Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The stars seemed to ripple and move up in the night sky as Bodi lay on the grass and looked up at them with tired eyes.

What a night.

The mastiff had become one of them, a star, in the course of a day after a few near death experiences the day before that, and he was surprised his life had taken such a drastic turn. He went from a miserable guard dog in a mountain village to a rockstar over such a short time, and he had to admit, he had no idea how that happened. Bodi was expecting it to take much longer than that, but his persistence won Mr. Scattergood over in the end.

Speaking of the slightly obnoxious cat, he was laying next to Bodi on the grass at that moment, smiling softly to himself.

"You know, Bodi, you did pretty good out there tonight," Angus murmured, picking at the grass on his lawn absentmindedly.

"Aw, thanks Mr. Scattergood, I'm glad you thought so!" Bodi exclaimed, looking over at the cat next to him with a lopsided grin.

"You keep this up and you could get pretty big. Probably not as big as me, but still big. You've got some real talent," the feline replied, yawning as he sat up.

"You really think I could be successful just like you?" The mastiff asked, his tail wagging as he got up as well.

"There's a small chance if you keep working as hard as you are right now," Angus stated, standing up and stretching.

"So this means you'll give me lessons, for real this time?" Bodi questioned, looking up at the cat with a hopeful smile.

The white cat hummed, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "You know, perhaps I could. You're pretty good with a guitar as is, but there's always room for improvement," he murmured. "Sure, why not? I'll teach ya for real this time."

Bodi's eyes widened, and he jumped up to his feet, hugging Mr. Scattergood in his elation. "Thank you, Mr. Scattergood, I won't let you down, I promise!" He exclaimed, laughing.

"That's great, Bodi, but you need to actually let me down, you're crushing me!" Angus replied, struggling against the mastiff and failing to move him.

"O- Oh, of course, sorry!" Bodi stammered, setting the smaller cat down, his face heating up slightly.

The cat started to dust himself off, grumbling about how clingy Bodi was, and then he crossed his arms, looking back over at the mastiff. "We could start tomorrow if you want. I'd imagine you want to go home and get some sleep," Angus stated, turning around to head into the front door to his castle of a house.

"Oh… I actually don't have a place to stay. No money, remember? I can't go anywhere, and Snow Mountain is pretty far away," the mastiff murmured, wringing his hands. Angus stopped and looked back at him with a frown.

"So ya got nowhere to spend the night, huh?" He asked thoughtfully. Bodi shook his head slightly. Angus hummed, scratching an ear. "Then… I suppose you could spend the night here, if you want to."

Bodi grinned, his tail wagging behind him. "That's awesome, thank you very much, Mr. Scattergood!" He exclaimed, grabbing his nearly forgotten guitar off the ground and following the feline inside his mansion.

"Don't mention it. Just try not to touch anything while you stay, alright?" Angus asked, the front doors closing automatically behind the two while the cat led them through the open living room.

Bodi nodded silently, following Mr. Scattergood through the maze of hallways that was his mansion until he stopped in front of a large oak door that must be where he would sleep.

"Well, here's the guest room. My room is down the hall and to the left, and I'll see you bright and early in the morning for lessons," Angus stated rapidly, pushing the doors open and starting to walk down the hall.

Bodi frowned softly, confused as to the cat's sudden briskness. "Hey, Mr. Scattergood, wait a second," he called out before the other could get too far away. The feline turned back to look at him, expression unreadable due to those sunglasses he never took off.

"What is it now, Bodi?" Angus questioned, annoyance present in his voice.

"Thanks, you know, for all of this. Letting me stay the night, lessons, this guitar, everything. I just wanted to say I appreciate all you've done for me," Bodi murmured with a soft smile.

Angus's frown softened. "It's… you're welcome, Bodi. Now get some sleep, it's late," he conceded, waving him off.

The mastiff chuckled quietly. "Night, Mr. Scattergood!" He called before walking through the huge doors into his temporary bedroom.

The mastiff gasped, looking around the guest room. It was massive, easily the size of his house back in Snow Mountain, and there was a very large bed in the middle of the room. It looked to be about twice the size of a king sized bed, with black blankets and pillows adorning it. Bodi also noted the absurd amount of vinyl records adorning the walls, and the two large desks on both far corners of the room with blank sheet music scattered across them.

It was a bit too large for Bodi's tastes, but he could survive a night on that bed. It looked a whole lot more comfortable than the stiff mattresses back in his home.

The dog gently set his guitar down at the foot of the bed, and climbed in, but the feeling of the mattress was strange, and rippling, like… water?

