Some Thrilling Paperwork

[beastly]

The werewolf knew his way to Jed's house pretty well by now, visiting, and occasionally spending his full moons there. It was more comfortable than shifting alone in his own apartment, and he got less noise complaints. Sure, he was a little nervous about accidentally biting Jed or Ash, but he had invested in a muzzle and had instructed Jed not to remove it. Jed didn't always listen, sometimes taking it off to give him treats, apparently he was very good at begging, but he still felt like everything was safe for the most part. He had taken to leaving a change of clothes there, so there were no more awkward naked mornings.

Over the course of things, it became apparent that Ash wasn't registered yet. Simon intended to change that, he thought the dragon-like shifter could benefit from the community and resources. He was on his way to Jed's specifically to talk a little more with Ash about that, and hopefully drive the guy to get registered. Parking his van, Simon went inside, taking his time, though. He loved the smells of the woods.

"Hey, Ash? You home buddy?"
Simon slipped off his shoes, not wanting to track pine needles all over the place, looking around the room. He'd mentioned he'd be stopping by, hopefully the other had remembered.

[kilnarak]

"Ah! One moment! I am in the kitchen!" Ash called back in response to Simon after he heard the other come in. For all that he saw the man at least once a month when the moon became full, when Simon had taken the time to schedule a date with him, it had registered as Important to Ash, and so he felt some customs must be followed. "I am making tea! And ah, Jeddy said that cookies go well? I do not know how to make those so we bought them from the market. Is that fine?" Important meetings at the Eyrie where he had grown up had always included tea during talks, and usually light foods offered after - perhaps even a feast if it was an especially important meeting. Ash wasn't sure exactly how important this one was, but it had sounded at least important enough for tea and snacks.

The shifter poked his head out of the kitchen, then waved at Simon. His long hair was tied back in a tail to keep it out of the way, and wound with beads to look nice. He had dressed nicely too - at least, he felt it was nicer than the t-shirts and pajama-pants that he usually wore around the house. The pants were still loose, a soft dark material, and the 'shirt' was more like a yukata - he had found it downtown and he had liked the look of it, it reminded him a bit of some of the clothing he had worn back home.

Once the tea finished steeping, he brought it and a tray of little butter cookies dusted with sugar out and set them on the table before the couch. "Will you sit? What is it you wished to speak about?"

[beastly]

Simon's sharp nose picked up the cookies and the smell of tea, and he caught the scent as he wandered slightly closer to the kitchen. Ohh. Ash was such a nice dude. As a man who obviously enjoyed sweets, he was all behind the idea of having tea and cookies while they talked. He adjusted his bag and waved back at Ash with a wide grin when the shifter poked his head out. There he was! The thought passed through his mind that he and Ash should have a cookie baking party at some point, but that should be later.

"Hey bud! That's awful nice of you, the tea smells great!"
The smaller man was wearing a nice button down and black pants, along with a tie with a silly sloth print. If things went well and Ash was able to be registered, he wanted to look somewhat professional at work. Thus, away went his 'were-house' t-shirt.

"'course, thanks, man. Those look good."
Simon joined Ash on the couch happily, patting the younger man on the arm in greeting as he did so. He eyed the cookies and tea with some eagerness, but he held off, wanting to explain himself first. He gave Ash his full attention and big smile.

"Alrighty, so I've mentioned I work for the WDSA, right? I work with supers and help them get settled in human society and all that. I was thinking we should get you registered with the WDSA so they can help you a little, what do you think, Ash?"

[kilnarak]

Ash sat down and smiled at Simon, then picked up his mug of tea to sip at while the other spoke. He nodded a little at the other's question and leaned back, holding his mug in both hands - the heat felt good against his palms, although perhaps it'd be a bit too hot for a human.

"Yes. You said you work with the WDSA. And supers is.. is people like me? Not-human-people. Aa. I would like that yes. It would be nice to learn more... I know that I am not to let human-people see me when I am not like this, because it would frighten them. It... can be hard to tell who is a human-person and who is a not-human like you, sometimes..." He paused, realizing he had wandered off topic a little, and he turned the mug in his hands absently. "Ah, but if I 'get registered,' then the WDSA-people can help me learn more how to live here, yes?"

[beastly]

Simon nodded at Ash, hand reaching, testing the temperature of the mug intended for him. It was just a little too hot, so he let it sit as he spoke.

"Yes, exactly, pal. That's the long and short of it. I was thinking we could get you registered today, if you're up for it. We got some classes you can take, and I think it'd be great to get you meeting some other supers, get you a few more friends you can be your self around while you also practice blending in with humans. Whatcha think buddy?"

The cookies were tempting, so he snatched one, taking a quick bite. Oh! Yum.
"These are good, man."

[kilnarak]

Ash took another small sip of his tea, smiling against the rim of the mug. "I... I would like that, I think. It... there are many people here now but... It would be good to make more friends." There was a touch of sadness in how he said it, although he tried to keep the emotion to himself. None of his friends here would be Sival, he doubted he would ever be able to go home again. He would never have an Eyrie here, but... maybe at least he could meet other shifters. The dragons he had met looked like his people, at least, even if he couldn't feel the same connection to them he had to his colony. But still, it would be nice to have someone to fly with sometimes...

"Are they? I have not tried them yet, but I liked the shapes on the box." The cookies were a welcome distraction, and he smiled, pleased that Simon enjoyed them. He reached to take one for himself - a pretzel shape studded with large grains of sugar - and took a thoughtful bite out of it. It did taste good, sweet and buttery and crisp.

"I would not mind doing it today. The only plan I had for the day was to meet you, so aa, my time is free. Is it very difficult to become registered?"

[beastly]

Simon beamed at Ash, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. He was glad Ash was up to it. He really thought the guy could benefit from being brought into the wider super community, and what better way to ensure his safety and get some new friends than to register him?

He didn't miss the note of sadness, and gave the guy another pat on the shoulder.

"Glad to hear it bud! It will probably take, I dunno, an hour? Maybe two? It's some paperwork on my end, I just ask you questions, take some pictures, and then we go get your ID printed."

[kilnarak]

"Ah, it is just questions and photographs? Not a... a test of some sort? That does not sound so difficult..." Ash tipped his head slightly to the side, regarding Simon as he considered the potential difficulty of the registration process. He had worried a bit that it would involve somehow proving how well he could play at being human. But if it was just questions and photographs, that didn't sound too bad. "We can do it once we finish here?"

He paused a moment, eating the rest of the cookie and making sure there were no crumbs on his clothing. He took another sip of tea then had a thought, his brows furrowing in a slight worried set. "Aa, I hope I have not been rude. I did not ask how you are doing today? It is still some time before the moon is full once again, I hope you are doing well."

[beastly]

"Yeah bud, no tests. You just gotta tell me stuff like 'what species are you' and 'what are your abilities'. Then you'd tell me, I'd write it down and do the rest. I can drive us over once we're done with snacks 'n tea."

Simon gave Ash a thumbs up, and finally reached for his tea to take a slurp. Oh it was good! When Ash voiced his thoughts of being rude, Simon shook his head. No.

"Hey, no, I got excited and launched into my stuff, no worries big guy. I'm doing good! Just, uh. Work. It's a good job, good work, I like it. How 'bout you buddy?"

He grabbed a cookie and dunked it in his tea.