Chapter Text
Y/N’s POV
Walking through the morning spring chill, you finally reach Cass’s clinic. A small building on the outskirts of the city. With luck, it had still been within walking distance of your cozy apartment. Though the ache in your legs told you it had still been quite the trek, regardless. Enough to make you miss Princess at least. The quaint building you stood before, sat nestled between its compact parking lot and a bright orange Mexican restaurant. A few birds twittered in the maple trees shading the small parking lot, and the aroma of Hispanic cuisine wafted to your nose. Despite the pleasant atmosphere, you found yourself pausing at the glass doors. Anxiety bubbled within as you read the entrance sign. ‘Soully Therapy’, a business you never thought you’d seek service from. Its soft text and calm colors did little to soothe you.
Dreadful insecurity trickled into your mind. The doubt prompting you to hunch into the depths of your old leather riding jacket, wrapping its padded comfort tighter around you. Hands shoved into the deep wells of the pockets. The movement unintentionally jostling the two bits riding upon your shoulders.
“woah, der doll. careful,” Tuscan exclaimed, his grip tightening onto your shirt. Taking a moment, he resituated himself within the safety of your jacket collar.
“S-shit, sorry Tusk.” you replied apologetically. Swiveling your head between both Tuscan and Bear to make sure they weren’t going to fall.
Bear gave you a thumbs up, and Tuscan simply waved you off.
“it’s fine, jus’ keep goin’,” Tuscan brushed off, looking from the door then expectantly up at you.
“R-right, right. You know, you guys could have stayed home; I would’ve been fine. I will be fine.” You remarked with a huff, slowly going forward, the glass door gave in easily as you pushed through, entering the warm building.
“we know… jus’ wanted to offer support,” Bear murmured, patting your shoulder as his large, blood red eye looked around. You took in the space as well.
The room was warm and cozy, its walls painted a light beige with white trim and muddy green accents. The waiting room had both side walls lined with cushioned chairs and couches. End tables sat between each seat, covered with various magazines. In the far left corner, it seemed to be a dedicated kids' area. A few toy cars lay scattered about on a loose road play rug. An interactive sensory board was even mounted on the wall.
Straight ahead, sitting at an orderly desk was a young man wearing bright cyan glasses, nose deep into the monitor before him. There didn’t appear to be anyone else here, but you assumed there were session rooms and offices past the doors to the right of the counter.
You walked up to the desk, giving its top a light tap when the man didn’t immediately notice you. You gave a small wave and smile when his eyes snapped to you in surprise.
“Oh! Welcome! Sorry, I was a little distracted. Uh, oh! Do you have an appointment? Or looking to schedule one?” he quickly inquired, making hurried clicks on his mouse before giving you his full attention.
“Yeah, I have an appointment with Dr. Lope, under L/N, Y/N L/N.” You replied, setting your hands upon the desk. Twitchy fingers found each other to fiddle with as you waited.
The man was quick to type in your info, shooting you a beaming smile when he found your appointment.
“Yup! There you are! Okay, if you can sign these forms and the questionnaire while you wait, I’ll inform the doctor that you’re here. If you need any help or clarification, my name is Ian, and I’ll gladly come and help if you give me a little holler. Also, we have complimentary snacks and drinks in that side room over there, so please help yourself! Any questions or concerns?” Ian cheerily spouted off, eventually pointing out a small side room to the right that could have been mistaken for a closet. Within the small space sat a nestled countertop, an electric kettle sitting shinily upon it. Several wall-mounted shelves held bagged goodies and tea packs upon them. And tightly tucked under the counter, gleamed a silver mini fridge.
“Uh, thank you, but I’ll just sign these,” you remarked, offering a sheepish smile as you turned away from the snacks and focused back on Ian.
“Of course! I’ll let Dr. Lope know you’re here, and someone will come out to take you back when he’s ready for you.” Ian merrily exclaimed, returning to his computer to type away at it. His swift clicking filled up the silence of the room with striking taps and clacks.
You quietly found a seat and started working through the papers Ian gave you. It was all a bunch of consent forms and legal jargon, as well as a questionnaire asking for basic info about yourself and why you came. The scratching of your pen soon joined the clicking.
Once done, you passed the forms back to Ian and returned to your seat. The lack of stimuli putting you a bit on edge in addition to your thoughts. Your leg started jittering as if it were on the verge of hypothermia, bouncing relentlessly up and down.
“sweetheart, i know yer nervous, but i can’t take much more of dis vibratin’,” Tuscan griped, poking you in the cheek.
“R-right, sorry, sorry.” You stuttered, deciding to instead fiddle with your jacket sleeves as you waited to be called to the back.
“don’t be… you’re fine… we jus’ don’t like…seeing you so upset,” Bear rumbled, leaning up to brush a gentle nuzzle on your cheek.
“S-sorry.” You whispered out with an embarrassed blush. Your face remaining heated even as Bear retreated.
“oi! stop sayin’ dat damn word. ya got nothin’ to apologize fer.” Tuscan scolded, jabbing your soft cheek again with a pointed phalanx.
