Wolf pack hybrids 141 with a bunny medic/emotional supporter. (Random blurb, maybe I'll write something longer for it)
Cuddles to regulate them after Ops. Medication that only you can convince them to take and make sure they are eating enough food. With something softer around, it lets them heal faster and take better care of themselves.
After one deployment, Price goes to seek out the little bunny for a long cuddle, but he recoils when he hugs the bunny.
"What are you wearing!?" He snarls, nose scrunched as he drops his ears a little. He sees your nose twitching anxiously, feeling bad for startling you, but leaning in to smell you again.
"What am I wearing? I got a new body oil." You manage quietly, squeaking when Soaps nose finds your neck, breathing in deep.
He snarls, nipping your neck and making you whine as the rest of the pack descends on you with wild sniffing and snarls.
You're not allowed to just change your signature scent on the pack like that, and since you don't smell right, they spend 45 minutes nuzzling, petting, scenting, and nipping you, until you smell like them again.
John bulk orders you the correct body oil after that.
You didn't want to come out from under your bed. Even though the room looked nice, and you hadn't been hurt by the farmer bringing you in, what if he was going to fatten you up for stew? That's what the other bunnies whispered would happen to anyone caught in a farmers garden patch. You also didn't want to come out because you could smell dogs.
Dog hybrids... The other farm hands you'd occasionally spied laying the traps they thought would catch you. You thump your foot in frustration at yourself for getting caught, freezing suddenly when you hear your bedroom door open. The dog smell is even stronger now as two sets of boots appear beside your bed.
"Johnny! John told us to leave em alone for now!" You hear a man's voice scold. British, like Price, but a bit softer.
"Aye, but I've never seen a bunny hybrid up close!" A scottish man whines. Johnny, you assume. "Little bunny? I snuck you some bell peppers. Notice that you like those best." Johnny kneels beside your bed and places down a few slices of bell pepper. You could smell the perfectly ripe vegetables just a foot away from your nose, but you could also smell the two dogs.
"Johnny, leave em alone." The other man huffs, yipping when Johnny nips his ear. "Hey! Do you think that's gonna make them come out?" You could hear a small scuffle breaking out between the two of the dogs, yipping and huffing at each other. You carefully crawl forward, snagging the precious pepper slices in your hands and nibbling away at your treat. You hadn't gotten any cabbage that morning, so you were quite hungry.
"Hey! There you are, bunny!" You squeak nervously when you look up, almost face to face with a grinning Border Collie mix. He had a Mohawk and a tail that was going a mile a minute. "Aww, you're just as cute as I imagined! If you come out more, I'll give you more." Johnny coaxes, showing you the container of pepper slices.
Your nose twitches nervously, wondering if it was worth the risk, but your rumbling stomach decides for you. You slowly crawl out from under the bed, reaching eagerly for the container.
Johnny hands it over, reaching for your ears, which makes you bat him away. "No!! And my name isn't bunny. It's Y/N!" You huff as you nibble away at your breakfast. Johnny pouts at you, making Kyle chuckle at him. Kyle looked like a Burmese Moutain dog, his tail wagging happily as he looked at you.
"You'll have to forgive Johnny. He hates when his herd isn't together." Kyle shrugs, not missing the way you're scrunch your nose a little. Before you can say anything, Price knocks on the door and gives the two a disapproving stare.
"I told you two to wait. You could've spooked em." John scolds, ushering both dogs out of the room. "I see Johnny gave you a snack, huh? Do you eat eggs and toast, too?" John asks as he holds up a plate. You tilt your head at him, sniffing at the plate curiously as he brings it to you. "Johnny didn't pounce on ya, did he? He and Simon get excited around cute little things like you."
You feel your face flush at his words, shaking your head a little as you grab the slice of toast and start nibbling away. "That's good. The other one is Kyle. He's a sweetheart, mostly. When he's in a rut, he can be a little much. You'll be good here, bunny."
"Y/N." You insist, chewing at the hard crust of the bread. You liked that part a lot. John smiles and shakes his head fondly. "I'll be good here for what?" You ask, crossing your arms defensively.
"Well, for companionship, for fruit and vegetable quality checks, and for helping my men during their ruts." Your eyes widen at the last part, shocked by his casual tone. "Oh, don't worry, Y/N, we're gonna take good care of you here, okay?" John coos as he pinches your cheek and points to your eggs. "Try those, and I'll pick out an outfit for you." Price smiles at you and stands up to open your closet.
Because of your standing in front of the camera habit, Price was able to figure out what size clothes you'd likely need when he finally got his hands on you. He picks out a pair of soft panties, and a baby doll dress. Sure, he could pick something more appropriate, but you were too cute for even him to resist.
