A little kindness goes a long way [Alfred]

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

Archadia was far more dangerous than Maelle originally suspected. The presence of the police were everywhere; as a canine, Maelle could smell their trails that literally left train tracks all across the city. Each path criss-crossed over another before the faint stench of gunshot residue faded. Evidently, guns were regularly used here. Maelle surpressed a shutter before continuing to peck at a bird feeder. She was starving, and seed sadly wouldn’t make the calorie count she required. She couldn’t slip into her human form though; she watched an officer earlier that day perform a random ‘mutant detection test’. He sampled a resident from a building, taking blood from their arm.

As tempting as her human skin may be, she’d have to refrain. The risks outnumbered the benefits; when she needed to revert to human form, she’d do so in the woods, far from any prying eyes.

Maelle swallowed a few more seeds before chirping a bright tune and fluttering away, wings alternating between spurts of rapid flaps and glides. As it were, she wasn’t far from the outskirts of the town. Her little stash wasn’t far from here; she’d be safe to retrieve it.

It wasn’t long before Maelle was hidden under a patch of brambles, deep in a thicket off the beaten paths through the woods. The change was quick; she barely felt the fever spike as the expansion into a new skin was almost instantaneous. Fur replaced feathers as she felt herself change from bipedal to quadruped. She stretched once completed, shaking out her coat to test the newly formed muscles. Stretching each back leg sluggishly, she tipped her nose down and looped the woven braid of a makeshift collar around her neck. It had her name stitched on it, which of course was a hazard, but no one thought of a simple Canadian girl who passed away 7 years ago. That, and she didn’t like being renamed (she found that she lost her sense of humanity if she played the loyal pet for too long).

That, and she really missed home sometimes. Her name was really all she had.

With a couple a reassuring mental words, she wandered back to the edge of the town.

____

Her guise didn’t work as well as she planned. She approached a few people, one which yelled something in Russian at her and then proceeded to grab a rock and throw it at her. Another chased her out of their yard. It was now late, almost dusk and she had settled on the step of a clearly abandoned house at the edge of town, right by a walking path. She had had the worst day and her leg hurt where she’d be stoned and she got plastered in mud while running through an unseeded lot and… she huffed out a sigh.

Steps… those were footsteps.

Maelle raised her head, glancing out from the step. Dogcatcher? Pedestrian? Someone who might give her food? She watched with hopeful eyes as black polished dress shoes crunched along the walking path.

❚ WORDS  505 - ❚ TAGS @mona -❚ NOTES Since I had this pretyped, here!

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 610

Tags: Maëlle Williams

Notes: THIS IDIOT

There was a difference between being alone and being lonely.

For Alfred, the two were so very often synonymous. Being alone was no fun, being lonely even worse. Yet it seemed like he was very much destined to be so for...well, forever. Especially recently, but now that he thought about it, it had been this way for a while. He had no close friends and as a con artist, Alfred had opted to work alone. It had been the right choice at the time, to be quite honest it was still the right choice now. But Alfred bitterly regretted it. He had no partner in crime, no one there to listen or to help him out. So here he was, alone and lonely, with no friends or family other than Matthew.

Matthew. It seemed his thoughts always led to his brother at one point or another. Yet even knowing that Matthew was still alive, still within reach provided Alfred little comfort. It was worse, in a way, to know that Matthew was so close yet so far. His brother felt more like a memory than anything.

These days consisted of Alfred wandering more than anything else. He couldn't stay in the apartment; less now because he feared it, more because he simply couldn't bear to stay put. He'd gone to town several times, but Alfred found that he spent too much time watching his back.

So he kept to the neighborhood, wandering out to the edge of the forest some days and occasionally exploring. He hadn't gone far in yet. Sadly his fear of ghosts was still very much an ongoing issue in his life, but it was a much simpler issue to tackle than the other problems in his life.

It was time to think tactical, Alfred was realizing, which was not a strength of his. In this too, he felt alone, both in trying to get Matthew out and in working with the Freedom Fighters. It was frustrating, trying to work alone. He'd have to start reappearing more frequently at meetings soon too and he'd have to figure out how to make that work...

...Maybe he'd wander around for a few extra hours today.

...No, it was night, that wouldn't work. He'd already wasted most of the day.

...Fuck, there were probably ghosts coming out in the forest now.

Alfred paused in his steps, debating as to whether or not staying away from the apartment was that important in his life right now. His gaze wandered towards his right and fell on an abandoned house. A shiver ran down his spine. Crap. Haunted house—no, just abandoned. Maybe. Hopefully. Hopefully not the home to...to...

...A dog?

It was just sitting there, on the doorstep, looking at Alfred curiously. Alfred blinked, unsure whether or not to trust his eyes. It seemed innocent enough. Alfred couldn't tell what type of dog it was per se, but with its matted fur soaked with mud, it looked just as lonely as he felt.

...This could definitely be a trick.

