Louis got the feeling that hearing Juno worry about whether or not he might’ve gotten hurt (or “worse”) was something that was going to circle around in his head quite a while after this was over.
When she had come to the Black Market before, and tried to convince him to come back to school, and cried when he refused…had she been worried then?
“Juno!” Louis hurried after her and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. Fighting with her was so much easier than listening to her pour out confessions of affection and concern; this was familiar. It was how they’d started out. Louis had been fighting his entire life: it felt so much more natural than trying to accept something softer.
There was probably something wrong about that, but he didn’t have time to worry about it.
This wolf always had to make things so difficult! She was angry at him for trying to protect her from armed gangsters, angry at him for trying to comfort her…what did she want, besides things he could never give her?
“Of course we can,” he said. “As far as anyone knows, we were never there. Someone else will find the bodies and call it in in the morning, and by then, we’ll have been gone for hours.” It occurred to him then that she hadn’t even suggested going to the police, and he had to appreciate her practicality.
Actually, he thought, I should call Lex. The Waraigumi were not so particular about their food sources as other gangs, and in fact, took special pleasure in the consumption of fellow carnivores. If he could alert them while the bodies were still fresh, they might take care of clean-up before anyone else had to know about it.
It wasn’t that he thought the Shishigumi would hurt Juno–certainly not if they knew she was with him–but there was no need for her to go getting involved in these sorts of things. Besides, their new boss was not someone he trusted, even if he would be otherwise perfectly at ease leaving Juno with them. Hearing her speak of them reminded him how she had found her way there before, walked right up to one of the most notorious gangs in the city, and demanded to see their boss.
If Juno lost a fight, he knew it would never be from a lack of courage.
“The gun that you touched I’ll give to them to strip,” he added more quietly. “That way we can make sure it can’t be traced back to that crime scene.” Or to you, he thought, but kept it to himself. The odds were low, but not nonexistent, although he was done with making gestures to Juno that night: clearly, she was not in the mood. “We were attacked; that mess isn’t ours to clean up.”
He huffed through his nose, with a tiny shake of his head, as if to clear his thoughts.
“Let’s go. You’re bloody from that fight, and we need to clean up before we can get a ride anywhere.” There was a bar nearby that he had frequented with the Shishigumi; he was sure they could stop there and duck into the restroom to rinse the worst signs of the fight off themselves before going anywhere else.
Juno was in a state. Part of that was his fault, apparently, but a greater (he thought) part was whatever the shooting had awoken in her. Maybe he shouldn’t get her home just yet–if she would tolerate his company any longer, it might be better for them to find a place to calm down first. It would give him a chance to make a few phone calls too, away from the house staff.
“ Let go of me! ” she demands, twisting her wrist just enough to feel the deer’s grip slip and allow her escape. Despite her eagerness to leave, however, she gives him her attention with a stern look about her face; knitted brows relaxing slightly as she hears the offer Louis suggests. She believes him.
Of course she would. If it were anyone else, perhaps not ---- unless they knew the Black Market like Louis did. He ran the Shishigumi for a time and survived the affairs. If anyone would know who could dismantle a gun and get rid of the evidence and get the proper cleaners involved of course the person would be this troublesome deer.
The idea still didn’t stop her from scoffing at his next comment of the blood staining her clothes and fur, clearly still iffy about some aspects of what had and will occur. She had no reason to distrust Louis even if having been an ally to the Shishigumi would be enough of a valid reason - her concern continues to stem for his well being.
Was that attack random or targeted? She didn’t know, and her not knowing sent her spiralling into internal panic. If Legoshi had been in her place he’d think the same. Wolves were natural hunters and problem solvers. Once their mind had set on something they rarely let that one thing go no matter how small and her focus happened to get stuck on one question: would Louis get attacked again? Juno hesitantly nodded, starting to form a plan of her own.
Simple, but... intimate. She hoped once she suggested the idea he wouldn’t think anything else of it. She wouldn’t mean anything else if their complicated relationship didn’t get in the way of mundane actions and suggestions. “ Okay, I trust you. ”
No matter the outcome, she’s just glad that this time she’s close enough to protect someone she loves. The relief though brief that had washed over her when Louis seemingly forgot about her going off course and speaking of another person, could very well come back to conversation but she can deal with that when the time comes. Stepping up beside the other Juno nodded willingly to follow his lead.
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