it at that. Xeph wasn't the kind to threaten and indeed, this wasn't a threat. Is was a simple statement and if Reign were savvy she'd hear the sincerity in his voice. Had she not come in with her bucket, he might have been forced to draw blood, and after that he wasn't sure he'd have been able to stop himself; there were wolves out here with far more control than Xeph had.
"And give me a little credit, it's kinda hard to laugh with a wolf face on."
“I’ve got two large canines running around with me and I can only keep one under any sort of control. But I’ll … well I’ll see what I can do. I don’t need either of you getting hurt.”
She wished she could promise the Do that she’d talk to Bastian, to try and find out what was going on with him and get him to see reason. But, sigh, he didn’t want to see reason. It was almost willful. She’d tried to tell him she saw his side of things, that she agreed with some of the things he’d said, even if they were far-fetched or flimsy. OK so he happed to be right too but the point was she’d tried to agree and all he’d done was attempt to reign, as it were, her in tighter. So she’d bucked and he’d walked out. It was probably that upset her more than anything. That was the second time he’d done that. Pissed off or not though, she’d try, she’d try.
“Full marks for the laugh though, very much. I didn’t get the joke at the time but you do get a gold star now that I have the punch line.”
He smiled at Reign, who was every bit as plucky and sensible as she seemed, and added, "I just wanted to let you know you didn't have some kind of psychotic stalker in your yard. I can't promise I won't ever be by again, but I'll do my best to stay out of Bastian's way."
There was a lot unspoken there, but Xeph left where it was for now. As he showed himself out he said thoughtfully, "If you need anything though... at all. My door is always open."
He pulled a card from his wallet, not a regular business card, but a small notecard. Using the tiny pen he kept tucked into his billfold he wrote the number of his cell down on it. He handed it to Reign and said, "Use it if you want, or come to the clinic, the hospital, or the academy. I'll be around."
With a final smile, he left Reign to her thoughts, wherever they led her.
((ooc: Xeph out))
And if they didn’t Reign would bust a cue over Bastian’s head, possibly the Doc’s too it would depend on who started it. See, she could be fair-minded about these things.
Part of her was toying with the idea of moving back to Chicago, just to get out of this whole situation. Run out on Bastian the way he’d run out on her, twice now she couldn’t help but remember. She was defiantly holding a grudge for him walking out in the middle of that fight. There was no excuse, none and it was a side of him she’d not suspected existed. Perhaps he’d finally shown his true colors.
Letting the Doc go, he was probably a –very- busy guy after all, Reign stood and followed him to the door. Happy to take the card. The odds were she was going to have questions, no way in hell you tackled an issue like this in one night.
“Thanks Doc. I really do appreciate you coming by. I can’t promise I’ll call, but I think we’ve got an appointment in a few weeks at any rate.”
A warm but thoughtful smile followed him out the door.
Fuck this shit, she had a tournament coming up and her head was –so- not going to be on straight. What was item two on her to do list? Oh yeah, yell at Bas. That one she could do something about. She –needed- to get that worked out and fast. It wasn’t going to get any easier if they waited.
Until then, she went back to Lilo and Stitch and her laundry. God damned what she wouldn’t give for an ordinary life.
((OOC… Reign out))