Chapter 83 - Kiss Me When You See Me
Friday...
Louis slipped his satchel over his shoulders. "It's good that Ichi gave me the day off today."
Legosi pulled on a loose, bug-print t-shirt that he had found at the mall recently as well as some denim pants with the legs rolled up to account for the heat. "Maybe he can just give you days off over and over until you don't have to go back."
"He'd obviously notice," Louis laughed, grabbing his hand. "As hopeful as that is."
Legosi squeezed his hand. "You know, I don't ever remember going to the eye doctor before. That's probably bad, right?"
"How do you not remember?" Louis asked.
"Well, it could have been when I was really young, y'know?"
"I guess that does make sense. Are you nervous at all?" Louis questioned.
Legosi raised a brow. "After what we've been through? Not really. You look cute, by the way."
Louis blushed. He was wearing a floral-print button-up, as his husband usually did and very light brown shorts, with white socks and his tennis shoes.
"We look so cute together. When's the last time we just went out alone?" Legosi asked.
"A bajillion years ago," Louis sighed.
"We should definitely try to get out more!" Legosi's tail was already wagging and they hadn't even left yet.
Louis kissed his adorable nose. "I wonder how many dirty looks we'll get today."
The tail slowed but didn't stop. "Well, we won't hide! You ready?"
"Should I...bring my gun? Just in case?"
"You could keep it in your satchel. Not a bad idea."
The deer nodded, going to grab the weapon and tuck it away, safely. "I need to really train with it more. Especially in this line of work."
"The only other animal that uses a gun there is Ichi, right?"
"Yes," Louis answered. "I bet he has a place to train with them."
"Maybe that will be the way you befriend him and end all this," Legosi sighed. "I know that's not possible, I was just joking."
"I never said it isn't. I just said it can't be that easy."
"Well, today there is no Branded. Just you and me." Legosi smiled at him. "And I think I might be able to walk normally today! You know Mel-san was actually concerned yesterday at work when I came in limping."
The buck blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh boy...And what did you say?"
"I just told him I was fine! Although part of me wanted to tell him the truth." The wolf grabbed him by the hand. "Now, are you ready?"
"The truth? What would you have said?"
"That we had really great sex. That'd be kind of embarrassing, though."
"You wanted to tell your boss that? Imagine if I had pulled that shit with Ichi."
"I'm proud of what we did!" Legosi complained loudly.
"That is so fucking cute. Get out the door."
And out they went, still hand in hand. They waved to Morgane behind the counter when they got to the ground level, and she complimented their outfits.
Legosi took a deep breath of air once they were out. "Alright, I just have to follow directions on how to get there. Probably should take the bus or something."
"Wherever you go, I will follow," Louis responded. He looked up at the sky. "Nice day."
Legosi closed his eyes. "Mmm, warm. Summer truly is upon us." His voice became almost sagely when he said that.
Louis chuckled. "At least wait until you have the glasses before sounding old!"
They made their way, hand in hand, to an interspecies bus stop. Legosi sniffed the air, enjoying the smell from a nearby bakery.
"Hungry?" Louis asked.
"Always," Legosi joked. "But we have to make my appointment."
"You're really always hungry?" the buck questioned, ear twitching.
Legosi just shrugged. "I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life that I couldn't eat more. I feel like I could always eat something, but I don't always feel the need to eat."
"Is that a carnivore thing?"
"Uhh, I dunno. I never asked anyone about it or anything."
"Eh, it's no big deal," Louis said with a smile. "It's kind of cute. I could just cook for you all day and you'd appreciate all of it."
"Yes. I love being your taste tester." Legosi accentuated this with a lick to the cheek.
"Oh you just love tasting things," Louis looked away, smiling smugly. He was still riding the high from the sex two days ago. It felt amazing.
"I can't say you taste amazing too loudly, deer," Legosi teased back.
"Why? Ashamed?"
"They'll take it too literally."
"Oh. Ugh," Louis sighed. "I almost forgot."
Legosi smiled sadly. "Yeah...at least I haven't noticed anyone looking at us."
Louis squeezed his hand tighter and pulled him closer. "The more shit that happens, the less I care."
Legosi squeezed back. "I feel the same way."
"Yeah. I'll fight one of these fuckers if they try anything," Louis said, making a fist.
