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[ HE'S LOCKED THE FUCK IN he needs to make sure Moriarty is okay, if he's not okay then they have a problem and Dante is nothing if not a problem solver, right?

What's the point in having your partner back if your partner is sick? or hurt? or cursed?

no.
even when Moriarty hits his desk, Dante isn't backing off. He's leaning in. ]

You won't even look me in the eye.

[ What the hell's gotten into him all of a sudden? He's gone from wet mop to righteous public defender and Moriarty frankly doesn't know how to handle it.

Not when he's trying—failing, honestly—to protect such a stupid yet embarrassing secret. ]

If looking you in the eyes is what it will take to convince you I'm FINE, then I'll—

[ Oh no. The moment they lock eyes, something in his magical energy shifts. It's happening. God help him, it's happening again. ]

[ It's not Ascension, but rather a partial manifestation of his fae curse.

His human ears are promptly replaced by their ermine equivalent, and his ermine tail also makes an unwanted reappearance, pushing his pants askew on his lanky hips to accommodate its sudden presence. Really, it's these sorts of things no one warns you about being half-man, half-weasel.

This all happens with a comical little 'poof', to boot.

Moriarty freezes, wide-eyed. ]

[ .....Huh? ]

[ ..........Huh???

Oh my god.
Dante's expression goes from intense to... quiet. His hair almost comically settling as the energy he'd been outputting comes down from its intensity and his eyes lose that focus... just to stare. In wide-eyed wonder. ]

[ and then there comes the smile. No, the GRIN.

Ah, he was right.
Moriarty was cursed but...

...

Without a word, he's going to reach out to touch his ears, with both hands. ]

Oh, .... you...

...

...Hehehh....

Cute...

[ Yeah, no, that's the final straw. It's officially curtains for James Moriarty!

He's going to crawl into a tiny hole and die of embarrassment now, thank you very much!!

Dante gets a few moments to enjoy the deeply flustered expression on Moriarty's face before he suddenly disappears, taking the surprisingly soft and luxurious sensation of his furry ermine ears with him.

Rather than dematerializing, however, Moriarty has simply fully transformed, dropping to the office floor as a full-fledged ermine.

He immediately darts under his desk, his black-tipped tail flicking as he hides from Dante's view. ]

---!?

Moriarty!?

[ He...

Oh, his eyes are not fucking with him, right? HE JUST SAW THAT with his OWN EYES, Right?!

he's sort of stunned into silence before he remembers himself--quickly getting to his knees to try to find out where the--Moriarty? Ermine? Creature? went?! ]

--Hey, don't hide--come on, are--

Are you okay!?
...Why are you. So small, and cute?

YOU SAW NOTHING!!!

[ That's definitely James Moriarty's voice, albeit now coming out of a small white furry creature. Given that his coat is stark white, he's easy to see, even in the gloom under the desk, if Dante simply looks. ]

I'M NOT HERE RIGHT NOW! PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE BEEP!

[ Moriarty, that doesn't even make sense— ]

... [ oh he's EMBARRASSED about this. Dante's got a small smile on his face as he tries to look under the furniture to locate his partner--who's now an Ermine.
He can't seem to find him. He's gonna start following his voice.

...Aha. Blotch of white. Gotcha, there you are. ]

I ran all this way to see you...

Heheh.

And you're gonna' just turn me away because you somehow got a new skill to turn into a small and adorable little ... ...are you a weasel?

What I may or may not be is none of your business!!!

[ Yes, he is absolutely a weasel. More specifically, he's an ermine. ]

And stop calling me small and cute and adorable.

I am a grown man—who just so happens to be suffering from an unfortunate curse.

Don't you dare laugh.

I'm not laughing...

[ Moriarty HE'S ALWAYS LAUGHING, how is today any different from any other day.

But you can see it. you can see him choking down that little uneasy giggle he always does. a hand over his mouth and everything, painted nails so carefully pressed over his mouth. ]

But it's hard not to call something 'cute'... when it's cute.

It's like seeing a cat stretch...

You have to say 'ooh, big stretch'.... you know?

[ Dante likely can't see it due to their current respective positions—given that Moriarty is still under his own desk and all—but his little black-tipped tail begins lashing in annoyance. ]

OR YOU COULD KEEP YOUR UNWANTED COMMENTARY ENTIRELY TO YOURSELF.

[ For a creature so small, he's still surprisingly loud when he gets worked up about something. ]

Wow...

[ there's a genuine sound of delight and awe in his voice as he moves to cross his legs. Deciding to sit on the floor, waiting for Moriarty to come out and stop acting like a petulant brat. ]

For something so small, the set of lungs on you is truly amazing...

