Imani was just supposed to make sure that the lost dog got home safely, come back, and pretend like the mere thought of the owner with doe eyes and an armful of tattoos didn't make her question her entire belief system. Sounds simple enough...right...
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If my thoughts weren't rushing past my head at the speed of light right now, I probably would have stood back and chuckled about how unusual it is to see everyone in the room looking anything but like themselves.
And all because of a certain ball of golden fur that's currently noisily lapping at the bowl of water that Ved got him a minute ago. Layla is sitting beside Bowie with her legs crossed,—Layla, who would take hold of your hair and shove your entire face in your plate of food if you so much as chewed with your mouth open one time—a content smile on her face at the sight.
It's funny because here's the thing: on a standard day, Juni is, without doubt, the catalyst for chaos. Sean is the broody one. Layle the unbothered queen, and Ved... well, he's pretty much our very own equivalent of a court jester. And as much as I'd like to refer to myself as the 'glue' that keeps the five of us together, it's been years since Ved burst that bubble of mine and drawn everyone's attention to the fact that I was the baby of the band instead.
(And honestly, as much as I would like to complain about that, it'd be useless considering that I use that title to my advantage every time it's physically possible for me to do it. I pretty much get away with anything, really.)
One sweep of my gaze across the room as Sean distressingly calls the number we found on Bowie's tag for the fifth time, and an amused smile makes itself at home on my lips.
Juni is sitting on the couch in a position that reminds me an awful lot of L from Deathnote, eyebrows drawn together in a way that suggests that the mere sight of the giant dog in the middle of the living room takes away a few years off their lifespan. I don't doubt that they'd spring out of the couch like a frog if Bowie took one step in their direction.
You couldn't make Juni like a dog even if you paid them.
It's not the half-terrorized look on their face that makes the sight comical to me, though. It's the contrast between Juni looking like they can't wait until the dog is out of the house so they can clean every inch of the house (preferably with acid), and Ved, who has a pout so prominent on his face you'd think someone handed him the entire world and then immediately took it away. On a regular day, Juni wouldn't touch a dog with a ten feet long stick, but Ved is the type of person who goes around petting every dog he sees on the street.
Not being able to reach out and touch Bowie because of the way Juni is holding him in a death grip is probably killing him inside. And if Juni holds his hand any tighter, it's going to kill Ved from the outside, too. The way their fingers dig into his skin looks like it's definitely leaving a bruise.
Sean sighs for what seems like the millionth time, drawing the attention of everyone in the room and shakes his head as he stares down at the screen of his phone. "No answer."
Layla raises her hand and I know exactly what's coming, judging from the entirely too innocent smile on her face. Sean probably knows too, but neither of us say anything until she asks, "May I suggest an alternative?"
