Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The chill in the air signified the end of another long summer. Many of the residents of Roseville enjoyed their summers, but even more reveled in the cool, fall days. Leaves turned slowly from their natural greens to warmer orange, red, and yellow colors. Their later falling was greeted by rakes from parents and a few teens who went around trying to earn some extra cash. Lucy and Mike made a game out of it, who could rake the most yards and make the most money? The sun rose later and set earlier. Jackets were donned, hot teas were boiled, and fireplaces were lit. As September turned to October, the fall was turning out to be as cozy as ever. October, as well, brought about everyone's favorite spooky holiday; Halloween.

The students of Roseville High buzzed with excitement over it. The school decorating the hallways and classrooms with skeletons and ghosts among other creepy things really set the atmosphere. This, of course, matched the rest of the town which was decorated to a tee. Everyone was swept up in the Halloween spirit. Some were planning parties, others still wanted to go trick or treating like they did every year. For the friend group of Lucy, Mike, Paulo, David, Daisy, Sue, and Amaya, it was a no brainer - trick or treating. They all had a sweet tooth, even if some of them tried to hide it, like Sue.

"I'm just in it for the experience." She said, an air of superiority about her. "Too much candy can lead to obesity, or worse." But nobody was buying that. They'd seen how big her candy bag could get in the past.

David, on the other hand, wore his love of candy on his sleeves. Well, he didn't wear any, but if he did, it would be there. He'd come up with a whole new idea to maximize his candy gain. "Y'see, I'll have multiple different costumes." He explained. "And once I get candy from a house, I'll run to a bush to change and come right back! They'll never even know!"

"Davie, you have to save candy for everyone!" Daisy huffed, secretly worried David might end hogging all the sweets. "Doing that is disingenuous!"

David didn't much know what disingenuous meant, but he did know his plan meant more candy for him. Lucy, in a rare moment, agreed somewhat with Daisy. David's plan was, as always, idiotic. "Besides, they're gonna know it's you, you're not exactly hard to recognize. You're bigger than everyone else here!"

David folded his arms. "We'll see who's disun- disen-" The brown dog scrunched his face up in concentration as he attempted to work the word out in his head. He wanted to use it against them, as though it would make him more right. Unable to figure it out, he gave up. "Whatever Daisy said, when I have five times as much candy as the rest of you!"

"Easy there, pal, but I think I'm going to be candy champ this year." Paulo said smugly, pointing a thumb to himself. "I'll just throw on one of these," He gave a big, suave grin that made Daisy and Lucy blush, even Sue had to look away, "and all those hot moms are gonna be pouring the whole bowl into my bag!"

The two went back and forth over which plan was better until Sue intervened. She stood up and slammed her fist on the table to get everyone's attention. It worked (to the annoyance of Paulo) and she cleared her throat. "Regardless of whatever nonsense you two have planned, we need something that will work for everyone. I'm talking a REAL plan, one with a map and routes, one where we can get the biggest and best candy, quality over quantity!"

"Uugghh, that sounds soooo boring!" Paulo groaned. "Leave it to you to turn trick or treating into homework!"

Mike looked at the somali unamused. "She has a point, Paulo. What are the rest of us supposed to do?"

"Pfft!" Laughed Paulo. "Figures you'd side with her, pansy."

"Point is…" The burmese ignored Paulo’s input. "We need to work together. There's going to be a lot more groups of kids out there and if we aren't unified we won't get anywhere."

"What do you suggest, Susie?" Daisy asked, happy with any plan that got her more candy.

This was the validation the girl was looking for. "I'm glad you asked! The most important thing is grouping up. I figured we can start by assigning trick or treat buddies, then we all rendezvous at a predetermined location." David blinked, then fell face forward into his tray of food, snoring loudly. Sue ignored this and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Fortunately I already did this."

"I don't need you to tell me who I can and can't trick or treat with! I'm meeting up with David." Paulo grumbled.

"Actually, I have you meeting up with Daisy." Sue said calmly, and Daisy gasped excitedly.

Daisy beamed at her friend. "Ohhh yes! We get to be trick or treat buddies!" Paulo wanted to protest, but Daisy's smile and enthusiasm worked its way to his heart and prevented him from doing so, as though it had sent a message to his brain saying, 'Don't you dare!'.

Instead, Paulo smiled back with two finger guns and a wink. "Looking forward to it, Daze!" Daisy blushed and tried to hide it, but Paulo saw it.

The rest of the teams were assigned. David would be paired up with Mike (to Mike's surprise, he expected to be walking with Lucy), and Lucy would be meeting with Sue (to Lucy's disappointment, she was hoping to be sticking with Mike.) They would all converge on Amaya's house, and she would meet them from there. No one objected for their own personal reasons, and so the deal was done, and Operation Tricked Treat (a name which Sue was really proud of) was underway.

The 31st of October came upon them fast, and Sue went over the plan at nauseum with everyone the days leading up to it. So much so that everyone felt like they could recite it in their sleep. It didn't help that she would randomly ask about the plan individually to everyone to make sure everyone was on the up and up. When Halloween night arrived, everyone rushed home from school as fast as they could to shovel down an early dinner and suit up.

Some parents elected to stay home to hand out candy, others split duties where one would chaperone the kids while the other stayed home. The ones who were old enough to go on their own were already making rounds as the sun set around 6. It was a little after 6 when Paulo, dressed as one of the Space Cadets, found himself briskly walking down the sidewalk to Daisy's house. He wanted to take in the elaborate Halloween decorations on the way, but he was running late and he didn't want to listen to Sue moan and groan about how he ruined her plans for the rest of the night. Besides, he knew Daisy always looked forward to trick-or-treating every year and didn't want to keep her waiting.

He arrived at her house and walked between the blow up decorations and standees to Daisy's front door. He rang the doorbell, and sang out, "Trick or treat!"

At the sound of the doorbell and Paulo's voice, Daisy took off running from the kitchen where she was finishing up dinner. Her parents didn't even have time to react before she was already gone from the dining room. When Daisy reached the door, she fling it open. "Paulo! I'm glad you made it!"

The somali smiled at his fluffy friend. "Wouldn't miss you for the world, babe."

Daisy kept herself from falling to pieces at Paulo’s flirting. "Aww! I'm not quite ready, just give me like three minutes!"

It was now Paulo noticed she wasn't wearing a costume. "Take your time." He smiled. "By all means."

"Thanks! Wait right here, I'll be back soon!" Daisy said quickly and closed the door to get ready.

Paulo decided to walk around the yard, looking at all the decorations and watching the other trick or treaters with envy. He didn't mind waiting for Daisy, though. He liked her quite a lot, and at the very least tonight he'd get to spend time with her outside of schoolwork. As he made his rounds in the yard, he heard the large bushes on the side of Daisy's house rustle. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes fell on the noisy plant. It stayed still, and the only sounds came from the jovial kids and teens walking around with bags and buckets full of candy. A shrug rolled off the somalis' shoulders and he kept walking. That's when he heard the rustling again.

When he turned around, he saw a couple of guys, two cats and a dog, coming toward him slowly. They were very clearly older than him, college aged by the looks of it. They also reeked of alcohol. "Well, well, well." One of the cats, a calico, said. "Lookie what we have here."

"A little kitty all out on his own for Halloween…" Said the dog. "A treat for us, I think?"

"None of the houses will give us any candy. Let's nab his!" The second cat, a tabby, chimed in.

"Oh buzz off! I don't have any candy." Paulo folded his arms. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Than putting dorks like you in your place? Look at that costume!" The calico jeered, and his friends laughed.

"What are you, six? Space Cadets, really?" The second cat laughed.

Paulo felt his heat rising. "Three against one? Very brave. What are you all for Halloween? Cowards?" He shot back.

The young adults circled around Paulo, who was increasingly starting to lose his cool. "Who you callin' coward, pussy?" The dog bucked at him, and the teen jerked back.

The calico shoved Paulo from behind and he fell forward onto the second cat, who pushed him back. Paulo tripped over some wires and the three brutes laughed at the pathetic sight. "Just fuck off!" Paulo growled.

"Or what?" The tabby cat said in a mocking tone.

"Or I'll kick your butts!" Said a new voice, this one belonging to a female. In the whirlwind of the confrontation, they hadn't noticed her come out the front door. She was wearing a purple witch costume, with a small hat cutely hanging off one of her ears. Along with it she toted a broom, and on her face, an angry look.

"Ohhh!" The three bullies said together.

"So scary! The little girl is gonna turn us into frogs or something!" Said the dog as the selkirk ragamuffin stomped across the yard.

"I'll do a lot worse than that!" She challenged, standing toe to toe with the three, putting herself between them and Paulo, who was stunned at Daisy's boldness.

"Oh yeah?" The calico smirked. "Do somethin'!" He flicked her hat off her ear.

Daisy bared her teeth and raised her broom, then brought down the bristled end on the laughing cat. He stopped laughing, stunned, and blinked a few times.

His cat friend stepped in. "Why you little-" But he was cut off by a faceful of broom bristles as well. It didn't end with just that, she kept smacking them over and over. The three drunken friends tried their best to dodge the attacks, but just ended up stumbling over each other, resulting in a continued barrage of swipes across the head and body.

Finally the leader couldn't deal with it anymore. "Let's get the hell out of here!" He cried, running for the sidewalk. "This chick is crazy!"

His friends followed his lead, and Daisy chased them, waving the broom over her head. "And don't come back!" She yelled after them. Daisy took a deep breath to cool off before turning around to help her friend. Paulo was picking himself off the ground, wiping blades of grass and small twigs off his costume. Among his wiping, he noticed a small tear on the side.

"Damn." He muttered, running his fingers over it.

"Paulo! Are you okay?!" She said, rushing over to hug him. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Paulo gave a weak smile. "Naww, they didn't. I think you hurt them more than they hurt me." And in a small voice, he added. "Thanks, Daisy."

"You're welcome." She said, sweetly, picking her hat up and placing it on her ear. "We should get going! We don't wanna be late!" Before another word could be said, Daisy grabbed Paulo's hand and pulled him along as she sped off to Amaya's house.

Sue (who was dressed as Ruth Bader Ginsburg), on the other hand, waited impatiently on Lucy's couch. Her leg bounced up and down as she sat agitated, and her hand gripped the flashlight she brought with her, as she watched the hand on the clock on the wall move faster than she ever thought time could move. And at the same time, everything felt slow motion. There was a lot more riding than just being on time (preferably early) and committing to the plan. She had drilled it into everyone so much, how embarrassing would it be for her to show up late? It was made all the worse by Jordan actually being ready and leaving, while trick or treaters were showing up to get candy.

Lucy came down the stairs with her princess outfit, but the disinterested look on her face broke the royal facade. Sue hopped to her feet when she saw her. "Excellent! Let's go!"

As Lucy passed her mom, who was giving out candy, on the front porch, she said "I'll be back later." in a flat voice.

The mother smiled at them. "Okay dear, you two have fun. Stay safe!"

Sue and Lucy walked in silence, though Sue tried to up her gait in hopes that Lucy would follow her lead. The khao manee didn't, preferring to march to the beat of her own drum, but that drum beat was a tad too slow for Sue. She looked at her friend, frustrated by the progress, and saw Lucy still uninterested, even a little disappointed, looking off at the rows of houses all decked out in lights and decorations. If they were gonna make good time, Sue would have to lift her spirits. That, and she wanted to support her friend. "Hey Elle, I like your costume."

Lucy looked at her, a little caught off guard from the sudden interruption from her thoughts (that heavily featured a korat) and managed to produce a little smile. "Thanks. I just threw something on from a previous Halloween. I haven't grown much."

Sue smiled back at her. "It suits you. I believe khao manees were cats of royalty, correct?"

"They were." Lucy said, and she went back to gazing over the sea of skeletons, ghosts, and pumpkins.

Sue looked at her with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine." She replied shortly. "Let's just get to Amaya's house, don't want to be late to your own plan, right?" Sue nodded and the two picked up the pace a little.

Mike and David did not have as much of a difficult time, though David did constantly stop to gawk at houses and talk to every trick-or-treater on the way down. Mike was dressed as a prince, and David, a mummy, though Mike wasn't sure it was necessary that he used actual toilet paper. David would hear nothing of it, convinced that actual mummies were wrapped in the same thing.

The friends all converged on Amaya's house at nearly the same time. Amaya herself was sitting on her stoop, wearing a Santa costume. David ran up to her, laughing, reveling in the irony of it. Amaya smiled brightly, happy she was able to make him laugh. Sue took a headcount, and then another, making sure everyone was there. While she counted, Lucy caught Mike staring at her with red cheeks. He quickly looked away, pretending he had been examining his candy bag the whole time, but Lucy had seen enough to bring a smile and redness to her face.

"Excellent! Great! Let's go!" Sue said to everyone. They all grouped up and started their walk. Paulo and David talked more about their candy competition. This annoyed Sue, who stepped in with a, "It's not a competition, but if it was, I would win. My costume is the best."

"Are you a pilgrim?" David asked, genuinely unaware of who Sue was meant to be. To be fair, nobody else knew, either.

Sue huffed and rolled her eyes. "I happen to be Ruth Bader Ginsburg!" David and Paulo blinked, faces neutral. Sue facepalmed. "She's one of the most important people in the country!"

"The pilgrims were pretty important to the country." Paulo said.

"They were, but… ugh!" Sue threw her hands up. She inhaled and launched into a speech about Ruth, and all the important things she did. Paulo and David groaned, not asking for a history lesson in someone they'd never heard of. This only made Sue more upset.

Amid the bickering, they all got candy, and their bags and buckets slowly filled up. David and Amaya wanted to stop and look at decorations, but Sue forbade it. "We have a strict schedule." She said. She also had no patience with Paulo's flirting with all the moms. "Really, Paulo? We don't have time for you to hit on every girl you see!"

Mike and Lucy walked next to each other, and Mike decided to talk to her to distract from the encyclopedic knowledge Sue had about the justice system. "Princess again?"

Lucy shrugged. "It was all I really had. Feels like we're getting too old to be doing this, you know?"

Mike looked at her surprised. "I thought you loved trick or treating?"

"I did." She sighed and looked at Sue who was gesturing wildly at Paulo and David. "But when you start meticulously planning everything out, it loses its' charm. Maybe we're just too old for it."

Mike followed her gaze. "Yeah… what did you want to do then?"

Lucy looked away. "I was just kinda hoping to spend time with you." She whispered.

Mike looked at her sympathetically. In all honesty, he wouldn't mind spending Halloween with her, either. He looked forward to remain casual. "We could still do it, you know."

Lucy looked at him, eyebrow raised. "Abandon the group and do our own thing?"

"Maybe not abandon. More like…" He looked at her, "accidentally got separated."

Lucy looked up at Sue, who was going red in the face at Paulo and Davids' pilgrim jokes. "I would like that…"

"Okay, and we're taking this corner into the cul de sac." Sue said, turning down the sidewalk.

A bunch of kids hurriedly walked past them. "Where are you all going so quickly?" Paulo asked.

"There's a house down the other way giving out full sized candy! We're going to go get some!" Said one as they ran out of sight.

"Ohhh! We gotta go! We gotta go!" Daisy said excitedly.

"Yeah Sue! Let's go get that house next!" Paulo said, and David nodded vigorously.

"No!" The burmese said. "We have to stick to the plan! We'll get there eventually."

"Yeah, when the candy's all gone!" Paulo grumbled, folding his arms.

"I am sure whoever it is has enough for everyone and then some." Sue said back. "Now come on, the sooner we get through this loop the sooner we get to the big candy house."

Everyone was understandably frustrated by this, but decided to go along with Sue. So far, they had acquired a good amount of candy on the route so far. Each house remained lucrative, and David and Amaya even started trading candy. Amaya was the happy, silent observer in everything. She didn't have much of an opinion on Sue's plan, she was just happy to spend time with her friends. She understood the others wanting to do their own thing, which is why she did nothing when she saw Mike and Lucy slip away together.

Paulo was getting antsy, however. The cul de sac was taking longer than expected. "What if we just skip a few houses? We don't have all night…"

The offer was tantalizing, but Sue stayed steadfast. "No! Trust the plan!" So nobody argued, not wanting to ruin the night, and hoping that things would proceed faster than they thought. Everyone did noticeably pick up the pace after that.

Meanwhile, Mike and Lucy ran down the sidewalk, laughing that they'd gotten away. "Now what do we do?" Mike asked.

"Whatever we want!" Lucy threw her hands up. "Bet I can get more candy than you, jerkface!"

"Oh, you're ON!" Mike grinned. A chance to best Lucy and get more candy? It was an absolute win!

They raced past the end of the neighborhood, where a large, imposing wood was. The trees stretched on forever, and covered the area with a pitch blackness not even the keenest of eyes could make out. Mike shivered. "That place gives me the creeps."

"Grow up, Mike." Lucy stuck her tongue out at him. "My brother told me that some kids went missing there one year. They were never seen again."

"I don't wanna join them." Mike frowned. "I'm going back the other way."

"Baby!" Lucy called him, but she secretly agreed the woods were very off putting.

Back with the others, things continued to Sue's plan, making her very happy. House after house they went to, and finally they made it to the end. Just up ahead, Paulo could see a group of kids walking away with massive candies.

He pointed ahead. "That must be the house!" The house in question was the most elaborately decorated on the block. It had inflatables of all kinds, some even moved. There were fog machines and motion activated animatronics. A boombox played spooky ambience and all of it was lit with black light. Everyone ran to get to the front door, and Paulo knocked proudly. Daisy bounced with anticipation. David held his bag open as wide as he could. Even Sue stood with keen interest. The door opened, and a kindly old lady answered, wearing a nurse outfit.

"My my!" She said. "What lovely costumes you all have. I like your take on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, young lady." Sue felt proud of her costume now, happy someone got it. The old lady gave a sad smile. "Sadly, I just ran out of candy. I have some hard candy in the kitchen if you want something."

Paulo felt his jaw hit the floor. Everyone stared expectantly at Sue. She was the one with the plan, after all. The girl felt all the eyes of her friends burning into her, and she mumbled. "No thank you, ma'am. Have a good night."

The old lady bid them farewell with a sincere apology, and closed the door. Sue walked with her head hung back to the sidewalk, and the others followed, now more frustrated than ever. "Great going, Sue." Paulo's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Because of your stupid plan, we missed out on the motherload!"

Sue turned on the spot, tail at attention. "My STUPID plan? It's thanks to my plan that we got as much candy as we did!" She held up her bag, showing how full it was.

"Yeah, a plan literally nobody asked for!" Paulo shot back. "Did literally anybody here ask for Sue to dictate the whole night?"

Sue smiled smugly, waiting for the others to back her up, but they didn't. Daisy looked at her feet, hands behind her back, lips pursed. Amaya shrugged. David spoke. "This Halloween has been lame!" The burmese waited on the final two to make their verdict, but…

It was now Sue noticed they were missing. "Wait… where are Mike and Lucy?" Everyone looked around, Mike and Lucy were nowhere to be found. Amaya pointed in the direction she'd last seen them walk.

"They probably ditched because this plan was stupid." Paulo mused, staring directly at Sue. "And you know what? I'm ditching too!" The somali stormed off.

"Yeah, because your plan of trying to seduce MARRIED WOMEN is totally going to work!" Sue called after him.

"At least it'll be more fun than this!" He called back, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.

Daisy took off after him, wanting to stick with her trick or treat buddy. "Paulo! Wait for me!"

Paulo stopped and turned around. "No, Daisy! Go back with the others."

"But I want to go with you…" She pleaded.

"Not this time. I'm going alone! Just me, nobody else! Understand?" He said angrily.

Daisy's bottom lip trembled and she sniffled. She pushed past him, tears falling from her eyes. Paulo immediately softened. "Daisy… I'm sorry, I shouldn't-"

"No, you're r-right." She said, back. "I'll j-just slow you down… I'm just g-going alone…"

Paulo sighed and shook his head, going off in his own direction. This left Sue, David, and Amaya standing around. "Well, want to keep going, guys?" Sue asked.

But David had already changed into a new costume. "Who? Me? I've never heard of a David in my life."

Sue closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "David, I know it's you."

"Never heard of him! Off I go! Candy needs me!" He said, taking off into the night.

Sue rolled her eyes. David was a basket case anyway. "At least you're still with me, right Amaya?"

Amaya shook her head and tapped her wrist, indicating it was time for her to get home. She waved and smiled sympathetically before walking away herself. Sue stood alone on the desolate street, with only decorations to guide her way. The girl gathered herself, and looked ahead with determination. "Stick to the plan." She said to herself, and kept moving down the sidewalk to hit house after house.

Daisy sobbed into her sleeve as she walked down the now empting streets. All she wanted was for everyone to get along, and to get lots of candy to boot. But for her, her friends were sweeter than any candy. She was too upset to bother going to any more houses, so she decided to just go home instead. Along the way, a rusty old pickup truck rumbled up beside her. "Well lookie what we have here!" Said someone.

Daisy recognized the voice as one of the cats from earlier. In the back of the pickup sat the calico and the dog, in the drivers' seat was their friend. Daisy looked up, scared. "Just leave me alone!" She demanded.

"No, I don't think we will. Naughty kids up past their bedtime need to be taught a lesson!" The calico took a swig of a bottle of beer and jumped out of the back. Before Daisy could make a break for it, she was grabbed.

"Let go of me!" She cried. The broom was raised, but the cat caught it and yanked it from her grasp.

"And now I've taken your little trick, how's about you give us your treats." The calico looked at the dog. "Help me get her up there." The dog obliged, and they hoisted Daisy, kicking and shouting, into the bed of the pickup. The calico hopped in the back and smacked the roof of the truck. "You know where to go!" The truck peeled off, and all three laughed at the fun they were having.

A street away, Paulo kicked rocks in sour disappointment. His flirtatious moves hadn't garnered him the favor he was hoping for. This was mostly due to people running out of candy, and he was basically scrounging for scraps at this point. He'd even take candy corn if it was offered. As he threw himself a one man pity party, a pickup truck zoomed past him, nearly running him over. "Watch where you're going, jerkwads!" He shook his fist.

"Paulo, help!" Daisy cried as the truck turned a corner.

"Shaddup!" Barked the dog.

Paulo squinted. "Daisy?" He just barely spotted her hanging off the side of the bed, being held down by the calico and dog. "DAISY!" Paulo booked it as fast as he could, trying to follow the pickup. His feet spun like windmills, and his lungs worked overtime. The bag of candy was discarded in order for him to run faster. The truck was just too fast, and eventually Paulo could no longer take in breath to his burning lungs. He stood, hunched over and gasping, watching in horror as the truck vanished out of sight.

The next moment saw Paulo sprinting in the other direction. He had to find help. He had to get his friends. David wasn't too hard to find. Much like Paulo, he hadn't any luck with his plan. Everyone saw through his disguises, and turned him away. This, and there simply wasn't enough candy to give. They had to ration for the last few stragglers out and about.

"David! David!" Paulo yelled to his friend as he ran up to him.

"Shhhh!" The dog hushed, finger to his mouth. "Are you trying to blow my cover? Where is your candy?

"Forget the candy!" Paulo panted. "We have to save Daisy!"

David stood at attention like a soldier. "Daisy needs our help? Who is trying to hurt best girl?"

"Some jerks who were messing with us earlier!" Paulo huffed. "We need to find the others!"

David nodded, and the two ran down the sidewalk. Along the way they ran into Amaya (David literally ran into her), and since they were all aware of Sue's plan, they found Sue easily. "Someone's kidnapped Daisy? We must inform the police!"

Paulo pounded his palm with a fist. "No time for that! We need to find Mike and Lucy!"

This is when they heard some bushes next to them shaking. They all jumped back, startled. Then they heard… kissing? Paulo walked around into the dark, and Sue pulled out her flashlight. She shined it forward at two figures who were hidden in the dark.

When the light came on, Mike and Lucy jumped apart quick as lightning. Their faces were on fire, and their costumes in a little bit of disarray. Sue looked at the both of them in shock. "Did you two just ditch us so you could make out the whole time?!"

"We weren't making out the WHOLE time…" Mike muttered, and Lucy, too embarrassed to even speak, punched his arm. Mike responded with an "Ouch!" and he rubbed the impact site.

"Who cares! Daisy's in trouble!" Paulo said impatiently. "Some jackholes nabbed her! I chased them down but I lost them at the end of the neighborhood."

Mike and Lucy looked at each other. "Oh no…" Mike said. "You don't think?"

"Think what?!" Paulo said, now feeling really guilty for pushing her away.

"That's the forest where some kids went missing a long time ago." Lucy shook her head. "My dumb brother told me about it. It probably isn't even true!"

Whether it was true or not, Paulo was disliking the situation more and more. "I don't want her to be the next missing kid! We have to do something! Sue, you're always planning stuff, what do we do?"

"Uhh, call the police?" She said, matter of factly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I told you, there's no time for that!" He said.

"But you had time to find all of us?" Lucy asked.

Paulo facepalmed. "Fine! I'll do it myself!" He stomped away, but Sue put a hand on his shoulder. Paulo stopped.

"We're all scared, Paulo. What can we do?" She asked softly.

"This is my fault." Paulo closed his eyes, and his fists. "If I hadn't pushed her away…" Amaya took his hand and smiled sympathetically. Paulo opened his eyes again.

"It could have happened to anyone." Sue assured him. "Maybe I can come up with something…" She removed her hand and put it to her chin as she thought. She paced in place, and everyone watched with bated breath. After a minute or so, she stopped. "Missing kids, you say?" She looked at David. "Can you still do that thing where you snap your head around to look backwards?"

"Like this?" David twisted his head around 180 degrees. Everyone cringed witnessing it. It was a miracle his head didn't fall off.

Sue snapped her fingers. "Great! Then I think I have an idea…"

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The old truck rumbled up to the forest and sputtered to a stop. Daisy looked at the forest, terrified. There seemed to be a pitch black curtain that prevented her from seeing beyond the first line of trees. She was sure she’d never see her family or friends again. Bitter tears dripped from her eyes as she was pulled out of the truck by the dog. The driver got out and looked at the empty void that lay ahead. “This place gives me the creeps. This is where them kids went missin’, innit?”

“Aahhh, that’s just a bedtime story kids are told so they won’t play around in there.” The calico said. “Ain’t nothin’ in there but trees.”

The dog and tabby looked at each other, not so sure they believed that it was a mere fabrication, but they weren’t there to go ghost hunting. “C’mon, little girl. Time to give us your treats.” The calico said, leading her in. Daisy wasn’t strong enough to break away, and she just went limp. Her captor strained under her weight. “God kid, you already eat all that candy?”

They found themselves in a clearing, illuminated a little by the light of the full moon. The trees blocked out any light from the neighborhood, and the sounds of it too. Not like there was anything to hear, everyone had called it for the night. The tabby caressed Daisy’s cheek. “Yer a pretty little thing, aren’t ya?” Daisy shied away from his touch.

“Let’s see what you’ve got in here.” The dog snatched her bag of candy away, and Daisy gasped. “Mmmm, looks like you were busy tonight! Done all the work for us.”

The calico leaned over and looked in. “Not a bad haul, girl.”

“Hey, hit her with the broom!” The tabby said. “See how much she likes it!”

Egged on by his two friends, the calico raised the bistled end and brought it down to connect with Daisy’s cheek. She fell to the ground and cried. The three friends laughed and the calico started sweeping her. “Look guys, I found some trash, better sweep it up!” The thugs roared with laughter. All Daisy could do is cover her head and hope that they got bored soon and left her alone.

“Trick or treat!” Said a voice, and Daisy recognized it as David’s. The cats and dog stopped their tirade and looked around.

“Who’s there?!” The dog demanded to know.

“Trick or treat!” The voice said again. Everyone went dead silent. The calico looked at his friends and jerked his head in a ‘Go check it out’ motion. In the distraction, Daisy tried to crawl away. The bigger cat pulled the girl to her feet.

“You’re not going anywhere!” He growled, claws out, digging into her fur.

The tabby and dog didn’t like the idea of walking into the darkness of the trees, so their search was relegated to the small clearing. They wouldn’t have been able to see anyone out there anyway.

“Trick or treeeaaat!” David said again, slowly.

“Just some stupid trick!” The calico said. “Show yourself!”

“There are no tricks here.” David said. “Only the lost.”

From all around the clearing, out of the darkness, Sue, Mike, Lucy, Amaya, and Paulo appeared, along with David who walked backwards. They all looked gaunt, covered in dirt, leaves, and sticks. “Shit man!” The dog said, scared. “Those must be them missing kids!”

“Yeah, fuck this!” The tabby said, and he booked it from the area, with the dog falling in behind him, leaving their calico friend alone.

“Get back here you cowards!” He yelled, shaking his fist.

“From now on, you best start picking fights with others your own size.” Said David, still moving slowly towards the calico and Daisy. “Because if you don’t, we’ll find you.”

“The dead can always find you…” They all (except Amaya) said in unison. The calico looked frantically around, all sides blocked off by the shambling of Daisy’s friends. The bully backed up and bumped into David. He looked down, horrified.

David’s head snapped all the way around, and he had a huge twisted grin on his face. “So trick. Or. Treat!”

The calico screamed and let go of the selkirk ragamuffin. He dashed past the group of kids and ran yelling out the forests after his two friends. “Run, Daisy.” Paulo said. “We gotta get out of here before they come back!”

Daisy nodded and ran toward the neighborhood. She looked back at her friends. “We’re right behind you, Daisy, just go! They might be back soon!” Sue told her. The girl nodded and looked forward. She could make out the streetlights in the distance, and burst through the underbrush back to civilization. She looked back. “We made it! Guys, we-” Daisy hit someone and came to a full stop.

“Daisy?” Paulo asked, surprised. “Are you okay?!”

Daisy looked up at Paulo in shock, mouth opening and closing as she had a hard time trying to find the words. “But… wha… you…”

“Daisy, thank goodness!” Sue said, and hugged her. The rest of her friends came in for a group hug as well.

Daisy smiled and melted into their affection. “But… but you guys were just in there! With me!”

Her friends looked around at each other, confused. “No… we’ve been on our way to rescue you.” Mike said.

Daisy felt a little pale and a little sick. She rested herself on Paulo, who was still hugging her. “I think I’m ready to go home…”

“Aww, but none of us have candy!” David said. In the panic of going after Daisy, everyone had left their candy behind.

Amaya stepped up. “I think.” She said in a small, sweet voice, so light that the wind could carry it. “The real treats are the friends we made along the way.”

Everyone looked at her. Then they shook their heads. “Nawwww, I still want candy!” David pouted. “Let’s go back to my place, my mommy usually has an extra bag just for me!”

“You’re telling me you get TWO bags of candy every year?” Paulo asked, jealous.

“Mhm! I’m her sweet little cupcake!” David said. “Let’s go!” He turned to run back to his house, and Paulo followed in hot pursuit.

“Not before I get there first! You always take my favorites!” He let go of Daisy to follow David, but part way down the road, he stopped. Something nagged in the back of his mind, and he looked at Daisy. He sighed. “You know? I think Amaya has a point.” He walked back to Daisy and took her hand. “I’m gonna make sure you get home safe.”

Daisy blushed and kissed Paulo’s cheek. “Thank you, Paulo. You’re the sweetest candy of all!”

Sue rolled her eyes. Sweet wasn’t a word she’d use to describe Paulo, but she had to concede, Paulo was doing the right thing for once. “I need to get home now anyway.” She said. “I’ll see you all at school. C’mon Amaya.” The burmese and tabby left Paulo and Daisy to walk home alone.

“What are we gonna do now?” Mike asked Lucy.

“We could go back to my house and place some games.” Lucy suggested. Under her breath, so quiet that only Mike could hear, she added. “And… pick up where we left off…”

Mike blushed. “I like that idea. Goodnight Paulo and Daisy.” He waved to his friends, and walked with Lucy down the sidewalk and out of sight.

“Let’s go, Paulo. I think my mom has some cookies at home.” She smiled at the somali. “Maybe we can watch some scary movies too! As long as you’re there.”

Paulo nodded and smiled at her. “I could go for some cookies.”

They walked away, hand in hand. Daisy looked back at the forest one last time, and thought she saw a few pale shimmers among the trees.

Chapter Text

Augustus sat up in his warm, plush bed reading his textbook by the light of the table lamp beside him. The main ceiling light was shut off long ago. Still, he was finding himself sleepless, as much of his life he would be kept up by his parents screaming and hollering, or by police sirens as they rushed past his rundown house. Here things were much different. No screaming, or yelling, or smashing things. The neighborhood was quiet. The family, warm and inviting. He could think for once, and actually focus on his schoolwork. In this particular case, he was getting ahead on his reading.

There came a small disruption to his concentration in the form of a soft knock on his door. Augustus moved his gaze past the top of the textbook over to his door. He was unsure of what to make of it at first. The digital clock on the nightstand read 11:23 pm, well beyond everyone's bedtime. For sure, if he hadn't imagined it, it was probably the house settling. The theory was sound, until the sound of knocking came once more. "Come in." Said the siamese as he eyed the door.

It was pushed open slowly, and in the dark doorway stood Lucy, hugging herself, and looking down. Augustus sighed, he knew this song and dance. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Isn't it past yours?" The girl shot back. He had to concede, she did have a point. Sure, it wasn't a school night, but lights out at 10 was an unspoken rule in the house. "Or do edgy boys get to break the rules?"

"As long as the edgy girls do." Augustus said, going back to his book. "What's wrong? It's not about Mi-"

"No!" The khao manee interrupted, almost a little too fast. Her issue that night had nothing to do with the korat, but she didn't want to think about him, either. "I started thinking…"

"Dangerous." Was his sarcastic reply.

"Augustus…" Lucy said in a serious tone. The boy got the message, shut his textbook and put it aside.

"Alright. Come on." He patted the bed. "What's going on?"

Lucy walked in, easing the door close behind her, and then sat in front of him. Augustus noticed how closed her body language was, and the scar on her side looked as though it had been messed with. "I was thinking about that night I…" Lucy closed her eyes. She couldn't finish the painful thought.

"You jumped?" Finished Augustus. Lucy nodded.

"I was thinking what might have happened… if you hadn't shown up…" The khao manee trembled a little. Augustus kept his eyes locked on her face. "I would be dead…"

This was a new one. Usually she came to bellyache about Mike, which was a poor excuse for her to talk about him. "But I did." He said flatly. "And you aren't."

Lucy nodded, putting a shaky hand on her side which bore her scar. "I… I think about it sometimes… I don't like the thoughts…"

Augustus sat up. The conversation was getting heavy really quickly. He wasn't a therapist, and he didn't know if he could keep her from having a breakdown. "You're just gonna have to push past them." Was all he could say.

"I'm scared… What if they never go away? What if they just keep coming back?" She looked at him with her large, baby blue eyes. In them, he could see all her fears and worries. "I… I don't think I can…"

"Yes you can!" He said sternly. "You've come this far, right? It won't always be easy, but you can deal with it." Lucy nodded and looked down at her lap. They sat in silence for a minute, the siamese waiting for her to continue. She didn't, so he did. "Is that all?"

More silence from her, and then, "I can't sleep…"

"I figured that." Augustus looked at the time. 11:30. "Just go back to bed, try to relax your mind. Eventually it will come to you."

Lucy wasn't budging. "Can… Can I stay here with you?"

Augustus blinked. He almost didn't believe it. "What?"

"Can I stay with you tonight… I just… need someone…" Her ears fell back, and she looked like she wanted to shrink into herself.

Yup. She really went there. "Lucy, you know your brother would rip my head off… and I promised your family."

"I'll leave before they wake up. Even before you do… I just really need some sleep. I haven't been able to…" Lucy's voice cracked. "I'm so tired… please… I don't have Yashy or Amber with me anymore…"

Augustus hung his head. He knew how she was feeling. So many sleepless nights, but he learned to manage. Surely Lucy could, and needed to, as well. He didn't want to begin to think about the awkward conversation he'd have to have if they got caught, even if the intentions from both parties were pure. The siamese watched Lucy run a hand over her scar. A bout of sympathy welled up inside him. Just because he had to suffer, did that mean she did, too? Hadn't she been through enough, what would one night hurt? He really did care about her. He grimaced, and hoped he wouldn't regret his decision. "Fine." Lucy looked up, an ember of hope in her eyes. "But just this one night. I don't want to make this a habit."

Lucy nodded, and Augustus got off the bed to put up his textbook. "I need to get to sleep anyway."

Soon the two were snug under his blanket, sleeping back to back. Augustus reached up and turned off his bedside lamp, leaving them in darkness. "Goodnight, Lucy."

"Goodnight Augustus." She replied.

Augustus laid awake, staring ahead in the darkness, heart pounding. Every so often, he could feel her tail brush up against his, and he would move his away, only for Lucy's tail to find it again. After a while of silence and darkness, the bed and blankets shifted as Lucy turned to face his back. Then, he felt her wrap her arms around him and hug him from behind. He frowned, and was about to tell her that she was pushing it, when she said, "Thank you."

Augustus let his reservations go. She needed him right now. He put his larger hands over hers and responded. "You're welcome. Now try and get some sleep." He could feel Lucy's head nod against his back. Now with something to hold, Lucy was able to drift to sleep, and soon after he heard her soft snores, Augustus did too.

Chapter Text

A cool breeze came across the desolate park, rustling Augustus's white fur as he sat enjoying the fall afternoon. He was taking his studies more seriously, but it was nice to take a break and get away from the chaos and drama every once in a while. Just him and his thoughts. Perhaps a duck or two. However, today, he brought along a new item of interest; a guitar. He'd rescued it from decaying in the back of his houses' attic a few weeks prior. At one point, a long time ago, his father intended to learn to play. That fell through when he lost his job and had to move everyone to the lower end of Roseville. Augustus had taken the time to attempt to learn a few songs. It was a positive creative outlet for him, and he wondered if he would have even bothered joining Alejandro's gang if he started sooner. That was all in the distant past now, what mattered was the present.

So here the siamese cat sat alone, soaking in the midday sun and breeze, absentmindedly strumming the old instrument. He looked over the ripples in the lake, and the rustling of the leaves in the trees. He hadn't been there too long, only about thirty minutes ago did he leave Lucy's house with it, telling her he'd be out for a while. She was busy playing videogames with Paulo, who'd been coming over often recently. It made him think of Melanie, and how she was doing. His heart ached for her still, even after so long. Knowing she was safe, that she had an opportunity to live the life she deserved, made it all worthwhile. Love wasn't something he really considered before her, but now it was something that sat in his subconscious. He wanted someone, someone like… Daisy.

Man, he'd hurt her bad. That, more than anything, more than seeing her with someone else, ate him up inside. After all the kindness and care she showed him, he tried to force himself on her. Sure, the original intention was to infiltrate the friend group to learn more about them, but he genuinely ended up falling in love. It was a huge motivator to putting distance between himself and the thugs. If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself. The fact he tried to corrupt her was deplorable in itself. She was pure, genuine, and soft. It probably saved him from a lifetime of misery as well, as her love showed him that not everyone was bad, and maybe he didn't have to be either. This led him down a path of redemption, where he ended up saving the life of the girl Alejandro wanted dead.

Another breeze rolled over the lake, pulling with it small waves. Augustus closed his eyes in anticipation. It washed over him, and he truly felt at peace. That was, until he heard a twig snap behind him, causing him to nearly jump out of his fur. His head jerked around, wide eyed, looking at what caused the noise. Or in this case, who. The who in question was a tall yellowish cat with frizzy brown hair. Her bangs were dyed pink, and around her neck was a star necklace. Her cheeks burned bright red. "S-sorry!" She stammered. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Augustus lowered his guard. It was just Tess. "It's fine." He mumbled, a little annoyed that his meditating was interrupted. He turned back around and went back to strumming his guitar.

"If you aren't busy, I would like to talk." Tess said, timidly, unsure if this was a good idea. She had some skeletons still in her closet, and her and Augustus definitely never got along.. "Well apologize, more like."

The strumming abruptly stopped and Tess felt her heart sink. The boy turned around and she braced for the worst. But Augustus had grown since she most knew him, and he took it in stride. It was mostly confusion, though. "Apologize? For what?"

She didn't know how long things would be, so she asked, "May I sit with you?"

It seemed a silly question to Augustus. "It's a public park." He shrugged. "You can sit wherever you like."

Tess took this as a roundabout way of saying yes. Things were never straightforward when it came to the siamese cat. She walked around and took a seat in front of him, blocking the lake from view. He looked over at her lazily, waiting for her to say what she needed to. Tess took a deep breath and then spoke. "I wanted to apologize for how I was when I was a freshman. When I was with Roger. I did a lot of things I regret. I was horrible to everyone, including you."

The words weren't empty, the girl was genuinely sorrowful. She gave a pathetic look, like a child who'd been caught with their hand in a cookie jar. The tyranny her and Roger brought upon the student populace hadn't been forgotten, even two years on. Augustus had his fair share of lumps from the group of bullies. Though, at the same time, he may have deserved some of it. "I wasn't exactly a boyscout myself." He said.

"But that doesn't mean we should have treated you like that!" Tess insisted, with a little bit more emotion than Augustus was expecting.

The boy sat up straight. "Maybe. But I forgive you."

"Thank you." Tess replied, with a little smile. She didn't know how things were going to go with him, but this wasn't at all what she expected. He wasn't snarky or vindictive like others had been. There were still some that hadn't forgiven her at all. Yet here was Augustus, who slinked around school finding dirt on everyone, just okay with it.

Augustus looked down and went back to strumming his guitar, considering their conversation over. Tess sat in awkward silence watching him play. He could feel her eyes on him so he stopped playing and looked at her. He was expecting her to leave, but she stayed put. "Is there anything else?" He asked.

Tess hugged herself. "No." She said quietly. "I guess not." Yet, she felt like she wanted to say more, but what?

"Alright. Well, don't let me keep you." He said, and went back to the instrument.

The guitar became her focus as well. He seemed to know what he was doing. "Do you know any songs?" She inquired, watching his fingers dance along the strings.

"Kind of." He said, trying to get lost in his happy place again. "I only just started playing."

Tess liked music. Maybe it was the calming atmosphere, but she wanted to watch him play more. "Could you do a song?"

Augustus sighed internally. She wasn't going away, was she? He didn't dislike her, but he did like his personal time. "How did you find me?"

"Ah…" Tess played with her necklace anxiously. "I texted Lucy, asking where you were. She told me to find you here but you seemed like you were in a zone, so I was going to leave you be."

"Mm." Was Augustus's response. He'd have to have a talk with Lucy about that when he got home.

"I heard you saved her life." She said, recalling a conversation she had with the khao manee recently. It came to her as a shock, and it was what prompted her to talk to him and apologize personally. She had to see for herself if the conniving Augustus had really changed for the better. So far, he was living up to that expectation.

"More or less." Augustus was really humble about that. He never flaunted his rescuing of Lucy, and he didn't want a bunch of attention for it. It was the right thing to do. Was he just supposed to watch her bleed out on the sidewalk?

"That was really good of you." Tess scooted closer. "I know she isn't the easiest to get along with."

For the first time, Augustus cracked a small smile. Lucy was quite the diamond in the rough. "Yeah, I've learned that. I don't let it get to me. I've seen worse." He looked up from his guitar to see Tess had gotten closer. Her smile glowed in the setting sun. "Y'know, I think I can play one song halfway decently."

"I wanna hear it!" She said enthusiastically.

"Alright, just don't blame me if your ears bleed." He joked, though he was now fairly confident with his skills. "Here's an attempt at Hotel California."

Chapter Text

It was over. After months of hard work and perseverance, it was over. The cast and crew of Sue's play stood hand in hand along the long wooden stage as they smiled upon the crowd. Friends, family, and their classmates and teachers stood with thunderous applause. Some whistled, others tossed roses, David even called for an encore. The accolades poured in as McCain pulled a lever off stage. The large velvet curtains of the school's stage came down with a thud, hiding the actors from view. Mike sighed with relief. He'd never been in a play before, so it had been a little nerve wracking. His head still hurt from all those pebbles that had been tossed at him.

"Okay people! That's a wrap!" Sue called over the now muffled applause and murmur of the crowd. "Great work everybody! Seriously, what a performance!" Sue was even more relieved than Mike was, though she was saved from having to deal with airborne rocks. Mike noticed him and Lucy were still holding hands, and she jerked hers away from him with an angry look. She too was happy the play was over. Now she could stop pretending everything was okay.

Lucy stormed off towards the dressing rooms as Sue came up behind Mike with a friendly hand on his back. "Mike, you didn't do half bad…" she said with a smile, but Mike wasn't really listening. He was fixated on the white cat headed to be by herself.

Mike lifted up his baby brother and shoved him in the burmese's arms. "Can you watch Chris for a moment?" Sue was a little taken aback but she accepted the small child and let Mike go. Mike slipped through the other crew members and cast to chase down Lucy. "Hey, wait up!" He called.

Lucy looked around, visibly tired. "What do you want?"

It was a difficult conversation, but it needed to be said. "I just…" Mike began, but it was hard to hear over all the chatter.

Lucy cupped a hand to her ear. "I can't hear you."

Mike grabbed her hand, which took Lucy by surprise, and opened the door to her dressing room. He pulled her inside and shut the door, and though you could still hear the excitement beyond it, things were much quieter. Lucy walked a few feet away. "I… didn't need to yell at you like that. " Mike began again. "Back at my place. That wasn't the right thing to say."

Lucy stood, stunned. She never expected Mike to try to reconcile for his angry words, especially since it had come off the back of weeks of him avoiding and ignoring her. Mike, though spurred on by Sandy, did mean every word of it, too. There was a great shame deep within himself, as though a nasty monster were eating away at his insides. He didn't like being mean, and he hated hurting others. "There's still a lot to talk about." The korat continued. "It's not like everything is okay."

He looked away, expecting Lucy to say something, but she didn't. "But…" he said slowly, now unsure of his words. Did he deserve her forgiveness? He didn't feel like it. "You know… if you're interested… we could start things over."

The room remained quiet. Lucy turned around to lean on the makeup table to keep herself steady. Was she okay with letting Mike back into her life? Would he hurt her again? She looked into the mirror, and past herself to see the pitiful look on Mike's face. She smiled. "That'd be nice."

Mike smiled a little, too. "I'm glad." He looked back to the door. "They're doing a reception now. Did you want to join?"

Lucy gripped the table and said nothing for a moment. Her mind and heart were running a mile a minute. Mike opened his mouth to speak again, but Lucy answered. "Let me get changed first. I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Sue if this dress got dirty."

"Ah. I'll see you out there in a bit, then?" He said quietly. Lucy nodded. "Okay." And with that, Mike left the room.

Lucy gripped the table harder, breathing becoming steadily more intense as the situation sunk in. Mike was talking to her again. He WANTED to talk to her again. He wanted to apologize. Lucy looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't know what to feel. It was so overwhelming. Then the realization of her move hit her. She wouldn't be able to see Mike for so long. It wasn't fair! After all this time, she was being forced away! Lucy pulled off her dress. No, she had to get out of there.

The blue puffy dress was discarded on the floor and Lucy left the room. She didn't want to be seen, she just wanted to be gone.

She wanted to die.

The khao manee made a beeline to the backstage doors and headed out them. Just as she was disappearing out of sight, Mike was walking back up to her room to check up on her. Everyone was gone from the stage, leaving it dimly lit. Odd shadows painted the walls, and it was almost a little creepy. Mike nearly jumped out his fur when he heard the heavy metal stage doors creak open. He spun around just in time to see a large white tail slip out between them and out of sight. Mike squinted. "Lucy?" He asked. He didn't get a response. He ran to the doors himself and shoved them open, looking for his friend. He shivered, the temperature had dropped dramatically over the course of the evening and into the night. Snow had also begun to fall.

Up ahead he could see a figure heading away into the darkness. Mike knew Lucy's silhouette anywhere. There was no time to waste, no time to grab his jacket. With a deep breath, the boy left the warmth of the school and ventured into the dark and cold. Lucy hugged herself against the wind, though her natural thick coat served her well against the frigid air. 'Right when I have to transfer..' she thought bitterly. 'He wants to talk about it with me…' A lump formed in her throat.

Mike did his best to keep up, but the air was biting and the snow was getting deeper. "Lucy!" He called, but the howling wind threw her name back into his face. The girl did not know of her follower. She continued to run out into the night, terrible thoughts twisting her mind.

'Why did this have to happen… why do I have to leave…' Lucy beat herself up internally, lump growing larger. 'Why did I let them DO that…' The first tears formed in her eyes, stinging from the cold. 'What does it matter?' A dark part of her mind asked, the one that brought her to her destination weeks before. 'What's even the point. I'm a parasite… that's what I am. Nothing.'

Mike still kept up the pursuit, fighting the urge to run back and get warm. He hugged himself, rubbing his arms, trying to keep himself together. "Lucy, come back!" He yelled, but the grieving girl didn't hear his cries. "Where are you going?" Mike soon got his answer.

They came upon a large, abandoned warehouse at the edge of town. It stood as a monolith in the icy snow, leering over them. Lucy's negative thoughts swirled in her mind as the snow did around her. 'I'll push him away eventually. I'll push everyone away eventually.' She opened the door to the empty building, not caring to shut it behind her. 'What's the point of a new school. Nobody will know me.' Despair was gripping Lucy's heart. She climbed up the ancient rusting stairs that lead to the roof.

Mike made it to the door of the old warehouse and peered inside. He was utterly confused by her behavior. "Lucy?" He whispered. The darkness swallowed everything, even his voice it seemed. There was no time to be afraid, Lucy was clearly in distress. Mike took a deep breath and sally forthed into the decaying architecture.

Lucy was still climbing the stairs to the roof. 'Nobody will care about me. Nobody cares about me.' The tears that stung Lucy's eyes now streamed freely from them. She'd never felt more alone in her life. 'Nobody likes me.' She reached the top and with some difficulty, she pushed open the decrepit door to the roof. 'Why do I bother?' Lucy slowly walked across the snowy roof to stand at the edge. Beneath her was a black void, only broken up by snowflakes. It looked like a vast starfield into the heavens. One last thought crossed her mind as she stared into the inky blackness. 'Everything would be better if I…' She sniffled and smiled through the tears. 'Everything will be better without me.'

Mike huffed and puffed as he made the arduous climb to the top, and he was absolutely wiped. He saw the door was open, and what awaited him on the other side sent a chill up his spine that had nothing to do with the snow. Lucy, on the edge of nothingness, poised to jump. Adrenaline shot through the korat, and without a moment's hesitation, he launched forward, running faster than he'd ever run in his life. Snow kicked up underfoot, threatening to slip the cat up, but he pushed through to get to the girl.

"LUCY!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, and this time she heard him. With just a small hesitation in her jump, it gave Mike time to reach her, taking her hand and pulling her back to him with such force they both tumbled to the ground on top of each other.

There was a great deal of confusion on both their parts as they reeled from the sudden impact. Lucy sat up and shook the snow off her to see Mike wiping the snow off himself as well. "Mike?! What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked, bewildered. "Were you going to jump?!"

The words got caught in Lucy's throat, but she forced them out. "What do you care?" She threw a snowball into the already freezing cat's face. Mike shivered, still covered in snow.

"I don't want you to hurt yourself! Or… worse…" Mike frowned. The khao manee was in quite the state. He could still see tears on her cheek, glinting in the moonlight.

"It's not any of your business!" Lucy stood up, and Mike jumped to his feet, taking her hand.

"I'm not gonna let you throw your life away! Why are you doing this?" He demanded to know.

"I have to m-move away!" Lucy choked. "Just when y-you want to be friends…"

Mike softened. "You're moving away?" The thought of it felt so strange. Lucy, gone? She had been a constant in his life since he was a toddler, for better or for worse. "I don't understand…"

"It doesn't matter anymore!" Lucy yelled. "I'm over this! I'M OVER ALL OF THIS!" She yanked her hand away and headed for the edge of the roof again, but Mike was faster. He hugged her from behind, just on the precipice of doom. "Ugh! Let go of m-me!" She squirmed.

"No!" Mike cried, holding her close. "If you jump, I jump! That's the deal!"

"Stop it!" Lucy wrenched one of her hands free and used it to push him back. "Don't!"

"I will! I swear I will!" He said firmly, though he wasn't sure if he would hold true to that. He was just hoping he wouldn’t have to find out.

"Why do you care anyway!" Lucy smacked Mike upside his head, but the korat only closed his eyes and held onto the girl for dear life. "You avoided me! You yelled at me! Why do that just to turn around and make things right!" Lucy was punching him now, but Mike didn't relent. "WHY!"

"BECAUSE I WAS SCARED!" Mike bellowed.

Lucy stopped struggling. "Wh-what?"

"P-please… let's step b-back from the ledge." The cold was starting to get to Mike, and each snowflake bit at him. The tunic was no help at all.

"Let go of me first." Lucy said.

Mike shook his head. "N-not until w-we're on the g-ground."

Lucy sighed and leaned into Mike. "Fine, pull me back."

Mike did so, and the two sat a few feet away from the edge. "After you confessed… I still really liked you. I pretended like I didn't because… it just felt wrong." Mike huddled up with himself. "I was supposed to like Sandy and only Sandy. I thought that… if I avoided you… thought about only the bad things to hate you… it would help. But that wasn't fair to you."

Lucy wiped her eyes, thinking about his words. She was a little shell shocked, all this time, this was the truth. Mike sniffled, though it was a mixture of his own sorrow and the fightful cold. "I've been a h-horrible person. T-to everyone." Mike lowered his head. "If anyone deserves to jump, it's me."

Lucy scooched a little closer. "Mike…" She put a hand on his arm and recoiled. "Mike, you're freezing!"

"I-I'm fine." He shivered. Mike's body screamed from the frigid temperatures. If it wasn't freezing yet, it would be soon. "I j-just want you to b-b-be okay."

Lucy sighed and hunched over. "I'll be fine. We should probably get back to school."

They picked themselves up and headed down the precarious stairway to the bottom. Everything was quiet that night. People were at home, cozying up to fires or getting into bed. Mike and Lucy trudged through the snow, like two strangers in an endless snowy wasteland. They needn't wait for traffic, there was none. The traffic lights projected their signals, lifted up by the thick air and snow around it. It was eerie for both of them, and they made a point of staying close to each other. The tracks they made on the way to the warehouse had been covered by a fresh layer of snow. Lucy could feel Mike shaking beside her. She felt bad for him. If she had a coat, she'd offer it. They would be back at school anyway.

However, before long Mike started stumbling and lagging behind. His teeth chattered as his body shook in a desperate attempt to keep warm. "Ss-ss-sso c-cold…" he stuttered.

Lucy squinted, she could make out the lights of the school in the distance. "We're almost there, Mike. Then you can warm up." There was no response from her korat companion. Lucy rolled her eyes. "Mike?" She looked behind her. A few feet away, Mikes' body lay face first in the snow. "Michael!" Lucy gasped, and ran over to him. She kneeled down and shook him. "Mike?!"

The korat groaned and tried to roll himself over. Lucy helped him. "I c-can't…" he murmured, barely able to speak at a whisper, eyes nearly closed. For Mike the world was a blur, his head was feeling light, and his body was weak.

Fear gripped Lucy for the second time that night. "Michael… please… we're almost there!" The khao manee tried to help him up, and though small as he was, he was still heavy. She dug deep and tried to drag him with all her might, but she only managed a foot or two before collapsing in a heap of heavy breathing.

"Juss-sst g-g…go…" Mike wheezed, trying to curl up to preserve what little body heat he had left.

"I'm not leaving you!" Lucy huffed. She pulled Mike close to her, and tried her best to share her warmth. Her tail wrapped around him, too, like a little impromptu blanket. Mike wrapped his arms around her, too. Mike shivered and shook, but his shaking was slowing down, and not because he was warming up. The school was so close, yet so far. She couldn't leave Mike out here, with the snow piling up who knows if she could find him again. It was a dire situation, and while she was able to give him some comfort, it wouldn't be sustainable.

"I'm s-s-so sorry, L-Lucy." Mike whispered. He coughed a little as he inhaled the cold, night air. "I'm sorry I-I was ss-such a-an ass… You d-deserve b-better." He could feel his consciousness slipping, but he wasn't afraid. He could hear Lucy's heartbeat, feel her warmth, as though she were radiating with love for him. If he died now, he was okay with that, at least he was able to save her life. His arms started to go limp, breaking his embrace.

"N-no! Mike!" Lucy cried. She looked up at the school. There was only one thing she could think to do. She inhaled as deeply as she could, lungs stinging from the sudden intake of freezing air, and yelled as loud as she could. "H-HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" She squinted to see if anyone was coming. Nothing. She went for another volley. "PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP! MIKE IS FREEZING! HELP!"

Inside, everyone was enjoying the great reception that had been laid out. Sue had long since relinquished Chris over to Mike's parents, and was happily taking in accolades for a job well done. The full bellies and cozy atmosphere made it all the more wonderful. "I may have a sequel in mind." The burmese told a crowd of students, one of which was on the school paper. "But you know what they say, the sequel is never as good, so we'll see."

Just then, Mike's family walked up to the crowd. "You guys haven't seen Mike, have you?" His mother asked. "We can't find him anywhere."

"Screw Mike, where's Lucy?" Paulo asked, coming back from his third round backstage. "I haven't seen her since the play."

Sue looked a little annoyed that once again Mike and Lucy's drama was stepping on everything, especially after she had spent so long trying to solve it. "I haven't seen either of them. They probably made up and left together or something."

The idea of Lucy going anywhere with Mike made Paulo's temperature rise. On the edge of the party, David leaned against the wall with a cheese platter, trying to see how many cheese cubes he could fit in his mouth. The faintest voice caught his ear. He squinted and looked left and right, but shrugged when he didn't see anyone. The voice came again, and he pressed his ear against the wall. It could just barely be made out, but there was definitely someone calling for help. It sounded a lot like Lucy. David gasped and dropped the plate of cheese. He ran over to the others. "Guys, Lucy-baby is in trouble!"

Everyone stared at him blankly. His mouth was full of cheese so all they heard was a garbled mess. David spit the cheese out everywhere to a collective 'Eww!'. "Ugh, David! Disgusting!" Sue groaned.

"Lucy-baby needs help! I heard her outside!" David said hurriedly, pointing at the wall. Everyone went quiet, and sure enough, they could hear Lucy yelling for help.

"Lucy! I'm coming!" Paulo yelled and booked it to the door. Everyone made chase.

Outside, Lucy's voice had grown hoarse and she fell on her side, hugging the korat to her body. He'd gone still, and Lucy cried as she tried to warm him. "Michael… oh Michael… please don't leave me…" She whispered. She closed her eyes, prepared to sleep out there if she had to, just to keep him warm, when the doors to the school burst open.

Paulo led the charge into the deep snow, followed by their other friends and family. It didn't take long for Paulo to spot the two cats laying in the snow. Seeing Lucy embracing Mike made Paulo's stomach churn, but he brushed it aside. "Lucy! Are you okay?" The somali asked urgently, kneeling down to her.

The khao manee looked at his orange and white face. "Help him, Paulo! He isn't going to last much longer out here."

Paulo frowned. "Fine." He said, annoyed. He wrapped his arms around Mike and lifted the unconscious teen. "David, can I get some help? Mike weighs a ton."

"Must be all that self pity." The dog joked, lifting up Mike's feet.

"Oh my goodness…" Mike's mom said to herself, seeing her son carried unconscious back to the school.

Jordan helped Lucy to her feet. "Where did you go?! We looked everywhere for you!"

"Don't… don't worry about it." She smiled at her brother. "Let's just get inside."

The party made their way inside to the warmth, with Sue and McCain holding the door open for everyone. They cleared off the reception table and gently lowered the korat onto it. Murmurs ran through the crowd. "Should we call an ambulance?" One asked.

"Is he dead or unconscious?" Another inquired.

"It is unlikely he would die from such little exposure to the cold." McCain observed. "Most likely he just needs to get some sleep."

"Shut up, McCain!" A few of them said.

Lucy hung around the back. Paulo sidled up next to her with two mugs of hot chocolate, rescued from the table before it was cleared. He offered one to her. "Lucy… what happened out there?"

The khao manee sighed and took the mug. It had been a long night, and she didn't feel much like getting into it. She did want to tell him, but now wasn't the time. "I got lost." She said, "He helped me find my way back."

Paulo looked at the unconscious korat. "I'm happy he did." He then smiled at her. "Lucy, I didn't get a chance to say it before the play, but…"

"I know." Lucy broke her gaze from Mike to look at the somali. "I think I should take some time to work on myself, though."

Paulo hunched a little, deflated. "Ah. Figures."

"Chin up, jerkhead. I didn't say no. I just need some time to sort things out." She grinned. "If you can keep it in your pants for that long."

"For you? Absolutely." He smiled and took a deep sip of the chocolate.

"Also I'm moving away for several months."

Paulo spit out his drink, burning himself.

Chapter Text

In a dark room, early in the morning, a small white cat lay sleeping peacefully in her bed. Though she slept fine now, she had been kept up most of the night. Today was a big day, perhaps the biggest day of her life so far, one that would shatter the status quo. Going to bed early really hadn't helped much, all it did was give the girl more time to mull over what terrors might await her in the morning. What would she do with herself? Her mother wouldn't be there. She wouldn't have her brother. She didn't have any friends. It would just be her, and her alone. Even though her mother had talked up how much fun she would have, Lucy couldn't fit the idea in with all her worries. Preschool would be a nightmare, one she would be awake to experience.

It was such a big step, and a part of her childhood would now be lost. She remembered her brother going to preschool before her. Jordan would disappear for hours and return with all sorts of stories of things he had done and friends he was making. He had a high opinion of it too, just like his mother, but it sounded like so much to Lucy. If she was going to be playing with toys anyway, why couldn't she just stay at home? That way her mother would always be nearby… she wouldn't have to worry, or be afraid. Furthermore, Lucy hadn't been the best at making friends. Others found her a bit too rambunctious. Even her mother had to agree, she didn't much act like the other girls her age, or any other kid for that matter. She had this aggressive streak that she didn't mean to have, but it would sometimes slip out and scare others away.

So little Lucy laid awake for hours in her little bed, with all the things that could go wrong circling in her little mind. Eventually, she grew too exhausted to think, and drifted off to sleep. It was good for her, her brain finally taking a break from all the worry and strife. All too soon, it would come to an end, and the next step towards the rest of her life started with the flick of a lightswitch, and the voice of a caring mother who was admittedly just as anxious to see her little girl go off on her own as she was. When the light came on, Lucy frowned and tried to block out the light by squeezing her eyes shut as tight as she could. Her mother smiled and spoke to her. "Come on, cupcake. Time to get up! You have a big day ahead of you."

Closing her eyes tighter was proving to be a fruitless effort, so Lucy resorted to pulling the blanket over her head with a groan. "Now now, don't be that way, dear." Her mother said, gently pulling the covers back. The smaller white cat looked up with a pouty face as her refuge was taken from her. "We must be leaving soon!" Lucy groaned again as her mother walked out the bedroom door. "I want you down for breakfast in five minutes! Jordan is already up."

Lucy still frowned, and her fear of preschool began sinking in again. While she couldn't put into words any of what she was feeling, she knew she didn't like it. She hopped out of bed, head still groggy from just having woken up, and headed downstairs to get something to eat. Her stomach was tied up in knots, though, and she didn't much feel like eating. Jordan was already chomping down on some sugary cereal, and her mother was putting the box away. "Lucy, eat." She nodded to a small bowl with the same cereal in it.

"Are you excited for Kindergarten, Jordan?" The mother asked the boy.

"Yeah! I can't wait!" He said, mouth full of cereal chunks. Some of it sprayed out as he talked.

"See Lucy, Jordan is excited. And, don't eat with your mouth open, dear." Said the mom, getting some paper towels to clean up the mess.

