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[Sadie had recently gone through her second, and final, transformation. It was painful, but she was alone at the house during its happening—and no matter how terrible, they never go on longer than thirty minutes, she's sure. The first time, she'd grown an embarrassing amount of fluffy fur exactly like the head on her hair basically—everywhere, which, you know, didn't feel terribly attractive (especially on her chest), even for monster stuff—and she'd also grown claws, which meant losing a finger on each hand and foot (strangely). This was topped off with a pair of little pointed ears, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Learning how to talk again without a lisp took a bit.

And that was how she'd been looking for...well, a month or two. And the longer it had been since her first transformation, the more uneasy Sadie had been becoming. She knew she was due for another, which was what she'd just survived.

Panting, her breath unstable, Sadie blearily tries to push herself up from her belly. The fur of her back and shoulders is matted with blood, and there's a pair of weakly folded, feathery wings, slick in parts from their emergence. The feathers are inconsistently coated in Sadie's blood, apparently having some sort of water resistant oil. She's pale, and her watery vision is spinning—and bright. She can barely stand to keep her eyes open for how bright everything is, and she grits her teeth, groaning as she tucks her head down (thus curling into a ball), paws folding over her head as she shields herself from the sensory stimulation. Her eyes also hurt incredibly bad, light sensitivity aside. She's not aware that their makeup has changed entirely.

Her lower back had also blossomed grotesquely to make way for a new appendage. Pretty embarrassingly close to her ass, actually, though her shorts are pretty unscathed. But there's a red, bristly tail with a furred spine, limp against the floor with a long, deadly spur punctuating its end. The fur along the tail's back is almost completely flat from the weight of Sadie's blood. She had the good sense to hastily peel off her shirt when she felt the changes coming, especially as the pain localized in her back. She's not feeling particularly sheepish or vain about it, and she's curled so tightly, it can't matter, she figures.

For now, Sadie pants, gulping for breath and clutching her head as she tries to focus on not vomiting. She moans miserably. She's got a high pain tolerance, but this a lot. Especially to undergo alone.

Stupid fog.

But it's okay. Sadie's strong. She is strong.]

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[Well, Sadie's bandages are—relatively clean! And fresh looking! But there's definitely a presence of blood; she's still definitely actively wounded. She flops with an irate sigh, her expression becoming deadpan. Her heart is definitely going a thousand miles an hour, though.]

I know you didn't. Sorry for snapping. You're just so sneaky, on accident... I had no idea you were even back.

S...sorry. [His apology sounds almost forced, but he looks guilty enough that it might just be genuine.]

Guess I shoulda' knocked or somethin' but I thought you were sleeping and I didn't wanna wake you up.

...It's alright.

[Apologies are still rare between them, but they're coming with more frequency—even if they still aren't always totally natural... Sadie scoots over sideways, carefully, and pats the space by her bed, peering over at Lars shyly.]

I'm happy you're back home...

[Lars' expression changes, from guilty to a bit surprised. He.. didn't expect Sadie to actually be glad to see him when he got home, honestly. So seeing her pat the space next to her and express being happy that he's back.. well, let's just say he was very grateful for it.

And it's why he bashfully makes his way to her bed, and awkwardly sits himself next to her. Though he's facing the wall, rather than her and his gaze it stuck to the floor next to the bed, mostly due to embarrassment and not wanting to show Sadie his expression.]

...how you feelin' now that you got someone to fix you up? [Though he probably seems bitter or in the very least still upset, he silently reaches with his right arm behind him, as an offering to hold hands even.. though his form isn't exactly physical enough for it.]

[Lars, pls... your spooky face is kind of hard to read. Relax.

When Sadie sees his hand, she blinks kind of dumbly at it, and then her eyebrows lift into her fringe as realization dawns on her. Her cheeks pinken, and she glances up at him. She glances off to the side, simultaneously reaching out her hand—it goes through Lars's, but the gesture is still soothing. And unlike before fully transforming, it doesn't hurt. That in and of itself is a nice reward. Even if it's not really touching him, it's a lot closer...]

Still pretty rotten, actually. But I feel less sticky, at least, and they gave me something for the pain.

—Um, Lars... I'm sorry I got mad at you, earlier... I shouldn't have gotten so frazzled. I was frustrated because I wanted you to stick around, but I knew that wasn't the responsible thing to do.

[She can only admit as much because Lars has extended the olive branch, so to speak. Sadie wishes she wasn't so aware of the fluttery twisting of her guts.]

