Chapter 38 - Mutt

Despite Lucas's paranoid suspicions, the rest of the subway ride continues to be uneventful. Throughout the journey, both he and Jonathan have happily eaten a borderline alarming quantity of food each. Even still, they have some leftovers that they're intending on bringing back to the apartment with them.

Now that Jonathan has appeased his localized black hole, the look of contentment on his face is the very definition of the phrase 'the cat that got the cream.' And much like said proverbial cat full of cream, he's on the brink of a food coma.

Feeling the distinct need to be a spoilsport, Lucas occasionally elbows him to keep him awake. Even despite Lucas's insistence on being a wet blanket, they're both in rather high spirits. Going home after a busy day will certainly do that, and that thought particularly resonates with Jonathan.

As the train slows to a stop at their station, they both pull up the collars of their shirts to cover their noses in near-perfect unison. Looking at each other in this state, they both laugh a few times, their small smiles invisible under their shirts. Lucas pinches his nose through the soft fabric of his shirt as he gets up and walks over to the slowly opening doors, carrying the bags of clothes and leftover food in his left hand.

"Here's hoping we don't break out in our own vomiting contest." As Lucas's voice is gently muffled through his shirt, the corners of his eyes crinkle up in their own display of his otherwise hidden good-natured smile.

As Jonathan is mid-laugh, the doors have opened enough that the olfactory assault has begun. They both gag immediately, but thankfully keep everything inside. Unless you're counting the uncontrolled tears that leak out while they suffer from the stench.

Lucas decides this is as good of an opportunity as ever to be dramatic.

"Go on... Save yourself. I don't know if I'll make it, carry on my legacy!" As Lucas goes into full ham mode, Jonathan laughs a bit more before coughing, and then actually takes him up on it. With a breeze and a blur, Jonathan is quickly outside of the noxious enclosed space.

[I can tell how foul it is by the fact you generated .01 GDV from telling him to go on ahead. I'm genuinely thankful I don't have to experience it.]

'You seriously should be. It's fucking awful.'

Lucas struggles his way through the pervasive effluvium, gasping once he reaches the surface. While under normal circumstances, the air quality of such a large and densely populated city is questionable at best, it is a sweet perfume in comparison to whatever in the world is going on in the subway station beneath them.

Jonathan has been leaning against a large sign near the entrance to the station as he waited. It's painted in such dense graffiti that the subway system map that was originally on it is completely covered, without so much as a hint of the original background color being recognizable.

Thanks to his head start, he has recovered to a state of entirely normal breathing by the time Lucas catches sight of him. Even still, he outstretches a hand towards Lucas.

"Can I um, can I have the uh, leftovers bag for a m-minute?" Between Jonathan's expectant look and pleading tone, Lucas has already handed it over before his brain processes why he may even be making the request.

Once the paper bag is in his hands, Jonathan doesn't leave anyone wondering for long. He immediately brings the opening up to his face, sticks his nose and mouth in it, and inhales deeply several times.

"Wait no fair, I need that more than you do!" Once Lucas understands what's going on, he goes to snatch the bag out of Jonathan's hands, who uses his powers to dodge repeatedly as he keeps inhaling.

[I'm honestly not sure which one of the two of you is being more childish right now.]

Lucas tries his best to ignore 427's comment as he whines at Jonathan, trying to grab the bag back once again. Eventually, Jonathan is satisfied and hands it over, Lucas immediately stuffs his face in and starts huffing the delicious fragrance of salty greasy delights.

[…]

'Don't judge me. He started it.'

[Too late.]

'Psh. Forget you. I'm gonna eat another nugget now.'

As Lucas makes good on his intent, Jonathan reaches over and grabs one too.

With this round of antics complete, they finally resume their trek back home. Or, at least, they try to.

[Alert; a new minor GDV task has been assigned. Please-]

'ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!'

[...Feed the hungry dog.]

'WHY DIDN'T YOU START WITH THAT!? WHERE IS IT!?'

[Oh? And here I thought you just wanted to go home? I can just subtract that .05 GDV for you and let you go on your way.]

'NO! DON'T BE LIKE THAT! WHERE'S THE DOGGO!?'

[Looks like Jonathan's already on it, just follow him.]

"Jon, wait for meee-" Now that Lucas's priorities have been re-arranged, the two of them work their way over to a side alley with an even-larger-than-normal amount of trash.

Once they've entered the alley, there is a sudden movement that is mostly hidden in the shadows, followed by a low whine that trails off into a whimper. Lucas immediately freezes in place, looking like he's on the brink of tears from the sound alone.

"I probably should be the one to go near it, in case it bites or something right? Here, hold these." Lucas hands off the bags in his hands to Jonathan without even giving him a chance to react, bringing the container of chicken nuggets with him. Heading in the direction of the low whining, he takes a nugget out and holds it in front of him, crouching down low, purposely moving slowly to try and seem less threatening.

