So this is it. The very last chapter of Spotlight (2.0).
It´s been quite a ride, but now I think it´s time to conclude it.
Thanks for sticking with it for all this time, hope you enjoyed it a little bit and keep it in good memory.
Gotta shout him out one last time: Big thanks to RedLiteAlexi for helping me with this chapter once again!
Here we go.
Beastars – Into the spotlight 2.0
Chapter 15 – A story to remember
POV Lucy
„You think she´s gonna be fine?" he asked me, sounding a little but not too concerned.
"Oh yeah" I affirmed, waving it off with my free hand even though he couldn't see me through the phone, "Don't worry dad, she´s been really easy to handle ever since she arrived here! I think she´s really enjoying it."
"That´s great to hear" he said, "Remember her to call the hospital every day, okay?"
"Yeah dad" I chuckled, "Will do!"
Leon just joined me in his room again now, I put Ookami on speaker quickly.
"Fenneko and I are getting next week off and then we´re coming to visit you!"
I was really excited about hearing that, it had been almost three weeks since we came back from Tokyo in the meanwhile and I really wanted to see them once more before our summer break was over.
"Can´t wait!" I told him with a happy wink, "I gotta go now, our guests are coming soon!"
"Have fun at the party" he told me for the farewell, "Greet the gang for me and wish Leon a happy birthday, okay?"
"Thanks mister O" Leon told him himself, "I´m sure it´s gonna be fun!"
"There, you´ve just told him yourself" I chuckled, "See you later, dad! Bye!"
"Bye Lucy, bye Leon!" he said with a chuckle in his voice.
I ended the call and looked at my boyfriend with a big happy grin.
"You ready for a really awkward afternoon?" I asked him in amusement.
"I mean…" he said with a short tilt of his head, "I think so."
"Come on, don't worry about it and just have fun, okay?" I giggled, "What´s the worst that could happen?"
"Don't say that!" he said, "I can think of ten things already!"
"There is still half an hour left" I told him, giving him a quick kiss while grinding my lower body against his teasingly, "Want me to take the edge off, birthday boy?"
"Didn't you do that this morning to wake me up already?" he wondered with a dirty smirk.
"No" I grinned, "That was just me being horny."
"Ah…" he said with an understanding nod, not being able to hide a little smirk though.
"Come here you killjoy!" I told him teasingly, already pushing him onto the matrass, "Don't act so innocent all this time!"
POV Juno
"Laureen" I greeted her with a friendly smile way just as she came back into the house after her little early-afternoon stroll, "Everything alright?"
"Yes, very good" she affirmed calmly, trying to show a little smile as well, "Thanks for asking Juno. It felt really good to walk through these streets again, I missed it a lot since I moved to Tokyo."
"It´s a pretty little town" I affirmed, "I´m glad Legoshi wanted to stay here as well. Its far away from trouble and the big masses."
She nodded silently but with a little smile. I watched her as she got herself a glass out of the drawer in the kitchen and a bottle of water from the fridge. Her hands were shaking a lot less than they had on the first day she was here. She was calmer now, it appeared spending time with Lucy and getting acclimated to other people than hospital staff really worked wonders for her confidence and mental stability.
But some of the insecurities were still there, obviously. She wore baggy clothes all day long, even at hot days like today when it had over 30°C in the shade. But she didn´t look especially fat to me, it rather was the opposite even. She took care of having a healthy diet and she often went swimming in the pool or even used the treadmill in the basement once. I thought she looked cute in the swimming gear I lend her, I thought there was no need to hide herself from us. I had the feeling Lucy was thinking like that too, but I also didn´t want to force myself onto her of course.
"Leon´s birthday party is going to start soon" I reminded her again, "You know you´re very welcome to stay, but you don't have to be there all the time if you don't feel comfortable of course. There are going to be quite a lot of people here probably."
"I´ve been swimming a little this morning already" she said with a smile, "I´ll leave the pool to them. But I think I might stay a while."
"I think Lucy really enjoys having you here" I told her, "It was really brave of you to leave Tokyo for a while."
"I feel a lot happier too" she said, taking another careful sip from her water glass, "I´ve been in that hospital for so long, I never thought I would ever get out of that city again."
