Ever the rebels, the two kids carefully let themselves slip down the mossy rocks, down to where the grass fades into sand and the air goes from the crisp, dead leaves to brine.
What had began as another blase trip to Eli's favorite babysitter had become an excursion to a place he'd long been curious about; the "backyard" of the biggest house in town. While he was disappointed it wasn't dissimilar from the harbor, it at least smelled better.
"Yeah but the news said it's gonna storm. Isn't that dangerous?" he asks as he hops from the last row of rocks onto the sand, staring at the overcast sky above. The rumbling was still distant, to the point even the waters seemed calm.
The older wolf behind him carefully made her way down on all fours, limbs trembling, trying not to slip on the moss, "C'mon, that's just a suggestion. No one's gonna arrest us for being out here or anythin-WOAH!" she yelps, her foot slipping from the rock, thankfully on to the mossy ground just below, "...ahem, plus it's still hours away. We can chill here for a bit."
Eli thinks to himself for a brief moment, "...ok!" he says, running off and stopping the water's edge. The waves roll in and out, slowly, rhythmically. The bunny watches the water all but dance to an unheard rhythm and breathes the air in deep, sighing contentedly as he sits down right there on the edge, just close enough to get the tips of his shoes wet. He shuts his eyes and lifts his ears, letting himself be enveloped by the ambience.
So much so, he doesn't hear Ezzie huffing and puffing behind him, "God I hate those rocks. They should put in a wheelchair ramp or something." she says, plopping down on the sand next to him.
Both are silent for a while, content to watch the distant storm and listen to the almost musical pulling of the tide. Eli slowly rocks in place, back and forth, ears twitching with delight at the myriad of quiet-enough white noise around them.
Ezzie shifts uncomfortably, having hoped they'd get up to more than this. She darts her eyes around in all directions, hoping for something interesting to bring up; a distant boat, brewing lightning, an over-ambitious fish, anything, but the world as as still and disinterested she was.
She sighs, watching the little bun rock for a moment more before throwing her paws to her exposed arms and shivering in an exaggerated manner, "Brr...kinda chilly out though, isn't it?"
Eli shakes his head, "It's ok, I got a jacket." he says, his rocking unbreaking and his eyes remaining shut.
The wolf rolls her eyes and tries to relax. The noise isn't as enticing to her it seems. She's more used to seagull cries and washed up conch-shells. Part of her wishes she'd dug the volleyball net out of the garage, but Iadra knows an uncoordinated kid like Eli would fall over chin first on the first serve, and having to explain a bloodied face to his mom was the last thing she wanted.
She begins to stir, ears twitching at the soft, idle tapping of Eli's paws on his legs, not so much drumming on himself, moreso letting his fingers spaz out with no rhyme or reason. Nothing she hadn't seen him do before, and yet...
"Eli?" she mumbles, though he does not hear her. She scoots a bit closer, then closer, then even closer, "Eels?", closer still, closer and closer until her arm collides with his.
"Ahh!" he yelps, falling out of his sitting position, eyes wide and shooting all directions until they catch the wolf.
Ezzie backs up, "Woah, sorry."
"What--what's wrong?" Eli asks between gasps.
"Nothing!" she chuckles, "Just...you were acting kinda weird."
The bun's upright ears flatten behind his head, "Oh...sorry..."
"No no, not like, weird!" the wolf stammers, "I meant--uh...never mind." her apologetic tone quickly gives way to one of mirth, "Hey, I got an idea!" she hops back onto her feet, "Let's see how far the beach goes! I betcha it loops around the whole town!"
"I...uh..." Eli mutters, trying to regrasp his surroundings and get ahold on the sudden proposal. He shakes the confusion out of his head and lets himself be lifted by Ezzie's paw, "Wouldn't we have to be on an island?"
"How do you know we're not? You ever left town?" she says, leading him off by the paw.
"Just to the city." he said, staring absent-mindedly out at the water.
The two trudge along the water's edge, past the backs of other houses, past the bundles of trees one could mistake for actual woods, past the graffitied rockfaces of the other small cliffs. Their conversation died as quickly as it began, despite Ezzie's numerous attempts to spark it back up. The bun is refusing to cooperate, continuing to stare at the water or the ground, gaze only briefly averted when she points out the graffiti.
