Chapter Text
*John’s POV*
I watch as the girl leads the two small children into the door of the apartment across from mine. I always got a sort of brooding feeling whenever I saw the three of them. A feeling I hadn’t been able to shake since I retired from the task force. Or frankly, since I met Simon. Managing to get the lad to trust me and join me after he was assigned on a mission with me. Then it was Kyle, the calm boy always ready to help no matter what. Still, the hoarding feeling that many dragons had didn’t flee. But when Johnny joined, it finally subsided slightly. Overtime, I learned to live with the lads, since they all worked wonders together. Johnny managed to get Simon to finally relax. Albeit he still hid in the shadows and wandered the halls on a bad night before making his way to my office. But Simon was more relaxed, and welcomed the Scots’ loudness into his life.
“James. Stop staring, C’mon,” the girl says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I had been staring at my mail that I had just gotten, another raise in rent. The bloody price would make you think that they lived in some sort of high-end neighborhood, and not a cramped space with poor water pressure. He should just move out, but the girl and the two kids seemed to keep him here. Brooding.
I look up at the young boy. He seemed to maybe be 4. He ruffles his own feathers on his back. I give him a nod and he quickly looks away. Listening to the older girl and going into their apartment. The girl, who seemed to have lived a lifetime before this, gives me a small, apologetic smile. Glancing down at the only wing on my back. I nearly forgot there was only one large scaly wing on my back. A mission gone awry before an exfil could pick Simon and I up. I nod back at the girl. Giving her a soft and kinder smile. I swear I see her own feathers ruffle a bit as she carries the other sleeping ball of feathers into her apartment. Shutting her door behind her. I stare at the door across from mine for a moment before I let a big sigh out, turning and walking back into my own apartment. It was small, slightly dinghy. The landlord not caring nearly enough about it. He didn’t want to think about her apartment. Or what caused that dejected look in her eyes.
*Feather’s POV*
Shit. I think as I rush to shove my feet into my shoes. I had woken up late. I push the door open while still throwing on my jacket. Locking the door haphazardly before I rush down the hall as quietly as I could. My wings folded messily behind me as I moved down the hall. Turning the corner quickly as I shoved my keys into my pocket. Running into something hard and warm. I look up dumbly, shocked to find something in my way. Even more shocked when I felt them holding me by surprise. It was my neighbor, the one across the hall. John, I think his name was.
“I’m sorry.” I say to him, “I um, wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“It’s alright luv,” he grumbles at me. I wasn’t able to tell if that's just what he sounded like or not yet.
“Where you off to this late at night anyways?” He looks down at me with a look. One that didn’t necessarily pry, but was definitely looking for information.
“To work,” I tell him, trying to calm my panting, “and I’m late, so if you’d excuse me, I need to get there.”
“Oh, ‘course ‘course,” he grumbles, it had to be just the way he sounded. “Do you need a ride? So you can get there sooner lass?”
I nearly reject the idea with a scoff in his face. I knew better than to get in the car with a stranger. But then again… I had never gotten a bad vibe from him. He was always kind, he smiled at James and Alexis. I had never once seen him upset. And I really did need to get to work. No doubt I already missed the last bus. And if I walked I would get there 30 minutes later and the last shift would be even more stingy with me. And I couldn’t afford to lose this job.
“Just because I’m really late.” I tell him, providing a small nod to him.
*John’s POV*
I lead the girl out to my truck, letting her get in herself after I opened the passenger door. She was surprised when I did, I hoped that wasn’t the first time someone had done that for her. I was surprised by the fact that she had even said yes to my offer. I get in on the drivers side. Putting my seatbelt on after she did her own.
“So little lass, where am I taking you?” I start the truck, letting it warm up for a moment.
“The Shell gas station on 9th street.” She says, keeping to herself. She seemed to of calmed down since she ran into my chest in the hall. That was good.
“You work there?” I ask, managing to keep my voice level. The gas station was even dingier than where we lived, it has had multiple robberies in the last year alone. No place for a young thing like her to be.
“Graveyard shift…” Her voice is quieter when she responds. As if she wanted to add more to her words, but stopped herself.
I only hum softly at her words, hoping the deep grumble would soothed out her always ruffled feathers at least a little bit. I start to drive across town, letting a short silence between us fall.
