[ 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

[from_the_outside]

The pitbull isn't in his cage and neither is the lab when they go through, and the receptionist smiles as Sharon signs their paperwork and asks about them. "They're probably out back with the rest of the day care pack," she tells them. "You can go look, if you want."

Sharon glances up at Bucky, wavering. "We don't have to."

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky glances down at Alpine, who's curled up in a sleepy ball around his catnip mouse, and smiles at her. "We've got time. Let's go see."

[from_the_outside]

She still thinks that smile of his is the most beautiful thing she's ever seen, and she's still powerless to resist it. "Okay."

The yard is really a small green area, tucked away behind the building and between a few others, but it seems to be paradise for the pack of dogs running around in it, playing and tussling with each other. The pitbull's there, in the thick of it, and Sharon grins as he goes leaping after a ball tossed by a volunteer. "Seems pretty happy."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Pretty friendly, too. He's not snapping or standoffish at all," Bucky notes. That's a good sign.

[from_the_outside]

A smaller dog comes to chew on the pit's ear, and he allows himself to be taken under, growling happily as Sharon laughs. "Yeah, no kidding."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Patient, too." Which is an even better sign, given what he's considering now.

"You know, I forgot to ask about following up on the tests for the little guy here. Why don't you hang out here while I take care of that?"

[from_the_outside]

"Okay, baby." She leans on the fence, watching as the dogs play and run around, enjoy their simple delight. "I'll be right here."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Back in a few," he promises, and heads inside. Bucky waits until he's out of earshot before he murmurs to Alpine, "Buddy, I know it's been a big day for you, but let's just see, okay?"

[from_the_outside]

After a few moments, the volunteer comes jogging over, holding out a ball. "Want to throw a few?"

Sharon laughs and takes it. "Sure. These guys seem like they're having a great time."

[nerves_of_ice]

He talks with the receptionist first, who directs him to the vet tech who heads up the adoption program, and explains what he'd like to do. "I have to look out for the little guy here," he says, holding Alpine's carrier up a little. "So I was wondering if there was a chance for some kind of home visit, or trial period or something?"

The tech nods. "Normally we need to run a background check first," she says. "But--"

Her glance drops to his arm and holds for a moment before she looks back up at him. "In this case I think we can make an exception. Let's get a couple of forms filled out, and get you a visit supply kit."

[from_the_outside]

After everything, she's not sure she could even have imagined a simple pleasure like this: throwing the ball for a happy pack of jostling dogs, laughing as they wrestle and play.

Maybe she'll come back and visit, now and again. It's not like it's far from the apartment.

[nerves_of_ice]

He slings the backpack of dog supplies on his shoulder and walks with the tech back to the yard, grateful that Alpine’s still snoozing in his carrier.

One look at the joy on Sharon’s face as she plays with the dogs and his heart lifts. He walks over to join her as the tech heads for the volunteer.

“Having fun, baby?”

[from_the_outside]

"Absolutely." The gray pitbull comes back with the sloppy, damp ball in his mouth, tail wagging as he offers it up to her, and she grins. "Want to throw it for him?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Sure,” he says, amiably. “We can take him to the park after we get Alpine home.”

[from_the_outside]

It takes a second before what he says clicks, and she turns to him in bewilderment, noticing for the first time the new pack slung over his shoulder. "What?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He keeps Alpine’s carrier lifted up as he leans over to rub the pit bull behind his ears. “We have him for the next couple of weeks at least to see how things go. If you want, that is. But I thought you might like the idea.”

[from_the_outside]

"What?" she says, again, as he leans down to pet the pit bull, who wags his tail mightily at the attention.

As it sinks in, a disbelieving smile breaks over her face. "Really?"

[nerves_of_ice]

That smile’s like sunshine filling up the room. Bucky grins back at her and straightens, then takes a leash from his pocket and holds it out to her.

“Put that on him, and we’ll take him home.”

[from_the_outside]

She feels like she's in a dream as she takes the leash and leans down to snap it onto the dog's collar, before she looks back at him, uncertain.

"What about Alpine? Will he be okay with it?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“We’ll have to find out. That’s part of why I asked for a two-week trial,” Bucky explains. “But he sure doesn’t seem scared being around dogs, so I figure that’s a good sign.”

As if the sound of his name has caught his attention, Alpine rolls over on his back in his carrier and yawns, stretching out his front paws as he blinks sleepily up at them.

[from_the_outside]

That's good enough for her. She crouches in front of the pit bull and runs her hands over his sleek head. "You want to come home with us?" she asks, smiling.

The dog wiggles and tries to lick her face, and Sharon laughs. "I'll take that as a yes."

[nerves_of_ice]

“Looks like a yes to me,” he agrees. Bucky tips his head back in a nod of thanks to the tech and the volunteer.

[from_the_outside]

She gets up, keeping the leash in her hand as the volunteer opens the gate and lets them out. The pit bull, confused but content to go along, trots at her side as she looks up at Bucky. "Does he have a name?"

[nerves_of_ice]

“Not yet.” He holds the door to the practice so they can step out into the street. “But I bet you can fix that.”

[from_the_outside]

"We'll come up with a good one," she promises the dog, before looking at Bucky with shining eyes. "What on earth brought this on? You've never mentioned wanting a dog before."