•ΛПIMΛXIƧ•

One

I walked out of the house, heading for Lucas' place. I kept to the sidestreets. Lucas' neighborhood was a little bit dangerous, but nothing  I couldn't deal with. Wind rustled the trees and blew my hair around in my face. I pulled my hoodie tighter over my head, eager to get there before the storm really picked up. I looked down to keep the wind out of my face. I heard a car horn, and looked up again, my hoodie falling back.
Ugh...figures.
The man in the car honked their horn again, but I held up a hand and kept walking.
"Hey pretty lady, what's the hurry?" He slurred. I sighed. I wasn't about to play this guy's silly little games, especially now. I kept my head down, walking a little bit quicker.
"Hello? I'm talking to you." He growled. I could tell without looking it was a Vulpes. His growl and sly speech gave him away. I heard the car's engine stop, and a door slam. I had only started reacting when a rough hand closed around my arm.
"Hey! Don't ignore me, or esle!" He yelled in my ear, making me feel like I was going deaf. I kicked at him, but he didn't budge.
"Let her go." I heard a familiar boy's voice say. I sighed deeply, knowing I was safe.
"Or what, boy?" The guy growled. I heard the boy approach. I was let go suddenly, and I whirled around from the ground. Lucas had the man's fist in his hand. It looked like the man had tried to punch him, but Lucas' sixth sense caught it.
"Come on, at least challenge me." Lucas said. The Vulpes' ears flattened against his head. I knew he was scared.
"D-demon!" He yelled. Lucas' let him go and the man stumbled before running away. Lucas watched him with a killer glare.
"Chill out, bunny boy." I said, standing up and hugging him. I felt him flinch.
"You have to stop coming here, Alvi." He said, hugging me back. His warm Lepus ears touched my cheek, and I stepped back, smiling.
"Why? You need me, don't you?" I said, and walked towards his porch. I could practically feel the frown growing across his lips.
"Alvi, of course I need you. But I'm saying it's dangerous out here." He said, catching up and opening the door for me. His house was saddening, but I knew he didn't mind it. His Dad leaving had definitely thrown him and his Mom into hard times, but they managed.
"If a Vulpes family can survive out here, I'm sure I'll be fine." I said. He sat down with me on the couch, and looked at me.
"Alvi...you don't understand." He said, and I saw tears welling in his eyes. I reached over, putting a hand on his cheek and wiping the tear away with my thumb.
"Lucas, of course I understand. And I know you want to turn me away, but that won't solve anything." I said, and he smiled slowly.
"Fine, just be more careful when you're coming down here?" He said. I chuckled, shaking my head.
"You act like it's hell or something." I said. He shrugged.
"Might as well be." He said. I saw him reach for a little bottle of pills, and pop one into his palm. I went to the kitchen and brought him a glass of water.
"Thanks." He said, and downed the pill and water.
"How's it going? You know...with the treatment?" I asked. He sighed, closing his eyes.
"It's...it's been better. All I have to do is take one of these every week." He said, holding the bottle of pills, "Or I'll go numb again."
For weeks Lucas had been depressed about his Dad having left...he didn't know how to cope. So, he turned to drugs given to him by a mental health doctor. He'd started taking these drugs as tests to see if it'd change anything, but it hadn't worked. One night he'd snuck into the hospital and cosumed half the jar's worth of pills. He'd been unable to move for days, and whenever he did, he'd vomit blood or have earth shaking migranes. I always felt like he never should've done it, like I should've been there for him, but he didn't want me interjecting. I respected Lucas as my best friend, and I wasn't about to ruin our friendship by not trusting him. The drug seemed to be working. I'd seen my best friend smile for the first time in years, and he's started acting more like himself.
"That was actually the most painful thing I've had to watch." I said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood again. He smiled momentarily, and then it melted away. He stared off into space, and I decided to go to the kitchen and get him some food. I knew my way around their kitchen, since I'd spent most of my life here. It was really like the second home, even if it wasn't a sight to behold. But, there was hardly anything in his fridge. I frowned. I hated the conditions he was forced to live it. Luckily, I'd planned for this exact situation. I'd brought some bananas and apples in my bag since I knew they were his favorite. I cut them up and put them on a plate, smiling at my work. As soon as I came into the room, his ears perked up and he locked his eyes on the little plate I was carrying.
"Is that?" He asked.
"Yes. Here you go." I said, setting the plate down. He instantly started eating, making happy little tooth clicks while he ate. I smiled, pulling a book out of my bag. I opened it slowly, and started reading while Lucas finished his food. At one point I looked up, and he was starring at me.
"What?" I asked. He shook his head.
"Nothing. I'm just confused to why the gods gave me such an amazing best friend." He said, smiling brightly. I felt my cheeks flush, and I swatted at him.
