Lauderhill making amends takes terrible improv

outfit

---

The café sat tucked on the corner of a quiet street in Lauderhill, where mismatched tables and chairs spilled out onto the patio beneath strings of colored lights. A swamp-sweet breeze rolled in from the south, carrying with it the scent of wet earth and something green and ancient. The chatter of a few late-afternoon regulars blended with the hiss of the espresso machine inside, creating a hum of easy background noise.

Waylin had staked out a small metal table near the railing, his frappe melting untouched in front of him as he waited.

He’d picked this spot for its half-privacy—the kind that came with being outside, where a stranger might overhear but nobody cared enough to listen in. It was close to the mattress store without having to actually taint the sanctuary with his scent. He didn’t want to impose on areas that Jasper felt were his, or places of safety, and so the meeting at the close cafe with Matthias would be a mutual compromise.

Sunglasses rested over his eyes as he leaned back, running a hand through his newly buzzed hair. The locks had been too long, and he felt he needed a change after hanging out on the streets again. It was fun while also patrolling for threats that lay beyond Valencia. The sun was still up, but he still wondered briefly if the hyena lurked even after Matthias had successfully beaten it. The cross in his mindscape was alert for his familiar brother, waiting, hoping to catch him first.

outfit and expression, tbh, also red crutches

---

Matti had noticed the café before, his eyes noticing and enjoying the chairs for what they were, an attempt at originality. Maybe it was a little bit an inspiration for his own home decor.

It was within walking distance, which, good, because it was his right leg that had been bitten, so no driving! He was alarmingly good with his crutches, as if he was used to it--and he kinda was. Having been choked out of many shifts midway, he had learned to deal with the aftermath of these. So yes, he was wounded, but still standing as straight as possible.

Had managed to hold on and not shift so far. Would let the moon take him and rip Bree's stitches from his leg. He wouldn't do it himself.

The town felt a little different. Cars seemed louder. He had this nagging feeling that something was following him. Except he was seeing vague dog-shaped shadows instead of bears. Progress? Yeah, he was used to dealing with a little paranoia. Wasn't exactly thrilled, but he could deal.

Wind not in his favor, he spotted the plaid before the scent of fox.

Speaking of fox, his was curled up in a tight ball, not showing the injured leg, and not blinking. No reaction would be given at all, he seemed like the taxidermy fox people accused the Tibetans of being.

"Hey." He called as he approached the table. "Shed your summer fur, huh?"

Attempt at starting light, success.

Waylin caught wind of the fox and the cross barked a greeting.

It was startling to see the Tibetan curled and hiding an injury, one that could be healed a bit if given the time. His lips pressed together thinly at seeing Matti wounded, eyes assessing even as his brother’s words hit his ears. There was some levity, hard to share the sentiment at seeing what he saw before him. Normally, he was the one downplaying injuries but not anymore it seemed.

”Something like that. You adapted well to the crutches.”

The smallest of smiles.

cw former domestic abuse

---

He'd take the praise.

"Yeah, my ex used to put me in a choke hold to try and stop me from shifting in bad moments." He shared. "It worked but sometimes just a little too late. Got the muscle memory still, it's like riding a bike."

He sat down, nearly seamlessly.

"Could have been worse." He added.

Almost shrugged. But didn't. It wasn't the physical damage that bothered him.

That caused Waylin’s gaze to sharpen and the cross to stiffen at the revelation. He knew Matti had been through the wringer but this?

Fuck.

It made him want to do the same, but much worse, to the exes. He picked up his frappe then to take a drink, let the chill slide down his throat rather than allow the heat of anger to bubble to the surface. He couldn’t do anything, just mull over the desire to get payback on his brother’s behalf.

”Still, pretty fucked.”

He commented as he looked away to watch someone cross the street, and another whistle a hello. People watching was good, learned a lot about the community that way. He did it often before he found a place in Valencia, and continued to do so when given the chance he wasn’t going it for work.

”I wanna do something,” he started, casting a silver gaze back towards his brother. ”But, it requires me to give you a healing boost. Three days, max, is all I'm asking.”

Yeah, and the most fucked part was how much he had accepted it. Found it normal, ish. There was no violence from Jasper, not even the cranky, slightly agressive scenting he gave him before reluctantly letting him go. He didn't mind this kind of possessiveness, for it was never turned against him.

