Marble Meringue

[Tysk]

{desc=Neil}It was a relatively normal day. Well, normal enough for anyone who lived on the helicarrier of S.H.I.E.L.D. Normal enough for any of those people who also happened to be a dog in their spare time. Normal for Tysk, really. He'd been woken, reluctantly, by Fury waking up and pushing him off his feet. After relocating to the pillows while Fury was having a shower and readjusting the blankets and pillows to make a nest, he slept for a few more hours before finally getting up. He stretched at length, working out all the knots in his body before he shifted into his human form and put on a pair of clothes from Fury's closet. He stretched again and headed off.

By now, Tysk could have found his way to the kitchen even without his superior sense of smell. But oh, the glorious things he smelt when he got there. Following the other agents leads, he picked up his own tray and filled it with bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, pretty much everything that was on offer and left. Knives and forks held little importance to Tysk, and he headed for his favourite eating corner: The Observation Deck.

Since they were in water at the moment, the Observation Deck had a pretty neat view of underwater things. Tysk enjoyed chasing the fish especially. Usually, and like today, Tysk put his plate on the ground and then crouched in front of it, picked up whatever he wanted to eat and shovelling it into his mouth as he watched feeders swim along the glass. Some days, or when he was just looking for some fun, he would chase the fish around the glass or until they swam off. Right now, he was mostly consumed by breakfast, and just swayed in the direction of the fish when they passed by. Maybe he could catch one later.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin didn't normally spend his free time aboard the Helicarrier, instead preferring to be off-duty in the comfort of his own home; reading a book with a pair of corgis curled around his feet, or watching the latest Liverpool game. He had always been a fan of simple comforts, and the constant commotion on SHIELD's flagship wasn't conducive to them in the least. This time, however, Wesley had made a rather...pressing...argument as to why spending the night on the Helicarrier was a good idea. And although he couldn't say the night had been restful, it had been significantly more interesting than a night alone in New York. Wes needed to pull more all-nighters for 'work' more often.

Wes was already up and gone by the time Neil woke up; presumably going back to whatever project had mandated he stay near his lab. Naturally, the corgis had taken his husband's place on the bed, and both of the dogs had been disturbed when he finally rolled out. Fara was acting like she hadn't been fed yet, and so Neil made them breakfast before leaving to go get some of his own.

After acquiring a cup of tea and some toast, Neil retreated from the kitchen to the observation deck. He wasn't in any particular rush to leave the ship, now; he had a feeling that some assignment would crop up shortly. With Seeker still out of commission, he'd had more intelligence missions than he could handle. Loitering around now would just save him a trip right back here in a few hours.

He secured a table near the massive glass windows, gazing out as he sipped on his tea. The floor shuddered a little as a jet took off, and Neil cupped his mug a little tighter. When the Helicarrier was flying it provided a lovely view of the scenery. In the water, a lovely view of marine life. Currently, however, it was partially blocked by a teenage boy Neil frowned slightly, watching him. It wasn't anyone he recognized, which was odd in itself. There were few children allowed on board, and most of the exceptions were either Tanks or Young Avengers. He knew all of them by sight. And...was he eating eggs with his hands? SHIELD's recruitment standards were dropping at an alarming rate “Are you all right, lad?” he asked the boy. If he was some poor agent's retarded offspring, he should probably track them down.

[Tysk]

Oh, hey, hey, that was a bigger fish. It wasn't close to the wall, so he pressed himself against the glass and focused into the water. His eyesight was far better than a humans, and he really wanted the big fish to come closer. A growl started in his throat, but was cut short as the fish disappeared and he had to focus on the feeders again. Unfortunately, they'd moved away from his spot after he'd leaned against the glass and so he had to wait a few minutes before they came back again. When they did, he started swaying with them again.

A few people walked in and left, all of them decided to leave Tysk alone, so he didn't bother turning around and looking as someone familiar walked in. Most people by now were familiar, but this one was more so as he had seen him with Fury a lot. He scooped up a handful of meat and bit into his hand, taking away a mouthful of combined meat after a small struggle. It made him think of biting into a twitching/struggling person and his mouth started to salivate even more. He hadn't eaten anyone in a while since he'd left Tall. He didn't mind though since Tall wasn't a nice person and he wouldn't want to go back; even if he did get to eat people.

