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About a Week Later - Early Morning.

Rowan sighs as she steps into the bathroom. The past week at work has been more or less the same, and now that it's Friday, she's mostly excited to get through the workday and suit up.

Waking up snuggled with Jac' is always a huge benefit, of course, but they have to disentangle eventually and get ready for the work day. She steps up to the bathroom counter while Jac' gets breakfast and prepares to shave.

She squints her eyes, staring a moment at her reflection... she had been growing out stubble yesterday, hadn't she? But now it seems she doesn't need to shave? Her heart skps a beat as she leans in to examine further. She calls out, voice breaking slightly, "J-jac'? JAC'!"

Jacinto is doing his usual routine of frying eggs(both sides spiced) while being approximately two-thirds awake when Rowan calls out. The tone of voice wakes him up instantly and he almost flips the pan over by accident as his hand catches. Steadying the pan and swallowing, he starts going back back upstairs, breakfast or making thereof forgotten in an instant. "Rowan?!" He almost runs the stairs up, just barely not stumbling.

Rowan stammers as Jac' bursts in, concern on her face, "O-oh uh, didn't mean to-" She shakes her head, speaking somewhat excitedly, "Look! Look at my face, Jac'! It... okay, it's not much, but... do you see it? I... I didn't shave this."

Jacinto gasps for a breath for a second: "...m-maybe... warn... nevermind." He steps closer and lifts his palm to Rowan's cheek. "You... wait. You didn't shave yet? But you always have a bit of a stubble..." He trails off.

Rowan starts to tear up, barely nodding in response as her emotions rise up, "Y-yeah... didn't have the chance to shave yet. It's just... smooth."

Jacinto pauses for a second: "So... it's... I almost want to say it's not possible, b-but I think that's been long redefined for us. So... it's working?"

Rowan sniffs, "I- I th-think so~." She pulls Jac' into a hug. "I... I think I n-need to call in sick today."

Jacinto hugs tight, swallowing: "I... I understand." He whispers: "...if this is it, if it's really happening, I am so happy for you right now."

Rowan laughs, a confused, uncertain, but unquestionably happy laugh. She squeezes Jac' for a moment before releasing him, still crying, "Th-thank you... It seems so little but... I really hope it is... I... I hate shaving. I hate my body hair."

She laughs again, "H-how stupid is this? C-crying over a bit of stubble."

Jacinto gives a soft laugh: "W-well... I wouldn't mind being rid of some body hair myself... and if you feel like shedding a few tears, then, go right ahead love." He leans over to give Rowan a small peck on the lips.

Rowan blushes softly, and doesn't hold back the tears even through the kiss. She slowly turns back to the mirror, looking at her face, smiling wide. "It's... not any different looking if I had just shaved, but it feels... amazing. Just the thought of it. I wonder if anything else is different."

Jacinto smiles: "Well... if you call in sick, then you can find out, no?"

Rowan nods, "G-guess I should take care of that, huh? I can post in the team chat to let my boss know."

Jacinto sighs softly, and gives another soft hug. "You do that. I'll go see if I didn't burn our breakfast yet."

Rowan chuckles, hugging back, "Y-yeah. Sorry for shouting like that."

Jacinto gives a soft giggle. "I think you're excused. See you downstairs in a bit."

Rowan nods, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror before going to find her phone. A few quick messages later, she comes downstairs into the kitchen. "Well, everyone hopes I'm okay. Just said I had a migraine today. C-can't hardly say 'I woke up without any stubble because I think the magic tied to my living fursuit is turning me into a woman'."

She giggles, clearly riding a bit of euphoria at the discovery.

Jacinto laughs softly, having created slightly darker than usual, but still good fried eggs. He plates them and some slices of bacon for the both of them. "Probably better to leave that part out..." He blinks, then swallows, thinking: "If... If this really is it, we should probably start planning. Paperwork and that stuff. Jeez."

Rowan sits down, staring down at the breakfast in thought, "I... I hadn't even considered stuff like that, huh?The downside to the magic is definitely that it doesn't really take modern society into account, huh?"

Jacinto sits down, nodding: "Yeah. It's where my mind went. If you... if we change, we gotta get the official stuff to match." He takes a bit of his egg: "...well, the... female side, not the furry side. I ain't explaining to any official about my furry antennae and wings anytime soon."

Rowan chuckles, taking a few bites of his own breakfast. "Still though... going through with all of that... should I change my name? Am I becoming 'Akari' for real? Not the fur and scales and tail, but... it's kind of weird to consider, right? Who am I becoming? I... I hope you like her."

