Lumi let himself be held, and just clung to Chance for the time being. He knew it was greedy, that he already had so much more than a bad dog deserved, but he'd never really been comforted before. The others were skittish toward him because he was so much trouble. He was an outside dog and on his own most of the time. And when they were all in the yard, his humans had always broken it up if they played too hard or snuggled too close.
He just--wanted to be here, in the warm brace of Chance's touch. It was good. It was helping. So Lumi leaned into being nuzzled and sniffed Chance back, rubbing with his muzzle and only just daring to lick. The tiniest friendliest kiss back.
"Worried?" He wasn't sure if that felt good, to have someone worry about him. "I'm--I didn't mean to frighten them, or hurt anybody." Lumi whined in his teeth. "I'm glad they're letting us stay together. But I don't want to go--I know I need to, I know I should."
It stuck, whimper-shape, tight in his throat. He almost said Dr. Gibbs is nice to you, but I'm a freak. That was very mean! He had no way of knowing if it was true. And it was unfair to everyone: to the kind desk lady, and maybe to Dr. Baines, too.
It was especially unfair to Chance, who was taking such nice care of him. So Lumi held it in. Held that thought, held it and took a deep, steadying breath thick with the warm scent of Chance's soft fur. He trusted those good, steady touches and let himself relax, taken in hand.
There was plenty wrong with him, a hot streak of it all the way up his body, but--
Chance didn't seem to think it was bad at all. And he'd been so very kind.
Lumi's tail fairly curled for that kiss, pattering a bright rhythm against his leg. He followed Chance to the edge of the bed. He wasn't sure how they were both going to--it would be a snug fit. He sat, trying to be good, only it was hard to, with his tail still going. With his shorts all tight.
"I," he squirmed, a tangle of several emotions at once, and focused on the bright, true thing at the heart of it. "I'm glad I met you."
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He just--wanted to be here, in the warm brace of Chance's touch. It was good. It was helping. So Lumi leaned into being nuzzled and sniffed Chance back, rubbing with his muzzle and only just daring to lick. The tiniest friendliest kiss back.
"Worried?" He wasn't sure if that felt good, to have someone worry about him. "I'm--I didn't mean to frighten them, or hurt anybody." Lumi whined in his teeth. "I'm glad they're letting us stay together. But I don't want to go--I know I need to, I know I should."
It stuck, whimper-shape, tight in his throat. He almost said Dr. Gibbs is nice to you, but I'm a freak. That was very mean! He had no way of knowing if it was true. And it was unfair to everyone: to the kind desk lady, and maybe to Dr. Baines, too.
It was especially unfair to Chance, who was taking such nice care of him. So Lumi held it in. Held that thought, held it and took a deep, steadying breath thick with the warm scent of Chance's soft fur. He trusted those good, steady touches and let himself relax, taken in hand.
There was plenty wrong with him, a hot streak of it all the way up his body, but--
Chance didn't seem to think it was bad at all. And he'd been so very kind.
Lumi's tail fairly curled for that kiss, pattering a bright rhythm against his leg. He followed Chance to the edge of the bed. He wasn't sure how they were both going to--it would be a snug fit. He sat, trying to be good, only it was hard to, with his tail still going. With his shorts all tight.
"I," he squirmed, a tangle of several emotions at once, and focused on the bright, true thing at the heart of it. "I'm glad I met you."