Cole x reader where I play a game with myself where I try to never have anyone refer to you by name because I hate typing Y/N in place of a real name. Other Blush Blush guys are in here but few have much screen time besides Volks and Garret and none of them die.
Uses elements of Blush Blush's story (and many of Cole's voice lines) but you're not marshmallow in this. Instead of magical transforming boys they instead are a human subspecies called a Therianthrope. Therian's are explained lightly in the story but basically it's just a more complex form of lycanthropy. This is an excuse to have the boys in all three forms at various parts in the fic because animal boys are yummy.
This is my first time writing with a Yandere character. I wanted to emphasize what I like about the trope while avoiding or ignoring what I don't like. I love the insane level of passion and 'love' they have but I want to downplay the death and play up the devotion.
Cole does kill some animals in this and is implied to have killed humans and Therian alike but no killing is described. The reader has a pet in this but don't worry Cole doesn't hurt or kill it. The aftermath of some killings is described mildly.
This is in no way meant to be a depiction of a healthy relationship. Cole is not in any way someone you'd want to be with in real life and I don't endorse the kinds of things he does in this fic.
Content warnings for manipulation, stalking, possessive and jealous behavior, light dubious consent, and fetishization of virginity.
//::————::\\main story.
Cole's breath is warm on your neck, his hold on you tight and possessive. His fangs scraping against your neck like a threat or a promise. Fear spiking in you before Cole soothes it away with well practiced words and teasing lips. You never predicted this as the results of that incident that now felt so far away.
You'd been working a double shift at the cafe, and now had to walk home in the cold dark of an autumn night. You're hesitant to admit even to yourself that you're afraid of the dark, it's ridiculous for a person of your age. The unreadable shadows and unidentifiable noises make your overactive imagination weave stories about the possible dangers. It's all just in your head you remind yourself over and over. You're still hovering by the door after you lock up, afraid to leave the imagined safety of the light of the street lamp just outside the cafe.
"Hey, are you going to stand around all night?" A familiar voice made rough by his transformation greets your ears. A large wolf with a silky coat of black and brown fur greets you with an unamused expression.
"Volks!" You exclaim, crouching down to pet him. He half heartedly tries to move out of the way. Volks is a Therian or more accurately a Therianthrope, a kind of human that shifts form based on the phase of the moon. The transformation has three phases, a full animal form believed to represent your inner soul in some way and a half form where you have the ears and tail and maybe extra parts of your animal form and then your fully human form. Not that you're one.
But since moving here a year ago you've met quite a few of Therians. Volks being one of them. He typically stays away during his full transformation as he is prone to acting more on instinct at this time. "Please tell me you're here to walk me home?"
He sighs and rolls his eyes but what other reason was he here? "Yeah okay, I guess I can do that." He starts walking away expecting you to follow. "Bad scents around here tonight." He says in a low rumble.
"Like what?" His perception of what smells bad when he's a wolf is often skewed, he could be talking about that dog catcher again. He looks at you thoughtfully and chooses to avoid clarifying.
"Is it just me or are there less strays around here now?" He says instead. You were quite used to stray cats and dogs in the area, the city would fix them and then let them loose again as pest control for the city's never ending rat problem.
"I think you're right." You hum in agreement. A cry in the dark ahead bristles the fur on Volks back and he sprints forward leaving you to play catch up. "Volks!"
"I smell blood!" He answers well ahead of you with his four legs.
"Ahh! Please don't eat me!" Another familiar voice hits your ears. Sweet and higher pitched, that's Nimh's voice! You round a parked car to find Volks growling at Nimh as he cowers against a wall, his knees scraped and bleeding. Volks predatory eyes glued to the bright red blood that drips down Nimh's pale skin. Nimh's transformation cycle doesn't match up with Volks's, he's only half transformed but he still smells like a rabbit, a piece of meat to the wolf. Prey. You don't hesitate to throw your arms around Volks neck.
His teeth gnash and snap near you. "Y-you idiot, I could kill you." Volks growls holding himself back with every ounce of his humanity.