...He was pretty sure ghosts did not employ dogs to bring unsuspecting Americans into their death lairs.

"Hey doggy," Alfred called gently as he walked slowly towards the house, his gaze flickering upwards every so often to make sure that nothing was preparing to jump him from the rafters. "Are you alone? Do you have an owner?"

He was right next to it now and he brought his hand towards the dog cautiously, giving it ample time to sniff it if it so wished. Then, without a negative reaction, Alfred gently reached up and began to pet it on the head.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

Maëlle was tired, dirty, and hurting. It was getting dark and she was so so hungry and she’d probably need to scrounge through tonight’s garbage for a meal. Calories were essential to her and by now, she knew she needed almost 5000 as a baseline if she continued to switch forms regularly, limiting her options and increasing her risk of being noticed. While switching into her larger, more skillful wolf form would allow her to hunt, she lacked the strength and energy to stalk and take an animal down.

Damn, how had she let herself slip so far? Normally, she was ahead of the game, always making sure she’d have something to eat before she got weak and her ability to contort her DNA limited. Last thing she needed was to be fixed into a specific form. Now, the domestic canine wasn’t so bad (normally), but if people were hostile towards pets in Archadia, she’d have to come up with a new tactic. Hunting in the woods was a temporary fix, until someone from town or a hunter saw her. Too risky to try, so she never bothered.

Ideally, Maëlle wanted to find a home here. Not a permanent one, but one she’d live in until she could find more out about the Underground, and where her friend was truly there or not. The Underground was also the most unsafe place for the mutant to tour, but she needed answers.

She sighed. She missed her friend’s company.

Then there was a person. A human by the smell and sight of him, looking right at her. She stared back, trying to decide if she should try to run off or stay. He didn’t appear malicious, and he wasn’t throwing rocks to shoo her away. Obviously the house wasn’t his current residence, but he might have owned it or the property and have entitlement to shoo her off, or call animal control.

He did neither, instead opting to gently coo at her and walk towards the steps. Maëlle wanted to hesitate; she didn’t know this stranger, nor did she know his intentions, but she felt no off feeling from him and his face was warm and encouraging. He spoke words that she couldn’t even pretend she understood, and he offered his upturned palm to her. She leaned forward he inhaled in quick sniffs, identifying where the male had been and what he had touched (he had been handling a hamburger as of late and Maëlle almost felt her mouth water. Nothing about this stranger rang any alarm bells with Maëlle, so she proceeded to lick his extended hand and wag her tail, but just barely.

He then moved her scratch her head, which felt so good because the mud make her skin beneath her fur feel heavy and crusty. Now she couldn’t help but let her feathered tail swish back and forth, soaking up the attention that had been given to her by a perfect stranger.

❚ WORDS  494 - ❚ TAGS Alfred -❚ NOTESSooooo sleeeeeeeepy

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 518

Tags: Maëlle

Notes:

The dog's tail wagged back and forth as Alfred petted it, and as the seconds ticked by, Alfred felt the tension in his shoulders ease. Of course there weren't ghosts, he was just being silly again. He had to get that fear under control someday but it seemed rather unnecessary at the moment.

The dog's fur was matted and dirty, but clearly it had had plenty of contact with humans before. Those brown eyes were bright and kind, licking Alfred's hands a little when he first approached. Alfred had forgotten how much he loved dogs, how absolutely much he adored them. He didn't really know what breed of dog this one was. Some kind of retriever maybe? It looked a little like a golden retriever, but it seemed just a tad bit too small. It'd be easier to identify if it wasn't so dirty...from the looks of it, it'd been on the streets for a while.

"Hey there," Alfred said as he scratched the dog behind its ears. "Did you used to live here?" He glanced briefly up at the creaky abandoned house. No ghosts had come out and this dog hadn't run away...just seemed like his fears were getting away from him again. "I don't think your owners are around anymore..."

Collar...did it have one? Alfred's hands moved from the dog's ears to its neck, fingers searching through its tangled hair until his index finger hooked on something. It was looser than he'd expected; really it was a pretty big achievement that it hadn't gotten caught on anything before or been torn off. It wasn't store bought either. Odd.

He pulled it upwards, trying to read the name in the dimming light. It had been stitched in and was faded and tattered, taking Alfred several tries before he managed to make it out.

Maëlle.

...What kind of name was that?

It didn't look Russian, that was for sure. The two dots over the 'e'...that usually would correspond to Spanish in Alfred's mind, but in Spanish, the two dots only ever went over 'u's. Maybe French? Alfred's French was rusty and his accent was terrible and he'd never paid it half as much attention as he had to Spanish. Too many rolling of 'r's and so much complicated grammar.

"May-elle?" Alfred tried. At least that's what it looked like. He was probably getting it wrong, that stupid 'e'...

...Well, he was getting nowhere with the whole name thing. At least it looked like a girl's name, so that was something. Alfred flipped over the collar to see if there was an address but he came up empty.

