Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Mar 19, 2017 11:46:48 GMT -5
Orfeo"Just look at it this way, Leo. Carl wants you gone just as much as you want to leave."
"At least the feeling is mutual."That was the last part of the conversation that Leo and Jua had just before Leo and Jailean left for the open house that was happening halfway across town. Being kicked out of the pride, they really had no money for themselves. The only reason why Leo had an actual doctor look at him was because she was related to Avery, and money wasn't an issue. Looking for a house, on the other hand, was something else entirely. You had to have money for that. Carl was gracious enough to offer to buy a fairly decent house. He knew that Leo wouldn't be able to stand to rent a house. Partly because he had no money and mostly because he wouldn't have been able to stand the fact that he was living in someone else's home and know that he owed them something. (He was a strong, independent man, and he didn't need help and goodwill from a total stranger.) So Carl said that he would buy the house, and when Leo and Jai and Jua are ready to take back the pride, he'd turn around and either sell it, or rent it out. At first, Leo refused. Blatant, downright, "Absolutely f*cking not." But Jua finally talked him down. Jua was the reasoner. Leo let his grudges and instinct get in too much of the way. With Jailean, an extraordinary girl who would stay up until well into the morning to make sure Leo was all right despite his temperament, Carl was fifty percent certain that they made a good team. Jua was out, job hunting. He thought that it would be best if the real estate agent believed that Leo and Jai were the only two looking for a house. It'd be easier to explain, if questions were asked, that Leo and Jai were a couple fresh out of college or them being brother and sister who was kicked out of their house by their unruly parents rather than having Jua, who had no familial ties to either of them ("A black guy trying to move in with two white people? In a predominantly white neighborhood? Can you imagine all the weird looks we'd get?" Jua had shaken his head, rolling his eyes.) Now, Leo and Jai stood and listened as the real estate agent explained how this house was just built and it was perfect for small families. It only had three bedrooms, she said, with one bathroom. The kitchen glistened with a newly installed fridge, oven and stove, and dishwasher. A couple with a kid that looked no more than ten years old "oohed" with more enthusiasm than necessary, Leo thought to himself, but kept his mouth shut. On the other side of them was a pair of men. Neither one looked eager to be there. In fact, Leo wondered why they were there at all. They were silent throughout the whole open house. Of course, Leo was too. But ever since he found that Jailean had escaped from crazy humans, and when he was able to get back up on his feet, he insisted that he went everywhere with both Jai and Jua - Jua jobhunting was not Leo's idea at all - in case they wanted to leave their gracious host's house. Right now, in fact, out of his character, Leo stood not side-by-side with Jai, but just behind her. Well, just behind her left shoulder, closer to the shifty guys. Clearly not the stance of either a brother or a lover. Instead, it was a silent body guard. Without the pride, he was edgy, seeing almost everyone as a threat. When everyone dispersed to either leave or explore some more of the house, Leo leaned down to her ear. "Is this good enough? Or do we need to keep looking?"
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Post by Orfeo on Mar 19, 2017 20:43:13 GMT -5
She'd been through this grind countless times already and each time it was the exact same thing. Everyone put on a smile and talked like she was a child that didn't know left from right. Yes, she had eyes, she could see the condition of the home and could tell what was good and what was bad. The time she had spent looking for a home before she met Leo was all the same, lie after lie, even in the shitty apartment she ended up staying at. A good neighborhood were nothing went wrong and the apartment was in top condition, and two weeks later she was already paying for repairs to the place.
She sighed, thinking to herself that at the very least she wasn't dealing with this alone. One glance at Leo and she could tell that he didn't want to be here as much as she didn't either. A necessary evil, though, and it amused her a little. Having company helped. And maybe she was just whining a bit too much because she'd been burned too many times while searching for a place to live. This one was better than most, seemed comfortable enough, and wasn't too conspicuous when looked at in a glance. If they were going to take back the Pride, this was as best a place as any to start. Baby steps, she told herself, and sighed.
"Looks fine to me," she whispered back at Leo, glancing only ever so slightly in his direction as she crossed her arms. "As long as it doesn't come out to be too expensive. Don't be afraid to haggle the price." She looked around and thought for a second. "It's comfortable and, well, nothing too shabby either. I would have killed to be living here back then. Yeah, it works." There was some irritation in her voice, clearly showing how badly she wanted to get the house shopping over and done with and just get back to what was truly important.