As he gets closer to where he saw the movements in the shadows a moment ago, there is another brief whimper and then the sound of intense sniffing. It doesn't take long for a long and narrow dirty snoot to creep out of the shadows in pursuit of chikkum.

"Come on buddy, it's okay..." Lucas softens his voice as much as he can, holding the outstretched nugget closer to the adventurous snoot. Once the two are close enough, the dog snatches the nugget and quickly dashes back into the shadows.

As there are the sounds of a very hungry animal snarfing down a nugget, Lucas brings out another one, backing up by about a foot from where he was crouching before. He holds it out in front of him in a similar posture as earlier, trying to lure the dog a little bit further out of the shadows.

"That's good, right? Come on buddy, have another." As Lucas continues to try and coax the pup, the snoot comes back into view. Working up a bit more courage in pursuit of tasty nuggets, a mottled head comes into view as well.

The dog is dirty enough that it's hard to tell, but it seems like it's mostly a white or tan base with a lot of brown splotches, and a few black markings as well. The patterns and outlines of its visible figure are enough of a mix that it seems to be a mutt with a diverse heritage, although it appears to be predominantly Greyhound.

Upon receiving the second nugget offering, it darts back into the shadows again to eat. When it realizes a third nugget is being proffered, just a little further than last time, the mutt seems to have decided that being courageous is to its benefit.

Before it gets the third nugget in between its teeth, Lucas pulls the nugget back a bit more to lure the dog further out into the light. The coveted nugget proves to be sufficient bait in this endeavor.

Once exposed by the light, the dog's ribs are clearly visible through its dirty and mangy coat. Lucas lets out a small pained gasp once he takes in the sight of the poor mutt. With its tail between its legs and its head lowered in as submissive of a posture as it can manage, it tentatively tries to bite the nugget. Lucas by no means resists, he even offers it more directly to the unfortunate doggo.

Getting out the last nugget from the container, he backs a little further away and breaks the nugget in half, reaching out one half in a similar gesture as before. Snoot in pursuit, that half of a nugget doesn't last very long. This time the pup doesn't retract at all, and even sniffs the offered hand and gives a small lick to his fingertips.

"Yeah, you want this one too? Come on buddy, you can have it. Just lemme get a good look at you." Lucas holds the final half of the nugget only slightly out in front of him, the dog needs to practically climb into his arms to reach it. It whimpers a little at him, but seeing that there is no obvious threat, it goes in for the nom.

While it's chewing the last piece of nugget, Lucas gently pets the back of its head. There's a flinch at first, but otherwise no negative reaction.

"...So Jon, what do you think about bringing a dog home? Just for a night, we'll bring him to Dan tomorrow, yeah?" Lucas tries to frame the request as if he is simply bringing the dog over to Dan with absolutely no alternative motives. It would have a much higher chance of success at deception if he wasn't, well, Lucas.

"Um, yeah, he doesn't seem bad. E-even if we don't have everything he could need, it's better than l-leaving him here, at least." Jonathan has a sorrowful expression across his face as he responds. With all of the cracks Lucas has made about him having similarities to various dogs, this one actually hits home with him.

'Is there any place still open that I could get some quick stuff to take care of it for the night?'

[There's a, hmm, a low-end chain store that should have at least a few things that will suffice. I'd get the bare minimum from there to last until you can go visit Faunahorde though.]

'Sounds like a plan, hit me up with the route!'

Lucas slowly reaches out to the dog without any more food in hand. He gets a few cautious sniffs, then one bolder sniff, and then his fingertips get licked tentatively.

With all this being said, Lucas's emotional state currently needs the dog even more than the dog needs him.

He reaches out and gives one good behind the ear scritch, and their fates are sealed. At this rate, it will soon be time to come up with a name for it. Lucas and this mutt will probably never be willingly separated again.

-----

Lucas kills this chapter: 0

Lucas total kills: 6

Lucas deaths this chapter: 0

Lucas total deaths: 10

Lucas current GDV: 5.71 (+.01 +.1 = +.11 net change)

Jonathan kills this chapter: 0

Jonathan total kills: 4

Jonathan deaths this chapter: 0

Jonathan total deaths: 2

Jonathan current GDV: 1.53 (+.01 +.01 = +.02 net change)

-----

Little character theater:

Jonathan and Lucas are busily doting on the mutt that has now accepted their pets. It might be a while before any of them break this pattern.

A certain pup, receiving enthusiastic affections: Bark!

427 has reverted to digesting his own information as a free action.

Author, rubbing their chin and tapping a foot while lost in thought: The question is, do they build up the organization faster than originally intended so they can arrange for an animal rescue ASAP?

Mr. Quacks, a little upset he wasn't offered a nugget: Quack....