Chapter 90 - Asking Around
It was the first day of being a highschool dropout for Legosi. That was the first thing he thought of when he woke up. The second thing he thought of was the fact his nose was congested. The wolf snorted, moving around in Louis' arms. The deer was still dressed from last night.
Louis groaned as he was budged. "Whaaat?"
Legosi tried sucking up some of his snot. "Ughh, I thig this siduation made me sig."
"What?" He turned his head. "Woah. You don't look so good."
"I jusd need tissues." The canine nuzzled into him , but then drew back. "Oh...I hope I don'd ged you sig."
Louis looked at his shoulder. "Eugh..."
"Sorryyyyyy." Legosi untangled his limbs from the deer and rolled off the bed, looking for something to clean off the snot.
"Looks like you're staying home today, mister," the herbivore ordered.
"Good thing I dropped out then," Legosi said after blowing his nose. He walked over to Louis and wiped off the mess he made.
The deer smiled and kissed his cheek. "Hopefully it's not contagious."
"Might just be the weather." Legosi sighed and sat down. He had actually thought about doing something today for the investigation, but now if he left the room Louis would stop him. "So...Whad is Pina doing next?"
"Not really sure...He didn't tell me."
"Did you, uh...have fun last night?"
"I don't know. I'm glad I go to learn more about him, but under these circumstances..."
"This needs to end soon," Legosi sighed.
"And we'll get there. I hope Bill isn't flaking on us..."
The dog sighed again, but his stuffy nose made it sound gross. "Ugh. We have to ged grampa to sign the paper too."
"Well, definitely not with you being sick like this. Do you feel okay?"
"I feel ogay, just sduffy."
"I'm guessing that messes with your ability to smell."
The wolf nodded. "Seeing you and nod being able to smell you...is weird."
"Is it really?" The buck raised a brow.
"Id is! Id's really sad..."
"Sad?"
"I've told you before, id's importaaaant," Legosi whined.
"Why, again?"
"Issa canine thing. It's like nod being able to see your face."
"What? But you have eyes."
Legosi grunted. "Yeah, bud you don't understand. Id's just as importand as me seeing you."
The deer frowned. "I guess I just don't get it since I'm not a canine."
Legosi nodded. "Sorry."
His partner shrugged. "Ah don't worry about it. You should lie down, I'll make you some cream of celery soup."
"Oh, yeah." The former 2nd year had forgotten he didn't have to go to class. He did as he was told. "Thad was one of the first meals you made..."
"Yeah...Maybe it will be even better this time, if not as special."
"Mmm." Legosi laid his head back. His nose felt a little clearer, but only enough to speak clearly. He closed his eyes, listening to his fiancé work in the kitchen.
"Did you know I've never gotten sick one day in my life?"
The wolf's eyes opened again and he whipped his head to look at Louis in disbelief. "What? Stop lying."
"I'm not. Truly! I've never been sick or had a stuffed nose."
"Well there's more ways to be sick!"
"I know that! But I haven't been sick!"
"Th-that's impossible!"
"What? No it's not!"
"Every animal gets sick! That's just biology!" Legosi insisted.
"Well, I haven't gotten sick yet."
The wolf held his head. "I...I don't know if you're screwing with me. Did the black market give you a good immune system?"
"I'm not sure. And I'm not screwing with you!"
"Maybe it's a red deer thing..." Legosi decided to drop it for now. His mind wandered to the half asleep plan he had come up with last night. He glanced at the time on the phone. 9:27. He'd have to wait until lunch time.
Louis shrugged. "Hm...Glad we almost always have celery."
"Thanks to someone..." the wolf chided.
"Hey! I can't help that it's my favorite. It's crunchy and refreshing at the same time."
"Like watermelon." Legosi licked his lips. He couldn't wait until summer.
"It's softer, but yeah."
The canine closed his eyes again and drifted in and out of sleep to the clinks and clanks from the kitchen.
After a while, Louis started shaking him. "Hey, hey."
"Snrrk, ghk, whuh?" The wolf opened his eyes slowly.
The buck grinned. "Your soup is ready."
"Mmm." Legosi looked at the time. 11:48. Lunch was being served soon in the cafeteria. "I'll have some. Den I need do ged some medicine from Jack."
"We don't have any?" Louis tilted his head, going back to the kitchen to serve a bowl. "Smell good? Oh...right."
