video | un: vaquero

[quinientos]

[ The sheepish look on his face is not one that he's proud of, especially because of what's happening immediately behind him. There's a dog on its back, all four legs in the air, and its chewing on the rope of his lasso. He only wishes that he could say this has happened to him before. ]

If anyone's seeing this, I could use a little help to get out of this...situation.

[ The dog barks. ]

I don't know if I'll get arrested for this, but I think this animal might belong to someone and is lost, so any distractions for the police would be very appreciated.

[ Another bark, like the dog approves and is enjoying its upside-down antics, kicking its legs in the air like it enjoys it. With a wary look back at the screen, Vasquez gives one last pleading look of help in a single expression. ]

Comments

[quinientos]

Or 'Anyone But Mine'.

[ He's glaring, even if a small part of him is only worried because the dog had been close to hurting himself and he'd looked very sweet, he supposes. Glowering at the stranger, he also wonders why she's not helping. ]

Are you going to come help me untie him and find an owner or no?

[gasping]

I don't know why you're fighting this. You could have just untied him and let him go, but you didn't...

( hold your horses, cowboy. she'll treat him to a bit of a show as she tugs the straps of her boots up her calves; it's less intentional and more just for the sheer fact that she really only has two hands to do anything with, and they're needed more urgently to get dressed. too bad for vasquez she already had the rest on, eh? )

Where are you, exactly, that you're running into cute dogs all by yourself?

[quinientos]

Oh, so now the dog gets to be cute?

[He's not sure why he's being so bitter about this, considering he's the one who decided to get involved by lasso'ing the dog so it wouldn't get into traffic.]

I'm outside the gun range, about two blocks down.

[He's also working on untwisting the lasso before the dog decides that he's going to start gnawing a little bit more at it, because he's either bored or he deliberately wants to annoy Vasquez.]

[gasping]

You're cute too, don't be so defensive! ( but she's laughing all the same as she pulls a jacket on, absently checking the map she's tacked up near the door to figure out where said 'gun range' happens to be. ) I'll be there soon.

( and then, without much fanfare, the feed goes dark. vasquez shouldn't need to feel too concerned, though, because caroline'll be there in a matter of minutes. superspeed is really a benefit in a small city. )

Hey! Cowboy! ( does she mean him, or the dog... it's hard to tell. ) Come here, boy!

( well, maybe she does mean the dog. the same one that's managed to wriggle free of his lasso restraints in order to bolt towards her. )

[quinientos]

[Vasquez gives her a dark glare when all of a sudden some girl is telling him to 'come on', but the dog seems to be much more inclined to do so, bounding up onto its feet before he trots over to the girl. Pocketing his phone, he gives her a wary look.]

Were you just around the corner? You got here very fast, is it the dog or me that you were so excited to see? [He's smirking, so she should already know that he's only teasing.]

[gasping]

( she did get there pretty fast, but explaining the how and why is really not a good way to introduce herself to new people. so, instead, caroline just smiles and lets the dog sniff curiously against her palm. he's not barking. that's a good sign. )

I mean, an unknown cute cowboy is kind of a draw. ( a pause as she reaches out to scratch behind the dog behind the ear. ) But the dog, that's the real winner here... aren't you a winner, Cowboy? Totally a winner.

( oh look, a wagged tail. )

I think he likes the name.

[quinientos]

[Vasquez is very sure that he doesn't like it, maybe because he can see how the dog is lapping up the attention, making Vasquez feel a little like chopped liver.]

I think that he just likes the pretty girl saying it.

[Who wouldn't?]

Where are we going with him? Where do places have shelters around here?

[gasping]

Mm. Not sure. ( a contemplative hum echoes in the silence; caroline brushes a lock of hair behind her ear and looks around. there's no smell in the air of a shelter anywhere nearby, and even if she focuses, she can't hear anyone calling for a lost dog. maybe this one's been loose for a while. without a collar, there's no real way to know for sure. ) But there's a shelter across town, I think I saw one on the map.

( best friends, if she remembers correctly. a bit of a saccharine name for a shelter, but maybe that's better. it's a more inspiring sort of name, anyway. )

Feel like accompanying a pretty girl across town, cowboy?

( this time, she does mean the man. )

Though maybe I should get your name, so Cowboy the dog doesn't get confused.

[quinientos]

[He doesn't know exactly what it is that she's doing, but he's also come across enough strange people here that he's not about to ask, because he's not sure that he wants to hear the answer (he's pretty sure it would just make him uneasy)]

It's Vasquez. You could always call me a vaquero, it's not so bad.

[He smirks at her, though, already holding out an arm for her to take, should she feel so inclined. It's not exactly like he's always a gentleman, but maybe if he's holding onto her, he won't be expected to cart around the dog.]

And who are you?