Behind The Veil

[Leyna Stidolph]

From the bombing of her Forge and the nightmarish hell she called her life seemed to come back with a vengeance, Leyna was starting to grapple at the end of her ropes. The Wyrm had found her forge to be the best place to peck and attack... and where was her tribesmen? No where to be fucking found. Franz wasn't returning phone calls or coming by the shop and she was just done with it. She could deal with her brother disappearing considering he was wanted by the Police for questioning, but the Modi had no excuse for not at least giving her some kind of heads up.

Was he injured? She had heard nothing about his death, so that couldn't be it. Him just not showing up was fine for a few days, but when it turned into weeks...well he would have some mighty fine explaining to do. She was tired of waiting for him to decide when he was going to show up and announce he was alright. The Aetling was on a mission.

She drove her truck to his place, parking in the front of his apartment and before she decided to get out of the truck she made sure she had her smithing hammer on her. She was going to club him so hard in the head with it that he would think twice about making her worry. Stepping out of her truck she slammed the door and made her way up to the door. He better be dead, because screening her calls was not cool.

She stepped inside the building and made way for Franz's apartment. Her heavy boots thumped up the stairs until she got to his door, she would give him the benefit of the doubt first. Knocking to see if he would answer. Knock. Knock. Wait. Knock. ~German~ “Franz, you better be in there!” She growled before she took a step back and brought her foot up. The impact from her foot onto the door was hard that the wood split from the hinges and fell forward with a loud crash. Immediately her hand went for her hammer, looking at in the inside to make sure nothing was out of place or seemed odd.

[Franz Wesson]

It had been sudden. Shortly after the incident in Long Beach, Wes had recieved word from his tribe that his presence was needed back home. A feeling of dread had overcame him when he recieved the letter, he was to be reprimanded for the utter failure he had been a part of. What was supposed to be a hopefully short affair ended up talking well over three weeks and not a worse vacation could be had.

The modi had just gotten back into the city the previous night, his apartment looking exactly the same as how he left it, good, there would be hell to pay otherwise. Wes had yet to notify the local Sept of his return, that would be taken care of later, the modi was in no condition to go anywhere for a bit. Three broken ribs, both eyes blackened, four missing teeth, his cheekbone fractured, a cracked sternum, a broken wrist, a broken arm, and numerous other bruises, fractures, and wounds littered his whole body. This was his punishment and he took it without a word of defiance or reluctance. He had earned this for getting so many other garou killed, his only saving grace was that he had prevented the frenzied cub from going on a rampage.

With a very heavy sigh, the beaten Fostern hobbled out of bed, managing to shuffle restlessly about his apartment, he wouldn't let a few injuries keep him in bed for long, this was his fault and he would carry the pain with pride. It wasn't until he plopped down heavily upon his couch did he relax. Sadly, Gaia wasn't about to let him forget his failure, for a split second after he sat, a loud pounding on his door was heard. The knocking soon increased in force, familiar shouting could also be heard, it was female, german, and oh so very angry sounding. Before the Fenrir could fully get get out of the couch's clutches, his door came flying off the hinges and into his living room.

"......My door..." He said in exhausted german, the fiery little woman storming his apartment earned a pained half smile. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed.." A small chuckle escaped his bruised lips before being sucked back in and replaced with a grunt of pain. "What can I do for you?"

[Leyna Stidolph]

The only thing that stood out was the battered and beaten Modi that was standing a few feet from where the door crashed. In that split second Leyna went from angry worried to scared worried. Why hadn't he healed himself, was the next thing that came to mind. What had the idiot gone and done now? What sort of trouble was he in? Why hadn't he called?!

“What can you do me for?!” She wanted to slap him. What can he do her for? How about a god damn explanation for starters? “Really? After a month that's what I get? A month of silence? No god damn call, no message... nothing!” She started turning red around her ears, the color trailing down to her neck and across her collar. The veins in her forehead starting to protrude and throb from the building emotional chaos. “Fuck you buddy!”

She didn't even realize how hard she was gripping the hilt of her hammer, her knuckles turning a brilliant white as she stared him down. “Are you fucking daft?!” Her voice cracking and rasping from the strain of her shouting. “Not a damn word from you! You just vanished! I've been worried sick!” She growled as her arms started flying in grand gestures. “I didn't know if you were dead or what the bloody fuck!”

She pointed her hammer at him as she scolded him, “Look at you! What the hell happened?! Why didn't you call for me?! Fucking Christ Franz!” She was hysterical and rightfully so. He had let her worry and fret.. and was still making her worry and fret. In her head she was calling him everything but a clean and decent person. “Last time I checked, we were Fenrir! You don't run off without telling your Aetling!” She was nearly foaming at the mouth as her hammer swung wildly.

[Franz Wesson]

Why hadn't he healed himself already? That was a good question, the best explanation he could come up with was that it was a much needed reminder as to why garou in his position shouldn't screw up so expertly. Leyna continued her tirade of furious questioning, Franz's eyes not leaving hers, he had made her worry and he wouldn't look away like a scorned child. It was clear that she had been concerned to a rather extreme extent, his fault for sure for he had neglected to tell her of his whereabouts, the thought of his punishment had weighed heavily on his mind.

The modi's pained smile grew wider as the frantic kinfolk scolded him further. It would be a lie to say that it wasn't a little bit satisfying to know that someone had worried about him, it wasn't until she said "you're Aetling" did he move forward, embracing her in a long, careful hug. Before he knew what he was doing, Wes moved in closer and placed the gentlest of kisses on the kinfolk's lips. His heart began throbbing hard against his chest, his mind spinning as he fought for words.

"..I am sorry..."

He was sorry?! That was the best he could come up with?! Well it was better than an awkward silence he suppossed. He had never been good with expressing himself in words but a part of him was happy, he wasn't sure why but something told him this felt right. The small wave of nervous joy was quickly washed away with a large sense of anxiety as he waited for Leyna to speak.

[Leyna Stidolph]

She had been scolding him, she knew this. So when he came closer to her with that large smile, she was prepared to get knocked on her ass for being disrespectful and belligerent. Or at least her head metaphorically bitten off for acting the way she was. He was Garou, she was just a Kinfolk.. she had no place outside of the Forge to yell at him or insult him. She wasn't about to back down now though, she wasn't going to apologize even though she knew she was clearly in the wrong. Not wrong for worrying but wrong in how she approached the situation.

As his arms came up she steadied herself waiting for some kind of grapple or clench, but instead he... he hugged her. Okay. Alright. This wasn't the first time Franz has ever hugged her, but this was different. It made her uncomfortable, it was tender and affectionate in a... well almost romantic way. She tensed up, nope she really didn't like this and before she could push the Modi off of her, there it was. A kiss.

OH WHAT THE FUCK!?!

What was this shit? What the hell was he doing? Her eyes popped open wide as she froze, watching him break the kiss in complete dumbfounded terror. No. No! That.. No! She was too angry to speak, too disgusted to move at first. She wasn't sure what the hell Franz thought there was between them, but this definitely a NO go. Had she lead him on? She was sure she hadn't. She kept herself at a distance, physically and mostly emotionally outside of her aggressive fits. What.. what..? Why did he have to go and do that? Ruin a perfectly good thing?!

Then he apologized, oh yes because that made it all the better. She stared at him in utter disbelief. Worst of all is he did it without her permission. He took what did not belong to him! Without thinking, Leyna swung her hammer up and went to crack Franz upside his head.