Chapter 40 - Turn Around For Me

Louis looked at Legosi as they entered the shopping square, shops lined down the sidewalks and booths in the middle. "This is like the black market but vegetarian."

Legosi flinched. "I guess so." He tried to force the images of that place from his mind. He took every free sample that was given to him.

"But you get the joke right? Cause it's meatless?" He gestured to the stalls.

"Y-yeah, I know. I just don't like to think about that place."

Louis sighed. "Yeah. Don't worry, it's not here."

A large clothing shop soon appeared, and Legosi slowed down as they approached it, tail swaying interestedly.

Louis looked to his wolf. "This place looks like it has nice stuff. How 'bout it?"

Legosi was already walking inside, looking behind him. "Let's go!"

Louis smiled as he followed, looking around. Immediately a tanooki came up to Louis. "I see you have a nice black eyepatch."

The deer blinked. "Uh, yes? Why did you emphasize black?"

Legosi stopped to watch what was going on. He stood beside Louis.

The tanooki laughed. "Why have a black eyepatch when you can add a little style!"

"There are eyepatches here?" The wolf asked.

Louis sighed. "Oh, you work here."

The tanooki nodded. "Yes!"

Louis crossed his arms. "Ah, so I can be proud that I lost my eye?"

The tanooki's smile never faltered. "No, no, no, no! So you can own it." Louis wasn't impressed.

"Maybe he can help with what would look good on me, Louis." Legosi whispered.

The deer looked at him. "That's my job."

Legosi couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "Alright then. Lead the way."

The tanooki thought quickly. "Wait! Won't you at least see our eyepatches?"

Louis leaned down. "You do realize we might buy something anyway, right? Meaning you'll get our money. Now me and my...friend are going to go look around." He grabbed Legosi's arm and pulled him. "Let's start from the back, buddy."

"Ah, okay!" Legosi blushed. Being called 'buddy' still made his heart flutter like any other pet name.

He pulled him to the back, then moved to a rack, looking through the clothes.

Legosi cocked his head, observing.

"Can you believe that guy? Stylish eye patches, my ass."

Legosi looked down at Louis' butt. He quickly averted his eyes. "Yeah, I don't even see how a store like this could even have eyepatches"

"I guess it's because I didn't get a fake eye," Louis said. "But that's my choice." He pulled out a maroon polo-like shirt.

"I think a fake eye would just make me sadder. I like how you are now." Legosi observed the shirt. "Oh, I like that one."

Louis turned. "This is a reminder of what needs to change. I'm glad you like it." He came forward and put the shirt up to Legosi, trying to imagine him in it.

Legosi brushed his hand down it, smoothing the creases as he looked down at it. Some animals walked by, looking at them with curiosity. Such a small deer in a large animal clothing shop...with a big wolf too.

"I think it'd look cute...erm...Good." Louis said. "Want to try it on? Well, let's get a few more, first."

Legosi nodded, tail waving behind him. "I need some pants, too."

"You look better with no pants," he flirted. "BEcause you look better in shorts!" He looked around, hoping no one heard.

Legosi snorted. "It's November."

He covered his mouth. "Shhh..." He whispered. "I'm trying to stay friends."

Legosi giggled. "Let's find some more clothes."

He turned back to the clothes, flipping through them like pages.

Legosi held the maroon polo draped over his arm.

The deer pulled out a striped shirt. "You know, stripes aren't your thing. You're more of a solid color guy." He looked around. "Bill didn't hear me, right?"

"Well, he'd agree with you. Imagine how annoyed he'd be if I came into club wearing stripes."

"Maybe he'd want to sleep with you." Louis pulled out another striped shirt, shaking his head.

"Hope not!"

"What, you don't want aggressive tiger claws dragging down your already scarred back? Which I don't mind, by the way." He pulled out a nice yellow button up.

Legosi covered his face with his large hands, embarrassed. "You're pretty bad at keeping distance, Louis..."

Louis turned his head to him. "I'm not even touching you!"

"You're touching me...with your words!"

"Quit being a puppy!"

Legosi pouted. Then he smiled. He cupped a hand to his mouth, whispering, "I love you."

Louis mouthed that he loved him too. "What do you think of this shirt?"

A lion stared at them quizzically from the other side of the rack.

Legosi examined the yellow button up. "I don't know if I've ever worn yellow." Legosi took it from Louis, holding it against himself.

"I'll have to see it on you." He got a bit closer. "You haven't worn orange either~"

"I haven't worn a lot, really." Legosi looked down. "I'm not sure warm colors are my thing. Or maybe they are, to contrast with my fur color?"

Louis blushed and swallowed. "Right. That's what I meant. Well, we can still see."

Legosi added the shirt to his arm.

The herbivore kept looking, going around, now on the opposite side of the carnivore. He was looking down, focused on only finding the nicest things his boyfriend.

The wolf entered the dressing room with his arms full of clothes. He wondered if maybe Louis went a little overboard.

Louis sat on the bench outside. "I'll be right here."

Legosi waved goodbye to him before he closed the door and locked it.

