Aerin Thomas: The man is standing in the back yard, leaning against the wall, underneath the kitchen window. Despite the below-freezing temperature, the man is actually scantily clad...in a pair of sweat pants, nothing on north of the waist, or on his feet. The scar fetish keeps his chest warm, and he doesn't seem to notice the cold creeping into his limbs. A cigarette rests in his hand as he stares out at the garden, the expression on his face somewhat blank.

Ita McNairee: *she smells like cinnamon and sleep. Baby's are carefully tucked away inside, the dogs keeping every eye on them, and ethan as well, last she'd checked. the pikey spent less and less time in the house lately. upon waking up alone she's stumbled out to the back yard, curled up tight in a sweater and moccassins.. she's wrapped up tight, but for the skirt, peering around bleerily*

Ita McNairee: d10: per alert: 5,7,3,5,

Aerin Thomas: d10: Per+Alert: 7,9,4,6,4,7,

Ita McNairee: *she stands, peering about and rubbing her hair like some oversized rodent, cleaning herself. its not till she turns around she sees aerin and skitterss sideways with a high yelp and a hand to her thigh*

Aerin Thomas: He notices the door open, but doesn't look over, smiling slightly as he picks up the familiar smell. "Hey, love." The cigarette is raised to his lips, taking a deep drag from it and exhaling, carcinogenic smoke mixing with the steam of his breath to drift into the air and dissipate.

Ita McNairee: *a swallow, tenseness bleeding out of her frame the instant eyes light upon more than a shadowy ciggarrete smoking man, and make out long hair and a slightly baby face. she smiles hand coming to her heart* Och.. *she chides, slipping close, instinctively pressing his wrist to move the smoke away. old habits and all that. her hand findes his chest*.. ye'll catch yer death..

Aerin Thomas: "It's fine." He shrugs, easily moving the hand when she presses, moving the cigarette away. His hand, chilled to the bone, comes up to press over hers, fingers closing over it and pressing it gently to the wamrth of his breastbone. "I've been doing jogs around in the early morning...to build up my endurance. This is...well, it's fuckin' cold, but I'm okay."

Ita McNairee: *still, she frets over him, rubbing a shoulder with a jingle, warmth of a curvy body pressed against him tightly. hot lips pattering affectionate kisses over his collar bone before he's granted repreive from her smothering, and she looks up*.. an wha finds ye oot o bed taenecht darlin? bad dreams?

Aerin Thomas: He doesn't respond for a little while, shrugging slightly. Feet shift a little bit in the grass and the morning dew, flicking droplets around. "Went and saw Siren the other day. She says hi."

Ita McNairee: och, siren's a good sort... *she watches him, brown eyes touching his face in a gentle question*

Aerin Thomas: He smirks faintly, drawing the cigarette up for another drag on the far side of his mouth from the Rroma woman. "She's a Black Spiral Dancer, Ita. A servant of the Wyrm. She fights the same people we do, but for different reasons, and in the end, she serves the enemy of the Goddess."

Ita McNairee: doesnae make 'er nae a good sort. *she slides a hand up to drag her hands through his hair, a warm kiss pressed to his jaw*.. boot ah see she troubled ye soom. wannan tae talk aboot et?

Aerin Thomas: His jaw pulses, but he nods. "I've..." He sighs. "I find myself conflicted, love. Very, very conflicted. Torn between purpose and duty. If any of the others knew..." He shakes his head. "It wouldn't be good. And that's about an understatement at the level of saying that Trevor had a few issues he needed to work on. At the same time..." He shrugs. "She's family. And helping her is part of my purpose. So I can't."

Ita McNairee: *she frowns slightly. Its clear the little pikey doesn't fully understand the idea of Siren being against his duty. she chews on this a moment, the just hugs close. maybe that would help*

Aerin Thomas: The sudden intrustion of warm to his frozen body brings a shiver to his frame, though hardly an unwelcome one. "I've been an idiot, Ita. And a heavily deluded one at that. And what's more, I'm choosing to stay deluded on top of it all."