Bodi pressed his paw down on the bed, and sure enough, he saw water rippling under the sheets, and it felt relatively cool. He pressed his paw down on it again, a little more roughly, and laughed at the larger ripple.

The Tibetan mastiff then crawled up to the head of the bed and took his sherpa hat off, setting it on the small nightstand, next to the lamp. He crawled under the covers and shut the lamp off, cloaking the room in darkness.

After a moment of shuffling around to make himself comfortable, Bodi sighed heavily in contentment, staring up at the high ceiling.

"What a day," he whispered, grinning to himself.

The mastiff wondered what Mr. Scattergood would have in store for him tomorrow. He just really wanted to actually learn how to play the guitar better, and this time, Angus wouldn't trick him into furthering his own goals.

Bodi wondered why his cat mentor was so quick on getting him to bed earlier. They had only just returned to his mansion after dropping Darma and Germur at their respective apartments, and lay on the front lawn for a few moments. It didn't really make a lot of sense to him, but he guessed Angus was just really tired after the long day.

Shrugging to himself, Bodi turned over and closed his eyes, sleep finding him quickly as he realized just how exhausted he was. The dog slipped into unconsciousness, a smile on his face as he dreamed of rock music and electric guitars.

-o0o-

Bodi yawned, cracking his eyes open against the bright morning light that was filtering out of a window. He groaned, rubbing them sleepily while he slowly sat up, grumbling about not getting enough sleep as he did so.

The mastiff was surprised, however, that he was able to sleep so well. Usually, the mattresses back home were too stiff for him to get anymore than a few good hours of sleep. He supposed it was his dad's way of keeping him vigilant in case of an imminent threat. The strange water bed was a very nice change of pace for him, however.

Bodi crawled over to the nightstand, grabbing his sherpa and putting it on, and then he climbed out of bed and stood up, stretching his limbs out once he was upright. After a moment, he walked over and grabbed his old guitar and headed out of the spacious bedroom to search out Mr. Scattergood.

The dog started down the hallway in the direction of the living room, trying to remember the route he'd taken last night. He wished that Mr. Scattergood hadn't decided to live in such a huge place, especially by himself. Bodi guessed it could get pretty lonely, having nothing but a mechanical butler to keep you company.

After heading down a few hallways and turning himself around a number of times, Bodi managed to reach the living room and was greeted with Mr. Scattergood sitting on his oversized couch with a newspaper and a large cup of coffee in his hands.

"Good morning, Mr. Scattergood!" Bodi greeted cheerfully, walking over to the cat and sitting down on the couch next to him. Angus looked up from his newspaper, and smiled softly.

"Morning. How'd that water bed treat ya?" He asked, setting the paper down and taking a sip of his coffee.

"Oh boy, it was the best thing I've ever slept on, even if it was rather strange. Thanks again for letting me stay the night!" The mastiff exclaimed, a huge grin on his face and his tail wagging.

"Of course, mate. Now, we need to get started on those lessons, don't we? We've got a lot of ground to cover, you know," Mr. Scattergood stated, getting up from the couch, his mug in hand.

"But I haven't even eaten anything yet! I just got up and I'm really hungry," Bodi grumbled, clutching at his empty stomach to emphasize his point while the feline look at him with slight amusement, lips curled up in a small grin.

"You can have something to eat later, Bodi. We've got lessons to start, come on," Angues replied, chuckling at Bodi's groan of annoyance as he waved the dog to follow him.

The two walked throughout the mansion in silence for a few minutes, Bodi content to gawk at his surroundings and wonder why someone would want a house like this. The same thought from before about Mr. Scattergood being lonely flitted back through his mind as he observed everything, and the mastiff looked over at the cat with a slightly upset expression.

"What are ya looking at me like that for?" The feline questioned suspiciously, immediately turning defensive to the gaze.

"Sorry, Mr. Scattergood. I was just wondering, if you have such a big house, why do you live here all by yourself? Isn't it really lonely, staying cooped up in here every day of the week with nobody to keep you company?" Bodi asked, his frown deeping and his tail dropping. He couldn't read Angus's expression through those sunglasses of his to see a reaction.

The cat chuckled nervously. "Lonely? No, of- of course I'm not lonely in here. I've got Ozzie to keep me company! It's never been a big deal, I like the quiet and isolation. I'm fine, Bodi," Mr. Scattergood insisted, crossing his arms and giving a reassuring smile.

