Autism in the media is often portrayed stereotypically and over-dramatised. Though there are people out there with those “stereotypical” traits, in reality for many people on the spectrum, it isn't obvious at first glance - it's subtle, different for everyone, and not easy to deal with - and Hudson portrayed that perfectly.
They delivered a subtle representation without taking the focus away from the actual storyline and overall meaning of the show.
I forgot which exhibit letter we're on now for the proof that Ritch absolutely screams Asperger Syndrome, but here's another one for the alphabet soup.
One of the things I love about The Pitt's portryal of an autistic character, is that there's a girl-genius medical student (not the autistic character) and there is a doctor who has no social life outside of their work (also not the autistic character) and then, there's a skilled, cool under pressure, very professional and also crying sometimes, when she gets emotional, and self-regulating when she gets overwhelmed (sometimes at a suggestion of others, but that was only once) doctor, who actually is autistic (coded). Oh, btw, that doctor has a sister, also autistic (confirmed), and the two of them are best friends. :D
I think other people getting back into Hadestown because of the incredible pro-shot may find this old clip from Patrick Page’s podcast interesting. Reeve Carney talks about how the character of Orpheus changed a lot before the Broadway version.
It basically confirms that his portrayal of Orpheus (and the writer/director’s vision for Orpheus as a character post-workshop) is autistic or neurodivergent in some way.
Summary: In which Twitch chat spends months waiting for Louise cameos. Instead, Akira becomes the unofficial co-host of every stream, Lando discovers he’ll do absolutely anything for one rottweiler, and the internet collectively agrees that he’s the world’s biggest dog dad.
Word Count: 4.4k
Warnings: Extreme levels of dog dad behavior. Emotional support rottweiler. Tooth-rotting fluff.
Masterlist
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By the time Lando clicks Go Live, he doesn’t bother locking the office door anymore.
For years it had become muscle memory.
Door shut.
Handle checked.
Headphones on.
The office transformed into something separate from the rest of the place—a tiny bubble where Twitch chat only saw exactly what he wanted them to see.
After they announced their relationship, though…
Something shifted.
Keeping the office closed suddenly felt strangely performative.
People knew.
They knew she lived there.
They knew Akira lived there.
They knew the apartment wasn’t some pristine bachelor’s gaming cave that only existed when the camera was on.
So the door stayed open now.
Most of chat interpreted that as an invitation.
Every stream started with the same flood.
LOU CAMEO TODAY???
WHERE’S LOUISE
OFFICE DOOR IS OPEN 👀
WE’RE GETTING A GF APPEARANCE TODAY I CAN FEEL IT
Lando laughed as he adjusted his headset.
“You lot are unbelievable.”
He loaded into another Counter-Strike match.
“I open one door and suddenly everyone’s detectives.”
The chat insisted.
She’s behind the camera isn’t she.
“No.”
Blink twice if she’s there.
“I’m literally alone.”
Technically.
—
He was halfway through buying rifles when he heard familiar nails tapping against hardwood.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Not hurried.
Not excited.
Just…
Purposeful.
Without looking away from the monitor, his voice changed instantly.
“Oh, hello…”
Chat noticed before the camera did.
His shoulders relaxed.
His smile softened.
His entire tone climbed two octaves.
“Oh, hello, baby.”
Messages exploded.
????????
BABY???
LOUISE???
SHE’S HERE
HELLO LOUISE
Lando finally glanced over his shoulder.
“There she is.”
The tapping grew louder.
“Come here then.”
Another step.
“C’mon.”
His grin widened.
“Good girl.”
The chat absolutely lost its collective mind.
OH MY GOD
THIS IS SO PERSONAL
WE’RE THIRD WHEELING
HE SAID GOOD GIRL
CLOSE THE STREAM
Then…
A very large black head appeared from behind the camera.
Followed by floppy ears.
Brown eyebrows.
An expression carrying approximately one thought.
Attention. Immediately.
The chat froze for roughly half a second.
Then absolutely exploded.
THAT’S A DOG
WAIT
LMAOOOOOO
BAITED
I’VE NEVER BEEN CATFISHED BY A ROTTWEILER
Akira ambled into frame like she’d rehearsed the entrance.
Lando burst into laughter.
“You thought I meant Louise.”
He scratched behind her ears.
“No.”
