Darlene
*Pythia had spent that night and day restless. His emotions were still very much a mystery to him... But he had found one or two ways he could... Calm down. Eventually the hour came for him to meet Nikita so he dressed full out. He pulled on two pairs of pants, wearing sweatpants under some thicker jeans, a long sleeve shirt under a sweater, a thick scarf, gloves, and a beanie. He stepped out of his room, also wrapped in the same blanket as yesterday, and made his way down to the cafeteria... He tried to be inconspicuous, he really did, but he couldnt help but draw other people's eyes as he skirted around the edges of the room to avoid the shadows. His heart was aflutter as he walked, a sensation he had never felt before yesterday, as he made his way over to the exit. He stood by there, mostly waiting for Nikita to approach him... Given the fact that he couldnt really see the other boy approaching. His clothes were darker hues, though some of them had white and silver accents which complimented his natural colors. After waiting for a few minutes he finally realized he should probably text Nikita, and slowly typed out a response.*
Myron
Nikita sat in his room at the edge of his bed, lit in scattered sunshine. 

His room was much smaller than the one at home, but he kind of enjoyed it. He didn't have as many things to keep track of, and it was a lot easier to find things. 

The boy's hair was still wet from his shower as he pulled his tall boots over his black skinny jeans.
After that, he grabbed a too-big yellow cardigan he had set out and hurriedly put it on over his loose white shirt. 

On his way out, he grabbed his bag from his chair, made sure he had his phone, headphones, and keys, and finally left his room and locked it. 

Nikita was rushing, and in doing so he had forgotten to blow-dry his hair like normal. It was still curly, but flatter against his head and neck. 

He ran his hands through his hair the entire time he walked, trying to get it to normal consistency. Not that he cared about his looks- he had never feared the ridicule of his peers for his looks. But he disliked how his hair clumped and stuck to his skin, dripping a bit onto the neck of his clothes. 

He groaned as he entered the cafeteria, finally giving up any attempt at saving the mop on his head. 

He looked around. His amber eyes found Pythia's white hair quickly. The boy was looking down at his phone as he approached, slowing his pace as he got closer. 

"Pythia?" His voice cracked half way through, and he wanted to jump in a hole right then and there. He still wasn't used to talking, and trying to call out without any warming up resulted in a voice break. 
But regardless of how he justified it, he sounded like a pre-teen when he had said Pythia's name. 

He tried to speak again, hoping the boy hadn't heard how his voice sounded at first. 

"Have you eaten yet?" He asked, voice a bit softer. He wasn't going to try and strain himself so early on. 

The smell in the air made his stomach growl. He was sure they were about to serve lunch, if it wasn't already ready.
Darlene
*Nikita's hopes were dashed as Pythia perked his head up upon hearing the other boy. He smiles softly, but still doesnt really know where to look since the cafeteria is fairly crowded. He felt that voice crack deeeep in his soul. The first time he talked to his therapist his voice cracked so much he refused to speak again for half an hour. His walking stick is on his hip, folded up... But it wouldnt be of as much use here, so he holds out his arm in a silent plea for Nikita to help guide him. Knowing now that this is 11am and not 11pm, he is dressed a bit less, wearing only one pair of shirts and pants, though still with the gloves, beanie, and scarf. He doesnt have a jacket with the thick sweater and the blanket.*

"I... I havent... I... I um.. Dont come here often since I c... Cant really get food by m... Myself." *He says quietly, holding his hand out. When Nikita gets close enough his world is swallowed by darkness, and he closes his eyes. He could activate his powers but... Well, a part of him liked the help. It was embarrassing, but he liked feeling like he could depend on someone.*
Myron
Nikita nodded and put his arm out, allowing for Pythia to grab onto him. He started walking toward the lunch counter where premade dishes sat under heated displays like a buffet line. His steps were a little awkward and misplaced, but he soon fell into step with Pythia. 

"So how do you get your meals? Does anyone bring you food?" He asked calmly, grabbing two plates. "What do you want? Oh, they have pasta today!" And suddenly he was dragging Pythia further down the line, grabbing the big plastic serving spoon, and placing two sloppy spoonfuls of baked ziti onto his plate. The pasta, realistically, was rather plain. But such foods weren't something Nikita ever had much chance to eat, so he savored them all the more. 
He was about ready to walk off to a table in the corner somewhere, but the other boy clutching his arm reminded him he wasn't alone. He hadn't realized how natural helping Pythia felt, so much so that he had almost forgotten him. 

Nikita coughed, feeling a little embarrassed about his rush to stuff his face when Pythia didn't even know what food there was to choose from. "Anyway, there's pasta, salad, chicken nuggets, and..." He trailed, eyes narrowing to stare at the end of the counter. "...A mystery sandwich, of some kind." He eyed the aluminum wrapped sandwiches at the end of the line. They didn't have an indicator as to what they were, but he assumed it was probably a burger of some variety. 
He hoped those options were enough for Pythia, but he went on just in case. "They might still have some breakfast bagels, if you wanted to ask." Nikita offered, unsure if Pythia was the picky type.
Darlene
"I... I... Mostly either g... Go when everyone is gone and they have the leftovers, i... In which case I store them and then eat them when i'm hungry... The system took me a-a while to figure out, but it w... Works and I... I dont need to bother anyone to eat" *He says quietly, grabbing tightly to Nikita's arm. He lets the other boy whisk him along, closing his eyes and focusing on not tripping. He half moves behind Nikita, knowing the other boy could make a path for both of them. He listens to Nikita grab his own food, not really wanting to pipe up until the boy realizes he still needs food... When nikita finally realizes he smiles softly.*

"P... Pasta sounds good" *He says quietly not really trusting himself to hold the plate given he may bump into someone and spill it... Or may end up tipping it and wouldnt be able to see it tip until it was too late.. So he let Nikita carry both of their plates as he just focused on walking. The two of them were quite the pair, both a fair bit shorter than the other members of the cradle, so they blended easily into the crowd. He let the other boy guide them over to a table and would sit down, feeling for his plate before positioning it where it touched his chest so he could feel it*
Myron
"I highly doubt you're a *Bother* To anyone." Nikita said simply as he grabbed a second plate of pasta and two plastic forks. 

He balanced the second plate on his forearm and positioned it so that it would lean against his chest instead of tipping, still giving his second arm to Pythia. 

Nikita led them to a secluded table, helping Pythia into his seat and placing his plate in front of him. He clattered his own haphazardly down as he sat down, 
The red head wasn't hesitant to eat, nor did he have many table manners. He dug his fork in and started to practically shovel the food into his mouth. 

"So." He began, food still in his mouth. "Do you ever go to the woods around here?" Nikita said, words muted and messy from the food still clogging his speech. 

Nikita definitely wasn't a slow eater, but at least he kept food in his mouth. He didn't spill any, or get any food on his face save for a bit of sauce on his chin. 

The next time he spoke, he made sure to swallow his food first. "I've been a few times already. The trees here are a bit different from the ones in Russia." He rambled a little as he stuffed his mouth with another large bite.
Darlene
*Pythia sat down with Nikita, and he was a much slower eater compared to the red head. Given his blindness he had to be careful, so he ate slowly. He also cared to be more refined around Nikita... He didnt really know why, he didnt usually care what others thought about him that much... But he didnt want to look bad infront of the other boy. So he took his time, and tried to savor the food. It was alot better when it wasnt cold or reheated... And the cradle didnt have bad chefs, so he did his best to enjoy the moment.*

"I... I dont, i-ive never really had a reason to. T... Though I would be lying if I said i... I wasnt curious" *He says quietly between bites. Nikita would be finished a bit before Pythia, though he wouldnt take much longer to finish. The food felt good, a bit of warmth ahead of the blistering cold they would soon be exposed to.*
Myron
Nikita nodded as he listened, finishing his food soon after Pythia had stopped talking. "It's nice. The trees are harder to climb, but there are some in particular that are really comfortable." He imagined the sprawling branches of the oldest trees, moss growing steadily up their trunks. He had made marks in his favorites. But he knew there were many more to discover. 

He waited for Pythia to finish his food before taking both their plastic plates and dumping them in the trash nearby, trying to disregard the constant hum of voices in the cafeteria. *Too loud.* A voice in his head reminded him, something in his brain that was itching to run away. The feeling never truly left him, but he could ignore it most of the time. 

Nikita grabbed a few napkins and took care to clean the table and his face before getting ready to go. 

Once everything was thrown away, he trailed over to Pythia and nudged him with his arm. "Ready to get going?" He asked, heart skipping a beat at those words. He was about to take Pythia to show the boy a part of himself only two people had seen before- both of those people having been hurt by him. 
But this wasn't a fit of rage driving him to reveal part of himself to Pythia, it was friendship, or at least him trying to extend what he thought was friendship out to Pythia- hoping the boy would accept him.
Darlene
*Pythia listened as Nikita cleaned up, trying to help where he could but knowing he wasnt exactly that much of a help in this regard. He stood up slowly, grabbing the other boy's arm and taking a now more familiar place next to him. He didnt hold Nikita's hand... If he did Pythia felt like he may just explode from gay panic, but he did wrap his left arm around Nikita's right, his hand holding onto the red head's forearm. Sometimes for support he would grab his arm with the other hand too. The two began to walk as Pythia made sure he had all his fixtures for going outside. He pulled his beanie down lower, his hair frilling out where it exited the hat with a longer lock of hair falling infront of the right side of his face. He wrapped his scarf around his neck, settling down into it as he closed his eyes and they stepped out into the cold.*

*Pythia was excited... Nikita had alluded to this ability several times. It was some kind of transformation.. .... With goats? Pythia couldnt exactly tell if it was like, a full goat transfotmation... Like Nikita just became a goat, or maybe even a very big goat... Or more like a chimera hybrid with more dominant goat like features. Either way he was very curious... Though he was also anxious. Nikita obviously didnt like showing this power, and Pythia worried that he was being a bit too pushy and making the other boy uncomfortable... But, there wasnt much he could do now, all he could do was be supportive* 

"W... Where are we going?" *He asked quietly. The forest was a big place afterall, and he wondered if Nikita had decided on a specific spot, or just the general forest. As they moved outside the sun helped heat them, though to Pythia the cold was intense... If he hadnt basically conditioned himself to enjoying the cold, he probably would have wanted to go back inside. But, given the fact he spent many winter days on his balcony, watching the world which was so often clouded be free, he had enough experience to withstand it.*
Myron
Nikita opened the doors, and that sense of familiarity surged through him. It felt as though he was going home. His heart would always have a place in nature. 

He was sure he'd die in a forest, he was sure that in a past life he did die in a forest. He thought that maybe that's why his soul had been given the powers of a beast, that he was so attuned to mother nature she had blessed him in the only way she knew how- by giving him a piece of herself. He was her creation, and he would always go back to her. 
Nikita thought this as they began to walk.

He shrugged at Pythia's question. "Don't know. I always just walk around until I feel far enough away from it all, then I..." He quickly glanced around, looking for passerby and listening ears. Nikita's senses found none. He turned back to Pythia. "Then I change. Sometimes I'll climb trees, watch wildlife, run and jump and go where I please." He thinks of some of his adventures.

The time he found a den of wolves, when foxes ran to investigate him, observing salamanders and frogs by small creeks, and much more. He had a world of knowledge stored in his head, kept as fond memories.
Nikita knew of nature from observation, no need for books and studies- though he enjoyed that too.

He escorted the two of them onto the overgrown fields. He had walked here so much in recent days a path was beginning to form in the grass. He only hoped the staff didn't mind. 

Nikita knew the staff's knowledge of his condition. They knew he needed to be kept stable, and be allowed to run freely. But that didn't dwindle the thought that he was a burden on them- despite this place being made to help people like him.

He neared the treeline, heart beginning to race with excitement as his steady walking began to hurry as he started to practically drag Pythia along with him. There was a *Need* That drove Nikita here, one that he had little control over. He knew that he'd want to leave Pythia behind and go running, but he needed to withhold. 

A year ago he'd call Pythia a burden, say that he didn't make friends for that reason. He wasn't that boy anymore, he had already made that decision.

