Flirting Fundamentals
Rachel had leaded her down the alleyways. Her mind couldn't tell anyone where she went, but her whole body remembered of every direction that she could think of. When she thought of Fireside, her whole muscle memory committed to the word "home". She would never be able to find the lair by herself because she didn't think of it as anything besides shelter. Temporary better off forgotten shelter…
Rae led her down the dirtiest alleyways until they finally reached it. Most of the buildings that loomed over them looked broken. The roofs didn't look safe and neither did the inside. Some of the windows were broken, doors were boarded up, the alleyway had some glass littering the place and other filth that people tended to toss and forget.
It was easy to tell that this place screamed danger. It made anyone walking around feel as if they were being haunted. "It's better at night. During Halloween some of the guys go all out and scare." Rachel said with a grin. "I sometimes do it too."
"It feels…nice," Lily admitted smiling, "So…what? They just gonna randomly attack us now?" she asked and stepped into the moonlight where it shined over her and made her seemingly disappear, while Rae had to step into the shadows.
"You don't have to bow, save that when you meet Ian." Electric said embarrassedly. "So, you're another human-neko? That's what Frances calls himself anyway. I can see your ears." He smiled, "They're not hard to find if you know what you're looking for."
"Who are you talking to?" Three boys had walked down the stairs. One was wearing nothing but red including pants, hair color, and shoes. His eyes were a striking hazel. The other boy had orange and yellow hair that was in designs like Lily's was. His cat ears were perked right up. Another boy beside them had black hair and a deep tan. He was wearing a black wife beater and tight jeans.
"Rae!" Sam bounced down the last few stairs. "Did Electric tell you?"
"About me sending hell? Yes, he told me. I don't think Ellie's pleased with me." Rachel said with a wince, "Which is probably why she's not coming down the stairs."
She pointed to Lily, "Before I forget, Lily this is Sam." She pointed to the all red-clad fire starter, "Or Sammy if you want. Frances." She pointed to the human-neko, "And Jacob," She pointed to the third.
Lily bowed yet again, "Hello, all of you," she giggled, "Another Neko? So far the only one I know is me," she laughed and walked over, looking him over curiously, walking around him in circles, "Natural or forced?" she inquired gently.
"I don't know." Frances said with a shrug. "I don't have any memory of what I was before. I just remember waking up and discovering I was neko." He looked over at Rae and winked and she smiled back. "So, I don't know if this is forced or not. I wish I could help. What about you? Forced or natural?"
"Forced," Lily sighed and fingered his tail which tapped against her leg of its own accord, "I was a Cat first before I became this. I'm a quick learner, though," she nodded, "It's so nice, seeing another," she smiled at him.
"So that would mean that it's most likely forced for myself," Frances mused. "I'm glad that there's more of us." He smiled, "Even if it is just the two of us."
"Hey, hey, don't start flirting with her. She probably is already taken by someone." Sam said with an eye roll.
"Oh come on!" Frances whined. "What is your problem? Just because you can't find a girl or a guy doesn't mean you have to make me go through your pain!"
"I honestly don't know," Lily shrugged, "I'm interested and I know he might be…but…I don't know hardly anything about the…um…" she tapped her chin, "What do they call it on TV…the…playing field?"
"The playing field," Frances and Sam agreed. They both looked at each other when Jacob just said softly, "Have you tried to ask him about his feelings for you?" He looked at her with an raised eyebrow. "Some girls like to do it in riddles, but it's more effective if you're just straight out and you say it. If you get rejected, it hurts a lot, but you know you tried. It's probably why riddles are much easier to do."
"Wow…he spoke more than a sentence." Electric mocked looking falsely shocked.
Jacob just rolled his eyes. "Ellie send me around in circles trying to confess. I just know that some girls are like that when their hearts are calloused."
"No!" Lily shook her head, "I'm not like that! I just want to learn…"
"Well, here's what you do first. Flirt with him a little." Electric said poking her nose. "Show your interested by flirting. Then when he responds back, take advantage of that and ask him out. If he agrees, then it's all good. But flirting is namely the first step in all relationships."
"What kind of chick flicks have you been watching?" Sam deadpanned.
Lily blinked, "What's…flirting?"
"Like what Frances was doing to you." Electric blinked. "He walked up to you and started a seemingly innocent conversation, but he made it have a deeper level. When he said the two of us, it could have meant alone, it could have meant as friends, as lovers. Namely lovers though."
Lily blushed fiercely, "Really?" she scratched her cheek where freckles littered her skin, "Oh wow…" she shifted, "Sorry…" she rubbed her right ear in embarrassment.
