Chapter Text
Will straightened his tie in front of the mirror for what seemed like the fifteenth time.
He felt so nervous, but excited at the same time; it was his first big social event ever since the season ended — since they brought the Claw home.
He adjusted his sleeves once more. Oh, he had no idea of how he should act in that party. He had read the invitation e-mail dozens of times. It looked fancy and, he was sure of it, it would be fancy.
The suit had been expensive, at least by the standards of the life he used to live. That alone felt strange.
Not long ago, he’d been crashing on friends’ couches. Now he could afford things like this suit. Hell, even a brand new house — something he still couldn’t quite believe.
It all felt like a dream, like he was floating around atop a bubble and anytime someone decided to pop it he’d wake up in Daryl’s creaky armchair, still the homeless, broke, head in the clouds goat he had always been.
But it didn’t matter how much he pinched himself or chewed the insides of his own cheeks, he hadn’t woken up yet.
He was jolted out of his thoughts when a honk rang just outside his window. It was probably Jett!
God, now running through the hallways on the way to the front door, anxiety clawing at his stomach and making him want to bail, a single thought kept gnawing his mind: “I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT I’M DOING!!!”
Reaching the front door, his hoof paused mere inches from the doorknob.
He inhaled.
From the knowledge he built from watching movies and shows, charity galas were full of rich, superficial, egocentric people who could be smiling and waving at you in one moment and whispering about you to another peer in the blink of an eye. And, honestly, Will didn’t expect anything less from people who came from money.
But how would he blend in an environment like that?
He exhaled slowly.
“You can do it.”
Stepping out the house and locking the door, he glanced at the limo parked just outside, one of Jett’s staff members already waiting for him next to the car door. Will could feel a bubble of excitement forming inside of him, a smile forming on his face.
He almost skipped his way over to the limo, the staff member opening the door as he got close.
Jett was inside, an elegant set of green satin top and pleated pants embraced her body as she typed quickly on her phone.
She glanced up, looked Will up and down.
And snorted.
“The fuck are you wearing?” she asked with wide eyes and a smirk on her lips.
Will looked down at himself, “What?” he asked playfully.
“Pfft. Get in, fashion icon. We’re running late.” She rolled her eyes, putting her phone down and making herself comfortable as she crossed her legs, the injured one on top of the other.
Will laughed softly as he got into the limo, thanking the staff member. “No, seriously, what’s the problem with my suit? I thought it looked okay?” He sat down across from the pantheress, running a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture.
“It does look okay. It just… doesn’t suit you, I suppose? You look like a Boy Scout.” Jett huffed a laugh.
“Fucking knew it. I definitely feel like one.” His flat tone did nothing to mask his awkwardness as he crossed his arms in front of himself.
“Aw, come on. Don’t be like that.” Jett laughed once again. “Excited?”
“A little bit, I guess.”
“Don’t be. Charity galas are a pain in the ass.” she said, glancing at her claws.
“Wow, Jett, you can be so encouraging!” Will’s sarcastic tone forced another laugh out of Jett. “But yeah, I’m mostly nervous. Like, what am I even supposed to do? Or say? And, no, don’t tell me. I’ve looked up charity gala etiquette on Google.”
“Google?? Son, that’s something you can only learn through experience. And I’m not saying that to scare you, it’s fairly easy to navigate through these people if you can handle a bit of fakeness. And backhanded comments. And-“
“Okay! Okay. God.” He waved his hands in front of his body before letting his back thump heavily against the car seat, his head angling upwards in a defeated manner. “I’m going to suck at it, ain’t I?”
“Noooooo…” Jett looked sideways with a forced smile on her face. “I mean, you do desperately need some media training.”
Will looked up at the pantheress with a flat face, and they both had a little staring contest inside the cramped space before Jett burst out laughing, Will following right after with a huff.
“Look, it really isn’t as bad as I’m making it sound like.” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “The best tip I could give you right now is: simply act confident. Even if you don’t feel like it. Those people can smell uncertainty like dogs.”
“That’s so easy to say!! Look at me right now!” Will pointed at his right eye as he faked it twitching.
“Pfft. You clown. You’ll do just fine, I know it.” Jett waved a hand dismissively. “Actually, I might just have the thing to make your outfit less boring…” she said as she ruffled through her handbag. She plucked a golden lotus flower shaped chatelaine pin out of there, handing it to Will.
The goat glanced silently at it as it glinted brightly against his hand, admiring the shapes and little details. “So… you just have one of those hanging around in one of your bags?” He said, pinning it to his lapels.
“Boy, you don’t wanna know what’s inside my bags. What gets in them never gets out.”
Will laughed softly, his gaze drifting to Jett’s leg. It was probably all wrapped up under all the fabric of her pants. He remembered how it looked the last time he had seen it and mentally winced — it looked so painful.
“So… how’s the leg?” he asked a bit apprehensively.
Jett visibly stiffens, which concerns Will. “Well, it’s getting better. Still walking awkwardly but it’s nothing to worry about.”
“I mean, it looked pretty bad. I don’t know if it’s had time to heal properly. Do you have something to te—”
“As I said, nothing to worry about.” Just as she cut him off, the limo pulled to a stop. They had arrived, which clearly was the escape Jett needed as her shoulders relaxed. Will could already hear the muffled buzz of voices and cameras snapping just outside the little world they had built inside the car.
“Ready?” Jett asked.
With a nervous expression, staring out at the swarm of people through the dark window, Will said, “Yeah, let’s do it.” His hands rubbed together, one of his legs bouncing in place.
Keeping track of the goat’s reactions, Jett smiled softly and leaned forward, catching Will’s attention. “Y’know, the lotus flower is so strong and resilient it can bloom from the mud.” She straightened his tie and lapels as she spoke, tapping the little flower shape pinned to Will’s right lapel with the tip of her claw, a tiny ding sound ringing from it. “Be resilient.”
The pantheress then tapped lightly against the window glass with her knuckles, and suddenly the door was open.
Both of them were blasted with the intense noise and light, voices already bombarding them with questions, photographers asking for ‘just a quick look’.
“Ignore them. Just get to the front door. And don’t you dare grab my arm — you’re not my child.” Jett said sternly as she stood, her movement just a touch slower than usual.
Will followed right after.
The sight stopped him cold.
An imposing, tall building loomed before them; climbing and hanging plants spilled down its sides, illuminated by warm yellow lights that contrasted with the cream-colored walls and golden windowpanes. The ferns and orchids spilling from the balconies ahead particularly charmed him.
Will didn’t even realize he was staring, Jett already a few steps ahead of him.
