[backdated, as per usual] Who: Raksha, Izzy When: Late afternoon/Evening 4/10/08 Where: Bus, Papi’s truck, then Izzy’s apartment What: The trip home from the tennis match Izzy coached and Raksha played mascot at. Status: Complete Rating: PG?
As they left the courts, the girls had taken up doing nothing but chatter incessantly. Izzy was getting a headache, and all he really wanted was a short ride home. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen. Rubbing his temples with one hand, he pointed at the bus door, indicating that he wanted them on it – and he wanted them on it as soon as possible. “In,” he said. “Same seats as before. And don’t mess with Nero, I’m sure he’s getting just as tired as you all should be.”
The chattering of female voices buzzed in his ears. White-spotted ears twitched, cocked to catch the one male voice that didn't grate on his nerves. It took more concentration to understand the words. He moved to press a shoulder against the male's knee, sensing the tiredness and irritation, tail swishing back and forth, a slight rumbling purr in his throat.
Izzy leaned down, rubbing his fingers lightly over Raksha’s head. “Hey buddy,” he said, too tired to so much as come up with Raksha’s name a second time. “We’ll go sit in the back of the bus, huh? When they’re all on it. Jim and his assistant oughtta be able to keep all the kids quiet.”
He purred louder at the contact, the closest to an affirmative answer he could give when lacking human vocal chords. The word 'Jim' caught his attention and one lip curled, revealing deadly canines. He still wanted to go and piss on that particular male's leg. Instead he sat down, waiting patiently for their turn to get on the bus.
Eilis was the next in line, and she reached out to touch Raksha’s head as if she did it every day, smiling. She threw her dad a bigger smile and hurried onto the bus. A few of the other girls glared at her back; they all knew she was Izzy’s daughter, and she got to pet the tiger pretty much no matter what. Or, at least, that’s what they thought. She found a place near the back in case her dad had something to say to her.
Izzy smiled back, tiredly, and kept rubbing Raksha’s head. “Just a few more, bud.” He rubbed behind Raksha’s ears, scratching slightly, then sighed and squatted beside him, watching the girls get up onto the bus.
He stood up, shaking dust kicked up by the bus off his fur, watching the female who'd petted him get onto the bus. Amusement slipped through his thoughts at the feelings of jealousy he sensed from many of the other young females crowding onto the vehicle. Muscles tensed slightly at the atmosphere, orange and black hide rippling slightly. Izzy's hands rubbing his ears was a welcome touch and he pressed his head into those wonderful fingers. He resisted the urge to press against the human male, knowing his weight would knock Izzy over. Gasoline and exhaust scented the air as the bus started up.
The last of the girls boarded and Izzy dropped his hand from Raksha’s ears, taking up the leash with both hands. He didn’t like the leash, didn’t really like the concept that it restricted Raksha, because Raksha was a person, despite having another form. He stifled a yawn and wiggled the leash just slightly. “Come on, Nero,” he said. “Time to get on the bus.”
He snorted softly, whiskers twitching to catch subtle air movements that allowed him a greater spatial awareness. The movement of the leash and collar told him it was time to move as much as the words did and took less concentration to decipher. He followed the male to the bus, noting the unease of the driver, even though he'd been on here early this morning. The stairs were slightly awkward, being taller than those at the apartment, but he was able to adjust and made the climb with little difficulty. Muscles tensed again when confronted with the fairly narrow aisle between the rows of leather scented seats. He waited, allowing Izzy to lead the way to a seat.
Izzy turned down the aisle, walking much slower than usual, and curled up in the back bench-type seat. He only loosely held the leash, knowing that Raksha would follow anyway. He curled up in the corner, making as much room as he could for the tiger. He was exhausted, suddenly, not just tired. He suspected he’d probably sleep on the ride back home...maybe. If he was lucky.