It didn't exactly fill the khao manee with much confidence. She loved her brother, but he was kind of an airhead sometimes. Besides, everyone always seemed to like him. He cast a long shadow over her, and she felt like there was this unspoken expectation for her to be like him. She didn't want to be, thank you very much, but she still couldn't help that something was missing…

They all finished eating and their mother insisted that Lucy come see her brother off to school. Jordan talked to some of his friends while they waited at the bus stop. Lucy stood by her mom, partially hiding behind her legs watching the scene unfold. Jordan always made it look so easy. When the large yellow bus finally arrived, the older brother put on his brave face, hugged his mother, and a reluctant Lucy, and ran up into the bus.

"That'll be you next year, sweetheart." Her mother said, a little choked up that her little baby boy was growing up. "I know you'll love it!"

The little khao manee pouted. Lucy very much didn't even like the idea of Kindergarten either, let alone love it. She didn't even want to go to preschool. Her mother wiped a stray tear from her eye. "Well, it's your turn now, honey. Let's get going."

Lucy's heart sank. Preschool really was inevitable. She took her sweet time getting into her carseat, anything to hold off a little longer. When she was all buckled in, her mother said, "I'll be right back, okay dear?"

Her mom went inside and returned with something wrapped up in some decorative gift tissue. Lucy tried her best to see what it was, but it was no use. Her mother had wrapped it up tight. On the way to daycare, Lucy's curiosity for the little package bore into her, distracting her from her impending doom. The ride was shorter than she would have liked, and in the blink of her little blue eyes she was surrounded by a bunch of other kids her age, all yelling and laughing and carrying on. Lucy held her mother's hand as she checked in at the front desk. The receptionist and her had a few words, none of which Lucy paid any mind to. She was far too focused on all the racket around her.

Her mom gave her hand a little tug, and Lucy followed her lead. She stuck close, her little heart beating rapidly as she walked down the hallway, which only seemed to get longer and longer as she walked. The walls were high, the floor was cold and tough. They stopped at a door part way down and entered it. Inside were even more rambunctious kids, all around her age.

The teacher came over to greet them. "Ah, you must be Agatha! And this must be little Lucy too!" The older dog woman smiled at the little white cat, who was hiding behind her mom's legs much like she'd done at the bus stop.

"We are! It's wonderful to meet you!" Lucy's mom said. "Just dropping off Lucy and I'll be on my way!"

"If you have any questions, let me know, okay?" The teacher said, and she went back to watching over the rest of the class.

"I hope you like preschool, sweetie." Her mom said. Lucy stuck her tongue out with a 'bleh'.

Her mom smiled wearily at her little girl. "Oh, Lucy…" She took out the little tissue wrapped gift from her purse. "I have a present for you."

Lucy's eyes went wide as her mom unwrapped it. It was a bright pink bow. The mother knelt down and wrapped it around her neck. "I know it's all a little scary, but remember.." She finished tying it off. "Mommy's always going to be with you."

Lucy inspected it as well as she could with it being behind her head. Her mom admired her daughter's new look. "If you ever feel lonely, this ribbon'll remind you how much I love you."

Truth be told, it did bring Lucy some comfort. She hugged her mom. "Thank you, mommy! I love you!"

Her mom got the same lump in her throat she had when she bid Jordan farewell. "I love you too, sweetheart. I'll miss you."

They broke the embrace and her mother waved goodbye. Lucy tried to mimic the same brave look Jordan had, but to mixed results. Just like that, her mom was gone, and it was just her. And her bow. And her thoughts. Lucy stood in the middle of the chaos, looking around for something to do. It was almost like there was too much to choose from.

A little ways away, she saw some girls playing together with a large dollhouse. It was even bigger than the one her mom got her. This one was also still intact, as Lucy's had been destroyed when she dressed up as a dinosaur during Halloween and smashed it to oblivion. It was as good as any group to talk to, so she walked over.

"I hungwy!" Said one of the girls, a striped orange cat who was playing with a girl figurine. It didn't look like it belonged with the house. Upon closer look, the set seemed to be a mish mash of several different toys all brought together.

One of the other girls, holding a woman doll who was missing chunks of hair, spoke up. "Okie, I will get yew some food." She made the doll faux walk by hopping it back and forth to the kitchen area.

"Hello.." Lucy said to them, and they looked up. "Can I play?"

The other girls looked at each other and then back to Lucy with a smile. "Yeah!" Said the one holding the woman doll. "You can be the dad!"

Lucy took the man doll (who was missing an arm) and sat down with the girls to play. It was pretty boring for Lucy. Just pedantic life stuff, cleaning house, making food, going to work, excetera. Lucy tried to come up with a war story about the man's missing limb, but neither of the girls were fans of it. Preschool was worse than Lucy feared, it was lame and boring. That was, until she had an idea. She'd seen something on the news recently about an earthquake somewhere in the world, and thought it'd be a cool idea to recreate it.

Without warning, Lucy grabbed the house and started shaking it. "Earfquake! Earfquake!" She yelled. The house bounced around and all the little pieces in it hopped out onto the floor. Lucy laughed as the house fell into disarray. The other girls did not find it so funny.

"That's not how yew play house!" Said the girl with the little girl doll, who frowned at Lucy.

"Yew ruined it!" Said the other, picking up the pieces.

Lucy stopped her rampage. "I was just…"

"Go away, meanie!" They chimed in unison.

Lucy felt hurt, she wasn't trying to mess up their fun time, just make it more exciting. She let go of the house and walked away. So much for that. That's when she heard some boys making some explosion noises. "Plane incoming!" Yelled one, who was flying a plane into a truck.

"Oh no!" Said the other, who made another explosion noise with his mouth as he flipped the vehicle over. Lucy smiled, now this was a game that SHE could play. She walked over and grabbed a tank.

"Here I come!" She said excitedly, rolling it across the ground to the truck. The two boys pulled away from the toys and looked at her like she was crazy. Lucy noticed they stopped playing along. "What?"

"We dun wanna play with you!" The larger of the boys said, taking back the toys. "You're a girl! You got cooties!"

Lucy's cheeks went red hot as her temper rose. A few of the kids around them looked up at the commotion. "No I'm not!" She balled her little hands into fists.

"Yes you are!" The boy called back, sticking out his tongue. "Just an icky girl!"

Lucy was tired of being pushed around. This was the last straw. "No! I'm! NOT!" Lucy raised a fist up and brought it down on the boys' head. The boy stopped jeering, as well as his friend who was laughing at his antics. There was a brief moment when everything went dead silent, and the large boys' lip trembled.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH!" He cried, loudly. "SHE HIT MEEEE!" He punctuated this with a finger point to the white cat.

Everyone in the room looked at Lucy with fear and worry. It didn't take long for the teacher to come running to the child's aid. Lucy stood looking down, hands to herself as she felt all the eyes in the classroom boring into her, judging her. The teacher was well versed on how to handle these types of situations, so she took care of it. First, the crying boy was inspected for injury, and though his head hurt from Lucy's fist, there seemed to be nothing else wrong. As for Lucy, the teacher asked a simple question, "Lucy, did you hit him?"

The girl was struck, terrified of what consequences awaited her. She wanted her mom. She wanted to disappear. She wanted to be back at her house, playing in the living room. All she could do now is look sorry and try to hide her trembling. "Just be honest." Her teacher coaxed. Lucy nodded. "Was that a nice thing to do?" Lucy shook her head.

"But- he- I…" She sputtered, trying to defend her actions.

"Now now, Lucy. It isn't nice to hit others. We can use our words instead." Her teacher gave her a look that only made the girl feel worse. "Can you use them to say sorry?"

Lucy hugged herself. She didn't very much think she needed to apologize for anything. The little jerkface deserved what he got. Looking around, Lucy saw nobody else believed that. Lucy frowned, looked at her feet, and said, "Sorry…"

"Thank you Lucy. Please be kind to your friends here, okay?" The teacher stood up and walked away from the sniffling boy. Lucy gave him a frown before walking off herself to find someone else to play with. Unfortunately for her, she had no luck.

Nobody wanted anything to do with her after her outburst, let alone play or be friendly. When approaching someone new, or a group, the laughter and smiles would die away and they would draw into themselves. Some simply moved away, refusing to engage. As the day dragged on, Lucy gave up trying to talk to anyone, and with all the toys being taken, she sat by herself in the corner, facing a wall to hide her tears. She hated preschool. She hated everyone else. Why did her mother make her come here? It was like she feared things would be, lonely and cold.

A mother korat and her son came into the room hurriedly. The teacher smiled and walked over to greet them. "Ah, I thought I was missing a student. This must be Michael." She said, smiling at the boy.

The korat boy smiled back and waved with a friendly "Hello!"

"Sorry we're late, this sleepyhead took his time getting ready." The mother korat looked down at her son, who smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry…" He said.

"That's quite alright!' The ever cheerful teacher said. "We still have plenty of day ahead of us! Feel free to find something to play with, Michael."

His mother knelt down to him. "Bye, sweetheart, have fun today! I love you."

"I love you too, mommy!" Mike hugged her.

The mother hugged him back and stood up. "I'll be back later. Bye bye!" With that, the mother left, leaving her son to go about his day.

The teacher showed Mike around, showing him the different areas as she had done for the rest of the class earlier that day. Mike took it all in, and afterwards the teacher let him go off and do his own thing. It was quite loud in there, which hurt his little sensitive ears, but he grinned and beared it. Mike wandered around the room to the different kids playing with toys. They all seemed too wrapped up in whatever they were doing to pay the soft spoken boy much mind. After a few failed attempts at joining a play group, he resigned himself to do something on his own. It wasn't anything personal against him, but seeing as the last time someone joined a group it ended in someone getting hit, they weren't too keen on letting a newcomer in, as friendly as he was.

That was okay with Mike, he was happy doing something on his own. He took a few building blocks and sat to the side. Preschool wasn't so bad. All he had at home was his baby sister Haley, and she couldn't do much at all. Here he was around kids his age, people he could be friends with. As he settled down with his blocks, a new sound drifted through the dynn and made its way to his ears. Mike looked up from his stack. It sounded like… crying? Nobody in front of him was crying, and he was in the back of the classroom. He looked behind himself, and his eyes laid upon Lucy for the first time.

Lucy hugged herself, eyes closed and trying to pretend she was home. It wasn't working at all, there was so much noise. And then… "Why are you crying?"

Lucy nearly jumped out of her fur. The voice came from right behind her. She did her best to wipe away the evidence. "I-I wasn't… crying's for babies…"

"But I heard you." Mike sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"How d-did you hear me?" Lucy asked, trying to avoid talking about what was upsetting her. She rarely let her sadness show, even rarer still talk about it, and to a stranger? Unheard of.

"I can hear good." Mike pointed to his ears. There was a crash nearby as some kids rammed some toy cars together. Mike winced. "Sometimes it hurts."

The boy had such a genuine warmth about him. His big smile, the way he talked to her, she felt a little more at ease. She folded her arms and looked away. "Nobody wants to be my friend." She whispered.

Mike frowned. He knew how that felt. An idea struck him, though, and he found his smile again. "I'll be your friend!" Lucy looked at him with big blue eyes. "My name's Mike! What's yours?"

A small redness came across Lucy's face. "L… Lucy…"

"Lucy? I like that name!" Mike said. "Do you want to play blocks with me?"

Lucy smiled for the first time that day. "I do."

Chapter Text

Paulo took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. He immediately looked the other way and held out the small cake he had with both hands. The door opened, and he hastily said, "Take it." The response, however, came from a voice he'd never heard before.

"I'm flattered, but we've never been properly acquainted!" Said a small, but wise sounding, voice. Paulo looked back at the open and empty doorway. "Paulo dear." Said the voice again, and Paulo heard it coming from the floor. He shifted his gaze downward and saw a small brown hedgehog hugging the door frame. He took a brief pause to register what was going on before he spoke.

"Is Lucy around or whatever." He asked, anxious to see her. Lily's expression hardened, then changed to one of mild concern.

"She's busy. She can't come down right now." She muttered.

Paulo felt a little deflated that things weren't immediately going as smoothed as he fantasized on the way over. "Umm, I was hoping to see her personally."

Lily reached up to the cake. "I can give it to her later, it's fine."

Still, Paulo was apprehensive. "Well, I dunno…"

"Hand it over." Lily said sweetly.

Just then, something cold and hard splattered against the back of Paulo's head. "Hahaha! Bullseye!" Laughed Yashy, pleased with the aim of her snowball.

"Yayyy!" Cheered Chirpy.

Lily looked at the rambunctious lizard with annoyance. "Yashy, he is holding a fragile box for-" But another well aimed snowball found its mark on her face, shutting her, and making her angrier. "YASHY!" She yelled, going after her.

With the doorway now cleared, Paulo took advantage of the distraction to enter the house. He looked around for his khao manee friend, calling her name. "Lucyyyyy… Lily willingly let me in so I'm not robbing you or anything." There was no response. Paulo went upstairs to continue his search. "Lucyyy…"

At the top of the steps he called out again. "I'm just bringing ya some cake, okay?" He noticed a slightly opened door and peeked in. It was dark, but with the light of the hallway he could just make out Lucy's shape sitting on the edge of her bed. She didn't look up, she merely stared at the ground in front of her. "Lucy, umm…" Paulo started, slipping inside. His tail rubbed up against the door, closing it a little more so that only a slit shone through. The blinds were closed shut, with blackout curtains drawn. There was a sense of foreboding as Paulo walked closer to the girl. On the opposite side of the bed she was sitting, he stopped. "Lucy?" Still, no response. "I… brought you a cake!" He said, trying to sound cheerful, holding up the little box.

Lucy looked over at him slowly with soulless, melancholic eyes and then back to the ground ahead of her. Paulo felt his heart seize. He'd never seen anyone in such a state, let alone Lucy. The cake was gently placed on his side of the bed and he walked around to kneel in front of her, getting in her line of sight. Despite this, she seemed to be looking right through him. "Luce, why won't you say anything?"

Lucy shrugged. Paulo frowned, looking at her with worry. "Did something happen?" She shrugged again. It wasn't anything to go off of, but something was most definitely wrong. "Let's have some cake. I didn't really know what you liked, I hope chocolate is okay." But the offer of cake still didn't make a dent in Lucy's sadness. "Please…" Paulo took her hand. "Tell me what's wrong!"

Lucy looked away, but didn't withdraw her hand from his. Paulo decided to give her time to speak, and kept quiet. After a while, she did so. Her voice was low, barely above a whisper, but Paulo was listening intently. "Do you hate me?"

The somali blinked, shocked at such an outlandish question. When had he ever hinted he disliked her in any way? "No! Not at all! Did someone say I did?" Lucy stayed quiet, trying to think of a way that it could mean something else. The silence was driving Paulo mad. "Who told you that? Did Mike have anything to do with this?" There was a sense of desperation in his voice as he spoke.

Mentioning Mike had been the magic word. She didn't change her gaze, but the way her despondent face flitted to worry and then back was all Paulo needed to see to confirm his suspicions. "What did he say to you?" Lucy shook her head, and Paulo gave her hand a little squeeze. "Lucy, please, talk to me! What did he say?"

Lucy pulled her hand from his grasp, and Paulo sadly watched it go. Lucy had such soft, gentle hands, and while he felt awful for thinking it, he secretly wished he could hold them every day for the rest of his life. To feel the touch his chest, cup his cheek, caress him. Lucy hugged herself and whispered to him again. "He said you didn't love me." Paulo's eyes widened. The nerve of that little brat! But it only got worse. "He said…" Lucy closed her eyes, tears stinging at the edges of her eyes as she recalled the terrible night in his room. "He said nobody could love me for who I was. That I was a p-parasite…"

With every word, a rage bubbled and broiled inside Paulo. It was a fury like he'd never felt before. He swore if that korat was in the room, he'd wring his neck. "He didn't…" he growled to himself. "That little bastard!"

"You guys aren't going to abandon me, are you?" Lucy said, looking at the somali who was now shaking with hate and rage. Paulo looked up at her misty blue eyes and stood up, pulling her into a hug.

"I promise you, you aren't any of those things he said you are." He whispered, trying to keep himself calm for Lucy's sake. "We love you, Lucy. Mike doesn't decide that for us." Lucy rested her head on his chest, leaning into the embrace. "Fuck Mike. How about we all abandon him instead? Acting like a dramatic mopey wimp, going on about his imaginary girlfriend."

Lucy shook her head against his chest. "That won't make things better… he's right, I'm better off alone… I cause so much drama."

Paulo frowned and knelt down so he could look Lucy in the eyes, his hands on her shoulders. He showed complete seriousness on his face. "That isn't true and you know it!"

"But I do! I've always been mean to you whenever you flirted with me!" She wiped her eyes. "And I used you when things got bad with Mike! I don't want to use you again!"

Paulo thought back to all the times Lucy hit him, and on all the times she hit Mike, too. "Yeah, you do pack a punch… but I don't care about that! I want you to be happy! More than anything! Dammit Lucy, I love you!"

The words rang out in the dark room, and the realization came over both their faces at what Paulo had admitted. He removed his hands off her shoulders and covered his mouth, looking away. "No… oh no… I shouldn't…" he said, horrified. Images of Jasmine flashed in the somalis' mind.

"Paulo?" Lucy reached out to him. "Did you mean that?"

Paulo covered his head. "I did… but… I shouldn't have said it… I'm with Jasmine, that isn't fair to her!"

"What are YOU doing here!" Yelled someone from the door. Both cats in the room jumped at the sudden loudness. It was a very angry looking Jordan. "Get out! Leave her alone!"

Paulo shook his head. "I wasn't… I just wanted to see that she was okay!"

Jordan flipped on the light, seething. He stormed over to the surprised somali. Lucy rolled her eyes. "Jordan, it's fine, really!"

"No it isn't!" He barked. "I don't know what you guys did but I know one of you is responsible!"

"I'll go, I'll go!" Paulo raised his hands. "Geez man, relax."

"Paulo, you don't have to-" Lucy started, but Paulo smiled and waved her off.

"Naww, it's okay. I just wanted to drop off the cake anyway. I hope you like it." He said as he let Jordan escort him out the room. "See you Monday?"

"Bye Paulo. See you Monday." Lucy almost seemed a bit more cheerful.

Chapter Text

An orange cat sat in his old beat up car, idling in front of his friend's house. Even with the engine running, and the heater on, he could still feel a little bit of the chilling cold biting at him. The sun had long since set below the horizon, setting the winter sky ablaze in beautiful warm colors. Paulo checked the time on the fading neon green digital clock above the radio. He grimaced, It was getting rather late, and he had work early tomorrow. He just wished the korat inside the house would hurry up and get his tail out there. This whole venture was his idea, and Paulo still had to wait.

He sat back with his arms folded, looking out through the windshield at Mike's door with a rather annoyed look on his face. Mike had come to him the previous day asking him if he wanted to go to some holiday festival at the Roseville Botanical Gardens. It was an odd request to be sure, but for whatever reason Paulo agreed (so long as Mike spotted him the gas money). Paulo had half a mind to put the car in reverse and forget the whole thing when the small gray cat he was there to pick up came rushing out the house, still frantically trying to zip up his jacket. Paulo leaned over to unlock the door for him, and Mike slid into the passenger seat.

"S-sorry!" Mike squeaked as he shut the car door and fumbled with the seatbelt. He could feel Paulo's eyes burning into the back of his head. Mike gave him an apologetic look. "I had to help clear the table… took longer than I thought."

Paulo grunted in acknowledgement. He looked forward and got the car in gear. "Where is this place? I've never been there."

"Ah, it's not too far." Mike said, getting comfortable in his seat and adjusting the air vents so they focused on him. "I can guide you there!"

"Sounds good." Was all Paulo managed to say, trying to keep his annoyance hidden. This felt like it was something special for Mike and he wanted to keep it light.

They didn't say much else, as Paulo was concentrating on following Mike's instructions, and Mike was too busy trying to hide his blush by looking out the window. He hoped that the window's reflection wouldn't betray him. The whole time, Paulo was thinking about how long this outing would take. He was about to ask Mike, when the korat beat him to talking. "Thank you for coming tonight." He said to the window.

Paulo gave a weak smile. "No problem, bud. It'll be fun." Though he couldn't help but feel Mike would get more out of it than he ever would. Mike was always into some fruity thing like festivals and flowers. Hell, Mike even played a flower mage in that online game he and the others played.

But then Mike said something that put a small dent in Paulo's disgruntledness. "Really, I mean it." Mike said in a really genuine tone. "Thank you. It means a lot." Paulo had a moment to look at the korat with a small bit of surprise. Mike's face looked really soft in the glow of the street lights.

Paulo shook the moment out of his head. "Y-yeah. I know." Mike smiled and looked back out the window. Up ahead, he could see the multicolored lights from the festival.

"Oh! There it is!" Mike said excitedly, eyes alight with the prospect of a fulfilling night at the festival.

It didn't take long for Paulo to pull into the packed parking lot, but parking was another story. Mike gawked with wide eyes at the sights and sounds that awaited them inside. Paulo couldn't help but crane his neck to get quick glances at the festival either. After a few false alarms, Paulo managed to find a spot a little ways away. There was an ocean of cars between them and the front gates. Paulo put the car in park. "Alright, let's do this." He said, though in his mind, it was more like, 'Let's get this over with.'

Mike was out faster than he was. Paulo'd rarely seen him this giddy, not since Sandy. "I can't wait! This place is great, I'm telling you."

They walked together between the cars to the front. "You've been here before?" Paulo asked.

"Oh yeah, plenty of times. My family comes every year." Mike explained cheerfully.

Paulo raised an eyebrow. "Why not this year?"

"We already went." Mike replied as they got closer to the gates. The sounds from the festival were getting louder, and delicious smells wafted to them, drawing them in.

"Then why-" Paulo started, but he was cut off by a sudden outburst from Mike.

"Here we are!" He said, pointing, eyes shimmering from all the brightly colored lights. They walked through the entrance building, which was decked out in garland and lights itself. Off the garland hung shiny baubles and ornaments that bounced the light around. There was also a massive hearth with a large fire to match it. The front desk was offering blankets and maps. Beyond the building was a dirt path weaved between the endless sea of stalls, each one uniquely decorated and offering different products.

Some sold food, warm mugs of hot chocolate, cakes and candies. Others, soaps and clothes, a few had toys. Nothing really caught Paulo's attention. For him, if you'd been to one festival, you'd been to them all. It wasn't the same for Mike. Despite already having been to the festival, he still liked looking at everything, and showing some items of interest to Paulo, who merely gave them uninterested glances, with the occasional "Cool."

At the end of the pathway was a sizable lake, covered in a sheet of ice. Around it were signs posted, warning of the danger it posed. 'WARNING: THIN ICE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WALK ON.' On the edge of the lake were more Christmas decorations, and a few people taking a breather from the packed crowd and stalls.

As they walked, Mike pointed out a string of amber lights that hung over the pathway. "Aren't they nice?"

"Mmm?" Paulo was lost in his thoughts, most of which included crawling into a warm bed. It was terribly cold, and that was for him. He had no idea how Mike was able to stand it, with his fur being so short. He followed Mike's gaze upward as they walked. It was very crowded on the path, so as he walked, Paulo stumbled into some people, who gave him annoyed looks, only adding to his annoyment. "Yeah, I guess they're fine."

"I think they match your eyes, too." Mike ssid shyly, and so quietly that Paulo couldn't make out exactly what he said, even if there wasn't the sounds of a bustling festival around them.

"What was that?" The somali asked, looking back down, but Mike was already on his way to the next thing. One part of Mike was beating himself up for making such a comment, the other reason for him moving on so quickly was to hide the blush on his face. His heart hammered in his chest, he wanted to compliment Paulo, but it made his stomach go funny. It was as though a million little butterflies were set free all at once, all trying to burst out of him. "Mike, wait up!" Paulo said, running after him, trying not to lose the little korat in the dense crowd.

Fortunately for Mike, a distraction came up. There was a hot chocolate vendor, and he was freezing. He slowed his gait to allow Paulo to catch up, and when he did, he asked, "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"That sounds great, actually." Paulo was cold as well, though not to the same degree as Mike. He had thicker fur, but the low temperature was starting to get to him. He couldn't imagine how Mike felt. As they stood in line for the warm beverage, they talked a little.

"What do you think of the festival?" Mike asked, with a hint of anxiousness in his voice. It was something that meant a great deal to him, and he wanted to share it with Paulo. Mike hoped that Paulo would enjoy it as much as he did, and maybe even want to go back next year, or to other events. The Roseville Botanical Gardens hosted similar things throughout the year, and Mike hadn't gotten the courage to ask his friend to come with him until now.

Paulo had to find an answer between the truth and a lie. He appreciated Mike, he was a great friend, but gardens and festivals just weren't his speed. "It's… pretty cool." He said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Mike smiled, but as the line moved up, Paulo's thoughts began to wander to how late it was getting. Finally, they reached the stall, and Mike insisted on paying.

"It's only fair." He said. "You drove us here."

They took their hot chocolates and walked over to the icy lakes' edge to get some air. At the very least, if the rest of the night was lame, the hot chocolate would be nice. It was one of the things Paulo looked forward to most about the winter temperatures. It smelled great, and Paulo took a deep, yet cautious, sip.

And he immediately made a face of disgust as he gulped it down. He looked at the decorative foam cup questioningly. "Did they make this with water?"

Mike, who was quite enjoying his, looked up from his cup that he was holding close to him for warmth. "Yeah."

"Eugh." Paulo wretched flatly. "Never make hot chocolate with water. It ruins it."

Mike's heart sank. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's whatever. I wasn't really thirsty anyway." Paulo lowered his cup. He'd use it as a hand warmer for now.

They stood awkwardly for a few moments. Mike didn't know if he should keep enjoying his cup or not. Paulo was thinking of asking if they could just go. Before he could make up his mind, a voice came over the PA system that was set up around the stalls. "The Christmas Canons show will begin shortly. Please make your way to the bleachers by the amphitheater."

Paulo's eyes lit up and he looked around. "A canon show? Now that's what I'm talking about!" Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so lame after all. "C'mon Mike, which way to the amphitheater?"

Mike looked down past his hot chocolate to his feet. He never attended the Christmas Canon show due to his sensitive hearing. Even from afar it was jarring to listen to. "I… I don't know…"

Paulo was beginning to let his frustration show. "You don't know where the amphitheater is? Don't you come here all the time?"

"I know where it is, I just… never have gone to the show." It pained Mike to say it, the canon show seemed to be the one thing Paulo had shown genuine interest in that night. "It… hurts…"

Paulo sighed. "Really?"

"I'm sorry." Mike whispered.

"No, I'm sorry. Mike, this just isn't my thing. I have work early tomorrow, I don't really care for flowers and crap, this hot chocolate is terrible, and the one thing I actually want to do you can't." Paulo ranted, pacing back and forth in agitation. He tossed his hot chocolate in a nearby trash can.

A lump formed in Mike's throat. He felt really foolish. Not only was Paulo having a bad time, he was completely tearing apart something Mike loved. Mike wanted to share it with him because it was special to him. "I understand..." The korat said shakily, throwing his hot chocolate away as well. "I really just… wanted to spend time with you…"

The background noise faded away from them, along with the rest of the world. Paulo softened at Mike's words. "What? Why?"

"Because…" Mike stepped closer to the somali. He may as well say it, it wasn't like the night could get any worse, but he couldn't find the words. While he looked longingly into the somalis eyes, they got stopped in his throat. Perhaps words couldn't express what he was feeling if they did come out. Instead, Mike pushed himself up on Paulo, kissed him on the lips, and then ran off.

Paulo stood, stunned, trying to work out what had just happened. Surely he imagined it, there's no way that Mike kissed him. The fact now was that Mike was gone. Paulo looked around and saw Mike heading to the lake. The tears in his eyes prevented him from really seeing where he was going, and from all the danger signs posted around the ice's edge.

"Mike! Stop!" Paulo yelled, but it was too late. Mike took a few slick steps onto the ice before realizing his mistake. Other people were beginning to look, their attention drawn by Paulo's yelling.

Mike slid to a stop, looking down at the endless patch of ice before him. The shore seemed like miles away. Under his feet, the ice crackled and groaned, unhappy with the new weight that was being put up in it. Mike didn't know what to do. He was afraid if he moved the ice would break and he would fall through, but it was clear that staying put was also not an option. Paulo stood helplessly on the edge, debating whether he should try to run out there to get him, or if he should tell him to walk back. The weight of one cat had made the ice scream, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that two cats would shatter it.

"P-Paulo…" Mike stuttered, starting to shake from fright. If he fell in, who knew if he could make it back out. The cold water could seize his small frame up, and that's on top of possibly getting stuck under the ice while disoriented.

"It's alright buddy, just come back the way you came, okay?" Paulo called.

Mike nodded his head and took a timid step forward to the edge. The ice creaked, but didn't so much as splinter. Mike took a few more light steps over the protesting ice. The whole way through, Paulo encouraged him. As Mike crossed over, a security guard walked over. "What's going on here? Are you kids daring each other to walk on the lake again?"

"No! It was an accident." Paulo explained. "He'll be off it soon."

"I'm almost there!" Mike called over the crackling. One step, then another, and another, then… CRACK! Mike stopped dead in his tracks, heart racing. He looked down, frantically looking for the fracture, but he didn't see any. Paulo's tail went stiff, but as Mike stayed on steady ground, things relaxed.

"Easy, kid…" The security guard cautioned.

Mike nodded, and lifted another foot to step forward. The ice beneath him split open, and time slowed down. Mike had no time to react as the world around him moved. Paulo launched himself forward, but was stopped by the guard. "You'll fall in yourself!"

Paulo struggled against his grip. "Let me go! He'll freeze to death!"

"Let me help him!" The guard said. "If you want to help, go to the front and grab a blanket."

Paulo stopped wriggling. "Fine!"

The jacket Mike wore did nothing against the sub zero waters. The water was knives against his fur, though he did not bleed. Instead it weighed him down, dragging him under. Mike thrashed about, trying to keep his head above water. It was no use, the water was so bone chilling it knocked the wind out of him. He gasped for air, and splashes of water got in his mouth, mixed with cold air, and stung his insides. Just as he felt his energy leaving him, a hand grabbed him and pulled him up. "I got ya, son."

Mike was barely conscious as the guard led him carefully over the ice to the shore. Meanwhile, Paulo was sprinting back with a thick blanket he'd been given by the people in the entrance building. "Outta the way! Outta the way!" He yelled as he barreled through other festival patrons. They gave him mean and annoyed looks but he didn't care, he had to get to Mike. If he hadn't been such a selfish ass, Mike wouldn't have run off, wouldn't have- Paulo shook his head. No time to beat himself up, Mike needed him.

Paulo arrived as Mike finally found firm land again. Mike's knees gave out and he collapsed onto the ground. The somali rushed the last bit and put the blanket around Mike, swaddling the teen as best as he could. "P-p-p-paul-lo." Mike whispered weakly.

"It's okay, buddy, I'm here." He said, hugging the blanket around Mike. Paulo could feel the cold radiating off the korat, who shivered and shook.

"We need to get him inside where it's warm." Advised the guard.

"Do you think you can make it to the building?" Paulo asked Mike. Mike gave a shaky nod. "I'm gonna help you up, okay?"

Paulo put his arms under Mike and lifted him to his feet. With the security guard clearing the way, Paulo guided Mike to the entrance building. It wasn't easy going, even with the open path. Mike stumbled and nearly fell a few times, but Paulo was there to keep him upright. Once inside, the guard bid them farewell, and Paulo and Mike made a beeline for the large stone hearth. The fire was still roaring inside, and warm as ever. There was an open spot near the flame, and this is where the boys found their spot.

Mike's legs gave way, unable to take another step, and Paulo eased him to a sitting position. From there, Paulo continued to swaddle the little grey korat, who snuggled up under the orange cats' chin. Paulo went a little warm himself, in the cheeks. Mike looked into the fire, his cheeks matching Paulos'. "I'm sorry." Mike said. "This was my fault."

"Don't be stupid!" Paulo scoffed. Mike was always blaming himself for other people's mistakes. "I was the one being an ass!"

"But I invited you." Mike sighed. "I should have known you wouldn't like it."

Paulo had no strong feelings for the festival either way before coming. It was just something Mike invited him to. "I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want to go." They sat in silence some more. Paulo thought about the kiss, which still lingered on his lips. "Did that kiss have anything to do with it?"

Mike was feeling the heat now. He hid his face behind the blanket. "Guh! I'm sorry about that!"

"Don't be." Paulo laughed. "It shut me up for sure." Mike smiled a little underneath the blanket. Feeling was coming back to his body again. "Hey, I think I know how to heat you up faster."

Mike looked up at his friend. "How? Toss me into the fire."

Paulo gave a suave smile, the one he'd give to girls to swoon them. "Nope. This." Paulo leaned down and kissed Mike, just as Mike had done to him earlier. Mike went stiff, surprised by the sudden display of affection. They’d had a conversation before about Paulo possibly liking guys, but Mike never suspected he actually would.

The kiss worked its magic on Mike, even before it was over. Mike smiled contentedly and went back to snuggling against Paulo. A few passersby gave them odd looks, but Paulo shot them one right back, as if to say, ‘What are YOU looking at?’

Mike slowly got back to his normal warm state, and the festival wound down. They were allowed to stay until closing, but afterwards the security guard from earlier had to usher them out. “Try not to go ice skating on any more lakes.” He said.

“We won’t.” Mike assured him. “Sorry about that.”

Mike and Paulo traversed the empty parking lot to his car. There were warm feelings between them, but there was still an elephant in the room. Mike decided to address it. “Paulo?”

“Mm?” Said the somali, reaching for his car keys.

“Did you mean it? When you… y’know…” Mike was too embarrassed to say the rest.

Paulo’s eyes went wide and he went deep red. “Well, you see… I… it was…” He didn’t know how to feel about it. It was so sudden, in the heat of the moment. Both boys stopped at the car. “I don’t know.”

Mike felt his heart sink a little. “Ah. That’s okay. Thanks for it anyway.” He went to get in the passenger seat, but Paulo stopped him.

He put a hand on his shoulder. “But, I would be interested in finding out.”

Mike smiled a little. “I would like that.”

Chapter Text

Augustus took a deep breath and looked both ways. He needed to make sure he wasn't being followed by anyone, least of all by that obnoxious white knight Abbey, before he turned into the alley. Even though it was broad daylight, long, dark shadows covered the thin concrete path between the two buildings. The buildings were cracked and crumbling, one was already abandoned. Augustus stepped over the trash that littered the alleyway, accumulated from years of neglect. Though much of it was as old as the buildings, some of it was left behind by him, and the two he was there to see.

A dog leaned on one of the buildings, puffing on a cigarette. He'd been there for a while, waiting on the young cat to make his entrance. He'd been beginning to think Augustus had gotten cold feet when he heard the footsteps echoing between the walls, and the long shadow he cast as he came closer. "Oh, you're back." Toby said, letting out a big cloud of smoke that made Augustus cough.

"Happy to see me?" The teen asked sarcastically to the unenthusiastic greeting.

Toby looked over the cat before speaking. "I thought you were bringing your new girlfriend?"

"No, not anymore." It stung a little. Augustus really was in love with her, but he'd blown it trying to turn her into something she wasn't. "I can't keep trying to change her mind."

Toby frowned, looking down his muzzle at the teen. "You're too soft. I woulda just gone for it, not planned out some big night for her."

Augustus still had his morals, more or less. "I wanted it to be her decision." He said firmly.

Toby smiled at the idea. He knew better. "Well, sounds like you screwed up."

"Maybe I did." Augustus said, feeling the pain in his heart. "Maybe it was better this way."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Toby said in disbelief, and put the cigarette back in his mouth for another hit.

"Hey." Came another gruff voice, and the two looked over.

Augustus's heart sank, knowing what was coming next. "..hi." he said flatly.

"What have you got for us?" Alejandro said from the shadows. He's been waiting eagerly all week to hear back from Augustus.

"They're pretty much what I expected." He reported. From within his cloak he pulled out a small piece of paper. "I put together a list of their classes and where they hang out after school."

"Excellent!" Alejandro took a step closer, towering over the teen. "Just hand over that list and we'll be on our way."

Augustus went to hand him the paper, but faltered. All he could think about was Daisy. Sweet, gentle Daisy, and how much she had done for him. If he handed over the list now, he had no idea what might happen to her. Knowing how Alejandro treated his friends, he shuddered to think what he would do to someone he considered an enemy. No, he couldn't betray Daisy like this. "Wh… what are you going to do with them?"

Alejandro frowned at the slight delay. "None of your business. You followed them, got the list. Your job here is done. As far as you're concerned, this is all routine." He put his hand out expectantly. "Now hand over the list."

"You're going to hurt them, aren't you?" The siamese cat took a step back from the thug. Toby put his cigarette out on the wall behind him and stood up straight, sensing a conflict on the horizon. "What did they do to you?"

"None of your damn business!" Alejandro growled, tired of the games. "What do you care?"

"He's got a thing for the nerdy one." Toby said. Augustus closed his eyes, wishing he'd kept his feelings for Daisy to himself.

"Such a shame." Alejandro mused. "But I don't care. Give. Me. That. List!"

The older cat made a grab for paper, but Augustus drew his hand back. "N-no! I won't let you hurt her!"

"Grrrr! Enough!" Alejandro lunged at Augustus, who turned to run but was stopped by Toby.

"Goin' somewhere?" He asked, breath reeking of cigarettes. "Just hand over the list kid, and you don't have to join the others."

Augustus couldn't let harm come to Daisy. She may hate him forever, but he'd hate himself if he was responsible for her getting hurt. He had to get rid of the list. He couldn't throw it, Alejandro would catch it. Ripping it up wouldn't help, they could piece it back together. With no other options left, Augustus shoved the paper into his mouth and ate it. It didn't go down easy, but it got the job done. Toby let go in amused surprise. Alejandro grabbed Augustus. "Where is it?!" He demanded.

"He ate it." Toby said flatly.

Alejandro looked from Augustus to Toby in surprise. It developed into anger and he slowly turned his head to look into Augustus's scared, yet defiant, eyes. "That was a mistake." He balled up a fist and drove it into the smaller cats' stomach.

"Ugh!" Augustus doubled over in pain. Alejandro kicked him over and proceeded to wail on him.

"You think you can come here and. Pull. That. Shit!" He yelled, ending the last few words with sharp kicks to the chest. Each kick brought out new cries of pain. Augustus gasped for air, coughing and wheezing. Alejandro wasn't done yet, he grabbed him by the back of the head and smashed it against the ground. Augustus's nose broke, and Alejandro lifted his head up to talk to him. "You're gonna get me another list by tomorrow," he growled in his face. "Or I'm gonna fuckin' kill ya, understand me, brat? And then I'm gonna find them myself, and when I do, I'll be sure to let your little girlfriend know her ass kicking was courtesy of the late Augustus!" Alejandro threw Augustus's head down and let go.

The thug got to his feet. "I think I've made myself clear. Let's go, Toby." The pair left Augustus to pick himself up. The young cat was in a lot of pain, and all he could do for the moment was cry. He hated himself for letting things get this bad, for manipulating Daisy. He missed Melanie. He missed having someone caring in his life. Now, no matter what he did, Daisy was going to get hurt.

Chapter Text

They finally arrived at Mike's house, and Lucy rang the doorbell. Sandy looked away, not sure if she could face Mike after the events of the previous night. The door opened, and to Lucy's surprise, it was Haley who answered it. She took one look at Lucy and Sandy and sighed. Her brother couldn't stay out of relationship drama. "Miiiiiike!" She yelled up the stairs. "Your girlfriends are here!"

Both Lucy and Sandy went bright red, and Mike shot out of his room, nearly tripping down the stairs. "H-Haley!" He stuttered, flustered beyond all rational thought at her choice of words. He glimpsed Lucy and Sandy's embarrassed expressions. "That isn't funny."

His sister shrugged and walked away. "Hey man, it's your life. Just try not to make too much noise."

"I'm sorry about that." He said to the girls.

"I'm not!" Haley called, and closed the door to her bedroom.

"It's fine Mike. We just gotta kill some time today. Yashy is being, well, you know." Lucy and Sandy entered the house. "And Sandy's parents won't be here until tomorrow."

"Ah." The korat sounded a bit disappointed. Much like Lucy, he really just wanted to spend alone time with her.

"I… I can leave… I don't want to be a bother…" Sandy spoke softly. Her heart was shattering all over again.

Lucy put a hand on her back. “No, it’s okay. Right, Mike?” She glared at the boy.

Mike gave her a sad look, but submitted to Lucy. “Of course. Maybe we can play some games or something. I’ve got a few I haven’t had a lot of time to check out.” He gestured to them to follow him up the stairs to his room.

“O-okay…” Sandy said, and Lucy gave Mike a small smile. As they got to his room, Mike’s mom was just getting out of her room.

His mom had to do a double take. “Sandy? Is that you?”

“Hi.” She waved.

“I didn’t realize you were coming.” She said, thoroughly confused. She saw Lucy with them. “Ah.” She walked past the trio to go downstairs, the three of them with their cheeks on fire. The mother stopped halfway down, and looked back up. “Oh, and Michael dear?”

“Y-yeah?” He asked sheepishly.

“Keep your door open.” She teased and went back down the rest of the way.

“Guh…” Mike covered his face. “I’m sorry guys.”

“C’mon jerkface.” Lucy squeezed past him into the room. “I’m getting bored. Let’s play some games.”

The other two filed in and Lucy took up her spot on the bed, watching Mike set up the console. "I-I'm not really good at games…" Sandy said.

"Yeah, neither is Mike!" Lucy laughed.

"Hey!" Mike called back angrily. "At least I don't use broken movesets KNOWINGLY because it's the only way I can win."

Lucy gave Sandy a smirk and gestured to him. "See what I mean?"

"Alright, alright." Mike was already salty. "Put your money where your mouth is." He came back with three controllers and sat next to Lucy. Sandy sat behind the two of them, though there was still enough space to see the TV. Mike began the game as player one, and everyone chose their fighters. Lucy picked the same one as Mike.

She stuck her tongue out at the korat. "There, I don't want to hear any complaining when I kick your butt!" The match started and everyone got into the game, with Sandy lagging behind. It didn't matter, Mike and Lucy were too preoccupied with being competitive with each other to worry about her. Occasionally she would jump into the fray, or Mike or Lucy would get knocked across the stage towards her and throw in a few punches, but that was it. The khao manee and korat hollered and laughed and teased each other over every victory.

Sandy also got into the game. It took a little bit of time, and she was hesitant at first, but she eventually got the hang of it. Sandy never really played games much - or at all - at home. Her schedule was always stacked. Between school, and all that came with that, the constant photoshoots, shows, and rehearsals, the only time Sandy got time for herself was when she went to sleep. When she visited Mike for their date a few months prior, she'd played and lost sorely to many of the games in the arcade. Thinking back, she was ashamed of how much of a brat she had been about it. Even now, showing up unannounced and uninvited, she felt bratty. But, as she got into the game they were playing, she started to lose herself in it and her troubles melted away.

To her credit, Sandy was getting pretty good, and soon became more of a threat to Mike and Lucy, and even managed to down Mike. As time flew by, the two girls had absent mindedly inched closer to the Korat. Everyone had taken to laying back on his large pillows, propped up just enough to still see the TV. Day turned to night, and by the end of it, both girls were snuggled up to either side of the boy. They laughed and shouted and played, but did grow bored of the game after a while. After a particularly intense round, the three tossed their controllers aside to collect themselves, still smiling from all the fun they were having.

Sandy and Lucy laid their heads on Mike's shoulders, and Mike put his arms around both of them, holding them close. They all just laid there, soaking up the moment. As it passed, they realized how close they all had become. There was a small amount of tension and awkwardness in the air. Everyone was cuddling with each other. Was this okay? Should they separate? Truth be told, none of them really wanted to. Even with Sandy there, Mike was showing he still really cared. Lucy played with the fur on Mike's chest as she thought about it.

Sandy was happy she was getting to snuggle with her Maishul, even if she figured it wouldn't last. She would have to get up, and that'd be the last time she'd feel his warm, loving embrace. Her hand worked itself onto his chest, relishing his heartbeat, holding onto the moment forever. That's when her hand and Lucy's hand met. There was a little surprise at first, but they eased back down. And the three laid in silence. That was, until Mike broke it.

"Y'know." He said, "This was a lot of fun."

"Yeah, Maishul!" Sandy said. "Thanks for showing me your game!"

"You're pretty good…" Lucy said. "But you gotta learn more moves!" She stuck her tongue out at her, and Sandy went along and did the same back.

Mike laughed. "Girls, please. We all know I'm the best!"

"Oh yeah?" Lucy challenged. "How many times did I beat you?"

"Even I beat you, Maishul!" Sandy chimed in, booping him on the nose.

They all laughed and things settled down again. Mike took to rubbing both of the girl's backs as they snuggled him, both purring in his ears. Mike did start feeling a little guilty, he was definitely having his cake and eating it too. But, from the peaceful look on Lucy's face, she didn't mind it. In fact, in a whisper so low only he could hear, she said, "I could get used to this…"

Sandy didn't notice, already feeling herself drowsing off. Mike gave Lucy a questioning look. In turn Lucy nodded toward Sandy. He looked over, then back to Lucy, who placed her hand over Sandy's and smiled contentedly at him. Mike's eyes went wide. Was she really suggesting what he thought she was? Her, him, and Sandy, together? Sharing a relationship? It was a new concept for him, and he was utterly shocked Lucy came up with it. He was okay with it, though, as long as she was. Looking at Sandy's smiling face, she looked like she would be okay with the arrangement too.

"I love you." Mike told Lucy, kissing her forehead.

Lucy blushed and gave his nose a little lick. Sandy stirred. "Mmf… I love you too, Maishul." A moment later her eyes shot open when she realized what she said. She looked at him, embarrassed. "S-sorry!"

"It's okay, Sandy." Mike smiled and kissed her forehead as well. "I love you too."

Sandy went bright red herself. "B-but! What about…"

"Don't sweat it." Lucy said, rubbing her hand. "I think there's enough jerkface to go around."

Sandy blinked. "What do you mean?"

"It means we'll all share each other." Mike explained. "You, me, and Lucy."

"Oh…" Sandy thought about it. It was a strange idea, but it meant she could love Mike again, and Mike could love her. She nodded. "Okay! I would like that… a lot."

"Then it's settled!" Mike said, giving them both a squeeze. "I love you both!"

The girls giggled, “We love you too, Michael!” and snuggled back down on the boy. And for the rest of the night, the three talked and cuddled until it was time to go.

Chapter Text

He was an athlete on the basketball team. He was cute, his smooth white fur unblemished. He got decent enough grades, helped along by his bigger friend. He was nice, always looking out for his friends and his sister. And yet, for the life of him, he couldn't get HER attention. This was because there was one major problem: he was Jordan. And Jordan was somewhat of a dweeb. And he always was after the wrong girl.

"So they're totally gonna put me in varsity soon, I can feel it!" Jordan said with his chest puffed out as he walked along, trying not to seem boastful, but impressive all the same. "Coach says I'm destined for it."

"Mhm…" The brown dog said as her nose was buried in her phone. 'Mhm' was more response than she usually gave him. She was currently looking at her private messages to other guys while the khao manee prattled on about… football or something. Tiff didn't understand why such a scrawny guy was even allowed near a sports arena to begin with. Being a khao manee, he was smaller by nature, barely taller than his sister. How did she even get involved with him again? The idea of dating a jock seemed nice… in her head. But Jordan? He was no jock.

"Anyway… I'm not busy Saturday… wanna go out?" He asked hopefully. Tiff didn't look up from her phone, or even respond. In reality she was trying to outpace him to lose him in the school crowd. Jordan almost had to jog to keep up. "Tiff?" He asked after she didn't respond.

"Mm?" Tiff looked up lazily from her phone, the first time she actually looked at him the entire conversation. What was this idiot going on about? She thought she heard something about Saturday.

"Saturday? Wanna go out?" Jordan asked, totally oblivious to the uninterested look the girl was giving him.

Tiff blinked at him. "I'm busy." She said stiffly, before shoving her nose in her phone again and walking away, pace noticeably picked up.

"O-ohh.." Jordan said, disappointed. "Well maybe Sunday, then?" He called out, hands cupped to his mouth to enhance his voice, but she ignored it and kept walking. After a few moments his smiled faded and hands dropped to his sides. Behind him, someone started laughing. Jordan frowned and spun on the spot to tell off whoever was finding amusement in his failing.

As it would turn out, it was a korat girl with a yellow bow on her ear. She was still digging in her locker for her stuff, but it was clear she was laughing at him. Jordan folded his arms and looked at her in mild annoyance. "What are YOU laughing about?"

Haley kept laughing as she stood up with her books. "You, loser!" She kicked her locker closed. "When are you gonna learn she doesn't care about you?"

"What?!" Jordan scoffed, offended at the idea. Of COURSE Tiff cared about him! "Me and Tiff have a very special dynamic."

"Oh, really?" Haley cocked an eyebrow, trying to quell her laughter. "What's that? You pay her dinner and she shows up? You sound like my dumb brother. Always goin' on about some girl he never hears from."

This REALLY burned Jordan. He already had his reservations about Mike, but how could someone possibly think the two were at all similar? "As if! At least MY girlfriend is here in person!" He sputtered.

"Girlfriend? That's a strong word for it. Uh huh." Haley put a hand on her hip. "You do realize Tiff is talking to multiple guys, right? You're just the guy she goes to when she wants a free meal."

"They. Are. Not. Free. Meals." Jordan insisted. "They are dates! We have plenty of fun on them!"

"What else do you do besides eat?" Haley asked, already figuring the answer out. She just wanted to see what Jordan would come up with. It was amusing to see Mike try to justify his relationship with Sandy, too.

"Well." The boy said with a little bit of arrogance. "We… we eat…"

"Mhm. And?" Haley leaned forward and made a rolling continue gesture with her free hand.

"We eat and… we talk!" Jordan said with gusto, as though it were something impressive. Haley cocked an eyebrow.

"Alright… and what do you two talk about?" She grinned.

"We talk about… basketball… and stuff." Jordan said, not confident as he wasn't able to really recall any memorable conversations. Or any that she really contributed to. "And she talks about… other people…"

"And let me guess." Haley said in a mocking tone. "Those other people she talks about are guys?" Jordan didn't respond, but the look of shame on his face told Haley everything she needed to know. "Guys that she's talking to?" She followed up, to drive the point home.

"Just… look, I know she must like me… she has to." He said quietly, still trying to defend all the time and money he spent on her. But truth be told, he was running out of excuses.

Haley shook her head. Jordan really was like Mike, a total lost cause. Jordan was acting the same as her brother whenever he justified being with Sandy. "You're never gonna learn, are you?"

"Oh, what do you know?" He hissed back. "You're just a freshman. You're not even Tiff's friend."

"I'm a girl. We just know these things." Haley sighed. "And better to not be her friend than to be a meal ticket."

"Like you would know." Jordan laughed. "Have you ever even been liked by a guy before?"

This put Haley on the backfoot. She really hadn't been liked by anyone, not to her recollection. Not that she really tried, but… nothing ever came up. No love notes, no one hitting on her, no special Valentines cards. She was mostly overlooked. Sometimes she wondered if anyone was interested in her, or ever would be. Still, she wasn't going to let this wimpy guy get one over on her. With her best girl boss posture and her sassiest voice, she said. "You wouldn't know a real date if it came up and kissed you on the lips."

"Yes I would!" Jordan spat. Who was she, to tell him what love was? Typical Freshmen, thinking they knew everything. HE was the expert, the one who'd gone to prom with Tiff… at least for a little bit. They rode in the limo together. Surely THAT meant something.

"Then prove it, loser." Haley stuck her tongue out.

"Fine then!" He huffed. Oh, he'd prove it, alright. Then it'd shut her and everyone up who kept doubting him for good. "Saturday. Three o' clock. Roseville Cinema Twelve."

Haley was a little caught off guard by his forwardness, but gave a determined, smug nod. "I'll see you then." The bell rang, signaling class was starting. "See ya, dweeb!" Haley laughed, running to class.

They split up and stormed to their separate classes. Then it dawned on the both of them.

"Did I just…"

"Agree to a date?!"

Chapter Text

The class erupted in cheers for their fellow classmates who had just finished their presentation on bacteria. The five friends smiled at everyone, proud of the work they've done, even if it had come at an unconventional great cost. None of their classmates were aware of the harrowing night they'd just gone through, the only signs being the bandages left on them to heal their wounds. Just as they reached the crescendo of their applause, the bell rang.

"Very good." The teacher said, looking over her grading sheet one more time. Despite her student's rugged appearance, they'd put on an allstar performance for their report. She had half a mind to inquire about their disheveled state, but decided it was best to just let it be. "And that's all for today! Class dismissed. Have a wonderful afternoon."

The class cheered even more, and the five report givers joined them in that. They all wasted no time in getting to their seats to put all their things away and head home. Sue sighed and put the papers away in her backpack. "For all the trouble we went through finding our way back from that museum, we better ace this one…" she said to no one in particular. Just a frustrated statement of hope that their suffering had been for something at least. She could still feel the tingling in her nose from where the thug had clobbered her. Beside her, her friends were already on their way out. Daisy had pulled Mike aside to speak to him, and Paulo was bragging to David, and anyone who would listen really, about how he'd beat the thugs up.

"So I totally beat up some thugs." He proclaimed, chest puffed out proudly.

"Wow!" David said, lapping up every word.

Sue rolled her eyes, David would believe anything Paulo said. The girl slung her backpack around her shoulders, ready to walk home. She said her farewells to her friends, and walked out the class into the crowded halls of the middle school. She could hear Paulo still boasting as he left the class, but she didn't care enough to interject. Paulo was just an idiot. 'Yeah.' Said a part of her mind. 'And that idiot still ran to your defense after being faced with his greatest fear.' This thought made Sue feel a little guilty about being so bitter toward the somali. Still, he shouldn't be showboating about such a thing. The whole affair had been most uncivilized.

The crowds packed up by the exit doors and spread out like water spilling from a container as students headed home, to the buses, or otherwise after school extracurriculars. Sue broke off from the pack and started the walk home, alone.

Meanwhile, Paulo had been trying to keep her in eyesight. There was something important he wanted to tell her. Just to have an excuse not to leave right when the bell rang, he started talking to the others about the night before. The idea was that it'd give Sue enough time to get her school things together, and he could meet her on the way out. This did not work as planned, as David, along with a few other of his classmates who had been drawn into his tale of daring do, kept pelting him with questions about the encounter. That forced him to start coming up with bolder and bolder things, which made it difficult to keep track of where the burmese was going.

Eventually he put an end to the story and told them all he'd tell them more the next day. The gaggle of students frowned and groaned, David the loudest, but they all dispersed and let the boy be. Paulo looked all around for the girl, but she'd vanished without a trace into the crowd. He was pushed outside by them all, and while he was annoyed, it did lead to him spotting her walking by herself down the sidewalk. He swallowed, steeled himself, and ran after her.

Sue's mind was so preoccupied with the night prior, she didn't hear Paulo calling her name. When he caught up to her and put a hand on her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her fur. "Augh!" She cried, jerking away from him. "What is your problem? Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"What?" Paulo was shocked at her aggressiveness. "No! I was just trying to get your attention."

Sue shook her head and kept walking. "Honestly, Paulo, what did you think was gonna happen?"

Paulo frowned and grunted. "Really! I wasn't trying to…" He stopped. Was it really worth it now? Sue was so arrogant, so self absorbed… even when he wanted to show her a kind gesture she couldn't appreciate it. "Ah, just forget it!" He waved her off and turned to storm away.

Sue took a deep breath to recenter herself. She did a 180 to see Paulo stomping in the other direction, hands balled into fists. "Paulo! Wait! I'm sorry." Paulo stopped in his tracks. Sue took this as a que to continue. "You just really startled me, is all. I'm still really on edge because of last night."

'So.' He thought. 'She's thinking about it too. I wonder if she remembers…' Paulo turned back around and walked up to her. "It's all cool. Is it alright if I walk with you?"

Sue blinked, trying to process his request. What was this? He wanted to walk her home? Well, naturally… safety in numbers. They couldn't be too careful now. "I suppose that's fine…" She granted, still a little unsure. Paulo usually wanted nothing to do with her. But he smiled and gestured forward for her to keep going, so she did.

They walked in awkward silence for some time. Was it awkward? Sue looked at Paulo, whose head made a jerking motion in her peripheral vision as soon as she turned to look, as though he'd been looking at her. Then a realization hit her - "Paulo, isn't your house the other way?"

Paulo looked back and then to her sheepishly. He was becoming more anxious by the second, and he never let that emotion come through. Ever. Paulo was bold. Fearless… but now he was humbled. "Ah, yes. You're right. I just… I wanted to talk to you about something…"

"About last night." They both said at the same time, though Sue's was more of a question. What else could it have been?

Paulo laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. About last night."

Sue looked forward, also trying not to let her anxiety show too. "Go ahead."

Paulo took a deep breath, literally and emotionally. He couldn't believe he was about to say it, least of all to Sue. "Thank you. For… standing up for me last night."

Sue did a double take. No way. No shot. Did… Paulo just… THANK her? For anything, let alone for standing up for him. She hadn't even thought much of it. What he did, on the other hand, that was real heroism. She tried to be nonchalant about it, but she wasn't sure how good of a job she did. "Oh." She squeaked out. Then she cleared her throat. "You're welcome. You would have done the same for me. And you did."

Paulo smiled a little. It was a nice confidence boost. "Yeah. I s'pose I did."

"I know how much barking scares you…" She continued. Credit was due where it was due. "So, to see you come through after that, it meant a lot. You were willing to take on them both without question for us. For… me. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye." Paulo nodded a little, he had to agree with that. "But you were still willing to defend me even at your lowest. If that's not a real hero, I don't know what is."

The words had just slipped out her mouth. It was far more praise than she was planning on giving. Paulo stood up a little straighter and put on a cocky smile. "Yeah. A friggin' hero, that's what I am!"

Sue rolled her eyes and punched his arm playfully. "Don't let it go to your head, okay?"

"Alright, alright, I got it." The somali rubbed his arm. His smile faded and he got serious. "I just… I dunno. I was freaking out really hard… but then I saw him hit you." Paulo took a pause before continuing. "Something came over me… I… I was just so angry… I wanted to tear him apart for doing it… you didn't deserve that."

Sue stopped and looked at him, a little worried. "It's really alright, Paulo. We're both safe now. I don't think that thug is going to be in a hurry to fight any of us again."

Paulo nodded, stopping with her. "You're right. I just wish I hadn't been so powerless. I'm supposed to be the tough one, right? I'm supposed to be strong."

Sue could see all of his insecurities pouring out of him. He was really opening himself up, to her of all people. How could she convince him otherwise? But then she had an idea. One thing she knew Paulo would respond to. She leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his lips. Paulo went wide-eyed, stunned. "You're not powerless. What you did last night was seriously one of the bravest things I have ever seen anyone do. Standing up for your friends even though you were outmatched. Pushing past your fears to defend us. To defend ME, someone you don't really get along with. I'll never forget that, ever." Sue felt her cheeks going red and she lowered her gaze and her voice. "And… maybe in a way… from now on, I know as long as you're around, we'll all be safe. Even… even me. And that's a comforting thought."

It was a lot for Paulo to take in. From one of them spilling their guts to another. Sue's kiss, her kind words… "Sue, I had no idea you felt this way."

"Well now you do." The girl sniffed. "And don't go around telling everyone about this because I'll just deny it." Paulo smiled. Good old Sue. "Now that's all out of the way, you can go home." She started her walk again. This time Paulo didn't follow.

"See you at school!" He called to her.

She waved without looking back. "Goodbye, Paulo. Go home and do some homework for once."

The somali smiled and walked the other way, reveling in the conversation they'd had. Sue was doing the same, though she gently pressed two fingers to her lips, thinking warmly on the brief moment they had touched his.

Chapter Text

Daisy was out for a walk, enjoying the spring afternoon. She hummed to herself happily, admiring the weather. She had spent all afternoon doing homework and studying, and as much fun as it was, she couldn't keep herself from enjoying the warm sunny day. It had been a tumultuous week, but it was over now, and she could finally relax. What better way than spending some time outdoors? As she skipped onto the next block and passed some older buildings, she heard faint sniffling and crying coming from within the alley. The selkirk ragamuffin stopped humming and strained her ears to listen, trying to channel her inner Mike. Sure enough, she heard sobs echoing between the buildings.

Daisy paused, wondering if she should get involved or not. There could be danger lurking in there. Looking around, she didn't see anyone else. Still, the crying went on, interspersed with gasps of pain. Her heart went out to whoever it was, and won out over her concerns. She checked to see if the coast was clear, and then timidly turned to go down the alley to see if she could help whoever was crying.

The crying got louder as Daisy got closer, and when she saw who it was, she gasped. Augustus was crumpled in a heap, laying in a small pool of his own blood. She ran over to him. "Augustus!"

Augustus swore he must have been hallucinating. He'd lost too much blood and now he was hearing… her. One last comfort before he fully bled out. When he looked up, he saw the soft, fluffy face of Daisy looking at him in horror and concern. No, it couldn't be. What were the odds? He must have died. "Am I… dead?" He croaked. "Are you… an angel?"

Daisy blushed deep red. Nobody ever called her an angel before. She shook her head and snapped out of it. There was still the issue of a beaten and bloodied cat to attend to. "Augustus! What happened?!"

Augustus shifted himself and could still feel the pain in his chest. Nope. He wasn't dead. Then a horrific thought occurred to him- what if Alejandro came back? Daisy reached a hand to touch his cheek, but he pushed it back with a shaky hand of his own. "You… have to… leave…" He wheezed, each breath bringing him pain.

"No!" She cried. "I'm not leaving you here like this!"

Augustus closed his eyes, trying to beat out the thought of what Alejandro would do to Daisy if he found her there. "He… might… come back…" He gasped, trying his best to push her along. He didn't care what happened to him, so long as Daisy stayed safe.

"Who might come back?" Daisy asked, putting a gentle hand to Augustus's forehead.

Augustus felt more tears overcoming him. Even after everything he did, she still cared. He had to protect her. "Just… go!" He nudged her hand with his head.

"I'm not leaving you here!" She repeated, unwilling to take no as an answer. "So either you come with me or I stay here until whoever it is comes back."

Augustus nodded. He would force himself to leave if it got the girl to get away from this dangerous place. "Fine." The siamese pulled himself up on shaky legs, holding his stomach with one hand, and using the other for balance. He took a few wobbly steps and nearly fell to his knees, but he felt a gentle, yet strong, arm catch him.

"Let me help you. You don't have to do this alone." Daisy smiled warmly at him, the kind of smile that made the pain inside Augustus dullen, even if for a little bit. She was a cheerleader, and had enough muscle to carry him. Even if she didn't, she would try her best. Augustus finally accepted her help, and together they hobbled out of the darkness of the dank alleyway and into the cozy light of the spring day. Each step was painful, and Augustus's body screamed with every movement. He tried to hide it from the girl, but she saw through the facade. "We need to get you to a doctor!" She said.

"I'm fine." He mumbled in between steps, and tried to stifle gasps of pain. Even if they left the alley, as long as she was near him there would be a target on her back.

Daisy wasn't buying his facade for a moment. He always tried to act like this bad boy but she knew better. She saw the sweeter side of him when they hung out. "I can see it on your face. You're hurting a lot." She looked around. Nearby was a health clinic. It wasn't much, but it'd have to do. Daisy gave him a small tug. "C'mon."

There was no point in fighting it. For all her insecurities, Daisy was also headstrong. When she set her mind on something, she sought to see it through. Augustus went along with it. Together they crossed the street, slowly but surely (to the dismay of the impatient drivers waiting at the light) and entered the clinic. Daisy sat Augustus down and went to the counter. "Hi, my friend has been badly hurt, can we get someone to help him?"

