Tayne Peregrine (![]() ![]() @ 2009-09-23 11:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-06-16 |
Guess what I found out?
Who: Tayne and Jess
Where: Sunny's Diner
When: Early afternoon
It had been a slow afternoon so far, what with most people being outside enjoying the first sun in days, and Tayne had been shunted up to the counter again while one of the servers rushed home to look in on a sick child for half an hour or so. Since there wasn't anyone there to serve, that made sitting around really kind of boring. It wasn't much better in the kitchen, though, so after making a few rounds with water and coffee and making an attempt at straightening up the shelves under the counter, Tayne had wound up calling Jess. After all, he had a few things he probably ought to tell her now.
So now she was on her way, and the actual counter-server would be back any minute, so they could actually talk a bit.
Jessalyn was relieved to have a distraction, especially one in the form of Tayne. She hadn't been sleeping well, and she couldn't pace her room all day. Her parents were already starting to notice her behavior, and Jessalyn was a horrific liar. She didn't want to be caught in a situation where she admitted everything to them just yet. So when Tayne called, she was quick to leave the house. She had been meaning to thank him for helping Madock, so now was a perfect opportunity.
Pulling into the parking lot of Sunny's, Jessalyn pushed her untamed hair away from her face, not realizing that she had forgotten to comb it that morning, and walked into the diner to look for Tayne. She smelled him before she saw him, and her gaze shifted to his face. With a small smile, she headed over. "How are you?"
Jess might not've noticed, but Tayne did, and he was a little surprised. Poor kid looked like she'd just rolled out of bed, though he knew she'd been awake and up when he'd called. "Hey," he told her. "I'm doin' all right." Sort of. Life felt kind of crazy, honestly, but he didn't want to get into that immediately, especially when she didn't look the greatest. "Could ask the same of you. Everythin' okay?"
"Yes." She gave him a faint smile and leaned against the counter. The not eating and sleeping thing took a toll, but she couldn't help it. She didn't know if it was the stress from her family finding out what she did, or the knowledge that she had hurt her mate. Even if he'd asked for it, it still made her feel sick. "I wanted to thank you for helping Madock. He seemed to be dealing with the whole thing a lot better after having talked to you."
Tayne wanted to pull out a comb and fix her hair for her, feed her and let her take a nap in his truck. She looked badly like she needed all three things. But he wasn't really sure how to manage that. "It's no problem. It's not a hard thing to talk, or to listen. He can come talk to me any time." Left unspoken but obvious was "so can you". "How's his charm workin' out? Did you give it to him?"
Jessalyn nodded, relieved and grateful that Madock had someone in the same boat as him to talk to. She felt like she couldn't give him the answers he needed when she had been born this way. "It helped! He said he could tell a difference almost instantly. I know once he gets used to his new abilities, he'll give the bracelet back." She could smell Tayne, and she was getting used to the shift in scent. It was decidedly more feline, and it was more pronounced now than it had been the first time she'd seen him after he'd gotten bitten. "What about you? How are things, in regards to the cat thing?"
"He doesn't need to. Justin made me a new one--" He held up his wrist, which had a new stone on the leather thong, this one in a sandy sort of gray, and grinned a bit. "--actually, he made me a few new ones, in case I ran into any other folks like me and Madock. So he can keep his." He dropped his hand again, looking around to make sure nobody was listening in, and shrugged. "As for me, I'm doin' all right, I suppose. I found out the species, though." That made him grin, though it was a slightly pained grin.
"Oh! That's great," Jessalyn said with an easier smile. She leaned in to examine the bracelet Tayne was wearing. "It's a wonderful idea... and I know it'll help some people. I'll let Madock know he can keep it though. I'm sure he'll appreciate that." Jessalyn lifted her gaze to Tayne's face, her eyes widening. "Really? What are you?" That was exciting! Finally knowing what you were, even though it probably wasn't ideal, at least he wouldn't be surprised come the full moon.
Wincing a bit at her excitement and giving the immediate area another quick glance around, he finally answered, "Apparently a tiger. Another one, a born one, came into the diner and recognized it... I called him last night and he told me we're the same. Which was 'pparently why I was a total ass to him, when we met in person that first time." He made a face.
"A tiger?" While she would have shrieked it somewhere else, she forced herself to rein in her excitement and the words came out in a hushed, surprised whisper. "That's so cool." Tigers were much bigger than she was! But it would still be fun to race him through the pack lands, should he ever want to. "Who was it that you were a jerk to?"
Relieved she hadn't squealed it out loud to the whole diner, but admittedly amused by her excitement, Tayne grinned. "Yeah, a tiger. Dunno much about 'em, gotta do a little research, but at least I know, right?" He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "The guy, his name's Keagan. He's a shrink and kind of annoying, but he knew. I freaked out at him when he told me he knew, and he left before I could cool down."
