Off-Brand (The Wolf Among Us)

[Anonymouse]

I got back into the game “The Wolf Among Us” bigtime. Of course I then searched the forum to see if there were any stories about Bigby Wolf and could only find AppleBlossom’s, but holy shit was it amazing! It inspired me to try a oneshot with Bigby and Snow, with some of those big, bad sneezes. I haven’t decided whether this takes place during the events of the game or earlier. It’s vague enough that I don’t think it really matters. I’ve only just started episode four so I’m not sure what happens beyond that.

---

Bigby sat alone in the backseat of the idling taxi, nodding off to the smooth jazz on the radio while he waited for Snow. It had been a long night, and she offered to grab them coffee before they moved onto their next venture. The sheriff never turned down free coffee, especially not when he spent the past forty-eight hours running all over the goddamn city with no promise of a few solid hours of sleep in sight.

“Bigby?” she said softly, and he jerked awake violently, nearly knocking over the coffee she was offering to him.

He grabbed the cup and hissed as the hot coffee spilling out burned his hand. Gritting his teeth, he forced a grateful smile and said “I got it… thanks.”

“Are you o--”

“I’m fine, Snow…” he insisted before she could even finish, changing the subject when he saw the pack of cigarettes thrown on the seat between them. “Did you… are those for me?”

“I shouldn’t support your habit,” she said, “but I know it helps you… relax and think more clearly, which is what we need right now, and the pack you had in your pocket… there was blood all over it, so I threw it away.”

It was a kind gesture, but he couldn’t help but look skeptical as he picked up the pack and examined it. “These are mundy cigarettes,” he observed.

“I don’t think they sell Huff & Puffs at the corner market.”

Bigby shrugged and pulled one out of the pack, always open to new vices. If he was on the fence about the brand, the taxi driver asking him to “kindly refrain from smoking” only encouraged him to do just the opposite.

“Bigby,” Snow scolded, though the mundy cabbie seemed too terrified of challenging his rather imposing passenger to start any trouble.

Ignoring the both of them, Bigby took a slow drag off the cigarette as they rolled past block after identical block, the faces of the people and the buildings all starting to blur together. Then the imagery really did blur together as his eyes began to water, a reflex triggered by the cloying smoke curling in his throat. He coughed sharply, turning against his shoulder, and found Snow looking at him with obvious concern when he recovered. It didn’t help that he was wincing; the movement was not kind to his bruised and broken body.

“Take it easy,” she said, and Bigby huffed, a sound that was soon followed by more dry, irritated coughs.

“These cigarettes are shit,” he said, taking another drag. He lowered the window just enough to filter out the smoke and to ash the cigarette out the window.

“Then stop smoking them.”

A poorly-time cough forced the smoke back out through his nostrils again. Snow lowered her own window as Bigby coughed and spluttered against the crook of his arm. He tossed the cigarette out the window as if to punish it for its undesired effects.

“Let’s hope that didn’t land in a bush,” said Snow.

“We’re in New York City,” Bigby managed between coughs.

“A pile of trash, then.”

The sheriff scrubbed at his nose, literally growling as he tried to rid himself of the irritation that only seemed to be growing. Smoking that shitty mundy cigarette just to make Snow feel like she didn’t just waste six bucks on an ungrateful prick was a bad idea. He seemed to be making a lot of stupid decisions lately, and this was just one of a long list of many.

The severity of the situation became more apparent when the persistent irritation in his chest and throat migrated up to his sinuses. He could feel his nostrils crinkling against his fingers, and no amount of rubbing helped to abate the discomfort. Pushing his coffee cup into Snow’s hands, he began to rub his knuckles back and forth under his fluttering nostrils, his breath hitching softly at first, but with growing intensity.

“Bigby?” Snow said nervously.

It was the fear in her voice that compelled him to turn away from her and pinch his nose between his fingers, stifling the sneeze into oblivion. The tiny squeak was recognizable enough as a sneeze to prompt a polite ‘bless you’ from the cab driver, but it was nowhere near as loud or violent as Snow remembered them being.

“You can relax,” Bigby said on the exhale, his voice much steadier now. For a moment Snow was tempted to do as he suggested, but that vague look in his eyes and the occasional twitch of his nostrils was keeping her on high alert. “I’ve got it under control.”

She wanted to believe him, but several hundred years of experience left her feeling uneasy. Bigby looked hurt by the distrustful look on her face. “I’m not gonna hurt you, Snow…”

“I know, Bigby, but…” She bit her bottom lip, just briefly taking his eyes off of him to look out the front window. They were stuck in traffic, in the middle of the city, in a sea of mundies. They couldn’t afford to have an incident here. “I’m sure you can understand why I get nervous when you do… that.”

“Doo-huhhh?… d-do what?”

Her heart did a cannonball into her stomach as his eyes began to close, nostrils flaring without restraint. “That,” she said.

The crumpled receipts and empty styrofoam coffee cups from the last several dozen passengers stirred at Bigby’s feet as his breath hitched, deep, heavy pants that made his chest strain against his button-down shirt. As his breaths grew stronger and more desperate she could feel the loose curls she had tied back in a ponytail tickling against her cheeks and neck as if being tousled around in some pre-hurricane breezes. She opened her mouth to say his name but all she could bring herself to do was marvel at the impressive build-up. She imagined a similar sequence of events must have preceded the destruction of two of the three little pigs’ houses all those years ago.

They were stuck in unmoving traffic, so Bigby grabbed the door handle while he was still coordinated enough to do so and let himself out onto the street. “Bigby!” Snow said as he blindly stumbled into a slow-moving car coming from the opposite direction.

