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The moon shined brightly over Gravelwood, guiding the path for two figures traveling through the dark. They moved silently, the glistening pale light highlighting the ridges of their figures as they stalked through the alleys and archways. They had done this before, in tandem with each other, silently completing their journey to their ultimate goal. Tonight, the target was the Big Pine Lanes bowling alley, defunct and abandoned since 1994. The ruin of Big Pine Lanes had sat nearly completely untouched for decades now, its doors still shut tightly and pins standing at attention in eternal vigil. A thick layer of dust covered the surfaces of the once bustling center of entertainment and games, though that wouldn't be slowing these two down, after all, a little dust was nothing to a respirator.
Amaya gently tested the handle to the back entrance, they had avoided the front door entirely, for there was no point in making their break-in so obvious. To their slight annoyance and dismay, the handle was stiff, the staff door remaining just as tightly locked as the final day it opened itself to the public. They flipped open the black bag that hung around their shoulder, feeling around under the dim moonlight until their gloved fingers wrapped around their trusty lockpick. They began their work quickly and diligently, their metal tools clicking against the old slit of the lock as they explored its inner mechanisms which hadn’t seen use in likely more years than they had lived. This was one of the things they were best at, and they loved to be helpful to their teammates when they could be, even if it was their mission.
David silently rounded the corner to catch up with Amaya then, his form still easily recognizable to the tabby even beneath a respirator and black sweater. They could tell how wide he was smiling from the way he stood and tilted his head when they both heard the click of the lock, a telltale sign that they were in. David adored having Amaya on his little adventures, and he especially loved when Amaya would come to him with an adventure of their own. He wasn’t the only delinquent in this town, far from it, but he did everything in his power to make sure he maintained that public perception. Amaya didn't deserve to be persecuted just for being the best creator he had ever seen, it wasn’t like these old buildings had anything going for them anyway. His backpack carried cans of spray paint in every color you could hope for, the majority of them not being for him, but instead for the short little artist who was carefully opening the back door.
Surprisingly, the hinges weren’t nearly as creaky as would be expected, which was great for both of them in case they had to make a quick escape. David had always thought Amaya was interesting but through these rendezvous in the dead of night, he felt as if he had grown a greater understanding of the scruffy tabby. For a person who nearly never spoke they were incredibly expressive, he even learned sign language to communicate with them quicker, which was essential when they needed to be sneaky anyway.
Not only was it essential, but they had spoken through sign language so exclusively while Amaya was actively painting that they had begun to craft more signs; ones meant to more accurately display what they were trying to convey with a spray paint can in their hands. It was exceedingly wonky at first, but the longer the two spent together the more fluid their interaction became, as if they could just feel what the other was trying to say.
Their eyes roved in tandem over the interior of the bowling alley, sharp streaks of starlit light illuminating the dust particles that hung in the air. In a way, a place abandoned by its owners is beautiful in what growth could come to it. As far as David could throw it, Amaya saw these places like a blank canvas, a painting now slathered in white, waiting for a new image to rise from its ashes; he thought their outlook was beautiful, it was the kind of thing to emulate.
The stop Amaya picked was the back wall behind the counter. Seemingly it once held picture frames of some kind, no doubt of tourney winners and former bowling champions of Gravelwood, cast into the sands of time. What Amaya would replace it with was an abstraction of that long-gone glorification, a satire on the victors lost to history. Their mind was already buzzing with ideas as they vaulted the counter, launching themselves over with enough height to barely even disturb the layer of dust that still coated it.
David, however, knew that level of precaution wasn’t exactly necessary, and he set the bag down on the counter to reveal Amaya’s artist’s tools. “What’cha plannin’?” the chocolate lab signed in questioning, leaning on the counter as he watched them whip out a can of red spray paint.
He could sense Amaya’s signature smile from beneath their mask, they were always so excited to start a new project, he suspected the time limit in these infiltrations made it more entertaining for them. “You’ll see!”
David’s eyes followed Amaya’s hands as they began their work, trailing long lines of color across the otherwise neglected wall. Though David couldn’t see their eyes move in turn, he knew they would flick back and forth to track the movement of his fingers as they did their work; sure it would be a little slower, but it was worth it for them to speak to each other. “Was there any reason you wanted to go to the bowling alley instead of somewhere else?”
