#pets4vetsau

[freesia-writes]

Pets4Vets: Jesse (1/4)

Chapter 1 of 4 - Word Count: 3.2k - Jesse x Fem Reader Master List

“Thanks for dinner,” she said quietly, shifting her eyes from her plate to his and crossing one arm across herself to rub the outside of the other. 

“Yeah baby,” Jesse purred with a cocky grin. “I mean, I got the dinner but you brought the dessert.”

“Huh?”

“You’re a treat,” he said with a wag of his eyebrows. “Want to take the party back to your place?”

“Oh, um. I’ve got to work early, so I think that’s all I’ve got time for now. But thanks again,” she offered, trying to mask the cringe on her face with a disingenuous smile. 

“Alright, your loss… heheh…”

“Yeah…”

They made their way to the door of the restaurant, Jesse holding it open for her as she shuffled awkwardly past him. She hesitated on the sidewalk, turning back to face him with that same feeble grin. Another thanks for dinner. An offer to walk her home. Declined. A question about another date. After a long, uneasy pause, that was also declined.

Jesse kept up his best face, chest puffed and confidence set firmly in place, until she disappeared around the corner, then he slumped, turning to begin his own walk home. A glance at the chrono reminded him that he wasn’t allowed back in the apartment he shared with Kix for another hour and a half… The cramped flat they rented together didn’t allow for much privacy, and his roommate had been excited to take advantage of the alone time with his partner from Right to Love, a matchmaking service for clones wanting to live as freely as they were able since the war had ended and they were released from service. 

The endless flashing lights of the Coruscant streets were oppressively bright as he plodded aimlessly, unsure of where to go. A deep sense of resentment was growing within, and he didn’t realize he was muttering under his breath until a few strange looks from passersby clued him in. Many of his brothers had found immediate success with Right to Love, now experiencing the joys of a relationship in ways they’d never thought possible when they’d been nothing more than property their entire lives. And yet here he was, having tried to connect with five different people now, each one entirely put off by the end of the first date. His assigned case manager at Right to Love had assured him that matches weren’t always perfect the first time around, and sometimes the process took a little longer to ensure the ideal fit. 

Doubt was growing in the pit of his stomach as he walked. What was it about him that was getting in the way? He was throwing himself wholeheartedly into this pursuit, and yet each attempt seemed to be less encouraging than the last. The resentment began to coil in his chest, heating up into anger, and he leaned into it. Anger was familiar. Anger, he could deal with. It made him feel powerful and in control, pushing aside any tendrils of fear or sadness that lay at its core. A sign up his head caught his eye, and he turned abruptly to barge through the door. 

Music thumped inside, the small crowd on the dance floor moving as one to the beat, and he jostled his way around the edge to find a seat at the bar. He waited for a while, watching the bartender help customer after customer, including those that had arrived after him. When the man began polishing some glasses, Jesse finally called out, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Can I get some service here?”

The bartender slowly finished wiping his glass, sidling down to the end and resting his palms on the counter with no attempt to hide the disdain on his face. 

“Did your giant face tattoo block you from seeing the sign on the door?” he drawled. “No clones. Go back to your own district.”

“You’re living in the past,” Jesse growled, the snake in his chest twisting and hissing. “Credits are credits. What does it matter who they come from?” 

“Just get out,” exhorted a Zabrak on the stool beside him who’d had his back firmly turned to him from the start. “Before we make you.”

He’d had enough.

“Go ahead and try,” he snarled, smacking a fist on the counter and rising to his feet. The Zabrak was in his face immediately, flanked by a nat-born and a Weequay who looked far too excited to throw hands. 

“Know your place,” the nat-born taunted, leaping forward to throw a swing, which Jesse dodged and countered with one of his own, sinking a fist into the man’s stomach and earning a satisfying grunt of pain. The brawl exploded, quickly changing the three-on-one situation into an entire mob set on teaching the clone a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget. The ARC trooper held his own, ducking and swinging, using leverage to toss one body into another, but the blows were coming from every direction. A foot to the back of his knee knocked him off balance, right into someone else’s fist.

The next thing he knew, he was unceremoniously thrown onto the sidewalk among a litany of curses and insults, and he scrambled to his feet, body throbbing with numerous bruises from the punches and kicks that had landed as he’d tried to hold them all off. His nose was bleeding, and he wiped it on his sleeve before pinching it hard, stalking toward his building in a tornado of rage. 

