Oh deer.

[ofcatsandfate]

Now that Fabrice has moved back in, gotten settled, and assured his beloved cats that yes, this time, they are home to stay, he really craves a Quill run. He has the rest of today off, not starting work back at the zoo until tomorrow, and he desperately needs a greasy junk food fix. Sating his cats with an extra can of wet food (and God, do they ever have him wrapped around their paws, with their big, sad eyes and pitiful meows every time he so much as blinks), he grabs his wallet and keys and heads out the door. He pauses for a moment in his walkway to send a text to Cecilia, just to see how she's doing, before shoving his phone into his pocket and heading on his way.

He could ride his bike for the extra exercise as he heads into town, but today, with its slightly less humid temperature and overcast sky, feels like a day for walking. It's been too long since he's last had the chance to enjoy the view of Siren Cove coming in from the outside; the gradual decline of trees into civilization is a beautiful sight, and if he had any artistic abilities, he would dearly love to paint it.

And, he thinks to himself, though he tries not to, this venture is also a test, of sorts. Ever since that night in Oregon, at that bar, Fabrice has had more cause to worry about venturing out in public. That asshole, Donny, he thinks, who started bragging about how many wolves he's killed; he continued from there about derogatory remarks about the women he's slept with, and then wound up getting in Fabrice's face once he saw how uncomfortable he'd been at the source of his conversation. He kept prodding at Fabrice until he nearly punched him in the face. Said asshole also turned out to be a witch. A damned good one, considering how quickly and subtly he'd managed to curse Fabrice.

Fabrice now lets out a steadying breath. He refuses to let that jerk win, from however many miles away they are apart. As long as he remains calm, and he doesn't let his nerves get the better of him, he ought to be okay.

Surprisingly, his resolution holds; he doesn't encounter any mishaps on his way to Siren Cove. At least, not until he reaches the edge of town, where various people sprawl in the damp grass, on blankets with books and significant others to keep them company. He smiles briefly at the sight, though his heart aches a little at it, too. He manages to clear his head of those thoughts a moment later, distracting himself with thoughts of a black raspberry iced tea and a bear claw to go with it.

This is, of course, the moment that a teenager nearly collides into him on his bicycle. Fabrice's stomach drops as the tingling sensation that comes with every transformation begins spreading across the tiny hairs on his arms, like wildfire. He desperately looks for a place to hide, but by then, he's already dropped to all fours, and it's all he can to quickly shove his wallet and phone in his mouth as the magic takes over.

He arises minutes later, fully a deer. The teenager gapes at him, before running off and screaming. The various people gathered begin to panic in their own ways. Shit, he thinks. And then he runs, back towards the woods, knowing he's already failed his own test. And possibly a few laws, while he's at it.

[OOC: Basically, Fabrice's curse is that he transforms into his animal form every time he's startled/overly nervous. I want to play it out as a plot for a little bit, so I do ask that any magical suggestions not work for while yet. Eventually, he'll overcome it, but not yet. Set to late morning/early afternoon; feel free to have witnessed him transform from anywhere on the edge of town by the woods! Have him nearly run your pup down or whatever you like. A good time to meet him, despite everything. Open to all!]

Comments

[bachjones]

"Moose!"

Isaac was already following the that-was-a-guy-a-moment-ago animal, and Bach followed him with a curse. Couldn't Siren Cove for once act normal so his son wouldn't end up as fucked up as he was? Or had that been only his mother?

"Deer. Pretty sure, anyway. Moose is uglier, remember? Small legs, big horns." He caught Isaac's arm, glad that although the boy was growing, Bach could still keep up with a five-year old. "Now let's keep away, because we never want to scare animals right, do you remember?"

[ofcatsandfate]

Fabrice winces when he hears the sound of an approaching child, who most likely saw him transform. Wonderful. Now he could potentially be responsible for scarring someone's kid for life with his own magic. Fantastic. Today just keeps getting better.

He stays frozen in place as a deer, watching the child and his father as he tries to decide his best course of action. He's transformed enough on his own that he knows the basic ways in which a deer ought to act, but right now, his mind is too entangled in panic to act on any sort of reason.

Ultimately, he bolts, nearly diving behind a bunch of trees while he returns to his normal self.

Thankfully, he's prepared for these sort of situations now; while the rest of his clothes tore in the initial transformation, he still has his undershirt and boxers, his usual shapeshifting uniform. He emerges from a different direction, hoping to placate father and son.

"I think I saw the deer run off that way," he mentions, a sheepish expression on his face. "They do tend to frighten easily, you know."

