[Cell Phone] You see, giving a Ragabash a loophole is always a dangerous thing, as they’ll take it and twist it and make sure it works for them in some way. She had sworn on her honor not to SEE or BE WITH Ray until allowed to challenge for him, whenever Lukas decides that’s possible. Which means probably never, because he’s a fuckin’ ass, but whatever. She is keeping to the very letter of that promise, right here, right now.
She don’t even have picture ability on her phone – so there ain’t no seein going on. And she ain’t fuckin’ him, so that crosses off ‘be with’ too. Nothing for the spirits to get all haughty about, or even to notice as she obeys the exact letter of the law laid down. He never said ANYTHING about talking to the guy. Not once. And she even has witnesses to attest to that fact.
Therefore, mid-afternoon on this fine, fine Monday, Ray’s phone rings – and it’s a number he won’t recognize.
[Ray Ostermann] *The man was at home for a late lunch, wolfing down a sandwich of deli meats and vegetables when his phone went off, he looked at the number, and raises a brow. But Ray recieved unknown phone calls all the time, most of the time from clients, so picked up the Iphone and accepted the call, bringing it to his ear and speaking that professional but friendly tone.
“Ray Ostermann.”
[Cell Phone] Her eyes close as she hears his voice – until that moment, she knew she missed him, but not exactly how much. Now she does – and his voice thrums through her in a shockingly intimate way, memory tangled with longing. She’s not very far away, all told, but certainly not where she can be seen, or he can see her. That letter of the law, and all…
Her voice is soft, wistful, and he can almost hear the impish, full of mischief grin that she speaks with…
“Hey, hotstuff. Miss me yet?”
[Ray Ostermann] “Marni?” Ray responds in surprise, certainly not expecting the gnawer to be calling him, especially not from something that wasn’t a pay phone. But when she does he chuckles, realizing the many ways she could have acquired a phone very…very easily.
“Maybe….how are you?” His voice hits a little note of concern, she was carrying his child afterall, and it was entirely unfair that they were forced apart in such a manner at such a time.
“Bending the law are we?”
[Cell Phone] She chuckles softly, and leans back against the brick wall, in the alley across from his building. “Yeah, s’me. An what the fuck you mean maybe? Do I need to direct you to a certain folder of pictures on your iphone so that you remember me more clearly? Maybe. Harumph.”
The tease is as warm as ever, soft and soothing over the line. Some days, ya gotta take what you can get. “I’m not breaking any laws. I very CAREFULLY and SPECIFICALLY agreed not to “see or be with” you until the challenge. Bein as I can’t see ya from here, an’ we CLEARLY ain’t fuckin at the moment, I do believe I’m obeyin the law down to the very letter.”
Incorrigible Marni, always.
As for how she is… “Lonely. But ok. They ain’t lettin me do nothin that’ll shake our lil coffee bean off th’tree so t’speak, and I’m eatin enough for 6 because I’m starvin all the fuckin time, and we went and packed up under a Totem that’s known for it’s hunger too… I’m gonna be horrendously fat.” Though she hasn’t yet gained a pound. “Will you still want me when I’m big as a car?”
Oh the layers under such a question…
[Ray Ostermann] Ray smiles on his side of the line, and chuckles when marni tells him about the specifics of the contract and how shes clearly following them, so far as Lukas set them out, and with her being so far away…the spirits would indeed not notice her, fool proof it seemed.
“You my dear should be working in my legal department…” He says with a warmth in his voice as he leans back in the chair he was in. She spoke of how she wasnt able to go out and about, no more fighting for marni…at least not till her child is free of her body.
“You were already the rolse-royce of my life Marni, i dont think thats going to change.”
[Cell Phone] Her chuckle is warmly amused. “Lukas should know better than to give a Raggie a loophole. Glad he don’t though. Real glad.”
As for no more fighting – that’s not exactly true, but she won’t worry him any more than need be. That and Mama and Karl are making sure she’s got the safest of the spots in any mission, to ensure the child remain right where it is, for as long as it’s supposed too.
