Roam Around Your Subconscious

[Cadpig]

Didn't want to move too fast, huh? Cadpig could understand that much. After all, she'd feared that she may have been too forward with Tripod not that long ago only to realize that that wasn't the case. The problem, as Patch pointed out, was that he needed to find a balance. Cadpig hummed a little and put her paw to her chin in thought. What was the balance? Obviously doing too much would push Angel away, but doing too little wouldn't be good either. So... The best thing to do would be to start small, wouldn't it? Cadpig thought that would be the best way to go.

"I think you'd be best off starting out small. Offer to carry her books, save her a seat at lunch... Little things like that. Then build up! Treat her well, but don't go overboard," she answered. She realized that humans seemed to think it was about going big or going home, but not Cadpig. Angel would like Patch if he was just himself and do little things before building up to the princess treatment. But hey, treating Angel special should have been enough... Right?

"The last thing you want to do is push her away. Oh! And if she has a problem, don't just disregard it. You have to let her know you care, even when she's having a tough time with life. But that much should be easy, right?"

[Patch]

The patched dalmatian listened intently as Cadpig began to speak, dual-toned ears pricked, tilting his head into an occasional nod to show he was paying attention. Small things, he could do that. Admittedly, he hadn't seen Angel carrying any books yet, save for the one he'd helped her to reach in the library, but Patch figured that she must have them at some points, and he would be more than happy to help her out when she did. And all the other small things he could do, as well... little things that might not mean much individually, but all together would show that he really did care for her enough to help her out. His tail gave a little wag at the thought.

He nodded especially as Cadpig pointed out about not dismissing any of Angel's problems. Patch didn't think he would have done so, even without Cadpig's advice, although he was sure there were pups out there - he wasn't specifically thinking of Lucky, but... - who would have blown off a girl's concerns as if they were nothing. Patch didn't think he was like that, however. No matter what problems and struggles Angel found herself facing, he would be prepared to listen and care to the very best of his ability; or at least, he hoped he would. Patch knew he could get a little wrapped up in his own problems from time to time, but he would do his absolute best to be at Angel's side whenever she needed it.

"I will," he reassured Cadpig, twisting around so that he lay on his belly now as he faced her. His tie was now trapped beneath him, and pulled ever so slightly as Patch raised his head; the male didn't seem to even notice. "I couldn't just let her struggle when things get hard for her. That wouldn't be fair for her." He was essentially just agreeing with what his sister had said, he knew; still, Patch felt that voicing it aloud proved that he was serious about doing as she said.

"But I want her to realise how I feel, too," he added momentarily. "I don't want her to just thing I'm doing all this just because I'm being nice and that's it. Do you think I should say something to her? Or not?"

[Cadpig]

"Good question," Cadpig said. Telling her straight away might have scared her off, but waiting too long might not be a good idea either. Truthfully, Cadpig wasn't entirely certain of how to go about addressing this particular problem. She certainly wouldn't have wanted Patch to scare Angel off. That wouldn't have been good for either of them. Waiting an eternity to tell her wouldn't have been a good idea either, as she'd already thought, so what would be the best way of approaching it? ...Perhaps waiting until just the right moment? Perhaps it was cheesy, and too much like how things were done in those romantic movies, but it seemed about the only good advice she could offer this time. So, she decided to go for it.

"What about waiting for a bit? Just until you think the right time has come. Maybe make it a really special... Something. I'd say outing, but come on. We're in a school. The chances of us finding a special place to go to beyond the field are pretty slim," she said. A special lunch could have worked. Cadpig nodded in agreement with her own idea, then proceeded to pitch it to Patch.

"How about some kind of special lunch or something like that? You gotta get just the right mood, then tell her what you feel. ...And don't blow it."

That last bit may have been a bit blunt, but that was Cadpig's style. She wasn't necessarily blunt all of the time, but still... She didn't want Patch to screw things up for himself. Not when he clearly had someone so special to him.

"All you have to do is wait for just the right moment. That shouldn't be too hard, right?"

