TEXT; UN: J.SHEPPARD

[impavid]

Alright, new pop quiz. When you think of home, what do you think of?

[ Open question, which he's not going to expand on unless prompted -- though really he's curious about something specific. Do people consider Olympia or Wyver their home now? Maybe the Natha station? Or do they think of home worlds they've been told no longer exist? ]

Comments

[priorly]

Did nobody ever say to you it's not the same if they tell you what they want?

I don't want anything. You haven't called in a while.

[impavid]

Neither have you.

[ He's just saying. ]

[priorly]

Maybe I was nursing the bruises from not being able to say anything to you without getting it shot back.

[impavid]

I learned from the best.

[priorly]

Well I personally find it exhausting. All that back and forth, back and forth, and before you know it you're all wound up with nothing to show for it. It's enough to give anybody blue balls.

[impavid]

Pretty sure I learned that tactic from the best too.

You wanna come pet my dog?

[priorly]

Really, you'll have to introduce me sometime, they sound formidable.

Is that a euphemism?

[impavid]

Probably because they are.

[ John doesn't exactly answer the other question, but he provides more information.

He attaches a picture of himself seemingly sat on the floor leaning against a wall, with a puppy sprawled in his lap. Momentarily it has run out of charge and is napping. John knows this won't last forever. ]

[priorly]

Would I like them?

[This picture is unfairly cute and Prior's chief weapon is the lack of a video screen to show he's noticed this.]

Pity, I happen to be a cat person. Have you named it yet? Names are important.

[impavid]

I only know my own opinion, and you could say I'm fond of them.

Even if they're leaving me to handle petting my own dog. You may never get to know the names it goes by, they are only divulged in person.

[priorly]

What if I wake him up? I'd be the bad uncle right from the start.

[impavid]

Are you saying you don't know how to be gentle?

[priorly]

Oh I can be viciously gentle.

I'm saying I don't have a key.

[impavid]

[ Oooh! Well, luckily in John's cheap starter home they don't have fancy door mechanisms beyond turning a key -- and John doesn't shut himself in. ]

Doors unlocked, since I'm in.

[priorly]

Or an address.

[He may be getting his coat. Or at least looking at it. Considering his coat.]

[impavid]

Wear your cheapest shoes and decoration, I haven't saved up enough to get out of starter housing.

[ Street corner quality company, you don't dress up for it. Has Prior moved up? John has no idea, but he has expensive taste. Even if he hasn't, his place is probably decorated nicer than John's -- which is fairly light on decor. The nicest thing in it is probably Ianto's coffee machine.

He attaches an address, though, and a map which indicates the higher-numbered sections.

John assumes if Prior is coming and gets lots he'll let him know, for now he's staying on the floor with sleepy puppy. ]

[priorly]

Well me either, but I know how to clean a floor.

[Prior has in fact moved down - although never out of starter housing, he's recently swapped the five bedroom place he and Byerly shared with a few passing friends for an altogether scrappier apartment with Richie. It's no worse than the walk up in Chelsea he and Louis used to maintain: less expense, more style. No hysterical dog in the apartment downstairs keeping the whole building awake all night. He's not one to judge.

Well. Not on wealth, anyhow.

And it turns out John isn't that far away, who knew?]

I suppose I could say hello to your dog.

[impavid]

[ John's is a scrappy studio-esque place. Two beds, technically, but they're in what is also the living area.

It's enough space to live in but he has dreams of Actual Separate Rooms one day. ]

So come on over. My hand's getting tired doing all this petting alone.

[priorly]

Well that's your mistake. Work from the elbow, not the wrist.

[impavid]

You can demonstrate when you get here. I take correction well enough.

[priorly]

And you think I'm responsible for your blue balls. You know what I think? Some people just have a gift for doing it to themselves.

[But, some twenty minutes later, there's the sound of someone letting themselves in the door, and a voice calling (softly) through-]

You really should think about locking this. You have a child to consider now.

[impavid]

[ John is still sat on the floor beside one of the small beds pushed against the wall, a sleeping pile of fluff in his lap. Her ears and paws are still slightly bigger than is natural, a size too big.

He's gently smoothing the fur of her ruff, and twitches Prior a lopsided smile. ]

Don't you worry, she'd kick up quite the racket if anyone bothered her -- and besides which, I wouldn't let anyone.

[ John may be currently laid out on the floor with a puppy in his lap, looking oddly vulnerable, but he's still more than capable of causing anyone who tried to burst in and cause trouble a world of pain. ]

[priorly]

I could kick up a racket, too. I still lock mine.

[Prior takes in the whole dorm room look of the place for a moment - he'd ask for the tour, but this appears to be it - before slowly crossing over to the little tableau on the floor. He's done as instructed and hasn't dressed up for the visit, but has for the recent drop in temperature: slacks and a butter soft grey sweater tucked under a black coat, its collar popped to keep out the wind.]

Ugh, dogs. What a terrible pet to get.

[Carefully, he lowers himself to one knee, then down til he's sitting cross legged opposite. With a little rummaging in his coat pocket he pulls out a small, squeaky bone.]

[impavid]

That's kinda my style, all things terrible.

[ The puppy, though, is on the alert now someone is close. She snaps awake and fixes her eyes on Prior, then yawns and struggles up, looking to John for guidance. ]

Go on, then. He's definitely here to see you, not me.

[ She studies John a moment longer before snuffling around his legs and then then bounding up to Prior -- shaking herself before snuffling at him. ]

Ianto says we should call her Seren, and I have a sneaking suspicion that sounds a much prettier name when your welsh isn't as bad as mine. Apparently it means star.

[priorly]

Star. Well, it's what little girls name their ponies, but not bad otherwise. Did you have a suggestion of your own?

[There's not far for the dog to bound - fortunately, given that Prior's not built to take much bounding. His knees are a few inches from John's and her small body easily bridges the gap. Prior carefully shepherds her toward the good leg, letting his fingertips rub between her ears, fussing gently.

He's still holding out the toy.]

How do you know I didn't bring this for you?