Even the lie that it was her own doing didn't keep his attention. She sighs a heavy, frustrated sigh, "You're deader than a doorknob here."
"Mmh..." he groans, his center beginning to crumple and his feet beginning to drag.
"You're the one that wanted to come."
"...when it was...sunny..."
"Ugh! Well, if you're really having such a bad time, we'll just turn around and--" she snaps her gaze at him in anger, stopping short when she sees him nearly curled into a little ball, held up only by her paw, "...something on your mind?"
"...mom...she's..." Eli all but whispers, his paw starting to shake in hers.
Ezzie looks away to roll her eyes, "Hey...c'mon...I told you she's gonna be okay, remember? And I'm the one who's gonna be a doctor soon, so you know it's true!"
It wasn't the first time or even that uncommon to have Eli stay over in lieu of letting him languish bedside at the hospital, but what was usually a few days had grown into nearly two weeks. He was never one to show his feelings, but even Ezzie could tell he was beginning to stress.
Letting go of his paw, she turns to face him, arms outstretched, "I'd never lie to you! You know that." she smiles, anticipating a hug.
Eli rubs his ear and looks back to the ground, forcing Ezzie to instigate the hug for him. She kneels down and embraces him tight. Uncomfortably tight. He holds a whine in his throat, truly not wanting to ruin the trip by moping. The smallest cry escapes past his lips anyway.
"Shh, shh. S'alright, little bro..." Ezzie coos, stroking his back, "Y'know you're always welcome at our ho--"
She's cut off by another whine, one buried into her chest as he begins to tremble. She hugs him tighter, "It's gonna be okay, Eli. I promise." the trembling turns to paws rapping on her side. She hugs tighter, "There, let it all out. You can-ow-OW! Hey!"
The rapping paws turn to outright slaps. She lets him go, surprised to see his eyes devoid of tears, "What's your prob--"
"Look!" he says excitedly, pointing further down the beach, "Look! A pre-evo!"
Ezzie looks in the direction of his finger. There, trying to snap a fish out of the water with it's yellowed, gnarled teeth stands a feral dog, one of the town's many, but not one she recognized.
Without a second thought, Eli races over to meet it. Ezzie reaches out in a slow chase, "Woah, careful dude! I don't see a collar on that thing!"
"Shh!" Eli hushes, slowing his approach the closer he gets for fear of scaring the mutt away.
The poor mutt's potential dinner escapes its clutches and swims away. It hangs its head low, only perking up when it's shredded ears hear the sound of careful footsteps. It does not run, staying firmly in place as it stares the bun down, not confused, not aggressive.
"Hey buddy." Eli says softly, carefully reaching a paw out to pet it's side, only to recoil when his fingers touch fur so filthy and matted, it's practically one solid piece, "Eh...heheh! I think he's hungry."
"Eli, c'mon, that thing's dangerous." says a concerned Ezzie, still a few yards away, "I don't want you to have to take up a bed next to your mom."
"It's fine! See? He's friendly."
The mutt's eyes look beyond the bun for the faintest moment. One blink and it's toothy maw is on full display, back arched, claws dug hard into the sand.
Eli drops his paw, "A...ahhhh..."
The mutt suddenly lunges forward, snapping at the air. Eli tumbles backward onto his rear and scrambles to get away, only for the mutt's teeth to latch onto the sleeve of his hoodie. It tugs hard, as if trying to pull him towards the water. He tries to cry out for Ezzie, but every breath becomes an inaudible wheeze, "A-a!! E...Ez...!!!"
"HEY!" Ezzie shouts, rushing over to knee the mutt in the side, "Let him go you mutt!". When it does not, she outright kicks it with enough force to pull it's teeth free and send it back.
It resumes it's stance, limbs locked wide and ready, teeth bared, a deep, monstrous growl building in it's chest.
