Tall, Golden, and Fuzzy

You need more contacts, Orion.

So said the little voice in the back of my head that came only after I had flopped down on my bed, eyes no longer shielded by the uniquely beautiful lenses that Dimitri had gifted me with. It took my mind for a moment back to the Templar and the Witch, a curve teasing at the corner of my lips as for a moment my body relived the heat that he had inspired within it. Though of course after that came the thinking. Me second guessing everything I'd done with him. What had me really curious was the language he'd spoken. He'd given a fair enough reason for his knowledge of it, one that fit with what pieces of information I had on him, but my paranoid mind still had to dig for some reason that he was...

Shut the Hell up and just enjoy the memory.

Then of course my mind traveled the crooked path to the other things I'd done since splitting up from Cayden, Sol, and Miya. The conversation with LG, Legion as I thought of him to myself now. The initials just didn't do him justice if you asked me. Then the call from Meredith. Contacting Dominic and paying him off in an attempt to prevent the inevitable Hell-storm that would come if the Paparazzi were to descend. Then hitting the bar and the little adventure, brief as it may have been with Baley. I rubbed a hand across my eyes, a low sigh escaping my lips. I needed to get my head on straight, otherwise I was going to end up with an overabundance of people I barely knew in my Sanctum. I needed to get my shit in order or I was going to be more a hindrance than a help to Erro.

Someone tell me why that damned Troll could twist me up the way he did.

I was trying to figure that one out for myself when Omega gave me a head-sup about gunshots a rough quarter mile away. It was a good thing that I hadn't been looking for a quiet evening I guess. In a gross misuse of power, I tapped into my gift of co-location to see what in the blazes was going on. A set of jeeps with gun toting SoBs were in the process of attempting to chase down a Crinos werewolf. Wait, what ? I was up and off of the bed, legs already stretching as feet hit the floor to cross the room and be out it. Heading straight for one of the still empty rooms, I shot a quick text to gear to inform him of the potentiality for incoming. Upon getting his response, I was in the room, door shut and locked as securely as I could manage. Again with the co-location and I timed it so that the male was cutting around a corner before I grabbed him and yanked him here. Eat that, Bitches. I could only imagine their confusion when they cleared the corner and he was simply gone. Vanished like the silence when the storm hit. I made sure to drop him most of the way across the room, my own hip perched against a wall, lit cigarette between my fingers as I waited for the inevitable to happen. Whatever that may be.

Oh he was one unhappy critter.

All fur and fury, he dug into the flesh of his arm and ripped something free before dropping it and crushing it beneath is paw. Foot ? Which did they prefer when they were all big like ? Conversation when he finally did shift down was kept brief. The important questions first. Of course my luck would have it that he remembered jack and shit other than being trapped in a laboratory. I fought down the haze of red that came then as for a moment I saw not him but Artemis, or Gods forbid Jasper in his place. Shaking my head when he made mention of leaving, another text was sent to Gear giving him the heads up that he might want to get Trixie out for the night. Hoping that I didn't offend him with the lack of details, I mentally questioned myself as to why I cared before informing Mr nameless and tattooed that he was crashing here for the night. All I needed was an Esmeralda and I was set to go. Food. That was a safe place to start. Especially considering that once i got a good luck at him the less than platonic parts of me were starting to pipe up.

Fuck me.

No. Downstairs we went, he and I, the offer of food having indeed seemed to appeal to him. Ravenous I think he had said he was which made sense with what I knew of Shifters as a whole. Hell, after getting my ass free and leading pursuers on the merry chase that he had, I'd be starving too. I'd be other things as well, but those soooo didn't need to rear their ugly heads. Once he looked in the fridge and made his comment about none of the food looking familiar, I was simply left to blink for a second. Then he pulled out one of the tubs of spaghetti that I hadn't known were in there and I casually suggested heating it up for him. Once he handed it over and I had it securely in the microwave, I turned back to the fridge in search of something more filling. I had to have steaks or something in here. While I searched, I called back over my shoulder,

"Once the microwave beeps, pull the container out. Forks are in the drawer, third from the left after the sink. Careful though as it's going to be hot."

