[Milli-verse] Juliet O'Hara: Lion Tamer

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

It's been a long time since Juliet and Shawn have been alone. In fact, this is the very first time they've been alone in her appartment since they made things official.

"Come on," Juliet calls, as she emerges from the bedroom. "It's time for someone to finally meet you!"

From behind her, a large animal lopes up and leans against her hip, panting happily.

"Shawn," she declares, "this is Baby."

Baby is, in fact, a hundred-pound black-spotted white great dane.

WHAT DO YOU DO, SHAWN!?

Comments

[psyched_you_out]

He's seen pictures, but photos don't really prepare you for the OMGHUGEness of a Great Dane. He kneels down, putting himself at prime face-licking level.

"Aw, hi buddy. How ya doin'?"

He devolves into baby talk almost immediately.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

He's probably heard the pup whining in the background while Jules talks to him; Baby seems to recognize his voice, and his ears perk up, head twisting slightly to the side in recognition.

"Put out your palm so he can sniff it first." She's repeating Shawn's instructions to her from back when they first met Yarel, but they need to be carefully repeated. Tuffy watches them all suspiciously from the top of the bookcase, his tail swishing and tapping against the top.

[psyched_you_out]

He holds out his hand to the pup, wishing he had some Snausages or some leftover hot dog as a peace offering. It's just now occurred to him to wonder what Baby could do to him if he took a disliking to him.

Baby sniffs him a few times - it's a fair bet he smells fascinating - before giving his face and hair a few slobbery licks and attempting to sit in his lap.


"... Um. I'm guessing that's a good sign?"

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet's good at breaking up dog fights; she's pretty confident she could get between them before anything horrible happened to Shawn. Or his hair. And whatever he smells like, Baby's trying to sit on him and lick him to death is definitely a good sign.

Jules can't stop giggling at the picture they make. "Uh huh." She grabs a very large squeaky-toy rabbit and holds it up, distracting Baby just slightly with it, preparing to toss it to Shawn.

[psyched_you_out]

"No, it's fine. I didn't need circulation to my lower limbs anyway."

Trying to dodge the sloppy Great Dane kisses, he manages to get a few good tummy scratches in.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"I can rub them back to life," she suggests.

Tummy scratches are, to Baby, a sign that he needs to melt to the carpet on his side for further scritches. Juliet tosses Shawn the rabbit and sits down with them.

[psyched_you_out]

He can't even form a snarky response to that, so charmed is he by the Giant Puddle of Melting Pup.

Any attempt to transcribe his high-pitched cooing would be woefully inadequate.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

As he should be. The eyes beg for scritches! So many scritches!

She smirks and watches Tuffy climb about on the bookcase. "Are you coming down or am I going to have to introduce you from here?"

Tuffy meows and flicks her tail in response.

[psyched_you_out]

Shawn, by this point, is sitting cross-legged on the floor with the dog's head in his lap, scratching him behind his floppy ears.

with a grumpy "prrt," the cat descends to floor level and nudges against Shawn's hand to demand petting.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

D'naww! You're not getting any help there, Shawn - your girlfriend's too busy enjoying the sight of you being cuddlepiled.

"I'm so getting the camera," she informs him.

[psyched_you_out]

"Can't breathe... too much cute..."

Tuffy helpfully headbutts the side of his leg.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"You always said you wanted to die in a pile of adorable," she points out unhelpfully.

[psyched_you_out]

"I was thinking more your kind of adorable."

He's laying flat out on his back now. Baby's still draped across his legs and Tuffy's about to claim his chest in the name of all catdom.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She smiles at the very idea, and sits down to give him a kiss in return. Tuffy batts at her nose in protest when she comes close, but Jules barely flinches. "You look really cute covered in dog hair."

[psyched_you_out]

"I'm always cute."

And so dignified.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Especially when he's shrieking and running while wearing an elaborate costume. "You are," she said, leaning on her wrist. "Especially your butt."

[psyched_you_out]

His grin is somewhat dampened by the kitty sprawled out on top of him.

"Thanks for noticing."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Both of kitties paws are on his lips and are kneading them. He has a fascinating face.

"I noticed a long time ago." Though not the first day, which involved too much sitting.

[psyched_you_out]

He's not exactly shy about it.

"Oh really? Just how long have you been admiring my manly qualities?"

The last word is slightly garbled as the cat attempts to actually put a paw in his mouth.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She rolls her eyes. "Don't you want this relationship to have any mystery at all?" The answer is, truthfully, only a few months after they met.

And that makes her snicker quietly. "Do you need help? Wave your arms if you need help."

[psyched_you_out]

He gently dislodges Tuffy's paw, distracting her with a scratch behind the ears. Loud purring ensues.

"I'm a psychic, remember? I could know by now if I wasn't so careful about invading people's privacy."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Yep, disaster's been averted, ears are slowly drifting backward.

She raises an eyebrow and starts petting her dog, which accidentally results in Baby putting a little bit more pressure on Shawn's belly than he'd likely enjoy. "Hmm. Okay Shawn, here's your only chance: tell me what I'm thinking, right now."

[psyched_you_out]

Oof.

"I would, but it's kinda hard to tune into the spirit world when your dog is standing on some of my most sensitive parts."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet gently tugs Baby's collar, which causes him to snap into a standing position. He's not going to move far; just off of Shawn and right beside him, with his head on Shawn's chest. "Is your blood heading back to your brain?" she asks.

[psyched_you_out]

Which puts Baby in prime position for staring at Shawn with love in his big doggy eyes. He reaches out to rub the pup's ears again.

"She's very silly isn't she? Yes, she is..."

.... That might be a no, but it's hard to tell.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Baby's eyes drift closed again, on a sigh of sheer doggie bliss. Juliet, meanwhile, stares at her boyfriend.

"Shawn, I'm not silly."

[psyched_you_out]

"You can be a little silly sometimes."

He scoots closer to her, resting his head on her knee as Tuffy abandons her perch to sit in Juliet's lap.

"But mostly you're beautiful, and smart, and shockingly good at running in heels."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She shrugs. "I'm fun. I'm a lot of fun!" And when he rests against her she leans into his weight, running her fingers through his hair. He and Tuffy are soon competing for prime knee space, with Tuffy draped down Juliet's entire thigh from hip to knee.

The compliments. "And you," she says, "are sweet, and cute, and...sometimes you can clear a fence without crotching yourself on it..." She kisses his temple.

[psyched_you_out]

"... That's a very odd compliment. But thank you."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She gives a contented sigh and kisses his forehead. "I thought about going with 'your butt looks great in jeans', but I know you already know."