David talks about himself and ends up scaring the fuck out of Titus.
TitusĀ sat on his bike at the end of the block leading up to his apartment complex, hoping to intercept the rat before he made it to the front door. The rabbit rarely smoked, not since getting out, but heād survived his weekend on a caffeine/nicotine cocktail given the circumstances and was dragging boredly on one of the last in the crumpled pack in his back pocket while bleary eyes roamed the empty night street. His muscles were tensed against a number of anxieties and apprehensions despite the casual posture he adopted, but the Cottontail was too exhausted to bring himself to care about much of anything that wasnāt food in that moment. At the thought of David and his twenty fucking questions he pulled his phone from his hoodie pocket, thumb gliding over the screen as he tried to reread the text messages though his concentration wasnāt likely to allow it.
David: frowned, hurrying into a jog when he recognized Titus sitting on his bike with his back to him. "W-what are you doing out here?" He asked. A plastic grocery bag laden with chips, precut vegetable sticks, string cheese and salsa hung from one hand, knocking against the 'rat's legs as he walked. His other arm pinned a paper bag of beer against his chest. "Did you j-just, uh, get back now?" David looked from Titus to the street around them nervously.
TitusĀ āJesus Christ, already complainingā¦ā Titus turned enough to glimpse David out of the corner of his eye and over his shoulder, keeping his back to the rat as all he did was lean forward to rest his arms on the handlebars. He kept his eyes elsewhere, on the street, and shrugged his shoulders before making a swipe for the grocery bag while keeping the cigarette tucked in the corner of his mouth to speak around. āYeah, couple minutes ago got back.ā
David: let Titus take the plastic bag from his hand, keeping his arm wrapped securely around the six-pack of beer he'd picked up. His eyes rested on Titus for a long moment. He didn't know the 'rabbit well, but even he could tell something was off with him. If nothing else, Titus reeked. It wasn't the worst David had ever smelled before, but it was marked. "C'mon, l-let's go inside." The 'rat nodded towards Titus' place. It wasn't especially cold out, but David didn't want to stay out in the open. He wasn't even certain about what he was doing here. His brain was practically running off fumes at this point but he was so tight wound and paranoid that David doubted he'd be calm enough to sleep until he completely exhausted himself.
TitusĀ wasted no time in using his teeth to tear into the bag of chips, focused more on stuffing a handful in his mouth at the loss of what was left of the cigarette than the rat himself. He didnāt ignore him long, though he was only just then spotting the six pack the other Lycan was guarding and it only made heading inside all the more attractive an idea. Keeping the bag of chips, he shoved the rest of the groceries back at David with a curt nod and kicked off the ground to start for the building. āAll right. Pussy.ā
David: The way Titus was shoving food into his mouth made David question whether the 'rabbit had fed himself since they'd last seen each other. "Jackass," David muttered under his breath as he took the grocery bag back and followed Titus to his place. Once inside, the 'rat's eyes flicked back to the lock twice; making sure that it was locked before letting himself look anywhere else. "You'll n-need a, uh, a b-bottle opener for these." The 'rat handed the beer over and set the groceries down within the 'rabbit's reach. He stared at Titus, trying to organize the scramble of thoughts that rolled around just behind his eyes. "R-remember... uh, back when I got my ph-phone? You told me about the s-strange texts, right?" The inside of David's left wrist itched and the 'rat scratched at the skin through his sleeve.
