An adolescent Dalmatian pranced through an outdoor market in San Francisco, putting on a silly show and just naturally exuberant.

Many of the sellers who saw her shook their heads at the funny, friendly dog who greeted them individually each week and whom they could not help but offer snacks to every time they saw it. Most had a different name for it, but it responded to “Tiffany” most often. Someone special to it from long ago had given her that name, after all.  

Nose and left ear drawn into the air suddenly, she paused.

A young child giggled and pushed her spotted ear down flat. He whimpered when the dog growled at him but smiled again when she his face in a rushed apology.

Then it was off, bounding across the market to greet a much smaller dog. Sunny!

The two canines romped around joyfully, much to the amusement and amazement of the Coton de Tuléar’s owner. 

Her pet had not responded to any others in all the time they had been together. Playfully bopping the bigger dog on the head, the smaller one then bit its ear to drag it to her owner.

TaeTae! the Dalmatian greeted Taeyeon, tall enough to rest its front paws on the small girl’s shoulders and her face avidly.

“Whoa!” The human laughed, stumbling a little under the dog’s weight and vigor. “How and who are you?” she asked. Ever since she had met Sunny, smiles graced her face faster and easier than ever, as did words leaving .

I’m …a whole bunch of names, and I’m great; thanks for asking! Don’t you remember me? The dog continued giving the young adult an almost unmanageable amount of love, her tail swinging like crazy.

Yah! Sunny complained under it. Take my head off, why don’t you?

Okay! Tiffany agreed, setting upon Sunny and rolling around with the other dog in an ecstatic attempt to behead her.

“Y-yah!” Taeyeon paled. “Be careful…”

Oh, okay, the sleeker dog sat down next to the human immediately.

“Whoa, you’re a good listener,” she noted.

I am; thank you!

Hey, that’s my charge. Get your own! The little white dog head-butted the spotted one in the side.

I have one! Tiffany enthused as ever. …But she doesn’t like to leave the house. A mournful whine left .

“Aw, what’s wrong? What happened? Are you okay?” Taeyeon rubbed the Dalmatian’s head. “Don’t be sad,” she cajoled at the creature.

Hmm… okay! The big dog knocked the girl down by jumping up on her and kissing her again.

Taeyeon chuckled.

~@~@~@~

 

“Jessi!” Tiffany belly-flopped onto Jessica and her bed. “Let’s go! It’ll be fun! Come on!”

The blonde’s eyes slitted open to glare at the hyperactive brunette. “Very little that you think is fun is actually fun, Steph.”

“You’re such a grump! Come onnnnn! Today’ll be a good day. I can feel it!”

“Oh, yeah? Can you feel this?” Jessica yanked her pillow from under her own head and whacked Tiffany with it.

“Hmm,” the taller girl took the time to consider. “Nope, don’t think so!” Her little pink tongue poked out between her teeth.

“I guess I’d better do it again, then.” Jessica re-fluffed the pillow with a smirk.

“But first you’d have to catch me!” Tiffany jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

“Ha, knew that’d work.” The blonde chuckled to herself as she flopped over onto the pillow to go back to sleep. She got jumped on yet again by a squealing brunette blur not thirty seconds later. “Ugh!”

“Get ready, Jessi! Pleeeeeeeease?”

“Aish. Fine. Get out of my room.” Jessica threw her pillow at the younger girl.

“Really? Whee!” Tiffany, more overjoyed than ever, rocketed down the hall to wolf down a quick breakfast.

~@~@~@~

 

For the first time in years, Jessica crossed the border of the forest out toward town. She glanced over her shoulder, frowning and pouting at the same time. “There’s no shade out here…” Her purposely stolid expression almost hid the growing storm of emotions behind her eyes from the brunette; almost.

“A tan’ll do you good, little ghostie!” Tiffany threw her arm over those heating shoulders.

“Can’t you ever just walk anywhere like a normal person?” Jessica complained once more.

“Nope!” The younger girl continued skipping and dragging her friend with her.

“Augh…”

“Well, we can walk if you really want to…” Tiffany slowed down, her voice tinged with concern and sadness.

“It’s okay.” The smaller girl smiled as she rested her head on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m just always tired, you know that.” 

Yeah, because of your lungs… Tiffany knew not to say. She duc