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[ Steve sighs a bit, because that is the reality. The best they can do is take him on walks in the exercise yard and let him socialize with the dogs under close supervision. The shelter isn't the Serengeti, or even a zoo.

He meant a lot to Cersei, and by extension a lot to Riley, who tried to look after him when the former disappeared. And for all of the above reasons, he can't just let anyone come in here and take him off their hands. ]

Oh, yeah, no, you can pet him if you want.

[ He gestures at the preoccupied cub. ]

Obviously mind the claws if you play with him. [... ] And the tongue, if he tries to lick you. I had a bunch of red, tongue-shaped spots on my arm for days, once, when he decided I needed a bath.

[ Giorno recently informed him that a fully grown lion's tongue can lick the skin off an antelope. ]

Edited 2021-09-08 15:43 (UTC)

[Oh. Atem wouldn't have thought to look out for the tongue; his eyes widen slightly, and he gives a brief but appreciative nod to Steve.

His approach is careful. He doesn't try to get close to the teeth or front claws; instead, when he crouches down onto one knee, Atem gingerly reaches out to stroke fingers down Tybolt's back and haunches. That's an animal that's meant to be wild. Even if it's a magic baby-forever lion, Atem's braced for it to whirl around and snap at his fingers.]

What's going to happen to him now? Is there a zoo that can take him?

Riley and I haven't... really discussed it. [ Steve rubs the back of his neck. ] We're gonna have to eventually, but there's a couple problems with that. Like, what if Cers comes back?

[ Meanwhile, Tybolt does no such thing as snap! Specifically, he does nothing except continue to happily chomp up his steak bits as Atem cautiously closes in for the haunch stroke. He is very, very tame it seems. ]

Actually, knowing her, if she did, and we had to tell her we gave her lion away to a zoo, she'd probably make it our responsibility to break in and deliver him back to her doorstep.

[ He's trying to make a little light of it, but it's easy for him to slip into sounding bummed in his current state. People randomly disappear, and then, sometimes, just as randomly show back up according to hearsay, but he's personally only witnessed the former. ]

[Okay. Okay, Mr. Lion, you're okay with being touched, even when you're eating. This cub sure does trust humans, Atem thinks. Any chance of release would be hopeless for sure...but would he do well in, say, a wildcat exhibit? Would Tybolt miss people? It's hard to say.

He reaches up to pet Tybolt's shoulders, and may even try a behind-the-ear scritch if that goes well.]

And, by then, he might not be used to people anymore.

[Which would be heartbreaking, if it were a pet you loved.]

But this shelter isn't meant for big cats...and feeding him must be a lot.

[Atem sympathizes, and not even in an abstract way. He knows enough about Poundmates to know that it's not flush with cash, and he knows the game shop back home wouldn't deal well with an unexpected expense like this. Getting that much fresh meat would be easier for a zoo that's sourcing it in bulk, or has a relationship with a butcher that a pet shelter doesn't. And one lion is taking up a whole storeroom....he doesn't envy Steve the dilemma he has on his hands, no matter how cute it might be.]

How much space did he have with his original owner?

Edited 2021-09-08 20:36 (UTC)

[ Reflexively, Tybolt's ear flicks a couple times on the off chance that Atem's hand is a bug trying to land on him. Otherwise, he still seems okay with what's going on! As the last of the meat is polished off by the cub, he languidly turns to look at Atem while licking his bloody little face. ]

She let him romp around the house she was staying at.

[ It's pretty clear what else is concerning Atem about this setup. ]

He gets to leave this room, but only when someone's watching him. [ Steve's lips go wry. ] Because he's a lion, y'know?

[He nods. He wouldn't trust Tybolt around other animals unsupervised, either! There's no telling when he'll start to practice, you know, hunting, and it'd be horrible if he did that to one of the shelter cats, or a small dog.]

That makes sense...it's hard to say what he'll do, since even for a lion, he's not normal...I understand why you can't keep him forever! A pet like this must be tough to care for, when he needs different things than all the others.

[Look at him, licking the blood off his little face. Poor not-normal lion.]

