Chapter Text
Our story begins almost a year ago today. At first, it was just me. Me and my pet Anakin.
We lived above a machine shop near Regents Park. The shop was my pet’s pride and joy. He worked on machines all day until closing (sometimes even after closing). He was determined to make a machine that would change the world.
It was all nonsense as far as I was concerned. Humans and their machines had no use for dogs.
Our story began on a bright spring day. I was sitting in my usual spot by the window while my pet worked behind me on some device.
Oh, forgive me. I completely forgot to introduce myself. How rude of me. I’m Jango. And you probably guessed it but, yes. I’m a dog. Dalmatian to be exact.
Living with Anakin was happy enough. I was fed, watered, had a roof over my head, a soft bed, was taken on walks when I asked, and was generally well taken care of. I will forever be grateful to him for rescuing me from the horrible pound.
The problem with living with Anakin was the state of our home and the loneliness that came often when night fell and it was just me and him in the house.
We both wished for something to change and that something… or should I say someones… came into our lives one early Spring morning.
As I said before, I was laying in my spot in the shop workroom. Anakin had always left a bed for me in there right by the window.
I was bored and was idly watching the dogs and their pets walk across the street outside.
It hit me as I saw a human-mated couple share an embrace as they entered the park.
That would be a perfect cure for our growing loneliness. My pet could have someone that will be there for him and I would have some companionship. Dogs are social beings and we require company.
I set out to find the perfect pair for us. I started with someone for myself.
***
Jango dropped his head on his front paws as he watched the people and their pets go by. Lots of pets with their dogs walked past their small shop into the park.
He saw a long-haired dog. Jango thought about that one. Nope. He decided. Long hair would get everywhere. No, she was not for them.
Another smaller short-haired dog walked past. Was this one…? No. She looked a little snobbish. Jango did not need someone to harp on him when he wanted to clean himself in the middle of the living room.
Another snooty dog came past. Fancy curly hair and all. She tossed her nose up when she spotted Jango in the window.
What was with the females of his species? They all were either too snobby or took too much care.
Jango huffed as an older dog followed by a puppy walked past.
Or too old or too young.
This was hopeless. Jango growled a little in frustration. Just a little one. Anakin didn’t even notice.
Maybe he was going about this the wrong way. He didn’t necessarily need female companionship. He just wanted someone to be there to talk to. Who said it had to be a female?
Jango kept an eye out. A whole hour passed before he saw the right pair. Jango sat up. He placed his front paws on the window sill to get a better look.
Another dalmatian with sleek fur and handsome spots came walking by. The other dog moved confidently but not rudely.
Jango quickly darted his eyes to the dalmatian’s pet. She looked pretty enough for a human, he supposed.
Brown hair and darker skin than his pet. She looked a little on the short side for a human.
Jango saw they stopped to help an older couple.
Jango snorted. Maybe a little too good. But maybe good was what they needed.
Jango followed them through the various windows in the shop as they turned the corner and into the park.
They had to leave now if they were to catch up to them. The park wasn’t that big and if they were only crossing through it, they didn’t have much time.
Jango got up and bounded towards his pet. He barked a few times and gently pulled on his pet’s sleeve.
Anakin stretched and looked up. “What’s wrong, Jango? Do you need to go outside?”
Jango walked over to his leash and grabbed it in his mouth. He went back over to Anakin and dropped it in his lap.
Anakin stood up and yawned. “Alright. I could use a break. Mom always said that being indoors all day was not healthy.”
Jango waited impatiently for his pet to put away his project and lock up their shop. When his leash was finally clipped on, Jango bolted for the door.
***
Jango knew he was strong for a dog. Anakin put up very little resistance as Jango dragged him through the various paths in the park.
“Easy, boy. Slow down. I thought we were going for a walk. Not a run.” Anakin tugged sharply on his leash.
Jango coughed a little when his collar pulled against his throat. He tried smelling out the other dalmatian but the scents were too mixed up. He would follow one scent he thought for sure was them only to come across a different dog.
Jango was feeling frustrated. Where were they? Were they too late? Had they missed them because Jango couldn’t smell a single dog?
