The boy, Pah, is quiet for a few moments before he heaves out a sigh in defeat. "...Right..." he mumbles frustratedly. Takemichi half expects his tall friend to pipe up from beside him, but he stays quiet to his relief.

    It takes everything in Takemichi to keep himself from breaking out into a beaming smile. Maybe he should learn to trust Mikey more often...

    "Great!" The little girl exclaims with a clap of her hands. She turns around and beckons for the dog to come forward with a wave of her hand. "C'mere boy—This sweet kid wants to give you pets!"

    Then the dog starts to move. Towards the girl.

    Towards him.

    Something in Takemichi is screaming at him to turn around and run. Hide away behind a trash can until he's safe. Be embraced in the arms of his mother who he knows will protect him with her life.

    But he stays still.

    Unmoving.

    His body freezes up as the long haired dog gets closer and closer. The sound of the animal's soft pants reach his ears, a heavy scent of shampoo wafts through the air, and—

    And the dog sits in front of him.

    The beast stares at Takemichi with his soulless eyes, not making another move towards the small boy.

    Is the dog...waiting for Takemichi to pet him? Is that why they haven't attacked him yet? Will they attack him if he doesn't pet them?!

    Thousands of scenarios play through Takemichi's head like a slideshow, but there was only one option.

    With a loud gulp, Takemichi raises a shaky hand. He very slowly reaches out, his palm outstretched for the top of the dog's head—

    And he sets his hand down.

    The dog does nothing.

    Takemichi waits for something to happen; perhaps the dog would snap at Takemichi and bare his teeth or rear his head back, knocking his hand of his head.

    But nothing happens.

    The dog sits there and pants with his tongue lolling out of its mouth.

    If Takemichi wasn't completely terrified of dogs, he probably would've thought the dog looked...cute.

    Feeling much more confident, Takemichi gently runs high hand down the dogs head to the back of its neck.

    Again, the dog does nothing.

    So Takemichi does it again.

    And again.

    And again.

    Before he knows it, he's sitting on the pavement with the dog half on his lap, half on the concrete, his fingers running through the soft fur.

    He doesn't know how he ended up in this position, he doesn't quite hear the sound of Mikey taunting Pah and his friend, and he doesn't shy away from petting the long haired dog in his lap.

    A smile makes its way onto the boy's face as he looks down at the cute (yes, he'll admit, dogs can be cute) dog.

    This dog, the one rubbing its head against the palm of Takemichi hand, is unlike any dog he's encountered. The ones in his old neighborhood would bark at everyone and everything—they'd bare their teeth for everyone to see and snap their jaws at kids like Takemichi and Mikey. This one, however, is calm.

    He doesn't bark in anger, or snap his teeth. Sure, he nudges Takemichi's hand when he stops petting him, but it was with the gentleness that whispers please keep going, it feels nice.

    A surge of joy erupts inside Takemichi the longer he pets the sweet dog. He wonders, very briefly, why he was so worried to face his fears in the first place—

   "GET HIM PAH!!! GEEET HIIIIIM!!!"

    "PAH STOP IT!!! YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR OUTFIT ALL DIRTY!!!"

    Takemichi looks up from his spot on the ground and groans at the sight of Pah chasing after a giggling Mikey. Pah's friend continues to cheer him on while the little girl tries and fails to get Pah to stop.

    "I DON'T CARE!!! THIS LITTLE SHIT DESERVES A PUNCH ACROSS THE DAMN FACE!!!" Pah shouts as he attempts to grab ahold of Mikey's shirt. The blonde, as expected, slips away with a mischievous smile.

    "You should listen to your girlfriend, Pah!" Mikey taunts, dodging another punch aimed right at his face. "I wouldn't want daddy's money to go to waste."

    "YOU DICKHEAD!!!"

    Annddd Takemichi will deal with that in a little bit.

    Now though, he'll just relish in the soft feeling of Pochi's fur with a smile on his lips.

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