[ Brooklyn ] a visit to the vet

[from_the_outside]

Getting Bucky to agree to the chip had been like pulling teeth, but he'd eventually given in. Neutering had been a whole other conversation, and she's still not sure he's totally on board with the idea. 

But agree to the chip he had, and an appointment had been made, and now she's waiting by the door of the apartment, checking the time as Bucky wrangles an unsuspecting Alpine. "Baby, do you need some help getting him in the carrier? We've got to get going."

Picking the vet had been a whole other adventure, but they'd finally settled on one nearby that had glowing reviews from multiple pet owners. Still, she thinks Bucky's more nervous about the whole idea than Alpine himself.

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

“It’s okay, buddy,” he soothes. Alpine doesn’t seem concerned, stretched out as he is on Bucky’s left arm while Bucky cradles him against his body and strokes his back.

“Sharon, are you sure about this? I don’t want him to feel like I’m betraying him.”

[from_the_outside]

"Even if he does, he'll get over it," is her pitiless response. "It's the responsible pet owner thing to do."

She leaves the door and comes to find him, then sighs as she realizes Bucky hasn't even tried to put the cat into the carrier. "Bucky, he has to go in the carrier to go to the vet."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I don't like this," he repeats, but it's on a long sigh as he acquiesces to the inevitable. Bucky crouches on his heels and holds his left arm out toward the recently-acquired carrier. Alpine meows in annoyance at being disturbed, but cranes his neck in curiosity and stretches out to explore the new place.

It's a nice carrier, one they've made as comfortable as possible with a sheepskin lining and even a catnip mouse in the back.

[from_the_outside]

"It's good for him," Sharon tells him, leaning against the sofa and watching with amusement. "He needs a vet. And we need a way to find him if he gets lost outside."

Alpine pads into the carrier, testing out the fuzzy liner, and noses at the catnip mouse. "Zip him up and let's get going."

[nerves_of_ice]

"It's okay, buddy," he repeats, as he closes the carrier and lifts it from the ground. Alpine yowls in protest as the little cave moves under his feet and starts trying to find an exit. Bucky winces at that, hard, and cradles the entire carrier on his left arm for support.

"Okay, let's get it over with," he tells Sharon.

[from_the_outside]

"It might help if you relaxed a little," she points out, pushing off the couch and going to open the front door for him. "He's probably picking up on your nervousness. Chill out, Bucky. The vet's not going to do anything underhanded."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I know they're not, it's just --" He shrugs. It's probably silly of him to be identifying so strongly with the little cat right now, but he knows exactly why he is and isn't sure there's anything to do about it.

"Don't worry, pal. We've got you," he settles on instead, to Alpine, and carries him gently out the door and onto the street where they wait for Sharon to lock up.

[from_the_outside]

She locks the door behind her and comes to join them, setting her hand lightly at the small of his back. "Don't worry, baby. It'll be fine."

Alpine, distracted by the many scents of the great outdoors, stops meowing and watches as the world passes by.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Working on it," he says dryly, as he keeps pace beside her. He glances down at the cat, amused. "Remembering what the world looks like?"

[from_the_outside]

The little cat crouches in his carrier, nose twitching as he sniffs, his gaze intent on everything outside the mesh openings. Sharon laughs. "If you're good, maybe we'll let you go outside," she tells him. "You'd probably love hunting around the mountain house."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I just bet he would. He'd climb every tree, too."

It really isn't far to the vet, which as far as he's concerned is just as well. The practice from the outside looks good too, cheerful and bright and well-maintained.

Not that he's cased it before, or anything like that. Well, not more than two or three times, anyway.

[from_the_outside]

"If he does, you're the one getting him down." The sound of barking drifts through the air as they near the vet's office, and Alpine's ears go up, then around, as Sharon laughs at him.

"Don't worry, bud. They're probably out back."

[nerves_of_ice]

"That's fair," he agrees. Bucky shifts the carrier a little so that he can open the door for Sharon.

The inside's just as bright and pleasant as the outside looks, with a few people waiting in the comfortably-appointed area, with plenty of room between them.

[from_the_outside]

She heads in, then waits for the door to close behind Bucky before she goes to the reception desk, where a young woman looks up to greet her with a smile. "Here for an appointment?"

Sharon grins back at the receptionist. "We sure are. It's under Barnes, I think? We've got Alpine here for his first visit."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Of course, Alpine - we're happy to see him! It's always nice to make a new friend," the receptionist says. Bucky raises the carrier so the receptionist can see him, and can't help but smile a little as she beams at the little white cat. "He's a darling, isn't he?"

"He's a good little guy," Bucky agrees.

[from_the_outside]

"It's his first visit, and he's our first pet," Sharon explains to the receptionist.

The goats don't count. "We're all a little nervous."

[nerves_of_ice]

It's just another one of the many reasons he adores her, the way she says 'we' without thinking about it, without making him feel ridiculous for how stressed he is over this. The glance he turns on her is warm, and says everything without words.

"Don't worry about it," the receptionist assures them. "That's normal. You're in good hands, I promise. Dr. Kendall's one of our best."

She looks around the waiting room, then points to another door a little way down the hall. "We're a little full in here, but if you'd like to wait in there, we have a cat-friendly space on the left side of the room. I'll let her know you're here."

[from_the_outside]

"Thanks," Sharon tells her, and heads with Bucky toward the room in question. As she pushes open the door, a delighted laugh bubble up past her lips. "Uh oh, Alpine. Look, you have company."

Specifically, company of a distinctly doggy persuasion. The right half of the room features a few large plexiglass cages, some of which contain furry bodies. The dogs get to their feet as they see the door open and press their noses to the plexiglass, red tongues lolling tails wagging. On the wall nearby is a sign pointing to a Doggy Daycare; around it are posted advertisements. Sharon goes to look through them, curious. "Wow, they run adoptions out of here, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Friendly company, at that," Bucky reassures Alpine, who looks distinctly unimpressed. He brings the carrier over to a cat tower in the corner and sets it on a higher level so the little cat can have a good view of the room, then turns to watch Sharon.

"They do?"

[from_the_outside]

"Looks that way." She crouches in front of one of the cages, where a chubby gray pitbull is wagging so hard his whole body sways mightily back and forth as Sharon laughs, her eyes light and her smile breaking across her face.

"Hi, buddy. Are you just so excited to see someone back here? Shouldn't you be out in daycare, having fun?"

The pitbull wags harder, licking at the plexiglass in an attempt to get to her face.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky grins at that. "Oh, he likes you." And to judge from the look on Sharon's face, she likes him too.

[from_the_outside]

"I think he probably likes everybody." She scratches at the plexiglass, and the pitbull responds by doing his best to lick her finger straight through the barrier. Nearby, an older Labrador mix moves into a corner of his area, tail waving gently as he noses at the plexiglass, hoping for attention that Sharon is happy to provide.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky stays where he is so that Alpine won't feel abandoned, and watches as Sharon lavishes attention on both dogs through the barrier. "Looks like the feeling's mutual."

[from_the_outside]

"I've always liked dogs," she tells him, as she coos at the two currently competing for her attention. She wishes there were a way through the plexiglass so she could pet them and play with them the way they'd so clearly enjoy. The pit, in particular, is smiling widely as he rubs up against the glass.

"I've never been able to have one, though. Too much traveling around."

[nerves_of_ice]

"I remember you telling me before that you wanted a puppy as a kid," he murmurs.