I donβt know. You do get kind of sloppy sometimes. [ heβs teasing, of course β possibly β and it might be difficult to tell if his chuckle stems from his own joke or the pupβs ticklish cold nose pressing up against his own.
if frankβs thought about this other version of himself, itβs less to do with the car heβd been gifted that seemed to have been under a different ownership, and more to do with the fact that some sleepers here have been familiar with his face in a much different context. heβd tried to separate himself from this βother frankβ, to accept that versions of himself exist elsewhere and it was better not to tangle with that fact, but it seemed in trying to do so, itβd only resulted in some more conflicted scenarios (he wonders how chloeβs doing, but the guilt has kept him from asking). ]
Hmm. [ he considers those βnaming rightsβ, the whole thing still a bit sudden for him to really let himself open up to, but he tries to debate it in his head anyway as he wanders up the porch beside wynonna, stepping into the familiar space of her expansive home before leaning down to let the dog roam freely, her legs practically leaping around the room without drifting too far. ]
[ and he absolutely gets a look in response to that, teasing or not; she aims it back over one shoulder, but he's more distracted by the dog than she initially predicted he'd be and eventually she's forced to glance ahead of herself so she doesn't trip heading up the stairs.
for now, in lieu of any firm ideas of where to put everything, she settles for putting it all down just inside the front door instead, idly blowing a few stray pieces of hair out of her face as she lightly crosses her arms over her front, watching the puppy sniff and investigate with the same level of enthusiasm as though she hadn't just spent the last little while doing exactly that in these exact surroundings. still, she keeps her glance wary on the off-chance the dog decides to turn one of the sofa legs into her new chew toy, but her eyes sweep back to frank's face after a moment. ]
Mmm. Could get confusing. And I've never been great at learning new tricks. [ she chuckles at her own joke with a small hunch of shoulders, gaze lingering on his thoughtful profile. ]
You'd think after all the racing around she did earlier, she would've tired herself out by now.
[ he grants his own joke to his own amusement, to which sheβll eventually follow up with one of her own, a bit of a reminder that the playfulness which comes easier to him now these days is more of an effect of what sheβs encouraged out of him, whether intentionally or not.
he doesnβt intend on βjudyβ at all for the name, though he doesnβt have anything actually in mind either, considering all of this had come on pretty suddenly and the mere presence of the dog is still trying to be processed.
as he straightens up, hands on his hips, he watches the little pup spin around in circles to chase her own tail for a few moments before getting distracted with the pile wynonna sets down, nose sniffing about at the unfamiliar scents within the bag. ]
You kidding? Sheβs still got a good chunk of time before she conks out. [ he snickers in his breath, shaking his head softly before releasing a soft sigh. ] They really ainβt gonna let me catch a break, are they?
[ she can tell that this β all of this β is a lot for him to handle, the surprise of yet another thing delivered to him that seems intent on keeping him firmly rooted in place, even if he's done plenty along those lines already by securing another job, developing a routine. even neglecting to shave feels like an extension of that, a sign that he's not actively seeking a way out of here but content to stay and offer his help until the time comes when they're no longer needed.
but tethers like these β the car, the dog β they're all facets of a life that could be even more entrenched here if he allowed it, and he confirms her suspicions when he sighs the way that he does, tearing her attention away from where the dog is persistently dipping her nose into one of the bags as if she can smell the food in its sealed package within, tail wagging with unrepentant curiosity. ]
Hey. [ she doesn't have to reach far to touch him, fingertips gently skimming the outside of his wrist for a beat, not to offer the reminder of her presence but the assurance that she's here, and she gets it. ] If it helps, we could divide up doggy duty. I can watch her while you're working, and then hand her off when I've gotta clock in.
