#so i guess … maybe he did care for mitzi at some point? but still. they definitely were never close

[wickmitz]

you know rereading the comic got me thinking and i feel ur the best person for this. im very intrigued by mitzi and asa's dynamic pre, during, AND post atlas. i really wish we saw more of what happened before atlas' passing bc mitzi herself said asa used to be so nice to her and i'm just like YO WHAT HAPPENED anyways hi hello love ur blog

hi! i’m flattered you love my blog! and even more so by the fact you think i’m the best person to go to for this question! i’ve briefly talked about mitzi and asa before when analyzing the lunch scene in my long analysis for mitzi’s and wick’s relationship, where i said this on the matter :

to touch upon asa’s treatment of mitzi, even from as early as the phone call we see that mitzi is forced to have a conversation with asa on his terms rather than her own terms. mitzi sets out with a clear goal in mind -- learning why asa sweet would attack the lackadaisy in the way that he did -- and she's repeatedly talked over and threatened, with her questions remaining unanswered. it’s very clear very quickly that asa doesn’t respect mitzi nor view her as someone worthy of his time like atlas was, and almost appears to approach her in a misogynistic manner. he demeans something as simple as her ukulele as a ‘teeny little guitar’ and acts as though mitzi’s tears would be bothersome to him, some sort of burden he’d be forced to deal with rather than a valid emotional response to threats, degradation, and the likes. while asa is by no means wrong with some of his observations, he’s certainly rude and uncaring with how he goes about it. when he tells mitzi that he’s here to suggest that she step down, because he so generously has her interests in mind, she doesn’t buy it ; once again bringing up last nights events, where asa willingly armed the pig farmers with the lackadaisy’s arsenal and sent them over her way without so much as a warning. asa dismisses this coldly, once again dodging any fault and claiming it was ‘happenstance’ and entirely mitzi’s own doing. even now, when he’s actively threatening her and making it clear they won’t stay friendly if she keeps trying to make it in this business, he still won’t fully admit to any sort of responsibility for the disastrous night he helped put her through. while this seems rather typical of asa given his disrespectful streak ( something even mordecai, as valued and as useful as he is, suffers because of ) it’s worth noting that this side of him is new to mitzi and not one she was at all expecting. she even says as much here, in heartstrings.

we also know that mitzi only met atlas due to her performing at the marigold speakeasy first, and it’s likely asa was rather present in her life due to his bond with her now husband. asa even admits that mitzi may be confused because they’ve ’managed a friendly coexistence for so long,’ once again hammering home this idea that up until this point, asa was indeed kind to mitzi, or at the very least cordial. but with atlas out of the picture and mitzi trying to take his position, suddenly asa is more than okay with getting her killed or taking all she has left -- even his plan is nothing short of apathetic and cold, an afterthought, expecting her to give up something important to her and only offering a one time offer to play at the marigold room ‘sometime’ with that ‘old band of hers.’ what’s important here is that mitzi is ruthlessly betrayed by a man who used to like her and is treated as a lesser thing due to his view that she’s too incompetent to run a rumrunning business. he also brings up atlas to, in mitzi’s eyes, ‘intimidate ( her ) into agreeing with him,’ and towards the end of the lunch, she looks particularly kicked and undoubtedly hurt. she leaves this meeting that could’ve stayed a phone call with a potential enemy made and with the world on her shoulders, now more determined than ever to be someone people like asa would be forced to respect. instead of being dissuaded, she’s been encouraged, and it’s not hard to realize why.

so, i suppose those are my very brief thoughts about them post atlas! but as for pre and during, i don’t think there was ever anything really there outside of peaceful coexistence. as atlas’s wife, mitzi garnered respect she probably never had before as a traveling musician! asa wouldn’t dare insult her or belittle her once she became atlas’s wife and probably felt no need to do so in the first place. especially since, after all, asa’s the reason atlas found mitzi at all, back when she played for the marigold room where i assume she was treated well enough given asa’s rather friendly mask. he’s a jokester! he’s well meaning and goofy, always smiling and his eyes permanently upturned looking due to the patterns on his face … mitzi wouldn’t ever really see the asa that many other people deal with, and even when comparing asa to her rather quiet and eeire husband, well, he’d still seem leagues impressionable by default. asa purposely acts like he’s approachable and harmless, and while mitzi definitely knew he wasn’t some angel, i do think she fell for that mask more than she’d like to admit.

how i’ve always viewed their relationship is that the very nature of it was dictated by atlas may simply existing and owning her. his mere interest in mitzi was something phenomenal, and by default, something people had to respect. asa sweet was kind to her because she likely didn’t linger in the marigold room for too long before atlas snatched her up. he’s then very cordial to her, probably armed with compliments and generous gestures of interest because she’s atlas’s wife and asa can respect that role wholeheartedly. it’s only when atlas is removed and mitzi begins putting her paws where they ‘don’t belong’ that asa seems to drop the ruse, because there’s no need to keep it up anymore. even though mitzi isn’t harming anyone and hasn’t tried to step on asa’s toes once, he still steals from her and puts her in danger without care -- not once burdened by any real guilt as he continues to threaten her when she doesn’t back down immediately. with how clinical the removal of affection is here ( because even mordecai hasn’t managed to remove viktor, mitzi, or ivy in such a careful or ruthless way despite his awful actions and words ) i find it hard to believe he ever truly cared for mitzi as an individual person outside of atlas. the way he so casually oozes disrespect and belittles her without blinking an eye is … interesting!

all of this is to say that i don’t think asa and mitzi were ever personally close. they probably never knew each other deeply nor made any real steps to try. they’d see each other because asa had a habit of appearing in the lackadaisy just as much as atlas had the habit of being at the marigold room, and so they’d greet each other and asa would be excessively kind in that bumbling fool way he keenly presents himself and mitzi would be pleased by his presence. very simple ‘this is my friend’s wife’ vibes and nothing more. i doubt asa would even be interested in cozying up to mitzi due to atlas’s implied possessive behavior lol … but it was kindness and it was caring to an extent. it just wasn’t as deep or loyal as mitzi might’ve hoped it would be.

[jaybutnotthebird]

Back Somehow

(also on ao3) https://archiveofourown.org/works/49472875

Nina came back home to find her son sitting on the front steps, with the neck of his shirt and his fur all ruffled, holding his head in his hands. That girl, Ivy Pepper was with him. As she came closer she realiced that something had happened. His eyes were tired and filled with tears, and she too was looking rather downcast

"Rocky is... he's dead" he said, and Nina couldn't believe it.

Tho it also made sense. The boy just kept geting into trouble

Ivy did most of the explaining: his car had been ran over by a train, leaving the driver's body so mangled that he had to be identified by his clothes and posesions, tho the agents could tell that he had grey fur.

How did the car get in the middle of the train tracks was anyone's guess. Rocky's car was in poor condition and tended to stop at any random time, so maybe it just happened to stop at the most inconvinient possible moment.

Maybe Rocky actually thought he could beat the train and tried to drive past the tracks before it got there. They wouldn't put it past him.

Those who knew what kinda bushiness Rocky was up to wouldn't be surprised if he was already dead, or half dead or knocked out before the car was pushed into the tracks.

It was anyone's guess

Calvin drove the car to a little morge out on the field. He told her a friend had ofered to help with the cost of the funeral. It was going to be a very small event, he told her. Just a few guests, closed casket.

Upon walking in, though, Nina found that, despite the place being small and rather humble looking, and it being supposed to be a small event, it felt full.

There was a lot of people, or at least, more than she expected.

Calvin had told her most of the guests would be coworkers and aquientces, but they were greeted with a very close and warm demeanor.

The first to come up to them was Jasper, whom she recogniced: long black fur, with irregular orange patches and green eyes. He often waited by the car when Rocky visited. Her nephew descrived him as "his ride or die, his best pal, aside from Frekle, of course" they had exchanged a few words at some point.

He looked terrible. Despite dressing nicely for the ocasion his hair was kinda dishevled, his expresion sad and tired. Specialy compared with his usual, energetic and bombastic demeanor.

He had seemed so much bigger when standing next to Rocky

He assured her that he cared deeply for her nephew, that he was a very special man and he would miss him greatly. She had the feeling that not only he was being honest; he was holding back for decency's sake.

Next to greet them was a classy looking woman and a well dressed, elegant man. They introduced themselves as Mitzy May, Rocky's boss and her friend Sedgewick Sable.

Mitzy told Nina that her nephew was a very sweet and hard working young man, wich she struggled to believe.

"oh, I do hope he didn't give you much trouble" she realiced she was kinda talking about him like he was still alive. It had just happened so fast...

"well, he could certainly be... excentric and troublesome at times, but truth is he busted his ass for the team and we are gonna struggle to replace him, not to mention we will miss him, of course"

Nina was a little shocked by the sudden colorful and confident demeanor the fancy looking lady let out. The gentleman next to her cleared his throat

"I wasn't really very close to him but he was a real charmer, wasn't he? He did play a couple pranks on me... heh. He could really liven the place up. His abscense will be deeply noted"

Nina noded solemnly, somehow feeling out of place. She hadn't known that her ramboutious, messy nephew had any kind of contact with classy folks like these, let alone so close for comfort

"Im sorry, perhaps I shouldn't ask but... are you the benefactor I have to thank for helping with the funeral costs?"

Mr. Sable smiled and shook his head "no, maam, if anything it was a barn raising"

She had no idea what that meant. Calvin had said a friend had offered to help... she would have to ask him later.

Next, after letting him guide her throu the room she found herself in front of at least 5 men, all well dressed and sorrowful. One of them, a blond tabby that introduced himself as Sy told her they were the music band that Rocky was a part of. That they were like family.

It ocured to her in that moment that she had never had the chance to see him perform at his work, and only now she was meeting his companions. She eyed them carefuly, specially the one in red, who looked the most dishelveled. He was sitting with his legs apart, arms propped on them, smoking.