“Sor- right, okay, yes.” Spewed from your lips, and Tuscan sighed at your gibberish while you continued to mess with your sleeves.
He grumbled something under his breath before rising and sliding down your jacket, landing in the hands you quickly cupped to catch him.
“Tuscan wha-” You started, but Tuscan ignored you as he jammed himself between your arms and stomach, disappearing halfway into your jacket pocket.
“The hell are you doing?” You asked in confusion. Tuscan’s answering grunts could only let you conclude that the tiny weirdo had somehow confused you for a jungle gym.
Bear leaned forward, neck reaching out to try and sneak a peek at Tuscan. His curiosity nearly cost him a tumble. Thankfully, you were swift enough to catch him, holding up a hand to support him so he wouldn’t fall. You shot him a look, but Bear snorted and pointed down at Tuscan.
You shifted your gaze back to the menace as well, a surprised laugh bursting forth as you watched Tuscan’s wiggling ass try to extract itself. Like a fly stuck halfway in the jaws of a Venus flytrap, he squirmed uselessly. Posterior sticking out from the pocket he’d burrowed himself within.
With a giggle, you raised your ensnaring arm, freeing him from his entrapment. Nearly loosing it when he came stumbling out and landed his ass in the crook of your elbow. Your phone flying out to greet him, unfortunately, in the face. The device landed with an audible clack and yelp.
Laughter threatened to choke you as you held it back, wanting to at least check on him first.
“S-shit, dude, are you okay?” you get out, stuttering now not from nerves, but stifled chuckles. Bear, however, isn’t as polite to cover his amusement. Letting out a deep rumbling laugh.
Tuscan pushed the phone off his skull with a low grumble, his face flushed a furious red as he shot Bear a middle finger. Scowling, he scrubbed at the sore spot with a grimace, muttering curses under his breath. Whether the redness came from the impact or a dose of embarrassment, you couldn’t quite tell. Probably both.
“‘m fine.” He gritted out, rising to his feet, one planted on your arm, the other on your gut, before flicking the phone into your hand with a bit of blue magic.
You arched a brow down at him as he straightened his custom, tuscan, leather jacket, the red of his cheekbones slowly fading.
Once Tuscan seemed to have composed himself, he looked up at you with a toothy smirk, immediately putting you on guard at the sudden shift. He only ever smirked like that if he was up to no good, and this certainly wasn’t the place for shenanigans!
“Tuscan…you better not try anything.” You said slowly in warning, squinting down at him.
He chuckled, his Cheshire smile growing wider, as all hints of previous embarrassment were forgotten.
“jeez ya worry too much doll. i’m like, 4 inches tall. wah am i gonna do?” Tuscan remarked with a chuckle, shoving his hands into his pockets as he balanced on your arm and gut.
“I can imagine a great many things, all of which scare me to no end.” You shot back, not dropping your skeptical look as you continued to eye him.
He let out a dark chuckle at that, eyelights twinkling with mischievous mirth.
“heh heh. well i’ll spare ya just dis once. nah, i got a bet fer ya.” Tuscan cooly retorted, the tips of his shark-mouthed grin growing sharper the higher they curled.
“A…bet.” You parroted slowly, still squinting at the cocky bastard.
“dats right. a bet. ya interested?”
You pursed your lips down at the little skeleton, cocking your head to the side as if trying to physically find his angle. What was he hiding?
“What kinda bet?” You found yourself asking. Curious despite your wariness.
“i bet ya can’t beat my Crossy Road highscore before ya called back.” He replied with a smirk.
You blinked. Then blinked again. You certainly hadn’t been expecting that to be his bet. You had thought it would be a bit more daring or extreme. Not simply beating a high score at a silly little game.
“That’s it?” You asked, your brows furrowing as you eyed him.
“oh? think ya can beat it dan?” Tuscan snarked, his confident cocky smile never wavering as he stared right back.
“Well, how big’s your high score?”
Tuscan chuckled and shook his head. “nah, nah, doll. ya gotta take da bet with wah ya know.”
A scoff escaped you. You’d have crossed your arms too if each weren’t occupied with a bitty. Your still hover arm reminded you of Bear’s silent presence, and you looked over at him.
“Can you believe this guy, Bear?” you asked, gently scooping him up and settling him in your lap beside Tuscan, saving yourself from the awkward juggling act.
Bear lazily shook his head. An eye socket crinkling smile adorning his face as he looked up at you.
“the…audacity.” Bear chuckled out, turning his amused gaze onto Tuscan.
“well? ya in?” Tuscan asked, looking up at you again—though his eyes flicked quickly toward Bear before returning.
“What are the stakes?”
Tuscan’s grin stretched wider as he looked up at you. “when ya lose ya can get me a new bottle o’ mustard an’ hot sauce.”
“Uh-huh. You seem awfully sure of yourself. I don’t know if I want to take this deal.” You voiced while eyeing the miscreant.
“aw come on. don’ be a chicken now!” Tuscan crowed.
Bear chuckled. “i think…they’re chicken…tusk.”
