Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Texas had been knocking for the past two minutes now. Sora watched her, studying the way their leader grew with worry with every passing second that no one answered the door. The porch swing she was curled up on creaked with the swinging of her legs. It was old, the slight rust to the chains above her signaling as much, but not unstable. The seat padding of green and white stripes seemed brand new. Exusiai stood up from her place beside Sora. The remaining Sankta of the group (probably the only one . . . something told her Mostima could not be considered one to the same degree) had been mostly quiet since they arrived. Her normal chatter was meant to be relaxing.
But it's hard to relax in a place you've never been too.
Bison was acting just as out of place as she felt. People from the city found themselves uncertain when affronted with the woodsy, outdoor feel of the Texas Pack land. He shifted from one foot to the other, pressed close to Croissant. The Defender was the sole newcomer who acted comfortable in the foreign setting. Her attention kept on switching from her shield, to hammer, back to mindless conversing of the vendors they saw on the way in.
"Do you think he's not here?" Exusiai asked Texas.
One dark ear twitched in acknowledgement. "That seems to be the case."
And that was all Texas said before she walked over to the railing, promptly vaulting herself over it and onto the ground. Sora watched with wide eyes as Texas then proceeded to make her way to a drainpipe on the wall. Expert hands dug into the metal, surging the quiet women up the building.
"Wait what? Where's she going?" Sora asked.
"Texas?" Exusiai questioned.
Croissant and Bison also voiced their confusion, but Lappland just smirked, a little laugh escaping her. The white wolf did not seem surprised in the slightest by Texas's odd behavior. Texas, who was now completely out of sight as she hauled herself onto the shingles of the roof.
"What's so funny?"
While her relationship with Lappland had improved a great deal, something about the Siracusan's laugh still came off as a bit odd to her. There was just this inescapable note of what felt deranged in there, like someone heavily drunk on emotion. Maybe she is. Knowing things others don't might just get her off. She could think of another thing belonging on the forming list in her mind too. It displeased her somewhat, but there was no denying how those silver eyes sparkled when Texas was around.
"Hah. I'm sorry, it's just, seeing you all surprised is so funny." Lappland swung to face her, smile leering as silver shaded in with the shadow of the porch roof above them.
"You didn't answer her question." Bison piped in.
"Yeah, I'm guessing because you've seen Texas act like this before." Exusiai inputted. Any surprise from the Angel before was gone now. In its place was the same cool mask Sora was familiar with during business exchanges. And not the ones with the gunshots and mafia and the occasional drug bust. This was the kind she saw during record deals. It revealed nothing besides and impeccable smoothness, an icy shield your feet would slip on should you try to walk across.
"Ding ding ding. You are correct." Lappland gave a little clap. It almost felt mocking. Maybe she was reading too much into things but . . .
It's almost like Lappland's become another person entirely.
Since coming into town, the mood in the Lone Wolf had shifted. Texas had yet to comment on it, but that might have just been her own anxieties plaguing her away from doing so. Lappland had been outcast from the Texas pack under the assumption she played a hand in Texas's grandmother's murder. Which happened after her breakdown in part from her infection. The shards marking Lappland as an infected were under control thanks to Rhodes Island, or, as well as they could be expected to be.
"Should we follow her?" Sora couldn't help but frown as she stared at the spot Texas disappeared from. The old swing creaked slightly, but otherwise the house made no sound. Texas's vanishing act was as silent as the wind.
Well, until it wasn't.
Shwip.
A window was pushed open. She looked up in time to see Texas peering out of it, her expression worn. One of Lappland's white wolf ears twitched as her smirk faltered. "Texas."
Texas gave a small shake of her head. "He's not here."
Sora felt her heartbeat spike at the concern belying their leader's expression.
*******
On the contrary, the inside of the Texas home seemed like that of any home she lived in as a child: ordinary. Exusiai felt far more comfortable here than she was expecting to. The walls were a soft creamy color, the suede sofa even more so as she sat down on it. There were pictures in the hallway coming in. The dust which clung to them only served to further the suspicion that Houston —Texas's grandfather and pseudo father figure— had not been here for some time.
What happened to him? Why's he missing?
Whatever was going on, the letter Texas received seemed to be connected to it. Her partner was worrying the slip of paper between her fingers. The slight tremble of them filtered out all the unseen panic the dark wolf had to be feeling under her skin. It was moments like this she wished a joke, or perhaps an apple pie, could make things better.
But neither would.
And as Texas returned to them, what felt like hours later but in reality was a few minutes, she knew with a relentless certainty that something terrible had taken place. He's not here echoed as a soundless plea. But the concerned frown was worse, the gleam of worry lingering at the forefront of her mind. Exusiai found herself gravitating towards her partner, casually slinging an arm around Texas's shoulder when it felt like she had become too stiff. The others were talking to Lappland. The white wolf was explaining the home —some old memories that Texas and herself shared— but she paid them no mind. Her focus was on getting the knots in Texas's back to loosen, fists at the dark wolf's sides still clenched like violence might be the answer here.
For whatever had happened to Houston, it just might be.
****
"You okay?" She whispered quietly.
