#latd

some context: our main character, Aspen, hit a dog, Ronan, with their car on the way home from work. he seemed mostly fine, especially once they got him back to their place. his owner, Lana, showed up abruptly and picked him up. the next morning, Aspen ran into Lana's older brother, Demi, when their dog got off-leash during their morning walk. he introduced himself and asked Aspen's pronouns but was generally kind of weird (like how did he even know where they lived? freak) so Aspen told him to fuck off. this is a couple days later. also Claudia is Aspen's roomie and Maggie is Aspen's dog.

--

I had put Demi and Ronan and all that nonsense out of my mind by the weekend and my and Maggie's weekly trip to the dog park. Like usual, once within the park's chain-link confines I let Maggie off leash, already running around with the other dogs - despite her size and usual aversion to other dogs, these were familiar and trusted enough that she didn't mind, tussling and sniffing and having the time of her life. I took a seat at an empty picnic table, away from other pet parents' bottles of water and doggie bags, to keep an eye on the action. I didn't feel any need to talk to the others - I'd always been quiet, and at this point I was just kind of comfortable with it. (Maybe 'resigned' was more accurate, but still.)

Thus, with my keen eye out for movement, I saw him before he even entered the gate. Dressed in all black, ripped jeans and combat boots and a hoodie with the sleeves rolled up, open over a graphic tee. Demi had with him a big dog, maybe a little smaller than Ronan had been and not a German Shepherd but similar - maybe a Belgian Malinois? It was largely golden fawn save for its face, pitch black like it'd tried to take a sip from a gallon of ink. He scanned the park and seemed to notice me immediately, though I quickly turned away.

Don't even think about it, I thought as loudly as I could, as if I could be left alone from the sheer force of my vibes. Instead, he let his dog off leash and headed directly for me, leaning against the tree shading my picnic table. Not even four feet from me.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. Finally I looked up at him, and realized this was the first time I'd clearly seen his face.

He was, unfortunately, handsome. His nose was arched and prominent, his jaw angled and defined, and- and I wondered if he'd had the eyeliner on when we met before or if it was new. He looked like the man that would have sprung from my mind if I, as a twelve year old, had been asked to build the perfect man. His shoulders were broad and his arms filled out the sleeves of his hoodie as well as his thighs did his ripped skinny jeans, and I couldn't tell if I found him aesthetically pleasing or conceptually hilarious.

"I could say the same for you," I said, tone clipped. I watched as his dog walked up to Maggie and they smelled each other. Maggie started growling and I shouted her name, getting her attention to give her a stern look. She quieted. "So you're still following me?"

Demi rolled his eyes. "You don't own the dog park." Then he softened, dropping his defensive posture - but only slightly, putting his hands in his pockets instead of crossed. "I'm sorry for scaring you the other day."

I glanced up at him. "Okay."

"Are you always this standoffish?"

"Are you always this persistant?"

He made a noise like a growl and moved to sit beside me. I schooled myself passive despite the urge to glare at him - I wouldn't let him know he got to me.

"Can we start over?" he asked, and I fixed him with a flat look. "I fucked up the other day, I get it, but I think I could do better this time."

I let my brow furrow just a little. "Why should I?" I said instead of flat-out denying him, like I knew I should have.

He pointed, and I noticed his nails were painted black, toward the dogs I'd been ignoring in favor of trading jabs with him. "I mean, the girls are getting on pretty well."

And of course he was right. His dog seemed coolly disinterested as Maggie play bowed before her, but when Maggie took off running, his dog was at her heels. Despite being at most a quarter her size, Maggie seemed obsessed and they were playing like they'd been lifelong friends. Shit.

"What's her name?" I asked, pointing to his dog.

"Lizzie," he said. "She's a-"

"Malinois?" I supplied and he blinked, then nodded.

"You know dogs," he said, more a statement of surprise than anything.

"I'm a groomer," I said, with a half shrug. "Or, well, a bather. Training to groom."

He smirked. "A groomer with a chihuahua? Not even a long hair one?"

"She's a rat terrier mix," I complained, but he was half right. I didn't say that. "And I got her before I started grooming."

"At least you're not taking work home with you."