"Doe we don't. And you wouldn't need any, Mister Never-Sick."
Louis turned his head. "Says Mr. Sick Right Now."
"Mmm." Legosi sat up with what appeared to be a bit of effort. He trudged after the deer, looking forward to his soup. His mate poured some in a bowl and then handed it to him. "Baybe this will clear me ub." Legosi tipped the bowl back and drank it down.
"Careful, it's hot!"
Legosi realized too late it was hot, but he drank it down anyway, wincing at the pain.
The deer watched with a concerned gaze.
"Ahh." The dog placed the bowl on the counter, panting a bit to cool his tongue off, which already felt numb. "Thang you, Louis."
Louis nodded and poured his own bowl. "I can't believe I get so hungry, now. I even had the urge to get a snack the other day."
"Thad's really good to hear, honey!" the wolf gushed.
"It's so different how your body can...change like that."
"I guess that fide we had was impordant..."
"Mm...I can't stand you being so angry at me..."
Legosi, feeling uncomfortable at being reminded of just how mad he had gotten, embraced Louis.
The deer hugged him back. "Sorry for bringing that up. So are you going to get that medicine so you can come back here?"
"Yeah. Don'd worry, I'll dress warmbly." Legosi let go, going over to put on his clothes.
Louis sat down on the bed, turning on the TV to eat his soup.
"We never cleaned ub our sex stain." Legosi's eyes were once again drawn to the spot on the carpet.
"Agh...keep reminding me. I'll figure it out while you're gone."
Soon, the wolf had donned enough layers that he deemed were appropriate. He wrapped his scarf around him and looked at Louis. "I'll be ride back."
His fiance smiled and gave him a wave. "Come back soon."
Legosi darted out the door, cursing the coldness as it hit him. It made his stuffed up nose feel even worse.
This was for a good cause, though. With the drama club suspended, the only time all of the carnivores from that club would be easy to find would be at lunch time. Plus, he really did need to get some medicine from the 701 room.
Legosi quickly made it to the loud and bustling cafeteria, feeling a bit out of place wearing his big coat in the room full of school uniforms. He looked around, unable to use his nose to find anyone. He moved forward, giving a small wave to Pina, Kai, and Dom who looked at him with confusion. Legosi wondered where Bill was.
He continued forward, soon spotting a table of carnivore girls containing Juno and Shiira. He approached, figuring he should remain inconspicuous. "H-hey, guys."
They both turned their heads. "What are you doing?" Juno asked.
"U-uh, since the club is shud down, I'm checking to see how everyone's doing since the...murder." His eyes scanned the table, gazing at the other carnivore girls he never met before.
The female wolf furrowed her brows. "Why do you sound like that?"
"My nose is stuffd. How is everyone feelink aboud Els?"
Shiira leaned against the table, sighing. "It's...horrifying. We were close. I mean, I already did my share of..."
Juno put a hand on hers. "Don't worry, it's not our fault. It's just one carnivore that's to blame."
"Yeah. Me and Louis were on our way home from my granpa's when we heard aboud it." Legosi added that just so the girls wouldn't suspect him.
"Yeah...It shook up everything here. Everything seems...different," Shiira said.
Juno sighed. "I thought I could become a Beastar to fix the image of carnivores...I'm still trying, especially now that Louis is gone, but it's harder than I thought it'd be."
"Id's hard when there's carnivores oud there who do things like this." Legosi clenched his fists, trying to hold back his rage. He relaxed a bit as he continued to speak. "I'mb actually drobbing out because of the segregation..."
Juno gasped. "Segregation?!"
Shiira made a face. "What?" Heads turned to their direction.
Legosi blinked. "O-oh...I guess it wasn't...announced yet..." His ears folded back, hoping Gon wouldn't find out. "Uh, don'd tell anyone! There'll be an announcemend!"
The other grey wolf looked down. "Then...I failed."
The leopard put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk about this later. What do you want, Legosi?"
"J-jusd to check in, since we don'd have club anymore." Legosi leaned down to look at Juno. "Juno, I belieb in you! You're strong and charismadig! If you wand to become the Beasdar, then I think you can do id!"
The other wolf sighed. "I don't know...Thats some big news..."
"You're still jusd a firsd year, I know you can do id!" Legosi cut his inspirational speech short as he remembered he couldn't take too long here. "A-anyway, see you guys!" He walked off.
