"It's tough to miss, not exactly normal," Ellie couldn't fail to notice his blush
Chris sipped his drink. "Not normal isn't always bad," he said softly.
"Not here," Ellie replied
Chris met her gaze for a moment before he glanced away.
"It's up to you how you handle this place," she said gently.
Chris nodded slowly. He scrubbed a hand through his hair again, this time shifting some of the gel to reveal a patch of grey. "Why were you upset early? Was it just thinking that someone said things about you to me?"
"My past isn't so shiny, that's all,"
"I doubt many people's are."
Ellie snorted. "Oh really, teacher man?"
Chris arched an eyebrow. "What, being a teacher means I must have had a, what, privileged upbringing?"
"No record at least. I have."
"Which really isn't any of my business. Especially if it's in the past."
Ellie half smiled, "mm really."
He shrugged. "I just don't like to judge people."
"So, what was your background then?"
"Nothing special." He shrugged again. "Originally from Edinburgh, moved in Cheltenham, then moved to London. Went to Uni, have a student debt that I'll never repay."
"Doesn't tell me much"
"I don't really like talking about it..." He sighed and drank some more of his drink. "What do you want to know?" he asked after a moment.
"First turn?" Ellie asked
Chris frowned in confusion. "Turn?"
"I was twelve, I bit a guy."
"You bit him?"
"He deserved it and I didn't really know what it meant."
"I still don't," Chris muttered under his breath. "It was someone you knew?" he asked.
Ellie grimaced, "someone my foster father knew."
"Oh right. What happened after you bit him? Unless you don't want to talk about it."
"I slept in peace for a while. Homeless matters less when you're not a human female."
"Sorry. It's really none of my business."
"Do you want it to be?"
Chris raised his head, blinking at her. "Would you?"
Ellie nodded
Chris quirked a faint smile. "I would, but I... There are things I'm not comfortable with or like talking about, and that seemed to piss you off."
"You know what this place is? If you don't want to be a Therian, then get gone. We teach our kids pride."
"A what?" Chris asked, genuine confusion on his face.
"You're a bloody shifter, like all of us."
Chris' shoulders tightened. "You don't know anything about me."
Ellie shook her head. "Art chose you, you ain't any more human than me, the part of me that's drawn to the part of you," she put her drink down.
"I'm bloody human!" Chris snapped back.
"Oh really? Because my life's better when I'm not!"
"Then why are you bothering with me?" Chris shook his head and then rubbed his temple. He tossed his cup in a nearby bin. "I'm going home."
Ellie shut her dark eyes slowly, focusing on him briefly before she let her form shift.
Chris had already turned away, shoulders hunched as he began to walk in the opposite direction.
Ellie let out a yip and began to trot away
Chris glanced over his shoulder, brow creasing before he continued on his way.
There was a call back, a low huffed growl
Chris kept walking, he really just wanted to get home. He could feel a headache brewing.
Art slinked across his path, a huge, dark shape
Chris stopped, bristling. His body tightened, tense with instinct. Mostly to back away and flee.
There was a yip and the dark shape stopped, moving towards a smaller one, blazing white. 'Good evening Ellie, what did I tell you about getting attached little one?'
'Do fuck off...my Lord'
Chris rubbed his temples and let out a long breath before he continued on his way home, shoulders hunched and tight.
'It's OK for it not to be him,' Art's thought travelled between the two of them.
'Leave me be,' Ellie replied shakily, heading home herself through the open door of the cafe.