She didn't even bother to look at the people around them, which in a sense, worked for the two men who watched them for a couple of seconds. Neither was thinking of doing anything to begin with if she had been alone, but now that it was clear that the man was with her, they really did not attempt to even look as if they had been trying to tail her. After so many years, the subject of their research had finally been found, and the two could not even begin to contain their excitement. There wasn't even any need to run any samples to confirm their theories. Working with the same person for eighteen years teaching a thing or two. They recognized their own 'daughter' the moment they laid eyes on her. The only thing that surprised them was how far she had actually gone to evade them, traveling almost halfway around the country.
Memories of the past didn't bring any anger, but rather, curiosity. They were curious to know how her powers had developed, how she had managed to cope without their assistance. When the girl had left, she could hardly control her outbursts, but now she seemed like any other person in the world. Nobody would know the difference.
But him. He posed a problem, and that was clear. He noticed them, and they noticed him. The way he put himself between them and their daughter. A bodyguard? The two conversed among each other, acting as if they had been talking of the home in hushed whispers. No, not a bodyguard, but a friend. That shocked them more, that she had developed such social skills so efficiently.
Not wanting to give themselves away to Jailean, who hadn't taken noticed of them yet, they went to a different room of the home and inspected it some, knowing that she would recognize them as soon as she saw their eyes.
"What do you think?" Jailean asked, turning around to look up at Leo, yawning lightly after she finished asking her question. She pulled up the left sleeve of the blue jacket she wore up to her elbow and scratched at her forearm lightly. "Generally speaking, it's not too far from everything. Pretty central. Nice and quiet. And in the broader view, it'll help having a central location to work from, no?" She gave him a smirk.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Mar 20, 2017 20:45:34 GMT -5
A similar smirk landed on Leo's lips, amused more at the fact that Jailean felt the same way he did about the open house. Usually, she was more patient than him. Then again, this was the fifth one they attended. Leo intended to make this their last. "It would make it easier, I agree. I'll go talk to her."
The agent was in the living room, while they had been in the kitchen. In fact, most of their first group was. When Leo sauntered away, confident nothing would happen to Jai, someone took his place. Easily, he was one quarter of the size Leo was, yet with eyes the color of embers, he was just as exotic. His black hair was short - not even going to the tops of his ears. He dressed like any ten-year-old, yet (he learned that unless one was a small-minded human) it was obvious that he was something ... more.
"Hi," he said, holding his hand out for Jailean to shake. "My name's Oscar. I know Leo." Then he stopped, a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, I knew him." He grinned, then not at all concerned that he said something that didn't really make sense. "I thought he moved though."
There was no "I thought", really, because Oscar already knew. Leo was supposed to be this macho alpha of his family's pride. Why was he back, he wondered. Granted, the pride wasn't far from this little town. But his father was here. And Leo absolutely hated his father for not protecting his mother from the "cult" he shouldn't have left in the first place.
Oscar was not bitter ... now. It was a new life. He is now learning to forgive. To live and let live. Well, he's supposed to be learning. "Will he be back for good?"
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Post by Orfeo on Mar 23, 2017 0:32:28 GMT -5
"Good. I'll wait here. Call out out if you need anything." Jailean watched Leo until he was out of sight, and the moment she was alone, she sighed. Tired was the best way to put it, really. But now she knew that the hunt would be over and they would finally be able to rest for a little bit. The thought of a soft bed and warm food tranced Jailean for a few seconds, long enough for her to be a little late to noticing the person that now stood beside her.
She turned her head and flinched slightly at the unexpected appearance, but quickly, she set her nerves at ease. "Hi Oscar, I-" She stopped herself in a whisper that was barely audible when he said that he knew Leo. A gut feeling suddenly appeared in the pit of her stomach, a sensation that this child was something more than met the eye. By this point it wouldn't have surprised her; people that turned into animals and monsters that nearly killed her friends, all of them connected to Leo in some way or the other. Who was to say that the child wasn't just a child either? Another animal shifter? Or something else. She remembered that they aged faster, so...
