Alliance: [Cole X Reader]

Posters and Leashes

We all spun and turned to face the young men who had just flounced into the restaurant. Purple Mohawks and leather jackets didn't give off a good vibe.

The boys slowly slid out of the booth as the trouble makers pushed the cashier and demanded he give them the money.

The poor old man shook his head and took a step back before he was thrown onto the conveyor belt.

"Hey!" I protested, casting them a glare. "You're supposed to respect your elders."

"And it's not very polite to touch someone else's food!" Cole threw it as the ninja approached.

Oh look at them, back together and working as a team. I'm so proud.

A fight ensued and with a yelp, I was forced under the table and food was thrown everywhere. This is why I wasn't a ninja.

The boys stampeded past my table, and Cole reach down to help me up. "Cmon, they went out the back way!" He said quickly before rushing out.

Well. Guess I had no choice but to follow. I shoved the back door open to find the ninja huddled around a poster tacked to the wall. I snaked in between Cole and my brother, peeking over their shoulders to see what they were staring at.

Zane was on the poster.

I jumped in front to snatch it down and look at it more closely. "Holy freaking crap. It says..."

"What? What!" Jay interrupted, snatching it from my grasp.

"Give it back, you idiot." I grumbled and grabbed it from him.

"It says... Zane's alive!" With wide eyes, I looked up to the others in disbelief. Gasps and shocked faces met my gaze.

"Are you pulling my leg?" A mutter from Cole as he crossed his arms.

I shook my head. "Not about Zane. I would never..."

Lloyd tapped Kai's arm with the back of his hand and pointed. "I think those thugs meant to deliver a message to us, not the noodle house. These must be for us too!"

He pointed to a plate lying under where the poster had hung. Fortune cookies.

Each grabbed one, except for me.

"Master Chen has personally invited you to partake in his tournament of elements."

"This matter is of the utmost secrecy. Tell no one."

"Meet at the dock at midnight next Wednesday. Leave all your weapons behind, in order to retrieve your friend."

As we walked home, I found myself beside Cole. We walked silently behind the others, but I was just happy to be in the company of all of them again.

"So..." Cole started off awkwardly, and I pulled my gaze off my feet to meet his eyes. "Jay was telling me that you had a job at a pet shop?"

My eyes narrowed, confused. "Uh-yeah... how did you know?"

"We used to keep in contact for the first few weeks of us all being apart, and he told me, then."

I nodded and crossed my arms across my chest. "Right. Makes sense."

"Uh yeah." Gosh, I don't remember him being this awkward. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced off to the right. We were strolling past a strip mall were, coincidentally, Destiny's store was.

He stopped abruptly, staring at the store. "You alright?" I asked, and before I could say anything else, he grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

"We'll catch up to you guys later!" Cole called to the others who looked at us like we were crazy.

To be fair, I would've done the same.

"We will? Where are we going?" I asked, but Cole just pushed me inside the pet store.

"Oh hey sugar-plum! Did you bring your boyfriend so you could introduce me?" Destiny's sweet voice rang out as she saw us come in.

Oh boy.

My face lit up and I quickly shook my head. "I-um. He's not- my.. whatever. Um I actually don't know why we're here? I was dragged here unwillingly..." I turned to Cole for an answer, but he was glaring at Destiny, face looking like a ripe tomato.

Hehe.

"Oh I see."

"Yep. So. Destiny, remember me? I came in not too long ago, and asked you to keep something for me?" Cole muttered softly as he leaned up against the counter.

My past boss' eyes lit up with recognition and she smiled. "Right! Stay here, sweetie. I'll go get that for you."

I rolled my eyes. "Cole, I swear if you're picking up food for your stupid pet fish..."

"I'm not!" He cut me off and crossed his arms. "Bubbles didn't live very long after you guys left."

"Poor Bubbles. Why wasn't I invited to his funeral?"

He ran a hand through his pretty black hair. "Well... we weren't exactly on talking terms...."

Wait.

Pretty black hair? Oh no no. No. Nope. Nuh uh. Bad, Y/N. Bad. He's just a friend. Just. A. Friend.

Destiny stumbled back into the room, pushing her way through the beaded curtain that separated the main area from the back area. She had a bundle of towels wrapped in her arms and Cole spun to take it from her.

I gasped, and my hands flew to cover my mouth.

Holy.
Crap.

It wasn't just towels!

Mixed among the bundle of towels and blankets was a puppy.

I looked from the sleeping puppy to Cole and back to the puppy.

No.

"So Jay was telling me you were really attached to this little Great Dane, and then what you told us tonight... She is for you."

And he handed me a dog.

Oh my gosh.

I took it from him, breathless and slid onto the floor. The puppy awoke, and pushed its head out its blanket home. Bright blue eyes met mine and I smiled.

She was gorgeous. Blinding blue eyes and a soft gray color with speckles or darker gray all over. She was huge for a puppy too, so...

"She's a Great Dane?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Cole sat beside me and nodded.

I unwrapped the puppy from the blankets and she shook her coat out before sitting before us, tail wagging. Which shook her entire body, so she must've been really happy.

I stood, and picked out a collar and leash. She followed at my heels, knowing I was getting something for her. A simple black collar with a black and white bandana attached to it. I stopped down and clicked it around her neck, then the patterned blue leash which matched her eyes perfectly.

I sat beside Cole again, and the really really excited puppy jumped into my lap.

I sniffed and wiped my wet eyes with my sleeve. Man, I really needed to get a grip and quit crying.

But he got me a dog!

"Thank you so much..." I whimpered as the puppy curled into my lap. I could practically feel Cole smiling beside me, and he reached over to pet my puppy's head.

"What's her name?"

"Devin."

He nodded and I rested my head on his shoulder happily as Devin began to snore.