IQ
Well-Known Member
- RP Date
- YE 41
- RP Location
- Sirris VI, obsidian city
Hati stood in the waiting room of the therapist's office with a slight huff, arms crossed as a large hoodie and loose cargo pants obscured a lot of the wolf's body - what little of it was at least, the once lean and sporty frame Hati possessed was little more than skin and bone held together by scar tissue, the gaunt cheeks gave it away if you made any effort to look.
He was a very different person, tail coiled tightly around one leg nervously as his lupine ears hid under the boy's hood, small scars not obscured by the shadows his hood cast and the hints of tan-coloured plastic furnishings on his prosthetic arm only a hint of all the pain and suffering he had been through.
A ragged breath left Hati's maw as one foot tapped against the ground rhythmically, his usual ride wasn't able to pick him up this time and seeing as the young wolf was currently deemed 'at risk' by more than a few reputable specialists in trauma counselling and mental health him driving himself was completely out of the question.
It was what it was, and he wasn't in any shape to argue it.
Neon glanced up from her magazine as the door clicked open, seeing the skinny, hooded man walk out - their therapist mentioning she'd see her soon. Which the vibrantly hair-coloured woman answered with a nod, eyes befalling Hati briefly, before she continued reading. As the door shut, another one opened. Lynn stepped in, a mess of baggy clothes, keys in her hand. "Hati?" She questioned, offering a gentle smile, pushing her glasses up. "Let's go," she murmured to the wolf, holding the door for him. "Sorry if I'm not too presentable... Kinda short notice, y'know." Lynn answered - having done her best to clean herself up. She hadn't expected the call and didn't really have anything planned for the day, so she wore her usual casual outfit, not even bothering for a bra - which was rather obvious through the long-sleeved shirt.
Hati's head dipped back to watch the brightly-coloured woman momentarily, an odd scent befalling his nose though the wolf's olfactory sensors were still muddied and felt blocked, something that'd take a bit longer to bring up to scratch - a small huff left his lips before he turned back to offer Lynn a faint nod, "It's fine, really - I'm sorry you had to pick me up at all," came his hollow words as the wolf moved to exit the building with her, shoulders slumped slightly and neck drooping forwards.
Lynn moved through the doors, glancing over at Hati as he spoke. She bit her lip momentarily. Spinning on her feet fully to face Hati, she pulled the poor thing into a careful embrace. "I'm glad to," she huffed softly. Swallowing thickly to fight the tears back. "Just don't scare me like that, y'know," she murmured.
Even through the thick insulating material of the hoodie it was pretty easy to feel his ribcage sticking through, Hati tensed up slightly with a faint gasp before patting Lynn's forearm with his boney hand, "I don't plan on it... I apologize for worrying you but trust me... I don't think I have the capacity to go through something like that again," he reassured her bluntly, offering a weak excuse of a faint smile before breaking away from her embrace.
Lynn stepped back with a nod, moving over to her Hound, unlocking it remotely as she glanced over at Hati. "Good-... Just, y'know... Know that you can always come to my place," she added. "If you wanna talk, or just come 'n chill, not even need to talk," she offered with a soft breath, pulling open the door and stepping in. Glancing over at Hati when he came to sit next to her. "Alright?"
"I appreciate it~ but I'm sorry these are the circumstances under which we finally spend time together," Hati sighed as he opened the passenger door and hopped in, offering Lynn an appreciative look from those sad, red eyes before Hati moved to grasp at the seatbelt with his artificial hand - mechanical murmurs and whirs as it awkwardly tried to secure the mechanism, a few curses of annoyance under his breath before it finally clicked shut and he leant back in the seat with a huff.
"Eh," Lynn answered with a shrug as she backed out of the parking space, before shifting in first gear and leaving the parking. "I'm glad to be here," she admitted. "Through good or bad - you're still family, y'know. And family sticks with eachother," she explained as she kicked the hound in gear. "And yeah, maybe it can be better circumstance. But y'know," she added with a gentle smile. "Issues with the prosthetic?" Lynn asked with a frown.
Hati nodded faintly, hand gripping onto the sleeve that hid his artificial forearm, moving up to scratch above his elbow before speaking, "They say it's just me aclimatizing to it but... the thing feels so awkward and clunky~ I know I'm never getting the original back but..." Hati swallowed thickly, artificial fist now clenching tightly.
"It's like if they tried fitting us into a suit intended for the other ninety seven of our siblings, it just doesn't work as intended~" he shrugged, pulling the sleeve down over his prosthetic with a sigh.
"Sorry, it's probably annoying to listen to~ what's new with you?" the wolf asked, his hauntingly hollow eyes meeting hers.
"Need me to fix a better one up?" Lynn asked with a soft grin, still focusing on the road. Before exhaling a soft breath. "We're clones - as much as I hate to say it, that's kinda the point." She added, before shrugging again, glancing over at him, offering a soft smile. "But y'know. Fuck that. We're all unique, y'know." Meeting his eyes she felt a soft blush crawl up her cheeks, glancing back at the road. "Yeah- Uhm... I kinda? Have a... Boyfriend?" She states, biting her lip momentarily. Before frowning. "It's kinda weird, y'know. But like, don't worry, it's not bad complicated." She hummed, glancing over at Hati again. "What about you? Who was that weird girl earlier? Y'know her?"
"I know the face, not the name - she always seems to be going in when I'm going out... congrats on finding somebody though~" Hati nodded before his gaze diverted to the floor, rubberized soles of his slip-on shoes kicking around a stray capacitor that must've fallen out of one of Lynn's projects as he was reminded of her technical knowhow.
"...I wouldn't want to bother you for an arm though, I'm probably just being fussy - and you've probably got better things to do with your time," Hati dismissed her offer with a small frown as his tail shifted beneath his pant leg, finding a more comfortable position to sit in for the rest of the car ride.
"Who is he?"
"Huh, she looked kinda odd at you and you at her. Thought you two talked." She answered with a smirk. "Hey - I wouldn't offer if I didn't wanna~" Lynn chimed with a faint hum following. "I enjoy doing that stuff, if I'm helping you even better," the Fenrir clone assured, before biting her lip. "Lexi... Not technically a he - well, technically a he, but, what'cha call it. Trans? It's kinda weird, as I said," she added with a shrug, before swallowing. Feeling a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. "We uhm-... Yeah."
Hati had a look of faint warmth on his face up until that last part made a connection, one that caused the wolf to shiver and take a moment to compose himself before speaking, "Yeah... I mean, whatever floats your boat - I'm not judging..." he murmured with a gulp.
"Uhm, you doing much today? I know I don't have anything on~" he winced suddenly, hand going to support his forehead as a painful ringing began to build in his brain, a grunt of pain before the other hand began rooting around in his pockets hastily.
"Yeah-... No, I just, no clue why I said that," Lynn answered with a faint chuckle. "Just, y'know, keeping the conversation going," she added with a faint shrug. Before casting a concerned glance over at Hati. "You alright? Need me to pull over?" She quested with a soft frown. Ready to put on her indicator on to pull over at the side.
Hati shook his head as his hand produced a small orange bottle of pills, one of which was thrown back into his throat with a dry swallow before the almost-immediate relief hit him - a few panting breaths as Hati threw his head back into the seat exhaustedly, "...sorry, I forgot to take meds when I ate... psychosomatic headache is a bastard of a thing~" he explained before sighing.
"I'll be alright... do you mind if I take you up on that offer of crashing at your place?"
"No sweat," she answered with a soft breath, grasping the steering wheel fully again. "Just making sure you were all good~" Lynn hummed as she took a turn, only nodding. "Yeah, no big," she added. "We can watch a movie or shoot some games or something, or just... Laze about 'n do nothing." The Fenrir clone added with a soft shrug. "I'll be glad to have you~"
The smile from the wolf was a small one, but it was the most genuine one given thus far and full of appreciation as his gaze met Lynn's features, "Will your b-" Hati cut himself off, reconsidering the words, "Partner be there? I wouldn't want to be intruding on anything - I feel like enough of a time-waster as is..."
"Nah, no worries," she answered with a gentle smile, taking yet another turn to get over to her own place, before shrugging. "Even if-... They were," she frowned as she spoke, "I'm sure Lexi would understand if I cancelled. You're no time-waster, you're my brother - you're family," she reassured with a soft bite of her lip. "Hell - I'll change the sheets and you can crash in my bed - I'll take the sofa~
"I appreciate it, Lynn - I'm in some weird place between wanting to hide away and then wanting to not be on my own..." his murmurs trailed off as Hati subconciously gripped at the elbow of his prosthetic once more, a small sigh leaving the lupine clone's lips.
"No need to thank me," Lynn answered as her appartement came in sight. She drew up in the parking lot and exhaled a soft breath, turning the engine off. "Hey uhm-... Ask me for hugs, if y'need," she offered a faint smirk. "I enjoy that."
He nodded and began awkwardly undoing his seatbelt, offering Lynn an apologetic look before speaking, "...I'll keep that in mind but... I'm weird with physical contact at the moment for reasons I'd rather not go into~" his words came out as a slight whimper before Hati broke eye contact shamefully and opened his door, half-sliding off the seat.
Lynn's smile froze, before she bit her lip, breaking eyecontact as well, letting out a soft murmur. "I-... Yeah, I understand. Sorry," the Fenrir clone answered as she got out as well - slamming the door shut and locking the car door, falling into step next to Hati. Unable to think of anything to say. So she just remained silent - heart wrenching as she just considered the possibilities of what he went through.
Hati sniffed once before letting out a long huff, moving around to the front of the car slowly before offering Lynn an apologetic side-long glance, "Don't be... you didn't... do things to me - I just appreciate if people don't go digging for specifics yet, I can't handle the thought of everybody looking at me the way they would if they knew~" he reassured her, trying to tell the shorter clone she had nothing to be sorry for.
"I know-... But y'know, for making you feel uneasy, I didn't mean to," Lynn answered with a soft breath. She scratched the back of her head, before offering Hati a smile. "I don't need to know - but I can promise you I wouldn't at all look differently at you." Lynn assured - it was her turn to do such.
Hati just shook his head and decided it would be better for both parties if they changed topics, "...which floor do you live on?"
"Third," Lynn answered as she just glanced at Hati - part of her just wanted to hold him close, tell him it was going to be alright. But she knew that would only lead to discomfort for him. It wasn't that easy. And she hated being so powerless as he suffered. Though without a word, she stepped into the elevator. That was all she could do - just being there for him. And she hated it that she couldn't do more.
