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Eli likes puzzles. (dashdotdash) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-03 21:38:00

Who: Eli and Will.
What: Meeting!
When: Friday, after dark.
Where: A dog park.
Rating: PG.
Status: Complete!



The day was good enough, and Monster had progressed far enough in his social skills that Will figured he could come to the dog park with the rest of the pack. They’d had a discussion the other night, and Will had decided to trust the black lab. He was running around in the fenced area now with Titan, Roger and Aggie, and seemed to be behaving. Winston and Gigi were on leashes at his feet; they had seemed to bond and Will figured that it was the least he could do to allow them some private time. Dogs had to form attachments as well as humans, and they were often better at it.

He had brought a book along - the new one written on the Green River case - but it was resting at his side, bookmark peeping out from the top of the pages. He preferred to watch the dogs; he couldn’t imagine Monster acting out after their talk, but a wary eye would never go amiss.

Eli liked to visit the dog park at night. There were always a few people out for evening strolls, and she could sit under the lights and watch them. Which she was doing. She had her back to one of the lampposts, legs modestly to her side, dark blue dress making her look more thin than she was.

Will spotted the girl, and was instantly curious. Most parents would have asked a young woman of that age to be home before dark, even if there was no appreciable increase in the crime rate in this part of town after dusk. Still, she appeared carefree, even reckless, her dress dragging in the dirt.

Monster spotted the flash of blue fabric and ambled over, but he had his tail up. Will grabbed Winston and Gigi’s leashes and walked over. “Monster.” His tone was sharp, and when the dog turned to jump on him, he made a non-marking sound - a tchhh, like an animal sneeze. The big black lab immediately sat, looking up at Will, panting. “I’m sorry,” he said to the girl. “His tail was up, and for him that signifies a dominant state of mind, which is unacceptable with other humans.”

Eli laughed. “Clearly, you are the alpha.” Her voice was a curious blend of accents - primarily Swedish, but there was a bit of French and German there as well. But her English was quite good. She made no eye contact with any of the dogs, allowing one of the smaller ones to sniff her without reacting.

“He’s learning.” Will noticed the accent, and the way she held herself. “Forgive me, you’re older than I thought.” She looked sixteen, but carried herself like a woman who’d had three husbands and buried two. There was a tiredness that he didn’t think came from simple sleep deprivation. “Do you keep dogs at home?” She’d at least not made eye contact with the pack; she had to know how to handle them.

Eli closed her eyes. “No. But to make eye contact is its own form of submission. I attended public high school until recently. It is a similar scenario, only dogs are likely more affectionate.” She chuckled and patted the grass near her. “I just came to sit and get the fresh air. I have a condition where I cannot go out during the day. I am glad that you and your friends are here.”

One of them had sat down and put its head near Eli, calm and sweet. She rewarded him by rubbing the tips of his ears.

That got a faint smile out of Will. “Eye contact between humans allegedly requires nothing; eye contact between dogs requires trust.” Eye contact between human and dog usually led to canine submission, or at least gentle correction. He didn’t look the girl in the eye; he had said ‘allegedly.’ “A condition? Polymorphic light eruption is the only one I’m familiar with, and I imagine it can be debilitating.”

“Oh, no, I think eye contact between humans requires trust as well.” She was looking at the dog anyway, her blue eyes remained firmly on the animals. “The name of my condition is ... well. It is complicated.” She smiled when the dog lay down by her, exposing his stomach. “I am Eli. It is good of you to sit with me.”

“Will.” She immediately rose a few points in his estimation. Monster had already introduced himself, but he indicated the others. “That’s Winston, and Gigi. The others are up the hill.” He didn’t think it was particularly good of him to do anything, but here he was. “Regardless of the name of your condition, I still imagine it’s debilitating.” At least to most people. Going out only at night would be foreign, even scary, he supposed. He liked the dark.

“It’s nice to meet you, Will.” She was giving the dog tummy rubs, gently scritching his stomach and smiling. “I don’t mind it so much. The dark is very comforting, in its way. It sort of ... soothes the edges of things. It is less harsh.”