Blue eyes met silver. Stuck eyes never changed. He wondered how easily Waylin's flicked, back in the day. Wondered if they would be like his and still change even at peak power.

He had said no thanks twice to this, and third time was the charm, in a way. He didn't want to cave, but if this meeting was to be built on compromises, he could accept this one. He had nothing to lose anyway.

"Stubborn." He let out still, letting his hand rest on the table. "Fine."

Sirius was staring. Not showing teeth, because cross had never done anything wrong, but not moving from his cinnafox roll position.

There would be some relief flicker in the face of both man and fox.

Waylin wasn’t trying to bully Matti into healing, but he wanted to give his brother something even if he was managing without him. They’ve known each other the longest, and he’d be shit if he didn’t stubbornly try to aid in any way that he could.

His subtle smile would increase and with that, he’d lift a plastic to-go bag that had ‘Moony’s Meats’ stamped on the side before setting it down in front of the other. He made sure it stayed warm in one of those warmer bags as he pushed it over to the other.

”I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t bring food,” he’d point out not quite grabbing at the hand just yet. Inside would be a sandwich, but not just any sandwich, one made with the last bit of Kangaroo that Waylin had stored a while back at the butcher’s. A fair trade in his mind to offer a delicacy in exchange for being able to do a Kingly duty. ”It’s no pika, but should still satiate you unless your taste buds suddenly changed?”

A light tease.

Offer of healing, then, food. Special food. Of course he wanted the special food, but his brain couldn't help but remind him of that time he brought a gift, and Waylin thought it was a bribe, and...

Well.

He pushed it away. He was here with an open mind, after all. Waylin did love to provide, it was his nature.

"If I ever say no to roo, it's because I was switched out with my evil twin." He commented with a chuckle, reaching out for the sandwich. Lowkey hoping the establishment owner wouldn't chide them for having outside food.

A tiny fox was uncurling and sniffing at the air.

”Fair enough.”

Waylin chuckled with a shake of his head. He knew the Coopers loved their Roo, and he felt Matti needed an extra pickup after being mauled. He knew if his Maman had been down here during his recovery, her cooked food would have perked him up.

”I’ve been walking around the various cities as planned…forgot how nice it was to do. Haven’t done it since I first arrived in the county.”

He found himself relaxing into his seat now that the food was accepted. There would be no rush now that he knew Matti would let him try his healing. Figured, he’d let the fox eat first and show he isn’t here with ulterior motives.

He would chew as Waylin told him of his walkabout. Grateful to not have had a wounded throat. Leg was so easier to manage.

"Yeah, just wished you didn't get to fight a stabby psychic." He commented, sympathetic. "At least they're not legion."

...yet?

”It’s crazy. I walked outside the grocery shop and heard this god awful noise. It immediately sent the fox into flight mode.”

Waylin continued to share with a shake of his head. It was still crazy that he was attacked so out in the open. Bold. Stupid, but bold.

”Next thing I know, she’s right there. I see a flash of a blade and manage to toss myself back half-shifted. I tried to disarm her but she wouldn’t drop the knife. She ended up teleporting behind me and I managed to evade another attack. Escaped as a fox after that…”

The cross flicked an ear and stretched before lying down on his belly. He was slowly crawling to the edge of the mindscape trying to reach his brother.

”The STF probably has more to work with on catching the psychic than the vampire or the hyena. Hopefully, all three get plucked off the streets.”

He kept eating as Waylin painted a vivid portrait. Seemed like an epic battle, one he had managed to get out unscathed from.

"Pretty badass." He commented. "You, I mean. She sounds deranged. She'd get along with my hyena, in a way."

And no more sandwich. Whoops! Appetite was always so strong.

"At least there's a good distinctive feature. I'm guessing the other spotted hyenas in Ridgefield have two eyes."

Little savage smirk at that.

That earned a bark of laughter.

”Yeah, for their sake I hope they do.”

Matti had been a badass and defended himself just fine. It reminded him how few of their members appeared fighting worthy and with how large a group they were…he still felt they should know the basics. That would be a discussion for a later date though where all the foxes could share their input.

”You were badass yourself. It just surprised me that out of all the people that are rage attacking…why a psychic? I barely made a face when I shook her hand and felt the jewelry…apparently it was enough for her to wait until I had finished shopping.”

A shrug.