The toast and eggs were good. It was more filling in your stomach than what you were used to, watching Price as he picked out your clothes. "Can you stand up for me, bunny?" Price coos at you, ignoring the scowl on your face at the nickname. You realize you should feel grateful that Price wasn't going to eat you. Maybe he would if you gave him a hard time, so you sigh and get to your feet. Price carefully gets you dressed.
"Is this soft enough? I've read about bunny hybrids having sensitive skin." Price asks sincerely as he gently adjusts the dress so your tail pokes out.
"Did you order them just for me?" You whisper, rubbing your palms over the soft material. "Are you going to make me into bunny stew?" John's eyes widen in surprise, gently gripping your shoulders so he can look you in the eye.
"What!? Bunny stew? I'm not going to kill and eat you, Y/N." Price says sincerely as he places a small kiss on your forehead. "Now, I should introduce you to Simon. He's been excited to meet you."
Simon is going to be an Anatolian Shepherd hybrid. Big doggie, all of em are big puppies, but they have needs too. It's like payback for all the veggies stolen
Summary: Pack 141 now has a new pack member, and none of thm quite know how to handle it. You know what your job is, and you will not be detered from doing it. You know how to handle the trauma and neglect oozing off of them, but does the team know how to let you in?
Laswell takes you around base, which is smaller than you expected, but it made sense. Specialized task force, fewer people to train, and more space for them to be a pack. It was a sizeable living space, but it was horribly bright, without any proper comfort items. Nothing cozy, warm, or familiar. Your stomach twists a little at the sight.
"Tell me about the team. I may not have worked with wolf hybrids before, but I know that's not typical behavior." You ask as Laswell leads you to the kitchen. It was a perfect size, but everything was unused... and dusty. "Don't tell me there isn't anyone cooking meals here... You have wolf hybrids on base, but no cook?!"
Laswell holds up her hands defensively, ears lowering when you fix her with a dark glare. "This is why I needed a caregiver so urgently. That's why I asked for you. You know how to bond with traumatized hybrids. This is a trauma filled team who have negleted their instincts." Laswell says, watching as you thump your foot a few times.
"They can't..." You're foot thumps hard on the floor one final time, and you take in a deep breath. "I'm going to take care of them, Laswell. If they've been this long ignoring their instincts, I know exactly what I need to do."
Laswell warned you that Ghost would likely be the hardest to care for, the most guarded it seemed, and you didn't believe in saving the worst for last. You knock at his barrack door, waiting for a few moments and hearing him shuffling around inside.
"Ghost, I will not go away, but I am not going to barge into your room. You can not avoid taking your medication. If you try, you'll learn first hand that I can out wait you." You advised, opening up the bag of jerky.
The door knob twists and the door creaks open, Simons eyes peering out at you. No, not at you, the bag of jerky.
Gotcha.
"Hello, Ghost. I have two vitamins, an allergy pill, and your anxiety medication." You began holding up the small cup with the pills. "I promise, for each pill you take, I will give you a piece of jerky. Sound good?" You prompted and Ghost out right snarls at you.
"That doesn't scare me. You do that again, you'll get no jerky for a week."
The sharpness in your tone caught Ghost off guard. It was just as aggressive, as gutteral as his snarl had been, and it startled him. How could a bunny startle him? His ears drop, eyes wide as he opens his door all the way. You said nothing, firmly holding his gaze as you extended the pill cup and a small cup of water.
Ghost holds back what feels like a whimper. He doesn't whimper and takes the two cups, downing the pills and then the water.
Click "Good boy."
Ghost sputters on the last of his water, glaring at you and opening his mouth to yell at you, or maybe snarl again, but he stops short. A piece of jerky was held out between your fingers, and when he looked back up at you, you were genuinely smiling at him.
"Go on, hun. You took your meds, and now you get your treat." You prod gently, testing the waters of praise that Ghost would allow.
"I don't need treats." Ghost grunts, but he eats the treat right from your hand, nipping your fingers a little as he does.
Click.
This was going to be much easier than you thought.
Hungry.... That didn't even begin to cover how Gaz felt. He was starving. The jerky from Y/N after his medication had sparked something, a deep hunger that he'd gotten really good at ignoring over the years. Soilders get hungry sometimes. That's part of the job.
But now he's pacing outside of the locked kitchen, pressing and clawing slightly at the door every so often like that would grant him access inside. Someone was in there, cooking something, and he was hungry.
Gaz whines, the noise shocking him in the quiet empty hallway, and immediately backing up from the kitchen door. What the fuck was wrong with him?
Before he could dwell on the question too long, the kitchen door swings open, and there you stand, obviously concerned. "Gaz? Was that you?" You question, Gaz looking behind you into the kitchen, eagerly sniffing the air.
Your heart breaks at how hungry he looks, practically drooling on himself and looking down at you guiltily. "I-I'm really, really hungry." Gaz admits after a moment, tucking his tail just slightly.
