puppycrush2 | week one

Good! We can work with that. What kind of comics? And what sort of volunteer work do you? Just in general?

[ she's really working hard for this man she's only formally talked to today. good mornings don't count. ]

Oh, my favourite's Séance Dog. It's about a Jack Russell terrier who fights evil with magic and it's—

[ in a moment of self-awareness it occurs to him that prattling on about his favourite canon might actually not be helpful here ]

— really, really good. And um, volunteer work... I've helped out at a soup kitchen before [ lie ] and I've helped people who, uh... I don't want to say lived through a disaster, but... kind of like that? Like an... emergency response kind of thing?

[ technically true. also this is why Anna's the go-getter. queen. ]

[ wait, no? that's so cute? him being animated is adorable? ]

Oooh, first responder. Go back to talking about your dog book, it sounds as cute as you looked mentioning it.

[ Blinks. Cute girls do not usually ask him to talk about comics, let alone call him cute when he does—

wait she was just calling him cute? blushes, um, ]

So he starts out as just a normal dog, right? There's this magic practitioner, and he's always bringing him to work, even though the dog has nothing to do with it, he just always wants him around. One of his assistants is cool with it, but it drives the other one nuts.

[ around here is when any lingering embarrassment leaves him... now it's go time ]

Anyway they're working on a project to open a portal, just, massive, never been done before, and right when they're on the cusp of it the dog runs for it, I guess because it was big and glowing and making a new sound and he wanted to check it out, only it wasn't ready yet. So his owner runs in after him, and there's an explosion, and when the dust clears we see that the head guy is gone, and his dog is kind of, like, humanoid now, and can talk and knows magic.

Except both of the assistants were caught in the explosion too. The one who hated the dog ended up hyper-intelligent, like, one of the smartest guys in the universe, except he wants revenge. And the assistant who was cool with the dog is badly injured, but he's a good guy, right? So he and Séance Dog team up to use Séance Dog's new powers for good, and trying to stop the other guy and like, at least try to bring him to the side of good, and... yeah, that's, that's kind of the comic? It's been going on for a while, I mean years, in-universe and out, and there's just been so much character development and intricate storylines... It's just, it's so good.

[ wow, he really goes on.

but it isn't bad. anna does listen attentively, or tries to follow as best she can -- comics really are not her thing, but she's always willing to see if they are -- nodding along as mark talks. honestly, it does sound kind of baller. ]

I feel like I'd have a way better grip on it if I could read them myself... it's too bad you don't have any with you. Do you?

[ even one. edition? are they called? ]

Because it does sound super fun.

[ He's just happy she seems so receptive. Score one for Mark? Actually, score two for Mark, because, ]

Oh, yeah! I brought a few with me, they're from this one arc where Séance Dog is really tested and a lot of shit goes down. You can totally borrow them... and definitely let me know what you think.

[ Beaming!! ]

[ oh my god!!! she's clapping her hands!!! ]

Of course!!! Oh, I bet he's the cutest little dude in town too -- my friend Komari-chan's always suggesting things for me to read too, but I don't know how into them you'd be... not that I brought any with me. Club property and all.

[ and certainly their new prez wouldn't have appreciated her possibly losing anything, though she thinks she wouldn't. ]

Mind if I hit your bed tonight? It'll be a nice way to destress after all the excitement today...

[ See, now he's vibing too hard to be embarrassed about any part of this. ]

I don't know if cute's the word I'd use to describe him... [ it's a VERY serious comic... ] but yeah, he's pretty cute.

And yeah, you can totally come by my bed tonight. I'd love that ... Maybe you can tell me a bit about some of the other stuff you've read too? I'd love to hear about it.

[ she'll judge it for herself when she's kicking her feet reading the comics in his bunk. ]

Deal! [ good man. okay, back to it-- ] Favorite and least favorite foods?

[ He is so much more at ease with all of this now. Mark grins at Anna, sealing the deal, before heading right on in to her next question. ]

Favourite... is it too basic to say pizza? [ A little laugh accompanying it. ] Meat lover's, probably. Least favourite... hm... Let's go with Brussels sprouts.

[ he's just a simple guy ]

Basic's good, it means it's easy to find people to share with you! Pizza sounds like it might really hit the spot right now too...

[ she thinks she could eat a whole pie right now... a pizza's supposed to have all the major food groups, right? that means it's totally healthy. ]

Though I dunno how many people here would be willing to eat the sprouts off your plate. I don't mind them myself. Would you be willing to fit someone into your future, or would they have to figure it out themselves?

[ Helpfully: ] Sanji might make pizza at some point! I asked him about it.

[ Less helpfully, he has to really think about her followup question. Pizza was a lot easier to talk about a moment ago... ]

But, um... I want to be able to fit someone into my future, just... it's probably going to be a complicated future. I think I'd need someone who would be open to a lot of things, and able to figure it out themselves.

[ He looks away, off to the side. ]

That's kind of why my last relationship didn't really work out...

[ pizza....... sanji truly is the greatest man here. ]

I guess you need someone that's more independent and driven then, too... who has their own life plan they can lay next to yours without it clashing.

[ that works out too. ]

Be honest. Was it a lack of quality time?

I... yeah. I couldn't be there even when I wanted to be, and I guess trying only counts for so much. After a certain point it's just on me.

[ He sighs. ]

Someone who's okay with being apart for a while is probably for the best, for both of us. I want to spend time with someone, I really do, it's just...

[ And he waves his hand vaguely, out of words. At least Anna's brought up something he hadn't considered before: someone else independent, who could handle that lack of quality time. ]

[ that's what she's here for! making people consider stuff! her interrogations are not for naught!!! ]

Difficult. Yeah, I get it. It's like when you've got three different clubs you're a part of on top of working the family business at home, but you still wanna chase after the guy of your dreams while balancing the grades you need to get into Tokyo's top university by going to cram school and passing on any chance of social interaction with your peers via karaoke and outings.

[ it's. not from experience, i promise, she's just... she's got a whole imagination, mark. which she's projecting onto him, patting his arm. ]

But it'll work out, Mark-kun. Grades are temporary, love is forever. As long as you remember that and make the effort when and where it counts most, especially if they ask, then it'll work out.

[ Mark is like two seconds from ceding control of the game to Anna and just having her sort everyone into pairs, she's so wise.

He looks down at his arm as she pats it, then back up to meet her eyes. And that was a really specific example, so he's pretty sure that's exactly what her life is. He's also not going to call her out on it because while it sounds hectic it also sounds normal, which his life is decidedly not, and if he can continue passing as normal then that's a good thing.

Not that he's particularly good at it, his smile a little strained. Because yeah, his grades are bad, and they may be temporary, but while love is forever so should be other people's lives, and saving them is why he keeps failing at time management, and— ]

Thanks. [ And he needs his brain to stop spiralling, now. ] That's good advice. I'm going to have to write that down.

[ you know. when they're allowed to have writing implements again. ]

I'm sure you already know this, but... wow, you're really, really good at this.

Of course I am! My heart led me to my match day one, it's a wonder no one's scrambling for my advice at every hour!

[ a gentle flip of her hair. so modest. so humble. you love to see it. ]

At least some of you have sense.

[ Well, when you have a ~~track record~~ confidence like hers (what track record), he figures it makes sense for Anna to take charge the way she has, so he nods. ]

Can't argue with results, right?

[ what results ]

week one | overflow

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