a candle in the dark [sparrooo]

The worst feeling was never the loneliness, but instead the feeling of being forgotten by someone you can't begin to forget about yourself. And, though the ashen mongrel shifter would never admit to it, that was very much the situation at hand. He hadn't been welcomed with open arms, that much was for sure; with Quintin having made another departure to god knows where, as per norm, he'd ended up leaving the mongrel out in the cold. And, he couldn't exactly barge the door open or pick the lock with this amount of people around. Thus, instead, he'd sought to venture the streets, ended up roughhoused by a stray dog, and having to poke around humans for some sort of assistance; a definite blow on his infamous manly pride.

Upon his return, the man had been present this time around, but the mongrel had generally been ignored. For the most part, the only attention he got was treatment for his wounds, being fed, and receiving the occasional pat. It could have been worse, for that he was sure, though he hated to see the man in such a way. It wasn't that he seemed upset or depressed, no, but it was more the lifelessness. The guy always seemed so tired.

Coincidentally, it was one of the only times that he had managed to fully capture the man's attention through positive means. In a final effort, his weight has slouched across the man's legs, and despite the discomfort of the position he was forced into, it seemed to be worth it. He felt teal eyes resting upon him, and turned crimson-hued irises back upwards towards them with a quietened huff of acknowledgement. His muscles relaxed beneath the frail hand, noting the way the scarred limb intricately avoided his own wounds. He didn't question it of course, enjoying the only real moment with the man he'd had in weeks.

However, said moments had a tendency to be interrupted. The sound of scratching against the door, though unheard by the man, immediately caused the ashen mongrel to jerk upright, his frame immediately tense. Audits pinned tightly against his skull, bounding from the couch and padding through into the hallway, eying the door carefully. It was then the uproar of howls and whines erupted from behind it, drawing a harsh growl from the dark crossbreed. However, he recognised the tone of the racket; he knew that whine anywhere. The sound rattled in his memory, rebooting his common sense. The defensive mindset faded, however, there was little time to react before the dishevelled human passed him, and went for the door handle.

And, there he was. The brown wolf from the cabin in the woods, bathed in moot from ear to paw. He wasn't entirely sure what he was meant to feel towards the unexpected arrival. His ears tipped forward, and his eyes glimmered with curiosity, though his frame was held in a defensive position behind the man.

Teal eyes blinked slowly down at the form of the brown canid, dishevelled features knotting into that of confusion. "U-uh... H-hey?" He didn't know the wolf, that much was for sure. The canid didn't appear as if h belonged to anybody, judging by the amount of filth upon him. Something in the dishevelled bipedal's better nature had his gaze softening, and slowly, he moved himself into a crouch, extending one hand forward. Poor thing. After all, this was just a dog, right?

The mongrel's crimson hued gaze snapped from the extended hand towards the wolf, remaining tense. It was awkward, that was for sure. He silently willed the wolf to keep quiet about their abilities, and to react in the manner that the human clearly expected. Why was Cody here? Was something wrong? Had something happened?

W O R D S
god knows

T A G
RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
Dawh, I missed it too xD Carchaic bromance forever <333 

Crimson hued irises carefully surveyed the filthy canid, his lip curling slightly in disgust; how could the kid just prance around, being that dirty? Sure, the wolf didn't like baths, but this was just ridiculous. The oddened grin cast towards him did nothing but cause a frown to tug at his features, though there was humor set in his irises, his tail giving a lazed wag or two behind him. One pinned audit inquisitively tipped forward. "What are you doing here, kid?" to Quintin, of course, it was nothing more than an incoherent grumble of a seemingly playful growl.

Sighting the hesitation of the wolf, however, he cast a warning glance towards the brown canid from behind the dishevelled man, shifting somewhat nervously between his forepaws. Talk about an awkward situation. "What, you expect me to be in a house with a complete stranger? You've met him before, anyway; you should know." His eyes drifted briefly back towards Quintin, features softening slightly. "He is, yes. He doesn't know about... Uh... About us shifters, so just watch yourself..." He met the wolf with an expressionless gaze, before giving a light snort, gaze twisting downwards towards the floor below them.

