[This comes as a slight surprise, but it shifts seamlessly into a quiet empathy. She can see he's not lying, and it's unfortunate that he can relate to her on such a level.]
Sorry to hear that. [There's not much she can do about it, but she does briefly place a hand on his shoulder if he'll allow it, with a quick squeeze of apology.] And to protect those who need it.
[Those they care about, most prominently of course. She offers him a grin and motions him back to the front door. She'll lock it on the way out.]
Yes. Onto lighter topics like surviving the full moon with minimal casualties.
[ Physical contact has always been something that Stiles welcomes, so long as his relationship with the other person is a positive one. Under her hand, his smile warms and shifts into something a bit more genuine. Though they haven’t had many interactions, Sheva has quickly become someone he feels he can implicitly trust – a rarity, considering how wary and paranoid Stiles tends to be of strangers. ]
Fun! [ he chimes in, heading toward the front door with one last thoughtful look at her weaponry. ] I personally love not waking up with gore in my teeth. So, let’s make sure I don’t have to pick out someone’s innards from my molars.
[Honestly, Sheva's thankful to have met Stiles when she did. The list of people she could trust and considered friends had grown dangerously short and as had her motivation to keep fighting here. Having people she wants to protect and help gives her more purpose, and purpose has always been a key to pulling her out of the darkness.]
That absolutely won't happen. [It's said with a seriousness, but there's a wry smirk at the edge of her mouth. She really shouldn't be making light of it, as it's a genuine concern to her and hopefully Stiles, but she can't help herself.] Because you're more apt to be picking bits of flesh from your incisors rather than molars. They do most of the tearing.
[Is she speaking from experience? Probably not, but she's definitely thought about it.]
[ That initial statement, confident and solemn, is met with a likewise earnest nod of agreement from Stiles – but then Sheva continues speaking and he can only gawk at her in shock. ]
Oh my god!
[ And he’s laughing, louder and harder than he has in weeks, the lines of exhaustion in his face momentarily eased by his mirth. Stiles actually looks his age. ]
Touché! [ he replies in between snickers. ] Wow, am I an amateur Monster or what? Good thing I have you to keep me straight.
[You're welcome Stiles. His reaction is pure and delightful, and it takes quite a bit of self-control not to laugh along with him. She knows more than most how rare genuine joy and laughter is here.]
Oh now I have to keep you around.
[It's so terrible. She sighs dramatically, but she's smiling, more at ease as she can almost feel his tension lift a bit. Her tail swishes behind her, amused.] You laugh at my terrible jokes.
[ Turning his head, Stiles brushes tears of amusement from his eyes with a sleeve. It feels so good to laugh these days, especially without the edge of hysteria creeping in like it often does. The stress of his Monster transformation, the upcoming full moon, his fight with Jonas – he’s been more fatigued than even when the Nogitsune possessed him. ]
Uh oh. Should I start running?
[ As they walk toward the Bright Wall, he decides to share his adventures from the previous night. ]
So, last night, there was a meteor shower – not sure if you saw. But anyway, it caused all these weird firefly things to come out of hibernation or whatever. And if they landed on you, it… I don’t know how to describe it. They influenced you to do wacky things. For me? It meant I was flirting with everyone. Like a total asshole. [ Fortunately, he doesn’t actually sound upset about it; the cometflies helped him reconcile with Jonas, after all. ] No one appreciated my super smooth pick-up lines! Like, for example, my roommate’s name here is Jonas. He told me that people back home would call him “Jonah” on purpose. So…so, I told him, “The only time anyone should call you ‘Jonah’ is in bed.” Get it?
Good luck. I'm genetically even more inclined to pounce now.
[He's stuck with her, barring any conscious betrayals on his part. He doesn't seem like the sort.
She's more than happy to listen to his stories, especially since she's far more wary of the magic in this place that it's caused her to be a little more reclusive than usual. Considering that some of the things that have happened with the magic have gotten others hurt (the mists come to mind), she doesn't exactly feel bad for it. The fireflies had been visible from her windows, and that had suited her just fine with some alcohol, which now that she thinks about it is rather depressing.
His mention of him flirting gets a solid lift of her eyebrows and a curiously amused side glance. Apparently the idea of him flirting in itself is a bit comical, but there's no malice in her grin.]