Hati stepped into the elevator with a small murmur of appreciation that she had gotten the hint, his taller frame stooping low as the wolf racked his head for something that would help the awkward silence dissipate, "Managed to do much with your place yet? I installed a vault in mine... not much else~"
"Home cinema system, proper sound systems, tool racks, you name it," Lynn answered with a faint breath, punching in the number, doors sliding shut and carrying her to the right floor. "Why a vault?" She asked with a faint smile.
"Never been one for going outside unless I had to... tad of paranoia I suppose~ was mostly to keep my gear safe in the event anybody broke in~" Hati huffed, pulling his hood a little closer before using his thumb to pop each of his knuckles in sequence, "...though I won't be needing any of that for a while now will I?"
"Fair enough," Lynn chimed, before glancing over at Hati, exhaling a soft breath - she wanted to bump shoulders, though ma'aged to stop herself just in time. Instead opting for a faint smile. "You gotta heal - else it's going to leave scars, y'know," she answered. A tad more somber than he might've expected. Then again, that was something she was actually experienced with. Then again, he couldn't know. No one couldn't - she refused to let others see that.
With a soft chime, the doors of the elevator slid open and Lynn walked out, letting out a soft breath.
"Physical scars... I can work around to living with..." Hati half-agreed as his synthetic hand twitched a little before he gripped it around the wrist, almost willing the thing to stay still with a sigh, "I'm just taking the internal ones one day at a time... that's all I can do for now~ I don't want it to be a burden for others to bare," he finished with a small cough.
"That's why I didn't specify," Lynn answered with a soft sigh. Offering him a faint smile. About to offer a hand she personally wouldn't accept. Though she could always try - maybe Hati found it more acceptable; "Well, it's something you shouldn't shoulder alone - that's dangerous," she concluded with a soft breath as she slid her key card through the electronic lock, pushing it open. "Doesn't mean I want to force you to open that up. Just... When you feel ready. You may not want that - but others do. I want to help you carry it."
Hati looked into her eyes for a moment, maybe seeing a hint of something familiar in the Jane that she'd see right back if she looked deep enough into the inky darkness of Hati's bright red eyes, he offered a simple, "We'll see~" as they entered her apartment, pondering on how ironic it would be if Fenrir's prized hunting dog would be his own downfall - proof at least that he was a killer until the end if nothing else.
"Your place is nice," he complimented the slightly cluttered living space but it was a welcome change to the sterile environment he now lived in, spending free time keeping it clean for his secretive carer though truley wanting it to just become a den he could hide away in.
"Nah," Lynn answered. "Not today - not tomorrow, but at one point, you'll have to confront it," she answered with a sad smile. Before moving on from the topic. Tossing her key card in a bowl by the door. "Thanks~" She chimed, moving into the appartement. Going to gather a vest and put it on - hoping she'd be in time for Hati to not notice the scars. "So - anything you wanted to do in particular, or just be left in silence? I'm fine with whatever," she added with a smile.
"It wouldn't be right to come into your home and make you suffer my awkward silence... give me a moment and I'll think of something~" Hati spoke, clearly a little lost in his own head as the wolf moved to run his hand across the surface of Lynn's imperfect workbench with an appreciative murmur as he looked away from her, "I'll understand if you are against it, my appearance as of late is somewhat... discomforting... but do you mind if I remove my hood now that we are behind closed doors?"
"If that's what you want, I don't mind at all," she answered with a gentle smile, before shrugging. "Just got to know, that's all," she added, offering a comforting smile before sauntering over to the fridge. Pulling out a bottle of pop and taking a swig. "Not at all," she added with a faint smile. "I don't really care about all that, so don't worry about that, alright?"
"I believe you, Lynn~" Hati murmured out before his hood was peeled back - from behind Lynn couldn't see much but his usual mess of raven hair and two half-flopped canid ears, the base of his neck obscured by the bunched up hood until Hati turned around slowly to face her. Maybe what was once a proud creature was now hidden behind a mess of uneven skin held together by jagged scars at every which angle, leading to small patches of his eyebrows missing and a slightly cleft lip that revealed hints of one fang, with more angry tendrils worming up his thin neck - upon closer inspection it seemed like some of the hairs of his fringe had white roots beginning to sneak into their dark pigment and a few notches were missing out of his ears.
"I... understand if you wish to go back on your word - I'll think no less of you for it~" he murmured expectantly, eyes falling to the floor out of shame.
She was shocked, true. And somewhat appaled, who wouldn't be upon looking at the ragged shell of a man he'd become. Though the shock turned to concern - and if the Fenrir clone ever had motherly instincts, this was the time they awoke. She only offered a smile and shook her head. About to say something along the lines of 'poor thing', she knew it wouldn't help. Biting her lip to hold back, instead she opted for; "As I said, it's fine," offering a faint smile to go with it. "If you need something for the pain, let me know," she added, the smile growing ever so slightly in warmth - the shock by now had already completely faded. Only understanding and warmth was read on her face.
Hati had half a mind to pull the hood back up and pretend it never happened, but he saw the look in her eyes and knew his ghastly visage had been burnt into her brain - it would be a lost cause, so instead he just nodded out a response of, "I'm managing... but I'll keep it in mind~" as he scratched at one of the bigger scars momentarily before continuing.
"I'd be down to play something if this... stump had any sort of co-ordination... know of any good movies?" the broken wolf asked, avoiding direct eye contact with Lynn as much for her peace of mind as his own.
Lynn saw the look on his face and exhaled a soft breath. "Hey - I just wanna add this before we put it to rest. It's fine, alright? Don't worry about it." She offered with a concerned frown before pushing herself up again. And as promised, it was the last she'd say over it. The frown had already passed as she moved over to the sofa, settling herself down. Making sure her sleeves were in order before her projector screen scrolled down. "Depends - got anything in particular you wanna watch?"
Hati moved to sit on the couch next to her, knees being hugged up to his chest as the tail could be seen uncoiling from one thigh and then wrapping around the other beneath his baggy pants - one of the drawstrings for his hood being held in the wolf's mouth anxiously before he answered, "Something light... no kids stuff - but y'know~" he spoke between gritted teeth, tongue idly fiddling with the metal stopper at the end.
Lynn gave Hati a soft smile, folding her hands behind her head. "I've got some good comedies here - or some tragically bad rom-coms," she answered with a soft smile. "That a good choice?" She offered with a faint chuckle. "Oh- uh... Shit, sorry - bad host. You want something to drink, or a snack or summin'?"
"I can get myself something while you pick a movie~ where do you keep your glasses?" Hati asked as he began getting up off the couch, everyone told him he should be taking it easy while he recovered but he'd lost so much that this small bit of dependence was one of the few things he still had control over.
"Sure thing - clean glasses in the dishwasher, snacks in utmost left upper cupboard," she answered as she rifled through the movies. Humming as the opening credits started - pausing it and waiting for Hati.
Lynn ducked her head as the metal hand came flying across the room - smacking against her actual TV, shattering the glass. Though the Fenrir clone didn't seem to give two shits about the TV. Leaping over the sofa, she slipped on her knees over. Hesitant at first - before resting a soft hand on Hati's shoulder. "I'm-... I'm gonna hold you, alright?" Lynn murmured as she bit her lip. Fighting back the tears as she carefully pulled Hati up. Pulling him on her lap as she held him close - softly sushing the Fenrir clone. "I'm sorry-..." She murmured under her breath.
He tensed up at first but resisted little beyond that as Fenrir's wolf collapsed onto her lap, his red eyes burning through the thin, pale skin of his eyelids as tears streamed down Hati's ruined cheeks - the now-vacant sleeve of his stumped arm growing damp with a small bit of blood as Hati cried into his sister's lap, "I hate it Lynn... I hate it all!" he choked out between spluttering breaths, skin feeling almost painfully hot as Hati broke into a small coughing fit.
Lynn just kept sushing Hati, peppering soft kisses against the side of his head as he sobbed. Closing her eyes as she felt her cheeks growing samp with tears. Though not before noting the bleeding - with practiced ease and just one arm, she flicked her jacket off. Softly wrapping it around the stump to limit bleeding. "I know," she sushed. "I know, I know," she stammered - her own breath hitching as she couldn't help but tear up. If anything, the scars on her wrists would be more than obvious now if Hati opened his eyes.
As Hati's anger began to lessen to just pure sadness, the wolf's eyes lessened their glow and his skin cooled rapidly enough to cause him to shiver in her embrace, now just crying with small whimpers of defeat leaving his complex vocal cords, tears staining Lynn's lap, "I..." he didn't know quite what to say first, there were so many thoughts rushing through his mind as Hati's eyes slowly fluttered open with tears streaming from the corners.
"There's no coming back for me, Lynn... Hati is dead..." he cried out, vision blurred by tears before his eyes squeezed shut again, the scared and broken pup shaking in her lap - bleeding seeming to have stopped either through Lynn's quick action or from the boy's complicated physiological makeup.
Lynn opened her eyes again, giving him a soft squeeze - noting how the bleeding stopped again. She lowered the jacket again and slapped it around Hati's form, before pulling him close again. Still softly sushing under her breath - though sobs were laced through her own sushing. "No-... He's down there-... You're down there," she whispered softly. Before swallowing thickly. Leaning back ever so slightly to look him in the eyes. "We're Fenrir clones, Hati," she murmured. "We fought to become who we are - and we'll fight to stay that way," she offered him a faint smile. Though tears straining her cheeks as she smiled. "If you're too exhausted to go on fighting - I'll continue. It's hard-... It's so..." She felt herself slowly collapsing - mentality gently crumbling as she hugged him tighter again. Reduced to a silent sobbing.
He stayed huddled against her for a while, the occasional cough perforating his tears until Hati's tearducts stung and they couldn't give anymore - just some gentle sobbing against the purple-eyed clone's chest until the wolf sniffed, "...I'm sorry about the glass~" he whimpered, fighting as hard as he could to not break down again.
Lynn seemed to have become as silent as Hati - having completely curled around him with the ocassional sob from her. Clinging onto Hati for dear life. After all, he was the only thing that kept her down to earth. And not break down completely herself. Lynn stirred herself from a rather comatose - lost in thought state as Hati spoke up. She offered a faint, sobbing chuckle. "Dont-... Worry about it," she answered. "It's just a glass, you're way more important," she promised with hitched breath.