Zib, according to the yellow cat

"Zib" said Sy "it's Rocky's aunt"

"I know" a dark, heavy and raspy voice came from him. Her ears twitched

"Im sorry?"

He looked up from where he was sitting. His eyes were darkened by sleepless nights and an unforgiving expression "you are the one who kicked him to the curve. Im the one who took him in years later"

her tail puffed up. She turned up her nose and eyed the man, this skinny, unkept, questionable looking man that didn't know her and dared judge her first thing when meeting her

"you forget yourself" was all she could muster, keeping her composture.

The jazz player stood up. He was taller than her, but thinner, and his expresion was that of one who was tired of bullshit. Of her bullshit. Without knowing her. He went to step in front of her but Sy stoped him with an arm, and the one standing behind him -Ben- placed a hand on his shoulder.

Calvin pulled her arm and said, in a sad, begging tone "please, it's a funeral. Let's be at peace"

The tom and the queen eyed each other, as Calvin led Nina away. Zib followed her with his eyes before going back to his post on the chair.

They all sat down, with Nina and Calvin being granted an advantage point at the front. The priest, a tall, very thin man with pale fur stood at the podium and said a few words, wellcoming them, reading a few lines about dust to dust and trying to offer some cold confort.

Nina didn't know how to feel about the sudden death of her stranged nephew, so she instead turned to a much more familiar place for her and concentrated on the words of the lord

then the priest asked if anyone wanted to say a few words and Calvin got up. He stood behind the podium. He cleared his throat, and looked down

"I ah- ...Im not very good with words so I've written what I wanted to say. ...I use to exchange letters with him, with my cousin, Rocky when eh- he was traveling, so it felt easier"

he pulled out some folded paper from his front poket, unfolded it, and took a deep breath.

"No one knew my cousin like I did. He was more like a brother to me, since we were raised together as far as my memory reaches.

Those who knew him knew he was troublesome and excentric, and those who knew him well also knew he was troubled himself. But no one did as well as I do.

My cousin Rocky was a troublemaker from the begining. He got into so much trouble when we were kids, and often dragged me into it. Aparently this is just a thing kids do, some kids are more messy than others and it is normal for brothers to get each other in trouble, but it seemed like he was specaily prone to do so. In comparison I seemed like the perfect good kid.

This one time, Rocky messed up big time. He took the neighbor's car without knowing how to drive it, and he had an accident. The car was broken and someone got hurt. My mother was so cross with him she kicked him out. And so, he was left on the street at the age of fifteen, while I stayed home and continued with my studies.

Only, as it happens, actually he didn't do it"

It took a moment for Nina, siting just a few paces from him, to process what her son was saying now

"...I'm the one who took the car, and Im the one who crashed it, and caused the accident. Rocky simply took the blame for me, to protect me" Calvin took a deep breath and didn't look up from the podium as he passed to the next page of the letter "it happened so fast and I didn't know what to do, so I just did what he told me: I kept quiet as he took the blame, becouse he thought that it was better this way: it was normal for him to get into trouble, everyone expected it from him, and it would be easier this way.

He could have given in and told the truth when my mother kicked him out, but he didn't. He didn't tattle when he found himself cold and hungry nor when he had to leave town and spent the next few years traveling from one place to the other doing odd jobs.

What is more" he took a deep breath "he could have been resentlful or angry, but he didn't. He kept writing me letters, telling me that it wasn't so bad, that it was better this way, that he was actually having fun and it wasn't all my fault.

He didn't blame me. Even when, years later I failed to get the job that I wanted, that I had worked so hard for, and he had sacrified himself for, when he found out and came up to me, he didn't even mention it. He should have hated me but he just invited me for a sandwich. He found me a job and he introduced me to the lovely lady who has been keeping me company ever since and throut this whole ordeal"

Next to Nina, Ivy let out a strangled wimper. She had a hand over her mouth, muffled with a soaking handkerchief. Calvin continued

"maybe I shouldn't be teling any of this. Maybe I should respect his wishes and take the secret to the grave like he did, and let everyone think that I am a perfect good little boy and he was allways hopeless, but he is gone now and I don't want to carry this guilt anymore"

"My cousin could be extravagant, and troubled, and prone to mania, but what I alone know is that he was also noble and self sacrificed, and he cared a lot. Sure, his methods were questionable, but in his own way he allways took care of me, and those he cared for and all of that with a smile allways on. This I know, and God does too.

Looking back I wonder if perhaps we both were just kids geting into trouble after all, since it is normal for brothers to keep each other's back and get you out of trouble"

Calvin finished reading and folded the pieces of paper and put them back in his front pocket.

"thank you all for coming, I really apreciate it"

Nina watched him in shock as he calmly walked down and up to sit back next to her, and she barely heared the wimpers of some other atendants or the confused priest now reading the part about the noblest of sacifices. She turned to her son and asked

"is that true?" Calvin noded solemnly. He didn't look at her. Ivy placed a hand on his and he held it tight. They got over with the rest of the ceremony pretty fast and came out in a small, quiet procession to bury the casket.

As it was being lowered to the ground Nina thought of how much of a stranger he had been. She wondered if she had ever known him, even as a child. She remembered him as a little, exausting, infuriating boy and as an equaly infuriating, good for nothing young man...

she remembered her sister

and the man she had married, whom she had never liked and who had left them as soon as things got tough.

She was a very religious woman and she had allways been sure her nephew would go to hell, but now, as the casket was being buried she wondered.

She wondered if things could have been diferent had she known the truth. She wondered if Roark's sacrifice and some other good deeds he may have done could possibly gain him mercy in the eyes of the lord.

They were invited for dinner at the little daisy cafe, courtesy of Miss M. Maybe that's what Mr. Sable had meant when he said it was a barn raising. She didn't feel like eating, or being arround people, but she didn't complain as they got in the car, did the whole way in utter silence, and then they got down and now they were here.

There was a small cake, and little sandwiches, and small talk, and even at some point, there was Rocky standing at the bar, with a piece of cake and that smile of his with teeth poking over his lower lip

...or was it just aghost?

Wait, no. He was talking "so, what did I miss?"

"R-Rocky?" Ivy could not believe her eyes.

"yeah?" he said, face stuffed with cake

"you..." Ivy turned to look at Calvin, wide eyed, just standing next to her and back at the aparition "you can't be"

from behind, Jasper came in a rush, pushing people apart to roughly grab Rocky by his shirt. His hand weighted down on his shoulder, visibly holding him, forcing him to turn. He was solid. He was really there. Jasper stared into his blue eyes, his chipped ear, his familiar, shocked face.

"hey, what's the idea? Jass, pal, what's gotten into you?"

Jasper just engulfed him in a tight, overbearing hug, nearly crushing his thin frame. Rocky's legs were not enough to support the weight in that position but they didn't have to. His voice kept coming, muffled against Jasper's chest

"woah cat I still gotta breathe you know?"

Jasper laughted. His laught came at first confused and raspy, but then it turned hysterical and bombastic as usual, and one could visibly see how all of his old streingth and posture came back to him, as he lifted his friend in the air, before placing him on the flor and slaping his back, nearly throwing him off

"YOU BLODDY WANKA GAVE US A HEART ATACK!! then he added, in a more snarky tone "and you owe me money cat"

"what?" Rocky gave him a questioning look, but now it was Zib coming closer, eyes wide, sad, scared, shocked... so many emotion twirling in them, and a cigarrete still hanging from his mouth. He just placed a hand on Rocky's arm, looking at him, up and down, uncapable of understanding

"Zib? Man, you ok? ...lad, what is it? Zib?"

"man, you really outdid yourself with this one!" said Sy as he and the rest of the band sourranded him to slap his shoulders, mess his har, tease him, touch him, hear his voice

just look at him.

He was alive

Aunt Nina was furious "ROARK RIKABY"

"WOAH!" Rocky Jumped, looking terrified now, ears tilted back, tail curled arround himself, his whole body languaje cowering next to Jasper "who invited my aunt!?"

"YOU FILTHY SINNER!" she slapped him right across the face, so hard it actually turned. The members of the band laughted as she continued a rain of impressive slaps and he tried to cover with his arms "YOU LIER YOU... YOU UNREDIMEBLE MONSTER!"

"that's enough, lady" said Jasper, as he gently but firmly separated them, and stood between the two with his own body, one hand on Rocky's shoulder, the other on her's

"don't you dare touch me! And don't you tell me how to discipline my nephew!"

"whatevah you need to tell him you can say from two arm lengts apart"

it was admirable to see how fast he had reverted to his no nonesense bodygard mode after the return of his buddy. The woman huffed with anger, giving Rocky time to recover and struggle to stand straight, puting both his shirt and his fur into place

"no, seriously, what is she doing here?"

Calvin was now in front of him "how are you alive?"

"whatever do you mean, Frekle? I just got here"

"we just burried you"

"what?"

"you lied" said Nina outloud, slowly "about the accident"

"what accident? What did I do now?"

"the one years ago, when I kicked you out! You lied! You didn't do it, how dare you? How could you lie about that!?"

it took a slow sinking moment for Rocky's whole expresion to shift, from confusion, to shock, to actual anger. He turned to his cousin like a resort "you told her?"

his voice was diferent, a tone darker, serious. His eyes wide, pupils thin, fangs showing "you told her about that?"

his cousin responded in kind "yes"

it was not everyday that you would see them like this, but you could tell they were related in their cold, still anger "why? Why did you do that?" Frekle didn't answer "why would you do that, Frekle?" his voice started rising in an actual frustrated scream "she didn't need to know that, she could have died happy thinking that you were good and I was allways hopeless!"

Frekle's sneer couldn't hold his words anymore "how are you alive?"

"what?"

"we just burried you. How are you here?"