He looked down at her with complete adoration.
“This is my baby.”
Akira leaned all two hundred pounds of herself against his chair.
“Ladies and gentlemen…”
He rubbed her neck dramatically.
“…this is Akira.”
She looked directly into the webcam.
Blink.
Blink.
Sniff.
He kissed the top of her head.
“She’s perfect.”
Chat immediately changed allegiances.
AKIRA STREAM
BEST GIRL
MOD HER
SHE LOOKS SO POLITE
THAT’S THE BIGGEST LAP DOG I’VE EVER SEEN
—
From then on, Akira stopped being an occasional visitor.
She became part of the stream schedule.
Not intentionally.
Entirely because she refused to accept that the glowing screens deserved more attention than she did.
—
Some days she’d wander in carrying one of her stuffed dinosaurs.
Drop it directly on Lando’s feet.
Then stare.
He’d stare back.
“…You want me to throw it.”
She blinked.
“…Fine.”
He’d throw it across the office.
She’d thunder after it with enough enthusiasm to shake the camera.
Chat always kept count.
FETCH COUNT: 14
PRODUCTIVITY = ZERO
THIS IS HER STREAM NOW
—
Other days she decided racing simulators were deeply offensive.
Specifically because they prevented lap cuddles.
Lando would be halfway through qualifying.
Completely focused.
Braking.
Turning.
Milliseconds mattered.
Then…
A massive head appeared beneath one elbow.
“Akira…”
She shoved harder.
“No.”
Another shove.
“Sweetheart.”
Another.
“I’m driving.”
The viewers watched the inevitable unfold.
One enormous paw.
Another.
Suddenly ninety pounds of determined rottweiler attempted to occupy precisely the same bucket seat as one Formula One driver.
“Lando, turn one.”
“I know.”
“Lando.”
“I know.”
“Lando.”
“I—”
He missed the apex by nearly half a second because Akira had successfully climbed onto exactly one thigh.
“There.”
He sighed dramatically.
“You happy?”
She rested her chin against his chest.
Immediately.
Perfectly content.
He couldn’t even pretend to be annoyed.
“…Yeah.”
One hand returned to the wheel.
The other absentmindedly scratched her shoulder.
“She’s impossible.”
Chat disagreed.
SHE WON
SHE ALWAYS WINS
LET HER DRIVE
SHE’S THE TEAM PRINCIPAL
—
Louise usually became involved without ever intending to.
Her arrival home was practically another recurring segment.
The apartment door clicked.
Muted voice drifted from the hallway.
The familiar rhythm of someone dropping bags onto the kitchen island.
Akira’s ears perked before anyone else noticed.
Her entire body froze.
Lando glanced sideways.
The dog’s tail began thumping against the floor.
“Lou?”
A voice echoed faintly through the apartment.
The transformation was immediate.
The dog launched herself out of the office.
Lando smiled without even looking away from his monitor.
“There she goes.”
Lando chuckled.
“She forgot I existed.”
LOUISE IS HOME
SHE DIDN’T EVEN SAY BYE
BETRAYAL
POOR LANDO
—
Eventually viewers began asking for Akira before asking about races.
The office slowly filled with evidence that one very spoiled dog had claimed ownership.
A woven basket overflowing with plush toys.
Rubber bones.
Ropes.
Puzzle feeders.
Three different tennis balls despite every previous tennis ball somehow still existing.
One suspiciously expensive orthopedic donut bed tucked into the corner beneath the window.
One afternoon, waiting for matchmaking, Lando rotated the webcam.
“There she is.”
Akira had curled herself into a perfect circle.
Nose tucked beneath tail.
Completely asleep.
Only one ear twitched.
The chat collectively melted.
LOOK AT THE BED
SHE HAS MORE TOYS THAN I DID AS A CHILD
WHY DOES SHE HAVE A TOY CHEST
Lando sounded genuinely confused.
“…Doesn’t every dog?”
The comments came faster.
NO
ABSOLUTELY NOT
SHE’S SPOILED
He frowned.
“She’s not spoiled.”
Silence.
He glanced around the room.
Three baskets.
A memory foam bed.
Custom food station just outside the office.
Matching raincoat hanging by the door.
Christmas stocking folded on a shelf despite it only being July.
He paused.
“…”
“…Okay.”
