I'd like thank Nicole Dollanganger for giving me my ending for this story (because Maddie's character was making this more difficult than it needed to be).

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When Keith had to get up to go patrol, Ivan actually put up very little resistance- actually, none at all. Even when he bent down and kissed his forehead, followed by a pat, he didn't whine or cry or go after him. He took his hand and kissed it, then turned over and resumed his after-somewhat-sex-nap. Keith made a mental note of that fact that he shouldn't have, but now it was stuck in his head and wouldn't move. He would not make a habit out of that, he would not make a habit out of that…

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"Ivan- Ivan no whining, please…" He sighed, snatching him up and tossing him on the bed, showering him in kisses, removing his clothes in the meanwhile. This wasn't a habit. This was not a habit. It was completely Ivan's fault anyways… He whined practically every time Keith left. He even tried doing it the night before- it just made him more tired when he had to do it again in the morning. Maybe he should try something to tire him out more the night before… No, then he'd never get up… Keith was getting way too good at giving another male a blow job.

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Every day, one of the three who had went to the "shrine" for Maddie had listened to her "broadcast" not remembering a thing and coming back with a pounding headache and could only remember the theme for tomorrow. "…Do you think it has to do with what she wears?" Karina eventually suggested. "How do you wear "death"?" Keith proposed, raising an eyebrow while his fingers worked away at Ivan's hair. "Black and white. In America, black is the color for death isn't it? In Japan, it's white because of Shinto practices I think. She could pick one exclusively, or do both depending on what she knows. This would have gone better with Nathan if he wasn't…" She sighed, looking dejected at the floor. "…How is he?" Karina asked Antonio, whom he had been staying with. "…Alright. He always seems to be color coding things. He tends to steal a lot of my clothes and make a kind of bed nest out of them and keeps trying to get me into it to… Yeah, he's fine. What about Kotetsu?" He asked Barnaby.

"…Not so much… I couldn't get him to leave the house today… He just stayed with Kaede all night and he seems really upset lately… He doesn't even want to run around anymore, he just keeps sulking… How's Ivan been?" Barnaby asked, looking over at the pair. Keith looked down at him, head in his lap, practically asleep. "…Getting to be less like himself I've noticed… He's gotten very clinging and cries more often. I honestly planned on leaving him home today, but… Every time I go to leave, he starts to cry. The type of dog he is… He doesn't make noise unless he's feeling something extreme." It was like they could feel themselves slipping away the more time went on… He couldn't allow this. "…We really… Need to find her…" Keith stopped petting Ivan, which woke him up. Keith lowered himself to him and held his head for a moment, trying not to cry at the thought of losing him for good.

"…I'm sorry… If we hadn't let her get away-"
"Don't start that again. You did everything you could in your position. No one blames you, so stop apologizing." Keith cut in. It was quiet for a moment before the silence was stabbed as brutally as a reply could be in their situation. "…I blame her." Everyone looked over at Barnaby. "…C-Come on now, you're just angry-" Antonio attempted, but was quickly cut off. "You're damn right I'm angry! This is my partner and I practically can't do anything while I have to watch him slip away- with his daughter in my house! Do you know how hard it was to not try and fight her?! To let them handle it and have them fail?!" Karina shrunk into herself as if she were the one being yelled at over Antonio. Pao-Lin started shaking and looked over at a nearby wall.

"…They're our friends too, you know…" Karina mumbled. There were so many things a few of them wanted to be say to him to prove he wasn't the only one in pain. Karina adored him. Keith had to watch the person he realized he was in love with sleep in his bed and day by day be more of a pet than a friend. Antonio had to watch his best friend slowly slip away like he was dying and another friend do the same in his home… It was painful for all of them, so no one was really blaming Barnaby for lashing out, but they knew where he directed his anger wasn't right either.

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Everyone was tense as they set out again to look for Maddie. Today's theme: Rebirth. Agnes suggested that everyone keep their own ideas as to how that could be translated into fashion to themselves so they wouldn't cloud one another's judgment with their own opinions. Keith gave Ivan an article of clothing he had acquired from Maddie's mother with her smell still on it, hoping they could find her with that.

The day went on with no fruit to be had for the dying bird of flame. Everyone was called back. Keith called Ivan and didn't get a reply. He tried again- he still knew how to answer it, didn't he? He did it this morning… He tried again- and the noise from the other line was unmistakable- then the line hung up. Sky High made a mass call. "Guys, Ivan found Maddie, we need to find him ASAP, Agnes can you do something?"

"I'm on it, everyone meet up at Sky High's location!" Everyone did as they were told and the longer it took to find Ivan, the angrier Keith got. "I think we've found something using his bracelet. Here's the location, better hope it's still on him." Sky High was there first, not caring if the others could keep up or not. That noise… He had grown to tell them apart. That one was distress.

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"Hello, all~ Like my new accessory?" Maddie asked, her new ensemble being a compilation of rags that somehow managed to work. Rebirth- she had made an entirely new ensemble out of old garb. The "accessory" she was referring to was Ivan. He was being stood on top of with one foot, a leash on his collar. "He's a cutie, ain't he?" She cooed, looking down at him as she dug her heel into his back. He let out a whimper and looked as if he was about to start crying. "LET HIM GO, MADDIE!"

"Oh~ Aggressive, aren't we? Get attached to your mutt? Or maybe just his helplessness as you screwed him senseless." She spat at him- then quite literally spat on Ivan. Sky High couldn't hold it back- he charged for her. She held out her arm and was about to snap her fingers before Rock Bison jumped in front of him. He stopped short before his friend got on all fours and charged at her like a bull. She giggled and jumped out of the way, shouting "Ole~!" and clapping her hands together. She still had her fingers tightly wound around Ivan's leash. Another one of their friends… Another! Barnaby was having no more of her bullshit or anyone else's- he'd do this himself.

