Chapter 31 - One Bullet Is All That Is Needed
Legosi stared between Louis' antlers as the oak door ahead of them opened. Through that door was Louis' father. The animal that saved him from the black market, but also caused him so much suffering. He didn't know what to feel. He wished he could have met him under better circumstances, but most of all he wished he didn't have to meet him at all. He wondered what kind of animal he'd be like.
Louis kept telling himself that his plan had to work. It had to. The deer pushed the door open further, Oguma already looking up from his desk. There were no butlers present in the room.
"Louis? You know you're not supposed to leave your room." His eyes moved up and he saw the large grey wolf behind his son. "And you're back too? What is this?"
Louis got closer. "I'm done being your son."
Oguma smiled. "So you came all this way to tell me you're ungrateful?"
Louis' face grew angrier. "Ungrateful? How can I be grateful if you were just going to end up locking me up again? You didn't save me. I've still been in a cell all of my life."
Oguma stood up. "I made it pretty clear what life you would live when I taught you how to understand words and speak."
Louis' jaw tightened. "Now I'm making it clear that I'm choosing how to live."
Oguma shook his head and reached for the mobile phone he had on his desk.
Louis pulled the gun out and aimed it. "Don't!"
It all happened so quickly, Legosi couldn't keep up. And now Louis was pointing his gun at a large red deer seated at the desk at the other end of the room. His antlers were large and gnarled, like the roots of an ancient tree. His thin, slanted eyes peered from behind a pair of glasses, giving him a dignified look matched with his suit. Even at this time of night, he was dressed up. He seemed to regard his adopted son with...well, Legosi couldn't read his expression at all. But fear was far from the list. He had made sure to close the door and lock it, buying them time.
Oguma grinned. "I'm proud of you, son. Being able to stand up to me like this."
"Don't call me that!" Louis shouted. "I never want to see you again."
Oguma frowned now. "You know I'll find you, wherever you are." These words were just coming out of his mouth, but in his head, he felt a sadness. This is what he deserved for punishing Louis in the way he did. He realized now that he HAD been keeping him in a cell disguised as a room.
Louis felt a chill go up his spine. Why did this adult deer care so much? He could let Louis go and his life wouldn't even change. "No. You won't even come looking."
"And why is that?" Oguma asked.
Suddenly, Louis' aim shifted.
CRACK!
Blood sprayed onto the wall behind the buck.
Legosi jumped, his stomach lurching. He had feared it, but he didn't actually expect Louis to pull the trigger. The sound almost made his heart jump out of his chest. He moved forward, grasping the deer's arm, which was shaking.
Oguma had a look of pain as his hand went up to the half of his right ear that was left. "Arrrghhh...My ear!"w
Louis got up very close and slammed his hands on the desk. "If I see you again, you son of a bitch, I'll aim somewhere you'll regret!" He slammed his fists again. Oguma continued to hold his ear and whimper in pain. He never expected that Louis would actually fire the gun at him.
The young buck moved behind the desk, opening the drawer and grabbing his belongings. He turned to Legosi once he had them. "Let's get out of here."
He grabbed the wolf's large hand as he went to the door, unlocking it and stepping out with him in tow. He had really just pulled it off, cutting ties with his father. He truly was a man now.
Legosi was lead by the hand out of the room. He took one last look at the deer writhing in pain at his desk. He wondered if he'd really give up from just that...Then he looked back down in front of him. Louis walked with determination, but he wondered if that was what he was actually feeling. He still found himself unable to speak.
They went down the hall, turning a corner and coming to the large front doors. "If there are any police out, then we'll know Shogi failed."
"P-police..." Legosi said, as if confirming it to himself. If they got caught and were sent to jail, they'd be separated because they were a herbivore and a carnivore. That prospect was worse than imprisonment in his mind. "Where are we going?"
"That's the best part," Louis said. "We get to choose." He pushed the glass door open and stepped out into the surprisingly warm night.
To feel the fresh air and see the black sky...The deer wanted to take a moment and enjoy it, but they needed to get away from the Horns Conglomerate building. He led Legosi along for a while, then pulled him into an alley.
They had made a clean getaway, it seemed. Legosi had stopped talking, gears turning in his head as to where they could possibly go. He had just assumed they'd go back to Cherryton. Where else would they go? It was the only home he had known for years now.
There was not much time to think as Louis pulled him into a very tight hug, his head on Legosi's chest.
Legosi hugged back, unable to lean down due to the antlers. He clutched the back of Louis' shirt, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Louis didn't let go. He squeezed him tighter, clutching his shirt as well.
"How are you feeling right now, senpai...?"
He looked up at him. "Free." Thanks to you…
Legosi smiled warmly. He was still shaken up by everything, and scared for what might come next, but he had Louis again. Things would be okay.
Louis just didn't let him go. His mind trailed back to when he got carried by Legosi...He liked that feeling a lot. He liked this feeling a lot. He wished Legosi would just never let go. He loved him too much.
Legosi began to make a strange humming sound. Then he chuckled. Then he laughed. He didn't know why, but he was laughing. "S-senpai!" He managed to get out between breaths. "What did we just do!"
Louis began laughing as well. "We just showed that jackass who's the boss of me! And it's me!" He looked so beautiful laughing and smiling.
Legosi lowered his arms so they were wrapped around the small of his back, allowing him to lift him up with ease. He continued to laugh. "Yes, you are!" He spun them both in that small alleyway, hidden from the world.
Louis kept laughing as he blushed a bit, once again being carried by the wolf he was so fond of. He wanted to tell him everything he felt, but he didn't think it was the time for that. Not in an alleyway.
Legosi eventually stopped spinning, holding Louis close once he did, his face pressed against his chest. He could hear the smaller animal's heart pounding.
Legosi set Louis down gently, his arms still wrapped around him. "So...where do you wanna go now, boss...?"
"Maybe we can still get into my dorm and I can hide there?" Louis said, pondering if anyone had reaplaced him in the months he was gone.
"Do you really think your dad won't come after you?" Legosi hated ruining the moment, but he was still apprehensive.
Louis sighed. "I don't think so." He didn't want to even think about the consequences of his actions. "I just want to go home, Legosi-kun."
"He'd better not," Legosi whispered. "Even then...I'm not sure how long you'd be able to hide there without anyone knowing...Especially since my friends know I went to get you…"
"I think I'm going to ask Principal Gon. Unless someone else is using it." He began walking along.
Legosi followed with a bounce in his step, tail wagging. "No one is using it! Are you going to enroll again?"
"No. There's no point now."
"Well, you can't stay cooped up in there all the time. It'd be no different than in that place..."
"That's why I ask Gon, so I don't have to hide and can still go out."
Legosi thought for a moment. "What about the students? They might not leave you alone…"
"Well he'd inform the students of my situation, then. It's worth a shot."
"I hope...the club misses you. Haru misses you..." Oddly, Legosi didn't feel weird saying that.
"I miss them too," Louis said. "And I'll be able to see you every day."
Legosi smiled once again. They had made it. They were free. Louis was finally coming back after so long. "Sounds good, then. Let's get you home."