It all started when they were strolling through the suburbs one day after their marriage…

Gift-Fic: How One Acquires A Corgi
by: Flaming Trails

“And that’s why I want to – ”

“Arf! Arf! Arf!”

Victor’s train of thought derailed as, out of nowhere, a little orangey-white blur smacked into his shoes. “Oh!” he cried, stepping back. “What the – ”

“Arf!” The blur bounced backward, shaking its head and resolving into the tiniest puppy Victor had seen since William had brought home Scraps. It looked up at Victor with big brown eyes, large pointed ears perked and ready. “Arf!”

“Huh – either this is a very peculiar-looking rat, or a very small dog,” Alice said, crouching down. Victor followed suit. “I’m not familiar with the breed, though…”

“Looks to me like what happens if you size down everything on a fox but its ears,” Victor commented, offering a hand to the miniature ball of fur. The puppy sniffed his fingers, then licked them all over. “Friendly little thing, though, aren’t you?”

“Arf!” The puppy scurried forward and put its paws on his leg, tiny stub of tail wagging. Victor smiled, heart already melting under the onslaught of adorableness. “Yes, you’re a sweet puppy,” he informed it, scratching between its ears. “The sweetest little puppy…so where’d you come from – er – ”

“There you are!”

Victor looked up to see a woman striding down the sidewalk, shaking her head. “Do excuse him,” she said, bending down and scooping up the puppy. It barked in protest, little feet wiggling in the air. “No! No,” the woman scolded it. “You’ve done enough running around.”

“He’s a puppy – that’s what they do,” Victor said, frowning as he stood back up. “That and sleep.”

“If this one sleeps, I’ve yet to see it,” the woman responded, rolling her eyes. “He spends all his time looking for ways to escape the house! Naughty thing,” she told the puppy, who ignored her in favor of peering eagerly at the ground.

“Not used to – whatever kind of dog he is?” Alice asked, tilting her head.

“He’s a corgi – and on the contrary, I’ve had them all my life,” the woman said, adjusting her grip on the dog. “This is my second litter with his mother, Peaches. And they can be energetic little things, I know, but – this one just wants to be everywhere all at once all the time!”

“I think he’s sweet,” Victor said, gently booping the puppy’s nose. It barked, wiggling in its owner’s grasp. “All he needs is some training. And a good strong leash.”

“Yes, well, if I could keep him in one place…” The woman sighed, then looked up at Victor. “Dog lover yourself, I’m guessing.”

“My fondest childhood memories involve my boyhood dog Scraps,” Victor said, waving his finger in front of the puppy’s face. The little head flicked back and forth, tail a wagging blur as he tracked it. “He was a mutt, but pretty high energy himself. I had to keep him occupied or risk my mother’s wrath.” He switched to up and down, making the puppy nod. “So I’ve got some experience in this area.”

“Hmmmm.” The woman glanced from him to the dog, then back. “I am adopting him and his brothers and sisters out soon. If you’re in the market.”

Victor almost said “yes” without thinking – then remembered just in time he now lived with another human being and quickly looked over at Alice. She gave him a grin. “I’m happy enough to have a pet besides Ferdy. You two already seem to be getting on very well anyway.”

“Arf!” The puppy beat the air with his tiny legs, trying to reach Victor’s finger. “Then – I guess we are,” Victor said brightly. “I-in fact – could I hold him?”

“Of course,” the woman said, passing the puppy over. “Just – careful. He’s squirmy.”

“I gathered…” Victor clutched the dog close to his chest, rubbing its forehead as it wiggled against his arm. “Heh, silly thing…you’ve got a little streak of white right here, you know that? Just like a bolt of lightning.”

The puppy barked again, tail thrumming against his sleeve. “Oh, you like that? Maybe that’s what we should call you then.” He held the puppy up at arm’s length. “So, Lightning – how about we go back to this nice lady’s home, and we see about you living with me and Alice from now on?”

“Arf!”

The End