He sat outside on the stoop for the remaining hour, ruminating on the sheer injustice of it all. But eventually, the hot indignation quieted, and in the stillness, he fought to stuff down the disappointment that whispered judgment and failure in its place. 

* * * 

“Come on, give it a try.” Kix straightened his scrubs as Jesse slouched against his bedroom doorway. “It’ll be a different dynamic. Might be helpful.”

“I don’t need help,” Jesse scoffed, folding his arms across his broad chest. 

“I know,” Kix affirmed quickly, “But the food carts in the square are delicious. So bring your next date and just come along for that.” He smoothed a hand over his neatly-cut hair and tilted his head at his mirror, checking that the first few letters of his head tattoo were hidden as much as possible by his dark locks. The medical clinic he worked at had some fairly strict rules around personal appearance, and considering how difficult it was to find clone-friendly jobs, no matter how qualified they were, he wasn’t about to risk losing his placement over something as trivial as that. 

“Fine,” Jesse huffed. “I’m doing this for the ronto wraps, you know.”

Kix grinned, clapping him on the back and squeezing his shoulder as he headed for the front door. “You’ve been doing too much upper-body, vod. Have a leg day.”

“Hah. Go clean some crusty old geezers, di’kut.”

“Oh please. I’m saving lives out there,” Kix threw over his shoulder as the door closed behind him. Jesse sighed. That did seem like a much better purpose than his own job as a personal trainer at a local gym, where most of his clients were flaky hopefuls who wanted to get into shape without putting in the time and work that it required. It paid well enough, though, and gave him an outlet for a sense of purpose as well as a place to exercise. If he were honest, he’d hoped he’d meet someone there, figuring they’d be more aligned with his interests and lifestyle, but after months upon months of dismal prospects, he’d gone ahead and applied at Right to Love. He sighed, turning to rummage in the cooling chamber until it was time for work.

* * * 

Days of work and leisure blended together, and Jesse found himself spending more time at the gym, adding cardio sessions on top of his bodybuilding regimen as a way to blow off steam. He finally got another match from Right to Love and agreed to go on the double date with Kix and his partner, laboring a disproportionate amount of time over what to wear. He didn’t want to admit it, but with each date he felt increasingly desperate. Desperate to prove that there wasn’t something wrong with him. Desperate to feel like he had access to the whole variety of options for a “normal” life. Desperate to enjoy the care, intimacy, and connection that some of his brothers had found. 

He straightened the long-sleeved henley shirt and rolled up the sleeves a little. Ladies loved the forearms, right? Slipping a wallet into his back pocket, he checked his reflection one last time and ventured into the living room where Kix was waiting for him. 

“Here goes nothing,” he grumbled. 

“That’s the spirit,” Kix nodded sagely, a fond smirk on his face.

The square had a weekly event where all the food carts in the vicinity would gather to offer their delectable delicacies, and there really was something for everyone, making it a very popular attraction. Jesse swaggered beside his date, Kix and his partner bringing up the rear, and shared stories of valor and bravery as she nodded and made small sounds of agreement here and there. The four of them had shared some snacks from a variety of vendors and were now walking it off along the city streets. 

Coming to a somewhat scenic overlook of a steep dropoff with many Coruscant levels stretching down below, the four of them sat on a couple of benches. Kix stretched his arm across his partner’s shoulders, and they nestled into his side with an affectionate gaze. Jesse shifted awkwardly beside his date, a beautiful redhead that made his mouth go dry when he tried to talk. Yet he’d pushed past it with bravado and confidence, he felt simultaneously certain and completely unsure of her interest. Kix was murmuring in his date’s ear, bringing a demure smile to their face, and Jesse turned to look at the redhead beside him. 

“So… You mentioned some adventures in the jungle… Did I tell you about our campaign on Felucia?” he asked, launching into the story before she was able to respond. He wove an exhilarating tale of their encounter with both Separatist forces and the Commerce Guild, finishing with a flourish and grinning proudly. 

“Sounds like the war was wild,” she offered.

“You’re karking right it was,” he laughed, attempting to slip his arm around her shoulder as well, but she stood up quickly. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I… I’m gonna go.” 

Jesse watched her leave, speechless, then was flooded with embarrassment as he felt the eyes of Kix and his partner on his back. He slowly turned to face them, and the empathetic looks on their faces added insult to the injury. 

“See you at home,” he muttered to his brother, nodding to Kix’s partner and stuffing his hands in his pockets as he trudged back to their apartment. Kix watched him for a long time, nodding at the murmured condolences from his partner, who was incredibly kind and gentle, both admiring and strong in their own right, and he was regularly blown away at the fact that he’d been able to find them. Their compassion only served to deepen his own hope that his brother could find whatever it was he was looking for. 

