Red

After Laz finished his food and Red finished her drink, the two pulled on their outerwear. It got cold at night even in the summer in the North West, so a hoodie or other form of thicker jacket was needed. When Red opened up Gram's cage, the crow awoke and flapped his wings enthusiastically, briefly rustling his cage around.

"Gram, calm down, jesus," the girl laughed as she pulled the bird out of the cage and let him craw up onto her shoulder. "Good boy. Want some stew? Here you go," she cooed as she lifted up a spoonful of leftover stew. The crow squawked and nearly ate the whole spoon. "Good boy, Grammy," Red giggled.

"I swear you and that freakin' bird.." Lazarus said, shaking his head as he pulled his satchel across his chest. It was filled with his gun, some water, and bullets. Necessary items for a walk at night around the woods.

"What, Laz? You jealous?" Red asked, looking at him with a smirk.

"Yes, I wish I could eat and sleep whenever without having to really worry about any danger. I could get fat and lazy and no one would care. Birds and dogs and cats have it so easy. Oh, and another positive of being a crow would be being handled with such care and grace like you do. I would want you to be my owner," Lazarus replied with a shrug. Red actually felt her heart stop.

"Laz, please," the girl rolled her eyes as she headed out the door, followed by Lazarus. Gram flapped his wings slightly as he breathed in the cold air, letting out a slight squawk. Red could tell that he wanted to fly so bad. "Go ahead, boy, fly," she said. And without any hesitation, the bird gracefully left the redhead's shoulder, flying up and twirling almost as if he was weightless.

"That bird acts like he's not out much," Laz laughed as he stuck his hands in his pockets and they walked toward the forest.

"He doesn't really get out much. I try to take him out at least once a day but sometimes even that isn't possible. With sleeping, hunting, cooking, cleaning, and doing Cloaker business, I barely have any free time." She replied.

"Don't bullshit me with the cooking and cleaning part. You do that willingly, I don't give a shit if you don't clean or cook... Though, it is nice, but still. You're not my housewife or maid, you're free to do whatever, you just stay with me," Lazarus said, shaking his head with a grin.

"Bullshit on that, Laz. If I didn't clean you'd complain about it being so messy in the house and if I didn't cook you'd complain about being hungry or eat shitty food and get all irritated with having to eat shitty food that you made. I'd much rather do it myself and hear you complain a little bit than have to suffer hearing you complain constantly," Red said with a throaty laugh.

"Welp, there you go, still willing. Albeit, facing uncomfortable situations..." The guy said, running his fingers through his hair as they walked. Gram came back and decided to perch back up onto her shoulder.

"What? Did your wings get tired? You lazy, lazy bird..." She giggled. For once in a long time, it felt almost as if there were no Teeths around and life was normal. What a great feeling-- and peculiar, too.

----

After a good hour or so, the two humans and the quirky crow found themselves back at their house. Red took her boots off as soon as they got into the front door due to them being muddy. It was still damp on the ground from rain earlier in the day, so naturally dirt plus water equals mud. Lazarus did the same, though he didn't just sprawl them out like Red did. Gram flew back into his cage and the girl shut it, putting a handful of bird feed in his food dish.

"Do you ever wonder what life would be like without Teeths or people trying to rob and kill us?" Red asked as she sat down on the tattered couch. Lazarus sat down next to her and he shrugged, taking his jacket off and throwing it on the coffee table in front of them.

"I wonder what life would be like without a lot of things. Like you, for example. Life would be rather boring and I don't think I'd be alive, to be honest. You've saved my life multiple times, which is really odd for a Ruby to do to a Diamond. I wonder what it would be like without rain, and what it would be like without the sun. I think it'd be pretty weird, but we can't dwell too much on the what ifs or how abouts, you know? I think you shouldn't waste your time, Red, is what the moral of that tangent was about. Plus, you've already asked this," he replied. Red leaned her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapping itself around her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm over it, but still.. How different, and calm..." The girl replied, shaking her head.

"Like I said, don't dwell on it too much, kid," he stated. "Your hair smells like jasmine, why?" He asked.

