Hey All, please enjoy this commission piece created as part of my Mystery Stories set.

Awryhx - I hope you enjoy the story. You now have full creative freedom to use the character Aspen as you wish.
I've provided a little bio at the bottom for reference but feel free to change anything you like.
(If you would like me to adjust anything about the fic, please feel free to DM me and I'll be happy to make some edits)


HOME COMFORTS

It had been one hell of a day. The kind of day where nothing seemed to go right and negative thoughts ambushed Awryhx from every corner. It had started with a poor night's sleep, followed by the panic of sleeping through his alarm. He had knocked his arm on a table while trying to get ready, and a rich purple bruise had bloomed as a painful reminder each time he moved or touched the area. He had missed his bus and needed to wait in the rain without an umbrella for the next one to come past, and had only realised after he boarded that he'd left his lunch in the fridge. With no money to spare, he would have to wait until he got home before he could eat anything... In short, the day seriously wasn't going his way.

By the time Awryhx finally made it back to his apartment that evening, he was exhausted, shivering and in a foul mood; a heavy, persistent headache pulsed behind his eyes and made his stomach turn. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a migraine this bad but he wasn't exactly surprised, given how much tension he'd been carrying all day. If he could just get inside and run a hot bath, get some food into his system and - And then the final straw. The rotten cherry on top of an absolute dumpster fire of a day. He had managed to leave the apartment that morning without his keys and was now locked out.

"Oh, come on!" he groaned, bumping his forehead against the door and pressing into it hard enough to spark a fresh throbbing pain behind his eyes.

This couldn't be happening. He just wanted to get inside, take some painkillers and sleep away the rest of the evening... but now he'd have to spend the next hour trying to get hold of his elusive landlord, then another few hours sat in the hallway while Awryhx waited for him to turn up with a spare key... if he even had a spare key. And knowing his luck today, it would probably turn out that a spare key had never been cut, so he'd have to call a locksmith and then-

A fresh wave of nausea rolled over Awryhx and he slumped to the floor, sitting with his back to the door so that he could close his eyes and focus on not throwing up. He felt starving and sick all at once, lights flickering over his vision as the migraine set its roots into his brain. He needed to breathe, to focus on the slow in and out of his chest, so that he could find the strength to call his landlord and endure the grating sound of his voice through the speaker. That, and the inevitable shouting when his landlord got cross about him leaving his keys inside. Tears pricked at his eyes, both from pain and exhaustion, but he squeezed them tightly shut, trying to wait out the storm of negative feelings.

"Hey, you ok there?"

A low voice pulled Awryhx from his thoughts and he squinted up at the source, the lights sending needles of pain through his eyes. He winced and shaded his eyes with a hand, trying to make out the figure through the blobs of colour that infected his sight. He knew this guy... but not particularly well. The tall African Wild Dog was walking over, moving to crouch at Awryhx's side to make sure he was ok. The details came into focus as he approached: his fur was cornflower blue with mottled patches of a darker shade that collected on his shoulders and at intermittent spacing throughout his coat. His muzzle and the lining of his ears were a a subtle, deep green, while the green of his eyes shone more brightly as the Wild Dog peered down at the suffering Horse hybrid.

This guy was one of the neighbours on Awryhx's floor, so they'd shared brief 'hello's and pleasantries, but never much more than that. Awryhx was struggling to remember his name... He opened his mouth to speak, but the nausea rose up and he groaned, pressing a hand to his eye socket as though to press the pain back into his head.

"Woah, easy... Hang on, let me get this for you," the Wild Dog continued. Awryhx could hear his footfalls moving away, before the blinding lights of the hallway were turned off and the pain subsided slightly in response. "There we go, is that better?"

Awryhx nodded gingerly and tried to sit up straight, finding it a little easier to look up to his neighbour in the dim light. He realised that the Wild Dog had been talking quietly, keeping his voice pitched low so that he wouldn't cause any more pain. It was a little thing, but Awryhx appreciated it all the same, any small comfort was a godsend right about now. The Wild Dog returned to a crouched position beside Awryhx and considered him for a moment.

"Need help getting into your apartment?" he asked.

"Locked out," Awryhx managed, sighing softly. "Need to call the landlord but my migraine spiked."

Aspen. That was the Wild Dog's name, he remembered now. He'd moved in just a few months ago and needed to borrow Awryhx's old toaster after his own was destroyed in the move. He was friendly, from what Awryhx could remember, and he kind of liked the guy... even if they hadn't had much opportunity to talk. Call it a guilty pleasure, but he sometimes let his gaze linger a while when Aspen passed him in the hall. He'd always meant to make more of an effort to talk to him, but there just hadn't been a good time. Typical that their first real conversation would be when Awryhx was in agony and trying his best not to pass out.

"Alright. Well, first things first, how about we get you out of this hallway," Aspen suggested, offering a hand. "You can sit in my apartment for a little while, I'll get you some painkillers, and you can call the landlord when you're feeling a little more steady, ok?"