Heh...he's pretty cute, though. Can I pick him up?

[ Steve expected "aw, cute," but Atem—Atem's actually taking the time to look at this from all angles. Sympathy: offered. His struggle: seen, and so this tired shelter worker is feeling amenable by the time they've circled back around to "aw, cute." ]

Normally, I'd say absolutely not, but you're a monster so— [ Worst case scenario, the fog will fix him up. ] I'll let you in on a secret.

[ Steve stoops to scoop up the lion in question, as he'd watched Cersei do a couple dozen times before. Tybolt's paws just sort of dangle unthreateningly as he curiously surveys his surroundings from his new, pooka-height vantage point. After a moment, Steve steps closer to Atem in order to transfer Tybolt into his arms. ]

It's like looking at Big Sven's estranged cousin from Africa, isn't it?

[ Word can't get around, though, or all the staff would come in here wanting to try this out. ]

Edited 2021-09-10 17:22 (UTC)

[Oh!! Oh, look at his dangly little paws!! He's not even fighting it, he's just...he's just chilling out there, isn't he--

And then Tybolt is handed to Atem, who takes him, and adjusts so he's comfy, because there's a surprising amount of weight to this lion.]

He's...surprisingly patient...ah!

[Large? Large mane person is holding Tybolt now? Tybolt does the most he's done since Atem saw him, and wriggles around in Atem's arms so that they're facing each other. Atem obliges, and once Tybolt is settled back down, the lion looks up at him.

Sniffs. Sniffs his chin, with a snuffly lion nose. Atem's not sure what to do about it, but the sniffing is extremely cute.

Then, Tybolt bumps his head up underneath Atem's chin, and something about it feels like magic. It feels a little like the first time he held Big Sven; Atem's red eyes go wide the same way, staring at Steve in serotonin-induced panic, and it feels? Weirdly familiar? It's got to be because it's a big, lazy cat, and he's used to that with Big Sven, it's just...]

Yes, it...it is!

[Oh god there's a little lion rubbing its face on Atem's chin and he knows he's got to keep an ear out for any signs Tybolt might lick him because he doesn't want to get hurt, but, but this is maybe the coolest thing ever?]

[ It's a little like looking back in time, too.

Along with everything going on with Atem's face, he recognizes the same clipped ability to speak from the last cuteness overload he had underneath this roof.

Steve decides he can put off collecting the bowl and cleaning up the drips of blood Tybolt left on the tile for now, instead crossing his arms and watching the scene unfold. It's as distracting as throwing himself at chores, if not more-so; moments like these are always worth committing to memory.

A small smile creeps up one cheek. ]

Wish I had a camera.

[Oh...he's getting a little carried away, isn't he? But the embarrassment that might creep up under other circumstances doesn't come. But the atmosphere is comfortable. He's happy, and Steve's happy, and what about that could possibly be a bad thing? Atem tilts his head forward a little, to look up at Steve through his bangs -- a more confident version of a shy expression Yugi used to wear -- and laughs.]

Heh heh...it'd be funny if it turns out I don't show up on camera film.

[He hefts Tybolt, but gently.]

It'll look like a flying lion.

[Atem's pretty sure he shows up on camera...the Monster Bingo game caught his image. But the rules might be different for still film...hard to say! But the idea of being able to take trick photographs, making things float, is funny to him, in his cat-addled, giddy state.

--oh no. Tybolt goes for a lick. Out comes the pain tongue. Atem hears it about to happen, though, and pulls his head back just enough, just in time: Tybolt's left with empty air. Vampire speed. He's missed it.]

Ah-ah! No you don't!

[He admonishes a very confused lion, as he shifts one hand so he can pet the back of Tybolt's head. He is really comfortable petting a lion. Atem didn't expect to be, but he is. Holding him is nice...he'll have to stop by this room, when he comes back...]

[ Picturing said flying lion successfully eases the other side of his mouth up the other cheek.

It's frustrating, though, thinking of how in order to obtain that shot, his only options are the craptacular cameras built into the laptops, or something that's bulky, hard to use, and can only produce photographs that look like something out of an old horror movie. He doesn't want gloomy, and he definitely doesn't want crappy.