Louis waited, listening the shuffling of Legosi taking his shoes off and removing his clothes. He imagined it all happening in front of eyes, seeing it clearly. He just sat there, smiling as he listened to his boyfriend change. His Legosi. His wolf. Being in this situation to listen to something like this...It just made him so happy.

Legosi emerged after a bit, wearing the maroon polo and a pair of tan jeans. "These pants are a bit tight." Legosi moved around, trying them out. He turned around, giving Louis a look of every angle.

Louis happily observed. "Yep, definitely tight."

Legosi bent down, seeing how it felt. "How do you like the shirt?"

"We're getting the shirt." Louis said. "Take those pants off before I do it myself, they're too tight."

Legosi looked back at Louis, eyes wide. "L-Louis!"

Louis blinked. "Legosi."

The flustered animal rushed back into the dressing room, fumbling on the other side clearly heard. After a while he came back out, this time wearing the yellow button up with a pair of shorts. Legosi looked at Louis, raising an eyebrow.

Louis' mouth formed an o-shape. "Wow, you look cute in yellow! Soft."

Legosi put a hand on his own chest, looking down at his outfit. "You really think so?"

Louis nodded. "Never seen you in shorts. You look like you're about to have a summer picnic."

"Summer is going to be fun, don't you think, Louis?"

"I'm sure it will be."

Legosi entered again, changed, and then came out, wearing a thin, light blue hoodie with some capri pants.

"Hey there, Mr. Graffiti artist. Here to join to war?"

"Oh, does it look silly?" Legosi looked down at himself.

"I wouldn't say silly. Let's buy it anyway."

"You sure?"

He nodded. "Next!"

A weird, ripped up t-shirt and jeans were next. "I feel like this is a little...insensitive?"

Louis' ears went back. "I don't remember grabbing that..."

"Louis!"

"What!"

"Don't scare me like that!"

"What do you mean scare you! Seeing that scares me!

"I didn't rip it though! It came like this! Didn't you hand them to me?"

"You honestly thought you ripped them up? You would have noticed!"

"...Let's not get these." Legosi went back inside.

Louis mind went back to that night, that basement...He felt a little sick now.

Legosi emerged again, this time wearing a black long sleeved turtleneck and brown pants. "This one is comfy."

"Ooh, you look adorable. As a fan of turtlenecks I approve."

"I wonder how turtles feel about that name..."

"Hopefully a turtle came up with it."

Legosi went back in. The next outfit was a shirt with a floral pattern on it, and a pair of red jeans. "I never heard of red jeans before..."

"You look...interesting. I love the shirt," he smiled.

"What's 'interesting'?"

"More the jeans than anything," Louis chuckled. His arms were crossed and one leg was over the other.

Legosi returned to the room, coming back out with the last outfit. A silky material dark green button up with dress pants.

Louis got up and came over. "Well, well, this is almost my level of fashion~" He reached a hand up to touch his chest but pulled it back, reminding himself of the situation.

Legosi chuckled. He looked back into the dressing room. They could...He shook his head.

"What?" Louis blinked. He had seen the motions. "Oh, I see."

"Probably a bad idea, heheh." Legosi rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm gonna put my regular clothes back on and choose which of these to get."

He pushed him into the changing room and shut the door. "Maybe just a quick hug."

"Mmph." Legosi's back hit the mirror. He wondered if there were any cameras. Was that even legal? It couldn't be. The door was low enough to where they wouldn't be seen and tall enough to where Louis' antlers wouldn't expose them.

Louis looked at him. "Just a hug."

Legosi caved, leaning down and squeezing his boyfriend.

Louis squeezed him back, standing on his tip toes to reach around his neck. "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be..." He kept his voice low. "Pretending like this."

"I guess we got really used to being able to be close all the time." Legosi sighed, doing the same.

The deer didn't let go. "It's only been two weeks...Do I really touch you that much?"

"Well, every night.", Legosi gulped. He looked down. He wondered what any other carnivore would do in a situation like this. Or any other herbivore. He felt his instincts tell him they were alone in a very small space, but he shoved the thought away.

"Well that's just cuddling...It doesn't count..."

"Why not?"

"Because we're not even awake most of the time."

"Yeah, but it might be a subconscious thing or maybe..." Legosi looked at themselves in the mirror. "...An instinct thing."

Louis did the same. "I can't let go of you..."

"Well...you'll have to if we want to leave this dressing room."

"Not yet. We're just having a little hug..."

"Okay." Legosi pressed his nose onto the top of Louis' head, sniffing. That perfume smell was back, once more. Legosi's ear twitched. "You smell different."

Louis blinked. "Huh?"

"Like a perfume."

"Uh, yeah."

Legosi sniffed again. "Where'd you get it? It's nice."

"I dunno, ordered it online. I thought it might be nice. Unless you like my natural smell better."

Legosi thought about it. "Not sure." He moved down to his neck, sniffing more. It was all perfume and deer. The wolf could never get enough of Louis' scent. He wondered... "Louis, how do you think I smell?"