Once the male was settled, Raksha hopped up onto the seat as well, feeling the well-worn material creak under him and sat down, judging distance before laying down, his front legs and chest partially covering the human male's legs. With a feline sigh, he laid his head down on the male's hip, briefly rubbing one side of his jaw against it in a gesture of affection before settling down. The rumble of the bus engine increased as the vehicle started to move forward.
Izzy took to rubbing against Raksha’s head, muttering almost incoherently in Spanish. He alternated between rubbing, scratching, and petting, never really looking down because he didn’t really feel the need to. “Did you have fun today, Nero?” he asked, tone indicating that he was talking to a person, but the question obviously directed at the “awareness” that Raksha was an animal.
Yellow eyes slid half shut and he moved his head forward slightly to lean into all the petting. It felt nice and it wasn't exactly easy to reach the spots being scratched with his own paws. The question, once he sorted out the words on the surface of the emotions and sensations behind them earned a soft rumbling purr that only Izzy would probably hear. Especially over the din of chattering females.
Izzy smiled. “It’s that thing I love,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss Raksha’s ear. It wasn’t all that uncommon to see someone kissing their pet; he’d seen even his timid mother do it once or twice. Leaning back and letting his head fall back, he added another idea. “I wish they’d be a little quieter,” he muttered.
Raksha rumbled his agreement and flattened his ears in a gesture of annoyance at all the noise. Especially since the chaos included all the shifts of weight on seats, zippers zipped, uniforms rustling and other details that added a constant soundtrack to the spoken dialogue. A particularly high pitched squeal of excitement from one of the players made him flatten his ears further and growl. If she had been a cub, it would have earned her a swat with one large paw.
Izzy grimaced. “Keep it down,” he said, barely audible above the racket. “Or I’ll come up there and...spray you all. With my bottle of vinegar water.” He’d dragged it along as if showing that Raksha was really his pet, and not his boyfriend in disguise. He meant it; he really WOULD spray them all. “Seriously. You’re hurting his ears, and you’re hurting mine!”
Jim came back to the end of the bus, sliding into a seat across from them. “Good game,” he said, grudgingly.
Izzy nodded, continuing to rub Raksha’s ears. “Yeah. Thanks. You too. Hey...can you...have them be quiet? I don’t feel so hot right about now.”
Jim's approach brought his head up, yellow eyes focusing on the male intently, though he made no other move to show his dislike. He didn't want that one anywhere near them, but attacking wasn't really an option. Other ways of showing his opinion were, but those required moving. And would subject Izzy and the other more or less innocent bystanders to the strong odor of tiger piss for the duration of the ride. With a soft snort, he laid his head back down but continued watching the intruder, contemplating revenge once they were off the bus.
Izzy let his fingers run over Raksha’s fur as Jim answered his question. “They’re just having fun, Izzy.”
Izzy shrugged. “That may be, Phys Ed, but I think I’m coming down with something.”
“Must be the bathrooms,” Jim said, tone turning to cruel mockery. “I hear they get awful drafty.”
The tone processed before the words themselves. Not that he needed them, the intent behind them, the unmasked dislike from the intruder was clear enough in tone as well as the feel of the mood. He reacted to that rather than the words themselves, lip curling to display teeth molded perfectly for shredding flesh, and hackles up, his entire posture a warning.
Fear scent tinged the cruelty, overpowering it. He dropped his jaw slightly, so the lower canines showed as well, more of a panting motion than a snarl, but to the casual observer, the distinction might be missed. The urge to get up and corner the male was tempting. But he stayed where he was, knowing what happened when animals "attacked" humans, deserving or no. Instead he stretched a front leg, paw spread and curved claws sliding into view for a moment before he tucked the paw beneath him.
Izzy scratched behind his ears again, wrapping the leash around his wrist for Jim’s sanity. “Go on. He’s not happy.”
Jim stared, doing the “fish” thing again. Mouth opened. Mouth shut. Mouth opened. Mouth shut. Mouth opened...and stayed open.