He calls her his rolls-royce, and she smiles – a smile he can almost hear. “Good. This phone ain’t got picture capabilities, but if I ain’t able to see ya by the time I start showin, I’ll find a way to get some to ya. I want… I mean, I want ya to be involved all the way, as much as I can letcha be. As much as ya wanna be…” a pause, and softly. “I ain’t meant for this to go so bad. Ain’t meant to get knocked up or nothin, or try and tie ya down until ya wanted t’be tied down – and not like that time in your room either…”
soft, that chuckle. Fond even…
[Ray Ostermann] “I guess he should…but dont worry, i wont let him know that.” Ray says with another chuckle, and then she listens as she talks about not wanting to tie him down, not wanting to make him choose or force him to be with only her and he smiles to himself as he listens.
She might not be saying it, and she might even be implying it, but she cares a great deal, otherwise she wouldnt be so concerned with his freedom and when she finishes he does indeed chuckle at her joke before replying.
“And I will be as involved as I can, if it were my choice Marni…you would be living here, right now.”
[Cell Phone] She grins, and slides down the wall to sit comfortably. Even so, she doesn’t quite quit moving, thrumming with an energy she can barely control at times. “Good.”
And she doesn’t say it – not outright, but she knows he can hear it in her voice. She cares for him. Probably deeper than she’ll ever admit. The greatest thing one can do for someone they care about is give them what they want – even if it hurts. But sometimes… they wish only to be together.
“Sounds like heaven… Oh, an’ if yer missin a blue work shirt – um. I got it. It smelled like ya, and well, ya know I look DAMN good in yer dress shirts…”
[Ray Ostermann] “I could care package a few more for you if you like them so much.” He says with a chuckle, half joking, and she can just tell…half serious.
He pauses for a minute to take a drink of something…knowing him its probably whiskey before he speaks again.
“Where are you staying now? And who are you packed with?”
[Cell Phone] “Only if you wear them first. I miss…” him. his scent. the way he makes her feel. his touch. his voice rumbling in her ear as he fucks her. the way he walks around he kitchen, or through the bedroom dressed in nothing but a silk robe – or better, in one of those shirts, unbuttoned and untucked, with his belt undone, and slacks hanging low on his hips…
But questions. That need answers. those she drags her concentration back to and chuckles. “You know me, here there and anywhere. I packed with Mama – an’ she and I got a couple palaces built up in bronzeville.” Made of cardboard, of course, in alleys and underpasses… “Karl is our other packmate – he’s Fenrir. Ain’t a thing like Joe… he’s more like Max was. He’s mated to Moira.”
[Ray Ostermann] “Of course.” He says quickly in response to her request about his shirts, he knows exactly what shes talking about…he knew what his scent did for her….how important it was to her.
But when she started to talk about living in cardboard palaces and such he frowns slightly, it was part of who he was, and in his mind, it was no place for a woman who was pregnant, let alone the woman baring his child to live, even if she was a bone gnawer.
“Marni, you know that expense account i set up for the nation…I want you to take one of the cards, and find a place, a house or..another packhouse like before.”
[Cell Phone] She closes her eyes. Here’s where things get sticky. He knows how carefully she insists on never taking anything that’s not needed [the shirt was too needed!], never taking advantage, only stealing what is needed to survive, only asking for the bare necessities. She’s lived on the streets almost her whole life. She knows them like the back of her hand – the dangers, the strengths, the best places to bum a meal. She is comfortable there in a way he could never quite understand.
He saw how angry – no, FURIOUS – she got at finding out Lukas called her greedy… because it’s not true.
She’s a very proud being, and she’s never taken money from him before. Ever. It goes against everything she is to even consider it… and if not for the baby…
“I…” she starts, and stops. And then, softly. “Ok.” A beat, and then a quick ramble “but it won’t be no fancy mansion and it won’t be expensive an’ I’ll find a way to pay every cent back, no matter how long it takes so someone who really needs it can use it instead…”
[Ray Ostermann] “Marni…there is not one activated card anywhere in the city, the someone who needs this money IS you. You will be paying me back every second that child grows within you and every moment you are a good mother, to do that, you are going to need a place to raise our child, and if it cannot be here…I would like it to be somewhere permanent.”