[Patch]

Wait until just the right moment? A special lunch or something? Patch figured he could probably do that. He wasn't sure how long he'd have to wait, but... he'd know the right moment when it presented itself, wouldn't he? Surely he would. A special moment, though he couldn't yet imagine quite what, when he could let Angel in on his feelings for her. He'd have to make that the most perfect moment ever for her; or at least try his best to.

"...And don't blow it."

"That might be the harder part." Patch looked a touch sheepish as he shuffled his paws. Even if Angel thought he was sweet, it was no great secret that Patch absolutely not the smoothest pup ever. He was the one who couldn't even bark right, who his siblings always laughed at; he was bound to mess something up in the whole process, wasn't he? He'd get tongue-tied, or step on his tie again at the absolute worst moment ever, or make a fool of himself some other way; Patch wasn't a pesimistic puppy, but it seemed far too much to hope that he wouldn't screw something up.

"But I'll do the best I can!" he declared abruptly, standing back to his paws so quickly that he scattered a couple of the books he'd been lying on. Just because he was likely to mess something up didn't mean he was instantly doomed; if Angel really did like him as he was - and he knew she did, at least as a friend - then she'd accept a mistake or two on his part, providing his intentions were pure, and Patch gave an enthusiastic nod at his sister's advice. He'd wait for the ideal moment, just as Cadpig said, and then come what may, he'd tell Angel what he had to say.

Not too hard at all... or so he hoped.

[Cadpig]

The second the books were scattered, Cadpig cringed a little and tried her hardest not to react any more than that. Patch certainly was excited about this, she had to admit. Maybe he was going to actually succeed in doing this! Maybe he would have good luck like Thunderbolt generally seemed to have. Her tail whipped back and forth at the mere idea of that much and she found herself smiling a little in spite of the book couch being messed up. Regardless of that second part, she decided to not complain too much about it and began to reorganize the books in a stack once more.

"You'll do fine, Patch. Now that we've gotten to the root of the issue and you know what you should do, you'll be able to handle whatever comes next with Angel. ...Not that I know what'll happen. As much as I wish I was, I'm no psychic," Cadpig said. She wished she was, though. Being psychic would have been cool... Then she could see the future and everything! That much wasn't going to happen any time soon, though. All she could hope for was that her supposed prediction that Patch would do all right would come true.

She took her glasses off and pocketed them once more. The supposed session was other, or at least it seemed to be, so she didn't have much more use for the eyewear.

"Just let me know if you need anymore advice. I'll see what I can do if you do," she said.

[Patch]

"Thanks, Cadpig!" The response was yipped - or rather, given the pitch of his bark, squeaked - as Patch bounced towards his sister. He almost wanted to hug her appreciatively; but since that was a very human action that Patch wasn't exactly a master of yet, the male dal settled for nudging his head against Cadpig's shoulder and grinning at her. True, a fair bit of the advice seemed to be just common sense than anything else, but having it all laid out like that was certainly helpful on its own; and there were certainly some of her suggestions that Patch knew he would never have reached on his own.

"It wouldn't be much fun if you could tell me it all ahead of time, anyway," he grinned at the thought. Not that Cadpig wouldn't have made a good psychic if she had had the abilities - Patch couldn't help but think it seemed right up her alley - but he wouldn't really have wanted the future details of his relationship with Angel prophesied; that would have made the whole thing about a hundred times more awkward. But then again, a dog psychic; who'd ever heard of something like that, anyway?

"I think I'm going to go foind her again now," he stated after a moment, his tail continuing to wag as he turned his head in the rough direction of the exit. Telling Cadpig all about Angel had only served to remind Patch just how much he loved the girl; he hadn't seen her since earlier, but he ought to see if he could track her down and find out how her day's classes had been. There was always the chance that Angel would be off with her new human, of course, in which case he probably wouldn't be all that welcome; still, Patch felt like getting a head-start on Cadpig's advice by seeking out the canine he had his eye on.