Work Text:
Animal shelter (Chad getting Pebbly), coffee, moon. Oct 14
It's so hard to feel loved in a family falling apart. Everyone acts selfish; it's hard to be the people pleaser when one person expects this and the other wants this other thing.
This is how Chad found himself at an animal shelter, looking over the animals.
He used to come here often when he was young, wishing he could get an animal companion but knowing his parents would have a conniption if he ever asked for one.
Staring at one of the dogs, his heart yearned to take one home. This dog had had the worst luck; she was going through many health problems and just felt the perfect fit for him.
Chad wouldn't budge; he just had to have the dog staring at him through the plastic window. The other dogs, cats, and other furry animals barked for attention, meowed for a chance at leaving their cages, did tricks, or looked cute.
But not this one; this one felt different. Chad tried not to get attached, but her eyes seemed so tired and pleading to be given a home that Chad turned to an attendant and asked. "I want this one,"
"Are you sure, sir? Pebbly will have a lot of problems,"
Chad glanced back at the dog, feeling a bond form even before having her as his furry companion. "I'm sure," he pulled out his wallet with a smile.
Today was his turn to be selfish.
"M-Morgan, w-why a-are w-we m-meeting a-at a coffee shop?"
Morgan grinned, leading Barnaby into the fine establishment. "It's the best place to talk,"
Barnaby sighed. "Fine,"
As the two ordered their usuals, they found a table to sit at.
"So w-what did you w-want t-to t-talk a-about?"
Morgan sighed. "Since you're my best friend, I wanted to tell you that you aren't the only nemesis I have,"
Barnaby nodded. "I figured a villain of your stature w-would have m-more th-than one nemesis,"
Morgan frowned when their drinks were set down in front of them.
Barnaby smiled at the waiter, thanking them politely.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Barnaby took a sip relishing in the flavor; sometimes pumpkin spice really did taste good. "M-morgan, I don't th-think you realize how m-many t-times I've m-met your other nemesisisis,"
Morgan scowled, hiding his face in his mug, as he took his own slurp.
"M-morgan, w-why a-are w-we really here?"
The cup Morgan had was set down roughly as he looked up. "Alex turned a bunch of people into furniture and left them in my apartment,"
Barnaby's face fell into terror. "Th-they did w-what?!"
Morgan took another loud slurp. "So coffee at a shop seemed better,"
Barnaby stirred his own drink, scowling into the depths of the flavored water. "How did you t-two find out?"
"Does it matter?"
Barnaby looked up sharply.
"Well, it came up that they might've had a sentient skull mug, and I asked if anything else was sentient, and they said they didn't know,"
"A-and?"
Morgan buried his head in his hands, muffled words still followed. "And they snapped their fingers to find out, and now I need furniture because I have no furniture or most of my appliances,"
"Oh M-morgan, w-what a-are you going t-to do?"
"Have you ever noticed how brightly the moon shines late at night?" Diego asked, looking out the window.
Dave glanced over. "Did you want to go for a midnight stroll?"
Diego glanced over, smiling.
Dave smiled back, grabbing his coat and keys; as he pulled the coat on, his wife pulled hers on and led the way outside.
The two started their stroll down the neighborhood, walking hand in hand as they looked up at the brightly shining moon.
"Do you think Chad'll be okay?"
Dave hummed in thought. "He might be; what happened?"
"He moved out,"
Dave nodded to himself. "It was time then,"
"But will he be okay? He's never been good to be alone,"
Dave nodded. "If he's lonely, he'll find a way out of it,"