He jogged to catch up, walking beside her but still keeping a certain distance. Trying to keep a straight face like Jett did so easily was difficult, his heart racing in his chest.
“Are you two dating?!”
One of the reporters’ voices cut through the noise, and Will couldn’t stop himself from turning his head abruptly toward it, shock written all over his face. What kind of question was that?
What a mistake.
The burst of camera flashes blinded him, and he was a hundred percent sure one of them had caught the grimace that twisted across his face.
He snapped his head forward again, staring intently at the hotel doors. They were almost there.
God, he could feel Jett’s gaze burning into him like a bug under the desert sun.
They finally reached the doors, two security guards holding them open.
The moment the doors shut behind them, the sudden quiet hit him like whiplash. He could finally breathe.
“Names, please,” a staff member said, holding a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other.
“Jett Fillmore.” The pantheress answered confidently and, without waiting for instructions, made her way toward the elevators, the slight limp in her step breaking the usual grace of her movements.
“Uh—” he stuttered. “Will Harris!” he added quickly, hurrying after her as soon as he confirmed his name was on the list.
Jett walked past a security guard telling her, “Fifth floor, miss,” without even acknowledging him.
Rude, Will thought.
He slipped into the elevator just as the doors were about to close, where Jett was already leaning against one of the walls.
But before they shut completely, he stuck his head through the gap and called out loud, “Thank you!!” to the guard Jett had ignored. He thought he saw the man smile before he had to pull back quickly so his head wouldn’t get crushed.
…
The pantheress stared him down.
“...So,” Will started.
“Shut uuup.” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, though her playful tone betrayed her words. “Honestly, this would be so much more fun if I wasn’t involved. You know the trending topics are all going to be about us dating now, right? Ugh.” She made a face, then laughed, clearly thinking about his slip.
“There’s no way they’re going to look at my horrified face and go, ‘yeah, they’re definitely dating.’”
“These people see what they want to see.” Unconsciously, Jett rubbed her left thigh — the injured one. “You’re lucky dating rumors never last long with me.”
Will caught that tiny, unconscious sign of pain. He worried she was pushing herself too much.
“Well, it sucks I can’t even help you walk tonight. That wouldn’t do the rumors any favors.” He watched her carefully. Would she deflect again?
She studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable.
“...Yeah.”
Will let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
The doors opened.
The wide, open space buzzed with animals of all shapes and sizes dressed in elegant attire, their voices kept to a pleasant murmur. A soft jazz tune drifted through the room as waiters moved smoothly through the crowd, blending in seamlessly.
But what impressed Will the most was the view; the floor-to-ceiling windows offering a privileged glimpse of the city below, so far away, yet so close.
It all looked calm. To someone less perceptive, it might have even felt inviting.
But the place worked like a carnivorous plant — sweet, alluring. It made you want to relax, to let your guard down.
And the moment you did, it would swallow you whole.
A few of the guests standing near the elevator turned their gaze toward them. Immediately, a small group came to welcome them with smiles and greetings. Of course, Will wouldn’t expect anything less for one of the most — if not the most — influential roarball player of all time.
The smile on Jett’s face was small, natural. She looked like she had been born for this.
Will, on the other hand…
Inevitably, being by her side, his presence would be noted. And he was dying inside. He ran one of his sweaty hands — ew — through his hair, just so he had something to do with them. ‘Come on, man! You’re sabotaging yourself, what’s with all the nervousness? You’re not like that! Just be yourself. But not so much. How much of myself should I allow myself to be? Would being myself even be proper in a place like this?? Look at where I came from! Maybe if—’
His spiraling thoughts were interrupted when someone spoke directly to him.
“Oh, you’re Will Harris, right?” a kind looking sheep asked. Her warm, honey-colored eyes glinted at him. It felt like the first rays of sunlight caressing his face after fighting, in vain, against the waves of the ocean to try and reach the surface.
“Ye—” His voice failed him, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah! It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss…”
“Call me Jill. You know Mr. Harris, my daughter adores you. My husband taught her to love roarball, but being a medium-sized animal, she always looked at it with a certain distance. Now, with you in the scenario?” She gently clasped one of her hoofs on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. The smile on her face, Will was sure, would be enshrined in his mind for eternity. “I’ve never seen her shine so brightly.”
That statement stuck with him. Of course, he knew being the first small in roarball history would leave its mark on the sport. He had seen people discussing it online, fans thanking him, people from Vineland coming to talk to him personally; but this one moment was just what he needed right now.
That one tiny boost of confidence he needed to get through the night.
“That is… so, so nice to hear Miss Jill.” He gave her a genuine smile, squeezing the arm that was extended in his direction in a grateful gesture. “Really. That means a lot more than you think.”
Will let the moment settle for a second. He could see Jett quietly watching him from the corner of his eye, and that somewhat grounded him a little bit. Then, he continued.
“What’s her name?” he asked, his tone warm.
Jill let out a sweet laugh, “Her name is Cristen, she’s only eleven! She’s been taking roarball classes and is improving so fast even I didn’t see it coming.” It was clear, by her tone alone, that little girl was truly loved.
It reminded Will of his own mother.
“Well. What would little Cristen think of some personal classes?”
The sheep paused for a moment, clearly taken aback. But her smile soon grew even sunnier — and Will didn’t even know how such a thing was possible —, exclaiming, “If you’re serious about it, that would be amazing—!”
“LITTLE GOOAAAAAT!!!” An agitating scream cut through the room, interrupting Jill’s speech. The silence that settled as everyone in the room turned their heads to the source of the noise was unnerving.
“God, Modo, why do you have to be so extra?” A feminine voice muttered.
Oh. That was just Modo.
The people in the room either snorted or rolled their eyes as conversation slowly rose back up. Jett shook her head with a smile as she slowly approached Will. Typical Modo.
And there they were — Modo, Olivia, Lenny and Archie —, sliding their way through the crowd to reach Will. Modo waved enthusiastically with a big smile on his face, the rest of the team a bit more restrained but clearly happy to see him too.
And how could Will stop a giddy laugh from bubbling up his throat at that sight?
Jill watched the exchange with quiet amusement. “I won’t keep you any longer,” she said, slipping a small card into Will’s hoof. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Harris.”
Her calm tone brought him back to the present, and he waved awkwardly at her retreating figure.
“Oh—uhm! Thanks! Byeey!” He winced. He really needed to stop with that ‘byey’ thing.
Will eyed the card in his hand. It was a business card.
‘Jill Harper — Director, Harper Gallery’, it read; a phone number right under it. The shiny, elegant golden font contrasted beautifully against the white background. On the back, the gallery’s logo — a stylized spiral resembling a sheep’s horn — was stamped in bright gold.
Huh. Fancy.
