Anything
Another mugging fic!
David&Babe
tw: mugging, light angst, friendship developing, pack feels, pack dynamics
Anything
They hadnât called him.
Heâd gotten a call from the Department about an incident with one of his pack. Heâd rolled his eyes at first and nodded, waiting for another report about some conflict Darlin or Chrissy had gotten into. It wasnât that the others werenât possibilities, it was just that Milo would have told him before the Department and Asher was out of town.
But then they dropped a name heâd never heard the Department mention to him before, not since he confirmed them being in his pack. His heart squeezed in his chest. Mugged? What the fuck did they mean mugged?
âWhere are they?â He was already out the door, keys in hand.
âWhat?â
âWhere?â
âOh, um. It looks like they checked themself out of the hospital after making a statement to the unempowered authorities⌠It doesnât look like they broke covert although the report does suggest the assailant was empoweredâŚâ
David felt sick, teeth too long and hand shaking around his keys. It was too much information at once, all tossed out carelessly by this desk clerk on the phone like none of it even mattered. Hospital. They had been taken to the hospital? What the fuck had happened? And who had mugged them? And why, in the hell, did this asshole think David gave any fucks about covert?
âHow injured were they?â he interrupted. Theyâd been taken to a hospital, but they seem to have left on their own. David wanted to find comfort in that detail but he couldnât, because he knew for a fact that Babe could and would push through pain and illness. They would sooner walk home with a broken leg than ask someone for help and risk being a burden.
Fuck! Now he was worried they were walking around on a broken leg.
âUm⌠It looks like they were treated for some cuts and scrapes. Thereâs a note about a possible concussion but the doctor didnât seem overly worried.â And the empowered clerk on the phone didnât sound worried either.
âCuts?â
âAnd scrapes.â
David ground his teeth. âWhat makes you say the assailant was probably empowered?â
âOh. Thereâs a note about them being bitten. They kept their story pretty vague though,â he sounded pleased and then huffed a smile. âThe unempowered doctors gave them antibiotics in case of an infection.â
David hung up. He had to. If he didnât, he would somehow kill this person through the phone. He immediately dialed another number, sliding into the driverâs seat of his truck. He put the phone on the dash and started the engine. It didnât take Milo long to answer. âBoss?â
David hesitated just when he was about to speak. Babe was pack but they were human and they were so private.
âDavid?â Milo was louder, closer to his phone and focused with concern.
âIâm going to need your help, but I need you and Stealth to keep it quite.â It never even occurred to him to ask Milo to keep anything from his partner.
âThere was an incident with Babe. Iâm headed to their apartment now. I need you to find out everything you can from the department.â He took a turn and pulled into an alley beside their building, not caring if he was in a loading zone.
âYeah. On it. Are they okay?â
âI donât know,â he said without thinking and froze just as he was getting out of his truck.
He didnât know.
His instincts raged, his wolf rolling under his skin. He didnât know. A member of his packâthe most important person in the world to his best friendâand he had no idea.
âIâll get back to you.â He hung up and used Asherâs spare key to get into the building. He couldnât wait for the lift, taking the stairs two at a time. It wasnât until he was in the hall that he knew something was wrong, something other than everything else wrong, but he couldnât put his finger on it until he was at their apartment door.
He knocked, but already his stomach was twisting because his senses told him they werenât there. Not only was their apartment empty, but their scent was so faint in the hallway that he knew they hadnât been there in hours, probably not since they left for work that morning, definitely not with any cuts.
Cuts.
Bites.
His skin crawled and he wanted to growl and whine at the same time. He needed to see them. He needed to know how bad this was and do everything he could to fix it.
He scrolled his phone numbers and tried to call them. It went immediately to voicemail.
âFuck,â he pushed the heel of his palm against his temple. Did they even have their phone? Where would they be?
He could have the pack find them. If they fanned out, theyâd have them in no time. But then he would be making this moment, this dayâtheir dayâpack public. And he didnât know yet if that was okay with them.
