*Author's Note: hi everyone, another chapter awaits us! If you forget, Brayden is Bugs, Dominic is Daffy, and Pedro is Porky. Enjoy. 😊
When Dominic got home, he unlocked the door and immediately flopped onto the couch in an instant.
As Brayden, who heard him come in, walked over to check on him.
"Hey, Dom. Are you okay? Has work been tough on you?" Brayden asked, in concern.
"Oh yeah, I'm doing just fantastic. And the best part is, I almost got myself fired today. isn't that wonderful?" Dominic spoke sarcastically before grabbing the remote from the floor and turned on some television.
"Why? What happened?" Brayden asked in concern.
"Don't worry about it. I can handle my own problems." Dominic said wavering him off as Brayden, who felt annoyed from his response, immediately swipes the remote from his hands and turns off the T.V in an instant so that he can get his attention.
"No, you are not avoiding this conversation. I want you to tell me right now what happened out there?" Brayden demanded.
"Sigh fine.....I almost got shot today because my stupid, impulsive self thought that it was okay to go after a criminal alone. And if it wasn't for the bystander that was hanging around in the street....I would've died. When the Captain found out about the incident, he got mad and warned me that I could get suspended, if I do it again. There are you happy?" Dominic informed to him, simply.
Not noticing that Brayden remained frozen, with face darkened in silence.
Probably because of the small fact that if he hadn't been out there watching over him, things would have ended a lot worse.
"....Dom...do you want me to be honest with you?" Brayden asked rhetorically in a tone so low that even Dominic was surprised by his reaction before looking over at him, face to face.
"I hate that you're working for a dangerous job. In fact, I would much rather you be a mall worker or even a grocery clerk than having to deal with a lot of targets hanging on your back from a lousy bunch of crooks who think that they can just hurt people." Brayden spoke angrily, clenching his fists in irritation.
Which was now starting to concern Dominic, who then sat upright and tried to explain to him, why he became a cop in the first place.
"Brayden, when I chose this field to help other people, I signed up for the amount of risks that I'll be taking. Despite the fact that I may not be brave enough to face all of the harsh realities of crime, I decided to give it a chance anyways, because that was my choice. I know you mean well but that doesn't make it fair for you to...." Dominic attempted to defend before he was cut off completely.
"Dom....I know it seems like we haven't been real close lately, but no matter how much time had passed by every single day, it still doesn't change the fact that I care about you....I just wish that I didn't make things so complicated. Maybe then we could have been....sigh. Sorry, you're right. I shouldn't be the one to judge your actions when mine haven't been clearly keen either.....Goodnight." Brayden spoke softly, rubbing his neck roughly before walking up the staircase.
Leaving Dominic shockingly baffled by sudden his comment while watching his best friend head towards his room.
I don't get it.
Why weren't you honest with me before?
Why....do I get the feeling that you are hiding so much from me?
Dominic thought before laying back down on the couch, hugging a pillow around his arms.
He is completely stumped by the fact that Brayden was building up this wall around his heart.
That he wished, he could one day tear down.
So, that they can understand each other much better.
Instead....of keeping everything hidden in the dark.
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The next morning rolled by as Dominic woke up from the couch and noticed that the house was empty.
Sigh.
I guess he went off to work early, today.
Probably so that he won't have to face me after yesterday.......
Dominic thought sadly before sudden knocks were heard at the door.
Knock knock
"Coming." Dominic mumbled out loud.
Since he wasn't in the mood to raise his voice volume for the person to hear, anyways.
"Alright, I'm here. So what is it that you wanted to tell me?" Tina asked right after Dominic used up all of his energy to open the door.
"Yawn. Would you like me to give you the news now or after getting a real good cup of coffee?" Dominic asked, half asleep while rubbing his eyes.
"Haha. I better take my chances on having a hyped-up caffeine intake, first." Tina answered with a laugh as the two head into the cop car and drove to a nearby food joint for some cheap stale coffee.
Meanwhile on other side of town, Brayden, who was looking more like the grinch in his morning routine, drags himself to the warehouse, frustrated.
And more so, angry with himself.
As Pedro and Lola took a glance over at his direction with obvious concerning looks when they noticed his appearance.
"And good morning to you too, grouchy. What has gotten you in such a tightwad?" Lola asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Nothing. I just want to get through with the day so that I can start checking out the alleyways and empty streets, later on tonight." Brayden said, rubbing his head from a lack of sleep.
It was apparent to the both of them that he had not slept much and it was starting to worry the two.
"Seriously? Look, I get that you feel like the town needs protection, but there are other important matters at hand. Let Shadow Knight rest for once. The city can live without his presence for one day. We have cops out there for a reason." Lola insisted.
"I can't. If I take off, then something else will go wrong and I'm not about to let that happen." Brayden replied back coldly as Lola, who could not handle another of his many listed excuses, calls him out plainly.
"Oh my gosh! You are so stubborn! When are you going to realize that there's more to life than just being a hero to a bunch of strangers?" Lola asked, feeling irritated by his refusal to help make himself better for someone who actually really cares about him.
If only he'd could see that, a bit more clearer.
"No offense Lola, but by the tone of your voice, you don't seem too great either. What went wrong at your fancy family's brunch yesterday?" Pedro asked in a laugh.
Which was just about the absolute worst time for him to joke like that.
But Lola, not being in the mood to play along, answers him anyways, for the sake of her own sanity.
"Oh, you know. It's the same, old tradition of rich snobs setting their daughters up with sons from old friends of the family. Just so we can keep the status and good looks up to code." Lola said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Sounds swimmingly." Pedro taunts in a fake British accent.
"Oh yeah? And how is your marriage coming along, so far? Does your wife make you sleep on the couch for lying constantly to her face?" Lola retorted back.
"Hey! I don't talk about your flaky social life, so makes you think that it's okay to talk about mine?" Pedro argued, now feeling offended by her words.
Until Brayden suddenly stops them from arguing any further with his own yelling.
"Enough already! If you're too tired to deal with this, then go home and have all the free time you want, for all I care!" Brayden yelled out before slumping into his seat like a sack of potatoes.
Which ended up surprising them, both.
"Bad sleep?" Pedro asked, shaking his head from their friend's temper.
"More than that, apparently. You do know that he had to save his best friend/love of his life last night from a narcissistic psychopath in the alleyway." Lola explained blankly.
"What?! How come he didn't tell me that?!" Pedro asked, flabbergasted.
"Because you're an idiot who thinks that he should be honest to the point when you can't even tell your own wife about your 'double secret life'." Lola replied rudely.
"Why you-?! You know what? Forget it. It's obvious to me, that you both have some issues you need to fix. So, I'm taking the day off. Good luck figuring things out." Pedro said in a huff before grabbing his stuff and left the warehouse.
Leaving Lola, who now feels guilty for making such a ruckus, walks over to Brayden to check on him.
"Sorry. We should have been considerate. And...I also I understand why you want to do this. If not for the people....then for other reasons too." Lola said, believing that maybe stuff like this would take some time before her friend could ever be truly happy.
"Sigh. It's fine. I just....have a lot to think about, that's all." Brayden said, rubbing his face roughly.
"I know. Just promise me that you'll at least take care of yourself, though. I'm sure he's more worried about you, than you think." Lola reminded him before the two resumed back to the Day Watch routine.
Where more twists and turns will soon head their way.