Heheh.

Here I was worried you might be in danger in this form...
But you could scare gods away with that voice...

[ He has never, not even once in his life, watched a cat stretch and then uttered the words "Ooh, big stretch" out loud. Ever. ]

Yes, well, I'm not exactly keen to get into a fight in this form.

Or in general, really.

[ Is it even possible for him to access his usual combat abilities in this form? Not that he really wants to risk conjuring flames while he's under an extremely wooden desk, but it's a thought to table for later. ]

Nevertheless, this shape is incredibly inconvenient for me—in more ways than one.

[ thats because you have no WHIMSY and you're in desperate need of it. ]

Ah, is this world a particularly peaceful one? Amazing. We get to be lawyers again and there won't be any fighting this time... what a dream come true...
[ these are Famous Last Words. ]

Hehehh...

So you've been in that form before.
That means you'll change back... right?

Of course I've been in this form before. Did you think your arrival just spontaneously coincided with me developing some kind of curse, right here and now, on the spot?

Unless that's what you were hoping for.

[ Has Dante been cursing his name in secret??? If Moriarty didn't know for a FACT whose fault this was, he might stop and wonder if Dante was the culprit. ]

Would you wish this upon me, Dante Alighieri!?

After everything I've done for you?!?!

Now, why would I 'hope' for that... we're already an odd duo when we face court cases together.

Can you imagine if I came up to the stand with a ferret or ... stoat, in my hand...?

Heheh... I'd be laughed straight out of court...

...

Maybe I should write a children's book about the Poet and the Stoat...

[ They absolutely are an odd duo in court, but Moriarty pins the blame entirely on Dante. Who wants a defense attorney dressed in rags who keeps creepily giggling behind the bench before every statement? ]

THAT'S the grand follow-up to your great work?!

[ From legendary poet to children's book writer. ]

Besides, my coat is white, so that technically makes me an ermine.

Anyway, yes, to answer your question: I should change back as soon as—um.

[ Shit, wait, like he's going to admit he needs to calm down first. That means admitting he got all flustered in the first place. ]

Eventually.

Shouldn't I take it easy after my great work...?

A lot of people recognised me in this city already, you know... I gave away a few copies... people even asked me to sign it...

[ he's absolutely sparkling, isn't it annoying?

As he leaaaaans over again to look under the desk at his friend. ]

...

Heheh, Mori...

You didn't finish your sentence. Don't think just because you're under there that I won't interrogate you for answers...

'As soon as you...' what.

[ Dante might LOOK and even ACT like an idiot, but that's far from the truth. It's why he's actually a good legal partner, despite his... everything. That said, right now Moriarty wishes he could sneak something past him—just this once. ]

I'm acquainted with the person who placed this curse upon me, you see.

For the record, it wasn't intentionally cast, but neither is it something that can be easily removed.

Based on his recommendation, if I want to transform back to my usual self sooner than later...

[ Dante better lean in, because he's going to say this in an extremely quiet voice. ]

I must relax.

[ You know, the thing he's famously really good at doing.

Moriarty is many things, but laid-back is not one of them. ]

[ 'i must relax'.

...
hm.
well... it's not... simple, per say--he's tempted to make a comment with 'but you never relax', but. As an example of exactly HOW sharp the man is despite how he acts, he decides to choose this battle and leave that comment under his tongue instead of letting it out.

It'll make the other yell again.

So instead, he thinks.
A thoughtful look on his face as he considers... ]

Well.

How about you come out from under there and take a nap with me on the couch, then.

...I'm pretty tired from all the... running around I've done today.

Nothing's more relaxing than an afternoon nap.
Once you change back we can decide what to do from there.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm—

[ That low sound isn't a purr or a growl, but rather the annoyed hum of a man who doesn't want to admit Dante's logic is sound. ]

—fine.

I'm not tired, not even slightly, but going through the charade might prove... calming. Maybe.

Anyway, it's not like I have a better idea.

[ Saying so, the ermine finally creeps out of hiding, allowing Dante to behold his furry form in full. ]

[ ...is... he allowed to pick you up, sir? because he's gonna try to pick you up.

he won't HOLD him though--~~Bond level 6 at least is needed for something like that even if you are cute~~--he'll immediately move to put him on the couch with a plop. Figuring he'd have difficulty scampering up that himself. ]

It's a nice sunny day outside, despite the cold. And the room is such a comfortable temperature...

I've missed these old couches. I could have a nap totally easily...

Heheh.

So you'll just have to relax and try to turn back, too. Do you have a radio...? We could listen to some music while we siesta.

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