"I... I'm in fucking shambles~" he blinked a few times, voice low and sounding worn-out as Hati's skeletal hand found Lynn's wrist under the jacket and gripped firm, acting as if the gunmetal-grey-haired Jane was a lifeline, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment more before springing open again.
"I-..." Lynn bit her lip, giving Hati's hand a soft squeeze. Before slowly turning it around - there were a lot of reasons why she didn't want to do what she was about to do. But with a soft breath, she gave another soft squeeze on Hati's hand. "So have I-..." She murmured, letting out a pained sob. "Ever... Since waking u-..." Another soft sob as she swallowed thickly. "I-... I know how it feels- Not how you feel-... But just... What it is," she murmured softly. "The pain-... The self-hatred-... I-... I'm sorry-... Hati, I... I'm so sorry," she sobbed between breaths, dipping her head lower.
Hati let his thin fingers interlock with Lynn's butchered ones as the top of his head nuzzled a little into her neck a little more, an equally thick swallow coming from the broken pup before he spoke up "I... I've seen it in your eyes... and I'm so so sorry I never knew what it was until today~" he offered with a throaty whisper, sitting up a little straighter in her lap and turning around to rest his forehead against hers.
"I... how do you go on... with this eating away at you?" he asked bluntly, words still more than a little shaky as his hand squeezed a little firmer.
Lynn exhaled a shakey breath as he apologized, before shaking her head. "I've-... Been hiding it for so long-... I don't want anyone as miserable as me. Not you-... Not Jacky nor Talos, not Spark - no one deserves this." She admitted with another sobbing chuckle. Taking a deep nasal breath. A hitch to her voice. "I-... I don't-... Know," she admitted. "If it wasn't for Lexi-... If it wasn't for Tal or J... If it wasn't for you needing pickup today - I-... I'd be dangling from a rope right about now." She gave Hati's body a careful squeeze.
"It's-... For everyone else-... That I'm still here," she stammered. Offering a suprisingly warm smile as tears began to stream down her cheeks. It was the first time she had actually cried, it felt relieving. The clone heaved a soft sigh. "That's why-... Don't... Don't be as stupid as me-... Confide in other people," her voice seemed to crack up as she spoke. "Before you're at a place you-... You-..." The rest of the sentence was lost as she was reduced to a soft sobbing again.
It made sense to him... to do it for others when you couldn't find worth nor reason to do it for yourself... to do it for others, "I get it... not exactly... I get where you are coming from~" he admitted, a single tear running down one of the particuarly deep scars of his face, they were still rather raw and it stung like a bitch, but this numbness from the current conversation helped work past that.
"Lynn, I... if I'm going to do this, then I need you to do something for me~"
A breath of relief left the clone as Hati understood what she wanted to portray. She sucked in a soft, hitched breath to steady herself, before letting it out equally as shakey. "You-... Eh~... You name it," she answered, attempting to put on a grin and a brave face. Even though she came clean, the Jane clone seemed to still hold on to her 'fake it till you make it' routine.
Hati swallowed thickly, his eyes shut as the taste of Sarah's rifle wafted back through his mind before being pushed aside in favour of more conversation with Lynn, "Two.. things~ you need to not shut me out and not pretend this never happened..." he spoke with a shaky voice, a long sigh leaving his lop-sided lips as they bent into an oddly amused smirk, his hand passing through the space where his left hand would have been... where he could still feel it ball into a fist.
"...and I need claws~"
Lynn exhaled a soft breath as she nodded softly. "The first-... I'll try- I've just been-... Fuck-... Hiding it for so long, it's just," she swallowed slowly. "It's second-... Nature, it's why I," she stopped herself - knowing full well Hati'd understand what she meant. "Second - easy fuckin' peasy," she answered with a faint chuckle. Her lip quivering ever so slightly as she closed her eyes again.
Hati nodded in silent agreement against her brow before his head moved back onto his haunches slightly to give the Jane a bit of space to breathe, "...what do you need from me?" he asked, clearly unnerved as to what the answer might be but fully committing to whatever he'd just dragged himself into - in his mind, in the most primal corners of his gene-blended brain, it would be a trade of equal and opposite worth.
"Talk about it-... To people," Lynn huffed out with a soft breath. Moving a hand up to grasp at his shoulder - offering a faint smile. "Don't allow it to drag on like I did." She let out a shakey breath. "It's a dark place... And it gets more difficult each fucking day that passes. And... Talk to me - if you need to..." She swallowed thickly. "Don't-... Leave me in the dark."
"It's still so visceral and fresh... I~" Hati began as his gaze fell to the floor out of shame, an inhale and strong exhale through his nose before the wolf spoke again, "...it will take time... but~ I'll try my best... I'm sorry but that's all I can do for now~" he apologised, another tear running down that deep scar under his eye.
"I-... Didn't mean immediately - just... Y'know," she answered, before nuzzling the side of his head carefully. "That's... All I needed to hear," she answered with a soft chuckle, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Alright?"
"Alright~" he nodded before slowly rising to a stand, offering Lynn his still-gripped hand to help her stand up before Hati's left sleeve flopped to the side a bit, "I... it's hard to ask for a hug with one hand~" he offered with a sad chuckle.
Lynn grasped at his hand and slowly pulled herself up, pulling him into a gentle hug into one swift motion. Softly patting his back. "So-... You wanna see that horrible movie-... Or just hug for a bit longer?" She asked with a faint breath. Smiling faintly as she did.
Hati still hated the feeling of somebody pressing their body against his... but he owed her at least the gesture as they hugged, his malnourished body squirming a little under her grasp, "Movie... I just kind of need to not think for a bit~" he spoke somewhat apologetically, hoping she'd understand.
Lynn nodded softly, feeling as he squirmed a little - she let go of him as soon as she felt it, even. Offering a faint smile and wiping her tears as she moved back to the sofa, rewinding the movie back to the start - letting out a soft breath. Starting the movie as soon as Hati joined her on the couch.
"Ah~" Hati murmured as he sat back down on the couch, re-adopting his curled-up posture while observing the cracked television, "I am sorry about that too~ I'll see about getting a replacement tomorrow~" he winced a little before eyes settled on the generic prosthetic he'd been given.
"Nah - don't worry about it," she answered with a shrug. "I've still got my projector screen and-... Y'know, it's not the first one that broke. I'm pretty sure it'll fall under warranty," she added with a faint grin. Leaning back in her seat. "Let's-... Retry that. You want something to drink, or a snack or something?"
Hati nodded though still felt bad about the whole ordeal, "Just water please... and please mind the glass~ I'd hate for you to get your feet all cut up~"
"Huh, right," Lynn got up again as she shrugged. "I'll just clean those up now, or maybe either of us steps in it if we wanna get a drink at night." Lynn answered as she got to her feet - moving to swiftly to get a broom and a vacuum cleaner - cleaning up in under five minutes. Joining back next to Hati just a few seconds after with a new glass of water, handing it over with a gentle smile. "Here'ya go."
"Thank you~" Hati murmured before taking a few sips, an appreciative little sigh before he began speaking with a less hoarse throat, "You're... making me stay the night then?" he queried, taking another few small sips with a furrowed brow.
"You-... Did say you wanted to crash here, nah?" Lynn answered with a soft breath as she glanced over at the jacket she left on the floor, sighing with a shrug. Glancing back at the TV. Hati knew what she scars were, so she didn't really need to hide them. "Hey-... Uhm, you mind if I... Get more comfortable?"
"If I stay I'll have to... make a call but uh, go ahead I guess - it's just me~" Hati reciprocated as his furrow increased a little, not really recalling whether or not he had specified it, "You don't think your boyfriend will mind? me just popping out of the blue like this... boyfriend is the right term, yeah?"
"Huh - then I misunderstood," she murmured. "Well yeah - no sweat if you wanna go home," she answered with a soft breath. Leaning back to pull the baggy pants down, revealing her sculpted legs as she tossed the pants over her shoulder. "Yeah - I can drop you off if you wanna," she added with a faint smile. "Just let me know when." Though exhaling a soft breath, she gave an awkward chuckle. "I-... Honestly don't know. We haven't really... Y'know, gotten together. Just want to get to know eachother properly. And-... Uhmm, well. 'boy' isn't entirely applicable, y'know."
Hati offered a semi-understanding nod, having pulled his hood back up to retreat into its shadowy depths for comfort when Lynn was cleaning up, "Does he live here?" the wolf asked bluntly, still a little fuzzy on that.
"Uh-... No, they live next door," she answered with a faint shrug. Leaning back into the sofa. "Just for a few weeks, then he's... Well, back off to galactic horizon's HQ." She sucked in a soft breath. "So... I don't know entirely whether we're actually... Y'know, an item."
"Just ask him... her... them? just ask Lexi - easiest way I suppose~" Hati mused with a bit of confusion before letting out a sigh of relief upon finding out it was just Lynn here, "I guess I'll stay the night then - my sleeping meds are pretty heavy if you two decide to... you know," the wolf shook his head with a shudder, settling further into the corner of the couch, his red eyes adopting a green hue as the Geist overlay was brought up.
"You can start the movie... I'll be quick~"
"No-... No, no, no," Lynn answered with a faint breath. "Like - I wouldn't. I'm not like that, not while I'm having someone over," she added with a faint chuckle. "You can just take my bed - I'll change the sheets, y'know. Don't want you to sleep in my stink," she answered with a soft smile. "Alright, sure," she answered - the movie starting via mental command.
"I was kidding~" Hati answered bluntly before something unseen by Lynn took his attention, a few small eye movements and expression changes later the green tint fell away from his eyes and a huff left his chest, "Really, you don't need to... olfactory sensors aren't too keen lately, haven't smelt much in a while~" he explained, tail slipping out the back of his pants to rest limply on the couch, black fur dotted with a few missing patches and split ends but seemed otherwise healthy.
"Oh-... Well, yeah, still," she bit her lip softly. Glancing over at Hati's facial twitches. Before letting out a soft hum. "Everything-... Uhm alright? With the call, y'know." She added, before exhaling a soft breath. Before nodding. "Well yeah, I'd say it isn't really much work, but I'm kinda lazy. I don't mind either way, you decide," she added with a gentle smile.