"Yeah, since you've been training. You'd kick their asses, hon!"
Louis pumped the fist he had been making. "You're damn right!"
"My protector~" Legosi cooed, poking the deer's cheek with his nose.
"I wish," Louis sighed, looking at the animals around them. There were those looks again. Well, whatever. They just didn't understand.
Eventually, the bus pulled up with a loud hiss. It was a bit strange not to take the train as they usually did, but it turned out the optometrist's office was too far away from any station. They walked on, hands still held, and looked for seats.
The vehicle wasn't that crowded, so it was easy to find seats across from an old carnivore couple.
Legosi sat down and sighed happily. "What are you going to do if you need glasses in the future, Lou?"
"Look sexy, obviously," the deer joked.
"Yeah of course, but would you even have a lens for your left eye? Maybe they could save time and money by popping it out."
"Maybe...a monocle..."
Legosi snorted. "You can't have one of those and not wear fancy clothes, though. Forever cursed to wear fancy clothes." He poked Louis in the cheek.
"My clothes are way less than fancy now," Louis commented, looking down at himself.
"Floral is a nice look, though. We should definitely buy more." The bus rumbled to life and Legosi spoke again. "Melon-san actually wears shirts like that, too."
"Ah...does he."
"Yeah. Pretty strange, considering how he acts, but I guess it makes sense." Legosi sensed the shift in atmosphere and decided to steer the subject somewhere else. "So, do you have any glasses in mind?"
"Not really? Brown might look good. Oh, but Hachi already has brown ones," Louis said.
"Oh yeah, glasses have color, huh. Never really think about that."
"Some lenses have color, too," Louis chuckled.
"But that's, like, sunglasses. I don't need that." Legosi looked outside as the bus picked up speed, his eyes naturally drawn to the movement.
"I was just saying. I'm sure we'll find you a cute pair. But you can't lose them."
"Of course...I won't..." Legosi's attention was now almost completely occupied by the moving scenery.
Louis leaned more into him as the carnivore couple watched. "Maybe we can watch a movie today to test your new glasses."
Legosi blinked and refocused back on Louis. "Oh, like at a theater?"
"Yep!" Louis said. "We haven't been to one of those together in a while, huh?"
Legosi looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Wait, have we ever been to a theater together?"
"...Uh. No. Ooh, it's dark in there...You know what that means~"
"Means you won't be able to see," Legosi chided.
"Wow. Low blow."
"No, we can't do that at the theater," Legosi said, barely containing his laughter.
"I was joooking..." the deer's ears went back and he huffed.
The wolf's eyes closed as he giggled some more, his tongue poking out of his mouth. All that he was aware of was him and his husband.
"But really, would you like that?" Louis queried.
"You know I would," Legosi whispered. "But we can't. Unless you're talking about the movie...then yeah."
"I...was. What if we went to a movie nobody liked and there was no one there..."
"Guess we'd have to look up reviews then. Or see which ones have been out the longest."
"This is purely theoretical," Louis responded.
"Y-yeah." Legosi cleared his throat and looked around. He had to grab his tail to stop it from wagging.
"Such a dirty wolf," Louis said, taking out his phone and tapping around. Messages from Nori, as usual.
"You say that like you're not the same," Legosi mumbled.
"Guilty."
The bus rumbled along and made a few stops. Animals came and went. Legosi checked his phone to make sure they'd get off at the right stop.
"I wonder what kind of movie we'll watch," Louis said. "Nothing scary, please."
"Of course not. Something visually pleasing would be nice."
"An animated movie maybe?"
"Maybe. Also, I'm not going to have my glasses right away, remember, so this is something we'd do another time."
"Wait, wait, wait, what? But...I thought we'd go to a movie together today!"
"Yeah, but you said it'd be for my glasses, right? Remember, I'm not getting them today."
"I didn't even think about that," Louis groaned. "Sorry. Well...hm...what else can we do?"
"We could go to the park again!" Legosi shot up but then slumped back. "Although, I'm not really dressed for it."
"I guess you're right. Wouldn't want to ruin those nice clothes."
"We could go to an insectarium or museum or something," the wolf suggested.
"Didn't we drop out of school for a reason?"
"Yes, to be together," Legosi looked back, face serious.
