"If everything goes to plan, we will have caught the elusive little devil before dawn breaks and we can go spend the rest of our day doing tourist…stuff."
Those were the wise words Ford had promised six hours ago.
They were all sweltering in the harsh heat now, lost in the desert after chasing down the blurred outline of the reclusive creature they were hunting just before the sun began to rise over the mountains.
Stan glanced forward to see Fidds, skin fully baked and glowing a bright red, gulping down water from Ford's canteen. His hair and cloths were drenched with sweat and his eyes were half lidded against the blaring sun. Ford beside him, eying Fidds warily as he rolled up the long sleeves of his button up shirt before popping a few of the buttons open in a weak attempt to drive out some of the heat.
While both twins were quite red from their long commute with nature, the sun really took its toll on Fidds's poor body. His khaki shorts and short sleeved button up tacky shirt left his pale skin more exposed to the harsh sun rays.
Fidds handed the canteen back to Ford who took a large gulp before passing it back to Stan, Stan groaned in annoyance shaking it and hearing the water swish loosely at the bottom. This would not be enough to keep meandering around blindly in this heat. All three were at the verge of a heat stroke as it was, the plans of having a nice breakfast in the nice little restaurant across from their hotel and spending the rest of the day relaxing under the beach towels and umbrella in the car had long since been ruined. All Stan wanted now was to be able to go back to the room and pass out on the one bed they had to share with Ford (it made getting intimate very unlikely on this trip from hell).
Despite his dry throat, Stan made the bold decision to try to conserve some of their water by only taking a few small sips. It was only enough to moisten his mouth and not for long as they continued their trek through the barren land scape, Stan glared at the vultures watching them closely sitting atop one of the few desert trees sprinkled throughout the vast, never ending landscape.
The sand was like hot coal underneath their feet, even with the foot wear protecting them. Ford snapped his journal shut more than once and shook his head rapidly and adjusting his glasses, Stan knowing those were common actions for him when he had a pulsing head ache.
Fidds's breathing was rapid and Stan had taken him close to him practically holding him up at this point stopping every once and awhile for him to vomit after an hours' worth of occasional mention of a sick stomach, pleading with Ford to head back the way they came that no one could remember at this point.
Stan watched Ford closely as he began mumbling to himself, asking where the creature could have gone and if something could please help him out. They needed to get out of this heat and now. It was going to get them all a trip to the hospital if they didn't find their way back to the farm where Stan had parked the car.
Two days before hand, they had arrived at their hotel minutes before midnight, while Stan had been down stairs arguing with the manager to give him another room, using every trick he had up his sleeve to get his way and failing to get his wish of not having to share a bed with his self-invited brother; Ford was upstairs unrolling magazine articles to Fidds that would soon land them in their current predicament.
Fidds was half asleep digging through the suit case for his pajamas when Ford slid a ripped out article his way. Fidds picked it up and squinted trying to focus on it through his blinding, blurry exhausted eyes.
"Farmer claims to have shot and killed a chupacabra but there is still one roaming around his farm, killing his livestock," Fidds read aloud in a drawl tone, setting down his sleep wear. He quirked his eye brow, giving Ford that look both twins knew very well.
Before his name could leave Fidds's thinly stretched lips Ford began to try to justify why he was bringing it up now when it was already agreed upon that the first day would be relaxing, meaning no talk of the supernatural.
"I know, Fidds," he said almost bashfully, his fingers twitching in a cute, childish way that made Fidds relax his hands from his hip and hear his closest friend out.
"I promised this all could wait and it shall, I promise," he cleared his throat and wrapped his arm around Fidds thin shoulders leading him to the bed and sitting him down to say what he wanted to say more comfortably.
"But while at our last rest stop I was finally able to contact Marco," there was childlike joy burning through his movements, words and smile that made Fidds smile brightly at his friend pretending for a moment he wasn't plotting out a dangerous adventure for them to partake on.
"The farmer?"
"He is the very one! And he and I had a very lengthy discussion about what has been going on involving the creature."