Jett finally reached his side as he stored it into his suit pocket and redirected his gaze back to the group approaching him.
Okay. Now Jett making fun of his outfit made sense.
It wasn’t that his suit was too plain—the rest of the team was simply outrageous.
Lenny was wrapped in oversized brown velvet, wide-brimmed hat tilted like always. Olivia floated beside him in layers of white fabric, all soft lines and elegance. Archie kept things simpler, though even his tux had enough odd tailoring to make Will feel boring.
And then there was Modo.
Of course.
A sangria-colored jacket hugged his body perfectly, sleeves rolled to the elbow. Strategic tears exposed the tight fishnet beneath, while golden pins and chains caught the warm light at every movement, matching the glint of his piercings and eyes.
Will looked down at himself.
Yeah. He felt underdressed.
“Jett, Will, it’s so nice to see yoouuu!!!” Olivia exclaimed, rushing to squeeze both of them in a tight, feathery hug.
“Oof! Nice to see you too, Liv!” Will laughed.
“Girl— Love you, but come on!” Jett said, gently pushing Olivia back as the ostrich chirped happily, only to be nearly tackled to the floor by Modo, who launched himself at her the second there was enough space.
“Modo! What the fuck?!”
Will laughed heartily both at the interaction and at Archie pulling him off the ground in a hug. “How is my favorite goat doing?” The rhino asked, his paternal presence soothing.
“Just fine, Archie. Would be better if you’d put me down, though.” Will said, sharing a little fist bump with Lenny over Archie’s shoulder as a greeting.
Archie’s booming laugh echoed around as he slowly put the goat back on the ground; Jett and Olivia had already slipped into cheerful whispered conversation so fast that Will had no idea how they managed to keep up while talking over each other.
Averting his attention to Lenny, he pointed a digit to the giraffe’s hat, “Is it just me, or do you have a whole collection of those?” he asked lightly.
“Actually, yeah, I do.” Lenny absentmindedly adjusted his hat, a smile on his face. Will could see Modo trying to climb Archie’s body in the back — ‘Modo’s turn!!’ —, which, sure. Why not. “They go with everything and are so easy to style, y’know?”
Olivia popped her head into their line of sight, barging right into the conversation. “Hee-hee, Lenny is really into fashion! You should check his closet!! I think it’s bigger than mine!”
“No closet in the world can be bigger than yours, Liv.” Lenny repplied.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Also, I’m not that into fashion…” He glanced down at himself. “...Maybe just a little bit.” Olivia rolled her eyes with an exasperated smile. Watching the two of them bounce off each other was always fun, and Will couldn’t help laughing—which immediately drew their attention back to him.
The ostrich looked him up and down, studying him for a second or two before grabbing his shoulders, “Speaking of fashion, um. What exactly are you wearing?”
Will threw his head back with a groan, “Aww man, come on! I can’t be looking that bad!”
“No, no, no! Will, how could a stunner like you ever look bad? You could walk in here wearing nothing but a trash bag and still look good. It’s just…” She gestured vaguely at him. “This fit doesn’t match who you are.”
“Told ya,” Jett called from outside their little circle before returning to her conversation with Modo and Archie.
“She’s right,” Lenny said. “What you wear tells people exactly who you are. Take Modo, for example.”
All three of them turned toward the komodo dragon.
“He looks crazy, doesn’t he?”
“And hot.” Will let slip.
“What.” Olivia and Lenny said in perfect unison, snapping their heads back toward him so fast it nearly made them dizzy.
“...What?” Will crossed his arms, doubling down immediately. “Don’t tell me I’m wrong. I’m clearly not.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyways.” Olivia waved a wing dismissively, though the grin on her face said she was enjoying this far too much. “Next party, you are definitely letting me style you, right?” She fixed him with a pair of wide, shining eyes.
“I’m helping.” Lenny stated.
“Hell yeah!” Olivia slapped him a high five.
Will — the one supposedly being consulted — could only stare in disbelief.
“So?”
Now there were two sets of large, pleading eyes aimed directly into his soul, which felt deeply unfair.
He sighed deeply, though a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Okay, okay. How can I say no?”
Both ostrich and giraffe cheered, Olivia looking especially giddy.
“Oooh, I’m bubbling with ideas! There’s something really nice I’d like to try…” She then pulled out her phone, typed quickly, then showed the screen to Lenny. “What d’you think?”
“Oh, that’s real nice! If we could add a little bit of—”
Within seconds, the two of them had disappeared into their own little world, unknowingly leaving Will outside of it.
The goat simply smiled — he knew they didn’t mean anything by it.
He pulled out his own phone, automatically opening Instaclaw in search of something to occupy himself with, when a hand gripped his shoulder.
He turned to see who it was and—
Modo.
Really close to him.
They stared into each other’s eyes for a second, neither moving.
Then Modo opened his mouth, using one finger to pull back his lip and reveal a row of sharp teeth.
“There something stuck in Modo’s teeth?” he asked. “Feels uncomfortable.”
Used to Modo’s unpredictability by now, Will simply leaned in and inspected the display in front of him. After a quick scan, he found nothing.
“Nope. Nothing stuck in Modo’s teeth,” Will said.
“Weird. Swear I feel something—” Modo paused to scrape a claw between two fangs. “In there.”
“Maybe there was something in there, and you scraped your gum pulling it out.” Both Will and Modo picked up drinks from the tray of a waiter who was passing by, clinking their glasses together. “Now your sore gum feels like there’s still food stuck between your teeth. Personal experience.”
Modo takes a polite little sip of his drink, “Fuckin’ sucks.”
Then he proceeded to swallow the rest of the glass in one go.
And the glass itself right after.
Will stared, unshaken. Then took a sip of his own drink.
“Woah, can we please try to stay sober? We’re not even halfway through the night.” Jett slid into the conversation, Modo’s shoulder in one hand and a drink in the other, which she lightly tapped against Will’s glass.
“Modo has high alcohol tolerance!!” he declared, stretching his tail across an absurd distance to snatch yet another glass from a waiter nowhere near them.
“Right.” Jett said flatly, and Will was pretty sure he could physically see the war flashbacks passing behind her eyes. “What about you, Archie? No drinks tonight?” she asked, smoothly redirecting the conversation toward the rhino, who had just finished speaking with another guest.
“Oh, no, you know I don’t do alcohol.” Archie waved one hand in front of himself. “Gotta head back early, too. I’m honestly real lucky I found someone willing to babysit tonight, but it won’t last long.”
Will, Jett, and even Modo winced in perfect unison.
Poor babysitter.
“Please don’t give me that face.” Archie pleaded, shoulders sagging.
