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Abbey had been acting strange for the last couple of hours, and he and Daisy drove in a silence that was uncommon for them. Their date had gone well, at least that was what Daisy had thought, he was as cute as ever and then suddenly it was like he saw a ghost. It was right at the end of the date too, right as they were leaving, his eyes went wide and his face went pale, clearly, he had seen something Daisy hadn’t…
“Abbey…” She eventually spoke, her eyes drifting from underneath her glasses to the driver's seat where her partner sat, “Where are we going…? We passed the college already, a little while ago actually.”
His response was meek and quiet, almost a whisper. The sort of tone that made it clear to Daisy he was trying to repress some kind of reaction, though to what she didn't know. “Right.. Right. I just um… There was…” He stumbled on his words a little, getting his thoughts in order enough to even speak them was a challenge right now, “I’m sorry. I just.. Realized something that I needed to do, and it couldn’t wait. I can drop you off back at your dorm first if you want.”
The Selkirk Rex let her gaze glide over her boyfriend’s face. His stance was slightly slouched, with furrowed eyebrows and anxious eyes. His hands gripped the steering wheel and his vision stayed completely transfixed with the road in a stony glare. “Don't.” She responded after a brief pause, “Whatever this is, I’m going to be with you for it.”
Abbey pulled into a backroad, and as he drove he finally broke his staring contest with the night, turning to look at Daisy when they reached a stoplight. The soft smile she gave him momentarily melted all his anxieties away, he let one of his hands drift from the steering wheel and into hers, squeezing it tightly. “Thank you… You have no idea how much everything you do means to me.”
The cream-colored cat giggled, a slight hint of blush dashing across her face, “Of course I do silly! You tell me every day!”
“A-ah.. Y-yeah.. Right.” Abbey spoke sheepishly, he looked adorable with that expression. The light turned green and their vehicle began to move again, But Abbey kept his fingers intertwined with Daisy’s. Her hands were so soft, and the warmth of her aura made him feel just a bit more comfortable in his fur.
Eventually, his car stopped, they were parked in a motel at the edge of town, its grimy neon lights the only source of brightness in the darkness of the night. They highlighted the ridges of Abbey’s anxious face in blues and magentas and made Daisy's eyes twinkle with new color. Abbey dragged a deep breath through his lungs, and the fluffy cat next to the boy turned a little in her seat to look at him.
“Seriously though sweetie… why are we here…?” But Abbey’s eyes weren’t on her, seeming to follow a person walking through the second floor of the building instead.
“There’s… there’s a person here I need to talk to. A person I haven’t seen in a very long time.” Her eyes widened, was he really talking about…
“Do you mean…”
Abbey nodded, his face was hard to read, but not because it was expressionless. His gaze was filled to the brim with anxiety, fear, anger, and determination. The brown cat let his hand rest on his partner's shoulder, “Daisy, I need you to stay in the car, for your own safety, okay?”
“Wh-, I don't want you going in there alone!” The ragamuffin shot back, “You could get hurt! Or… or..”
“I’ll be okay, I promise.” He gently interrupted, “You know I can fend for myself.” Abbey forced a smile, and after a moment Daisy sighed. She couldn’t fix his problems for him… she had learned that by now.
“Alright, but please be safe. Okay?” She placed a hand on top of the one Abbey rested on her shoulder, speaking in a stern and direct tone. Abbey nodded, with a smile far more genuine, though his eyes couldn’t shake that subtle glint that he held when he was at his limit.
“I will. I’ll see you in a second, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
And with that Abbey was gone. Daisy watched from inside the car as he walked up to the motel, not even bothering to enter the front door before taking the stairs to the second floor. The casual white dress shirt he wore was already a bit unaligned and his bangs hung heavy over his face. The Abyssinian held a fire in him that wouldn’t let him stop walking, though his heart pounded out of his chest. He moved the breath in and out of his lungs, he steadied himself, over and over he steadied himself. His feet stopped him in front of the door, and for a minute he couldn't move. Why the hell was he doing this? He could leave right now! Why didn't he? He couldn't feel his jaw locking or his nails digging into his palms as he balled his hands into shaking fists, but he knew it was happening. Abbey’s fist raised to the door, and with his eyes straight forward, he gave it three stiff knocks. The sound of approaching footsteps entered his drooped ears and visions of his past scorched the inside of his skull at lightning speeds, fury blazed in his heart and hatred festered in his mind. He regulated his breathing, but as the doorknob turned he knew he couldn't for long.
