We Won't Tell You to Heel
is a one-shot Runaways fanfiction by explosionshark, which can be read on Archive of Our Own.
Molly convinces Nico to help her steal - sorry liberate - a dog that is being abused by its owner, and Nico reluctantly agrees.
All spoilers for Runaways (Rainbow Rowell) will be left unmarked in the trope examples below. You Have Been Warned!
We Won't Tell You to Heel provides examples of:
- Accidental Public Confession: Nico accidentally shoots down Karolina and Chase's proposal of stealing a dog too loudly at a diner.
- "Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word: Justified. Chase and Karolina insist that they aren't stealing the dog, but that they're liberating it because they are trying to convince Nico to go along with their plan.
- Commonality Connection: Nico connects with the dog because as Karolina explains, they both are better off away from their homes, which weren't much of a home to begin with.“Stealing him,” Nico points out, feeling silly but not able to shake the distress that’s been clinging to her for days. “He had a home.”“I think if anyone in the world knows how little that means sometimes, Nico, it’s us,” Karolina says.
- Love Makes You Dumb: Downplayed. Karolina's puppy-dog eyes manage to convince Nico to help take a dog away from its abusive owner, which is technically theft.
- Hypocrite Has a Point: Despite Gert pointing out that the Runaways are all criminals, Nico's point about them stealing the dog still stands because none of their crimes up until now were this blatant; theft is probably easier to prosecute than squatting in an abandoned subterranean building.
- Odd Couple:
- Karolina and Nico, even more so than in canon. Nico is dead-serious and cynical and Karolina is more idealistic without really considering the consequences of her actions.
- Nico and Chase. Chase is a goofball who doesn't really act that much like an adult most of the time, while Nico is the Team Mom and is wise beyond her years.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Nico stresses her words while reminding the rest of the Runaways that what they want to do is considered theft, which is a crime.“The. Dog. Does. Not. Belong to us,” Nico repeats. “This is illegal.”
- No Sympathy: Downplayed and justified. Nico does feel sorry for an abused dog chained up in a front yard, but she doesn't want to steal it because that is a crime.
- Team Mom: Nico is basically a mother to the rest of the Runaways as in canon; being the only one to think of the consequences of their actions, and when they do have to commit a crime, she plans it out so that they have the least chance of getting caught.
- Toxic Friend Influence: The rest of the Runaways manage to convince Nico to help them steal a dog.
