OPEN LOG;

[stressbaking]

WHO: Ned, Digby and YOU
WHERE: Roaming the streets.
WHEN: June the 22nd, early to midday.
WARNINGS: extreme cuteness
SUMMARY: Ned is looking for the perfect place to open his new pie shop. Also to live.
FORMAT: prose but if you commentspam I'll follow along.

Comments

[tattleina]

"Oh, it's no problem. He's such a nice little dog!" Shirley cooed, stooping over to scratch Digby under the chin. "I think my neighbour used to have this sort of dog when I was a kid."

She straightens herself up again to look up at Ned. And by "up", this means pratically craning her neck to speak to him.

"My name is Shirley, by the way. It's very nice to meet you and your dog."

[stressbaking]

"I had this sort of dog when I was a kid too," Ned says, smiling down at Shirley and hunching his shoulders even more to bridge the gap. He bends to pick up Digby's leash, shrugging a bit as he comes back up. "Actually, just this sort. As in, the same one."

Oh, right. Introductions. He takes a breath, smile slipping just a little even as his hand tightens around the leash.

"I'm Ned, and this is Digby."

[tattleina]

"Oh, what a cute name!" Shirley trills, pulling her handbag up her shoulders a bit more in a self concious manner. "...I meant the dog by the way. But your name is very nice too."

She gives Digby another large stroke down one of his ears, cooing softly at him.

[stressbaking]

"Thank you. On both counts." He smiles despite himself, letting up a bit on Digby's leash. "I think Digby likes you, too."

[notniteowl]

Ted crouches to give Digby the pets he so desperately wants, grinning at the dog and then up at Ned. "Hey there, buddy," he says to Digby, and gives the dog a few scritches behind the ears.

"Don't worry about it," He says cheerfully to Ned. "I like dogs, and this is way more fun than figuring out where to find a bigger warehouse." There's a considering pause, and then Ted continues. "Are you new? I don't think I've seen you around here before."

[stressbaking]

Seeing Digby happy never gets old, and he smiles softly over at Ted, standing back a bit from the pair.

"A warehouse?" Ned asks before the question catches up to him, tilting his head as he processes the rest. "I just arrived a few days ago, but surely you can't know everyone here by face."

[notniteowl]

"Yeah, I've got a bunch of stuff that won't fit in my current one." He shrugs and continues petting Digby, but stands to offer Ned a hand.

"I don't, but -- new people tend to have a certain look, y'know? I'm Ted, by the way. Hi."

[stressbaking]

"What sort of warehouse items do you...warehouse?" Shrugging too, and only looking a bit uneasy, he accepts Ted's offer of a handshake. He pulls away after the briefest of contact, mouth twitching into a nervous smile to make up the difference.

"I'm Ned. What sort of look do I have about me?"

[askedtobe]

Peter wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to walk before he went into the clinic, there wasn't any reason to, all things considered. He had things he could be doing, paperwork and people he could be distracting himself with so he could continue to keep separated from his thoughts. And walking through this city did anything but

[stressbaking]

Immediately calming at the sighting of a familiar face, he almost laughs as Digby redoubles his efforts, rubbing his face against Peter's hand almost like a cat. It's hardly surprising, as starved for attention as he must be without Chuck or Olive here. Unconcerned but still awkward, he stuffs his hands in his pockets and watches the two together. It was impossible to tell whether Digby was just happy to see Peter or if he was looking for his friend from yesterday, a lemur Ned had called Lamar.

"He missed you," he says before he realizes that might be taken oddly, tipping his head to the side. "Or at least, he seems to. I think he's just happy to see a familiar face." Ned wasn't about to say that it went double for him, even if he'd seen Peter just the day before and only met him a day before that.

[askedtobe]

At that, Peter's smile turns a little more honest. There was something to be said for the simple comfort that could be garnered from a dog, which is undoubtedly why he always liked them so much. Standing upright, Peter kept his weight shifted so he could keep scratching at the top of Digby's head -- not that Peter was actually tall enough for that to be uncomfortable.

"First few days here can be pretty rough. Can't be any easier on a dog," Peter comments, his smile only holding strong for a few more seconds before it's gone entirely.

[stressbaking]

"He usually stays with Chuck and Olive," Ned admits, shrugging. "He's probably just disoriented."

Suddenly, he recognizes again that he seems to be talking about himself, and sighs, looking back down at Peter.

"Sorry, you were headed somewhere. Don't let me keep you."

[fliesacomet260]

When the Digby approaches her, looking for pettings, Tonks grins. "Wotcher there..." She drops to a knee and gives Digby a good scratching behind his ears.

Tonks knows something about rambunctious, large canines but she suspects that Digby is not an Animagus. "It's alright," she says to Ned when he apologizes." She suspects that Ned is also not a wizard. It's just a hunch. "He's a sweetheart. What's his name?"

[stressbaking]

He can't help but smile back, something about Tonks' own inspiring his lips to twitch. Seeing Digby and the woman content with each other, he doesn't make a grab for the leash, instead hovering at a safe distance.

"I think Digby likes you," he comments, offhand, processing her question. "Which would obviously make that his name. Digby."

[fliesacomet260]

"I've known a few dogs in my time. Digby, is it? Well, it suits you." She gives the dog's head a final petting. Tonks then picks up his leash. It's probably not even the final petting, to be honest.

"You might want to be careful about him. Animals have escaped from the zoo and it'd be terrible if something happened to him." She offers Ned back his leesh. "My name is Tonks by the way."

[stressbaking]

Accepting back the leash with another smile, he nods. "I did notice the zoo animals roaming yesterday. I think most of them are back now?"

Blinking a bit owlishly, he reigns it in, ducking his head. "I'm Ned. The pleasure is all mine. And Digby's," he adds, noting how the dog strains against his leash just a little to seek out more of Tonk's attention.

[xuffasch]

Damian is out for a walk when he encounters Digby, stepping back from the dog and looking down at him with a decidedly belligerent expression. When he spots Ned, he gives him a scathing look.

"As you should be." His tone is nothing short of disdainful, and he lets out a scoffing sigh. "At least you can control the beast." His manner was haughty, but Damian was looking down at the dog as though he'd like to pet him--an inclination he would stringently deny if it was remarked upon.

[stressbaking]

The tone immediately sends Ned into acid reflux territory, making a grab for Digby's leash. "I should be, and I am. Sorry." A beat as he tries to calm the racing of his own heart. "But Digby's no beast. He was only looking for a little attention."

Digby, having not nearly as much shame as Ned, turns his wide eyes up at Damian, all but begging for a pet.

[xuffasch]

Damian seems a bit mollified by how apologetic Ned is, but he isn't about to admit that. Instead, he looks skeptically down at Digby and then just rolls his eyes.

"Of course he is; look at him." He's about to add something about the sense of having him leashed, but given the past week's experiences with animals in the city, he refrains.

[stressbaking]

He tightens his fingers around the leash, his gulp nearly audible. "I assure you, he's harmless."