”At least a crazed hyena, one eye or not, makes a bit more sense than a human be all feral.”

"Psychics got the worse deal of all." Matti commented. "Great powers but sucky side effects, and no matter who bites them, it can change their whole lives. Someone that prepared probably has a vendetta. Kinda like the cult. Trauma, maybe. Like..." A breath. "Zelda was the one who turned my sister." Didn't know if Waylin knew, but might as well mention it. "And sis survived and thrives. But if the infection hadn't taken, she could have died. And if I hadn't been turned myself, maybe I would have gotten that hate towards shifters."

A shrug. A big what if, but psychics are people, and had just as many reasons to hate those who were different. Were these reasons justified? No, but someone's logic was their own.

"And the hyena... it baited me. Pretended to be friendly. That kind of hypocrisy is much more human than animal."

”It boils down to mutual threats, the lot of them. However, I feel the hyena baiting you is worse than outright attacking from the get-go. Reminds me of the vampire…someone looking to cause trouble because they can.”

Waylin surmised with a frown.

A psychic was one thing…limited as Matti had said, but an animal? A vampire? They both had the means to ruin a life, and of course to use whomever they wanted as a plaything. Vampires are more than animals, but if someone was human enough as an animal…too many people out there want to let things they shouldn’t.

”I’d like to think taking its eye would teach it a lesson, but that’s not how it always goes down. If anything, it may try to find an equally exciting encounter if they’re sadistic.”

"Yeah. And as Bree said, maybe it'll target foxes because of this." He clenched his jaws. Regretted not taking it out when he had the chance, but knew it had been the right move, to run. Too risky. "That's why I told everyone to run. If I barely got out, the others would get eaten."

Sorry, guys, he believed in you with all his heart, but some fights couldn't be won.

Waylin nodded.

He agreed with Matti in that sentiment because so many of them would totally get balled over. The cross looked around as if there was a threat to be had but nothing. It was just the two of them.

”Or, it learned to leave us alone.”

Why bring that up, Bree? He was positive it was something that Matti would have thought on his own in due time. His brother should be focused on healing, and with that he held out his hand.

Might as well get the healing bit out of the way.

”Anyway, enough talk about terrible threats that will make our paranoia work. Lemme see your hand.” A beat. Squint. ”Please.”

"Hopefully." He replied.

Didn't really believe it, but at least everybody knew. He had more faith that the foxes would take him seriously, than knocking some sense into a feral hyena.

"What, gonna read my palm?" He joked, handing over his hand.

Looking over his shoulder just in case he caught a glimpse of silver. He was pretty sure Jasper would have no kind words for these actions, and while he was valid in his feelings, it was hard on Matti, being pulled between two important foxes like that.

Didn't want to end up ripped in half.

”Hmm. This line here says there’s healing in your future.”

Waylin snickered as he traced a finger over a palm line. He didn’t know how this thing worked but he figured it took touch. Animals were all about that stuff. So, with cautious steps, the cross belly crawled his way towards his injured brother as Waylin focused on finding some Kingly power.

He closed his eyes, focused on the intention to heal like he had seen Eden do toward him a few times. Focus on that and push the healing forward. Imagine bone fragments piecing themself together, or whatever that required the splint.

There would be a steady breath, a mind focused on fixing the pieces like a puzzle. He was trying to picture the equivalent of a few days.

Keyword: try.

The metaphysical power that allowed a leader to heal swept around him and before he knew it he found himself caught up in its grasp. He was fine but then suddenly he found himself hungry and worn out, he blinked his eyes open. The cross yawned, appearing equally tired as he went from stretched out to curling into a ball.

”Holy shit…”

---

healing: 6 of 7 days || full power returns: Sept 10th

Oh. Uh oh. That felt weird. Leg itchy. Okay, it was always itchy. But itchier. Like he could feel some parts of the skin mending.

It was a bit unsettling, to be honest! Glad it was only three days, more would have felt... dunno. More easily... hideable? Was that a word?

"That worked, alright." He commented, taking back his hand.

It would be too soon if that ever happened again.

Waylin wanted food but the thought of getting up to grab it right now made him…not want it enough.

He face planted on the table, eyes closed as the connection broke. It was weird feeling, and he wondered if it got easier with practice. If he would have thought about it, he would have asked Eli or Dakila about healing but not like he knew he’d need to do it so soon.

If that was three days…what would more feel like?

