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 Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:21 am
It was becoming a very familiar bench, though this time, Yu was not in ‘uniform’ when he came to sit on it. He was on a break, he’d picked up two shifts today, and they were a few hours apart. He was already exhausted, but the money he’d get for pulling a double was too much to resist honestly. So between shifts, he’d grabbed an excellent cinnamon roll, cheep, over-sweetened and doughy, and the biggest coffee he could get with extra energy shots added because he already knew he was going to need them. He tipped his head back and relaxed against the worn wood with a small groan, an idle consideration of what he could get to make a slightly fancier dinner to share with Sterling. He should have enough set aside despite bills to get a small rib roast maybe. How fancy would that be? Maybe make some of that savory pudding that he’d gotten to eat a few times because it didn’t save well. If he could get -enough- ribs, they could have a guest… that would probably make Sterling happy. He bit his lip, considering. He shouldn't plan that far ahead, not really. It was probably an utter jinx.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:21 pm
"Yu?" a questioning voice came from a few yards away from the bench; Priam had been focused on the weather and on making sure the dog leashes didn't get tangled, but now that he was passing a bench with someone on it, he needed to make sure that they could mind their manners and weren't going to startle someone. A quick glance had registered some familiarity, and even with his vision what it was it only took the span of a blink or two before he realized he knew who it was.
The weather was cool and breezy today and he had been convinced by the dogs to go further than they usually did for their walk. He had bundled up, apparently affected easily by the cold, but the puppies seemed like they were thriving. The larger of the two was gangly, furry black puppy whose tongue flopped when he walked and whose tail wagged hard enough that Priam's leg might already be bruised. It had very large paws and still appeared phenomenally young, but Priam didn't seem worried about what type of monster it was going to grow up into. It was hard to tell what type of dog the friendly pup was, but the other, more shy dog, was a little easier. She was smaller and had a smoother, brown coat; she looked like her brows were knit and though she was excited, she was still easily overwhelmed and looked shy. She walked with her shoulder brushing the black dog's, and her tail wagged uncertainly, like she wasn't sure if she was allowed to be having so much fun. She hadn't stopped sniffing and looked like a Cur mix, and seemed comfortable being between the larger dog and Priam.
When Priam approached, he moved the dogs to the other side of him; Yu had mentioned an aversion to some dogs before and he didn't want to ruin such a nice day with dogs poking and prodding and jumping on him.
"You look so comfortable, I'm a little jealous. They won't let me sit down," he said, nodding to the dogs were practically walking circles around him when he slowed to greet the man.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:35 pm
He contemplated not responding for a moment. After all, who would be calling his name, it wasn’t Sterling - but… it also wasn’t someone from work. He lifted his head and blinked in the direction of the voice, registering the ‘gift basket person,’ Priam a moment later. And… dogs. Sizable, if gangly dogs. Oh -joy. “Ah… heh… wow, you weren’t kidding about the dogs.” He said after an awkward moment. “Those are huge.” He offered at least an attempt at a smile, it was more half a lip curl that was well seasoned with nerves, but he did lean very slightly forward with an extended hand. “Do they ah, bite? “ The hand was not beyond being snatched back in a heartbeat. “I don’t have any treats for them, though.” He worried at his lower lip at that admission. He wasn’t wearing nearly as much leather or even enough pleather to feel like he might remotely be defended if they decided he looked delicious.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:43 pm
Priam blinked, looking down at his dogs as if in surprise when Yu mentioned they were large. He wasn't very tall himself, and they came up to just around his knees. "Huge, do you think? They're just babies. My last dog came up to my chest. When he stood on his back legs he could reach the top of the fridge. No cabinet was safe from him. I'm lucky he was such a good boy. They don't bite," he assured quickly, though. "Nibble, maybe, but not people. Not Sterling or I. Sleeves and blankets, I've caught them nibbling on, but--they're teething," he justified. "It's not malicious, and if you tell them to stop, they do."
The two dogs had continued to tangle around him, but as soon as they realized that a stranger was giving them attention, he was their new best friend. At least, the larger black one immediately walked over and stuck his nose into the hand, suddenly lapping at the fingers as he tried to taste everything Yu had eaten today. The brown dog seemed to look up to the larger one and she followed after a few seconds, sniffing at his hand but not daring to touch him.