"Trust me, it's better for us both if I just take the couch~ and the call was fine... just took some convincing~" he nodded before looking back to the movie, finding it hard to focus too much on what was happening, "I insist... it's your house, don't sacrifice anything for me~"
"Welll~..." Lynn started as she huffed out a soft breath. "I'm... Not too good a sleeper. I often sleep in the sofa watching TV, so y'know," she softly scratched her nose. "I'd hate to wake you up doing so. I can still change the sheets, offer still stands," she assured as she too glanced back at the projector. The movie had been going on for several minutes now, showing the scene of the protagonist, Steve, just a normal person at a cash register. And his potential love interest - a Nekovalkyrja that seemed way out of his league.
"Sleep where you normally would and I'll take the other... please, Lynn~" he was now looking across to her, big red eyes almost pleading her as they glowed slightly against the shadows under his hood.
"That's the thing," she answered with a faint breath. "It's kind of a coin toss, to be honest," she answered, before shrugging again. "Well, you can take the sofa, I guess. But I can't promise I'm gonna stay in my bedroom," she offered Hati a sidelong gla'ce and a gentle smile. "Does that work?"
"I guess~ I take my meds and I'm out for eight hours anyway, so whatever happens happens after that," he shrugged, trying to focus on the movie once more before finding that he still couldn't manage it, "Does the couch at least fold out? give some more realestate if you do crash on it with me?"
Lynn gave a curt nod. "Alright," she answered with a soft breath. Before giving a gentle chuckle. "Yeah it does - there's a handle o' your side," she answered, before offering another gentle smile. The musical intro of the music started to play, offering cheesy freeze frames of the cast with the actor's names under their character aliases.
He gently reached down to tug at the handle with some effort before the couch's legrests sprang up under his feet, a small moment of visible shock at how fast they'd popped up before the wolf settled back down into it with a small sigh, "Do you know if anybody visited me when I was out cold? the Nurse I had wouldn't tell me..."
Lynn raised her feet as Hati went to pull the small lever, legrestd popping forward as he did. "Uhrm.. I haven't seen anyone when I came to visit you," she answered, scratching the back of her head. "Well, Jacky did a few times that I know off - she was with me, but other than that, well," she exhaled a soft breath. "I'm sure there were other people, but I kinda work weird shifts, y'know."
"I don't blame them, honestly... I haven't been the most approachable person~" Hati breathed out as he abandoned watching the movie all together and focused instead on looking at the ceiling with a soft sigh, "Thank you, though... I really do appreciate it- it means a lot to me~"
Lynn shook her head, before shrugging. "Family's family, besides," she glanced at Hati as he spoke again, before shrugging. "It's nothing, really. I'm... Y'know, glad I can make a difference." She answered, before offering a soft sigh. "As I wanted to say, there's several people I've always looked up to, you're one of 'em."
Hati said nothing, he simply looked across to Lynn and although a lot of his face was obscured by shadows, she could tell one eyebrow was cocked curiously.
Lynn took note of his quizzical expressions, before shrugging. "Out of the entire batch - I feel like I'm the most useless," she answered with a faint breath. "I'm... Not strong, not brave like you or Spark... Or Tal... Or Jacky, I'm just... A nerd that fixes shit and talks big game, y'know."
"I... appreciate the kind words... but I'm really not someone you should look up to~" Hati spoke with a deadpan expression, another small sip from his glass of water before Fenrir's wolf continued, "...there's much kinder things to be said about someone with your technical mind than there is about a weapon working as intended, killers are never remembered in a good light~" he finished, lack of inflection showing just how much Hati believed his own words.
"Well," Lynn leaned back with a soft sigh. "I won't remember you a killer - nor do I give a fuck about what anyone else thinks," the grey-haired woman added with a shrug. "You're not just a weapon working as intended - even though you might think that way," she shook her head. "That's not what I admire, y'know."
"I don't know where else you might be looking then, because there's not much more to me," Hati huffed, deciding he may as well hear her out.
"As I said before," Lynn shrugged. "You're strong, brave - cool," she answered with a soft huff. "I'm none of those, so, yeah. I admire that. Besides, just a 'weapon working as intended' wouldn't struggle like you're doing now - hell, if you really were that, you'd give zero shits or less about me," she added with a faint chuckle.
Hati's eyes flicked down to the ground, a short moment of contemplation before he let out a defeated sigh and a few small nods, "Whether I want to admit it or not is another question, but I do hate it when somebody else is right~" the scarred wolf chuckled slightly before wincing, falling back into the seat a little further.
"You're not so bad yourself, Lynn... but I guess we both have difficulty seeing ourselves in a mirror without wiping away the self imposed smudges," he continued, a small cough against his hand before Hati finished, "You're pretty cool yourself, sis, wouldn't be here if you weren't~"
"...Everyone's babying me so much at the moment... but, you're a breath of fresh air. I almost believe you~"
"That almost sounds like you admitting," Lynn answered with a breathy chuckle. Before shrugging. "Yeah, I guess we both have that impairment, so I'll take your word on being 'pretty cool'," she added, giving Hati a sidelong glance and a gentle smile. "And- Ehm... Well, y'know. I'm worried - but I know how that shit goes. I'm here to listen and understand, not to make false promises that it's going to be alright." She added with a soft sigh.
"I'm not saying their concerns aren't warranted, it's perfectly understandable and all that but - eh, never been much of a people person, so having all these people reassuring me about things they couldn't possibly guarantee gets awfully tiresome~" he reciprocated with another sigh, red eyes returning to his sibling slowly.
"Yeah," was all Lynn could answer, letting out a soft breath. "I know it's shit, but, y'know. I'll try not to fuss over you myself too much," she added. "I kinda... Y'know, as I said, worry. But I know some space is sometimes needed with this."
"I appreciate it... I'm stubborn as shit, and I feel like you're one of the few people I'd listen to~" Hati smirked a little as a brief flicker of happiness graced his hollow red eyes.
"Uh, Lynn? odd request~ can I rest my head on your lap...?"
"Appreciate it," Lynn retorted with a faint grin. Propping her hands up behind her back with a soft breath. Before glancing over to Hati. A faint blush forming on her cheeks. "Uhm-... Yeah, yeah, sure," she answered, recovering from the surprise with a gentle and surprisingly warm smile.
"I just... I am part canid, and I suppose that only really shows itself in the extremes of my emotional spectrum," he nodded out of appreciation, slowly shuffling along the couch a little to stiffly lower his hooded head onto the grey-haired clone's lap with a content sigh as Hati's pale cheek squished against Lynn's thigh.
"Thankyou~"
"Yeah- no worries," Lynn murmured with a faint smile.Passing a glance to the head on her lap, the smile widening momentarily before it faded again as she focussed on the projector screen once more. "If you-... Uh, want me to pet you or summin', just ask," she added with yet another murmur.
Hati let out a smirk under his breath as he let his eyelids slip shut, cheek nuzzling slightly against his sister's warm lap before speaking, "Up to you... I used to be fussy and only let Neera or Mum touch them... funnily enough they're the feature I'm the least uncomfortable about people touching lately," he admitted, briefly scratching at his nose before falling back into silence.
"Well, no," Lynn murmured with a faint chuckle. "That's up to you - if you're not comfortable with it, say so. If you want it - same thing," she added, shuffling slightly under Hati's head, clearing her throat momentarily.
"I'm saying you can if you want to~" Hati spoke sternly, scraping his throat for a second before settling back in.
"And I'm asking if you want me to, silly~" Lynn hummed in response, a faint giggle escaping her lips.
"Mrrrhh~ forget it, whatever~" He growled a little though less out of hatred and more just slight annoyance as the boy's breath rolled across Lynn's lap.
The Jane clone did as instructed - forgetting about it. A brief moment of silence as she focussed on the screen again. Though after a minute or two, she lowered one hand to rest just behind his ear, softly ruffling against the cloth of his hoodie.
"Was that so hard to decide for yourself?" Hati queried with what felt like a small grin against Lynn's thigh, the ear being scratched twitching faintly beneath the black hood as a truly content sigh left his crooked maw before the wolf spoke again, "Your technique... it reminds me of what Mum used to do~" he sniffed a little before a low yowl left the dark haired clone's hood, his one working hand gripping onto Lynn's leg gently.
"Somewhat - went out on a limb," Lynn answered - not entirely too aware it may've been a poor choice of words on her part. She glanced down at Hati as he spoke again, however, arching an eyebrow softly. "You-... Ehrm-... Want me to stop? Or is that a good thing?" She asked whilst giving the fabric another soft ruffle, though somewhat questioning, as she waited for Hati to answer.
"Oh no, no please... it's nice... I~" he really wanted to say more, but Hati was a creature bound by his word if nothing else, so the hand just gripped a little tighter into the sporty muscle of Lynn's thigh with a huff, "...it's nice, that's all~"
"Alright," Lynn answered with a soft huff, gently continuing to ruffle against the cloth of Hati's hoodie, letting out a soft, content murmur under her breath. Maybe even relieved that she hadn't made another faux pas.
There was a stretch of silence as Hati watched the movie, clearing his throat during a scene transition from the main character's apartment to a sewer and taking that as an opportunity to speak, "I don't care how little our blood has in common, Lynn, I'm glad we're family and I'm just sorry I've been kind of non-existent until now... I am~"
"Eh," Lynn answered with a shrug. "Blood composition be damned - we're siblings. That's what matters," she added with a faint chuckle. "I'm glad you're here now. Though sadly the circumstance ain't better," she added, heaving a soft sigh as she trailed a finger over the fabric, before patting softly - rubbing once more.
"We deal the hand we're dealt... though we're Pines, we'll just have to tough it out~" he murmured sleepily, eyelids feeling awfully heavy though he continued to fight it off, "Well, we got there in the end I suppose, guess that counts for something."
"Yeah," Lynn mused. "We're in for the ride - whether we want or not," she added with a soft sigh, glancing down at Hati, before glancing back at the TV. Humming out a soft breath.
"Looking forward to~" he paused momentarily for a quiet yawn, a few soft murmurs as Hati relaxed fully into Lynn's lap, feeling safe enough with the gunmetal-haired clone to let his eyes slowly drift shut, maybe catch up on some of the sleep that had been evading him the past few days, "...to spending more time with you, Lynn~"
"Yeah, same," Lynn answered with a soft ruffle again, before gently stroking the cloth of his hood, feeling her own eyelids growing heavy, the clone slowly removed her spectacles, laying them to the side folded shut. "Let's just take it as it comes, hm."
