Tumblr Prompt Response 6

The original Tumblr Prompt may be found here.

“Here, hold this.”

“Eh?”

“You look upset. I’m told holding a puppy is good for upset people. Take the puppy [X].”

Ty sat at the dining room table Jason had decided was perfect for their house. It’s round! Get it? Knights of the round table? Fuck you all. I’m funny. The other three had been skeptical about the large redwood monstrosity, but it worked for them. Like the legends Jason had referenced two years previously, none of them out ranked the others and despite the differences they all worked together. Today, Ty was home alone. His fingers traced the scars on the table from Tabor and Jason’s various knife games, subconsciously rubbing at the bloodstains the wood had absorbed. Those two had gone out. They hadn’t given specifics and Ty preferred when he could honestly answer questions on their locations when cops came looking. Waylon had muttered something about the lab after Ty had finished his phone call with his parents. Ty ran his hand over his buzz-cut and his nails scratched across the wooden surface when he clenched his fist. Time seemed to freeze as he slowly inhaled. Anger and hurt filling his chest and pushing into his eyes. Ty’s vision blurred and his muscles shook. And then it exploded. Ty’s hands swept across the table sending cups flying across the room into the kitchen. The plastic ones tonked and tinked against the glass shards while the liquids seeped into the books that had flown with them. I would rather have a molester for a son than a fag! Ty’s father’s voice rang through his memory. A female nurse had accused him of sexual assault when he had denied her a date. He had explained that he was in an exclusive relationship with another man. I’m just not interested in being in the spot light this scandal is causing. Jacob, the man Ty had been picturing a future with, had explained. Ty shoved the table away, sending the chairs toppling over in a cacophony. Can’t you just…not be gay? His mother had questioned. When Ty had refused to ‘just be normal’ his parents had told him to lose their number. Ty slumped back in the chair and covered his face with his hands. The heels of his palms pressed against his eyes while he arched his back and released a guttural yell that emerged somewhere from deep in his gut. If any of his housemates had been home he would have been horrified when sobs ripped from his throat. Ty never heard the door open.

“Here, hold this.” Ty jumped and stared blankly at Waylon. The shorter man stood an arms-length in front of Ty and in his pale hands he held out a small furry puppy. Ty stared blankly at his friend who ignored the mess around him.

“You are upset. My research states holding a puppy is good for people who are upset.” Waylon huffed impatiently thrusting the puppy at the other man. “Take the damn mutt, Tyrone.”

Ty took the puppy, mostly out of fear that the other man may drop it if he didn’t. Waylon then turned his back and began cleaning up the mess Ty had made. Ty shifted the puppy who was licking at him under his arm so he could wipe his tears off. He stood up and felt a warm wet tongue slide across his cheek. Ty jumped and blinked down at the puppy whose unnaturally long tongue was retreating back into its mouth behind two rows of teeth.

“Where the hell did you get this?” He asked horrified.

“I made him in the lab of course.” Waylon answered, shooting Ty a look that stated clearly he should have already known.