"Oh, you took that the literal way," Louis chuckled.
"You wouldn't want to go to a place like that?"
"I would if you would enjoy it."
"But what about what you like?" Legosi questioned.
"I think I would love to see the world with a beautiful wolf by my side," Louis looked off, wistfully.
"What if I took you to a haunted house?"
"So you can be cruel."
"In theory. Oh, our stop is soon."
"Oh, great. I guess it's a...carnivore optometrist?"
"I think they take all species of patients, actually."
"So they won't make me wait outside? Good," Louis said.
"Oh, no I don't think so. You'd just have to sit in the waiting room I suppose." Legosi let out a sigh, recalling the horrible time he had when trying to visit Louis...
"Green frames, maybe? What's your favorite color again?"
"It changes. Green would be nice, though. Reminds me of my grandpa," Legosi smiled.
"Oh because he's—Haha," Louis grinned.
The bus stopped with a hiss, and Legosi stood up, bringing the deer with him. "Alright, just a short walk, now!"
Louis grabbed his arm. "Do you ever want to go out with friends?"
Legosi looked down at him as they got off the bus. "Of course I do. I want to get together with my old roommates sometime, remember? And Bill, Pina, Kai, and Dom, of course."
"Oh, right. You know, you can do all that stuff without me," Louis said.
"But you said you wanted to see them again!" Legosi retorted. "I'm sure they want to see you, too!"
"Of course I do," Louis responded. "But we have so much going on right now. Don't let me hold you back."
"I suppose..."
Legosi led them on, getting turned around a few times. It turns out the office had actually moved at one point and the location online wasn't up to date.
Louis exhaled after a while. "Where the hell is it? You'd think a place such as this would have fully updated info..."
"I don't know...maybe I should call them?"
"Go ahead," the deer nodded, leaning against the wall.
Legosi dialed up the office and waited until the receptionist answered. "Hi, my name is Legosi the gray wolf. I have an appointment very soon but I, uh, can't find the building. The information on Zoozle maps is outdated."
Thankfully, the lady on the other end seemed to understand. "Oh yes, you're a new patient, so you might have some trouble. Most people around here know where we're at. You're gonna wanna find a fountain and go through the big glass doors in front of them. We share that big building with a lot of other establishments. Once you're in there, we're the second floor up. You got that, sweetie?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so. Is it nearby the old address?"
"Sure is! If you really have trouble we can send someone out."
"I think we got it. Thank you. See you soon, hopefully." Legosi hung up and looked to Louis. "Did you see a fountain anywhere?"
Louis blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. It's back that way. The way we came from."
"Oh! Okay." Legosi sniffed the air a bit. "Ohh, that's what that was. Alright, let's go." Legosi grabbed his husband's hand and they were off again.
Louis let himself be led along, smiling at the tall wolf taking charge. "You must be really excited to get your eyes checked out."
"I'm excited to get my prescription so we can go look at frames together!" Legosi sniffed the air once again. "Also, this smell is reminding me of our fountain meetings, and thinking about those always makes me happy."
"That kiss before the fight with Riz was so romantic, huh?" Louis snorted. "Two lovers, faced with death, sharing one last kiss that could have been their first, had things been different."
Legosi chuckled. "Wow, that seems so long ago. We got through that, we'll get through this."
"We'll get through everything," Louis finished. He looked down at his ring, thinking about...well, everything. "I want to get married. For real."
"We will," Legosi assured. "We will have a great wedding with all of our friends and family there."
"I'm going to get in contact with my father the next day I'm off. I'm going to tell him that I would like to be legally married to you before we have our wedding. That's still...far away...But we go to marriage counseling and everything and I just...I know that I'm meant to walk the road of my life with you by my side."
The wolf looked over, meeting Louis' gaze. He looked so mature. A different mature than the stag he remembered from Cherryton. Legosi smiled brightly. "I know I'm meant to walk with you as well."
"And you are," Louis said, holding up their hands. He paused, then snickered. "...Cue actual proposal. If we hadn't gotten engaged by accident." He looked around. "Fitting, I think. We're near a fountain, on a date, we just had amazing sex a few nights ago...It's these kinds of rushes that make me do stupid things."
Legosi felt a swell in his chest and his tail started going nuts. "So...we're really good, huh? Like we're gonna be okay?"
