A/N: Hey guys, welcome. Nathan's busy at the moment, so he sent me to tell you guys a few things before we continue:
1: Sorry this took awhile to come out, I did say I would be busy playing the Destiny 2 Beta over the weekend, and that the chapter would come out the following week. Hope the wait wasn't too long for any of you.
2: Got some responses pertaining to the tone of the last chapter. Yeah, this story is going to go to some pretty dark places, maybe I should have put a warning or something.
3: Thanks again for the follows and favorites, goes without saying. Reviews have also been very helpful.
Looks like Nathan is ready for you guys now, so I'll get out of your way.
Hit the lights.
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"No."
"Oh come on Fenra, it's only for a few days…" Nathan pleaded to the hound.
"And the answer is no."
Nathan scratched the back of his head in stress as he tried to negotiate. Fenra was not pleased at all to seeing Gwen for the first time. He had to beg basically to even be allowed back in with her in tow.
"She has nowhere else to go right now, Fenra. She just like-"
The hound cut him off abruptly. "She's nothing like me. She's doesn't know what I've gone through, or what I've had to deal with in the past."
Gwen said nothing, but only quietly studied the hound from behind him, observing her manners and tendencies. She was wise enough to know not to say anything stupid. Nathan rubbed his forehead in stress as he continued.
"Look, I can't just let her go out and be her own-"
"Why not? What does it matter to you what happens to her?"
Nathan groaned in irritation. "I-I can't explain it to you in an easy way that'll make sense. I just… can't. I gotta let her stay. It's the right thing to do."
"If I may-" Gwen tried to chime in but the hound venomously growled at her.
"I don't want to hear a single word out of you, you old fossil. If you know what's good for you, you'll keep that snout of yours shut."
Gwen scoffed in return. "How rude. How do you even stand to be in the same room as this mutt?"
Fenra growled and was very close to wanting to exchange blows. "Just keep on talking, see what happens…"
The two liminals argued back and forth, each calling each other various hurtful names and remarks. They seemed to forget that Nathan was even there in the same room with them. He started to get a little nervous, and a little frightened even at the intensity that they were going at.
"H-hey…" Nathan stuttered, trying to get their attention.
They easily ignored his comment, and kept on going. Things were going to get worse if Nathan couldn't defuse the situation. Could he even stop them if he tried though?
Things were reaching a fever pitch now. Nathan felt himself starting to get mad. Mad at himself for even letting this break out to begin with. The two liminals were in each others face now.
"How about I make some scars on that pretty face of yours, I'm sure it'd be quite an improvement…"
Gwen smirked. "I could say the same for you. I know just the place to put one-"
Nathan yelled out in anger, desperate for this to end. "ENOUGH!"
Both of them quickly back away from each other, each of them looking at Nathan with a certain level of fright. Fenra looked almost like a scolded child who'd been giving a stern talking to.
"Shame on you, the both of you... " Nathan over between the two of them and stood. "We're all adults here, especially you Gwen."
Gwen held her head down in embarrassment. "Forgive me, milord…"
Nathan looked over at Fenra with a glare. Fenra was caught off guard by his own intensity and looked ashamed. "I'm disappointed, Fenra. You're so much better than this. Are you really about to let her get to you?"
Fenra's ears drooped and she looked down in shame as well. "But-"
"Zip it, I'm talking right now. Look…"
Fenra looked a little hurt that he interrupted her. Nathan sighed. He didn't want to have to talk this way to her, but it was necessary.
"... Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I don't want to have to be a parent here, and I shouldn't have to be. You are a grown woman, Fenra. But, I'm the man of the house here, and I will make the final decision."
"But-"
"What did I just say? Zip. It. I'm in charge right now."
Fenra looked like she want to say so much more, but she relented finally. The stubborn Hellhound had been subdued, for the moment. Nathan turned to Gwen and spoke again.
"You'll be staying here, however long or short that may be. That's my final decision. Since Fenra has taken my guest bedroom, you can stay in my own room until we work this all out with Crowley."
Gwen looked puzzled. "Your room, milord? But then, where will you sleep?"
Fenra looked concerned as well. "But-"
Nathan groaned in frustration. "I'll be fine on the couch, don't worry about it."
"Surely there is enough space for both of us, milord. I'd be more than open to sharing…"
Nathan shook his head. "No, that's fine. I'll make it work."
He turned back to Fenra.
"I expect you to treat Gwen fairly while she stays here. If you don't Fenra… No more headpats."
"That's not fair…" Fenra whimpered and looked at him, very upset at the idea of losing one of her favorite pastimes. He knew it was cruel to use that against her, but if he didn't there would no real way to control the hound otherwise.
"That all depends on you, Fenra. Are you going to cooperate?"
The hound wanted to protest some more, Nathan could see in burning inside of her eyes. She sighed, and resigned herself to his command. "Fine. "
"Good." Nathan said. "Gwen, feel free to bring your bags into my room and unpack. Fenra, go do whatever. God, I need a drink…"
Nathan left the room to grab a beer from his fridge in the kitchen, leaving the two liminals alone together. Fenra walked over to the dragon, and helped pick up one of the bags. Gwen looked grateful.
"Thank-" Gwen tried to say, but was once again cut off by the hound.
"I'm only doing this for him, don't get any ideas." She said as they walked over to his room, placing her luggage on top of his bed.
Fenra took a deep breath, and sighed. "... I-I want you to see something."
Gwen set the last case down. "What?" She asked.
She just motioned for the dragon to follow, and so she obliged. She brought Gwen over to the entrance to his office, in which Nathan was drinking some much needed alcohol to calm his nerves. Nathan hadn't been a user of the bottle in a long while, but it was a necessary evil to keep the stress and anxiety from getting to him. She made a motion for Gwen to be quiet, and they quietly observed him as he sat in his chair. Nathan sat there, trying to calm down after the tense confrontation they all had.
