In need of some company [Lili]

[Francis Bonnefoy]

A few days one of his longest flings came to an end. As usual he had gone to Gilbert to whine about being all alone. He always did so when a longer dating period ended, not one night stands. Anyway, Gilbert had probably gone bored of this routine and urged Francis to just get a pet.

It had taken him some convincing. Francis had been reluctant  to the idea of having an animal in his apartment where he cooked and worked. But after some discussing and argument it might actually be nice to have a pet to keep him company when he was alone at home.

He slipped away in his break from the cafeteria and wandered to the pet department looking for a new roommate. He was a little lost in what to get. Something small, because his apartment wasn’t that big, but also no too small.

He hoped anyone else but Gilbert could help him. He didn’t want a bird you could put on your head, no matter how awesome that was, he didn’t want to end up with a pet in his hair. He let out a deep sigh and looked at all the animals. He knew they had a lot of animals here, but he only noticed now how many they were. This was going to be difficult.

                                                                                                                                                          

 

[Lili Adelaide Zwingli]

Before she could notice the Frenchman in the department, Lili first had to tend to the last few animals on the list. At the moment, gerbils. There were twenty of the rodents, carefully sexed and divided into two separate tanks to be quarantined. All in all, thirteen males, and seven females. She was tempted to give each of them names, but store policy very specifically said she wasn't allowed to do that... but she couldn't help it! They were all very cute and she felt bad about the fact she could only address them as Gerbil One, or Gerbil Two. A few of them were hard to tell apart, such as all the brown ones, but each uniquely colored gerbil had the fortune of receiving a name. Her special favorite was a white female with a black saddle on her back, which she very cleverly named Oreo.

She had to be a little rebellious! She really couldn't help but give small pets to each of the rodents as they scurried by, while pretending to simply feed them or clean their tanks. Some animals were just too cute to not handle, and she had pretty much the same problem when having to deal with puppies or kittens. She tried to not let herself say she was a bad worker. The job still got done and she was merely rewarding herself with a job well done (and a pet fix she didn't get at home due to a lack of animals! The gerbils served a noble cause!)

'Ahhh, such cute little beasts', she thought as she stroked down the white gerbil's back with her index finger. She pulled back abruptly, though, as the sound of nearby footsteps signaled that she was no longer alone in the department, which was actually a bit more empty than some would think.

Francis crossed the outside of the aisle, appearing for only a second before moving on to the other rodents, or perhaps he was heading towards the dogs. Was he looking for her? He was an assistant manager, after all! She curiously followed after. If this was him looking for a companion, that was what she was there for! "Hallo, sir?" She called after him softly, so as to not disturb the animals. "Are you looking for something specific?" She'd caught him gazing curiously into a tank with some very well-groomed rats, though personally she didn't think she fit him too much. He looked like he might be a rabbit person, but she'd have to see if they tested the waters with an animal or two.

[Francis Bonnefoy]

Francis visibly perked up when he heard the sound of a young woman's voice. He spun around to face her. "Yes? Ah lili, don't sir me, please. It makes me sound so old." he said chuckling. "Just Francis will do." he assured her. They didn't work together, but Francis knew almost everyone, that and he hung out with Gilbert sometimes in the pet department, so he'd knew this girl was named Lili, though they have had rarely a conversation before. She was nice and helpful, or so he heard. Maybe she could help him find something?

"Err....not exactly." he chuckled again and scratched the back of his hair. "I'm a little lost into what to get." he admitted. "Gilbert told me something along the lines that a pet could make a house more lively and advised me to get one as well." he explained. "Only I'm not really sure what kind of pet I'd like." he said more to himself.

"Would you mind helping me find a suitable pet?"  he asked and looked around the shop. Well at least he knew what kind of pets he didn't want at all,so that was at least a step right?

