Chapter Text
Jess found herself a foot outside of the hybrid adoption center, unable to take another step.
Her home was more than big enough for a companion, with at least three spare guest rooms able to be converted into whatever was needed.
So what was the hold up?
It was completely moral, adopting a hybrid from a pro-euthanasia center and helping them avoid a potentially deadly fate.
Was she… nervous? No, she couldn’t be. She wouldn’t allow that kind of insecurity to occupy her thoughts.
Since childhood, she’d been confident, intelligent, driven and— truth be told— quite powerful. But she was never good at making friends.
“Heading in sometime soon?”
Heather.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you.” Jess enveloped her younger sister in a hug. Her fifteen year old sibling had easily agreed to accompany her on her journey to find a companion, so long as she got to pet a couple of cute hybrids in the process.
“You’re such a chicken shit, Jessy, just go in there and-“
“Language!”
Heather rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. “Just. Go. In. Scaredy cat.”
“I will! I was about to walk in but then you interrupted.”
“Sure, sure. Just go.”
Jess finally, finally pushed open one of the steel-handled double doors.
“Can I help you ladies?” A round-faced, sweet-looking staff inquired.
Jess cleared her throat due to the lump forming. “Yes, I actually booked an appointment earlier this week. I'm here to be introduced to some hybrids and try to find the right fit for me.”
“Excellent!” The sweet lady replied, “We need more people out there looking to adopt. Lord only knows how crowded this place is.”
Jess almost flinched at the admission. She had heard about the overcrowding of these facilities since hybrids were deemed codependent beings around twelve years ago. They used to be able to work and go to school alongside their human counterparts, but then a conservative governing party was voted in, preaching about how ‘those part-animal mutant freaks’ were unequal to humans, and all of their rights were revoked.
She couldn’t believe that party had gotten the majority; it cost her a lot of faith in her country. Actually, she had tried convincing her parents to move out of the country when it happened, but they refused. When she moved out at eighteen, she had only stayed in the country to help her mother, whose body was losing the battle to breast cancer.
“Jess?” Her sister pulled her out of her mind, gesturing to the worker lady, who was staring at her expectantly.
“Sorry?”
“I asked if you had any preferences in breed, age or sex.”
“No children, please. I work a fair bit, so I’ll need them to be able to entertain themselves on the weekdays. Other than that, I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for.”
“Well, how many are you looking to adopt? Just one? A pair? A whole pack?”
“One sounds like a lot of commitment already,” Jess admitted, wiping her sweaty palms on the back of her jeans. This was unlike her, usually she was very sure of herself.
“Alright, dear,” the woman smiled warmly, “we’ll look at the solos first.”
Jess found herself being led into a small room with warm-colored walls that was lit with only a few yellowy lamps.
“Have a seat, dear, I’ll go get one I think you’ll like. Young, but not too young.”
Jess smiled gratefully and the lady shut the door behind herself.
The sisters sat on a loveseat across the coffee table from a large L-shaped leather couch.
There were claw marks across the length of the cushions, but it was obvious they were attempting to be hidden by a crocheted throw blanket.
Jess took a deep inhale and exhale, as she had learned to do in stressful situations.
“You’re nervous,” Heather pointed out, shocked more than malicious.
“No.” Jess kept her voice even throughout her lie. “I’m just impatient, which is something that I am already aware of, so there’s no need to point it out to me.”
“Okay, okay. Sorry. I’ve just never seen you so twitchy.”
“Twitchy?”
“I don’t know, you just can’t stop moving your hands around.”
Jess went to speak but stopped as the door clicked open.
“Hello ladies. This here is Mike.” She turned to point to an athletic-looking young man with dark hair and floppy dog ears. He was adorned in the typical hybrid center clothes, a pristine white shirt and matching pants. They looked stiff and uncomfortable.
“Hi Mike, I’m Jess Ackrain.” She stood from her seat and extended her hand for him to shake.
His jaw was set, and he did not say hello. He met her eyes and she could feel the anger radiating from his stare.
Jess’s gaze flitted over to the worker, silently questioning her on how to proceed.
The woman pursed her lips in frustration. “Mike. Say hello.” It was a command, not a suggestion.
He avoided Jess’s eyes now, still not budging.
A scary whisper left the woman's lips in an unmeasurably threatening way. “You want to visit solitary?”
The words had Mike grabbing Jess’s in a welcoming handshake, an obligatory smile erupting on his face. Jess felt uneasy at the robotic motions. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart. I’m Mike, but my brother calls me Mikey.”
“Um-” she was feeling sick as she realized what just occurred, “it’s so nice to meet you too.” She turned to the worker, “Uh, could us three have a few minutes alone?”
“Yes, but it’s protocol for no more than five minutes. Also-” The staff member pointed to the camera in the corner of the room that Jess only now noticed. “-please, don’t try to have sex in here. We have to report it to the police, it’ll be a whole thing, and I’m tired. Just- Just don’t. Okay?”
Heather made a dramatic gagging sound.
Jess’s jaw almost hit the floor– how could she suggest such a thing when her fifteen year old sister was two feet away from them?– but she knew better if she wanted the lady gone. Instead, she put a playful smile across her lips. “I wouldn’t dream of adding to your workload.” She promised the lady, who returned the smile.
“Be nice, Mike,” The worker warned as she exited the room, which now seemed a lot less warm and welcoming.
“Jesus Christ, what the fuck was that?” Jess blurted.
“‘Language’!” Heather quoted to Jess’ annoyance.
Jess pressed her eyes shut, though she only allowed herself to do so for a second, just long enough for her stomach to settle.
Mike smiled teasingly at Jess’s reaction. “Yeah, she says that every time someone wants to be left alone with one of us. It’s a bit much, honestly. But it’s whatever.”
“Yeah.” Jess had to put in a lot of effort to refocus her upset brain. “So, as I said, I’m Jess. This is my sister, Heather, but she’s mostly just here for moral support. I would be the one adopting.”
Mike nodded. “That’d be nice, if I was looking to be adopted.”
Jess raised a brow at his evident attitude towards her. “Oh? And why wouldn’t you want me to adopt you? Are you saying there’s something wrong with me?”
“No!” He was quick to reply, “Definitely not. I just… Look, my brother’s here, too. I can’t leave him.”
“That’s odd, she said you were listed as a solo.”
“Yeah, my brother pushed for that. The care workers said that as a lively young lab-retriever mix I was more likely to find a home by myself than if I was paired with my gruff-looking, ex-military brother.”
“Ex-military, huh?”
“Yeah, he’s a German Shepherd hybrid, so he was with the green berets for almost a decade. That kind of thing comes with some big baggage that no one wants to deal with.”
Jess gave him a sympathetic look and patted his shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that, Mike.”
For a second, he was truly vulnerable, wanting her to adopt him and his brother more than anything. But then he packed it back up again.
She said she wanted a solo.
“Yeah, well. Sorry I’m not what you’re looking for.” An indifferent grin graced his expression.
Jess looked sad as he rapped twice on the door and the lady removed him from the room. She liked him, she liked his resolve. She wanted him out of this wretched place.
“Excuse me, ma’am?”
“Yes?”
“Mike mentioned he had a brother, I’d like to meet him.”