(Untitled)

[gavemea_45]

[OOM: Memories in the dark.]

He leaves Dean sleeping in the motel room. Sam slips through the door into Milliways, then shuts it quietly behind him.

He gives the place a quick once-over, then starts across the room toward the corridor that leads to the Security officeSome time after that he's back. Sam gets a drink and takes a seat at a table

Comments

[isaysimplewords]

Cal nearly leaves without seeing him, but happens to turn as he's putting on his coat, and spots Sam in the corner. He hesitates, debating briefly - there's something about sitting as far away from actual people as possible that does send a certain message - then settles on giving Sam a greeting wave, to see what response it gets before he heads over.

[gavemea_45]

Sam jerks his head back in a nod.

It's definitely a greeting.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal accepts it as such, walking over to Sam's table. He doesn't take off his coat just yet, but he doesn't start buttoning it up, either.

"Hi," he says. "How are you?"

[gavemea_45]

"Been better," he admits.

Might as well admit it, seeing as how he'd completely failed to hide it from Meg, or hell, from an artificially intelligent security structure.

"But that's how it goes sometimes. What about you?"

[isaysimplewords]

Cal nods in understanding. That is exactly how it goes sometimes.

"I'm all right," he says. Then there's a pause, because it's becoming more difficult to remember who's up to date on what than it was when he was Bound and seeing Milliways from a more stable perspective, timewise.

"I got my dog, so I've been busy with her," he says; he's pretty sure he hasn't seen Sam since he got Penny.

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah?"

He grins, a little.

"What kind did you end up with?"

[isaysimplewords]

"A puggle." Feel free to smirk, Sam. Most people do.

Which is why Cal continues almost without leaving space for a period at the end of the previous sentence.

"It's a mix between a pug and a beagle. Her name's Penny."

Cal's is the smile of a smitten man.

[gavemea_45]

"... a what now?"

Sam stares at him.

"How does that even work?"

[isaysimplewords]

"I'll show you."

Cal produces his digital camera from his coat pocket.

You're in for it now, Sam.

[gavemea_45]

"Hit me," he says, leaning over to look.

"... er, you know, not literally."

[isaysimplewords]

Cal laughs.

"You're no fun," he says, flipping through pictures. A lot of the most recent ones, taken at the dog park, are kind of blurry, but after a few seconds he finds a clear one.

"That is a puggle," he says. "Some of them have more pug-like faces, but Penny's got a little more beagle in her than pug."

[gavemea_45]

"Fine, if you're gonna be like that, but remember-- I hit back."

Sam looks at the picture for a few seconds, then glances up at Cal.

"Okay, she's kind of cute. For a dog, I mean."

[isaysimplewords]

Cal makes a face.

"Oh, god, you're not a cat person, are you?"

That is obviously the only reason why Sam would not instantly adore Penny based on a single photo.

[gavemea_45]

Judging from the look of horror on his face...

"... dude, what?"

[isaysimplewords]

Cal blinks at him.

"'Kind of cute, for a dog I mean'?" he says. "That is how a cat person talks."

. . . most of Cal's socializing lately has taken place in the aforementioned dog park.

Also, he might be teasing a little. A very little.

[gavemea_45]

"Hey, it's not like I have a dog, okay? I don't know that much about them," he protests.