(no subject)
Title: Like A Bailey's Commercial
Rating: So PG it isn't even funny.
Pairing: Spencer/Tom, hints of Jon/Tom
Summary: Told from Bear's POV, that's really all you need to know.
Author's Notes: Written for iris_nee. A long time ago.
From the moment Tom walked into the shelter, Bear could smell the need for ownership all around him. When he stopped in front of Bear's cage and just looked down at him, Bear knew. "How old is he?"
"We don't really know. He's an exceptionally well behaved dog, though. He hardly ever barks." The lady with the clipboard spoke softly, in a soothing manner. It was the way she always spoke when someone with this smell came into the shelter. She seemed to think it did some good in keeping the other dogs calm.
Two fingers made their way through the chainlink fence, inviting Bear to confirm that Tom was indeed going to be his owner. Bear just nuzzled his nose into the fingers. Let Tom think he actually made this decision. Tom looked up at the lady with the clipboard and nodded. "I'll take him."
Immediately Bear wagged his tail to show Tom he'd made the right decision. "Sean's going to kill me for picking you, mutt. But at least you're happy about it." Bear yipped very quietly and continued wagging his tail. The smell in the room was different now. There was relief coming from the lady with the clipboard and something undefineable coming from Tom.
Bear got used to Tom's ever-changing, never-constant scent. There were phone calls that turned his scent dark, sour. Bear would try to escape it by hiding his face in the couch cushions or by hiding under Tom's bed. Sean, the other boy in the apartment, his scent changed after the phone calls as well. It was sweet, almost sickeningly so, and it reminded bear of the lady with the clipboard.
He waited until both scents evened out into a softer scent, one that Bear couldn't identify off hand. Once the scents were level, Bear came back out of hiding and jumped into Tom's lap.
Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes Bear would smell something heady and strong coming from the room Tom slept in. When he went to investigate it, the door was always closed and he wasn't allowed in, no matter how much he whined and no matter how badly Tom obviously wanted out of the room, judging by the sounds he was making.
Bear usually caught a glimpse of the person keeping Tom locked up in the room, after he'd gone to sleep for awhile. If he sat long enough at his food dish after Sean had filled it, he could watch the other person leave. The smell coming off the other person was always the same, cool and musty. As soon as the door closed, Bear was climbing onto Tom’s bed and nuzzling him.
“Out, Bear. S’too early.” Tom wouldn’t rouse until Bear sniffed at the center of his back. “Okay, cold nose.”
On mornings when it wasn’t too bright and Tom didn’t smell too much like the cans on the counter, Bear was able to drag Tom out to the streets for a walk. Bear loved the walks, it was a chance to smell everything going on in the world. On the occasions that they were out walking, Jon frequently joined them.
Bear loved Jon and barked whenever he could smell the other boy. One morning after being locked out of Tom’s bedroom for the night, Bear realized he could smell Jon. He wasn’t on the couch but Bear knew he was in the apartment. He started barking at Tom’s door. Didn’t he know Jon was there? He needed to be awake.
“Bear, sh, it’s too early in the day.” Jon opened the door and Bear ran in, jumping onto the bed. He smelled both Jon and Tom in the sheets and wriggled around happily, licking at Tom’s cheek before settling down.
Jon snuck out like the others and Bear watched him go, the smell of confusion thick in the air. For some reason, Jon wasn’t around so often after that. Sean tried to talk to Tom about it but it just resulted in the sour smell that Bear didn’t understand.
Bear had no idea how many days went by before the new boy arrived at the apartment. He didn’t smell like anyone Bear had ever come in contact with. In fact, he smelled spicy and warm. Dry heat radiated from his body. Bear couldn’t hear the words but he could smell their meaning.
The new boy had been there once before, with Jon. Bear remembered that he answered to Spencer. The last time he’d been there, Tom’s scent was the same as the lady with the clipboards. Relief had washed over him and flooded the apartment.
Bear could smell the same scent when Spencer sat down on the couch with Tom. He’d been waiting for that smell to come back, not realizing the source. Awhile later, when they were both in bed, their scents lingering together, Bear nosed the door open and climbed to the end of the bed. For once, he wasn’t kicked out.