Bodi nodded, although he wasn't convinced at all. There was no way he could be content living here in isolation, especially after that horrific lie to assure the dog he was fine. Maybe he could track down Ozzie when he had a break, and see if he could get anything out of the butler.

The mastiff had figured out Angus didn't like people, but there had to be a really good reason for him to literally lock himself inside of his mansion and do nothing but sit around all day. He didn't like that one bit. Maybe he could find a way to drag the crabby feline out of the house for a little while that didn't involve being chased by crowds into dumpsters.

He would have to figure out everything later, he decided, as the two came upon the dark recording studio that they'd written Glorious in a few days beforehand. Angus set his half empty mug of coffee on an amp before turning to face the mastiff.

"Alright, time to get to work. Let's see, what to start on, what to start on…" Mr. Scattergood trailed off, grabbing a guitar at random from the group next to the doorway.

Bodi smiled softly, ready to start the day strong and learn something from his idol, and maybe learn something about him as well.

Chapter Text

Bodi groaned, setting his guitar down and stretching his legs as he got up out of the chair he'd been sitting in for the past two hours. Thanks to Mr. Scattergood, he got to know his guitar, and by extension his teacher a little better. He learned that Angus liked to gripe about how the most popular music these days all sounded the same, and he made Bodi promise to never get interested in that kind of music. The mastiff doubted he ever would, as he agreed wholeheartedly with the cat in that regard.

"Alright, I think it's time for a lunch break. I've got tons of stuff in my kitchen, if you wanna make a sandwich or somethin'," Angus said, setting his guitar on a stand and looking over at the dog.

Bodi hummed, scratching his chin. He could just eat something here… or he could drag Mr. Scattergood out of his house and go find a restaurant to eat at in the city. He grabbed his guitar and slung it across his back.

"We could go out and get something instead of staying cooped up here, you know," the mastiff replied as the two walked out of the recording studio.

"Wha- go outside? Are you mental? I'll get recognized, it isn't safe for me out there! You saw what happened last time, Bodi!" Angus exclaimed indignantly, arms waving around to accentuate his point.

"Then we make you a disguise, it shouldn't be hard. Come on, Mr. Scattergood, you should get out of here for once," Bodi insisted, smiling.

"You gotta be out of your flippin' mind! There's no way I'm going out there, it's… its not- hey, what're you doing?" The cat shouted in confusion as Bodi grabbed his thin arm, headed for the front doorway.

"I don't think that's the real reason you don't want to go, now come on, we're gonna find Darma and Germur and go eat!" The mastiff exclaimed, dragging the livid cat through the living room. Ozzie happened to be rolling by, and seeing their path towards the door, opened it for them.

Angus continued to shout profanities as the stronger dog dragged him through the front lawn while the hedge maze lowered for them. A moment later the two were out of the lawn, with the electrified gate shut behind them, and the cat was still livid.

"I can't believe you just bloody did that! Let me go back into my house now, or I'll… I'll…" Mr. Scattergood trailed off, but he continued scowling.

"Not happening, Mr. Scattergood. Now come on, let's go find my friends," Bodi murmured happily, hand still attached to Angus's arm in case he decided to escape while they walked down the sidewalk towards the city center.

While the two traveled, Angus used Bodi as a shield to block people from noticing him, but the mastiff didn't really get why. Sure, he was a big celebrity, and the dog had forgotten to grab some sort of disguise for him on the way out, but it wasn't like he could do anything about it. Mr. Scattergood was bound to get noticed before long, especially when the got to the park.

"So where do you plan on taking us for lunch after we find your mates, anyway?" Angus asked when they started nearing the skyscrapers of the city downtown.

"Darma and Germur talked about this noodle place that they really liked going to a few days before. I figured we could go there," the mastiff replied cheerfully, looking over at his teacher.

"I'm just as likely to be spotted anywhere in this stupid city, so I don't suppose it really matters," the cat grumbled, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Lighten up, Mr. Scattergood! You're getting out of the house and doing something, you should be excited! When's the last time you've actually been outside and walked around?" Bodi questioned, glancing over at the feline with a brow raised.

"If we aren't counting that incident a few days ago? I… I don't remember, it's been a really long time," Angus murmured thoughtfully, scratching at his left ear.

"That isn't healthy, you know. Why wouldn't you go outside? It's great out here," the dog remarked, taking a look at their surroundings. They were getting further in the city now, with apartment buildings surrounding them in a concrete jungle. Rock and Roll Park wasn't too far of a walk from their position.