A reluctant smile tugged at his mouth.
“Maybe a little.”
—
The streams evolved.
Some evenings were racing.
Some were games with friends.
Some became twenty-minute demonstrations of tricks because chat demanded proof that Akira was as clever as Lando claimed.
“Sit.”
She sat.
“Down.”
She flopped dramatically.
“Spin.”
One enthusiastic circle.
“Paw.”
Perfect.
“Other paw.”
Perfect again.
“Speak.”
One deep bark.
“Whisper.”
A tiny little huff.
The chat flooded with hearts.
Then Lando, entirely too proud of himself, announced, “Now for my favourite.”
He pointed dramatically across the room.
“Go give Louise a cuddle.”
Akira tilted her head.
Then trotted confidently out of the office.
The viewers heard her paws disappear down the hallway.
A beat later—
“Lando!”
He bit back a laugh.
—
The first clue that Lando was procrastinating came when the sim rig sat abandoned in the corner.
The second was the pair of studio monitors filling the office with house music instead of engine noise.
His DJ controller occupied the center of the desk, LEDs blinking beneath his fingertips as he experimented with transitions he’d watched Martin do a hundred times backstage but had never quite had the confidence to try himself.
Chat was, predictably, ruthless.
WRONG BUTTON
DJ LANDOOOO
Tomorrowland confirmed
bro discovered the filter knob
“I know what I’m doing,” Lando defended, nudging a fader with exaggerated confidence.
The song immediately sounded worse.
“…Mostly.”
A chorus of laughing emotes flooded the screen.
He leaned over the mixer, tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek in concentration as he lined up another track. It wasn’t completely awful this time. The beat matched, mostly. The transition was smoother than the last one.
“There.”
He sat back proudly.
“See? Progress.”
The office was dim except for the LEDs scattered across the controller, washing blue and purple light over the room. Behind him, Akira’s oversized donut bed sat empty.
Lando glanced over his shoulder.
“…Where is she?”
As though summoned by name, heavy paws clicked somewhere down the hallway.
A familiar black head appeared around the doorframe.
“There she is.”
His entire voice softened without him noticing.
“Come here, baby.”
Akira wandered inside at her usual leisurely pace, stretching dramatically halfway across the room before making her way toward him.
“C’mere.”
He patted the floor beside his chair.
“Sit.”
Without hesitation, she folded neatly beside him, shoulders almost level with the desk despite sitting on the floor.
“Good girl.”
He scratched beneath her collar while absentmindedly adjusting the music with his free hand.
Chat, naturally, had stopped caring about the music entirely.
AKIRAAAAA
BEST GIRL IS HERE
SHE LOOKS SO POLITE
DJ ASSISTANT
Lando looked around the room thoughtfully.
“Hm.”
That particular hm immediately worried everyone.
NO
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING
DON’T
His eyes landed on the black McLaren cap hanging from the coat stand.
A grin spread slowly across his face.
“Oh…”
He stood up.
“I’ve got an idea.”
Akira watched him retrieve the cap, completely unconcerned.
“C’mere.”
She didn’t move.
He crouched beside her instead.
“So patient.”
Carefully, he settled the cap between her floppy ears.
It was far too big.
It slid down immediately until it rested crookedly over one eyebrow.
Lando dissolved into laughter.
“Oh my God.”
He adjusted it again.
“There.”
“Much better.”
Akira remained perfectly still.
Not because she particularly enjoyed dress-up.
Mostly because she had learned years ago that sitting through Lando’s nonsense usually resulted in snacks.
Chat was already spamming screenshots.
SHE’S SO CUTE
SECURITY
TEAM PRINCIPAL
Then Lando spotted the sunglasses sitting on top of his speakers.
“…Wait.”
The grin returned.
“No.”
Chat knew exactly where this was going.
LANDO DON’T
LEAVE HER ALONE
He picked up the sunglasses.
Akira watched the movement with mild curiosity.
“One second.”
He gently perched them across the brim of the cap.
The oversized black lenses somehow stayed balanced across her face.
She looked…
Ridiculously cool.
Lando took one step back.
Then another.
He burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“I can’t—”
He doubled over, one hand braced on his knee.
“I actually can’t.”
Akira continued sitting with impeccable posture, wearing the expression of someone enduring an incredibly strange meeting.
