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guurodoll · 13 days ago

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your new home.

chapter 2 of filthy. mdni ! here is the ao3 link ♡

Ren's heart was threatening to burst from his chest, a compressing ache in his chest making itself known with every aggressive beat. he's never done this before, i mean sure he's seen what Strade had done to his captives, but he never knew how he managed to bring them home without getting caught. thank god it's so late, otherwise everything would've been ruined, he was way too clumsy with this, but he couldn't help it! when he saw you on his way to meet Lawrence, he thought some god had finally answered his prayers. he didn't expect to be taking you so soon, but he'd never get another chance like this again, so it was now or never. his pacing stopped as you stirred, the soft clinking of the shackle practically echoing throughout the silent living room. . . . you're still not waking up yet? Ren's ears started to sink against his head, worry festering in his stomach as he stared at you. what was the name of that drug he used again . . rohypnol? right, that's what he used, he read somewhere online that it was an antianxiety medication that could cause blackouts, or at least extreme drowsiness. his hands started to shake, biting the inside of his cheek nervously, the metallic taste flooding his mouth soothing him slightly. did he use too much, did he mess up? fuck, he shouldn't have done this on a whim. a soft groan interrupted his racing thoughts, fluffy ears immediately standing at attention. he tried to contain his excitement, tail wagging as he forced himself to not pounce on you.

your neck was stiff, an ache of pain shooting through your spine as you stretched. while your neck was in pain, whatever you were laying on was far more comfortable than you- . . what? your eyes shot open, temporarily blinding yourself due to the bright lights around you. this- this isn't your house, what the hell happened last night? reaching up to hold your aching head, you did your best to recount the memories from last night. right . . you went out, met some strange guys, one of them tried to punch you and the other- before you could finish putting the pieces together, one of said pieces approached you, seemingly far too happy for the current situation. Ren smiled at you, tail wagging behind him gleefully, thank god you weren't hurt. "you're finally awake! are you feeling any better? you've been asleep for a while." he asked casually, his hands in his pockets as he not so subtly analyzed you and your behavior. you glanced around the room, trying to avoid the nervous hitch in your breath as you realized you had no idea where you were.

focus, try to remember what happened. after that guy, Lawrence, tried to punch you, you ran into an alley and found Ren and- right, Ren helped you! if Ren hadn't been there, who knows what would've happened, or what Lawrence would've done. looking back to Ren, you gave him a soft, appreciative nod as you spoke. "thank you for . . for helping me, last night." he waved his hand at you, not dismissively, but instead in a way that seemed too natural for your current predicament. "well of course, it's no problem at all!" well, he was very polite, if only a little strange. Ren took another moment to stare at you, an awkward beat of silence passing before he clasped his hands together. "anyway! now that you're awake, i bet your hungry. how about i make you something to eat?" you could tell by his tone that he wasn't really asking, more so telling you that you were going to eat. you pushed down that familiar uneasy feeling, shaking your head at him. "oh- thank you, but i shouldn't, you've already done so much for me already." failing to hide the tremor in your voice, Ren's ear flicked in slight disapproval as his brow twitched at your words. slightly more firm this time, he took a singular step towards the kitchen, silently showing you that you would in fact be staying to eat. "i'm sure you can stay for some food, besides, we only just met!" the usual cheerful tone of his voice now felt slightly forced, eyes a bit less bright as he trailed off. "i haven't had the chance to cook for anyone in so long, and- whoops! i'm rambling. i'll be back in a minute."

before you could say anything else, he trotted off to the kitchen. oh, right, you're going to have to ask about that ear and tail thing soon. with a sigh, you tried to settle into the couch to soothe your nerves, a soft clinking breaking your concentration — what the hell was that. your eyes shot down to find the source of the noise, stomach beginning to churn as you saw an abnormally large chain, starting from the wall and ending at your ankle. at this realization, you suddenly became aware of the stinging pain in your collarbones, reaching up with dread. what the hell is this thing? it was thick and heavy, it felt like pure metal . . is this some kind of joke? there's no way this thing could be a collar, this had to be some sort of fucked up prank. your head began to spin, and without realizing it you let out a particularly loud gasp. every small noise in the kitchen stopped, the silence only serving to make you more anxious.

you stood up abruptly, ignoring the way your body swayed from dizziness, you gripped the collar desperately. hot tears began to well up in your eyes, your teeth bared in confusion like some terrified animal. Ren slowly made his way back into the living room, no sign of concern on his face, only slight irritation. "what's wrong, ____?" he asked, and despite the lack of condescension in his tone, you felt like you were being made fun of. he knew exactly what was wrong, there's no way he didn't, did he expect you to just be calm about being literally shackled and collared?! you looked at him in complete disbelief, your eyes wide as you stuttered over your words. he can't be serious, right? "wh- why am i chained to the wall?" it was one of your many questions, but you figured it would it be the easiest place to start. Ren silently cooed at you, like he was looking at some type of shelter dog. "oh . . there's no need to be worried, ____." he made his way to you, his gloved hand coming up to gently stroke your head. despite you flinching away from the touch, the contact met anyway. he swept a bit of hair from your face, his touch unexpectedly soft.

Ren's eyes were disgustingly tender as he looked at you, his demeanor eerily calm while he did a poor job of soothing you. "i know it seems a little . . different, but just trust me, okay?" you had to fight the urge to bite his hand at this, trust him? you stifled a snarl, nose twitching and brows scrunching as you met his gaze. Ren smiled at you, the marks on his cheeks catching your attention as he did so. "we'll be best friends before you know it!" . . . really? you mentally scoffed, unimpressed by the whole ordeal. trying to pry yourself away from his grasp, that sharp pain in your neck made you aware of the heavy collar that was digging into your skin. with a wince, you reached up to grasp it, eyeing Ren in hopes of an answer. he caught on almost instantly, eyes drifting from yours as he spoke almost sentimentally. "oh . . that. it's a little hand-me-down, a gift for my new friend!" if you didn't think he was insane before, you definitely did now. a hand-me-down? where does one even get something like this in the first place? with every question he answered, you thought of ten more.

he's obviously crazy, and if he has this "collar", you couldn't imagine what else he'd have, so being polite is your best option here, but you didn't really have another one regardless. you took a deep breath as he let you go, forcing your growing scowl into a smile. "ah, thank you.." you kept your voice soft, trying your best to sound more genuine and less terrified. "well, you're so welcome!" he responded with another one of those toothy smiles, and now that you're getting a closer look at them, those are definitely fangs. Ren's smile faded as soon as it appeared, softly chewing his lip as he looked around, like someone would catch him in his own home. "although . ." he started, his eyes refusing to meet yours as he pulled something from his pocket. your entire body felt clammy a you watched his every move, was that some kind of remote? "it has been a while, i'm not sure if this even works anymore . ." you took a step back even though it was useless, your heart bouncing off your ribs as you tried to remain outwardly calm. "w-works? what- what does it do?" you're not stupid, you know exactly what it does, but you hoped with everything in you that you'd be wrong.

without warning, his clawed finger pressed down on that giant red button, sending countless shocks through your body. you yelped in pain, your knees buckling underneath you as your body fell to the floor. Ren stood there in awe, far too happy-looking for what he'd just done to you. "wow . . looks like it still works just fine, huh?" it again wasn't a question but instead a statement, one that you both obviously knew the answer to right now. you looked up at him, your mind racing as you tried to grapple with everything that had just happened, hot tears streaming down your cheeks. he didn't even spare you a glance before he made his way back to the kitchen, mumbling something to himself about potatoes. even if he wasn't mumbling you wouldn't be able to understand him anyway, your ears were ringing and your entire body was tingling, stealing your focus from anything else. after taking a moment to catch your breath, you crawled back to the couch, doing your best to make yourself seem small as you tried to figure out a way out of this strange house. was he squatting in this place? it looked way too clean, it looked like it hadn't been lived in.

you couldn't even break the chain if you wanted to, not unless you magically had some type of saw, and the collar was just as daunting. the only weak point you could spot was the wall, but breaking the chain out of there would cause too much of a commotion, besides, the chain would still be stuck to your leg regardless. light rustling soon started again in the kitchen, the sound of what you could only assume to be meat in a skillet taking you out of your thoughts. you started to zone out once the sizzling started to die down, the smell wafting throughout the house. that . . that actually doesn't smell so bad- hey, no! focus, you need to figure out on a way to get out of here safely. before you could come up with any ideas, Ren popped into your field of vision with a plate of food, and that usual toothy grin. you jumped back as he called your name, your heart rate spiking from the unexpected arrival. "oh-! i must not have heard you . ." a poor attempt at casual conversation, but it was better than cowering in fear. Ren chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, seemingly not catching on to just how badly he startled you. "yeah, i can be pretty quiet. anyway, dinner's served!" he said, his tone jovial as he handed you the plate.

Ren offered you the plate with a pot holder, how generous. the bottom of the plate was hot, so instead of refusing you took both, settling them into your lap as you did so. it was mashed potatoes and steak . . and honestly, it looked delicious. you looked back up at him, noting how he decided to not take a seat next to you. "uhm . . thank you, this looks delicious." the surprise in your voice didn't escape Ren, but he decided to ignore it for now, after all you still need to get used to your new home. "well, looks don't mean that much anyway, what really matters, is how it tastes." the look on his face as he said that almost made you lose your appetite, but you were starving and needed the food, who knows next time you'll get any anyway. you looked down at the plate once again, eyes scanning the contents nervously . . did he expect you to eat this with your hands? just as you opened your mouth to speak, Ren seemingly facepalmed at himself. "ah, i forgot a fork! i'll go grab one, stay put, okay?" again, not a suggestion but a command.

steeling yourself, you fixed your posture and looked up at him, a stiff smile growing on your lips. "thank you . ." the words were barely above a whisper, and felt like poison against your gums, but you couldn't risk agitating him, especially not while he still had that remote. Ren blinked at you in surprise, your simple words feeling like an intense shot of dopamine to his brain. good, this is good, you're not putting up a fight. he'd hate to have to shock you again, hell he hated doing it the first time, but it seemed that as of right now, he wouldn't have to. he let out a somewhat dreamy sigh, his tail wagging behind him quickly. "you're so sweet! exactly like i imagined." you felt your heartbeat in your ears at his words, fighting back the tremors of fear that threatened to shake you out of this chair.

he didn't spare you a second glance before he made his way back to the kitchen, a chipper bounce in his step as he did so. well at least he wasn't in a poor mood, but your mind couldn't really process anything besides his previous words. the thought of him imagining you in any type of way made you nauseous, fuck, did you really just meet him somewhere and forget? there's no way, he had to have been stalking you or something, that would explain that weird feeling you get whenever you leave your house. Ren's feet patting against the floor tore you from your thoughts, your body tensing as he presented you a fork. tentatively, you took it from his palm, eyes catching the sight of his claws as you did so. before you could feel embarrassed about eating in front of someone like this, the smell of the food quickly grabbed your attention, your growling stomach breaking the silence.

with a heavy sigh, you got some food on your fork and brought it to your mouth, your hand shaking as you held the utensil. if he poisoned it, that would be the end of all this, or maybe he was actually trying to take care of you? focus, focus on the food, don't think. is he looking at you? i think he's looking at you, say something, tell him you like the food, do it before he gets angry, but he wouldn't get angry that quick right?- Ren cleared his throat, hands shoved in his pockets as he looked at you intently. "well . . ?" you coughed on the food as you swallowed it, trying to speak before you could think. "i-it's delicious!" you said a little too enthusiastically, however despite your panic, you couldn't deny that the food truly was good. with a content smile, he nodded at you, silently signaling you to continue eating.

after finishing your plate rather quickly, you felt slightly out of breath, a growing heat rising up your neck in embarrassment. you offered your plate up to Ren with a sheepish smile, that really was a good meal. "uh- thank you, again." your voice sounded a bit more confident this time, maybe the initial shock had finally worn off? Ren once again seemed slightly surprised at your manners, taking the plate from you with an even wider smile than before. "i knew you'd like it!" swiftly taking the plate from you, he ventured off to the kitchen once more. your posture relaxed, as did your breathing. if he's a good cook, and you can manage to stay on his good side, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. reaching up to adjust your hair, you felt the cold metal against your skin . . right. if you were gonna comply and stay here, you had to figure out a way to get this thing off.