A part of Awryhx knew that it was a bad idea to follow someone who was practically a stranger into their apartment, but he didn't know how long he could sit out in the hallway without food or water, and the offer of painkillers sounded like a saving grace right about now. Besides, Aspen had always been nice enough when they'd talked in the past, and he seemed genuine... so it was probably safe, right? If he'd really wanted to do something terrible to Awryhx, Aspen could have just picked him up or dragged him inside, but he hadn't... he had made an offer and was willing to provide the pain-stricken Horse hybrid with some home comforts until the landlord showed up. It was too kind a gesture to miss out on.

"That would be great, thank you," Awryhx replied, taking Aspen's hand and allowing himself to be gently guided to his feet.

Aspen slipped an arm around Awryhx to support him, letting him move at his own pace until they got to the right door. The Wild Dog fumbled for his keys before opening the door, then he helped Awryhx over to the living room area and got him settled on the sofa; he kept the lights off and passed a few extra cushions over to him so that he could get comfortable. All the while, Aspen's light green eyes were twinged with the kind of gentle worry that most people reserved for friends or loved ones. It was unusual to find someone so caring towards strangers or brief acquaintances... but he supposed that the Wild Dog was probably just one of those people who tried their best to help others, regardless of how well they knew the person or whether they would get anything in return. And right now, Awryhx was incredibly grateful for that trait.

"Feel free to lie down and get comfortable, I'll bring a few things over for you, ok?" Aspen went on, his voice low and oddly soothing.
Awryhx nodded and settled himself down on the sofa, propping his aching head up with a few cushions while he waited for the world to stop hurting. He wasn't sure how many minutes passed, but he was roused from a light doze by the sound of Aspen coming back from the stairwell. The Wild Dog smiled softly and unraveled a blanket, draping it over Awryhx and gently tucking him in; he had placed a glass of ice water on the table, next to some painkillers and a light meal. Awryhx looked at the sandwich and the bag of chips that had been prepared and couldn't help but feel kind of touched that his neighbour would think to provide for him like that.

"Take two of these, and try to eat something if you can. It'll help to prevent the tablets from giving you any more stomach upset than you've already got," Aspen chuckled lightly, sitting nearby with a sandwich of his own.

Awryhx took his time sitting up, reaching for the tablets and swallowing them down with some water, before nibbling delicately at the sandwich. He'd forgotten how hungry he was, distracted by the migraine and the nausea, but it didn't take long for him to work his way up to full mouthfuls, eventually finishing the sandwich and sitting back with a satisfied sigh.

"That feels a lot better already, thanks..." Awryhx smiled weakly, glad that the dizziness and hunger pangs had gone, even if his head still felt like it was going to explode at any given moment. He just had to wait for the painkillers to kick in, and maybe he would be able to face up to the task of calling his landlord.

"How's the pain?" Aspen asked, finishing his own meal and stacking their plates neatly.

"Still hurts like hell, but slowly getting better," Awryhx explained.

"Well, I know a few little tricks for dealing with headaches and migraines, if you're interested. I just didn't want to overstep a boundary or anything without asking," Aspen went on, and Awryhx found himself curious about the kind of thing he might be talking about. What kind of care would overstep a boundary? Awryhx was pretty sure the guy wasn't about to break out an acupuncture kit; although, at this point, he was willing to try pretty much anything if there was a chance that the pain would fade away.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Just a few little life hacks that I've picked up from here and there. Stay put, I'll just fetch the things I need."

Aspen got up and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Awryhx to doze again while he waited. The sofa and cushions were just the right kind of soft... giving him enough support, while also sinking in just the right amount so that he was comfortable. His eyes drifted closed again, warm in the swaddled blanket and contented with the meal. When he heard Aspen come back, he forced his eyes open and was surprised by the items gathered up in his arms. The Wild Dog placed them on the table and sorted through each piece individually.

"Ok, I'm just going to pop this heat pad on the back of your neck, and a cooling pack on your forehead; it'll feel a little weird at first, but it does something to the blood flow to your brain and it's meant to help ease the pain somehow. There's some peppermint tea on the table for you, which should help to open up your sinuses and settle your stomach," Aspen explained, his tone unhurried and holding no trace of insecurity about the fact that he had all this knowledge about such an abstract topic. "And, this last one is entirely up to you, no pressure... but I could massage your shoulders and scalp to try and ease some of the tension if you wanted."

Awryhx considered this for a long moment, his gaze subconsciously drifting to Aspen's hands. He had to admit, the idea of a massage sounded like heaven right about now, but he didn't want to be a burden... especially after Aspen had been so kind and considerate. But then, Aspen had offered... it wasn't like he would be asking for that kind of help unprompted.

Besides, an unbidden voice rationalized from a shrouded corner of his mind, it would be kind of nice to get closer to Aspen. It had been a long time since anyone had really gotten close enough for that kind of contact, and he was hungry for the physical comfort that his neighbour was offering...

"If it's not too much trouble..." Awryhx started, feeling awkward about accepting the offer. But Aspen's smile was enough to reassure him that the Wild Dog genuinely didn't mind.