“You like catching flies in there?” Izzy asked, looking over at him. “Cause I’d suggest shutting your trap.”
He laid his head down, turning it slightly to lean into the nice scratching behind his ears, then settled it so his chin rested on Izzy’s leg, gaze on Jim. Hackles down, he just stared at the intruder who seemed to be trying to make a noise and failing miserably. They had the upper hand for now. Swallowing a growl that would likely give the nasty male a heart attack, he settled for a smug, feline look of amusement. The kind his brother always said made one feel laughed at without any sound at all.
Izzy watched “fish-man” (as Raksha had so eloquently named him) stand and hurry to the front. Sighing in relief, he continued to scratch Raksha’s ears. “I’ma fall asleep here soon, Nero,” he said. “Try to avoid getting yourself into trouble?”
---Several hours later---
It’d been nice to be out in his other form for awhile and not be chased by someone from animal control who thought he’d escaped from the zoo. And the look on Jim’s face had been priceless. Though he’d seen enough of the man to know that wouldn’t end the rivalry or the trouble the bastard would try and cause Izzy later. For now, it was nice to not feel cramped in a car and the promise of going home where there would be no screaming high school girls. A slightly wicked smile tugged at his mouth at the thought.
Izzy was fighting hard to keep his eyes on the road. “Damnit,” he muttered quietly, tightening his hands on the wheel. “I hate being colorblind. I hate driving in the early evening, and I really hate driving in San Francisco.”
Raksha glanced at him, picking up on the muttering and the frustration behind it. "You want me to drive?" They were partway home from Papi's, so the elder male would never know that Izzy hadn't driven the whole way if they switched drivers now. He frowned slightly, noticing the tension in the other male's posture and expression.
Izzy paused, pulling off onto the side of the road. He was glad they weren’t really in to the city yet. “Yeah...would ya? Please?” He was tired, despite having slept for two and a half hours, and the night before. “I can’t seem to focus on the road and I think I have a headache.”
“Yea.” Away from the chaos of the tennis team, his energy level was back to normal and the prospect of driving was a welcome one. Even though he’d have to obey the speed limit this time around, well, mostly. He leaned against the car for a moment, giving Izzy a chance to summon the energy to get out of the car, sifting through the myriad of scents the breeze brought to him. Izzy heaved a sigh as Raksha agreed to drive. He rubbed his temples for a moment, then slid out of the car, leaning heavily against the door. “Damnit,” he mumbled. “I don’t suppose I could get you to rub my shoulders when we get home?” Without waiting for a reply, he started to move around the back of the truck to get into the other side.
Raksha waited until they were both settled in the truck again before replying, "Yea, I can do that." Oddly it was something he found he enjoyed. Surprise flickered through his mind at the thought, but nothing showed in his expression. Shrugging to get more comfortable in the seat, he turned the truck back on and pulled out onto the road slowly, getting a feel for how the vehicle responded. No Trans Am, but it'd do.
Izzy nodded and laid his head back against the headrest. “Love you.” He was cold, he was tired, he was sore, and he kind of wanted to deck Jim. Yup. Average run of the mill day for Izzy. He yawned and closed his eyes, wanting the whole damn trip to be over with. Next year, he’d coach something different. Without Jim.
He wasn't used to that. Nor the sincerity behind it, despite the exhaustion evident in the other male's tone. Since it wasn't his truck, he kept to the speed limit, pleased by the familiar feel of leather-bound steering wheel beneath his fingers. Keeping one hand on the wheel, a style he'd perfected easily over the years, he reached over to catch Izzy's hand and squeeze the cool fingers briefly.
Izzy smiled tiredly and opened his eyes, swinging his head over to look at Raksha. “They didn’t bother you too much, did they? The girls?” He knew Raksha disliked children.
Raksha chuckled softly, flicking a brief glance at Izzy before returning his gaze to the road, "They were too preoccupied with other things to get in my face as much as they could have. It pays to be a five hundred pound killing machine when you want personal space," he commented dryly.