“Also less true.” The vagaries of the human animal appeared blunted at night. But even Will figured that would sound depressing to a young girl. “What’s the old saying? All cats are grey in the dark?”

“Only to people with poor night vision,” she chuckled. “Or to dogs, I suppose. Aren’t they color blind?” She cooed to Winston in Swedish for a moment when he rolled onto his back, grinning a doggy smile.

“Dogs see far fewer colors than humans, but no, they aren’t strictly color blind.” Will couldn’t help but be amused at Winston’s instant adoration. “He apparently appreciates the cadence of your voice.”

“Perhaps he was a Swede in a former life. Were you a little Viking war dog?” She couldn’t help but smile up at Will, her smile growing more fond when she saw how very blue his eyes were, how fond he seemed of this animal.

“Labradors originate from Newfoundland, but I’m sure he’s learnt to appreciate young women who are sweet to him.” Will understood the reaction between dogs and young people - though he did appreciate that this girl hadn’t immediately done anything insipid. Affection wasn’t bad; just so many people went overboard.

Winston started to try to jump up on her, having gotten a bit too familiar. She gently tapped his neck, clucking her tongue loudly, and he moved away, sitting back down beside her. “Perhaps he dreams of being a war dog,” she chuckled. “He is brave.”

“Well handled.” She’d managed to get him down even before he’d spoken. “He’s still new to the pack, but he’s behaving very well so far. Eventually he may be able to find a good home.” Even as he said it, Will knew it wasn’t really the case, but he had to say it anyway.

“His home is not with you?” Eli blinked. “You are possessive of him, a bit like a father.” She thought that much was obvious.

“In theory I ought to find homes for some of my pack, so others can take their place.” That was true, and yet Winston was a bit special. “My home is large but only so expansive.” He would have taken in every stray in the world, and he knew that deep down, but at the same time, he was a professional, and had to remain as such.

“If you cannot find another home, and if you do not want to keep him, I may try. Papa has three wolf pups that are bonded to him, but they’re quite well socialized.” She smiled when Winston put his head on her leg. “That is appropriate, älskling.” She smiled at Will. “You are unmarried. Are the dogs your only family here?”

A trifle intrusive, but he’d expected something of the sort. It was apparently just Something People Asked. “I have no human family anymore, so yes, I suppose.” Mother was gone, though he didn’t want to discuss it. He’d have to pretend to be sad, and Will found that difficult on most days.

Eli shook her head. “Human family, dog family - family is the people you choose to surround yourself with. My papa was not the man who helped birth me. He is my papa because I love him, because he loves me. Blood doesn’t create a bond, only genetics. Emotions and circumstances make a family.” She squeezed his hand.

He’d heard that before, but it still felt strange. “The idea of traditional family is strange. I suppose it makes more sense that way.” Though if you chose your family it wasn’t technically family, given there were no blood ties. Will wasn’t sure about all that; all he knew was that he was fairly pleased with it being just him and the dogs.

“I don’t like the idea of traditional family. I never was very close with my mother and father. My mother recently passed, and I know I should feel more upset. I feel guilt, but no upset. And my father, my birth one, he gave me up when Mama and I moved back here.” She absently pet Winston, shrugging a little. “I would not have chosen them, if given the opportunity.”

That interested him. “You just said that.” Will looked at her, though he gave Gigi’s leash a tug as she tried to go run off to play. He’d let her into the fenced area in a minute. “You didn’t think I’d judge you for that?” Or had she just not cared? The young were often the most obsessed with passing as normal.

“I do not care one way or the other.” She stood up, revealing combat boots under her dress. They were more practical for working in the shop. “Would you like to walk with them?”

Interesting. “I think she would prefer to play with the others.” He got Winston and Gigi up and walking toward the fenced area. “They could probably all stand to burn off energy. They sleep inside, and it can get difficult if any of them are agitated.” They got to the gate, which Will unfastened. After the girl had come into the field, he unclipped Winston and Gigi from their leashes, watching them streak off to join the others.

Eli smiled, hands behind her back, shaking her head. “That is beautiful,” she murmured. “How joyful they are.”

