[Karl] Night. The waning moon hangs heavy above. Karl is standing in the living room, just by the table, next to the couch. Arms crossed over his chest. His gaze locked on the moon that is just barely visible above the rooftop on the other side of the street. There is a song playing on the stereo. Soft, deep tones of Leonard Cohen streaming out of the speakers.
//If you want a lover
//Ill do anything you ask me to
//And if you want another kind of love
//Ill wear a mask for you
Dressed in dark jeans and a tee and not much else. There is no telling how long he has stood there, immobile, staring. Seeming lost in thought and in his own private universe. There is no tension in his form, at least not more then usual. His rage like a thrumming living thing as it fills the room, mingling with his presence.
//If you want a partner
//Take my hand
//Or if you want to strike me down in anger
//Here I stand
//Im your man
Breathing slow, even and deep. Chest and shoulders rising with each breath. Buzzed raven black hair recently cut. Only a few hours of shade on his chin and cheeks.
[Moira] There is something to be said about a person’s tastes in music – it defines part of their personality. Just like the way they dress and speak, or the things they say and eat. The little quirks that go unnoticed until you decide to live with them. She would have never assumed Karl had a fondness for Leonard Cohen. It is the fourth song into the album, it’s has been playing for awhile now. She can hear the heavy bass tones echo through the loft, drifting upstairs to the second floor, where she has sat at her computer desk for the past few hours.
An eyebrow arches upward, left hand brought up to pull the headphones off her head, laying them down beside the keyboard as she rose to her feet. She moves to the banister, leaning up against the tall, dark mahogany bookshelf that sat in the point where the railings met. Her arms fold over each other, leaning forward. She tries to estimate how long he’s been standing like that, she isn’t sure.
After a few minutes of watching him, Moira shakes her head, stepping back from the railing. She looks for something to throw at him, deciding on a piece of paper from the trash. She crumbles it up, returning to the spot she leaned against, and aims for his head. Her arm comes back, the paper ball released into the air as it floats down from the second floor. She ducks back behind the cabinet, peering out slowly to look at watch.
[Karl] //Ah, the moons too bright
//The chains too tight
//The beast wont go to sleep
//Ive been running through these promises to you
//That I made and I could not keep
The paper ball flies true. It hits him on the top of his head and bounces off, coming to rest just beneath the TV. The only reaction from Karl is a soft sigh that Moira can hear. No sound of steps or creak of stairs that would announce him moving from his spot. He continues looking out the window as if nothing had happened.
//Ah but a man never got a woman back
//Not by begging on his knees
//Or Id crawl to you baby
//And Id fall at your feet
//And Id howl at your beauty
The chorus of the song gaining slightly in tempo, the deep bass of Cohen’s voice pitching just slightly. There is a rustle of fabric from downstairs, then nothing. When Moira does decide to look back, Karl has turned, his glacial gaze looking up towards the second floor and the railing from where Moira had thrown her projectile.
//Like a dog in heat
//And Id claw at your heart
//And Id tear at your sheet
//Id say please, please
//Im your man
[Moira] She slides back out into view again, touching her back to the side of the cabinet. Moira folds her arms across her chest, head turned, face tilting to the side left. She breathes in slowly, breasts rising to strain against her forearm before falling back in a slow exhale of air. She shakes her head, meeting the pale gaze of the Rotagar. He can see her wrinkle up her nose as she looks towards the stereo.
“Why are we listening to this?” She calls down from the banister, leaning over it now. “You have been standing there staring out the window for the past several minutes.”
[Karl] The rotagar reaches out, pushing the Stop button on the disc player, his gaze never leaving Moira. Does she notice the way he moves now? Where he before had an animal grace, it is now downright inhuman. Steps had been quiet before, and now it is as if his feet never touches the floor as he moves across it for all the noise he makes. Yet his voice remains the same, low and deep. A thoughtful tone to it when he speaks now.
“For near enough an hour anyway. Are you done working?”
He offers her a ghost of a smile. It fades quickly.
“My father loved Cohen. I never could understand why exactly. His songs always seem to be about sorrow.”
[Moira] “No!” Her voice higher over the music until it stops abruptly in mid-chorus, and then softens immediately as she continues speaking, “But I can put it aside for right now.”
