"I insist, my friend, you must take it with you. You look dashing," The Giant chuckled, and Aerendyl smiled, genuinely, nodding, gripping the hem of his shirt and yanking it up, off. Careful, he wadded the cotton up and jammed it into his pocket, then carefully took the sweater from his friend's hands, tugging it on.
"How do I look?"
"Too sexy for your shirt," The taller man chuckled, grinning from ear to ear, and Aerendyl smiled.
"So sexy it hurts?"
"Yes baby," Aerendyl blew the old friend a kiss, smoldering, and walked away, now sporting a bright pink sweater embroidered with a heart and the words; "MILF: Man I Love Fangels." Soon, he had returned to his car, laughing tiredly and shaking his head as he peeled away, shifting, getting more comfortable where he sat.
After some time, his car rang, and Aerendyl flicked the dash, still grinning lopsidedly.
"What's up?"
"Um, sir, we've got a star student of yours in custody, and just wanted to make you aware."
"What?"
"Well, it's Lynx and Sin, you see. They're in custody, giving statements right now." For a moment, there was silence as Aerendyl angled his head, confused, trying to piece that story together- Lynx was a bit bold, but surely she wouldn't have done something illegal right? Whatever had happened, he was certain of one thing immediately; Alice was there because of Lynx. He'd seen them interact once or twice, now.
"Yeah? What happened?"
"Ah well- they successfully negotiated a hostage situation, and defused it. No complaints there- but they lied, said you sent them. Can't have liars in the department, no matter how talented. Plus, she played it about as risky as it gets- hopped on a table and grabbed the aggressor's gun, jammed it into her forehead like she was daring him to do it."
"I see." Aerendyl nodded, as if the man on the phone could see him. "Well, I'm out of town, but don't be too harsh on her, just this once. Not asking for special treatment- take her statement, put this on record, then let her go. I'll make sure to have a stern talk with her, and let her know that next time she'll be spending some nights in jail if she pulls this kind of stunt again."
"Course, Director. I'll write down that she's a reckless student, make it out like this was a case of idiocy."
"Do that- it was, really." Aerendyl affirmed, then hung up. "Lynx, Lynx, Lynx… are you getting restless? I didn't expect this kind of stunt from you."
-
"Yes yes, I understand that what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry. Honest, I don't know what came over me," Lynx sighed, repeating herself for what felt like the hundredth time. "I feel like crap, I just want to get home and fall asleep, I promise." She was, to be certain, telling the truth; even as she spoke, a bead of sweat ran down her temple in spite of the chilly air conditioning of the station lobby.
"Good. You're free to go, but the Director himself has stated that he won't be so gentle next time," The officer speaking to her, as faceless and nameless as the rest of the ones doing paperwork, nodded seriously.
"Got it. Thanks." Lynx jutted her chin upward in recognition and headed for the door, shoving her way outside, wincing as the sunlight made her headache twinge, looking down at the asphalt.
"Doing okay?" Alice, catching up to her, wrapped herself around the cat's arm, frowning. "I'm worried, you look feverish; let's get you home, and to bed. I mean, there's snow sticking to the ground and you're sweating…"
"I'm alright," Lynx grunted, starting to walk again, but being careful not to pull her arm away from Alice in spite of the way she was internally wincing away from the contact. She tried not to let it show- poorly, apparently. Alice stepped back, and Lynx sighed, looking away for a moment.
"Did I make you uncomfortable?" The snow-haired succubus asked nervously, clasping her hands together. "I'm just, really worried about you- you threw yourself in front of a gun so readily, you didn't seem like yourself at all. Is everything okay? I'm sorry if I-"
"Just," Lynx cut her off, slowly raising a hand. "I still, kind of hate being touched. In general, but, I want to get past that. May I please… hold your hand?" She offered lamely, raising a hand, and Alice grinned, ear to ear, grabbing the blonde's hand.
"Yes, you may, pretty girl! Now let's go home, and get you tucked into bed."
"Yeah," Lynx agreed, starting to walk. "Sorry. I know I can be a bit of a bitch, but I'm trying to work on it."
