[C][M] Test Run

"How's that going for you?" he asked with a soft smile.

He knew it would be difficult for him, but he wanted to encourage Ray to do what he wanted.

Dario pursed his lips a little, more than a little unhappy with Ray not being able to sleep. "I hope you sleep better tonight."

Dario nodded his head towards the kitten and pup. "He's called Kajika. He's nice. An Elf."

"Good, the more I try to think about the book the more I remember of my life."

Having to try to make a chronological order of event until now helped trigger his memory.

"Me too."

He didn't like not being able to sleep, being awake during the daylight hours made him feel unwell, though he hoped that now they had this pup that perhaps it could stay with him during the days to keep him company when Hayden had to go out and Dario was working.

"I've not seen a pet before."

He muttered his gaze flicking over to Hayden as he petted the man.

"I have to admit, it's a little odd."
He would adjust but for the moment it seemed like a strange way to live.

Dario gave a little smile.

"If you need someone to sit and talk to about it for any reason, I'm just on the other end of the phone if I'm not in."

He wanted to make sure Ray had all the support he needed while writing this book.

The human hummed with a little nod.

"I thought that, too, at first. I was nineteen when I first learned of pets. I thought they were strange, too. I've come to love them. They're truly amazing people."

"I know, I just don't want to be a hassle when you're busy."

Dario worked hard to support all of them, the last thing he needed was to be called every night to talk about his emotional problems.

His gaze lingered on the man, it was hard not to get over the fact that he was a man and not an animal.

"I've always liked dogs, I've wanted one for ages. You think I could meet him?"

He asked, he liked cuddling with Hayden when the boy was in cat form, maybe this would be similar?

"You're not a hassle," he assured, raising a hand to ruffle Ray's hair gently.

Ray couldn't be a hassle even if he tried to be. Dario wanted to make sure the Vampire was okay and he'd damn well make sure he was okay if it was the last thing he did.

"I don't think so," Dario shucked with a shake of his head. "I know you can. Call him over. He'd excitable. I'm sure he'll love you saying hi to him."

The pup gave a happy whine as he sprawled out over the floor and Hayden scratched his back and head, he liked the boy already, he was getting so many pets.

Rayner gave a soft whistle and called the pup's name at which point he scampered onto his feet, licked Hayden's cheek and ran over to meet this new person.

Jika sat on the floor staring up at Rayner, his backside wiggling excitedly as he waited for the man to say hello to him.

Rayner hesitantly leaned down and stroked the man's head softly, a small smile gracing his lips as his chin was licked by him.

"He's pretty."

He Vampire murmured, he was quite a good looking man.

Dario smiled as Ray leaned down and pet Jika.

"He is, isn't he?"

Jika was a beautiful man and he was a brilliantly well behaved pup. They both rolled together to make an amazing pup for them.

Dario leaned down himself to pet Jika with a smile.

"He's a good boy."

The pup was still fully dressed from their walk back to the apartment, that at least made Rayner a bit for comfortable meeting him for the first time.

Jika wasted no time in climbing into the Vampire's arms, even if the man hadn't moved to hug him.

Rayner looked worried for a moment but his expression quickly softened as he hugged the pup tightly to his chest, he enjoyed the feeling of having someone against him this affectionately.

"It will be nice to have someone else here during the day."

He murmured as he nestled his face in against the pup's hair.

"I'm sure Jika will love to keep you company during the day."

That had been one of the arguments he had put forward to Hayden about getting Jika.

To keep Ray company when he or Hayden couldn't. It was an important thing.

"You'll be nice to Ray and keep him company, won't you Kajika?"

It had been a very short argument, Dario knew well enough that the boy had a fascination with pets, his tumblr was evidence enough of that, it hadn't taken long for the boy to agree to it.

Rayner seemed to relax a little as the pup quite happily cuddled up against him.

Everyone waited for the Vampire to make the first move when it came to contact, Jika didn't, he forced Rayner to cuddled him and it had turned out well.

The Vampire smiled and pet the pup, ruffling his hair and Jika pressed forward and licked his face affectionately, like most animals, Jika could tell who needed the most love right now.

"I think he likes you," Dario chuckled as Jika pushed forwards to give him affectionate puppy kisses.

It was nice seeing Ray enjoying being with Jika.

This meant that Ray wouldn't be alone now. He highly doubted that Jika would let Ray be alone from now on. If the two were the only ones in teh house, Dario was sure that Jika would just about glue himself to Ray's side to keep him company.

Dario rested a hand on Ray's back with a little smile as he stroked Jika's neck and back gently.

"I like him."

Rayner replied, he didn't think he would take to the pet all that well but cuddling against him felt nice, he would enjoy having the pup around, he liked the idea of having a companion who he didn't have to worry about, Jika couldn't ask a lot of questions or expect him to constantly talk, he didn't feel threatened by him at all.

