Ghostcat shenanigans

[technicallyhellbound]

It had been a few weeks since they'd started this arrangement, and so far the Cat had, in fact, been a surprising amount of help. Enough so that Charles had stopped being mostly on-guard while in his presence and had even taken the 'puppy' nickname in stride, though he still hadn't really looked too deeply at why it didn't bother him as much as it probably should.

That particular day was neither a Monday nor a Friday, and was in fact a Wednesday, so while it wasn't one of their scheduled briefings, it was a visit that had been arranged in advance, a few hours while Crystal and Charles were at a concert, the kind of thing that while Edwin enjoyed being invited to, really wasn't the kind of thing he actually enjoyed going to, and the others both knew it, which was why they continued to invite him, even if he always declined.

It was late afternoon, not yet early evening when he stepped out of the mirror into the cannery, tugging at the collar of his slipover in much the same way he did the lapels of his usual jacket. He'd been branching out from his usual look, just a little, in bits and pieces, and now had something of a range of shades of those softer jumpers, this one was a deep bottle-green and was nearly a cowl-neck, but definitely less severe than his usual look.

It had been raining in London, or rather it had been misting heavily, and he wasn't quite sure if it was still raining here or if it had just finished, there wasn't the same kind of moisture in the air, which meant that if it was raining it hadn't been doing so for long, and all he knew was that the Cat had something planned for them to do, he was only now considering that he probably should have asked a few more questions beforehand.

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[catting]

The Cat raises his eyebrows at the confirmation. He'd heard it made ghosts stronger, and in that vagueness he'd assumed that stronger meant magically or at least in terms of potential ability, not... not more present. Edwin telling him in no uncertain terms that he is more touchable than ever right now, that he might even be warm is like telling a child to eat their greens while dessert sits melting in the middle of the table.

He actually whines, a tortured kind of feline noise more befitting a jungle cat than any domestic animal he usually takes shape as, and closes his eyes briefly as the pull toward the center of the room tries to have him consider what a warm meal that isn't fish might taste like. Stupid, really, Edwin doesn't even have flesh. But he does have a body, and a body that might very well be warm and—

He opens his eyes when Edwin speaks again, giving himself a little shake, dusting off the little licks of flame clinging to the tips of his hair.

"Fuck, shit, that's not fair— Ah, what? Oh, yeah. Yeah, just dump it on the fissure. This is good old-fashioned earth magic, you don't need fancy words and mantras when the elements do all the work for you." He nods at the glowing crack in the ground, but resolutely doesn't look at it. "It'll pulse once it's been fed, but then it should ease off a little while it spreads the energy out along the line. It'll give us enough time to uh, catch our breaths. And get out."

[technicallyhellbound]

Edwin nodded once, "That's good to know." It was the work of a moment to uncoil the knot of the cord from around the Cat's wrist, movements tidy and precise as ever, and doing it one-handed all without spilling any of the liquid in the cup.

There was only a brief moment, calculating distance and potential for splash if he missed before tilting the cup carefully, movements cautious and measured until he had the thing fully upended. Even he could tell when some of the pressure of that magic eased off, just as the Cat had said it would, like feeling a thunderhead roll by in the distance instead of rolling directly overhead.

It was an odd sensation, but not particularly uncomfortable, even in the more fully tangible state he was currently in. Returning to the Cat's side, he asked, "I'm afraid most of my first aid experience is out of date, but I sincerely doubt that bandaging techniques have changed that much." It was an offer to help, if needed, as he wasn't entirely sure what the Cat's healing situation was.

[catting]

The moment the magic is unfastened from his wrist, he feels like he wants to sink his claws into something and scratch, sharpen them and feel the satisfying way they sheathe and unsheathe as he flexes. But he closes his eyes to that feeling, bottling it as he digs his nails into his palms instead, and waits for the telltale pulse of energy to brush warm air across his senses. It smells like the sea and metal when it does, and the Cat exhales slowly through it, feeling the oversensitivity of his magic crest and wane like the rolling tide, ebbing out to the back of his mind where he keeps it under much better, easier control.

When he opens his eyes, Edwin is back at his side again, still looking warm and vibrant in the relative dark of the cave, but less like something the Cat would have a hard time resisting sinking his claws into. Now, at least, he'd be clear-headed enough to ask, if he was feeling particularly emotionally masochistic.

At Edwin's offer to help, the Cat's expression falls into a strange look of surprise, almost like he assumes Edwin is joking before he remembers who he's talking to, and a smile starts to form instead.

"Why, Edwin. Who knew you had such a bedside manner? You know I can't resist the opportunity to let you play nurse." He says, using some of his magic, a little weary though it is, to summon a short roll of bandage which he hands out to the ghost. "Oh, one sec-" Before he stretches out his arm, he uses that slightly longer than typical tongue of his to catch the streak where blood had dripped off his elbow, and laps up over the wound while he's at it. Cats don't have healing powers as a rule, but a Cat King's magic can be applied in a myriad of ways, particularly when licking one's own wounds; the gash doesn't seal, but it does start to knit, and the bleeding stops immediately.

[technicallyhellbound]

That particular turn of phrase made him smile a little, if only because between he and Charles it had become shorthand for 'Edwin you're being unnecessarily blunt again, maybe let me handle this', so hearing it in the proper context was surprisingly amusing.