Texas sighed, bicolored eyes distant. Exusiai had wordlessly trailed Texas when the dark wolf said she needed air. Lappland had given Texas a passing nod, the two sharing a silent communication of take all the time you need. It was hard to explain how she was able to decipher those dipping heads and quirking lips. The flick of a wolf ear too should not have been easy, but she knew them both now. She knew their habits. So Exusiai understood the room they arrived at had to be none other than Texas's old room. Pieces of the dark wolf from years ago remained here in the form of photos on the wall and a sword rack above the bed. And if she poked around enough, perhaps there was a knife tucked under the cushion of the window seat to find. Texas was sitting there while she remained standing, trying to ignore the chance to learn more about her friend through this room in favor of being the ever patient listener.
"No. Not really."
The admission had something inside her twisting up with a deep sort of regret. This trip was not meant to be for pleasure, however a small part of her had wanted it to be. There had been a lingering hope that their arrival here would be met with cheer instead of whispers and foreboding silence. If only life worked that way.
"We'll find him." She promised, not sure if the words were more a reassurance for herself or Texas.
"I know."
"Then there's no need to worry." The injected positivity of her tone was a confirmed fail when Texas sighed again, a dark frown descending her lips.
"The state we'll find him in though . . . we may be too late to make a difference."
"Too late?"
How could they be too late? Didn't she get the letter only recently? But what if . . .
"Yes. Too late."
Texas let a small growl of frustration slip out. Exusiai did her best not to take offense. This sort of anger was never directed at her. Self-loathing was not her companion in the way Mostima held it, however she had known the bluenette long enough to recognize the signs in Texas when they came. And oh, did they come. Speaking of home seemed to bring it out of Texas more than anything else. It was the biggest reason why Exusiai preferred for it not to be brought up at all.
"How so?"
"Haven't you put it together yet? I didn't get that letter recently . . ." Texas dragged a hand through her hair, low growl rumbling in her throat. Light fell through the slits in the blinds. Night had fallen, the moon and stars giving off their silvery glow. "I got it awhile back."
"How long?"
"About two months."
She whistled at that. A lot could happen in two months. Twenty-four to forty-eight was their normal working time frame, well, when it came to kidnapping cases they may or may not have assisted Lungmen police with before. Houston could well be long dead by now.
"Well that's . . ."
"You don't need to say it. I already know how I messed up, how I should've responded to it sooner." Texas muttered. Her tail was so flat on the seat, a reminder of the abysmal mood Texas was stuck in.
Exusiai felt the forlorn air creeping around her too. It was hard to make the right choice every single time, a standard Texas held herself to seemingly always. What's more, while it would have been smart to have looked into this sooner . . .
"You can't blame yourself for this." The flick of one of those wolf ears was enough encouragement for her to continue. So Exusiai did, albeit in a slower pace than what she normally spoke with. The words came with a sliding tension, like a person slipping over the icy surface, chancing that the treacherous white surface below them would not break to send them into the freezing depths below. "While it's true an earlier response would have been better, there's nothing in your letter indicating the danger had anything to do with Houston."
The words did seem to do the trick as Texas let her rigid posture loosen.
"I know, but—"
"No buts! Weren't you the one who always told me what if's and could have beens are pointless. We have to spend less time reminiscing over the past and focus on the variables that we can change."
"I did say that, didn't I?" The smile was small, tentative in the sad way Texas found herself capable of when she allowed vulnerability to show. Exusiai wanted to hug her friend, squeeze her for all she was worth.
But judging by the slight side eye Lappland was giving her as the white wolf peeked her head out of the window —out of Texas's sight but plenty in her vision— she got the feeling such a big gesture of affection was not going to be welcome. So Exusiai settled for placing a comforting hand on Texas's shoulder instead. Fingers squeezed at the muscle on the dark wolf's shoulder. And then those bicolored eyes were staring directly into her amber ones again. There was a silent band of trust holding the duo together. Exusiai knew with a deep certainty that no trial or tribulation could ever make it break. And Texas seemed just as understanding of this too, if the calm warmth she exuded was anything to go by.
"That you did. So less sulking and more planning."
"Mhmm." Texas agreed, taking the outstretched hand Exusiai gave her to get back onto her feet.
"And hopefully the others didn't eat all the food." She added, on a slightly lesser note.
The tug at her wrist had her spinning back, head whirling to see an earnest expression on Texas's face. The smile was still there. "Thanks Exu." Sincerity had her face tinting pink. Thankfully, Lappland had ducked back inside to not see her flustered expression. It was easy to remember back when the two of them first became partners. It had been when she had thought, no, she had considered . . .
But it doesn't matter anymore. She chose Lappland, will always choose Lappland, and I chose . . .
She had chosen wrong.
It was hard to accept, but the dull resignation was settling in. Mostima and her would not be getting back together. Leaving her love life thoroughly up in the air.
She shared the smile, squeezing the hand entwined with hers. "Anytime Tex. Anytime."
********
A/N: Hi! So I've been MIA for like, forever and a half and I apologize immensely. There was just waaaaaayyyyy too many things going on recently (both at home and school) so I was kept away from my work. That being said, I am back now and will plan to start updating regularly soon (it will likely take me a week and a half for the next one though as I get back into the swing of things). I hope you all will stay tuned and I thank everyone who has read this far!