A voice started up behind him that was different from the random talking of people behind him. The Neil man was talking... in his direction. He could hear it. Tysk twisted on his toes, meat in one hand, eggs in the other, and stared at Neil until he bit into both hands before pointing at the fish. "Fisch." He didn't know how to communicate why they were interesting. Tysk didn't even know why. It was just in him that he should be chasing them, or watching them intently.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

Neil stared at the boy for a moment after he turned around. He had a ham steak in one hand and a fried egg in the other, and seemed to be wearing several other breakfast foods all over his face and the front of his shirt. Which, now that he saw it properly, didn't fit him at all. Oh dear. Who, exactly, had decided that the Helicarrier was the best place to keep this boy, and why had they left him here alone? Security was going to have a field day with this. No supervision, no visitor pass, real signs of comprehension...

Instead of an actual reply, the boy pointed at the glass and said a single word. Fish. Yes, because that explained everything that was wrong with this situation. Neil rubbed his temples. It was going to be one of 'those' days, wasn't it? At least he could go hunt down Wes after this was sorted out. After a moment he looked back up at the teenager, trying to keep his impatience with the situation from showing” Yes. Lovely fish. Where are your parents? Shouldn't someone be watching you?” Neil didn't entirely expect the boy to know, but maybe he'd get some names, at least. That would make it easier to track them down. Of course, that also required getting something like a coherent reply, which he wasn't entirely sure would happen. He should probably just ring security and get them to deal with the child, but that would guarantee that the parents got in trouble.

[Tysk]

Tysk looked down at his food, wanting some more to eat, but found that he coudn't fit any more into his hands. This stupid body couldn't even reach down enough for him to just directly eat it from the plate. Tysk put the eggs back on the plate and picked up two pancakes and shoved them into his mouth before he picked up the eggs again and tried to eat them at the same time. He really liked food. Again, the man started talking. He hadn't moved any closer to the glass, so Tysk was confused when he responded in the positive. Fish. Yes. But how was he going to know just how exciting they were from over there?

Wait a second, where were his squeaky dogs? He could definitely communicate with them. Tysk started to stand, but crouched again when he thought of his food. He wasn't trusting anyone anywhere near his food. Tysk hadn't understood anything else that Neil had said, so had largely ignored it, except for a few soft snorts. Tysk leaned forward far enough at one point that he had to quickly readjust his position and stood up instead. Hmm, a show of good faith would be to offer Neil some food. He hadn't ever offered any to his dogs, but they were weird and he was the alpha so they would have to wait anyway. "Yes." He responded quietly, trying to decide between looking at the fish, his food, and Neil.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

As Neil spoke, the lad seemed to have difficulty deciding on whether or not he wanted to stand or crouch. What was he trying to do? Frowning, Neil watched the boy carefully. For some reason, he was distinctly reminded of Cabal. For a moment, he wondered what would happen if he mentioned the word 'walk', or pulled a ball out of his pockets. Unfortunately, in the latter's case, he was fairly certain that this would not be considered a valid reason to use his powers outside of an assignment. Eventually the boy decided on standing, although it seemed that the fish—and his plate of food—were still more interesting than the conversation at hand. Maybe Neil should just...get him a fork, and leave him be. Not a knife, though. That seemed like a terrible idea.

The only answers he was getting seemed to be monosyllabic. Neil gave an inward sigh, draining his cup of tea. At least there were replies. This last one was almost a coherent answer; perhaps he could still work with the boy. “Right. What is your name?” he asked, switching tactics. Maybe—just maybe—he would be lucky enough to get a last name, and that would help significantly with tracking down the parents. If he couldn't get a last name, then perhaps running the boy through SHIELD's facial recognition program would come up with the closest match. Oh! Didn't they have agent DNA on file, too? That would be the most effective way to track down any known relatives. It would mean getting a sample from the boy, though...

[Tysk]

No, Tysk wasn't going to offer any of his food to Neil. That was submission and he was hungry. At least he was still staying back. Tysk was suddenly getting quite defensive of his food at the idea of someone else taking any of his food. Name. Tysk knew that word! His hand automatically went up to his rib where he'd been tattooed. Something Tall had done when he was young that had stretched neatly across one of his ribs. "Tysk!" A smile spread over his face as he swallowed the mouthful of food he had. With one hand now free, he started to lick off the grease from the eggs as he watched a fish in the corner of his eyes.

As the fish moved along the glass, Tysk started turning to follow it and stepped up to the glass and followed it around the deck until it swam off. Oh, shit, he left his food alone. He hurried back over to it and crouched over it again, glaring at Neil for a few seconds before making sure that he hadn't touched anything. No, everything was still there. Okay then. Tysk picked up a handful of bacon and shoveled it into his mouth. That should show him who's food this was.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

Amazingly enough, the boy responded with something that probably was a name. An odd one, granted; Neil wasn't sure of its origin. It was at least a sign that the boy was comprehending what he said. Unfortunately, it didn't give him any leads as to whom he should return the boy. It looked like it was time for a trip down to Medical. Neil stared at Tysk as he chased after a fish on the other side of the glass. At least he seemed to be enjoying himself, even if this was making conversation somewhat more difficult. Perhaps a psychologist would be helpful as well, given the situation. Neil didn't want to deal with this particular type of insanity any longer than he was required to.

