I Can't Believe This S*** (Open)

[Jacob Colter]

Obviously, today was not going to be a good day.

The barking and whining of the mutts around him grated his ears, and Jake shifted to make himself more comfortable. At least they'd put warming blankets in the cage, so he wasn't laying directly on the stainless-steel surface.

That made this day a tiny bit better, but not by much. For one thing, he was in a cage. In an ASPCA building. Because Colt, being the moron he is, had accidentally left his collar at home when he'd gone out for some air.

Locals had seen him wandering and had called the ASPCA, who had sent out some men to pick him up. They were kind, and their voices were gentle, but that didn't help the fact that they'd thought he was a stray and had brought him back to the shelter.

Now he was laying there, his head on his paws and his eyes following the movements of others around him. He'd already been checked over by vets (he felt sympathy for dogs who had to go through this regularly, he really did), and he'd been given a bath. Then they had put him in a cage to keep him under observation.

Even in dog form, he could still understand them perfectly. And despite being of mixed-breeding he was still obviously a pitbull. There could be no denying that.

Jacob knew the laws about pitbulls in shelters, too. If they thought there was any chance of him going crazy and attacking the staff or the other dogs, they'd put him down. Sometimes, pitbulls didn't even have to be crazy. They could be the sweetest, most gentle creatures in the entire shelter, but they'd still be put down.

Because it was a law, apparently.

Jacob truly hated humans sometimes. See one breed in a fighting ring, and everyone automatically assumed that dog wasn't good for anything but being vicious.

Of course, being a pitbull mix, with a pure-bred pitbull mother (well, at least when she was actually in dog form), Colt may have been a little biased. Then again, he was biased about all kinds of dogs simply because of the fact that he was a skinwalker.

Usually, though, he was more careful then this. He never left his house without his collar on, so even when he was in dog form everyone knew he was owned. Today, though, had just been one of those days.

Forget something once and it bites you in the ass.

Huffing out a sigh, Jake let out a sad little whine as he stared out of the mesh-like bars of the cage. Great. Just great.

[jessenia isabel tango]

There were drums in the air as she started to dance
Every soul in the room keeping time with their hands

( And we sang ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay )
andthevoicebangliketheangelssing
• • • • •

<sup>Go get a cat her papa had said, as if it would solve the fact he’d managed to ruin her life, yet again. The young Latina had no idea why they were still even in the United States (she could have sworn their visas expired last September) . But, no one seemed willing to question a known mob boss and his family. Hence, the reason Jesse kept her heritage a very closely guarded secret. I’m tired of the United States. Yo quiero ir a casa ya. Esta no es mi casa. Extraño a mis amigos, echo de menos Yatzi, yo quiero ir a casa. Jessenia sighed, as she walked through the doors of the humane shelter. At lease she’d broken down her father enough to get a pet. The nineteen-year-old Chihuahua walker had been asking for years, and her father always had the same answer, ‘you are your own pet.’ Being a walker, and having a pet was nowhere the same thing. Of course, it’d take a while to find the perfect pet, considering the fact cats and dogs don’t get along. Not one bit. So, she’d have to work long and hard to find a cat that wouldn’t mind being around her. Her heels clicked lightly, as she walked to the counter, her hair piled up, her Mexican heritage evident in her appearance, as well as her accent, “Hola, I’m looking for a cat to adopt.” She told the woman working behind it. The steps she went through to be get information squared away was quick, because most of it would be filled out upon finding them pet, before she was led to the back of the humane society, to look at the cats. Of course, she had to walk through the dog section first. Jesse could never understand that, why they decide to put the dogs before the cats. It just meant more working, attempting to get a frightened cat through the sea of barking dogs.