"S-shut up!" I said, my entire face warm. I pulled my hoodie collar over my face, and I heard Lucas laughing.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to get all mushy." He said through laughs.
"Just...eat your stupid bananas." I said, hiding until I felt my face cool off. I went back to reading, putting the book up so I wouldn't have to look at him laughing at me. Eventually once he'd finished his food, he sat back with a content sigh. I put my book away, zipping my bag shut.
"What's it like?" He asked. I blinked in confusion.
"Huh?" I asked, tilting my head. He looked at the ceiling, filled with water damage splotches.
"Living in a real house, with a real family." He said. I felt my heart break.
"Well...it's...I don't know how to put it. I guess I haven't had anything different than it." I said, trying to to brag or sound rude. Luckily, he nodded, smiling.
"Luckily you don't take stuff like that for granted, unlike some of our neighbors." He said, closing his eyes. Though he lived in this sketchy area, I lived a little bit farther up the street, where there was a very distinct barrier between the nice, and not so nice area.
"Yeah, I guess so." I said, not really sure where this conversation was going. We sat in awkward silence for a bit, and then I looked down at my watch. It was nearly 8:45 at night, and I'd promised my Brother I'd have been home by at least 7:30. As expected, when I pulled out my phone it was spammed with angry messages from the one and only Dusty himself. I sighed, and felt my ears pin. Lucas must've sensed this, because he cringed.
"I'm guessing it isn't good...?" He asked. I shook my head, giving a nervous smile.
"Nope. I should probably go before he has the police after me." I said, hugging him one more time before running out the door and down the street. I didn't even look at my surroundings as I bolted down the street. I came to a screeching halt once I reached my house. It was a one floor house, with a basement, and a little pool in the backyard. It was your typical little house, but there was a raging beast inside I wasn't eager to see. I carefully opened the door, closing it silently behind me. I was halfway down the basement stairs when I heard footsteps.
"Alvis. Come here. Now." He growled. I swallowed hard.
"Dusty...I'm sorry! I lost track of time and I-"
"Sit." He said, not up for discussion. His blue eyes blazed with anger, and I felt myself breaking under the pressure.
"What the hell were you thinking?! You promised to be home at 7:30!" He yelled, and I winced.
"Dusty I'm sorry I was bringing Lucas something!" I said, my voice breaking. Dusty saw this, and his gaze softened, the hair on his head went flat again, and his ears popped back up slowly.
"Alvi...I'm sorry I didn't know-"
"Save it! You don't understand!" I yelled, tears streaming down my cheeks. I ran from the room and down into the basement, locking the door to my room. I leaned against the door, furious. But slowly my anger melted and I sank to the floor, sobbing like a baby. Once he felt like I'd calmed down at bit, Dusty came downstairs and knocked on the door.
"Alvi? Can I please come in?" He asked. He sounded really embarrassed and worried. I sighed, dried my tears, and opened the door.
"If you've come to apologize, I don't need you to." I said, trying my best to hold my tounge. Dusty had become my guardian when Mom and Dad passed away, so he always took to the cliche 'protective over brother' role.
"Alvi...I know I'm not like Mom and Dad." He said, obviously having read it in my thoughts, "But I'm trying, alright?" He said, sounding frustrated. Not at me, but himself.
"Dusty...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell." I said, hugging him tightly. He sighed, and wrapped is muscular arms around me. I looked up, seeing the tatoo on his arm. He'd gotten it on a road trip, where he'd messed with Dad by getting it when Dad had told him, "I'll skin you if you come back here with a tatoo!" Obviously he'd thought it was hilarious when Dusty came back with his entire arm marked up, and I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. Dusty's shirt smelled like cigarette smoke, and I sighed.
"Dusty, what've I been telling you?" I said, looking up at his face. He gave a nervous smile.
"Hold up, who's in charge of who here?" He asked, chuckling.
"Obviously me, if you're needing me to chaparone you when you go out at night." I said, stepping away from him and crossing my arms, mimicking Mom's voice and posture. Dusty caught on, smiling.
"Can't a kid have a little fun now and then?" He said, smirking, "I haven't done anything wrong."
"Nope, not yet you haven't. Wait until you meet a girl. Then it'll get really-" He clapped a hand over my mouth.
"Shut up Alvi." He said, blushing slightly, "Go to bed, will ya?"
"Fine, I'm going. Night." I said, and he left the room.
"Night." He said while hurrying up the stairs to his own room. I changed into some comfortable shorts and a tank top, and slid into bed. I pulled the covers up to my neck and hugged Mom's old teddy bear to my chest. It still smelled like her lavendar perfume, and the scent lulled me to sleep.

Word Count: 2005

Tysm to Tangle_the_fox_ for creating Dusty and Lucas! I'm really excited to develop their characters more! Tysm for reading guys!