The chat exploded.
SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE’S ABOUT TO DROP THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
DJ BARKIRA
MAIN STAGE READY
WHY DOES SHE HAVE MORE AURA THAN LANDO
Lando wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.
“Look at her!”
He reached for his phone.
“No, I have to send this to Lou.”
Without thinking, he snapped a picture.
Akira didn’t even blink.
Professional.
Lando typed one-handed.
Lando: Akira has a new career.
Not even thirty seconds later his phone buzzed.
He looked down.
Louise: Why is she dressed like Pitbull?
Lando laughed so loudly he startled himself.
“Oh my God.”
He held the phone up toward the camera.
“I can’t show you because private messages…”
Another vibration.
Louise: Please tell me you didn’t interrupt her nap for this.
He glanced guiltily at Akira.
“…Maybe.”
Another message appeared almost instantly.
Louise: Give her a treat immediately.
He looked at Akira.
Then at chat.
“…Apparently Louise says compensation is required.”
The comments agreed unanimously.
PAY THE MODEL
UNION BREAK
SHE DESERVES CHEESE
Lando crouched back down beside her, slipping the sunglasses off first, then lifting away the cap.
“There.”
He rubbed both ears until they flopped back into place.
“Thank you for your service.”
Akira leaned into his hand with a content sigh.
He reached into the treat jar on the shelf, producing one biscuit.
“Good girl.”
She accepted it with the same extraordinary gentleness she did everything, taking it from between his fingers before crunching happily.
Lando scratched behind her ears again, smiling to himself.
“You’ll work for biscuits.”
Her tail thumped once.
He looked back at the camera.
“I think I’ve accidentally hired the only DJ assistant willing to work for one snack and unlimited compliments.”
As if to prove his point, Akira rested her head against his thigh with the quiet satisfaction of a dog convinced she’d done an excellent job.
Lando reached down automatically, fingers disappearing into the soft fur behind her neck while the music continued playing through the speakers.
“Yeah,” he murmured more to himself than to chat, unable to stop smiling. “Definitely the best member of the team.”
—
The audience slowly learned something about Akira.
She wasn’t particularly vocal.
She wasn’t hyper.
She didn’t beg.
She simply… loved proximity.
If Lando was sitting somewhere for more than five minutes, she would eventually find a way to be touching him.
Sometimes it was just her back pressed against his shin beneath the desk.
Sometimes it was a paw resting over his foot.
Sometimes it was her chin balanced on his knee while he played.
But every now and then, when she decided the current level of affection was insufficient…
She improvised.
He was midway through another Counter-Strike match, absentmindedly explaining utility lineups to chat between rounds.
“…If you throw this one just off the cor—”
Heavy footsteps.
Without looking, he smiled.
“There she is.”
Akira wandered into the office carrying absolutely nothing this time.
No dinosaur.
No rope.
No tennis ball.
Just herself.
She circled his chair once.
Twice.
Then stopped beside him.
“What?”
Lando glanced down.
“What are you thinking?”
Her tail swept lazily across the floor.
The chat immediately noticed.
SHE’S PLANNING SOMETHING
THAT LOOK
SHE WANTS ATTENTION
Lando chuckled.
“I know.”
He scratched behind one ear absentmindedly before returning both hands to his mouse and keyboard.
“Five minutes.”
Akira stared.
Unimpressed.
Then, with the quiet determination of someone who had already made her decision, she stood onto her back legs.
One enormous paw landed carefully on the armrest of his chair.
Then the other.
Her front half rose until she was almost level with him, balancing herself without putting her weight on him.
Lando barely had time to react.
“Oh—”
A warm nose bumped his cheek.
Then another.
Then—
Slurp.
Right across his jaw.
Chat exploded.
SHE KISSED HIM
AWWWWWWWW
THAT’S HER DAD
Lando laughed so hard he completely forgot about the round.
“Akira!”
Another kiss.
“No!”
Another.
“Stop!”
His laughter betrayed the complete lack of conviction.
She licked the end of his nose.
He scrunched his face.
“Oh my God.”
His shoulders shook as he tried to dodge another enthusiastic kiss.
“You’ve got terrible aim.”
Another lick landed somewhere near his eyebrow.
“There!”
He laughed.
“I wasn’t even looking there.”
