Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The crosshair lingered over the Dyraka, a finger placed against the trigger, Tau’s sharp claw tapping against the rifle. Tau’s breath was heavy and thick, coming out slowly and concentrated, her eyes locked on the Dyraka. The crosshair moved slowly, from its victim’s shoulder, up to its neck, moving right against the side of its head. Tau went stiffer, letting out one last breath until pressing down on the trigger, a loud BANG being echoed as the Dyraka fell to the floor.

Tau jumped up, grabbed her rifle, and backed from the ledge, nervously laughing as the crowd below panicked. The thick, mucky scent of blood drifted up, even from several floors below.

The Dyraka—whose name was Rico, a richer Dyraka from the middle-north—was spread out on the floor, their brains and blood running into a nearby rain gutter, other Dryakas around freezing, screaming, or running to get help. The streets were chaotic, police cars were starting to arrive, and security guards were looking up, down, and to the side, trying to figure out where the bullet had come from. However, no matter what anyone tried to do, the victim’s blood kept flowing out of their body, its wine-red reflecting the moonlight into Tau’s eyes.

        “Hurry! What are you still doing there?!” Fayze—Tau’s accomplice—hissed, grabbing onto her wrist as Tau continued to gaze at the street below, whether from fear or admiration, you couldn’t tell. “Come on!” Fayze repeated, practically begging for Tau to move now.

        “Ay’, alright alright!” Tau chuckled back, moving her attentive gaze from the crowd over to Fayze. “I’ll follow ya, lead the way home,”

Fayze rolled his eyes, jumping to the next rooftop and glancing back to ensure Tau kept up—which she did. They dashed across the rooftops, metal roofing and air conditioning units slowing them down, the conversations of families below gathering their attention every now and then. The screams from the scene faded as their hard breaths grew louder. Tau’s cariber jingled against her rifle, fangs bared in a wide smile as she raced to keep up, adrenaline pushing her forward.

By now, the smell of blood had completely faded, and so did the yells, but Tau’s body still shivered, an overwhelming mixture of fear and excitement. She kept following Fayze; the two of them had to have been running for about half an hour by now, until they finally reached the outskirts of the city. Fayze dipped down into an alleyway, slipping into a fire escape as he pawed at an apartment’s window. Tau hopped down after them, pulling open the window and letting Fayze crawl in first, going in behind them afterwards.

        “Tomorrow we’ll go claim the bounty, we’re lucky we outplayed those wolves.. thought for sure they’d get Rico before us..” Fayze said, pulling the entry window closed before making their way to the kitchen. “You want something to eat?”

        “Nah… thanks though,” Tau replied, emptying the bullets from her rifle, each one having u ben clawd! carved into them. She emptied the bullets into a rusting bucket they had sitting near the window, standing up with a grunt afterwards. She stretched out her back, her tail hitting the tin bucket.

        “Do you think they saw us?” Fayze asked, a layer of anxiety over his words. Tau walked over, glancing over their shoulder as they shakily put together a ham sandwich.

        “No way, we’ sneaky… they ain’t finding us anytime soon…” She replied, sitting down on the counter while kicking her legs back and forth.

        “You sure? They’ve been getting close…”

        “They’ve been getting close my ass, ain’t no one findin us..” Tau boasted, pulling out a water bottle and setting it in front of Fayze. “N’ If they do, we’ll just run away again, no biggie..”

Fayze picked up the bottle she had set for them, opening it and taking a sip. Their eyes suddenly seemed more tired, filled with thoughts he wanted to say but couldn’t quite word the right way. He set the bottle down, slowly munching on the sandwich as Tau took out a raw piece of ham and pushed it all in her mouth. Fayze got awfully quiet then, which was odd for a Dryaka who couldn’t stop talking. Tau nudged them, trying to give them an empathetic look.

        “What’s wrong with ya…” She mumbled, her ears pressing down to the side of her head. Fayze let out a somber sigh, his puffy tail flicking as he put down his sandwich.

        “I.. I don’t know, Tau.” He finally got out, his eyes glued to the plain piece of bread in front of him. “This ain’t exactly the type of life I wanted… Guess maybe that’s the problem.” He motioned out to the apartment, his hand lingering in the air as it pointed to the mess of a home around them.

