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Because Gale can't completely shift back to a normal "human" form, he often gets a lot of stares during the time he spends wandering the streets of Jericho. Now, usually he's used to the judgey stares and not so quiet whispers that come with him being around normies, but today he just wasn't having it.
He pops the collar to his denim vest and squares his shoulders, he's walking down the sidewalk along some stores on his way to the weathervane. He passes by a rather old looking lady with seemingly her young daughter beside her. The lady makes eye contact with Gale and gasps subtly, muttering something along the lines of "what a freak" before pulling her daughter closer to her side as Gale passes.
Another thing about his "birth defect" his otherwise hightened werewolf senses, are even more hightened. He hears every word muttered and mumbled about him. And though he's proud of his werewolf blood, sometimes he wishes he could turn his senses off for a while. Become oblivious to hateful words that stab into his skull like wednesdays collection of daggers.
His eyes meet the concrete below, he watches his feet fall in and out of his vision. His eyes burn with the hint of tears and his head becomes shrouded with a cloud of fuzziness. He panics and picks up his pace, oh no, no no no, not out here. He can't be small out here, alone. The weathervane, he has to make it to the weathervane.
He squeezes the tears from his eyes and fixes his posture, his face stiffens up and he puts on a confident persona. He looks around and finally, he spots the weathervane. He looks across the street before making a beeline to the coffee shop. The bell chimes as Gale opens the door, ducking in as if he was running from something (I suppose he was, In a way).
Immediately, his roommate and platonic partner, Xavier, spots him from a table in the back of the mostly empty shop. He waves him over, with a concerned look on his face. How does he always know? Gale makes his way over to his partner, slowly loosening himself up and slouching a bit as a result. He sits down across from the other boy, immediately pouting, giving in to the childlike feeling in his mind.
"Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
Xavier asks, voice filled with concern.
Gale huffs and looks down at his lap, then around the shop. "Nothin, just people saying things again." He says, thinking back to the old lady as tears once again threaten to fill his eyes. Xavier sighs, chest filling with anger and annoyance at the thought of people saying rude things about his partners appearance.
"Hey, don't listen to them, okay? You are beautiful. There's nothing wrong with you, there's something wrong with them. They're just closed minded assholes." Xavier says, attempting to comfort the wolf in front of him.
Gale looks down at his hands, fidgeting with his rings carefully avoiding nicking himself with his sharp claws. "Y' sh'ldn't swear.." gale mutters embarrassed, whenever Gale is feeling small, there's a rule to not use bad words towards others.
Xaviers eyebrows furrow and a little smile plays on his lips. "Sorry little wolf, dada was just trying to make you feel better." He reaches over and ruffles gales fluffy brown mullet. That makes Gale giggle. "Is okay.. c'n I have hot choc'late? P'ease?" Gale looks up at Xavier with wide puffy eyes. How could xavier possibly say no?
"Of course, pup, dada will be right back, okay? Stay seated." Xavier says, getting up from the booth before heading over to the counter. He asks for a hot chocolate and a black tea, making sure to ask for the hot chocolate in a to-go cup with the sippy cup spout. Gale sits patiently in his spot, fiddling with his rings and chewing on his lip.
Xavier returns to the booth with two cups in his hand, he places them both down and carefully slides the hot chocolate in front of the regressed wolf. "'ank 'uo" Gale mumbles as Xavier sits down in his spot, reaching to grab his cup of tea. After taking a sip from his cup, Xavier notices Gale still chewing on his lip. "Big bad wolf, you know you aren't supposed to be biting your lip, did you bring any of your stim necklaces with you?"
Gale stops and looks across to his caregiver, wide eyed, as if he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to, Which he had. "Uhm.. no. I din't" Xavier sighs and reaches into his satchel, pulling out a zip up baggy, a black claw shaped chew necklace is visible behind the clear plastic. Xavier reaches inside the bag and pulls out the necklace, handing it to the little wolf who grabs it and puts in clumsily around his neck. Xavier puts the baggy back in his satchel and takes another sip of his tea.
"You're one lucky dog, Gale. If I didn't have that you probably would've chewed yourself a new mouth." Xavier says gesturing to the stim toy around the wolf's neck. Gale smiles and takes ahold of the cup of hot chocolate and takes a small sip, cautious of the temperature.
"C'n we go t' tha toy shop? P'ease?"
Gale asks, batting his wide eyes a few times for extra cute points. Xavier takes another sip of tea before responding.
"The toy shop? What do you want to get there?"
Xavier asks, an eyebrow lifted.
"Uhmm uhmmm.. a s'uffie? P'ease?" Gale scoots closer to the table, wiggling around excitedly.
"A stuffie huh? Well I do have to stop around a few stores before we head back to nevermore. If you're a good boy while I shop then we'll stop by and you can pick out a new stuffed friend. How does that sound, big bad?" Xavier asks, then takes another sip of tea.
"Yes!! I c'n do that!! I'll be good I p'omise" Gale bounces in his spot and happily takes another cautious sip of hot chocolate.