TitusĀ The rabbit leaned his bike against its usual spot by the wall before setting the beers on the top of his television set, kicking his sneakers off after to land wherever and digging into the bag of chips again as he left David to do whatever. There was no tour to give; mattress, milk crate, fridge. Titus ducked into the bathroom, leaving the door open while he grabbed a tshirt off the shower rod to change into. The rabbit emerged moments after, a brow ticking up at Davidās words but it was a while before he spoke up. Using the chipped edge of his small countertop for leverage, he popped the top off a beer with a slap of his hand and let the bottlecap clatter to the floor. Handing it over to the rat, Titusā brow furrowed as he struggled with recalling their run-in at BestBuy. āYeah, whatever. I do. I did.ā
David: stared at the beer for a heartbeat before realizing Titus was giving it to him. The last thing the 'rat probably needed was a beer.... actually, it was probably the first thing he needed. The liquor might shut his brain up a little. Staring down at the bottle, David rubbed his fingers in the perspiration that was beading the glass surface thoughtfully. He'd just have the one... A single beer wouldn't do any harm, nor would it turn him into his father. Swallowing a mouthful, David winced, realizing that "extra hops" translated as "extra bitter". Clearing his throat, the 'rat leaned his side against the wall, staring down at the floor. "I know this is going to s-sound, heh, reallyĀ crazy, but... do you th-think it could be the g-government? Sending out the t-texts? Everyone is, uh, getting the messages, no m-matter if it's an unlisted n-number or not." The 'rat stopped, watching Titus for his reaction.
TitusĀ repeated the process for a beer of his own, taking a bold swig with a wince as he wasnāt much of a drinker himself. It felt good on his tongue, though, and Titus raised the bottle so he could lean it against his forehead to feel the chill there as well. He had to close his eyes to be able to concentrate on what David was saying, but still found strength enough to scoff at him in an obnoxious little huff. āā¦been telling you that for a while, man. Corrupt system.ā
David: David's eyes flicked back to Titus, thinking that the 'rabbit was teasing him for a moment. "I'm s-serious, though. Not j-just a corrupt system." The 'rat bit into his lower lip, knowing how crazy he was going to sound before he even tried. "M-maybe the system, uh, m-maybe it w-works just fine. We all just d-drink the blue kool-aid n' pretend it's not f-fucked up." David tugged his free hand up, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. His contact lenses had been in since the previous morning and were starting to itch. Blinking a few time to make sure they were back in place, the 'rat looked back at Titus. His heart was skipping a little faster out of anxiety and he half expected the 'rabbit to show him the door any second now. "I d-don't know what to make of the, uh, the m-messages. All I know is th-that the government is actually out to g-get us. Well, s-some of us." A nervous laugh burst from the 'rat's lips and he shook his head. He had told people this story before and he'd been treated like a raving lunatic. He had no reason to expect anything less. "They t-take lycans. Well, n-not lycans. They're n-not lycans when they get them. All you're t-told is you're going to be in an experiment. They d-don't tell you wh-what that looks like. You s-s, uh, you sign, uh, c-consent forms, and then you wake up with a set of n-numbers tattooed on your wrist and you're n-not like you used to be." David's fingers tightened around the bottle in his hand and he glared down at the floor. He sounded even more insane than he'd anticipated. "The m-monster in the park smelled... wrong. If they, uh, if they experimented on s-some lycans, then who knows what they c-could have made. I think.... I think...." The 'rat trailed off. His hands were shaking, so he shoved one into his pocket and tightened his fingers further around the bottle as he took another drink.
