[open] scent of silence under starlight spinning

[borntohurt]

Who: Charles Smith and YOU. Yes you. You.
What: Exploring Anchor with a new four-legged blob-friend. Come say hey!
When: /wiggles hands vaguely and gestures at month of February
Where: All over Anchor. Seriously, he's just exploring the full extent of what's there, so you can meet up with him anywhere.


He couldn't say he'd enjoyed his time there, but things had perhaps been simpler in the City of Sin than he'd given them credit for.

For one, he'd had a place to retreat to with some kind of certainty, when need be. And the need is rather dire, as it happens. He can feel that itch coming up on him, that sense of anxiety that needed release. It grows as the days go by, clawing, scrabbling to be let out, but he doesn't trust the people here quite the same. Here, there seems to be less space to run.

Granted, it wasn't as bad as the first few times. With practice and help, he had something of a handle on the transformation. But it wasn't as good as being able to control it entirely. When it wanted out, it was going to get out, and what it wanted always remained the same. Run. Hunt. Eat. Protect the Pack.

Better that not be around a bunch of people it didn't know.

---

So he's on the move through the city, level by level, looking for anyplace big enough -- and secure enough -- to work for the time being. He's managed to find some new clothing from the recent appearance of the Alien Hot Topic, replacing his worn-out boots and acquiring a new black leather jacket in the process. It's a strange mix of old and modern, still preferring the shirt he'd arrived in, still wearing his beaded necklace, an eagle feather twined into his hair and hanging delicately against his shoulder.

Charles isn't alone, either. Almost fittingly, one of the blobs seems to have taken a liking to him and is following him around in its current assumed form: a large gray wolf. It trots along at his side, quietly offering suggestions and encouragement through this strong bond they now share as they make their way through the levels, exploring as much of the available space as possible.

Really, they're going to make their way just about everywhere in the complex. They're bound to run into at least a few people along the way.

Comments

[nothinglikefather]

Jacob nods. Rey seems a smart lady, one who has some drive in her, a desire to do something. "I've already said I'll do what I can for her. Got no problem in taking some time out and going to explore beyond Anchor."

As for Kabal. "No. I don't think many people do." He rubbed Jacob the wrong way too, but he didn't seem like the sort that cares much about the impression he makes. "But there's always going to be people like that. There were plenty in the City."

But Charles has senses about people. Jacob trusts that, trusts Charles intuition.

[borntohurt]

"Speaking of..." Charles lifts a scarred eyebrow. "That might be an option. Going outside, I mean. I know the air's poison, but. If we could get somewhere not so dangerous, where the air's cleaner, maybe I could stay there when I've changed."

It's not optimal, considering he doesn't really understand radiation or what it would do to him while he's transformed. But it would keep him away from most of the people here. So there's that to consider.

[nothinglikefather]

"What about those shops?"

Jacob and Angel have been there, it's safe and reasonably roomy. Both are trashed to some degree, but the one that sells clothes and strange junk might be a good option. There's at least stuff to curl up on and they can take food with them.

Jacob steps up to him, fingers resting on his arm. "I think it's safe from the radiation. And you don't need a suit. We'd be away from here, away from the people."

[borntohurt]

"So long as no one goes out there in the meanwhile."

For a moment, Charles just looks at the hand on his arm. Jacob, his friends, they've all been supportive. Here, being different doesn't seem to matter as much, and it could be that no one would really care. No one seems to mind what Angel is, and she's arguably the more dangerous of the two of them.

Even so.

His teeth worry the inside of his lip for a moment before a soft huff flares his nostrils. "We'll have to tell people. Eventually."

[nothinglikefather]

"We'll make sure they don't." Jacob is sure he can dissuade people from going out there, although he isn't sure what his reasoning would be. He's sure Beware: Werewolf could work but... there are people here that wouldn't be perturbed by that.

There's a gentle squeeze as he sees Charles worry, turning that in on himself again rather than sharing it, turning things around in his own mind.

"Maybe. But not until you're ready to. There's people here with strange enough abilities. Yours are pretty mind in comparison." He knows that was true of the City too, and he doesn't think anyone who knew about Charles turned against him because of it.

