Ozzy grinned and said, "It's an in-joke between us. I can take this collar off any time I want. I just don't particularly want to. And you're right, I do have to be careful, now. But I've managed to find that happy medium between 'treating her like she's made of glass' and 'Man of Steel, Woman of Paper issues'. She gets her daily recommended dose of hugs, still."

  She smiled, and said softly "The thing is, I love Ozzy.  The bonds between us are far more powerful than any leash or collar, and those are willingly taken."  She patted his cheek, and added "I adore Ozzy.  He's addictively sweet."

  The dude grinned, and said "So the leash and collar are there, because YOU want everyone else to know which girl you've chosen.  I gotta know, how the HELL you gonna fit in a tux for prom?"

Ozzy chuckled, "Easy! There's a guy in Derrton who does custom tuxes. I'll get one from him. I can tell you where his shop is, if you need a tux of your own."

  Clarissa giggled, and said "We DO need to take a trip there fairly soon.  You need refitted for your tux, love.  You're NOT going to fit the one for you that they had in the works."

  The fellow chuckled, and told Ozzy "You know, you're a really lucky guy, being so confident of your girl like this.  It's hard to find a girl who isn't fickle at our age."

Ozzy chuckled, "Yeah, I did kinda 'Hulk Out' of my suit last night, love. At least it was my work suit. And no, no I'm not, am I?"

He then smiled at the guy and said, "Yeah. I am a lucky, lucky guy. Clarissa's an amazing girl, and I'm so glad she picked me."

  She smiled, and said "You've put on a couple inches, and a couple pounds.  But it all looks so sexy."  She caught his horn lightly, tugging him close so she could give him another kiss.  When their lips met this time, she pushed mana into him, filling his reserves (they were bigger than they had been) and making him feel ten feet tall AND bulletproof.

  The guys grinned, and one said "Dude, you really want to blow folks away?  Get her a ring."

Ozzy kissed her back, and grinned at the feeling of mana rushing into him, filling his reserves to the brim.

He then grinned at the guy and said, "Yeah. Working on it. Just need to find something appropriate, you know? Plus, we couldn't actually get hitched until we're both 18."

  She grinned, and said softly "You could say I give Ozzy a real charge."

  The guys laughed, and one of them told him "Alabama lets you get married at fourteen with consent."

Ozzy chuckled, "Yeah, but we weren't really wanting to leave the state, ya know? Besides, would this state even recognize it, since we wouldn't have been able to get married legally here?"

He then shrugged and said, "Besides, the actual marriage bit is just a party and a piece of paper. Clarissa and I made our promises to each other already, and that's what really matters. The rest is just officially letting the government and our friends know, ya know?"

  The fellow chuckled, replying "Yeah, they recognize it.  Since, you know, you're not a gay couple, they HAVE to.  It's  one of the weird factoids I learned in my civics classes.  A binding, legal marriage performed anywhere in the US or it's territories MUST be recognized in any and all other states of the Union.  And you don't have to MOVE there, just be there to do the ceremony, where it's legal.  Then you can come home.  Like Las Vegas with it's drivr through wedding chapels."

  Clarissa smiled, leaning against him as they were chatting.  He never had to worry about her wandering off while he conversed, she liked to lean against him and listen.  Right now, her left hand was tracing slow patterns across his new tattoos on his chest through the paint-shirt.

Ozzy chuckled, "Wow. Didn't know that. Thanks for the tip! Wait, by 'consent' do you mean her consent, or her parents' consent? We can get married here now if her parents consent to it, but, well... that ain't happening anytime soon. They're not fond of me, and technically, they have a good reason."

As he talked, he started to gently stroke Clarissa's hair, loving the way it felt against his fingers.

  Clarissa made a soft, pleased sound, and leaned right against him, eyes closed in a smile.  She LOVED feeling him stroke her hair.  And it felt like silk to him, those long, soft strands of chocolate-brown hair.

  His classmate nodded, and said "I think it's parents or a legal guardian, but I'd have to check to be sure.  I somehow don't think too many parents are gonna look you in the eye NOW and tell you 'no'.  You're big as an ogre, a lot better looking, better mannered, but HUGE, Ozzy-Dude!"

Ozzy chuckled, "I don't want to scare them into signing. Though, maybe her Mom's warmed up to me a bit, I dunno. We're gonna go visit her today, though. So who knows what'll happen?"

He then grinned and pulled his hair out to the side a bit, and said, "Still, this form comes with some perks. I can fly, now, and I'm equipped to do some SERIOUS headbanging, hehe."