He charged at her while she was busy playing bull-fighter, grabbing her from behind and slamming her into the ground. Girl or not, he wasn't pulling any punches for her- getting his partner back meant more than holding back on some brat with a complex. Her air supply was cut off and she couldn't breathe for a moment, her world spinning. Her hands twitched and… "Barnaby, move!" Barnaby let out a fearsome growl as she snapped her fingers, attempting to tear the girl apart. "HEEL!" She yelled at him- and he stopped. She pushed him off, brushing herself off, her fingers still wound around Ivan's leash. "Anyone else?!" She hissed, glaring at Sky High.

…Almost all of his friends were… It was just himself, Dragon Kid, and Blue Rose… They were losing… To a brat with a daddy complex. Keith held his hands up, showing his palms. "…I just want him back… Please." She snorted, giggling hysterically at Sky High. "Make~ me~!" Blue Rose pulled out her guns and shot at Maddie, Dragon Kid attracting lightning to all of her shards. "Woah, serious today aren't we?" She asked, running away and pulling Ivan in front of her. "Is somebody running out of tiiime~?" She cooed into Ivan's ear loud enough so they could all hear. Sky High wanted to tear her mouth from her face…

"Let him go, Maddie." Karina threatened, her guns aimed on Ivan. "Or what?"
"You wanna fight like a girl or use cheap hostage tricks like a man?" Karina taunted- it worked. Maddie's entire body twitched. "…Fine- not like he's good for anything but anal, anyways." She tossed him forwards so hard that you could hear his nose crunch on the cement. She yanked him back up with the leash and kicked him forwards again. "So I'll just dispose of him~!" She cooed, smashing his head into the ground again, Ivan letting out an ear-splitting scream. Sky High attempted to go get him, but Karina blocked him, Dragon Kid running to get him. "Back off, tiny-tit!" She hissed, using Ivan as a yo-yo to fight her off.

Sky High trusted her to get Ivan back… Even if he ended up as a dog, he trusted them to do their best… He trusted them… It was all he could do. Rock Bison and Barnaby charged for Dragon Kid. She was taken aback by this and briefly paused, only to fall back. "We need to knock them out." She stated, using Rock Bison as a hurdle while also avoiding him. Barnaby attacked her directly afterwards, causing her to almost completely bend backwards. Whatever Barnaby was, he was rabid…

Karina also realized something- if they could get her to a place where no one else could get to them…! They could win! She couldn't call for help or a distraction! But where coul- "Sky High! I have an idea, but I need you to trust me!" He nodded immediately. After all… Trust was all he had at this point.

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…All of them… All of their friends were… Karina had gotten what she needed- Maddie in a ridiculously high location. However, by the time they reached the top, she had snapped her fingers and Sky High was hers, fighting Blue Rose and Dragon Kid. Dragon Kid had only avoided Barnaby and Rock Bison, both of them hunting for them down below. They managed to knock Sky High out, but now Maddie couldn't call for help and neither could they- and to top it off, they were exhausted from fighting the number one hero. "…Give up?" Blue Rose asked, panting as Sky High fell. Maddie's eyes darted around vigorously, looking for some kind of way to escape or call for help. She squeezed her eyes tight, hoping someone could hear her or her signal could be picked up. "Give it up, Maddie! You've got no more boys to call! Your little "broadcast" or whatever it is happens to be out of range all the way up here!" She opened her eyes, furious- then she stopped and looked at the pair.

"…Just because I choose to use my power on men, doesn't mean that you're exempt, sweet heart! Go get her, boy-bitch!" Maddie snapped her fingers- and Dragon Kid was turning on Karina. "Why don't you call it quits?! Seriously, why are you even trying so hard! Clearly, you lost! Why keep trying?" Dragon Kid lunged for Karina, her eyes hazed over. Blue Rose barely managed to avoid her. This wasn't good… She'd most likely lose fighting Dragon Kid due to their ability types and her own exhaustion. "…I have to keep trying… I let them down before, I can't do it again… They're counting on me… They're all counting on me…" All of her friends… Kotetsu, Ivan, Nathan, Antonio, Barnaby, Keith, and Pao-Lin… All of them. If she couldn't win, all of her friends would be turned into animals… She couldn't lose…! Everyone she held dear would be lost to her otherwise!

…That's what this was now… A personal fight. Before it had been, but now… This was an all or nothing fight. She couldn't lose here. Even if she beat Dragon Kid, who's to say she could get Maddie to turn her friends back to normal? Was this fight… Even worth fighting? Somewhere in her heart of hearts, she could feel Maddie's eyes on her- using her. But she was just so tired… She fell to her knees, Dragon Kid standing over her as the victor. She had lost. "…Please… I just want my friends back…" Maddie walked over, using her finger to lift Blue Roses' chin and make her look her in the eye. "Why are you friends with these losers? Her I can understand," She nodded her head towards Dragon Kid. "But the rest of them… They're pathetic. They couldn't even hold a fight with me for five minutes, so why? Why be friends with them in the first place? They're not smart! They're rash and abrasive, among other things that men typically are."