It was a slow day at the clinic and the receptionist looked over the counter with a bored expression to Augustus. Currently, he was doubled over in pain in his seat. She looked back to Daisy and slid her a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. "Fill this out. Then they'll see him."

"Thank you." Daisy said, being mindful of her manners and she grabbed a pen and rushed over to Augustus. He helped her fill it out, and afterwards she turned it in and took a seat next to him to wait. Augustus felt really awkward being so close to her. She looked around the room smiling, taking in everything. Daisy broke the silence between them. "I want to be a doctor when I grow up."

Augustus smiled a little. She was so cute, it was like morphine for him. "You would make a great doctor."

"You think so?" Daisy blushed. She hadn't really talked with anyone about what she wanted to be. It just seemed like the appropriate place for it.

"You've already helped me." He said quietly, and thinking about how he treated her made him feel worse about it. "I'm sorry about what I did to you."

"Oh?" Daisy looked at him, surprised. "I forgive you."

Augustus furrowed his brow. Was it so easy? How could she be so forgiving? "Why? I manipulated you. I tried to force myself-"

Daisy put a finger to his lips. Augustus's eyes went wide and his face caught fire. "It's okay. You taught me to be confident in myself. Even if it doesn't always get me what I want."

Augustus sighed. "Still… it was wrong of me. I know it seems like I was using you, but-" He stopped himself before he could say 'I really do like you.' Daisy tilted her head and was about to ask him what he was going to say, when a nurse popped her head into the waiting room.

"Augustus?" She called to the empty waiting room.

The two cats looked up at the dog who was calling his name. Augustus went to stand up, and his whole body was sore. He stumbled but felt himself be held up by Daisy again. She smiled encouragingly at him. "I've got you."

They made their way over to the clinic area where Augustus was measured and weighed. Daisy was by his side the whole time, helping him from place to place. At last, Augustus was brought to a small room with a bed for him to lay down on. Daisy helped him up onto it, and the nurse smiled at the both of them. "You're very lucky to have such a caring girlfriend." Before either of them could say anything, the nurse shut the blue curtain to the room, giving them privacy.

Both of their cheeks burned after the comment. After gathering herself, she asked him, "Was it… him? Did he do this to you?"

'Him' didn't need to be specified. Daisy knew he had been in league with him. He felt guilty all over again. "Yeah."

"Why?" Daisy scooted closer to him.

Augustus frowned. He didn't want to lie, but telling the truth would mean he had to admit he was spying on them. There was no point in lying. He was terrible at it, and she'd already proven she could see right through him. "I was sent to… find out things… about your friends." He closed his eyes, waiting for the worst. At least now the air was clear.

"Oh." Was the girls' response. It sounded hollow and disappointed. Augustus figured it was also because of the feelings they shared during those times now seemed like a farce. He was quick to follow up.

"Wait! I really meant everything I said. Well, maybe not in the beginning… but I really-" He stopped himself again. He couldn't implicate her further, Alejandro was already holding her over his head.

Daisy leaned in, making Augustus go a little red. "But what?" Augustus turned away and curled up. Well, as much as he could in his damaged state. "Tell me!" Daisy demanded. "You owe me at least that much."

Augustus was saying far more than he wanted to, but it was so easy with Daisy. She made him feel comfortable. She made him feel loved. She was right, though. After all he did to her, after all she was doing for him, she at least deserved to know. "I really do like you." He whispered.

Daisy sat up. Did she just hear him right? She placed a hand on his shoulder, and felt him tense up. "I think that's the first honest thing you've said to me."

"He's gonna kill me…" Augustus lamented. "And he's gonna hurt all of you."

"Am I the reason he beat you up?" She asked, leaning over him.

Augustus didn't answer. He didn't want her to feel like it was her fault. And really, it wasn't. He was the idiot for getting involved with the drama to begin with, for letting Alejandro suck him into his little gang. He'd taken everything that he loved away from him, and he didn't want that list to include Daisy.

"Auggie?" Daisy said gently. Augustus grimmaced. She was calling him by a pet name now. How could he resist that?

He rolled back around with a few gasps of pain so he could look at her. Her face was full of concern. "Kind of. He wanted me to hand over a list of everything I found out about you guys… but I refused. I couldn't let him hurt you… and so he couldn't get the list, I ate it."

It was such an absurd thing to do, Daisy almost cracked a smile, but kept a caring face for him. She didn't want him to think she thought he was silly. "You ate it?" A little bit of amusement hinted in her voice.

"Yeah…" Augustus nodded. "He didn't like that.. but now he's angrier than ever." He felt his chest tighten and he looked at his hands. "I don't know what I'm going to do. He means what he says… you and your friends are in a lot of danger."

There was a knock on the wall outside. The doctor came in shortly afterwards. "Sorry to interrupt." He looked over his clipboard, which held Augustus's information. "What are you here for today?"

"I took a nasty fall." Augustus lied quickly. It was always his go-to when it came to Alejandro injuries. "I just need to be looked over."

Daisy gave him a concerned look, and Augustus shook his head. There was no use in telling the doctor he was beat up. What could he do? Better to just lie and hope he could figure out something later. "Alright, let's take a look, then." The doctor said, putting his clipboard down. He didn't seem all too convinced that a fall was the cause, but he took the boy's word for it. He inspected all around Augustus's body, pressing lightly in some places, eliciting gasps of pain from the boy. Daisy took his hand to soothe his nerves, which Augustus greatly appreciated. The doctor gently moved Augustus's head around and examined his face. After, he let go and picked up the clipboard to write some things down.

"Is he okay?" Daisy asked anxiously. "Does he have to go to the hospital?"

The doctor shook his head, and both teens let out a sigh of relief. "Nothing appears to be broken, just a lot of bruising. You're gonna be sore for a few days, that's for sure, but you'll be fine. Maybe pop a pain pill or two if you feel you need it." He looked at Augustus to address him. "Try not to take any more falls, okay?" Though the way he said it, 'falls' sounded like it was done in quotations.

"I'll try…" The siamese cat said sheepishly, knowing he was probably gonna be taking another 'fall' tomorrow. Daisy helped him down from the bed and they left the clinic. Outside, Augustus looked down the long sidewalk that would take him to the bus stop. "I better get home."

Daisy looked at the setting sun. The sky was painted with all sorts of warm colors. It would be dark soon. "It's getting late…"

"I know." Augustus broke off from her. "That's why I need to get going."

"But you're still hurt!" She squeaked, chasing him. "You won't make it on your own!"

"I'll manage." The boy responded as he limped to the bus stop.

Daisy huffed and folded her arms, following next to him, pouting expression in tow. Augustus tried to ignore her at first, hoping she would give up once he got far enough, but she wasn't backing down. "Go home." He said firmly.

"I'm making sure you get home safe!" The girl said defiantly.

"And how do you plan on getting home?" He asked simply.

"I'll… uhhh..." This had Daisy stumped. Would she just call her parents to get her? Would they be upset? Maybe she could take a bus home… but she didn't have any money…

"I don't have a working phone." Augustus said, as though he could read her mind. "And the buses don't run that late."

"Then come home with me!" She suggested. "You can stay the night… if your parents won't mind."

Augustus laughed darkly a little. "I don't think they'd notice if I never came home again."

"So…?" Daisy put her hands behind her back and looked down, twisting the tip of her foot on the sidewalk anxiously.

Augustus felt more of his frosty heart melt away looking at her. She was so adorable, so innocent. More than that, she wasn't going to give this up until she knew he was okay. Augustus's stomach growled. He looked at the long road ahead of him, and at the setting sun. His whole body was sore, and truth be told he just wanted to lay down and get some rest. He would barely manage to get himself home, let alone keep Daisy safe if something came up. He had to once again resign to her. He sighed, "Alright."

That changed Daisy's tune. "Great! Come with me! My mommy can make us something nice for dinner."

They walked together down the streets of Roseville. Daisy hummed the same happy tune she had been before this whole detour, while Augustus's mind whirled. He was going to Daisy's house. Alejandro was going to kill him. Daisy's mom would cook him a warm meal. Alejandro was gonna hurt Daisy. Daisy was taking care of him even after all the horrible things he did. There was no escaping tomorrow. If there was no escaping tomorrow, he might as well enjoy today. He was getting to spend his last day with Daisy, someone he deeply cared about. What more could he ask for? "Thank you." He said, realizing he hadn't thanked her yet.

Daisy smiled brightly at him. "You're welcome. I can't believe I never invited you over to my house after all the times we hung out!"

Augustus smiled sheepishly. "Maybe it was for the best. I'm not exactly the kind of guy you wanna bring home to your parents."

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Augustus tried to think of ways he could get around Alejandro. Perhaps he COULD make another list - a fake one. That would lead him on a wild goose chase, and buy him, and the others, more time. But then what? What would he do with more time? Concoct another elaborate ruse to fool Alejandro? He might be able to slide by with it once, but twice would definitely be a death sentence. That was only IF the first ruse didn't lead to his demise. Alejandro was a guy who liked results.

Augustus was so lost in thought he didn't notice they'd arrived at Daisy's house. He continued walking well after Daisy had stopped. She watched him curiously as he headed down the rest of the sidewalk. "Auggie?"

Augustus stopped in his tracks and looked back. He grimaced and hurried back over to her. "Sorry."

Daisy looked worriedly at him. She tried to reassure him. "It'll be okay. We'll think of something." Augustus wasn't too certain, though. Daisy had only seen a little of his wrath that night. "Let's go! I bet my parents will be happy to meet you!" The siamese cat gave a questioning look, and Daisy blushed. "Ah, I may have talked about you. A lot."

True to her word, Daisy's mother and father were ecstatic to have him as a guest. "We heard so much about you!" Her mother said. "We were wondering when Daisy would bring you around. You were nearly all she talked about!"

It appeared, much to Augustus's relief, that Daisy had kept the events at the tree to herself. He had to wonder though, why had she? These questions were forgotten at dinner, where Augustus had a full home cooked meal for the first time in a long time. Daisy's mother made stew, filled with all kinds of vegetables and beef. Augustus tried to be mindful and not eat too fast, but he couldn't help it. He looked down ashamedly, but Daisy's parents understood and offered him more, which he graciously accepted.

After dinner, Augustus decided to help clean up. While he did so, Daisy explained the situation. Not the bits about Alejandro, but about finding Augustus, how he 'fell' and needed a place to stay for the night. They agreed, and Daisy told him the news. Augustus thanked them for dinner and the hospitality, and Daisy dragged him upstairs for bed. It was getting late, though Augustus never really had a bedtime before. With his parents arguing all night, he couldn't sleep too well. Here, things were quiet. Even the neighborhood was peaceful. No sirens, no yelling, no gunfire. Just the sound of the AC unit running, and Daisy humming to herself as she got ready for bed.

The two stood opposite of each other on either side of the bed. Augustus shrugged and found a spot to lay on the floor. He draped his cloak on himself like a small blanket and rested his head on his arm. Daisy crawled into bed and peered over the side at him. "Do you want a blanket?" She asked. "Or a pillow?"

"I'm fine." He mumbled. He didn't have much of either at home. His pillow was flattened and blanket was tattered. The mattress was so thin he may as well be sleeping on the floor. Even the carpet here was more comfortable.

"Okay…" Daisy hit the lights and the room fell in darkness. She looked at him sleeping on the floor, feeling bad. He looked so alone and vulnerable, she imagined he was feeling it too. There was a lot of pressure on him now.

Augustus tried to relax his mind to sleep, but he couldn't. Every minute brought him closer to the next day, where he'd have to come face to face with Alejandro. If he didn't do it on his own accord, the thug would surely seek him out. When it came to violence, Alejandro always held true to his promises. The fact he hadn't just killed him there in the alley for what he did, deliberately going against him, was a miracle in itself. This followed by Daisy coming to his aid was like a sign for him to.. well, he wasn't sure. What he was sure of, though, was that he wasn't going to allow Alejandro to harm Daisy, even if it meant sacrificing himself to do it.

The bed creaked behind him and he felt a presence sidle up next to him on the floor. Along with it came a warm blanket. Augustus opened his eyes to see Daisy's brown ones watching him. He jumped a little at the closeness and Daisy blushed. "Sorry.. you just.. looked a bit cold." It was a partial truth, but Augustus felt quite fine with the current sleeping conditions.

"Thanks." He said, trying to hide a blush of his own. "You didn't tell your parents about what I did, did you?"

Daisy sighed a little. "I didn't want them to worry about it.. besides.." She lowered her voice. "I didn't, y'know, entirely dislike it.."

A silence fell between them as Augustus internalized it. She seemed so adamantly against it at the time. Then again, Augustus hadn't exactly been suave about it. His actions were a far cry from the ones he had with Melanie. He was spending too much time around Alejandro, his bad habits were rubbing off on him. "It was wrong of me." He said. "You didn't deserve that."

"Yeah, I know." Daisy responded. Both of them were keeping quiet since her parents were in bed as well. "But.. it was nice being wanted like that. Everyone just ignores me, they always see Lucy and go for her."

"Mm." Augustus had seen Lucy around. She wasn't his type. Maybe she was conventionally attractive, but her abrasive personality made him wonder why anyone put up with her. In some ways, she reminded him of Alejandro. Always yelling and hitting her friends. Perhaps he was really just looking to recruit her, she'd certainly fit in. Daisy was the opposite, cute and kind, something he didn't encounter often, even outside of his dealings with Alejandro. Then Daisy asked something he was entirely unprepared for.

"Can you kiss me?"

Augustus blinked. Did he hear that right? No way he did. "What?"

"Can you kiss me?" She asked shyly. "Like.. you were going to at the tree.."

"I.. uh.. erm.." Augustus's mind and heart were racing. His stomach did flips like it had when he was getting kicked down in the alley.

"So I know that you're being honest.." Daisy whispered, looking elsewhere. After everything, she had to be sure.

Augustus cupped her cheek in his hand. The selkirk ragamuffin looked at him, heart pounding, ready to burst out her chest. She scooted closer to him, and him to her, then.. there was no more distance between them, or their lips. They closed their eyes, kissing for a few seconds. It was nothing crazy. They didn't match tongues. Just a genuine, meaningful display of affection. They broke apart, adrenaline pumping. 'So this is what it's like.' They both thought, but for different reasons.

A smile fell on Daisy's lips and she whispered. "Thank you." Augustus nodded, not knowing what to say. If this were to be his last kiss, it was a great one to go out on. Daisy wasn't sure where to go next with things. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay."

"That's fine." He said. "It's your house."

"Good." Daisy curled up close to him. Augustus swallowed and put an arm around her. "Goodnight, Auggie."

"Goodnight, Daisy." He whispered back. After a few minutes, Daisy drifted off to sleep, and Augustus joined her soon after.

Chapter Text

It was slow at first. Little things. But everything was mostly fine. It started with the strange looks. She didn't really notice it at first, but as time went on, Amaya couldn't help but feel them on the back of her head. Sometimes she would catch them staring at her, but they would quickly look away and pretend as though they weren't doing anything suspicious. They being a couple of her classmates. Amaya didn't speak, and they found this odd. Why didn't she? Could they get her to say something?

And so they made it their twisted mission to get her to speak. To say something, anything, it didn't matter. Their methods of going about this were cruel and horrible. After the odd looks came little, minor slights towards her. They'd whisper intensely when they knew she was in earshot. They'd take her pencils when she wasn't looking. When Amaya ever looked in their direction, they'd give her mean or dirty looks. This lasted for much of the school year, into the next.

Their antics with her hadn't been stopped, and since Amaya was too anxious to do anything, she kept to herself, suffering in silence. The teasing had evolved, too. Now emboldened by them getting away with it, they took to verbal insults. They berated her, calling her stupid, ugly, and any other terrible thing they could think of. It would be in passing, in the halls, at lunch. They would cough and say it in between their over exaggerated hacking. Amaya would shrink back and frown, trying to block out the words. She had no friends to defend her, or comfort her. She'd tear up, but after so much abuse she learned to keep it inside. At night, in her bed, the walls would come down and she would bawl her eyes out into her pillow, wishing she would die.

Every new day was dreadful. She knew what would await her at school. More harassment. None of her teachers, nor the other classmates, ever noticed. Or perhaps, they simply didn't care. Amaya felt so alone. Eventually, she started actively avoiding everyone, opting to eat outside during lunch, or sitting in the far back of the classroom, just hoping to avoid her tormentors. Like homing missiles, they always managed to somehow find her. Yet, despite all their bullying, they could never get that weird little cat to talk. This, mixed with their continual getting away with teasing her, made them bolder still.

Next came the tripping. The shoving. The hitting. More than once Amaya found herself eating the floor, school books and papers strewn about. The bullies would laugh mercilessly and kick her things away from her as she tried to scramble and gather them. More than once she had to escape to the restroom to find a stall to cry in. It didn't help that one of the bullies was a girl and would follow her there, mocking her and laughing at her tears. Amaya prayed she would die. She couldn't handle it anymore.

Once, on a particularly bad day for one of her bullies, they took their anger out on her. They slammed her against the locker and held her down. "Why don't you talk, you stupid bitch? Say something!" But Amaya didn't respond. She squirmed and tried to wrench herself free, but the bigger cat had an iron grip on her. She hoped someone might do something to help her, but nobody did. They all turned a blind eye.

And one day, they really took things too far. After school, they cornered Amaya in a stairwell. They threw the usual insults and abuse at her. They kicked her and spat at her. Amaya shrank back, unable to get away. Everytime she did try to make a break for it, they would grab her and pull her back, throwing her to the ground. Then one of them pulled out a pocket knife. They swiped it at her, demanding she talk, but Amaya started crying. The two others held her down while the knife wielder got slowly closer, pretending to stab her. "Just say something, anything, and we'll stop. Or are you too much of an idiot?"

Amaya feared for her life. She closed her eyes, tears still falling, accepting that they were going to cut her up. The knife guy slid the dull side of the blade across her body in various places. "I wonder what you'll do when we cut you open. I wonder what you'll say?"

The girl went limp. This was it. And then, out of nowhere, came a new voice. It was soft, but firm, and it held a lot of power. "Leave her alone!"

They all looked up, and saw a korat with a blue scarf standing there. He was furious. The knife guy growled at him. "Go the fuck away. This doesn't concern you."

"I'm not going to let you hurt her." The korat said, narrowing his eyes and stepping forward to get the knife guy off Amaya.

The knife guy made a swipe at the korat, but quick as a flash he had pulled the scarf from around his neck and cracked it like a whip on the guys' hand. He dropped the knife in surprise. The three bullies stood up and Amaya scampered back against the wall. The korat took a fighting stance. He had years of martial arts on the weekends, and knew how to defend himself.

The knife guy, presumably the leader, made a swing at him, but the korat dodged and rebounded with a punch to the back of the head. He dodged another attack from another, and swept their legs out from under then, and then used his momentum to shove the third to the ground. They all tried another volley of attacks, but the korat dodged and countered each one of them. The others took a beating, unable to land a single hit on him. Eventually, they gave up, running away, swearing at him, vowing they'd show him up. The korat didn't take any credence to this, he knew he could beat them again. He put his scarf back around his neck and now turned his attention to the girl.

His face softened and he kneeled down to her. "Are you okay? Did they cut you?" He said, voice as gentle as a summer breeze. After years of abuse, Amaya tensed up and shied away, afraid of a new potential tormentor.

"Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you." The korat said. "My name's Mike. What's yours?"

Amaya didn't say anything. She just looked at him through blurry eyes, waiting for him to turn on her and call her something mean, or to pick up the knife and finish the job. But he didn't. "I'm friendly, I promise." Mike pulled the scarf from around his neck, and Amaya braced to be whipped by it, but the stinging pain of a lashing didn't come. Instead, Mike extended the scarf to her. All the while, he hadn't moved an inch, giving her space to leave if she wanted to. Amaya wiped her eyes to get a better look and spotted the offering. "Go on. You can hold it."

He felt like comfort. Amaya couldn't explain it. But now, she felt like she could trust him. She took the scarf in her hand. It was soft. "See?" Mike said. "Friend."

Amaya weighed her options. She could make a break for it before he turned this against her. Or, she could accept his friendship. She looked into his gentle green eyes and saw the truth in them. Scarf still in hand, she crawled forward and hugged him. Mike was a little surprised by it, but he embraced her as well. Amaya was so small and fragile. Mike felt as though he might crush her little body if he hugged her too hard. She was so soft, too, even softer than his scarf. Mike imagined that this is what hugging a cloud might be like. Amaya hugged him a little tighter, years of abuse and fear melting away, and now she cried again. Not tears of despair, but of joy. Someone saw her. Someone was kind and gentle to her.

And for the first time, she spoke. "Thank you."

It was the softest, sweetest voice Mike had ever heard. After a few moments, they broke apart. "Would you like me to walk you home?"

Amaya nodded and wiped the tears out her eyes. They stood up together, and walked home side by side. Amaya didn't say anything else, but Mike didn't mind. He was just happy to have helped. The smile on her face spoke a thousand words, and he knew they were all good. And from that day, Amaya had a new friend, someone to help her, to talk to her, and make her feel loved. Eventually, Amaya spoke once more, to tell Mike she loved him. And Mike wholeheartedly loved her back.

Chapter Text

Mike pulled his favorite blue scarf around his neck and looked in the mirror. He was taking a brief moment to reflect on it before he headed out to see a movie with Lucy. The khao manee had suggested they go, but in a roundabout way that left Mike more confused than anything. He couldn't tell if she wanted to go because she wanted to spend time with him, or if it was merely out of convenience. It wasn't the first time Lucy wanted to hang out, not by a longshot, but something about the way she asked him seemed different. She was really blushy and a little flustered, and when she noticed the gears turning in Mikes' head, her attitude took a heel turn and she turned back into regular old abrasive Lucy. A sigh escaped from within the korat's soul. It was nothing. They would always be nothing.

Mike said his goodbyes to his mom and told her where he was headed. It was a short walk to Lucy's house, and he wasted no time in knocking on the door. Lucy answered, looking a little aggravated. "About time, jerkface." She grumbled. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Mike picked up on a hint of worry in her voice.

"Ah, sorry. I'm here now." He smiled, and Lucy frowned. Behind her came a small, annoying voice.

"Here I come, ruffer dan duh rest of offem!" The voice belonged to Yashy. Both Mike and Lucy stared blankly at the interruption.

Lucy turned away. She wasn't in the mood. "We're going to the movies. See you later."

"WAIT!" Yashy scrambled over. "Aren't you going to say anything about my hilarious entrance?"

Lucy smiled mischievously as she replied with, "Enjoy getting it on by yourself?" Even Mike had to stifle laughter at it. Lucy took her leave, having shut Yashy up. "Bye!" She called, slamming the door. Yashy could only watch and pout.

As the two cats walked, Mike had to wonder. "Why don't we just bring her along?"

Bringing the lizard along was the last thing Lucy wanted to do, even if she hadn't been the one to ask Mike out to see a movie. "Are you joking?!" She scoffed, shocked at the idea. "And have her repeat quotes from the movie for a week? I'm not making that mistake again."

Mike softened up. Yashy could be a bit much sometimes, with her calling him Flea, or other girls whores if they got too close to him, but she was just a kid. "Aww, she's not that bad!"

Lucy stopped, angry look on her face. Mike continued to talk to her displeasure. "She's…" Lucy grabbed his scarf. "...funny."

Lucy yanked the korat down to her level as he tried to lean away. "Anchorman references, Mike. Every day, for MONTHS." Lucy pulled Mike closer to her face. "Do you know what it's like to hear how much she loves lamp?" She growled. "Every time you turn on a lamp to study?" Mike started sweating, heart racing at how close her lips were getting to his. "How about every new toy being 'my precious'? 'Yesss, yesss, must have the preciousssss."

Lucy eased off. "I don't know what you THINK she's like, but if you want to take her to the movies, you can adopt her." She let go of his scarf and took a step back. Mike got the point.

"Maybe she'd have a better time staying at home." He said, rushing off.

Without further delay, they raced to the local multiplex, Roseville Station 9. It bustled with activity, with people coming in and out as screenings ended and started. Mike and Lucy pushed through and walked around the lobby, trying to figure out what to watch. Lucy felt bad about how she had reacted to Mike after asking him to see a movie with her, so she decided to leave it up to him. "So, what is it you want to see?"

Mike rubbed his chin in thought. Come to think of it, there really wasn't anything specifically he was interested in. Really, he was only there to spend time with Lucy. He took note of how pretty she looked that day. Well, to him she was always pretty, but it seemed like she had done something a little extra to make herself stand out more. "I dunno.. something funny?"

Just then, an enthusiastic voice overcame the crowd of other moviegoers and made it to Mike's sensitive ears. "Mikie!" Only one person ever called him that. He gave a small, slightly tired smile. "Aww, that sounds like…"

Lucy leaned over to look past Mike in the direction the voice came from. "Daisy." Lucy's expression fell flat. Couldn't she spend any time with Mike without all their other friends interrupting?

Daisy, along with Paulo and David, hurried over to join Mike and Lucy. Daisy beamed, happy she was able to find her friends. "Paulo and David invited me to watch a movie. Wanna join us?"

'Might as well.' Mike thought. "Ahh, sure!" But Lucy looked frustrated, mixed with disappointment at the whole situation. Mike didn't want to leave her out of the decision making, though."You're fine with these guys, right?"

"It's not like I've got much of a choice." She replied, annoyed.

Mike wasn't going to let it go, he could tell something was on her mind. "Aww, don't be like that! What do you really want?"

Lucy could feel a blush creep up on her cheeks, and she lowered her head. She put a hand up to try and hide the blush as she whispered so quietly that she was certain that only Mike could hear. The whole purpose of asking Mike to see a movie, the reason she had been so anxious over it, was because, "I was kinda hoping we could watch something alo--"

Lucy's tender confession was cut off by a large somali, who grinned at her while rubbing her back. "You wanted to sit next to me? Oh, why didn't you say so, babe?"

Lucy's timidness turned to anger real fast. She whipped around and clocked Paulo in the face with such force that he flew back and smashed into the popcorn machine. David, who was just ordering said popcorn from Amaya, who was tending the concessions stand, took no notice. "Two jumbos, please!" He requested.

Daisy looked over in surprise. "I didn't know Amaya worked here!"

Mike joined her in her surprise. "Well, what do you know?" Lucy didn't care either way, she just dusted herself off.

The issue still continued, though. What to watch? Everyone had their own idea. "How about we watch Lover Forever and Ever?"

Paulo straggled back to the group, face dripping with blood from the shards of glass of the popcorn machine. "No way! Face Bleeder Three!"

Mike was feeling a little hopeless with the movie selection. He wasn't particularly interested in either option. "Can't we watch a comedy?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. Once again, it was up to her to step up to the plate and get everyone on track. She didn't really particularly care, either, she was still annoyed that her day had been ruined by the intrusion of their other three friends. She just wanted it done and over with. "How about Face Bleeders Forever and Ever in Love?" She said. "It's a horror romance comedy drama crossover film.” Everyone stared blankly at her as they digested the information. Then, one by one they sounded off.

"Yeah, I'm game!" Daisy said, happily.

"Fair enough." Paulo said, still dripping with blood.

"It's crunchy." David said, obliviously.

"Good idea!" Chimed Mike, though he could still tell something was off with Lucy.

As they got ready to go get their tickets, Mike pulled Lucy aside. "Want any popcorn?"

Lucy, who figured the popcorn was sullied by Paulo's fur and blood, declined. "No thanks."

"Ah, okay. By the way, what were you saying earlier? Before Paulo cut you off." Mike asked before she could turn away.

Lucy smiled quickly. She felt foolish enough as it was, trying to see a movie with Mike, hoping for it to mean a little bit more. "It's fine! It was nothing."

"Okay.. but if there's something you want, just tell me." The korat gave Lucy an earnest smile that made her relax just a little. Just enough to be honest with her feelings for once.

"Wait, there is something…" She whispered. "I was really hoping that we could see something together. Just us." Her heart pounded, waiting for a response. Was it too much to ask for? Was she overstepping? She immediately started regretting saying anything.

This is what Mike had been waiting for. "Oh, alright. I'll let the others know we're gonna go see something else." So… Lucy did want to spend time with him, the movie was just an excuse to do so. Mike left to find the others, who were coming back with their tickets.

"C'mon Mikie, you guys are gonna be late!" Daisy said, brandishing her ticket.

Mike waved it away and smiled. "Actually, Lucy and I are going to check out another movie. Maybe next time, guys."

"Aww, Mikie!" Daisy pouted. "We never get to do anything together!"

"Yeah, what gives?" Paulo folded his arms, upset. He had been planning on sitting next to Lucy, and then putting an arm around her during the movie.

"Sorry guys." He shrugged. "We'll catch you later?"

Daisy humphed, disappointed. "See you, Mikie…"

Paulo looked at the korat and khao manee wistfully as they walked away. "Man, why does she always pick that wimp?"

"Cause she loves Mike!" David said, a bit too loudly.

Lucy thought she might die of embarrassment. Her cheeks heated up, and her expression soured. Mike could see a fit of rage coming. "Hey, don't listen to him. He just likes to stir the pot. I know you don't love me."

It wasn't meant as an attack on her, but there was a hint of melancholy in his voice as he said it. It made Lucy sad, too, because it wasn't true. Underneath several tough layers, there was a sweet, soft center wanting to come out, to tell Mike that she does love him, that she asked him to see a movie because she loved him. Lucy looked away sadly, trying to think of something to say to make him feel better, but not reveal her true feelings. She just wasn't ready yet. "Lucy…" Mike began, and she looked up at him. He smiled at her. "What did you want to see?"

The khao manee squinted at the LED board showing all the movies and showtimes. She'd been semi-looking forward to Love Forever and Ever, but romance movies always made her cry. She didn't want to appear weak in front of Mike, but… she really did trust him. Why couldn't she just trust him enough with her feelings of love? "Maybe… Love Forever and Ever?" She whispered, so quietly that Mike barely heard her.

Mike was a little confused. This seemed like the last movie Lucy would ever have any interest in. "The one Daisy wanted to see?"

"Got a problem with that, jerkface?" Lucy grabbed his scarf threateningly.

Mike put his hands up. "Hey, I'm not judging. I want to see it!"

Lucy let go of him and went a little red at her overreaction. "Whatever." She muttered.

It was a little disheartening, the violence and the total disregard for manners that Lucy often displayed. It left Mike wondering why she bothered with him if she hated him so much. Then again, it was all he'd ever known her to be. Mean, defensive, always trying to hide her real feelings from him. At least, that's how it felt to Mike. The idea that she may just not like him, and nothing was being obscured, made him a little sad. He still really liked her.

They got their tickets, or rather, Mike did. Lucy was too embarrassed to do it herself. Mike was okay with that, he wanted to be the gentleman and pay for it anyway. At the concessions stand, the popcorn machine was down courtesy of Paulo, and bits of blood and fur were being cleaned up and tossed out. "What did you want?" Mike asked Lucy, who was becoming increasingly more flustered the more it felt like a date. "It's my treat."

She folded her arms, ears flat and face red, unable to look at him for fear of letting her true feelings slip. "I don't care! Let's just get a soda or something."

Mike knew Lucy's favorite drink. It was his, too."One large orange soda, please!"

Amaya got them their drink, Mike paid, and the two went to the theater room indicated on the ticket. Mike held the door open for Lucy, who mumbled something about her being capable of opening doors herself, and they went to their seats. The auditorium wasn't too busy, and the friends were able to find prime seats in the middle of the theater. Mike got comfy while watching the previews, while Lucy stared at him in the darkness, only illuminated by the large screen before them. She was admiring him, he looked really handsome that day. She was also internally doing flips, happy they were able to see a movie together. Every other time, just as what happened today, their other friends got involved. Mike realized he was still holding onto the large cup. "Oh, here you go." He placed the drink down between them. There was just enough light for him to see the red on Lucy's cheeks while she looked at him.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

Lucy's expression soured when she knew she was caught staring. "Shut up, the movie's about to start!" She hushed.

"Sorry." Mike replied sheepishly. It was then he noticed that Amaya had only put one straw in the drink. 'Amaya!' He thought to himself. 'You knew what you were doing!'

The movie started, and everyone in the audience settled down. It was a standard cheesy romantic drama movie, though it did keep the korat's attention. Lucy was drawn in as well, and couldn't help but see herself in the main character; a woman who was afraid to express her feelings to her friend. She felt a little anxious, hoping Mike wouldn't draw the same parallels either. The way the seats were constructed, there was but one armrest between the two to share, which led to an awkward moment where the two nearly held hands, an arrangement that Mike would have been okay with, but Lucy pulled hers away quickly, blushing hard. She kept her hands to herself the rest of the movie.

That wouldn't compare what happened near the end. Just as things were coming to an emotional climax, where after all the hardships, the woman was confessing her love, both Mike and Lucy decided to take a sip of the soda. Their eyes were glued to the screen, holding onto every second, as they leaned down to the cup. They turned their heads towards each other at the last moment, and their lips met at the straw. For a few moments, they were frozen in surprise, staring into each other's eyes. In the blink of an eye, the cats sat back up to attention, looking away from each other. Lucy thought her heart might explode. Mike closed his eyes, waiting for her to berate him, but it didn't happen. Instead, Lucy kept herself together, and they watched the rest of the movie without incident.

Once it was over, Lucy didn't bother watching any of the credits. Without a word to Mike, she stood up and left. Mike grabbed the drink, always being mindful to pick up after himself, and tossed it in the trash bins at the exit. Lucy was long gone from the auditorium. In the lobby, Mike searched for her, and saw her walking beyond the glass doors of the theater building. He took off after her, inadvertently shoving some people who walked in front of him. They gave them dirty looks, and he gave an apologetic one.

Lucy was flushed with embarrassment. Her arms were by her sides, and her hands were balled up into fists. No matter what she tried thinking of, she couldn't get the accidental kiss out of her head. It wasn't that big of a deal, it was just an accident. They weren't paying attention, who cares? It didn't mean anything… and yet, Lucy couldn't help but secretly wish for another. She buried the desire deep down, underneath hardened layers of the fear and frustration that she couldn't just tell Mike three simple words that would make her infinitely happier: I love you. Running up the path came Mike, who was waving and calling her name. "Lucy! Wait!"

Lucy didn't stop, but she did at least slow down for him. It wouldn't make much of a difference, Mike was fast, and he soon caught up. "I'm sorry, Lucy, I should have been paying attention."

Lucy didn't know what to say or what to do. Her emotions were being corked up, but the bottle was about to blow. A tumultuous sea of feelings bubbled and broiled, and every word Mike said, the closer he stood to her, the more intense it got. Fight or flight, fight or flight… she was like a deer frozen in headlights. By this point, she'd stopped walking. The korat looked at her with concern. "Lucy, are you mad at me?" He asked softly.

Lucy blinked, and tears fell from her eyes. Her mind was awash, spiraling ever downwards. 'Open up to him, it'll be okay.' a small voice inside her said. 'But what if he thinks you're too much? What if it scares him off?' said another. Mike looked around. They were alone. He stood in front of Lucy, who appeared not to have noticed, and put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a warm, friendly smile. "You can talk to me if something is bothering you. I promise I'll listen."

The white cat looked at him through her tears, and decided to take the leap. It wasn't all too dissimilar to the feeling she had leaping into the rushing river to save his life so many years ago. "I'm scared…" she whispered.

Now Mike was really concerned. He wished he could get inside her head and understand. "What are you scared of?" Lucy shook her head. She just couldn't say it. "We can move on to something else…" Mike offered, but Lucy shook her head again. She just needed to say it.

She took in a raggedy breath. "I… all th-those things I s-say to you… when I hit you… I'm sorry." Lucy's heart was beating out of her chest. She was falling… falling… falling into a void. The words just came out, without her really putting much thought into them, like it was her very soul speaking to Mike. The truths she kept secret, almost even from herself. She knew calling him names was wrong, so was hitting him. They were just thinly veiled attempts at hiding how she truly felt.

Mike blinked a few times, in complete shock. He expected her to explode on him. It may have been easier to handle, as he'd been through it time and time again with this girl. Now, after such an awkward blunder, she was telling a different story. Moreover, she NEVER apologized for how she would act. Fight, split, come back, act like nothing happened, repeat. That's how their friendship always was, Mike had it down to a science, but this… this was uncharted territory. He collected himself and replied in kind. "Thank you. I forgive you for all that, you know?" Lucy nodded. "Is that all?"

A shrug was her response. She did feel a bit better. Mike pulled his hand away. "Well, we should get going. Wanna play some games at my place?" He turned to walk away, but a slight tug at his scarf brought his attention back to Lucy. "Yes?" He asked. Lucy was holding his scarf.

"If I t-tell you… w-will you tell me why you picked this color?" She whispered.

"Tell me what?" Mike leaned in. Lucy shrank back.

"J-just promise me, jerk!" She said harshly.

Mike used a finger to make a cross gesture over his heart. "I promise!"

Lucy had gone this far, no turning back now. She looked him straight in his soft, handsome face, and said the words she'd spent so many nights practicing. The words she would tell him in her dreams. "Michael… I love you."

Mike's heart skipped a beat. There was no way she said it. Even if she did, this had to be some sort of trick, like when she went all lovey dovey on him when they got in an argument over a game. The beating didn't come this time, only trembling and the blinking back of tears. He dared to speak. "R…really?"

Lucy couldn't bear looking him in the eyes. She turned her head and nodded, still clutching his scarf. It was over now. The die was cast. Mike took a moment to internalize this. This was a delicate situation, and he needed to pick his next words very carefully. Mike put his hand on Lucy's and smiled, cheeks red. "It makes me so happy to hear that!"

Lucy looked at him. "Huh?"

"I chose this color because it matched your eyes. I love you too!" Mike said, years of bottled up feelings now finally being set free. It was too much for both of them. They came together once more for a kiss, but this time it was intentional. Lucy let her walls down for him, and he embraced her with all the love and security he always felt for her. When it ended, they held each other and soaked in the moment.

"Hah!" Laughed someone a few feet away. Mike and Lucy jumped apart, fur on end at the sudden interruption of their bliss. It was David who made the outburst, standing next to a sorrowful Daisy and annoyed Paulo. "I told you guys they were in love!"

Mike and Lucy thought they might die from embarrassment.

Chapter Text

Lucy's eyes glazed over as she laid on the couch, mindlessly flipping through TV channels. The mystery program she had been drawn into had concluded, and now she was going past channel after channel to find something to pull her interest. None of the brief glimpses of shows she went through really stood out to her. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and not much was on. Unfortunately, Mike, Paulo, and Daisy were all busy, so she had nobody to hang out with. With a heavy sigh, Lucy resigned herself to watching the news until something worth her time came on.

"And that's the latest on the local and national news!" Said the peppy news anchor, smiling wide into the camera that would broadcast her face to households all over Roseville. "Let's take a moment to hear from Marley with the weather. What can you tell us about this evening?"

"Thank you, Claire." The weatherperson, a dog Lucy presumed was Marley, replied with a smile just as big. It was almost like the two were competing on who could have the biggest, fakest smile. The thought amused Lucy, and she smiled a little. "We've had a pretty uneventful week, but as you'll see here, this evening…"

"Sup mom!" Said a loud voice from around the corner of the couch. A little lizard waddled in front of Lucy and hopped up on the coffee table. The khao manee didn't take notice at first, mind wandering, not even paying much attention to the weather either. She was thinking about school, her friends, Mike and her - "Hey mom!!" Yashy said a little louder, hopping up and down and waving her arms.

Lucy blinked and finally took notice of her pet. She smiled at her, Yashy was her pride and joy. Finding her egg was one of the best things that ever happened to her. Even if Yashy could be a bit much, Lucy had a deep, unconditional love for her. "Sorry, Yashy. What's up?"

"I'm bored!" Yashy said with a huff. "I want to go outside."

Lucy frowned and rolled onto her back with a groan. While she loved Yashy, she also wasn't particularly in the mood to go outside. Or, anything that involved her getting off her comfy spot on the couch. "Mph… not now, Yashy."

"Awww, c'mon mom! You've been watching TV all day!" Yashy said in an annoying, whiny voice. This did little to sway Lucy to her side.

"Can't you go play outside by yourself? Or see if Lily or Chirpy wants to play?" Lucy asked, trying to find an out.

Yashy folded her arms. "Lily is taking a nap and Chirpy is out with Blur."

Lucy rubbed her face. "I'm not feeling it right now… go on without me. I might be out later."

Yashy growled and hopped off the table. "Fine, I'll have more fun by myself anyhow! See ya, lazy."

"Bye, Yashy. Stay safe." Lucy said, rolling to go back to watching TV. The door opened and slammed shut, Yashy really trying to make her point. Lucy did feel a little bad, but she was tired and Yashy needed to learn to play by herself. She'd watch some more TV and if nothing caught her fancy, she'd get off the couch and go outside.

"And that's all for the weather!" Marley chimed. "Back to you, Claire." Claire happily took the spotlight again, and went on to prattle more about local goings on, and a few major news pieces from around the country and the rest of the world. Lucy felt herself becoming drowsy. 'Perhaps Lily had the right idea.' She thought. 'A nap sounds nice.'

Lucy pulled the blanket that was folded over the back of the couch over her. With a couch pillow under her head, and the news anchors droning on, Lucy's eyes grew heavy and she soon fell asleep. She had pleasant dreams. Dreams about her friends. Dreams about her future. Dreams about the quiet times she had with Mike. Lucy smiled in her sleep and trilled happily at the thoughts.

Afternoon turned to evening in her slumber, and storm clouds had rolled in. This was as Marley the weather dog had predicted, but Lucy had been so distracted by Yashy she hadn't seen it. The temperature dropped, and the bright, sunny skies turned dark. The rains came, slow at first but then picked up in intensity. Lightning and thunder came from far away, rumbling and crashing. This was about the time Lucy woke up from her nap.

"Mmph…" Lucy's eyes fluttered open and she stretched across the couch. She was a little disoriented about what time it was, as it had gotten so dark outside. Fortunately for her, the news was still on and she was able to spot the time. It was 7:23 according to the bottom overlay. Lightning flashed and thunder shortly followed.

"What a rager." Jordan commented, looking out the window at the chaos. Lucy looked over as well, seeing the wind and rain thrashing the trees outside, and pounding on the windows.

The girl sat up to get a better look when their mother called. "C'mon kids, time for dinner!"

Now Lucy could smell it, the scent of a delicious homemade meal wafting into the living room from the dining room. She peeled herself off the couch and lazily walked to the dining room with a yawn. Lily and Chirpy were already there, and the places were already set out, with Lucy’s mom putting the last of the food on the table. Jordan followed in soon after, taking his seat. When they all got situated and started eating, they talked about their days. Jordan had to catch up on studying for a test the next day. Lily hadn’t done much. Chirpy and Blur had a fun day, but she came home when the storm arrived.

It all went in one ear and out the other for Lucy, who was still waking up. That’s when Chirpy asked, “Girl kitty, where’s mommy at?”

Lucy blinked, a little confused. “Mommy?”

“Yeah…” Lily said, looking around for the precocious green lizard. “Now that you mention it, don’t see Yashy.”

There was a bright flash followed by a loud clap of thunder and realization came rushing to Lucy like a freight train. She gasped loudly and stood up so fast her chair nearly fell over. Jordan rolled his eyes. “Geez, it’s just a storm, Lucy. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of those now.”

“Is everything alright, dear?” Lucy’s mom asked, a little alarmed by her daughter's sudden movement.

“Oh no…” Lucy whispered to herself under her breath. Without another moment's hesitation, she booked it for the front door.

“Lucy! Where are you going?!” Her mother called out, but Lucy didn’t hear nor care. She had to find Yashy. When she pushed the door open, the blustery winds ripped it from her grasp and slammed it open. Lucy stumbled a bit, but regained herself and took off into the stormy night.

The rain pelted her like little stones. The wind howled in anger, as though it were upset that this little white cat would be so arrogant as to run about in it. Lightning flashed, giving Lucy a brief glimpse at the chaotic world around her. Trees looked gnarled, and everyday objects looked like horrifying monsters. The thunder that followed was deafening and shook the ground beneath her, which is why when her brother was screaming her name at the top of his lungs, she didn’t hear him. He tried his best to try and catch up, but years of trying to beat Mike in races had made Lucy a formidable runner.

It was hard to see with the thick sheet of rain that was torrenting around them. The ditches were flooding, water rushing every which way. The wind had stripped the trees of leaves, and in some cases, branches. Lucy cried out for Yashy amidst the din, but she heard nothing. Her lungs were starting to burn from all the running and yelling. She was absolutely soaked and she was starting to feel a chill down to her bones. Tears were streaming down her face. The longer her search went on, the more desperate and dire things were becoming. She stumbled into a ditch and almost fell due to the rushing waters, and that’s when she almost tripped on something on the bank.

Lucy wiped the rain out of her eyes and gasped when she saw what it was that she came across. It was green and small. “Yashy?!” Lucy cried, but it didn’t respond. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Yashy, but she wasn’t moving. Lucy shook her shoulder gently, but there was still no response. She shook it a little harder to the same result. “No… no….!” Lucy cried. “Yashy! Yashy please wake up! Wake up!” But the little lizard made no sound nor movement. Lucy put her good ear to the pet’s chest. No heartbeat. She checked her tiny wrist. No pulse. Lucy tried one last thing, placing a hand just over her mouth to feel for a breath, any sign of life, but there was nothing.

The khao manee kneeled over her beloved Yashy, hands over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Lucy’s mind reeled. No… it couldn’t be… Yashy couldn’t be… “Lucy!!” Jordan’s voice cut through the storm. “Lucy, where are you?!” But Lucy was in too much shock to say anything. The boy finally caught up with her and grabbed her arm. “Lucy! What were you thinking! We have to get inside!”

But when Jordan tried to pull her away, she screamed at him and threw a punch. “NO! I can’t leave Yashy!”

“Yashy?” Jordan asked, and then he saw the green heap on the ground. “Oh… Lucy, we can't stay out here! We’ll get sick!”

Lucy nodded and scooped up her pet, and the two scurried back to the house, where her mother stood in the doorway with Lily and Chirpy, looking out anxiously for their return. Once inside, Lucy and Jordan were greeted by blankets. It was now Lucy realized how cold she was, but she didn’t let go of Yashy for a moment.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

When Lucy’s friends arrived at school the next morning, they immediately noticed she was absent. Mike had noticed before everyone else, as he and Lucy always walked to school together, but he shrugged it off as her getting a late start. This was what everyone believed until their third round of classes when she was still gone.

“Man, I ain’t had nothin’ to look at since she hasn't been here.” Paulo bellyached.

Sue rolled her eyes. “Oh please, is that all she is to you? Something to ogle at?”

“Mind your own business!” Paulo said. “You’re just jealous that I’m not ogling you!”

“I am not!” Sue scoffed, bright red. This led the two into an argument.

Daisy looked sadly at Lucy’s empty seat. “It’s not like her to miss school… I hope she’s okay, Mikie. You should get her schoolwork for her and bring it to her after school.”

Mike sighed. He figured the last thing Lucy would want is that. She was probably just feeling under the weather. He did take Daisy’s advice, and once school was over, he headed out to Lucy’s house. It was a nice day, in stark contrast to the violent storm the night before. The effects of it could still be seen. Trees looked bare, some were missing limbs. Some of the ditches were still a little flooded. Everything was soaked or covered in leaves. The thunder had been unpleasant for Mike, but he at least managed to get some sleep. Unfortunately for Lucy, she hadn’t gotten any.

He found himself at Lucy’s front door and gave it a solid knock. Lucy’s mother opened it, but didn’t greet him with her usual enthusiastic self. Instead, he got a, “Oh, good afternoon Michael. I suppose you’re here to check up on Lucy.”

Mike was beginning to feel a little more worried. Something really bad must have happened. “Yeah… Is she okay? I brought some of her schoolwork… is it alright if I come in?”

The mom gave it a moment of thought. She could see the look of worry in the boy’s face. “Come on in. Lucy hasn’t left her room or talked to anyone since last night. Maybe she’ll be willing to talk to you.”

There was an uneasy knot in the pit of Mike’s stomach. He had to see her, now. He had to see that she was alright. He followed Lucy's mom and passed Lily and Chirpy on the couch, neither of which looked up when he walked by. At Lucy’s room, her mother gave a small knock on the door. “Sweetheart? Michael’s here.” There was no response, though Mike could hear sobbing and sniffling from the other side of the door. “I'm sure she'll be okay if you say hi. I’ll leave you to it.” Her mom said, and she walked off.

Mike slowly entered the room. Lucy was on her bed, crying her eyes out. She looked like a mess, fur all matted and dirty. Her bow was discarded on the floor, and it too was filthy. “Lucy?” Mike took a few steps closer to the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you w-want, Michael…” She replied bitterly through her tears and clenched teeth.

“We saw you weren’t at school today… I was just coming to see how you were…” He said.

“Go. Away.” Lucy sobbed angrily. “Just go away!”

Mike nodded a little. He knew better than to not listen to Lucy. “Alright… when you’re ready… you know where to find me…” And with that, he left the crying girl, and closed the door gently behind him. On his way to the front door, Lily stopped him. She was sitting on the back of the couch.

“She told you to leave, didn’t she?” She asked gravely.

“Yeah. I better do what she asks, if I don't, she-”

“No.” Lily said firmly. “She needs you right now. Whether she knows it or will admit to it or not. She needs you.”

“But-” Mike tried to counter, but Lily wouldn’t hear it.

“No buts! You march back up there and sit with her until she’s okay.” The hedgehog said, pointing up the stairs.

“What is even going on?!” Mike asked, exasperated. All this fuss and he still had no idea what for.

Lily lowered her gaze. It looked like whatever she had to say was painful. “Yashy… the storm… She… didn’t make it…”

The knot in Mike’s stomach grew tighter. Yashy, Lucy’s anchor… gone. Now it all made sense. “I… I’ll stay.”

Lily nodded and Mike turned tail to go back upstairs. He silently entered Lucy’s room, closing the door behind him again, and placed his backpack on the ground. From there, he took a seat on the edge of Lucy’s bed, and waited. The girl cried and cried. Mike had never heard her so upset. She fretted over his presence, demanding he leave, hurling all sorts of threats and insults his way, but Mike refused. He said nothing, only waiting for her to be ready to talk. After a while, Lucy eased up on him, and after a little more time, she crawled over to him and laid her head on his lap.

“It’s m-m-my f-fault, Michael…” She choked out. “S-so stupid!”

Mike placed a hand on her back in a gesture of comfort. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known-”

“But I SHOULD HAVE!” She yelled in his face. Mike jumped a little at the yelling and the sudden change in attitude, and Lucy teared up again looking at his hurt expression. She laid herself back down on him and hugged his midsection. “Sorry… s-sorry… I didn’t m-mean…”

Mike hugged her as best he could in the awkward position. “It’s okay.” They hugged like this for a few moments, with Lucy still sobbing lightly into him before Mike spoke again. “Have you… uh…” He didn’t really know what to say, or how to say it, but Lucy understood. She shook her head.

“N-not yet…” She looked through blurry eyes at a shoebox on her desk. “I… c-couldn’t… Michael….” Her voice wavered into more tears. “It’s all my f-fault! I deserve to d-die!”

This thought frightened Mike. He didn't want Lucy to hurt herself, let alone… no. He couldn't stomach it. “Hey! Don’t say things like that!”

“It’s t-true!” She whimpered.

“It’s not true and you know it!” He said firmly. “If it wasn’t for you rescuing her egg in the first place, she wouldn’t have had the life she did…” Lucy only responded with more tears. “Think of all the good you did for her… all the happy days you gave her… all the love…” Lucy nodded a little and sat up next to Mike.

“Will you… will y-you help me?” She whispered.

“I will.” Mike said, looking into her watery blue eyes.

The burial was a private affair. The only one outside of Lucy's family that attended was Mike. In the backyard, he dug the grave, while Lucy looked on tearfully. Jordan elected to hold Yashy’s box. After the hole was sufficiently deep enough, he lowered it down, and Mike refilled the hole with the dirt he’d taken out of it. The group stood around, and one by one they gave a few words about Yashy, and words of comfort to Lucy. Once they were finished, they headed inside, barring Lucy, who sat by the grave still crying, and Mike, who refused to leave her side.

Lucy hugged him, burying her face in his blue scarf. Her tears soaked it, but he didn’t mind. Mike held her close, letting her spill her emotions out onto him, as he had done so many times before. After some time, and silence between them, Lucy spoke up. “Michael?”

“Mhm?” Mike asked, who was currently looking up at the clouds. He turned his gaze to her.

Lucy swallowed, now struck by his beautiful emerald eyes. “I… There’s… something I think Yashy would have wanted me to tell you…”

“What’s that?” Mike tilted his head a little.

Lucy went red in the face. She was scared to say it, but she’d suffered such loss that it made it a little easier. She had to say it, for Yashy. “Michael… I love you.”

Mike didn’t know if it was the grief speaking, or if it was her true feelings. “You… love me?”

Lucy nodded. “I do… I really do… I was just… t-too scared to say it!” She took a deep breath. “But I’m not afraid anymore. Even if you don’t feel the same back… I at least had to say it for her…”

Mike smiled at the girl. “It means so much to hear you say that… Lucy, of course I feel the same about you!”

Lucy smiled a little too, the first time she had since the night prior. She scooted closer to Mike and leaned into him. “Thank you… for being here. For not leaving me…”

“I’ll always be there for you, Lucy. No matter what.” He said, and the two sat together in their embrace, watching the sun go down on the horizon.

Chapter Text

It was meant to be a joke. Or something like that. When Lucy beat that edgy cat to the bus he rode, she merely meant to be a mild nuisance to him for her own amusement. Augustus wasn't even going to let it go that far. Lucy grinned smugly at him when he walked onto the bus, but he ignored her and moved on to the back. Lucy, grumpy that her antics didn't grab his attention, followed him to the back and pouted the whole way to his stop.

It was a long trip to his house, too. An uncomfortable one. Even after they reached the end of the line, they had a long walk ahead of them. Most of the time Augustus pretended Lucy wasn't there, opting to keep his eyes forward. Around Lucy were run down buildings, boarded up and broken. The grass was unkempt, weeds grew everywhere, and it felt like she was being constantly watched… even though no one was there. It was now that Lucy began to regret her decision to follow him. It was all meant to be fun and games, but the reality of Augustus's situation was very grim.

It got even worse when two random guys outside an alleyway started harassing her. Lucy tried her best to move on, but she couldn't stop the creeping sensation going up her spine. She was scared - really scared. What was worse was there was no way for her to get home from there that night, and Augustus wasn't exactly being warm and fuzzy toward her plight. He wasn't Lucy's keeper. It was true, he had warned her there was no going back… so why hadn't Lucy just believed him? Was she so sheltered that she thought things couldn't be so bad?

After a quick stop at a convenience store for dinner (which just consisted of some small snacks for Lucy) and Lucy deriding Augustus for stealing (he didn't care), they both arrived at an abandoned house. At least, Lucy assumed it was abandoned. It LOOKED abandoned. The grass was just as overgrown here as with the rest of the houses, and trash littered the yard. It smelled funny, too. Was it coming from the house? Yet, Augustus walked straight up to the door and opened it.

The funny smell did indeed come from within. There was trash scattered along the floor as Augustus and Lucy walked to his room. Lucy could have sworn she was a few roaches. On the couch, laid out in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position, laid a woman who reeked of alcohol. She was out cold, soft snores coming from her mouth. Lucy was mindful to be quiet, but Augustus didn't seem to care about that, either. He led her down a hallway to a room at the end, and the door swung open with a terrible squeak.

The room was bare. Like, bare bare. It looked like someone hadn't finished packing, or perhaps they had packed everything up and left nothing but a mattress to sleep on. There were no lamps. There was no fan, or desk, or chair. Just carpet and a mattress, with a thin blanket on top. The mattress didn't even have a sheet. Lucy was horrified. She couldn't even have perceived such an awful place to call a home. It was cold. Lonely. Uninviting.

Augustus had to leave to run some errands, and when Lucy figured out who for, the knot that had been slowly tightening in the pit of her stomach got even tighter. With that little chestnut, she was left on her own, in a strange room, in a strange house, with strange people in a strange part of town she didn't even know existed. And now she was in… HIS… territory. None of her other friends were there to comfort her or protect her. Lucy stared terrified at the empty doorway, not knowing what to even do next. She didn't even have a way to contact home.

Then the yelling began. Presumably, Augustus's father had come home from work, and demanded dinner. This started a screaming match between the two adults, and Lucy sank onto the mattress. Her mom and dad never even raised their voices at each other, let alone yelled. Things were thrown, glass was smashed, and Lucy prayed they wouldn't find out she was there. She could only imagine what they'd do to her. What if they threw her out? Where would she go? It was dark now.

With nothing to do, and with all the stress, Lucy tired out and took a nap. She was awoken by the siamese boy, who was holding out a cell phone. He let her use it to call anyone she wanted, a small gesture that showed he really did care under all that apathetic exterior. There was nothing else to do but get ready for bed. Augustus let Lucy have the mattress and blanket, while he slept off to the side. Another small gesture, but it meant a lot, and Lucy greatly appreciated what small comfort these everyday items she always took for granted brought.

They both went to dreamland, but Lucy's took her to one of the darkest nights of her life. She was trapped, stuck to the cold, hard ground, looking up to the sky. Over her were her friends, all looking down their noses. They insulted her, lusted after her, abandoned her, all the while she cried out for their help, but it fell on deaf ears. And then HE entered her vision, blocking the stars, telling her that she would always have him…

Lucy jerked away, sitting straight up. It was like her body had been hit by a surge of adrenaline, and there was a brief calm before the storm. In her mind was a cascade of fear and doubt. She was alone. He would find her. Nobody would save her. Lucy began hyperventilating, tears forming in her eyes. She tried covering her mouth to keep in her gasps for air, but the feeling of despair was overwhelming. He was coming for her. He would take her away. She would be lost forever. She was going to die.

Lucy's sobs had now awakened Augustus, and he tried to get a pin on the situation in his groggy state. "Huh? Lucy?" He asked, trying to keep his voice down, lest he awaken the wrath of his father. It wouldn't matter. The khao manee was falling headfirst into a full blown panic attack, and she began to bawl her eyes out. Augustus had to shut her tears down before it was too late. "What's wrong with you?" He demanded to know. "Stop crying!"

This, of course, didn't help. Lucy cried loudly and uncontrollably, and just as he feared, his father woke up and was very unhappy about it. Augustus could hear the furious footsteps coming down the hall. He looked at the door and then back to Lucy. "Shhh! Lucy, you've gotta be quiet before-"

There was a loud slamming at his door, and it made them both jump, and even if for a brief moment, Lucy's sobs were caught in her throat. "YOU SHUT THAT BITCH'S MOUTH UP BEFORE I TOSS YOU BOTH OUT ON THE STREET, YOU HEAR ME?!" The voice boomed from the other side of the thin door.

"Y-yes! S-sorry, sir!" Augustus called back, thanking everything that he hadn't just ripped the door off its rusted hinges and made good on his promise. His father wasn't the type to give warnings. The heavy footsteps faded off into the distance and the boy turned his attention back to Lucy. She was still sobbing, but at least now it was into the pillow which muffled it a bit.

"You have GOT to be quiet now!" Augustus whispered harshly to her. "He's serious, he will do it!" Lucy nodded into the pillow, still sobbing, but trying to make an effort to get it under control. With great effort, Lucy managed to tone it down, but she was still trembling, and every so often a sharp gasp would escape her. Truth be told, she looked a mess, and Augustus, as hard on her as he was being, understood the feeling. He had spent enough time around Alejandro to see the same tears in another girl. It wasn't like he didn't care, either. It sucked, but right then her options were to suck it up or get them both kicked out of the house, and while Augustus could crash at Alejandro's place at least, Lucy would have to fend for herself.

And as annoyed as Augustus was with the white cat for following him out there and causing all these problems, there was no way he was going to do her like that.

Lucy laid back down, shivering and shaking, still gasping, desperately trying to keep the pain inside. Everything was just too overwhelming. She'd pushed Mike away. She felt like she had no friends. She was stranded in an unfamiliar place and was in imminent danger, and now she was being threatened by someone she didn't even know. This was all just supposed to be a funny little prank, how could things get so fucked up so fast?

Augustus laid his head down, watching the girl panic in the darkness. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling, and the mattress shook with her. It took Augustus back to darker times, times where he was in deeper with Alejandro than he was now. Times when Melanie was still around. Countless nights she would come to him, crying after a massive fight with Alejandro. He would bruise and batter her, hurling all manner of insults her way before throwing her to the ground and going out drinking with Toby. Augustus wasn't allowed to intervene, lest he too face the thug's wrath.

Once they were alone, Melanie would crawl to wherever he was and curl up next to him and cry, just as Lucy was. At first, Augustus didn't know what to do or how to react. He'd never had to deal with someone crying like that, or coming to him for comfort. Most people avoided him, as though he were carrying a disease. But not Melanie. Never Melanie. She saw him as something greater, even greater than he believed himself to be. He would sit awkwardly as she did her thing, crying until her eyes ran dry and she was tuckered out.

Over time, he got better with handling it, and discovered that a few soft words and a gentle hand, sometimes a cool, wet rag in case she was bleeding, would go a long way in sobering her up. The girl would sniffle and lay her head in his lap as he stroked her hair, telling her how wonderful she was, how bright her future was going to be, and other kind things. Occasionally, if they figured they might have the time for it, they would put on an old movie from one of the VHS tapes Alejandro would swipe from the local donation bin and cuddle under a blanket. Then Alejandro would come home plastered, held up only by Toby, and things would go back to business as usual. But for a brief hour or so, the two would find respite, and Augustus would get to see a beautiful, yet teary, smile on Melanie's face.

But Lucy was no Melanie, and she didn't know how to handle affection. But, if they were going to get any sleep, and not risk getting thrown out on their asses in the middle of the cold night, Augustus had to try something. With a sigh, he pulled himself up onto the mattress. Lucy looked his way. "Wh-what-"

"Scoot over." Augustus said plainly.

"I… wh-what?" Lucy stammered.

"Just… scoot over." He repeated. Lucy did as she was told, it was his… bed… after all. There was just enough room for the both of them, but it was a snug fit. Augustus pulled the blanket over himself and lifted the side closest to Lucy. "C'mon, then. We need to get some sleep."

Lucy looked from the open blanket to the boy. "I… I d-d-don't kn-know…"

Augustus frowned. "You trust me, right?" Lucy nodded. "Then come on over."

Lucy was hesitant. This was new… she'd shared a bed before, but that was at girly slumber parties. This was a boy… in HIS bed… what did this mean? Was this what others meant when they talked about 'sleeping together'? Augustus could feel her hesitancy. "I'm not gonna try and take advantage of you, okay? I'm not like that… anymore… I just want you to be okay."

With but a moment's more of hesitation, Lucy scooted over to the siamese under the blanket, and Augustus dropped it, letting it fall over her. He was taller than her, and her head rested under his chin. Augustus put his free arm over her to hold her close. Lucy tensed up, as the boy expected she would. "It's okay… you're safe now…" He said softly to her. "He can't hurt you… I promise…"

Lucy relaxed a bit and allowed herself to snuggle up to him a little more naturally. Augustus petted her back, and it gave Lucy a calming sensation she liked a lot. "H-hah! B-bet you're loving th-this…" Lucy said between little sniffles.

Augustus rolled his eyes. Mike might buy into that sort of thing, but he wasn't going to. "Knock it off. I know you're scared. Just accept the help for once without trying to act like you don't need it."

This shut Lucy up. He had her number. "N-now what?" She asked.

