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RESPITE WALLS - EVENING
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Garwin takes a moment to stretch as he finishes up his first circuit for his patrol. A boring night so far, which is fine by him. A quiet night is a good night for the folks in Respite.
Victoria has been watching Garwin for a while. 'It's to be sure', she tells herself while she's just been gathering the courage to face the bear again after last time. She walks from the shadows into view, clothed in just her usual barely-covering set of cloth pieces. "Hey, Garwin." She doesn't seem angry, or resentful in her tone, just neutral.
Garwin blinks at Victoria's sudden appearance. A bit slow in the uptake means he doesn't react all that shocked, though his eyes do betray some surprise at her sudden appearance. And her rather different appearance. "Oh, uh, Victoria. Hi..." He scratches his head a little awkwardly, "Uh, I'm just about to do mmy second circuit on the wall. So uh... I'll leave you be. Sorry."
Victoria hesitates for a moment, nearly wanting to let Garwin go since part of her really doesn't want to do this. Still, she steps forward, waving a hand: "Garwin... don't. I want to... talk."
Garwin hestitates, then stops and turns back towards Victoria, "You said you didn't much want to see me again, so I'd been tryin' to respect that. I reckon it was all with good purpose, but, if you want to talk, I'll listen."
Victoria sighs, looking aside: "Yeah, I know. I said that, but... damnit... I was wrong, okay? You saved me as much as I saved you, out there."
Garwin looks up a little hopefully and gives Victoria a hesitant smile. "I wouldn't quite say that, for sure. But I didn't mean you any harm. I'm sorry things turned out the way they did... I mean, except for the way they turned out now. I'm happy to see you back to yourself."
Victoria leans on a nearby lamppost, crossing her arms on her chest: "...I'm happy to see you as well. Being all feral and growly did not suit you."
Garwin lets out a loud laugh, "Some folks said they didn't see much difference, but I think you're right."
Victoria lets out a low chuckle: "I could maybe argue that, but... no." She looks down: "Garwin, I wanted to stay feral."
Garwin 's smile fades. "You were like that a long time. I don't know. You said it didn't suit me but you kinda seemed okay? I don't much think it suited you either though."
Victoria sighs: "Some part of me felt more right. Maybe, maybe not. But... gods, I need to tell someone why or it drives me nuts, and-" She looks at Garwin: "- I trust you more than anyone else, now."
Garwin nods slowly. "I'm not much for big thinking, Victoria. But I'm good at listening. And I'm not one to betray your confidences."
Victoria nods slowly, stepping closer to Garwin. She lowers her voice: "Promise?"
Garwin smiles. "Promise."
Victoria nods, hesitating for a moment more. Her voice is quiet, deliberate: "I was... I've been desired for my body. Wrongly. Part of me wanted to make sure that never happened again." She shudders: "If I was feral, it couldn't happen, right?"
Garwin 's smile fades. "I... didn't realize that. And yeah, I guess bein' feral like that would definitely keep folks from getting too close. Seems to me it'd keep them from gettin' close at all though."
Victoria lets out a low growl: "That was a downside I was... willing to entertain. But... no." She sighs quietly, looking at Garwin: "If I... if I ever need help for such a... situation, I want to know you're on my side. Right?"
Garwin seems a bit taken aback at even the implication that he wouldn't help. "Of course! Vic, that's... of course! It's the reason I'm here, doing what I do. I know I'm a bit simple..." He glances away a little, a bit embarrassed, "But you can count on me."
Victoria nods, giving the smallest of smiles: "Yeah, I knew that, but... sorry, I'm no good at this." She looks aside: "I just never want that... pain, to come again." She shudders again, stepping closer: "But I think I need to keep the... companions I have. And that means you, too."
Garwin grins. "Garwin's got your back, Vic."
Victoria gives a low chuckle at an argument between the two that seemd like forever ago: "Victoria, if you don't mind."
Garwin scratches the back of his head again, "Oh uh, right. Sorry. Victoria."
Victoria gives Garwin a bit of a punch on the shoulder: "You'll get it one day." Her smile wanes to a smaller one: "But... thank you. I haven't told many why I escaped here, and it's not a pretty story, but... well."
Garwin nods, "Don't gotta tell me more then you want. I don't much tell folks about why I'm in Respite either."
Victoria looks at Garwin: "I don't know either. But... guess you might tell me one day. Doesn't matter." She looks aside: "I'm not that vulnerable seventeen-year-old anymore, but... I'm not invincible. Someone bigger could overpower me and things could get ugly."
Garwin nods, rather serious. "No one's invincible, Vic...uh-toria. If someone bigger does overpower you, they'd better hope they're bigger then me, cause I'm not gonna let a comrade in arms suffer like that. I don't like to use my claws, but..." He looks down, "There are... times I would."
Victoria glances at Garwin and nods. She finds that small smile again: "For what it's worth... I am glad you're on my side."
Garwin grins. "Me too. On uh, on your side I mean. I mean, I'm on my side automatically, right?"
Victoria lets out a bit of a laugh: "I think you are, yes. At least not when feral... or even then."
Garwin nods, "I sorta wish I remembered that so I could rightly apologize. I know I thought on I was on your side, then. But not a whole bunch else. It's all sorts of weird. I keep think it's March still."
Victoria nods, thinking on this: "Yeah, it's... odd. But we mostly just kind of - survived, out there. Not that much to remember, I guess."
Garwin: "Yeah... I guess not." He still seems a little bothered by the idea, but lets it go soon enough. "I'm just happy to be back here in Respite."
Victoria nods, lifting her hand to Garwin's shoulder: "Yeah... so am I, I think."
Garwin straightens up his posture and grins at Victoria. "Well, good! Cause I'm happy you're back. Both uh, here and back as being you."
Victoria nods, smiling as she lets her hand go back down: "Yeah... me too." She shakes her head: "It's still a bit confusing to me, but... I think I did the right thing."
Garwin chuckles, "Well, it's probably not much, but I think you did too. You were kinda surly on four legs."
Victoria tilts her head: "I was?"
Garwin seems a bit confused, "Well, you were with me? Maybe that was just cause you were mad at me. I dunno."
Victoria gives Garwin a prod: "Maybe some of it. Spending all the time surviving does that, I guess."
Garwin stratches his head. "I guess I only saw you the once that I can remember, so I can't rightly say if you were any different or not."
Victoria shrugs: "I dunno. Honestly... does it matter? We're here, we're alive."
Garwin chuckles, "Yeah, that's true. I'd say we should go get a drink or somethin', but I basically just started and Cap'n wouldn't be happy if I just walked off."
Victoria lets out a chuckle, winking: "You sure? I'm sure she wouldn't mind after hearing I don' hold a grudge anymore, she's like that."
Garwin shrugs, "She might be like that, but you know I'm not much for abandoning my duty."
Victoria shrugs, giving a wry smile: "Yeah, fair, I know that." She gives him another prod on the shoulder: "Be seeing you later then, big guy."
Garwin gives Victoria a light punch in return. "I'll be seeing you Victoria. Or not, depending on how sneaky you wanna be."
Victoria chuckles, turning back towards the shadows: "We shall see, I imagine. Take care."
Garwin grins wide. "You too!"
Victoria gives a small wave at Garwin, before walking around the corner, tail swishing. And at least reasonably sure she did the right thing.
Garwin seems in a slightly more upbeat mood as he heads back along the wall, starting the second circuit of his patrol.