case #002 ☕ [dicated]

[themuse]

[Kate had tried. She had really tried to totally ignore the egg. She had ignored it when she'd woken up to find it had appeared on Castle's bed stand. She ignored it when he started poking it excitedly. She ignored it when she came into the room and found it sitting nestled between her pillow and some blankets. She ignored it so much, and with so much of her heart and soul, she was almost sure at some point she would blink and it would simply vanish.

Instead, it hatched.]

Hey. Hey! No, off the bed! Off the bed! What, you want to chew up the other pillow too? How about my shoes? You want one of those, too!

[It takes a moment for Kate to realize her journal is open. Mainly because the small direwolf puppy that hatched is now chewing on the corner, droplets of drool hitting the paper and she swats him to get him away.]

Castle! I swear... [She is going to strangle him. But since her journal is already open, she might as well take some advantage of it.] Does anyone have any... I don't know, dog food?

Comments

[themuse]

That is not a dog, Rick. Have you looked at his paws? Not to mention... Dogs do not hatch out of eggs.

[thebestseller]

... you raise some compelling points. [Castle sighed and backed into a chair, the pup seemingly content to yank on the rope for now.] A normal dog doesn't make me feel like he's going to rip my arms out playing tug-of-war, either.

[themuse]

[At least the dog was distracted now, so Kate moved to curl up on the bed and watch. It would be cute, watching Castle wrestling with the - whatever it was. If it weren't for how weird the entire situation was.]

You cannot keep him.

[thebestseller]

Not sure what else we're going to do. Try and find a new owner? ... Honestly, I'm willing to bet someone here would be crazy enough to take him.

[themuse]

Good. He can destroy someone elses room.

[Kate pressed her lips together, watching the dog with narrow eyes. The way he tugged on the rope was kind of cute.]

He's gonna get huge, Castle. It just doesn't make sense for us to keep him, not when we're concentrating on trying to get home. [Maybe she was convincing him. Or maybe she was trying to convince herself.]

[thebestseller]

Yeah... [Castle can't keep an edge of disappointment out of his voice, even though he knows she's speaking sense.] Yeah. The note did say we had to take care of him, though, right? I wonder if there's some kind of punishment for trying to give him away... or if we'd even be able to.

[themuse]

What, you think if we give him away he'll just keep coming back?

[She eyes the dog, pressing her lips together.] There's just something really not right about this. Egg hatching aside. This whole castle is just startin' to piss me off.

[thebestseller]

Yeah- that or the castle will keep bringing him back to us.

[Castle feels a tug on his arm and turns his attention back to the game.]

Welcome to my world. Did I ever tell you about the time I had a cardboard cutout of myself following me everywhere, then a dinosaur chomped on it?

[themuse]

I... Uh. No. You didn't.

[And please don't because there is nothing about that story that sounds good to her at all.]

So you don't think there's any point in getting rid of him?

[thebestseller]

Oh, I'll have to give you the full story on that one some time. Wacky fun.

[Castle nods.]

I mean, we can try, but the castle has ways of making things stick to you when it wants them to. Like the journals, for instance- I've deliberately tried to leave mine behind in my room before, but by the time I get where I'm going, there it is in my pocket or my bag.

[themuse]

Well...

[She shrugged gently, staring down at the dog again.]

I guess we could keep him.

[thebestseller]

[Castle tried to hide a smile, but it was useless. The dog, meanwhile, finally wrenched the rope toy out of Castle's hands and began tearing it to shreds.]

And hey, it's likely only going to be a temporary arrangement, anyway. I'm sure we can handle a gigantic puppy for a week or so, right?

[themuse]

Okay, but you're the one wishing for new furniture when it's over. Because I really don't think he's going to stop at that rope.

[thebestseller]

Yeah... good point. I'll wrack my brain for other stuff he can get his claws and teeth on in the meantime.

[themuse]

You do that. [She pulled her legs up onto the bed, sitting cross-legged, and smiled down at him.] You've already named it, haven't you?

[thebestseller]

'Course not. [Castle's tone was very unconvincing, so after a beat, he added,] Well, okay. Fangy. Or Jaws.

[themuse]

What am I ever going to do with you?

[She shook her head and sighed, looking down at her hands.]

[thebestseller]

[Castle grinned back at her.]

Don't know, but you're stuck with me nonetheless. How about Shaggydog?

[themuse]

Too late to give the ring back?

[She grinned at him and shook her head.]

No, he's not shaggy enough.

[thebestseller]

Just a bit. But I am, at least, happy to be stuck with you, as the song goes.

[He thought some more, giving the puppy a wished-up bone to gnaw through next.]

Chewie. Or Kujo. Yeah. ... OK, I've got nothing.

[themuse]

[ Kate leaned back into the bed, propping herself on her elbows and gazing at him. ] Fangy isn't too bad.

[thebestseller]

[Castle looked back at Kate, laughing.]

Fangy it is, then. Or Bones- how about Bones? Fangybones?

[themuse]

[ She snorted and shook her head. ] You better decide on something before you confuse him.

[thebestseller]

Sir Fangington Bones, Esquire. Bones for short. There, it's settled.

[themuse]

[ Kate laughs. ]

Perfect. I'm sure that won't confuse him at all. You're not... Going to let him sleep in the bed with us, are you?