[ To say times have been rough would be an understatement. They hadn't only been rough, after all -- they had been downright abrasive and scathing and scalding and, just in case times hadn't been bad enough, the universe also saw fit to dump some salt and vinegar on the entire thing, then light it on fire.
So, yes. Times had been rough, with bad news tripping on the heels of other bad news, which was practically being bowled over by even further bad news. And while this whole damned mess had the happy outcome of Peter meeting (and even more happily, falling in love with) Maya, that doesn't mean the two of them couldn't use another win. Something nice and normal, just for them.
And apparently, that meant getting a puppy. Because it just did. It had come at Maya's suggestion, and Peter wasn't about to turn it down, as he had always wanted a dog as a boy; he was always jealous when the other boys were allowed to take their family hunting dogs with them while they walked around the village. Coincidence would have it that a family in Sanctuary bred hunting dogs of their own, and this time it came at Roland's recommendation.
(With the caliber of advice they had received from Lilith lately, it was hard to take her at her word. Even with Roland, Peter made it very clear that should this meeting with the breeder result in someone getting knocked out or kidnapped or otherwise restrained or detained or hurt, or if mindless demons or spirits or dragons sprang up out of the ground and attacked, the two of them would most certainly be having words.)
It's a couple of weeks after the whole-- mess. The literal mess. The one with men torn apart by a monster's hands. (A few of the intervening nights, Peter had dreamed of his fingertips digging into flesh and ripping, feeling the resistance of skin and muscle and ligaments, had woken up with the taste of fresh blood in his mouth -- and he had rushed out of bed to vomit.) Currently the two of them are in a barn with a small litter of puppies freshly weaned, and so far there haven't been any disasters. Peter's sitting on the ground and playing with one puppy, while another sleeps contentedly against his leg and oh my goodness puppies are the best. ]
Consider this. [ He glances up at Maya, expression solemn and earnest. ] What if we bought all of the puppies?
[ The dogs were a little bit wary of Maya at first, but after a bit they warmed up to her spectacularly. Right now she's laying on the floor of the barn with a puppy standing on her chest. The little thing keeps licking her face, tail wagging so hard its entire body wiggles ]
As tempting as that is-- [ and a pause for more face licking ] --puppies eventually become dogs. We can't afford to feed them all.
[ -- Ah. His cheeks go slightly red at that, but he quickly ducks his head down to hide it. Not that there's really any hiding from Maya, considering their connection. ]
Um. Sir Licks-A-Lot or this one. [ He means, of course, the puppy whose belly he's currently rubbing; she flails out her front paws, trying to catch his hand. ]
Or maybe Speedy over there-- [ And he uses his free hand to gesture at the puppy who's running laps around the room. ]
[ He picks the puppy up, then moves over to where Maya's lying. (Predictably, Sleepy snorts a little when he's disturbed, but settles right back into his nap.) He exchanges his puppy for Sir Licks-A-Lot -- who immediately starts trying to lap at Peter's face. ]
[ meanwhile, Peter is doing his level best to avoid having his face licked by the puppy in his lap; it has his front paws against Peter's chest, jumping up to try and catch Peter off guard. ]
I mean, they all kinda-- little man, if you don't stop I swear-- have their own charms, I guess.
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So, yes. Times had been rough, with bad news tripping on the heels of other bad news, which was practically being bowled over by even further bad news. And while this whole damned mess had the happy outcome of Peter meeting (and even more happily, falling in love with) Maya, that doesn't mean the two of them couldn't use another win. Something nice and normal, just for them.
And apparently, that meant getting a puppy. Because it just did. It had come at Maya's suggestion, and Peter wasn't about to turn it down, as he had always wanted a dog as a boy; he was always jealous when the other boys were allowed to take their family hunting dogs with them while they walked around the village. Coincidence would have it that a family in Sanctuary bred hunting dogs of their own, and this time it came at Roland's recommendation.
(With the caliber of advice they had received from Lilith lately, it was hard to take her at her word. Even with Roland, Peter made it very clear that should this meeting with the breeder result in someone getting knocked out or kidnapped or otherwise restrained or detained or hurt, or if mindless demons or spirits or dragons sprang up out of the ground and attacked, the two of them would most certainly be having words.)
It's a couple of weeks after the whole-- mess. The literal mess. The one with men torn apart by a monster's hands. (A few of the intervening nights, Peter had dreamed of his fingertips digging into flesh and ripping, feeling the resistance of skin and muscle and ligaments, had woken up with the taste of fresh blood in his mouth -- and he had rushed out of bed to vomit.) Currently the two of them are in a barn with a small litter of puppies freshly weaned, and so far there haven't been any disasters. Peter's sitting on the ground and playing with one puppy, while another sleeps contentedly against his leg and oh my goodness puppies are the best. ]
Consider this. [ He glances up at Maya, expression solemn and earnest. ] What if we bought all of the puppies?
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As tempting as that is-- [ and a pause for more face licking ] --puppies eventually become dogs. We can't afford to feed them all.
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Damn your logic. Why can't you just embrace the fact that all of the puppies would be better than, like, one?
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But you know what's better than one?
Two.
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Fine.
I'm guessin' you're partial to Sir Licks-A-Lot over there?
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But I'm gonna go ahead and rule out this little guy. [ He points down at the puppy still snoring softly against his leg. ] Cute, but lazy.
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They are partners. In everything.
She sits up, cradling the puppy in her arms as she does ]
Which one do you like?
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Um. Sir Licks-A-Lot or this one. [ He means, of course, the puppy whose belly he's currently rubbing; she flails out her front paws, trying to catch his hand. ]
Or maybe Speedy over there-- [ And he uses his free hand to gesture at the puppy who's running laps around the room. ]
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Can I hold her? [ she motions to the puppy in his lap, offering up the one in her arms ]
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-- Holy hell, this guy.
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[ once Maya has the other puppy in hand, she yaps playfully, tail wagging ]
I like her. She has personality.
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I mean, they all kinda-- little man, if you don't stop I swear-- have their own charms, I guess.
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[ Maya sets her puppy down, where she proceeds to gallop her way back over to Peter to try and eat the laces on his boot. ] I think she likes you.
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[ He sets the boy puppy on the floor to free his laces from the little girl's teeth. After that, he scoops her up into his lap. ]
So. Mr. Friendly over there, or this little ray of sunshine?
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Looks like we've made our choice, then.
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I like seeing you smile.
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Yeah, well. I've been told it's a nice smile.
[ A beat. ]
You sure we can't get two--?
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Shall we let them know we've made our choice?
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[ He stands, cradling the puppy in one arm and brushing himself off; he then offers her a hand up. ]
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