The game announcer informed him he’d been eliminated.
He didn’t even notice.
One hand abandoned the keyboard entirely to cradle the side of Akira’s face.
“There you go.”
He rubbed both floppy ears until they folded beneath his fingers.
“You just wanted cuddles.”
Akira sighed happily.
Resting her forehead against his temple.
The office became unexpectedly quiet.
House lights from the PC reflected in her warm brown eyes while Lando absentmindedly stroked the back of her neck.
Chat slowed too.
The spam giving way to something softer.
SHE LOVES HIM SO MUCH
SHE LOOKS SO SAFE
this is the cutest thing i’ve ever seen
Lando smiled to himself, scratching under her collar.
“I know.”
His voice had dropped into that same quiet register he reserved only for Louise and Akira.
“I missed you too.”
Only after another minute did Akira finally lower herself back onto all fours with one satisfied sigh before curling against the side of his chair.
Lando looked back at the monitor.
“…Right.”
A pause.
“What happened?”
His teammates immediately erupted through Discord.
“You died thirty seconds ago.”
“We’ve been spectating you getting kissed by your dog.”
“Honestly?”
“I don’t even blame you.”
Lando rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly.
“…Worth it.”
—
Counter-Strike had a unique ability to ruin perfectly good evenings.
Most losses rolled off Lando’s shoulders.
Some…
Did not.
“This guy is cheating.”
“He has to be.”
“No one checks that angle.”
Round lost.
Again.
His teammate missed another impossible shot.
The final scoreboard appeared.
Defeat.
Silence settled over Discord for exactly three seconds before everyone collectively groaned.
“Oh, come on.”
“No chance.”
“We’re uninstalling.”
Lando stared at the screen in complete disbelief.
“…You’re joking.”
Another teammate laughed.
“Skill issue.”
“I hate all of you.”
He dramatically stood up.
Walked exactly one step away from his chair.
Then, with every ounce of theatrical flair he possessed—
Allowed himself to collapse onto the office rug.
Flat on his back.
One arm over his eyes.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
Chat immediately lost their minds.
LMAOOOOOO
MAN DOWN
HE’S DEAD
SOMEONE CALL MCLAREN
His Discord erupted into laughter.
“Get up.”
“No.”
He sighed dramatically.
“This floor understands me.”
Before anyone could answer—
Akira appeared in the doorway.
She paused.
Head tilted.
Her ears lifted slightly.
The room was wrong.
Lando was supposed to be in the chair.
Instead…
He was lying on the floor making dramatic noises.
She walked over slowly.
Not excited.
Not playful.
Curious.
She lowered her nose until it hovered just above his face.
A gentle sniff.
Lando peeked at her through one eye.
“…Hello.”
She nudged his shoulder.
Once.
Twice.
Then, apparently deciding he wasn’t getting up anytime soon, folded herself carefully beside him.
Her head settled squarely across his chest.
The weight knocked a quiet breath from him.
“There she is.”
He smiled without opening his eyes.
One hand found her neck automatically.
His fingers disappeared into the impossibly soft fur behind her ears.
Slow scratches.
Little ruffles.
Akira melted instantly.
Her eyes drifted closed.
The office became wonderfully quiet again.
The Discord call had gone silent.
Even chat seemed to collectively soften.
emotional support rottweiler
SHE CAME TO CHECK ON HIM
SHE THOUGHT HER DAD WAS HURT
Lando laughed quietly through his nose.
“I’m okay.”
He scratched behind one ear.
“I’m just dramatic.”
Akira answered by pressing her head a little more firmly against his chest.
He smiled up at the ceiling.
“You don’t believe me.”
Another slow tail thump echoed across the rug.
His heartbeat settled beneath the comforting weight of her head, and for a moment he forgot entirely about the game.
Forgot about ranking.
Forgot about losing.
It was just the two of them lying on the office floor, LEDs from the computer casting soft blues across the ceiling while the sounds of the stream carried on around them.
After nearly a minute, one of his teammates finally broke the silence.
“…I’m not saying we should lose more often.”
Another chimed in immediately.
“…But if this is the post-match content…”
Lando huffed a laugh.
“No.”
He continued absentmindedly ruffling Akira’s ears.
“We’re absolutely not throwing games just so she comes and fixes my feelings.”
Another pause.
