Room 330, Monday Afternoon

[genesishero]

Evan had arrived back on the island in the dead of night, wearing a scowl on his face that even a bouncy dog who was happy to see him home again couldn't entirely wipe away. He'd slept fitfully, shadows in the corners of his mind creeping up and threatening to blot out everything else in his head as he dreamed

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[pulseof_life]

Yeul was just passing by, really, when she realized that Evan’s door was open and that she could hear Ozzy playing inside.

She knocked softly on the door before peeking in.

“Evan?” she asked. “Hello! You’re back already?”

[pulseof_life]

“It’s highly unlikely that I would ever mind,” Yeul said, turning her gaze to Ozzy. “There is very little that I mind. However, I would enjoy it, if you came.”

[genesishero]

And now, Evan's smile was a little more genuine, still.

"Really? I mean... I mean, I would love to come along. It would be way better than just sitting around here all week, and I like your company, and Sholeh's, and Liara's..."

And the company of... well, of one of Sholeh's sisters, anyhow. But he had no idea if Yeul knew about that or not, so he wasn't going to just blabbermouth about Zeela and Zhahar.

[pulseof_life]

“And everyone else’s?” she asked, smiling. She wouldn’t name them, since the squirrels might hear, but Evan had to know. Yeul could not imagine a relationship going well if he didn’t know of Sholeh’s sisters.

“Besides,” she continued, “I think Caius might appreciate having another boy around. He will be rather outnumbered otherwise.”

Caius would probably not care, it should be noted.

[genesishero]

"And everyone else," Evan agreed, nodding and giving a thankful smile. One less secret he had to worry about keeping from Yeul, at least. "You guys aren't going to, um, do a bunch of girl things while we're there, are you?"

He actually had no idea what 'girl things' entailed. It wasn't like he'd ever been taught this stuff.

[pulseof_life]

Was he keeping other secrets from her?

Yeul looked mildly intrigued. “What sort of girl things?”

She was teasing, of course, but his answer would amuse her no matter what it was.

[genesishero]

Evan had no idea. So, clearly, the best course of action here was to blush and duck his head a little.

"Um... I don't know... talk about things that boys can't understand?"

That seemed like the best answer he could piece together, at least.

[pulseof_life]

Yeul laughed softly.

“You’re sweet, Evan,” she said, still amused. “If we paint our nails, I promise to do yours as well.”

Just so he wouldn’t feel left out!

[genesishero]

Evan looked down at his hand, fingernails standing out a stark black against the pale blue of his skin.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything..."

Really, what harm would mixing up his palette even more do, right?

[pulseof_life]

Oh, Evan.

“If we do not,” Yeul said, following his gaze, “I can do yours, if you’d like, anyway.”

[genesishero]

Evan gave his fingers a little wiggle. He'd never really thought all that hard about changing anything about himself. At least, not for the sake of aesthetics. Even as a shapeshifter, all of the things he ever changed his hands to tended to be because of their function.

"You don't think that would be kind of weird?"

Not because it was a girly thing to do, no. Mostly just because the only thing he ever bothered to change about himself was his hair.

[pulseof_life]

She wondered what he meant, when he said weird.

“Why would it be?” Yeul asked. “Many people do.”

[genesishero]

Evan nodded a tiny bit, and then closed his hand into a fist, hiding his fingernails from view.

"Is it something I should change?"

[pulseof_life]

“I can’t answer that question,” she said gently. “But isn’t the right question ‘do you want to change?’”

[genesishero]

That... was a good question, actually.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I mean... Until I found out where I came from, I was happy being who I was. But now everything just seems different. Like everyone was right about how horrible some part of me is, and I need to make up for it somehow."

[pulseof_life]

“I think you’re fine just the way you are,” she told him simply. “As for your fingernails… think it over. If you decide you want a change, that’s good. If you decide you don’t… that is also good. As long as it’s what you want.”