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Post by Bri on Jan 7, 2024 22:31:09 GMT -6
Markus was sure he looked like a crazy person to anyone passing by, running around the park like a mad man but if someone was to look closer they'd see that he wasn't running around for no reason, rather there was a crazy barking ball of fluff close on heels. It was another cool morning where Markus got to take Bucky out for a walk, taking their usual route until they got to the park, where he let his dog off his leash to run around except this time he decided to join, laughing the entire time.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 7, 2024 22:53:12 GMT -6
Gwen let go of Lottie’s hand as they reached the edge of the park, not seeing any other kids there, however, as Lottie jumped up on the jungle gym to the slide, Markus and his little dog came running around from the other side of the playground. Gwen raised an eyebrow, but her lips were curling into a smile, thinking a big man with a little dog was kind of adorable. She moved to take a seat on one of the benches where she could watch Lottie knowing her daughter wouldn’t care about anything other than the dog now.
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Post by Bri on Jan 7, 2024 23:37:48 GMT -6
Markus kept running around with Bucky, laughing as he tried to out race his dog. For a moment he didn't realize that anyone else had joined them until he notice a familiar little girl jumping down from the jungle gym and calling for his dog. Markus smiled at the same moment the toe of his boot caught in a mole hole, sending him pitching forward and landing on the ground with a loud smack.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 1:46:17 GMT -6
Gwen watched Lottie call out to the dog, and then she saw Markus trip and fall flat on his face. “Oh, my goodness.” she said, forcing herself not to laugh just yet as she got up and moved to his side. “Are… Are you okay?” she asked, gently putting a hand on his back.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 15:18:35 GMT -6
Bucky ran up to Markus, bouncing around his head and nipping at his face. Markus groaned, pushing himself up into a sitting position and letting Bucky jump up on his lap. "Besides my pride?" He asked, looking up to see the woman from before. Of course now had been the time he made fool of himself, "I think I'm alright." He managed to smile at her. "It's nice to see you again."
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 21:47:47 GMT -6
Gwen smiled, holding back a giggle though she’d probably want to cry if it was her. “It’s nice to see you again.” Which was true, she hadn’t met many people since moving, but she had been more concerned with setting up Lottie and making sure her job was all set. She was beginning to think she’d always run into him at the park at some point in the day.
Lottie came running up to stand next to Gwen, “Can Bucky play?” she asked, looking up to her mother before down at Bucky and his owner.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 22:03:48 GMT -6
Markus looked down at Lottie, his gaze softening "of course he can." He patted Bucky's head before picking him up and setting him on the ground then dug into his pocket, pulling out a small tennis ball and held it out to Lottie. "He's pretty good at playing fetch." He told her, "he'll get it no matter how far you throw it." He playfully challenged then looked at Gwen and winked.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -6
Lottie’s face lit up as she took the ball and ran with Bucky, throwing it as far as she could for the little dog to chase after.
Gwen watched Lottie take off with the ball, knowing this was going to fuel the fire in wanting a dog. She eyed Markus, catching his wink and felt her stomach twist a little, “Now I’ll have to have the talk with her again about maybe getting a dog later.” She chuckled, knowing Lottie would pout for a second but ultimately, she was a good kid.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 22:41:12 GMT -6
Markus looked after Bucky and Lottie, finding the little duo adorable. He looked back at Gwen, his smile turning sheepish, "sorry, I could always rent you Bucky?" He joked, "you know what, I'll pay you to take him for a couple days." He joked, not thinking she would take him seriously.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 22:59:56 GMT -6
Gwen laughed, “Don’t say that too loudly, Lottie would take you up on that offer.” She said, her eyes wide with fear that her daughter had heard, but she was smiling at the idea of renting a dog. “Well, we could always pet sit him, if you needed someone.” At least then he’d get something out of it.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 23:26:52 GMT -6
"I might have to take you up on that when I have to go back to Montana and visit family." He chuckled, "little guy tends to get sick on the planes...something I didn't know until it was too late." He grimaced, remember how awful that kennel had gotten. He carefully got up from the ground, brushing himself off, thinking it might be better to sit on a bench than in the dirt.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 8, 2024 23:42:15 GMT -6
“Don’t tell me he vomited all over the plane!” Gwen couldn’t help but gag at the thought, even when Lottie got sick, she often couldn’t handle it. The thought of vomiting had her gagging to keep herself from vomiting. “I’m sure Lottie would just love to have him for even an hour.” Though giving him back might become a problem the longer they held the dog.
