She draws them a bath after setting the tray out and getting a set of clean clothes put out, gives them an affectionate ruffle of their hair. "Come out and see us whenever you're ready to."
Mutt strips off their clothes and settles into the bath. The water turns pink as they sit there, still thinking. Killing is bad. But Legion and Even praised them. The water is hot and it makes Mutt feel like they're safe here. It washes away the feel of what they've done. It reminds them of something they can't quite remember. Legion and Even noticed them. Legion and Even were nice to them. Killing is... Killing is... After they're sure they can't get any cleaner, they dry off and get dressed. After a few seconds, they open the door.
The door to the room across the hall is open. Even and Legion are playing cards in a simple room, more personalized than Mutt's, but still rather plain. Both look towards Mutt and smile.
Mutt manages a little smile and crosses the hall. They stand in the doorway for a few moments, then walk closer to Legion and Even and sit down. "Am I bad?" they whisper.
"No." Even peers at Mutt. "What? Of course not!" Legion looks surprised. "You did good." Even agrees. "Jack was a bad man," Legion says, arms crossed. "We knew you could handle him." "One way or another.'
"Oh." Jack had looked scared, had been scared. Legion had lied to him - but she had to lie, didn't she? Or else he'd have run earlier. But she and Even also hadn't told Mutt what they were really doing, and Jack had almost killed them because of it. Or does that just prove that Jack was a bad man? "You didn't tell me I was supposed to kill him."
"It was safer if you didn't know. Once he was asleep, we were going to come help you," she says earnestly.
Legion leans in, grinning. "We knew he wouldn't be able to do it. You're a fighter. You're better than him, Mutt. You're one of us."
Years pass. Mutt grows bigger. Many of those around him stay the same. Legion is lounging nearby, staring up at a sky made of swirling pearlescent colours, the movements under her skin still, for once. A woman with long, spiderlike limbs clambers down the wall nearby, waving one hand and giving a low little chirp. "Mutt. Vicious wanted to ask if you wanted to be part of the little party we're throwing. We've already got a few pieces of entertainment planned. But we could always use more..."
Her mouth splits into a wide, many-toothed smile, and she pets Mutt's hair. "Oh. It's going to be lovely... you just need to be there, and be still... everyone will be delighted to have you present, isn't that l-" Legion lets out a noise like a furious teakettle, her voice rising in an angry torrent of discordant sounds as she rises to her feet and launches at the spider, skin of her fist stretching as the moving pieces all join together, a point hungering for contact. The spider topples from the wall, many eyes wide, then backs up, hissing angrily, letting scythe-like blades snap out from her forearms. "What's your fucking problem ?!" "Fuck off, Mutt isn't yours to play with." Legion hisses. "Mutt's with us."
"....Yes?" Mutt looks back and forth between the spider-woman and Legion. "...Does that mean I can't go to the party?"
"That means we go to the party, but not as the entertainment," Legion growls, pulling her arm free to wrap it over Mutt's shoulder and tug them close to her side. "Got it, Arachnid?" The spider lady spits out a broken fang. "I don't see what you have against a little fun , Legion."