Nikita was purposefully quiet. He moved with eloquence here, steps quiet against the frosted over ground. The birds didn't stop singing when he entered the woods, the bugs continued their chorus, and the frogs croaked periodically. 

The forest had a different smell, one that he had grown used to. In winter, the air was crisp and new. Spring would bring the smell of flowers and tree sap. Winter, however, was void of pleasant smells- it was all neutral. The bark on the trees, the frost and snow on the ground, even bodies of water smelled different. The world was weary in winter, slow and lazy. He enjoyed the peace it brought him. 

He slowed a bit once they were further in, being satisfied now that nature surrounded him.

The forest was painted in hues of blue and white. He wondered what new sight he would encounter today. 

Then a thought came to Nikita. He looked over to Pythia. "I-" He didn't often talk in nature. He found his voice in a moment. "I wish you could see this." He had that voice from before, the one that sounded somberly tired.
Darlene
*The two of them walked through the woods, and thankfully for Pythia, Nikita was a gentle enough guide and helped ensure Pythia didnt trip. He knew he could have let go of the other boy, moved a few feet away, and then been fine... But he didnt want to. Nature was beautiful, and he wanted to see it, but his desire not to let go of Nikita's arm overwhelmed that ten times over. The snow and grass crunched under their feet as they moved through fields of grass, bypassing shrubs and thickets as Pythia traveled further from the cradle than he had ever dared to go. He didnt take trips to Isakstad, so this was by far the farthest out he had gone since coming to the cradle.*

*He felt how different the forest was, the smells of winter, neutral and clean, the occasional rustling sounds, the feeling of uneven earth underneath him. They were all so different from the garden. Where that place was contained, this was wild... And he wasnt afraid of it. He trusted Nikita.*

*As the other boy spoke, the sound breaking the almost silence of winter, Pythia giggled softly. There were two things he could do to easily fix that, so he tried the first one, the one that would let him stay next to Nikita*

*His eyes snapped into focus, and he reached up to push the hair out of his face as he lowered his scarf to speak. A wide smile bloomed on his lips as he looked around the forest.* "B... Beautiful..." *He whispered quietly, looking around the forest before looking up at Nikita. He stares at the other boy for a few seconds before blushing and looking back to the woods.* "W... Well, I... I can see now" *He says quietly, just incase Nikita didnt notice*
Myron
When Pythia's voice broke the silence, he quickly looked over. Any faster and he might have snapped his own neck. 

When their eyes locked together, something flickered inside him. Like a match being lit. 
He liked the feeling of Pythia looking back at him, them being able to really see each other. He drank in the silvery eyes of Pythia's, until the other looked away. 

Nikita thought Pythia was as pretty as winter. He looked calmly dull, peaceful, serene, but there was an edge about Pythia. 
Winter was similar. 
There was an edge to it. The starving wolves, bears driven out of hibernation by hunger, big cats stalking in the shadows. 

He wondered what Pythia could do, truly. His power could be dangerous, he was sure. 

He stopped his staring and looked out into the woods again, watching more carefully where they walked. "Yeah, I figured." He chuckled. 

He continued in their peace for a bit longer, then looked around. The loudness of the cradle had subsided. He couldn't hear it at all anymore, and that's when he knew he was safe. 

Nikita pulled slightly away from Pythia, allowing their arms to fall away from each other as he stopped walking and stepped back. 

"You..." He tried, unsure what exactly to say. "I-" He sputtered again. He was getting upset with himself. How the hell was he supposed to do this calmly? 

"Damn it." He brought a hand to his mouth and turned away slightly, seeming to think. 

He took in a deep breath and lowered his hand. Nikita counted to four as he inhaled, then four as he exhaled. He was okay. 

"I'm trusting you." His voice had found a sternness. He seemed more stoic for a moment. 
He hoped his trust wasn't misplaced. Trust was a weapon, it could be used to his advantage, but it could also hurt him. 
Nikita just had to hope- no, trust- that Pythia wouldn't share this. 

They had just met. There was no logical reason for Nikita's trust, not really, but he could kind of tell when people were genuine. He had to trust himself, too.

Trust that he chose the right person to show himself to. 

He took another step back. 

"So, it works in parts." He started, knowing Pythia would want an explanation. "There's a sort of fog that comes from my skin, and when I change fully it envelops me. Look." He holds out an arm. His forearm grows and fog begins to bellow from his skin as it changes, reddish hairs turn to fur and his hands- boney and slender- turn long and sharp. Claws, like that of a mountain cat. They aren't retractable, however. The fog clears quickly. 

"On walks when I don't feel like fully changing, I allow certain parts to change. Horns, a tail, my ears, and a few other minor things." He continues. His voice is calmer, but it has a certain deepness that wasn't there before. 

In a moment, his face does the same. Smoke comes from his eyes, ears, and from somewhere under his hair- which has long since dried from earlier. 
He uses a hand to waft the smoke away, so Pythia can see. Yellow eyes with rectangular pupils, fluffy ears like a goat and wolf, horns that reflect those of a goat as well. 
When he speaks, a bit of fog escapes his mouth. "My vision is wider like this, and I can see a bit further, but it's harder to read and use my phone. And." He looks a bit around, ears flicking in a few directions. "I can hear a lot clearer." Everything feels more separated. He can pick out which bird calls are coming from where, same with the bugs and frogs. 

When he speaks like this, that deepness in his voice is almost raspy- like a growl is at the back of every word. His voice rumbles, a bit like thunder. And his teeth are visibly different. Sharper, more separated. Some of the ones toward the back look almost like needles, and his canines look like dog fangs. 

"I'm going to change fully, but it's harder to talk. Ask your questions now, please." He tries to sound soft, like normal, but his effort is futile. He sounds beastly, regardless of his attempt.
Darlene
*Pythia could* ***Feel*** *Nikita's tension, the other boy's fear of rejection, of broken trust. It was sad... Sad that he had to feel that way, that someone had hurt him so much he was afraid of himself, or atleast showing himself. As the other boy stepped away Pythia felt a small twinge of desire yearning for more, but he quickly smoothed that as Nikita began his transformation. Pythia jumped a bit at the sternness in Nikita's voice, and he felt the inner conflict within Nikita's soul.* 

*Then, a mist began to form around Nikita's arms.. And hair turned to fur, bones extending and muscles growing. Sharp looking claws formed on Nikita's hands. The transformation then moved to his head. From his crown, two long horns rose up creating a menacing silhouette... Distracted slightly by two adorable, incredibly fluffy looking ears. His eyes were yellow, with rectangular pupils that caught the light.*

*Oh anyone else the transformation would have spooked Pythia, but with Nikita... Well it was exciting. The smoke helped hide the transformation, making any body horror which would arrise from that invisible to the eye, which Pythia was glad about. He smiled softly, seeing the "Monster"... And he looked absolutely adorable. Pythia took a step forward, then another, starting to close the gap as he flicked his eyes between the altered features. One hand had begun to reach up and out, as if to reach and brush Nikita's horns... But he paused and his face flushed as he thought to ask for Nikita's permission.*

_ _
"M... May I? Uhm... ... F... Feel them?" *He asked nervously, staring up at the boy's horns and ears. Questions began popping in his mind, questions Nikita began answering. Of course the altered pupils would catch more light, and his ears were much bigger... His eardrums must have expanded aswell. As he spoke Pythia noticed his teeth. They were sharper, and the back ones looked particularly pointy. They were slightly more separated than normal... He wondered if he had less teeth in this form... Maybe the spare teeth merged into the others to add the extra length for the points? His voice was shocking in a way that sent a shiver down Pythia's spine... But Pythia liked it, the almost animalistic growl sounding feral... But pure. A voice lacking veils.*

"D... Do you have more teeth i... Im your normal body? W... What about your next form? I assume your jaw will change a... Alot more in that one, but what about between your usual form and this one? Your bones also seem tk change... ... A... Are you taller right now? A... And your muscles seem... Tighter? Are your horns made fully of keratin? L... Like, do they grow from stumps of bone like antlers, or do they have a core of bone? Have you ever chipped or broken a... A horn before? Also, is your view of color changed? A... And your ears, is the level of frequencies you can hear different?" *He asks quickly, one question forming into another, almost giving Nikita no chance to respond until he pauses to breathe.*
Myron
Nikita was wary of Pythia's slow approach, ready to go sprinting at the slightest chance that Pythia was going to do something rash. His muscles were visibly tense, his eyes ever watching. 
But he also saw Pythia's small smile, something that reassured him at least a little. 

The hand that reached for him was... Strange. He was unsure what to do as it got closer to him, but luckily he had the choice. 

Nikita's eye wavered, flicking to the ground, to a few nearby trees, then back to the boy in front of him. He was glad nobody was around to see this. 
He gave a gruff grunt as he nodded, ever so slightly, and bowed his head a little so that Pythia could better reach. He could feel his face grow hot in his embarrassment. 
Nobody had ever felt his softness, only the sharpness of claws and teeth. He felt almost too open, too willing, but he needed to be more comfortable around people and this was going to be a part of it. 

Then the questions came as he knew they would, and he tried to answer as rapidly as they were asked- just barely keeping up with Pythia. 
"I'm not sure. I can feel my teeth move around, but my mouth is also wider I think? If I had to guess, it's probably about the same- maybe a little less because some merge."

These questions really made him think. Why had he never considered these things? To Nikita, they were always just there as a simple fact, nothing to question. It simply was. But now he's realizing that his transformation is a lot more complicated than he feels it to be. 

"I don't think I'm taller, but my muscles do change a bit. They become more lean like this. And uhm... My horns are like a goat's? I don't know. I definitely don't shed them, though. They're really strong, so nothing has ever really been able to break them. My colors? Uh..." He does a quick look around. "I have the same color receptors. Not much changes. Some colors do seem more vibrant though, blues and greens mostly." He tries, noticing that some things do have a slight difference. "And yes, my hearing is a lot more sensitive. I can hear higher pitches. Dog whistles were one that always bothered me. We used them on the farm sometimes." 

He had fallen behind Pythia since starting to answer, but he recalled all of the other boy's questions and was still able to answer. 

The talking was distracting him from his current stance, head positioned down for Pythia still. He wasn't sure exactly how he would react to the touch, but he guessed he would find out soon.
Darlene
*As Nikita lowered his head, Pythia reached a hand forward to gently stroke the boy's horn. He runs his hand along it, feeling its smooth ridges and solid form... It feels sturdy, most definitely a goats horn and not an antler... Meaning it had a core of bone in the middle that had to grow out of his skull... Did that mean his skull was reinforced too? To provide better support and foundation for the boy's horns. After giving the horns a few pets he reaches down to Nikita's hair. It is soft in a way he wasnt expecting, and Pythia squeaks softly upon feeling it. He wanted to run his hands through Nikita's crimson locks... But he did have a reason for touching the other boy's head.. And he pushed through the softness and began feeling around the bases if Nikita's horns. He was feeling for if his skull was thicker here... But unbeknownst to Pythia it may also be more sensitive.*

*He nodded in response to the answers, both of his hands feeling the base of Nikita's left horn. He would gently push and rub the skin around the horns, being gentle but moving with a firm hand. He didnt speak yet, to engrossed by Nikita's dark grey and crimson features.*
Myron
The initial fingers running over his horns sent a shiver down his spine. Nobody had come this close to him when he was like this. There was a tension he couldn't quell, an instinct. That voice that always told him to 'get away', or 'too loud', or whatever else it had to say, was currently telling him that this was too close. Too dangerous. 
Pythia was playing with fire, but Nikita didn't want to be the flame that burned. He wanted to comfort. 
A flame can provide respite from the cold world. Despite his power, he could be warm. 

As his fingers trailed down, Nikita only grew more uneasy. The more something felt nice, the less he trusted it. And this felt like scratching an itch that had been there for years, like finally getting that spot on your back that you normally can't reach. 
It felt like relief. 

His scalp was sensitive, but his thick skull definitely wasn't. There were a few times he tested the strength of his horns, on trees and rocks. 
Nikita's headbutts were probably really painful, all things considered. 