They watched for a bit longer as Nathan lit up a cigarette. He leaned back into his chair, and sighed loudly. That was their cue to leave.
Fenra brought Gwen back with her into his room, and close the door behind them. Gwen sat on the bed, looking puzzled as she did so.
"Why did you show me that? Is it supposed to mean something?"
Fenra leaned against the wall closest to Gwen. "... He means a lot to me."
"Nathan?"
She slowly nodded. "H-he was the only one who took me in, and didn't regret it. He'd made me feel like I belong somewhere, in a place I never thought I could. A home."
"I had no idea, I'm sorry. If I had known you were so close to him…"
"Look, I'm not happy at all you are here. Not at all. But seeing as my Pet has a big heart, I guess I have no choice but to put up with it. I just want to make a few things clear to you…"
Gwen gave a nod, and listened patiently. Fenra was annoyed at her kind and patient nature.
"That man you saw out there alone, is mine. Not yours. Nobody elses. I'll take care of him, and make him happy. If I see you hurt or do anything to him I don't like, I will make sure you'll pay for it dearly. Do I make myself clear?"
Gwen politely nodded. "I'd never hurt such a nice man. You have my word that I'll be mindful of my stay here."
Fenra seemed to find that answer satisfactory to her, and decided it was time to leave her be for now. She left Gwen to rearrange and unpack her things in his room while she pondered about the situation.
Nathan took another drag on his cigarette, a wave of relief finally left his lungs. "Ahh… That's feels so much better…"
He felt bad for forcing this whole thing on Fenra. He knew that Fenra was incredibly possessive and stubborn, and hated whenever he spoke or interacted with other people. He also knew where those feelings now came from, with the information that Crowley had divulged to him in confidence. Maybe he should apologize to her, or better yet…
Why not do what Crowley asked him to do, and take her out on a date somewhere to make up for it? He did enjoy whatever time he got spending with the hound, and he felt like he owed her. Where would he even take her on a first date, though? A movie? Some restaurant that would drain his wallet?
What a minute, what was he saying? Was he actually considering the idea of… getting closer to her? He admitted to himself early into Fenra's stay that he was easily attracted to her, although to the extent of what he felt he wasn't even sure himself. Could he really ever get that close to another person, after everything that had happened to him? Would she even want to deal with the problems he had? Maybe that didn't matter to her. You don't always see what's on the inside when you first meet a person.
Nathan's thought train was quickly cut short after he heard canine whimpering from his doorway. The needy hound looked at him, her black ears furrowed and fluffy tail slowly whipping back and forth.
"Fenra?"
She continued to whine and whimper, easily melting her way into Nathan's heart. What was the matter now?
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
Fenra didn't say anything, but simply walked over to Nathan and bent down to her knees. She took his left hand hand into her own, and placed it on her soft cheek. She kept on whimpering and whining.
Nathan put his other hand on her head, and slowly petted and rubbed her scalp and hair. She nuzzled into his hand, and quietly resumed her whining as he did so.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Fuzzy. I wasn't trying to be mean. You know that, right?"
A happy sigh left her. "I know. You just have to be the nice guy, don't you?"
Nathan gave her a smirk. "Sorry, can't help it."
"I know you can't help it, which is why…" Fenra tried to search for the humility in her in order to continue. "I want to… apologize."
Nathan felt the grin on his face widen. She was learning. "You don't need to apologize, Fuzzy. I should have known it would be difficult for you to adjust. I'm sorry for putting you in an uncomfortable position."
"I'm just... worried that if you let her stay, that we'd… You'd…" She whimpered again.
"You're afraid it's gonna change the relationship me and you have?"
She nodded.
Nathan sighed and he continued to pet his hound. "Oh Fuzzy… You don't need to be scared. Sure, some things are going to be different. But the amount of time me and you spend shouldn't have to change. We can still be as close as you need me to be."
She looked up into his dull eyes. "You'd do that for me?"
He tousled her long wild black hair. "I told you I'd take good care of you, didn't I?"
That was true. He'd do just about anything to make sure she was happy. It's what she deserved, after such a hard time in the past. What harm could come from continuing to indulge her physical insecurities?
She leapt into him, causing the chair to fall over. Nathan yelped in response as Fenra held him in an impossible to escape hug, and nuzzled and kissed him all over. "Thank you so much, darling… You're the greatest." She giggled happily.
Nathan chuckled. He was used to the unrelenting affection that the hellhound was capable of at this point.. "I'm not that great, believe me."
"To someone like me, you are." Fenra gave him another kiss on the bandaged cheek that still remained on his face. "Your kindness means more to me than you know…"
Now was more or less the perfect time to ask her.
"Hey Fuzzy… I have something I want to ask you…"
"Yes, Pet?" She gave him a loving smile.
Nathan was still nervous, even with Fenra being so open and candid with him. He felt his face get all hot, and his palms start to get sweaty. Fenra noticed the sudden change and giggled gleefully.
She whispered in his ear, causing chills to run down his spine. "Aw, you're so adorable when you're nervous… I could just eat you up…"
Nathan almost choked on his next few words in response as he spoke. "Well… how would you feel if I took you out on a… well, you know…"
Fenra got excited. "A date?"
Nathan was happy she had pieced it together for him, so he could stop looking like a nervous wreck. "Uh, yeah. Something like that."
Fenra gave him a seductive wink. "It's about damn time you asked me. So you got a plan, handsome? Where are you gonna take me?"
