Happy to Have

Donut’s nose twitches, whiskers waving as they nap on a stained, bedraggled couch. Something’s tickling their nose. Probably nothing. Just a hair, a stray whisker, a fly… it isn’t going away though. They scrunch up their snout, huffing air out of their nose in an attempt to relieve them of the itch.

No use– they open an eye.

The very tip of a large, fluffy, toothy tail tickles their nose, just barely brushing their face.

“Augh!” Donut yelps, blinking groggily and not quite realizing what’s happening right away. They push the tail away from them as it splits open to reveal it’s wicked smile, laughing in that weird, hoarse way it does.

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” Plague laughs, standing beside the couch, removing his tail from their direct vicinity. “You told me to wake you up in an hour, and it’s been two. You’re hogging my couch.”

Donut blinks as they remember what brought them to Plague’s place: they’d needed some company while Tempura and Chiffon were out of town for their own reasons. The house is so empty without them there, Donut could hardly stand it anymore. And the nap? They had a hangover. Sue them.

“Why didn’t you wake me up when I asked you to?” Donut stretches their arms and wings, finding a painful kink in their neck.

“It’s not like you’ve got anywhere to be, Don. Plus I was in the middle of a game, I couldn’t just stop playing.”

Donut rolls their eyes, before checking the time. “Right. Ugh, how is it 9 pm already? Yeesh.”

“Time flies when you’re fucking drunk.”

“I wasn’t that drunk. And I blame you, you’re the one who made the drinks.”

“You’ve got fuckin’ problems, Don.” Plague’s many limbs stretch in a strange mess of fur and grease. “Hey, I was gonna go pick up somethin’ to munch on, wanna come with?”

“Sure. Where to?”

“Eh, I was thinkin’ Drake’s. Been craving burgers.”

Donut hops off the couch, following Plague as he grabs his things. “Mm… Drake’s has good fries. And onion rings. Oh, and milkshakes! Gods I’m starving.”

“Ha. Just remember I’m not paying for your stuff anymore.”

“Yeah you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yuh-huh.”

“Shut the fuck up, you little cretin.”

Donut laughs, and the two of them half argue, half joke out of Plague’s apartment and down the street to their beloved burger joint. The sun has only just set, the sky still orange but quickly fading away to darkness. Despite the chill, Donut finds the walk pleasant and warm, happy to be sharing it with a friend. As annoying as he can be sometimes, Plague is a good guy, and Donut enjoys hanging out with him. Most of the time, anyway.

They leave Drake’s with enough bags of food to feed a small army, the smell of fried food wafting around them. Plague paid, of course. Donut flutters in the air a moment, stomach– and their own stomach-bound mouth– growling.

“This is so much food,” they snicker. 

“What!? Who are you?” Plague scoffs as he opens the door to his apartment. “The real Donut would think this is a normal amount of food.”

“Shut up.” He’s right, though– they’ve been hearing too much about diet fads lately. So maybe they’re sometimes a little self conscious about the amount of food they eat. It happens.

...Though when you have literally two mouths to feed, diet fads don’t quite apply to you. And if you’re someone like Plague, with five freaking mouths, this amount of food isn’t much more than a simple snack.

Plague’s tail sweeps various empty cans and things off of the bin standing in for a coffee table in front of the couch, and the food is laid out like a royal banquet. Donut goes through Plague’s collection of old VHS movies, eventually finding a classic horror movie and setting it up to play.

They laugh at the shitty effects and unrealistic scenarios and reactions in the movie as they chow down. Plague hogs the couch, but Donut’s used to sitting on the floor anyway, cross legged on a big pillow and otherwise content.

Halfway through the movie, they get a flurry of texts.

Tempura: yo

Tempura: omw home should be there in the morning

Chiffon: aaa i wish i could come home too! </3 just a few more days at this photo shoot i prommy

Donut smiles, setting aside a large carbonated drink, orange flavored.

Donut: can’t wait to see yall!! :D im at plague’s rn but ill be home in time to greet u temp ^^

Plague makes a comment at the movie, exaggerated screams and cherry-red fake blood splashing on screen. Donut elbows his mouth tail away from their pile of fries.

The moment hits them… they’re happy. Happy to have friends. Friends they like and who like them back. Friends they can be themself around. Friends who annoy them… but who they can annoy in return for good fun.

This is good.

Really good.