Streets of Gold (Dodger x Male!Reader)

Your Story

"We lived above a club." you began. "It wasn't one of those new, preppy places with the naked ladies and the booze. It was a jazz club. At least, thats what my owner called it."

Dodger looked to you, Rita, Einstein, and Tito approaching you to listen closely, Francis just remaining where he was, though you could tell he was listening.

"My owner owned and ran it. He loved the place, and would play there some nights. I'd hear it, and it was good. Sometimes I'd come down, or he'd bring me down, and the humans there would give me treats, or pet me, but, that was rare. I mostly stayed upstairs."

You felt all of those feelings come back. You could hear the piano's notes, the saxophone's wails, and the soft sound of a brush off a cymbal, with a bass's low strums lying underneath.

"He had a wife, and a little girl named Emily. We all lived together, happy. Every night from sunset to about nine at night, my owner would go downstairs and play his music for people. It was nice. Nobody had to worry about anything. We had plenty. I was never left hungry for too long." You gave a weak smile. "Everything was amazing, until that night."

You could hear rain hitting the roof above you all. "It was weather like it is now. Rainy. Windy. Cold. Lighting struck a powerline outside, and the spark must have traveled all the way to the house. All I know is that something sparked near the curtain, starting a fire." You paused, looking to the others.

They all seemed genuinely enthralled in the tale you told. Dodger's expression had shifted at the mention of a fire. He seemed concerned for you, though he wasn't going to interrupt you.

"..I tried to wake them all up, but they wouldn't..." Those horrible memories flooded your mind. All the pain. You'd lost so much in one night. "They.. they wouldn't.. get up.."

Dodger immediately stepped forward, placing a paw on your chest. "..Easy there, (Y/N). You don't have to say any more.. We wouldn't want you remembering something that scarring when you're not ready."

You gave a quiet nod, Dodger sitting beside you, wrapping his forelegs around you. "C'mon. Let's get ya fed so you can rest. Just because you're not hurt doesn't mean you're ready to exert yourself."

Dodger genuinely seemed to care about your feelings and well-being. You kind of felt something for him, but you weren't really sure what.