A/N: The good old brain-eating plotbunny returned once again. This time, it desired to get some Pina x Riz material. I said no, it said yes – and it won. Just because of its gentle teeth.
Do you remember that kid in chapter 142? The one who pulled Gosha's hand? It might just be me, but to me, that child looked like a mixture of sheep and bear. To be fair, he (who knows about the gender so I can decide it) could also be a goat and wolf mix or whatever. I felt I just had to write something about him with Pina and Riz in the same story. It just took forever to figure out this idea, but I'm happy that I wrote this.
Pina was walking to his biweekly meeting with Riz. He had plenty of time and decided to pass through the park instead of his usual faster route.
The park was full of animals as was normal on the sunny days. Pina glanced fleetingly at the same species couples. No herbivores and carnivores holding each other's hands.
Suddenly, Pina noticed a kite stuck in a tree. It was big and had beautiful colours of bright red and yellow. The kite wasn't the most interesting thing, though. There was a little kid trying to reach it by jumping and waving his hands. Finally, the kid cried out, took some steps backward and rammed into the tree. No result, except the kid holding his head and groaning.
"Hey, kid," Pina said. The kid turned around and stared at him. Those deep-black eyes reminded Pina of a certain bear. And those horns... Is he one of those hybrids? The kid lowered his head and kicked sand. His long tail and ears drooped.
"I'm not getting it down. Stupid tree." Pina really didn't have to think his choice. Oh boy, here comes the headache...
"I'll try." Pina ran a few meters away, lowered his head, tensed his muscles and ran towards the tree. As he rammed into the tree, it shook enough to release the kite along with some leaves. Pina knew he was going to take some painkillers as soon as possible. The headache settled in immediately and made him grind his teeth. Maybe I'll just go to the masseur.
"Thanks, mister!" the kid said. He was hugging his kite and smiling. Those little fangs weren't enough to terrify Pina, but he really didn't want to see them, either.
"Hide your fangs, kid. You don't want to attract troubles." The kid's eyes widened and he shut his mouth immediately. Pina was going to leave, but the next words stopped him.
"Is it bad for me to have fangs?" Pina saw tiny tears starting to form in the glistening black eyes as the kid hugged his kite, trembling. I have time, don't I...
"There, that bench. Let's go have a seat."
As they had settled down, Pina hugged his head and hissed. His skull was thick enough to take something like this, but it wasn't like he ever used his head or horns for something painful. He just wanted to attract his precious females and that was that.
"Mister, does it hurt?" Pina grinned a bit as he lowered his hands.
"Yes it does, Mister Oblivious."
"You're not nice."
"Did I say I was?"
"No. You got my kite down, though." The kid kicked his feet and seemed to decide something. His eyes narrowed and he looked straight into Pina, clenching his fists. "So can I tell you something? It's a secret." Pina nodded; it wasn't like he could abandon the brat now. The kid sucked in a deep breath and started his story.
"I had a mother. She was a sheep. Then, she disappeared. Father said she found a better place to live." Pina's ears twitched; he didn't like where this was going. "Father is a bear. He has these cool, big fangs, you should see them! But... after mother disappeared, he started to hide them. He also began to stay at home more. And, once, he said to me that mother going away was alright. Because... she and him had found a true connection between herbivores and carnivores. I got mad. I screamed and he roared and it wasn't pretty. Like... if she really is happy, it's okay. But why wouldn't she come to see me? She really, really liked me." The kid stopped and his eyes widened. "Mister, are you okay?"
Pina had buried his face in his hands. He trembled. He felt cold shivers going down his spine. His breath came in small gasps that left him light-headed. Riz's face came into his mind and he gritted his teeth. It wasn't enough. No matter how much he tried, it would never be enough. Not as long as he was who he was... and how could he ever change that? Impossible. Pina felt a warm hand touching his own. Startled, he raised his head and stared at those pitch-black eyes.