"It's interesting to me that you even say that." Alice spoke thoughtfully, looking around in wonder, somewhat swinging the arm that was locked with Lynx's.
"Why's that?"
"Let's circle back- can I ask- are you okay? What had you so bold and loopy? There's no way that you'd be…" Alice trailed off, biting her lip in thought. "No offfense… no way you'd be stupid enough to do that, from what I know. Even when you were getting in a car tied up, handing yourself to mercenaries… there was a plan, you know? Not, this."
"I…" Lynx sighed, shaking her head. All of it flashed behind her eyes; Aerendyl's pristine desk, the golden fluid she'd licked, the fact that whatever it was, it was probably illegal, or at least highly controlled. "-Don't know, sorry. You're right, it wasn't like me at all. I guess I really do just need rest, I'm coming down with something. Promise I won't throw myself in front of a gun again- maybe I just trusted you to bail me out, if things got sticky?" She asked lightly, winking, and Alice rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I'll save you, pretty girl- even though you're the one who'd probably break somebody's neck for looking at me wrong."
"Not wrong," Lynx muttered, and continued on, laughing drily.
"Are you sure there's nothing else?" Alice prodded, perhaps for the last time, staring through heavy eyelids. "You look like you're hiding something." The way she asked… it gave Lynx pasue.
"Is it valid enough if I tell you that there is, in fact, something else, but that I don't want to share? Don't feel… like I should? I'm not in any danger," The blonde added, smiling. "Just don't want to share. It's personal."
"Hm… well, as long as you keep your promise, and don't do that again. I'll let you have your secrets," Alice sighed, seemingly somewhat unhappy, and stepped a bit closer to Lynx as they walked. "Say, why don't we stop for some of that healing coffee, and then we can get you into bed for rest. Maybe we can watch a movie?"
"That'd be, absolutely amazing," Lynx chuckled drily, closing her eyes for a moment and tucking her head against the breeze as it shifted, ruffling her curls. "C'mon."
-
"So," Lynx asked quietly, leaning back in her chair and crossing one leg over the other. The coffee tasted divine as usually, and she shuddered at the strange, alien feeling of her muscles almost violently uncoiling even with how tense she was. "When we get back, what do you want to- ah-" Her phone had started to trill, and she pulled it out, seeing Aerendyl's name flashing on the screen- her mind hadn't even fully registered the name before she answered, eyes dilating.
"Aerendyl? Been worried sick!!"
"Yeah- me too. What was with your stunt and the hostage situation, today, girl?"
"Well- Sorry, Alice-" She added, but the white-haired girl only smiled and nodded encouragingly. "-I'm sorry Aerendyl, I don't know what came over me," She continued, lowering her voice so as not to disturb the people around her. "I felt hopeless, useless, sitting around on my ass while you were out there trying to make something happen. Then, I heard commotion around the corner- I was out walking, see- a-and, yeah." Damnit. Voice shaking. No way he buys it.
"Right..." Nope, he doesn't believe me at all. "Well, Lynx, listen, there's a process to these things, and we can't have somebody without certifications out here doing field work. Not yet. I'm sorry- but being my friend isn't going to get you special treatment again, okay?"
"Ugh, so you just called me to lecture me? Come on, man, I've been worried about you- where were you?"
"You really wanna know where I was?" Aerendyl's voice had a smirk in it, and Lynx angled her head, eyes narrowing, powerfully curious.
"Course."
"I've had a long week, so I was visiting a redheaded chick I met on the road and an old friend. Isn't that just a little understandable? I'm not avoiding you, I had my phone turned off."
"Mm…" Lynx sighed, deflating a bit. "You're right, sorry, I was over thinking. I thought you were making moves against the corruption, but of course, who wouldn't want to blow off a little steam after the battle and the stress you had to deal with. I hope that redhead did you right, man."