* * * 

The next morning, a much-needed day off of work for both of them, Jesse was sprawled on the couch with a lazy hand resting on the steaming mug of caf on the nearby side table. Kix was scrambling some eggs in the kitchen, casting the occasional glance over the counter at his brother’s dejected slump. He was torn; Jesse was notoriously stubborn, but Kix also knew him better than most anyone else, and if he kept continuing in the same pattern, he would likely keep getting the same result. He flipped the eggs one more time and turned off the burner, scattering some shredded cheese over the top of them and putting a lid over the pan to melt it all together. 

“You… uh… seemed different last night,” he ventured, picking up his own caf, now mostly cold, and sitting in the armchair across from the downcast clone. 

“Mmm,” was the only response. 

“Does it always go that way?”

“Mmm.”

“What’s… What’s with the swagger stuff?” Kix asked, abandoning the subtlety. Jesse cast a hard look at him, but he caught the quickly-concealed flicker of hurt beneath the tattooed face.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. Just doesn’t really seem like you. Did you answer the questionnaire honestly?”

“Yes!” Jesse said defensively, furrowing his brow.

“Well… then that might be why the dates aren’t going so well, if they’re expecting you to act… normal. You’re smart and pretty down-to-earth most of the time. Last night it felt more like you were trying to prove yourself somehow.”

His words stung, and Jesse balked at the feeling of being perceived so accurately. But a sense of resignation had settled in again, and he shrugged, attempting a nonchalant facade. 

“I’m just gonna get a pet. That’ll have to lo–... to put up with me, right?”

“Sure,” Kix sighed. “I’ve heard good things about P4V.”

“Look, di’kut, I know I can’t even get a second date, let alone some bedroom action, but I don’t think I have the credits for a sex worker… At least not a good one.”

“Classy as always,” Kix rolled his eyes. “It’s not a brothel, it’s called Pets 4 Vets. They have a variety of service animals to help with the difficult aspects of adjusting to civilian life.”

“I want a good-sized Massiff, not some fluffy little Loth-rat to lick me when I have ‘big feelings’,” Jesse snorted. 

“Kriff, you are thick sometimes.”

“Just these thighs.”

“Right. Just try it.”

“We’ll see.”

* * * 

You stroked a hand down the bogling's back, running fingers along the soft fur of its fluffy tail. It leaned into your touch with a contented noise, and you closed the cage behind it, watching it begin delicately eating its food before moving to the next kennel. You’d been working at Pets 4 Vets for a while now, and you felt thoroughly at home amid a great group of coworkers and an even better assortment of animals from every corner of the galaxy. They were all either in the process or finished with their training to be emotional support animals for the veterans who had served the Republic so well. You’d been a little unsure around the clones at first, not having spent any time with them before this, but they’d grown on you quite a bit and you’d been amazed at the complexity and individuality of each one. You’d also developed a knack for pairing them with animals, although it still took a few tries at times. 

“Good morning, tookas,” you said warmly as you slid the food bowl into the next crate, watching the two loth-cats eye it lazily from where they were curled around each other in the corner. They were a bonded pair, and last summer they had surprised the entire staff with a full litter of the most adorable babies you’d ever seen, who had since grown and been placed into loving homes. None of you had been too eager to see the parents leave, however, and it just so happened that none of the troopers so far had been the ideal match for them. The two of them roamed the clinic during the day, curling up near computer terminals or gracing guests in the lobby with their tails high in the air. At night, all the animals were tucked into their cozy kennels until morning, when they’d be fed and let out into their various programs for the day. Some had hours of training, others enjoyed free time inside or out, and some simply spent as much time as possible shadowing the clinic staff. 

“I wish I got breakfast in bed,” you murmured as you closed their door, watching the loth-cats yawn and nuzzle one another. You felt a deep sense of longing in your chest, and moved to the next cage to try to keep your mind from continuing on its current trajectory. But it was a lost cause. “Wish I had someone to wake up next to as well,” you continued. The dating scene hadn’t been kind to you, and if you were honest, you’d pretty much given up. Your friends urged you to keep the dream alive, to go on double dates with them and to meet the various eligible bachelors they knew, but nothing felt like a good fit. You assumed the problem was with you. And that was alright. You were happy enough on your own…you said. The clinic staff was a tightly-knit group, for the most part, and you authentically loved the animals. You felt fulfilled by the unconditional love you shared with each one, and you were so proud at the growth you got to witness as they went through training. 

