# Begin Again

Title: Begin Again
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Amber, Naser, Trish, Rosa
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Pshy
Summary: A single father learns to love again.
​
>You breathe a heavy sigh as you slide your key into the door of your home
>Work was exhausting, every day that went by you regretted living on the third floor
>The door swings open, revealing the small apartment within
>Your legs protest the movement as you step inside but at least the smells of home were soothing after a stressful day
>You've barely managed to get the shoes off your aching feet before you hear the pitter-patter of much smaller ones
>"Daddy!" Your precious daughter squeaks as she sprints to meet you
>You've barely got time to throw your arms wide before the little girl leaps into them with all her might
>Even as small as she is the force manages to knock you back a step
>"Good to see you too, sweet tooth." you grin as you hold her up higher, planting a smooch on her cheek
>Your daughter squeals happily and squirms in your grip
>"daddy, look!" She finally wriggles free, bouncing up and down as she tilts her head and points to her snout
>The iconic fang she inherited from her mother is gone, her long tongue flicking through the gap in her teeth to show it off
>"Wow! Looks like somebody is gonna get a pretty penny from the tooth ptero tonight!"
>The stars in her eyes are precious, you'll miss moments like this
>'Guess that makes you just Amber now, huh?" you chuckle as you ruffle her hair
>"Nuh-uh! Now I'm toothless!" she emphasizes the name by poking her tongue through the hole yet again
>She's starting to look like a lizard doing that
>"Well stop poking at it!" You chide her, bopping her gently on the snout
>Ever dramatic she tumbles all the way back, somersaulting head over heels
>"Blegh!" She grunts, splaying her arms and legs wide
>You give her a few moments but she seems quite committed to the act
>"Oh no, I've killed Amber. Guess she'll miss her music lesson"
>You can't help but grin as the tiny ptero immediately sits back up with a gasp of horror
>"I'm fine! Look, see!" She shoots to her feet, running in circles to prove just how fine she is
>"It's a miracle." You shake your head, smiling despite yourself
>"Why don't you do daddy a favor and go get the instruments?" You gesture towards the living room
>Amber briefly salutes before sprinting off, her one good wing flapping for speed
>The smaller stub of the other wing was putting a valiant effort in as well, you asked her every day if it hurt but she didn't seem to mind
>With a groan you reached deep within yourself, digging for the reserves of energy that fatherhood seemed to grant
>It was all for Amber after all
>You stepped into the living room, your little girl already had a tiny ukelele in her hand
>Next to her was a slightly larger ukelele
>You still felt silly picking up the small instrument but Amber was too young to care how you looked
>You reached over to a nearby desk and grabbed some papers printed out earlier
>Truth is, these were your lessons just as much as hers
>Staring at the confusing sheets you regretted being unable to hire a tutor once again
>Doing your best to appear like you had any idea what you were doing the lesson began in earnest
>An hour later the aches of your body had moved to your head, you didn't understand this nonsense at all
>Music was never your talent, it was hers
>You look across the room to a framed photo
>The last one taken before the accident
>Even from here you could see that smile Lucy wore, the love in her eyes as each of you held one of Amber's hands
>You returned to the instrument with new vigor, if you closed your own eyes it almost felt like her hand was guiding yours along the strings
>Just like she did all those years ago
>You still remember the last thing your wife ever said to you, how could you forget?
>Her last words as you held her broken body, wailing that you couldn't go on without her, begging Lucy to hold on just a little longer
>"Don't cry" was all she asked
>This wasn't the first time you disappointed her
>You didn't even notice that Amber stopped playing until you felt tiny arms wrap around your waist
>She looked up at you with those large amber eyes that were her namesake
>Her eyes, her gray-blue feathers, even the little snout poking into your side
>You sniffled, wrapping an arm around the girl and hugging her tight
>"Don't cry, daddy" she pleaded, voice muffled against your shirt
>A small, sad smile tugged at your lips
>In a way, Lucy never left
​
>"You're sure you don't mind?" You ask for what must be the tenth time
>"Yes, anon. I'm sure I don't mind taking care of my niece for one night" Naser replied, taking the bag of babysitting supplies from you
>"Okay, just remember she likes her sandwiches cut into triangles"
>"I remember, you've told me three times" he sighs
>"And bedtime by nine!" You remind him
>"Bedtime by nine" He repeats, rolling his eyes
>"But if she-"
>"Anon!" Naser interrupts you, his talon grasping your shoulder
>"Everything's going to be fine, go enjoy your night"
>He smiles reassuringly, you look over his shoulder and see Amber already pestering Olivia
>She's crawled into her lap, a wide grin on her face
>Olivia reaches into a bag on her wheelchair and pulls out some goggles, placing them loosely over Amber's face
>With a push of her arms the two of them are off at surprising speed, your daughter cheering all the while
>"Relax, Anon. We can handle it" Naser says, shaking your shoulder to get your attention
>You nod, hesitantly
>Once you do, you're caught by surprise as he pulls you in for a hug
>"You should visit more too. You're still family." Naser admonishes you once he pulls away
>It's hard not to let the smile creep on your face
>"Sure thing, so when are you and Olivia finally going to have a kid of your own?"