Her arms unfold, hands rose to push back through the long black hair that falls across her shoulders, gathering it up to tuck it behind her ears and out of her eyes. She turns to center her weight on the railing, shifting the balance of her body to rest more on the balls of her feet. Her upper torso leans inward, as she drops her arms to the banister, folding them over and continues to look down at him. She hadn’t really noticed the changes in him until now, when he seems to flow faster than usual, she thinks nothing of it at first, but it will start to gnaw at the back of her mind at some point.
“I would never be able to understand why he likes Leonard Cohen either. That is horrible singing.”
[Karl] ”To each their own I guess.”
A shrug of his shoulders and he moves to the stairs. He moves up them with quick, flowing steps, and within seconds grabs the top of the railing as he swings around the railing to join Moira upstairs. His eyes fixed on her form. A beat, and he moves towards her. The press of his rage almost physical as it slides over her skin, trapping her between the railing and the oncoming Rotagar.
“Do you want to go to the roof with me?”
Asked quietly, suddenly.
[Moira] It unnerves her; the suddenness of the Rotagar flutters to the forefront of her thoughts as she stares at him, blue eyes widening quickly. Her lips part, mouth agape in surprise. The press of his rage swims around her, brushing along her skin and cheeks, causing color to flush them pink. She lowers her lashes over her eyes, tilting her chin down as she looks at the floor, and then away to the bedroom door, and to either side of her.
No escape.
Her body turns to press her back to the railing the closer he draws nears, hands clutching the rail. She rolls her shoulders up in a small shrug, curiosity nipping at her now that he’s asked. She pushes away from the banister to move towards him. “Sure I can go to the roof with you. Is there something you need to tell me?”
[Karl] He reaches out and catches her hand in his own. He is warm, almost feels feverish. Strong calloused hand closing around hers. He doesn’t speak, instead turns and leads Moira back to the stairs and down them. He does not pull on her, but neither does he idle. Leading her to the door and opens it. Barefoot. It is not until they are in the hallway, heading up the other stairs leading to the top floor that he speaks again.
“I just feel like taking some air.”
Voice still low, thoughtful. He does not look to Moira now, eyes focus on the way they are going.
“And I like having you with me.”
[Moira] There is a haste in his steps that confuses the kin. He grabs up her hand, the warmth of his skin feels feverish against her own, burning to the point of drawing a deep frown of concern from Moira. She opens her mouth to say something, but only a soft squeak emits as she finds herself moving quickly down one flight of stairs and out the front door, and suddenly through the hallway and up another flight towards the roof.
He needs air… and wants her with him.
Moira almost puts a halt to his progression, like a stubborn mule that doesn’t want to move. She pulls back on the hand that holds her own, nostrils flaring out to breath sharply. “Why are you in such a rush? There isn’t anything up on the roof that can’t wait…” she growls out at him, “Karl, what is wrong with you?”
[Karl] He stops as she tugs at him, turning around to look at her. There is something about him that is different. She can feel it in his hand. The way his pulse races, as if he had exerted himself. She has felt his heartbeat before. Laid against his chest to hear the slow, steady rhythm of it. Now his heart is racing, and yet he has stood completely still for what he said was an hour.
Yet it is clearly him. Those pale blue eyes with emotions deep within them that the kin has learned to read.
“I… I need air.”
He lets go of her hand then, and turns, flowing up the last few steps of the stairs. The door to the roof apartment is always locked, with no one living in it. The Rotagar touches the handle and it opens easily enough to his touch, and he vanishes into the door. Moments later, the patio door is opened.
[Moira] They both stop. Moira stares at him in confusion, blinking several times as she just watches him with a growing concern that shows in the frown widening in her expression. She pulls back her hand, turning it around to look down at it. The pale flesh stained pink from the heat generated by his own body. She wipes the sweat away on seat of her pants, shaking her head as Moira starts to follow after the Rotagar, but at a much slower pace.
She walks through the open door, peering around first in the dark corridors, and then slips further in until she can feel the breeze that blows through the open patio door. Moira stops in the threshold, tilting her head around to look for him. “Karl?
[Karl] Karl is leaning against the brick and mortar wall, hands on it, staring out at the moon. Motionless again, as if he had been there forever. Barefoot, yet it is doubtful that he feels the chill of the stone underneath.
When Moira speaks up, he straightens some, then glances back over his shoulder. His eyes seem to gleam with reflected light. Glacial blue. He extends his hand to her, palm up.
