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3336 Cream Puff Way

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[aigue]

[She takes a seat, her tail wagging a little.]

Just be a good friend and accept it, because I'm not taking it back.

[advanced]

[He rolls his eyes, but he's half smiling at the same time, as he finally moves to unwrap the gift.]

You know this is the first Christmas present I've had since the forties?

[aigue]

Really? Way to put the pressure on me.

[She's hoping he likes it. It's an iPhone, and with earphones and a charger to go with it. Waiting until he's fully unwrapped it, she'll explain:]

There's music from the 30s and 40s on there, and if we ever get some kind of cell phone network you should be able to use it to text, I think.

[Probably. That's why she asked for an iphone rather than an ipod, for the future possibility of being able to send him dumb texts at all hours.]

[advanced]

[He's completely silent as he stares down at it, listening to her explanation as to why he would want an iphone. He's not technologically impaired, the Soldier had to know how to use all modern technology, but this is something different. It's for pleasure, useless for anything else at the moment.

When he finally looks up at her, it's with an unusually soft expression on his face, eyes slightly brighter than they usually are, though he holds back on actually crying.]

Thanks.

[It's inadequate, but what else can he say?]

[aigue]

[Her tail starts wagging at his reaction. There isn't as much sentimentality behind an iphone compared to an original copy of Beowulf, but it still seemed like a good idea and she's thrilled that he likes it.]

You're welcome.

You can't exactly take your gramophone with you in the forests, so I thought something more portable might be nice.

[Portable music is easily one of humanity's greatest accomplishments.]

[advanced]

Yeah, it will be, it'll be good to have something to listen to at night.

[Since trying to sleep in this house obviously isn't working out, and he'll have to move back into the forest before long.]

Especially now that the nights are longer.

[aigue]

Not sleeping through the entire night, huh? Foxes don't do that, but I'm fairly sure that isn't healthy for humans.

[Her tone is light, but she remembers what happened that time she ran into him at night. If he's still having those kinds of problems, even just the nightmares, that's concerning.]

[advanced]

[He shrugs as if it's no big deal; and to him, it's not, nightmares are just a part of life.]

I don't sleep too well; besides, it's dangerous to sleep more than a couple of hours at a time out in the snow.

[aigue]

[Inwardly she's unhappy with all of that. Maybe she should have wished for some way for him to have a peaceful night of sleep instead of music.]

Are you warm enough out there?

[advanced]

I was warmer before all that snow came down.

[Which is a way of avoiding the question, because he's not, but that's to be expected when digging a snow hole and sleeping there.]

[aigue]

[Yep okay she's frowning.]

Get some better winter clothing. I don't want you to freeze.

[advanced]

I'm not going to freeze.

[At least he sounds sure about that.]

I know how to survive in cold weather, trust me.

[aigue]

[She still looks skeptical.]

Sorry, but you're still human and we're friends. That means I'm going to worry.

[advanced]

[That makes him frown a little, that hadn't been his intention.]

Don't. I can handle myself.

[aigue]

I can't help it.

[She sighs dramatically, trying to lighten the mood a little.]

I'd offer you my tail but I'm very attached to it, you know?

[advanced]

Eat the wrong thing here and I'll have my own tail.

[Which is half a joke and half really not.]

[aigue]

[Oh, she's picturing that and looking a looot less disappointed.]

That wouldn't be so bad. My tail is my best feature.

[advanced]

Not gonna happen.

[Sorry to burst that bubble.]

Not voluntarily, and it wouldn't end well if it happened involuntarily.

[aigue]

What? Why not?

[She tilts her head curiously.]

[advanced]

I don’t take well to being altered against my will; or just... anything that isn’t my choice.

[He hesitates, but she’s been earning these pieces of trust slowly and steadily, there’s no reason to think she isn’t worthy of another.]

You remember what John had to do to stop me before? There was a time those sort of orders, ones I couldn’t refuse, were all I was. My arm cane from that time too, I’ve been changed enough involuntarily for it to end well if it happened again.

[aigue]

[That's understandable. Very understandable. She didn't exactly ask to be changed into this, though she made peace with that a long time ago, so she gets what it feels like when your body is basically no longer yours. The lack of control, the lack of self that comes with it are all discomforting, to say the least.]

Well... What if it was your choice?

[She curls her tail onto her lap, resting her hands on her fur.]

Come here, feel my tail.

[advanced]

[He just raises his eyebrows, not moving to go and touch her, no matter how soft the fur looks.]

It's never gonna be my choice.

[Flat. Firm.]

[aigue]

[That has her looking mildly offended, as well as disappointed, and lets her tail drop back behind her.]

Fine, then don't.

[advanced]

[He sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. He's bad at this sort of thing.]

This isn't personal, Renart.

[aigue]

[She shakes her head.]

You're wrong. It's personal for both of us, and we happen to have the exact opposite opinion on the matter.

... Aside from the lack of choice. I agree with you there.

[Sure, she helped prank Sherlock, but he isn't Bucky and she wouldn't agree to do that to him. Different contexts and all.]