"we just got back from your funeral, Rocky" Jasper made an effort to catch him up to the situation "This is the afterparty. They found a dead guy in your car, wearing your clothes. We thought you were dead. We just buried you. At the Arbogast's"

Realization slowly came to Rocky as he listened with wide eyes. His hands went to his head. "no!" he said "no way...! wait, they found my car?"

"it was run over by a trian"

"what?"

"the body was so mangled it couldn't be recogniced. They thoguht it was you"

"nooononono wait wait MY VIOLIN WAS IN THERE! Did it survive?"

Rocky grabbed onto Jasper's jacket and Jasper grabbed him back by the showlders, shaking him a little "Rocky, answer! Who was it in your car?"

"I... ah I dunno ok? I may have lost a bet to this guy, and then I couldn't pay, and so I gave him my finest clothes but he was still kinda mad, you know, next thing I know, my car is gone"

Jasper stood back, took a deep breath. The whole room took a deep breath, with understanding.

It was someone else. Some other guy wearing Rocky's clotes, driving Rocky's car, who happened to also have grey fur. Rocky may or may not be telling the truth about a bet, he would have to clarify that in privet later, and who knows how the poor bastard got himself run over? Perhaps he planed on geting Rocky's car destroyed out of spite and he miscalculated, perhaps he run into Rocky's enemys, who mistook him for the actual target...

It wasn't Rocky in the car. It was someone else.

The whole room took a colective sigh.

"man how do you keep messing up this bad?"

"I dunno, look" now Rocky sighed, sounding very tired "I had to walk all the way over from the next town, ok? And this is all I got" he gestured to his shirt and pants that weren't his and didn't quite fit him "and its chilly at night" he rubbed his arms. Jasper actually took of his jacket and threw it over his shoulders. It looked so big on his frame, like it was actually a blanket, nearly reaching the floor. Rocky wrapped it arround himself, looking actually relieved and content all snuggly all of the sudden.

"ah, thank you" then he saw Jasper's look, with one eyebrow furrowed, the other arched. He knew this look. He thought for a moment "oh, OH! And... ah, sorry for being an idiot?"

Jasper gestured comicaly for him to keep going, and Rocky looked arround himself, actually looking clueless. Everyone was looking at him in silence and expectation

"wait, you were all that worried for me? Nah, come on! It couldn't be that bad"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS" Ivy yelled now, looking like herself again, looking angry "we thought you was dead! We were mourning you. I CRIED THE WHOLE WAY AND BACK HERE!"

Rocky finally seemed impressed "ok! OK! Im sorry! I didn't know! How could I know? I just spent the whole day in the middle of nowere, trying to get back here, Im sorry!"

"ah, just do try not to scare us like that again" said Miss M, coming up to him now, carasing his cheek in a tired, gentle gesture "at least for a while, ok, sweety?"

"uh, sure Miss M, anything four you"

"it is good to have you back" said Sable, lifting his glass at him. Rocky didn't respond to him, too caught off

"no kidding" said JJ "you mean to drive Zib deeper into the bottle or something?"

"Im not talking to him" said Zib, and actually turned to walk away. The rest of the band followed

"woah, guys, come on" Ben turned and gave him a calm but stern look "no, man. You really scared us this time" before he too, walked out.

This seemed to resonate with Rocky, his ears turning droopy.

"ah, they'll come arround" said Jasper "you have to admit you did a number on all of us"

"but... but I..." Rocky didn't finish the sentence. He looked down. Jasper knew the turmoil beneath his constant smiles and toxic optimism. This had to be stirring all that

"look, for one, you no longer have an excuse not to bunk in with me. So let's go"

"oh, no no, that's ok"

"don't argue. You don't even have the car anymore. You'r coming with me. Period"

Rocky made an atempt to resist but he didn't have words anymore. He just followed Jasper as he opened the door for him, unaware that his aunt and cousin were just now puting together he had been sleeping in the car.

(Author's note) this was also inspired by Aveen's fic wich starts with Rocky's death and aparently has an open ending. Here's the link to that one: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47728090/chapters/120311308

[onmykneesforhotdilfs]

Oooh i'm gonna with #3 please! And Valtor as a bartender.

He truly loathed his job.

The disgusting smell of cheap drinks spilled on the bar mixed with the stench of sweat and cheap perfume, from grinding bodies on the dancefloor and humping barely-legals in the corner, made him nauseous. The music was loud to the point his heartbeat developed arrhythmia whenever a bass boosted song played through the obnoxious sound system. To make matters worse, one of the speakers was set directly above the bar and Valtor was sick of buying earplugs every week, because if he didn’t use any protection, he’s pretty sure he would go deaf before he hit 40 and he once again cursed himself for forgetting them at home.

A particularly high note came on, and the crowd cheered while Valtor cringed as he felt the microscopic hairs in his ears, sensitive to high notes, shrivel up and die. He rolled his eyes as he spotted a tall blonde dragging taller brunette towards the restroom. Apparently, couples basically dry humping each other on the dancefloor and sucking their faces off in the corners wasn’t enough, so universe also decided to throw in a couple about to commit an indecent act in a public bathroom?

He was just about to call one of the bouncers when it hit him – he doesn’t care. Oh well. What can you do?

A woman, wearing something Valtor could only describe as lingerie, came to the bar and ordered a fruity cocktail and for the umpteenth time, he wondered how his life turned into this? How did he go from graduating on a prestigious college, having a stable job and a fiancée, to wiping down spit from the counter top on a Saturday night.

He used to be a successful attorney, his yearly salary reaching up to five-zero figure, a stable relationships, loving girlfriend and more, and yet, all of that collapsed under the enormous weight couple of words held.

His hands worked on autopilot, mixing the necessary drinks while his thoughts were miles away.

Now, whatever’s left of his past life lives in a small condo across the town and Valtor chuckled at the irony of life giving him lemons while he chopped one to mix it into the cocktail. He squeezed the juice out of the poor fruit, with probably more force than was necessary, getting some of it on his shirt in the process.

“What are you chuckling about?” The woman was leaning over the counter, her chest basically spilling out of her dress as she played with the ends of her dark hair.

Valtor raised an eyebrow as he bent down to retrieve one of the decorative umbrellas. “Nothing that would be of interest to you.” He saw her flinch in surprise at the rather sharp tone he unintentionally used. “Miss.” He added as an afterthought, hoping it would make him look less abrasive. Unhappy customers don’t tip well after all.

“Oh. Well maybe it does interest me. You’ll never know unless you try.” The woman smiled flirtatiously while her fingers continued twirling the strands of her hair. “I’m Mitzi, by the way.” She offered her hand to him.

Valtor only quirked an unamused eyebrow. “I don’t remember asking for your name.” The smile was quick to disappear from her face and she snatched her hand back like it’s been burned.

He closed his eyes as his tongue, once again, proved to be faster than his brain. It’s what got him into trouble a lot of times and this one might’ve just taken a cake because if the girl went to complain to his boss, he’d be in a world of shit. “I was trying to be nice, but it seems to me you’re too much of an asshole to appreciate it.” Mitzi gritted out with obvious false confidence because a fierce blush was very much present on her face. This obviously didn’t happen to her a lot.

First time for everything, Valtor thought.

“What I would really appreciate, Mitzi,” Don’t do it, “is if you could stop your 36C's, that you stuffed into a 34B bra, from spilling all over my counter.” You absolute moron! “I have to wipe it.”

Now you’ve done it.

Mitzi turned even reader, and Valtor wondered if he should start dialing an ambulance just in case, but she only snatched the drink he placed in front of her and threw a 5$ bill in his face. “Jerk!” And just like that, she was gone.

“Have a nice evening!” Drop dead.

He rolled his eyes and took a glass that needed wiping just to occupy his hands for a minute because he felt like a coiled string, just about to snap and burn everything in its path.

“I have to say,” girl’s voice reached him, “you just fixed my evening.” Valtor lowered the glass to the solid surface and turned to face the owner.

His brain short circuited.

Though her body was mostly obstructed by the counter, he could see that the navy blue slip dress she wore draped beautifully across her slender figure. She was also incredibly short that even standing up straight, in what Valtor assumed were ridiculously high heels, she was at least head and a half shorten than him. But the most obvious, and striking thing about her, was her red hair. Valtor never even thought that hair could be as vibrant as hers.

In his almost 35 years of life, Valtor has never seen someone as interesting as the girl standing in front of him.

When he finally shook himself out of his stupor, and when it became painfully obvious he was making her uncomfortable with his gawking (really, there was no other word for it), he smiled and spoke. “Well, I’m pleased to hear that because it will undoubtedly ruin my life.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about her reporting you.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Her ego is too big for her to accept she just got rejected.”

“You know her?”

There was something nostalgic in her smile. “I used to know her… or maybe I just thought I know her.”

Valtor observed the unusual girl in front of him. In his several years as a bartender and even before, he developed quite a knack for reading people. She seemed, to him at least, like one of those lost souls that recently had their world turned upside down but tried despite to appear normal. You and me both. “Would you like something to drink?”

Her head snapped up and her electric blue eyes met his. “Oh! Yes, um,” she fidgeted slightly, her hands wringing together and picking at her nails, “anything with vodka.”

He nodded and turned his back on her to find a bottle of the best vodka the club had to offer. He didn’t know why he suddenly paid so much attention to what he’s mixing into drinks but something pulled him towards this girl like gravity and he was too weak to resist it. “Straight?” He asked without turning around.

“Ummm, that’s a bit personal don’t you think? I mean, I just met you.” Valtor stopped what he was doing and turned his head so she could see the confused frown on his face. “I don’t even know your name. As far as I know you could be a serial killer.”

It downed on Valtor what she was talking about and he chuckled at her adorable rant. “I meant the Vodka.”

