Page 123 of Should the Sky Fall

It’s been long enough that Dawson’s sobbing has subsided and now he’s just holding onto Cal and soaking his shirt with tears and snot.

He hears Aubrey move around. “I’m gonna go, give you some space, but I’ll steal you for a bit before you leave to get the paperwork sorted.”

“No problem,” Cal says, the words starting out as a rumble in his chest. It’s nice and comforting, and Dawson burrows deeper into him. Cal, for his part, doesn’t say anything after Aubrey leaves, seemingly content to just hold Dawson and let him cling on like a koala. One of his hands comes up to stroke Dawson’s hair, and he presses a kiss into it.

Dawson shivers and forces himself to let go. He wipes away the mess on his face, embarrassed to look Cal in the eye. Cal lets him pull away, but keeps his hands on Dawson’s waist.

“I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Why not?” Cal cocks his head.

“You never wanted any animals.”

Irritation flashes across Cal’s features. “Yeah, well, I was a dick before, so…”

Dawson wants to laugh, but it comes out as a tragic wheeze. Before he knows it, he’s hugging Cal again.

“Thank you. So much.”

“Of course. Hopefully, Donut doesn’t kill me in my sleep.”

Dawson manages a chuckle. “Don’t be dramatic. He’s not that bad.” He panics when he realizes all the things they need to sort out before they bring a dog home. “We’ll need to get stuff for him. A bed, toys, food. And we’ll have to—”

“Dawson, calm down.” Cal’s smile is eternally patient as he rubs Dawson’s arms. “We’ll do all that. So take it easy.”

Dawson relaxes under Cal’s touch, the tightness in his chest finally letting off. It’s gonna be fine. They’ve got this. They’re in this together now.

And they’re about to have a dog.

“Yeah, okay. And just so you know, I'll buy you as many donuts as you want for this.”

“Deal.”

So, it’s possible Dawson went a little crazy shopping for dog toys and whatnot, their trolley hardly able to contain everything. But Cal hasn’t said a word, dutifully following Dawson around and simply nodding when Dawson suggested they buy something. Well, then. No need to try and control his impulses. Plus, they don’t have much time. Aubrey said they can pick Donut up tomorrow, because the sooner the better. The whole process of adoption would be more complicated if she didn’t know both Dawson and Cal and thus was able to pull a few strings.

More than an hour later, Dawson wheels the trolley towards the parking garage. He comes to a halt when he passes one of the claw machines. The shopping center swaps the prizes every few weeks, but this is the first time Dawson’s seen Pusheen the Cat in it. If he’s lucky, there will be at least one that he’s looking for. And if he’s super ultra lucky, it won’t be buried on the very bottom.

He scans the contents quickly, letting out a victorious shout when he spots a plushie identical to the one in Ash’s office.

“More toys?” Cal asks with amusement, having noticed what caught Dawson’s attention.

“Damn right.” Leaving the trolley on the side, Dawson steps towards the machine and fiddles with his watch to pay for the game. The claw comes to life, moving around with a whirring sound.

“What are you doing?” Cal asks, regarding the machine distrustfully and pressing himself against Dawson’s side, as if he’s ready to jump in and protect him from the evil machine if needed.

“You’ve never played claw machine?” He mentally slaps himself once the question is out. “Nevermind. I’m too excited to think straight.”

“About?”

Dawson grins at him. “Watch.” With that, he moves the claw above the cat holding a donut, then presses the drop button, smashing it again once it’s down. The claw grabs the plushie, but the grip is too loose, and it falls out as the claw moves towards the dispatch door. “Oh, you fucker,” Dawson growls, ignoring Cal’s wide-eyed look.

He analyzes the situation. The cat is now closer to the door, so the second try should do it. Once again, he positions the claw above the plushie, making sure it’s perfectly aligned and ready to grab the cat without letting it go. Once he’s satisfied, he brings the claw down, pushing the button again. This time, the plushie goes straight to the dispatch door.

“Yes!” He fist-pumps the air. Bending down to retrieve the plushie, he presents it to Cal with a proud smile.

Cal’s eyes cross as he blinks at it, tilting his head. “Is that…a cat?”

“Pusheen the Cat. It’s quite famous. And look, it’s holding a donut!” He wiggles the plushie, shoving it against Cal’s chest. “It’s for you.”