"Nimh what are you even doing out here?" You ask with a trembling voice. The rabbit Therian swallows down the dry feeling in his mouth.
"I was helping a friend look for their missing cat, and then I got separated and then it got dark and I kept thinking I was being watched and I ran and I tripped." His golden ears twitch and his eyes dart to a far off shadow. You turn to the shadow and feel an intense gaze, but you shake it off. "My place is so far and the buses don't run this late so I was heading to you and Garret's place."
Garret, thank the heavens for him, he works out of town and was looking for a roommate just as you blew into the city. He helped you move in and he pays most of the rent in exchange for keeping the house tidy and his cat Princess fed when he is gone. He's a huge Therian man at 6'5 with huge muscular tattooed arms, his animal form that of a bull. Volks relaxes into your arms, his hold over his mind regained as the blood on Nimh dries.
"I should go, rabbit boy better get you home safe or I'm eating him." Volks says in an empty threat, pulling away from your loosening arms. His fur still bristling, his eyes drawn to the same dark corner Nimh is eyeing. "I'll just stand guard here for a moment."
Nimh helps you stand and you both walk the last few blocks to your apartment. His hand on his chest as he tries to calm his weak heart. "I hope Garret can drive me home." You wince at the thought, Garret is a terrifying driver.
The color red compels him to keep going sometimes. You don't have a car or you would offer. "I've been feeling really spooked lately. But that's sort of normal for me. So... Thank you for making me feel safe." Nimh mutters awkwardly as you reach your apartment.
"In general or in this neighborhood?" You think back to Volks's observation of the dwindling animal population.
"Just around here but I work in this neighborhood so I'm here a lot." The front door swings open, Garret's hulking frame taking up the whole doorway.
"Oh thank the goodness that you are alright! It was quite late and Garret was getting worried." He pulls both of you into a tight hug. "And you brought a friend! Come in!"
Even Garret chastises you for holding onto Volks as you tell the story. Therian, especially predator Therian can be dangerous even to family let alone friends. You stand firm that you'd do it again. Volks is a good person and you trust him to hold back his instincts. You want to believe that the right person could bring anyone back to their senses.
————
At work the next day you saw him for the first time. Cole. Though you didn't talk to him that morning or learn his name. He sat at the corner table in the cafe, drinking coffee after coffee with paperwork spread out in front of him. Hard to judge what he was working on without being nosey. His ruffled raven hair was brushed and not much else, his white button up shirt is pristinely white with sleeves partially rolled up, a red tie hangs around his neck, looking hastily put on.. His black slacks are not telling you anything about his occupation either.
He stays there all morning, and you swear you catch him watching you more than once. His grey eyes are calculating. The cafe's door chimes as Volks walks in, now only half transformed. He makes a bee line for you, slamming his hands on the counter.
"Are you stupid or something? I could have hurt you and I very much wanted to!" He growls in frustration.
"You don't want to hurt me, and as long as that's true I trust you."
"You're naïve and a fool." He groans backing away from the counter. "I sat at that corner all night staring into the shadows, the scent of blood still in the air. I couldn't shake the feeling my pack would be in danger if I left." Volks admits crossing his arms and glancing over his shoulder. His eyes linger on the man in the corner long enough that he flashes Volks a smile and speaks far too soft for you to hear but Volks wolf ears pick up just fine. Volks narrows his eyes and you worry he'll go over and make a scene.
"Aww you think of me and Nimh as your pack?" You coo teasingly. He snaps his head back to you with red cheeks. Ears upright and tail bristled.
"D-Don't read too much into it! Wolf packs are almost always made of a mated pair and their kids so it's not like I like you or anything." Volks leans over the counter aiming an accusing finger at you as he rants.
"You like me like family at least." You say with a wide smile. He covers his mouth with his hand to hide the smile forming on his lips.
"This place is lame I'm out of here!" He turns around and flees, without ordering. Your manager glares at you from the espresso machine, tapping their foot.
———-
You arrived home that afternoon as usual, your part time schedule made to accommodate for schooling even though you haven't been accepted into any schools. Another fall has come and all you've got to show for it is a pile of rejection letters. You hear Garret rummaging around the place, mumbling.
