Chapter 39 - Boy's Night 5: Return of Boy's Night

Louis and Legosi arrived at the park to find Dom and Kai already there. The two perked up when they saw them and all four, even Kai, smiled as they ran to greet.

"Hey, guys!" Legosi contained himself as much as he could, despite wanting to hug the both of them. He knew how touchy the small carnivore was.

"Sup, dudes! Nice to see you again, finally! Your scars look better!" Kai gave them each a strange jostle of the arm as he spoke.

Legosi rubbed at the long sleeves of his shirt, remembering where they were going tonight. "Ah, y-yeah."

Dom crossed his arms. "Yeah. You look a lot better since we saw you in the hospital after the Riz incident." He was wearing a black dress with wrinkled sleeves, a white design with a blue background on the front, a white band around the waist, and a gradient from black to white on the bottom half of it.

He had thought about wearing makeup for the outing, but considering where they were going, decided against it. His shoes were the simple tennis shoes that he always wore with black knee-high socks.

Kai noticed the couple's stare. "Heh, like it? I helped spruce it up. Ain't that right, Dom? It was just a plain black and white dress before we got to it. It was like...our little project!" The mongoose's excitement over a dress seemed totally out of character from the Kai they knew just a year ago.

Louis raised a brow. "Wow, you really went all out! I'm guessing you must have been super excited to show it off today, huh?" He grinned. They had all talked about dressing nicely for the night.

He decided to do what he did for the roof party, except a little differently. This time, he wore the same pants as then, and instead of Legosi's pink button-up, he wore his black floral print shirt. It was tucked in so it didn't look too big on him. And for a little golden touch, he added his star earring. It had taken him a while to find it, so he didn't care how mismatched it looked. He was just having fun.

Legosi was the one wearing the pink shirt now, along with one of his dress pants, but since he didn't have any dress shoes he wore his old Cherryton shoes.

Kai just wore the same tuxedo-print black t-shirt he did at the dance along with some black jeans. None of the animals were lost on the irony of him gushing about the dress just a moment ago when he was wearing something so casual.

The bird's hands went behind his back and he swayed. "It's a restaurant we heard about in Kai's club. Apparently a lot of LGBT couples go there and it's kind of hidden. Makes sense, huh? Even if it sucks."

Kai literally jumped at the mention of the club. "Ooh, you guys! You guys don't even know yet! Okay, so the drama club kinda died? So I started an LGBT alliance club despite segregation. Everyone is required to have good grades to stay in it. I'm surprised I was able to even form it but it was Gon himself who approved it, so it makes sense. It's small right now and we've gotten some shit from students, but I think it'll do some real good!"

Louis raised a brow. "How is Gon? He visited in the hospital as well, but we haven't seen or heard from him since then."

"Ah, he's doing good!" Dom explained. "He even sits in on the club meetings sometimes. I don't know what his sexuality is, but it's nice to see him be so supportive. We even have some straight animals in there who are just allies."

"Yeah. It's clear as day that Gon doesn't support the segregation, but he had his hands tied." Kai crooked his mouth to the side after saying that.

The bird sighed. "Clear? He said it out loud himself."

"Yeah, that's why it's clear as day! Not my fault you literally don't have ears, Dominic." Dom's small boyfriend tugged on his dress playfully.

Legosi let himself laugh at the antics, enjoying his friends' company again after so long. He and Louis kept their mouths shut about already knowing about the club from Pina.

"Whatever, small fry. At least I can see over a crowd. I feel sorry for you at any public event," Dom smirked.

"You're sorely mistaken if you think I have ever been to 'a public event'," Kai laughed.

"Yoo-hoo! Boys~" The four turned and saw Pina and Bill approaching.

Bill held up a peace sign. "Yo, guys!" Their heads turned and saw that he was wearing black dress pants and a dark blue polo and a black tie. It was simple but charming. Pina on the other hand...

A black t-shirt with gnarled looking antlers in white adorned the front. If one squinted they could maybe read words from it. Below it was a gray skirt that stopped above his knees. He wore torn black leggings that tucked into his patented black boots. Black nail polish and reddish eyeshadow topped the look.

