You encounter a pawblem and Donnie tries to help.
(Requested by EclipsedKitsune)
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Although you live in one of the quieter boroughs, you find the complete silence unnerving as you took your evening stroll. The only thing keeping you calm was the sound of Donnie's voice.
"You know you could walk during the day like a normal person?" Donnie comments.
"I can't help being a creature of the night," you retort, one hand twirling your earphone cord. "With no one around I don't feel as self-conscious."
"Ah, yes, because what more does a lady walking alone at night have to worry about."
You could practically hear him rolling his eyes on the other end of the call. "I'm fine. If I ever get into trouble I can always call you."
"Then why are you calling me now?"
"I just wanted to hear your voice, is that so hard to believe?"
There's a long pause. So long that you nearly forgot he was there.
In the near distance, a black cat with golden eyes stands in someone's driveway. You crouch down to the sidewalk and try to coax the cat.
Donnie clears his throat. "You know... if you need someone to accompany you next time, you can just ask m—"
"Spspspsspsp!"
"...what are you doing?"
"Here, kitty-kitty."
"Are you—Do not, I repeat, do NOT touch the cat!"
"But it's so cute."
"Who knows what it could be carrying! Just head home, alright?"
You lure the cat until it's close enough for you to pet it. "Don't see any fleas," you observe, swatting away a mosquito.
"Are you petting it?"
"Maybe."
He grumbles to himself.
"Didn't know you hated cats so much."
"It's getting late. You shouldn't be petting strays at midnight," he diverts.
"I didn't know the bad boy cared so much about me," you tease.
Something bites your neck and you smack it instinctually. You remove your hand and discover an eerie yellow-green substance dripping from your hand. A seering pain radiates from your neck and you wince through gritted teeth. The pain spreads until it's enveloping your entire body, burning you from inside out.
"AHH!" you cry out in pain, drowning out Donnie's voice.
The cat hisses in terror and flees into a bush. You fall onto your hands and knees. You sense your face contorting and shifting, like it was being reshaped anew. Your vision starts to blur from the throbbing ache coursing your veins.
"Hello? HELLO?!"
Donnie's voice pierces your ears. You tear out your earphones to stop the ringing. Your hearing suddenly too sensitive.
"What's going on out there?"
You locate the source of the voice to a neighboring house. Their patio lights switch on, blinding you. You lift your arm up to shield your eyes. At that moment the hairs on your arms grows harrier, or rather, furrier. You witness in real-time as your fingers swell into thick, rounded stubs. Your fingernails sharpen into claws.
You stumble down the street, dizzy from pain, picking up speed as the neighbourhood stirs awake. More houses blink to life and people open their windows and gasp at the sight.
"What is that?!"
"Is that a cat burglar?!"
"Monster!"
When the pain subsides, you dash to the end of the block in lightning speed. Your body lighter, more agile than before. You avoid streetlights and barrel straight into darkness. Your eyes take no time in adjusting to the night. You leap over bushes and scale fences until you reach your house.
You slam the door behind you and rush to your bathroom mirror. Not fully believing your eyes, you turn on the light.
In the mirror a fluffy beast gapes back at you. Your hand trembles as you lift it up to touch your foreign face—sharp fangs, long whiskers, pointy ears—neither fully human nor fully cat.
You couldn't believe what was happening.
You rip your clothes off. Fur, the colour of your hair, coats every inch of your body. A bristled tail sticks out from behind, stiffened with fear.
You smash the mirror in disbelief, painting the pads of your paw-hands blood red. You peer up at your cracked reflection. The pain reminding you that you were awake.
The reality of the situation finally sinks in as you break into sobs. You blunder your way to a first-aid kit, your tears blinding you and your tail knocking over everything within it's radius.
This wasn't a dream. Nothing you do can change that.
After tending your wounds, you hear your window open. You shut the lights off and duck into the shadows.
A silhouetted figure enters through your living room and you prowl towards the person. With their back turned you jump them. They knock you back and you steady yourself before pouncing on them again, pinning them to the floor.
"Donnie?"
