Chapter Text
Wolf looked at the world below, grey and small. He could see millions of lights, thousands of buildings, hundreds of lives. In all this urban splendour, there was only one pinprick of existence that mattered. Hare. Wolf sighed, leaning on his window. Pulling it open, he grabbed an ash tray and another cigarette. Lighting it, he took a deep breath and exhaled outside. Ah, addiction, a familiar mistress.
Wolf's mood was really his own fault. He had almost caught the one, the one he was destined to kill. It was Hare, always Hare. That furry brown bastard in his sporty little shorts and green top. Wolves ate Hares. It was how things ought to be. It was the way Wolf had been raised, just like his father, and his father's father. That was exactly why there was something wrong with Wolf.
Less than twelve hours ago, Wolf had finally done it. Through construction zones and a bakery, then an empty office building. There, the chase had finally ended. Hare was finally pinned beneath Wolf's clawed grasp, still and shaking. Prepared for the end, looking up at him with those big blue eyes.
Wolf could feel the prey animal's racing little heart, the soft fur. The heat of life animated from this creature, and Wolf reacted in the worst way because of it. He faltered, loosing his powerful claws on purpose. Hare looked up in shock, a fraction of time, then ran out.
There was no ill timed prop of physical comedy saving Hare this time. There was no explosions, or interruptions. It was just Wolf and Hare, and he failed. He failed utterly and completely to kill the thing he was born to chase.
“What the fuck is the wrong with me?” Wolf whispered. The city vista of Moscow had nothing to say to him, existing as it always had. Grey and ever expansive.
Wolf was industrious. He wasn't a quitter, or a moper. He was going to get off his ass and do something productive. Finishing his cigarette, he snubbed it in the ash tray and shut the window. He cast as sweeping glance around his apartment.
A captain's coat and hat, beside his bike on a hook by the door. Pictures of flowers, and himself during a picnic. His haphazardly assembled dresser was stuffed with snazzy ties, shirts, and dress pants. Dancing shoes sat atop with playful yellow laces. His kitchenette was barren as per usual, one drawer filled with paper cheap cigarettes and matches. The door on his tiny bathroom was broken off, as per usual.
Wolf was exceedingly strong, and sometimes he got a little carried away. Things happened. Settling on the dancing shoes, Wolf grinned. It was a fanged gesture of joy, rare in it's appearances these days. Going to the community centre and dancing it up with some locals would make him feel better. With a wag of his fluffy tail, the grey furred wolf shrugged on a snazzy blazer and headed out.
00000
Hare sat on his balcony, staring at the city. He had watered his plants, stretched, and read a good classic novel. Not having to go to work for a day or so, he was at a total loss what to do. Yesterday, he was quite occupied with not getting eaten by Wolf.
It was honestly a ritual now days. Wolf would chase Hare, almost catch Hare, and fail for the millionth time to kill him. Hare was used to the weekly activity. It was adrenaline pumping, it kept him in shape, and it killed time. Mostly, Hare knew in his heart Wolf would never kill him. He had legitimately caught Hare twelve times now, pinning him to a floor or wall. The first five times, Hare thought he really was going to die. The fluffy brown bunny played head games now, twisted in his methods. He would look as cute as possible, looking upwards in mock terror.
It worked every damn time. Wolf would cough or sputter, his short grey fur bristled in confusion or frustration. Sometimes he lost concentration and wagged his little tail like a dog would. Until a few years ago, Hare didn't even know wolves wagged their tails.
Still, yesterday's victory felt hollow. Wolf looked almost victimized, releasing Hare without reason or cause. Hare stuck around later, to see if Wolf would give chase once more. He just... stayed in the office for an hour, muttering to himself. Was he broken?
The mere idea that Hare's antagonist and accidental fitness buddy snapped was distressing. Hare couldn't pin down why this was. He was just overthinking things. Heading down to the local community centre for a good dance would clear his head. Smiling, he slipped on a decent shirt and headed out.
He just needed to relax and have fun.