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Post by Bri on Jan 8, 2024 23:58:08 GMT -6
"Not all over the plane but all over the inside of his kennel." Markus grimaced, "it was awful and I had to use so many paper towels to clean it." He said, still feeling sorry for all the people on the plane who had to endure the smell and sight. "Well any time she wants him she can have him." He joked, "and if she plays her cards right I might be able to introduce her to my sisters big old ball of fur." He chuckled, walking over and sitting on a bench.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 9, 2024 22:26:56 GMT -6
Gwen grimaced at the idea of a vomit filled kennel and a fluffy dog on a plane three thousand miles in the air. “I can’t imagine how well that all went.” She shook her head, glad she wasn’t one of the people unlucky enough to be riding with him. “She would love meeting another dog, though I don’t know how she’ll react to a dog that’s bigger than she is.” She laughed at the idea of a dog towering over her, but somehow, she felt like Lottie wouldn’t back down and be scared.
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Post by Bri on Jan 9, 2024 23:15:31 GMT -6
"It was terrible." Markus shook his head, "once we landed I had to go give him a bath in mens room sink with their stupid hand soap. I'd rather drive than ever have to do that again." He remembered those weird looks and how Bucky ended up looking like a drowned rat. He looked up to his his dog racing after the tennis ball and smiled before looking to Gwen. "I'll see what I can do, Rooney is a sweet dog, though he does prefer sleeping all day." He chuckled.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 10, 2024 18:46:14 GMT -6
Gwen’s mouth dropped open, thinking about how tiny those sinks were, and the soap wasn’t always the best. “I like road trips, I feel like you see more, and it’s more intimate.” She had never ridden on a plane before, always being moved by someone’s backseat while growing up. “She’ll be fine, she just really wants a dog.” She sighed, knowing it wasn’t possible right no for the two of them, but she hoped in a year or two she could surprise Lottie.
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Post by Bri on Jan 10, 2024 19:01:33 GMT -6
"I do too, but sometimes it's cheaper to fly... plus I don't think I can handle a road trip with my siblings." He chuckled, "if they heard I was driving they'd stow away in my truck." He chuckled and looked after Bucky. "You'll get a dog when the time is right."
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 10, 2024 20:15:15 GMT -6
“They would do that?” Gwen asked, wishing she had a big family growing up. She eyed Lottie throwing the ball for Bucky, and hoped she’d be able to give her the big family she never had, or at least, a family. “Try teaching that to a seven-year-old.” She laughed, knowing it would be a battle for a few hours until she could distract her with something else.
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Post by Bri on Jan 10, 2024 22:45:35 GMT -6
"Oh yeah, especially my brothers, they can be really unpredictable." Markus chuckled, knowing Beck was the biggest trouble maker but Leo was quick to follow and it wasn't hard to make Charlie fold. He chuckled and shook his head, "I don't think I could, I'd just cave and probably end up with five more dogs or something." He joked but really, how could someone not adopt another dog when they didn't have a reason not to?
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 11, 2024 18:47:22 GMT -6
“Well, I’m an only child, so I have no idea what it’s like,” Gwen said, her tone partially sad, though she technically wasn’t always an only child, most of her fosters had other kids in the house, but it often didn’t feel like they were siblings. “That’s the reason we haven’t visited the shelter.” And the fact that she’d probably cave if Lottie begged her for a dog while there.
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Post by Bri on Jan 11, 2024 19:26:29 GMT -6
Markus tilted his head, catching the tone of her voice and smiled slightly, "well I could tell you all about the unfair snowball fights, the pranks, the wrestling, and how much trouble we got into but that might get boring." He joked, leaning back against the bench as he looked around, seeing the businesses around the park start to open, noting the coffee shop. "I try to avoid it too," he admitted, but sometimes it was hard. "Would you like a coffee?"
