Protect and Serve

Security at Madam Louise's

[securityistight-blog]

She rolled her eyes at the teasing, giving him an unimpressed look. He had a point that he was muscular - something she was much more aware of than she would like to be some days - and she would have to take his word on what he knew of magic, but it certainly wasn’t anything that made her doubt her abilities if it came to it. “None of that means you actually know how to fight. Power is useless if you don’t know how to use it.”

Forte shuffled a little further away from him as he leaned on the bench, not stubborn enough to let him stay in her personal space when he was so obviously trying to wind her up. He was much better at getting under her skin than she would ever want to admit, but it didn’t mean she had to let him. “The rabbit ears are new, but this isn’t the first time I’ve had strange things happen to me,” she pointed out, “so you certainly don’t need to stay for my sake.”

She attempted to hide her blush at the compliment in her coffee cup, averting her gaze. She was doing better than usual, sure, but she was still never sure how to act around Leon or what to expect. 

Her ears flicked back at the motion, automatically trying to move away from any potential contact rather than a gesture of annoyance. They flicked forward a moment later though, betraying her curiosity as she looked back at him again. “Are animal ears and tails common where you’re from? Or is it a unique thing?” It wasn’t something she had really put much thought into before, but she realised she had no idea which one was more likely. 

[not-so-barren-blog]

“I’ve had ample time to learn. Though that doesn’t really mean anything, since I have no intention of fighting. There are plenty of ways for me to get to you without it being violent.” Leon said with a mischievous smile. He really enjoyed how easily he got under her skin. How flustered she got, and just generally her reactions to interacting with him.

So this time she moved away instead of pretending like he wasn’t as close as he actually was to her. It was a small, but noticeable, difference from the first time they’d met. He sipped his coffee again, curious on what other things had happened to her under the influence of this areas strange magic. “Well, if I don’t need to stay for your sake, then I’ll stay for my own. It’s just more entertaining that way.”

The blush on Forte’s face was just barely visible behind the coffee mug, but Leon certainly noticed. He prided himself on paying attention to small details, so subtle changes like that wouldn’t usually get past him. It made him smile a bit, but the recoil when he motioned to her ears was slightly concerning. It wasn’t like he was going to touch them… Probably.

The two made eye contact when Forte looked back up curiously and asked about the appendages. Leon stared blankly for a moment, before his expression shifted to a pondering one. “I suppose you could say it’s unique? There were people I had seen that had monster features, but rarely anything as noticeable as animal ears and a tail. I didn’t acquire my extra features until after I had already left, so it doesn’t make much a difference in my case.”

[securityistight-blog]

“It certainly doesn’t make you dangerous though, and I believe that was the point you were making: that it wasn’t safe putting myself into an empty room with you?” She could almost see the point, with the rabbit and fox combination, but it was much easier to focus on other things than the actual teasing side of his comments. She definitely didn’t need to think about what other suggestions he might have made, given the chance.

She huffed in annoyance, biting the inside of her cheek at the weird feeling of her tail still flickering. She really hoped it would wear off soon, since she strongly doubted she would be able to adapt to the odd appendages in any hurry. “Well I have to get back to work after this, even if you don’t. You’re welcome to stay here once I leave, but don’t make a habit of being up here.”

“Monster features?” She had assumed that his ears and tail had been regular animal features - though it was odd either way - but she supposed that monsters made just as much sense. They rarely got monsters in the area, since even outside the towns much of the area was populated and therefore rid of monsters, but she had occasionally come across them. She hadn’t even considered that they might be commonplace where Leon was from. “Is that what yours are?”

[securityistight-blog]

“Eventually you get used to it,” she agreed, shrugging her shoulders a little. Everyone she had known to move to the town had adapted over time, once they had been around long enough to experience the magic surges a couple of times. She almost mentioned that the town over had been home to a Native Dragon for a long time - until she had disappeared some years ago anyway - and it probably contributed to the magic in the region, but she decided against it. It wasn’t something that really added any understanding to the matter, since he was from far away enough that he probably hadn’t even heard of the dragons. “It’s rarely anything dangerous at least.”

Her ears stood straight on her head at the audible change, instantly on alert even as she continued making the coffees. It was just typical that Leon’s would have worn off first. “You say it like I couldn’t easily beat you,” she retorted despite her red cheeks, her tail flicking in annoyance. If there had been any doubt before, she was sure it was visible now. “I’m only at risk of being annoyed.”

She finished the drinks, turning and holding one of the mugs out to him, doing her best to not look too flustered. Honestly, she had no idea what to expect now that the magic had worn off on him, but she doubted it would be in her favour. She leaned back on the small bench, deciding quickly that it was better not to have her back to him for now: he really wasn’t a threat - she doubted he was ever genuinely malicious, even if he was a pain - but it didn’t mean that she wanted to give him the chance to surprise her.

“I suppose you’re fine now, so you can finish your drink and return to work. I won’t have to call you off after all.”

