Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

   Skid and Pump waited outside their school for Lila to pick them up. However she was taking much longer than usual. Skid’s pin feathers fluffed up as a cold breeze wisped by, Pump sinking his reptilian head further into his scarf.
   Skid looked a lot like his mother, at least how the baby of their animal counterparts should be. They were both Harpy Eagles, but the boy had some odd black markings that made him look more like his favorite Halloween costume.
   Pump was more of an odd case. His grandpa and sister were Bearded Dragons but he was a Frilled-Neck Lizard. Susie tried calling their parents but she never got a response. Even after several other dozen attempts they never got a response.

   “Hey! Freaks!” A voice called out that wasn’t familiar to either of them. Ignoring it as they kept an eye out for Lila, maybe the wind was slowing her down. But then a weasel entered their vision, a badger right behind them. “Don’t ignore me when I’m talking to you.” The weasel sneared, getting right in their line of sight. The badger glaring right behind the weasel. “Hand over your lunch money,” the weasel snarled.
   “Uh- what lunch money?” Pump asked, genuine confusion in his voice as he looked at Skid. The small eagle shrugged back in equal confusion.
   “Don’t play dumb!” The badger finally spoke.
   “Yah, you have to have something!” The tall weasel snapped. Both of them looked furious.

   The two boys looked between each other, uncertain on what to do. The older mammals got closer to them as footsteps boomed towards them. The weasel and badger stopped in their tracts, looking up in fear as a shadow casted out the little sunlight there was on that cloudy day.
   The mammals backed away, still looking up in fear, and with a familiar snarl they turned tail and ran. Leaving Skid, Pump, and whoever the shadow belonged to.

   They turned and looked up at the looming figure. A polar bear with a wide, toothy grin looking down at them.
   “Grunkle Bob!” The kids cheered, then they realized how odd it was for him to be here. But that did explain why it took them so long to be picked up. Usually Lila would just fly over and scoop them up, but that didn’t explain why it was Bob who picked them up. At least Frank had a van.
   “Hello there, hope y’all weren’t waiting out here for too long.” The bear greeted. Ever since Bob became a Polar Bear he’s had a hard time telling how cold it’s been getting. To him it still feels like an early fall, hopefully summer takes its time coming back around.
   Usually Bob stayed at home and cooked lunch while Lila got them. Rarely did anyone else in the house get an opportunity to cook a major meal since he came around. The last time someone else cooked was because the bear had gotten a fever and could barely pull himself out of bed.

   “Wait a minute, what are you doing here?” Pump asked, almost playfully accusatory.
   “Oh come on now. Is it that hard to believe I offered to pick you up?” The bear sounded amused by Pump’s accusation, which he indeed was.
   “Did you have a fight with Uncle Frank again?” Skid questioned.
   “Me!? I would never!” Bob sounded jokingly offended, a hand placed on his chest with feigned sincerity.
   “Yah right!” The boys shouted, pointing at the polar bear.
   “Ha!” The bear stood up straighter as he barked a laugh. “You know me too well,” he then huffed amused, “Now let’s get going, Ms.Lila is cooking up something mighty fine for lunch!”

   “Can we stop for some candy first?” Skid asked, holding onto the cuff of the bear’s red sweater.
   “Pleaseeeee,” Pump begged from his other side.
   “Hmmmm… I suppose, you know I can't say no to candy.”
   “Yay!” The children cheered before they changed their direction to take a detour that would have them pass by the candy store.
   “As long as we’re quick, don’t want to worry your mother now. Right Skid?” Bob asked, Skid nodding profusely in agreement.

   Finally they made it, entering the store with a slight ring of the door alarm. Bob looked around, he hasn’t been here since that Halloween night. Interesting how things change. But without that damn amulet in his chest he’s been thinking a lot clearer.
   There was a lynx at the table, seeming nervous. Probably just a reaction to him though.
   One good thing about being animals now was that it was hard to recognize him, it didn't help that he was legally dead either. So far, even on his rare instances of leaving the house, no one has connected him to serial killer and cannibal Bob Velseb. Not like he ate people anymore, Lila threatened to expose him to the police and kick him to the curb if she ever found out he started killing again.

   The kids gathered what they wanted, Bob also grabbing a paw full of candy before fishing for his wallet. He didn’t have much, without his job all he has is a ‘candy allowance’. Which was quite annoying but what was there to do? Not like he had a job anymore.

   “Will that be all sir?” The Lynx’s voice warbled.
   “Hi Kevin!” The boys shouted as they placed their candy on the counter.
   “Hello kids,” the lynx greeted rather reluctantly.
   “Hm. Yes, that'll be all.”
   “Your total will be $18.75”
   Bob then handed the Lynx two $10’s, “Keep the change.” He gathered the bagged candy.
   “Bye Kevin!” The children waved before turning and darting away, leaving the bear in the dust.

   “Now hold on!” Bob called after them but they were already gone. The bear let out a deep sigh and hurried after them.

Chapter Text

Lila couldn’t help but to wallow in her own stupidity. How could she have allowed these people- animals? Ugh! This is all so confusing! First she woke up as a bird. A bird. Apparently she and Skid were now Harpy Eagles.

Next her kid drags home some odd looking hyena off the street. Then the exterminator she hired previously showed up with a damn Happy Fella doll. Now a coyote and koala respectfully. And last but not least, Bob Velseb somehow ends up knocking on her door.

