Chapter 60 - How Can I Ever Trust Them Now?

The next day, Louis woke up, tired as ever, and still emotionally disturbed.

The wolf being wrapped around him helped, at least. Or it did until his alarm went off. The dog jumped, like always, and looked around the room, eventually finding his phone and silencing it.

"Work today..." Louis mumbled.

Legosi yawned. "Yeah. Having off yesterday was nice, at least. I just wish I could have been off today to stay with you..."

"You're needed there. I'll be here when you're home."

Legosi simply nodded, getting up to get dressed and eat breakfast while Louis continued to lay there. The wolf let him be, knowing he was still in a sensitive state.

"How about this? I'll call you if I really need you to come home."

"Yeah, that would be good..."

Louis was still under the blanket, curled up. "Hopefully your boss would even let you."

"He likes us, so I think so. I'll tell him you're sick." Legosi spread some peanut butter on bread for a simple breakfast.

Louis chuckled. "Gasp! You would lie to your boss?"

The canine cocked his head and smirked. "Didn't I tell you the other day that I'd kill to keep you safe?"

"...Yes." He sat up, top half exposed. "You're the best."

"I'm the best because of you," Legosi hummed, shoving the slice of peanut butter bread in his mouth.

"What? How's that?"

"Before I was with you, I wasn't doing anything. I'd just go to class and go to drama club and not do much else."

"I mean...You had Kabu-chan."

"You really didn't do anything else?"

"Did you know what you wanted to do in life?"

"Sort of. I wanted to work at a bug exhibit, but then when I started working in the drama club I thought maybe I could work on sets and stuff. I think we talked about this before."

"We talk about a lot. Sorry," Louis blushed.

"It's alright. I guess with my current job, I'm going to go down the bug exhibit path." Legosi finished up his breakfast and moved to get dressed, slipping on his blue jeans and turtleneck before putting his parka over it.

"I still don't know what I truly want to do. Definitely not be a vigilante," his husband chuckled.

"We'll get you out of there. Don't worry." Now fully dressed (and looking sharp as hell, Louis thought), Legosi walked over and crouched next to the deer. He leaned in and kissed him on the mouth, running his tongue over his teeth.

The buck did the same, leaning back a bit at the intensity of the kiss. "Mmh…"

The wolf pulled away and looked at him intensely. "I love you...so, so much. I won't let anything happen to you."

At that moment, Louis looked as innocent as ever. "I love you more."

Legosi grumbled. "You're such a cheater at everything."

"But I win, don't I?"

"Only because I let you." Legosi stood up and stretched. "Remember to call me if you need to."

"I promise, I will."

Legosi nodded, waved, and out the door he went.

Louis was roused from his sleep around an hour later by a familiar, rapid-fire knock.

The buck got up and groggily answered the door.

There stood Pina, sharply dressed as ever. His face held more concern than it usually did. "Hey..."

"...Hey."

The sheep grabbed him gently by the shoulder and guided him inside. "Shit, you look like you need to lay down again."

"...Yeah."

The herbivore brought him in and had him lie back down, ignoring the fact he was in his underwear, still. He sat on the couch, hands folded between his knees. "So...what's up?"

"A lot."

"And I've got time."

"What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why you wanted me to come so short notice."

"I just...needed someone, I guess."

Pina lowered his head and stared at Louis. "Yeah, but why? Something obviously happened."

"Well...I went on our first group mission."

The sheep nodded. "Yeah, for that weird vigilante group you got taken hostage by..."

"And they killed defenseless carnivores in cold blood. I saw a bear get decapitated..."

Pina didn't move, only blinked. He looked off to the side before his eyes landed back on Louis. "Oh...so this is way more in the shitter than we thought, huh."

"...There's more. They could have just killed them, but they did it in such violent ways. One of them got their eyes gouged out."

Pina nodded, his face betraying no feeling. "So, what? What we have here are some power-hungry herbivores getting their kicks? Was there a reason these carnivores were killed?"

"They were selling carnivore parts, but more importantly children."

"...Like you and that Ichi guy were. I'm guessing that's the main reason he had the group go after them, right?"

"Yes, it is," Louis nodded, laying on his side and propping himself up with his elbow.

"Did the kids get saved?"

"Yes. We did save them."

