Moon Child

“Semantics.” He grinned with a shrug, “You’re still my favourite sister sooo it’s not a lie.” While he was nothing like Colston - at least in his opinion, he didn’t - Braxton tried to be a good brother to the younger Rendall. He didn’t show his affections like his brother did, but he truly did care for his baby sister. “Well, you’re starting somewhere. Can’t be expecting big offices like mine on the get go.” But then again, Braxton was always renovating in his space which he took pride in. All his effort had paid off and turned the fitness center to what it was today. 

“What did those posters do you, Al? Geez.” He laughed, “What were they? I didn’t get a good look? Are you even supposed to take those down? Weren’t they issued by the school board by one point? I really don’t know how shit works around here.”

Ally rolled her eyes at her older brother, sticking out her tongue playfully to show just what she thought of his whole ‘semantics’ angle. It was just the way she operated, anything got too sweet or sentimental and she either had to make a joke out of it or find some other way to move away from the emotion. Brax and her were similar in that respect, were actually more similar than Col and Althea in most ways though she always did try to emulate at least a little of her eldest brother. “Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll ever have an office as big as yours, I don’t own the school building and doubt they’ll let me knock down any more walls” no matter how seriously they took mental health no one ever really seemed to pay as much respect to the high school counselors, it was the private psychologists and therapists that got the big fancy offices and she knew, albeit begrudgingly, that she was lucky to have this much space. 

“Their existence was simply enough to offend me” the Wolf returned her brothers laugh, she was glad they were gone but maybe her hatred of them was a little...dramatic….okay a lot dramatic. “They were those condescending posters with the cartoon animals on them and this is my office now so I can do as I damn well please” also despite her show of bravado she was fairly sure that the school board wasn’t about to kick up a fuss because she took some posters down, they weren’t necessary to a child's education last time she checked. “They’re posters Brax not textbooks, it’s fine” or at least she was pretty sure it was, at least she hoped given that they had already been destroyed.

“If you’re splitting the tasks by specific days, it’s not really multitasking. But I’ll give you an A for effort, and we can discuss how it made us feel over a pint of a ice cream so we get the best of worlds,” He shot back, stepping further into the office. “I see you’ve come geared to give this place a patented Ally-Makeover,” Col said, nodding at the stuff clearly sitting on her desk. There was a very brief flashback to conversations about re-decorating bedrooms, and another chuckle ripped out of him. “Just be sure to leave up Ol’ Sunny over there,” he pointed at the poster with the sun in shades, “He’s been up there since before I was born.”

“I can’t believe you’d lecture me in my own office, that’s gonna cost you one big ass bucket of ice cream to make up for it” Ally complained jokingly, she managed to withhold the comment on the tip of her tongue about how it was likely to never happen given that they never seemed to talk about anything even approaching their feelings.  “Obviously, no way am I leaving this room the way it is. It’s so...clinical and cold, not exactly what you want in a place that’s meant to make people feel like they can talk” she wanted to make it into a place that felt like a home...or more reasonably due to the size a room in someone's home, a place that the kids actually wanted to come and wouldn’t feel like they were being judged or evaluated. Her gaze followed his nod and when it landed on the aforementioned poster she rolled her eyes “Really Col? I never knew you were so sentimental. It’s horrendous, if you have such an attachment to it then why don’t you bring it to your office? My gift to you.”

Miles’ eyes widened slightly, “Please don’t involve the brothers. That’s the last thing I want.” Thankfully it hadn’t come to that. He was trying to stay away from as much drama as he could. Maybe not a completely low profile, but at least one that kept him out of trouble. If it wasn’t the brothers, it’d be the cops. At least no one else had noticed them seeing each other around town. There were a few times where he’d pick a different coffee place or food spot to avoid making it awkward. Although, this was taking the cake for that. His nerves were at least simmering down now that he knew they had both thought along the same lines. It made this ten times easier. 

A small chuckle escaped him as his eyes went back to his coffee, his cheeks flushing slightly. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. But, if either of us start hitting on each other now, the stalking aspect of this seems like it’d come back into play.” Miles found her attractive, but he was new and this wasn’t exactly his ideal way of getting to know someone. Some sort of platonic relationship between the two was enough. He smiled, “Not one for sharing?” There were certain parts of his life Miles had no problem saying, but there was just as many that he wouldn’t speak out. His eyebrows raised at the comment, not knowing what exactly that might be. Except for maybe being at all the same places at the same time. It wasn’t until he saw the flash of her eyes change to gold, his mouth falling open again. There had been some hints to other supernaturals being in town, it was one of the reasons he had come in the first place, but he didn’t think anyone ever come out and tell him. Miles sat up, closing his mouth as he realized the look he must have. “I guess we do.” He paused, “Do I make it that obvious?”

Ally laughed at Miles’ reaction to the comment about her brothers, it was something she was used to but it never failed to amuse her how scared guys would seem to get if she alluded to seeking aid from her brothers. “I’m a little offended that you’re more scared of my brothers than me, I’m much tougher than they are” she could just imagine Brax popping up out of nowhere to contest that, given that it wouldn’t have been the strangest thing to happen that day she took a second to do a quick look around and double check that they wouldn’t be interrupted by either of her brothers. If Col or Brax saw her sitting alone at a table with a guy she had no doubt that they’d make their presence known, Brax most likely to embarrass her and Col to take on the traditional ‘dad’ role of inquisitor but both with her protection in mind.