"Mhm~" the wolf groggily agreed as he felt himself begin to slip away, a small content murmur leaving his hood with a final, "love you, sis~" before light snoring followed suit.
Lynn repocricated a murmur that sounded something like 'love you too', before resting her head back as her eyes slid shut as well.
He was a very different person, tail coiled tightly around one leg nervously as his lupine ears hid under the boy's hood, small scars not obscured by the shadows his hood cast and the hints of tan-coloured plastic furnishings on his prosthetic arm only a hint of all the pain and suffering he had been through.
A ragged breath left Hati's maw as one foot tapped against the ground rhythmically, his usual ride wasn't able to pick him up this time and seeing as the young wolf was currently deemed 'at risk' by more than a few reputable specialists in trauma counselling and mental health him driving himself was completely out of the question.
It was what it was, and he wasn't in any shape to argue it.
Neon glanced up from her magazine as the door clicked open, seeing the skinny, hooded man walk out - their therapist mentioning she'd see her soon. Which the vibrantly hair-coloured woman answered with a nod, eyes befalling Hati briefly, before she continued reading. As the door shut, another one opened. Lynn stepped in, a mess of baggy clothes, keys in her hand. "Hati?" She questioned, offering a gentle smile, pushing her glasses up. "Let's go," she murmured to the wolf, holding the door for him. "Sorry if I'm not too presentable... Kinda short notice, y'know." Lynn answered - having done her best to clean herself up. She hadn't expected the call and didn't really have anything planned for the day, so she wore her usual casual outfit, not even bothering for a bra - which was rather obvious through the long-sleeved shirt.
Hati's head dipped back to watch the brightly-coloured woman momentarily, an odd scent befalling his nose though the wolf's olfactory sensors were still muddied and felt blocked, something that'd take a bit longer to bring up to scratch - a small huff left his lips before he turned back to offer Lynn a faint nod, "It's fine, really - I'm sorry you had to pick me up at all," came his hollow words as the wolf moved to exit the building with her, shoulders slumped slightly and neck drooping forwards.
Lynn moved through the doors, glancing over at Hati as he spoke. She bit her lip momentarily. Spinning on her feet fully to face Hati, she pulled the poor thing into a careful embrace. "I'm glad to," she huffed softly. Swallowing thickly to fight the tears back. "Just don't scare me like that, y'know," she murmured.
Even through the thick insulating material of the hoodie it was pretty easy to feel his ribcage sticking through, Hati tensed up slightly with a faint gasp before patting Lynn's forearm with his boney hand, "I don't plan on it... I apologize for worrying you but trust me... I don't think I have the capacity to go through something like that again," he reassured her bluntly, offering a weak excuse of a faint smile before breaking away from her embrace.
Lynn stepped back with a nod, moving over to her Hound, unlocking it remotely as she glanced over at Hati. "Good-... Just, y'know... Know that you can always come to my place," she added. "If you wanna talk, or just come 'n chill, not even need to talk," she offered with a soft breath, pulling open the door and stepping in. Glancing over at Hati when he came to sit next to her. "Alright?"
"I appreciate it~ but I'm sorry these are the circumstances under which we finally spend time together," Hati sighed as he opened the passenger door and hopped in, offering Lynn an appreciative look from those sad, red eyes before Hati moved to grasp at the seatbelt with his artificial hand - mechanical murmurs and whirs as it awkwardly tried to secure the mechanism, a few curses of annoyance under his breath before it finally clicked shut and he leant back in the seat with a huff.
"Eh," Lynn answered with a shrug as she backed out of the parking space, before shifting in first gear and leaving the parking. "I'm glad to be here," she admitted. "Through good or bad - you're still family, y'know. And family sticks with eachother," she explained as she kicked the hound in gear. "And yeah, maybe it can be better circumstance. But y'know," she added with a gentle smile. "Issues with the prosthetic?" Lynn asked with a frown.
Hati nodded faintly, hand gripping onto the sleeve that hid his artificial forearm, moving up to scratch above his elbow before speaking, "They say it's just me aclimatizing to it but... the thing feels so awkward and clunky~ I know I'm never getting the original back but..." Hati swallowed thickly, artificial fist now clenching tightly.
"It's like if they tried fitting us into a suit intended for the other ninety seven of our siblings, it just doesn't work as intended~" he shrugged, pulling the sleeve down over his prosthetic with a sigh.
"Sorry, it's probably annoying to listen to~ what's new with you?" the wolf asked, his hauntingly hollow eyes meeting hers.
"Need me to fix a better one up?" Lynn asked with a soft grin, still focusing on the road. Before exhaling a soft breath. "We're clones - as much as I hate to say it, that's kinda the point." She added, before shrugging again, glancing over at him, offering a soft smile. "But y'know. Fuck that. We're all unique, y'know." Meeting his eyes she felt a soft blush crawl up her cheeks, glancing back at the road. "Yeah- Uhm... I kinda? Have a... Boyfriend?" She states, biting her lip momentarily. Before frowning. "It's kinda weird, y'know. But like, don't worry, it's not bad complicated." She hummed, glancing over at Hati again. "What about you? Who was that weird girl earlier? Y'know her?"
"I know the face, not the name - she always seems to be going in when I'm going out... congrats on finding somebody though~" Hati nodded before his gaze diverted to the floor, rubberized soles of his slip-on shoes kicking around a stray capacitor that must've fallen out of one of Lynn's projects as he was reminded of her technical knowhow.
"...I wouldn't want to bother you for an arm though, I'm probably just being fussy - and you've probably got better things to do with your time," Hati dismissed her offer with a small frown as his tail shifted beneath his pant leg, finding a more comfortable position to sit in for the rest of the car ride.
"Who is he?"
"Huh, she looked kinda odd at you and you at her. Thought you two talked." She answered with a smirk. "Hey - I wouldn't offer if I didn't wanna~" Lynn chimed with a faint hum following. "I enjoy doing that stuff, if I'm helping you even better," the Fenrir clone assured, before biting her lip. "Lexi... Not technically a he - well, technically a he, but, what'cha call it. Trans? It's kinda weird, as I said," she added with a shrug, before swallowing. Feeling a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. "We uhm-... Yeah."
Hati had a look of faint warmth on his face up until that last part made a connection, one that caused the wolf to shiver and take a moment to compose himself before speaking, "Yeah... I mean, whatever floats your boat - I'm not judging..." he murmured with a gulp.
"Uhm, you doing much today? I know I don't have anything on~" he winced suddenly, hand going to support his forehead as a painful ringing began to build in his brain, a grunt of pain before the other hand began rooting around in his pockets hastily.
"Yeah-... No, I just, no clue why I said that," Lynn answered with a faint chuckle. "Just, y'know, keeping the conversation going," she added with a faint shrug. Before casting a concerned glance over at Hati. "You alright? Need me to pull over?" She quested with a soft frown. Ready to put on her indicator on to pull over at the side.
Hati shook his head as his hand produced a small orange bottle of pills, one of which was thrown back into his throat with a dry swallow before the almost-immediate relief hit him - a few panting breaths as Hati threw his head back into the seat exhaustedly, "...sorry, I forgot to take meds when I ate... psychosomatic headache is a bastard of a thing~" he explained before sighing.
"I'll be alright... do you mind if I take you up on that offer of crashing at your place?"
"No sweat," she answered with a soft breath, grasping the steering wheel fully again. "Just making sure you were all good~" Lynn hummed as she took a turn, only nodding. "Yeah, no big," she added. "We can watch a movie or shoot some games or something, or just... Laze about 'n do nothing." The Fenrir clone added with a soft shrug. "I'll be glad to have you~"
The smile from the wolf was a small one, but it was the most genuine one given thus far and full of appreciation as his gaze met Lynn's features, "Will your b-" Hati cut himself off, reconsidering the words, "Partner be there? I wouldn't want to be intruding on anything - I feel like enough of a time-waster as is..."
"Nah, no worries," she answered with a gentle smile, taking yet another turn to get over to her own place, before shrugging. "Even if-... They were," she frowned as she spoke, "I'm sure Lexi would understand if I cancelled. You're no time-waster, you're my brother - you're family," she reassured with a soft bite of her lip. "Hell - I'll change the sheets and you can crash in my bed - I'll take the sofa~
"I appreciate it, Lynn - I'm in some weird place between wanting to hide away and then wanting to not be on my own..." his murmurs trailed off as Hati subconciously gripped at the elbow of his prosthetic once more, a small sigh leaving the lupine clone's lips.
"No need to thank me," Lynn answered as her appartement came in sight. She drew up in the parking lot and exhaled a soft breath, turning the engine off. "Hey uhm-... Ask me for hugs, if y'need," she offered a faint smirk. "I enjoy that."
He nodded and began awkwardly undoing his seatbelt, offering Lynn an apologetic look before speaking, "...I'll keep that in mind but... I'm weird with physical contact at the moment for reasons I'd rather not go into~" his words came out as a slight whimper before Hati broke eye contact shamefully and opened his door, half-sliding off the seat.
Lynn's smile froze, before she bit her lip, breaking eyecontact as well, letting out a soft murmur. "I-... Yeah, I understand. Sorry," the Fenrir clone answered as she got out as well - slamming the door shut and locking the car door, falling into step next to Hati. Unable to think of anything to say. So she just remained silent - heart wrenching as she just considered the possibilities of what he went through.
Hati sniffed once before letting out a long huff, moving around to the front of the car slowly before offering Lynn an apologetic side-long glance, "Don't be... you didn't... do things to me - I just appreciate if people don't go digging for specifics yet, I can't handle the thought of everybody looking at me the way they would if they knew~" he reassured her, trying to tell the shorter clone she had nothing to be sorry for.
"I know-... But y'know, for making you feel uneasy, I didn't mean to," Lynn answered with a soft breath. She scratched the back of her head, before offering Hati a smile. "I don't need to know - but I can promise you I wouldn't at all look differently at you." Lynn assured - it was her turn to do such.
Hati just shook his head and decided it would be better for both parties if they changed topics, "...which floor do you live on?"
"Third," Lynn answered as she just glanced at Hati - part of her just wanted to hold him close, tell him it was going to be alright. But she knew that would only lead to discomfort for him. It wasn't that easy. And she hated being so powerless as he suffered. Though without a word, she stepped into the elevator. That was all she could do - just being there for him. And she hated it that she couldn't do more.