The apartment was small, a corner for a kitchen with a couple of crowded counters, junk spread out over them. A broken oven, rust guiding the handlebars, with a slightly burnt piece of cloth hanging from the handles. A broken fridge, the mist of ice pouring out from the bottom, one caused by a freezing problem, the two Dryakas didn’t know existed.

The living room was next to the kitchen, with only a counter where they ate dinner separating the two areas. Their couches were staying up by a threat, multiple holes and tears being kept together by old shirts sewn into them. A cheap TV was set in front of the couches, wires sticking out of it, as well as a coffee table that really was just an antique desk the two had found on the side of the road.

In the corner diagonal to them was their bedroom, just a big mattress they shared with multiple thin blankets covering it. They had an abundance of stuffed animals and three pillows lined up against the wall, a poster hung up with Taus’s favorite punk band, its edges peeling off the wallpaper underneath, however.

The last corner was where the bathroom was, the only fully intact area in the whole apartment. The front door (which was fully barricaded) was next to the bathroom. Only a single light hung from the ceiling; most of their light came from the windows during the day, which they covered with wooden planks at night so no one could break in.

Tau stared at the apartment, her legs slowly moving to a halt as her tail hit against the counter. She knew Fayze was right; everyone knew it. They had been living in filth since forever… Tau just didn’t want to admit it.

        “It ain’t too bad, could be worse,” She replied, a coat of fake optimism corrupting her words. “Least we ain’t’ homeless…”

        "We might as well be, this ain’t that big of an improvement…” Fayze muttered, finishing off their sandwich and placing the plate in the sink. “Hopefully, with tomorrow’s money, we’ll be able to get some upgrades around here… I’m just hoping they pay more than a hundred bucks…”

        “We’ll move up them ranks soon, Fay…” Tau assured him, hopping off the counter and picking up the plate to clean. She dripped the limited amount of soap they had onto the plate, rubbing the plate with her bare fingers.

        “Hope so…” Fayze agreed, leaning against the kitchen counters—the ones which separated the kitchen from the living room—and he examined their apartment. Tau was right in one way, at least having a roof over your head is better than going back to the streets. Fayze missed a lot about his old life, but homelessness wasn’t one of those things. He moved his gaze down to his hands, anxiety pouring over him as they started rethinking every breath they’ve taken. He started picking at his nails, his breath getting heavier, his tail wagging harder.

It didn’t take Tau long to notice how stiff and uneasy Fayze was. She quickly glanced over at him, her ears pushing back again as a grumble left her throat.

        “Be honest with me now, Fay… what’s wrong with ya?” Tau asked again, nudging Fayze out of trance. Fayze stayed quiet for a couple more seconds, picking out his words carefully as he slowly stopped picking at his nails.

        “I just don’t wanna lose ya…” He admitted. “I can’t take that.” Tau’s heart sank once she heard Fayze. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him almost in instinct, purring into his arm as she tried to comfort him.

        “And ye wont lose me… that’s something I promise damn well… yer not ever losin me…” Tau hugged Fayze harder, feeling as Fayze melted into her warm hug. “I don’t care who left you as a kid… I’m not leaving ya… that’s a promise I’m takin’ to my grave…”

        “That means a lot, Tau…” Fayze smiled, hugging her back as he closed her eyes. “Guess I’ve just been anxious recently… I feel like everyone’s watching us… I know we’re just a buncha of nobodies, but every time we go outside, I can almost feel someone eyeing us down, almost like they’re looking for their next prey…” Fayze shivered from the thought.

        “Good thing I’m a panther then, huh?” Tau joked, her smile wide and goofy, letting her fangs shine. However, in the back of her mind, her thoughts flooded with worry for Fayze. Fayze smiled, letting out a small, stifled laugh, seeming to just enjoy her company.

        “Mhm..” He slipped out, his body seeming to go softer. “We’ll be safe… mm… were always safe… im always safe… with ya…” Fayze mumbled, his words getting quieter and quieter by the second. In no time, his hug around Tau had loosened, and instead of rambles or vents, relaxed murmurs left his mouth, snoring normally following.