“You know I adore your girls, but everybody knows they can be a lot.” Jett added.
“Nah, they’re not that bad. They’re just children. You just have to know how to go with their flow.” Will said, hands tucked into his pockets.
Archie sighed. “You’re the only person I know who would say that, Will. Honestly, I swear they become completely different kids when they’re with you.”
Modo bumped Will lightly with an elbow. “Little goat is child whisperer!”
Will glanced around, embarrassment plain on his face. “Uuum… that sounds a little predatory. Please never say that again.”
“Ba-haah!!” Modo cackled, and scraped his own teeth.
Jett and Archie laughed too, the rhino reaching out to ruffle Will’s hair—
Only for Modo to catch his wrist midair.
The four of them went still.
Oh.
Will realized Modo had done it for him.
But judging by the dragon’s closed mouth, he had no intention of explaining himself. So Will stepped in quickly.
“Heh—curls, y’know?” He pointed at his hair, addressing Archie with a light shrug. “Easy to mess up.”
His other hand came down over Modo’s forearm in a calming gesture.
Jett watched the whole exchange with sharpened interest.
Archie immediately pulled back, rubbing the back of his neck, an awkward smile on his face. “Oh— right. Sorry. Being bald, I forget the delicate politics of hair.”
“It was nothing, Archie!” Will laughed, giving Modo’s shoulder a pat. “Right, Modo?” Will smiled at him.
Modo smiled back with empty eyes and his tongue hanging out.
“Ugh,” Jett groaned, draining the rest of her drink.
As the conversation slipped back into its easy rhythm, Will stole a glance at Modo.
It always felt strange whenever the komodo dragon did something deliberate, something that reminded everyone there was a sharp, thinking person behind those vacant eyes. The fact it still surprised him was proof Will didn’t know Modo nearly well enough.
His thoughts were cut short when the lights dimmed slightly and a soft chime echoed through the hall.
Every head in the room turned toward a staff member, who raised their voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen, dinner service will begin shortly. Please proceed to your assigned tables.”
Almost immediately, a polite-looking otter in a bow tie approached their group.
“Ms. Fillmore, this way, please.” She gestured ahead.
The three of them exchanged a glance and followed Jett. Surely, wherever her table was, theirs would be too.
“Did any of you see where Liv and Lenny went?” Will asked as they walked.
“They’re probably off taking pictures somewhere. You know those two.” Archie said. “Don’t worry. We’ll meet them at the table.”
The moment he finished speaking, another staff member approached — a deer this time. He addressed Will directly.
“Mr. Harris, we’ve seated you at Table Three with several patrons eager to meet you.”
They stopped dead.
“What?” Jett, Will, and Modo said at once—each in a completely different tone.
“If you would follow me, sir.” The deer gestured in the opposite direction, eyes still fixed on Will.
“Hold on.” Jett stepped between them at once. The sudden movement clearly pulled at her leg; she hissed and stumbled.
Archie moved quickly to steady her, but she raised a hand to stop him. By the time she straightened again, her posture had gone cold and sharp.
“Why the fuck was Will placed at another table? He’s clearly with us.”
A few nearby guests turned to stare.
“I’m sorry, miss. I’m only following orders.” The deer’s unbothered demeanor only seemed to feed Jett’s anger. Honestly, Will had to admire anyone who could stand there unfazed under her glare.
“Well, then tell whoever gave you those orders to go—”
“Jett, it’s okay. Really.” Will cut in before she could finish.
“But—” Archie rested a calming hand on her shoulder.
She looked at him for a moment, weighing it. Then let out a hard breath.
Modo scraped at his teeth.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Please.” Jett touched Will’s arm in warning before stalking off toward her table. Archie followed after giving Will one last reassuring smile.
Modo lingered only long enough to squeeze Will’s shoulder before leaving too.
Well. Crisis averted.
For them, anyway.
Because now he had a different problem.
He was alone.
Shit.
Will gave the deer a stiff nod and let himself be guided across the room.
By the time they reached Table Three, he could already see the other guests seated around it. Six people in total, with only two chairs left open.
A few stood out immediately.
A massive tiger radiating the kind of arrogance that needed no introduction.
A parakeet with a ridiculous tuft of blue feathers perched atop his head, so glued to his phone he didn’t even bother looking up.
And—
“Ms. Jill!” Will lifted a hand in an instinctively cheerful wave.
The sheep, seated directly across from one of the empty chairs, lit up at once and waved back with equal enthusiasm.
That little exchange was enough to make the rest of the table notice him. Several heads turned.
Recognition flickered across their faces.
The parakeet was the first to speak, finally peeling his eyes away from his screen.
“Well, okayyy. They really sat the sports boy at our table.” He gave Will a slow once-over, then smirked.
“Heh, craaazy, right?” Will said as he awkwardly lowered himself into one of the empty chairs.
The tiger sat beside him. And wow, if that wasn’t uncomfortable. Up close, the feline’s sheer size made Will feel even smaller somehow. The air of superiority rolling off him didn’t help either.
Still, Jill was there.
A flash went off in Will’s face. He blinked hard.
“Come on, man. Give me something cute for the pic?” The parakeet twisted in his chair, blue tuft bouncing as he angled his phone to include Will.
Oh. Right. He wanted a photo.
Will threw up a hang loose sign and forced a smile.
Click.
Then another.
Soon the white dove beside him — apparently his girlfriend, beautiful as a doll and just as talkative — was pulled into frame too, leaving Will as little more than background decoration for their couple photos.
“For the love of God, stop this foolishness,” the tiger muttered, rubbing his temples.
“Ugh, stay in your lane, big guy.” The parakeet snapped one last selfie, tuft flaring as he turned back around. “Hell yeah. Instaclaw’s gonna eat these up.”
“I despise this generation,” the tiger muttered, rolling his eyes.
“I promise we’re not all like that,” Will said under his breath, low enough that Blue Tuft hopefully wouldn’t hear. “Thanks for the rescue, by the way.”
He offered the tiger a small smile.
The feline only glanced at him from the corner of one eye, then returned to his rigid posture.
Will winced. ‘Aaalright then.’
“So, Mr. Harris, has the event been to your liking so far?” The sheep intervened.
“Oh, please, just Will,” he said warmly. “And… yeah! It’s been nice. The decorations are beautiful, and I really love the music.”
He rolled his shoulders lightly to the jazzy tune drifting through the room.
Jill let out a sweet laugh.
“That’s lovely to hear, Will. I’m rather fond of the music myself.” She tilted her head. “Is jazz something you listen to often?”
“I really respect the genre, and I do listen sometimes,” Will said. “But I’m more into hip-hop and rap, y’know? That’s more my lane.”