He says with certainty on his side of the phone his voice both assuring her that she will be paying it back, and dismissing the idea that she has too.
[Cell Phone] She chews on her lower lip a moment, dark eyes lifting to find the set of windows she knows is his, and drags her fingers through her tangled curls with a soft sigh. Part of her knows he’s right, as much as it goes against what she’s always done and said. She’s always made her own way… but even she’s not so stupid as to turn him down. She can’t. She’s in no position to say no.
“…ok. Jus’… if Lukas asks, don’t let him say I’m bein a greedy lil cunt again. Cuz ya know. Ya jus… ya know.”
[Ray Ostermann] “The last thing THAT man will ever get to know about is my financial situation, it is not his decision and he has nothing to do with it, nor will he ever.” He says assuredly. “If he asks, i forced a contract onto you to take it.”
He says carefully, he thought about it and was almost tempted to set one up anyways, just incase the man came knocking. It was obvious he wasn’t pleased with his warder even, what right did he have in all this?
[Cell Phone] The force in his voice, his careful words, and she chuckles softly. “Ok. I gotta go to the broho n’ shower n do laundry today anyway. I promise to get one of the cards an’ start looking for a place.”
Without Lukas seeing her, of course. That’ll certainly be an advantage to a place of her own, too. “Moira was gonna make me find a spot before it got cold anyway. Now she won’t haveta worry. An’ if ya want me t’sign a contract, I will..” there’s a little chuckle, there, as she hears his discontent with his warder.
“A’course, I’ll have to borrow money to hire a lawyer to make sure you’re not swindling me..” teased, naturally.
[Ray Ostermann] “Of course, you have to make sure your properities arnt stolen out from under you now can you?” He chuckles playing along in the little joke before he comes back around to the serious side
“Ahh yes…Moira, infact i’ll pass a few things through her to you. I’ve been seeing her fairly regularly and ill pass the uh contract along through her. You’ll be set with it, you and are child.”
[Cell Phone] “Absolutely. Ya know my box is in HIGH demand.” Oh the many ways that could be interpreted…
Now that the decision is made, she settles again. She’ll be careful, so careful, and keep track of every penny, so that if Lukas DOES suddenly insist, every bit will be accounted for. She’ll do nothing, nothing at all that will give that beast any toehold to be used to take the baby from her and Ray, to keep them apart any longer than absolutely necessary.
“…alright. An’ I promise it won’t be no slumdive I find either. Won’t be a castle, but won’t be somewhere ya scared of havin us in..”
[Ray Ostermann] “Your box is already occupied.” He says with what sounds like rueful grin as he goes to stand moving about the condo as he talks to her, enjoying himself thoroughly
“And Thank you.” He knew that she would protect their child, far better then he could in any case, but it was better it was somewhere relatively safe rather then chance it.
[Cell Phone] That makes her laugh – something she hasn’t done for quite a while, to be honest. She shakes her head, and grins. “Ain’t that the truth – though it ain’t been enjoyably occupied since someone went an’ knocked me up in their hot tub.”
A pause, and then… “Ya ain’t heard of anyone of ours that’s used to baby catchin, have ya? The book I got says I should go for a checkup or some shit soon, an’ I can’t go to no regular doc for obvious reasons… I will if I gotta, but I’d rather get someone that’s on our side.”
[Ray Ostermann] “I would be happily occupying your box on a regular occasion…if I could.” He says with a warm grin. “And I know for a fact your not regretting our visits to the hot tub.”
But then SHE gets a little more serious and he falls silent as he thinks about possibly finding a wet nurse for Marni and their child and nothing comes up on his internal rolladex. “I will look into it, see if i can find someone.”
[Cell Phone] She grins, and shakes her head. “Not regretting any of it. Not even now. My only regret is that I’m stuck down here in the alley, instead of up there in your… pool.”