She now looked down onto the kitchen island worktop, apparently with slight shame in her expression. "…I´ve been thinking about it all night yesterday again…" she explained, "I really just left him back then when I noticed I was pregnant. I never replied to any of his calls and I just tried to forget everything that happened."
This was a really tricky topic to talk about, I always tried to approach it with great caution whenever it came up.
"…but you can´t beat yourself up over it now!" I tried to console her, "I know how scary it is to receive that news, especially at such a young age! I mean…I was 17 when I got pregnant with Leon…"
"Ookami was always so sweet" she said lowly, "I wasn´t sure if I wanted to spend my entire life with him, but he would have deserved to know about it."
While trying to think of something to cheer her up a bit, I already remembered something that made me smile a little bit.
"Have they told you the story of how he met her for the first time already?" I asked her, "…Lucy working her job as a waitress and him being really nervous to ask her if she knew anything about her parents?"
"He vomited on the floor when he found out it´s was true" she said with a little nod.
"But he´s really happy now!" I told her the important thing, "And I think he´s had an okay life as well before he got to know about her. He hadn´t even known about her existence, so he also didn't even know what he was missing out on earlier."
She tilted her head a little bit as she began nodding slowly.
"He has a good job and a really nice girlfriend" she told the facts about him without any grief or jealousy, saying it out loud seemed to help her with confidence as it seemed. I was glad she mentioned that right now, I really wanted to know how she was thinking about this. I couldn't quite tell what her view on this was.
"How do you feel about him being with another woman now by the way?"
I probably had my personal reasons why I asked that, but I just couldn't help myself. Gladly, Laureen didn´t take any offence in that question.
"Oh it´s been so long ago" she waved it off with a light hearted smile, "I really can´t blame him. It was me who left after all and never said a word again. And I like Fenneko. She´s fun and she´s fine with him just having a teenage daughter all of a sudden. He deserves a woman like her."
I just nodded with a warm little smile now. I really respected this maned wolf mom in a way, there was something wise and calm about her, even though her mental stability still was anything but perfect yet. I enjoyed talking to her when she was in her right mind, and I respected when she was not and needed some time on her own.
"Is he good in bed?" I now shamelessly asked her, trying to swift the topic to something more light-hearted once again.
That question made her smile a little bit now.
"Oh it´s been so long ago" she repeated her earlier words with a restrained chuckle, taking another sip of water.
"So…" I grinned, "Does the underwear model actually deliver or is it all just for show?"
"It´s been over 17 years, Juno" she chuckled again, still looking slightly ashamed about me asking so bluntly.
"Come on" I told her, playfully rattling her shoulders, "He´s a good-looking man! Of course I´m curious!"
We both still giggled a little as we turned our heads towards the living room. There were footsteps coming towards us, it didn´t sound like Leon or Lucy.
Legoshi now joined us in the kitchen, carrying something I believed was from one of his terrariums in the living room. He always took good care of his beetles and other insects, it seemed like he wanted to get that done before the guests arrived today.
"…speaking off good looking men…" I chuckled.
Laureen blushed a little bit right now, I really enjoyed that. Legoshi was still just wearing swimming trunks right now as it was really hot outside today.
"Hey ladies" he greeted us with a well-tempered chuckle, "Everything alright?"
"More than alright" I affirmed, "Just having a bit of girl talk…"
He just smiled a little bit about that as he went over to the sink and began washing what he carried under a stream of tap water.
"Have you seen Haru lately by the way?" I asked him then, remembering that the bunny wanted to come see Leon on his birthday as well.
"She´s out in the garden" he said with a nod, "I think her eyes have spotted something that doesn´t comply with her green-thumbed expertise."
"As usual" I giggled.
"Leon´s guests should be arriving soon too" he mentioned.
"Don't you want to get a shirt before that, maybe?" I asked him teasingly.
"What so now I have to wear appropriate clothing in my own house?" he asked ironically.
"Oh Laureen and I surely don't mind it" I snickered.
He just shook his head with an ironic smirk once again, then he went on his way back into the living room.