O-oh.

"Good night?" He commented with a chuckle. "You, uh, sure that was only three days?"

That was one heck of a draw back... he couldn't exactly un-splint himself and look, but, um.

”I…don’t actually know??”

Waylin mumbled forcing himself to sit up and not bothered to put his sunglasses back on. He rubbed at his eyes a little sheepish in his uncertainty.

”I’ve never done it before…I just did what Eden told me she does when focusing on healing. If that is three days…I can’t imagine a full week.”

Yeah, of course. It was the first time. But there was a big swirl of uneasiness in him at the idea that maybe Waylin had just wasted a whole week on him.

"Well, uh, hopefully there's some left." He commented, fighting a grimace.

He'd feel terrible for having consented to this if another fox ended up megahurt.

”Mmm…even if there’s not…it won’t matter much.”

Waylin spoke drinking down his coffee. He should go in and grab himself some food, a boost but for now he just propped his head on a hand and stared at Matti with a slight mischievous look.

He wasn't exactly in the mood for a guessing game, but he could still try.

"Guess it'll have time to recharge when you're up north?" He tried.

Trip to Canada was the next step, right?

”Nah. I can’t really leave when one of the few fighters the Skulk has is out of commission.”

Waylin pointed out with a raised brow.

The cross nibbled at a paw before turning to watch Fox brother. They were both wondering what was going through the other’s mind.

”No hard feelings, though, it would be poor leadership to leave. I never told Maman I was coming up so no disappointment there, either.”

"Sorry." He let out.

Old reflexes of apologizing for something that wasn't his fault, not really.

"Jasper might not be a member now but he would fight for a fox." He added.

Most of them at least.

”Hey, not your fault. It wasn’t like you planned on being mauled.”

Waylin smiled, dropping the mischievous look to comfort the other. He didn’t fault him in the slightest, and he knew Jasper would have someone’s back. Yet, as far as he knew there was still no phone to reach the silver so…that plan relied heavily on Matti.

”And, I know he would…but he’s more difficult to reach. Again, not yours or his fault, just sorta hope the other foxes would want to learn some basics in self-defense if it came down to it.”

Yeah, the phone thing was something that bothered him a little more now, and he was pretty sure Jasper hadn't been a fan of not being easily contacted that day.

Something to mention.

"Running will always be better. I'd be dead if I had actually fought the bears." He commented, raising a hand to his mouth but stopping before actually biting his nail. Come on, he had kicked off that habit since moving here >:[

”I understand that, but sometimes you don’t get a choice in running. I lucked out when this vampire a few years back put me to sleep and invaded my dreams.”

Nightmares.

It had been nightmares.

”Idiot got himself stuck but another vampire pulled him out and woke me up in the process. I don’t think I would have escaped otherwise.”

That had been the strangest encounter since being here in Colorado. He lucked out that the older vampire didn’t want to kill him because he would have been defenseless. Anything could have happened, but back then he didn’t really care…hardly had anything to lose. Presently? He had more to lose. A weakness and a strength.

”I could have killed the psychic, I had the strength but I thought…” he looked away with a frown. ”I nearly died already with the vampire in the fringes…I couldn’t risk her landing a vital blow with what I presume to be a silver blade. There’s no coming back from that. Tactical retreat.”

cw mild mental health

---

You know what Jasper would say? Just avoid the leeches. Not very nuanced, but it was a solution.

His empathy was low right now. Silver was a real threat, sure, but Waylin had gotten out without even a scratch. Just run if you catch a glimpse of silver. Most humans couldn't follow, except the Fast ones.

So, yeah. Death was coming for all of them, it seemed.

This wasn’t the avenue he wanted to tread down today.

It was hard not to when talking about running away, being caught in someone’s grasp for whatever unfortunate event played out. There was a lot of things that could go wrong that a tactical retreat was nye impossible to make. He’d rather have everyone be skilled in one thing or another than be prepared for nothing.

Probably one of those ‘agree to disagree’ moments, which sucked, but again something he’d leave up to debate as a whole. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to reel himself back into the purpose of this meeting.

They were a large group, and that meant the more they could have help, the better. He picked at a piece of flaking metal, the cross shuffling in place given the Tibetan hadn’t really greeted him. A shame. He missed his foxy brother but…

Waylin shook away the animal feelings. The instincts to check out and inspect the other. He kept his gaze down at the flaking metal.

