#bergen_county

"But I'm just saying... you got kicked out. And that ain't fair. I know Mom meant well, respecting my space and all. Slugs, like, we get territorial, and she was probably right... I'd have wanted to put spiders and maggots in her ears if I found a kid in my room. But... it's like... if you didn't go away to school, I could probably handle you taking the basement. That wouldn't suck too much."

"Yeah? what's the catch?" Dubious

He doesn't make eye contact, trying to avoid it being some sort of sappy Hallmark moment. "You reek, and make a mess, and are loud. But I don't care about the first two as long as I can lock away my miniatures and bottles of preservatives first, and they would do fine out in the shed. And if you're loud, it ain't buggin' me if I ain't here."

Symon huffs. "And maybe my stuff won't get CLEANED if I lock it out here. I can trust mom, but a new boggan with ADD about cleaning, she'll try to shampoo my taxidermy or something!"

An admission "Yeah, about that... have you seen the door to your room yet?"

His eye twitches in the corner a bit. "...nooooooo?"

"Dude, I told her NOT go in there... but the outside part? " A shake of his head "She even got a step stool to reach the higher up parts"

A SCOWL. "Yeah. I gotta get out of here, before I do something Mom will regret. And then I'll have to act like I feel bad or she'll do that LOOK..."

"Listen, if she asks, I'm still finishing up quest business. I gotta go by the Lodge. Cover for me?"

Now it's the cap who doesn't make eye contact, "You know, if it'll stop you from muttering and whispering in the halls...sure. Oh, try to be back for dinner? Mom's had your favorite food properly rotting since you left as a surprise for your return."

"Uhhhhh...." He fidgets. "Depends on when I get this worked out. I'll try, I guess."

"Mmmph"

Though he cannot help the mouth watering at the idea of properly squishy and disgusting spicy rice cakes, with just a hint of mold...

"It's your call" He shrugs "It's gotten way too squishy for my pref. You know we're on opposite ends of things food wise. I like mine UNDER cooked"

"Yeah." A thin smile. "See ya." He heads out before there can be any potential bonding or feelings.

Whew. That was close

As he leaves, he notices Lovecraft slip out as well. She heads to McGillicudy's, probably to put several dead birds in the pattern of a pentagram on her lawn. It will be a balm to the cat's black void of a soul.