"You're wrong…! You may see them as that way, but you're wrong! Each and everyone one of them has unique traits that make them kind people! Sure they have their faults- doesn't everyone?! What gives you the right to judge them only on their gender?!" Karina was trying not to cry. All of her friends were… They were gone if she couldn't convince this girl to change them back…

"Tiger is one of the kindest people I know! Everything he does he does for someone else! Yes, he can be a hazard in how he goes about things, but if he needs to tear down a building just to save one person he'll do it without regret! Origami is quiet and hard on himself to the point where it could be unhealthy, but if you give him a job, he'll dedicate himself to it like nothing I've ever seen! Fire Emblem can be really, really annoying if you let him, but goddamn it he'll be the first to tell you it's alright to be happy with yourself and you can look good while kicking ass and he's ambitious! Rock Bison has been friends with Tiger for years and is so completely loyal it would take your obnoxious brain washing cult bullshit to make him turn his back on us! He'd publicly embarrass himself before betraying us! Barnaby can be quick to judge things and can come off as cold, but he's one of the most emotionally stable people I know considering all that goes on with us and with him personally! He's housing Tiger and his daughter while he's like this and he's barely complained about it! He's watching his partner slip away from him because of you and I've only heard him mention how much pain he's in once!" Karina wasn't upset with him for yelling anymore. She had no idea how much pain he had to be in- she really didn't. Kotetsu was living with Barnaby. She only saw him every few hours or so. He had to see him every day like that… She was glad he yelled. She wouldn't have realized this about him otherwise.

"You may get to think Sky High is selfish and all about his HeroTV score, but the reason why he tries to get such a high sore every time lets him feel like he's doing his job right! Every number is a person's life he saved or a crime he stopped from happening! Even when he's not being recorded, he's out doing his job! I've seen the guy out of costume stop a theft! And you may pick on Dragon Kid for being boy-ish, but she's able to put herself up here with all of us at such a young age! She's our equal! She's not below us in any way! I'd kill to have her ability at that age! So if you don't give me all of my friends back and these wonderful traits about them that make me want to try harder, you're going to regret it you fashion train wreck of a skank!"

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Karina was sobbing hysterically from the other side of the glass. All of her friends were… They were still… She had gotten Maddie arrested. She had done it. It took some more physical force after he lecture, but Maddie had agreed to not turn her into an animal with a "I wanna fight fair with a lady like you" or something like that. Blue Rose had won, but that didn't mean all of her friends were instantly better. Ivan and Kotetsu couldn't talk anymore. Barnaby was something from the Lagomorpha family, but was extremely aggressive unless he was around Kotetsu. The man would have to either gnaw on his long ears or put all of his weight on him until he calmed down.
Antonio was a bull who Nathan kept pestering, but kept other "pests" away from. Pao-Lin was an iguana, and Keith was a Rough Collie. Blue Rose constantly attempted to persuaded Maddie every day to change them all back to no avail. The girl in her cell had her fingers bound so they were of no use to her. Every time Blue Rose came to see her, she would remain silent until Blue Rose started crying- at which point, Maddie would laugh at her. All of her friends were gone… All of them.

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Karina stroked the fur of the dog on her lap. He was quiet and asleep. She had cried for who knows what time that day. She was looking off into space, her mind elsewhere. She eventually stopped petting the dog, and it woke up and licked her fingers. "…I'm sorry Ivan… I just can't do it today… I'm sorry…" She mumbled, picking up the dog and setting him on the floor. He followed her to the door, but didn't follow her passed it as she left. She looked back over her shoulder at the dog that used to be her friend. She had failed… Ivan, Kotetsu, Nathan,… The rest of them were getting worse as time went on too… Kotetsu and Barnaby couldn't even be around one another anymore due to Kotetsu starting to actually attack him now. Ivan and Keith could still be together, and the same with Nathan and Antonio. Pao-Lin needed her own room with extra heat however. All of her friends… All of them…

Karina turned on her heel and stormed off.

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"…Who the hell is this?" Maddie asked her guard ward, eyeing the girl in front of her. She had long, light brown, curled hair with brown eyes that had bags underneath them like sleep didn't pose as an option to this girl. "…You turn them back. YOU TURN THEM BACK RIGHT NOW OR I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!" She screamed, running over to her and getting almost close enough to strangle her- a guard had to grab her and remove her. "YOU TURN THEM BACK! THOSE ARE MY FRIENDS, YOU BITCH! TURN THEM BACK!" Then it clicked with Maddie. This was that Rose girl, but out of costume. She had become so desperate, her identity wasn't even an issue for her anymore.

Maddie started laughing. "You're pathetic! Why not just drop the thought, huh?! Clearly it ain't happening, hun! You've gotten so desperate, you've shown your face! They made you weak!" No! She was wrong! Her friends made her strong! She would still fight for them! Karina kicked and tried to pry herself from the guards arms as he carried her out.

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…It was like a zoo. There were no people to be seen… They were… Discussing what now…? Putting them out in the wild since Maddie wasn't relenting…? Why? These were… Her friends… Sure they didn't look and talk and act like them anymore, but they were all… Her friends… Her precious friends…

Karina held her head in her hands and started sobbing.

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"…What do you want?" She asked, standing before Maddie's glass cage, completely defeated. "…Huh? You finally stopped making threats now and asked? How courteous, of you. I should fucking turn you into a cat or something, jeezeus…" She grumbled, rolling her eyes. "…Please…? What do you want, I just…" Karina hiccupped and held back tears. Maddie narrowed her eyes at her, glaring as hard as she could. "…For the snake to be removed from the garden." Karina sniffed. "…What?" Maddie scoffed, shaking angrily. "My father was a snake. I wanted him gone, but even after all he did, my mother still keeps him around- even like that." Maddie hissed. "…Get rid of him, and we'll talk about which one of your friends you want back the most." She cooed, smirking at her.

