money on the mind

‘ ‘ he’d be a fool to turn down a home, but he still wants his independence — i know a lot of humans much like him, ’ ’ she nodded solemnly as she flipped open the clasp to retrieve the cat in question. in her time  ( both as a veterinarian and, well, before ),  she had been scratched by more than one discontent cat and by now, she expertly avoided the claws, instead handling the grumpy animal deftly. ‘ ‘ gotcha, ’ ’ she muttered to herself as she waited for franklin to calm so that she could continue her examination.

scratching the cat behind his ears, she looked back at his owner. ‘ ‘ i love the snow so it was part of why i went, ’ ’ she said conversationally, pretending that she was not holding an unhappy animal though franklin settled down more and more as she spoke. ‘ ‘ a couple friends from university and i would go skiing over christmas break whenever we could. do you ski? or are you more of a snowboarder? ’ ’ 

The examination of Franklin had gone surprisingly smoothly and quickly considering the cat could be a fiend. Nathan appreciated hings going smoothly and quickly for time was money after all. He knew that Franklin was glaring out of his box. The mongrel would probably be angry at him for taking him to such a place. Great. Now they were on their way to get the bill for the examination and he prayed it would be acceptable. Dr. Martin had handed him a couple of papers with information about taking care of cats as well which were for free. Thankfully. 

‘ ‘ i’ve worked almost in canada, before — small city, nothing like here, ’ ’ brigid said as she moved towards franklin’s carrier, humming under her breath as she heard the cat’s dismay, dismay about being inside such a small space, about not being free. it did remind her of elena, she was always so antsy on planes. ‘ ‘  i hope he’s all right and doesn’t have to stick indoors; i think this gentleman will ruin your home if you don’t let him out, ’ ’ she added. 

letting her hand rest against the top of the carrier, she waited for a few beats, until the cat — until franklin pressed his nose against it. ‘ ‘ so, mr franklin, ’ ’ she said calmly as she hooked her finger beneath one of the clasps, ‘ ‘ i hear you have a temper, but please don’t make this harder than it ought to be, yes? ’ ’

“ Canada is a nice place.I like the snow. The country as well as the border areas have some nice landscape as well. “ not to mention the smuggling jobs he’d done across the border over the years. Or the times where he had fled across the border. With safe houses at his disposal he found the country rather enjoyable. 

“ And the ... Franklin can spend as much time outside as he wants to. I’ll certainly not lock him into my apartment. I think he values his freedom as a street cat but that doesn’t mean he’d turn down a dry and warm place to crash in. Smart guy. “ He was about to call him cat but caught himself. Nate took his eyes off the box to smile at the attractive vet. 

ah, there it was. the shiver of a frown that ghosted over her own face — she did so hate it when she did not have the answer to a question, and she had never figured out if that was because her circle of friends  ( shoot, she had to email lena, lest she wanted to incur fury once the other would inevitable track her own )  was far too competitive in some fields. and in pub quizzes. ‘ ‘ i actually have no precise answer for you, ’ ’ brigid admitted grimly as she washed her hands thoroughly, searching her mind for an answer she would prefer to give. ‘ ‘ i’m kind of new and someone else handles the billing process, but i can give you an estimate? ’ ’

slipping her hands into gloves, she tapped her hand against the counter, counting patiently to fourteen before she continued to speak. ‘ ‘ assuming that the poor dear hasn’t seen a vet, ever, where i worked before, it would be around two hundred bucks. i believe it’s less here, we get some donations from some rich heiress who is very invested in animal health. and well, — the temper has been noted, ’ ’ she added with a laugh. ‘ ‘ what’s his name? ’ ’

“ Franklin. “

 it was the first name that came to mind. He had never bothered to name it and hadn’t actually planned to do it. But of course she’d need a name. 

Nathan hoped the shots would cost significantly less because he had no intentions of spending any more of his hard earned cash on this animal than was absolutely necessary. And even then he did it with reservations. This had been a bad idea. He considered the normal amount she had given him and thought that maybe the industry was abusing people’s unhealthy obsessions with their pets to some degree at least. This was uncalled for!

she nodded as she halted for a moment. ‘ ‘ before we open the box and possibly scar your cat for life, is there anything you’ve witnessed that might indicate bad health? ’ ’ she asked calmly. she had been in this field long enough to have seen a great amount of cats, but no two had ever been the same. even with a more detailled statement from a pet owner, she was always flying blind to a degree when she met an animal for the first time — though some input did typically help to narrow down where to look for health problems. ‘ ‘ any unusual behaviour? is he grooming himself? is he eating properly? ’ ’

at the same time, she lined up the necessary treatment in her mind, almost grimacing. it would be very — stressful for the cat, she supposed, but a second appointment would almost certainly be a necessity. ‘ ‘ i’d like to run some — preliminary tests, check the weight, get an approximate age and get to know your cat — before i incur his fury by giving him the necessary shots, ’ ’ she pondered aloud. no one liked to ask questions, but her way of handling things was to make sure the pet owner understood what she was doing. ‘ ‘ if there’s anything pressing, we’re going to handle it today. everything else, i’d prefer to reschedule for a second appointment. ’ ’

