Enjoy - I'm in the process of making a cover for this story :3
I may edit this later (won't change much, just grammar, understanding, etc)

Delivery

A lean silhouette crept swiftly down the street. He was thin and scruffy, but he knew he'd survive. He always did. A stash was saved for the next visit to Liberty Park - which would be 6 o'clock in the morning. He restrained himself not to eat any. That's why he changed "homes" so often.

He dreaded the trip to Liberty. Of all the animals, Grayson had to be the one. The one he lost his temper with. The one he yelled at. Yet, still, Grayson was the only one to visit him. Seek him out. And that infuriated him most of all.

Sure, have Andie come, but Grayson? he thought bitterly. Grayson was terrible at keeping things to himself, barely having the strength to maintain the illusion that he and his team were the heroes, not Surly and Buddy. If he didn't tell the whole park what Surly did, he'd tell Andie. And Precious. And God knows who else he would tell, knowing that Grayson had slipped up a few times. Luckily, the ones who knew never retaliated and told the whole park; they simply acted as if Grayson was the hero all along. That's the version they much prefer anyways.

Grayson would put him through hell. Surly could feel it in his bones; Grayson was not done with him. Whatever he had planned, it was not good.

Surly's eyes shifted from side to side as he recalled all the events of that day. For some reason, it was a blur... maybe it was due to his rage. Or that's just how I work, he figured. He dug through his brain... how did he get Grayson off his tail again? Oh, yeah...

Flashback to End of last chapter

Surly began to re-curl into the safety of a corner. Soft dribbles of rain fell and he shivered. He expected Grayson to be going away by now; he knew how much he hated the rain. Surly sighed with relief at the thought. Now I can get some damn sleep...

Droplets rolled off his whiskers and he sneezed; he reached for the nearby "blanket" of plastic he had already prepared for himself. But someone beat him to the punch. Two rough paws lifted the make-shift cover hesitantly. Grayson's fur was drenched in the rain, but he didn't mind. He quickly secured the plastic under Surly's weight, tucking his fluffy purple tail in. Surly's ears flattened with surprise; for a moment, he didn't know how to react.

"Don't mention it," Grayson thumb flickered towards his blanketed bundle, standing charmingly upright on his back legs. His voice broke Surly's dazed confusion before he could even utter a word.

"No, no," Surly leapt up to his feet, throwing the blanket gently away. "Stop it," he glared at the grey squirrel. Beneath Surly's severity, a tint of gratitude hid in his ember eyes. He tried not to look soft, sensitive, or protective of Grayson at all, but that's exactly how Grayson viewed him. "You need to leave now."

"Surly...," he whined. "Let me stay? I have am an exemplary ally - I can help!"

"What do you mean, "help"?" Surly snarled. "I don't need any. It's tough enough as it is, trying to feed myself. What you gonna leave the park for?" Grayson's mouth opened to speak. "That was a rhetorical question," the purple squirrel snapped.

"I miss you and Andie does too...!," Grayson admitted and hugged him. Surly brushed him off. "Why can't I help you?! You don't have to be alone anymore... a-and I don't have to live a lie!"

"Grayson, I'm trying to protect ya, ok?" his rough voice growled. "I'm not good for you, the park, or anyone else." Surly muttered, "Hell, Buddy saw that coming before you or Andie ever could."

"Surly, please, I'm cold and I...," a garbage can fell, "I hate those rats!" he wailed. Grayson's tail bristled straight up, and he leapt onto Surly's back.

"D-Don't leave me...!" His eyes closed tightly. Surly threw him off; the grey squirrel flipped over and dug his claws into the loose cracks of the brick. Grayson's ears flattened, a loud bang from below sending his imagination haywire.

"Bye Grayson. I can't do this anymore." For a second, the hero's face was appalled. His arms hung limply to his sides as he watched Surly slurk away to the shadows... abandoning the plastic wrap. Grayson's tail twitched and he came back to life. He shook his head and had a determined look in his eye. He swallowed his fear.

"F-Fine," he shrugged dumbly, "I-I can be ... lonely, too!"

Lonely..., Surly thought sadly, Grayson, you're something else.

"I will avenge my efforts! Because I...," Grayson grappled for the next words, "I never forget my friends!" he yelled the last words pathetically and raced off into the night. He skidded down ladders and balconies until he found one particularly over-hanging that hid him from the rats...

Grayson's breath caught in his throat at each new eerie sound... He tousled in his sleep and had terrible nightmares. If only Surly knew how horrified of the dark he was.

Bright, orange flames skidded the sunrise, barely peaking over the world. Cars still buzzed by and droplets of water visibly fell softly to the ground. All was quiet and drowsy. Lazy snores came from a small tree as Surly dreamed of the night before. Of how it could have turned out. It made him long for Grayson's presence again, just to say how sorry he was.

A flick of water dropped on his nose and he twitched. The purple squirrel yawned, stretching his tired tail. He slowly shook himself and hung closely to the tree bark.

Already? he moaned internally. Come on..., he whined in his head. As fanciful as his dreams were the night before, Surly quickly forced himself to pretend like he never had them. He was embarrassed, but didn't want to ruin the peaceful morning with angry banter in his thoughts. Surly's ears flickered as he observed the sky. The squirrel skidded down the tree, dreading the trip to Liberty Park. He knew a round of lectures were to come about from Andie, and possibly the Bruisers, about his treatment of Grayson last night. And the hero would be the new victim.

Surly groaned with annoyance.

Hope you enjoyed; please review/critique/etc. I'm taking up requests and will consider all of them
Next chapter will be coming up within a few days

I will explain why Buddy left soon :)