"No home, huh..." Alfred murmured. Poor dog.

He returned to petting her, ever so frequently glancing at the setting sun. Alfred would have to head back soon. He was hesitant to leave the dog though. She looked like she was hungry, something Alfred could relate to. Living on the streets, after all, wasn't exactly fun. Maybe he could go run and grab it some food, though chances were it'd be gone by the time he got back.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

This man was awfully kind, reeking of no ill intentions or negativity. Sure, he was sweating and she could smell that he was nervous, but that didn’t appear to be directed towards herself. No, his heart had been pounding as he approached her and while he was looking at her, he kept glancing around and checking his surroundings. A curious man… was he being watched? Or followed? Or both? Maëlle couldn’t smell anyone else, but she was limited to whoever stood upwind of her. As far as she could tell, they were alone.

His hands were gentle, coming up to comb through the tangles in her soft fur. He had short fingernails that were scratching the cake down mud that itched her skin and it felt so good that she almost melted into putty in his hands. Tail wagging faster, she inched closer to him and let his mouth hang open, her tongue gently lolling from her lips. She was happpyyyyyyyy! She forgot how nice it felt to be petted, and with all the crap and mistreatment she received today, it was so lovely to have someone gently rub her crown of her head.

“Hey there…” His voice was gentle and welcoming, seemingly genuine and sweet. His hand migrated behind her ears and oh that felt so good! She leaned he head into his hand and her right foot began to twitch. Heaven, this was heaven.

“Did you used to live here? I don’t think your owners are around anymore…”

Maëlle wanted him to believe that, so she just continued to lap up attention like she had never received it before. It was more of a sympathetic story that would cause pity; Aw, poor dog. Pity might mean food, and food was something she could really use right now (and a bath as well, but she could try to find a spring in the woods to attempt to bathe herself).

He then stopped the gentle scratching to slide his hand to the tangled fur of her neck. She glanced up at him, mouth still parted in a dog-like smile as he tugged at it and tried to make out the words. Maëlle took the moment to actually inspect the man through sight and not smell (despite the fact that canine vision was not as sharp as her other forms, such as her owl body).

His brow was scrunched, but it hadn’t been when he first approached. He was blond, with darker sun-stained bangs arcing across his forehead. He was young, appearing in his early twenties maybe? Maëlle wasn’t sure, but he was definitely an adult. He had glasses perched on his nose, sliding down a bit as he stared at the tattered remains of Maëlle’s hand woven collar. Blue eyes, rich like unrefined sapphires, finally flicked towards her.

He looked awfully bothered, and Maëlle knew he would butcher the pronunciation of her name before it even passed through his lips.

“May-elle.”

She had to supress a shudder and instead tipped her head to the side, flopping one of her ears over to hopefully communicate that her name was certainly not May-elle. He flipped her collar over, but Maëlle wasn’t sure what he was looking for. The only thing on the back was the mess of coloured string that was not nearly as pretty as the front (or, as pretty as the front had been when she first wove it).

“No home, huh…”

Not a question, a statement. His palm returned to Maëlle’s head and she tipped her nose up to try and lick it. Yes, she was homeless. She had been for years, but that was irrelevant. Her main concern, food and shelter, were temporarily forgotten as he worked the cracked pieces of mud from her scalp, revealing some of the original orangey and white patches of her fur.

❚ WORDS 639- ❚ TAGS Alfred -❚ NOTES She's so cute you can't resist please take her home

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 702

Tags: Maëlle

Notes: Oops, a little longer than I intended.

The dog wiggled closer to Alfred, inch by inch, her tongue dangling from her mouth in simple, unhindered pleasure. He could hear her tail thumping. Thump. Thump. Thump. On and on it went, growing faster and faster. His smile grew wider as she leaned into his hands, obviously enjoying the attention.

She was adorable, as all dogs were, because dogs could never be anything but adorable and wonderful and too easily lovable. Even a stray. They were the ones that had the least love, after all.

He thought back to when he was a kid, playing in the green grass in the backyard with Steve. Alfred had adored the golden retriever, loved him more than anyone else. More than his father or his mother or his brother, because Steve just seemed to understand. Always. It really only cemented the fact in Alfred's head that dogs were better than people. Had always been, would always be. How people could ever hate dogs or dislike them was beyond Alfred's imagination or comprehension. They loved with no bounds, with no ulterior motives, simply because that was how they were.

If people could be like dogs, life would be so much simpler.

Alfred frowned at the dog's name. When he tried to say it out loud to the dog, she only cocked her head to the side with unadulterated innocence. There was no recognition in her eyes at all. Which meant he must be screwing up the pronunciation very, very badly. That or it wasn't her name, though it seemed pretty unlikely that a dog would have a collar with a name that wasn't hers.