Her lips shaped into a silent “O" and he saw how her neck and face turned red from embarrassed. She moaned and buried her face into her hands. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He picked the bottle and turned back around so he was facing her. He extended his unoccupied hand across the counter top. “I’m Valtor.”

She shook his hand, her hand incredibly small in his huge one, blush still present on her cheeks. “Bloom. And yes, straight vodka is fine.”

“I’ve only seen Russians drink vodka by itself.”

“I’m quarter Russian. My mom’s dad is from Russia.” Valtor nodded along as he fixed her a drink.

“Impressive.”

“it’s really not. It only made me the laughing stock of the entire class.” She took the glass filled with clear liquid, their fingers brushing together on accident, and Valtor felt a spark rushing up his nerve endings. “But, I can drink most people under the table so I guess I should be grateful.”

Humor was obviously one of the things she used to deflect the pain and trauma bullying inevitably caused. “Your hair is very… unusual. Natural?”

She nodded. “Yup. This is one of the things I inherited from grandpa.”

“Sorry if that made you uncomfortable, it wasn’t my intention.”

“No no, don’t worry.” Her lips wrapped around the edge of the glass as she took a sip and closed her eyes to savor the feeling of burning liquid sliding down her throat. “It’s actually one of the nicest things someone has said to me about my hair.”

Valtor looked at her with a small smirk on his face. “That bad, huh?”

“You don’t want to know.” Bloom tilted the glass and took a large swing of the drink, only a small amount remaining at the bottom. “What about you?”

Valtor shrugged. “What about me?”

“You have an unusual hair too.”

Indeed. His long strawberry blond hair was tied in a ponytail, but unlike herself, he loved his hair and didn’t particularly give a damn what anybody else thought about it. “I don’t really care about somebody else’s opinion and neither should you.”

“I’ve stopped that long time ago.” Valtor nodded towards her almost empty glass and she slid it towards him for a refill. “But you know, scars remain.”

He nodded. “That I do know.” Valtor saw another guy coming up to the bar so he excused himself. As soon as he moved away from her, the unpleasant sensations that accompany prolonged presence in a loud room came rushing back like a rogue train and Valtor felt the onsets of a headache forming. He served the guy and returned to Bloom who was now nursing her drink instead of knocking it back like the first time.

“So what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

She quirked one eyebrow. “A girl like me?”

“Not to be rude, but this doesn’t seem like your cup of tea.”

She laughed. “It’s my friend’s birthday. She dragged me here against my will while promising she’ll stay with me the entire time. It took me turning around for her to vanish without a trace with her boyfriend.”

“That friend of yours,” he started, “wouldn’t happen to be a tall blonde dragging a brunette with her?”

“That’s her.”

Valtor made a face. “I don’t think you’ll be seeing a lot of her tonight.” His eyes slid to the direction of the restroom.

Bloom followed his gaze and she groaned when she saw where her friend went to. “Not this again.”

“Again? This happens a lot?”

“Unfortunately, it happens more than I would like to.” She rubbed her forehead.

“Right,” he drawled, “because who doesn’t like seeing their friends going at it.” Sarcasm was dripping from his words.

“How long have they been in there?” She asked while looking at her wrist watch.

“Fifteen minutes or so.”

“Damn animals. I’m never coming to the club with her again.”

An amused chuckle escaped him. “That’s not the first time you’ve said that, am I right?”

She smiled and took a sip of vodka. “Nope.”

Just as he opened his mouth to ask her another question, her blonde friend wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Valtor’s eyebrow did a backflip. How she managed to avoid detection while leaving the bathroom was beyond him.

“Damn Bloom, I leave you alone for five minutes and you’re already seducing hot bartenders!”

“Stella! First of all, I am not seducing anybody,” Maybe not intentionally, “secondly, it’s been almost twenty minutes and thirdly, what happened to your promise of not ditching me? And the moment I turn around, you’re already gone?”

Stella, if Valtor heeard correctly, giggled. “Oh live a little Bloom. Besides, it’s not like you were in a bad company.” Her eyes ran over Valtor’s form. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind taking a bite out of that.” She ogled Valtor like a piece of chocolate cake.

“I’m standing right here.”

“Okay, that’s enough for today! We’re going home.” Bloom grabbed her purse and was about to pull out her wallet when Valtor raised his arm to stop her.

“It’s on the house.”

“But Blooooom,” There was really no words to describe the sound that exited blonde’s mouth, “we just got here.”

“The fact that you're talking about having a threesome with a stranger says enough about your state.”

“I’m pretty sure Brandon wouldn’t mind.”

“Okay, time out. Let’s go.” She turned towards Valtor, a small card between her fingers. She leaned over the counter while one of her arms stayed behind, supporting her friend. “Thank you.” She slipped the card into his hand. “Call me if you wanna talk sometimes.” And with that, she spun on her heel and dragged Stella towards the exit.

Valtor stood in shock, not knowing how to react for a few minutes, staring at the business card in his hands.

Bloom Peters MD.

He shook his head, hand safely pocketing the precious cargo before he picked up the glass she’s been drinking from and turning around to wash it. The sound of retching caused him to turn around in time to see some wasted man empty the content of his stomach on an obnoxious red carpet. The stench of vomit mixed with other delightful aromas and Valtor was once again reminded how much he hated his job.

[bahrlee]

Suck the Blood to my Wound - Beok AU

Hello LGBTQ+ community it is chapter time

🦇🦇🦇Chapter 23: The Okay Summer🦇🦇🦇

Summer was coming to a glorious climax. People started leaving their summer homes in town and driving or flying back to wherever they came from. The sun was starting to inch it's way to the other side of the earth at an earlier time. Though he had friends to distract him, the dread in the back of his mind was present. Sure, the weather will stay the same. It was much different than its impact up north where the snow caked everything in sight and melted into cold water into your shoes and onto the roads, eroding the cement and creating potholes that are shotily filled with tar, snow shoveled up into dirty, muddy piles on the side of the road, and freezing dogs feet to the point where they limp back inside, shivering. Yet he still felt the pain of the mere existence of a fall and a winter. The days were shorter, and that's all that mattered to him. The nightmares were worse. Things that were sad were even sadder. Things that were scary were now terrifying, and things that concerned him turned him into a paranoid mess.

   Then, all of a sudden, September First. Right there, on his calendar in big blocky letters right above a picture of a tree with a tire swing hanging off from one of the branches. He let out his first defeated sigh of this era. He wasn't there yet, the sun was just out long enough to keep him out of this miserable rut, but it was soon. Very soon. He felt it right behind him. 

   "Beach, are you okay?" Dook asked him when seeing him on this day, the way he looked down at the floor with a hopelessness Dook didn't get to see on him yet.

   He shrugged, unable to really describe the feeling of impending emptiness. "Just the seasons changing, that's all. And I still miss Roxy."

   Dook nodded. At least with the sun setting, they had a little more time they could spend together. The streetlights were just turning on, the sky a bluish violet, the stars beginning to blink through the ominous grey clouds overhead. They didn't really know what they were doing, but that was something they always figured out along the way. Walking together, was all they wanted to do, holding hands, talking, and laughing. Getting their mind off of things.

   "You're not a big fan of change, are you?" He said. 

   He shook his head yes. "I get so used to things when they're one way, that it's hard sometimes to do it another. I've gotten better, but sometimes I can't help but want to scream about it."

   "It's hard, yeah." Dook sighed. "You didn't seem like the anxious type when I first met you."

   "I…. Get that quite a bit." 

   They swung their locked hands back and forth, picking up their pace a little bit. A car trundled by and turned a corner. Neon red and blue 'open' signs were beginning to flicker off as places began to close. Tonight was a very humid night, a definite sign it was going to rain soon. And here they were, outside, surrounded by close or closing buildings, with no umbrella. It was no surprise to them when it started to sprinkle. Then, the rain started to grow heavy, causing them to run, in a mess of giggles, in search of a place to hide under.

   They found a place under an awning, soaked and out of breath. They were quiet for a long moment---the two watched it rain, their hands still intertwined. Beach turned to Dook, his eyes clouded and unfocused. 

   "I like the rain." Dook said quietly. 

   "We needed it."

   "Yeah, we did." 

   Beach unhooked their hands and put his arm around Dooks waist. It was different, touching someone when their clothes were wet, and sticking to their skin, and when their hair was damp and frizzing. Maybe because they were cold (which in this case Dook was even colder) and shivering, and so touching felt different. It was, overall, just a different experience. He felt Dook lean his head on his shoulder. "This is the first uh…. Kinda decent summer I've had in awhile."

   "Really?"

   "I-I mean---yeah, I met you, I got away from Rolfe a couple of times, this summer has been…. Okay."

   "Hard to have an okay summer when you can't really go into the sun." Beach remarked.

   "....true." Dook said. "But I'd rather focus on what happened that was good. There are things that would've made it better, but if okay is all I can get, I'm taking it."

   "You deserve a better summer." Beach said, leaning his head down on top of his. "I'd give you a better summer if I could."

   "You already have."

   "An even better one, then."

   The sound of the rain patting against the fabric of the awning and the water pouring out of the gutters filled their ears as they watched another car go by, a tire sloshing through a puddle building up in the curb. The rain felt like it would never stop, but that was okay for them.

🦇🦇🦇

   Mitzi rushing into his house, unnerved, was always a warning sign. "I found a dead member of my pod nearby…" she squeaked. "They were bleeding out, in their sea form, they had salt all over them….I dragged them into the ocean and back home, for my aunts to take care of it. But…"

   "Oh no, Mitzi, I'm sorry...." Beach said.

   "I wish we couldn't sense each other like this. I wish our disguises were used to hide from them, too. But whatever, senses give it away, and someone I know ends up dead."

   "Are you sure it was Rolfe?" He asked.