The bipedal's teal irises eyes softened slightly as the wolf hesitated, his somewhat guarded expression fading, hand retreacting slightly, but still held out before him. "I-It's alright, boy... It's okay..." His voice was soft, even for him, in effort to comfort the canid. He forced his hand to stop shaking as the muzzle lowered towards it, the faint trace of a smile creeping the corners of his mouth upwards. "What happened to you, hm?" He murmured gently, surveying the dirt and filth thickly greased through the candid's brown pelt. It had to be a stray dog, right? It wasn't as if the neighbourhood has wolves running about, now, was it? no of course not quintin. you keep thinking that.

As the brown canid sought to bark, the dishevelled man took that as friendliness, and gingerly extended his hand towards the canid's neck to rub gently. "... You hungry, boy?" If it was a stray, then it would likely be starving. Poor thing. But, for a stray, it didn't look that bad off. Maybe it used to be somebody's pet? Hell, maybe it still was. "I'll... Find you something to eat. How's that sound?" His stuttering had dissipated with the softness of his voice, fairly calm around the dog. With that, he raised onto his feet again and wandered a few paces in, looking expectantly back towards the dog. "C'mon..."

Typical Quintin, the mongrel noted, as the man seemingly decided that he'd take the wolf in, at least temporarily. As the man moved from the doorway, the ashen canid shouldered his way past the door, and extended his muzzle out towards the wolf's ear, to give it a friendly lick of greeting. "It's not much compared to the joys of the wild, but it's home. Just try not to do anything stupid." With that, and a snort of both sarcasm and amusement, he disappeared along the hallway towards the kitchen, while Quintin waited for the wolf.

W O R D S
God knows.

T A G
@codycurrington played by RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
^u^

Awaiting the brown wolf's response, his audits drew fully forward, staring over inquisitively at the fellow shifter. However, as the reasoning was finally unveiled for the lupine's sudden appearance, he shook his head, with a snort of partial amusement. "And here I was thinking you'd grown up enough to be out on your own, kid." Though he'd certainly refuse to admit, the words struck him a little more deeply than the wolf would have likely intended. Of all people, the canid came to him for company. Him, and him alone. Uncertainty briefly passed his gaze, before dismissing both the thought and the motion with another toss of his skull. "Guess I still got plenty to teach you." A smirk that was anything but dog-like passed his features, amusement shrouding his irises. It faded, however, into a slight hint of sincerity. "I'd enjoy the company, anyway."

His ears pinned back once again as the wolf responded; though the mongrel's own words hadn't meant to be harsh, it appeared as though they were taken that way. "Fine, whatever, just don't make it too obvious you know him. He'd get suspicious." He forced the fur to lie flat against the back of his neck, still bristled from the initial shock of the unexpected arrival. Seeing the wolf lost to the thought of food, however, he huffed in an amused fashion, allowing his weight to slip back onto his haunches, taking up a sitting position, glancing briefly towards the avian-like man.

Sighting the canid's reaction, the dishevelled man allowed a faint chuckle of amusement to slip from him, smirk tugging at his features. The dog (or at least what he thought was a dog) had character, that was for sure. With that, he drew himself upright again, glancing back at the pair of dogs a few steps down the hallway.

He studied the wolf in disbelief for a moment, though not at the fact that he said he'd behave himself. "So ticklish too, hm?" He paused, experimentally nudging his nose behind the wolf's ear, before retracting his maw and studying the lupine. "You better," he mumbled in response to the fact he said he'd behave, and in noting the fact that Quintin hadn't shut the door, he shoved his weight against it, grunting lightly as the familiar click sounded. With that, he trotted along down the hallway after the dishevelled man, only briefly turning back towards Cody. "As soon as he takes his eyes off you I can show you around the place. I don't know how long you're planning on staying but..." He trailed off with a shrug, before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Following the ashen mongrel into the kitchen, the man noticed the filthy paw prints being walked around the floors, but silently promised he'd clean it up later, instead focused on the task at hand. What did he have that the stray could eat, anyway? He had dog food, obviously, but Archaic himself never seemed to like it that much; not just the brand, but generally all dog food. It was a bit odd, but he didn't question the mongrel's preferences. Chicken and rice seemed to be one of the mongrel's own favourites to eat, for whatever reason, so that'd probably do the stray just fine. Didn't take too long to prepare either. So, he went about boiling the rice and such, and with ready-cooked chicken, he had two fairly generous bowls done in about five minutes.