Akira gave a tiny contented sigh against his chest.
He looked down at her, smiling in spite of himself.
“…Although,” he admitted, “she is ridiculously good at it.”
—
One evening, the game servers decided they hated everyone.
Matchmaking had been searching for nearly eight minutes.
Discord had dissolved into conversations about absolutely nothing.
Someone was arguing about golf.
Someone else insisted pineapple belonged on pizza.
Lando had long since stopped contributing, choosing instead to spin idly in his chair while absentmindedly tossing one of Akira’s rubber balls from one hand to the other.
Akira herself lay upside down in her donut bed beneath the window.
All four paws pointed vaguely toward the ceiling.
Fast asleep.
One ear inside out.
The chat noticed before he did.
WHERE’S AKIRA
DOG CAM
SHOW BEST GIRL
IS SHE SLEEPING
Lando looked over his shoulder.
“Oh.”
He smiled.
“Yeah.”
He picked up the webcam and quietly turned it toward the corner.
“There she is.”
The image filled with one enormous rottweiler snoring without the slightest concern for the internet watching her.
The room collectively melted.
LOOK AT HER
THE BELLY
SHE’S OUT COLD
I WOULD DIE FOR HER
Lando lowered his voice instinctively.
“Shh.”
As if she’s going to wake up.
Another snore answered him.
He grinned.
“Exactly.”
The camera returned to the desk.
Matchmaking continued refusing to find a game.
The questions began almost immediately.
HOW OLD IS SHE
“She’s eleven now.”
Chat immediately exploded.
ELEVEN??
NO WAY
SHE DOESN’T LOOK ELEVEN
He nodded proudly.
“I know.”
“She’s doing incredibly well.”
“Honestly, Lou deserves most of the credit.”
He rested the webcam back on its stand.
“She knows absolutely everything there is to know about taking care of her.”
There was an unmistakable pride in his voice when he spoke about it.
“The food she gets.”
“The supplements.”
“The vet schedule.”
“The blood work.”
“Every check-up.”
“Lou runs the entire operation.”
He laughed quietly.
“I’m just… support staff.”
The questions immediately began rolling in.
WHO TAKES HER ON WALKS?
“Oh, that’s mostly me.”
He nodded.
“Mornings and evenings.”
“It’s become our thing.”
He smiled to himself.
“I get up, we go out before the day’s properly started.”
“If I’m home after work, we’ll go again before dinner.”
He shrugged.
“I actually love it.”
“It’s probably the quietest part of my day.”
Another question appeared.
WHO FEEDS HER?
“Lou.”
Without hesitation.
“Always.”
“She’s very particular.”
“Akira gets exactly what she’s supposed to get.”
He raised both hands innocently.
“…Which is probably for the best.”
Chat already knew what that meant.
WHY
Lando looked suspiciously guilty.
“…Because I can’t say no.”
He reached into the treat jar sitting beside his monitor and held it up.
“This.”
“This is my weakness.”
“If she looks at me…”
He widened his eyes dramatically.
“…I’m finished.”
The comments came flying in.
PET DAD
SHE HAS YOU TRAINED
He laughed.
“I know.”
Chat moved on before they could roast him any further.
DOES SHE HAVE A BEDROOM
“…No.”
Then he frowned.
“…Well.”
He thought about it.
“I mean…”
“She has a bed in each office.”
“The living room has another.”
“Our bedroom has another.”
“The car has one.”
Silence.
“…”
“…Actually…”
Another thoughtful pause.
“I suppose every room is kind of her bedroom.”
The chat absolutely lost it.
SHE OWNS THE HOUSE
YOU’RE JUST TENANTS
HER MORTGAGE NOW
Lando shrugged.
“I don’t make the rules.”
Another message flew past.
WHO’S THE STRICT PARENT
He laughed immediately.
“Oh.”
“Lou.”
Without question.
“Really?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“If Akira gives me the eyes…”
He demonstrated the look, widening his own dramatically.
“…I’m finished.”
“I’ll give her another cuddle.”
“Another biscuit.”
Another toy.”
He shrugged helplessly.
“Lou walks in and goes—”
His voice shifted into an uncanny impression of Louise.
“‘Lando.’
‘She has seventeen toys.’
‘She doesn’t need another dinosaur.’”
The chat loved it.