"-I'm Jailean," she replied thoughtfully, pulling herself out of the thinking as she reached her hand out to lightly shake the boy's hand. "And I don't... well, I don't really know about him moving? But we're just looking for a new place to stay." It wasn't a lie, but it was obvious that she was being thoughtful on the words she was using and the things she was saying. The last thing Jailean wanted to do was to endanger Leo any longer. Unfortunately she wasn't getting a good bearing on who this kid was, what his intentions were. Yes, caution was best, even with a child. In this brave new world she'd been thrust into, nothing really made any sense and anything was possible.
"And I'm not sure how long we'll be here for. But, if you knew Leo, well, you could ask him yourself? I'm sure he'll be-" she stopped herself short. Would he really be glad to meet someone? Jailean bit the inside of her bottom lip and managed a small smile. "Well, I'm sure he won't mind talking with you."
And still, she didn't quite know if she should be talking to this person as if he were a child or a grown man. In the end, Jailean opted for the latter. An air to the person told her that it wasn't quite right to treat him like a child despite his looks, and it wasn't unheard of for people to treat children like adults, so it wouldn't look too out of place. Granted, she felt a little uncomfortable. He came out of nowhere and started asking about Leo, referring to a past she wasn't familiar with. It didn't feel like her place to be answering these questions; directing Oscar to Leo really was the best choice. "Although at the moment he's a little busy, but if you want you can maybe wait here until he gets back. I'm sure it won't be long now, he's just asking some things and finalizing transactions."
"Oscar, was it?" It would be a lie to say that she wasn't curious at all. "How... exactly do you know Leo?" But she couldn't help the cautious tone of voice she projected when she spoke.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Mar 30, 2017 0:07:51 GMT -5
The first thing Oscar noticed was that she was … plain. Definitely not a mythical being. Mythical beings were either more beautiful or rather grotesque (depending on the species) compared to humans. It helped some of the beings to lure in or capture their prey. With the lack of makeup and the unimpressive build, Oscar could see that there wasn't really anything that caught the eye. If it hadn't been for the fact that Leonardo was so close to her physically, almost acting like a body guard, Oscar wouldn't have paid any mind. But the lion-man did indeed show too much interest in the woman for her to just be an ordinary human being.
Oscar was indeed intrigued by the curious relationship they had. Leo never took notice in women unless they were beautiful and with a head full of air. Jailean, with her intelligent speech (the lack of endearments such as "baby" or "honey") and plainness, was neither of those. He wondered who she was and how much she knew of the darker part of the planet they lived on. Leo wasn't crazy enough to jeopardize his pride, surely. "Are you his significant other, then? You said, 'we'," he reminded her, as if she were a fish with an attention span that lasted 3 seconds. But he knew that she wasn't and didn't.
Then he shook his head slowly, pursing his lips a bit. "He wouldn't remember me. I'm sure that he would remember my parents-" at the word, the man and woman that were with Oscar stood up straighter, but never once moving closer than three feet away from Oscar. It wasn't parent like behavior, but no one really questioned it. An occasional snarl of the nose when Oscar commanded them to do something. But with how children disrespected their elders, no one was outright concerned. "-since they were once good friends.
"I want to be your friend," he continued after a short pause. In that pause he schooled his features into a pout, acting as if he was upset about Leo. Then his face lit up, and he had smiled as if the idea suddenly came to him. "I don't have many friends. Just my books. And my textbooks at home. But they don't give me the socialization I require. With you and Leo coming to stay in the neighborhood, we could see each other all the time!" He clapped his hands once in a jovial manner, then put his hands behind his back. "Wouldn't that be swell?"
Not once did he answer how Oscar knew Leo.
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Post by Orfeo on Mar 30, 2017 2:00:28 GMT -5
"I, what? No." She was quick to respond, simply because she wanted to clear up a miscommunication that there might have been in what she had said. "Leo and I aren't together in that sort of way. We are just, well, stuck together, but it works out in the end." Jailean did end up smiling a little at the comment and for a brief second she couldn't help but look away and think to herself on just how absurd a relationship between Leo and herself would be. Sure, the two did get along, and yet they were so different. With her clueless nature as to the world that he inhabited, she felt as if she'd just be putting the two in more risk than anything else.
