unilaterallydisarming

Maggie nods. "I'm... functionally sober. I'm not an alcoholic, but substances hit me much harder now that I'm a wolf. And since losing control comes with fangs and claws now, I gave it up."

She gives him a soft smile as she adds, "I do keep a stocked liquor cabinet for guests, so I appreciate the warning not to offer you any."

He nodded. He thought there would be some things that wouldn't work for being a werewolf.

"Thank you." He felt a mix of disappointment and relief. He ignored it. "John has been kind enough to stock my fridge with alternatives, if you want anything. I usually offer coffee or tea as is."

She smiles. "Thank you, but no need. I never turn down tea."

Then she tilts her head. "Is there anything you particularly want to know, about me or my world?"

"Perfect. Let's get the kettle on."

He smiled, about to do the kitchen puttering, but paused.

"Before that then- what...er, what is your world like? Is it more modern, I suppose then the 1930s?"

He thought so.

"Definitely. I'm from 2041. Which seems like a weird time, no one on board is from my decade. My world diverged from most people's Earth in 2014; every mammal on earth was infected with a virus that makes us get up and attack the living when we die. So that's how I grew up. It's been twenty seven years; I don't have any memories of a pre-Rising world."

She makes a face, and hurries to add, "I've got a lot of precautions in place here so I don't endanger everyone on board. And I'm hoping to fix that virus with a deal. If my plans work out, you won't need to worry about me when I leave."

Edited 2026-02-10 01:27 (UTC)

That felt so far in the future. But hearing what had happened to her, her family, all the creatures...

Oscar crossed himself.

"Dear God." He breathed, before letting his hand drop. "The-I am certain you wouldn't be careless, and know far more about the risks then I would. This seems as if...it would be something that would make people be...filled with a brittle fear from a young age. Are you...is there anything I should keep in mind? What would make you feel the most comfortable, when it comes to touching, and sharing dishes?"

Maggie laughs softly, shaking her head. "Yes, but I'm the most social and least touch averse person I know. You really don't need to worry about it. And Red requested pills that prevent viral transmission during a flood where he had warden privileges a couple years ago. I take them every day. So I'm not worried about dishes either."

Then she makes a face. "I do have a bit of a blood phobia, but I've worked hard on getting past that. And I won't eat or handle any meat that comes from mammals. A bite of even slightly rare steak would kill in minutes back home, so the thought of it still makes me queasy. Fish or poultry is fine, though."

Edited 2026-02-10 05:50 (UTC)

"Oh, that's wonderful. I'm so glad for you Maggie."

He knew that Sweeney looked out for his own. It was just a pity that the collar stood between them.

"But should I invite you over for dinner, I won't make anything mammal focused. I don't want to make you I'll. Or uncomfortable."

The idea of a touch averse people...it felt sad. He came from a place with little of it, and he knew what relief it felt like to be acknowledged with a touch.

Those poor people.

"And while I only have the one hand...if you ever want a hug, just let me know. I'll give as many as you want."

"I have the best inmate," she agrees fondly.

"And it's a safe bet that hugs are always welcome from people I care about. Standing invitation. I'll try to let you know if I ever especially need one, though. You should let me know your comfort level with me as a wolf. I'm at least as cuddly in that shape."

"I've met him, and he seems solid. I am...not exactly his favorite, thanks to what I do, who I serve but-I think we can at least...be polite."

He just mostly felt awful and wondered if there was a way to make it up to Sweeney, in one way or another.

"You as a...oh. Truly?"

He really needed to get used to shapeshifters. "I think I need to be introduced to your wolf self. There's...I haven't really encountered a wolf before." He felt almost shy for admittance.

"Yeah. He's the main reason I'm not sure I can consider myself Catholic anymore. I love him so much, and he's been so deeply harmed by the very existence of Christianity." Which is something she might need to discuss more with her new brother.

"You definitely can be. But we should start on easy mode, with you nowhere near me while I change shape. Transformations are painful and gruesome, not a thing you'd enjoy witnessing. You can hear my bones crack when they reshape themselves, even if you aren't looking, and it hurts like hell so I... whimper a little. I love being a wolf though. Running through the woods on four legs is the freest I've ever been. I've lived most of my life safely behind walls."

"They made him small by ways of their stories. I- know religion can cause trauma. Which is why I haven't led anything. Or the rights or- weddings. Or even a real confession. Norton mostly used one to give me a shovel talk."

