Max had been looking for days and finally found something he thought was worthy of his ladies. The only problem was that the house had four bedrooms, not the specified three. Still, he just knew that he could sway 'Taya once she saw it. He rushed into the small apartment, very animated with excitement. "You gotta see it! You two are dressed" Ok, let's go!"
Two heads looked up from the sofa where Mataya and Juno had been reading together, having a little quiet time while waiting for Max to reappear. Neither of them had mentioned the incident outside, despite the newest addition to the house, who had bounded to his paws and rushed Max as soon as the door opened. There was nothing unfriendly in the greeting, but the canine was very big and heavy. Juno giggled as she turned to watch the wolfdog throw himself onto Max's chest, and even 'Taya had to hide a smirk. "Max ....meet Beetle."
Now that was unexpected. Max staggered back against the door as the paws hit his chest. His hands went upwards in a "I give up!" motion. Eyes wide as he stared down at about 150 pounds of fur, claws, fangs and teeth. "Uh....hello Beetle?" He looked over at 'Taya and Juno in confusion.
"Don't look at me, she named him," his fiancee said through a wry grin. Over the course of the afternoon, she'd conceded that Juno apparently had some kind of bond with the wolfdog, and despite the posters they'd put up in various places around the WestEnd, 'Taya had a feeling Beetle was here to stay. Juno grinned, scrambling down from the couch to pull the wolfdog off Max. The canine thumped down onto his paws, nudging into the child playfully, making her stagger and laugh once again. She didn't even have to bend far to wrap her arms around his neck, hugging tightly. Hazel eyes turned to look up at Max with that killer sweetness. "He's my newest bestest friend."
"A dog?" he mouthed to 'Taya as Juno pulled the mutt off him. His eyes travelled back towards Juno as she was nearly bowled over and had to cling to the dog's neck. At least, that's how it looked to Max. "He's....big." And Max smiled for Juno. That look of hers was all that it took and now Beetle was part of the family. "Well, I guess we're going to need that fourth bedroom now, aren't we?" He recovered quickly and even reached his hand out, fingers balled into a fist, for the dog to scent.
As Beetle lifted his nuzzle to scent the new male curiously, letting his big tongue loll out and affectionately inform Max that he could stay, 'Taya shrugged, spreading her hands helplessly. "I'll tell you later," she mouthed back to Max, not particularly wanting to have that discussion in front of Juno. Raising her brow, she lifted her voice in answer to Max. "Fourth bedroom?"
Max gave Beetle a wary look, then wiped the dog slobber from his fist. "Well, big dog, needs his own room, right?" Yeah, Max was going to milk that for all it was worth. "Just don't say no, 'Taya. Wait until you see it. And it's a steal! The owner passed away and the estate is selling it dirt cheap!"
"Oh God, don't tell me you want to buy it with all the furniture as well," 'Taya groaned lightly, but she was already moving. For Max to be this excited, it had to be a very nice house, and that was worth looking at. "Juno, put your shoes on. You, dog - Beetle. If you're coming, you need to behave yourself."
"Well, maybe some of it, like the appliances." He shrugged and watched the people in the house get set into motion with just a few words from 'Taya. It was what made her a great director; the ability to get the most out of people with the least bit of effort. Max was already opening the door again and reaching for Juno's hand. "You'll love the room I picked out for you!"
With the girls in their shoes and jackets, and Beetle trailing along close to Juno, it wasn't long before they were all out in the gentle afternoon sunlight, passing between Harry and Sally on their way off the Zen Building plot.
"So, fully fitted, then?" 'Taya was asking as she nudged the dog out of her way with one knee, watching as Juno pattered along at Max's side. She didn't miss how watchful the dog had become once they were past the Foo dogs, but didn't think to mention it - it wouldn't do to upset Juno twice in one day.
Beetle made sure that he was between the road and the little family that he was watching over. Max didn't seem to notice the protectiveness, he was too busy trying to hurry them along to the new place. "It's fully fitted with everything. But if you don't like it, we can always get rid of some stuff and paint some walls, whatever you like." He smiled and gently squeezed Juno's hand. He was talking to 'Taya, but wanted the little one to feel included. "It's not that far, either and the theater's about two blocks. Isn't that perfect?"
Juno looked up at Max with a beaming smile. "Is this the new house you said you was going to get ages and ages ago?" she asked curiously, swinging their linked hands violently back and forth between them.
'Taya chuckled softly as she walked just a little behind, her hands buried in her pockets. "Sounds about as perfect as it's going to get," she agreed with Max. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch, though, hotshot. I haven't seen this place yet. Or the price."
"Yes, this is the new house and if 'Taya says so, we're going to finally get it." Max grinned his million dollar smile for his ladies and then blew a kiss in 'Taya's direction. "You'll love it, I'm sure you will. And thank you for looking before saying no outright."
"Oh, that's sneaky," his fiancee laughed at him as Juno's big eyes turned to look up at her hopefully. "You're makin' me the evil witch again, dude. We have to look into your desires to be dominated by an evil woman at some point." Juno giggled, not understanding the full comment, but getting that it was indignantly funny. She bounced on her toes, reaching out to bury her hand in the fur of Beetle's scruff affectionately. "I get my own room but not allowed in yours?" she asked in a faintly worried tone.
