Ruff Love
Posted on Thu Oct 17th, 2019 @ 10:34am by Captain Luka Mahone & Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason
2,284 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
What Lies Ahead, Between, and Behind
Location: Haumea Medical
Timeline: A week before the events of Canary
"Lugh, shhh."
Luka knew when he had picked the ball of fluff out of the mix of available malamutes that day, he was picking up an energetic dog. When he lay eyes on the pile of them on the viewscreen two weeks prior, Lugh was the one who nearly leapt at the cameraman in excitement.
So of course when Luka picked the pup up and brought him home, the same energy infected his living space. Much to the dismay of Noodle, who had taken to perching far enough away that he could disdainfully stare at the pair as Lugh continued to take all of Luka's attention that whole week.
But now that Lugh was used to his surroundings, and was very well antiquated with the medical facilities of Haumea, Luka had a hard time keeping the pup down. They had only visited a couple of times, Luka insisting on getting the dog acclimated to all aspects of his life, but in that short time, Lugh had met just about every nurse and doctor in the facility. That was, everyone except Gunnar, the one man Luka was pretty sure wanted to see the dog in person.
The way to what had become Gunnar's office was longer than Luka would have liked, seeing as Lugh had to stop and greet every person he saw with happy yips and tail wags. Eventually, the welcome wagon arrived on the floor of the office, but as soon as the doors to the lift opened, Lugh was yipping and prancing about, unable to contain himself. The dog's barks could likely be heard down the hall, which had Luka taking the pup to one side, crouching down and making a 'shhhhh' motion with a finger to Lugh's nose.
Lugh only wagged his tail, pausing only a moment to lick Luka's finger and yipping happily again.
Drawn by the sound, Gunnar popped out of his office - the day he couldn't set aside paperwork to see a puppy was the day he'd ask Nikadoros to have him committed - and and broke into a wide grin at the sight of the little puff ball. He headed right for the puppy, kneeling down to let it sniff his hand, and then rubbing his ears with one hand while smoothing the other along the back and flank. (His first medical experience after all had come from helping at his father's vet practice, so he couldn't help doing a cursory check).
"Aren't you a fine fellow?" he practically cooed to the pup, scritching along its jaw line. "Good, sound shoulders and hips too - bet you can't wait to pull a sled." He laughed at getting a happy yip in response to that, and looked up a Luka
...and ducked his head slightly, realizing that in his eagerness to see the puppy, he'd neglected to even greet the colony CO. He cleared his throat slightly. "Hello, sir. I'd heard you'd gotten a pup. I'm sorry I've always been out when you came by with him."
Predictably, Luka had a big grin on his face at the sight of Gunnar doting upon the pup. Lugh, who seemed absolutely content with someone coming up to him for once. "Don't worry about it. If everything was a formal meeting around here, I think I'd have to start a seminar on Relaxing in the Colony."
He stood upright, watching as Lugh padded around the tall medic in excitement, sniffing all around. "I didn't expect the breeder to come through so quickly, but apparently she was eager to give a pup to a Starfleet Captain - something about trying to gain herself work as a private breeder for snowy colonies. He's the first, and if I can manage to grasp training one..." he trailed off, watching as the pup happily yipped at a familiar nurse, tongue lolling out to one side. "... Then there might be good work for this breeder in the future..."
"Having a happy guy like this around should go a long way toward relaxing folks, and he's certainly a good choice for a snowy colony. ...Maybe not as good as an Icelandic sheepdog..." Gunnar winked and flashed a joking grin. "Though I bet the breeder gets more orders soon. As to training, I can help with that. My mother says her old dog helped to raise me, and then I returned the favor by helping to raise her pups and grandpups." He looked back at the fluff ball yipping for more attention with an amused smile. "But we haven't been properly introduced. You've gotten my scent, but I haven't gotten your name."
Luka shook his head. "That breeder is more liable to get a request to move to the Colony itself." As he continued, Lugh padded between the two doctors in excitement. "His name's Lugh. I think the breeder named him, but I feel like it's going to be appropriate. He'll be my first dog, so I'll take all the help I can get. Especially when he gets bigger. Right buddy?"
Lugh stopped, looking over at Luka with a happy and oblivious expression. "... That's right. Maybe we'll train you to do more than pull a sled."
"Lugh," Gunnar repeated, stroking the dog's fur. "A name for hero, and I can see he hopes to live up to it. But a little training will help. Come on back," he said, standing and motioning toward his office. "I can think of several good 'How to Train Your Puppy' books, and if you don't mind me giving him some treats, I can show you a couple things to start with."
Luka nodded, following after Gunnar into his office, a cute puppy trailing after the pair. As they entered, Luka gave the pup a small smile, kneeling down to reward the oblivious Lugh a ruffle of his fur. "He's going to be spoiled by just about all of the hospital, but I don't think I mind that much. Sometimes I feel like I'm spoiled by some of the nurses. Lugh'll give them someone else to direct their affections to."
Upon entering, Gunnar had gone straight to his PaDD and begun pulling up books on training, care, and developmental stages in dogs, but at Luka's remark he looked up and lifted an eyebrow. And pressed his lips against an amused smile - first, because it was such a stereotype, but mostly because a few of them had been ribbing him about being 'the cute nurse' after a couple female patients had asked to see him specifically. If any of them had been fawning over Luka for reasons beyond wanting access to a cute puppy, he was never going to let them live it down. "Have my fellow nurses been hitting on you, sir?"
