Chapter Text
It wasn’t easy for a carnivore to make it as an actor, not in this society, that’s why Bill was so proud of himself when he got as far as he did.
It was hard for him not to, every so often, find old newspaper clippings or articles of his successes that he’d thought he’d buried away. Cherryton back then was known for procuring Beastar candidates and other talented animals. Actors were among some of those success stories, but never carnivore actors.
So to Bill, it meant a lot when he was the first.
Being an actor was truly his life’s goal, and it was almost squandered in Cherryton. He remembered the day Legoshi and Louis had almost ruined his dream when he played Adler, and since then, Bill had tried his best to make up for it. He wanted to shine.
Luckily for him one day, it all came true.
He was one of the first carnivore actors from Cherryton. One audition, and he’d landed a role. With that role came the money, the praise, the fame. Everything Bill had worked so hard for was finally coming true. No longer did he have to stand in the background and watch those around him succeed where he didn’t.
He wanted it to last forever, he thought it would last forever.
Until one day, it didn’t.
One day, all that fame and success had broken like glass. To be fair, glass was something that Bill was used to now. Whether it be glass from a thrown cup, or the glass he currently chipped from the broken mirror, that sat upon his article. Glass was an everyday factor in Bill’s life.
Bill remembered the day his then agent pulled up the article of his past offenses at Cherryton. In all truth, Bill didn’t think that the rumors of him eating meat in the Black Market as a teenager would come back to haunt him. After all, the Black Market didn’t even exist anymore. Even then, Bill was sure that people in drama and Cherryton in general had seen how he changed.
Yet, apparently that wasn’t the case, not for Bill.
Someone, and to this day Bill did not know who, had leaked his old files and information. And within days, his past was laid out for the public to see. No longer was Bill known as the tiger from an orphaned home who had climbed his way to the top, but rather, a secret predator that avoided the clutches of justice, and one not to be trusted. Bill, at that moment, had lost everything and he knew he could never get it back. Now all he had, in a rather feeble attempt at normalcy, was an old newspaper dated years back. He looked back at this paper specifically, from time to time, even if the picture had faded. It gave him some type of strength. The paper marked when he’d won his first award for his movie. He was one of the actors of the year, despite the odds and hoped that success would follow him everywhere he went.
There was also another important thing about that article and about that time.
Bill wasn’t standing on that stage alone.
Pina, his best friend at the time, was also standing there. Pina had been an unimaginable help during Bill’s crawl to fame, and had always supported him. While everyone saw the two to be rivals, Pina never once maliciously looked at Bill’s success compared to his own. He’d always uplift and be there for Bill.
When Bill’s past predations came out, it wasn’t a surprise to Bill that Pina had stood by him then.
Pina had grown over the years. No longer was the sardonic playboy who didn’t really have any aspect of is life together. He was steady as he grew older, with his head on his shoulders and a different outlook on life. More than anything, he was a good friend and never let Bill go through anything alone, even if it cost him some support from his own fans.
Their relationship was perhaps the most important bond in Bill’s life.
What started as two people who could barely get along in highschool, resulted in a deep friendship that helped the two grow together immensely, and though Bill himself refused to ever come clean to Pina about it, he had inevitably formed feelings for him over the years, even if he knew Pina would never return them,
Yet, In the end, their relationship ended because of Bill.
There was a mixture of guilt and Bill recognizing that Pina had his own struggles to work with. His job, his career, and even his relationship with Riz--which at the time, wasn’t really a relationship. Even when Riz was released from prison, he and Pina spent some time apart from one another. Bill had lost contact with them both, and wondered if they’d actually formed a relationship. The last Bill knew, Riz was in a relationship with someone else. If Bill was better and if his world was not falling apart, perhaps he would have confessed to Pina. But that chance has gone over.
Regardless, even if Bill hadn't seen Pina for years, he clung on to that newspaper. It showed a better, happier version of the two of them. His face was vibrant back then and so was Pina’s, and that was perhaps the last, true moment of happiness in Bill’s life.
So much had changed then, and he couldn’t begin to recognize the tiger in the picture. Would Bill back then even want to see him given how he was now? In an abusive relationship, poor and completely down on his luck?