Asher hadnât called him yet. Which meant, either they were on the phone with him right now, or he didnât know yet.
David needed eyes on Babe. He needed to be able to tell Asher he was looking at them and that they were okay, or he would lose his mind.
He tried to think up places Babe would go on his way down the stairs.
Where would he go if he was unempowered and recently attacked by a vampire? Theyâd called it a mugging. Had the biter really robbed them? He flipped his keys against his palm but stopped one step toward his car. The hospital wasnât far from here. Even on foot, even slowed by injury, they would have been there by now. So, if they didnât go home, where did they go?
He called Angel to ask if Babe had come to their place. No. Angel had questions, but David promised to explain soon and they promised to call if they heard from Babe until then.
His phone rang almost as soon as he hung up.
Milo.
David answered.
âAre they okay?â
âI donât know,â he ground out again. âThey arenât at their apartment.â
âWhat?â
David looked up and down the street. It was getting dark. âWas their phone stolen?â
âNo. It was broken. They were on their way home from work, just got off the subwayââ
David pivoted, looking in the direction of their stop.
âIn their statement to the cops, they called their attacker a biter at firstâsaid he cornered them before they could get out of the underground station and took their jacket and their bag. They didnât have any money or cards on them so they must have left the hospital on foot. They canât have gotten far.â
âDid they have their keys?â David started walking toward the subway station.
Milo was moving on his side too. âIt didnât sound like it.â
If David was in Babeâs shoes, he would just want to go home. He would want to be in his own space with the door locked. But if they didnât have their keys, they couldnât get home. They could, of course, call him. He had the spare. But he wasnât sure they would even if they had their phone.
He descended the steps into the subway.
âI can start at the hospital and track them.â
âAre you at the hospital now?â
âIâm on my way.â
âGood.â David hung up just as the call would have cut out anyway. The air was colder underground, the lights yellow and the hallways echoing with the hum of a passing train. The afterwork crowd had thinned out and it wasnât quite late enough for the party crowds.
He hopped the entrance and shivered when he inhaled their scent.
He wasnât sure heâd be able to explain how relieved he felt when he saw them standing there on the platform. They looked awful. Their pants were dirty and their shirt bloodstained and torn. Heâd never seen them even mussed let alone a complete mess before. One hand clutched at the bandage around their wrist, squeezing as they frowned and stared, seeming to scrutinize the tracks.
For one horrific second he thought they were going to jump. They kept cutting glances up and down the tracks and shifting their weight where they stood at the edge.
âBabe.â
They jumped and spun around too fast.
He closed the distance and caught their hands in both of his to tug them that one step forward, away from the edge.
They stared up at him, one eye blood-red where it should be white and their cheekbone bruised in dark purple clouds. Their jaw was scraped up like theyâd landed on the ground, matching their scabbed palms in his hands. âWhat are you doing?â David asked, trying so hard to keep his voice low and softâtrying not to growl or yell because of the fear that had built in his chest from the moment he heard their name on that call.
âOh,â they exhaled and their shoulders dropped. They looked down at themself and flushed. âSorry. Itâs been a bad night. I was mugged but itâs fine.â
They didnât know he knew about that. âIt doesnât look fine.â
They turned toward the tracks again. âI kicked my keys when he went for them and they went down there⌠If he got my keys he could be at my place and if he didnât, well, I need them.â Their voice was tinny, carefully logical but fragile in that desperation.
David nodded, still holding onto their hands and very gently drawing them another step away from the tracks. âIâll look.â
Babe exhaled hard and shook their head, wincing at a pain in their body and stopping short in the gesture. âDonât worry about it. Iâll find them. Youâve probably got someplace to be.â
David stared at them. Was it shock or did they really think he was just passing by? He folded their hands inside of his. This was the first time heâd ever touched Babe. Pack was very physical but David had never been good at building those relationships. With other wolves, it was easier. It was simpler. With the non-shifters in the pack, it had always been so much harder. He knew now that heâd made a mistake when he thought that was okayâthat he didnât need to build on those bonds as well. Babe was looking at him like a work associate being nice to them on a rough day. It was polite but unexpected and certainly unnecessary. They expected nothing from him.