"Wow, you're gonna be huge," Jessalyn said, her eyes drifting over Tayne's human form. "But I bet your pelt will be really pretty... I wonder if I'll be able to run faster than you. Probably not, but if I'm smaller, I might have a chance!" Well, this was enough excitement to boost her mood, even if it was temporary. "You shouldn't freak out on people like that... you're going to run into a lot of people who will be able to tell what you are, and if not the specifics, at least that you're a were now."
Tayne hadn't honestly thought much about how big he was gonna be. Really, he'd been to busy being worried about Krist and relieved to have a name-- unless Keagan was wrong, which he had worried about a little-- to think about much of anything else. The idea of chasing Jess around as a very large cat was mildly appealing, though, and he smiled wryly before he answered her latter comments. "I had help with the freaking out. He smelled wrong... it made me edgier than usual. Apparently tigers are territ-- territorial with other tigers. Or somethin'."
"A lot of animals have territorial issues. Wolves are the same way, but usually about their mate, or specific things." Like Jessalyn and her food. Or Madock. "Though canines generally peed on their territory," she teased with a grin. "I'm glad you didn't get into a fight or anything, but it's good that you recognized it, and that the other were was able to tell you what you were. Now you don't have to wait until the full moon to find out, you know?"
"Yeah," Tayne said with a little sigh of relief. "At least I know. And I know I'm not a damn housecat or something. Or a cheetah," he added with a teasing smile, remembering what she'd speculated the first time she'd found out. "I found a picture of one of those, you know. They look ridic-- rid-- they look pretty funny. Tigers at least don't look like they're on stilts."
"I think a lot of cats are pretty, which I know is weird coming from me..." She liked pouncing on smaller cats. Heck, she would probably pounce on Tayne, even if he was bigger. Canines and felines were natural enemies, though Jessalyn considered them to be frenemies. But she loved most animals, if they were nice, despite what was embedded inside of her. "That's why cheetahs are so fast though, their long legs. I might actually have a chance at beating you in a race, if you're a tiger."
"I'd still rather not be one," Tayne chuckled. "I mean, really, look at me--" He spread his arms with a little grin. "--do I look like a guy built for speed? I think this is better." And he knew he didn't need closely-spaced bars on anything that he locked himself up with, too, though he was trying not to think about that. "I might need help learning how to do things, once the full's over," he added, frowning. "I mean, I ain't got the faintest idea how somebody changes, on purpose...."
"You never know! I know weres generally reflect your personality so a tiger fits, I think. You're stronger than you look," Jessalyn suggested with a small shrug. "Once the full is over, I think changing on purpose becomes pretty easy. A lot of things are going to settle and click into place after that first night is over. Things will become more natural to you. You could probably do it without even thinking about it."
"I don't know, Jess," Tayne said doubtfully. "I don't imagine changing into something on purpose will be as easy as being forced into it. Bittens have issues with changing, everything I've read says that. It's gonna hurt, cuz the body ain't made for changing." That very fact, that a bitten were's body had to adjust to changing shapes, made him fairly sure it wouldn't be instinctive.
She didn't know if it hurt or not. It was effortless for her, and she loved doing it. "Maybe everyone is different? Maybe the longer you do it, the easier it gets. I know it's worse to be forced into it... I don't know if you keep your mind if you're forced. If you change into it on your own, you at least keep the knowledge of who you are."
"I don't keep my mind," Tayne said glumly. "That much I know for sure. Books say I won't even remember most of it, if any of it. That's the difference between bitten and born, Jess. We go insane and kill everything in sight on the times we're forced to change."
"I think... I'm pretty sure if you shift on your own, rather than being forced, you'll keep your mind," Jessalyn said, her brows drawn together thoughtfully. If he was forced, or shifted from rage, then no, he would go insane and not remember anything. But maybe it was just wolves she was thinking of, when it came to weres. "I don't really know. I guess I should read more," she said with a small sigh.
"No, when I do it on purpose, I stay me," Tayne said firmly. "That much I know." And it was the only real perk to this whole business. To be a tiger and still himself was a little appealing, definitely. "It's only when I'm forced to it." He grinned a bit. "I'd offer you my books, but the lady who did me the favor has 'em right now, and they're promised to Madock after that. Maybe you and he can read 'em together, or something."
She got what he was saying and realized she was just too tired to think coherently. "That's what I meant," she said with a small smile. "Sorry... I know Madock will probably fill me in on what he learns. I think it's probably best if I know all this stuff too." She didn't want to think of Madock turning into a hybrid form and losing himself. Having the capacity to kill. It scared her, but that's why she wanted to keep him safe.