She quickly pushed the thought away and listened to Oscar, again, unable to shake the slight uneasy feeling that she got simply with the way that the child held and composed himself. It wasn't like the talked like an adult, but he didn't quite have an air to innocence in him. Or maybe, again, she was simply putting labels and jumping to conclusions on the sole premise that this kid knew who Leo was. Anyone who knew Leo was, at the very least, somewhat not what they were made out to be on a first glance. "Huh. Never heard of Leo mentioning them before, but then again he doesn't mention much about his past. I haven't really known him for too long of a time to be honest so learning that he had lived here before is new to me."
Jailean made a mental note to try and ask Leo about that later, when the time was right and when she didn't feel like she'd be bothering too much. Rare were the moments when she felt it was a good time to ask Leo about his past, and even when these moments came, she tended to hesitate and not act upon the opportunity. One of these days, she reminded herself in her mind, at the very least wishing to know what Leo's connection to the child's parents were. Oscar made it seem like they had been close.
But it didn't surprise her that Leo hadn't actually mentioned these people before.
"Oh, uhm," now the uneasy feeling settled heavily all throughout her body, "well, that's... I guess that would be a little nice?" She smiled at the boy but she also felt that uneasy feeling once more crawl along her skin like a swarm of ants. Jailean did her best to fight back that sensation and instead gave the child her best smile, putting her right hand inside her pocket just to keep it busy. "Well, if you said that your parents had been friends with Leo, then I'm sure he'd be glad to get to meet them again." But would he actually be glad? She had no earthly idea, but it just seemed like the best thing to say at the moment. "I don't know when exactly we'll be moving in here, but I'm sure you'll see him or me around when we do."
Her smile warmed up a little and with ease she sighed, feeling a little more comfortable now. "Well, listen Oscar, I'm going to go and check on Leo really quick and see what he's up to. But it's been nice." She paused for a couple of seconds and simply stared at the boy from head to toe. Nothing was off about how he looked. So maybe it was just her jumping to conclusions? The thought made things a little more comfortable all around. "You take care now. And... Uhm... stay in school." She mentally slapped herself in the face. Then again, she was the best dealing with children. Having looked after some of the kids in the Pride should've given her a little more experience, but all it did was prove that she was terrible at the watching over kids thing.
She turned and walked to where Leo had been, and watched him for a couple of moments. At the same time, two men watched her, but she hardly even realized it. They weren't even trying to really hide the fact to be honest, but they didn't come close either. The two were well aware of the scandal that would form if the girl lost her temperament in public. It had been a problem they were never able to deal with when she was younger, but it seemed like time and experience had been good enough teachers for her. She didn't seem nervous at all and in fact looked to be quite comfortable with herself. Still, dealing with a possible fallout scenario and doing crowd control would be... well, a major inconvenience. So they just watched for now, and made sure to give a wide berth to the man that came with her.
"Hey, Leo. How's things going?" She got a little closer, standing behind and to his left, then added in a whisper. "Please tell me we're almost done?" She hesitated, and gulped, trying to think exactly what she should tell him. A child harassed me? I don't like kids and one talked to me? Absurd, all of it, and she knew for a fact that it would be a nightmare explaining it to Leo. "I'm starving," she added finally, and then rolled her eyes at herself.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Apr 14, 2017 2:15:42 GMT -5
Oscar watched Jailean go. It was clear that he startled her. Originally, that hadn't been his intention. Even so, he immediately thought of the advantages.
Leo had been kicked out of the pride. Or the pride had disbanded. These were the only two scenarios that he could think of that would have Leo actually moving so close to his father and brother. He knew Leo. The only thing that changed about the young man was his take on humans. Obviously he found Jailean useful in a way. She scratched out his absurd hypothesis that they were a pair. A lower chance of her getting what Oscar wanted. He'd make due, though.
After all, who would want to be in close quarters with a man with a shady past? Jailean would ask about him and his "parents". Leo would deny ever knowing them, because he actually didn't. They were new members of the group, thus had no affiliation with the one who dared break the rules. And with Oscar being reborn, Leo wouldn't have the least bit of an idea who he was. Jailean would either persist or desist. If she had any questions or concerns (no doubt she would), Oscar would only be "just down the street".
