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Yep, Alexander had been ditched for a furball with three tails. Did the zomboil care? Not overly much, since he had things of his own to do anyways. He had several pets to tend to, and though he had walked through an underground lake earlier that day, he could have probably done with some cleaning up as well, much as he was loathe to admit it.

And so, he had separated from Yin shortly after returning to the school through the portal, shouting after the boil who had wandered off in such a hurry that he would be coming to his room later. Whether or not the words had even registered as the weremantis had hurried off Alex had no idea.

When Alex first stepped foot in his room it took him a moment to recognize where he was. The room just seemed so empty without the incredibly spacious bed taking up half of it. It reminded him of how he and Yin had accidentally broken it shortly before they had left for the war island, and how Alex had to convince Yin to take it. That entire evening had been highly amusing and even thinking about it now brought a smile Alex's face, as he stepped further into the room and opened up the closet to let out his fully living pets that he had made stay in there while he had been away.

The first pet that stepped out was not one that Alex immediatly recognized, though it was fairly familiar, and it's coloring and markings could not be mistaken. "Fei?" Alex said, grinning. "Well, look who grew up while I was gone!" He said, rather happily as the vaisel began to purr and sauntered up to rub against the zomboils legs before climbing his body by digging his claws into Alex's clothes and perching on his shoulder, though it was quite a bit more awkward now that he was full sized then it had been before.

"Don't get too comfortable." He warned, sounding maybe a little bit bitter as he shrugged his back pack off and set it on his desk, unzipping it to empty it of Alex's contents, to be replaced by cleaner clothes and books. The left over jerky he threw on the floor for his pets to consume, along with a few treats he kept hidden on top of the book shelf.

When these tasks were completed, it was time for Alex to do the thing that he dreaded most.

Shower.

He tried to make the process take as little time as possible, though he was careful to scrub himself with soap and wash his tangle of hair rather thoroughly. They could have been any amount of minuscule jungle organisms living in that mess of hair after his week in the jungle.

And so, once he was cleaned, dressed into some fresh clothes, laden down with backpack and once again with vaisel, he was ready to get on his way over to Yin's. He hoped the other boil hadn't already caught dinner or anything, and that he could at least convince Yin to let him order some take out with the little money they had left. He needed real prepared and delicious food, something more like his mother would have made. Not that he really minded the warm raw flesh and bones of rats, but after a while it just became so bland and boring!

All in all the process of getting to his room, getting ready, and getting over to the monster dorms had taken quite a bit longer then Alex really thought it was going to, so it was no surprise that he arrived back even after Yin had done all of his own things plus hunting for food for Princess Eva as well. When Alex pushed his way into the room, Fei immediatly hopped down from his shoulder to go and stalk Lady Terror, possibly ready to get her back now that he was big enough to do so.

The zomboil had not really been expecting to see Yin in his natural form, and was momentarily startled, though he got over the initial shock quickly enough, and the wince back towards the still open door was probably barely noticeable. He turned to shut the door fully behind him, slipping his backpack off and swinging it into the closet before shuffling across the room and collapsing on top of the bed. Practically throwing himself onto it and rolling over on to his back.

"I'm hungry." he said, not wasting any time. "Can I order something in? Pleeeeaaaaase?" He gave Yin a huge smile, blinking his pale grey eyes in what he hoped was some kind of irresistibly adorable expression that probably just came off as being ridiculous and a little bit creepy.

"Also do you know what else would be great? If you let me move my bookshelf over here. Then I wouldn't have to go back and forth to get new books all of the time."

Slightly off topic, but that was Alex for you, just rambling on about basically anything his mind wandered across without thinking first.

Alex had only really winced away because it had caught him off guard and had been unexpected considering how rarely Yin was ever shifted into his natural form around the zomboil. If he did it more often, Alex would probably have not even batted an eyelash. As it was, however, once past his initial surprise, he couldn't help but completely admire just how incredibly scary Yin's natural form was. Not that he wanted Yin coming anywhere near his neck with those serrated front arms of his, though.

The scent of blood and raw meat was suddenly thick in the air, and that just made Alexander all the more hungry. Vaguely he realized that Yin had gone out hunting, but hadn't exactly brought back any food for the either of them to eat. Apparently the mini pets were more important.