The tabby paused for a moment, their head tilting down slightly as they thought, though their hands never ceased their movement. “This place just feels sadder than the other buildings. I bet it used to be so fun, you know?” David always imagined Amaya’s signing in a more eloquent tone than their actual voice. He didn't exactly know why that cadence came to him when he read the rust-furred cat’s hands, but he had the feeling that Amaya would appreciate it. Not to say that David didn’t appreciate Amaya’s real voice, the collection of times that he had heard it was great, though he understood how Amaya themself didn't agree. “Plus, I like the colors.”
“It probably would have been huh.” David pondered, his eyes momentarily casting over the bowling alleys, with their peeling colorful wallpapers, speckled with multicolored stars on a sepia background. “I would have been fucking awesome at bowling I bet.”
“That’s not a hard bet.” Amaya snickered, beginning to add other warm colors to their tapestry. “You’re basically an olympian.”
David grinned, signing out a “Ya think so?” with peppy enough hand gestures to show his physical excitement. Amaya only let out a breath of amusement, giving a little shrug of affirmation as they once again laser-focused on the task at hand. Bowling didn't work like that, it took a lot more than just strength, energy, and endurance to be good at landing a strike, but neither of them knew that so it barely mattered. The lanky dog man let himself stroll over to one of the lanes, picking up one stray bowling ball that had been seemingly left behind. It was an indigo hue, with swirls of lighter cyan decorating its surface. It had a considerable heft to it, more than David imagined it would have, and he considered trying to spin it on his finger before surprisingly reconsidering the foolish idea. “Why do you think the place shut down anyway? Do you think they found mold? I think they found mold.”
Amaya smiled wide, their eyes trailing around the place as they shook their cans once more. “Maybe, but they probably just couldn't afford to keep the place open anymore, that’s always the reason places like this close.” Though they signed it so nonchalantly, there was still a thick layer of melancholy over the sentence that prickled David’s fur.
“But that’s so boring!” David argued back, “It’s totally black mold, four hundred for black mold George!”
“If it were black mold we would know.” Amaya shot back with an amused raise of the eyebrow, that David couldn't see, but he could sense. “These gas masks aren’t high quality enough for us not to notice.”
“These gas masks could protect me against god!!” Amaya could only respond with another snicker, their art piece ever expanding across the wall and creeping up toward the ceiling. It was still hard to tell what they were going for, but David knew that it would evolve into something great, it always did. David let his mind wander as Amaya worked under the dusty skylights that highlighted their canvas. He wondered what Paulo was up to, probably with James no doubt, he was with James pretty much all of the time. Granted, James worked with Paulo, so it wasn’t always a choice for the Somali to hang out with him, but David had a feeling he would want to anyway. Honestly, if the labrador were to choose anyone besides him to ride with Paulo, it would be James; even in a town so dismal James had an undefeatable sunshine in his soul that David admired, more people should be like James probably.
Speaking of gay people, a thought popped into David’s mind and he cast his head up slightly to look at Amaya again. They were skating the lines of cooler tones now, lining their yellows with light greens. “Have you come out to Sue yet?”
The slight yet sudden jolt in Amaya’s movement signified their surprise at how suddenly the question came. They answered slowly as if they were piecing their response together only seconds before it would be signed by their hands. “Not… yet.” They finally delivered, “I guess I just haven't had the time, or the words to explain it to her.”
David tilted his head in understanding, a sympathetic glint twinkling in his eyes. Another of the things that drew David to Amaya was a shared queer identity. The majority of the residents in Gravelwood were straight or so deep in the closet they had developed a vitamin D deficiency; however, Amaya had made their identity clear to David not long after he had made his identity clear to them. It was a shared secret between them, Amaya’s identity. His open status as a pansexual was all that granted him access to that more personal section of Amaya, though how David knew wasn’t of any importance to him, he was just happy the tabby trusted him enough to lend him that intimate knowledge. It was also nice to be able to talk to another queer person who he knew was queer, it made David’s chest a little lighter when he talked about the way he felt, though he would never admit that his chest ever felt heavy in the first place. Sure, Paulo was fruity from the beginning, but it was strange with Paulo, and in secret David didn't want to dive too deep into that side of his friend anymore. He had bad memories of it, not any that mattered anymore, but at points still ached like the ghost of an old bruise. “Well why can't you just say it like you told me?”
“It's not the same.” Amaya shook their head, he understood, perhaps too well. “It's different with Sue, something about it just… makes me nervous I guess.”
“Do you wanna talk about why?”
