014 – Fearless
When they find him, his teeth are bared. Bold and white and Daisuke thinks they resemble that of Count Dracula – turns out it really is a blood-sucking little thing.
Takeru's compassionate nature shines through at the sight of it though, and all Daisuke can do is sigh, pick it up and carry the ungrateful wretch home.
As it sits in the cardboard box lined with strips from the local paper, he stares back at Daisuke. Challenge set in his big, brown eyes as Takeru fusses and preens the pathetic thing, and it takes a while before Daisuke actually manages to drag Takeru to bed.
By morning it's gone, and the blonde worries so much that Daisuke really has to go look for it, even if Takeru said maybe they shouldn't (after all, they'd only had him a night).
In the dark, dead-end of some dead-beat alley, he finds him. The scraggly thing is taking on something much bigger, three-times-its-size-bigger. So Daisuke battles his way through, throwing rocks and the like, rescues the scraggly thing, and heads back to their apartment.
When they get back, Takeru kisses his new fixation, and dubs it 'Fearless'. Daisuke doesn't get it.
Three days later, they get a knock on the door.
A magenta-haired child stumbles in, crying and moaning all over the place. What could only be her brother struts in after her.
Their puppy is lost.
Five days.
Oh.
Takeru nods gently, finds the thing, and brings it back. Only Daisuke sees his hazy eyes, filled with the promise of tears.
Squealing, the little girl grabs it – chokes it – "Snuffles!" And she's back to a weeping mess.
Her brother thanks them, then leaves.
Waving a hand, Takeru goes to bed. He'll be fine tomorrow. But Daisuke can't help but feel a slight lament for 'Snuffles'.
Shaking his head, he puts his hands on his hips.
'Snuffles the Fearless'.
Huh.
Next up: 015 - Happy