You worthless waste of space. Why are you still here?! All you do is destroy the lives around you. The absolute worst. Trash. Scum. Every time you breathe I swear I want to finish you myself.

"I can get better."

Better?! Better isn't going to change what you've already become! Better isn't going to make all the people hurt come back, you know.

"You. The people you hurt. You're a monster. A demon."

The low whisper chuckled as he continued its assault. It's funny how you think people will notice the difference. "You. Me?" Do you think they would even care? You can do it tonight and no one would care.

"That's not true... Please sto-"

The world would keep spinning, and would probably be better off without you. Just do it. End it. Why wake up to just disappoint and ruin. There's NO POINT IN LIVING IF YOU'RE GOING TO-

"Enough! I promised her I would be strong! I cannot- WILL NOT break that promise! I will not give in!"

The demon let out one last ominous laugh l that made every fiber of his being burn in fear: the fear of failing.

You it. Don't you see...

You've already given in.

He raised his head from the steering wheel to glance at his phone. "8:57. Ugh how am I gonna make it through tonight?" His chest still aches as his heart rate finally began to slow. He adjusted the rearview mirror enough to see the fur on his cheeks matted and damp. Tears still burn his weary eyes as if it's an uncommon occurrence. "Come on man, pull yourself together." A weary sigh finally left his muzzle as he attempts to re-focus on the task at hand.

Every Friday night, Big Pin (a mid-level distributor) eats at a high-end Italian restaurant called The Vineyard. Considering the food was passable at best, it was definitely concerning how gazelle would go this deep into the Rainforest District just for bermuda. It was safe to assume that he was there to either indulge in their many wines or to conduct business.

The dealer managed to fly under the radar of his agency for the most part. The world was too crowded with crime for them to focus their resources on simple powder pushers. However, in the past few weeks, the overdose rate on his product nearly tripled, leaving a trail of dead mammals in his wake. That had to put stop to this. He was assigned with his partner to go undercover to find where the next big buy will be. Cleaning up after the ZPD once again.

Remember: 9:00. Don't be late handsome (;
- received 8:38pm

He read the text as the time grew closer with no sign of his partner. His patience with her only grew thinner when it came to cases like this. "Where is that pain-in-the-ass. She better not be late again. I swear- "

She doesn't wants to spend another moment with a useless piece of shit like you. Look at you: can't even get a FAKE date to respect you. Didn't pay her enough I guess.

He grumbled at the voice as he laid his head back on the steering wheel. His breathing returned to the quickened pace that incapacitated him before. The voice that haunted him was a low pitched rumble that broke him down as it shook. An ominous hum laced with the raspness of pain. Low and sweet like a madman's lullaby. "Please not now." Tears returned to his eyes as a warm ache tore through his chest. Whimpers followed as his attack continued, deepening with every word:

Go ahead and cry. You ungraceful, hopeless, piece of shit. Crying seems to be the only thing you accomplish. This is exactly what I mean you-

The high-pitched alarm that he set snapped him out of his torture. He frantically pulled the phone back to his face.

9:00.

He threw his head back onto the seat, drawing his breaths back down to a slower pace. Get yourself together man. People are counting on you. Once again his gaze found the rearview mirror only to see the eyes of a exhausted agent staring blankly back at him. Eyes that he almost didn't recognize. Looking back at him. Mocking him.

With thick sarcasm lacing his voice, he offered motivation to the stranger in the mirror:

Show time, slick. Get in there and make the world a better place.

He grumbled as he hopped out of the sleek sedan that was assigned to him for the operation. He had to blend in in every possible aspect. This, however, wasn't an issue when it came to his wardrobe. He always wore a casual, dark colored dress shirt to work along with blank slacks and a silver watch. The only habit he had to restrain from was rolling the cuffs of the sleeves up to his elbows, which he already was tugging at in discomfort. He only hoped that his partner was also dressed accordingly as he made his way through the front door of the restaurant.

"Well look who it is! I was starting to think I got stood up."

His hears shot up as he finally looks up from his cuffs to scan the tables for the source of the sarcastic comment. The restaurant seemed to leave the rainforest behind as the inside truly resembled a lush wine vineyard. In a booth three down from where he was standing, he sees his partner's trademark smug grin.

"That would've been bad news for you, Mr. Savage," she continued as she pat her paw next to her. "I don't take rejection well."

"Bite me," Jack mocked in response. He sat down across the table from her as he kept his annoyed grin. Her chin rested on her crossed hands as she trained her seductive at him "Stop looking at me like that, Skye."

Across from him, and the stack of dishes that she somehow accumulated, sat a beautiful white-furred vixen. She was as sly as the negative stereotype would lead you to believe. The warm smirk she always wore was an accurate precursor for whatever sly comment that left her. Her narrowed blue eyes intently looked back at him. Although the thought of having to spend the evening with the annoying fox made his skin crawl, he could not help but be moved by how her eyes brighten the room.

"Ohhhh Jaaack! You have such a way with words. I'm soaking over here." One of his eyebrows shot up as she said this with a childish snort. She was definitely known for making lewd jokes, but that last felt a little more like a clumsy advancement. This wasn't like the solitary fox. "How do you keep the ladies off those stripes of yours."

By being completely useless.

"Skye did you already eat? How long have you been here?" He attempted to brush off his obvious blushing by looking down at all of the scraped plates. The stack of emptied platters and wine glasses created a valley between them. He assumed this was to help conceal their position. Did she come up with that on her own?