Ren made his way back into the living room, nails picking at the ends of his sleeves nervously. "i think it's time to let you be by yourself, give you some time to settle in and adjust, yeah?" you just stared at him blankly, moving you to another area of this unfamiliar house would do little to help you 'settle in', but you already knew better than to argue. reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small key and knelt down to reach the heavy shackle around your ankle. a noise of surprise left you as he gripped your leg, his gaze dark as he peered up at you through his lashes. "don't forget about your collar." his voice was cold, just as cold as the metal on your skin. "since you've been so good, i'm going to take this off, okay? i'll have to shock you again if you misbehave." there was no room for argument, lest you risk a premature shock, so you complied, nodding slowly with a shaking breath. with a singular click, the shackle hit the carpet with a heavy thud.

neither of you moved, your gazes locked as you waited for some type of signal that it was alright to move, that it was alright to even breathe. after what felt like an eternity, a relieved grin took over his blank expression, his tail happily swishing behind him as he got up. "alright, let's get you to your room." Ren grabbed your arm, aiding your shaken body from the seat he had you in. wait- did he say your room? your attention was drawn to the stairs, but instead of leading you to the second floor he took you down a nearby hallway. unable to hide his giddiness, he swung the door open so hard it almost bounced off the wall.

. . . what the hell? this was an exact, carbon copy of your room in your apartment. Ren's hand moved from your arm, both of his hands gripping your shoulders as he guided you into the familiar room. your limbs felt like lead, that sinking feeling in your stomach present once again, you were right, he was stalking you, but just how long had he been observing you? your head twisted back to look at Ren, dread written all over your face as you fumbled over your words, you didn't even know where to start with this. Ren just offered you an oblivious tilt of his head, failing to hide the eager, cheshire like grin on his face. "isn't it amazing? it's just like your room in your apartment, only better, because it's with me now!" the smug tone in his voice caused tears to well up in your eyes, the thought of him watching you, invading your privacy and more than likely your home, for months on end filled you with a sense of horror you never felt before. this entire thing felt like some fucked up voyeuristic fantasy.

"what's wrong, is it missing something?" he sounded genuinely worried this time, like he hadn't just drugged you and made you his captive. you couldn't bring yourself to do anything other than cry and shake your head, fuck, you were so tired. even though he said you had been asleep for a while, it felt like you hadn't slept at all, the stress breaking away at you slowly. Ren cooed at you, taking you into his embrace gently, his hands rubbing your back soothingly. "oh, it's okay, don't cry . . i know you just love it so much, but i didn't expect it to bring you to tears!" his touch felt deceiving, but you couldn't help but give in, and you'd rather not think of what might happen if you pushed him away. despite the sweet nature of his words, you felt like he was mocking you once again, like he was dying to drive you crazy. after a while, he pulled away from your stiff form, his hand reaching up to brush some hair from your face, the action so tender it gave you whiplash.

you stood there motionless, tears streaming down your face as you took in your surroundings, who knew your most sacred space could become your very own prison. Ren backed away towards the door, a sympathetic smile on his face as he stepped out of your room. "let me know if you need anything, alright? i'll let you get some rest now." and at that, he closed the door, the sound of a lock clicking doing nothing to soothe your anxiety. with heavy steps you made your way to your new bed, your head beginning to spin as you realized even your sheets smell the same. you collapsed onto the bed, your body curling into a ball in an attempt to make yourself smaller, as if that'd help you escape this horrid nightmare. at some point in your tearful haze, your brain started to lose the difference between this unfamiliar space and your original room. for the first time that day, your body fully relaxed, and you fell asleep in the illusion that this had truly been some bad dream.