Pina hummed, thoughtfully. "Guess that's going to be a pattern for this group. Seek out a worthy cause but go about it pretty ruthlessly. They didn't expect you to kill anyone, did they?"

"I think they do."

The other animal leaned forward even more. "And they were really defenseless?"

"He thinks their natural traits are weapons."

"Hm." Pina got off of the couch and sat next to Louis. "So, uh, you saw some animals die in front of you...Can't imagine that's something you get over."

"The first was a wolf...Ichi shot him in the head as he begged for his life."

Pina sat silently, listening.

"He looked like Legosi..." The cervid swallowed. "I keep saying it, but it's too much. How can I ever trust them now?"

"Could you even trust them to begin with?"

"I thought I was starting to...It didn't seem so bad. I even had some hope. What a fool, huh?"

Pina laid down on his side. "Well, it's not like you have a choice in the matter."

"It's bullshit."

The sheep placed a hand on Louis' shoulder and rubbed. "So, you called me over to think of a plan?"

"I called you over to see you. I just had the urge. Like...to see someone close to me who isn't Legosi? I know how he feels about all of this. And you know."

"I get that. We do have to get you out of this mess, though. I can't say that killing those animals in order to save the kids was a completely bad thing, but the way you said they went about it makes it more clear that they're a danger to yourself and Legosi."

"They always have been a danger to him, at least."

"Yeah, but now you know they're not all talk."

"Not even close. One swipe was all it took for Ni to take that head off the bear."

"Oh, so they all have that number schtick going on? Were they all cellmates?"

"No. Only Kyuu, San, and Ichi were."

Pina grunted as he reached down to unlatch his leg. "Hm. This is sounding more and more like a cult to me."

"It is?"

Pina got his leg off and started rubbing at the stump. "Well, it seems like the Ichi guy is hellbent on gathering the animals that were being sold as livestock that survived it, considering the lengths he went to force you to stay. Not to mention, that supernatural stuff you talked about before..."

"Chimeras. That's how he disarmed the wolf," Louis explained.

"Anything else they do that's weird?"

"I think the worst part was that Ichi thought it was a fair fight. They knew they would win, but they told the carnivores it would give them a chance."

"So, the carnivores really had no weapons? Did they catch them off guard?"

"They held them up. Also, they wear vials of their own blood around their necks. I have my own."

Pina shook his head. "Wait, they took your blood?"

"Forcefully. Ichi used his Chimera." He raised his scarred hand. The wound was pretty much faded now.

The sheep went quiet again, deep in thought. "So, if not all of the members are animals that were held as livestock, how do the other ones join?"

"I don't know. I assume that they're recruited."

"Have you been thinking of any ways you could possibly escape?"

"They'd kill us instantly and without issue."

"So what, you're just going to be a part of this group now?"

"I have to. You already know how it is." He looked between Pina's two eyes and then laid down fully, still on his side.

"You can't just throw the rest of your life away for this, though. It's only going to get worse," Pina reasoned.

"It...won't be the rest of it, right?" The deer asked, softly.

"How do you see it ending without you dying?"

"...They...let me go once we're done?"

"Done with what?"

"What they have planned for the black market, I guess."

"What, to get rid of it? Do you know just how big of an undertaking that is?" Pina's previously neutral tone was beginning to grow more urgent.

"We don't even know if that's their true plan. It can't take my whole life though, I don't think."

"You should probably ask Ichi, if you think it's safe to."

"He's probably upset with me. It seemed like it before I left. It must have been the way I reacted to the kills..." Louis mumbled, still looking at him.

"You mean like a normal animal would react?"

"...I'm Shi. I'm supposed to be stronger than that."

"And when he realizes you can't be what he wants you to be?"

"Then he bounds my hands and forces me to be, I guess."

"It seems like that's what he's already done," Pina levied. "...What if...what if I joined?"

"What?!" Louis sat up quickly. "No. No. No way. You can't!"

Pina sat up, as well. "Well, I can't just sit here and do nothing while my friends are suffering and in danger!"

"No! The things I've seen...You can't."

Pina grabbed his shoulders. "I'm not sitting on the sidelines again, Louis!"

"...What?"

The sheep's head hung down. "With Riz...in the end, I...I was useless."

"What? Useless? You were kidnapped!"