Jesse was walking calmly through the dogs, when she first saw him. At first glance he appeared to be just another lonely dog. But it wasn’t till she really looked at him that she saw the intelligence behind the gaze, and a smirk appeared on her lips. A walker? In the humane society? How the hell did he manage that? Jesse turned back towards the woman following her to the cats, shaking the walker’s expression from her mind, as she knelt down. The process of elimination was easy for Jesse. Run her fingers across the cage. Those who didn’t like dogs would hiss and pull away. Which, most of them did, unfortunately. All but a little ginger kitten. The kitten looked at her, before mewing pathetically. Jesse stopped, squatting down slightly, and put her fingers between the bars. The kitten froze, staring at her with large green eyes before approaching and rubbing it’s tiny cheek against her fingers. “Can I hold him?” the lady nodded, as Jessenia opened up the door, and pulled the kitten out, who immediately snuggled into her arms and started to purr. Not only was it a kit who liked dogs, but was willing to purr and be lovable, “I’ll take him.” Jessenia said, as she followed the lady back towards the exit. Of course, when she saw the pit bull mix walker, she stopped, and motioned to the dog, “Gorgeous dog, why is he still here?” The lady shrugged, and commented on something about supervision. Jesse smirked as she squatted, and looked at the walker, “He doesn’t look to vicious. He looks like a total sweetheart.” She glanced back at the lady, “I want him too.” Consider it her good deed for the day, rescuing some poor walker from the kennels. The lady stammered something about the dog having to be supervised, and in containment, at which Jesse stood, lowering her voice as it took on a hard edge, “You have my last name, it shouldn’t take you long to see the connection to a powerful man from Mexico, Miss. Do I need to get my father involved, of will you be willing to give me the dog… gringa..” The woman grumbled before giving up and Jesse smirked. She hated pulling the ‘daddy card’ but sometimes it was the only thing left to do.

Jesse waited long enough to see one of the handlers approaching the pit bull to release it, and bring it to the front office, before she headed out and began working on signing the papers. After everything was figured out, she leaned against the counter, her kitten sitting on her shoulder, after having climbed – painfully- up her arm. Her eyes were on the door to the kennels, waiting for her ‘new dog,’ still more than a little amused at the fact that he was in the kennels. Of course, luckily enough for him, she had a spare change of her father’s clothes in her car, too. When the door finally opened, Jesse stood up straighter, expression attempting to be more professional, than amused, as she awaited her new… dog. This has been just too amusing… Indeed, it has.

“Singing”
Wishing
Listening</sup>

We’re singing, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay

`` Jacob TAGGED ``
`` Click! APPEAL ``
`` 947 WORDAGE ``
`` Good MUSE ``
`` I couldn’t resist replying <3 NOTES ``
`` Into the Night, Santana LYRICS ``
`` Dyzz @ Heart Break CREDITS ``

( AND WE DANCED ON INTO THE NIGHT )

[Jacob Colter]

When the woman picked him out, Colt literally wanted to groan and hit his head against the bars of his cage. However, as she walked by a cloud of her scent stirred followed, and he could clearly smell the Other on her. So, another skinwalker then, willing to help him out of a bind.

Colt could have sung. Instead he stood, his tail wagging behind him as he followed her progress into the cat room. His heart sank at that, and he almost prepared to give up before she was back and asking about him.

Demanding to adopt him, more like it, and going from sweet to steely when the volunteer tried to tell her he was under observation. Colt was liking this chick more and more.

He liked her best when she won the argument, watching her leave and waiting for the handlers to come and get him. Which they did, slipping a collar and leash around his throat and leading the mix out into the waiting room, where the girl stood with the little kitten she'd adopted.

Colt strained against his leash, panting happily and wagging his tail hard enough that the man leading him winced every time it connected with his legs. Take that.

Obviously the girl knew what he was; it was incredibly easy for skinwalkers to identify one another through sight or smell, so she wasn't planning on keeping him as an actual pet. At least, Colter really hoped not, or else Mama Cepcia was going to have something to say about that.

When the handler gave the girl Colt's leash, the pitbull sat with a thump and leaned against her legs, his tongue lolling from his mouth as he panted happily. The handler gave him a gentle pat on the head and Colt licked his hand. He wasn't one of the guys who had brought Colt in, but the skinwalker had noticed that this handler always had a nice word for the animals, and he'd praised Colt's gorgeous brindle coat several times.

