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Judging by the faint crying sounds from the towel-wrapped bundle in his arms, Nicholas's recent time spent as a dog has left some residual empathy for canines in peril. After stopping at the bar for some suitable puppy food, he heads for a quiet booth.

Feel free to intercept him though, because he really doesn't know what he's going to do with the little guy yet.

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As Hughie carries a beer from the bar, he's heading in pretty much the same direction, when hey, it's the cop who looks kinda like him. And he's carrying something wiggly and whiny.

"Well, hullo, chief -- what d'ye got in there...?" He takes a peek betwen the folds of the towel. "Aww, look at the wee fella! Where'd you get 'im?"

"I found him under a shrub near the castle. The swans were tormenting him."

He sets the bowl of food on the bench next to the puppy, who tucks in with gusto.

"Mind you, he put up a fair fight considering his size."

"Oh, aye? Heh, I can relate to that." A beat. "The size thing, not the tormenting by swans. Although I've heard swans are vicious. Can break a man's arm."

Hughie sets his glass on the table and squats down beside the bench to get a better look at the puppy as it wolfs down its food. He pets its head and neck, scratching behind its ears, although it's too busy eating to notice. "Ah, the poor wee lad, he's starving."

"Well, at least he's safe now."

He reaches down and gives the pup a scratch between the ears. The dog looks up and gives him a tiny yet enthusiastic "whuff!" before returning to his meal.

"Taken a liking to ya, he has," he chuckles as he sits across the table from Nicholas, and takes a sip of beer. "Gonna keep 'im?"

"Oh, I don't think so. But we'll find him a good home once he's ready."

Little does he know.

"Wonder what breed he is. It's hard to tell when they're this young."

"Hm..." He squints a bit at the pup, as if that would help determining the breed. "He's got some spots...well, smudges, really."

"I suppose we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

The puppy finishes his meal and curls up with a large yawn.

"Probably just a mutt, but there's nothin' wrong with mutts. They've got great personalities. Heh, speakin' of such, my mate Butcher, he's got a bulldog named Terror. I first met him in the park, see, an' there was this old lady wi' some yappy little rat-sized dog, just yappin', yappin', yappin'. Hate those things." He starts to chuckle as he speaks. "So, Butcher, he says to me, 'D'ye wanna see somethin' funny?' So I says aye, so he sics Terror on the yappy little thing, an' he- an' he-"

His chuckles taper off. Maybe this police officer wouldn't find the real ending of this particular story so amusing. He clears his throat.

"An' he- sits on it." Clears his throat again. "Just...squashed it right down. Y'know. I dunno. You had to be there."

... Yeah, Nick's not buying it. But he figures it's probably not all that important.

"Sounds like he lives up to his name."

Look out, Nick!

There is a small, blonde girl bounding at you!

"Officer Nick! You got a PUPPY?"

"I'm just taking care of him for a little while."

Place your bets on how long that's going to last.

"Hello, Kick."

Kick gives him a doubtful look, then peeks at the puppy.

"What's his name?"

The puppy peeks right back. And then sneezes.

"Well, that's up to whoever adopts him."

... CUUUUUUUTE!

Kick immediately squeals, reaching out to pet the pup's little head. "Nero was never this small!"

Then again, Nero is a wolf.

Go figure?

"Aw, you're not gonna adopt him?"

"I'm too busy to look after him properly. But we'll find someone."

He sets the pup down on the bench along with the bowl of food, which is immediately pounced on. A good meal and people to fuss over you? Puppy jackpot!

Kick eyes Nick.

"Y'can make time, I think. Just look at how cute he is! He and Nero could be friends!"

"But it wouldn't be fair to him to have to stay home alone while I'm at work, would it?"

His tone is gentle but firm. He's not giving in, dammit.

"Could bring him to work with you!"

They don't have police sniffer dogs in Kick's time, but she's sure a dog would be helpful SOMEHOW.

"We've already got a police dog."

Noooooooooot giving in. Nope. No sir.

"And what's wrong with havin' two?"

"We don't know if he's cut out for that sort of work yet."

"And you're gonna give him away before y'can even find out?"

Kick goes >:|.

"Well, I have to keep him until he's bigger. We'll see what happens."

This is as close as he's getting to acquiescence.

... okay, that's good enough for now.

Kick beams at him and takes a seat at the edge of the booth, watching the puppy.

"Did you see all the animals that were here last week?"

"Yes. I did."

Someone's still sheepish.

Having finished his food, the puppy nudges Kick and looks up at her hopefully. We can has scritchings?

You can has!

Kick giggles as she gives the puppy some behind the ear scritchings.

"... were you turned into one?"

...

"Yes."

Damn.

O RLY?

"You too?" she asks, going :O!

"Seems like it happened t'everyone but me an' my uncle. What were you turned into?"

"I was a dog."

Just like half the bar, or so it seemed at the time.

Kick starts giggling madly, imagining Nick as this extremely fluffy creature, with a big waggy tail and --

-- WAIT.

Her laughing stops abruptly and her expression turns morbidly serious as she looks at the puppy, then back at Nick.

"Is that -- is that yours?"

"I... What? No!"

Face, meet palm.

"We found him."

"Oh. Okay!"

And it's back to :D!

"Does Officer Danny like him?"

He smiles a bit as the puppy attempts to crawl into his lap.

"I think that would be an understatement."

Cue beaming!

"See? 's two against one. You lose!"

He is indeed hopelessly outnumbered, but he still refuses to admit it.

"We'll see."

"Mhm.

That's what they aaaaaall say."

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