The Last Voyages: IC Inbox

[worthallthis]

There is no voice message here. Better hope you got the right box.

Comments

[worthallthis]

Have another little glower, Lark. "No pressure, or anything," he says, bone dry.

He looks away again, frowning at the floor, and says, "Let me. Let me think about it. Maybe get some help with. With introducing animals to each other." Because he's less worried about Lark and Vesta getting along, and more worried about Thomas and Vesta, and Vesta and Libby.

[ukan]

"I deserve that," Lark admits, meaning I'm sorry even though he's not sure how to apologize for feeling desperate.

"If you can't do it, I will understand. It'll be okay." Because he can, at least, always promise that he'll have a plan B. He doesn't have one for this situation yet, but he has at least a day to come up with something.

[worthallthis]

The biggest concern is still Vesta. He's had the vague guilty feeling that he hasn't been treating her right, just while watching over Steve. Moving entirely... he just doesn't know. "Do you know anything about how cats should get along?" he asks, looking kind of worried.

[ukan]

"I know a bit. I know that they form groups of their own when they're in the wild, even though people think they're very solitary. I've known people here with more than one cat. I can look into it more if you like, see what people recommend."

[worthallthis]

"Yeah, that. Please. I'm pretty sure she'd just hit Libby on the nose if Libby annoyed her, and Libby would back off, but I don't know about Thomas." Over the course of the past month, he and Thomas have kind of made a careful truce, and they no longer completely avoid each other or circle like, well, wary cats. But Thomas and Vesta actually getting into a fight looms large in his brain.

[ukan]

"I'll let you know what I find. If there isn't an option you feel would work, then we'll do what's best for Vesta."

Lark knows from the other end of the leash what a pet can do for a person who's trying to believe the world won't shake them off their feet again. As badly as he wants B to stay near (it is not as much for Steve as he is letting on, though Lark himself hasn't fully realized it yet), he won't do anything to jeopardize what security B has found with his cat.

[worthallthis]

That's a relief. It'll be all about Vesta, and he doesn't have to ask anyone about how to do it, not yet anyway. B breathes out and picks up the mopping again. "Okay. Okay, thank you. I." He stares stubbornly at the wet spot on the floor. "I do want to help Steve. He shouldn't be alone, either."

[ukan]

"I know you do. We'll figure it out." Lark, even when he really wants a specific thing, won't pretend there aren't a dozen ways to get the same general goal achieved.