Nathan shrugged. "Up to you. You're the VIP for the day."
He honestly had no clue where to begin if the choice fell to him.
"Well let's see…" Fenra sat up, rocking her hips back on forth on his crotch.
Nathan blushed a little harder. "Uh, could you not do that?"
She continued to do it, maybe even a little harder than before. Fenra gave him a playful smirk and stuck her tongue out.
"I'm just dying for some good meat… You wouldn't know where we could get some, now do you?"
The consistent grinding of her hips made it hard for him to concentrate.
"Uh, I think we can work something out..." Nathan replied.
"Sounds like fun…" Fenra teased. Her constant rocking now making it really hard to not appear aroused himself. He needed an out, before things got any more steamy.
"What sounds like fun?" He heard the lovely voice of Gwen behind them. Gwen was politely standing in the doorway. Perfect out. She took notice of the um, particular position they were in.
"Oh my.." Gwen put a hand to her mouth. "I'm not interrupting anything… interesting, am I?"
Nathan took this moment to slide from under Fenra, causing her to stumble and fall off of him.
"Um, nope. Nothing at all."
Gwen smirked a little. "I see. It seems like you two have some plans. Mind if I get filled in?"
Fenra was quick to shut her down. "It's none of your-"
Nathan didn't know when to shut his mouth. "I was planning on taking Fenra out to eat somewhere."
Fenra gave him a look that most likely read, "I'm not sharing."
"Ooh, sounds like fun! If there's space, I'd love to be invited."
"You're not invited, it's a-" Fenra was cut off once again. She shot out a glare at Nathan. She was starting to get that jealous look in her eyes again.
"There's plenty of room for another, I'd love to have you tag along. I need to show you around town anyways."
Nathan saw the burning glare that Fenra was giving him, and all he really could give was a shrug with his hands up saying, "What am I supposed to do?"
Gwen smiled and bounced happily. "Sounds like fun, I'm all excited now!"
Fenra rolled her eyes at Gwen's enthusiasm. "I'm gonna take a nap."
The hound brushed quickly past the dragon and down the hall, slamming the door to her room behind her.
"What's her problem?" Gwen asked.
Nathan had repositioned his chair back into its normal position. "Sorry about that. Fenra's just a little... possessive is all."
Gwen folded her arms. "Just a little? She seems like she can't bear to keep her paws off of you for a second."
Nathan chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, she definitely can be a little… forward."
Gwen looked back over at the door to Fenra's room. "She's really not what I expected, at all."
"Oh?" Nathan replied.
"Her threatening appearance doesn't seem to mesh with her own personality. I've never heard of or seen before such a hellspawn with such a… caring disposition."
Nathan sighed and sat back down in his chair. "She's different, that's for sure. Appearances can be deceiving."
"That they can be…" Gwen replied. "So you two get along well?"
Nathan nodded. "Oh yeah, really well. We spend a lot of time together. Come to think of it, there isn't a moment that I'm home where Fenra isn't close or trying to snuggle with me."
"She must really trust you, then. To want to be with and so close to you. It's not hard to see why."
"You think there's a specific reason?" Nathan asked the dragon.
"Isn't it obvious?" The dragon snorted. "Your openness and kind energy is like a beacon. People are attracted to qualities like that. It's probably why I'm standing in front of you right now."
Nathan thought back to the reference to Fenra's past trauma.
"She's had a rough time in the past. I feel bad for her. I've been doing my best to try and make up for her past experiences."
Gwen smiled. "It seems like you're doing better than you think. She looks happy."
Nathan sighed, and realized he hadn't finished the current smoke he had started earlier. He took the cigarette in hand and began to puff. "I really hope so."
"If you'll pardon my directness milord, why do you smoke?" Gwen pointed at the death stick in his hand.
Nathan exhaled a plume of smoke, and looked at the cigarette in his hand. He kind of shrugged. "It's just something I do to relax, you know? To make the stress go away."
Gwen stepped forward with a frown. "But that doesn't last for a long time, does it? The stress always comes back. It doesn't just go away when you want it to."
Nathan nodded, it wasn't the first time he'd heard that whole deal. "I've tried to quit before. It's just… complicated."
"It shortens your already short life. Wouldn't you want to live to the fullest potential you can?"
He knew where she was coming from. He shrugged. His parents once had a very similar talk with him in the past, although that involved way more yelling and shouting at him. "To be honest, whatever gets me off this place the quickest."
Gwen's frown seemed to deepen. "... That's a very sad outlook to have. You have so much potential and opportunities left in your life. You shouldn't waste them."
"Well," Nathan took another puff of the smoke. "When you're as depressed as me, and what I've gone through, maybe staying here isn't as nice and positive as you make it sound."
"You don't look like your very depressed." Gwen answered. "I've seen you smiling, and you looked happy."
Nathan held a finger up and took another puff.
"It's just a mask I put on. When you've always had depression, you learn to hide that around other people. Whenever I'm around other people, I can change and adapt accordingly. Half the time I'm pretending to act like someone I'm not, the other half I'm trying to be like someone I wish I was."
"So then," Gwen paused. "Which side of you is the real one?"
Nathan shook his head in response. "I'm not sure if there's anything real about me at all. I don't know who I am, or what I'm supposed to be. I guess I'm just… lost."
"Why are you lost?"
Nathan put the finished cigarette butt in his ashtray. "I lost the one person I loved more than anything else. She was my very purpose for even wanting to live. Without her with me, I have nothing to go for. I have nothing to gain by still being here."
Gwen seemed to be trying to get into his head. He knew what she was up to. He didn't care though. If she wanted to know how much of a disappointment he was, she'd find out real quick.
"...What was her name?"
