OPEN LOG;

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

WHO: Ned, Digby and YOU
WHERE: Roaming the streets.
WHEN: June the 22nd, early to midday.
WARNINGS: extreme cuteness
SUMMARY: Ned is looking for the perfect place to open his new pie shop. Also to live.
FORMAT: prose but if you commentspam I'll follow along.


Getting out of bed this morning for Ned the Pie Maker had been especially difficult. It had been Digby, at last, who had persuaded him to rouse, barking and lapping around their small apartment until Ned finally agreed to take him out. More appropriately dressed for the weather now, he walks, Digby walking just a bit farther in front of him than most dogs might. Ned grips tightly to his leash, trying not to think. But Ned is a thinker, and his feelings are often overwhelming, and here in a new place in a dimension far far away from Chuck and home and the Pie Hole isn't a conducive environment to dialing back his own pensiveness.

Real Estate was expensive here, or at least, more so than he was accustomed to, and it only makes his many thoughts multiply. Gaze trained to the sidewalk, he allows Digby to lead, shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders as he walks. He supposed he could take a break and find Digby some water, the dog looking as tired as he felt, emotionally run ragged by all the new information threatening to burst his head open.

Superpowers. Everyone had them here. Not only does it inspire acid reflux and panic of a whole new level, it also comes with a degree of peace. If someone were to find out about Ned's ability he wouldn't be a societal pariah, skirting along the edges of the city. He could probably even tell people without much worry at all. He knows better though, knowing full well what someone would risk to bring a loved one back. He couldn't risk being used in that way.

It's with this inattention that Ned fails to notice Digby noticing you, pulling away from his loosening grip on the leash to rush to your side. Not being able to get his pets from the Pie Maker, he's looking for any contact he can, wagging his tail excitedly. By the time Ned realizes, the golden retriever has already sprung free, and he's helpless to pull him back without the leash.

"I'm sorry, he's usually so well-behaved," Ned immediately apologizes, following after Digby with a stern expression. "Sit." The command brings Digby to immediate obedience, sitting by your feet, Ned looking on apologetically.

Comments

[tattleina]

"Oh, it's no problem. He's such a nice little dog!" Shirley cooed, stooping over to scratch Digby under the chin. "I think my neighbour used to have this sort of dog when I was a kid."

She straightens herself up again to look up at Ned. And by "up", this means pratically craning her neck to speak to him.

"My name is Shirley, by the way. It's very nice to meet you and your dog."

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

"I had this sort of dog when I was a kid too," Ned says, smiling down at Shirley and hunching his shoulders even more to bridge the gap. He bends to pick up Digby's leash, shrugging a bit as he comes back up. "Actually, just this sort. As in, the same one."

Oh, right. Introductions. He takes a breath, smile slipping just a little even as his hand tightens around the leash.

"I'm Ned, and this is Digby."

[tattleina]

"Oh, what a cute name!" Shirley trills, pulling her handbag up her shoulders a bit more in a self concious manner. "...I meant the dog by the way. But your name is very nice too."

She gives Digby another large stroke down one of his ears, cooing softly at him.

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. On both counts." He smiles despite himself, letting up a bit on Digby's leash. "I think Digby likes you, too."

[tattleina]

Shirley gives an appreciative smile towards Ned, before launching into full investigation mode.

"So, uh, are you going to the park?"

[notniteowl.livejournal.com]

Ted crouches to give Digby the pets he so desperately wants, grinning at the dog and then up at Ned. "Hey there, buddy," he says to Digby, and gives the dog a few scritches behind the ears.

"Don't worry about it," He says cheerfully to Ned. "I like dogs, and this is way more fun than figuring out where to find a bigger warehouse." There's a considering pause, and then Ted continues. "Are you new? I don't think I've seen you around here before."

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

Seeing Digby happy never gets old, and he smiles softly over at Ted, standing back a bit from the pair.

"A warehouse?" Ned asks before the question catches up to him, tilting his head as he processes the rest. "I just arrived a few days ago, but surely you can't know everyone here by face."

[notniteowl.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I've got a bunch of stuff that won't fit in my current one." He shrugs and continues petting Digby, but stands to offer Ned a hand.

"I don't, but -- new people tend to have a certain look, y'know? I'm Ted, by the way. Hi."

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

"What sort of warehouse items do you...warehouse?" Shrugging too, and only looking a bit uneasy, he accepts Ted's offer of a handshake. He pulls away after the briefest of contact, mouth twitching into a nervous smile to make up the difference.

"I'm Ned. What sort of look do I have about me?"

[askedtobe.livejournal.com]

Peter wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to walk before he went into the clinic, there wasn't any reason to, all things considered. He had things he could be doing, paperwork and people he could be distracting himself with so he could continue to keep separated from his thoughts. And walking through this city did anything but.

Which might have been where the problem was taking root. Peter still had some need to make sure that this place wasn't going to turn into another nightmare. After years spent alone, being inside a city teeming with people felt unnatural, and Peter was having trouble readjusting to a life he'd at one point, known so well. He'd grown up in a big city, he was supposed to feel at ease here, not out of place. And he definitely wasn't supposed to be looking down alleys to make sure that Sylar wasn't going to turn up when he least expected.

But he was, and so he kept walking. Kept making sure that he was brushing by people who were truly there and not some additional figment of his subconscious. It was ridiculous and he hated it, just like he'd hated nearly every second spent he'd spent alone in a next-to-empty New York. But he didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to lay out the facts to all the things he spent hours every night regretting and wishing had never happened. But they had, and now he was here, in another city so much like his own, another city he didn't want to have to get used to.