"You're so cute when you get nervous, honey."

Ok now I KNOW there's definitely something up with her. This isn't like her at all. She must be acting for their cover, right?

Before he could bark at her for how offensive the "c- word" was again, she continued. "I've been here for about an hour and a half. Don't worry I've been a good little fox." She let off a wink that caused his ears to flush even more. The cutsey, innocent voice she occasionally puts on always gets his ears to turn a warm pink. It was obvious that she knew.

He had to clear his throat before he spoke again. "Why did you tell me to come at nine then? I need to be here when you are, Skye. You know this." He rose in his seat as he scolded, "You know my ears are better! How are YOU going to get all of the information we need!?" It was very obvious how Jack still didn't fully trust his partner. He never has. Not wanting his anger to blow their cover, he sat back down and resumed, "this could be serious, Skye. It may just seem like drug dealing. We don't know how deep this thing can go."

"That's what she said."

One ear on the shot up in confusion as it took a second for the naive rabbit to get the suggestive joke. Every canine in Skye's muzzle flashed as a warm bellow of laughter leaked from her. As she laughed the smell of fermented grapes flooded his nose. His eyes bulged as his mind started connecting the dots of her sexual comment. That, at the moment, was the least of his concern

Disappoint floods his face once he also realized other obvious fact about his partner. The flirtatious attitude; the grape aroma; her slurred voice. . .

"Skye. . . . You're drunk."

"Jack. . . . You're sexy."

You're rubbing off on her, slick.

The fact that she copied his face and voice as she spoke only infuriated him further. He barked, "For gods sake Skye we're on duty! We're not out here for no reason! He could be here any moment!"

She leaned back as she picked her teeth. Indifferently, she shrugged, "What? Who? Pin Head? Oh he left half an hour ago. Geez, that guy couldn't whisper to save his life! Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak! Eventually he did blurt out the location though. I already called it in. They picked him up making the sell down on 4th and Quaker."

"WHAT?!" Jack was back on his feet as he couldn't hold back his rage any further. His breathing grew to a swift pace as he glared at her. "You made me come this late for nothing?!"

" Pfffft. That's what he sai-"

"SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!"

You got to admit, that was pretty funny.

"YOU SHUT UP TOO! BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

An awkward silence grew over the restaurant. The animals turned curiously to find the source of the booming voice only to find that it was the rabbit leaned over the table: frozen. He trembled as he realized he just yelled that last statement to himself. His painful hyperventilating increased as his face cringed, holding back tears.

Skye let out a slow sigh as he observed his partner. "Not again..." she thought to herself as she watched the attack worsen. A look of pure anguish swept her face as she watched his partner fight himself once again.

The restaurant slowly came back to life after the heated argument seemed to resolve itself.

Not being able to watch another moment of her partner's distress, she reached out to grab his still-tensed paw. "Jack... Stay with me." His breathing immediately slowed as he looked up at her. His mouth hung open slightly as hopelessness painted his face. He continued to pant as she wiped the single tear that accumulated with her thumb.

Whelp, saw this coming. You ruined it again. Bravo.

"Jack, you dumb bunny. Can't you see I wanted you to be here. I never have a good time without you. I NEED you to be here with me. Can't you see..." She paused for what felt like an eternity.

Oh no. . . Did she say she needed me. Why does she need ME? Don't you see I need you! Please tell me why you need me. Tell me it's for the same reason. Say it. Say it...

"Jack. . . . .

I need a ride home."

For the love of...

A few moments passed as he attempted to gather himself. When he looked back at her, her beautiful blue eyes were once again attempting to brighten his dark soul. With a reluctant sigh, he submits. "Ugh, fine." He was far too relaxed from her touch to feel angry at her. She saved the lives of (who knows how many) mammals tonight. . . including his own.

He nearly jumped when she let out a gleeful shriek. "Great! You're the best!" She shrilled as she got up from the table with a, less than graceful, stumble. She was more intoxicated than she let on. He, however, was focused on the slick black dress that she was now adjusting. It hugged her curved, muscular body with such grace that every married man in the room received a shot to the arm from their green-eyed wives. She obviously noticed his praiseful gaze. "Don't get a cavity over there, honey. I taste sweeter than you think."

His ears twitched as he realized he was caught red-handed.

Smoooooooth. Another point for Savage.

Shut up.

As she walked by him she placed her thumb on the base of his still twitching ear. She giggled as her claw ran up his inner ear as she moved towards the door. Satisfaction fueled her grin as Jack's foot frantically thumped the chair and his paw gripped the table. She was halfway to the door before he came to his senses and looked back in disgust. She swayed her hips as if she knew she won this round.

Dammit Skye. You and your smug smiles and dumb jokes and tasty hips and... Wait what?!

He slapped his face in shock of what he just said to himself.

Ugh. That dumb fo-

"Excuse me sir?"

He pulled his head from his hand to find the waiter, who was holding a piece of paper out for him. "You're a very lucky man, but I'd be careful around her. That was a pretty impressive appetite she had! She may have you for dessert."

Jack's eye twitched at him as he snatched the paper from the waiter's paw. His heart sang as he realized that he was looking at a long list of numbers with a total accumulated at the bottom. He turned around to see set the angelic con-artist was nowhere to be found.

"So sir, will this be cash, credit, or debit?"

He couldn't hold back a grin as her voice echoed in his head:

". . .You dumb bunny. . ."