Jango jerked to a stop when he saw the other dalmatian. He was sitting calmly by a park bench in the shade of a tree. His pet was sitting above him on the bench with a folder of papers in front of her.
Jango tried to walk like the other dog. Confidently but not rudely. He failed. Badly. Jango walked over to the grass by the pond.
Anakin sighed with relief and dropped to the ground next to him. Jango felt a little bad as his pet panted for air. That was pushed from his mind as he saw the other dog watching him.
Jango looked back as he (yes, the other dalmatian was a male) looked him over. Jango tried hard to not puff out his chest. He wasn’t looking for a mate for himself.
Jango jumped in surprise when his pet ran his fingers over his ears. Jango toppled over, rolled down the hill, and fell into the pond with a splash.
“Jango!”
Jango heard his pet yelling for him. Jango climbed from the pond and shook the water from his fur. He felt something draped across his back.
Jango ignored it as he saw the other dalmatian and his pet pack things up.
Jango ran over to them. The cold slimy wet thing stuck to his back as he went.
“Oh, my word.” The human female chuckled. “That was funny.”
“I know. I wish I had my camera.” Anakin spoke back.
Jango could sense the beginning of something happening between the two humans. Jango headed for the other Dalmatian.
“Hi.” Jango sat down and wagged his tail once in polite greeting.
The other dalmatian looked him over from ears to tail. The other dog barked a laugh. “You have a lily pad stuck to your back.”
Jango liked this other dog’s voice. It had a cadence to it that Jango had never heard before. Oh. Right. Lily pad. Jango turned his head to try and pull it off. He couldn’t quite reach it. It rested between his shoulder blades.
The other dalmatian snorted. “Let me help you with that”.
Warm soft fur brushed against Jango’s side as the other dog gently gripped the lily pad with his teeth. He jerked his head once and the slimy plant slid off his shoulders and landed on the floor with a plop.
Jango turned to look as his pet let out an uncharacteristic sigh.
“That was adorable.” Anakin was watching him.
Jango stepped away from the other dog and shook out his fur again. Jango knew he wasn’t the prettiest dog. His fur was not as nice as some. He supposed that was what happened when you grew up as a pup on the streets. Not enough food when you were growing wasn’t healthy.
Jango’s pet called him over. Jango wanted to stay with this other dog but if his pet was ready to leave… Jango really didn’t want to be left behind.
Jango looked between the other dog and his pet.
“Jango. Come on. We have to go.” Anakin called again.
“It looks like she doesn’t want to leave.” The female human stared at him.
Jango huffed. Was she calling him a female?
“Jango’s a boy. He doesn’t want to leave her.” Anakin clipped Jango’s leash onto his collar.
“Obi-wan is a boy, too.” The female watched the two of them.
Jango turned his head to study the handsome dalmatian before him.
“We just moved here and it would be good for Obi-wan to make friends. Call me and we can set up a time to meet up. I’m Padme.” Padme handed Anakin something.
Jango turned back to Obi-wan. “See you around?” Jango was hoping to aim for casual. No need for this dalmatian to know just how handsome Jango found him. He failed. Again.
“Yes. I think we will if our pets have any say in it.” Obi-wan walked by his pet’s side as she headed off into the park. “See you later, Jango.”
Jango barked once in goodbye.
“Come on, Jango.” Anakin tugged his leash gently in the direction of home. “What’s got you so confused? I'm not that bad of company am I?”
Jango happily followed his pet’s lead as they left the park. Hopefully, he could nudge his pet into a courtship between the two humans. It would be nice having another dog around.
***
A week went by and Anakin did not call Padme.
The loneliness was getting worse. Now that he had a taste for companionship it was like he craved it.
Anakin always gave him pets and belly rubs when he asked for it but nothing could beat the comfort of having the warmth of another dog against his side.
Jango knew he wasn’t being subtle. He watched every day for Obi-wan and his pet to come back to the park. They either did it while he was taking a break to eat or drink, or they didn’t come back at all.
Jango was in his spot huffing at all the other dogs and pets as they walked past. None of them were him.
“Jango. Come here, boy. I have a surprise for you.” Anakin called from the front of the shop.
