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[greenzone]

"Hey, you've reached Willa, leave a message.

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[greenzone]

She scowls slightly at Arthur as he manages to pull it off her head, mussing up her hair more than it already is.

The scowl lasts about .05 seconds, though, and by the time she looks over at John her eyes are filling with fresh tears.

"Sorry. I forgot."

[greatoldjohn]

And he's going to walk over, nice and even pace, and sit down next to where Arthur is tigered up. Then he looks up at her.

"Oh, I don't care. I can get in either way. As long as you want me here."

What?

[lestercraft]

Arthur does nothing to make the messy hair situation better, and in fact gives her hair a long lick to make it worse.

And then he flops his massive head into John's lap, tail flicking more enthusiastically.

You didn't even attempt to try and pick the lock? he points out dryly through their connection.

[greenzone]

"If you weren't covered in fur I'd lick you back," she mutters, swiping her hair back from her face before she rests her own head on Arthur again. To John, she says, "You can come in whenever you want."

[greatoldjohn]

I've broken a few of the locks in the Enclosure. I didn't want to chance it. This was quicker.

But the tiger is getting his ears scritched and John will smile over at Willa before he reaches with his other hand to neaten her hair and cup her cheek.

"I'm still going to knock. You're a young lady. You deserve your privacy."

Things he learned from Nat.

[lestercraft]

Any smart reply Arthur might have had is immediately overruled by his ears being scritched, and his eyes close immediately as he leans into John's hands. Tigers don't purr but there's definitely a number of rumbling chuffing noises escaping him as he nuzzles his head firmly into John's stomach.

[greenzone]

Willa closes her eyes when John touches her face and puts both of her hands over the back of his. In part it's just to have contact with him herself, in part it's because she wants to keep his hand there.

She starts to try and thank him, but then oops there are tears happening again. "How'd you know-- Did Arthur tell you what happened?"

It would be no surprise to her if he did, or that he could, even if John wasn't there.

[greatoldjohn]

He looks down at the tiger fondly before turning back to look at Willa.

"Arthur and I are pretty well connected. I knew, at this point, there's not much that would make him change. And he was upset in a very specific way."

He leans over and he's glad of his size since it means he doesn't have to bother Arthur in his lap to kiss her forehead.

"Arthur can tell me later. I'm just here to make sure you're both okay."

[lestercraft]

The mention of the inciting incident makes his noises stop short, and his ears press back against his head as he lifts a little, sitting up on his front paws enough to turn and nudge Willa again, bunting softly against her.

[greenzone]

Willa had opened her eyes to look up at John as he spoke. As he finishes, she closes them again, unconsciously breathing in slow and letting it all out in a long rush that takes most of her tension with it. The odds are better than decent that she's going to fall asleep on them at some point. But at this moment it's a relief to feel truly safe. Safe enough that Arthur nudging at her with his big feline face makes her smile. She reaches out with one hand to find his head and start scritching him behind one massive ear.

"I think it's a good thing I had-- have-- John Gaius's healing magic on me. If Arthur and Dennis hadn't been there..." Yeah she's not going to finish that thought. Willa frowns. "I want to learn more magic. I know a few things, mostly things Zerxus taught me, but I want to know more. And get better at it. So I don't panic when I'm in trouble, so I think of the spells I have first."

She snuggles in a little more securely. "Also I want to turn into animals."

[greatoldjohn]

There's a glance at Arthur as she mentions the animals bit.

...do I tell her where you got yours? Would he give her one?

But to the rest of what she says, he nods right along.

"I bought some books at the port that had magic everyone could learn. You'd be welcome to use them if you like, Willa. I've read them by now."

[lestercraft]

Might as well. Leickenbloom's rather like Mandrake, in terms of his interpersonal dealings, from what I can tell. He'd-- FUCK--

The sudden jolt of a curse comes with Arthur's rather abrupt change back to human - with the angle he'd been leaning to give Willa that attention, he's gotten himself off balance and he can't get his wrist back under himself fast enough, and he drops flat on his back with a short yelp of surprise.

[greenzone]

Willa yelps in response, though her yelp is, "Uncle Arthur!"

When it looks like nothing more dramatic is going to happen, she adds, "...Are you okay?"

[greatoldjohn]

Arthur will not land on the floor, however. Instead, there are a few larger tentacles outstretched to catch him which will gently right him and settle him on the floor without the impact.

...which disappear behind Uncle John a moment later.

You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to you not falling into holes anymore.

"Florian really needs to work on how long that works for."

He looks to Willa.

"Still want fur?"

It's an offer.

[lestercraft]

The tentacles are a surprise, but he doesn't mind not slamming into the floor for once. "I-I'm fine, Willa," he chuckles, pushing himself to sit upright. "I got that one from Mr Leickenbloom, he, uh. More or less thrust it upon me, really."

He tugs his left sleeve up, showing off the bracelet that looks so much like a wristwatch, carved with detailed runes. "It only lasts for half an hour - I'm not sure if that's a restriction of his magic or a deliberate safety feature, but. I'm sure he'd be delighted to share his abilities. Mandrake had one too, actually, that let him turn into a snow leopard."

[greenzone]

Um, hang on, she will address that in a moment Arthur. First, to John:

"Wait wait do you mean fur for you or fur for me?"

[greatoldjohn]

"Right now, fur for me," he says honestly, "which would be fur you get to flop on. Both of you, really."

He considers the problem of fur-for-Willa.

"I've never turned someone into an animal before with quite so many... concerns." Like them being sane afterwards. "I'll have to work on it a little."

[greenzone]

She gives a long, exaggerated whine, a thwarted teenage noise. But it's about five times more energetic than she sounded when John got here.

"Fine but if I get to pick--" She pulls her phone out and shows them both a picture of an obscenely fluffy cat. "This but tiger sized."

[lestercraft]

Arthur immediately laughs. "John," and his tone is a warning, but there's no bite, just deep amusement through their bond. "If you do that you're going to lose Willa in the fur, we'll have to send in a rescue party."

[greatoldjohn]

He's looking at that photo for a looooong moment before he turns to Willa.

"...are you sure?"

[greenzone]

"You say that like it wouldn't be awesome," she says to Arthur. To John, well-- he gets big pleading eyes.

"Pleeeeeease Uncle John."

[lestercraft]

Arthur just raises an eyebrow at John, watching him to see how quickly he caves to those puppydog eyes.

[greatoldjohn]

John only gives Arthur one glance and a gruff defense of it will make her happy before he hops up and is suddenly a large fluffy golden cat. He's still large-but-normal-cat-sized for the moment until he pads a few feet away and then grows to be tiger sized, the fluff growing right along side with him. He will pad over now and loaf on the ground near the both of them before they'll both hear.

Well? Go on.

[greenzone]

Willa makes a noise that's somewhere along the spectrum of EEEEEE before throwing herself into the fluff like it's a pile fresh-raked leaves.

[lestercraft]

Arthur laughs again, light and gentle as he gets briefly to his feet, sitting and flopping himself against John's other side, so he can stretch an arm out and start scratching behind John's ear.

"Very nice, John."