It was pointless, really, trying to guess this dog's story, because there were no answers. So he simply returned to petting her. The dog tried to lick his hand, her warm, rough tongue running over his palm and he smiled again. She was sweet, very sweet...why anyone would leave her behind, Alfred couldn't imagine.

...

...

He really...really wanted to take her home.

She must be hungry. Who knew how long she'd been alone like this? But...Alfred hesitated. He couldn't take a dog. He only had two things he cared about. The FF and Matthew. That was more than enough for him. And he was in a spat of trouble as well, he...

...But he couldn't just leave her either, could he?

Maybe Gupta...perhaps Gupta could take her in...Alfred really wasn't 100% sure how the man felt about Alfred now (he wasn't behind bars so that was a plus), but Gupta seemed like the type that would take in an animal no matter what. Alfred bit his lip. Maybe...

Alfred stood to his feet. He really couldn't afford a dog...as terrible as he felt about it, that was the truth. And although she didn't seem scared of him right now, there was no saying what she would do if he tried to take her anywhere. He had no method of taking her anywhere either. Maybe he could run and get some food for this dog...but she'd probably be gone by then. He didn't even know if she frequented this place.

"Alright doggy," Alfred said quietly as he leaned down and scratched her on the head once more. "I'm sorry, but I can't really take you home with me." He felt bad about it, but there wasn't much he could do, really. "I don't have any food with me either...but I'll drop a message off with Gupta and if you stay around here then he'll come find a good home for you, okay?"

Guilt swept through him. Alfred knew he wasn't obligated to help this dog, but she was so sweet. How could anyone leave her behind without even a little remorse? She must've had a home and a family, maybe children that fawned over her and loved her and pampered her. And now she was sitting here on the porch step, just waiting...waiting for what? For someone to come home?

It was heartbreaking. But he...he couldn't just take her...

"Bye doggy," Alfred said, standing up fully. He didn't want to go, but if he didn't leave now, Alfred figured he probably never would.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

Maëlle decided that she liked this human.

Surprisingly, for a soul that was so isolated from the human world, Maëlle Williams could read people. Call it an animal’s intuition, but she was able to judge a person, usually on their first encounter if circumstances were normal. It was amazing really, how much one could deduce from a man simply by the way he treated an animal. Of course, there were people that weren’t fond of pets, or people with justified dislike or fear of them, but that was easy to point out, and work around. While Maëlle spent a lot of time observing humans and their customs, she was quite in tuned to their behaviour, and could pick out the ones that perhaps would aid her.

This man was one of those people. Someone kind, and genuinely good. Maybe he would help her. She watched him with her golden eyes as he gazed at her sadly.

…Was she really the one who needed the help?

Maëlle stared up at the man, and this time looked with direction and focus to the smaller details on his face and person. She had missed the fact that he hadn’t shaven in the past few days, but his facial hair was so light, she had to pay close attention to notice it. His glasses hid the darkened circles under his eyes, and he seemed jittery at the fact that he was approaching an abandoned building that otherwise would pose no threat. What sort of man was this… Clearly he hadn’t been sleeping properly, and seemed anxious enough to skip potential morning routines, if he was the type to be tidy and well kept.

And then there were his eyes. Such sad things, now that she peered into them. This was a man who looked tired, worn down, and depressed. Why?

He stood before she could deduce more, but not before a final, closing pat on her head. She let out a quiet, almost silent whine at his statement, and she staggered up to her paws. She was tired, hurt, filthy, and hungry, and she really didn’t want him to go. She didn’t know this Gupta, nor would she wait around for this person. They sounded like a dogcatcher, and if she knew anything, it was to stay away from them. She wanted the sad man to stay.

“Bye doggy.”

‘Please don’t go.’

He stood, and she watched with amber eyes as he turned and proceeded to descend off the porch. She whined again, her once wagging tail now tucked between her legs. She waited a moment, before she took a few tentative steps after him, gingerly favoring her back leg as she hobbled along behind him. She didn’t want him to go.

❚ WORDS  458 - ❚ TAGS Alfred F. Jones -❚ NOTES Country roads Alfred Jooones, take me home to the place I belong

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 611

Tags: Maëlle

Notes: How he's carrying her

The quiet whine that the dog made when Alfred stood up to leave was heartbreaking. Dogs were absolutely the worst guilt trippers. They were so innocent and all they wanted was a little love and...and...well...

...No, he had to go, had to go...

The dog stood up shakily behind him and Alfred forced himself to turn around and walk away. His steps down the porch felt heavy.

God, he felt like a jerk for just leaving...but what could he do? He couldn't call Gupta, he had no way of taking her home...and he did have to get home. It was getting dark and...

Keep walking, keep walking, keep—

There was another low whine, louder and Alfred couldn't stop himself. He turned to look back.

The dog limped after him pitifully. Her tail was tucked between her legs as she hobbled towards him.

Oh god, she was hurt. Must have...gotten it caught somewhere or been injured somehow...maybe a wild animal...maybe someone had been trying to chase her off...