[not-so-barren-blog]

The ears and tail made it so much easier to read Forte, not that it wasn’t already, but it helped. He noticed her ears were straight up and her tail was flicking in a displeased manner. His however, swished back and forth in the ever present amused pattern. “You’re a guard. I’m just an extremely well muscled prostitute that’s very clever and has a lot of knowledge about magic. How could I ever possibly win against you?”

Leon was obviously messing with her, it was just too much fun not to. He took the mug she was holding out and smiled as he took a light sip of it. After a light pause he walked over and leaned on the bench next to her. He was close enough to be in her personal space bubble, but not quite enough to be too close. “Work? Didn’t I mention I didn’t have anyone lined up for a while? Besides, it would be a shame to leave you all alone here in your current state. I have to insist that I stay with you until the magic wears off. It’s only the right thing to do.”

“Besides, that’s an amazingly good look for you. I want to appreciate it before it goes away.” As Leon said this his smile widened and he motioned with his free hand to her ears. They really did suit her, and the tail wiggled so cutely. Her easily flustered demeanor was just like a small rabbit. Really however the magic had decided to pick this animal for her he had to applaud it for the perfect choice. He also mildly wondered if her ears were just as sensitive as his. He likely wouldn’t get the chance to find out, but he couldn’t help being curious.

[securityistight-blog]

She rolled her eyes at the teasing, giving him an unimpressed look. He had a point that he was muscular - something she was much more aware of than she would like to be some days - and she would have to take his word on what he knew of magic, but it certainly wasn’t anything that made her doubt her abilities if it came to it. “None of that means you actually know how to fight. Power is useless if you don’t know how to use it.”

Forte shuffled a little further away from him as he leaned on the bench, not stubborn enough to let him stay in her personal space when he was so obviously trying to wind her up. He was much better at getting under her skin than she would ever want to admit, but it didn’t mean she had to let him. “The rabbit ears are new, but this isn’t the first time I’ve had strange things happen to me,” she pointed out, “so you certainly don’t need to stay for my sake.”

She attempted to hide her blush at the compliment in her coffee cup, averting her gaze. She was doing better than usual, sure, but she was still never sure how to act around Leon or what to expect. 

Her ears flicked back at the motion, automatically trying to move away from any potential contact rather than a gesture of annoyance. They flicked forward a moment later though, betraying her curiosity as she looked back at him again. “Are animal ears and tails common where you’re from? Or is it a unique thing?” It wasn’t something she had really put much thought into before, but she realised she had no idea which one was more likely. 

[securityistight-blog]

Waiting was probably a better idea, since she knew how unpredictable the magic could be. It could wear off ten minutes from now, or it could wear off in a day’s time. For his sake though, she really hoped it was going to be relatively short lived. “Just let me know if you want me to, alright?”

She hummed in acknowledgement, remembering hearing something about magicless places in the world: the prospect was strange to her, but she supposed that not everyone used magic anyway, even here. Technology meant it wasn’t so necessary anymore.

“You haven’t heard of the goddess war?” she asked curiously, glancing over at him. She supposed it made sense - it certainly hadn’t been earth shattering, though from what she had learnt it had been a big deal in a lot of places anyway. She would have to find out where Leon was from at some point. “The Harvest Goddess and the Witch Princess always had a rivalry, but something happened and it eventually turned into a full blown war. People were choosing sides and fighting and dying for their causes. It’s why the old Madame built this place here, and then our town grew around it,” she explained, though she knew there wasn’t much detail to it.

“I was never very good at history, so I don’t remember a lot of the details. But we’re really close to the site of one of the biggest battles - I went there on a school trip once - and since it was such a magic based war, there’s a lot of residual power in the land from it. Sometimes it causes weird things like today.”

Having Leon nearby was more pleasant than she cared to admit, when he wasn’t pushing into her personal space or teasing her just to make her go red. She focused on making the drinks instead of that particular thought though, nodding an acknowledgement that he didn’t take milk. “Sugar? I like mine a bit sweeter,” she admitted, a slightly sheepish smile on her face. “And a little milky. so at least we won’t mix our cups up.”

[not-so-barren-blog]

Really, Leon both hoped and didn’t hope that the magic on him would wear off soon. Partially for his own sake and partially for Forte’s. He wouldn’t have to feel this way anymore, but then Forte would be stuck with him. And she was still a bunny. The mere thought of that situation happening made his face redden slightly again. He simply nodded quietly in response.

It was interesting to hear about things that had happened while he was… Away. Wars and goddesses. It was all very surreal. It really explained why there was so much magic floating around the town itself. He’d noticed but never commented on it. He was basically a walking bundle of magic himself, so it didn’t bother him to be surrounded by it.

“It makes sense. With so much magic just sitting here it’s not strange that it would go haywire every once and a while.” Leon replied after she’d finished her explanation. Without any warning, as if someone flipped a switch, he suddenly snapped back to normal. His eyes widened for a moment after comprehending everything that had just happened, and what was going on now. He had to resist the urge to grin. While her seeing him so vulnerable was a bit embarrassing, the current situation was far too good for him to pay it much mind.

