Chapter 34 - The Beginning of You and I

Legosi felt like he was floating. That formless void between sleeping and waking that carries the body aloft. He was holding something soft, carrying it with him. He buried his face into it. It smelled amazing, like someone he loved, although no names came to mind. Nothing came to mind but what he was feeling.

He moved his hands around, rubbing and touching. He loved what was in his arms. He couldn't get enough.

Louis felt like he was in a bubble. Something large and warm was against his chest, something soft wrapped around his legs. What was it? It felt amazing. He hoped it would never let go. But then his bubble popped as his stomach was poked and his eye opened, seeing the side of the bed against his face. He blinked, his arms lying in front of him. "..." His poor, perfect bubble. Gone.

Legosi continued to knead at Louis' stomach in his sleep, unaware of his claws, naturally.

The deer felt the scratching and looked, seeing the large fur ball on his chest. At least it wasn't his teeth. He nudged him with his elbow. "Legosi..." As soon as he said the name, something occurred to him. Last night...He said he'd be my boyfriend...Is that because he was just excited...? I probably shouldn't push...

"Oof." Legosi's eyes snapped open. He looked around. He was in bed with Louis again. He couldn't believe that this was becoming a common occurrence. And will continue to be so…

His tail thumped on the bed, looking up at Louis. He grinned sleepily. "G'morning, senpai…"

Louis had wanted to tell him he was scratching his bare chest, but once he saw that smile, anything he wanted to say melted away. "Morning."

Even now, with his fur flattened on the side of his face, Legosi was adorable. Was he really all his? There was no way it could be true. He saved all animals that needed it, and Louis just happened to be an animal he cared about that needed it twice. But the kiss last night, the talking, this position…

Legosi looked down at his hands, which were a bit tangled in the fur on Louis' stomach. The skin underneath was also a bit red. His eyes widened, pulling away suddenly and sitting up in one motion. He looked down at his claws. "A-ah, I'm sorry! I haven't had time to file them the past few days because...you know."

Louis shook his head. "Shh, it's fine." He took a moment to thank whoever was keeping their legs tangled. He wasn't ready for that to end yet. "Just some scratches...I've felt worse."

Legosi sighed. "That's the problem, though. Didn't it bring up bad memories? I mean, it was even another wolf who...who..." They both knew. He didn't have to say it.

Louis looked to the side. "Not all wolves are like that. There's proof right here." There was still something in his eye...

The wolf was still looking at his nails. "I...I just...I want this to work...So many things in my life...haven't."

The herbivore looked at him. This? Meaning us, right? He reached forward and grabbed Legosi's hand. "It can't fail if we don't let it."

Legosi's eyes turned from his claws to the short nails on the hand now holding his hand. They were so different...but if Louis said it'd be okay...then…

There was a vibrating noise that filled their ears.

"Oh!" Legosi rolled off the bed, fumbling to find his phone. He found it and saw that it was Jack calling. Of course, he hadn't contacted him since the previous morning. He answered.

"Legosi! Where are you! Are you okay?"

Legosi sat back down on the bed, reaching his hand behind him so Louis could grab it again. "I'm back at Cherryton."

"And Louis-senpai?"

"He's here, too."

"Well, that's a relief! You should have called! Or at least texted!" the retriever scolded.

"I know...sorry," his ears folded back.

"So...you two love bugs must have been pretty distracted last night, huh?" He could hear the smile in Jack's voice.

Legosi blushed. "Guess you could say that."

"Wait, really?"

"I'll tell you later today!"

"Well, are you coming to class at least?"

Legosi stared forward, then checked the time on a nearby clock. Crap.

Louis was looking down at Legosi's larger hand in his smaller one. He never thought it would be like this with someone. He definitely never saw himself with a carnivore. Even if he thought everyone was just animals, it didn't mean he saw it coming.

A realization struck him as he thought about everything that had happened up until this point. I think...I'm in love with carnivores. That's why he always defended them or said they were equal to herbivores...It had to be.

Legosi quickly stood up, gathering his things up. "S-sorry! I have to get to class! I'll come see you later, okay? Then we can go to club together and meet my roommates!" He shouted all this while basically running around the room. It was quite the sight to behold. He opened the door and turned back one last time. "I'll be back, Louis-senpai!" Then the door closed.

Louis sighed. "Okay." He didn't want Legosi to be gone so quickly. He laid back, putting an arm over his face. What kind of deer am I to love carnivores...Is it because I'm a masochist? Do I want to get eaten? And why do I keep fantasizing about Legosi in that way...It could never work...Could it? Ugh, this is so confusing…

Louis groaned. He didn't even get out of bed for a while, realizing he could now be lazy and do whatever he wanted. It was his life now.

Legosi had ran to room 701, gotten dressed in his uniform, and ran to his first class, which happened to be algebra. All eyes turned to him as he entered the lecture hall in the middle of the lesson. It was odd for Legosi to be late. He quickly took his seat next to Jack, and they both refused to speak until the professor turned her attention back to the lesson.

Once they did, Jack looked over at him, smiling goofily.

The smile was infectious, and Legosi leaned his face on his hand to try to hide it. His tail gave him away, though. They really were just high school kids.

Jack smiled more. "Someone had a good time."

Legosi smushed his own face with his hand. "Yeah..." Everything around him seemed mystical. Even the boring lecture hall seemed to hold some sort of magic in it. The lights seemed warmer. The math was still confusing, though.

