new york wolves } { of puppy dates and the w-word

[hereditare]

Stiles: [coming back from class, he literally rushes through the living room to the puppy that is barking excitedly, trying to jump over the edges of the pen set up] I'm coming, Bucky, I'm coming.

Barron: [is sitting there at the edge of the pen before turning to face Stiles with a loud WOOF]

Stiles: Hey, Barron. You been keeping him company? Good boy. [and Barron will get a few scritches, which gets Bucky whining for his daddy because WHY ARE YOU NOT PLAYING WITH ME!!!!!]

Barron: [mmmmmm scritches. totally not ashamed of being a distraction]

Bucky: [jump, jump, barking]

Stiles: Okay! Sheesh, you're worse than I am. [and he grabs the puppy] Let's go take a walk and burn some of that energy.

Barron: [walks?!?!?! can he come on the walk he likes walks.]

Stiles: [sees Barron getting excited] Crap, Sorry, buddy, I don't know how to handle both of you.....

Barron: [unhappy whine, shifting to lie down on the ground and clearly feeling very dejected]

Stiles: [dealing with wiggling puppy] Oh, please don't give me that look, Barron. Let me walk him first and then I'll come back for you?

Barron: [very sad. so sad. you clearly don't love him. the scritches were a lie]

Laura: [makes her way out and looks down at the dog] What did you do?

Stiles: I said the W word but I can't handle both of them at once and now he's pouting at me.

Laura: [she pauses, glancing down at her watch] Well, Cora should be back soon if you think Bucky can handle waiting five minutes.

Stiles: [looks down at the wiggly puppy] We can try.

Laura: [she nods, getting what she came for and crouching down to rub Barron's back on her way out] Don't worry, big guy. You'll get your walk in.

Stiles: [puts Bucky back down in his pen] It'll give me time to change. Ignore his whines for a moment. [and he will head up and Bucky will whine and looks at Laura all LOVE ME TOO ALPHA LADY]

Laura: [glances over at him with a Look] Are you going to be good?

Bucky: [sits and wags his tail, because he so knows who the alpha is. Yup, totally being good doggie. Yup]

Laura: [smirks, before making her way over to brush her hand against the top of his head] Good boy.

Bucky: [oh yay! Alpha pets. And he's excited for the attention and tries to lick her hand as she pets him]

Laura: [only if he doesn't jump at her, because if he does that, he'll get the alpha stare]

Bucky: [no, he's gotten the stare enough that he doesn't jump on her. ONLY her]

Laura: [good boy, Bucky]

Cora: [makes her way in with a sigh] Hey, Laura.

Laura: Hey. How was school?

Cora: It was long.

Bucky: [whoops, sorry Laura. HI MOMMY!!!!!! and he's barking and jumping again]

Stiles: I take it Cora's home. [coming down the stairs, pulling on his hoodie]

Cora: [sighs as she glances over at him] He's got a lot of energy today.

Laura: [yanks her hand back, and yep there's the Stare]

Bucky: [and yup, whimpering and belly to the ground]

Stiles: I need to learn that trick.

Laura: [sighs as she gets to her feet] Perks of being the alpha.

Cora: Mom used to do the same thing with the stray dogs that wandered onto the preserve.

Stiles: It's good to be the alpha. [totally said Mel Brooks style] Cora, you want to take Barron on a walk while I take Bucky?

Cora: [takes a breath and nods] Sure, sounds good. Let me just change my shoes and we can head to the park.

Stiles: Great. I'll bring the tennis balls then. [so the dogs can really get a work out]

Cora: Perfect. [and she disappears upstairs]

Barron: [lifts his head up when he hears his name. Walks?!?! can he go on the walk now?!?!?!]

Stiles: [chuckles] Yes, Barron, you're coming with us.

Barron: [a happy WOOF because he's so pleased]

Stiles: [and he grabs a bag to toss the poop bags, a few tennis balls, and some water into it before grabbing both leashes] Alright, guys, let's suit up. [looks at Laura] Sure you don't want to go for a walk with us?

Laura: [she waves a hand] Nah, I gotta get started on dinner anyway. I'll see you guys when you get home.

Stiles: Alright. [and he's going to put the leash on Barron first since the dog can walk himself to the door, and then go to fight against the puppy who wants to play to get the leash on]

Cora: [and she will return in her sneakers and make her way over to Stiles] Need a hand?

Stiles: Nah, just grab the bag and Barron. I've got to show this little one who's boss around here. After Laura.

Cora: [grins before nodding] Okay. [and she'll scoop up the bag and go wait at the door with Barron]

Stiles: [and after a bit more] SUCCESS! [and he stands up with wiggling puppy trying to eat his leash] Let's go.

Cora: [laughs before opening the front door and making her way to the elevator with Barron]

Stiles: [and when they are in the elevator, he will lean over and kiss Cora] Hi, by the way.

Cora: [sighs softly into the kiss] Hi. How was your day?

Stiles: It was good. Classes, classes and more classes.

Cora: A lot of the same for me.

Stiles: Anything good?

Cora: Not really. Mostly it's just a bum rush to finish everything before December so I can start at MIT on time.