Dom clapped, cheering at his look. "Oh! You look fabulous, dear!"

Bill rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, haha...Thanks. It's nothin, really."

"Thanks!" Pina responded at the same time. They looked at each other before laughing.

The tiger put his arm around him. "You guys hungry?" Shouts of agreement rose from the group.

"Hey, Pina! What's with that getup! We're goin' to a restaurant, not a concert!" Kai fired playfully.

"Says the guy who's one shirt print away from looking like he could be working on a farm," Pina laughed.

The short carnivore scowled and smiled at the same time. "If I wore this working on a farm, I'd fuckin' die from the heat absorption!"

Louis leaned in, looking at Pina's shirt design. "Antlers, huh? What does it mean?"

The sheep fluttered his eyes a bit. "Oh, it's a band called Gnarled Crown. They're a band made up of bucks."

"What kind of music?"

The sheep's eyes lit up a bit. "They're a bit of a mix of technical and melodic death metal, which is generally a carnivore-dominated genre but these guys fuckin' kill it! Bucks can produce some sick ass gutturals and screeches if they train!"

The deer looked up, lips curling into a smile. "You'll have to show me sometime."

Bill shrugged. "It's no Iko."

Dom tilted his head. "Iko?"

The tiger's eyes lit up, as they always did before his rambles. "It's this pop band and the lead singer is this pretty cat named Iko and she has the voice of an angel! Their best song is Know Myself but their most popular song is called Love Love Bubblegum, which I have to admit I dance to occasionally, but trust me, Know Myself is way prettier!"

"It's about someone who changes who they are in a relationship but it makes them unhappy and at the end of the song, they finally realize that they shouldn't be with someone that makes them someone they're not. It's powerful stuff! Well, actually, I know all their lyrics."

"One day, I spent the entire day looking up all the lyrics and they're just so smart and awesome. They actually have a new album coming out next week and Pina hasn't heard the end of it. I've been spamming him with Iko songs lately. I actually just discovered them recently! This is going to be their 9th album. Can you believe that? Nine albums? It's crazy! That just means there's a ton of stuff to listen to!"

"I think their best album is Nikki because it tells a story, but everyone online always says their first album is the best. No way! How can it be the best? They haven't improved yet! Nikki is their eighth album and that means it's their best stuff because they've improved the most! Also, Know Myself is actually a part of the album, and the main character Nikki is in it cause it's about her and...I'm rambling aren't I?"

Pina just looked at his boyfriend with an expression that said 'I am so in love with you.' He grabbed Bill's shoulder. "They've got good stuff. Take Billy's rec and listen to 'em."

"As soon as you said the word 'pop' I tuned out," Kai said with a disinterested look on his face.

Bill's smile didn't disappear. "No, no, no! It's not like typical pop on the radio! Trust me. It's really good!"

Louis was typing something into his phone. "I'm adding Nikki so we can listen to it later."

Dom was also tapping around on his phone. "I added it, too. I love pop, aside from contemporary instrumental stuff. It relaxes me. If Kai shared a bed with me, he'd probably complain about it all night."

Legosi stood there, waiting for an opening to speak, which he took once it presented itself to ask, "So, are we going to get going? I'm hungry."

Bill punched his arm, lightly. "Leave it to the carnivores to be starving, huh?"

The wolf put an arm around his broad shoulder. "These other animals just don't get it."

The cat laughed. "We should split something, eh? It might be cool to share a meal together."

Dom sighed. "Boys bonding. Good."

Louis looked to Pina. "If they're sharing a meal, we should do the same."

The avian looked at him. "What? So I just have to share a meal with my boyfriend? That's basic!"

The deer giggled. "Fine. I'll share a meal with you, then. Kai, you can share with Pina."

"Oh, fuck that! I can't eat some herbivore dish!"

Pina stuck his tongue out at him. "Who says I'll be eating an herbivore dish?"

"You'll get the shits!"

"That I will!"

"Ew!"