Nikita twitched as Pythia's hands found the base of his horns, where keratin turned to skin and hair. He retracted slightly, raising his head. He gave Pythia a timid glance, just a short look in the eye. He looked back down, both hiding his reddened face and giving Pythia a second chance. "Not there." He rasped, voice gruff and plain. He wasn't asking. 

He could feel his heart in his throat, counting to four as he inhaled. *Calm down.* He exhaled for four beats. 
Pythia was his friend. 
Was Pythia his friend? He had never really considered what that meant to others. Was he supposed to ask for friendship, or was this it? 

He opened his mouth, but closed it as he realized the strange intimacy that question might bring in their current moment. 

Nikita stayed quiet and allowed Pythia to inspect him, like a child to a dog.
Darlene
*As Pythia felt Nikita's skull, he felt it had thickened alot... It would make sense given a goat's tendency for headbutting. Nikita had crouched down a bit past Pythia's eye level as he began feeling the skin around his horn. Pythia felt the shiver that moved through the other boy as he touched that more sensitive location. Nikita pulled back slightly, and Pythia looked him in the eyes. They were both blushing a bright crimson, and as Nikita gives his command Pythia nods, going back to petting Nikita's horn a few times before exploring somewhere else...*

*He reaches a hand down to the side and gently poked at Nikita's long, fluffy looking ears. He was more careful this time, a single finger sliding along the top edge of his ear... But that almost made it worse. Pythia was suprised at how soft Nikita felt... He may have expected something different, but this was a pleasant surprise. He wanted to go further... But he knew that would be too much... So he tried to keep his contact to a minimum for now.*

*He wanted Nikita to feel safe more than anything... Warmth was what they both desired. A gentle fire, not to burn or brand, but to comfort. Someone else had helped him come out of a place he never wanted to go again, if he could help someone else like that... Well that was all he wanted in that moment.*
Myron
Nikita's ear flicked out of reflex, but relaxed, as Pythia moved to touch that too. 

There was a mild joy that came with Pythia's hand, soft and gentle on his ear. It was strangely calming. If not for the strangeness he felt, he might have begun to slouch and rest his eyelids. But he watched Pythia's hand still, for both caution and curiosity. What did this boy see in him? In this? 

The red in his face faded, shrank to a small blush over his rosy cheeks, This continued for a while. Once again, Nikita was grateful the only eyes watching the two of them were of birds and bugs. 

Nikita made a sound from the back of his throat, something like a cough and a growl mixed together. "Is this what you intend to do all day?" He commented, half jokingly when Pythia was taking too long. Nikita still wanted to rip this bandaid off, and it was only halfway done. 

He wasn't sure what would happen after all was said and done, but Pythia seemed calmly curious. He hasn't felt judged yet. Pythia showed no hint of it. Nikita had only felt how kind Pythia was. At some point that had to run out. 

Nikita still didn't pull away. He'd let Pythia decide when he was done, despite his impatience.
Darlene
*Pythia grew a bit bolder with his ear petting, but only a bit. He felt at the fluff around Nikita's ears, feeling how thick the skin of his ears were and trying to hide his curiosity behind a scholarly desire for information... Though truly he just wanted to rub Nikita's ears because they looked soft. While Nikita's blush faded, Pythia's remained as he was only barely managing to hold into a calm exterior. Inside he was almost fangirling, how could he not! The red head was just so soft! He wanted to hug Nikita's head and nuzzle his hair, but that desire came from a rebellious faction in his mind that he wanted to keep on a tight leash, so he stayed quiet.*

*At nikita's growled comment he yelped slightly, and stepped back.* "Y... You may go f... Forward." *He says quietly, looking intently at the other boy, wanting to watch the transformation as it happened. He didnt know what possible form could be next. Nikita had mentioned that he wouldnt be able to speak, but what did that imply? His features were obviously caprine, so would he turn into like a mountain goat... Or was it something else? Pythia's curiosity was killing him, and he held his hands together infront of him, waiting expectantly for the transformation to take place. A soft smile was omnipresent throughout this whole experience, his face colored by the red-pink blush as he kept brushing the hair out of his eyes.*
Myron
Nikita nodded and drew in a breath. 

His entire body began to fog over, a thin veil of mist masking the secret horror of his change. 
This was because of the extreme temperature over his skin, similar to that of dry ice. 

The process brought Nikita no pain, or discomfort. It was as easy as changing clothes. Speaking of which, his clothes didn't tear away. They seemed to disappear with the rest of him. 

The entire transformation took very little time, maybe ten seconds. 

His head was the first to come through the fog, which seemed to almost follow him as he teared away from it. 

His horns and ears were the same. His head reflected that of a goat, in some aspects. The way the snout was angled down, long and strange looking. But in truth, the shape of his head was the only goatish thing there. His eyes were narrow and observant, his nose looked strangely cat-like, and the faint whiskers that clung to his face didn't help. 
Further down, his neck was strangely long. Not so much so it looked silly- like a giraffe might look- but enough that it looked strangely unsettling. 


His body was lean, covered in ginger fur. His legs were long, made for running mostly. 
The tail was last, and by far the fluffiest. It was strangely shaped, wider in the middle than the rest like some lizards. 

The sharp teeth and long claws suggested he was a carnivore, but luckily his diet was still human enough. 

He opened his mouth, looking like he was trying to speak. He had never tried to do so before, never had a reason. 
The sound that escaped him was like a snort, reminiscent of a boar. 

This sound continued, until it started to form into something more comprehensible. "I-" He repeated this same syllable a few times. 

He moved his mouth and tongue in uncomfortable ways, trying to bend the sound of growling to sound human. 
Nikita scoffed and gave up, head angled down in mild disappointment.

Then he looked up at Pythia for his reaction, trying to gauge how exactly Pythia felt about him by sight alone. 
If there was even a hint of disgust or fear he would change back. The last thing he wanted was to make his maybe-friend uncomfortable.
Darlene
*Pythia wasnt disgusted or afraid. The look was different... But where Nikita may look upon himself with horror, Pythia thought he looked adorable! The proportions of his body were weird, but in a cute way... And his overall body shape looked more canine...? He couldnt tell, but it looked nice. He didnt really pay attention to the teeth of claws, more focusing on Nikita big gold eyes, his soft looking ears, and oh my god his extra fluffy tail. He takes a few steps forward, giggling as Nikita struggles to speak. The sound is a bit spooky, but that was expected, his vocal cords would probably be entirely different! Well they would have to be, look at the size of his neck! They are probably super stretched, making normal "Human speech" Impossible...*

"Y... You dont have to t... Talk!" *Pythia said quickly.* "I... I wonder i... If you c... Can even really talk l... Like that... M... Maybe you could talk... Differently? L... Like a different intonation, i... I dont know, but you d... Dont have to talk. C... Can... Can I?" *He asks, stepping closer and closer. He makes his way up to Nikita, holding out his hand like one would to an animal, allowing them to sniff before he goes in for the inevitable pets. With this more animalistic form Pythia is hardly restraining himself from hugging Nikita's neck and scratching him behind the ears. He hasnt had alot of experience with animals, but he read that they like being pet under their chins and scratched behind their ears.*
Myron
As Pythia approached, he raised a paw in caution- akin to a cat getting ready to bat something away. 
*'I am not yours to tame.'*
A strange thought. Like this, thinking like that was more common. He was more prone to acting animalistic- following any whim that presented itself. He wouldn't do something if he was even the slightest bit unwilling. He wouldn't bend to anyone's will, not like this. 

Then Pythia held his hand out, and Nikita shot him a bored look. He would say he isn't a cat, or a dog, but he currently couldn't. 

Before Pythia could reach out and trap him with pleasantly incessant petting, he began to move past the boy. 

His paws left little indent in the grass and snow, unlike his boots that left an easily detectable trail. He moved like a shadow, wisping along the forest floor like a ghost. 

His body was similar to a canine, but where dogs often bounced and swayed as they walked, he was kept steady. Not a single movement was out of place. 

Before, he seemed stiff and clumsy, limbs strange and gangly. Here he seemed to actually fit, like his body made sense. Any trace of that awkward boy seemed to disappear when he was like this. 

He didn't trail far from Pythia. Nikita looked back, yellow eyes meeting with those silver ones. His tail twitched and swayed slightly behind him. Nikita was waiting for Pythia.
Darlene
*Pythia paused as Nikita backed away slightly, raising a paw like a cat. He could read postures enough to realize that Nikita didnt want Pythia to come closer... So he respected that wish and backed away slightly as Nikita brushed past him, his paws leaving barely noticible indents in the grass and snow. Where Pythia's feet crunched, Nikita's paws made hardly a sound, and the difference in skill between them was now obvious. As Nikita moved away, Pythia moved to follow... And then he was on his knees. He fell like a doll whose strings had been cut, and his vision fuzzed. Shadows sprung from everything, the world became darkness... The ground cracked and exploded upwards, trees fell in every direction simultaneously, everything that could happen happened in his mind, a chaotic mess of possibilities, a scream that echoed in his brain. He fell forward, pressing his forehead against the snow and earth as he began shaking. He had unconsciously pushed his abilities too far, his focus on Nikita had distracted him, and now his curse struck back. It wasnt just that he was blind, he could see them all, each future playing over eachother. If he was blind it would have been easy, but now his vision felt like it was tearing his brain apart. He couldnt hear, he couldnt even feel the earth beneath him. The cold was gone and all that was left was the pain of his sight.*

_ _
*He didnt realize when he fell over, but he awoke from a daze on his side, his beanie having slipped off and his pure white hair mixing with the snow. He had lost the concept of time in his mind. He didnt open his eyes, his eyes had been open the entire time... But the world slowly returned to normal... The ground shifted back into place, the trees righted themselves, and he shut his eyes tightly. He curled in on himself, shaking as the pain slowly left him. His body ached as he had been tensing all his muscles, but the pain was the worst in his head. His ears rung and everything felt... Distant. Like his senses were slowly returning after being lost.*
Myron
Nikita watched as Pythia began to walk. 

There was a feeling, just before Pythia collapsed, in Nikita. His stomach lurched, full on anxiety. Something was wrong. 

The moment the boy's knees buckled to fall, Nikita was running to his side. A thick fog came over him, swallowing the both of them into the smoke. 

This transformation was quicker, sloppier. Fur still clung to parts of him, his ears and tail remained, horns still poked from him, but he was human again, holding- clinging- to Pythia. 
He had already passed out, but words flowed from Nikita anyway. "S-stay with me." He wheezed, taking care to lift Pythia into his arms.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay." He rocked back and forth with the boy in his arms, repeating those words to himself. They weren't really for Pythia's sake, they were for his. 

His breathing was rapid, his heart pounding against his chest. He didn't know what to do. What the fuck was he supposed to do? 
Nikita's jaw felt tight. He was clenching his teeth so hard he was sure they might crack and break under the force. "Stay with me." He rasped, biting back tears. 

He wasn't even sure he was helping. Nikita realized he could be making it worse, but he held on to Pythia and felt the boy's heart. 

Nikita sat like that until Pythia began to wake. 

He didn't know how long it had been. Seconds? Minutes? Maybe even an hour had passed, he wasn't sure. But as Pythia began to wake, a calm came over him. 
He wasn't going to have to drag Pythia back, like all the others who had seen his beast. 

Maybe, he thought, it might be a bad omen. Maybe this was all his fault. 