Hati stepped into the elevator with a small murmur of appreciation that she had gotten the hint, his taller frame stooping low as the wolf racked his head for something that would help the awkward silence dissipate, "Managed to do much with your place yet? I installed a vault in mine... not much else~"
"Home cinema system, proper sound systems, tool racks, you name it," Lynn answered with a faint breath, punching in the number, doors sliding shut and carrying her to the right floor. "Why a vault?" She asked with a faint smile.
"Never been one for going outside unless I had to... tad of paranoia I suppose~ was mostly to keep my gear safe in the event anybody broke in~" Hati huffed, pulling his hood a little closer before using his thumb to pop each of his knuckles in sequence, "...though I won't be needing any of that for a while now will I?"
"Fair enough," Lynn chimed, before glancing over at Hati, exhaling a soft breath - she wanted to bump shoulders, though ma'aged to stop herself just in time. Instead opting for a faint smile. "You gotta heal - else it's going to leave scars, y'know," she answered. A tad more somber than he might've expected. Then again, that was something she was actually experienced with. Then again, he couldn't know. No one couldn't - she refused to let others see that.
With a soft chime, the doors of the elevator slid open and Lynn walked out, letting out a soft breath.
"Physical scars... I can work around to living with..." Hati half-agreed as his synthetic hand twitched a little before he gripped it around the wrist, almost willing the thing to stay still with a sigh, "I'm just taking the internal ones one day at a time... that's all I can do for now~ I don't want it to be a burden for others to bare," he finished with a small cough.
"That's why I didn't specify," Lynn answered with a soft sigh. Offering him a faint smile. About to offer a hand she personally wouldn't accept. Though she could always try - maybe Hati found it more acceptable; "Well, it's something you shouldn't shoulder alone - that's dangerous," she concluded with a soft breath as she slid her key card through the electronic lock, pushing it open. "Doesn't mean I want to force you to open that up. Just... When you feel ready. You may not want that - but others do. I want to help you carry it."
Hati looked into her eyes for a moment, maybe seeing a hint of something familiar in the Jane that she'd see right back if she looked deep enough into the inky darkness of Hati's bright red eyes, he offered a simple, "We'll see~" as they entered her apartment, pondering on how ironic it would be if Fenrir's prized hunting dog would be his own downfall - proof at least that he was a killer until the end if nothing else.
"Your place is nice," he complimented the slightly cluttered living space but it was a welcome change to the sterile environment he now lived in, spending free time keeping it clean for his secretive carer though truley wanting it to just become a den he could hide away in.
"Nah," Lynn answered. "Not today - not tomorrow, but at one point, you'll have to confront it," she answered with a sad smile. Before moving on from the topic. Tossing her key card in a bowl by the door. "Thanks~" She chimed, moving into the appartement. Going to gather a vest and put it on - hoping she'd be in time for Hati to not notice the scars. "So - anything you wanted to do in particular, or just be left in silence? I'm fine with whatever," she added with a smile.
"It wouldn't be right to come into your home and make you suffer my awkward silence... give me a moment and I'll think of something~" Hati spoke, clearly a little lost in his own head as the wolf moved to run his hand across the surface of Lynn's imperfect workbench with an appreciative murmur as he looked away from her, "I'll understand if you are against it, my appearance as of late is somewhat... discomforting... but do you mind if I remove my hood now that we are behind closed doors?"
"If that's what you want, I don't mind at all," she answered with a gentle smile, before shrugging. "Just got to know, that's all," she added, offering a comforting smile before sauntering over to the fridge. Pulling out a bottle of pop and taking a swig. "Not at all," she added with a faint smile. "I don't really care about all that, so don't worry about that, alright?"
"I believe you, Lynn~" Hati murmured out before his hood was peeled back - from behind Lynn couldn't see much but his usual mess of raven hair and two half-flopped canid ears, the base of his neck obscured by the bunched up hood until Hati turned around slowly to face her. Maybe what was once a proud creature was now hidden behind a mess of uneven skin held together by jagged scars at every which angle, leading to small patches of his eyebrows missing and a slightly cleft lip that revealed hints of one fang, with more angry tendrils worming up his thin neck - upon closer inspection it seemed like some of the hairs of his fringe had white roots beginning to sneak into their dark pigment and a few notches were missing out of his ears.
"I... understand if you wish to go back on your word - I'll think no less of you for it~" he murmured expectantly, eyes falling to the floor out of shame.
She was shocked, true. And somewhat appaled, who wouldn't be upon looking at the ragged shell of a man he'd become. Though the shock turned to concern - and if the Fenrir clone ever had motherly instincts, this was the time they awoke. She only offered a smile and shook her head. About to say something along the lines of 'poor thing', she knew it wouldn't help. Biting her lip to hold back, instead she opted for; "As I said, it's fine," offering a faint smile to go with it. "If you need something for the pain, let me know," she added, the smile growing ever so slightly in warmth - the shock by now had already completely faded. Only understanding and warmth was read on her face.
Hati had half a mind to pull the hood back up and pretend it never happened, but he saw the look in her eyes and knew his ghastly visage had been burnt into her brain - it would be a lost cause, so instead he just nodded out a response of, "I'm managing... but I'll keep it in mind~" as he scratched at one of the bigger scars momentarily before continuing.
"I'd be down to play something if this... stump had any sort of co-ordination... know of any good movies?" the broken wolf asked, avoiding direct eye contact with Lynn as much for her peace of mind as his own.
Lynn saw the look on his face and exhaled a soft breath. "Hey - I just wanna add this before we put it to rest. It's fine, alright? Don't worry about it." She offered with a concerned frown before pushing herself up again. And as promised, it was the last she'd say over it. The frown had already passed as she moved over to the sofa, settling herself down. Making sure her sleeves were in order before her projector screen scrolled down. "Depends - got anything in particular you wanna watch?"
Hati moved to sit on the couch next to her, knees being hugged up to his chest as the tail could be seen uncoiling from one thigh and then wrapping around the other beneath his baggy pants - one of the drawstrings for his hood being held in the wolf's mouth anxiously before he answered, "Something light... no kids stuff - but y'know~" he spoke between gritted teeth, tongue idly fiddling with the metal stopper at the end.
Lynn gave Hati a soft smile, folding her hands behind her head. "I've got some good comedies here - or some tragically bad rom-coms," she answered with a soft smile. "That a good choice?" She offered with a faint chuckle. "Oh- uh... Shit, sorry - bad host. You want something to drink, or a snack or summin'?"
"I can get myself something while you pick a movie~ where do you keep your glasses?" Hati asked as he began getting up off the couch, everyone told him he should be taking it easy while he recovered but he'd lost so much that this small bit of dependence was one of the few things he still had control over.
"Sure thing - clean glasses in the dishwasher, snacks in utmost left upper cupboard," she answered as she rifled through the movies. Humming as the opening credits started - pausing it and waiting for Hati.
Lynn ducked her head as the metal hand came flying across the room - smacking against her actual TV, shattering the glass. Though the Fenrir clone didn't seem to give two shits about the TV. Leaping over the sofa, she slipped on her knees over. Hesitant at first - before resting a soft hand on Hati's shoulder. "I'm-... I'm gonna hold you, alright?" Lynn murmured as she bit her lip. Fighting back the tears as she carefully pulled Hati up. Pulling him on her lap as she held him close - softly sushing the Fenrir clone. "I'm sorry-..." She murmured under her breath.
He tensed up at first but resisted little beyond that as Fenrir's wolf collapsed onto her lap, his red eyes burning through the thin, pale skin of his eyelids as tears streamed down Hati's ruined cheeks - the now-vacant sleeve of his stumped arm growing damp with a small bit of blood as Hati cried into his sister's lap, "I hate it Lynn... I hate it all!" he choked out between spluttering breaths, skin feeling almost painfully hot as Hati broke into a small coughing fit.
Lynn just kept sushing Hati, peppering soft kisses against the side of his head as he sobbed. Closing her eyes as she felt her cheeks growing samp with tears. Though not before noting the bleeding - with practiced ease and just one arm, she flicked her jacket off. Softly wrapping it around the stump to limit bleeding. "I know," she sushed. "I know, I know," she stammered - her own breath hitching as she couldn't help but tear up. If anything, the scars on her wrists would be more than obvious now if Hati opened his eyes.
As Hati's anger began to lessen to just pure sadness, the wolf's eyes lessened their glow and his skin cooled rapidly enough to cause him to shiver in her embrace, now just crying with small whimpers of defeat leaving his complex vocal cords, tears staining Lynn's lap, "I..." he didn't know quite what to say first, there were so many thoughts rushing through his mind as Hati's eyes slowly fluttered open with tears streaming from the corners.
"There's no coming back for me, Lynn... Hati is dead..." he cried out, vision blurred by tears before his eyes squeezed shut again, the scared and broken pup shaking in her lap - bleeding seeming to have stopped either through Lynn's quick action or from the boy's complicated physiological makeup.
Lynn opened her eyes again, giving him a soft squeeze - noting how the bleeding stopped again. She lowered the jacket again and slapped it around Hati's form, before pulling him close again. Still softly sushing under her breath - though sobs were laced through her own sushing. "No-... He's down there-... You're down there," she whispered softly. Before swallowing thickly. Leaning back ever so slightly to look him in the eyes. "We're Fenrir clones, Hati," she murmured. "We fought to become who we are - and we'll fight to stay that way," she offered him a faint smile. Though tears straining her cheeks as she smiled. "If you're too exhausted to go on fighting - I'll continue. It's hard-... It's so..." She felt herself slowly collapsing - mentality gently crumbling as she hugged him tighter again. Reduced to a silent sobbing.
He stayed huddled against her for a while, the occasional cough perforating his tears until Hati's tearducts stung and they couldn't give anymore - just some gentle sobbing against the purple-eyed clone's chest until the wolf sniffed, "...I'm sorry about the glass~" he whimpered, fighting as hard as he could to not break down again.
Lynn seemed to have become as silent as Hati - having completely curled around him with the ocassional sob from her. Clinging onto Hati for dear life. After all, he was the only thing that kept her down to earth. And not break down completely herself. Lynn stirred herself from a rather comatose - lost in thought state as Hati spoke up. She offered a faint, sobbing chuckle. "Dont-... Worry about it," she answered. "It's just a glass, you're way more important," she promised with hitched breath.
"I... I'm in fucking shambles~" he blinked a few times, voice low and sounding worn-out as Hati's skeletal hand found Lynn's wrist under the jacket and gripped firm, acting as if the gunmetal-grey-haired Jane was a lifeline, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment more before springing open again.