Flirting like an asshole requires being an inconsiderate asshole. [Sheva points out before letting him continue.
Wow. Oh that's something else. And now it's her turn to laugh out loud.] I presume the quality of such a line immediately gave you an opportunity to test your statement? [She's teasing, but it's about to get worse.] What sort of quality pick up line would you have victimized me with I wonder?
[ While the nature of his nosy, irreverent personality has all but stripped Stiles of any sense of shame, the idea of testing his “statement” with Jonas – whether Sheva meant it as a teasing jest or not – has the tips of his ears burning hot from embarrassment. Carefully, his mind shuts down that line of thought before his overactive imagination can take off running with it. After the mortifying things he said to his roommate last night, Stiles probably shouldn’t even indulge in considering Jonas under a homoerotic lens. Probably. Fuck. ]
I’m sure I would have flagrantly abused every cat-related pun in the book, [ he snorts, shooting her tail a pointed look. ] Thank god I didn’t run into you. I can already tell you wouldn’t ever let me live it down.
[Well that was a reaction, and Sheva hums softly at the sight of his embarrassment, but doesn't take it further than that. Not yet, at least. She's storing that nugget away for later for certain.
For now, she far keener on teasing him about his theoretical attempt to pick her up with cheesy, feline pick up lines. Said tail flicks dramatically at his leg and smirks his way, already planning on never letting him live it down.] Try one on me now then.
[And she's docking points if he starts with any involving the word 'pussy,' for the record.]
Dude, I can’t think under pressure! [ Patently false. Belying that claim, he’s already responding with the first thing that’s come to mind: ] “Are you feline the connection between us baby?”
[ And he waggles his eyebrows at her for added effect. ]
Then this is good practice. [One might call it a prerequisite to being able to think quick in a combat situation, but it's far more entertaining.
She groans at his response. And terrible. Apparently it is also absolutely terrible. But she's laughing while shaking her head. It's actually really endearing, but she's not admitting that yet.]
Strangely, my panties are still dry and not at risk of dropping. Points for creativity, though. Try again.
[ Her blunt, vulgar response startles a huff of laughter out of him – his eyes momentarily dropping as if he’s about to check on the state of said panties before he catches himself. Down, boy. Fortunately, it helps that his libido has all but shriveled up and died in the wake of his breakup with Malia. Well, except for that one moment during training in the Wildes. But he’s absolutely not thinking about that. ]
“Babe,” [ he begins, pressing one hand to his chest for dramatic effect, ] “I’d spend all nine of my lives with you.” Eh? Ehhhh?
[Good luck Stiles. She's wearing both layers of clothes and weapons that all get in the way, even if it were a possibility to witness.
At this point, they're more or less playing a game of chicken, or more accurately, cat and mouse. She's feeling feisty all of a sudden, so she casually drapes an arm over his shoulders, leaning in to counter offer.]
Are you sure you can survive all nine of them as my personal tree to climb?
[ The weight of her arm over his shoulder has him stiffening in surprise, though he relaxes almost immediately – only to then tense up again in response to that playful rejoinder. Gawking at her, he manages an intelligent, garbled noise after a moment of processing what she’s said. When he speaks, he has to clear his throat several times in succession so the words aren’t so strangled. ]
I’ve been used as a personal scratching post before, [ he replies with false bravado, though the claim is true; Malia was a scratcher. ] I can take it.
[Oh Stiles. No matter the darkness they've both experienced, in the moment all she can focus on is the intensely vibrant range of awkwardness that he's displaying thanks to her teasing. Honestly, it's a good distraction, and she finds herself battling a wide grin herself.
Giving his shoulder a squeeze, she reaches up to ruffle his hair before settling her hand back to his upper back. While he tensed at her words, she had noticed the touch brought comfort.]
Challenge accepted then. [She teases, shifting her voice low enough so that she almost sounded serious, but shifts to curiosity when a thought hit her.] Pack member?
[Touch and personal space issues have both become a bigger things for her as a feline turnskin, so the hipcheck is definitely helpful. She lets her hand fall back to his shoulder briefly, before falling away to her side as the topic shifts.
It's kind of weird to be touching a barely adult when they talk about their teenage romance.
Color her surprised that he was speaking truth at handling a fiesty woman.]