Your pupils dilate in realization and immediately back away from Donnie. He rises from the ground and you retreat into your room to hide underneath your covers.
Embarrassment, shame, and despair wash over you as you shake in bed. The last person you wanted to ever find out about this was Donnie. The door creaks open and you curl up tightly into a ball.
"After I heard you scream, I rushed to your phone's coordinates. I'm glad to see you're fine—"
"Does it look like I'm fine?" you interrupt. "I look like I came straight out of the CGI Cats musical!"
"It can't be that bad." His footsteps reach your bed and the mattress dips towards the edge where he sat. "Do you want to talk about it...?"
"I'm a freak. What else is there to say?"
"You're not a freak."
"I don't need your pity, Don."
"I was being sincere."
"Just look at me." You flung your sheets to the ground and reveal yourself to him.
He stares at you with a stunned expression.
You look away ashamed.
"I've always been a freak. Now I finally look the part."
You laugh bitterly as tears well up in your eyes. You turn away to hide your face.
"Just leave. Everyone eventually does," you murmur the last part to yourself.
For a moment, the room goes silent, and you thought Donnie had left until you hear him speak.
"You're still you, and I like you. Turning into a mutant won't ever change that."
You whip your head towards him, and you see his serious face break into a nervous panic.
"I-I'm sure the guys and April would feel the same way." A blush spreads across his cheeks as he stutters to cover it up.
He slaps his face. Then glances away and fiddles with his wristband awkwardly.
"I'm not really good with emotions, but you know I'll always be here for you."
"Thanks, Donnie. "
You never heard Donnie sound so sincere and gentle. It made your heart flutter, and you instantly feel your spirits lift. Your tail coils around Donnie's waist, and he stiffens.
"Sorry, still don't know how to control the darn thing." You apologize whilst grabbing your tail. "You don't have to stay, I know you don't like cats very much."
He mumbles something under his breath.
"What was that?"
"I-It's not that I don't like them. It's just..."
"But earlier you seemed—"
"I didn't like how you were ignoring me, okay?"
You feign a gasp. "You, Mr. Emotionless Bad Boy, were jealous?"
He frowns cutely as his face turns a shade darker. His eyes shift to someplace across the room.
"So, when you said that you liked me, what did you mean by that?" A small smile starts to creep onto your face.
"I think it's self-explanatory; don't look too deep into it." He crosses his arms defensively.
You furrow your eyebrows at his stubbornness. "Well, that's disappointing. Here I thought my feelings would be reciprocated."
He lifts his head towards you. "Wait, what?"
"I like you, Don."
He blinks, starry-eyed. "Really?"
"Yeah. Guess I'll have to move on now." You shrug as Donnie struggles to make sense of the situation. "Maybe Leo, he seems into catgirls."
"Out of all the—NO! You can't!"
You smile innocently. "Why not?"
"Because..."
You wait in anticipation.
"I like you." He admits earnestly. "And not just in a platonic way."
"Hmm, I don't know if I believe you."
"What?! But I just said—"
Your hands press against his chest. "Prove it." You push him onto your bed, smiling at him knowingly. You gradually lean close to his face. His eyes shut.
Your warm lips meet his, and you kiss him lovingly slow. His arms wrap around you as you embrace each other. You pull back to see his eyelids flutter open. His neck craning up at you in desperation, begging for more.
You plant a swift smooch on his cheek and flash a teasing smirk, silently telling him to be patient. You were emotuonally exhausted and just wanted to rest at this point. You sidle next to him in bed, nuzzling your face into the crook of his neck.
"Y-your whiskers are tickling me," he says with a breathless fluster. Donnie brushes his hand against your face, fingers grazing your ear.
You let out a purr and redden in embarrassment.
"Maybe I'm more of a cat-person than I thought," Donnie coyly states. He continues to stroke your ears gently. "You're definitely the cutest cat I've ever seen."
Your pout melts into a smile when he kisses your forehead. His warmth and touch lulling you to close your eyes. Soon you fall peacefully asleep, assured that no matter what happens you have each other.
-End-