Angus didn't reply, leaving Bodi to guide them through the busy streets. Somehow, the feline had managed to find a hoodie along the way, snatching it up and putting the hood on tightly. The mastiff wasn't too sure of how he'd grabbed it, but he wasn't one to judge.

A few minutes later the two arrived at the entrance to the park. Bodi figured Darma and Germur would be at the same spot they were always at, considering he didn't have a magic radio you could talk to others with like Mr. Scattergood. He really needed to ask the cat for one.

Luckily for the pair, Bodi spotted his friends at the same bench they always hung out at, and he waved at them cheerfully. Darma waved back, and the mastiff ran over, Angus in tow.

"Hey Darma, hey Germur! How are you guys doing today?" Bodi asked, tail wagging as he sat down next to the fox, Angus next to him on the edge of the bench, arms crossed.

"Hey, Bodi! We're doing fine, just hanging out at the park for a while before we head back to our apartments. What's up?" Darma questioned, smiling at the sight of the glowering Mr. Scattergood.

"Oh, Mr. Scattergood and I were taking a break from my lessons, and we were going out to get lunch at that noodle place you two were talking about, and I was wondering if you two wanted to come with us," the mastiff explained, hopeful expression on his face.

"Oh man Bode, that sounds like a great plan. Let's do it," Germur murmured, nodding his head in satisfaction.

"Great! Come on guys, let's go!" Bodi beamed, jumping up from the bench and grabbing Mr. Scattergood out of habit.

"Bodi, would ya quit grabbing hold of me like that? It's bloody annoying, it is!" Angus exclaimed in irritation, scowling at the mastiff.

"Oh, uh… sorry Mr. Scattergood," the dog stammered in embarassment, letting his teacher go. Darma chuckled softly, getting up from her seat on the bench as well.

"The noodle place isn't far, just follow Germur and I," she said, starting to walk out of the park, the other three moving to keep up with her.

As the group of four walked along, Darma slowed down a bit to walk with Bodi. "Hey, how did you manage to get Mr. Scattergood out of the house to come along with you, Bodi?" She asked in a low voice, glancing back at the cat, who still held that scowl from before.

"I just grabbed his arm and dragged him out. It really wasn't that hard to do; Mr. Scattergood isn't very strong," the dog replied with a shrug, not seeing how he did that as a very big deal.

"I figured it would take a bit more effort to get him to agree to come. On the radio, they would always talk about how he wouldn't leave his house even if it rained fire and brimstone," Darma remarked, brows scrunched up in thought.

Bodi scratched his head in confusion. "I'm sure Mr. Scattergood would leave his house if it rained fire. Anyone would want to get away from something like that, right? And can it rain fire here? I didn't think the weather could get this extreme in the city," he pointed out, confused by his friend's words.

"Bodi, it's an expression. What… do you know what an expression is?" The fox asked, looking at Bodi in disbelief. The mastiff shook his head no, shrugging.

"Darma, he's lived in a mountain town away from everything all his life. Course he isn't gonna know this stuff," Mr. Scattergood murmured in his defense, joining the conversation.

"Can someone tell me what the heck an expression is?" The dog asked, getting a little annoyed at how confused he was.

"Bodi, mate, it's something a person would say to exaggerate a point. It wouldn't ever actually rain fire and brimstone, we just say things like it to make our point sound better," Angus tried explaining, shooting a frown in Darma's direction during his statement.

"So you're saying… it was a lie, it won't actually rain fire and stuff? Thank goodness, glad that's cleared up," Bodi murmured in relief, looking over at Angus, who nodded slightly.

"Oh man, he's got a lot to learn you know," Darma remarked with an exasperated smile, confusing Bodi even more. There was more to learn about than just those expressions? What all had he missed growing up in Snow Mountain?

After a few more moments of walking, the group silent after that conversation, they had arrived in front of the noodle restaurant. Bodi didn't know what it was called, due to the Chinese characters used for the name, but he didn't really mind. He didn't think he'd ever go to the city when he was little, so he never bothered to learn it.

Darma led them inside, and the mastiff was greeted with a small, but cozy interior. There was a large bar type setup of stools in front of a long table that looked out of a large window into the street, a few booths by the far wall of the establishment, and the counter and kitchen adjacent to the window. It was small, and a bit cramped, but Bodi didn't really mind; in fact, he found it charming.

"This place looks pretty cool," the mastiff remarked, sitting down on one of the stools, tail wagging as he did so.

"Germur and I hang out here a lot, so the employees know the two of us by name. Do you guys have any idea of what you want?" Darma asked as Angus sat down beside Bodi. The dog hummed, scratching his chin.

