Fish shopping (for dial_a_psychic)

[in_a_chinashop]

All in all, going to Santa Barbara is probably the wisest decision he's made in some time. Things seem so much wetter and greyer in Chicago. Ren's not a sun worshiper by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, he made sure to put plenty of sun protection cream on before leaving the hotel room today, but there's no doubt that a little sunlight does

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[dial_a_psychic]

The constant ring from his cell phone wakes him up from a pleasant dream involving bunnies, hoola hoops and the cute new popcorn sales girl at the cinema. Lazily answering his phone, it takes him almost 10 minutes of assuring his Dad he has nothing to do with the sudden disappearance of his chainsaw before he realises he´s almost late for his fishing shooping appointment.

Somehow Shawn manages to make it in time. Gus should be proud. He even sends him a text just to show off that sometimes he can be in time for appointments. Just after reading the unimpressed response from his best friend, and almost a block away from the shop, he spots Ren waiting outside the petsore. Supressing a yawn and fixing his sunglases, he raises his arm for Ren to notice him.

"Yo, Mountie man!"

[in_a_chinashop]

He turns around at the cry, almost fairly certain that whoever is shouting means him. The second he spots Shawn he breaks out into a wide smile, waving back at him as he approaches.

"Shawn! Hi!" He waits for the other man to draw level with him before speaking again. "Are you ready to get your new pets?"

Bouncing a little on the balls of his feet, he has to tell himself to tone it down. He can't help being excited.

[dial_a_psychic]

Feeling Ren´s excitment becomes contagious and soon he´s bouncing at the thought of having a new pet. It may not be something cuddly like a cat, but it´s enough to bright his day.

"Man, this is such a great idea! I haven´t got a pet in years!"

Patting his shoulder he rushes them into the store.

[in_a_chinashop]

It's easy to get distracted in the store, with all the colorful toys and beds and food and -oh! Clothes for cats! Cat would look so cute in a little tutu.

He has to work hard not to let himself get waylaid by the animals in their enclosures, just waiting for someone to come along and love them. Pointing them towards the fish section, he tries to steer them that way.

"What pets have you had before, Shawn?"

[dial_a_psychic]

He follows Ren through the shop, pausing every three steps or so whenever something steals his attention again.

"Huh? Oh, I had a cat once. And a bird when I was a little kid."

Passing by some cages with puppies, he has to kneel down to watch them closely. A little dalmatian barks happily and licks his fingers as he strokes his snout through the cage.

[in_a_chinashop]

"I've never really thought about having a pet bird before, did you let it fly ar-"

He pauses, realizing that he's been talking to thin air for who knows how long. He backtracks a little and crouches down to wiggle his finger through the bars at a husky puppy.

"What did you call your cat and bird?" He stands as he asks, hoping that Shawn will follow him back up again.

[dial_a_psychic]

"Chairman Meow and Pete. My Mom named it after Peter O´Toole. I think."

Waving at the puppies as he stands, he follows Ren. Maybe he could get a dog. He always wanted one. He always wanted to...

"Dude! Is that a ferret? I always wanted one."

[in_a_chinashop]

Following the direction of Shawn's gaze, he sees that it is indeed a ferret. Several ferrets, in fact. He tries not to wrinkle his nose too much, that would just be impolite.

"But, they're so...." Smelly ".... musky."

They weren't really indoor pet material, in Ren's opinion. Though, some would point out that Diefenbaker was hardly the freshest smelling animal either. And ferrets were playful creatures, which fit well with Shawn's personality.

[dial_a_psychic]

"Really?" He asked with a grin as he approached the ferret section. He sniffed the air loudly, making a pretty darn good imitation of the super sniffer. "They smell just fine to me."

"Hey, little guy!" He greeted a brown and white ferret that looked just as bouncy as himself. "Dude, look." He called Ren over his shoulder. "Isn´t it awesome?"

[in_a_chinashop]

Some people liked the smell of ferrets, he could accept that. Each to their own.

He followed Shawn to the enclosure just in time to see a little white ferret pounce on the one that Shawn had been pointing to. They began to dance around each other, backs arched, tails fluffed, before simultaneously lunging at each other. The brown and white ferret flipped the other over before jumping up and dancing again while the other rolled over. They were making a chirping sound that reminded Ren of laughter, and he couldn't help but smile as he watched them play.

[dial_a_psychic]

Shawn laughed at the ferrets antics. For a minute he imagined them playing both on his bed, while he watched tv. Or following him from one side of the office to the other. Peeing over Lassie´s evidence. Just to point it out, of course. That´s what psychic pets do.

"Dude, you think ferrets are difficult to handle?"

[in_a_chinashop]

No, ferrets weren't difficult to handle. He'd known farmers back in Alberta who raised them to go rabbiting. They had been nasty, nippy things with a taste of blood, but the farmers also breed them when they came into season and sold the offspring as pets.

It was amazing how a little handling from an early age could mellow an animal. Jolene had been a tomboy through most of their childhood, and he distinctly remembered her having a pet ferret that liked to run up her trouser legs.

... He couldn't lie to Shawn. Not fully.

"They have very sharp teeth and claws," he told his friend earnestly. "They are carnivores, after all."

[dial_a_psychic]

He couldn´t help but to jerk his hand away fom the ferret cage at the mention of "sharp" teeth. And sharp claws too, don´t forget the sharp claws. Little sharp needle-like teeth and claws. Deep in your flesh, painful, needle-like teeth and claws.

He quickly reached out to rub the back of his neck, hoping to disguise his previous movement.

Shawn cleared his throat. "So... where are the fishies?" He asked as he looked around.

[in_a_chinashop]

A flash of guilt went through Ren. That had been unfair and a little sly of him. He'd probably single handedly nurtured a phobia, judging by Shawn's reflective jerk then.

He really had no right to decide what was a suitable pet for the psychic and what wasn't. It was too late now, though, and at least Shawn's attention was back on track.

"They're over there." Ren pointed at a large ceiling sign in the shape of a fish, which logically would mark out the aquatics department. He began to lead the way over to it.

[dial_a_psychic]

Shawn followed his Mountie friend and soon he found himself staring at the wonders of... that fish show Gus watched on "Animal Planet", but completely on LIVE. He smiled widely, amazed at the colors and shapes of the little aquatic wonders.

"Dude..." He whistled appreciatevely. "Oh! Look at that one!"