Though the mongrel had briefly departed into another room, however, the sound of the wolf's call brought him trotting back, casting a questioning glance over towards him. "What?" He lost that train of thought, however, as the two bowls were set down. "Dig in," the dishevelled man placed them on the floor before the two dogs, teal eyes set upon the pair of canids Not needing encouragement, the mongrel did just that, immediately digging his maw into the meal. He savoured the taste, only pausing to glance up at the brown wolf to check if he was eating himself. "I know it's not exactly fine dining, but by domesticated dog standards, its pretty good."

W O R D S
God knows.

T A G
@codycurrington played by RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
I'm enjoying it xD Quin's just so oblivious.

The mongrel's darkly toned audits switched forward at the sound of the disappointed snort, and though he barely gave a physical reaction to the noise, the notion somehow sat heavily on his chest. Maybe it was purely the fact he didn't want to disappoint, maybe it was just because this was Cody. He didn't know, but the thought dissipated as the feeling faded. However, as the wolf shook his head, the mongrel released a quietened huff of amusement, hesitating briefly, before ambling after the brown canid.

As the shifter retorted, however, the mongrel's ears immediately pinned back against his head, tail ceasing its light wagging. "Well, y-yeah, I know... I-I just thought..." His vocals trailed off, his expression falling slightly. He turned his back to the wolf, feigning false interest in the man pottering about the kitchen. Crimson hued irises trailed the dishevelled man, haunches settling on the ground, saying nothing more.

Upon his irises twisting over to the wolf, a faint trace of a smirk briefly passed over his facials, before returning to his own food; the sound of choking drew his attention back upwards. His frame tensed, and his muzzle extended towards the wolf, though as the shifter managed to sort himself out, he retracted it promptly. He looked briefly as though he wanted to say something, though silently returned to his own meal, keeping one eye on the wolf.

Hearing the yawn of the wolf, his gaze twisted upwards, swiping the final mouthful of his own food. He snorted lightly at the shifter's words, and upon feeling the bump on the shoulder, a subtle grin briskly passed over his face, despite the dull, throbbing pain in his wounded shoulder. Thankfully, his ashen pelt did a good job cloaking the wound, due to its length. "You should be here on a sunday. I don't know what the hell he puts in that bowl, but I can't say I've tasted better."

Granted, the friendliness between the dogs immediately did seem a little odd, though the dishevelled man sought not to question it. Teal eyes surveyed the pair of canids, though he said nothing, allowing a trace of a smirk to pass over his facials. That was, until the wolf flung dirt and god knows what from behind his ear. "Whoa, okay, you need a bath, that's for sure." With that, the man disappeared upstairs, presumably to run said bath.

Crimson hued irises followed the man, chuckling light heartedly. He knew the wolf hated water, baths, and whatnot, but he'd have to deal with it if he was going to stay here at all, nevermind the length of time he was here. Speaking of which, how long was the wolf planning on staying? It couldn't be forever, that would be absurd. Or was it? He didn't know what the brown lupine was planning, after all.

The wolf's statement, however, caught the mongrel offguard. He knotted his gaze back onto the brown canid, brow furrowing slightly. "Cody, why would you not see me again? I wouldn't leave you behind." The sight of the puppy eyes caused his gaze to soften slightly, though he gave a huff of amusement at the notion. "I promise you that." He delivered a gentle, friendly lick to the wolf's head, before slumping down onto his side with a deflating huff.

W O R D S
God knows.

T A G
@codycurrington played by RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
xD

Crimson hued irises silently surveyed the lupine, rasping his tongue briefly over the lupine shifter's forehead, and in receiving no apparent reaction, he slouched unceremoniously down into his side, releasing a ragged huff, wincing lightly as his injured shoulder collided with the terrain. However, the throbbing pain only caused the brief notion; he revealed no sign of the pain afterwards, dismissing it promptly. Now, while he had been expecting the wolf to give a reaction, let's just say it was a little larger than he was initially anticipating.

One ear hesitantly folded back against his skull, the other perking forward, observing the brown canid inquisitively at the first whine from the wolf. "Yes, a bath, Cody." His body shifted slightly, readjusting his frame's position subtly for further comfort against the hard flooring. "Well, I'm afraid that's what people do to their dogs, sometimes." True enough. Clambering back onto his feet, he settled his crimson tinted irises onto the wolf, studying him quietly.