"We go to sleep, hopefully." He murmured, already feeling it taking him once more.

"But what if I-" Lucy started, but Augustus cut her off.

"Don't think like that." He whispered, still gently rubbing her back. "You're safe, right here, right now. He's miles away, asleep, probably very drunk. He can't hurt you. I will do what I can to keep it that way."

It was reassuring to the girl. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him like a child would hug a stuffed animal, face buried in his chest fur. "Th-thank you…"

"You're welcome. Now get some sleep."

Chapter Text

"Ooooookay girls! And guy." Jasmine made a nod toward Abbey, who was sitting off to the side in the living room they were all in. The tuxedo cat was standing in front of her large flatscreen, addressing her friends. Before her was Mina, Cassidy, Haley, and of course, Abbey. It was their monthly sleepover, and it had to take a lot of convincing for her parents to allow Abbey to partake in it. They met him, had him over for dinner, and decided he was an upstanding young gentleman who could be trusted. The only condition was that he was to sleep in the living room, while the girls all got to sleep in Jasmine's room.

The night had been a fun one- filled with all sorts of snacks and games and talking. Now things were winding down, and the new business was what the last thing they would do before bed. Jasmine had an idea, and since she was hosting that night, she was going to pick the activity. "What movie are we going to watch?" There was a cacophony of suggestions thrown her way.

"We should watch Hearts On Fire! I'm feeling a romance." Cassidy suggested, throwing Mina a look. She knew Mina had a crush on Abbey, who was currently sitting beside her. Mina responded by blushing and sinking back into the couch the three were on.

"Bleh, a romance movie?" Haley scoffed, who was currently laying on a large armchair. "I have to deal with my brother's awful love life every day. Can't we watch something with some action? Maybe Action Men?"

"Action Men is sooooo mindless." Cassidy countered. "I want something with a little substance."

Abbey put out his own suggestion. "We could watch a scary movie. What do you have for that, Jasmine?"

Jasmine tapped her chin. "I have Demon House, Nightmare Lane, and a few others."

"Ohh!" Haley sat up. "I haven't seen Demon House yet."

"Neither have I." Cassidy said.

"Is that okay with you, Mina?" Jasmine asked the dog.

Mina, who was preoccupied with how close her and Abbey were sitting, snapped to. "Huh? What?"

"Is Demon House okay?" Abbey asked her.

Mina went even redder now that her crush was giving her attention. "Y-yeah… why wouldn't it be?!" All eyes went on Mina.

"Are you sure?" Jasmine asked. "Because last time we watched a scary movie-"

"Nothing happened!" Mina said quickly. "It was fine!" But all four girls knew this was a lie. At a previous sleepover, after watching a scary movie, Mina had woken up in tears from a dream she had about it. It took nearly an hour for her friends to help calm her down.

Jasmine didn't want to push the issue, especially in front of Abbey, so she conceded. "Okay then, Demon House it is. I'll go get some snacks."

"I'll help." Mina offered, and went with Jasmine to the kitchen.

"And I'll get the movie ready!" Haley said, getting off her comfy spot to eagerly pick out said movie.

Once Jasmine and Mina were out of earshot of the others, Jasmine sighed. "You don't have to try to act tough for Abbey to like you."

"Wha!" Mina exclaimed, caught off guard. "I don't care about Abbey liking me!"

Jasmine looked over at her friend with a 'really?' face. "It's obvious you like him. HE might not see that, but the rest of us do." Mina got quiet and turned away from Jasmine. The other girl softened up, not meaning to come across as harsh. "It's okay if you like him. Abbey's a really sweet guy."

"I d-do NOT like him." Mina stated firmly, hiding the massive blush on her face. She was always so closed off when it came to her romantic feelings, not wanting to risk getting hurt. Of course she liked Abbey. He was tall, soft spoken, smart, and as Jasmine said, a really sweet guy. It was everything Mina didn't know she wanted in a guy. Just one issue - she couldn't bring herself to talk about it.

"Alright, then…" Jasmine said, not wanting to push her friend any further. Mina and Jasmine had been friends since elementary school, she would open up when she was ready. The two got the rest of the snacks in silence, and came back to Cassidy and Abbey having a conversation about photography.

"I always like to get in deep with my subject. I like taking pictures of the little things." Cassidy explained.

"I love doing micro photography!" Abbey smiled. "Call me old fashioned, but I like using film instead of digital."

Cassidy leaned in a little. "Ohhhh, very cool!"

Mina was most displeased with Cassidy who was clearly flirting with Abbey, but did her best to hide her jealousy as she put the snacks down. It must not have been good enough, because Abbey asked, "Is everything okay, Mina?"

The girl froze up and looked at him, her eyes locked to his as though they were tractor beams. Her face turned into a raging blush again. Abbey was concerned, and began to wonder if it was something he did. Was he sitting too close?

"She's alright." Jasmine chimed in, saving Mina from her embarrassment. "Probably just school related. Right?"

Mina looked at Jasmine, almost in a daze. "Y-yeah." She said.

"Ah, well, I understand how that is. These advanced classes weigh me down sometimes too." Abbey comforted her.

"Are you two done making goo goo eyes at each other? Let's get this movie started." Haley grumbled, growing impatient that things were taking so long. Everyone nodded, Jasmine hit the lights, and found her spot on the floor.

Abbey noticed, and being the gentleman that he was, he decided to offer his comfy spot up. "Oh! Jasmine, would you like to sit on the couch? I can move."

Jasmine looked from Abbey to Mina and back again, and shook her head with a smile. "No, that's okay! You get comfy."

Abbey nodded and settled in, as well as everyone else, except for Mina. She was sitting bolt upright, eyes straight forward, hoping Demon House wasn't nearly as frightening as it sounded. The movie began, and at first things seemed fine. Just some minor unsettling things, nothing Mina couldn't handle. Things started to heat up, though. Loud jumpscares, tense imagery, and a particularly frightening moment when one of the characters was violently dragged out of bed by an unseen force. This caused Mina to jump a little, and involuntarily grab Abbey's arm.

Abbey jumped out of his fur at the sudden touch. The jolt put Mina back in the living room and she looked at Abbey, who was giving her a confused look. The girl yanked her arm away and put her hands firmly in her lap, face on fire. Abbey's look of confusion turned to sympathy, and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. This only made her blush intensify. She drew into herself, and sensing that his comfort wasn't welcome (though it secretly was), Abbey took his hand away and kept it to himself.

The rest of the movie went on, the intensity of the scares growing until it crescendoed at the climax with a dinn of demonic images and haunting sounds. Amidst all of it, Abbey heard a whimper that he was certain wasn't coming from the movie. Looking over, everyone was engaged, except for one. Mina was wincing, nearly looking away entirely. Abbey wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he remembered what happened before and so kept to himself.

Finally, the credits rolled, and Jasmine hit the lights. "That was something." She said.

"That was AWESOME!" Haley shouted, laying over the chair. "I'm gonna bug mom about getting this one."

"It was so scary though!" Cassidy shivered. "I hope I can sleep tonight. What did you think, Abbey?"

Abbey tapped his chin in thought. "Well, the cinematography was nice in some places, the dialogue was a little clunky at times, but overall an effective scarefest."

"Well it's a good thing we have a big, strong man to protect us." Cassidy said slyly. "Right, Mina?"

Mina stood up in the blink of an eye. "That movie was nothing! I'm heading to bed." And with that, she stomped out the room to Jasmine's.

Everyone watched her walk off. "Don't worry about her." Jasmine assured Abbey, who looked concerned at Mina's abrupt behavior. "She's probably just tired." Jasmine yawned. "And I am too. Let's all get to bed. Goodnight Abbey!"

"Goodnight Abbey!" The other girls said as they followed Jasmine out.

"Goodnight girls." Abbey replied with a little wave. He unfurled his sleeping bag, hit the light, and got tucked in. All the while, he couldn't get Mina out of his mind, wondering if she was okay or not.

Meanwhile, the girls were getting settled in. Cassidy and Jasmine were taking the bed, while Haley and Mina took spots on the floor. Cassidy sprawled out on the bed. "Ahhh! He's such a gentle giant, isn't he?"

"Who?" Haley asked grumpily, a little sour about having to sleep on the floor. It was only fair though, as she got the bed last time.

"Abbey, who else?" Cassidy said dreamily, leaning over to look at the korat.

Haley frowned. "I heard he has a temper."

"C'mon girls, he's right down the hall." Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Don't gossip about him."

"I bet Mina'd LOVE to talk about Abbey all night, wouldn't she?" Cassidy said, looking at the girl in question, raising and lowering her eyebrows.

Mina had pretended to have fallen asleep ever since Cassidy brought up the abyssinian. Jasmine got the light. "Don't tease, Cassidy." She gave a slight grin. "Mina will talk about her feelings when she's ready."

"I can't escape boy drama no matter where I go, can I?" Lamented Haley. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight!"

The other two girls said their goodnights and rolled over to go to sleep. Mina layed, wide awake, mind whirling between Abbey, the horror movie, and jealousy over Cassidy clearly flirting with Abbey. Was she trying to get under her skin? Why? Mina shook her head, and after several minutes, she too fell asleep.

Mina woke up a few hours later. Looking at the time glowing softly on Jasmine's digital clock, it was just past 3 in the morning. She groaned a little and rolled over in her sleeping bag. Then she heard a creak outside the door, down the hall. Her body stiffened, and she slowed her breath so she could hear better. That must have just been Abbey. After a minute of straining her ears, she heard nothing, and relaxed. That's when the door to the room clicked.

Mina was currently faced away from the door, but this didn't stop her eyes from going wide as dinner plates. She must have misheard that. It was just the house settling. Or maybe Abbey was coming in? The floor creaked again, the creaks getting closer and closer, until it was right next to her head. Mina closed her eyes tightly, praying whatever it was, it was nothing. The creaking stopped, and she held her breath.

Something terribly cold wrapped around her ears, and in the next split second, she felt herself be violently yanked from her sleeping bag. Mina screamed and thrashed about. "HELP! HELP ME!" She cried to her friends, who were now faceless strangers. They did not heed her frantic voice, and Mina was dragged out the room and down the hall. She desperately tried to get away, but whatever had her by the ears had an iron grip. She swiped above her, but all her hands met was the air.

Soon she was in the living room where Abbey lay asleep. "ABBEY! ABBEY! PLEASE HELP ME!" Mina screamed, and this time, someone heard. Abbey sat upright, green eyes shining in the darkness. The moment his gaze fell upon her, whatever was dragging her let go, and she fell to the floor.

Mina jolted awake, hyperventilating. She reached for her ears, which were flopped over. A sigh of relief escaped her as she continued to calm herself down. Looking around, it seems none of her friends were awake. Her mouth was dry, and now Mina had to contemplate whether or not she wanted to brave the darkness of Jasmine's house.

Thirst won out, and with a deep breath, the girl slid out of her sleeping bag and tip-toed to the door. Her breath was still as she pressed her ear to it, trying to hear if anything was waiting for her on the other side. She felt foolish that she was taking these precautions, but the dream and movie had left her really on edge. Of course, she heard nothing. Mustering her courage, Mina pushed through to the other side, opening the door as quickly as she could with her eyes closed. Once on the other side, she opened them, and saw nothing. Literally nothing, as it was too dark.

Mina crept down the hall, wincing at every creak in the floor, almost jumping at nothing. She readied herself to jump back at anything that might come up on the way to the kitchen. All the while, Mina held in her breath. As she slinked through the living room, she took no notice of Abbey, who was laying awake himself.

He had heard the footsteps coming down the hall, and his mind whirled with all manner of horrible things it could be. The movie had stuck in Abbey's head too, and he found it hard to stay asleep. His heart raced as the sounds got closer, and passed by. When he saw it was Mina, he let out his own sigh of relief. Abbey sat up to say something. "Mina? What's going on?"

Mina leapt out of her fur. "Yeeeek!" In one swift move, she spun around and kicked Abbey square in the chest. The boy let out a pained groan and doubled over, grabbing the spot. "Ohhhh…. Owwww…."

When Mina came down from her fear, she realized the damage she caused. Her hands flew to her mouth and she dropped to her knees. "Sorry! Sorry! I'm so sorry!" She whispered.

"It's… oh… kay…" Abbey sputtered in between wheezes. This made Mina feel worse, and she crawled over to him.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked, a little frantically. 'Way to go, Mina!' She chided herself 'You just kicked your crush in the chest!'

Abbey gasped. "W-water…"

Oh right. Water. That's why she'd come out there. Mina hopped up quickly and scurried to the kitchen. Once there she grabbed a glass and filled it with some water from the fridge's water dispenser. She hurried back, careful not to spill any on the carpet, and offered it to Abbey who was now sitting up.

"Thank you." He croaked, graciously accepting the glass. He took a few sips as Mina anxiously looked down at her hands, internally beating herself up. He was going to hate her. He already wasn't interested and now he's going to hate her. He was right to dislike her. How could she do something so drastic? He'll think she's violent. Unstable.

"Mina? Are you okay?" Abbey's voice broke through the negativity, worried at the sight of her pained expression. Mina blinked and looked up at the boy.

Now her thoughts turned to disbelief. Why was this idiot… this sweet idiot… "You're worried about me?!" Mina asked. "I kicked you in the chest and you're worried about me?!"

"I mean," Abbey smiled warmly. "You WERE the one up and about."

"Well… I…" Mina did not want to admit she was a baby who was scared of the movie. "I was just stretching my legs."

"At two in the morning?" Abbey tilted his head, large brown ears flopping over. His curious expression was adorable, and this made Mina's heart race and face turn red. "I mean, I'm not judging or anything…"

There was no point in keeping up that lie. Abbey didn't deserve that. After kicking him in the chest, she owed it to him to be honest. And truthfully, if there was anyone she felt comfortable with talking about her fears, it was him. Despite her nervousness around him, he also made her feel at ease. Maybe it was just the tired speaking.

"Mmm…" Mina started slowly, speaking quietly. "Actually…"

Abbey sat up and leaned forward to hear her soft voice better. "Yes?"

"I couldn't sleep." She admitted. "I mean, I did sleep, but…"

"But what?" Abbey asked.

Mina took a deep breath. "I had a bad dream, okay?" She waited for Abbey to laugh (though foolishly, she knew he never would), or look down on her for letting a silly little scary movie get to her so much, but he didn't.

"Oh? Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, voice filled with a comforting warmth.

Mina contemplated it, but decided to open up some more to him. She got into a more comfortable sitting position. "I dreamed that something grabbed me and pulled me through the house. And nobody could hear me screaming - but you."

Abbey cocked an eyebrow. "Me?"

Mina nodded. "When you looked at me, whatever was pulling me let go. And then I woke up."

"I see…" Abbey said, leaning back. "It was the movie, wasn't it?" Mina hugged herself and looked away, ashamed. Abbey quickly followed up with, "Hey! Don't feel bad! It was a really scary movie. It's why I've had a hard time staying asleep."

"I still feel so stupid, though!" Mina lamented. "I shouldn't be getting scared by things like that."

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid." Abbey said. "I've been afraid lots of times."

"I suppose so…" Mina replied. They both sat in silence for a few moments. Mina went back to studying her hands as she mulled over what Abbey said. Maybe it was true, but it didn't change her anxiety over the situation. Abbey was still leaning back, now finished with the cup of water, and it was apparent he was beginning to nod off. And if she was being honest, Mina was nodding off as well. As the glow of their conversation died away, she knew that she was going to have to go back to bed.

As if hearing her thoughts, Abbey yawned and said, "We should get back to sleep." But she didn't want to. Well, she did, just not alone. Not without… The thought kept the fire going in her cheeks.

"I was thinking…" Mina started off slowly, running a finger through the carpeted floor. "Maybe… since we're both a little freaked out… we should sleep nearby? Just in case."

Abbey looked at the girl questioningly. "Nearby? I don't know how Jasmine's parents would feel about that… it took a lot of convincing to get them to let me stay the night here. I mean, I don't mind at all… I just don't want to impose."

"I'm sure it will be fine…" Mina said. "It's just the one time. And it's not like we're sleeping together, just close by."

It was enough to convince Abbey, whoa also rather liked the idea. "Alright. Want me to walk with you to get your stuff?"

It was such a small thing, but it went a long way to showing how much he cared. Mina nodded appreciatively and together they walked down the dark hallway to Jasmine's room, mindful to not make any noise. Mina swiftly gathered her sleeping bag and they tip toed back to the living room, where she set up camp. Once they were both snuggled up in their respective sleeping bags facing each other, Mina spoke. "Thank you, Abbey. And I'm sorry I kicked you."

"That's okay." Abbey said warmly. "Maybe we can both sleep better now."

"I think I will." Mina said, showing her first genuine smile that evening. With that, the two got comfy, and soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter Text

It was a simple mission. Go to the drug store, get the flu shot, and enjoy the rest of the day. This is what Paulo and Mike were tasked with by their parents. Individually, of course, but once Mike and Paulo let slip they both needed to get it done, they agreed to go together. That way, they'd at least have someone to talk to if there was a wait. This was a reasonable assumption since most of Roseville needed to get the vaccine.

But just because something is simple, doesn't mean it is easy. Mike was gun-ho about getting his done whenever, but Paulo seemed oddly busy all of a sudden. Even more so than he usually was. If Mike could even pop the question of when they would go without Paulo pretending like he didn't hear it, he would always give vague, non-answers that only pushed the issue away.

"Paulo. Paulo!" Mike would call to him, waving a hand to get his attention.

"Mm? What?" He would respond, a little annoyed.

"When are we going to get our flu shot? You haven't given me an answer." The korat would say, getting a little annoyed himself. Mike was a very patient guy, but having to deal with Paulo dodging the issue was starting to wear thin. He even considered just going by himself to get his done. By the time Paulo agreed, flu season would be over!

"Eh… soon. Real soon. I think I got work this week after school."

"And the weekend?"

"Yeah, then too."

Not entirely convinced, Mike took it upon himself to go to Burger-Tron to ask his coworker James when he was free.

"Looks like he's off this Friday." James said, going over their work schedule.

"Thank you." Mike said.

When confronted again, Paulo ran out of excuses, and had to resign to Mike. That Friday, after school, they two would head on over to the local drug store and get their shots.

For everyone, Friday dragged. One final obstacle before the freedom of the weekend. For Paulo, it didn't drag enough. In truth, he was dreading getting his shot. He never was fond of needles, due to an incident at a young age. His mother had brought him to their family doctor to get his immunizations, but didn't even bother to sit in with him while it happened. She opted to take a business call instead, letting the doctor take him back and get the job done.

Little Paulo did not understand what was going on, but quickly learned that whatever it was, it was highly unpleasant. The first needle put him in shock, the second one made him cry, and by the last he was full blown bawling. The doctor did her best to calm the wailing somali, but he couldn't calm down. When asked to come assist with Paulo, his mother gave the doctor an annoyed look and hung up the call.

When Paulo's dad questioned what happened, why Paulo was crying so much, his mother snapped at him. She berated him and Paulo for being so weak.

"He's just a child!" His dad defended.

"I don't care!" His mom shot back.

Ever since that day, Paulo dreaded needles. And now he was going to have to get one with Mike.

Friday afternoon, Mike waited outside his house, a little longer than he'd have liked too. He was just about to knock on the door again when Paulo came out. "There you are!" Mike said. "I was beginning to think you were going to flake on me."

"Let's just get this over with." Paulo said grumpily.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked, easing up on his friend."You've been acting weird all week."

"I'm fine. I just have other things to do." Paulo deflected.

This made Mike a little upset. He began to wonder if maybe it was him that was the problem. Did Paulo just not want to hang out anymore? Was he being too pushy before? "Oh. We'll get this done quickly then."

Mike drew back into himself, and the boys walked silently to the store, both feeling terrible in their own ways. Paulo's nerves only ratcheted up the closer they got, with every fiber of his being screaming at him to run away, but he kept a cool head. He looked at his friend. 'Gotta keep cool for Mike.' He thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Mike kept glancing over at Paulo, who was increasingly becoming visibly uncomfortable. Mike put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The touch sent tingling feelings throughout his body. "Hey. Really. Is everything okay?"

The two of them stopped in front of the store. "I'm fine, don't get all fruity on me." Paulo said, attempting to hide the waver in his voice. He pulled himself away and walked inside. "Let's just get this over with."

Mike looked on, worried. Something was definitely off, even if Paulo wouldn't admit it. He followed his friend in, and both made their way back to the pharmacy area. Paulo felt as though he were walking to his own funeral. Every step one closer to his demise. By now, Mike had caught up with him as he had a fast stride. To lighten the mood, he tried talking about movies and games again, but still he got little response from Paulo.

Even as they sat down to fill out their personal information on the vaccine forms, Paulo lagged far behind Mike. He looked around, very distracted, and his hands trembled as he wrote. His handwriting was messy on a good day, but here it was nearly unreadable. Mike decided to keep his observations to himself, not wanting to keep prodding his friend for information on a subject he clearly didn't want to talk about.

Mike took both of their papers up to the clerk, who informed them the nurse would be out to get them soon. Mike thanked him and went back to sit next to Paulo. The somali looked rather agitated, a leg bouncing up and down, head darting from place to place. His sitting position shifted several times. Mike was fighting off the urge to ask him if he was okay one more time when the nurse called his name.

"Michael!" She said. "I'll see you now."

Mike looked at his disturbed friend and sighed. "I'll be right back." He told Paulo, who made a vague head gesture that Mike took as a nod. He let the nurse lead him back to the little room next to the clinic and he took a seat in the chair. Looking around, Mike saw it was much like a regular doctor's office, just resized down. There were some small baskets with bandaids on a counter and cabinets above and below. The chair he sat in had scant padding, but it wasn't too uncomfortable.

The nurse made small talk with him, minding her bedside manners as she got the needle ready. She cleaned off the area, and just like they both had done many times before (though not together) the shot got administered. A bandaid was placed gingerly over the spot, and she sent Mike on his way. Clean. Simple. Easy.

But now that Mike's turn was over, Paulo really began to show signs of weariness. Mike slowly walked over as the nurse called Paulo's name. Paulo hadn't made any effort to move up, and Mike stood next to him. "Paulo?"

Paulo looked up, deep discomfort in his eyes. "Y-yeah, man?"

"The nurse called you. It's your turn."

Paulo leaned around Mike to see the nurse waiting patiently for him. "Right. Yeah! I- I'll be right back…"

He slowly stood up and Mike's mind whirred. It's not like they were going into surgery or anything, this was just a simple yearly flu- Mike's train of thought stopped there. Shot. Was Paulo? No, he couldn't be… But as he watched his friend slowly shuffle to the nurse, he saw his ears pinned back, tail flicking about agitatedly. Maybe… "Wait!" He said, running to catch up. "Is it alright if I go in too?"

The nurse smiled. "Sure, I don't see why not!"

"What are y-you doing?!" The orange cat hissed under his breath.

"It's okay, Paulo." Mike said warmly. "I won't make ya go through this alone."

Paulo wanted to protest more, he wasn't a baby, he didn't need Mike, but deep down he was grateful for his friend's support. Paulo entered first, took his seat in the patient's chair, and Mike sat on a little stool next to him. The nurse turned around to get the vaccine ready. Mike put a reassuring hand on his arm. Paulo looked at him, face completely on fire, and the korat smiled up at him. His heart raced, not because of the shot, but because of the way Mike's smile was making him feel.

"And we're done!" The nurse said, applying the bandage.

Paulo looked over at her, bewildered. That was it?! He let out a sigh of relief. "Awesome. Great." He stood up and Mike followed his lead. "Well, we better get going."

"Have a good day!" The nurse said sweetly. "You're very lucky to have such a caring boyfriend."

"I- he- n-" Paulo stuttered, tail on end, and Mike laughed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go, HONEY." He joked, pulling the somali along.

The nurse waved goodbye as Paulo failed to find the words to excuse his blushy face over Mike's sweet smile.

Chapter Text

Once upon a time, there were two anthropomorphic high school cats named Abbey and Jasmine. Abbey was an Abyssinian and Jasmine was a Siamese, and they attended the prestigious Roseville High School together.

Abbey was a bright student, particularly gifted in English. His temper could sometimes get him into trouble, particularly when it came to Paulo, a classmate who seemed to enjoy pushing his buttons. But Jasmine was always there to help calm him down and offer words of encouragement, helping him find ways to manage his emotions and stay focused on his studies. Despite his occasional outbursts, Abbey was a loyal friend who would do anything for those he cared about.

Meanwhile, Jasmine was a gifted athlete who played baseball for the school team. She was a fierce competitor on the field, and her dedication and hard work paid off with numerous wins and accolades. But she also struggled with the pressure to perform, constantly pushing herself to be the best and worrying about letting her teammates down. She had a sweet and understanding nature, and quickly became friends with Abbey after they were assigned to work together on a project for their computer class.

One day in class, Paulo was teasing Abbey, making fun of his accent and his intelligence. Abbey was getting angry and starting to lose control of his emotions, feeling hurt and frustrated by Paulo's words.

Jasmine, who was sitting next to Abbey, could see that he was struggling, and knew that she needed to step in before things got out of hand. She put a hand on Abbey's shoulder, squeezing it gently as she leaned in to whisper some calming words.

"Abbey, don't listen to him. You're amazing, and you know it. Paulo is just trying to get a rise out of you, but you're better than that. You're strong, and smart, and kind, and you have so much to offer the world. So don't let his words get to you. Just take a deep breath, and remember who you are."

Abbey looked up at her, his eyes full of emotion as he took in her encouraging words. He felt a surge of gratitude and affection for Jasmine, who always knew just what to say to make him feel better.

"You're right, Jasmine," he said, his voice steady and strong. "I won't let him get to me. I am who I am, and I'm proud of it. Thanks for believing in me."

With that, Abbey turned back to his work, feeling renewed and more confident than ever before. And as he continued to work on the project with Jasmine by his side, he knew that he could handle anything that came his way, as long as he had her by his side.

Working on the AI project was both challenging and exhilarating for Abbey and Jasmine. They spent countless hours pouring over code and schematics, debating the merits of various design choices and troubleshooting the inevitable glitches that came with any complex programming project.

Despite the long hours and occasional frustrations, Abbey and Jasmine found themselves growing closer and closer, sharing their dreams and aspirations with each other, and learning more about each other's personalities and strengths.

Abbey's strength in English proved invaluable when it came to writing the code for the AI, as he was able to craft eloquent and concise phrases that would guide the program towards its intended purpose. Meanwhile, Jasmine's analytical mind helped her to quickly identify bugs and errors in the code, allowing them to fix problems more efficiently and stay on track with their deadlines.

As they worked, they also discovered common interests and shared experiences, bonding over their love of music, their passion for books and movies, and their mutual appreciation for a good slice of pizza.

Occasionally, they would run into roadblocks or disagreements, but they always managed to work through them together, using teamwork and communication to overcome any obstacles that came their way.

And as they finally put the finishing touches on their AI project, Abbey and Jasmine both knew that their partnership had blossomed into something more than just a classroom assignment. They had found a true friend, a confidant, and a companion in each other, and they were eager to see where their relationship would take them next.

One day while working on their AI project, Abbey and Jasmine ran into a disagreement about how to approach a particular problem. Abbey had one idea for how to tackle the issue, and Jasmine had another, and they were both convinced that their approach was the correct one.

As they debated back and forth, their voices grew more heated, and tensions began to rise. Abbey was starting to lose his temper, frustrated that Jasmine wasn't seeing things his way, while Jasmine was feeling annoyed that Abbey wasn't listening to her ideas.

But just as things were starting to spiral out of control, Abbey suddenly stopped arguing and took a deep breath. He looked at Jasmine, his eyes softening as he realized how much their bickering was hurting their friendship.

"I'm sorry, Jasmine," he said, his voice low and contrite. "I didn't mean to get so worked up. It's just that I really believe in my approach, and I want this project to be the best it can be. But I know that your ideas are valuable too, and I want to hear what you have to say. So let's take a step back and really listen to each other, okay?"

Jasmine could see how sincere Abbey was, and she felt her own anger dissipating as she realized how much he cared about their friendship. She took a deep breath as well, nodding in agreement.

"Okay, Abbey," she said, her voice gentle. "I hear you, and I respect your ideas. But I also want you to hear my ideas, and understand that they're valid too. So let's combine our approaches, and see if we can come up with a solution that incorporates the best of both worlds."

Abbey smiled, feeling the tension between them dissolve as they re-focused on their shared goal. Together, they worked through the problem, using a combination of both their ideas to arrive at a solution that was innovative, effective, and truly reflective of the unique strengths that each of them brought to the project.

And as they put the final touches on their AI program, they both knew that their disagreements had only made them stronger, helping them to learn how to better communicate, collaborate, and appreciate each other's perspectives.

One day, Abbey and Jasmine were studying together at the library when another guy approached them. He was friendly and outgoing, and seemed to take an interest in Jasmine, complimenting her on her intelligence and her beauty.

Abbey felt a surge of jealousy and insecurity as he watched the guy flirt with Jasmine, his heart clenching at the thought of losing her to someone else. He tried to hide his feelings, to act polite and distant, but he couldn't help feeling hurt and frustrated inside.

As the guy continued to talk to Jasmine, Abbey struggled to maintain his composure, his mind racing with thoughts of what he could do to win her affection and attention. He found himself comparing himself to the other guy, wondering if he was good enough, smart enough, or interesting enough to capture Jasmine's heart.

But just as he was about to give into his doubts and fears, Jasmine turned to him, looking into his eyes with warmth and affection. "Abbey, what do you think?" she said, smiling at him. "Do you agree with what he's saying?"

Abbey felt a surge of gratitude and relief wash over him, feeling Jasmine's support and validation. He smiled back at her, feeling his jealousy and insecurity melting away.

"I think you're amazing, Jasmine," he said, his voice soft and sincere. "And I think that anyone who's lucky enough to spend time with you is a lucky guy. But I also know that you're smart enough and strong enough to make your own decisions, and I trust you to choose who you want to spend your time with."

Jasmine smiled at him, feeling a sense of pride and appreciation for Abbey's honesty and vulnerability. She knew that he was the right guy for her, someone who cared about her deeply and respected her independence and autonomy.

And as they continued to study together, Abbey and Jasmine grew closer and stronger, their bond deepening with each passing day. They knew that they had something special and unique, something that couldn't be replicated or replaced. And they were determined to hold onto that love, that trust, and that respect, no matter what challenges life threw their way.

One sunny afternoon, Abbey and Jasmine decided to take a break from their studies and enjoy the fresh air by heading to the park. They packed a picnic lunch and a frisbee, and set out on the short walk to their favorite spot.

As they crossed the grassy expanse, Abbey and Jasmine talked and laughed, enjoying the warmth of the sun on their faces and the gentle breeze in their fur. They spread out a blanket under a sprawling oak tree, and settled in to eat their lunch and enjoy the scenery.

As they ate, they chatted about their lives and their dreams, sharing stories and memories as they munched on sandwiches and fruit. Abbey told Jasmine about his love of poetry and literature, while Jasmine regaled him with tales of her baseball exploits and her passion for music.

After lunch, they tossed the frisbee back and forth, giggling as they tried to catch it in mid-air. Abbey was surprisingly nimble, leaping and diving to snag the frisbee as it sailed past. Jasmine, meanwhile, had a mean curveball, and she delighted in lobbing the frisbee towards Abbey and watching him scramble to catch it.

As they played, Abbey found himself gazing at Jasmine more and more, admiring the way she moved, the way her fur shone in the sunlight, and the way her smile lit up her face. He longed to tell her how he felt, to confess his love for her and ask her if she felt the same.

But he was too nervous, too scared to risk their friendship by taking things too far. So instead, he simply enjoyed the moment, relishing the simple pleasure of spending time with someone he cared about deeply.

Jasmine, meanwhile, was feeling a similar mix of emotions, as she found herself growing more and more attached to Abbey with each passing day. She loved the way he made her feel, the way he listened to her, and the way he always seemed to know just what to say to make her smile.

But she was also worried about ruining their friendship by confessing her feelings, and so she kept them to herself, content to simply enjoy the time they spent together and hope that one day their relationship would grow into something more.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, Abbey and Jasmine packed up their things and headed back towards home, their arms around each other's shoulders. And as they parted ways at Jasmine's house, Abbey felt a pang of regret that he hadn't told her how he felt.

But he also knew that there would be other days, other moments, and other chances to share his heart with Jasmine. And he was content to wait, knowing that true love was worth the patience, the risk, and the reward.

One day, Abbey and Jasmine were walking home from school together, chatting about their day and sharing stories about their families and friends. As they walked, they found themselves getting lost in each other's company, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company.

Abbey felt his heart beating faster as he gazed at Jasmine, marveling at how beautiful she looked in the afternoon light. He longed to tell her how he felt, to let her know that he was falling in love with her more and more each day. But he didn't want to push her away or make things awkward between them, so he kept his feelings to himself, content to simply bask in the warmth and comfort of her presence.

Jasmine, meanwhile, was feeling a mix of emotions, as she too found herself growing more and more attached to Abbey. She adored the way he made her laugh, the way he looked when he was deep in thought, and the way he always seemed to know just what to say to make her feel better.

But she was also worried that she was reading too much into things, that Abbey only saw her as a friend and nothing more. She didn't want to risk their relationship by confessing her feelings, so she kept them bottled up inside, content to simply enjoy their time together and hope that their connection would eventually blossom into something more.

As they arrived at her house, Jasmine turned to Abbey, her eyes shining with warmth and affection. "Thanks for walking me home," she said, her voice soft. "I had fun today."

Abbey smiled, feeling a lump forming in his throat as he looked at her. "Me too, Jasmine," he said, his eyes lingering on hers. "You know you're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, right?"

Jasmine felt her heart skip a beat at Abbey's words, feeling a surge of joy and hope inside. "Really?" she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Abbey nodded, his face serious as he gazed into her eyes. "Really, Jasmine. You're an amazing person, and I feel so lucky to have you in my life. You make everyday brighter, and I can't imagine what I'd do without you."

Jasmine felt a tear slip down her cheek as she listened to Abbey's heartfelt words, feeling a warmth spreading throughout her body. "Abbey, you don't know how much that means to me," she said, her voice trembling. "You're amazing too, and I feel the same way about you. You're the best friend I could ever ask for, and I hope we'll always be close, no matter what happens."

With that, she gave him a quick hug, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly. And as they parted, Abbey felt a sense of completeness and contentment wash over him, knowing that no matter where life led him, he had a true friend in Jasmine, someone who would always be there for him, no matter what.

And when they finally shared their first kiss, it was a moment that neither would ever forget, the beginning of a beautiful relationship that would last for years to come.

One day, after spending hours working on their AI project, Abbey and Jasmine decided to take a break and go for a walk around the neighborhood. As they strolled along, they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future, sharing their deepest desires and fears with one another.

Suddenly, it started to rain, and Abbey and Jasmine had to take shelter under a nearby tree. As they stood there, watching the raindrops fall, something shifted between them, a spark of attraction that neither of them could ignore.

Without even thinking, Abbey reached out and took Jasmine's hand, squeezing it gently as he looked into her eyes. "Jasmine, I know this might seem sudden, but I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and I can't ignore the feelings I have for you. I really like you, Jasmine, and I was wondering if maybe you felt the same way?"

Jasmine felt her heart skip a beat as she listened to Abbey's words, her own feelings for him suddenly surging to the surface. "Abbey, I had no idea you felt that way," she whispered, her eyes shining with emotion. "But I have to admit, I've been thinking about you a lot too. You're amazing, Abbey, and I feel so lucky to have you as a friend. But if you really want to take things further, I'm willing to give it a try."

With that, Abbey pulled Jasmine into his arms, holding her tightly as they shared a tender kiss, the rain falling all around them. And in that moment, they both knew that their relationship had changed forever, that they were no longer just friends, but also partners, their love for each other growing stronger with each passing day.

One evening, Jasmine and Abbey decided to watch a scary movie together at Abbey's house. Jasmine wasn't a big fan of horror movies, but Abbey assured her that he would be there to comfort her if anything scary happened.

As they settled in to watch the movie, Jasmine found herself getting more and more tense, the suspense and tension building with each passing scene. She jumped at every sudden noise, her heart racing with fear and anxiety.

Abbey watched her with concern, noticing how she was practically vibrating with nervous energy. He leaned over and put an arm around her, pulling her close as he whispered softly in her ear.

"Don't worry, Jasmine," he said. "I've got you. Nothing's going to happen to you while I'm here."

Jasmine took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of Abbey's body against hers. She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling a sense of comfort and safety in his presence.

As the movie continued, the scares and the tension continued to mount. But Abbey was always there, holding her hand, rubbing her back, and whispering words of comfort whenever she needed them.

When the movie finally ended, Jasmine let out a shaky breath, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion wash over her. She turned to Abbey, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Abbey," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't know what I would have done without you. You're my hero."

Abbey smiled, feeling a surge of affection for her. "Anytime, Jasmine," he said. "I'm always here for you, no matter what. That's what friends are for."

And as they settled in to watch a more lighthearted movie, Jasmine felt a sense of gratitude and safety wash over her, knowing that she had someone like Abbey in her life, someone who would always be there to comfort, support, and love her, no matter what.

After months of hard work and dedication, Abbey and Jasmine finally turned in their AI project. They had spent countless hours researching, coding, debating and testing, and they were both proud of what they had accomplished.

As they walked into the classroom on the day of their presentation, they could feel the anticipation and excitement building within them. They knew that they had created something truly innovative and unique, something that could change the world in profound and unexpected ways.

After setting up their equipment and taking a deep breath, they began their presentation, walking the class through the various features and functions of their AI program. They explained how it worked, what it could do, and why they believed it was the start of a new era in artificial intelligence.

Their classmates listened with rapt attention, applauding enthusiastically as Abbey and Jasmine finished their demonstration. The teacher smiled and offered her own congratulations, impressed with the level of detail and sophistication that they had achieved with their project.

And as they packed up their things and headed out of the classroom, Abbey and Jasmine both knew that this was only the beginning. They had learned so much about themselves and each other in the course of their work, and they were excited to see where their passion for programming and innovation would take them next.

But they also knew that no matter where life led them, they would always have each other, a team of two dedicated and talented programmers, bonded by their shared experiences, their common goals, and their unwavering friendship. And that was something that they both cherished more than anything else in the world.

And so, as they graduated from Roseville High and went their separate ways, Abbey and Jasmine remained connected, their love for each other transcending time and distance, and inspiring countless others to find and embrace the love that was waiting for them. The end.’

Chapter Text

When Paulo first received Sue’s text, he could not believe any part of it. First off, she was texting him. Second, it seemed very unSue-like, and third… well, they haven't spoken since graduation. They didn’t really get along at school. Only because they shared other friends did they even spend time near each other. Even with that, they sat on opposite ends of the table. Now, it was years later, Mike, Lucy, and Daisy were all going to college while he worked. Sue had fallen off over the years, and while the main four met up regularly, Sue faded into the background.

But all the same, Paulo had found himself reading the text over and over again.

‘Hey. Wanna come over and we can do something fun ;)’

Paulo couldn’t even remember giving her his phone number. It probably happened at graduation, when everyone was giving out their numbers to keep in contact. The somali had mulled over the message, wondering if it was even real or not. It was literally the first thing in their message history. This had to be a scam. Despite his reservations, Paulo had decided to respond, and after a small back and forth, he agreed to meet her at her place that weekend.

So Paulo found himself at the address Sue had sent him, fully expecting it to be a ruse, but to his surprise she opened the door when he knocked. Her eyes lit up a little seeing him, which was definitely new for the both of them. Soon they were both inside, and it was then Paulo noticed she was wearing nothing but a robe.

He questioned her attire, but the girl shushed him. She put her arms around him and said, “We can do whatever you want, all I ask is afterwards you stay and talk.”

This was beyond unbelievable behavior from Sue, and Paulo was understandably skeptical. However, Sue assured him it was okay, that she was of sound mind, and even guided one of his hands to her chest to prove she was okay with it. Though he still had some questions, who was he to deny her desires? And truth be told, it had been some time since he’d been with anyone.

So they both found themselves in her bedroom, on her bed, tangled in blankets and sheets and each other. It was a little awkward at first, but both were able to get something out of it. After both were done, and had collapsed onto the bed, Paulo held up his end of the bargain and they talked.

Sue talked about her life, and wanted to know about what Paulo and the others had been up to. And Paulo told her everything she wanted to know. Surprisingly to him, they talked for far longer than he was expecting. Eventually, he had to call it a night and go home, but as Sue walked him to the door, she said, “See you again soon?”

Paulo had paused a moment, having thought that night had been just a one time thing, but there was something in the burmese’s voice that made him agree. A deep, sad longing that grabbed him by the heart, even if for a second. Sue smiled at his answer and wished him goodnight, and he did the same as well.

And so they made it a habit of meeting up every weekend, having their intimate dance together, followed by hours of talking. After a few meetups, Paulo even began spending the night with her, something Sue hadn’t requested, but wasn’t denying him either. She seemed happier when he did, and while Paulo thought this was just a friends with benefits situation, he began to wonder something he had forgotten after their first time - why?

That was the question he was going to ask her tonight. When he arrived, Sue was already at the door to greet him. They smiled, said their hellos, and Sue took the orange cat by the hand and led him to her bedroom. She dropped her robe and laid on the bed. “You know the deal. You can do whatever you want, just as long as you stay and talk afterwards.”

Paulo nodded and began removing his clothes, but that one word question popped into his head, and he stopped. He slowly looked up from his unbuttoned, unzipped pants. Sue’s expression changed from one of sultry to that of confusion. “What’s wrong? Need some help?”

Paulo shook his head. “Why are we doing this?”

“It’s just some fun!” Sue said, trying to get things back on track.

“I get that, but why are we really doing this?” He asked. “Why did you reach out to me? To bang and talk?”

A timidness was creeping into Sue’s voice. He was beginning to want to break down some barriers. “I don’t see why it matters, you get something, I get something. It’s a fair deal. Now let’s just do this.”

“It matters because I care.” Paulo properly fashioned his pants back up. “And I’m worried about you, Sue.”

Sue crossed her arms and looked away. “There… there isn’t anything wrong.”

“Yes there is.” Paulo took a step forward. “None of this is like you. Reaching out to me, wanting sex, and all you’re asking in return is for me to talk to you? Not money, not dinner, nothing. You just want to talk.”

“Okay, so what? Don’t you like it?” Sue said quietly.

“Well… yeah.” Paulo admitted. He had started looking forward to seeing Sue. They had found a nice chemistry together during all of their meetings. She was soft and plush, and Paulo found himself admiring all of her adorable little idiosyncrasies. She was easy on the eyes, the hands, his… Paulo shook his more primal thoughts away. There was something much more important to him than getting some action from her, and that was her as a person.

“So let’s do it. I don’t see why tonight is any different.” Sue said, getting really uncomfortable that things hadn’t gone back to normal.

“I wanna know why you reached out to me.” Paulo said. “ME of everyone.”

Sue looked up at him with sorrowful eyes, and looked away again. She withdrew into herself, wanting to push him away again, but she knew better. Paulo was stubborn, and he wasn’t going to just let this go. If not tonight, then it would be another, if there ever was another. “I… I was just so lonely. I just… I just wanted to talk to my old friends again.” She whispered, tears stinging at her eyes. “There. I said it.”

“So why not reach out to Mike? Lucy? Daisy? Anyone?” Paulo asked, even more confused, and he walked over and took a seat beside her on the bed. “Why ask me?”

Sue wiped away the tears that had managed to form themselves in the corners of her eyes. “I haven’t talked to anyone since graduation… I assumed you guys had forgotten me, and… I just didn’t know if any of you even cared anymore. And I thought… God, I’ve been so stupid, so selfish!”

“Thought what?” Paulo asked.

“I thought…” Sue whispered, completely ashamed of herself, now that she was saying it out loud for the first time.

“That if you offered me sex, I would show up and talk.” Paulo finished.

He had guessed correctly. Sue’s walls were breaking down entirely, and years of anxiety and insecurity were now taking hold of her again. “It’s h-horrible of m-me, r-r-right?” She choked through her tears. “T-to think so l-little of you that I th-thought that I c-could use th-that a-as a means of g-g-getting your attention.”

“I mean, it worked, I guess.” Paulo shrugged. “But yes, ouch.”

Sue nodded, hating herself more now than she ever had before. She had set a new low, lower than the ground, she had dug a hole and buried the bar there. “I h-hate myself!”

“C’mon, we all do stupid things for attention.” Paulo said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You should have just reached out, I’m sure the others would be thrilled to see you again.”

“After wh-what I’ve d-done? I d-don’t deserve their friendship, and d-definitely n-not yours…” Sue sniffled.

“If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t keep coming over here every weekend.” Paulo comforted her. “It wasn’t just for the sex, maybe at first it was, but after a few times I was doing it for you.” Sue wiped her cheeks again and looked at him with big, watery eyes. “I guess what I’m trying to say is…” Paulo went bright red, now having the added pressure of her eyes on him. “That I’ve grown to really care about you. I like talking to you, hearing about the things you’ve been up to. And… for what it’s worth, you’re a total babe in bed.”

Sue couldn’t help but smile through the tears and laugh a little. “Th-that is such a you thing to say.”

“Hey, glad I could get a smile on that face.” Paulo flashed a charming grin of his own.

Sue nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. She scooted right up to him, laying her head on his shoulder, and Paulo put an arm around her. They sat in silence, soaking in the moment. There was a newfound sense of comfort in it, moreso than any of their best nights before. After some time, Paulo broke the silence. “Ssoooo…”

“So?” Sue asked.

“Still wanna bang?”

Sue began to open her mouth to chastise him for ruining the moment, but Paulo continued. “Or, I’m thinking I can take you to dinner. Then we can bang. And talk.”

Sue dialed back and smiled again. “I’d really like that.”

Paulo pulled his arm back and got up. “Then put some clothes on. I don’t think they’re gonna allow nudists at the restaurant.”

“I didn’t think Burger-Tron would care.” Sue stuck out her tongue.

Paulo put on a faux air of offense. “You hurt me, Sue! Why just assume I was going to take you to Burger-Tron?”

“Weren’t you?” Sue cocked an eyebrow.

Paulo smiled sheepishly. “I… I mean, yeah, but… y’know… it’s late and a lot of places are closed…”

“Hey, dummy! Burger-Tron sounds great. Now get out!” Sue pointed at her bedroom door. “I need to get dressed!”

“Really? This is nothing I’m not already admiring.” Paulo whistled, eyeing Sue’s body up and down.

Sue blushed, never having imagined she’d be so flattered by such a corny line. “Just get out, I’ll be ready soon.”

“Alright, alright.” The somali put his hands up defensively, backing out of her room, with just his head poking in. “Just know that after this little date, I’m taking them all off again.”

Sue launched a pillow at his face and Paulo laughed, backing out and giving her her privacy. The burmese fell back onto her bed and sighed happily. It was a really hard conversation, but it was over now. She wished she had just been open to him about it sooner. Would they have gotten as close, though? Outside, Paulo had whipped out his phone and texted Lucy, Mike, and Daisy.

‘Hey guys, meet me at Burger-Tron in 15. Bringing an old friend.’

Chapter Text

Paulo’s old car rumbled down the quiet streets of Roseville. It wasn’t the flashiest or the fastest, but it managed to get him from point to point just fine. Beside him, in the passenger seat, was Sue, who had the window rolled down and was currently enjoying the tranquil Saturday night. The fall weather was chilly, but not too cold, and the wind felt nice and crisp on her face, blowing her long, flowing hair back, making her feel alive. She hummed to herself as she looked up at the stars that were out in full force, and her tail danced around to the beat of her tune. Paulo smiled at her little antics, and took the opportunity that every red light gave him to admire her.

Sue did eventually notice this a few stops in, and she smiled back at him. “What?”

Paulo exhaled some air out his nose in amusement. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this genuinely happy before.”

“Well, maybe I have something to be happy about.” She said softly, looking into his eyes. Her light brown eyes now were radiating a whole new kind of beauty themselves.

Paulo looked back at the road as the light turned green. Something was stirring inside him, something he’d not felt in a very long time. A deep, euphoric joy, as though he were being bathed in the warmth of an angel. He’d never taken note before of how wonderfully enthusiastic Sue was. In highschool, she was always trying to be the go-getter. No matter what it was, she went above and beyond everyone, going out of her way to be better than everyone else. Paulo used to think this was annoying, a one way ticket to a humiliating, and in his mind, well deserved, downfall.

Now, sitting in his passenger seat, humming along to what he assumed was a tune from one of her nerd things, he understood this to be her greatest strength. Sue would make stumbles, sometimes major ones, like with the play she wrote for Mike and Lucy, but no matter what, she got right back up and kept on going. Even now, after she had faced the music about her missteps in using Paulo to get close to her friends again, she was still holding her head high. It was true, Sue took pride in learning from a mistake, it made her stronger as a person. And more so than that, she was relieved that Paulo was so understanding, and surprised at how caring he really was.

Paulo had gladly accepted her offer, but in the end showed he saw her as more than an easy lay. In being absent from his presence, it was easy for the worst parts of Paulo to congeal in her mind. She hadn’t even known any other side of him that wasn’t the surface level flirtatious womanizer he projected. In truth, Sue had somewhat jadedly expected that Paulo would come to her at some point, trying to see if he could get some action out of her, but he never did. Even after she invited him over, she expected him to strip her down right there in her living room and go to town, but he’d shown hesitancy in touching her at all. Not a piece of meat to be chewed and forgotten, but a delicate flower he wanted to preserve.

And now Sue was in his passenger seat, heading to a greasy burger restaurant that he used to work at, gliding over the dark, empty streets of Roseville, and she couldn’t be happier. This is why she hummed her tune.

Though she was hungry, Sue wished they could keep this moment, just for them. To cruise endlessly through the streets in that peaceful evening together. Sadly for her heart, but thankfully for her stomach, they arrived soon at the fast food restaurant, and Paulo found a spot to park near the door.

“Seems a bit busier than I was expecting for it being this late.” Sue observed, taking note of three other cars in the parking lot.

“What can I say?” Paulo grinned, getting out. “Burger-Tron’s gourmet burgers and fries attract all kinds of people from miles around.” But his smile meant more than just a cheeky joke, it also hid the truth that he knew the owners of those three cars.

“This specific Burger-Tron?” Sue asked, going for her door, but Paulo was over there in a flash.

“Allow me, m’lady.” He said in a posh English voice as he opened her door. “I have done unspeakable things to you, the least I can do is get the door.”

Sue giggled as she got out, which caught him off guard. She used to cringe and roll her eyes at such awful jokes. “With me.” She said, placing a finger on his chest, and she gave him a wink.

Paulo blinked and his jaw fell slack. “Okay then! I was not expecting that sort of talk out of you!” He shut the car door.

“Well, I must admit, you have given me a lot of talk I wasn’t expecting from you.” Sue smiled, taking his hand. “And… I wouldn’t have kept asking you over if I wasn’t enjoying it too. I mean, I didn’t know what to expect at first… McCain and I… we never… you know?”

Paulo’s eyes went wide. “You’re tellin’ me that I was your first time?!” Sue bowed her head, but nodded. Paulo laughed a bit and puffed out his chest. “Damn! I musta made a good impression! Of course I did, I’ve never met a babe I couldn’t satisfy!”

“Alright, don’t let it get to your head.” Sue tapped his forehead and turned around to go in. “Let’s just get something to eat. Greasy burgers are going to have to do for tonight.”

“Yeah, but it's gourmet grease, you’ll love it, trust me.” Paulo said, catching up.

“Haha! I’ll be the judge of that. You know, I’ve spent some time learning to cook… and…” Sue stopped dead in her tracks, eyes as wide as Paulo’s had just been, heart racing. Sitting at one of the larger booths, it was… no, it couldn’t be…

“Oh!” Cried the curly haired one with a big wave. “Susie! Over here!”

“Is she here?” Another asked, looking over the booth bench. His gray head and green eyes found her. “She is!”

“About time.” A white cat grumbled. “He told us fifteen minutes! It’s been longer than that.”

“Susan, come join us.” Beckoned a brown cat next to the curly one.

“Hey guys!” Paulo waved. “Sorry we’re late!”

“You should be!” Lucy chided. “I’m about to keel over with hunger.”

“It wasn’t THAT long, Lucy.” Mike replied.

“Easy for you to say, you ate before you came, cheater!” Lucy shot back, hunger making her more irritated.

“Now, now, everyone, we’re here for Susie!” Daisy reminded them.

Sue was at a total loss. It was like something out of a dream, but one she couldn’t quite remember the details of. Her friends welcoming her back, there for her, happy to see her again. Her heart was caught in her throat, keeping any words she might have been able to form stuck below it. Tears began to sting at her eyes again, but now for a whole new reason. Paulo walked back over to the frozen burmese. “Hey, ya gonna say hi? You know hard it was to get them all out here?”

“It really wasn’t that hard.” Abbey pointed out. “All you did was ask us to meet you here.”

Sue’s gaze went from her friends to Paulo, and her heart dislodged itself enough to let a few words sneak through. “You… you d-did this… for m-me?” And as her words dislodged, so did her tears. She threw her arms around the somali. “Thank you! Th-thank you!” She choked out between tears, mind now awashed with emotion.

“Well… that’s not something you see every day.” Mike cocked an eyebrow.

Daisy put her hands to her mouth and gasped in awe. “Awww… isn’t it so sweet?”

“What can I say? I know how to please you.” Paulo said so that only the two of them could hear.

Sue laughed through her tears. “Sh-shut up you b-big idiot!”

“Look, I’m all for getting a tearful hug from Sue, but can we eat first?” Lucy said as her stomach growled, and everyone else agreed.

And so Sue and Paulo found their spots at the booth across from each other, with Paulo sat next to Lucy and Mike, and Sue next to Daisy and Abbey. It was a little bit of a tight squeeze, but they’d have it no other way. Paulo took everyone’s orders, brought them to the front, and went back to sit down. Everyone was already excitedly chatting away with Sue.

There were years of happenings to catch up on between the six of them. They all talked about life after highschool, going to college, getting jobs, and reminisced on old times. They laughed at how melodramatic they were, how easily avoidable all the drama was. Since then, things had become far smoother, and Sue was most shocked and elated to see Lucy wearing an engagement ring - one, she learned upon asking, that was given to her by none other than Mike. It turns out, Mike dumped Sandy after highschool, in the most dramatic way possible, of course.

As the story went, Mike moved out to Rickter to live with Sandy and her family, all expenses paid. Mike missed home, but Sandy wanted to get married to show Mike how much he meant to her, and for her to show him how sorry she still was for cheating on him with another guy (which Sue was equally as shocked to learn). But just days before the ceremony, Mike realized that he would never be happy with Sandy, and that he was missing more than just home - he was missing Lucy. Even if Lucy hated him forever, even if they would never be close again, he would rather spend his time around someone he deeply cared about that was skeptical of him, than someone that buried him with love who he felt so disconnected from.

Upon his return, and much groveling, Lucy had begrudgingly given Mike another chance at friendship, but the ultimate test of their bond came when Sandy rolled into town, begging Mike to come back, offering her heart and soul. Mike had not informed Lucy as to his activities in Rickter, so this came as a shock to hear Mike basically left her at the altar for her. But in one simple sentence, Mike apologized and rejected Sandy’s offer, wanting to stay with Lucy. Nothing the model could say swayed his mind, with Mike standing steadfast in his decision in a sea of love and affection she was showering him with. Sandy returned home empty handed and broken hearted, and on that day Lucy had seen Mike as a new man, one that meant it when he said he would stand by her no matter what. It wasn’t long after that that they started dating, and eventually (but not soon enough in Lucy’s opinion that she kept VERY much to herself) did he propose. Lucy tearfully accepted, though she tried to hide those tears.

Sue was touched by the story, and even moreso when Lucy asked her to be her maid of honor at their wedding (she had already asked Daisy, but sadly the girl had a wedding of her own to plan). Daisy showed off her own wedding ring, one that had been presented to her by Abbey.

And they talked late into the night, thankfully for them the Burger-Tron was 24/7. Paulo excused himself to the restroom, and Abbey and Mike, who had been eyeing each other all night, glancing between Paulo and Sue, excused themselves as well. While they were going off to have guy talk, this gave Daisy and Lucy time to grill Sue as well.

Abbey walked in as Paulo had finished his business and was washing his hands. Paulo looked up. “Whoa, hey. Where have I seen this one before.”

“Haha, very funny.” The Abyssinian rolled his eyes as Mike walked in behind him. “You’re never gonna let that go, are you?”

“So what’s going on with you and Sue?” Mike asked, getting straight to the point. This put Paulo on the backfoot, who wasn’t there to talk about him and Sue.

“Whaaaaat? Nothin’!” Paulo tried his best to sound surprised, and leaned uncomfortably on the low sink in an effort to look casual. “Nothin’s goin’ on! Just figured it’d be nice to get everyone back together.”

“And the first person you thought to go to was Sue?” Abbey folded his arms. “Forgive me, but if memory serves me right, you two did NOT get along in highschool.”

Outside, Lucy and Daisy had gossip of their own they wanted to know. Daisy started them off. “Ssooooo…” She said, twirling her fur as she did when she got anxious. “You and Paulo…”

“How long have you two been bangin’?” Lucy asked bluntly, poking around at Mike’s unfinished fries. Sue jumped like she’d been shocked, and Daisy gave Lucy a mean look.

“Lucy! That’s not very nice!” She started. “What makes you think such a thing?”

“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Lucy rolled her eyes and shoved some fries into her mouth. “You guys might not have been paying attention, but I kept checking the door for those two. I saw how they were when they were in the parking lot, and I know Sue would never want a relationship with him, so that only leaves one possibility.” Lucy washed down the fries with her watered down soda. “So I ask again, how long have you two been bangin’?”

Paulo was still getting his own line of uncomfortable questions, but he stuck to his guns. He refused to tell them about his and Sue’s intimate arrangement. “I just hadn’t heard from her, is all. I talk to YOU guys all the time, but not her, and one day I was bored and figured I would reach out. Didn’t think she’d respond. She missed you guys so I put this little date together.”

“Date?” Mike asked, leaning forward.

“Meet up!” Paulo quickly corrected himself. “I meant meet up.”

“Sure you did.” Abbey did not sound convinced in the slightest. “That’s why she was crying and hugging and thanking you. Pretty close for two people who supposedly just met up for the first time in years.”

Years later, and that brown cat still acted all high and mighty, like he knew everything. How dare he talk about them that way, what did HE know? “What do you care?” Paulo fired back. “None o’ ya ever reached out to her! You don’t know what that’s been like for her! Weren’t you guys supposed to be in that stupid guild or whatever with her? How come you never talked to her!”

Abbey balled up his fists and started towards the somali, but Mike intervened and got between them. “Easy now, you two. We’re all here because we’re friends.”

“Same old Mike.” Paulo gumbled, but Abbey did back down.

“Sorry.” Mike said. “But I stopped playing after I moved to Rickter… and just never went back. Life just got so crazy, I guess I forgot. But it’s not because Sue wasn’t important. Really.”

This was a reasonable answer. Paulo looked to Abbey for his. He sighed and shrugged. “More or less the same. I went to university. English degrees don’t come easy… well, I had to drop some hobbies to make it work. But I never meant to hurt Susan. I am… I am ashamed I never thought to at least say hi once.”

Back outside, Lucy sat expectantly. “Well? Am I wrong?”

Sue had been got. There was no denying it, Lucy was far too shrewd. The tan cat laid her head in her arms and said, “About two months. Or has it been three? I don’t remember.”

Lucy leaned back. “Knew it.”

Daisy gasped. “Susie! What?! Why?”

Sue shrugged. “I was lonely. None of you guys ever called or texted. Just figured you forgot all about me and moved on. So I maybe sorta kinda used Paulo’s boundless sex drive in order to have at least one old… er, friend, for lack of a better term… to talk to.”

“Been there, done that.” Lucy grimaced. “Though I only got him for one night, back in highschool after Mike rejected me.”

Daisy gasped again. “You and Paulo did what?!”

“It’s not that big of a deal.” Lucy huffed at her annoying friend’s surprise. “He was real cool about it afterwards.”

“Still… you should be more sympathetic to Susie!”

“No, she’s right.” Sue lifted her head up. “He’s… he was sweet, once I got to know him. I never took that opportunity in highschool. I mean, he set this all up for me.” She gestured to the half filled booth

In the bathroom, Paulo was ready to head out. “We better get back to the girls.”

“Where does this leave you and Sue?” Mike asked as Paulo put his hand on the door. “Are you two..? Well, you both seemed really close when you first got here.” He gave a small nervous laugh.

That was a question Paulo didn’t have a lie for. Perhaps it wasn’t one he wanted to lie about. He just pushed the door open and said. “It’s getting late, guys. We all oughtta head home.” Mike and Abbey exchanged confused looks. They shrugged, but agreed with Paulo. Evening would be morning soon, and they were starting to feel it.

Just before Paulo arrived back at the table, Daisy asked, “So are you and Paulo… together now?”

This was also a question Sue didn’t have an answer for, but fortunately Paulo had come around the corner, giving her an excuse not to think about it. “Paulo! You guys were gone forever. Abbey didn’t choke you again, did he?”

Of course she still remembered that. His fault, of course, he had yelled out to the world Abbey’s crimes over lunch. “Glad the two of us still remember.” He said. Mike and Abbey soon rejoined them.

“Ready to go, jerkface?” Lucy asked, reaching up for her korat lover, fighting off a food coma.

Mike pulled her up. “Ready as I’ll ever be. It was great catching up with you guys! And Sue, I promise I’ll reach out to you. Now that things aren’t so crazy, I might be able to get back into Swordsvale!”

“That would be great!” Sue smiled widely. “The guild is always open to you! And you too, Abbey!”

“Yeah.” Abbey mused. “I’ll see what I can do. I’d love to hop on again sometime. But if not there, I’ll text you over the phone.”

“Me too, Susie!” Daisy wiggled her new smartphone. “I’ll text you every day!”

“And me too.” Lucy said, leaning on Mike. “I missed talking to you. But you know how life is. Just gets in the way.”

“It’s okay!” Sue gave a thumbs up. “I’m just happy to have seen you all tonight.”

Paulo paid for the meal (he insisted) and they all headed into the parking lot to say their final goodbyes for the night and head their separate ways. Mike and Lucy got into one car together, with Daisy and Abbey getting into their own individual ones. Paulo and Sue waved them off, and soon stood alone in the parking lot.

Sue turned to him, eyes glistening. “You’re not gonna cry again, are ya?” He joked.

She couldn’t lie. Tears of joy were welling in her eyes and she hugged him once more. Paulo put his arms around her, too, holding her close, one hand on her back, the other on her head. “Thank you so much…” Sue murmured into his shoulder. “I… I have no idea how to repay you…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it! Like I said earlier, I owe ya!” He replied with a handsome grin to boot. “Now let’s get ya home. It’s late as hell.”

Sue wholeheartedly agreed.

Chapter Text

"It's almost the New Year." Lucy said, side-eyeing Augustus, who was currently looking up at the stars with a tired expression.

"Mhm." He said. "A whole year of drama behind us, and a whole new year of drama ahead."

"Not everything HAS to be drama..." Lucy said, nervously running a finger across the snow covered ground. "Some good things might happen."

Augustus looks from the stars to the sparkling in the khao manee's eyes. "Like what?"

"Oh, y'know..." Lucy shrugged. "Just new things. Maybe things won't be so bad."

"Mm." Replied the sleepy siamese. "Maybe." He went back to looking at the stars.

Lucy looked at him, heart dancing in her chest. He was so handsome that night, as he always was. "They say you're meant to bring in the new year with a kiss. For luck."

Augustus raised an eyebrow. "I thought your mom said that about eating black eyed peas."