"Is that what ya were doing for so long? Stanly had a very crude theory of why ya would be in the restroom for over an hour…"
Ford turned a bright red and his mouth began twitching unable to decide on being offended by his brother's thoughts or embarrassed by them but ultimately he cleared his throat once more and tried to keep his face neutral as he tried to explain everything as best as he could, his cheeks still flushed a light pink.
"He lives not too far from here and has agreed to let us into his home and capture the beast for our research on Thursday, giving us a day of 'relaxation' before we try to find the creature and I promise you Fidds, it won't be long, just the morning before the sun rises and then it's back to doing tourist nonsense for the remainder of our time here!"
Fidds smiled brightly pulling his friend into a tight hug, "Thank you, Ford. Don't ya worry none about this trip being boring with or without catching a monster, ya might even like the time off."
Ford pulled Fidds closer to him silently making a promise to not ruin this trip for them at the same moment a very crabby and wore out Stan finally came back into the room. Suspicion momentarily clouded his judgment taking in his boyfriend pulled tightly against his brother's chest and six fingers curled lightly on the back of his lover's sandy locks.
It didn't last long as the two broke apart and Fidds's smile bright as the morning dawn hit him, a forced smile crossing Stan's lips at the sight of it. Even after Fidds greeted him with a kiss, he continued to stare suspiciously towards his brother.
Six hours before they found themselves lost and roasting under the intense sun light, they had all piled into Stan's car for an hour and a half drive far away from the tourist town they were currently residing in to the Rodriguez farm house. Located in the middle of nowhere far away from any major towns and no neighbors for miles.
The one hour and forty-minute car ride had been long and tense, Stan felt something akin to jealousy bubbling in the pit of his stomach at how chummy Fidds and his brother were being. Fidds leaning over the side of the front seat and conversing openly with Ford about things Stan couldn't say he understood or cared to understand.
The strange feeling had been bubbling since yesterday, a day he thought would be filled with him and Fidds bonding was instead spent with Ford and Fidds bonding and he had somehow become the awkward third wheel. On the trip he himself had planned out.
The day was filled with Fidds taking lots of unnecessary pictures of everything that could be found in the brochure and plenty of pictures of Ford acting like the know it all he was, explaining the history behind various art pieces Stan felt he did not know before walking into the building. Most of the info could be found in the pamphlets that Ford had to get the English copies of Stan was amused to find out, but he was unable to show off his ability to read the language he had learned coming in and out of this country for years to his boyfriend.
Instead he found lurking behind the two like a shadow most of the day, being hushed by his uninvited brother with every annoyed grumble that came out of his mouth. Watching from a distance as Ford ended up being the one to have most of the man he loved's attention.
Fidds giggles would have been cuter to Stan if they didn't leave his brother glowing a light pink and smile as widely as he was as he became more and more overconfident with what sounded like outrageous claims about the painters behind the works.
He said nothing about any of it but waking up to Fidds unconsciously facing his brother and their heads sharing the same pillow left his insides in knots.
He didn't know why he was still being paranoid about any of this watching them from the corner of his eye being too chummy with each other, he expected or maybe wanted Fidds to be just as annoyed with Ford tagging along with them as he was. Maybe a bit aggressive or a tad bit spiteful this morning about having to spend their morning chasing after another one of Ford's monsters but that wasn't Fidds, he knew that. Why was he so bothered by his friendliness then?
He tried taking his mind off the situation taking in the farm house ahead of them.
It wasn't a big home, just a small ranch house big enough for the young couple and their new born son to live comfortably. The large gate from the recently put up fence had been left open for them to enter which wasn't surprising in the least. Ford had planned their arrival early in the morning when Marco claimed he saw the creature most.
"Oh my," Fidds gasped out as they entered the yard and Stan had to break to allow a row of chickens run by and disappear into a hen house ahead, "It's just like the hog farm I grew up on!"