Ita McNairee: och. an effen ye were tae look only o wha ye should dae, an nae be deluded et aul....? *she asks, rubbing hands along his back under the curtain of his hair, jingling as friction warms him some*

Aerin Thomas: He's quiet for a moment, eyes still staring out at the garden. "She told me that she'd lead me home, when I was ready...but that I had to come by choice, or it would be enslavement over dedication and love."

Ita McNairee: boot darlin.. *she gives him a little shake, smiling up at him softly*... ye are hoome. *her hand slips to his face, to draw his attention off the frosted garden and to the warm scotswoman in front of him*.. aye?

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah." He nods, smiling faintly as he looks down to her. A frigid arm slips around waist, over the sweater and squeezing lightly. "Yeah, love. Yeah, I am home."

Ita McNairee: well then.. ye need nae leade,. an be damned effen a folks gintae enslave ye wie oot aven tae gut a wee pikey ferst. an ah like me guts en. 'ad em blown oot afore, an ah reckon they'll nae grow back as bonnie thes time.. aye? *she sings, giving him a grin and a kiss to the chest* hmmm. ah love ye darlin.. *she nudges him with her head* yer a good da. an a good folk tae be wie. yer nae lost.

Aerin Thomas: "It all depends on your perspective, I guess." He shrugs, leaning down to press his lips against chestnut hair and the scalp underneath. "Siren seems to think otherwise." He sighs, a chin that's starting to grow scruffy again resting on the top of her head. "Doesn't matter. She'll be leaving soon, she said. It's getting too dangerous for her to be here. Too many people hunting her. She's staying around only long enough to help deal with the Spirals Bliss is hunting and the vines in the lake in that housing development, I think."

Ita McNairee: Och.. *a smack to the man's rump thats almost sharp, she crooks her neck to kiss his jaw, then leans back* make yer own damned definition darlin. bollox tae tha. *she nods, and slips away from him, jingling to the door to let out one of the puppy's which is scratching and whining. a moments listening establishes it just needs to pee*

Aerin Thomas: He jumps a little at the smack, looking to her, almost but not-quite annoyed, before the kiss and words sooth him and bring a hint of a smile to his scratchy, angular face. He turns to watch her head to the door, sighing a little...enjoying this moment, as best he can. The quiet and the solace.

Ita McNairee: och.. *she bends down to nuzzle the twin pups, not that she has to bend down far. a grimace as one licks her mouth.* elch..blecht.. nae o tha.. *she wipes her face with a jingle, before her eyes slip to the thin philodox, a cheeky smirk as she makes as if speaking to the pups* gie enough o tha as et es...

Aerin Thomas: He chuckles a little at that and shakes his head. "Maybe they're jealous." He takes the last drog of his cigarette and tosses it into the garbage can he's placed outside for his butts, turning to regard woman and dogs. "I love you."

Ita McNairee: Och ye dae dae ye? *she oas the pups and sends them off to tear around the farm, rising with a jingle and setting her hand on her hips, eyes twinkling merry with mischeif and pikey sass. She's happy to have him home, and happy to see him in a mood other than brooding, guilty, or sorrowful*

Aerin Thomas: "Well, that's the rumor, yeah." He chuckles and moves to her, leaning down to press cold lips to her warm ones...a strange sort of inversion, from months ago, when one thinks about it. "So, Bliss is talking about getting a house. He says he's collecting too many people for his apartment."

Ita McNairee: *she kisses back, nibbling a bit in appreciation, before singing* och.. oo aul's ee gaw darlin? jes wee brianna last ah kained..

Aerin Thomas: "Brianna's actually living with another Garou now...a guy named Jamie. Though I'm sure Bliss is still looking out for her." He shrugs. "He's got Catie Bellewhit living with him...Surly isn't living with him, but she may as well be. And various other people who pass in and out, I think."