"I have treats," Priam said; he was keeping an eye on them, on Yu, and seemed ready to pull the dogs back as soon as Yu's friendliness expired. He reached into a small bag at his side and withdrew two little dog bones, holding them high above the dogs' heads, out of sight, and offering them to Yu.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:00 pm
“AH, very uh, lots of tongues.” Yu was trying to sound very, very casual, and not entirely making it. There was still a small but decidedly frozen smile on his face, but they weren’t biting, and that was an excellent start. “I’m fine… sorry,” He said after a tense moment. “I uh, are they going to chew my fingers if I take those?” He asked, still keeping his eyes on the dogs though he was clearly trying to relax. “I'm not afraid of the dogs; I’m just not fond of the idea of them biting anything, that's all. Not saying they will, just… you know.” He was talking too much.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:22 pm
Priam offered an encouraging smile. "They aren't going to bite you. If you like, you can just drop the treats onto the ground. I know the dogs are a little pushy. If they're bothering you, just let me know, I can pull them away. I'd understand, of course." The smell of cooking oil and spices implied he'd come from the kitchen, and a quick meal on a park bench was the perfect place to spend a lunch break. "You look like you're on lunch break? --I would hate to send you back covered in dog fur and slobber."
It was an easy out if Yu requested it; Priam had already gotten the impression that he wasn't the sort to voice if he was uncomfortable, but Priam was watching to see if this was too much. It wasn't hard to tell that dogs were not in line with his comfort zone, and Priam didn't want him to have to push himself just to avoid saying he was uncomfortable.
The dogs didn't seem to have any idea if they were making him uncomfortable, though; the largest one was wagging his tail so hard that his entire rear end wiggled back and forth. He was still licking, but had gotten distracted for a few seconds by licking the other pup's muzzle enthusiastically.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:33 pm
“I can wash up…” He said quietly. “I took two shifts today, and I got time.” He gave a soft laugh at the tail wagging. Still tense but still sort of delighted kind of sound. “So… uh, is the tail in charge or the dog?” He hazarded a glance at Priam and back. He took a deep breath and let it out, a deliberately slow exhale. “I was just, worried I might smell delicious. It’s ah, surf and turf special. Stupid …lobsters.” He made a face, eyes back on the dogs. “Gonna smell like sea cockroach all night.” “So, you’re just out walking the dogs?” A subject change couldn’t hurt, right?
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:55 pm
"Just out walking the dogs," he answered. "They have a lot of energy, so it's good to burn it out while we can. It's nice, especially with the weather like this. I'm not looking forward to winter, but I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we get there. It's not all bad. I can't wait until there are more leaves on the ground. Odysseus--Odie, the big one, he likes to pick the leaves up with his mouth. He doesn't eat them, just hoards them. I think he likes the crunch. Penelope, Penny--she's the shy one, she gets spooked by them when she steps on them. I think they'll love the snow. There's so much they have to experience yet, so it's nice watching them discover everything for the first time. And I mean, they're puppies, so everything is amazing--and everything smells good to them. Even sea cockroach, I'd imagine."
Odie had stopped licking, but he tongue was still sticking out of his mouth, pressed into Penny's muzzle as he stared at someone on a bike. Penny was side eyeing him, not quite sure what to make of this display; in a huff, she sat down a bit dramatically. It was enough to draw Odie's attention back to her and he licked her once more before pressing back into Yu's hand, clearly wanting to be pet.
Priam smiled, obviously enamored with the two, but keeping a close eye on Yu and trying to gauge his comfort level. "May I ask where you work? I won't drop by and bother you," he assured, as if he needed to insist he wasn't some sort of creep, "But Sterling trusts you absolutely with food, so if you said it was a good place, I'd trust your judgment. And if I ever go, I promise not to order lobster."
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 2:14 pm
“Oh, uh, just there.” He pointed even as he started slightly as the dog pressed its head into his hand. He gingerly started rubbing between Odie’s ears carefully like it somehow might turn into ‘nibbling’ the same way cat tummies were traps. Hell, at this point, he wouldn’t be shocked if there were alien dogs that made lasers too after that cat he met the other night. “Apparently, the Chocolate Lava cake is the best thing we serve. It’s one of the things the kitchen crew sometimes squabble over if there’s any left. I think probably Sterling can make better though, honestly. I don’t know what offer he made to whatever Eldritch gods; he gave what souls too, but he is ridiculously good at deserts.” “As a former employee, maybe don’t eat at the ‘Burning Kingdom,’ they use way too much meat tenderizer, I’m amazed their steaks aren’t just soup.” He grimaced, looking like that was probably something he wasn’t supposed to share. "You um, have pretty nice dogs."
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:25 pm
Priam made a mental catalogue to try the restaurant Yu had pointed to and to avoid the 'Burning Kingdom'. Though, to be honest, he might not have gone there if only because he liked things a little less burnt. He assumed it was some spicy restaurant, if only because one didn't usually advertise burned food.
Either way, he wasn't going.