"Well... that too." Lucy agreed. "But... well, I know you said you weren't interested in me like that, but... I think we could both use all the luck we can get."

"Yeah..." Augustus said quietly, looking into her big, blue eyes that were shining far brighter than any star. He may have not been interested in her romantically, but even he had to admit she was beautiful, and understood why a lot of guys chased after her. "I suppose that's true. Especially YOU!" He grinned, and Lucy laughed a little. He had a point.

"So..." Lucy fiddled with one of the ends of her bow. "Did you want to?"

"Kiss?" Augustus asked. Was she really going for this?

"It doesn't have to mean anything, just for luck dummy." She stuck her tongue out.

"Well I'm not gonna give you any tongue if that's what you're implying." He said, looking at her teasing expression.

Lucy laughed again. "No! Nothing like that... haha..." She smiled warmly at him. "Just something to give us hope."

Augustus pondered it for a moment and then nodded. What harm would it do? "Alright. I'm down."

As the timer ticked down, the two cats got closer, and shared a short and sweet kiss to bring in the new year.

Chapter Text

Paulo and Sue did not speak much on the way back, but as happy as Sue was on the way to Burger-Tron, her mood had quadrupled in the aftermath. She went back to her little song and dance, looking forward to getting some shut eye once they got home. ‘They’ getting home, a thought that hinged on two things, that she now considered it a home for Paulo as well, and that he would be spending the night. She assumed he would, and maybe even hoped for it. But Paulo was a whole can of worms itself, even more than before.

Daisy’s question was like a seed in the back of her mind, and it was growing fast. The night and all of the new positive memories that they had made together shone like the sun on it, growing it big and strong. Over the past few weeks, she had certainly grown more comfortable around Paulo, enjoying his presence. It’s just that they never did anything more than have sex and talk. Paulo did occasionally stay the night if it was particularly late, which Sue was always okay with, but that was it. No movies, no dinners, not even breakfast the morning after. In fact, tonight was the first night they’d done anything new.

Sue gazed over at Paulo, who was lost in his own thoughts. The first time they’d done anything new, and it was because he cared. He WANTED to make her happy, to go above and beyond for her. He could have just gotten dinner for the both of them, but no. He gathered all of their friends, all for her. It was more than she could ever ask or hope for, and it was from PAULO. It would have been unconscionable for her to think he had it in him to do something so nice before they started their little secret rendezvous. Maybe before Paulo really was all the nasty things Sue had believed him to be back in highschool, but if he was then, he had clearly grown into a respectable guy. No, not a guy. A man.

An, if Sue was being honest, really handsome and strong man. She blushed and looked away. Years Paulo spent toiling away on the same construction jobs his father did had given him tone. More than once she had caught herself admiring his muscles in the dim light of her bedroom. She would run her hands up and down them when they laid together in the afterglow and their own mess as they talked. He never called her out on it, knowing enough restraint to not embarrass her like that. And when they were going at it, she could feel the strength in him, but he always treated her so gently, never putting her in a position where she would get hurt, or make her uncomfortable.

But of course Paulo was experienced. He had probably been with tons of girls, the way he looked and talked. She was not any more special than them. This thought gripped her soul, seeping a cold melancholy throughout her. Was she special to him? Did she even want to be? Now that it looked like she was going to have her old friends back, what did this mean for them? Would tonight be the last they spent together? What if she wanted more? Would he want more too? These questions were the buds that grew off the plant of the seed Daisy had placed in her mind.

No, she needed to stop worrying about all of that. Regardless of any of those questions, what mattered most was that night, and all the memories they had created. She was his passenger, his plus one to the friend meetup, and once they got back, presumably his lover. However, not in any romantical sense. And then they would cuddle and talk until they fell asleep in each other’s arms. But… putting it all together… wasn’t that what couples do? Just with more romantic feelings involved… feelings Sue was beginning to harbor.

Paulo was lost in his own thoughts, Abbey and Mike’s confrontation rolling around in his mind, growing ever larger like a snowball. All of the memories he had made with Sue were sticking to it like they were magnetic. What did he want from this now? Were he and Sue going to drift apart again, no longer needing to continue their weekend escapades? Was his kindness ultimately going to be their undoing? Ironic, him giving into his feelings was what might bring their arrangement to an end.

But did their current arrangement coming to an end mean it had to be the end of the two of them? Perhaps the end of that could lead them to something better, something more fulfilling. Maybe every night could feel as wonderful as tonight had. What’s more, the feeling of joy Paulo felt inside on the way to Burger-Tron, seeing Sue so happy… he WANTED to make every night just as special as this one. He wanted for every day to be one where Sue hummed her happy tune and danced her happy dance. Was this love? Or was he just high off of seeing everyone together again?

Even before tonight, he enjoyed his time with her, listening to her talk. When he was younger, he may have found her prattling on about her MMO and other nerd stuff insufferable, but now he couldn’t get enough of it. The way she got so excited, her eyes shone and mouth curled upwards in such a sweet smile made the emotional walls he wanted to set with her crumble. It was times like that where things felt less like a simple exchange of sex for social interaction, and more like a couple enjoying their night together.

This wasn’t to mention how cute she was. Paulo never paid her much mind in highschool, always chasing after whatever tail flicked his way. Now, she pulled so much of his attention, even if she wasn’t there. While his coworkers catcalled and wolf whistled every woman that walked past wherever they were working, he held back. All he could think of was Sue, how soft and wonderful she looked all tangled up in her blankets, how his hands craved to feel her curvaceous body. Whatever fur conditioner she used, it made her silky smooth to the touch. Her body had blossomed in all the right places, making her irresistible to him.

But could a relationship built off of sex be solid? Would moving things in that direction be awkward, or would it feel right, like a warm blanket on a cold winter's night? At a red light, he looked at Sue, who was as lost as he was. Whatever she was thinking, he wanted to find his way with her as his guide, and he wanted to guide her as well if he could. Sue looked his way as well, and smiled. “Hi.” She said sweetly.

“Hey, babe.” He replied. “The guys were askin’ ‘bout ya in the bathroom.”

“Oh, were they now?” Sue asked, leaning towards him on the center console. “And what did you tell them?”

The light turned green and Paulo proceeded forth through it. “I didn’t say a thing!” He waved a hand for emphasis. “Our secret is safe. What about you? Did the girls say anything?”

Sue blushed and looked down at her lap. “Well… Lucy figured it out immediately, and… I didn’t want to lie to them. Imagine if I did that after years of wanting to talk to them again?”

Paulo laughed. Anything to be a people pleaser. “Damn, Sue. Gave in to peer pressure already?”

Sue now felt bad on top of being a smidge anxious over the uncomfortable conversation over dinner. “I’m sorry, Paulo. I didn’t know you wanted to keep it a secret. I understand.”

“No! I don’t care if anyone knows. I wanted to keep it a secret for your sake.” He said as they rounded the corner to Sue’s street.

Sue put a hand on his arm. He was so loyal, willing to lie to protect her secrets. Even to his best friends, and this was not something Sue took lightly. It was just more proof of the upstanding man he had grown into.as the saying went, a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell. No doubt, younger Paulo would have bragged to anyone who’d listen about all the times he laid her. “You’re such a gentleman, Paulo…”

Sue’s touch sent waves throughout him, and Paulo’s heart was beating out of his chest. If he was confused about his feelings before, things were becoming more clear. “Ayy, no problem, babe. Anything for you!”

Another question was knocking around Sue’s mind. It was a completely normal question, one she’d had no problems asking tons of times, but now she had problems getting it out. Thinking about it made her heart flutter, as though the butterflies in her stomach were taking hold of it and trying to take it away. She wanted to know, had to know. “Are you staying the night?” Sue tried her best to make it sound as nonchalant as possible, but she couldn’t help but feel some anxiety, and maybe even a little bit of longing, seeped into her voice when she asked. Maybe it was a stupid thing to ask. Afterall, he said before they left that he wanted to come back and have some fun.

Paulo tried to figure out how to interpret this question, as he too was having his own battle with butterflies. Was she asking because she wanted him to stay? Or for him to go home? His mind circled back to him wondering if their time together was numbered. But that was a ridiculous notion! The way she had been at Burger-Tron, how flirty and grateful she had been, of course she wanted him to stay. Or was she just being friendly, and nothing more? Better yet, why was he so worried now and overthinking it? He better answer, and pool as much charm and confidence as he could before it dried up with his mouth. “Course I am! Why wouldn’t I?” He said. “Unless- do you not want me to stay?”

Now the ball was in Sue’s court, and she was feeling more confident Paulo was still seemingly in the game. In her own fashion, she hit back, using his words to be playful. “Course I do! Why wouldn’t I?”

Paulo smiled. Relief for him as well. “Great minds think alike then, huh?”

“Mm. They sure do.” Sue smiled warmly at him, and then let out a big yawn. “I’m looking forward to a good night’s rest now. I’m stuffed and tired.” And it was more than just small talk - it was true. It was incredibly late, pushing 1 am even. Even on the weekends, Sue had a bedtime. She would occasionally make exceptions like with tonight, but even then she liked to keep the lateness to a minimum. The fast food didn’t help with her fatigue either.

“Awww…” Paulo said in faux disappointment. He understood, though. He was beginning to feel it, too. In fact, at that moment there was nothing he wanted more than to lay down with Sue, pull her close, and get some shut eye. “I was really looking forward to keeping your neighbors up all night with our totally passionate love making.”

“Does your libido ever stop?” Sue scolded, though still playfully as they pulled into her driveway. “You can take care of that yourself in the privacy of my bathroom. Then you can come to bed. I’m not sleeping with THAT thing poking me all night.”

Paulo put his car in park behind hers. “You think I can’t control myself?” He scoffed as they both got out of the car. “What happened to me being a gentleman?”

“I was only teasing.” Sue said, walking around to the somali and taking his hand without even thinking about it. “I know you’re a handsome gentleman.”

Paulo curled his fingers around hers and smiled down at her, heart pounding again. She looked so beautiful, illuminated by the soft white light of the moon. Who was he kidding, for some time now he had admired her beauty, and not just when she was entirely bare. “And you are a beautiful woman.”

Not a babe. Not a chick. A woman. Sue felt her heart thump hard too. She just hoped Paulo couldn’t hear it. Paulo moved his free hand up to cup her soft cheek in it, holding her radiant beauty in his direction. Sue’s face caught fire, feeling his warmth caressing her face oh so gently. His confident smile and boyish charms working their magic on her, though he did not intend on their display. It was a natural gift, and Sue could feel the wonder of love as though it were the first time all over again.

Paulo felt his face inching toward hers, the distance between their lips closing by the second. The burmese did not waver. She leaned forward, anticipating what he would say or do next, both putty in each other’s hands. It was a delicate procedure happening at just the right time on just the right occasion. There were few moments in their lives that were landmarks, and the moment when their lips met instantly became one of them. In all their time together, for all their romps between the sheets, the two had never once kissed. It was the one thing keeping their casual encounters from crossing into something more personal. A simple gesture couples would do to express their deepest feelings for each other that those two dared not do. And now, bathed in the light of the full moon, they stepped off the precipice and into a whole new world.

Maybe they were tired of pretending. Perhaps in their tired state, their inhibitions lowered just enough to allow them this moment. Sue pulled herself close to Paulo, having the only free hand left between the two of them. A few moments later, sense found them, and the two split apart, yet still held each other close. They looked away from each other, both processing what had just overcome them. Paulo cleared his throat and let go of Sue’s hand, backing away from her to give them both breathing room. Now he was coming down from his high, he was beginning to feel foolish, and the idea that he may have taken things a step too far seeped into his mind. His hands fell to his sides awkwardly. “Sorry… I shouldn’t have.”

Sue’s eyes went wide. Her high was subsiding too, but she had a clearer mind. The kiss was sudden, but not out of nowhere. Importantly, now, she did not want Paulo to regret what they did. It was not all on him, she had been a willing and eager participant, regardless of how she might feel about it later. “No! It’s okay!” She replied quickly, looking his way. “It was… really sweet.”

“Yeah.” The somali said, still beating himself up for giving into his own wants and desires. Was that how he felt about Sue now? He desired her? Looking at her understanding smile, he felt better about it, even if marginally. She wasn’t uncomfortable, or upset, or even looked like she wanted to disappear. There was total ease in her pretty face.

Sue could still see his sorrowful look. She wanted to smooth things back over, to really assure him it was alright. It seemed such a silly thing to get hung up over after all of their raunchy behavior, a little kiss is what brought some form of awkwardness. “We should get inside now. It’s seriously late.”

Paulo’s fuzzy mind agreed, which was losing its energy to make any decisions. The night had been, and continued to be, a whirlwind of emotions. They went inside and kicked off their shoes. Afterwards, they went to Sue’s bedroom. She told him to get comfy as she went to her bathroom to get ready for bed, and Paulo did not need to be told twice. He peeled off his clothes and tossed them in the corner. He had to force himself to sit upright on her bed, the comfy mattress and blankets and pillows creating a concoction for an instant knockout if he dared lay down. It would be rude of him, he figured, if he fell asleep before she got back. In an effort to keep himself awake, he tried thinking about how he felt about Sue, and what he truly wanted going forward. Really, all he could think about as far as that was concerned was pulling her close and falling asleep with her snugly in his arms, as they’d done many nights before. That was motivation enough to stay awake. If he fell asleep now, he wouldn’t be able to do that.

Sue was feeling a similar way. She hummed to herself as she brushed the fast food gunk from her teeth. Her mind, though just as tired, kept circling back to their kiss. It really felt like it meant something, a message they sent to each other that couldn’t have been said aloud. Whether this was because the feelings ran too deep for words, or maybe they weren’t able to articulate them yet. Perhaps it could be a little bit of both. All that Sue knew is that it made her smile, and her heart soar. He must like her more than just as someone to relieve stress with, or as a friend. The kiss felt like the logical conclusion to such a wonderful night, the cherry on top of everything. It was a warm feeling she wrapped around herself like a blanket.

Sue finished her teeth brushing and hit the bathroom lights. Coming back into the bedroom, she found a very tired and naked somali nodding off on her bed. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he was drunk. “Ah, Sue.” He mumbled, eyes half open. “Ready for bed, babe?”

“Not as ready as you look to be.” She grinned at his half conscious state. “I guess I should join you.”

She stripped down to her bare fur, something Paulo very much enjoyed seeing. Walking in naked was one thing, but getting to see her take her clothes off one piece at a time was far more alluring than that. It was like a little show, an appetizer, just for him. “That never gets old.” He grinned.

“I hope it doesn’t.” Sue said, sliding into the covers. “You better keep that thing under control now, I’m too wiped for anything tonight.”

Paulo slid in behind her. She had such soft bedding, it was like sleeping on a cloud. “Don’t you worry, babe. I’m way too tired for that.”

“Mhm. Good.” Sue said softly, scooching closer to him. Paulo took this as his cue to wrap his strong arms around her, pulling her even closer, and holding her there securely. Sue always felt so at ease like this. Life was full of stress and strife, sometimes peril, but here in Paulo’s arms, she was protected from all of that. She felt like, as long as she was in them, nothing could ever hurt her. It was a very comforting feeling, and it wasn’t unfounded. Many years ago, in a deep, dark alleyway in the big city, Paulo had protected her. Despite all the odds, and him facing his greatest phobia, he ran to her defense when she needed it most. And this was back when they were always at odds. Even then, he would always try to protect her. Even then, maybe he secretly loved her.

“Can I be open about something?” She asked Paulo (whose eyes were now shut), half hoping he was asleep so she didn’t have to reveal this semi-embarrassing thing. Yet, on the other hand, she really wanted him to know. It was important he understood how much his actions, even small gestures like this sleeping position, meant to her.

“Wazzup babe?” He mumbled at what barely registered as a whisper. Paulo had felt his mind slipping into unconsciousness, but pulled himself back up as much as he could at the sound of her sweet voice. No matter what, he would always try to answer her call.

Sue blushed, feeling like a schoolgirl again. It was like she was admitting to an unaware crush about her feelings for them. It was too late to backout now, especially since Paulo’s eyes were open again. “I… I always really liked it when you held me like this. It makes me feel safe.”

Paulo smiled and fought back the urge to kiss her forehead. “Glad to hear it, but not surprising. All the ladies love it when I do this.”

That wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned other girls. It was common for him to talk about his romantic endeavors, and playfully brag about them, but now Sue was wondering… “Are there any other women in your life?” It wasn’t something that occurred to her before. They weren’t a couple, after all. He wasn’t hers… nor was she his. This whole time, he could have been seeing other women too and she never would have known. The thought made her a little sad and… jealous. She hated to admit this to herself but while she had no right to this feeling, especially after what she did, she was making herself jealous.

Paulo grinned and closed his eyes. He had been around the block enough to know when someone was jealous. Hell, he knew it from being jealous himself. But thankfully, he didn’t need to lie this time. Not that he’d ever DREAM of lying to Sue. “Naww, babe. Not for a while. Just you an’ me.”

Sue smiled to herself, and ran her fingers into his fur. It felt good to bury them in his thick chest fur like this. She could just make out his steady heartbeat under her palm. “That’s good to know.”

Paulo was too tired for anymore conversation. He had just enough brainpower to utter, “G’night, Sue. Love ya.” before he fell off to sleep.

Sue stiffened a little. Love… her..? No, she must have misheard that. Or, he couldn’t have meant it. He was delirious from being so tired. It must have slipped out by mistake. Yet, she also hoped it was for real. The thought of him saying he loved her… it made her heart flutter again. Should she reciprocate, even if to a sleeping somali? Did she love him too?

Yes. Yes she did. She’d not had this much fun, felt this happy, in a long time, as long as she could remember. Paulo had done so much for her that night, had forgiven her, reunited all of their friends, and paid for dinner. This was on top of all the weekend nights he spent staying up talking to her. And the kiss… it was so painfully obvious he had feelings for her, and she couldn’t lie, either. She felt those feelings too. With a new light in her soul, Sue kissed his chest and whispered, “Goodnight Paulo. I love you too.” before falling asleep herself.

Chapter Text

As tranquil as the night, the two cats, burmese and somali, slept peacefully side by side with each other. There was nary a stir, save for their bodies subconsciously pulling each other closer when they shifted too far apart. Their batteries were utterly drained, and a fulfilling night’s rest next to the person they cared most for did the trick. Pleasant dreams played in their minds, easing their sleep further. Though, reality for them was as sweet as any good dream. Why fantasize about something when everything they wanted they already had?

The sun found them as the moon had left them, still entangled in a close embrace. The sun crept in through Sue’s blinds, illuminating the blissful smile they both shared. If ever there was a perfect night’s sleep, this was it. And, if ever there was the perfect way to wake up, this was it too. Sue was the first to wake, being an early bird. She got up early for work all the time, and even on the weekends she couldn’t help but wake up with the sunrise. Looking up at Paulo, the sun gave his face a soft glow that made him look quite angelic to her. He was fast asleep, and Sue was content to take this quiet moment to admire him again in the early morning sun.

Sue did not have much wiggle room, but she was okay with that. There wasn’t a place she would rather be more than here in Paulo’s arms. The memories from last night came back. They were so unreal, they felt like they could have been a dream. Their talk, his kind words, seeing their friends again, the passionate kiss under the moon, and then snuggling each other to sleep. It was so much, the emotion welled up inside her and escaped as a pur. She buried her face in his chest, and extended and retracted his claws on him in a kneading motion.

Sue was very good about her personal hygiene and kept her claws sharp. That’s why, shortly after she started, Paulo jolted awake with a gasp. Sue became startled as well, digging her claws deep into his fur and skin, only making the somali yelp in pain louder.

“OW! OW!” He cried, trying to pry her off him. Her claws were needles in his chest, and he was wildly unaware as to why she had awoken him so harshly. Had he attempted something on her in his sleep? Did his morning situation make her uncomfortable? Whatever the case was, it was starting to draw blood. “Sue, let go! Let go! Ow!”

Sue came back to her senses and retracted her weapons. She gasped in horror when she saw the blood on her fingers, and felt even worse when she realized whose blood it was. Streaks of it were now staining Paulo’s white chest fur, threatening to drip onto her sheets. Sue backed away, giving Paulo as much space as she could without falling off the bed. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry Paulo!”

Paulo’s tears of pain made his vision blurry and he sat up in bed. He could see Sue was just as upset as he was, and softened up. Clearly, whatever it was, it was an accident. He wasn’t about to let some silly accident ruin a perfect weekend. Paulo took stock of himself, and saw the same blood she did. “Damn.” He whistled. “Got me good, huh?”

“I’m so sorry…” Sue whispered breathlessly. Already she could see him walking out on her. Like always, being overzealous would push people away. “I didn't mean to… I swear…”

“Hey, it’s okay, babe.” Paulo took her bloody hand in his. He wasn’t the least bit bothered, but could see her spiraling again. “What happened?”

Sue looked away, face bright red. It was totally embarrassing, what she was doing. Kneading was something she hadn't done since she was a young kid. She was just so happy, she couldn’t help it. And in another way, it was a form of marking her territory - territory she had no rights to. Paulo wasn’t just a thing to claim as hers. She sighed, and told the truth. “I… I was kneading on you.”

Paulo was taken aback, which was not something that happened often when it came to women. Usually he was the dominant one in things, always seeing what base he could get to next. Sex was one thing, but kneading… that was a very intimate thing that couples might do. Not only that, but it was exclusive to cats. Their friends like Rachel or David wouldn’t do this sort of thing, even with someone they were very close with. Paulo was going from one delicate situation with Sue to the next.

And this too was okay. He had to wonder why it kept happening so much with her, or why he felt so emotionally driven with these things with her. Normally he wouldn’t care at all, but when it came to Sue he really wanted to make the right decisions. She… intimidated him, truthfully. She was a different class of woman than he’d been with before. Successful. Smart. Nerdy. Independent. He needed to continue to show her, and himself, that last night had not been a fluke. He really was mature, and could handle things like this. “It’s alright, Sue. How are your claws? They were in pretty deep.”

Still, after all that, he was more concerned about her than himself. Paulo was continuing to smash her expectations, and she was beginning to wonder why she still had any left of him. Time and time again he had proven to be an upstanding gentleman, putting her before him. He wasn’t even phased by her admitting something so personal and intimate… was he okay with that too? Did he like it? Sue extended her claws and looked down at them. They looked intact, albeit now red. “Yeah… they’re fine.”

“Good!” Paulo put his arms out, inviting Sue into a hug. He wanted to seal his forgiveness, and put the entire ordeal behind them. Sue leaned forward like she was going to reciprocate, but stopped short. Paulo was, after all, still dripping with blood.

“I think we should get cleaned up first.” She said, pointing out his bloody chest. Paulo looked down, and got her point.

“You wanna shower first, or me?” He asked, as this was her house.

Sue bit her tongue. She was about to give him the greenlight to go ahead, but now with the awkward wakeup simmering down, she had a new idea. A very… Paulo-ish idea, if she had to describe it. Was it the right thing to say? Especially after what she just did. And even if she hadn’t, well… it wasn’t something they’d done before. It was more personal, another bullet point in the list of new personal things they were doing with each other now. But Paulo hadn’t turned her down yet, and with him, she felt like even rejection would be filled with warmth and understanding. “I… I was thinking.” She started with a mumble. “Maybe we could shower together. Y-y’know, to save water.”

The last bit was tacked on as a semi-move to save face, falling in line with her beliefs about recycling and a greener Earth. Fortunately for her, Paulo was receptive. He really enjoyed this side of Sue, the one that took risks, especially when it came to them. He could feel that there were more feelings under the surface, and whenever she made a first move in this way, they showed. With his signature confident grin, he replied. “Thought you’d never ask.”

It was a relief to Sue, who smiled and got up to get new clothes out of her dresser. Paulo would just reuse the ones he came over in. But what Paulo said made her wonder, “How long have you been waiting on that?”

“Hmmm…” The somali thought out loud. This was a good question. Though every meetup was special, some details blurred together in a happy mess. “I dunno. Maybe since about the time I started staying the night.”

“That’s a long time.” Sue pulled out a shirt. “How come you never tried to make that move yourself. Seems very un-you-like.” She said, half teasing.

“Well, inviting me over for sex seemed very un-you-like.” Paulo came back with, getting off the bed and admiring her backside as she bent over to look for pants.

Sue found what she was looking for. “Touche. Now let’s stop talking about it and get clean. Blood stains, you know.”

Paulo agreed. It would be an awkward conversation to have when explaining why he’s covered in blood. Soon, the bathroom was all steamed up from the warm water hitting the cool morning air, and the two cats were letting the warm water wash over them. Sue smiled as she lathered up, humming her happy tune from the night before. “I had the strangest dream last night.”

“What about?” The somali asked, running his hands over his body to direct the water.

Sue’s tail swished around as she spoke and did the same. It was a hypnotic little dance that Paulo enjoyed immensely. “We were still in highschool, I think. And we went out camping with some friends. David, and Abbey, and… some girl we didn’t know.”

“Sounds like I’m your dream guy, then!” Paulo laughed, happy to hear that even in sleep, he was on her mind.

Sue went red and splashed some water on him. “Oh shush, I can’t control what I dream.” But one thing that wasn’t a dream… Paulo had told her he loved her. In a sleepy sort of way. Was it just delirium from being tired, or was it for real? She looked at the handsome man next to her, who was currently lathering up too. “Paulo?”

“Sup babe?” He asked, suds dripping down his chin like a large beard.

“Last night, before you fell asleep… you said you loved me.” Sue said, feeling her heart racing. It was so scary to bring it up, what if he didn’t even remember? She fiddled with her wet hair. “Did you mean it?”

Paulo stood up straight. He DID remember it. He just didn’t think he’d have to clarify. Yes, he had said it in a brain-fried state, but it was his true feelings. The somali looked right into her anxious eyes, with the full intent on calming them. “I don’t say anything I don’t mean. Did you mean it when you said it back?”

This was not the response Sue was expecting, especially not the second part. Her body stiffened, and tail frazzled on end. There was no way he heard her, he was asleep! Besides, this wasn't supposed to be about her, it was about him. “H-how did you know?!” She asked, almost as embarrassed as she was when she gave him his rude awakening.

Paulo gave a sly grin. She was like putty in his hands. “I didn’t, but your cute little display told me everything I needed to know.”

This brought about an awkward moment, where Sue didn’t know where to go next. Usually, she was the headstrong one leading the charge, but when it came to matters of the heart, things were totally foreign. She was always looked over when it came to romance, so she never was really able to develop a way to articulate her feelings. She knew what she wanted, and that was a relationship with Paulo. She just felt silly saying it out loud. He usually had all the answers when it came to this, so she threw the ball in his court. “So now what?”

“I dunno.” Paulo said, rinsing off. A warm shower in the morning always felt great, especially when he had the day off. “I was thinking breakfast. Do you have any pancake mix?”

Sue was reminded how thick Paulo could be sometimes, but his casual nature about the moment at least made her feel more at ease. “No… I mean about us. What now? Are…” Her heart thumped hard. “Are we a… couple?”

Paulo stood aside, allowing the burmese access to the running water from the shower head. Were they a couple? That’s something they both had to agree on. HE was fine with that, and even wanted it, maybe for some time, but what about her? “Depends. Are you ready to take that step? Or do you need time to think about it?”

He was really good at this game. It wasn’t an answer in either direction. Sue, once again, was up to bat. Paulo was good at making her step out of her comfort zone, but Sue had been picking up on some tricks of his and hit the question back at him. Of course she wanted it, she wouldn’t have asked if she wasn’t. It felt like the obvious next thing to do. “I want to know what you want.”

Paulo put a gentle finger under Sue’s chin and lifted it up so he could look her in the eyes. He was so good at this, knew all the right moves. Sue wondered if he was just going through the motions at this point, or if he was doing this specially for her. “Babe, all I know is that all I want is you. You’re cute, and smart, and I love your enthusiasm. These last several weekends with you have been fantastic. And if you’re ready, I’m ready.”

Sue’s heart did a little flip. Yes, she was ready. She couldn’t wait to see where things would go. “You’re a wonderful guy, Paulo. You’ve really matured. You’ve always had it in the looks department…” Sue blushed, thinking of how she would sometimes sneak glances at him in high school. She felt it was selfish of her, to have been so abrasive towards him, yet still found herself admiring his physique. “But I could never get past how immature you were. You’re a completely different person now… one that I can’t help but fall in love with. So yes, I am ready.”

“I’m happy to hear that, babe.” Paulo smiled. “Now let’s get out and get some breakfast before I take you to pound town. I’ve been eyein’ that cute butt of yours all morning.”

Sue turned the shower head to spray in his face. “No! Stop being so horny!” She laughed and turned it back down again. Of course she wasn’t really offended by it, it was all in good fun. They had missed out on it last night, after all.

“Sorry!” He laughed too, wiping the water out his face. He pulled her close. “You bring it out of me.”

Chapter Text

Everyone knew the storm was coming. They were informed on television, by the local Roseville Station. Their doppler radar, corroborated by other news and weather stations from around the east coast, had detected that a hurricane, called Carter, had not slowed down as was expected. Instead of continuing its landfall trajectory and coming to a standstill, it bounced off the coast and headed north. Its new projected trajectory found it slamming into New Jersey, and people all over the state now found themselves in an unpredicted frenzy.

This was nowhere truer than the small town of Roseville, which resided closer to the coast than most were now comfortable with. Memories of rare hurricanes past fueled their panic as the citizens of the town mobbed grocery stores. Who knew how long the storm would last, and what damage it would bring? Best to be over prepared, as this storm already showed a propensity for the unexpected. There was but a day left before Hurricane Carter, would mark its territory on New Jersey. As the hours ticked down, what little hope some had that the hurricane might yet change direction evaporated.

And so all hunkered down in their houses and hoped for the best. Mike and Lucy had been texting over their parents' panicked escapades. Lucy did not take the storm seriously, waving it off as ‘just another thunderstorm with extra wind and rain.’

‘Big deal.’ She texted Mike.

‘It might be… Ive been watching the weather station covering it.’ Mike replied back. ‘It’s not slowed down any, might have even picked up more speed.’

Lucy smirked to herself before responding with, ‘Figures u’d watch some nerdy thing like that. Just like Daisy.’

‘Just try and stay safe.’ Was all Mike could think of to text, but he knew she wouldn’t listen. At least not to him, it seemed. Lucy was stubborn like that. But Lucy did appreciate his words, smiling to herself. It was a small comfort to her that he cared so much, not that she would ever show that to him.

And so the day and time came, with Hurricane Carter making landfall just as the meteorologists said it would. Families all around Roseville were huddled around their radios and televisions, desperately clinging onto every bit of information the meteorologists had. Carter hit one town, then another, swallowing them whole. Eventually, it was Roseville’s turn. The winds picked up, with trees beginning to wave wildly in the turbulent air. This was followed by the rain, tickling the area at first, but soon coming down by the gallon, lashing at everything. It slammed against trees, buildings, cars, pelting them like millions of tiny bullets.

The howling winds and pounding rain did little to soothe Mike’s sensitive ears. He was thankful, at least, to have a warm, dry home to take shelter in. With the rest of his family, he sat around and played board games as the TV played the constant weather report in the background. There wasn’t anything the reporter could tell them that they couldn’t already see outside. In the meantime, Mike was texting his friends off and on to see how they were holding up.

Not too far away, Lucy’s family was all gathered in the living room as well. Jordan was laying on the floor, looking at a sports magazine, as their parents were curled up on the couch watching TV. Lucy had long since gotten bored of nothing happening. She could only listen to the same repeated, ‘High winds and heavy rains, destruction and carnage’ spiel from the news before it got old. Even watching the trees outside her house swaying violently in the winds did nothing for her. Lucy was hoping something crazy would blow down the street, a car, some lawn chairs, maybe even a trampoline, but nothing but sticks and leaves. After a bit, she slinked away quietly and went to bed.

But while Lucy laid in her bed, the storm raged on. Mike received one last text from her, a goodnight, which he replied in kind. The winds outside managed to get more violent, whipping up a frenzy. This inevitably resulted in trees being uprooted, as the ground became saturated with the relentless precipitation and the wind became too much to stand against. It was for this reason that a tree careened over into a set of power lines and knocked out power for much of Mike and Lucy’s area.

The lights shut off without warning, along with the TV and anything else powered by electricity. The family of korats looked around in the dark. Mike pulled up his phone and used the screen’s light as an impromptu flashlight.

“Well, I better get the generator started.” Mike’s dad grunted as he got up off the couch. “C’mon son, I need to teach you how to do this. And I need a flashlight.”

“Sure thing, dad.” Mike said, getting up.

“Hurry it up, my phone’s almost dead.” Haley said. “Gah, I knew I should have been charging it!”

“The generator is just to help us keep the lights and refrigerator running.” Mike’s mom told her.

“Sorry dear.” Her dad said. “We have to make the generator last.”

“I’ve got plenty of charge on mine!” Mike poinyted out, wanting to be more helpful.

“Yeah, rub it in, why don’t you?” Haley grumbled, putting her phone down.

Mike followed his dad to the back door. Outside was total chaos, but unfortunately, outside was where they needed to go. In the little shed behind the house was where they kept the generator. “We’re going to have to be fast, Michael.” His dad warned. “Ready?”

Mike took a deep breath to steel himself and nodded. “Ready!”

Without anymore hesitation, the older cat threw the door open and the two rushed outside. The wind and rain cut into them, threatening to lift them up and carry them away, but the two males stayed grounded. After some difficulty traversing the yard (as the ground was very muddy now), and fighting to open the shed door against the wind, the two managed to make it inside. The wind shut the door behind them with a loud bang.

Being inside the shelter wasn’t any less terrifying. The sounds of the storm were amplified. Mike wasn’t so sure it was going to last through the storm. “Alright son. Just point your phone here.” Mike’s dad instructed, pointing at their generator. “This is how it works.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

At Lucy's house, a similar situation could be found. Lucy’s house had a small shed built onto the back, and this is where their generator was located. However, it had been sitting for far too long, and despite filling it up before the storm, Jordan and his father were unable to get the motor to turn over. After a few attempts in the ailing little shed, they had to concede it simply wasn’t going to happen.

The two quickly retreated back into the safety of their house, and the dad explained the situation. “I’m sorry, dear. I guess it’s been a while since we last checked up on it. There isn’t much we can do until the storm is over.”

Lucy’s mom frowned. This was certainly not an ideal situation. Their phones would be dead soon, and without TV or radio there would be no way to follow the storm or any of the news surrounding it. Who knew when it would even be over? “We could try to get a hotel.”

“Naww, not at this hour. And in this weather?” The dad grimaced. “Everywhere’ll be closed.”

“We have to go somewhere.” Lucy’s mom said. “I’ll try texting Ellen, see if they still have power.”

Back at Mike’s place, their power was back. However, it was made very clear they would be keeping the house in low power mode. “That means no TV, no computer, and keep the lights off as much as possible.”

Mike’s mom’s phone buzzed, and she picked it up. It was a text from Lucy’s mother. “Oh, it looks like Agatha lost power too, Frank. Their generator won’t start.”

“Tried telling them to get a new one.” Mike’s dad said. “They’ve had that one since, well, Mike was born.”

Mike’s mom replied, telling the family of khao manees that they had lost power as well, but their generator was working fine. Another buzz, and Mike’s mom looked a little surprised. “Oh?”

“What is it dear?” Her husband asked.

“They’re asking if they can come over.” Mike’s mom looked up at him.

“Well, we might have the room for it if they decide to. They just have to keep the electricity usage low.” Mike’s dad said.

At Lucy’s house, Lucy’s mother anxiously waited for a reply. She hoped they weren’t imposing by asking such a huge favor. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long for a reply. She breathed a sigh of relief. “She says they have room for us. We can head over.”

“Awesome!” Jordan said. “This place feels like a death trap now.”

“That’s a bit much, Jord.” His dad said. “Just because we don’t have power doesn’t mean it’s a death trap. We should get going, though. Best not to keep them waiting on us.”

“They’re going to be waiting a while.” Jordan said, looking out through a window. “Look.”

In the blustering winds of the storm, masked by the sound of the hailing rain, a tree had fallen over the driveway, trapping their cars. There was no way around it, either. Attempting to drive across the now flooding lawn would surely land them in slick mud. Luck was not on the white cats's side, but they had the small light that there was a safe, powered place amongst friends waiting for them.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Mike’s mom got another text. A worried expression fell upon her and she looked up at her husband. “Agatha just texted again. Says a tree has trapped their cars in the driveway.”

“I’ll go get them.” Mike’s dad said, standing up. “Let them know help is on the way.”

“I’ll go too!” Mike said quickly, hopping to his feet as well. He was anxious about Lucy. She had an intense phobia of water, and he wanted to make sure she was okay when she was going through the storm.

His parents knew he was feeling this way, too. “I know you’re concerned about Lucy, but it’s dangerous out there.” His mom told him.

“Please.” Mike said. “I just want to help.”

“I’ll be with him.” His dad placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “We’ll be alright. We can always use the extra hands just in case. Plus, the van has room enough for both of our families.”

“Alright…” Mike’s mom was still worried, but time was of the essence. “Just be quick.”

“We will be.” Mike’s dad said, getting his jacket on. “See you in a few, dear.”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

“Good news, everyone.” Lucy’s mom smiled lightly. “Frank and Mike are on their way. They should be here soon.”

“We better get our stuff together, then.” Lucy’s dad said.

But as the family headed for the stairs, a loud creaking followed by a crack was heard. A massive tree next to their house had been pushed over by the storm. It sliced into the top of their house, causing it to shake violently. Plaster fell and the ceiling cracked, threatening to come down on top of them.

“Outside!” The dad said, placing a hand on his wife and son's backs to guide them to the door. “Outside now!”

They didn’t need to be told a third time. They filed out of the house into the perilous storm. Nowhere for them was safe, all they could do was stand in their yard, and hope that their friends would come through quickly. That’s when Jordan noticed something was missing and asked, “Where’s Lucy?”

His parents looked at each other in horror, their blood going cold. With all of the stress of the storm and being unable to start their generator, they hadn’t noticed she hadn’t been with the rest of them all night. “Oh my god…” Her mother gasped, and looked up at the roof of their house, or what was left of it. The tree had caved it in, laying over the area where Lucy’s room was located. She wailed in anguish. “We have to go get her!”

“We do!” Her father said, trying his best to talk over the storm. “But it’s too dangerous! We need to call the fire department. Even if we got up there, we couldn’t move the tree out of the way.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure she got out of the way… if she even was in the way of the tree at all.” Jordan tried assuring his mom, but these were just empty hopes.

Lucy’s mom dialed 911, and through her broken voice she told the dispatcher what had happened. The dispatcher told her that they would send out a truck her way immediately, and that, in fact, one was about 15 minutes away. Lucy’s mom hung up and relayed the information to her family. All they could do now is huddle up and pray that Lucy was okay.

Mike and his father pulled up just moments after the call ended. They parked on the street and both of them got out to greet the family. “Hey folks.” Mike’s dad said through the wind and rain. “Good to see you’re all in one piece.”

Before any of them could respond, Mike had immediately picked up on the fact Lucy was not with them. “Where’s Lucy?!”

“She’s still inside!” Jordan said. “The fire department will be here soon to- hey! Where are you going?!”

The moment Mike heard she was still inside, and seeing the tree over where her room was, he bolted for their front door. “Son! No! Come back!”

But Mike did not hear him. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have altered his course. Lucy was trapped, all alone to face the storm. It might be a foolhardy thing to do, running into a collapsing house, but Mike needed to save her. He promised Lucy he would always try to protect her, and if that meant with his life, so be it.

The korat threw the door open and ran up the stairs. They were slick, and partially destroyed by the tree. It was a tough going, Mike had to contort and squeeze his body to get by, but he made it through. The bulk of the tree was in Lucy’s room, anyway. He just hoped that it was merely blocking the door, and that she had gotten out of the way. To think she was crushed was too much to bear. No, he had to be positive.

Mike expected resistance, but Lucy’s bedroom door opened faster than he’d ever anticipated. The wind caught it and threw him in, and nearly ripped the door off its hinges. Mike found himself tangled in branches and leaves, but pulled himself up. Then, he heard a small voice fight through the wind. “Help!”

Some branches had to be pulled away, but Mike was able to uncover Lucy from the mess. She was banged up, with cuts and bruises all over her body, but fortunately it didn’t appear as though she was being penetrated by anything. “Lucy!” He gasped when he saw her.

“Michael… I can’t move… leg is stuck…” Lucy said weakly, pointing to the end of her bed.

“I’m gonna look, okay?” Mike said, but Lucy tried pushing him away.

“You need to get out of here, idiot! The rest of the roof might come down any moment.” She hissed.

Mike was not budging. He looked over and saw that her leg was indeed pinned under a particularly large branch. No problem, he had made short work of all the other branches. However, to his dismay, this one refused to move even an inch. He tried rolling the trunk, but it pressed down harder, as though angered by the teen’s arrogance to think he could move it. Lucy cried out in pain, and Mike stopped fighting with the tree. It was clear further action might make the situation worse. “I’m so sorry!” He cried. “I can’t move it!”

“Then go!” Lucy said, getting fired up. She did not want Mike to die for her, or even get hurt. “You can’t do anything!”

“I’m not leaving you!” Mike shouted over the storm. “I’m staying put!”

“Then we’ll both die!” Lucy yelled at him. “We’ll both die because you’re an idiot! You need to get help!”

Mike shook his head tearfully. Lucy was in quite the state, and he feared if he left her side something terrible would happen to her. He wouldn’t abandon her, not again, no matter how much she chastised him.

But something terrible did happen. The tree had strained the supports on the roof enough as it was, but the added wind and rain coming down on them turned a bad situation worse. There was a loud creaking, and both cats stopped their bickering to look up. An exposed beam that had been sagging under the weight of another part of the tree, groaned. In another moment, cracks began to form around the sides, and spread deep into the wood. It was all too much to bear, and the support came down, right where Lucy was trapped.

The khao manee shut her eyes, waiting for whatever pain and death was about to come for her, but it did not. After a moment, she dared to open her eyes, and saw Mike standing above her on the bed, holding the beam up. His face was strained, but he held steady. The wind and rain stabbed at him, but he powered through to keep it high. Unfortunately, he was unable to push it away from Lucy, and had to keep holding it. “Michael…” She breathed.

“It’s okay, Lucy. I’ve got it. I can hold it.” Mike tried comforting her, but not even he knew how long that would last. He wasn’t sure where he was finding the strength to hold it up in the first place, but it was there. One thing was certain, Mike could save himself still, but at the cost of Lucy’s life. That was a price he could not pay.

Yet, this was a price Lucy was willing to take. She still cared for Mike. “You have to let me go!” She said, feeling herself getting weaker, the pain going away as her body was getting numb. “You’ll die too!”

“Then I’ll die too.” Mike said firmly through gritted teeth. “Your brother said they called the fire department… they’ll be here soon, they can help us! But we have to stay strong.”

“You can’t hold up the beam for that long!” Lucy cried, exerting herself in an effort to get through to Mike. “This is suicide! Just… just go!”

“Sorry, but I’m gonna be like you this time.” Mike grinned through strained muscles. “Hard headed and stubborn!”

There was no convincing Mike. Lucy’s heart sank, thinking that she was going to be the reason her friend died. All of her thoughts seemed to be dissipating though, with her mind going fuzzy. “I d-don’t feel so good, M-Mike… I c-can’t f-feel my b-body.”

“Stay with me, Lucy!” Mike urged her. “We can do this!”

“I feel so tired, Mike.” Lucy whispered, feeling lightheaded. Her pulse was slowing down, and Mike could see it in her face that she was about to pass out. She needed to stay conscious.

“Don’t go to sleep!” Mike pleaded. “You have to stay awake. I…” He had to think of something. “I- I bet I can stay awake longer than you!”

It was far too late for that, though. Mike saw one brief look at her baby blue eyes as she used the last of her consciousness to look at his. Her eyes shut and she moved no more. “LUCY!” Mike screamed, but she didn’t respond. “Wake up! Wake! Up!”

Still nothing.

“Please…” Mike whimpered. “Don’t leave me… don’t go where I can’t protect you… where I can’t love you…”

The weight of the beam was now really starting to come down on Mike. He couldn’t give up now, the fire department must almost be here! Lucy was still going to be okay, he had to believe that! But as the minutes ticked by, his strength began to fail little by little. Mike’s muscles screamed at him to let go, and his heart was pounding harder than it ever had before.

Mike shut his eyes tight and focused what energy he had into keeping the beam safely above Lucy. If he let it fall on her, she would surely be lost for good. He thought about all of the wonderful times he and Lucy had together. Countless hours sitting quietly underneath their favorite tree, a tree he had long since stopped associating with Sandy. He thought about the times they got ice cream, or played video games together. The times they helped each other when they fell, got hurt, almost drowned. Lucy’s beautiful blue eyes, her smile that made his heart stop, the sweet melody of her voice.

Mike fought with all of his might to keep the beam from coming down on him, but more than that, he was fighting for her.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he thought about the future. He was fighting for that, too. For all of the countless hours they had yet to spend sitting under that tree, the beautiful songs Lucy had yet to sing, and all the wonderful things he knew she was going to do. He hoped that, in the end, he would get to be there for all of it, too. And even if this be the end for them, he would be happy knowing that he got to spend it with her.

The rain and wind were cutting into Mike like knives now, but he couldn’t hear any of it. He was soaked to the bone, lashed and beat. His legs and arms were getting shaky, and he knew that any moment, he would collapse and both of them would be crushed.

But for the first time that night, fate smiled upon the two families. Unbeknownst to Mike, the fire department had arrived, and the firefighters rushed upstairs after a frantic conversation with their parents. Mike opened his eyes one last time, and through blurry vision, he saw them come in through the door. There was a moment where the men stood in total shock at the sight of this teen holding up such a heavy load. Mike whispered for help, but he didn’t know if they heard. The men running toward him was the last thing he saw before his body gave out and darkness took him for its own.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The first thing Mike heard was a steady beeping sound. He was enveloped in warmth, and the feeling of cloth covering him. This must be heaven, he thought. But wait - why did heaven have a beeping noise? Mike feared opening his eyes, not wanting to know where he’d ended up. Ignorance couldn’t be his blanket forever, though, and he had to take a look.

He was laying on his back, with nothing but a tiled ceiling above him. To his left was a heart monitor and an IV bag. Following the IV tube, Mike saw it led to underneath the blanket he was using, and no doubt ending in his arm. To his right was a small table, some chairs, and a window. It was bright outside, Mike could see through the blinds. Someone had left them cracked for him. The table had a vase and some flowers. On the far wall was a TV, but it was turned off at the moment.

A nurse walked in, preparing to do a checkup, looking at her clipboard. She looked up and smiled when she saw him up. “Oh, good to see you’re awake now, Michael. Your family will be happy to hear that! And I’m happy to see it, too. How are you feeling?”

“Where’s Lucy? Is she okay?” Mike asked as quickly as he could form the words in his mind.

“Try not to exert yourself right now. You’re stable, but you still need to save your energy.” The nurse said as she looked over the machine monitoring him. “The first thing we need to do is contact your family and let them know you’re awake.”

“I just need to know that she’s okay.” Mike said, fear gripping him. He sat up, and the beeps on the heart monitor began to hasten. The nurse smiled reassuringly.

“I wasn’t assigned to Lucy, but you both came in at the same time.” She said calmly, trying to get his heart rate down. “Let’s just see about your family first, okay?”

Mike swallowed, his mouth going dry. The nurse couldn’t make any statements she wasn’t sure of. She hoped for Mike’s sake that Lucy was okay, but she hadn’t been given any information on her. Her priority was Mike. “Just try to relax. I’ll call your family. They’ll be here soon, I’m sure.”

With that, the nurse left the hospital room and closed the door behind her. Mike laid back down, doubt settling in. He had failed her. Despite all his might, he had failed her in the end. His chest felt tight and tears welled up in his eyes. “No… no…” He sobbed. “I’m so sorry, Lucy…” The korat curled up to cry. “I’m so, so sorry…”

Mike cried to himself until he couldn’t bring anymore tears. Yet, his sorrow felt just as strong. His promise was broken, the one he would have died to keep. He wished desperately that they would trade places, that he was dead and not her. Anything, he’d give anything.

By the time his family arrived, Mike had fallen silent again. They all rushed in, with his mother hugging him tightly. “Oh, my sweet Michael… I’m so happy you’re okay!” She sobbed.

“We came just as soon as we heard.” His dad said, stoic as ever, but anyone could see the relief in his eyes. Even Haley looked like she was holding back her own tears as she stood silently at the end of his bed, looking down.

But once more, all Mike could do was ask about Lucy. His family did not have any answers for him. “We came straight to your room.” His father said, as his mother was too emotional to talk. “Both you and Lucy were in a rough way when they pulled you from the house. You both were just…” His father paused. “Lifeless. We really thought we lost you. The firemen said you were holding up a beam and then just collapsed.”

That was it. That was the smoking gun. Though Mike’s tears were spent, his chest heaved with sadness. “I failed her… I tried so hard and I still failed her…”

“Now don’t say that!” His mother said. “I’m sure if you pulled through, she will too. We can go see her right after this and let you know how she is!”

However, Mike’s family didn’t need to check up on Lucy for him. Instead, there was a small knock at the door. Everyone looked over to see Lucy’s family there. “Come in.” Mike’s dad said.

The khao manees entered and Lucy’s mom spoke before anyone else could. “Yes, Michael. She is awake and okay.” Everyone let out a sigh of relief, and if Mike could have spared them, he would have let out tears of joy. “Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

“Yeah, Mike.” Jordan said. “You’re not such a dweeb afterall.”

“No.” Haley agreed. “He’s the bravest brother anyone could have. An idiot for running into a collapsing house! But a brave idiot.” Everyone else silently agreed.

“Can I see her?” Mike asked, sitting up.

“I think it’s best if you both get your rest for now. You’ll have plenty of time to see each other later.” His mom said.

“But-” Mike protested.

“No buts!” His mom said. “You’ve been through a lot.”

“You’ll see each other soon enough.” Lucy’s dad said. “Believe me, she’s just as worried about you as you are about her.”

“Fine…” Mike said, laying back down.

“For now, what all happened up there in the house?” Lucy’s mom asked. “Lucy said she passed out after you caught the beam. Her memory of the night is still catching up with her.

It was a painful thing to remember, but Mike regaled the story. From slipping past the tree on the stairs, to being unable to lift it off Lucy’s leg, to holding up the beam as Lucy passed out. Both families were able to fill in the rest. The firefighters had rushed upstairs, Mike knew that, but as he passed out himself, they were able to catch the beam and hold it up. A third firefighter caught him and carried him out, and a fourth used a saw to cut the branch off Lucy’s leg and carry her out too.

The families convened at the hospital, still during the height of the storm, and worked out the situation with the doctors. Mike and Lucy were rushed into the emergency care unit to be stabilized, and then moved to other rooms once things were looking on the up and up. All there was left to do was wait for them to wake up, and now they had. The next step was waiting a day to be sure no other complications arose, and then they would be sent home. However, Lucy would need the aid of a wheelchair, as the branch had broken both of her legs. Mike winced, but he was happy she was still alive.

Both families gave their farewells to Mike, with them also going to check up on Lucy before leaving. Mike’s mother promised she would be back soon with all sorts of sweets and things for him to do, gave him another tearful hug, and left.

And so Mike was alone again with his thoughts. Lucy being okay was all he could ever ask for, but his heart still grieved that she had to suffer through so much pain. There was nothing he could have done to help her legs, but he still felt awful. Now came the question of how their reuniting would go, and Mike’s heart sank even more. He was glad Lucy was okay, but he knew what was coming for him.

She was going to yell at him, as she always did. This was all going to be his fault. Most likely her fists would fly. Then she would cry, and yell some more. Afterwards it would be like nothing happened, and things would be business as usual. Make no mistake, he would suffer a thousand punches if it meant she was alive, but he was not looking forward to the coming chew-out session.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The next day, Mike was permitted by his nurse to leave his room. This was in an effort to monitor how well he did getting back on his feet as well. He brought with him a book his mother had brought him the evening before, and was looking for a peaceful place to read it. The hospital had a courtyard where patients could meander and enjoy the outdoors while they stayed. Mike found a shady, comfortable spot under a tree in one of the corners to sit under.

Mike took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. Maybe it was more than just that, though. He was appreciative that he was still alive, and in one piece. And more than that, so was Lucy. It was a gorgeous day, nary a cloud in sight. A cool breeze blew through the leaves of the tree he was under. It seemed as though it had mostly survived the hurricane. With everything being so peaceful, it was hard to believe that not two days prior there had been the storm of the century raging through Roseville.

Mike cracked his book open and got to reading. He would be going home that evening, and felt like a book could make the next few hours breeze by. Just as Mike was getting pulled in by the story, he heard a wheelchair roll up in front of him. He looked up to see Lucy sitting in it, being pushed by a nurse. “Michael?” The nurse said. “You have a visitor. She was adamant that she come see you.”

This was a nice way of putting it. Ever since she woke up, she had been demanding to see Mike. The doctors and nurses were not entirely on board, as she had sustained some critical injuries and they felt like she needed to rest more. Lucy was hearing none of it, and refused any treatment until she saw Mike. Having to mind their bedside manners, the nurses conceded and permitted her thirty minutes out of bed to see him. “I’ll give you two some space. Remember Lucy, thirty minutes and it’s back to bed.”

Lucy did not respond to the nurse as she walked off. Her gaze remained intensely fixed on Mike, who stared back at her. He knew what was coming, and he sat tensed up. He closed his book and sat it aside. “Good morning, Lucy.” He said calmly. “Go on. Let’s get it over with.”

But the yelling did not come. Instead, the girl made a move to lift herself off her chair. Mike’s eyes went wide. “Lucy, what are you doing?!” He lunged forward to catch her, and not a moment too soon because Lucy fell forward. She had very little strength in her legs, both of which were wrapped in bandages. Mike held her in his arms, while Lucy wrapped hers around his torso. Then, in the quietest of voices, she whispered, “I’m so happy you’re okay.”

Mike froze. This was very un-Lucy like. “I- I’m happy you’re okay too…” He said, not knowing if this was some sort of trick. Lucy had pulled this lovey dovey bait and switch on him before. “How are your legs?”

“They’re still there.” Lucy said, releasing her hug on the korat. Mike helped her to the tree so she could lean back on it. He then took his spot next to her. “They’re sore, but I can at least feel them again. Don’t worry, jerkface, I’m still gonna be able to kick your butt after all of this is through.”

“Ah, haha…” Mike laughed anxiously. So, his crimes were not to go unpunished. “Well, that’s good to hear…”

Lucy sidled closer to him, brushing her fur up against his. Mike leaned forward a little, hands awkwardly placed in his lap. “Thank you for saving my life. Again.” The girl said softly.

“I made a promise, remember?” Mike said, looking at her. “I’ll always-”

“Always protect me, I know.” Lucy finished, having been through his whole noble speech before. “But why? Why did you make that promise? You don’t owe me anything.”

“It’s because…” Mike started. It was because he loved her. She might not ever feel the same, but Mike couldn’t stand to live in a world without her. She was precious to him, and he felt a need to protect her, even if it came at a cost to himself. His well being, him getting chewed out by her, even his life if need be. “Because… you know… it’s the right thing to do?”

Lucy frowned. She knew that was a load and then some. “Don’t lie to me, Mike. I know why.” She looked up at him. “You’re always fussing because I’m never honest about how I feel, and now you’re going to lie to me about how you feel?”

“It’s not a-” Mike was cut off by a sudden movement from Lucy, one that connected their lips. Lucy felt herself falling over, so she stabilized herself by placing her hands on Mike’s shoulders. After a few shocking moments, Lucy broke the kiss and looked at Mike’s face to admire her handywork.

“You don’t have to kiss me everytime I save you.” Mike sighed, remembering what happened the last time a kiss from her got his hopes up. “I don’t expect anything in return.”

“It wasn’t just for you, jerkface.” Lucy folded her arms. “I did it for me, too.”

Mike blinked stupidly at her. “What?”

The khao manee positioned herself back the way she was sitting before and looked up at the leaves of the tree. “Before I passed out, I made a promise, too.”

“What was that?”

“That if we made it through this, I would start being more honest about how I felt.” She looked at him and took his hand. “And this… this is how I feel… How I really feel.”

Mike looked up at the sky, not knowing what to say. He’d always hoped Lucy would one day break down her walls and open up to him this way, but never imagined how he would react to it. He was happy, for sure, but it all felt so surreal. Finally he looked at Lucy, who was off in her own thoughts, and said “Thank you for being honest with me. I… I’m really happy you feel the same way!”

The two snuggled up to each other. Lucy picked up Mike’s book. “What’s this about? It looks interesting.”

“It is!” Mike smiled brightly. “Want me to read it you?”

“Yeah.” Lucy nodded. “I’d like that.”

And so Mike went back to the start, and read aloud to her until it was time for her to go. Even after, Mike followed her to her room and they continued to talk as they always had, except now there was no tension between them. Now they could look into each other’s eyes, hold each other’s hands, and express their feelings without being embarrassed.

And they couldn’t have been happier.

Chapter Text

She was being chastised. She was being laughed at. A knife, sharp and serrated, was being flaunted, teasing her whiskers, threatening to slice them off one by one. Amaya struggled against her assailants, but to no avail. One of them alone was enough to hold her down against her will, and there were three of them. She couldn’t save herself, and nobody else was around. It was as though the world were empty, save for her and the ones who tormented her. The knife owner sliced here, sliced there, not deep, but enough to get their point across. Each line stung horribly, and her struggling only increased the pain. “We may not be able to get you to speak.” Said the knife wielder, “But I can make you scream.”

The girl struggled harder than ever before, her various cuts feeling like they were tearing her apart as she strained against them. No amount of adrenaline could give her the strength to break free of the hold the other two had on her. The knife was raised high above her chest. The ringleader kept bringing it down upon her, but never all the way. They were mock stabbing motions, their intention to drag out her agony. Stabbing the small, fragile girl would surely mean killing her, and they would never get a scream from her that way. “Just get on with it!” Said the one holding her left arm down.

“She’ll scream once she feels the blade reach her heart.” Sneered the other, holding down her right arm.

The main one took heed of their suggestions. He slowly dragged the knife over her chest to where her heart sat. Then, drawing it higher than he had before, he paused to align his strike. When it came, its mark was swift and true, plunging into her heart. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came.

Amaya woke up with a great start, breathing heavily. Her eyes were wide as they darted about, looking for the three that held her down, but of course, they were nowhere to be found. Not in Mike’s bedroom, at least. Adrenaline kicked in, too, her body ready to fight or flee from the false threats that invaded her dreams. It only increased her heart rate and hyperventilating further, and tears found their way to her eyes. She choked for air as the sobs began, unable to inhale deeply enough to let out a full wail.

Mike, who had ultra sensitive hearing, even in his sleep, found himself pulled from his own dreamland by the cries of his girlfriend. They started in his dreams, and when he woke up they were not interrupted. Groggily he rolled over to face Amaya, who was sitting bolt upright and coughing as her body heaved from the tears and intense breathing. The distressing sight of his girlfriend panicking sobered him up quickly, and Mike shot up in bed. “Amaya! Amaya, what’s wrong?!”

Amaya was too caught up in her panic attack to notice Mike had woken up and was calling for her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and the tabby leapt out of her fur, nearly falling the side of the bed. Mike put his arms around her and caught her before she fell, pulling her back to safety. ‘She must have had a nightmare.’ He thought to himself, looking at the state the girl was in. ‘A pretty bad one, too.’

Mike held Amaya closely, who was trembling with fear. She couldn’t catch her breath, she couldn’t cry, she couldn’t calm down. Yet, Mike didn’t let go, he petted her head and whispered to her in the gentlest way he could. “It’s okay… you’re okay… you’re safe now…” Were among other things he said in an attempt to put her immediate fears to bed.

Safe arms and gentle words did eventually work their magic on her. Amaya’s heart slowed down, and she was able to properly cry. Mike just held her, letting her feelings take their course. He was just happy her panic attack was coming down, and she could relax a little. Amaya hugged his arm back, and Mike could feel her tears dripping onto him. He used a hand to wipe them from her cheeks. “You had a nightmare, didn’t you?”

The girl nodded solemnly.

“And it…” Mike paused for a moment to consider if he should mention the bullies or not. No sense beating around the bush. “It was about them, wasn’t it?”

Another nod.

“Oh, Amaya…” Mike whispered to her through the darkness. “I promise, they will never even touch you ever again. And I promise that no matter what, I will protect you.”

Amaya closed her eyes and nodded a third time, resting her head on Mike’s hand. She took a deep, shaky breath as her tears subsided. The three bullies had been expelled once Mike explained the situation to the principal. It took a lot of convincing Amaya to let him do it, but hand in hand they got it done. She was scared that saying something might make things worse. Upon reviewing security cameras in the hallways, and the ones around the outside of the building, the story was corroborated. When Amaya’s parents found out, they were infuriated, and demanded to know why the school never noticed the kids tormenting their daughter.

It was a tough situation on all accounts, but it was decided that the three teens in question would be brought to trial over the assault that Amaya had endured from them over the years. Particularly, the incident with the knife was being put as the main charge for the case. The parents of the three students were not aware of their children’s wrongdoings, even not believing Amaya at first. They claimed she was making things up, but the security footage did not lie. They wanted to find a way to settle things out of court, but Amaya’s parents, and Mike, were not having any of it.

So the subpoenas were issued, and the court date set. In several hours, Amaya would be walking into the courtroom to confront the three demons one more time. Though Mike and Amaya wouldn’t know it, the parents of the harassers were beside themselves with frustration and anger over their kids' behavior. The one who wielded the knife got a particularly nasty chewing out by his father. All his mother could do is sit by and watch, totally at a loss for words.

“I don’t even know what to say to you.” He said, standing in front of his son, who was sitting on the couch with his arms folded, looking down. “Do you understand what this is?” The dad waved the subpoena.

The son stayed silent, electing to keep his interest with the floor. His dad continued. “Do you realize? Do. You. Realize? That you could possibly be looking at time in juvenile detention. Do you know what that means?”

Still, silence.

“That means you’d be going to jail!” His dad sputtered. “Jail, son!”

“Don’t say that!” Gasped his mother, horrified at the thought of her baby being locked behind bars.

“That’s the reality of it.” His dad told her. “What were you thinking?!” He asked his son, sounding exasperated. “We raised you better than this! Where did you even get that knife?”

His son provided no answers. Of course, there were none. There were no excuses. His dad sighed. “I want you to go to your room. You are confined to it. The next time you leave this house, it’ll be when you go to court.”

But none of that was any concern of Mike’s right now. The coming day was already going to be stressful enough on Amaya, and he wanted to make sure she at least got a good night’s rest. Amaya had been agitated in the days leading up to the trial, and so both parents had permitted that her and Mike be able to have a sleepover the night before. “But keep it PG thirteen!” They made clear.

That was easy enough to follow. Mike wasn’t about to take advantage of Amaya like that, and Amaya, while happy they could be so close together, wasn’t in the mood for it. Instead they cuddled until they drifted off to sleep. And all was peaceful until a few minutes ago, but the peace was slowly coming back as Amaya felt calm again. She leaned into her boyfriend’s embrace, nuzzling his cheek to show her appreciation. Her little whiskers tickled Mike, and he smiled a little.

“There you go, that’s better.” He said warmly. “You are loved, Amaya. Your friends love you. Your family loves you. I love you. And we won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The words enveloped her like a warm blanket and filled her with serenity. Mike was her world, and she was his. They were each other’s stronghold against the tribulations of life. “Besides, if anyone is gonna get you, it’s gonna be me.” Mike said mischievously, and Amaya looked at him curiously.

