Work Text:
Having just gotten back from another busy day at the Restoration, Lanolin opened the door to her apartment.
“Gaia below, what a day…” she grumbled, making a beeline straight to her bedroom. “I just want to sleep…”
She put her hand on the bedroom's doorknob. As she twisted it and pushed the door open, she blissfully thought about how nice it was going to feel to fall into her slumber-
“Heyyyy, Lano~!” Marlow greeted cheerfully, leaning on the sheep’s bed.
…or, instead, she could do whatever the hell this is.
“The f- Marlow?!” Lanolin blurted out. “Why and how did-?!” She stopped herself and pointed out the door. “You know what, I don’t care. Leave.”
“Watcha doooin’?” the cow asked in a sing-song voice.
“D- going to bed,” Lanolin shot back, glaring. “It is my sleepy time.”
“What, on a Friday?”
“I will have my sleepy time no matter what day of the week it is, Marlow. Now leave.”
Marlow hummed and rubbed his chin. “Mmm, yeah, that’s not gonna work, Lanolin.”
The way this cow was acting had Lanolin completely dumbfounded. Admittedly, what came out of her mouth next was a bit extreme, but the absurdity of the situation was really getting to her.
“Do you want to die, Marlow?”
“Nah, I think he wants to live!”
Lanolin jolted at the sound of another voice. She looked to her closet and saw Ashley leaning against the door, grinning.
“And I think he wants you to liiiive!” the leopard finished.
“Oh come the fuck on- YOU TOO?!” Lanolin yelled.
Marlow pointed both his fingers at his wooly friend. “You, need a night out!”
“Yup!” Ashley nodded. It was then that Lanolin noticed she was holding her hand behind her back. “And we’re gonna give it to you!”
For some reason, Lanolin was starting to panic. “...you mean like, tomorrow, right?”
Ashley and Marlow both paused and looked over at each other. The former burst out laughing while Marlow snorted heavily. Steam could be seen coming out of the cow’s nose.
“Heh heh, ‘tomorrow…’ She’s so cute!” Ashley said, wiping away a tear.
Despite her rising concern, Lanolin stood her ground. “Nooo, nonono, I said it was my sleepy time!”
“That wasn’t a no!” the leopard told her, grinning even harder.
“THAT WAS FOUR NOS-!”
“Ooh, we should go clerbing!” Ashley suggested.
“Yeah, I could clerb!” Marlow nodded before looking back at Lanolin. “Do you wanna go clerbing, Lano?”
Lanolin yanked her bell off and pointed it at both of them. “Do you want me to hit you both in the head?!”
Hearing this, Marlow gasped happily. “Look at her, Ash! She’s so excited!”
Terrified, Lanolin’s bell slipped out of her grasp. Why aren’t the threats working?!
“She’ll be even more excited when she sees the outfit I picked out for her!” Ashley added, pulling her hand out from behind her back. In it was some clothing. “A green crop top and khaki shorts!”
Yeah, nope.
“GET AWAY FROM ME!” Lanolin shrieked, running for her life.
After she dashed through her apartment and ran out the door, Ashley and Marlow poked their heads out.
“Come back, boss!” Ashley called.
“Be a community with us!” Marlow added.
“We’re gonna infodump our biggest hyperfixations to each other!”
“And hold hands nonromantically! At least that’s what I hope Ashley thinks!”
“Yeah! And-” The leopard paused. “...dude, will you ever let me hear the end of that?”
“Sorry, I saw the opportunity and had to take it,” Marlow smirked.
-
Only a minute later, the elevator Lanolin took made it to the main floor. Once it opened, she continued her mad dash, refusing to look behind her.
I could hide in the office… no, they’ll be expecting that! she thought as she ran. Maybe in the machine shop? Surely, they won’t-!
Her train of thought was put to a halt when Whisper appeared in her point of view, not having noticed her. Yelping, she screeched to a halt.
Hearing this, the wolf turned her head.
“Lanolin? What’s wrong?” she asked. After leaning her hand against a wall and catching her breath, Lanolin faced Whisper.
Not sure why she’s here at this hour, but maybe she can help!
“Whisper, you have to hide me,” Lanolin begged. “Ashley and Marlow won’t leave me alone! They want me to go clubbing with them!”
Confused, Whisper raised an eyebrow. “They want to go clerbing at this hour?”
“Yes! It’s like they’re trying to-!”
…
“Wait,” Lanolin realized, looking Whisper straight in her squinted eyes. “How did you pronounce it?”
“I pronounced it the way it should be, Lanolin.”
To the sheep’s horror, Whisper’s eyes opened up, and her face contorted into a devilish win. “Clerbing.”
Slowly, Lanolin backed away.
“No. Stay back. DON’T TOUCH ME!”
Whisper only stepped closer.
“Poundcake? She’s getting feisty.”
Right after she said that, Lanolin bumped into someone from behind. She whipped her head around, and saw Tangle. She was holding her tail in her hand like a lasso.
“Way ahead of you,” she smirked.
“NOOOOOOO-”
-
“I AM SO GLAD WE DECIDED TO DO THIS!” Marlow exclaimed, as music blared in the background. Him and the Neos were jamming out on the dance floor.
“EVERYONE, LOOK!” Ashley called out. “THE BOSS IS GOING OFF!”
All eyes were put on Lanolin, who had put on the clothes Ashley picked out for her. She was rapidly clomping her feet on the floor.
“SICK TAP DANCING, LANO!” Tangle said, while Whisper watched her in awe.
As the sheep continued “going off,” she only had one thought in mind.
Next time I get off my shift, I am barricading my door.