Ita McNairee: och.. caties a darlin lass. *she smiles, rubbing his chest abesntly as she watches the dogs dig at something in the pasture* ye kain.. ee should jes build awn tha damned property ee're. we're nae usen tha north pasture fer nae boot storen alfalfy.. whech ah reckon can be set oop by tha bloody barn. *she nibbles her lip and looks up, head cocked* be safer fer everywan tae be en wan place. aye..?

Aerin Thomas: He smiles a little bit at that. "Yeah...I suppose it would. I'd suggested it as a possibility, but Bliss wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable with him living up here."

Ita McNairee: ee's a wee bet like a wart.. reckon ee's growen awn me. *she gives a cheeky smile, then grows a little more serious*.. reckon ee reminds me o mad Ingy. ee's a shifty sort.. but ah reckon tha's jes tha way ee es. mayhaps nae bad. *thats quite a consession from the pikey, as she rakes a hand through her hair and wraps her arms about herself*

Aerin Thomas: He raises an eyebrow, seeming quite surprised and fairly pleased with her concession. "Wow. Never thought I'd hear that out of you." He grins a little bit. "Yeah, he's a good guy. It's just...Shadow Lords. It's the way they grow up and are brought into the Garou Nation, you know? Ingvar and Bliss...they're the good ones. You should see some of the Lords I've met. They have an important purpose, but..." He shrugs.

Ita McNairee: och. Shadow Lords.. tha's a good name fer em. *she nods* shady underhanned folk. boot reckon they're aulrecht effen they're nae against ye.. an ah thenk Ingvar's warmen tae me.. *she gives a grin and sticks her tongue out to catch one of the feeble snowflakes flitting down from the sky*

Aerin Thomas: "Well, he's not slitting your throat anymore. That's progress, right?" He chuckles a little, shaking his head. Ahh, the friends he had...

Ita McNairee: och.. reckon ah'd be a mite moore irate effen ee ded. *she gives up on the snowflakes, enough were atching in her hair. a smile* reckon ah won tha damned quarrel anyhow.. ee's tha wan wie scars frem et. *Ita touches her throat, as if feeling for scars that never were there*

Aerin Thomas: "Point." He nods, leaning down to kiss said throat, murmuring the next against her skin. "Just do me a favor, love. Let's not run that particular melee again, hmm? I think he'll win the next round."

Ita McNairee: *her breath catches as his lips press against her , she murmers in something more of a growl then the pikey'd intended* reckon ah'll dae tha. *she brings a hand up to stroke the man's scalp, jingling as she hums in contentment*

Aerin Thomas: "Thanks." He smiles, giving a little nip to her neck before pulling back, grinning slightly. "How are the horses doing?"

Ita McNairee: och.. they're fiiiine... *she shoots a hand out with a clatter, but there's no shirt to pull him back to her with, so she's forced to settle with the waistband of his pants, shaking her head in flushed amusement, or maybe the pink is from the cold. * tha studs a bit o a shite tho.. *tug tug tug*

Aerin Thomas: And tugged he is, a chill body coming up against warm pikeyness. Arms slip around her waist, linking at her back. "Bein' ornery?"

Ita McNairee: och.. jes nae manners.. speaken o whech.. *a cheeky grin as she wraps her arms around his neck and promptly hops on him and wraps her legs round him, intending on bringing him to the ground with her sudden body weight*

Aerin Thomas: d10: Dex+Athl: 5,8,4,8,

Ita McNairee: d10: dex brawl: 10,7,3,10,8,

Aerin Thomas: He stumbles a little, with a yelp, but barely manages to keep his feet. "Ita!" It's a plaintive tone, but amused, to, as his arms tighten around her. "The ground! It's...wet!"

