Krishna hopped out of his delivery truck with a crumpled piece of paper in one hand and a small wire cage just big enough to hold a small animal in the other. He looked at the paper in his hand to double check the address. A nearby bus rose and drove off for its next stop, but the man was already striding in the opposite direction and did not care who saw him. His toned legs moved steadily through the snow that had come uncharacteristically early to Destiny City, stopping only to kick off accumulated slush. Noting would deter him from his task. His face was firmly set, a look of concentration apparent as he read the passing house numbers. 88548. 88550. Finally, 88552 came into view, and he paused. He puffed warm air onto cold, calloused hands and triple checked the paper once more to be sure. Yes, this house was the correct one. Trudging the few remaining feet, the florist knocked loudly on the door and waited for someone to come. His journey was almost finished.

It had all begun because of Richard. Krishna was a patient man, and he watched people all the time. When he was in the presence of the same person every day, morning, noon, and night, it was inevitable that he would learn to read that person’s moods. When said person was as open as Richard, this was normally not a difficult task. In recent weeks, however, the confectioner had become…distant. Not physically; he still clung to Krishna’s arm when they walked, wrapped an arm around his shoulder or fluffed his hair at any opportunity. It was a verbal distance; he no longer spoke incessantly whenever the two of them were on the battlefield or in the bar. It was also an emotional distance. No joy lit up his friend’s candy apple eyes when he pulled a starseed - just sullen acceptance. No true anger appeared when he was questioned - just mild annoyance that he quickly shooed away. Richard’s most common reaction to anything he encountered these days seemed to be a smile that remind Krishna too much of the candy his friend created. It had a perfect, glossy exterior, but ultimately was empty, leaving neither person fulfilled. It offered nothing of truth, complexity, or life. It did not feel like Richard.

All of his suspicions had been confirmed whenever they had last gotten together to train and perfect a new battle strategy. If that night had left any impression on the florist, it was that his friend was not only in greater danger than he had ever dreamed, but that steps needed to be taken to save him from himself sooner rather than later. His appearance at the pizza party where they had played the werewolf game had shown an even steadier decline; the ease with which he traveled alongside an enemy as powerful as Remarque and left the rainbow-haired man behind? Those only confirmed that Krishna’s concerns were valid and threaded a hot wire of fear through his guts. The fallout with Bischofite would be a large challenge for the both of them to face… but it would be handled, one way or the other. Richard’s concern over Baldwin’s safety in particular was understandable. If that madman was willing to kill a Negaverse officer in his civilian form, to threaten someone with whom he had once been intimate, then what qualms would he have about killing a dog?

It was actually Baldwin that had inspired Krishna in his course of action. Richard loved Baldwin. He loved the Irish Wolfhound with a deep intensity that never died. When all other flames seemed to smoother in his friend’s darkness…the ember of concern for Baldwin remained like a precious gift in the soot. If the florist could nurture that emotion and fan it, perhaps he could rekindle the rest. After some sleepless nights of concentrated thought, the course of action had become clear to him: he needed to get Richard a second dog. A puppy, preferably, to awaken the most protective of his friend’s instincts and bring about the memory of when the now giant hound had been much smaller, and weaker, than he was currently. That protective instinct would hopefully be enough to fully relight Richard’s pilot light, as he radiated warmth onto his new pet.

Unfortunately, the florist’s knowledge of dogs was limited. He had never been able to have a pet when he was growing up due to a combination of not being able to afford such a luxury and his mother having an extreme allergy to dog dander. He had, therefore, turned to someone who was much more of an expert on the subject. His part-time worker, Gwen, had a great love of animals. She might not currently own a dog, favoring a rat instead, but her discussions at the shop gave him every reason to believe that she could answer his questions. Besides, she owed him for the days off he had given her to take care of the now few months old sibling that needed care at home. So, the florist had sent her off on a quest: to locate the perfect dog for him to buy Richard.

They had discussed the decision in great length at the store. He had looked at numerous books describing the various dog breeds and asked for her opinions to help him shape his own. Both had agreed immediately that a large dog was the way to go. Richard would not have chosen an Irish Wolfhound if he did not like large dogs. Another of the same breed was ruled out, however, because this new animal had to be able to stand out on its own. Likewise, they had decided that a female would be better, if possible, than another male. Everything had to be done to differentiate her from the loveable Baldwin, if she had even a chance to imprint on the candy man’s heart.

