Hey, all! I'm back with another update! Thanks again to Revan Alek Shan for letting me use his OC, Kivuli, in this story. He's about to have a more accentuated role in this story. Revan told me this great idea he had and called it a tribute to my own recent coming out as a bisexual individual. I was so tickled pink by that! Just so you know, the Alex mentioned is NOT a reference to my friend Alex who has been giving me advice in moving the story forward. I listened to some relaxing music from various Pokemon games. The Pokemon OST, whether from main series games or the spin-offs, never disappoints. My favorite to this day is the Explorers of Sky soundtrack. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Support

Thankfully, the officers at the fire were unharmed. Once the scene had settled down, the Wilde couple was about to leave when Judy's cell phone started to ring. She checked the screen and sighed, "Oh, no…"

"What?" Nick asked, flipping his aviators from in front of his eyes to the top of his head. He crouched down and craned his neck so he could see the screen. His eyes widened when he saw the number.

"It's Lucas's school…" Judy reported, voicing Nick's thoughts. Judy answered, "Hello? Yes, this is Mrs. Wilde. He what?! O-okay, how is he…? …Yes, I understand. We'll be there soon… Thank you. Bye." She hung up and looked grimly to Nick. "He saw us by the fire on the news and had a panic attack. I think it dredged up some bad memories for him."

"Aw, no…" Nick mumbled, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew it couldn't be helped, but that didn't save him from the fact that his son had been so terrified of being left alone again. On the bright side, it showed how quickly Lucas had grown to trust and love Nick and Judy and how much he needed the home and family that they provided. In its own right, it was a sign of progress. They both got into the squad car. Judy, at the driver's seat, paused. Nick, perplexed, asked, "What is it, Carrots?"

"I'm going to church later…I need to ask Him for some advice. Nick…are we really doing all we can?" Judy asked, tears hanging in her sparky purple eyes.

"Well…I think what we have been doing has left him better off than he would be in that orphanage. He's been opening up. He's smiling. He doesn't look dead inside. We just have to keep it up and treat him like the normal mammal he is," Nick replied, trying to pick his words quickly and carefully. "Though, I hate using 'normal'. It's just a social concept. Everyone needs to wave their freak flag, I say. Maybe I'll try implementing a Be Weird Day when I'm mayor."

"You want to run for mayor?" Judy asked, never hearing this before.

"No, but it'd be cool if I did," Nick cheekily replied. Judy couldn't help but smile. Somehow, Nick always managed to cheer her up. Judy started the police car's engine and drove off to Savannah Central High School.

At the school, Ashira was sitting next to Lucas on a couch in the guidance counselor office lobby, rubbing his scarred arm. Hunter sat across from them and Kivuli sat next to him. Joey stood behind Lucas, holding his guitar case. Lucas had told the other three males everything with Ashira's help and all of them had been stunned speechless.

"Y-you guys don't have to stay around…You all have class…" Lucas mumbled.

"You know that we're not leaving you…" Hunter said firmly. "No wonder you were trying to force yourself to tell me on the bus. No one could say anything like that with ease."

"Yeah. I'm glad you at least told Ashira. It feels good to hear you tell your story in your own voice," Joey added.

"It makes my own backstory seem mild…" Kivuli sighed. Something Lucas had never noticed before was that part of Kivuli's mane was combed over one of his eyes, making only one emerald green eye visible.

"What's your story? I mean, after hearing his, it's only fair," Joey urged.

Kivuli pulled back the part of his mane that was combed over his eye, revealing a scar over his eye. He said, "My best friend, Alex, is a coyote. He was turned savage during the Night Howler incident and attacked me… It was just as I was about to come out, too…"

"Come out…?" Hunter echoed. He started tugging on his rainbow wristband in anticipation. "You mean…?"

"I'm bi," Kivuli confessed. "I know he couldn't help it, but still…I've been afraid to tell anyone ever since. And there's always tension whenever I talk to Alex. Not even my uncle Leodore or my cousin Leona know that I'm bi. And I can't even see them that often because they're both in prison now… They'll be out soon, but…"

"You're the ex-mayor's nephew?" Ashira asked. Lucas, having never been to Zootopia before being adopted, began to grow lost in the conversation. He just sat quietly and listened to the conversation.

"I don't like talking about that, either. Others stop seeing me for me," Kivuli informed the freshmen.

"I won't," Hunter spoke up after no one said anything. "I haven't stopped seeing Lucas for who he is. You think I'd treat you any differently?"

"I…" Kivuli began, flustered. "Wow, you… I, um…"

"Hunter has a way with words, doesn't he?" Ashira commented and turned to Lucas. "Of course, so do you."

"You think so…?" Lucas asked softly.

With her ruby eyes beaming into his sapphire eyes, she replied, "Yes, I do. It's one of the many things I admire about you."

Lucas felt his face heat up. Did the vixen just confess that she had a thing for him? He glanced at Hunter, hoping for some wingman-like support, but Hunter was staring into Kivuli's eyes. The two of them seemed to have something of a romantic connection. Kivuli said to Hunter, "You know…I'm glad I came out to someone like you…Someone who gets how hard it can be…Someone with beautiful, friendly orange eyes."

"A-are you saying…?" Hunter asked, stammering out of being flustered.

"I find your compassion towards your friends to be an attractive trait. And I didn't want to do this because of that thing where everyone's like 'ooh, you're dating a freshman', but…I can't fight it. Hunter, do you…want to start going out?"

"I, um…Well, I… Yeah," Hunter confirmed, happy tears hanging in his eyes.

"Aww!" Ashira cooed. Lucas smiled to see his friends get together like that. Then, his eyes shifted to the door. Judy and Nick stepped in, relieved to see him with his friends.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" Lucas jumped out of his seat and exclaimed, running over to hug Judy.

"I was just about to say the same!" Judy exclaimed.

"We're sorry you had to see that, bud…" Nick apologized. He was relieved to see that Lucas seemed fine. He had a good support group in the form of his friends.

"It's fine… Did I worry you…?" Lucas timidly asked.

"A little bit…" Judy admitted. "But that's what parents do." She turned to her son's friends and said, "Thank you for being there for him."

"Kivuli?" Nick called out to the lion.

"Uncle Nick?" Kivuli turned from Hunter as he replied.

"Uncle Nick?" Judy repeated.

"I'm friends with his parents," Nick explained.

"Of course, you are…" Judy replied flatly.

"M-Mister and Mrs. Wilde?" Ashira spoke up and stood up to approach the police officers. "I just…well, I…Thank you for bringing Lucas to Zootopia." With that said, she gave them a polite bow.

"It was our pleasure," Judy replied. "Thank you for being there for Lucas."

"Now that's my pleasure!" Ashira exclaimed happily as her torso came back up, beaming at Lucas. Judy made a mental note of how great of an influence Ashira seemed to be on Lucas and really hoped that Lucas could work up the courage to ask Ashira out.