He was never the guy who brought out the polaroid, because half of what they spit out always wound up blurry or some kind of unflattering. But right now, he'd give up his paycheck for a hundred indistinct messes if it got him one good picture. ]

I'm serious.

[ While Atem's dodging lion tongues at 500x speed, Steve still hasn't dropped the subject. ]

I wanna test that out sometime.

[Oh...Steve might really want a camera. He's bringing the subject back to having one in a way that really does sound serious, instead of just teasing about the situation looking silly. Atem fights through the flood of warm paternal feelings he gets as Tybolt decides he's confused and tired and too full to do anything but nap, so he sets his chin down on Atem's shoulder, and Atem considers the possibility.]

If you do...I'm in!

If we can take trick photographs, that'll be fun...

...but, if it turns out we can't, then...it's just a good memory, right? We can look at it and remember the time we tried to make it look like Tybolt could fly.

[He remembers what he'd thought about in the doll-house, and what's been background radiation for Atem ever since -- the realization that he doesn't want to move on from his friends without making a million good memories first. He wants to have forgotten more good times than most people will ever know. If he'd had a camera at the beach...pictures of that would have been nice to have...it's still one of Atem's best memories here.

God he loves holding this lion though. This lion is big and warm and even though he isn't purring (can lions purr? Atem wonders), the big sigh Tybolt lets out makes it clear enough what he's feeling. Has Atem leveled up? Is he better at Animal Handling now?]

Edited 2021-09-17 13:26 (UTC)

Then it's official, just hold that thought until I- ...Well, if I find somebody using their camera for evil, I could shake 'em down. I've still got a bone to pick with a few of those guys from April.

[ For harassing Riley, and probably other girls, too.

Resurfacing from his thoughts, Steve tilts his head at Tybolt, who... all that said, would not look like a particularly dynamic flying lion right now, if Atem were to suddenly become invisible.

A pensive hum, and: ]

He sleeps a lot, but I've never seen him zonk out in somebody's arms before.

...ah...I could have taken one off of Jorgen, but I didn't think to...

[He told Riley about what he did to one of the cameramen who were harassing her, but he's pretty sure he didn't tell Steve. He will, if Steve wants to hear it, or they can keep talking lions.

Tybolt gives a big yawn, the timing giving the illusion of childish contrarianism -- I'm not asleep! really! -- but settles down again almost right away, and Atem puts his chin over the tiny baby's shoulder. Shhh. Zonk out, buddy, it's fine.]

It's probably because he's just eaten. He really is a baby animal, isn't he?

[ Jorgen who? He just about asks.

But, quashing the first syllable at the last second, Steve nods, smiles at Tybolt curled up in Atem's arms like a new nephew one more time, and stoops to start swabbing up the floor.

If it doesn't put the power of photography in his hands right now, he's not interested in venturing out of this cozy little scene into what monsters do in the dark, even if it's just Atem, and Atem would never make a victim out of someone who didn't deserve it.

Right? ]

I'm gonna go check on the dogs.

[ He says, once the tiles underfoot are squeaky clean again, collecting the empty bowl and jamming a thumb at the storeroom's singular exit. ]

Did you wanna stay here a while?

Edited 2021-09-23 01:49 (UTC)

[Absolutely right.

But they'll leave that subject alone.]

....

[The lion is really, really cute. It is true Atem could probably spend a good hour in this storeroom without realizing he'd been here longer than ten minutes. He is very happy holding Tybolt and listening to his snuffly little breaths.

However. No lion takes precedence over friends. Tybolt's important, but Steve is more important. Atem shakes his head!]

I'm here to help out! And to keep you company. I'll set him down and come with you.

[He's just absolutely going to come back in before they leave. Because Tybolt being in this room by himself is probably lonely, and he should have as many visitors as possible.]

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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, PLAYER1. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 10.11.0.0.01 * PLAYER1 has joined 10.11.0.0.01 <PLAYER1>** If you're looking for someone you knew as Yugi before June, you've found him! It's Atem, leave a message.