Prologue

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You clutched the grubby newspaper under your arm as you hopped down the back alley, puddles splashing up the brick walls on either side of you as sounds echoed back to you through the darkness. Just behind your ankles the young malnourished dalmatian trotted along after you, occasionally shoving his wet nose into your hand.

"Come on, Domino." You called to the pitiful creature as you climbed up onto a bench when you got out onto the main road and sat down on it properly, the dog jumping up to sit next to you as you tried to read the paper by the light of the nearby street lamp. You weren't very good with reading, but the newspapers you often found lying around were good for practice. You swung your legs beneath you as you looked for a story in the paper that had an interesting picture to go with it, and you perked up when you found the perfect one. "Look, Domino!" You told him eagerly, pointing, and the dalmatian rested his head on your shoulder to obey. "They found the dalmatian puppies that were stolen last week! Two men have gone to prison for it, Jasper and Ho-Horace." A frown touched your tiny face as you struggled with the second name, but you were satisfied you had it right. There were a few moments of silence. "Well I'm glad they're home now." You left the newspaper on the bench beside you and slipped down, Domino following suit to stand by your side. Again there was just silence as you considered your options, but it was getting late and you didn't want to push your luck that your absence would remain unnoticed for much longer. "Well I guess it's time for me to head back now." You told the dog, and his ears flattened upon hearing your words. You'd never questioned whether or not he could understand you. It was clear to you that he could.

You started back down the alley more slowly, reluctant to have to say goodbye to the only friend you had, but knowing you didn't really have a choice in the matter. The sounds of the city surrounded you – London could be louder than you wished it to be during the night – and though you could hear sirens in the distance you paid it little mind.

After a few twists and turns you hesitated when you saw someone a little way ahead. He was a tall man, clearly wealthy judging by his well-tailoured clothes, and you had to wonder why he was in a place as run down as this. He was heading towards you, but looking behind him as if worried he was being pursued. It was hard to see in the dark, but it looked like his hair was two different colours – white on one side and black on the other.

Nervous, because you really didn't want to meet anyone in the middle of the night in a secluded alleyway, you shrunk in on yourself and kept your eyes glued to the ground in the hopes he wouldn't notice you, or at least that he would just ignore you. Domino growled by your side, and you looked at him in shock. He never growled at people. Something about this man must have been bad news.

With his gaze almost constantly behind him, the stranger was meandering over the alleyway, unable to keep to a straight line. As your eyes were fixed on the ground, it was no wonder that you ended up bumping into the stranger, causing him to turn to you quickly to give you a suspicious glare, taking a step back. Domino had vanished, taking off down the alley way as if he would rather be anywhere else.

"Sorry." You muttered to the man, stepping to the side as you made to go past him. Before you could get anywhere, however, blaring sirens made both of you jump as a police car pulled across the end of the alley way, another one on the other side blocking any kind of escape route as police got out of the cars, pointing guns at the pair of you and yelling at you to do as you were told. You froze, glaring up at the man who was clearly the one they were after as you both slowly raised your arms in the air.

Male!Cruella De Vil X Male!Child!Reader ~ RunningWhere stories live. Discover now