TitusĀ The rabbitās face was mostly blank as he watched David from the corner of the one eye he pried open, the other closed as he kept the beer bottle where it was. The rat always had him on edge as it stood but the more David spoke the more Titusā features hardened until he was no longer hiding the death glare aimed specifically at the other prey. It took everything left of his willpower to keep his eyes from flicking to the unfinished artwork on his arm though he did look to the bathroom, where the battered and fading note taped to the wall held the only trace of his own numbers. 0212. He saw them through the black ink around his wrist, no matter how many times he scratched. Titus heart picked up and he folded over himself slightly, grunting against the strain of keeping his beast down. Taking in a breath and putting his back to David, he made a bored production of pouring the contents of his bottle down the drain of the small sink. āā¦you thinkā¦?ā He urged him to continue, slowly turning the bottle in his hand so that he could break the end off and turn to hold the jagged edge out towards him. āā¦who the FUCK areĀ you, man?!ā
David: The heavy scent of panic stung David's nose, only this time it wasn't his own and he looked at Titus in alarm. The 'rabbit's little show of pouring out the beer didn't fool David for a second, and the 'rat backed up several steps. He'd expected a lot of different reactions, but he hadn't expected a reaction like this. The shift rippled over David's skin at the sound of the glass shattering and he struggled not to shrink down and escape. They were locked in; he at least had to get past the door first. "I'm, I'm..." Swallowing tightly, David pinned his beer bottle against his ribs with his forearm. He tugged up his left sleeve with a shaking hand to expose the raw, pink scar tissue that was struggling to heal. "I'm a l-lab rat. I know it s-sounds crazy and my n-n-numbers are gone, but I..." David looked from the broken bottle end, to Titus. "S-something is wrongĀ in this town and if it isĀ the same s-shit that I went through... I'm g-going to try and figure it out. Th-there's a wolf that h-has been helpful... but I don't know if, uh, if I can trust her or if I'm going to e-end up disappearing." Taking a shivering breath in, David exhaled in a burst. "I th-thought someone...someone else sh-should know. Someone who also th-thought the texts were weird."
TitusĀ Titusā face struggled to find an emotion to settle on but his own stink gave him away, his rabbitās constant nagging to ārun run runā already testing the last of his patience. He wasnāt afraid of David, of this tiny creepy fucking rat. Why, then, was his hand shaking? Lucky to be able to maintain the grip he did on the makeshift weapon, Titus kept a hard stare on David until the other lycan exposed his wrist to him. The sight didnāt jar him so much as the admission itself did and the rabbit swallowed thickly at exactly where the raw skin marred Davidās wrist. Titus managed to twist his body just enough so that when he dropped the bottle it at least fell into the sink. Still regarding David as if he was a threat, he slowly rolled his arm to expose his own tattooed wrist to him and though his eyes were cold their message was clear; Me, too.
David: David held completely still, or as still as he could be when it felt like his heart was shoved up in his esophagus and his bones were rattling together. Flinching at the sound of the bottle hitting the metal of the sink, the 'rat watched in confusion as Titus flashed his tattooed forearm at him. "You're... you're f-fucking joking," He croaked. David gaped, lifting both his hands to clasp his forehead. It felt like he was trapped in a god damn nightmare. Or a funhouse from hell. The beer bottle he'd been pinning against his side slipped from his grasp and the 'rat bent over to grope for it numbly. Righting the bottle on the ground, David sagged against the wall, pulling his sleeve down and back over his healing wrist. "I...How d-did I read you so wr-wrong? I thought you'd been in, uh, in p-prison...." His gaze jerked back to Titus, eyes narrowed in suspicion "Or w-were you in prison, t-too?"
TitusĀ moved to keep himself held up in the small corner where some cabinets met his fridge, but otherwise Titus stayed stock still while he watched Davidās every move and reaction. He was grateful for the pulsing in his ears and the hammering in his chest if only because it gave him a tempo to count, a beat to keep, and it helped him keep himself together with a sole focus of not shifting there in his kitchen. His words were hard to find, though, since all that wanted to leave his mouth were screams of both confusion and outrage. As feverishly as his thoughts and emotions raced internally, the rabbit was that much colder inĀ demeanor. āā¦sāhow I got out.ā Titus put extra frost in his words, to hammer home the point that he was notĀ going back. Not for anyone, not ever.
David: forced his breathing to slow, willing his heart to ease up in it's assault against his ribcage. It didn't listen, but it was either focus on that or he was going to hyperventilate and pass out. What were the chances? Were there a lot of people that had become lycans through the project? David had never suspected the 'rabbit. But then he'd never asked Titus how he'd gotten infected either. "Y-yeah...but..." David caught himself. He'd been about to ask Titus how he had gotten out of Nighthook before he remembered that there was supposed to be an end date to the contract. Rewording his question, the 'rat tried again. "How, uh, h-how long did they have you for? What d-did they do to you?"
