nextdoor neighbors, flamingo/albert aretz

30-to an end

[albert's pov]

SILENCE. PURE, untouched, raw silence. For fifteen minutes.

"I WANT TO GO WITH HER! Please...Albert...please! She- sh-...please." Y/n pleaded, begged practically, crawling farther onto the street. The car that ran Coni over had stopped a block down, and the woman who did it ran up to Y/n.

"Ma'am- i'm so- wait." she snarled. "Y/n? What the fuck?"

"Lana, you son. Of. A. Bitch." i say. That was the only thing that came out of my mouth. I couldn't fathom anything else.

Y/n looks up to see Lana's face in what almost looks like a smile. She rises like a fallen villain.

Holy shit.

Y/n can actually fucking fight. It's almost like Lana herself thinks that she deserves it, because she stands as if she's been preserved in plexi-glass like a baseball that you catch at a professional game.

I don't stop Y/n from lunging at Lana and throwing a fierce punch in the nose. It's definitely broken. More punches...nose, both eyes, her lips, and one in the chest. She falls down after the one in the chest, and Y/n stands over her, grabbing her throat in her shaking hands.

I let it happen for a little bit, then start shaking her so she can let Lana breathe. It's a bit hard at first, but I lift her up and she kicks her feet to get back to her.

"Y/n, no more. We've expressed our emotions now, correct?" she persists with the kicking in mid-air.

"Oh, please. I lied when you first got your haircut. It looked stupid as hell." I let her down because of the shock with my mouth wide open.

"You did not just-"

Y/n takes a last look at Lana, then proceeds to harshly stomp on her stomach a couple of times. The last time, Lana gags, and Y/n lifts her up by the hair and throws her in the direction of the car.

She stumbles in the drivers' seat and goes home.

"She doesn't deserve to fucKING LIVE!" Y/n collapses on me, causing me to fall down. A car honks behind us, so i grab her in my arms bridal style and get her to the sidewalk, mouthing sorry to the passing car.

"Y/n, are you okay? Lana didn't fight back, right?" I ask, stroking her hair.

She doesn't say anything. I follow her eyes to where Coni's remains are; a mess of white fur and red. Red, red, red.

"She was a good dog."

"Shut up, Albert."

"Sorry, sorry. I know that was mega cliché."

She buries her face in my lap, soaking my leg with her tears.

I stroke her hair, moving down to her back, and trail my finger down her spine repeatedly.

This was probably her lowest point in her life. I can't even put myself in her shoes. It's impossible.

"What was your favorite thing about her?" I ask. Oh shit, did i actually just say that? Fuck. Fuck. Fu-

"How calm she was. I don't think i ever trained her, either. She just...i don't know. She was an angel, Al."

This is the first time she's ever called me 'Al'. What the hell.

"Can we go inside?"

"Oh yeah, uh, yeah. Of course, of course." i pick her up and carry her inside my house and onto my couch. I put a chunky blanket over her and go to the kitchen to make some tea. "What's your favorite tea, hun?"