Rating: So PG it isn't even funny.
Pairing: Spencer/Tom, hints of Jon/Tom
Summary: Told from Bear's POV, that's really all you need to know.
Author's Notes: Written for iris_nee. A long time ago.
From the moment Tom walked into the shelter, Bear could smell the need for ownership all around him. When he stopped in front of Bear's cage and just looked down at him, Bear knew. "How old is he?"
"We don't really know. He's an exceptionally well behaved dog, though. He hardly ever barks." The lady with the clipboard spoke softly, in a soothing manner. It was the way she always spoke when someone with this smell came into the shelter. She seemed to think it did some good in keeping the other dogs calm.
Two fingers made their way through the chainlink fence, inviting Bear to confirm that Tom was indeed going to be his owner. Bear just nuzzled his nose into the fingers. Let Tom think he actually made this decision. Tom looked up at the lady with the clipboard and nodded. "I'll take him."
Immediately Bear wagged his tail to show Tom he'd made the right decision. "Sean's going to kill me for picking you, mutt. But at least you're happy about it." Bear yipped very quietly and continued wagging his tail. The smell in the room was different now. There was relief coming from the lady with the clipboard and something undefineable coming from Tom.
Bear got used to Tom's ever-changing, never-constant scent. There were phone calls that turned his scent dark, sour. Bear would try to escape it by hiding his face in the couch cushions or by hiding under Tom's bed. Sean, the other boy in the apartment, his scent changed after the phone calls as well. It was sweet, almost sickeningly so, and it reminded bear of the lady with the clipboard.
He waited until both scents evened out into a softer scent, one that Bear couldn't identify off hand. Once the scents were level, Bear came back out of hiding and jumped into Tom's lap.
Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes Bear would smell something heady and strong coming from the room Tom slept in. When he went to investigate it, the door was always closed and he wasn't allowed in, no matter how much he whined and no matter how badly Tom obviously wanted out of the room, judging by the sounds he was making.
Bear usually caught a glimpse of the person keeping Tom locked up in the room, after he'd gone to sleep for awhile. If he sat long enough at his food dish after Sean had filled it, he could watch the other person leave. The smell coming off the other person was always the same, cool and musty. As soon as the door closed, Bear was climbing onto Tom’s bed and nuzzling him.
“Out, Bear. S’too early.” Tom wouldn’t rouse until Bear sniffed at the center of his back. “Okay, cold nose.”
On mornings when it wasn’t too bright and Tom didn’t smell too much like the cans on the counter, Bear was able to drag Tom out to the streets for a walk. Bear loved the walks, it was a chance to smell everything going on in the world. On the occasions that they were out walking, Jon frequently joined them.
Bear loved Jon and barked whenever he could smell the other boy. One morning after being locked out of Tom’s bedroom for the night, Bear realized he could smell Jon. He wasn’t on the couch but Bear knew he was in the apartment. He started barking at Tom’s door. Didn’t he know Jon was there? He needed to be awake.
“Bear, sh, it’s too early in the day.” Jon opened the door and Bear ran in, jumping onto the bed. He smelled both Jon and Tom in the sheets and wriggled around happily, licking at Tom’s cheek before settling down.
Jon snuck out like the others and Bear watched him go, the smell of confusion thick in the air. For some reason, Jon wasn’t around so often after that. Sean tried to talk to Tom about it but it just resulted in the sour smell that Bear didn’t understand.
Bear had no idea how many days went by before the new boy arrived at the apartment. He didn’t smell like anyone Bear had ever come in contact with. In fact, he smelled spicy and warm. Dry heat radiated from his body. Bear couldn’t hear the words but he could smell their meaning.
The new boy had been there once before, with Jon. Bear remembered that he answered to Spencer. The last time he’d been there, Tom’s scent was the same as the lady with the clipboards. Relief had washed over him and flooded the apartment.
Bear could smell the same scent when Spencer sat down on the couch with Tom. He’d been waiting for that smell to come back, not realizing the source. Awhile later, when they were both in bed, their scents lingering together, Bear nosed the door open and climbed to the end of the bed. For once, he wasn’t kicked out.