I sat in a trench with my back on the dirt wall, near the prison me and my squad’s dumb asses were trying to storm. What the hell had Brass called it during briefing, Abu Graib or some shit? I looked around, and looked down at my uniform. The plate carrier I was wearing over my service uniform felt heavy on my chest, full to the brim with bullets in 6 different magazines. Who the fuck at Brass thought it would be a good idea to do this..?

“PRIVATE MOUS!”

I sat up, and conked my head on a beam.

“AAAAUGH SIRYESSIR!”

“Anon are you alright?”

Wait.

I wasn’t in the sandbox. I was in my bed, sitting up. I looked down at my chest, and there was no carrier, only the scars from a battle long forgotten. Then I looked to my side and saw Fang, her hands on my shoulder, sitting up next to me, a confused and concerned look painted on her face.

Oh.

Right.

“Yeah…”

I got out of bed and went to my bathroom, turning on the sink and splashing water on my face. God, I was gonna have to go to the VA soon for meds and shit, wasn’t I?

...Swear to God I’m going fucking crazy.

I walked over to the kitchen after drying my face off and getting dressed, then went to cook me and Fang some breakfast. She just stared at me as I tossed the dough onto an iron skillet I had laying around.

“How can you go from screaming your head off about some trench to making breakfast?”

I looked at her.

“I…”

“Anon, I swear you looked like you were awake, clutching your head and everything. How do you not remember?”

“I… don’t know, Fang. Look, I’ll talk about it later. I finally found a good listing for a mid-priced truck and I’m gonna try and get it. Save us some time and energy walking.”

“Alright, Anon. Hey, I actually landed a job interview with that clothes shop in Troodon. Stella helped me get it. I’ll be there for that, and then I’m gonna buy some stuff for us on your card. That alright?”

“Oh! Yeah, of course. I’ve gotta go meet the guy soon actually, he’s on the other side of Volcaldera so I’ll be out for a while.”

I got up to grab a jacket, and after putting it and my shoes on, I unlocked and opened the door.

“See you soon, Anon!” She smiled at me, and then went back to eating her breakfast.

I closed the food behind me, and as I walked to hail a taxi, I mulled over everything.

…It’s been a week since I returned to Volcaldera Bluffs and invited Fang to live with me. And in that week, we’ve been getting settled back into the apartment, going to Ikea to buy a shitty drawer for the both of us, and tomorrow I’d be working at Moe’s. Originally it was supposed to be Wednesday, but Fang insisted I stay at home one more day. Moe understood, thank god. There had been a couple things that have happened, like us and Stella going out to get some dinner at a restaurant she’d went to (City Sushi or some shit).

Long story short, we’d just been trying to get settled in.

Honestly, living with Fang has been the best thing to ever happen to my sorry ass, right after getting out of the Corp, and the last phone call I’d made to my parents a year ago. Fang… She deserves more than the shitty apartment I could give her, but she was so happy living with me. She’d even been recovering from the preening attempt from last week, and generally she looked happier than when I’d first seen her at Pizza Time. And that made it all worth it. That smile from this morning, and many more like it… That’s what drove me.

After reaching a less shitty corner of Skin Row, I finally spotted a beat-up cab. I hailed it and after it stopped, I got in the back and handed him a 10 dollar bill.

“Where to?” the yellow raptor said.

I gave him the address, and he immediately accelerated.

“Say, kid, you seem familiar. Not many humans in Volcalders after all.”

“I don’t remember you, sir. You’re gonna have to refresh my memory on that.”

“I drove you around in high school. What ever happened to that goth chick?”

“Oh, well… it’s a long story.”

“Ah.” He went ‘tsc-tsc’ . “Sorry to hear.”

We talked a little about our lives. Apparently his taxi business was some sort of family operation, his father being from New York. That was all I caught as his cab screamed to the place I was supposed to be; a secluded house on the outskirts of Volcaldera, surrounded by fields of wheat. I could already see the red Hilux out front, and it was in fairly good condition.