How the hell had this come about? Moments ago he had been lost, the faces of the gods turned from him in true denial of their favor. Now suddenly in a single twisted moment once again they shine upon his head and shoulders. Suspicion was ripe within him, what sort of person helped simply because they could? Rare was the soul, and if she were such a shining example of humanity and generosity why was she here, in this city of all places. Palisades despite it's size, had always been one of those places that tended to slip the mind when one departed from it's borders. Part of the reason no doubt, that the people who had kept him, made it their playground.

Still her offer did not fall on closed ears, he was starving, seeking shelter, and potentially aid. All things she offered, and it pricked his pride to accept them from her. Accept he did however, and now he was standing in a kitchen that looked like it had been stolen from the showcase of the Price is Right. Two tiled walls, with matching floor in a style that caught him by surprise with just how streamlined everything was. The twenty by forty room, with all it's gadgets and appliances would probably rack up a total equal to the old warehouse in its entirety.

Keeping a reasonable distance from her, he leaned against the counter-top and tried to put names to objects as he scanned the room. He had only seen pictures prior to now. The words came, but it was still like seeing the world for the first time. When he had been running there had been no time to scrutinize his surroundings, now presented with opportunity he ate up the experience. That is until the microwave beeped as promised, finding the fork in the promised drawer he set upon the spaghetti and took no prisoners. Minutes later he stepped up to the sink and washed the now empty Tupperware. Keeping his silence, unsure of what to say. How to continue their rather minimal conversation up to this point.

Steak. Finally, thank God. Now just keeping my fingers crossed that I wouldn't burn my Sanctum down around us while trying to cook them. I was purposefully not looking at him, the lack of clothing that he wore and the things it was twisting within me partially offset by the fact that he was still wearing those scrubs. While he would make one smashable Doctor, I remembered his words all too well. He'd been a victim, not the one in power. My hand tightened around the handle and I counted my fury back down. Yet again I was so glad I wasn't a shifter. How the Hell did they deal with all those intense, ragey moments and the fact that within them they carried something that if the chains snapped made them a twelve foot tall killing machine ? Deep breath Orion. Ride the storm back down instead of feeding it. Easier said than done. I slammed the door a little harder than was likely wise, things within it rattling quietly as I began to move about the kitchen.

A pan. Skillet. Whatever the Hell they were called was ripped down from where it hung along with sauce pans and other assorted cooking pots. This was the first time I was actually going to try cooking in my Kitchen and it was for a stranger. Go figure that one out. It made the most sense out of anything that had happened over the passed few days. Setting it down on the stove, I began digging through the cupboards. Oil. Something to keep it from burning. It came to me to wonder if Gear had thought to have a sprinkler system installed in here. Doubtful as I'd made it clear from point A that I couldn't cook, so why the need right ? I could always just bubble the flames and suck the oxygen out if things got too out of hand. He was actually washing the dish he'd used. For a moment I just stopped moving to drop my forehead against the cabinet and laugh. It was brief, short lived, and probably made me sound all together crazy. Who knew, maybe I was. I needed to keep my pieces from all falling apart otherwise I was gonna scare the poor guy back out and likely into the arms of his pursuers, wherever they might be. The who they might be was the bigger concern though.

Finally straightening, I shot him an apologetic half glance before setting the flame beneath the skillet to life. While I couldn't make the mean dish that Jasper could, I could at least cook it somewhat. As long as I didn't try getting too fancy, we should be straight. Dropping enough oil in to lightly coat the bottom, i waited until it was sizzling before dropping the steaks in. Apparently it was too hot, a quiet yelp half muffled as a bit of the oil splattered upwards and caught bare skin. Shaking it off, I lowered the heat before giving them a good few flips to coat them. Did I want to sear them or should I simmer them ? Looking around for a cover, I finally found one and slid it in place before leaning back against the island in the center of all this modernized beauty. Looking him over, a shower came to mind. As well as a change of clothes that would end up with him being more covered. The less bare skin to my hungry gaze, the better right ?

"That's going to take a few but would you like a shower ? Or some clothes or something ? Not that I'm complaining about the view but I figure maybe if we can get you into some semblance of comfort..."