Winter 1 - Howell

[avaricesims]

Howell - Winter 1

 

Hello winter! We're meant to be joining the Pleasant twins in Britechester today, and instead we're in Evergreen Harbor. I have some updates. My game was having a problem with some of the cheat codes so instead of turning the seasons back for each rotation, I'd resorted to fast-forwarding through them until we were back in the right season for the current family. This worked fine for everyone except Lilith and Angela, who in that process finished their degrees and graduated, entirely off-screen. Oops and also darn it. I've since fixed the cheat issue so we shouldn't have more whoopsies like that, but it does mean I don't need to play the final semester for the twins.



And so we come to our first expansion of the rotations. Angela has moved in with her boyfriend, Lou, into Pinecrest Apartments in the Conifer Station neighbourhood of Evergreen Harbor. They are now the Howell rotation, and Lilith will follow and remain the Pleasant rotation.

Lou's apartment is absolutely tiny, and was also very plainly furnished. Angela and Lilith split the roughly $38,000 simoleons that was their joint net worth upon leaving Britechester, and Angela immediately sunk a lot of hers into redecorating in soothing blues and greens.



Lou might not be deeply into interior design, but he appreciates Angela's artistic eye and preference for neutral, calming tones.



The two of them are pretty loved up, hence Angela deciding to move in with Lou now that she's finished studying. Lou has also finished his own degree in history, although hasn't found a job yet.

 

Loved up they are going to need to be, because there's a big difference between dating a werewolf and living with one. Now that she's moved in, Lou takes the opportunity to explain a bit more about his lifestyle to Angela. He's nocturnal, so he sleeps during the day, hence not being able to find a job in the area of his degree. He also has a voracious appetite - both for food and, erm, the ladies.



Unfortunately, this combination of temperaments means that living a normal life is pretty hard, and because he's very into Angela and so constantly flirty, he gains rage very quickly. He loses control before he has a chance to explain what that means to Angela.





As it turns out, finding one's boyfriend with glowing red eyes and slavering jaws is more than a little terrifying. Lou makes a beeline for outside.





He experiences his first rampage on the streets of Conifer Station. Lou has been a werewolf for as long as Angela has known him, but was able to keep in control when he lived on his own. Her constant presence coupled with his frisky temperament appears to be a recipe for disaster.



He also does some damage to Angela's carefully picked new furniture before he manages to rein things back in.

This calls for a lengthy discussion the following morning.
"I'm so sorry I scared you, Angela. I didn't realise how much faster the rage would build with you around all the time."
"It's okay, Lou. It's an adjustment for both of us, I guess."
"I think I need to spend some time at Moonwood Mill and with my pack. I've been getting by alright until now, but if I don't learn more about this werewolf stuff, I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you."
Angela nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."




Which was how Lou found himself outside the Moonwood Mill Library that night, in accordance with his preferred nocturnal schedule, ready to figure out this whole werewolf thing a whole lot better.





He read some werewolf books to try and get a better handle on his abilities, and also introduced himself to Kristopher Volkov, who was hanging out, very relaxed and nowhere near raging, in his wolf form.



Once he was all booked out, Lou headed over to the bar, where he met up with Rory Oaklow for the first time. Lou joined her new pack, which she created after needing to get out from under the rules and regulations of the calm, placid, and civilised Kristopher Volkov, but he didn't really know her or her ethos. It was about time he had a proper talk with her and figured out the Wildfangs, which he'd only chosen because he thought it sounded cool.

 

She met up with him when darkness fell again that night to give him more information. Lou's rage was building again already, and the instant attraction he felt to Rory in her beast form wasn't helping.
"The Wildfangs are all about embracing being a werewolf. We're freaking awesome, Lou. We're powerful, wild, and we should be free. If you want to fit into the human world and keep your wolf on a leash, this isn't the pack for you."





This time when Lou let his werewolf rampage take over, he didn't feel out of control or guilty for scaring Angela. He felt powerful, free, and happy.





Once he calmed down, he indulged in some more playful werewolf hobbies. He was delighted to find an outlet for all the aggression and unacceptable urges he was always trying to suppress. If he got into a fight in Evergreen Harbor, he made enemies and damaged his reputation in the community. If he fought out here, everyone cheered them on and they shook hands afterwards.



Angela was cooking breakfast when Lou got home from his time at Moonwood Mill.