"Oh, god, the things I could say would make the kids cancel me on social media," The angel chuckled, and Lynx snorted, covering her mouth. "You be good," He continued. "-keep acing your tests and we can see about an expedited graduation. Alice is only hanging around for the sake of finding a mage who may be able to help her and convenient location- she can graduate anytime. Still, you need to at least finish out the year before you can be working in the field full time."
"Come on," Lynx huffed, quiet. "Can't you give me just a little field work, for practice? A ride-along now and then?"
"I'll… hah. You're incorrigible Lynx."
"Is that a no?" Lynx pouted, unaware of the way her ears were folding back and pasting against her head, at first, flushing when she did notice.
"I'll think about it, okay? If I do give you a job, though, it's going to be simple, like event security. You'd be paid, of course. Now, if you'll forgive me, I need to return a call from dispatch, but I'll be in touch, okay?"
"Alright, you'd better or I'm gonna beat your ass, angel boy," Lynx huffed.
"Har har. I promise." Click. Line went dead.
"Well that sounds like it went well, no?" Alice purred, smiling slowly. "Is the poor cat feeling better, now…?"
"Mm, I'm glad to know he's okay," Lynx nodded, closing her eyes for a long moment as another wave of exhaustion crashed into her, cursing quietly under her breath. "Ugh…"
"Hey, are you okay?" Alice blinked slowly, then leaned forward, gently taking the cat girl's hand. "Come on, look at me."
"Just, need a second to rest," Lynx promised, eyes rolling up, her head slamming into the table.
-
"Ugh…" Lynx grit her teeth, furrowing her brow, and hauled herself upward, rolling to her feet and opening her eyes. She staggered, back hitting the wall as her eyes finally opened; and even then, she couldn't see, the world was a blur of color and sound. Huffing, she dug the heels of her hands against her eyes, nausea flaring in her chest. When she let her hands fall, she was able to see, somewhat, but everything felt fuzzy. Bed. Nara. Nara's dorm room.
"Water," Lynx muttered, staggering sideways and spilling into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Lurching, she ripped the toilet seat up, collapsing and throwing up before she could stop herself; it burned, it suffocated- acid spilled from her nose, and she ended up hacking, coughing, struggling to breathe. Given a moment, somebody- Nara- was there, slowly pulling her hair back, whispering something Lynx couldn't hear over her own ragged moans. Her hands gripped the toilet bowl, knuckles whitening.
"I'm fine," Lynx muttered, and promply pitched forward, hurling; nothing came out, anymore, just bile trailing from her lip, now.
"No, you're not," Nara whispered, and Lynx shook her head, shuddering and wiping her chin with the back of her hand, shakily flushing the toilet.
"I'm okay, I'm just sick," She whispered, remembering, again, the golden liquid, the dish on Aerendyl's desk. "I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm just sick," She muttered, throat tightening, and grit her teeth, forcing the feeling back this time. "How did I… get back here?" No sooner had she spoke than a colossal yawn ripped itself free of her jaw, bringing tears to the cat girl's eyes.
"Alice brought you here, she said that you passed out on the way back," Nara whispered, still holding Lynx's hair away from her face while she swayed over the toilet. "You smell, Lynx. I have retrieved some of your clothes, so please, let me help you into the shower."
"N-No, you've done enough, shouldn't be taking care of me," She muttered, and once again trailed into a colossal yawn, eyelids fluttering. "Sick, just sick…"
"Lynx…" Nara inhaled slowly. "Why wouldn't I take care of you?"
"Not your job, and I stressed you out, relationship and all that," The blonde replied, and Nara clucked her tongue, exhaling sharply. I can hear the laugh in your voice, idiot, don't make fun of me…
"I did mention that the idea is foreign to me, and that I need time to sort my feelings. I did not say that I am against it," the dark-haired one whispered, her voice tender, gentle. Not pushing, only guiding. "That I need time to sort my feelings. However, I think it is my care that you need, just now- not Alice's. This is not me being your friend, or your lover; it is me being somebody who cares, I should think. Won't you please try and stand, for me? I want to help you into the shower, and maybe, I could wash your hair for you?"