"Well, that's good, it's almost dinner time." You say, grabbing two pieces of jerky from your bag. "Can you go tell everyone while I plate everything up? Here's a little snack while you walk." Gaz eagerly perks at that, tail wagging a little as he takes the pieces of jerky.
"Thank you! I will." He assures, unconcously sniffing, than licking your hand before he heads down the hall toward Price's office first. Click. His ears perk at the sound, and he turns to look back at you, his actions catching up with him.
"Go on, hun." You encourage, and Gaz blushes slightly before beginning to walk again. Maybe there were drugs in the jerky because Gaz has never fed into his instincts like that since... well, since he was a puppy.
He finishes the last of his treat and licks his lips, stomach growling loudly again. He'd figure out how he felt about this after he had dinner.
I can not believe the overwheming support that this story got, and I hope you guys enjoy this part as much as the first one. I can't wait to get deeper into this fic and have our bunny become a stable support for our boys. I'll start working on part 3 soon
Summary: You've made strides with the team in the short 2 months you've been with them. All except Price. While he appreciates your presence and accepts your meals and advice, he will not accept your comfort. It's starting to take a toll on him that only you can really pick up on, and now it's time to order around the captain.
"Price said he wants to have dinner in his office." Kyle states when you ask where he is, taking his plate from your hands eagerly. You keep yourself from thumping your foot, and take a deep breath.
"Okay... I'll bring him a plate real quick. You boys eat up." You encourage, knowing that if you didn't say something; they would sit at the table waiting until you sat and ate with them. You load up a plate, fill up a glass of water, and pile it onto a tray, carrying it the short distance to Price's office and carefully knocking on the door. "It's me, I've got food." You call to him.
"Come in." Price grunts, and when you open up the door, you're half ready to drag him to bed. It's clear he'd been sitting at the desk for hours. He had deep eye bags, his back hunched over the computer, and an angry furrow in his brows. He was not a well-fed, well-rested wolf, and that was upsetting your instincts.
"Here you go, hun." You soften up your tone as you set the tray down and put a hand over the computers keyboard. He looks up at you, his nose scrunched like he was about to snarl, but he decided against it. "I expect a clean plate and an empty cup when I come back. After dinner, you have one more hour of work before I come and get you."
"Get me? For what?" He snaps back at you, his exhaustion making him snappy and annoyed. You smile down at him and carefully raise a hand to rest on his head.
"For a shower, a cuddle, and a good night's sleep. You fight me on it, and I'll show you why they trusted me with this team. I may be a foot shorter than you, but I can carry you." You warn and gently, you scratch beind his ears. "You're a very hard worker, Captain. I really admire that about you. But if you keep working like this, one day your body will take a break for you. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen."
You didn't know if it was the scratching behind the ears or the gentle tone you affectionately warned him with; but Price wags his tail softly and nods along to your words.
"Fine. I'll eat." He grumbles after a moment, his tail going still once he realized he was wagging it. You smile wider and nod, heading for the door. You knew that when you came back to bring him to bed, he would fight you, but that was a problem for later.
"Kyle, two cookies only! You'll get sick if you eat too many." You scold as you slide the plate of cookies back from Kyle's eager hands. "Wait a second for your stomach to settle, okay?" You sooth, noticing the wide puppy eyes he gave you. "Johnny, time for your antibiotics and pain killers."
You turn just in time to see Johnny trying to sneak out of the kitchen, a long whine leaving his lips. "No! I hate the painkillers! My shoulder feels fine." Johnny protests, yipping when Simon grabs him gently to keep him from leaving. "Si! Come on, that's not fair!"
"Johnny, I know the painkillers are annoying, but you've still got healing to do. I let you go without them one time, and your shoulder kept you up all night." You get the two pills Johnny needs, bringing them over to the pouting scottish man. "Take them, and I'll get you another cookie."
"Fine."
Price groans as he stretches his arms above his head, back cracking just enough to make the ache go away. He knew you were on your way back to his office, and his tail thrashed slightly.
He appreciates what you do for his team, but he doesn't need that level of care. That level of vulnerability made him nervous. You knock on his door, not bothering to wait for an answer before you enter. "I'm not done working."
"You are for today." You say simply as you walk over to his desk. "All of your stuff saved and backed up?" You ask casually, your nose twitching almost anxiously. Price couldn't put his finger on why, glancing at his laptop and nodding. "Good!" You slam the laptop shut and step back from the desk.
"Hey!" He shoots to his feet, and you rush out of the office at lightning speed. He's hot on your heels, chasing you through the base, outside, then back inside, barking and nipping his teeth at you anytime he gets close. You were laughing, laughing!! And it spurs Price to run even faster.