A minute later the boy was crouched over his plate of food again, obviously protecting it from Neil. Adorable. Neil hadn't even finished his slice of toast; he certainly didn't want to eat anything that had been near Tysk's hands. He pushed himself to his feet as Tysk shoved some bacon into his mouth, watching perplexedly. The sleeves of the boy's suit were covered in grease and syrup. His face was hardly faring any better. Well, with any luck, this wouldn't be his problem for much longer. “Right, Tysk. Let's go for a walk,” he suggested, hoping the boy understood what he was saying. And hoping that Tysk actually followed, as well. Dragging him there would be slightly more difficult, considering their destination was two decks away.

[Tysk]

The floor was starting to not be the most ideal place in the world for Tysk to protect his food from. He picked it up and backed into the glass before turning around and staring deeply into the water. Neil had risen behind him and Tysk tucked the plate a little closer to his chest. It crossed his mind to turn back into a dog as he would be able to eat more quickly and protect his food better with his teeth, but he'd already changed and the thought of turning back now was already making him a little bit sleepy. At the mention of his name, Tysk's head jerked sideways and back, much like a dog that had heard its name and didn't want to move... which he was.

However, almost nothing could stop the excitement that rushed through him at the mention of a walk. One of his most absolute favourite words ever. The fish were mostly forgotten as Tysk turned and tried to calmly run over to Neil. Only, Tysk wasn't really a 'stopping in time' kind of dog and narrowly avoided hitting Neil as he stopped directly in front of him. Of course, Tysk also didn't account for his plate and felt it slip out of his hands. This would have bothered a regular person, but Tysk just circled Neil and barked "Ork!", before he stopped and picked up two handfuls of whatever had fallen on the ground and started to shovel it into his mouth. Tysk could eat and walk at the same time.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

Neil frowned faintly, trying to decide his next course of action, as Tysk picked up his breakfast and turned away from him. Usually, he would have taken that as a sign that the boy was no longer interested in listening to him. With this particular...individual...however, it could still be mostly unrelated. There was no way of telling, and the boy didn't seen too interested in saying his intentions. Presuming he could even articulate them. Neil took a step away from his chair, picking up his now-empty mug and plate. Perhaps he should just leave now, and pretend this never happened. There was still a chance that Tysk would get himself into trouble, but this was proving to be more difficult than Neil presumed. He was starting to think that it wasn't worth the effort.

Tysk's reaction to the suggestion was overwhelming, and once again Neil was distinctly reminded of the corgis. He stepped to the side as Tysk ran towards him, narrowly avoiding the boy and the plate of food. He watched Tysk's breakfast hit the floor, wincing slightly. The boy was starting to shout unintelligibly, as well. Good thing he didn't have to clean—wait, the boy was cleaning it up already. By eating it. Neil opened his mouth to say something about Tysk's eating habits, but quickly thought better of it. He closed his mouth, turned, and started to walk away. Hopefully the boy would follow of his own accord, but at this point, Neil wouldn't be too put out if he didn't. That would just mean Tysk was no longer his problem, and, if asked about it later, he could honestly say that he tried.

After dropping his dishes in the sink, Neil headed for the exit. He hadn't actually needed to go to Medical more than once, but he remembered where it was. Finding the fastest route was slightly more problematic. As he made it to one of the doors leading out of the observation deck, he paused and turned to see if Tysk was following him. If not, he'd just make his way over to Wes's lab, instead. He'd love hearing about this.

[Tysk]

Tysk loved the smell of meat, and he loved the taste of it even more. So much so that it was nearly gone in a few seconds, besides some grease that would have been uncomfortable to lick up in his current form. That was one of the other problems with this form, he couldn't lick up anything that smelt nice with this stupid tongue. It was too sensitive. As soon as Neil started to leave, Tysk had already cleared a portion of what was on the floor and picked up the rest in a scoop before he stood and chased after Neil.