"No," Lynx muttered, pushing Nara back as gently as she could and staggering to her feet, yanking her shirt up, eyes closed. "You shouldn't be…" Yawning, again. "Taking care of me like this…"
"I'm not asking to take care of you," Nara spoke softly, smiling. "I would like to wash your hair. You owe me, for taking care of you. Bitch. Y-Yeah. Pay me what you owe me." She pouted, and Lynx thought, when she opened an eye halfway, that the fox might have been trying to appear angry.
"Hah… screw you," Lynx laughed drily, rolling her eyes and coughing. "I'm sure I'll feel… right as rain in no time… but sure, since it's so important to you…"
"Oh, it is," Nara affirmed, unhooking Lynx's bra for her, then resting a supportive hand on the small of her back. "If you don't, let me, you might just make me cry."
"Just…" Lynx shook her head, groaning and closing her eyes and blowing through her teeth. "I don't get it…"
"You don't need to get it. I saw things, while I was in your head- things that made me understand you, a little better than what you might expect. Regardless, cat," Nara continued, as Lynx finished stripping and weakly stepped into the shower. "-Emotions rarely make sense, wouldn't you agree? What reason do you have to distrust me, after all? You won't accomplish anything, by moaning about what a ruined, traumatized, abrasive, pushy, jerk you are- so save it, and let's work together, to make you feel better. That would be a good thanks- showing me that my time is not wasted," She added, holding Lynx's arm as the blonde collapsed, partially, sitting on the shower floor. "I'm going to start the water now," Nara warned, turning the nozzle, a jet of steaming water blasting forth. Lynx, for her part, didn't even flinch as Nara took a bottle of shampoo and sank to her knees.
"Gotta talk to Aerendyl," She, Lynx, muttered. With great effort, she managed, for just a moment, to look up at Nara, confusion tugging at her head. "Need to, when I feel better… the stuff that did this to me… I licked it, like an idiot… but it was on his desk."
"The stuff that did this to you?" Nara asked lightly, and Lynx sighed as the girl's soft, warm hands tangled into her hair, slowly starting to massage her scalp- that was all it took for her eyes to close again. "What do you mean?"
"There was this tray with dried up golden fluid in it, and I was curious, so I licked it. I know I deserve a lecture, on how stupid that is- but please don't give me one," She laughed tiredly, opening her eyes again, slowly. "I don't remember much… I know what I did, I know it was dumb, but… oh, by the way… you said that you feel like you're what I need, right now, what did you mean by that?" Lynx asked quietly, glancing down at her body. Should I feel ashamed? But no, I think Nara's seen me in a more compromising position than this…
"I simply mean that perhaps what you need is to be cared for and not suffocated," Nara answered, her voice evasive, sly. "Alice is very expressive with her concern, and I thought that a jumpy, traumatized cat lady may not want to be bombarded with snuggles the moment she woke."
"Alice would respect-" Lynx started, and Nara cut her off.
"This is true, she would- but by entrusting your post-sickness care to me, Alice will not need to face the guilt of making you uncomfortable initially. Nor will you need to feel the guilt of pushing her away- or the discomfort of bottling your feelings up." Nara explained, still working on Lynx's hair, now with a small smile. "You learned from your mistake, did you not? Then, all is fine, and soon we will get you tucked into my bed, where you will take a nice, long nap."
"No." Lynx shook her head slowly, laughing. "I have to talk to Aerendyl."
"Please, get some rest first. Whatever that was, it's clearly taken quite a toll on you, can't you see?" Nara muttered worriedly, beginning to rinse the shampoo from her lover's hair. "Get rested before you do this, so that you can even fully comprehend what he tells you."
"Ugh… stop being smart," Lynx sighed, relaxing fully now, leaning sideways, into the wall of the shower.
"No," Nara replied simply, with a small smile. "I don't think I will."
"Hopefully, Alice and I didn't get mentioned in the news or anything like that? I don't need even more attention on me," Lynx chortled, rolling her closed eyes.