“A little sugar is fine.” He responded, his tone of voice had audibly changed, and his tail was now swaying ever so slightly behind him. He could have played up still being innocent, but there was no knowing how long the magic on her would last. He preferred to take advantage of this while he could. “You know, trapping yourself in a room with a fox is probably a dangerous idea, miss bunny.”

[securityistight-blog]

"Eventually you get used to it," she agreed, shrugging her shoulders a little. Everyone she had known to move to the town had adapted over time, once they had been around long enough to experience the magic surges a couple of times. She almost mentioned that the town over had been home to a Native Dragon for a long time - until she had disappeared some years ago anyway - and it probably contributed to the magic in the region, but she decided against it. It wasn't something that really added any understanding to the matter, since he was from far away enough that he probably hadn't even heard of the dragons. "It's rarely anything dangerous at least."

Her ears stood straight on her head at the audible change, instantly on alert even as she continued making the coffees. It was just typical that Leon's would have worn off first. "You say it like I couldn't easily beat you," she retorted despite her red cheeks, her tail flicking in annoyance. If there had been any doubt before, she was sure it was visible now. "I'm only at risk of being annoyed."

She finished the drinks, turning and holding one of the mugs out to him, doing her best to not look too flustered. Honestly, she had no idea what to expect now that the magic had worn off on him, but she doubted it would be in her favour. She leaned back on the small bench, deciding quickly that it was better not to have her back to him for now: he really wasn't a threat - she doubted he was ever genuinely malicious, even if he was a pain - but it didn't mean that she wanted to give him the chance to surprise her.

"I suppose you're fine now, so you can finish your drink and return to work. I won't have to call you off after all."

[securityistight-blog]

Seeing Leon’s face go red suddenly had her curious, her ears tilting forward in response, though she knew she would definitely regret wondering if she actually found out. It was probably better that he just went red instead of saying it out loud like he usually would. “If you want, I can have you taken off the list for the day?”

Forte slowly nodded in agreement, having to admit that it definitely could have been worse. It had been worse in the past, though things always wore off eventually. It was just embarrassing. “I think magic has been around for a long time by now. But this sort of thing is just because of the area,” she explained, not sure what - if anything - he knew of the region’s history. Leon wasn’t from around there after all. “Just residue from the war between the goddess and witch princess. Did you learn about that, where you grew up?”

“I need some sort of coffee anyway, so it isn’t a hassle.” She made no move to have him sit back down though, instead grabbing a pair of clean cups out for them. “What would you like? I can at least show you where things are while I make mine.”

[not-so-barren-blog]

“I’m not sure. It might be a good idea to wait it out a bit and see what happens. If it doesn’t wear off after a while then I might need you to.” Leon replied, not at all mentioning why his face had gone red. In fact, more trying to forget the thought process he’d just had and the… Images that had come with it. He silently cursed his regular self for having such a filthy mind and vivid imagination.

“It has, but I’ve heard of places that don’t have magic. Or at least they claim not to.” Leon mentioned. Whether it was just that people had started drifting away from the magic arts over the years or forgotten them all together he wasn’t really sure. The story Forte brought up about a goddess and witch made him look up curiously. “No. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard about it. I uh… I’m from really far away. So a lot of things are still new to me.”

“Coffee is fine for me too, as long as there’s no milk or cream in it.” The fox made sure to mention that last part. Even like this he still couldn’t stand the taste of milk products. He stood near Forte, but not uncomfortably so, watching what she was doing.

[securityistight-blog]

Waiting was probably a better idea, since she knew how unpredictable the magic could be. It could wear off ten minutes from now, or it could wear off in a day’s time. For his sake though, she really hoped it was going to be relatively short lived. “Just let me know if you want me to, alright?”

She hummed in acknowledgement, remembering hearing something about magicless places in the world: the prospect was strange to her, but she supposed that not everyone used magic anyway, even here. Technology meant it wasn’t so necessary anymore.

“You haven’t heard of the goddess war?” she asked curiously, glancing over at him. She supposed it made sense - it certainly hadn’t been earth shattering, though from what she had learnt it had been a big deal in a lot of places anyway. She would have to find out where Leon was from at some point. “The Harvest Goddess and the Witch Princess always had a rivalry, but something happened and it eventually turned into a full blown war. People were choosing sides and fighting and dying for their causes. It’s why the old Madame built this place here, and then our town grew around it,” she explained, though she knew there wasn’t much detail to it.

“I was never very good at history, so I don’t remember a lot of the details. But we’re really close to the site of one of the biggest battles - I went there on a school trip once - and since it was such a magic based war, there’s a lot of residual power in the land from it. Sometimes it causes weird things like today.”

Having Leon nearby was more pleasant than she cared to admit, when he wasn’t pushing into her personal space or teasing her just to make her go red. She focused on making the drinks instead of that particular thought though, nodding an acknowledgement that he didn’t take milk. “Sugar? I like mine a bit sweeter,” she admitted, a slightly sheepish smile on her face. “And a little milky. so at least we won’t mix our cups up.”

