found on ao3: work 5202230. unedited. i have taken a transcript made it into an HDM AU. i do not take any credit for the plot and characters. side note: this is my first time on so aaaaa hello
1986:
Santa Barbara, California, Hispania Nova
Henry Spencer looks menacing when in uniform. There's always been a tension in his stance that made others stand on guard, too. It was probably from his police training, or maybe from his fascination with stories of the mighty panserbjørne from when he was small - either way, Henry Spencer has never fucked around.
Odessa, his large polar bear dæmon, sits on the vinyl seats next to him. Her size alone sends most people running away in fear, without the need of Henry's intimidating glares. She towers over other dæmons and most humans, a looming parental figure that emulates disappointment and determination at the same time. She's even taller than sight of her is a little jarring, too; Hispania Nova isn't notable for a sizeable panserbjørne or polar bear community.
Henry and Odessa make a terrifying pair.
Shawn Spencer is only partly terrified of both of them (a little more than half, but it's also a little less than half): not because they are hulking and able to snap someone's neck into two, but because it takes only one slip-up for Henry to dish out punishment. Both Henry and Odessa are strict as heck, especially with school work and vegetables.
"Did you do your homework?" Henry asks. His arms are crossed over his chest, which makes him seem even more intimidating and hulking compared to the nine year old's smaller frame.
"Uh-huh," Shawn replies, almost bored and sulking. Alodia, as a newt climbing up the wall next to Shawn, flicks her tongue out.
Odessa gives a warning growl. The other patrons in the diner tense at the low sound. She doesn't look particularly angry, which lessens the effect of her scolding, but there's an unmistakable grace and power under her cuddly, furry exterior.
Shawn appears unfazed by the large bear, but Alodia jumps and falls onto the table with a soft thud. She scrambles back up to her feet, and scampers over to Shawn. In the rush of the moment, she shifts into a bobcat - a new kind of cat Shawn found in sixth grader's Sciences book a few days ago - and nestles into Shawn's side. She gives a small meow.
"Yes, sir," Shawn corrects himself, crisp and clear. He straightens in his chair. Odessa looks a little smug.
"Finish those beets?" Henry asks.
"Yup." Shawn spares a glance at Odessa, but the bear doesn't make him correct his word choice again. Shawn beams, though only under his mostly neutral façade. With his spirits brightened, he glances at the desserts sitting on the platter against the diner's counter. There's a brave light in his eyes as he looks back at his father and asks, "Can I have the fudge cake?"
"Close your eyes," Henry says right after.
Both Shawn and Alodia groan; though, Alodia does a meow of displeasure, which is as close as she comes to recreating her human's groan.
"Dad, I don't want to..." Shawn starts.
Odessa narrows her eyes at them. Henry does the same, a habit born of impatience and order. "Now."
Their gazes meet, Henry's blue eyes unyielding and Shawn's brown ones defiant.
Shawn looks away first. He sighs, bringing his fingers up to his temples. He closes his eyes as Alodia shifts into a small swallow, and perches on his knee. She gives a small chirp; a little nervous, a touch reluctant, but ready nonetheless.
Henry nods at the duo across him, even if Alodia is the only one who would see him. He glances at Odessa. She's looking the entrance of the restaurant, eyeing the people coming and going. The Exit sign hanging atop the door stays lit steadily with a small hum.
"Which letter is out in the exit sign?"
Alodia has the advantage to glance at the door, but she just dips her beak and ruffles her feathers. She closes her eyes.
"X," Shawn says after Alodia's settled. It's an odd semblance to a witch casting magic, with Alodia as a bird and an almost supernatural feeling to the way Shawn finds the answers - though Shawn is male and the last thing you'd expect from a witch. As much as Shawn modelled after his mother, witch attitude just never came as easily.
Henry nods at the brunette. He glances around. "What the colour is the vinyl?"
"What's vinyl?" Shawn scrunches his nose up in thought, brow furrowing. Alodia opens her eyes, peering at Henry and Odessa. She clacks her beak, cocking her head to the side.
"It's the stuff these seats are covered in."
Alodia doesn't even close her eyes when Shawn replies with a quick, "Purple."
"Maroon. Close enough," Henry shrugs. Shawn mouths Maroon to himself.
Odessa stiffens, tensing like a wound up toy ready to spring. Henry glances where Odessa is looking, and frowns. There's a woman outside across the street that looks like a missing suspect from a case from two months ago: brown hair, thin frame and dark clothes. A blue bird dæmon swoops down and perches against her shoulder amidst the commotion of the busy street.
Henry shakes his head, nudging Odessa with his elbow. She's not the woman they're looking for; the suspect had a long, coiling snake as a dæmon, and not a small, plump bird. Odessa relaxes.
Henry nods at Shawn and Alodia, who were both still deep in thought. "Manager's dæmon."