Which breed should it be, then? That was a decision that Krishna had tried to make alone, at least at first. He found the choices astounding. Should he go with a fluffy Newfoundland as black as the Chaos that pumped through Richard every time he became Buddingtonite? Or should he choose a blood hound, whose sensitive nose and rheumy eyes were somewhat like Richard, who smelled everything he cooked and often had bleary vision from alcohol? There were other, just as viable options - perhaps a slightly smaller breed in a German Shepherd or an Old English Sheepdog, both of which could be trained both as a companion and as a protector?

The black-and-white haired girl had given her opinion very succinctly: a Great Dane. When the florist reread the entry on the breed, he could immediately see why. The large animals were said to be the world’s largest lap dogs, very friendly, open, and affectionate. They adored companionship and play. They did require training, which was for the best because it would continue to foster the relationship between man and animal. They did not live long, only six to eight years, but that was not enough of a reason to cull the breed in Krishna’s opinion. Many flowers that were truly beautiful and the crowning jewel of flower arrangements or gardens lived far briefer lives--but that did not mean that they were not worth the effort to grow them, to enjoy them. The pictures of puppies were even (dare the stoic man to admit it aloud and he would not) quite cute with their floppy ears and giant paws.

With his decision made, Krishna had meticulously studied the notes Gwen had given him to learn about coloring, breed standards, and proper sources from which to buy choice dogs. He knew to ask if he could see the other puppies, the b***h and, preferably, the sire. He had no desire to buy anything but a pedigreed dog, but he also did not want to support a puppy mill. Krishna might have been a cold man, but not even he was cold enough to watch innocent animals suffer. Through exhausting various resources, including Craigslist, the newspaper listings, and mouth to mouth recommendations that his part-time worker found for him, he had found two potential litters. Of those two the one to which he was currently traveling to investigate was the closer. Based on the pictures Gwen had brought with her to the shop, the breeding itself was excellent, coming from two pedigreed dogs and producing puppies in a wide assortment of colors. She said that she knew the breeders personally and found them kind and concerned with the health of the animals above all else. So far, the girl had been spot on with her information, and the florist saw no reason to doubt her now. The sight of the well-maintained home, and the openness with which the woman greeted him and invited him in to see the puppies supported Gwen’s claims.

Krishna removed his gloves, hat, and jacket and left them to dry by the door. Then, he greeted the two large Great Danes that trotted to greet him. One, a classic gold male, was the friendlier of the two, approaching with a broad grin and a quickly wagging tail. The Harlequin colored b***h hung back a bit more, still encumbered with her teats and perhaps feeling them tender now that the pups were undergoing weaning, but when the florist reached for her she accepted the stroking of her head. The woman who had let the rainbow-haired man into her home shook his hand after he was done greeting the dogs, “Hello there, Mr. Dhawan. I’m Brenda Roberts. I’m so glad that you’re thinking of taking one of our babies home. Why don’t we just go straight and see if any of our guys or gals catch your fancy?”

He nodded to show his assent and followed her to the living room. Here, a makeshift playpen had been erected and the full litter of puppies romped around, rolling around with each other or playing with an impressive array of toys. Among the litter, one stood out among all others - an almost perfect blue male, only blemished by a few white toes. He was currently busying himself by chewing on a stuffed animal. Krishna admired him for a time before shaking his head. No, a female would be better. It had already been decided, and he saw no reason to change the plans.

His eye was then drawn to two girls had taken after their mother in coloring. He stretched out a hand for them to sniff. One of the black and white pups shied away from his touch, but the other approached with a big, goofy grin on her small face. Unlike the golden colored pups, this one had no dark mask, but she did have large splotches of black. Curiously, one of her ears was purely white, the other purely black. Uncommon colorations for the breed, excessively uncommon… and there was something in that smile, something in the way she insistently nuzzled and pulled at his hand until he was stroking behind her floppy ears (which she promptly tried to chew on) that reminded him of the spice, the vitality that Richard normally possessed. Her coat and markings, beyond merely being a rarer color, were exquisite, her proportions perfect. She could probably be shown, if she underwent the training…which would make her more expensive. All the same, she would be worth every penny if she could help Krishna’s partner remember himself. He rose back to his full height and jumped directly into the heart of the matter. Pointing to the puppy he had been stroking, he asked bluntly, “How much for her?”

