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HypnoArt - I'm a blanket snatcher and Written-Anonymously is a cocoon-er with her blankets, lmao. You'll have extra time to read? That's music to my ears! XD Let us know what you thought, :)

Here we go!


Deuce silently walked down the hall next to Clawd. He hadn't said too much on the ride back to school. What could he say? Standing in front of the gymnasium doors, the gorgon stopped the wolf before he opened them. "Clawd?" He took the other's hands into his own, still avoiding eye contact. He couldn't bring himself to look at the wolf, still feeling rather ashamed at what the other witnessed.

He lifted Deuce's chin and connected their gazes. "What's wrong, babe?"

"Thank you." The gorgon pulled the other into a loving embrace. "I just wish ... it doesn't matter." The gorgon figured there was no point in wishing for something that would never come true. "Now let's get in there before the team thinks we forgot them." Deuce said, releasing the other.

Clawd looked at the door, then at Deuce. "What are we telling them? Are we telling them? Shit, what are we doing?"

The door burst open suddenly and Simon Clops stepped out of it, he seemed rather flustered. "I cannot believe her! The audacity of that entitled, spoiled-"

Soon followed Slo-Mo, Don - the rest of the team. "You gotta do something!"

"Whoa, whoa-" Clawd began. "what's going on?"

Simon sat down on the hallway floor, that way no one would strain their neck to look at him while he spoke. "It's Cleo de Nile. She kicked us out of the gymnasium so the fearleaders can practice. She said they need to be good if 'we suck'." He air quoted.

"She what?!" The gorgon hissed as he stormed into the gym. He was not dealing with her today. "Cleo, what's this?" He gestured towards the fearleading. "You know very well we booked the gym."

Clawd was going to tell Deuce to approach this carefully however the gorgon decided to take the hurricane dead on by himself. "We have the gymnasium every weekday morning, the fearleaders have it every weekday after school. That's been the way things have gone on for ages."

Cleo scoffed, directing her icy stare towards Clawd. "Change is a good thing, especially when the co-captains keep their teammates waiting for at least 30 minutes. That's not setting a good leadership example, now is it?"

"You talk about us being late? Says the queen of killing everyone else's time." The gorgon hissed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come on Cleo, we can come back this afternoon." Frankie said to her leader, as a few of the girls were heading towards the doors. "It's not a big deal-"

Cleo stomped her foot down dramatically, as she did everything. "It is! I put an official complaint in to Bloodgood. We'll see who gets what when."

Clawd rolled his eyes. "Look, we don't need the whole gym to practice," Deuce glared at Clawd, he couldn't fathom why he'd try to bargain with her. "If you ghouls practice in the center while we run warm-up laps, just move to the side when we're done. We'll work around each other. No biggie." The wolf had the patience of a Saint. The rest of the casketball team was quite restless and irritated.

"Sounds fair." The gorgon mumbled under his breath, knowing the wolf was trying to make the best out of a tough situation. It was true they didn't need the whole gym. They could share, but he didn't really want to. Not with her. "Or they can go practice in the streets?" A few of the guys heard the comment and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, they could practice their dumpster dives!" Don, the only other zombie boy on the casketball team, laughed.

Cleo shook her head. "No, no, no! I will not share this space with you heathens. Either you get out now or-"

"Or what, Miss de Nile?" Coach Igor asked, entering the gymnasium with a tall cup of coffee in hand. "My boys have been getting up for early practices for an eternity. You fearleaders have been here after school and that's how it's always been and how it forever will be. If you don't leave now, I'll give you a month's detention!"

The other fearleaders headed for the doors. This clearly was personal to Cleo, but they didn't need to be dragged into it too. "But-"

"Miss de Nile, you've gone and earned yourself a month's worth of detentions. Now head on out to class before we have to bother H-H with this nonsense."

Cleo let out an irritated sigh, a half-growl and she then stomped off.

Deuce couldn't help but chuckle, for once the princess didn't get what she wanted. Although his smirk quickly faded once he realized now they had to get to work. "Okay guys, enough slacking - 6 laps around the gym, then we are going to practice our passing drills." The gorgon ordered the team.

The rest of the team began to run, Clawd glared at Deuce. "You're an asshole, y'know that?" He sighed and started lap number 1.

The gorgon felt slightly guilty, the mummy had gotten under his skin to the point where he forgot the wolf was feeling rough. A small sigh escaped from his mouth before he started his laps. Hopefully he could catch up with the wolf and apologize.

"Excuse me, Deuce," at this point Simon Clops had perfected running whilst hunched over as the majority of his teammates were shorter than he himself was. "you are never tardy, is everything alright?" He inquired. Simon had a way of checking in with someone and it never felt like he was trying to pry into your business. He was a nice guy and genuinely cared.

The gorgon glanced towards the wolf, "Yeah, everything's fine. Thanks for asking though." It felt weird to him that some of his friends and teammates truly cared for his well being. Heck it felt weird when the wolf defended him, he wasn't used to anyone really standing up on his behalf.

"If ever there may be something wrong, don't hesitate to call if you need anything. I'm a good listener." Simon stretched out again and picked up the pace.

"Looking good out there guys!" Coach Igor praised them. "Get all nice and warmed up, then the real action will start!"

