The Golden Boy [Oksana]

[Sevrin]

With an amused laugh at the sudden outburst of the cat’s misbehaviour, Jonathan let his gaze move toward where she had indicated the shop would be. He’d had half a mind to let the matter rest at a quick check to make sure Rufus would be okay until the morning, and he could return earlier in the next evening to see to his checkup, but the woman’s curt glare and needless warning made him feel a little less badly about wanting to see to the dog. Instead, he nodded to her, and gave her a smile. “Thank you, and I’ll take a look at that little shop while I wait.”

He gave her a little wave of his hand, letting her know he wasn’t up to any trouble, and turned to look at the cat that had moved to begin winding its way around his legs, first one and then the other, rubbing its side up against his shins. He gave a warm smile down to the rotund fuzzy companion and gave her a little nudge with his foot. “What do you say, friend? Want to help me grab some things for the big dufus?” The feline gave a loud, plaintive meow, and moved behind him to headbutt his calf. He laughed, and moved to make his way to the shop as Oksana took Rufus into the back.

With a grin, he hummed to himself and stepped into what was more of a little alcove than a shop, a few shelves and a pegboard that held smaller items like toys and collars with leashes, and began to select a few things he thought would be necessary for a dog. A pair of bowls, for food and water, and he had eyed a bag of dog food on the floor in the waiting room before, a nice red collar with a little black diamond pattern, and a matching leash. He grabbed a few of the tougher dog toys, as well as a little stuffed rabbit, unsure of what exactly Rufus would want to play with, as well as a tug of war rope to play with him with, and a tough frisbee. He stood, then, his arms full as he continued looking over the wall while Sydney continued to curl around his legs, quietly purring against him as she did.

[Oksana]

Despite the distance between them, Oksana was still able to hear his voice, and an amused smile graced her features for a brief second. “What a strange man you have found yourself,” she spoke to the Golden at her side, though the mirth faded as quickly as it had come. The man that stood in her small shop was no man at all, but a beast, and one far more dangerous than any of her patients. With a sigh, she shook her head as she opened the laboratory door with her hip, the leash still tight in her palm. The soft whir of the machines that dulled the otherwise painful silence of her clinic seemed to frighten the creature at her side, and when she took a step into the room, he gave a rough pull of the leash, stumbling backwards. He didn’t make it far, a sharp yelp of pain shattering the peace and causing her heart to twist as he began to whimper, his head bowed low. “Poor baby. Why do you do such stupid things? I am trying to help you,” she scolded in a loving tone, knees bent so she was eye-level. Leaning forward, she gave a quick peck to his nose and smiled.

“Come. It is just machine. It will not hurt you.” With that promise made, she gently began to lure him inside, his steps reluctant, but he was intelligent enough to know that more resistance meant more pain. Once the door was shut behind him, she bent to scoop him up, his weight hindering her only a little, before he was carefully placed on the table. It didn’t take her long to get him settled and medicated, the tests beginning to run as she checked every bone, every muscle, every inch of him for signs of serious injury. The clock ticked away above her, and absorbed as she was in her work, she hardly noticed the hunger that had turned into a dangerous force until the final test was run, and she felt her legs begin to tremble.

Shaking it off, she held the last x-ray up to the light, her eyes narrowing as she studied the small fracture in his rib. It was something that would heal on its own, but he would need a lot of time, medication and care - something she wasn’t convinced a vampire could give. With a low sound of frustration, she flipped open the file she’d printed, ensuring that she could find him easily once he left. She’d have no choice but to keep an eye on the dog. Glancing over her shoulder, she ran her fingers along Rufus’ fur as the dog rested, before snapping the file shut and making her way to the door, to swing it open. Stepping out into the hall, she cleared her throat and smoothed her shaking hand over her stomach, before making her way back down to the reception area.

“Mr. Sevrin? Rufus is ready to go. He is a little sleepy right now, so he will need to be carried. Do you have a car?”