Tau smiled, picking Fayze up like a newborn baby and bringing him over to the mattress, setting his limp body down, grabbing the edge of multiple blankets, and making sure to cover him fully. It was peaceful to see him sleep, their tired body finally relaxing after a long day of working and stress. It made them seem younger, and it gave Tau a nostalgic sense, even if they hadn’t even known each other as kids.

Tau double checked the oven was off, reclosed the fridge—shivering at the cool mist, made sure all the boards on the doors and windows were sturdy, and carefully turned off the overhead bulb, making sure not to break their only source of light.

She made her way to the mattress, awkwardly shuffling next to Fayze, who unconsciously hugged Tau’s body like she was a stuffed animal. Tau smiled, turning over to Fayze and kissing him on the forehead, before pulling the covers up over her body and trying her best to sleep. She let her eyes close, letting Fayze warm embrace slip her into slumber.

Chapter Text

Tau grumbled, rubbing her eyes as she reached out to hug Fayze — who wasn’t next to her anymore. The wooden boards covering the windows beside her made the harsh sun rays a bit easier to withstand, but even so, Tau pawed at her eyes and hissed. Her legs curled up to her chest and instinctively stretched out afterwards, a yawn escaping her throat along with the stretch.  

       “Mm- Tay? Ya there?” She mumbled; her eyes still closed shut as she struggled to pull the thin blankets off of her.  

       “Mhm.. I’m here, Tau,” Tazye assured her, trotting over and placing a cup of tea next to the mattress. The cup’s porcelain handle was broken off, but Tau didn’t mind.  

Tau reached out for the mug, a purr ripping through her throat the moment her lips touched the tea. It was warm, a hint of sweetness apparent in the tea’s golden brew.  

       “Thanks, dude—” She slurred, an obnoxious slurp being heard as she sipped on the tea. Fayze laughed, pulling on their jacket they had on and zipping it up. His jacket was quite rugged, made of worn-down leather, with cuts and stabs over its sleeves.  

       “We’re almost about to go, you ready?” He asked, Tau instantly jerking to attention. 

       “Going?” She repeated, mimicking the question like a parrot. “Why? It’s morning…” She complained, groaning and letting her words drag on as she melted back into the mattress.  

       “Yep, is your memory really that bad?” Fayze laughed, teasing Tau with Tau returning him with a side-eyed glare. “We gotta go to them bounty collector thing, to get our prize,” 

       “Ouh… right.” Tau nodded, sitting up and stretching out once again, pushing her arms above her head. “Bet them wolves will be there?” She asked, popping her back out with a crackle.  

       “When ain’t they ever?” Fayze joked, grabbing Tau’s wrist and pulling her up to her feet. “Now hurry up, it won’t be too long until some other hunters try to claim our hard-earned money,” 

Taus’s shoeless paws sifted through the streets, a thick musk of filth wafting to her nose. She had put on a quick pair of socks before leaving the apartment; however, she failed to notice the many holes in her socks. Fayze trotted along in front of her, his pants chains jingling against one and the other.   

The city was quite dirty, at least the side they lived on. It was a miracle they even managed to get their hands on an apartment, especially with all their tax and eviction letters piling up in their home’s mail slot. Tau had started keeping a score of how many days until the police showed up at their door, but surprisingly, no authorities had come looking for them yet. Even more surprising was how the tax letters stopped arriving. The two didn’t think much of it; surely it wasn’t important. 

As Taus paws sifted through the city’s dirty puddles, the two Dyrakas had found their way to the Bounty Hunter Collection Service. Neither of them knew what any of those words meant, but Fayze had confidently told Tau that it basically translated to “where people get money”. 

       “See any wolves?” Tau asked, her voice low and quiet. Her proud steps had now turned soft; you couldn’t hear her move due to the pads on the bottom of her paws. 

       “Not yet…” Fayze replied, his ears flickering, trying to catch any unusual sound wave. That’s when a puff of smoke slowly made its way to the Dyrakas, its body moving in the calm wind. Fayze’s nose wiggled, and soon he started violently coughing, clutching their chest as a tall, lean, wolf Dyraka turned the corner. 