Louis looked up, giving a sideways smile. "What?"

"How do I smell? I love the way you smell so much and it's an irreplaceable part of you. I just wonder...if how I smell is important to you as well. Is that something deer think about?"

"I don't think so, but..." he leaned in and sniffed his chest, up to his neck. It tickled.

"You smell like a dog."

"...You like dogs."

His ears went back. "I love dogs...The way their ears twitch and the tail wagging, it drives my heart crazy...And the face you make when I rub your stomach."

Legosi wagged his tail. Canines loved being praised.

"Legosi..." He blushed.

"Mhm?"

"I think I'm in love with carnivores. Or...the existence of them."

Legosi blinked. Well, that certainty explained things. "You like carnivores...even after..." Legosi couldn't bear to mention Louis' past out loud.

"That wolf was deranged. That's not all carnivores! The other two that were with him didn't do anything!"

Legosi squeezed him tighter. "Is that why you were attracted to me?"

He cleared his throat. "That's one of the reasons. Is that weird?"

The wolf said nothing, simply holding his boyfriend, hidden away from the world. "It's not weird. I mean, it makes sense. We're dating," Legosi huffed thoughtfully. "Are there other carnivores you're fond of?"

Louis furrowed his brow. "What?"

The canine realized that might have sounded a little accusatory. "I mean, what other carnivores do you like that made you realize this?"

He made a face. "Legosi!"

Legosi cocked his head. "What?"

"I'm not worried about anyone else. I'm focused on you. And for once, I'm happy."

Legosi smiled. "Alright." He looked back at themselves in the mirror. "Remember that bathroom in the diner?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I thought it was strange at the time. That you would get so close to a carnivore in a space like that where you couldn't even see them. But...I guess it makes sense now."

"I was more ashamed than anything, really...I wasn't thinking about what you could have done, only what I wanted."

"I see. Well, it was important to me." Legosi reflected some more. "You know, with you, Tem, and even hanging out with Haru-chan...I think I might feel a similar way to herbivores that you do with carnivores. I...really love being around them."

"Carnivores are clearly better."

Legosi chuckled. "Would you rather I date a carnivore, then?"

"Hey!"

The wolf laughed some more before leaning down to kiss his lover's ear, his cheek and his neck.

"Carnivores are really strong, always pushing down their instincts like that...It's really admirable..." He huffed. "The way they can be so dangerous, but so soft...There's something about that..."

"That makes me feel really good, Louis." Legosi's tail whapped against the walls of the cramped space.

"It does?"

"Of course. Being with an herbivore who can find something good in those traits...of course it feels good."

"It should." He squeezed his arm.

The canine smiled, breathing deeply, a warm look in his eyes.

Louis sighed. "I think that was a pretty important thing to realize for both of us."

"We're both pretty weird animals, huh?"

"I have something to ask you when I get home, this made me really wonder about it." His hand slid down to his hip. "But I don't want to talk about it here."

Legosi coughed slightly. "Uh, alright. I'll try and remember."

"You won't remember, but that's okay, because I won't forget."

There was a knock on the door. Both boys jumped.

"Quit talkin' to yourself and let someone else use the room!"

Louis gulped, looking nervously at Legosi.

Legosi's eyes darted from left to right. "Uh, I'm on the phone!" He leaned down to Louis' ear and whispered. "I'll gather up all the clothing and drop it on the way out as a distraction so you can walk out unnoticed."

Louis nodded. Couldn't hurt to try.

Legosi picked up the stack of clothes, and nodded to Louis, signaling that he was about to go. He pushed him back against the wall, and then opened the door. A buffalo was standing outside, arms crossed. Legosi took only one step before dropping the clothes to the floor. "Oops!"

The buffalo snorted and just watched Legosi pick up the clothes, but his attention was off the room. Legosi moved up and grabbed the buffalo's shoulders, looking him in the eyes to distract him more. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't mean to take so long and then drop all of my clothes on the floor when I came out! I'm sorry!"

The buffalo blinked, looking at his face with annoyed eyes. "Just get your stuff from off the floor and get out of here!"

Louis quickly sped out past them, making sure he had his satchel. He acted like he didn't know what was going on and went to another part of the store, pretending to be really interested in a sparkly dress.

Legosi had scooped up all the clothes, and he set off to find Louis. It didn't take too long before he saw his antlers poking up behind a display. He approached him, holding the clothes and gave a thumbs up and a goofy grin when Louis looked over from the dress at him.

Louis smiled. "Welcome back, Mr. Actor."

"I'm so glad that worked…" He looked around, noticing that they were in the female clothing section. "I guess we're done here, then?" He looked down at what they collected, excited to show off the clothes his mate had chosen for him.

"Yes."

They went to the counter to pay. The cashier seemed a bit taken aback by the fact that a big gray wolf set all the clothes on the counter but a small red deer seemed to be paying for them.

Louis just shot him a "shut it" look.

After, they exited the store, once again staying separated. The pair was still excited to continue their shopping date, even if they had to act this way. They kept moving along.