…She was only going to give one of her friends back. One. "NO! THAT'S NOT FAIR!"
"ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR, SWEET HEART! SO SUCK IT UP AND ACCEPT IT, OR YOU'RE NOT GETTING SHIT FROM ME!" Karina jumped, shaking. "…Wh… What can I do… To get the rest of my friends back…?" Maddie looked at her, then shrugged. "…Nothing." Karina was shaking. There wasn't nothing she could… There couldn't have been… "…E-Even if I can get you out of here…?" She offered. "…That may be two of your friends- but you'd still have four left. So tell me- which of those friends are more important to you?"

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…What was she to do…? What exactly did she mean by "get rid of the snake"? Well she knew but- did she want her to… To kill him…? She couldn't think straight… Her friends… She was losing her friends… She couldn't… She needed to vent. Karina approached her piano, hitting a single note on it, the sound reverberating throughout her and making her eyes well up. When was the last time she had written something- sung somewhere? How long had it been since Maddie had wound her life up so much that she couldn't think straight? She sat down at the piano and decided upon something- another deal for her… Something she'd hope would reach her the same way Maddie's pain had.

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Maddie raised an eyebrow at her. "…You're kidding. I told you what to do to get two of your friends back- selfish girl, aren't we?" Karina felt her hands clench in a newfound desire to win- to get her friends back. "Please! If it makes you cry, you turn them all back- if not I'll settle for two and leave you alone. Please…!" Maddie scoffed, eyes rolling so far back they appeared completely white for a moment. "…No. All or nothing, princess. You were better off making that deal for the rest of them." Was she really willing to bet everything on this…?

"…Fine. One other condition then-you don't have to cry. Even if they well up, I win. Are we clear?" Maddie eyed her, gauging her for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Let's see if your more woman than man and can resonate with me, sweetheart."

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Karina had Maddie, still shackled in only the best of restraints, brought into a bar she preferred to sing at after hours. It was just them and the guards, but they didn't matter. Karina sat before a piano, her fingers shaking so terrible she was worried she wouldn't be able to play it properly yet alone have her voice cooperate.

"…Well come on- I'm waiting!" Karina jumped at the boisterous voice that called to her, clearly taking joy in the personal show she was about to receive. Her fingers shook, her voice was likely to crack… But this was the only thing she could think of to do to get her friends back. She got Maddie to agree to it… So it was all she had, so she started to play.

"…He handed me a pair of pliers and told me to pull out his teeth because as long as he had them he would use them to do bad things
You're cold on the inside, there's a dog in your heart and it tells you to tear everything apart
My body's covered in teeth marks, your bite's worse than your bark
You ruin everything you touch and destroy anyone you love
You're all over me

He'd sunk his teeth into the flesh of many others, infecting them with whatever was already inside him
He'd broken all their hymens, cut them open and played inside them
He'd hollowed out their bodies so they'd feel just empty as him

You're cold on the inside, there's a dog in your heart and it tells you to tear everything apart
You draw blood just to taste it, you hold bones just to break them, you ruin everything you touch and destroy anyone you love
You're all over me…"

She stopped looking up at Maddie. She looked like she had never heard anything like it, completely taken aback and lost. "…You… You wrote that…?" Karina nodded, worried she was more shocked than oscillate enough to cry. "…For… For me…?" She asked, reassuring what she had been told. Karina nodded again. "…Play it again."

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She was sobbing so hard the guards had to wipe her tears for fear she'd drown in them. Karina waved them away and wiped her tears. "…You have to change them back now- you promised." She nodded, still sobbing. "…I… I know… Can… I want…" She looked so lost… She almost felt bad- almost. "Can you record it or something? And can I have it- please?" She asked through tears. Karina nodded. "So long as you keep your promise. Once they're all turned back to normal, I'll do that for you and you can listen to it as much as you want- hell I'll never even play it for anyone else again." Maddie nodded into Karina's hand that had continuously wiped her tears for her over the guards'.

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"…It's gradual- like how they changed into them. They're not just magically gonna be humans." Maddie said from behind the glass, a certain spark in her eyes seeming to have been dimmed. She stood before each animal that had been a human at one point and snapped her fingers, each reacting differently, but reacting all the same. "That's alright- I said you'd only get it after they had changed back. If they don't, you're not getting anything and I'll play it for the whole bar." Maddie looked up at her, completely enraged. "Don't you dare!" …How easy it was to manipulate her once you knew what she wanted.

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Maddie looked at the disc the way a starving child would food. "Ah-ah!" Karina said, yanking it back from her reach. "Ugh, what now?!" She groaned. "…There's one more thing I need from you." Maddie looked like she was going to attack Karina for it if not let her eyes roll so far back into her head that they'd disappear forever in the vast nebula that was her brain. "What." She said through gritted teeth. "...This." Karina opened her bag and removed one more item- a snake. Maddie shrieked in terror. "NO, NO, NO GET IT AWAY!" Karina was taken aback for a moment. She was… Scared of snakes? But this snake was- she was… Scared of her father. She had turned something she was scared of into something else she was scared of…

"…Maddie… Turn him back… Please… Your mother said as soon as he'd have somewhere to go, he would leave her home." Maddie briefly got over her horror to look Karina in the eyes. "…Y… You mean it…?! She means it?!" She asked, her hands clenched so tight that she was shaking her white knuckles. Karina nodded. "She said she'd come see you once he was turned back to normal." Maddie looked down at the monstrosity in Karina's hands. "…If you're lying to me-"
"I'm not. I'm not that low- unlike some." Maddie instantly looked sour about the comment, but sighed. She had lost… This girl had come to manipulate the Color Goddess- she had come to find what she desired and then proceeded to play her like that piano. She had done it so simply! Like she was the black and white to her rainbow. "…On one condition." Karina nodded, and another deal was made.

