“Funny,” Cooper said flatly. “Now, what’s going on?” He hesitated. “Are you okay? Did... No one forced you into this, did they?”

Eli’s expression softened slightly. “No. Not like that.” He shifted a bit awkwardly on the concrete slab and Dean stepped forward, taking off the long green cape that was his Halloween costume.

“Can I—” Dean hesitated, then took another cautious step forward, holding it out in offering. Eli stared blankly at the cape, looking uncharacteristically lost for words.

“I’m a pupae,” Dean said, then stuttered. “From the metamorphosis, life cycle, butterflies.”

“That’s always been my favorite stage,” Eli purred, accepting the fabric.

Cooper momentarily yearned for the end of his own life cycle. “Anyway,” he prompted.

“You’re really not entitled to the private ins and outs of my life, you know,” Eli said evasively, taking his time to drape the pupae costume into a sort of toga, somehow managing to look even more pretty and ethereal when he was done, like a fae they’d stumbled across who was about to ruin their lives.

“Entitled, no,” Cooper said. “But consider me curious.”

“You know what that does to cats.”

“Good thing their exhibit isn’t close by, then,” Cooper countered.

Eli pursed his lips. “I understand you’re pathologically nosy, but it really is critical that no one knows I’m here. No one. Broadcasting my affairs to every busybody and his brother who barges into my business isn’t exactly conducive to that, wouldn’t you agree?”

Cooper opened his mouth, but Dean spoke first. “If it’s so important no one knows you’re here, why did you reveal yourself to us in the first place?”

“Yes, I can see now that was my mistake.” Eli sighed. “To be brutally honest with you, I thought Cooper had recognized me. But I’m beginning to understand this whole glaring, staring, nostril-flaring thing is less ‘I know that wolf’ and more of a permanent feature of his face.”

Dean snorted and Cooper shot him a betrayed look. “Well, he’s not wrong,” Dean muttered defensively.

Eli jerked his head to the left suddenly and stood. “Someone’s coming. I need to go.”

“Wait—” Cooper protested.

“We’ll be seeing each other again, soon. Just...buy me some time? Please?” Eli pleaded, already fetching a pile of clothes that had been hidden behind the concrete pile.

“You could have been dressed all along?” Cooper asked.

At the same time Dean said, “We’ve got this. Go. And good luck.”

Eli blew a quick air kiss in their general direction and hurried deeper into the brush with the long green shimmery fabric trailing behind him.

“C’mon.” Dean tugged Cooper in the opposite direction, toward where even human ears could hear the approach of another person by now. “We need to cut them off before they can get closer and risk seeing your friend.”