Louis looked up into his lizard eyes, smiling warmly. The best pair of eyes in the world and they were lizard eyes. Who knew. "My bad feeling is gone."
Legosi let out a quick breath through his nose and pecked Louis on the nose, tail still wagging.
"So, thoughts? I'll go see Oguma the next time I'm off and see how soon we can legally be husbands."
"Sounds good! I can come with if I'm free!"
"I bet he would love that. In fact, I'll ask him tonight if we can visit soon!"
Finally, they walked through the glass doors and found their way to the optometry office. Legosi signed in at the desk, filling out some paperwork with general information while Louis sat down on one of the seats in the waiting room.
The deer sighed, deciding to text Pina while he waited. Hopefully he answered.
Louis: Thinking about me? :P
He considered sending this for a moment. His greetings had always been very simple and basic. But he was also curious as to what Pina would say, so he sent it, half-jokingly.
Surprisingly, the sheep responded quickly.
Pina: i mean technically. thinking abt whatever the hell nori and hachi got up to and how it might involve u…
Louis: Oh fuck, I hadn't even been thinking about that.
Pina: haha so im right? nori wont tell me
Louis: We'd have to be alone if I tell you. Any issues with that and I guess you won't know ;)
What could he say? He was still in a playful mood.
Pina: wow something good happen?
Louis: Well...Gosi and I had really good sex a few days ago and now we're on a date to get him glasses. I'm going to talk to my father this weekend about getting us really married.
Pina: oh god no wonder! that all soudns so good and you NEED to send me a pic as soon as he gets them
Louis: Already planned on it. I miss you, too.
Pina: yea we need to hang out outside of branded stuff. me and bill are meeting up at gosha's for the weekend btw. ill ask if u can stop by
Louis: Oh that would be amazing. Having the group together again...Definitely ask.
Legosi came and sat down next to him. "Who you texting?"
"Pina. He says he's meeting Bill at Gosha's this weekend."
The wolf blinked a few times. "Wait, really? Are we gonna go?"
"If Bill says we can!"
"Heh, funny how those two visit my grandpa more than we do. Hope we can change that."
"Me, too. Right now we just have our hands tied. I can't wait to meet more of my real family..."
"Oh, yeah. You might even have grandparents...uncles, aunts, cousins...probably not siblings but who knows."
"Oh, sure and they all left to America."
Legosi shrugged. "Maybe some did. Going there will definitely be interesting, though. All I know about America is stuff from movies and shows."
"Same here," Louis said. He clicked his teeth. "I guess it's time to do some research!" He paused. "You do realize what going to America to find my parents means right?"
"Means we need lots of money?" Legosi guessed.
"Not just that but...we won't be finding my parents in just a week, you know...It could take multiple, maybe even months...They could have gotten in an accident and it would take us a while to find out. Do you get what I'm saying?" Louis looked up into his eyes, very seriously.
"A very, very long trip?"
"Exactly."
Legosi grunted. "After all this is done, maybe that'll be welcome."
"But won't you miss Japan? I assume canines get homesick a lot easier than deer do."
"I will. And everyone here. But if I'm with you, it will be okay."
Louis tugged on his collar. "Actually...the emergency plan is to save up and if things get so bad and Pina and I need to run, we'd escape to America. He's already fine with it. I honestly get the sense he doesn't like Japan very much."
"I guess that makes sense, what with his parents. What about Bill?"
"Well, we couldn't leave you two behind! It's just a matter of if you would go...There would be no time for thinking about it. This would be a same-day round up everything and escape."
Louis sighed after that. "I think that would be the hardest decision of our lives. But that's the plan if things get bad."
"Should we pack things up in case then? Or would Juu report that?"
"She would probably report that. I may be paying her to keep quiet about you knowing but that doesn't mean she won't report something as big as us escaping. And I don't think I could leave Pina behind..."
Legosi shook his head. "No way. I wouldn't let you. And Bill would have to come with him." Legosi looked down at the floor. "Having them with us would be nice, though. Maybe they'd come along if we went there normally?"
"To Gosha's?"
"To America," Legosi clarified.
"Well, we already know Pina will." Speaking of the sheep, Louis looked down to see if he had said anything else.
