turps

For you, if you squint it may be a little like what you wanted.

Set in the future sometime, when MCR and FOB are touring together :)

~*~*~*~

It takes weeks of planning, but finally Hemmy is slipping out of the bus. Quiet, oh so quiet, padding past Pete who’s sitting in his bunk, headphones on and laptop open on his bent knees.

When he steps from metal steps to tarmac -- still warm in memory of the heat of the day – Hemmy tilts back his head. His jowls flapping as he sniffs, beer and grass and food, all overlain with the faint sour scent of vomit, his domain presented in a variety of distinguishable smells.

He draws in more air, spittle dropping to the ground as he shakes his head, then slowly begins to walk. The route is a familiar one, past the tree with the ingrained smell of bitch, the patch of grass that tickles against his paws, until finally he arrives

Hemmy sits heavily and flops down on his belly, his head resting on his outstretched front legs. He rolls up his eyes and peers at the bus, patiently waiting, until finally he hears a faint meow.

There’s a faint scrabble of nails against glass, then Bunny is sliding through an open window, her body flattening impossibly small to get out of the gap. She jumps, landing on all four paws, looking superior, proud, until she gets close, and Hemmy smells the agitation, and the suspicious scent of glittery gel.

“He made me wear a furry hood. With ears!”

Hemmy concentrates hard, cat is a hard language to master, all harsh mews and low tones, and Bunny is talking fast, her tail swishing through the air, but he gets the gist, especially when he notices the glitter sparkling on her coat, and the way her hair sticks up crazily on her head.

Hemmy sighs deeply, lumbering to his feet. “Last week Pete made me wear a dress.” He hesitates then, feeling the tell tail heat of a blush blossom beneath his fur. “It had feathers, like I was some kind of chicken.”

Bunny spits, her back arched. “The plan, we do it tomorrow.”

“I agree,” Hemmy says, stepping to one side as Bunny flashes her tail past his eyes. “Tomorrow they pay.”


~*~*~*~

Comfortable on the sofa, Hammy listens to Pete talk, enjoying the soft lilt of his voice, the way he smells of joy when Patrick laughs at something he says. Pete’s hand is on Hemmy’s belly, scratching at that perfect spot, and Hemmy is almost delirious with happiness, because he loves Pete, unconditionally, devotedly, except he can still remember pink dresses and more importantly, the swish of an angry tail. Those memories steel his resolve, and with a last wiggle under Pete’s hand, he jumps from the sofa, making for the open door.

Stepping outside, he looks around, eventually seeing Bunny sitting on top of the bus, sunning herself, her legs outstretched as she flexes her claws.

“At last, I thought you were going to stay there all day.” Bunny stands, stretches, and jumps to the ground. “I take it you remember the plan?”

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Hemmy contends himself with nodding his head. He may be dog, but that doesn’t mean he’s stupid.

“Good.” Bunny inclines her head, superior as always. “I’ll go get Mikey.” She starts to walk away, then stops, looking at Hemmy with wide eyes. “We’re doing the right thing right, he won’t be hurt, because…”

“It’ll be fine,” Hemmy interrupts, because he knows how she feels, can smell how much she loves Mikey, despite the indignities he subjects her to almost every day.

“Yes, yes. It’ll be fine.” All traces of doubt abruptly gone, Bunny fixes Hemmy with a look, then slinks away.

Hemmy waits then, listening to the birds that flap over head, sniffs at some shoes before cocking his leg, marking them as his own.

“Hemmy!” A hiss of sound, and Hemmy looks up and sees Bunny peering from under a nearby bus. “He’s coming, do it now!”

Heart thudding, Hemmy immediately began to bark, putting everything into his act as he gallops forward, his mouth open as if he wants to tear something apart. It’s a great performance, and it should be, he’s Pete Wentz’s dog, and has learned how to perform at his master’s side. All the while Bunny hisses and mews, her voice rising, and Hemmy isn’t surprised at all when Mikey comes running into view, looking concerned as he chases after his cat.