âI donât have anywhere to be. I came here looking for you,â he said, their hand spasming in his.
They looked down at their joined hands for the first time, as if just now registering the contact. And then their eyes widened and their face shot up to seek his gaze again. Their words rushed out of them. âI didnât break covert.â
It was a gut punch.
They pulled their hands out of his and took a step back, chin pressing high as they tried to stand taller. âI would have let you know after⌠After I got home. I justâŚâ They looked over their shoulder at the tracks and their lost keys again, frowning.
David nodded. First problem first. He could do that.
He stepped around them and up to the edge of the platform, eyeing the shadows until he spotted the bundle of keys on a ring. He jumped down.
âBe careful!â Babe rushed to the edge.
David could hear the trains and knew exactly how long he had. He snagged the keys, pocketed them, and jumped back up onto the platform. He was just turning them toward the exit when Milo came down the steps, slowing and stopping at the sight of them.
âHey,â he said to Babe, gaze flicking over the state of them.
David heard the way the other wolfâs pulse quickened, the edges of rage tucked behind his teeth.
Babe sighed, shoulders drooping as they started up the stairs. âI guess this is a thing now.â
Milo frowned and turned to follow them. âHow was this not going to be?â
David shot him a warning look but Babe didnât wither under the badgering tone. They sighed again, a little groan of annoyance now. They were slow on the steps but neither shifter was going to rush them.
âI mean, I figured I could go home and clean up before it had to be public knowledge that I got mugged. Asher is going to beââ They stopped and swung around.
Both shifters stopped, arms out to stabilize them if they were falling over.
âDoes he know? Heâs going to panic and think I died.â
David blinked at the rush of words. He shook his head. âNot yet. I wanted to talk to you first.â He really just wanted to see themâto be able to tell his best friend that they were in one piece and breathing.
Babe sagged in relief, nodding, almost slumping into the railing with the weight of it. âGood. Good. Just, let me clean up and Iâll video call him. Thatâll be better.â
David wasnât sure it would be, but he nodded.
Babe started the upward march again. David had never realized how many fucking steps their were until he watched this human drag themself up each one. He could swear he could hear Miloâs teeth grinding on the effort not to pick them upâthe same as his.
âDo you know who it was?â David asked, trying to distract all of them while getting a little information.
âWhat?â
âThe biter,â Milo helped.
Babe jerked a little, free hand flying to the bandage on their wrist. âIâm not going to turn am I?â
Milo laughed.
David groaned. âNo. Asher really needs to take you to those classesâŚâ
They exhaled tired relief. âNever saw him before. He cornered me and tossed me around. Bit my wrist and then laughed. He wanted my stuff, my phone, my keys, and my wallet.â They swallowed, looking up at the last stretch of steps.
David squeezed his fists until his fingers popped to resist scooping them up.
They continued to walk. âBut my phone was busted from his initial attack and the keys Iâd kicked. The next train was coming in. He took all my cards though and saidâŚâ Babe stopped then they reached the sidewalk atop the steps. They took a deep breath.
âSaid what?â David asked.
They opened their eyes and looked at him, not seeming to know what he was talking about at first.
âWhat did the vampire say?â
A shudder rocked them when they remembered and it was like watching a person remember to be afraid. âOh.â
âBabe?â
They looked up the street toward their building. âHe said heâd see me later.â
Milo growled low in his chest and David felt relieved at the sound if only because it was the echo of the one he was holding back.
