Three Isn't a Crowd

Ryan and Seth were laying in bed on a Saturday morning. Seth was wide awake but Ryan still half asleep.

"Ryan, I've been thinking."

"Umm."

"What? No smart remarks?"

"Too early,” Ryan mumbled.

"I really want something."

"Oh my God. Don't say a baby. I'm not ready for a baby."

"A baby? No. Well, sort of."

Ryan raised himself to a sitting position. "I'm not sure I want to know but I have to ask. What do you mean by sort of baby?"

"A puppy."

"A puppy?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't it be nice to have something cute to cuddle?"

"You've got me."

Seth looked at Ryan with a grin. "Did Ryan Atwood make a joke?"

Ryan sighed. "Oh God. I've spent too much time with you."

”So, what do you think? Do you think we could get a dog?”

”Actually, I’d love to have a dog. When I was little, we had a dog and I’ve kinda missed having one all these years.”

”Really? So we could get one?”

”Absolutely.”

”Awesome,” Seth said and turned to his nightstand and grabbed a thick book from the drawer. ”Here,” he said and gave it to Ryan.

”The New Guide to Dog Breeds? You’ve bought a dog book?”

"No, I borrowed it from the library. These kinds of books can be very pricey."

"Oh. So you found this by yourself?"

"Yeah."

Ryan gave his partner a doubtful look.

"Okay, fine, the librarian helped me a bit. Anyway… I thought you could check this book out and tell me which one you’d like to have."

”Sure.”

”Good. I’ve marked my favorites with post-it-notes but don’t let them restrict you. I’ll make us some coffee,” Seth said and disappeared into the kitchen. 

Ryan shook his head and started to leaf through the book.

‘He said YES! We’re going to get a puppy! J’ Seth wrote on his cell.

"You aren't texting Summer, are you?" Ryan called from the bedroom.

"No," Seth said and hit 'Send'.

 *************

”Well, did you find anything you like?” Seth asked giving Ryan a cup of coffee.

”I don’t want to sound sappy but actually I liked the same ones you did.”

”Good, ‘cause you know, I really wasn’t that keen to discuss the other ones.”

Ryan gave Seth a look.

”So, what do you think about the breeds?”

”Well, this Pomeranian. I’m a bit worried about it.”

”Oh, why?”

”Because it’s so tiny, only 4 lb! I’d be afraid that I’d sit or step on it.”

”Yeah, I thought about it too. Pomeranian is cute but maybe too small.”

”So, I guess we need to choose from these two,” Ryan said showing Seth two pictures.

”Yeah. Which one do you prefer?”

Ryan thought for a moment. ”Which one do YOU prefer?”

”Ryan, I want to know your true opinion, not the one you think I want.”

Ryan sighed. ”Okay but don’t sulk if it isn’t the same as yours.”

”I never sulk.”

Ryan cocked his eyebrow.

”Almost never.”

”Okay, I like this one,” Ryan said pointing at a ginger dog.

”Kleinspitz,” Seth stated.

Ryan waited.

Seth smiled. ”See, that’s why I married you.”

Ryan sighed in relief. ”So that was your favorite too?”

”Yeah. What about color?”

”Color? Are there different colors?” Ryan asked frustrated.

”Yeah, didn’t you read the description?”

”I did but not well enough, I see.”

”White would be easiest ‘cause it would fit with all colors in decoration.”

Ryan looked at Seth.

”Kidding! Jeez, Ryan. You should’ve got used to the Cohen humor already.”  

*********

Seth and Ryan spent the next couple of months searching for information and calling places and luckily, they found a dog-breeder who was willing to sell them a puppy from her next brood. Finally, the day came the boys got to get their puppy.

"Welcome to your new home… umm… puppy. Jeez Ryan, we really need to decide on a name asap."

"Yeah."

"Okay, now it's time for the tour," Seth said holding the puppy in his arms. "Let's see what we have here."

Seth, Ryan and the puppy went from room to room and Seth explained to the puppy where they were. Ryan thought Seth looked more adorable than ever with the puppy in his arms.

"Do you think you'll like it here?" Seth asked the puppy.

The puppy licked Seth’s face and gave a little bark.

"I think that's a 'yes'," Ryan said smiling.

"I agree," Seth said. "Now puppy, I give you to the strong arms of Ryan, don't worry, he'll hold you tightly, I can say that from experience."

Ryan took the puppy in his arms and in a matter of seconds, the puppy was asleep.

"Oh great, I didn't even say anything and he already got bored."

"He didn't. He just felt safe enough to sleep."

"You think?"

"I know."

 *******

Seth was leaning against the sofa. Ryan came to him and put his arm around his waist.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, look at him, isn't he the cutest thing ever?" Seth said pointing at the puppy that was sleeping in the armchair.

"If we're talking about animals, yes."

Ryan and Seth were quiet for a while.

"You know, I don't think three's a crowd," Seth said.

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