Elias Almgren (mixedsenses) wrote in notionsic, @ 2011-07-22 00:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | complete, elias almgren, july 2011, solo |
Who Elias Almgren and Peter the rabbit
What Continued acquaintance making
When Thursday afternoon, July 21
Where Elias' apartment
Rating Low (unless you find rabbits offensive)
Day three of rabbit ownership had rolled around and Elias could happily note that the pen he’d set up for Peter to be in when Elias wasn’t home seemed to be working just fine. He’d cleared a space in the corner of the living room and parted it off with a pet fence (courtesy of Miles, like just about everything else related to the rabbit) and was pleased to return home for the second day in a row to find the tan animal relaxing in the corner and not having made a disaster about him. As Elias came into view, the rabbit rose from his lying position and sat up on his hindlegs, looking over towards his new owner.
“Hi Peter,” Elias greeted with a smile, walking over to the pen and hunching down. The rabbit got down on all fours again and tiptoed over, still a bit wary but at least accepting of Elias’ presence. Sticking two fingers through the fence, Elias let the creature sniff at his hand as he looked at the contents of the fenced-in corner. There was the litter box that Peter did seem to be used to, as well as a wicker basket where he could retreat to be alone or sleep. Elias had taken care to ensure that there would definitely be shadow for the rabbit via a cobbled together contraption involving a blanket, flowerpots as weights and the armrest of the sofa. There was also an empty toilet paper roll, a food bowl and a water dispenser – basic but functional and Peter seemed to have done okay during the day. Elias had spent most of Tuesday evening reading about rabbits on the Internet (with Peter hopping around next to him in the bed) and if he had his facts right, they usually slept a lot during the day.
Standing up, Elias went to open up the pen, folding the fence away and putting it behind the couch where it would remain until he needed it again. Peter sat sniffing in the air, his head bobbing up and down for a moment before he decided to hop away across the living room floor on a continued recon of the area he was now living in. Elias sat on the couch armrest and watched the rabbit move about, a small fascinated smile on his lips. He’d been considering rats, as he’d mentioned to Miles, but this... this was quite unexpected. At the same time, he felt like a kid at Christmas – this big, fluffy, lop-eared thing that hopped around in his apartment had won his heart instantly and he already knew he’d be heartbroken if anyone turned up to claim it back. The rabbit even tasted nice – Elias would pick him up and feel the taste of elderberry at the feel of the soft fur. No complaints there! (Also, Peter’s colour was indigo, a colour Elias liked very much.)
As the rabbit hopped into the kitchen of the small two-room apartment, Elias got up from the couch and followed the rabbit’s lead. He would keep a close watch when the rabbit explored the apartment, looking for anything he, Miles and Joanna might’ve missed when rabbit-proofing the place on Tuesday. He made himself a sandwich, looking down as he felt movement by his feet to find Peter sniffing at his trouser leg. Smiling, Elias reached to get a lettuce leaf from the fridge, holding it to the rabbit. Peter once again stood on his hindlegs to reach the treat, snagging it from Elias’ loose hold with a tug. Hopping a few hops, he settled down to munch the leaf, seemingly quite content.
“Have you had a good day, Peter?” Elias asked, turning to lean against the counter. The rabbit merely twitched his ears at the sound of the human’s voice. “My day’s been okay, thanks for asking,” Elias chuckled, not having expected any kind of reaction. Peter was a rabbit, not a dog – although it seemed that rabbits could be quite social, for all he’d read. He’d never been a pet person as a kid, mainly because his mother was allergic to fur, but it had never bothered him. He was definitely looking forward to seeing what pet ownership was like and perhaps the rabbit he’d ended up with would prove to be a great companion. The most experience he had with small pets were his friend’s hyperactive guinea pigs, which weren’t all too much fun to a ten-year-old Elias. Peter seemed far from hyperactive though, so they’d probably get along well.
“How about we go outside for a bit, huh?” Elias suggested to the fairly indifferent rabbit. Getting the wicker basket (probably a fancy cat carrier at some point) he put Peter into it and made his way two blocks down from his house to the little park there. Putting a harness and leash on the rabbit, he then let the animal graze as it pleased while he lay back in the grass. Always keeping his attention at least partly focused on Peter, the leash safely secured around his wrist, Elias enjoyed the sun for a while, humming a tune to himself. After a while, he felt a silky nose against his cheek and heard a soft snuffling in his ear – Peter had eaten enough grass for the time being and had come over to check on the lying-down human. Elias’ lips cracked up in a grin and he turned his head towards the rabbit, careful not to scare him with any sudden movements. “Hi there, Peter. You full now?”
The rabbit’s nose touched his for a few moments, the contact sending a rush of elderberry-tasting happiness through Elias, before the animal turned to nose at his shoulder. One hand coming up to gently scratch the rabbit’s head, Elias was happy to find that Peter didn’t shy away this time, but instead closed his eyes halfway and allowed the petting to continue. After another while in the park, Elias brought Peter back home and started considering cooking dinner. Peter found a resting spot under the kitchen table, leaned against the wall. As he prepared a simple but yummy meal of macaroni and cheese, Elias ever so often glanced over at his rabbit companion, the smile never failing to come to his face at the sight of the seemingly fairly relaxed animal. He was definitely curious about the little fellow and he could only hope Peter was at least a little curious in return about the human he’d now ended up with.