Protectors (Bigby Wolf x reader)

Chapter 4

Bigby and (Y/N) decided that Toad needed their help right away, so they made their way to the apartments.

"And we ended up going out the window and I landed on Toad's car." Bigby finished explaining. (Y/N) looked at all the destruction, including the giant hole in the building and Toad's smashed car.

"You guys made a real mess," she told him.

"Yeah, it looks worse in the daylight," Bigby admitted.

(Y/N) looked up into the hole where the Woodsman's apartment would be and saw someone inside. They kept quiet, but the figure managed to see them and quickly moved away from the hole.

"Wait here," Bigby instructed her as he ran up to the room.

(Y/N) waited a little bit until she saw Bigby peek out, look down at her, and shake his head. She walked into the building and heard crying coming from Toad's apartment, so she made her way over there. Bigby met back up with her, and she turned to look at him.

"Is that his son?" she asked worriedly.

"Toad's? I think." He was about to go up to the door, but she put her hand on his chest, stopping him. He looked at her, confused.

"Please be nice in there," she begged him.

"I got nice shooting out of my ass." he replied.

"You're a real gentleman, Bigby," she said, cringing, which made him chuckle.

Bigby went to open the door, but the lock must've been busted since it just opened right up. They could hear Toad hushing his son and trying to compose himself.

"Bigby! And Miss Tideborn! Surely you didn't come all this way just for my bother." Toad says nervously as he stood in front of his crying son. "Sorry, Bigby. It's embarrassing to have to admit, but, eh, I thought there was someone else in Woody's place. There wasn't though, not when I checked, nothing but a leaky drain pipe. Imagination must have got the best of me."

"There was someone, but they took off when we got here," Bigby told him.

"Is that right? I guess your Dad's ears have a year or two left. Haven't gone totally to the dogs, eh?" Toad said to his son, trying to downplay the situation. (Y/n) knelt closer to their height.

"Are you alright, honey?" she asked, but Toad answered for him.

"Oh, he's fine, Miss Tideborn, just stung his little toe. Better swimmer than a walker, just like his dad." (Y/n) stood back up and looked at Bigby.

"Wanna..." She signaled to Toad, asking Bigby if he still wanted to take a look around.

"So I guess you'll be taking off now. No need to hang around here anymore." Toad said, clearly wanting them to leave.

"Somebody was in your building," Bigby insisted. "This is for your own safety, Toad. You called us, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, and I appreciate it, mate, but–"

"It's fine, relax. We'll be out of here in a minute. I just wanna check things out first."

"Alright, alright, I just don't wanna waste your time is all. Have a seat, have a cup of tea, whatever you like." Toad said, clearly irritated.

(Y/n) walked up to TJ and knelt in front of him with a smile.

"Phew! Grown-ups, am I right?" she said jokingly.

"Uh..." TJ responded, unsure how to reply. Realizing it sounded awkward, (Y/n) quickly changed the topic.

"Hey! You know what, Flycatcher said you had a 'pretty awesome' insect collection, I'd really love to see it. Is it in your room?" she asked.

"It has a weevil." TJ said, opening up a little.

"Cool!" (Y/n) exclaimed as she opened the door to his room and he walked in. She gave Bigby one last look before entering TJ's room and closing the door behind her.

_____________________

It wasn't long before TJ finished showing (Y/N) his collection, and they rejoined Bigby and Toad.

"She doesn't think much of me, I don't think," TJ said to (Y/N).

"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that," she replied with a smile, then looked over at Bigby. "Progress?"

Toad walked over to his son and hugged him. (Y/N) noticed blood dripping from underneath his hat.

"Mr. Toad, you're bleeding," she said. He touched the back of his neck, flinching as he felt the blood, then lowered his head in defeat.

"Take off the hat," Bigby instructed. Toad complied, removing his hat and sitting down on a crate. (Y/N) took out a handkerchief and held it to Toad's wound. He took over, pressing the cloth against the injury.

"It was that butcher, a Tweedle, Dum or Dee," Toad explained. "You gotta strip 'em down to their johnnies before you can tell which is which. He came barging in, screaming about something the Woodsman had or thought he had, I don't know. He tore up the place, beat me up when I said I didn't have it."

"What was he looking for?" (Y/n) asked.

"I have no idea. I would've told you, I wanted to, really I did. But he said if word of this ever got back to him, if he ever thought you knew, or Miss Tideborn, he'd come back and kill my boy. I even tried to give the bastard her coat. He wouldn't take it." Toad explained.

"Whose coat?" Bigby asked.

"The girl."

"Dad borrows things from people who live here, uh, sometimes," TJ said innocently.

"Borrows?" (Y/N) asked Toad, knowing he meant stealing.

"I don't steal nothing. The turnaround here would astonish you, mate. I merely repossess what's been left behind." Toad explained.

"Well, we'll be taking the coat now. If she has next of kin, family, or anyone..." (Y/n) said.

"Alright," Toad agreed, turning to his son. "Fetch 'em the fur."

TJ walked over to the living room and the fireplace. He tried to grab something up the chimney but struggled. (Y/N) moved next to him, reached up the chimney, and pulled out a coat made of donkey skin. She placed it down on Toad's couch for a better look. There was a letter attached to the fur, which Bigby grabbed.

"It's an envelope," Bigby said looking at it.

"Fuckin' hell, of course, there is. With my luck, it's a map to some bloody doubloons." Toad said butting in.

"It's addressed to Prince Lawrence." (Y/n) noticed. "Do you wanna try and give it to him, or..." Bigby puts the envelope in his pocket.

Bigby put the envelope in his pocket. "Doesn't seem right opening another man's mail. Let's try and give it to him."

"Alright."

"Well, it's been quite a surprising day for all of us, hasn't it? I'd see you out, but I'm afraid of dripping any more blood in the place," Toad said, sitting on some steps. Bigby started to head to the door, but (Y/N) knelt in front of TJ with a smile.

"It was very nice talking to you, TJ."

"Thanks, uh, see ya," TJ said with a shy smile. (Y/N) stood back up, and she and Bigby left Toad's place.

Outside, they paused to talk before heading to Lawrence's place. Bigby took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one.

"Doesn't usually go that smoothly," (Y/n) remarked

"Yeah, not often," Bigby said with a smirk.

"So, to Lawrence's now then?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's our best lead right now."

"Kind of our only lead right now," she said as they started walking away from Toad's place toward Prince Lawrence's.

"Well, when you put it that way..."