[SIDESTORY] BELLOWS

[skinstealer]

CHAPTER 1: SPIDER, SPIDER

[CW: BDSM mentions]

It’s late when you lock up the store, finally relieved to get a move on. The air’s cold on your skin as you pull your coat tighter around yourself, wishing you wore something a bit more covering. As cute as the sleeveless corset look is, it’s not ideal for this kind of weather- but hey, sacrifices have to be made. 


You take out your phone to check your messages- a text from Chief, as expected, one from Torquil, even more expected...your phone had been buzzing in your pocket all night, and from the look of it, you’re in high demand. You start with Torq, knowing that he’s probably gonna be a big bundle of nerves.

---

FROM: [SOUND_DEBRIS]
Spider
Something’s come up, and we will not be able to have our usual session tonight
As your dominant, I demand pictures.

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

lol u sure you want them from this shitty phone cam

i cant afford the good shit you know that

---

He replies quickly, and you get the feeling he’s been hovering over his phone all night.

---

FROM: [SOUND_DEBRIS]
Well, if you’d just accept my offer

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

dude you’re not buying me a phone!! oh my god!

you already do so much man dont worry about it

FROM: [SOUND_DEBRIS]
Okay
I just want to make sure you are safe
And also have a good phone camera because if I’m being honest I’m dying to see how my new piece looks on you
You didn’t even let me get a peek in the store

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

i wanted to save it for tonight

ill get u pics dont worry bout it

dork

FROM: [SOUND_DEBRIS]
Okay
Was I too forceful also
With the dominant talk

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

nah dude thats better than last time

yr gettin it

you can just shorten it to dom tho 

nobody’s gonna call the BDSM police on you lol

FROM: [SOUND_DEBRIS]
I would hope not
Their outfits are terrible

---

You close Torquil’s messages with a snicker, switching over to Chief’s. His messages are a lot more recent, at least...even with him being more patient, you hate to leave him waiting.

---

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
hey babe
you comin over tonight orrrr are you busy with birdboy

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

sorry dude

i was gonna go to torq’s but he cancelled and like

im bushed anyway

work tired me out lol

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
it always tires you out tho
im tellin you ditch that old shack and move into my place
i got you covered

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

ugh between u and torq i swear to god!!!!!

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
yea swear to me babe
;)

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

ugh!!!!

gross!!!

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
sry couldnt resist lmao

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

im gonna shove you in a locker

i can take care of myself! 

like i rly appreciate it but i can do this

i wanna run the shop. 

i want to make this work

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
ok but
consider living with me and clamour
consider it

FROM: [CROSSED_MEMORY]

and deal w dragonfly??

nope

FROM: [GRID_LOCK]
are you STILL doing the petty rivalry thing oh my god
spider. spider how old are you
we are grown ass adults here spides and you can’t keep laser eyeing each other every time you come over
seriously it’s just weird
are you ignoring me spides
damnit
just get home safe ok its really late

---

Ugh. Whatever. You shut your phone and stow it in your pocket. Avoiding Chief on this isn’t exactly the most mature option, but it makes you feel better than going into beef you have with his roommate. There was always the chance that he wouldn’t get it, or call you overdramatic or something. 


You kick a can out of your way as you get moving, thoughts buzzing. It’s not like Chief’s done that kind of thing before- he was pretty good to you, honestly. You weren’t his only partner, and it’s not like he was yours, and there wasn’t anything romantic going on...but it wasn’t the same as any of your situations. You couldn’t speak for his side of things, but it was different, hanging out with Chief. You just clicked.


You guess that makes things feel higher stakes, like there’s more to lose. It was like walking on a tightrope, trying not to fall off as you balanced being upfront about who you are, what you wanted, and being...presentable, you guess. The rational part of you knows Chief’d be down to hang out with you no matter what, but there’s that little nagging voice going “Hey, Spider! Your hair looks like shit, and he is GOING to notice!” as if you hadn’t woken up in his house a million times with the worst bedhead.


You take a quick look around you before slipping off of the streets and into the underbrush. There’s a path here, one you know by heart. Your friends always went on about how you worked too late, how dangerous it was to be out like this in the Bellows streets past sundown...but that’s when all the business happened. Nobody comes to a store to buy porno flicks when the sun’s up, nobody comes out on their lunch break to pick up a tape of somebody getting way too into eating a sandwich, or tied up in all sorts of knots, or anything like that. Nah, if you wanted to make a living, you had to take the risk.