However intent he was on clearing his mind, Peter was thankful for the welcome reprieve of the sudden appearance of a dog, and it's an automatic response to hold out his hand to let him sniff. Once Peter accomplishes his intended greeting towards the dog that almost looked familiar, Peter set out to start scratching, kneeling slightly to get Digby behind the ears. Which is right around when his focus pulls up to Ned, and Peter conjures up a smile, ignoring how forced it is.

"Hey, it's fine."

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

Immediately calming at the sighting of a familiar face, he almost laughs as Digby redoubles his efforts, rubbing his face against Peter's hand almost like a cat. It's hardly surprising, as starved for attention as he must be without Chuck or Olive here. Unconcerned but still awkward, he stuffs his hands in his pockets and watches the two together. It was impossible to tell whether Digby was just happy to see Peter or if he was looking for his friend from yesterday, a lemur Ned had called Lamar.

"He missed you," he says before he realizes that might be taken oddly, tipping his head to the side. "Or at least, he seems to. I think he's just happy to see a familiar face." Ned wasn't about to say that it went double for him, even if he'd seen Peter just the day before and only met him a day before that.

[askedtobe.livejournal.com]

At that, Peter's smile turns a little more honest. There was something to be said for the simple comfort that could be garnered from a dog, which is undoubtedly why he always liked them so much. Standing upright, Peter kept his weight shifted so he could keep scratching at the top of Digby's head -- not that Peter was actually tall enough for that to be uncomfortable.

"First few days here can be pretty rough. Can't be any easier on a dog," Peter comments, his smile only holding strong for a few more seconds before it's gone entirely.

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

"He usually stays with Chuck and Olive," Ned admits, shrugging. "He's probably just disoriented."

Suddenly, he recognizes again that he seems to be talking about himself, and sighs, looking back down at Peter.

"Sorry, you were headed somewhere. Don't let me keep you."

[fliesacomet260.livejournal.com]

When the Digby approaches her, looking for pettings, Tonks grins. "Wotcher there..." She drops to a knee and gives Digby a good scratching behind his ears.

Tonks knows something about rambunctious, large canines but she suspects that Digby is not an Animagus. "It's alright," she says to Ned when he apologizes." She suspects that Ned is also not a wizard. It's just a hunch. "He's a sweetheart. What's his name?"

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

He can't help but smile back, something about Tonks' own inspiring his lips to twitch. Seeing Digby and the woman content with each other, he doesn't make a grab for the leash, instead hovering at a safe distance.

"I think Digby likes you," he comments, offhand, processing her question. "Which would obviously make that his name. Digby."

[fliesacomet260.livejournal.com]

"I've known a few dogs in my time. Digby, is it? Well, it suits you." She gives the dog's head a final petting. Tonks then picks up his leash. It's probably not even the final petting, to be honest.

"You might want to be careful about him. Animals have escaped from the zoo and it'd be terrible if something happened to him." She offers Ned back his leesh. "My name is Tonks by the way."

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

Accepting back the leash with another smile, he nods. "I did notice the zoo animals roaming yesterday. I think most of them are back now?"

Blinking a bit owlishly, he reigns it in, ducking his head. "I'm Ned. The pleasure is all mine. And Digby's," he adds, noting how the dog strains against his leash just a little to seek out more of Tonk's attention.

[xuffasch]

Damian is out for a walk when he encounters Digby, stepping back from the dog and looking down at him with a decidedly belligerent expression. When he spots Ned, he gives him a scathing look.

"As you should be." His tone is nothing short of disdainful, and he lets out a scoffing sigh. "At least you can control the beast." His manner was haughty, but Damian was looking down at the dog as though he'd like to pet him--an inclination he would stringently deny if it was remarked upon.

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

The tone immediately sends Ned into acid reflux territory, making a grab for Digby's leash. "I should be, and I am. Sorry." A beat as he tries to calm the racing of his own heart. "But Digby's no beast. He was only looking for a little attention."

Digby, having not nearly as much shame as Ned, turns his wide eyes up at Damian, all but begging for a pet.

[xuffasch]

Damian seems a bit mollified by how apologetic Ned is, but he isn't about to admit that. Instead, he looks skeptically down at Digby and then just rolls his eyes.

"Of course he is; look at him." He's about to add something about the sense of having him leashed, but given the past week's experiences with animals in the city, he refrains.

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

He tightens his fingers around the leash, his gulp nearly audible. "I assure you, he's harmless."

late ;w;

[gevurah]

Ned isn't the only one feeling more than apprehensive about finding himself an entirely different universe. Kate found herself restless throughout most of her first night, therefore she's barely gotten any rest. Thoughts are bouncing back and forth in her head, even now as she walks down the sidewalk, taking in her new surroundings. She almost doesn't notice the dog until Digby is by her side.

"No harm done. It's alright." She looks to Ned with a sheepish smile.

it's never too late for batwoman ;3;

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

His lips twitch into a nervous smile of his own, already hunching over to regather Digby's leash. He isn't sure why, but Ned thinks he may have found a kindred spirit. Ted's comment about new people having a certain 'look' was starting to make a bit of sense.

"Did we interrupt anything interesting?" he asks pleasantly, noticing the pensive expression she had been wearing just a few seconds ago.

ned ;3; i just adore him.

[gevurah]

Although she shakes her head, she still gestures to the general area around them.

"Getting a feel of the City," she replies.

awww and i love kate ;;

[stressbaking.livejournal.com]

"And what's your feeling so far?" Digby barks, as if to back Ned up, still hovering close to Kate.