(no subject)

[takecourage]

Having a dog has imposed all kinds of new routines on their lives. Kirby is a big dog, basically still a puppy, and he needs a lot of exercise. Darlington usually takes him for a run first thing in a morning and then Alex takes him for a walk in the park in the early evening, when the light is taking on that violet quality that she loves so much. He's pretty good at being on the leash, and she doesn't have to lean too much wait back to keep him where she wants him. Coming up to the batting cages, she sees a familiar shape, lanky and loose, and she changes their direction to head towards him.

"Hey, Harrington," she calls, raising her free hand in greeting. "Steve!"

Comments

[takecourage]

Alex laughs when he has to duck and then she stays out of the way while he turns the machine off. She grins when he comes to say hello to Kirby. "He's kind of a new development. Cereberus. But we're calling him Kirby." She strokes on of Kirby's sharp, long ears. "He's a sweet boy, aren't you, baby?"

[haplesshairpile]

"Well, that's a mouthful," Steve says with a laugh, ducking down to give the dog a good scratch behind the ears. He never had any pets as a kid, mostly because his parents never wanted to deal with it, but he gets a kick out of dogs. "Look at you, dude. Getting that sweet talk."

[takecourage]

"He's handsome. He deserves it," says Alex, grinning. "Haven't seen you for a little bit, man. How're you doing?"

[haplesshairpile]

"Nothing special, really," Steve says with a shrug, and maybe that's the reason he felt so pent up that he had to come out here and whack baseballs. "What about you?"

[takecourage]

"Same," says Alex, scratching Kirby's head when he leans his bulk against her thigh. "Danny and I had the argument we have every other month about why he thinks I should go bac to school and why I'm not going back to school." She shrugs. "It'll be over by the time I get home."

[haplesshairpile]

"Wow, I just got major flashbacks of fights with my ex," Steve says with an exaggerated shiver, sinking into a crouch to give the dog a few more scratches behind the ears. "Yikes."

[takecourage]

"He means well," says Alex, smiling as she watches Steve with the dog. "It's just....we're from very different fucking places, and he doesn't always realise that. But he can't help that he met me at Yale."

[haplesshairpile]

"You went to Yale?" Steve gives her an impressed look as he straightens up. "Nancy would have been amazed if I got into a state school, I think."

He gestures to the rental booth for the cages and goes over to return his helmet and bat before jogging back over to Alex. "I'm starving. You want a hot dog? There's usually a cart around here this time of day."

[takecourage]

"Yeah. It was kind of..." She likes Steve, so she shies away from telling him the truth, lying lie breahing like she's always done. "I got a free ride. Art major." Even now, even well fed and comfortable and happy in a way she's never been, she's still never about to turn down food. "Hot dog sounds fucking awesome."

[haplesshairpile]

"No shit? That's cool. I'm good with my high school diploma." He smirks and leads her towards the front of the park, scanning up and down the sidewalk until he spots the hot dog cart.

"One for me and one for my lady friend, good sir." He pulls out his wallet and jerks his chin towards the cooler. "And a couple of sodas."

[takecourage]

"Yeah, I was...clinging on by a thread before I would up here," she says, rolling her eyes at lady friend and ordering hers without onions and shit. "I'll pay you back in a sec," she says, taking the food with a nod of thanks.