To Make The Princess Pretty - Mat & Ren's Haven

She had been badgering him for the better part of a week, chuffs and growls, nudges and nips.  He tried to ignore her, as he went about his duties, went about fixing the Haven.  Fixing the Boat.  Finally, he broke down.  He was sitting on the stairs, Zydeco's tail wagging rapidly, as he waited for Duckie.

It wasn't long before Ren and Maddy arrived. "Hey."

He gave a nod, pushing back his hat with his thumb. "Bonne Soir. How ya beh, Duckie?"

She released the pup who went charging toward the Gangrel doing her MAT MAT MAT bark.

"I'm well. You?" She laughed at the little pup.

He would have rolled his eyes, but he liked the pups. He even caught her, pulling the wee dog to his lap. Baped her playfully on the nose.

"Eh. Zydeco's been tryin'teh blackmail meh all week inna askin'if ya'd teach'er 'ow teh 'ave ah biggah Presence."

Maddy squirmed happily as she was hoisted into the big Gangrel's lap.

Ren opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "Wait...what?"

He played with Maddy, rolling her over and tickling her belly.

"... Ah taught Roux more ah da martial disciplines. Zydeco... wants teh beh more like ya. Pretty. ahn.. social. ahnd... stuff."

Maddy squirmed, making happy puppy noises.

Ren crouched down so she could look at Zydeco. "She wants to learn Presence?"

I am a Princess, after all. I must have my noble oblidge. one should wonder how she learned such a word. Or think such a thing. But one could blame the Penguin for that.

Mat was happily distracted with Maddy, going so far as to toss the pup into the air, then catch her with a hand.

Maddy yipped as she was tossed.

"I suppose I can teach her...on the condition she doesn't use it on me. And you teach me to talk to them." She last part was sweetly hopeful.

He looked at her, catching Maddy without paying attention. "I offered that you years ago, Duckie. Everyone I know, everything I can do, is yours for the asking." Zydeco inclined her head majestically - she of course would not. One could not command the Queen of the Pack.

Ren reached out to stroke Zydeco's sleek back. "You're too good to me, Mat."

He shook his head. "No. I'm not. I am as good as you deserve."

He held up a finger, putting Maddy on his right shoulder so she could see the world from a much higher vantage point. "Ah don't tink so. Ah know so." he rubbed his nose with the same finger.

"Com'on. Ah'll teach ya de trick ah listenin'wid ya soul while ah finish paintin'de fence. Take Z on a patrol widcha, ahnd teach'er den. Ah might git ah moment ah peace den." as he shoot, Maddy ever perched.

She followed him back around to were he'd been working on the fence. "Want some help?" Ren never did mind getting her hands dirty.

(( I have no idea how I got 'stood' and shoot' mixed up in the last post. Heh ))

"It beh our house, Duckie - ya always welcomed to help." as he popped the lid on the paint can, stirring it, and going inside to fetch another brush which would be handed to the waif. He would explain as he painted, even and methodical, just like how his hand moved.

"De trick is teh underahstand weh beh beasts. Dat weh got one inside us. It's gettin'teh know dat, rathah den juss chainin'it down. Ya gotta git in dere minds, tu sais? Gotta beh on de same level... den ya can communicate."

Had she never told him before? Her brow furrowed. No...they'd never discussed it. How strange.

"My Beast and are...um...we talk to one another." She stared at the brush in her hand.

"Ahnd what do ya two say?" he didn't seem surprised by this, strangely enough, as he continued working, evenly and steadily.

"Huh. Estrange... but ah guess fittin'. Weh used teh fight ah'll de time. Now... now we beh one." it was the path he walked. "Ya really believe in dis God, don'tcha?"

"Hmm... moss dat know, tend teh lose dere Faith. Kinda impressive. Sah.. well, de point beh, ah use mah beast teh speak to dem." he just wanted to finish his explanation before they go more into her Beast. He was obviously very curious about hers - which seemed to be so different than his own.

She tried to process what he was saying, but they were so different. They always had been.

How to explain it... he had just always spoken to animals... "ere. Ya don't speak wid ya voice. Speak... speak wid ya 'eart, eh?" As different as could be. A tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme...