The Only Thing That Matters (Is You)
[Ao3]
There’s a soft scratching at his door before it’s slowly pushed open to reveal a cream-colored wolf who carefully noses his way in.
“Good afternoon, Bed,” Tomato sighs as he turns in his chair and goes back to work.
There’s a series of sick crunching noises from behind him that Tomato pointedly ignores until a pair of decidedly human arms snake their way around his shoulders. “Mh. Afternoon, Tamto. What are you working on?” Bed gives a soft yawn and nuzzles Tomato’s neck, relaxing even more as he takes in huge lungfuls of their resident witch’s herby scent.
“Something to help Ruby and Shanye stay more stable without using up so much of their energy or draining all the batteries in the house.”
“Aw. You’re so sweet, Tamto. Looks like all your tinkering in here pays off sometimes.” Bed laughs, but it’s strained and he hasn’t moved away yet.
Tomato shrugs as he adds a few drops of liquid into a jar containing a foggy plasma. When the whole thing hisses and turns black, Tomato sets it down in frustration and grips at Bed’s wrists, tilting his head to actually look at the werewolf invading his space. “Did you actually need something?”
“No. No. Can’t I just come visit you?” Bed’s words are muffled from where he’s tucked against Tomato’s shoulder and it’s obvious he’s reluctant to pull away.
“You can, but I know you, Bed. There’s always a motive to whatever that weird brain of yours has you doing.”
“I did come just to see you. Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes. Now tell me what happened.” Tomato leans as far away as he can to glare at the side of Bed’s head, wondering if he can will the answers to his questions out of that mop of dirty blonde hair.
Bed huffs and pull away. Tomato spins in his chair to watch him and huffs when Bed sinks into his bed, pulling his pillow close to his face and breathing in deeply. Tomato rolls his eyes and gets up. He puts his components away and perches at the end of his bed, watching the wolf curled up there intently. He knows better than to try to invade Bed’s personal space too quickly when he gets like this. “How about this: Who got hurt?”
“No one,” Bed says from behind the pillow still clutched in his grip. “Well, none of us.”
“So something did happen. Spill or you’re banned from my room for a month.” Tomato laces as much of a threat as he can into his tone, his voice deepening and crackling with the promise of a spell.
“Fine.” Bed whines and finally looks up to meet Tomato’s eyes. “Buck and I went exploring through the woods today. We got curious though and went past the boundaries. We found a witch’s hut. It was abandoned. When we looked inside...It was horrible.”
Tears start to gather in his eyes and he reaches out for Tomato. The witch takes his hand and can feel the promise of claws there as Bed gets more and more distressed.
“The place was absolutely ransacked. Books were torn and crushed, ever jar was smashed, herbs were everywhere, and there was a burn mark. A huge, ugly burn mark right by the fireplace staining the floor and crawling up the wall. It had to have been hunters, Tamto, and they burned whoever had lived there. Burned them in their own home like they weren’t still a person!”
He’s crying openly now and Tomato moves further up the Bed so he can pull the weeping wolf to his chest. He gently runs his fingers through Bed’s hair as he keeps telling his story.
“Standing there, smelling the lingering sadness and death all wrapped up in the familiar scent of herbs, all I could think about was you. I know you don’t leave the house much, but all I could picture was those hunters coming for you. Breaking into our den and taking you away from me. I ran all the way back here because I needed to make sure you were still here. I don’t know what I’d do if you were gone, Tamto.”
He clutches at Tomato’s shirt, sobs making his shoulders shake.
“I won’t let them take you from me. You’re safe here. I know you’re safe here, but that house was supposed to be safe too. I saw the wards and the runes and the protection sachets, but the hunters cut right through it all. Like all that witch’s hard work meant nothing to them. I remember when we moved here and you painstakingly warded every window and door, I smell your charms in the yard every time I got out there, but there are humans out there who just can’t be stopped. And I hate that.”
Bed’s tone quickly shifts from sadness to rage and Tomato can feel claws start to prick at his skin.
“Bed. Bed! Easy. Easy. I’m here and everything is okay. I’m not going anywhere. No one’s taking me away I promise. Whoever that was, it was obvious that they were on their own. Witches usually live solitary lives, but I don’t. I live here with all of our friends. I live here with you. If anyone could keep me safe, it’s you.”
Tomato pulls Bed away from him so he can look in his glassy, red-rimmed eyes. He wants the wolf to see how much he means those words.
“I know that there are some hunters out there who are too good at their jobs, but we have our family. And each other. We’re safe, Bed. I promise.”
He pulls Bed to his chest again and presses a kiss to his hair. Bed smells like the woods, like trampled dew and the lingering smell of wildflowers. If Tomato had Bed’s nose, he’s sure he’d be able to pick up the scent of smoke and burning flesh that was probably lingering under it all, but he’s glad he doesn’t. He’s heard the horror stories about his solitary brother and sisters being slaughtered in their own homes and he’s sure his stomach couldn’t take the undeniable proof of it right now.
Warm fingers are linked with his and he looks down to see Bed looking back up at him with that soft expression he rarely gets to see.
“Hey, Tomato?”
“Yes, Bed?”
“You know I love you, right?”
Tomato can’t help the chuckle that leaves him and he squeezes Bed’s hand tight.
“I do. And I love you, too, Bed. Even when you worry too much about things you shouldn’t.”
Bed frowns and tugs at Tomato’s shirt pulling him down into a quick kiss.
“I can’t help that you’re the only one still human. I know your spells can only do so much, so it’s my job to keep you safe.”
“And you’ve done an excellent job so far. My big, strong wolf hero I always wished for.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
Bed kisses him again and pulls him back with a giggle, forcing Tomato into a warm, protective cuddle.