"Hm… I can check. Wait here, for me," Nara spoke softly and turned, drying her hands, then taking a phone from her pocket and unlocking it, navigating the thing. "Checking headlines… hm… diner stickup resolved peacefully by a student? There's that- oh, no false alarm. It says here… for legal reasons, we are unable to disclose the identity of the student in question, but witnesses say the hero was reckless, nearly got herself killed- but has the makings of a true hero. Click here to learn about famous Ravenhold graduates…"
"Sounds good," Lynx nodded, swallowing another, fainter, wave of nausea.
"Oh, what's this…" Nara whispered, and Lynx's ears swiveled round, one eye opening, tail flicking. "Here," Nara shrugged, noticing the signs, and turned her phone sideways where Lynx could see. "Headline was something about cult statements for public peace."
The video began, after a bit more buffering, with a middle-aged man stepping onto a public stage and smiling, waving at a crowd of people before him. He tapped his microphone, making sure it was working, and cleared his throat- then, spoke.
"Hello, all. My name is Ceaser, and I speak on behalf of the Elevated to you, today. I understand that my… organization has a somewhat unsavory reputation; we are said to commit acts of terrorism, killing thousands upon thousands. At first, we lived in fear of our eradication, and declined to comment… but we have agreed to work with Contracted Arms in exchange for fair treatment." For a moment, the reporters scattered below him buzzed with noise, but he cleared his throat and continued.
"We, the elevated, wish to find the answers behind immortality, that it may benefit our allfather and allow him to guide generations to become, this is true. However, there can be no unity in a world that hates us all, and killing people en masse would be the downfall of our cause- we seek unity, not control and dominion."
Again, the reporters buzzed, but he waited and continued, ignoring the questions until they died down.
"We are also investigating the demons who have been committing these heinous acts of violence; they were formerly members of our family, this is true. However, those who would kill so senselessly have been excommunicated and shall never again be welcome within our ranks; for they must be turned over to the proper authorities, Contracted Arms, for questioning and incarceration. I speak on behalf of Elevated, the Allfather's family, when I speak the following;"
He paused, and Lynx might have sworn it was for dramatic effect, before continuing. "The Elevated believe in unity. We do not seek control, we seek advancement. We will be complying with all Contracted Arms investigations going forth, and lending our aid in the form of investigation and, if needed, manpower to uncover the truth behind the domestic terrorism committed by those who were our own people. I will not be taking questions, good day," He added suddenly, turning around with a smile and walking off stage. The crowd exploded into questions that would go unanswered… and the screen went dark.
"Hm… what do you think?" Nara asked softly, tossing the phone onto the counter, returning her hands to Lynx's hair with a bottle of conditioner now.
"I think…" Lynx swallowed, yawned. "How do you already have a phone?"
"Alice, duh."
"Right. Well, I think that the uh.. Elevated? Is that what they called themselves? No way they're fully innocent- what cult is, really? But…" Lynx took a breath, groaning; once again, nausea seized the bottom of her throat. "I also think that they can't be fully lying- I've seen what Aerendyl can do, and there's more to this story for sure. I gotta… ask him about that golden stuff… yeah… even if the cult is using this group as a scapegoat, they need stopped, they're killing people… a lot less, thanks to you, but nonetheless… we'll stop em…"
"Yes, we will. You and me shall march on the capitol and slaughter every last one of them," Nara laughed quietly. "Come now, Lynx, let's get you into bed. Come morning, there will be a steaming mug of coffee waiting for you."
"Mm… not quite clean… give me just a few minutes…?" Lynx asked quietly, slowly closing the shower door, and Nara laugyhed, nodding.
"I'll be here, Lynx. You did well."
"What, getting clean?" Rolling her eyes.
"Not asking me why I'm taking care of you."
"To be fair," Lynx groaned. "I'm not a good person."
"You're right, you're a piece of filth, the dregs of society." Nara agreed, voice reasonable. "Throwing yourself in front of a gun to save innocents, truly caring for Aerendyl in spite of what he hid from you, accepting Alice's true form… just despicable."
"Die," Lynx laughed, shaking her head, and resumed cleaning herself.