[ maybe what bothers him most of all is that it doesn't actually bother him. he'd been puzzled on the car briefly, but once he'd taken it out for a few rides, he'd familiarized himself with the vehicle enough to feel the wheel almost natural against his palms as he drove it around town. and even in the few minutes he's had with the small energized canine, he already finds himself thinking ahead on a reliable schedule that'll allow him to care for her in balance with his already self-appointed responsibilities.
there's the car, the dog, the house that doesn't belong to him and yet takes up a majority of his presence, and the girl that comes with it β the more he thinks on it, the more that he considers it ain't a bad life. even in this shitty town.
and when she speaks up, he turns to look at her, studying the features of her face that demonstrate her natural sincerity that he places all of his trust in, a sigh in his breath that's more grateful for her presence than any other sort of reluctant relief. ]
Yeah? [ his face softens, not quite a smile but a relaxed turn of his lips peering at her as his hand lifts, thumb stroking gently at her cheek. ] You'd do that?
[ she's not so embedded in this place to think of it as home yet β she knows where home is, and it's with waverly, in the house they grew up in, the house they survived in against all odds, in spite of an absentee mother and a father who always seemed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed and never met a bottle of liquor he couldn't find the bottom of by the end of the day.
but that doesn't mean she considers deerington a weird and wacky vacation spot, either. she's got the things that give her structure here, something resembling a routine, a damn job that pays β and somehow, she's fumbled her way into an honest-to-god relationship on top of all of that, with someone who inhabits her space time and time again and hasn't run screaming for the hills yet. looking at him, it sometimes hits her that he's a more steadying presence for her than almost anyone she's ever met, and when she catches him looking back at her something in his gaze always manages to make her stomach do that flippy thing.
she tilts her head into the touch of his hand, that familiar warmth, the path his thumb always seems to take in tracing her cheek like he's relearning the shape of her. ]
Yeah. [ her voice is soft too, meaningful. ] I mean, in case you haven't noticed, I've got a pretty big yard, and I think dogs are into those.
[ he can't say he necessarily knows why the dog had come addressed to him but was brought onto the doorstop of the farmhouse, but a part of him knows. the apartment back over at david cliff feels exactly like what it's always been meant to be, a temporary residence while he's in this town, just a place to sleep things off until the next day comes. but the farmhouse β where he'd never bother to replace the broken furniture in the apartment, he's worked day and night to keep things to upright shape here, since the very first day wynonna asked him to look into restoring that sink.
there's labor that's been placed into making this house as much of a home as possible, whether or not it stands to be a temporary one, and there's never been a dime received for that work save for the cups of warm coffee he asks for in return.
when shifts at the diner are done, he finds himself instinctively making the extended drive in this direction despite the apartment being a closer distance, finding more relief in laying upon a mattress already imprinted with his shape and wynonna's presence routinely found beside it.
whether he chooses to admit it or not, he knows why the dog was delivered here, and when wynonna offers to take turns looking after her, he realizes he never even considered the possibility that that dog would live anywhere but here.
warm cheek nestled in his palm, he can't help the softness of his own smile, and he chuckles in his breath when he leans forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. ] Yeah, maybe Cliff won't mind playing with her either. Kids like animals, right?
[ it's not home here, maybe not yet, but it's as close to a place of her β of their own making as they can manage it, with a distinct lack of holes in the drywall and a more reliable water pressure in the shower and a wrench permanently stowed under the kitchen sink for that leak that seems inclined to persist. she'd made a crack about paying him once, but somehow they'd never gotten around to that, his insistence in charging a fee by way of a fresh pot of coffee ready and waiting for him instead.
and the more problems he'd unearthed with the farmhouse and taken it upon himself to fix, the more time he'd spent within these four walls, sometimes for days at a time if a project required more than a few hours to accomplish. it's no coincidence that her fridge is fuller than it's ever been, containing food that doesn't just consist of leftovers from the diner or the pizza place, or greek yogurt that's gone bad. it's no coincidence that he has a better sense of everything that's in her kitchen to cook with than she ever will.
the instincts are there for him to be here, embedded in their own foundation, for him to sleep on the side of the bed she's left open for him and for him to block her truck in with his car because he'll be the first one leaving in the morning anyway.
she closes her eyes for a few beats, smiles into the press of his lips and the tickle of his beard on her skin, and her hand assumes a light grip around his wrist, thumb gently sweeping across his pulse. ] You kidding? Kids love animals. They lose their shit for them. She'll have him wrapped around her tiny puppy paw in seconds.