Jango’s ears perked up. He lifted his head. His pet had a surprise? What kind of thing did he decide Jango needed?
Jango climbed to his feet. He stretched out his back with a deep yawn. Well, time to go see what ridiculousness his pet came up with now. If it was another sweater or hat, Jango reserved the right to bury it in the backyard.
Jango stepped through the doorway into the front room. Jango came to a stop. Sitting next to his pet’s leg was Obi-wan.
Jango walked over, abandoning all attempts to be casual. He didn’t want to look like an even bigger idiot.
“Hello there.” Obi-wan greeted. “No lily pad this time?”
Jango huffed. “I will never live that down, will I?”
“No. I don’t believe so.” Obi-wan wagged his tail a few times. “Our pets have decided to bring us on a walk together.”
Jango looked back at Anakin just in time to see him grab Jango’s leash. “I didn’t hear him call her.”
“I didn’t either.” Obi-wan moved a step away as Anakin clipped Jango’s leash to his collar.
“Come on Jango. Let’s go.” Anakin led him outside their shop. His pet locked the door behind them.
Jango started off walking with Obi-wan at his side. The silence was a little awkward.
“Where are you from? The way you speak… it’s not something I’ve heard before.” Jango tried conversation.
“I’m from Scotland. I was given to my pet as a puppy. I’ve lived with her my whole life. Where are you from?” Obi-wan turned a corner by bumping into Jango’s side.
Jango sighed. “Nowhere that fancy. I’ve only been with my pet for a year.” Jango decided to be honest. “I lived on the streets as a pup until I grew up. I got taken to the pound and escaped one too many times and was sentenced to be put to sleep. My pet rescued me and now I live with him.”
Silence fell again.
Jango couldn’t take it anymore. “If you don’t want to hang around someone who…”
Jango froze as a cold wet nose pressed against his cheek.
“Hush. I’m perfectly okay with spending time with you.” Obi-wan pulled away. He bumped into Jango’s shoulder again. “Come on. There’s something I want to show you. My pet and I pass it almost every day.”
Jango followed Obi-wan as they gently led their pets through the park.
A loud burst of laughter made him and Obi-wan look back. Their pets were giggling over something on one of the human devices.
Jango snorted. Really? His pet was really giggling like an infatuated puppy. Jango rolled his eyes and began walking again.
“Your pet is a little… unusual,” Obi-wan commented.
“I will be forever grateful to him for rescuing me from the pound and giving me a home but sometimes… he’s a little ridiculous. He works with machines and will spend hours at it if I don’t convince him to get some sunshine and do other things.” Jango shook his head. His fur ruffled then settled at his neck.
Obi-wan was quiet. “My pet gets lost in work too. Ever since… well…” Obi-wan looked back at the two of their pets. “Let’s just say not every intended mate went well for my pet. This is the happiest I have seen her in a long time.”
Jango felt the heavy mood settle over them. Jango swallowed harshly and bumped into Obi-wan’s side playfully. “Here’s to hoping?”
Obi-wan looked back at him. “Here’s to hoping.”
****
The next few months rolled by. It was summer when our two pets admitted their relationship to each other and their families.
Obi-wan and I had already known. Obi-wan and I had been in one since our third walk.
My pet was downright giddy at times when she would message or come over. The news really only came as a surprise to our pets’ other families.
Maybe, not so much as a surprise. Sabe surely wasn’t surprised after she had thoroughly interrogated my pet and scared him near to death. I wanted to jump in and defend him but Obi-wan told me to watch.
I had waited as my pet seemed to flounder before saying something terribly romantic that caused the scents in the room to go all soft.
I had sneezed and everyone looked at me.
It was fall when our pets got married. Obi-wan and I had decided to say our own vows and be a proper mated couple when our pets said theirs.
We stood outside by our pets and swore to always be there for each other.
This isn’t all of our story. This is just the beginning. This story is how we adopted ninety-nine, troubled children, after all.
I have more to tell you about dangerous masterminds, scary thieves, and a treacherous journey in the middle of a blizzard with a lot of children.
Just relax. This won’t take too much longer.