But that apparently meant that Alex got to order in food, which was what he had wanted anyways. And he could at least see that Yin had made an effort to crack the skull of the drutten open to get to the pathetically small brain inside, which Alex could only assume was for him, so he sat up, pushed himself off of the bed, and sauntered over to make a grab for the delectable treat before one of the mini's could get to it first. He gave Yin a sidelong look, "No I did not have something in my eye," He grumbled, just before popping the brains in his mouth and starting to chew. Yin was making his way out to shower now, and permission to order food had been granted. Alex wasted absolutely no time in grabbing out his phone and finding one of the many take out restaurants on speed dial before hitting the call button and putting in an order for meat. Lots of meat. And candied brains. And he asked to have it delivered because he really could not be bothered to go and pick it up, though they did charge slightly more for that. Yin had not given him a limit on the amount he could spend, however, which had probably been very large mistake.

He then made his way over to the bed, grabbing up Yin's scrap top, and laid down on the bed with hit, immersing himself in the wonderful technology that he had been without for too many days.

When Yin returned, Alex glanced up, and shut the scraptop lid, pushing it to the side and leaning a head in his hands.

And then Yin was suddenly completely naked. Why was he always doing that?? Why were shifters apparently so damn comfortable getting naked in front of just anybody??

It was at that moment that Alex's phone started to ring, and he pulled it out of his pocket to see that it was his mom. Great timing, as usual. He listened to what Yin had to say about the bookshelves first, feeling slightly disappointed but accepting the fact that this was Yin's room, and if he didn't want Alex cluttering it up, then that was his choice.

And besides that, Alex was far too distracted by the phone vibrating in his hand and naked weremantis to really argue.

"Ya fine, okay, I just..." He frowned, words were suddenly difficult to come up with, but Yin was at least grabbing a new pair of pants out of the closet, and he really needed to answer the phone.

Tapping at the screen he lifted the eyephone up to his ear, and turning away from Yin. "Hey mom, what's up?"

If Alex's face could have paled, it would have. "No mom, no. Not right now. We...we just got back! Mom, really? Seriously? No!" He was reaching up with a free hand to rub at his face now, and turned to take a couple of glances towards Yin, who was thankfully at least partially clothed now. With a sigh at whatever he was hearing on the other end of the line, Alex held the phone out at arms length, and even then he could still here his mom lecturing him in a very loud tone.

"She want's to do a video chat with us." He said to Yin, though he didn't mention why she wanted to do one, because he really didn't want to get into it.

Alex was still holding the phone away from his face even when Yin had come over to see what was going on. Alex could very clearly hear his mothers voice as it emitted from the phone. " Alexander, are you even listening to me? Alexander!"

With a sigh, he brought the phone back up to his ear. Apparently his mother had heard what Yin had said. "Yes I know that, mom but he doesn't--- ok you know what? Fine. We'll just get it over with then. Yep. See you in a few minutes."

The zomboil the dropped his phone unceremoniously to the bed before reaching over to pull the scrap top towards himself one more, opening the top and turning it on. "This'll just be a minute or two" he mumbled towards the weremantis as he started getting things set up.

Some time later, things were ready to go. Well, the video chat was ready, though Alex really wasn't. Getting the talk from his mother was bad enough on its own. Getting the talk from his mother at the same time as his clueless and innocent boilfriend? Not cool. Not cool at all.

"Yin? I really feel like I should apologize in advance for this...." he said, giving the other boil the most pathetically sorry look he could muster before clicking on the call button.

Moments later, Alexs mother was on the screen, and she looked grim, and oddly determined. "Hell---" she started, and then stopped, eyes widening. "Alexander!? What have you done to your hair! And.... Are those new clothes? How are you able to afford that?!?" her eyes may have flickered towards Yin, questioning.

What was sad was that this was really quite possibly the calm before the storm.

Alexander just rolled his eyes, then caught the look Yin was giving him and hunched in on himself somewhat defensively. "Heeeeeey, I'm working it off!" He argued, before glancing back at the screen.

Oohhhhhh, that look he was getting from his mom. That look could freeze a fire demon!