He couldn't leave her. He just couldn't. That would...he...no. No, no, no. He couldn't do that. Not to a dog, especially an injured one. He...he'd get her home somehow, find Gupta to make sure she was okay...she seemed pretty willing to follow him...the poor thing...

Alfred had stopped already to look back, but now he retraced his steps back towards the abandoned-but-not-haunted house until he was right next to the dog. Alfred bent down and gently stroked her head.

"Easy now," he murmured soothingly, glancing at her back leg. Between the mud and the dirt and everything else caught in it, Alfred couldn't be sure how badly she was hurt. "Easy doggy. I'm gonna...gonna get you cleaned up, okay? Take you home and take a look at that leg."

He hoped it wasn't too badly hurt. Alfred knew a little bit about wounds, but a broken leg...that would definitely require a visit to Gupta. He'd take her there when Gupta was open, Alfred decided. He'd take good care of her.

...Now came the hard part. Actually getting her to his apartment. The only way Alfred could see it happening was if he carried her. Did his apartment allow pets? He was pretty sure...yes, he'd definitely seen a neighbor or two with pets. And it wasn't a big deal, it would just be a day or two...

Would she let him pick her up? Alfred had to be careful of that leg and who knew what the poor dog might do if he wrapped his arms around her...what if she started squirming and he dropped her? Oh god, that'd be terrible...

No, he had to pick her up to get her home.

"I'm gonna pick you up, okay doggy?" Alfred wasn't sure what telling the dog would do to help her. Informing someone of what you were about to do really only helped if...well, they could actually understand what you were saying. It was more to calm him than anyone else. "So um...be nice and still for me, okay? I don't want to drop you."

Alfred eased his arms around the dog, holding here there for a moment before picking her up as gently as possible. She was a lot lighter than he expected. Whether that was a natural thing or because she hadn't had much food, Alfred couldn't be sure.

He half expected her to try to jump out of his arms immediately but it didn't happen. Slowly, Alfred eased the dog onto his shoulder. That would be the easiest way to carry her back home.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

He turned the second time she whined for him as she hobbled down the stairs unevenly, reaching the earth and letting the dirt press in between her already-soiled paw pads. When he looked back at her, she felt her tail begin to twitch into a wag once more, despite the fact that pain had chased it between her legs.

He stared at her with pity and confusion, but his gaze kept her pinned. She’d follow again once he turned, but he seemed to fixate on her form before he began to stride back over to her. She felt her tail pick up speed as it began to flutter back and forth. She raised her head to meet his hand once more, relishing in the gentle touch he provided.

“Easy now…” his voice was quiet, but she was unsure what he was referring to. She licked his calloused hands in response to mute her uncertainty. “Easy doggy.” …Doggy? Well, it was better than May-elle, or Mail (which she was sure was going to be his second attempt).

“I’m gonna… gonna get you cleaned up, okay? Take you home and take a look at that leg.”

Maëlle had to force herself to not perk up at those words. She couldn’t show any trace of comprehension, but it was impossible to keep her eyes from brightening a bit at the comment. ‘Home’. He was going to take her to his home and help her and- Her tail, which had previously slowed to a stop after he pat her for a few minutes, wagged back and forth. She couldn’t help it… It had been years since she had been in a real home, and was supposed to be there!

She wondered what kind of home this man had. Well, he looked overworked and tired, so Maëlle didn’t expect a mansion, nor did she want it. She always dreamed of a quaint little place, nothing fancy, to retire to when she was tired of racing through the woods. Maëlle loved her freedom and life, but at times, it was lonely and harsh. Her life was not easy in the wilderness, and today’s injuries proved that it wasn’t easy in the human world either.

She idly thought about Peter, the boy she had lived with at one point. It was a similar scenario; he had instead chosen her from a dog pound that she had managed to land herself in, and she didn’t have the heart to run off the first night. Peter was special, and she almost wished that she could have been a regular dog for him. Maëlle shook the thoughts. She wasn’t, and she had to leave after she changed forms and pulled the boy from the burning building.

Would she have to do that again? Probably not. How often did building catch fire? Humans weren’t entirely stupid. Besides, she just had to heal up and get her strength back. Then she’d have to run off in order to keep tabs around the city. Alfred would be a temporary solution, for now.

Maëlle was so submerged in her thoughts and the gentle head massage that she barely caught Alfred’s next words. He was going to carry her… home? She elicited no response to the warning, but she was touched. This human (to which she had no connection to) was going to carry her, a muddy stray, into his home.

The kindness of this man continued to surprise the mutant.

He spoke again gently before wrapping his arms around her torso. She twisted slightly, but otherwise went still as she felt her tail tuck between her legs. She didn’t really like feeling trapped, but his grip was gentle and loose, and she owed it to him to remain a quiet and passive passenger.