This was his territory. Leo wasn't intelligent to want a house here.
**
Leo didn't like this one bit. Talking with the real estate agent. Constantly feeling as if he was being watched. Sensing that something was off. In hindsight, he should have just walked away and drag Jailean to another location. But he didn't; he wasn't up for repeating the process of looking at houses with other strangers.
"Hmm," Leo gruffed, which should have been in a questioning tone. Leo didn't do questions, though. Rather, it was more like a "I acknowledge your presence so don't get butthurt when I don't reply right away" grunt as he counted quite a stack of bills to the woman. Wide-eyed, her mouth formed in a perfect, pink-tinted 'o' as she stared at the money going into her hands. "I'll pay the rest when we go back to your office to sign the contract."
Then he turned slightly to Jailean, a frown on his face. "We're done. Hot d*mn," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck to ease the goosebumps there. Even in human form, his hackles rose at the barest threat. "I'm starving, too. Where do you want to go?"
He could tell that there was something more on her mind. But what, he wasn't actually sure. All he could tell was that something was wrong. Quite a few things seemed to be wrong. What was crazy about the whole mess was that this was a nice neighborhood. No thugs or drugs. Just happy people lining up and down the street. The real estate woman was sure about that when she pointed it out. It wasn't just the outside. Inside, he took a glance at the people milling around still, as if they didn't just see Leo pay so much down that they didn't have to worry about credit approval. He narrowed his eyes especially on two that were eyeing Jailean particularly. "Remind me to go to the hardware store to get different locks for the house, too."
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Post by Orfeo on Apr 18, 2017 4:37:53 GMT -5
"Anywhere, really. I don't think I'll care to be honest." She thought for a moment and then reconsidered her own words. "Actually, something quick would be nice. I'm a little tired too. As for where to go that'll be quick, well, I'll leave that one up to you." She looked around the room, then glanced at Leo before following his gaze to the two that were now turning around to look somewhere else. She looked back at him curiously and fought back a sigh as she rubbed at her arm gently.
"Yeah, make sure you get locks for every room in this house, just in case."
Jailean was still thinking on what she should tell him, but the more it crossed her mind the clearer it was to her that it was better to tell him sooner rather than later. Details? That could wait. Or at the very least she could sort them out later once she had a clearer way to present them. For now? Facts. Yes, that was the best she could do. And she didn't want to alarm the man either. They finally had a good place and the last thing she needed was for him to back out and for them to spend another week househunting somewhere else.
"So, hey, Leo." She looked around the room once more, couldn't see the kid anywhere, and then turned to look up at him once again. "Question. You happen to know anyone by the name of, uhm, Oscar?" She paused a second. "Or maybe you know anyone that used to know an Oscar? Or someone by a similar name?" She hesitated, already feeling the possible barrage of questions that were going to be thrown in her direction.
She just kept thinking about how the kid said he knew Leo. So, if that was the case, then Leo should at least be able to recognize the name. Although, Jai still wasn't sure if that would either set her mind at ease or unnerve her more. It depended on Leo's reaction. So she watched him carefully.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Apr 19, 2017 0:38:22 GMT -5
"You know, that sounds like a really good idea," he said, moving to the side so that Jailean could get out before him. When she took too long for his liking, he moved his hand in small circular motions at the door, as if that would get her to move faster. "And while we're at it, get locks for the windows. And a security system. Really lock it down like Fort Knox." Then he raised an eyebrow at himself, not really sure if it's that one he was supposed to be referencing.
A few seconds later, he rolled his eyes and shook his head. If it wasn't the place full of gold, Jai would catch his drift. "Let's go get Taco Bell." He fished the keys out of his pocket to unlock the car. The same car that all three traveled in to get to Carl's house. Each time he saw it, he paused before getting in, either reliving the pain or trying to relive it through Jua's or Jai's perspective. How he almost died.
"You know, eat good food and then hate ourselves as we sit on the porcelain throne. I'm really in the mood for tacos."
It wasn't until Leo was backing out of the driveway when Jailean asked her question. Or, rather, her questions that wanted the exact same answer but worded differently. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her with a curious look. "No. Who the hell names their kid 'Oscar', anyway?" Then he turned his face back to the road, letting the sound of the blinker click-click-click fill the silence.