TitusĀ Titusā jaw worked a moment but nothing came out and he clamped it firmly shut after, his brow setting over the stare he kept on David. His own breathing was quick but at the very least level and the less it seemed like there was a threat of being hauled back the more he could will himself to panic just a fractionĀ less. Regardless, Titus had come to Pickens to start over. Heād done what he had to to leave an old, shitty life behind. What he had currently wasnāt much but it was his and it was untouched by the skeletons he kept firmly stuffed in closets. David was only proof that it was never going to stop following him. Trying to answer again, Titus slowly shook his head. āThis. I dunno.ā
David: raised his hands to rub at his face. He only felt comfortable enough to cover his eyes because Titus looked ready to fall over if he wasn't braced up against the corner. Even then, he listened for if the 'rabbit moved. He'd suspected Peter, not Titus. Titus wasn't even a rat. David had hoped talking to Titus would calm down some of the chatter in his head, not add to it. If Peter turned out to be one of the experiments, then who knew who else was one. Did they only test on prey or could there be other species? And why were they all coagulating in this town? David was beginning to doubt that it was just the magical appeal of Pickens. Who the hell knew what could have been planted in their brains... Pinching the bridge of his nose, David looked back up at Titus. He wanted to ask more, but he couldn't find the words and if Titus didn't remember, then he didn't remember. Or, at least he said he didn't remember. Not for the first time, David reminded himself that he barely knew the man. A weak half-laugh hissed from David's lips and he dropped his hands. "This m-must be what going insane, uh, f-feels like."
TitusĀ āYou canāt be going if youāre already where youāre going to be, already.ā He let the words tumble out with care, paying his own self no mind as Titus had to focus all his remaining energy on tugging the last cigarette from his back pocket and willing his legs to bring him to the mattress off in the far corner. The young man looked almost haunted as he did so, trembling hands coming up to shield the cigarette as he lit it with a lighter from the same pocket. Titus threw it and the empty, beaten pack aside once he got to his bed and simply sat down with his back to the wall, legs outstretched as far as he could manage. The rabbit didnāt bother looking at the rat. āā¦now what?ā
David: looked up when Titus trudged over to the mattress, following the 'rabbit with his eyes until he settled again. Pushing his fingertips against his eyes, David's lips tugged into a weak smile. Not for the first time, he absolutely understood Titus and agreed with the sentiment. Vaguely, he wondered if this meant that they both were the same kind of crazy. "W-what?" David pulled his hands away from his face, eyebrows raised. "You do what you've been doing up 'till now! K-keep your nose out of it and your eyes open. I c-came to tell you all this as insuranceĀ that my information d-doesn't disappear if I do. And s-so you could keep your, uh, your h-head clear. I never once thought you were i-involved." Crouching down, the 'rat kept his back pressed to the wall, forearms resting on his knees. He swallowed thickly, trying to organize his thoughts. What else had he intended to warn Titus about? "Uh...there was, uh, there w-was a woman. The one who r-recruited me... She was running the p-project I think...? Or m-maybe just the t-tests they ran on me...Stop me if, uh, if sh-she sounds familiar." David went on to describe Isabella Pavoni, going over everything from her name, to the way she looked, to how she had spoken.
TitusĀ Two beers later and Titus was no more comfortable than when his heart first leapt into his throat, the final cigarette long since burned down in the makeshift tray he turned the empty carton into. It had been a struggle to stay focused on everything David was saying but the rabbit recognized the importance of what the rat was telling him and tried his absolute best to not let his condition negate those efforts. It was the first time in a long while that Titus actually let his confusion play obviously across his features and through his every jerky movement, his teeth merciless against the skin by his nailbeds while he tried to absorb the information. After a while he pushed to his feet, pinching at the front of his t-shirt and pulling to peel it away from his body as it was already damp with sweat. Nerves, nerves. He ignored the stinging from his barely-bleeding fingertips as he pushed the window open so they could both get some fresh air. Lingering near the window, he kept his gaze focused on the street below and did his best to stay just out of sight while he did so. āā¦doesnāt bellring. All I know is I was up for paroleā¦and they said sign here, youāll get a shot. Just some new vaccine. And then thatās it, youāre free.ā Titus turned his head to place the rat, mouth hitching in a smirk though there was no lightheartedness to it. āā¦free, man. Free as a walrus. ā The rabbit lifted a hand to pinch at his nosebridge, lingering that way for only a short while before using the same hand to scrub over his face. His nails worked at his neck, afterwards, and despite his efforts he couldnāt stop from thumping his foot against the floor a few times and rapidly, his beast wanting to sound out a warning. Titus moved away from the window, then, and headed for the bathroom so he could get his note. It wasnāt much at all, but it was the only information he had and after everything the rat had spilled about it was only right.