"I..uh..may have taken..an..um..advance out on my money?" He explained, as innocently as possible while offering his mom a large smile. The look she was continuing to give him seemed to indicate that she was not impressed, nor was she happy about the situation. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line, and she was glaring at Alex like he was the biggest disappointment she had ever laid eyes on.

"And is there a reason your bed is currently in Yin's room?" She finally broke the awkward silence with yet another question, though she tried to make her voice sound sweet and nonthreatening.

Alex could see right through it.

Before Yin could answer that one and make things worse, Alex answered her, "I may have accidentally broken the one that Yin had, so I'm letting him borrow mine since I don't need it." He answered, promptly. He knew Yin would probably tell her all about the 'tempting' and the wrestling and how they had actually both broken the bed, though Alex had finished it off later by jumping on it afterwards.

"I see." She said, glancing between the two boils suspiciously.

And then, out of nowhere. "Yǐn Cáng, it has recently come to my attention that you have not yet been properly educated about certain things. Things involving protection charms?" Her gaze landed on the weremantis finally, eyebrows raising.

"I'm afraid I simply find this unacceptable. At your age and dating my son...No. Somebody should have told you all of this by now. Alexander, if this is too embarassing for you, I understand, and you may leave the room." She finished, though her tone of voice clearly indicated that she would be very, very disappointed with him if he couldn't just suck it up and stay.

"Oh well hey, I actually need to go downstairs and see if our dinner is here yet!" Alex replied, rushing his words and giving his mom a large grin before scooting off of the bed.

"You two have fun chatting. I will be back as quickly as I can. See ya later!"
She might not have meant it, but as far as Alex was concerned, she had given him an out, and he was taking it and running for dear unlife.

Though if Yin told him to stay before he could get to the door...well, he would probably turn around and go back.

Alex really, really could not have gotten out of that room fast enough. He was almost to the door, he was reaching for the handle, he was nearly in the clear and then..

...and then he remembered he didn't actually have any money. His hand paused, part way towards the handle on his doorway to freedom, and suddenly whirled around. Did he have money in his backpack? Would it be enough if he did? He took quick strides over to the closet. None of that shuffling nonsense now, this was an emergency. He opened the door and pulled his back pack out, unzipped the front pocket and grabbed out whatever he had, which wasn't a lot, really, but it might be enough. Dropping his backpack in the closet again, he whirled on one foot, refusing to look up and make eye contact with Yin. If he looked, he would see what he was doing to the poor boil, see how it was effecting him, subjecting him to his mother, who once she thought she needed to do or say something, was unstoppable. He almost felt sick to his stomach, and slightly ashamed, as he opened up that door and left the room, closing it perhaps a little harder then he needed to behind him.

He made it out. He was free.

Poor Yin!

He squeezed his eyes shut and leaned against the door, having an internal debate about whether to go back in, to shut the laptop, turn it off, throw it out the window if he had to. Yin didn't need this right now. Neither of them did, really! He didn't need to learn any of these things when the most they ever did was hug or hold hands. It was so pointless!

And yet, the zomboil could not bring himself to go back into that room. And like the spineless coward he was, he trudged away from the room, hands digging into pockets and eyes downcast, the back of his neck feeling quite warm.

Meanwhile, Alex's mom was relentless. She waited for a time, studying Yin, almost weighing him with her eyes, as though she could see into his mind and knew just how little understanding he had of what she was about to attempt to teach him. She tried to tell him it was okay, that this was not such a terrible thing to learn about, tried to sound as reassuring as she could.

But then she started in on giving the actual information. She didn't shy away from anything, and was blunt, and to the point. No sugarcoating it, no more soothing words of reassurance. This was educational, after all, a learning experience for the boil who was dating her son.

Though if she had any doubts before that her son was lying to her about whether he and Yin were actively participating in the actions she was currently describing, they were promptly wiped away by the looks she was getting from Yin. It almost made her feel bad, almost convinced her to stop..

..But no, this was really for the best. And so, she continued on, not stopping for even a moment in her explaining of all the things. And she was just explaining the boils side right now, not even touching on ghouls just yet. And she was well prepared, with diagrams and books and explaining which protection charms were better then others and why and really it was quite amazing that she knew quite so much about all of this.