“Hey, kid. Call me if you need a ride back.” He handed me a business card.

“Yep, will do if I need to. Thanks again.”

“No problem.” And with that he peeled out of the place, kicking up rocks from the road.

I walked over to the small house, knocking on the door. I waited until the door opened to reveal a green baronyx woman.

“Hi, ma’am, I’m here about the Toyota?”

“Oh! Yes.” She had a gruff voice, like she’d been smoking for decades. “Come with me.”

We walk over to the car, and on the way there she explains to me the car itself.

“She drives great. Built in May ‘89, fifth generation, ”

We reach the cherry-red truck, which looks in pristine condition. Husband swapped the engine out for a 4-liter V8, called it a “1UZ-FE” or something. Factory it came with a v6 but he had this laying around so he said ‘fuck it’”.

When I heard about the engine swap I knew I’d struck literal gold.

“Car itself had around what… 200 thousand miles? The engine’s fine, only like 40 thousand in comparison… Damn block’s prolly worth more than this fucking car.” She opened the hood and I looked at the pristinely shiny engine. It looked damn near brand new.

“He also cleaned out the car. It used to be this grimey piece of shit he’d use to tow things but then he got the urge to refurbish it before he dropped dead.”

I took a look inside, and sure as shit, the fabric looked and smelled brand-new. If I hadn’t known better and not read the odometer, I could have sworn this was a brand new car.

“Any issues?” I asked.

“Well it has this weird thing where if you’re not careful when shifting gears it’ll grind them, but other than that it runs fine.”

“Perfect. What’s your asking price? I read 15 thousand but I assume you want 30.

She snorted, smoke emanating from her nostrils. “You’re damn right I want 30 thou, but I need this damn thing outta here. Too many bad memories.” I can fucking relate.

“But for you, skinnie,” she said, “I can go down to 20k.”

“10k,” I said.

“You’re bullshitting me. Brand new engine, catalytic converters, tranny, reupholstered seats, this thing isn’t worth 10k.”

“How can you be sure? I’ll go to 17 and a half.”

“19.”

“How about 18?” I said.

“18 and a half. Final offer.” She snorted. “God, I… don’t care. Just get it the hell out of here.”

I pulled out my wallet. “You take credit? Check?”

After a couple minutes of fiddling around I transfer her the money from my account, and I ask her a few relevant questions about the car, and we go over a little paperwork to get it in my name. I was going to have to stop by the DMV to get new plates ordered, but for now those flimsy paper plates would do. She handed me the keys, telling me that there was probably half a tank in the truck, and she went back inside the house.

After that, I clambered into the driver’s seat, and turned the key.

The engine purred to life like I’d just stepped into a fucking Ferrari, humming as it idled.

I haven’t driven in years, and I still technically had my license from the Corp and from beforehand… but I had very little experience driving stick-shift.

Come on, Anon. Clutch, Gear, Release. Ohhhhhh there’s that grinding she mentioned. Do whatever the hell your Grandpa Dan taught you on his Mazda before you left Rock Bottom…

I slowly pulled the truck out of the driveway and onto the gravel road near the house, getting a feel for the controls. They were fairly stiff, but they’d do until I could do a little modification of my own to the truck. Would love to switch that damn stick out for an auto… shit even a slapstick would do better.

Whatever.

As I cruise down the road, I think about everything. What Fang had said to me in the bar. She said she’d… had to fuck guys to get what she needed? That was cruel. She deserved better. I’ll question her about it when I get back home.

I wasn’t going to let her get to that point again.

So help me God.

 

*** *** ***

 

It took what felt like all day, but the DMV finally gave me those shitty paper plates, and as soon as I got out of the building, I put them on the car with some spare tools that I’d borrowed from the DMV. While I was doing that though…

I heard someone inhaling a cigar, but the air… that was no cigar.

“Carfe?” I say aloud. Evident by the cut-short inhale and sudden exhale, I was on the money.

I turn around and see a… is that a stego? No, there’s a horn on her snout… Ankylosaur? She was mint-green, and wore a green Army jacket. Funny… I was wearing a fairly similar one.