”I was going to see if you were still interested in being co-Leader rather than Second?”

The words he wanted to hear for a while got him back from the spiral, but they didn't feel as...

Yeah, he got the perspective from their argument over the second title. Food and gifts before bringing something up. Could definitely be misconstrued.

The eyes that looked up were wary, but still attentive.

"Why?"

It didn't feel like a victory. It felt like he had backed Waylin into a corner, and that was meant to placate him.

Why?

Waylin expected the question, mulled over it for the last few weeks since he started thinking about co-leaders. He didn’t want to step down, felt like he couldn’t, but he knew he couldn’t do this alone. If he left town, someone had to be around who could heal and manage the threats with very little chance of failing.

While he knew Matti was capable of the latter, he couldn’t expect to provide healing coverage if it was absolutely needed. Also, there was no harm in having two healing foxes especially if they were on either side of the county at one point and whoever got to the injured fox would be able to heal regardless.

”You want the list or the TLDL version?”

A little bit of humor but he was being completely honest.

The joke didn't land.

"Waylin." He started, eyes locked on his, face unsmiling. "Our last conversation contained more than one punch and in the one before, you told me you wanted to see me fail. I need to know the full why."

He would listen. That was one of his biggest talents.

Where should he start? He knew this had to have been a possibility, that Matti wouldn’t immediately accept the offer. Why? Because Matti wasn’t power hungry.

He did things as he saw necessary, and it was evident that giving an ultimatum hadn’t been done lightly. They were two sides of the same coin in thinking, Matti collected while Waylin was a spiral. They ultimately wanted the same thing but broached it very differently, and that was keeping the foxes safe.

”First, you’re not power hungry. If you were then the ultimatum wouldn’t have happened, and I’m aware of the emotional bandwidth it took to say it. Your style isn’t violent or feral, it tends to be more ‘head on your shoulders’ versus my own but that is what makes things sorta balanced”

Start with the simple fact and go into emotions and thoughts afterwards.

Wide eyes at that. Power hungry? Who was thinking that?

He raised a hand.

"I, yeah, I know that. I'm the only one qualified for the job right now anyway." This wasn't a hiring interview. "It's more of why did you need to actively think about it before considering it?"

He knew if the roles had been reversed, his reaction to learning this was possible would have been "we can do that? let's do it!"

No walkabout needed.

The hand raised had Waylin’s brows furrowed expecting a lashing but in reality, it was clarification. Matti needed actual reasoning not some generic answer. He understood that to a degree and he nodded.

”Because my brain doesn’t jump to the first obvious conclusion or reason. I play out all the scenarios in my head for the most part, and I was…debating on leaving…permanently.”

If things were going to, hopefully, work out then he needed to be completely honest. Not beating around the bush or playing guessing games as he ran a hand over his head and scratched at the nape of his neck.

”I told Henry when we spoke that I may not return, and it felt like a very real decision I could make. I even had this entire thought-out plan of what I could do if I moved back near my mother, but it took going back to my wandering roots to reveal that I didn’t want to leave. Not forever.”

So, there was no need to step away and make Matti a surprise King because he broke the bond from 16 hours away. It would have been another dick move on his part.

”I know I’ve appeared stressed since taking this mantle and it was only recently that I realized the benefits it would be to have two Kings. I bet you knew like immediately and while someone could lay it out…it’s still hard to get my brain onboard unless I think it through.”

This wasn't a surprising answer, but it wasn't good enough. Waylin's brain was blamed on many things, and the excuse was worn now.

He didn't see how a rank change would help out with stress outside of having twice the healing, but it wasn't really the point.

"Your brain is a one-man show, and I felt I had to resort to anger and violence to be heard." He commented, eyes wandering now. "Would a title really change that dynamic?"

He was tired of fighting.

Waylin’s gaze lingered on the flaking paint of the table, jaw working before he finally lifted his eyes to Matti.

“You’re right. A title doesn’t fix how I listen—or you know, don’t. If you’ve felt you had to fight me just to be heard…that’s on me, not the title.”

His voice was rough, tired, but steady.

He let out a slow breath, shoulders slumping.

“I thought co-leader might show you I take you seriously. That I trust you. But maybe what I should’ve started with is just—shutting up long enough to prove I can actually hear you.” A beat, softer now. “I don’t want this to keep being a fight between us, Matti. I’m tired of it too.”