"Who?" Shawn scrunches his face up again. The silence was a little suspicious, but that's Henry for you.
"She's wearing a name tag. The woman standing at the front door when we first walked in. You saw her."
The memory is there, still fresh and a little hazy at edges. When they entered, there was a jukebox by the wall, with a neon sign above it. And then. . . There was a woman in yellow, whose name tag reads MARIE. She was at the counter, scribbling against a clipboard. Clutching onto the sleeve of her yellow dress was a small lizard thing.
Shawn gives a small hum in thought. No, definitely not a lizard. He nods to himself.
"A salamander. Can I have the cake now?" Shawn says, almost exasperated.
Henry smiles, pride reaching his gaze. He leans forward. The proud smile turns into a grin. He casts a tentative glance behind his shoulder, noting the waitress just at the other table. "How many bird daemons?"
Frustrated, Shawn whines, "Come on, dad!"
"Shawn, you want a piece of cake?" Henry asks. The brunet hushes, but his irritation is clear in Alodia's ruffled feathers. "How many birds are in the room?"
Shawn is silent for a moment, thinking. "Do I count Alodia?"
Henry quirks his lips. "What do you think?"
Shawn is quiet again. He bobs his head a few times, almost like he's counting. "Three."
"You didn't describe them," Henry says, leaning back and grinning. Odessa gives a small snort.
Shawn's face turns into a mask of disbelief, though he keeps his eyes shut. Alodia is the one who looks at Henry and glares. Her feathers rise in anger.
"That's not fair!" Shawn gasps.
Henry can't help but let a small chuckle slip through his objective façade. He watches the waitress. It would be a minute or two before she reaches their table - gratuitous amount of time for Shawn to answer. "Time's almost up, Shawn."
Shawn scowls, but says no more. He settles back into the same position as before: fingers at his temple, Alodia perched atop his knee. He points to the door with his left hand. Henry looks where Shawn points, following his son's train of thought with a smile.
"One is a blue-jay. It's on a hat one the ladies are wearing." Shawn points to the back of the restaurant, to the bathroom. "One is a bird that has some kind of weird colour mutation next to the weird guy with the crooked tooth." He brings his hand back to his temple. "The last one is. . .the chef's. It's a rooster, with a funny crown."
Henry nods with a pleased smile. "What about Alodia?"
"Alodia hasn't settled into a bird." At that, the bird shifts into a black Bengal. Alodia opens her eyes, giving a meow-like purr in smug victory.
Henry rolls his eyes. "All right, open your eyes."
Shawn beams, eyes snapping open as soon as the words left his father's mouth. He blinks a few times to adjust to the shift of light, but beams in victory and excitement. Alodia's tail flicks around behind her.
The waitress steps in front of the table from where she stood off to the side. She glances at Odessa with a surprised look for just a moment, but with the grace and tact she's accumulated over the years of working, she turns back to the humans with a perfect smile. Her own dæmon, a beagle with a mostly brown and black coat, trots in between her legs, moving around and avoiding any touch between the patrons.
"Wow," she smiles, "that's amazing."
Shawn smiles back, grinning. Alodia gets up and slinks over to the edge of the table. She's close enough for the waitress to touch her, but not enough to look inappropriate. The woman takes a cursory step back, which provides a better view of her dæmon to the curious nine year old and his quiet cat.
It was a canis lupus familiaris, with a tricolour coat and a politely pleased expression. It stood without much tension, but under the calculating eyes of Alodia, it couldn't help but shift into a straightened stance. It looked straight at Alodia, matching her unyielding stare with a gaze that wouldn't back down.
The waitress watches with a questioning gaze, which was a little affronted yet professionally masked. She gives Henry a look. Henry does a shake of the head-nod, a mix between both that was meant for reassurance.
Odessa makes a warning noise, soft enough that it didn't agitate anyone else, but it carried across the message to Shawn and Alodia. Henry makes a similar sound, though his small, proud smile doesn't change. His look equates into 'He's a kid. Don't mind it. I'm sorry about this.' "It's adequate."
The two snap out of their reverie. Shawn's smile fades. Alodia looks away from the beagle. Her tail droops, and so do her ears. She levels her gaze with Odessa, who gives a strong, impassive stare back. The cat dæmon pads over back to Shawn's side.
Henry nods at the waitress. "Get him his cake."
With Alodia sitting next to Shawn and the possibility of accidentally touching the boy's dæmon has subsided, the female steps forward. Her dæmon wags its tail. She doesn't have any further perverse reaction to Shawn's staring, but she couldn't help but be just a little unsteady on how to procceed. She pulls a notebook from the pocket of her apron, and starts to jot down the order. Amidst the scribbling, she added, "I guess I know what you're going to be when you grow up."
Shawn beams, melancholic mood gone. He grins widely, boyishly. "Oh, I'm never gonna grow up, ma'am."