Would he laugh at him, scorn him for ruining the reputation of bengal tigers? Would he say he deserved it--
“You’re bleeding.” The low rumble of the voice came from behind him, causing the hairs on his back to stand. Nervously, Bill placed the newspaper down and gazed over his shoulders where no doubt, his boyfriend was standing. He looked angry, yet it was masked by a feigned expression of sympathy as he reached out to Bill, in an attempt to hold him. “Your finger, you cut yourself with the glass….can I at least see?”
Bill tensed up when the clawed hand made contact with his arm, and rather quickly moved back toward the dresser, realizing it was blocking his path. “So what, you can just hit me again? You act like you didn’t throw the book at the mirror.”
Bill did in fact expect to be hit again but rather, Akio, his boyfriend, grabbed his hand roughly, and gazed at the blood coming from his finger. In an attempt to clean the area around his old newspaper, Bill had stabbed himself, yet that wound was the least of his problems.
“It’s just a finger.” Bill quickly withdrew his hand, turning fully away from Akio. “I’ll handle it myself--”
“You know I didn’t want to hit you, right? Or break the fucking mirror.” Bill sharply turned to look back at Akio, glaring at him now. “I hate...I hate getting mad at you, I really do. Remember Bill, I love you. When no one else would take you in, I did...I hate when we get like this.”
Bill paused for a while. Words floated in his mind yet he didn’t know what to say or how to confront Akio’s delusions. It had been like this for about three years now. When he’d first moved in with Akio, he had fronted a calm, and loving personality. Bill had actually known Akio for a while before, commonly bumping into him in the Black Market when they were both younger. Akio was a bear-lion hybrid, and his craving for meat back then was rather obvious, just as Bill’s was , so he never held it against him. They’d spoken some words from here to there, but nothing serious, not until Bill’s life fell apart.
When Bill could no longer afford his rent, and no one close to him would let him stay with them, he remembered Akio from years ago and decided to call him. It was a shot in the dark, after all, he’d expected someone as handsome and as successful as Akio to be married. Yet to Bill’s shock, Akio accepted him with open arms.
Bill remembered the phone call that night, and for the first time, could breathe in a breath of fresh air. Bill remembered crying when when Akio came to pick him up from the phone booth, and feeling like his world was finally coming to a stand still when he crawled into his nice car and had gone to his house.
Now three years later, that dream Bill had was squandered and the house he thought he’d love so much was a prison.
“Yeah, whatever.” Bill turned away, still clearing off the glass from the dresser.
He heard Aiko sigh, perhaps he was trying to figure out whether he’d hit Bill or pretend to be sympathetic after he’d bashed his head into the wall. At the end of it however, he just decided to leave, firmly telling Bill to “Clean this up”, before heading downstairs.
-o-
Pina flinched as the clawed hand tightened around his waist.
He was trained to, no matter what, stare straight into the camera with a blank expression no matter how he was feeling. Yet, when his partner in this photoshoot had turned out to be a tiger, and a large bengal tiger at that, Pina had no clue how to focus.
It wasn’t that the tiger’s claws made him uncomfortable, or the fact that they were in such close proximity Pina could hear the automatic purr rumbling from his chest. It was more so, just what or who this tiger reminded him of, and how only three years ago, Pina was in a similar predicament.
“And we’re done!”
A bright colored goat popped from behind her camera, a smile on her face. “You did excellent Mr. Pina--would you like to see the raws before I edit them?”
On another day, Pina would have said yes. He loved seeing how naturally flawless he looked before hours of edits and touch ups, but that day, he was already feeling rather sick to his stomach and wanted nothing but to be off of that set.
“No, just send over the edits. Thank you so much Tilly!” Pina instinctively unwrapped himself from the large tiger’s grasp and began to jump off of the stage. However, the tiger followed behind him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Hey...you were really good today! I mean you’re always good and all…” He chuckled nervously itching the back of his head. “I wanted to know if you wanted to go out for coffee or anything. I don’t know if you have a boyfriend--wait I mean I--”
Pina took this chance to gaze up at the tiger’s eyes.
They were blue, not a harsh blue like his own but soft and full of life. He was indeed a very attractive tiger and Pina already knew that in his life, he’d attract many animals. However, Pina was no one of them. The idea of befriending another tiger after his relationship with Bill fell to ashes traumatized him, and on another note…
“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Pina truthfully admitted. “I have a husband.” Pina chuckled at the crushed expression on the tiger’s face. “Listen, there are tons of sheep on this set today….autumn is one of our favorite seasons, so I implore you to go fraternize with the models. You’re bound to find a sheep who likes you.”
