Monochrome Lives

Chapter Thirteen

Castella waits for more, but nothing comes. Arcus clams up, going completely silent. 

"Are you going to elaborate?" She asks with furrowed eyebrows. "Because that wouldn't be equal to what I'm going to share with you."

"Does it have to be equal?" Arcus questions, his green eyes squinting slightly as his lips tighten into a straight line. 

"It should be." Castella nods her head curtly, her head bobbing with the motion. "In my opinion, everything should be equal."

"Everything?" Arcus almost gasps, his eyes going wide. "What? Why in the wildest would you say that?"

"That's a different topic that I'll come back to. Now, on with your part of the deal." Castella refocuses the conversation, moving her hand in a waving motion, and Arcus scowls slightly, but does as he's told. 

"I've been feeling a weird sensation." Arcus says before asking with a grin, "Can I show you where?"

"On yourself? Of course." Castella replies with a glint in her silver eyes that warns him. Arcus laughs before adding on, "Here, in my chest," and he reaches a foreleg up to paw at himself.

"It feels warm, and odd. It makes me want to . . . to be kind." He says slowly, seeing a grin light up on Castella's face. 

"What?" He asks before Castella punches him in the shoulder and says, "That's a good feeling, isn't it?"

"The punch?" Arcus asks with a odd facial expression. 

"No, you nut bar. The kindness." Castella laughs then says with a bit more of a serious tone, "Sorry if that hurt."

"Sorry?" Arcus's scaly eyebrows furrow. "Why would you say sorry for that?"

"Because it could've hurt y-" Castella stops short, and Arcus laughs, tossing his head back with a loud guffaw. 

"I put you right in a trap, and you know, I think I've learned something." He says as he inches closer, looking down his snout at Castella. 

"You do care about me." Arcus coos before nudging her snout with his, and she lets him. Arcus goes to move closer, but Castella says softly, "Don't come closer, Arcus."

"Why ever not?" Arcus asks as he continues to move his head over hers, stopping when his eye is level with hers, looking directly into her. 

"Because I don't want to go too fast." She replies with a shy smile, before she says, "Let's shift. Then I'll tell you about Cirro and some other things."

Arcus nods his head as he suddenly feels relaxed, but every part of him is urging to be stubborn and angry. He shakes his head as Castella asks, "What is it Arcus?"

"Part of me wants to be kind, but I don't want to be weak. I think I'm afraid." Arcus gasps slightly, his green eyes going wide. 

"What?" Castella asks, not shifting yet. She doesn't want to shift until he does.

"I just admitted I am afraid. I'm not perfect." He mumbles before hanging his head, changing the subject only slightly. "Dragons won't accept my nicer side."

"Don't worry about that right now." Castella hums before nudging his head. "Just shift and we'll talk."

"Okay." Arcus nods his big black head before mumbling some words, softly, quietly. 

Castella watches as he transforms to a handsome Shifter, his green eyes and silver hair alight; the work of the setting sun. His black shirt looks ready to bust at the seams because of his muscle, but his black sweat pants are loose, and he takes a calm breath in, then releases one the same.