[log] Please, oh please, let me in [closed]

[andiloveyou]

Characters: Homura and Dug
Location Building 18
Date: Day 159, evening
Summary: After a day of static, two strangers find shelter together.
Warnings: Traumatized dog within

[18: A standard two-story house with a basement and attic. The first floor has a kitchen, living room, and dining room, while the second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. All of the rooms are a mess, with cushions and drawers and furniture scattered haphazardly. The table was set for four, but now everything's all over the floor and some of the plates have been shattered.]

Comments

shortly before lockdown

[andiloveyou]

[Dug began the day by looking for the rat -- he has been looking for the rat for days and days, and he must be getting very close now. But then the dark static people outside start talking about killing people, and his own paws don't look right, and Dug is very, very, very alone. By the time he spots a house in the rubble, Dug has forgotten all about the rat. He is so very ready to not be outside anymore.

Doorknobs are hard, but Dug is a determined dog and he has done this lots of times now. He rears up on his hind legs and scrabbles at the door with his be-socked front paws, struggling to get enough of a grip to turn the knob and open the door.]

Don't worry Dug Homura's got this B|

[perfero]

[Blocking out the shadows isn't easy for Homura. In fact, she doubts it's possible to ignore them completely, even if one were to discount the past encounters with malevolent shadows. These ones aren't outright attacking her like witch familiars, but she can feel the pull of paranoia and has to grit her teeth. Familiars do the same, manipulating your mind until you've done something you regret.

They did that to her once.

She can't do anything about it now, not with her magical girl powers locked away. Not when the static on the tablets is starting to affect her body.

She's useless, no different than she was before she met Madoka.

Thoughts of Madoka are the only thing that keeps her putting one foot in front of the other, until she finds herself approaching a mostly-intact two story home. With a blob of static in front of it.

She stops several feet from the door, her hand sliding into the pocket of her coat. She's got her letter opener in there, though that's an absolute last resort. Without any supernatural strength it's much smarter to run and hide than try to fight anything.]

so reassuring :D

[andiloveyou]

[Dug is intent on his work, breath huffing out as he concentrates on getting his paws wrapped tight around the doorknob so he can shift his weight and --

His ear flicks back at some little sound, and Dug's whole head quickly follows. There's a person! There's...maybe a person. She looks like a person, but she looks like maybe she isn't there, too, and Dug whines in confusion as he drops to all fours and takes a step back, nose raised to scent the air uneasily.]

I can smell you.

[It's a revelation. Dug's ears come back up and he takes in a deeper sniff.]

I can smell you! You are here!

[perfero]

[It can... smell her? That's unsettling. Though, it isn't lunging at her and it doesn't sound aggressive, so she remains where she is, wary.]

What are you?

[She'd like to go back to thinking she was completely alone now, please and thank you.]

[andiloveyou]

I am a dog.

[He says it very earnestly, with a helpful little wag of the tail.]

I can see through you, but I can smell you, so I know you are there. My name is Dug.

[perfero]

[There's more static, but she's able to get dog out of it. And Dug. Dug the dog.

It seems far to easy to just accept that, though he still hasn't attacked her and there's a bit of static waving suspiciously similar to a tailwag.]

Dogs can't talk.

[Normal ones, anyway. She figures she should get that out of the way first.]

[andiloveyou]

Oh, but my old master made me this collar so I can talk! Can you open this door? I would like to not be outside anymore, because I am --

[He freezes in place as the static grows particularly bad and she disappears altogether. Dug scents the air, then lets out a long, low whine as he slowly backs up to run his hindquarters into the wall of the house.]

I cannot smell you. You are gone and I cannot smell you.

[perfero]

[Gone? She hasn't gone anywhere. Warily, she looks down at one static hand. This is all getting too unsettling for comfort, but she can agree with the possible-dog on one thing: she doesn't want to be outside anymore either.

She doesn't answer him (chances are static would cover part of her reply anyway), instead she steps over to the house and opens the door. Hopefully, if he can't see her, he'll at least be able to see the door mysteriously opening.]

[andiloveyou]

[He stands with head down and ears back, looking at the static where the girl was. Was she really there? He lets out another whine just as the door opens. Unsure what's happening, he nevertheless skitters inside, lifting his nose to scent the air again once he's past the threshold.]

Girl? Where did you go, girl?

[perfero]

[Sadly for Homura the static kicks up to the point where Dug has now, apparently gone missing. She knows it has to be more complicated than that, though it's hard to ignore the niggling in her mind that she's alone again. Holding a hand to her head she waits several more seconds before heading into the home.]

If you aren't inside I'm closing the door now.

[And she does just that, hoping that being inside will make a difference. And that Dug followed her in.]