The tiger, though clearly rejected, offered a kind smile.
“Thanks Pina...you’re really cool and give good advice.”
-0-
Pina didn’t really pride himself on the advice he gave, especially when it came to tigers.
If he gave good advice then, perhaps Bill wouldn’t have felt the need to run off when he wanted to help him. He saw the spark in that young tiger’s eyes, and the way his career was laid out in front of him. He was so much like Bill and truth be told, Pina yearned to have a friendship with him. Yet, he couldn’t trust himself. He didn’t want to ruin that young tiger’s life, like he thought he’d ruined Bill’s.
Most of this was being said in his head, yet, the majority was also being said out loud, to Riz.
“I just...I guess I still blame myself for part of it.” Currently Pina sat at the edge of a table in Riz’s restaurant, kicking his legs up and down as Riz swept around him. Today was an off day, yet Riz still came here to tidy and prepare for the following morning. Riz’s restaurant was renowned, and many times was filled to the brim with customers.
That said, Pina would visit from time to time, both when the restaurant was open and when Riz of course was here on days like this, when it was just the two of them. When Pina had come back to town, visiting Riz’s restaurant was something he’d started when he was just rekindling his relationship with the bear. Now, it was all he did.
Riz and Pina had been together for a while now, and had, after going back and forth with the complexities of their relationship, just decided to get married.
Marriage didn’t work for many animals, and for many reasons marriage wasn’t an option that many turned to.
Yet, for Pina and Riz, it made the initial confusion of whatever they had easier and more bearable. In short, they loved each other, even when they were too afraid to admit it. Even when they’d gone their separate ways and even when for a minuscule period of time, Riz was in another relationship. Even when he broke up and he and Pina still parried around the possibility of a relationship. Marriage just settled all the fears, and it had made them stronger.
Still, Bill was certainly a sore spot for both of them. Pina had blamed himself for reasons that Riz could not comprehend, for what had happened to Bill. Yet, Riz had a more personal grievance with how things were handled with Bill.
That being, Riz felt he could’ve been there for Bill more. They both went through similar things.
Predations, society hating them for it, and just the normal upset of being a carnivore in this world. Riz admitted that when he was released from prison, there was still so much on his mind that made it impossible for him to be there for anyone else, but he felt partially responsible for giving Bill the cold shoulder.
“You go through this whenever you see a tiger.” Riz leaned the broom against the table, arms crossed as he gazed at Pina. “What more could you have done for him, Pina?” Part of Riz wanted to tell Pina how he felt, and how in reality if any of them were to take the blame, it should have been him. Yet, he knew Pina would absorb that pain, and find a way to pin it on himself as well. It was better to comfort Pina while allowing him to exist in his bubble.
“You did everything you could.” Riz approached Pina, gently placing a hand on his cheek and rubbing his face with his large thumb. “Now it’s time to let the past go.”
“But no one has heard of Bill in years, Riz.” Pina instinctively grabbed Riz’s hand, leaning into it. “What if he’s dead?”
Riz chuckled a bit, marveling at Pina’s ability to jump to the worst possible scenario. “We would’ve heard of it. No matter what his past is, he was still an actor.” Riz withdrew and took the broom again, and began sweeping.
“I know...it’s just…”
“You miss him.”
Riz was prepared to sweep the other side of the restaurant when his phone rang. Pina started silently as Riz and another spoke for mere seconds before Riz hung up the phone, sighing in slight annoyance. Pina rose in eyebrow in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Riz groaned, placing his phone back in his pocket. “It’s just, we have a cake order we were supposed to deliver tomorrow, but the client wants to see if we can get it in today. I can deliver it but I just need to finish up here--”
“I can deliver it.” Pina jumped off of the table, his tail wagging as he gazed up at Riz. “You’re clearly busy aren’t you?”
Riz chuckled again, crossing his arms and gazing down at Pina.
“You even know where the house is? It’s about a twenty minute drive.” Riz responded, taking out his phone to check the location. He handed the phone to Pina. “You don’t really drive long distances, you know that.”
Pina crossed his arms in a pouting manner. “Look, I just want to help. It’s a favor Riz, I’ve never known anyone to be so against one. Is that your bear pride getting in the way?”