Amaya’s head tilted downward, carefully sorting through their thoughts during the lull in their artistic creation. “I guess she's just more special than other people. I haven't told anyone else besides you, and I already knew you would be okay with it. I know she would accept me but…” their fingers tensed against the aluminum of the cans in their hands. David hated seeing anyone upset, but Amaya especially. Seeing Amaya upset was like seeing a relative relapse, it was unbearable.
“Are you scared of the chance that she doesn't?”
“I'm scared that even when she accepts me, it won't be the same.”
David's train of thought was stopped entirely by their fear. He nodded slowly, letting his head drift downward as they gradually returned to their work. In a way that was far scarier than the thought of being straight-up rejected. David would always prefer an open hostility to a slow insidious loss of what one used to love. Though even beneath the thick blanket of clouds that had covered the streaming beams of moonlight, the Labrador remained positive. He knew Sue, and there was no one Sue was closer to than Amaya.
“Oh c'mon it'll be alright!” David delivered with a smile, constructed at first, yet quickly genuine. “Sue doesn't like you because you're a girl, silly! She likes you because of who you are! Of everything you are! And knowing Sue, she probably already suspects something's up, and is just waiting for you to tell her so she can accept you with open arms.” Though his positivity was motivated by force, David really did mean everything he signed. Even through their mask, he could sense how that classic smile slowly spread across Amaya's face again, and he pumped his fist in his head under the knowledge that what he said had helped.
“I guess you're right. Honestly, I should be more concerned about her finding out about the graffiti than my gender.” They took a few steps backward now, leaning back on the counter and crossing their arms. David took the hint and let himself fully inspect their finished work. A faceless figure, the trophy they held radiating the remembrance that they could never truly grasp, no matter how many of those trophies they obtained. The vain desire for glory was trumped by the rainbows of colors left behind, and the wake of their achievement was ever more important than any medal around their neck. It was an interesting message, and the art was pretty. David loved it, as he did all of Amaya’s art.
“Awesome…” David muttered under his breath, the muffled noise of his voice through the mask causing a giggle to arise from Amaya.
However, they didn't get to enjoy the completed piece for long, as a sound quickly arose from outside of the building. Even with the mask on he could piece together the sound of heavy footfall clear as day. David knew exactly who it was too, as he had memorized the footsteps of not only everyone he cared for but specifically for who he knew he could find on a night like this. Amaya was light and quick, nearly silent if you weren't looking for it, or didn't have as keen an ear as the Labrador. Abbey’s younger sister Molly wore sneakers that would scratch against the pavement when she was urban exploring, and could often be heard with Justin, that friend of hers who liked to follow her to these places even though they terrified him. Rachel's were swift and deliberate, and her shoes would click against the ground. He had even memorized Mike's walking patterns for when he very occasionally came to the abandoned outskirts of town to sulk, they were sluggish and dragged through the dust. However this footfall was one that excited him more than any other, it was heavy, powerful, and with purpose. He could envision the boots the older man wore falling against the ground, and the beam of his flashlight cutting through the darkness outside confirmed the identity of David's adversary in his mind.
Amaya froze up at first but David's smile only grew. He gave them a swift little pat on the shoulder and the signal to leave through the back door. Both of them knew this was to be their contingency plan if Sam did find them here, and Amaya knew that David would end up just fine. With a smile and a small nod, Amaya swiftly packed their things and disappeared like a shadow, as they were so good at doing. Meanwhile, David prepared his act.
He strolled out into the center of the room, hopping onto one of the long dividers that separated the isles and balancing on it. In a sweeping motion, he picked the indigo bowling ball back up, tilting it in his hands like he was pondering a mythical orb. He made no attempt to be quiet, letting his feet land firmly against the divider with every step. Soon he knew Sam would be coming into this building in search of him, they had played this game enough that David could predict something as simple as that.
Sam often vied for later patrol hours than most, not only did he not have any obligations later in the day, but because this was when He usually operated. It was the most logical time, of course. That punk’s fur could practically blend in with any building that wasn’t white when the sun went down. There were far fewer people around areas that weren’t bars or convenience stores… it showed he wasn’t as stupid as he acted. His art also showed that, but this wasn’t the time or place for appreciating pure creative talent. The Khao Manee quickly undid the locks on the front door, pushing one of the nearly stuck double doors with a grunt of effort. “Good thing I didn’t try kickin' em in…” He mumbled to himself before shining his flashlight around the interior. A ton of dust was kicked up, but that didn’t stop his nose from being able to SMELL the fresh paint. He quickly darted around the counter to the lanes… and didn’t get a moment to even look at the artwork as his light was shined squarely onto David. “You’re getting more cocky somehow??” Sam was kind of shocked, it was like David had planned to just wait until Sam found him this time! It pissed him off a little.
