[ Her heart melts a little at that, and she sends back a
♥.
When Max arrives, he'll find her settled in one of the
pillowed corners, paging through a book without really reading it. She
looks up when her comes through the door, and her face breaks into a
sheepish smile. ]
[ That gets a laugh out of her. She stands to come meet him, wrapping her arms around him, and giving him a hard, long-overdue hug.
Long-overdue and also long, once it starts. She hadn't realized how badly she'd been missing this until now, and now that she's in his arms again, she doesn't want to let go. ]
[He doesn't want to let go either. It's been so long that he's wanted to hold her like this. His hand strokes the back of her hair, soft and soothing while he whispers in her ear.]
Apology accepted. It's water under the bridge now. Okay? I'm just glad I can finally hold you.
[Since she's leaning back enough, he switches to sign. His skill has improved vastly, but he's still a little less skilled doing it one handed like she is. It's just a bit slower.]
I must have stopped myself a hundred times from trying to go up to you. I learned with Lucas, though, sometimes it just takes a while. I do know how much it hurts to lose people.
[He settles in next to her, drawing a blanket up into his lap to spread between them.]
If they were, and it wasn't just a coincidence, then yeah. I've gone back to, you know, appeasing them so... [He shrugs but somehow makes it look mildly guilty.]
I understand being afraid of more people leaving. But, pretty soon, you won't have to worry about that with me. I'm planning on making a deal with the fae to stay here permanently. I spoke to Mab about it when she and the others showed up at the ball.
I snapped like a dry, thirsty twig the first time someone came on to me hard enough [He admits this with a half-shrug. It's true. And he doesn't think she'll be surprised.
But he also fully expected the bit about planning to stay to get a reaction. And it sure does.]
I was asking in general terms, not just for myself. So, a price is yet to be decided. She did tell me a couple important things about it. First, it's been asked and granted before. Second, when you stay here long enough, everything you are belongs to the fae. You can't ever go home again once that happens.
For me, that's a no-brainer. Everything I love is here. If I have to belong to anyone, I'd rather it be the fae than Erik. That choice might be harder for others.
You'd be good at it. [ She smiles, but it's quick before she grows serious again. ]
When I asked if I could live here, but go visit other places, Titania said the price would be my ability to fight. So if there's more of a price for you? Be careful, okay? [ She sighs. ] We both know there's shit in the woods.
Thanks. [The word is such a simple one, but the deep well of gratitude in his eyes says so much more. Part of him worried maybe he wouldn't have been. That's neither here nor there.]
I'll be careful. As long as she doesn't ask for my ability to bake or something, I think I'll be okay. Rowan and Lucas have already said they want to stay with me. We'll protect each other.
It's not a simple choice for them, no, but... if they went back it would be without me and Lucas, and they decided we mean more to them.
[He hesitates a moment, then adds:]
I'm sure it doesn't help that, in their own world, being neither boy nor girl puts them at a disadvantage with other wolves. I know their pack respects them, but they are still going to be left out of some things, if you know what I mean?
[ Chell grimaces and nods. ] Not easy. [ Even without knowing or understanding all the details of garou society, she can see that being ... complicated. It's all complicated, right?
Not for Max, though. And she wonders if she's overthinking her own circumstances. ]
I'm so glad you'll all have each other.
[ It makes her heart ache a little, too, a pang of missing Beau. She means it, though. ]
And I'm glad I can be here with you, too, as long as I'm here.
I'm glad too. For them, and for you, and for all that I have here.
As long as you are here, you will have a place in our hearts and our home any time. You know you will always have a place with me. I think of you as more than a friend. You're part of my family, Chell.
[ That heart ache wells up and into her throat, and Chell puts her hands on his cheeks, leans in, and kisses him soundly. What words could she come up with that would add to that? She's always been better at action. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-30 08:59 pm (UTC)[ Her heart melts a little at that, and she sends back a ♥.