It was one of the things that tired Waylin, his inability to see and listen to what Matti tried to tell him in the moment rather than days or sometimes weeks later. He has this cycle that he’s been trying to work on, but it’s like something won’t let him move forward no matter how much progress he makes in other areas.

Beyond frustrating.

There would be a mild, unintentional scoff at this.

"It could have stopped being a fight a long time ago." He replied. "I thought it was okay if it was just me, you know? It was fine if I was the one getting the bad moods. It made sense, with what you said about wanting me to fail." Deep but shaky breath. "But then it happened to Jasper. Jasper who had a terrible skulk experience and was made to feel expendable again."

Lone tear rolled on his cheek. He let it.

"He would do anything for me and yet he doesn't know how to forgive you."

Waylin’s throat tightened, and he rubbed a hand over his face like he could scrub away the weight of Matti’s words. They were heavy, they had to be when all he did was give heavy actions to fend against.

“You’re right. It could’ve stopped a long time ago—if I’d stopped hiding behind anger, pride, or whatever I thought I was doing.”

His voice was low and rough. He did not reach for excuses this time. He swallowed hard, his eyes flicking to the tear that weighed further on the guilt in his heart. Matti had already been through the wringer when they first met, and while he helped build that confidence in his brother, he also blatantly attacked it.

It had to be a cluster-fuck to feel.

“I hurt you. And Jasper. I never meant for him to feel expendable—not after everything he’s been through. That’s on me, too. I just…I should have talked to you, admitted that I was scrambling for this sense of balance.”

It’s what a Second is there for, but more importantly, a friend who literally could understand to a degree given they’re both foxes. Both had never met another one of their kind until they were put in the same room. It had been exhilarating back then, but he could admit now that he had no idea what he was doing in terms of emotions.

No, he got swept up in a human girl with a big energetic look toward the supernatural, and Waylin thought she was the one. Now, he barely talked to her about important things and was clinging to the strands of a friendship with the first fox he ever befriended.

A mess.

A pause, heavy.

“I don’t know if I can earn his forgiveness. Or yours. I fucked up big time, and a part of me wonders if the Powers That Be leveled me up so I can feel the damage I cause.” Another shake of his head. ”You deserved better than waiting for me to figure that out this late. Jasper didn’t deserve my stubbornness to grasp something I’ve been too ignorant to accept.”

There was no belief in thinking he deserved to be forgiven. He doesn’t, even if he had Eli’s voice telling him to face his damage and Reed mentioning they all made mistakes. It still sucked that facing it didn’t mean it would be fixed, but it did make him take accountability.

Yeah. Seemed like Waylin had leveled up by hurting them. Like some XP by the side of the road.

"I know you mean well." He replied, voice gentle. "But it's some sort of cycle. We reach an understanding, then this happens again. Making mistakes is normal, but when it's the same thing over and over... it's hard. Like... I believe you, right now. I always end up believing you. But then... stuff happens. And it's harder to forgive when it's the person I love who's still upset over this even weeks after."

Not to mention he had worsened Jasper's opinion of Waylin by sharing the things that had happened to him.

Waylin went quiet, staring at his hands, thumbs worrying at each other like he could pull the right words out of his skin. He couldn’t. It was a cycle, and every time he thinks he’s doing great, he sabotages it in some way or another.

Why couldn’t he get passed it?

”You’re right.” Again. ”It makes everything I said before sound like just—noise. An unwelcome wave of white noise. Static.”

He forced out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t blame you for doubting me. I’d doubt me, too.” He did. There was no acting with false confidence until it became real. None.

There was no way he could plan to make anything up to Jasper. He doubted taking a beating would make them buddy-buddy. That trust was shattered, scattered on the dirt of The Cabin being shoved deeper with every passing day. He doubted they’d sprout flowers and sing Kumbaya as if he hadn’t stabbed a metaphysical knife into the very core of one of the foxes.

Someone he should have kept at the top.

“I hate that I’ve turned into something you brace yourself against. I need to figure out how to break this—for real. Not just for you or Jasper, but for myself as well.”

This numbness he resides in with no way out unless he’s with certain people that distract him. He could still leave despite not waning to but that wouldn’t be fixing anything - it’d be burying it. He ran a hand over his head, scratching at his scalp as he tried to think of something. Anything.

