2022-01-10 - Getting Elsa

Isi is just this side of a nervous wreck. This time for a not life or death reason - she is here to pick up Elsa and take her home for the first time. It has been a hectic week of paperwork and background checks followed by some intense scrutiny of her living situation. She paces outside the shelter, having arrived a good hour before it actually opens. "They said I was good - but what if they change their minds? I swear I'll walk her religiously, even if I don't have a fenced in yard."

"Why on Earth would you not be good?" Isi's companion in dog acquisition is the tall Danish expat, Ravn Abildgaard. Gloved hands in the pockets of his leather jacket with the torn sleeve and the bullet hole, he looks most of all amused -- and perhaps, if you squint, like the kind of bloke who might think that a German Shepherd will make him look more macho. Good thing he's not the one getting the dog, then. "If anything, they're going to come knocking six months from now, asking if you'd like to have five more since the first one is obviously doing so very good."

"Except if she isn't." Isi is in full fret mode, mind on literally anything that could possibly go wrong with this transfer of care. "I've never owned a dog before, and German Shepards can be difficult. Plus I'm walking around with a guy sporting bullet holes in his clothing. I swore I'd do professional lessons and everything but what if I fail?"

Isi, throwing in some shade in the middle of her own worries. She is still her.

"Myes, I'd appreciate it too if people would stop shooting at my leather jackets. Particularly when they don't give me a chance to take them off first." Ravn hitches a shoulder. "That said? My father owned a couple. They're easy enough to handle as long as they get enough exercise, and have a job to do -- they're shepherd dogs, they need to use their minds. There's a reason this breed is so popular as guide dogs and therapy dogs, you realise? They're clever and caring."

A lopsided grin flits across the man's features. "Also, it's not my damn fault this town doesn't have a good leather shop. I'll get a new jacket sometime I can be bothered to go to Seattle."

"Use the damn internet, Amazon will delivers doesn't it? " Isi is too wound up to be kind to Ravn about his fashion choices. "You look like a bad boy but all of us know you would rather go read a book professor smart ass."

Also probably deflecting her nervous state because she isn't looking at him while insulting him. Instead she has her eyes moving constantly between her watch and the doorway.

"I'm not a bad boy, and for that matter, I'm not a professor, either." Ravn laughs softly; he's quite aware what Isi is doing, and if anything he's amused by it. It's kind of cute, in her own way -- like a kitten that rips a blanket to shreds because it's grumpy and irritable. "If you want to get technical, the term you're looking for is doctor phil."

He pauses. "As in, doctor in philosophy. Not as in Doctor Phil. Shut up. Also, I refuse to buy anything from Jeff Bezos."

Isi's mouth was open to make that joke when Ravn STEALS it from her. She wrinkles her nose as she closes her mouth on it. Spoilsport.

"Why?" Isi latches onto this new thread of conversation like she is clinging to a pipe soas to not get sucked up into a tornado.

"Because he's an exploitative asshole who treats his employees like indentured servants and he makes me feel like I'm the villain?" Ravn smirks. "Are we going to stand out here all week, or are you ready to go meet your life's true love?"

"Have you ever considered that maybe you are the villian?" Isi inquires, cocking a sideways glance at him to see how that jab lands.

His question has her looking down at her watch again. "It doesn't open for five more minutes - I didn't check the hours, just assumed they would open at 9." They don't. They open at ten. It is fine. Isi will just stand, snark, and fidget.

"I'm far too mediocre to make a good villain. Look at me -- when I get shot, I don't even manage a heroic shoulder wound that lets me grit my manly jaw and go on fighting, I just go down like a sack of potatoes and need somebody to drag me out of there." Ravn seems quite amused; and why not? Isi is nothing if not good at jabbing and testing his defences. "Besides, I don't even own a private jet with which to help ruin the environment."

He shrugs and sneaks a quick cigarette, lighting it with that old coat-of-arms zippo. "Time for me to ruin my own health, then. Good super villains don't do that either -- they have grand plans to live forever and rule the universe, after all."

