[ The bar can always be set lower when it's Detroit! ]
He's a cat. They're kind of assholes by nature.
[ But Hank follows, stepping out of the car and locking up behind Gavin. He takes the stairs for Gavin's sake too -- actually this is a lot easier than it usually is? Getting a good night's sleep is incredible. Or maybe Hank is just stronger now that he's an alpha.
Figuring that this is a cat and he probably won't like having two werewolves in his territory, Hank hangs back and waits for Gavin outside by the door. No need to piss off what is already pissy by default. ]
I'll be here if you need me. Unless your cat decides it wants more visitors.
[ Well Mordy didn't hiss and run and he's not getting the feeling he's scared just... annoyed? Well, it could be worse. He loves this damn cat. He walks over and holds out his hand... Mordy sniffs, gives him a little nuzzle then goes back to cleaning his paws.
Gavin smiles a little. ] You be good while I get my shit together, okay? Don't give Chris too much trouble.
[ He looks back at Hank and gives him a soft little smile before heading back into his room to get together some clothes. He packs pretty quick, grabs some stuff from the bathroom... guess he doesn't need his glasses anymore, huh?
After about ten minutes he's pretty much done. He grabs his laptop and shoves it into the bag. ]
[ Hank watches, smiling softly. Hank might not be a fan of cats, but he knows people can get pretty attached to the little jerks. He would've felt pretty fucking guilty if he'd ruined things between Gavin and his cat.
That little smile from Gavin definitely stirs something warm and protective in his chest, but he'll think about that later. They have other shit to do. He occupies himself in those ten minutes by texting Connor, looking up butcher shops and wherever else they need to go. Once Gavin is done, Hank pockets his phone and shoots Mordy a nod. ]
Sounds good. How're you feeling? Hungry? Tired? Anything?
[ It makes Gavin feel warm too. Fuck. This is ridiculous. Who knew werewolves were so goddamn sentimental? (No, that's just you tough guy.)
He holds onto the bag strap and shrugs. ]
Fine right now. Nothing noteworthy. [ His cat still tolerating him definitely improved his mood. Gavin starts to head for the door. ] Let's get going before one of my neighbors tries to talk to me.
[ It's literally just making you guys feel what was mostly already there, dummies. But yeah, no news is good news. Hank starts making his way back down the stairs, chuckling at Gavin's last comment. That's a mood, as the kids Gavin's age say. ]
Next stop is the supermarket. Normally I like to get my stuff at the big wholesale places but I'm thinking you need someplace a little quieter than that for now.
He smiles back and follows after him, heading down the stairs. Huh. His bag sure is light as a feather and going up and down stairs doesn't even wind him. Neat.
He nods. ]
Yeah, I think that'd be best. Don't wanna end up on the news tonight for all the wrong reasons.
[ Hank smirks, making it back to the car in no time flat. He's really enjoying these perks of being around his pack, isn't he. ]
Seriously though, I plan on teaching you how to avoid that shit. A lot of it is getting used to everything feeling, uh, more but we can practice at my place.
[ Look at them go, so efficient!! He puts his bag in the trunk (gently) and climb's back into the car. ]
Yeah, I know I'll figure out how to filter all this shit out but. It's a lot. [ He closes his eyes and rubs behind his ears. ] Maybe it'll calm down after the first moon and shit.
[ Hank laughs. He'd say something about getting him a chew toy, but he's not about to make fun of him for something like this. He wants Gavin to actually talk to him, after all. ]
Alright, we'll get you some jerky, big guy. And I'll keep an eye out for any weird shit.
[ Hey, luckily they're going to the nearest Organic Supermarket because in a shit hole like Detroit, these tend to be the quietest food places around. The drive is fairly short and painless. ]
I'll steer you clear of the lobster tank, how bout that?
[ He shudders at the thought. ] Oh god, please. I don't wanna think about what I'd do. [ He'd climb right in it is what he'd do.
Gavin gets out of the car and shoves his hands in his pockets. Okay, dude... chill. It's a grocery store. One that's very similar to the obnoxious ones his parents took them too but still.
It's not a big deal. Grocery stores have always been loud and distracting and the bane of any and all entertainment anyway. It's fine. He's fine. It's fine!
He's already sweating. Have a big doe eyed look, Hank. ]
[ Hank gets out of the car and catches Gavin's scared, deer-in-headlights look. It's just a grocery store, but it's also Gavin's first time out in public since being turned.
Hank reaches over and puts a hand on Gavin's shoulder, offering his support. It's not quite holding hands but it's a close thing, and he doesn't plan to move it from there. ]
We'll just grab a couple things and go, okay? Jerky and meat. That's all we need.
[ He jumps a little at the sudden hand on his shoulder but it's... nice? It feels comforting, warm. Grounding. Maybe it's just part of the Thing, but it helps.
Gavin wipes at his brow and nods, taking another deep breath. It isn't that he's scared of being overwhelmed... he doesn't want to hurt anybody. Or scare anyone. Shit.
