rested her head in his lap. He stroked her gently, running two fingers along the bridge of her nose, watching as the fine beige hairs separated and fell back into place. It was soothing, like watching tiny grains of sand fill a trail that had just been blazed.
It kept his thoughts from growing any darker, and sustained him well enough until the doorbell rang. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table; the clock he never used, but didn’t have the heart to get rid of since it had been his parents’.
Again, as if they were dead and gone and not just living it up in the Sunshine State.
Shane pushed himself up from the bed, and encouraged Buttercup to go downstairs. She took off, seeming to sense it was Aaron, and Shane had a moment to look himself over in a mirror.
He wasn’t really sure why he bothered. It wasn’t like he had time to fix anything. Not the dark circles under his eyes or the fact that he had lines in his face that looked more appropriate for a guy ten years his senior. Not the rough patches of uneven beard growth or his wrinkled clothing.
That didn’t stop him from running a hand over his face, though, as if by doing so he could slide a mask back in place.
“Door’s open,” he called down the stairs.
He heard the click of it opening soon after. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Buttercup’s attention fixated on Aaron’s right pocket.
“No, you don’t get those yet. Sit,” Aaron said in a stern voice, seeming oblivious to Shane’s presence.
Buttercup didn’t follow the command immediately. Instead, she did a full turn, wagging her rear end along with her tail, which swept across his walls as she went. Aaron gave her a look that made even Shane take notice and stand a little straighter, and finally she sat as she was told.
He watched Aaron pull a baggie out of his pocket and give her a treat. The scent of it wafted toward Shane and he made a face. These were different from the ones he’d had at the shelter.
Aaron finally noticed him after that, offering a sheepish smile.
“Freeze-dried liver treats. A lot of dogs love them.”
“Oh, cool. That’s what I had for dinner last night,” he teased.
Futile or not, he’d managed to slide the mask back into place.
Aaron laughed. Not the polite laughter of somebody who saw through his bullshit or was otherwise made uncomfortable by him, but the laughter of somebody who actually found the joke funny.
He’d take it.
“Has she been settling in okay?”
“Yeah, she’s been fine. A little bit of whining, mostly when she thinks she’s alone. Other than that, we’re simpatico.”
Aaron nodded, looking down at Buttercup as if she might suddenly contradict that answer.
After a few moments, he brought something else out of his pocket. It was just a small bit of plastic with a glinting metal piece. He’d seen one before. Probably on the same dog training show he’d teased Aaron about.
“If you’re ready, I’d like to start basic obedience training today.”
“For me, or for her?” Shane joked. The mask slipped further into place. “Because I’m house trained, but not much else.”
Aaron gave him a patient smile. “For you both, actually. You said you have a backyard?”
“Yeah, this way.”
He strode toward a sliding glass door, pulling it open. It jerked on the runner, making him grit his teeth. His father would have threatened to tan his hide over that, though Shane could count on one hand the number of times he’d actually followed through with those threats. He’d have to look at it later, maybe squirt some WD-40 in there and pretend he knew what the fuck he was doing with a home.
They stepped out onto a concrete slab, with Buttercup wandering away toward the fence line to sniff. Proof he’d let her out without a leash before. He gave a sheepish grin. There was more proof out here, though not of his inability to follow the rules Aaron had explained to him. This proof was the same as that janky
It kept his thoughts from growing any darker, and sustained him well enough until the doorbell rang. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table; the clock he never used, but didn’t have the heart to get rid of since it had been his parents’.
Again, as if they were dead and gone and not just living it up in the Sunshine State.
Shane pushed himself up from the bed, and encouraged Buttercup to go downstairs. She took off, seeming to sense it was Aaron, and Shane had a moment to look himself over in a mirror.
He wasn’t really sure why he bothered. It wasn’t like he had time to fix anything. Not the dark circles under his eyes or the fact that he had lines in his face that looked more appropriate for a guy ten years his senior. Not the rough patches of uneven beard growth or his wrinkled clothing.
That didn’t stop him from running a hand over his face, though, as if by doing so he could slide a mask back in place.
“Door’s open,” he called down the stairs.
He heard the click of it opening soon after. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Buttercup’s attention fixated on Aaron’s right pocket.
“No, you don’t get those yet. Sit,” Aaron said in a stern voice, seeming oblivious to Shane’s presence.
Buttercup didn’t follow the command immediately. Instead, she did a full turn, wagging her rear end along with her tail, which swept across his walls as she went. Aaron gave her a look that made even Shane take notice and stand a little straighter, and finally she sat as she was told.
He watched Aaron pull a baggie out of his pocket and give her a treat. The scent of it wafted toward Shane and he made a face. These were different from the ones he’d had at the shelter.
Aaron finally noticed him after that, offering a sheepish smile.
“Freeze-dried liver treats. A lot of dogs love them.”
“Oh, cool. That’s what I had for dinner last night,” he teased.
Futile or not, he’d managed to slide the mask back into place.
Aaron laughed. Not the polite laughter of somebody who saw through his bullshit or was otherwise made uncomfortable by him, but the laughter of somebody who actually found the joke funny.
He’d take it.
“Has she been settling in okay?”
“Yeah, she’s been fine. A little bit of whining, mostly when she thinks she’s alone. Other than that, we’re simpatico.”
Aaron nodded, looking down at Buttercup as if she might suddenly contradict that answer.
After a few moments, he brought something else out of his pocket. It was just a small bit of plastic with a glinting metal piece. He’d seen one before. Probably on the same dog training show he’d teased Aaron about.
“If you’re ready, I’d like to start basic obedience training today.”
“For me, or for her?” Shane joked. The mask slipped further into place. “Because I’m house trained, but not much else.”
Aaron gave him a patient smile. “For you both, actually. You said you have a backyard?”
“Yeah, this way.”
He strode toward a sliding glass door, pulling it open. It jerked on the runner, making him grit his teeth. His father would have threatened to tan his hide over that, though Shane could count on one hand the number of times he’d actually followed through with those threats. He’d have to look at it later, maybe squirt some WD-40 in there and pretend he knew what the fuck he was doing with a home.
They stepped out onto a concrete slab, with Buttercup wandering away toward the fence line to sniff. Proof he’d let her out without a leash before. He gave a sheepish grin. There was more proof out here, though not of his inability to follow the rules Aaron had explained to him. This proof was the same as that janky
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