calling_logs | (no subject)

WHO: Steve and OPEN, Steve and Sam.
WHAT: Apartment hunting.
WHEN: Nowish?
WHERE: City of Tomorrow, City of Nightmare
NOTES/WARNINGS: Probably none. Maybe some schmoop and angst.

Thus far, Steve's resisted doing more than making occasional visits. He knows plenty of people have found an apartment, moved in on more or less permanent basis depending on who they are and what they are. Some (like Thomas) who have started businesses. He hasn't done it himself because it felt like abandoning his duty - his responsibility, his commitment, his purpose. People who count on him and need him and have expectations of him.

It's been months.

He's finally cracked.

He needs somewhere he can let his... fur out. Somewhere he can run, somewhere he doesn't have to keep the wolf locked under his skin and keep who and what he is secret, all the time. Somewhere, maybe, that he can even choose what he's responsible for and where everyone who looks at him doesn't immediately see Captain America, and have a comic book or trading card collection featuring him. He just -

He doesn't know what will make him happy, he doesn't know what he wants, but he's starting to get a guilty idea about what maybe he needs. Doesn't want to need it, but does anyway.

He can't quite decide where to look for that 'vacation home'. He knows he wants something small and basic. Whether he fits, he doesn't know. He knows his favorite two places, the ones he's most comfortable in, are Nightmare and Tomorrow. So those are the places he looks - walking the streets, head tilted up to look at buildings, checking properties and stopping for a meal here and there. Tracking to people he knows via scent along the way.

And, eventually, wearing fur and on four feet, making his way back to Sam's apartment and clawing at the door.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's already headed that way- Thomas is very definitely, uniquely, him - but smiles when he hears Thomas' voice. Stops approaching after another couple of steps. "I've been busy." It sounds apologetic. "How's business?" And where's your soul?

Margaery, as if on queue, poked out of his shirt collar to both greet and get a look at Steve. She doesn't speak, but the bob of her head is an acknowledgement. Thomas, for his part, steps into the light.

"Haven't started up yet. Unexpected delays."

He shrugs.

"Have I mentioned that plumbing is a bitch and a half?"

Seeing the snake poke its head out of Thomas' collar gets a faint smile, but it's more relief at knowing where she is, at this point. "This is gonna sound snide, but can't you just hire a plumber?"

That gets a look that would be flat, except that he's gotten good humor about the whole thing. At least by this point.

"The thing about plumbing is that it's got water in it. And water, when it ends up in places it's not supposed to be?"

He shakes his head with a sigh.

"I've got plumbers, carpenters, and a few handymen without an 'er' working on it, but the whole thing ended up taking almost another month."

Then he pushes off from the wall.

"And you?"

He quirks a half smile that's a little broader. "Hey, I'm just making sure you're not missing the obvious." He moves back a little, not away from Thomas so much as to give Thomas room to move where he wants. "I'm not doing a whole lot, here. Been working on some things back home." Which is still, in his head, the most important thing. Even if he knows he can pick it up there again, it's just -

Okay, still a struggle, which is why he sounds guilty when he says, "thinking of maybe getting a place here."

"Around here?" and he gestures to the city they're in at the moment, since he's hoping that's the case. He knows there's a certain pull for people like them to go to Nightmare, but he doesn't actually think it's a good idea. Nightmare is a place designed to bring out the monster in people.

"I could tell you about my building. And I think they have a couple of openings, if you're interested." A glance over at him. "Pet friendly."

"Haven't decided which neighborhood I want to look into," he admits, still doing some admitting and weird guilt about the whole move, but. Stops and almost laughs at the rest. Not mocking, but warm and a little self-depreciating. "You know, I kind of think any building you decided to take is a little... outside my budget." And probably comfort zone.

He snorts and shakes his head.

"Oh hell no. Totally reasonable."

He has the crazy apartment back home because it's expected. It's practically required. His apartment in the city is significantly less glitzy and definitely not quite as showcase clean. He actually lives in it.

Steve might even notice that his clothing is a little less... designer. Though it's hard to tell on Thomas since literally everything he wears looks like it was tailored. Then again, a nerdy t-shirt and a pair of jeans with a leather jacket over it aren't exactly the height of fashion in any world, even if he does look edible in them.

It's less what Thomas wears or knowing anything about how he lives back home than his manner of speaking, and being someone who can and has bought a business location here. He just seems... higher class than Steve, to Steve.

The looking good enough to eat, Steve's trying to ignore.

"Oh really? Maybe I should look around then." He's still thinking his idea of reasonable and Thomas' aren't the same, but maybe.

"Wanna pick up lunch and then I'll take you by?"

Nice and chill. Thomas is apparently in a good mood.

"Though, uh, nothing against dragons, right?"

"Sure, I was just about to stop roaming around and see if I could find something to eat, anyway." Though - Wait.

"...Dragons?"

"He's like... tiny," Thomas explains with a sweep of one hand. "Like, cat sized. And just the one. Just didn't feel like surprising you with him."

"Why." He starts, stops and just seems baffled. "Why do you keep turning up with reptiles? Where did you get a dragon?"

What.

"I was in Adventure during that hatching thing, looking into something," he explains, "and he kinda came home with me." A shrug comes along with that. "Besides, I like pets."

He's missed Mouse more than a little since he moved out.

"Remind me to never go on any kind of Adventure with you." He nudged Thomas's shoulder to show he was joking, but mostly just walked. "I don't need anything following me home." He had enough animal in his life.

...He was absolutely drawn to animals.

"Falcor's pretty set where he is now."

He occasionally joined Thomas out of the apartment, but mostly he liked to hang out there.

For his part, Thomas nudged back, grinning.

"And I totally disagree. You could use..." he was clearly thinking it over before-

"Ducks. You should adopt ducks."

He didn't get the reference to the name, but it didn't matter. He was mostly teasing Thomas about his ability to go out and come back with a stray.

Which occasionally, apparently, included him.

"You know I'm not actually a dog, right?" Ducks? Didn't dogs... herd ducks or something?

"Oh yeah. No. You're a guy." And that was definitely a thumbs up that came with that. "But I'm still sticking with ducks."

Why? It made sense to his brain for some reason. Possibly just because it was neither a cat, dog, nor rodent. Or a lizard.

"I'll tell you what: You can find a duck pond to take me to and we'll feed them." He wasn't taking ducks home? Where would he even put them, his shower?