[ never mind the fact that she'd found her own excuses to scoop the animal into her lap earlier while they'd been waiting for frank to get here, sneaking tiny kisses to the top of her head between those floppy ears. ]
[ a smirk lingers on his lips, giving her a playful squinting stare. if anyone's got anyone wrapped around their finger, it'll be a fair easy guess on who exactly that is, considering frank's been a little more obvious is displaying a certain weakness on his sleeve these days. he's almost hesitant to draw himself away, but he finally takes a few steps back after a brief squeeze of her fingers so he can squat down, elbows over his knees as he looks across the room at the puppy running in circles.
his mouth presses tight, brows curved inward as in a deep focus as he merely watching her for an extended span of seconds.
eventually, he tilts his head up to wynonna, sincere when he asks, ] What do you think of Bogie?
[ she flashes him a quick grin with a side of teasing in it, brow furrowing in feigned confusion while she shakes her head; she hasn't the faintest idea what or who you could be referring to, frank. he gently pulls away from her and her hands fall to her hips, a natural pose for her to assume while she's looking down at both puppy and newly minted owner as the former does a thorough job of exploring with the use of her nose and the latter seems to be studying her with the intention of finding something to base a name on.
it's a silence only broken by the sound of the puppy's tag jingling on the collar she wears, the one that mentions returning her to frank if found, and it's something wynonna doesn't move to fill with more words, both eyebrows rising when he finally poses a suggestion at her. ]
As in Humphrey? [ because that's the first reference her mind goes to, considering his favorite movie and the fact that it's actually a tie between two. ] I like it. Gender-neutral names are very on brand these days.
[ if his beard would allow, he might have even flushed a little at how fast it'd been for her to pin down the source of the name. if only because there's an air of predictability to it for what she's learned about him, for something that actually draws on back to a detail she'd been spoiled with upon their first unintentional meeting. ]
Yeah, yeah, as in Humphrey. [ at least she isn't calling him out on it.
but he smiles a little when she gives her own affirmation, peering up at her briefly with soft eyes in silent appreciation before he focuses back in on the energetic puppy going circles towards anything she can get her nose on.
he raises his voice, not sternly but louder for it to cross the room, ] Hey, Bogie!
[ the truth is, he's got her pretty well-pegged too, those seemingly insignificant bits of trivia they'd exchanged over a table while other details had been removed from their perception now holding new weight between them. it's rare that she has so much of a glimpse into anyone right from the start, but the answers he'd given her had somehow exposed more than he'd intended them to, to say nothing of her own honest confessions about why a certain movie starring judy garland holds so much personal meaning for her.
and it is a cute name, considering the potential double meaning behind it; the puppy seems content on living up to the other one as she zooms around the house, tiny claws scraping against the weathered hardwood as she tries to avoid crashing into the furniture, but the sound of frank's voice sends both ears perking up almost instantly before she trots over to both of them, tail wagging in expectation.
wynonna voices a soft huh of surprise, crouching down to frank's level and extending a hand to try and steal a few scratches behind those attentive ears. ] Looks like she's into it, too.
[ it shouldn't even come as much of a surprise that the name comes as one of his ideas, since upon closer inspection, with perhaps a bit of a slight shave on that beard to bring it closer to a shorter scruff, he could pull off looking a bit like the namesake himself. fitting that the small dog now placed under frank's care would be deemed a miniature version of that shared resemblance (since frank could be considered part-pitbull himself sometimes).
but there's a bit of something warm when she comes sprinting across the wood, circling her way back to him, either because being called in itself is enough to get her running back or there's a shared comfort in the name. either way, frank looks far too proud when he joins wynonna in offering scratching affection against that fur. ]
Guess that's that, then. Gotta get that on the collar. [ which would brand all of this even more official than he might have bargained for. yet, he does little to fight it now. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action;
if frankβs thought about this other version of himself, itβs less to do with the car heβd been gifted that seemed to have been under a different ownership, and more to do with the fact that some sleepers here have been familiar with his face in a much different context. heβd tried to separate himself from this βother frankβ, to accept that versions of himself exist elsewhere and it was better not to tangle with that fact, but it seemed in trying to do so, itβd only resulted in some more conflicted scenarios (he wonders how chloeβs doing, but the guilt has kept him from asking). ]
Hmm. [ he considers those βnaming rightsβ, the whole thing still a bit sudden for him to really let himself open up to, but he tries to debate it in his head anyway as he wanders up the porch beside wynonna, stepping into the familiar space of her expansive home before leaning down to let the dog roam freely, her legs practically leaping around the room without drifting too far. ]
Guess Judyβs off the table, huh?