“heh.” Tuscan’s smile twitched, his eyelights snapping towards Bear. A long, piercing stare followed.
Bear, sensing the shift in tension, turned to look at them, his smile faltering under the weight of Tuscan’s sharp glare.
“what?” Bear quietly mumbled, glancing uncertainly between Tuscan and you, confusion creeping into his expression.
You furrowed your own brows, the sudden mood shift throwing you off.
Tuscan growled, shifting his steely gaze away with a muttered, “forget it.”
You parted your lips, ready to ask what just happened, but before you could speak, a loud voice cut through the room, halting you in your tracks.
“Sweetie! I’m so happy you made it—and with the boys, too! How lovely! I’ll make sure they’re well looked after during your session.” Cass’s cheerful voice rang out across the waiting room as she approached with long, confident strides. Her large frame stopped just in front of you, with a wide, fanged smile glimmering on her face. She wore a loose navy cardigan draped over a simple gray T-shirt, paired with dark denim jeans that balanced casual comfort with style. Behind her, a fluffy lilac tail flicked with excitement, the energy she carried as comforting as it was overwhelming.
“Well, come on now! Give your friend a hug! Then I’ll lead you back to Dr. Lope. And take those two miscreants off your hands, of course.” Cass cheered, offering you a paw to stand on.
You gently placed the two bittys on the side table before accepting Cass’s fluffy paw. Grasping tightly to her squishy pads and silky fluff, you gave a sturdy pull. You quickly found yourself standing entrapped in Cass’s furry embrace. She gave you a good squeeze before pulling away to arm's length.
Cass smiled, taking you in for a second before warmly saying, “Oh sweetie, I am soo proud that you’re finally taking this step. It’s all going to be okay, and you’ll love Andrew. He’s super sweet, and he’s going to do whatever he can to make you feel better.”
You smiled faintly, glad that Cass was here. She had made this as easy a process as she could for you. Really all you had to do was show up and sign a few things, and she took care of the rest.
“Thanks, Cass.” You softly murmured, falling into your friend for another much-needed hug.
“Aw, no problem, sweetie. Now let's go get you situated with Andrew, oh, or Dr. Lope, I suppose.” Cass hummed, gently rubbing your back as you leaned greedily into the embrace.
Finally, you pulled away with a nod of your head, standing up on your own again. You turned towards Bear and Tuscan, frowning at the sight. Tuscan was visibly brooding with his arms crossed and looking sour, while Bear looked dejected and frustrated. You had hoped that last night had meant that Bear and Tuscan were finally getting along, but you guessed there were still some kinks to work out. It was disheartening to see, but you didn’t have the time, nor the solution to fix it now.
Instead, you gave them both a sad smile before saying, “Alright, guys, stick with Cass.” Then added with a quiet plea, “…and please don’t fight.”
Tuscan’s grip around himself tightened, the image sparking flashbacks to when you first met. His pose and demeanor were such a stark parallel, it made you doubt the progress you’ve made with him. Question if you really were helping him. He was getting better, wasn’t he?
Tuscan didn’t say anything back to you, but Bear gave a small nod, warily getting out, “o’ course treat… hope your session…goes well… we’ll be waitin’...for you.”
You smiled and nodded down at him. Cass leaned down, offering a paw to each of them. Bear easily got onto her left with a smile and plopped down into the furry appendage. Tuscan, however, teleported to Cass’s shoulder before her hand could get close to him. With that, Cass righted herself, seemingly unbothered by Tuscan’s aloofness, only sparing him a glance before she walked ahead.
“Come on, Sweetie! I’ll show you the way!” She chirped, her long strides taking Cass quickly through the door past the desk and down the hall.
Hurrying behind her, you barely took note of the marked doors in the hall, instead watched Tuscan as he sat on Cass’s shoulder. His small claws tightly clutching at your friend’s cardigan and fur.
Why was he acting this way? Could you fix it? Did you cause it? Was it something Bear did? But what? And why? They had been laughing and having fun last night together, so why was this different?
So caught up in your thoughts, you nearly bumped into Cass as she stopped before a door. The name tag spelling out ‘Dr. Lope’ in white print on a black plaque.
“Here you are! I think you’ll like Andrew, but we can always try another if not, so no pressure! Plus, the first session is mostly just about you getting to know each other, so it shouldn’t be too tough a day. But we’ll all be waiting for you in my office, should you need us. Okay, sweetie?” Cass soothed, her unoccupied hand coming up to give your shoulder a grounding squeeze.
You nodded, letting out a slow breath and turning to the door. Raising a fist, you gently knocked against the wood. Through the door, you heard a soft but loud, ‘Come in.’ Grasping the handle, you paused long enough to get one last look at your friends.
Cass smiled pleasantly down at you, patiently waiting for you to enter. From her Hands, Bear shot you a thumbs up with his own encouraging smile. Tuscan, though, watched with a small frown. He gave you a strained smile when he caught your gaze. You thought it ill-suited for his face.
You turned away before doubt could creep any further into your mind and opened the door. It felt selfish to admit, even in the safety of your own mind, but right now… it was time to help yourself.