“It’s my, ‘I don’t want you to get lost pride’. ” Riz placed his phone back in his pocket and began sweeping, much to Pina’s chagrin. He hated when Riz overworked himself, which is something he tended to do quite often. Riz was so kind and willing to bend himself for everyone that he didn’t really focus on his own needs. Pina typically had to focus on those things for Riz.
“Look,” Pina began. “I have actually been to that neighborhood, I had a photoshoot there.” That was clearly a lie. “It will be done in less than twenty minutes. You’re already working hard enough, just let me do this okay?”
He gently grabbed one of Riz’s hands with both of his. “Just give me the cake and I’ll be out.”
___
It took a couple of hours for Bill to clean the house and by that time, Akio had already gone.
Whether to the store to get more booze or to hang out with his friends at the bar, Bill didn’t know. Nor did he care. At this point, Bill needed his own solace, and decided to take a chance to leave the house himself. He knew it was risky leaving the house, especially without telling Akio yet, he’d only be gone for a while. He just needed some fresh air, and there was a park just within walking distance.
Bill just wanted to sit there for a while, allow the outside breeze to caress the wounds he couldn’t quite fix on his own. Plus, it would at least make things more bearable. He could only be there for a while, an hour at most given Akio would be home from wherever he’d run off to. But for that hour, Bill would enjoy it.
Being outside, out of Akio’s grasp tended to be the few times Bill felt free.
It was a faux freedom, given that Bill never actually escaped. He pondered on it yet, society wasn’t willing to help a former predatory offender. He couldn’t count the amount of times he’d called the police only to be ignored due to his past. Regardless, being a carnivore, Bill wasn’t allowed to be seen as a victim so he’d given up asking for help. Abuse shelters didn’t even take carnivores, so Bill was practically alone.
This is why this park was his one solace. Bill could be innocent again, he could be free for this small window of time without having to worry about Akio.
____
Pina’s white lie had taken him to parts of town that he did not know.
Did he end up delivering the cake? Yes, no problem. Did he know how to get back home? No.
The easiest solution would’ve been to call Riz, but, in an effort to put the location in his map (and he hated to admit he listened to music on the way to the house, killing the batter) Pina’s phone was dead, and he was stranded. Eventually, after pretending he knew what he was doing, Pina found solace at a small, decent park.
It was a couple of minutes from the house he’d delivered the cake to (a very nice bear - goat family. They had actually been a customer of Riz for years, for obvious reasons), and all he really needed to do was rest and gather himself. There were many kids playing on the small playground, and the park benches were empty, save for one. All in all it was a nice atmosphere, however...
Pina grimaced when he saw a large tiger sitting on one bench, enjoying himself.
Luckily, there was an empty bench next to them, so hopping out of the car, Pina decided to head over in an effort to recollect himself. He held his dead phone with him partially in an attempt to pretend he was occupied so that this tiger wouldn’t notice him.
When he did sit on the bench just a few feet away from him, things were silent, just for a while yet Pina couldn’t help but let his eyes stray to his right.
He felt the familiar beating of his heart that seemed to follow him whenever he saw a tiger, yet something about this tiger was different. It wasn’t just that, by virtue of being a tiger, he looked like Bill...but something about his pattern, his size, his build...it was all to familiar.
Pina stop, why would Bill be here? He had to tell himself.
Not that he didn’t believe Bill couldn’t live in a nice, upscale neighborhood. He had after all before, however, Bill had lost a lot of money, and the last time Bill and Pina had contact, Pina was sending money to Bill for him to stay afloat. One day, Bill just sent the money back and that was the last time the two of them had contact.
So there was no way, this tiger could be Bill.
Riz told Pina that sometimes his delusions got the best of him, and he was working on them; however, there was still something so realistic, something so genuine about this tiger that Pina could not help but stare. He had long stopped pretending he was texting Riz on the phone and now rather, peered silently at his unknown companion. The tiger had his eyes closed, and his head leaned backward as he allowed the warm setting sun to caress him in that very moment.
There was an air of peace about him, and Pina watched as his facial muscles relaxed as the soft rays of light touched his fur. Yet, that peace seemed squandered when Pina noticed the large bruises and cuts on his face. Some recent, some healed, yet all the same they were still bruises. It was as if someone punched him, or if someone took a knife and sliced his cheeks, just below his eyes.
Pina found himself clutching his phone tightly as the possibility of this being Bill terrified him even more.
