a//n: This is a bit of a hectic chapter, sorry! It's more of a fast-paced filler so I can move on to the next... 'part' of the story. Another quick note, but just in case to clear up any potential confusion, whenever I use italics and mention nothing about Taz handwriting or writing in hellfire, those are his thoughts. I'll do my best to make a distinct difference between the two.
𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓝𝓲𝓷𝓮 / 9 / 𝓗𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓣𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓼
Aspen and Taz caught up with each other while a literal dance battle was going on before them, shrieks and laughter rising in volume and pitch. Koda and Kiba had joined, making it a group of six, and there were flailing limbs everywhere.
A few others filtered into the room, and Taz recognized the female from the kitchen earlier that day. Khione, and her mate, Gabriel. Lixue entered, along with a younger boy, Pyro and another girl around the same age as Raven and Xena.
"The younger boy is Seiko. Lixue is the youngest looking female besides Nanook, and the third one is Kygo." Aspen explained. "We always have a couple of days where we play Just Dance. It's usually the ones who are twenty and below, since the others are working all day." Taz nodded, watching as Lixue and Seiko joined the other four to dance.
"Hey, Taz." Taz waved at Gabe, sat next to Khione. He was a little scary. Almost as tall as Mikael, but he was large and muscular, and took up a lot of space. "How's it been in this chaotic house?"
I like it. Taz wrote in hellfire. Khione patted the seat next to her, and he glanced at Aspen, who urged him on, and Taz hurried over, plopping down next to the couple. Khione offered him a notebook, and Taz grinned, grateful.
He enjoyed talking with them, and he only looked up when a familiar sandalwood scent filled his nose and Mikael set his head in Taz's lap. The shifter's tail flicked happily, playing with Mikael's clean and still wet hair. Khione and Gabe soon stood to take their turn, and Taz watched the huge male awkwardly try to follow the moves on the screen.
Taz's attentioned turned back to the sleepy Mikael, and he pressed his thumbs gently into the other's cheeks. Mikael gave him a sleepy smile, and reached up, fingers sliding slightly into Taz's hair, tugging him down so he could press their foreheads together. Taz mimed a sleeping motion, and Mikael shook his head, yawning. Cadence plopped down on Taz's other side, and Taz tilted his head curiously.
"I didn't threaten him or anything." Cadence rolled his eyes. "I just apologized to him." Taz stuck his tongue out, and Cadence grinned, crooking his thumb towards the television. "I think they want you to try it."
Taz held his hands up by his chest, shaking his head as Nanook tugged his arm. He pointed to Mikael sleeping, and Nanook scowled.
"Come dance! He could've just stayed in his room. Mikael! Let me steal Taz again." Mikael let out a groan, but eventually let the six year old drag Taz towards the television. Taz was handed a small device, which he held and strapped around his wrist, tail flicking behind him. He was with Koda, Nanook, and Cadence who had also been dragged from his seat by his girlfriend.
Koda the tallest of the four of them by nearly 60 centimeters, so he stood a little bit behind the other three to ensure he wouldn't accidentally knock someone out with his gangly limbs. Nanook picked the song, and a few groaned and Nanook scowled.
"I don't like Korean pop music either, but this is one the only ones I can tolerate." Nanook pouted. "Also, one of my favorite YouTubers dances to it. So there's that too."
"I can't dance." Cadence's heterochromatic eyes were wide and panicked as they chose which character to follow. "I can barely do the macarena. I trip when I do that Cupid Shuffle, or whatever it's called. Please have someone else take my spot."
"Come on, Cadence." Pyro pouted, but she had her phone out to record. Taz's tail tugged on Cadence's wrist, and frowned.
Please? Cadence groaned, and everyone cheered when he finally picked a character. Taz eyed the screen warily, not quite sure what to do, and then Nanook and Cadence were moving, and he could sense Koda moving behind him. Instead of the cartoon-like characters from before, it actually showed humans.
"Follow the little characters at the bottom right." Nanook said, pointing. Taz did as she instructed, and he was surprised to find it was rather... easy. There was a whistle from somewhere behind them.
"Damn! Mikael, your boyfriend's got moves." Taz felt himself blush, but he went back to moving and following the characters. Shiro was right - it was surprisingly tiring, but Taz's adrenaline was rushing when they'd finished. His tail did a happy twirl when Nanook screeched that Taz had ended up scoring the highest.
"Damn, Nanook, Lixue and Pyro always are the highest scorers, but Taz just blew everyone out of the water." Shiro cheered.