Stan watched the excitement bubbling up on Fidds face beside him leaning over him a little to get a better look at the hand crafted, well-structured hen house half obscured by the darkness. Last year Fidds had made the twins make pilgrimage to his old farm house for Thanksgiving to have the real 'southern experience' and by all accounts the Rodriquez farm was a mansion compared the falling apart shack Fidds grew up on. The only thing even comparable about the two was they were both presumably hand me down patches of land that came from their parents.
"Don't get too excited about it, Fidds," Ford chuckled, "I was informed they don't own any pigs."
Fidds shot him a smug look, "Worried I would bring one home?"
"You already forced me to keep the one beside you and he makes enough of a mess."
Stan grit his teeth at the comment and both seemed to sense his bad mood so they became quiet once more making guilt sink inside him watching his brother scribble something in his book in the back seat and Fidds let out a heavy sigh beside him.
When their head lights hit the man waiting for them on the patio, his sigh of relief almost made it past his lips.
The man smiled warmly towards them waving enthusiastically but he didn't leave his seat on the patio until they walked up towards him, Stan noted the revolver on his lap and Fidds taking the same precaution beside him, casting his eyes around the front yard looking for any hint of the creature the home owner would need to keep a gun so close at hand for.
"No need to worry, the beast won't appear up here," he told them he had a heavy accent but his English was very good. He stepped down from the steps and held his hand out for Stan to shake, he was a head shorter than the Pines but had broader shoulders. He was a decade younger than them by the notes Stan had glanced at from Ford's journal and his baby face and lack of facial hair made him look it.
"It's very nice to meet a man who not only believes me but is an expert in this line of work, Dr. Pines," Stan had a very smug smile on as he shook the man's hand, loving the annoyed expression his brother was shooting him in the corner of his eye.
"I'm actually Dr. Pines but you may call me Stanford or Ford if you like," Ford said stepping forward, with his hand stretched out that Marco took with slight confusion.
"This is my twin brother Stanly and my assistant Dr. Mcgucket or Fiddleford if you like."
Marco stared at the three for a moment taking in their strange names before he gave them all a large welcoming grin ushering the three into his home as if they were old friends. Stan couldn't help but note his gun stayed propped up in his arm giving him easy access to pull the trigger if anything became astray, his eyes searching over his dark quiet land.
Stan stood in the door way to wait for the man but he smiled brightly at Stan and asked him to meet his wife in the kitchen for coffee. He took a final glance out the open window to see him heading towards the gate to lock up, keeping his gun close and his head was moving at each noise, paranoid about whatever was out there, waiting in the shadows.
The strong aroma of coffee perked their heads towards the kitchen, both Fidds and Ford's addiction to the concoction began to peak as they perked their head up. Stan rolled his eyes taking in the small but cozy little ranch house. The living room was the first room they walked into, with little furnishing but plenty of personal touches from the couple with a theme that reflected their culture and pictures overflowing on the wall of the couple's new born baby leading them to the kitchen past the two bedrooms and one bathroom.
"Dr. Pines, I presume?" a young lady who looked like she just rose from bed greeted them. She was a head taller than her husband and shoulders almost as broad but their biggest similarity were the bags under their eyes. Most would assume it was from the new born but the boarded up windows he had noticed through the house told Stan otherwise.
"Please, Mrs. Rodriquez, call me Ford," Ford greeted extending his hand, she didn't take it at first staring at his extra finger for a few moments making Ford squirm in discomfort but she seemed to take it without much question.
They sat in relative silence around the small round kitchen table waiting for Marco to return inside from patrolling the perimeter.
The young woman was very tense sitting at her spot at the table, drumming her fingers and barely touching her coffee. She offered to make them breakfast but the offer was declined by Fidds politely. Stan may have been inclined to take the free meal but he knew this family relied on their livestock for income and with it disappearing the way it was they probably didn't have enough to feed their own, none the less three strangers.
Marco's appearance was the thing that finally put his wife at ease and she straightened up instantly at the sight of him coming through the back door.
"I've checked around the perimeter Dr. Ford and there isn't sign of the creature yet but he will be here soon. He's always here between three and five am."