Just great. A second appointment. It did make sense that even as a vet she needed to make a living too. But he was starting to regret having come here for just some stray. Perhaps he would simply never appear to that second appointment. Nate kept glaring at the pet carrier as he tried to remember any strange behaviour on the cats part. He came up empty handed. 

“ He seems aggressive but that’s more an indication of a bad personality than physical sickness. How much will it be for the shots? “

𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖.     innocence, big dreamer, waking up too early, walking home, being afraid of meeting new people, slim hands, always cold, reading a book under a tree, the smell of the forest, missing your home.

𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐄.    independent, caring too much for others, sharp looks, walking down the city late at night, the tallest and more spectacular building, iron, being single and okay in a world that tells you that being single is bad.

𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐓.     falling in love easily and heavily, traveler, the infinity of the bluest sky, storms, broken smiles, forgetting people who used to be your beloved ones, feeling out of place, mistrusting people, a fleeting romance.

𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖.     feeling as if you have seen so much and as if you know a lot, prejudge, tight hugs that leave you breathless, a grey sky, serenity, intelligence, being left behind, chains, smoke, the pride of someone wise.

𝐃𝐎𝐕𝐄.      petals, jealousy, being tired of living with the same old faces, whispered secrets, marble, sundresses, white clothes, the first sunset of winter, pride in who you are, learning to get over someone.

𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐋.     family, golden light, the sea murmuring in your ear, summer afternoons, caramel ice cream, collecting seashells and other things and calling them treasures, living breezy and carefree, swimming in sunlight.

𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘.       artistic, getting excited easily, dancing and singing while you are alone, looking at your friends having fun, no phone, being afraid of judgement, spring, a meaningful gift, the first ray of sunlight.

tagging : whoever wants to feel tagged

adapted  from  this post !  

bold what definitely applies  to  your  muse. italicize what somewhat applies  to  your muse.

repost  ;  do  NOT  reblog.

𝙱𝙰𝚁𝙱𝙰𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙽 »     toothy grins, stories around the campfire, clothes covered in pet hair, hot temper, old jeans, heartbeat in head, potatoes and steak, beaded jewelry, bruise like galaxies, mementos, backpack stuffed full, craigslist furniture, spontaneous road trips, air ripped from lungs

𝙱𝙰𝚁𝙳 »     homemade bread, white lies, easily excited, trying on hats, band geek, pep talks, no impulse control, sunsets, vintage fashion, long showers, selfies, following dreams, rosy cheeks, song mash-ups, pink lemonade with tequila, loves easily, animated storyteller, full of comebacks

𝙲𝙻𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙲 »     list of wishes, biting their tongue, band-aids and neosporin, shoulder to cry on, morning sun, necklaces, trial and error, homemade quilts, formal clothing, astrology fan, messages in bottles, pleated braids, speaking up for friends, feathers, motivational quotes, vivid dreams

𝙳𝚁𝚄𝙸𝙳 »     bird watching, shy kid, wind chimes, trying to whistle, summer camp, apple orchards, lost in their head, glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling, hoodies, thrift shopping, saving worms off the sidewalk, pig latin, bare feet, thunderstorms, numb fingers, braided hair, naming potted plants

𝙵𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙴𝚁 »     goosebumps, leather jackets, adventure, chewing nails, cares deeply but can’t show it, bronze locks, no sleep, taste of iron, netflix binges, never forgets, combat boots, stories behind scars, table for one, official soundtracks, sore calves, trusts themselves the most

𝙼𝙾𝙽𝙺 »     always trying to be better, wanderlust, meditation, sweatpants, old photographs, yoga, sleeping in hammocks, nostalgia, minimalist design, breath of fresh air, baby animals, volunteering, perfectionist, doesn’t care about fashion, healthy snacks, noticing the little things

𝙿𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽 »     school uniforms, thick jackets, sleeping with the windows open, logical advice, scrapbooking, compasses, i fight for my friends, sculpture gardens, cold morning air, big soul, likes routine, secret romantic, last to get jokes, sunflowers, practical presents, misty weather

𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁 »     herbal tea, smell of rain, blinking away tears, camping trips, collecting bones, swiss army knives, first impressions, anxious thoughts, bobby pins, burnt marshmallows, too competitive, clothes lines, messenger bags, holding grudges, gets along better with animals than people