"I'm sorry." He croaked. "I shouldn't have brought you out here, I'm sorry." He choked. His eyes were close to spilling. Nikita didn't want to cry in front of Pythia, not now. He was sure the boy wouldn't want to be his friend, not after all this.
Darlene
*He had seen something... Everything... His ability was normally contained, it showed a wide range of possibilities, but it never showed everything. His folly had caused a massive extension of that range, of possibilities even wilder than anything plausible. All ranges of natural disasters, cataclysms, overwhelming his mind so much his brain hadnt even been able to comprehend his other senses. His eyes focused... Well focused was the wrong word. He was in darkness again, but this was different. The pounding riptide had turned peaceful, back to the gentle babble of only probable futures.*

*He felt Nikita's arms first, his ears still rang so much he couldnt hear Nikita speak... But he felt warmth from the other boy. He reached up with shaking arms, and wrapped them around Nikita's waist, as if the other boy was an anchor to reality itself. He realized he was crying softly, he hadnt been able to feel the tears on his cheeks until now, and he sniffled softly. He didnt speak for awhile, simply clutching to Nikita. As long as he had been out, it took him longer to recover. It may have felt like hours to the two of them, but in reality not much time passed at all.*

*Eventually he pulled back slightly. He looked up towards Nikita, even though he couldnt see the red headed boy, and he smiled softly.* "T... T-t... Thank y... You" *He croaked softly, his voice feeling hoarse. His eyes were red and puffy, tear marks staining his pale pink cheeks as he reaches up to wipe his eyes.* "I... ... ... I-i" *He hacked suddenly, coughing.* "I... I h... Havent made t... That... M... Mistake i... In a... A..Awhile" *He stuttered, still hugging Nikita's waist.*
Myron
Nikita's expression hardened as Pythia spoke. 

He clutched the boy, the ends of his claws poking uncomfortably. 

"Do not thank me. This isn't your fault." His voice was strangely stoic, maybe even cold. 

Nikita's breaths were still quick and shallow, but they came in at a steady pace. He wasn't as erratic as before. 

He could barely look at Pythia, not that it mattered. They couldn't see eachother anymore. His vibrant eyes had grown dull. They were his normal ones, at least, more brown than yellow when like this. 

He lets Pythia sit there and recover, but he doesn't relax. 

The only thoughts in his head are of how things could have been different. If he didn't invite Pythia, or maybe if they hadn't met, maybe then the boy would be safe in bed at that moment. 

Time passed, and Nikita's throat felt impossibly closed. He was quiet again, unable to break past his own barriers. He sat there, dull and distant, waiting for Pythia to make the first move at leaving. 

He should never have tried to change. People wouldn't be hurt by him if he just disappeared.
Darlene
*Pythia hugged Nikita's waist, and he couldnt help himself from smiling like an idiot. He had no clue of Nikita's tension and doubt, instead all he could feel was the warmth of the other boy. That had sucked, it had sucked alot... But it was his own damn fault for stretching his powers... And it was over. He had done that a few times in the past, pushing his powers, and they worked a bit like a rubberband. He could force himself to see for longer, but that snap back stung like a bitch. It was scary, seeing the world crack and rupture... But well, when you were already used to seeing the future, foreseeing cataclysm wasnt too traumatic. The loss of senses and pain was the worst bit, but in Pythia's mind, the anticipation of pain was often worse than the pain itself... And he was already over the hurtle. Though he doubted he would be in as good of a mood if he was by himself.*

*The last time he had done something like that was a few years ago. The vertigo had been intense as he had been in his room, and he had seen the building collapsing in a hundred different ways... But the worst part of the experience by far wasnt the pain, it was being alone afterwards. He could deal with the skull splitting headache, the tinnitus, the complete loss of senses... But being left alone too, that was too much. For someone who had spent so much time alone, one would think Pythia would have a better handle on loneliness, but in truth he hated it more than anything... SO he was smiling like a dork as he hugged Nikita's waist.*

_ _
*He felt like Nikita wasnt going to move until he did, so he was a bit greedy and held onto the sensation, until finally he felt an ache in his muscles and gently let go of Nikita. He stretched back, working the stiffness out of his muscles as his face was absolutely beaming. He... Moaned? Groaned? I cant think of the word, but the noise you make when you stretch, a kind of closed mouth, "Mmmmmm" Characterized by like, closing the throat and pushing air out? I cant describe it for the life of me but it is a good sound, a sound of contentment, and afterwards Pythia lets out a relaxed sigh... Before breaking into an absolute fit of giggles.*
Myron
Pythia's fit of laughter pulled Nikita violently into his surroundings, finally looking at Pythia and seeing how calm he was relaxed some of Nikita's own tension. 
"What's so funny?" His voice was hoarse. He didn't care. He'd simply strain to talk. 

Pythia was okay, and Nikita felt like maybe, somehow, he did something right. Maybe he had messed up by bringing Pythia out here, but he could forgive himself if Pythia kept laughing like that. 

Nothing else mattered in that moment. The ambience of the forest hushed because of their noise, and for once he didn't care about that. He didn't care how he felt, even. Just that Pythia was safe. His friend was safe. Or, well, maybe-friend. Nikita still wasn't sure.
Darlene
*Pythia giggled more at the tension in Nikita's voice, the juxtaposition of the absolute pain he had been in a few minutes ago with the bliss he felt now was just funny to him. He coughed again, his throat still feeling a bit sore as he felt around for the small bottle of water he brought. He drank it down greedily, soothing the ache in his throat as he sat back on his legs, looking towards where he thought Nikita was.* 

"T... That... W... Was n-nice" *He says, his face flushing crimson.* "N... Not m... My power flare, t... That sucked as a... Always, but... You being t... There was nice. The last t-time that happened I... I was alone and... Well it is s... So much easier t... To recover when... U... Uhm..." *He stopped suddenly, his face turning an even brighter red as the last thing he wants to admit is that feeling Nikita's arms around him almost made the pain worth it. Hell, if he was a bit more desperate he may consider it worth it to go through that again for some more cuddles.* "T... Thank you... R-really" *He says quietly* "I... I was an i... Idiot and I wanted t... To see you so much t... That I forgot to s-space out my p... Power activation. I... I think I can stand n... Now" *He adds in a slightly shaky voice.*

*He takes a second, before slowly standing up. His legs wobble, but they are stable, and he smiles at Nikita.* "N... Now um... You looked l... Like you wanted t... To bring me somewhere i... In your... ... Goat? Cat? Dog-goat-cat? Y... Your big fluffy animal form. I... I think I can walk now! I... I can feel my feet again, which is nice"
Myron
Nikita was blown away at the sheer resilience of Pythia. How had the boy gone through what seemed like an entire lifetime of pain, only to recover and laugh?

This sight alone was the greatest superpower he had seen at the cradle. 

He watched as Pythia stood, ready to leap and catch him if need be. Nikita frowned a little at Pythia's words. 

"No." His voice carried an air of command, yet it was empty and uncaring. This was his fault, and if Pythia wasn't going to punish him then he'd punish himself. "I'm taking you home. This was a mistake." He muttered flatly, standing and walking a few feet toward the way to the dorm. 

His words carried weight, and it hurt to be hit by them. He disliked what he was saying as much as Pythia probably did, but if he was going to protect Pythia then he needed to leave before it was too late. Bad things seemed to follow him, no need to drag someone like Pythia into his shitshow. 

His tail flicked at the end, back and forth like a cat. He was conflicting with himself. Nikita was usually one to follow his gut, and when he betrayed that his own body turned on him. His tail was a dead giveaway. He was glad Pythia couldn't see that much, at least.
Darlene
*The words hit Pythia just as hard, if not harder. More akin to a suckerpunch, they more came out of nowhere to Pythia. Now he wasnt against going back to the dorms, the wilderness was cool but so were beds and stuff, but more than that he didnt want to be alone. He felt the coldness suddenly, not a physical thing... A numbness in his mind, a cruel coping technique that had defined much of his time. He still hurt from the experience, his mind still ached... But with another so close, it was like a sun burning away the darkness... When that light moved away it would return... And more than anything he couldnt go back into it.*

*He stumbled forwards, and as Nikita moved away light returned to his eyes... But he didnt care about seeing, he just focused on the sphere of darkness that represented Nikita... His mouth felt suddenly dry, and he tried to speak but nothing came out. He couldnt wrap his mind around what Nikita was doing... He had told him that it was okay, that he had helped. It hadnt been Nikita's fault that Pythia was an idiot and stressed his powers. Or... Was this Nikita's way of punishing him...? No... He couldnt believe that, it was too cruel... But his mind still whispered such falsehoods, each with just enough believability to stick and drag at his mind.*

_ _
*A low whine escaped him as he took a shaking step forward... And then another. He wanted to run forward, to grab onto the other boy and to tell him that he didnt want to go back, that more than anything it would hurt him even more to be alone, that the worst thing he could do to Pythia right now was to leave. But he couldnt, his own feelings petrified him. A fear of rejection, that if he does say something Nikita would just transform and leave... That he would think Pythia was weird or gross... Hell, parts of his mind whispered that he was acting gross or too clingy. So he fell into step about five feet behind Nikita, just outside of the bubble of shadows so that he could see the floor. His body shook visibly, and tears welled up at the corners of his eyes. His low whine sounded like that of a beaten animal, a small cry for mercy, for help.*
Myron
Nikita watched Pythia. His jaw tightened as he looked toward the way back, then at Pythia again. 

He wasn't going to let Pythia stumble through the forest when he could easily help him back. Nikita knew Pythia could see, at a distance, but he could still be prone to falling- or even another attack- and Nikita could be there to catch him. 

He continued this line of thought, justifying the reasons to help Pythia. 

The small cries that came from Pythia pushed him over the edge. He wasn't a bad person, he couldn't ignore someone who wanted help. 

Nikita closed the distance between them, came to the boy's side and hooked his arm with Pythia's just as they had done before. 

He couldn't muster any words, not yet. No matter how desperately he wanted to tell Pythia how sorry he was, his dry tongue refused to move and his throat made no noise. All he could do was bring Pythia close to his side and start walking, making sure that the other boy had a clear path that was free of roots and bushes. 

Meanwhile, he tried to calm his nerves. He was still on edge. Any sound that was out of place might send him into anohter state. 

His tail lashed behind him, ears flicking and twitching at every bird call or frog croak. He knew he couldn't leave the forest like this, but he could at least lead Pythia to the edge where it was safer to walk by himself.
Darlene
*Pythia stumbled slightly as Nikita stopped and they entered darkness. They closed their eyes, their body shaking slightly... Not from the cold, but from a fear that when they open their eyes again... That the darkness around them will be gone and they will be alone. But they feel Nikita's arm, and Pythia grabbed onto it like a lifejacket. They could deal with pain, they could bear it a bit, if someone was there to help. The numbness receded slightly, but it was still there. He couldnt speak either, not for lack of desire, but because his mind held him back. He held onto Nikita's arm tight, pressing his head against the other boy's shoulder as they walked. The gesture could have been intimate, but Pythia just needed the support at the moment. His ears still rang softly, and his fingers and toes felt fuzzy. He wanted a distracted from that, to do something fun with Nikita... But his stupid powers had ruined something again.*

"I-im s... Sorry" *He mustered quietly after a few minutes of walking.* "I... I... It a... Always r... Ruins everything" *He whines, more to himself than to Nikita. He felt like he had to say something.* "I... I liked... S... Seeing you... T... Thank you for trusting me... I... Im sorry" *He says again, each time repeating it is like a blow to himself, an admission that he had fucked up.*
Myron
A silent regret creeps onto Nikita, whispering all of his wrongdoings to him as Pythia apologizes. He grits his teeth together. He thinks he could break his own teeth, if he tried. 
"None of this is your fault." His voice is dry, and suddenly he's the same boy he was a year ago. He blames himself for every second of what happened, and decides the world will be better without him to interrupt. Nothing he can do can remedy their situation, so why try?

He wants to leave it there, to drop the conversation and just walk in his own bitter silence. Yet he decides against himself. Nikita has continued to decide against his better judgment over and over around Pythia. 
He's torn in half, between being human and being something else. He has to give humanity a chance. He has to give himself a chance. 
He's convinced himself that starts with Pythia. 

"I'm sorry." He says again. Some of his voice has returned. "For everything." 

He pauses, biting his lip as he contemplates his words. 

"I'm not good at friendship. I've only ever known sheep and dogs. Human is something new, or at least strange to me." He says, and lets those words hang in the air. 

"If that makes you want to be my friend less, then I'd understand." 