[bachjones]

Bach knows the fuck better than that, and not just because the seer sounded like a weak copy than this guy. Wait, he heard that song before as well.

"Pet zoo guy."

But whatever had happened or turned, it succeeded with distracting Isaac. He takes his father's hand, pulling in the direction of the invisible deer. "Les go, let's go, daddy. For Alfred, get a moose deer for Alfred."

Bach pulls him back, lifts him to his hip. "Already gone, Isaac. I'm right, right? Volunteering work at the pet zoo?"

[ofcatsandfate]

Oh, damn it. Perhaps equally as horrifying as potentially scarring a child, of course Fabrice would run into someone he knows while a deer. Of course he would.

"Yes, hello. Bach, right?" He runs a hand awkwardly through his hair, trying to think of how he can best explain his situation. His mind remains blank. "And who is this young man?"

"I actually work at the zoo full time," he explains. "And during our petting zoo days, we do sometimes have deer."

[bachjones]

"Zoo?" That's much more exciting than sharing a name and seeing a half naked man. "Petting zoo? Did the deer run from the zoo?"

"Isaac." Bach shakes his head. "Let it go. This is my son, long story. Sorry, remembered stuff wrong. I talk to too much people. But you're alright about the name. You okay, except lucky that you lost all your clothes on a nice summer day?"

[ofcatsandfate]

"No, that was just a wild deer, I believe," Fabrice says, with a smile he hopes is convincing. "I think he might have just accidentally wandered a bit, in search of food."

"Isaac. That's a nice name," he tells Bach. "And no worries. I'm fine, if a little embarrassed," he admits. "It's like those old dreams where you're standing in front of your class naked."

"Luckily, I don't live too far from here."

[bachjones]

"Right. That fixes the rest of it, than. Weather's too hot for me to take off any more clothes in public." He was wondering if there was anything useful to remember about this guy, but his mind drew up on a blank. Just another Siren Cove weirdo, probably.

Isaac, on the other hand, was a bit more enchanted. "I think the deer sang", he tells Fabrice, hands under his chin. "I hear singings. But not Alfred. Alfred is our cat."

"Let him go home so he can get dressed. Adults don't like to walk around in their underwear in public." Now he winks. "Especially not in the day time."

[ofcatsandfate]

"You think the deer sang?" Fabrice says, tilting his head to turn his attention to the little boy. Though he really isn't much of a people person still, he's always had a soft-spot for children, and Isaac seems especially endearing. "What kind of song did it sing, do you think? And you have a cat too? That's wonderful. I have three, myself."

He blushes at the reminder of his lack of clothing, running a hand nervously through his hair.

"Yeah, silly me. I was too happy at the prospect of Quill food, I forgot my own clothes," he says, hoping it'll sound convincing enough to Isaac.

[bachjones]

Dude. Bach is starting to remember now, guy's weird. Not evil weird, but definitely not the guy you want talking too long to the child you want to raise as normal as possible. Nobody forgot their clothes, especially not for food.

"I think it did", Isaac replies, his face serious. "Soft, like blankets after washing and hanging in the sun. But pets don't sing. Is deer a pet?"

"No, it isn't." Seriously, was this happening. "You must have heard someone else, monkey. I think I heard it as well, going that way. Want to go find who it is?"

[aoife_coombs]

Thor exhausted her, but in a good way. Aoife's chasing him through the streets, faux complaining about how he won't stand still so she can clip his belt on. When he suddenly stops, nose up in the air, she stops as well, looking for the distraction.

"What is it, Thor?" She senses his urgency, his turn from playing to hunting. But hunting what? "Stay heel, Thor. I don't want you to get hurt."

[ofcatsandfate]

Fabrice has just managed to flee from the very edge of Siren Cove when he catches sight of Aoife and what looks to be her dog. Cursing internally, he picks up his pace, desperately looking for a place where he can transform. Before his cousin's dog decides to live up to the promise in its alert pose.

He dives behind the nearest set of trees a moment later, beginning the reversal process as he does so. In another few moments, he reemerges as himself again, albeit in his bare-bones clothing.

"Hello Aoife," he waves, grinning sheepishly at her.

[aoife_coombs]

"Fabrice? Fabrice!"

Aoife's dog isn't that easily swayed, his ears still perked up, his tail low. She picks up on his doubt and immediately kneels down next to him. "Family, Thor. No need to worry about him. Fabrice, you're ..barely dressed."