That was a feeling Luka was not a stranger to. The nurses on Leto were certainly sad to see him go. It seemed to be a thing with nurses and the 'cute dreamy doctor' types, though Luka would hardly call himself dreamy. "Have they? Maybe. They're awfully nice," he remarked, playing ignorant for his own reasons. "I might have had one try to get me to catch her - which I did because I didn't want her injured, but she seemed disappointed when I made sure she was alright and sent her off to one of the other doctors in the hospital. It was like she was trying to stage it all..."
"Being nice is normal - part of managing you doctors," Gunnar said, flashing a grin. "But if it goes to the point of playing stupid games, I'll talk to them. Or have the head nurse do it - after all the grief she's given me about a colony girl who happened to faint against me, I think she'll make it plain that faking that sort of thing in the hospital is just not acceptable."
Luka mirrored Gunnar's grin, a rare hint of mischievousness in his eye. "I mean, there could be other ways to go about this. Sometimes a stern talking to by a head nurse bounces right off the aspiration of being able to get close to all the 'handsome' types around. I'd use pet sitting if Lugh wasn't so adorable and I wasn't intent on training him first."
Gunnar shook his head. He'd worked in both civilian and Starfleet medical facilities long enough to know there were always a few people intent on turning them into 'General Hospital', but even Dr. Divash had had limited tolerance for that. "Or we could ask Davna to weigh in," he laughed, thinking about how Divash had both teased him about his potential for playing that sort of role and treated anyone actually engaging in such shenanigans to withering criticism. "My last CMO was Orion and she dealt with anyone who let flirting get in the way of work by publicly reviewing the perpetrators on everything from technique to style to various aspects of their personal sex appeal...of lack thereof. After turning the deepest shade of blush possible for their species, most people went out of their to avoid going through that again."
"That sounds... harsh." Luka frowned, though he had a distinct image of Davna doing just that. "Though effective. Last resort maybe? It might be more effective to tell them I'm not interested. Though, it seems like you're receiving the brunt end of the stick on this, seeing as you're here more often. I just pop in every now and again. If they're trying to get through the door to my office... well, I don't tend to see it."
"I don't think either of us are in danger of being mobbed," Gunnar laughed. "I'll only address it if it's interfering with patient care or if someone's making you uncomfortable. Don't worry about me - a couple patients trying to flirt, I can handle, and I've dropped enough hints to let the rumor do it's job, so the staff know I'm not available." He looked down at the puppy nudging his leg, and leaned down to pet Lugh. "Unlike you, handsome. You're up for all the attention anyone can give you, eh?"
Luka chuckled at the thought. "I don't think it will. Before you arrived, I think I made it clear how I felt about staff who under performed because of a potential... 'romantic' distraction. I've never seen people so heartbroken over disappointment before." He gave Lugh a sideways glance as the pup happily soaked in the attention. "I think him growing up might detract some of the types who are less than aware at how big he'll get. Which is good for me. I think commanding is making me less of a people person. I think I'll just go off and be a dog person from now on."
"I guess it makes sense that a certain number of people who sign on for a colony are hoping to pair up and settle down," Gunnar remarked, containing a sigh. It was an attractive prospect in a lot of ways, just not one he had much hope of pursuing at present. "But I doubt adult size is going to deter anyone from fauning over Lugh. There will just be more of him to love," he assured the pup, rubbing his ruff. "Which means you'll need to teach him manners before he gets too thoroughly spoiled, especially if you're going to be a proper dog person. That, and having your PaDD full of dog pics," he joked, handing his PaDD, with list of dog training guides and a folder full of pet pictures and videos, to Luka.
"Oh Davna's already forwarded me a folder for that." Luka said offhandedly. He took the PaDD from Gunnar, giving it a cursory look before nodding a silent thank you. "Maybe I'll train manners into him and to sit on people who don't follow through with their own. Hm? How does that sound Lugh?" He gave the dog a loving look, as Lugh returned the look with a happy yip and tail wag. "That's what I thought. You'll be big enough for it. Yes you will."
Gunnar couldn't help but laugh, picturing a full grown Lugh sitting on someone - and probably wagging in their face. Of course, the Captain baby talking to the dog might ruin the effect as far as punishment since the subject was likely to be as paralyzed by laughter as by a huge dog sitting on them. "I think it might be best to start with 'sit' and 'stay'. On the floor, not a person, though I'll gladly volunteer as a puppy seat when you move onto the next phase," he added with grin.
"Yes, floor sitting first. Then person-sitting." Luka paused, snorting out a laugh of his own. "Though something tells me that I will still have issues repelling people. Oh well." He frowned, eyes flickering out the window. "... I should probably get back. I'm sure my paperwork is piling."
"Mine isn't decreasing, for sure," Gunnar sympathized. Giving Lugh a regretful pet, he straightened. "Once you've looked the training books, let me now if you need any help. I doubt you will sine he's pretty bonded to you and eager to please, but I'm always happy for an excuse to work with a puppy."
"I am pretty sure I can give you an excuse or five." Luka stated. He couldn't imagine too many ambassadors angry at a little pup, but he didn't want to take that chance. Someone would simply have to dog sit.
He stood up from his spot, whistling to Lugh, who immediately darted from behind the desk he was investigating. "Shall we go, bud?"
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