A/N: After rewatching the series for the first time in eight years and now RE-rewatching for the second time in twenty-four hours (because I'm a masochist, apparently), I have ALL the feels! This is actually a scene I'd ideally love to to be part of a roleplay, but since I haven't found any partners yet (please let me know via PM if you're interested!), this will have to do for now! Hope you enjoy this new world what-if!

Toboe is lost in thought as he walks through this town's back alleys. He'd left before the others woke up, nightmares and memories from the world before alternately waking and keeping him awake. He's so happy to be with his pack again, and he knows he shouldn't go off by himself (memories of himself telling Tsume the same thing echo in his mind), but he just…needed some space to think.

It figures that train of thought would be the thing to get him in trouble.

Turning a corner, he stops dead. No…it can't be! "P-Pops?" He blinks, rubs his eyes, blinks harder. No…it is…! A slow, wide smile springs to his face. "Mr. Yaiden! I'm so glad you and Blue are–!"

Quicker than he can blink, the man is raising his gun, a crazed look in his eye, Blue growling at his side. Toboe wants to step back, but he's frozen. Memories of how he died in the old world flood his head, make it pound, his heart going crazy in his chest. Harsh tremors surge through his body, and he can scarcely breathe. "W-what are you doing? D-don't you recognize me?" The man just glares harder. Toboe can smell the ever-present alcohol on his breath, and Blue just growls louder. His eyes flick to hers, but he doesn't see any recognition there either. "I-it's Toboe! From the old world, remember?" He raises shaking hands. "I-it's okay! I-I-I'm not gonna hurt you!"

BANG!

A pained cry-howl pierces the air along with the gunshot, and the next thing Toboe knows, he's down on the ground, a bullet having gone straight through his left shin. He clutches the wound with a yelp and a hiss, trying to stem the bleeding, watching the two with one eye squeezed shut from the pain. "W-why are you doing this?! I don't understand! Can't you see me? D-don't you remember anything?!"

Quent growls, the sound almost animalistic in itself. He doesn't know if he should find it ironic. Blue is pulling on her leash at his side, hateful fire in her eyes, too. Toboe's heart sinks even further, particularly as the man walks steadily closer. "The only thing I see is a demon who's about to be purged from this earth!"

A shuddering shiver runs down Toboe's spine, flinching when Quent cocks his gun, and he tries to back away, to get up and run. But he happens to come down on some broken glass, cutting his hand deeply, and there's no way his leg is getting him anywhere in this condition. He's trapped like a dying fish in a barrel. There's nowhere for him to run, no one to help him get out of this. Quent steps up to him at last, pressing his gun to his forehead and forcing him back until it indents on his skin and Toboe's head digs into the cobblestones. He shivers at the cool metal against his flesh, or maybe at what it means. A reflexive whimper escapes as the safety comes off, a few traitorous tears he can't hope to keep back drifting down his cheeks.

He didn't learn a damn thing from his past life, it seems. He was stupid and selfish. He has no one to blame but himself.

He can hear the trigger mechanism pulling. He's going to die. Again.

He squeezes his eyes shut, braces himself as best he can. I'm sorry, Tsume…

HOWL!

SNARL!

CLAMP!

Toboe's eyes snap open. In a flash of speed and snarls, an utterly ferocious Tsume is tackling Quent away from Toboe, the gun clattering to the ground. Blue tries to rush Tsume, but a streak of white — Kiba! — bowls her over, keeping her at bay farther down the alley. Toboe is still grappling with the fact that he's alive, that this isn't some near-death experience fever dream. But in the next moment, a gunshot sounds that sends Toboe into another silent panic, and it's at least enough to confirm that he's alive. Oh, thank Paradise for his pack…!

"-oboe! Toboe! Speak to me, damn it! Are you all right?!"

Tsume is shaking him roughly by the shoulders, though he clearly doesn't want to from the expression on his face. It's the only way he had left to get his attention besides the shouting, which he's only now hearing. Toboe gasps suddenly like he's just remembered to breathe (and with that panic attack, maybe he is), and he looks from an unscathed Tsume to a beaten-unconscious Quent, then back, breathing heavily. Collapsing against his chest, he wraps weak arms around him, hugging him as tightly as he can. Tsume's arms immediately come around him in turn, relieved-as-hell and ever-shielding. "H-he didn't remember me…!" he tells him softly, voice haunted and sick. "H-he tried to—! If you hadn't come…!" A whimper escapes, and he almost gags. "Blue doesn't know us either! I-I don't think she remembers she's—!"

"That doesn't matter now. What does is you've been shot, and we have to get out of here." Kiba's concerned, hurried, but somehow still firm and collected voice breaks in, and Toboe jumps a millisecond, tightening his hold on Tsume, before he recognizes it. He looks down at his leg, blinking at the sizable blood pool underneath him. Oh, right. He'd almost forgotten about that. That could also explain the dizziness and exhaustion he's only now noticing, how cold he is. He doesn't realize he's been shivering with more than just relief and fear for a minute yet.

Tsume swears when he sees his leg, more at how much blood he's lost, and he picks up Toboe quickly, but with a tenderness that makes Toboe feel warm despite the goosebumps along his skin. He curls into Tsume's chest a little more, weak, trembling hands fisting in his familiar leather jacket. "Don't worry, kid. You'll be just fine." He sounds like he's trying to convince himself of that along with Toboe, but the pack's youngest doesn't say anything. He trusts Tsume to keep him safe.

The next thing he knows, they're jumping from rooftop to rooftop, but Toboe's only getting bits and pieces. His vision's blurring, turning black from time to time, he's seeing stars, and Tsume must notice he's slipping because his eyes are widening and he's shouting at him. Toboe can't make out the words, but it's probably something about don't fall asleep, to stay with him, expression getting more frantic as Toboe tries to fight a losing battle. Kiba is in his line of sight in the next moment, probably trying to calm Tsume and spur him on at the same time, and Toboe swears he does feel Tsume pick up the pace even more. He's no doubt pushing himself past his limits while not giving a damn. Heh… Typical…Tsu…me…

"Toboe!"

Everything goes black.

A/N: Toboe is not dead! Just so no one jumps down my throat early! lol. Other notes:

Tsume is in his true wolf form when he attacks Quent, by the way. I didn't know how to make that clear organically, so I hoped clarifying Kiba's wolf form would make up for it

I also personally headcanon that, in the new world, Toboe would have PTSD about guns/gunshots, given how he died. Hence his little panics here!

This is mostly just a what-if drabble for now, but I might continue this if anyone would like that, so please let me know what you think of this! First time writing for this loved series, so I hope I did all right! Thanks for reading!