Now she needed a place to put them all. Her home is only so big. Not to mention built for humans not two birds, a coyote, giant hyena, and an even bigger polar bear!

She let out a sigh, burying her feathered head into her talons. Careful not to scratch herself. A crudely sketched out lay out of the house in front of her. Lila wasn’t going to give any of them either of the bedrooms. Those will stay as hers and Skid’s. That left the attic as the next best thing, but will need renovations. However Bob and, as she soon had learned, Frank (the Hyena) got along like cats and dogs. So one of them will have to go on the sofa.

Lila had a decent amount of extra cash, thanks to Frank and Dexter paying rent. She didn’t exactly know what Frank did for a living, nor did she care. Bob however couldn’t work since he was legally dead, a serial killer, and a cannibal. Why did she let him into her home again? Well he definitely won’t be staying anywhere near her son. Bob and Dexter can stay in the attic.

“The attic?” Dexter sounded…nervous. When she broke the news.

“What? Were the rats that much of a trouble last time?” She asked, rather confused.

“But it wasn’t a rat, it was a dem-“

“Oh you and your silly stories. You’ll be fine, you’ll have Bob with you.” She tried to reassure the coyote.

Dexter glanced over to the grinning bear, staring down at him from the corner of his eye. “I-Is that supposed to make me feel better?” he slightly stammered. “Oh come on now, I don’t bite.” The polar bear grinned with sharp, very sharp, did I mention sharp? Teeth. “Don’t antagonize him.” Ms.Lila shook her head. The bear only chuckled in response. “I put together what I could. There’s two beds and plenty of space up there for the both of you.”

She had left them alone to settle in. The attic was just how he remembered it. Other than glaringly different: two beds, a polar bear, and a lack of a demon. It looked slightly more welcoming than last time. Maybe it was the warm light of the lamps around the room, the lack of old cobwebs, or maybe just the presence of another person. Still he clutched his doll close.

Neither of them said a word to each other, but he could hear Bob’s grumbling about the ceiling being too low.

Dexter checked under his bed, in his drawers, then shook out his bed. He could feel eyes watching him the whole time, but he knew it was just Bob. A glance proved himself right. Everything was checked and in place, deeming it good enough to finally lay down for bed.

The coyote clicked off the last lamp in the room. Then pulled up the blanket to cover himself, and a spare throw blanket over the Happy Fella Doll.

But he couldn’t sleep.

It felt like hours, staring at the ceiling. But he just couldn’t fall asleep. Refusing to look at anything else either. After all, If he couldn’t see it. It couldn’t hurt him.

There was a shuffle in the dark.

Wood dragging along wood. He jumped up with a yap of fear, Scrambling back and out of bed with a hard thud and startled, pained yelp.

Then there was an even louder thud in the dark.

“Arghhh god dammit!” Bob’s voice pierced his frantic thoughts. The lamp clicking on from the other side of the room. Dexter looked over to see the bear sitting on the edge of his bed. Clutching his head in one hand and the chain of the lamp in the other. Bob must’ve hit his head on the low ceiling and he didn’t not look very forgiving about being disturbed.

Dexter couldn’t move. His heart was racing. His doll was out of reach. But he was in the reach of any monsters under his bed. Yet he still couldn’t move.

“What's wrong with yah?” He didn’t notice that Bob had gotten closer. Very close. Sharp teeth. Too close. Hungry eyes. Far too close. Haunting wide grin.

Finally he mustered up the courage to look at Bob, and he didn’t see what he was expecting. There were no sharp teeth, no hungry eyes, no impossibly wide grin. Just…tired annoyance.

“Come on, can ya stand?” The bear asked, and he must’ve taken too long to answer. Being soon lifted up by his shirt like he didn’t weigh a thing. Then plopped down onto his bed. “Nightmare?” He spoke again, and Dexter couldn’t tell if it was a statement or a question. But he nodded.

“I-I can’t sleep, it's just-“ he tried to explain himself. “it’s just…” but his words failed him. “I just- can’t. I’m- it’s not.” Dexter could feel his throat tighten like he was being strangled. Tears threatened his eyes. “It’s not s-safe.”

There was then a paw on his arm, a very large paw. Unexpected soft fur, and rough paw pads. It was something to ground himself to and he clung to it like a lifeline.

“How bout this, you get some shut eye and I’ll keep an eye out for ya?” Bob offered. Kneeled down at his bedside.

“…Alright”

Dexter tried to sleep, but it was still quite difficult. Though he felt more calm at the slight pressure on the side of his bed from Bob’s crossed arms. Then something touched his leg and he resisted jumping again.

Bob said he’d watch out for him after all.

Hesitantly he looked, and found that Bob had fallen asleep. The thing touching his leg was just his snout. A snore rumbled out from the bear. He couldn’t help but the smile, even just slightly.

Taking the spare throw blanket from his doll and carefully draping it over the sleeping form against his bed. Dexter felt bad that Bob was sleeping in what looked to be an uncomfortable position, but it’s not like he could move him.

The blanket barely did anything to cover the polar bear but at least it was something. Turning to pull the Happy Fella under his own blankets before reattempting sleep.

Soon he drifted off, feeling comfort from the soft light of the forgotten lamp. Bob’s snout resting on his leg, and his occasional snoring.