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guurodoll · 13 days ago

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chapter two is currently being proofed/peer reviewed ! it will be published later today ‎(◜ᵕ ◝ ྀི )

It's filthy, disgusting, so ugly, I'm sure.

this is the calm before the storm, so none of the warnings apply (aside from non-consensual drug use) yet. mdni !

here is the ao3 link ! ♡

tonight was like any other in your life, mundane, silence and the occasional key-click being the only thing filling the air around you as you idly scrolled on your computer. not necessarily bad, but it wasn't anything special. at times like this, the usual pessimistic thoughts would slowly seep into your dissociating mind. you run through the same questions over and over, like you'd get paid for every time you thought them. the endless what ifs, and what could've been, and where you'd be if you hadn't-

. . .

the sharp ache in your back quickly brought you back to reality, a small grunt echoing off the walls as you stretched your back. fuck it, you don't have work tomorrow, so why not go out tonight? it'd be better than wasting another evening staring at a screen in bed, even if you didn't drink or party. rummaging through your closet, you settled for a somewhat short dress that was comfortable yet complimentary. during any other occasion, your usual go-to outfit would've been fine, but tonight almost felt like a treat for yourself. your friends mentioned a few places they'd gone to before, some seeming less friendly than others, while some seemed too fancy for your taste. looking through your texts with your colleagues, your eyes settled on a particular place - the jackalope. it seemed okay enough, the reviews for the place weren't outstanding, but it was walking distance and looked harmless. with an indifferent shrug, you grabbed your jacket and made your way to the pub.

the cold air nipped at your skin, and suddenly you were grateful that you decided to bring your once 'bothersome' jacket. quickly slipping your arms into the sleeves, you hugged yourself to reinstate your warmth. thankfully you knew the general direction you were heading in, meaning you didn't have to use your phone and you could keep your frigid hands in your pockets. the crisp sound of your footsteps was the only thing you could hear outside of the wind whipping in your ears. it felt somewhat . . . serene. a beat of unfocused silence passed before you snapped yourself back into reality, you're in public, at night. you need to be aware.

anxiety soon bubbled in your stomach, the night sky looks darker than that familiar blue you're used to, and the streets looked more empty than usual. the back of your head felt hot, like someone was trying to burn a hole into the back of your skull. without warning, you forced the stiffness from your neck and whipped your head around. your breath was slightly labored as you took in your surroundings, eyes darting everywhere they could to find something to blame for this sudden anxiousness. after what felt like an eternity, a heavy sigh of relief left you, your hand clutching your heart as you continued on your path. that obviously didn't absolve every bit of your anxiety, but you always got so in your head about this kind of thing, so there was no need to stress.

. . . oh dear, you really should've looked closer at that tree.

not long after exiting your neighborhood you entered familiar streets, forcing you to lift your gaze from the concrete beneath you. your gaze flickered across multiple street signs and store entrances, and after some time you found yourself in front of the jackalope. a timid breath escaped your lips before you could catch it, the fog from it snapping you out of your trance. your steps grew more confident as you stepped into the pub, the muggy air a stark contrast from the numbing streets you were walking in. the bartender casts you a kind smile as you make your way to the counter, you put your jacket on the back of your seat, finally settling in. their voice is unexpectedly smooth as they ask if you'd like anything to drink, warmth coloring their features as you politely decline alcohol and instead ask for a glass of water. they make courteous conversation, occasionally humming in response to your words before they moved onto new patrons, offering a nod as a subtle end to your conversation.

you absentmindedly traced your finger across the ridges of the glass in front of you, your eyes surveying the area. no tv's, no boisterous groups, and not overly crowded either . . . it looked peaceful- no, welcoming? you couldn't put your finger on it, but it was exactly as pleasant as the pictures your friend sent you. for the first time tonight, you really let your guard down, the entirety of your body relaxing. the ambiance was enough to keep you entertained, even though you weren't part of any particular conversation, and every so often you laughed at a bad joke you overheard. soon though, the ambiance started to lull you further into relaxation, and at a point you couldn't remember, you fell asleep.

a sharp jolt went through your body as you woke up, your heart hammering against your ribs as you recollected yourself. right, you went to the pub your friend told you about, you know exactly where you are and how to get home. you pulled your phone out of your pocket, only to be met with a dead battery and a blank screen. after sighing to yourself, you looked around the once lively area to find only a handful of people. maybe the nap wasn't a short as you thought . . getting up from your stool at the bar, you made your way over to a blond gentleman partially hunched over a drink. he was the closest to you, and honestly looked the least intoxicated from the rest of the people in here, despite his current posture. when you reached his table, he didn't look up at you, seemingly lost in thought as he stared into his own reflection in his drink. after a moment of standing there awkwardly in silence, you gently tapped his shoulder. the blond immediately jumped, his blue eyes wide as his head snapped in your direction.