He was going to tell her. Why did he bother trying to hide all of this to begin with? What good did it do for him? Maybe he could get his fucking life on track if somebody else knew.
"...Emily."
Saying her name for the first time out loud in such a long time was almost surreal. It was like something that was familiar to him had suddenly returned.
"That's a beautiful name."
Nathan nodded. "Yeah. It was."
"What was she like?"
Nathan looked directly into Gwen's reptilian eyes. His dull blue eyes conveyed the sorrow in his words as he spoke. "Have you ever felt like you were always missing something? Like a piece of yourself was never there?"
The onyx dragon shook her head. "I can't say I really know what that feels like, even after all the time I've lived..."
"That's what Emily was, and still is to me. A piece of me. A part of me that I've lost forever. Without her, I feel like only half a person."
Gwen walked closer to him. "... What happened to her?"
Nathan shook his head. "I don't talk about what happened. I haven't for a long time. All you need to know is that it was my fault, and that I'm responsible."
"I can't imagine what you've been through, and I'm not going to act like I know how it feels. I may have lost people before in my long lifetime, but the loss of someone isn't universal in feeling. Will I ever get to know what happened?"
"Maybe."
Gwen put her large claws on his broad shoulders, and looked down at him. "If I can do anything to help somehow, milord. Just let me know."
Nathan nodded. "If you could do me just one favor, please don't repeat any of this to Fenra or anyone else. I don't know how Fenra would react if she saw me talk like this. I don't think I could handle making her sad."
"Of course. I won't say a word, milord. You can confide in me with whatever you feel comfortable sharing."
"Thank you, Gwen. I'm sorry for making the mood so dark." Nathan clapped his hands together, now being the time to change the conversation. "Now, you said something about food?"
Gwen nodded and smiled. "Food would be nice. But I'd wouldn't want to intrude, of course. It looked like you wanted it to be only a table for two."
That was a fancy way of telling him she knew he wanted to take Fenra on a date. Gwen was smarter than she let on. Just how much could she read into him? Scary thought.
"That was the idea, but I don't mind having you come along if you want to."
"It's okay, milord. You and her should have some time together alone. Maybe some other time, you could take me out on a date, and show an old girl a good time." She gave him wink.
"We will see." Nathan smiled. "I hope we get along well, for however long or short of a time that may be. I know leaving the mansion wasn't an easy choice to make."
"I think we'll get along very well." Gwen patted him on his shoulders.
Nathan chuckled. "I guess so, then."
She turned around, and slowly showed herself out of his office, after tugging at one of his legs with her long scaled onyx tail playfully. She was a good person, Nathan thought. I almost wish I could be like her, in some ways. Being so empathetic, and making the effort to help others.
He looked over at the cabinet that was next to him. He pulled out the picture frame that held the picture of his dear Emily. He played the words in his head over again around the situation he took that picture.
Come on, you big goofball. You don't know how a phone works?
I know how my phone works. Your phone to me is like alien technology.
Your a smart guy, you'll figure it out.
I always do.
Now don't be so shy and get in the frame. Let's make a few memories out of this.
Lets.
Emily always encouraged him, no matter what he did. Even when she discovered his drug addiction, she wanted him to get better. To be a better person.
"What would you think of me now, if you saw me?" He spoke to the picture, obviously not getting a response to it. "Would you be proud of me?"
Even he wasn't sure what that answer was.
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"You're not slacking off again, are you Smith?"
Smith jolted her head up, trying to hide her face with her disheveled black hair. she'd been taking regular naps the whole shift today. "Who, me? I wouldn't dream of it. Just nursing another hangover, is all."
"Ha." Crowley knew all too well Smith's work ethic and enthusiasm was lacking. Smith was always either hung over, or about to get drunk. "So, how has that Kurusu or whatever kid been doing?"
Smith pushed her glasses back up her nose. "Still talks of that marriage in the works. Although to who though, your guess is as good as mine. My bet is on the snake."
Crowley scoffed. "Mine's on that spider. I've always been a legs man, and a fan of spiders. We really don't get a lot of spiders, do we?"
"Nice to know you like something on a normal woman's body." Smith crossed her shaped legs over. If there was a part of Smith's body Crowley knew for a fact was perfect, it was her long, shapely legs.
"Did I say that?" Crowley grinned. He enjoyed their casual back and forth flirting. Made him feel younger.
"Perhaps. Right now though, I'm more interested in that Walker kid of yours. How's he doing?"
"He doing great, from what it looks like. Fenra seems to finally have a good place. The poor kid is covered in those marks of hers." Crowley helped himself to the alcohol that Smith kept in her office. She didn't object.
"I still feel bad for not noticing sooner, how badly we screwed up with her. Do you think she still blames us?"
Crowley shrugged as he took a drink. "Probably just me. She trusted us to make the right choice. At least now we can try and forget it happened."
"You think he'll try and make the right choices with her?"
Crowley nodded. "I hope so."
"So, onto business now? Or are you content staring at me all day?"
"Sounds pretty tempting…" Crowley teased.
"I bet it does."
They really needed to go out sometime, the two of them The tension between them was so obnoxious even other people in the office could see it. Crowley had never married, or been in a significant relationship in years. As far as he knew, so had she.
Crowley took a seat in the room next to Smith. "Well, things have been pretty interesting in town lately. I've had to deploy my MON squad way more often than I'm used to. A lot more gang and species violence than we're normally used to."
"How is Hobbes doing? She hasn't been the leader of the team for very long."
"It's an adjustment, but Hobbes is a tough girl. One of the toughest I know. She's Jinko, it's in her blood. The scars from that last encounter though, I don't know if she'll get over."