"Come on out, Garret knows you must be hungry by now." He exits your room with a heavy frown, he never goes in your room without asking.
"Garret?" He looks up at you and fakes a smile.
"Oh yes, roomie." He widens his fake smile but it never reaches his eyes. "Garret is simply looking for Princess. She has not eaten anything out of her bowl today and Garret worries." His hands rub nervously together. His cat is a huge mass of fur who has never known hardship, you hope she didn't get outside. Especially with the disappearing strays.
"I can call Dr. Ramstein and see if anyone called about finding a lost cat or see if he can track her chip." William is the go to vet around here. A ram Therian who you trust with your own pet, Noodle.
"Yes, of course her chip! I will call right now!" He says with a real smile, gently moving past you to get to his discarded flannel hoodie, where his phone sits nestled in its pocket. You're still driven by your urge to change from your cafe uniform to your casuals, plus you want to check on Noodle so you slip into your room expecting a mess. After all, the phrase 'bull in a china shop' comes to mind when you imagine Garret rummaging around. He surprises you all the time with his lax and polite nature though and you find your room slightly cleaner than when you left it this morning.
Noodle is in his cage half in a hanging hammock and half hanging out, his little ears twitching when you open the cage door. You stroke his long furry body, and he vibrates to life. Shaking himself to warm up as he blinks lazily at you. Ferrets are nature's greatest gift you think for the millionth time. You leave the cage open so he can play around in your room as you change.
The cafe uniform is a pink frilly dress that is too short for your comfort. It goes to your knees but you are used to wearing pants and leggings even in the summer. You don't hate your body, you just don't want to think about it. Because if you think about your going to compare yourself to unrealistic tv beauty standards and only a sadist would subject themselves to that. You yank your leggings up over your bottom, and grab a baggy pale yellow sweater that goes down to just above your knees. Noodle nips at your sock covered feet and you playful nudge him away.
"Be a good boy." You whisper as you slip out of your room and shut the door in Noodles face. Garret is at the kitchen counter chewing on his nails as he stares out the kitchen window. It's open enough for Princess to have left through it.
"My Princess is gone and William said the chip's signal is not functioning." You set a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'll go look for her, you should call the animal cops." You are a solutions oriented person whereas Garret is more passive. He nods, picking up his outdated phone once again.
————
You look for hours, you even find her collar which doesn't bode well. It's undamaged, and clean which makes you think it was a kidnapping. A cat-napping if you will. You reach the apartment to find the ASPCA car still out front, Garret is talking to two men in front of the door. One is dressed in the kinda cop like attire you usually see and the other is— the man from the cafe this morning?
As if sensing your eyes on him he looks over his shoulder. Eyes grey like the sky before a light rain and a smile just for you. He looks your age, twenty or so but he has such a presence. Professional and poised and yet sleek and authoritative. "Another player in this game perhaps?" He says in a rich and smooth voice. Garret looks over and waves you closer.
"Ah this is my roomie! She has been looking for Princess while I talked with you." Garret introduces putting a friendly arm around your shoulders, which requires him to lean down a bit as you are only about 5'4.
"Is her statement the same as yours?" The one officer asks, you admit to knowing less than Garret but you do offer the collar to him. The man from the cafe's eyes widens and he snatches out of his partner's hands.
"Evidence, even just possible evidence, should come directly to me. I'm detective Cole, working on behalf of the ASPCA." He says pocketing the collar. "Where did you find this?" He asks with slightly narrowed eyes.
"A few blocks away on top of the trash behind a restaurant." You respond easily. Garret gasps clutching his hand to his shirt.
"Not a Chinese restaurant right?" He asks with wide eyes. You shake your head and hold up your hands.
"No! But that's just a harmful stereotype Garret, don't believe everything people tell you." He lets out a relieved breath and pulls you into a tight hug against his broad chest. The grey-eyed man's lips tug down at the corners for a moment.