Before he'd retreat to silence. Now he cowers at the face of it, fearing Pythia will ignore him and what he's said. He wishes he had his music on, so that he didn't have to think in the small moments between conversation.
Darlene
*Pythia stopped walking as Nikita said that last sentence, they were getting close to the school now, but he wanted to have this conversation before they got closer. He planted his feet and held tightly to Nikita's arms... ... Though the other boy could probably drag him through the snow if he wanted to... ... Particularly if he was in his other form.*

"I... ... I want to be y... Your friend. I... I want to be c... Close to you. Please d... Dont push me a... Away. It... Being p... Pushed away hurts me m... More than anything you c... Could ever do. M... My pain wasnt your fault. You helped me more than y-you can know. Please..." *He says in a voice hardly above a whisper. It is hard to get out because it feels far too much like a confession. He still is afraid that Nikita would leave, and at the same time part of him is screaming to go further, to say more... But those two balance out and leave this confession in its place.*

*He looked nervous, but hopeful at the same time. His eyes tried to look into Nikita's and there was a kind of sincerity in them the boy hadnt seen in many places... Pythia held tightly onto Nikita's arm, hoping beyond hope that the other boy would see that he wanted to atleast try.*
Myron
Nikita didn't force Pythia along, but he was reluctant to stop. 

He stood in place with Pythia, listening to his pleas as he observed the other. 

There, in the woods so far from home, somewhere so new and strange, someone was begging for *Nikita's* Friendship, someone who could do a lot better. Someone who deserved better. 

But who was Nikita to deny Pythia of something he was so sure of? 

Nikita's eyes found Pythia's, searching for something. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, exactly. He isn't sure what he finds, either. 

His gaze falls, and he lets out a low sigh. 

Pythia doesn't know the decision he's making, doesn't know what he's asking. He doesn't know Nikita. 

"I won't stop you." He said, and then he was quiet. 

The silence stretched on for what felt like eternity. 

Nikita wasn't leaving, and he was allowing Pythia to stay. That's all he could do, for the time.
Though, he knew they couldn't stand idly by forever, so he spoke again. "Where do you want to go?" His voice was softer. He was going to let Pythia decide his own path, instead of dragging him along on his.
Darlene
*Pythia sighed softly. He didnt know why his emotions had fixated on this boy... Maybe it was how they were so similar, yet also so different. Maybe it was the way that they were both outcasts, and Pythia thought he could help Nikita too... He didnt know, but the fact he wasnt getting pushed away was a relief. He pulled slightly closer to the other boy, not wanting to get weird but... Also wanting to be close to him.*

"C... Could... W... We go o... Over to my room? O... Or to your room? I... Im... Kinda tired... But! I... I do want you to t... Take me into the woods again sometime. Uhm... D... Do you think I could ride y-your other form? Im trying t... To think of ways where I wouldnt slow you down" *I comment quietly.* "A... And... I... I do want t... To ask you s... Some more about your powers, m... Maybe in a place where I dont need a... A jacket and a blanket" *He says with a soft giggle, meaning that entirely as a joke.* 

*Maybe asking to go to their rooms was moving too quickly... But it was the one location where he knew they could be alone. Plus he wouldnt be freezing his butt off, which would be nice. It should also be big enough for the boy's other form, meaning he could see more of that if Nikita was willing.*
Myron
Nikita lightened up as Pythia talked, clinging so close. Maybe he wasn't ready for normal friendship, but he was fine with this. He could at least be there for Pythia. 

He nodded and began to walk slowly. "I don't mind questions. And... I think you're small enough that you could try to stay on." He shrugged, not seeing a reason to not try next time they came out to the woods. It would just be like a piggyback ride. Probably. 

"I could use a blanket right now." He let out a loud sigh, meant for Pythia's ears. Being warm seemed like a comfort he hasn't had in a long time. He didn't like the blankets the dorm supplied, and he hasn't bothered to get new ones. Instead, he's been sleeping on his bean bag in his other form. 

Then he began to hear the hum of electricity, moving closer to the facility, and he remembered his current deformity. 
He stumbled a moment as he started to change. 

Horns, tail, and ears all began to fog over and seemingly evaporate with the mist as it disappeared. He was a little fluffy in some parts. Some fur still remained on his arms, some tucked just behind the ear, and extra hairs along his jaw. Those minor details were harder to just get rid of. He had to do a lot of shaving, to say the least. But they were minor enough that nobody ever took care to point out. He also still blended in with the crowd in Newton's Cradle that he didn't need to explain much to anyone. He was grateful for that much.
Darlene
"D... Do you want to go to m... My room or to yours?" *He asked quietly as they began walking again... And the sounds of the cradle grew closer. He liked the idea of trying to ride Nikita's animal form... It sounded like it would end with Pythia in the snow, but it still sounded fun. Maybe if he had a harness of some kind... Or could he use his scarf? Well, he could figure out the details later.* 

"A... And... You can use t... This one if we g... Go to your room... Or I have a lot more in m... My room. The blankets here suck, s... So I had my mom mail me the ones f... From my room. They are way softer. I... I also got her to send over my mattress and stuff s... So my bed is really soft!" *He says, slightly geeking out about his bed. It was probably the most expensive thing in his room, given he didnt use technology a ton and he spent a lot of time there he had made it essentially perfect for him.*

*As they moved closer to the cradle, Pythia felt the change in Nikita. He hoped that when they got to a room that Nikita would feel comfortable going back to his more demi-human form, because it was super cute, and he wanted to see more of it.*
Myron
A smile played over Nikita's lips, raised ever so slightly at the ends. He felt fragile, akin to glass. He hoped Pythia wouldn't drop him. 

"It sounds like you want to go to your room." He chuckled softly. Now that he spoke, his voice has lost its ruggedness. He was just the Nikita who had ice powers now. "It sounds better than mine, anyway. I kind of have yet to fully settle." He said, starting to think. 

Back home he used to horde towels and pillows, cover them in blankets, and lay in them. There was always a security in being burrowed in a soft pile of clothes. 

Now he had one towel, and one more than itchy blanket. 

To say he was uncomfortable sleeping in his bed was an understatement. 

So, the more Pythia described his room the more Nikita wanted to run there. But he continued his slow stroll for Pythia's sake. 

The trees gave way to the familiar grass field of campus, and Nikita felt exposed quickly. All desire to remain monstrous left him, and he was soft again. Part of him even grew a little self conscious, double and tribble checking that his tail was gone, making sure his ears were normal, plucking a few hairs from his chin, and other small gestures to "Fix" Himself up. 

He did these little actions the whole way to the dorm. 

It was a little past noon when they got back, and the halls were full. It made Nikita's head ache, going from such peacefully quiet woods to loud and bustling hallways. 
He hated how normal it was for things to get so loud around people. 

He sighed as they climbed the stairs, finding a fair bit less people on the second story. Nikita remembered the way to Pythia's room. This time, he wouldn't be leaving him at the door.
Darlene
*Pythia blushed a bit at the comment. Yes he was curious about what Nikita's room was like but oh gods he wanted to lay down on his bed. The two made their way through the courtyard and into the building.* 

*Pythia couldnt see the other people... But he could feel them. Hearing the sounds of people bustling always made him anxious. It was all so overwhelming, the loss of sight, the loudness, the smell of alot of bodies packed together, and of course the constant bumping. The two skirted the edges, and made their way up to the dorms. It was a bit calmer around here thankfully, and Pythia led Nikita to his room.*

*Nikita would love Pythia's room. First of all, his bed was big. It was a full queen sized mattress that had a few matress covers on it, making it extra plush. On top of that was a mountain of blankets where Pythia had made almost a nest, a little spot in the middle he could curl up. There was also a plain body pillow on his bed, a wire running from it showing that it was heated. It looked a bit like the structures he had made, just withoug any kind of covering on top. In terms of furniture there wasnt a ton, Pythia obviously spent a lot of time in bed, and that was his prefered spot to chill. He has a small desk with a few papers and a small laptop on it, aswell as a small bookshelf... Which holds more knickknacks than books. He has a simple wardrobe, with the other big piece in his room being a reflex punching bag near the center, where it could be danced around.*
_ _

*Pythia was still blind, and didnt feel like using his powers given his head was still a bit sore... So he stayed close to Nikita and gave the room a little "Ta-da" Wave of the hands as he said* "W... Welcome!" *Before breaking into a small fit of giggles at the stupid presentation. He threw his blanket towards the bed off of muscle memory and thankfully it landed no problem. He began slipping off his coat and scarf, feeling along the wall for his coatrack and putting those things up until he was left in his jeans and sweater. He began pulling the sweater off, since it was really too hot for the indoors and he had a t-shirt on underneath.. Though in the process it hiked up his shirt and Nikita could see Pythia's slender chest for a few seconds until he pulled the sweater off and tossed it towards a laundry basket... This throw was less successful as the sweater landed on the edge of the basket but that was close enough for Pythia.*
Myron
Nikita lazily glanced over the room, focusing more on the plush bed. 

If it was his, he'd currently be crashing into the nest part. Just looking at the bed he can understand why Pythia doesn't get out much. 

His eyes found Pythia again when he did his welcoming motion. He laughed along with the boy and closed the door behind him. Then it was just them in a room that felt all too small. 

When he turned back to Pythia from the door, he got the glimpse of his bare chest.

His heart skipped a beat as his eyes flew to the floor. 

Right. 

Nikita was gay. And he was alone with a boy. In a room that felt all too small. 

The ginger felt how hot his face was, and soon his cardigan felt like too much warmth on his skin. Luckily, his power gave him an out. 
He began to cool himself, being careful to not overdo it. 

He wasn't a complete stranger to nudity. He's had a phone for most of his later life, and the boys on the farm weren't shy to remove their shirts on hot summer days, but it was a topic that always felt too personal for Nikita. And he had never been so close to it. 

Once he felt like he could breathe again, he stopped trying to cool himself off. He just focused on taking off his frost-covered boots. He left them by the door and found the courage to look at Pythia again. "So, uhm." He tried, tripping over his own words as he spoke. "Y-you said you have questions?" Nikita asked, trying to distract himself from his mind.
Darlene
*Pythia blushed bright as he felt his shirt riding up... But he was already most of the way through taking it off... And he rationalized it as them both being guys... I mean, Pythia knew he was gay... Even though he hadnt done anything with anyone... But he couldnt be sure about Nikita. The boy absolutely lacked a gaydar. The room wasnt too small to Pythia, but given the boy's stature most things would seem to big for him. He yanked down his tshirt, covering his body and blushing softly as he leaned back against his wardrobe in an attempt to look casual.*

"I... I.. Uhm... ... About your... Other form. Does it affect how you think? Your b... Behavior seemed a bit different but Im not totally sure" *He said softly, trying to distract himself with the questions. His room had two places to sit, his chair at his desk and his bed... So Pythia chose to lean... He didnt feel like taking the one "Neutral" Seated location, wanting to leave that open for Nikita... But laying in his bed felt way to intimate... Even though he really wanted to hug his heated pillow. He was close enough to Nikita that he was still enclosed in shadows, so he couldnt see the blush on the other boy. He heard him stutter, but stuttering was so normal to Pythia he didnt even really notice or think about it.*
Myron
The ginger stood idly for a moment, before realizing Pythia was giving him the chance to choose where he would lounge.

Nikita eyed the bed, envious of Pythia's current living. However, he chose the desk chair. He wanted Pythia to be comfortable in his own room, after all. 
Plus, after his surge of not-so-wholesome thoughts he figured he should sit by himself. 

He dwelled on the question. He had never considered it. 

Nikita was always more *Himself* In his other form, which he has dubbed Zima- meaning winter. It was sort of a second identity. Of course it was still *Him*, but it was more unfiltered. He followed instinct, lived on his whims. 
He had less self control, in the simplest terms. 

Ultimately, he shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. But, yeah, I do act differently." Nikita said, scratching his chin. "Like, maybe it's a change in hormone and chemical levels? I dunno. It's not like I can go off a real life example, since there's nothing like... That." He made a circle motion with his hands, trying to communicate he was talking about the animal. He quickly realized Pythia couldn't see him and he lowered his hands. 

He sighed. He hated calling it anything other than the name he'd found for it. If he was calling Zima a beast or monster, he was inherently calling himself such a thing. 
Yet it was embarrassing to Nikita, like sharing the name of a treasured stuffed animal. It was childish. 