"Mister?" Pina gathered what little sense he had left and smiled.
"Yeah? Sorry about that, this headache's killing me..." That was the worst lie in history, but it seemed to do it for the kid who closed his eyes and smiled.
"Thanks for listening to me. Animals rarely do that. They don't like hybrids like me... Oh, I like your horns! They're cool; I hope I'll get the big horns like you someday!" Pina touched his horn. What good do these actually do, anyway...
"I've gotta go now. Hey, kid... Good luck with everything." The kid laughed as they got up and waved the kite a bit. Pina got an idea and glanced around to see if anyone was watching them; didn't seem that way.
"Can I take your picture? There's a guy who'd most probably like to see that." The kid nodded. He opened his mouth for the camera, holding the kite upright. Pina snapped the photo and put his phone away quickly. Nobody around them cared, luckily.
"See you, mister!" the kid called as he ran away, holding the kite close to his body. Pina waved at him, smiling. He let the smile drop as soon as the kid was far away from him.
Pina nearly fell on the bench beside Riz.
"Hey, Riz... Look at this." He showed Riz the picture.
"What a beautiful child," Riz said, eyes shining with happiness. Pina sighed; Riz's expression made him feel guilty for not being an ewe. Or a female bear, for that matter.
"He's a hybrid. Sheep mother, bear father. That mother... is no longer around." Riz's happiness disappeared and was replaced with knowledge too dark for someone of his age.
"He ate her?"
"I guess. The brat doesn't know. He thinks his mother is still around somewhere." Pina held his head and groaned; the headache was only getting worse. Riz snuggled closer to him, worried.
"I hate this city, Riz. I hate the hypocrites who think shit like this is okay." Riz laid his huge head on Pina's and sighed. Vibration and warm breath seemed to ease Pina's pain somewhat.
"You and me both. Is something wrong, Pina?" Pina moved away from Riz reluctantly and told him about the kite. Riz laughed; the voice wasn't too loud because of his muzzle for which Pina was grateful. His nerves wouldn't be able to take much more today.
"That's just like you."
"How? Helping little brats is hardly what I consider good usage of my time."
"You're naturally kind, Pina. No way you'd leave someone like that child without help. I still remember the story about that chicken." Pina huffed and rubbed his temples. Yes, that chicken was going to go down as his weakest moment. Taking care of it with Bill and Aoba hadn't been half-bad, but Riz thought he was basically a saint because of that, now.
"Saving a baby from a tiger is normal. It's what any sane animal would do. Helping a random hybrid kid to get his kite down, getting a massive headache and listening to his life story? That was unneeded. I only had too much free time in my hands, that's all." Riz's features morphed into the gentlest smile as the bear's ears twitched.
"He looked like a mix of you and me." Pina laughed weakly and waved his hand dismissively.
"Nope, nope, not at all. Riz, don't you dare say anything more about this subject. I—" Pina was stopped by Riz pushing his face against the sheep's woollen neck. Pina couldn't breathe. He remembered the kid telling his story. He remembered how Riz had sucked his finger and how the bear had cut his arm. He remembered Riz soaked in his blood, smirking as he tried to get free from his bindings. Why do I even come here? Just why?
"Pina."
"Yes?"
"Are you scared of me?" Pina wondered why Riz was even asking that; surely his trembling heartbeat was a sign enough.
"Not... too much... Riz..." Riz moved his muzzled snout, combing through Pina's wool. Pina's toes curled and he felt a scream rising in his throat. He raised his hands, barely able to grip Riz's face with all trembling.
"Go away," Pina whispered, pushing as hard as he could. He didn't want to shout and get Riz into big trouble. However, he needed to get Riz off him now. Riz actually obeyed, moving a bit away from him just as the guard glanced inside.
"Everything okay there?"
