# GARDEN OF EDEN

Author: LiveIron
Tags: Anger, Angst, Anthrostate, Blood and Injury, Car Chases, Dark past, Death, Gun, Horror, Hug, Human, Interspecies, Interspecies Awkwardness, Large Breasts, Magic, Old Friends, Pain, Paranormal, Possession, Resurrection, Size Difference, Smothering, Spies & Secret Agents, Tiger, Tigress, Transformation, butt slapping, driving, fights, firearm, healing, monsters

'Always will be.'

\>You realize the glow is from the sunrise. The flames are all out.

 

\>There's silence over the cornfield now.

 

\>No crackling of fire, no screaming or howling.

 

\>No infernal laughter or ramblings of a desperate madman.

 

\>Just her breathing and yours.

 

\>You look up at Rebecca, finding her lips a thin line.

 

\>The _click_ of the Tridentia's trigger reset echos in the morning air. The safety/decocker's _snap_ does too.

 

\>Her fur shines in the growing light.

 

\>"Rebecca --"

 

\>Once again, she doesn't let you finish.

 

\>She flips you around and crushes you in her arms, dipping her muzzle over your shoulder to make sure you can't escape.

 

\>"A-Anon, I --"

 

\>"Not so hard!" you wheeze. "I got a broken rib!"

 

\>The tigress eases up, but only a little.

 

\>It's enough that you can stroke her sides.

 

\>"I -- I don't think I could have done it without you," she whispers.

 

\>Her grip tightens for a moment.

 

\>"Thank you."

 

\>Your feet leave the ground when she stands.

 

\>"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she breathes into your ear, a paw wrapping around the back of your neck.

 

\>She drops Steele's gun and pulls you into her neck fluff.

 

\>"Y-yeah..." you say, resting your hands on her shoulders.

 

\>Rebecca holds you there, shuddering a few times.

 

\>Then you realize she's chuffing.

 

\>She pulls back and looks down at you, digits curling into your hair.

 

\>"Anon --"

 

\>"No, Rebecca."

 

\>Her lip trembles, her face rife with disappointment like before.

 

\>"Why not?" she asks.

 

\>"Because _I_ can't."

 

\>"But why?"

 

\>"I told you, this is my second chance. My chance to make up for what I let happen. And I can't abandon Ta--"

 

\>"Don't you dare put this on me!"

 

\>You stiffen.

 

\>"Talia?"

 

\>"Anon?" Rebecca asks, "are you alright?"

 

\>"_You_ decided you had to shut yourself off, not me!"

 

\>"But Talia, I --"

 

\>"But nothing!"

 

\>"Anon? What's going on, Anon?"

 

\>Talia lets out an exasperated sigh in your mind.

 

\>"Lets clear this up."

 

\>There's a sucking feeling; your ears ring slightly as Rebecca's eyes flash gold.

 

\>"W-what was that?!" she gasps, dropping you and stumbling back.

 

\>"Making this all easier," you hear Talia say. "It's me, Rebecca. It's Talia."

 

\>Her voice is a little faint, but still clear enough.

 

\>Rebecca looks down at her paws in confusion.

 

\>"I'm in your head. Anon's too."

 

\>"W-what?"

 

\>The spectral-wolf sighs.

 

\>"Look, I don't know how it works. Ten minutes ago I could barely talk. Just let me sort things out with Dumbass, alright?"

 

\>You feel Talia's invisible gaze shift your way; she doesn't give the tigress a chance to answer.

 

\>"Feeling fucking sorry for yourself isn't going to make anything better, Anon."

 

\>"Yeah, you fucked up, but you know that. You know that and you've been paying it back."

 

\>"You've dedicated yourself _to_ paying it back, to making sure it doesn't happen again."

 

\>A warm presence wraps itself around your chest.

 

\>"That doesn't mean you don't deserve to live."

 

\>For a moment, you can't breathe.

 

\>"Talia, I can't."

 

\>"Wha--?"

 

\>You've never heard a ghost gasp.

 

\>"I'm _telling_ you you can, dumbass! What don't you get?"

 

\>"It -- it wouldn't be right. You'd be there. You're _here_."

 

\>Talia groans.

 

\>"Yeah, and I just told you it's _fine_. I --"

 

\>Her voice falters.

 

\>"...I want to see you happy, Anon. Moping and pushing everyone else away won't do that."

 

\>"It won't make me happy," she finishes.

 

\>Your mind goes quiet. You feel her watching your gears turn.

 

\>Rebecca almost looks like she can see them too.

 

\>She wrings her hands.

 

\>"...You're not lying?"

 

\>"Of course I'm fucking not," the she-wolf whispers. "Why would I?"

 

\>"I just -- you'd be right there! Doesn't that concern you?"

 

\>Talia blows a raspberry.

 

\>"Anon, I've been 'right there' since this started. Every bathroom trip, every shower -- every passing glance at Steele's tits, I was there."

 

\>Rebecca raises an eyebrow; you fight not to blush.

 

\>"I know you like Rebecca, Anon. I know how badly you wanted to just stay there in her hug and motorboat her huge, soft 'tiggies!'"

 

\>The tigress' tail stiffens; you can't tear your eyes off her.

 

\>"And now that I'm here," Talia muses," I also know she likes you back."

 

\>Rebecca's ears droop as the she-wolf chuckles.

 

\>"Oh, relax!" Talia says, "you like him so much because of what he did for you, not his body!"

 

\>The two of you with bodies relax.

 

\>"...but yes, it's not all just armored codpiece down there."

 

\>Her chuckling fills your ears as the tigress lets out a small moan and tries to shrink down, like when you first met.

 

\>"Talia, could you get to the point?" you say, trying to keep your voice even.

 

\>"My point is it's fine, dumbass. It's fine that I'm right here."

 

\>"...I always will be. And don't you forget it."

 

\>You look at the rising sun, and sigh.

 

\>You won't.

 

\>She'll make sure of that, now that she can talk again.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/5nzO7pd1
Part of the series Negligent Discharge: Repent
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