“Of course it is.” The tiger said dryly.
Both Will and Jill turned to look at him, equally unimpressed.
He paid them no mind.
Fortunately, a line of waiters began filtering into the room carrying trays, and the rich smell of fresh food swept across the table.
Exciting!
Will’s excitement lasted right up until the plates were set down in front of them. The portions were tiny. Barely enough to cover half the plate.
Still, he had to admire the effort — each serving had clearly been adjusted to the size of whoever received it. Someone had carefully measured the exact amount of disappointing for every guest.
He picked a fork at random from the suspicious number beside his plate and speared one of the neatly arranged vegetables.
A polite silence settled over the table, broken only by cutlery against porcelain.
Will ate a slice of carrot.
Hm. Actually pretty good.
He cleared his throat.
“So, Miss Jill, I looked at your card earlier.” He set down his fork. “What kind of gallery is yours?”
Jill smiled serenely, “My gallery values genuine talent and real passion. I have my preferences, of course, but I’m fond of eclectic work as well.” She dabbed lightly at the corner of her mouth. “I see you’ve taken an interest?”
“Yeah. Now I’m really curious. It sounds amazing.”
She chuckled softly.
Around them, the rest of the table continued eating while listening in with quiet amusement.
“How has your experience in professional roarball been, Will?” she asked warmly after another bite.
“Honestly?” He huffed a small laugh. “It’s been incredible and awful at the same time.”
He gestured lightly with his fork.
“I get to make a career out of something I love. I’m living my dream. I met amazing people — my teammates at the Thorns…” His smile turned softer. “Sometimes I catch myself thinking, damn. This is exactly what I came into the world for, y’know?”
He took another bite of food.
“On the other hand…” He swallowed. “All the media stuff? The reputation? It’s killing me.”
Will slumped back slightly in his chair.
“I used to be a low-profile guy! Now there are cameras in my face everywhere I go and…” He looked down at his plate. “It’s starting to get to me.”
Oh. His plate was already empty. And it hadn’t even made a dent in his hunger.
“Man, hold on. Is this it?” He glanced around the table, offended. “Was that really dinner? Nah, this can’t be right.”
“That was the starter, you dumbass.” Blue Tuft said without looking up from his phone.
“Oh. Right.” Will let out an awkward laugh, heat creeping into his face. He had completely forgotten about all the exhausting little rules of rich-people dining.
Jill pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to smile.
“Your confusion is understandable,” she said graciously. “It truly is a pain.”
“Since we’ve gotten onto roarball,” the tiger said at last, his deep voice cutting through the table’s chatter, “how does it feel to be the first small in the game?”
Will blinked.
Was Mr. I’m Better Than You actually speaking to him like he was worth addressing?
“I take it as an honor,” Will said, sitting a little straighter. “Being able to inspire so many people like that…” He glanced at Jill, thinking of her daughter. “I just hope the door I opened helps the people who come after me.”
“Aren’t you afraid?” the tiger asked casually.
“...Of what?”
“Getting hurt, of course.”
Will shrugged. “It’s part of the game. Not something I’m eager for, obviously, but if it happens, it happens.”
“It can’t be easy for someone so small, though,” the tiger rested his chin on one hand, smiling faintly.
Something about it sent a cold shiver through Will’s spine.
“I wonder what would happen to roarball,” the tiger mused, “if some kind of tragedy happened to its first small while on the court.”
“Mr. Khaan,” Jill cut in smoothly, “I didn’t know you followed sports.”
“Hm.” He lifted his wineglass. “Not particularly, Ms. Harper. But certain... intricacies interest me.”
Thank God.
But the chill lingered.
Will could still feel it crawling along the back of his neck.
What the fuck was that supposed to mean?
Was the guy just messing with him? Trying to get under his skin?
It had to be that. It had to.
Just some rich asshole amusing himself with an easy target.
Conversation moved on without him.
Jill and Khaan were discussing something else now. Money, maybe. Will caught scraps of words: market, stocks, revenue. The rest of the table joined in soon enough. Even Blue Tuft looked up long enough to say something before diving back into his phone.
Will barely heard any of it.
His pulse thudded in his ears.
Jill had saved him again, hadn’t she? Third time tonight? Fourth?
He really owed her.
A waiter appeared beside him and set down the next course. Mushroom risotto. A little more generous than the starter, at least.
Steam curled up from the plate. It smelled incredible.
Will stared at it.
The room suddenly felt too warm.
Too loud.
Too tight.
His breathing went shallow.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he said quickly, pushing back his chair.
He stood so fast it scraped harshly against the floor, then turned and hurried away before anyone could stop him.
The last thing he saw was Jill’s worried face.
.
The cold night breeze caressing his face felt really nice.
City lights and car headlights sparkled like fireflies across the dark expanse, outshining the stars above. It really was a shame he couldn’t see them right now; would’ve been nice.
Still, this was good. Way better than panicking. The ferns and orchids hanging from the edges of the balcony kept him company, and they looked even prettier from up close. Watching from down there really did them no justice.
Will took a deep breath.
How did things take such a turn? He was having a good time with his friends, laughing, easygoing, when that sudden bucket of freezing water was dumped on him without warning.
The whole night had been a constant rollercoaster of emotions, with really high ups and really low downs. And what a down the last one had been.
Was high society always like this?
He wasn’t so sure he wanted to be a part of it.
He had no idea how long he had been outside, but the mere thought of going back made him want to crawl up a wall.
Just as he finished his thought, a drop of something fell onto one of his arms resting on the balcony railing.
‘Rain?’ He raised one hand, expecting more drops to hit it, but nothing came.
Huh.
Will returned his gaze to his arm. Upon closer inspection, the fabric of his suit hadn’t absorbed the liquid quite well. It looked sticky — weird.
He looked up.
Modo was hanging from the ceiling, staring him dead in the eyes, casually wiggling his fingers.
“AH!” Will’s high-pitched shout echoed through the night.
Talking about crawling up walls.
The komodo dragon cackled as he let go of the ceiling, thumping down next to Will.
“The fuck, man?! Warn a guy!!” The goat clutched his own chest as if trying to manually calm his heartbeat.
“Trying to lighten up mood.”
What a way to do that, huh?
Resting himself on the railings, Modo carefully watched Will. A charged silence hung in the air for a moment, both of them simply sharing the same space before Modo interrupted it.
“You good?”
Will couldn’t stop a tiny huff from escaping his lips. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“Understood. Just taking a fresh of breath air, right?” He took a deep sniff. “Aaah~. Nothing like sweet smell of pollution from big cities.”