Daisy’s brown eyes followed the cat of a similar hue as he walked with his head down across the second floor of the motel, before stopping in front of one of them and knocking on the door. She clasped her hands together, she worked in a hospital for god sake and even it was less stressful than this. The insecurities of her beloved being harmed only increased when the door opened. The figure she could see from her car window and in front of her partner was old and grayed, but still drained the color from her face. This was the first time she had ever seen him, but she knew exactly who he was, She could see the resemblance in his facial features and fur patterns, in his brow, and the way his green eyes pierced through whatever they looked at. Daisy’s eyes burned holes into his expression, even though he had no idea she was there. She examined his face as the two exchanged words: first he looked shocked, and then that shock morphed to confusion, then to realization, then anger.
The breath caught in the fluffy girl's throat as Abbey suddenly was jolted by a sudden movement, violently descending with that man into the apartment. She whipped behind her, grabbing her purse and digging through it until her hands locked around the taser she carried with her. She wasn’t able to catch who made the first move, but that didn't matter to her, Abbey would never set foot in that guy's house, and if he laid a finger on her boyfriend, she was going to brutalize that motherfucker herself.
Her shoes clacked against the concrete as she stumbled out of her car, breaking into a sprint soon after. She hadn’t done cheerleading since she went off to college, but that didn't mean the girl couldn't run. She practically flew up the metal stairs and onto the second floor, running to the door to save her beloved inside.
Abbey sucked in the dusty air. There was a ringing in his ears that drowned out any thoughts he could have besides his pure instinct. He was stupid for thinking he would be able to hold a conversation with him, even the sight of his face set Abbey’s mind alight with rage. He felt a fist whiff him before a blow landed right to the side of his head. However, he wouldn’t stumble, catching himself on his heel and the oldened hand that gripped his shirt. The Abyssinian snapped back with a complete lack of hesitation, landing two sharp blows to the chest and one right in the face. The rhythm of a crack rippled up from beneath Abbey’s fist, but he felt nothing. His jaw was locked, and his body was moving on its own.
The ragamuffin mix skidded to a halt in front of the door, keeping her glasses from falling off with one hand and gripping her taser in the other. Her shaking hands fiddled with the doorknob before finally forcing the jammed bitch open. She rushed in and her eyes widened in horror. One figure sat hunched over another, lying prone in a pool of their own blood. The shards of a shattered vase were scattered across the floor, there was a stroke of blood across the end table, as if someone had hit their head. Daisy’s brain flooded with the worst of conclusions, but as she approached the figures she noticed the greyer fur on the body in the blood… the cracked and bent glasses lying with it… It wasn’t Abbey who had lost the fight… it was…
When Abbey had come to his senses his father’s corpse lay in front of him, and his fury melted away, being replaced with a mortal terror. Blood coated his trembling hands and stained the cuffs of his sleeves, and as he looked down at those hands his terror grew. He was just like him… no, he was WORSE. He had stalked a man to a motel at the edge of town, went to his door, and then beat him to death. His righteous fury collapsed in on itself, completely consuming him as he fell to his knees. What had he done? Why had he done it? He had every chance to turn back, but he didn't. He had every chance to spare his life, but he didn't. He could have just driven home with Daisy and never thought about this again, but he didn't. Oh, Christ, Daisy… how could he ever return to whence he came, looking the best thing to ever happen to him in the eye to show her what a monster he really was?
Fortunately for him, Daisy was already here, in the room with him and squeezing him tightly, however, everything was too loud and bright for him to realize she was there. Only after some time of hyperventilating, unable to break eye contact with his fallen kin, did he feel Daisy’s warm arms wrapped around him, pulling him back from collapsing into himself. She had been speaking the whole time, in a hushed and deeply disturbed tone, yet she held herself very close to him, her taser lying on the ground beside her. He turned to look at her, craning his jaw open to speak.
“Y… You… were s-supposed to s-stay… in the c-car..” Abbey’s eyes were still small and trembling in fear, and Daisy returned that look with a furrow of her brow.
“You thought I would just hang around in the car after you got dragged out of my sight??” Abbey didn't respond, his eyes only softened in a deep sorrow, “Hell no!!!” She answered for him.