Just as surprising as the Cat actually taking him up on the offer, and providing the proper supplies. He'd been folding the end of the roll into a pad for the wound itself when he was distracted by the Cat's method of cleaning himself up. Edwin shook himself from the confusion easily enough, pressing that thrice-folded end of the bandage to the slowly-healing cut, wrapping it tidily, first from elbow outward at one angle, and then back at the opposite, leaving a tidy row of overlapping chevrons, like fish scales, before tying off the end, "There, now there's no chance of leaving accidental stains before you've fully healed."

[catting]

The Cat watches Edwin work, noticing the little mote of surprise in his raised eyebrows but not a single other thing — no little gasp like there had been the first time the Cat had done something shocking and low-key sexually charged around him, no widening of his eyes, just a blip in attention and then a swift refocusing — and feeling it settle in his chest somewhere that doesn't feel particularly warm, but doesn't feel all that uncomfortable either. Maybe this is what coming to terms feels like. He thought it'd be more dramatic.

"Mm, good to hear. I like this shirt." He says with a vauge little smile once Edwin releases his arm and he can stand alone and intact once more. "It feels dumb to say I'm impressed with your tidy work, since everything you do is frustratingly precise, but this is something else." He flexes his arm, impressed by the fact he can still move without any of his circulation being sacrificed, and smiles a little more sharply. "They really don't teach the important shit in school any more, huh? If you were anyone else, I'd have had to drip all the way back to the beach."

He looks over Edwin's shoulder, at the mouth of the interior cave that leads back to the main chamber and out toward sunlight.

"And speaking of the beach — we shouldn't hang out in here too long. I try to limit exposure where I can. Makes me feel all..." He shrugs his shoulders, halfway between a twitch and a shudder. "Static-y."

And then, a thought strikes him, and his tone isn't exactly empathetic, but it does sound a little warmer when he speaks: "You said this shit will linger with you, though, right? Are you good with the happy residents of Port Townsend seeing a bow tie outside a wedding for the first time in like eighty years?"

[technicallyhellbound]

If he'd been aiming for shocking, he was going to have to try harder, because Edwin had learned a few things and wasn't as easy to startle as he had been then. Of course, he also wasn't considering other applications of that tongue, not because he wasn't interested, but simply because they hadn't occurred to him when he was focused on the task at hand.

The question, however, got a soft smile, a genuine warmth in his tone as he replied, "You're the one with social capital to lose here, or to gain, I suppose." His head tilted, brows both lifting once more even as he caught gently at the Cat's elbow, careful not to apply too much pressure where there was a still-healing injury, "Is it going to tarnish your reputation to be seen with me, even if it is only for a half hour or so?"

The question was genuine, because Edwin, of all people, knew just how tenuous one's social standing could be, and how easily it could be tipped, for better or for worse, and he didn't want to be the cause of the Cat's losing esteem.

[catting]

The fact that the question is quite obviously genuine makes him laugh, some of his earlier warmth coming through in the sound and making it easier for him to lean in close to the touch on his arm, to crowd Edwin's form in closer. "Come on now, Edwin. I know you've got that whole British politeness thing going on, but I didn't take you for modest."

And while the Cat could already touch and feel Edwin easily without the issue of his spectral form getting in the way, it feels so different now that the Cat can't deny himself the faux-innocent little petting of his fingers over the back of Edwin's knuckles where he holds his arm, fingertips delighting in the new sensation of flesh beneath them.

"Being seen taking a stroll across the beach with someone as handsome as you are definitely won't do me any harm as far as social status goes. Who knows, I might even become local supernatural gossip for the first time in a few years. 'Has the Cat King finally managed to see someone more than once, and why the Hell is he bleeding?'" His eyes light up just at the thought of it, stepping into the main body of the cave, but pausing just before stepping outside with him.

"Thinking about it, maybe you should undo the bow tie a little — really give them something to talk about, hm?"

[technicallyhellbound]

"Absolutely not." The reply was quick, but not sharp at all, it was as amused as the question of potential damage to the Cat's social standing had been genuine.

He was, however, more relaxed even once they got outside, falling easily into step with the Cat, leaning closer in turn, pausing before adding, "Not just yet, at least. We've some time if you'd really like to give the gossips something to go on about once I've left."

It wasn't a case, which meant he wasn't going to flat-out shut down the Cat's flirtations, though it was up in the air whether or not he would return them. Bug given that he'd left an opening like that, there was a good chance he was going to, at least to the best of his ability. Just one of those things he actually needed practice at, but didn't get much of.

[catting]

He'd been expecting the refusal, so it's met with a little snickering laugh as he settles back into himself, concentrating instead on picking a path for them across the beach rather than on thinking up more ways to push Edwin's buttons (they call that personal growth)... but what he isn't expecting is for Edwin to lean in and add that little bit extra, and it's a good thing the Cat has neither ears nor a tail that can give his reaction away completely, even though his body perks up in interest as much as it can without the extra help of additional limbs, his eyes practically glowing with curiosity as he looks back at his companion. Coming to terms be damned; this is much more fun.

"Oh we do, do we?" He presses, drumming his fingers across the back of Edwin's hand, as if doing so will lure the tail of his suggestion close enough that the Cat can smack a paw on it and drag it out of the mouse hole.

But... slowly, slowly, right? He doesn't want a repeat of being too much too fast coming back to bite him in the ass. "I'm excited to see what you've got in mind..."