There's usually somebody in the front seat who is in charge of my well-being...

[definitivestep]

Sam has been trying to think, and as sitting at his desk and brooding hasn't helped, this involves a lot of pacing, up and down the halls of the tower, through the empty halls no one's ever really used, and the ones still marked with bullet holes because no one has the time or cares enough to do something about that, and that one rusted hallway

Comments

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn's out as well, mostly because he's a stupid boy and in part because he can't stand the creepy Tower. But he'll manage if it means he has a job. Or something. He'd rather not feel totally useless anymore, if he can help it.

He's just sitting quietly on a park bench, not really thinking about anything, just enjoying the night air and the fact that he doesn't feel totally creeped out for no reason.

So there, Michael. Have another Michael.

[ducttapewarrior]

Michael recognizes that scent. Which could be considered a little disturbing, but it's not like he can help noticing these things in this shape. He can get away with being in the park alone at night. Vaughn, on the other hand...

Vaughn gets a wolf loping toward him with a skeptical expression. Are you looking for another fun adventure with demons, or just common sense impaired?

[stillaboyscout]

Oh Jesus Christ. Vaughn doesn't exactly know what to expect with a wolf, but he doesn't need this. He really doesn't.

"Please don't eat me," he mumbles under his breath. "That would really ruin my day."

He doesn't, however, move. Because making sudden movements in front of wild animals is just something you don't do.

What you apparently do instead is talk to them.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be wandering out in the city?" he asks, trying to ignore the voice in his head that's telling him he's insane. Last time he met an animal it was Jack. Who knows what this wolf might be?

[ducttapewarrior]

The wolf huffs. That might be a scornful sort of "no". He may have trouble controlling his instincts around the full moon, and an inability to be in human form around them, but he is not going to eat someone who registers as "pack". Idiot.

His ears twitch forward. I was going to ask you the same question. And I'm not the one with chronic demon problems. Not that Vaughn is psychic, or can understand him, so he just shakes his head. That, at least, should make it clear that it's not a wild animal who is going to eat you, Vaughn.

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn relaxs a little. Well. At least it appears he isn't going to be leapt on and eaten. Yet.

"So," he says, because talking to this giant wolf-dog-whatever-the-fuck is better than just sitting there in the dark. "Are you from around here? Or are you from somewhere else?" Because that's totally a valid question to ask, Vaughn.

"This is where I've sunk," he mutters to himself. "Talking to a dog."

[ducttapewarrior]

Michael sighs a little, and gives him a flat look. Do you want to stick to yes or no questions, maybe? He eyes Vaughn speculatively, and then moves a little closer, sitting down next to him. He shakes his head, though. No, not from around here. Whether you count Miami or the other Chicago... he's definitely not from around here.

[stillaboyscout]

Well, Vaughn's smart enough to take that one as a no. "So what are you then?" he asks. Obvoiusly he didn't get the yes or no question memo. "An actual animal who just happened to respond correctly? One of those ones that just understands?" He thinks suddenly of Jack Bristow, and winces a little. "A shapeshifter?"

Oh god, don't let it be a shapeshifter. Because that would just not be fair.

[ducttapewarrior]

Michael huffs. It comes out almost a groan. Why, why, why does he associate with people this dense, who can't figure out that wolves cannot answer questions like that?

At the shapeshifter bit, though, he nods. And shoots Vaughn a glare. I don't remember you being quite this dense before, but maybe Bristow just had time to train you properly before I got there.

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn's just going to take that as a yes to the last question. See, he's not really all that slow! Really! He's not. It's just... today. And shapeshifters. He doesn't do too well with those.

"Well then. That... makes things interesting. At least I didn't try to pet you? Because I've done that before. It didn't turn out well, as you can imagine."

Yeah, he still doesn't understand the wohle concept of asking yes or no questions. At this point, he's just saying words.

"So are you stuck like that, or can you change back whenever? Um, I mean... just answer the first question. I know you can't talk. At least, I hope you can't. Otherwise I'll feel like the biggest idiot ever."

Perhaps because you are, Vaughn.

[ducttapewarrior]

Michael huffs again. Might even roll his eyes. And then finally shrugs, as much as a wolf can shrug, and looks up to the sky, where there's a full moon. Usually I can. At the moment, however...

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn nods, then shakes his head. "I don't understand what you're saying," he says. "Which... is probably a good thing. Then I would be concerned about my sanity." He paused. "More so than I am."

Because talking to animals is such a sign of how mentally stable you are.

[ducttapewarrior]

Michael snorts a little, again. If talking to animals is a sign of mental instability, you might want to take a look at your girlfriend. Not that Sydney in this universe can do that. Or is Vaughn's girlfriend. The point still stands.

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn finally catches onto the snort. He turns to the dog, with a raised eyebrow of mixed confusion and amusement. "Oh, so I'm funny now?" he asks, then turns back. "Just wait until the day I actually do go insane. That will be interesting. I have a bad feeling it's right around the corner." He pauses. "Also that I won't notice."

Which wouldn't be fun. But Vaughn digresses.