maskormenacelogs | Quoth the raven

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Quoth the raven

WHO: Daryl and Ronan
WHERE: De Chima's bird rescue shelter
WHEN: July 5th
WHAT: Getting some advice on caring for corvids
WARNINGS: probably some language

[Daryl made it into the shelter in the early afternoon. His morning had been swamped with more than a few reporters dogging him about his involvement in stopping Calendar Man's attempt to steal the Declaration of Independence. None of them were questions he wanted to deal with, nor were the cameras in his face, all of them impeding his plans for the day. It was apparently well known he stayed at Xavier's, and probably known that he worked in De Chima, but once he'd managed to get to the transporter and into De Chima, he'd been able to shake any followers or new attempts at following. Normally he had Tuesdays off, so they probably hadn't expected the break from routine.

That suited him just fine. Meant he could get to his assigned house, do a couple things, and get his ass to the bird shelter before it got too late.

When he entered, he asked for 'Lynch' at the counter and was directed his way. A simple:]

Hey

[Was all he gave in greeting.]

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[Ronan divides his time between the normal animal shelter and the bird one, although no one really ever knows about that. Adam works about five thousand jobs, so he's not aware of Ronan's particular job profile, and no one else would think to ask. Ronan Lynch isn't precisely someone who people associate jobs with.

Ronan comes out of the back with Chainsaw, who sees Daryl and immediately hops onto the counter to say hello, chirping like, well.

Like a budgie.

There's a budgie, bright blue, on Ronan's shoulder, hustling from side to side and eyeing Daryl like maybe he'll get eaten.]

Chainsaw-

[She turns and caws, and then makes the same chirping noise.]

She thinks she's fucking hilarious.

[Daryl stuck his hand out, resting it on the counter with fingers slightly curled and palm not quite up, to invite Chainsaw up his arm. Once again he had a sense of deja vu from the bird. Stronger this time around since he was seeing it in person. Like he'd met her somewhere before. Without Ronan. But that seemed kind of impossible with as tied to Ronan as she was.]

Don't know about hilarious, but it's kinda funny.

[Chainsaw inspects his sleeve for a moment before she clambers up his hand.]

She'll bite.

[That's the only warning he'll get, but, well.]

Why a raven?

[The budgie is moving to hide behind Ronan's ear.]

They all do.

[Daryl agreed. It was a mostly wild animal that just so happened to really care for someone that cared for it. They tended to nip. Daryl didn't mind too much, though. He understood it was just part of their nature. He understood nature a lot better than people, in general.

As Chainsaw hopped up his arm, he lifted it higher, slowly, to give her easier access to his shoulder if she wanted to move that way and reached across his chest to pet her as she moved. Kept his free hand in her line of sight while he got it close enough to reach out and start rubbing at the feathers on the top of her head. An imitation of preening he'd looked up on the internet when he'd been looking up how to care for birds both in general and corvids specifically.]

Had some luck with 'em lately.

[Daryl's voice came out soft. The same as when he'd been talking to Raven!Ronan and not known it. Kept it gentle for Chainsaw's sake.]

Saw a couple in the park. Real pretty pair. The younger of the two was having trouble flying and the older was trying to help it. Tried my best to treat 'em right and they seemed to like me. Saw a few more at the swear-in. The shelter had a couple and there was one flying around a candidate's room. Had some good luck with them, too. Got me thinking I might do okay with a pair.

[Daryl glanced up from Chainsaw and met Ronan's eyes for a second before they dropped and he looked far younger than his 40-odd years with his suddenly shy expression and the smile he was trying to hide.]

Ain't never had a pet. Not sure I'd be good at it anyway.

[Like he was prepared for Ronan to tell him he was being stupid and should go the hell away.]

[He doesn't say that. He looks at Daryl for a long time, his eyes narrowing a bit. Chainsaw is aiming for hair, occasionally tugging a little on clumps, but not hard.

Ronan knows this is a good guy for a bird like this. He knows from firsthand experience.]

We don't get them in often. People only bring them in if the parents kick it, otherwise we just release. You might have a wait.

[But Ronan is already going into the computer system.]

You ever raise a bird before?

[Daryl didn't freak out at the hair pulling. Let it happen for a couple tugs before his fingers found their way between the beak and the hair and could pull the hair out. Then went back to his petting as if it hadn't been a bother at all. Rinse and repeat while he leaned against the counter.

