What's with the stray?

[marauderinggrim]

Characters: marauderinggrim and vatheon
Location: Next to the fountain
Time: Late Afternoon
Style: Whatever, I'll match
Status: Open

Comments

[shounenphelps]

Shin had just gone out for dinner alone - something he rarely did, going out to eat anymore. It was a much stronger habit back home, but here, with so much time on his hands, he had no excuse not to cook every meal of the day. Plus, he was starting to get used to the locals, and chatting with them at the market about recipes was a pleasure now.

He was returning with half a sandwich, because he was feeling sick to his stomach, when he realized he hadn't been by the coral in a little over a week. He chuckled as he approached, seeing that big black dog again. He'd been seeing it a lot lately, and figured it must just be a local stray.

"Well hello again there, boy." Shin came right up and leaned against the coral for a bit, looking down at the dog as he did so. "I have half a sandwich if you want it. I don't have my usual appetite today."

It had never been a big deal to him, talking to animals like they could understand him, not since he'd met Ryou's pet tiger, Byakuen. Especially in the days leading up to his arrival in Vatheon, he was absolutely positive that Byakuen was on a whole other level compared to most animals - and spiritually, many of the humans he hung around with.

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius had been pretty much lost in thought for the most part and might not have noticed that Shin was walking by if it hadn't been for the familiar smell that was just Shin.

He watched his friend go over to the coral, his ears and tail drooping in concern when he realized what was going on. He was hungry though, so he came up to Shin, sitting at his feet, and looking up at him. He pressed his shoulder against his Dolphin's leg as, what he hoped would be taken as, a sign of support.

[shounenphelps]

Laughing, Shin leaned there a moment longer. "I'll take that as a yes." He let the bag fall down on the ground, and slowly crouched down into a cross-legged position. He opened up the bag, pulled the sandwich out of its wrapping, and laid it down on the ground. Then, he rubbed the dog behind the ears a few times before standing up to touch the coral again.

"You know, back home the most common name for a dog is Pochi. You don't look like a Pochi to me, though. Too tough for that, aren't you?" Shin smirked a little. "I just figured, if I'm gonna keep seeing you around, the least I can do is not call you 'that stray' or 'hey you' or 'boy.' Although, if you scarf down that sandwich, I just might call you Shuu."

His expression darkened just a hair, but it was a fond kind of remembrance. "That's my best friend's name: Shuu Lei Fang. It's Chinese name, but he grew up in Japan same as me." Shin chuckled. "He has a bottomless pit for a stomach."

"On the other hand, your coat the color and texture of Ryou's hair. Sanada Ryou, another friend. I haven't seen you with the same kind of temper that Ryou has, though. If you were the leader of a pack, then it'd fit all too well."

Shin leaned his head back again, closing his eyes for a moment to soak in whatever it was about the coral that made them feel better. "He's so much like both of them. In little ways, it's really weird. In others, he's not like anyone else I've ever met, even when I was studying in Britain." Shin looked down at the dog again. "I mean Sirius. Someone I met here."

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius was, in fact, scarfing down the sandwich, just happy to listen to Shin talking about his friends. He wanted to know more about him and where he came from. Even though he really wanted to just listen to Shin, a part of him did feel a little bad that he hadn't told his friend about this aspect of himself.

Not that it was an easy subject to broach. 'Oh, hey, how's your day been, good? Oh good, by the way, I can turn into a large black dog at will, just thought you should know.' That sounded bad enough in his head, there was no need trying it out loud.

However, when Shin started talking about him, his feelings of guilt intensified; he felt like he was tricking Shin by letting him think Sirius was just some stray.

He looked up at Shin and cocked his head to the side for a moment before playfully barking and 'smiling'. He wanted to hear more, his curiosity getting the better of him, but, at the same time, he wanted to distract Shin so Sirius wouldn't keep tricking him into spilling his thoughts.

Either way he looked at it, he supposed he was being pretty self-ish.