Stiles: And it would be very selfish of me to ruin those plans.

Cora: [she gives him a gentle look] I'm already a semester behind because of the alpha pack. I don't want to lose any more time.

Stiles: I know. I just don't know if I'm ready yet.

Cora: We will probably see each other almost every weekend. If not more often.

Stiles: I know.

Cora: [shifts as she leans in to kiss him again] It'll be okay.

Stiles: [holds the kiss a bit longer] I'm just going to miss you.

Cora: I'm going to miss you too. But you will have plenty to keep you busy between Laura and getting a job and all of that.

Stiles: [nods]

Cora: Have you thought about asking Flack about the crime lab?

Stiles: Yes. I've been playing with my resume. Derek said I can give it to him if I don't want to ask myself.

Cora: [nods] That's good. I'm sure he'll get it to Mac.

Stiles: [the elevator door opens and Bucky wiggles, wanting to get down and walk himself, but Stiles tucks him under his arm] Oh, I know he will, but I still just don't know.

Cora: [there's a beat] Do you not want to work there? Because if I'm pushing too much ...

Stiles: Honestly, I don't know what I want to do right now.

Cora: [she nods a bit, before perking up a bit] Well, think of it this way - if they do call you for an interview, you can always say no if it's not what you want.

Stiles: True. [and once they are outside, Bucky is on the ground and finding the first tree because OH MY GOD TREE WHO WAS HERE I NEED TO LEAVE MY MARK!!!]

Cora: [Barron is not as antsy about marking his territory and just ambles along next to Cora and Stiles, sniffing at everything as he goes] It's just an interview. If anything it gives you interview practice.

Stiles: Yeah, I know. And I mean, it's a good job too. It's not like a crap job working in a basement at some cooperation telling people to turn on and off their computers on tech service calls.

Cora: Yeah. You'll be helping solve murders.

Stiles: I know.

Cora: [squeezes his hand gently] But if it's not what makes you happy, it's okay if you say no. But you're never going to know until you go to the interview.

Stiles: [he nods, and Bucky is pulling him along - or trying to at least] And my Dad is into the idea. I mean, it's following in his footsteps. I just - [he sighs] - I just really thought I was going to be dead by now, so I never made a game plan.

Cora: [she nods once before looking up at him with a grin] Then you should try everything.

Stiles: [chuckles] You make it sound easy.

Cora: In a lot of ways it is. You didn't make a plan, so you have no expectations. You could apply to anything that sounds interesting and just see what happens.

Stiles: Think I can apply to become an astronaut?

Cora: They sort of disbanded NASA.

Stiles: No fair.

Cora: I know.

Stiles: Then again, probably don't want me going to the moon.

Cora: You could have sent me a really cool selfie.

Stiles: Yeah, until the proximity to the moon had me howling.

Cora: I don't think it works that way.

Stiles: But you don't know. I mean, is there any case study?

Cora: You mean has a werewolf ever gone to the moon?

Stiles: Yeah.

Cora: No idea.

Stiles: I should ask Marcus about that. I bet he'd love to theorize that one.

Cora: I'm sure he would.

Stiles: [and he's about to say something when he's suddenly jerked back as Bucky sees a squirrel and he's going to get that thing!]

Cora: [laughs as she glances over to Barron] Go sit on your brother. [and the big dog will wander over and place one foot down on Bucky's leash, pinning it to the ground]

Bucky: [I'm going to ACK whine Barron you are mean let me go I need to get the thing!]

Barron: [glances back like can we go play now]

Cora: It's only a little bit further to the park, Buck. Don't worry, then you can chase all the squirrels.

Bucky: [but mom....]

Cora: [smirks and hold out Barron's leash to Stiles] Wanna trade?

Stiles: Sure. [and he will take Barron's leash]

Cora: [and she takes Bucky and starts to jog a bit towards the entrance to the park in the middle of the park] C'mon Bucky.

Bucky: [YAY I get to go running with Mommy look at my run mommy!!!!!]

Cora: [good boy Bucky. She's just going to run him into the park until they find a nice big empty spot to plop down in and let him catch her.]

Bucky: [which he will, jumping on her and barking because he got you!]

Cora: [grins as she catches him scratching him behind the ears because yeah, he did] You're going to be a good tracker, aren't you?

Bucky: [barks in agreement, grring and trying to playfully bite at her arm]

Cora: [she will let him, so long as his teeth don't sink in too far] Yes, you are. Good boy.

Stiles: [and a ball goes flying over them, and Bucky takes off as Stiles comes to flop down next to her, having closed the dog park gate]

Cora: [Barron goes and chases after Bucky and Cora glances over at him and grins] You're going to have to start teaching him to track soon.

Stiles: Yeah. And then no squirrel or cat in New York will ever be safe again.

Cora: Probably not.

Stiles: I hope he has the attention span for it.

Cora: He does. It's in his nature.

Stiles: Would I teach him the same way you taught me?

Cora: No. More like you have to bribe him.

Stiles: That may be easier.

Cora: He'll figure it out though.

Stiles: Good.

Cora: [nods] He's a smart dog.