[Lili Adelaide Zwingli]

Both Lili's smile and laugh were rather sheepish in response. That was hardly the reaction she was expecting from him. Habitually she used 'sir' and 'ma'am' out of politeness to potential customers regardless of age, but if that's what he wanted...

"Sorry s-- Francis. It just sounds so informal." Yes, she had an idea who he was. He worked a different department but he seemed to hang around specifically to bother Gilbert-- or rather, it would be bothering if Gibert were not entirely inviting of Francis' antics. Ah, well, at least he was a decently hard worker otherwise, right? "It's not generally allowed, I thought. We're supposed to be polite to people who are even just browsing, even if you are employed here."

She listened to his explanation as she walked in closer. Ahh, Gilbert, she might have known. "Well! That's what I'm here for. If you really want a pet you'll leave here today with the perfect one." Lili said with a grin. "First off, would you mind telling me a little bit about your limits? I mean, you don't want big dogs or anything, right? And are cats off limits? You'd be surprised how many people hate cats."

The rat he was standing next to was the closest animal she could use as a reference. "Most of our animals are around this size or smaller, and when they are you start getting into cats and dogs. She's cute, right?" Rats were fine as long as they were domesticated... wild rats were ugly and usually diseased. "We have rabbits, gerbils, mice, guinea pigs... A number of everything. Actually, I should probably just show you around, right?"

Normal people didn't faze her, but there was something about trying to impress other employees that made her so damn nervous. "If you don't mind me saying, you do look like a man who would enjoy a rabbit. They can be trained to use litter boxes like cats, you know, but they're a lot less skittish." Cats for people who didn't want standoffish little jerkwads as a pet, if cats would even allow themselves to be called such a demeaning thing.

[Francis Bonnefoy]

Francis didn't like all the informality towards him, especially people he saw everyday. Okay, Lili wasn't really his friend but he saw her at least a few times a week when he'd come get Gilbert for their break or just to say good morning. That and he knew Gilbert wasn't exactly the type wanting to hang out in the cosmetics department.

He shrugged. "It's not that informal." he said. Francis thought about what she said next. "I guess not, but I think that is to avoid being rude to customers or employers." Sounded fair though. He wouldn't call one of those big security guys by their name. You needed to have a people knowledge when it's okay to sir and ma'am with employers or who preferred first names.

Not that it was all that difficult, he mostly hung out with the more laid back people around here. He was polite to normal customers, mind you. He didn't want to lose his job, since he really needed it. "But just say Francis, and we'll keep this informality our secret." he said chuckling with a wink. She was rather cute sticking to the rules.

"Ah I hope so." He said smiling happily. "Hmnn...I don't mind cats, they're not off limits per say." he said thinking. "I live in an apparment in a flat, so I won't be able to keep a dog, especially not a big one. So they're off limits." he concluded. He would have liked perhaps a poodle, but he didnt have the time to walk a dog four times a day. He didn't know how Gilbert managed to walk his everyday. 

He eyed the rats and turned to Lili. "I also wouldn't like one of those, or mice for that matter." He didn't like them one bit, he already had the goosbumps at the idea that it might escape their cage and wander around at night in his bed...eew.

"Let's just walk around then." he said smiling and followed her. "A bunny? Really?" he wondered how she could see what kind of animal person someone was. He wouldn't have said bunny. Maybe a dog or a bird, but a bunny? I guess they are cute though. "Can you really train them?" he titled his head a little in disbelieve. "Hmnn I guess a darf bunny would be cute, but don't they need some space and grass to run around in? I only have a small balcony." he admitted. He was afraid they'd be unhappy in his place and also that it eventually the smell might unbearable at the end.

[Lili Adelaide Zwingli]

"I'll keep that in mind then. Better safe than sorry, really. " She'd hate to offend someone without meaning too, especially a coworker. She didn't seem him often enough to make it a worry, but just the general idea of knowing someone you worked with hated your guts didn't sit too well. She didn't know what she would do if it ever came to that! A secret it would stay-- assuming it ever became an issue. She anticipated it wouldn't...

