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Tristan stared at his scarred forearms. His eyes traced the lines of glass cuts, chaotically arranged, pausing to linger on the methodically arranged rectangular burns. The last of the scabs had finally come off, and he was left with the reality that fur would never grow back over the reminders of his ordeal. The Dalmatian perked in surprise at the knock on the door.

Quickly, he pulled his sleeves down to his wrists again, wincing a bit, and stood, walking unsteadily to the door. Bracing one paw against the frame, he opened the door.

Standing on the stoop was a lithe, not overly feminine pup, smiling warmly and holding a large thermos. She was wearing a button-down sun dress open like a long coat, over a snug halter top and black slacks. She also seemed to be a Dalmatian, even though none of her spots were visible with the way her clothes were arranged. "Trissie! Hi! Thank goodness you're okay!" She held the thermos out towards him. "Here, you need this."

Tristan looked at the thermos, then up to her green eyes. "Uh..." He swallowed nervously. "Hello." He sounded uncertain.

"The EMT said you would be okay," the unknown pup happily continued, the thermos still presented, lingering awkwardly in front of Tristan, "but when I never saw you around town, I got worried." She trailed off, looking away for a moment. "He was a nice pup, so I was sure he was right."

Tristan furrowed his brow, "Oh, you were at the lab?" He stammered a bit, his body starting to list towards his paw braced on the doorframe.

The other pup nodded, "Yeah, I got you out of there!" Her tail whipped around behind her audibly, and something was squeaking rhythmically.

Tristan's eyes widened. "You mean- You were a test subject?" He swallowed and used his free paw to rub his brow. He couldn't remember many details about the night the lab burnt down.

She nodded cheerily again. "I guess that's what it's called, yeah." Her paws kept the thermos presented, unmoving, throughout the entire exchange.

The Dalmatian in the doorway swallowed, listing further, his elbow pressing to the doorframe. He looked to his visitor, uncertain what to make of this. "I- well, uh. Thank you." He managed unsteadily.

The green eyed pup perked up further. "Well, you won't have to worry about those nasty scientists anymore." She nodded firmly.

The leaning dal didn't know what to say to that, and looked at the offered thermos again. "So, what is that?" He managed shakily, hoping to change the subject.

"Oh, this is hot cocoa." She kept it held out to him, smiling expectantly.

Tristan slowly reached out with his free paw to grasp the thermos, "Oh. Thanks again." He stammered, his arm shaking as it took the weight. He could feel the blood rushing from his head, and swallowed dryly. "Nice to meet you." He pushed off the doorframe and reached to shut the door.

The pup on the stoop visibly slumped in disappointment, but smiled warmly to Tristan. "I'm glad to see you're okay." She sighed and turned from the door.

Tristan winced. "You too." He managed lamely, and got the door shut, looking to the thermos, and then taking a few steps to his couch, before his strength finally failed him. The Dalmatian crumpled onto his sofa, the thermos sitting warm against his body as he passed out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow sat down on the stoop outside Trissie's apartment. Her green eyes scanned the world in front of her. No one was going to get to her puppy. The sun curved through the sky on its path as she sat vigil, occasionally hoping Trissie was enjoying that cocoa. It took her forever to find just the right thermos.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was hours before Tristan awoke from his slump, the Dalmatian holding the warm thermos in an awkward position on the couch. Very slowly he stood, and walked over to the kitchen to set down the thermos, staring at it, and then glancing back at the door. He swallowed dryly, and his stomach complained. The pup sighed, and looked over at the fridge, where several take-out menus were displayed. He slowly walked over to the door, wincing as he put on a jacket, and opened the door.

Seated on his stoop, facing away, was that pup from before, seemingly staring at the clouds.

The Dalmatian froze, staring for a moment as his pulse heightened. He slowly closed the door again, attempting to make as little noise as possible, before slumping against it, putting a paw on his chest and breathing deeply. He swallowed weakly, and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, going into his contacts for a pizza parlor instead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow glanced around. Odd. She could have sworn she heard something move behind her. She continued her vigil. As far as she knew there was no other way for anyone to get at Trissie. As the autumn sun began to fade, her attention was drawn to a car approaching. She growled, and stood up. The car was turning up into the drive in front of Trissie's home.