Pack is pack. Though I suppose it's pride for me, my people here. [A beat.] Why'd it end? If you don't mind me asking?
[ Pride. Even though it’s the appropriate term for a lion-Turnskin like Sheva, the idea of calling a pack “pride” is strangely jarring to Stiles. He shakes his head, dismissing the thought. ]
Difference in opinion over something big.
[ There’s a terse note to the words, the only indication he’ll give that this isn’t a topic he’ll discuss at length. Not at this point in their friendship, at least. Anything related to Donovan is kept locked under the floorboards with the rest of his skeletons. ]
You got a big pride here? Or is it just starting to grow?
[It's all strange to Sheva still, but it's taken her quite a while for her to get to the point of opening discussing these things without a negative connotation, especially after losing several key members of said pride.
She makes an empathetic noise at his explanation. It sounds like a fresh incident, so while she's curious, there's no desire to push for more details.]
It's growing again after... [She sighs softly, glancing up to the timely appearance of the gates and waving at the guard on duty.] I became very insular after I lost some people I was quite close with her and from home.
Still quite small. My bond, friends I'd lost touch with, and of course new friends like yourself.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2020-04-20 03:03 am (UTC)Sorry to hear that. [There's not much she can do about it, but she does briefly place a hand on his shoulder if he'll allow it, with a quick squeeze of apology.] And to protect those who need it.
[Those they care about, most prominently of course. She offers him a grin and motions him back to the front door. She'll lock it on the way out.]
Yes. Onto lighter topics like surviving the full moon with minimal casualties.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-20 11:43 pm (UTC)Fun! [ he chimes in, heading toward the front door with one last thoughtful look at her weaponry. ] I personally love not waking up with gore in my teeth. So, let’s make sure I don’t have to pick out someone’s innards from my molars.
[ Gross, Stiles. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-21 01:56 am (UTC)That absolutely won't happen. [It's said with a seriousness, but there's a wry smirk at the edge of her mouth. She really shouldn't be making light of it, as it's a genuine concern to her and hopefully Stiles, but she can't help herself.] Because you're more apt to be picking bits of flesh from your incisors rather than molars. They do most of the tearing.
[Is she speaking from experience? Probably not, but she's definitely thought about it.]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-21 03:09 am (UTC)Oh my god!
[ And he’s laughing, louder and harder than he has in weeks, the lines of exhaustion in his face momentarily eased by his mirth. Stiles actually looks his age. ]
Touché! [ he replies in between snickers. ] Wow, am I an amateur Monster or what? Good thing I have you to keep me straight.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-21 03:24 am (UTC)Oh now I have to keep you around.
[It's so terrible. She sighs dramatically, but she's smiling, more at ease as she can almost feel his tension lift a bit. Her tail swishes behind her, amused.] You laugh at my terrible jokes.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-21 10:32 pm (UTC)Uh oh. Should I start running?
[ As they walk toward the Bright Wall, he decides to share his adventures from the previous night. ]
So, last night, there was a meteor shower – not sure if you saw. But anyway, it caused all these weird firefly things to come out of hibernation or whatever. And if they landed on you, it… I don’t know how to describe it. They influenced you to do wacky things. For me? It meant I was flirting with everyone. Like a total asshole. [ Fortunately, he doesn’t actually sound upset about it; the cometflies helped him reconcile with Jonas, after all. ] No one appreciated my super smooth pick-up lines! Like, for example, my roommate’s name here is Jonas. He told me that people back home would call him “Jonah” on purpose. So…so, I told him, “The only time anyone should call you ‘Jonah’ is in bed.” Get it?
[ Please clap. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-22 12:04 am (UTC)[He's stuck with her, barring any conscious betrayals on his part. He doesn't seem like the sort.
She's more than happy to listen to his stories, especially since she's far more wary of the magic in this place that it's caused her to be a little more reclusive than usual. Considering that some of the things that have happened with the magic have gotten others hurt (the mists come to mind), she doesn't exactly feel bad for it. The fireflies had been visible from her windows, and that had suited her just fine with some alcohol, which now that she thinks about it is rather depressing.
His mention of him flirting gets a solid lift of her eyebrows and a curiously amused side glance. Apparently the idea of him flirting in itself is a bit comical, but there's no malice in her grin.]
