Cherish || A Chase x Sweetie Fanfiction ||

(S2-C13) • More Than Meets the Eye •

The night's howl became the dominant noise, assisted by the thundering storm and heavy drops of rain on the Lookout's pyramid head. The windows blocked the crashing rainwater like a shield under a barrage of bullets, and based on the thumping, the storm packed quite a punch this time around. Nonetheless, the building was impenetrable from all sorts of weather, and the only one who feared the freakish nature was a pup who cowered in a much more different location.

She shivered, holding her purple teddy bear whilst wrapped with a thick red blanket, watching from the middle of her bed the flashing of Zeus' anger and the battlefield of a roar let out once in a while, resulting in more fear to attack the poor Terrier.

Her friends were discussing matters with her owner in another area of the castle, leaving her alone to watch the nightmare. This was the actual reason she called for the Shepherd, wishing to ask him if he could come back and perhaps comfort her for the upcoming chaos. However, finding out the truth of his return to his home, she couldn't bear another second talking to him. She admitted, after clicking the end call button, she felt jealous.

"I'm sorry, Chase. Please, please... come back. I want… I need you right now. Just this time, return to me." She started sobbing, the fear of the storm resurfacing the memories of the shadows that left her in the garbage. Those who abandoned her, she could hear their voices, spitting harsh comments of her unworthiness, and she could only cover her ears, lips quivering.

She became dependent on her former guardian's heat. She knew she did, she had no choice. Her body ached for him even when her mind said "no". She felt something in him that she couldn't find in others. A feeling. One that only he could provide, and it's like she yearned for it since forever.

Suddenly, the windows bursted open with a loud thud, Sweetie releasing a shriek as she jumped away, only to crash on the stone floor. She forced herself up and backed away into a wall, trying to mend into it and put more distance from her and the terror that reflected from her eyes. The trauma was inescapable, she just wanted to disappear at that moment.

However, as the window closed itself from the bouncing motion, a cloth landed just in front of the pup, and seeing its hue, she seemed to regain a tinge of bravery. Her grip loosened and her heartbeat started to slow. Even her shivering stopped after just seeing it. She remembered taking it out of its keeping and examining it, only to leave it in the corner of her bed.

Reaching out a paw, the noises were nullified for a moment. She grabbed the jacket, gulping with a tear flowing down her cheek. Despite the thick blanket she already wore, she slipped into the soft, blue clothing, raising its oversized hood onto her head before closing the middle by tugging it with both paws across each other, her cuddle toy covered as well.

She then lifted a paw to the golden star on her chest, similar to the logo of a police pup she knew, and her fear ran dry as she felt safe. Truly, despite how she wouldn't admit it to herself before, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Thank you, Chase, she cuddled her toy, unknown to her closed vision of a shadow that loomed over from the window, its single eye piercing the dark.

❀⊱┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄⊰❀

"Achoo!"

Everyone turned away from their board game, catching the Shepherd sniffing through his nose after the sneeze.

"Oh, come on. For the dozenth time. Was someone thinking of me again?" he asked himself, shaking his head and picking up the mop he dropped.

Tilting his eyes down to grab, he noticed the water bucket in front of him that tipped over, a puddle forming in front of him. He could only sigh.