Amused, Will nudged Modo’s hip with his own. He was truly surprised. Modo had gone out of his way to check on him and didn’t even seem to mind when Will clearly deflected.
They sat there in silence, enjoying each other’s company.
“I just… don’t understand why they would put me at that table? Doesn’t make no sense.”
Will heard a brief growl from Modo. “You’re news on the scene. Powerful people treating Will like their shiny new little decoration to be exhibited.” He didn’t seem happy at all with the situation himself.
“...So they put me in a table full of rich patrons to please them.” Will concluded.
The komodo dragon said nothing, simply watching him, which was more than enough of an answer — not that Will needed one. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the sky, breathing deeply. This night was really getting to him.
“Shit like this happens more often than you think, learn to deal with it with time. Not easy, but not impossible,” he scraped his teeth. “Once they tried setting me up with some CEO daughter, and let me tell you, chick was not my type. At all. And I’m not even picky guy.”
“How did they not eat you alive?” a laugh naturally came to him.
“Modo is icon, has his ways,” he shrugged. “...Actually, yeah. They stayed at my feet way longer than would like. Important is: they got the message. No one makes Modo do something he doesn’t want to. Good, right?”
“Ooh, pretty good. How can I send the same message, please? Would do me wonders.”
“Hehe! Can be nice starting point for building celebrity persona!”
Before Will could continue his line of thought on ‘what in the hell is a celebrity persona?’, Modo hunched over, hugging his belly with a twisted expression on his face.
“Everything good there?” Concern took over the goat.
“Don’t feel so well. Shit, knew had eaten too many appetizers…”
Will prepared for the worst as Modo coughed a bit.
And a glass came out of his mouth, intact.
“Ah. That was just it.” He held the glass up, unfazed, as if he coughed out a glass everyday. And, honestly, Will wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.
First, a snort escaped Will. Then a full-on laugh, which only grew looser by the minute. It felt less like actually finding the situation funny — Modo’s absurdity having already become a casualty in his life —, and more like his body letting the tension out. He could feel himself physically relaxing, shoulders unrestrained, smile easy on his face.
Modo watched him with a rather fond little smile.
Wans’t it incredible how easily he could relax in the presence of his teammates?
As his laughter subsided, Modo had gotten even closer to him, he realized. Their shoulders touched, the smell of their colognes mixing in the air.
“If little goat wants to go back home earlier, Modo can help.” His tone was low.
Will pondered for a minute.
“...I think… I want to give it another go.” A look inside showed Modo what he was talking about.
The lizard smiled, “Nice.” Straightening himself, he extended a palm upwards in offering towards the goat. “Perseverance is key.”
His slightly bowed position made his half-lidded eyes look even bolder against the dim lighting of the balcony, his piercing glinting as his tongue flicked around for a second.
Modo was flirting with him.
Nothing new.
The only difference was that he had never indulged in any of his earlier tries.
Well. What would be the problem of having a little fun?
He took Modo’s hand, satisfaction blooming in his chest at the sight of Modo’s smile growing a little bit sharper.
“It is, indeed.” His eyes dipped briefly to the lotus pin on his lapel before lifting again, settling fully on Modo.
Modo stepped in closer, shifting their arms together into something that could pass as casual if no one looked too hard.
“Ready?”
Will glanced back toward the ballroom. Took a breath.
Then he looked at Modo again, steady this time.
“Ready.”
On their way back in, Modo shared some much needed wisdom. His voice — lower now, rougher — stirred something in Will he didn’t even know how to name. The proximity, the intimacy… it felt intoxicating.
“First: never take what they say to heart. They will eventually try to pull you down. Makes them feel superior, and they’re always in need of that ego boost. Learn to filter what you hear from them.”
“That comes easy to you, doesn’t it? You don’t seem to mind what anyone thinks.” Will playfully pushes himself against Modo’s side.
“Heh, authenticity isn’t easy artform to learn,” Modo scrapes his teeth. “I actually wouldn’t recommend for you to be authentic.”
He turns to look Will in the eye.
“You’re too sweet and honest, which is awesome, really. But it leaves a door open for vulnerability, and that’s a fuel for people like these. Control the version of yourself they can see.”
“...Alright. When did you get so good at this?”
“Huh?” Modo made a stupid face, his tongue poking out, pulling a genuinely amused — and slightly surprised — huff out of Will.
Before he knew it, they were in front of his table.
The guests from before stopped their prose, watching; the concern on Jill’s face making Will tense.
He hesitantly let go of Modo’s arm, giving him a grateful smile before sitting down on his chair and making himself comfortable. Expecting Modo to leave after dropping him off, the table slipped back into its monotonous conversation.
Only for Modo to loudly plop down on the one remaining seat of the table — the one right by his side —. The chair was clearly too small for him, which didn’t stop him from looking completely at home with his arms crossed behind his head and a leg on top of the other.
Heads turned toward him.
“Hiiii~,” he wiggled his fingers to no one in specific.
Grabbing the glass in front of him, Will desperately tried to hide his laugh by taking a sip of God knows what was in that cup.
“Mr. Olachenko! What a pleasure to have you at our table!” Jill exclaimed as she took a bite of her cheesecake. At this point, the desserts had already been served.
Did they know each other?
“Jiiiill!! How’s it going?”
“Oh, nothing new. You know how things are,” she waved a hand dismissively.
“So, the busiest days ever. Like always,” he looks at the plate in front of him. “Man, this thing looks yummy!”
Will keeps politely chewing on his dessert as Modo swallows the whole thing in one bite, attracting disgusted looks to himself. Beyond finding the whole situation pretty funny, he was immensely grateful for the redirected attention.
That was, until Mr. Khaan decided it was time to pester him again.
Everyone else in the table had taken interest on the komodo dragon, asking him questions and genuinely intrigued by his weirdly charming charisma. And the guy evidently knew how to navigate the spotlight, not wavering once under their scrutiny.
But the tiger didn’t seem to pay him no mind.
“Mr. Harris,” his voice smooth, almost pleasant. “I see you have taken a breath?”
The mental image that came to Will was him grabbing the rest of his cheesecake and throwing it right in the middle of that damn tiger’s face with all of the strenght he could conjure. Seriously, what was this guy’s problem? Couldn’t he leave him alone?
But then he remembered Modo’s words, ‘makes them feel superior’, and of course that would be the case.
He couldn’t help but wonder, why would someone like that, with that stature, looks, probably all of the money in the world, full of power and prestige, even need to diminish others to feel better? But, hey, what did he even know about this kind of people.
Nothing would be able to make him less uncomfortable in a situation like this. He wouldn’t manage to handle difficult social settings over the course of one night. But he was learning, and, as Jett said, that’s something you can only learn through experience.