”Healing isn’t a timed event. There’s no rush for Jasper to get passed something that spurned him as deep as I had done. I don’t expect it’d ever truly go away even if I somehow managed to make amends.”

That was factual acceptance.

He nodded. This was all true, and as always, a shame that it needed to simmer before coming out.

"Yeah. And I'm still working on wrapping my head around what you said the other day. The pedestal thing. I'd say that was my failure, punching you. Maybe it'll... help? your brain?" He was at a loss. That was an okay guess, he felt like. "But I'm not sure I can accept the promotion today. I believe you mean it now, but next time you'll do the thing, I'll feel undervalued all over again and I know what I'll think. That you gave me this just to convince me to not join Jasper in the rogue life."

This much less complicated prospect that was growing more appealing by the day.

Waylin winced.

He didn’t understand why he put Matthias on a pedestal, or why he wanted to see him fail to some degree. It still blew this fox’s mind that was a revelation he hadn’t even known he needed. Why couldn’t he just accept the way Matthias was? Accept that this was how things were and, you know, not go through the motions of this drawn-out predicament.

There would be a small nod, understanding that while he was being turned down now, it was a way to allow Matti to keep himself safe.

”I wish I had anything better to say than sorry for the whole ‘failure’ thing because that still gets me and I’m the one who realized it. As for the promotion, understandable…I just have to mention that if I had been intending to keep you from leaving the group..I would most likely have offered it way sooner than now.”

You know, in his typical blind panic mania to keep Matti close. Not, weeks later after a lot of thought had been put into it. He wouldn’t press, accepting it being a bug choice. Nor would he linger long on the thought that Matti would put one person above all the foxes because that was surely hypocritical given what their last fight had been.

”If it’s any consolation to finishing out this plan of mine, I’d have you be Primary. I was thinking of being the one to handle the politics as that’s my strong point and you handle the group guidance.”

A pause, let some of what he was saying sink in. He really had thought about this for the past few weeks.

”It’s clear you’re more in tune with picking up others’ emotions than I am. We’d both be available to heal, mentor, and protect as necessary but I’d give you The Cabin for just the foxes while I worked on something more personal for myself. I talked with Henry about putting up that fox fence you mentioned a while ago and make the Cabin safe for us while outside the fence would be more of a free for all.”

Mmm. When else could he have offered it? After the hyena mention? On the phone, with a grumbly Jasper on the line?

Anyway, that wasn't that important.

Primary. The Cabin. The fence he didn't recall mentioning.

"That's an entire plan you thought of without, uh, consulting me." He commented, a little put off by this. There hadn't been a 'what do you think'. Just a fully laid out strategy. It wasn't a bad one, just... not teamwork. "You said it didn't matter if you used up all your healing. Because you assumed I'd just..." Jump in the hoops as requested. "...go with it?"

Yeah, the feeling of unwellness was swelling in him. Why insist on healing him when he was functional? Was it- No, don't spiral.

Waylin seemed surprised by this.

Did he imagine some things over others?

Was he too hopeful?

”Oh, um…I apologize. I didn’t realize…” a little stump. Did he overthink it? Probably. It just differed from his usual negative overthinking that he didn’t realize it could happen positively, too.

Now, he felt uncertain.

” Is it a good plan? Maybe, in hindsight, I was being too optimistic which assuming is still something I’m working on. I guess I associate assuming with negativity...”

He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding Matti's gaze because he thought…overthought…didn’t think. Fuck. This had seemed great in his head and plan of execution but again he messed up. Even when he sat and thought things out he messed up.

”Yes, no. Not necessarily. I wanted to heal you because I wanted to help and a part of me thought since you originally brought up the co-leader thing it was still an option on the table. I’m sorry, really, for not asking you beforehand…I didn’t mean anything bad about it. Really.”

He folded his arms, rubbed his elbows. Couldn't feel cold in September but still had a chill.

"It's not bad, it's just-" Tripped on his own words. Had trouble trying to explain. He knew he didn't want the Cabin. Had joked about it in the past, but it was only that, jokes. "Like I'm a convenient chess piece." Moved without his imput being asked. His breath was getting a little shallow. "And for healing, I said no twice. I didn't want it. I relented because you made it sound like it was necessary for the rest."

Like he needed to be the one to cave to be offered what he had initially asked for.