Moments in Between - Dog
Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc
Rating and warnings: G, attempted mugging.
Word Count: 1,331
Summary: Red Hood saves Andy from a mugging, from the perspective of her dog.
Masterlist
Marlow, the 150 pound Irish Wolfhound, walked dutifully at Andy’s side through Crime Alley. He was smelling their way home.
Andy had taken them out for dinner. It was someplace new, filled with very exciting smells and nice people who gave him many pats and told him he was a good boy. He didn’t get to inspect Andy’s food, because they brought out something dried and meaty for him to chew on, and by the time he was done she had finished. He didn’t know how that kept happening.
Afterwards they walked to the bus stop.
Marlow didn’t like the bus. It made too many noises and rumbles, the smells were bad, and it stopped and started without warning.
No bus came. Andy started to become nervous. There were a few other people walking past as the night got darker. The street lights turned on, sickly yellow and hissing. Andy looked around, and tapped her fingers against her leg. She started to smell like stress. Marlow stood up, anxious on her behalf.
He wished the bus would come already so Andy would feel better. He was tough, he could put up with the rumbles.
The night grew darker, and the roads emptier. Less people walked past.
The bus did not come.
Andy sighed. “Let’s go.”
She tugged lightly at his leash as she turned and walked along the pavement.
Marlow trotted to walk slightly in front of her, just in case. Andy was smart and the best person, but her eyes weren’t very good, and her nose was entirely broken. She would walk right into trouble if he didn’t say anything.
The wind sighed through the dirty streets, giving him the full report on who had come through here today. That nice rottweiler had gone for a walk this way at lunch time but was gone now. A stressed german shepherd who didn’t belong had peed on the fire hydrant. Marlow left his own mark over it.
It was a long walk home, past all sorts of people Marlow didn’t like. Men especially. Marlow didn’t trust the men. Too many of them looked at Andy and smiled. Then they looked at him, and stopped smiling. Good. Look at someone else. No smiling.
Some of the streetlights didn’t work here, and many shops were boarded up. There were still some people out selling things but they didn’t want to buy them.
One of the nice ladies on the corner said hello to Andy. That was okay. They smelled like horrible too-strong flowers and alcohol, and sometimes worse things, but they were mostly safe. The men who floated around them were not.
One of the younger ladies crooned at him and tried to give him pets.
He wasn’t going to get distracted. He pulled against the lead as he kept walking, the harness firm around his shoulders. They weren’t home yet. No stopping.
The roads got emptier.
Andy’s heeled ankle boots tapped too loud against the pavement. She pulled her jacket tight around herself.
They approached their street. Two more turns and they would be home. In the daytime they usually cut through an alleyway, but when it was dark they would stay on the main road.
The wind brought him the scent of three people standing on the side of the road a little beyond the alley, right where their turn was. They smelled sour. Old vomit, drying blood. Desperation. They were watching them approach.
Andy kept her head down. Her fear spiked.
They walked past the alley. Marlow stopped, and Andy bumped into his backside.
Red Hat friend! He was sitting in the dark on top of a dumpster. He wasn’t moving and the narrow alley was so dark even Marlow struggled to see him, but he smelled him loud and clear.
Marlow tried to go that way, but Andy pulled on his leash.
“Come on,” she hissed.
He whined.
Red Hat was safe. Even though he was very big and sometimes smelled like blood, Andy was never afraid around him. He brought dinner home last week when Andy was sad, and took Marlow out for very exciting runs. Never with the hat on, though. He gave excellent pats. Sometimes, Marlow even let him look after Andy while he was sleeping.
Andy walked faster past the entry of the alley. She didn’t even say hello.
Marlow huffed and trotted with her. He didn’t like this. Red Hat watched them go by.
The three on the street smelled worse the closer they got.
Marlow didn’t like this. Two of the three were leaning against the wall, and all openly looking at them. Andy held Marlow’s leash very short so he was pressed up against her side, between them and her.
They got close enough to try and pass on the side of the road, Andy with her head down and shoulders hunched. The three of them stepped out to block the sidewalk.
Marlow growled.
The strangers said something, voice low and sharp.
Andy was terrified.
Marlow barked, furious.
Andy yanked on his leash and snapped a command to heel, but she was so scared and they were bad, bad, bad. He didn’t want to back down.
The people in front of him stank of fear and desperation. Good! They should be scared! Marlow was angry!
There was a click in front of him, and one of them pointed something shiny at Marlow.
There was another click behind them, and a crunchy metal voice interrupted.
Red Hat friend.
He was angry too. He said something, numbers. Counting down.
The three turned and bolted.
Marlow chase!
They disappeared down the road, no! Catch them, bite them, tear them to bits!
His leash pulled hard, and he reared up on his back legs then dropped back down. No, no chase, he had to look after Andy.
He swung around and ran back. He gave everyone a sniff. Andy was breathing hard, one hand pressed flat to her chest. Marlow licked it. She gave a nervous laugh and absently scratched behind his ear.
His leash was in Red Hat’s hand, which explained why Marlow hadn’t dragged Andy off her feet when he ran. He forgot sometimes how little she was. Not very good at running. The two humans were standing strangely far apart.
Red Hat smelled scared too now. He was upset and his leg was hurting. Marlow trotted over to say hello and gave him some friendly licks. His gloves tasted bad, but his jacket was smooth and tasty.
The crunchy metal voice didn’t stop talking to Andy. He stood like he wanted to go to her, to check she was okay. He didn’t. Andy reached out just enough to get the leash back and then retreated. She smelled embarrassed, and interested in that way she sometimes did around Red Hat. She didn’t get any closer.
Red Hat didn’t give any pats. He tried to push Marlow’s head away.
First no chasing and now no pats? Oh dear. Marlow gave him another lick to comfort him then bumped his head against his hand.
His voice stopped, cutting off a laugh. He patted Marlow on the head.
“Good boy.”
Yes, he knew.
“Get your Ma home safe. Off you go.”
Andy pulled him back and walked away hurriedly.
Red Hat wasn’t coming home?
Marlow, with his head turned while trotting to keep up, saw him sneak back into the alley. Why wasn’t he coming home? Where Marlow could keep them all safe?
Andy guided him on a short leash the rest of the way home. The bad people were gone, the smell trailing off down the wrong road. Andy looked back over her shoulder every now and again, still vigilant. The wind curled over the buildings. Red Hat was standing up on top of the roof in the opposite direction, smelling vaguely worried. Marlow barked at him. He disappeared back out of view before Andy could see him.
Marlow huffed.
Everyone was being very silly tonight.
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