Who: Ice and Oliver Where: The foyer and then in town When: Afternoon
There were a number of reasons Oliver had thought of over the past few weeks for being on the second floor. It was easier on his knees, and closer to the action whenever someone decided to use the first floor as the setting for their antics. Peripherally he reminded himself that those cases usually involved fire, but he decided not to dwell on that for the moment. Of course, it helped that he was mildly distracted by the suddenly uncertain pup making her way headfirst down the stairs. From what Oliver had seen over the past few days, Hedi was a confident, brassy little thing who knew who her human was already. She'd managed to get up the stairs with only a minute amount of struggling the few times they'd tried, but going down made her antsy. Whenever he'd take a step down ahead from her, then stop to wait, she'd peer up for a moment from the step she was currently planted on, as if expecting him to go on without her. A few words of encouragement, and she'd psych herself up to hop down one, then sometimes two at a time. When they'd made it to the first landing, she'd half-barreled down the last few steps, and seemed pretty relieved to be done with the exercise. She'd trotted ahead happily to scope things out, only to stop at the edge of the second flight of stairs she apparently hadn't remembered were there. Oliver didn't really know how dogs remembered or processed things, but he assumed she'd learn eventually. The almost mournful glance she cast at him made Oliver think she was telling him to go on without her, and he laughed, half-tempted to scoop her up and carry her the rest of the way. A glance into the foyer told him that Ice hadn't arrived yet, but he was a little early anyway.
"Alright, c'mon, baby girl," he called affectionately as he headed down the stairs, turning to cajole her after him. After a few seconds of readying herself, the pup half-bounced down the first three steps nearly consecutively, and after a slight pause, as if the judge she was really alright, she scampered down the rest. "Alriiiight! Good girl!" Oliver's laugh was loud and carried through the high-ceilinged room easily. When she wiggled up to him he crouched to pat her, then secure her leash on her collar. He didn't take it, knowing there weren't too many places she could sneak into without him noticing that bright blue lead, content to let her wander for a few seconds while he got himself situated. The map he'd promised Ice was sticking half out of his back pocket of his blue jeans. The coat, gloves and hat he'd borrowed from Juno he left on one of the small side tables for the moment, leaving the empty gym bag and his own winter gear there as well. With his hands free, he slipped off the piece of light blue cloth that had been draped over his shoulder and began to fasten the makeshift puppy sling.
When he was finished, he realized he actually didn't see the bright blue lead or the puppy anywhere, and glanced around the foyer. He caught sight of her when his attention moved into the hallway leading to Owen and Cecilia's rooms, her nose to the ground. "Hey," he called, reaching into the back pocket that didn't hold the map to pry out the squeaky rabbit he was bringing along to entertain her. He squeezed it once, and the dog's attention was immediately on him. Another cursory sniff in the direction of Cecilia's room and Hedi came bounding back to him, leash jangling behind her. He scooped her up with one hand, not trying to fit her into the sling just yet, and let her gnaw on the rabbit, and a little on his hand, for the few seconds it took to walk back to where he'd left the winter gear.