He felt a surge of hope that he hadn't made a terrible impression when Ronan moved off to the computer but then he had to ask that and Daryl had to be honest.]

No. Closest I've gotten to birds 'fore this was plucking and butchering after I shot 'em.

[He was a hunter, it was what he did. His tone didn't change, though, stayed even and gentle. Casual.]

Not ravens. Owls and turkeys mostly. Sometimes quail if we got lucky. Duck in the hunting season back before. Chicken, too.

[He doesn't seem daunted by that.]

They're a fucking bitch to raise. That one wouldn't let me do anything until she fledged. You all right with that kind of work?

[He's still typing.]

[Daryl lifted his head slightly so he could watch Ronan now, since the kid was still poking at the keyboard.]

Don't think I wouldn't be. But uh... what all's involved? I ain't really sure what kind of shit I'll need to be doing when they're that young. Internet didn't have a lot about caring for 'em before they got to adult size.

They need to be fed once every two hours.

[He looks over at Daryl.]

You have to take them everywhere.

I can do that.

[It was said with the same softness and confidence Daryl had given when dealing with the ravens in the park. A promise and one he would not break unless someone literally pried whatever and whoever he'd chosen to care for from his hands. After all, there were plenty of things Daryl took everywhere with him. His knives, his crossbow, his vest. A bird or two that would promise a pleasant distraction from the tedium of the job he'd been given and and excuse to get away from cameras 'for the birds' sake' on top of being his first 'pet'? He didn't see why he couldn't do that sort of thing.]

Can they be taken through the porter? How are they with other animals? Friend I'm staying with's got a dog. And another friend, she's got a cat.

Chainsaw goes through.

[The budgie is now on Ronan's ear, and he flicks it off, back to his shoulder, in a move that is absolutely thoughtless in execution.]

More like how's the cat going to be with a bird? They don't mind other animals. They're playful and shit.

Ain't spent much time with it. If we can find a place for the family, then it'll be roaming the place. More concerned about there being problems then.

[Daryl moved his hand down under Chainsaw and lifted just enough to get her to climb onto his fingers. Then he moved her to his other shoulder and rolled the one she had been on.]

How long it take them to grow up? When'll they be trying to fly?

Couple of months.

[He watches Chainsaw, who doesn't argue being moved around. She's easy with people, used to them, and she knows Daryl in a way. At least, she knows, too, that Ronan won't let him hurt her.]

They're going to want to do all kinds of bullshit if you foster one. Like go to your house and make sure you're not a psychopath. So put that shit on hold.

[Only the way he raises his eyebrows lets Daryl know it's a joke.]

Hide the guns, hide the liquor. Got it.

[Daryl answered easily. While he did take the whole process seriously, he'd gotten a sense of the kid's humor while they were in that holding cell. He felt confident enough that it was a joke. They were a couple of assholes cut from the same cloth, as far as he could tell.]

[Ronan's lips turn up just a bit, even though when he smiles he looks like he's going to war.]

Something like that.

[That's right.]

[[Daryl snorted and turned his face away to hide his smile, just a little bigger this time. He twisted his head to look at Chainsaw, make sure she was still okay, then back to Ronan once he got his expression back under control.]]

You think it'd be better to raise a pair or just one?

[[The 'assuming I'm able to take any home at all' was left unsaid, but only barely. It almost slipped out and the return of tension to his shoulders made the nervousness he was trying so hard to hide that much more obvious.]]

If you have the time, why not take two.

[Ronan raised the one alone because he only pulled one out of his dreams.

And because he probably wouldn't get Gansey to agree to more than that.]

Okay.

[And then, because it was good opening to stop dancing around the issue:]

Are there two available?

[He bares his teeth more than smiles.]

Corvids?

Not right now.

But people bring the late nestlings in starting in August.

Okay. I'll check back then.

[[Daryl straightened up, but not so fast he'd jostle Chainsaw, who still had the full attention of one of his hands. He turned to face Ronan with the whole of his body and not just his head. Sucked in a breath.]]

Can I stick around? Help you out?

[[It would give him a chance to learn how to care for birds in general. Get some practice in. Assuming Ronan didn't tell him to piss off.]]

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