David let a deep breath escape his lungs, it was showtime. The way that he saw it, these were the most important performances in all of Gravelwood, even if only two would ever witness them. He dramatically took off his respirator, far enough away from the masterpiece that no harm would come to him anyway. The ridges of his tall silhouette glittered on the silver moonlight, cutting through the clouds to highlight his grand appearance. “Ah, Samuel, my adversary in shining armor. I've been expecting you!” He continued to slowly rotate the bowling ball in his hands like it was a fucking Palantir. He was hamming up the drama of the situation, but where was the fun if he didn't? “I knew you would find me here on this moonlit night… Tell me, have you seen the art? It was just finished!” He gestured to the artwork across the room from him and behind Sam, being careful not to call it his work, because while Sam may assume that, it wasn't the truth.
The only things that shined on Sam were his glasses and badge, pushing up the former item with one of his fingers as he leered at the hound, stepping closer but not closing in. “I’d love to look but I’m afraid you’d be gone by the time I turned back to congratulate you for another wonderful piece. All the teens coming here to smoke or steal old bowling shoes will love the added ambiance.” He somewhat meant that first bit, the graffiti usually WAS some of the only culture you’d easily find in Gravelwood, Sam would sooner die than admit that to David though. Even more than not trusting him, he was getting annoyed at that familiar tone! “This isn’t the stage at the community center, there isn’t anyone to perform to…”
“Oh contraire Samothy!” David delivered, casting out his voice as if he really was on that stage at the community center, hooking his respirator onto his belt and then jousting his finger into the air in defiance. He let his now free hand sweep slowly over the empty room, empty except for him and the cop. “I have more than enough audience right here in front of me! And someone needs to take care of those kids, might as well be little old me!” He knew how much talk like this pissed the older cop off, it was one of his many tricks, and a favorite of his at that. He had positioned himself in quite the peculiar place, knowing if Sam pursued him it would be quite easy for him to slip on the bowling alley floors. That fall wouldn't hurt him in any powerful way of course, but that wasn't the point, the point was to give David a head start in his escape.
Sam knew that David would never refer to him normally but it still made his fur bristle a bit. While half paying attention to the performance, Sam’s eyes darted all over. The white feline had gone bowling before, and even though this place hadn’t been maintained in years… No way was he going to step on a bowling lane so carelessly. ”Well, if you’re so interested in helping kids, we have youth outreach programs here…” He was stalling, but he didn’t need that to be hidden for too long. How could he put David at a disadvantage? Surely there was something nearby he could use?
“But what of the other kids, officer? What of the kids who hide in the shadows, who aren't part of those special programs? Who's gonna take care for them?” David swiveled to the side, looking solemnly into the three holes of the bowling ball. “No one was using those bowling shoes anyway Sam and you know it!” He exaggerated his introspection in execution, but he truly did believe everything he said. If he ever did find a kid out here, helping that kid in whatever way he could would become his top priority. It wasn't something he bragged about outside of these little performances, but there were a lot of bad environments a teen could end up in in a place like this, and it wasn't any fun if someone got hurt. His only exception to this rule was Molley, only because she was a better urban explorer than even he was, and he knew she wasn't ever there because she was helpless.
Samuel shifted his weight to one side, looking over David with a cocked eyebrow. “I don’t actually care much about bowling shoes staying or going, you could make a bowling shoes giveaway for all I care. Now are you gonna come out from there or am I gonna have to get creative?” He had ideas of what he could do but nothing that could be considered even halfway to a plan. The dog was slippery, clever, strong… and just plain tricky. He’d make a good partner if there was any crime at all that required two police officers who were even a bit serious about it.
David raised his hand, beckoning the catman forward with a sly grin. “Well, who would I be if I didn't encourage creativity? You know I'm not one to pass away quietly into the night.” he had no idea what the other man was planning, but that didn't matter. The best part of each of these encounters for David was the improvisation. It was invigorating to think around Sam, it fulfilled him to continually escape from the older cop's grasp. It was something to do, and it made him feel important, which he couldn't say he hated either. He was only waiting for Sam to make a move so he could make his, it was a delicate dance, and it began before a single move had been performed, before the music even started.