You round a corner, shoes slipping on the floor and giving Price just enough time to catch up with you and tackle you to the ground. He doesn't hurt you, always aware of his strength, but he lets out a victorious bark as he pins you to the floor.
"Gotcha!" He snarls playfully, nipping his teeth in your face. You beam up at him, chuckling softly between panting breaths.
"Good job. And look, we're right at your barrack door." You smirk, looking to your left. Price scrunched his face, looking up to see that you were right. You hadn't slipped at all. You had planned your own take down.
"You..." He stares back down at you with wide eyes. "You tricked me!"
"Yes, I did. And I made you have fun at the same time." You explain softly, and Price finally let's up on pinning you down. "Now, it's bedtime." You say, hopping up to your feet and watching Price stand up. Price scrunched his nose at you, but he had to accept defeat, looking at the door than back at you.
"Will you stay?"
That surprised you a little, your ears perking up at the idea of the team captain finally allowing himself to rest.
"Of course I will. Come on. Let's get you ready for bed." You pick out his sleep clothes while he showers and wait until he gets back to go change into yours. You make sure not to take too long, Price hasn't had a full night's sleep in God knows how long.
When you get back to his barrack, he's sitting up in his bed, eyes watching the door for you to come back. The moment he sees you, his wagging tail gets just a bit faster. You smile fondly as you walk into the room.
"Hun, you could've laid down while you - WOAH!" The moment you were close enough, Price scoops you up and rolls over in his bed, snuggling you to his chest. You wiggle slightly to get comfortable, giggling like mad when Price sniffs your ears and nuzzles them. "Well, okay then." You giggle, getting comfortable as he pulls you closer.
The room falls into a peaceful silence. You wonder after a few minutes if Price has fallen asleep, when he gently nuzzles your ear again.
"Sorry for fighting you so much." He whispers into the darkness, his forehead resting on your shoulder.
"You don't need to be sorry, hun. I'll be here, no matter how much you snap your teeth at me." You assure, patting his arm and giving it a squeeze. "Go to sleep, now. It's time for you to rest." You whisper, and Price nods.
You smile to yourself, waiting until his breath evens and his snoring begins. You knew with time, you'd be able to get the team to rest more, to cuddle more, and to play more without having to trick or coax them. For now, though, you let your eyes shut and drift to sleep, knowing that tonight each of your men was well looked after.
If you saw this chapter go up earlier and then disappear, I'm sorry!!! Sometimes, when I edit a draft, it changes to publish before I can notice, and then it publishes. Sorrryyyy I hope yall enjoyed
"I'm getting fucked by everything but a dick right now."
Kyle chokes on his beer, laughing a little at the pure dejected nature of your tone. Your head shot up, bobbling slightly from the liquor in your veins. "Oh, you wanna laugh at my misfortune!?"
Kyle pats your back with a small chuckle as he calms himself down. "Listen, it just caught me off guard, okay?" He assures as he gives your shoulder a squeeze. "I think you might've had too much to drink." Kyle slips your drink away from you, making you huff at him as he helps you off the bar stool.
"Gonna take Y/N back to base?" Simon asks, quirking his eyebrow playfully at Kyle. It went unnoticed by you, but Kyle rolls his eyes while carefully adjusting his grip on you.
"We'll see you guys tomorrow." With that, Kyle guides you out of the bar and back to base. "How long has it been since you've had sex?" Kyle probes, ready to use your liqoured loosened lips to get some information out of you.
"Dude, like two years!" You groan, throwing your head back dramatically. "I'm getting raw dogged by depression, anxiety, and pain flare-ups, but you know what I haven't gotten?? A good dicking down." You huff, getting a dopey smile when you see your barrack door. "Oh fuck, I want to go to sleep right now."
"You can't sleep in your boots." The moment Kyle let's you go, you're flopping onto your bed, lifting your legs up lazily. "Oh, I've got to take them off?" He groans dramatically, though he's already unlacing your boots. Once that's done, you drag yourself further up the bed and lazily strip yourself down to your underwear.
Kyle feels his face flush slightly, the idea of fucking you good the way you'd been needing it still fresh on his mind as he watches you. He looks away quickly, clearing his throat slightly as he heads for the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Y/N. If you want someone to fuck you, than you know where to find me when you sober up." He calls over his shoulder, seeing you lift your head out of the corner of his eye. He leaves quickly before his tipsy brain can convince him to stay. He knew you weren't drunk enough to forget this evening, wondering how long it would take before you took him up on his offer.
Kyle knew he should've just asked you the next day if you wanted to fuck. Johnny's horny ass was practically pounding at your barrack door the next morning, grinning as he leaned on your door frame.
"So, do you need someone to give you a good romp in the sheets?" He asks, leaning down into your face with a grin. You reel back, immediately smacking his face away from yours with a small gag.
