Spikes and Kitty stood in silence, both girls shocked by Spikes choosing to reveal a piece of her past.
Spikes sighed as she glanced up at the sky as it began to rain lightly.
"He used to love the rain. It was one of the few times he would let his guard down and play with me." Spikes whispered, reflecting fondly on the memories of her brother.
"Let his guard down? What do you mean?" Kitty asked, unable to further contain her curiosity.
"My brother basically raised me. It was just the two of us for all I can remember." Spikes answered before looking away.
"What about your parents?"
Spikes sighed, pulling a cigarette out of her pocket. She focused on the simple task of lighting it, instead of on Kitty's question.
She inhaled deeply, the smoke filling her lungs before exhaling. Kitty grimaced as she watched Spikes smoke, but stayed quiet and waited for Spikes to be ready to respond.
"I never met my parents. All I know is my mother is dead, and my father was a jerk according to Takado. That's all I've ever known about either of them though."
"I'm so sorry." Kitty said softly, looking down at her feet. She couldn't fathom never knowing either of her own parents, or what kind of pain that would cause.
"You don't need to feel sorry for me. I'm ok with it now." Spikes smiled softly at the cat before shifting her eyes back on the rainfall.
"I had Takado, and after that I had Blade. I may not have had a blessed life, but it hasn't been as terrible as I imagine it could be."
Spikes took one last drag of her cigarette before she dropped it on the ground, stepping on it to put it out.
"I'm still alive, so I've got it pretty good don't you think?" Spikes forced a laugh as she spoke despite her shaking arms and the burn behind her eyes.
Kitty's eyes watered as she watched Spikes, guilt ate away at her insides over the way she had treated the canine upon their first encounter.
"Spikes... I'm so sorry. I never would have imagine that... that you had gone through so much." Kitty whispered through the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.
"That's the idea. I don't want to broadcast my life. I don't want people's pity." Spikes explained, her eyes focused on the ground at her feet. "I don't want people to pretend to care just because they feel sorry for me."
Kitty took a step towards Spikes, wrapping her arms around the stubborn dog as she began to cry.
"I'm so sorry Spikes. For everything you've gone through, for the way I treated you. I cannot apologize enough to make it up to you." Kitty began to cry as she held onto Spikes.
"You don't need to apologize for anything Kitty. You wouldn't have acted the way you did, if I had approached you better. I know that now." Spikes sighed before returning the hug and letting her own tears fall.
Spikes buried her face in Kitty's shoulder and wept more than she had in years. Spikes's knees collapsed under her, and Kitty knelt beside her, still holding her friend close as she finally let go of years of grief that had built up inside of her.
...
Kitty's nose twitched in response to a small drop of water fall onto it.
She quickly scanned the area in search of Spikes, but quickly gave up and ran under an awning.
"What's wrong? I don't think I've ever seen you run that fast before, Cat." Spikes joked as she walked slowly towards where Kitty was standing.
"You having second thoughts about meeting at school? Everyone's gone home by now you know."
Kitty rolled her eyes at Spikes.
"Of course that's not it Spikes. It's not like I'd care what anyone said anyways."
"Then why run off?"
"Because it's about to start pouring?" Kitty gestured towards the sky just as the rain began to pelt the ground.
Spikes stood still for a moment, dumbfounded by the cat's knowledge of the rain before a chill ran down her spine and she ran inside only to be greeted by the cat's laughter.
"How did you know that?" Spikes questioned, taking her jacket off and attempted to wring it out before tossing it onto the floor.
"Well it has been cloudy all day Spikes." Kitty laughed, the sarcasm in her tone was not missed,
"That and every time water hits my nose, a downpour is sure to follow."
"That's one hell of a gift." Spikes grumbled, taking a seat on the floor to take off her boots to allow them to dry off a bit.
"How do you even afford some of this stuff Spikes?" Kitty inquired as she lifted Spikes's leather jacket off of the floor.
Spikes shook her head, grabbing her jacket back from Kitty's hands.
"Let's agree not to talk about it it, alright Cat?"
"Did you steal it?"
Spikes sighed, her gaze focused on the ground. She hoped her silence would be enough of an answer for the cat.
"It's ok if you did, Spikes." Kitty responded, sitting down beside the dog.
"Yeah normally I don't approve of that sort of thing, but I understand now. Sometimes you have to in order to survive. You helped me see that."
"You too." Spikes blushed, but kept her eyes fixed on the ground.
"I get now that just because things look great on the surface, it doesn't mean they actually are."
The clink of heels on the school's wooden floor caught both their attention as they turned and glanced down the hallway.
"Fuck..." both girl grumbled in unison at the sight of three girls walking down the hallway.
"I'll leave." Spikes slid her feet back into her boots and stood up.
"Where are you going, Spikes?" One of the girl's nasally voice asked.
"None of your fucking business." Spikes growled as she made her way to the door, but the brunette stepped in her way.
"It's rude to leave before our conversation is finished." She mocked.
"Haven't the streets taught you any manners?"
"Kitty, what are you doing here with this filth?" The blonde one asked, eyeing both girls suspiciously.
"Is it community service?"
"She's not filth! Don't you dare call her that." Kitty hissed at the girls.
"Of course she is, just look at her and then look at yourself, There is clearly a difference in class." The red-head added in, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"What are you two friends or something?" The blonde inquired.
Spikes was about to protest but was quickly cut off by Kitty.
"So what if we are? What's wrong with that?" She growled at the girls. Spikes's eye widened as her gaze traveled from the girls to Kitty.
"But you're high society, aren't you worried about what associating with this trash would do to your reputation?"
"I'd get a worse reputation from associating with trash like you," Kitty retorted, turning to walk away.
"Excuse you?" The blonde exclaimed, reaching out to grab Kitty's hand only to find herself caught in Spikes's grip.
"Do not even think about laying a hand on my friend." Spikes growled at the girl, before tossing her hand aside.
"You three had better back off because if any of you try to hurt her I will make sure you pay. And I'd hate to see your daddy's money on your nose jobs go to waste."
"You talk real big Spikes, but just wait until we tell everyone about this tomorrow!" The blonde shouted at them before running off with her friends.
The girls stood for a moment in silence before Spikes began to walk away.
"Your gang isn't going to take well to this new information, are they?" Kitty asked.
Spikes froze, turning her head to look at Kitty.
"They not my gang." She sighed heavily, turning back to exit the school.
"But we'll probably have to avoid each other for a while though."
"Are you going to be ok?" Kitty questioned,
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm gonna go back home now though. Have a safe drive Kitty." Spikes responded and walked out the door into the rain.
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