“Yeah, ok. Just tryin t’ make sure the lil bean is safe where it’s at – though as hungry as I is, I’m pretty sure he’s settled in nice and comfortable. God, you thought I ate a lot before? it’s positively DISGUSTING now.” she shakes her head, and then – as if reminded, there’s the rustle of packaging as she opens up a bag of doritos and proceeds to munch on them.
[Ray Ostermann] “In my pool, on my counter, over my couch….Im sure there are many places we could be.” He says with a chuckle and hes still grinning as she talks about eating.
“Well you are eating for two now…or is it three? Just what totem did you align with that is making you so voracious.” Hes curious, its obvious, he can’t learn about how things are through pillow talk or morning after conversation anymore…so this will have to do.
[Cell Phone] She moans softly over the phone, a sound he’ll remember, and hopefully want to – and be able to – hear again, in person, soon… “oooooooooh yeah…. all them places.. don’t think I’ve forgotten about you’re toybox, either…
“Two. I think. Oh gods, what if it IS three!” She just groans.. “I’ll be bigger than a car – I’ll be as big as a HOUSE! A regular two-ton tessy!” Then, she chuckles, her eyes closing as she listens to him, and answers his questions just as easily as she always has, even if it has to be from a distance.
“Hummingbird. We’re the Moonrunners – and get this, part of the abilities that we’re gifted with for following Hummingbird is that we can fly! Not this side, but on the other. It’s fuckin’ badass! You know how hummingbirds ain’t ever still, right? That’s why they so hungry all the time, and it’s kinda translated to me as eating constantly, specially right now. Makes us a really damn good recon pack, though.”
[Ray Ostermann] “The toybox is still waiting by the way the way.” He says as he relishes that moan he almost wishes he was recording this conversation as he listens to it.
“That must be quite helpful, and quite fun even if it is only on the other side…wherever that is.” Ahhh the man shows his lack of knowledge, he might be able to make money like a baker makes cookies, but he still didnt know to much about the world the trueborn lived in.
“I have a feeling youll have barely changed next time i see you….asside from a wonderfully large belly.”
[Cell Phone] She chuckles softly. “Good. Hopefully we can break into it soon, and see just how many different ways we can make each other moan…” Softly, seductively, playfully. Marni in all her glory is as she always is… straight up fun.
She doesn’t blink twice about his lack of knowledge. He’s new to the life, and there is a lot of things to learn. “Remember when Lukas jus’ kinda appeared in ya apartment that night? He was on th’other side – in the Umbra. It’s like a spiritual representation of this side, this side you can see. Our connection t’gaia an’ luna is what allows us t’travel on that other side.”
He mentions her belly, and she looks down, and with a soft smile lays her hand across her lower belly, and sighs softly. “I hope so.”
[Ray Ostermann] “I’m sure we couldn’t count the ways…though maybe we should try.” He says with a playful voice in return, from the way things are going they could swear they were going to break into phone sex.
“Ahhh I had just thought you could go….well..invisible.” He says with a chuckle, now realizing how silly the idea was, an alternative universe made much more sense…right?
“You will.” He says with certainty, with confidence. “Your going to have to find some new clothing.”
[Cell Phone] She chuckles softly, longingly, as if already going through the possibilities in her mind…
…then he mentions going invisible, and she grins and says with offhanded confidence. “Oh, I can do that too.” A beat, to let that sink in, and then she continues. “Not all of us can, but it’s a gift called Blur.. kinda makes me hard to see, like I blur from ya sight and all. Only works where there’s shadows and such to kinda blend into.”
He’s certain. He’s confident, and it makes her smile. Though the circumstances are not ideal, his being so determined, and sure makes it easier for her. She laughs as he mentions needing new clothing. “Yeah, though not for another couple months. Most my stuff is pretty loose already. But when I start showin, I’ll have to find something that don’t make me look getto chic.”