Flirting like an asshole requires being an inconsiderate asshole. [Sheva points out before letting him continue.
Wow. Oh that's something else. And now it's her turn to laugh out loud.] I presume the quality of such a line immediately gave you an opportunity to test your statement? [She's teasing, but it's about to get worse.] What sort of quality pick up line would you have victimized me with I wonder?
no subject
Date: 2020-04-23 05:50 am (UTC)I’m sure I would have flagrantly abused every cat-related pun in the book, [ he snorts, shooting her tail a pointed look. ] Thank god I didn’t run into you. I can already tell you wouldn’t ever let me live it down.
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Date: 2020-04-26 04:27 pm (UTC)For now, she far keener on teasing him about his theoretical attempt to pick her up with cheesy, feline pick up lines. Said tail flicks dramatically at his leg and smirks his way, already planning on never letting him live it down.] Try one on me now then.
[And she's docking points if he starts with any involving the word 'pussy,' for the record.]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-27 10:45 pm (UTC)Dude, I can’t think under pressure! [ Patently false. Belying that claim, he’s already responding with the first thing that’s come to mind: ] “Are you feline the connection between us baby?”
[ And he waggles his eyebrows at her for added effect. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-27 11:27 pm (UTC)She groans at his response. And terrible. Apparently it is also absolutely terrible. But she's laughing while shaking her head. It's actually really endearing, but she's not admitting that yet.]
Strangely, my panties are still dry and not at risk of dropping. Points for creativity, though. Try again.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-28 01:03 am (UTC)“Babe,” [ he begins, pressing one hand to his chest for dramatic effect, ] “I’d spend all nine of my lives with you.” Eh? Ehhhh?
no subject
Date: 2020-04-28 01:20 am (UTC)At this point, they're more or less playing a game of chicken, or more accurately, cat and mouse. She's feeling feisty all of a sudden, so she casually drapes an arm over his shoulders, leaning in to counter offer.]
Are you sure you can survive all nine of them as my personal tree to climb?
no subject
Date: 2020-04-29 03:22 am (UTC)I’ve been used as a personal scratching post before, [ he replies with false bravado, though the claim is true; Malia was a scratcher. ] I can take it.
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Date: 2020-05-01 01:57 am (UTC)Giving his shoulder a squeeze, she reaches up to ruffle his hair before settling her hand back to his upper back. While he tensed at her words, she had noticed the touch brought comfort.]
Challenge accepted then. [She teases, shifting her voice low enough so that she almost sounded serious, but shifts to curiosity when a thought hit her.] Pack member?
no subject
Date: 2020-05-02 03:44 am (UTC)Yep. My ex, actually. [ And then, unprompted: ] Werecoyote. Still pack, though.
[ Even after everything. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-05-03 07:25 pm (UTC)It's kind of weird to be touching a barely adult when they talk about their teenage romance.
Color her surprised that he was speaking truth at handling a fiesty woman.]
Pack is pack. Though I suppose it's pride for me, my people here. [A beat.] Why'd it end? If you don't mind me asking?
no subject
Date: 2020-05-03 09:05 pm (UTC)Difference in opinion over something big.
[ There’s a terse note to the words, the only indication he’ll give that this isn’t a topic he’ll discuss at length. Not at this point in their friendship, at least. Anything related to Donovan is kept locked under the floorboards with the rest of his skeletons. ]
You got a big pride here? Or is it just starting to grow?
no subject
Date: 2020-05-03 10:50 pm (UTC)She makes an empathetic noise at his explanation. It sounds like a fresh incident, so while she's curious, there's no desire to push for more details.]
It's growing again after... [She sighs softly, glancing up to the timely appearance of the gates and waving at the guard on duty.] I became very insular after I lost some people I was quite close with her and from home.
Still quite small. My bond, friends I'd lost touch with, and of course new friends like yourself.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-05 03:50 pm (UTC)[ Sensing the melancholy behind her admission, he knocks her elbow with his own in an attempt to cheer her up. ]
Definitely count me in. I'll be part of your pride any day.
[ Unofficial pledge made, Stiles and Sheva continue their trip to scout the area in the Wildes. ]
( ooc | thank you again for letting us handwave the rest!! looking forward to more stuff with Sheva in the future c: )