[securityistight-blog]

She nodded in agreement, free hand absently reaching up to cautiously touch an ear. They were certainly more sensitive than her normal ears, but she wasn’t sure by how much. She was mostly concerned that she would somehow hurt them if she wasn’t careful with touching them, rather than anything else.

“I’ve been dealing with the weird magic surges since I was a kid, but it still feels vaguely unbelievable that I’ve somehow ended up growing bunny ears,” she grumbled lightly, though her shoulders relaxed a little. It seemed a little ridiculous to be complaining about the strange extra appendages (though the ears seemed to have replaced her own) to a man who had fox features every day of the year.

“I understand, don’t worry,” she assured him. It made sense that he had wanted to avoid his room, considering the way he displayed certain things. It had certainly been the most troubling part of his room for her, even when she had been sent there to confiscate his actual collection of poison. It was probably in vain, but she vaguely hoped that he might develop a little more empathy from this.

Forte smiled back, forcing back the thought that Leon’s smile was even more charming when it wasn’t a result of him teasing her, and stood awkwardly beside the couch. Beyond getting him away from the ‘business side’ of things, she really wasn’t sure what she could do. “Do you, ah…want a drink or something?”

[not-so-barren-blog]

Rabbit. Forte having bunny ears and a tail was still an unusual sight. Watching her fiddle with them was only drawing his attention to them as well. It was good he didn’t get wild animal instincts or she might be in trouble. Er… Well, he didn’t get them in regards to food at least. He’d be lying if there wasn’t that kind of feeling lingering when… other things went on. That thought process caused his face to redden quite a bit. “I’m so glad I don’t have any clients scheduled for a while…”

“I’d probably feel just as strange if I suddenly had human ears and no tail. But there are worse things you could have gotten than bunny ears right? And it’s only temporary. We had magic when I was younger too, but nothing this random.” Leon still had to fight the urge to mention how adorable the bunny ears looked on her. Despite the personality change, it seemed like his preferences stayed mostly in tact.

“Ah- Yeah, that would be great. You don’t have to get mine though. I may be a mess right now, but I can at least get my own drink.” Leon replied, standing up from the couch. He didn’t want to feel totally useless, even if Forte was basically being his emotional support right now. Talking to her at least kept his mind from wandering too many uncomfortable places.

[securityistight-blog]

Seeing Leon’s face go red suddenly had her curious, her ears tilting forward in response, though she knew she would definitely regret wondering if she actually found out. It was probably better that he just went red instead of saying it out loud like he usually would. “If you want, I can have you taken off the list for the day?”

Forte slowly nodded in agreement, having to admit that it definitely could have been worse. It had been worse in the past, though things always wore off eventually. It was just embarrassing. “I think magic has been around for a long time by now. But this sort of thing is just because of the area,” she explained, not sure what - if anything - he knew of the region’s history. Leon wasn’t from around there after all. “Just residue from the war between the goddess and witch princess. Did you learn about that, where you grew up?”

“I need some sort of coffee anyway, so it isn’t a hassle.” She made no move to have him sit back down though, instead grabbing a pair of clean cups out for them. “What would you like? I can at least show you where things are while I make mine.”

[securityistight-blog]

“Technically, you’re just giving me a slightly different duty: it’s my job to look out for the well-being of workers, right?” she pointed out, squeezing his hand a little and giving him a reassuring smile over her shoulder. Even if it hadn’t been part of her job description, she honestly doubted she could have refused to help him if she wanted to: he really did look worried by the changes.

“I’ll stay with you though, as much as possible. Hopefully none of this will take long to wear off,” she commented, ears flickering slightly in annoyance. She really wasn’t sure how to feel about having bunny ears and a tail, so it would be much easier if she just didn’t have to deal with it for long.

Forte clipped the radio back to her belt with a sigh, glad the other guards agreed to have someone cover her area of the halls for now. Businesses generally slowed during magic surges anyway: when they were so unpredictable, a lot of people found it easier to keep to themselves until it passed.

“You would be fine eventually. You would have eventually hid in your room, hid your ‘collection’ and stayed in bed until you felt better,” she joked lightly, though she doubted Leon would even be able to handle seeing his own toys right now without panicking. “But I’ll take care of you, so don’t worry.”

She pushed open the door to the guard’s break room, glad it was empty like usual, and led the fox inside. It wasn’t very impressive, but the couches were comfortable enough that it wouldn’t be too much of a pain to stay for awhile, and there was coffee available. She got the feeling she would need it.

[not-so-barren-blog]

“I guess that’s right, even if it’s a different kind of well being.” Leon replied after pondering the comment for a moment. He noticed Forte’s grip on his hand tighten a bit. This caused him to glance at her and give a slightly embarrassed smile and squeeze her hand lightly in return.