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Ivan and Kotetsu took the longest to return back to normal. Words were harder for them to remember or relay, both of them getting easily frustrated. On occasion, their actions of animals would get mixed with those of humans or visa-versa. However, being in their position as well if not quicker to recover, their party was quick to accept them and their mistakes. Barnaby seemed to have a kind of silent understanding of his partner and let him fuss over his inability to talk all he liked, letting him know he'd wait for him to find the right words.

Keith tended to be able to understand what Ivan was saying or attempting to, reminding him of various words or phrases. "…Indeh… Indire… Ides…" Keith mused his hair. "Indirect?" he prompted, Ivan nodding. "…Um…" He glanced away from him and into the single booth of several being borrowed by them and their friends at a diner. "Can you please not do that anymore…?" He asked Keith, looking up at him through his bangs. Keith looked at him confused, then realized he had just been petting him. He quickly removed his hand, embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry!" He had continued to do so, even after they were in their current positions again.

Ivan didn't say anything and shrunk into himself. Keith had noticed that he had been quiet shy and bet on one of two reasons as to why; He had always been this way, but no one had noticed because of how they never really interacted with him this much, or he was just embarrassed by the memory of it all. After all, he had done some embarrassing things as a dog himself that he remembered. …He did remember- right…? After all, Keith did, but Ivan was a dog for longer, so… So…
"…Ivan can I- …You know what, never mind." He said, flashing him a wide smile. Ivan looked confused. "I just remembered, so it's no big deal." He replied, petting his head again and burying his fingers in his hair again. "…Keith…" Ivan grumbled, reminding him, which quickly alleviated the fingers from his person. He didn't want to ask him now… This wasn't the proper place… He would ask them when they were alone- just in case he did.

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"Ivan!" Keith called to him after their meal. The Invisible Hero stopped at being noticed, yet alone called on. He waited for Keith to catch up to him, flashing him a smile. "Do you mind if I walk with you?" Ivan looked him up and down, gauging him for a moment. "…You live in a completely different area than I do." Keith rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I know I just… Wanted to walk with you is all- is that so wrong?" Ivan looked at him with eyes that appeared to be apprehensive about everything since returning to his human form. "…No. It's… Alrah… Alreh… Okay I guess." Keith had silently fallen in love with his word blunders, some part of him wishing that they remained longer than they needed to if not forever really.

He walked alongside him in silence, his insides brimming with excitement at having Ivan back- his beloved Ivan! Finally! He was overjoyed! But… Also embarrassed… They walked for a while longer, Keith debating on when to ask him about his memory. By the time he decided upon when to ask, they had arrived upon Ivan's house. "…Well, I'm home. Thank you, I guess…" He mumbled, pulling out his keys and avoiding eye contact with Keith out of embarrassment for the entire walk and his inability to fill the silence. "Um, Ivan I… I need to ask you something first- i-if that's okay!" Ivan stopped, key poised before the door's lock. He hesitated, but pushed it in and left it there. "…Yes?"

"Um… When you were… Like that, do you… Remember anything?" Ivan looked at him with the same eyes he had been since his form was recovered. "…No. Did you want me to?" He asked, turned back to the key in the door and turning it. Keith's heart sunk. "…Uh, no nothing in particular, really." He laughed nervously, wanting so desperately to bolt. He would have preferred Ivan said yes and hated him than this… This… Emptiness. He wanted him to remember. He had decided that upon feeling this way. At least there could be blame placed as to why it had happened, but this… This was… "…Keith?" Ivan asked, tipping his head so he could look up at him, getting closer with the action.

…He could kiss him right now. He could grab either side of his wonderfully, faintly freckled face and mash their lips together and scare the shit out of him and confess everything to him right now. Tell him he had fallen in love with him while he had stayed with him. He wanted to intrude in his everyday life and become a part of it. He could have sex with him- as Ivan, not as animal Ivan. He could do all that right now- hell he could even be rejected! He could be shoved away or told that he wasn't into that kind of thing. He could pursue him like in the movies and make him fall for him gradually but surely.

…But life wasn't like the movies, and things like that didn't happen in real life… Ivan was sure to push him away and be disgusted with him. He was sure to tell him that what he did as inexcusable, no matter the state- he already knew that- so he pulled away from him and those intoxicatingly wide, tired looking lavender eyes. "Ah- I'm sorry… I'll be going now- good night Ivan!" He practically bolted like a scared animal with its tail between his legs.

He went home and shut the door, John greeting him, but seeming to wonder if anyone else was with him as well. "…You miss him too?" He asked, scratching behind his ears as his dog whimpered, still peering at the door for his missing house mate. It was best… To leave it like this, wasn't it? To leave things as they were… And not bother Ivan with these inexcusable feelings with those unjustifiable actions.

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"Um… you know John misses you." Keith told him after he had finished his set of weights. It had been over a month since they had all been deemed "officially" human again. Ivan looked over at his comrade who was now rubbing the back of his neck. "…You're either lying or embarrassed- my bet is on both." He said, smirking a bit at him. Keith jumped. "What- why do you say that? He does! He whimpers every time I don't bring you back with me- which has been every day now that I think about it…" Ivan sat up from his toe-stretch, smiling at Keith. "…Not telling. And I'll just have to come over and say hello, now won't I?" He had just indirectly invited him over- it was progress. He could look him in the eyes now since he had practically bolted from his porch since asking him about his memory.