Will actually smiled at that. It was rare he seemed to meet someone who understood. Dogs didn’t have Tomorrow, only Right Now. “There are times I envy them,” he said, looking at the five dogs, yipping and playing.

“I would as well. But we have right now too.” She smiled at him. “Plenty of time for you to learn to be less heavy.”

He didn’t reply to that. So many people had told him to take off how he saw the world, like a too-heavy overcoat. It hadn’t been his fault that he’d grown up that way. Will just watched the dogs, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

Eli could smell him, could smell his sadness and how tired he was. Her senses had heightened a bit with her cravings. She had none of the speed or strength that she had in her dreams, but she could smell and taste and hear like a jungle cat. Reaching out, she lightly squeezed his hand for just a moment before letting go.

He didn’t react, though he understood what she was trying to do. Most people associated little touches with votes of support. And he could at least give her credit for meaning well.

Almost thankfully, Monster broke the awkwardness by growling at Aggie, and Will stepped in. A quick sound, and inserting himself between the two dogs, and things were calm. “He may not be ready for pack interaction.” Will sighed.

Eli smiled, approaching the dog in turn. “May I?” She just wanted to sit by him and pet for a while.

“It might help him calm down.” Will nodded. He’d have to discuss things with Monster. He didn’t seem to be recalcitrant deliberately, just overexcited. Still, he had to curb that tendency. Otherwise he never would find another home, and Monster actually was going to go to another home.

Eli moved to sit down by Monster. She met his eyes, her own catlike ones going wide and glinting like the moon. Monster cowed down for a moment, ears going flat, and Eli pet him gently. She didn’t know why cats disliked her, but dogs saw her as a leader.

Will noticed. “How did you do that?” Merely looking at a dog wouldn’t change anything, not even from the best trainer in the world. Yet the girl had barely looked at him and Monster had tucked his tail.

She smiled enigmatically and shrugged her shoulders. “My eyes. They reflect the light a bit like a cat’s. Part of my condition.”

“Fascinating.” He’d have to do more research on this condition. “It would be a boon to my line of work. It isn’t always easy to get a dog out of a dominant state.” He offered another faint smile. “Thank you for that?”

She smiled back at him. “You’re welcome. He’s sweet at heart, I think he’s just used to being on guard with other dogs.” She touched the scars on his ears.

“Entirely possible. He’s not a fighting dog, several signs are missing, but the scars indicate a violent past, obviously. He doesn’t shy from people, but he does tend to be territorial and growly with other dogs. My guess is a puppy mill dog poorly socialized. Which he can’t help, of course.” Will looked at Monster. “If I didn’t think you had enough on your proverbial plate, I might ask you to help with him.”

“He may have gotten beat up.” Eli smiled when the dog licked her, giggling when he nosed her neck. “I would love to help with him.”

Well, he did seem to be comfortable with her. Will nodded. “Why don’t I give you my address. Perhaps he’ll respond to someone else’s voice, if he’s gotten tired of mine.”

That made Eli laugh. “I’d like that.”

He fished a card out of his jacket pocket and handed it to the girl. “I accept help from anyone who’ll offer it, especially when it helps a dog, as well.” Something made him add, “If you’d prefer to have your father or someone take you, I’d understand. I live a little ... out in the woods.” Best that he not get some kind of reputation for hanging around with young women, in addition to the Muffy episode.

“Papa will probably glare at you a lot, but he means well.” Eli smiled, taking his card and putting it into her pocket. “It will be fun.”

“Please telephone the day you want to come, is all I ask.” Will looked at his watch. “I should probably collect them, though. I have an appointment in the morning. Is there anywhere I might drop you?”

She shook her head. “I was going to walk home. But thank you. I’m sure the dogs take all the room in your car.” She chuckled to herself.

“They do tend to sprawl.” Still, at least he’d offered. They didn’t have to talk, if he gave her a ride. Will nodded. “I’ll see you at some point that works for you, then. I’m sure Monster will enjoy it.”

“I am looking forward to it.” Eli smiled and waved at him, glad she’d made a new friend. Well. A new human friend and a gaggle of new canine ones.