New Employees

[cottoncandypink]

What Wilford hopes is the next morning (it's hard to tell, the way time is funny), Wilford is waiting at the bar with a cup of coffee. He's supposed to be showing Autor around his new job, but he has a sneaking suspicion he might have somehow skipped forward another few weeks.

Comments

[cottoncandypink]

Buster doesn't bark at every stranger. Just that one. Because he was scary.

When they get to the supermarket, Buster knows what he's supposed to do. When Autor picks his cart, Buster quickly gets into the bottom compartment to stay out of the way. He watches everybody walk past, yipping a few times when Autor passes something he should get.

This isn't the same supermarket they usually shop in though. It's a weird, new place, full of weird new smells, and lots of kids that want to stop to pet him.

[herr_bookman]

Autor tries to tell the kids that Buster is not for petting right now, because they're at a store, but eventually gives in to let the children do as they will with the dog. Autor watches Buster closely to make sure he won't bite, and says, "Welcome," to the grateful parents.

"[Good dog, Buster,]" Autor says, patting him as well. The boy returns to his shopping, and with Buster behaving, he's able to relatively quickly complete the trip.

He watches the person in front of him in the checkout line load their groceries on the conveyer belt, and use the register. He's silent, focused on his task, as he mimics that person. Swiping the card is a lot easier than he thought it would be.

And no one made any loud noises in the store, like he was braced for. So many strangers made for a dangerous trip, but he finds he was able to walk among them without being massively triggered, so he counts it a victory.

"[Buster, let's go home,]" Autor says, after coding all the groceries into his sylladex.

[cottoncandypink]

Buster knows that shopping time is quiet time. Because Daddy gets really angry when he gets kicked out of a store. Buster doesn’t like that, so he sits still and is quiet.

Once they’re outside again, he dances around the hot pavement until they’re able to get to grass again. Then it’s more snapping at bugs and sniffing at things that are pokey and painful. Buster does not know why the plants hurt, but they make him angry, so he starts barking at them every time they pass one.

[herr_bookman]

Autor almost smiles. The dog is angry at cacti. Autor has never seen a cactus in real life, and is tempted to poke the plant himself, but doesn't. He allows Buster to bark and wander and play more than he did on the way to the store, but he's still on high alert for strangers.

[cottoncandypink]

Buster doesn't bark at any more strangers that come their way. Not even the joggers in their neon spandex.

He gets excited again when they come into view of the house once more, and starts jumping and running in circles around Autor. What a fun adventure! Didn't Autor think this was fun?

[herr_bookman]

Autor almost gets tangled up in the leash, but he mananges. He approaches the house, eyeing the giant cactus that blocks the back door. "[Strange,]" he murmurs to himself, and crosses to the front door with Buster.

Unlocking the front door takes only a moment, and Autor enters the house. He shuts the door and unclips Buster's leash, hanging the lead in its place. Then Autor crosses to the kitchen to put the food away.

[cottoncandypink]

While Autor puts everything away, Buster runs a few laps through the house, shaking off the feeling of the leash on him. He tolerates the leash, but that doesn't mean he likes it. Once he feels better, he hops back up onto the sofa with his bear and rolls around, apparently falling asleep mid-roll with his back twisted and his hind legs straight up into the air.

[herr_bookman]

Autor finishes straightening out the fridge. He bought enough to make meals for himself for the next week or so, as well as food for Buster--with extra eggs.

After passing the dog on the couch with another almost-smile, Autor settles into his new room. He figures out the netbook and decides to use that rather than his own while he's in Wilford's world. The ex-soldier still thinks this is the easiest job in the multiverse.