[ Right. Hank doesn't have Elijah Kamski's birthday memorized or anything, but it'd make sense if Gavin changed that too. It's nice to see Gavin start to relax. It feels nice, instinctively, like how Hank knows he has to take care of Gavin and how he feels more at ease with him here, under his roof, eating his food.
[ It is really weird and Gavin just isn't thinking about it right now. That he feels safe in a different kind of way than he's ever felt.
He snorts. ] No, close. Ezra.
[ ...huh. After he's said it, it kinda feels like the wind's been knocked out of him. He swallows and looks back down at his plate, shrugging. ] Just— Still call me Gavin. It'd be weird to change now.
[ Hank nods. It's not a bad name. Without the broken nose, Hank can kinda see it. Tiny baby Ezra, always living in his brother's giant shadow. It's no wonder he didn't want anything to do with Kamski, at least as far as he's willing to admit. Can't hate him too much if his dying wish was to reach out to him.
But Hank will go back to pretending he doesn't know that about Gavin. He isn't gonna bring up "hey remember when you almost died" again, he's not a total asshole. ]
Yeah, don't sweat it. I only ever call you Reed, anyway. [ Hank finishes off the last of his steak, setting his fork down for good. ]
We don't have to act any different at work or anything, either. I mean, I figure eventually, this...
[ He makes a vague gesture at the space between them, one that hopefully Gavin understands. ]
This whole thing is gonna change something, but I meant it when I said you're not beneath me or anything. [ He shrugs, though the next bit comes out a bit more serious than he intended. ] I'm here for you, you don't have to go through any of this shit alone. Least I can do for turning you.
[ He manages a faint little smile again. At least that won't change; Hank's never appeared to be the type to treat someone different for their circumstances of birth.
So he snickers a little, looking amused. ] You can't get rid of me now, Hank. Just remember this was your choice. [ He's clearly joking. They had harmless, fun banter once upon a time... before Gavin got all up his own ass.
But then he knits his brows together. ]
Wait, then who the fuck turned you? How do you not know anything? I thought werewolves were all supposed to be about packs and community and shit in all the lore.
[ Those were the days... That's probably the most Hank would do to the kid, too. He knows this Kamski thing is something shared in confidence, so that just goes right back to 'shit they don't need to talk about, ever.' ]
Yeah, no shit. Can't even ghost you if I tried, now.
[ He shakes his head. What an awful thing to banter about!! Which is exactly why he enjoys it. ]
Yeah, funny thing about that... [ It's not funny at all, actually? Hank stands to grab a beer. Two, obviously. He places them on the table and takes one for himself. ] We were on a camping trip up in Windsor, back when Cole was really little. My ex-wife kinda, uh. Killed the wolf that turned me. Don't really know if he had a pack or what, but they never came looking for me.
[ Hey, aren't you learning so much about Hank today. ]
[ Oh hey beer... he takes one and just. Pops the cap off. Werewolf strength, making him a more efficient beer drinker.
He listens to his story and his eyes get wider as he does. Oh, yeah, he remembers something vaguely about some vacation injury he had... but Gavin had started not giving much of a shit about other people so he'd blown it off.
He takes a few sips of the beer. ]
So... I take it that's why you two didn't work out, then?
[ Hank releases a long breath, cracking open his beer in much the same way as Gavin. The taste doesn't really help much, but it's better than nothing. It'd take a lot of beer to get Hank drunk at this point. ]
She hunted monsters. I ended up turning into one... It was kinda doomed from that point on.
That's kinda a black and white way of lookin' at it, isn't it? [ He drinks more of his beer. ] Guess if that's your job then it'd put a damper on things...
[ He puts the bottle down with a thud that's now just a little too loud. ]
I mean, I still feel like me. Just with some new shit I gotta get used to. [ Pause. ] Ugh, Christ, it's puberty all over again.
Yeah, it... it was a little more complicated than that, let's just say.
[ Hank downs about half of his beer, clearly not wanting to elaborate. It's veering dangerously into Cole territory, so Hank is happy to change the subject. ]
Doesn't really change you that much unless you let it. [ He shrugs. Obviously, hank is still a big fluffy dog at heart. ] I mean, I'll be honest with you -- you're gonna get really pissy once the full moon comes around. Which, for you might be a fucking feat.