The pizza delivery hound braked sharply as a Dalmatian in summer clothes suddenly blocked his path. The greyhound stared out his windscreen, and then checked his invoice. He leaned his head out the window. "Uh... you with Tristan?"

Snow's eyes narrowed. "What do you want with Trissie?"

The delivery pup looked perplexed, and up at the roof of his car, towards the plastic light up sign for the pizza chain, before back to the obstructive Dalmatian. "He ordered pizza. I'm delivering. Can I get out of the car now?"

She nodded, eyes still narrowed. "Yeah, you can get out."

The greyhound nodded and leaned back into the car, picking up the thermal sleeve, before his door opened and he clambered out, carrying the full sleeve past Snow. His foot paw nearly touched the stoop, before he was jerked back, sleeve flying forward onto the doorstep.

Snow methodically held the greyhound's jaws shut, as she grabbed him, and in one smooth motion stuffed his head into her jaws. Her throat opened eagerly to accept the obvious agent of the lab, here to take her Trissie.

The greyhound squirmed and thrashed as his head was plunged into warm slickness, unaware of what was going on. That warmth rapidly pinned his arms to his sides, and surged down his body, and he was turned upside down. He had no idea what was going on, but for some reason, the sensations engulfing him were starting to grow on him. His struggles weakened.

The white dal mmmed and swallowed greedily, stuffing more and more of the lanky delivery pup past her jaws, as her spotless body stretched and distorted with the form of the larger canine. It wasn't too long at all before her jaws snapped shut behind his paws and she gulped firmly with a low, indulgent mmmmmmm, paws settling over the form curling up in her stomach. "Sneaky pup, trying to get access to Trissie. Well, you're not bringing him back to that nasty lab." Her stomach squirmed slowly with the pup inside.

Snow peered at the idling car, kneading over her belly firmly. The shapes started to fade and soften, and she sighed happily. She serenely walked over to the car and reached inside. The headlights turned off, the engine died, and the whole thing switched into neutral. She pulled her arm free and walked back over to the stoop to sit down, as the last signs of the greyhound inside her belly faded to a smooth, flat stomach and the car rolled out of the driveway.

This time she heard the door open.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tristan stared. "Uh..." The pup was on his stoop still, and she was smiling up at him eagerly, one paw on her exposed middle. "You're still here."

She nodded. "Mmmhmm." She seemed content about something, Tristan couldn't tell what it was.

Tristan awkwardly shuffled his feet, and looked down. At his paws was the pizza sleeve. "Did the pizza guy leave the pizza with you?"

The pup on the stoop perked, looking confused for a moment, before smiling, "Oh yeah, just now." She scooped the sleeve up in her paws and lifted it up into easy grabbing range.

"Odd." The dally muttered, "I was gonna tip him." He shakily took the offered sleeve.

The female blinked, and nodded slowly, "Okay...?"

Tristan swallowed, furrowing his brow in a bowed arch, before shakily closing the door again. He staggered to the kitchen and set the sleeve down, leaning on the counter. His mind focused on the green eyed dal on his stoop. What kind of pup would just sit there? Was she telling the truth about the lab? Was she some kind of con artist who read about the incident? He sighed and started munching pizza, drowning his emotions in carbs and grease.

When he couldn't eat anymore, he bagged up the rest of the pizza and threw that in the fridge, before staggering his way to his bedroom. He slowly pulled off his long sleeve shirt, shuddering as his scars met the cool air of his bedroom, before slipping out of his pants, and into the bedding he always had thought was the softest material, but just made his scars ache on contact. He whimpered quietly, and curled up on one side, hugging one of his pillows.

He eventually fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow watched the night, occasionally stroking her middle and thinking about how nice that greyhound felt melting into her. While she didn't hope anyone was trying to take her Trissie, she did sort of want to nom someone else up. As the moon sat high in the sky, a tow truck came to pull away the delivery car sitting in the middle of the road.