  Clarissa giggled, and said "I'm going to have to start braiding that for you, or the tangles will be a nightmare to brush out.  You can sit on the floor while I brush and braid it."  She kissed him, adding "Sexy blonde beastie."

  Which got some chuckles, and one of his friends teased gently "You gonna live up to that old saw that blondes have more fun, Ozzy?  Oh, and I think you got her about melting in your arms.  I think she likes it when you play with her hair."

Ozzy grinned, "Sounds awesome, babe. I could totally go for some viking braids or something. I'd almost say cut it, but I kinda like it like this, and I'm not sure it wouldn't grow back really quick. I do regenerate, after all."

He then chuckled and said, "I'm pretty sure I was living up to that saying already, dude. Now I'm just having even MORE fun. Enhanced senses are AMAZING, lemme tell you. Well, at least when you're not near bad stuff. Somebody over by the Borders just farted, and I can smell it from all the way over here. Ugh."

  Clarissa stroked a hand through his hair, and said "Okay, you are lucky as hell.  Your hair has that fine, silky texture that most girls would kill for.  You know, we need to get you some hair fasteners and stuff too now.  More shopping!"  She kept running her fingers through his hair though.  It made shivers of pleasure run up his spine as she did it, and she grinned as she said "Put you in three braids, and then it won't snarl badly."

  The guys chuckled, and said "Does it give you any advantages when dealing with your girlfriend?  And can you tell WHO farted?"

Ozzy grinned and shivered as she ran her fingers through his hair, and said dreamily, "Oh, yeah, there's advantages. I can feel every touch sharper and more intensely than before. She smells good, too. Plus, I can just pick her up and cradle her against my chest, King Kong style."

His face scrunched up as he continued, "And no, not really. I'm too far away, and it doesn't really have 'their' scent on it. Whoever it is really shouldn't be eating Taco Bell, however."

He then looked down at Clarissa and said, "Cool. You know more about this than I do. I usually just kept it like I had it, not really long enough to do much with."

  She giggled, and stroked his hair again, wincing when she found a tangle, and gently straightening and smoothing it.  She said "Ozzy, my love, you should have realized, I'm a girl, I have long hair, I know how to take good care of it.  You'll just have to do a lot of sitting still while I play in your lovely locks of gold."  Still stroking his hair in a sensual caress that made him all TOO aware of her right there. And he could smell how this was a turnon for her too!

  The guys grinned, and one said "I think you got a collar on because she's got a chain on hert bedpost for you!"

Ozzy winced a bit as she pulled the tangle out of his hair, then said, "I know, love. You can play with it as much as you want. It feels nice when you're running your hands through it."

He then grinned and blushed a bit as he said, "Technically, it's our bedpost, but yeah."

  She grinned, still finger-combing him, and said softly "I think I found a new hobby!  Ozzy-brushing."  He could feel her finger-combing it into sections as she talked too.

  His friends chuckled, and one asked him "So, you happy being all tied down now?"

Ozzy grinned and leaned gently into her brushing, clearly enjoying it as she brushed him. "Good. We'll have to make sure you keep up with your hobbies, now won't we?"

He then grinned devilishly at his friends and said, "Dude, that's probably the best part!"

  She grinned as she began to gently braid his hair, and said "I'm going to have to get bigger scarves, you know.  Or those silky curtain-cords.  They're longer.  Your wrists are bigger."  She tugged one of the hair fasteners off of her own ponytail, and once she got to the end of his braid, she tied the end with her fastener. Of course, this left him with a bright pink hair fastener in his hair.

  The guys grinned, and said "Oh, wow.  She ties you to the bed?  Gods, that must be one hell of a fun time, being you!"

Ozzy grinned and said, "That, my friends, is why I am a lucky, lucky bastard. And even when were just hanging out at the mall, or with friends, shes fun to be around. Im not going ANYWHERE."

As she clipped his hair off, he gave her a quick kiss before saying, "Thanks, babe. You spoil me so much."

  She grinned, and said "Better get used to that, love.  It's like silk, and I do love silk."  She leaned in, and whispered in his ear, too softly for the other boys to hear "Tickle my naked body with that, and I'll almost be purring in your arms."

  They shook their heads, and one of them said "Ozzy, dude, happy as you look, you better put a ring on her finger fast, so that nobody tries to snipe her."

Ozzy grinned and said, "Im not worried. I trust Clarissa, and I know she loves me. Not that Im not trying, mind you."

He then grinned and kissed Clarissa, and said, "I think I can get used to it. And Ill keep that in mind."