Colt was proud of his coat. It was the perfect blend of brown, black, and tawny coloring, and his ears had never been cropped so they were adorably floppy. His tail was undocked as well, which was just fine with Colt, because he really did not support either docking or cropping.

Sitting, his head rose just a bit above the girl's hip, so it was the perfect height for Jake to turn his head and press his cold, wet nose against her hipbone. His tail thumped against the floor soundly as he did a perfect job at playing the over-excited stray.

It wasn't terribly hard to act like a puppy, since Jake himself was still techinically young. He was only eighteen years old, so his dog form still looked like a one-year-old pitbull mix. He was the perfect combination of puppyish charm and adolescent awkwardness, and his floppy ears just made him look younger and more ready for adventure.

After one final pat to Jake's head, the handler bid the woman farewell and congratulated her on her double find. Meanwhile, Colt glanced curiously up at the kitten and let out a soft chuff. Not that he'd never been around kittens, mind you, but this one was strangely unafraid of both skinwalkers, choosing rather to twine itself about the girl's neck and purr.

Interesting, really. The little fluffball would probably be even happier when it realized that Colt wasn't actually coming home with them. As soon as the girl turned him out and let him run free, Colt was racing back home with his tail between his legs to face his Mama.

Cepcia was going to be most displeased over her oldest's latest batch of juvienile idiocy.

[jessenia isabel tango]

There were drums in the air as she started to dance
Every soul in the room keeping time with their hands

( And we sang ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay )
andthevoicebangliketheangelssing
• • • • •

<sup>The Latina came to the shelter in search of a kitten to call her own. She was not expecting to find a poor, defenseless Walker sitting in one of the kennels, she was more then relieved when she was able to use her father to get the male out of the Kennel. She waited at the counter, and grinned when she saw the male straining against the leash they’d put on him. As she was handed the leash, the nineteen year old grinned, nodding to handler, as the male leaned against her, and she absentmindedly pet the male, as she finished discussing the final details with the people before looking down at the male, “Come on, boy,” She said, grinning slightly as she went to lead him outside. Once the door had closed behind her, she spoke more freely. “I’m going to take you to a nearby Petco. I have a spare set of my father’s clothing in my car, so I’ll put that into my purse, and when we get to Petco, give you the purse, and ‘accidentally’ let you into the men’s restroom so you can change back to a form that isn’t likely to get you mistaken for a stray again, okay?” She opened the side door of her car, unclipping the leash, as she stepped back so he could jump into the expensive car, “Don’t you dare slobber on the upholster.” She warned before she shut the door, and walked to the other side, and got in. Sticking the key into the ignition, she turned the engine over, letting the car start with a beautiful purr, as she slid the gearshift into ‘R’ as soft Latino music filled the interior of the car. Looking over her shoulder, she backed out of the parking spot, as her kitten crawled down to her lap, and curled up, before falling asleep with a purr.

She turned onto the main road, before turning onto less crowded roads to get to the Petco place. She pulled into a parking spot, and turned the car off as she reached around, and pushed down on a section of the flooring in the back of the car, where a few sets of clothes, along with a few different collars were hidden. Pulling out one of her father’s outfits, she opened her purse and carefully folded them into it. She let the kitten crawl back up to her shoulder, and curl around her neck, she got out, and walked to the passenger side door, and clipped the leash to the male’s collar, “Just for appearances, nino.” She said, as she stepped back so he could jump out. Closing the door, Jesse began to walk towards the door, and opened it, offering the male to go in first. She nodded to a few of the workers who turned to greet her as the bell tolled to announce her interest. She headed straight to the restrooms, and in front of the male restroom, she squatted down, unhooked the leash and collar from the male, and offered him the purse, “Be careful not to pierce the leather with your teeth. It’s mi’ama’s and she’d kill me twice if I returned it in less than perfect condition. Just meet me back out here, when you’re back to normal.” She held the door open for the male, before letting it closed, and leaning against the wall, the kitten purring happily as Jesse picked up and whispered soft praise in Spanish to the little orange tabby. Telling all about how she was going to spoil it, and spend all her daddy’s money on making sure the kitten was happy.

