King found himself on his front porch, enjoying the calm of a warm summer day. It was peaceful, only punctuated by the occasional loud exclamation from further down the block. Whatever the other dogs were up to, he wanted no part of it.
Leaning back on the steps, with his back flat to the boards, the corgi reflected.
His house.
He really liked the sound of that.
After Pete had vanished, he was taken in by the wolves and had taken care of their cubs. It had been a surreal time for King, coming to grips with his inherent "dogness", but keeping track of the fact that he would one day be human again. Even if that day didn't seem particularly close.
Eventually the Milton ferrets purchased the griffon's old house, intending to use it for one scheme or another. As often happens in Babylon Gardens, that scheme backfired, which pulled King into the mix. A bit of luck, a good mixture of common sense and ingenuity, and one completely nonsensical adventure later, the corgi found himself in possession of a property.
It had been a year since then. A year filled with the same odd happenings that often befell the Gardens. A year where he traded messages with Bailey, his... girlfriend, he supposed. He blinked at the thought. They had certainly been together for a long time, but he had never let himself think about it like that. The level of comfort with his dog form that exemplified made him nervous about the rest of his behaviors, his mental state.
Still, it wasn't incorrect. He had visited her again this year. The trip was longer this time, since he didn't have to be back at any given date. The corgi felt a smile tug at his mouth. It was a great thing to remember.
Baily had surprised him by being very insightful, which only made him find her more attractive. They had spent their time running around enjoying the fresh air, talking about anything and everything. Those two weeks had helped him in manifold ways, but Bailey had managed to make him feel extraordinarily conflicted.
On his last night at the farm, the two friends (the rest of the farm would say they were a bit closer than that) had sat by the pond, watching the stars as they came out. All had gone well to start. As evening descended, they snuggled close, taking in the depth of the night. Then it had happened. She gave him a brief kiss on the side of his muzzle one instant, then the next she was back to looking over the water.
King had felt his face heat up. Two emotions welled within him: a feeling of love, a desire to reciprocate, and a profound sense of shame. He was a human! Not a dog! He couldn't do this!
But he wanted to. He wanted to be able to care for someone. It didn't matter that she was a dog. What was so attractive about her had nothing to to do with her form (okay, so he was lying to himself, that had plenty to do with it). Bailey was smart, fun to be around, and all in all just what he always would have wanted in a woman.
Looking back, that was where his conflict with himself really kicked into high gear.
His companion had found his bright red blush of embarrassment to be the height of comedy. A very un-Bailey-like laugh found its way out in the aftermath, causing her ears to pink as well.
It was then that King determined he would do just about anything to hear her laugh again.
It even made up for the nickname that she had given him.
His introspection was interrupted by the sound of an engine backfire close by. Vaguely irritated to be forced out of his thoughts, the corgi continued to stare at the ceiling for several more moments. Consequently, he was quite surprised at who was making their way up to the house.
Looking up, he found he could only stare. His heart beat faster. The corgi could feel himself flush a bit. What was it about her?
Maybe it was the slight sway in her hips as she walked. Maybe it was the bright teal eyes that swept over him. Maybe her smell...
What had he been thinking about before? He couldn't remember. His brain seemed to have exploded.
Bailey found herself smiling a little mischievously. Not much, just a turn at the corner. She might be a tomboy, but she was still a girl... and seeing King turning red in the ears was very cute. He brought something out in her that she would otherwise keep hidden.
"You don't have anything to say, Chess? It was a long trip." She asked him. Using that nickname tended to cause him to blush, and even though he already was, it didn't disappoint. His ears flushed even further, and he looked a little sheepish now. In short, she found him adorable.
"Just didn't expect to see you Bucket." The corgi responded after a moment.
Bailey quirked an eyebrow at him. The message was clear: "Where did that come from?"
He gave a little shrug and looked off to the side.
"Bailey. Bail. As in throw water out. You use a bucket. Best I could do."
There was silence for a second, before he turned back to find her staring at him. He briefly wondered if he had offended her, before she started to giggle, then broke out into an all out laugh. He smiled a little. It was wonderful to hear.
"I think you need to work on what nicknames you give out." Bailey forced through her laugh. "But we've got some time to do that, and to talk." She said thoughtfully.
"What are you doing here, by the way?"
Bailey, who had walked up onto the porch, stopped and turned her head to look where he was sitting.
"What? A girl can't come and visit her guy? Only you should be able to come and visit me?"
She kept a stern face for a moment, watching King backpedal. It dissolved into a smirk as she walked over to him.
"Not happy to see me?" She said, standing over him.
The corgi recovered quickly. "I am. Just a bit surprised."
"Glad to hear it." She barely spoke before pulling him into a hug that nearly lifted him off his paws.
There was a tense moment. Neither let go. She saw something pass over King's face, before he spoke again.
"Since you came all this way, I think I should return something I didn't get the chance to before."
She tilted her head in confusion. What could he... Then she felt him place a soft kiss on the side of her muzzle. Before she could react, King had slipped from her grip and made his way over to the door. He cocked an eyebrow at her and gave a sure smile, though his ears were still pink.
"Care to be shown around?"
Bailey nodded slowly, aware that her ears had started to show that telltale red as well. She smiled, took his paw, and followed him inside.