Giving her a somewhat concerned look, Tayne asked, "You sure you're all right? You really look exhausted." He was tempted to take the bracelet off and see how she smelled and sounded, too-- if he could even make sense of what he found, anyway. Or maybe she would tell him how she felt, and he could match it up with those scents. He did need to learn how to deal with these things, after all.
"I'm just tired," she admitted with a shrug and a smile. "I've been worried about Madock, so it's been hard to concentrate on much else." And stressed that her parents would kick her out once they found out what she did. "But knowing that he's doing better has helped a bit. I just wasn't prepared for what... all of this would mean."
"You're seventeen years old, Jess," Tayne said with a warm little grin. "Of course you weren't ready for all this. Neither was Madock. But you'll make it through just fine, I'm sure of it. Now, tell me something you want to eat, and I'll fix it for ya, a'ight? Comfort food should be on the menu, I think."
She knew she was young, which was one of the things she fully expected to hear from her parents. But Ransom was young too, and he and Charlotte had mated. Even Gabe and Claire! They were much older than she was. It wasn't that she regretted being with Madock, but she wished she had thought through the whole 'biting' thing. Sighing, Jessalyn smiled and slipped onto one of the stools at the counter. "French toast?" Her stomach rumbled appreciatively. "And maybe some hot chocolate?"
For his part, Tayne didn't think any of those kids should have been fooling around with shit like mating for life until at least after college-- even if they were stuck with each other, they hardly knew what they'd become as adults, at only eighteen. But he was looking at from the grand old age of twenty-five, and the less grand situation of avoiding romantic anything for most of his adult life, so he probably had a different take on things. "French toast and hot chocolate," he repeated with a smile. "I think we can get somethin' like that for ya-- and I can even make it with my own hands, here comes my replacement." He waved at Jenny, pushing off from the counter.
"Okay." She smiled and forced herself to relax. She could eat and spend some time alone, or at least with Tayne, until she had to go home. Hopefully Madock would call her later, and that would ease some of her worry also. "Thanks, Tayne." Talking about something completely different with a friend was a really nice distraction.
"Hey, any time." Tayne reached over to ruffle her hair, smiling, then disappeared into the kitchen to throw together the best french toast he could, despite it technically being after they stopped serving breakfast. Jess, after all, was a friend.
Jessalyn watched him go and played idly with one of the napkins in front of her. She was starting to think that maybe she ought to at least tell Ransom about Madock. She could gauge his reaction and maybe get some advice. Or at least some support when she had to tell her parents. Once all of that was finished, she was sure she would feel a gazillion weights lift off of her shoulders.
Tayne was fairly adept at french toast, and cocoa only took a little prep, so it didn't take him very long to put together the comfort food meal and bring it back out. It was pleasantly distracting, occupying his mind with preparing food, especially food that required watching and timing and things. "What kind of syrup you want, Jess?" he asked, grinning, as he delivered the plate and mug. "Raspberry, blueberry, or standard maple?"
"Maple," Jessalyn said immediately, since that had always been her syrup of choice. French toast and hot chocolate probably wasn't the most ideal lunch, especially in the middle of June, but she didn't care. She knew what she liked to eat and she was going to eat it, no matter what season, or time of the day. "This looks really good. I know it's lunch time and everything, so thanks for still making it for me."
"You're a friend, you get special treatment," Tayne grinned, and grabbed the syrup from behind the counter, sitting it within reach. "Hope you enjoy it. I haven't done much breakfast food lately." Since he didn't often go through the effort at home, and he got here at noon so it was after people wanted breakfast, he didn't have a lot of opportunity.
"I know I'll enjoy it," Jessalyn said with a smile. She picked up the syrup to douse the french toast. "So what else have you been up to? Other than talking to Madock and working?" She wanted to hear some normal, day to day things.
"Well." Tayne scratched his head, leaning one elbow on the counter. "Got myself a roommate. Or, housemate, I guess. His name's Krist, he's a foot taller than me, and he grew up someone's pet. He's a were horse."
Jessalyn took a big bite of the french toast, merely staring at Tayne as she chewed quickly so she could respond. Licking her lips, she cocked her head to the side curiously. "A housemate? What for?" Maybe he needed the extra money? "Wouldn't it be more comfortable for him to live.... near a meadow or somewhere he could run?"
"The guy doesn't know how to be human," Tayne explained tiredly. "And it ain't safe for somebody like that to live out in the packlands. Some were pack might bring him down without even knowing. He was living with the local social worker... but she had to cut town, and I was the next best thing. Or, well, I was who he picked to stay with-- it was between me and a couple of vampires." He made a sour face.