“Yeah, bro. How’d you know?”

“Had a friend in high school that used to do shitloads of carfe, went by the name Reed.”

…Why did her pupils dilate?

Oh shit.

She looked surprised as soon as the word “Reed” left my mouth. And as soon as it happened she went back to her stoned carefree look.

“Yoooooo. You know my dealer?”

…Dealer?

“Yeah, man. He sells me all my carfe. Ever since it got legalized, he’s been dealing that shit like candy...”

I was tuning out this ankylo now.

But I couldn’t.

They knew Reed?

“Hey, uhhh… Could I get Reed’s number? It’s been ages since we talked and I don’t know if he kept the same one from high school. Been overseas for 4 years.”

She looks at me with… how the fuck do I describe it. Indifference?

“Sure man.” She pull out a piece of paper and writes on it, handing it to me. I immediately pocket it; I’ll leave Reed for another day.

“So what brings you here?” I ask.

“Getting plates for my new semi.” She points her thumb at the very nice looking big-rig nearby.

“Damn. nice truck.”

“Same to you, man. I heard that Toyota UZ V8 purring whenever you pulled in.”

“How the fuck..?”

“Eh. Friend taught me about automotive shit. I just know what a v8 sounds like.”

“Uhhh… okay. Well I just bought the truck so I’m not entirely used to it.”

“You need help getting your plates mounted?”

“Oh! Nah.”

We talk about it for a few more minutes, and then she shows me her semi. Apparently she practically lived in the thing with her human accomplice who introduced himself to me as “Rando”. To make a long story short, I learned that she knew a good few people in Volcaldera who could help me with my shifter problem on the truck, we exchanged numbers, and after another 30 or so minutes of talking and smoking, we parted ways, me climbing into the truck again. Gear, shift, drive.

I drive.

Heh. Literally me.

What?

Anyways… I thought nothing more of the encounter.

I cruised around Volcaldera City until I reached Skin Row, and I pulled up outside my apartment. Feeling nervous about leaving my truck in Skin Row, I triple-checked to make sure that it was within eyeshot of my window, and that I had properly locked it. After that I brought the paperwork and some groceries I’d picked up with me back up into the apartment.

When I opened the door I found Fang browsing my PC.

“How goes the job search?” I asked.

“It’s… going.” She sighed, looking at me with pleading eyes. “Look, Anon… I don’t know how long this is going to take, and I don’t want you to think I’m a burden…”

“What? Fang, no. Don’t say that.” I set everything down on the counter and go up to hold one of her hands. “You are never a burden, Fang. Don’t put yourself down like that.”

“But I am.” She said, “I can’t even make a sustainable income. How am I supposed to repay you?”

“You never had to, Fang. I l-” Shit. “I messed up. I caused this. It’s only fair that I fix it, nothing in return.”

“Still…” She stood up and hugged me.

“Thank you for being there for me. It only took you 4 years.” She chuckles.

“Yeah…” I responded. “Fang… Can I ask you about something? About these last 4 years?”

She looks at me uneasily, before responding “Shoot.”

“When you talked about screwing guys… What did you mean by that?”

She went ‘pfft’, and responded “Anon, what kind of question is that?”

“I’m just concerned is all. If I need to get you anything for like STD’s-”

“It was always anal or oral. Never vaginal.”

I look at her. She responded rather quickly to that. But then I heard her say “I had no money for birth control”.

“Jesus… That bad?” Stupid question, Anon. “Uhhh, what I mean by that is, that’s horrible. I’m sorry… For everything.”

“Anon, you don’t need to ap-”

“But I do, Fang. It’s all my fault that you ended up in this situation-”

“Anon. Look at me.”

I turn my head back to her, and she’s looking at me with tears in her eyes.

“It’s all in the past. Please… don’t beat yourself up over it. I hate seeing you like this.”

“Fang…”

“Please. Promise me you’ll just drop it. I forgive you.”

She… What?