Odie's tail started wagging and he sat down for a second, and then promptly stood up, thinking that was the much better way to ensure he would get more attention. The dog's ears were soft and, when he thought he could manage it, he tried to rest his chin on Yu's leg and looked up at him almost pathetically, begging for more attention.
"I got lucky with them, I think," Priam smiled softly, thinking of his dogs but thinking it was cute how Yu talked about Sterling's baking in the same way that Sterling talked about Yu's cooking. "Sterling convinced me to go. I was still grieving for my last dog," he confessed. "...But Sterling makes a good argument. I went for one and came home with two. I don't think he was expecting to get Oreo. He said he was 'just looking', but I should have warned him that if an animal chooses you, it's hard to leave without them. He was worried you might not be happy."
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 4:58 pm
“N…nah.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t expecting it; I’ve never had a pet honestly, but I like the cat. She sort of likes to step on your kidneys, though. It’s like a little superpower for her.” He rubbed the dog’s ears. “I’m sorry about your old dog.” He added. “I mean…I don’t believe in the whole, everything happens for a reason bull, but I… maybe it’s good you found them, you know?” “Also, maybe good I got to meet your dogs; I think I’d probably have avoided them If it’s not rude, to be honest.” He cleared his throat, honestly unsure.
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 5:22 pm
"It's not rude," Priam smiled, though it seemed like the comment about his old dog lingered. It was a wound that hadn't healed, clearly, but he smiled through whatever sadness lingered in his heart. "I'm glad you got to meet them now, while they're small. They will get bigger. And if you're cautious about larger dogs, ah," he seemed to understand. "Better now than when they're as big as me! --They won't be, by the way." He paused. "I hope. Odie might weigh more than me. The vet's thinking maybe a hundred and sixty pounds for him, but we'll see, it's all a guessing game for right now."
He already figured that Yu would never have given them a chance if he'd met them while they were fully grown.
Odie's tail wagged again, pleased that he was getting so much attention; Penny watched, a little jealous, but rested her head on Odie's shoulder and looked up at Yu pleadingly.
He watched with a contemplative expression and then added, "I miss my old pup. But. If anything happened for a reason, it was meeting Sterling. I wasn't in a good place. It felt a lot like things were grinding to a halt. I wasn't doing so well. But. I needed a little push, and now I'm here, and happy. Missing him, but there's always a hole in your heart when you lose someone important. I'm just grateful that Sterling reminded me that there's more to life than just grieving for what you've lost."
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 5:48 pm
Yu made a small ‘wheeze’ sound at the words ‘160 lbs’. “S…seriously?” He glanced at the dog and back. “W…what are you planning on riding him?” He tentatively offered a hand to Penny. “hi… you’re not going to be a mammoth too, are you? Are you going to pull a sled for Priam and Sterling when winter comes?” He did glance up and looked thoughtfully at Priam at what he said at the end, though, then nodded softly. “Yeah… Sterling’s good like that. He’s… He’s kinda, amazing all around.” “It’s good you met him, I uh, he really likes you, like… he speaks about you a lot, so it’s good to meet you.”
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:06 pm
A part of Priam was amused at the wheeze but he felt bad for startling Yu with the information. "It's been wonderful to meet you too, honestly. I'm glad he likes me. I worry." He was quiet and then sucked in a breath, like he had some horrible thing to confess. "About a lot of things. Including, coming home to something I can't handle. Having large dogs," he shrugged, and watched as Penny shyly pressed her face against his fingers. Her tail was not as enthusiastic as Odie's, but thumped against the ground modestly.
"...Makes me feel a little braver about going home. Maybe a part of me hopes anyone who gets any clever ideas will take one look at Odie and take their clever ideas elsewhere. He was standing over Penny in the shelter. She looked scared, and he looked like he was protecting her. So..." A little sigh; his ears and nose were pink, like this was all very embarrassing. "I brought them both home. I get nervous when the house creaks at night, and they're always reporting on crime in Destiny City. And it's therapeutic to have a big thing just come over and lay on you, and look at you with those pathetic eyes. And it's gotten me out of the house! And...I've been sleeping better with both of them, so. I know it must sound silly. It's just...it's been nice. I hated coming home to an empty house. Now, it feels like I'm wanted. Even if it's only just for food."
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:24 pm
“Sometimes it’s the little things that make, where you’re living feel like home. Like it’s worth coming back to.” He murmured. “It’s good you kept them together. I think, at least for animals, some are just meant to stay together. If you find something you can’t handle, I’m sure, uh, I’m sure that we could like, figure out how to deal with it. By we, I mean Sterling and Google, because I’m going to be useless, but, yeah. I mean look, you’ve already got a good handle on things they are… they adorable. You know, for, huge dogs.”
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