"I never knew you could dance that well." Cadence gasped for breath, collapsing on the ground. "Oh my God, I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my arms. I can't breathe. I feel like I tried to run the mile all over again." Taz covered his mouth to giggle. Cadence hated physical activity, and when they had to run the mile for PE, Taz ended up lapping Cadence nearly three times.
"Do you want to do another one?" Pyro had stood up, clapping her hands excitedly. "Cadence, give me your remote you pansy." Cadence pouted, but handed her the remote, dragging himself to his feet and flopping onto the couch. Koda handed his remote to Aspen, who hopped up next to Taz.
"You're good," Aspen nudged him playfully. "I think Mikael's fully awake now." Taz glanced back behind him to find Mikael's eyes on him. Mikael grinned crookedly, hair flopping into his eyes and Taz beamed, tail flicking happily as Pyro picked the next song.
"Finesse," Pyro murmured. Nanook bumped hips with Pyro, and they began. Taz was having fun. He'd never done anything like this before, and he loved the finding out that he could move his body in different ways. The music was fun too, and Taz could find himself almost memorizing the moves.
"You're tied with me, Taz." Pyro grinned as she danced beside him. "Nanook's quite close behind. As for Aspen, he- are you doing the macarena again?" From Taz's peripheral vision, he could see Aspen dancing - his movements completely different to what he was supposed to be doing.
"Maybe." Aspen grumbled, and Taz grinned, feeling a laugh tickling the back of his throat. When the song finished, Taz was tired. He wanted to a couple more, but there were others who wanted to play.
"He beat you all again," Shiro laughed. "Looks like we've got a new champion in the house." Taz rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and handed his remote to Lixue. Nanook shoved the controller into Kiba's hand, and Aspen handed his to Mikael, who arched a brow.
"Your turn." Aspen grinned. Taz nodded enthusiastically.
I wanna see you dance! Taz wrote, and Mikael shook his head.
"I can't. I'm also really sore from Dad's training." He frowned, and Gabe tilted his head to look at Mikael.
"Just get up there, Mikael. One dance, make your boyfriend happy." Taz pouted, rounding his eyes just like when he wanted Cadence to tell him something and the latter refused.
"Okay." Mikael blurted, and took the remote from Aspen, heaving himself up off the couch. Gabe snickered, and Taz sat down in Mikael's spot. "You're really good. Have you ever danced before?" Taz shook his head.
"You've got the form for a dancer," Khione added, musing almost to herself.
At some point, a few older pack members came in, mentioning that lunch was ready. Taz followed the group, but glanced up the stairs as they passed them. Mikael had gone up about an hour ago, claiming that he was exhausted and wanted to sleep. Taz wanted to check on him, but Juno insisted that he grab a plate for himself first. Taz thanked the alpha female, and with her help, filled two plates and padded back upstairs to where it was quiet.
Taz's tail pulled the handle, and he bumped open the door with his shoulder. Mikael was sound asleep on top of his covers, and only shifted when Taz sat down. He let out a soft mumble, and shifted closer, wrapping an arm around Taz's waist as the latter ate. Taz was happy, and when he'd finished eating, he nudged Mikael gently.
Mikael squinted up at him, and Taz offered him a smile, gesturing to the plate. As if on cue, Mikael's stomach grumbled, and Mikael blushed. Taz handed him the plate, and padded into the bathroom to splash water on his face. He was still warm from all the dancing, and he was tired himself.
"Taz?" Taz poked his head out of the bathroom when he heard Cadence, noticing that he and Pyro had returned upstairs. "Trinity wants us to come back later, she misses us." Taz nodded enthusiastically, bounding out of the bathroom and throwing his arms around Cadence in a hug, who caught him and stumbled back a few steps. "I forget how... huggy you are." Cadence snorted, hugging Taz back.
"Go cuddle with my brother," Pyro nudged Taz playfully. Mikael had set the plate back aside, and buried himself beneath the covers, shifting. Taz glanced at Cadence, pinks tinted, and Cadence shrugged.
"It's your choice, Taz." He grinned wryly. "Trinity's gonna come over in about an hour, though." Taz nodded, and padded over, slipping beneath the covers. Almost immediately, Mikael drew Taz closer, tucking the smaller boy beneath his chin. "I'll come back up in a bit." Cadence said, and he left with Pyro.
"You're warm." Mikael mumbled, and Taz reached up, tugging at the strands of Mikael's hair playfully, nose pressed beneath Mikael's jaw. It was warm, and Taz found himself drifting off listening to the sound of Mikael's steady heartbeat.