Crowley remembered being in the ambulance with Hobbes to the hospital, hold her clawed paw while she cried and whimpered about losing her face.
"Have you found a place for them to stay yet, instead of the office?"
Crowley pulled out a few papers and reports from under his arm. "Haven't been so lucky yet. But with some recent developments, I think we may have an option."
He pulled out some photos of the Peregrine mansion. Smith picked them up and studied them.
"I sent that Walker kid over to check things out. It turns out Claire's been dead for awhile, and that dragon of hers was still there."
"So, what's your plan then?" Smith asked. "You want to take over the land or something?"
"Something like that. It would be the easiest way to get Hobbes and all of them a place to live."
Smith handed him back the photos. "You'd obviously would need Gwen's approval before you could even get that off the ground."
"I'm working on it. I just have to get access to Claire's will from the records. I'm pretty sure if I can get that, she'll happily come around and work with us. It really is a nice house. Amazing garden, too."
"So, where is she staying now?"
"At the Walker kids place."
Smith gave him that stare. "You didn't…"
Crowley took another large drink. "He has the space for right now while we sort things out here."
Smith rolled her eyes. "Great, you've just created another harem in the making."
"You make it sound like it's a bad thing." Crowley laughed a little.
"You think he'll be able to handle it until we relocate her?"
"I don't know if he's up for it, but I hope he'll be able to roll with it."
Smith folded her arms. "You know it's all on you if things go wrong, right?"
Crowley was fully aware of the risk he was taking. Why else would he have sent Nathan there?
"Yeah… I know."
He just hoped Nathan would be up to the task at hand.
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"You know, you don't have to just stare…" Fenra called out Nathan for his wandering gaze. It's her fault Fenra deliberately wore clothes that showed off so much of her body. Fenra was wearing that white wide neck sweater and tight jean shorts he had bought for her. He almost regretted buying them. Almost.
"I'm good, thanks for the offer though…"
They had left Gwen to watch the house, which she had no issue with. She even said she would "tidy the place up a bit" while they were away. Handy. He already liked her. It was really going to suck when she would have to leave.
Fenra held his arm close to her bosom, with her clawed hand interlocked with his. Like usual, she refused to let him go. Not that he wanted to let hand go, anyway. He felt a small about of comfort when she held him.
He had driven them this time instead of walking, so Nathan wouldn't have to deal with Fenra growling at passersby, although they did have to walk to the restaurant after parking the car. The place Nathan had picked out for the two of them was one he'd been a regular at for a long time now. The city he lived in was just so interconnected, everybody really got to be involved in each others lives.
When he and Fenra walked in the door, (which he politely opened for her) The manager Chase greeted him with a hearty laugh and smile.
"Nathan my boy, it's been awhile since you've stopped by! What's the occasion? Just hungry, or something…" Chase noticed the hellhound that had wrapped herself around Nathan. Chase whistled.
"Well now, who's this darlin' you got with you this evening?"
"His girlfriend." Fenra replied and nuzzled him.
Nathan felt his heart skip a few beats and his face blush. She didn't just say that, right? His girlfriend? No, the air inside the restaurant must just be getting to him.
Another hearty laugh came from Chase. "Well, it's about time you got yourself another lovely lady in your life! Always hated seeing you look so lonely when you used to come in. How long has this been a thing?"
Nathan rubbed his neck and stammered. "Only just a few weeks now. It's a pretty recent thing, I guess."
Chase clapped his hands together. 'Well, looks like it's time to celebrate! Follow me you two, and I'll steal you some seats."
They followed Chase further into the restaurant, passing tables that were filled with various humans, and liminals as well. Chase was one of the few people that was there from the start in support of the program three years ago. He always had a motto when he was asked about the inclusion of liminals as customers: "If the food is good and doesn't cost too much, I don't see why anyone or anything couldn't enjoy it all together!"
He was a good man, and someone Nathan respected. Maybe if he was lucky, Chase would slide a discount his way for the meal. He would probably need it, considering the monstrous appetite for meat that Fenra possessed.
Chase brought them to a small booth that was further in the back, away from any prying eyes. Nathan appreciated the extra effort on his part. He handed them the menus.
"Can I get you two anything to drink for starters?"
Nathan had pretty much memorized his menu a long time ago. "I'll take a Golden Spike Hefeweizen, my usual."
Chased nodded. "Ah, of course. I'll make sure to get it to you ice cold. Now, for you, young lady?"
Fenra perused the menu, but wasn't sure what she wanted herself. "I'll take what he's having."
"An excellent choice!" Chased bellowed. "I'll be back with your drinks, don't go anywhere!"
Fenra watched as the large man lumbered his way back over to the front.
"He seems nice." Fenra said.
"Oh, Chase?" Nathan replied. "Yeah, he's a big ol' sweetheart. He'd never turn down anyone who would come through his door. Speaking of which… what did you mean when you called yourself my girlfriend?"
Fenra gave him a loving smile across the table, and Nathan chuckled. "What are you smiling at? I'm was just curious as to what thats supposed to mean."
"You mean it's not obvious?" She said sweetly. "You know I like you. It's not like you're already in a relationship, right?"
She rubbed his hand with her paw. Nathan blushed. He should've seen that coming. "No, I'm not in one. Haven't been for a long time."
Fenra licked her lips. "Well, that settles it then."
"Wait, that settles what?"
"That you're my boyfriend. You've been mine from the moment I laid eyes on you, but saying it like this makes it official."
Whoa whoa whoa, hold on just a fucking minute.
"Oh, uh…" Nathan stammered. "That's-"
"Oh come on, Pet. Are you honestly going to tell me you don't feel the same way, after all the time we spend together? You can't tell me you don't enjoy snuggling with me at night?"