No, nothing's gonna happen. Hank's here. It's fine. He leans into his hand and shoves his hands back into his jacket. ]
[ Hank's responsibility extends to this too. He won't let Gavin hurt anybody. He knows what it's like, so he knows what to look out for. ]
You got it. [ He squeezes Gavin's shoulder reassuringly, nodding. ] And hey. If you start to feel like... If you feel like you're not ready or like something's gonna set you off, then you just let me know. There's no shame in that, we'll just leave. It's not like we can't have groceries and shit delivered.
[ That's a good attitude to have, honestly. Hank has to say he's a little impressed with Gavin's commitment -- but then he clearly didn't know Gavin all that well before this.
They make their way to the entrance and Hank leads them to the shopping carts. Obviously with his hand on Gavin's shoulder, Hank's not gonna be the one holding the cart. ]
Here, maybe that'll help. Focus on driving the cart.
[ 'Here kid, play with this toy car for a while.' Which is... reductive and he's pissy that something actually seems hard, which he's never particularly handled well on his best days but.
In, out. It's fine. It's loud, but he's been in literal shoot outs before. Those were loud. And he was fine.
So Gavin nods again, not wanting to risk speaking, and starts to push the cart. At least the deli isn't far, thank fuck. (A dude on the phone nearby has an incredibly irritating voice, holy shit.) ]
[ Saying "you get used to the noise" isn't really going to help Gavin here, so Hank just doesn't. He guides them well over to the deli, ordering the largest cuts of meat he can possibly get away with. ]
We're having some company over. Lots of company.
[ He smiles, not really caring much besides stocking up and getting out of there. He squeezes Gavin's shoulder again, he's sure being around all the food can't be easy in his state. But the maybe with a distraction, he'll feel a little better. ]
Do you guys make your own jerky, or is it all that packaged stuff?
[ He looks distracted, but he's holding up. His eyes are a little glazed over, the smells of the meat an interesting sort of experience. He's not hungry but he's hungry. It's very odd; can you be existentially hungry? He guesses so.
He leans into him a little at the squeeze. Oh, wow, he really wants to just press his nose against Hank's neck right now. Not gonna do that!! It's also really hard to not start doing that damn purring thing!!
Think about something else. Like that that time Eli tricked him into eating glue to test his reaction. Oh, ew, that was gross. Oh hey it worked.
Oh Hank's talking about jerky now, which knocks him out of his little internal conversation. His hands feel very sweaty. ]
[ Thatta boy, Gavin, you're doing so well. Hank is proud. You can purr-growl all you want one you get home, no sweat.
The deli guys point them towards the jerky and Hank kind of guides them toward the aisle. Just one more thing on their list and they can check out. They're doing so well. ]
[ He let's out a shaky breath and nods. Gavin closes his eyes for a second and inhales slowly, swallowing with a bob of his throat. He rolls his shoulders. ]
Yeah, I'm fine. It's fine. [ His voice is a little rickety, but he can at least speak now. It's loud and overwhelming but it's kind of starting to turn into white noise in the back of his mind.
Nothing's making him angry at least, so that's a good sign. Hank's hand is definitely helping that. So he looks at the jerky. ]
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He's a cat. They're kind of assholes by nature.
[ But Hank follows, stepping out of the car and locking up behind Gavin. He takes the stairs for Gavin's sake too -- actually this is a lot easier than it usually is? Getting a good night's sleep is incredible.
Or maybe Hank is just stronger now that he's an alpha.Figuring that this is a cat and he probably won't like having two werewolves in his territory, Hank hangs back and waits for Gavin outside by the door. No need to piss off what is already pissy by default. ]
I'll be here if you need me. Unless your cat decides it wants more visitors.
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Gavin smiles a little. ] You be good while I get my shit together, okay? Don't give Chris too much trouble.
[ He looks back at Hank and gives him a soft little smile before heading back into his room to get together some clothes. He packs pretty quick, grabs some stuff from the bathroom... guess he doesn't need his glasses anymore, huh?
After about ten minutes he's pretty much done. He grabs his laptop and shoves it into the bag. ]
Alright, I'm done. Let's hit the road.
[ Mordy honks. ]
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That little smile from Gavin definitely stirs something warm and protective in his chest, but he'll think about that later. They have other shit to do. He occupies himself in those ten minutes by texting Connor, looking up butcher shops and wherever else they need to go. Once Gavin is done, Hank pockets his phone and shoots Mordy a nod. ]
Sounds good. How're you feeling? Hungry? Tired? Anything?
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He holds onto the bag strap and shrugs. ]
Fine right now. Nothing noteworthy. [ His cat still tolerating him definitely improved his mood. Gavin starts to head for the door. ] Let's get going before one of my neighbors tries to talk to me.
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Next stop is the supermarket. Normally I like to get my stuff at the big wholesale places but I'm thinking you need someplace a little quieter than that for now.
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He smiles back and follows after him, heading down the stairs. Huh. His bag sure is light as a feather and going up and down stairs doesn't even wind him. Neat.
