Wellspring Arms & Meditation Center, Saturday Morning

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Nathan wasn't unused to waking up in places he didn't really recognize. However, for places to be routed to (again) this really wasn't all that bad-looking. Actually, the bed was really, really comfortable.

It took him a little while to get up out of bed, but as soon as he did, it was time to take a look. He took one careful step down the stairs at a time, ducking his head so he could see what was coming up ahead of him. He took a lot of care to do what Redd had taught him-- the metal of his diseased arm vanished slowly until it looked just like flesh.

Suspicion could only last so long, though.

Given ten more minutes, Nathan was poking at things at the front of the store, an overexcited dog yipping at his foot. "Oath! That's my clothes!"

Maybe not quite yipping.

[ very much open, wheee, and unlocked door! ]

Comments

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"NATE!" There would be squirt guns here. There were ones last time, so...

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Nathan blinked. He blinked a lot. When he was finished blinking, he greeted the boy with a loud (okay, not so loud, but attempted loud) "Oath!"

He'd get over that.

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"...Oath?" Now Wade was just confused. "Come on! We gotta hot people with squirt guns!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"There's guns here?" he asked, blinking again and looking at the-- "I knew that."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

Wade grabbed his arm and tugged. "Come on!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"People might not like bein' shot," he pointed out, reasonably. It didn't keep him from following along, though, "It's hurtful or somethin'."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"...they're squirtguns!" Wade said, like that was obvious.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"But they're guns," Nate replied, staring at the squirt guns some more. "Still might be hurtin'. And it's nice here."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"They jus' have water in 'em!" Wade tugged again. "Come on! It'll be fun!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"...Okay," he said, finally, squinting at the boy who knew his name. "Beats biting people. ...Wade?"

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"...why'ryou bitin' people?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"'Cause they wouldn't leave us alone!" He scrambled for a squirt gun. There. Maybe that was a good idea, after all. "Got no guns, but I have teeth."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

Wade nodded. That made sense. "Now yous got guns!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

He waved a squirt gun at Wade. "Nothing senseless," he said, seriously. "And don't wanna call attention to ourselves." That was bad. Slym said.

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

Wade grabbed the one offered. "Sneaky! We can be sneaky!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Really very sneaky," Nate told him, stealing a look at the little dog again who was now staring at him balefully. "An' only if we have to."

Rules for 'have to' were broad, and subject to the occasional change.

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

...which would be when Wade noticed the puppy.

"You have a puppy?!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"He was just here!" Nate replied, his head turning along to look again. "He keeps followin' me and biting all my clothes."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"But-but-- puppy!" Wade flopped down on the floor to pet the creature.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"He might be dangerous," Nate said, with a small frown. "Don't know yet."

Tether did his part by snuggling into the petting. Much better.

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"He's a puppy, puppies aren't dangerous!"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"I don't know yet," he said, approaching Wade and the puppy with a wary thread. "He attacked first."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

"Did he hurtcha?" Wade asked after a moment more of petting.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Just tore up my pants," he said, keeping to a foot's distance. "I really don't know yet. Someone might've sent him or something."

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

Wade looked from the puppy to him. "Who woulda sent him?"