There's no one around, no one watching, and so he leans in and presses his lips to the corner of Charles' mouth. Reassurance, support, affection.

[borntohurt]

Never in short supply of those things, with Jacob nearby. He remembers what it was like to be without, to feel alone again. Moments like this, he doesn't take for granted.

And it does the job of pulling him back out of his thoughts once more, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You say that. But you've used the wolf as a pillow before. I don't think you're in nearly as much danger as anyone else would be," he remarks dryly.

[nothinglikefather]

"That's because you are very comfortable." Jacob replies, his own mouth turning upwards into a grin. "And I'll remind you that I've also been used as a pillow. I might be in danger of being squashed."

But he doesn't actually believe that. Charles would never hurt him, in any shape. He isn't that sort of man.

"Then again I am planning to nap a lot out there. Or wherever we end up going. On top of you, as you seem to enjoy it."

[borntohurt]

"Mmhm. I'm the one who enjoys it," he replies, eyebrow arching slightly. Not that he doubts him, but Jacob wouldn't have attempted it at all if he hadn't seen some appeal in it himself. Of course he looks at the giant monster made of fur and claws and fangs, and promptly decides he needs to snuggle with it.

Of course he does.

[nothinglikefather]

But Charles knows why already. He doesn't see a giant monster made of fur and claws and fangs. He sees Charles. Charles is safe and comforting in a way Jacob has never experienced before. He isn't terrifying or monstrous.

He's dangerous yes, but not to Jacob.

"I'll admit I do find some small pleasure in cuddling up with you." Jacob says, as of this is a secondary consideration, his arms moving to coil up around Charles' shoulders. "And wolfy is just as good for cuddling up with as you are the rest of the month. Warm, soft, very handsome."

[borntohurt]

"Careful. He's going to get jealous," Charles cautions with a faint smirk, nodding down to the animal at his side. The wolf tilts its head as if to say 'who, me?' before giving an exaggerated stretch and yawn, shaking itself out.

"Maybe he can help. I don't know what happens to them if the person they've bonded with changes."

[nothinglikefather]

"I think he and I have an understanding." Jacob says, before looking over at the unimpressed wolf-creature. "And at least he doesn't provide a running commentary." Which Jacob's own familiar did, frequently. But perhaps that was just the nature of birds.

"We'll find out. I hope he makes it easier, somehow." There is so much they don't understand about this place, the things they've encountered in it. Something in it has to be good, right? Don't they deserve a break?

[borntohurt]

"Oh, he does. You just can't hear him," Charles murmurs in reply, shaking his head. Fortunately, it's proved a pleasant enough companion so far. And he reaches down to give the animal a quiet pat and scritch behind the ears.

"Found anything else? You've been looking too, right?"

[nothinglikefather]

"Really?" Jacob says, looking down at the wolf as if he'd been betrayed. "That's the last time I share my supper with you, mate."

"Aside from those crystals down in the flooded rooms? Mostly a lot of rubble, wrecked rooms. Lots of rubbish littered all over the place. But it's hard to know what people have already searched before us, it needs to be coordinated, mapped. Maybe I could get to work on that. Connor might be able to help, if he can see the world like I do."

See walls and tunnels, rooms beyond normal vision. That might help them avoid clearing debris that leads only to dead ends.

[borntohurt]

"Yeah. You guys did something like this back in your own time, didn't you? Looking for artifacts to keep them away from the Templars."

Or so he recalls. Here, there's no such pressure...unless there are Templars that they're unaware of. That presents an interesting question, however. Templars have wound up in places like this before. Connor's father had. Others could, as well. What would happen if that were the case?

He doesn't voice the concern right away, but he does get that thoughtful little frown all the same, and the wolf rooos softly before licking his hand.

[nothinglikefather]

Jacob nods. "Or steal them back. Or destroy them, but that's not as easy as you would suppose."

He doesn't know if the Isu exist out here, wherever this place is. It's hard to be sure when you only have so much information and so much of the place is unexplored. But they can work on that.

And in truth, if the Templars are here, they're facing the same problems.

He glances down at the wolf, and then at Charles again. "Come on then. Let's get back to searching. We might find something useful, even if it's not what we were looking for."