   "Well if it were Dook he'd have a lot of explaining to do, hes squeamish. Rolfes a wimp, but he's proven to be a cold hearted killer." Her hands were shaking her eyes couldn't focus on one thing, shifting everywhere as her mind grappling with the unadulterated fear she was feeling. "I'm really scared, what if he finds my aunts? What if he kills them too?" 

   "Mitzi, don't get paranoid." He gently put his hands on her shoulders, like an uncle trying to cheer up their upset niece who just scraped her knee falling off her bike.

   She was beginning to cry, unable to handle the dear she was having. 

   "Oh Mitzi…." Beach said quietly.

   "I can't help but feel like something bad is going to happen." She sniffled.

   Beach didn't really know what to say---considering how many bad things happened already, he couldn't blame her for suspecting even more bad things to come about. She copied the defeated expression he gave her in solidarity. No positive or hopeful quote or saying could make them feel any better.

   "Let's just make sure we don't get hurt." He said.

   She nodded solemnly, hanging her head low afterwards. He didn't really know what to do. He wasn't much of a hugger, but she needed one. He was willing to put his disdain aside to give her one. Paternal instincts were something he's gained from this whole narrative. She hugged back, her hands clinging to him like a child. 

   "I won't let anything bad happen to you." He said. Her aunts will kill me if I do, he thought.

   "I want fruit roll ups." She whined, wiping away her black tears when she let go.

   "Oh my god…. I don't have those."

   She began to tear up again.

   "Oh my god, Mitzi…."

   "I want fruit roll ups…."

   This is what it must've felt like to have a teenage sister. All she did was worry, eat, and cry, and he had to deal with it. He didn't mind though. He cared for her, even when she was being this way. So when she snagged her arms around him again, he didn't push her away. 

   "You wanna watch a movie?" He said.

   "Camp rock?" She looked up at him, her inky tears staining his shirt.

   "Sure, if you want."

   "The weird fish movie then?"

   He paused for a moment. "That movie will make you feel worse."

   "But it's animated!"

   "That means nothing."

   "Fine…. We can watch camp rock."

   "I…. Have other movies besides the fish movie and camp rock."

   She didn't respond, buried her head into his shirt, and kept hugging him. He stroked the back of her head, confused but sympathetic. "Camp Rock it is, I guess."

🦇🦇🦇

   He poured Mitzi a glass of Tropicana fruit punch, since she was craving something fruity and was quite dehydrated after crying the way she did. She drank it the way a kid did---no stopping for breath, just wheezing into the cup as she drank, the soothing feeling of a beverage going down your throat after a cry was an immaculate one. She also wrapped herself with a blanket. He didn't know whether he should be glad, or scared that she was becoming comfortable enough that she could make herself at home. He put on camp rock, since she was convinced for some reason it was the only movie to exist, and she stared at it, like how he did at Peanuts holiday specials as a kid and sometimes still as an adult, her eyes still red from the crying. She seemed so innocent when she was like this. She was so fragile, and naive, so much like the kid she was. He knew deep down she knew a lot, she dealt with a lot, and she did a lot, but, a lot like Dook, she was still a kid. She was still learning many things, and maturing in the sense of how she dealt with things.

   "Are you feeling a little better?" He asked her, when she finished her drink.

   "I guess. A little bit. I don't know." She pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

   "Ah, got it." He leaned back.

   "I'm starting to see why my aunts are so protective of me now…." She sighed, hunching over and bundling her legs up into her blanket as if she were cocooning herself. "It really is dangerous up here. Fish are assholes, but…. Werewolves are worse."

   He gave her a pat on the shoulder.

   They continued to watch camp rock in an odd silence. Mitzi's eyes began to droop, growing increasingly tired. Curled up into a little ball, she fell sideways, asleep. Beach smiled, and continued to watch the movie in the quiet, letting her rest. There was nothing like the feeling of sleeping off an unwanted cry. Those kinds of cries always induced headaches and fatigue, dehydration, feelings of hopelessness…. Basically, crying when distressed like how Mitzi was resulted in medication side effects. It was the mind's confusing way of releasing confusingly painful and stressful emotions. She deserved her rest.

   An hour after the move ended, she woke back up, looking disoriented and confused. "Where am i?" She asked.

   "My house."

   "Oh. That's right."

   Beach smiled. "Let's getcha home." he got up, pulling her off the couch, the blanket falling to her knees. She tripped her way out of it, still sleepy, and sulking from her bad mood. She was quiet in the car, just as she was when he first drove her to the sea that first tonight they met. It suddenly hit him how long it has been since he met her.

   He dropped her off, she waved goodbye, and ran off to the Beach and into the ocean, to be seen again whenever.

   He got out of his car himself and climbed up to the roof, taking in the night. He was going to miss this when the nightmares parked their way into his mind for the next 6 months. The loud crickets and frogs, looking at the stars, the feeling of, even in complete darkness, safety, and security. Without the feeling something was lurking behind him. Although, this time, there was something lurking behind him. He was jolted by a thunk on his car from behind him. And there was Rolfe, a sly, knowing smile on his face. Beach felt his heartbeat gain traction, his guard flipping up as he tried to keep a brace face while looking back at him.

   "Interesting to find you out here. Visiting her again?" He asked. The tone of his voice was unpleasant.

   "Just got her home. Seems just in time too." He swallowed, suspicious, nervous, and anything else he could possibly be in this moment. 

   "Did she like my surprise?"

   "Wh---it was you, of course it was you!" He seethed. "She nearly had a panic attack from what you've done!"

   He let out a pleasant laugh. "Glad to know. She's getting too cocky herself. Had to do what I did with you and send her a warning. I've seen her stalking Dook. She brought along a friend the most recent time, the friend being the one i…. Seasoned."

   Beach almost threw up in his mouth from how terrible that threatening villain pun was. Then he wondered why Mitzi kept that detail from him. It explained her guilt a little more in depth, too. 

   "Right when I thought Dook was an airhead he decided to move to a place populated with sea monsters, knowing they'd become obstacles. I should've known better than to think a vampire, any vampire, wasn't cunning in some way." He monologues, mostly just to hear himself talk. Beach still listened, though, as he was afraid to run, this was his car, and he liked hearing Dook get complimented.

   "He's pretty street smart. Thought you'd know that pretty well after all these years of following him." He snarked back.

   "Watch it."

   "Or what?"

   "Do you want me to kill someone else near and dear to your heart?! You don't know what'll happen to me if I don't get Dook back in this next month! Its terrible!"

   "In other words, wonderful to everyone else. What happens?" He asked.

   "The mafia unit in this state starts hunting me down, too. I could get killed!" He said. "I've gotten every vampire I've ever hunted to break, and give in, but since the beginning, no wolf has been able to get under his skin! Not even the house of pain could get under his skin! And there are ways of torture there that involve literally doing that. The fact they don't give me backup for this guy makes me angry!"

   "Every thought about why you can never get him to comply?"

   "What?" He crossed his arms. 

   This was a surreal, diplomatic moment. Rolfe was showing some form of vulnerability, so he had to use that to at least in some way protect Dook, Mitzi, and whomever else. 

   "Well, for starters, he never wanted to be a vampire in the first place. And you caught him at the point of his life he was looking forward to. He was just starting to figure things out, he was going to get his life together. But right before he could even try, he was forced into all of this. Ever thought about what that's like, you're finally rising from the ashes, only to be taken and thrown into another fire? He must've been very optimistic, because of the fact it gave him such an urge to fight for so many years. He wants his old life back, and since he can't get it, the least he wants is to be left alone." He explained.

   "Hmm…" Rolfe put a finger to his mouth, thinking. He didn't seem like the type to show remorse, but he was hoping for him to at least think. "It would explain why he's so relentless. Ever since the day the Boss wolf introduced him to the rest of the mafia, he struggled in his arms. You know how he escaped the house during his visit? He was buried alive in a box. He used the spikes on one of his bracelets, chiselled and broke his way out of the box, unburied himself, and made a run for it. I've never seen someone fight so hard to get away."

   "Then why don't you let him get away? Tell the mafia he stepped into the sun, or he ate some garlic?" Beach questioned. "Why try, if he'll never break?"

   "I have to at least try. The Boss Wolf is my father. He taught me how to capture even the most unrestful of vampires. He assigned me Dook because he believes in me. And if I fail, he wont go easy on me just because I'm his son. I'll end up as dead as the other wolves before me. I have to. This is my duty. I don't care if it takes until in 90, I'm going to get Dook back there somehow." Rolfe explained. "You really care about him this much you're trying to reason with the enemy?"

   "Yeah, I do…." He really hoped Rolfe didn't know they were, in some way, an item.

   He panicked to himself, a knowing grin on his face. "He's gonna break your heart, kid. I've seen this one too many times. He likes to fly in and out of relationships. He moves from town to town, falling in love and then having to leave them behind. From what my father learned about him, hes lovesick, but clumsy. You two will probably last as long as his last one."

A   Beach shrugged not knowing how to respond with his words. Rolfe could sense his thinking, which only made his smile grow.

   "Ha, don't even try to argue. You know it deep inside. Dook is only a small blip in your life as it will be in his, just like the other times. You'll remember him more as this seems to be your first big fling, but to Dook, it's just another name on a list. You're expecting a lot from a hussy, Beach. Get that through your brain. I thought you were smart." He sneered.

   Beach looked at him intensely. He knew that wasn't the case for them, but it still damaged him to think that…. Maybe it was. If he didn't become a vampire, he was just going to be left behind as Dook moved away to get away from Rolfe again, and probably find somebody new. He was always telling himself he didnt care if it didn't work out in the long run, but it was like deep down inside, that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted it to be long term. He wanted him to stay here with him. He wanted to wake up next to him, run through the rain with him, hold his hands in a dark theater with him forever. But could that really happen? Was he too blinded by his own love to see that maybe this relationship didn't mean as much to him? 

