His Last Words (Furry fanfic)

What If...

Grayson parked his Jeep in the yard to make room for the U-Haul and boxes that dominated the garage. His sister was moving into her college dorm today, and he would have to go to East Carolina with the family to say goodbye, regardless of what was going on with Darren.

His sister, Stephanie, bounded down the porch steps to meet him in the yard. She was adorned in college gear and was crying as well as laughing. Grayson made a mental note to make sure he would never try to understand women.

"Hey Grey!!" Grayson hated that nickname and shuddered ever so slightly at hearing it.

"How's dare-bear doing?"

What is it with this woman and nicknames? Grayson thought. "Well, if you call throwing a barstool at your best friend and then taking off down the road, I'd say pretty good!!" His voice cracked a little at the end of his sentence and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Stephanie pulled him closer and hugged him for a long time, the scents of each other intermingling and making their eyes water.

"Woah, too much cologne..." mumbled Grayson, pulling away and shaking his head. "Well then, looks like we need to get you finished packing."

"C'mon, puppy. We've got all day." She took off her sweater.

Just then, he got a call from Adrianna, marked urgent.

"Gotta take this. Sorry sis." He climbed back into his Jeep and locked the doors. His sister could be a little... compulsive when excited, and he didn't feel like doing anything ever, especially not today.

"Adrianna, you're a lifesaver. Steph was all over me just a second ago."

"Grayson, shut up. When and where was the last place you saw Darren?"

His blood turned to ice as he realized what this was about. Adrianna had hacked into everyone's vehicle computers to implant tracking devices and cameras in them, so she would know where one of them went if they went missing (which was surprisingly quite often).

"Uhh... Around 4:57 he threw a stool at me and took off downtown, why?"

"Dangit..." muttered Adrianna, smashing her fist down onto her laptop. "You know dang well why, I need you to get over here as quickly as possible."

"One step ahead of you, ri," He breathed, starting up his Jeep again.

***

Darren hid his BMW in a cave and continued walking down the old disused fire road. The sunset lit up the sky in blazing oranges and pinks, all set on a blue-grey backdrop. The scene did nothing to mellow out his mood, though, and his thoughts once again began to uenfold him in a bubble of self-doubt and depression. The only thing he needed to do was hunt.

He let his predator instincts guide him down a small trail and up a magnificent Oak, standing high above the rest of the forest. Darren paused momentarily in respect for the tree and it's part in the ecosystem, then took off his shirt and began to climb.

"Betcha never seen a rich kid climb a tree," He muttered to no one in particular.

"D-Darren?" Came a voice from above, which was ignored. Darren needed food, not distraction. He leapt at movement above him and knocked Luca down from her lookout perch in the tree, and together they plummeted to the ground.

"Darren, what are you doing!? Get off my girlfriend!!"

Adrianna's voice rang throughout the forest, scaring birds out of their nests and causing Darren to snap out of his instincts. They landed on top of Grayson's Jeep, bouncing a little on the canvas.

"I... I'm so sorry... I don't know what came over me..." He climbed down from the Jeep and back slowly against the trunk of the tree, grabbing his t-shirt and bunching it up in his fist.

"Please don't be mad..."

"Darren, you have to get ahold of yourself." Grayson sighed, exasperated.

"Yes. Just look at my poor Luca-bear!!" Exclaimed Adrianna, helping Luca up off the roof of the Jeep.

"That hurt, Darren. You ate a piece of my arm."

"I... I'm sorry..." Darren whimpered, crouching low to the ground. These people were the only ones left who cared about him. How could he ever forgive himself if they left because of something he did?

"Say sorry all you want..." and with that, Luca pounced.

"LUCA BEAR GET OFF OF HIM NOW!!!" Screamed Adrianna, trying to get ahold of her arms. Luca continued pummeling the poor guy until she was eventually restrained, but by that time Darren was already covered in blood from a broken nose. He blinked a few tears out of his eyes and, wiping his face off with his shirt, scrambled away from the only thing he had left: friendship.

***

Darren found a hoodie in the backseat of the BMW, which he put on before climbing into the driver's seat and banging his head on the steering wheel. How could he have been so stupid?? He was still hungry, but with all that had happened Darren never wanted to eat again, or do anything for that matter. Still, though, he knew better than to starve himself, so as soon as the sun was fully set he went out and regretfully used his instincts to catch a measly squirrel. Having finished it in a few sorrowful bites, he then headed back to his car. Adrianna and Grayson were still out looking for him, calling his name and swinging flashlights into the gloom.

His car still sat undiscovered in the cave, and he turned on the hybrid engine without making a sound. The radio was hooked up to his Galaxy, and "Gone gone gone" () began to play through the speakers. The song got him thinking about Aimee almost instantly, and he could not control the tears that began flowing out. Why did bad things always happen to good-ish people?

He was so wrapped up in his depresso espresso thoughts that he didn't notice Grayson jog up to the car and climb into the passenger seat.

"What's up, pup?" Grayson asked, wiping a tear from Darren's eye with his finger. "I love your song choice."

"Leave me alone."

"Darren..."

"You wouldn't get it."

"Why not?"

Darren hesitated a second, then decided it was now or never. "Promise you won't call the police or anything?"

"Of course not!! I'm here for ya, bro."

"Erm... uhh... how do I say this... I guess the big thing... William's wanted in England and New York... Ahm... yea~"

"I already knew-" Grayson started, before he caught himself and threw his hand over his mouth.

"What?"

"Erm... nothing."

"Grayson..."

"Your mom may have told me your life's story, just a bit."

Darren cursed under his breath and put his face in his hands. "Why can't that woman shut up..."

There was more awkward silence, until Grayson shifted in his seat and the radio switched to "Superheroes" by The Script. "So... what are the other things?"

"Well, let's see... I partially ate Luca and my girlfriend's dead," Darren replied sarcastically. (Ok guys i've had a bad day and i have testing during free time so sorry :/)

Grayson continued shifting uncomfortably in his seat, trying to find the right words to say. "Uhh..."

More silence. "I'm waiting."

"Erm... don't take this personally, but it may help. Elaina... She sorta... You know..."

Darren blushed, then put his hand over Grayson's mouth. "I just ate Luca, I highly doubt she'll like me now." He popped an Icebreaker into his mouth, then they embraced in front of Adrianna and Luca, who had just discovered the cave.

Luca squealedsqueled excitedly and ran over to the car. "Yess!!! You hugged!! My ship has sailed!!"