Hero & Villain

Calen | 1398w

"Mm..." I feel his fingers pushing through my hair. "What a lovely name. Calen." He murmurs.

  I feel my cat ears twitch and suppress a whine. I like the way he says my name, but at the same time it makes me want to wrinkle my nose. He must notice my reaction because he chuckles. "What is it, Calen?" He sounds teasing.

  When I stay stubbornly silent he brushes his fingers through my hair again, causing me to relax into him. I hadn't even realized that I'd tensed up. "Do you not like me saying your name?" He asks, but it doesn't sound like he's expecting an answer. "Maybe you want me to call you something else instead? Is that right... Kitten?"

  This time I can't help the shudder that wracks my body. My old foster parents used to call me that sometimes and I hated it, but I don't hate it when Lance calls me that. Maybe it's because he's cuddling me and not tying me up on a leash in my room without any food. But... it still brings back bad memories when he says it.

  I shake my head, sitting back from him and clasping my hands together in my lap, another habit forced onto me by my old foster parents. "No. Don-Don't call me that, bad me-memories."

"Hm..." he hums thoughtfully. I can feel him staring at me even though I'm looking down at my hands. "If you don't like being called Calen and you don't like being called Kitten, what should I call you?"

  I wrap my tail around my waist and my shoulders droop. "I'm sorry." I mumble nervously, petting my tail.

  There's silence for a few beats before he speaks up. "Tell you what, I'll just call you whatever I feel like at the moment, and when you hear a name you like tell me." He offers, making a smile spread over my face.

"Okay." I say, happily leaning into him again.

  He sits still for a moment before suddenly moving. "You must be hungry, you've been asleep most of the day."

  I pout at him as he stands in front of me, at least until he picks me up and starts walking immediately toward the kitchen. I squirm, but his grip on me only tightens. He sets me on a stool and stands in between my legs, chuckling softly.

"Do you not want to eat?" He asks, brushing the tip of his nose over mine. I wrinkle my nose and shake my head, then whine when he ruffles my hair. "Well, too bad. I think you need to eat so I'm going to make you something and I want you to eat it, okay?" He admonishes.

  My lip quivers as I nod. "Y-Yes mas... La-Lance." I mumble, scolding myself for thinking of him like my old foster parents. He wouldn't hurt me like that. Right?

  I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice him walking up to me again. I flinch when he puts a hand on my thigh, not expecting it. "I would never hurt you, Fluffs." First I feel warm because he said he would never hurt me, then what he called me sinks in and I giggle.

"Fluffs?" I ask, still giggling.

He sounds mildly offended when he answers. "What? Cause you're fluffy!" When I unsuccessfully try to swallow another giggle he squeezes my thigh gently. "Oh come on, I'm not that bad at coming up with nicknames am I?"

  I grab his shirt and pull him closer, nuzzling my nose into his shirt in what I hope is a comforting manner. I don't want him to feel bad. "No, it-it's fine."

  He lets my hair a couple times, then steps back. "Don't think your cuteness can get you out of eating something."

  I blink in confusion, then pout. He raises one eyebrow before turning away from me and back to the fridge. I fold my arms on the counter and bury my face in them as he cooks, ignoring how good the food really does smell.

  I don't look up until I hear a plate being set in front of me, then feel Lance ruffle my hair. When he ruffles it for a second time I reach up and cover my head with my hands, feeling mildly annoyed. "Stop it please."

  There's silence for a moment. "You're kitty ears are gone." He says eventually, his tone sounding almost disappointed. "Will you eat now?"

  I feel my head to confirm his words, then smile. "Oh, good. I don't really like that form." I mumble with a frown on my face.

  I look up as Lance plops down into the chair next to me, his frown matching mine. "Why? Is it just because it... brings back memories?"

  I shrug, picking up my fork when Lance pushes my plate closer. "Partly I guess. And I get more emotional. And normally when I get out of it I feel worse than I do right now. And-" I stop talking abruptly when I remember just how much of a mess I was. Memories of my other forms are always slightly fuzzy, I have to concentrate to remember. "I'm sorry you had to deal with me like that." I mumble, shrinking into my chair.

  Lance chuckles softly. "It was no problem, really. I think you're adorable either way." I don't immediately realize what he said, because he said it so casually, like it was normal.

"No I'm not." I mumble to myself as I stab a piece of fried potatoes. He waits until I'm chewing and can't argue to reply.

"Yes you are." He says, pointing at me with his fork. "Don't argue." His last words are said in a flat, forceful tone. I don't argue, just nervously eat my scrambled eggs. He watches me for a moment, seeming curious. "Do you mind being called Calen when you're... normal?"

  I shake my head. "I don't mind. Some people just call me Cal though."

"Okay. But I like Calen." He replies. "So, Calen, what other forms do you have?"

  I debate whether it's safe to tell him, but I can't see why it wouldn't be. It's not like he's going to tell Macer. And even if he did, I'm not sure what he could do with the information.

"Um... most common animals I think. I only have one form for each type of animal though. I have a dog form that I've changed into three times, most recently when I... escaped. And um, a bunny form that I changed into once on accident. I'm really fast in that form. Obviously I have my cat and falcon forms. I've never really tried changing into anything other than that. I'm too scared I'll get stuck in it while I don't even know what it's like."

"What it's like? You mean... emotion wise? Because I know of two of your forms and they are vastly different." He questions.

"Yeah. I like my falcon form, it makes me much braver and I can see so well it's amazing. I feel kinda blind when I'm not in it, but I can't stay in that form very long. And I mean... sometimes it hurts when there's a loud noise while I'm patrolling or fighting Macer but... it's okay." I clamp my mouth shut, having realized that I was rambling. "I'm sorry I'll stop talking now."

  He looks a bit disappointed and mildly upset. "No no, I like your voice. What do you mean it hurts?"

  I shrug and mumble, still feeling embarrassed. "Falcons have really good hearing. So when there's a loud noise close to me it hurts my ears. I've gotten migraines after I changed back to normal."

"And you still fight Macer?" He asks, sounding incredulous.

"Well yeah, if I don't nobody else will. And besides, I don't think he'd actually kill me. I've given him an opportunity to before and he didn't." I explain.

  Lance stands up, looking upset and angry. "That doesn't mean he's a saint!" He growls loudly. "Promise me you'll back down next time you get hurt."

  I look away from his angry and demanding gaze. "I get hurt all the time, it's not a big deal."

  As soon as the words leave my mouth I realize it was the wrong thing to say.