Monday at school was a little awkward. Arielle and the others weren't completely over the fact that Mikael and Aspen had hurt Taz. Taz did his best to assure them that everything was fine now, but they were still wary. Xerum spoke up when no one said anything for a few minutes, turning his attention to Taz.
"Taz, do you remember how I mentioned your tail shape reminded me of something when we first met?" Xerum asked. Taz nodded. "I mentioned it to Cerberus, and drew it out. He said that it looks familiar, and from what he remembers, he's only seen it from one other being in Hades." The rest of the group edged in, eyes wide. Taz, on the other hand, frowned. He didn't remember anything about his past beyond the orphanage.
"Does he know anything about the other being?" Jamie asked. Xerum shook his head.
"But, there is... a rumor I heard when I last went back that there's someone searching for a boy who can shift to a form of a wolf with an imp's tail." Xerum added, rocking backwards.
"So... Taz." Cadence said slowly, inching closer to Taz almost protectively. Xerum hesitated.
"It seems so." Xerum said. "But, I was approached last night in Hades by someone, or something. It was a she-wolf of some sort, but I couldn't see her entire form since it was dark." He paused, as if wracking his brain to remember. "All I know, is that what I saw was pretty similar to how Taz described his form. She was nowhere near as large, but she had the spikes on her back. But, I did notice her tail when she left. It wasn't clear, but it looked quite similar to Taz's, except it was rounded instead of pointed at the end."
"What'd she say?" Estra frowned.
"Claimed she knew you." Xerum said, brows furrowing as he looked at Taz. "She didn't mention your name explicitly, but something told me that she knows the one she's looking for, or knows is you."
"Did she give you her name?" Arielle asked quietly. Xerum shook his head.
"No. She wouldn't say. Only said that she knew that there was another being 'like her' up in the human world. That he didn't belong up here and that he was supposed to be down in Hades with her." Xerum shuddered. "There was... more said, but I don't feel comfortable saying it." Cadence's jaw gritted, and Taz tugged on his sleeve anxiously.
"But there are plenty of differents supernaturals up here." Jamie arched a brow. "The hell does she mean by 'doesn't belong', when there are thousands of shifters and the sort up here already?"
"I don't know." Xerum shrugged helplessly. "Cerberus knows of her visit, and he's keeping an eye out for a return."
"What about Taz, then?" Cadence interjected. "I don't understand. Why would someone suddenly claim that they know Taz, and want him to go back with them when he has..." he glanced over and Taz nodded, urging him to continue. "No known family history? At all?" Cadence finished. "There's nothing on his certificate besides having been found on the doorstep of the orphanage when he was barely five months old."
I don't want to go with them. Taz wrote in his notebook, too afraid to write in hellfire in case others were listening, or watching. I belong up here, with you guys. This is my home. His lower lip trembled, terrified at the thought of being taken away again. Cadence wrapped him in a tight hug.
"You belong here with us. No one's going to take you away. I promise." Cadence whispered. Taz could barely manage a nod, and he felt Arielle settle a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"What did this female version look like? You said it looked almost exactly like Taz." Arielle spoke up.
"Correct. Like I said before, she had the same body form, but several times smaller. Her tail shape I couldn't make out entirely, but it had the same whip-like structure of it. She had a mix of obsidian black and blood red fur with lighter highlights. Bright blue eyes, and several markings on her body that looked like scratch marks that glowed with hellfire." Xerum explained. Taz couldn't remember anyone that could match that description.
"There are shifters out there," Jamie said quietly. "Maybe it's someone pulling a sick prank?"
"I don't know, Jamie." Cadence replied. "Whatever it is, we all need to keep an eye out. I trust Xerum's word, and from what it sounds like, this person is a threat. Whether it's a joke, or if it's real, we need to be on high alert."
I need to tell Mikael. Taz wrote, and Cadence nodded.
"Don't text." Cadence ordered, before looking at their friends. "None of you. Anything about this shouldn't be mentioned to anyone else, and to be even safer, keep all talk of this offline and only through speaking. Anything written about this we should get rid of and burn immediately." Taz tore out the page he'd been writing on, and in one flick of his tail, it disintegrated into ashes.
"This is a fucking mess."
They'd decided not to tell Trinity or Micah just yet, knowing that Trinity would likely go into a fit of hysteria. That hysteria would then lead to impulsive decisions and things could get worse. Taz immediately went to Mikael next, dragging Cadence with him, and the wolf shifter had instantly wrapped his arms tightly around Taz. The two of them were currently in the library with Aspen for their last free period.