The lioness next to Shiira poked her. "Hey, isn't that that wolf guy who saved Louis last summer and started dating him?"
Shiira nodded. "Yep."
"...how did someone like Louis the Red Deer fall for him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Louis was always so prim and proper and he just...talked to a table full of girls with a stuffy nose about a recent murder..."
Juno sighed. "He's weird. Maybe that's why he likes him."
Legosi moved through the cafeteria, eyes peeled for his next potential target. Soon, he caught sight of Tao, who was eating his lunch with Kibi and Aoba. The wolf made his way over. "Hey, guys."
"Heyyy, Legosi!" Aoba smiled. The other two animals greeted him as well.
Legosi blinked, looking around. "Hab you seen Bill around?"
They shook their heads. "Not really. He's probs with Pina." This came from Tao.
"He isn't. Nod that I saw." The wolf decided to drop it. "Uh, sinds club is over, I wanded to cheg in and see how you guys were hoding up with the murder and all."
All the boys sighed. Aoba rubbed his arm. "I know Bill was really upset. I feel bad for him."
Tao nodded. "It just sucks...I mean...We're all carnivores. Imagine what herbivores are thinking behind our backs."
Legosi scrutinized the dark furred feline. His previously relaxed posture tensed a bit, but his voice remained steady.
Kibi shook his head. "I know I don't think anything different of you guys. Some herbivores just overreact."
"Id's crazy that the police won'd investigade it seriously," Legosi scoffed. "Id's clear id was someone from this school." His eyes shifted to Tao subtly.
Tao squinted, catching on immediately. "I see what you're doing. Not cool."
"Whad! I'm jusd sayink...id's clear id was an animal from Cherryton."
Kibi blinked. "Uh, Legosi...Why do you sound like that?"
"I'mb sig."
Tao frowned. "Sick for thinking I had a reason for killing Els...Sheesh."
Aoba looked at Legosi. "What makes you think it was him?"
The wolf held his hands up. "Hey hey hey! I'mb nod sayink that! I was jusd talkink. I'll leave you guys alone now..." The wolf turned heel and walked away, groaning under his breath.
The others just blinked, wondering what that was really all about and why Legosi wasn't in his uniform.
Legosi slowed down a bit once he was far enough away. Tao was able to figure him out quite quickly. He didn't outright deny it, though...
Of course, that wasn't the strongest case. The canine didn't feel like he could completely clear him yet, though.
He continued on, soon spying a pair of long, white ears. Haru usually disliked eating in the cafeteria, but the cold weather must have led her there. She sat alone, as usual. Legosi's own ears drooped as he approached and pulled a chair up.
Haru's ears perked as she smiled. "Legosi-kuuun!"
Legosi smiled, realizing how much he had missed her. "Hey Haru-chaaan. Sorry we'be been so disdand." He sucked some of the snot up his nose to try and clear his passageways.
She wrinkled her nose. "What are you wearing? Is it that cold in here?"
"I didn'd go to classes today. I'm in here lookink for Jag so I can borrow some of his decongesdant."
"Jag? Oh, you mean Jack-kun. I think he's in line right now." She looked him up and down. "It's been so long since I've seen you and Louis-kun."
Legosi sighed. "I know. We were subbosed to have you over bud then...thad habbened."
The herbivore tilted her head.
"...The murder."
She looked down at her plate of food, seeing her dark reflection in her bowl of soup. "Oh. Yeah."
"Sorry..." Legosi cleared his throat. "I'mb...going to be drobbing out and moving somewhere with Louis in the next few months."
"What?" Her eyes widened as she swallowed a spoonful. "You're...leaving?"
"Yeah..." Legosi looked left and right before leaning in. "I know you won'd spread this around...but segregation is being enforced the next school year..."
She took a moment to let that set in. "I'm not surprised. I figured that would happen right after Els' murder."
"Yeah...and I can'd stand the thought of being away from Louis. So...we're going to find a place."
"Do you have any idea of where?"
"Um...no...bud we'll look. We'll stay with my grandfadder while we search."
"So...you're just...leaving, huh? We never got to hang out as much as we talked about...We made all those plans while Louis was gone..."
Legosi felt a stab in his chest. "I-I know! You can visid us, still! Id's just...with what happened and all..."
"I get it. Louis takes priority. It makes sense."
"I-I didn'd mean it like thad!"