"Your breath reeks! Dude, if I'm going to fuck you, I'm not doing it hungover." You groan as you clutch your head, massaging your temples. Johnny pouts at you, weasling he way into your bedroom so he could guide you towards your bed.
"I heard that getting eaten out helps relieve hangovers!" You thank him for his suggestion by puking on his boots and ducking into your bathroom to hurl again. Johnny wasn't going to be swayed by a little puke, helping clean the puddle on your floor and his boots before going to fetch you some food from the mess hall.
You flop down in your bed again, replaying what Kyle had said when he left your room and groaning. Of course, you just had to tell your whole team how badly you've been wanting to have sex. You hear your bedroom door opening, head popping up off your pillows to thank Johnny for the food when you freeze.
Price stood in the doorway, grinning at you a little as he leaned into the room a bit. "Too hungover for some fun, huh?" He asks, raising his eyebrows at you. You feel your face flush hot, dropping your head back into your pillows.
"Oh fuck me!" You groan, wrapping the pillow around your head.
"When you feel better, I will." He promises, leaving you to nurse your aching skull.
@konigs-lover posted about this and of course I wanted to write about it. And of course I wrote too much so I'm going to make a part two soon! I need to write some Creature comfort, and my other series though... Sorrryyyy
Summary: Simon still has problems with food, being comforted, and being around you. You aren't a bad person, and you take care of everyone so well. He isn't sure why that makes him feel so uncomfortable around you. Cw: light mentions of disordered eating patterns: both binging and starving.
Simon has a complicated relationship with comfort. He has a complicated relationship with how you make him feel. You hadn't done anything wrong, never overstepped, or pressured him. For some reason, that is what made his hackles raise.
The way you made his puppy instincts rise, it scared him. There weren't many good memories tied to him when he was a young pup. He knew you were different. He could feel it in the way you sat silently with him, never pressing for some conversation to break the noise. The way you let Johnny groom your ears when he was restless during healing and needed to look after someone and not be looked after.
You showed up for them, and without even asking, settled exactly where they needed you to slowly get them to take care of themselves.
Simon still kept his tail from wagging too hard, still trained a little too long, ate too little, and slept only the "needed" amount. There was a part of him pressing you, testing you. Leaving food on his plate to see if you'd snap at him for being ungrateful or refusing to stop working out for the day after a two hour session.
But you didn't snap at him, and you continued to wait for him without demanding any change. That terrified him.
"Simon, can you help me make dinner tonight?"
Simon looks up from his desk, tail wagging slightly at the question. One of the things you two had been able to bond over was cooking. You knew a lot about nutrition and about how to feed people, and Simon had his.... issues with food.
It was better living on base and with his mates, but he'd never learned how to properly feed himself. He ate too much, or too little. He would binge for a whole night and then starve himself for a week as punishment.
Kyle, John, and Johnny were able to help him with this, at least a little. Before you, none of them had a good relationship with food. He didn't respond to your question out loud, just standing up from his desk and following after you to the kitchen. Through you, he was learning how to cook, and how to eat. He never passed up on that.
The only time the two of you spoke was to talk about cooking. Passing seasoning, explaining cooking temperatures, and knife techniques for the thinnest onions. You showed him how to slice potatoes on the mandolin, warning him not to nic his fingers, and began seasoning some steaks.
Cheeses sat on the counter, ready to be grated for cheese sauce, and Brussel sprouts were cooking in the oven. "What are we making?" Simon asks after a few potatoes have been cut nice and thin and placed into a bowl of cold water.
"Steak, Brussel sprouts, and scallop potatoes. My mom made this recipe when it started to get cold out. The potatoes, I mean. I eat meat every now and then, just not my favorite." You explain and give him a small smile. "Do you know how to make cheese sauce?" Simon shakes his head no. "Oh, perfect, I can teach you!"
You got out two graters, getting the potatoes on some towels to dry while you and Simon shredded the cheese. Simon felt that strange stir in his gut. Anxiety and appreciation. You never questioned why he didn't know certain foods or ridicule him for not knowing the basics of cooking temperatures. You simply taught him. It felt safe. Simon wasn't used to safe.
"Si, take a deep breath." He blinks down at you, eyes wide and ears twitching nervously. "You're holding your breath. Breath." You pat his chest firmly, and he takes a deep inhale, shoulders slumping down when he sighs. "What are you feeling right now?"
"Nervous. You make me nervous." Simon admits quietly, taking another deep breath when you tap his chest again. Your brow furrows a second, then smooths over.
"I understand. Am I overstepping at all?" You pull your hand back from his chest, but he grasps your wrist and gently moves it back. He shakes his head no. "Okay. That's good... Simon, you are safe to feel that way around me. You are safe with me in general, okay? Shit." You place a hand on his shoulder and turn him to face you. "That's what's making you nervous, isn't it?"