Ezzie fired back with one of her own, stomping the ground hard enough to kick up sand, flashing her own mawful of razor teeth, going from a growl to an outright bark at the mutt to make it back down. It flinches at the first, takes a step back at the second, snaps at the air on the third, only then realizing how much bigger, how much stronger this other beast is.
It keeps flashing it's teeth, fighting it's tail's instinct to nestle between its legs. When Ezzie finally pulls her claws out, slicing the air with a near audible shnnk! does the mutt finally turn tail and run, stopping only to briefly look back at them, the fire in it's eyes long gone.
The pair watch it leave, motionless save for their heaving chests. Eli is the first to break the silence as he slowly stands back up, "W-wow...that was cool, Ezzie!"
"Haah...hahh...y...yeah! Yeah!" Ezzie cheers, throwing a rude gesture the mutt's way, "Go on, beat it!"
"Yeah!" Eli joins in, cupping his paws around his mouth for volume, "Beat it! Or else she'll really scare you!"
That gives Ezzie pause, "Scare it? Huh?"
"Your teeth? You scared him off by flashing your teeth!" the bun beams.
"Oh...right." Ezzie mumbles, looking to where the mutt once stood, putting a paw to her muzzle to hide the shaky grimace forming behind it.
It takes a moment for the bun to register, "E...Ezzie?...Did I say something wrong...?"
It's only a few seconds but feels like an eternity. Her eyes lock onto him, her brow furrows, "You..." she grumbles in a tone eerily close to the mutt's.
And like that, it's gone. Behind her paw is a smile. Behind her eyes is mirth, "--'re right! I guess my teeth are kinda weird!" she says, thoughts of all her missed brace opportunities racing in her head, "Like a mouthful of knives!"
The bun crumples, wanting to apologize, but the wolf's newfound grin is too infectious, "Hmhm...it's okay! I-I'm weird too!"
"Heh, oh yeah? How so?"
"I uh...put too much pepper on everything?" the bun answers meekly.
Ezzie stifles a laugh, "Snrk! Did your mom tell you that?"
"Yes."
"...well, she's right. You are a little weirdo." she says with a shrug, ruffling his hair, "My favorite little weirdo!"
The bun chuckles softly and takes the wolf's paw, "Can we...go home now?" he murmurs, looking wistfully down the beach where the mutt had run off too.
Ezzie was already walking, "Fine by me. I wanted to stay home and play Ironhander."
"We don't have to--you got Ironhander?!" Eli suddenly snaps to attention.
"Yea, the new one. I was gonna save it for your birthday, but who the hell knows when that's gonna be?"
Eli lets go and all but bounds ahead of her, "C'mon! I'll race you!" he says, not even waiting for agreement before running off.
"Hey! No head starts you little weirdo!" Ezzie laughs as the two race up the beach, back up to the town where her house sat.
"Y'know my mom says video games keep you from thinking!" Eli laughs as he scales the mossy rocks.
"Course they do! What's so great about thinking anyway?"
"Right?!"
-----
It was a miracle the two made it in with only a smattering of rain stains on their clothes. The clouds bottomed out the moment they hit the patio, the torrent quickly making mud of the lawn.
"We're baaack~" Ezzie calls, stepping into the foyer and shaking off some of the rain.
Eli stumbles along behind her, furiously swiping at his hair and face in desperation to wick the water away, "Blugh! Agh! I wanna towel!"
"Alright, alright, there's some upstairs. Calm down." she says, taking him through the living room, "Dad? Y'in here?"
Indeed he was, splayed out on the couch with naught but a blanket to cover his disheveled, post-work body; tie and shirt chucked carelessly on the floor, a thankfully emptied beer bottle still in-hand. His maw tactlessly hangs open, tongue spilling out the side.
"Ah, jeez." the wolf girl mumbles, turning off the too-loud TV.
Eli follows her inside, still ruffling through his hair for rain, when he spots the older wolf, unmoving, "Mr.Voight?" he asks, walking up to his side and tapping his arm. When he gets no response, he begins pushing them man's body, "M-Mr.Voight?!"
Ezzie knew where this was going, "Eli! Eli! It's alright, he's sleeping, look." she says, putting the bun's paw onto the wolf's heaving chest, "Rough day at the office. You know how he is sometimes."