“I’mma get ya!” He said and he leaned in to pretend to bite her over and over. “I bet you taste good!” Amaya giggled and squirmed, Mike’s whiskers tickling her as hers had tickled him. She lightly batted the top of his head playfully as he over exaggerated the act of eating her. Mike pulled back to give her a moment to breathe. Amaya smiled brightly at him, her fears now gone, replaced with joy. “Such a pretty smile…” Mike said. “I hope you never lose it.”

Amaya hugged him again, and he hugged her back. They sat like this for a minute before Mike said, “Are you ready to go back to sleep?”

Amaya nodded and layed back down. Mike did too, holding her close to him. She rested her head on his chest as Mike pulled the blanket back over them. “Goodnight, Amaya. I love you.”

“Love you too.” Amaya replied softly. They closed their eyes and soaked in each other as they went to sleep once more.

Chapter Text

‘Can you meet me at the park? Come around 8. Cya then!’

Paulo looked at his phone, mulling over the text from that morning. It was the first he’d received from Tess in some time, as she was busy getting ready to head out to college. Paulo’d been busy too, with him taking in as many Burger-Tron shifts over the summer as he could before school started. The text was now presenting him an opportunity to disrupt that routine, one he wasn’t sure he was going to take.

Paulo laid back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. The flame he had for Tess had diminished, but all it’d take is one smile from her to ignite it again. Part of him still loved that girl, despite knowing they could never be. It was a frustrating situation, and he still disagreed with her decision, but there was no fighting it. Tess was headstrong, and as much as he hated to admit it, more mature than him. None of this stopped him from loving her, though. Maybe it was that ‘hard-to-get’ nature that made him pine for her so much.

But if he was being honest, him keeping his distance from her was just him trying to run from his feelings. It was like an unbeatable monster that struck his heart, and all he could do was run as the pain was too much to bear. Tess had basically strong-armed him with the text. She was expecting him to be there, and as much as it might hurt to see her again, he would feel worse if he stood her up. He cursed himself for caring so much.

Paulo sat up and texted back. ‘Cya then babe.’ He had a whole day ahead of him to get ready, so he went off to do his own thing.

Tess heard her phone buzz. She searched for it on her messy desk, where a tree’s worth of paper was strewn about. Amid the forms and letters, Tess found her phone, and checked the notification. She smiled at the ‘babe.’ Even after all this time, Paulo was still the same guy she couldn’t help but fall in love with. She shook the thought from her mind. They couldn’t be, no matter how much he, or she, wanted it.

7:30 found Tess and Paulo making their way to the park. The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky brilliant oranges and yellows. It lasted up until both arrived, as the last bit of light still clinging onto the sky dissipated into the darkness. Paulo parked in one of the lots situated around the park and headed through the gate that would lead to the main area. The park was quiet at night, most everyone had gone home or was in the process of leaving. The somali passed tired families walking down the path to the parking lot.

Upon a hill, Paulo saw her, looking up at the starry night sky, sitting on the soft grass. His heart was caught in his throat, nervous to break the ice, but he didn’t need to worry for long. Tess heard someone coming and looked down hopefully. A wide smile broke out across her face. “Hey Paulo! Over here!”

No going back now. Paulo trudged up the rest of the way and sat down. “Hey, Tess. You wanted to see me?”

“I did!” She said, trying to sound upbeat, but the sadness in her heart leaked out into her voice. “I’m moving away for college tomorrow. I wanted to see you one more time before I left.”

Paulo looked at her for a few seconds and then to the grass beneath him. He felt totally deflated. He knew she might be going away, just not so soon. The news was like a punch to the gut. “Oh.” Was all he could say.

Tess imagined he might take the news poorly. Still, she wasn’t about to let their last meeting be an awkward one. “I wanted to spend my last night here with you.”

Now, that was interesting. Something stirred in Paulo’s chest. “Why?” He asked her.

It was Tess’s turn to examine the grass. She picked at it a little, wondering how much of the truth she should tell him. Of course, she’d never lie to him, she didn’t have it in her to do that. Paulo deserved at least that much respect. “Because…” Tess sighed. “Paulo, please… don’t make me say it…”

“Why not?” He asked, feeling a little heated. “Why can’t you? Because you’d have to admit you were wrong to reject me?”

Tess gripped a wad of grass at his words. “It’s because it’ll just hurt more if I do. You KNOW why we can’t… I don’t want to argue in circles again. I just… I know I’m gonna miss you a lot. I don’t want our last meeting to be an unhappy one.” Tess sighed and dropped the grass she had in her hand. She wasn’t wrong to reject him at all. The wrong thing to do would be to string each other along for years as they lived apart, and who knows if they’d still love each other on the other side?

The thought of never seeing Tess again, a girl he’d thrown so much of his heart to, was taking its toll on the boy. A great darkness was washing over him, and now he was regretting coming out at all. He could have just made up some excuse as to why he couldn't come. But would he have been able to live with himself if he had? How many nights would he spend staring at the ceiling, wondering what might have been had he just put his faith in her? His emotions ran rampant, his fists clenched beside him.

Tess could see the emotions welling up in him, ready to burst out. She'd been there before, knew how that felt. She’d seen what it did to others, too. While her emotions were rampant that night as well, she understood what she was walking into. Tess placed a gentle hand over Paulo’s tense one. “But for tonight, we can pretend. You and I, together.”

Paulo appreciated the gesture, but felt like he was being selfish. He didn’t want her to do something she didn’t want, not for him. He loved her too much for that. The somali shook his head. “No, I’m just being stupid. We can start over. It’s good to see ya babe.”

“Paulo, really. I’m okay with it.” Tess smiled, and her eyes shone as bright as any star. “We may as well.” She could see a melancholy in Paulo’s eyes. ‘We may as well’ translated to ‘We probably won’t see each other again.’. He was never good with goodbyes. Being abandoned by his mother had left a void in him, a void that grew with every parting.

Paulo nodded. “Alright.”

The two scooted closer together, and Tess laid her head on his shoulder. They sat together like this for a while, serenaded by the crickets in the summer air. Their hearts beat as one. Above, the vast universe put on an elegant display of twinkling dots. The park was far enough removed that light from the city did not stain the sky with its bland hues. Nothing came between the earth and the stars. They entranced Paulo, and he felt as though he could be lifted off the ground and pulled into them. Tess kept him grounded. “Do you think we could have worked out? If we were in the same grade?” He wondered aloud.

Tess pondered this for a moment. It seemed such an easy answer at first, of course they would. She LOVED him. But long term? That was hard to say. Not that she was counting on a potential relationship being short lived. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She shifted herself to put an arm around him and press her cheek to his as they looked up at the stars. “Maybe somewhere out there, there’s a Paulo and Tess that did end up together.”

Paulo’s face fell and his ears went back. He wished they could have been one of them. “Yeah…”

“But…” Tess said slowly, noticing Paulo start slouching. “I bet there are a lot of Paulos and Tesses that have never met. I’m glad, at least, that we aren’t one of them.” And she punctuated it with a small nuzzle to his cheek.

Her words and nuzzle brought up his spirits. “Yeah… and I bet there’s a world where we HATE each other too.” Paulo speculated.

Tess giggled. “And I’m glad we’re not like that, either.” Paulo looked at her with a goofy smile, counting his blessings. Things could always be worse for them. Tess’s face was beautiful as ever, and once more Paulo’s heart was caught in his throat. He wanted to say something, HAD to say something, but what was there for him to say? He didn’t have the chance to say anything, for Tess leaned in and placed a small kiss on his lips before laying her head back down on his shoulder.

Paulo decided not to ruin the moment with a stupid comment, and just looked up at the stars again. They sat like this for some time, but the night wound down, and soon it was time to leave. Both cats got to their feet and stood awkwardly, neither really knowing how to say goodbye. Finally, Tess broke the silence, unable to delay her return home any longer. “Well, I better get home. I have to get up early tomorrow. Thank you for coming tonight, Paulo.” There was a tightening in her chest as she said the words.

“Yeah, no problem, babe. I’ll always show up for you.” Though he flashed a confident grin, he felt his cool fading as their possible final goodbye was approaching. A lump formed in his throat. “Go kick some ass for me.”

Tess smiled and held her arm. “I’ll… I’ll be sure to.” She started to turn to walk away, leaving behind the only guy she ever truly loved, but faltered. In one quick move she turned back around and threw her arms around him. Paulo was a little caught off guard, but happily welcomed her affection.

“I’m going to miss you so much…” Tess whispered shakily into his ear. Her emotional barrier was crumbling, and tears were beginning to flow.

Paulo closed his eyes as he too felt his own wave of tears come upon him. “Me too, Tess. I’m gonna miss you everyday.”

The teens stood in the park alone, embracing and sobbing on each other’s shoulders. Neither wanted to let go. Letting go meant goodbye, and they couldn’t stomach that. If they just held on for a moment longer, kept the other in their arms, everything would be okay. “I d-don’t want to let go...” Paulo cried. “I don’t want to never see you again…”

Paulo’s sobs gripped Tess, but she understood. She didn’t want to let go either. But it had to end. There was no stopping tomorrow. She gave them another minute to get their tears out, and let go. Paulo did as well. Apart, they dried their eyes and got themselves together.

“Well… see ya.” Paulo said. “Maybe we can call each other sometime.”

Tess smiled. “I’d like that. See ya, Paulo.” The two split ways, as Tess had parked elsewhere. A few steps away, she stopped and turned around. “I’m sorry.”

Paulo stopped and turned around too. “For what?”

“That we couldn’t have been more.”

Paulo smiled weakly. “It’s alright. Plenty of babes out there in the world. You’ll just always be my best babe.” And he winked at her.

Tess smiled back and exhaled out her nose in amusement. She could always count on him bouncing back, no matter how hard of a hit he took. With that, they both turned back around and left, sad about the end of this chapter in their life, but looking forward to what new things life would bring.

Chapter Text

Haley stood, staring at herself in the mirror, mind whirling around the coming afternoon. Three days. That's how long she had had to call this farce off. Three whole days. It wasn't like Jordan was particularly difficult to find to do it, either. She would see him pass by in the hallways, but neither acknowledged the other. Maybe it was out of pride, maybe embarrassment. The whole thing was stupid, so stupid! What did either of them really have to prove? Was it even worth proving? Haley was supposed to be bigger than this. She felt like her brother, doing stupid things in the name of romance. And yet, here she was, looking at herself in the mirror, trying to pretty herself up for a not-date.

The rest of the house did not know of her coming rendezvous with Jordan. For the sake of not having to hear Mike guffaw at her choice in boys (though it's not like she CHOSE Jordan), she kept it all to herself. This little secret wouldn't last long, as her mother, older and wiser, knew better and figured something was up when she saw Haley going over outfits in her closet. She said nothing then, as it was merely a hunch, but now her daughter had been spending an awful long time staring at herself in the mirror. The mother korat gave the door frame a little knock. Haley jumped at the sound, having been lost in her own thoughts about the coming afternoon.

"Sorry sweetheart." Her mother said with a little smile. "I didn't mean to scare you. Big day today?"

Her daughter, as she predicted, blushed deeper red and turned away to look back at the mirror, however this didn't obscure her mother's knowing gaze from her like she'd hoped. Haley stiffened up and replied. "I'm just going out for a while to see a movie. That's all."

"Mhm." Her mom mumbled, seeing the cracks in her daughter's closed off exterior. "And what's his name?"

Haley felt a fire in her face at the question. There was no avoiding it now, her mother was too smart. Now it was a matter of keeping it from her brother… "I don't want Mike to know…"

"Too late!" Mike called from his bedroom. Thanks to his ultra sensitive hearing, he could hear the quietest whisper, and definitely a normal conversation happening right next door to him. "I've already heard everything."

Haley groaned and rubbed her face. Mike stopped doing what he was doing to come lean on the other side of the door frame. "Who is it, Haley?"

The girl glared at her brother, more hesitant than ever. "I don't wanna deal with you laughing."

"He won't laugh, right Michael?" Their mom said, smiling at him.

"I promise!" Mike held up his right hand. "So who is it?"

Haley looked back and forth between the both of them and looked down to mumble. "Jordan."

Mike had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. It wasn't enough to keep a small 'snrk' from escaping him. Haley shot a death glare at him, trying to remove his mouth with her mind. "Don't you dare!" She growled.

Her mother interrupted her. "That's wonderful, sweetie. I hope you have a good time. Jordan seems like a nice young man."

Mike swallowed his laughter, painful as it was, so he could speak. "Jordan?! Why? You can do better than that!"

"I didn't ask for YOUR opinion, MICHAEL!" Haley sputtered. It was already embarrassing enough that she had to go on this stupid date, but now her annoying brother knew too. "Go back to your fake girlfriend!"

It was time for their mother to intervene. She could see Mike inhaling to retaliate. "Kids, be nice! I'm happy to hear about your date, Haley."

"It's not a date!" Haley hissed, seeing the look of glee on Mike's face.

"Picking out a nice outfit and putting on makeup so you can go see a movie with a guy isn't a date. Got it." Mike gave an overexaggerated wink and finger guns.

“Don’t let Michael make you feel bad about who you like." Their mother said, putting a hand on Mike's back to usher him away. "We'll let you finish up."

Haley turned back to the mirror and frowned further, continuing to stew in her regret. She thought about Jordan and his stupid smile. By the end of the day, she'd prove how much of a dweeb he was and wipe it right off. That gave her a stirring of hope that this wouldn't be all for naught as well. The teen stood up a little straighter and took a brush in hand. She'd show him how to look your best for a date, too.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Meanwhile, a khao manee teen was holding her side. Not from pain, well, a little from pain. She was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. Not only was the situation ridiculous, but her brother LOOKED ridiculous. Her brother, who was currently standing with his arms crossed in a wrinkly button up, looked on unamused. This was a far cry from his usual jersey, and being that he just got home from some basketball earlier that morning, he looked all sorts of messed up as well.

Lucy looked up with tears in her eyes, trying to catch her breath, but one glance at Jordan's big frown sent her into another laughing fit. "Laugh all you want!" Jordan growled, trying to salvage some of his dignity from his disheveled state. "At least I have a date!"

"Goodness, Jordan!" Said an older voice from behind. It was their mother. "You're not thinking of wearing that shirt on a date are you? It looks like it's been run over by a car!"

Jordan was a little stunned at her comment and opened his mouth to respond but Lucy managed to inhale enough air to beat him to it. "You'll never guess who he's going out with!"

"Lucy!!!" Jordan groaned.

"Oh? Who?" Their mother asked.

"You tell her!" Lucy said to Jordan, whose face looked like it was stuck in a permanent frown. He already regretted telling Lucy, and he knew full well his mother would be all over him, making sure he was dressed to the tee and looking his best when she found out who it was.

The boy lowered his head and spoke softly. "Haley. I'm going out with Haley."

"Haley?" The mother asked. "As in, Ellen's daughter, Haley?" Jordan nodded a little, feeling the pressure mounting. He had his mother’s full attention now, and she went about fussing over his appearance. "There is no way I'm letting you wear that wrinkled old thing to a date with her! Oh, and your fur is all disheveled!" The mother held Jordan's head in one hand, going over his face. "You've got dirt all over you!" She said, rubbing at one, stretching his face. "Did you even shower?" She sniffed the air around him and scrunched up her face. "You did not! You march to the bathroom right now and clean yourself up!"

"MOOOOOOOOOM!" Jordan groaned again. "You never get this upset when I go see Tiff!"

"Sweetheart…" Their mother stepped back from him, finally letting him breathe a little. "That Tiff girl is no good! She just uses you for a free meal."

Jordan folded his arms and looked away, ears pinned back. "You sound just like Haley." He mumbled.

"Well good, because she's right!" Their mom said. "All the more reason to look your best! Now hurry."

Lucy looked at Jordan with the biggest grin she could muster. Jordan just continued his frown and went to look for a new shirt, and to get showered and brushed. Lucy had to tell Mike, she ran back to her room, laughing, and noticed that her cell phone was blowing up with notifications from the aforementioned boy. ‘Ah.’ She thought to herself. ‘He must have heard too.’

Lucy grabbed the phone and answered the call. “Hey Mike!” She said, trying to contain her laughter.

“Lucy! You won’t believe-” Mike started, but Lucy cut him off.

“That Jordan and Haley are going on a date? Yeah, I know.” She said.

"Who would've guessed?" Mike asked.

"Mmm…" Lucy responded, laying back on her bed, laughter subsiding. There was a moment of silence between them. Who WOULD have guessed?

Downstairs at both their houses, both of their siblings were headed out the door.

"Bye, mom!" Haley called.

"Have a good time, sweetie!" Her mother called back, "Remember to smile!"

Haley put on her best, biggest, fake smile. "Sure thing, mom!" And the moment the door shut behind her, her face fell into a frown. 'Well.' She thought with an internal sigh. 'Let's get this over with.'

Similarly, Jordan bid farewell to his mom, who left him with a, "And I better not hear anything bad from Ellen about this, young man!" To which Jordan smiled sheepishly and promised her he would do his best. As he slipped out the door, he could see his sister grinning at him, still on the phone. He rolled his eyes and got on his way.

"I think Haley just left." Mike said into the phone.

"Yeah, Jordan's gone too." Lucy said once she was back in her bedroom. "Wanna bet this thing doesn’t last the whole movie?”

“Yeah!” Mike said.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Jordan ran as fast as his feet could carry him, not wanting to be late. Haley would for sure chew him out for that, and he was not about to be taking the first hit. He was going to prove that he was a gentleman, and then win… Jordan slowed down. Win what? Bragging rights? Was all this effort really worth it to prove that he was right? He looked back from where he came. He could just go home if he wanted.

‘But would you really stand her up like that?’ A small voice in him asked. ‘Even if she wants to prove you wrong… You’re just gonna leave her there by herself?’ Jordan shook his head, frustrated by the fact he was guilt tripping himself. He had to resign himself to his inner voice. Not showing up would be horrible, and his mother would surely ground him for eternity after an hour long lecture about respect.

With a sigh he continued forth to the theater. It didn’t take him long to get there, and standing in the crowd of moviegoers coming and going was Haley. She was wearing a casual green dress that matched her eyes, and before Jordan could register the fact he was noticing that small detail, the girl saw him coming down the path and put her hands on her hips with an unamused look. Jordan’s face fell, expecting her to give him grief over being late.

“Let me guess.” He said once he was standing in front of Haley. “I’m late?”

Her face didn’t change. “No. But it took you long enough.”

“Can you at least give me a point for not being late?” Jordan asked.

“A point for the bare minimum?” Haley asked as they walked to the front doors. “I sure hope you weren’t showing up late for your…” She paused and put up her fingers to make quotation marks. “Dates… with Tiff.”

“I was never late.” The boy said, annoyed at her for deflecting him. “Sometimes Tiff might be, though…”

Haley laughed. “Imagine that. Wanting to be on time for a date with you!”

“Hey!” He grumbled. “She’s a busy girl! It’s understandable if she’s a few minutes late… Or if she is unable to show up…”

“You really are pathetic.” Haley chided. Winning this bet was going to be too easy.

When they reached the doors, Jordan stopped her and pulled one open for her. “After you.” He said smugly with a gesture for her to enter.

“Don’t look so proud of yourself.” Haley said, entering. “I still consider this to be the bare minimum.”

“Wasn’t the bet on whether or not I knew how to put on a proper date? Seems like I’m winning so far.” Jordan smiled. As he went to follow her through the doorway, he looked at all the passersby on the sidewalk in front of the theater. Something caught his eye, and he wasn’t really sure why. There was someone standing a few feet away wearing a dark hoodie with the hood pulled up and a pair of sunglasses, just staring at them. Jordan did a double take but the person was gone by the time he looked back. He shrugged and entered the lobby.

Haley was looking dully over the movies they had playing that day. There was nothing out she really cared to see, as it was a slow part of the year for releases. She put a hand on her hip and clucked her teeth. “What do you wanna watch?” She asked Jordan.

“Mmm…” The boy said, squinting at the sign. Nothing really stood out to him, except… “OH! Court Brothers!”

Haley blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Court Brothers! It’s a new basketball movie!” Jordan said excitedly.

Haley frowned, not much liking the idea of it. On a ranking of movies she’d want to watch, a basketball movie wouldn’t even be on it. Jordan didn't hear a response from Haley so he went forward to buy tickets for them. The korat furrowed her brow. “Hey! Where are you going? We haven’t decided on a movie yet.”

Jordan stopped and turned around. “We’re going to see Court Brothers, right?”

“I never agreed to that!” She huffed, putting her hands on her hips.

“You asked me what I wanted to watch, and this is it! Besides, you didn’t say no…” Jordan pointed out.

Haley was quite offended by his interpretation of things. This was SUCH a guy thing to say. “Just because I didn’t say NO doesn’t mean yes! Ever heard of consent, idiot?!”

Jordan frowned, regretting his decision to come more and more by the minute. If he had just gone home and not cared about proving anything to this girl that he probably wouldn’t talk to again after this, he could have caught up on schoolwork, gone out to practice, played some games, anything but this. Lectures and groundings be damned. He regressed his negative thoughts and walked back over to the girl. “Okay then. What do you want to watch?”

Haley looked back up at the showtime screen. “I don’t know… these all sound lame! Whatever is fine.”

Jordan shook his head in frustration. Girls were so fickle, especially this one. At least Tiff never cared what they did. Come to think of it, she never really cared about anything when it came to him. “Then let’s just go see-”

“No.” Haley said firmly, knowing what he was going to say. “Any of them but that.”

Was this part of a test to see how much she could push his buttons? Jordan considered himself a patient guy but even this was becoming too much. “Why don’t we just close our eyes and point, then?” He suggested sarcastically.

Haley pondered the idea for a moment and nodded. It was unique. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Jordan opened his mouth to rebut but this was the first thing she’d said to him that hadn’t been negative. “Fine. Eyes closed.”

They both closed their eyes and pointed up at the board. People walking by gave them odd looks, but neither Haley nor Jordan ever saw them. “Okay, open your eyes.” Haley said.

Upon gaining sight of the world again, they saw they both pointed at the same movie by the title of Love Forever and Ever II. Both of them groaned, but the die was cast. They went up to the box office, and requested the tickets. As Haley went for her purse Jordan stopped her. “I’ve got this.” He said with an air of superiority, pulling out his wallet.

“I’m sure you’re used to paying for everything by now.” Haley jabbed, smiling innocently.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” He said, getting the tickets. “Isn’t the guy supposed to pay?”

“Yeah, I just think I can pay for myself too.” Haley said. “I’m independent.”

“And that’s why you wanted to go on a date with me.” Jordan grinned, thinking he’d really got her with that one.

Haley rolled her eyes. “I didn’t WANT to go on a date with you. I just wanted to prove you wrong.”

For someone who was totally indifferent she sure seemed to have put in a lot of effort into her appearance. She even made him feel underdressed. “Oh really? Is that why you got all dressed up and groomed and smell nice?” The khao manee asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“No!” Haley said defensively as her cheeks were going red. “And what about you, you’re all dressed up and - wait… did you just say I smell nice?”

Jordan’s eyes went wide. “I mean, you know, it's hard not to notice…”

“Whatever weirdo, stop sniffing me. Let’s get some snacks.” Haley said, wanting to brush the unintentional comment under the rug. But if she was being honest, she was a little flattered by it.

When they got to the snack counter, Jordan once again insisted on paying, but Haley turned him down. “You’ve already proven how much of a dweeb you are, I get it. I’ll be paying for this, though.”

Jordan thought it best not to argue. He looked around the lobby as he waited and noticed the hooded person he saw earlier just… staring at him. Or were they staring at Haley? Or the both of them? He didn’t have time to think because Haley tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey doofus, the fries are gonna take a few minutes. Come grab this stuff, we have to wait over on the other end of the counter.”

Jordan broke his trance. “I’m not a doofus.” He grumbled stupidly, picking up their drinks and snacks.

“You still haven’t tried to make any real conversation with me.” Haley pointed out, still looking for anything to deride him for.

“Well…” Jordan started out slowly, racking his brain. They came to a stop at the food counter. “So Coach thinks I could get a scholarship through basketball. I’m really good at it, despite my size.”

Haley folded her arms and sighed. Jordan looked around confused. “What? What??”

“Really? You’re gonna just talk about yourself?” Haley huffed, not sure if she was more annoyed by the fact he went straight to talking about himself or he went straight to talking about basketball.

“You asked me to make conversation.” Jordan said flatly, equally as annoyed. “So I did.”

“Girls don’t wanna hear you talk about yourself.” Haley rolled her eyes. “Is this all you talked to Tiff about?”

Jordan paused for a moment, trying to think of any conversation he started that wasn’t about him or basketball, but couldn’t. All he could mumble back was, “She was a really good listener…”

“She wasn’t listening, idiot.” Haley poked Jordan on the forehead with her index finger. “She was too busy stuffing her face.”

“Okay, well then… have you been to any of the games recently?” He asked. “Maybe you should think about becoming a cheerleader.”

Haley facepalmed. This boy just wasn’t getting it. “You’re still talking about-” But she paused as something stood out to her. “You… think I should be a cheerleader?”

Jordan went a little red, realizing the implication of what he said. “Well, yeah. Y’know, I just think you’d, um… be a nice fit for it…”

Haley tried to hide her encroaching blush. This was now twice Jordan had complimented her. Maybe he meant it, maybe it was unintentional again, but guys never paid her any mind, let alone compliment her. She never was looking for their attention, but hearing these things from Jordan felt… nice. She regressed and looked the other way as to not see his dumb anxious face. “Maybe I’ll think about it.” She mumbled.

“ORDER UP!” Called a concessionist, pushing a large bag of fries. Both jumped at the voice, so engrossed in each other they weren’t paying attention to the employee who was saying order up for the last minute. “And you kids better not start making out in the theater, either.” He said with a scowl.

The two teens became even more embarrassed than they already were. Haley sheepishly nabbed the bag of fries from the counter and both walked awkwardly away. “Who does that guy think he is?” Haley huffed as they walked down the carpeted corridor. “So what if we make out, we paid to be here!”

Jordan stiffened up. “You’d… want to do that?”

“What? No!” Haley got flustered at her slip up. “I’m just saying… if we wanted to, what’s it to him?” Jordan kept silent, but smiled a little.

When they reached the theater room, Jordan got the door for Haley again, and this time she gratefully accepted it with a little, “Thanks.”

The room was packed with couples coming to see Love Forever and Ever II during its opening weekend. They eventually found an empty pair of seats in the theater after climbing over a sea of legs and got comfortable. The movie started with a garish pink title sequence with cursive text. There was a montage of beautiful couples spending time together, holding hands and wistfully looking into each other’s eyes.

“Euch.” Haley stuck out her tongue in disgust. “This is already too cheesy for me.”

“I agree.” Jordan said, looking just as displeased. “But we’re here now, we should try to make the best of it.”

“I’m gonna watch it as a comedy.” She grinned at her brilliant idea. “Gonna make this way more fun.”

“Shush!” Scolded a moviegoer behind them. Both Haley and Jordan turned around to see who it was, and saw a middle aged dog looking down at them. Haley turned back around and sunk into her seat with a scowl. Everyone was being so stuck up today. Jordan turned back around too and sighed. It was going to be a long movie.

And so it was, but slowly the two were pulled in by it. It followed two people at odds with each other, and calling each other out for their shortcomings. They set out to prove the other wrong, and each starts to slowly appreciate the other more. It was not lost on Jordan and Haley that this setup felt familiar. At one point, their hands accidentally touched on the armrest and they jumped apart.

“I’m… gonna go get some more candy.” Jordan whispered hurriedly. “Want any?”

Haley was thankful the darkness of the theater hid the massive blush on her face. “I-I’ll just have whatever you have.”

Jordan nodded and got up, squeezing past the line of legs between him and the aisle. Outside the room he was able to collect himself as he walked to the lobby. This wasn’t a real date. This was just to prove Haley wrong, nothing more than that. Jordan felt like he was doing a pretty good job at that so far. He got the candy from the concessions stand and headed back to the theater.

When Jordan returned, there was a particularly bright scene as the couple watched a sunset. He could see every face in the theater, and some of them weren’t dry. He smirked as he went up the stairs, but as he reached his row he stopped. There he was again, that hooded figure, just two rows up from where they were sitting. Only this time there was only Haley there, and he was staring intently at her. Now there was no doubt, the guy was definitely stalking her. Jordan weighed his options. If he told Haley, would she even believe him? What if it caused a scene? Maybe it would be better if he kept it to himself so she didn’t worry. Besides, as long as he was there, nobody would dare mess with her, right?

Fortunately for Jordan, he didn’t have to choose. The person looked his way and got up, heading for the opposite side of the theater. He headed down the aisle and left. Jordan breathed a sigh of relief, the creep finally got the message. He shimmeyed along the row of legs to get back to his seat. He had totally forgotten about his and Haley’s accidental hand holding by now.

“What took you so long?” Haley whispered under her breath. “Did you have to make the candy?”

It was good to see she’d moved on from it too. “Sorry… there was a line.” He lied.

“Well gimme some.” Haley snagged the box from him. She didn’t need to, he would happily give her the whole box if she wanted it.

Jordan and Haley kept their hands in their laps for the remainder of the movie. Once it was over, the audience clapped and cheered while the two teens took this as their cue to leave. Once they were free of the noise of the theater, they could hear each other speak.

“That movie was soooo lame!” Haley groaned. “Probably lamer than that basketball movie you wanted to watch.”

“Hey, you shoulda listened to me.” Jordan shrugged, a little vindicated. “Perhaps next time we go out you will.”

“Yeah!” She scoffed as they crossed the lobby. “As if! I’m picking the movie with my eyes open next time.”

“I’ll have to do the same.” Jordan agreed. “Otherwise I’m watching the movie with my eyes closed.” He added with a chuckle.

“Oh wow, that was truly awful!” She laughed at Jordan’s corny joke. “Watch it with your eyes closed? How long have you been waiting to pull that one out?”

“I just came up with it.” Jordan said with a smile, applauding himself for his quick wit. He got the door for her. “And you laughed, so it couldn’t have been THAT bad.”

“I’m laughing AT you, not with you, you dweeb!” Haley said as she exited.

They both had a good laugh on the sidewalk before simmering down. There was an awkward silence between them as they tried to figure out what to do next. They’d done it. They’d gone on the not-date. The sun was beginning to set on them, and dinner would be ready soon.

“So. How did I do?” Jordan asked.

“Huh? Oh, right.” Haley had nearly forgotten this was all to prove if Jordan knew how to put on a proper date or not. “I suppose you did whatever… I… didn’t hate it. For the most part.”

“That’s... good?” Jordan raised an eyebrow. He definitely felt like he deserved a better review than that! Not like SHE was the queen of dating. “I mean, you were alright too… a bit mean at first…”

“Yeah, well you’re not perfect, either!” She replied. “It’s like you took dating advice from the nineteen fifties! Hold the door open for her, pay for her, try to hold her hand! And you’re still talking about yourself! Not even asking if I enjoyed myself, it’s all about how you did!”

“Well at least I tried! All you did was complain!” Jordan frowned, the goodwill he had towards her quickly draining away. “What’s wrong with being chivalrous? At least I tried to be nice to you, you didn’t even deserve it!”

“You’re a dork and a JERK! Just like every other jock!” Haley said, raising her voice. “And you just let Tiff and every other girl walk all over you!”

“And you’re a bitch!” Jordan said sternly back, furious she had the gall to say any of this after how much he put up with from her. “It’s no wonder no guys want to date you!”

“Well if they’re all like you then I’m glad they don’t!” Haley said back, her voice cracking. Deep in her eyes, Jordan could see a newfound hurt. “I’m going home!”

“So am I!” Jordan fired back. “Don’t talk to me at school!”

“Forget about talking to you!” Haley cried as she stormed away. “I’m never even going to look at you again!”

Jordan scowled at the korat as she left him there. He shook his head and walked the other way. The sooner he could put this whole day behind him, the better. His feelings of frustration stewed in him as he put distance between them, and he looked behind to see what Haley was doing. She was still walking away, hugging herself as she did so. He sighed and turned his head back around, but as he did, some movement across the street caught the corner of his eye.

Jordan jerked his head back around and saw someone walking down the sidewalk, on the opposite side of the street that Haley was walking next to. It was him… the guy in the dark hoodie. Jordan looked back down his sidewalk, the one that would lead him home and away from the gray menace, but something ate at him. He couldn’t just leave her alone, what if that guy did something to her? And he would have known about it. He had to make sure Haley was okay, even though she wasn’t going to be happy to see him.

Jordan turned tail and chased after Halet, calling out to her. “Haley! Wait up!”

“Go away!” She called back angrily.

“I’m sorry! Really!” Jordan said, hoping this would convince her to wait for him. It didn’t work.

“I don’t care.” She stated firmly, looking away as he caught up next to her. “I’m never going to look at you again, remember?”

“Fine, but…” He lowered his voice so that only she could hear. “Just… let me walk you home, okay?”

“I don’t want you to and I don’t need you to!” She said stubbornly. “I hate you.”

“I don’t care.” Jordan said, keeping up with her increasingly longer strides. “I’m coming with you.”

“Why?” Haley demanded to know. “I thought I was a bitch.”

Jordan bit his tongue. She WAS being bitchy, but he didn’t want her to worry. “Because I just think I should.”

Haley spun to finally look at him again. “I’m not even going to CONSIDER it unless. You. Tell. Me. Why!” She jabbed a finger in his chest each word. “After everything you said to me!”

“Be-because…” Jordan stuttered.

“Yes?” Haley tilted her head and leaned in, staring into his heterochromatic eyes. “Hmm?”

Jordan really didn’t want to worry her, and definitely didn’t want to bring any attention to the stalker, who was most definitely listening in, waiting for her to push him away again so he might be able to make his move. “It’s just…”

“Speak!” Haley hissed at him through her teeth. “You sure didn’t have an issue when you were yelling at me earlier.”

Jordan looked around in time to see the hooded guy step behind the cover of an alley. He lowered his head and pulled Haley close, who protested at his touch, but Jordan ignored her. As quietly as he could, he spoke. “There’s a guy that’s been following you since we met up the theater. He was in the parking lot, and in the lobby, and two rows back in the theater, just staring at you, and right now he’s hiding in that alley across the street - don’t look.” He added quickly, and to his surprise, Haley heeded his advice.

“Now I don’t care if you call me a white knight, or a dweeb, or a dork, or bastard or whatever name you can come up with.” The white cat continued with all seriousness. “But I’m making sure you get home safe.”

There was a moment of sobering silence between them, and Haley took a step closer to Jordan, to the point where they were practically pressed up against each other. “This guy… does he have a dark hoodie with sunglasses?” She asked shakily.

“Yeah, why?” Jordan asked.

And for the first time, Jordan saw Haley show something other than arrogance. There was no fighting spirit, no fiestyness, nothing. Instead, this was replaced with fear, and she hugged his arm and whispered. “He tried picking me up on the way to the theater. He wouldn’t leave me alone, but I threatened to call the police and he left… I didn’t know he… why didn’t you tell me?”

“I-I didn’t know what was going on.” Jordan said, surprised. “I thought he was just some guy there to watch a movie. It wasn’t until I saw him staring at you when I came back with the candy… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“It’s okay.” Haley breathed, closing her eyes. “Is he still there?”

Jordan looked back at the alley. The guy was peering around the corner, but quickly pulled back when he saw Jordan looking. The boy looked down at the girl clinging to him. “He’s still there.”

He could feel Haley tighten her grip. “Please… come with me…”

“Of course.” Jordan smiled. “It’s time we got you home. We can tell your parents, and they can help.”

Haley nodded. They started walking off, and she let go of his arm, but took his hand instead. Jordan was okay with this, he thought her hand was really soft. The sunset ended their day in beautiful fashion, elevating the underlying romantic feelings the two were beginning to harbor for each other. They walked in silence while Jordan remained vigilant of their unwanted third wheel. He had abandoned his pursuit long ago, seeing that Jordan was not going to leave her side.

The two teens arrived at Haley's house in silence. They stood on the stoop for a moment, looking awkward, unsure of what to say next. Truth be told, despite their angry words, they both really had enjoyed the date. Not date? Whatever it was, it was fun. Now, all that was left was to say goodbye. What was the takeaway? Jordan was the first to shift his gaze from the flowery bushes that lined the front of the house to his counterpart. He noticed her cheeks were slightly tinged red. In the setting sun, she glowed a radiance that he couldn't describe. The best word he could use was, "Beautiful."

He'd been thinking it, but somehow the word escaped his lips. Haley's heart stopped and she blinked. Slowly, she looked up at the boy, and when she did, their eyes met. She… wasn't entirely sure she'd heard him correctly. "Wh-what?"

He was caught now. No backing down. Time to commit. "I… I said you were beautiful." The boy said quietly, expecting her to start chastising him.

But the chastising never came. Haley opened and closed her mouth, surprised and shocked, at his boldness. No guy had ever called her beautiful before. "I… you… I uh… w-well…" Haley stammered, trying to find a steady ground to speak on. Now that they were in the evening glow, she saw how handsome he was, and it made it harder for her to form a cohesive comeback. "Well, that's good." She sniffed. "That's a good example of something you should sa-"

"No." Jordan interrupted, feeling himself get more confident with the situation. "I really meant it. You look pretty."

This only made Haley turn a deeper shade of red. So, this is what it was like. After all this time. She couldn't let him see how much she appreciated it. That stupid, dweeby, handsome, cute… gentleman. He wasn't so bad… a little rough around the edges, but nobody was perfect. Hell, she wasn't. But when she heard him call her beautiful, pretty, she sure felt like she was perfect. It made her heart race, and she couldn't help but crack a smile in her blush. Jordan tilted his head a little, trying to figure out what was going through her mind. "Haley? Are you okay?"

She was brought back to reality. The korat cleared her throat and looked up at him. "Yes. Thank you. You… you're really handsome too."

Jordan smiled at her. "Thanks."

They stood there, but now the awkward air was cleared, and in its place was a calm passion between the two. "Tiff is stupid to treat you like she does." Haley said, breaking the silence. "You deserve better than her."

"Heh, well…" Jordan started, remembering he was supposed to be dating Tiff. Now, he was starting to rethink that choice. "You can be the better, if you're interested."

It was such a horribly corny thing to say. Haley once thought it was a fault, but now she realized it was a strength. It showed how much he cared, that he tried flirting, even if it was in an unconventional way. But springing the question on her now… so soon… the date had been nice… but she'd never had a boyfriend before. Was Jordan boyfriend material? He certainly had potential… but was she ready? Was she good girlfriend material?

Jordan took notice of her hesitation and felt a little self conscious. He'd felt like he'd pushed it with his comments about her looks, but it had worked out. Asking her to be his girlfriend may have been a step too far. He sighed internally, but he understood if she wasn't into him like that. This date was supposed to be more platonic, to show her he wasn't such a loser. "Hey, no pressure, haha. I shouldn't have-"

"Wait." It was now Haley's time to interrupt him. "I've just… never been asked that before. I don't know if I'm…" What was the right word? Ready? Interested? Worthy? No, she had to be more confident than that.

"It's alright." Jordan said, not having expected her to go for it. "I'll see you at school." He turned to leave, but Haley stopped him by grabbing his hand. Jordan turned around to ask her what was wrong, but he was stopped when her lips met his.

It was a quick kiss, lasted for mere moments, but Haley got her point across. Before he even knew what was really going on, Haley let go of his hand, stepped back, and said, "That’s for walking me home." With that, she went inside, leaving Jordan alone on the stoop. It took a few moments, but he smiled. Girls. He'd never get a straight answer from them, but he felt like Haley had given him something definitive. He turned and took his leave, walking down the sidewalk to his house as the sun set sank on the horizon.

Chapter Text

“Hey Paulo! You’re looking nice today!”

This was all James had to say to send Paulo’s mind into a frenzy. It was the first thing he said to him when he clocked into work that day. Up until then, Paulo had mindlessly droned on with his menial work. Now, he couldn’t still his racing mind no matter how hard he tried. It wouldn’t have been the first time James had made him feel this way.

The day James joined their Burger-Tron team (or family as his manager Miranda liked to call it), Paulo didn’t know what to make of him. He was more outgoing and extroverted than anyone he’d ever met. Even Daisy, who could really start bouncing around when she talked about something she was interested in. He waved enthusiastically to everyone and introduced himself with a big, bright smile.

It was from here that any shift with James meant high energy and excitement. As time went on, Paulo started to notice how he was kind of looking forward to shifts with the excitable fluffy cat. He hid this from himself, though, not wanting to think of the implications of it. James was just a fun guy to be around. Somehow, even if his day was a total dump, James always made it better. As much as Paulo wanted to resist smiling on these days, hearing James’s excitement to seeing him brought it on.

“Oh man, I’m working with PAULO tonight??” He said in a sing-songy voice one night when he clocked in. “We’ll have SUCH a good close!”

Something stirred inside the somali that night, something he never could have imagined was in him. A slight blush now crept in over his smile, but he quickly tried to wipe it away. For the rest of the night he did his best to keep his distance, but it hurt to do so. Whenever he was feeling down, James cheered him up, yet now he had to stay away from the thing that would make him feel better. James was like a warm sunny afternoon, and Paulo wanted to bask in his glow.

But he would never admit that to himself. It was just a feeling he locked away deep inside.

And then something came along that opened that cage of feelings. As a joke, he kissed Abbey on the forehead. His mirth turned to frustration and denial when Mike questioned him on it. The cage was beginning to crack, and Paulo’s meager attempts to hold it together with glue and tape failed. He had to let go, and after a conversation with Mike over liking guys, he felt a little more comfortable letting his feelings out.

But this didn’t mean he wasn’t going to keep them close to his chest.

However he did allow himself to experiment with how he felt with James. Secretly, he let his guise of being a ladie’s man down (though make no mistake, he still very much appreciated the feminine figure), and teased the idea of maybe being close with the tan cat. He smiled at him more, stood ever so closer, and thanked him for compliments.

But never before had James complimented about the way Paulo looked. It was like they’d taken a step across a new threshold. Calling him cool and funny was one thing, but it was usually him that was admiring others looks. And now, here he was on the receiving end of it.

And if he was being honest, he liked it.

But Paulo didn’t come to this conclusion without a great deal of turmoil. Why was James saying this? Was this as innocuous as all of the other nice things he’d said? Or was there something more behind it? Did James like him that way? Was he hoping James liked him that way? He had grown very comfortable around his coworker over the last several months.

Work didn’t feel like the normal monotonous routine with James around. It was like he was getting paid to hang out with him, and the two certainly had chemistry. They could bounce stories and jokes off each other all shift, and Paulo wondered if things would still be the same outside of work. Work inflicted a level of boredom upon them that they teamed up to overcome.

Paulo teetered back and forth like a house built precariously on a crumbling cliff on whether or not he should ask James to hang out outside of work. He would start to ask, but he’d catch his own tongue and back down. Everytime he got cold feet he’d beat himself up, and this whiplash turned his interest in James into a longing, a pining for what might be.

“Yo, Paulo? You alright?” A fluffy hand waved in front of his eyes. “You’ve been spraying the same tray for the last few minutes.”

Paulo blinked, giving himself a few moments to recalibrate his brain. He’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed James talking to him. “Ah, yeah, sorry man.” Paulo put on a fake grin while his brain was still catching up. “What’s up?”

“I was asking if you wanted to hang out this weekend…” James said, hands fidgeting slightly. “I looked up our schedules and we’re both free.”

Paulo let go of the sprayer. Once again, James was making his life easier. With a sigh of relief, Paulo responded. “Yeah, man. I’d love to.”

Chapter Text

Mike followed the note he found in his lockers. The bleachers. Lunch. Just a talk. Short and sweet. He did not recognize the handwriting. It wasn’t the uneven scrawling Paulo wrote in, nor the neat, organized lettering Daisy or Sue would. Who would be at the bleachers was anyone’s guess, but Mike wished it had been anyone than who it was.

Augustus was lounging on one of the benches, reading a book. He looked up when he heard the sound of snow crunching underneath footsteps. He gazed at the korat, unamused, but secretly surprised he even showed up. Gently closing his book, he set it aside to prepare to get up.

Mike was a little frightened by him, as he had right to be. He knew he’d messed up bad, and no doubt Augustus was going to chew him out for it. “What…” He said in a wavy voice, then looked away angrily. “What do you want from me?”

Augustus silently walked over, all the while keeping his eyes on Mike, and said. “I want to show you something.”

Mike blinked in confusion. “What? Show me what?” There was nothing there but them, a book, and snow.

“You’ll see.” Augustus said. In a flash of light, the two were standing in the warmth of Mike’s room. It was empty.

“How did you..?” Mike gawked, looking around. “This is my room! What is going on?”

He took two steps forward but walked into a wall… that wasn’t there. At the impact site there was a strange distortion before the spot went clear. “I-I don’t understand.” He turned to Augustus. “How are you doing this?”

“There is nothing I can tell you that you don’t already know.” The black and white cat said plainly. “This is your room. You cannot proceed any further. We are going to be observers today, green eyes.”

“Observing what? This is just my empty-” Mike began, but some footsteps and his door opening up stopped him. In came him - but he was wearing the yellow and orange scarf Tess gave him - and Lucy. Mike stumbled backwards and hit another invisible wall.

Augustus didn’t break his eye contact with the duo as they got settled into the room. “They cannot see us.” He said in response to Mike’s reaction. “Nor can they hear us. We are just here to watch.”

“Watch what? Me? Lucy? This is…” Mike realized what night this was. It was the night Sandy texted him that she was coming to Roseville. The night he and Lucy were supposed to be working on the World War 2 essay. The night he yelled at her. “Don’t make me watch this.” Mike whispered, looking at Augustus. “I’ve tried so hard to forget… I’ve spent so many nights awake, thinking about this… regretting it…”

“It is clear you need a reminder.” Augustus nodded to the younger Mike and Lucy, who was currently trying to convince him to play Super Boxer Champions with her.

“I know I messed up!” Mike said. “But I never meant to hurt Lucy!”

“Never?” Augustus asked, raising an eyebrow. “Then what happens tonight?”

Mike looked at him and Lucy settling down for a few rounds of videogames. “A mistake.”

“It sure seems purposeful to me.” Augustus said. “It must be who you truly are, if you keep doing this to her.”

“I… I don’t mean to…” Mike said, looking longingly at the girl on his bed. “It just…” He trailed off.

“Just what?” Augustus asked, expectantly. He wasn’t going to let Mike off the hook for this. “Explain yourself.”

“I was frustrated with Lucy.” Mike sighed. “The years of yelling, hitting me, I had enough of it. And Sandy… Sandy made me believe Lucy was bad. That she was an awful person.”

“You’re either shifting the blame.” Augustus said, annoyed. “Or you’re spineless and are letting this girl control your life. In either case, grow up.”

“I know.” Mike fidgeted with his jacket as him and Lucy went back and forth in Super Boxer Champions. “I’m an idiot. I just didn’t want to do the wrong thing…”

“Yelling at Lucy wasn’t the wrong thing?” Augustus asked. “You know, she tried changing for you. She wanted to be nicer. And what did you do to her?” Mike stayed silent. Augustus did not. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question. What did you do to her?”

Mike swallowed. “I… I hurt her. Maybe at the time I wanted to. I felt justified after years of her abuse.”

“That might be the first real thing you’ve said so far.” Augustus said. The two watched the cats finish another round in their game. A smile slid onto the younger Mike’s face as him and Lucy bantered back and forth after the match.

“Looks like you’re really happy here.” Augustus observed.

Current Mike smiled a little, thinking back to the one thing that night that held any warmth. He so desperately wished he could force his younger self to reach out and hug Lucy. “I was.”

The cell phone on Mike’s bed buzzed as Lucy got up to get them something to drink, and the whole tone changed. As Mike read the text, there was a sickness that crept into his smile, something about it made current Mike’s stomach churn. “I get it, okay? I fucked up! But Sandy was so upset, she was beside herself with grief!”

“And you didn’t think Lucy would be?” Augustus asked coldly. “After she gave you another chance you didn’t deserve? After that tender kiss beneath the tree?” Mike jerked around to look at him in surprise. “Oh yeah, green eyes. She told me everything.”

“She was the one who kissed me…” Mike said quietly.

“You sure as hell were asking for it.” The black and white cat replied.

“What was I supposed to do?” Mike said. “No matter what I did, I was going to hurt someone…”

“You just chose to hurt the girl who was right in front of you.” Augustus pointed out. “The girl who’s risked her life for you, who trusted you more than anyone, who literally lived and died by your word.”

“Did Sandy deserve to be hurt too, then?” Mike asked.

“Let’s think…” Augustus tapped his chin and looked up thoughtfully, though it was all in a mocking manner. “Should you have told the girl who lives a hundred miles away, who ignored you for months, cheated on you, and turned you against your best friend, to kick rocks?”

Mike frowned and looked away, ears pinned back. “But she was at least nicer to me.”

“You need to learn the difference between nice and good.” The older cat frowned. “Lucy was trying her best to be better for you, really putting herself out there to be the girl she thought you wanted, and what did you do to her?"

“You already said that.” Mike could feel Augustus’s eyes burning into the back of his head.

“It’s because I want to make the message clear.”

Younger Mike had begun yelling at full tilt at Lucy, who was cowering beneath him. Current Mike turned away, but felt a hand on his shoulder. “You are going to watch this.” The other cat said sternly.

Mike reluctantly moved his head to see the terror his past self was intilling on Lucy. From screaming in her face about how he hated her, to how nobody loved her and she was a parasite. Current Mike’s knees grew weak, but Augustus’s hand seemed to have power over him, forcing him to watch.

Mike was killing her. He was ripping her heart out and stabbing it repeatedly. Every foul thing he spewed at her tore into her deeper and deeper. Years of deseated trust being obliterated in a matter of minutes. This boy she longed for, who showed her much love and affection even when she denied him, was now her worst nightmare.
“Stop!” Current Mike yelled at his past self, unable to contain his emotions any longer. He slammed his fists on the invisible barrier, but it did not give. “YOU IDIOT, STOP!”

“They cannot hear nor see us, Michael.” Augustus reminded him. “You can't stop this. This is your doing. I wonder, if you want him to stop so badly, why didn’t you?”

Current Mike stopped his screaming, and had to stand in misery. It only came to an end when Mike’s mother got home. His ear twitched and immediately his anger turned to delight. He disregarded the ailing Lucy and left her alone to drown in his hate.

There was a dreadful silence in the room. Mike almost felt the same sickness in his stomach that Lucy did. His mouth was dry, and he was beyond horrified at his past words and actions. It seemed like such the right thing to say at the time. Lashing out for years of her abuse. What he did to her just now, it was cruel. Lucy never really wanted to hurt him, even if she hid that. Him, on the other hand, wanted to make her suffer. To hit every insecurity she confided in him over the years.

Mike dropped to his knees and began to shake as a chill went up his spine. His heart raced as Augustus looked down at his nose at him, arms crossed. “Please…” Mike croaked out. “You have to let me talk to her… I’m begging you… please…”

“What’s going to change, green eyes?” Augustus asked simply. “What will you do differently?”

“I’ll… I don’t know!” Mike cried, tears forming in his emerald eyes. “I just need to comfort her..!”

Augustus stood vigilant, and did not speak. He only looked down on the sobbing korat. “Did you hear me?” Mike asked, looking up at him. “Please! Look at her!”

Lucy was currently heaving into his trash bin. Each wretch crushed Mike’s heart. “I’ll do anything!” Mike stood up and grabbed Augustus by his shoulders. “I’ll give you anything! Anything you want! Please! I’m begging you!” He lowered his head. “I can’t… can’t leave her this way.. I have to talk to her..”

There was a long pause as he watched Mike hang his head and cry, whispering “Please.” Over and over again. “Would you give up your soul?” Augustus eventually asked quietly. “For her?”

Mike let go of Augustus and took a step back. His soul, his everything, for Lucy? He looked at the girl, quivering on her knees over the bin, and nodded. He had ripped her soul out in his arrogance. It was time he gave it back. “Yes.” He breathed. “For her.”

There was a sharp pain across Mike’s hand and he yelped. He looked down at it and saw a thin line of blood began to form on it, as his palm was sliced open. He looked at Augustus who had his hand outstretched for Mike to shake. His, too, was bleeding. “So be it.”

Mike hesitated for a moment, but took the black and red hand in his. The moment their palms touched, Augustus vanished in a flash, and Mike was standing in his room alone with Lucy. He looked at his hand again. The cut was gone. His hand was clean.

Not a moment too soon he whipped around and ran to Lucy. “Lucy!” He cried.

The girl turned around in surprise, just in time to see the korat drop to his knees and throw his arms around her. Lucy held her arms out in surprise, but did slowly hug the shivering gray cat. “M-Mike?” She whispered

He looked different than how he just had. This Mike was slightly bigger, he was wearing his blue scarf again, and more than that… he was crying. “I’m so, s-so sorry, Lucy..” Mike squeaked. “I d-d-didn’t mean any-” He coughed through his tears. “Any of it!”

Lucy was in total shock at the 180 he was doing. Just moments ago he’d skipped through his door after ripping her apart. “I..
I don’t understand…”

“It’s okay!” Mike let go of her and sat up, but still made sure she was in his arms. “N-none of this will make sense… but I promise you...” He looked directly into her beautiful blue eyes as he spoke. “I didn’t mean any of it! Whatever I just said!”

“Wha..?” Lucy blinked, reeling.

“I just want you to know that you are the most important person in my life! I just didn’t know it.. I took you for granted, and I never should have!” He smiled warmly at her, basking in her glow. “I won’t be nice to you for some time… and there won’t be any excuse for it, none at all… but I never truly stopped caring about you.”

“Michael, I…” Lucy was preparing to ask him more questions about what was going on, why he looked different, why his scarf was different, but held back. Instead, she gave a teary smile back to him and said, “Thank you.”

There were footsteps coming toward the room. Mike looked behind him to the door and then back to Lucy. “I have to go now, but…” He pulled his blue scarf from around his neck and draped it around hers, hugging her pink bow. “I want you to have this, Lucy. Whenever I’m being stupid and frustrating, or mean and callous, hold onto it and remember what I said here. And not him.” He jerked his head to the door. “Me.”

“I-I will…” Lucy said. “Thank you, Mike.”

He finally let go of her and stood up, and could see that he was fading away. “I love you, Lucy.” Was the last thing he said before he disappeared fully.

The door flew open and the orange and yellow scarf Mike walked in, frowning. “Where did you get that?”

It didn’t take Lucy any time to know what he was referring to, but what was she supposed to say? He gave it to her? That would just make him angrier. Instead, she pulled the scarf off and stuffed it in her backpack. “It’s mine. I brought it from home. I was cold so I put it on.”

“Really? This isn’t some attempt to mock me?” Mike asked with vitriol.

Lucy ignored him and gathered up her bag of sick. “What are you taking that for?”

“No reason.” She said as she passed.

Mike’s face fell a little to concern, but didn’t break his stern look over her. “Where are you going?”

“Home.” Lucy said flatly.

“We still need to work out which parts of the essay we’re doing..” Mike said to her back.

“I’ll leave the whole thing in your locker.” Lucy responded.

“What?” Mike asked, confused.

“Don’t worry.” Lucy said, smiling a little to herself now that she was far enough away.

Chapter Text

Students avoided the tall, imposing, thuggish cat as best they could. He was a senior, and in four short years he’d made it clear he was not to be messed with. Sure, he had a friend, but people knew better than to mess with him too. The tan cat ruled the halls, and even some of the teachers had come to learn to keep out of his way. He was one short fuse away from full expulsion, and nobody wanted to be the reason for it. If there was an opposite to the school clown, Alejandro was that.

He stomped down the hall and kicked open the doors to the back of the school. It was lunchtime, and he was to meet someone in secret there. A crumpled note in his hand written in poor handwriting had asked him to show up. Of course, he knew who it was, but nobody, not even his friend Toby, would ever know he knew this person to even guess who it was. It was private, just the way he wanted it. It was nobody else’s business what they did.

Leaning on the brick wall of the school there was a tall white cat with neon green hair. He was smoking a cigarette, puffing clouds of smelly gray smoke into the air, watching it waft up into the breeze. It was one of the few simple pleasures he had in life. That, and these meetings. Lucky for him, Alejandro liked to deliberate.

“Yo, Roger.” Said the bandana adorning cat as he walked up. “Let me get a hit.”

Roger pulled the cigarette from his lips and smiled. Alejandro was always mooching off of him, but he had found ways to get paid back. “You know the rules.”

Alejandro balled up his fists. “The rules are bullshit!”

“Then this is all mine.” Roger said, inhaling on it again and blowing out a cloud of smoke in the other boy’s face. “Though you look like you could use it. Or is it just because of me?”

Alejandro kicked the wall. “Fuck you.” Roger smiled at him, and the two leaned in, putting their lips together. Alejandro pulled away quickly, doing his best to hide the redness on his cheeks. “There, you got what you wanted. Now give it.”

“Oh, don’t act like you don’t like it too.” Roger grinned at the flustered teen as he handed over the cig. “Wasn’t it you that started this shit?”

“Fuck you.” Was all Alejandro could counter with. It was a pretty pathetic response, but he was far more interested in getting a nicotine rush than arguing semantics with Roger.

Roger’s face fell slightly. “Geez, man, what’s got your ass all tight?”

Alejandro blew out and coughed from the smoke. “This whole fucken’ school, man.”

“Yeah.” Roger said, looking at the empty track and field in front of them. “I feel that.”

Alejandro went to hand back the cig but Roger waved it away. “Naww man, you can have the rest.”

“Thanks.” The tan cat grunted as he slid down the wall onto the grass and weeds that lined it.

Roger slid down next to him and scooted closer. Alejandro leaned his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes. “Can’t wait to graduate. I’m gonna go straight to the top once I’m not being held back by this dump.”

“Least you’re waitin’ that long. I’m thinkin’ about just walkin’ out.” Roger said.

“Straight up dropping out? That’s some hardcore shit, man.” Alejandro whistled. “Least here I can get away from my shithead parents.”

“Maybe we can drop out together.” Roger grinned. “Run away from this town.”

Alejandro also smiled a little at the thought of it. “That’d be a good start.”

“Get a whole new start.” The white cat said quietly. “Maybe some place where we wouldn’t have to hide this.”

Alejandro sat up and opened his eyes, drawing away from his companion. “Hide what? We ain’t really nothin’.”

Roger sighed. “This shit again? Why don’t you just accept-”

“‘Cause meetin’ ta fuck every once in a while don’t mean shit.” The older cat said, cutting him off. “It’s just that.”

“Then let’s make it more, idiot.” Roger said, giving the other cat’s shoulder a small punch. Alejandro shook it off and turned further away. He took another hit to avoid the question further.

“Is that really why you got such a bug up yer ass today? Mad about us?” Roger prodded.

Alejandro shook his head. “I got appearances to keep up. Got Melanie.”

“Then let’s leave!” Roger laughed. “Drop that bitch!”

“And what about you and that British bitch?” Alejandro countered. “You gonna drop her?”

“Pssh. Probably should.” Roger said, putting his arms around his partner. “She acts tough but I know it ain’t really her.”

Alejandro didn’t respond. He just sat, allowing Roger to hang on him. He’d never admit it out loud, but this was one of the only things he looked forward to. There was no real pressure, just the two shooting the shit. Roger was the only person who truly understood him. Toby was a good friend, but there was a clear disconnect between the two. Not that Alejandro would ever consider being this close with him.

The bell for lunch to end rang, and Roger sighed. “Back to the shit, huh?”

“Yeah.” Alejandro said darkly, putting out the cigarette. “Back to the shit.”

Roger let go and they both stood up. “Can you give me a smile before you go?”

“Fine.” Alejandro turned to him and gave a big smile.

“Could use some work, and you need to brush those teeth…” Roger commented.

Alejandro dropped his smile. “My teeth are fine.”

“But it’s a good smile.” Roger said, and before Alejandro could react he put another kiss on his mouth. “See you after school?”

“Maybe.” Alejandro grunted, walking back to the door to hide his blush. “See ya.”

“See ya, you big grump.” Roger said with a small, knowing smile.

Chapter Text

For what purpose they were assigned together, they did not know. Perhaps it was cruel fate that they became college roommates, and as they both knew all too well, fate did not ask for permission. Now, for Paulo and Sue, it was about keeping to themselves as much as possible. They didn’t make eye contact, always avoided the room the other was in, and kept their doors closed.

Sue furrowed her brow as she worked on her homework. Why couldn’t she have just been paired up with literally anyone else? Anyone in the whole universe! She vented these frustrations to Amaya, who as always, was a very good listener. The tabby smiled and nodded along to her friend's grievances, but could only offer a sympathetic pat on the back as a solution to her problem. In the present, Sue looked up bitterly from her homework. It was going to be a long school year.

Though she felt isolated, Sue was not alone in her feelings. Paulo, similarly, laid on his bed to stare up at the ceiling, trying to pretend anyone but her was in the room next to his. A whole year of her ire, scolding him every which way for every which thing. Of course, David was no help either. He went on and on about how he once said Sue was kinda cute and maybe he should just be nice to her and they could be friends. No, not only was this never going to happen, this wasn’t even on the table for him. It was going to be a long school year.

And so it went like this, both silently agreeing to ignore the other. Whenever one was in the kitchen, the other resigned to go out for food or wait for them to be done. If one was on the TV, the other wouldn’t bother to watch with them. There was no asking for help on homework. They wouldn’t acknowledge the other when they passed by, or came home. Outside of all this, they kept to their rooms, making no noise and pretending the other didn’t exist. Then fate intervened once more, and something happened that neither Sue nor Paulo could have ever saw coming.

Sue got herself a boyfriend.

He was a tall fellow, wore mostly darker clothes and on colder days, a leather jacket. He was a brown and gray cat named Oliver, and he was the last guy Paulo expected Sue to ever associate with, let alone date. He was gruff and scruffy, with an imposing demeanor. Yet, Sue must have seen something in him that she liked. It made somewhat sense, they’d both met in a local drama club outside of the college. Paulo found it amusing that anyone would be interested in dating her. For a brief time before the bitterness set in.

Paulo had come to find that college girls were a lot harder to impress than highschoolers. They’d grown wise to flirty guy’s tricks, and would only give him laughs and eye rolls in return. The somali would return home, defeated, feeling his game slipping. It wasn’t like he was trying to pull a fast one on them, he just liked the attention from girls. There was power in that for him, that he could make someone smile or blush. Now he was just a clown. It was made even worse now that Sue had a boyfriend. Nerdy, lame, know-it-all Susan could score a partner, and he couldn’t even get a genuine smile. Perhaps he really was all washed up.

Paulo had work and school to focus on, though. He’d picked up as many Burger-Tron shifts as he could, since if he worked a certain number of hours the company would pay for his tuition. This naturally came with the caveat that he had to keep his grades above a certain level, lest his nearly free ride be pulled out from under him. Then he'd have to move out of his dorm and find somewhere new to live, but at least he’d never have to see Sue again. And for her, she’d be happy to say bye for the last time, and never think about the orange slacker ever again.

Life for them went on all the same, avoiding, dating, schooling, working, seeing old friends, making new ones. Life fell into a groove that everyone was satisfied with, even if there were a few hiccups. Fate was not done messing with those cats yet, however, and what would happen next would throw everything into a new direction, for better and for worse.

That Friday had been pretty chill for Paulo. The weather was gorgeous, he was off from work the whole weekend, and all that lay before him were a few worksheets and then he was finally free. Paulo rushed through them as fast as his pencil would write, barely going over his work as he just wanted to relax. He could go over them later, he figured, but he knew this was just a lie so he wouldn’t feel so bad for getting it done so quickly.

