NO

He could have argued that point, perhaps, but he was glad it was coming from her, even if she might have some trouble internalising it for herself. "Not people. Just you. Maybe Viktor." He trusted them. And he would take whatever punishment or shenanigans they might dole out for him -- It was all temporary, after all, and he had the ego of a court jester or a particularly shameless fool.

She was working on it. If external decorations and expression were counted. Just wasn't rooted in the sub-basement yet.

"Yes, yes. I'm a people too. The reminder is appreciated." He would nuzzle into her finger, scritching his cheek against it. "I just meant that I wouldn't let people in general do things to me like silly hair cuts, but... I would let people I love and trust do that."

Leaned over to have a cheek to cheek bunting moment before getting back on topic. Didn't wanna continue harping.

He could have argued that point, perhaps, but he was glad it was coming from her, even if she might have some trouble internalising it for herself. "Not people. Just you. Maybe Viktor." He trusted them. And he would take whatever punishment or shenanigans they might dole out for him -- It was all temporary, after all, and he had the ego of a court jester or a particularly shameless fool.

She was working on it. If external decorations and expression were counted. Just wasn't rooted in the sub-basement yet.

"Why not? I'd let you do almost anything to me, if you wanted to do it." He'd shift around a little, placing one of his little fuzzy peets with its beans on her knee.

"No, you're a person. Don't let people do whatever they want." Getting rankled on the topic. Hypocritical, honestly.

"Your magnanimous protection of my reputation and what passes for good looks is appreciated," he'd reply, tail following along easily with her movements.

She set the tail back down on her lap.

He would shift slightly to make space for her to fit in with him, a quiet purr starting when she leaned over. Couldn't help but snicker at that face journey, though. "That's not all that demotivating, really... We both know I'm a ridiculous clown at the best of times."

He'd let it drift back close but not touch her again before he settled it further back behind him. It made him feel like a squirrel.

Had to clear her throat while she got up and went to sit next to him. Peer at the screen of his phone. She didn't know what the fuck a dragon cut was--

"Oh." Ah, that did make more sense. He went back and forth with the cat moding, depending on what felt more warranted. But that context helped more. He would find his phone and pull up a photo of the cut, huffing out a laugh at her. But he could be fluffy again, if that's what she wanted, though he had to shift some to accommodate his tail, letting it curl and brush up against her face in the chair.

Roka gave his tail a push away from her face without thinking about it much.

When he wasn't in a manic episode, René would happily sit for hours, quietly ruminating and just watching the world around him. It was easy to get lost in his thoughts, or to just let them settle as a faint background hum while he traced the path of a particular vine, or the progress of an ant as it moved along the ground.

"A lion cut." She repeated. "You're fuzzy and it's hot out and, frankly, you're gunna overheat. So...a groomer needs to give you a lion cut." She was trying not to grin while saying this. The mental image was taking her the fuck out.

Wasn't that some things didn't hurt anymore so much as she'd tucked it away, as a died down ember, into a secret part of her chest.

Some things did fade more than they were neatly resolved, still scars there, still raw edges.

She couldn't typically focus on her books and things for very long. Maybe an hour or two at a time, maximum. Then breaks had to be had. More typical was more like twenty or thirty minutes. Which was about when she put the book down and took note of things beyond 'not about to kill her'.

Continued from X || @actualtirefire

"Well!" She started off with a confused, speedy, lilt. Uncertain how to respond because she was used to wetter humors.

<.<

Gunna sniff him first. That's very important. Sniff sniff real close to his face after wandering up to him super casual. Which would be actually casual if she wasn't a cat person and came out of basically nowhere.

"Nah." Little more bapping to his cheek.

She was not inclined to push herself to max speed. Wasn't fair and it also took a lot of stamina and calories. She was just normalish speed. Running!!! On all fours. She was well adapted to that kind of movement.

This was about the rat thing?! That petty german bitch- but that was also kind of hilarious. Eye for an eye! At least Hennessy understood that enough and wasn't as much of a cranky pussycat by the time he had his claws in Roka's shoulders.

"Oof!" Bony butt. Ugh. She shoved at him.