She had him, Nathan did like that. "I do enjoy the company, yes…"
Fenra point a claw to her neck. "My bite marks on you aren't just for show, you know. It means something to me."
"Oh?" Nathan rubbed the frequently reopened bite mark on his neck. "What are they supposed to mean, then?"
"Well, you've given things to people you love to show how much they mean to you, right? Humans do that sort of thing, don't they?"
"Of course I have. What does that have to do with it?"
She played with his fingers in her paw as she spoke. "Well to me, it's my way of expressing how I feel. I'm not… that good at saying what I mean. Being physical with it though, I'm good at."
"It sounds like you've had some relationship experiences of your own." Nathan said in turn.
"Actually you'd be surprised. I mean sure, I've had sex. Many times. The whole love thing I'm new at. What about you?"
"What, how many times I've had sex?" Nathan said, the room getting hotter for some reason.
The few times he'd had sex he could only count on one hand.
"Sure, why not?" Fenra giggled.
"Um…" Nathan paused. "Like… four times maybe?"
"Wow, that's it?" Fenra said kind of surprised. "No wonder you're so out of it."
"Now, what does that mean?" Nathan cocked an eyebrow.
"Just playing with you, love. Wow… so few times… I have so much to teach you."
"Teach me what?"
"Maybe I'll show you sometime... Let's talk about something else before I actually get turned on. Wouldn't be exactly polite to get all touchy feely in public, although I certainly wouldn't mind a grope or two…"
"Yes." Nathan readily agreed quickly. "Please do."
"Bummer." Fenra frowned. "Well, can't blame a girl for trying. So what, should we talk about ourselves again or something?"
"Yeah actually..." Nathan remind himself. "I was curious what your other homes were like when you stayed there. You okay with sharing anything like that?"
"Well if you gotta know…" She held his hands tightly. "Let's just say they were not as open and as kind as you are, Pet. They could be cruel. If I got in their way or complain, they'd do horrible things to me."
"Horrible things?" Nathan said.
"They'd hurt me. In a bunch of ways. They'd yell at me, hit me, and sometimes wouldn't feed me."
"Why didn't you do something? You're so much stronger than them!"
"It's the law, and I didn't want to go back home."
"What was wrong with your family?" Nathan asked. He didn't know about this part.
"They think I'm a disappointment as a Hellhound. Apparently I'm too soft, I never really asked why."
Too soft? Jeez, what were the other Hellhounds like?
Nathan frowned. "I'm sorry. I know that doesn't mean much, though."
"It's okay." Fenra reassured him. "I don't need to be sad anymore. I have my Pet now. My Pet takes very good care of me." She nuzzled her face into his hands. "I still feel a little sad, though."
"Why's that, Fuzzy?" Nathan asked the loving hound.
"Because," Fenra looked up at him. "Your sad. Some nights when I sleep next to you, I hear you cry and feel you shiver and shake in my arms. I want you to not be sad. It hurts."
"... I'm sorry you have to see that. If I could stop it, I would've done so by now."
"I want my Nathan to be happy. I would do anything for you to smile." Fenra started to whimper and whine.
"It's fine, Fuzzy." Nathan smiled. I'm happy right now, see? You wanna know why?"
She stopped her whining. "Why's that?"
"Because," Nathan paused. "I have you. Whenever you're around me Fenra, I don't feel as bad. I don't feel alone."
Fenra's dark face blushed and she looked shy. She couldn't have been any cuter. Or any more perfect. "I'll always be right next to you. I… I want us to be closer though…"
"I know what you mean. I…" Nathan knew he had to tell her exactly how he felt. He couldn't just keep on pretending he didn't feel the same way she did for him. He had feelings for her. Real, warm feelings that reminded him of her.
His Emily.
Fenra was blushing, with a happy smile that exposed her fangs, and her cute tail was wagging back and forth. If you've ever been with that special person in your life and confessed your feelings to them, there's a feeling in your gut that tells you, "I know they feel the same way too."
"Yes, darling?" She held his hands tight.
It would be difficult to say, Nathan wasn't sure he could do it. He heard her sweet voice reassure and encourage him. He stammered to gain control of his own voice to put his feelings into words.
"You can do it, Nathan. Don't be afraid."
He was afraid. Very afraid. Of letting her in, just like he did with her.
"I guess... what I'm trying to say is… is that I-"
Chase finally came with their drinks. "Ice cold, just how you wanted it!"
He noticed the serious looks on Fenra and Nathan's faces. "Oh. Am I interrupting a personal moment over here?"
Nathan looked at Fenra, then sighed. It just wasn't the right time. He wasn't ready. He answered Chase with a mediocre tone.
"No, it's nothing. Thanks for the drinks, Chase."
"No problem. You two ready to order?"
Fenra's ears furrowed and she frowned as Chase set their beers down on the table. Nathan spoke to Chase. "Yeah, I'll have a steak with potatoes and gravy. Medium rare."
"Sounds like a plan." Chase wrote it down, and turned his attention to Fenra. "How about you?"
"Same as my darling." She said. She wouldn't take her burning eyes of off him. Chase wrote that down too.
"Sounds good. I'll be back in a second, don't go anywhere now." Chase said with a smile. "Take care my boy here. He's one of the good ones." He went back over to the front.
He couldn't look her in the eyes. It was too hard. He felt so disappointed in himself. He sighed, and took a very long swig of his beverage, way too long to be normal. Fenra whimpered and whined in worry for him. He finally sat the drink down, easily more than half of it already gone.
"Are you okay, Darling? You look so sad right now…"
Nathan tried to avoid her eye contact. "It's fine. I just… thought I could do something, but it looks like I can't. Not yet. I'm sorry Fuzzy… I hope your not mad."