C'mon, you think a guy like me would have sex dungeon?
[ He snorts, taking a shorter sip of his beer. See, Hank really doesn't find himself attractive, that's the joke. ]
But yeah, that's what it's for. The door's deadlocked and trust me -- werewolf claws can't pick locks or do too well with keys, so it works out. [ Once upon a time the lock had been on the outside, but living alone, Hank has had to make due. He'd considered asking Connor for help, but that hasn't gone anywhere. ] I keep it stocked and just kinda... make sure I get home early on those nights. It ain't glamorous, but you get used to it.
[ Hank... you're sexy. Pretty much a rookie rite of passage is having a big dumb crush on you for the first two weeks. (The first few months in Gavin's case. Until he learned about his then fiance and experienced his first genuine heartbreak.)
So he just raises a brow at him and listens, then nods. ]
We'll get a system going. Maybe it'll be easier now that you're not dealin' with it alone.
[ Is that something approaching sentimental from Gavin Reed? He clears his throat and slams back the rest of his beer. ]
[ Mmmhmm cause that's totally over, isn't it, Gavin? ]
Huh. Maybe it will.
[ That's a very sweet sentiment, Gavin. Hank is kinda proud? He's a little proud. In that weird way where he isn't sure why he's proud. ]
Might be nice to not deal with this shit by myself. But the first time sucks extra hard, so I'm just warning you, man. I'll be there for you but I just want you to know it, uh... it gets less shitty.
You'll survive. I'll make sure of that. [ Which is like, super ominous so Hank follows it up quickly. ] Bring an extra change of clothes and you'll be fine.
[ Unless you want to strip in front of Hank, which, you're gonna have to get used to eventually, Gavin, but Hank would get not wanting to start there. ]
Hm? Oh, yeah. Plastic prick figured it out pretty much the first full moon he saw me for. I mean, androids weren't built to understand this stuff, but once he went deviant he had no problem going right up to me and asking, [ He does a pretty piss-poor Connor impression: ] "Lieutenant, I looked in your records and you show a consistent string of absences on the full moon. Are you a werewolf?"
[ It's ominous but it totally doesn't make Gavin feel all... warm and safe. It's just the new instincts!! That's all! Yep! So he snorts to cover it up. ] A regular ol' sleepover, huh?
[ It's not like he really cares, he's spent enough time in communal showers between the academy, the precinct and the gym.
At that Connor 'impression,' Gavin throws his head back and genuinely laughs. ] That was a fuckin' awful, he sounds nothing like that. But yeah, I'm not surprised.
[ Hank grins. This is hardly a sleepover but they're both gonna feel hungover the next day, so why not make the most of it?
And you know what? He knows his impression was awful. But Hank could never get his voice to sound as weird as Connor's, that's just a fact he's gonna have to live with. He just snorts, even if the sound of Gavin genuinely laughing makes him feel like he did something right... I mean, that's normal, right? ]
Surprised he didn't just storm my basement himself. Kid doesn't really give a fuck about shit like personal space. Don't be surprised if he smells it on you or something.
[ Hm... getting Hank to smile again is. Nice. He has a good smile, at least. Which, you know, is a completely objective opinion...! ]
I get the feeling he's gonna try to help us a lot, isn't he? [ He leans back in his chair again. ] Probably. That super computer brain of his will probably notice something's changed about me.
[ Get ready to end up super hairy dude, sorry. At least it's a good look on you. ]
Yeah, surprised he hasn't shown up yet, actually. He'll probably come straight here from work to check on me -- if he finds out you got hurt and sees you here, he'll know what's up. Plus I mean, the nose thing.
[ Hank points at his own nose here. It's a good look on Gavin, if it didn't remind him so much of his brother... ]
Don't be surprised if he gets everything figured out in like 5 seconds. That's Connor for you.
...you mean you're a week of no shaving away from lookin' like freaking Santa Clause? Jesus. [ He's gonna look like a goddamn mountain man then.
He snorts. ]
No, we weren't 'allowed' to do stuff like that. [ He shrugs. ] It was the last fight we had, before I left the family. I started it, I don't know, we just started throwing and hitting each other. Y'know, brotherly love and all that shit.