Jessenia glanced back towards the male’s restroom, when she heard the door open, but rolled her eyes when she saw it was only an old man. And defiantly human. Sighing, the Chihuahua walker, looked down at her kitten, and spoke very softly, “What do you think, little gatito? Should I ask daddy to give you your own room in the mansion, or let you share mine?” The kitten continued to purr, rubbing its tiny cheek against her fingers, as she smiled, “Mi casa es su casa.”

“Singing”
Wishing
Listening</sup>

We’re singing, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay

`` Mr. Jacob Colter TAGGED ``
`` Click! APPEAL ``
`` 776 WORDAGE ``
`` otay I suppose MUSE ``
`` I tried very hard not to powerplay anything <3 NOTES ``
`` Into the Night, Santana LYRICS ``
`` Dyzz @ Heart Break CREDITS ``

( AND WE DANCED ON INTO THE NIGHT )

[Jacob Colter]

Slipping into the men's room, Colt managed to scramble under the wall to get into an empty stall before anyone noticed the brindle-and-white pitbull mix. After that it was easy enough to stand on his hind paws and use his nose to throw the latch to lock himself in.

Shifting was incredibly easy then, with the sounds of his bones rearranging drowned out by talking and other such noises. When he was human again, Jacob touched the collar around his throat and smiled slightly. It was a snug fit, but it was comfortable for him so he left it go while he got dressed in the clothing the girl had given him.

He almost forgot the purse, but managed to snag it at the last time. A few men gave him curious looks when they saw the too-big clothing, and still other men just looked at Colt himself; at his tanned skin, his gray-brown eyes; full lips and open expression.

Colt stayed away from those men, slipping out of the restroom and hurrying back to the girl.

"Thanks." he murmured, rolling his shoulders to try and settle deeper into the clothing. "That was really kind of you, to help me out like that. I didn't mean to get caught, so I don't really understand how it all happened. One minute I'm running around happily, and the next the men had me in the back of a car. Couldn't exactly shift then, could I?"

He grinned, winking at her before looking around. The kitten on her shoulder got a friendly ear-rub, which it seemed to enjoy just fine.

"So, we're here for kitten stuff?" he asked. "Have you thought of a name for it yet?"

Suddenly remembering his own manners, he stuck out a work-calloused hand and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, guess I should have done this first. Hi, m'name's Jacob Colter, though you can just call me Jake or Colt, either's fine. I'm the mutt who's ass you just saved, for which I am very, very grateful."

As he waited to hear her introductions, Colt let his eyes roam over the store. It was busy, but not completely packed, for which the skinwalker was grateful. He didn't like being around too many strangers, and most of these people just freaked him out with the way they acted and treated their pets. Women walked around with tiny dogs in outfits, cooing over how pretty they looked while the dogs stared around at the other customers, begging for help.

In one aisle, someone was walking a pure-bred Akita female, and Colt smelled her heat easily. So, too, did several un-neutered males, and that right there was going to be trouble soon.

Shaking himself out of his vigil, Colt turned back to the other skinwalker and waited politely for her to speak. He couldn't really think of her as a girl now, since they were probably close in age. Probably. They smelled like they were close age-wise, which meant that, yeah, Colt couldn't think of her as a girl.

So he waited for the young woman to speak up, reaching out without thinking to pet the kitten again and grinning when it rubbed its tiny head against his palm happily.

[jessenia isabel tango]

There were drums in the air as she started to dance
Every soul in the room keeping time with their hands

( And we sang ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay )
andthevoicebangliketheangelssing
• • • • •

<sup>Jesse rested against the wall as she waited patiently, absentmindedly caring for the kitten who was more than happy to snuggle into her hair, as she waited for the guy to get back out of the restroom. The little gatito purred silently, eyes closed, nose pressed into her neck, as the tiny tail swept across her shoulder. Then finally the door open, revealing a teenager that looked more then a little dwarfed in her papa’s clothing. Jesse smiled in amusement, as he muttered a Thanks, That was really kind of you, to help me out like that. I didn’t mean to get caught, so I don’t understand how it all happened. One minute I’m running around happily, and the next the men had me in the back of a car. Couldn’t exactly shift then, could I?