[Moira] “No.”
It is the second time she has said it. This time she refuses the Fenrir her hand, she doesn’t move from the frame of the patio door, her eyes narrowing on him now, dropping to stare at his outstretched hand. She curls her arms around her stomach, the way does it is almost protectively. She shakes her head, black hair tumbles down around her face, cascading over her shoulders to sweep across the high points of her cheekbones and temples.
“What is wrong with you? You are all over the place today.”
[Karl] She refuses, and it makes him blink. There is a rumble deep in his chest, but it never breaks out into a growl. Instead, it fades and the Rotagar sighs yet again, turning so he is facing Moira before sitting back against the wall. He watches her closely, silent for a few drawn out seconds.
When he does speak, his voice is just above a whisper, so that Moira has to strain to hear him over the constant hum of the city.
“I am bound to a totem now. It is… Overwhelming until you get used to it.”
He shakes his head a little.
“It has taken part of me into itself, and left a part of itself in me.”
He closes his eyes, drawing in another deep breath, exhaling slowly.
“My heart will not stop racing.”
[Moira] She knew the feeling of what it was like to be bound to a totem, what the Garou went through as they felt the conscious mind of a powerful spirit, and how it took and gave from them. She watches him more closely now, right hand pulls up to rub at her chin, fingers curling over a cheek. She leans against the frame, using it to support her weight.
“Are you going to be okay?”
Moira didn’t know what to do or how to help him. She just stood their in confusion, an inkling of fear beginning to overwhelm her as she worried for him. “What spirit is it?”
[Karl] “I hope so…”
Then he shakes his head, something determined coming over his features.
“I will be.”
He shakes his head then and turns to look out across the outline of the city. A deep breath drawn.
“A totem of War… Hummingbird. I just was not ready for the effect it would have. I think my heart is trying to match the beat of the totems.”
Then he suddenly glances in another direction. A slight smile coming over his face as he glances back to Moira.
“I think we are about to have a guest over for dinner….”
[Marni] Hungry.
HUNGRY.
OMFG HUUUUUUUUUUUUNGRY.
It crawls along his spine, the feeling of pack getting closer, wandering the streets, thrumming with energy and hungrier than usual… Marni was always a ravenous beast, and now it is not only doubled, but quadrupled, and her thoughts are controlled by where she’s going to get her next meal. It’s coincidence that brings her to Lake View, following the thread of pack with an absentmindedness that dictates she’s not even sure where she is… she’s just wandering. Rummaging. Searching for something to quell the empty gnaw in her belly as she makes her way down the street.
Belatedly, she recognizes the tug between her shoulderblades, and across the Totemphone comes a plaintive plea… Kaaaaaaaaaarl…. tell me your bar-b-quing… somewhere close…. I could eat a WHOLE COW….
[Moira] He warns her that they were having a quest over for dinner. Moira blinks once, and then scrutinize him for a moment, until it clicks in the back of her mind. He had told her there were Gnawers in his pack, they were bound under a hummingbird. This almost makes her laugh, but then she suddenly looks horrified. She pulls away from the frame of the patio, dropping her arms to her sides and pivots on her feet to turn away from him.
“OH Gods…” she says, “I better go padlock the fridge if it’s one of the Gnawers you told me about.”
[Karl] She turns from him, and he is instantly by her side. So quickly that she barely has time to register the rage before it swells over her. A warm hand coming to touch her shoulder. A brush of calloused hand before it falls away. He is beside her, keeping her pace now. There was no sound of feet on stone as he closed the distance. No warning. The totem had given him its grace and speed, and Moira might just realize how that has changed her mate.
“I think if you do, she will chew through the door to get to the food, and I like my limbs way to much to try to stop her.”
He sends out his voice through the totem.
~Another block, door by the store. Second floor. Door is open.~
He leads Moira out of the top apartment, heading down towards their home. Humor in his voice as he speaks to his mate once more.
“She is expecting. I am not sure there is enough food in the world right now…”
[Marni] The relief swells over the bond they share. He didn’t confirm bbq, but the invitation suggests there’s something, and gods but she’s wasting away to nothing… nothing but curls and sass and curvy delights and huuuuuuuuuuunger. Ye Gods the hunger…
She pulls herself out of the garbage can she’d stopped to rummage through, and grins as she hefts her pack back on her shoulders. She wipes her hands on her cut-off jean shorts, and tugs her tanktop back down and straight as she breaks into a jog in the direction indicated.
ohthankgaia.