All I wanted was someone I trust to be around, I guess. I was feeling vulnerable, so I was probably being kinda silly...

[While Sadie apologizes, Lars quietly looks over his shoulder, more-so to check if she took his offer since he can't exactly feel anymore than to look at her face while she speaks. When he's satisfied to see her hand (literally) in his, he glimpses up towards her eyes and stops there, until she finishes getting her feelings across.]

...well I mean, I probably woulda' done the same thing if it were me goin' through somethin' like that.. [His voice is a bit mumbled, with the bashfulness that hasn't quite dissipated yet.]

I'm just glad that.. uh... it's cool that you--uhhh.... [He drops his gaze back to their hands, and absentmindedly curls his fingers around hers.]

You'll.. you're gonna be okay now, right?

[Sadie is sort of stuck on what Lars says, her eyes glued to the way the silhouette of his fingers curls around hers, so intent on absorbing his words—especially since these moments were still a little rare (though less and less)—but her attention snaps out of it once he poses that question. She blinks up at him, her heart holding out on a beat in what she interprets as Lars's concern.]

O-oh! Yeah! Of course! Everyone else recovers okay all the time, right? I'm gonna be just fine.

G..good. [Lars' expression softens a bit at that, into a smile-- though it's not easy to see.]

So.. you got wings now, huh? Think you can use 'em to see eye-to-eye with me for once? [It's said playfully, while he hopes that his joke will brighten the mood and shift some of the awkward, sappy air around.]

[Sadie pauses, looking shocked, then she laughs incredulously in a sort of WOW, EXCUSE YOU sort of way.]

Like I'd waste my energy like that! We've been just fine at our normal heights all this time, haven't we?

Pretty crazy to even consider I might wanna learn how to fly, though. Who'd'a thought. Right now, I still can't even move them or anything... [Sadie's currently trying. No luck. For the better, though, as movement from her wings would ultimately stress out her wounds.]

Why wouldn'tcha'? Don't you wanna-- [A pause, and his expression looks momentarily embarrassed at what he was about to say, before he continues with something different to say.]

I-I uh. I mean-- I'm sure flyin's gotta be fun or somethin' right? Might as well use 'em since you got 'em anyway!

[Too bad Sadie isn't STUPID, Lars, but she's going to give you the benefit of the doubt—once she recovers from the initial interpretation, which makes her eyes widen a little, her gut twisting in a weird sort of anxious giddiness.]

O-of course it's gotta be fun!

[Sadie laughs, the sound coming out maybe more bubbly than she intended. Seeming to notice this, she bashfully presses a paw against the lower half of her face, stifling another little chuckle.]

Sounds like you'd get more creative with it than I would, though...

[SADIE that's not nice]

Sh-shut up Sadie, that wasn't what I meant! [He laughs a little awkwardly, kind of disappointed that he can't physically punch her or something for that remark.]

Y'know I'm kinda jealous though, all I gots are my dumb technology powers or invisibility... and I guess I can make other things 'n people fly but that ain't nearly cool enough.

[Sadie just laughs when Lars denies his own suspicious tone, pressing her face into the arm that currently doesn't have its hand surrendered to Lars's affection, momentarily muffling her giggles. She glances back at him, having recovered, and squishes her cheek against her arm as she gazes over at him.]

I dunno, you can make stuff explode and go through walls and junk. That's pretty cool. I'm probably just gonna end up eating wild animals, quizzing people on horror movie trivia since I'm not all that buffed on my riddles, and start sleeping 15 hours a day like you used to back in Beach City.

[That sounds kind of grim, but that's just sometimes how Sadie's humor can go. And anyway, she's in a pretty good mood now, so hey!]

Hey, sleepin' fifteen hours a day is like a gift! I'd give anything to just sleep five.

[He looks down at her gazing up at him, and their eyes meet for a moment, long enough for him to shoot her a sweeter looking smile before he shyly looks away again.]

'Guess it's pretty nice to stay up 'n hang out with everyone, though. Even if I gotta stay in the shade all the time.

[Sadie is embarrassed by how much his expression rattles her to her core, and in the best way. She almost reflexively releases a bubbly little giggle, unconsciously trying to assuage her own nerves as she fills with butterflies. God. It's literally sad how much she isn't over all of this, especially since Lars literally isn't even the same guy she first came to be attracted to, physically speaking.]

Yeah, I could believe that. I always thought sleep was kinda inconvenient. Like, it's nice when you want it, but sometimes I just used to feel like I'd probably be a more productive person without it.