He knew that Bill was vulnerable after all that happened, and when he’d cut off his friends (more so, when some had cut him off) he looked for help in all the wrong places. Pina noticed this when the two of them detached from one another, and when Bill drifted further and further away from Pina. Could it be that, Bill was living in a situation where he was hurt?
Stop it Pina, this isn’t Bill.
He thought for a moment and wondered, just what Riz would’ve done in this situation. Would Riz have reached out to Bill, or what he have concealed his thoughts, perhaps not falling into some type of fantasy that this was in fact Bill. Regardless, Pina couldn’t help but stare. The sun by now was setting, and the cool breeze of dusk stole warmth’s thrill; he watched at this time as the tiger slowly opened his eyes.
And like that—the world stopped.
Pina felt his heart shatter.
The undeniable truth, that was far too good to be a coincidence, presented itself to Pina. Perhaps this was a look alike, perhaps this wasn’t Bill and his mind was being cruel to him again. Yet those eyes, that smile and that expression….they were far to much for Pina to turn away from. Pina felt the scars of three years slowly begin to ooze open, leaving his heart aching inside. His head was light, his face was hot, and his breathe burned like fire as he attempted to calmly force it down his lungs so he could stay focused.
This had to be Bill.
Pina stood before the tiger looked his way, and quickly approached him. The tiger, noticing his quick stride, wore an expression of confusion at first yet only stood when he saw just who the sheep was. What Pina had been feeling for years, the tiger felt in mere seconds and certainly, it took a toll on him
“P...Pina.” He gasped.
“Bill?”
For a moment, all the two could do was stare at each other as the sun behind them had fallen crept behind the trees. The darkness obscured Pina’s vision, but even then, as the street lights slowly illuminated in their wake he saw who this was and he knew, even without the tiger having to say his name, that it was Bill. Pina had practiced this moment for years, he had in the back of mind, gone over all he’d say to Bill when he saw him again yet, he could find no words.
“Pina I--”
“Where have you been?” Pina managed, his throat tight as he spoke. “It’s been years Bill! Where...where did you go? I thought you were dead--”
Bill quickly shook his head , holding his hands up defensively. “I’m sorry Pina...I…”
Bill clearly didn’t know what to say, and now Pina thought perhaps he’d said the wrong thing. Yet, how would one react to seeing their missing friend, who was battered, years later on a park bench. Pina truly thought Bill had been killed, even if Riz presented reasons for why that wasn’t possible. Seeing him now, Pina thought that he was dreaming. But he wasn’t. Bill was here, in front of him, that same goofy smile and those all to familiar tired eyes.
Pina didn’t care how it happened or why Bill vanished like he did. All that mattered to Pina, was that Bill was here.
“Forget it Bill, all that matters is that you are back.” Pina reached out in an attempt to grab Bill and pull him into a hug. Yet, it didn’t go as planned because to Pina’s surprised, Bill actually backed up, and he simply flinched. As if Pina was going to hit him. Pina immediately withdrew and took a step back, as reality began to settle in. Even with the dim streetlights, Pina could still see the bruises that captivated him earlier, and no longer would he stay silent.
“Bill, is someone hurting you?” Pina didn’t hold back. “Let’s, sit down.” He added, after he saw the twisted expression on Bill’s face.
“Yeah...that’s...that’s for the best.” Bill admitted, quietly. “I’m. I’m sorry Pina for leaving like I did--”
Pina shook his head, this time holding his own hands up defensively. “I was wrong to get angry at you. You don’t need to apologize. I don’t care about that now Bill. I just wanted to know if you’re okay. You seem different.” And he was.
From afar, Bill seemed like the old tiger Pina had known both in Cherryton and in college. Yet now, it was clear something was different about him. Aside from the bruises, his shoulders hunched, he seemed to tremble slightly and all in all, he was more alert, anxious almost, as if he was looking around the place.
“Things haven’t been easy.” Bill spoke, looking down at his hands. “But you’ve been doing good, no? I heard you became a model, I mean, you were already one but..a really famous one.” Bill smiled. “I’ve even seen you on some billboards.”
Pina chuckled, forgetting the severity of the moment. “Well, I am rather flawless. Before I signed to an agency, I was sought out by many famous photographers and agents. I’m now my own agent and company, and sponsor other models. However, people still break their banks to get at least ten minutes to photograph me. Not to long ago, I was in Paris and…” Pina stopped, his eyebrow raising slightly as he narrowed his eyes at Bill. “Clever tiger, playing on my vanity, but this isn’t about me. Bill really, how have you been, you still haven’t answered my questions. Why did you leave , and where have you been staying? Are you okay?”