"I think so. I don't know. I keep waiting for you to snap at me. To get angry or annoyed with me." He clears his throat and lowers his eyes from yours. "Sometimes I think you're irritated at having to deal with me. I'm not as easy to get along with."
"I really wish you wouldn't think of me that way, Simon." His eyes snap to yours again, finding that you looked genuinely hurt by his words. "I wish you wouldn't think of yourself like that either. I think about how when I cook with you, I get to teach you things I learned the hard way. Or how I can cook in silence with you, that's really relaxing sometimes. To know I'm not going to have to talk, that we can just work side by side." You were surprised to feel a lump building in your throat, blinking away some tears as Simon squeezes your wrist softly.
"I didn't know you thought like that." He admits quietly, ears lowering and tail wagging softly.
"I care about you, Simon!" You were grinning just slightly, grabbing his arms and playfully shaking him. "You are more than what your negative thoughts tell you!" You insist, taking a deep breath to calm yourself down. "I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner, but I really want to help you whenever you feel like this. You are hurting yourself by thinking so badly about yourself."
Simon lowers his head, resting his chin on top of your head and taking in a slow, deep breath. "Thank you, Y/N." He murmurs, nuzzling the top of your head with his nose.
"Thank you, Simon." You give his arms a squeeze, pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles and inspecting his fingertips for any cuts. "Good job not cutting your fingers. I've sliced myself a few times on the mandolin before." You chuckle, taking the bowl of grated cheese toward the stove. "Now it's time to fold in the cheese."
Dinner was fantastic. Simon was wagging his tail happily, maybe not at full speed, but he wasn't holding himself back as much. Conversations flow smoothly, as Price brings up a team deployment coming up in a week. You know you shouldn't, but you still feel anxious that when they leave, your progress will be undone.
Simon notices the way you tap your foot anxiously, and your nose twitches a little. So he offers to help clean the kitchen with you after dinner.
"You going to be okay when we leave?" He probes as he drys off a plate you handed him.
"Yeah, I'll be worried about you all, but I'm pretty good at making a routine." You answer honestly. "Just be careful out there."
"We will. We always will." Simon promises making you smile at him, nudging him playfully.
"Good. Now, since you helped me, you get to have the first slice of the cheesecake in the fridge." You announce, shutting off the sink and heading to the fridge.
"Do you make desserts to bribe us to take out pills?" He teases, and you turn to him with a half guilty face.
"I couldn't bring my dehydrator with me, and I'm all out of jerky, so... yeah." You admit with a shrug as you set down the cake and got down some plates.
Simon made a mental note to ask Price about buying you one, standing to happily accept the giant slice of cheesecake you served him. Cake first, dehydrator request later.
I feel like Simon would have a very hard time accepting love. The feeling of safety of someone who genuinely does not want to hurt him isn't familiar. This is giving very much: "I can fix him, but I'm gonna meet him where his at." At least I hope it does
Summary: It's dinner time, and you join the team for the meal. Well fed wolves are ones that sleep well after all. While everyone gets to know each other, a broken glass, and spilled food causes you to step up and prove your caretaker abilities.
Even Price couldn't keep his tail from wagging as you set down the plates of food. You didn't have much. You'd be getting food for the base tomorrow, but you knew how to make something out of nothing.
Creamy pasta, with grilled chicken chopped on top and green beans. It was a simple meal, but something too heavy right away could make them sick. "Don't eat too fast, okay? There's plenty more food, so no picking off one another's plates." You explain as you take your seat at the table.
They dug in right away, cutlery abandoned in favor of scooping up food with their hands. You knew plenty of hybrids who liked to eat this way, smiling a little to yourself.
That's it... eat up, pups. You poor things.
You took a few bites of your own food, mentally patting yourself on the back for such a good meal with so little supplies. "So, we're your first wolf pack?"
Prices' voice pulled you from your thoughts, looking up at him, you nodded. "Yes, first wolf pack, but I've worked with many different hybrids. My last team had two foxes, a rattlesnake and a bald eagle." You recalled fondly, taking another bite of food.
"So, you got a clicker just for us? Cause we're dogs?" Soap pipes up next, a slight anger in his voice. Your nose twitches at that, but you can't blame him for being defensive. Hybrids hating other hybrids wasn't uncommon.
"Clicker training has been effective for almost every hybrid team I've been a part of. After years of denying instincts, there's a fear, guilt, or shame that often shows up anytime someone begins to accept that part of themselves. Worse when they express it." You explain thoroughly, gearing up for a slight monolog. You couldn't help it. Helping others was your passion.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but can I please get some more food?" Gaz had practically licked his plate clean. No, he had licked his plate clean, his chin messy and plate clutched in his hands.