   "Don't say I told ya so if you dont last for another couple months. It's best you just let Dook and I do our cat and mouse until he leaves again, leaving you stranded." He turned around and began to walk away.

   "For someone who's been following him around for years, I'm assuming, you sure don't know that much about him."

   Rolfe stopped and turned around, rolling his eyes, yet still intrigued by what he had to say. 

  "He has a past. He's done things he isn't proud of. But she's much more complex than you think." He hoped off of the top of the car. "You're idea of him is very…. Flat. Static. Two-dimensional. People change and learn. And although he's been stuck in the same mindset, I'm sure he's learned how to take things slower than he had in the past."

   "Really? If you're taking it slow…. How many times have you slept together?"

   Beach scoffed, and gave him a face of disgust. "That's a personal question."

   "A couple times then, I'm guessing---"

   "That is a personal question." He repeated his voice suddenly intense. "I don't get what the obsession is with that, so can you please shut the hell up about it!?"

   Rolfe looked at him in shock. He didn't know he had it in him to raise his voice like that. "Very well then. Have your mindless fun. Act like he won't leave you in the dust. Move as fast as you like. But you've been warned. You have your Hopes too high."

   He turned around again, and walked off, that stupid smile still on his face. 

   Beach cursed under his breath, unlocked his car, climbed in and drove home, feeling invaded, dumb, and cranky. His three least favorite things to feel.

[flimflamfandom]

An Awkward Proposal

I promised. Chapters 7-8 of Ranger, by the way, are in the proof reading stages, and depending on circumstances of timing should be up tomorrow or friday!

words:1222 Summary: After an eventful night at work, Calvin remembers that he has a ring in his pocket...you and I both know who it’s for. But with Mitzi and Wick trying to help him out, who knows what could happen? Warnings: Brief mention of violence, not-so-brief mention of mushy gushy romance

“Freckle, honey, please try and stay still-” Mitzi sighed, rubbing an alcohol dipped cotton swab on a wound. Calvin winced. “It...stings!”

“Well, so did the cut of that boy’s knife, but you weren’t wincing so much then!” Mitzi sighed. “At least Ivy wasn’t along for this one...Rocky told me you got pretty bad! Don’t want her gettin’ too scared of you, now.” Calvin smiled. “I’d never hurt her, honest. I don’t think I’m actually able to blow up with her in the room ‘less I’m s’posed t’be defending her.” He palmed something in his pocket. “Mitzi…” He took out a small box.

Mitzi gasped. “Are you...serious? That’s got a ring in it?”

“For Ivy, yes.” He smiled meekly. Mitzi crossed her arms and let off a reassuring, warm, almost motherly grin. “Oh, you young little gentleman you! Are you sure now’s the best time, though?”

“What do you mean?”

“With a gash like this, I dunno about you bending over.” Calvin had a big cut in his right side. It was covered with bandages and the bleeding stopped a while ago; it wasn’t anything like the time he got shot...or the time he got stabbed...or the one time with the scissors? In any case,  it was relatively shallow. “I suppose you’re right….no use proposing if you can’t really do the whole knee bit.”

“Oh, there’s plenty of point, it’s just...she might not want to be reminded about you gettin’ hurt all the time.”

“Fair.” he said. He looked down. “Maybe I should wait.” The door swung open. In walked Wick, walking over. “Well now! What’s he gone and done this week?”

“Cut by a knife.” Calvin said, looking over at Wick. “An awful lot better than what normally happens.” Wick shrugged. “I mean...in your case, being set on fire seems better.”

Mitzi spoke after kissing Wick’s cheek. “Wick, Calvin plans to propose to Ivy.”

“Propose! Well, that’s fine! When were you planning on doing it?”

“Well...I was gonna do it tonight, but-”

“I guess the atmosphere would be a tad awkward, you being wounded and all.”

“I guess.” Mitzi sat down. “Have you asked Ruby?” Calvin shuddered. “I...haven’t, no. Never occurred to me.” Mitzi shook her head. “Well, he’s not really the old fashioned type...besides, I’m practically her mother, I say go for it.” Wick poured some sort of gin into a glass and took a few sips. “If he’s gonna like anyone it’s gonna be you. But maybe not tonight.”

Calvin nodded. “I suppose not….but when?” Mitzi furrowed her brow. “Well...it’s not like she’s got office hours, you could go whenever you’re healed.”

“She’s headed for Kansas city tomorrow.”

“After she gets back?”

“She’s going home from school.” Mitzi raised her eyebrows. “That’ll be...she’ll be gone-”

“3 months, I think.” He said. “I thought about going to Kansas City, but I just don’t have time. I just got that writing job for the Post-Dispatch, and they want me to actually be there to hand the ideas in.” He leaned forward with a grunt and a cringe. “I wish I could go, I know I’ll miss her a lot.”

Wick patted the boy’s shoulder and looked down. “Well, then...I guess we have to walk you through it sitting down.” Mitzi shook her head. “He doesn’t need advice, he could throw the ring at her and she’d take it.”

“No, no, Mitzi...he needs to do it the right way. After all, she’s going away to Kansas City, right? Lots of boys with C names in Kansas City...girls too.” Calvin shivered at the thought. She wouldn’t just...leave him if he did it wrong, would she? Of course not! She would never do that…

Calvin kept telling himself that, but somewhere there was a voice saying ‘she doesn’t want you anyway, don’t bother, give the ring back’- he didn’t know where this voice came from, and he knew it was all lies, but...was it, though? Was it really?

He shook his head. “Alright, Wick...show me what to do.” Wick smirked and took his hat off, putting it on the table. He got in front of Calvin. “So, let’s pretend I’m Ivy for a moment-”

“Too tall, sugar.” Mitzi said. “Why don’t you just let me do it and feed me lines?”

“Oh, fine, fine.” Wick stepped aside. “Now, pretend that Mitzi’s Ivy.” Mitzi put on a cloche cap form the hat stand and beamed brightly. “Hello! It’s me, Ivy!” She strained to try for her best midwestern accent. Wick stood next to Calvin, who was sitting up, nervously holding the jewelry box between his hands. “Okay, Cal...what do you do?”

“Uhm...hello, Ivy.” He said, admittedly a bit confused by the whole ordeal.

“Hi Freckle! It’s nice to see you! Why’re you sitting down like that?” Mitzi kept her smile, and Wick tried hard to keep from laughing. Calvin spoke. “Well, I...got in a scrape on the job tonight.”

“Oh, Freckle, what did I tell you about getting hurt all the time!?”

“Not too...Ivy, I have a...question.”

“What’s that?”

“Well...we’ve been together for a while now, and...I wanted to ask if you’d…”

“No, Calvin, that’s not right! Here- like this.” Wick moved into position. “Ivy, my dearest, my darling~” He kissed all the way up Mitzi’s arm, and she kissed him when his lips got to hers. Mitzi laughed. “Well, I dunno if he should do that, she’d probably melt all over the floor.”

“Who’d melt all over the floor?” In walked, of all people, Ivy. All she saw was Calvin sitting down and Mitzi and Wick locked together. “Ivy! Wick and I were just about to get going...could you keep Freckle here company?”

“Could I!?” She smiled and sat on the arm of the chair, and the other two left. She smiled brightly down at Calvin. “So...what happened?” She pointed to the bandages.

“Just a scrape.” Ivy crossed her arms. “You know I worry about you out there...you can’t come home and write me pretty stories if you’re dead.” She kissed him gently. “I want you to be safer, alright?”

“Alright.” He said. He looked like a fidgeting mess. “Ivy?”

“Hmm?”

“...we’ve…” he stuttered. “We’ve been together…” He muttered something in Irish, and then got his gaze back to Ivy.

“...I love you more than anything in the world. More than anyone I could possibly dream up.” He held her hand. “I just...it’s hard for me to imagine how I ever even got on without you.” She’d drawn closer, expecting a movie kiss, the sort she so rarely got and yet craved so much. She didn’t get one. She got something placed in her hand.

A little box.

And she gasped. “...is this…” She opened it.

“Calvin...YES! OF COURSE!” She held him tight, careful of the wound. “This is the best parting gift I could have ever received! I can’t wait to show dad, and my friends back home….you’d BETTER find time to come up to Kansas City, Calvin!” He laughed, happy he’d succeeded.

“I will...I’ll always make time for you.” And just like that, she got her movie kiss, and a ring she’d wear for the rest of her life.

[overly-affectionate-animatronics]

Service With A Smile - Chap. 02

Title:  Service With a Smile - Welcome to the Fazbear Hotel! Part:  2/?? Author:  Murasaki Rose Beta:  none Genre:  AU/Romance/Adventure/Sci-Fi Rating:  PG-13 Spoilers:  None that I know Warnings:  Slash~i.e. male x male pairings, swearing, suggestive language and humor Pairings:  Golden Freddy x Phone Guy Minor Pairings:  Foxy x Chica, Toy Bonnie x Mangle, Toy Freddy x Toy Chica

Disclaimer:  Here we go…Five Nights at Freddy’s and all related characters are the property/creation of Scott Cawthon.   In other words, they aren’t mine and I’m not making any money off of this, I’m just a fangirl having some fun.

Summary:  After being picked as the new general manager, Paul has one month to prove he’s the man for the job.  But with xenophobic customers, jealous employees, a former employer out to sabotage him, and a flirty hotel owner, does the human stand a chance, or will he be sent back home?