Bill sighed, his shoulders sagging as he did so. He gazed at Pina, and for a moment, feeling instantly comforted by his soft blue eyes, Bill found it easier to speak.
“Pina, I had to leave because you were doing so much for me. Everyone around turned their backs on me but you didn’t. Even then Pina, you still had your own career and your own relationships. I know things weren’t easy for you back then but still, you helped me out and if I stayed, I would've drained you.” Bill continued. “I’m living with an old friend, well, my boyfriend actually so it’s okay.” If it was anyone else, Bill would’ve died before he allowed himself to be this vulnerable. But this was Pina. Pina had always made him feel safe and he couldn’t help himself.
Pina rolled his eyes in slight annoyance. “Bill, I don’t give my help to those I don’t care about or those who don’t deserve it. There have been many people in my life I’ve let go of because they aren’t worth my time or effort. However Bill, that is not you.” Pina remarked. “You are my friend, and you were one of my first genuine friends. Do you think I’m that shallow to care about what others think about who I choose to help or be around?”
Pina crossed his arms, leaning back into the bench and looking up at the sky. It was a starry night, and the moon seemed as vibrant as ever. Yet to Pina almost, it has a slight red tint to it, even if he knew that wasn’t quite possible. Regardless, he chose to ignore it.
“And is that boyfriend of yours, the one who gives you those bruises?”
Pina watched as Bill clenched his fists, and a vein in his head became visible as he tightened his jaw. However, he closed his eyes, took a breath and gazed at Pina once more. It was a lot easier now to release the pain.
“He was the only one who I could turn to. No one, none of our friends let me stay. I was going to live on the street, Pina. I had no money, I still have no money--”
“Did you ever call the police? There are clearly bruises-”
“I’m a predatory offender, and I’m a large carnivore.” Bill blurted out. “No one is going to come to my aid. There aren’t even abuse shelters or hotlines for carnivores, I’m literally on my own.”
Bill paused for a while, allowing Pina to take everything in. He saw the way his friend’s face contorted as the words began to settle in; it seemed little by little, that Pina began to understand. Still however, he wasn’t satisfied.
“I know,” Bill continued. “You think I should fight back. I’m big, I’m a tiger, why am I letting this happen…”
“No!” Pina shouted, nearly too loud, but it was clear he didn’t care. He stood from the bench, walking in front of Bill and gently took hold of his hands, squeezing them tightly. “You’re a victim of this...you shouldn’t have to feel like you have to fight someone who is supposed to protect you.” Pina spoke softly. “The fact of the matter however is that he is hurting you Bill and he’s hurting you very badly. You probably don’t even realize it yet.” Pina gently tugged, getting Bill to stand to his feet. “That said, you don’t think anyone is going to come to your aid but I’m here Bill. My car is right there.”
Bill looked up now, shocked by the sincerity in Pina’s voice. But he couldn’t take that offer, it was dangerous for Pina. “Pina, I can’t, you’ve already done so much for me--”
“But what have I done Bill? You say all of this and look at you.” Pina tugged a bit harder. “All I know is that I don’t want you going back to whoever you’re living with. These bruises are bad and they need to be tended to and…”
In that moment, the energy shifted.
Bill’s face, which was earlier calm and filled with gratitude, stiffened. He was at first, looking at Pina yet his small brown eyes quickly noticed something else in the street behind Pina. That was a nice car parked along the curb and a very large carnivore getting out of the vehicle, walking toward the two.
“Pina, you need to get out of here.” Bill stood, and gently pushed Pina to the side. “Thanks Pina...I...I have to go.”
“Is that him?” Pina asked, moving Bill out of the way so that he was no standing in front of him. “The one who hits you?”
Pina saw him from a distance, and could he admit he was impressed by his size when he grew closer. However, Pina had seen larger, he’d lived with much larger and Pina wasn’t afraid. Bill on the other hand, he was trembling from behind Pina, even if he tried to hide it.
“Akio--” Bill began. “This...this is my friend from highschool.”
“A herbivore?” Aiko extended his hand to Bill. “Let’s go. It’s nearly dark outside Bill, I didn’t know where you were. I was worried.”
