video;

[shifting]

[there's a frazzled shapeshifter on your screens today, imPorts. He rubs a hand against his mouth and the scruff of his chin awkwardly, like he's going to make an effort to collect his thoughts - then promptly throws that plan out the window.]

Hey, uh. Sorta a specific question, but has anyone ever... lost track of a day and shown up at the Porter? With somethin' changed? Is that just - somethin' that happens on top of all the other weird shit this place does to a person?

Comments

video; private

[infomodder]

[Aw, Sam.]

You didn't have to say it. I was... [He lifts a hand, looking off as though the words he needs will simply flutter down in the grip of a mutilated horror cherub. No such luck; he drops his eyes and continues the direct-yet-soft approach.] ...wandering around your house. No collar. Just you and me, going on a run.

video; private

[shifting]

[if Sam weren't already sitting down he'd feel the need to right about now. He stares at Will in dawning, bewildered comprehension.]

The boxer. You were - I didn't know there was another shifter here. I thought I was the only one. I mean I've met some - guess you could call 'em weres - and Kitty's got her magic talkin' animal thing, but I hadn't met any other shapeshifters.

...Was that what you meant? When you said you had the power to smell things too? You were usin' the same cover?

video; private

[infomodder]

[Weres, like Nicolas? Hm. He's been around a while, he knows their community is quite the collection, but he can ask later.]

No, no. The dog thing is new. Like you're talking about. I wasn't here and then when I was, something had changed. Did you go home? That happens sometimes.

video; private

[shifting]

Oh. Got you. [Sam tries to keep the disappointment out of that response, no matter how heavily he feels it for a moment.]

I didn't, that I could tell. My memories of home are still the same. Little fresher, maybe. Hard to say.

...Is it any animal you can do?

permathat

[infomodder]

[Get used to it, Sam. Will Graham excels in disappointment.]

No. Just dogs. [But that begs the question:] Can you do any animal?

[shifting]

...Yeah. I've just had to have seen it before. Sorta like an imprint.

Dogs, though - you've got pretty much all you need there. You lucked out.

[infomodder]

[Oh no, that's a real laugh and a real smile.]

Yeah, yeah. Always really liked dogs. Had a bunch back home, got a bunch here. [Sam had been really good with him as a dog, of course Will had noticed. He knew all the tricks. So he'd wondered...] Is that, are dogs your favorite? To shift into.

[shifting]

[Sam brightens in return, easing into the topic.]

Yeah. Every shifter's got - a go-to, basically. Mine's a dog. First thing I ever shifted into. Feels right, natural. People like dogs.

Wouldn't mind hearin' about yours. Or meetin' 'em.

[infomodder]

Sure thing. Just come around the house sometime. How d'you feel about raccoons?

[shifting]

I wish they ate half as much trash as they spread around the yard, but they're too cute to stay mad at for long. Why?

[infomodder]

Aside from dogs and cats, we've got a bunch of raccoons. Smart ones.

[but he bets at least one will be confused by the new scruffy man in plaid, is this a test]

[shifting]

That sounds a little ominous.

[infomodder]

Does it? [He's so used to them at this point that he has to actually think about...oh. Yeah. Okay.] They've got something to do with my wife's powers. Better?

[shifting]

Little bit. For a minute you were makin' 'em sound like the velociraptors from Jurassic Park.

[infomodder]

[..............................huh.]

They can open doors.

[shifting]

I'd better stay on their good side then.

[infomodder]

If you're as good with them as you are with dogs, you won't have any issues.

[shifting]

You weren't so bad yourself.

[they're so lucky this is private.]

[infomodder]

Ehh. [So modest.] Easier when there's someone more experienced to feed off of.

[So. Lucky. So, so lucky because Will switches topic to:]

What's all this about cupcakes?

[He can either ask after cupcakes, the whole parolee thing, or a sophisticated, murderous method. The cupcakes, for once, seem the most innocent segue into something not at all innocent.]

[shifting]

- Oh. That. [look at him make a face. It is a pained, tired, and annoyed face.]

Just havin' some fun with my probation officer, since he seems to've been havin' fun with me. You know him, or you lookin' to get some baked goods from me?

[infomodder]

Doctor Chilton and I come from the same initial Baltimore. [ Y O L O ] But I wouldn't turn down a free batch of cupcakes.

[shifting]

- You're seriously both from the same world?

How did you know him?

[infomodder]

[The most casual shrug.]

We worked together at first, sort of. Then I was a patient at his hospital for a little while. After that...just saw each other around.

[what a story mark]

[shifting]

Christ, who let him have his own hospital? [is the first question Sam has, because the guy seems self-satisfied enough just working at one, but the second bit of information sinks in pretty quickly afterwards.

The bit about Will being patient there.]

...How is it you worked together?

[there, that's the least prying of Sam's suddenly plentiful questions.]

[infomodder]

[Aw, Sam. That's so kind of you. Asking the least offensive question imaginable and also knocking Chilton, not the dude who was his patient. How sweet. He can't help but smile.]

Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. A patient had murdered a nurse. Nasty scene. [One of many, judging by Will's tone.] I was called in to look it over. See if the patient was a very prolific serial killer who'd been. Quiet. Guy we'd been tracking for a while.