BEAR aka Some Assembly Required (SOLO)

Erik hopped over a fence to take a shortcut through the houses and yards that blocked his path back to Sanctuary. The worst of his troubles being the occasional grumpy dog he had to take heed to avoid his exploration for the night. The hopping had almost become routine, grab, heave, and swing legs over, drop down quietly. This time as he dropped down and quickly survey the immediate area for any lurking dogs his eyes stopped at the back porch of the present yard. The dull illumination of the ruddy yellow light framing a smaller form causing him to instinctively put a hand back on the top of the fense till he could register it was likely a kid or midget given the stature. Curious as to why any kid would be hanging out anywhere outside this early he picked his way closer through the yard and blinked at what he saw. What he had mistaken for a shirt was actually some sort of furry covering almost felt looking in texture. 

His own curiosity getting the better of him as he inched forward, the soft snap of a twig giving him away and bringing the kids face up as he froze. The kid's face snapping up out out of his hands, eyes wide, well eye. One glossy total brown looking back at him. The other swollen shut. Erik blinked a moment as he registered he was looking at what one could easily describe as a boy with the appearance of a bat complete with long pointed ears, scrunched nose and covered head to toe in fur. Wearing nothing a dirty pair of shorts and shivering in the brisk morning air. 

In the split second he had to make a choice to run away and avoid any trouble he might get in he threw up his hands real quick. "Whoa sorry didn't mean to startle you was just passing through." Quietly suppressing the anger he felt at the kids poor state and working even harder to keep it from showing. The kid sat staring at him frozen with indecision or lack of options as Erik backed away some. "Er umm you ok? You look cold. I have a warm sweat shirt in my bag. Not your size.. umm oh! I also have a protein bar on me tastes like a candy bar. Fond of the cookies and cream flavors. He kneeled down slow so he wouldn't chase the kid away or scare him off whom was remaining a disconcerting level of quiet as he moved to retrieve the items he had promised and chatted away regardless. "I am Erik by the way. Was on my way back to Sanctuary. Have you heard of it? Good place for mutants like myself with nowhere to go." Not entirely sure if it was his name, the mention of goodies, or some combination of the three he noticed the kid relax some. Unwilling to push his luck he stayed kneeled down in the grass and extended the shirt of bar. Waiting as the kid eyed him critically for a few long moments before slowly inching forward only to dash to grab it at the last second and scurry back to the porch clinging the sweatshirt around him like a blanket and tearing into the protein bar. As he settled into a smooth rhythm of eating he finally made another move "Can I have a seat with you?" Another long quiet moment of consideration until a little nod of confirmation greeted him. Erik gave a little sigh of relief and finally got off he kneed to amble over and settle himself on the stoop next to the kid.

"You want to watch some cartoons? Which one you like better Super Teen Wonderforce or Whammo Blammo Squad?" Getting another silent response by way of a shrug he pulled out his phone to pull up the cartoons and handed it over to the kid with a smile. "Here I already seen this one." Getting the kid distracted let him get a better look at his face without being noticed and watching how they kid moved he came up with two rage inducing conclusions. Not only was the kid favoring one side more then the other but whatever hit him in the face was much bigger then a kids fist. After a few episodes of entertaining toons Erik figured it was time to get to business and deal with uncomfortable truths as he took his phone back. "You can come with me to Sanctuary if you want." His only response was a wide eye look from his new small friend. Erik shrugged and looked away some. "I have seen enough to know your not being treated all that great here. It will be scary and new, but the people there will take care of you. Get you some decent clothes and three squares. Plus plenty of people to make friends with that are like us." Not that Erik looked remotely different then a usual human but that wasn't the point. He saw a brief sparkle of hope in the kid's eye before he glanced back at the house in fear and shook his head hard. "Whoah whoah. They can keep you safe there you won't have to worry about 'them'." When that didn't work either he sighed in frustration until the kid took his phone from him and started to slowly bunch out a word. 'BEAR' Erik blinked at the words before he sought clarification "Bear? You mean like stuffed bear? Teddy Bear?" The kid gave an excited nod and at Erik's less than enthusiastic look punched in three more letters 'Mom' Erik's eyebrows rose. "It was your mom's?" Knowing the answer in his heart, but his head not quite with it until the kid confirmed it. 