His sides heaved in an irritated huff as the wolf disappeared underneath the kitchen table, taking a singular pace forward, head dipping so that he could see the brown canid. "Calm down, kid; a bit of water never hurt anyone. If you think this is torture, then I don't get how you last in the wild," he snorted lightly at that thought, though dismissed it with a roll of his large shoulder blades. Though most might have been amused by the brown wolf's situation, the ashen mongrel was anything but amused. "It ain't like it's going to bite or something, jesus." pfft get a sense of humor archaic god.

He gritted his teeth in annoyance, gaze fairly stern as he looked upon the wolf. "Now grow a pair and get out here, kid; it's water. There's barely enough in a bathtub to even come close to drowning yourself. Besides, I wouldn't let you drown, you know that." It was true; he likely wouldn't be able to handle seeing the lupine shifter injured, let alone the wolf having drowned in his own home. Well, Quintin's, but technically his home too. Whatever.

Eying the filthy canid carefully, he snorted down at the wolf, unable to understand this hatred of water. It just seemed so unjustified. "None of this is fucking illegal, it's a perfectly normal thing for people to do to their pets. You hear me, NORMAL. D'you need me to spell that out for you?" He scoffed, shaking his head.  "Why'd you hate water so much, anyway? You never did give me a reason for that."

W O R D S
God knows.

T A G
@codycurrington played by RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
OMFG x'D

The ashen mongrel's chest heaved in a huff as the wolf practically ignored the vast majority of his statements, his words having brought no visual comfort to the brown lupine. It was evident that the canid likely wouldn't calm down, at least for a little while. He had never particularly been one for empathy, or anything of the like, to be perfectly honest, hence he was barely able to understand the wolf's apparent phobia of the otherwise harmless liquid (unless you sunk like a stone and didn't make any effort to swim, of course). But he tried to understand, if only for Cody. If only to maintain the brown wolf's wellbeing. Not to say he succeeded in that.

Attempting to fully wrap his mind around the whole thing, well, was a somewhat difficult task for him. The ashen canid snorted lightly towards the wolf as he crawled from beneath the furniture, a look of irritation briefly passing over his facials as the lupine put forth an apparent excuse. "Bullshit! Who the hell told you that, anyway?" Crimson hued irises closing momentarily, he released a slow breath. Hell, he felt like the wolf's mother, having to teach him about hygiene and whatever the hell else. Did mothers do that? Hell if he knew. Wasn't like he had much of one. "It's called hygiene, Cody, and it's necessary, especially around humans. You can't live in filth, kid. You'll get old and lonely and diseased with it." Or at least that was the way he saw it; sure, he could last a bit of mud, but that wasn't completely parasite ridden and cloaked constantly in filth, now, was it?

Staring over at the canid with a somewhat inquisitive gaze, the whine brought a light snort from the mongrel, reaching up a paw to cuff the wolf's ear, somewhat playfully. "Hell, I ain't gonna lecture you any more." It seemed as though he wouldn't need to, however, for soon after the wolf had stated that he just wanted to get it over with. His frame braced as the wolf lightly butted him, flinching slightly in response, this time, the constant pressure of it getting to him a little. But, he merely gave a grin, maintaining his posture.

When the wolf backed away from him, however, he released his own gentle whine, his audits pinning against his skull. "No, no, it's alr-..." He stifled back a chuckle as the wolf fell over himself, gritting his teeth, though allowing the smirk to pass over his facials. When the wolf began to scratch parasites all over the floor, however, the dog pinned his ears and jerked a few paces away, shaking his frame. "Keep your ticks to yourself, jesus fucking christ." He shuddered at the thought of the blood sucking critters, rolling his large shoulder blades in attempt to dismiss the feeling. He snorted at the wolf's question, meeting him with a look that purely said 'really?' "Anyway, it should be pretty much done. God knows what's taking the guy so long. C'mon, kid." With that, he trotted down the hallway, briefly glancing back to see if the canid was following.

W O R D S
God knows.

T A G
@codycurrington played by RENDEZVOUS

N O T E S
^u^