#rivervale_lodge

"Oh, I almost forgot." He ducks out into his room, and then comes back, and carefully tucks something into one of the boxes. "There you go. They'll have to dock my pay, but I don't mind."

She has to peek at that

It's a little stuffed dog - one of Buddy's Buddies!

Gerd sniffs, "It ... he looks a bit like you"

"It's the weirdest thing, right? I'm pretty sure it's one of those double-gangsters you hear about. But I just don't want you getting all sloppy and running back here every weekend. That would be silly. So if you miss having a puppy around and if Tiffany won't let you pet her ears, you can hug this guy."

"He'll never be as good as the real thing, little brother" And she puts an arm around Connor

"I know, prob'ly better." Giving her a hug back. "But someone took my tags off so you can't sell me on eBay, I'm not in minty-fresh condition."

"Oh you're a keeper," She says.

"Now, you have a room here it seems" She looks around , "A big one. It is possible one day you'll be asked to share it with a childling"

"I just didn't want you stretched all the way between here and there. Like a bubble gum, and then someday you'd snap and get everything all sticky and lose all your flavor." He blinks at this, curious. "Who?"

"Are you gonna send Margalita here? She's... nice. But her toys are Loud."

"Margalita is my problem," Gerd assures, "She's like Tiffany's little sister or niece so no way is the big dog getting rid of her boom boom friend. But the twin trolls might clamber in, or if the hold gets new people. That's how it works, transition"

He scratches at an ear thoughtfully. "This room IS too big for me. All I need is a rug in the corner to curl up on, really."

"oh no, I'm not leaving this so you get some cramped spot... you get the bed"

"But I LIKE having a little den. It's cozy. The big bed feels... empty." He sets "Gerd's" pillow on it, and looks a bit unsure.

"...maybe Oak and Edie can come sleep with me. Oh, but they're always off patrolling at night."

"They're not always, and there's brown dog. Trust me, those mooches will share the bed if you ask" A smile "Also, it will keep Mountain Frank from letting them on hsi"

"I could go work the night shift with Sir Convenience Store. Then I don't have to sleep at all.!" He grins.

"NAh, " She says "Night shift is when the cat lovers come out"

He wrinkles up his nose. "They're too sharp on too many ends."

"I told you, when Mackerel's tail thrashes, it's not wagging" Reminder

"Also, I may steal Edelweiss."

He blinks. "But they're a matched set!"

"Well, you're my little brother ,she's my dog" She says

The boy just looks somewhat baffled.

"What?" She says

"It's Oak and Edie, Edie and Oak. Wouldn't he miss her on the patrols?"

"Yup. He would. Guess he'll need to find someone to share a bed with"

"But I'm not..." He blushes a bit pink. "I'm pretty sure Edie is his GIRLFRIEND."

"They're siblings" she clarifies

He laughs. "Dogs are silly. They should be sensible and use their words like I do."

She grins 'yes, they should. but, well, maybe that's why they need their people. Look, I don't know, the Chief might tell me tough stuff. Technically she owns them both as gifts fro mthe DeBuke litter"

"Maybe! Tough patooties!"

Thoughtful. "Maybe you should ask Edie what she wants to do. I think Thane Tiffany can translate, but then I don't know who will translate for HER."

"Yeah, that's the catch," she says "Besides, I have an ally"

"I only know how to speak Ears and Tails. It's enough a lot of the time, sometimes the more words you have, they just get in the way."

"Sometimes words are hard even for non pooka" Gerd nods

"But, think on this... if I get one of the pets over to Vali's house? That's a spot for Dagmar to bring in another pet for" A grin

He nods. "She'll have a pet baby to play with soon, too."

"Well, i was lucky, I got to PICK my brother" She says

"I've never seen a baby - like a real fresh tiny one. Do you think they'll let me play with the baby? If I promise to be REAL careful?"

"You kidding? Tove will be a new mom, we probably won't be able to escape pictures of the baby, and news of the baby, and..while you'll have to be careful, yeah, maybe you can hold him"

"She's not new though, she already has Dagmar!"

"You are totally right," Gerd frowns "And I need to watch how I word things or Dagmar will be hurt and she doesn't need that sh.. that sort of thing. Tove is a GREAT Mom."

Then in a lower voice "Even if she thinks spice is a food group"

"I like her cooking. It makes the pork chops taste even more choppy." He nods. "She's a good mom. So is Miss Kerri. Oh, and the Chief. Even if she's not quite like the moms on teevee."

"Yeah, more Brienne of Tarth meets Superman" Gerd ponders "But it works. Yeah" Wistful "Lots of good moms here."

He scooches over closer to Gerd. "Tell me about your mom?"

"She was nice, and while she was kinian not kithain, tall, but not as tall as dad. She smelled like...sunshine, which is weird to say but it's true"

"Mm." He leans against her, wrapping an arm around her legs. A soft wag of his tail.