"Well I guess you will. Is tonight any good for you?" Ivan hummed, laying on his back for a moment. "…No, sorry. Gotta do lotsa hero stuff. Lots and lotsa hero stuff- I haven't beaten this game since I got it- which was before this lovely dog incident happened." He joked, shooting him a smile. "…But I guess it can wait since someone misses me so much." Keith felt his heart throb in his chest and needed to remind himself Ivan was talking about his dog- not him.

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John was quickly at the door with a padding of his feet, wagging of his tail, and clinking of his collar. He seemed even more excitable upon seeing Ivan, completely disregarding Keith. "Hiya, buddy." Ivan said in a higher tone than normal, kneeling down to scratch John behind the ears. The dog was quickly on his hind legs and licking at Ivan's face. Keith almost felt although he were intruding in his own home- that or this awkward feeling was just having Ivan in his house and the memories that came along with it.

Ivan laughed a bit at John's overly affectionate actions while Keith closed the door, setting the house keys in their proper place and removing his jacket. "Do you want something to drink?" He offered from the kitchen, Ivan still in the doorway. "If it's not too much of a problem, sure." Keith went to a cupboard and removed a glass, wondering why people replied like that. If it was really a problem, he wouldn't have offered. Oh yes, getting him liquids he had obtained prior to even the invite and giving him some was such a problem. Oh no. Keith caught himself chuckling a bit.
"Something funny?" Keith jumped, looking to his left where the noise came from. Ivan had silently managed to remove John from his person and stood next to him. "Son of a- Try to make noise when you move, alright?" Ivan bashfully glanced at the floor, face flushing a bit. "S-Sorry…"

Keith sighed, petting his head- then quickly removing it with a hasty apology. "I'm sorry!" He thought he had grown out of that- or at least thought Ivan detested the action so much that he'd remember to stop. Ivan didn't reply. He just let out a long sigh and it was quiet for a moment while Keith busied himself with getting Ivan a drink. "…Did you do that a lot- pet me when I was a dog I mean?" Keith stopped mid pour, thinking about how he should reply… Well… Honesty was supposedly the best policy… "…Yes. It was to the point where if I didn't show you affection before I left, you'd cry." He didn't know why he went farther than a simple "yes"- indulging into further details only would lead to embarrassment. It was quiet as he finished pouring Ivan's drink, handing it to him. He stared at it for a moment, not saying anything. "Ivan? Do you not like that kind? If you want I can-"

"I'm sorry… For any problems I caused you… I'm sorry… I've just been so embarrassed that I can't act normally around you anymore… I can't look you in the eye without thinking about what I could have done or how I acted, so I just… I'm so sorry… For any pain or trouble I cause you, Keith… I can't even really…" He groaned and ran his hand through his hair, tugging at it, and furrowing his eyebrows. "…I'm sorry… I don't even know what I'm apologizing for but I felt like I should-" Keith quickly took the drink from him, putting in on the counter, and put his arm around his shoulder, hugging him. As he did so, Ivan had removed his hand from his hair, emotions variating from angry to confused. "Ivan you weren't any trouble, it's okay… You were fine, I promise. If anything…" If anything he had… He had been the one to cause Ivan trouble. But he couldn't tell him that… "…If anything you were the perfect house mate- considering and all." He said, flashing him a wide smile. "So don't be upset, okay?"

Without realizing it and out of habit, he had already threaded is fingers through Ivan's hair again in an attempt to comfort him. Ivan didn't say anything and kept his eyes trained on the ground, but if anything, with the way he was shrinking into himself, he was most likely embarrassed. Ivan reached his hands up and removed Keith's from his head. Keith's eyes widened, realizing he had done it again. God damn it! Ivan didn't let go however. He lowered his hand down to his eye level and just started at it for a moment. He didn't say anything as he placed it back on top of his head. "…It's okay I guess…" He mumbled, still not looking him in the eyes. "…Just… Don't make a habit out of it…"

Too late.

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"My god it was the worst thing ever…!" Barnaby said, seeming to take joy in his own complaining. "Oh come on, he couldn't have been that bad!" Barnaby raised an eyebrow to Antonio's comment. They were all together and quiet rowdy at that. "I mean compared to Nathan- I'd take Kotetsu any day."
"Yeah thanks for talking about me like I'm not here!"
"Can you pass the sauce, please?"
"Oh, shush."
"Well, Ivan was just perfect." Keith patted the head of the boy who was mid-pass of said sauce, his entire body freezing up and he flushed. "Oh don't even. You practically called someone every day for help with him." Ivan shrunk into himself, still holding onto the sauce. "Well compared to both of your complaints, I'd much rather keep Ivan." He pulled the boy a bit closer to him almost as if to further prove his point.
"Sauce please?"
"Here just use the extra on my plate."
"I… I'm sorry…!"
"Ivan, you were fine, I told you that." He patted his head again, while Ivan dared look him in the eye with his face on fire.
"Uh-huh. I'll keep your denial in mind next time you ask for help with something, Keith."
"Can I have a refill please?"
"Oh, come on!" He yelled, his head snapping back to Barnaby and the rest.
There was a loud yelp, and everyone was silent, eyes trained on Ivan. "…I… Er…" He shrunk into himself more, quickly removing himself from Keith and the table.
"…What just happened?" Keith shook his head, confused and got up to go after him. He knew, actually. He had his fingers on Ivan's waist with him practically in his lap and he must have squeezed his waist a bit when he was rebutting to Barnaby. Thinking about it now… It was a wonder he didn't try to pull away or complain- then again, it was Ivan and everyone was loud, so there wasn't much room for complaints. But he could always get away- couldn't he? Actually, he was more surprised no one said anything about it.