>Your brother-in-law shakes his head in disbelief
>"Anon, get the fuck out of here"
>You hope he can still hear you cackling on the way back to your car
>Naser was a good guy, you trusted him with your daughter more than anyone
>Still, as you start up the car and begin driving to the restaurant your good mood quickly fades
>How did Rosa manage to convince you to do this?
>It had been years since the accident that left you and Amber with only each other
>You didn't feel like you had moved on, You're not certain you ever would
>But Rosa had been coaxing you on this for a while
>She was always so earnest, so passionate in her desire to help others that she managed to make you feel guilty for shutting down her attempts at matchmaker
>Eventually she ground you down but truth be told, Rosa didn't truly convince you of anything
>Lucy wouldn't want you to be alone for the rest of your life, You helped coax her out of the shell she hid away in and enjoy the life she was too afraid to live
>She wouldn't want you to follow in her footsteps
>So here you were, parked outside a mundane restaurant, tugging at the wine-stained sleeves of your old tuxedo
>On a blind date
>According to Rosa you and your mysterious date were just perfect for each other
>You already lost the woman that was perfect for you
>You shake your head to clear your thoughts
>Now's not the time for that kind of thinking, it wasn't fair to whoever this woman was
>Besides, you were supposed to enjoy yourself tonight
>With a deep breath you pop open the door to the car and head inside
>You suddenly feel very overdressed, everyone here is in casual clothes
>Most are with their family
>Here you are, alone, in a shitty tux
>At least the waiter doesn't pay you a second glance, taking you to your seat
>You check your phone, still a little early for your date
>That didn't do much to help your nerves, it felt like every eye in the restaurant was judging you
>You're fairly certain they weren't but that knowledge didn't change how you felt
>Maybe just a little shitposting? You've barely visited your old home since you got married
>For old times sake then
>If nothing else it's a good distraction
>Twiddling with your phone you hardly notice that someone's walked up to your table
>"Ahem, is this seat taken?" A dusky, feminine voice caught your attention
>Looking down as you were, your eyes had to travel all the way up
>At least she was in rather formal clothes herself, a professional, modest length black skirt led into a prim jacket and dress shirt
>Gold jewelry dangled on either side of her face, framing surprisingly luscious lips
>Looking into her amethyst eyes you caught a hint of recognition
>You're certain that yours were much the same
>The two of you stared at one another as the realization finally set in
>"Anon!?"
>"Trish!?"
​
>The moment lasts for a few heartbeats before a rising chuckle escapes you
>You didn't say it aloud but you were privately relieved, it was just Trish, thank Raptor Jesus
>Trish apparently found your laughter infectious, she tried to stifle her giggle with a hand to no avail
>"So you're supposed to be the skinnie of my dreams, huh?" She sounded amused as she sat down across from me
>"Rosa got to you too?" You remarked, feeling much more at ease now
>"I keep telling her I'm too busy to date but she just won't hear anything of it! I'm mostly here just to get her off my back!"
>You could feel an eyebrow raise unbidden, she said that a little too quickly. Was she nervous?