It would be interesting to see where Neil was going to take Tysk for a walk. They were in the water and at sea. Unless Neil was going throw a ball for Tysk from one of the boats. Tysk was not not opposed to that at all. It would be nice if there was a stick involved too though, then he'd be completely satisfied. At first, Tysk ran ahead of Neil and checked out the hallway to the right. There was nothing there and Neil passed him so Tysk ran back, happy to follow along behind him and eat out of his hands.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

It seemed the boy was going to follow him, after all. Neil wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, considering the circumstances. It certainly would have been easier for him if Tysk had decided to run off. Instead, he had a teenager exploring the hallways, shoving food into his mouth. At least the mound in his hands was shrinking; he would be forced to stop eating soon. Neil began leading Tysk to the labs, painfully aware of some of the looks the boy was getting from people that passed them. He smiled and nodded in return, but didn’t add any sort of explanation. He didn’t know enough, himself, to say anything. SHIELD’s rumor mill would undoubtedly come up with a better story than he could.

A few minutes and a set of stairs later, Neil found his way to Medical. Good, that hadn’t been nearly as interesting a walk as he had feared. No one stopped them, at least. Before opening the door, he quickly glanced through one of the windows. He wouldn’t bother them over something so trivial if they were busy. Getting on the doctors’ bad side struck him as an absolutely terrible idea. He hadn’t needed to use their services yet, but injury was a part of his job. It would happen eventually, and he didn’t want to get barred from Medical before he needed it. Thankfully, it looked like there weren’t any current emergencies, and Neil held the door open for Tysk. Hopefully the boy would go in willingly. Tysk was obviously mentally impaired, and more than a few little kids were terrified of doctors. With good reason, usually, but Neil didn’t want to have to chase the boy down and drag him in.

[Tysk]

This wasn't really a fun kind of adventure. Neil was going everywhere that Tysk had already been. Although, there were  very few places that Tysk hadn't been on the helicarrier. People's rooms mostly, but he wasn't interested in them anyway. He could smell what went on in those rooms, and he didn't need to see any further. Still, it wasn't really the destination that mattered, it was where the ended up. Tysk hoped it was a park.

By the time they reached the stairs, Tysk had finished the food in his hands and was licking his fingers and arms until he was sure all of the grease had been cleaned up. This part of the ship was actually new to Tysk. He hadn't come here because he didn't like the smell. Tysk looked through the windows a little more interested as Neil and ran up to him whenever he moved on.

Neil stepped into one of the rooms and Tysk followed obediently behind. There were a few people in there already and he knew a few of them. There were no metal benches in here at least, and Tysk walked around near Neil trying look at everything and smell everything while a doctor started to walk over to them.

[Dr. Neil Marshal-Timlin]

Thankfully, it seemed that Neil had managed to find the one idiot that didn’t mind going to the doctor. That was a relief. Granted, he had a feeling that things would get interesting if needles became involved, but hopefully that wouldn’t be the case. Tysk wandered around him as he walked in, immediately exploring the area. Neil took a more stationary approach, and instead, caught the eye of the closest individual in a lab coat. Immediately the doctor came over. Good; that had been easier than he anticipated. If only the rest would go so smoothly.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, actually. Doctor…” There was no nametag—no real reason for him to wear one, after all—and it wasn’t anyone Neil knew. He’d seen the other man around the Helicarrier, but had never stopped to talk. To be fair, Neil didn’t tend to stop and chat with anyone on the boat. As a general rule, he spent as little time here as possible, and didn’t do much socializing. He worked for SHIELD out of necessity, not interest. When there was no response from the doctor to fill him in on a name, Neil mentally shrugged and continued talking. “…Doctor. If you aren’t too busy, I was hoping you could help me with a problem.”

“I’m fine,” he added quickly, before the doctor had a chance to reply. Neil wasn’t keen on the idea of having to undergo a physical while he was here. “It’s about the lad. Found him wandering around the observation deck, eating with his hands. He seems to be…well, a bit slow. Said his name is Tysk, but I don’t think he understands much English. I was hoping you would have some insight into what to do with him.”

[Tysk]

As the new doctor approached, Tysk reached through the small perimeter he'd already walked around Neil and started to take in the new doctors smells. He'd not seen him before and was hurrying to acquaint himself before Neil did. New pack members were always something to observe with intrigue and a little bit of caution. After all, they'd eventually need to sort out where each other stood in the hierarchy. Tysk was pretty positive that if nothing else, he was Beta. Fury was the Alpha.

The doctor stopped near Neil and leaned into one of the benches and Tysk stepped off to the side so that Neil could interact with the new member. The other doctor was quiet, but didn't look particularly happy. He didn't look particularly anything, and he didn't respond to Neil. The doctor was about to speak when Neil paused, but closed his mouth as Neil continued. The new doctor looked at Tysk when Neil mentioned him and Tysk looked at Neil. The new doctor raised an eyebrow and turned back to Neil. "Insight? What do you expect us to do with a kid? Babysitting is on level three or something." Tysk didn't understand any of the words passing between the two men and after waiting for some kind of... something, from either of them, but not getting it, he turned and continued exploring the lab.