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"Ivan!"
"Just… Please go back inside with everyone else, I'll be back in a minute, so please don't…" He mumbled, but Keith had already approached upon him and had his wrist in his hand. "Ivan." He said sternly again. The boy didn't reply and kept his eyes trained on the ground. Keith quickly placed himself in front of him in his line of vision, taking his hand from his wrist and putting both on either side of his face. "…I'm sorry. I didn't realize it and I should have. I'm sorry. Next time yell at me or something okay?" He offered with a smile. He glanced away, shifting feet. "…I can't…"

"Can't?" Keith reiterated. Ivan nodded, his cheeks seeming larger than usual with Keith's hands on either side of his face. "Why not?" He removed his hands from his face, taking to holding both of his like he was a child. Ivan seemed to practically writhe and pull himself away from him. "I… I just…" He huffed, running his hands through his hair again- and Keith realized something. He had been doing that a lot lately- mostly when he was stressed out. He had actually seen him forget he had his hero suit on one time and attempt to do so. He ran his hands through his own hair when Keith wasn't there to do it for him. Honestly he… He was practically in love with him.

He had this ridiculous urge to kiss him again. Nothing spectacular- just a peck on the nose or cheek or… Or mouth. That would suffice. "…You just?" He prompted again. He was quiet for a moment and Keith gave him that moment so he could think. "…I don't even know how I want to say this- where I want to start, I…" It was more than what just happened. He was also upset about other things. "…Well, I hear the beginning is the best place to start." He offered like something out of a horrendous novel. Ironically enough however, Ivan seemed to calm down a bit.

"…I…" He paused, looking at Keith with hesitant, but resolved eyes, studying him for a moment. "…I lied. We can start there." Keith stood up, taking his hand and taking him over to a bench nearby. "Lied? About?" He asked while walking him, sitting down once they reached their destination. "…Remembering… I do… I just didn't want to… I thought it would be easier if I pretended I didn't…" His voice slowly trailed off into a mumble.

…He… He knew? Keith was honestly shocked. Was that why he had kept acting weird around him since? That had to be why… So then… Keith quickly slid off of the bench and pressed his head to the ground near Ivan's feet. "Ivan I'm so sorry!" Ivan's eyes quickly grew wide as he became aware of others watching because of how extremely Keith was apologizing. "I-It's fine just please get up- seriously stop people are staring…"

"It doesn't matter. What I did was inexcusable and I need to apologize for it and do my best to make it up to you until you feel I have and even then..." And even then he'd still feel like this huge sack of shit with a really weak will when it came to Ivan. "Okay, okay! Just get up! Jeeze forget it, let's just… Ugh, let's just go be alone! If you're going to be like this we may as well do it in private!" Where people couldn't see a grown man groveling all over his feet…

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"…I'm sorry…"
"I know…"
"…I'm so sorry…"
"…I know." Ivan pulled his leg closer to his chest while Keith apologized for what was presumably the eighth time since they entered his house- just from entering the house. Forget the walk there. "…I just… I… I'm so-" Ivan smacked his chest with the back of his hand. "…Stop it. It's not appealing, it's not endearing, and it's not going to make me forgive you- because yes… I am mad about it. I didn't even realize it until you kept apologizing… I kept… Making excuses for you as to why I shouldn't feel upset over what happened and I shouldn't have done that… If you're so sorry, then you wouldn't have done it no matter the circumstances without my completely consent- which you didn't have!"

Keith almost opened his mouth to apologize again, but he bit the inside of his cheek. He knew this was coming… And he deserved it. He remained quiet, nodding in agreement. He knew. He was the worst… Honestly the worst. "I mean… What if I had never had sex with someone before? And even then, that doesn't matter! You were so… So selfish!" He kicked his foot away from his person, his entire person tense with anger now. "It doesn't matter if I was a dog or half a dog or a person or drunk or anything- that wasn't okay…! That was… That was rape!"

With that word, it officially hit Keith what he had done. This was supposed to be someone he cared about. How did it come to that? How did his simple affections turn into something so disgustingly brutal? "I should fucking punch you! I shouldn't even be alone with you right now! And it only makes me more mad because my head keeps making all of these stupid excuses for you because you're my friend and a good guy, so it just…! Ugh! I wanna puke! I don't know if it's because of you or me, but I wanna puke I feel so disgusted over it! And I only get more stressed out because I… I…!" Ivan was shaking he was so angry, completely enraged and Keith was at a complete loss as to how to reply to his feelings. He doubted anyone had ever heard him talk like this.

"…And it pisses me off so much because I actually like you! If you did too that shouldn't have happened! So… So what the fuck, Keith…?!" He… What? "…Shit I feel tired just from yelling at you…" he grumbled, glaring over at a wall. He probably hadn't done that in a long time if not ever. This was extremely rare for him… Keith got off of the bed and sat in front of him, not even bothering to try to touch him. "…You're right. And it not only happened but once, but several different times and you're completely right. I have no idea how you want me to make this up to you- or even if it'll actually do any good- but I'll do whatever I need to and whatever you want me to for as long as you want me to and more." Ivan didn't reply to him.

He waited. And waited… And Ivan didn't bother to look at him or reply. Keith dared to try to touch his hand- and he got smacked away. Ivan glared at him although he was going to abruptly murder him where he sat. He thought he was at least going to punch him when he reached out for him, but it resulted in Ivan roughly grabbing his hair and kissing him, biting his lip before he pulled away. "…You will never top me again. Understood?" Keith nodded, a small voice in the back of his head hinting at the underlying messages that were being sent with that sentence. He kept forcing it down into a dark corner, telling it that it was not the time nor place for it come out and spout off.

