Chapter Text
Marco didn’t know at what point that Ace’s dogs also became his dogs. As Ace said, he truly was stuck with him and his seven dogs now (and Kotatsu of course).
But he was sure that Polaris decided from day one that Marco was her human now.
“It’s not fair,” Ace practically whined when Polaris snuggled right up to Marco once again, even though he knew she would go to him as soon as he sat down in the comfortable armchair. “She’s supposed to be my fluffy little polar bear.”
That was Ace’s favorite nickname for her, and it was rather fitting with the volume of fluffy fur on her cuddly body. Marco was just glad that she did not have the temperament or the weight of an actual polar bear because then he would be dead by now.
And of course, Ace’s insistence on calling all of his dogs some variation of “little” or “baby” when many of them were at least a hundred pounds was still funny to Marco.
“I don’t know if you’re more jealous of me or of the dog,” Marco said, holding in a laugh. He did want to cuddle up to Ace as well, but the time after immediately getting home had been designated as “Polaris snuggle time” and she would not be denied. It was rather difficult to stop a one hundred pound ball of fluff and love from throwing a temper tantrum because she did not get to sit in her favorite human’s lap for an adequate amount of time.
Ace stuck his tongue out at Marco. “Polaris, you know you’re retired, right? Marco doesn’t need therapy dog time.” When this didn’t seem to work, Ace tried again. “What if I need emotional support more? Pretty please?”
The reminder of her past as a former therapy dog did not deter her. She just stared at Ace blankly before snuggling her head back against Marco’s chest.
“Boo,” Ace huffed, flopping back on the couch. “Maybe I could bribe her.”
Just like Ace and his brothers, the dogs were rather food motivated. However…“You know you would just get mobbed by the rest of the dogs though. Then Cheese would grab it out of your hand. Then you would have to give treats to everyone else because you would feel bad.”
Ace flushed, and Marco knew he read him like an open book.
“She’ll follow you when you start dinner, firefly. You know she will.” That specific word perked Polaris up. It seems as if adequate snuggle time had been reached. Marco shot Ace a pointed look. “See?”
“Well, you said it. You have to help.”
“Of course, firefly.”
Now that Marco and Ace had gotten their shit together, their friends and family were much more content to show up unannounced to enjoy the amenities of the lake house.
“Izo likes to enjoy the sun out on the deck, so I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up before now.” Ace had said upon Izo’s arrival.
“Well, I think we all needed to give you two time to fuck your feelings out, now didn’t we? I hope you’ve disinfected all the surfaces.”
Neither Ace nor Marco had a retort for that, even though the answer was yes.
Marco returned to his usual seat, but imagine his surprise when, instead of cuddling up with him, Polaris beelined it for Izo on the couch, laying her front paws out on his lap.
Marco, his jaw agape, could not believe the sight jn front of him. Did Polaris, his cuddle buddy, really just abandon him for his best friend? “Starting to understand how Ace feels,” he muttered to himself.
“What?” Izo asked. “I thought you were over your jealous phase.”
“I’m not jealous!” Marco sputtered. “Just surprised. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh.” Izo turned to Polaris, who was cuddling up with him as he brushed her fur out. “Who’s the fluffiest girl in the world?”
If you asked Marco if he was pouting, he would vehemently deny it. “I can brush her too!”
“Yes, but can you do it right?” Izo continued to brush her fur, wisps of fur starting to float in the air.
Ace sighed. “I’ll get the vacuum.”
“You have an advantage. You have two fluffy dogs!” Marco argued. He’d met Izo’s Husky, Olaf, and Pomeranian, Yam-chan, the first time he’d gone over to Izo and Thatch’s place. They were adorable as well, especially with the way they always stuck together (the size difference between the two best friends making for a rather humorous image). Of course he knew how to brush such fluffy dogs. Meanwhile, Marco was still getting used to suddenly being around so many dogs.
Izo rolled his eyes. “Fine. Come here.”
Marco joined him on the couch. Suddenly, Polaris seemed to remember his existence as she stretched herself out to cover both their laps. Izo passed him the brush. “You have to go gently. Like this.” He guided Marco’s hand.
“Okay. Doesn’t seem too hard.”
“Now you have to say ‘brush, brush!’” Izo’s words came out in a sing-songy way, which Polaris seemed to like if the way her tail wagged indicated anything.
Marco hesitated, looking at Ace, who had plugged in the vacuum, but hadn’t quite started yet since dog brushing activities were still occurring. Ace nodded. “My girl loves the brush-brush song.”
He sighed. “Brush, brush?”
Izo whacked his arm. “Put some energy into it! You don’t want to disappoint the lady, do you?”
As if to support Izo’s point, Polaris gave Marco the saddest look he’d ever seen. It seemed like she was saying, ‘Do you not love me enough for the brush-brush song, dad?’
Marco cleared his throat and started to move the brush. “Brush, brush!”
Polaris’s tail started to wag again.
“Brush, brush!” Marco repeated with even more enthusiasm.
She started to do her “happy puppy wiggles,” as Ace called them.
“Brush, brush!”
Polaris hopped up, even more fur flying everywhere as she clambered over Izo and fully into Marco’s lap to lick his face happily. Marco laughed, the sensation feeling a bit ticklish. “That’s my fluffy girl!”
An amused smile played on Izo’s lips as he suppressed a giggle. “Well, looks like someone doesn’t need my brushes any more–not that that will stop me, of course.”
“Maybe you can take this and make a second one of her,” Ace said. He took a big ball of fur, made from the wisps that had come off of Polaris while brushing, and deposited it into Izo’s lap. “Plenty of the little polar bear to go around.”