i'm not always like this

[onebetter]

Who: James and the world at large!
What: There's a hovering wolf LOOSE in the academy!
When: December 7th to 13th
Where: Network, Campus Outside
Warnings: Galra plot discussion and also a bloodthirsty but very confused wolf.

A.) Network - un: j.griffin - December 8th

[ You might or might not have seen these three around on a bunch of official school documents by now - they're the mascots of the student council, signaling a post in somewhat official capacity. ]

Hello everybody,

you might have heard that I went missing during the incident early this month. As part of the aftermath, I am taking two weeks off from my student council duties. Recovery is well in process, but I don't think I can fulfill my work in a way that does justice to it right now.

You know I am usually open to being approached for assistance whenever, but I ask that you give me some space around the 12th. [ Full moon. ] I hope to be back completely by the new year.

Thank you for understanding.

Student Council Vice President
James Griffin

B. Closed to Keith. December 8th.
[ James is grateful that his stay in the infirmary was short for once. Nothing feels better than entering their room and planting face-first onto his bed. He'd missed this bed. He'd missed the way Cosmo jumps on his back immediately, despite getting a little too heavy for it. He missed Sir's squeaking. ]

It's so good to be home...

[ It's murmured into the pillow, as he breathes in the soft normalcy of their dorm. For a little while, he doesn't move at all. ] Soft....

C. Campus - December 12th, 5pm
[ James knows today is a risk day. He and Keith have talked about this, they'd meet early and he'd have Keith with his wolf-ing expertise watch over him and maybe lock him up in the mythril cage if things got too rough. That really should be fine.

The thing is, James is not accustomed to being lycan. He is, however, very accustomed to attending class and dutifully doing his homework. Thus, when he leaves the library, he is shocked to find it's already dark. Winter really isn't merciful when it comes to the moon, it seems.

James had expected the pull to transform to be less... sudden. He'd expected a struggle longer than writhing in pain for a minute, he'd thought it'd be... something.

Something other than suddenly being gone.

Instead, there is now a wolf on the campus. Said wolf is hovering around 20 inches above the ground, sneezing as rose petals shower around him and land on his nose. Right now, he seems more confused than aggressive, but... one should probably proceed with caution. ]

Comments

[marmoron]

[so much is wrong in their lives right now, but it still makes him smile to watch james flop onto his bed and immediately get tackled by cosmo while sir squeaks indignantly from his water basin. by now, keith thinks he's become a bit better at deciphering the meaning of sir's little diatribes, so he walks over to the basin and holds out his hand for sir to hop onto.]

I gotcha, buddy.

[though sir's a little damp, he has a feeling james isn't going to mind terribly if he sets the little guy next to james' pillow. keith himself takes a seat on the edge of the bed.]

It's good to have you back.

[onebetter]

[ Sir immediately sticks out his tongue and licks against James' cheek. It's kind of disgusting, but right now it only prompts a laugh from James as he reaches out to lightly pet the toad with his index finger. ]

I feel instantly more put together just being here, which is amazing considering what a chaos our living situation has devolved to...

[ Two pets and a boyfriend with a weapon collection fetish would do it. ]

I'm so glad that bite wasn't deep enough to chain me to the infirmary for longer.

[marmoron]

[keith watches with a small smile as cosmo also gets in on saying hello by giving james' ear a lick.]

Okay, knock it off, you guys. He doesn't need your help with a shower.

[cosmo makes a whuffling noise before flopping on james' back. at a point, he'd have been able to fit his whole body on there, but getting bigger comes with the very real disappointment of realizing he can't fit all four paws comfortably while lying perpendicularly. space doggo is maybe just a pinch frustrated with this discovery as he struggles to find the right balance but ends up sliding off. keith shakes his head, huffing in amusement.]

Well I think these two are glad to have a pillow back.

[onebetter]

[ Cosmo really is getting heaver and his paws dig uncomfortably into James' shoulders as the puppy tries to adjust position, but compared to the discomforts of a Galra prison cell, this is nothing. A heavenly massage, maybe. Even having been turned into a werewolf doesn't feel quite as daunting anymore, now that James is surrounded with all his favourite things. ]

Even though they already have all those plushies too... Maybe we spoil them a little too much. Maybe.

a. un: 46692

[escardos]

merry xmas! the present is not dying!

[marmoron]

Speak for yourself. I don't spoil anyone.

[he says while scratching between cosmo's eyes and snout. the woofer gives keith a happy smile in that way dogos do, fluffy tail thumping on james' blanket.]

[onebetter]

Spoken like a liar.

