nathanielgrayson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nathanielgrayson) wrote2025-04-05 12:11 am
nathanielgrayson) wrote2025-04-05 12:11 am
Entry tags:
Falsely Emboldened
Who: Nathaniel
When: A day or two after this
What: Others are emboldened by the Deputy's success
The kids were playing happily on the playground. The weather was unseasonably warm and Nathaniel felt they were all getting a little stir crazy at the Circus, so when Beryl and Khemrys went to check over things at the shop, he offered to drive the kids to the nearby playground. Their happy squeals were something he needed to hear after everything they'd all been going through since Jason's arrest.
He basked in the warm sun with a touch of melancholy: he didn't think they'd be letting Jason enjoy any days in the sun like this. It wasn't fair. Most days it was all he could do to get up and feed Asher and go to the club. He'd completely lost it when Beryl first told him the news and would probably still be in that state of despair if it hadn't been for the kids: they were so scared and upset, he couldn't just sit there indulging his own emotions. So he pushed everything aside to be their light until the quiet hours when they were asleep.
He watched the kids race over to the swings. They were all still a little too small to go on the swings without help, but all three flopped facedown over the swing's seat and began to spin, giggling hysterically. He couldn't help a giggle himself as he enjoyed their lighthearted play.
He heard the footsteps approach but hadn't paid much attention until the voice spoke behind him. "Taking a page out of your friend's book? Probably not the smartest move for a shifter right now."
Nathaniel stiffened, feeling the shudder down his spine. "I told you to stay away from me."
"I'm just out on my patrol, I didn't expect to see you out here," the cop said smugly. "And with what, three kids? Gotta wonder what you're doing out here with three little kids."
Nathaniel gritted his teeth. "They're playing. Just leave us alone."
"I'm sure that's what you want it to look like. You were one of Z's, you think I don't know the little tricks he probably taught you? What are you really doing out here with those little kids?"
Nathaniel's head whipped around angrily. "I know what you're trying to do. I'm not afraid of you, officer. You think your captain is gonna like all the attention if someone in his precinct tries arresting another innocent lycanthrope over nothing?"
The officer laughed. "You're far from innocent, Nathaniel."
Nathaniel fought a disgusted wince hearing his name come out of that cop's mouth.
"It wouldn't be hard to dredge up your past connections. And then being caught with little kids just like that shifter your boss was shacked up with?"
"Jason is her husband and he was set up!' Nathaniel spat.
Another laugh. "Husband my ass: it's clear she was being compelled to breed with him. You know how quick she jumped on my friend's dick once she was free of him? We should lock all of you up for what you've been doing to innocent human women."
Nathaniel blinked. Khemrys? Khemrys would never; but why would he think...
Eric. Of course; he knew Asher and Beryl had been buzzing about something the other night, but after feeding Asher and giving Eric a little pick-me-up snack he hadn't been too interested in what everyone was murmuring about. He would have to ask them what exactly had happened and let them know that the Deputy was already bragging to his friends about whatever Eric had done.
He hissed at the cop, fangs already on full display.
"Go ahead and give me a reason, you little twink whore. I'm sure your talents will make you real popular in that secure facility. Or you can decide to be nice, and we can make sure that doesn't happen."
The park was still and silent as that threat settled around them. Nathaniel glanced to the side and saw the children clustered together by the swings, their eyes wide with fear. Fuck, he thought in frustration. He glared at the cop. "This is the last time I'm going to warn you: leave me alone. Don't threaten me or my family again."
He stood and turned away, hurrying towards the kids and trying to plaster a pleasantly neutral expression on his face.
"Daddy?" Niki's face was screwed up in confused fear.
"It's ok. Come on, babies, it's time to go."
Kirion's thumb was already jammed in his mouth, but Nathaniel didn't try to stop him. A little dirt wasn't going to hurt him. He scooped the little boy up and secured him on a hip before reaching for Irias.
Her little voice wavered. "It's a pleeceman, Uncle Nat..."
He snuggled her under his arm next to her brother. "It's ok, Iri. Don't worry about him." He heard the chirp of the cop's radio and he snatched Niki up in his free arm.
"Daddy, is he going to take you away like Uncle Jason?" Niki's voice was hushed with fear.