"It was amazing, Angela. I learned so much about my powers, and how to live out and proud as a werewolf. I don't want to hide who I am any more."
"That's...I mean, no problem, of course, although I have to admit that you being nocturnal and me being...not...is kind of a challenge. I guess we'll just have to go to some extra effort to spend time together."



"Absolutely. I'm sure we can make it work. Just let me go burn off some energy..."



"Then you could join me in the shower?"



And finally Lou was off to bed for the day, exhausted after his lengthy adventures in the werewolf world, followed by his best attempts to fit Angela into his life.



Angela had meanwhile set herself up with an easel in their study, and had taken a job as an art critic, with a considerable boost courtesy of her distinguished Art degree.



With her days free, since Lou was sleeping, she quickly progressed in her skills and career, receiving a promotion to Chief Critic.



Work hadn't been easy for Lou to find to suit his temperament, but seeing Angela doing so well prompted him to start searching for work again. He couldn't keep living off her pay check without contributing anything. He wasn't a student any more, and not only was he not getting student loans to cover his expenses, he also needed to start paying that loan back. So he took as part time job as a laborer. It might not have much to do with history, but the shorter hours looked manageable. Not sitting at a desk all day also appealed.



For Winterfest, Lou and Angela had a low key celebration, just the two of them.



After exchanging gifts (Lou gave Angela a diamond he'd found while wolfing out, and Angela gave him some raw fish - romantic), the couple headed to the Onsen Bathhouse in Mt Komerabi for some quality time in the hot springs.



Later in the winter, who should drop by except Angela's ex-boyfriend, Joaquin? The two have a catch-up for several hours, while Lou slumbers the day away in the bedroom. Joaquin looks less than sure about Angela's description of life with a boyfriend, even though she insists it's working quite well.



Not too much later Angela gets a call from Lilith, and the two sisters decide to spend the day together. They head out for lunch first.





Then they catch an afternoon yoga class together. Lilith is even less convinced than Joaquin was when she hears about Lou's increasingly wolfy ways.
"So he's at home sleeping? All day?"
"Yeah. We catch up in the evenings, before I head to bed. He usually works out, and I guess he might start going out to Moonwood Mill more often. He's gotten pretty into hanging out with his pack."



Lilith has some concerns about what she's hearing, and decides to drop by and have a word with Lou. He's not impressed to be woken up by her unarranged visit.
"Sounds like you're embracing the wolf or whatever. All I'm saying Lou, is you'd better not hurt my sister."
"Or what?"
"Use your imagination."



He has to go for a run to try and blow off some steam after the confrontation.



When that doesn't work to calm him down (that werewolf temper is a bitch), he phones Rory and asks her to join him for a beer.
"It's so damn hard, Rory. Trying to match my werewolf life with Angela's life and make it all work is exhausting. We have different schedules, and I'm beginning to think different goals in life."
"Human mates are always hard, Lou. She's gotta love you for who you REALLY are, wolf and all. Maybe especially the wolf part. She can't just love the human part and put up with the wolf."
As they talk, something begins to dawn on Lou. He's confused at first, but soon enough it becomes crystal clear.



He and Rory are meant to be. Fated. Destined to fall in love.
He can feel it deep in the werewolf part of him. He assumes her being a werewolf too has something to do with it. She's surprised, but not unhappy, when he kisses her.
"Well, I didn't expect to find my fated mate in my own pack, or for it to be the wolf I'm mentoring, but there you go."
Lou stared at her. "Wow. What does this mean for me and Angela?"
"I can't tell you that, Lou. You have to decide how you feel. The moon knows we're exactly right for each other, but you can still choose to ignore that and be with Angela. Take some time to figure things out...but not too long, okay? I deserve to know one way or the other. So does Angela."



For the moment though, Angela has no idea. She's having a lovely time introducing herself to their mailman. He's very handsome, something she might have taken more note of had she known what Lou was up to at that very moment.

 

When he's still not back that evening, she assumes he's gone to the Mill for the night and accepts an invitation from Joaquin to join him and his flatmate, Sergio, for New Year's Eve.



Angela enjoys getting to know Sergio, another handsome man who she could do with paying some attention to, and they have a pleasant evening watching the countdown on TV and talking. She returns to her and Lou's apartment the following morning, right at the end of the winter.



And that's where we leave Lou and Angela - with Lou trying to figure out what to do about finding his fated mate in Rory and yet already being in a close and committed relationship with Angela, and Angela not yet aware that her partner is having serious questions over their future. Oh dear! Will the Howell rotation end up being very short-lived?