OOM: Esfir's first visit.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal holds the door for Esfir and steps in behind her. The door is the one to his bedroom, and leads out into a short hall from which the living room - and the corner couch, and the dog sleeping on the corner couch - is visible.

(Penny remains asleep. For the moment.)

"Here it is," he says.

Comments

[aimedforthemoon]

It's much bigger than she is used to apartments being. Even the bedroom, cluttered only because Cal hasn't got the hang of cleaning yet, instead of trying to fit everything in.

"It's...big," she murmurs, eyes taking everything in before she moves into the living room.

The neutrality of the colours grate against her, but the dog is a welcome splash of life. But mostly, she just keeps staring.

[isaysimplewords]

It would fit easily onto any given floor of the Chandler compound, but Cal has the grace not to say as much. Not to Esfir, anyway. The way she's looking around is a reminder of where and when she's from.

"I thought it would be weird going from a house to an apartment," he says, "but it hasn't been a problem."

The ten months in between spent with one room in Milliways probably helped.

[aimedforthemoon]

"Well, you lived at Milliways," she points out, still a trifle wide-eyed. Almost in defense, she focuses on Penny.

"...But I see she is making yourself at home."

[isaysimplewords]

"True," Cal agrees.

Then he smiles brightly as Esfir's focus narrows.

"That she is," he says. He already loves Penny deeply, and it shows. She's made things seem better, less alarming and more manageable, just by being around.

Those studies about pets reducing stress? They weren't kidding.