>Ultimately whatever Trish had going on wasn't your concern
>That's not to say the two of you weren't friends, of a sort
>You still hadn't forgotten the hand that Trish had in scarring Lucy, how obsessive and controlling she was
>But that was so many years ago, you tried not to hold it against her
>It took a lot for Lucy to feel confident enough talking to Trish again, they made amends at your insistence but the friendship of their past was long gone
>For years Trish had been little more than a purple face on your snootbook friend's list
>The most interaction you got with her was kind comments on images uploaded
>And condolences after the accident
>"I'm surprised to see you on a blind date"
>Her voice pulls you from your thoughts, she's looking at your hand
>Your wedding ring still rests there
>You cover it with your other hand, chuckling nervously
>"Just, you know... Getting out there. Rosa's been pestering me about it"
>Trish cleared her throat, brushing her hair to the side
>You stared down at the table for a short while, the mood slowly souring
>So much for a good night
>You're about to apologize when Trish interrupts you
>"It's fine, Anon. I... Can't say I understand what you're going through but this doesn't need to be anything more than two friends sharing dinner"
>Huh, that was a surprisingly mature thing of her to say
>You reach your hand across the table
>"As friends then" you state with a small smile
>As friends" She repeats, taking your hand and giving it a single firm shake
>She's got quite the grip for such a small woman, your hand practically dwarfs hers
>That defused the tension somewhat, the waiter returning to take your orders helped as well
>"At least I'm not the only dork in here" You mention casually, watching the waiter leave
>"Excuse me?" Trish scoffed
>You gesture to her attire, then yours
>"We're a little overdressed don't you think?"
>"I'll have you know this is my casual attire!"
>You give her another once over, there is absolutely no way she was comfortable in that clothing
>"And the gaudy jewelry?" You ask
>Trish rears back somewhat, that very same jewelry clattering with the motion
>She looks like she wants to argue with you
>Eventually she just sighs, leaning forward and rubbing her temples
>"Alright, you caught me. I haven't exactly done much dating"
>"Yeah, me neither" You agree
>Trish snorts out a laugh before immediately covering her mouth in horror
>She looks up, afraid that she might have offended you before she notices your smile
>"You don't need to be so worked up Trish, at least for tonight we're both dorks" you reassure her
>The change is almost imperceptible, her shoulders slacken slightly, her head tilts, the curl of her tail loosens
>You hadn't even noticed but now it was obvious, this was the first time that Trish had let herself relax for the night
>"Yeah, I guess we are." She agreed, her voice so soft it was nearly lost to the ambient noise of the diner
>The rest of your evening was spent getting to know a side of Trish you never expected to see
>You're certain that the volume of wine both of you kept putting away played no small role in it
>Chatting with Trish it was easy to see how Lucy and her had become such strong friends
>Trish was passionate, incredibly so, in nearly everything she did
>More than that, when she talked of her friends and co-workers she sounded almost maternal in how protective she was of them
>In how much she pushed them to do their very best, to be as passionate as Trish herself
>Even after the food was long gone the two you stayed and talked
>Currently you were venting some frustrations much to Trish's amusement
>"So there I am, with Amber looking up at me, waiting, and I'm staring at this hemidemisemiquaver bullshit on the page and I don't know what the fuck to do! So I just pluck a few notes that sound close enough and she buys it, thank god."
>"Ha!" Trish's snort cuts off any further laughter, maybe it was the alcohol talking but you were starting to find it cute
>You take a deep breath after your rant, downing what little wine was left to wet your lips
>"You know, Anon..." Trish was smiling to herself as she traced the rim of a wineglass with her finger
>"I could be Amber's tutor, it's not like I've forgotten how to play" she remarked, looking up at you with a coy smile
>It's lucky that you had drained your glass because you probably would have spit it out
>"That's great! I-I mean.. It would be great but I just can't afford a tutor" you stammer
>"Free of charge! From what you told me I think you've paid enough trying to teach her yourself"
>You clearly looked as surprised as you felt because Trish started chuckling when she saw your expression
>"Are you sure I can't compensate you in some way? That's a lot of time" you persist, your pride as a man was on the line after all
>Trish hums to herself but she's obviously just pretending to be lost in thought
>"Well I don't know. I suppose I had fun tonight, maybe you could take me out again?"
>That coy smile of hers returned
>"As... Friends?" you ask uncertainly
>"As friends" She repeats for the second time tonight
>As soon as you nod, Trish squeals girlishly
>"It's settled then, I'm so excited to meet little Amber!"
>You believed it, her coy smile had widened into something more earnest
>Despite that you still felt a bit nervous, unconsciously stroking the cool metal band around your ring finger
>It was fine so long as you were just friends right?