“Yeah, it will probably make both of us a lot more comfortable if it wears off soon.” Despite how cute the blonde looked with her new appendages, Leon could tell she wasn’t very thrilled about them being there. For her sake he hoped the magic on her would run out before his. There was no way the normal him wouldn’t make comments about it.

“My ‘collection’ was the exact reason I didn’t want to go back to my room in the first place… I almost did, but then I remembered all the- well… you know. I just couldn’t do it.” Leon sighed a bit. When exactly had he become so desensitized to all of these things? It was hard to remember.

When they arrived in the break room Leon reluctantly let go of Forte’s hand and sat himself down on one of the couches. He let out a long breath, then looked up at Forte and smiled. “I have no idea how long we’ll be here, but it’s definitely better than being alone in my room.”

[securityistight-blog]

She nodded in agreement, free hand absently reaching up to cautiously touch an ear. They were certainly more sensitive than her normal ears, but she wasn’t sure by how much. She was mostly concerned that she would somehow hurt them if she wasn’t careful with touching them, rather than anything else.

“I’ve been dealing with the weird magic surges since I was a kid, but it still feels vaguely unbelievable that I’ve somehow ended up growing bunny ears,” she grumbled lightly, though her shoulders relaxed a little. It seemed a little ridiculous to be complaining about the strange extra appendages (though the ears seemed to have replaced her own) to a man who had fox features every day of the year.

“I understand, don’t worry,” she assured him. It made sense that he had wanted to avoid his room, considering the way he displayed certain things. It had certainly been the most troubling part of his room for her, even when she had been sent there to confiscate his actual collection of poison. It was probably in vain, but she vaguely hoped that he might develop a little more empathy from this.

Forte smiled back, forcing back the thought that Leon’s smile was even more charming when it wasn’t a result of him teasing her, and stood awkwardly beside the couch. Beyond getting him away from the ‘business side’ of things, she really wasn’t sure what she could do. “Do you, ah...want a drink or something?”

[securityistight-blog]

Seeing Leon blush in response left Forte with an uncomfortable combination of fondness and amusement, something she did her best to quickly push aside. Neither feeling was helpful, especially not right now, so it was best that she refuse to think about them. Especially the strange desire to see Leon blushing when he wasn’t magically influenced.

She returned his smile though, glad that so far her suggestion seemed to be a good one. She had certainly spent a lot of time finding quiet places to regather her composure when she started working at the Emporium, so at least she had some idea of what she was doing.

“Alright, come on,” she encouraged gently even as her cheeks burned at the hand holding, leading the man towards the stairs. It was embarrassing, but it was something she was relatively used to at least. Just usually not with people like Leon. “It’s on the top floor, off to the side. I’ll sit with you for awhile if you’d like.”

She used her free hand to grab her radio as they climbed the stairs, informing the other guards that an incident meant she would be leaving her position and needed it covered for the time being. Even if it only took ten minutes to help calm Leon down and get him settled, she still didn’t know how long he would be left like this: she would probably have to find some kind of paperwork duty so she would be available as soon as she was needed for the day.

[not-so-barren-blog]

With only a slight bit of hesitation at first, Leon followed after Forte. He made very sure not to let go of her hand. Somehow this personality change had made him very dependent on other people. It was something he really wasn’t used to, but for now he’d just let it happen.

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt your work… but I don’t know if I’d be okay there on my own.” The man seemed to have a hard time deciding what to do for a moment. Somehow the prospect of Forte being there just felt like a really good idea, so it won out. “If you’d be okay with staying, at least until things clear over, I’d really appreciate it.”

He stayed quiet while she spoke with the other guards. She really was taking time out of her work just to help him. Thinking about it brought on a warm fuzzy feeling. “Thank you. I’d be a real mess if you weren’t around.”

[securityistight-blog]

“Technically, you’re just giving me a slightly different duty: it’s my job to look out for the well-being of workers, right?” she pointed out, squeezing his hand a little and giving him a reassuring smile over her shoulder. Even if it hadn’t been part of her job description, she honestly doubted she could have refused to help him if she wanted to: he really did look worried by the changes.

“I’ll stay with you though, as much as possible. Hopefully none of this will take long to wear off,” she commented, ears flickering slightly in annoyance. She really wasn’t sure how to feel about having bunny ears and a tail, so it would be much easier if she just didn’t have to deal with it for long.

Forte clipped the radio back to her belt with a sigh, glad the other guards agreed to have someone cover her area of the halls for now. Businesses generally slowed during magic surges anyway: when they were so unpredictable, a lot of people found it easier to keep to themselves until it passed.

“You would be fine eventually. You would have eventually hid in your room, hid your ‘collection’ and stayed in bed until you felt better,” she joked lightly, though she doubted Leon would even be able to handle seeing his own toys right now without panicking. “But I’ll take care of you, so don’t worry.”

She pushed open the door to the guard’s break room, glad it was empty like usual, and led the fox inside. It wasn’t very impressive, but the couches were comfortable enough that it wouldn’t be too much of a pain to stay for awhile, and there was coffee available. She got the feeling she would need it.

