RP Moment | Max
OOC: Thank you to Jenn for the beta on this very important piece. :)
Set for Monday evening
Stairs.
He was taking the stairs, he reminded himself as he put one foot up to catch the next step in front of him. The effort to keep his body moving wasn't born out of fatigue, he wasn't tired in the normal sense. He was just ready to drop from the shock he received earlier, a shock he couldn't recover from without letting out hundreds of tears that he was currently holding back.
David wouldn't be safe until he was out of the public view, the scrutiny and the judgement of those nosey new neighbours. He forced himself to think less and walk more.
Finally reaching the top of the stairs, gripping tightly to the empty leash rolled up in his hand, he walked over to their door and unlocked it. Quietly stepping inside, he clicked the door shut and put the lock back on. He took a deep breath but he couldn't let it out yet, so he forced himself to walk further into the apartment. There was something else he had to do first -- he had to tell her.
Whilst trying to come up with an appropriate way to deliver the news, he found her getting coffee from the kitchen. The simple, mundane task of brewing coffee was being given more than enough concentration that she didn't notice him straight away. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until he pulled out a chair with a loud crack that she turned around to look at him. He watched as Alex opened her mouth to greet him but stopped when he dropped himself into the dining chair. Her gaze lowered towards the curled up leash in his hand and she quickly looked back at him, a concerned frown filling her face.
He replied in the only way he could, he shook his head and put the lead down on the table. Alex felt something catch in her throat but she shook her head, pushing it away, and sat down next to him. He thought he heard her mumble something about being sorry but he wasn't sure, and it didn't matter. He knew he wouldn't have to say anything, and that she wouldn't make him do so either. He stared at her hands when she touched the dogs leash, watching as she seemed to study it. David remembered this morning when she said that Max wouldn't move and he wasn't well- she was worried but he hadn't wanted to believe that anything was wrong with him.
But Max knew.
The only effort Max had made today was to see Ellie before David had whisked him off to see the vet.
And he was old, David suddenly thought, letting out a snort. Alex snapped her head toward him, the sound he made had been louder than he thought. David shrugged.
"He lived a full life," she spoke up, after all, he had already broken the silence. She was doing that spooky mind-reading thing she did, but he didn't remark on it. Another time, he would make a joke about how well they know each other, but what she was saying didn't merit that, and she made a good point. Max really had lived a full life -- a police dog, his best friend, cozy retirement and the easy life. He had lived a long time, longer than most dogs of his breed, and he would be missed.
At that thought, David covered his face with his hands. Sucking in some air and trying not to let the inevitable happen. He wasn't quite sure when it happened, but he found himself resting his head on her shoulder. The awkward positioning of the table and chairs meant that his body was uncomfortable, but he didn't care. They stayed that way for a while, though neither of them were sure how long, until they heard the familiar sounds of baby-talk coming from the monitor.
David pulled his head away slightly, finding his voice for the first time, "Is--Do you think she'll notice?"
"Probably," Alex replied, quietly, "Though she won't really know."
He nodded, unsure whether to find that comforting or not.
"I'm gonna go check on her," she told him, standing up. He knew what she was doing, giving him time alone, and he was grateful for that. She gave his hand a supportive squeeze before she left the room.
And out the corner of his eye, he swore he could see Max walking under the dining table.
Set for Monday evening
Stairs.
He was taking the stairs, he reminded himself as he put one foot up to catch the next step in front of him. The effort to keep his body moving wasn't born out of fatigue, he wasn't tired in the normal sense. He was just ready to drop from the shock he received earlier, a shock he couldn't recover from without letting out hundreds of tears that he was currently holding back.
David wouldn't be safe until he was out of the public view, the scrutiny and the judgement of those nosey new neighbours. He forced himself to think less and walk more.
Finally reaching the top of the stairs, gripping tightly to the empty leash rolled up in his hand, he walked over to their door and unlocked it. Quietly stepping inside, he clicked the door shut and put the lock back on. He took a deep breath but he couldn't let it out yet, so he forced himself to walk further into the apartment. There was something else he had to do first -- he had to tell her.
Whilst trying to come up with an appropriate way to deliver the news, he found her getting coffee from the kitchen. The simple, mundane task of brewing coffee was being given more than enough concentration that she didn't notice him straight away. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until he pulled out a chair with a loud crack that she turned around to look at him. He watched as Alex opened her mouth to greet him but stopped when he dropped himself into the dining chair. Her gaze lowered towards the curled up leash in his hand and she quickly looked back at him, a concerned frown filling her face.
He replied in the only way he could, he shook his head and put the lead down on the table. Alex felt something catch in her throat but she shook her head, pushing it away, and sat down next to him. He thought he heard her mumble something about being sorry but he wasn't sure, and it didn't matter. He knew he wouldn't have to say anything, and that she wouldn't make him do so either. He stared at her hands when she touched the dogs leash, watching as she seemed to study it. David remembered this morning when she said that Max wouldn't move and he wasn't well- she was worried but he hadn't wanted to believe that anything was wrong with him.
But Max knew.
The only effort Max had made today was to see Ellie before David had whisked him off to see the vet.
And he was old, David suddenly thought, letting out a snort. Alex snapped her head toward him, the sound he made had been louder than he thought. David shrugged.
"He lived a full life," she spoke up, after all, he had already broken the silence. She was doing that spooky mind-reading thing she did, but he didn't remark on it. Another time, he would make a joke about how well they know each other, but what she was saying didn't merit that, and she made a good point. Max really had lived a full life -- a police dog, his best friend, cozy retirement and the easy life. He had lived a long time, longer than most dogs of his breed, and he would be missed.
At that thought, David covered his face with his hands. Sucking in some air and trying not to let the inevitable happen. He wasn't quite sure when it happened, but he found himself resting his head on her shoulder. The awkward positioning of the table and chairs meant that his body was uncomfortable, but he didn't care. They stayed that way for a while, though neither of them were sure how long, until they heard the familiar sounds of baby-talk coming from the monitor.
David pulled his head away slightly, finding his voice for the first time, "Is--Do you think she'll notice?"
"Probably," Alex replied, quietly, "Though she won't really know."
He nodded, unsure whether to find that comforting or not.
"I'm gonna go check on her," she told him, standing up. He knew what she was doing, giving him time alone, and he was grateful for that. She gave his hand a supportive squeeze before she left the room.
And out the corner of his eye, he swore he could see Max walking under the dining table.