"I don't fuckin' know. Maybe because I took a shower? Jasmine? What a particular smell you named, Laz," Red laughed. "I have a question for you. If the circumstances were different and we wouldn't get chastised for it, do you think we could further that one night?" That question made her get butterflies in her stomach but she couldn't help it.

"What one night?" Was his reply, a change in his demeanor.

"Oh come on, you know what I'm talking about," she said.

"I don't, explain it to me," he smirked.

"Fuck you.. But, I'll humour you. We were both pretty drunk, and we were in California on that one raid with everyone and you came into my tent while whatsherface.. Oh, Ryder, my Ruby roommate, left. You sat straight down on my bed and said it was very hot in there so you took off your shirt and your pants. I didn't know you that well, but I knew of you and I knew about all the girls who wanted you and all the Ruby and Emerald girls wanted you. And I remember thinking how sexy your body was and then I thought about why you were in my tent and so I asked. You replied-" she cleared her throat then, changing it to try and sound deeper, "and I quote- you are the only girl who isn't paying me any attention, end quote. I smirked and thought about how fuckin' egotistical you were, but then realized you had a point. You noticed my body language and.. Slipped your hand up my leg and grabbed my hip and before I fucking knew it you were kissing me sloppily and I was kissing you back and your hands wandered and it felt really fucking good... And then Ryder came back..." Red said, feeling that warm feeling she felt whenever she thought about how good Lazarus' touch felt against her body and wondered what it would feel like when there was just skin.

"God I was such a dick," Laz laughed, shaking his head. "I couldn't help it, I was drunk and you obviously aren't ugly and you got very nice thighs," he laughed more, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, to answer your question, yes. As an adult I can safely say that yes, we could further that night. Sober and not in a hot stuffy Californian desert in a stupid fucking canvas tent," he said. This brought a smile to Red's face and she kissed his cheek gently.

"You still are a dick, but I put up with it..." She murmured.

"Who would have thought we would be as close as we are now back then," the man stated.

"I wouldn't have. I mean, obviously I would have hoped because I mean look at you... You have a nice body and those eyes girls melt for with that stupid chiseled jawline," the girl giggled.

"Well, yes, look at all the girls here right now. And all the girls that I've had over here that aren't you.... Wait, there is none." Lazarus ran his fingers through his toussled hair and shook his head with a smirk.

"Yeah, not getting laid sucks. I hate that most everyone in town is either married, gay, old, or too young. The other amount are Cloakers and the rules are so strict. I would have proudly jumped the bones of some of the other Cloakers. Even the leader of the Diamonds.." Red said, biting her bottom lip.

"Hey, come on now," Lazarus said, nudging the girl to snap her out of her fantasy.

"What? Jealous that I'd do guys?" She asked.

"N-no.. Just... Uh..." Lazarus was getting flustered.

"Oh my god.. You totally are. Holy shit." Red said, leaning away to look at him with raised brows.

"No, no. It's.. Okay, it's not jealousy. I think it's just the thought of you being with some other dude in my house bugs me or the fact that you're literally the only girl who I've had such a close connection with that I wouldn't want you to get hurt or get taken as some weak and helpless girl and fall prey to some of these assholes out there. Not saying you couldn't tear a guys' dick off if he tried anything, but just, if it would happen. I'd be so upset with myself," the man explained. Red didn't know how to react so she just put her finger up to his lips and shook her head, shushing him.

"I know.. I get what you're saying. If it's any consolation, I know I'd be kind of jealous if you hooked up with some random girl you met. Not that she gets to do you but because she gets to get fucked. I haven't gotten laid in a long time, fuck a year now? And any mention of any guy fucking any girl really gets me hot and bothered," Red sighed.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Lazarus nodded. Red leaned her head back on his shoulder and ran her hand across his arm, watching goosebumps form.

"I'd totally fuck you.." She whispered, giggling quietly.

"I think it's established that we'd both fuck each other," Lazarus replied as he wrapped his arm back around the girl.

"It's a shame we can't..." Red stated. In an ideal situation, Lazarus would make the move and they would fuck like rabbits.

But this was not in her mind and it would interfere with their friendship.

After their breathing slowed and everything settled in the metal house, things got quiet. That's when they heard it, branches breaking in the forest nearby. Someone or something was coming through the property.

What was it?