"oh-! oh, i-" a choked apology was all you could make out, the words he was searching for seemed to get caught in his throat, almost like it was preventing him from spewing word vomit all over your dress. clearing his throat he looked back to you, like a deer in headlights as he waited for you to say something. you offered him a sincere smile, your voice gentle as you spoke. "sorry, i was wondering if you had the time?" it took him a moment to process your words, and for a second you wondered if you hadn't spoken loud enough. his voice seemed less panicked, and it was then that the herbal smell emanating from him hit your senses. it wasn't necessarily bad, but it smelled more akin to dirt than it did something like lavender or cedar. "it's almost closing time, it's 1:45 AM." his voice drifted as he spoke, icy blue eyes looking everywhere but yours. he looked preoccupied, his gaze always looking around you, never at you. your brows rose at his words, shock immediately painting your face. either people falling asleep here was a regular thing, or no one was bothered enough to check on you.

you smiled bashfully, letting out an embarrassed laugh to clear your throat. "thank you! i guess i really lost track of time . ." instead of shunning you, he returned your smile with a sheepish one of his own, offering a slight nod in response. "yeah, i get that . . but, uh- i'll probably leave soon though." you understood, after all it was almost closing time, but another part of you was more curious as to why he didn't just leave now. his brow quirked slightly, seemingly reading your mind, but the inquisitive look on your face was a dead giveaway. "i'm just waiting for my . . . friend." you weren't given a chance to ask or even ponder about his 'friend' before you saw a flurry of read hair leaving the bathroom, immediately standing next to the table. "alright Lawrence, let's- oh!" he abruptly cut himself off as he saw you, his brows raising as his cheerful voice stilled. while you took in his appearance, you caught what seemed to be a flash of excitement glint across his features. the sight of it made your stomach twist, but not necessarily in a bad way, maybe you'd met him somewhere before and just didn't remember? no, it couldn't be that, there's no way you'd forget someone with such bright hair, or such peculiar facial markings. after an awkward beat of silence, he decided to break it. "well, i'm Ren! it's nice to meet you." he introduced himself with a smile-

wait . . were those fangs? there's no way, maybe you were just seeing things, or- or maybe he just had particularly sharp canines? either way he seemed harmless, perhaps you judged him too harshly. regardless of whatever he had going on with his teeth, he was more welcoming than the other man- oh, right, Lawrence. Ren broke your train of thought with an expectant look, and at that point you realized you were staring. you let out another awkward laugh, something you were becoming very familiar with this particular evening, and introduced yourself. "i'm ____, it's nice to meet you too!" you return his smile with one of your own. for a moment you considered extending your hand for a shake, but the atmosphere was already so tense, you decided against it. you, Ren, and Lawrence all exchanged uncomfortable looks. what was up with these two? you shift nervously on your feet, were you interrupting something? biting the inside of your cheek, you decide it was your turn to break the silence. "is there something wrong, Ren?" you would've missed the way he instantaneously perked up at the sound of his name if you hadn't been staring right at him, the action endearing but also a little off-putting. he shook his head, a smile reappearing on his face as he did so. "everything's great! hey, why don't i get us a round before last call?" before you get a chance to respond, he's already prancing off to the bar. you look back to Lawrence, who's standing eerily stiff yet fidgety at the same time. "i . . . uhm . ." he didn't even speak before he hurriedly followed Ren.