"Would I be able to—- question you in private?" He asks carefully, observing your body language. You push away from Garret and nod. Mom always said never let the police question you without a lawyer present but he's a detective working for the ASPCA which is a non profit, not part of the government. So it's fine? The urge to text your mother is strong but you're an adult and you need to take charge of yourself. You think this knowing you've been putting off a doctor's appointment because you're anxious about calling the doctor's office.
"We could talk inside?" You suggest motioning to the door.
"Perfect." He responds, rolling the R ever so slightly. You sit him at the kitchen counter, his eyes linger on the hallway that leads to the bedrooms but he doesn't ask to change location. "Have you noticed anything amiss?" He asks, leaning over the counter.
"I have started to notice the dwindling stray population." You explain.
"Yes that's been an issue for years, once the population is low enough or peoples pets start going missing the perpetrator moves on." A chill goes down your spine. This keeps happening and no one has stopped it yet? Cole rolls his eyes at your timid reaction, leaning back in the chair.
"I found that collar, maybe I could help?" You suggest not thinking he'd accept but needing to help. His eyes light up.
"Really? A new perspective could be invaluable." His voice is deep and smooth, flowing easily around you. "But of course since you're a civilian I could only let you help if you do everything I say." He says with a flick of the wrist, looking away from you.
"I have plenty of free time and I'm good at following instructions!" You blurt, mentally cringing at how lame you sound. But what if you could save Princess, or keep Noodle safe? Cole chuckles holding his hand out to you.
"Then our investigation begins." He says as you take his hand, you're expecting a firm shake but he instead brings your hand to his mouth, kissing the back of your hand. You shiver at the unfamiliar sensation of his surprisingly soft lips on your skin. Swallowing down the sudden dryness in your mouth, a little nervous suddenly. Picking up on your hesitation he speaks again.
"Don't be scared, I've got your back. I'll be behind you every step of the way." His voice seems just a bit rougher at the end. "Every. Single. Step." He punctuates each word as he pulls away from you. "For your safety of course." You bashfully nod and your eyes stuck to the ground so you don't have to keep looking into his eyes.
"So tell me. Where do we begin looking?" He prompts. Flustered, you quickly look back at the kitchen window.
"The kitchen window was open, and it leads to the yard." You suggest. He seems pleased by your answer so you lead him to the side door that goes into the backyard. The yard in this place is thin on the side but wide out back, and shared with the people in the apartment next door. It's mostly grass with a thin strip of concrete meant to be a porch.
"My first rule of catching prey is to notice the small details. Look back to the scene of the crime. Did the criminal leave any clues to their identity? Did you notice anything out of place? Don't neglect the obvious--" Cole says stepping into the grass. Watching as you look over the yard with a critical eye. The wall just below the kitchen window seal has deep claw marks, that of a large animal. "The killer could be right under your nose." Cole says suddenly beside you.
"K-killer, are these animals dead? Like for sure dead?" You aren't going to back down but maybe you should have thought it through more. Cole rests a hand on your back with one hand and motions at the wall with the other.
"I have successfully found many of the animals alive, but it's important to prepare for the worst." He explains. "Claws this large could be a dog's, a German shepherd or something larger? Or maybe." He trails off baiting you into prompting him for more. "A wolf?" He finishes with a knowing smile.
"A wolf? But this is the middle of the city... unless you mean a Therian did this?" He seems impressed or maybe just happy you followed his implication. You can't help but think of Volks, he's the only wolf Therian you know. But Volks would only kill an animal while in a fully transformed state. Volks would have been half transformed when Princess went missing.
"Yes predator Therian are dangerous, any Therian can lose themselves to the beast within of course but a rabbit Therian unable to grasp at their humanity hides away or destroys a garden, builds a warren. A wolf however?" He runs his fingers in the grooves of the claw marks. Perfectly spaced for his own hands. This animal must be quite large.
"What makes a Therian lose themselves anyway?" You question looking around for other clues.
"Stress, hunger, danger... the tantalizing sight of blood leaving a fresh wound." He answers almost wistfully. "Some get a taste for being wild, for the freedom of just acting on instinct." He runs his fingers through his hair as he loses himself to his thoughts. "But come let's search out more clues."