Incoming Gnawer. Batten down the hatches…
[Moira] And there he goes again, zooming towards her to cut her passage off at the door. She stares at him, feeling the heated brush of his hand on her shoulder for a second and then watching him start to step ahead of her to meet up with his pack mate. She isn’t as quick as he is, but his newfound speed does make Moira call after him.
“If… this new speed mode of yours affects the way you fuck, Rotagar, I swear to Gaia I am cutting you off permanently!”
The Garou will likely get down the stairs faster than she will, Moira gives up the moment she is out into the hall and walks the rest of the way down into her apartment, have expecting to find a pot-bellied Gnawer torso deep into her fridge.
[Karl] ”Worried about friction burns are we?”
Snorted response to his mate even as he ducks into the apartment. He moves directly to the fridge, opens it and starts rummaging for anything that can be served cold, and anything that can be heated up. He will leave the things that needs to be cooked in the fridge, but all the rest he starts placing on the table and the kitchen counter. When Moira arrives, she finds the Rotagar chest deep in the fridge, rummaging about.
“You would not last a day before you came scratching at me! You are insatiable as it is woman!”
He emerges with the last of the food that is ready to be served, and holding a six pack of beers that joins the rest on the table, together with a couple of bottles of water. He grabs one of the beers and pops the cap, offering it to Moira.
[Marni] She didn’t even think to ask if they were otherwise occupied, but since he offered and told her where they were, she has to assume they’re too busy to bother with a gnawer emptying their fridge, or they’re presentable for company. Either way, they have some. She finds the store, and the open door, and hits the stairs two at a time. Karl is not the only graceful Child of Hummingbird.
She doesn’t bother knocking since he’d told her the door was unlocked, though she does make enough noise to warn them – just in case. “Honey, I’m home!”
And she’s following her nose, her belly audibly growling and complaining it’s empty state.
[Moira] Moira pauses in the open doorway to her loft apartment. Arm cross over her chest as she watches the Fenrir – not Marni – be the one that is chest-deep in the fridge. Her tongue slides into her cheek, making it bubble out, a soft “hmm” vibrates in the back of her throat.
“That isn’t what I’m worried about, Flash!” Shaking her head at him as she snorts back at him, “You’ll probably only last about 10 seconds from now on.” Her head turns, listening to the sounds of Marni coming up the stairs, her voice growing louder to echo down the halls, “It’ll just turn int those ‘stick it in and I’m done’ motions for you.”
[Karl] He laughs as Marni appears, offering her a small wave of his hand. Moira did not take the beer so the Rotagar claims it for himself, taking a swig.
“Moira, this is Marni, one of the two Gnawers in the pack. Marni, this is my mate, Moira.”
His gaze goes from the gnawer to Moira, grinning at her.
“Be good that it is my turn to be quick then!”
He pulls out a chair for Moira, then sits down on the other one at the food laden kiwi green table, nodding to one of the chairs on the other side for Marni. He gives a motion to the food on the table and kitchen counter.
“No cow I am afraid, but this should help a little anyway.”
[Marni] There’s a flash of something in her dark eyes as she watches and listens to Karl and Moira tease each other. There’s a connection there, and Marni has to look away for a moment as her breath catches – her brow furrowing as she forces the reaction away. It doesn’t matter, anyway, right? Not right NooOOH LOOKIT FOOD!
She waves to Moira and offers her a lopsided grin before she’s dropping her pack next to the offered chair, and making a sandwich that’d make Dagwood himself jealous. “Hi, sorry to barge inOHLOOKPICKLES!” She paws the jar open and grabs one, shoving it into her mouth as she continues making her sandwich, mumbling around it “pleasuretomeetcha”
[Moira] “Marni and I are well-acquainted…” she starts to say, grinning as she watches the Gnawer invade her kitchen and start to conquer the large spread of food. She runs a hand along her jawline, cupping her cheek as she just stares. “Marni was in the same pack as my last mate…”
Moira blinks then, realizing what she had just said and promptly quiets down. She turns her eyes on Karl then, “What was that suppose to mean anyway?”
