Unlikely Bond

It was months since it happened.

The big show. And the big… arrest.

Everything had happened so fast. One moment she was on stage, the next she was watching her father get carted away, then she was in a bus leaving the only place she had ever known.

It was easy for her to not think about it, getting caught up in the next few performances of Out Of This World, getting to know her theater-mates better, and even… branching out a little.

She met Shelby at an audition Buster was holding. They had bumped into each other- Porsha rushing in to watch participants and Shelby trying to silently leave after having second thoughts.

Porsha was charmed by the spaniel. Shelby was very flustered around the wolf. They ended up sitting in the back, spending more time whispering to each other then watching.

Now, they had started dating, getting to know each other more personally…

And there was something Porsha hadn’t brought up. But, as several news channels reported on Jimmy Crystal’s ongoing trial, she realized she didn’t need to.

It hit her like a train. She was watching television in the quaint (for her standards, at least) apartment her and Shelby had now shared in Porsha’s efforts to move away from her silver-spooned upbringing, flicking through the channels until she landed on the news.

Trial of now-defamed manager Jimmy Crystal continues: just how far do his crimes go?

Of course. Her father, his arrest- how could she have not thought about it all this time?!

She frantically checked her phone, looking up every outlet possible to see what was happening with him.

The deeper she looked, the worse it got.

Porsha knew her father was bad. After finally getting away with him and relaying her experiences to others, she realized how it wasn’t normal to be under the assumption their parents hated them all the time.

But the things he was doing to other people… 

Why didn’t she notice? Why didn’t she stop him?

She was breathing quickly, gripping at her fur. She wanted to rip it out. Everything dulled around her. 

She didn’t hear the door open.

“Hey, Porsche! I’m back from my appointment with the…”

Shelby walked in, immediately spotting Porsha in her panicked state on the couch.

“…vocal coach. Porsha?”

She walked over, gingerly sitting down next to her and putting a hand on her leg.

Porsha yelped, fur bristling as she was snapped back to reality.

“Are you okay..?” Shelby asked tentatively, looking up at her girlfriend.

“I- No! I’m not! I’m really not-“ If there was one thing the wolf was, it was outwardly emotional. “Just- just look!”

Shelby turned her gaze to the television. At some point, Porsha had switched from the news to MewTube, watching other people who had no business talking about it theorizing over Jimmy Crystal’s various crimes.

She grimaced, turning the video off.

“Porsche…”

“You hate me. You hate me because my dad is a criminal.”

“No! Not at all, it’s not-“

“YOU DO! YOU HATE ME BECAUSE HE SCAMMED ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND GOT PEOPLE KILLED AND I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING TO STOP HIM!”

The words rung in both their ears. Porsha began to sob into her paws.

Shelby moved slightly closer, rubbing the wolf’s back.

“No, no… not at all… I would never blame you for that, it’s not your fault, you shouldn’t have to worry about controlling him…”

Porsha didn’t respond, but her sobs turned to hiccups, seeming to calm down slightly.

Shelby inhaled.

“…I know how it feels-“

“HOW WOULD YOU KNOW HOW THIS FEELS?!”

Porsha snapped, quite literally, her jaws suddenly right in Shelby’s face.

She immediately retracted, putting her paws over her mouth as she watched the spaniel shrink back in fear.

“… I’m sorry.” Porsha said, her voice quiet but her tone still angry.

Shelby rubbed her face, taking in a few deep breaths before speaking again.

“…I know I might not look it. But I know how it feels.”

Porsha began to react again, but stopped herself, letting Shelby continue this time.

“My… my dad went to prison, too.”

The wolf looked down at Shelby curiously, her expression changing from anger to guilt.

“…He did?” Before she could stop herself, she added, “What for?”

Shelby rubbed the back of her neck.

“Well, I’ve never really told anyone about this, but…”

She went on to explain what had happened, and the things she had to do following his trial. 

What, thought it would all be written out? That’s for Porsha’s ears.

By the end of it, Porsha had suddenly wrapped her arms around Shelby, crying again.

“That’s so awful!! I’m so so sorry I doubted you! I-“ she pulled away. “I think I overreacted… again.”

Shelby smirked slightly, pulling her back into the hug.

“…You have got to talk to that therapist I recommended, Porshey.”

She felt the wolf’s fur fluff up.

“I will! I just keep forgetting!”