"I-..." Lynn bit her lip, giving Hati's hand a soft squeeze. Before slowly turning it around - there were a lot of reasons why she didn't want to do what she was about to do. But with a soft breath, she gave another soft squeeze on Hati's hand. "So have I-..." She murmured, letting out a pained sob. "Ever... Since waking u-..." Another soft sob as she swallowed thickly. "I-... I know how it feels- Not how you feel-... But just... What it is," she murmured softly. "The pain-... The self-hatred-... I-... I'm sorry-... Hati, I... I'm so sorry," she sobbed between breaths, dipping her head lower.
Hati let his thin fingers interlock with Lynn's butchered ones as the top of his head nuzzled a little into her neck a little more, an equally thick swallow coming from the broken pup before he spoke up "I... I've seen it in your eyes... and I'm so so sorry I never knew what it was until today~" he offered with a throaty whisper, sitting up a little straighter in her lap and turning around to rest his forehead against hers.
"I... how do you go on... with this eating away at you?" he asked bluntly, words still more than a little shaky as his hand squeezed a little firmer.
Lynn exhaled a shakey breath as he apologized, before shaking her head. "I've-... Been hiding it for so long-... I don't want anyone as miserable as me. Not you-... Not Jacky nor Talos, not Spark - no one deserves this." She admitted with another sobbing chuckle. Taking a deep nasal breath. A hitch to her voice. "I-... I don't-... Know," she admitted. "If it wasn't for Lexi-... If it wasn't for Tal or J... If it wasn't for you needing pickup today - I-... I'd be dangling from a rope right about now." She gave Hati's body a careful squeeze.
"It's-... For everyone else-... That I'm still here," she stammered. Offering a suprisingly warm smile as tears began to stream down her cheeks. It was the first time she had actually cried, it felt relieving. The clone heaved a soft sigh. "That's why-... Don't... Don't be as stupid as me-... Confide in other people," her voice seemed to crack up as she spoke. "Before you're at a place you-... You-..." The rest of the sentence was lost as she was reduced to a soft sobbing again.
It made sense to him... to do it for others when you couldn't find worth nor reason to do it for yourself... to do it for others, "I get it... not exactly... I get where you are coming from~" he admitted, a single tear running down one of the particuarly deep scars of his face, they were still rather raw and it stung like a bitch, but this numbness from the current conversation helped work past that.
"Lynn, I... if I'm going to do this, then I need you to do something for me~"
A breath of relief left the clone as Hati understood what she wanted to portray. She sucked in a soft, hitched breath to steady herself, before letting it out equally as shakey. "You-... Eh~... You name it," she answered, attempting to put on a grin and a brave face. Even though she came clean, the Jane clone seemed to still hold on to her 'fake it till you make it' routine.
Hati swallowed thickly, his eyes shut as the taste of Sarah's rifle wafted back through his mind before being pushed aside in favour of more conversation with Lynn, "Two.. things~ you need to not shut me out and not pretend this never happened..." he spoke with a shaky voice, a long sigh leaving his lop-sided lips as they bent into an oddly amused smirk, his hand passing through the space where his left hand would have been... where he could still feel it ball into a fist.
"...and I need claws~"
Lynn exhaled a soft breath as she nodded softly. "The first-... I'll try- I've just been-... Fuck-... Hiding it for so long, it's just," she swallowed slowly. "It's second-... Nature, it's why I," she stopped herself - knowing full well Hati'd understand what she meant. "Second - easy fuckin' peasy," she answered with a faint chuckle. Her lip quivering ever so slightly as she closed her eyes again.
Hati nodded in silent agreement against her brow before his head moved back onto his haunches slightly to give the Jane a bit of space to breathe, "...what do you need from me?" he asked, clearly unnerved as to what the answer might be but fully committing to whatever he'd just dragged himself into - in his mind, in the most primal corners of his gene-blended brain, it would be a trade of equal and opposite worth.
"Talk about it-... To people," Lynn huffed out with a soft breath. Moving a hand up to grasp at his shoulder - offering a faint smile. "Don't allow it to drag on like I did." She let out a shakey breath. "It's a dark place... And it gets more difficult each fucking day that passes. And... Talk to me - if you need to..." She swallowed thickly. "Don't-... Leave me in the dark."
"It's still so visceral and fresh... I~" Hati began as his gaze fell to the floor out of shame, an inhale and strong exhale through his nose before the wolf spoke again, "...it will take time... but~ I'll try my best... I'm sorry but that's all I can do for now~" he apologised, another tear running down that deep scar under his eye.
"I-... Didn't mean immediately - just... Y'know," she answered, before nuzzling the side of his head carefully. "That's... All I needed to hear," she answered with a soft chuckle, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Alright?"
"Alright~" he nodded before slowly rising to a stand, offering Lynn his still-gripped hand to help her stand up before Hati's left sleeve flopped to the side a bit, "I... it's hard to ask for a hug with one hand~" he offered with a sad chuckle.
Lynn grasped at his hand and slowly pulled herself up, pulling him into a gentle hug into one swift motion. Softly patting his back. "So-... You wanna see that horrible movie-... Or just hug for a bit longer?" She asked with a faint breath. Smiling faintly as she did.
Hati still hated the feeling of somebody pressing their body against his... but he owed her at least the gesture as they hugged, his malnourished body squirming a little under her grasp, "Movie... I just kind of need to not think for a bit~" he spoke somewhat apologetically, hoping she'd understand.
Lynn nodded softly, feeling as he squirmed a little - she let go of him as soon as she felt it, even. Offering a faint smile and wiping her tears as she moved back to the sofa, rewinding the movie back to the start - letting out a soft breath. Starting the movie as soon as Hati joined her on the couch.
"Ah~" Hati murmured as he sat back down on the couch, re-adopting his curled-up posture while observing the cracked television, "I am sorry about that too~ I'll see about getting a replacement tomorrow~" he winced a little before eyes settled on the generic prosthetic he'd been given.
"Nah - don't worry about it," she answered with a shrug. "I've still got my projector screen and-... Y'know, it's not the first one that broke. I'm pretty sure it'll fall under warranty," she added with a faint grin. Leaning back in her seat. "Let's-... Retry that. You want something to drink, or a snack or something?"
Hati nodded though still felt bad about the whole ordeal, "Just water please... and please mind the glass~ I'd hate for you to get your feet all cut up~"
"Huh, right," Lynn got up again as she shrugged. "I'll just clean those up now, or maybe either of us steps in it if we wanna get a drink at night." Lynn answered as she got to her feet - moving to swiftly to get a broom and a vacuum cleaner - cleaning up in under five minutes. Joining back next to Hati just a few seconds after with a new glass of water, handing it over with a gentle smile. "Here'ya go."
"Thank you~" Hati murmured before taking a few sips, an appreciative little sigh before he began speaking with a less hoarse throat, "You're... making me stay the night then?" he queried, taking another few small sips with a furrowed brow.
"You-... Did say you wanted to crash here, nah?" Lynn answered with a soft breath as she glanced over at the jacket she left on the floor, sighing with a shrug. Glancing back at the TV. Hati knew what she scars were, so she didn't really need to hide them. "Hey-... Uhm, you mind if I... Get more comfortable?"
"If I stay I'll have to... make a call but uh, go ahead I guess - it's just me~" Hati reciprocated as his furrow increased a little, not really recalling whether or not he had specified it, "You don't think your boyfriend will mind? me just popping out of the blue like this... boyfriend is the right term, yeah?"
"Huh - then I misunderstood," she murmured. "Well yeah - no sweat if you wanna go home," she answered with a soft breath. Leaning back to pull the baggy pants down, revealing her sculpted legs as she tossed the pants over her shoulder. "Yeah - I can drop you off if you wanna," she added with a faint smile. "Just let me know when." Though exhaling a soft breath, she gave an awkward chuckle. "I-... Honestly don't know. We haven't really... Y'know, gotten together. Just want to get to know eachother properly. And-... Uhmm, well. 'boy' isn't entirely applicable, y'know."
Hati offered a semi-understanding nod, having pulled his hood back up to retreat into its shadowy depths for comfort when Lynn was cleaning up, "Does he live here?" the wolf asked bluntly, still a little fuzzy on that.
"Uh-... No, they live next door," she answered with a faint shrug. Leaning back into the sofa. "Just for a few weeks, then he's... Well, back off to galactic horizon's HQ." She sucked in a soft breath. "So... I don't know entirely whether we're actually... Y'know, an item."
"Just ask him... her... them? just ask Lexi - easiest way I suppose~" Hati mused with a bit of confusion before letting out a sigh of relief upon finding out it was just Lynn here, "I guess I'll stay the night then - my sleeping meds are pretty heavy if you two decide to... you know," the wolf shook his head with a shudder, settling further into the corner of the couch, his red eyes adopting a green hue as the Geist overlay was brought up.
"You can start the movie... I'll be quick~"
"No-... No, no, no," Lynn answered with a faint breath. "Like - I wouldn't. I'm not like that, not while I'm having someone over," she added with a faint chuckle. "You can just take my bed - I'll change the sheets, y'know. Don't want you to sleep in my stink," she answered with a soft smile. "Alright, sure," she answered - the movie starting via mental command.
"I was kidding~" Hati answered bluntly before something unseen by Lynn took his attention, a few small eye movements and expression changes later the green tint fell away from his eyes and a huff left his chest, "Really, you don't need to... olfactory sensors aren't too keen lately, haven't smelt much in a while~" he explained, tail slipping out the back of his pants to rest limply on the couch, black fur dotted with a few missing patches and split ends but seemed otherwise healthy.
"Oh-... Well, yeah, still," she bit her lip softly. Glancing over at Hati's facial twitches. Before letting out a soft hum. "Everything-... Uhm alright? With the call, y'know." She added, before exhaling a soft breath. Before nodding. "Well yeah, I'd say it isn't really much work, but I'm kinda lazy. I don't mind either way, you decide," she added with a gentle smile.
"Trust me, it's better for us both if I just take the couch~ and the call was fine... just took some convincing~" he nodded before looking back to the movie, finding it hard to focus too much on what was happening, "I insist... it's your house, don't sacrifice anything for me~"
"Welll~..." Lynn started as she huffed out a soft breath. "I'm... Not too good a sleeper. I often sleep in the sofa watching TV, so y'know," she softly scratched her nose. "I'd hate to wake you up doing so. I can still change the sheets, offer still stands," she assured as she too glanced back at the projector. The movie had been going on for several minutes now, showing the scene of the protagonist, Steve, just a normal person at a cash register. And his potential love interest - a Nekovalkyrja that seemed way out of his league.