action;
for now, in lieu of any firm ideas of where to put everything, she settles for putting it all down just inside the front door instead, idly blowing a few stray pieces of hair out of her face as she lightly crosses her arms over her front, watching the puppy sniff and investigate with the same level of enthusiasm as though she hadn't just spent the last little while doing exactly that in these exact surroundings. still, she keeps her glance wary on the off-chance the dog decides to turn one of the sofa legs into her new chew toy, but her eyes sweep back to frank's face after a moment. ]
Mmm. Could get confusing. And I've never been great at learning new tricks. [ she chuckles at her own joke with a small hunch of shoulders, gaze lingering on his thoughtful profile. ]
You'd think after all the racing around she did earlier, she would've tired herself out by now.
action;
he doesnβt intend on βjudyβ at all for the name, though he doesnβt have anything actually in mind either, considering all of this had come on pretty suddenly and the mere presence of the dog is still trying to be processed.
as he straightens up, hands on his hips, he watches the little pup spin around in circles to chase her own tail for a few moments before getting distracted with the pile wynonna sets down, nose sniffing about at the unfamiliar scents within the bag. ]
You kidding? Sheβs still got a good chunk of time before she conks out. [ he snickers in his breath, shaking his head softly before releasing a soft sigh. ] They really ainβt gonna let me catch a break, are they?
action;
but tethers like these β the car, the dog β they're all facets of a life that could be even more entrenched here if he allowed it, and he confirms her suspicions when he sighs the way that he does, tearing her attention away from where the dog is persistently dipping her nose into one of the bags as if she can smell the food in its sealed package within, tail wagging with unrepentant curiosity. ]
Hey. [ she doesn't have to reach far to touch him, fingertips gently skimming the outside of his wrist for a beat, not to offer the reminder of her presence but the assurance that she's here, and she gets it. ] If it helps, we could divide up doggy duty. I can watch her while you're working, and then hand her off when I've gotta clock in.
action;
there's the car, the dog, the house that doesn't belong to him and yet takes up a majority of his presence, and the girl that comes with it β the more he thinks on it, the more that he considers it ain't a bad life. even in this shitty town.
and when she speaks up, he turns to look at her, studying the features of her face that demonstrate her natural sincerity that he places all of his trust in, a sigh in his breath that's more grateful for her presence than any other sort of reluctant relief. ]
Yeah? [ his face softens, not quite a smile but a relaxed turn of his lips peering at her as his hand lifts, thumb stroking gently at her cheek. ] You'd do that?
action;
but that doesn't mean she considers deerington a weird and wacky vacation spot, either. she's got the things that give her structure here, something resembling a routine, a damn job that pays β and somehow, she's fumbled her way into an honest-to-god relationship on top of all of that, with someone who inhabits her space time and time again and hasn't run screaming for the hills yet. looking at him, it sometimes hits her that he's a more steadying presence for her than almost anyone she's ever met, and when she catches him looking back at her something in his gaze always manages to make her stomach do that flippy thing.
she tilts her head into the touch of his hand, that familiar warmth, the path his thumb always seems to take in tracing her cheek like he's relearning the shape of her. ]
Yeah. [ her voice is soft too, meaningful. ] I mean, in case you haven't noticed, I've got a pretty big yard, and I think dogs are into those.
action;
there's labor that's been placed into making this house as much of a home as possible, whether or not it stands to be a temporary one, and there's never been a dime received for that work save for the cups of warm coffee he asks for in return.
when shifts at the diner are done, he finds himself instinctively making the extended drive in this direction despite the apartment being a closer distance, finding more relief in laying upon a mattress already imprinted with his shape and wynonna's presence routinely found beside it.