"Why are you guys crowding around the door?" Ellie walked down the stairs and when she saw Lily her ears popped up as well as her tail. "Oh my god! It's another cat-shifter.
"I keep telling you I'm a human-neko!" Frances pouted.
"Not you moron, I'm talking to the girl!" Ellie snapped as she pushed him and Electric away. "So, what's your name?"
Lily blushed, "I'm Lily Louise...What do you mean by cat-shifter?" she asked, "Who might you be?"
"I'm Ellen. You can call me Ellie. I'm a dog-shifter. Jake is a bird-shifter. I believe you would call us shapeshifters. Only in more specific terms," Ellie replied with a smile. "So, you don't transform into anything but cat? Or are you like Franny to the side here? You know, you can be a human but you can change into any cat, but when you turn human you still have all the markings of a cat? Well, you're like Franny…I guess…you're hair is the same color as a coat and your ears and I guess tail is showing."
Frances glared at Ellie, "I hate that nickname. Don't call me Franny!"
"It suits you." Ellie replied, making Frances hiss.
"Don't fight," Lily got between them, "Um…I really don't know if I'm a shifter, I've only been a Neko for about a week or two…" she rubbed her neck, "So far I don't even know how to get back into my cat form…"
"Wow, a week or two." Frances asked. "It took me a few days to get myself back into my old form and into any other cat form. Want me to help you if I can?"
Lily grinned widely, "That would be so very helpful!" she agreed enthusiastically, "You'd really help me even though we just met?"
"Of course," Frances said with a smile. "We're alike, but different. It's nice to know we're not alone."
"Oh boy…" Sam murmured to Rae as he walked closer to her. "It's like watching a bad drama series. Is she this oblivious?"
"She used to be a cat, things that are straight-forward are easier to understand," Rachel whispered back.
Lily nodded, "Quite right, arigato! Er…thank you…" she blushed.
"Anytime." Frances grinned. "Shall we start tonight?"
"Oh god." Sam deadpanned. "I feel like this room has been coated in roses."
"At least she doesn't know about it," Rachel sweatdropped.
"Um…" Lily frowned and her ears went lax. She turned to Rachel, "Rae-san, what time is it?" she asked.
"It's around nine." Rachel said with a shrug. "Don't worry, I have my cellphone. If they get worried, they'll call. I already told Raph that I travel a lot, so having me pick up and leave shouldn't be a problem for him."
"Donnie wanted me to try out his new Shell Cell…I call him, I don't remember if we're on patrol tonight or not," she shrugged and went into another room which happened to be the kitchen as she punched a button.
Ellie watched her leave before deciding to follow her. That was her domain and she wanted to make sure that nothing in the kitchen was breakable. She already had one certain someone come in and ruin her room.
Rachel looked over at Frances and smirked. Frances just gave her a look. "So…" She drawled, "Getting anywhere?"
"I'll get somewhere just you wait." Frances promised. "She's the only other one of my kind! What if we look good together?!"
"Calm down cowboy," Electric joked. "If you think to far in the future you might end up ruining this before it even began. Then again, I don't think it's going to go anywhere."
"You doubters of faith," Frances scolded. "I can do this and she'll be happy!"
"Happy because you got into a relationship with her? Or happy because you taught her a technique she could probably master within a few days if not hours?" Rachel replied, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.
"God damn you." Frances shouted as he pointed at her. "It's that attitude of yours that keeps loosing potential mates!"
"Sorry if I don't want a one-night stand." Rachel rolled her eyes. "Besides..." Her shoulders sagged, he had too much of a point to even try to argue against that. "I don't think I would want to try again."
"Doubter," Frances mumbled.
"I'm being honest! Maybe it's that kind of attitude that makes the girl run and hide! You barely know how to comfort them!" Rachel cried out.
"Calm down you two," Electric snickered. "Lily might think that you guys are married if you keep this racket up."
"Who asked you?!" Rachel and Frances looked at him and screamed at the same time.
"Married?" Lily came in blinking as she shut the Shell Cell, "Eh?"
"Oh! Lily! You just missed it!" Electric said as he turned to face her. "Frances proposed to Rae and she said yes."
"We did not!" Frances screamed. "It's a lie!"
"What's…married?" Lily flattened her ears in confusion.
Jacob turned to Lily, deciding to answer before Rae or Frances could. "A marriage is a union of two people. Usually after a year or so of dating and the love is still deep and runs smoothly, a guy or a girl proposes. If she says yes, then she throws a celebration and joins herself in his family. She takes off her maiden name, which would be her last name, and takes his last name into her own."
"And that's exactly what happened here!" Electric said with a grin.
"But…Rae, you're with Raph," Lily blinked her hazel eyes slowly.