Snow smiled idly, but then frowned as a cloaked figure approached. She stood to block his path.

The coyote looked over her, his breath smelling heavily of alcohol. "Lemme go through, I gadda get some sleep tonight."

She narrowed her eyes, "You won't take Trissie."

"I'm gonna go through that door whether you like it or not, lady." He attempted to push her aside. He staggered as her body remained immobile.

While he was off balance, she grasped his arm, and stuffed it past her lips. Perhaps it was time for another meal, after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tristan slept in that morning, wincing at the light when he finally awoke. He groaned upon finding it was nearly noon and rolled out of bed, putting back on his discarded clothes from the night before. He shakily walked from his bedroom to the kitchen, and spotted the thermos. He felt unsteady at the reminder of the previous night, and got himself some pizza, throwing it in the microwave. He sighed, staring into the fridge as he put away the leftovers. "dammit. Out of milk."

When the microwave beeped, he slid the pizza slices onto a plate and walked to sit on the couch, munching quietly, closing his eyes and just trying to be awake.

Soon, though, his supply of warm pizza had been expended, and he set his plate down on the side table, and walked over to his jacket, making sure his car keys were in the pocket, and his wallet. He opened the door.

The pup from the night before was lying there, blocking the stoop entirely, her tail slowly swaying as she faced out towards the late-morning traffic.

Tristan closed the door again. He swallowed nervously, before walking over to his desk and emptying his backpack. He put the empty bag on one shoulder, and walked unsteadily to the back door. He swallowed, not sure if walking to the shop was a better idea than confronting the possibly crazy pup on his doorstep, but it seemed easier.

He stepped out of his back door and got a foot up on his vegetable planter to get over the neighbor's fence. He dropped and crouched, grunting. He panted and stood upright again, walking over to the opposite fence, separating this property from the road. He swallowed, shakily clambering up onto the fence. He looked down.

At the base of the fence, for about three feet, were heavy blackberry brambles. Tristan groaned in remembrance. He looked at the sidewalk, then the brambles, before pushing off the fence. His feet hit ground, and then his legs gave out. There was a sharp burning strike of pain in his leg and Tristan winced, crumpling to the ground. He panted and tried to regain his strength. Looking down, his pants were shredded, and he saw blood. "Shit." He looked at one of his arms. His sleeve had been torn up the same way, and he'd clearly scraped the elbow as well. "Damn." He sighed, and then reached out. He grasped onto the side mirror of a parked car and used it for leverage to stand up again. He blanched, then closed his eyes and focused. He would get to that damned store and buy some milk.

He looked down at his arm and leg. And some gauze, he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow waited patiently for her Trissie to wake up and come to the door. That strange pup with the bag of bundled papers tasted good though. She idly stroked her middle as her eyes scanned her range of vision. Then, at the corner...

She shot up to a seated position. Her Trissie was limping towards her. How did he get out there? Who hurt him? She whimpered and rushed to his aide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tristan winced. He'd made it to the store, bought milk and first aid gear, gotten a discount for his harried appearance and wounds, and staggered back towards home, but had forgotten to turn before he was in visual range of his front door. Now that pup was coming towards him. He stared, confused.

At least she seemed worried, instead of just happy to see him.

"Trissie!" She got to him, looking him over. "What happened? Did you fall out a window?" Her voice mirrored the concern on her face.

"I jumped the fence. Poorly." He groaned and attempted to continue his path home.

"And that hurt you?" she sounded shocked and confused, and moved to try to support him.

Tristan staggered and tried to move faster, limp growing more pronounced. "W-why are you still here?"

"Because I'm worried about you, Trissie." She stood behind him on the stoop now. "I don't want you to go through what you did again. You've already been through so much."

"But I don't even know you." Tristan hurriedly struggled to unlock his door.

"Let me help you with that." She reached around him and effortlessly inserted the key, and turned the tumblers. "You do know me. You talked to me every day for weeks."

