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[Ken would argue against it but it wasn't up to him to say anything. Instead, he will say this.]

Either way, its still amazing that you gone through a lot. That's something to admire.

[He said before pushing the door open to the store. However, just he did so, there was a small ringing of a bell.]

[Gokudera looks a bit confused by the way Ken says that, phrasing it like a compliment. He doesn’t think there’s anything worth admiring about him. There’s still a lot he wants to do and become, so he’s a perpetual work in progress, a perfectionist and hyper-critical.

His answer is a hum, and as soon as that door opens, he goes wide-eyed and stock-still. Maybe there’s wonder in his expression at the shop, but he seems much more cautious, tense. This room is magical and unfamiliar!

But he’s standing still right in the doorway, like an awkward, human-shaped door-stopper.]

[Just as Ken was about to suggest they go inside, he turned around to find Gokudera staring into space.]

Gokudera? Is everything okay?

[He asked before waving his hand in front of him. Whatever was going on, it was making Ken worried.

What happened to the brash teen he met a few moments ago?]

[He recognizes his name being called, at least, and looks over at the boy, then gives a jerk and growls before smacking that hand away. Gokudera gives a light snarl before spitting out his cigarette onto the floor of the shop and walking in, looking about... and seeming very bored all of a sudden.]

-uff [He says short and on an exhale before walking over to a display of oddities in bottles, suspended in liquids. After a second of squinting at them (his vision isn't the greatest and as a dog he would not think to put glasses on), he thrusts his face into the display rack and knocks a few down. Whether they shatter on the floor is dependent on how quickly Ken tries to catch them, if he even decides to try.]

[All Ken could do was just continue to stare at him as he walked inside. It was odd how he didn’t respond back to him but the younger teen had to keep an eye on him. He didn’t know what was wrong and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

Before he could even get a chance to say anything, his eyes widen as Gokudera leaned forward against the potions. Running as fast as he could, he had to get them. It was a good thing he had quick reflexes or else those potions would have cracked!]

What was that for? [He didn’t mean to sound angry but what was Gokudera doing?]

You could have asked the owners if you wanted them!

Excuse me, please don’t touch the displays!

[A middle aged woman at the counter calls out to Ken, only noticing that there is merchandise in his hands. Gokudera’s looking around, all but ignoring the boy he came in with.

Clearly, he was just inspecting them. He didn’t want them. Glancing at the shopkeeper and at Ken, he looks at the bottles in his hands.]

Ruff!

[He doesn’t like your tone, Ken.]

Edited 2021-01-18 17:45 (UTC)

[As Ken looked angrily at the woman and Gokudera, he wanted to let her know what the situation was. Just as he was about to place the potions back on the counter, his eyes widen.

Did he just hear, what he thought he heard? He slowly turned his head toward the older teen before saying this to him.]

Did you just bark at me?

[#wat]

Grrr...

[He can't ask the owners for anything, Ken! He was trying to figure out what was in those bottles to solve his own problem! Ever proud, he doesn't know how to ask anyone for help.

As someone operating mentally as a dog, that's pretty much impossible. Gokudera is literally saying the noise as he bares his teeth at Ken. It's not meant as an act of intimidation so much as a display of dominance before he turns and moves over to another display. Again, he literally sticks his nose into it, but just pushes the bottles against one another as he sniffs around, trying to use a human nose which is doing little good.]

[All the while Ken just trying to figure out what was going on. Was this the curse Gokudera mentioned? He didn't have to think for long as he was trying to catch whatever bottles he was sniffling around before they hit the ground!]

We could just ask for help! You don't need do any of that!

[However, just as he got the potions, something just clicked for him, If Gokudera was barking, growling, and digging holes? Oh. Ooooooohhhhhh.]

Gokudera, if you sit still for a moment, I'll give you a treat? [He was a little harder to tame than Koromaru but it shouldn't be too difficult to train a human shaped dog right?]

[He has no idea what he needs to do. Gokudera is just investigating stuff, curious and uncoordinated as a dog in a human's body. Those hands he has are doing nothing to move bottles out of the way while he pushes his face against them, peering through some translucent, viscous green fluid in a bottle that has some odd bug legs floating in it.

Hearing his name, he looks over. He stares at Ken, considering for a moment. Is it worth it? What's the treat? Gokudera moves over to him and looks around him, even tilting himself to look as though Ken's hiding said treat behind his back. Where is it?

Is it worth it? He doesn't want to sit. Move over, person, he's looking for a treat. If Gokudera were a dog, he'd be some kind of hound. Clearly, he's got a sense to hunt. Where the fuck is that treat?!]

[Admittedly, Ken didn’t think too far ahead. As Gokudera got closer to him, he stood in place having no idea what to do. He didn’t have anything with him as he just looked at the owner. Placing the remaining potions on a table, he tilted his head as if to suggest the owner quickly grab the rest of them.]

I won’t give it to you unless you sit down! You’re going to have to show it to me!

[It was so strange to treat someone as if they were a dog. This wasn’t what he had in mind when he wanted his dog back! He misses Koromaru but he didn’t want to deal with an actual human acting like one! For that, there was a hint of panic in his voice as he was trying his best to think of a treat to get quickly!]

If you do, I’ll find the nearest store to get you something! [He didn’t have anything and he wasn’t going to lie to him either.]