Pina laughed following the exchange and looked at Louis with soft eyes. "Looks like we'll have to reschedule our meal together..."

"And when we do, you can show me that band you were talking about."

The skinny herbivore winked at him, an action caught by both Legosi and Bill. The wolf turned to the tiger and cocked his head, trying to ask a silent question.

Bill shook his head, not knowing. He turned and grinned. "Dom, you said you knew your way to this restaurant in the group chat?"

The bird looked down. "Kai does."

"I does!" The small carnivore walked forward and turned back to the group. "Follow me!"

The image of the mongoose leading the group of taller animals was certainly humorous. Dom caught up so he could walk with him.

The colorful group marched through the city, talking and generally making a ruckus. Animals around them gave them a wide berth and strange looks, which none of them noticed.

Bill's stomach growled and he looked down at Kai. "What's takin' so long? I'm starving here!"

The feliformia turned back to the tiger and scowled. "Well, you see, Bill, there's this thing called 'distance'. Some things are farther away than others. Difficult concept, I know."

Louis spoke up. "It's because it's hidden, right? Does it have a secret password or something?"

"I think they'll just look at us and let us in," Pina laughed.

"Honestly." Kai marched forward. "The entrance is down an alleyway, though. There's a subtle bit of graffiti to mark it."

"But is there a password?" Legosi repeated his husband's question.

"Yeah, there is." The mongoose failed to elaborate, though.

"I'm excited," Dom squawked. "I bet there are a bunch of queer couples there. Let's try not to make friends this time, though. For the first time, I want to just focus on our little group since it's been so long."

"Yeah, it's nice to be back together. I'm really happy." Legosi rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled.

"Me as well," Louis added. "It's good to have friends."

Bill giggled. "So sappy."

"Yeah, uh, how are you two doing, anyway?" The group leader turned back to Legosi and Louis. "Pina said you had a rough patch?"

"You could say that," Legosi coughed. "Uh, we got married, though."

"After all that, yeah," Louis sighed. "It feels like we can't get away from it. I mean, I know it was a big thing that happened but we're trying to move past it, and having to constantly bring it up isn't helping."

Kai held his hands up. "Sorry! Didn't mean anything by it. Also, what? Married?"

Legosi sighed. "Yes, married. No, we didn't legally get married, but we decided nothing was stopping us from saying we're married, so we're married."

Pina shook his head. "Still can't believe you two. Only you guys could pull it off, though."

Bill grinned, showing his teeth. "Yep. You're real weirdos."

Louis looked at him. "And you're not?"

Dom laughed. "Oh, he is...From what I hear."

The feline's eyes widened. "Guh-huh?!"

"Yeah! Billy, tell them what you want me to do." Pina rubbed his big shoulder blades.

"What? You already were on top..."

"Shit, should I walk faster? Do I want to hear this?" Kai lamented in front of them.

"No the thing you dreamed about. Or maybe the other thing related to that~" Pina purred.

The peafowl cleared his throat. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about this."

Louis and Legosi just looked at one another, confused.

Legosi fiddled with his claws. "Y-yeah. Let's not talk about that stuff today."

Bill blushed. "Oh...Fuck you, guys..."

Pina walked a bit in front of Bill, maneuvering so he was walking backward in front of him with his hands pressed together, resting his chin on top of them.

The tiger smiled, lightly. "What are you doing? You're gonna fall, babe.."

"I won't. You look really good in that. It's giving me ideas."

Louis spoke up. "The tie grabbing was my thing, first."

Pina looked over at him. "Eh?"

"Yeah, he used to grab my tie all the time. Before we were even friends, actually." Legosi put his arm around Louis as if to make a statement as to what their current relationship was.

"Getting close without getting close. Plus, I felt it asserted dominance, in a way," Louis explained. "A small herbivore grabbing a big carnivore's tie..."

Bill squinted. "That sounds gay."

Louis laughed. "Well...I pushed him up against a wall and tried to get him to bite me, too. I really thought I was all that back then."

"Now you just rail him," the sheep said.

