stuckonyourheart | (no subject)

If you'd told Patrick that he'd be standing in a dog shelter with David Rose, of all people, as they worked to adopt a dog, he'd assume that he'd been drugged and was living in one of those really nice lucid fantasies that people had when they learned how to control their heart rate. The reality of it is a little less exciting, staring down the barrel of paperwork and training, but that doesn't stop Patrick from being wildly excited.

He's gripping David's hand firmly as they stand in the hallway, waiting to be let in to see the dogs. If he had a tail, he's pretty sure that it'd be wagging right now, as happy as he is.

"Thank you, again," he tells David, earnest and honest and so damn eager. "I know this isn't the easiest thing for you, that you probably never saw yourself with a dog, but I promise that I'll take care of the training and the walks," he vows, as if he needs to sell this, even though they're here and David's on board. He just, he really wants David to understand how much it means to him. "I really think this is gonna be good for us," he promises, tugging David's hand when he hears one of the staff members call them in.

It's time to go meet some potential dogs.

"You ready?" he asks, even if he's not giving David much choice, pulling him along like he is.

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There are things David knows he isn't supposed to say in front of the volunteer, things that would probably result in them being unable to adopt, because the volunteer will think David hates dogs. Which isn't entirely true. It's not untrue either.

"I like that he isn't jumping all over. Like a puppy," David says, then clears his throat and looks at the volunteer very seriously.

"I might be described as some people as... fastidious. About certain things. Is Henry already trained to go to the bathroom outside?"

"Yes," the volunteer says, smiling, as if she already knows David is fastidious. "He's potty trained and he knows most basic commands. Sit, down, stay, release. He was a surrender, his owner passed away, so he's been well loved and very well trained."

Patrick watches David the whole time, quietly handing back the other two leashes to the volunteer as he gets back to his feet, knowing that there's a decision that's already been made, and he's more than happy to go along with it. "Great," he says. "In that case, show us the paperwork we need to fill out and we'll take Henry."

He gives David an encouraging, warm smile, squeezing just above his elbow as he leans in to kiss him. "I can take him," he promises, sliding his fingers over the leash to gently tug it towards his own hand, feeling very proud of David for taking him for so long.

A big part of him can't believe they're really doing this. Getting a dog. Alexis and Stevie would both think he'd had a lobotomy or something. Another, bigger part of him knows he's doing it because he loves Patrick.

Because, short of having a child, David knows he would do anything for this man.

"You're lucky he and you are very cute," he says in a prim voice, then kisses Patrick again just because he can.

Patrick feels like he's got a very cute smile on right now, because David's agreeing to a dog, and it's one as cute as Henry. He really thinks they lucked out, and as he reaches for the leash, he can see the volunteer thinks the same.

"Don't worry, you're still the cutest," Patrick promises, once he drifts back from that kiss, giving David a fond grin. "Now, come on. How about I take him to get settled and let you do all the shopping for the fun stuff?"

"Oh, you're not being trusted with accessories," David says, as if that had ever been up for debate. There is absolutely no way in hell he's letting Patrick pick out the leash or the collar. Definitely not the bowls, because those will have to sit in their kitchen and David will need them to go with the entire aesthetic of their apartment, never mind just the room.

"Don't we have to like, do a criminal record check?" he asks. "Aren't they going to want to make sure we aren't satanists?"

Satanists probably sacrifice dogs, he thinks.

Patrick is fully unsurprised and far from shocked that he won't get a say in the aesthetics of the dog, but then, he'd already planned that. "I'll work on the paperwork and all the boring stuff, yeah," he promises, because taking the dog is a shortcut, but he's pretty sure that he can get started.

He also may have done some of that legwork. "I kind of put together some information for any shelters and rescue operations in a video package and the necessary forms before we started looking," he confesses, since planning and organizing and getting things done is his thing.

"Go," he encourages, kissing David's cheek. "Let me handle the boring stuff."

"You put together a video package," David echoes, staring at Patrick in disbelief for a moment before he rolls his eyes fondly and lets out an exhale. "You are the weirdest, sweetest man I have ever met."

He kisses Patrick's cheek again, then gives him a little shove toward the volunteer, already bringing up his phone so he can begin to look for luxury Darrow dog brands online. There is no way his dog is going to be sporting some shitty polyester leash that looks like it was bought in a dollar store.