Twice Cursed [Goblin] [M]

[Juno]

Her sleepy words earned her a few pats of reassurance, but Conrey was too tired to respond. The werewolf slept deeply, peaceful with the knowledge that he'd made some progress with the young vampire. At least she seemed to accept him now.

By morning he had curled himself up with her, thoroughly entangling them together as he sought out the warmth of his bed partner. Oblivious to the fact that he'd forgotten to sleep as a wolf for her, Conrey lay quietly with her even once he'd woken. He stretched, yawning softly as he gathered her in closer to his chest.

[GoblinFae]

The little lady slept through the night without care or worry. Whatever nightmares she normally suffered were kept at bay by the warmth and protection of her werewolf bodyguard. Her sleep was heavy and deep, only to be disturbed by the movement of her bed partner dragging her more snugly against himself. This earned him a grunt and a mild protest. "You're squishin' me," she muttered under her breath while burrowing her face further into the warmth and darkness of his chest.

[Juno]

"Hm?" he grunted, surprised that she would say that while still trying to keep close to him. "Don't lie, you're alright," he scolded gently, giving her a quick squeeze to prove his point as he buried his nose against her hair. "Do you feel any better? Did you sleep well?" the werewolf asked quietly, content to just lie together and talk.

[GoblinFae]

"Squishin' me more," she complained at his gentle squeezing. With a sigh though she peeked one tired eye up at him to gauge his seriousness. "I slept and there were no nightmares," Yasmine conceded quietly. "Thank you."

For a moment she closed her eyes again to try and fall back asleep but her fingers tangled in his shirt gave her pause. "Wait a moment here. Mind explaining why you're not all furry right now Mister Conrey? Thought that was part of the agreement."

[Juno]

"Good," he sighed, rubbing at her back gently, content with the momentary comfort and peace. Her question had him furrowing his brow, though, the werewolf only vaguely recalling his agreement with her. "It slipped my mind," he shrugged, not thinking it any better or worse regardless of the form he chose to sleep in.

"I was very tired and I fell asleep without thinking. I'm sorry," Conrey apologized, thinking she was merely disappointed at not having a wolf to cuddle. "So I must be a wolf forever with you?" he wondered, chuckling as he had not remembered his own promise.

[GoblinFae]

Yasmine shook her head slightly, causing her nose to drag back and forth over the front of his tunic. "Well you did promise for propriety's sake that you would spend the nights keeping the nightmares away in your wolf form. It isn't proper for an unwed young lady to share a bed with a man that is not her husband. If my parents found out then they'd probably run you out of the country and me...well I would be all alone now wouldn't I?" She sighed softly. "If I promise not to tell at you will you PROMOSE to remember in the future?"

[Juno]

Despite his promises to her he was still a bit offended by the proposal. "It is not as if I am unaware of myself or my surroundings as a wolf, you know. If I was going to have thoughts like that they could happen just as easily in my other form. My mind is no different and I see you just the same." Conrey sighed, thinking his explanation pointless for she did seem a very determined young woman regardless.

"But if that is your wish it is still my goal to make you happy, so I will do as you ask. Starting tomorrow, though, it's too late now, I'm too comfortable like this." Conrey nuzzled against her to prove his point, the werewolf not worried about their sleeping arrangements either way. "Will you eat today?" he asked gently.

[GoblinFae]

"It is not you but others I worry about. What if on the extremely rare and improbably moment fortune decides to consider itself useful and my parents come to visit and burst into the room. Would it not be better to have a full-grown wolf in my bed rather than a full-grown man? You know some people would rather run you through first then ask questions later. I would rather not have to go through this awful process of finding someone new to suffer in this hell alone with me if it's all the same to you, thank you very much."

Yasmine huffed as if miffed but her grumpiness was soon proven otherwise as he nuzzled against her causing her to squirm and giggle. This newfound mirth was also short-lived however. She stilled at his question as if the very life had been sapped from her. "Must you ask?" she replied in turn, her voice sounding very small.

[Juno]

He merely rolled his eyes at her explanation, not surprised at all she only seemed to care for her own self preservation. "Yes?" He was confused by how quiet she was, certain she might have been used to him asking by then. "You'll need to eventually. Wouldn't it be easier to just...get it over with?"

