••°••°••
_________________________________________

Dawn stayed close behind, grabbing Eden’s shirt for comfort. When Eden finally approached, he ran his tongue over his bottom lip piercing slowly, before speaking. “You both know you’re absolutely breathtaking, right? So let me be direct, we want your numbers. I’m Eden. This is Dawn.”

Rhett caught the movement, a side smirk ghosting on his mouth. His incisors and bicuspids were sharper than normal, those things were meant for shredding... they all knew that.

Hawke stepped forward, moving between all of them. More so Rhett.

"Another... another time, I got to get him out of here-"

"I'm fine baby, I'm extra fine," he let out a sharp, hissing laugh that almost sounded like a predatory bark. This gained the other hybrids in the grocery store to flock away, still unaware of what was actually happening.

Dawn tilted his head at the interaction between the two and Eden smirked.

Hmmm, heating cycle must be close. Eden thought, as he knew that sound.

“Oh-Oh ok-okay.” Dawn spoke clearly confused.

Eden’s arm wrapped around Dawn’s waist, “You good?” He asked, his tone teasing.

Rhett licked his sharp teeth, his forked tongue circling around them like a predator would prey.

"Perfect, jusSsSst peachy," his S's slurred thanks to his snake hybrid being.

*Hawke looked at Eden, letting a breath go. His head fell, suppressing his own smirk.*

"That's Rhett, I'm Hawke."

Dawn’s eyes stayed glued to Hawke without realizing it. His eyes practically glowed as he watched him.

Eden on the other hand? He knew exactly what he was doing to Rhett and how did he know that?

“Mmm, Rhett.” He said, as if he was testing the name on his lips, but the way he said it? Oh, he didn’t just say it like normal, he dragged out the name his voice low, raspy.

He practically moaned it.

"I don't think you wanna do thisSs around him."

Hawke put a hand on Rhett's chest, suddenly the feeling kept him calm. The snake male clenched his teeth, his sweats tight and clearly showing off himself being rather well endowed for a hybrid.

If they were not in public, it'd be a different story. This, this was why Rhett and Hawke lived away from everyone. This particular reason.

"If I didn't have decency you'd be face down on this tile right now, actually moaning it."

Dawn gasped at the statement, his eyes widened. Eden on the hand? A coy smirk played on his lips.

“W-W-We s-s-s-s-sh-should go!” Dawn said, trying to grab and pull an unmoved Eden.

He gave Rhett a look, a look that read of every nasty thing he would want to do to him, before turning to Dawn and nodded. “Yeah, we should go. Got groceries we need to get home, but here.” Eden said grabbing the receipt and writing his number on it, as well as Dawn’s. “Just in case.” He said holding the paper out.
Rhett reached out and took it, his fingers intentionally brushing along Eden's knuckles. He handed the receipt to Hawke, who took it. The other male sighed deeply and pushed Rhett the opposite direction.

“Alright, alright babe,” Rhett smirked, going with Hawke.

Hawke had just put everything back and needed to get out of there for many viable reasons.

“I think you scared him.”

“Huh?” Rhett scoffed.

“Dawn,” Hawke said, loud enough for Eden and Dawn to hear.

Eden guided Dawn out the store and to the car. “W-W-What hap-hap-happened in th-there?” He asked.

“Nothing bad, love. Don’t worry.” Eden said kissing the top of his head, “Just know, when we get home I’m going to ruin you.”

The statement made Dawn gasp and blush. Eden patted his ass playfully and opened the car door for him. Dawn got in and Eden closed the door gently for him.

Eden glanced at the store one last time before he got in the car and the pair headed home.

"Baby, I'm just gonna say it. He ain't as innocent as it seems."

"Huh? What are you saying?"

Rhett laughed, throwing his head back along with it.

"He's got Eden all over him, I'm pretty sure he's not some innocent little virgin."

Hawke looked up at him, a light gleam in his eyes and he nodded.

"Well I wasn't going there-"

Rhett kissed his head, "You were thinking it."

The next couple of days, were quiet. Eden went to his job and Dawn did his college work. It wasn’t until about a week rolls by before Dawn’s phone got a message.

It was an unknown number, the text was awkward and felt like it was someone who doesn’t know how to talk to new people.

This is Hawke. Dawn thought instantly, reading the message.

-hey, how's it going?

Then another was sent,

-this is Hawke by the way

Hawke had been at home in him and Rhett’s shared cabin deep in the woods. A spacious place for the predator hybrid to hunt and Hawke to have space from everyone who wasn't Rhett. It was average sized, but it was their home. A home they built for each other since they were teenagers.

The male wore a mask not because of health concerns or a wild outbreak of the sort. Behind his mask held a sinister trait. He was a gorgon, that of a dying breed. Being a gorgon and the offspring of Medusa certainly was a curse. The phrases "If looks cold kill," and "Killer smile," followed him everywhere he went. After his mom died, he was left with his father. The man who feared nothing, after all he was married to a woman with snakes for hair and a face that could turn anyone to stone. Blinded by her impeccable beauty saved him from perishing, while his wide eyed son Hawke was a different story.

Recalling a day spent playing in the garden, the father, in fear his son would never smile, was attempting to get the small boy to laugh. A raindrop fell onto the man's forehead causing him to make a scrunched up face.

“Aw yuck buddy, look at that,” the man chuckled.

“Yuck!” The small gorgon repeated and started off into a full blown spiel of giggles. A wide smile painting on the child’s face, the trait that cost him his last parental figure. Only seconds later, before the little boy's eyes his father turned to stone. In fear, he screamed...causing the stone figure to break in a zillion pieces. They fell into his fingertips and he sobbed and sobbed.

Hawke didn't like speaking on it, but that was the gravity of why the gorgon wore his mask. A barrier to save everyone else… from himself.