"Yes! It's just that I've got a headache and Riz was trying to help." Luckily, the guard was as stupid as the kid; after staring at them for a while, he gave up and returned to his smartphone. Pina sighed; his body felt limp. He let himself lean against the wall, all power leaving his body.
"Sorry about that." Pina cracked his eye open to see Riz lowering his head, deep sadness in his eyes.
"Don't worry, this day's just been bad. I was reminded of how different we really are. I can't get thoughts out of my head."
"I'd never hurt you." Pina snorted.
"That's what you say. Sorry for not being convinced as the carnivore says shit like that." Riz looked really hurt and Pina felt a pang of guilt as the bear seemed to wilt away next to him. Riz had lost enough weight in the juvie to be barely else than a bag of fur and bones. The monster that had threatened Pina's life was nowhere to be found.
"I'm leaving," Pina said as he stood up. Riz looked at him, his eyes glinting with desperation.
"You still have some time... Please don't go yet, Pina. It's going to be weeks before I see anyone again." Pina cursed himself as he sat back down. How am I supposed to have any control over this when you look at me like that? How am I supposed to resist your begging voice and beautiful eyes?
"Riz... I hope you'll get out of here soon."
"As do I. I may not deserve freedom, but I miss it." Pina saw Riz's eyes getting misty. He grabbed his right hand with his left, trying to push his nails as deep as possible into his white wool. "I wonder if I'll ever get children. I doubt that; it's not like anyone would see me as father material. Being a murderer is bad enough; being a murderer and a brown bear makes it impossible." Pina wondered when the pain in his hand would drown out Riz's words. "Pina... if possible, would you tell me about your kids one day? Like, I don't have to see them or anything. Just tell me how they are... Man, I don't make any sense now, haha..." Pina snapped, stepping up.
Riz's eyes widened as Pina hugged him. Pina tried to drown his fingers into Riz's neck fur; he tugged fur hard enough to tear it off. Pina wished the guard would ignore them. How could he explain this? Stupid Riz. Stupid, lovable, beautiful Riz. Pina smelled Riz's scent which was the only carnivore scent he'd never despised a second. He sniffed Riz's ear which made the bear release a tiny growl. Something about the noise made Pina's insides churn. The feeling wasn't scary, though; it reminded him of the moments when females looked at him in awe and he just wanted to kiss them so much... Pina shuddered and moved away from Riz. His cheeks were blushing and he was panting, trying to gather his thoughts which were happily fleeing from him.
"Pina, that was... lovely. Do you have a crush on me?" Pina wished he could've disappeared at the spot. He groped his face, trying to get a rid of his messy look.
"As if. I just couldn't listen to your rambling anymore." Good. This was good. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Riz shrugged, his cheeks were tinted with blush.
"If you say so... Will you come here again or not?"
"Why're you asking? Of course I'll come. You better get your head together, though; this mushyness is so not me." Riz chuckled and stared at Pina. His lips were drawn back just enough that his fangs were showing and his eyes were shining like stars. Pina noticed Riz's ruffled neck fur and thought it looked very pleasing to the eyes. Everything about you is gorgeous, big guy. There's no need for you to worry about never having kids.
"Riz, when you'll get outside, there'll be so many females competing for your attention that you can't count them. Trust me, I've had my share of fun, I can tell when someone's handsome enough to mate." For some reason, Riz turned his head away from Pina and stared at the wall. "Riz?" Finally, Riz turned back to him.
"Time's up, Pina." Pina nodded, but something about Riz's sudden solemnness confused him.
"I'll come again, okay?" Pina said as he left. Riz nodded, but the look in his eyes was distant.
As Pina was walking back to the school, he couldn't get Riz out of his mind. Maybe that weirdness was a carnivore thing. Perhaps relationships were just something Riz didn't get. Pina knew his friend didn't have any experiences with females. Maybe Riz was just jealous of the fact that Pina had so much game and he just sat in the prison. I really wish... I could be a good female bear for you. No matter how stupid it sounds.