As it did, her questions sank deeper. Making him more worried. Did someone come up to her while he wasn't looking? Making threats until she got away? Was it one of those two dipwads looking at her at the beginning of the open house? "Did something happen that I need to know about?" he asked. Or, more like demanded. "If so, I can go back and get the money back. Find another house."
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Post by Orfeo on Apr 19, 2017 2:30:45 GMT -5
"Taco Bell? You know what? Yeah, that sounds pretty good."
She let the silence fill, but smiled to herself a little as well. Leo was easing up more and more. She was seeing more of a side of him that she hadn't before, and for a strange reason, she felt lucky about it too. He was relaxed, and in a way, so was she as well. It was a weirdly contagious feeling, but one that she did not mind at all. The more the merrier.
Jailean turned her head and gave him a long look for a couple of seconds. "No, no, it's nothing to lose the house over. But," she rubbed the back of her head for a few seconds, "someone did come up to me while you were getting the house. He introduced himself as Oscar, and said that he knew you, but he also said that you used to be friends with his parents. Used to, past tense. I think he was trying to make a point of that. I don't know." She turned her head out to look at the road, licking at her bottom lip. "I should probably mention that is was a kid who introduced himself as Oscar, but..."
She closed her eyes for a second and thought, her stomach growling from the hunger. "I'll just say it, there was something off about that kid. I can't say what because I don't know, but something about him didn't feel right. But in all honesty it's probably just me. I'm hungry and tired and househunting sucks, and you know I'm not exactly at my best when dealing with kids." She looked at him again. "Still, I thought you should know. I just have something of a feeling that you're not friends with his parents any more."
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Apr 24, 2017 23:57:32 GMT -5
His hand snaked out suddenly.
It was so sudden that after what he did, he even startled himself. But not because he intended to harm Jailean. No. Actually, it was to press his callused fingertips to her forehead, then his knuckles to her cheek. He was checking her temperature, as if he were a mother hen worrying over her child. When he found that she was, indeed, physically healthy, he put his hand back to the steering wheel.
He wasn't sure whether to be releaved about Jailean's lack of fever or to be concerned that he was so concerned abojut her blathering nonsense.
"Jai, I didn't see a kid - wait, yes I did." He corrected himself, slowing down when a car put on their breaks. "That little kid with the over-enthusiastic parents? That's who you're talking about?" Leo scoffed, shaking his head. "The only reason why I put up with the cubs back at the pride was because I had a duty to protect them. I'm not going to put up with a human kid. And why would I even associate myself with people who are too perky for a house-hunt?" His voice was laced with irritation and ridicule, but mostly it was because of his unprecedented temp-check and what that meant than anything. Oh, and his dumbfoundment that some little kid lied to Jailean -
Why would a kid lie about knowing him, though? Usually, one glare from him and the tykes start running away, bawling. Only God knew how much he hated the brats. And how their parents nowadays let them run all over the place. Indeed, like Jailean said, there was something strange. Something that said that he really shouldn't have bought that house. Between the two sketchy men and Jailean talking about an off-put human kid, he should just bypass getting new locks and turn around right now to demand his money back. "I was never friends with anyone. Around here, anyway. Carl can tell you how many times I've tried to make friends with the people around here. None."
Then he made a right, and they ended up at the fast food joint they had chosen. "Text Jua and see if he wants anything."
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Post by Orfeo on Apr 26, 2017 1:47:47 GMT -5
Jailean held herself still and let it happen, unsure but also a little too tired to fight back or pull away from Leo's surprisingly gentle touch. By the gesture of his hands she knew immediately that Leo was checking for her temperature. It's the kind of thing that a parent would do for a child. Yet she also couldn't help and blush slightly at his concern, feeling her cheeks warm up a little, causing Jailean to look away from him and out the window until he had finally pulled his hand away from her face. She smiled a little before hiding it away when he started to speak.
"Yeah, that kid. I-I think that's the one. I didn't see his parent around anywhere." Jailean rolled her eyes slightly and nodded. "Yes, yes, I know. That's why you made me take care of the cubs in the first place." She stared slight daggers at the side of his head. "Don't think I've forgotten." She listened to Leo and almost laughed lightly. "I know. I'm sure I don't need to ask Carl anyway. Had a feeling you'd tell me that you didn't know them. But like I said, better to check in with you than end up with some kind of nasty surprise later, right? I think we could both do without another surprise for a long while." Jailean pulled out her phone quickly and nodded at his request.