[GoblinFae]

Yasmine sighed and shook her head. "The longer I wait the longer before I have to again. It means the longer I get to still be "me," Mister Conrey. I don't want to give that up. I'm scared of myself, and disgusted. I didn't even really like eating meat before and now I have to eat...," she shuddered, unable to finish her sentence. "Why does it have to be all so horrible and unpleasant?"

[Juno]

"That makes no sense," Conrey huffed, shaking his head at her failed logic. "You prolong your suffering, you prolong your pain and hunger. I don't care what you did before, you have to adapt to how you are now. If you neglect yourself I'm worried how you will affect your health with this...foolishness." The werewolf had to remind himself that didn't know any better, she didn't know what a healthy relationship with her food was as a vampire. She'd only starved herself to desperation and killed.

"Do you want to be so out of control when it happens that you kill again? Would that make you happy? To kill me whenever you've starved yourself so horribly you don't even remember yourself or what you're doing? To just act on 'hunger' like some wild animal?"

[GoblinFae]

She scowled up at him with both eyes. "You said I couldn't kill you. I become an animal in the face of it anyway. What difference does it make if I wait longer and do not have to become that thing as often? Do you know what it is like Mister Conrey to be trapped in your own body and fear you may never be free of it? Every time I feed that is what it is like for me. What if I become it and am never free? What then? Is that not what happened to the one that did this to me, the one that left me to die only because he could not finish his meal in peace."

[Juno]

"Well, I am confident that you could not do so knowingly. If you become what you say, though, I cannot guarantee my safety against it should you lash out at me. That is why I wish you would see that sooner is better. It gives you a chance to take control of the situation, to be aware of yourself.

"But if that is not what you want then by all means, continue to wait," Conrey sighed. "It isn't my place to force you, but I feel it would be less...risky if you listened to my advice, Yasmine." The werewolf stroked at her back, as much in an attempt to soothe her as his own nerves.

[GoblinFae]

Yasmine whimpered softly, not liking the sound of her options but understanding the truth in his words. She clutched him closer, enjoying his soothing touch while she attempted to think things through. "I don't want to kill anything," she admitted, "not even a rabbit or a mouse! I just don't know what to do Mister Conrey. It makes me sick just thinking about it and yet there is still no...solution."

[Juno]

"There is a solution," he chuckled, shaking his head slightly in disbelief that she was still avoiding the obvious so desperately. "Perhaps one day you'll see it."

Conrey was silent for a short while just listening to the sounds of the house before determining it would be best to not lay about in bed all day. He loosened his hold on her and attempted to sit up and shake the drowsiness from his limbs. "We should go out and get some fresh air at least, don't you think?"

[GoblinFae]

She let him drag himself away from her even as she curled in more on herself, holding firmly to the edge of the covers to keep them up by her shoulders where it was warm. "What if there are people outside? Would you," Yasmine paused, looking up at him with deep concern, "will you stop me from hurting anyone?"

[Juno]

The werewolf shot her a stern look at her question, studying her face to try and judge her seriousness. "There shouldn't be anyone here, not for miles I'd think. But if there happened to be some poor person wandering too close I will certainly keep you away from them so that doesn't happen.

"If you are too afraid, though, you can remain indoors," Conrey suggested, though he didn't really like the idea of her staying cooped up by choice because of her fears. "Would you still drink water or does that not...interest you anymore?"

[GoblinFae]

"You promise?" she asked him hopefully. Yasmine gave up on going back to sleep and dragged herself up into a seated position with her knees tucked under her chin and against her chest. "You really won't let me hurt anyone? Because it would be nice to go outside I think, at least for a little while." The young woman sighed and looked out towards the window longingly. "Water does sound delightful though," she added hopefully, glancing towards Conrey from the corner of her eye.

[Juno]

"Yes, really. I promise," Conrey repeated, rolling his eyes at the continued assurances she seemed to so desperately need. He offered an outstretched hand to her in case she wished to stand. "We can go to the river. Could spend the day out there if you wish, I'm sure the sunshine might lift your spirits from all this doom and gloom," he teased, though he was confident it might help anyway.

[GoblinFae]

Yasmine relaxed and smiled genuinely. "That does sound rather wonderful." Reaching out she accepted his hand and allowed herself to be pulled off the bed to a standing position. "Should I meet you downstairs then? I'll need to um," the young woman looked down at the dress she had slept in, "get changed and whatnot. Is the river far? I would hate to go traipsing around through the woods in my best dress and ruin it just for a bit of sun."