[securityistight-blog]

not-so-barren:

Watching Forte’s face turned red caused Leon’s to do the same, if only just a little bit. Normally compliments like this wouldn’t cause any reaction from him other than amusement, but now he was getting embarrassed becausesomeone else was embarrassed. Everything was just wrong.

At the blonde’s suggestions, Leon smiled happily. He was strangely relieved and happy about her agreeing to help. It was her job though, so it wasn’t that odd, but somehow it made him feel a bit better. “Oh! That would be great, thank you!”

“Uhm… Probably the security break room? I- … Don’t think I can handle going past the dungeon like this.” He said sheepishly. Then took Forte’s hand in his and held it snugly. It was more for his own emotional support than anything else. “Okay, let’s go! It’d help if you lead the way.”

Seeing Leon blush in response left Forte with an uncomfortable combination of fondness and amusement, something she did her best to quickly push aside. Neither feeling was helpful, especially not right now, so it was best that she refuse to think about them. Especially the strange desire to see Leon blushing when he wasn’t magically influenced.

She returned his smile though, glad that so far her suggestion seemed to be a good one. She had certainly spent a lot of time finding quiet places to regather her composure when she started working at the Emporium, so at least she had some idea of what she was doing.

“Alright, come on,” she encouraged gently even as her cheeks burned at the hand holding, leading the man towards the stairs. It was embarrassing, but it was something she was relatively used to at least. Just usually not with people like Leon. “It’s on the top floor, off to the side. I’ll sit with you for awhile if you’d like.”

She used her free hand to grab her radio as they climbed the stairs, informing the other guards that an incident meant she would be leaving her position and needed it covered for the time being. Even if it only took ten minutes to help calm Leon down and get him settled, she still didn’t know how long he would be left like this: she would probably have to find some kind of paperwork duty so she would be available as soon as she was needed for the day.

[securityistight-blog]

Leon makes a sad puppy face, "Forte, help me I don't know what- ... Are those rabbit ears?"

Leon was probably the last person she wanted to see in this situation, but the look on his face when he turned to him was enough to make her stop and listen, even if she wanted to bolt. Even if she would prefer to hide until this blew over, she still had a job she had to do.

“Um, y-yes? They just…popped up.” She really hoped that her shirt was still covering her tail, since she had been very quick to attempt to hide it. Maybe if she helped Leon with whatever he needed, he would leave her in peace. “What is it you needed?”

[not-so-barren-blog]

It was odd and surprising to see Forte with rabbit ears. At first Leon thought it was some sort of costume, but upon closer inspection they seemed to be just as real as his own ears were. He gave an apologetic smile as she seemed to be distraught over the whole thing, and said sincerely, “If it helps, they do look nice on you.”

“Ah- um… I’m having a… Problem? I think. Yes.” Leon seemed to be having a very difficult time putting his thoughts into words. It was a nightmare, but he was trying his best to keep positive about it. “Well, I can’t seem to… Uhh… Look at or be around the things I usually am without wanting to run, or hide under something immediately. A-and, It’s hard to even try to explain things the right way.”

“Basically, I just don’t know what I’m doing or what’s going on…” The fox sighed in genuine concern and confusion.

[securityistight-blog]

The compliment made her cheeks heat up, though she simply gave him a slightly strained smile in return. It wasn’t the first time she had experienced the weird things that happened in the town - she was born here, after all - but it was the first time she had ended up with any extra parts.

The fact Leon actually seemed to be struggling with whatever he needed to ask caught her attention though. If strange things were happening to her, it no doubt meant that other people had been affected too, and Leon wasn’t from the area. Concern for him quickly won out over her embarrassment, giving him her full attention.

“You can’t..?” When this whole thing was over, she would have to take the time to be amused at what the magic surge had done to him. For now, she probably needed to get him out of the halls. “Ah, well, come with me then? I’ll take you down to the employee lounge?” Then again, they had to pass certain other areas for that... “O-Or upstairs to the security break room? It’s usually empty.”

As much as he could frustrate her some days - usually for reasons she didn’t want to dwell on - she could understand his current situation. If nothing else, she could sit him somewhere quiet until she could think of something better.

[securityistight-blog]

Leon makes a sad puppy face, "Forte, help me I don't know what- ... Are those rabbit ears?"

Leon was probably the last person she wanted to see in this situation, but the look on his face when he turned to him was enough to make her stop and listen, even if she wanted to bolt. Even if she would prefer to hide until this blew over, she still had a job she had to do.

“Um, y-yes? They just…popped up.” She really hoped that her shirt was still covering her tail, since she had been very quick to attempt to hide it. Maybe if she helped Leon with whatever he needed, he would leave her in peace. “What is it you needed?”

[securityistight-blog]

M!Anon! Furry time! You've grown Rabbit ears and a tail! You'll stay this way for the rest of the day!