"Super villains smoke so we can tell they really are bad - look at how they ignored their mamas and took up such a bad habit." Isi isn't even bothering to pretend she isn't hyper focused on the doorway any more.

"I'll give you the plan thing though- is HOPE the first thing you've started?"

"Yeah, it is. And I didn't start it -- Ignacio de Santos did. I'm just kind of the day manager. He's a famous writer, bit of a local media darling -- I'm just some slacker from abroad who tutors for a couple of hours a day and otherwise tries to find something useful to do with my time." Ravn rests a hip against the wall of the building and toys with his cigarette. "And as for grand plans for world domination? I tend to figure that if I'm still alive by the end of the month I'm doing okay."

"I take it back then, you are a planless wonder then. No super villain tendencies. Chaotic neutral." Isi is just spitting things out now.

The doorway to the shelter shakes and Isi is jumping and stepping towards the doorway in hopeful anticipation.

Except it doesn't open.

Three minutes.

"The word you're looking for is 'playboy' when the bloke wears a tailored suit -- and 'drifter' when he dresses like me." Ravn is still highly amused; watching Isi wander back and forth is better than any tennis match he's ever been forced to watch in the name of good manners. "Insulting me really is your idea of a good time, isn't it?"

"The only reason your pretty ass face isn't a playboy is because you don't lead women on. Pretty blunt when they don't have a chance in hell with you."

But his last gives her pause and she turns, "Sorry- in just nervous they are going to change their mind."

"Why the hell would I want to lead people on when they don't have a chance?" Ravn's grin widens. This logic is going to be fun to watch play out. Yes, tell him, indeed, why he should be a tease.

And maybe, in some twisted way, that's also a kind of permission to go on taking out the nervousness on his pretty ass face self.

Ass face for sure.

But pretty ass.

Can asses be pretty? Is that a thing?

"People get off on that kind of power - having people hover around the chance of getting on their dick - or vagina, creeps are sex neutral. You don't play that shit."

"Oh, believe me, I'm aware. I'm also aware that I come across to those people as the worse choice between me and watching paint dry." Ravn blows a smoke ring, and then puts the cigarette out. He tucks the butt in a pocket rather than dropping it on the ground. "It's impossible to have a decent conversation with someone who's busy trying to rearrange herself into the best look for her tits. And, as I'm sure you've noticed, half the Earth's population has a pair of those, they're really not all that special."

Come on, argue with me. It's plain to see in the sparkle of blue-grey eyes.

"Oh, sorry, should I be doing that more?" Isi looks down at her chest in mock amazement-God I have BOOBS?!

"But seriously, there is nothing like a good rack on a nice body. For a one night stand is a brain even required?"

This is finally enough to get Isi's eyes off the doorway.

"Who doesn't like a good rack? Doesn't mean you have to make someone uncomfortable about theirs." Ravn laughs softly. "Not the man to ask that question, though -- never done them. The romance kind of fizzles when you have to break off the flirting to explain your neuropathic condition. More so when you have and the girl thinks you're just trying to be kinky."

"Never done - I know you have cross dressed in dreams. Did they not give you some fake boobs too? That is terrible planning on their part. You hear that? " Isi has decided one coping mechanism to the veil is to sometimes just talk to it.

"You should just start off every conversation with that. Then the ones who are still interested you can work with. Just because I haven't gotten laid since coming to Gray Har-"

But she cuts off there because FINALLY the door to the shelter is unlocked and the door swung open. She darts forward to catch it before it closes.

Ravn's eyebrows rise in amused surprise. Now is not the time to discuss Isi's dating life -- or lack of it -- though. Or compare dry spells. "Maybe I do," he tells her, amused. "Maybe that's why the conversation tends to be very short. Let's go get your girl, shall we?"

Oh - did Ravn say something? Isi is super back to being hyper-focused.

Thankfully it is Ken manning the desk and he grins upon seeing Isi. "She is all ready for you Ms. Cameron, let me go get her."