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 11, 2024 21:42:45 GMT -6
Gwen giggled, “Nah. I feel like those would be some fun stories.” Compared to hers, they were probably innocent. She could tell him about drinking at the age of thirteen, getting into drugs at fourteen, and then getting pregnant and going into jail, but that all seemed a little too much for someone she just met. She blinked a few times before looking towards the coffee shop and then Lottie. “Sure, a coffee sounds good.”
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Post by Bri on Jan 11, 2024 22:30:33 GMT -6
Markus chuckled, "fun for you, torture for me." He joked, giving her a smile, knowing there were some stories he wouldn't share, couldn't share. He put his hands on his knees and stood up, "what kind would you like? If you don't mind watching the kids while I go." He joked, gesturing towards Bucky and Lottie.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 12, 2024 21:08:40 GMT -6
Gwen giggled, “Perfect, I expect a story with my coffee.” She teased, though nodded when he asked about watching the kids. “For a coffee I’ll definitely watch these kids for a few minutes.” She rattled off her order, offering to buy him a treat if he’d get her one, pulling out her small wallet from a hidden pocket in her hoodie. “Ooo, and Lottie will want a cake pop.” She knew her daughter would come running the second she saw her mom drinking coffee.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 0:15:09 GMT -6
Markus chuckled but nodded at her order, committing it to memory but waved off her wallet. "You can get the coffee next time." He joked, walking away before she could answer and headed over to the coffee shop. It took a few minutes but soon he was back on his way over holding a drink tray with a little bag stuck between the cups, holding it all with both hands so he wouldn't drop it. Once he was back to Gwen he sat back on the bench, "okay, so coffee for you, coffee for me, pup cup for Bucky, and I got Lottie a kids hot chocolate just in case...oh and cake pops for the three of us." He said with a smile, "yours has the smiley face drawn on it."
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 12:56:30 GMT -6
Gwen was about to protest but he told her she could get it next time. Something flittered in her chest, wondering if he was being serious about a next time. She didn’t want to overthink it, they had just met, but she had to admit she liked the idea of a next time. “Oh wow, thank you.” Normally Lottie didn’t like hot drinks, but she hadn’t tried in a few months. She giggled down at the cake pop, “Thanks again, I really will get the next time.” She wanted him to know she was perfectly happy with meeting again.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 15:25:43 GMT -6
Markus gave her a big smile, "you're welcome, I don't doubt you will." He said, picking up his coffee and taking a sip but immediately his face puckered up and he pulled the cup away from his mouth. His face turned a little red as he coughed, "uh, careful, it's a little hot. Don't burn your tongue." He said a bit sheepishly.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 16:08:56 GMT -6
Gwen laughed, “I’d hope it was hot, but don’t worry.” She blew into the little opening a few times before taking a sip. “Oo, still a little hot, but not tongue burning.” She giggled lightly, leaning against the bench, and turning to spot Lottie throwing the ball once more. The second her daughter turned and spotted them with drinks, she grabbed Bucky and the ball, and came running. “Uh oh, incoming.” Gwen joked, setting down her coffee, picking up the hot chocolate to blow on it, maybe she’d like the taste this time.
“Are those cake pops!” Lottie came to screeching halt in front of the two of them, she eyed the treats, eyed Markus and then her mom.
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Post by Bri on Jan 13, 2024 17:01:41 GMT -6
"I warned you." Markus chuckled a little, seeing she hadn't burned herself too bad. He looked over as Bucky and Lottie ran over, his gaze softening. "There's one cake pop for each of us and a hot chocolate for you and a pup cup for Bucky." He told her and glanced at Gwen before taking the little dixie cup of whipped cream and giving it to Bucky.
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Post by Kiersten on Jan 13, 2024 19:39:03 GMT -6
Lottie watched as Markus gave Bucky the pup cup, seeing the dog gobble it down. The little girl laughed and picked up her cake pop. “Mom has to aways gets me a cake pop.” She said before taking a bite out of hers.
Gwen shook her head and held out the hot chocolate for her. “Take a sip, but you don’t have to drink it all.” She wasn’t going to force her to drink it if she didn’t like the taste, though she’d probably drink it for the warmth. She picked up her coffee cup again when Lottie took the hot chocolate, inspecting it. “Also, Markus here picked up the cake pops, so thank him.” She poked Lottie in the side and received a giggle in response before her daughter turned and thanked Markus.
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