Rachel blinked and then shook her head, "I'm not……with him." She said softly. "Not in the way you're thinking. I love him…but not the way I'm supposed to if I'm going to "marry". I see him as an older brother. Just like I see Andy…" She gave a smile. "I can't love any deeper than that."
"Catnip, Rae," Lilly rolled her eyes, "You're just lying to yourself."
"Like I said before. Doubter," Frances said with an eye-roll. "Anyway, Electric is just pulling your chain. Neither of us like each other that way, and I'm single."
"You flaunt that around as if it's money," Rachel gave him a sideways look.
Ellie walked out of the kitchen and watched. "Hey, Lily, why don't you come in here before Frances decides to pounce on you and propose to you instead," She joked. "I want to show you something."
"Why'd he want me?" Lily blinked but shrugged and followed Ellie.
"Jacob you better run to your girlfriend and quick!" Frances said in a panic. "She might turn Lily into a lesbian."
"Better that than with you." Jacob replied.
"You're so mean!" Frances whined.
"Frances may flirt around, but he's really a good guy and teacher so you can learn a lot from him." Ellie said as she shut the kitchens doors and jumped onto the counter. "As for the whole marriage thing and love? Rae is lying to herself, but for a good reason. Surely you heard of Lynx, the Black Widow, right?"
"No," Lily shook her head, "I came from Japan...and have been here give or take a few days I've been a cat. I know hardly anything, Ellie-dono."
"Please, you don't have to add the honorifics if you don't want to." Ellie blushed. "Okay, well…Lynx…is a well known Informer. Her gang consists of two people. There's one named Moonshine, also named Matt and Spiderweb which is Andrew. Well…before the Informers even were a gang, it was just Matt and Rae. He found her in New Hampshire, that's where she went since her mother passed on. Anyway, they fell in love, moved here, found Ian…they were so strong together…so beautiful. She trusted him and he to her."
"But…in the end it wasn't meant to be. Matt had proposed to her two weeks until they ended it. Three days later, Rae broke down emotionally and physically. Staying in the same room as him…being around him…it killed her. She ran here for a little bit and then ran to her store," Ellie rubbed her neck.
Ellie sighed softly, "She doesn't want to go through heartbreak again. She'll do anything in the world to get out of it if she can. Even if it means lying to her partner or keeping things away…She still hurts even now…if Andrew was around, he'd be able to tell you what wounds need healing."
"So…just be careful." Ellie winked. "Love is a fragile thing for her. She can't do it. She's actually quite frightened of it. The power it held over her is unforgettable."
"Whoever this Raphael person is, is going to have a hard road ahead of him if he likes her. So give him a heads up if you can about it. If not then, well, I guess it's a challenge he should be willing to take." Ellie grinned. "Also, that Donny person you were talking about? I say you should just talk to him and get to know him before you make any moves. Who knows? You might learn something new."
"Alright, thank you," Lily smiled gratefully, "But…will you grudge me for slipping into Fran's game? I'm not quite as ignorant…but I really still don't know and want to learn. The only way I know how to learn is by having it played upon me."
"No." Ellie shook her head. "I think it would be good for you to be honest."
"Arigato," Lily bowed, "At least I have someone in on this. I can't tell the others…" she shrugged, "Your advise helps," she held out her hand, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ellie."
"And you." Ellie smiled when the kitchen door opened a peek. "Hey Lily, what did Don say?" Rachel questioned as she walked in. "I forgot to ask you when you came in."
"Oh! Right!" Lily jumped down and walked out the door where she raised an eyebrow at the fact Sam and Electric were rolling around on the floor, "Um…Don said Leo's caught a small bug and unless they can tie him down to the couch, he doesn't want us out late. If at least one of us goes back he thinks Leo might agree to sleep…" Lily looked at Rachel.
"You mean I'm going back?!" Rachel looked stricken. Ellie looked like she was about to laugh, but subtly hid as she turned around to pretend to start washing the dishes.
"Pleeeeaaaase? I really want to see what Fran-kun can teach me," Lily clasped her hands together pleadingly.
That made the two rolling around stop. Rachel just blinked a few times and then groaned, "Alright, alright fine." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'll go back to the lair. If they ask me where you are, I'll figure out a lie and text it to you. Ellie can show you how that works."
"I wanna stay till the day before thanksgiving, that way I can be there in time to help cook," Lily nodded firmly and then hugged Rachel, "Arigato, Rae-chan!"
"No problem. See you!" Rachel said as she hugged her back and ran off out of the building. Now, to figure out how to get from here to the lair...to even know where the lair was…
When Rae left nearly the whole room cracked up laughing. Ellie was no exception as she dropped her plate in the sink. Thankfully it didn't break.