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He was being watched. Not that this was out of the ordinary, Rolfe had been observing him at different points to watch his performance and Golden...well he wasn't quite sure why the bear was following him around.  The female Tierans seemed to know, if the giggling was anything to go by, but no one wanted to tell him. No, this stare was much more intense.  Almost predatory, like he was about to get pounced. It had started when Golden was called away to take care of some hotel business and it didn't show signs of letting up. Deciding not to let it get to him, he checked his watch and noticed he had just enough time to grab a granola bar for lunch before he met with Kima (1).  The bear had an employee review coming up with a somewhat problematic youth and wanted Paul's input. "Well hello, little human." Now Paul would like to say that he did NOT in fact shriek when Spring popped out in front of him, wearing a too-wide smile reminiscent of a homicidal maniac.  He'd like to, but that would be a lie. "IIYAAA!!!!" Jumping back, Paul misstepped and wobbled dangerously off-balance.  Bracing for a painful fall, he was stunned when instead he fell back against a warm, familiar chest and a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders. "Are you all right?" Looking up into concerned aqua eyes, Paul nodded.  "Thanks for catching me." "You're welcome." Steadying himself, Paul turned his attention to the gold-furred rabbit that had startled him.  He was tall, maybe even taller than Golden, with silver eyes, a torn right ear, and a deep scar cutting across his right eye.  He would have been an intimidating figure if he hadn't been doubled over in laughter.  From behind the human, Golden was giving the rabbit a dark glare that had Spring laughing even harder. As the rabbit's laughter died down, Golden sighed and shifted to Paul's side.  "Paul, believe it or not, the laughing jackass here is a detective with the Luonto Police and our head of Security." Straightening up and giving the human a normal smile, the tall rabbit extended a hand. "Spring Lapin." Smiling back, the red-head shook the offered hand, "Paul Cawthon." "Oh I know who you are," the rabbit smirked, noticing that Golden still hadn't taken his arm away from the human's shoulders. Completely oblivious, Paul laughed.  "Considering your position, I suppose you would." "That and Golden and I have been best friends since we were kids." Remembering something Asagi mentioned during the group outing, Paul gave the tall rabbit a curious look, "You're Asagi and Bonnie's older brother aren't you?"  The blue rabbit had been disappointed his eldest brother would miss the chance to hang out that day and properly meet Paul, but knew his job as a detective was important. Spring nodded, "and if you're calling them by name, then you can do the same with me." Brown eyes twinkling, the red-head grinned, "I'll do that Spring, as long as you call me Paul." "It's a deal." Glancing at this watch, Paul blanched at the time displayed.  "I'm sorry! I've got to get going, I'm supposed to meet Kima in his office in about 3 minutes."  With an apologetic smile, the human gave both Tierans a cheerful wave and walked off at a brisk pace. "He didn't eat lunch," Spring commented once Paul was out of sight. "I know."  Golden sighed and pinched the bridge of his muzzle, "and he never eats enough when he does.  The doctor said he's too thin for a human." "Got a plan?" "Not much of one.  We're not courting, so I'm a bit limited in my meddling.  I've got Kima and Kingen helping me trick him into eating proper dinners." "Let me guess, she keeps bringing new dishes for him to try?" "You got it," the bear smirked, "and since he's only been here nine days, he has no idea that most of the "new" dishes she's bringing are ones from the old menus." "And Asagi tries to make him eat lunch," the rabbit chuckled at the memory of watching his youngest sibling pounce on and drag the human to the break room. "When he can catch him," Golden amended with a somewhat exasperated smile.  His human was constantly on the move, always finding something he could do, it made keeping out of sight while following him quite the challenge. x-x-x-x-x Silently from behind his mask of professionalism, Asagi groaned the minute Eis Bär spotted Paul, why couldn't this have happened two weeks ago?!  The old arctic bear was always trouble when he stayed here and had the worst timing.  He also had a distinct disliking of aliens, but since he'd demanded to see the General Manager.... "Who are you and where is Mr. Wolfe?!" The human didn't even bat an eye, "I'm Paul Cawthon, the acting General Manager, Mr. Wolfe is retiring, sir." "Ah, so you're merely temporary."  He gave Paul a condescending sneer, "An alien, much less a weak and pathetic human like you, could never hope to manage a hotel of such prestige." "Be that as it may, I am the only General Manager available." "Hmph."  The bear snorted and standing up to his full height, looked down his nose at the slim-framed human, "Very well, one of your maids has cost me a rare and expensive bottle of liquor and I insist she be brought to task!" With a quick search on his tablet, Paul sent an emergency page to the head of housekeeping.  He would need her to confirm the details.  Having already heard about the incident from the maid herself, the graying badger had already been on her way to speak with Paul about it when she got his page so it only took moments for her to arrive. "Yes, Mitzi (2) was cleaning Mr Bär's room.  She knocked over a liquor bottle and picked it up almost immediately.  Unfortunately, when Mr. Bär shouted at her, she was startled so badly that she dropped the bottle and it fell to the ground and shattered." "Unfortunate!!!" the bear roared.  "That bottle cost more than that girl makes in a year!  Bring her here and deal with her immediately!" Checking security's pictures of the ruined bottle and confirming the cost and condition of the bottle before and after its' destruction, Paul pulled up the appropriate refund and handed his tablet to Asagi so the rabbit could begin processing it. "Mr. Bär, on behalf of the hotel I am sorry about this incident and of course we will be compensating you for your loss-" "And what of that incompetent girl?!  I want her brought to task NOW!!" he bellowed, bending down to get right in Paul's face. "I do not chastise in employees in front of other staff or guests, nor do I allow anyone else to do so," he replied, never breaking eye contact with the massive Tieran. Observing the situation from where they could not be seen, Rolfe knew the smitten cub standing next to him would react the moment Bär got in Paul's face.  "Do not interfere unless it is absolutely necessary!" the old wolf hissed as he grabbed Golden's shoulder just as he started to move.  "You cannot let your desire to protect him override your common sense, this is as much a part of the job as anything else!" With a quiet snarl of protest, Golden conceded to the elder Tieran.  Rolfe was absolutely right.  Dealing with belligerent customers came with the job...it was also why they had an excellent security team already on hand to assist should things get out of control.  But if that old bastard laid a finger on his human.... Out of the corner of his eye, Bär spotted the security staff closing in and stood back up, noting with distaste that the human was not looking away.  "A soft-hearted alien like you will never last here," he sneered, "Mr. Wolfe would have brought her to task here and now." Squaring his shoulders and setting his feet, Paul continued to stare the Tieran in the eyes, "I do not chastise employees in front of other staff or guests," he repeated.  He didn't believe the bear for a second, but he wasn't going to argue with someone who already hated him. "Fine," Bär snarled, snatching up his refund while glaring down at the slender-framed human.  "I look forward to seeing a Tieran in your place next time I'm here." Asagi and Paul both sighed in relief once Bär had left the building, security discretely following him the entire way. "Man that old bear is something else!" the rabbit exclaimed, thumping the red-head's shoulder. "Y-yeah." "Paul?" Green eyes widened in concern as Asagi noticed the state his friend was in.  Paul was gripping the front desk in a failed attempt to stop the faint trembling of his body that was only getting worse. "I think you should sit down for a bit," the rabbit advised, taking hold of the human's shoulder.  "You're shaking like a leaf." "O-oh, I'm ah, f-fine....r-r-really!" Paul protested, wincing as he stuttered.  This wasn't the first huge, belligerent, potentially violent, non-human customer he'd dealt with, but the relief and released tension once they'd left always left him shaky. The blue rabbit frowned and was just about to forcibly drag the red-head to the employee lounge when Golden solved the problem for both of them.  Without saying a word, he scooped Paul up and carried him off through the nearest "employee-only" doors.  Paul was so shocked by the bear's action, he only managed a startled 'eep!' when he was picked up and didn't even protest being carried until they were halfway to the lounge. Already in the room, the head of housekeeping and the maid heard the bickering duo long before they entered the room.  Both ladies hiding their smiles at the sight of the owner carrying their new General Manager. Placing the now-sulking human on one of the couches, Golden poured him a glass of water and ordered him to drink. "Are you all right sir?" the maid asked after the red-head had taken a deep swig of water. Paul nodded, "I'm just a little shaky, Mitzi.  It happens sometimes after I have to deal with customers like that."  Taking note of Golden's concerned expression he added, "I know that sounds bad, but it's nothing to worry about," he reassured the bear before returning his attention to the mouse.  "How are you feeling?" She gave him a small smile, "Kinda like you sir, a bit shaky.  I really didn't mean to mess up so badly..." He held up a hand, "We can talk about it later.  Right now, I think we both need to calm down first." Golden sat down next to Paul, ruffling his hair and getting a mild glare for his efforts.  He didn't say anything, but both he and Rolfe were impressed by how the human had handled the aggressive arctic bear. x-x-x-x-x Paul frowned as he looked over the documents in front of him; according to hotel policy when a refund is given due to a staff error, said staff receives a write up and in severe cases; a demotion.  'That seems too harsh,' he thought, thinking of how Bär had treated the girl.  However, he couldn't make his decision based on that alone.  Closing out the policy file, he pulled up the girl's employee record.  Up until now, Mitzi had maintained a spotless record going back to her hiring date.  She'd moved quickly from the cleaning teams to the independent crew and had done well ever since, receiving glowing compliments from guests on her work. Setting his tablet down he reached over and dialed up the housekeeping office. "Mrs. Blaireau?  Could you come speak with me in my office?" "I'll be right there." A few minutes later the badger woman arrived and Paul welcomed her in with a smile, "Thank you for coming." "It's no problem, sir.  What did you want to see me about?" Paul gestured for her to take a seat, "Well, I've been going over the incident and I believe I've come to a decision as to what to do.  I just wanted to ask you a couple questions before I make my final choice." Mrs. Blaireau nodded, "What would you like to know?" "I've looked over Mitzi's reviews already, but I wanted to know what you thought of her and her overall work and work ethic?" The old badger smiled, "Since she was hired, Mitzi has been a hard worker.  