But now it was time to give him the help he was looking for. He needed to find a pet that would like him, and the first step was getting to an animal that fit. It was obvious that with this small home he wasn't going to really be able to take care of a rabbit that preferred to run around. A shame, really. He looked like he'd be rather cute toting one about in his arms. But, no matter. There was an animal for everyone and by the day's end she will have found one for Francis.

"Well, rabbits are out, so are rodents." She counted to herself on her hand. "Dogs are, unfortunately, as well. I could have seen you with a terrier, maybe. We have a few terrier mixes that are pretty small." And none would go home today with Francis, but fear not! Perhaps he was a man who could be swayed by kittens! "If you don't mind a cat, then we can try those out."

Surely he was acquainted with the fact that most cats were skittish and hated company. Finding a good cat was a lot more difficult than finding the perfect dog. Especially with the reason behind his wanting the pet in the first place - something Lili was entirely ignorant of. "If you've ever been around a cat, you probably know they tend to not really like people. What I've found is that the best cats are the ones that actually try to go home with you. But sometimes that doesn't always work..."

They bypassed the dogs, went past the birds, and found the cages that were utterly full of kittens to the brim.

[Francis Bonnefoy]

Francis nodded in agreement. "True, true." he smiled. Though most people called him by his first name, or well those were the people he either worked with or hanged around their apartments.

"Hmn I guess terrier would have been possible, had I not been out often. I wouldn't be able to train him and walk him and all those things." he said and hearing himself say all that he doubted he was a suitable pet owner. And he didn't want to end up with a goldfish or something. Then he'd rather not have a pet at all.

"Yes, perhaps." he said. He knew cats tend to have their own will, so in some way it could be good. The pet would just keep itself busy and do whatever it wanted. Downside, he feared he would find his furniture ruined within a week. But he trusted Lili in this, surely she wouldn't let him go home with a crazy wild cat or something.

"Ooh I see, well sounds like a nice trick." he said and followed her to all the kittens. "Wow you sure have a lot of them." how on earth was he going to chose? And how would he know if a cat liked him and would want to go home with him. He looked at all of them. They all were so small and adorable. "They're all very cute." he said smiling at Lili.

And it just became harder to find one. But he could picture himself with a cat. It could be cute and most ladies preferred cats over dogs right? So that was a plus when he had female company stay the night.

[Lili Adelaide Zwingli]

"They're very hard to train, too." Lili agreed. "I know someone who's had a yorkshire for four years and he hasn't mastered the whole 'going outside' thing yet." Eugh, gross. And that poor woman still found little piles and puddles all over the house. Well, some animals absolutely refused to be trained to do anything, right? Just like people. But she wouldn't scare Francis with potential horror stories.

She picked up a couple of cans of special kitten food and took it along with her as they walked. "If you can't be home a lot, cats or small rodents are really the perfect pets." She explained, opening the gate into the cage - most of the kittens seemed more intent on getting to food than trying to get out, luckily - and stepping in.

"They can occupy themselves, though, yes, cats are a little more expensive and require toys like a dog would... but if you like the kitten, it might not be too much trouble." And now she gestured to invite Francis into the kitten enclosure. This would be one of those tests. A kitten more interested in a human than food could probably be expected to be lovable.

"You don't have to come in here, but if you just lean over the side a bit you can meet some of them!" As she opened the cans and emptied their contents into the several bowls set out, each kitten with the exception of three headed over and stuffed their faces into the food. The three that remained at the wall to the enclosure seemed much more preoccupied with figure out who this new stranger was. Lili was someone they knew, but Francis? not a man who came by often, if at all.

"Look at that! You've managed to make friends already!" She was not surprised. Francis had an air around him that simply drew people to him, for the most part. It was pretty clear that most of the kittens saw food as the better deal, but the three that sat at the bottom of the enclosure mewed up at him, hoping for a chance to inspect and meet him.