“The little Harlequin? For a girl like her, normally we charge a thousand dollars.” Before the florist could protest or attempt to haggle, Brenda held up a hand to pause him. She was obviously somewhat used to having customers show some kind of sticker shock at the price of her puppies. “Now, that is because of their breeding pedigree partially, but it’s also the cost of their shots and all their health check-ups, even spaying or neutering if you decide that’s what you want. However, this girl hasn’t been spayed yet, so if you’re willing to swallow those costs and you being a friend of Gwen and coming a long way… I think I could let her go for seven hundred.”

Seven hundred. It was better than a solid thousand but… the price was still more than the florist could afford. Krishna pulled out his wallet and slowly pulled out five one hundred dollar bills to confirm that he did not have enough. He held onto them and carefully maintained his calm expression, but on the inside he was anything but serene. He had sold off everything he could to raise the funds. His carefully stored CD player and television, his entire movie and music collection, and a chunk of his more popular books were all nestled in a pawn shop. He had even sold off gently used designed clothing and a few pieces of gold jewelry he had inherited from his grandfather, enduring the chittering of girls half his age giving him some meager amount for them. Everything he had been willing to part with was gone, and still he did not have enough.

But he had come too far to fail. Richard needed this puppy, and he would do whatever was necessary to procure her. He handed her the money and made an offer with as much dignity as he could. Brenda did not need to know the reasons why he could not pay the full amount - let her think him a haggler. “I only have five hundred, but perhaps we can barter? I would gladly give you a gift certificate to my floral shop for the remainder.”

His care was not romantic. Krishna had always made perfectly clear, from their very first meeting, that he did not want to bed his friend. He easily could have. He simply had no desire. As he had said long ago, Richard was not his type. However, that did not mean that his friendship was any less important. His affection and concern, however platonic, were just as real as any romantic interest and made him just as desperate. Two hundred dollars in lost merchandise was potentially a steep price, depending on how the woman spent the offered money. But he needed the puppy. He needed it for his friend, his partner. He could not leave without her.

The woman twirled a silver curl around her finger and frowned. She seemed hesitant to take his offer and explained why with a small frown, “I don’t know, Mr. Dhawan. That’s a bit unusual. We normally don’t barter… and I normally don’t spend two hundred dollars on flowers either. It would better if I had a chance to discuss it with Mr. Roberts…but he’s not home at the moment. He won’t be back for a week. I suppose I could call him, since you came out all this way…”

“Would you? With the holiday season upon us, I am sure that your family can find a use for the certificates. I stock autumnal blooms, pumpkins and squash plants, poinsettias and miniature Christmas trees. They make lovely gifts as well as decorations for a home.” Krishna kept his composure, though his hands tightened at his sides. He would not beg. No matter how dire the circumstances, his pride would not allow it. He was trying to swallow his anger because he was, in fairness, offering the woman the price she wanted for the animal. It was not in cash, but it was an equivalent. It was not as though he had tried to short change her by offering less than the requested the amount. His goods were well worth the price, and two hundred dollars could go a long way in his shop if she spent it wisely.

He held his tongue as the woman left the room, cell phone in hand. The Harlequin puppy that had caught his eye seemed to have no inkling of the tension that surrounded her. She tilted her head and ran over to paw at Krishna’s outstretched hand once again. His golden eyes softened as she wagged her tail. So entranced was he that he did not immediately notice when Mrs. Roberts returned. He did hear her news, however, and turned slightly to face her as she happily announced, “I just managed to catch him in between meetings. He says that your proposal is quite acceptable, Mr. Dhawan. The little girl is all yours!”

The rest of the encounter passed quickly. Krishna handed over the cash and lifted the puppy from the pen. He bundled himself up and tucked the wriggling puppy to his chest. She squirmed around until she was facing him and began to lick at his nose and his cheeks. Her tail thumped against his chest, and really she was proving to be quite a handful. Yet, the florist could not help but smile softly down at her. She was exactly what Richard needed, a bundle of love and energy that would not be content until he had his friend’s affections. It took only a moment more to tuck her into the cage he had brought with him and to tell Mrs. Roberts the directions to his shop so she could come to collect her gift certificates. Then he trudged back to his vehicle and slid the animal in the seat beside him, buckling the wire cage in place.

The delivery truck rumbled to life as soon as he turned the key. It would take a little time for the engine to fully warm up and the two of them to be on their way to Richard’s apartment building. The puppy had already curled up into herself and fallen asleep in the cage whenever he looked back. Another, larger smile spread across Krishna’s normally expressionless face as he watched her. ’Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I know he will like you, little one… so take care of my friend. That is all I ask.’

[Word Count: 3,037]