“Actually,” Pina stepped forward, a smile on his face as he got in between the two. “It’s been about, what? Three years since Bill and I spoke. I’m actually going to treat him to dinner tonight.” Pina was now a bit too close to Akio now, his eyes locked upon him in a dominant manner. You can come get him when he finishes.”
Bill stood there in silence, gazing at what he predicted would be a fight between his boyfriend and Pina. He always knew Pina to be abrasive and bold, but this was dangerous. Pina had to hear the low growl from Akio--was he ignoring it?
“Is this true Bill?” Akio looked his direction.
It wasn’t much that he was asking Bill but rather, daring Bill to go with Pina. Daring Bill to leave with Pina, and perhaps put both of them in danger.
“Hello,” Pina waved his finger in Akio’s face, ruining Bill’s train of thought. “You’re talking to me, not Bill. I already told he was coming with me, didn’t I.” It was not a question Pina asked, but rather a statement
Bill felt his heart drop to his stomach, for the way Akio glared at Pina was enough to nearly make Bill sick. Pina’s finger was within biting range, right by his nose and like most carnivores from the Black Market, Akio was not a stranger to eating herbivores. His low growl shook the ground around them, causing Bill to rather instinctively, get in front of Pina.
“Maybe, another time.”
“Bill--”
Bill turned to face Pina, this time, putting himself in between Pina and Akio. “Pina, thank you. It meant the world seeing you again. Thank you...I missed you and I lov--” Bill shook his head. “I should...I should go. Akio’s right, it’s getting late.”
Next, Akio rather roughly grabbed Bill pulled him away, leaving Pina alone. “Go to the car Bill, and next time pick up your phone when I call you.” Bill looked at Pina rather sympathetically, but Pina gave a nod of understanding, and eventually Bill did what he was told.
Following that, only Pina and Akio remained, and the air was not any calmer than it was before. Pina, per his eccentric personality, decided to start the conversation.
“So do you get off hitting him?” Pina crossed his arms, and slowly walked bacj toward Akio, his eyes narrow. “Do you think I’ll let you get away with it?”
Akio leaned down next to him, his own dark eyes closing in on Pina. “And who would believe you? A herbivore running to the police to help a predatory offender--”
“Who said I’d be getting the police involved.” Pina chuckled, shrugging. “You don’t know me, and there are far worse things I can do to you, then get law enforcement involved, if you lay another hand on him. Besides,” Pina held up his hand, pointing at Akio once again. “I can see through you like a piece of glass. You act tough on the outside, but in reality you haven’t had to work for a thing, you’ve gotten everything handed to you and bully Bill because you feel important. Well that stops today--”
Akio was quick to grab Pina’s wrist, holding it tight, but not tight enough to crush it. He pulled Pina close roughly, clearly catching Pina off guard as he nearly lifted him off of the ground yet, Pina held his ground.
“You stick your finger in my face again, and I’ll take it off.” His voice was deep, filled with such a growl that Pina had never heard before.
“It’s just a finger.” Pina snarled. “You don’t scare me.” He yanked his hand away aggressively, not taking his eyes from Akio.
“You mind your own business, and maybe I won’t kill you.” Akio warned.
Akio turned away, glaring at Pina one last time.
Pina watched as he quickly got back into the car and practically sped off. For a moment, Pina stayed in the same spot, contemplating on what he should do. It had been what, an hour after he was to return after delivering the cake; his phone was dead, and Pina was still technically lost. He wondered if Riz was starting to get worried now.
Speaking of Riz, there was a bit of guilt that raced through Pina’s mind for what he was about to do. He knew Riz would yell at him for this, he’d probably even tell Pina’s mother and have her yell at him as well. But what could Pina do now? Was he supposed to abandon Bill?
Slowly his wrist, now bruised and swollen from Akio’s grasp, made way to is snout and Pina began to sniff, taking in Akio’s scent. Pina’s sense of smell was not nearly as acute as Riz’s or any carnivore he knew yet, sheep still had a keen sense of smell. They had to smell their young, their surroundings and of course, predators. Wolves, tigers, bears.
Pina was familiar with the smell of a bear, and even if Akio was a hybrid that was still the dominating scent. Within seconds regardless, Pina not only picked up on his scent, but his location and he was was not too far away.
Without a plan, without considering help or any logical structure, Pina found himself following the scent to Akio and Bill’s house. One way or another, he’d save Bill. He wouldn’t abandon him this time.