She was glad at Leo's answer. It set her mind at ease, even if it was just a little. Too many thoughts had gone through her mind ever since the encounter took place and to get some affirmation that she was just overthinking the situation was all that she needed to feel as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. There was no doubt in her mind now, Leo wouldn't have decided to come live in the neighborhood if he had a history with the people there. Be that good or bad, there was a silent consensus that they should have gone somewhere where the two wouldn't be so easily recognized. That would work better for them if they were ever going to retake the Pride.
Jua. Leo and I finally settled on a place. I think you'll like it. We stopped to get tacos. Let me know if you want us to bring you anything. Jailean hit send and waited for a response, staring at her phone before looking over at Leo. She bit her lip slightly, looked back to her phone, and then sighed lightly to herself. Her next message to Jua was typed quickly, her thumbs frantically moving across the small screen, without giving any thought to what she was actually writing. Also have a question. Do you know anyone who would've known Leo before? Friends of his, before the Pride?"
Hesitation. She contemplated deleting that message before she sent it, but her hands moved on their own and without thinking, the deed was done. "Alright, I asked him," she said, turned to look at Leo, and managed a smile. "Now come on." Jailean opened the door to the car and stepped out. "I'm starving."
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on May 3, 2017 10:20:39 GMT -5
About an hour later, Leo opened the door to his father's house. There wasn't a vehicle in the driveway, other than his and the one Jua borrowed from Jaye. So that means at least Carl is gone.
He exhaled in relief, because he didn't want to be bombarded with stupid questions about the house. Taking a sip of his drink, he stepped inside and moving out of the way so that Jai and Jua can get inside.
"I'm going to take a shower; I feel dirty after househunting all day." And before anyone can say anything about it, Leo turned down the hallway.
Jua made sure that he heard the door close and the water turn on as he took his shoes off and loosened his tie so that it wouldn't strangle him. He glanced down at his reflection on the shoes, curling his lip in disgust before shaking his head. "I'll be so glad not to see those ever again. D*mn, they kill my feet." But they didn't. Not really. Shifters had a naturally high pain tolerance. At least, the lions in the pride did. The shoes just irked him. Call it whatever, but they represented a side of life that should never be for a shifter. It was too ... domestic. Too tame. There were few things that Jua hated, and feeling that way was one of them.
Rolling up the sleeves of his button-up, he almost slid on his socks making his way to the kitchen. Yes, he regained his balance easily, but it still grated on his nerves. "Wonder where Carl went," Jua wondered aloud, pulling out a kitchen chair. When he plopped down on it, he leaned back rubbing at his tired eyes with both hands. "Leo really didn't have friends," he got straight to the point.
"When he was in highschool, he got into trouble a lot. Fist fights at the local hang-out spot, smoking in the bathroom. Multiple visits with the principal. That sort of thing. But as he got into junior and senior year, he stopped picking fights. Quit looking for trouble. He wasn't a star student by any means - that was Avery - but he had the respect of a lot of the kids when he left. Fearful respect, but respect nonetheless.
"Of course, Carl was bewildered. No calls from the school, demanding that Leo be picked up because he was suspended? Curious. So he followed Leo one day - well, one night, because Leo was also prone to sneaking out of the house to prowl around town. He followed him to a tattoo parlor. There was a lot of people just milling outside, Carl said. They all knew Leo. Called him something in a language that Carl didn't understand. Anyway, Leo walked in. Then came out with a tattoo of a phoenix eye on his chest.
"He was really proud of it. And the people outside were proud too. He had been initiated into a cult. Leo still calls it a gang, but no one believes him. I don't even think he believes it." Jua shook his head, sighing. "Fast forward a couple of years. To when he first got the alphaship from Taji. In this cult, you weren't allowed to leave. Plain and simple. You were there until you died. But Leo left. He had that alpha mentality even before he became alpha. He didn't do too well with being given orders." As he spoke, he had looked off in the distance, eyes resting easily on a spot on the wall. It was as if that time in Leo's life had been projected onto a screen, and Jua was watching it as he told the story. "So he challenged Taji, got the ceremony and duties of being an alpha, and unwittingly signed his mother's death certificate."