"You are one horny lady" Laureen now commented lowly but with a tiny little smirk.
I couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked with that slightly guilty expression.
"That never really hurt nobody, did it?" I asked back with a shameless grin and a little nudge, "There are by far worse things in the world."
POV Leon
The first ones to show up were the guys from my dorm. They were a little bit early, but that was alright for us. Lucy and I had just made it down the stairs when the doorbell rang for the first time.
"Oh" my dad said with a chuckle as we met him on the way, "Party is about to start already?"
"Looks that way" I said with a shrug of my shoulders.
"Remember to have fun, okay?" he told me with a wink.
"How could I forget that?" I asked while rolling my eyes in an overly-dramatic way, "Just know I will kick you in the pool so hard if you try to embarrass me!"
That just made him chuckle a little bit more, I actually was really glad he was so easy about all this.
Lucy and I greeted Mark, Gerard and Yuma when they arrived at the house, brought them towards the porch and offered them something to drink first of all. Apart from Mark, who has been here a couple of times before, they all seemed just as impressed by our home as everyone else who has ever visited it for the first time, but I had the feeling they were getting used to it pretty quickly. I already had a pretty good feeling about this. Now with them feeling welcome, I was pretty sure the guys from the drama-club and from Lucy´s dorm would do so as well eventually.
POV Bailey
The pace of my heartbeat was getting a little bit faster when my mom dropped us off at the gate. This place was just as incredible as Julian had described it to me earlier. The gate itself wasn´t locked, we could just push it open like Leon had described in his message.
I followed my boyfriend up the little street that led up to the house, it felt like I was entering ´the actual paradise´.
I really hoped I was dressed adequately enough for this event, I wasn´t quite sure if they had been serious when they said pool-party, but Julian and I had a bag with some spare clothes and swimwear with us nevertheless.
Having made it halfway through the green, we suddenly got greeted by somebody familiar. It was the white furred bunny lady who had visited us in the Cherryton garden after the Romeo and Juliet premiere.
"Oh hey you two" she said in a friendly way, "So glad you could make it!"
"Hi!" I greeted her excitedly, "Your name was Haru, right?"
She nodded with a big smile, I already was so glad I was greeted by a friendly and familiar face here. This took off a lot of pressure right away.
"Hey Bailey, hey Julian" she said, "You´re a little early as well, but the doors on the porch are open. Just make yourselves comfortable!"
"Thanks!" I said, taking another look around first of all. "Oh this place is so beautiful!"
"Guess Legoshi has a good gardener" Haru told us with a mischievous little wink.
I now looked upwards to the house and noticed someone else walking towards us. The maned wolf girl looked just as pretty as ever. She wore nothing but a short white skirt and a matching bra, I thought it suited her just as well as everything else she usually wore.
"Lucy!" I greeted her happily.
She came towards us and hugged us excitedly, I was really glad to see her again.
"How are you?" I asked her, "How´s your mom?"
"Oh she´s great! She´s been here for a little over a week now. I think she´s so much happier now that they´ve let her out of the hospital."
"That´s great to hear!" Julian told her, "I´m glad."
"Why don't you guys come in and get yourselves something to drink? Or jump in the pool right away" she now waved us to follow her, "It´s hot outside!"
"Sure" I said while we stepped after her, "Sounds good!"
POV Leon
Julian and Bailey looked happy and quite well spirited too when they arrived here. They were dressed a little better than the rest from my dorm, even though we had told them this was supposed to be a really casual event, but it also really suited them. I guess it was alright if that made them feel more comfortable around here.
Julian greeted me with a fist bump when Lucy brought them around the house to the porch, Bailey hugged me with a big excited smile.
"Where are the blue training mats around the pool?" the red fox asked me with a little grin.
"Heh" I chuckled, "I guess I could convince him to leave them in the basement this time."
"I guess I still should hide my phone a little better this time?" he chuckled light heartedly, just as he noticed the other guys from our dorm.
"Haha" Lucy giggled now, "Legoshi actually already mentioned that."
"Just put your phones on the table in the living room" I waved it off now, "You won´t need them and they won´t get stolen here either."