He nods. ]
Yeah, I think that'd be best. Don't wanna end up on the news tonight for all the wrong reasons.
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I got your back.
[ Hank smirks, making it back to the car in no time flat. He's really enjoying these perks of being around his pack, isn't he. ]
Seriously though, I plan on teaching you how to avoid that shit. A lot of it is getting used to everything feeling, uh, more but we can practice at my place.
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Yeah, I know I'll figure out how to filter all this shit out but. It's a lot. [ He closes his eyes and rubs behind his ears. ] Maybe it'll calm down after the first moon and shit.
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[ Hank nods, starting up the car. He's been dealing with this for years but his first time was rough enough that he hasn't forgotten. ]
Mostly if you survive your first full moon, you can survive anything. So don't worry, you're in good hands.
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Right. Good. Let's just hope I don't say any weird shit.
[ A pause. ]
Okay, you know what sounds really good? Beef jerky. I wanna fuckin' chew on something real bad.
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Alright, we'll get you some jerky, big guy. And I'll keep an eye out for any weird shit.
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Weird jerky flavor shit? Or just weird shit in general that could make me go all Teen Wolf in the supermarket?
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[ Hey, luckily they're going to the nearest Organic Supermarket because in a shit hole like Detroit, these tend to be the quietest food places around. The drive is fairly short and painless. ]
I'll steer you clear of the lobster tank, how bout that?
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Gavin gets out of the car and shoves his hands in his pockets. Okay, dude... chill. It's a grocery store. One that's very similar to the obnoxious ones his parents took them too but still.
It's not a big deal. Grocery stores have always been loud and distracting and the bane of any and all entertainment anyway. It's fine. He's fine. It's fine!
He's already sweating. Have a big doe eyed look, Hank. ]
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[ Hank gets out of the car and catches Gavin's scared, deer-in-headlights look. It's just a grocery store, but it's also Gavin's first time out in public since being turned.
Hank reaches over and puts a hand on Gavin's shoulder, offering his support. It's not quite holding hands but it's a close thing, and he doesn't plan to move it from there. ]
We'll just grab a couple things and go, okay? Jerky and meat. That's all we need.
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Gavin wipes at his brow and nods, taking another deep breath. It isn't that he's scared of being overwhelmed... he doesn't want to hurt anybody. Or scare anyone. Shit.
No, nothing's gonna happen. Hank's here. It's fine. He leans into his hand and shoves his hands back into his jacket. ]
Yeah, yeah. Short trip. Let's go.
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You got it. [ He squeezes Gavin's shoulder reassuringly, nodding. ] And hey. If you start to feel like... If you feel like you're not ready or like something's gonna set you off, then you just let me know. There's no shame in that, we'll just leave. It's not like we can't have groceries and shit delivered.
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He nods. ]
Yeah, I know. But I don't wanna keep being scared and make it worse than it is. I'll be fine once I'm in there, I know it.
[ With that, he straightens up and stars to walk towards the entrance. ]
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They make their way to the entrance and Hank leads them to the shopping carts. Obviously with his hand on Gavin's shoulder, Hank's not gonna be the one holding the cart. ]
Here, maybe that'll help. Focus on driving the cart.
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In, out. It's fine. It's loud, but he's been in literal shoot outs before. Those were loud. And he was fine.
So Gavin nods again, not wanting to risk speaking, and starts to push the cart. At least the deli isn't far, thank fuck. (A dude on the phone nearby has an incredibly irritating voice, holy shit.) ]
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We're having some company over. Lots of company.
[ He smiles, not really caring much besides stocking up and getting out of there. He squeezes Gavin's shoulder again, he's sure being around all the food can't be easy in his state. But the maybe with a distraction, he'll feel a little better. ]
Do you guys make your own jerky, or is it all that packaged stuff?
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He leans into him a little at the squeeze. Oh, wow, he really wants to just press his nose against Hank's neck right now. Not gonna do that!! It's also really hard to not start doing that damn purring thing!!
Think about something else. Like that that time Eli tricked him into eating glue to test his reaction. Oh, ew, that was gross. Oh hey it worked.
Oh Hank's talking about jerky now, which knocks him out of his little internal conversation. His hands feel very sweaty. ]
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The deli guys point them towards the jerky and Hank kind of guides them toward the aisle. Just one more thing on their list and they can check out. They're doing so well. ]
Almost there, see? Ain't so bad.
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Yeah, I'm fine. It's fine. [ His voice is a little rickety, but he can at least speak now. It's loud and overwhelming but it's kind of starting to turn into white noise in the back of his mind.
Nothing's making him angry at least, so that's a good sign. Hank's hand is definitely helping that. So he looks at the jerky. ]
The teriyaki flavor sounds good.
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He chuckles at their options. He would not have expected there to be teriyaki beef jerky. ]
Alright, teriyaki sounds good. [ He pats Gavin's shoulder and tosses some in the cart. ] You want anything else? Don't hold back for my sake.
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