[Karl] If Karl reacts to Moira’s telling that Marni had shared a pack with Connar, he does not show it. He looks to Marni, then over at Moira, reaching for a piece of cold cut, careful to keep his fingers away from the gnawer as he does. He takes a bite and washes it down with the cold beer.
“Just saying is all.”
He actually grins at Moira, then looks to Marni, offering his packmate a wide smile.
“I see the pup has managed to keep your appetite healthy at least. How are things going?”
[Marni] She blinks, letting that statement slide over her, the overwhelming sadness that comes with remembering her lost packmates working it’s way through her with a little tremble, until she squashes it in the same motion she smooshes her sandwich into a mouth-sized height – something she promptly tests, taking a huge bite before she sets the sandwich down and reaches automatically for a beer.
…stops…
…blinks…
…takes water instead and opens the bottle to take a swig. She kicks off her flipflops and pulls her feet up under her, leaning her elbows on the table as she continues to graze hungrily. “Sorry m’so rude, Moira. I don’t think we quite thought this whole binding me to a ravenous totem thing…”
She grins around another mouthful, and snorts at Karl. “Which part? The pup’s fine. Though I’m gonna weigh 14 tons by the end of this unless I get morning sickness soon… And the getting called a greedy honorless little bitch thing is gettin kinda old though. OH! Hey! Speaking of greedy little tarts, what’s the possibility ya got access to an old cell phone I can use?”
[Moira] Moira waves a hand in the air, brushing away any negativity that may have come with Marni’s comment. She offers the Gnawer a smile, stepping away from the door to reach behind her for the knob and shuts it. “If you are pregnant, you most certainly shouldn’t be drinking beer, and have you seen a doctor yet to see how the well the child is adhering?” Moira paces to the counter, looking over the spread of food that Karl has laid out. She starts to collect up the things that could spoil the fastest and starts to put them away.
“Knowing your pension for eating out of garbage cans, that type of diet might not be suitable.” She looks over at Karl, falling silent when Marni inquires about a cellular phone.
[Karl] His brow furrows a little at Marni’s statement, but then he shakes his head some. He reaches into the pockets of his jeans and pulls out the phone. He has had ti since he arrived in Chicago. A pre-paid crap phone, but it works well enough when needed, and another is easy enough to get. He pushes it across the table to Marni.
“You can have that. What do you need it for?”
Inquired as he finishes of the piece of ham, chewing slowly. Another deep swig of beer and he glances to Moira as she cleans up his mess. There is some emotion there that even echoes across the bond, readable in his expression for the kin that knows him so well. Affection. It melts from the totem bond and his eyes quickly however, pushed back by the Rotagar to where it belongs, in private.
[Marni] Moira starts to gather stuff that might spoil quickly and Marni grunts and gestures pleadingly before she can actually put a lid on the macaroni salad because ohgodyum. She takes another bite of her sandwich, then if/when the salad is given up, she digs into that with abandon, moaning happily.
Oh yeah. Questions. “No doc – pee’d on a stick at the Hill house. Definitely knocked up.” She rolls her eyes at the gentle jibe, and chuckle. “Most often the best stuff is thrown away…”
Kinda like Marni herself, really. “..but I promise I’ll hit the broho whenever I gotta until I drop the kid.”
Then Karl’s passing over a cell phone and Marni looks like a kid at christmas, mischief dancing in her eyes as she picks it up and studies it. Her grin is satisfied and just a trifle smug as she grins at the Fenrir pair. “Lukas is a fuckin’ dumbass – left a raggie a loophole bigger ‘n my appetite an’ that’s what i need it for. I swore not to see or be with Ray until Lukas deems me honorable nuff t’challenge.” and here that mischievous grin just… grows… “Ain’t never said a fuckin word bout talkin, or finishin our conversation via phone.”
[Moira] “You…” it comes out as a narrow-eyed warning for Marni, Moira stepping over to set the small tub of macaroni salad and a spoon down on the table for the Gnawer, “Are a bundle of trouble.” She clucks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, “You should still get check ups, Marni, I don’t care if you are a garou or not.”
She moves back across the kitchen, listening as they talk. She frowns a little, an eyebrow lifting up as she casts a glance over at Karl, and then back to Marni. “Why not just go one step further and see if you two can’t video chat or something. At least this way, you’ll get to see Ray’s face instead of just listening to his voice on the other line.”