Hayden gave an excited squeak as he heard the oven beeping and quickly headed to the kitchen.

"Dario come see what I made!"
He called out.

"Good. He likes you, too."

Dario ruffled both Jika and Ray's hair as he stood.

"What did you make?" the man asked Hayden as he padded into the kitchen after his excited boyfriend.

Dario was always excited about Hayden's cooking. He was a good little cook. Always made the best stuff.

As Dario left the room Rayner sat down on the floor to let Jika curl up in his lap while he pet the pup.

Hayden lifted up a fresh tray of cookies that he had made, these had a twist, he had shaped each of them as a bone.

"I figured if we have a pup we need dog treats, they are honey and oatmeal, the same as normal cookies, perfectly safe for people to eat, I double baked them so they were nice and hard so he can chew on them for a while."

The boy had already got a biscuit tin ready to sit up on the counter so if Jika deserved a treat they could get to them easily.

Dario grinned widely.

"I'm sure he'll love them."

Dario thought they were adorable. He was absolutely positive Jika would love them, too.

"Shall we see what he thinks?" Dario asked, reaching for one of the freshly baked cookies.

"With everything he's done tonight, I think he definitely deserves a treat."

"Definitely."

Hayden replied, he wanted to see if the pup liked them. Once Dario had taken on he left the others to cool a little while longer before he put them away in the container for later.

"I'll have to go down to the community garden tomorrow and get some pot plants for the apartment since he is an elf."

They would need them since their apartment was so high up and away from the environment.

Dario gave a nod.

"I'll leave some money out on the counter for you."

Dario padded out into the living room and gave a whistle.

"Jika, over here," he called out with a little smile, waving the cookie in front of himself for the pup to see.

He didn't want their pup to get sick, and not having any plants around was the fastest way to make an Elf sick.

"We will only need a few, if we take him out on a walk every few days he should be fine."

They were a preventative more than anything else, plus, it would make the apartment look pretty.

Jika's head popped up as he was called, Rayner's belly rubs were putting him to sleep but the sight of the cookie woke him up instantly.

He rushed over, skidding to a stop at Dario's feet as he sat there eagerly, a whine passing his lips.

Dario smiled softly as Jika rushed over to him.

“Hayden made these for you. Say thank you to him.” Hayden had been nice and made these cookies just for Jika. He deserved to be thanked for that. Maybe a big wet puppy kiss for the boy.

“Say thank you and I’ll think about letting you have this.” He twisted the cookie in his hand idly as he waited for Jika to say thank you.

Dario could be patient.

Jika immediately pounced on the boy with a yap. He reached up the boy's small frame, yapping excitedly as he licked up Hayden's neck and face with a flurry of puppy kisses.

Hayden squealed and giggled as he ruffled Jika's and held the pup at bay.

"You're welcome! Down! Jika down!"

He squeaked as the pup grinned and lapped at his skin before dropping down to the floor once again.

Dario laughed as he watched Jika attack Hayden with puppy kisses.

"Down, Jika," the man chuckled, resting a hand on the over excited pup's head as he attacked his boyfriend.

"Good boy." His eyes flickered down to Hayden with his wide grin. "You doing okay?"

He ruffled Hayden's hair.

"Kajika, beg." He held up the cookie again with a smile.

Hayden giggled as Dario rescued him from the overly affectionate pup, wiping the slobber off of his face with the back of his sleeve.

The boy nodded softly as he looked up at Dario.
"Hard having a dog that's bigger than you are, I think if I took him out he would be the one walking me and not the other way around."

He added with a soft laugh as he looked down at Jika, usually cats and dogs didn't get on well and though it would take a while to get use to Jika, he was looking forward to it.

Kajika looked back up at Dario and sat up on his back legs, curling his paws at his chest and whining loudly as he begged.

"You'll get a lot of exercise, though. Maybe you might even start developing some muscle."

Dario poked the boy's flat stomach with a little grin.

When Jika pushed himself to his feet, Dario leaned over to balance the cookie on the pups nose. He'd be able to smell the treat and feel the warmth of it, but he wasn't allowed it just yet.

"Stay."

"Will we be able to walk him?"

Hayden asked with furrowed brows, he hadn't had a human pet before, he didn't know if he would be able to take the pup outside like this without getting in trouble with people.

Jika went cross eyed as the cookie was placed on his nose, a long whimper sounding as he stayed still and looked at it.

It smelled so good, like honey and cinnamon, he could feel his mouth water as he licked his lips, giving a whine as he looked up at Dario.

"We'll have to be careful about it. I know a place where we can go. I'll have to show you soon."

There was definitely a place they could to go walk him. No one cared in that area.

Dario chuckled as the pup gave a long whimper.

Poor pup.

The man hummed as he wrapped an arm around Hayden's shoulders and leaned down to press a kiss against the crown of his head.