"Maggie?"
"Lucy?"
"Hey, Brooksie remember me?"
*Happy Bark*
"Who are you?"
The interaction was short at that lasting only a few beats really before it was over, yet Alex feels honest heartbreak at not only the sense of familiarity her new attempt at a pet had for this tall, and not unattractive woman her kind of crush had decided to bring along, but the way said stranger was watching the way Maggie and Lucy embraced like only old friends who'd lost touch could.
"I'm just here to look out for Mags, she may be my ex, but she is also my friend." The attractive stranger goes on as she continues kneeling more to a happy Brookie's level for the pup's own friendly greeting noticing Alex's unease over the dog's shoulder.
"Like this one isn't a firecracker all on her own." Lucy laughed giving Maggie's side a playful jab.
Brooks immediately growls in warning misunderstanding Maggie's surprised yelp at the more friendly move for honest pain from across the separating paces between the two clustered parings. Kate's arms immediately drop from the affectionate scratches she'd been allowed to give the rescue pup giving a small shake of her head at Alex's attempt to step in as Brooks locks eyes with a guilty Lucy Lane.
"I'm alright buddy," Maggie soothes already kneeling as the dog approached his growls lowered in volume as he nudged against Maggie's shoulder before making a pointed look over towards Alex then baring his teeth considering Lucy had been attempting to inch towards her in the dog's distraction in his gentle nudging of the kneeling human beside him for signs of injures. When he could find none, Brooks leaned away now turning his attention towards his other favored human.
Alex looking the picture of deer in headlights until she noticed the slight wagging of her new dog's tail as he came closer.
"Ouch, Brook-o." Kate sighed with a low chuckle as she like Lucy watch Alex slowly approach the other two much to Brooks's delight.
After giving each giggling woman a light nuzzling Brooks makes a rather deliberate walk back over to a comically hurt Kate Kane his tail giving a light wagging as he moved.
"Oh, now you remember me, goober?" Kate chuckled at Brooks's more playful expression as he dropped his newly prized ball at her feet. Brooks only gave a half-hearted bark as the ball was nudged closer to the woman's boot clade foot his tail giving a happier beat as the two looked at one another. "Thanks, cutie." Kate smiled dropping to her knees as she leaned her forehead against Brooks's own her hand like Brooks's paw resting against the offered ball between them.
"Guess this means Lane pays the bill for breakfast." Kate announces once Brooks made it clear the tender moment had run its course. The dog nudged the ball closer towards this third favored human before trotting happily back to the still kneeling other two blushing pink as they avoided the other's eyes.
"Seriously?" Lucy laughed
"Whatcha think Brooksie, you hungry buddy?" Maggie asked offering her hand to help a still-blushing Alex back to her feet. "Want some donuts?"
Brooks yaws in answer shaking out his coat as he somehow managed to lean into both Alex and Maggie's legs at the same time as Maggie talked.
"No?" Maggie asked making Alex giggle at the more playful question "How about some cheese waffles?" Maggie asked
The question earned an immediate happy play bowed huff before an honest cheer of a bark from the former shelter pup. Brooks's tail beats madly behind him as he attempts to sit and do a happy dance at the same time as he holds Maggie's gaze. All the while licking his lips hungrily as Maggie only smiles in understanding.
"Don't worry Lane, I'll stake you this time around." Kate chuckles with a teasing smile as she falls into step beside the sulking younger Lane sister letting an eager Brooks and a giggling Maggie take the lead in directing the group up the block toward the diner they needed.
Neither of the following pair thought to point out the fact the lead couple was still holding hands as they walked with a happy whimpering Brooks seeming to skip along beside them up the sidewalk.