"Cackle, baby," Max chuckled and wiggled his brows. "Whenever you're ready to delve into that part of my brain, you're more than welcome." Another waggle of his thick brows before he looked down at Juno with a smile. "You get your own room and are allowed into our room, but you have to knock first. Okay?"
Two heads looked up from the sofa where Mataya and Juno had been reading together, having a little quiet time while waiting for Max to reappear. Neither of them had mentioned the incident outside, despite the newest addition to the house, who had bounded to his paws and rushed Max as soon as the door opened. There was nothing unfriendly in the greeting, but the canine was very big and heavy. Juno giggled as she turned to watch the wolfdog throw himself onto Max's chest, and even 'Taya had to hide a smirk. "Max ....meet Beetle."
Now that was unexpected. Max staggered back against the door as the paws hit his chest. His hands went upwards in a "I give up!" motion. Eyes wide as he stared down at about 150 pounds of fur, claws, fangs and teeth. "Uh....hello Beetle?" He looked over at 'Taya and Juno in confusion.
"Don't look at me, she named him," his fiancee said through a wry grin. Over the course of the afternoon, she'd conceded that Juno apparently had some kind of bond with the wolfdog, and despite the posters they'd put up in various places around the WestEnd, 'Taya had a feeling Beetle was here to stay. Juno grinned, scrambling down from the couch to pull the wolfdog off Max. The canine thumped down onto his paws, nudging into the child playfully, making her stagger and laugh once again. She didn't even have to bend far to wrap her arms around his neck, hugging tightly. Hazel eyes turned to look up at Max with that killer sweetness. "He's my newest bestest friend."
"A dog?" he mouthed to 'Taya as Juno pulled the mutt off him. His eyes travelled back towards Juno as she was nearly bowled over and had to cling to the dog's neck. At least, that's how it looked to Max. "He's....big." And Max smiled for Juno. That look of hers was all that it took and now Beetle was part of the family. "Well, I guess we're going to need that fourth bedroom now, aren't we?" He recovered quickly and even reached his hand out, fingers balled into a fist, for the dog to scent.
As Beetle lifted his nuzzle to scent the new male curiously, letting his big tongue loll out and affectionately inform Max that he could stay, 'Taya shrugged, spreading her hands helplessly. "I'll tell you later," she mouthed back to Max, not particularly wanting to have that discussion in front of Juno. Raising her brow, she lifted her voice in answer to Max. "Fourth bedroom?"
Max gave Beetle a wary look, then wiped the dog slobber from his fist. "Well, big dog, needs his own room, right?" Yeah, Max was going to milk that for all it was worth. "Just don't say no, 'Taya. Wait until you see it. And it's a steal! The owner passed away and the estate is selling it dirt cheap!"
"Oh God, don't tell me you want to buy it with all the furniture as well," 'Taya groaned lightly, but she was already moving. For Max to be this excited, it had to be a very nice house, and that was worth looking at. "Juno, put your shoes on. You, dog - Beetle. If you're coming, you need to behave yourself."
"Well, maybe some of it, like the appliances." He shrugged and watched the people in the house get set into motion with just a few words from 'Taya. It was what made her a great director; the ability to get the most out of people with the least bit of effort. Max was already opening the door again and reaching for Juno's hand. "You'll love the room I picked out for you!"
With the girls in their shoes and jackets, and Beetle trailing along close to Juno, it wasn't long before they were all out in the gentle afternoon sunlight, passing between Harry and Sally on their way off the Zen Building plot.
"So, fully fitted, then?" 'Taya was asking as she nudged the dog out of her way with one knee, watching as Juno pattered along at Max's side. She didn't miss how watchful the dog had become once they were past the Foo dogs, but didn't think to mention it - it wouldn't do to upset Juno twice in one day.
Beetle made sure that he was between the road and the little family that he was watching over. Max didn't seem to notice the protectiveness, he was too busy trying to hurry them along to the new place. "It's fully fitted with everything. But if you don't like it, we can always get rid of some stuff and paint some walls, whatever you like." He smiled and gently squeezed Juno's hand. He was talking to 'Taya, but wanted the little one to feel included. "It's not that far, either and the theater's about two blocks. Isn't that perfect?"
Juno looked up at Max with a beaming smile. "Is this the new house you said you was going to get ages and ages ago?" she asked curiously, swinging their linked hands violently back and forth between them.
'Taya chuckled softly as she walked just a little behind, her hands buried in her pockets. "Sounds about as perfect as it's going to get," she agreed with Max. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch, though, hotshot. I haven't seen this place yet. Or the price."
"Yes, this is the new house and if 'Taya says so, we're going to finally get it." Max grinned his million dollar smile for his ladies and then blew a kiss in 'Taya's direction. "You'll love it, I'm sure you will. And thank you for looking before saying no outright."
"Oh, that's sneaky," his fiancee laughed at him as Juno's big eyes turned to look up at her hopefully. "You're makin' me the evil witch again, dude. We have to look into your desires to be dominated by an evil woman at some point." Juno giggled, not understanding the full comment, but getting that it was indignantly funny. She bounced on her toes, reaching out to bury her hand in the fur of Beetle's scruff affectionately. "I get my own room but not allowed in yours?" she asked in a faintly worried tone.
"Cackle, baby," Max chuckled and wiggled his brows. "Whenever you're ready to delve into that part of my brain, you're more than welcome." Another waggle of his thick brows before he looked down at Juno with a smile. "You get your own room and are allowed into our room, but you have to knock first. Okay?"