Nathaniel didn't look back, but the sound of the cop reporting in about a suspicious shifter he was monitoring in the park echoed in his ears. "No, baby," he said breathlessly as he began to pick up speed. Don't run, don't run...
He just had to get them back to the car. He could heard the officer's radio crackle back a distorted answer and the footsteps started towards them. He got to the car and set the twins down, then jerked the door open to the backseat and started strapping Niki into a carseat. "Come on, Kirion, Irias, climb on up to your seats."
He could feel their fear vibrating through the small space in the backseat. His fingers fumbled on the buckles of the carseats, but he made sure everyone was secure before giving them all a strained smile. "Ok, sit quiet, ok?"
Kirion nodded with wide eyes over his thumb. Irias had her neck craned to see out over Nathaniel's shoulder and let out a frightened whine. He soothed a hand over her. "Shh shhh, it's ok, Iri."
He shut the door and turned; the cop had paused not too far away and was calmly describing Nathaniel's car and plate number over the radio. He narrowed his eyes and glared at him. He knew nothing would come up in their system, but he didn't like this guy having any more information on him than he already had. He held that glare for a long moment, swallowing back the growl that was crawling up his throat. Then he defiantly opened his door and climbed into the driver's seat.
The kids were already starting to sniffle and whimper. He started the car and turned on a Disney playlist before pulling out of the parking lot. "It's ok, kids. It's ok." He repeated it softly like a mantra. "Let's stop for some McDonald's before we get the Mommies, ok?"
The patrol car followed them from the park, casually passing by as they pulled through the McDonald's drive-thru but then reappearing when they pulled back on the main road. Nathaniel gritted his teeth. Was this cop actually going to try to arrest him over nothing? He wouldn't really risk that with all the attention the Deputy had stirred up, would he? No. No, he was just trying to scare him.
It was working.
Nathaniel pulled up in front of the shop and took a shaky breath. The patrol car inched past, the cop giving him a knowing look. Nathaniel glared in return, watching him pass without blinking.
When the car didn't return he sagged in his seat, taking deep breaths with his forehead against the steering wheel as he felt the shaking threatening to get stronger. And for the first time, he tuned out the kids as they started to cry while he tried to get control of himself.
When: A day or two after this
What: Others are emboldened by the Deputy's success
The kids were playing happily on the playground. The weather was unseasonably warm and Nathaniel felt they were all getting a little stir crazy at the Circus, so when Beryl and Khemrys went to check over things at the shop, he offered to drive the kids to the nearby playground. Their happy squeals were something he needed to hear after everything they'd all been going through since Jason's arrest.
He basked in the warm sun with a touch of melancholy: he didn't think they'd be letting Jason enjoy any days in the sun like this. It wasn't fair. Most days it was all he could do to get up and feed Asher and go to the club. He'd completely lost it when Beryl first told him the news and would probably still be in that state of despair if it hadn't been for the kids: they were so scared and upset, he couldn't just sit there indulging his own emotions. So he pushed everything aside to be their light until the quiet hours when they were asleep.
He watched the kids race over to the swings. They were all still a little too small to go on the swings without help, but all three flopped facedown over the swing's seat and began to spin, giggling hysterically. He couldn't help a giggle himself as he enjoyed their lighthearted play.
He heard the footsteps approach but hadn't paid much attention until the voice spoke behind him. "Taking a page out of your friend's book? Probably not the smartest move for a shifter right now."
Nathaniel stiffened, feeling the shudder down his spine. "I told you to stay away from me."
"I'm just out on my patrol, I didn't expect to see you out here," the cop said smugly. "And with what, three kids? Gotta wonder what you're doing out here with three little kids."
Nathaniel gritted his teeth. "They're playing. Just leave us alone."
"I'm sure that's what you want it to look like. You were one of Z's, you think I don't know the little tricks he probably taught you? What are you really doing out here with those little kids?"
Nathaniel's head whipped around angrily. "I know what you're trying to do. I'm not afraid of you, officer. You think your captain is gonna like all the attention if someone in his precinct tries arresting another innocent lycanthrope over nothing?"
The officer laughed. "You're far from innocent, Nathaniel."
Nathaniel fought a disgusted wince hearing his name come out of that cop's mouth.