She's always excelled at her job and maintained a friendly, honest demeanor.�� If I may be completely honest, she's my top candidate to train as a supervisor once I retire, should one of the current supervisors take my place." Paul was only mildly surprised to hear this; Mitzi's employee reviews all indicated she was potential management material.  Pleased with his decision, he decided to ask one more question before he told Mrs. Blaireau what Mitzi's discipline would be. The Tieran frowned when she saw Paul's expression grow concerned, "Mrs. Blaireau, I noticed Mitzi has been demoted to cleaning teams.  Is there another reason for this?" The badger's face brightened, "Oh it's not a demotion sir." "Really?" She nodded, "Yes, poor Mitzi was so shaken by Mr. Bär's reaction that she's afraid to clean alone right now, but still wants to work.  Her supervisor and I asked if she'd be comfortable going back to team cleaning for a while and she agreed.  She'll make less in tips, but her hourly pay will stay the same." Paul smiled, "I thought that might be the reason, but I wanted to be sure.  Now as to the final discipline..." x-x-x-x-x When Mrs. Blaireau called her into her office, Mitzi was a mess of nerves.  She knew hotel policy regarding incidents like this and was dreading the results.  After all, the General Manager was new and with his own performance being rated, would likely follow policy to the letter. "You wanted to see me, Mrs. Blaireau?" "Have a seat dear," the badger offered, waving at one of the chairs in front of her desk.  Her stomach doing flips, the mouse did so just as her supervisor walked in and took the other chair. "Sorry if I made you wait, one of the girls had a family emergency pop up." The older Tieran gave a dismissive wave of her paw, "It's all right, you're right on time anyway.  Now, let's get to why I called you both here:  As you both know, when an incident results in a full refund, the General Manager has the final say in what disciplinary actions will be taken."  She gave the young maid a gentle smile, "Mitzi, Mr. Cawthon has decided that in light of the situation, a verbal discipline will be placed in your file and no further action will be taken.  He also has no problems with you returning to your position once you're ready for it." "Thank you, ma'am!" the girl exclaimed, almost jumping for joy. "No need to thank me, Mr. Cawthon is the one who made the decision.  Now go on back to work." "Yes, ma'am!" "That's something Rolfe would do," the supervisor commented once Mitzi had left. "The boy's got a good head on his shoulders and a good heart," Mrs. Blaireau replied. "He wouldn't be here if Rolfe didn't think he'd be a good fit." x-x-x-x-x As was his usual routine when he returned from a long trade run, Foxy Renard liked to prowl the halls of the hotel while his mate Chica worked.  It kept him out of her feathers and allowed him to catch up on the new faces amongst the staff as well as any other changes that may have occurred while he was gone.  However, this time he was in search of a very specific person and the bear that was following him. Soon enough, he came across the thin-framed human conversing with one of the managers and after a brief scan of the area, found Golden lurking in the background.  Silently, he moved across the room towards the bear, being careful not to alert the human to his presence. "There something interestin' about tha lad, I should know?" "He's older than you," Golden grumbled, barely turning his head to acknowledge the fox. "My mistake, but ya still havn' answered my question." Turning away from his quarry, he scowled at his friend.  "You're not going to leave me alone until I give you an answer are you?" Foxy grinned, "Nope." The bear sighed in frustration, "Fine. I like him all right?" Foxy chuckled as the older Tieran's attention drifted back to the young man.  Chica had been right about how bad Golden had it for the human.  "I guessed as much, see'n as ya been following him around since he got here."  He laughed when the bear started blushing through his fur, "Does he know why ya be followin' im?" "Not according to most of the staff." "Has he stopped jumpin' when he sees ya?" he asked, hoping to learn something new. As if in answer, Paul finished talking with the manager and before leaving, gave the room a quick scan in case something else needed his attention.  Spotting Golden and Foxy, the red-head's tan cheeks lit in a blush as he met the bear's aqua eyes. Golden smiled, admiring the human's backside as he beat a hasty retreat, "Does that answer your question?" "Aye. That and then some," the fox chuckled again, Chica was going to be positively giddy with delight over this. x-x-x-x-x Paul groaned in pained relief as Golden kneaded the knotted cords in his neck. The slender human had spent too long poring over files and had accidentally worked through lunch.  Again.  He'd been at it for so long in fact, that when Golden had popped into his office to interrupt him, his neck and shoulders had locked mid-greeting and he'd face planted on his desk with a hiss.  The bear had immediately jumped to his aid, gently working the stiff muscles until the red-head could sit-up again. "You shouldn't do this to yourself," the bear gently admonished him. A faint blush dusted his tan cheeks, "I know.  I just get carried away and lose track of time sometimes." "Hmm," Golden leaned in close, his breath hot against Paul's ear.   "I'll just have to check on you more often then," he murmured, delighting in the human's embarrassed squeak of protest.  Continuing to work, he smiled when Paul finally relaxed, a content hum slipping from his lips unnoticed.  After a few more minutes, Golden slowed his movements and eventually stopped, allowing the human a chance to sit up. "How's it feel now?" "About a thousand times better," Paul gushed, his tan cheeks a slightly darker shade of red than before. "Thank you so much." "You're welcome Paul," he smiled, aqua eyes twinkling at the human, "and you can repay me by joining me for lunch." Paul laughed, "I don't see how that's repayment, but if that's what you want, I can certainly oblige you." x-x-x-x-x "Still in-between cases?" "Waiting on a couple of leads to come back, why?" "I received this from an "anonymous" source," Golden said, handing Spring a stack of complaints from the hotel Paul had previously worked at."And these from a man claiming to be a former co-worker," this stack was filled with glowing compliments from former co-workers and customers.  He'd come straight from his office to Spring's the moment he'd finished printing out the contents of both messages. Leafing through the sheaf of complaints, Spring raised an eyebrow, some of these were downright ridiculous.  "I'll check it out.  But from what I've seen of the guy, I'm willing to bet it's the negative ones that are phony." Golden nodded, "That's what I believe too, but I want whoever is trying to sabotage my human stopped." "Your human?" Aqua eyes narrowed as the bear scowled, "Don't even start.  You know I handed the decision over to Rolfe and the senior staff, so I can be as biased as I want." Spring laughed, "Of course I know."  His expression shifted from amused to concerned, "but it's only been two weeks since he got here and you're already verbally claiming him." Golden sat down and stared up at the ceiling, "I can't explain it...I'm just...drawn to him." Unseen by his friend, the rabbit frowned in thought.  He'd been watching Golden and Paul interact these last two weeks and while he could tell the other man was just as drawn to Golden as the bear was to him, Spring couldn't help but worry.  "You know, I did some research..." Golden snapped from his daze to face his friend, "I thought you already did a background check." "Of course I did and stop glaring at me.  I didn't research Paul, I was researching humans."  When he was sure his friend was listening he continued, "You know how rare they are and how they almost never work away from their own colonies...." "Now- I'm not saying this applies to Paul, but humans in general are nervous and fearful around other species when they aren't in their comfort zone.  Sure some of them hide it behind false bravado, but it's still there." The bear shook his head, "Either Paul is different or he's already comfortable here with us.  I've only seen him fearful once and that was after having Eis snarl in his face." Well-acquainted with the belligerent arctic bear Spring nodded, most Tierans were fearful when on the receiving end of Eis' wrath so he'd been impressed watching the human dealing with him.  "But he is a bit skittish when faced with making close acquaintances."  Asagi had told him how tense Paul had been at the beginning of their weekly outing. "What are you saying?" "Just keep going slow with him until you're courting," he warned, "You don't want to scare him off before you even ask him." x-x-x-x-x Asagi and Chica snickered as they made their way from Paul's dorm to Freddy's apartment.  The moment he'd stepped out the door, their mates had each latched onto one of the human's arms and after introducing themselves, began regaling him with wild tales of their travels.  They'd been ready to rescue the easily flustered human, but found he was so fascinated by the foxes' stories that he had already gotten comfortable in their presence. Upon reaching the apartment, Paul didn't get much of a chance to look around before Golden had approached and immediately distracted him from any other thoughts.  Not that Paul minded of course. Despite the strange butterflies fluttering in his stomach every time he was around the bear and his frequent blushing problem, he really enjoyed spending time with the gold Tieran. "So Paul, ye any good at card games?" Foxy asked, slapping the human on the back and ignoring the mild glare he got from Golden for it. "Good enough, I suppose." "Well then, you're in fer a treat." After a few rounds of poker; in which Asagi lost miserably, Paul broke even, and Kima cleaned house, Chica suggested a different sort of game.  As she explained the rules, the human realized it was the same game he had grown up calling Pictionary. "Now, we've finally got an even number of couples so that just leaves our three single men to divide up," she said, ushering Golden and Paul to her and Foxy's side while Kingen, Asagi, Mangle, and Kima moved to the other. "So, this time Freddy and Bonnie will be on my team and Spring will be on Kingen's." As the friends got settled onto their sides of the living room, Paul slowly began to realize that Chica had included him and Golden amongst the couples. Before he had a chance to let it fully sink in and could properly freak out, Golden draped his an arm across his shoulders, disrupting his thoughts entirely. "Ready to taste defeat again, Spring?" the bear sneered at the gold rabbit. "We'll see who loses first this time," he replied, giving his friend a taunting smirk. A couple hours later, after staying neck-in-neck the entire time, the group had agreed on one last game to decide the winner.... "We did it!" Paul cheered, jumping up and hugging Golden in his excitement.   Delighted, the bear returned the hug, unable to stop the happy growl at having his human so close. It wasn't until he settled down a bit that Paul realized he had just glomped his boss and releasing the bear, blushed clear to the roots of his hair.  Before he could stammer out an apology, Golden ruffled his hair as a distraction, chuckling as the now-annoyed human tried to finger-comb the red locks back into some semblance of order.

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1 - (Toy Freddy) Kima [Japanese] bear

2 - I've done it again!  *giggles*   Well, if you figured out Rolfe, then you know where Mitzi's from.

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Chapter 1 | Chapter 3