Pina: sure he'll say yes. ill let ya go now
Louis: See you soon and I'll tell you what happened.
"Oh, tell Pina I say 'hi'."
Louis: Oh and Legosi says hi.
Pina: oh see u later louis! and hi legosi! bye!
Legosi peered over at the screen and chuckled. "It'll be nice to see them again."
"I can't wait," Louis said. "When do you go in?"
"Just have to wait until they come get me. I asked if you had to wait here and she said you could come in with me if you want."
"Really? Great."
"Mhm." The wolf started to knead his hands together and bounce his leg.
Louis leaned back in his seat and looked up. "What about blue ones? They might compliment your fur. Black is too basic."
"I suppose we'll see when we pick them out," Legosi concluded.
Their conversation was interrupted by the door next to the reception opening, revealing a kind-looking and rotund cow. She looked down at her clipboard and then announced: "Legosi?"
The named animal stood and waved. "Hello!"
The lady's eyes went up as he stood at full height. "Right this way, please," she said with a smile.
Legosi took a step before looking down at Louis. "Do you want to come?"
"Always," the buck said, rising.
"Oh, you brought a friend with you? Well, come along!" The bovine lead them through the doorway, and the two followed.
"Husband, actually," Legosi corrected.
"Oh." The surprise was clear on her face, but her smile soon returned. "Sorry about that! I'm Gloria, by the way! I'll be checking your peepers today! I see here you've noticed it becoming harder and harder to read, correct?"
Legosi nodded. "Yeah, mostly at work, but just in general, too."
Louis nodded. "And he has trouble seeing what's on the TV, sometimes."
"Sounds like you came to the right place." Gloria lead them into a small room with a big chair and some gadgets and doodads. She closed the door behind her. "Oh, and what's your name?" she asked the deer.
"You can call me Louis," the buck said. "It's nice to meet you."
"Alright Louis, you can have a seat there while I take care of your husband, alright?" Gloria gestured to a plastic chair in the corner while she led Legosi to a table with what looked almost like a microscope on top of it. The wolf sat down in front of it while the doctor sat across from him.
Louis moved to where she gestured and sat down, looking interestedly at his wolf. He wondered how purple glasses might look.
"Alright, hon, when's the last time you've been to an optometrist?"
Legosi squinted as he thought. His tail swished and held still, then swished again. "Uhh...I think when I was a kid. I read letters with a spoon over each eye."
Gloria nodded. "Well, yes, that's part of it." She looked down at the paper he had filled out at reception. "So, you're 18 years old. Can it be said that it's been over 10 years?"
Legosi nodded. "Uh, I think so. We had checkups at my school, but nothing in-depth."
"And your eyesight was alright the last time you were checked?"
Legosi nodded again. "Yeah. I was able to see the letters, although I did notice they were blurrier than last time."
"I see. Did you tell them?"
"No. I was able to read the letters still so I didn't think I had to."
Louis could hear Gloria sigh and chuckle to herself. "Well, we're gonna fix you up today, alright?"
"Alright."
Louis smiled, eye never moving off Legosi. He was so cute. Kind of like a puppy at the pediatrician, what with his tail wagging and such. His mind reminded him of recent events and the former thought was obliterated.
The doctor indicated the object in front of them. "Alright, well to start off, rest your forehead on the pad here. I'm going to adjust everything around you so it fits, alright? So don't move."
Legosi complied, placing his face into the contraption while she fiddled around him.
"I love your shirt, by the way!"
Legosi's tail started up again. "Oh, thank you!"
"My son loves bugs. You should see his wardrobe."
The buck smiled more. Another kind herbivore on the short list.
"I've always loved them. I actually work at bug shop that sells them as pets." Only Legosi could sound that proud when telling someone that.
"Oh? And your eyesight is getting in the way?"
"Yeah, because I have to look at invoices and stuff and the numbers blur."
"Mhm. Okay, looks like I have this set for your big head. How does it feel?"
"Alright, perfect!" Gloria flicked a switch, and the black that Legosi had previously seen was now replaced with light and letters. "Can you start listing the letters from the top, please?"
"Okay." Legosi shifted a bit, his leg bouncing slightly. "Uh, F. C. P. S. I. T. S. G. E. P." The wolf was silent after that, and his tail drooped.