The horde was fed, each one was released to its daily duty, and you began to clean all of the kennels, wondering if you should take your friend up on her offer to check out 79s. It felt completely out of your comfort zone, however. Not because of the clones, but you just generally weren’t a fan of loud, raucous environments, and you weren’t much of a drinker… So it didn’t seem like a very attractive prospect. As much as you were mocked for it, you weren’t really keen on one night stands, nor were you good at “keeping it casual”. You wanted a relationship with depth and longevity. Sometimes you wondered if the taunts about you were correct, that you had in fact watched too many cheesy holofilms and now had an unrealistic view of romance. 

Whatever.

A few hours of cleaning were followed by an hour or so at your computer, reviewing and categorizing the new applications. You didn’t realize you’d been completely hunched the entire time, your back rounded as you tapped away at the keys, and would have remained blissfully unaware if the receptionist hadn’t commented on it as soon as she popped in. 

“Geez, you look like a shrimp,” she laughed, dropping a data card on your desk. 

“You’re a bit of a cod yourself,” you teased, and she giggled, swatting your arm. “What’s this?”

“A new app. I was gonna bring him back here in person but he said he had lots of ‘big important stuff’ to do.” She rolled her eyes. “Quite the cocky one. He didn’t want to go through the interview process because he ‘knew what he wanted and it was a big dog’.” A chuckle followed the words as they both nodded. They were familiar with the type.

“Did you tell him he has to do an interview if he wants anything at all?”

“Yup. Said you’d contact him.”

“Lucky me.”

“Thought you might like a challenge. It’s been quiet for you lately,” she grinned.

“Considerate as always,” you smiled right back. 

“Have some fun with him. He could use someone taking him down a peg or two. Although I thought I could see the remnant of a black eye, so maybe someone already tried. He’s a big boy, too.” A suggestive wink.

“Oh boy. Can’t wait.”

Next Chapter

Tag List: @littlefeatherr @foreverdaydreaming1 @littlemissbshine @dreamie411 @skellymom

@1vlouds @coraex @secondaryrealm @crosshairscrustysock @baddest-batchers

@hellhound5925 @thew0nderer2342 @cloneloverrrrr @kimiheartblade @mooncommlink

@stardusthuntress @starstofillmydream @dhawerdaverd @thiswitchloves9904 @waytoooldforthis78

@eternal-transcience @cw80831 @adh-d2 @ezras-left-thumb @trixie2023

@sleepycreativewriter @nonsenseandm3mes @mlichaelm @mary-on-the-contrary @meagmcc12

@roam-rs @starsaboveclones @lightwise @solstraalaa @chishiyas-favorite57

@hipwell @lamiliani @catoo @smw-on-kamino @moonstrider9904

@padawancat97 @yve-barr @lucyysthings @flowered-bicycles @maddiedrmr

@techhasmjolnir @spicy-clones @youreababboon @anything-forourmoony @myname-whatareyouacop

Click here to join or leave the tag list. OR, even better, message me for the link to my tag list discord server, where I post only links to new works!

Also, I can only have 50 people tagged in one post, so that's the limit for the tag list. If you're not reblogging and engaging, I'm gonna have to scoot you off to make room for others. ❤️

[spade-andthe-microwave]

Ball Of Energy (Fives Pets4VetsAU)

AU Blog!: @p4vserviceanimalsau

Dividers used from @dystopicjumpsuit

Pairing: Fives x Non Binary OC

Word Count: 2,168

Rating: Safe for Work Content Warning: Brief Mention of cybernetic eye

“I understand that you aren’t that keen on the idea, Fives, but you seriously need someone or something to help with all of that energy.” Echo attempted to plead with his brother, turning in his chair as he rested his head on his hand, leaned up against the table of their shared apartment. “Fine, if you’ll stop pestering me about it, I will put in an application.” Fives sighed. It had been another long string of nightmare after nightmare, and the only thing that seemed to help was exercise, but the clone hated doing it alone, finding it almost suffocating to be alone for too long with his thoughts. “In person. I’ll even walk you there. Turn in an application, get an interview, they pair you up with an animal that’ll suit your needs.” Echo reassured him, slipping out of his seat and grabbing a few bottles of water, already knowing how long they’d be out of the apartment. Fives rolled his eyes and grabbed his shoes from the door, slipping them on. “At least we’ll be out of the house. How long does this whole thing take anyways?” Fives slipped out of the apartment, Echo following behind him. “Holo-net says the process goes by faster if you’re honest with answering the questions in the paper and the interview.” Echo spoke up, quickly matching Fives’ speed as they continued walking. “Hey, hold up. How do you even know where to go?” “I’ve passed the building a few times out for jogs. I’m not entirely useless here, Echo.” Fives chuckled a bit, continuing to make his way towards the clinic, taking one of the bottles of water Echo offered out. 