"Yes," Ford began pulling his journal from his jacket and opening it up to a half complete page with a rough, incomplete sketch, "As we discussed on the phone, that's why we came down here so early in the morning. Your traps we discussed haven't worked?"
Marco shook his head, his bangs that looked like they needed a trimming falling into his eyes.
"He's very quick and smart, the only reason I was able to get the last one was because I got lucky and was able to shoot it while was feasting on my goat and I pulled the trigger before it could see me. And I promised not to kill it this time for you, Doctor."
"Before we begin, I would like to review what we know so far to get everyone caught up to date on what we are hunting and what its capable of."
"No one believes the creature is a chupacabra, the authorities claim it's just another coyote with a case of the mange and the creature could be mistaken for a common mutt if it wasn't for the way it drains my goats dry of their blood. It leaves no marks on the corpse, like a vampire."
Ford read from the journal and Marco nodded his head, resting his hand on his wife's shoulder as she became tense.
"When I talked to you last, the creature hadn't been seen for a few nights but the goats were becoming more restless like it was still prowling out there."
Marco again just nodded solemnly rubbing his wife's am, pulling her closer. Fidds looked very uneasy next to Stan, he reached under the table and squeezed his boyfriend's smaller fingers reassuringly, Stan knew he was nervous like he always was when they had to go out on the line like this but he always kept his promise on this.
Nothing was getting between him and protecting Fidds.
Ford turned his journal towards Marco so he could have a good look at his line sketches quickly done out in pencil to be easily erased.
"Is this what the creature looked like?"
Marco once more nodded kissing his wife on the head before heading to the back door, his back tense and his eyes were antsy shooting around the small area. Stan noticed Fidds knee bouncing faster as he stared at the picture it seemed Ford had gone out of his way to look grotesque, like something out of a horror movie with all the blood foaming at its mouth and claws pinning the dying, helpless goat to the ground.
"Let's not waste much time, Doctor. I haven't seen the beast yet but he will be here soon. If you wish to capture him, we must be smarter and faster than the little devil is."
It was nearing four am and it was still pitch black.
The crickets chirping and crunching of their boots on the dying grass became white noise to Stan eyes constantly moving, trying to get a better estimation of the terrain they were at when the beast arrived.
He kept his flashlight pointed straight ahead and his arm steady but beside him, Fidds was becoming fidgety. The tremors running their course through his body at everything from the crunching grass to the restless goats not happy with being locked up in the barn straight ahead.
Stan rolled his eyes becoming annoyed with the one light not in sync with the others, leading their path straight ahead across the two-acre farm that had a foot-high barb wire fence running around the perimeter now. As they drew closer towards their destination, Stan finally snatched Fidds shaking light away from him not being able to stand the zig zagging light source shooting all around the barn any longer.
Fidds for his part didn't seem to mind the minimal weight being lifted from his fingers and just moved his hand to tighten his fingers around his back pack straps. Nervously darting his eyes back and forth, more often than even Marco who actually knew what this beast was capable of. While their host was distracted, Stan took this moment to pull Fidds close kissing him reassuringly but quickly on the top of the head and rubbing his hand soothingly against his shoulder.
All eyes away from them focused on getting inside the barn, Ford holding the flashlight while Marco went through his keys for the various locks standing between them and the crime scene. For just a few seconds it was only Stan and the man who made him feel alive, made him feel wanted and made him feel loved, huddled together for the moment in the darkness. Fidds head pressed against Stan's beating heart, his own racing pulse slowing and even out to beat in harmony with man's besides him.
Stan kissed him once more before departing from this serene scene before one the men ahead of them's flashlight hit them. Marco may be a kind man now but Stan didn't want to push his luck and see if he would tolerate everything.
Stan turned his head away from that dazzling smile filled with all the thank yous that would be being whispered in his ear as his fingers caressed his face if they were alone, but while in the presence of a stranger and his brother, Stan didn't want his flushed cheeks to be seen.
