Xaviers!

"That... that's more complicated. But here there are people that will accept you as you are and that helps if you give yourself time and let yourself adjust. For what it's worth, I think you look pretty cool."

He gave her a surprised look. "You think I look... cool?"

"You're different, sure, but you're unique and conformity's overrated."

"Shame nobody outside will see it that way. They'll just see a monster."

"To be honest, for the most part, fuck 'em."

He laughed. "God... What happened to that part of me? Before my X-Gene started up, that was my attitude too."

"It's still in there somewhere, I'd bet. Just needing a safe place to work out how it fits in. You've had a shortage of safe spaces lately, but that's one of the things this place excels at."

"Between villain attacks anyway, right?" he joked. "But, ya, I get what you're sayin'. I finally have a chance tah unpack all the shit I've been through lately. To talk tah my animal and just maybe find the me I used tah be."

"Something like that. And there's folks here who're trained to listen if you feel like you need them. I mean, attacks aside, this is a pretty great place for folks like us."

"So I keep hearing," he said with a hesitant smile. "'Thanks for all the advice. I really needed it."

Without waiting for a response, he motioned to the engine and asked, "So what next?"

"Now, we replace the spark plugs, get them timed right, and put it back together and see if that fixes its issues. If only everything was that easy," she says with a sigh, grabbing parts and beginning to arrange them so they're within easy reach.

He felt a little guilty at that moment for bringing his issues to her when she clearly had something of her own to deal with.

"Anything ya wanna talk about? I owe ya a soundin' board if nothin' else."

"I... don't know... something of a disagreement between me, my wolf, and my girlfriend. It's... complicated in a way that I can't even begin to unravel. And in the disagreement, I feel like the odd person out."

"I do at least know what's it's like tah have my animal want things I don't think I want. Though not involvin' no magic curse or nuthin'," he said, "So maybe I can help."

"What's wolfie want?"

Tereza's quiet for a long moment, intensely focused on some part she's lining up, a part that doesn't require such precise alignment. "So that magnetism my girlfriend has, that part that pokes your beast and makes it feel at home? It... well... it's really not my place to go into it, but my wolf is *all* in on that part of her. Would roll around like a puppy for it and make a fool of us both just to get *that* smile."

"It's not the same, but I had a girl like that once. Totally into her in every way and I definitely made myself a fool for her. It didn't end well, but that's anotha' story. Anyway, you sure it's not just love?"

"It's a little deeper than that," Tereza says, "Don't get me wrong, I do think I'm in love with her. She's great and fun and beautiful and I would personally deep freeze anyone who seriously hurt her... but it's more than that for the wolf and... I'm not there yet."

"Like she's its Alpha?" he asked, still ignorant of the goddess aspect he had gotten a mere glimpse of.

"I guess you could put it that way."

He smiled a little. "She must really be somethin' if a wicked badass werewolf wants to be the beta."

"She is pretty amazing and I am pretty badass." She tinkers with something under the hood for a long moment, "But she's everything to my wolf. Like, I can't even begin to fathom what would happen if, gods forbid, it doesn't work out. Probably nothing good."

"Don't think about it not working out. It can only make your time with each other less special. Even though I didn't see my breakup coming, I don't regret the good times."

"Too much history with things not working out to not think about it. And one of those I thought was my life raft too."

"Hey. I get it. It took me forever after my mum died and I had to move to London tah get tah the point I could trust anyone like that. Even though I ultimately chose wrong, I want to get back tah that. I'm... also afraid it'll bite me in the ass again. And that's... hell, that's my two animals again isn't it? Shit, they really are me..."

"Anyway... We can't let fear own us is what I'm sayin'. Granted, I'm kinda suckin' at that right now."

"You're not the only one," she says with a sad smile.

"I'll tell ya one thing though. You're lucky tah have a girl like that, complications and all. I wish I did, honest."

"Lucky's not something I'm used to being," she says with a laugh.

"At least one of us is," he said with a sigh.

"We're both lucky to be here," she points out, "where there are people who will at least try to understand."

"So I keep hearin'," he responded with a smile. "Just wish I found this place sooner, y'know?"

"I can get that," she says. "I'll quit harping on it. You need some time for it to sink in."

"Thanks. And I'll stop talking tah ya like a friggin' bartender."

"Well, that's what I do for cash, so I suppose I just have that air," she laughs.

"No foolin?" he laughed, "A werewolf bartender? That's wicked cool."

"Used to do it in town until this showed up," she pushed up a sleeve and tapped the dull glowing veins. "Eventually switched over to tending at the Union here on campus."

He gave a sympathetic grimace. "Eesh. That looks nasty. Does it hurt?"

She shakes her head, "Not really. But the more I lean into my abilities, the brighter they get. And when you're bartending, you can't pass up having the ability to easily chill things."

"You're a cryo, huh? Handy. My regular power isn't very useful unless I need to poke a hole in something. And know I have claws for that."