Finding her wallet, she tossed some money carelessly at the driver before pursuing Bigby. She managed to grab his arm and steer him onto the sidewalk, guiding him through the gridlock of vehicles. His body was resistant to her redirection, completely consumed by the desire to sneeze and the struggle to keep himself from succumbing to this urge. They entered an alleyway that seemed to be empty, save for a few trash receptacles and doors leading to the kitchens of restaurants. Bigby was briefly distracted by the scent of cooking meat, that smoky, cloying smell making him crinkle his nose.

He took a few steps forward, waving Snow back when she followed him. “D-doehh… huhh… hehhhhh… hh’EHHhh!... h’HEHHHhh!”

Snow put her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide as Bigby tipped his head back, gulping in breath after breath of the air around him.

“HuhhhhriiHHHRFSSHHHHHHHHHHhhh!”

He pitched forward with all his might, bracing himself against the wall of the alleyway to keep from falling. Snow winced as the resulting gust sent the trash cans and some items from one of the dumpsters scattering across the floor of the alley. It was noisy, it was destructive, and it was anything but subtle. There were a couple of people passing by the entrance to the alley just after it happened, and they stared in confusion at the mess before continuing on in their default state of disinterest. Someone poked their head out from one of the kitchen doors to point to a sign that read ‘No Loitering.’ Bigby, recovering, gave them the finger.

He sniffled heavily, pressing the back of his hand against his nose. When Snow approached him he turned away, his shoulders hunched defensively. She stopped and gave him some space as he tugged a handkerchief out from his pocket and gave his nose a good, thorough blow.

“Probably could’ve used that a little sooner,” she said lightly.

“Forgot I had it,” he mumbled, folding it up and putting it back in his pocket.

She tried not to let on that she noticed how red his face was when he turned back to face her. His nose was even redder, and she could feel her heart ache with sympathy.

“No more mundy cigarettes,” he said, his voice rougher than usual. “Though I do appreciate the gesture.”

“You could quit smoking altogether,” Snow suggested.

Bigby hid a smile behind his hand, pressing his knuckles against his nose. The tickle was gone but it felt good to paw at it for a bit after a sneeze. Though he tried to avoid sneezing in public at all costs, especially when Snow was around, he had to admit it felt pretty good to let them out like that. Fortunately, and perhaps ironically, his smoking habit led to diminished lung capacity. To think, the alleyway might be scattered with the bricks of the surrounding buildings instead of crumpled, empty fast food bags.

“I think I’ll just stick to Huff & Puffs from now on,” said Bigby, not willing to commit to quitting completely.

Potential crisis averted, they returned to the investigation as if there had been no interruption. Though she didn’t pester him about it, Snow made a mental note to discuss the matter with Bigby later on.

Edited July 20, 2014 by anonymouse

[Garnet]

Ohhh my god :| See, I was tempted to go buy the game (or at least watch a Youtube play through) after reading AppleBlossom's, but I think you've just cemented my decision. I am dying to try my hand at this guy.

As always, Anony, your writing is fantastic. Even though I don't know the characters or fandom, I love the way you portrayed them here, and the dry humor present. And uh, the enormous, destructive sneeze trope? I love it, but it has to be done right, in a fitting situation, and this is done right.

The crumpled receipts and empty styrofoam coffee cups from the last several dozen passengers stirred at Bigby’s feet as his breath hitched, deep, heavy pants that made his chest strain against his button-down shirt. As his breaths grew stronger and more desperate she could feel the loose curls she had tied back in a ponytail tickling against her cheeks and neck as if being tousled around in some pre-hurricane breezes.

DAT BUILD-UP. Unf.

I uh... think I have to go read this again.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Garnet

[Anonymouse]

I am dying to try my hand at this guy.

AND I AM DYING TO READ WHATEVER BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE COMES OF THAT

[*Dark_Side*]

I am so happy you wrote this! When I started reading the comics I was dying for a fic about him but couldn't find any and then I started the game recently and that desire what ignited again. I love Bigby so much. Thanks for writing an awesome fic.

[AppleBlossom]

*GASP* You were inspired by me?! I'm so happy! I don't know what to say! Thank you!

Your story is amazing, you have the characters down to a T! I freaking love those sneezes, the spellings are magical, I can hear them so clearly in my mind! Your story makes my tummy all warm and fuzzy!

I can't wait to what you write next! XD

[Garnet]

I am dying to try my hand at this guy.

AND I AM DYING TO READ WHATEVER BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE COMES OF THAT

I may or may not have acquired the game and digital copies of the comics. I also might only be through the first episode and already have 1500 words written from the middle of a fic I have no idea the plot to, already. THIS SHOULD BE GOOD.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Garnet

[Anonymouse]

I am dying to try my hand at this guy.

AND I AM DYING TO READ WHATEVER BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE COMES OF THAT

I may or may not have acquired the game and digital copies of the comics. I also might only be through the first episode and already have 1500 words written from the middle of a fic I have no idea the plot to, already. THIS SHOULD BE GOOD.

This is glorious news!!! Enjoy the game I'm thinking of starting another and changing my approach to make Bigby more ruthless.

omg yes Garnet doing The Wolf Among Us. I'm so excited to see how you write him (and his sneezes? )

Edited July 21, 2014 by anonymouse

[Garnet]

This is glorious news!!! Enjoy the game I'm thinking of starting another and changing my approach to make Bigby more ruthless.

Hijacking your thread some more. Yesss, I just finished it and already want to replay it and see what the different choices yield. I found it really hard to lean one way or the other, which I guess is pretty fitting for his story in the first place. Sometimes I really wanted to be nice but clearly wasn't getting anywhere unless heads were getting bashed. Very. very interesting game.

Also I just super want to do that fight in the metal works again unf.