"It wouldn't be hard to dredge up your past connections. And then being caught with little kids just like that shifter your boss was shacked up with?"
"Jason is her husband and he was set up!' Nathaniel spat.
Another laugh. "Husband my ass: it's clear she was being compelled to breed with him. You know how quick she jumped on my friend's dick once she was free of him? We should lock all of you up for what you've been doing to innocent human women."
Nathaniel blinked. Khemrys? Khemrys would never; but why would he think...
Eric. Of course; he knew Asher and Beryl had been buzzing about something the other night, but after feeding Asher and giving Eric a little pick-me-up snack he hadn't been too interested in what everyone was murmuring about. He would have to ask them what exactly had happened and let them know that the Deputy was already bragging to his friends about whatever Eric had done.
He hissed at the cop, fangs already on full display.
"Go ahead and give me a reason, you little twink whore. I'm sure your talents will make you real popular in that secure facility. Or you can decide to be nice, and we can make sure that doesn't happen."
The park was still and silent as that threat settled around them. Nathaniel glanced to the side and saw the children clustered together by the swings, their eyes wide with fear. Fuck, he thought in frustration. He glared at the cop. "This is the last time I'm going to warn you: leave me alone. Don't threaten me or my family again."
He stood and turned away, hurrying towards the kids and trying to plaster a pleasantly neutral expression on his face.
"Daddy?" Niki's face was screwed up in confused fear.
"It's ok. Come on, babies, it's time to go."
Kirion's thumb was already jammed in his mouth, but Nathaniel didn't try to stop him. A little dirt wasn't going to hurt him. He scooped the little boy up and secured him on a hip before reaching for Irias.
Her little voice wavered. "It's a pleeceman, Uncle Nat..."
He snuggled her under his arm next to her brother. "It's ok, Iri. Don't worry about him." He heard the chirp of the cop's radio and he snatched Niki up in his free arm.
"Daddy, is he going to take you away like Uncle Jason?" Niki's voice was hushed with fear.
Nathaniel didn't look back, but the sound of the cop reporting in about a suspicious shifter he was monitoring in the park echoed in his ears. "No, baby," he said breathlessly as he began to pick up speed. Don't run, don't run...
He just had to get them back to the car. He could heard the officer's radio crackle back a distorted answer and the footsteps started towards them. He got to the car and set the twins down, then jerked the door open to the backseat and started strapping Niki into a carseat. "Come on, Kirion, Irias, climb on up to your seats."
He could feel their fear vibrating through the small space in the backseat. His fingers fumbled on the buckles of the carseats, but he made sure everyone was secure before giving them all a strained smile. "Ok, sit quiet, ok?"
Kirion nodded with wide eyes over his thumb. Irias had her neck craned to see out over Nathaniel's shoulder and let out a frightened whine. He soothed a hand over her. "Shh shhh, it's ok, Iri."
He shut the door and turned; the cop had paused not too far away and was calmly describing Nathaniel's car and plate number over the radio. He narrowed his eyes and glared at him. He knew nothing would come up in their system, but he didn't like this guy having any more information on him than he already had. He held that glare for a long moment, swallowing back the growl that was crawling up his throat. Then he defiantly opened his door and climbed into the driver's seat.
The kids were already starting to sniffle and whimper. He started the car and turned on a Disney playlist before pulling out of the parking lot. "It's ok, kids. It's ok." He repeated it softly like a mantra. "Let's stop for some McDonald's before we get the Mommies, ok?"
The patrol car followed them from the park, casually passing by as they pulled through the McDonald's drive-thru but then reappearing when they pulled back on the main road. Nathaniel gritted his teeth. Was this cop actually going to try to arrest him over nothing? He wouldn't really risk that with all the attention the Deputy had stirred up, would he? No. No, he was just trying to scare him.
It was working.
Nathaniel pulled up in front of the shop and took a shaky breath. The patrol car inched past, the cop giving him a knowing look. Nathaniel glared in return, watching him pass without blinking.
When the car didn't return he sagged in his seat, taking deep breaths with his forehead against the steering wheel as he felt the shaking threatening to get stronger. And for the first time, he tuned out the kids as they started to cry while he tried to get control of himself.