[for Chase]

[learnfromthem]

It's kind of the default response, isn't it?

'What do you want for your birthday?'

'A pony.'

Wren is a bit more impressive than a pony. We're still getting used to each other, if I'm being honest. I don't know where the island shops for its annual New Year's gifts, but I guess anything that's brought to Tabula Rasa needs an adjustment period. So we have a routine -- when she's groomed, when she's fed, when I take her out for a run.

Lucky's sitting on the steps in front of my cottage, watching as I run a brush through Wren's mane. He's been quiet all afternoon, but I turn when I hear the beginnings of a bark sit low in his throat. It's not until he bolts away that I realize we have company.

"Hey, Chase," I call out, shaking my head in amusement as Lucky jumps up to greet him.

Comments

[apoorupbringing]

"Nothing," he answered, shrugging, smiling as he curved his fingertips along the bottom dip of her spine.

"Just thought I'd... swing by. Mosey past. Drift along."

[learnfromthem]

"You work up an appetite with all that moseying? I've got leftovers inside," I say, pressing up on my toes so that I sway forward, our hips brushing together.

"Some kind of island-variant on spaghetti. Pretty sure the meat's boar."

The meat is almost always boar.

[apoorupbringing]

"Boar meat? How novel," Chase declared, grinning, flattening one of his hands out across the neat span of her back. She always fit up against him so damn well.

"Yeah, sounds good, actually. Hey," he added, looking away long enough to whistle briefly.

"Best Dog In The World, come on. Time for me to sneak you bites while Kate yells at me."

[learnfromthem]

I roll my eyes. I've made some progress with Lucky over the past few months, keeping him away from the table when I'm eating, but every time Chase stops by, it's back to square one all over again.

"You are the worst."

Not that I really mind. Giving Wren a pat, I double-check that she's got enough water and give her a sugar cube before I lead the way inside.

[apoorupbringing]

"Hi, horse," Chase says, gently brushing the backs of his knuckles across the soft hide of Wren's nose as they pass. If he can possibly avoid referring to an animal by its actual name, then by God, he will.

"So you don't have any classes or training sessions or community projects or... stuff going on today?" He goes straight to the nearest of the empty kitchen chairs, mostly so he can lean forward with his elbows on his knees and greet Lucky again, getting an ear in each hand and ducking his head to mumble about what a good boy he is some more.

[learnfromthem]

"It happens occasionally."

I pull out the container of pasta from my little island fridge and dump it into a pot so I can reheat it on my little wooden stove. Leftovers really aren't the same as they were back home -- only the press of a microwave button away. For that kind of convenience, you have to go all the way to the Compound.

"Everybody needs a day off, right?"

[apoorupbringing]

"Yeah, some of us have more days off than on, here," Chase replies, leaning back a little to look over and watch her.

"...do you want me to build you, like, a toaster oven? Convection oven?"

[learnfromthem]

I stop rifling through a drawer in search of a spoon and look over at Chase, eyes wide with surprise.

"You're not too busy building mogwai soaking pools?"

[apoorupbringing]

"Fuck, Kate, if I had a convection oven to build do you think we would have gotten to the mogwai soaking tub? Come on, I'm always desperate for something to do." Chase shook his head a little, looking down to scrub a hand around Lucky's muzzle.

"I would be absolutely thrilled to build you a convection oven."

[learnfromthem]

I snort, biting back a wide grin. Finding the spoon, I shut the drawer with my hip, and start stirring the pasta, keeping an eye on the bottom of the pot so that nothing burns.

"You'll have to help me think of some way to thank you."

[apoorupbringing]

"I can- ten. Fourteen. Instantly," Chase says, grinning over at her.

"Off the top of my head."

[learnfromthem]

I laugh outright at the look on his face.

"How many of 'em can wait 'til after we've nommed?"

[apoorupbringing]

"I.... eeeh, most of them," Chase ventured, squinting briefly at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I can hold off."

[learnfromthem]

I roll my eyes.

"You're lucky you're cute."

Tugging the pot off the stove, I plate the leftovers and pass Chase his portion along with a fork.

"Remember to chew."

[apoorupbringing]

He doesn't think she's lying.

"Yeah, that's the only explanation for all this," he agrees, then gestures to the plate.

"Thanks," he adds, before not-quite inhaling it. He may always be hungry, still, but his manners aren't quite as rampantly atrocious as they were at seventeen.

[learnfromthem]

I can feel it, something in my expression shifting from amused to almost concerned. I'm not as enthusiastic about the food, tucking in with narrowed eyes as I look him over. I manage a mouthful before saying, "...you know it's more than that, right?"

[apoorupbringing]

Chase stops, hearing the change in her voice, and looks up as he swallows a forkful.

"What?" He has to retrace the conversation for a moment before his eyes widen slightly. Then he winces.

"No- yeah, of course. That came out- kinda gross, that was not what I was going for."

[learnfromthem]

My shoulders sag a little with relief and I smile around my fork.

"Okay, good. 'Cause it is."