# Raptor-ing Your Head Around It

Title: Raptor-ing Your Head Around It
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang, Trish, Reed
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Anonymous
Summary: The Fang Gang struggles to cope with a sudden loss.
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The chatter of Volcano High softened slightly as Reed walked through the doors. Anon and Fang watched their friend trudge through the hall, head hanging down, tail dragging limply on the floor behind him. He had been so full of life and vigor the other day; well, as much as a teenager on enough carfe to floor an elephant could be. To see him like this now, so utterly despondent, was more than they could bear.
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“Do you think we should do something?” Anon asked, not taking his eyes off of his friend Reed as the pink raptor moved with all the grace of a zombie. “When he didn’t answer my texts this weekend, I just thought he was on a trip, or something, but man…” Anon forced his eyes away from his friend, unable to bear it any longer. Glancing towards where Fang was leaning against the lockers, he could see his worried expression mirrored on his pale friend’s face. “Fang? Hello, earth to ptero!”
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“What?” Jumping slightly, Fang finally managed to pull her eyes away from her fellow bandmate, watching as Reed left a trail of concerned faces behind him. Reed had a reputation for unflappable joyfulness among the students: Many who saw him now whispered that something terrible must have happened.
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“I was just saying we should do something,” Anon continued, pulling his phone out. “For Reed, I mean. Maybe at lunch?” Fingers flying, Anon reached out to the fourth member of their little gang, a person who Anon was hesitant to communicate with in the best of times. But, with Reed looking downright suicidal, perhaps Trish would know what to do.
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“Mmm…” Fang’s noncommittal noise jogged Anon’s memory. Hands hesitating above the keys, Anon turned towards her, a worrying pit opening up in his stomach.
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“Fang? Do you know something?”
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Shifting uncomfortably against the locker, Fang toyed with her backpack strap. Keeping her eyes downcast, she worked her mouth slowly, as if her words were being pulled from her.
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“Did…” She began, amber eyes finally meeting Anon’s own. There was worry there, a deep and powerful fear for her friend’s life. “Did you hear the news story last night? About the fire over in the shopping district?” Anon shrugged his shoulders, wondering what this was about. Sure, he had heard about it: An off-topic post on his favorite Nepalese throat-singing forum talked about it. Four dinos dead in a conflagration that consumed a few buildings as well.
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“Sure, but Fang, how does that-“
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“Reed’s parents worked in that building.”
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Anon’s mouth shut with a snap. It was like the wind had been knocked out of his body; a swift emotional gut-punch hitting him square in the feels. Could this really be happening? Could his friend’s life have been so utterly ruined? The tapping of Fang’s long nail against his phone screen snapped him out of his daze. Anon hadn’t realized he was still holding it, the half-worded call for help to Trish still waiting for his final words.
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“Finish that text, dweeb. You were right, we need to do something, and we need to do it now.”
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***
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Reed stumbled into the empty auditorium as if in a trance. The other three had texted him, asking him to join them here, in their favorite hangout spot. Truth be told, Reed had considered blowing them off, the first time he had ever contemplated letting a friend down. His head felt foggy, and not the usual type of fog that he spent so much time cultivating; no, this was a painful turmoil, his thoughts surging wildly as his frazzled brain attempted to come to grips with what had happened. Oh god, it HAD happened, hadn’t it!?
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“Reed! Hey, over here!”
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A happy voice caused him to raise his head a fraction of an inch. There on stage was Trish, eagerly waving him over to where a concerned looking Fang and Anon were waiting. Reed could see the concern in Trish’s eyes as well, no matter how she tried to hide it. Reed and Trish went way back, and there was always something more between them, even if they never mentioned it. It figured that Trish would be the one trying to stay strong for him. Reed scrubbed a hand across his eyes, banishing his blurry vision. No, no more tears.
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Finally making it to the stage, Reed forced his best smile to his lips, hoping the others wouldn’t notice the pain. “Hey bros, what’s going on?” He knew his voice sounded fake, but what else could he do? He was Reed, he couldn’t be hurtin’ like this. “Why the long face, Trish?”
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“Oh, Reed…” Trish hit him like a cannonball, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps as she wrapped her arms around his chest. He could feel her crying into his shirt, her small body wracked with sobs. Pulling her face way, Trish let her tears run free, one hand reaching up to stroke his hair, something she always did when he was feeling down. “Reed, I’m so sorry.”
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Anon was next up, awkwardly clapping him on the shoulder. “We, uh, heard about what happened, Reed. That’s fucked up, man.” Even for Reed, Anon was a hard book to read sometimes, but he thought he could see a little glisten in his human friend’s eyes. “Seriously bro, if you need me, I’m here for you, no matter what.”
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“Anon, you dweeb. We’re ALL here for you, Reed.” Now it was Fang’s turn to console him, wrapping all of them in an enormous wing hug. Damnit, his vision was getting blurry again. Who knew when Trish asked him to be the drummer in her band, that he’d find friends like this? After a moment, Fang shifted back, the three of them releasing him from their embraces. Reed could feel his face getting wet as he glanced up at Fang, her amber eyes shinning with concern. “Do… Do you want to talk about it?”
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“Um…” Reed hesitated, his eyes switching between his three friends. Did he want to talk about it? The pain was still all too real, too raw. Would he really feel better, going through that again?
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“Here, Reed.” Trish sat down on stage, pulling him gently by the hand and patting her lap. The tiny triceratops had stopped crying now, tears and snot shining wetly on her face as she beamed up at him. She was trying so hard to be strong for him! With a shuddering breath, Reed settled down on Trish’s lap, steeling himself for what was to come. If Trish could be strong, so could he.
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“Well, I guess it all started when they released the trailer.” The three friends exchanged confused looks. Trailer? What was he talking about? Reed continued, fighting to keep his voice steady, his friend’s confusion literally passing over his head. “I knew something was wrong from the number of dislikes the video got, but I never knew it would come to this. And then it started! Oh man, the delays, and then the Snootcord posting got worse and worse.” Fang’s eyes narrowed dangerously, the ptero quickly realizing she may have misinterpreted the events leading up to Reed’s depression. Still the pink raptor carried on, feeling the tears running hot and fast now. Reed thought he saw Anon out of the corner of his eye, thought he saw the human start to shake. Was he crying too? “But I never thought they would just come out and say it! Delayed until 2022! Fuck, why did this have to happen?! OW!”
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Trish had suddenly stood up, dumping Reed unceremoniously onto the stage. Silently his three friends walked away, not even bothering to look at him as he lay there, sobbing over the loss of his favorite Stony game.
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“Bros? Where are you going, bros?!”
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Then it hit him.
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They were all Xrox fans.