So he took a deep breath.
“Yes, I did, Mr…”
“You can call me Khaan.”
“Mr. Khaan. I’m personally a big fan of the orchids. Have you seen them?”
He needed to be less vulnerable, otherwise this world would eat him alive. So be it.
“No, I haven’t.”
The tiger’s gaze kept unwavering upon Will, making him feel even smaller. But the goat would make everything that was on his reach to not show what he felt.
“I’m way too busy to stop and smell the flowers, wouldn’t you think so?” Khaan took a sip.
“I’m afraid I’m not even sure of what you do for a living, Mr.” Did that sound rude?
“Yeah, I mean, what kind of job would require not appreciating flowers?” Modo, with a hand under his chin, intruded.
Clearly, someone didn’t give a damn about not trying to be rude.
Will could see Jill covering her own mouth from the corner of his eye.
“I’m a lawyer.” Khaan responded, even if a little taken aback.
“Ha, makes sense. Every lawyer I met hates flowers for some reason. I wonder why?” He gazed upwards with a finger on his pursed lips.
“I… Don’t hate flowers. It was just…” The tiger paused when he saw the amused expressions on everyone’s faces — even the weird parakeet! — and rolled his eyes. “Why am I even wasting my breath with a brainless creature such as this.”
Ouch.
Will caught the glint in Modo’s eyes when Khaan said that. Huh.
“Know what? Modo should make catalog on lawyer behavior. Where they live? What they eat? Why always so insufferable?”
“Why do they hate flowers?” Will added.
“Why they hate flowers???” He looked at the goat as if he would have the answer.
Stifled laughter circled the table.
The feline was so obviously livid at being the target of mockery he looked ready to launch himself at Modo and choke him.
Guy really didn’t know how to take a joke.
But, to his credit, he kept to himself. No more poking the fire, no outbursts. Simply crossed his arms and huffed, making his posture even more rigid. Of course, he couldn’t lose composure now, not in front of everyone.
Will’s cheery eyes met Modo’s satisfied ones.
Modo scraped his teeth.
“Bro—” Will exasperated. “Let me take a look at those teeth again.” He reached his hands towards the dragon’s face.
The man happily obliged, opening his mouth in contentment as Will’s hands rested on his jaw, carefully searching for whatever was bothering him so much.
“There’s nothing there, man! Stop fussing so much, you’re just hurting your gums even more!” He said, stepping back slightly.
Modo slumped his shoulders, massaging his cheek right on the spot where it bothered, “But so uncomfortable!” He whined.
“It will only keep being uncomfortable if you keep messing with it.”
“Meeh…” Modo kept massaging the place, his sad eyes not leaving the goat.
Then his lips formed a smug smile.
“Hmmm… Little goat’s hoofs felt so warm on Modo’s face~.”
“Bro.” Pushing Modo’s face away from his, Will blushed with a smile.
A cackle came out of the lizard, “Still touching me, though!”
Will wasn’t sure how much more time they spent there, teasing each other, interacting with the rest of the table.
Working through conversation with Modo by his side, even if still a bit clanky, was so much easier. Whenever Will said something stiff, Modo would jump in right after — either smoothing things over or somehow making it even more awkward. But in such a Modo way that Will couldn’t even mind it. It actually made his heart feel weirdly warm.
The glances, the subtle touches. Modo’s alluring cologne. God, Will was indulging in this way too much.
He wasn’t dumb, nor blind. Modo was naturally flirty. And kind of a man-whore.
The guy had a reputation, and the stories the team would always tell really didn’t help.
Of course, with Will it wouldn’t be any different. Ever since he first joined the team, the komodo dragon had been all over him — something about shed skin and lots of close proximity to mark his presence?? But, following his teammates advices, ‘just ignore him and he’ll eventually stop, or at least downturn it a little bit’, they would say. So, Will never paid it no mind.
Did he think he was attractive? Yeah, I mean, who wouldn’t think so.
Just, the whole acting like some crazy man wasn’t much his cup of tea.
But it was kind of growing on him?
No. Don’t even think about Will.
Modo was being so sweet, his perceptiveness honestly surprising. He had spent the whole night looking after Will, making sure he wouldn’t feel too overwhelmed. How exactly was he supposed to resist it?
Will would allow it.
What could one single night of self indulgence do, right?
Around the ballroom, conversations loosened into smaller clusters as waiters began clearing the table, carrying away empty plates and half-finished wine glasses.
People were already starting to get up from their tables, mingling, and some even dancing. Khaan was the first to leave the table, not sparing any of them a glance as he made his way toward the crowd gathering near the stage.
A soft chime echoed through the room, the live music coming to a stop.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention for a moment,” the host’s voice carried smoothly across the ballroom.
Modo leaned closer to Will so he could hear his whispered words, “Wanna get out of here?”
“Can we?” The simple thought of being home right now seemed to have an effect on the goat, his body suddenly feeling way heavier than it did before. He was drained, he realized.
“Perfect moment for it. Unless you want to get stuck listening to some boring and meaningless speeches? Modo’s down for anything.” He scraped his teeth yet again, against all of Will’s protests.
“Hell, no.” Even if the idea gave him shivers, he still had one thing keeping him back. “Shouldn’t we say goodbye to the others? The Thorns, I mean.”
Modo smiled softly. Will could feel Jill’s — who still hadn’t gotten up — interested eyes on them. “Of course, if that’s what Will wants.”
Just as he finished his sentence, the host’s voice echoed through the hall once again, “We ask that all guests make their way toward the presentation area as we prepare to begin the evening’s formal program.”
Will turned to Modo, “Do we have time?”
“Not really,” a shrug. “What now? You decide. No need to worry, teammates know how these things go.”
The mammal contemplated for a second. No, there was no chance he’d stay for more staged bullshit. “Alright, let’s go.”
“Follow me~.” The dragon grasped Will’s hand, pulling him to a stand and already making his way toward the edges of the room with suspicious enthusiasm.
“Wait, wait, hold up!” Will stopped before they were too far from the table, ignoring Modo’s tiny noises of disgruntlement.
He turned towards Ms. Jill, who was actually in the middle of standing up herself.
“Miss Jill, it was truly a pleasure meeting you tonight!” He lowered his head in respect, but stopped himself before he did a full bow. That would be way too formal.
“Oooh! Man, Modo completely forgot. Now I feel terrible. Sorry, Jill.” Will realized their hands were still linked. Anyways.
The smile on the sheep’s face was blinding, “There is no need for apologizing, at all, Modo! And, Will, the pleasure was all mine.” She rested a hoof on her chest. “I look forward to see you again. Now, you two get out of here before it gets too late.”