"Wait, really? What the fuck, Louis?" Kai entered the conversation again. "I mean the pushing him up against the wall and trying to get him to bite you thing."

"What? I just wanted him to use the strength he was born with and for him to see that I'm not just another herbivore!"

Dom finally had a thought. "We like you a lot better now."

"Oh yeah, this was probably around the time you kicked me onto the stage crew, huh?" Kai looked back at Dom. "Well, thanks, Louis! That was actually a really good decision!"

The bird grinned. "Yeah. You really helped us find something good. After the rubber band broke, metaphorically and literally, I think that's when our relationship went to the next level."

Louis blinked. "Weh?"

Dom chuckled. "Remember! I gave Kai a rubber band to snap when he felt like being negative? I tried to change him myself instead of making it his choice..."

"Ooh, ooh! Like Know Myself from Iko!" Bill called back.

"Yeah, I guess. Well...We realized that instead of forcing the change of his anger, he had to find something to put all that energy into. Lo and behold, the queer club at school."

Said club leader was too distracted looking at a brick wall to hear the praise.

"Is it here?" Legosi asked.

"Well, there's a mark here on the wall, see?" Kai moved aside and revealed a cleanly spray painted, white, hollowed out circle. "They say this circle represents the wholeness and togetherness of all animals. Also, it's inconspicuous enough that it goes unnoticed."

"I read about that once," Louis said. "It's a common symbol in the graffiti wars in the city."

Bill turned his head, looking at the art. "Grafitti wars, huh? Better than violent wars, that's for sure."

"Better than Galaxy Wars. Those movies are corny as hell," Pina added.

"Okay. Okay, take that back? Also, the restaurant is down here, guys." Kai led the five down the slightly narrow alleyway.

Dom put a hand on his shoulder. "I like Galaxy Wars, hon."

Louis frowned. "Anybody like the anime Neko Samurai? Legosi and I watch it all the time."

Bill suddenly had glasses on which he pushed up. "Oh, ho, ho..."

Pina rolled his eyes with a grin. "Oh man. You've unleashed the otaku tiger."

Legosi blinked. "Bill, did you always have glasses?"

The cat stepped in front of Louis. "Do you really want to get into the deep and complex narratives of Neko Samurai? Sure, it's old! Like from 2009, but still!"

"You think that's old for an anime?" Kai laughed, but they ignored him.

Bill laughed. "Yeah. Try watching 90s anime. Holy shit. That stuff is hilarious!"

Louis moved his eyepatch a bit. "Where did those glasses even come from?"

The tiger waved his arms. "Nevermind where they came from? Did you get to the part where Sanjiin's brother is revealed to still be alive?"

Louis covered his ears. "Spoilers, Bill!" He frowned. "Legosi and I made theories about that!"

Legosi groaned behind him. While Pina just laughed.

"Guys, shut the fuck up for a sec." Kai held a hand up and turned toward a plain doorway. Three cement steps descended in, leading to a green metal door. "This is it."

"It looks like a bunker," Bill said, pushing up his glasses.

"It's a bomb shelter for the gays," Pina added, wrapping an arm around Bill's.

Legosi's ears folded. "Are you sure this is it?"

Louis grabbed his large paw. "It's inconspicuous. It makes sense that this is it."

Dom clapped his hands together. "Well! No matter what, we all look fabulous! So let's get in there and enjoy ourselves!"

Kai knocked on the door, the metal reverberating throughout the whole thing and sending echoes out into the alley.

A slot opened up on the door. The animal behind had white fur. "What's the password?"

"All colors are the same," Kai's voice came out in a strange monotone not heard before by any of the animals there.

The animal nodded behind the door. "So...five of you?" His eyes moved between Bill, Pina, Dom, Louis, and Legosi.

Kai waved his hand up. "Uh, and six including me."

"Oh! Sorry, little guy! Didn't see you there. We don't get that many small animals here. Come on in you guys!" There was the sound of unlocking and the door opened. "Welcome to We're Only Animals!"

Louis blinked. "You've got to be kidding me."