Jacinto smiles, offering his hand across the table: "I think that much is given, love. I love you for your noggin' and passion and energy." He hesitates for a moment, then smiles softly: "...though if you become more like Akari, I suppose I have no grounds to complain there either."

Rowan laughs, "In some ways, hard for me to become any 'more' like Akari. But I get your point. I'm just... nervous. Excited. All of it at once. For everything I'd heard about this process, I wasn't ready for it, even the smallest bit of it."

Jacinto nods: "Yeah, I getcha. And I would be, too..." He shivers a bit, that question popping up again. "...would I? Want... all that."

Rowan hums, squeezing Jac's hand. "Only you can answer that. ...I don't think anything will even happen unless you know that this is what you want. I just feel... weirdly sure. Seeing any kind of change just makes me so, so very certain this is what I want."

Jacinto finds his smile again: "Then... I will stop worrying right now and be happy for you. Time will tell, for me." He pauses, then grins: "Girlfriend~."

Rowan laughs giddily, feeling a tingle run down her spine at that word, "Heeee. Thanks, love. I couldn't do this without you~."

Jacinto hums: "Well, I couldn't stay sane through all this without you either, so we're even." He giggles: "Either that, or we're both insane."

Rowan giggles along, "Either or. I'm perfectly happy being being insane with you~"

Jacinto hums, considers, then nods: "Yeah, really... me too."

Rowan grins, "But I think we left sanity behind years ago to be honest. This is just the consequences catching up with us."

Jacinto laughs softly: "True. Very true."

Rowan sighs, slowly releasing Jac's hand to continue her breakfast. "I... probably shouldn't have called in sick so fast. But I'll take some time to just... figure myself out again. Nothing else feels different, but... I need to see for myself."

Jacinto smiles: "Well, I certainly understand. Just... you know, figure this out."

Rowan nods, "I... well, I'll do my best. I guess I can't make a promise... but I think I know what I want. It's just still a question of how, and when these things happen."

Jacinto smiles: "Yeah, pretty much. But... if this is the start of it... t-then we will see."

Rowan takes a breath, "The start... I... I hope so. I mean, I know so. Are... you still going in to work today?"

Jacinto nods: "I have to, I think. I'll have to save calling in sick for when... if something happens for me, you know?"

Rowan smiles, "Maybe... wise. If you think things will start to change for you as well." She pauses to eye Jac' carefully. "...do you?"

Jacinto hesitates, then for good measure hesitates some more. He stares at his empty plate for a very long moment.

Then finally, she looks up and nods with a tiny smile.

Rowan grins back, "Oh! Jac'! I hope... I hope it makes you feel as happy as it makes me feel!" She snickers, "We really just had to be sure no part of our relationship even appears 'straight', didn't we?"

Jacinto blushes. "Y-yeah... I'm... pretty sure now. Of, uh... myself, I mean. Direction, if not exact goal, if you will."

Rowan nods, trying to keep her expression serious, but unable to really keep the smile off her face, "I'm here for you, Jac'. You just let me know what I can do, when you're ready."

She shakes her head, "Not that I've got all that much more experience than you, but... I want to hold your hand through it all."

Jacinto nods, then takes Rowan's hand in his... hers. "Holding hands is certainly a good start."

Rowan squeezes softly, "That I can always do... should I call you my girlfriend now too?"

Jacinto blinks, blushes... then nods. "I think... I'd like that. Just, you know, privately for now."

Rowan nods, "Of course. I... sorta hate that we have to hide this all. Not just being in fur, but... you know. Us."

Jacinto nods, frowning slightly. "That would be true even without... you know, magic."

Rowan slumps slightly, but nods. "Yeah... I know. Here, at least..."

Jacinto smiles: "Hey. In this together. We'll figure this out."

Rowan sighs, before straightening up to smile, "We are. And we will. Love you, girlfriend~"

Jacinto smirks: "Love you, girlfriend."

Rowan's expression brightens wider, "Feels good to say that, and to hear it, huh?"

Jacinto blushes, nodding slowly: "It... kinda does. Hard to explain why, I guess. But you already know."

Rowan nods, "I do know. But that feel whenever you call me pretty, or your girlfriend, or... it just sends this feeling through me..."

She pauses, considering, "H-honestly... it's a similar feel to what I would get when we used to suit up at a con."

Jacinto blinks: "...I had not considered that. But... maybe." She shrugs, uncertain.

"I should start getting ready for work before I decide otherwise."

Rowan nods, "Y-yeah... Guess so. Sorry. I'll text you anything I learn today, though!"

Jacinto smiles: "You do that. You know you'll be in my thoughts."

Rowan grins, "And you'll be in mine, love."

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