He lifted her with ease, and while Maëlle’s instinct was to wriggle out of his clutches, she simply blinked awkwardly and glanced down at the ground, then tilted her head up to look at him, which evidently was what he wanted her to do because she was shifted to let her paws rest on his shoulders as he supported her back legs with his arms. He was mindful of her injured hind leg, and the hold was surprisingly more comfortable than she thought it would be.

With her head so close to his, she twisted her snout and began to eagerly lick the male’s cheek in gratitude for the kindness and gentle compassion that he offered her.

❚ WORDS 746 - ❚ TAGS Alfred F. Jones -❚ NOTES I know I have a bunch of other posts to do but I had muse and a small window of time and ahghg doggy kisses

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 720

Tags: Maëlle

Notes: OKAY IT'S LONGER THAN I INTENDED BUT THEY NEEDED TO GET SOMEWHERE

After making sure that the dog was comfortably situated, Alfred started walking home briskly. He'd already been delayed somewhat and it was getting dark and...well, Alfred did not feel particularly comfortable being out after dark right now. Not with the abandoned house or the eerie forest or really just anything right now.

Not that his apartment was much better, but it was well lit and he had his laptop and food and blankets to snuggle under that gave him the illusion of safety.

Besides, he had to get this dog home and Alfred would rather do that sooner than later.

Gupta was closed, Alfred was pretty sure, considering how late it was and that it was a Saturday. He probably didn't open for Sundays either...which meant that Alfred had to take care of this dog for the next two days until Gupta opened for business again. He had no dog food in the house, but dogs were generally not picky eaters. Of course, he couldn't tell with this dog...but then again, he figured a dog that had been living on the streets and survived for this long wasn't about to be choosy.

Speaking of which, he better not feed her too much. It'd been years since Alfred had last taken care of a dog, but even he knew that giving her too much food at once would do no good. He'd been starving once too and having too much food was more of a curse than a blessing at the start. So just some water and leftovers.

It'd be better to feed her before washing her, wouldn't it? That was more urgent and the mud wasn't wet so he didn't have to worry much about her getting the apartment dirty. He could probably search up how to pronounce her name while she was eating. Maëlle...what an odd name for a dog...then again, it was Archadia...

Alfred was distracted from his thoughts when a warm, wet tongue started to lick his cheek. The dog was leaving slobber everywhere and Alfred couldn't help but crack a smile. After a moment, he started laughing as the dog licked his entire face eagerly.

"That tickles," Alfred protested lightly through his laughter. He couldn't do much about it though, both hands supporting the dog from falling down. She'd been surprisingly cooperative so far, barely fidgeting which was really an extraordinary stroke of luck for Alfred. So instead he sped up his pace a little more so they could hasten the arrival to the apartment, the dog's tail thumping against his legs.

The presence of a dog should be no trouble...the problem was, this dog was covered in dirt and mud. It was pretty obvious that she was a stray, and as much as his apartment allowed for animals, Alfred highly doubted that they'd let her in. After all, Alfred had no clue if she had fleas or ticks or whatever else dogs had. He supposed he'd check that too when he cleaned her off. Gupta, he was sure, would check again on Monday.

Alfred peeked in the glass doors to the apartment to see if the receptionist was there. Damn it. Alfred was pretty sure there was a back entrance to the building, but it tended to be locked from the outside and Alfred didn't exactly have a lot of hands to spare to pick it. He wondered how exactly he was supposed to do this...

...wait, the receptionist now had his back turned...

Alfred didn't hesitate, speed walking as fast as he could down the hall. The dog bounced up and down a little in his arms and thank god she was relatively light because he might've dropped her otherwise. Alfred skidded into the elevator corridor, just out of sight of the desk, and hastily jabbed the elevator button with his elbow.

It took too long for the elevator to arrive but thankfully it was empty. Alfred stepped in, and with a little difficulty, managed to push all the correct buttons to get to his apartment.

It was a long ride to the top and despite the dog's relative lightness, Alfred's arms were tired and he was unbelievably grateful to have arrived. He set the dog down gently and fumbled for his keys before pushing the door open.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

This human, Alfred, squirmed at her affectionate licks, twisting his face away slightly to escape. She made sure to get him at least once in the ear, but she relinquished her attack before resting her chin gently on his shoulder and letting out a long sigh.

Over the course of the last 30 minutes, she had been scooped up gently for the promise of food, shelter, and care. As she watched the house behind her fade into well-tended streets and hedge lines, she wondered if this was a good idea. She hadn’t investigated Alfred at all. What if he was someone who hated mutants? There were many in this world and she was sure that no one wanted a mutant feigning the guise of an abandoned pet.

Maëlle knew, even if she pretended to be a dog for this man, she’d wander off when she could. She couldn’t remain a dog always; she had her limits and forgetting an animal for was a harsh reality she realized last time she wormed her way into a human home. She didn’t even know if Alfred worked away from home. What if he ran his own business? What if he took her with him to his employment? What if she was trapped there….?