Louis raised a brow. "Can't see the rest?"
"I...I could try..."
"If you can't see them, you can't see them. It's fine. Let's try the other eye, now." With a click, Legosi's previously used eye was now covered, leaving his right. "Again, please."
Legosi read the letters, although this time there were even less he could read. "S-sorry."
"Oh, no, no, no, sweetie! It's okay! You're here because you can't see very well. It's good that we know what you can't see so we can get your prescription!" As she spoke, she loosened everything around the wolf's head, freeing him.
Louis felt a little better knowing that Legosi's head was free of the contraption. He figured he had an issue with things being on Legosi's head due to the whole muzzle fiasco.
Gloria guided his husband over to the large seat now as she set up a projector. She looked over at the buck in the corner. "You know, if I was testing your husband I'd be done in half the time!" She seemed to choke on her spit for a bit before talking again. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, you only have, you know, one eye. It'd be a lot faster checking on you."
"Oh..." Louis brought his hand up to his purple eyepatch, swallowing.
"I'm sorry! I tend to go too far sometimes when making jokes! My friends have to reel me in sometimes, like, 'Hey Gloria, don't say that!' haha!" The cow brought the projector to life, clearly happy that it was up now to distract from the awkwardness. "Alright, Legosi, I'm going to give you this spoon and you'll cover one of your eyes and read the letters like last time, and then switch."
Legosi seemed to do a little better with that one, but once again his right eye did a bit worse. Gloria turned the projector off and moved in front of him. "Alright, we're going to try some lenses next and get a prescription for you, and afterward, I'm going to check your eyes and make sure they're healthy."
Legosi complied as she brought down a contraption from the ceiling, which looked a bit like those tourist binoculars you paid money to use with lenses cycling through it like a revolver.
Once again, Legosi's eyes were covered, and Gloria flipped something in front of him. More close up letters. She selected a multitude of lenses and slotted them in and started to test them.
"Okay, better?"
"...Better."
"Okay...better, or worse?"
"...Better."
"Better, or worse?"
"...Worse."
"Alright...better, or worse?"
"...Wait, go back."
Louis watched. He wondered if he really would be the next to be sitting in that chair.
That went on for around five more minutes, the wolf becoming less able to tell the differences near the end. Once done, the lens contraption was put back up and Gloria had Legosi stay put.
"I'm going to put these drops in your eyes and then come back in ten minutes, alright? They'll widen your pupils so I can see everything going on in there."
Legosi shifted in the seat, adjusting for his tail. "Okay."
She leaned his head back and applied the drops, after which she left the two alone.
Louis looked at him, blinking. "How do you feel, anime boy?"
Legosi blinked, his eyes feeling weird. "What?"
"Cause you know, your pupils are all widened?"
"You can't even see from over there," Legosi complained. "Come over next to me. Everything's getting blurry and feels watery."
The buck got up and went by his side. "Right here, hon."
Legosi turned to him, and indeed, his pupils were getting wider by the second.
Louis snorted, then snickered. "Oh my god."
"What? What?" Legosi whined.
"You look so cute!"
"Everything's blurry and weird! I don't like it!" His ears drooped.
"Do you see me?"
He looked over. "Yeah...you're a handsome blur..."
Louis put his hands on his cheeks. "Now you can feel me, too."
The wolf smiled, his fur bunching up with Louis' hands. "I can. You're warm~"
Louis leaned closer, huffing some hot breath onto him. "Is that so?" He smiled and nuzzled him gently. "Get all the warmth."
"It is a bit chilly in here. All medical places are like that it seems." Legosi licked his nose. "I like Gloria. She's nice. I hope her joke didn't make you feel bad."
"It didn't," Louis said, still rubbing his face against him.
"Hope this isn't boring for you."
"I'm sure I would be doing the same thing at home, just naked. And maybe somewhere else."
"Where else would you be while naked?" Legosi laughed.
"The mask party, I guess."
"I think we were the only ones who actually got almost completely naked there," Legosi said, voice quieter. "Would you really go without me?"
"Without you?" Louis blinked.
"You said you might be there now if you weren't with me here?"
"You misunderstood me, sweetheart. I meant nuzzling you somewhere else." He rubbed his hand down his head.