A laugh was announced as Jesse nodded her understanding, “I couldn’t just leave another walker in a kneel. It would have been… just… wrong. Besides, Nino, the mere idea of some poor human adopting you was just.. a muy terrible one.” He grinned before looking around, gently petting the kitten who purred rapidly in response, So, we’re here for kitten stuff? Have you thought of a name for it yet? Jesse turned her attention to the kitten, laughing. “Not really. He’s just a bit hard to name, at the moment; aren’t you little gatito. As for getting Kitten stuff, I’m going to spoil him.” She said in a determined, yet accented voice.

The young man finally stuck out his hand, a sheepish grin on his face, as he introduced himself, as Jacob Colter, Jake or Colt for a nick name. Jesse slid her smaller, more dainty, but darker toned hand into his, “Jessenia Tango. Spelt with a J not an H. But, you can call me Jesse. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Colt. And. Again, no problem about saving you. I’d be hopeful to someone else rescuing me if I got into that kind of trouble. With out alerting mi’apa, too.” Jessenia wrinkled her nose, before giggling slightly and nodding out to the store, “Shall we see what we can find for little gatito?” She asked, before glancing out at the different aisles, mentally calculating what would be most important to buy now… A bed, food, toys, a collar with a bell… a litter box and that setting, containers for food and water… a scratching post, more toys, one of those large house like scratching posts… Maybe she should just settle with the whole store? “How about this, for payback for rescuing you. You make sure I don’t go over board with buying supplies for my kitten. My daddy loves me, but even I’m not allowed to spend too much on a pet.” She said, with a slight laugh, smiling at the young man, before beginning to walk in the direction of the cat supplies, keeping her pace slow, so that they could walk together.

“Singing”
Wishing
Listening</sup>

We’re singing, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay, oh, ay

`` Jacob Colter TAGGED ``
`` Click! APPEAL ``
`` 605 WORDAGE ``
`` -------- by --------- MUSE ``
`` No Notes NOTES ``
`` Into the Night, Santana LYRICS ``
`` Dyzz @ Heart Break CREDITS ``

( AND WE DANCED ON INTO THE NIGHT )

[Jacob Colter]

Bobbing his head, Jacob fell into step beside Jesse and walked wherever she did. His throat felt different, without his collar, and briefly he raised a hand to rub over the bared skin. He wasn't used to not having it, but he'd completely forgotten about it on his way out of the house.

Lowering his hand, Jacob noticed it shaking slightly and proceeded to stuff both hands into the pockets of his too-large clothing. No need to let anyone else see, so they'd think something was wrong; it just felt like forever since he'd had some heroine.

"So, I'm here to make sure you don't spend too much on the kitten?" he replied, to make sure that was right. "Don't see why you wouldn't." He grinned. "If he were my cat, I'd pro'lly buy out the whole damn store for him."

Jacob loved animals (why wouldn't he, considering?), and he could see how much Jesse loved her little kitten already. He had no idea who she was, really, or even who her father was, but wasn't every man's dream to make his children happy?

"So, what kind of 'walker are you?" he asked, curious, as they wandered into the aisles filled with supplies for cats. "You can already tell what I am, but I don't know if I heard what yours was. Of course, I could just not be paying attention."

He probably just wasn't paying attention, or he'd forgotten. Without his heroine running through his veins, he was a bit twitchy and forgetful. Probably the first sign that he had a problem, but Colt wasn't willing to believe that. He had it under control.

"Hey, look at this!" The Brooklyn boy picked up a mouse toy and shook it, listening to the way it made a soft chirpping noise and grinning. "You think li'l man would like this?" Turning, he waved it in front of the kitten's face, watching the way he bat at the toy and chuckling.

"What do you think, Jesse?" Colt looked up at her to see her reaction to the kitten's reaction, his gray-brown eyes twinkling with mirth. It had been a while since he'd bought toys for any kind of animal.