“Damn and I’d just come up with a good line too, guess I’ll have to save it” Ally wondered if Miles was always so easy to mess with or if it was just a by-product of the incredibly weird situation they found themselves in, she knew that for her personally it had altered her usual personality somewhat at the beginning and mused as to whether she’d have met a totally different person if the circumstances of their meeting were more normal. “Not particularly no, not with strangers at least” which was sort of a white lie given that she hated sharing in general, surface stuff was fine but anything deeper...anything from her past. She wasn’t a religious person but she found herself praying to God that it wouldn’t come to that, that whatever was pulling them together was based on the fact that they were both wolves.

The wolf cocked her head at Miles’ apparent surprise “You really didn’t…?” which meant he was either recently turned or didn’t bother spending much time around other wolves, both options held their own set of concerns. “Sorry, no you aren’t obvious at all. For people like us, there are ways to tell using your senses” a pause before she voiced her next question, hesitant to ask because she knew it could be sensitive but knowing that it was something that both her and Col would need to know “Didn’t your sire teach you about that? Or even the alpha from your last pack?” it was a fairly standard thing to teach new wolves, helpful if they found themselves in a new place without a pack as it enabled them to find others of their kind.

“Ohh… Awww. I didn’t know that.” She pouted, slightly upset that she didn’t get the chance to even say goodbye to the former counselor. “But that’s so coool! That she wants to open her own place! I can’t.. go back to school but.. but it’s amazing that she could.” The girl was terrible when it came to school; she could hardly pay attention to the lesson even though she was very eager to learn. The mermaid was just.. very easily distracted and the only thing that she could keep her focus on was art which was why she spent most of her time with that. 

“What’s a vandal? Oh! Is that.. um.. people keep saying that I shouldn’t be using people’s walls without permission..” The girl wasn’t even aware that she basically admitted that she was a vandal. “I just really want to share the art with people! I put all my emotions into it! It’s so pretty. Artie says my art is pretty!” Her grin quickly morphed into a frown, “Why? Dogs are amazing! All the animals here are so cuteeeeee! How come you don’t have one?”

“I don’t think I could go back to school either, especially after being free for so long” It wasn’t that Ally regretted going to college but for her it had simply been a means to an end, she’d known a few people who had continued their schooling for simply the reason that they’d wanted to continue learning and she’d admired them but that just wasn’t her. The wolf chuckled as Catalina admitted to her illegal activities seemingly without really realizing what she’d just done, lucky for her Ally was probably the last person on earth who could judge someone for partaking in less than legal activities “I’ve seen some images online of beautiful wall art in cities, Fallcrest is just a bit behind on the times that’s all” and really you’d think with vampires, werewolves, and god knows what else running around they’d have bigger things to worry about than a girl who just wanted to share her art.

 “Unfortunately my apartments just too small and it just wouldn’t be fair for the dog, I’m going to be moving out of my current place soon though so hopefully I can find an apartment with enough space for me and a new furry friend” it could simply be chalked up to the fact that once a month she turned into what could be considered an incredibly large dog that she wasn’t about to confine a dog in her small apartment with no outdoor space for them to run around in for at least eight hours a day, she was restricted when she was a wolf, for the safety of others, but if she didn’t have space to run she’d end up crazier than she usually was.

“Nope, not right now at least. Why? You got any suggestions?”

While she hadn’t been in town for more than a year, she realized that the counselor wasn’t the same one as the last time she was in Fallcrest. However, with how often she kept moving around, Embry quickly adapted to the change and didn’t question about the previous counselor’s whereabouts. Embry only nodded when she was told to call the older woman Ally which had her lightly anxious. It was weird calling a teacher by their first name so she opted to the second best choice - to not call her anything at all and keep to herself. Taking the seat, she sat there with her backpack on her lap as she watched the counselor get herself organized. “… Am I in trouble?” It wasn’t exactly the principal’s office, but she was still paranoid that she had done something.

Once the other girl sat down Ally rounded the desk to sit in her own chair, it felt strange being on this side of the desk but it also filled her with a sense of pride similar to seeing her nameplate had done. “No, not that I know of. Then again I haven’t gotten your name yet so I can’t quite be sure” Ally joked with an easy smile, it was hard figuring out how to soothe the nervous energy of specific individuals, some needed to be coddled others would prefer a less serious approach, but she always started with humor as that was her own personal preference. “Why would you think you’re in trouble?” Most kids weren’t sent to the counselor for getting in trouble, of course if you got in trouble enough there was the chance you’d be labeled ‘troubled’ and sent to her office but the counselors job wasn’t about punishment it was about helping.

“Depends on what I’m looking for and the person, I do have my standards but also I mean…come on if the person is hot enough you can overlook the personality for a night. It also depends if I’ve had tequila. Short answer: if it’s in regards to a relationship then I tend to keep my standards but if it’s a one-night stand situation then they can be bent.”

“My job, helping the kids the way I was helped. Finding a new apartment is like a close second though cause my current one is absolute shit.”

“I like that I’m independent, I like that I have the ability to help people, I like that I always keep fighting.” 

“Not really...I guess I kind of trusted the friends that I had in high school a little too much considering how much shit we got into.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly answer that-Braxton! Col doubles as my dad which makes him super annoying sometimes...don’t tell either of them I said that.”

“In the words of the legendary Britney Spears: overprotected.”

“Being Cols younger sister is a little overwhelming to be honest, that’s a lot to live up to.”

“I lost touch with a bunch of people after high school so...basically just Brax and Col to be honest....fuck I’m lame.”