Amazing or highly disturbing.

She finally stopped, eyeing the other boil and opening her mouth as though to continue, and then stopping, looking thoughtful for a moment. "You...probably don't want to know about ghouls, do you?" She finally said, a small frown creasing her forehead. It had only just occurred to her that he might have issue with that, though for some reason it hadn't crossed her mind that he might have issue with this whole thing.

And Alex had been gone for quite a long time by now, hadn't he?

Well, that's because he was really taking his time getting back to the room. Like, reallllly taking his time.

Alex's mom looked at Yin questioningly. Nymph's? She didn't know what that even meant. She was not as well read as Alex, who would have probably known what that meant two days after learning there was a weremantis in the school, if he had bothered (and he likely had) to read a book just about regular mantises to see what they were all about. But he mentioned adulthood, and that at least gave her a clue as to what he was talking about. Her expression turned gentle, finally, and it appeared that she was about finished with the topic at hand, though she felt she aught to say something to the poor young weremantis before departing.

"Look, Yǐn Cáng, I know you know this, and at the risk of repeating things I'm sure you've already been told...you are a different place now, and there are different rules. Everything I've told you, I've also told Alexander. That and more, actually, and I told him all of that long before he fully understood what any of it meant either. I'm not doing this to try to embarrass you, I'm doing it to try and prepare you for the future, so that when the day does come that you have...reached adult hood....you won't be surprised. And in the end, I'm only doing it to protect you both, and above all, keep you safe. I hope you can understand that, and I hope this doesn't make you more uncomfortable around me." Though she could see that was clearly wishful thinking.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't believe you are actually doing any of these things." She said, giving him a smallest hint of a smile, not that he was even looking up to see it.

She really did feel much better now, though, having been able to tell Yin all of these things. She didn't think she would mention that she'd already sent an informative book (with plenty of pictures) in the mail. He seemed a little overcome with embarrassment enough as it was.

It was at about this time that Alex finally pushed his way into the room, laden down with two paper bags of food. He quietly shuffled into the room and kicked the door shut behind him, glancing towards the bed and then looking away.

What to do...where to put the food...this was incredibly awkward....

Well, standing around by the door looking like a complete tool probably wasn't the best thing Alex could be doing, so while the last place he wanted to be right at that moment was near the bed, near that scrap top with his mothers lecturing tone, or near Yin, he really had little to no choice if he wanted to put the bags of food down.

Yin really needed a table or something. Maybe a fold up one that could easily be stored when not in use so it wouldn't take up any of his precious training space.

So, Alex slowly shuffled towards the bed, setting down both bags of food and avoiding looking at Yin, for the moment, at least. He couldn't hope to not have to look at the other boil for the remainder of the night. He heard Yin tell his mother that he had come back, could hear the desperate hope in the other boils tone as he asked if that would be all.

Thankfully, Alex's mom simply nodded, "Yes, I---I think that will be everything for now, Yǐn Cáng. Again, I am sorry this is such an uncomfortable subject for you, and I apologize if you feel I went completely out of bounds but, this is really just for your safety." One last reassuring smile, and then. "I still do need to talk to Alexander, but let him know I will call him tomorrow."

Alex couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was standing right here and could hear her perfectly fine! Just because she couldn't see him on screen was no reason to believe he couldn't hear her.

But with those last words, and a soft "Goodbye." She had hit the end call button, and Alex reached over to shut the top with a light click.

Then and only then did he finally look to the other boil, his whole body tense, his look apprehensive. He was worried that Yin was going to be upset with him for leaving, upset with him for having a mother that seemed to have no care for boundries, or be so embarrassed by everything that he would either ask Alex to leave, or possibly leave himself.

Oh, wait, maybe that would be a good thing! Maybe Yin would feel better if he had some time alone. And so, the first thing out of Alex's mouth was "Do you...uh...maybe I should leave for a while." He mumbled, "Or....you can go, if you want..for a run or something? That usually makes you feel better, right?"

He was really struggling here, because Yin just looked so upset and his face really couldn't have gotten anymore red then it currently was.