David: tried to explain as clearly as possible and when the 'rabbit started to look truly confused, he would reiterate his point but in different words. If Titus was at the most nervous he could stand without shrinking into his furs, then David wasn't far behind. The apartment was beginning to reek of 'rat and 'rabbit, the scent heavy as the tobacco smoke that thickened the air. Beneath the jacket he was wearing, David could feel the fabric of his shirt sticking to his skin. He'd taken a shower before coming over, and now it was looking like he'd be taking another one once he was home again. After covering Isabella, David explained his theories. They were only theories with only his paranoia to link them together. Strange texts and messages that everyone got, these odd attacks and the creature's scent. Titus being a part of the experiment David had been sucked into made more questions than the 'rat could answer. Sharing his knowledge felt incredible. Like a spring was being unwound at the back of his neck and there was space in his head again. In retrospect, he knew he should have been less trustful of Titus, but the horrible solidarity they shared eased the stab of aloneness that David had grown accustomed to. "I'm n-not joking around, March," The 'rat said when he finished, "I don't want you using this, uh, this information f-for anything stupid." An exhausted, weak smile pulled the corner of David's lips up and he lowered his head to press his face into his hands again. "That's m-my job," He said, his voice muffled by his hands, "And m-maybe this she-w-wolf."
TitusĀ āYeah, no, see, thatās where a raven is like a writing desk.ā Titus emerged from the bathroom shaking his head vigorously, the small piece of scratch paper held gingerly in his fingers though it was tempting to just wring it in his sweaty hands. Stupid thing. Clearing his throat, he thrust the paper towards David before pointing out his own chicken scratch in the list of simple facts that became a mantra he recited every morning so he didnāt leave the apartment without knowing his own name. āSays right here. I am #0-2-1-2.ā Titus licked at the perspiration welling just above his lip, backing away to give David space while pointing at himself. He spoke plainly, eyes widening subtly as if he was having an epiphany of his own though it was just that he had never admitted who he was to a single person in Pickens; he hadnāt even been completely truthful with Zoe. He didnāt have long to dwell before catching the last of Davidās grumbling, the word āwolfā sounding off in his ears like a cannon. Setting the note aside on the counter as he fought another surge from his rabbit, Titus wrestled the salsa from the plastic bag to go with what was left of the chips and retreated to his mattress. āā¦youāre fucked out of your minding mind, man.ā He deadpanned, scooping a decent glob of salsa onto a lone chip before attempting to lift it to his mouth. āā¦a wolf.ā
David: had to agree. "You're p-probably right... Hard to know who, uh, who to trust these days..." A quiet, hoarse chuckle left his lips. Trust was becoming a very rare occurrence indeed, but someone had to give. "If it makes you f-feel better, I wouldn't have g-guessed, y'know. I thought P-Peter, but not you..." He looked over the piece of paper that Titus had retrieved. Titus' clammy hands had left the paper opaque in circlets where his fingers had touched. Narrowing his eyes, David mouthed out the numbers to himself silently. They were quite different from his numbers... maybe it was because Titus had joined earlier than him. "Uh, wh-what year did you go in?" David asked, trying to make sense of them.