Babe looked at them both. âHe didnât mean it though, right? I mean, thatâs just something someone would say to scare. Thereâs no reason for him to bother with me again.â
David frowned. âYou donât need to worry about it.â
Babe nodded like he was agreeing with them, relieved and started down the sidewalk.
David tipped his head toward Milo, who hadnât moved a muscle. âFind him,â David growled. âGet Darlin to help you and hunt him down. I want him in pieces in a box by morning.â
Milo nodded once and was gone.
David joined Babe, close at their side but not quite touching, always ready to catch them or buffer anyone else out of their way. It was one of the longest walks of his life but they both sagged in relief when they reached their apartment door. For a second Babe thought theyâd lost their keys again, until David pulled them from his pocket and unlocked the door.
âYou donât have to stay,â they said when they were inside.
He shut and locked the door. The lock was just for them. Nothing was getting past him.
Babe let out a little laugh. âIâm going to clean up, okay? Iâll call Ash after that. Just⌠Just wait, okay?â
David nodded and stayed in the living room when they headed down the hall to their bathroom.
He kept his senses focused on their breathing, hearing it even through the shut door and the spray of the shower. It took everything he had not to move when they started crying. They needed that moment alone and he wasnât going to take it from them. He was going to pretend he hadnât listened, even if he was, even if he had to just in case they passed out.
He texted Angel to let them know that he had found Babe, everything was okay, but heâd be over at Asher and Babeâs for a while.
-
Babe tried not to cry. Really they did. It was stupid. It wouldnât help anything. Oh god but it had been such a bad night. Theyâd been so scared and then so embarrassed and now they were a mess and theyâd have to call Asher and heâd feel terrible and the whole pack knew and it was going to be a big deal and how could they even convince anyone it wasnât when their face looked like that!
They stripped down and bunched all their clothes into a tight ball, cramming them down into the trash and then tying off the plastic bag and throwing it into the corner. They felt like a mess. They felt out of control and like everyone was looking. It made their skin hurt.
They showered, trying not to wallow and take too long because they knew David would still be out there. Poor guy was stuck having to sit in their living room, thinking they were falling apart. If they could show him they were fine heâd probably feel okay to leave.
They cried some more in the shower, hoping to get the last of it out. They cleaned up, dressed in some soft sweats and a hoodie with long sleeves. Their palms throbbed, the scrapes deep and matching the ones on their jaw. It was going to look even worse tomorrow. And their eye⌠they could barely look at it, the white gone red.
When it was as good as it was going to get, they marched back down the hall to their living room. David wasnât there. Their heart lurched but just as soon as theyâd started to panic that they were all alone, they found him in the kitchen. He had the fridge open but had stopped to stare back at them. âI forgot that living with Ash, thereâs never any leftovers.â
They exhaled, letting some of the strain in their chest go with that breath. âYeah. I can make youââ
He shot them a look that was between outrage and shock. âIâll make us something. What do you want?â
âOh. You donât have to.â
âFrench toast, right?â
Babe stared at him, the sleeves of Asherâs hoodie bunched up in their palms, pressing into those scrapes. âWhat?â
âWhen we do pack get togethers overnight and make waffles or pancakes in the morning⌠Ash always asks for French toast,â he said as he pulled the eggs and milk out and then found a loaf of bread. âHe never used to ask for French toast. He has a whole thing about pancakes being superior to all other breakfast options. He started asking for French toast when you joined.â
Babe felt heat rush their face and something ease in their heart. They sank into one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter, nodding. âYeah.â They loved French toast.
David nodded and then took out of phone and waved it over his shoulder. âDo you want to call or do you want me to?â
Tears stung their eyes. It was stupid. Everything was fine and they just needed to let Ash know that.
They held out their hand and David passed them the phone.
It wasnât hard to find his number and it only rang a couple times before that voice theyâd been missing so much picked up.
âHey buddy. Whatâs up?â Asher sing-songed, thinking it was David calling.
He was on some trip to meet and get to know other packs on the continent, a gathering out in the wilderness to build relationships. Baby sighed.
