This is a drabble. Feel free to make a request or two.
This drabble was requested by members of HERE WE STAND.
My name is Rachel and you would think that fighting against the Yeerks would be the most pressing matter in my life. How could anything make me more enraged than a parasitic slug taking away someone's freedom? Yet somehow Tobias had found a way.
It started after Covid-19 hit the states and measures were taken to keep everyone safe. This included wearing masks. But since my boyfriend spent most of his time as a red-tailed hawk he didn't have to wear one and was sure to remind every one of us about that fact. Even when Ax wasn't in human morph he was more pleasant.
Most of us Animorphs had just allowed Tobias to have his fun. He not only had to fight the Yeerks, he had to watch out for all the predators that would go after a red-tailed hawk. So we had decided to grit our teeth and let him have a little bit of fun. Though week after week I wanted to snap at him, I actually managed to hold myself back.
That was until Marco did something that finally made me take action. The very short and unfunny teen had bought his own custom mask that said 'I Heart Golden Eagles'. Tobias was annoyed and I knew as a good girlfriend I had to reign him in.
I worked on my math homework until I heard Tobias tapping on my bedroom window. It took everything for me to hold back an evil grin before turning around and smiling.
"They're gone." I said as Tobias hopped onto my bed. "Mom doesn't want to cook and went out to get Burger King. I could try and smuggle you a burger."
Tobias tilted his head which made his face look even angrier. It must have hurt his hawk pride to be offered already killed meat. Probably felt like roadkill to him. Except if we were out on a date that was. This, on the other hand, was just another visit.
[I already ate.] He replied, turning to preen.
Suddenly he stopped and looked at me. While I had tried to be discreet, something had attracted the attention of his hawk eyes. Nothing much escaped his eyes anymore. How had I alerted him? Well cat was out of the bag now.
[What's bothering you, Rachel?] Tobias asked.
"All of us have to wear a mask and you don't." I replied, crossing my arms. "All of us have to walk around looking like we have the same sense of fashion that Cassie does. But you get to fly around without one."
[I'm a hawk.]
"I know. I know. A bird wearing a mask would attract a lot of attention. But you just...just mock the rest of us for having to wear a mask. So I just want you to wear a mask when you're with me. It'd make me feel better."
[I'm sorry, but I won't.]
Tobias went back to preening. His thought-speak left a lot of room for interpretation and he couldn't express much as a hawk.It could be that he thought he had made his final decision or it could be that he was too scared to look at me.
"You know hawks aren't all that great." I said as I hoped it was the latter. "Pigeons and seagulls are far superior. Sure they don't look as cool, but they are really tough. While you're spending time hunting, pigeons are being fed by old ladies and children. While a rat escapes your talons, a seagull is walking out of 7 Eleven with a bag of chips. Heck, when going on missions it'd be better if we all morphed se-"
[Fine.] Tobias replied softly as he continued to preen. [I'm sorry I've been so rude about not having to wear a mask. I'll wear a mask. But only when I'm with you.]
Barely holding back a smile, I pulled out a hawk sized mask for my boyfriend. I held it out proudly to him and he let out a sigh. Since a normal mask wouldn't fit him, I had had to find someone to make a custom one. As hawks didn't have human-like ears, his mask had two pieces of string to tie behind his head.
Tobias stayed still while I put his mask on and glared at me in the way only hawks can. He would've bit anyone who dared to put a mask on him. But I wasn't just anyone: I was his girlfriend.
[Happy?] Tobias asked. [Hey, you didn't say you'd take a picture of me!]
"If I don't take a picture, Marco will never believe me." I said as I focused my Polaroid on him. "Now show me your good side, baby."
Tobias tilted his head in such a way that the harsh hawk glare was gone from his face. Instead he now looked like he once did. An outcast. A bully magnet. War changes us all so I was glad for moments like these. Rare moments I could be a kid with nothing better to do than embarrass my boyfriend.
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