And hit on him, a little. Which was rather...typical of Norton.

"I don't like the idea of you being in pain, Maggie. But," his smile was soft. "I like the idea of you being free."

And Sweeney...he wondered if there was something he could do.

"Mm. My name is Magdalene Grace. My parents wrote religion into my name the day I was born. The Catholic church still doesn't fully approve of queer people, but loving women wasn't enough to drive me out of the faith. I can't imagine knowingly doing anything to hurt him, though. Even if he'd never ask me to give it up."

She pats the chair next to her, smiling softly at his support, even after hearing about the grisly side of transformation. "Come sit by me." That way she can lean into his side while they talk.

Oscar swallowed a chuckle, before looking to her, his eyes soft.

"That is a sign of love. He wouldn't ask what you would not give, and you give up what would hurt him."

He did get up slowly, and made to come and sit beside her, all gentle. He clearly wasn't used to having someone want to sit beside him out of affection.

Softly, he admitted,

"I did not know I was queer until...a few months here. I...actually, Jedao was the one who helped me find the words. That I wasn't...wrong, for how I become attracted to people."

Maggie leans over and rests her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him. "That was a much harder place to be, a century ago. Does it still eat at you, or are you alright now?"

"I...sometimes." He stared down at his hand, resting on his lap. "Sometimes I wonder Maggie, why I feel so much shame. And why it took me so long to know that I need that emotional connection of just even a friend to feel attraction." He shook his head. "Then I feel broken."

"You didn't know because no one talked about it as an option, Oz. A lot of people have felt broken and ashamed for exactly that reason. At least I had the words." She squeezes him a little tighter for a moment. "There's nothing wrong with you. But it's understandable if it takes time to feel that in your bones."

He nodded, and made to bring his arm around so he could carefully hug her in return. "It's still been a few months since I learned the words. I think...it may take a little longer for it to feel it in my bones. I am happy though, that you know your truth."

Even if it wasn't, well. What her church would like. Or his.

"Mm. I'm pretty at home in my own skin, but I had a head start, given my time and my family. I have the most doting parents in the world, no worrying they'd reject me." And speaking of being queer, she says softly, "I miss my girlfriend. Iris isn't the settling down type, so she'll never come home with me, but she did promise me as much of forever as she could without twisting herself into knots. Visits and adventures and being Auntie Iris to my kids someday. She was on the Barge for over a decade. It was her home."

She sighs. "It feels so strange to be here without her. Anyone could vanish, but she was the one person I had trouble imagining it happening to."

He nodded. It wasn't the first time that he realized that having parents, especially the right ones, could change so much.

"It seems...very difficult. I'm sorry your girlfriend isn't here but perhaps- she may return, one way or another. And even not- you had something wonderful. You had her. And you had time together. And love."

Love made so much of a difference.

She hums acknowledgement. "I'll see her when I leave. I guess I just feel... unmoored, here without her. I have my brothers, and John and Sokie, and Red, and my pack. I'm not alone, but Iris was an anchor. She was also the one who first turned me to a wolf. Kneeling at someone's feet and putting my life in their hands doesn't come naturally, but it was easy as breathing with her."

Edited 2026-02-13 17:00 (UTC)

Oscar nodded, and offered a gentle squeeze.

"You have me. Not a lover but...you still have me Maggie."

Normally he didn't miss having two hands. Not really. But he wanted the missing one, so he could pull Maggie into a gentle embrace.

"Iris sounds remarkable though. One of a kind even. Do you...like talking about her, or does it hurt too much?"

"It's nice to talk about her sometimes. She's a telepath, like John, but not from a distance. Limited to when she's touching you, and it's stronger with emotions than words. Between her and John, they're ruining me for non-telepathic relationships." She's clearly joking, she loves her other partners, but emotional telepathy is the best thing.

"I think that's part of how I got comfortable with John so quickly. I was used to having Iris in my head whenever she was in arm's reach."

He nodded, and winced a little. A touch telepath...he felt the unease roll through him, and he could hear the whisper of Scratch in his ear. A whisper of a memory.

He shivered, closing his eyes briefly.

"That sounds like quite the experience." He managed, but couldn't go further then that. Because he couldn't follow it up with 'I couldn't imagine what it was like' when he knew the worst of how it could be.

"I stepped on a nerve," she notes, leaning into him a little harder. She doesn't have to know what it was to know it hurt. "You alright, Oz?"

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