[shounenphelps]

"Alright, alright, not much for the name Sirius, huh?" He slunk down into a cross-legged position again. He pet the dog down its neck, between its shoulder-blades, and down its back, then pulled his hand back.

He stared up at the schools of fish passing overhead like clouds. "Do you know why I don't mind this place so much?" He cast a quick smile over at the dog before looking up again. "Because it looks like when I dove to the bottom of the Hagi Sea, when I was 14. I wanted to stay down there and just watch the marine life pass by, but..." He shook his head. "Nope, had to get back to my mom and sister. I was supposed to be helping Sayoko-oneesan do the inventory for our store, but of course the dive was more important. Even she couldn't argue with that. Mother had been sicker than usual lately, so even though I'd been putting it off... I went that day."

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius let himself be pet, but he was more concerned with Shin's story and the tone he carried. Even to Sirius' dog-ears it sounded almost sad. He wanted to see Shin smile and maybe scratch his ears, he had to admit, he liked that.

He placed his front paws on Shin's legs and licked his face before throwing himself down on his lap.

[shounenphelps]

"What- hey, cut that out!" Shin insisted as the dog licked his face, and he did end up smiling as the dog settled into his lap. Shin pet him some more, ruffling the fur between his ears. "That wasn't a bad memory, silly dog. That day changed the course of my fate forever."

Shin leaned back with a grin, slowly stroking the dog's back as he closed his eyes. "Sure, a lot of bad things have happened since, but... plenty of good things happened too. I'd never have met my four best friends." He opened his eyes again. "I wouldn't trade them for anything. Not after all we've been through." He looked down at the dog. "It's okay, though, that they aren't here. I know I helped them the best I could before I was brought here."

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius' tail drooped and he couldn't help but relax into the touch. He never understood how being pet could feel good, but he couldn't deny that it did.

He rested his head on Shin's knee, eyes sliding closed. He knew this wouldn't last forever, but it was nice and it was peaceful, and Sirius would only be lying to himself if he said he wasn't enjoying lying in the brunet's lap like he was.

[shounenphelps]

"You know, you're really affectionate for a stray," Shin remarked as he pet the dog some more. "Hopefully you're not so nice you let the others beat you up." He lifted up one of the dog's ears. "You don't have a collar on under all that fur or anything, do you?"

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius shook his head at the thought of a collar. Ew. But he did lean his head into Shin's hand. Of course...the longer he let this go on, it's possible Shin's reaction could be less than amused when he found out who he was petting.

[shounenphelps]

"Oh well. If you had been, I'd have tried taking you home to your owner." Shin started to sit up, and stretched his shoulders. "I'm sorry to say that you will have to get off me now - it's getting dark, and I should head back." He made to push the dog off if it didn't move willingly.

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius huffed, perfectly content to have stayed there, but moved and stood to the side of the fountain, staring up at Shin.

Would he show him? Sirius couldn't decide...

[shounenphelps]

Shin got to his knees gracefully and then patted the dog on the head. "I'll probably see you around, won't I? You keep managing to find me, after all. Take care now."

With that, Shin turned and started to walk away.

[marauderinggrim]

Sirius watched him for a few seconds Shin stood and walked away. He thought he might let him go and reveal himself later, but he found himself shooting away from the ground and standing with his arms crossed beside the fountain.

"So that's how to get you to talk about your home world."

1/2

[shounenphelps]

He paused mid-stride. He knew exactly whose voice that was. Shin didn't even have time to make the conscious switch to his British English, he just turned around and launched straight into Japanese again. Granted, it all came out the same language thanks to Vatheon, but there was a difference in Shin's intonation. The Japanese was much more casual, conversational - and without the distinct accent of his English.

"Sirius?! You mean you-" He pointed to where the dog had just been. He was absolutely flabbergasted.

2/2

[shounenphelps]

Shin stood up a little straighter then, head jerking back a little. "Why? Why would you..."