Aerin Thomas: ((DLP))

Ita McNairee: (muahahas)

Aerin Thomas: He stumbles forward, the woman's weight and atempt to bring him down successful. He does a twist as they fall, so he ends up hitting the ground back-first, as opposed to her. Always protecting...always. "Ita!" It's a plaintive tone, but amused, to, as his arms tighten around her. "The ground! It's...wet!" He shivers a little as his back and butt start to get wet, his sweatpants greedily soaking up the moisture in the grass.

Ita McNairee: oof. *as they hit the ground, ita's legs crunched a little before she slides them out from behind the man, kisses liberally applied to a cold scruffy face* an cold tae ah reckon.. *she settles her skirt around them as she presses against him, smiling goofily* reckon ah'd tae find soome way tae gie ye oot o those dmned sweats, aye?

Aerin Thomas: "Ha, ha..." he grumbles. It tries to be annoyed, but can't quite manage it, the woman's unbeatable good-nature getting to him. He sighs, shaking his head. "Well, now I really am going to catch my death...or freeze my balls off. Quite literally."

Ita McNairee: och yer a bit o a puss fer soomwan wha can sprout a fur coat awn a whim *she cheeks back merrily, biting at his neck and giving a playful shake of her head*

Aerin Thomas: "A puss my frozen a..." The phrase is cut off with a sigh as teeth find his neck, head tilting back instinctively. "Hey, no fair..." It doesn't come out with the strongest tone one can find, to be sure.

Ita McNairee: ye were expecten fair frem a gyp? *she teases, hands smoothing up his chest and over his scar as she gnaws along his underjaw* yer daft darlin.. *she grins against the skin*

Aerin Thomas: "Never said otherwise, love..." He chuckles a little bit. "Point of fact, I've agreed."

Ita McNairee: *she kisses the scar on his chest becore sitting up. being pressed so close made her chest somewhat tender. milk and all that. she sighs, smiling to him* ah love ye, ye grimey heppie.

Aerin Thomas: That warmth from the scar is quite intense at this particular moment, as she kisses it. "I love you too, ya dirty pikey." He smirks lovinly, a hand coming up to caress her cheek.

Aerin Thomas: That warmth from the scar is quite intense at this particular moment, as she kisses it. "I love you too, ya dirty pikey." He smirks lovinly, a hand coming up to caress her cheek.

Aerin Thomas: ((Damn sticky space bar))

Ita McNairee: och.. *a smile, a little suprised as she presses a hand over the rose, tilting her head before lowering to nuzzle it, seemingly oblivious to the fact he was soaking wet in the grass* yer scar's aul warm sweetloves..

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit, with a soft sort of smile to his face. "Yeah...it gets like that sometimes."

Ita McNairee: *she inhales his scent from close, pressing a soft kiss to the mark before covering it with her hand again, to feel the heat* mageck darlin? oor's et enfected? *she doesn't think so, but there's a bit of worry there, she doesn't him to be hurting. brown eyes reflecting love back at him*

Aerin Thomas: "Magic, of a sort." He smiles a little. "It...sort of connects me to a spirit. Rose."

Ita McNairee: ah kain wha et es.. *she chides gently, not really scolding at all as she rubs his chest with a faint jingle* ah jes didnae kain effen wha et was was enfected tae... *a chuckle, before she brushes a hand through his hair*.. cauld darlin?

Aerin Thomas: "Not really. My ass has hit a level of numbness that the coldness doesn't really register anymore." He winks.

Ita McNairee: och yer a selly blighter *she chuckles, rolling brown eyes before seeming to just watch him for a bit*

Aerin Thomas: "I know I am." He grins a little, watching her back.

Aerin Thomas: d10: Per+Empathy: 8,3,5,3,8,6,9,

Ita McNairee -> Aerin Thomas: very much in love. she's mostly relaxed, some of that tenseness that she gets being in the house is gone from her frame. Still worried about everything, anxious and a tad sad.. but the little pikey seems to have pushed that down for the time being, concentrating on Aerin, and how much she cares for him. its that which is making her a little introspective. she wants them safe. and protected. thats likely the reason why she wants bliss and co out there.. she's also somewhat concerned about Aerin's not having a pack. she knows its natural, and is hoping something akin to a pikey camp will suffice. oh. and given the mischevious glint creeping into brown eyes.. she's about to do something he may not find entirely romantic...