[ofcatsandfate]

He remains where he stands, catching sight of Thor's alert expression. "I didn't realize you had a dog," he remarks, taking in the sight of Thor. "I like the name too."

"Yes, well," he says sheepishly. "I was dressed and then I kind of...shifted against my will in the park."

[aoife_coombs]

"Windvane Coombs told me to have him, through the necromancing witch. I forgot her name, she was very obnoxious. I think he's ..he's close to a familiar, at least. Follows me, recognizes me." She smiles, shaking her head. "Shifted? Oh. Oh. That's what got Thor going, I guess."

[ofcatsandfate]

"Windvane Coombs?" Fabrice blinks at the name. It sounds familiar, but he can't be sure where he's heard it before. "Necromancing witch? I have missed a lot, haven't I?"

His gaze shifts to Thor then; he smiles at the dog. "A familiar, huh? He seems to suit you, Aoife."

"Yes, shifted. It's...complicated."

[aoife_coombs]

"Cassandra. The one I got my second name from. Great grandmother's sister. She was a bit.. different from the times she grew up in. And we share talents. Just don't think you can call me Windvane from now on."

"Thank you", she smiles. "That's good to hear from another witch. I had to get used to him. Is there something wrong with you're shifting?"

[ofcatsandfate]

"Oh, one of the great grand relatives then," Fabrice muses. He doesn't keep up with their family tree, not like Moira and her siblings do. "I didn't know you were named after her! That's pretty fascinating." He smiles. "I promise, I will only call you Aoife. Really."

"I, er. Well." He winces. He knows it's his own fault, giving in to the provoked reaction the other witch obviously wanted back in that bar; it still doesn't make it easy to talk about. "I got into an argument in a bar, and well. The other witch managed to get the best of me, and cursed me."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn's heading down into town from the woods. He has an appointment with his lawyer today, and it's taking up most of his brain space, which is annoying. Normally this is when he lets himself notice nature, let his frenetic brain be silent, reach out to the energies around him. This walk isn't heavily trafficed and he likes it that way.

But lately, he's found himself a lot more preoccupied than he prefers.

That might be why he doesn't see the deer, a young stag, as it comes zig-zagging, in his direction. He freezes, just long enough to see that the fear in the deer's eyes has something -- not quite purely animal about it. He gets something else, too, while he's trying desperately to make himself clear enough an obstacle not to get struck in the face by a hoof, and it makes him turn his head.

"Wait --" he starts.

[ofcatsandfate]

Fabrice is too occupied in attempting to flee from the strangers who saw him transform, he doesn't think of the possibility of running into other people as he makes his getaway. He runs with the sole purpose of escape weighing on his thoughts; he doesn't pause to consider the consequences of his reckless running until he nearly collides with another person.

He manages to skid to a halt even as the man before him moves out of his way. And then Fabrice curses internally, because he knows normal deer just don't stop like that in front of people.

He watches the man, wondering what he'll do.

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn blinks at the stag's sudden, aware stop, and he tilts his head. If he were better with mental magic, he'd try to project calm, but the only animals he's ever been able to affect on a large scale are wolves and dogs -- and this is not the time for them, calm or not.

The stag is magic, though. It faintly glows with it, whatever it is, and he's beginning to think it's not a deer at all. He reaches out a hand, tentative and wondering, with the respect any wild thing deserves. His gaze is steady but sidelong, used to animals.

"What's got you so startled, gorgeous?" he asks casually, venturing a careful step closer and trying to make sense of the energies he's feeling. He'd much rather not give away how much he can feel; maybe he's wrong.

Besides, it is a gorgeous creature, whatever it is.

[ofcatsandfate]

Fabrice concentrates on focusing his breathing, an attempt to keep his nerves from taking over and further revealing more of himself in the process. He can feel and hear the breaths escape his nostrils from the heavy way they resound in the air around him; a crude and natural melody.

The man watching him seems remarkably calm for someone who nearly got run over by a deer. Fabrice remains where he is, though he gets the sense that the man before him isn't a threat the longer they both remain where they are in the clearing. He holds out a hand towards him; Fabrice stills even more, but he doesn't flinch or back away from the touch.

Fabrice doesn't want to reveal himself as a witch to a stranger; he knows Violet is gone, and that the witch who cursed him into transforming against his will remains in Oregon, as far as he knows. Still, he can't help but think that people out in the world still want to hurt him; it makes him overly cautious.

Still, he lets the man step forward. He might not be willing to transform back yet, but he finds himself increasingly trusting of this particular human. He would blush, if he were still human himself, at being called gorgeous, even in just his animal form.