Isi nods furiously. To Ravn, "Can I hold your hand?" Aka, squeeze it to death.

Ravn hesitates -- because actually, having someone squeeze his hand is not sexy to the point of please let me punch you in the face repeatedly in return. But on the other hand -- that's Isi really needing something to cling to, and what are friends for if not making a bit of sacrifice for one another.

He almost says yes. He just doesn't get around to it before suddenly, loud barking from out back. Hopefully that's not Elsa being unhappy. Maybe it's Count, feeling left out.

At least she asked and didn't grab? There is some empathy going on there!

Not long after the barking Ken comes out with Elsa straining against the leash. Isi's entire everything lights up as she waits for the dog to approach and do the proper sniffing of herself and Ravn.

It is basically torture to wait, but all the books say that it is best to not encourage the enthusiastic greeting or the dog will continue the behavior.

The second Elsa calms though Isi is on the floor with her giving treats and pouring out words of love and adoration. Excuse her, she will just be in her own bubble for a bit.

Ken smiles at Isi. "I think they will be just fine." That is tossed out to Ravn.

Ravn folds his hands behind his back and nods at the other man with an amused glance. "They'll be inseparable. And who knows? Maybe Elsa will manage to domesticate her a little. Those ferals can be a handful, can't they?"

He doesn't know a lot about dogs. His father had them, sure -- but Ravn never took an interest in them, or in any other of his father's various projects slash ways to kill time in a life of few obligations and a miserable marriage. He did not enjoy mountain climbing, reef diving, camping, deer hunting, or model trains, either. If pushed, he'll agree that the dogs were more interesting than the vintage model trains.

Isi likes all of those things, except hunting. It was the part at the end where the dead carcass had to be brought home that did it in for her. Just yuck.

The enthusiastic play time is winding down and Isi catches the last of Ravn's comment. "Elsa was never feral- her past owner had to surrender her." The dog gets defended, not herself. Standing Isi takes up the leash and looks to Ken. "Is there anything else I need to do, sign, know, look out for...?"

Que anxiety in those words.

"No one said anything about Elsa being a feral," Ravn observes with the smile of a saint. "But you're right. You're more an angry stray than a feral, and I apologise to ferals everywhere for making such an unreasonable comparison."

He lets Ken do his job. There are papers to sign, no doubt -- and some speech about bonding and getting to know each other and don't worry if she seems a little stressed at first, all to be given every time a dog leaves the shelter. Of this Ravn is sure. He's got one just like it for new arrivals in Gray Harbor -- who are also often strays, just, not four-legged ones.

Isi shoots Ravn a look that says, 'if I didn't want to leave a good impression I would flip you off right now' before turning back to Ken. The last of the paperwork goes quickly and Elsa gets soooo many treats for sitting patiently through it.

They finally get to go outside and Isi is beaming again. "I can't believe she gets to come home with me. If the veil wanted to fuck with me, this is how they would do it."

"I'm still not convinced that the Veil has the same kind of power over animals that it does over us. Or maybe it only has power over animals that shine, just like us." Ravn shrugs. "So, do I get to be Elsa's godfather who comes over every now and then and spoils her rotten?"

"If you break her training I will punch you in the face but..." Elsa seems on board with the idea of being spoiled rotten as she gets all up in Ravn's business, sniffing at his pockets with extreme interest. Is that cat? She knows that smell. That was the cat who came by the other day.

Why, it's almost as if he knew he was going to go meet a dog. Ravn seems to have decided that his pockets are the very best place to keep a few strips of beef jerky -- and fancy that, they're just what the doctor ordered for a hungry Elsa. "I'll bring Kitty over to see you too," he promises the dog. "You two, queens of the animal kingdom of Gray Harbor before we know it. Now Perdita's kitten just needs to grow a bit, then we have an unholy matriarchy in the making."