"Oooh. I see." Legosi nuzzled back. "I'm excited to see Pina and Bill again. And at my grandpa's!"
"Yes! I'm sure that will be a wonderful getaway. But..." He grabbed Legosi's hands and squeezed them together. "This taste of a normal life has been just what I need, too."
"It's what we're fighting for," Legosi assured. "And we will have it one day."
"You know...sometimes, I'll just be at the tower and we'll be doing something, then I'll think about how I have you waiting for me and I just can't help but smile..."
"They all know you have me waiting, too. Oh, did you find out how Nori and Hachi are?"
"Nori messaged me and said they're doing okay, though he wants to leave more than ever. He also asked when I want to go eat with him, but I'm still unsure."
"Oh yeah." Legosi's tone changed slightly. "I hope you'll be okay..."
"Of course I will. I have a wolf to take care of." He put his nose to Legosi's. "We'll be okay. The universe wants us to have this, clearly."
Legosi smiled. "That's one way to look at it." There was a small knock on the door just then.
Louis didn't pull away, but his head turned. "Come in."
Gloria chuckled as she opened the door. "I was coming in anyway." She looked up at the scene before her and smiled. "Glad I have you to take care of the patient while I was gone. You will need to scooch back a bit, though. Don't worry, I'll return him in no time!"
"You can have him, temporarily." Louis stepped back, slipping Legosi's hands out of his.
Gloria set the chair back so Legosi was looking up at the ceiling. She took a light and shone it into his now wide-open eyes. They looked even sillier in bright light.
There was a suppressed giggle from Louis.
"Mm, such interesting eyes you have..." Gloria commented, seemingly to herself. "I've had a handful of wolf patients before but none like this..."
The buck wondered if Legosi would tell her or if they would keep it hidden. Either way, it wasn't his place to talk.
"Uh, yeah. My grandfather is a komodo dragon, actually."
Gloria seemed to do a double-take without actually looking away. "Well, I'll be darned! For real?"
"Yeah."
"Now that just makes me wonder why they don't include stuff like that on that sheet you filled out! Hybrid animals are just getting more and more common, after all." She moved to his right eye.
"Really?" Louis blinked.
"Well, of course. Interspecies marriage is a fairly recent thing, after all," she replied.
"But still not legal for homosexual animals..."
"Society will get there, I'm sure. You're both young. Just keep what you have, and you'll make it."
"I can't stay engaged for that long," Louis said. "I don't want to wait for society to catch up with me. It's not my problem that it's slow."
"Well, either way, you can stay together, still." Gloria pulled back and put her tools away.
Louis sighed. "Luckily."
The cow turned to Legosi. "Alright, hon. You're farsighted, which means things up close are blurry to you, but you also have an astigmatism in your right eye, which is interfering with seeing farther, too. I have your prescription made, now you just have to pick out some frames out here. I'll put drops in your eyes to get them back to normal and then you can go pick them out. Sound good?"
Legosi nodded. "It does!"
Louis once again ran through a few colors in his head, but then decided to just wait and see them.
The corrective drops were applied and they were left to sit in the room once more as they took effect. "That all was pretty easy. We'll have a lot of time left, then. What should we do for the rest of the day?"
"I actually have a surprise for you when we get back home," Louis blushed, lightly.
"Can it top Wednesday night?"
"It depends how much you enjoy it," the cervid scratched his cheek. "I think you will. We'll just have to see. I know you love surprises."
"Good surprises," Legosi clarified.
"So, lunch date and then surprise?" Louis grinned.
"Yes, that sounds lovely. Just like you." Legosi licked his nose. "My eyes are starting to feel normal."
"Kiss me when you can see me," the buck's ear twitched.
"Mmm, I don't want to wait that long," Legosi fussed.
Louis turned away. "You're going to have to earn this one," he teased.
Legosi held his hands with his own. "I can do it as long as I can have you close."
"I'm still right here!" Louis laughed.
"Mhm." Legosi reached over and lifted Louis onto his lap.
The deer sighed, his arms going around his neck. "What do you feel like eating?" He anticipated the coming kiss.
"You~" Bingo. Legosi went in, licking and nipping alongside regular kisses.
"Mm," Louis took it in. He was glad that they had gotten to the point where they could say things like that to one another without freaking out. Progress.