"I'm...a little sad. Some part of me still loves him, you know? It was the only real thing I ever had with someone. And...it wasn't even real."
A lump formed in the wolf's throat. "I-I'm sorry..." He shut his eyes and looked downward, unable to meet the herbivore's gaze. It wasn't something they talked about often.
"Sorry...I don't know what I'm talking about." She gave him a big, innocent smile, the way she always did.
"I'm really sorry, Haru-chan! I'll...I'll let you know when you can come over before we leab..."
She sighed and nodded. "What have you been up to lately?"
"Well...I might get a job ad an insect shop at the mall. I jusd have to call dem back." Legosi managed a smile.
"That would be great for you. You always liked looking at bugs while we hung out in Garden Club. I'm lucky it's just me there. They didn't have to cancel it."
The carnivore smiled wider. "Yeah...I hobe I ged id."
She nodded. "Me too."
Legosi stood up. "Well, I'd better go ged that medicine. I'll led you know when we can hank out, okay?"
"Okay! Text me! You have my number, Legosi-kun!"
Legosi fixed his eyes on the golden lab across the room, jogging up to him. "Jag! Jag!"
Jack's tail immediately started wagging. "Legosi!"
Legosi's tail wagged in turn. "Jaaaaag! I need your nodes spray."
The lab's ears perked and his tail stopped moving. "Oh, jeez! Let's go to the dorm." They were no stranger to stuffy noses and colds. Of course, that's why they had the medicine in the first place.
"Ah, could you jusd go ged id? I'm...busy?"
"Busy? Doing what? And where's your uniform? Are you skipping school again?"
Legosi cleared his throat. "...I'm sig. I jusd came in here to see how the dramba club is doing."
"Ah! That's why you weren't in class this morning!" He gave an innocent smile.
"Mhm. So, if you ged that stuff for me I'd really abbreciate it."
The dog nodded and sped off.
Legosi looked around again, thankful the rest of the crew were at a table already. He set off again, searching for Riz's large form. Eventually, he found him seated at a table with some other bears. Legosi gulped, then walked over. "Hey, Riz."
Riz smiled at him. "Hey Legosi. You weren't at second period."
"I'm sig," the wolf explained for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. "I'm jusd chegging in wid all the drama club aboud...Els."
The bear's smile remained on his face. "It's a really painful time for all of us. I heard her family wants a private service, but everyone in the drama club wants to do something special."
"Ah, I didn't know that," Legosi admitted. Was that recent? He decided to leave it. "Id's scary, though, with a murder so soon afder Tem's."
A slight damper on the large carnivore's smile. "It is."
"You were friends wid him, ride?"
"Yes."
I'm sorry Tem. "Did you know he had a crush on Els?"
Riz looked thoughtful, his face still relatively poker. "No, he never talked about that."
"Do you think the killer could be the same?" Legosi tried to make his tone as casual as possible.
"I don't know. The police don't think so." Riz took a bite of his honey bun. "Sounds like a bad stuffed nose you have there."
"Yeah, ids really annoying. I can'd smell anything." The wolf backed away. "Well, I'll see you around!"
The wolf made his exit, small, beady eyes watching him depart.
A while later, Jack rushed back in and found him. "Legosiiii! I got the medicine!"
"Oh! Thang you!" Legosi grabbed it and gave it a few sprays in each nostril, making gross sucking sounds after doing so. "I'll get this back to you later."
The labrador made a squinty face. "Uh...Just...keep it. We'll get more."
"Okay! You're a lifesaver!" The large wolf enveloped Jack in a tight hug.
Jack hugged back. "No homo, though." Then a snort. "Haha, sorry. That's something I've picked up from Miguno."
Legosi laughed. "Nod with you, Jack! You know our rule!"
"Plus...you have Louis and you're not even attracted to carnivores. And...I think I'm fine not being with anyone. I've been doing some soul searching of my own. I've been really into history lately. Does that sound weird?"
The wolf blinked. "Why would it be weird?"
"Cause it's all serious and junk..."
"Well, id is impordant knowing all thad stuff."
"Miguno always tells me that it happened in the past, so it doesn't matter in the present..."
"Well, he's Miguno and you're Jack" Legosi shoved the spray bottle into his pocket and huffed. "I'd better ged back to Louis, now."
"Don't have too much fun, you'll get snot all over him!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Legosi waved him away as he left the busy cafeteria.
