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The car ride to the farm had not unpleasant. Yuuri suspected it may have been so, if not for the fact that the equivalent of “are we there yet?” sounded extremely cute when it came in a series of, “po, po, po”s. Pocha and Pomvik had kept each other entertained in the back, strapped into dual car seats. After a week together, the two had become inseparable. After two, Yuuri began to suspect that Pocha and Pomvik were more destined to be soulmates than him and Victor.
The two puppies had been playing a game that Yuuri could not figure out the rules of, appearing to be some version of rock, paper, scissors. Except that Pocha’s paws made it so he could only throw one variety… Yet, somehow, he still appeared to be winning if Yuuri were to judge by the amount of times that Pomvik clapped and kissed Pocha’s cheek.
Victor pulled into the parking lot of the farm, driving them further down the lane to where it was less crowded. The weekday afternoon was not too busy, ideal for the puppies’ first outing.
The farm was a relatively small venture, open for tourists on most days. Behind a white picket fence was a shop front, advertisements for fresh ice cream and cheesecake handwritten in chalk. Behind it was the barn in which the cows would be housed, a field off to the side holding sheep and goats.
Victor got Pocha and Pomvik out of their seats, placing them down on the ground outside the car. A few days before, while watching tv, Pocha had seen an ad featuring dairy cows. Yuuri really could not blame the puppy for being taken by those long cow lashes, Pocha having jumped and down in excitement each time he saw the ad repeated. Later, when noticing the picture of a jersey on a carton of milk, Pocha had threw himself at it in a hug and refused to let go, even when Pomvik came over to offer himself as a replacement.
So came the decision to take Pocha to see some real cows. They had even dressed for the occasion, Pocha having swapped out his usual blue Y-shirt for a hoodie to which Victor had added black spots and cow horns. Pomvik had gotten one too. The two padded around Victor and Yuuri’s legs, obviously excited by the speed at which their tails wagged.
“Hold hands and stay close,” Yuuri instructed, clipping a leash onto Makkachin’s collar. She had dozed off next to the two puppies for most of the trip, conserving her energy.
Pocha and Pomvik instantly joined paws, though Pocha’s gaze was fixed ahead, searching for his target. He ran along the quickest, dragging Pomvik with him as he got ahead of Victor and Yuuri before being called back. Makkachin trailed after them, her ears perked but her demeanor far calmer and wiser.
They passed the goats first, Pocha and Pomvik slowing down to stare wide-eyed at the animals. Victor fetched some hay, coming back to hold it out in offering. A couple goats wandered over, sticking their heads between the fence in acceptance. Pocha and Pomvik watched with fascination.
When Victor beckoned them over, Pocha and Pomvik shifted closer, both taking some hay. Victor showed them how to hold their hands open and flat, with Pomvik daring forward while Pocha shook his head and clung to Victor’s hip.
Pomvik’s puppy ears were pinned back at first, but he followed Victor’s encouragement, allowing the goats to eat from his paw until one sneezed into it. He jumped back, yipping, running for cover behind Victor’s legs.
“Po, po, po!!” Pocha rushed forward, his chest puffed out. He barked at the goat, waving his paws, “Po!” The goats backed off, with Pocha holding his arms proudly over his chest. He had defended Pomvik from the things with devil eyes!
Victor and Yuuri laughed, while Pomvik jumped on his hero, giving him a massive hug.
“Pocha!” Pocha declared, huffing in the goat’s direction. One of his arms stayed protectively around Pomvik as they walked away together. He was the big puppy on campus now… until they got to the barn.
The cows were much bigger than the goats. And much bigger than they looked on the milk carton and on the tv screen.
“Po… pocha…”
Yuuri lifted Pocha into his arms, while Victor picked up Pomvik. Both puppies had scrunched their noses, as after all the barn smelled heavily… like a barn. The two were carried down the aisle, Pomvik pointing to more hay on the ground which had been pushed just out of a cow’s reach by the nudging of her nose as she ate. The encounter with the goat appeared to have fazed him little, as he was back to offering hay to the large animals the moment it was in his hands.
Pocha, meanwhile, had nestled himself deep inside Yuuri’s arms, his puppy whimpers coming out in a series of more “po, po, po”s.
“Pom! Pom pom!” Pomvik waved to Pocha enthusiastically, grinning dog ear to dog ear when the cow he had fed licked his face in thanks. Puppies and cows seemed to share that as a language.
Pocha steeled himself once more, tugging on Yuuri’s shirt in signal. He was carried over and held close to Pomvik, who took his paws and showed him how to hold the hay out in offering. Pocha hesitated only until an encouraging, “Pom!” from Pomvik finally gave his strength.
He screwed his eyes shut and thrust out his paw, the pads of it open to offer hay. The cow picked it up with her lips, and let out a long and grateful, “Mooooooooo.”
Pocha cracked open an eye and began to giggle. He gestured for more straw, which he received, and on the next go-round, demanded to be set down. He and Pomvik proceeded to run around the entire barn, filling their little paws up with bundles of hay which they delivered to any cow that did not have any. The only thing missing, with their continuous exhales of “po, po, po” and “pom pom pom” was the clanging of cow bell. Yuuri would have to be sure to attach little ones to their collars next time.
Pomvik and Pocha ran themselves ragged, until there was no more loose hay to collect, collapsing at their owners feet. Pocha had stuck one straw in his own mouth, chewing on the end with curiosity. That was the sign for snack-time.
Victor and Yuuri carried their puppies out of the car and to a nearby faucet to get them washed up, before taking them back toward the small shop at the fore of the farm.
Inside was glass-counter display, behind which sat assorted glass bottles of milk, homemade cheese and cheesecakes, sweet yogurts, and, of course, a note advertising the ice cream. Pocha put his paws against the display, standing up as high on his toes as he could get, jaw slack and mouth drooling. Yuuri ordered for them all.
A cone of soft-serve ice cream was handed to Pocha, told to hold it steady with both of his paws. He sniffed, little button nose wiggling. His tail began to wag again, tongue popping out to give the cold treat a lick. The tail sped up.
Pomvik received a cone too, with Victor and Yuuri taking a seat to split a generous slice of cheesecake.
“How is it, boys?”
“Po, pocha!” The cone had slipped in Pocha’s paws, getting vanilla in his fur, but he licked it up as quick as the rest. Before anyone else had gotten two bites into their treat, Pocha’s was gone, the only evidence being the melted cream around his mouth.
Pomvik still had the entire cone left, but he shifted over to Pocha to offer another taste. Pocha’s eyes sparkled and he hugged Pomvik, proceeding to then take a very big bite, cleaning the ice cream off the top of the cone.
“Pocha!” Yuuri scolded as Victor laughed at what should have been one hundred percent expected.
Pomvik didn’t seem to mind at all, heart-eyes watching Pocha dip his head and shuffle in apology. He continued to share the ice cream, the two sitting side-by-side, tails wagging the entire time.
It was possible that they received another cone for the drive home.