Legosi pulled him closer onto his lap and opened his mouth, allowing his huge tongue to do its job.
The buck huffed and panted and rubbed his mate's chest, feeling those fangs with his tongue. "Mmm...w-we should get a move on..."
"Mmm." Legosi pulled back. "Yeah. Love you."
"I love you, too. Now, carry me! Onward!" He pointed.
The tall wolf stood up, transferring Louis to a bridal-style carry. He approached the door and managed to pry it open with a free hand, stepping out and spying Gloria nearby talking to a colleague.
"What the-" the badger next to her was taken aback by the sight, and the cow turned around.
"Oh! Guess you're ready for your frames, right?"
"Yeah!" Legosi set Louis down, gently, but they still held onto each other.
Louis laughed. "Show us the framessss!"
As directed, the doctor moved them into another area, walking past walls and walls of different sized frames. There were tiny ones for mice as well as gigantic ones for elephants. Naturally, they fell right in the middle of the spectrum. A wide variety of shapes and colors were presented to them, as long as a myriad of mirrors. Legosi couldn't help but smile at the sight of Louis and himself holding each other.
The deer looked as well at the both of them and he wrapped his arms around his neck again. "Look at us."
"Happy couple," Legosi murmured, and he couldn't resist giving the buck another peck on his cheek.
"Oh, I'll leave you lovebugs alone! I'll be at the front desk when you've made your selection." And with that, Gloria walked off, leaving the pair with the wall of plastic and metal frames.
Louis let out a breath through his lips. "Wish we had a mirror at home."
"We should buy one, then. Would be easier to tell how we look without needing to consult the other," Legosi reasoned.
The buck nodded. "In time." He looked at the rainbow of frames before them. "Go ahead."
Legosi reached out and grabbed some standard black frames and slipped them on. He looked quick in the mirror and then turned to Louis.
Legosi reached out and grabbed some standard black frames and slipped them on. He looked quick in the mirror and then turned to Louis.
The buck shrugged and then pointed to his eyepatch. "As you can see I've moved on from black."
"Just making sure we can count it out right away," Legosi chuckled as he put it back. He reached for a thinner, blue, metal frame and slipped it on.
"That looks pleasing," Louis said. "But I'm not sure it's the right one."
"It wouldn't make sense to find it this soon." Legosi reached for a thick plastic frame with some green accents.
"Do you want a thin frame or a thick one?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. I think I have to see more." Legosi looked into the mirror now. "Hmm, I think the frame is okay but I'm not sure green is the right color."
"What about that pink one?" Louis pointed.
Legosi took off his current pair and reached up for them. Another frame on the thin side. He put them on and presented himself to Louis.
"That actually looks kind of nice," Louis said. "I think I like the pairs that show off the color more. The thicker ones."
"I think you're right." Legosi put the pink ones back and scanned for frames that fit those criteria.
"Here's a group," Louis said. "Basic colors, though."
Legosi scanned through them. "I want to find a blue one."
"What about a purple that matches mine? Too gay?"
"Oh, no that'd be nice! Just have to find one..."
They scoured the selection. "There are so many...Hm..."
"Oh!" Legosi reached up and grabbed some thick-framed, dark purple glasses.
"Finally!"
The wolf put them on and turned to Louis. "So?"
The buck gestured to the mirror and turned, standing next to his lover. "So?"
"Oh, that looks nice." Legosi walked closer, Louis in tow. "The color is subtle, but still there."
"Just like with my eyepatch," the deer said. "But we already have matching rings..."
"You don't want me to have purple glasses to match your eyepatch?" Legosi asked.
"That's your choice, my love."
The wolf peered closer at the mirror and turned his head side to side. "I like these, but do you think we should look at others first before choosing?"
"I don't know, my stomach is the only thing I hear right now. Metaphorically."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I shouldn't have pitched the lunch idea because I'm quite hungry now."
"Oh! Let's just go with these frames then and go get lunch."
"Are you sure? There is a lot to choose from."
"My husband is hungry, and I could probably spend all day here and still end up picking these frames. Let's just go with them."
Louis smiled. "You'll probably like them anyway. Plus, your surprise is waiting."
"Oh!" Legosi barked out. "Oh yeah, I'll take these, then! Let's bring them up to Gloria!"
"Alright."