Tristan froze, and looked at her arm. It was slick and furless. Pure white. He twisted his neck slowly, to look back at her face. Other than her pink nose and green eyes, there too she was pure white, and shiny, no fur. "W-what's your name?"

"My name is Snow." She smiled warmly.

The Dalmatian stared, and then collapsed against the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tristan shuddered as he awoke to a chill, slowly blinking his eyes open. He was on his couch, laid out, and Snow was there. And he was in nothing but his underwear.

"W-what?" He managed.

Snow smiled, "I had to dress your wounds. Relax, Trissie. I'm here."

"But, it's not possible." The Dal tried to sit up, "You were this tank of goo that sometimes sloshed, or churned..."

Snow's paw gently pressed him back onto the couch, "Well, I learned a lot from you. And when they started zapping you, I had to do something." She nodded with a soft smile.

"I thought... you said you saved me from the fire." Tristan swallowed.

"I did." Snow smiled, "But I kinda started it, too."

He stared at her. "You... you did?"

She nodded again, more firmly, "I couldn't let them do that sort of thing to you."

"I..." he trailed off, looking down to his burns, "Yeah. I never thought the amperage would go that high..."

The slick pup sighed sadly and stroked one of the burns with her cool paw, "They tried it on me too."

Tristan nodded hazily, seeming to remember something like that. "I... I think my boss mentioned that. I can't remember."

She leaned down and kissed his brow. "Don't think about it. It's just painful thoughts. You've been through enough. Let me take care of you."

"But..." Tristan managed, and was interrupted by a finger on his lips.

"I'll take care of you and protect you, no matter what, Trissie." She nodded firmly. "The lab can do whatever they want, but they'll still not hurt you."

The weak pup grunted, using a paw to move hers away from his muzzle. "The lab is gone. It burnt down."

She looked off, away from him. "There are others."

He raised his brow, "Like, owned by a parent company?"

She shrugged. "I just know there's more."

He sighed and laid his head back. "Well, if they come after me, it'll be because I broke the non-disclosure agreement. With litigation." He looked to her again. "They won't kidnap me or anything."

"That would still harm you." She said, leaning in close with a worried expression on her face.

Tristan smiled weakly. "You know, I'm getting the impression you're protective of me."

Snow smiled, wagging, "I'm getting the feeling you're right."

Tristan blushed softly at the way she smiled at him, before visibly shivering.

The shiny pup perked, "What's wrong?"

"Chills." The scarred dal sighed, "It's too cool in here to be this bare..."

"Oh, I know!" She bound to the kitchen. "I know just what's good for the cold."

He craned his head and tried to hear what she was doing. Something was being poured, and then the cup was set in the microwave, which was turned on. Then an aerosol can was shaken, and whipped cream sprayed.

Snow returned to his side with a mug of hot cocoa, wagging and smiling. "You never got to have your cocoa, that night."

Tristan perked, then weakly sat up, turning to face her. "I... thank you, Snow." He weakly reached for the cup, blowing on it.

She smiled, and sat down right next to him, watching him slowly start to sip. She fought the urge to cling to him and never let go. She could tell he needed time to adjust to the idea of her being another pup. And he was in pain, so cuddles would probably hurt.

The dally sipped, blowing occasionally, till the cocoa had cooled enough for him to fully drink, swallowing in full gulps, before setting the cup down with a sigh. "That was good cocoa, thank y-"

He was interrupted by Snow licking his nose. She mmmed, "Whipped cream."

Tristan blushed deeply, and she took a chance. Her lips pressed to his.

His body quivered, and he kept blushing. She sighed blissfully into the kiss, holding it, until she felt him waver. She parted the kiss, and gently nudged him towards her.

The blushy dally slumped into her embrace with a bashful whine.

Snow smiled blissfully, laying down onto the couch with her Trissie on top of her, churring quietly and stroking over him.

Tristan couldn't help it. He just relaxed onto Snow, her form so soft against him. He didn't even realize he was slipping from consciousness again, just mmming quietly as the slick dal whispered in his ear.

"My good Trissie."