Jessalyn took another big bite of her french toast, chewing thoughtfully before she swallowed and spoke. "So he was raised as a pet? He never... shifted into a human, like ever? Is it weird? Is he going to just randomly shift into a horse in your house or something? And living with vampires would have been a really, really bad idea."
"I agree, it would've been a bad idea," Tayne nodded. He was a little prejudiced against vampires, admittedly. "I don't think he'll change inside-- he's not got a lot of room, my house isn't very big, and he's a huge horse-- but I suppose I should talk to him about it, just to be sure...." He shook his head a bit. "I don't know for sure about his past. I just know he's been treated like a horse-- kept in a stable, fed hay, ridden, beaten-- I don't know. He doesn't know the simplest things."
"It's nice of you to take him in," Jessalyn said. "Especially when you don't know him very well. I hope he's safe. Did he know he was human? Or how to shift? I mean... how do you go so long in one form? If they treated him badly enough to beat him, he could have shifted and ran..."
"I don't know," Tayne sighed. "For all I know, if it's all you know, you assume it's the way it's supposed to be. I haven't had him very long-- I found him, tried to put a rope on him and then he changed. I just hope I don't get... difficult on him." He gave Jess a pained look. "He's sorta a prey animal, you know? I don't know if that'll be a problem."
"If you do, maybe you should find him a new home," Jessalyn suggested. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and licked her lips quickly. "If you start feeling predatory, in any way... find him a new place to stay. It'll be better for you and him. Those instincts could easily come out." And as a were, sometimes it was really hard to deny your animal instincts.
"That's what the guy-- the other one-- said when I called last night," Tayne agreed glumly. "If it gets to be a problem, get him out of it ASAP. I just don't wanna kick him out so soon. Poor guy has been passed around enough, by now." He was just going to keep his little senses charm on as much as possible and hoped that not smelling him would make him less tempting a target.
It wasn't going to help his getting used to the senses, though.
Jessalyn nodded, silent and zoned out for several moments before she spoke. "I get that, but you also have to take his safety into consideration." She lifted another forkful of toast into her mouth and realized she'd nearly cleaned the whole plate. She must have been hungry. "Call someone too, if you start to feel differently toward him. I'm sure there's plenty of people who could help him."
"I will," Tayne promised, though he didn't have the faintest idea who he'd call. "So far I've been all right. I just hope I stay that way." Turning his attention to less frustrating things, he grinned a bit. "Hungry, were we? Or was my cooking just that good?"
"Both." Jessalyn's smile was immediate and wide. She slid her finger around the remaining syrup and sucked it off quickly. She might have licked the plate if it wasn't considered bad manners. "It was the best thing I've eaten in the last couple of days." Which was the absolute truth. Her mom made dinner, but Jessalyn hadn't really been able to taste anything until now. Stress did that to a person, she supposed.
"Aw, you flatter me," Tayne grinned, pushing himself up. "Anything else you want, Jess? Before I disappear back to do my job, and all?" There were a couple orders waiting, he could see them out of the corner of his eye, and he oughta probably deal with them.
"No, I'm okay. Just the bill," Jessalyn said, reaching into her oversized bag for her cash. "I'm glad you called though. It was nice getting out of the house today." Much better than sitting in her room, or rather, pacing in it as she tried to figure out what to do and how to deal with everything.
"I'm glad you came." Tayne collected her plate and mug and said, "I'll be right back with the bill." He could only give his friends free food sometimes.... He disappeared into the kitchen to get rid of the dishes.
Jessalyn pulled out enough money that she assumed would cover the bill and give Tayne a generous tip. She never expected free anything from anyone, even her friends. Which was probably because she tended to sneak and swipe things from people anyway, without their knowledge.
It took take a minute to get back to her, since he had to ring her up. He brought the check over after a moment. "Here we go. Hope it was worth it." He grinned at her, teasing.
She slid the money to him after glancing at the total. Yes, he was definitely getting a nice tip. And then she smiled and slipped from the chair. "It was more than worth it. Thanks, Tayne. Call me soon, and maybe we can see a movie or something."
"Definitely. Gotta live up to my promise of one a week, right? See you soon, Jess. Tell Madock hi for me." He smiled over at her then, waving, took the money back to the register.
Wow, yeah. Nice tip, he realized halfway there. He really ought to give her some change.
"I will." Jessalyn returned the wave and headed out the door before he could even realize he should give her change. He'd made breakfast for her in the middle of the afternoon, and had listened to her, so that definitely equaled a tip much bigger than some random customer would give. But she knew he deserved it, and earned it, so it was okay with her. Now she just had to drive home and try and think things through. And it was probably time to talk to Ransom.