His course load wasn't important on Wednesdays, so Will was home early. Sonny finished his shift at 7, so Will sat down in front of his books, then in front of his computer, then took a shower, then walked outside and watched the kid run in the garden as they played tag and checked the feeder to see if the birds had used it, then came back and made coffee, then sat on the couch and turned the TV on, then gave up. He was going to be early at the coffee-house. As in two hours early, and with nothing to do, as he had finished his last book and the library wasn't on his way.

He came and felt disappointed. Sonny wasn't in the room and Will sat, wondering why he was reacting like that. He felt unbalanced, maybe because he was giving up his inner independence and entering a friendship with someone who was ready to make efforts for him, a completely new experience for him, and that made him worry that he would fail. Talking to a depressed stranger had been easy, because of the role he was playing in it, the compassionate and objective ear to someone's problems, but now Sonny wanted to "hang out" a lot and while Will had hated feeling forgotten, he was still uneasy. So much that he didn't notice the state of the napkin until someone pointed it to him. A young woman had sat that on the opposite chair and was smirking. He looked down and saw that the ink from the pen he had taken out instinctively, was soaking the paper. Apparently he had been scribbling all over. He chuckled and so did the woman. She asked

"Nervous much?

- It seems so. I was deep in thought actually. I didn't notice I had company.

- Yeah, sorry about that" she answered in a tone that wasn't contrite in the least. "The place is packed. I'm thinking of coming back later actually, at a quieter moment."

Will looked at her more closely. She had long dark blond hair and blue eyes. Those were like steel and he wondered what fracture made her like that, what her sad story was. He felt guilty for thinking that. People's pain was private and searching for insight wasn't a compassionate thing to do. She didn't look like she wanted to confide anyway, so he was relieved to see her stand up.

"I suggest you ask for a new napkin.

- Thanks, I will. Along with something to eat, I think.

- Is the baking good here?

- Yes, it is. I'm not an expert but it is delicious.

- Well, not surprising I guess..."

Will shot inquisitive eyebrows but she turned and left. However weird the conversation had been, it had been a good distraction and he spent the remaining time making up silly reasons in his mind about what she had said, or what her past was. He quite liked the theory that she had been stood up for a date and was trying to hide it by saying cryptic things. It didn't explain the eyes, though and he shivered when he remembered them. However pretty she was, she didn't look appealing. He was again snapped off his thought but this time by an offering. He smiled at Ellie and decided she would get a tip, any way, then started eating the blueberry muffin. He closed his eyes and savored it. When he finished, he gathered the remaining crumbs with his finger.

Sonny had arrived in the meantime and when Will spotted him, he seemed deep in thought, looking in his direction but not really watching anything. Will smiled and walked to the counter. He dished his wallet from his back pocket and took out some change that he put in the tipping box. Sonny frowned

"Do you know you're not supposed to tip owners?

- I'm not tipping you, it's for Ellie. She deserves it for always being nice and thoughtful.

- And I'm not?

- So, you want a tip?" Sonny smiled and shook his head.

- No, I want your time. Starting in five minutes. But before that, I have a question to ask. If you don't say yes, it's fine, really, but I'll be really happy if you do." Will looked at the counter, the nervousness creeping in again.

- OK, what is it about?

Sonny tapped on the counter excitedly and asked

"Do you like watching baseball?

- Ohhh... Yes, sure.

- Really? Are you saying that to be nice or is it true?

- It is. I'm not a hardcore fan but I like watching a game now and then. Why?"

Sonny didn't answer and beckoned him to the service door. Will followed through, feeling very, very light, almost like floating. The walked up to the apartment door and as they came in, Sonny caught something off the coat rack. He handed Will a baseball cap and put another one on his head. They sat on the couch and Sonny grabbed the remote

"It's this afternoon match, so if you tell me the score beforehand, I will have to kill you.

- What a great host you are, I'll be sure to avoid coming if you're so threatening." Will answered tongue-in-cheek, touched that Sonny had waited for him to watch it when he was free the whole day. Sonny pressed the wrong button. Will laughed at him swearing and panicking and waited a bit to offer his assistance. He fixed it in a few seconds. Sonny relaxed and they watched for a while.

When his team started loosing, Sonny lost some of his excited energy. He stopped blabbing and joking and looked at the screen silently. Then he turned to Will and asked

"What is making you smile like that?" Will shook his head. He wasn't sure if he could tell Sonny everything that went through his mind. But Sonny insisted, gently and he whispered

- There are times, like now, when you look like an owl.

Sonny's eyes went round, making him even more owlish. He didn't look offended and Will sighed. Sonny shoved him and noted

"Hey, I'm not the one wearing glasses, here.

- Owls don't either. They look pensive, though, as if trying to understand something profound or something.

The match went on, to its sad defeat but Sonny didn't really watch it anymore. He took Will to the kitchen and made him lay the table as he took out a dish from the fridge and put it in the oven.

- It's just reheating. It won't be long. You're not too hungry?

- No, it's fine, I had a muffin earlier. Liked it a lot.

- Yeah, I noticed." Sonny took the chair and scooped it next to where Will was sitting. He put some salad in their plates. Will started eating, content. He liked how informal the evening was and the way Sonny's eyes sparkled now and then. He wasn't tense or brooding and Will liked that he was part of what made Sonny better.

He came home with a contented stomach and a quiet mind. A fluffing sound made him look up. He could make up two round eyes and wondered if it belonged to an owl, but the bird stayed prudently silent, so he couldn't say.

He spent Friday hunting for places to hide clues and writing them. The hard thing was to get them to children's level. Not too easy, not too hard. In the evening he walked to Common Ground to get Sonny's opinion about them and also to talk about logistics. He came in and sat at the counter. Chad was waiting on customers, looking aloof and efficient. He greeted Will and they exchanged a few words, then he let him with a smoking cup.

Will was sipping it, his feet tapping the wooden surface of the counter's side, when he heard a cough. He recognized the woman. She looked even more strung than the first time he met her. She sat and asked for a latte. Will wasn't interested in a conversation but she didn't really care.

"He's such an ass...

- Sorry?

- My ex. I came here to discuss with him and he's never here. Typical.

Will smiled at how his theory was quite near the truth and she must have taken that for an invitation to continue and exclaimed

"And it's not as if I didn't know he's seeing someone else, anyway! That little slut, I wonder how she looks like? Probably all cute and stupid, I'm sure."

Will knew a bitter tone when he heard one. It reminded him of his mother after her divorces. She rebounded, she always did but she still complained. He tried to look away but she insisted

"I'm sure if he saw me with a new man too, he'd regret it. Realize what he's lost and all."

She put her hand under Will's chin and before he could process what happened, pulled him to her for a kiss on the mouth. Will's arms, useless because she was a girl and you don't fight them, ever, flayed around, uncontrollably. He was about to tell her off, when he heard a gasp. He looked around and saw Sonny, distress on his face and hands trembling. He shut in eyes and stood up in disgust. The woman shouted:

"See, Sonny, that's how I kiss, remember?"

Will ran out, tears blinding him. He ran to the park and stopped to catch his breath then sat on the cold bench. He felt the angle of a book against his butt and took it out his coat. It was the book about bird watching. He opened it and started reading.

'Cardinals are social birds in general, even open to other birds joining their groups. They can be quite aggressive though in defending their territory. During mating season, they leave the group for a mate.'

"Will."

'the male birds tend to their partners' needs until the eggs latch. They can have in general two to four babies.'

"Will."

If he focused enough, the world disappeared. And he ceased being a crying grown man, alone on a bench, as long as the reading went on.

The book was shut.

"Will, we need to talk."