Reality of the situation made the day dream in Stan's head die as he heard the rattling of the chains stop and the loud thump of them falling to the ground. They didn't enter right away though. Fidds briefly grasped Stan's hand and took a deep breath. Marco seemed confused and his hands were quaking as he momentarily put his head on the barn door, the loud restless goats were inside their tone and volume not changing since they stepped outside. Ford was not the type to be cautious and took control of the situation, ignoring the fear in their hosts eyes and shoves the door open himself.
Opening the door was like opening Pandora's box.
A loud wave of panicked cries echoed within in the barn, Stan instantly grabbed Fidds by the shoulders shoving him away from the angry creatures racing to freedom. Stan pinned Fidds tightly underneath him, tucking him firmly away from the danger of the goats. No more than twenty Stan would later realize but right now it felt like there were hundreds, stomping and crying out and aggressively budding their horns into anyone who stood in their path.
Goats weren't always the friendliest of creatures to begin with but in their panic they were nothing but prime instinct only wanting to get away from whatever was inside that barn. Stan began to rise enough to see Marco trying to calm his heard and wrestle them back inside but they were having none of his commands.
Ford had one large goat by the horns shoving it back, his feet buried half in the grass and Stan was very amused to see he was using the old boxing stance.
Just as Stan was easing himself off his boyfriend to help, making sure there was no immediate danger to him before he rose completely from him, he caught sight of a goat rearing up behind Marco trying in vain to push another goat off of him and smashed into his side making him lose balance and topple hard onto the ground slamming his head onto a rock on the way down.
A loud howl, like a coyote's, was what finally made the scared goats stop fighting against the humans in their way and begin making a steady retreat to the other side of the yard.
Ford managed to shove his goat away before rushing to Marco's side. The worst of this little endeavor seemed to be coming to a close as the goats all began to rush away from the barn, four men and whatever was residing inside the barn.
"Fidds," Stan called, not taking his eyes from the dark entrance of the barn, quickly putting on his brass knuckles that had never failed him in a fight before and crouching on the ground unzipping his duffle bag with haste and extracting his trusty ball bat from it. The wood was splintering at the edges and there were thick blood stains from the many brawls it had been used it before but it hadn't failed him in the past and it wouldn't fail him now.
In the corner of his eye he caught Ford pulling out a special stun gun from his bag that he and Fidds had spent months designing and crafting for situations such as this. To 'safely take down a creature without risk of permeant injury to it or you' they had said but Stan scoffed at it then as he did now, it had nothing on good old fashioned brute force.
"Ya want me to stay out of this and get Marco help," Fidds finished for him during his distraction. Stan shot him a smug grin and shrugged, what could he say? They were so perfect they complete each other's sentences.
"That would be good too but I wanted yer gun."
Fidds quirked his eyebrow in the way he always did when he wanted to be stern with Stan but the situation amused him too much and sighed loudly before taking out his already loaded hand gun he always kept on him. Just in case.
"This was my grandfather's gun, Stanly Pines," Fidds began as he always did sliding the gun into Stan's awaiting grasp, "Do not chuck it at the beast to destroy after ya remember a city slicker like you can't aim for squat."
"Don't give me that! Yer half blind-"
"And can hit a gryphon, right in a pressure point that wouldn't kill it might I add, before it had a chance to make ya its supper."
Stan became glower at the memory, it wasn't entirely his fault out of the three of them he had the tastiest muscle the beasts wanted to eat.
Fidds took Stan by surprise grabbing the back of his head and slamming their lips together, a pleasant surprise though Stan considered wrapping his arms firmly around his boyfriend giving him a farewell for now kiss.
"Be careful," he whispered wrapping his arms tight around him kissing him on the ear, "And look after your brother. Out of the two of ya he's the one more likely to do something stupid or dangerous."
"I can hear you, Fidds," Ford called pouting from where he stood, glowing a light pink watching the couple say their fare wells.
"Good cause it ain't a lie."
With that the three parted ways, Fidds running to the house to get Maria to help him care for Marco and the two brothers standing in front of uncertainty, taking what could be their last deep breaths before turning into the unknown without glancing back to where Fidds had stopped to looked towards them in worry before continuing forward on his own mission.