"Sleep where you normally would and I'll take the other... please, Lynn~" he was now looking across to her, big red eyes almost pleading her as they glowed slightly against the shadows under his hood.
"That's the thing," she answered with a faint breath. "It's kind of a coin toss, to be honest," she answered, before shrugging again. "Well, you can take the sofa, I guess. But I can't promise I'm gonna stay in my bedroom," she offered Hati a sidelong gla'ce and a gentle smile. "Does that work?"
"I guess~ I take my meds and I'm out for eight hours anyway, so whatever happens happens after that," he shrugged, trying to focus on the movie once more before finding that he still couldn't manage it, "Does the couch at least fold out? give some more realestate if you do crash on it with me?"
Lynn gave a curt nod. "Alright," she answered with a soft breath. Before giving a gentle chuckle. "Yeah it does - there's a handle o' your side," she answered, before offering another gentle smile. The musical intro of the music started to play, offering cheesy freeze frames of the cast with the actor's names under their character aliases.
He gently reached down to tug at the handle with some effort before the couch's legrests sprang up under his feet, a small moment of visible shock at how fast they'd popped up before the wolf settled back down into it with a small sigh, "Do you know if anybody visited me when I was out cold? the Nurse I had wouldn't tell me..."
Lynn raised her feet as Hati went to pull the small lever, legrestd popping forward as he did. "Uhrm.. I haven't seen anyone when I came to visit you," she answered, scratching the back of her head. "Well, Jacky did a few times that I know off - she was with me, but other than that, well," she exhaled a soft breath. "I'm sure there were other people, but I kinda work weird shifts, y'know."
"I don't blame them, honestly... I haven't been the most approachable person~" Hati breathed out as he abandoned watching the movie all together and focused instead on looking at the ceiling with a soft sigh, "Thank you, though... I really do appreciate it- it means a lot to me~"
Lynn shook her head, before shrugging. "Family's family, besides," she glanced at Hati as he spoke again, before shrugging. "It's nothing, really. I'm... Y'know, glad I can make a difference." She answered, before offering a soft sigh. "As I wanted to say, there's several people I've always looked up to, you're one of 'em."
Hati said nothing, he simply looked across to Lynn and although a lot of his face was obscured by shadows, she could tell one eyebrow was cocked curiously.
Lynn took note of his quizzical expressions, before shrugging. "Out of the entire batch - I feel like I'm the most useless," she answered with a faint breath. "I'm... Not strong, not brave like you or Spark... Or Tal... Or Jacky, I'm just... A nerd that fixes shit and talks big game, y'know."
"I... appreciate the kind words... but I'm really not someone you should look up to~" Hati spoke with a deadpan expression, another small sip from his glass of water before Fenrir's wolf continued, "...there's much kinder things to be said about someone with your technical mind than there is about a weapon working as intended, killers are never remembered in a good light~" he finished, lack of inflection showing just how much Hati believed his own words.
"Well," Lynn leaned back with a soft sigh. "I won't remember you a killer - nor do I give a fuck about what anyone else thinks," the grey-haired woman added with a shrug. "You're not just a weapon working as intended - even though you might think that way," she shook her head. "That's not what I admire, y'know."
"I don't know where else you might be looking then, because there's not much more to me," Hati huffed, deciding he may as well hear her out.
"As I said before," Lynn shrugged. "You're strong, brave - cool," she answered with a soft huff. "I'm none of those, so, yeah. I admire that. Besides, just a 'weapon working as intended' wouldn't struggle like you're doing now - hell, if you really were that, you'd give zero shits or less about me," she added with a faint chuckle.
Hati's eyes flicked down to the ground, a short moment of contemplation before he let out a defeated sigh and a few small nods, "Whether I want to admit it or not is another question, but I do hate it when somebody else is right~" the scarred wolf chuckled slightly before wincing, falling back into the seat a little further.
"You're not so bad yourself, Lynn... but I guess we both have difficulty seeing ourselves in a mirror without wiping away the self imposed smudges," he continued, a small cough against his hand before Hati finished, "You're pretty cool yourself, sis, wouldn't be here if you weren't~"
"...Everyone's babying me so much at the moment... but, you're a breath of fresh air. I almost believe you~"
"That almost sounds like you admitting," Lynn answered with a breathy chuckle. Before shrugging. "Yeah, I guess we both have that impairment, so I'll take your word on being 'pretty cool'," she added, giving Hati a sidelong glance and a gentle smile. "And- Ehm... Well, y'know. I'm worried - but I know how that shit goes. I'm here to listen and understand, not to make false promises that it's going to be alright." She added with a soft sigh.
"I'm not saying their concerns aren't warranted, it's perfectly understandable and all that but - eh, never been much of a people person, so having all these people reassuring me about things they couldn't possibly guarantee gets awfully tiresome~" he reciprocated with another sigh, red eyes returning to his sibling slowly.
"Yeah," was all Lynn could answer, letting out a soft breath. "I know it's shit, but, y'know. I'll try not to fuss over you myself too much," she added. "I kinda... Y'know, as I said, worry. But I know some space is sometimes needed with this."
"I appreciate it... I'm stubborn as shit, and I feel like you're one of the few people I'd listen to~" Hati smirked a little as a brief flicker of happiness graced his hollow red eyes.
"Uh, Lynn? odd request~ can I rest my head on your lap...?"
"Appreciate it," Lynn retorted with a faint grin. Propping her hands up behind her back with a soft breath. Before glancing over to Hati. A faint blush forming on her cheeks. "Uhm-... Yeah, yeah, sure," she answered, recovering from the surprise with a gentle and surprisingly warm smile.
"I just... I am part canid, and I suppose that only really shows itself in the extremes of my emotional spectrum," he nodded out of appreciation, slowly shuffling along the couch a little to stiffly lower his hooded head onto the grey-haired clone's lap with a content sigh as Hati's pale cheek squished against Lynn's thigh.
"Thankyou~"
"Yeah- no worries," Lynn murmured with a faint smile.Passing a glance to the head on her lap, the smile widening momentarily before it faded again as she focussed on the projector screen once more. "If you-... Uh, want me to pet you or summin', just ask," she added with yet another murmur.
Hati let out a smirk under his breath as he let his eyelids slip shut, cheek nuzzling slightly against his sister's warm lap before speaking, "Up to you... I used to be fussy and only let Neera or Mum touch them... funnily enough they're the feature I'm the least uncomfortable about people touching lately," he admitted, briefly scratching at his nose before falling back into silence.
"Well, no," Lynn murmured with a faint chuckle. "That's up to you - if you're not comfortable with it, say so. If you want it - same thing," she added, shuffling slightly under Hati's head, clearing her throat momentarily.
"I'm saying you can if you want to~" Hati spoke sternly, scraping his throat for a second before settling back in.
"And I'm asking if you want me to, silly~" Lynn hummed in response, a faint giggle escaping her lips.
"Mrrrhh~ forget it, whatever~" He growled a little though less out of hatred and more just slight annoyance as the boy's breath rolled across Lynn's lap.
The Jane clone did as instructed - forgetting about it. A brief moment of silence as she focussed on the screen again. Though after a minute or two, she lowered one hand to rest just behind his ear, softly ruffling against the cloth of his hoodie.
"Was that so hard to decide for yourself?" Hati queried with what felt like a small grin against Lynn's thigh, the ear being scratched twitching faintly beneath the black hood as a truly content sigh left his crooked maw before the wolf spoke again, "Your technique... it reminds me of what Mum used to do~" he sniffed a little before a low yowl left the dark haired clone's hood, his one working hand gripping onto Lynn's leg gently.
"Somewhat - went out on a limb," Lynn answered - not entirely too aware it may've been a poor choice of words on her part. She glanced down at Hati as he spoke again, however, arching an eyebrow softly. "You-... Ehrm-... Want me to stop? Or is that a good thing?" She asked whilst giving the fabric another soft ruffle, though somewhat questioning, as she waited for Hati to answer.
"Oh no, no please... it's nice... I~" he really wanted to say more, but Hati was a creature bound by his word if nothing else, so the hand just gripped a little tighter into the sporty muscle of Lynn's thigh with a huff, "...it's nice, that's all~"
"Alright," Lynn answered with a soft huff, gently continuing to ruffle against the cloth of Hati's hoodie, letting out a soft, content murmur under her breath. Maybe even relieved that she hadn't made another faux pas.
There was a stretch of silence as Hati watched the movie, clearing his throat during a scene transition from the main character's apartment to a sewer and taking that as an opportunity to speak, "I don't care how little our blood has in common, Lynn, I'm glad we're family and I'm just sorry I've been kind of non-existent until now... I am~"
"Eh," Lynn answered with a shrug. "Blood composition be damned - we're siblings. That's what matters," she added with a faint chuckle. "I'm glad you're here now. Though sadly the circumstance ain't better," she added, heaving a soft sigh as she trailed a finger over the fabric, before patting softly - rubbing once more.
"We deal the hand we're dealt... though we're Pines, we'll just have to tough it out~" he murmured sleepily, eyelids feeling awfully heavy though he continued to fight it off, "Well, we got there in the end I suppose, guess that counts for something."
"Yeah," Lynn mused. "We're in for the ride - whether we want or not," she added with a soft sigh, glancing down at Hati, before glancing back at the TV. Humming out a soft breath.
"Looking forward to~" he paused momentarily for a quiet yawn, a few soft murmurs as Hati relaxed fully into Lynn's lap, feeling safe enough with the gunmetal-haired clone to let his eyes slowly drift shut, maybe catch up on some of the sleep that had been evading him the past few days, "...to spending more time with you, Lynn~"
"Yeah, same," Lynn answered with a soft ruffle again, before gently stroking the cloth of his hood, feeling her own eyelids growing heavy, the clone slowly removed her spectacles, laying them to the side folded shut. "Let's just take it as it comes, hm."
"Mhm~" the wolf groggily agreed as he felt himself begin to slip away, a small content murmur leaving his hood with a final, "love you, sis~" before light snoring followed suit.
Lynn repocricated a murmur that sounded something like 'love you too', before resting her head back as her eyes slid shut as well.
