the pookas

[instar]

The following day, Bella goes with Trouble, when he heads for the park.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

<You don't have to do the really dangerous stuff, though,> he says. <Nobody's gonna hurt you if you decide not do so something 'cause you're scared. We're scared too; we get it.>

[megale]

"I am kinda scared."

[aeskhyne]

Coo. Snuggle. Tiny nibbles.

[megale]

"If I start walking home now Mom'll be gone by the time I get there, probably."

[aeskhyne]

<Okay.>

[megale]

She picks him up and carries him home.

[aeskhyne]

Where Trouble, of course, demorphs on her bed.

[megale]

"That really is pretty gross," she says, not sounding like this has affected her.

[aeskhyne]

He giggles. "I know, it's nasty," he says, and hugs her.

[megale]

Hugs! Yay.

[aeskhyne]

Snuggly hugs. Mmmmmmm.

[megale]

Snuggles. "So hey, are you romancing me, do pookas do that, or is this just a snuggling sometimes kissing thing?"

[aeskhyne]

"I dunno," says Trouble. "Do you wanna be romanced?"

[megale]

"Does that put me in extra evil cult danger so that you have to dump me after a couple weeks for my own good or anything?"

[aeskhyne]

"Nah, it's the same either way."

[megale]

"And are you any good at romancing?" she inquires cheekily.

[aeskhyne]

"No idea," he says. "Never tried."

[megale]

"Wanna find out?"

[aeskhyne]

"Sure!" he says. "Oh, but I can still make out with other people and stuff, right? I do that."

[megale]

"Is that a pooka thing?"

[aeskhyne]

"It's a me thing. I am way more a me than I am a pooka."

[megale]

"What's 'and stuff'?"

[aeskhyne]

"I dunno," he says, "stuff. Snuggles? Sex? Baking cakes for people? I really like baking cakes for people, I'd bake one for you if I could figure out how to get you and it in the same room afterward."

[megale]

"Uh, definitely don't mind if you bake cakes for people or snuggle them. The having sex with them is not going to interfere with the young adult paranormal romance novel thing? Because I'm kind of digging that."

[aeskhyne]

"Why would it?"