. . . well, that was weird- scratch that, they're weird. but they didn't seem dangerous, so maybe one drink wouldn't hurt. you sat down at their table, confusion still lingering as you watched the two . . were they bickering? it surely looked like it, their conversation was quick and hushed, an occasional glance in your direction. you didn't get the opportunity to think about it for too long before they returned with drinks, both of them now smiling. Lawrence set a drink down in front of each of you, hands slightly shaking as he did so. "one last drink for the night . ." he mumbled, a habit of his, you noticed. you took your glass, trying to ignore how Ren stared at you from the corner of your eye. taking a tentative sip, you peered down the glass as the flavor of the drink finally reached you. it was a rum and coke, simple, but you couldn't help but notice an unusual aftertaste . . maybe the rum was aged? the drink wasn't bad, and it was free, so you decided to not fuss about it. as the time passed, you finished your drink and, looking across the table at your . . acquaintances, you noticed neither of them touched their drinks. an anxious sweat dripped down your neck, your finger tracing around the rim of the glass nervously.

Ren chewed the side of his lip, worry suddenly painting his face as he started to get up from his seat. "it's- it's getting pretty late, i think i should get going." Lawrence's head shot up, his shoulders tense with confusion as he stood up from his own seat. "wait- you're leaving?" he asked, his tone somewhat desperate. "s-sorry.." the redhead shot him a sympathetic glance, pushing his chair in before scurrying out the door. "hey- wait!!" Lawrence called out, not bothering to push in his chair as he dashed outside after him. baffled, you sat there in silence for about a minute before shaking your head and throwing your hands up in defeat. those two aren't your business anyway, no reason to dwell on it, besides, you should've been home hours ago. grabbing the cups, you brought them back to the bar before grabbing your coat and heading out. the cold air hit your face, and you were immediately reminded as to why you brought it in the first place. you glanced around as you slipped the coat onto your shoulders, Lawrence and Ren nowhere in sight. well . . that was - weird, to say the least. shrugging it off, you started your way back home. you weren't even a full stride away before you felt a sudden tap on your shoulder, causing you to jump harshly as you turned around to find the culprit.

"wha- oh, Lawrence? are you alright?" you tried to hide the surprise in your voice as you looked at him, not being able to tell if him sneaking up or him appearing out of nowhere was more frightening. he didn't bother meeting your gaze, his shoulders still tense as he kept his eyes glued to the cement. "Ren's path . . split from mine . ." he mumbled again, his voice barely audible over the sound of passing cars. you looked at him confused, taking a small step back as you did so . . this guy's fucking strange, and that's putting it lightly. "didn't- didn't Ren just leave because it was so late?" you tried to reason with him, offering up an understandable response to his unsettling statement. "Ren was different . ." . . . yeah, no, it's time to go. "i'm sorry, i'm sure Ren just wanted to get home." like you should be right now, but your response only seemed to push him off whatever ledge he was on, his eyes snapping up as he- holy shit! time seemed to freeze, your body acting on instinct, barely dodging his fist. he took a swing at you! he let out a pained groan as he held his fist, knuckles red and bleeding from how hard he hit the brick wall where your head had been. suddenly, you decided you had no more kindness left to spare, and booked it.

after a while your steps became unsteady, just how strong was that rum? after a moment, you could no longer hear him behind you. you glanced up and saw an alley up ahead to your right; pushing your heavy limbs just a bit more, you stumbled into the alley, right hand gripping the wall for support. your breath came out in ragged gasps, your other hand holding your aching chest as you tried to control your breathing. dizziness washed over you in waves, your limbs growing heavier as you scanned your surroundings. he'd catch up sooner or later and you'd need some place to hide . . - what was that? taking an unbalanced step forward, you squinted to try and straighten your blurring vision. is that a fox tail? you held your aching head in your hands, what the hell is going on? foxes shouldn't be in this part of town, how- "____?!" your head snapped upward at the familiar voice, vision suddenly splitting from the quick movement. "come with me, i'll help you!" Ren called out, opening his arms expectantly, he seemed to expect a lot . . focus! "Ren . .? you have- i don't-. ." your footing swayed, knees buckling as you fell into his embrace. "i know, i know." he cooed at you, wrapping his arms under yours to keep you upright. "it'll be okay . . i'll keep you safe." you barely registered what he said before your body gave in, vision going black as you lost consciousness.

