Not-So-Empty Nest

[hasstandards]

Who: RED Sniper (hasstandards), RED Scout (skooshyscoot), & Teriyaki
When: Morning
Where: RED Base
Rating: Probably PGish
Summary: With one Spy gone and the other moved out, Sniper is under the impression he and Pyro (and the pets) are the only ones at the base. Spoiler: they're not

Comments

[hasstandards]

"Great," RED said through his teeth as Scout headed into the kitchen, creaking back onto the couch. "Best news I've heard in some time." There went the benefit of both Spies being gone- that he and Pyro had the base to themselves. He'd have left the room, but he needed to take his medication, she'd already seen him in his boxers, and it wasn't as though he knew where the rest of his clothes were, anyway. Knowing Pyro, she'd probably tossed them all in the wash, just to be careful.

Teriyaki hopped onto the couch as Sniper tried to wipe the burning from his face, taking a seat on his master's lap and waiting patiently for his reward- he was given half a muffin to gnaw on. After that, it was pill time- Sniper fiddled with the cap a moment before rattling two capsules into his hand, swallowing them whole. It was only then he realized he'd left his coffee... in the kitchen, of course.

At least some good might come of the kid being there. "Oi, bring me my coffee while you're in there, if ya don't mind. The mug on the counter." The homemade one with #1 Sniper painted on it.

[skooshyscoot]

Once she realizes that Sniper and Pyro are together, she won't be able to move out of the RED base fast enough. It was one thing to be sharing the place with the two Spies still around, but being the only third-wheel in the house? She'll knock down Spy's door and demand she get his couch for a few nights if that's what it takes. Until then, she'd made herself at home here and went into the freezer to make herself some waffles.

"I got a name, ya know. And would it kill your crippled ass to put a please in there?" Polite mannerisms aside, she went over to retrieve the man's mug anyway.

"So what's your fuzzball's name?" She motioned with her head towards Teriyaki as she set the Sniper's mug on the table. A small grin grew on her face as she watched the dog munch away happily.

[hasstandards]

Not that Sniper would be divulging that information anytime soon. He just hoped she wouldn't think too hard on the fact that he was comfortable walking around the base in his underpants until he'd realized Scout was there, clearly unbothered with the thought of Pyro seeing him in such a state.

"Teriyaki," Sniper answered, uttering a word of gratitude as he pulled the coffee mug toward him and took a sip of the sweet ambrosia it contained. The smell alone was enough to soothe his nerves, though the fact she'd gotten it at all was what convinced him to let the 'crippled' comment slide. "He's Pyro's dog, not mine."

[skooshyscoot]

"Like the chicken?" It seemed kind of silly to name a pet after food, but then again, she was one to talk after she'd voted to name her class pet in grade school Chowder. She raised a brow at him skeptically at his following comment. "Well, Teriyaki sure seems to think'a you as his owner too."

Shrugging, she flopped down onto the opposite end of the couch since she had to wait for her breakfast to finish cooking in the toaster. "Was Pyro the one that taught him how'ta get your pills like that?"

[hasstandards]

"No, that'd be me," Sniper replied, resettling himself to be another inch or two away from Scout. Teriyaki went with him, but wasn't happy about the move- having finished his morsel, the pup now wanted attention, prancing in place on Sniper's lap for a second before jumping at his face and giving his scruffy chin a few appreciative licks.

"Down, Terr. Down." Sniper's commands were quieter, less conversational with Scout in the room. He put a hand on the puppy's back, gently pushing him down to reinforce the idea. Undeterred, Teriyaki rolled under his hand, stretching across his lap and exposing his belly for rubs.

Sniper shot Scout a sideways glance before caving and scratching the puppy's underside, knowing this wasn't helping the whole 'he's Pyro's dog' image.

[skooshyscoot]

"And since when does a guy train anotha gal's dog, huh?" She couldn't help but smile as she watched Teriyaki shower Sniper with affection, and she found herself inching over and leaning a little closer to him. A couch cushion of distance was still between them, but still well within her arm's reach. "Is he always that friendly?" The hand resting on the couch between them longed to reach out and pet the happy little furball, and she knew she wouldn't be able to resist that urge for much longer.

[hasstandards]

"S'not like I don't live here and spend time with 'im," Sniper said, eyeing Scout's hand on the couch between them. "Might as well train him to do some things for me. It's convenience, is all."

He rolled his eyes after another moment. While thankful Teriyaki was offering some cover for how utterly bare he was, he didn't like the thought she might reach over any second and pet the pup while he was still stretched across his lap.

Another sigh, and he picked up the pup and passed him to her. Might as well get it over with.

[skooshyscoot]

It was Christmas morning in Scout's eyes as she took the dog from Sniper's hands, hugging and nuzzling the top of the pup's head before placing him down on her lap. "Hey there, cutie. Well aren't you just the swoftest thing ever." She wasn't completely aware that her voice had taken on a higher pitched babying coo as she lightly scratched the top of Teriyaki's head and the area near the base of his tail.

When regarding Sniper again, her voice at least returned to normal, even if the childish glee had yet to fade from her expression. "Man, you're lucky. I always wish I had a dog when I was back home. Didn't have room to keep one then."

[hasstandards]

Sniper cringed hearing that baby-talk it seemed all the women seemed to fall into when coddling Teriyaki. If nothing else, her momentary distraction gave him a second to pull one of the decorative pillows on the couch into his lap, offering his legs about as much coverage as the dog had.

What he really wanted was a shirt at that second. He sank his back further into the couch, wondering what Pyro would think if she came in and saw him talking to Scout in not much more than his boxers.

"And why's that?" he asked, trying to keep his mind off that thought.

[skooshyscoot]

"I got seven sisters and my Pa in a pretty dinky two-story flat back in Boston and we barely had room for my sister's goldfish in the kitchen." The second youngest tried to take home a stray cat once, but their Pa had her take the possibly flea infested tabby back to the nearest animal center the second he laid eyes on it. That pet had lasted no more than half an hour of being in the door. "'Already got more than enough mouths to feed. If you want a pet, get one that don't need to eat' is what my Pa said before."

Sniper needn't have worried so much about his appearance since Scout's attention was trained on the dog as she stroked the pup's head thoughtfully. "Could probably get one now though if I wanted."

[hasstandards]

"Eugh. That's a lotta people for one house." And a lot of kids for her parents to have had. Not being fond of children in the least, having eight daughters sounded like his own personal nightmare.

"Well, if ya want one, there's a pet store here that's got 'em. Since you're not on the job, now's as good a time as any to get a dog. Great pets."

And the plot to steal a puppy begins.

[skooshyscoot]

She shrugs in response. "It ain't as bad as it sounds. S'why I liked workin' with the team, I guess, even if some'a them are dicks sometimes."

Excitement began to well up in her now that the thought of getting a dog was actually a possibility. "Yeah, you're right. You think Terr would get along with another pooch runnin' around?"

Tee hee. And a glorious plot it will be.

[hasstandards]

"Probably," he answered honestly, deciding now was a good time for a sip of his coffee. "BLU's got a dog that's half crocadile, and 'e gets along with him well enough. And I've yet to meet a person he didn't think he could like."

That last part was much to Sniper's chagrin, of course.

[skooshyscoot]

"Half croca-..." Her hand froze on Teriyaki's back as she turned to look at RED with clear skepticism written all over her face. "You're jerkin' me around, aren't'cha?"

[hasstandards]

"Can't say I am," Sniper replied flatly. "Calls 'er a crocadog. Got 'er from some bloke around here."

[skooshyscoot]

"Sounds like somethin' a Medic woulda made in his down time."