“So you have two jobs then?” I ask calmly, knowing she left nearly everyday with her two kids.
“Yea, I um, work at a daycare during the days.” Her voice was still quiet, I could tell she was watching me suspiciously, making sure I didn’t do anything, I couldn’t blame her, she barely knew me and was stuck in an enclosed space with me. Not that I would ever do anything, she was young enough to be my daughter.
“The kids get free daycare, so it works out.” Her voice brings me back to the present. I stop at the yellow light as it turns red.
“Yea, your kids, what are their names again?” I ask I had heard them in passing, but I didn’t want her to think I was stalking her.
“My brother is James, he’s 4, and my sister is 2, her name is Alexis.” She says, and my eyes widen as I look over at her for a split second.
“Siblings?” I ask, forcing my eyes back to the road, going forward.
“Yea, I um, I got custody of them last year.” She says awkwardly, glancing over to me visibly before pretending to look back at the road.
Why would she have custody of her siblings, no parents maybe, and since she was the oldest and an adult, she got custody, or maybe parents the parents weren’t… no. No. I push the thought out of my head, even if it did explain the look in her eyes. But really it wasn’t any of my bloody business. I was just helping her get to work, that was in a dangerous part of town. That definitely didn’t make me want to hold her like how I did in the hall when she ran into me again. And it definitely didn’t make my stomach churn at the idea of her being alone at that precarious gas station. I clear my throat. Ignoring the idea of her being my bloody business.
“Do you need any help with the two?” He asked.
If the boys knew I was trying to get yet another stray into his life they’d bully me. He could hear it already, ‘Capt’ you cant be collectin’ ‘em all, yer not playin' Pokemon’ he could hear the Scots voice giving him a headache already. See Simon huff quietly and shake his head dismissively. Kyle only egging Johnny on. I needed to remember to tell the lot of them that they were also strays I took in at some point.
“Oh, I um..” The girl starts, her voice getting softer, as if she didn’t deserve to speak. “No thank you, I’ve got a pretty good handle on it. I’ve been doing it for a while.”
I turn down 9th street. Something about her response not sitting well with me. I could tell that she was still watching me, as if I would pounce on her.
“That's alright lass, I just wannae make sure you not burning yourself out.” I say, sounding a bit too much like a familiar Scot. “You just always look so tired when I see you.”
“I usually am, but I manage, thank you for offering though.” She says, watching as I got closer to the gas station.
Her words make my stomach churn, she wasn’t getting good sleep? I push it down. I’ll deal with the hoarding issues later. Maybe a group hang out to calm the dragon tendencies in the next week or so would manage it. I stop at another light.
“Do you get good sleep very often?” I ask, sounding casual as she stayed a little more tense than seemed normal. I tried to focus my voice into a more soothing sound. “Hmm?”
“Uh, yea, yea I do.” She says, but I could tell it was a lie, but didn’t comment on it. Her feathers fluffed up just slightly, and I fought to not smirk at the little reaction. I go forward.
“Good, good. That's good.” I grumble quietly. Pulling into the small parking lot of the gas station. The dragon tendencies getting to me.
“Thank you for the ride…” She says softly. Unbuckling her seatbelt.
“Anytime luvie. Just one moment though, yea?” I ask her, opening the center console and grabbing a paper and a pen.
For some reason, she stays. I knew it was selfish of me. But I spent extra time writing before I tore the writing off so it could easily slip into her pocket. Just so she would be here for a few extra seconds.
“In case you ever need help with anything, whether it’s your siblings or you just want to talk.” I say, holding out the shred of paper out on my hand. Silently urging her to grab it.
“Oh, um, ok. Thank you. Again, for the ride, I really need to go now.” She grabs the paper. Still sitting in my passenger seat, as if waiting for me to tell her it was ok.
“I get it, go on now lass,” I say, giving her an encouraging nod. Unlocking her door for her.
She smiles softly back at me, I could’ve sworn that she made my stomach flutter slightly. Seeing that smile made me want to be the reason it was there. And that it was always there. She slips from my passenger seat. Scuttling off with her brown wings behind her. Something looking a bit wonk about them. I push the concern down to dwell over later. Leaving the gas station and going back to the apartment complex.