Ivan sighed, nibbling his own lips and running his hands through his hair, glancing at a wall. "…Good…" He seemed to be calming down a bit… "…Do you want to punch me?" Ivan looked back over at him, then back to his wall. He nodded. "…A lot. Before I didn't want to even talk to you- couldn't actually… Now I just wanna beat the breaks off of you." Keith was willing to let him- he felt like the bottom of a really disgusting bag of putrid garbage. He was the worst- lowest of the low… "…But at the same time I wanna kiss you- it's… It's really stressful. I feel overly uncomfortable being alone with you, yet I don't want anyone to ask where we went… I don't like it… People shouldn't be allowed to feel like this…"

Keith debated allowing himself back up on the bed… And denied himself. He placed his hand close to Ivan's, but not so they were touching. He would back off, but leave any option Ivan wanted to have open to him. "…Can I do that?" He asked suddenly, yanking Keith out of his head abruptly. "Huh- What?" Ivan turned to face him better. "…Can I punch you and then kiss you?" He could practically see his chest swell after the sentence left his mouth.

…He held out his arms as if waiting for a hug. Ivan slid into them and buried his face in his neck. He ran his fingers through his hair for a moment before Ivan pulled away, looking at his face. His own contorted into a pure rage before he punched him in face straight on so hard you could hear Keith's nose crunch. There was then blood and Ivan started rapid fire apologizing and running to the bathroom for tissues while Keith tipped his head back and covered his nose with his hand. He ran back in, holding the amass of toilet paper under his nose to catch the dripping blood while Keith tipped his head down now. Ivan kept apologizing, Keith just laughed. "…I deserved that."

He leaned up and kissed Ivan's cheek, covering him in blood. "But you promised me that. So…!" He ripped some of the clean tissue off of the paper and wiped his cheek as tenderly as a mother with her new born. "…I'm sorry... For not being able to wait and hurting you over my own selfishness." He continued on as to why he was sorry this time, Ivan not expecting that part. "…It's not okay, but I'll eventually forgive you or grow to forget how much this hurts right now." He leaned over, close enough to kiss him, but he didn't and helped him clean up the sea of blood that kept pouring out of Keith's nose.

When it did stop bleeding, they sat and talked more in detail about how they felt about the entire thing, some more yelling, less blood. Keith eventually got them both something to drink and eat and they both continued to talk, the conversation eventually getting lighter in mood. John even came in, resting in both of their laps alternatively. It ended up getting so late that Pao-Lin called to make sure neither of them were dead. They weren't. Keith offered for Ivan to stay instead of having to go home so late. "…Sorry, but I think I'll pass. Good night, Keith." He kissed his forehead, his lips pressed to his skin for a long, lingering moment before going home.

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The bed hit the wall again. And again- and it would have been annoying if not for the immaculate pleasure that kept them both distracted from it. Keith groaned into the flesh of Ivan's neck, nipping at his ear for good measure while he reminded himself how air worked. He was beneath him and he didn't mind it. It was how sex worked with them. It was sensual (for them both) and (constantly) consensual. It was their rule, or they simply didn't have sex end of story. Ivan groaned and practically melted into Keith, who was quick to sustain him while attempting to keep his own voice lowered. They sat like that for a moment, a sticky, sweaty mess, before Ivan forced himself to get out of and off of Keith, then curled up to him.

He held his hand, relishing the silence for a while and running his hands through his hair. "…I wasn't too rough was I?" Keith leaned his neck down and kissed him. "Minus the initial biting from our make out session, your hair pulling, and clawing, no."
"So basically the usual." Keith snickered and showered him in fairy kisses. "Pretty much." Ivan hummed, leaning up and meeting one of the kisses meant for his nose with his mouth instead. "…I'll patch you up after we shower- I'm sorry."

"It's okay- I don't think any of them bleed at all this time." Ivan hummed, pushing at his side as a "roll over" motion. Keith complied, letting him look. Ivan crawled onto him, straddling his butt. He either ran his finger over each mark or kissed it, testing to see if any of them hurt distinctly. There were only about two that stood out to Keith from their usual raw numbness. "You don't have to patrol later right?" Keith turned over, wrapping Ivan in his arms who happily complied. "No, not today." He leaned up and kissed him again, his entire body still tingling. "…Is that a subtle implication for another round or a longer bath?" Keith asked between kisses. "…Both?"

"Both? Both?" Keith teased, squeezing at his sides. "You don't know?" Ivan grabbed at his hands to get him to stop tickling him. "No, I- ahaha- no, stop! I don't! I haven't asked you yet!" Keith stopped and kissed him so long he had to remind himself one could also breathe from their nose. "…Well why don't you?" Ivan paused for a moment, running his thumb over Keith's fingers. "…Keith? Can we have sex again?" He asked him, not sarcastic in any way at all. It was an honest question. "…No. I'm honestly sore right now." He laughed and kissed his, flipping them so Ivan was on his side and so was Keith. "Maybe tomorrow if you don't try to eat me alive next time."

"Okay." And that was that. They messed around for a bit more, then showered, Ivan put a salve on his back, then they held hands and went to bed. "…Keith?"
"…Hmm?" He grunted back, more asleep than half. Ivan barked at him and it made him smile from ear to ear and shower him in kisses, running his hands through his hair. "…I love you too."

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Aaaaaaaand I don't even know how I ended up with this ending. I was gonna do something different and there was gonna be actual sex not cut shit but then it just flowed different and Ivan was like "No. New ending." While I was writing this, so I was kinda just like okay, damn. Damn. No I can work with this. lol