You grin, wider than you had since you got to base and almost jumped out of your chair. "Of course! Yes, you can have more. Does anyone else need some?" You ask as you take the plate from him and turn to the table. Ghost silently lifts his empty plate, his tail wagging just slightly. "Magic word?" You tease, already taking his plate from him.
"Give me." He grunts, and you let out a genuine laugh, walking into the kitchen and piling more food onto the two plates. By the time you came back, Price and Soap offered up their plates with a quiet 'please', and you happily filled their plates as well.
"So why a clicker?" Gaz asks when you settle back into your seat, already halfway through his second serving.
"It's positive assosiation. It's not just the clicker. It's what comes with the click. A treat and praise. It is animal conditioning, but we are animals. Neglecting that makes you sick." You explain enthuseastically, your tail wagging slightly as you did.
"You really like what you do." Price observes, and while you could be imagining it, it sounds like there is admiration in his tone. You're about to agree when Ghost's plate slips from between his fingers. It hits the side of the table, slamming into the floor and shattering.
The room goes quiet, and Ghost goes completely stiff, his head bowed and ears lowered. His body ripples slightly, muscles tense as he gets ready to fight or flight.
"Ghost, it's okay -" Soap reaches for him, and Ghost flinches back, scrambling off his chair and backing up to the wall. He presses his back against the solid matierial, crouching down and ducking down on himself.
"Ghost? What's going on?" Price asks, standing from the table and beginning to approach.
Ghost whines.
The noise sends you too you're feet and you know that even though you are new to this pack, you have to do your job.
"Price, Sir, I need you guys to leave the room." You begin softly, getting Price's attention. His ears flatten back, bristling at your suggestion. "This is why I am here. I have to do this, but I need to do this alone." You insist as you walk to him and place a hand on his shoulder.
"Please let me take care of him." You plead, Price looking at Ghost, who was now laying in a full submission pose. He looks back at you and nods solemnly.
"Let's go." He orders Soap and Gaz, who look ready to argue with him, with you. This was their pack mate, their partner, not yours! But Ghost whines again, and they stand, leaving the kitchen with Price in tow.
You walk behind them to shut the door, locking eyes with Price and giving him a single nod. "I will take care of him, Sir." You promise, and with that, you shut the door.
Now, it was just you, and a very scared wolf hybrid that needed to be soothed.
Yes I am leaving it on a cliff hanger, and yes I have chapter 4 in the works. I also am going to start working on Itsy Bitys chapter 2 soon. I have so many drafts right now because my brain keeps chugging full of ideas. I hope you guys enjoy and thank everyone who asked to be added to the tag list! I hope you enjoy!
Summary: Even though your insticts are screaming to fully dive into caring for him, but Ghost needs patience, and a slow approach. Caretaking means adapting, and you learn how to calm him down. While Ghost may not be opening up complete anytime soon, you two manage to establish a new level of trust.
You want to hold him.
Every part of you is begging to hold him, soothe him, but you know that would do more damage in this moment. You take a slow, deep breath, heading to the kitchen to grab an ice pack wrapped in a dish towel.
You put a kettle of full water on the stove on very low heat. Judging by the 10 different types of tea compared to the two bags of coffee, tea was the way to go. Heading back to the dining room, Ghost hasn't moved, laid on his back with his stomach showing, and neck bared. His body trembles slightly, ears pulled back tight and tail tucked between his legs.
Ghost isn't going to be soothed by traditional means, not yet. Something deep in your gut tells you that he needs firm direction, not soft cooing and petting. You get closer, but stop about three feet away from him, sitting down on the floor.
"Ghost, stop submitting. You aren't in trouble. Sit up, please." You kept your voice firm, buy unable to stop yourself from trying to be gentle. Ghost eyes flick to yours, whining slightly as he slowly sits up, his legs still pressed to his chest as he watches you with wide eyes. "I have an ice pack. When I give it to you, put it under your shirt and against your chest."
You explain, moving closer to him but approaching from the side. If Ghost wanted to get up and run out of the room, he was free to do so. The last thing you wanted to do was block his exit and make him feel trapped. Ghost stares back at you as you offer the ice pack, not moving to take it, so you very tentively set it down in his lap.
"Under your shirt. It will help calm you down." You explain and move your hands back. You aren't sure if you could touch him yet. You want to pet his head or take off his mask that's getting wet under the eyes from big tears that silently fell from his eyes. It was still raised just over his nose, his chin still messy from licking his plate.
This wolf man was easily 3 times your size, and you read about what this task force did. You knew how strong, skilled, and ruthless this man could be. But all you saw at that moment was a scared little pup.
Your chest aches as he takes the ice pack, obediently sliding it under his shirt and pressing it against his skin. You nod in approval. "That's it, hun. I have a kettle on the stove, I don't want you to be caught off guard if it whistles." You explain to him, talking would hopefully draw him out of his panic, and you wanted him to be aware of his surroundings.