As if on que, her father snores loudly and brazenly, right into Eli's ear, making him pull away in mild disgust, "R...right...sorry..."
She pats his back and continues through, "C'mon, we got ships to shoot, remember?"
"Oh yeah!"
---
A flash and a bitcrushed ping sound off.
"IRONHANDER 3."
"Ironhander threeeee~..." Eli imitates the logo read, squirming excitedly in Ezzie's lap as he grips the controller tight.
"Go with the Delta ship, it's got the best gun-to-special ratio--"
"Shhhhh, I wanna figure it out!" Eli interrupts before picking the Epsilon; quite possibly the worst ship in the game.
The pair sit comfortably atop Ezzie's bed, surrounded on all sides by band posters and artsy wall decorations. It's the kind of room he wishes he had, but he's slept in this one so often, it might as well be part his.
Ezzie gently holds him against her waist, occasionally bouncing her knee to mess with him during the tougher shootouts, laughing quietly when he whines her name before locking back in as if it'd never happened.
The bun blasts his way through the first stage. It's an exciting cacophony of gunfire, explosions, and metal music, yet Ezzie is distracted, finding herself having looked only at him the entire way through. She can't help but trace a finger down one if his ears, the fur feeling like velvet, "God...really gonna miss you..."
"What?" he chimes, eyes not moving from the screen. In the end his focus does not matter, as the level's end boss guns him down on what was his last life, "Ah! Hmph..." he huffs, nearly dropping the controller.
"Heheheh, want me to get him for you?" Ezzie asks.
Eli's quick to hit continue, "No way! I can do it! I'm not a baby."
True, he's not. Ezzie eyes drift over him again, the noise of the game fading away into sounds of memory, memory of every night they had played a game together like this, every night they'd snuck past her dad for snacks, every night they held each other when a movie was too scary, every night he'd run into her arms calling her, "Big Sissie".
Her grip around his hips tightens. He'll be 9 in a few months. She won't even get to see his next big milestone before she's off to college, where she'll be for so long, he may be off to it himself before she gets back. The thought of not getting to see him again for so long...it cuts her deep. Without him, she'll have no one left to talk to, no one left to play games with, no one to make laugh...
In the deepest dark of her mind, she almost wishes Petunia a slower recovery. It's a thought that makes her stomach hurt, yet her heart swell. She can imagine him crying at the news, giving him a hug, and setting up a little spot in the corner of her room for him to sleep. She can imagine tossing it all out and throwing him onto her bed, saying he can jump on it as much as he wants. She can imagine him doing exactly that, smiling brighter and laughing more than anytime she had seen at his house. Why can't tonight be forever?
"E-Eli......I--"
"Ahh! Ezzie, you killed me!" he cries, wincing at the sight of the game over screen for the second time that night.
Ezzie lets go of him, seemingly ignorant of just how hard she'd been hugging, "Ahahaha, sorry! I got distracted there. Something's...itching?" she suddenly notices that very sensation in her pocket, "Whats--ugh." she groans, pulling out her phone, abuzz with messages, none of which she looks at before hitting the 'silence' button, "Stupid. We know it's raining."
"Yeah! We know it's raining!" Eli copies, going so far as to blow a raspberry at her phone before hitting continue and settling down on the floor.
Ezzie sighs and smiles, amused at the ferocity in his eyes as he leans ever closer to the TV. Suddenly, she realizes, "Hey wait! This is 2 player!" she says, hopping off the bed and over to her closet, "Sit tight, I got another one somewhere."
"Hurry! The boss'll get here here any second!"
A controller is found and a cooperative domination of the first boss is ushered. All that remains are the sounds of laughter and high fives as the pair nuzzle up close.
Ezzie's phone continues to silently buzz, a small box flashing on screen.
"EWS WARNING: THE EMERGENCY WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED AN EXTREME THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR THE TOWN OF 'Vanish Hill' FOR TORRENTIAL RAIN AND DESTRUCTIVE 80MPH WINDS, EFFECTIVE UNTIL 3:35AM. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY."
---
First of a pair of gorgeous pieces from my main mouse