"You can also use the room next to the kitchen if you want to change into your pool-wear" Lucy pointed out for them, "And just like we told you, you´re all welcome to stay the night as well, we have readied all the guest-rooms."
"Sounds great" Bailey said in great excitement, "Thank you so much for inviting us!"
POV Juno
Having promised Leon I would leave him and his guests alone for at least a little while, I´ve made myself a cup of cappuccino and brought it up onto the big balcony outside our bedroom on the first floor. It was more like a giant loggia than a balcony anyway, it had good sun protection, I could overview the whole garden and I had some really comfortable sun loungers here as well.
I had invited Laureen to come up here as well, and since she really liked this place, she actually accepted.
I still guessed all this must be really exciting for her since she´s spent quite a big part of her life in Hospitals, but I also was really excited about having some company I didn´t know everything about yet. And she was a mother as well on top of that.
"They´re really good for each other…" I started a new conversation after another short moment of thoughtful silence.
We had been watching all the new arrivals at the party and listened to their conversations as good as it was possible from up here, I had been more focused on drinking my coffee as long as it was still hot.
"I think so too" she agreed with a little nod, "Lucy seems really happy whenever she´s around him."
"They come from very different worlds" I said with a light hearted chuckle. "Lucy was working as a waitress when I first got to know her. Leon was mostly sitting at home, staying inside his shell, not wanting to do anything with his dorm-mates or socialize in any other way. They were pretty much polar opposites…"
"Lucy is a tough girl" she said lowly and with a slight nod.
"Oh she is, no doubt about that. And she really lit a fire under his tail!"
"Leon is very sweet" she said, "I´m glad she found someone who´s nice to her."
"He´s been alone for so long" I told her now, "He never really wanted to invite anyone over, all his friends were too scared of coming here because his dad is a famous actor…"
She nodded understandingly.
"Have you…" she then suddenly spoke up, "Have you ever thought about giving him a brother or sister?"
I distinctively shook my head about that question. "I mean…yeah, we have thought and talked about it for sure…but then we both came to the agreement that we wanted to focus on our careers a little bit more."
She nodded understandingly, but this topic still always left a bit of a weird taste in my mouth.
"…Legoshi´s and my relationship isn't as pure as it seems."
"No?" she asked in slight puzzlement.
"He´s a real sweetheart and the most-humble and most-gentle guy I´ve ever met to this day" I told her, "…we´ve been living together ever since our last year of Highschool. But…other things and people happened and then it never was the same again for us…"
I just noticed how very few people I´ve actually told this about myself and my relationships, but I had no issues sharing this with her right now.
"I guess nobody´s life is entirely perfect" Laureen told me with a little smirk now, "I think it would be kind of odd if it was."
I nodded to that statement; it seemed like we had reached a little bit of a dead end on that topic.
"What do you want to do with your new life now?" I then asked into the blue, "Do you want to start dating again someday?"
That question left her to think for a short moment.
"Maybe. Someday. But first I want to find my footing in the world again. I think a job with steady income would be nice."
"Really?" I asked, not because I didn´t find it a good idea but because I was genuinely a little surprised.
"I mean…my daughter has a job as well. She made it alone for over 17 years!"
"I think that´s a cool lead" I agreed with a little smile, "And I think she´d be really proud of you."
POV Lucy
I had expected them having to get used to this place, but it actually wasn´t as bad as I thought. Legoshi being around and behaving as humble as always just worked its magic on them as it had worked on me back when I was here for the first time.
He still was wearing his swimming trunks from earlier, only having a white T-shirt covering his torso, and he was wet from his head to his feet already.
After more and more of our friends from our dorms and from the drama-club had arrived, and we had introduced them to the house and it´s very sympathetic owner, the mood soon got a little more light-hearted and fun. A big part of that was achieved by Legoshi for that matter, because as soon as he began teasing Leon with little bits about his performance as Romeo in our drama-club performance, the birthday-boy straight up checked him into the pool. I assumed Legoshi let him do it that easily for the sake of fun, but it really worked wonders in terms of confidence for everyone. John Wick was good for fun and games after all, he didn´t fail to communicate that to Leon´s guests either.