Izzy nodded, rubbing his hand over his knee. “They’re girls. They’re teenagers, and they love to irritate people. At least, most of them. Eilis doesn’t. She’s good about that, mostly.” He closed his eyes again. “Did you like being there?”
"It was...different." He wasn't sure if he liked it or not. "I rarely get out as my other self. Too many chances of people thinking I'm a zoo escapee." At their age he'd been creating a long criminal record with hobbies like street fights and illegal car races.
He nodded again. “Maybe it’s good, then. Do you like getting out that way?” Izzy liked Raksha in either of his forms, human or tiger. He was coming to the place where he was very, very tired, and nothing much was registering with him.
Raksha nodded, gaze focused on the road ahead of him. They'd be to the apartment pretty soon. The fading daylight didn't bother him in the slightest but streetlights tended to make the feline mind a bit spastic. The headlights of the other cars were more annoying. He would have preferred to have traffic without the headlights of oncoming cars blinding him. Realizing Izzy probably hadn't noticed the nonverbal answer he murmured, "Yea, and we're almost home."
“Good,” Izzy said. “Love you.” He murmured it again, just for emphasis, and laid his head back once more. “You might have to help me up the stairs, dude. I’m pretty tired.”
A slight grin slipped across his features, "I think I can manage that." Moments later he was parking the truck. Chuckling softly, he ran one hand lightly over the tanned skin of Izzy's arm, "C'mon, we're back." Turning the truck off he got out and headed around to the passenger side, guessing the older male was gonna need a hand.
Izzy yawned and stretched. He moved slowly, opening the door and moving to look at Raksha. “Hola.” He was exhausted, from the day of tennis, and the long rides. He had to move very slowly to turn to his side so he could see Raksha.
Arching an eyebrow, he reached over to gently pulled Izzy off the seat, keeping an arm around him, "You gonna walk or do I get to carry you?" He was betting on the latter judging from how unstable the older male felt in his arms. Instead of waiting for an answer he kicked the truck's door shut, albeit gently, scooped Izzy up in his arms, and turned to head for the building. It was a bit awkward since the older male was slightly larger than he was, but he liked the closeness.
Izzy smiled and curled up into Raksha’s arms. “That works,” he said. He liked the closeness, too. He liked any closeness with his lover, especially if it meant he got to tell him he loved him again. That made Izzy’s day, every day. He’d determined he would tell Raksha that every chance he got, even if it got repetitive. Raksha needed to know he was loved.
He made quick work of the walk up to the building and the stairs up to Izzy’s apartment. Once at the door, he set Izzy on his feet again, though he didn’t let go entirely, “You got the key right?” One of the neighbors was just coming out and it happened to be one who liked to talk. Raksha tensed slightly, not particularly wanting to deal with more people after the overkill of the tennis outing.
Izzy leaned against the wall, swallowing thickly. He pulled a key from his pocket. “Here,” he said. “We get to go sleep now?” He really wasn’t rationalizing things, at all. He didn’t see his neighbor. He just wanted to go lay down.
“Aye." Raksha unlocked the door and tugged Izzy inside with him, then shut and locked it decisively. He dropped the key on the coffee table then moved back to slip an arm around Izzy and lead the older male towards the bedroom, not bothering to turn any lights on since he could see just fine and he doubted light was going to make much difference to Izzy at this point.
Izzy leaned up against Raksha until he moved away to drop the keys on the coffee table, then drag him back to their bedroom. “Good,” he muttered. “Because I’m really really tired, and…yeah.” He yawned. “You’re gonna sleep with me tonight?”
Raksha nodded, “Yea.” Ignoring clothing and everything else he picked Izzy up again and moved to the bed. After laying the older male down he tugged Izzy’s shoes off and then kicked off his own and laid down himself. Getting comfortable, he pulled Izzy close and finally relaxed all the way. Sleep would not be long in coming.