𝚁𝙾𝙶𝚄𝙴 »     flirtatious sarcasm,  candid photos, lost phone chargers, adrenaline rush, picking dirt out from beneath their nails, social chameleon, clashing clothes, self-deprecating jokes, claw machines, sits in chairs wrong, smudged eyeliner, has too many sunglasses, eats nothing or everything

𝚂𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚁 »     infectious laugh, family trees, shivers down their spine, lipstick and roses, mood swings, clumsy, believing in destiny, high expectations, sleeping in darkness, collection of nail polish, passionate, good grades but never studies, poetry books, blowing kisses, not knowing their own strength

𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙺 »     knowing everyone’s secrets, backpack covered in pins, envy, being in Walmart late at night, earl grey, selective memory, conspiracy theories and cryptids, keysmashing, need to know basis, can’t cook, bags under eyes, experimental art, flickering bulbs, black clothing all year long

𝚆𝙸𝚉𝙰𝚁𝙳 »     piles of textbooks, cat in lap, keeping a diary, indecision, scented candles, studying alone in a café, lingering touches, museum dates, unanswered questions, taking on too much responsibility, collections, chalk dust, comfy robes, unnecessary apologies, coming home after a long day

tagged by:  i was probably tagged by @ofmsfortune. or any number of her blogs 

ah and there he was, the dragon. he did look hm, what was the word? alert? paranoid? oh well. rufus did just wait here instead of leaving and trying again but he also had the time to wait. and truthfully, all it took was eating one apple for the other to come home so that made it Much easier. he lobbed the apple core away from them and shrugged at the other dragon.

“eh, not really. i just ate one apple while i enjoyed the view around here.” he answered with a shrug. “i mostly came here for a goods exchange, if you’re….not busy.” he indicated the other’s artfully human disguise and what looked to be a bundle he carried. rufus knew enough about nathan that the man did not enjoy leaving his cave, nor did he enjoy visitors without gifts. but that was most dragons (the second part at least). unless one had a close relationship, exceptions were made. and theirs was a mixture of business and being survivors of a dwindling race.

Ah, a business transaction changed things considerably. Nathan was always open to such exchanges and most of the other beings he dealt with knew his preferences well enough by this point to know which bargains they could strike and what not to try. There wasn’t much he’d refuse to part with if the return was sufficient and If there were things he needed he’d specifically ask for them. On the other hand if he received a request for something he did not possess, he’d go out and obtain it. Humans had services like this. They called them stores. The basic principles of economy, like language, were universal it seemed. 

Just like that, new customers had to be treated with utmost care if he wanted to retain them. So he put on a pleasant smile and gestured in the direction of his threshold. Seem inviting. But besides his pragmatic interests, being strangers, they were still most interesting. Nathan was always curious what they wanted. Sometimes, they came with stories or long winded explanations of why they wanted one specific item. Those could be entertaining because some of them could be a bit on the unusual side. What would it be with this one?

‘ ‘ ——hello, mr hawethorn. ’ ’  brigid swept into the room like a wave, dropping the clipboard off on the nearest counter as she assessed the situation. one man, one cat, no terrified children. for this, she was grateful; she did not mind kids, but she could not understand parents that dragged their children with them when a beloved pet’s life was nearing its end. it never seemed fair on either the children or the animal. ‘ ‘ it says here it’s a general checkup, plus some shots? is this correct? ’ ’ she asked as she leaned against the counter, dark eyes resting on the carrier. ‘ ‘ how is your cat with strangers? specifically strangers like me. ’ ’

( historically speaking: the only animals not to like her were geese, and this was just fine — they were the only animal she was afraid of. )

@triceturned​

Nathan raised an eyebrow in question at the woman who had just all but rushed into her examination room and discarded her clipboard with a slap on the counter. With her make up and sharp, shrewd eyes she looked slightly out of place for some reason.

“ Yes. I just want to make sure he’s healthy. It’s not my cat though. He’s a street cat that keeps sneaking into my apartment. You might want to watch out “  

In this day and age they had to be grateful for every dragon that still lived. He hated the idea of going extinct because of human superstition and greed as much as the next dragon. One could live out their greed without killing another being after all. During his heists he had never killed anyone or gotten noticed in the first place. Granted, that was not out of any pacifism on his part and more a practicality. If he wasn’t overly aggressive, the humans would feel less obligated to go after him or anyone else he still knew.

Nathan looked at the other dragon in confusion. They clearly would use that particular metaphor in different ways. Was she one of those who saw some sort of poetic beauty in flowers? Oh, he’d have fun living with a romantic and Mr. family for hundreds of years on end for certain.