He faked to her left before going right. Amadeus's arms wrapped
around her middle, his head on her shoulder. "I got you now! Maybe
I will take you down in the pool! But I am pretty sure I would
break it on you so better not."
Benji frowned. "Had you asked me that when you first came in, I
would have snarled no. I was angry, hurt and untrusting. But no
human has been nice to me...well, nice and me know that they truly
are. You didn't grab me. You didn't hurt me. Just sat down and let
me come to you. So I trust you.and pray I am not wrong...I am still
afraid. But if you stay with me, I will be fine."
Myanna rumbled as she started moving to the pool planning to pull
him in with her. She didn't intend to break the pool, so she'd stop
roughhousing once they got in. Just relaxing in the water.
Jabrielle frowned and moved over to hug him. "I will stay with you
as long as I can... If I lose my job here, I'll sneak in and still
help you." She had no intentions of leaving him now. He was a
sentient being, and had a human soul and shape. It would take a
great deal for her to not come back.
Amadeus followed, going where she willed. He dropped himself down
in the pool being careful not to squish the plastic. He patted the
spot next to him, inviting her in. "Coming? Water feels great!" He
teased, smirking.
Benji hugged her back, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he
had been holding. "Thank you. But I am going to do my best to make
sure you don't lose it."
Myanna paused outside the pool making it look like she wasn't going
to enter for a moment, but quickly moved to lay down, her front
paws and head resting on his legs. He was a very nice man this
Amadeus. She wondered how it came to be that he was with her.
"I hope you would," Jabrielle said jokingly. "Though I think
heading back would be good. I am starting to feel the tired..." She
chuckled at her failed usage of the words.
He chuckled, giving her a hug and scratching his hand down her side
affectionately. "I hope you know how amazing you are...seriously
you are probably the coolest soul I know. I've not really had a lot
of friends...solo army brat so I have been dragged around. Never
really put down roots. Until now."
Benji giggled, nodding. "I guess so. I'm normally passed out by
now...but I feel like I have slept for weeks from everything. So I
am a bit wound up. Probably going to run around until I get tired.
Unless it hits me all at once..." The young man stood, brushing
grass off of himself.
Myanna purred deeply as she leaned against him. She hadn't really
realized how much he valued her until he said that. He was really
the first person to truly care enough to get in and dirty with her
to take care of her. Sure Lionel cared, but not enough to find the
best person to begin with.
"I get ya there." Jabrielle chuckled as she started to get up and
stretched on her way up. "If you want to run a bit more before we
head back that'd be fine with me," She smiled glancing over at him.
"I don't know how things will work out...but I am going to do my
best to stay here and look out for you. Thankfully Lionel has liked
my work ethic and ideas. But I think I am happier about you liking
me," he sighed, leaning back on one hand while still petting
her.
Benji grinned, nodding. "I will! But in the shadows. Just in case
someone looks outside. Or is nearby. Where are you going to sleep?
Do you live here? Or do you go back to one of the big boxes humans
live in? Houses?"
Myanna had lifted her head to look up at Amadeus as he spoke, only
to lean over so her head was resting on his chest. He was such a
good person.
Jabrielle chuckled and shook her head. "I don't live here sadly, I
would love to... But I live in a place called college, in a
building called a dorm. It's like a school for big kids." She
explained.
Myanna's purring was the only thing that kept the silence from
being total, but when a knock came from the door broke that
silence, she lifted her head to look over at it. The door opened
slowly and Lionel came into view. "Hot damn... She is definitely
attached to you." He chuckled. Myanna didn't move, nor did she stop
purring. She tolerated her owner since she needed him to
survive.
"At some point... Probably during the winter and during a cloudy
day since not every place is in the sun, and that might cause
problems with you going back and forth..." Jabrielle chuckled.
"I have grown quite attached myself. She is a sweetheart. Still a
tiger and needs to be treated with utmost respect, but she is
something special. Right Myanna?" He asked, rubbing her head still.
Amadeus gave Lionel a smile as he added, "I don't think anyone else
should try this but we've got a bond."
"Can I learn things with you? What do you learn there?" Benji asked
before shifting into his red panda form and strutting back beside
her.
Myanna mewed and laid her head back down. "It seems like you do! I
just wanted to let you know that her area will be getting worked
on, slowly but surely. Thank you for helping me take care of her
properly. Oh, here," He tossed over a leather collar with Myanna
written on it in gold lettering. "See if she likes it."
"You can learn things with me, most definitely." Jabrielle
chuckled, picturing her bringing him with her to classes on her
shoulders. "I learn about drawing and how it started and the
different kinds of drawing... I also am taking a course on anatomy
and physiology so I can learn the structure of the creatures I'm
drawing."
Amadeus caught the collar with one hand, keeping up the pets for
Myanna. "All due respect, Lionel, she is a tiger...I am not sure
she will enjoying being collared but I can see if she is okay with
it," he said after a few moments hesitation. Holding out the collar
for Myanna to sniff, the young man didn't know what he wanted to
happen. He didn't want to collar her. And part of him wanted her to
refuse. The other half was worried Lionel would take offense and
try to make her wear it. "What do you think, Myanna? Do you want to
try it?"
"Will you teach me to draw? Or show me and I can try?" Benji asked,
popping into the sunlight for a moment to ask but staying low to
the ground. He returned to the shadows, looking up at her in awe.
Myanna's purring came to a stop as she sniffed at the collar. She
was supposed to wear it? She looked up at Amadeus and tilted her
head. He didn't seem to want to put it on her. She'd let him
decide. The gold sparkle was rather pretty. She nosed at the collar
to get him to tilt it a bit so she could watch the lettering
reflect the light.
"I would love to teach you!" Jabrielle started getting up to her
feet and once she was up she took a deep breath. "I'll make sure to
bring my drawing things tomorrow when I come back."
Amadeus chuckled, turning it for her. He scratched behind her ear a
moment before moving to put it onto her. "What do you think?" He
asked her after clicking the clasp together.
Benji pranced about, looking beyong happy about that. He was going
to draw! With the lovely woman he had met. And Jabrielle was so
pretty and kind too.
Myanna was frozen for a moment before she realized she could move
and she lifted her head to look at Amadeus and then Lionel before
she shook her head out a little. She didn't mind it, but it felt a
little different.
Jabrielle laughed as she watched him jump around. "Alright, let's
get you back before Maggy starts missing you," She chuckled and
started walking back.
Amadeus chuckled, scratching around the collar to free up her fur a
bit. "Doing okay with it on, pretty girl?" He asked, gadging if he
could move out of the pool or not. "You're space is going to look
so cool!"
Benji set off after her, climbing onto her back once inside. He
settled in on her neck and nuzzling his head against her.
Myanna rumbled and rubbed her head against his head before getting
up and shaking herself right there in front of him. She intended to
get him wet, and she succeeded. She then sat down in the water, her
head held high and chest out proudly of her work.
Jabrielle took him back inside and put away the collar and leash
before bringing him back to his cage. "Here we go," She said calmly
as she stepped inside with him.
Amadeus, thoroughly soaked now, stared up at her smug posture and
lost it. Laughing, he jumped up and made a beeline for the hose.
"Oh, I am going to get you, naughty girl!" He said it
affectionately, of course, and was happy to be covered in
water.
Benji scampered down, careful not to scratch her up with his claws.
He ran around a moment before looking up at her with his head
cocked.