TitusĀ āItās not hard. You canāt trust anyone. āCept me.ā The rabbit tore into some more food, licking at his fingers a moment before wiping his hands on his pant leg and fixing the rat with a pointed glare. Still caught very much off guard, Titus took to staring at his tattooed wrist while his teeth worked away at the chips he kept shoving in his mouth. He didnāt seem capable of doing much more than that, squinting over at David when he mentioned Peter. There was no way the guy had done time. Moving to lean his head back against the wall, Titus threw the chip bag aside and let his arms lay limp at either side. āIn? Was 18.ā
David: The rat's lips split into a wider smile, though it was no less tired. "You, huh? N' why's th-that?" David asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. "D-don't say it's cuz you're.... I dunno, g-good looking or sexy or something. Or that I'm y-you're bitch. I'd h-hate to have to deck y-you again." Watching Titus stare at his own wrist was making the 'rat's own inner wrist itch and he considered burning the skin again when he was home. The tattoo had been long melted out of existence, but there were some fear-motivated acts that the 'rat couldn't resist. And for all that it hurt, the pain had become a comfortable reminder that his skin no longer lay smooth and marked beneath his sleeve. Staring at the tattoo that wound up the inside of Titus' arm, David tried to do the math. "You were eighteen wh-when you went into the, uh, the e-experiment? How old are you now?"
TitusĀ āNo, prison in at 18, just turned.ā The corner of Titusā mouth managed to lift in a brief smirk, and he snorted as David took precautionary measures against his usual tactic of answering unhelpfully. And as much as he wanted to call David ābitchāā¦he barely had the strength to stay sitting up, let alone to get into another exchange. He moved his eyes thoughtfully to the window, finding that he was shaking his head a lot that night and it didnāt even help to clear it out. ā30 now, on the 1st.ā Titus bit down on his lip, nose crinkling as the numbers danced about and made it hard to see them clearly in his head but he fought through it and managed some simple subtraction. āPickens in 2011.ā
David: "Thirty?" David laughed in genuine surprise, "I d-didn't think you were thatĀ old." Sobering up a little, the 'rat really looked at him. "I actually w-would have thought you were c-closer to, uh, to twelve with how you g-go on." He tried to joke, but his tone fell flat. Folding up the paper and tucking it into his pocket, David committed the numbers that Titus listed to memory. "How old were you wh-when you got infected?" The 'rat had been infected in 2005, so if the numbers correlated to when they were taken into Nighthook, David would expect an earlier date than his.
TitusĀ "What can I say?" Titus' humor failed him as well and he moved his arm just barely in a roll of his shoulder, snorting out almost bitterly. "Can't beat babyface, these days. I don't remember, man. I just...don't, right now know." The rabbit drew his legs up, leaning forward to rest his head on them for just a touch before he was forcing himself to his feet again; things were starting to get surreal from a combination of the exhaustion, the surprise, and the grief. He stood where he was with his hands on his sides surveying the mess of his apartment before he swiped at his nose with a thumb and started for the bathroom. "Crash here if you want, don't care. Need a shower." He stopped when he could shoulder up in the doorway, focused on the tiled floor of the bathroom as he spoke up on the fairer side of monotonous. "..you are my bitch, though."
David: David nodded a little, his eyes starting to drop until Titus pulled himself up. "Uh.." The offer to stay was unexpected, though the 'rat couldn't bring himself to feel much more than mild surprise after the evening they had had. Given Titus' sharp temper and sticky attitude, David had thought the 'rabbit would have written him off by now. Too risky, too dangerous, or something like that. "No, I'll...I'll h-head out. I said wh-what I needed to..." David's knees hurt from crouching so long and he scowled a little at the ache. He doubted he had to tell Titus twice not to talk about this stuff where others could hear. Titus' last quip had David pause, hand on the doorknob and a quiet snort left the 'rat. "S-such a jackass." He growled. The edge of his tone was softened by a tinge of some sort of fondness, though it was easy to miss. Turning the lock, David let himself out and back into the street with more questions than he had answers.
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