[milliways_bar; oom]
Nick was not expecting to run into Moon as randomly as he did -- he expected a note, at least -- and was pleasantly surprised when she appeared in the bar last night, carrying a sleeping wolfpup in her arms.
The pup slept soundly as the two had a hushed conversation consisting of instructions and promises and a discussion of names. Nero seemed to fit well, just as Nick thought it would.
He kept a watchful eye on Nero throughout the night, and when the puo began to stir in the hours of early morning, Nick held his breath and waited.
It was strange, really, meeting this... creature for the first time, even though he had already been the pup's guardian for an entire night. "Hi," Nick said, then blinked. Does he really understand me? "I... did you know about me?"
Nero sat up and eyed Nick for a moment, head tilted just slightly. "Yes," he responded, mouth unmoving.
Nick stared in awe, and the pup stared back.
"My name's Nick. Your name is Nero."
The pup continued staring. Nick could only guess that he was probably a little upset about being taken from his parents while sleeping, but he was sure both his parents and Moon had been preparing him for this.
He proceeded to tell the little wolf all about himself, about his past and present and how he came to end up in Milliways. "And I've never quite..." he paused. He refused to think of Nero as a pet. "... I'm... this is very new to me."
"It's new to me, too," the pup said plainly, blinking at Nick with his dark eyes.
"I had a dog once before, but you're... definitely not a dog."
The pup nodded, understanding.
Nick's hand extended slowly and Nero sniffed at it, then gave it a little lick before Nick began petting him. "I'll take great care of you," Nick said, finally smiling. "I promise."
The pup slept soundly as the two had a hushed conversation consisting of instructions and promises and a discussion of names. Nero seemed to fit well, just as Nick thought it would.
He kept a watchful eye on Nero throughout the night, and when the puo began to stir in the hours of early morning, Nick held his breath and waited.
It was strange, really, meeting this... creature for the first time, even though he had already been the pup's guardian for an entire night. "Hi," Nick said, then blinked. Does he really understand me? "I... did you know about me?"
Nero sat up and eyed Nick for a moment, head tilted just slightly. "Yes," he responded, mouth unmoving.
Nick stared in awe, and the pup stared back.
"My name's Nick. Your name is Nero."
The pup continued staring. Nick could only guess that he was probably a little upset about being taken from his parents while sleeping, but he was sure both his parents and Moon had been preparing him for this.
He proceeded to tell the little wolf all about himself, about his past and present and how he came to end up in Milliways. "And I've never quite..." he paused. He refused to think of Nero as a pet. "... I'm... this is very new to me."
"It's new to me, too," the pup said plainly, blinking at Nick with his dark eyes.
"I had a dog once before, but you're... definitely not a dog."
The pup nodded, understanding.
Nick's hand extended slowly and Nero sniffed at it, then gave it a little lick before Nick began petting him. "I'll take great care of you," Nick said, finally smiling. "I promise."