Ghost looks at the mess on the floor and then back at you, his chest hitching with a sob he refused to release. You take a deep breath, carefully reaching forward and stroking the top of his head. "Ghost, im gonna take off your mask, if that's okay with you. I want to clean up your face." You offer tentively, Ghost leaning into your touch just slightly.
He nods once, quickly, and you gently peel up the mask and take it off, being careful with his ears. "There we go." You hum softly, setting the mask within reach and taking a handkerchief out of your back pocket. You always carried one for wiping tears, snot, or blood away. "Can I wipe your face, hun? I'll be gentle." You offer, taking in his face.
He was cute, those wide blue eyes even softer, almost rounder, without the mask, a scar across his nose and one that dragged from his right temple, down to mid cheek. A surge of protection filled you, but you kept your hands in your lap until he nodded again. One quick movement, but it was the permission you needed to begin carefully wiping his face.
"I-I made a mess. I'm sorry. I'll clean it, I'll buy more plates, I didn't mean-"
"Shh." Ghost falls silent, whining at you as he curls his tail around himself. "I'm not mad, hun. Do you know what happens when we make a mess?" You gently brushed your knuckles over his now dry cheek, watching him lean into the touch just slightly. "We clean it up. That's all. Tomorrow, I'm going to the store, and I could buy so many plates there."
You opened up your hand, placing your palm against his cheek to hold his face still as you wiped his nose. Some would think that you were treating him like a 3 year old, wiping up a grown man's face and talking to him like a spooked fawn. But it was working, Ghost letting his head rest fully into your hands. His eyes, red rimmed but free of tears, never looked away from yours, hanging onto every word like it was gospel.
"Plates are replaceable. You hear me? I can buy a million new plates, but I could never find another you. And I don't think your team could either." You fixed him with a soft smile, stroking under his eye with your thumb. "The water should be hot enough now. Come with me, and I'll get you the broom and dust pan."
Ghost nods along to your words, slowly standing up when you do and taking the ice pack from under his shirt. You gently take it from his hands, noting to ask him if it had helped ground him later. You guide him to the kitchen, opening up the small cleaning supplies closet and handing him the broom and dust pan.
"I can wipe up the food mess after you sweep up." You explain, your voice going a little softer than before. Ghost nods, and heads back to the dining room. His ears were up again, not perked, but at least they weren't pinned, and his tail was no longer tucked.
Small victories.
After shutting off the stove, you grab two mugs, getting down a few boxes of tea. There were a lot of options and you weren't sure what he would like. When he came back and dumped the plate and food into the trash can, you slide over the mug.
"I wasn't sure what kind you wanted. I'll go clean up the rest." Your team leaves no room for argument. You put up the broom and grab the swiffer, sneezing when dust shakes off of it. "Oh this place is going to need a nice deep clean." You chuckle as youu head to the dining room and Ghost lets out a small chuckle.
Once everything was clean, and you both had a cup of tea, you settle on the counter as you sipped away at your herbal tea. Ghost stood close to you, his tail slightly wagging. He wasn't leaning on you, just standing close enough that some would feel uncomfortable.
But you didn't. You knew that Ghost wasn't ready for a hug, he wasn't ready for you to groom his hair and ears, or to kiss his forehead. But he was ready to seek some comfort in you, being in your space.
"Would you like to come to the store with me tomorrow? I'll need help picking out food." You offer, watching as his nose twitches, sniffing you curiously. He looks at you, nodding a little at you. "Drink your tea hun. Than we're gonna clean up from dinner."
"It's been 30 minutes, we need to check on him!" Soap was pacing in the living room. He looks over at the kitchen door again, back at Price who shakes his head yet again. Soap holds back a growl of frustration, his head whipping around when he hears the door open.
You walk out with Ghost close behind you, almost stepping on your heels as you both join them in the living room. "You okay, Ghost?" Price asks, watching as he sniffed at you the way he had earlier.
"Yes Sir" Short, simple, to the point. The room relaxes a little at that, Gaz coming over to give Ghost a nuzzle. Gaz was the most affectionate out of them all sometimes, and Ghost happily nuzzles him back.
It was getting late, and you knew you'd be up early to go to the store and make breakfast. "I'm going to shower and head to sleep. If anyone wants to join Ghost and I at the store, I'll be leaving by 7." You said as you wave goodnight, give Ghost a pat to the shoulder, and head to your barracks to get your sleep clothes.
You pretended not to notice Ghost's tail wagging when you pat his shoulder, but you can't stop smiling. Small victory, yet again.
Seriously so so grateful for every coomment, reblog that I get on this story (Or any story on here for that matter.) I haven't written in so long and to have so many people that like my writing, so thank you guys! Also I will have more Itsy Bitsy soon!