Jack's tail wagged a bit. "What was it like?"

"W-well I had to infiltrate that huge building, which was pretty scary, thinking back on it. But once I got in, I found him pretty quickly and he came up with a plan to escape. So, we did, and now we're back." Of course, that was the abridged version.

"I meant last night, sillly!" He gave him a toothy grin. He really was happy for his best friend. Getting it in with a deer like Louis!

"Oh! Well, we stayed at Louis' dorm, and I uh..." He fiddled with his fingers. "I think we're dating now?"

Jack's ears perked. "No way! You must have shown him a really good time!"

Legosi stared at him with a blank expression. Then a look of horror slowly dawned on his face. He blushed intensely, unable to speak. He couldn't say the words out loud. He took a piece of paper and wrote on it for Jack. We didn't do anything. We just talked.

Jack was still grinning. He wrote back. You can tell me.

No, we didn't do anything. But it was as close as I've ever gotten. Of course, you know that means nothing since I've never been in a situation like that before. Legosi threw the pencil down, retreating and covering his face with his hands.

Jack looked at him. "I honestly can't tell if you're telling the truth or not with how you're acting..."

Legosi snatched up the pencil once again, writing one final message: I AM STILL A VIRGIN. That should do it.

Jack laughed and then covered his mouth. Oops. Class. But he still wanted to talk more and ask Legosi questions only a best friend would ask!

The lab looked back to the lesson, but he kept thinking about how happy he was for Legosi. He was finally a boyfriend!

Haru was walking down the hall, thinking about her friend Legosi. In the sense of hoping he was alright and was getting close to bringing Louis back home. She didn't know they had already returned.

Legosi, distracted by Jack's never-ending questions, didn't look when turning the corner and felt something run into his legs.

Haru bumped into something large. "Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" She looked up.

"Oh, sorry Haru-chan!" Legosi crouched down to meet her eyes, as he usually would when talking with her.

She smiled and gave him a hug. "Legosi-kun! You're back!"

He hugged her back, gently. "Yeah! Got back last night. Sorry I didn't update you, but Louis-senpai came back with me." Legosi bit his lip. This...might be awkward.

She smiled more. "Really! That's great! Let's go see him right now!"

"Well, I have to get to my next class and so do you and I think he had some important business with Gon today...You can go alone, if you want, or we can go later."

"I'll wait!" Haru said. "Sorry, I'm just so happy he's back! I hope he wasn't too upset for you saving him again. Knowing how he is..." So Louis kept up his act around Haru too…

"Ah, yeah...Well, he was definitely happy to leave his father's so...yeah." Legosi shuffled. "Anyway, see you later!"

"Bye! Text me when I can come over!"

It was lunch time. Jack was sitting next to Legosi, his tail wagging. He leaned in and whispered; "When are we gonna tell the guys?"

"Um." Legosi fidgeted, poking at his food.

"Tell the guys what?" Miguno the hyena plopped down in the seat across from Legosi with his tray, Durham the coyote not far behind. And then Collot the sheepdog and Voss the fennec fox.

Jack smiled more. "Legosi's good news!" He put his arm around the larger canine.

"Oh, you got Louis back?" Collot took a big bite of his mashed potatoes as he asked.

Legosi nodded. "Yeah, I did." He took a bite of his food so he could avoid talking for a bit.

Jack cheered. "Legosi did it all by himself, for love!" He raised his spoon.

All the dogs raised their spoons too. "For love!" they said in unison.

Jack nudged him. "Annnnd...?"

Legosi drummed his claws on the table. "Well...we're sort of..dating now." His voice was so quiet, unlike the reaction from his friends.

Everyone went quiet. Jack leaned across the table and his tail wagged more intensely. He was just so happy for his best friend!

Legosi just sat there, receiving sudden congratulations from his friends as his tail began to whap against his chair.

"Who would have known you would be dating the most popular animal at Cherryton!" Durham exclaimed.

"Hey, not so loud! I want Louis-senpai to be the one to let people know..."

"Except for us." Voss stated, deadpan.

"Well...you guys wouldn't wait for that."

Jack clapped his hands. "Legosi the boyfriend! I still can't get over it. And to a male deer, no less!"

Legosi pulled at his tie. "Do you guys...think it'll work?"

Jack put his hand on Legosi's back. "Have there been any signs otherwise?"

"Well...I mean...you know how society is. Herbivores and carnivores being good friends is rare...let alone dating. Plus we're both guys...so that just makes it harder." He looked pointedly at Jack. "What do you think my grandpa would think?"

Everyone scratched their chins.

Jack giggled. "He'd be proud. As for the other stuff working...you're a wolf, he's a deer..."

"...And?"

He made a ring with his hand and a fist with the other and pushed his fist against the ring repeatedly, then raised his brows.

Legosi quickly pushed Jack's hands down out of view. "Wh-when did you become such a perv, Jack!"

Jack laughed. The other canine's agreed it would be hard to make it work. They didn't really know about male relations, though.

"What makes you think I'd be the one doing it anyway..." The words were out before Legosi could think them over.

Everyone gasped and laughed. "Oooh, Legosi!~"

"I MEAN HE'S GOT ONE TOO! IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE!"

The animals around them had no idea what they were talking about and they felt like they didn't want to.

Everyone kept snickering. They started singing about Legosi being a bottom and wanting to be tamed by a deer.

The wolf wanted to disappear. Of course his friends would treat him this way. That's why they were his friends.