Why? Why did things have to get worse right when he was feeling happy? When he was content and satisfied with the way things were going? Taz glanced up from where he was sitting cradled between Mikael's legs to find the latter staring down at him, golden eyes filled with worry. Taz cracked a weak smile, and Mikael pressed their foreheads together, inhaling sharply.
Aspen was wringing his fingers together next to them, and tugged at the fabric of his hoodie. No one knew what to say. Taz was terrified, and he sank further into Mikael's comforting embrace, squeezing his eyes shut. He didn't want to believe that this was real, that someone was looking for him and wanted him to go "back" with them.
"It'll be alright, Taz." Mikael murmured. "We'll keep you safe." Taz sighed softly, letting Mikael slide his hands in the pocket of Taz's hoodie, pressing his lips to Taz's forehead.
"Oh, it's him." Taz blinked, the three of them looking up. Taz recognized the three feline shifters from before, the ones that had been bullying Jamie. Imp immediately leapt to attention, bristling and Taz felt Mikael flinch slightly. He wasn't bothered by that, and slipped his hand into Mikael's inside his hoodie pocket. Taz regarded the feline shifters warily. If he remembered correctly, their names were Derek, Alex and Christopher. At least that's what Koda had told him.
"Can we help you?" Mikael asked, slowly.
"Not at the moment." Derek smirked, eyes flashing with something that Mikael couldn't catch, and the three of them left the library. Mikael exchanged a glance with Aspen, and then looked down at Taz. Taz simply curled up to him without another word, and Mikael let him, reclining further into the beanbag.
Not at the moment. Derek's words kept repeating over and over again in Mikael's head, and he tried replaying the malicious glint he'd seen in Derek's eyes over again. There was a hidden message to the feline shifter's words, and whatever it was, left a pit of uneasiness in Mikael's stomach.
About a week later, the neighborhood was covered in snow, and Mikael watched as Nanook ran down the snow covered streets, cheering and twirling around as fluffy white flakes fell from the sky. Nanook loved winter, and Mikael was certain that the six year old would be talking everyone's ears off at dinner tonight.
Trinity had invited the three of them over for dinner, and Mikael wanted to politely decline, but the hopeful look on Taz's face had him caving. He glanced down at his phone, at the most recent messages that they'd exchanged, and a smile broke out on his face.
It's not possible for someone as pure as Taz to be walking on this planet.
Mikael: Are you sure it's alright? It's nearly double the people of what Trinity usually cooks for...
Taz: I'm helping her (≧▽≦)
Taz: So you do not need to worry!
Mikael: Have you ever cooked before? I can't imagine you in the kitchen, you're pretty clumsy...
Taz: I am not clumsy!
Taz: I have only tripped up the staircase three times, and I've only fallen down them once.
Taz: But I have run into glass windows because I think that they're the door.
Taz: And maybe I trip myself with my tail.
Taz: .....
Taz: Please excuse me for a second (。_。)
Mikael: lol
Mikael: You alright there, Taz?
Taz: Okay maybe I am clumsy. But I can still cook! (>▂<)
Mikael: I believe you
Taz: (¬_¬)
Mikael: No, I do. Really. I'll see you later tonight <3
Taz: Yay! ( ' ▽ ' )ﾉ
Taz: See you later! ('∀｀)♡
Mikael was brought out of his stupidly giddy thoughts when Pyro nudged him.
"Uh, we've lost Nanook." Mikael blinked, bewildered when he looked up and the six year old was nowhere in sight. "I looked away for literally a second, and she's gone. I have no idea where-" Pyro was cut off when they heard a wail. "Nanook."
The two of them sprinted down the street, only skidding to a stop when they spotted Nanook in an alleyway. The scent of blood was thick and heavy in the air, and Pyro hurried forward. Mikael looked up and down the street cautiously, checking to find potential clues. Pyro's sharp inhale had him turning.
"Mikael... call the ambulance."
"What? Why?" Mikael frowned, and Pyro's head whipped around to glare at him, eyes glassy.
"Do it!" Pyro snapped, and Mikael fumbled to call. As he approached, his heart dropped to his feet. Pyro snatched the phone from his hands and spoke rapid fire into the receiver and Mikael fell to his knees next to Nanook, his hands trembling.
"No... no."
On the blood-soaked ground before them lay Taz, his lips blue with the cold, deep and bloodied gashes covering his body, and he was barely breathing.
There was a note next to Taz's body, written in neat writing, and the moment that Mikael read it, the note disintegrated into ashes.
He belongs in Hades, with me.
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a//n: Oops...?
The two 'dances' Taz did are below