"Yeah, because I underestimated him. We can't take chances with this, and you can't do it alone. You need an ally on the inside."

"Since when have you ever cared about being useless?"

"Since my little brother got eaten while I was supposed to be looking after him."

That made Louis become quiet. "..." He took Pina's hands off his shoulders. "Ok."

"...And that's only if you think it's safe to do this. They might have seen you talking to me already, so they could be suspicious…"

"...You talked about throwing my life away for this. Don't throw your life away. What about Bill?"

Pina looked off to the side. "...He needs to graduate. He can focus on that. We're safer if we're in this together, after all."

"If you aren't in this at all, you would be even safer."

"We're talking about you and Legosi, here," Pina said with a scowl. "Besides, we can look for more allies, too."

"This is my responsibility," Louis said. "It would be foolish to put those around me in danger."

"It is not your responsibility! You got hunted down for this and it was not your choice! You're the victim here, Louis!"

"Legosi's the victim here! It's my responsibility as his husband to protect him!"

"And it's my responsibility as your friend to fucking help you!" Pina groaned and leaned back a bit, closing his eyes. "Look, Louis, I don't think there's a way out with how you're currently going about it."

Louis took a moment to answer. "...I don't want you to become a killer, Pina."

"...Is that what's going to happen to you?"

Louis turned around, facing the other way. "...Go told me I'm not used to the death back there. Maybe he's right. As much as I don't want to..."

"...And you're sure there's nobody else that can help with this?"

"I'm trapped..." A pause. "We're trapped."

"Yeah, just like you were trapped with your dad. But you took action." Pina placed his hand over Louis'. "You had help..."

"But I didn't get the chance to tell Legosi to not help me...I didn't feel like we could die back there," Louis mumbled, feeling comforted by Pina's soft hand.

"Fine, just...think about it. You need to put every plan on the table for this."

"Knowing that you killed would physically hurt me...Imagine if Bill had actually shot Riz."

"I think he wouldn't have cared, to be honest..."

"What do you mean?"

Pina shifted on the futon, noting the still-present bloodstain. "He would have justified it."

"But you would be part of senseless murder disguised as something good."

"They're going to kill anyway."

"And eventually...so will I," Louis whispered. He turned around again. "But you...You don't deserve to take someone's life. You're too good for that."

"Louis, you're lying on your back and giving up. It's not like you!"

"I can't fight back! There are eight of them and one of me!"

"That's why we work together and find a solution! Fine, I don't have to join, but I'm going to think of how to get you out of this!"

Louis sighed. "...And what the fuck would even happen if you joined?"

"You'd have support and we'd have a better chance at toppling the group. Maybe we could even turn some of the members on Ichi. Shit, I don't know! I just want to do something!"

"But why?! You don't have to do this for me. You have a good life!"

Pina scoffed. "Really? I have a good life? That's really funny, Louis."

"You're not in danger of dying!"

The woolly herbivore turned and dropped face-first into the pillow, screaming into it.

Louis' eye widened and a hand went on Pina's shoulder. "Hey! Calm down!"

Pina stayed there, not moving. His tail flicked irritably.

Louis moved to rub his upper back. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. It's not what I meant..."

The sheep's muzzle turned, freeing his mouth to speak. "I just don't know what to do. What do you want me to do?"

It was Louis' turn to look to the side, and he glanced at the detached leg. "I don't know what to do. I want you to be okay."

"Then why did you invite me over and tell me about this if you didn't want me to help?"

"Because you comfort me. You've always been there for me."

Pina rolled on his back, his face now solemn. He pat the spot next to him.

Louis moved and laid there, breathing softly. This was helping him, as he had hoped.

"Guess I'm too focused on 'fixing' right now. That's not what you need. I'm sorry." Pina moved his hand up and stroked Louis' jawline, laying his head on his chest.

"I do want it. I do, I'm just...scared," Louis admitted. "I'm a weak animal. I let my emotions get to me, I can't suspend my fear..."

"Hmm, Legosi softened you up, hm? I wouldn't say it's a bad thing." Pina's breathing was slow against Louis' chest.

"But it's not going to help me now," Louis said. "I'm...failing him."

"It's not your fault, and he knows it."

Louis sniffed, his voice breaking. "I just...I don't know how to do this. I don't know what to do..."