[Karl] Karl glances to Moira as she suggests a video chat. Karl doesn’t really know the specifics of how that is done, but he is pretty sure it involves computers. Looking back to Marni, he finishes of his beer before putting the empty bottle down. Taking a moment before he speaks up.
“Sounds like the loophole works. Just be careful. Perun is honorable, but I have experienced for myself that it does not require their pack members to be…”
He shakes his head a little, then leans back against the chair.
“Just try not to be caught. Don’t give Lukas any more reasons to keep you and Ray apart. Not saying he will, just…”
A shrug of his strong shoulders. Turn and twist as you will, Lukas is still a shadow lord. Karl just shakes his head and stands up. He walks over to Moira. Reaching out he takes her by the hand and pulls her close, brushing his lips past hers in a quick kiss before stepping back.
“I need to go for a run. Ill bring back more food, let you girls have a chance to talk without me for a bit.”
[Marni] She waggles her finger. “Promised not to ‘see’ him. If I’m stretchin an’ just obeyin the letter of the law given, gotta keep blind. But lordy, ain’t his voice is enough t’get me goin? So there’s that, since I ain’t fuckin gettin any nohow now.” And she certainly doesn’t deny being a bundle of trouble. That is, of course, the best kind.
As for checkups. “Who I’m gonna get t’check? Need it t’be one of ours. An’ if there ain’t any here, I’ll see bout gettin Mama Joyce from home t’come when it’s closer to time, though thats months away still. Gnawers been droppin kids for centuries on our own, ya know.”
She nods at Karl, and snorts. “He’s a fuckin’ lord. He’s lookin for any reason to keep us apart. He jus’ ain’t dealt with th’likes of Marni fuckin’ Geller – and with any luck, he’s a fuckin’ slow ass learner.”
And she carefully doesn’t watch the easy affection in that kiss, and just as carefully doesn’t let anyone see the bitterness that she can’t have the same herself as it passes through her gaze. Instead, she just takes a few more bites.
[Moira] “Well it was a suggestion. Wifi is free in a lot of places, it’s not like you are physically there to see each other, Marni, and you can always use a laptop. How the hell is Lukas going to track down your video messages if you keep them private? There are ways around that, I’ve been in Ray’s office, since I worked as his personal assistant. I’ve seen him do conference calls all the time on the computer.”
She shrugs her shoulders, quickly caught up by the Rotagar as he pulls her close and kisses her. Her cheeks flush with color, a little embarrassed by such displays in front of Marni. She sighs, turning to watch him leave as she bites down on her bottom lip. “Hurry back.” is all she says to him.
[Karl] He lets Moira go, then heads to the door. Passing Marni, he brushes a hand across her shoulder, giving her a little wink.
“I expect to come back and not finding someone took a bite out of my mate. I’ll be bringing more food.”
Marni is still a new acquaintance to Karl, but the pack bond has allowed him some comfort with the Gnawer, more open to her and in front of her then he would be any other Garou except possibly Mama. He pulls the door open and slips out of the apartment, closing it behind him.
He left his shoes behind.
[Marni] She wrinkles her nose, and then nods. “S’an idea. If we ain’t get caught and punished for the voice, might try that too. He’ll wanna see me get fat anyway…” unvoiced the ire that Lukas would be such a dick to force them apart for nothing other than his own pride… that her child might never know its father unless she gives up total rights to the little hungry beast. All for some misplaced idea that she had stolen something vital, instead of providing something much more valuable..
She wrinkles her nose at Karl, but tips her head to rest her cheek briefly against his hand on her shoulder, and whimper hopefully… “Fried chicken?”
Even as she’s reaching to finish up the macoroni salad and her sandwich. Heaven help Chicago for the next few months…
After he’s gone, the door closed, she studies Moira for a few long moments and then nods. “Ya happy, then?” Happy for her, even if it’s mingled with a longing for the same…
[Moira] Moira leans back on the counter, glancing around at what is left of the food spread. She rests her hands on the edges of the counter, nodding slowly. “As happy as I am ever going to be mated to a Garou. He still worries the hell out of me.” She smirks at the Gnawer, “This is sheer coincidence that twice now, I’ve seen you packed with a mate of mine.”