Sue had come home earlier, accompanied by Oliver, but the somali paid them no mind. He had maybe said one thing to the tall jacketed cat the entire time Sue had brought him around. From the way she looked at him, she was most displeased with that, and so in an effort to keep the peace, Paulo never spoke to Oliver again. It wasn’t his business anyway, something Sue was thankful he felt. The last thing she wanted was him butting into her relationships and making things awkward.

As Paulo finally got settled down to watch some skateboarding videos online, he thought he’d heard raised voices. He assumed it was his video, but he heard it again, and he paused it to listen around. Nothing. With a shrug, he went back to the skateboarding tricks video and got reimmersed, but once more he heard a great racket and pulled off his headphones. Silence again. Was this really some weird audio glitch in the video? Replaying the previous section again, he noted the sound he heard wasn’t there.

Then he heard the thumping, but it wasn’t dull sounding like someone trying to muffle it. It was loud, and coming through the wall that separated his and Sue’s rooms. It was like someone was knocking and wanted to be let in through the wall. He grunted in frustration and took off his headset. Sue was going to get a piece of his mind. Having her boyfriend over was whatever, but there was no need to be making all that noise. And if they were doing… THAT… then they could at least have the decency to wait until he wasn’t home to do it. Or better yet, go to his place and do it.

Without bothering to knock (in his mind, they were doing enough knocking for the both of them), Paulo burst open Sue’s door. “Can you stop that-” He started to chastise them, but his anger came to a screeching halt at the sight of the scene before him.

Sue was pinned down to her bed by Oliver, who was hovering over top of her. He had his hand over her mouth, and both looked over in surprise at the intruder. There was something off about it all, and Paulo narrowed his eyes. “...What is going on here?”

“None of your business.” Said Oliver angrily, scowl across his face. He did not move from his position over Sue, nor did he remove his hand from her mouth. “Just a bit of roleplay. Now leave us alone! Best take a long walk, we’re gonna be here a while.”

Paulo’s eyes shifted from Oliver’s piercing blue ones to Sue’s. Tears were silently streaming down her cheeks, and she had the same fear in her eyes that he’d seen in Lucy’s the night Alejandro had attacked them in the alley. Something was definitely not right. “Alright.” Paulo said, stepping in. “I think you need to leave, pal.”

Oliver got off of Sue and squared up to the somali. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I wasn’t asking. You need to-” Paulo was cut off by a left hook to the face. His head spun and he stumbled back, falling over Sue’s desk chair. Oliver wasn’t done with him yet. He walked over and grabbed Paulo by the scruff of his neck.

“I think you’re the one who needs to leave, PAL.” Oliver spat in his face, lifting up Paulo and practically carrying him by the neck to the apartment door. Paulo was beginning to come back to his senses, and while the bigger cat was distracted, he took his opportunity to strike back.

With a swift punch to the gut, the brownish grey cat had the wind knocked out of him. Paulo was promptly released from his grasp as he doubled over and held his stomach. “You… you are so… fucking dead…” He wheezed.

“Maybe in a few decades.” Paulo said, unlocking the door and opening it. “But that’ll have nothing to do with you.”

The somali grabbed the back of Oliver’s jacket and pulled him through the door. He left the cat in the dorm hallway to curl up, clutching his stomach, and slammed the door behind him. The deadbolt and the chain lock were put in place, and Paulo took a moment to breathe and collect himself. After giving himself some time to get his thoughts together, he walked slowly to Sue’s room. The door was still open, but this time he gave her door a little knock before stepping in.

“You alright?” He asked quietly. Sue was huddled up on her bed, hugging her legs to her body. Her tears hadn’t dried up just yet, but she looked in his direction and gave a small nod. There was a banging at their dorm door accompanied by an unintelligible yell, and both jumped at the sudden sound. “Don’t sweat it. He ain’t gettin’ back in.” Paulo assured the burmese once they both came back from the scare. “I’ll be in my room, then.” Paulo pulled her door shut as he left and went back to his room where he resumed watching his skateboarding videos.

Sue was left to sit alone in her room with naught but her thoughts, fears, and a few stray tears. She had trusted Oliver… trusted him with her insecurities and her life, and he just… the girl closed her eyes and shook her head. Her plan had worked, though. Things had happened so fast, and once his hand was over her mouth, she was unable to call for help. Her last resort was to try and get the somali’s attention by kicking the wall between their rooms. Thankfully he not only responded, but he was smart enough to read the room and take action. It was not lost on her that Paulo had every right to just shrug and walk away, but he put his foot in to do the right thing.

It had cost him, too. That left hook looked like it hurt like hell. After Oliver had pulled him from the floor and carried him out of sight, Sue feared the worst - that Paulo would be locked out, and she would be trapped once more. Fortunately for her, again, Paulo came through and overcame the odds. She was still in shock when he came back so she only gave him a small nod, but she was coming down from her terrifying ordeal now. Suffice it to say, but her and Oliver were through, and now she was in Paulo’s debt. Even if he’d never ask for anything in return, she wanted to pay him back.

The incident from earlier went to the back of Paulo’s mind, replaced in the forefront by endless skateboarding tips and tricks. It was mainly just meant as mindless entertainment to pass the day away. After another hour or two of this, he felt his stomach growling, and decided now was as good a time as any to take a break and get something to eat. Just as he was reaching his door, there was a soft knock. On the other side was revealed to be Sue, who had her hands behind her back, and was looking understandably somber.

“I, uh… I made some dinner if you were interested.” She said quietly, almost embarrassed to be doing it. It had to be done, though. She owed him.

Paulo’s stomach growled in response before he could say a word. “Hey, sounds good. I was actually just going to get something to eat.”

Sue gave a small smile, and soon the two were sitting across from each other at their small dining table. It hadn’t occurred to either of them until now, but it had sat totally unused the entire time they’d lived there. Sure, they put stuff on it from time to time, but neither had actually eaten on it, electing instead to sit in the privacy of their rooms. Sue had prepared a meager meal, just consisting of a burger, canned beans, and stovetop mac and cheese, but it was no less appreciated. Paulo could taste the burger was a little burnt, but he ate it with a smile.

After some silence, only broken by the clinking of forks and glasses, Sue spoke. “Thank you… for earlier….”

“Mmm?” Paulo looked up from his mac and cheese. There was a small string of cheese coming from his mouth to his fork. He quickly chewed and swallowed what he had in his mouth so he could respond. “It’s no big deal. What the heck was going on anyway? What was his problem?”

Sue hugged herself and looked down at her plate. It was a general question, but a very personal answer. “I’d… rather not talk about it.”

“Hey, that’s fine.” Paulo said, backing off immediately after seeing how uncomfortable she was getting. “As long as you’re okay… you are okay, yeah?”

Sue looked at the somali and gave a weak smile. “I’ll be okay. What about you?” She asked, wanting to move the conversation away from her problems. “How’s your face?”

“Is it still there?” Paulo put a hand to where Oliver’s fist made contact earlier. “I ain’t ugly now, am I?”

Sue exhaled air out her nose in amusement. “Yeah, it’s still there. Looks the same as it always has.”

“Well that’s a relief.” Paulo smiled back at her. “Thanks for dinner.”

“It was the least I could do.” Sue said. “Really. If you hadn’t been home, I don’t…” The burmese shuddered. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Paulo stood up and grabbed his plate. He walked down to Sue’s end of the table and gestured to her plate, which she pushed toward him. “I guess it’s safe to say he’s not coming back around here anymore.”

“Oh, no. We are done.” She sighed, looking down at the now empty spot in front of her. “I don’t think we were really connecting all that well anyway. That’s even before, you know…”

“I know what that’s like.” Paulo grimaced as he cleaned the dishes, thinking back to all of his failed past relationships. They didn’t all entirely end poorly. Him and Daisy dated for a bit before they decided they worked better as friends, and James had unfortunately moved onto another guy before Paulo could get the chance to ask him out. “I guess I’ve kinda sorta been in your position before.”

Sue turned around in her chair to look at him. “You? Put on the backfoot when dating?” She found that hard to believe. Paulo was always the dominant one when it came to girls, always pursuing, flirting, kissing.

“Yeah, wild, right?” He said, drying off the plates. “Jessica and I, you remember Jess, right?” He looked behind him to the girl and saw her nod. “Well, we went out one night. That was back when I was like… gee, sophomore year… fifteen I think? Anyway, she takes me to this nightclub, and gets me a drink.”

Sue’s eyes went as wide as the plates they had eaten off of. This couldn’t be going where she thought it was. “She didn’t..!”

“Yup.” Paulo nodded as he put the plates away. He turned back around and leaned back on the counter as he finished his story. “So we both get a little drunk, and she pulls me into this restroom and we… well, we had our fun. I guess. I didn’t feel right about it afterwards.”

Sue stood up in horror. “Paulo… you realize she..!”

“I know. And that was my first time, too.” The somali said bitterly, thinking back to that night on the bathroom floor. “I ‘spose it coulda been worse, though.”

“That’s how you’re coping with it?!” Sue gawked. “You were younger than her! She bought you alcohol! Just so you’d be more willing to have sex with her!”

“All just to get back at Tess.” Paulo recounted. “Yeah, when you spell it out like that, it does sound pretty bad.”

“I had NO idea! Well, I knew something happened between you, but I didn’t know it was that bad! Have you told anyone?” Sue demanded to know.

Paulo laughed a little and shook his head. “Look, today’s not about me. You’re the one who was being attacked. Just know I understand how you feel.”

“You got attacked too…” Sue reminded him. “You didn’t have to step in like you did, but you did, and I appreciate that. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’m glad we can understand each other a little better now.”

Paulo walked back over to the table. That was such a sappy Sue-like thing to say, but he wasn’t going to ruin the moment by saying that. Maybe his younger, more immature self would have teased her for it, but the burmese had been through enough stress that day. Instead, he simply replied, “Me too, Sue.”

They gave each other smiles to seal the moment. Paulo stretched and patted his stomach. “That was really good. Thank you for dinner. I’m gonna go back to my room, if you need anything, let me know.”

“I will. And, thanks again.” Sue said. Paulo gave her a wave and disappeared behind his door. Sue retired to her own room, where she laid on her bed, now with much more to think about.

The rapport between the two improved over the following weeks. They still kept mostly to themselves, but did at least acknowledge each other when they passed. The severe tension that permeated the apartment had lifted considerably, giving them both room to breathe. While it was regrettable that it took such a harrowing event to make things livable around the dorm, they were happier for it. Make no mistake, they weren’t exactly friends, but they weren’t seething about their roommate situation anymore, which was very welcomed.

However something would come along one Saturday night in their second semester that would change their dynamic once more. Paulo was out of the dorm, and Sue was in the middle of questing with her guild mates in Swordsvale. The dorm was quiet, aside from the soft whirr of Sue’s laptop fan, and her typing away on her keyboard.

Yearrug: Looks good, guys. Let’s head back to town, turn in these quests, and que for the Deep Dark Dungeon.

Everyone wholeheartedly agreed. Their armor was damaged and inventories full, so a quick stop in the nearby town to get back into shape and unload everything would be necessary before taking on anything else, let alone a dungeon. The party, consisting of Sue, Abbey, Mike, Stacy, and Amaya chatted amongst themselves as they made their way back. Sue smiled at her digital friend group. It had been a great escape from the awkwardness that the dorm had been before the Oliver incident. Now it had gone back to being a regular escape from everyday life. And even though she was sitting in the dark by herself, it was like she was surrounded by her friends as though they were playing in the room with her.

Just as Sue and the gang reached town, her phone lit up. She ignored it at first, opting to keep herself engrossed in the fantasy world of Swordsvale, but there came notification after notification. In her dark room, the bright screen was impossible to ignore. Finally, she went to go silence it when another notification flashed on top of the screen that read, ‘Is this Paulo’s current roommate?’.

Sue felt her stomach drop. She quickly went to the unread messages. There were several unintelligible texts, finally ending with the message that got her attention. After the Oliver incident, the two had agreed that it would be a good idea to have each other’s number, just in case something happened and they needed to get in touch. It didn’t necessarily have to be about Oliver, either, just for general emergencies. With haste, she replied, ‘Yes, I am. Is Paulo ok?’

The minute that followed allowed her anxiety to grow over her. Sue tried to go back to the game, but was finding it hard to focus. Finally, a text back broke through it. ‘Were at the omicron kappa frat party. Hes totally plastered can you come help him home?’

Sue let out some of the breath she didn’t know she was holding. The Omicron Kappa house wasn’t too far away, just a few minutes walk across the campus green. Without further delay, she responded, ‘I’ll be there soon.’ She put her phone away and went back to Swordsvale.

Yearrug: Soz guys, I gotta go take care of something.

They tried protesting, citing they’d need her to tank the dungeon for them, but Sue was steadfast and turned them down.

Yearrug: u can find another tank. Prolly wont be back. Gg gl hf!

Sue didn’t even bother finding an inn, opting to camp out right on the spot. She grabbed her phone and shoved it in her purse, and headed out the door.

It was a beautiful night on campus, and Sue was happy for the opportunity to experience it. A few wisps of clouds were painted across the sky, leaving plenty of room for the stars and moon to shine through. The night was cool, too - sixty degrees with a small breeze here and there. Some of her classmates were on a walk as well, looking up to the night sky, or listening to music. Sue heard the place she was headed to before she saw it.

Omicron Kappa was the largest fraternity on campus, run by some of the wealthiest students at the school. As such, they also held the biggest parties, which were open invite. Sue was never one for parties, much preferring the solitude of her room and a few good games to the loud, bombastic, alcohol fueled ragers that the frat held so often. Not that she wanted to be solitary forever, it had been a while since McCain moved away and she was beginning to pine for the company of another. That’s what Oliver was meant to be until he had his episode.

What was more noticeable than the music and the flashing lights was the stench. Sweat and alcohol, a potent mix. Sue held her breath and tried to breathe as little as she could. As she navigated her way through the party looking for Paulo, she did her best to ignore the looks she was getting from some of the guys as she walked by. Not wanting to be there any longer than she had to be, she stopped one of the partygoers.

“Hey, have you seen my roommate?” She asked over the din. “His name is Paulo. He’s a somali.”

“Naww, never heard of him.” Said the guy, leering at her and looking her up and down. “But you stick with me an’ we’ll find ‘im.”

“N-no thanks…” Sue declined politely as she could. “I’ll just keep looking.”

“Ayy, you talkin’ ‘bout that orange guy?” Another partygoer who had overheard her said. He wobbled over, clearly drunk himself. “Last I seen ‘im, he was in the backyard, lampshade on his head whacking people with a pool noodle. Said he was tryna rescue some princess or queen or somethin’.”

“Thanks!” Sue said quickly, and made her way all the way through the house to the back. There were even more partiers out there, and the girl groaned. “How the heck am I going to find him?”

“Hey, you Sue?” A dog asked, walking up beside her. Sue was a little startled by this, having known nobody in the fraternity, let alone this random dog. He seemed to sense her surprise because he followed up with. “No need to be so skittish. I’m the one who texted you to come get your roommate.”

“How do you know it’s me, though?” She asked, still concerned.

The dog smiled. “You’re the only one here who isn’t a total mess. C’mon, he’s not too far off. Oh, and here’s his phone.” He said, offering it to her. Sue took it and put it away in her purse.

The dog led her across the yard. “Is he okay?” Sue asked, still anxious.

“Yeah, he’s alright.” The dog laughed. “But he’s had way too much to drink. Completely sloshed. When he started using a pool noodle as a sword, we knew it was time for him to go. The university is already up our ass about these parties, the last thing we need is an excuse for them to shut us down. I feel like someone running around like a maniac would be as good a reason to pull the plug on us as any.”

“Yeah…” Was all Sue could think to say, running through every worst case scenario. She was now just getting to stand being around him at the best of times, she couldn’t imagine what he’d be like drunk.

“Well, there he is.” The dog pointed out Paulo, who was stumbling around. Just as had been described, he was decked out with a lampshade and pool noodle. Sue smiled a little, despite the situation she had to admit it was pretty funny. “I’ll leave ya to it. Good luck!” He said, walking off to go join the rest of the party.

Sue took a deep breath and walked over to the drunkard cat. “Hey, Paulo?”

Paulo’s ears perked up at her voice and he spun around. He quickly lost balance and fell on his rear. “HHHHHHeeeeyyyy Ssshhhuue!”

“I’ve come to take you home.” She stuck out a hand to help him up. “let’s go.”

A huge grin broke out on his face. “Yerrrr want meeee to come home with yyyaaaa?” He asked. “Nnnoww thash what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!” And without taking her hand, he jumped to his feet and nearly lost balance again but after much arm waving he remained upright. “lead theee wayyy!”

Sue took his arm and guided him back to the house. Paulo positively reeked of alcohol, it was like he had taken a shower in it. His weight shifted all around as he stumbled and wobbled across the grass and into the building. “We have to leave this stuff behind.” The burmese said, confiscating his absconded items.

“Awee, do I hash too?” The somali said with a frown. He swayed on the spot, threatening to fall over again, but Sue held him steady.

“Yes, you have to.” She replied kindly, setting the items aside. “Now let’s get you home before you pass out. I can’t carry you.”

Paulo agreed, even in his drunken state. His body was starting to feel heavy. Sue led him out the party, past all the others who hadn’t gone nearly as hard on the alcohol, and onto the campus green. To his credit, he followed well, and at a certain point he didn’t need to be led by the arm. Drunk Paulo, so it seemed, listened better than sober Paulo.

“Yer sshhhooooo purtyy…” He said as they walked. Or stumbled, in his case. “Did ya knowsh that?”

“Yeah. I’ve been told that.” Sue said, keeping her eye on him to make sure he didn’t wander off.

“Do yer belief that?” Paulo asked, eyes half closed. “Caushe yer shaid theysh told ya that, but not if ya beliefsh it.”

Sue grimaced a bit. This was just drunk Paulo speaking, she had to keep in mind. This might even be some ploy to get her to sleep with him. “I don’t know. I guess?”

“Wellshya should.” Paulo put an arm around her shoulder and leaned on her. “Oilivesh a shtupid dumbassh fer treatin’ ya like he done. Caushe, yer purty shmart too.”

The burmese wiggled herself free of his arm. “Nice try, Paulo, but it’s not gonna work.”

Paulo stopped, looking confused. “Huh? Whash ya mean?”

Sue stopped too and turned on the spot. “You’re trying to get me to sleep with you. It isn’t going to work. I’m not some easy fling you picked up at the party.”

Hurt flashed across Paulo’s face. “I jush wanted yer ter knowsh ya wash purty an’ shmart.” He mumbled, stumbling forward past her. “Shorry…”

He didn’t look back as he walked, but his shoulders were hunched and his ears were down. Sue caught back up with him. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed… well, let’s just get you home.”

They were back at the dorm building soon enough. Paulo leaned on the wall of the elevator as they rode it up, nodding off. “We’re almost there, Paulo. Just another minute and you’ll be in bed.” The somali nodded, but said nothing, too tired to speak. At their floor, Sue helped him to their dorm room, and then to his bed.

Paulo flopped on it, and Sue pulled the blanket over him. “Thanksh yoush…” Paulo mumbled as he fell asleep.

Sue couldn’t help but smile at him. He looked like such a doofus, all sprawled out like he was. She shut the light off in his room and closed the door quietly. Her friends were probably getting ready to log off of Swordsvale, along with the rest of the server, save for those with poor sleeping habits. The burmese yawned. It was best she headed to bed too, tonight’s little adventure drained her. After a quick wash up and change into pajamas, she slipped into bed herself and let sleep roll over her.

The morning brought clear skies, cool weather, and splitting headaches. At least, it did for Paulo. It hurt to open his eyes, to sit up, and he could barely stand. It felt as though someone had beat him upside the head with a steel girder. Doing his best to keep his footing, he slowly walked out his room to the kitchen, where Sue was already awake and making breakfast for herself. “Mornin’” Was just about all Paulo could get out through the pain.

“Good morning, Paulo.” Sue said, being mindful to speak softly herself as to not exacerbate the massive hangover the somali was clearly dealing with. “Sleep well?”

Paulo sat in one of the chairs at the table and laid his head down. “I wish I was still asleep… what happened last night? How did I get home?”

‘So he doesn't remember anything.’ Sue thought to herself. Before Sue asked anymore questions, she slid a glass of water in front of him and dropped in two tablets. “Here, drink this.”

“Whuzzis?” Paulo asked, weakly lifting his head to look at it.

“It’s water. With some medicine in it.” Sue said, taking a bite out of her toast. “I… thought you might wake up feeling something like this so I went out early and bought some medicine.”

The somali looked from the glass to her with newfound respect. She’d gone out of her way, for him. “Wow… thanks.” He took a cautious swig of the concoction and shuddered. His stomach was just as unhappy with him as his brain was.

“So you really don’t remember anything from last night?” Sue asked, taking her seat at the other end of the table. Paulo shook his head, which was a terrible mistake because his headache flared up and he visibly winced. “Try taking it easy, Paulo. You were more drunk than I think I’ve ever seen anyone.”

“You were there?” Paulo asked once his head stopped swimming. He also took another sip of water.

“I received a text from your phone last night from someone at the Omicron Kappa party asking me to come get you.” She put simply. She didn’t want him to feel any shame, adding insult to injury. Paulo still felt shame anyway.

“Oh god…” Paulo covered his face, but this was partially due to the light hurting his head. “I’m such a dumbass. Sorry you had to deal with that.”

“It’s alright.” Sue shrugged, enjoying the rest of her toast. “It was an… interesting experience. Maybe I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

Paulo moved his hands away from his face so he could look at her. “I didn’t say anything stupid, did I?”

Sue nearly told him about their awkward conversation on the way home but stopped short. He was drunk, it meant nothing. There would be no harm in keeping it between her and drunk Paulo. “Nope.” She said, cheeks going a little red thinking about being called pretty and smart. And by him of all people, who had only ever expressed the opposite. Oftentimes, she’d discovered over the years, people were more honest when they were drunk. “Just sang some rock song really poorly on the way home.”

Paulo let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair. “Good.” His eyes landed on the redness of her cheeks, which gave him pause to wonder if she was being honest with him, but it hurt his head to think so he pushed it from his mind.

“You should take it easy today. Lots of water and rest.” Sue got up from the table to put her plate away. “Try to finish off that glass first. The medicine should dull the pain.” Paulo did as he was told, though his stomach was still disagreeing with it. “Try to get something to eat too, when you can.”

Paulo cracked a smile for the first time that morning. “Alright, mom.”

Sue faked offense. “I’m not being that preachy, am I?”

“No, no.” Paulo chuckled to himself. “Still better’an my real mom at least. Seriously, thanks for having my back.”

“I owed you one.” Sue shrugged going back to her room. “Now that makes us even.” She pointed at the water. “Drink. Rest. If you need anything, I’ll be in my room.”

Paulo waved her off and looked at his glass with just a sliver of water in it, mixed with what few chunks of the tablets hadn’t yet dissolved. She’d really pulled through for him. Perhaps being roommates wasn’t so bad. Maybe it was even for the best.

Things between Paulo and Sue improved even greater after that. Their greetings were friendlier, and they talked more than just their ‘hi’s and ‘hello’s. They even began sitting in the living room occassionally instead of being locked up in their rooms. Sometimes they ate together, alternating who cooked and cleaned. Paulo taught Sue a few things about cooking, and Sue helped him with his homework. All the while, Paulo’s drunken comments stayed in the back of Sue’s mind, and while Paulo didn’t remember them, he felt what he said all the same.

It came to a head one evening when Paulo received a knock at his bedroom door. He’d retired for the night, having to get up early for work the next day. Without delay, he answered to see Sue standing there anxiously. Her hands were behind her back and she was doing her best to keep herself from blushing.

“Hey Sue, what’s up?” Paulo asked, leaning on the doorframe.

“I know you’re trying to go to bed, so I’ll keep it short.” She said, getting straight to the point. It was in part due to his work schedule, but also because she was super nervous about asking him this question and she wanted to get it over with. “There’s this concert coming up that I bought tickets for a while ago. I was supposed to go with… well, you know…”

Paulo nodded. She didn’t need to say who it was for him to get it. Sue continued after she trailed off, trying not to think too much about Oliver. “Anyway, everyone else is going to be busy that night, and I was wondering if you wanted to go…”

“I was your last option?” Paulo raised an eyebrow. Not that he was super hurt over it, but it did feel like she was going to him because she had no other choice. He didn’t mind not being the first choice to go, he expected that, but the last? That bit.

Sue grimaced as she realized how it looked now. “No no, it’s not like that at all!” She said hurriedly, trying to salvage the situation. “I just… didn’t know how interested you would be.”

“Well I don’t mind going.” Paulo shrugged, letting it roll off his shoulders. “Just let me know when so I can request off from work. Who’s playing, anyway?”

Sue shrank back a little, feeling self conscious about exposing a part of her personal interests to him. They’d gotten closer but she wasn’t sure how he’d react to EVERYTHING about her. She didn’t even know why she should care if he thought her music taste was lame anyway. “It’s… Wink 294.” She mumbled shyly, looking anywhere but his face.

“Whozzat?” Paulo asked, leaning in.

“Wink 294!” Sue said, a little louder than she would have liked to.

Paulo stood up straight and his face lit up. “Wait… no way! You got tickets for them?!”

Sue looked up at him with some pride. “Yeah! I stayed up all night so I could grab them off the website early.”

“Duuuude!” Paulo bopped his forhead. “I tried so hard to get tickets! I didn’t know they were on sale until the day after and they were totally sold out! I definitely wanna go!”

“That’s great!” Sue said, her heart doing flips. “It’s the Wednesday of spring break.”

“Consider me free!” Paulo gave her finger guns. “I’ll put in my request when I go in tomorrow morning.”

“Oh gosh, I’m keeping you up, aren’t I?” Sue said, feeling bad for taking up so much of his time. “Well, I’m happy you can go! This’ll be fun. Goodnight!”

“Goodnight, Sue.” Paulo said with a smile. “Thanks for asking me about it, I’m looking forward to going.”

With that, the two parted ways with large smiles on their faces. Once Sue was in the privacy of her room, she did a little victory dance. She didn’t know why it had made her so happy, but she held onto the feeling tightly. In his room, Paulo slid into bed, wondering if he was going to be able to sleep that night with all the excitement. He also couldn’t say exactly why, but he was really looking forward to going with Sue.

As good as things were between them before, the weeks leading up to the concert were even better. They compared music tracks they liked, but it went beyond that. They were spending more time together, watching TV, playing games, and in quieter moments, studying. Sue appreciated these studying sessions with the somali, it gave her time to really appreciate him. There was no flirting, no sarcasm, no shame or expectations. Likewise for Paulo, he came to learn that Sue wasn’t the boring loser he always thought she was.

On the evening of the concert, Paulo drove them out to the venue. He wanted to get some alcohol for it, but Sue reminded him of his bender at the Omicron party, and he agreed that it might be for the best if he stayed away. They got their spots right in front of the stage, and prepared for the concert of their lives. The excitement in the air was electric, boosted by the scores of fans old and new packing into the concert area to rock the night away.

“I am freaking out right now, dude!” Paulo said excitedly over the noise. “I’ve wanted to see these guys in concert since forever!”

“Me too!” Sue said. “I’ve just always been so busy, and my mom never wanted to drive me to one anyway. She thinks their music is too loud.”

“Geez.” Paulo rolled his eyes. “If I ever say something like that, just shoot me. I’ve gotten too old.”

“I’d never want to shoot you…” Sue smiled at him, looking into his eyes. They both quickly turned away from each other as their hearts raced. Something was sparking between them, and they had to break the connection before it was too late. They were just friends, nothing more.

“Well.. I s’ppose Abbey would do it… heh…” Paulo said, trying to regain his composure.

“Oh, I think he’d do it regardless of if you wanted him to or not.” Sue said with a laugh.

The band came out on stage, and the crowd went ballistic. Paulo and Sue were right with them, screaming and cheering. The band members picked up their instruments, and without any introduction, went right into the first song. It was a new one off their most recent album, which of course Sue and Paulo had jammed out together previously over making dinner one night. The music spoke for the band, they were pumped up and ready to tear it up.

At the song’s conclusion, the lead singer belted out to the throng of enthusiasts, “GOOD EVENING ROSEVILLE!” The crowd responded with cheers and a few woops. “We’ve missed you all so much, this is one of the few stops we really look forward to playing at on our tour!”

They probably said this to every city or town they played in, but nobody cared. The band filled them with pride in their community, hyping them up more. “I think they’re ready for more.” The drummer commented.

“YESS!” Sue cried with everyone else.

“LET’S GET IT ON!” Yelled Paulo at the top of his lungs.

“Let’s get it on indeed!” Said the bassist. “Ready folks?” Sue gasped and both her and Paulo looked at each other excitedly. He had heard him! The crowd cheered, egging them on.

The band jumped right into the next few songs, each one as great as the last. They even played a few old favorites that everyone sang to. Sue knew she didn’t have the golden pipes Lucy did but she didn’t care, she was having a blast. Paulo seemed to sing loudest of all, or maybe Sue was just used to hearing his voice… or wanted to hear his voice.

As the setlist played, and the band took brief moments between certain songs to talk about them, Sue and Paulo gradually stood closer and closer until they were pressed right up against each other. Paulo put an arm around her, and she hugged it. Neither cared, they were having too much fun.

At long last, the band finished the last notes of the setlist, and placed down their instruments and headed off stage. The lights went down and everyone cried for an encore.

“I’m gonna go use the restroom real quick!” Sue said to Paulo, letting go of his arm. “Before the encore starts.”

“Alright, hurry up!” He replied, moving his arm from around her shoulder.

The somali watched as Sue slipped through the crowd and then turned back to the stage. This night was going better than he ever could have imagined. The music was awesome, the atmosphere was ecstatic, and the girl was… damn, she was perfect. Paulo smiled to himself over Sue. While this sucked that this all stemmed over something traumatic for her, he was glad they finally broke the awkwardness between them. This was the happiest he’d been since highschool, and even then highschool was filled with so much drama and fights. None of that here. Just him, Sue, and a kickass concert.

Sue returned before the band did, which were holding out for dramatic effect. However, Paulo’s cheerful “Welcome back!” was greeted by a very shaken Sue. There was a look of worry plastered on her face, and she was hugging herself. Paulo’s smile dropped. “Sue, what’s wrong?”

“He’s here…” She said in a shaky voice. “H-he still came…”

“Oliver?” Paulo asked, looking around. There he was, just a few rows back, looking as rough as ever. Just like Paulo, he too seemed to be looking for someone. “Oh, shit man.”

“I-I accidentally b-bumped into him… I don’t know if he saw it was m-me, but…” She whispered, trying to stay low in the crowd.

“Hey!” Paulo put his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t let that asshole ruin this night for you.” Sue looked up at him as the crowd cheered as the band returned for the encore. “He’s a pathetic loser who doesn’t deserve to even look at ya! I know cause I’m one too!”

Sue loosened up a little, looking at him with sincerity. “I don’t think you’re a pathetic loser…”

“Hah! You don’t have to lie. I get blackout drunk, I barely hang on in my classes and I work at a fastfood restaurant!” He said over the crowd’s cheers. “Doesn’t get more bottomfeeder than that!”

Sue looked shocked by his words. She couldn’t believe he thought so little of himself. “Even if those things are true, that doesn’t make you pathetic!” She put her arms around his neck. “Because I’ve seen another side of you, Paulo! The caring side! The fun side! You try your hardest even if you fail! And that’s what I love about you!”

The gloves were off. Sue pushed herself forward and placed a kiss on his lips. Paulo felt himself stunned for a brief moment, but followed her lead and deepened the kiss. They closed their eyes, and the world fell away as they shared their true feelings with one simple action. The point couldn’t have been gotten across better with words. When they broke apart, the band was finishing up the encore with a few closing remarks that neither of them heard.

“Wanna come back to my place?” Paulo grinned.

Sue laughed. “Do I have a choice?”

“Wellll, you can stay. Maybe bozo over there can drive ya home.” Paulo laughed back.

Sue hugged him and laid her head on his chest. “No, I think I’ll stick with this bozo here if that’s okay.”

“I like the sound of that!” Paulo said, hugging her back.

The crowd was clearing out now, and Sue and Paulo along with them. They were still pumped after the show, with some stopping by the merch table, but they were all ready to go home. Paulo and Sue passed by the merch table on the way to the parking lot. “Did you want anything?” Paulo asked. “It’s the least I could do since you bought the tickets.”

“No, that’s okay.” Sue smiled, taking his hand. “I think I got everything I wanted out of the show.”

“I thought I saw you.” Said a grumbly voice from behind. Paulo and Sue knew that voice and turned around to see Oliver standing there. “Snuck away from me in the crowd there. I see you’ve moved on to your knight in shining armor.”

Paulo looked at him angrily, but Sue was still anxious about being face to face with her abuser. Even with the somali by her side, the sight of him struck fear in her. “Let’s just go, Paulo…” She said, turning around and tugging on his arm.

Paulo agreed that it would be better for everyone there if they just left. No doubt Oliver was looking for a rematch after his humiliating butt kicking weeks prior. However, he didn’t much like being ignored. “Hey!” He said harshly, walking up and grabbing Sue’s free arm. “I’m talkin’ to you!”

This was a terrible mistake. Things moved so fast, no sooner had he grabbed Sue, Paulo had let go of her hand and filled his with the punk’s leather jacket. He pushed Oliver up against one of the nearby lamp posts that dotted the parking lot. There was an intense fire in his eyes, as though he were trying to melt what little brains Oliver had. “If you touch her again…” He growled. “I’m gonna rip your spine out through your ass and shove it down your throat so I can rip it out your ass again!”

“Oh really?” Oliver said coolly. He was still taller than Paulo, and looked down his nose at him. “Cause I’m gonna bring more than my fists next time. Let’s see you get around that.”

“What’s goin’ on here?” A new voice called to them. A bright light was shined in their faces as a security guard walked up.

“Nothin’, sir.” Oliver grinned, not looking away from Paulo. “We’re just doing a little rehearsing for an upcoming production. We’re in the community drama club, you see.”

The guard looked them up and down, not sure if he believed that. Sue looked mortified, and Paulo hadn’t yet let go of Oliver. But it was late, the guard wanted to go home, and he was too tired to deal with it. “Alright, but y’all need to keep this on the stage.”

“Will do, sir.” Oliver said, removing Paulo’s grip with ease. The guard walked off, and Sue took Paulo’s hand again to lead him away. “Just remember, Susan - I know where you live.” And he laughed coldly as he walked away himself.

“Why did you do that!” Sue scolded Paulo when she was sure Oliver was out of earshot. “He could have seriously hurt you!”

“I’m not gonna let him hurt you!” Paulo defended. “Someone had to teach him a lesson!”

“I would have been fine!” Sue said. “But if something happened to you, it would have been way worse. You escalated it!”

“So this is MY fault?” Paulo scoffed. They had reached the car, and he unlocked the door so they could both get in.

Sue took a deep breath. It had been a really emotional night for the both of them, and she needed to keep a steady head on her shoulders. “I don’t want us to fight. We had such a good night.” She looked at him apologetically. “Let’s just leave it there.”

“Fine.” Paulo replied flatly. They got buckled up and he drove them back to the dorm. The drive back was awkwardly silent. They didn’t play music on the radio. There was only the sound of rubber on road, and the odd noise Paulo’s old rustbucket made every so often. Sue kept glancing over at Paulo to see if his expression had changed, but he remained disgruntled.

She wanted to say something to assuage him, but thought it was best to let the heat cool off naturally. Instead, she placed a hand on his when he put it down near the center console. When they arrived at the dorm, Paulo did at least hold her hand still as they walked, and got the door for her, though he still kept his thoughts to himself. On his end, he’d done nothing wrong, and Sue was just overreacting. He’d seen how scared she was that day, and he never wanted to see those eyes in her again. A deep, primal fear that shook her to her core. And God help anyone who made her feel that way.

Paulo did soften up a bit by the time they got to their dorm room. He bid her goodnight, and they reluctantly let go of each other to go to their separate rooms. Paulo climbed into bed no problem, and laid down waiting for sleep to take him. All things considered, it had been a good night overall. He was surprised more and more by Sue, specifically how forward she was. Just GOING IN for the kiss like that, even he was rarely that bold.

In the darkness of her room, Sue also spent time thinking about that evening. It was better than she ever imagined it - it was more than perfect. The music, the vibes, HIM, their kiss, their very first kiss. Her cheeks burned at the thought of it. Paulo didn’t find her weird or push her away, he went in for more. And then her mind drifted to something darker.

I know where you live.

She heard it in his voice, in just the menacing way he said it. It permeated her mind, and swallowed all of her other, happier thoughts in darkness. He was right. He knew where she lived. He was still upset about what happened between them. He was still willing to be physical. Sue shot up in bed.

He was going to get her. He was going to get the both of them. Were they safe anymore? She shook the idea out of her thoughts. Oliver was just trying to get in her head. Surely he wouldn’t try to pull anything, he would be stupid to.

Then again, he tried to pull something at a crowded venue. What if he’d figured out it was her sooner? What if he grabbed her before she could make it back to Paulo? And took her away, did ungodly things to her, and Paulo would never know? What if he trapped her forever, what if he showed up to the dorm and grabbed her when Paulo wasn’t around?

Sue’s heart raced, mind spun, eyes widened in the darkness trying to make out a threat that wasn’t there. She felt sick to her stomach, and gripped her blanket. Something got caught in her throat. Was it a scream? A sob? A cry for help? Was he sitting outside the dorm RIGHT NOW, waiting to snatch her up? Pin her down?

Paulo was still awake when a knock came at his door. He lifted his head, unsure if he’d heard correctly, but it was followed by another, more urgent knock. Blinking in confusion, he responded, “I’m still up.”

Sue pushed the door open slowly. “May I come in?” She asked softly in the darkness, doing her best to keep her emotions in check.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Paulo said, sitting up. “Figured you’d be asleep by now.”

Sue shook her head and took a seat on his bed. “I can’t sleep.”

Paulo scooted next to her. “What’s wrong? I’m not mad at you anymore.”

“It’s… it isn’t that…” Sue whispered. “Something Oliver said… I can’t get it out of my head.”

“What is it?” Paulo asked, putting an arm around her waist. Sue leaned into him.

“He knows where we live.” She put it plainly. “I’m worried he might do something.”

“You’re worried about that?” Paulo asked, surprised. Sue was supposed to be the logical one between them. “He’s known that for the last few weeks, if he was gonna do something, he would have done it by now.”

Sue nodded. “Still… a threat’s a threat. Just the way he said it… Paulo, I’m scared, okay? It’s just got me worried.”

“Ohhh, Oliver ain’t shit.” Paulo laughed. “You notice how he didn’t try anything on me? Cause he knows I can kick his ass. And look, if you’re really that worried, we can change dorm rooms and he’ll never find us. Get a whole new building and everything.”

“I guess that’s true…” Sue said. “But if we request a dorm room change, there’s a high chance that we’ll get separated… and…” Sue hugged Paulo and buried her face in his shoulder. “I don’t want that either.”

Paulo hugged her back. “What do you want to do then?”

“I don’t know.” Sue said into his shoulder. “I don’t want to think about it right now, either. I just want to get some sleep.”

They both released their embrace and went back to sitting side by side. “No matter what, it’s gonna be alright, Sue. You’re really smart, we can figure this out.”

A smiled teased her lips. “Yeah… we will.”

A silence well over the room as Sue looked down at her lap, and Paulo looked at her. She didn’t get up to go back to her room, she just sat there. So, Paulo asked. “Is there anything else?” But he suspected he knew the answer. He would have to goade it out of her though.

Sue hunch up. “I, erm… well there was a second reason I came over here…”

“And what’s that?” Paulo asked, grinning his biggest grin at her. He could see her going bright red, even with the limited visibility.

“I… I was wondering… well, I thought it might help me sleep if… if you were nearby…” Sue said with a great deal of embarrassment.

There it was. Paulo patted his bed. “My bed is your bed, Sue.” He slid back under the covers, and lifted up the side closest to her. “Come on in.”

Sue was thoroughly embarrassed, but relieved that Paulo was so cool about the whole thing. Of course Paulo didn’t mind, he was more than happy to share his bed with someone else. He draped the blanket over Sue when she got under it, and scooted close. “See? Not so bad.” Paulo said.

“Y-yeah..” Sue replied. She snuggled up to him, and he responded in kind by putting an arm around her to hold her close. This was fine by her, being in his arms, covered by the blanket, it put her at ease. “Goodnight, Paulo.”

“Goodnight babe.” He replied, then he kissed her on the forehead. Sue smiled but said nothing in return, opting to close her eyes and let sleep finally take her. After Paulo was sure she was comfortable, he followed suit.

Chapter Text

Mike’s mother was relaxing on the couch when the home phone rang. She got up from her comfy place and picked it up, expecting a spam caller on the other end. Instead, she was greeted warmly by her friend’s voice. “Hello, Ellen! Is Lucy still over there?”

Mike’s mom smiled. “Ah, hello Agatha! Yes, I believe she still is. I think she’s up with Mike in his room playing games.”

“Well can you let her know she needs to come home now? Dinner will be ready soon.” The voice from the other side said.

“Of course. She’ll be on her way soon. Have a good evening.” Mike’s mom replied, then hung up the phone. She looked upstairs with a smile. She hadn’t really heard a peep from the two in a while, which was unusual given their dynamic. Often there would be yelling and fighting coming from Lucy’s end, but even she remained silent.

The mother walked up the stairs to Mike’s room when she heard their quiet voices coming from it. She took a few steps and stood as silently as she could outside the closed door to listen in. It wasn’t often she had the opportunity to do so, and it would be nice to see how they were when they weren’t at each other’s throats.

“You like it?” She heard Mike say, and she could hear the pride in his voice.

“It’s so big!” Lucy gasped.

“Yeah, all thanks to me!” Said the boy. Mike’s mom’s eyes grew wide. Surely they weren’t...

There was some creaking from Mike’s bed and then Lucy said. “It smells nice.”

“I try to keep it clean.” Mike said. Silence, and then. “W-wait! Don’t get too close to it!”

“I’m not gonna do anything to hurt it!” Lucy said back stiffly. “But… can I touch it?”

“Uh… heh…” Mike’s mom heard him say nervously. “S-sure… just be gentle, it’s sensitive.”

Mike’s mom had heard enough. Without a moment’s delay, she flung the door open. “What are you two doing in here?!” She cried. Lucy and Mike were on his bed, sitting across from each other. At the sudden commotion, they leapt apart. The way they were positioned, whatever they were talking about was blocked from her view.

The mother rushed over to find… A large flower between them. They both looked rather embarrassed about it, and when Mike’s mom realized her mistake, she too looked very embarrassed. “M-mom!” Mike said in exasperation.

“Sorry! Sorry!” She said, taking a step back to give the two some breathing room. “I… well, I misunderstood…” She shook her head. “Anyway, Lucy, your mom wants you home.”

Lucy nodded, face on fire, still too embarrassed to speak. She slid off the bed and grabbed her backpack and left, with just a small glance over her shoulder at Mike, whose face matched hers. Mike’s mom breathed a sigh of relief, but made something clear. “I want this door to remain OPEN while you two are in here!”

Chapter Text

Mike and Paulo sat alone underneath the tree that Mike loved so dearly. It represented Sandy, or at least it used to. When Sandy moved away, it slowly became about Lucy. Now, it was about Paulo. Upon reflection on how one plant could mean so many things, Mike came to a new conclusion. It wasn’t so much the person, but the feelings associated with said person. Simply put, the tree stood for love, strong and bold and beautiful, and seemingly everlasting. And today was a beautiful spring day, one of the last few before summer rolled around.

While they were just on summer’s doorstep, the two boys decided to go sit up there to enjoy the cool weather and lofty breezes. The wind tickled their whiskers as well as the leaves above them, which sounded off a natural chime every time it came through. It had been Mike’s idea initially, and he’d worried Paulo wouldn’t want to as it wasn’t exactly the ‘coolest’ idea, but he agreed. And so here they sat, Mike cuddled up underneath Paulo’s chin. Paulo rubbed his back, soaking in the smooth, velvety short fur of his boyfriend. From the way Mike was purring, he was enjoying it too.

This is when Abbey walked up. He’d decided to take a stroll as well, wanting to get some pictures of spring, the blooming flowers and bright colors. After some time, he wanted some shade, but came across Mike and Paulo spending some quiet time together. He went to walk away, but something rooted him to the spot. They looked so peaceful together… the kind of peace he wanted. Neither of the relaxing boys noticed him yet, so the abyssinian walked up and cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, you two.”

Mike opened his eyes and he smiled. Paulo wasn’t as pleased as the korat was, but didn’t want to bring any negativity to the moment by shooing him away. “Oh, hello Abbey! It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too Michael.” He smiled back. And he even added, “And you too, Paulo.”

It was a surprise to be greeted so warmly by the brown cat, but Paulo grunted a hello in response. Abbey wrung his hands a bit nervously as he wondered how to word his next question. “Do you… mind if I join you?”

Mike’s smile grew wider, and Paulo, though he did not smile, found a blush creeping up on his face. “Not at all, are you fine with this, Paulo?”

Paulo stopped rubbing Mike’s back and hugged him. “Whatever you want, dude.”

Abbey took that as a greenlight and sat down next to them, maybe a bit closer than he normally might. Abbey looked anxious about it, and Mike picked up on it. “Are you okay, Abbey? Do you want a back rub? Paulo is great at it!”

Paulo didn’t much like his services being offered so freely, especially since his back rubbing was only for Mike. Not that he wouldn’t give anyone else one, he just liked making it special. Abbey on the other hand, while flustered that Paulo would be the one doing it, did find the offer tantalizing. After all the stress of… everything, really, he could use a good back massage. He nodded his head. “That sounds rather nice…”

Paulo grimaced, but it was all for show. He also secretly wanted to prove how good he was to that stuck up nerd, and what better way than with his hands? He let go of Mike, who got up and went to the other side of Abbey so Paulo could better reach him. Abbey pivoted his seating so his back faced the somali, and was now looking at Mike’s cute smile. He braced, expecting Paulo to be rough, but what he got almost took his breath away.

Paulo’s hands glided over his back, rubbing just the right places. Abbey’s stress and frustrations melted away, as though Paulo’s hands were wiping him clean of them. Mike kept smiling at his reaction. “Told ya he was good.”

“I have to admit.” Abbey said softly. “Paulo, you’re great at this. Perhaps a masseur would be a good career path for you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ve been told that before.” The somali said, trying to cover up his pride and satisfaction of getting Abbey to admit he was good at something.

Mike took Abbey’s hands in his. “I know your life hasn’t been easy, Abbey. But if you ever need someone to talk to, or a hug, or even a back massage, just let us know. You’re always welcome!”

“I think I may just take you up on that offer.” Abbey replied. Neither one of them let go, they just stared sincerely into each other’s eyes.

“Damn, you’re soft.” Paulo said out loud to his surprise. He would have hit himself on the forehead for being so open if he hadn’t been so into giving Abbey his back rub.

“Haha.” Abbey laughed softly. “Well, that may be because I accidentally used Janet’s fur conditioner this morning.”

“Riiiight.” Paulo raised an eyebrow. “Accidentally.”

“Oh, don’t be like that Paulo.” Mike scolded. “Remember how we went to the store to pick out my conditioner? We ended up getting women’s conditioner too.” Paulo said nothing, however the redness on his cheeks spoke volumes.

The three weren’t together for too much longer before another visitor came their way. A familiar black and white cat was moseying on up the hill looking for a quiet place to read his book. Upon coming across the trio, he gave no reaction, but did turn away and said “I’ll find another tree…”

“Wait!” Mike called out, to the horror of Abbey and Paulo. They didn’t agree on many things, but one thing they did have in common was their distrust of Augustus. “Come back! We have room for more here!”

Augustus stopped and wondered if it was a good idea to take him up on his offer. He looked over at all the other trees, all taken by random strangers. At the very least, here he was surrounded by people he knew. And after all, this was still the best tree. He turned back around and said. “Fine.”

Mike let go of Abbey’s hands (to the other boy’s dismay, he was getting used to it) and scooted back a bit. He patted the ground between him and Abbey. “Right here! You can sit here!”

Augustus, doing his best to hide his nervous blush, did as he was told. Abbey scooted back further into Paulo’s lap to give him even more room. The somali didn’t complain, but had to stop the backrubs. Instead he resolved to place his hands around the brown cat, who didn’t object. Once the older teen had his spot, he cracked open his book to find his last spot. Mike scooted closer, right up to his shoulder. “What book is that?”

The black and white cat was acutely aware of how close Mike’s face was to his. He could even feel the gray cat’s whiskers rubbing up against his. This didn’t help his blush, but he kept it together. “War And Peace.”

“Oh? Really?” Abbey sat up, but not so much that he would break Paulo’s embrace. “I did a book report on that once. It took me forever to get through, but it’s such an engaging read!”

“It’s pretty much the biggest book in the library.” Augustus closed the book to show them how thick it was. “Doesn’t get much thicker.”

“Neeeerrds.” Paulo remarked, to frowns from both of them. This was a mistake, as Mike had even more embarrassing reminders for him.

“You love it when I read to you, though.” The korat said. “You fall asleep to my voice every time.”

Paulo immediately backed off, his face on fire. Abbey coulda sworn he could feel the heat, too. “N-not every time, dude.”

“Anyway, maybe you could read to us.” Mike suggested to Augustus, who had gone back to finding his page. “If you want.”

Augustus looked up to Mike, whose lips were so close that if even a slight breeze pushed either of them towards the other, they would be kissing. His face became inflamed once more, and he quickly looked away to the other two boys who were cuddling on his other side. Abbey looked as though he were interested in this too. Paulo couldn’t care either way. The silent majority had it, and Augustus sighed and shrugged. “Sure, why not.”

Mike repositioned himself so he was leaning on Augustus’s shoulder. Augustus had now found his place and cleared his throat and began to read. He had a good cadence to his voice. Having read so much, he did not stumble over his words. He pulled them all into the story, to lands beyond, introducing them to all manner of characters.

And so this went on for several minutes, until they were joined by yet another person - Jordan. The white cat could be heard huffing and puffing before he was seen at the top of the hill. He didn’t notice the others at first, bending over to take a breather. Short sprints across the basketball court were one thing, but roaming nearly all of Roseville was another. Lucy had left to walk around earlier that day, and her mom had a question for her. It wasn’t super important, but all the same Jordan was sent out to fetch her.

Once his breath was regained, he looked up to see the four boys huddled up under the tree. Jordan blinked once, twice, then thrice to see if he was seeing things correctly. No amount of blinking changed the scene before him. Augstus had long stopped reading to watch. It was Mike who spoke. “Jordan, is everything okay? You keep blinking.”

“Yeah, I…” He wanted to question what exactly was going on, but figured it was none of his business.

“Why are you so out of breath, man?” Paulo asked. “Aren’t you like, a jock or something?”

“Hey, you would be too if you had just run all over town!” Jordan defended.

“What are you looking for?” Abbey asked. “Maybe we can help.”

“Not what, who.” Jordan said, stepping closer so he could at least stand in the shade. “Speaking of.” He looked to Augustus. “You wouldn’t have happened to see Lucy, would you? Mom has a question for her.”

Augustus’s messy hair swayed back and forth as he shook his head. “No, I came straight here after I left the house.”

“She might come by, though.” Mike said. “You should stay for a bit and cool off.”

Jordan liked this idea, and while it might be more prudent to keep up the search, the prospect of shade and some company was too good to pass up. He took a seat in front of Mike, nearly sitting on his lap, but he wanted to make sure he was getting as much shade as possible.

“Anyway, as I was reading…” Augustus said, and he launched back into the story. Jordan closed his eyes and let the cool breeze and warm voice of Augustus flow over him. He didn’t even complain when Mike hugged him from behind. If he was being honest, after being neglected by Tiff for so long, it was nice to get some affection.

They all got lost in Augustus’s voice again. It was a motley crew sitting in a serene moment. Abbey in Paulo’s lap, being hugged by the somalis’ strong arms, Augustus reading away with Mike leaning on his shoulder and Jordan in front of him. There was no awkwardness, no shame or embarrassment between the five boys. For once, the drama was hung, and all that existed was a warm spring day to share between them.

However, it wouldn’t be long before they were interrupted again by another familiar face. This one belonged to a tan furred cat, who had been on the search much like Jordan had been. But instead of looking for Lucy, he was looking for a cat of another color - orange. No sooner had he reached the top of the hill, he spotted his target sitting among the crowd of boys. “Hi guys!” James said enthusiastically, and with a wave that matched his voice’s energy. Unlike Jordan, his cardio was very good from being on the track team, so the hill was no problem.

Paulo went bright red, suspecting James was probably there for him, and of course he suspected right, as the trackstar said, “I was just looking for you, Paulo. What are all you guys up to?”

“Augustus is reading us a story.” Mike said.

“I’m just here for a breather…” Jordan said, though it wasn’t entirely true anymore, he too was invested in the story. That, and enjoying Mike’s hug.

“Ohhhh, mind if I join?” James asked excitedly.

There were no objections, for them it was the more the merrier. “Fine, fine, take a seat.” Augustus said hurriedly, beginning to get a little annoyed at all the interruptions. James made a beeline for Paulo, where he leaned forward, putting an arm around his shoulder.

“Is it okay if I sit next to you?” He asked his favorite coworker.

“Sit wherever you want, dude.” Paulo said with his face afire, being so close to his crush. James smiled and took that as a yes.

And so Augustus continued on, reading page after page for them all. The boys sat in silence, not daring to breathe a word as he read. It helped that they were all huddled up with each other, hugging and cuddling, leaning on each other. It was peaceful. Anyone who walked by would be jealous of the sight, wanting to join in. Yet they remained undisturbed, which pleased Augustus, who was getting used to the korat leaning on his shoulder. Mike was small and light, and he didn’t even feel the weight anymore.

They were joined yet again by a large oreo cat, but he did not break Augustus’s concentration as he did so. He’d heard someone reading aloud and thought he’d check things out. It was a surprise to see all these boys being so close. Without a word, he slid in next to Mike to get a closer spot, and to keep within the shade. The little area under the tree was getting crowded with all of them practically sitting on top of each other. They didn’t mind, being so intimate with each other felt nice, and after all they’d been through, ‘felt nice’ was pretty alright.

Of course, they all noticed Matt come in, but said nothing. Mike gave a silent greeting and put his arm around him to show he was welcomed there. Matt graciously accepted his embrace, but leaned back so as not to crush either of the boys. Jordan shifted his position from Mike to Matt, who he was more familiar and comfortable with. Matt beamed and his face went crimson as the white cat made his decision. Jordan was rewarded with an embrace from behind by the larger cat. Now there was something even more comfortable to lean on, and Jordan took advantage of it by settling back into the area between Matt’s legs.

On and on Augustus went, not faltering for a moment. The newfound freedom Mike had from when Jordan got up was put to good use, and Mike was now hugging the small black and white cat. Said cat found himself melting into the embrace, and only fueled his confidence as he read. They all agreed to themselves that this felt right. Mike wondered if they should do this more often, set up little meetups to cuddle and read. Paulo wanted the same, but was too embarrassed to mention it. It didn’t help that Abbey was now resting his hands on top of the somalis’. Behind him, James was giving him a little backrub of his own.

They sat like this for quite some time, even as the sun began to sag in the sky. Augustus’s voice had given out, but nobody had really taken notice. It was nice to just sit in silence with each other, watching another beautiful spring day pass them by. Just when things felt like they might be wrapping up, they were joined by a louder party.

“AIBOU!” A voiced called on its way up the hill. “AIBOOOUUUU!”

Paulo smiled. He knew who this voice belonged to. David’s brown head bobbed up and down, followed by the rest of him, as he crested the hill at max speed. They were all shaken out of their trance as the brown lab arrived. “I read you were having a cuddle party! I just HAD to come!”

He dove towards Paulo, which inevitably meant Abbey and James were in the splash zone. Abbey let go of Paulo’s hands and stretched out his arms toward David in anticipation of catching him. David hit his mark, squashing Abbey between him and Paulo. The dog didn’t care, and gave them both a big hug. He even tried reaching all the way over to James, who unfortunately couldn’t squeeze himself against Paulo any closer.

“You read about this?” Abbey asked, somewhat embarrassed and confused about who was writing about their quiet moment at the tree. “Where?”

“Ehh, doesn’t matter!” David said, looking up to the sky briefly. “What matters is that I want cuddles too!”

“There’s plenty to go around.” Matt said with a smile.

“Hmmm…” David let go of Abbey and Paulo and sat up, looking over his possible partners. “I choose… all of you! C’mon and give me a biiiiig hug!” He put his arms out, inviting them all in.

One by one, starting with James, they all got up and hugged David. Even Augustus who found the dog annoying at times joined in. David absolutely lapped it all up, patting their backs. “Aww… thanks guys!” He said with a big blush.

“Anytime, bud.” Paulo said with a smile.

David’s heart soared with confidence and love. “Okay, now let’s bang!”

Chapter Text

Michael did not like loud sounds at the best of times, and the Roseville Summer Celebration, he concluded, counted as part of the best of times. School was freshly out, vacations were underway, and summer was in full swing. It was a day surrounded by fun and games, for him not only a celebration of the season, but for his independence too. Now Mike was free to have slack off, to play all the video games he wanted and stay up all night until the sun rose the next morning.

But Mike cared more for what the day represented more than what was in store for him. He’d always had sensitive hearing, and anything close to a yell would have him covering his ears in pain. As much could be seen at any number of pep rallies (of which he tried desperately to avoid), concerts, fighting and shouting, and any other place where loud sounds could be found. Without fail, Mike would grab his ears and groan about how much his head hurt. Nobody paid him much mind, except for his best friend Lucy. She was always sure to call him out for being a baby.

What the Summer Celebration brought out was something Mike feared that others found great excitement in - the fireworks display. The setting sun acted as a ticking clock, sinking lower and lower in the sky until finally his time was up. Everyone would gather around and watch the multicolored explosions light up the night sky, illuminating them all in a dazzling glow. And Mike… Mike would cover his ears and close his eyes, crying to himself, hoping the dreadful affair would let up soon.

This wouldn’t last forever, though. Mike’s parents caught on when he was about 8, and got him some earbuds to soften the blow. And they worked, mostly. The fireworks were still awfully loud, but it was far better than going without. Just as he had for the last 6 years, he stuffed the earbuds in his scarf and headed out with his family to the local park to enjoy the festivities with the rest of Roseville. Upon arrival, the parking lot was packed. The festival area wasn’t any different. As they walked through, Mike saw the same faces he did every year. He even spotted some of his classmates mingling with each other, prattling on about all the fun things they had already done, and the fun things they’d yet to do.

For Mike, he really only associated with a handful of others, and one of them was a handful in themself, Lucy. In fact, it wasn’t long after Mike and his family entered the celebration proper, and Mike went off on his own, when Mike felt a sharp pain in his arm. He gasped and looked around to see a very frustrated looking Lucy, and just for the briefest moment when he laid his eyes upon her, a tinge of nervousness. This was quickly covered up by her annoyed chiding. “Where have you been, jerkface? I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Guh! Sorry, Lucy.” Mike winced a bit as he rubbed the sore spot on his arm. “Haley’s dress wasn’t dried yet, so we had to wait. Plus, Chris was still napping and my parents didn’t want him to be asleep for the fireworks.”

“Tch!” Lucy sucked her teeth and folded her arms. “Such lame excuses.”

“It’s true!” Mike fired back. “What did you want me to do? Walk here on my own?”

“You could’ve called me, you know.” Lucy leaned in to give Mike a closer look at how angry she was. “I would have asked my mom to get you.”

Mike put on a sly smile. “You… you wanted to go together, is that what you’re saying?”

Lucy’s eyes went wide and she backed off immediately. “N-no! Just so I wouldn’t have to waste my time looking for you!”

“Ah.” Mike replied, a little deflated. They both started walking. “Well, I’m here now. What are the stalls like this year?”

“They got some new games!” Lucy said, semi guiding him towards the main area.

“Games I’m going to totally beat you at, again.” Mike teased her.

There were a lot of ways to get under Lucy’s skin, and telling her she would lose a game or competition was the fastest way to set her off. “You cheat, jerkface!”

“Just like you at Super Boxer Champions?” Mike asked, trying to contain his laughter.

“Noooo! Not like Super Boxer Champions where I use legitimate moves that were intended by the developers.” Lucy shot back.

“Well who knows? Maybe this is the year you beat me.” Mike smiled earnestly at the khao manee, making her turn away before he could see her blush. “You are really good at them, after all. No one else comes as close to beating me as you!”

“Whatever, idiot.” Lucy said, still facing the other way to hide the smile she was fighting back. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Things went back to being cordial between the two as they navigated around the stalls and other patrons. More than once Lucy grabbed Mike’s arm to keep from getting separated, which Mike took note of, but never mentioned to her. Besides, there was so much to see. Local and nationwide businesses alike had set up shop to advertise and sell their wares. Mike and Lucy’s eyes glazed over at the boring insurance and home repair type stalls, but they both found interest in the local game shop stall, as well as one that had a lot of funny costumes. They giggled and laughed at each other as they tried on funny masks and outfits. At one point, they independently tried on some royal wear, with Mike being the king and Lucy the queen, which caused her to blush profusely and hastily remove the costume.

It wasn’t just businesses and toys, either, there were many food stalls and trucks lined up and down the strip. The smells from the greasy food were amazing, and left both of them scrounging for change. They scraped a few dollars together, and decided to share a funnel cake covered in fudge. While they ate, they found a secluded bench in the shade to sit on.

“Man, today’s really been fun!” Mike commented, smiling at all the people walking past.

“Yeah.” Lucy said softly, smiling up at Mike. “It really has…”

Mike looked at her with a smile of his own, and Lucy quickly looked away. “Oh, Lucy, you’ve got something on your face.” Mike said, lifting one of their last napkins.

“Huh?” Lucy asked, looking back at him. She was met with a faceful of napkin, and was too embarrassed to move. Mike gently wiped away the syrup and crumpled up the napkin into a wad.

“There, got it.” He said.

Lucy’s entire face felt like it had been held to a fire. “I… y-you… I c-can take care of that myself, butthead!” She sputtered, barely able to calm her nerves and racing heart enough to speak. Mike looked back at the crowds with a smile, chuckling quietly to himself. “What are you laughing about?!” Lucy demanded to know.

“Nothin’.” Mike lied, though he was thinking about how flustered she was whenever they got close. It was comforting, like a reminder that she did still have feelings for him even though she wouldn’t say it. “It’ll be dark soon…” Mike commented, looking above the trees to see the sun had lowered. “Wanna go play some games now? I’ll beat you to the game stalls!”

Lucy, who was relieved that Mike had changed the subject, leapt to her feet. “Oh, you’re ON! I’m gonna wipe the ground with you.”

They ran off together, with Mike lagging behind a little just so Lucy could eek out a victory. He had a plan, a plan to let Lucy win some games. It was dishonest, but he wanted to see her smile more. It would also be funny to see Lucy’s victory dance, or maybe the look of shock and disbelief on her face whenever she won. There were a lot of games to choose from, and just as Lucy had said, there were even more games than previous years. There were the standard ones, like a bean bag toss or bobbing for apples (which Lucy wouldn’t go near, so they never played) mixed with new ones like throwing a baseball to knock over bottles, a hammer game where you hit a platform to send up a piece of metal to hit a bell, and even some electronic games like whack-a-mole.

Lucy and Mike went down the line, going one after the other to test their skills. At the beanbag toss, Mike’s aim was off, and some of the bags didn’t even hit the wooden board with the hole in it. Lucy took the victory and laughed. “Looks like it’s over for you before it’s begun!”

Mike just smiled and nodded. “Good job, Lucy, but that’s just ONE GAME! You can’t expect me to win all the time.”

“We’ll just see about that!” The white cat said, sticking a finger in his face.