She’d said the three words I never deserved to hear again in my life.

And she said it so casually.

Fang I love you so goddamn much…

I was starting to tear up myself. God, this was getting rather frequent.

I didn’t deserve this. I never would.

But goddamn it if I didn’t try to make it so I did deserve it.

“What did you do with Fang, and where did you put her?” I chuckled. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

I felt this… burden, being lifted off my chest. Just hearing those 3 words made everything so much more clear. I’d have to do a lot of thinking tonight. I-

Suddenly Fang’s hug tightened and I felt her head on my chest.

“Fang?”

She started shuddering, and I moved her to the bed, sitting next to her. Embracing her.

“Is everything ok?”

“Anon… I just want to go back to when we were in high school. I fucked up so much. I want to go back and fix it all. Our friendships, Reed, Trish, everyone. I miss my family. God.” she starts to sob in my arms.

I hold her close to me, arms under her wings as I rock her back and forth.

“God, Anon… What if they hate me? Look what I’ve done to myself! I’m a walking dumpster of a-”

“Fang, stop.”

She looks up at me.

“You’re an amazing women, and all you need is a little help. And I’m here to give you the help you deserve, so help me God.”

I put my hand under her snoot, holding it like an oversized pen.

“Fang, your family won’t hate you for what I did. They won’t judge you for your past. But I know one thing for sure, they miss you. Moe misses you, and from what I heard through him, your father misses you. Hell, he even told you himself when you called him last week!”

I remember that tearful phone call, me holding Fang’s hand as she talked to Moe. They were both so sad and happy at the same time…

“But Anon, what if they don’t love me?”

“They will. I’m sure of it.”

We went back and forth like this for a few more minutes.

“Fang, damn it, they still care!”

“What if they don’t?” Her hands were on her shoulders now, claws daring to pierce her scales. “Who will care then?” She looked on the verge of tears. “Who’ll love me?”

The answer seemed obvious at first, but I didn’t want to say it.

I was nervous.

No.

Stone the fuck up Anon.

“...Then I will, Fang.”

She looked up at me.

“I’ll love you. Like I should have, and like I still do.”

I went in to hug her and took her by surprise, her hands slowly leaving her shoulders to wrap their way around my chest.

“Fang, you’re… God there’s nothing to describe you, nothing could ever-”

Suddenly I was rudely interrupted by a snoot bashing into my face with enough force to possibly make my lips bruise. Or bleed. Or both.

Fang’s hands went and found their way behind my head, pulling me in closer as she pressed her lips against mine.

It took me a second to realize what the fuck was happening and by the time I had processed it, she had already backed away and went back in to hug me even tighter.

“Anon… It only took you a week to realize. I love you too.”

Those words echoed in my head, rattling the long-dormant areas of my brain that I hadn’t touched since that day on the beach.

She yelped as I pulled her in for a kiss of my own- though this one was much longer, and Fang kissed me back. Oh my god. Fang was kissing me.

I was back with Fang.

I started to tear up even more, and when we broke the kiss, I went to hug Fang.

“Thank you… Thank you, Fang. I’ll make everything right. Like I should have. WE’ll get through this together. You’ll come out of this stronger, and I’ll be there for you every step of the way.”

“Jesus, you sure can be emotional when you wanna be, dweeb.”

Dweeb. That word felt foreign, yet oh-so welcome.

We both lay on the bed side by side, I was brushing my hand over her healing wings and she had one arm over my shoulder.

She was really back, huh?

It would take a long time and a lot of healing for everything to be right again, but we would get through it. I would help her reconnect, and be there for her when she needed me.

I looked into her Amber eyes, and I saw a spark in them that I hadn’t seen at the bar, or when she’d stayed the first day at my place. It was almost like Prometheus had breathed the fire of life into them, had given hope to her very soul.

For the first time in years I felt genuine happiness. I finally… I’d really gotten back together with Fang.

“Fang, I love you so much.”

“I love you too, dweeb.

I closed my eyes, drifting off. Holding her close to me.

All that matters is her.

Truly.