>You caught Trish's gaze, her smile had reached all the way to her eyes
>It was shockingly easy to lose yourself in those purple prisms
>Yep, just friends
​
>In the months that followed Trish had become something of a common occurrence in your household
>She sort of had to be for Amber's music lessons after all
>Of which you were very grateful, in no small part because you no longer had to suffer the headache
>It was incredible just how quickly Amber's talent grew with a proper teacher
>More than that though, you couldn't really afford to go out every week with Trish for her "payment"
>She didn't seem to mind that much, instead the two you simply stayed inside
>Sometimes you watched movies
>Sometimes you cooked her dinner
>Sometimes she was your tutor as well, you still wanted to learn after all
>It was with no small embarrassment to realize that Amber was a better student than you were
>Guess she just had music in her blood
>Occasionally, you caught Trish staring at pictures of Lucy when she thought you wouldn't notice
>Regardless of how rocky their relationship may have ended up, Trish still seemed to care for her
>Or maybe she was just looking at photo's of the two of you together
>The thought left guilt roiling within your stomach
>You weren't the same oblivious kid from high school anymore
>You knew exactly what Trish wanted
>You were incredibly grateful that she hadn't forced the issue so far
>That she respected you just weren't ready yet
>The thump of a refrigerator door closing snaps you awake
>You hadn't even realized you were dozing off, lost in your thoughts
>It's not like work had gotten any less exhausting either
>It was movie night and unfortunately your daughter was one of those girls who watched the same god damned movie 15 times yet never got bored
>Amber shifted in your lap, clearly excited
>Trish rounded the corner into the living room, a plate in her hands
>Her loose curls were bouncing as she stepped over to us, she left her oversized hoodie unzipped to reveal a baggy shirt beneath
>She even had sweatpants on to complete the 'basically pajama's but technically clothes' look
>It was quite a stark contrast from your blind date
>She held out the plate for Amber, the sandwiches were cut into triangles of course
>"Mmm! Thanks Miss Trish! You make the best sammiches!" Amber chirps as she slides the entire thing into her mouth
>She really liked to eat her sandwich in one bite, apparently, you always cut them too big or too small
>To complete her betrayal, Amber hopped from your lap to Trish's once she sat down
>According to Amber, Trish was just more comfortable
>You're pretty sure that's 7 year old for "Trish has big pillowy breasts to rest against"
>The thought makes you a little concerned for her future
>You wanted grand-children, damn it
>With dread you reach for the remote and hit the play button
>You really wish Amber would listen to the song she loves so much and actually let it go
>Trish apparently noticed the tired in your eyes that sleep won't fix
>Unfortunately, she was shushed by Amber before she could distract you
>You're fairly certain the girl could recite this movie by memory at this point
>Oh great, here comes the song
>You sang with Amber the first time you watched this movie
>According to your daughter, this meant you had to sing it with her every time
>Trish chuckled once the two of you began
>Then to your surprise, and Ambers delight, she actually joined in as well
>Having a new voice in our chorus was unique, Trish definitely put her all into it
>Not that she was any better singer than either your or Amber
>Still, once it was over you shot her a thankful smile
>Couldn't do much without risking Ambers wrath over missing a single word
>Looking at your daughter and... Best friend?
>Yep, best friend
>The two of them together paint quite a picture, Amber is practically curled up like a cat in her lap
>Trish wrapped her arms around the little girl, treating her oversized jacket like a blanket
>Amber yawns, stretching as much as her seat will allow
>You can't stifle the giggle when Amber's wing bops her on the snout
>Worse, the feathers have started tickling her nose
>Trish does her best not to sneeze, you've definitely been in that position before
>It's a losing battle, her face is screwed up with the attempt
>once she took the customary two breaths you knew it was over
>"Chu!" Trish practically squeaked
>That was the tiniest, girliest, most pathetic sneeze you've ever heard
>And absolutely not what you expected
>You had to bite the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing out loud
>The death glare Trish sent you wasn't exactly intimidating either with your adorable daughter in her arms
"Miss Trish, can I ask you a question?" Amber spoke up before either of you
>She sounded halfway asleep already, in fact, her eyes remained closed when she asked
>"Of course you can, sweet tooth" Trish looked down at the girl in her arms with a small smile on her lips
>It was a smile you quickly adopted looking at her brand new fang
>"Are you my new mommy?" Amber asked innocently, nuzzling herself further against Trish
>Your smile dropped immediately
>Trish froze on the spot, utterly shocked
>Her mouth worked as she tried to come up with an answer before she turned her wide eyes on you
>What was she doing that for!? You didn't have an answer for her either!