After some more long minutes of charades describing the bear and question and where he could find it. "Alright I will go get it for you then we will head on to the promised land." He got his sweatshirt on the little one properly before pulling the hood on the one he was wearing up and moving for the door. The level of his anger raising several notches as he found the door locked. He pulled out an old gift card and bypassed the cheap door lock and creeped his way inside. The smell made him swallow hard as it reeked of alcohol and more illicit substances. Garbage was everywhere he looked and Erik figured they had just thrown one hell of a party without even bothering to clean up after the last three. IT was a nightmare incarnate for someone trying to sneak around. Cans everywhere and all the lights on. Dishes were piled high in the kitchen he had just entered and he quickly looked around before creeping to the nearest entryway and slowly peeking around the corner, ignoring the beat of his heart in his chest. He realized he was looking into the living room and spotted two sleeping or rather an unconscious stupor if the paraphernalia on the coffee table was any indication. Seeing what he was looking for and convinced no one was moving about on this floor at least he slipped over to and up the staircase taking care to step on the generally quieter outside portions closest to the wall. He paused a moment at the first door to his left pressing an ear to it and hearing only breathing before doing it to the one on his right and moving hurriedly away from the adult sounds emanating from within. 

Figuring the rest of the houses inhabitants were occupied he moved for his destination and entered the next door on the right, quickly darting inside and closing it quickly behind him. Using his phones flashlight he navigate his way to the bed and almost jumped out of his shoes and snapped off the light before the bed's occupant could wake up. There wrapped in the arms of a full grown man was his prize. Carefully he set his flashlight to the lowest setting and began to pry the fingers off the bear. One, two, three, he had stolen stuff before but nothing quite like this. Moving one hand away painfully slow as he moved to unclasp the other. Just as he grabbed the arm to move it away, eyes snapped open and a yell escaped before Erik managed to clamp his hands over his mouth and nose. Before he could leverage himself into a better position a kick caught his side and he bounced off a nearby dresser sending the lamp and the assorted items on top it crashing to the floor. The crude sounds of moaning and groaning abruptly halted from the adjoining room and Erik knew his time was up. He launched himself at the man and crushed his fist into the an's nose dropping him back to sleep. Hurriedly he grabbed his prize and stuffed it into his backpack. Fast feet took him to the window deft fingers working to undo the latch then heaving to throw it open to feel his back strain in protest. WIthout hesitation he reached for his back pocket to find his phone gone and hastily looked around for it. Jumping to scoop it up from the floor and landing hard and throwing himself back to the window. The light revealing the window had long since been painted shut. LIght spilled in from behind him and with no time left he turned to charge the door, ducking a bat that came his way and shoulder tackling its wielder into the wall. A fist took him in the side of the head and he yelled in rage as he returned it with two of his own glad to be able to unleash some of it on someone. Returning the fist with two of his own he let the man slump to the floor and watched a nearly naked woman scream and flee down the steps.

As he was about to do the same a pinch in his side blossomed into fire. Snapping his eyes over in time to see a bloodied knife coming at him he stepped in close. One hand grabbing for the wrist and swinging at the man's face with the other. As it was caught he drove his forehead forward har into the man's nose with a satisfying crunch and finished the fight with another. Unable to take time to revel in his victory he darted down the stairs. The two on the couch still happily off on some other planet he crashed through cans and garbage and refuse a she made a beeline for the back door and practically crashed through it instead of opening it. Running pass the bewildered kid with a "I got it let's go!" Making it all the way to the fence and looking back before realizing the kid wasn't following him at all. "Kid!" Scrambling back and  trying to get the kid to move. "Come on let's go." Exasperated and unable to move the kid he slung off his backpack and unzipped it pulling the head of the bear through. "See all there. Now let skedaddle before any-" The rack of a shotgun cut him off and he looked back up at the door to see the first man he had downed aiming a shotgun at them both. 

"Jeremy! You ^&*(ing freak this is all your fault! Time to end this!" As he shouldered the weapon Erik grabbed the kid pulled him to his chest as he turned his back to the man. The weapon barked and Erik's back lit up like it was on fire at the buckshot bit into his back. He barely had time to come to grips with it before he barely registered another CHIK CHIKT rang out and the weapon barked out again. Then again and again and again. His vision swam and he felt him slumping forward against the kid. BOOM. Fire burned his entire back. He didn't even hear the rest of them as they blasted away, only the sweetest sound of absolute nothingness as he finally slumped off the kid to the side as his head swam. The man stepped forward confidently assuming he had killed Erik a feeling Jeremy also shared. Tears streaming down his face until his father's backhand  broke through any thoughts for Erik. At least until he did Romero proud and grabbed at the man's leg with a wildly flung hand. After a quick scream of disbelief from Jeremy Sr. until a buttstock smashed into his face wresting the hand free. Finally Jeremy spoke and what a speech it was,  well the first split second Erik heard of it until his eardrums ruptured and watched rather then heard the back windows of the house shattering until his vision dimmed briefly to nothingness and popping back with his hearing. He gave the kid a thumbs up before picking himself back up to his feet and getting his legs tackled by a munchkin hug and gave the kid a pat on the head before picking him up and starting to move with rubber legs as swiftly as he could from the scene of ground zero and on to their new shared home Sanctuary.