dn't get the opportunity to think about it for too long before they both returned with drinksboth of them now smiling. Lawrence set a drink down in front of each of you, hands slightly shaking as he did so. "one last drink for the night . ." he mumbled, a habit of his, you noticed. you took your glass, trying to ignore how Ren stared at you from the corner of your eye. taking a tentative sip, you peered down the glass as the flavor of the drink finally reached you. it was a rum and coke, simple, but you couldn't help but notice an unusual aftertaste . . maybe the rum was aged? the drink wasn't bad, and it was free, so you decided to not fuss about it. as the time passed, you finished your drink, looking across the table at your . . acquaintances, you noticed neither of them touched their drinks. an anxious sweat dripped down your neck, your finger tracing around the rim of the glass nervously.

Ren bit the side of his lip, worry suddenly painting his face as he started to get up from his seat. "its- its getting pretty late, i think i should get going." Lawrence's head shot up, his shoulders tense with confusion as he stood up from his own seat. "wait- you're leaving?" he asked, his tone somewhat desperate. "s-sorry.." the redhead shot him a sympathetic glance, pushing his chair in before scurrying out the door. "hey- wait!!" Lawrence called out, not bothering to push in his chair as he dashed outside after him. baffled, you sat there in silence for about a minute before shaking your head and throwing your hands up in defense. those two aren't your business anyway, no reason to dwell on it, besides, you should've been home hours ago. grabbing the cups, you brought them back to the bar before grabbing your coat and heading out. the cold air hit your face, and you were immediately reminded as to why you brought it in the first place. you glanced around as you slipped the coat onto your shoulders, Lawrence and Ren nowhere in sight. well . . that was - weird, to say the least. shrugging it off, you started your way back home. you weren't even a full stride away before you felt a sudden tap on your shoulder, causing you to jump harshly as you turned around to find the culprit.

"wha- oh, Lawrence? are you alright?" you tried to hide the surprise in your voice as you looked at him, not being able to tell if him sneaking up or him appearing out of nowhere was more frightening. he didn't bother meeting your gaze, his shoulders tense as he kept his eyes glued to the cement. "Ren's path . . split from mine . ." he mumbled again, his voice barely audible over the sound of passing cars. you looked at him confused, taking a small step back as you did so . . this guy's fucking strange, to say the least. "didn't- didn't Ren just leave because it was so late?" you tried to reason with him, offering up an understandable response to his unsettling statement. "Ren was different . ." . . . yeah, no, it's time to go. "i'm sorry, i'm sure Ren just wanted to get home." like you should be right now, but your response only seemed to push him off whatever ledge he was on, his eyes snapping up as he- holy shit! time seemed to freeze, your body jumping upon reflex, barely missing his fist. he took a swing at you! he let out a pained groan as he held his fist, knuckles red and bleeding from how hard he hit the brick wall beside him. suddenly, you decided you had no more kindness left to spare, and booked it.

after a while your steps became unsteady, just how strong was that rum? you could no longer hear him behind you, you saw an alley up ahead to your right. pushing your heavy limbs just a bit more, you stumbled into the alley, your hand gripping the wall for support. your breath came out in ragged gasps, your other hand holding your aching chest as you tried to steady yourself. dizziness washed over you in waves, your limbs growing heavier as you scanned your surroundings, he'd catch up sooner or later and you'd need some place to hide . . - what was that? taking an unbalanced step forward, you squinted to try and straighten your blurring vision. is that a fox tail? you held your aching head in your hands, what the hell is going on? foxes shouldn't be in this part of town, how- "____?!" your head snapped upward at the familiar voice, vision suddenly splitting from the quick movement. "come with me, i'll help you!" Ren called out, opening his arms expectantly, he seemed to expect a lot . . focus! "Ren . .? you have- i don't-. ." your footing swayed, knees buckling as you fell into his embrace. "i know, i know." he cooed at you, wrapping his arms under yours to keep you upright. "it'll be okay . . i'll keep you safe." you barely registered what he said before your body gave in, vision going black as you lost consciousness.

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