Pina brought his arms around him, stroking his back. "That's why you need help. Let others help you. This is too much for you."

"But you can get hurt..."

"Yeah, well, that's just life."

"And is him getting hurt 'just life'? Am I supposed to just deal with it?" Tears fell. "It's not fucking fair."

"I meant me getting hurt. I'm fine with it. I'll get hurt for you two."

Louis just sniffled. "I just don't know...I feel useless..."

At that moment, the deer's phone started to ring.

The buck sniffed and grabbed the phone. "H-hello?"

"Louis? It's Gouhin."

"Oh." He wiped his nose. "Hey. What is it?"

"I'm just callin' to see if you can tell me the reason why five kids were dropped off at my place last night by you-know-who."

"Because they need a place to stay? Is there an issue?"

The panda grunted. "What I meant was, what the hell happened? Where did they come from? He didn't tell me anything!"

"...They were being sold by carnivores."

"...Well, that's what I feared. I brought them to a foster home today. I didn't think Ichi was actually going to take on groups like that. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Is Riley still there?"

"I'm actually discharging him today."

"How is he doing?"

Gouhin was quiet for a second. "He's well enough to leave. He needs to be careful, though. I think he wants to stop eating meat, but I think that will just lead to more problems for him. He's got a lot of self-loathing issues, and I told him he needs to see a more traditional therapist."

"I'll text him later and talk to him about it."

"Good idea. I think you saved his life, kid."

"I'm so glad." He looked at Pina as he said this, still on his chest.

"Yeah. Also, I'm still tryin' to figure out how to get you out of Ichi's group, but all of my plans involve violence and I'd like to avoid that if possible."

"...Yeah," Louis answered. "Please call me back if you figure anything out."

"I will, like I said. Anyway, I'm off to give Riley his last checkup. Seeya."

"Bye." He hung up and turned back to the sheep, just observing him, thinking.

"I heard all of that," Pina stated.

"...I know you did." He began petting his wool. Wool was so nice. One of his favorite feelings, besides Legosi's soft fur.

"So, that doctor from the black market knows about all of this? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Maybe I could work with him to try and help you. Who's Riley, by the way?"

"He's a coyote I ran into in the black market. He wanted to...eat me, but I guess the way I reacted made him rethink eating meat entirely."

Pina whistled. "Damn. Guess you got some practical skills from being with Legosi, huh?"

Louis chuckled, still petting him. "I guess so..."

The sheep let out a slow breath. "That feels good..."

The deer kept on. "Good. You know...There's an insane coincidence...Ichi believes that Shichi is still out there. There's just one thing I can't get out of my head about it..." He squeezed his wool, gently.

"Oh, like another one of the kids you grew up with?"

"Yes. Anyway...he's...a Dall sheep," Louis mumbled. "He's waiting for a Dall sheep." He squeezed and unsqueezed his wool as he went back to petting.

Pina chuckled. "Well...that seems a bit coincidental." He moved what was left of his right leg off. "Oops, looks like my brand got eaten."

"Looks like it..." the deer smiled a bit. "And what happened to your brother might make them sympathize with you. But...maybe change it to friend."

"So, this would get me in Ichi's good graces right away, huh? That is, unless they've already seen us together, then the whole thing falls apart."

"Then we just have to hope they didn't. But I'm paying Juu to not say anything to Ichi. And maybe...we act like we don't know one another when they're around. Then we get paired on missions together and we can figure stuff out. We just have to pretend we never met and then form a bond. It will be like getting to know one another all over again."

"Heh, okay then, this is a good base for a plan. I'm guessing that Juu character isn't the most loyal, then?"

"She's the youngest and the most recent member. She knows that Legosi knows."

Pina's eyes went wide. "Well...I guess it's good she's letting you bribe her, but that could be a problem. Maybe you can ask her if she's ever seen me? That'd give it away, though."

"I think we need to just take the chance. Our past experiences in acting will help us. " He wrapped his arms around him. "Also...having you there might keep me sane. Just a little."

Pina smiled. "See? Now you get what I was saying before."

Louis smiled as well. "The situation will be even worse without you...I'm just going to really hope we can do this together." He looked at Pina's leg stump.

"I'm glad you turned around on this! Now let's get to planning, shall we?"