Stan kept a tight grip on his bat as he entered first, Ford behind him finger resting on the trigger of his hand made gun.
The air smelled dank and wet, the only light was the light peeking through the cracks on the ceiling. It smelled dead and decaying making both brothers crinkle their noses and hold their breath. Ford slid his flashlight back in his jacket after hearing a cracking noise and put his hand in front of Stan stopping him from going any farther.
Stan got a better grip on his bat looking straight ahead, Ford tapped on his shoulder and whispered for him to be on his guard as they moved forward hearing the low moans of a cow, mewling in displeasure.
They didn't have to walk much farther to come face to face with the creature they had been looking for, its head shrouded in darkness rising up from the cows neck it had been feeding on, its glowing yellow eyes meeting them.
It was no bigger than a sewer rat but the way it hopped up on its victim's body, it's large ears pointed down and its paws' claws all extended, piercing into the moaning milk cow. The cracks in the wall casting across it to illuminate the blood still running from its fangs that were bared and snarling their way with its inhuman eyes pointed towards them, it felt like a larger threat then it was.
It was a fast little thing, before either brother had time to prepare, it launched itself into the air and latched its teeth it Ford who yelled out in surprise, dropping his weapon.
Stan stifled a laugh, of course the ugly little rat would go straight for his brother, this would be the running joke he would be repeating from now till the end of the trip he knew but he couldn't have as much fun bringing this up in casual affair if his brother was dead so he latched tightly onto the ugly creature and began tugging.
Its claws buried deep into Ford's jacket, ripping into it.
"Use the Stun Gun, Stanly!" Ford yelled shoving at the creature.
"And if I hit you while its struggling like this?!"
"So be it!"
Stan gave his brother an incredulous look and just had to wonder if he was really the smart twin out of the two before letting go of the snarling, struggling creature. He picked up the gun and tried to get a good shot with it struggling the way it was, Ford making the situation harder now rolling around the ground with it, trying to keep it from causing serious harm. Blood and spittle raining down on Ford as he tried to wrestle it into submission and it refusing to go down, snarling, hissing and clawing all the way.
Stan held his breath as he took a literal shot in the dark, a string of electricity flying out and completely missing the target inches away from where Ford's head had been seconds before. The creature let out a whimper similar to scared dog and detached itself from Ford and scampered behind them quickly, disappearing behind them mewling and whimpering just as frightened milk cow.
Ford shot a glare at Stan, yanking the gun from his hands while he smiled cheekily at his brother before hurrying behind Ford who was already racing to the exit.
Outside they found a frightened Fidds jumping up from Marco's side where he and Maria were treating him.
"Ford-!" Fidds began instantly pulling some bandages out to treat Ford's miniscule injuries. Ford shook off his concern.
"We must move quickly, Fidds, we'll get Marco inside, you just get our supplies from the car, we need to catch up with the beast before it gets too far."
Now, hours later all three were too tired to keep walking, crowded together under a desert tree providing a measly amount of shade. Each taking a small drizzle of their limited amount of water, breathing heavily.
Stan's eyes kept being directed towards the buzzard perched up on top of the tree, glaring intensely at it. The heat was making him as paranoid as it was making him dizzy, if he had his sense about him he would have seen that it was just trying to cool down like they were and wasn't paying any attention to the strangers in its territory.
Stan only saw a threat though and one finger in his pocket, curled around his brass knuckles waiting to draw it out in case the buzzard had any bright ideas. Even when the buzzard proved it wasn't a threat, spreading its wings and flying far away from the three, Stan kept his finger in his pocket liking the cooling effect the metal had on his burning hands.
Fidds's watch, ticking louder than Stan ever remembered it being, was the only thing telling them how long they had been out here and a constant reminder that if they didn't get out of this it was running risk of their health's.
"Ah—Fidds!"
"If ya would hold still, Stanford, I would be able to get this done faster!"
His eyes were hard as he watched Fidds scooting farther away from him and closer to his brother, fingers caressing his face in that way he only thought he held him, tilting his head back farther to examine the large cut on the side of his face.
