Dylan had wanted a dog basically forever but it had never really been possible, first simply because his parents wouldn’t allow it, then the same with the dorms, and finally when he moved off campus he was simply worried that his apartment was too small and his schedule too full to be able to care for one, he often did all sorts of stupid stuff that endangered his own life and safety but he wasn’t about to do the same to a dog who was supposed to rely on him for everything. Of course, though, eventually the bright idea came to him to actually do some research and see if he had any options, which is how he ended up with Juniper.
That morning, as he did every morning in the about half a year since adopting Juniper, he was up early to take her out for a morning run, something he generally should be doing anyways and got her all the exercise she needed each day, and with her being able to be so independent while he was out during the day, caring for her was actually a lot easier than he feared, though her coat did sometimes get a bit out of control between trims and he was still trying to find more time to get her properly trained.
He had only just made it out of his building, focused more on his phone and figuring out where they should go that day, when he ran directly into someone, moving quickly out of the way as soon as he felt contact.
“Shit, sorry,” He spoke, “You okay?”
It was a testament to how different the lives they led were, that while Dylan was on the way out, Dallas was slinking back in. Inventory had run treacherously long at the Nest. When she had finally braved a look outside, fully expecting to still see a city enshrouded in darkness, she was saw the sun lazily clearing the horizon. It was a mercy she’d sent the few people she’d scheduled to help home an hour ago, because it meant there were no witnesses to her actual foot-stomping, head back and whining tantrum. Fifteen seconds was all she allowed herself to mourn the entirely lost night, tentatively glimpsing at her phone and hoping she would be able to grab a few hours of sleep before starting the day all over again. Maybe, if she went straight home and allowed for zero stops, but Dallas never had been a no distractions and zero stops kind of girl.
En route to her apartment, she tried her best to ignore the disdainful looks from joggers and early risers since she looked every bit like someone on a walk of shame after a particularly long night. Though she was sure her walks of shame had never involved smelling like she herself had taken a dive into a brewery vat, so at least there had been a sort of disheveled dignity there. This morning, though, she wasn’t so fortunate. She made a mental note to add ‘long shower’ to the list of things to try and squeeze in before letting her bed claim her for a little while. She was actually glimpsing up toward what she thought was Dylan’s window when someone careened into her. Letting out a startled yelp, she immediately reached out to steady whoever had collided with her. A quip danced at her tongue that they hit like a linebacker, but as he came into sharper clarity, she realized she wasn’t off base. With a chuckle, she shot him her best attempt at a reproachful look. “Absolutely not. I think it’s broken.” She said, right hand gingerly touching her left shoulder, though a grin curved her lips and she bent down and patted Juniper’s head. She wrinkled her nose, looking back up at her brother as she remained crouched to give the dog proper attention. “What the hell are you doing up so early, anyway? Practice? Because I swear to god Dylan, if this is by choice...” she trailed off, her own sleep envy creeping in.