“I… I…” His eyes couldn't leave hers, even after hers left his, scanning over the mess she was in front of, “Y-you need t-to run… Y-you need to call the cops... I-I’m… I’m a-”
“Oh please Abbey don't even start.” She cut him off, squeezing him tighter.
“W-wha-”
“Do you SERIOUSLY think that I’m going to call the cops on my own boyfriend for beating the hell out of the person who ruined his life? Do you really think I’m going to think you’re a monster for that?” Abbey’s breath caught for a moment as she had completely read his mind, refuting his claim that he was a monster before he could even make it.
“B-but… I.. I killed him, Daisy!!” He blurted out, tears forming in his eyes as he gestured to the corpse with his bloody hands, “I.. I fucking killed him..!”
She sat in silence for a minute, scanning over the cadaver with a clinical expression, similar to the way she would examine someone during her shifts at the hospital. Eventually, she turned to face him again, only now releasing him from her grip to hold his shoulders gently. “Well, I suppose we need to find a place to put the body then.”
“W-what??” He reacted in utter shock, “D-Daisy, you can’t… we shouldn't.. You’re too good too..”
She stared into his eyes with a stern determination, “When I told you I would be here for you, I MEANT it, Abbey. Through thick and thin. I don’t plan to go back on my promises to you, I know you would do the same for me.” Abbey couldn’t speak or possibly interrupt her, he only let the words flow into his ears. As she spoke in the most soothing and direct tone she could in a situation like this, the sound of her voice slowly steadied the Abyssinian’s breathing. “So… let’s get you cleaned up, get this place cleaned up, and then hide this body. Okay?”
Abbey swallowed hard, he never wanted Daisy to be a part of this... But he knew there was no point arguing with her now… and having her by his side made everything just a little more bearable, no matter what it was. He took a deep breath, and as he rose with her to his feet he spoke.
“Okay.”
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Daisy worked diligently in the main room as Abbey frantically scrubbed his hands in the sink. After a bit of work, he was able to get the blood out of his fur and down the drain, but the same could not be said for his shirt. The Selkirk rex / Raggamuffin mix was bafflingly good, at least to Abbey, at handling bodies. She had the blood cleaned in minutes using the tools at hand, and never even seemed bothered by what was in front of her as she did it. Once he was done, Abbey collected himself all he could and turned off the water with his elbow before heading back into the living room.
“I’m… impressed that you can even stomach that.” Abbey spoke softly as Daisy finished her work, stuffing Abraham into a black duffle bag.
“When you work in a hospital with surgeons you learn to not be so bothered. I’ve watched people get sliced open while they were still alive, a man with a bloody face isn’t anything I can’t handle.” It was a bit more than just what she described, but either way, the point stood. She quickly stepped over to her partner, clasping one of his hands in both of hers, and they gazed into each other for a moment. Abbey’s eyes had softened slightly now, showing the gentle emerald green that Daisy had come to adore, they were still filled with fear, but no longer a fear that was all-consuming.
“What are we going to do..?” He nervously asked, Daisy lowered her gaze in thought, before taking a pair of keys out of her pocket and placing them in the brown hand she held. “Are these…?”
“While you were in the bathroom I found the duffle bag in his car…” She spoke softly, “I think I might have an idea.”
Abbey nodded, he was not in sound mind right now, there was no way he trusted himself to make the plan. But he trusted Daisy, good god did he trust Daisy. “What’s.. What’s your plan?”
“I know a place we can take him, but we need to take his car too, so one of us is going to have to drive it. I can totally do it if you don't-”
“I’ll do it.” Abbey volunteered, “His car is a stick shift, so it might be better if I do it.” Daisy exhaled through her nose, looking away for a moment,
“Fair enough, I hate stick shifts. I can take the bag, just follow my car, alright?” Abbey nodded, and Daisy nodded back. With their plan set in motion Daisy heaved the bag onto her shoulder, said bag containing not only the cadaver but also the shards of the broken vase. After all, she wanted as little evidence as possible that anything happened in this room, so anything they touched, they were taking with them. Additionally, she kept packs of rubber gloves in her car at all times, which made her cleaning far less of a hassle. She wanted absolutely no trace they were ever there if possible, they had already gotten extremely lucky having seemed to awaken no one with the few loud sounds they did make. So as long as they had the time, Daisy wanted to make sure their way out was thorough. They moved in silence back to the car, Daisy closing the door quietly behind them, before scrubbing away the place Abbey knocked with a Clorox wipe. Eventually, they stood in the parking lot once more, and Abbey turned back to Daisy momentarily as he unlocked the car. She did as well, delivering a small nod of understanding, Abbey nodded back, even carrying a body bag she looked beautiful.
