"Mmm, but you don't cuddle him. He needs cuddles." Mercy teased, giving him a skeptical look. "Sure, you aren't grumpy at all." She rolled her eyes, caught off gaurd when she got a very wet Rex kiss. She chuckled and rubbed his head happily. "Everyone needs this much attention. They just don't realize it till they get it." She smiled, her little angelic sude coming out.

Ajax made a face, looking at the dog. "I don't even know what cuddling is at this point. I have never cuddled anything or ever been cuddled in my whole life or death so you can't expect me to just miraculously cuddle Rex." He snorted dramatically, narrowing his eyes slightly at Rex, who was the happiest dog dead, alive, or anywhere else. "Not at all! I am a very sweet, welcoming person." Ajax grinned crookedly, trying not to laugh because he knew it would hurt. He attempted to prop himself up again so he didn't have to twist his neck to look at Mercy, wishing there was a tree within 5 inches to lean on. "uh huh... sure..." He drawled, soundig entirely unconvinced.

"Alright, drama queen. You want lessons on cuddling, im always right here." Mercy teased, throwing a wink at him and going back to scratching Rex's stomach. She laughed, choking on air at his next comment. "Of course you are." She smiled, turning her head to lock eyes with Ajax. "Well, maybe you'd know if you weren't so stubborn. Or work focused. Or oblivious." She huffed, turning back to Rex.

Ajax just looked at Mercy, not even knowing what to say. "You-" He stopped. "NO-" He stopped again. "Why me?" Ajax finally asked with a mournful voice, looking up at the sky and folding his hands. "Why me?" He repeated with a grin. "Oh yes, sweet, welcoming, happy, calm, amazing, cuddly, gentle..." He trailed off. "Darn it, I'm naming the opposite of things I am." Ajax muttered with a muffled chuckle. "Stubborn? Work-focused? Oblivious? What? I am NOT stubborn, and oblivious..." Ajax stopped and stared off into space before looking at Mercy again. "I forgot what you said.. what?" He snorted. "Stubborn men will die first. *NO WE WON'T*" Ajax quipped, his eyes twinkling

Mercy laughed and gently pulled Rex closer, lightly running her fingers down between his eyes to the tip of his nose. "You could've just said no, Cheese." She teased, pretending to be mortally offended. "No, youre definitely stubborn. And you're... pretty oblivious, too." She smiled, listening to him with a small giggle.

Ajax huffed. "I dont look like cheese anymore, now that im all sewed up." He scoffed, chuckling. "Thanks for that..." Ajax added meekly. "Naw. Maybe stubborn, but not oblivious." He sniffed, reaching out and patting the dog. Rex woofed happily, closing his eyes in pleasure.

"Oh, my. Did I just hear the Almighty Ajax say...THANK YOU? Bestill my beating heart. Hold me, Rex." Mercy mocked, pretending to go limp, flopping her head on the dog's chest. "...ya seem pretty oblivious to me." She muttered under her breath, closing her eyes with a happy sigh.

"WHEN did I get the name ALMIGHTY AJAX. AND I SAY THANK YOU ... SOMETIMES... rarely... but still sometimes." Ajax grumbled loudly, adding in a *hurumph* for good measure. Rex looked at Mercy with perked ears as she flopped down on him, but looked rather oblivious about it and just laid still. "Do not." He muttered under his breath, blowing out a sharp breath of air and peering at Rex. "I'm not oblivious, am I?" He pleaded with the dog. Rex looked at Ajax for a moment before licking Mercy and scooting a bit closer to her and a bit farther away from Ajax. "Gah, even my dog left me for you!" Ajax sighed

"I already told you, its what you call yourself in your head." She teased, embracing Rex as he scooted closer to her. She lifted her head from his fur and tilted her head at him with a small smile. "Ajax, you really need to cuddle with someone. Or do you need a hug? I dunno, but I do know one thing. You are oblivious as all hell." She huffed, glaring at him, and sitting up, moving to Rex's other side. "Lay right there, where I was." She ordered, pointing to the spot where she had been.

"No. I. Do. Not." Ajax repeated quite stubbornly, wrinkling his nose slightly at the thought. How... undignifying. "I do NOT need to cuddle with ANYONE or ANYTHING and I do NOT need a HUG and I am NOT oblivious." He stated his opinion very clearly, just in case Mercy missed the point. "No. No way." Ajax huffed right back, flopping back down on his back and staring up at the sky again. "If I am moving it will be because someone dragged me." He snorted