gay loving dad versus bi distant auntie

Ellie Carter

Ellie is on the search for Bow-wow because she needs to circle back about their last topic. It's gotta be better than dwelling on the whole murder thing. She had suspected as much when she first spoke to him, but it sounds like the boy believed it was an accident. And who is she to argue? She's no judge. She finds Robert with him, but isn't going to let that stop her. She walks up, putting her hands on her hips and interrupting whatever sad bullshit they probably were doing.

"Listen, Robert, I don't got time to gloat,"

He didn't ask her to.

"Bow-wow! Kiddo. Okay, so, furries— There's a lot of guys out there just like you! They want to be dogs or dragons or whatever. I think it's an LGBT-Quuuueeee thing. It's like being transgender but about your soul or something. You got a dog soul. Have you ever drawn yourself as a dog? For the record, I would be a cool shrimp."

Robert McCay

Had Robert killed someone, too? The answer was yes, of course, he'd known that all along. But hearing Bow-Wow ask him to his face was different.

He racked his brain for any way to soften the blow for the kid... but he'd just told Robert what happened to him, albeit vaguely, and if these wardens were really the arbiters of their fate, well. So much for Miranda rights. The least he could do was return the honesty.

"Since it seems like they know anyway... yes, it's true. But that person was someone who'd…" He paused, considering how to phrase things for the kid. "…hurt me and my family, very badly, fer a long time..."

His voice trailed off as he caught Miss Ellie approaching the two of them. Her? NOW? Great, just great. There went that moment of emotional vulnerability, as Robert folded his arms and glared at the woman.

"What? What are you even talking about--"

And then she launched into her monologue. The subject change caught him so off-guard, he let her finish that whole train of thought and have a few seconds of silence after.

"…………………………..What?"

Bow-wow

Bow-Wow had sought out Robert almost instantly- he needed some familiar comfort after being called a murderer right to his face, and whilst he was there, he had chosen to ask… was Robert really a murderer too?

He'd given his story- it was an accident, he was angry, he… he shoved him-- whoever 'him' was. He's sure Robert was probably going to make the connection soon enough.

Hearing Robert say that the wardens were right was… painful, in a way, and yet his explanation was met with entire, blind trust.

"That's really valid of ya… if someone was hurtin' my family, maybe… just… maybe I'd do the same thing." Murder was wrong. That was a definite, and yet… he…

Oh. Here comes Ellie.

And, oh god. She's really going to just say that IN FRONT OF ROBERT?

"W-Well, that's a mighty fine way to say hello!" He looked so embarrassed. As embarrassed as he could look with that stupid smile on his mask.

"B-But… Um… Yeah? Sometimes?" Was… was this really going to be him thinking he's like. An Ellie-universe furry? "I don't… wanna be a dog? I don't think, I… uh? Guess I just… like dressin' up like this 'cause people like it?" More than his actual face, at least!!!

He turns to Robert, almost as if asking for help. He looks like the ground wants to swallow him up whole. This is so humiliating…

Ellie Carter

"You gotta care less about what people like! Look at me,"

Miss making herself disliked in this very situation and delighting in it. But, she shoots a look back to that locked room and gets a little more serious.

"Well, maybe not right now, with them wardens and all. Hey, the two of y'all shouldn't look so down. You'll surely both be 'forgiven.' Whatever it means. It's probably a good thing."

She actually has no idea if that's true but sometimes you just have to manifest something. She's dropping the furry subject quickly since Bow-wow doesn't want to talk about it in front of Robert. Or maybe at all, we'll see.

"Really, hasn't your whole situation gotten a lot better if this is the case? You two seem like you brought a couple 'a sob stories. I mean, Bow-wow, you said it was an accident which even the law forgives ya for! They don't forgive gals like me in the eyes of the law."

Robert McCay

Robert stammered a bit as he got his bearings again. Haha, bear-ings. Furries.

"I-- I mean! Nothin' wrong with those folks! I seen 'em in their lil' costumes at Pride-- 's just, we were talkin' about, uh… yeah."

His face fell quickly.

"Forgiven…? I'd like t'say so, Miss Ellie. Bow-Wow, fer sure. Me… it's a little more complicated." To put it lightly, he added in his head with a sigh.

Ellie was definitely in a worse spot than both of them, though. He didn't like the woman much, of course, but even after all that, it still hurt to see her talk so hopelessly about her own fate.

"…If it ain't the law here, though, and it's up t'just these three? If all we gotta do is convince 'em it was justified… Well, it depends on who ya stabbed, eh? Maybe yer not so sunk yerself."