[The shop keeper has come over to yell at Gokudera, but upon noticing that another person is trying to help, she grabs up the bottles. Gokudera's attention is on Ken and he's frowning, obviously catching on that there is no treat.]

GRR! Bark! Bark bark! [Gokudera is aggravated until the shop keeper offers Ken a stick of licorice root.]

Here, dear. Use this.

[Gokudera reaches for that stick in the sneakiest way he knows how, which is not sneaky in the slightest, just slow and as quiet as he can manage, shoulders lifted and tensed up.]

[What was his life, he didn't know he managed to get himself into this situation. While he had to admit that this was while affair was pretty funny, he just needed to get him out somehow.

With the store owner quickly giving him a licorice root, he gave a sigh of relief.]

Thank you so much! You're a real big help! [He shouted before lifting the stick up in the air] You want it, you have to show me you're ready to get it! You have to sit!

[Now that the situation wasn't quite as tense as it was, now it was appropriate for Ken to start chuckling!]

Just get him out of my store. [The shop keeper says before taking the potions Ken had set aside and moving back to the front counter of the store.

Gokudera lets out a soft whine, then a huff of frustration as Ken shouts and lifts the stick. Reluctantly, he sits right on the floor of the shop, staring up pleadingly, lifting a hand and whining again.]

[Ken didn’t seem to care anymore as he kept that smug smile on his face. As he walked toward the front of the store, he lowered the stick so Gokudera could follow him.

He was going to yelled at later for laughing but he was having way too much fun.]

C’mon, let’s come over here! We’re almost to the front because I know you can do it!

[He said before opening the door. Once again, there was that bell that rang. What will happen next?]

[Gokudera gets up to follow instead of walking on his hands and knees. He’s just sort of bent forward in an awkward, over exaggerated slouch and keeping his eyes on the stick. He wasn’t told to crawl, so he’s following Ken out, and doesn’t even seem to notice when the bell rings.

Honestly, it’s just made the length of time for the curse effect to start over anew. The encouragement is nice, but not needed, and once they’re outside, he’s sitting back down on the ground.]

Bark!

[This presented another problem. As much fun as Ken was having, he knew he had to help Gokudera with this problem. However, how could he be at the store and be here to monitor him at the same time? If he were Koromaru, he would stay in place regardless. Would he have to trust this human shaped dog would listen?]

Listen, I need to get you a potion to cure you but I can’t keep my eye on you and be inside at the same time. I don’t mind giving this to you but you need to promise me you’ll stay here.

[Will he do it? He wasn’t sure but it should only take a minute or two to get everything. How bad can it be?]

[Gokudera tilts his head to the side, not understanding all the explanation that Ken is saying. He assumes he’s being told to sit again, is single-mindedly focused on that stick and whatever he needs to do to get it.

He gives a desperate little groan and lifts a hand. Shake? Roll over? What does he need to do to receive the stick? Gokudera is not trained, but he’s also not dumb, and is set on being preoccupied with the promised treat.]

[Looking at the hand, it was clear Gokudera had no idea what he was saying. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought. If that’s the case, he had to take this one step at a time.]

Sit, Gokudera.

[He said before pointing to the floor. As he does so, he starts placing the stick on the ground as well. Hopefully this will get him to understand?]

[Gokudera is already sitting, but he looks at the stick, following it so that he’s resting his full body weight on his forearms and shins tucked beneath him. It’s mildly uncomfortable and he’s clearly holding himself back from diving forward and grabbing up the licorice root right out of Ken’s hand.]

Hrm! -uff.... [Please! Stick! Now!]

[Sensing how impatient he was, Ken wasted no time in placing the stick in the ground. As he waited for Gokudera to take it, he was slowly backing away toward the store. It shouldn't take a few minutes to get the potion at the store.

He can leave him alone for just a moment, right?

Right??]

[Gokudera looks down at the stick, then at Ken, then back at the stick. He cautiously picks it up and then places it between his teeth and chews. Surprised, he focuses on chewing it even more and seems relatively preoccupied with it. It's no normal stick! Tastes sweet...

He watches Ken while gnawing at the side of the root, looking pleased and curious simultaneously.]

[As Ken just looked at Gokudera chewing on the stick, he slowly backed away until his back was against the door. So far, he seemed to be okay on his own. Holding his breath in, he had to say this to him.]

Okay, Gokudera, be good! I'll be right back!

[He knew he only had a limited period of time. Luckily, the store owner knew what his problem was and had gotten a potion ready. The problem was how Gokudera would react to him being gone!]

[Gokudera has no idea what's going on. He has a stick, and that's all he really cares about. It's fine, and as Ken's in the shop, he comes back to himself. Why is he chewing on a stick?

Didn't he come here with someone?]

What're you looking at?

[He glares as some other patron enters the shop, and the bell rings again. Then, he's back to chewing on the stick. Shame.]

[Such is the life of Gokudera as Ken immediately comes back out with the potion in hand. As he looked at him, he gave a sigh of relief. He didn't seem to move from his spot.]

Good boy, I knew you could do it! You managed to stay here!

[Did he really call him that? He didn't mean to be he hoped Gokudera wouldn't rip him a new one for saying that.]

Anyway, you need to drink this potion! It should cure you of your problem so you better drink up? [Would he even be willing to take it in this form?]

If you don't, I'm going to take the stick away!

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