Pushing away from the counter, Moira steps towards the fridge. “If you have a sweet tooth…” a hand lays on the handle, pulling back the door as she peers inside, reaching for a covered round platter and pulls it out. “I have a double-layer chocolate cake here. I’ve been hiding it from Karl, I think he has an addiction to it.”
She balances the platter in her left hand, grabbing a knife, forks and two small plates with the other and brings it over to the table for Marni. She sets it down in the middle of the table, laying the plate and utensils down as well before taking a seat. “I have a spare bedroom down the hall next to the couch, if you want a soft bed to sleep in tonight, there’s a shower upstairs. I can lend you one of karl’s shirts while I wash your clothes, if you like.”
[Marni] She nods, slightly, and softly promises. “I’ll do m’fuckin best not to lose this one on you.” In such a simple statement that’s not simple at all, it’s clear she takes so much of the blame for the loss of her last pack, despite those who say it wasn’t, it couldn’t be her fault. In her heart, she knows she could have, should have done something more. She will not repeat the same mistakes. She can’t.
And then she’s outright MOANING at the sight of that cake… “Oh my god. That’s heaven on a plate…” and she hurriedly finishes up her sandwich and the last of the salad so that she has room… in front of her. Or something.
As for the rest, she nods slightly. “Yes to laundry and a shower. I share the box with Mama though, it’s comfortable an’ warm with both of us there.” What she doesn’t say is that being that close to Moira and Karl while they spend nights together is a torture she’s not quite ready for – not yet. “Come winter though, ya might not be able t’get rid of me.” The last said with that irrepressible Marni grin.
[Moira] Moira pulls the cover off the double-layer chocolate cake, it had little swirls of cherries on top, buried into the icing. She cuts a slice for herself, setting it on a plate and off to the side. A glance down to the second plate, and then at Marni, the look on the Gnawer’s face just makes her laugh. She picks up the fork and extends it out to her while pushing the rest of the platter in front of Marni.
“Enjoy…”
She pulls her plate in front of her, picking up her fork and stabs at the slice, peeling away with a forkful and shoves it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “It is my hope, and likely Karl’s that before winter sets in. There will be a pack house for you and the others. I don’t know if your pack will grow or not, but I figure it will be the least we can do.”
[Marni] “ohhhhhhhhhhhhgod you’re the best kin in the wholedamncity…” murmured with almost religious prayful awe as the platter is pushed in front of her. She takes the fork, and then that first bite of heaven and settles back into her chair to savor it – appetite satisfied enough that she can do so without her belly complaining. “Sooooooooogoood….”
She carefully licks all the frosting off the fork, then goes for another bite. “Mama’s got plans to grow, I think. A place would be nice…” But not necessary, really, at least not until.. “…need t’be inside by late January, early February even if I gotta take a room at the Brotherhood.”
[Moira] “Talk it over with Karl then. See where you all may want to settle down. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a place to stay for all of you. I’ll go through other means if I need to.” She doesn’t mention Ray’s name, only knows she could get his help if Moira needed to purchase some type of building.
She settles back in her seat, watching the Gnawer worship the cake. Her head shaking a little as she smirks. “Hopefully, you won’t have to stay in the brotherhood.”
[Marni] She snorts. “Yeah, lil too close to fuckin’ Lukas over there, ya know? He already done threatened me an’ the kid.” She takes another bite and smirks. “An by then I’ll be a regular two ton tessy and not too good at movin fast, even WITH Humminbird..”
She scratches at the back of her neck lightly, and shakes her head. “Mama’s all excited bout all this… but man. I sure ain’t done it on purpose, ya know? An’ I didn’t wanna tie him down..” a beat, and that incorrigible grin makes an appearance. “…not THIS way, anyway.” She shrugs a little and takes another bite. “Sometimes shit happens. Jus’ wish Lukas could see that, instead of seein’ only bad. Ain’t like he’s done his duty an’ knocked up HIS mate, after all…”
[Moira] Moira chuckles in between bites of the cake. She rests her weight on one arm, using that hand to cup her cheek, watching Marni with amusement. “I doubt you will lose the ability to move quickly, you just won’t be able to take another form or really fight well by the time winter comes. Let’s hope there won’t be much killing, despite the war that is going on.”
She dives back into her cake, casting a glance at the time, and then ignores it while they wait for Karl to come back with more food to satiate the Gnawer’s voracious appetite.