They raced to the next game, the one where they had to throw a baseball at a stack of bottles. Lucy aced it again, sending the whole stack tumbling down after a few throws. Mike didn’t fare as well, only managing to take out two bottles from the top. “Lucy two, jerkface ZERO!” She said as she put on another victory dance in Mike’s face. Mike could only smile, her victory dance was really cute.

“You got me, Lucy. Maybe I’m just having bad luck today.” Mike laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

“Or maybe you just suck!” Lucy gloated. “Now I know I’m gonna wipe the floor with you in the sackrace!”

Mike nodded and Lucy grabbed his hand, pulling him through the crowd toward the field where the race was being held. They got lined up with the other racers, with them standing next to each other. “Now witness my awesome bouncing skills.” She hissed.

“Gonna be hard to do that with you behind me!” Mike teased.

“Grrr!” Lucy gritted her teeth. She wasn't going to let Mike take this win, either. He would lose every game tonight, and she would forever be the victor.

The popgun was fired, and off went the racers. Mike pulled out ahead quickly, leaving the others in the dust. He looked back to see Lucy hopping as fast as she could with a look of frustration on her face. They were halfway to the end, and both of them were outpacing the others. Mike looked back around and slowed down a little to let her catch up. Lucy came up upon his side and stuck her tongue out as she passed. “See you at the finish line, Mike! Don’t keep me waiting.”

Mike put on his game face, but as soon as Lucy was looking back around to the goal line, a smile cracked on face. She was having so much fun, and it filled him with joy. Her taunting didn’t bother him in the slightest. Even if he wasn’t losing on purpose, he would still be happy she was having a good time. Lucy meant everything to him, and he would protect her smile even at the cost of himself. Maybe it was selfish of him to do so, Lucy deserved to win fairly, but it wouldn’t be all bad if he gave her the win just for one night. Besides, he would go back to smoking her after all this was over.

Lucy won again, and danced around as Mike made his way to the finish line. “Hey Mike, what took ya so long?”

“Oh, how long have you been wanting to say that?” Mike asked, folding up his sack for the next racers.

“Hmm…” Lucy tapped her chin in mock thought as they walked to the next game. “Since… forever! And I’ve got a feeling I’m gonna be saying it a lot from now on.”

“Yeah, maybe in your dreams!” He laughed. “I’m gonna get you on these next ones, though!”

And Mike was true to his word. At the hammer game, he struck big, far surpassing Lucy who seemed to have a little trouble swinging the hammer. He beat her at the whack-a-mole game too, but let her take the victory when they played a dart game. Things went back and forth, the sun setting lower and lower on the horizon until just a dash of sunlight clung onto the sky. The final game was a dunk tank game, where Mike’s throws were far off, and Lucy managed to hit the little metal target after a few tries.

“Well, that’s all of them.” Mike said, looking down the darkened row of stalls. Now that night had fallen, everyone was shutting down everything in anticipation for the fireworks show. Even the busy crowd had dispersed, with just a few stragglers buying some snacks and drinks before the lightshow began.

“Totally whomped you today!” Lucy gave Mike’s shoulder a playful punch. “It’s like you weren’t even try… ing.” Lucy faded off as her face fell. She thought back to all the games they played that day. All of her wins came easily - too easily.

“Well I was! And you beat me almost every time!” Mike said quickly with a nervous laugh, hoping it would be enough to convince her.

“Michael.” Lucy said gravely, suspicion growing in her mind like a shadow. “Did you try?”

“Whaaat? Yeah! Of course I did!” Mike said, looking anywhere but her hurt face. “Why would I let you win?”

Lucy huffed and grabbed his cheeks with both her hands so he was forced to look into her eyes. “Look me in the eyes.” She said shakily. “And tell me you didn’t let me win.”

“Lucy, this is ridiculous!” Mike tried to pull away, but Lucy wasn’t letting him off the hook.

“You’re supposed to be honest with me!” She choked. “Tell me the truth!”

“Fine!” Mike said. “I might have let you win some of the time…”

Lucy scoffed in disbelief. “I can’t believe you!” She pulled her hands away, just to shove them into his chest, sending the korat stumbling back. “You JERK!”

“I only wanted-” Mike started, but he was cut off by a slap to the face. This sent him reeling as well.

“I don’t want to listen to ANYTHING you have to say!” Lucy yelled. “Just! Just go away!”

Mike sighed and hung his head, ears pinned back. “Sorry…” he mumbled. Without another glance, he turned away and walked slowly to where the crowds were now gathering, looking for his family.

Lucy herself balled up her fists. “Ugh! That idiot!” She grumbled. She stomped off, looking for her family as well.

Mike did eventually find his family, all sitting together with a blanket and some chairs. “Where the heck did you go all day?” Haley asked, looking at her big dumb brother.

“Don’t pester your brother, dear.” Their mom said. “He was spending time with Lucy. Isn’t that right?”

Mike looked up at her with a tinge of sadness. “Something like that.”

“Show’ll be starting soon.” Their dad said, looking at his light up watch. “Get ready.”

Mike sighed and reached into his scarf to grab his earbuds, but his first few attempts came up empty. The boy made more of an effort to search deeper in it, but still came up empty handed. ‘Oh no!’ He thought, and pulled his scarf off.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” His mom asked.

“I- I can’t find my earbuds!” He panicked as he searched frantically. “They must have fallen out when I was doing the sack race!”

“Maybe you can go look for them.” His dad said, reaching for their flashlight.

“The show is gonna start soon…” Mike sighed. “I’ll just… go wait in the car.”

“Are ya sure, son?” His dad asked. “Haley can go with ya-”

“It’s fine…” Mike said, walking past them. “The car should dampen the sound at least.”

His mother frowned. “Do you want one of us to sit with you?”

“I’ll be okay.” Mike smiled back at them. “Just enjoy the show.”

“Okay, dear… but we’ll be here if you need us.” his mom said as he hurried off to their car, doing his best to navigate all of the other families strewn about the field.

Meanwhile, Lucy was reconvening with her family. She sat down on their blanket without a word and pulled her legs to her chest. She looked down, still thinking about how much she wanted to punch Mike’s stupid face. “There you are Lucy!” Her mom said. “Were you with Mike all this time?”

Lucy stayed silent and lowered her head. “That means yes in Lucy, I think.” Jordan smirked.

“Shut up.” Lucy growled at him. She was not in the mood for his teasing, let alone about Mike.

“Aww, what’s wrong, champ?” Her dad asked. “Did you and your friend have another fight?”

“A fight he started, probably.” Sam chimed in. He had a deep distrust of Mike.

Lucy scoffed. “Yeah. He let me win a bunch of those games!”

“Isn’t that sweet of him? He just wanted you to have a good time too.” Her mom said.

“He just wanted to be a jerk.” Lucy mumbled.

“Figures.” Sam muttered.

“Well did you ask him?” Her dad asked. “Maybe he had a good reason to let you win. I think I recall he beats you a lot of the time.”

“More like everytime.” Jordan commented, and he was greeted by a punch to the shoulder by his sister.

“I know he cares about a lot, dear.” Her mother said. “Maybe you should go talk with him.”

Lucy looked up to her whole family looking at her expectantly. She went bright red from all the attention, and partially because she was starting to feel a little bad for lashing out at Mike, and partially because she wanted all of their eyes off of her, she got up. “Fine.”

Lucy ran off just as the fireworks were starting. She used what little light they gave to find Mike’s family. Along the way she saw a few annoyed looks from the other fair goers as she blocked their view, but Lucy didn’t care. In fact, the only person’s opinion she truly cared about was Mike’s. She wondered why she was so fearful of her feelings for him, why she didn't just be honest.

Mike’s family were sitting near the back of the field, having gotten there late had also come with the downside of all the best spots already being taken. When she got closer, Lucy could see Mike was not with them, and a little bit of fear grabbed her heart. Was he okay? Did he get lost? Run away? Lucy stood in front of the family of korats.

“Where’s Mike?” She asked.

“He went back to the car.” His mother said. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, I just needed to talk to him.” Lucy said back, already taking off toward the parking lot.

There were cars as far as she could see, but she was very familiar with Mike’s family’s car and was able to find it with little issue. She ran up beside it and looked inside the back seat to see Mike sitting anxiously, wincing at every loud blast from the multicolored explosions. Lucy knocked on the window, causing Mike to jump up in surprise. He looked around to see the cause of the noise, and when he saw her he blinked a few times, as though he didn’t believe she was really there.

“Open the door, Mike.” Lucy said, pulling on the locked door.

Mike scooted over and opened it, and Lucy climbed inside. “Lucy! What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same.” She said.

Mike lowered his head into his hands. “I lost my earbuds. I have to sit in here or else it’ll be too loud.” A barrage of fireworks went off, shaking Mike. He covered his ears quickly. “It… it’s still too loud. It hurts.”

Lucy sighed and scooted right up next to him. He really was a pitiful sight. She put an arm around him and cradled his head in her lap.
“Not a word to anyone about this.”

“I promise.” Mike whispered. “I’m sorry for letting you win earlier. I just wanted you to have fun. I… like seeing you smile.”

Lucy blushed bright red, and she was thankful Mike’s head was currently in her lap so he couldn’t see it. “Creep.” Was all she said in reply.

“I didn’t mean it in a creepy way!” Mike winced as more fireworks exploded. “I won’t do it again, though. I promise that, too.”

After more silence, Lucy swallowed some of her pride. “Well, for what it’s worth, jerkface, I always have fun when I’m with you, even when I lose.”

Mike smiled up at her. “Really? It means a lot to hear that.”

“Hey! Don’t get any funny ideas!” She huffed. “I’m still mad at you!”

“I know.” Mike said.

Lucy said nothing. She only continued to gently rub Mike’s head. They both sat in silence, with only the sound of fireworks breaking it. After a few minutes, Mike spoke up. “You don’t have to sit here with me, I’ll be okay. I don’t want you to miss the show.”

“It’s the same boring show every year.” Lucy said, rubbing Mike’s ears. “I’m fine missing it. Someone has to watch you.”

Mike smiled warmly. “Thank you, Lucy.”

“And try not to lose your earbuds again next year, idiot. I won’t do this again.” She said, though she knew this was a lie. A long time ago, long enough for her to forget when, she made a promise to protect and care for the korat if he ever needed it.

“I’ll try my best.” Mike said.

The two sat alone in silence again, Lucy cradling and caressing Mike’s head as the loud booms and explosions rattled his eardrums. Mike fo7nd Lucy so hard to read. She said one thing to him, yet acted another. Mike once heard that actions speak louder than words. It was so refreshing to see this tender side of her, and Mike considered losing his earbuds more often, but he knew that wouldn’t be fair to her.

The fireworks show came to a bombastic finale where the pyrotechnics fired off a ton of rockets at once. Lucy held Mike’s head close, and the boy closed his eyes, trying to focus on Lucy’s soft embrace rather than the pain in his ears. And just as quickly as it had started, it was over. Mike breathed a sigh of relief and sat up. The two cats sat awkwardly, wondering what the next move was.

“I better get back to my family.” Lucy said, scooting to the door.

“Wait, Lucy.” Mike took her hand. Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. “I just want you to know… I really appreciate you. If you ever need anything, let me know.”

Lucy’s eyes were wide, and her face was on total fire. Even Mike could see how hard she was blushing in the low light. Her lips curled downward into a frown, and she jerked her hand away. His little stunt was rewarded with a bonk on the head. “Well you can start by not touching me, jerkface. Who are you, Paulo?”

“Guh… sorry.” Mike pulled away from her. “Goodnight, Lucy.”

Lucy opened the car door and hopped out. “Goodnight, Mike.” She shut the door, and as soon as she had walked out of sight of the car windows, she rubbed the hand Mike had taken and smiled. He always said the obvious, but it was nice to hear it every time. Perhaps one day she wouldn’t be so nervous when he did.

Chapter Text

Paulo drove down the old dirt road through the woods. David was in the passenger seat, head out the window, tongue out his mouth, and ears flapping in the wind. “C’mon, dude.” Paulo said, not taking his eyes off the road. He didn’t need to look to know what David was up to, they’d driven around together a lot. “Stick your head back in before a tree takes it off.” It was a very real concern, as the trees on either side were getting closer and thicker the further down the road they went.

“Aww, that’s no fun, babe.” David said, but he did as his partner asked. Today was a very important day, and there was no need for any extra risk taking. “You should try it sometime! It’s a lot of fun!”

“How? I need to keep my eyes on the road, and you don’t have a license, Davie.” Paulo said.

“That’s ‘cause I like it when my man drives me everywhere.” David stuck his tongue out playfully at Paulo.

“And I like it when you have a head.” Paulo frowned, hunching behind the steering wheel.

David leaned over to him. “Oh, I know how much you like my head.” He said with some eyebrow wiggles.

“Sh-shut up…” Was all the orange cat could muster to say behind all his flustering.

The road became more and more unkempt as they drove down, with it gradually turning into grass with some tire treads leading down from its numerous uses. However, this was not a place known to many. In fact, outside of Paulo and David, the only people who knew were the two who worked there. Today would be something new for them, for everyone they knew, for the world. Yet, they would never know.

At the end of the path sat an unassuming log cabin with two cars parked out front. On top were several solar panels, and around it were various flowers and bushes. Although, there was no mailbox. Paulo pulled up alongside them and put his car in park. The two guys sat in silence for a moment, looking at the building before them. It was now that the car was parked and the engine was off that they noticed how quiet it was. Not a dreadful, eerie silence, but one that evoked privacy. They were definitely off the grid now. There was a reason they’d come so far, and they’d need all the privacy in the world. It was hard enough being a same sex couple, but an interspecies one at that - it defied all social norms. Not that they ever cared about such things.

Paulo looked at the building with concern. The closer they got to why they were there, the more options for backing out diminished. He loved David, but was this too… extreme? “Are you sure about this, David?”

David took Paulo’s cheeks in both his hands so he could turn his eye to his. With all the seriousness he had ever seen David muster in all his life, the dog replied. “Babe, I have never been more sure in all my life. Let’s do this.” And for added effect, he leaned in and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Now let’s go make us a baby.”

They got out and made their way to the front door. The storm that had been chasing them since they left their house was now arriving. David rang the doorbell, and then nothing happened. He rang it again. Still, nothing. He furrowed his brow and rapidly hit the button, setting off a cacophony of rings that overlapped each other. Paulo grabbed his hand. “David, I think they get the-”

He was cut off as the ground beneath them gave way. The world around them moved up, and they went from seeing a wooden door to a gray metal wall. Paulo yelped in terror while David yelled in delight. Their fall slowed as they fell onto a gradual slide that brought them down, down, down, until that too ended. Both guys slipped off into a foam pit in a dark room, with David landing on top of Paulo.

“Gah, get off me!” Paulo said, struggling to pull himself up out of the foam.

David scrambled off the somali and pulled him up into a hug. “That’s not what you were saying last night.”

Paulo groaned but hugged him back. There was a moment of peace between the two, where they gathered themselves while enjoying each other’s embrace. It was moments like this, despite David’s teasing, that Paulo remembered why he loved him so much. He was warm, and strong, and though goofy, he knew he would have his back no matter what. This moment of peace was broken when some lights came on.

“Ohhhh, isn’t this so sweet!” Came a sing-songy voice from across the room. Paulo and David broke apart.

“Sure.” Said another. “It’d be a lot sweeter if they weren’t late.”

“Sorry we couldn’t find your creepy serial killer cabin deep in the woods on time, Susan.” Paulo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “We’ll be sure to teleport next time.”

“Hey Susie-baby! And hey Daisy-baby!” David chirped, running over to give them both a hug. “It’s been soooo long!”

“We saw you last week.” Sue stated flatly.

“I know!” David frowned. “It’s still too long!”

Paulo frowned too. Any time away from Sue wasn’t long enough for him. Daisy, though, he missed. She was granted a hug from him. “Good to see ya, Daze.”

The ragamuffin hugged back. “Good to see you too, Paulo!”

Sue cleared her throat. “Now that all of that is out of the way…” She looked at Daisy and tapped her wrist.

“Ah, right! We’re on a tight schedule.” Daisy gasped.

“Even tighter since they’re late.” Sue grumbled.

“Alright, we get it!” Paulo said back, annoyed.

Sue and Daisy led their friends to the next room, which was much larger than the foam pit room. Unlike the foam pit room, there was a mess of equipment spread across the floor. Instead of bare walls there were computers with lights all over them, emitting various beeps and boops. They were almost dancing across the floor in an effort to avoid tripping over the wires that criss-crossed between the machines.

The lighting was dim as well, and the air was filled with a sanitized smell. In the center of the room was a machine with two spots for test tubes in the center. On top protruded a metal rod. Next to the little machine were two small vials and needles. Next to the platform was a large metal lever sticking up from the ground. The two women moved to the other side of this platform, with Paulo and David standing in front of it.

“All of this is under the radar, understood?” Sue said sternly. “No one can know about this. Not Mike, not Lucy, not family, no one else. If anyone asks, you adopted your child.”

“Yes ma’am!” David said, saluting. “Not even Santa Clause will know!”

“This is serious, Davie!” Daisy said. “This isn’t accepted by the medical community, we can get in trouble for this!”

“How much trouble?” Paulo asked, now feeling more nervous than ever.

“Like, we will go to jail for the rest of our lives for doing this, trouble.” Sue said, her eyes boring into his.

“What’s love without a little danger?” David clapped Paulo on the back. “David Jr will be worth it!”

“But first, we’re going to need some DNA from both of you!” Daisy said. There was a moment of silence in the room, save for the whirring and beeping of the machines, that turned awkward.

“Right here? Right now? In this room?” David asked, looking around.

“Well, yeah. How else are we supposed to make a baby with you two?” Sue asked, slightly annoyed.

“Well we’re gonna need a bed or something…” David looked back at the foam pit room. “But maybe we can make due with the foam. Oh, and are you two going to watch? Paulo has a hard time getting it on in front of others.”

“NOOOO, not like that!” Sue pinched the bridge of her nose. Daisy giggled and Paulo looked like his head was on fire. “Blood! We just need some blood!”

“In that case, take all the blood you want!” David put his arms out. “David Jr. needs it more than me.”

Daisy picked up the two small vials and two small needles. “Just a few little drops will do, David.”

“Me first, me first!” Said the dog excitedly, putting his finger out. Daisy took the needle, poked his finger, and held one of the vials under it to catch a few drops of blood. Sue followed up with a small piece of cloth to clean up the excess, and placed a bandage over it. The same was done for Paulo, who jolted a little at the prick.

“Aww, want me to kiss it better, babe?” David puckered his lips.

“It’s fine.” He mumbled, but still let David kiss his finger after Sue cleaned it up.

Daisy placed the test tubes in the machine. The holders they were in lifted up further into the machine out of sight. Sue ran down some final checks on everything else. She swiped her pen off on the column of boxes after monitoring each machine for a few moments. Above them came the muffled sound of the pitter pattering of rain. The storm had finally come over them. Daisy and Sue scrambled to prime a few last switches in preparation. All the while, David and Paulo stood back and watched them interacting with all sorts of unimaginable machines.

A button was pressed and with a loud whirring the ceiling above them slid open to reveal the facade cabin above. The roof of the cabin also opened in sync with both the left and right sides tilting away down the middle, letting the storm into the basement they were in. Everyone put their hands above their eyes to block out the rain from them. The clouds were dark and violent, the wind howled and pelted the rain down faster.

“Okay, I think we’re ready. We’ve got this one shot until the next storm so let’s make it count!” Daisy said over the noise of the storm with excitement and anticipation in her eyes. “Susie! Throw the switch!”

Sue nodded and gripped the large lever placed next to the platform. She tugged on it a few times to no avail, but a pair of strong orange hands joined hers. “Now.” Paulo said. Sue nodded, and pulling together the lever tilted back and the platform jolted to life. It slowly raised up toward the turbulent sky.

“What’s with the Doctor Frankenstein approach?” David asked Daisy, also raising his voice to speak over the storm.

“This process requires a lot of power, even more than the solar panels can provide.” Daisy said back. “We had to do this in total secrecy, and the surge in power it would cause on Roseville’s power grid would cause suspicion.”

“Lightning might be a bit overkill.” Sue followed up as she and Paulo joined the others. “But it ensures that we will have more than enough power for this. Understand, creating life takes a LOT of energy!”

The platform reached the apex of its journey, stopping just above where the roof used to be. The storm raged, as though insulted they dare present it with such an odd device. Lightning thrashed and crashed, and when it hit its peak, a stray bolt found its way to the metal rod sticking up from the machine. There was a deafening crash like an explosion, and sparks flew. The four below had to cover their faces and jump back as hot fire rained down upon them and dissipated.

“That should be good!” Daisy called over the din.

Sue nodded and went back to the switch, now able to pull it back herself since it was loosened up from before. The platform jolted to life and lowered, and once it was low enough, Daisy hit the button she had hit before to close the roof and the floor. The platform still made its way down slowly, careful to not cause the machine that was on it to fall off it. It slid into its regular waist high position, and went silent.

And so did the rest of the room. It was like everyone, the machines, the building itself, was taking a deep breath. There was a small beep, a green light came on, and both Daisy and Sue relaxed with a sigh.

“Is that it?” David asked, leaning over to the machine.’

“Do you even know what ‘it’ is?” Sue asked, not impressed by his lack of understanding, but not surprised either.

“We just created life! I think…” Daisy said, using her pencil to scratch her chin.

“Oh, goodie!” David said, now pacing around the platform. “So where does the baby come out at..?”

“It doesn’t happen like that, idiot.” Sue chided. “It still has to gestate for nine months, just like normal.”

“But you can come back and see it at any time!” Daisy smiled. “Speaking of… did you two want a boy or a girl?”

“We’ll let them decide!” David said enthusiastically.

“That’s very good, David, but we have to pick one for it to be biologically.” Sue rolled her eyes. “So male or female?”

“Male.” Paulo answered before David could reply. “Let’s just go with male.”

“Male it is!” Daisy said, writing down on the clipboard. “Well, that’s it then, guys. We’ll give you updates as they happen! For now, you’re free to go. You can head up and out through the stairs over there.” She pointed to a staircase that neither Paulo nor David had noticed before in the corner.

David took Paulo’s hand and kissed his cheek. “I’m so excited, babe! I can’t wait for our baby!”

“Me too, bud.” Paulo smiled back. The boys waved goodbye to their friends and left hand in hand, looking forward to a bright future with their little baby boy. They buckled up in their car and drove off, talking about how life would be when it finally arrived, and all the preparations that would have to be made.

Chapter Text

Paulo sighed and kicked a dented rusty can up the sidewalk. He’d been doing it for the last block or so, procrastinating yet another Monday. The start of another lousy day that was the firing gun for another lousy week at school. If he had it his way, he would spend the rest of the day kicking this can all the way to Canada. It would be far less boring, and the time would fly faster. His classmates breezed past him, far more concerned about being late than he was.

‘Why rush?’ Paulo wondered to himself grumpily. ‘It’s gonna be just the same as last week… and every week since we started school.’

The somali gave the little can, which looked worse for wear since when he started his beatdown on it, an extra hard kick. This sent it sailing down the sidewalk, past the school’s front steps. Paulo looked up at the busy double doors at the top of them and groaned. No beating around the bush anymore, or kicking around the can for that matter. Paulo went to join the rest of his class when he was stopped by a very disappointed Jasmine.

“You aren’t just going to leave that there, are you?” She asked with a small huff. She was part of the environmental club and had been beamed by her fair share of old cans.

“Whuh?” Paulo looked at her confused.

“That.” Jasmine pointed to the can Paulo had been kicking. “That’s bad for the environment.”

Paulo wanted to just blow by her, but her look of disappointment won out over his laziness. Him and Jasmine had been close once, and even after they broke up he still found himself unable to say no to her. “Alright, babe. Just ‘cause you asked.” He said with a wink.

Jasmine gave him a smile of approval as he walked back down the steps to pick up the can. Once she was sure he would keep his word, she went on into the school. Paulo bent over to grasp the can, and as he did so he heard faint sobs drifting through the air. At first he was not so sure, but after a few moments it was clear someone was nearby, crying. And that crying… sounded very familiar. Paulo’s heart pounded, hoping it wasn’t who he thought it was.

He looked around for the source (and a trash can), and found his suspicions were true. Huddled by herself, crying in a corner hidden away by one of the bushes that lined the front steps, was Daisy. She was in quite a disheveled state, and was covering her face as she sobbed. The somali’s heart raced and he rushed over to her. “Daisy! What’s wrong?!”

The girl in question was unable to respond through her tears and her hands. As Paulo got closer, he saw there was something else mixed in with the tears dripping down her face - there was blood. Fear and anger seized him and he tossed the can aside, Jasmine’s ire forgotten. “Daisy, are you okay?”

Daisy was too scared to let herself open up, but Paulo put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Daze. It’s me.”

The girl lowered her hands slowly, looking at Paulo’s concerned face through teary eyes. When he saw what had happened to her, he couldn’t believe it. A few of her whiskers were missing, and in their place were spots of dripping blood, making a mess on her. He held in his gasp, but spoke all the same. “Oh my god, who did this to you?!”

Daisy shook her head, and threw her arms around him. Paulo took her into his embrace with no hesitation, and for the first time she spoke up, but her voice came out as more of a choke between sobs. “I-it h-h-hurts, Paulo… it h-hurts s-ss-so b-bad!”

Paulo held her close as she cried into him, and couldn’t tell if it was Daisy who was shaking them with sadness, or him shaking with rage. Whoever did this to her, whoever hurt his delicate, innocent friend, would pay tenfold. He didn’t know how, but it would be brutal. For now, he focused his efforts on comforting his friend, who was beside herself with grief. “It’s okay…” he whispered softly to her. “I’m here now… you’re safe…”

Daisy nodded, but took a few more moments before her tears could slow enough for her to think straight. Once she’d regained her composure, she let go of Paulo and sat up. The bell rang before either of them could speak, and Daisy, the straight-laced student that she was, got up to get to class. “We’ll b-be late…” she sniffled.

“I’m more concerned about you.” Paulo said, standing up as well. “We need to take you to the nurse’s office! This is serious.”

Daisy shied away from this idea. She had always had perfect attendance, and she’d come too far to give up on that now. Paulo could almost hear these doubts in her mind, so he tried to compromise. “The nurse will give you a late pass. I’m not letting you go to class without seeing her.” He said firmly.

Daisy nodded and hugged his arm. “L-let’s go…”

Paulo walked with her up to the school, a ferocious blush spreading across his face with each step. It was compounded further by the fact that everyone who was now hurrying to class faltered to look at them, including Mike who was just now sliding into their homeroom. The hallway crowd drained into the classrooms along the sides, leaving just Paulo and Daisy to walk by themselves. Daisy still sniffled occasionally, though she took shelter under Paulo’s arm, her face still hurt terribly.

“Who did this to you?” Paulo asked again simply, doing his best to hide his rage, but Daisy knew better.

“Paulo… I d-don’t want you t-to do anything th-that’ll get you in t-trouble.” She said quietly.

“I just wanna know who did it.” He said back.

Daisy shook her head. “I know what you’re going to t-try and do…”

Paulo and Daisy stopped at the nurse’s door. “I’m not going to let someone treat you like this.”

“And I’m n-not going to let you g-get suspended…” The ragamuffin replied back, looking fiercely into his eyes through her blurry ones.

Paulo sighed in defeat. “Fine.” And he opened the door for her.

The nurse was scribbling down on a clipboard when they two walked in. She looked up with a smile. “Good morning, how may I help - oh goodness!” Her peppy demeanor dropped when she saw the two disheveled students shuffle in. It was now Paulo realized that he too was covered in blood, which was very visible on his white furry chest.

“It isn’t what it looks like, nurse.” Paulo said. “I found her outside, and she was hurt.”

“I see.” The nurse said, placing down her clipboard and looking Daisy over. “Can you hop up on my bed here?” She asked, gesturing to a light blue bed made of foam. Daisy did as was instructed while Paulo took a seat in a chair by the door. The nurse got a better look at Daisy’s face, gently moving it around with her hand. “Where are your whiskers?”

The nurse pulled away to get some warm water and a washcloth. Daisy’s eyes shifted from the nurse to Paulo, who was listening intently. The girl looked down and fumbled with her fingers anxiously. “I, uh… it was an accident. I pulled them out by accident.”

“Come on now.” The nurse placed the bowl next to Daisy on the bed. “You don’t expect me to believe that. People don’t just accidentally pull out several of their whiskers. Who pulled them?”

Daisy could feel Paulo’s eyes boring into her, like he was trying to get into her mind to find the answers. The warm washcloth wiping up her face gave her an excuse not to talk, but the nurse talked for her. “Was it that boy?”

Daisy sat up straight, having slouched during her lie. “No! Not him! Really!”

“Then who?” The nurse said, wringing out the rag in the sink.

Daisy spotted Paulo’s expecting look, and sighed. She’d rather the bully get away with it than Paulo get in trouble for going after him. “I’d rather not say…”

The nurse stood back and pursed her lips. “Well you’re going to have to say who eventually, this is a very serious thing.” Daisy nodded. She hated lying and dodging an adult’s questions, but Paulo meant so much more to her.

The bowl was poured back into the sink, and Daisy’s face was bandaged up, and she was written a late pass. “May I wait for Paulo?” She asked.

“I don’t see why not.” The nurse shrugged. She gave Paulo a clean rag and allowed him to wipe himself down.

“Did you see who did that to her?” She asked him.

“I did not. I’d love to know, though.” He growled, anger in his eyes.

“Well get yourself cleaned up, you both need to get back to class and I need to write a report on this.” The nurse said sternly, not entirely thrilled about Paulo’s attitude.

Paulo cleaned up the rest of the blood to the best of his ability given the limited resources and walked out the nurse’s office with Daisy. The girl saw her reflection in a window as they strolled down the hall to their homeroom and fretted. “I look so ugly now! Even more than usual...”

Paulo frowned at her. She was a little bit of a mess with her face covered in bandages, but by no means ugly. “Don’t say that about yourself. You’ve always been good looking.”

A new sparkle shone in Daisy’s eyes as she smiled up at him. “R-really?”

Paulo blushed and got very interested in the monotonous row of lockers they were walking past. “I mean, you’re not ugly. Not even now.”

Daisy hugged his arm again. “Aww, thanks Paulo. You know, you’re really handsome too.”

The somali felt as though his chest would explode. Daisy made his heart flutter in a way no other girl could. She continued to talk in her elation. “I knew Marcus was wrong!”

Paulo stopped walking, which caused Daisy to almost fall over. “Marcus?” He asked.

Daisy’s eyes went wide as she realized her slipup. “Did I say Marcus? It was just someone on the internet who called me ugly, no one here.”

“Did he do this to you?” Paulo asked sternly.

“Paulo…” Daisy hugged him. “Please… don’t… promise me you won’t…”

Paulo’s fists were balled up as anger filled him. “I’ll have to have a talk with him later…”

“No!” Daisy said fiercely. “I don’t want you getting in trouble!”

“And just let him get away with what he did to you?” Paulo argued back. “That little weasel needs to pay!”

“No! Stop!” Daisy said again and she let go. She grabbed his face so she could stare into his eyes. “I want you to promise me! Promise me RIGHT NOW you won’t try to do anything to him!”

Paulo was beyond livid again, but he couldn’t look away from Daisy’s big beautiful, innocent eyes even if she wasn’t locking him in place. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Fine. I’ll leave him alone. But you’d better tell a teacher about it!”

Daisy let go of his face and hugged him again. “I will…”

The two stood in the hallway, hugging. Paulo held her close, his anger and frustrations melting away as Daisy’s softness healed him. Daisy herself took refuge in his arms, an impenetrable fortress from which she could hide from the worries and stress of the rest of the world. After a minute, Paulo looked up at a nearby clock. “We’re going to be so late, Daze…”

“Just a few more minutes…” She said dreamily, eyes closed.

“What are you two doing?” The nurse said, stepping out of her office to run her report to the main office. Daisy and Paulo leapt apart. “You’re supposed to be in class!”

Both of them looked quite embarrassed about being caught like that. Daisy cleared her throat. “S-sorry! I had just remembered something from this morning. About who pulled my whiskers.”

“Oh?” The nurse raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Are you ready to open up about it?”

Daisy nodded and took Paulo’s hand. She walked them to the nurse. “So, what happened was this…”

Chapter Text

Sue looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. ‘This is such a stupid idea…’ she thought to herself. It wasn’t a thought that didn’t occur to her frequently. All of her best laid plans and ideas always came with the small bit of cynicism that whatever she was about to do was a stupid idea. On that frosty December evening, however, she felt especially foolish. Rachel had invited everyone to come to her Christmas party - yes, even Sue - and the burmese was determined to make the most of it. The plan was simple, and at the time, she thought it was rather ingenious. Using an elastic pole, she fashioned her holly necklace on the end, with the other end sunk firmly into her Santa hat. It acted as a portable pseudo mistletoe. Now it acted as a lightning rod for her self doubt.

She yanked it off. The naysayer part of her mind was right. This was a stupid idea. What was she going to do? Walk up to every guy at the party, waiting for them to get the idea and maybe kiss her? Well, sort of. Now that McCain was gone, she’d been feeling rather lonely. It wasn’t the most elegant solution to her loneliness, but her social skills made it difficult to find someone else. Most others just looked her over anyway, whether romantically or otherwise. Sue looked down at the limp hat in her hand, holly necklace still bouncing from the sudden jerk. Besides, did it really match her green Christmas sweater?

Attempts at a holiday kiss aside, it was still kind of an amusing idea, the motivational side of her argued. Sue smiled a little bit. Yeah, it was kind of funny. At the very least, it could act as a conversation starter.

“What’s the deal with the hat?” One partygoer might say.

She’d smile back, happy someone noticed.
“Oh, just my attempt at a new invention - Mistletoe On The Go.”

They’d both laugh and maybe find something to talk about. The negative part of her mind kept telling her it was stupid still, so Sue made a compromise. She’d bring it along just in case, and see how things go. Better to have it than not, the girl reasoned. There was no time to make any further decisions, as a knock on the bathroom door signified she was out of time.

“Susan dear, you’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon.” Her mother said from the other side. It was true, Sue was spending more time than she’d like to admit just staring at her potentially poor decision in the mirror.

She nodded to herself. It was do or die time. “Coming.” She replied, and opened the door. “I’m ready.”

The snow for that evening was already beginning to drift lazily down as Sue and her mother piled into the SUV. The sun had set over an hour prior, but with all the Christmas decorations and lights that lined the houses in her cul-de-sac, it was as bright as ever, with the added benefit of even more colors. Christmas music played over the radio, as it had since the clock struck midnight on November 1st. Sue looked out the window passively as they drove slowly down the road past all the houses dressed to the tee with Christmas cheer. The music on the radio was turned down.

“Is everything okay, dear?” Her mother asked, concerned.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Sue turned her head to smile at her. “Just looking at all the lights. Maybe getting some ideas for our house next year.”

Her mother smiled. Her little Susan was always trying her best, thinking of new ways to improve things. She was very proud of her daughter. “Well, you spent a fair amount of time in the bathroom, I just don’t want you forcing yourself to go to this party if you aren’t feeling well.”

“Oh, it wasn’t anything like that!” Sue waved the idea away. “I was just… thinking.”

“About what?” Her mom inquired.

Sue frowned. Her boy problems were so stupid, and she didn’t want her mom to think she was getting unfocused from other aspects of her life. On top of that, it was just simply embarrassing. “About the party.” It wasn’t a lie.

“Anything about it in particular?” Her mom asked.

Sue shrugged and looked back out the window. “Not really. Just looking forward to seeing my friends.”

Her mom looked at the back of her head knowingly. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Alec leaving, would it?”

Sue grimaced. Her mother was too sly to let anything about her pass under the radar. “I just… am looking forward to hanging out with my friends.” This was also not a lie, but the half truths were beginning to pile up. Enough of them and she would be lying.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to seek new companionship.” Her mom assured her. “Just don’t let it lead you to doing anything foolish.”

“I won’t, mom.” The hat in Sue’s lap was gripped a little tighter. What was the point of probing her if she knew all the answers anyway? Sue sighed and rested her head on the SUV window. Without another word, her mother turned the radio back up and let it play them off until they reached Rachel’s house. The driveway was packed, with cars spilling out into the street which was slowly beginning to be covered in a thin blanket of snow.

“Your friend knows a lot of people.” Sue’s mom commented, looking over all the cars and party goers walking around the yard and in and out of the house.

“Rachel’s really nice.” Sue smiled, opening the door to get out. “She always remembers to invite me to things.”

“How could anyone forget that pretty face?” Her mom smiled at her daughter as she stood on the outside. “You have your phone, right?”

Sue nodded and lifted up the little flip phone. “Yes, mom.”

“Alright. You call me if anything comes up.” The mom replied. “I’m just down the road, snow or no I will be right up here.”

“Thanks mom.” Sue said as she shut the door. “Drive safe!”

“Love you, sweetheart.” Her mom said through the closed door. And with that, she peeled off, carefully navigating the congested street.

Sue took a deep breath and looked at the party house ahead. Much like the rest of Roseville, it was covered from base to chimney in all manner of christmas decorations. As she walked to the front door, she recognized some classmates, but none of them paid her mind. They were too busy excited about the snow, wondering if it would stick long enough to cancel school Monday. It was a fool’s hope, but it didn’t stop them from dreaming.

No sooner had Sue stepped through the front door, she was rushed by Rachel. “Oh, there you are!” She said sweetly. “I was worried you weren’t coming.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Sue smiled, happy that someone had said hi. She gripped her Santa hat behind her.

“Mike, Lucy, and the others are already here.” Rachel said, taking the hand that wasn’t currently hiding her little plan. She led Sue through the party that was already in full swing over to where her friends were hanging out.

“Hey guys!” Sue said brightly. Amaya looked over and their eyes lit up immediately, waving enthusiastically.

“Susie! I was worried you wouldn’t make it!” Daisy squeaked, giving her a big hug.

“What’s that?” Lucy asked, noticing the hat with the odd bauble bouncing off the end as she swung her arms around to hug Daisy.

“N-nothing!” Sue said, quickly pulling away and putting it back behind her. “Just a hat. It’s a bit warm in here so I’m not wearing it.”

“You’re warm?” Mike shivered with his short fur. “I’m still cold.”

“Maybe you need a second scarf.” Lucy said. “Cover that ugly face.”

Mike frowned at her, but before he could retort, Rachel interjected “Have you guys seen Paulo?”

“I think he went to stop David from spiking the punch.” Lucy said, trying to keep herself from laughing at Mike’s unamused look.

“But the punch is already alcoholic!” Rachel said.

“Not that kind of spiking.” Daisy laughed. “She means literal spikes.”

Sue smiled brightly. Her friends were happy to see her, and now she was more invigorated to enact her plan. She just needed to step away. “Rachel, where is the restroom?”

“Just this way.” She said, taking her free hand again and leading her through the throng. They arrived at the bathroom, which was thankfully unoccupied. “If you need me, I’ll be looking for Paulo. Feel free to make yourself at home!”

Sue went in the room and closed the door as Rachel hurried off. She looked at herself in the mirror as she had done earlier. This was it. No going back. She slowly lifted the hat atop her head and placed it between her ears. With a little adjustment, it was centered, and the holly necklace end was bouncing off the end of the rod like a carrot on a stick. Though this carrot was not for her to follow, it was to guide others to her.

Sue opened the door without looking where she was going, focused on the dangling holly. This resulted in her walking right into something - or someone. An orange and white someone wearing a Santa outfit. “Hey, watch where you’re going!” It said.

Sue backed up and shook the crash off. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to- oh.” She grimaced as she saw who it was. Paulo was looking at her rather unamused, but the dangling leaf between them quickly caught his eye.

“Wait, what is this?” He grabbed the little red berry and pulled it down. “Is this - no way.”

“Let it go!” she growled, afraid that yanking it away would cause it to rip off. She had just worked up the confidence to do this, and did NOT need Paulo crapping all over her idea.

“That’s a really cute use of your necklace.” He grinned. Then a new sparkle came into his eye and he let it go, letting it bounce around between them. “Hey, you took this idea from me!”

“What?! No I didn’t!” Sue protested, taking a step back, face red from his compliment (though she couldn’t tell how genuine it was). “Why would I try to copy any of your ideas?”

“I did this same thing at Tess’s Christmas party, remember?” Paulo laughed. “And a lot of good it did me! I can’t even imagine how terribly it’s gonna go for you!”

Now Sue remembered, and it made her all the more flustered, which she hid by being stubborn. “Well that’s because you’re an idiot!” She retorted. “I actually thought this through, my plan is far more sophisticated.”

“Yeah, okay.” Paulo rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, SUSAN.” He looked around. “I’m gonna go enjoy the party like a normal person. I don’t need no mistletoe scheme to get kisses from hot babes. Good luck!” He said, laughing as he walked off.

Sue frowned at him and stuck her tongue out once his back was turned. Paulo WAS an idiot, Sue figured the only thing stupider than him was a bag of rocks. People actually LIKED her… or at least she thought they did. Everyone that night seemed to be happy to see her. She turned heel and made it her goal to score at least two kisses before the end of the night, and then spend the next year rubbing it in his face. He’d only managed to get kissed by Tess, and Sue was certain there were plenty of boys at the party that’d be interested in her.

So off she was, navigating around, holly bobbing, looking for a potential target. This proved more difficult than she imagined. It turned out life wasn’t as cut and dry as her daydreams. Though it could have been more that she was too socially awkward to just walk up to boys and start talking. And while she got some strange glances from time to time, no one actually stopped to ask her about her hat. That was fine though, she knew plenty of guys. There was Mike, and David, and Paulo, and Abbey, and… well, McCain was long gone by now. And Paulo was TOTALLY out of the question.

While Sue wandered with her mind everywhere but where she was, she accidentally bumped into Mike who was also roaming around the party. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Sue!” He laughed sheepishly. “I was wondering where you’d gone.”

Sue smiled brightly at him. Opportunity had shown up and was knocking on her door. “After the bathroom, I just went to get something to drink.” She lied.

“Ah, I see.” Mike said, eyes shifting down to her empty hands which were nervously wringing each other. His eyes shifted back up and spotted the holly necklace. “That’s a fun idea!” He smiled. “Reminds me of when Paulo did something similar.”

Sue did her best to hide her disappointment behind her smile. It was bad enough that Paulo called her out for it, now Mike was remembering. Was everyone else thinking the same thing? “I wasn’t even considering that when I thought of it.”

“Well, it’s nice. It suits you.” Then Mike said with great enthusiasm. “I should tell Sandy about it! I bet it’d look really cute on her!”

The wind was knocked out of Sue’s sails. Of course Mike was still pining over Sandy. And the way he acted, there was no way he’d kiss another girl while he was still pursuing her. “I’m sure it will.” She said, her smile falling.

“If I’m being honest, though, I’ve been feelin’ pretty lonely without her.” Mike sighed wistfully, looking at his phone. “I wish she was here.”

This could be her chance. Sue did feel bad about encouraging Mike to cheat on Sandy, but there’s no way she would let Paulo win. “Well… maybe you just need something to take your mind off her?”

Mike shook his head and his smile returned. “No, I’ll be okay. I have to be strong for her, you know?”

“Of course, Mike.” Sue said, disappointed again.

“I’m gonna go step outside. Kinda loud in here, y’know?” Mike waved goodbye as he started walking away. “Talk to ya later!”

“Yeah…” Sue gave a fake smile. “See ya.”

The burmese cursed under her breath. If she was being honest, if she could kiss any guy she knew without any qualms it was Mike. Everyone else she wouldn’t mind kissing too horribly… but it wouldn’t come without some hyping herself up. As she walked around the party some more, she scoped out who was there. Simon, maybe… nope, he was too busy smooching Katie. Perhaps Jake? From the way he was eyeing John, another classmate of hers, he was probably not too interested in her, or any girl for that matter. Leslie was there… and then he wasn’t. She overheard him as he was going for the front door about his parents wanting him home. Thomas was a bust too. It would be hard to convince him to kiss her… while he was passed out asleep on the couch.

Abbey crossed her path and her eyes lit up. Come to think of it, Abbey wasn’t too bad looking, and far more palatable to her personality wise than most guys. He reminded her of McCain in a lot of ways. Sue switched paths to follow behind him, when he turned around. “There you are!” He exclaimed.

Sue went to speak, but Abbey rushed past her to Daisy. “I was looking all over for you, I just got here.”

“I was worried you weren’t coming!” Daisy and Abbey nuzzled each other and Sue gave up.

As she meandered around, time ticked away. She hadn’t actually done anything to enjoy the party, just try and fail over and over again to find someone to kiss. She wanted to go back to before the party and throw the hat out before she left for it, but she’d come all this way. At this point she’d take a friendly hug. Maybe she could just lie to Paulo, there was no way he could prove she didn’t kiss a bunch of boys. But then he’d probably ask around, and it would be a massive scandal. She shuddered to think of what her mom would say if she found that out.

Ahead, she saw one final guy that was standing alone - David. Sue grimaced and groaned. David, of all the people. He was just as bad as Paulo, but for wholly different reasons. Sure, he wasn’t a teaser, but Sue couldn’t forget how he fondled Lucy’s breasts while she was unconscious on Acapulco. It was… disturbing to say the least. All she wanted was a kiss, could she trust him not to take things further? It would be easy to get one from him… Steeling herself, Sue made her way to the brown labrador.

“Heya, David.” She said a little awkwardly.

“Hi Susie baby!” He smiled. “Nice hat and bobber thing. Are you fishing?”

Sue blinked. The other thing about David was that he was pretty dumb. But then again, she was the one wearing a Santa hat with holly bouncing off it, trying to elicit kisses from guys. “No, it’s not for that, it’s for… kissing.”

David looked confused. “Aren’t you supposed to use mistletoe for that?”

“I didn’t have any.” Sue shrugged. “So I improvised.”

“I see, I see.” David walked around her, rubbing his chin, inspecting the hat. “Does it work?”

“In theory it does.” Sue frowned. “But…”

“Good enough for me!” David swiped the hat off Sue’s head and placed it on his own. “How do I look?”

“I… you…” Sue said, flabbergasted at him just taking her hat without asking. Then again, unpredictableness was on brand for him.

“So handsome you’re speechless, eh? Well that’s good!” David smiled, stepping toward her.

Sue’s heart pounded. “I-is it?” Was this really about to happen? Was David going in for a kiss? Sue prepared herself.

“Then this will TOTALLY work on that flower girl!” David stopped moving toward her face. “I asked Rachel to invite her so I could steal a kiss, and this hat is just what I need to do it with! Have a Happy Easter, Sue!” David ran off into the party, leaving Sue behind to just stare in disbelief. No kiss. Now no hat. And she’d wasted her whole time at the party, so now no fun.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to rip her hair out all at once. There was a boiling frustration inside her that was going to burst out, and she needed to find a quiet place before she made a scene. At this point in the party, things were winding down. Not too long after Leslie took his leave, partygoers one by one were saying their goodbyes, leaving behind a mess and the echoes of the fun and games they’d shared. Sue waded through gift wrapping and red plastic cups, spills of unidentifiable substances and paper plates until she came upon a room that looked like it had been left unsullied from festivities.

It was separated by two wooden doors with a large corrugated glass window that still provided some privacy. Inside was something like a study, with a crackling fireplace which was the sole source of light for the room, and a couch in front of it. Under the couch was a large ornate rug that extended toward the hearth. There were bookshelves that lined the wall full of all manner of texts, and in front of them was a big wooden desk with many details carved in it. On top were some bits and bobs, and a globe. Whoever used this space must have been an intellectual. It was Sue’s kind of room, and a great room for her to have her breakdown.

Of course, it was decorated too, but not as tacky as the rest of the house. There was a large beautifully painted picture of Santa Clause above the fireplace, and some garland and a wreath hung throughout. Sue sighed and sat on the couch, which was very soft and pliable. She seemed to melt right into it, and in the quiet of the room, save for the radio softly playing Christmas music, she thought. Sue’s eyes bore into the fireplace, watching the flames dance for a while. Tonight had been a total, undeniable, bust.

How could she have been so stupid? Of course this plan wouldn’t work. She was running around trying to get a kiss because… she was lonely? She wanted to have some fun? “Ugh.” She groaned out loud. These felt all like reasons Paulo might do it, leaving her feeling even more disgusted with herself. Her mom was right. Her desire to seek attention led her to doing something foolish. At least no one knew what she was up to. No one, except Paulo…

“Harder than it looks, isn’t it?” Said the somali from the door. He was leaning on the frame with his arms crossed and a smug expression. Sue’s dour expression turned sour as she shifted her eyes from the fire to him. “Oh, don’t give me that look. We both know it was a bad idea.”

Sue gave a sharp laugh and looked back at the fire. “If you’re here just to rub it in, you can just leave.”

“Are you admitting defeat?” Paulo said in mock surprise walking in, letting the door close behind him. “Susan is conceding for once?”

This only made her draw back further into herself. She folded her arms and stared deeper into the fire, trying to imagine Paulo in there roasting. “I don’t have to say anything to you, idiot.”

“You don’t need to.” Paulo grinned at her. “That look says everything. What happened to your sophisticated plan?”

Sue turned her head away from the fire as she felt Paulo drawing near. Instead she trained her eyes on the window in the room, watching the snow accumulate on the tree outside. “People actually like me.” She said.

“And people actually know I exist.” Paulo retorted with a frown.

Sue hung her head, ears pinned back. He was right. Everyone seemed to look right through her that night. She walked around the entire party, and no one really acknowledged her existence. She hadn’t felt truly seen since McCain, and now he was gone. Tears stung at the edges of her eyes as she thought about him. “Just go.” She said, voice cracking. “Please, just leave me alone.”

A solitary sniffle came out of Sue, and from her turned back, Paulo could see her raise a hand to clear away a tear. A sinking feeling started creeping over him, and seeped into his heart. Once again, he’d let his mouth run away from him and he took a step too far. “Are you… crying?”

Sue turned to look at him, eyes full of tears, and wet tracks already leading down her cheeks. “Y-yes! Are you h-happy now?!” She yelled. “Now g-go away!”

Sue lowered her head and sobbed as Paulo took a step back. He turned and walked toward the door when something caught his eye. The large picture of Santa seemed like it was staring down at him. No matter which way he walked, the eyes followed him, watching his every move. He looked down at a full body mirror, and saw himself wearing the same outfit. Sue’s sobs filled the air, and with a sigh, Paulo turned back and slowly made his way to the couch. The girl was too deeply in her own misery to notice him walking up and sitting down next to her. He took off his hat and anxiously played with it in his hands.

“I’m sorry.” He said gently after sitting for some time. “Really. I didn’t mean what I said.”

“No you aren’t.” She said bitterly, wiping her face. “You’ll j-just go back to bullying me on M-Monday.”

“I’m not trying to-” Paulo said, but Sue cut him off.

“But you do.” She said sternly through her watery eyes. “All of the time.”

Paulo was at a loss for words, and for a few moments, all that could be heard was the Christmas music softly playing in the background. He looked away, unable to take the awkward staring contest they were having any longer. “I thought you could take some light teasing.”

“Y-you call th-that light t-teasing?! Does it l-look like I can t-take it?!” She choked, still sobbing. “Look at me!”

Paulo did as he was told, and quickly jerked his head to look at her. In her face, her eyes, he could see all the sorrow and loneliness that had been thrust upon her. His eyes fell. “I said I was sorry. I know it doesn’t seem like I care about you, but I do. If someone was actually trying to hurt you, I would step up. Just like I’d do for any of my friends.”

Sue folded her arms and looked away spitefully. “We are NOT f-friends.” There was a lot of poison in her voice.

This hit Paulo harder than anything else she said. Maybe he felt it before, but he chose to ignore it. Now, hearing her actually say it out loud hurt. And now he knew how she felt all the times he teased her, and especially now. He did still have one ace up his sleeve. Or, his coat in this case. Paulo set his hat aside, unbuttoned a few buttons on his coat and produced another santa hat identical to it, except this one had the holly necklace dangling from it. He sat it between them and then stood up. “I swiped this from David. Figured you’d want it back.” Paulo buttoned up his coat and went for the door without another word.

Sue looked at the spot beside her to see the hat, and she lifted it up. A pang of guilt hit her. After everything she, and even he said, he still looked out for her. Paulo was just turning the handle to the door when she called out to him. “Paulo, wait.” Paulo stopped and turned on the spot. “I’m sorry.” She said. “I didn’t really mean that.”

“I guess we’re both saying things we don’t really mean tonight.” He said, trying to bring some levity. Sue nodded and patted the couch beside her.

Paulo took her que and sat back down next to her. They both sat in silence, neither looking at each other, with naught but the soft crackling of the fire, and the soothing sounds of Christmas carols over the radio. After the hecticness of the party, it was nice to take a moment to breathe and calm down. Sue’s tears had mostly dried up, the last remnants of them being wiped away from her cheeks. “What do you really mean to say, then?” Sue asked.

This was a question Paulo didn’t know how to answer. Not that he didn’t WANT to answer it, but to be honest with her would also require him to dig deep into himself and face his own flaws. Sue was everything he wasn’t. Academically motivated, trying for everything, even if she failed. Holding herself to a high standard. “You… you’re just fearless.” He said.

“What do you mean?” She asked, looking at him with her head slightly tilted in curiosity.

Paulo shrugged at the fire. “You aren’t afraid to do anything. You just go for it, even if it’s obvious it’ll end with you failing.”

“Huh.” Sue looked at the fire again. What he said did ring with truth. Of course her holly hat was doomed to fail, but she went ahead and did it anyway. She felt like she should say something nice about him, too. “Well, you… hmm… you…”

Paulo laughed at her poor attempt to compliment him back. “You don’t have to say anything. I know there really isn’t much to say.”

“No.” Sue said firmly, looking at him. “I’m going to.” Paulo nodded. Sue thought about everything she knew about Paulo - or thought she knew. He was successful in his own ways. None of her other classmates owned a car, not even Amaya, who had been working longer than him. He was confident in his own right, too, maybe overconfident sometimes, but he showed he could reel himself back in. And there was no way around it, he was really handsome. “I think you’ve gotten a good headstart on life after highschool. You’ve got a job, and a car, and I assume you have a good work ethic considering how many times you’ve won employee of the month. And… I know you’ll always look out for your friends.”

Paulo smiled at her. “Thanks.”

They went back to silence, and the radio switched to a new song. ‘Have yourself a Merry little Christmas…’ Sue fiddled with her hat in her lap, and Paulo looked down at it. He cleared his throat. “You know, I can’t help but notice you didn’t ask ME to kiss you.”

“Why would I?” Sue scoffed. The idea was totally preposterous. “You’d NEVER say yes to that.”

“You don’t know until you ask.” Paulo grinned, leaning forward.

Sue blushed and looked away. “You just made me cry, and you think I’m gonna kiss you.”

“I’m just sayin’.” Paulo leaned back. “It’d be a big win on your part. I mean, I’d never be able to convince YOU to kiss ME if I were the one wearing the hat.”

Sue laughed shortly. “This isn’t even mistletoe.” Sue held up the end of the bouncing pole. “See?”

“Oh I know.” Paulo said matter of factly, and he pointed up. “But that is.”

Sue looked up above the couch. Dangling from the ceiling, just above their heads, was a bough of mistletoe on an ornate rope. Her face lit up, and she crossed her arms, looking away. “That doesn’t change anything!”

“Well, I do owe you for making you cry.” Paulo said warmly, leaning forward again. “Let me make it up to you.”

~Faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more~ Cooed the radio.

Sue turned around to see that Paulo had scooted a little closer to her. She hoped he couldn’t hear her heart thumping like a drum in her chest. With the cozy fire, soothing music, and his handsome face, she began to feel herself being won over. “I… suppose you do owe me for being such a jerk…” She whispered to him as she leaned toward his face.

~Someday soon, we all will be together if the fates allow~

They felt each other’s warm breath on their lips as they connected. They both closed their eyes, and Paulo put his arms around Sue and pulled them together to make it easier. Sue placed her hands on his chest and melted into his embrace, pushing back into his kiss with more vigor than the boy was expecting. Perhaps it was just from her own inexperience, or maybe it was from her always giving everything she got into her endeavors. Paulo could feel her soul being put into their kiss.

After a few moments, they broke apart, reeling in the aftermath of something that was meant to be no more than just a peck on the lips to make up for ill doings. Sue took a moment to catch her breath, and Paulo looked at her in surprise. “Jesus, Sue. I… wasn’t expecting all that from- MPHFF!”

He was cut off again by her lips as Sue went in for another round. This one was slower, more methodical than the last. Her hands gently played with the buttons on his coat, and Paulo once more pulled her into a close embrace. It felt like a lot was being said between the two with just the meeting of their mouths, like years of frustration with each other being chipped away and discarded.

~And have yourself a merry little Christmas now~

The door to the study burst open and David stepped through. “Paulo, are you in here?!” Paulo and Sue threw themselves from each other, both incredibly embarrassed by getting caught, and how much their emotions had run away from them. They saw the look of glee on David’s face and felt even worse. The flashlight he was holding, now shining in their faces, highlighted their red faces even more.

Paulo hopped to his feet in a heartbeat. “It’s not what it looks like, David!” He said quickly, before the dog could open his mouth again.

“Look, if you two wanted some alone time.” He said grinning from ear to ear. “All ya had to do was ask.”

“We WERE alone, idiot!” Sue sputtered, even more embarrassed than Paulo was. “You need to learn to knock!”

“Well don’t let me interrupt.” David said coyly, slipping back through the doorway and pulling the door closed with him. “Have fun you two~”

Sue facepalmed. He had already interrupted. She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was nearing eleven o’clock. “It’s getting late…” She said, rubbing her arm awkwardly. “I should probably text my mom.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Paulo sniffed, straightening himself out. “Well, see you around I guess.” He went for the door, but when he opened it, it was pitch black on the other side. “Wait, what?”

Sue looked up from her phone, having just texted her mom. “What’s going on?”

Paulo stood aside, and Sue saw… nothing. A light suddenly came around a corner, being held by Rachel. “There you two are!” She said with a sigh of relief. “The power went out about twenty minutes ago and no one knew where you were!”

As the party had gone on, the snow had piled up higher and higher, eventually knocking out power for sections of Roseville. The room they were in didn’t have any lights on from the start, only being illuminated by the glow of the fire, so neither of them noticed. Sue looked down at her phone and groaned. “Great, there’s no signal! I guess the snow knocked out the cell towers too…”

“You two are welcome to stay the night!” Rachel offered with a warm smile.

Sue shook her head. “My mom will be worried SICK if she doesn’t hear from me… I gotta keep trying and hope something gets through.”

“I’d drive you home myself, but…” She looked across the living room through a window. “I’m not super comfortable driving through all that snow. But if you really need me too…”

“Don’t sweat it, Rach.” Paulo grinned wide with his signature confident smile and put a hand on Sue’s shoulder. “I can take her home.”

Rachel moved out the way so Paulo and Sue could come through to her living room. “Paulo… it’s really not safe…”

“We’ll be alright. I doubt anyone else’ll be on the road tonight.” He said, waving off her concerns. “‘Sides, I’ll go super slow.”

Rachel was hesitant to let them go. She loved all her friends and would feel awful if something were to happen to them under her watch. Sue was nervous about it too, but was willing to let Paulo try. “I believe in him.” She said. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything crazy.”

“Alright…” She said reluctantly. “But if you don’t feel safe, please don’t push yourself to drive out there.”

“Ohhh my gosh there they are.” David said in mock surprise. “I was looking all over for you, where were you?”

Rachel pointed her flashlight at the brown lab. “Are you going with them, David?”

David looked between Paulo and Sue, and smiled mischievously which made both of his friends go bright red. “Nawww, I’m gonna sit this one out. We can sit around the campfire, roasting marshmallows, swapping doggy stories, and in the morning, I’m making waffles! Plus…” David leaned in to Rachel. “I could totally keep you warm tonight babe.”

Rachel laughed. “Alright, I get it.” She looked back at the cats. “You two should get a move on… the snow is piling up faster than it’s melting.”

Paulo and Sue waved goodbye to their friends and headed out into the snowy darkness. Rachel watched them until they got in Paulo’s beat up old car, and then went back inside. Sue hugged herself and shivered in the passenger seat. “It’s so c-c-cold!” She said through chattering teeth.

Paulo whipped off his Santa coat and handed it over. “Put this on, then. My heater doesn’t work and it’s gonna be a slow, cold trip.”

Sue took it graciously and wrapped herself in it. It was still warm, and she felt very cozy. “What about you?” She asked, as Paulo was now facing the elements with nothing but his fur.

“I’ll be aight.” He grinned, putting the car in drive. “Somali fur. I’m gonna be nice and warm.”

Sue nodded and looked out the window as Paulo eased out from the empty driveway. Houses were completely dark, with lights hanging about unlit and inflatable decorations laying limp in the snow. The roads were totally covered in a frigid white blanket, and with it being so late, it was undisturbed. Everyone had made it home a while ago, making it smooth sailing down the streets of Roseville as Paulo had predicted. The radio barely worked, but it was enough to churn out more quiet Christmas music to fill in the quiet void between the cats.

After a few blocks, Sue spoke up. “Thank you for driving me home.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for!” Paulo said, not taking his eyes off the road. “You’re right, I am a jerk. I don’t mean to be.”

“So why do you..?” Sue asked, and trailed off.

Paulo shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just who I am, I guess. But I don’t really mean it.”

“Not everyone understands that.” Sue said. “I mean, how could they? And then… then you’re like this.” She gestured to him up and down.

“What do you mean?” He asked, still laser focused on getting Sue home safe.

“You’re… nice. And selfless.” Sue said as she snuggled inside his warm coat. “And I just don’t know how to feel about you.”

“What can I say, I’m a complicated guy. I just don’t take most things too seriously.” He let off the gas and let the car roll to a stop at a red light. He took this moment to look at Sue. “And some people just take things too seriously.”

The light turned green and he put his foot on the gas slowly again. Paulo didn’t need to spell out exactly who he was talking about when he was referring to ‘some people.’ But Sue felt her seriousness was part of her success. Even in leisurely things she took it seriously. Yet, for all his shortcomings, Paulo still had a ton of friends and people liked him. Maybe, she reasoned, people overlooked her because she wasn’t any fun. “I thought I could be fun.” She said her thoughts aloud.

“Pshh!” Paulo laughed. “Fun isn’t really something you can force. It just, you know…” He shrugged. “Happens. Spontaneously.”

“That’s a big word for you.” Sue said, impressed, but then felt bad for saying it. “Sorry.”

“No, not at all. I’m not gonna take it personally.” He shook his head. “Like, who cares? You can kiss big and I can speak big.”

Sue went super red. “Listen… I was just… you owed me and I was making sure I got my money’s worth!”

“Uh huh.” He said, rolling to a stop in front of her house. He turned to look at her. “Need I remind you, YOU were the one that went in for round two.” He stopped teasing her and spoke genuinely. “And that, Sue, was what the rest of us call fun.”

Sue’s blush would have been enough to keep her warm without Paulo’s coat, but she eased up too and smiled. “You know what? I guess it was. But don’t expect..!”

“Oh I won’t.” Paulo grinned.

“Because I don’t…!”

“I can tell.” Paulo felt like his grin might burst off his face.

They were in another staring contest, one which Sue broke off. “I’m tired.” She pulled off the coat and got out of the car. She was about to close the door when she bent down to look at him one last time. “Merry Christmas, Paulo.”

“Merry Christmas, Sue.” He replied.

Sue shut the car door and hurried around to her front door. She waved at Paulo as he slowly drove off and out of sight. There was a brief moment when her mind flashed back to their kiss, and she felt, as fleeting as the memory was, that she wasn’t so lonely anymore.