whether he chooses to admit it or not, he knows why the dog was delivered here, and when wynonna offers to take turns looking after her, he realizes he never even considered the possibility that that dog would live anywhere but here.
warm cheek nestled in his palm, he can't help the softness of his own smile, and he chuckles in his breath when he leans forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. ] Yeah, maybe Cliff won't mind playing with her either. Kids like animals, right?
action;
and the more problems he'd unearthed with the farmhouse and taken it upon himself to fix, the more time he'd spent within these four walls, sometimes for days at a time if a project required more than a few hours to accomplish. it's no coincidence that her fridge is fuller than it's ever been, containing food that doesn't just consist of leftovers from the diner or the pizza place, or greek yogurt that's gone bad. it's no coincidence that he has a better sense of everything that's in her kitchen to cook with than she ever will.
the instincts are there for him to be here, embedded in their own foundation, for him to sleep on the side of the bed she's left open for him and for him to block her truck in with his car because he'll be the first one leaving in the morning anyway.
she closes her eyes for a few beats, smiles into the press of his lips and the tickle of his beard on her skin, and her hand assumes a light grip around his wrist, thumb gently sweeping across his pulse. ] You kidding? Kids love animals. They lose their shit for them. She'll have him wrapped around her tiny puppy paw in seconds.
[ never mind the fact that she'd found her own excuses to scoop the animal into her lap earlier while they'd been waiting for frank to get here, sneaking tiny kisses to the top of her head between those floppy ears. ]
action;
[ a smirk lingers on his lips, giving her a playful squinting stare. if anyone's got anyone wrapped around their finger, it'll be a fair easy guess on who exactly that is, considering frank's been a little more obvious is displaying a certain weakness on his sleeve these days. he's almost hesitant to draw himself away, but he finally takes a few steps back after a brief squeeze of her fingers so he can squat down, elbows over his knees as he looks across the room at the puppy running in circles.
his mouth presses tight, brows curved inward as in a deep focus as he merely watching her for an extended span of seconds.
eventually, he tilts his head up to wynonna, sincere when he asks, ] What do you think of Bogie?
action;
[ she flashes him a quick grin with a side of teasing in it, brow furrowing in feigned confusion while she shakes her head; she hasn't the faintest idea what or who you could be referring to, frank. he gently pulls away from her and her hands fall to her hips, a natural pose for her to assume while she's looking down at both puppy and newly minted owner as the former does a thorough job of exploring with the use of her nose and the latter seems to be studying her with the intention of finding something to base a name on.
it's a silence only broken by the sound of the puppy's tag jingling on the collar she wears, the one that mentions returning her to frank if found, and it's something wynonna doesn't move to fill with more words, both eyebrows rising when he finally poses a suggestion at her. ]
As in Humphrey? [ because that's the first reference her mind goes to, considering his favorite movie and the fact that it's actually a tie between two. ] I like it. Gender-neutral names are very on brand these days.
action;
Yeah, yeah, as in Humphrey. [ at least she isn't calling him out on it.
but he smiles a little when she gives her own affirmation, peering up at her briefly with soft eyes in silent appreciation before he focuses back in on the energetic puppy going circles towards anything she can get her nose on.
he raises his voice, not sternly but louder for it to cross the room, ] Hey, Bogie!
action;
and it is a cute name, considering the potential double meaning behind it; the puppy seems content on living up to the other one as she zooms around the house, tiny claws scraping against the weathered hardwood as she tries to avoid crashing into the furniture, but the sound of frank's voice sends both ears perking up almost instantly before she trots over to both of them, tail wagging in expectation.
wynonna voices a soft huh of surprise, crouching down to frank's level and extending a hand to try and steal a few scratches behind those attentive ears. ] Looks like she's into it, too.
action;
but there's a bit of something warm when she comes sprinting across the wood, circling her way back to him, either because being called in itself is enough to get her running back or there's a shared comfort in the name. either way, frank looks far too proud when he joins wynonna in offering scratching affection against that fur. ]
Guess that's that, then. Gotta get that on the collar. [ which would brand all of this even more official than he might have bargained for. yet, he does little to fight it now. ]