       “Be careful, Panda.” The wolf grumbled, pushing his long silver hair out of his face. He made his way to Fayze, leaning down and lifting a cigarette to his lips, before blowing off second-hand smoke into Fayze’s coughing face. Tau stiffened. 

       “Back off, yer ain’t helping him,” She growled, hitting Fayze back a couple times to try and help, but ultimately making his cough attack worse. 

       “—I’m—” Fayze tried choking out, tears building up in his eyes. “I’m O—o-ok, Ta—Tau-”   

The wolf stood up, sucking in another breath of nicotine before moving his gaze to Tau. Tau's ears folded down to the side of her head, her body shaking from fear, but her stance staying strong. 

       “Good job, Panther.” He said, a flow of honesty following his words. “You’re the one who shot Rico, yeah?” Tau nodded hesitantly. 

       “Yeah..” She muttered. “He weren’t doin’ nothing good out there, plus he got a big prize on his head… killed two birds with one stone by shootin' him down…”

       “Smart girl,” The wolf nodded. “You know. You’d do a lot better if you joined an actual organization, instead of following this bum around,” The air got real quiet then, the wolf’s words lingering behind, like a nasty echo. 

They all knew he was right. Fayze had gotten soft recently; he hadn’t really been helping out. All he did was make quick plans that any organization could’ve made. He was a red panda after all, he couldn’t really compare to a Black Panther—or more specifically, Jaguar—like Tau. A big handful of hunter organizations had already offered Tau a job, but she had turned down every single one with no hesitation. The reason why never stuck out to him. 

       “Don’t feel like joinin’ one,” Tau replied, her words quick and snappy. The wolf’s eyes widened slightly, the only emotion he had shown in weeks, probably. 

       “How come? Tau, you’re insufferable. You have talent, you have skill… It’s unrefined, but it’s there. Yet you waste it all by carrying this chunk of meat around with you.”

       “This chunk of meat got more life in ‘em than you’ll ever have,” She grabbed onto Fayze's arm, picking him up to his feet, clearly tired of the wolf’s crap. “Let’s go.”

The inside of Bounty Hunter Collection Service was small and cozy; it felt like a quiet coffee shop, a warm light engulfing the room. There was a desk on the far back of the building, with a couple of leather chairs lined against the walls—walls covered in motivational posters or pictures of older bounty hunters of the past. 

A single deer Dryaka sat at the desk, typing away at a computer as her square glasses rested on the tip of her square nose. Her antlers were decorated with jewels and gold, and a long pair of eyelash extensions lay over her hazel eyes.  

       “ey, miss!” Tau beamed, skipping over to the desk and leaning on it. “Were ‘ere for the money, ya know, for that guy we killed,” The deer slowly looked up at Tau, fixing her name tag that said “Dawn”. 

       “Rico? Is that correct?” Dawn asked, her eyes floating back down to her computer screen.

       “Correct!” 

       “Where's your proof?” Dawn questioned, now starting to type something down. 

       “Them bullets!” Tau explained. “I write ‘you’ve been clawed’ on each one, check em pictures and you’ll see!” Dawn slowly inched closer to her screen, squinting her eyes.

       “It says… you… ben? Ben clawed?” Dawn looked back at Tau. “I’m guessing School was hard for you..” 

       “Never been to school, miss,” Tau smiled, standing proudly. Dawn chuckled, typing down one last thing before standing up. 

       “We thank you for your service, especially for killing Rico, but some things have changed..”

       “Just give us the money.” Fayze groaned, tired from being here. Dawn gave Fayze a quick glare before sifting back to her monologue. 

       “The higher-ups decided you and your colleagues won't be killing any longer—or at least for now. You have a new job,” Dawn continued.

       “Ehh… do it pay well? Do we got free lunch?” Tau asked, biting the dead skin off her lips. 

       “Sure. Why not?” Dawn replied, reaching under her desk and pulling out an intimidating gun with swiftness, pressing it right against Tau's forehead. “I'll see you in an hour.” 

A bang followed Dawn's words, as Tau fell to the floor, her body numb, her eyes closing, and then.

Pitch black. 

Chapter Text