Then again, Nikita probably shouldn't be scared to share such a thing with Pythia- the one other person at Newton's Cradle who knew about his power. 

He gave in. He wasn't going to keep calling himself a beast or monster everytime he needed to talk about his power. 

"Could you... Uhm." He mumbled, words blending into each other. "Could you call it Zima? When referring to my other form. I call it Zima. It's Slovak for winter." He said, slightly more confident in his words. He didn't think Pythia would deny his request, but that didn't stop him from thinking it weird.
Darlene
*Pythia nodded at the answers... It made sense that it would be difficult to judge... His brain would have to have changed to some degree, so his hormones would 100% be changed a ton. As Nikita brought up the name Pythia smiled. He had been walking that line delicately, but using the term "Your other form" Constantly was way too wordy. He didnt want to call them a beast or a monster, and animalistic wasnt that much better because it was still Nikita... Zima sounded nice.*

"Z... Zima... T... Thats a beautiful name" *Pythia says quietly, a soft smile on his lips as he hears Nikita sit down in his chair. He walks over to his bed and flops down in it, grabbing a blanket, the same blanket he had been wearing outside, and tossing it towards Nikita. It was a very big, very thick blanket, with one very fuzzy side. Pythia grabbed some blankets and made them into an impromptu chair back so that he could recline easily without just laying down.*

*He felt... Nervous... Both afraid and excited at once... He wanted Nikita to join him on the bed... Maybe it was big enough where they could do that? Being super close to eachother like they had been on the bench was hard... It would feel more deliberate now, more intimate. In the cold it was a method of survival, of staying warm... Here it would be out of a different desire, a desire Pythia had a hard time placing... But he still wanted to feel some parts of Nikita's transformation, and having one in the chair and one in the bed would make that hard... Well, he could deal with that later, for now the two were just talking.*

"W... What do you normally do as Zima?" *He asked, immediately switching to using the more proper name.*
Myron
There was a small warmth that filled Nikita when he heard Pythia say that name. He had never heard someone else say it before. 
He liked the way it sounded in Pythia's voice. He didn't feel so embarrassed about it. 

He nodded curtly at the compliment, a small blush appearing over his cheeks. He wanted to thank Pythia more formally, but it felt too forced at that moment. 

However, he didn't get much of a chance to dwell on it before a blanket was being hurled at him. Luckily, he didn't have to do much for it to land comfortably in his lap. 

He was quickly wrapping himself in the blanket, cocoon style. The plush material felt particularly welcoming on his skin, far more than the itchy cloth that the cradle called blankets. 
Nikita leaned back into the chair, bringing up his legs to sit cross-legged. He had to tuck his feet under him slightly, but he was successfully able to wrap his entire body in the blanket- save for the top of his head. 

He shrugged at the question. "Run around, mostly. Watch, usually. Learn, occasionally." When he put it like that, it sounded so simple. He guessed it was, in truth. "I need to go out there pretty often." He says, simple as fact. He didn't allude to why. 

Though the answer was quite easy. The more time he went without freeing himself, the more he began to act out. It's easy to have bursts of anger when he goes without Zima for too long. 
He was just grateful that the cradle let him roam freely, within hours of curfew and off class time. 

"Anything else?" He asks, a little eagerly. "I like answering your questions." Nikita smiled, pushing his face a bit into the blanket to hide it- not that he needed to. 
Pythia asked questions he hadn't even considered, and they were nice to think about. Or, when the question was easy enough, he enjoyed talking about it. 

Maybe he just enjoyed the simple back and forth of conversation.
Darlene
*The blanket was incredibly soft, maybe not as fluffy as Nikita or Rima's tail... But still very soft and fluffy... And it was an old blanker that Pythia used almost nightly... But if Nikita had an enhanced sense of smell he would easily be able to smell Pythia's scent on the blanket. It was big enough that Nikita could easily cocoon himself in its warmth, with plenty of blanket to spare.*

"I... Im glad, I... I like asking q... Questions... ... A... And if you ever w... Wonder something about m... My powers I feel the same." *He adds. It was sometimes hard to talk about his powers... Especially given how often they brought him pain... But talking about it always helped in the end. It made him feel less alone, and having someone else be able to bear the burden... Even if it is just the knowledge.. Was incredibly helpful.*

"D... Do you... Eat raw meat? L... Like alot of animals eat raw meat, h... Humans are a big exception to that standard... As Zima, c... Can you eat raw meat? If so, can you eat raw meat i... In your hybrid form? Y... Your normal form? A... Also do you have preferred names for those forms too or are the terms I... I used okay?" *He asks, thinking about Nikita surviving in the woods leading to the question of sustenance. He leaned back against his little blanket mound, grabbing his heated pillow and turning it on before hugging one end of it to his chest.*
Myron
Nikita nodded. "If any questions come to mind, I'll ask." He said and closed his eyes. His voice had found a sort of dreaminess to it. 

At the question, he let out a loud snort followed by gentle laughter. "As Zima, I can better digest raw food. Technically I can eat it in all forms but... Anything besides Zima and I'm on the toilet for hours." He admits with another soft laugh. "I don't crave it, though. I have a normal diet, for a teenager at least." 

At the next question, he shrugged. He did that a lot, even though Pythia didn't see it. "Call the half-forms what you like. Just not... You know, anything mean." He muttered the last part, but it was still audible in the quiet of the room. 

He shook his head. "Besides that, back to food." He liked that topic particularly. "Not really about powers, but what do you like to eat? Any favorites that come to mind?" Nikita asked, being sure not to specify any type of food like "Favorite meal" Or "Favorite snack." He found those options strangely limiting.
Darlene
*He giggles at the comment about indigestion. It would make sense that Zima would have a different digestive system... Though it brought up a secondary question...* "W... What if you like, eat something raw a... And then change back immediately?" *He pondered, wondering if his body would purge the raw food or if it would stay in his gut, and he would have to wait until digesting it as Rima before turning back... And in regards to the form questions, he liked calling the in-between one hyrbid... But was still a bit stumped on what to call the everyday form... Normal implied that the other two were weird or strange... Which they were, but Pythia didnt know if Nikita would be sensitive to that. Human implied that Nikita wasnt human as a hybrid or Zima... Which was part true and part not true... His instinct changed slightly, but it was still Nikita in the end.*

*As food was brought up Pythia smiled.* "O... Oh! So much. Um... M... My favorite cuisines a... Are probably Italian, Japanese, a... And Chinese. Though Korean, Thai, a... And Vietnamese a... Are also really good... My mom i... Is a great chef. And... It was kinda h... How we connected for awhile. She would c... Cook for me as a way of showing s... She cared when she couldnt do it physically." *He said, getting a bit emotional at the memory. He shook his head suddenly, reaching up to wipe his eyes.* "I... I dont have a favorite... M... Maybe lasagna? G... Given it tastes great also a... Also reheats well so its really practical... But to be honest my favorite c... Changes from day to day"
Myron
Nikita let out a hum, contemplating. "I haven't tested that. But, if I had to guess, I don't think anything would happen. My normal body doesn't reject raw food like other people. It's just difficult to process." He said, trying to explain it in vague terms. 

Niktia called it normal, because it was his default form after all. He didn't grow up as Zima. That came later on, with rage and isolation. 

The ginger nodded and smiled as Pythia talked, eyelids still handling lightly closed as he listened. The more Pythia said about food, the dumber he felt. He didn't really know food as categories, he just understood food as types. Fish, meat, fruit, that kind of thing. But he tried to understand regardless, trying to picture the food Pythia listed. They sounded more like cultures than food, but he wasn't so dull that he couldn't guess that the food came from those cultures. 

Then the mention of mothers came, and Nikita tensed slightly. Nothing that was off putting, just *Tense*. He didn't know how to speak about mothers, especially not other people's. 

"She sounds like a nice lady, your mom." He tried, leaving it at that. 

And then there was something he understood. Lasagna. Even though Nikita had eaten an entire plate of baked ziti just a couple hours prior, his mouth watered at the thought of a good piece of lasagna. 

He stopped his salivating and thought about his own "Favorite." In truth, Nikita liked basically anything. That's another thing he knew he got from his grandfather. Both of them would race to finish plates of food when he was younger, and they'd eat anything put in front of them. Well, basically anything.

There was one memory, however, that stood out. 

He was maybe seven or eight. Nikita wasn't sure, it was hard to remember a time so far away. 
But he remembers the smell, the mess on his hands, the taste in his mouth. 


The sky was orange as the fruit in his mouth, and his grandpa was telling him a story he can't recall. 

He smiled at the thought. 

"I like oranges." His words had a certain somber tone, something distant. 

"They remind me of my grandpa."
Darlene
*Pythia smiled at that... He hoped that Nikita's grandpa was a good person. He may have hurt Nikita... Or Nikita may have hurt him... But if he cared that was enough. Lord, Pythia knew that his mother had hurt and been hurt by him too many times to count... But neither of them could be blamed for it. They both just didnt understand how they were making the other feel, and they didnt intend any pain... She still tried alot, and he had spent some time talking to her last night. It was hard to talk sometimes... They had grown alot more distant... But they still cared, so even though talking was difficult both of them made the effort.*

*He decided not to talk about Nikita's grandfather in a similar way to how Nikita didnt talk about Pythia's mother... Neither of them really knew how to approach the topic and Pythia didnt want to dig up any bad memories... Instead he asked about oranges.* "D... Do you like t... To cook with them a... At all, or just eat them raw?" *He asked, wondering what form Nikita preferred the fruit in. Pythia wasnt the biggest fan of raw fruit, he preferred making something like a pastry with it, but he saw the appeal.*

*Past that his questions dried up a bit and nothing popped into his mind.. Even still it was nice to sit together... Or atleast near eachother... It made his room feel warmer somehow, more inviting.*
Myron
Nikita paused. 

He opened his eyes and stared bug-eyed at Pythia, despite the boy being unable to see him still.

"You can... Cook oranges?" He was on the brink of laughing, unknowing of Pythia's opinion on raw fruit. Mixed with amusement, there was curiosity. He wondered how different it tasted. 

Seeing Nikita's ignorance on cooked oranges, it was obvious he had only ever had them raw. 

He chuckled lightly. "You know way more about food than I do." He sighed and closed his eyes again, tracing a finger over his palm under the blanket. The action was soothing, and it kept him moving instead of dozing off. "Growing up on a farm has downfalls, I guess." He said. There wasn't any particular emotion that he spoke with when he mentioned the farm, no signs to point toward disdain or fondness. 

"Oh, that reminds me. You said you grew up in the city, yeah? It's kind of stupid, but what was school like? If you went, that is." Nikita asked, timidness creeping into his voice as he spoke. He didn't want to poke a sleeping bear. He decided to look at Pythia, searching for any mixed emotions. He wouldn't bring up the topic again if Pythia seemed uncomfortable. 

Schools were always so prominent in books and television, yet he had only attended a real school as a toddler. Though, Newton's Cradle kind of counted. Still, he never had the typical teenage experience of school. 
Hallway crushes, self discovery, comradery, and all the other cliche bullshit that came with school and coming-of-age films were things Nikita kind of hoped for. 

To a child so used to loneliness, school almost seemed like fiction.
Darlene
*Pythia grins widely, giggling as Nikita laughs, imagining the boy trying to put an orange whole in the oven, or on a pan.* "W... Well... You can grill them whole along with a protein... But typically you w... Will use the juice in something... Like in a... A cake, or in a marinade for meat" *He said quietly* "I... If you do roast slices of orange you would probably w... Want to put them over something else, s... So their juices leak out onto it and flavor it" *He says with a small smile... Which dampens a bit as Nikita mentions school.*

*Pythia felt the same... He hadnt ever gone to school... So it was a fantasy to him aswell.* "I... Im not s... Sure... My powers d... Developed so early I... I wasnt ever really enrolled... I... I think I went to kindergarten but a... After part way through... W... Well it didnt start out all at once. It was like a fuzzing... P... People began to become harder to look at. T... Their bodies would ripple and warp with black shadows. It started out minor, b... But grew steadily until eventually plateauing. It... Was really r... Really scary back in those days" *He says with a small whine.* "S... So I... I dont really know, I... I wish I... I had been able to experience it..."