Doubt continued to flood Maëlle’s mind as she tucked her head against the nape of Alfred’s neck. The gesture quieted her nerves slightly as the scent of simple ivory soap wafted through her nose. He wasn’t wearing any cologne, just the residual scent of a shower that he had likely had earlier that day. She could also pick up the smell of his last meal, a hamburger, and underarm deodorant. His shirt was clean, but she could tell that this was the second time he had worn it before washing it.

Alfred seemed honest, through both actions and unconscious tips that Maëlle could pick up through watching and smelling. But even an honest man could be unpredictable, especially if she made a mistake.

After a long walk, Alfred paused and stopped, causing Maëlle to pick up her snout and text the air. She hardly had any time to pick out her surroundings (she saw that the street sign read Aleksander and that there was a coffee shop across the street) before Alfred pushed open a door and she watched the interior of the building melt into her view. She was bounced slightly as Alfred’s walking pace lurched into a jog. Her head bobbed up and down as she curiously glanced at the receptionist who was digging something from under the desk. He stood and glanced their way, eyes slightly widening and brows raising as Alfred and Maëlle rounded the corner, her mud stained muzzle being the last thing that the confused lobby attendant saw. Thankfully, the elevator arrived quickly and they ascended quite a few floors, but Maëlle lost count and wasn’t facing the numbers.

When they walked out, Alfred set Maëlle down, thankfully. She gave herself a long stretch, arcing her back and yawning as she skipped stretching the injured back paw. The door quickly popped open, and warm brown eyes looked towards Alfred as he beckoned her inside. She walked in with much hesitation, nose testing the air as she took in these new settings. She went for Alfred’s shoe rack, sticking her snout in his shoes as the door, her potential escape, was closed.

She reminded herself that this was what she wanted.

Her nose remained glued to the floor, the soft sound of eager sniffing filling the otherwise quiet apartment. She stayed close to the entrance mat, continuing to door until Alfred called her in further. It was his home aftera—

!!!

The scent of something delicious wafted into hr nose and she quickly shoved her head behind the door, finding an old and questionably edible French fry, Before Alfred could catch her, she quickly gobbled it up and it was gone without being chewed. She licked her lips, savouring the taste of salt and she looked his way and wagged her filthy tail back and forth, scattering loose clumps of mud.

❚ WORDS  686 - ❚ TAGS Alfred F. Jones -❚ NOTES Hamburgular

made by jinx of adoxography and GS

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 919 oops

Tags: Maëlle

Notes: 

She was really rather adorable.

So sweet, so natural. She certainly wasn't afraid of humans and she seemed happy to be in Alfred's apartment, stretching briefly with a yawn and padding along after him with a small limp.

She was just...well, she was just a dog. Alfred had forgotten how much he missed dogs. He'd been briefly reminded when he'd visited Gupta's shop, but that had been a while ago and he'd never taken the puppy he'd seen there home. He recalled it fondly, wondering how it was doing now, if the little runt of the litter had finally found a home. He hoped so.

Maëlle—however it was pronounced—stuck her snout in one of Alfred's shoes and he couldn't help but smile.

What a cutie.

The dog quickly began to sniff out everything in his apartment. She stayed near the door. Perhaps there was a residual amount of fear or hesitance from the streets...but that was okay. She didn't act like she was terribly afraid, so maybe that meant it wasn't that big of an issue. Maybe she was just a meticulous dog that liked sweeping every inch of the apartment before moving onto the next room.

Alfred kicked off his shoes hastily and locked the door behind him. It was a new lock, barely a few weeks old, but it didn't do all that much for comfort. At least it gave him a little breathing room for now.

He chained the door behind him just for sure.

Shoes were put away, his bag was on the counter...now just the dog. She was sniffing behind the door...was that a... Alfred's eyes widened.

"No no no doggy no don't...don't..."

The dog swallowed.

How old was that? A couple weeks? Alfred had been getting fast food an awful lot recently...hopefully it wasn't that old.

He sighed. Well, she was hungry...

She wagged her tail at him happily, which Alfred took to be a good sign that meant she didn't have a stomachache from the fry (yet). Clumps of dried mud were coming off her tail now, which Alfred noted with a little amusement. His apartment had been very clean as of late. He'd packed everything out of some instinctive impulse a while ago and he was only just now beginning to restore everything to its rightful place. He still kept an emergency bag just in case of course. Still, his apartment was cleaner than it had been a while as Alfred had been spending an absurd amount of time in the house.

Alfred mentally chastised himself. He was supposed to be thinking about the dog. Right. Food...or a bath first?

Alfred eyed the dried mud on Maëlle's fur.

Bath, definitely. Hopefully that french fry had been enough sustenance to keep her from keeling over.

"Uh...come, um..." Alfred scratched his head. "Puppy. Yeah. Let's get you cleaned up." Alfred had a spare towel and he figured that ordinary soap would be fine if it was just a one time thing.