Abbey winced as he slid into the car, the smell inside bringing him back to his childhood and releasing a wave of nausea into his stomach. He jammed the keys into the car, starting it up with a stutter, before gripping the wheel. He wasn’t going to be in here for long… All he had to do was hold it together as he followed Daisy’s car. He opened up the window as he reversed out of the parking lot on the edge of town after her, quickly leaving the scene of the crime and tailing her into the depths of the woods. Even with his mind festering with self-hatred and horror at his own actions Daisy was as steadfast in her support of him as ever. His whole life he had dedicated himself to being better than those who came before him, only to end up being the very person who drew those former generations ends. He was a murderer, he knew he was, there was no way he deserved someone like her… but god damn was he happy she found him anyway.
After a long while of driving, Daisy’s car began to slow, and then pull off on the side of the road. Abbey did the same, only realizing now that they had stopped on the cusp of a bridge going over a large river. Abbey had only seen this bridge before once when he had gone out of town, and it set in how truly far away from it all they really were. As the two lovers exited their respective cars, Daisy walked up to him quickly, carrying the bag.
She gestured with her head to his father's car as she approached, “Alright.. Uh, can you open the drivers for me?” Abbey quickly did as he was told, and Daisy went to unzip the bag, before halting and turning to the brown cat with a concerned expression, “You actually might want to turn around for this… so you don't have to see it again and stuff..” Abbey’s eyes went wide before he shakily nodded, averting his gaze as Daisy fully unzipped the bag. She positioned the corpse into the driver's, carefully placing one of his shoes over the gas pedal. Before peering out over the ledge to the side of the bridge that led straight down to the river, examining her angle. Abbey stood by, leaning against the car as she did this.
“Do you uh... Can I help, or do you got it?” He asked with a nervous head tilt,
“Mmm… Yeah no I think this’ll work. Can you please move my car over to the other side of the road? The key should still be in there.”
“Course.” Abbey agreed, quickly moving ahead to her car. He kept his head down as he walked, avoiding his gruesome kill’s line of sight with all of his strength, and as he slipped into Daisy’s car again a relieved breath escaped his lungs. This car was a hundred times better than Abbey’s father’s. He would admit he was biased, but even then, her car just handled a lot better, and it only took him a moment to get her car on the other side of the road. As he stepped out and inspected the situation from a different angle, his eyes widened slightly as he could see what Daisy was planning. Looking around he found a large rock, picked it up, and carried it across the road to her.
“O-oh! Thank you!” She praised, gingerly taking the stone from Abbey once he was close enough, “I was thinking maybe I could use something from his trunk but this is much better!”
“Are you sure this will work?” Abbey asked in a concerned tone, and after inspecting her measurements for a few more seconds, Daisy nodded.
“Yep! Now stand back..” First, she leaned over, twisting the key and starting the motor. Then she carefully positioned herself and bent down, placing the rock onto Abraham’s foot and pushing the gas pedal down as far as it could go. The engine and wheels roared to life and she leaped backward so as to not potentially get her toes run over, stumbling right into Abbey’s arms as she did so. The two lovers watched as the car of Abbey’s father sped over the edge of the cliff, crashing into the massive river below and out of their view. They walked to the edge, both staring as the vehicle sunk into the deep and feeling the wind blow through their fur. Eventually, Abbey couldn't help but look at Daisy again, still peering down at the culmination of their plan, her plan.
“Why… why would you do all this shit… for me?” He muttered. Daisy only responded with a soft smile and an exhale through the nose, turning to him and taking off her rubber gloves, holding both of her hands in his. She stared into his soul for a moment,
“Abbey..” And then she leaned up, pulling him into a gentle kiss. For just a moment, Every problem in the world melted away for the Abyssinian, and he allowed himself to be entirely raptured by Daisy’s warmth. When they parted she kept her eyes locked with his, hers brimming with compassion, “You know that’s a stupid question.”
The brown cat couldn't help but smile, “I love you… so much.”
“I love you too.”