"I guess whatever is your favorite, I'm not picky about food," Bodi replied, shrugging his shoulders. Truth be told, he didn't really have the patience to read any menus, he was just too hungry to care.

"Lo mein for me, Darma. Just shrimp for the meat," Mr. Scattergood stated, crossing his arms. The fox then proceeded to glower at him, hands on her hips.

"Isn't there something else you should be saying, instead of demanding me to get them?" Darma questioned, cocking a brow.

The cat sighed heavily, clearly not liking his predicament. Bodi chuckled softly to himself. "Lo mein, please," he emphasized, voice not as sharp as before. Darma nodded to herself, walking over to the counter while Germur sat on the other side of the mastiff.

"Darma doesn't like disrespect, Mr. Scattergood. You should probably remember to be nice around her," the goat stated, looking at the feline pointedly.

Angus sighed, cupping his chin in his hands. "Yeah, alright, I'm sorry. I'll try to remember that next time," he grumbled.

"Wait, remember what?" Germur asked, his mind leaving once again. Bodi laughed at Mr. Scattergood's baffled face, him not having experienced that before.

Angus was interrupted from saying anything when Darma sat down beside Germur with a sigh. "Noodles will be ready in a few minutes, guys. Now I was wondering if we had any plans for the future," she stated, looking over at Mr. Scattergood.

"What kind of plans might those be, Darma?" He questioned, looking back over at her with an inquisitive stare.

"Like new song plans, or concert plans. We've gotta make money somehow, you know. Germur and I have part time jobs to keep up with, and that's barely making ends meet as is," the fox elaborated.

"Hm. Yeah, you're probably right. I'll talk to my agent when we get home, see what I can do. Don't worry, I'll get this all figured out soon," Angus replied, reassuring grin on his face.

"Speaking of that, I should get a job, shouldn't I? I've got no money, and I don't want to burden you by staying at your house all the time, Mr. Scattergood," Bodi spoke up, finding an opportunity to join the conversation.

"I don't mind you at my place, mate, but what job would you want? Gotta think about your experience," the feline murmured, small frown on his face.

"I can play the guitar-"

"Besides musical talent, Bodi," Angus interrupted with a slight chuckle, shaking his head.

The mastiff didn't get a chance to respond, as everyone's noodles were deposited in front of them by a friendly looking crocodile of a waiter, who then disappeared back into the kitchen. Bodi looked curiously down at his noodles, grabbing the pair of chopsticks they were given as well.

"They're wonton noodles, my and Germur's favorite. Try them," Darma insisted, pointing down at his bowl.

It took Bodi a moment to figure out the chopsticks, but he found they weren't too hard to use. He then snatched up a few noodles and slurped them up, smiling at the taste. The dog then proceeded to start scarfing down the bowl like he hadn't eaten anything before in his life.

"They're pretty good, huh?" The fox asked, chuckling. Bodi stopped for a second to nod vigorously before digging back into his meal.

As the dog ate his noodles, he took the absence of a conversation to think about what job he might like to have. What was he good at doing, besides music?

The only thing he could think of was taking care of the sheep on Snow Mountain. They were small and needed someone responsible to make sure they didn't get themselves killed. Where could Bodi put that skill to use, he wondered.

The sheep did act a heck of a lot like the children he sometimes saw playing at the park or walking with their parents. Maybe… maybe the mastiff could help take care of children!

"Guys, I know what job I want!" Bodi exclaimed suddenly, dropping his chopsticks in excitement.

"And that job would be?" Mr. Scattergood asked, morning for the dog to go on.

"I could watch children for their parents! You know, like if they want to have a night out or something!" The mastiff answered excitedly, his tail wagging.

Darma looked over at him with a surprised expression. "Well… I certainly wasn't expecting to hear that one, but if you want to be a babysitter, than sure, go for it," she murmured, smiling amusedly.

"A babysitter? Really?" Angus muttered to himself. "I'd like to see how you manage that one."

"Yeah, now I've just gotta figure out how to start," Bodi replied, taking a bite out of a dumpling in the noodles.

"Bode, I can help you start, man," Germur spoke up, nodding to himself.

"Thanks, Germur! I can't wait to get started!" The dog exclaimed, excited that he could start to make a living for himself.

Bodi was surprised at how much his life had changed recently, but he was glad it did. It was all thanks to Mr. Scattergood that he was doing all of this, and he seemed to he really supportive, which gave the dog a warm feeling in his chest akin to pride.

He was looking forward to seeing where his life would take him next.