Modo pulled on Will’s hand once again, “Byeee Jill! Always nice to see you!” He waved enthusiastically, and the woman did the same just as eagerly.
Will waved too as Modo dragged him, his heart warm. He could hear Jill’s soft laugh as they drifted further and further away.
The hand pulling him along through the crowd was gentle so as not to hurt him, and the giggles bubbling up from both of them danced around like butterflies.
Will was surprised when they went for a completely different direction from the normal exit, Modo taking him through staff corridors. Workers glanced at them as they hurriedly passed, but didn’t make much of a fuss about it, apparently used to this kind of thing.
The sounds of the event were completely muffled when they got into an elevator with a clear ‘staff only’ sign on it’s door.
As Modo pressed the down button and the elevator started its descent, Will caught his breath, managing to get his giggles under control.
“Where are we going?”
“Out,” Modo watched Will’s face of ‘duh’ with amusement before explaining further. “Less chances of lingering photographers on this exit. Thought you’d like that.”
“Oh, yes, please,” the goat thanked the heavens.
Only then did Will notice how close they were.
Shoulders touching. Backs against the mirrored wall. The cramped elevator suddenly felt far more intimate than it should have. Will wasn’t sure if the dizziness he felt was due to Modo’s magnetism or the couple of wine glasses he had taken, but his body felt hot.
He turned and looked deep into the man’s eyes.
“Thank you.”
Modo smiled softly, tongue flicking briefly as if tasting the air. He said nothing as his eyes scanned Will’s face.
The feeling of a clawed pinky circling around one of his digits made goosebumps climb up his arm.
Then the doors opened.
The overwhelmingly artificial lighting of the underground garage made Will flinch.
“Want a ride?” With their hands clasped together, Modo encouraged them out into the wide space, gray concrete and luxury cars everywhere.
“Did you come by motorcycle?” Will asked, diesbieliving.
“Why, of course!”
The goat chuckled, “I’m not so sure you’ll be able to drive properly right now. Haven’t you taken, like, a dozen drinks?”
Modo laughed.
“Was joking. Did come by motorcycle, but I didn’t intend to drink. Those damn irresistible drinks were begging me to be savoured!” He gestured wildly as Will cackled. “Gonna take a cab and get motorcycle here tomorrow. You coming?”
“Yeah, sounds perfect.”
Just as he said it, Will managed to spot a movement from the corner of his eye.
He turned.
“Jett??”
The pantheress was clearly trying to hide behind one of the parking pillars, visibly unhappy about being spotted.
“Hey, you two.”
Modo’s tongue darted out and his brows furrowed in concern. Weird.
“Leaving already? Why so soon?” Will took steps closer to her.
“I could ask the both of you the same question.” The meaning behind her words was clear as her eyes made a full scan through their bodies, scrutinizing.
The goat’s face went hot.
He decided to play the innocent, “I’m just tired. Had enough of arrogant folk for one night.”
Jett hummed, her hand massaging her thigh in a movement so subtle few would be able to notice.
And of course Will did.
“You’re in pain.” He tried getting closer, concern taking over him.
“Kid.” Jett stopped him. “Mind. Your. Business.”
Modo said nothing, but sternly stepped a little closer to the goat. The feline groaned and rolled her eyes at the sight.
“Jett… I just wanna help.” Will said as mildly as he could.
“I don’t NEED—!”
She stopped herself. Massaging her temples, she took a long deep breath, contemplating her next words.
“Look, Will. I know you’re just concerned. I’m… sorry. I don’t want to explode on you.”
The lotus pin on Will’s chest seemed to warm. He smiled. This Jett was so different from the one he had met a while ago.
Modo watches with interest.
“You know if you keep forcing your leg it won’t heal appropriately, right?” He asks, kind.
“...I know.”
She kept her eyes in the distance, avoiding facing Will at all costs. Hunched posture, furrowed brows. God, she must’ve been in so much pain.
A limousine gets into the garage and makes its way towards them. Jett’s limo.
When it stops in front of them, security opening up the back door, Will makes his way to Jett’s side.
She says nothing, so he takes it as consent and tries supporting her bad side. Modo immediately moves to help, too, basically doing all of the work as Jett was so much heavier than Will.
Awkwardly, they manage to get her into the car.
Her bad mood han’t ceased one little bit. Maybe even gotten worse, probably due to shame — having to lean on others, that wasn’t her style. Not at all.
Will looks at her with kind eyes, and, for once, she looks back.
“Thanks.”
“Hey, don’t mention it.” He blinks with a smile and gets out of the way so the door could be closed.
Only, it didn’t.
Will stared in confusion.
“Come on, get in.” Jett encouraged.
“What?” Will and Modo say in unison.
“I’m taking you home. I don’t trust his drunk ass to do it.” She points at Modo.
The feline and the reptile share a tiny staring contest.
A small growl escapes him as he takes a step back. Will worries about the apparently angry reaction, but the tension soon was broken by Modo’s loud voice.
“The two of you, going without me! Don’t you have a heart?” Will couldn’t help letting out a giggle at the komodo dragon’s theatrics, Jett smiling too.
“You know the invitation was for you too, right?”
“Nah. Modo lives far. Way too much trouble for you,” he waves a hand dismissively.
“However contradictory it may seem to say this, you wouldn’t be trouble at all, Modo.”
The man chuckles, “No need to worry. You two, go rest. Modo knows how to take care of self.”
He looks at Will, who is still standing awkwardly by the side of the door, unsure of what to do.
“You’re going, right?” Modo inquiries.
“Uuuhm…”
“Yes, he is.” Jett confirms, pulling one of the goat’s arms so he falls into the car seat with an ‘eek!’
Modo cackles at the sight as Will settles himself appropriately into the seat, embarrassed. He glanced at the reptile.
He truly didn’t think words could convey whatever he was feeling right now. Was it excitement for earlier interactions? Was it gratefulness? Was it sadness for having to depart? He didn’t know, and also didn’t trust himself to open his mouth, as it might simply blurt out words without his consent.
So he just kept looking, and Modo held his stare, patiently.
Apparently, Modo didn’t need no words to be able to read Will’s eyes.
He smiled, and hoisted a fist up in the air, waiting for Will to meet him.
The goat smiled brightly as they fistbumped.
“See ya, little goat.”
“See ya.”
Finally breaking eye contact, Modo sent a finger salute to Jett — who responded equally — and took more steps back so he wouldn’t be in the way of the closing door.
Soon, the limo was already making its way towards the exit. Will turned so he could watch Modo through the windowpanes.
The man’s retreating back was walking towards the motorcycle parking area.
He was going to drive himself home, wasn’t he?
Motherfucker.