Fidds gently cleaning the scratches lining his brother's cheeks, the way his thumb gently smoothed the bandages on once more had Stan on edge, his teeth grinding behind his deepening frown.
Stan saw the content smile on Ford's face as Fidds cleaned and bandaged his face and the way one hand was now resting on his boyfriend's leg.
When his hand rested on Fidds cheek making him groan in pain and stiffen his back, Stan could hear the grind of his jaw.
"Do you have any burn ointment in your bag, Fidds? You look really bad," the way his hand shook nervously as he pushed up Fidds bangs and pulled his eyes open farther to better inspect them made his stomach boil. He knew his brother and he knew this was how he acted around people he had crushes on, not his friends or patients. Everything from that dumb smile to his shaking hands to the dumb jokes he had been telling Fidds, were signs of a crush.
If Stan didn't know any better, he would think the only reason his brother came on this trip was to steal his boyfriend. Carefully planning ways to really show his lover how much better suited he was for him…
The hand on his cheek made him jump, he blinked and directed his focus on Fidds's concerned face. On hand delicately placed on his cheek to not disturb his sun burn and the other holding the burn cream.
"Are ya in pain Stanly?" he scooted closer to him and Stan began to untense feeling like the heat had done a number on him. His fists were tight at his side but slowly began to unwind as Fidds carefully began rubbing the ointment on his face, placing gentle kisses on his face as he did so.
He pulled him close after he finished up kissing him on the forehead, turning a brighter shade of red in his embarrassment. This heat was getting to him…
Before long, Marco pulled up to them in his truck smiling brightly to have finally found them. Ford sat up front admitting his defeat to the man and swearing they would catch the beast on a later day.
Stan however tuned him out, just staring at Fidds who looked content leaning against the window, eyes half lidded breathing in the cool air. He rested his hand on top of his never wanting to lose him to anything.
They rested at the little farm the rest of the day and well into the evening. Maria was a kind woman, treating their burns with an old recipe that she had gotten from her mother and whatever it was burned the instant it touched their skin but slowly began to cool and relax their muscles all three settled in the living room on the young woman's strict orders to rest while she went to town to take care of some errands with her husband.
Stan sank into the well-worn arm chair and claimed the remote, shooting a smug smile his brother's way. Ford rolled his eyes at his brother's childish antics and sunk into the far end of the three seated couch and Fidds took the side closest to Stan. He smiled at him and rested his fingers on Stan's and kept purposely grating at his lover's nerves asking what they were saying every few minutes.
Stan sometimes hated the bad influence he had on the gentle little man next him but as he held his tongue and held his fingers gently in his grasp before releasing them when Fidds shifted away from him, finally fast asleep, he found he liked the good influence Fidds rubbed off on him.
Fidds had passed out onto Ford's lap some time during the broadcast and instead of pushing him away, Ford rested his hand on Fidds hair, making his boyfriend relax in his slumber more as Ford patted his head absentmindedly, flipping through the notes he had made for the day concerning his prey.
A strange feeling began bubbling to the surface again and he felt it through out diner watching as Ford and Fidds didn't miss a beat theorizing their next move to capture the beast. Fidds analyzing and correcting the ideas Ford spewed out before finally deciding he didn't wish to talk about this anymore for a few days at least.
Stan felt a tiny bit of satisfaction as he saw Fidds's annoyed glare hit Ford after he kept trying to pull him back into a discussion he wanted no part in.
That small bit of satisfaction didn't last though, after dinner as payment for their kindness, Ford and Fidds agreed to help Maria fix her washer that hadn't worked right in months. Stan watched from the kitchen table, beer in hand. Taking long, slow drinks as he watched in contempt as his brother made him feel inadequate, getting that laugh out of his boyfriend from his terrible puns.
He turned away trying to tune out their giggles and jokes and focused on the beer he was nursing in his hand.
Three hours later and after a long car ride, he found himself pulling his boyfriend very close to him that night a primal fear raging inside him that would be losing someone else he loved and his brother would once more prove he was better than him.