“Alright. Tell ya what. How about a few more laps, then back inside, okay?” Roachie attempted to plead with the hyper-active massiff, holding onto the leash for the creature. “Great. Cmon, let’s get a move on.” Roachie immediately stood back up, waiting for the massiff to finish drinking from its bowl before the two began to jog laps around the outside field area attached to the creature clinic. They were beginning to regret wearing their all black flight suit beneath their beskar armor, but they’d push past. The moment the massiff began to slow down, Roachie knew it was time for quits. “Hey! There we go. Finally tired out bud? We’ve only been running for hours on end.” They chuckled, gently patting the head of the creature. The two of them slowly made their way back inside of the clinic, back into sweet sweet air conditioning. “Good job today. Probably felt great to get your limbs all stretched out, huh?” Roachie happily chimed as they unclipped the leash and harness from the massiff, helping to lead it back inside of its pen, locking the cage once it settled down nicely. They carefully placed the leash and harness on the side of the pen and picked up the datapad attached, marking off on all the physical activity and other information they needed to fill out. It had been a decently slow day at the clinic, which the mandalorian always appreciated since it meant they got to spend more time helping the various creatures stretch out their limbs and get acclimated to being walked on leashes and being outside with other people or creatures. Although, that didn’t mean they weren’t wishing it wasn’t at least a little busier. A handful of the staff had gone on their breaks, leaving Roachie with a smaller team so not as many people to talk to. Roachie raised their head, their helmet turning as they heard the chime of the door being opened followed by the unmistakable sound of the doors sliding open. “I got it!” Roachie called to the other staff members who were currently attending to the other creatures, administering medication as needed. They knew the drill. Sometimes, working with vets meant helmets couldn’t always stay on, so Roachie carefully unsealed their helmet, brown hair with orange tips immediately fluffing out. They mumbled a bit as they readjusted their hair, covering their left eye. Or, well, current lack, therefore of considering they’d been in a rush this morning and forgotten their cybernetic eye, so they were currently stuck with their emergency eyepatch. Once their hair was shifted into place, they walked out to the front desk. “Hiya there, welcome to Pets 4 Vets. My name is Remi, though most people just call me Roachie. What can I help you boys out with today?” Roachie chimed as they greeted Echo and Fives with a large smile, leaning against the counter.

“Erm… looking to fill in an application for an adoption?” Fives would be lying if he said he wasn’t expecting a short mandalorian to step out and greet them. “Well, I can certainly help with that. I’m going to ask that you fill out two forms. The first one is just some basic information about you. Name, address, current living situation like how large the area is, all that fun stuff. The second one I promise is a lot more questions. You’ll just need to fill out the form on what is bringing you here with us today, what you’re looking for out of a pet, so that we can get you into an interview and pair you up with a new friend.” Roachie hummed as they squatted down behind the counter, grabbing one of the datapads and punching in their own credentials before handing it off to Fives. “Don’t forget to answer it truthfully, Fives.” Echo chimed in, peering over his shoulder to look at the application. “I already know that, Echo.” Fives huffed, but the faintest smirk could be seen on his face. “If you boys need any more help, or have any questions at all about the application process, feel free to ask me. I’ll be up front until our receptionist comes back from lunch, so I’ll do my best to help out.” Roachie hummed, picking up their own bottle of water and taking a long sip before sitting down at one of the computers to start logging in all the physical activity of the day with the massiff they were currently helping exercise while they waited for someone to come along and adopt. “Hey, sorry to bother. But it’s asking me about my sleep schedule? Why in the galaxy would you guys need that kind of information?” Fives spoke up, holding up the datapad in minor annoyance and mild confusion. “Hm? Oh, some creatures we have for adoption aren’t awake during the day and may only be active at night, while others are active only during the day and sleep through the night. In some instances they may only be awake during dusk and dawn, sleeping the rest of the day and night away. Helps us make sure you and your new companion are synced up.” Roachie answered back plainly, their eye focused on the two clones. “Any other questions?” “No, no. I’m gonna go with the assumption that “activity schedule” also has to do with the whole syncing thing?” Fives went back to the paperwork, eyes glancing over the forum. “Yup, all of the questions on there are to help us out with making sure you get the best companion possible, and your new companion getting the best home possible. Feel free to ask anything else, even if it isn’t about the applications or anything.” Roachie hummed cheerfully, going back to typing.