Well yeah, sure you could get a lot done if you never slept but it's boring! Like, there's always hours when everyone's sleepin' themselves and I don't got anything to do besides I dunno... hang around a buncha' lame strangers. [There's a small pause, as if he was trying to decide if it was worth continuing his train of thought or if he should just leave it there.]

But.. y'know.. it wouldn't be bad. [He has more to say, but.. honestly he feels too embarrassed to really get it all out.]

Yeah?

[Sadie raises her eyebrows, grinning. She absently mindedly sort of lifts and drops her legs in tandem, slowly, unaware of how flirtatious her own body language is.]

How ya figure?

I mean.. [He looks over his shoulder a little at her legs and feels a bit more embarrassed, with how she just seems... really happy and comfortable being right there next to Lars. It gives him a bit more of a confidence booster, though. But.. god, sappy or romantic settings like this were always hard on Lars.]

Just, y'know.. if you could become nocturnal like me it'd be.... r-really rad.

[She is pretty comfortable, especially for being partially undressed. But after all the horrible pain and their needless tiff, Sadie's just grateful to have him around in whatever capacity. Funny how traumatic events could put a certain spin on things.

Sadie laughs at Lars's sentiment, but fondly, and with a sort of bashful endearment that glows her cheeks—but her smile fades, and she blinks thoughtfully as she lifts her head.]

You know—I think I probably will be? I'm pretty sure manticores are nocturnal, actually. Even before today, I've been pretty sluggish in the mornings... You probably haven't noticed, since you're mostly active at night. Same with Ronaldo!

Could be we're just gonna be a house of nocturnal people.

Really? [He probably sounds more excited than he should, at the prospect of it.]

That means we could hang out like, all day if we wanted to! [He lifts his head to show her his enthusiasm -- or, well, all the enthusiasm he can really show on his dark, cloudy face.]

Haha!

[Sadie rests her cheek back on her arm, enjoying Lars's rare enthusiasm.]

Just like back home, I guess. But not at work. Which means we'll probably get along better.

I mean we get to hang out all day Sadie. Like, work was long yeah but now we got nighttime to do stuff together too.

[His enthusiasm burns out kind of quickly, once he realizes how embarrassing he was beginning to sound.]

Y-you probably don't wanna spend every waking minute with me or whatever but it...ll be kinda nice, right?

Edited 2015-07-17 04:09 (UTC)

[Sadie feels her heart skip a beat, and she gazes shyly up at Lars, kind of surprised by his candidness with his feelings. He'd probably been sitting on things for a long time before she showed up, so maybe he'd worked something out with himself—or maybe something about this horrible place made them sort of discard their own pretenses about things.

Sadie knew she had, personally.]

It'll—definitely be nice...

I don't think I could ever really get sick of being around you, Lars. Even when I'm not around you, I'm...usually thinking about you in some capacity, anyway...

[Wow, that was embarrassing. Sadie's apparently determined to one up Lars in self humiliation.]

[Lars freezes, his eyes widening with complete surprise at Sadie's response. It's like as soon as she mentioned thinking about him when he's around.. everything just felt kind of. Real. Like.. he wouldn't have thought in a million years that he was important enough for Sadie to waste her time thinking about him, and for her to just confess to it kind of out of the blue like that... wow. It.. it's probably more touching to him than it would be to anyone else.

And the fact that it really was so touching to him, who was never certain about his or her feelings up until this moment... well, it was hard to take in, and it was hard to stop himself from getting kind of emotional. Tears were starting to sting his eyes (which in retrospect, is a little weird that even in his shadow form his organs and body fluids worked normally) and he finally takes his hand back away from her, to cover his mouth as he laughed out a small sob. And laughed out some more.

It was so dumb, to him. To feel so goddamn happy just to be in someone's thoughts.. so he really couldn't help laughing on top of the tears. God.. he probably looked crazy or something.]

Lars??

[Sadie gets the gist of Lars's reaction, in part—at first, she thinks he was laughing at her, but then Sadie notices the fat tears welling in his eyes and falling down his cheeks, despite how he pressed his hand against his grinning mouth. She can't really believe personally it was something like crying out of happiness—instinctively, she assumes she must have said something...wrong, and he was just—reacting strangely?

Both worried and alarmed, Sadie completely disregards the pain that comes with unthinkingly pushing herself up on her palms to get a better look at him almost as immediately as she notices Lars's reaction, mostly flagged by the way he withdraws his hand.]

A-are you okay?

Edited (omfg sorry i had a long day) 2015-07-18 01:30 (UTC)

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