"Sure thing. Here," Aspen sat close against him and moved some cushions around so that Awryhx could lie back into the little nest created between the Wild Dog's stomach and crossed legs. He offered Awryhx a grin that seemed so wide and captivating from this low angle. "Now, just close your eyes and try to relax. If anything feels uncomfortable or hurts, please just let me know. Ok?"

"Ok," Awryhx agreed, settling his weight and closing his eyes to focus on the sensations.

Aspen's hands were firm but careful, pressing at the bundles of tense muscle and encouraging them to smooth out, the pads of his fingers teasing away all of the stress that had built up in Awryhx's body over the course of the day. It felt incredible. The distracting press and sweep of the Wild Dog's hands helped to keep his mind off of the pain in his head, and he found that the migraine was slowly easing off as the tension left his body. Once his shoulders were more relaxed, Aspen ran a hand down Awryhx's arm and took his hand, massaging away the tension there too.

"How does that feel?" he asked, his voice a low whisper.

"Amazing," Awryhx smiled, feeling better than he had all day. "You're pretty good at this."

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm glad to hear it. To tell you the truth, I kind of enjoy giving massages like this. It's relaxing, you know?"
Awryhx made a sound of agreement and nodded, taking in a long, deep breath as the pain in his head seemed to melt away. It felt good to share this kind of calm, physical space with someone, even if it was just for a little while. It was weird... he wasn't usually someone to open up like this, but it had been exactly what he'd needed after an absolute nightmare of a day. Almost like Aspen had been sent his way to make it all better. Whether it was fate, or destiny, or just dumb luck... he was just glad that he had this chance to feel pampered and comforted until the pain could disappear. He was almost sad that he wouldn't be able to get this kind of treatment more often... but then, maybe...

All too soon, Aspen's hands finished their soothing motions and were moving away. Awryhx opened his eyes and slowly moved to sit up, bracing for a wave of pain and nausea that didn't come. He smiled and stretched out, feeling far more like his usual self . He knew that he shouldn't impose on Aspen longer than necessary, and there was no reason for him to delay calling the landlord about a spare key now... but still, it saddened him a little to know that the evening couldn't go on forever.

"Thanks, that's actually helped a lot," he smiled, catching the little spark that found Aspen's eye in response to the praise. It was cute... he was cute... "I guess I should call the landlord though, let you get on with your evening and all."

"Oh, I suppose," Aspen sighed.

Awryhx laughed lightly and searched for his phone, calling the landlord to arrange a spare key. As it happened, the property owner was already in the area and would be able to drop by on his way home. Until then, Awryhx and Aspen had time to share the quiet and relax after the stresses of the day.

When he landlord called to say that he was outside, Awryhx had to resist the urge to pout. He gathered up his belongings and suddenly felt kind of disappointed about the fact that his landlord had been close by. It would have been nice to spend a little more time with the Wild Dog. But then... he supposed that there was no reason why they couldn't make more time. As Aspen walked him to the door, Awryhx turned and hesitated before stepping out into the hall.

"Thanks, for everything. I really do appreciate it... Let me make it up to you sometime," Awryhx insisted, lingering in the doorway despite the fact that he could see his landlord waiting by his apartment door.

"You don't have to do that, I was happy to help," Aspen responded, but his gaze never left the Horse's. Green meeting purple and holding fast. "But if you insist..."

Awryhx smiled, his lips curving into a gentle grin. "If you're free this Saturday, I'll cook us something. Maybe we could get to know each other a little better... you know, when I'm not a useless bundle of headache and tension."

Aspen laughed and nodded slightly, "Yeah, I'd like that."

"It's a date," Awryhx smirked, starting to turn back towards the hallway. "I'll see you on Saturday."

As Awryhx walked towards his irritable landlord, he found that he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed or upset about the talking down he received. Despite everything that had happened today, it had all been worth it for the chance to finally spend some time with Aspen, and he hoped that Saturday would prove to be just as rewarding.

The End

Adoptable Character Information:
Name: Aspen
Species: African Wild Dog
Pronouns: He/Him
Base Colour:#9caae2
Secondary Colour: #4d58f2
(Spots, paw pads, nose, other markings)
Tertiary Colour: #7ac1cc
(Ears, muzzle and tip of his tail)
Eye Colour: #d8fc99
Hair Colour: #8393e2
Hair style: Fluffy, messy mohawk.
Distinctive Markings:
Aspen has three elongated ovals that stand vertically between his shoulder blades; the middle one is longer than the ovals on each side.
Personality
Deeply caring, Aspen gets a lot of enjoyment and validation out of helping others. However, he can also get quite upset when someone is hurt and there is nothing that he can do to assist. He is usually very grounded and steady, never getting particularly bothered by things unless someone he cares about is hurt. Prone to laziness, he would much rather take a nap or read for a while, rather than doing anything more productive. Aspen is very comfortable in social situations, but doesn't necessarily seek out company if he could be relaxing at home.
Likes:
Grunge Rock, pizza, reading, naps and horror movies.
Dislikes:
Cold weather, popcorn, busy schedules, sports.