Echo glanced back over at Roachie, noticing the badge clipped to the front of their armor with their keybadge that very proudly stated “I TALK A LOT” in bright colors that stood out against their primarily brown and red armor. “I gotta ask. Roachie is an interesting nickname. Interesting story to follow up with it?” Roachie looked back over with a sparkle in their eye and a giant grin that could rival the sun if given the chance. “Well, a good part of it is cuz of my armor. Mostly red and brown. Makes me look like a cockroach I’ve been told. Especially when I’m scamperin’ on the ground. I don’t have it on currently, but the whole look really comes together with my kama. Some of the animals here like it when you get on the ground to play around with em, so I end up looking like a massive roach skittering along the ground. Been told I look silly, but I don’t mind. A good smile can brighten some people up, and it helps the animals feel comfortable when they’re getting trained.” “Safe to assume the badge is from your co-workers?” Echo mentioned towards their badge. “Actually! I wear it on my own because I will talk for hours if I’m given the chance. Thankfully for you two, I’m a little less energetic today. One of our massiffs really likes to go out for runs and play a ton, and I’m usually in charge of getting the guy to tire himself out playing so he gets good rest and is happy and healthy. Just got back from it.” They continued, submitting their paperwork before getting up from their chair and stretching a bit before walking back up to the counter. “And… done. There you are.” Fives let out a sigh of relief as he finished the application, passing the datapad back over. Roachie carefully took it from his hands and went over it. “Awesome! Everything looks great! Let me go ahead get that submitted for you, Mr. Fives. We’ll give ya a ring once we get everything through and get ya an interview set up! Now then, was there anything else I could help you out with while you’re here? Of course, if any questions pop up after you’ve left or you wanna check on the status of your application, by all means drop us a line.” Roachie submitted the applications and information, printing it out on a data card which was then sorted into its appropriate slot to be went over once the rest of the crew was back. “Actually, yeah. You exercise in your free time? You said you were running for a while with a massiff and I heard those things can run for hours. So is it just something you do for work, or just in general for fun?” Echo leaned up against the counter, flashing a small grin.

Fives was a bit confused by the question until it clicked for him. He huffed and nudged Echo in the shoulder, recognizing that his brother was trying to get him an exercise friend. “Yeah! I do different kinds of activities in my free time! Usually a lot of jogging, but I’ll usually do whatever sport I end up finding myself in the middle of. Beats being cooped up at home doing nothing and just bouncing wall to wall. Then, weekends means I’m off at whatever dive-bar I’m allowed into and find myself near. But I usually spend most of my time here, practically here all day with naps through the day since some animals are only awake during certain times. That’ll change up soon, I’ve heard. Getting someone new onto the team, which should be pleasant. I know a good majority of the animals love interacting with people of all different sorts. I can absolutely guarantee the most effort will be put forward to get you guys a good animal companion match!” Roachie smiled even brighter, clearly ecstatic someone was actually talking to them for more than a few seconds in a passing hello. “But enough about me! Any other questions? Even about the other program we help offer, called the Right To Love matchmaking services. I won’t be able to help too much on that one, but I can get you guys all the resources you’ll need if you’d like!” “No need, thanks Roachie.” Fives nodded his head, nudging Echo again who just nudged him back. “Oh, and no need for the whole Mr thing. Just Fives is alright.” “Sounds good to me, Fives. Well, feel free to drop a line. Thanks for coming in and filling out the forums, and taking the time to chat! You guys have a good rest of your day!” Roachie beamed as the two clones walked back out. “Echo, I cannot believe you. Seriously?” Fives laughed, shaking his head. “You saw the badge and you spoke with them anyways?” “Hey! I wanted to see if it was true. Besides, it’s good news. They’re almost more hyperactive than you. And now we know that they 1. Are always out jogging in this area. 2. Are frequently at bars in this area, and 3. Will soon have an open schedule.” Echo smirked as the two continued to walk back to their apartment. “Just to tide you over until you get a new companion who’s perfectly matched with you, right?” “Oh, bug off.” Fives rolled his eyes before laughing, feeling the slightest bit of weight off of his chest, now having an animal companion to look forward to.