01 [ action/handwritten, notebook paper ]

[northless]

[action]

[Sometime during the night, if anyone is still up and walking about despite all the strange creatures lurking around, they might see a young man carrying a box. It's fairly typical, really--

--wait, is that a puppy poking its head up? Yes. Yes, it is.

Guess who just found a box of puppies in an alleyway and didn't have the heart to leave them there.]

[handwritten, next day in class]

So, just a question: does anyone around here have enough resources to, say, take care of a puppy? Or, you know, does anyone want one at all? I found six of them yesterday, and as much as I'd like to keep them, I don't have enough money or space to feed six dogs. Maybe one, but not six.

If there aren't any takers, I'll take them to the shelter. But I'd like to make sure at least some of them have a place to stay that isn't my apartment, cramped as it is.

Comments

[northless]

[He ducks as one of the ravens tries to claw at him, then jabs left, knocking the other off-balance for a moment.]

Run!

[11ady]

[The police station is about a block away. She can drop the box there for a sec then come back to him with help.]

I'll be back!

[And despite her heels, she breaks into a run. Each stride feels like a knife's slicing through her feet but adrenaline's helping her ignore it.]

[northless]

[He doesn't reply, trying to fend off the ravens by himself. Right, left, right, left--hey, they're backing off. He immediately breaks into a run to catch up with her.]

Elle! Wait up!

[11ady]

[oh fuck her life. well, he'll be safer running from the threat then facing it. slowing down, she keeps pace with him.]

Guess we're going together then.

[seems the ravens aren't following. they appear to have lost their way though. the police station is nowhere in sight.]

[northless]

[Not exactly. He knows this place, has stumbled down it more than once.]

My place is nearby. [Fifteen minutes if they run.]

[11ady]

Lead the way. My arms could use a break.

[northless]

[And so he does--for twenty minutes. Okay, so maybe he miscalculated, but soon enough he spots his building's door and comes to a stop in front of it.]

Right here.

[11ady]

Definitely not how I saw the night ending.

[Setting the box down on his stoop, she keeps her one puppy in her arms.]

Though it's better than what might have been. Keep the umbrella. You might need it.

[northless]

Neither did I.

[He glances down at the umbrella, then up at her.] You're sure about that?

[11ady]

[Nodding, she ponders what her next step should be. She should be going, shouldn't she? It doesn't seem apt to just leave. Maybe it's adrenaline that propels her forward. Maybe it's just the right thing to do. Leaning in, she brushes her lips against his.]

Thank you.

[And with that, she turns to go.]

[northless]

[He stares after her for a moment, too stunned to respond as she walks away. Did she just kiss me? is the first coherent thought that comes to mind.

Yeah. Yeah, she did, is the second, and he can't help smiling as he picks up the box of puppies and walks towards his door.]