The levity was gone from his voice. âBabe? What are you doing on Davidâs phone?â
How the hell were they supposed to say this? âEverything is okay. Everyone is okay. I just⌠My phone is broken.â True but not all of it. They closed their eyes. âI got mugged in the subway and my phone got broken. David had to walk me home.â Nope, not quite. âThere was a police report and I had to go to the hospital, but Iâm okay and I didnât break covert or anything.â
The pause seemed long even if it was only seconds. âOh Baabe,â he said so gently that their heart melted. âIâm so sorry. Youâre sure youâre okay? That must have been so scary.â
They exhaled so much relief, dropping their head forward onto their folded arm on the counter. Thank god he hadnât freaked out. They werenât sure they could handle that right now. They just wanted normal. âIt was but Iâm okay.â
âYouâre home now?â
They nodded and then remembered they had to actually say it. âYeah.â
âYouâre so fucking tough, Baabe. Iâll be there in the morning.â
They sat up, dragging a breath. âYou donât have toââ
âYou know Iâm coming home. Really, youâre giving me an excuse to do exactly what I want, which is to come back to you. So just hang tight, okay? Order delivery or something, sleep in, and Iâll be there when you wake up, okay?â
Babe hummed something close to a yes.
âDavidâs there?â
âYeah.â
âCan I talk to him? Iâll be home soon, okay? I love you so much, Baabe.â
âI love you too,â they said and then held out the phone.
David took it and held it to his ear.
-
David turned back toward the eggs.
âWho?â There was no smile or light-heartedness to Asherâs voice now.
âMiloâs on it.â
âHow bad is it?â
âNot bad.â He couldnât give him details without Babe overhearing. âIâll text you.â
âBroken bones?â
âNo,â he was fast to answer that.
âUnempowered?â
âNo.â
Asher growled.
âMiloâs on it,â David reminded. âIâll have it for you when you get here.â
âDavidâŚâ Asher started, human voice shuddering with the effort to stay in that form when probably his whole wolf was trying to shift out and run.
âAnything,â he said.
âJust⌠stay with them until I get there? Theyâre tough butâŚâ
David nodded. Heâd never intended to go anywhere. âWeâre making French toast. Weâll be here when you get back to town.â
Asher grunted and hung up. It wasnât like him to be short on words but David understood.
Babe had their head in their arms again. âYou donât have to stay,â they said as soon as he started cracking eggs. âIâm probably just going to sleep.â
âGreat. Then I can pick what weâre watching.â
Babe lifted their head and looked at him before relenting with a nod. âSure. Youâre a good friend. Asherâs lucky to have you,â they said, voice quiet with the soft compliment.
It made his chest swell but his brow pinch. âYouâre pack, Babe. Yes, youâre Asherâs mate, but youâre also pack.â He sighed. âYou should have called me from the hospital, not because this was some sort of trouble you needed to report but because you needed help.â
âI didnât.â
âYou could have used help,â he reworded for them and felt the echo of his words in words spoken to him by Asher in the past. âYou could have called any of us. You donât have to call me if you donât want to, but Milo orââ
âMy phone was broken.â
âThere are phones in the hospital. You know you could have called⌠and I know why you didnât. But you donât need to need us to call us. Itâs okay to just want us to show up.â
They pressed their lips, thinking about it.
He cracked another egg. âAnd stop worrying about covert.â
They looked up. âBut you worry about covertââ
âYeah. Itâs my job to worry about it on behalf of the pack. You donât need to give a shit about it. When someone hurts you, all bets are off, and I will handle everything else.â
Babe blinked at him and then finally asked. âThe vampire isnât going to come back for me, is he?â
David huffed, looking for the cinnamon on the shelf. âNo. You donât ever need to worry about that.â
Babe sighed and nodded. âThanks.â
âAny time.â