*He had also seen school in media and fantasized about it... His medium was less TV and video and more in books, but he fantasized about it all the same.*
Myron
Nikita nodded as Pythia listed off all the things you could do with oranges. He figured he'd have to try them some time. 

As the other boy went on to describe a small part of his childhood, Nikita remembered how similar they were. But Pythia never had a choice. His power was debilitating, and in some sense it still is. 
Nikita was just... Angry. He had his father's terrible temper. 
Maybe if he had behaved as a child things would be different. 

He couldn't dwell on "What if" Though, not with Pythia sitting across the room from him. 

Nikita closed his eyes again. "Yeah. I think I was in first grade when I got sent to Russia." He said, unsure if he'd already shared that small piece of information. 

The redhead thought of the two's similarities. It sickened him to know Pythia had to go through what he did in any semblance. 
Isolation was a monster. Its claws were disguised as blankets you could feel comfortable in. Nikita had been wrapped in the monster's grasp for far too long. 

But there was another part of Nikita, a selfish one. One that would say he was glad they grew up how they did, otherwise they may be two different people who had never met. 

Before he could speak again, a yawn came onto him. His yawn was strangely... Doggish. It held a high pitch at the back of his throat that made it sound like a whine.
It didn't help that he stretched his arms out forward, reminiscent of a dog yet again. 

Immediately afterwards, Nikita clamped his mouth shut and rested his arms to his sides. He knew how weird his yawn was. Others have commented on it before. "Sorry." He muttered, half in apology and half in embarrassment.
Darlene
*Pythia had spent years wondering about what ifs, and that question only led to pain. In the end, his life was his and he couldnt change it... Instead of worrying about what could have been, he had to appreciate what he had. He still felt that twinge of sadness at hearing how Nikita had been sent away... He must have been so scared. Pythia remembered being that age and how terrified he had been at times...*

"I... Im so sorry t... That happened.. You must have been so s... Scared being forced t... To leave home" *He said softly, trying to imagine being sent somewhere strange and scary at such a young age... He hated it but part of him felt similarly to Nikita... Each of them had suffered, but that suffering had led them here... ... Maybe... Maybe it had been worth it?*

*As Nikita yawned Pythia smiled widely, giggling softly at the high pitched whine Nikita made. He felt suddenly sleepy, and he yawned too. He grinned and leaned back against his blankets, feeling the warmth of his bed. He wished Nikita could feel it too... M but didnt know how to invite the boy on without it being wierd.*
Myron
Nikita shook his head at the comment slightly. "It's fine." Was all he could say. He couldn't call it a *Good* Thing, but it also wasn't *Bad*, it simply was. 

Of course the memory wasn't pleasant, but he had a lot of memories of Russia that he wouldn't have if he wasn't sent off to live with his grandparents. 

There were a lot of mixed emotions Nikita had about his childhood. He would never say he had a bad growing up, but in no way was it good. He wasn't going to dwell on it. If he thought about it, he would share it, and he didn't want to dumb his entire life story on Pythia two days into meeting each other. Especially because Nikita wasn't even sure if they were friends. After his whole stunt, he felt strange thinking about it. He just figured Pythia would leave him at the door and never speak to him again. 

But he didn't, and Nikita was still there. 

The question polluted his mind. If he asked, then Pythia might be inclined to say no and Nikita would be damn near back at square one. Though, if he didn't ask how would Nikita know what terms they were on? 
He couldn't continue to dance around the topic. He wanted to be able to call someone his friend, and if not Pythia he didn't know who. 

Fin came to mind for a moment, but their interactions were brief. They were closer to acquaintances, if anything. 

Ultimately, he gave in to his whims. 

"Pythia." His voice cut through the silence, almost painfully so. He sounded far more serious than he had meant to. "We're friends, right?" The words burned his throat as they escaped. 

He had asked this once before, still prior to moving to Russia. He was only a child then. Maybe he still was, but he had grown a lot since then. 
Nikita remembered how that ended up. He threw a giant tantrum, hoping that if he yelled loud enough *Someone* Would finally pay attention to him.

He wouldn't do that, if Pythia decided he was done. 
His voice had lost its ability to reach such noise since then. It would only clog with all the things he;d want to say. The words would escape as tears, if he tried. 
But he wouldn't try. He wouldn't plead or argue. He'd disappear quietly, receding back into the hole he's trying to claw his way out of. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Pythia. No matter the boy's answer, he needed to keep his emotions in check.
Darlene
*Pythia didnt even hesitate for a moment.* "O... Oh course! ... ... ... I... If... Uhm... T... That is i-if you want to be" *He adds, blushing a bright crimson. He hoped he wasnt being too forward but he really wanted to be Nikita's friend. He liked talking to the other boy, more than he liked talking to alot of other people. Sure, people like Penelope and Connor were nice... But he didnt feel like he could connect with them on a deeper level... Nikita however... Even though their pasts were different, they shared an experience of prolonged isolation. It had left scars... But both of them were trying to heal and he hoped they could help eachother do so.*

*Pythia squeezed his heated pillow, hoping his sudden answer to the question hadnt been too much. He normally considered questions alot more but that... Well he had felt that one. He didnt really know what else to say, and waited for Nikita's response*
Myron
Nikita was taken aback by the boy's swift response. Pythia was usually slow to his words, even Nikita knew that. 
He wanted to laugh at the realization of their situation. As he had said, they were both on the same boat. Two kids so desperate for friendship they'd confide in the first person that understood them. 
Nikita didn't really know how to navigate friendship. He hoped Pythia knew better, given his time here. 

The ginger smiled, covered only by the blanket that he grasped so closely. "Of course." He responded, because *Of course* He wanted to be friends with Pythia. It was as simple as *Of course*, there was no other want for Nikita at that moment. Well, maybe except food and rest. 

Just like that, in the span of a week Nikita did something he hadn't been able to do in seventeen years. He was far too late to be making a first friend, but at least he could *Finally* Say that he'd done so. 

A small, resentful part of him wanted to take the next train home just to rub it in the farm hands' faces. He huffed lightly at the thought. 

"Thank you." He sighed. Nikita felt the need to thank Pythia for this victory, because it was thanks to him that Nikita could even accomplish such a feat.
Darlene
*Pythia could almost feel Nikita's smile in his voice, and the passion the other boy felt was palpable. He started smiling too... It was a really nice feeling. He didnt have alot of friends, but he was glad to have Nikita... And while the other boy hadnt been his first friend at the Cradle, he could tell that Nikita would be one of his most dear.*

*It was an odd thing to say thank you, but Pythia thought he understood.* "T... Thank you t... Too.. F... For being here a... And stuff... I... Its really nice" *He says softly, blushing slightly deeper at that last comment. He hugs his pillow, nuzzling his face against its fuzzy cover, smiling like an idiot. He wondered which would be fluffier... His pillow or Nikita... But it would have to be the latter. That brought him to the question of warmth however... And he had to assume Nikita would win in that regards too... ... ... Wait what was he thinking?*

*He shook his head suddenly, trying to clear the swamp of thoughts that now swarmed his mind... ... And then he was painfully aware of how he had felt the other night... He had been laying a few feet to the right when he... ... 'No! Snap out of it you idiot!' He thought to himself as his mind seemed determined to stray to places it shouldnt.*
Myron
There was a warmth that Pythia's words carried. For a moment, there was a feeling he found in that room so far from home. It felt like, maybe, he was where he was supposed to be. 
He had never felt that way so close to people. The feeling that came to him in that room was always felt elsewhere, deep in the woods and wild. 

And then it hit him. 

No one had ever thanked him for his presence. Nikita was never seen as a good thing to have around, so why be grateful for all the problems he brought with him? He was sure that even his grandpa saw him as a burden on some level- something to take care of out of familial obligation. Not Pythia, not if the words he spoke were true. 
Nikita hoped they were true. 

The ginger opened his eyes after a while, his muddy yellow eyes finding Pythia. He looked comfortably huddled up with the large pillow that he held close. Nikita just smiled and averted his gaze. 

Him and his friend, just lounging together. Nikita never thought he would be able to do something so *Social*. 
He felt a bit like a stray animal, just learning to be at peace with people after resenting them for so long. 

His eyes trailed around the room, looking for something to do. There was a bit of unrest, sitting so tightly in Pythia's desk chair. Now that he couldn't really sleep, he felt the need to do something. But this wasn't his room, and he wasn't about to start scrounging around for whatever interested him. 

Instead he asked, "So, is there anything else you wanted to do? Or any other questions?" His voice was lighthearted and innocent, but he quickly realized how something like that could come off with just them in the confines of a private room. 
Nikita felt his ears get hot at the ends, silently hoping Pythia wouldn't take it that way out of embarrassment for himself.
Darlene
*Pythia looked around and shrugged. He didnt normally do a lot on his room. It was why he spent so much time in the gardens... He didnt have a ton to do here. He would read alot, especially audiobooks. He had recently fallen in love with those. It was nice to have someone read to you... Since when he read a book he had to buffer before turning the page... And he also had to keep the book super still. An audiobook made it easy.*

"I... I dont know r... Really. I... I like to listen to a... Audiobooks, I... If I feel antsy i... Ill use the reflex punching bag. I... If i just need to move my hands I have m... My pens and all my knickknacks. I do homework when I have it... I... I have been wanting t... To get a new hobby but n... Nothing has called to me yet" *He says quietly. It seems like he didnt pick up on the possible inuendo.* "T... The only other question i... I can really think of is h... How soft is your fur... Hair? I... It looks fluffy. I... If it is soft then how do you keep it so clean. F... Fluffy things usually pick up a... A lot of dust and dirt and stuff, which I... I imagine the forest would have in droves... But when I saw you your fur looked clean." *He asked. He was more thinking about the logistics of being fluffy... ... But after a few seconds he realized that the question could easily be interpreted as permission to feel Nikita's fluff*
Myron
"I like books. I've never really tried audiobooks, though. I like reading at my own pace." He said. Nikita used to take his favorite books with him everywhere before he started drawing more often.

At the mention of cleanliness, Nikita wanted to curl up and hide. He knew how strange he was about to sound. 

"Well... If I'm out in the woods I usually..." He coughed, clearing his throat to make way for words that felt too hard to just spit out. "You know how cats clean themselves?" He mumbled. He figured Pythia would pick up on it quickly. "But, uhm, otherwise I just sit in the shower for a while until I feel clean enough. It's a bit of maintenance, but I don't mind it." He shrugged and sat up to fix his posture now that he knew he wasn't going to fall asleep. 

"And, yeah. It's fluffy." He laughed a little. "Sorry for not really letting you get super close earlier. I don't mean to be rude, it's just harder to let people get near me when I'm like that." He admitted. "When people see me as Zima, they'd reach for their weapons before reaching out." It was a reality he had long since accepted, and breaking the routine of being as far away from people as possible as Zima was difficult. 
But, over time, he'd change. 
Maybe someday he could even walk around the campus as Zima. But that seemed near impossible. If he could ever do it, he'd imagine it might take a couple years. 