[Ray Ostermann] “It will creep up on you quickly….just you wait, I’ve seen it happen to women in the office more then once, one minute they are wearing tight suits and leggings…the next their in comfy stretch pants and sweaters.” He laughs lightly thinking about and then shakes his head in disbelief.
“What cant the true do hmm?”
[Cell Phone] She chuckles softly, sadly and murmurs “Live long enough to see their children as adults.”
Then she shakes it off, determinedly. “But I’ll certainly give it my best shot. Makes it twice as hard for them to hit me if they can’t see me, after all!”
She looks up at his windows again, and smiles, wistfully. “Someday, I’ll show you all I can do. You haven’t even seen me in fur, yet, I don’t think.”
[Ray Ostermann] “No i havent…though ive seen you in nearly everything else.” He says with a chuckle, though he wondered just what she would look like, he had seen his first true crinos recently upclose when Lukas had come through the tear in space and formed inside of his condo, but he knew that not all garou looked the same, so he wondered on that for a moment.
“Is there anything else you need Marni…anything else at all?” He switches topics and asks her, that idea still on his mind it would seem.
[Cell Phone] And she admits, softly. “Just you. This whole thing is kinda scary, ya know? But jus… knowin you’re there. It helps.”
A pause, and a chuckle “An maybe a couple gallons of ice cream. And nachos. An bbq. An…” It’s clear she’s teasing, now, and so much more comfortable in that space, than in the vulnerable one where she admits that this whole situation is kinda terrifying. She’s faced down monsters that defy explanation – and she’s scared of a little bean sized embryo and all the changes it’s forced on them so suddenly.
It’s safer to think of ice cream.
[Ray Ostermann] “I understand, I do.” He says as he listens to her, and then she falls silent.
“Has Mama gone to Wyrmbreaker? or is that out of the question now?”
[Cell Phone] She wrinkles her nose. “I dunno. I think it might be. Karl wants t’go to him too – he has his own problems with Wyrmbreaker an’ his pack. Lukas needs t’look after his own damn pack’s honor, instead of worrying about and insulting mind. Seems Theron tried t’force himself on Moira before Karl claimed her. And that ain’t the first dishonorable thing Theron has done. Seems t’me, if Lukas can’t take care of his own dirty laundry, he ain’t got no business stickin his nose into ours…”
A beat, and then “…but I can’t say nothin bout that. Not on my own – not yet. I gotta find some proof, and then… THEN we’ll see who’s honor is in question. I got my pack on our side though, an’ we’ll get it worked out. We have too.”
[Ray Ostermann] “Yeah…you do, wish there was somethin I could do on my end. But I don’t think that Wyrmbreaker is going to listen to me. Foolish as that may be.”
He says it like the man really SHOULD listen to him, Wyrmbreaker might be a great warrior and a powerful leader, but in Ray’s mind there are obviously some qualities the shadowlord lacked.
“Let me know if there is anything I can do…”
[Cell Phone] There’s no doubt that she agrees with the assessment of Lukas as a leader, a Garou, a person. None at all, in that chuckle.
She nods, slightly, and then looks up at the building again. “I will. An’ i promise, I’ll pick up that card tonight. I’ll have a place soon. An’ ya got this number now, so if ya wanna ya know, talk… or have wild phone sex or something…” soft, the teasing invitation. “..call me.”
[Ray Ostermann] “I just might take you up on that….I haven’t been laid in weeks. I think my balls are about to fall off from lack of use.” He jokes, but its also a telling that she can expect him to do just that…he hasnt gotten laid in some time, either his skills are slipping…or…..
“Please stay safe Marni.”
[Cell Phone] “Me either! Don’t worry… I’ll make sure they’re well used in the future… one way or the other.” She’s teasing, and it hides the note of surprise that he’s not been catting it around like they both were so well known for before… whatever the reason, it makes her smile, softly – enough to where he can hear it in her voice.
“You too, Ray.”
And after a moment’s quiet, she finally flips the phone closed, and with one more longing look up at the windows she knows are his, she slips from the alley, and tucks the phone into her pocket as she makes her way down the street and deeper into the city once again.