>The two of you stared at each other in silence, deaf to everything but your heartbeats
>"I hope so..." The little girl mumbled, her voice muffled in Trish's shirt
​
>Based on the slow rise of her chest, Amber seemed to have fallen asleep
>Trish sat there, ambers confession stunning the both of you
>Then she blinked rapidly, her eyes misting over
>The fact that your daughter accepted Trish before you did must have affected her
>This... Was going to require a conversation
>A conversation you had put off for some time
>You stand, leaning over to take Amber in your arms
>Trish snapped out of her stupor when you did, lifting the sleeping girl up so you didn't have to shake her too much
>Walking to Amber's room your mind argued back and forth well before you and Trish could
>Is it too early?
>It will always be too early
>You still love Lucy!
>You can't deny how you feel for Trish
>How would Amber react?
>You KNOW how Amber would react
>You stared down at the bundle of joy in your arms
>She managed to fall asleep with a smile on her cute little face
>Considering what she asked just before passing out, you can imagine the kind of dream she's having
>Slowly, carefully, you managed to tuck her into bed without waking her
>You even dared to kiss the top of her snout, you couldn't resist
>You paused before the door to her room, leaving would mean you had to start a difficult conversation
>You looked back at her, completely oblivious to the world
>She deserved a mother, didn't she?
>Were you being selfish, cowardly even?
>Unfortunately, there was no one to answer your questions
>You sub-consciously fingered the ring you still wore
>It was something you had done with increasing frequency lately
>Those same fingers tightened around the ring
>Your chest rose as you took a deep breath
>And slid the ring off
>It felt... Strange
>The air was cool where the ring protected the skin
>An ever-present pressure on your hand now gone
>Pocketing the ring you stepped back into the living room
>Trish was still seated on the couch
>She even paused the movie, thank the lord for that
>When she noticed your return she graced you with a small smile
>You could even call it hopeful
>Stiffly walking over to her you sat back down, taking her hand in yours
>Trish gasped, her free hand covering her mouth when she saw what was missing
>You really should have thought of what to say beforehand
>You wet your lips, the moment stretching on
>Well, you had one idea
>"So what's a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?"
>That definitely sounded as awkward as you felt
>Trish blinked, her misty eyes now lost to confusion
>"What?"
>Oh god, well, you're in too deep now
>"Are... Are you asking me out?" Trish asked before you could embarrass yourself further
>"Yeah, I guess I am." You admit sheepishly
>"As... friends?"
>You waited a few heartbeats to steel your nerves
>Except it was Trish that spoke before you, her voice plaintive
>"Can I tell you a secret, Anon?"
>"Of course" you reassure her despite the uncertainty still gnawing on your heart
>"When Rosa set us up, I told you I hadn't done much dating. I actually haven't done any dating at all"
>"Before... Lucy and I made up, I didn't really have many friends. Even after, I was still mostly alone"
>"I was so afraid, terrified of fucking someone up the same way I did Lucy, like I couldn't be trusted to have a relationship"
>Trish was looking away from you now, likely because she didn't want you to see the glistening on her cheek
>"I practically begged Rosa to help me, we're not even great friends, I think she mostly talked to me out of pity"
>"Then Rosa tells me, says she found someone who would understand me" Trish looks back at you "Someone perfect"
>"Every day I worry that I'm going to do or say something that will hurt you or amber" She heaves a shuddering breath
>"I... I just, if we're going to do this you have to watch me okay? You have to make sure I don't ruin things again"
>You wrap an arm around her trembling shoulders without even thinking about it
>You hadn't fully unpacked everything she said yet but Trish was crying, you had to do something
>She was that worried? You hadn't even considered that the woman in your arms would try something like that
>She'd spent months with you and Amber filled with nothing but happy memories
>"Trish I don't think-"
>"You have to promise!" She sobbed, a fresh tear rolling down her face
>You brush it aside as you cup her damp cheek, turning her towards you
>What she needed right now wasn't someone to argue with her, she needed someone to comfort her
>"I promise. Whatever happened back then, this is something new"
>You lean forward, inching closer to her
>Trish steadies herself before she too leans in to meet your lips
>You can smell the salt of her tears, the kiss is chaste and brief as Trish sniffles and breaks away
>Her arms wrap around you, her cheek damp against yours
>Her thick, powerful tail wraps around your waist, pressing you closer to her
>You and Trish rested in each other's arms for a while longer as her breathing steadied
>From over her shoulder, you could see the same picture of Lucy
>Forever smiling down upon you
>In a way, both nothing and everything had changed
>It seemed that no matter the years gone by, the two of you still felt the echoes of the past
>Perhaps you always would
>But maybe, just maybe, you and Trish could begin again
>Together