𝗢𝗖 𝗢𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀 // 𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗼𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

How Koi, Ches, and Yuri met Twig-

Koi was walking through the city in the pouring rain. It was very late at night and Koi had just finished work. They felt bad for leaving Chester home alone late at night but luckily Yuri was spending the night in the guest room which meant that when Koi got home Ches and Yuri would definitely be watching movies or messing around.

When Koi walked home they usually stuck to the deep alleyways but they were impatient to get home and it was later than usual so they stayed near the sides and shadows of the buildings on the empty streets in the pouring rain without an umbrella. Koi was close to home about 20 minutes away so they stopped in an alleyway and sat on the damp pavement to text Chester and tell him they would be home soon. The minute they sat down, what they thought was a trash bag, jolted up and backed against the opposite wall of the alleyway. Koi pulled a spray paint can from their jacket and slowly stood up towering over the tiny figure. The two of them silently stared at each other. Koi was calm, figuring it was just some kid who got lost but also confused on why a kid who looked like a small scrawny 4-5 year old would be wearing a poncho sleeping in an alley in the pouring rain. The "child" however wasn't a child at all, he was a 15-year-old boy who was only small because he was a bee. His breathing was panicked and he gripped a small metal pole hiding it slightly behind his back.

"Why are you out in the rain?"Koi asked, putting the spray paint can back in their jacket. The boy stayed silent and just looked down at his feet. Koi leaned against the wall keeping their eyes on him as he seemed to calm down. He dropped the metal pole on the ground and kicked it away, slightly seeming ashamed that he thought about using that on someone as a weapon.

"How old are you?"

"U-um.. 15... my name is T-Twig..." he looked up at them slightly. Koi then pulled Twig's hood down. Two antennas sprung up.

"You're a bee." It was more of a statement than a question but now Koi knew why this 15-year-old was so tiny. Koi thought for a moment and leaned against the wall once more while Twig, annoyed at Koi for doing that without permission and in the rain, fixed his hood. Koi took their phone out of their pocket and told Ches they would be home soon with some company. Chester immediately responded with an 'alr' and a heart emoji.

"Cmon you shouldn't be out here in the rain you'll get sick," Koi said, walking out of the alley. Twig stumbled and ran after them.

"Mr.?...Mrs.? ..Mx.? I don't even know your name." Twig stated matter of factly as he struggled to keep up with Koi's fast walking pace.

"Mx. If you're wondering, and my name is Koi. I'm taking you to my place, rent-free and you'll be fed if you are hungry." Koi said, smiling slightly at Twig's use of "Mx.".

"Why are you being so nice to me? For all you know I could be a wanted criminal or something." Twig said, now walking a little behind Koi because he had given up on trying to keep up with them.

"Well you're also following me to my house without knowing anything about me, and to answer your question, I'm not about to let you sleep in an alleyway," Koi said, slowing down a bit so they could walk side by side. Twig just shrugged. They walked a bit more before twig slowed to a stop just a few feet away from the door to Koi and Chester's home-home. Twig fell face-first into the floor. Koi immediately sat next to him tapping his shoulder. Twigs' breathing was calm and even and he curled into a ball on the floor still soaking wet from the rain. He was so tired he had fallen asleep standing and fell over. Koi sighed, shaking their head, and picked up the small bee and carried him inside. Chester and Yuri looked up from the TV and over at Koi who took off their gas mask and goggles with one hand while the other held Twig who was sleeping rather peacefully for someone who was in a stranger's home and also soaking wet from the rain.

Koi took off Twigs Pancho and hung it up to dry on a chair.

"Who's that?" Chester and Yuri asked in unison. Koi chuckled before replying,

"Some bee that I found in an alleyway."

"Koi, you can't just bring random sleeping people home with you,"

"Well, I wasn't about to leave him to sleep out in the rain. Chester, could you come over here and help me with him?" Chester got up and kissed his partner on the cheek before holding a soaking wet Twig. Twig snuggled against Chester seeming comforted by how warm he was.

"Aw, he's so little," Yuri said, while Chester took him over to the other couch. Koi left and came back with a blanket and towel. They dried Twig's hair and his clothes as best they could without taking them off, because of privacy. Koi took off Twig's bandana and then covered him with a blanket leaving him to sleep on the couch. Koi put the towel and bandana in the wash along with a few other things, showered, then sat down next to Chester on the couch snuggling close in some new comfy clothes.

The next morning Twig woke up to see Jazz and Yuri staring at him from the other couch. Prolonged eye contact.

Words- 940

-andi