Else has no intention of taking over Gray Harbor - leave that shit to the cats. She is just happy to take that jerky and when some of it falls to the ground she happily dives for it.

Isi smiles at her dog making a scene of herself. "Do you think I should rename her? People singing let it go is going to get old first but isn't it rude to change her name?"

"I suspect she doesn't actually care." Ravn chuckles. "If you teach her that a specific word means come here and pay attention -- then you have given her a new name. I don't think she's particularly attached to what that specific sound is, as long as it's consistent. Elsa is not a bad name -- I mean, it is a German name for a German dog. Do think the Let It Go jokes will get tired in time, though."

He pauses. And then laughs. "And maybe you'll get very tired of hearing people joke about it as a pickup line."

".. why would someone use that as a pick up line?" Serious questions Isi bends over to pet her new fur-ever friend.

"Because humour is the way to a woman's heart, is it not? If you can make her smile, she'll take you home." Ravn watches the two together, hands in pockets. He's absolutely not a little jealous. He doesn't even like dogs that much. And he'd snuggle Kitty Pryde if he wanted to. Or, rather, if she wanted to, which she doesn't, and it is fine. "Aren't you the one who's supposed to know how to flirt, out of you and me?"

Isi snorts as she gives Elsa another pet and then starts walking in the direction of town. Nothing like some vigorous exercise to tire the dog out before introducing her to her new living arrangements, right?

"Clearly not. Perdita was the last person I even tried to hit on, and that clearly didn't end up in the kiss and cuddle zone. I'm glad she didn't get weird about it..." Maybe it is the dog but Isi is feeling open today, "Making friends is hard."

"Flirting and making friends are two entirely different things. But yes, I remember -- and I had the distinct impression that she was a bit sorry about it too. Dysphoria must be difficult to deal with like that." Ravn nods. "It is a pity. You'd have made a good couple -- both of you have a good mouth on you, and neither of you take crap from anyone. Most people who come to town seem to find someone to be fond of in short time, though. Even if most don't have them drop out of the Veil practically on top of them like that Garrett bloke did to Perdita."

He matches his pace to Isi and Elsa. "There's three young ladies moved in next door to me. Might be worth considering making friends? Jules and you seemed to hit it off pretty well the other day, united in your anger against me and all." A chuckle. "I did say make friends. Again, flirting and making friends are two entirely different things."

Their walk will be slow as Isi lets Elsa enjoy every scent that catches her fancy. When she starts to pull though Isi turns and walks the other way for a bit. (Yes, she has binge watched that show with the dog trainer lately.)

There is a shoulder shrug from Isi. "We weren't, well I wasn't, mad at you. Just generally ticked at the insinuation that all natives are somehow alike. She seemed okay. A bit awkward considering our first meeting..."

"I am quite certain that to Una Irving's asshole ancestor, all natives are alike. And as a historian it's my job to try to understand how his mind worked, however stupid his prejudice and beliefs. But yes, I get it -- it must be frustrating as all hell, particularly given that less favourable treatment of natives is still in living memory, in fact still on-going." Ravn nods as he strolls along. He is no dog trainer, but what Isi is doing does seem to make some kind of basic sense -- don't reward unwanted behaviour, and all that jazz. "So what I'm suggesting is not 'go hit on those three girls, one at a time, see if you get a bite'. It's more along the lines of, they seem like decent folks, maybe they're worth befriending?"

"Aren't you the one that said the veil would use what we care for against us? Isn't it bad enough to care about you and Dita?" Serious talk as Elsa finds a patch of dirt to flop down and roll in. (First order of business upon returning home will be a good brushing.

"I'm not against it but...I don't know. "

"Yeah, I am. And it will. But there's another thing to consider in that picture, Isi." Ravn falls equally serious; a question like that warrants a proper answer. "The dolorphages want you to be miserable. If you sink into bleak despair and depression, brought on by loneliness and lack of human connections -- what do you think they will do?"