Ita McNairee: d10: per emp: 9,5,6,3,4,

Ita McNairee: *she grins devilishly, thinking on something* love ye tho, reckon.

Aerin Thomas -> Ita McNairee: He's very much in love as well, of course. Underneath that, he's teetering dangerously close to a severe, serious depression. Something about meeting with Siren has pushed him near the brink, and any much more may tip him over the edge. However, there's several good things in his life that are keeping him from it...Ita and the children, Bliss, Ethan, and others. He's pushing it all aside for the moment, and it's a bit back right now...but ever present. He's been spending far too much time in the past, and it's starting to become detrimental.

Aerin Thomas: His brow raises at something he sees, a wary sort of grin on his face. "Ita...what are you about to do?"

Ita McNairee: *she stops the hand on his chest.. which is no longer so much a hand as it is 5 tentacles attached to a palm.... maybe he wouldn't notice, though she's got that "dog caught in the trash" look* ... och.. naethen darlin. ... ah love ye?

Aerin Thomas: d10: Per+Alert: 5,3,3,3,2,5,

Aerin Thomas: And, in fact, he doesn't. "I love you, too, Ita. What are you about to do?"

Ita McNairee: och... naethen loves... *she lies, leaning forward and kissing him, nuzzling her nose beside his. she slips her palm across his stomach to his waistband and proceeds to attack him with tentacles, pressed into his shoulder and laughing instantly.*

Aerin Thomas: He kisses her back, eyebrow raised...until the attack. He jumps, eyes widening. "ITA?!?!" He squirms, even as he gives a shocked sort of laugh. "SO beyond not fair! Not even CLOSE!"

Ita McNairee: *more laughter, her tentacles stilling to a twitch as she absolutely shakes with laughter..* whas..ee. wha ye- * it seems she's trying to say something, but be damned if she can get it out, she's laughing and gasping so hard*

Aerin Thomas: "What?" He's laughing, too, as he watches her, curiously.

Ita McNairee: och.. reckon.. *more laughter as she nuzzles his shoulder, tentacles shifting pleasantly*.. ah've been wannen tae dae tha.. aul.. week.

Ita McNairee: ye made sooch a noise. *she laughs, face flushed with merriment as she finally leans back a little to look at him* AH wish ah'd o seen yer face.. but ah didnae wan ye tae bolt oop and smash me noggin wie yers...

Aerin Thomas: "You have...love...WAY too much free time to think of things like that." He's clearly joking...he does give a little shiver, and not from the cold...hey, tentacles or not, it's friction.

Ita McNairee: ah dae.. tha's why.. ah reckon.. ye should take taemoorry seck.. *she raises an eyebrow at the shiver, little whore giving a wink and bending to kiss his cheeks* och.. *the pikeys eyes open wide..* ah could do aul sorts o.. weird thengs! *she starts laughing again, apparently hentai tentacles aren't weird enough to the gypsy* ..

Aerin Thomas: "Wierder then this?" He mimicks her action, raising an eyebrow at the Rroma's words. "Love...you need help. Seriously." He chuckles a little bit, shaking his head.

Ita McNairee: *she grins and sits up* coome.. let a pikey warm ye. *she tugs at his hair a little before getting to her feet, come hithering with a tentacle and a smirk*

Aerin Thomas: He pulls himself to his feet, chuckling a little bit, and looks to the dogs. "Frey! Freya! Come on, guys...back inside..." Said as he heads toward the door.

Ita McNairee: *she curls into his side and dissappears inside with him, to convince the man tommorrows a good day to call in sick*