"Exactly," I said with a put-upon, exasperated emphasis, and realized I was smiling, if only just. "What was Ronan? I thought he was a German, but the eyes-"

"Just a mutation, I think," he said. "I guess he's a rare breed." His smile was too-sharp, like there was a joke I didn't get, but I didn't push it.

"Well, it's striking," I said. "You know, when I had him in my car, he blended in with the seat like a shadow, except for his eyes. Scared the life out of me."

He laughed, a surprisingly goofy sound, and I couldn't help but snicker as well. "I can imagine. Once he was sleeping in the living room instead of his bed and Lana-" He dissolved into more laughter. "She tripped over him and screamed, which woke me up of course."

I cocked my head. "You live together? Any reason you didn't bring him today?"

He raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely surprised at the question. "He's, uh, still recovering. He's fine, but I think his ribs are a little... bruised."

I frowned. "Have you guys taken him to a vet?"

"I think Lana did," he said, a little vague like he was making it up, but he could have genuinely not been sure.

"Fair enough," I said. "I'm glad he's okay. Maybe next time all three of them can play."

He perked up, and I winced. "Next time?"

"I come here every weekend, I mean," I said. "So I mean next time we're at the park at the same time-"

"That could be fun," he said, fiddling with his fingers on the table. "Or maybe we could do something... without the dogs?"

I stared at him, deadpan, but he didn't look up from his hands. "Are you trying to ask me out?" I asked, turning back to face the dogs.

"Well, you don't make it easy," he said with a wry smile.

I shrugged. "Don't guys like when you play hard to get?" I asked, half-playful.

"So it's a game? You should know-" He adjusted to sit sideways, attention fully on me, no longer feigning interest in the dogs. I glanced over but quickly went back to staring ahead, face schooled passive. "-I really don't like to lose."

I snorted. "Typical man, then," I said more to myself than anything, but he barked a laugh. "What a stupid line. What are you gonna do if you lose, then? Cry? You look awfully sensitive."

"And you don't?"

I couldn't help myself and a laugh escaped. "Touché. At least I don't pretend to be an alpha male in eyeliner."

"I'm secure in my masculinity," he said, smile audible, and I ached to look at him but resisted. "And really? You're going to get onto me about gender norms? Mx. Micro-bangs and Overalls?"

I finally broke, smiling and reaching over to hit him in the shoulder. He burst into laughter, rubbing at his arm like it hurt, but I knew it didn't. "Shut the fuck up," I said, trying to stop smiling. There was something wicked in his eyes when ours met, eyeing me like a predator, but instead of getting nervous I lit up like a struck match.

"Make me," he said, with a smirk that said he knew how worn out that line was, and I nearly play-hit him again. He flinched, laughing, but before I could make contact-

I screamed, long nails digging into my shoulders and catching on my overalls, something huge hitting my back and then dragging me down. I hit my head on the ground with a crack, and my vision went black for an instant.

My hearing went fuzzy, but I heard Demi shouting, and the bark of a dog. In moments I felt something wet on my face, and as my vision cleared I realized Maggie was licking my cheek, like she was trying to wake me up. I groaned in pain, head throbbing and there was a phantom warmth like blood at the back of my head, but when I reached back it wasn't wet.

"Aspen, I'm so sorry," Demi said, rushing back to my side and taking my hand to help me slowly, slowly, to my feet. "Lizzie, what the fuck is wrong with you?" I heard that same husky-like rowowow that Ronan had made, but it must have been Lizzie responding, like she was defending her actions. She must have jumped on my back.

"Sh'thought I was att-" I paused, head swimming. "Attacking you, I think," I said, and sat back at the picnic table. "Not her fault."

Demi shook his head, shooting a glare at his dog. "No, she's smarter than she looks," he said. He was holding my hand from helping me up, but squeezed far too hard in his rage. I winced and he dropped it as if burnt, but still kept his other hand on my lower back. "Are you okay? Can you walk?"

Luckily, my head quickly cleared to lucidity, though still it ached. "I'm probably just bruised," I said, rubbing a hand over the back of my head. I had mud in my hair (again) but was otherwise fine, it seemed. "I'm not bleeding, am I?"