You know the way, and it doesn’t hurt to get lost in your thoughts once the path grows familiar. You start thinking about Chief again, and of course, it grows past that. Now you’re just thinking about people, and how hard they are to deal with- everybody’s always offering to help you out, and like, you appreciate that. You really do...but at the same time, it drives you up the wall. You didn’t move out here from Monte by yourself for nothing, and you’ve been ready and willing to work hard from day one. 


Your train of thought switches tracks, the texts from earlier settling in. Getting close to Torquil was a more recent development, but you can’t say you mind. Quiet guy, real small and nerdy, but a damn good fashion designer. All it took was a peek over your shoulder at one of your magazines for him to go all in on making gear. No experience in the actual thing, but that’s where you came in. Torq asked you to  teach him how to use his own stuff, and you think he’s actually got a pretty good taste for it, even if his methods and posturing are clumsy. He’s growing into it, at least-


You freeze. You could have sworn you just heard some leaves rustling, but maybe it was only the wind. Yeah. Yeah, just the wind. 


Yeah. It’s fine.


You’re a big girl. You tower over pretty much everybody you know. Makes you an excellent dom, imposing as hell when the scene calls for it. It keeps people from messing with you, and your species’ rep as fighters helps with that. You have sharp teeth and claws, near bulletproof skin, and a tail that can whip around hard and fast enough to knock somebody out cold. You may not be the most muscle-y, but your natural weapons are out there for all to see.


This should soothe you, walking home late at night. It should make you feel a lot safer...but the moment you realize someone’s following you, all you feel is dread in your veins. 


You don’t stop walking, trying to pick out their footsteps behind your own without letting them know you’ve noticed. That’s the thing about all this- most people wouldn’t even try this shit. There were only two possible outcomes for this: you were either being tailed by an idiot, or someone who thought they could take you on. 


You don’t really want to stick around to find out.


You quicken your pace, taking a turn and definitely, absolutely seeing a shadow out of the corner of your eye- a big one, too. Sweat’s starting to roll down your forehead as you try to get a grip. Options. Options, what are your options...you could run, but that could get their attention, or you could confront them…


Something stings hard on your arm before you can weigh pros and cons, a quick glance down giving you all the information you needed to fucking book it. You were bleeding, not an easy feat...and you didn’t even see a weapon, your pursuer is still behind you for all you know, they didn’t even touch you! Another cut slices into your bare shoulder, and another on the base of your tail, and you’re running as fast as you can now, branches whipping past you as you look for the landmark-


You dive for the metal doors once you see them, practically ripping them open before almost tumbling down the steps. You pull the doors in hard with your tail, feeling something heavy slam against them as you fumble with the barricade. Blood’s getting everywhere, you’re making a mess, but you have to get the place closed up. 


Once the barricade holds, you’re skipping steps and tripping over yourself, not bothering with the railing. The lanterns on the tunnel walls are blinding after your walk home, but you can’t think about that right now. That wasn’t the only entrance into the underground, and you can’t go home, not like this-


Someone cusses at you as you nearly plow them over, your apologies strangled. You can barely tell where you’re going, but you know where you need to be right now.


“CHIEF? CHIEF?!”  
You are absolutely slamming on Chief’s door, suddenly aware of how shitty your face must look. You try to shake it off, yelling and causing a scene until the door yanks open. 


“Holy- what the hell happened to you?!” Chief’s voice is shaking as he looks you up and down, your legs buckling from under you before you can reply.


Dragonfly’s watching from the end of the hallway, unmoving as you fall into Chief’s arms. The lesser god pulls you in close, kicking the door shut with a foot.


“Hey man, don’t fuck up my door.”


“Are you- Dragonfly, look at her! Go get Clamour, now.”


Dragonfly lingers for just a moment before sulking off, leaving the two of you alone.


“Spider? Hey, Spides, talk to me…”


You can’t make the words come, shame washing over you as a sob bubbles up instead. You feel so weak and stupid, and now he has to see you like this-


Your vision’s fading fast, frantic voices the last thing you hear before you get swallowed up, passing out in Chief’s arms.