Instead, he bows his head, leaning forward. A gesture of approval, for the moment.

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn doesn't trust people very easily, but -- even when he was living with his aunt -- animals have always been safe. His father taught him about the dolphins and sharks of the Everglades and to be respectful of the fish they caught; his late uncle's hounds were the only ones in his aunt's house who understood him being himself. Before even he did. Animals are good judges, and they aren't shy about making their feelings known, and he feels comfortable with beings like that.

He's becoming increasingly sure that this particular animal is possibly also a person, or was once, or any number of interesting options, but that doesn't mean it hasn't snuck past some walls by presenting itself to him as something other than human. There's a very childlike part of him that can only see deer and it's the same part that finds himself at home in the woods, finds more of a cathedral in the trees than in any created place of ritual.

At the regal bow of his head, Auryn smiles, and he gently lays a hand on the stag's neck, near its flank, communicating curiosity and calm. "I won't harm you," he says aloud as he does, and it's as much to any witch, fae, or whatever is causing the knot of energy he can feel around the deer.

[ofcatsandfate]

In some ways, hiding behind his animal makes meeting new people easier for Fabrice. He's hiding in plain sight, behind the disguise that is still very much a part of who he is. Ever since last year, he has grown in being able to socialize with others, but the fact remains that he still tends to keep to animals and people he already knows when he does prove social. Meeting others as a deer proves a lot more comfortable for him, he's coming to find.

Ever since he and Cecilia both learned to shapeshift, Fabrice has treasured the ability. It's a complicated magic, and he is grateful for it in helping him further understand animals. Not to mention, in many ways, people. Especially during hunting season.

The man he's come across keeps staring at him in a way that Fabrice is sure that he must know he isn't an actual deer. The thought should unnerve him, but it doesn't. Something about this stranger's curiosity peaks Fabrice's own.

And then he can feel the calm communication flowing from the man's hand on his neck, along with his words, and Fabrice is certain this man has powers himself. Whether as a witch or siren, he can't yet be sure. As uncertain as he in regard to what he's about to do. He wishes he could communicate more thoroughly in his deer form, but he can't. And he senses that he can really trust this stranger, when he says he won't harm him,

So, with a deep exhale of breath that is absolutely human, he undoes the transformation. After moments of sparking motions clouded by the powder of magic, Fabrice rises from where he once stood as a stag, clad only in his shapeshifting outfit of an undershirt and boxers. Very much blushing, he takes another steadying breath before meeting the other man's gaze.

"Hello," he says, rustling one hand through his hair awkwardly. "This is awkward, but um. Thank you for not hurting me?"

[do_what_thou_wilt]

The deer sighs, and then there's a poof of smoke and light that is almost funny, it's so cinematic. Auryn steps back from it a little, blinking in surprise as the stag is replaced by a lanky, freckled young man, dressed in just underclothes. There's something about his build and features that makes the thought well, of course he's a deer flit through Auryn's head, and he laughs, at himself and at the incongruity of the situation. The young man's blush is furious under his freckles.

Auryn grins, utterly pleased. He's never met a shapeshifter before, not in person. "I thought you were more than a deer," he says, then more seriously: "I hope you don't feel inclined to thank everyone you meet for that slight a kindness." He offers his hand. "Auryn Connor. I think I owe you an introduction after, um." He smirks. "Petting you."

[ofcatsandfate]

If Fabrice is fast enough, he can sometimes catch the remnants of the magic surrounding his own transformation. Today is not one of those moments, as he blinks and concentrates on focusing his vision from that of his deer form. He watches the other man step back, a more reserved reaction than what Fabrice expects, considering his experience with those unused to magic.

At the sound of the other man's laughter, Fabrice wishes he could will away the red beneath his freckles. Yet even with his magical abilities, he's never been capable of doing that. Still, his laughter isn't malicious, which he appreciates with another sheepish smile. "What gave me away?" He asks with a quirk of his lips, as if he didn't already know the answer to that question.

"Well, it's been a rough year," he admits with a shrug. He doesn't say that he's used to aggressive behavior towards him, but, well. Between his aunt nearly killing him and the witch who cursed him into transforming against his will, he rather is. He shakes his head briefly to clear it of those thoughts, smiling more when Auryn offers his hand.

"Fabrice Coombs," he replies, shaking his hand gratefully. "It's nice to meet you, Auryn." He giggles nervously at that. "Well, in fairness, there are worse reactions to have towards a deer that nearly runs you over."