[ James has seen Keith and Cosmo and the peanut butter. He's seen all. The spoiling is real and he will not hear otherwise.

For a moment, he rests comfortably under Cosmo's warm body, basking in being home. But then, he knows he can't really dodge the actually pressing topics forever. The longer they let things go undiscussed, the harder all of it is going to be. He turns his face to Keith to he can properly meet his eyes. ]

Hey, do you want to talk about what happened now? I know we have to and it's not going to get more pleasant the longer we wait.

A, un: Galanthusnivalis

[buddinghopes]

I'm glad you're recovering. Please take care :(

[marmoron]

[right. to say that he'd been "dreading" this conversation is a bit of an exaggeration, considering it's been on his mind ever since he and james talked in the red lion, but it still brings him a mixed sense of relief and tension. he looks down at the floor for a moment, then meets james' eyes in the next.]

If you're up to talking about it, I'm ready to listen.

A. UN: Stormflower

[nevernoaction]

Are you all right? Do you want me to help with any of the duties at all?

[onebetter]

At this rate, I'll take it. That's the lowest my christmas standards have ever been.

[onebetter]

Thank you. I think the last few weeks have taken a toll on all of us, so it's an unfortunate time to be out, but... being kidnapped is no fun, what can you do.

[private text]

[onebetter]

Alright is a matter of definition. I don't want to disclose this publicly right now before I know how to handle it, but the council should now. I might have gotten infected with lycantrophy.

If all goes well, I'll be able to manage it fine with the help of some experts, and then return to work early.

[escardos]

you know what they say! lower expectations make you more complacent towards everything that’s happening in the world!

or they make you happier. i don’t remember, lol!

[buddinghopes]

All you can really do is try to recuperate. But I think with the holidays coming up, nobody's going to really make a fuss about someone taking it easy, especially considering what the last few weeks have been.

[onebetter]

[ James gently shoos Cosmo off his back so he can sit up for this kind of talk. The growing puppy seems offended for just a moment, but then happily settles in James' lap instead. James breathes in deeply. ]

For one thing, I think I'm... calmer about it now. We have many lycan students at the Academy, I know it's not something that's impossible to handle. I'll just have to figure out how to handle it.

I was really hoping you could help me with that.

[onebetter]

I've lowered my expectations plenty in the last year, but I don't think I can cosign the idea of it leading to complacency for myself.

[onebetter]

I had grand idea to be helping with holiday preparations and double down there in some way, too. Shows me to adjust my workload to potential emergencies - those pop up more often than not lately.

[buddinghopes]

It could be worse, at least...

... Do you want a box of cookies for the holidays?

[She hardly knows him, but she may as well offer she thinks. He deserves it after this mess.]

[marmoron]

... as far as I can tell, it's pretty different for each clan, and can be different based on whether you were born lycan or became one. Gon told me he was born lycan. He transforms every night, but he has full control over his bear form.

[it's easier to talk about it that way -- like there isn't any connection between himself and the galra and thus no reason he should be able to shed any light on what it means to be part of that clan. he frowns, looking down at his feet.]

And I'm just the opposite. I can be a wolf whenever I want to. [which is incidentally "never" of late.] But I don't exactly have full control.

[he sighs, folding his arms maybe just a pinch defensively.]

Seems like the safest thing to do would be to put you in Mythril Cage during the full moon so we can figure out how you're affected.

[Private]

[nevernoaction]

Infected with

[He sits there composing his thoughts for a good five minutes before responding again.]

What do you need me to do for you?

[Because there's a huge explanation that. Ultimately, however, this is all he needs to concentrate on.]

c!

[highelves]

[ this was bound to happen eventually, wasn't it? just like how ana had unfortunately stumbled across a hungry vampire, she is now standing in the path of a hovering werewolf. the floating, along with all the rose petals, is a clear indicator of who this is, given what she was told during her time in daibazaal. ]

...James.

[ she clears her throat. she feels her knees lock, but she forces herself to take a step forward. ]

Can you hear me?

[escardos]

well i guess that's why you ended up almost dying. but maybe complacency would've landed you in the same place? guess it just depends more on how lucky you are.

[onebetter]

If it's not too much trouble for you, I'd take you up on that offer. I'm not above confessing that I feel I deserve sweets after all of this.

[Private]

[onebetter]

I'm not sure. We're going to lock me up in the Mythril Cage for the next full moon to see how bad the effect is. Part of me wants to think that this is something that'll be fairly easy to handle, but I know that's baseless optimism.

If I end up being a danger to others, I might have to step back.