Fenra just gave her that same fanged smile he always gave him. "It's okay darling, I'm not that good at expressing my myself either. Just give it some time."
She leaned across the table, her and his face as close as they could get. "Close your eyes for me, okay?"
"Why?"
"Just do it. For me."
Nathan sighed and closed his eyes. What could possibly happen next?
He suddenly felt the sudden sensation of Fenra's soft lips kissing his. His eyes were forced open in shock. He didn't know what to do, he never expected this to happen. But it was good. Really good. Maybe if he couldn't express how he felt in words, maybe he could through this.
He closed his eyes, and relaxed himself. Fenra was surprisingly gentle with her kiss. They interlocked their fingers and held them that way for what felt like a long time.
"Thank you for that."
"No problem…" Nathan hadn't felt this good in a long time. "I...I wouldn't mind doing that more often."
Fenra gave him a quick peck in response. Nathan couldn't help but smile. This girl in front of him was exactly what he needed right now. She smiled too.
"I'll give one every day. How's that?"
"Sounds perfect to me."
Their food arrived shortly after that and they both enjoyed their time. Fenra kept wanting to feed him bites of her plate even though they ordered the same thing. He indulged her though, because she had the cutest face on when he took the bites. He did the same with her, although he teased her more than he should've. She didn't mind though, as long it was her Nathan.
They heard fire truck and EMT sirens blaring past the restaurant just as they were finishing their meal. Hope whoever that was for, it wasn't urgent.
"Thanks again for coming, you two. It's so nice to see you again, Nathan."
"I'll come back soon, I promise." Nathan said as he paid off the bill.
"And you," Chase turned his thick head to Fenra. "I like you. I wanna see you in my restaurant again, that sound good?"
Fenra nodded happily. "If the food's this good all the time, I don't see why not."
They left the restaurant, Fenra once again taking him arm and pulling close to her chest as they walked. She was adorable.
He could feel the heat from her chest. "When we get home, how about me and you…"
WAT WAT WATTTTTT
OH SHIT SON GET LAID GET PAID WOOOOOOOO
Sorry about that, the narrator had a stroke. Annnd he has a boner. I'm taking over for him in his absence. So what are these two doing? Oh okay, I get it. Just lemme get caught up in the script here...
Nathan's mind traveled to the darkest corners imaginable. "Oh, uhhhhh-"
She whispered things into his ears, which made him shiver. "I'll be gentle… at first."
Do it do it do it do it do it do it-
His brain hates him, and so do yours. The sexy hound gave him a wink. "Um, that'd be-"
Screaming for a distance away from them interrupted the conversation. He heard the sirens and alarms from earlier, and saw a crowd being held back by cops. He smelled smoke and ash.
There was a fire going on.
The complex was engulfed in flames, while fire fighters trying to do what they could to control the blaze from the outside. And for some reason, Crowley was there. What? Why was he here? Crowley was conversing with some of the fire fighters and looked like he was in charge. He tugged Fenra along to come with him to see what was wrong, and she reluctantly went along.
"Crowley?! What the hell is going on?"
Crowley saw him and jogged briskly over to him. "Oh hey kiddo, what a funny place to see you! I just got on scene myself. A liminal most likely started this fire. I'm working on it, don't worry."
"Did everyone get out at least?" Nathan asked looking up at the multiple floors.
"As far as I know, we do-"
His attention was drawn to a crying couple, the mother screaming at the cops that were trying to hold them back. "Please! My son is in there!"
Oh no.
Crowley heard them from behind. "Shit, I thought everyone was out awhile ago. The fire at this rate is too hot for us to go in safely."
"You can't be suggesting to let the kid die?" Nathan ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"If I let them go in, someone else might get hurt. My hands are tied. I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do."
Nothing they could do.
Those words drove him insane. There's had to be someone they could do. He felt powerless.
The sirens, the screaming, and the smell of fire and ash swirled around in his head. It was all the same as before. Except this time he didn't have blood on his hands.
He had a choice. A chance to do the right thing. Nobody would have to die today if he acted.
Nathan called out to the couple. "What floor were you stay on?"
The father answered while the mother kept crying. "The 3rd floor, why are you asking?"
"I'll go in."
Crowley looked at him in shock. "What?! You do realize the entire building is in flames right? The least that will happen to you is getting burnt."
"If we don't do anything, someone is gonna die. I'm not letting that happen."
Fenra tugged on his arm tightly, pulling him back. "You're not going anywhere, Pet. If you got hurt I'd-"
"If I move quickly, the smoke and the flames won't do that much harm. Your guys down here can keep pouring on the water."
"Why do you have to be the one that does it? Why not let the professionals do their job? You don't have do anything…" Fenra desperately pleaded with him. "I don't want my Nathan getting hurt, or worse…"
"If I don't do something and that child dies, I'm responsible. We all are. I gotta do this. It's the right thing to do."
Fenra wasn't having any of it. "I can't just let you go and-"
He placed a small kiss on her lips to quiet her concerns. "I'll be right back. I promise."
She finally let him go. "If you take too long, I'm going in there to get you."
He turned to Crowley. "Call whatever help you can to take this fire down. Keep Fenra safe."
"You got it."
Nathan took a deep breath, and ran inside the building. The stairwell next to him was his ticket to the third floor. The smoke wasn't too bad yet, but he didn't have long. His smoking habits would have him on a ticking timer every second he was in there.
He ran up the the stairwell, trying to cover his mouth as best he could. He continued to cough and wheeze as the smoke entered his lungs and he forced it back out. He needed to be quick.
Crowley outside pulled out his cellphone and held to his ear.