"You felt my ears earlier. I'm not sure about doing that again, but I could let you feel my tail?" He offered. His ears felt too close for comfort, for the time being. And, he kind of figured Pythia might want to with how eager he was to pet Zima.
Darlene
*At the thought of Nikita grooming himself like a cat Pythia giggled. He couldnt imagine that tasted the best... How was Zima's sense of taste anyway... Smell and sound were probably enhanced to a great degree, but would taste be lessened? He couldnt imagine raw meat or dirt would taste that nice... But given how obviously embarrassed Nikita was about the topic he decided to let it drop.* 

*Talking about people wanting to hurt Zima made Pythia feel... Angry. Sure, Zima could look scary but he was also so fluffy! He shook his head slightly in response to that, giving an exasperated sigh.* "U... Unless you seriously spooked me i... I couldnt ever see myself reaching f... For a weapon when you're Zima... Hell, e... Even then I dont know if I would. Y... You are intimidating as Zima, sure, b... But in the same way a lion or a... A wolf is. T... The gorgeous raw ferocity of nature!" *He said, making his hands into claws before giggling again.*

*He blushed when Nikita brought up how he had touched his ears... That had probably been way too quick... But his tail! T... That would be nice. Pythia nodded eagerly, looking... Maybe a bit too excited.* "S... Sure! Um.. You should be able t... To poke your tail through the back of the chair... I... If you scoot closer t... To me you may be able to reach over with it... I... Is it prehensile?"
Myron
Nikita laughed with Pythia, but shook his head. "You saw me up close in broad daylight. Imagine seeing a giant, deformed looking creature sulking along the treeline by your house. I understand *Why* People do it. Honestly, I don't have a problem with it anymore. It just made me develop a bad habit of avoiding people when I'm like that." He explained, a smile still resting on his face. Nikita could really care less when normal people took knives and whatnot into their hands, especially when he was Zima. 
In truth, not even guns scared him. He was often too quick for an average person to aim down sights on him, and too perceptive to not notice someone trying to shoot him. 

Nikita started to shift in the chair, trying to find a comfortable opening. "My tail isn't really strong enough to hold onto anything, but I can kind of control it. It works more like a cat's tail, helping me balance mostly. But, it's... Well, it's really hard to compare to one thing." He said, still moving uncomfortably. 
Then he looked at the bed briefly. 
It would be significantly easier there, simple as that. 
"Would you mind if I just sat at the edge of your bed? There might be left over fur, though."
Darlene
"Y... You arent deformed l... Looking as Zima. I... I think Zima looks gorgeous" *Pythia said quietly, huffing slightly at the self deprecating way Nikita spoke about Zima. It wasnt good to speak about yourself like that... Particularly when you looked as good as Nikita did as Zima.*

"F-f... Feel free!" *Pythia said, stuttering a bit more than usual. He moved over to the side a bit more, clearing room for Nikita... Though his bed was big enough that there was plenty* "F... Feel free to move b... Blankets a-and pillows a... And stuff um... M... Make yourself comfortable" *He squeaked, his voice going up half an octave as Nikita approached. He held his breath slightly... It was like they were on the bench again... But well, this time they were sitting together less because it was the only place to sit and more because they wanted to... He didnt know why that was so exciting.*
Myron
Nikita stopped for a moment, like he was hit with a bullet. Really, it was Pythia's wording. 
Nobody had ever thought such things of Zima, of him. To be fair, he'd never shown Zima to anybody else. 

It made him wonder how others would perceive Zima in the future. Of course Nikita would probably end up showing his other forms to more people at *Some* Point, but he had no clue when or how. He hoped that everyone would be as accepting of his power as Pythia. 

He muttered a small, "Thank you" In response. He had barely squeaked the words out. 

Nikita stood after that, removing the blanket from himself and throwing it to where he was going to sit. As he moved toward the bed, he adjusted the back of his shirt where his tail began to appear. The way the fog came was as if the tail was always there, rather than growing from his backside. 

He collected his own tail, holding the end close to his side so that it didn't lash in any particular direction and destroy something by accident. His tail was often too big for indoors, he had found. But, it was comfortable to hold as he slept. 

The fur on his tail was similarly colored to his hair, though a bit lighter. It darkened at the end, matching his hair a bit better there. It was also thick, and strangely shaped- being wider slightly in the middle than the rest like some gecko tails. 

He sat a few feet away from Pythia, releasing his tail and moving it to be closer to the boy than he was. Nikita looked at Pythia, realizing the other wouldn't be able to see where his tail was, so he moved it. 
Like he had said, he couldn't control it fully. He had put a bit too much force into his movement, and his entire tail lifted and slapped into Pythia's side as it fell. 

Nikita let out a groan of annoyance, "Sorry." He grumbled. His tail, to say the least, could be inconvenient at times.
Darlene
*Pythia smiled at the small squeaked response. It was probably something that Nikita hadnt heard before, but it was something he would need to hear. Even if it was only from Pythia, someone had to be there to say stuff like that, to encourage Nikita when no one else would. Pythia heard Nikita stand, and felt the blanket hit the bed. He tensed up slightly, his heartbeat thundering in his chest as he finally felt the other boy sit down. Nothing happened at first, so Pythia just waited... Until something slapped him in the chest.*

*He gasped slightly. It hadnt hurt at all, it had just startled him since he hadnt been able to see it coming... But as soon as it slapped against him he reached up to grab onto it with both hands. His left arm wraps under and around Nikita's tail, holding it gently but firmly so he wouldnt lose his grip. His other hand is more free to wander, and he begins feeling down the other boy's tail. His eyes were closed as he focused, gently dragging his fingers down the appendage, almost like he was petting Nikita. When he eventually feels like he is reaching the end he turns around, brushing his fingers the other way and causing Nikita's fur to stand up a bit as he moved against the grain.*

*He couldnt stop himself from smiling. Nikita's fur was soft, and his tail felt fluffy. He had completely let go of his pillow by this point, and it was now slowly sliding off of his lap as he explored Nikita's tail. Pythia didnt seem to mind however, it seemed like he had found a possible replacement*
Myron
Nikita watched Pythia closely, looking for the emotions as they fell over the smaller boy's face. 
A smile crept onto Nikita without realizing, admiring as Pythia felt the end of his tail. It felt *Strange* To sit there and have someone play with his tail, but that was just it. Strange. Not good, not bad. 
Even a few months ago he would have kept every hair of Zima's out of other people's grasp, yet there he is. A few months older, allowing his friend to pet him like a tamed animal. 

The entire interaction felt strangely *Human.*

Nikita's eyes trailed down from Pythia's face to his hands. He hadn't really paid much mind to the caressing of his tail. It felt a bit like someone running their hand up and down his arm. He thought nothing more of it, just connection. That's all touch has ever been to Nikita, simple and primal connection. Boys would push and punch, parents would hug and kiss, and he watched it all from afar. It was human, and he was not human. He was more doggish, even in that regard. He never really let his grandparents hug him, so he'd always just receive pats on the head and words of praise. But this, despite the tail, was all very human. Pythia's curiosity, his admiration, his touch. It all felt closer to human than Nikita had ever been. 

He let Pythia continue for a while, his tail occasionally flicking or swaying in its disuse. Eventually, of course, he began to grow bored of their lounging. It was hard for NIkita to *Not* Be doing something, even if that thing was just talking. "Is there anything else you want to do? Or touch?" He added the last part with a bit of snark, remarking Pythia's clinginess. He meant it in a joking manner, and hoped Pythia wouldn't see it as otherwise. 
He guessed Pythia was particularly touchy because of his sight, as well. He *Could* See, on occasion, but it was probably easier to learn things by touch.
Darlene
*Yea, Pythia learned better by touch... Though he still isnt the best at reading braille. But even more than learning, Pythia liked petting Nikita's tail. After a bit of time he relaxed more and laid back against his blankets, getting more comfortable as he hugged Nikita's tail like he had hugged his pillow... Which now half flopped off of Pythia's bed (abandoned, such betrayal ). He slowly moved from exploring Nikita tail to just straight up petting it, sometimes scratching and ruffling the fur before petting it down smoothly.*

*It felt... Nice... Better than hugging his pillow, partially from the warmth, partially from the small movements it made every once and awhile. It was just... Nice... But eventually he could feel Nikita growing antsy, and he yawned softly.* "I-im not s... Sure... ... I... Um... Did you have s-something in mind?" *He asked softly. That little additional question made his face flush a soft red, and he squeezed Nikita's tail slightly tighter as parts of his mind whispered impure things... But he was absolutely not letting them take any kind of control over him.* 

*He didnt want to let go of Nikita... It was really nice to be able to hug him... Or well... Part of him? Most forms of contact beyond holding onto people's arms was totally foreign to him... But it felt nice and he didnt want it to stop.*
Myron
Nikita shrugged and looked lazily down at his lap. His eyes trailed slowly up, from one side of the room to the other. This room wasn't like his. He probably had close to a hundred different things he could do- art, games, music, anything he wanted. This room was comfortable and welcoming, one he'd probably find himself sleeping in if Pythia wasn't the main occupant of the bed currently. 
But Nikita wasn't about to suggest sleeping, that was something he'd do in his own time. 
Finally, he sighed and looked back to Pythia. "Maybe I should go? If you're okay to be alone now." He suggested, softening his voice so that Pythia wouldn't think he was upset. Nikita didn't necessarily want to leave, he just wanted something to do. However, if Pythia still wanted Nikita around he'd stay,
Darlene
*Pythia whined softly, but nothing would come to his mind. He wanted to do something, anything... He didnt want Nikita to go... But he also didnt want to chain the other boy down. He could feel Nikita's desire to go, to move... Pythia was just tired... He wanted to sleep, he wanted Nikita to stay... But he also recognized that he was stable enough now that he would be okay if Nikita left.* "Y... You can go. I... I just want to take a nap. I... T... Thank you. B... Being with you has been nice. I... I think I would like to g... Go out into the forest again sometime. Maybe I can try riding Zima" *He says with a small smile. It was slightly sad, it was obvious Pythia didnt want Nikita to leave... But he also didnt have any plans*
Myron
Nikita nodded and slowly drew back, now feeling lethargic and unwilling. Of course he'd rather stay and talk, but he needed to keep moving or sleep- neither of which he was able to do in the confines of Pythia's bedroom comfortably. 
"Maybe next time, yeah. I just hope I'll be more willing. It could take time. After all, Zima-me isn't even really comfortable *Seeing* People." Nikita reminds Pythia gently. In his current state, it's hard to predict his own raw emotion on the matter. He hopes that by seeing Pythia more frequently in that form, he can warm up to the idea of people being around himself as Zima. 
Nikita lets a sigh escape him, silently resenting his own overly cautious nature. 

Finally, he pulls his tail fully from Pythia and forces it to disappear- a small cloud of fog concealing where it goes. 
He begins to move, limbs long and gangly in his young age. He has a small thought on occasion, wondering if or when or how tall he'll grow. Now is one of those times, as he stands and looks around the small-feeling room. How much smaller would this room feel as Zima? The creature is bigger than Nikita in his normal state. He wonders if he'll ever be bigger than he is as Zima normally. 

Nikita ultimately shakes his head, and looks at Pythia. "Make sure you get some rest, alright?" His voice is higher than usual- the tell of concern on Nikita's tongue. He still remembers the episode from earlier, still has the twinge of guilt stinging at the back of his mind. He hopes Pythia can simply sleep it off. 

"Text me if you need anything." He gives a small smile, realizes Pythia can't see much, and turns to leave. "Or uhm, if you just want to text me you can just do that too." He adds, this sentence far more shaky and unsure of itself than the previous one.
Darlene
*Pythia whined softly as Nikita pulled his tail from his hands. He then began feeling around his bed for his pillow... But it wasnt nearly as soft or as warm as the other boy... Even still, it was better than nothing... And he squeezed it tightly as Nikita said goodbye. He didnt respond much verbally, not wanting the other boy to leave... But knowing he shouldnt keep him here.*

"I... I will... I... Ill text you w... When I wake up" *He said quietly, and as Nikita got up and walked to the door Pythia left his bubble and was able to see most of his bed. He began getting it ready... He was tired and he wanted to immediately go to bed.*

"T... Thank you... F... For helping... A... And for trusting me" *Pythia added quietly, just as Nikita was leaving. He wanted to run up and hug the other boy but... Nikita wasnt used to touching... Hell he wasnt either... So he just stayed in his bed until he heard the door open and the click shut.*

*He sighed loudly, flopping back against his bed as he began to undress for sleep. He felt exhausted... Pushing himself with his powers was... Draining. Thankfully his hearing and sense of touch were back to normal, doing something like that would fuck with all of his senses but those two always seemed to be hit particularly hard... Probably because he depended upon them so much. Even still, they still felt... Wrong. They would feel like that until he slept...*

*But as he tried to drift to sleep... He found that he would need to take care of a few matters before being able to release his mind to the void...*