I bowed my head forward and felt his fingers in my hair, inspecting the injury. "Looks fine," he said, slowly, but still there was a fury in his voice I hadn't expected. He'd flipped from friendly to outraged in an instant, but again it felt as if I was wired wrong - maybe I should have been made nervous or afraid, but instead I felt my face warm. He ran his fingers through my hair to straighten it out before pulling away.

"I'm so sorry," he said again, "She's not usually so aggressive."

I waved him off. "It's okay, don't worry about it. We should have been paying more attention." I picked up Maggie and she started licking my face again, tail wagging. "Why didn't you protect me? I bet you could take her. My fierce guard dog!" I kissed her on the forehead before setting her back down.

Demi was still looking at me, expression serious. "What?" I asked.

"I should probably take her home," he said, looking disappointed. "I was having a good time."

"Bullying me? Wow."

He cracked a smile at that, clipping Lizzie's leash to her collar. "Can I have your number?" he asked, no more beating around the bush.

I hesitated, but nodded. Lizzie growled at me, like she knew what was going on and wasn't happy about it, but I ignored her as Demi pulled out his phone and I rattled off my digits.

"Thanks, and sorry again," he said. "I'll, uh. See you later?"

I managed a smile, still a little pained. "Yeah, sure."

Once he was gone I put Maggie on her leash and followed suit, getting home just as it was starting to turn evening. Claudia was lounged on the couch and half-heartedly waved when she heard us enter, watching some cartoon on the TV above the fireplace. I unclasped Maggie from her collar and she happily joined Claudia, settling into a little circle on her lap.

"How was the park?" she asked, pausing her show to lean over the back of the couch. I walked into the kitchen, getting a glass from the cabinet to fill with water.

"Fine," I said. "I met Ronan's, uh, uncle."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Like, dog uncle?"

"Human uncle. Owner's brother," I said. "He asked for my number."

She lit up in surprise, sitting up and displacing Maggie, who jumped back to the carpet. "What? You?!"

"Don't sound so surprised," I said, cheeks pink. "It was after his dog attacked me."

Her expression morphed again to one of shock. "What?! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, she thought I was beating him up," I said. "My bad. I'm bad at flirting."

Claudia laughed. "Obviously not that bad. Does he know you're...?" She trailed off deliberately.

"He asked my pronouns and everything," I said, and her brows shot up like she was impressed. I didn't tell her that had actually happened the last time we met, after he'd shown up uninvited on my walk with Maggie. "His name's Demi."

"Like Demitri?"

"I didn't ask."

"That's a cool name," she said, smiling with a sharpness that had my guard up. "Is he cute?"

"He looks like if Pete Wentz wasn't like. Forty years old and a creep." She laughed. "Like, the hair, the eyeliner, the hoodie and skinny jeans. He looks like an OC I'd make in middle school to date my self insert."

"And this is a real-life adult man?"

I shrugged, wild and overexaggerated. I felt like I was vibrating, butterflies in my stomach in a frenzy whenever I thought about him. "As far as I'm aware!" I said, and we both laughed. "I guess we'll find out!"

My phone buzzed then and I jumped, spilling water on the front of my overalls. Claudia's wicked grin only widened.

"Is that him? What did he say?"

I shrugged again and pulled out my phone, willing my hand to stop shaking. I set my glass on the counter and used both hands to hold and unlock my phone.

[hey it's demi :0]

[fuck i mean. :)*]

[this is aspen right]

I couldn't help an endeared giggle at the typo, and I jogged over to show Claudia.

"Oh, he's LGBT," she said, dead serious like a diagnosis.

"All at once?" I asked, and we laughed. "What do I say?"

"Give it to me-" Claudia snatched the phone out of my hand, finally dismounting the couch as I tried to get it back, letting me fall face-first into the cushions.

"Hey!" I exclaimed but she was already typing, handing the phone back after she'd sent it.

[the one and only ;) <3]

"Oh my god," I groaned, already typing out some disclaimer to explain that that hadn't been me, but before I could I had a response.

[SDKJGH lmao. how's ur head?]

"Oh, he is LGBT," I said.

[it's ok, i have a bit of a headache but i just got home. i'll take an ibuprofen n i should be good.]