Clawd was on his 4th lap when he stopped suddenly by Coach's office. He felt very... off. He gripped the end bleacher and tried to catch his breath. Maybe Coach Igor was calling his name? He wasn't sure. Everything was spinning. Without much warning he hurled up everything he'd eaten earlier.

Deuce stopped right in his tracks, causing a few members of the team to almost run into him. He heard the coach's whistle go off and him yell something about not cutting across the gym. Honestly the gorgon didn't care, his main goal was Clawd.

"You alright, hun?" Deuce inquired, checking other's forehead for a fever.

He was warmer than normal. "I-I think so," he wasn't sure what was happening, it all seemed to be going by so quick.

Simon handed a package of soda crackers to Clawd, he always kept a few packages of them when his stomach felt upset. Slo-Mo was right there with a bottle of water. Coach managed to find a 'wet floor' sign in a pinch and set it near the splatter. The floor could probably use another cleaning regardless.

"Thanks, guys." Clawd accepted the package of soda crackers and the bottle of water. Deuce noticed that he was still trembling though.

Coach Igor raised a curious brow at how Deuce interacted with Clawd. They seemed... close. Perhaps a lot closer than they were previously? "Alright guys, partner up and we'll practice our drills." He gestured to Deuce. "You two, do what you need to do."

"Come on, let's get you to the change room." The gorgon said, letting the wolf lean on him. "Maybe a cold shower might help?" He suggested leading the wolf out of the gymnasium.

Clawd lightly shook his head, try to rid himself of the vertigo however he only made it worse. "I just want you." He told the gorgon softly. It took everything in Clawd not to hurl again before they finally reached a bench for Clawd to sit down at within the locker room. "Stay here, for a moment. Please?" His eyes alone melted the gorgon's heart.

The gorgon quickly grabbed a clean towel before running it under the cold water. He headed back to the burning wolf, Deuce placed the cool cloth against the other's forehead. "No worries babe, I'll stay as long as you want me." The gorgon informed the wolf.

"Is forever a thing?" Clawd asked, he held Deuce's hands and pulled him closer, if that were even possible. He sighed, though it was rather contented. "I'm sorry, that was pretty embarrassing. I didn't mean to drag you away from practice either."

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well? If that was the case, we could've canceled practice. If we're going to make this last forever, I kinda need you alive." The gorgon said checking the wolf's forehead once more, to see if he cooled down at all.

Clawd gave a weak smile, he shrugged. "I didn't think it was a big deal... kinda thought some laps would shake it out of me. Something shook out of me alright." He set the cloth to the side and hugged Deuce's torso, he just wanted the other close to him. It was all he needed. Well... that and maybe some ginger ale?

"Listen you big furball, We are gonna tell coach you're not feeling well. Then we're going to the grocery store, so we can get stuff for my homemade chicken noodle soup. Oh and some ginger ale, maybe some more crackers too." The gorgon kissed the other's forehead, "After we leave there, we're going back to your place, you're laying down and letting me look after you."

That sounded fantastic, he was down with that. "Deuce, I would love nothing more... but I can't let you do that." He lightly brought Deuce down and kissed his cheek. "You can't be missing school because of me." He hated the words that left his mouth in that moment. He wanted Deuce to take him home and look after him – but why couldn't he just come out and say it?

"Stop it, you're in no shape to drive. How will you get home without me?" The gorgon pointed out. "Also, I wanna be with you and to look after you. Please don't shut me out." Deuce begged, placing small kisses along the other's jaw line.

Simon Clops' eye widened as he saw his co-captains interact... romantically. 'That explains a ton!' He thought to himself. He clenched the extra packs of crackers in his hands and backed out of the change room, he would grant them their privacy... and block anyone else from interrupting them if he could. Practice was far from over so that shouldn't be an issue.

Meanwhile Clawd tried to hold in the urge to vomit once again. "Ooh, you're right. Just gimme a sec, babe." He reached for the water and twisted the cap off, taking a quick drink. He often forgot how easy it was to become dehydrated when sick.

"Are you boys decent- I mean, alright?" Coach Igor knocked on the door before entering. He'd never done that before.

"Yeah coach, I'm gonna take Clawd home. If that's cool?" Deuce said with a nervous chuckle, as he brushed the bangs out of the other's face.

Clawd melted into the gorgon's touch, forgetting about Coach Igor standing right there.

He nodded. "Absolutely, that's a good idea. You must be feeling pretty rough Wolf, in all your years on my casketball team, you've never tossed your cookies on my gymnasium floor." He headed back toward the gymnasium, stopping only for a moment. "Take as much time as you need, don't be back here until you're 100% do you hear me?"

Clawd gave a weak nod. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now go boys, I'll inform Bloodgood of your absences."

Deuce went over to the wolf's cubby, he began gathering his gym bag and jacket. Doing the same with his stuff as well, which really was only his jacket. "Keys." The gorgon demanded, holding out his hand for the other to take.

Clawd accepted his hand and required Deuce's strength to get up – the gorgon wasn't expecting it. The wolf frowned, "Yeah, I think I've put on a few extra pounds. Sorry." He reached into the pocket of his jacket and gave the keys to the other, taking his gym bag from him. He didn't want to spew on his jacket, it had been freshly washed.

"It never hurts for a man to put on some pounds, you look better than you have in a long time – no one likes a skinny wolf." Coach laughed and bid the boys on their way. "Get outta here, both of you."