Sam squinted at David, huffing out of his nose, “It’d be a damn miracle to have a quiet night with you around.”
David smiled wide, “It would be a tragedy.”
The cop then threw a bowling shoe at the ceiling above David! Dust, dirt, old material, and who knows what else came raining down on the brown lab, Sam making his way forward while trying to step only in the gutters. Those most likely were less slippery than the lanes, especially if there was some trash or debris in them, all the better for his footing. He was going to GET this fucking guy tonight!
David covered his head in a flash, spinning on his heel in that same breath and beginning his plan. He gave Sam a cheeky little wink before leaping across the alley to the next divider. He knew that while Sam was plenty strong and quick, he was no acrobat; plus, he had just sunk his feet into the gutters, so it would be quite the challenge to get to where he was going from here. He continued down the lanes, leaping over each of them with grace while letting the bowling ball sway in his hands. Rapidly he approached the left wall, his eyes laser-focused on one of the large windows. “Now get this one on your body cam Sammy I'm about to land a strike!”
“Fuck!” Sam lunged out to try and grab David by the foot before he got fully out of reach but nearly stumbled over in the frantic attempt. He grit his teeth and kept upright but watched as David made ground way faster than he could catch up! He watched with wide eyes, staring at David then at the window… was he fucking insane??? “YOU’RE GONNA HURT YOURSELF YOU FUCKIN’ IDIOT!” He was looking around for something to try and throw at the window… wait… throw… strike…?! Surely he wasn’t going to…?!?!?
David's mania grew the closer he got to the window, eventually rising to a boiling point when he lifted the bowling ball into the air. “Oh contraire el copperino!!!” He screamed, “Watch and learn!!” Using all of his energy he launched the indigo bowling ball from his hands. It soared through the moonlight, landing square in the middle of the window and obliterating the glass barrier. The bowling ball caved through the glass like a rock into a stagnant pond, melting through it and sending the glass out into the world and far away from where David needed it not to be. He made one final turn to the cop, grinning like a madman, “Sayonara!~” and in a flash he lept through the window, soaring over the glass and landing in a roll on the street. That would buy him some time, where did he feel like running to this time?
Sam winced at the ugly sound of a bowling ball crashing through a huge glass window and hitting whatever the hell was on the other side. That was gonna be something that got the attention of whoever lived around here, or was anywhere nearby. “Damnit! Crazy fuckin’ kid…!” He was fit but he wasn’t about to try that maneuver. He booked it back out the front, running down the street a bit on the side the window was on. Where the hell did he go?!
The older cop scanned wildly around the darkened streets, only to eventually spot David standing on top of a broken-down car a couple of yards away. He waved with a smile, the moonlight glimmering in his eyes and off his teeth. “Sorry for the window!” He hollered, “But if I don't keep the property value down who will?!” The Labrador’s mind raced, he had given himself a good bit of space, but where to now? Perhaps he could just run back to town, maybe even stop by the Rinky-Dink, surely it was still open. He could go to the old construction site, but that was on the other side of town. Perhaps he could scale that abandoned apartment building, that was always fun, but a little dangerous because he hadn't scouted that whole place out yet. Surely David would think of something, but he was in no rush, he had a police officer to taunt.
“The state!” Sam yelled back in reply, starting to rush down the street at the dog. Thankfully there was barely any chance of anyone getting in the way at this hour, but also that gave David a wealth of options to take and goddamnit that was just bad news for him no matter how one looked at it.
“State Shmate!” David retorted, sprinting off of the car and down the street. He was particular about moving in the opposite direction of the way Amaya escaped; the tabby was long gone by now anyway, in fact, they were likely already home, but one could never be too careful. His mind clattered through the possibilities in his head like a wheel being spun, each peg making a little click against the hand which slowly dragged it to a stop. Eventually, his brain settled on an idea and he cut a sharp right and slid through the doors of the abandoned apartment complex. He didn't know the entire layout, but he didn't need to, he had already devised another master plan.
Sam was hot on his heels, trying to close the distance gap as quickly as possible. He barged through the doors, looking and listening for David and rushing after him after a few seconds. “The hell are you doing??? This place doesn’t even have a basement connecting anywhere or anything!” From the looks of it, David had nowhere to go but up anyway. Whatever the case, any chase was worthwhile if he could finally fucking catch that vandal!