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Yep, still weird as fuck. ]
So what, they named you Elias?
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He snorts. ] No, close. Ezra.
[ ...huh. After he's said it, it kinda feels like the wind's been knocked out of him. He swallows and looks back down at his plate, shrugging. ] Just— Still call me Gavin. It'd be weird to change now.
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[ Hank nods. It's not a bad name. Without the broken nose, Hank can kinda see it. Tiny baby Ezra, always living in his brother's giant shadow. It's no wonder he didn't want anything to do with Kamski, at least as far as he's willing to admit. Can't hate him too much if his dying wish was to reach out to him.
But Hank will go back to pretending he doesn't know that about Gavin. He isn't gonna bring up "hey remember when you almost died" again, he's not a total asshole. ]
Yeah, don't sweat it. I only ever call you Reed, anyway. [ Hank finishes off the last of his steak, setting his fork down for good. ]
We don't have to act any different at work or anything, either. I mean, I figure eventually, this...
[ He makes a vague gesture at the space between them, one that hopefully Gavin understands. ]
This whole thing is gonna change something, but I meant it when I said you're not beneath me or anything. [ He shrugs, though the next bit comes out a bit more serious than he intended. ] I'm here for you, you don't have to go through any of this shit alone. Least I can do for turning you.
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So he snickers a little, looking amused. ] You can't get rid of me now, Hank. Just remember this was your choice. [ He's clearly joking. They had harmless, fun banter once upon a time... before Gavin got all up his own ass.
But then he knits his brows together. ]
Wait, then who the fuck turned you? How do you not know anything? I thought werewolves were all supposed to be about packs and community and shit in all the lore.
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Yeah, no shit. Can't even ghost you if I tried, now.
[ He shakes his head. What an awful thing to banter about!! Which is exactly why he enjoys it. ]
Yeah, funny thing about that... [ It's not funny at all, actually? Hank stands to grab a beer. Two, obviously. He places them on the table and takes one for himself. ] We were on a camping trip up in Windsor, back when Cole was really little. My ex-wife kinda, uh. Killed the wolf that turned me. Don't really know if he had a pack or what, but they never came looking for me.
[ Hey, aren't you learning so much about Hank today. ]
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He listens to his story and his eyes get wider as he does. Oh, yeah, he remembers something vaguely about some vacation injury he had... but Gavin had started not giving much of a shit about other people so he'd blown it off.
He takes a few sips of the beer. ]
So... I take it that's why you two didn't work out, then?
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[ Hank releases a long breath, cracking open his beer in much the same way as Gavin. The taste doesn't really help much, but it's better than nothing. It'd take a lot of beer to get Hank drunk at this point. ]
She hunted monsters. I ended up turning into one... It was kinda doomed from that point on.
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That's kinda a black and white way of lookin' at it, isn't it? [ He drinks more of his beer. ] Guess if that's your job then it'd put a damper on things...
[ He puts the bottle down with a thud that's now just a little too loud. ]
I mean, I still feel like me. Just with some new shit I gotta get used to. [ Pause. ] Ugh, Christ, it's puberty all over again.
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[ Hank downs about half of his beer, clearly not wanting to elaborate. It's veering dangerously into Cole territory, so Hank is happy to change the subject. ]
Doesn't really change you that much unless you let it. [ He shrugs. Obviously, hank is still a big fluffy dog at heart. ] I mean, I'll be honest with you -- you're gonna get really pissy once the full moon comes around. Which, for you might be a fucking feat.
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He starts to fiddle with the label on his beer, snorting a little. ]
That'll be a feat, I'm sure. So that's what the I Totally Thought You Had A Sex Dungeon is for then, huh? Riding out the full moon?
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[ He snorts, taking a shorter sip of his beer. See, Hank really doesn't find himself attractive, that's the joke. ]
But yeah, that's what it's for. The door's deadlocked and trust me -- werewolf claws can't pick locks or do too well with keys, so it works out. [ Once upon a time the lock had been on the outside, but living alone, Hank has had to make due. He'd considered asking Connor for help, but that hasn't gone anywhere. ] I keep it stocked and just kinda... make sure I get home early on those nights. It ain't glamorous, but you get used to it.