Alfred entered the bathroom and took the spare towel out of the cupboard. The dog followed him in, which was good. Some dogs really hated baths and Alfred had been a little worried that Maëlle would struggle or run off. But so far that was a no. Such a good dog.

"Okay, so..."

Alfred picked up Maëlle and put her in the tub first before going over to the water. He was about to turn the shower head on when he remembered that he had to close the door. Alfred really didn't want to have to mop after a half-cleaned dog later. Turning on the water, Alfred made sure that the water was nice and warm before looking back at Maëlle.

"Be a good dog, okay?" Alfred asked hopefully as he rolled up his sleeves.

With that, Alfred began to wash her down. She was cooperative for the most part. The water probably felt good against her fur. That didn't stop her from pacing a little, nails clacking against the ceramic tub (Gupta would probably have to trim her nails when Alfred brought her to the store next week). Nor did it keep her from licking Alfred. She seemed to enjoy aiming for his ear.

It didn't take long to get Maëlle wet and rinse her down. No, the next part was the difficult part.

Soap.

Alfred squeezed a palmful of soap into his hand before looking at the dog. Even with the rinse, she was still caked in mud. Alfred prayed that she wouldn't start trying to shake herself dry or climb out of the tub. Better in here than in the living room, but...

"Okay." Alfred said. "Let's do this."

With that, Alfred plunged in. He scrubbed the dog's fur hard, mud collecting under his fingernails as he cleaned Maëlle thoroughly. Her tail wagged happily, slapping his arms with soap bubbles. She was all soaped up...

Well, more like half soaped up. Even all that soap hadn't done that much. Alfred frowned. She still looked kinda brown. He was beginning to see a golden red coat surfacing through the mud, but still...mud. Not to mention despite her smaller stature, he hadn't managed to get all of her yet. Her ears, for instance, were still very much dirty. Alfred wasn't completely sure how he was going to wash her face either...what if he got soap in her eyes? If only Gupta had been open...

This might take a while.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Maëlle Williams]

Never gonna give it up

you can't take me

---i'm free*

Got to fight another fight I gotta run another night get it out check it out I'm on my way and I don't feel right I gotta get me back I can't be beat and that's a fact It's OK I'll find a way you ain't gonna take me down no way don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it don't push me I'll fight it never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no if you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it you can't come uninvited never gonna give in never gonna give it up, no you can't take me I'm free*

Maëlle watched with Alfred's reaction to her antics with observant eyes. He was quite honest in his actions, gently but not aggressive, mostly passive. It was cute, how he'd call her an array of names and words that she couldn't possibly understand. It was that sweetness and honesty that she latched onto, so she naturally followed when he called her to the bathroom.

Maëlle hated baths. Bathing herself wasn't an issue, but it was never a comfortant thing to have someone else do the washing, especially someone she didn't know. However, with the promise of food and a warm bed involved, she'd tolerate it for the time being.

Once in the bathroom, she watched as he came and lifted her once more before placing her mud-crusted body in a porcelain white tub. She flattened her ears as he closed the door, her only escape route. She knew she needed to be scrubbed, but that didn't mean she'd make it easy...

And then he asked nicely. Damn.

Maëlle stood before the water could pool at her heels. She hated sitting in water more than anything else during , and she couldn't help but shift away from the water stream when it was initially poured on her. Alfred was patient though, wetting the caked on sediments until they began to moisten and drip from the tips of her fur. It didn't take long to hose her down, head to toe. She shook her head to rid herself of the water in her ears, accidentally sending droplets of mud onto the tub and Alfred. Oops. She apologized by licking his face.

Soap soon poured over her back, prickling her skin as Alfred relentlessly scrubbed. It hurt, with the hardened clumps of dirt that hadn't yet softened with the warm water. However, it didn't take long for the mud to begin to dissolve and for that she was grateful. Brown suds soon pooled around her paws as a rinse was in order.

Rinse, lather, repeat.

It seemed like hours before he began her paws and underbelly. Ugh, her belly was the worst for a wash, but she'd pretend to enjoy it to be courteous. Seemed like he was leaving her head, which honestly she preferred. Legs, tail, underbelly... She felt raw all over, but it was a nice feeling.

Alfred took great care in gently wiping her face and ears. He had taken a wet facecloth and was dabbing the soap away in smooth, short strokes. She watched his eyes, so piercing in the harsh bathroom light as the concentration practically poured from his face. Not once did soap drip into her eyes as finally, finally he gave her the final rinse and beckoned her from the tub.

Almost immediately, she was swaddled in a towel before she could drench the walls with one toss of her soaked fur. She wiggled in the fabric, eagerly licking at his tongue, as if to say, "Thanks."

❚ WORDS  492 - ❚ TAGS Alfred F. Jones -❚ NOTES Country roads Talk dirty to me [saxophone solo]

made by jinx of adoxography and GS