The sudden tingling on the top of her head and the base of her spine had Forte scrambling for her phone even though she was mid-shift, finding the reverse camera quicker than she would have found a mirror. The sight of the ears on top of her head make her squeak in shock, one hand flying to her head to check if what she was seeing was really there.

She cursed under her breath, fingers still resting on the fluffy (and apparently rather sensitive) ears as she twisted awkwardly to see behind her, catching a glimpse of a small tail as well. At least that wasn’t too noticeable, as far as she could tell from what little she could see.

Maybe the boss would let her take off sick and go hide until it wore off.

[securityistight-blog]

Surveillance || Open

[securityistight-blog]

wolf-of-cardinal-sins:

“You would know better than I do about that.” Neil replied, almost disinterested in the topic. A job where you had a passion to do it wasn’t something he’d ever experienced. At least, not the way he assumed she meant it. The job he was currently doing now was purely out of respect for the woman who had left it to him. Not that he particularly disliked the work, but he never felt any enthusiasm for it either. He didn’t expect that to change any time soon either.

It was only on rare occasion that Neil decided to spend time at the bar for this long. Usually only if he’d had a particularly stressful or busy day. It helped him unwind a bit, otherwise he’d be too tense to sleep once he got home, and laying awake for hours wasn’t conducive to running a business well. Coffee could only help so much of his sleep deprivation. “Exactly. Either way, I’d rather be understaffed than have some moron who didn’t do his work properly make things more difficult for others to do their jobs.“

“I’ve had worse jobs. This one comes with a huge work load, but I can handle that.” Neil took the next drink once the bartender had set it down for him and had a sip of it. He was pacing himself with the alcohol, since having too much too fast was never a good idea. His plan for now was to converse while avoiding giving out as many details as possible. Some things, like when he started here and that he had bad jobs prior, he didn’t care to avoid, but if the conversation got too personal, he’d put a stop to it.

“I’d much rather take on more hours than work with incompetent guards,” she agreed, shrugging a little. She certainly wouldn’t hold back on commenting if she thought any of the other security workers weren’t doing their jobs properly either, so it was at least a little reassuring to know the boss would probably at least take any complaints seriously. It certainly meant that the workers would be given the best protection they could manage.

Forte nodded in understanding at the elaboration, unsurprised that it was a big job. Even a small business took a lot of time and effort to run, so she could only imagine how much it would take to run such a well established place as the Emporium. Honestly, she was amazed that the old Madame had been able to keep up for as long as she had. It must have taken its toll on her in her later years, no matter how much she loved the place.

“You’re not from this town though, are you?” she questioned, though it was clear he wasn’t: nobody had known him until he took over the place and that was probably most of the problem. It didn’t help that the town had already been slowly dividing over the morals of having the Emporium here at all. “Was it busier where you’re from? We always say we’re a busy town, but we’re honestly pretty quiet compared to bigger towns.”

[not-so-barren-blog]

Inspection | Leon & Forte

[securityistight-blog]

not-so-barren

While what the guard was saying was absolutely correct, it didn’t make Leon any less displeased about losing some of the things he’d collected. Though he wasn’t about to be hostile about the situation. It wouldn’t kill him to lose these things, it would just be an inconvenience. He also supposed that if it really bothered him that much he could simply move out of the brothel. He didn’t have to live in it to work there, but he didn’t really feel like uprooting himself currently. So he would just have to deal with it.

“No matter how much time passes, those kinds of people will always appear. It’s an unfortunate, but inevitable situation.” Leon replied with a slight shrug. Most of the time he either ignored those kinds of people, or made fun of them depending on his mood. However, in his current line of work he had to be a people pleaser, no matter who happened to walk through his door. “While it would not be my first time being homeless, I’m still not fond of the concept. So I will do my utmost not to take those kinds of risks, at least not on the premises.”

When Forte noticed Leon had gotten close to her, she seemed to tense very suddenly. However, despite that she didn’t back away, instead standing her ground. It was a response that left the fox with a certain amount of curiosity itching at him, but before he could make any headway on that she commented on his culinary choices. From that he let out a short chuckle, finding her astonishment entertaining.

“I may very well be crazy, but I at least have fun with it. Sure, it tingles a bit if I have more than a certain amount, but it’s never been enough to cause lasting damage. It adds a little excitement to what would normally be a boring meal.” He explained very much like it wasn’t all that peculiar. Leaning a little closer into the blonde’s personal space bubble, Leon surveyed the contents of the shelves as well. He seemed to be making a mental note of something before he spoke again. “So, if you plan to relieve me of my long sought after delicacies, then the contents of the top two shelves will have to go.”

“The other shelves have only herbs and spices, as well as a few other things to enhance flavor. You’re more than welcome to try those if you don’t believe me.” Leon offered with a sly smirk. The other jars didn’t seem to be nearly as thick or carefully set as the ones on the top shelves, mainly because they posed no danger. However, he didn’t expect Forte to take him at face value, so if she really felt like it she was welcome to try some. Though he assumed she would decline.