"Who are you calling?" Fenra asked.
Crowley ignored her. "Nailiah, I need you and the team here NOW. We got a trapped child and a possible liminal. The clock is ticking. Yes, I need EVERYONE."
Fenra stared at the burning building in apprehension.
Come on, come on… Please be safe…
Nathan had made his way to the third floor, and was trying to find the room that the kid was in. He was losing time. It passed by one of the doors and heard the screaming of a small child.
There you are. "Don't worry kid, I'm going to get you out of here, that's a promise!"
Nathan tried to bash the door open with his shoulder, but it wasn't budging. Fuck. He stepped back a few feet, and kicked the door as hard as he could. It flung open with a crack.
He heard the child in the nearby bathroom, and he hurried over there. The kid was huddled in the bathtub, screaming and crying in the fetal position. The fire was getting more and more out of control.
"I'm here to help you! Just hold on to me, and close your eyes. Can you do that for me?"
The kid stopped their crying and reluctantly nodded. He picked up the kid and tucked them tightly into his arms.
Fenra was starting to get anxious. He'd been in there for too long for her liking. She was about to go in when she noticed the familiar shape of Gwen flying above. She landed next to her with a thud.
"I saw the smoke and fire from the house. What are you doing here?" Gwen asked the worried hound."
"Nathan's in there…" Was all the hound could say.
"What?!" Gwen looked up at the building. Parts of it was starting to crumble. "My scales are resistant to fire. I'll get him out of there, don't worry! Just stay right here!"
Gwen lifted herself back into the air with her massive wings, and flew close to the windows, trying to see where Nathan was. She looked through a few of the windows, with no result. She finally found him struggling to walk down the hallway down the stairs with the kid.
Gwen flew back a few feet and broke through the window, the glass not even scratching her. She landed on her knees and looked around. "Milord! Where are you?"
The dragon heard the faint of of Nathan coughing. "Over here…"
Nathan was leaned up against the wall, struggling to stand upright. The smoke was too much for him, and he was gasping for air. Gwen ran to him and helped him regain his balance.
"You shouldn't be here…" Nathan tried to say but kept coughing and hacking.
"Neither should you milord, but that doesn't matter. Let's get out of here." She used her wings and her scaled body as a shield from the flames as they traversed back down the staircase. They had just about made it back to the first floor when they heard screaming. It was coming from one of the rooms in the hall.
"I… I thought the kid was the only one…" Nathan looked over in the direction of the screaming.
"I need to get you out of here, milord. Your lungs won't last much longer."
Nathan placed the kid in her arms and ran towards the direction of the screaming.
"Milord!" Gwen called out. Debris from the ceiling had now collapsed in the hallway, blocking the two of them off from each other. Gwen could have easily broken the debris, but the flames were getting worse. She also had the kid to think about.
Gwen would have to come back for him.
Gwen ran outside the main door, just as soon as some debris blocked it off behind her. The parents of the child ran over to her, and reviled the child from Gwen's care. The hugged and kissed their child. "Thank you so much, thank you…" The mother said over and over. The father looked concerned.
"What about that man?"
Fenra ran over to Gwen and looked at her. "Where is he? Where's my Nathan?!"
She looked over in the direction of the building. "Someone else was inside. Milord went after them and told me to get the kid out."
Fenra looked in horror." No… No!"
Fenra tried to claw her way through the debris, but it was too hot. "I'm coming, Pet! Just hold on for me!"
She pulled her paws away in pain. She found Gwen right next to to her, easily breaking the debris.
"Stay here. I'll get him out." She tried to push Fenra back, but she wasn't going anywhere.
"I'm getting him back, whether you like it nor not."
"Okay then…" Gwen said as the last piece of debris was broken. "Let's do this. You and me."
Nathan was on his knees, trying to cough out the smoke that was in his lungs. He didn't have much time left. The crying was coming from the room right next to him.
He was almost there. She'd be okay. He would save her. He had to.
He broke open the door and peered inside. The girl was on her knees in the center of the room, her hands covering her face. He stumbled and staggered his way over to her, calling out to her.
"Hey… I'm here to get you out… Come with me…" Nathan tried to say, but stumbled and fell to his knees coughing. The girl turned to look at him.
She wasn't human.
Her entire body was covered in black rune markings, and looked like she was on fire. Her hair was in a short bob, the color matched her skin.
"Who… What are you?" Nathan managed to say, before finally collapsing from the smoke. He was out of time, and out of energy.
Was this it? Was he about to die?
He didn't feel afraid, or scared.
Nathan was okay with this. It would all be over and maybe, just maybe…
He could see his dear Emily again.
But then the thoughts of Fenra filled his mind.
No. He couldn't leave just yet.
He tried to reach out for the girl, but lost the energy in his arm. He was too tired.
Nathan finally lost conscious, and the darkness overtook him.
As he lost consciousness, he could've sworn he heard Fenra's panicked voice approaching him before fully blacking out.
"Just hold on, stay with me..."
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
A/N: Yeah, sorry for the wait. I've having some family shit go down, so this has been on the backburner for me. If you notice any spelling errors or that shit, I'm sorry I'll go back in and fix those later. I figure waiting any longer for the chapter isn't what you guys deserve.
I'm not sure what the timeline for the release of the next chapter will be. If everything goes well, it should be up next week. If not well… It'll be up whenever I get it up I suppose.
Thanks for waiting this long, and I'll make sure not to let to go as long as I did this time.
Make sure to review this fic if you have questions or feedback. I practically live off of those things to keep me going. A favorite or a follow would brighten up my day too if you feel like you can do that for me.
Make sure to keep your friends close, and your monsters closer.
I'll see you all real soon, whenever that may be.