He glances at the dog. "The answer is not 'leave me alone'. It's 'upgrade you to main course.' If you want to be as safe as you can, the trick is to find a balance where you are actually not unhappy -- and then be willing to fight for it when required."

"I'm not friendless. I have you and Dita. Alexander weirdly cares too." Elsa is done rolling and they can keep walking now. Isi's words are a half hearted defense of herself, because who can truly be prickly with that tail so high and happy? "I'll think about it. I'm not sure I've got much room for more people though. So don't get killed or something. I would hate to have invested in you only to have you kick the can."

"Myeh, I'd hate to have invested me only for me to die, too. I'm generally in favour of me not dying anytime soon." Ravn glances at the bullet hole in his jacket. Is this a bad time to mention it's the second jacket in a year to get ruined by bullets? Probably. "I hear you on the numbers game, though. I know half this town but I don't consider half this town to be -- well, my friends. A friend is someone who has seen you at your worst -- and keeps your number without intending to blackmail you."

He pats the dog's head as it happens within reach for a moment, earning a patient look. "I'm not good at friends. Talking about things, sharing things -- it doesn't come naturally to me. I've been a loner most of my life, those are hard habits to break. And sometimes, -- a lot of the times -- when you try to break them, you end up face down on the ground, asking yourself why ever the hell you're trying to fix something that's only partially broke."

"It has worked for this long, so why the fuck not just keep it up." Isi replies - but without heat. Aww, look at how happy that pet made Elsa. She pulls out her phone and takes a picture. There will be many Elsa pictures on that phone soon.

"So yeah. Thanks for coming with me, to get her." So hello awkward turns of the conversation.

"Exactly. If I made it through the first thirty on my own, why not the next?" Ravn chuckles. "That's bullshit, of course -- I was engaged for a couple of those years, and I certainly didn't live under a bridge as a kid. But you get the gist -- it seems a lot easier to just keep on in the usual way, leave well enough as it is. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. There's a girl moved in across the street who has -- a lot going on. And she wants to talk about these things, a lot. I am trying to understand the way her mind works, not very successfully. And doing so forces me to look at myself, which is -- well, I wouldn't say bad, but sometimes it can be uncomfortable to re-evaluate your own choices."

"Note to self, avoid Ravn's girl next door." Isi pretends to write the note in the air, with an emphatic dot put on at the end. "I already have you to push at my conceptions. Don't need another." Nope.

Elsa breaks into a run and it takes Isi a moment to pull back on the lesh and turn her away. "Little dogs are friends, but the kinds you flip off across the hallways okay? "

"Across the street," Ravn corrects -- mostly to make sure Isi doesn't start avoiding the three women that are his actual neighbours in number five. "But yeah. She did air the idea that we start dating -- but, you know me. I don't really do casual dating. Flattered by the offer, of course, but we are not at all on the same page when it comes to relationships."

Hopefully Isi doesn't avoid them - Ravn as all 'be friends!!' earlier.

"Sounds like a yikes offer then. I don't mind a food tumble but if I have to see you again the next day and be normal..." Isi trails off with a small shrug. "Hey- how is your Asthma doing? I was figuring we'd walk the whole way back to my place."

"I'm good with that -- that's my training regime, walking. Coach Kelly got me started on walking everywhere, and while I hated him for it at first, the man turned out to be right. I do have a lot more stamina than I used to." Ravn has long legs and in case the damp air gets too much, he's got an inhaler in a pocket too."

He chuckles and nods. "That's actually -- half the issue? Right there? I don't think I want to look around a room and think, so, is there anyone here I haven't slept with? I'm still dreading running into Hyacinth again because it will be five billion shades of awkward. What the hell do you say to a girl you slept with, and then -- it just fizzled?"

"Well fuck me - wait, you did that already?" Isi offers up as a possible thing Ravn could say. It does break the ice, doesn't it?

Knowing that he is okay is a good sign for continuing to go, though Isi is going to steer the conversation far away from her soft spots. Because - soft.

For everything else, Elsa is cute and happy to just be out of the shelter.