Bow-wow

Teehee, bearings…

"Ouuhhhh," Bow-Wow makes some weird, half groan sound, utter despair! "It's hard not to care what people think, Miss Ellie…" He sounds so pathetic, but god, is he glad she's dropped the furry topic! Glad Robert is a supportive dad for his adopted son's new hobby, though!

"W-Well…it was an accident, I didn't…I didn't mean ta kill him, but…I did mean ta hurt him…I guess." He sighs, shoulders slumping. "He pissed me off real bad… but I never wanted him dead…"

He shook his head slowly.

"I…I dunno. Even if the law forgives me, I dunno if I'd be able ta look my mom and pops in th' eye again. I… wouldn't forgive m'self…" Thinking about it was like wading through molasses. His lip quivers, his stomach lurches… he feels ill. Thinking about the aftermath. And oh god- he's reminded of all the blood.

"Miss Ellie, I…um- I really don't like to talk about it, but I'm sure… I'll be made to have… the wardens probe into my life soon enough… but I'd like to keep… um… more detail than that, to… myself? For now? Please?"

This side of Bow-Wow is unlike how he's been so far- he seems so… lost? In his wording, really. Nervous- if you look closely enough, you'd see the sweat pooling in the visible areas of his face. Like the mere act of very delicately asking Ellie not push for details was so taxing that he may pass out. Standing up for himself had never really been his strong suit- last time that happened… well…

"I um…I'm sure that, even if… ya did do it, for bad reasons, it… might be possible to be forgiven!" He's trying so hard to sound optimistic despite himself, the way his head is swimming, his nose is filling with the memory of the strong copper-scent and death. "I…I believe in everyone… you, Mr. Robert, and you, Miss Ellie."

Ellie was surely a bad person, and yet, he couldn't just not give her a chance.

Ellie Carter

Why's he gotta ask it like she's holding a gun to his head? She pouts.

"I don't think I ever did ask you to give me more details, sweetheart! I mean, I did for Robert, but he's a grown man. Which you are too! If someone pushes you, you just tell 'em to fuck right off. You can practice with me. I ain't that fragile. I already got it from Robert, hah!"

She laughs and throws her hair back behind her shoulders with a shake of her head. A strand of hair slowly fall back in front of her despite that, which she uselessly tries to blow away. As for Bow-wow forgiving himself… She doesn't know if she can help with that. She tilts her head at their words on that loaded subject.

"I'm not one to beg for forgiveness. I made my choice and I knew the choice I was makin' when I killed the fucker. They can decide what they want."

She thinks she sounds cool saying this and gives them both a proud grin. But she truthfully is a bit worried. She decided to accept a lot of outcomes, but she sure didn't see this coming.

Robert McCay

Robert stayed quiet as Bow-Wow stammered his words out, but he kept a hand on the boy's shoulder as a silent invitation, should he need another hug. Poor kid. If the cheerful, stubborn side of Bow-wow reminded Robert of his partner, then this scared and whimpering side that couldn't stand up for himself, well-- it reminded Robert of Robert.

"We don't gotta talk about it if y'don't wanna, Bow-Wow. It's a lot t'take in…"

He huffed at Ellie bringing his reaction up, but… Maybe he'd misjudged the woman a bit, if she was going out of her way to help this kid.

"…I guess I can respect that. Y'don't think there's a chance of escapin', though? If yer 'forgiven"… what a choice a words."

Bow-wow

Bow-Wow shrinks a little, but he kinda has the feeling that as much as Ellie sounds like she's poking fun at him… she is trying to help. In her… very Ellie kinda way. He knew that she was right, but 'tell them to fuck right off' was something he'd be mortified to do.

"I-I ain't ever really told anyone to- 'fuck right off'…" Hearing him swear was… something! Like hearing the tiniest puppy yell 'FUCK'. "But… arent'ya worried? About bein' stuck here if y'aren't forgiven? I dunno… there's probably worse places ta be, but…"

He leans against Robert a little more.

"I think I'd wanna see my parents too much." Even if they might not want to see him.

Ellie Carter

Dog boy can't tell people to fuck off but can apparently murder a guy. Maybe it's the bottling up that led him to do it. She scratches the back of her neck.

"Sorry, I didn't see any guarantee I'm gonna be escorted up to the pearly gates just for being forgiven. We don't know what none of that shit means, do we? So I'm gonna just keep bein' me."

She shrugs and turns to start to walk off, apparently deciding this conversation is over at the drop of a hat.

"Eh, you two do what you want. You can get back to your little bonding session or whaaaatever you were doing. Try not to be such sad sops while you're at it, 'kay?"