Jua paused, eyes widening with shock. Did he really just say that? Not once had he blamed Leo for anything. Not even exiling his son. But he blamed him for the death of a woman that had no relation with him. His mouth turned into a grim line. "Turns out, this cult punishes you with deaths of loved ones. Freida, his mom, and Leo had been really close. They hit him where it was hardest. They also knew the relationship between him and Avery, too, and were about to go after her and Jaye before Leo did something about it. He and Tatania kidnapped them, with no explanation until Avery's husband showed up." A laugh bubbled up in his throat, but he only let it out as a chuckle. "The pride was afraid that we'd have a bird as an alpha for a bit.
"Anyway. Leo, Timothy, some other girl, and I all took care of the cult's leader. Get to the heart of it all, and everything will soon fall apart. There might be some remnant cult worshippers left. Not friends, necessarily. But they know him."
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Post by Orfeo on May 5, 2017 19:13:18 GMT -5
Jailean entered the house, happy to be done with that task. She was happy with the house and any little thing that had been worrying her was quickly washed away with the relief of finally being able to kick back and knock off her shoes from her feet. The sight of Jua made her smile and shr greeted him, though quickly she remembered the question that she had texted him and, quite frankly, she was glad that he had waited until after Leo had left for him to start explaining things to her.
So she listened. Her interest had never been as invested as she was now, listening to Jua talk, aknowledging the way his gaze made it seem as if he were looking back to times gone by. It honestly took all of her willpower to keep herself quiet, since the more he talked the more questions were formed in her head. Some, of course, were answered as he spoke on, and others remained to linger and grow. She didn't exactly know what she was getting into when she had asked Jua the question, and now she felt foolish for trying to pry.
Knowing now, about Leo's mother, and everything else that had happened, was undoubtedly a burden she'd have to hold. Some things made more sense as well, the hostility that Leo faced because of something he didn't intend to happen. "Jesus," she whispered, rubbing at her temple with her thumb. "That's... well... that's a lot to take in. More than I expected to be honest. A cult, murder," she bit her lip, stopping herself from asking on how exactly they had dealt with the leader, feeling a hunch that she was sure would be correct.
She looked to the side and watched an apple, raised her hand slighly, and levitated it a few inches off the table. She twitched her fingers and the apple responded appropriately, spinning with some momentum which she continued with a twitch of her index finger every so often. "So... this cult." Jailean paused for a second and thought very thoroughly on what she should ask and what words to use. The topic was heavy, way in over her head, but she was in it now. "What exactly did they, Leo and them, worship. I mean," she sighed and slowly waved her hand to her, watched as the apple efforlessly floated over to her, and she quickly plucked it from the air, "a certain god, or person, or an ideal?"
Jailean sat up straighter and took a bite out of the apple. "That's usually how it goes, right? There's a figure that they would revere but, honestly, I can't see Leo being the kind to worship something higher than him. Just a thought." She obviously didn't want to bring the topic over to Leo's mother or the events that transpired after he left the cult, so she kept her questions as simple as she could and focused it on the cult itself.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on May 13, 2017 23:54:30 GMT -5
"My name's Jua. Not Jesus," Jua said, smirking ruefully a bit. Indeed, it was a lot to take in. Freida wasn't the loveliest of people. But she didn't deserve to die. No one really does. Leo and his mother were very close. When she died, Leo actually cried.
Not only that, but to find out why was a lot to take in. Especially all at once. Subconsciously, he rubbed his hand over his chin as his eyes locked onto the levitating apple. Should he have told Jailean? Really, she should have the right to know. Jai was helping him and Leo get the pride back. That means reinstating Leo as alpha. And she needed to know more about who she was following. Right?
And she did ask.
"Dunno." He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Whatever it is, it has to do with a phoenix. That was the cult's symbol. And you're right; Leo doesn't do too well with bowing down to something higher than him. No chance in him being promoted. Leo doesn't talk too much about it. And I don't blame him."
It was then that he realized that the apple was missing from the air. He blinked once to regain his bearings. Then a second time just because. "It's … been a few years."
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