“Down’s not where I’m going!” David yelled, rocketing up the stairwell, level two… level three… “My soul belongs to the air! It yearns for the sky!” His mind was laser-focused on the one important location in this building that he could think of. In the couple of trips he had made to this building, he discovered a window at the end of one of the hallways on the fourth floor. That window was what he was looking for, the perfect escape that he knew Sam couldn't chase him through, he traced the memory of it in his mind, refining it further and further as he got closer to his goal. Surely Sam was close behind, but that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted the cop to see it, to watch his greatest trick in real time; David wanted to see the baffled look on his face as he escaped again, from a situation he was sure that Sam would under-estimate him in.
It sounded like something really fucking concerning was about to occur! Sam pushed himself to run faster, worried that the dog was going to do something ESPECIALLY stupid. “David you can NOT fly ! I don’t know what the hell you’re trying to do but just give up!!!!” It was a low chance he’d actually be able to catch up, he was used to chasing David but it still got tiring running your ass off all the time. They were on the 3rd floor now… and David did a near drift as he used the stair handrail to whip around and keep the momentum going up! David could be like a stunt actor or some shit considering that he seemed to just go for every maneuver like he just knew they’d work out.
“Awww!! Is that genuine concern for me Sammy?~” David cooed, still rocketing up the stairs with increasing speeds, “Or are you just tryna trick me into letting my guard down… you sly dog!! You won’t discourage me!” He skidded to a halt on the fourth floor, tearing it down one of the hallways, one more turn, and his escape would be in his sights.
“You can NOT call me Sammy!” The Khao Manee growled, his hat falling off as he made frantic movements to keep pace. Now he didn’t just have to worry about catching David, he had to worry about the dog fucking getting himself killed! He turned the corner after David, just in time to see whatever the hell daredevil act he was about to pull.
He turned to see David running down the hallway toward the empty block in the wall where a window used to be, messing up the dusty remains of a carpet as his feet slammed against it. This is what he had been looking for, and his speed only built as his adrenaline pumped faster in his veins. He could hear Sam careening around the corner with perfect timing and his grin somehow got larger, everything was moving exactly the way that he wanted to. With his final moments within the building, he turned to look over his shoulder at his nemesis, shooting him a smile and a wink. “Hasta luego, mi amor!” and as soon as he turned back he launched himself off the windowsill with a single powerful kick, firing out of the building and into the open air. His body was bathed in the light of the moon as he soared forward, time felt as if it slowed to a stop. He became one with the wind, that cool autumn breeze weaving through his clothes and fur. He was quick, he was powerful, he was free. However all perfect moments must come to an end, and this one did rather quickly as David landed on the roof of the adjacent building with a well-placed roll.
Sam barely had time to react to everything that was happening in rapid succession. His heart skipped a beat as David just straight jumped out of the fucking building, mouth agape at the apparent insanity of the maneuver. His night-adjusted eyes soon caught sight of the building not TOO far across or too far lower in elevation…while 90% less deadly this was still goddamn bedlam. The officer slowed down to a halt as he watched David land with expert grace, leaning up against one of the walls and putting a hand to his head in silent disbelief.
That was a maneuver that the labrador knew his enemy couldn't replicate, and he had no time to waste when it came to making his escape. David Jefferson ran without looking back, the wind in his hair, a smile on his face, and freedom in his lungs. He would be back at home in no time, collapsing into bed happy as can be. The next day he would return to his normal life, as would Sam, and neither of them would speak a word in public about the experiences they had. He knew that Sam would not forget this event quickly, and his anger toward the dog would only simmer with time, but he was more than happy with that. As far as David could tell, these excursions were sacred, too important to brag about, one of the many hidden things that gave Gravelwood life.
Samuel Rose would make the slow walk back to his police car, and drive it home after reporting the vandalism and getting off the clock. His fur was slightly matted with sweat and his feet kinda hurt, but he couldn’t worry about that. His main worry, causing his expression to grow more sour by the minute, was his inability to stop thinking about that fucking jump. David was reckless and a menace, but soaring through that moonlit space, he might as well have been able to fly. Sam couldn’t have dreamt of following the lab, staring annoyedly at the tile wall of the shower as water poured down on him. His brow furrowed as he put on his sleepwear, soon laying in his bed and glaring straight up at the ceiling… before grabbing one of his pillows and shoving it against his face.
“DaaaaaaAAAAAVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!”