The comment that the man had been homeless before made her frown, but she did her best to fight back any comments: as much as it bothered her, she certainly couldn’t do anything about unfortunate circumstances of a person’s past. There was only even so much she could do to right current wrongs, so she needed to remind herself not to get frustrated at every reminder that the world was unfair, especially as she was here specifically to take things he obviously put great care into.

“It’s appreciated. I don’t think anybody wants anything to happen to this place.” As flustered as she was about it - and especially about her own presence - even she couldn’t deny that the Emporium served a purpose. You only had to hear one or two stories of people with nowhere else to go - then still choosing to stay even years later - before you acknowledged that it helped more people than it hurt.

The amusement at his bizarre taste for poison of all things was enough to bring a small laugh from her, almost forgetting that she was meant to be serious. She quickly composed herself again, but stepped awkwardly to the side when he leaned further into her personal bubble. This really would have been easier if she hadn’t already been getting ready to leave when they sent her down to check Leon’s room.

She was a little suspicious of the easy explanation he gave of which jars were which, but carefully placed the jar of charm blue broth back on it’s shelf. She doubted he would start lying now, especially when it would undoubtedly cause him more trouble in the long run: if he was caught out, he would be subjected to a much more thorough search than she was doing now.

“Alright, I’ll take your word on that for now.” The lower two shelves looked like a bigger version of Kiel’s spice rack anyway, so she supposed that it wasn’t too unbelievable. “But nobody expected you would actually have a collection. I’ll need to go get a box to carry them in, so just...don’t move anything while I’m gone.”

The camera had a view of the shelves anyway, or at least partially, so she would be able to check that he didn’t. She was sure it was probably unethical or just outright insubordinate, but she got the feeling that she wouldn’t be able to bring herself to just throw away the things he had obviously worked so much on gathering. Hopefully she would figure out some sort of solution soon.

[securityistight-blog]

I like my odds~ ;)

Nibble - Lips

Forte took a deep breath as the dice landed, rubbing her hands across her face in frustration. She really needed to stop participating in work events, considering how often she seemed to get thrown in with the fox-like man. Not that she really minded as much as she would like to pretend she did, but he seemed determined to embarrass her as much as possible during their interactions.

It could certainly be much worse than it was. It was an admittedly innocent roll, even by her own standards; it wasn’t even really the ‘what’ that flustered her this time, as opposed to the ‘who’ and ‘where’. She was most definitely overthinking this.

She stood and made her way over to him quickly, glancing suspiciously at his hands even though he only knew she was ticklish on her feet. Mentally bracing herself, she cupped his cheeks and kissed him, eyes closed. It was much easier if she pretend she wasn’t in a room full of people.

Catching his lower lip between her teeth, Forte nipped and sucked at it gently, pulling away almost as quickly as she started. She could feel her face burning as she moved back to her side of the room without comment, though she got the feeling she wouldn’t be allowed to forget this particular game for awhile.

[inboxideas]

Send me "I like my odds" and my character will roll sex dice and perform accordingly on your character

Sex dice website: http://www.dennyp.com/utilities/fun/sex_dice.htm

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[securityistight-blog]

We Need a Little Christmas

@adventuresexme

Calvin didn’t know Forte well, having different jobs in the brothel and no overlapping friends. The man pondered for the week leading up to Christmas what would be a practical, yet sexy, gift for the security guard. It took him a moment, but he finally thought of it.

He got on his computer and finding the correct website, Calvin ordered his gift with expedited shipping, cursing himself for waiting so long. Thankfully the package arrived just two short days before Christmas. The man threw the gift in a gift bag, layering tissue paper over top, and left his room to deliver the item.

Finding Forte in the security room, Calvin cleared his throat to catch the woman’s attention. “Merry Christmas, Ms. Forte. I’m your Secret Santa,” the submissive said, handing over the bag. Inside was a garish pair of handcuffs with interchangeable fuzzy sleeves.

“I didn’t know what color you liked, so I ordered an assortment.”

She had signed herself up for it willingly, of course, but Forte had been anticipating her ‘secret santa’ gift with a vague sense of dread. She was trying to be more open about these things and get a little less on edge about something she had to see every day, but so far it was only barely working. She just had to remind herself that even a little progress was better than none.

When the worker actually came to give her the present however, she felt her face burning and a bundle of nerves in her gut as she attempted to mentally prepare herself. From what she knew of the man - Calvin? She thought it was Calvin at least - he wasn’t someone likely to get an intentionally poor gift.

“O-Oh, thank you,” she managed to get out awkwardly as she accepted the gift. Her face was definitely burning as she checked the contents, hoping she didn’t look too embarrassed: really, this had probably been the most sedate thing she could have hoped for. Even if the colours were rather...eye catching.

“Merry Christmas.” She would have to hide these when she got home. She wouldn’t get rid of them of course - that would be ungrateful - but she would definitely need to leave them somewhere that her brother wouldn’t find them when he visited. And maybe somewhere that she could forget she owned them.

[harvestxmoonxfanart-blog]