Need to Talk - Panther's Lair

There was a slight knocking on the door. Not that he'd never been there before, he just didn't know who else to talk to.

Grace opened the door after a minute or so, Serene at her side. Her face showed surprise, as he hadn't called first.

"James? Come in."

He stepped inside, at once reaching down to pet the large cat.

Hi Serene. Remember me?

But he didn't answer Grace right away. He finally looked up to speak to her.

"Got a minute ta talk?" he finally asked her quietly.

Serene rumbled happily at him, butting her head hard enough into his hip to knock over a lesser man.

Grace had waited patiently for him to speak.

"For ye? All th' time in th' world."

He smiled faintly at the cat. Big house cat, she was. He looked up at Grace. "I got a problem, mama. An' I don't rightly know how ta fix it."

The subtle changes happened instantly, turning her from woman to grandmother. She reached out to take his arm, leading him to the large comfy couch in the living room. There was room enough for all three of them there.

"Wha' be your problem, love?"

He sat, though it seemed more automatic than anything. "Ya ever met Greer?"

Grace nodded.

"Tha' would be th' woman ye left th' glitter party wi', aye?"

He nodded. Then he sighed. "Lord, it's messed up. 'Cause it ain't even her fault, really. I don't think. Shit." He ran a hand over his face. "Did ya happen ta take a good look at her?"

Serene pulled herself up onto the couch and laid the front half of her body on the Brujah's lap.

Grace nodded.

"Aye, I did."

His hand went to her hair as another automatic thing. "She's too much like her, Grace. Way too much."

Grace nodded, and snuggled close, as Serene began to purr gently.

"Aye, she is. I thought that might be why ye were attracted t' her."

He ran a hand over his face. "Naw. I'm 'ttracted ta pretty much anythin' that moves, mama. But she... yeah. She likes ta rub my nose. An' she used her damn powers on me. It's just awkward."

Grace froze. Didn't even blink. She stayed that way for a good thirty seconds before she spoke.

"She did wha'?"

He ran a hand through his hair again. "Yeah. Asked me if she could share somethin' with me. I thought she meant ta tell me somethin' or some such shit. Apparently she wanted ta use her gift of tha blood on me ta make me feel what she was feelin'. It was pretty sweet - tha emotion or whatever - but it still screws with my head."

Grace nodded, and began combing his hair with her own fingers.

"Ye ken wha' th' lil' woman would say, aye?"

He winced. "I'm kina surprised she ain't come back from tha dead ta kick my ass for sleepin' with a Daughter in tha first place."

She nodded.

"Aye. But sleepin' wi' one an' havin' one use her powers on ye be two separate issues, love."

He shook his head. "It's about six of one an' half a dozen of tha other, mama. They're pretty much tha same thing. Sleepin' with one is almost like givin' a Daughter open season ta' use her power on ya."

She smiled.

"Aye. So wha' d' ye wish t' d'? I could always become th' jealous lover an' knock her on her arse."

He sighed and shrugged. "I dunno. I thought about just not seein' her anymore. But that don't seem very smart, either."

She nodded.

"T'would be a good start, though. Wha' does your gut tell ye t' do. I can become angry Elder who's had her territory violated as well."

He ran a hand over his face. "Gut says I shouldn'ta boinked her in tha first place. Other than that, I got nothin."

Grace smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You want me t' fix this for ye?"

His brows rose. "How tha hell do ya fix this kinda thing?"