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So he just raises a brow at him and listens, then nods. ]
We'll get a system going. Maybe it'll be easier now that you're not dealin' with it alone.
[ Is that something approaching sentimental from Gavin Reed? He clears his throat and slams back the rest of his beer. ]
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Huh. Maybe it will.
[ That's a very sweet sentiment, Gavin. Hank is kinda proud? He's a little proud. In that weird way where he isn't sure why he's proud. ]
Might be nice to not deal with this shit by myself. But the first time sucks extra hard, so I'm just warning you, man. I'll be there for you but I just want you to know it, uh... it gets less shitty.
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He just shrugs. ]
I'll prepare for the worst then. I'm good at that. [ He peels the label half off and leaves it, the noise too unpleasant. Quick change the subject— ]
Does Connor know?
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[ Unless you want to strip in front of Hank, which, you're gonna have to get used to eventually, Gavin, but Hank would get not wanting to start there. ]
Hm? Oh, yeah. Plastic prick figured it out pretty much the first full moon he saw me for. I mean, androids weren't built to understand this stuff, but once he went deviant he had no problem going right up to me and asking, [ He does a pretty piss-poor Connor impression: ] "Lieutenant, I looked in your records and you show a consistent string of absences on the full moon. Are you a werewolf?"
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[ It's not like he really cares, he's spent enough time in communal showers between the academy, the precinct and the gym.
At that Connor 'impression,' Gavin throws his head back and genuinely laughs. ] That was a fuckin' awful, he sounds nothing like that. But yeah, I'm not surprised.
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[ Hank grins. This is hardly a sleepover but they're both gonna feel hungover the next day, so why not make the most of it?
And you know what? He knows his impression was awful. But Hank could never get his voice to sound as weird as Connor's, that's just a fact he's gonna have to live with. He just snorts, even if the sound of Gavin genuinely laughing makes him feel like he did something right... I mean, that's normal, right? ]
Surprised he didn't just storm my basement himself. Kid doesn't really give a fuck about shit like personal space. Don't be surprised if he smells it on you or something.
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[ Hm... getting Hank to smile again is. Nice. He has a good smile, at least. Which, you know, is a completely objective opinion...! ]
I get the feeling he's gonna try to help us a lot, isn't he? [ He leans back in his chair again. ] Probably. That super computer brain of his will probably notice something's changed about me.
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Gonna be doing a lot more of that, actually.
[ Get ready to end up super hairy dude, sorry. At least it's a good look on you. ]
Yeah, surprised he hasn't shown up yet, actually. He'll probably come straight here from work to check on me -- if he finds out you got hurt and sees you here, he'll know what's up. Plus I mean, the nose thing.
[ Hank points at his own nose here. It's a good look on Gavin, if it didn't remind him so much of his brother... ]
Don't be surprised if he gets everything figured out in like 5 seconds. That's Connor for you.
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More than I already do? Damn.
[ He touches his nose again, then gently taps at it. ]
It feels really weird, let me tell you. [ He huffs. ] Y'know who broke it in the first place? Eli.
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[ Which is to say even his "lazy" look takes a bit of effort. It's no wonder people always think Hank looks way worse than he feels sometimes. ]
Shit, seriously? What, did he throw you off a jungle gym as a kid?
[ Yeah, Hank is sure Elijah Kamski was an awful, awful child. ]
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...you mean you're a week of no shaving away from lookin' like freaking Santa Clause? Jesus. [ He's gonna look like a goddamn mountain man then.
He snorts. ]
No, we weren't 'allowed' to do stuff like that. [ He shrugs. ] It was the last fight we had, before I left the family. I started it, I don't know, we just started throwing and hitting each other. Y'know, brotherly love and all that shit.
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[ He shrugs. He just always manages to look scruffy! It's part of the curse. They're not poodles. They're wolves. So hair has a limit, apparently. ]
Christ. Well your parents sure sound like great folks. No wonder you're both fucked up. I mean, him more than you for sure, but. You know.
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Yeah, our folks are your classic narcissistic parents. Eli was the golden child and I was the scapegoat. I'm sure you already figured that out though.
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Kinda figured, yeah. Sounds like you lucked out, getting the fuck out of that shit.
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