When Max arrives, he'll find her settled in one of the pillowed corners, paging through a book without really reading it. She looks up when her comes through the door, and her face breaks into a sheepish smile. ]
Hey, you.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-30 09:06 pm (UTC)[That said, he flings his arms open wide ready to catch her in them.]
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-30 09:41 pm (UTC)Long-overdue and also long, once it starts. She hadn't realized how badly she'd been missing this until now, and now that she's in his arms again, she doesn't want to let go. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-30 09:53 pm (UTC)Apology accepted. It's water under the bridge now. Okay? I'm just glad I can finally hold you.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-30 11:09 pm (UTC)I feel stupid I waited. [ She shakes her head. ] But thank you for letting me. I really missed you, Max. I kept seeing you and missing you.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-31 03:03 pm (UTC)I must have stopped myself a hundred times from trying to go up to you. I learned with Lucas, though, sometimes it just takes a while. I do know how much it hurts to lose people.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-31 09:18 pm (UTC)[ Taking his hand, she tugs him over to join her in one of the nests of pillows, so they can sit and be close while signing. ]
And I'm still scared of losing you, too. If the fae were getting back for the strike, though, it seems like they might be over it for now.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-31 09:24 pm (UTC)If they were, and it wasn't just a coincidence, then yeah. I've gone back to, you know, appeasing them so... [He shrugs but somehow makes it look mildly guilty.]
I understand being afraid of more people leaving. But, pretty soon, you won't have to worry about that with me. I'm planning on making a deal with the fae to stay here permanently. I spoke to Mab about it when she and the others showed up at the ball.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-03-31 11:16 pm (UTC)[ At that last bit of news, though, hey eyes go wide. ]
What? What price does she want?
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-01 08:32 pm (UTC)But he also fully expected the bit about planning to stay to get a reaction. And it sure does.]
I was asking in general terms, not just for myself. So, a price is yet to be decided. She did tell me a couple important things about it. First, it's been asked and granted before. Second, when you stay here long enough, everything you are belongs to the fae. You can't ever go home again once that happens.
For me, that's a no-brainer. Everything I love is here. If I have to belong to anyone, I'd rather it be the fae than Erik. That choice might be harder for others.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-02 02:20 am (UTC)[ She reaches out to touch his cheek. ]
I understand. It's better here for you. And if the only price is you can't ever leave, even if you change your mind ... that's not bad.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-04 01:39 pm (UTC)It's the best deal I've ever gotten in my life. Who knows, maybe after I've been here long enough I can adopt, start a family. Go all the way native.
[He's thought about that on many, many sleepless nights. What the shape of his life might look like here if he became a permanent resident.]
At the very least, I can be a friendly face to welcome newcomers and make the transition for them easier. That would be worthwhile enough for me.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-05 02:37 pm (UTC)When I asked if I could live here, but go visit other places, Titania said the price would be my ability to fight. So if there's more of a price for you? Be careful, okay? [ She sighs. ] We both know there's shit in the woods.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-07 10:06 pm (UTC)I'll be careful. As long as she doesn't ask for my ability to bake or something, I think I'll be okay. Rowan and Lucas have already said they want to stay with me. We'll protect each other.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-08 04:29 am (UTC)Rowan too? They don't have to go back? I thought that was a big deal for wolves.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-14 06:12 pm (UTC)[He hesitates a moment, then adds:]
I'm sure it doesn't help that, in their own world, being neither boy nor girl puts them at a disadvantage with other wolves. I know their pack respects them, but they are still going to be left out of some things, if you know what I mean?
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-16 06:04 am (UTC)Not for Max, though. And she wonders if she's overthinking her own circumstances. ]
I'm so glad you'll all have each other.
[ It makes her heart ache a little, too, a pang of missing Beau. She means it, though. ]
And I'm glad I can be here with you, too, as long as I'm here.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-19 09:52 pm (UTC)As long as you are here, you will have a place in our hearts and our home any time. You know you will always have a place with me. I think of you as more than a friend. You're part of my family, Chell.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-04-20 03:06 am (UTC)