HE GOT THE VOICE PERFECT
LOU IS THE RESPONSIBLE PARENT
Lando pointed toward the screen.
“And she’s right.”
A beat.
“…Usually.”
Another question.
DOES SHE SLEEP IN YOUR BED
He answered as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
“Sometimes.”
“If she’s had a nightmare.”
“If there’s a storm.”
“If one of us gets home late.”
“If she’s not feeling well.”
He shrugged.
“She usually starts on her own bed.”
“Then sometime around four in the morning…”
He mimed something heavy climbing onto the mattress.
“…suddenly there’s forty kilos between us.”
Chat could barely keep up.
THAT’S YOUR CHILD
THAT IS NOT A DOG
PET DAD CONFIRMED
HE TALKS ABOUT HER LIKE A TODDLER
Lando frowned at the monitor.
“…Do I?”
The entire chat answered at once.
YES
ABSOLUTELY
100%
Discord chimed in too.
“Dude…”
“You just said she has nightmares.”
“She does.”
Another question appeared.
DOES AKIRA LOVE YOU MORE OR LOUISE?
Lando laughed before he’d even finished reading it.
“Oh, not even close.”
He shook his head.
“You lot think she loves me?”
He pointed toward the hallway.
“You should see her with Louise.”
His smile softened into something quieter.
“I get excited tail wags.”
“Lou gets full-body happiness.”
“The little happy whines.”
“The wiggly bum.”
“The toy presentation.”
“If she’s asleep…”
He chuckled.
“…she’ll wake up just because Louise opened the front door.”
He leaned closer to the camera.
“I adore her.”
“But Louise…”
He smiled to himself.
“That’s her person.”
Always has been.”
There wasn’t the slightest hint of disappointment in his voice.
Only affection.
“I just got lucky enough that she decided I could be her second favourite.”
As if the universe wanted to argue with him, Akira stirred in her bed.
She stretched slowly, one paw after another, before climbing to her feet and wandering across the office.
Without a word, she rested her head against Lando’s leg.
He looked down. His hand automatically disappeared behind one floppy ear.
“Morning, sleepy.”
Her tail gave one slow thump.
The chat immediately flooded with accusations.
SECOND FAVOURITE MY ASS
LOOK AT HER
Lando laughed.
“No, no.”
He scratched her neck as she leaned harder against him.
“This is because Louise’s at the stables.”
“If she walked through that front door right now…”
He looked at Akira knowingly.
“…you’d forget I existed.”
The dog’s ears twitched at the sound of Louise’s name.
Lando pointed triumphantly at the screen.
“There.”
“You see?”
“Didn’t even have to be here.”
He scratched beneath her collar one last time before looking back at chat, smiling with the easy fondness that always crept into his voice when he spoke about her.
“I always wanted one.”
His voice softened in a way that made chat quiet almost instantly.
“I just…”
He shrugged.
“The schedule never made sense.”
“Formula One isn’t exactly fair to dogs.”
“You’re gone too much.”
“There are races.”
Factory days.
Sponsor stuff.”
“I never wanted to get one and then spend half its life leaving it with someone else.”
He rolled the rubber ball between his palms.
“So I figured…”
“One day.”
“When life slowed down.”
“It just wasn’t the right time.”
The office settled into an easy silence, broken only by the faint sound of Akira snoring in the corner.
Lando smiled to himself before continuing.
“Turns out…”
He glanced over at the sleeping rottweiler.
“…my dream dog already existed.”
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“She just wasn’t mine yet.”
The chat went suspiciously quiet.
“Akira was always Lou’s.”
He smiled at the memory.
“I just…”
His eyes drifted back toward the corner again.
“…kind of got adopted too.”
She spotted Lando looking at her.
The office filled with a chorus of collective awws.
Lando laughed under his breath.
He looked back at the camera, a fondness in his expression he didn’t bother trying to hide.
“I thought I’d spend years waiting until life was quiet enough to get the perfect dog.”
He shook his head.
“Instead…”
He smiled.
“I fell in love with a girl who came with one.”
The chat needed only a few seconds before the messages began pouring in again.
Corruption arc but it’s just an autistic hero character getting more and more angry and unhinged as the Plot Armor protects them in truly impossible ways but not for others??? Because the Rules… the Rules don’t make any fucking SENSE!!