I still thought he was my greatest inspiration of all time.
"Hey Leon" the hyena from his dorm asked him with a big grin, "Where are the blue sports mats we saw in that video when it was the other way around?"
"What?" he asked, acting as if he didn´t at all know what he meant, "What are you talking about?"
"You didn´t really think Julian wouldn't show me that video, right?"
He just rolled his eyes a little bit now, Julian just grinned in great amusement.
I now left the boys to bicker amongst themselves for a little bit and went over towards Bailey, who I noticed just got approached by my dorm mates Kana and Lupe.
"Hey guys" I greeted them, "Pretty nice here, isn´t it?"
"Damn girl" Lupe said with a chuckle, "This place is huge! You really hit it big!"
"Come on" I waved it off with a wink, "I´ve been living in a group home for most of my days, don't you judge me for enjoying a bit of luxury now!"
"Haha I´m just kidding" she said, "The guy seems really sweet indeed, he´s actually quite grounded for an A-list actor."
"Told you" I chuckled with a nod.
"And you" Lupe now nudged Bailey a little bit, "Can you tell your hot-ass boyfriend to get his shirt off already?"
"Lupe!" Kana told her with a giggle.
"Oh as if you´re not waiting for that as well right now!" the coyote cackled while nudging her as well.
Bailey didn´t even look that annoyed about her teasing anymore, she even smiled a little bit. Then she did something even I hadn´t expected of her.
She wordlessly went over towards the red fox and kissed him without a warning. Then she pushed him backwards towards the pool, and before he even understood what was going on, she had already pushed him into it. He was in swimming trunks already anyway, but he was still wearing a T-Shirt that now got completely soaked of course.
"Haha yes, Bails!" I yelled after her in great delight.
Leon and the others immediately started celebrating her move as well. I came towards her and gave her a high five. "Way to own it!" I grinned at her.
"They wouldn't shut up about it anyway, would they?" she asked with a little smirk.
"Hey!" Julian complained now from inside the pool, "What was that for?"
"Oh as if you didn´t deserve it" Leon commented dryly.
"Bailey, help me real quick, will you?" I asked her, already attempting to do the same to my boyfriend as well.
She quickly understood what I wanted to do, and soon later Leon ended up in the water as well, next to Julian and his dad who still cruised around on his slowly deflating air-matrass in a really relaxed fashion.
Then I decided to just jump into the water as well, I´ve been waiting to get this party started all this time already.
Leon splashed water into my face when I re-surfaced, I threw a load right back at him. Soon a really water-war took over the pool, it was just pure chaos and fun.
POV Bailey
I thoroughly enjoyed the look on Lupe´s face when I finally decided to own it in front of them and just shamelessly began making out with him in front of everyone.
She had just been teasing me because of jealousy after all, and rubbing it in her face now seemed to be the only thing that helped shutting her up.
But it wasn´t so much because of a malicious intent from my side, and she also seemed genuinely proud of me that I owned it now. She never was known to be a wallflower, I guess she just wanted me to unclench a little bit anyway.
Now we just enjoyed ourselves and played around in the water like we were kids again.
I watched in great amusement as Leon now silently walked over towards his dad, dove underneath his air matrass and then flipped it over from underneath, stealing the float from him after throwing him off.
Lucy followed her boyfriend with a happy giggle, it seemed she wanted to catch him before he could get on it himself.
The pool was beginning to become a little crowded in the meanwhile, the others had decided to get into their swim-wear as well after they had seen us having so much fun, and soon it really began to feel like a pool party.
Julian suddenly hugged me from behind again, playfully trying to tickle me with his hands, knowing full well how crazy that always turned me. I immediately began fighting back, not able to stop laughing from his assault. When I finally managed to turn around and face him again, I noticed that he still had his white and drenched T-shirt on him.
"Glad you brought a spare, aren't you?" I asked him with a chuckle.
"Didn't think you would be the one to push me in" he grinned at me, tickling me once more.
"Hahaha stop!" I giggled.
"Why don't you try and make me?"
I just grabbed his T-shirt now and slowly began pulling it over his head. It stopped him from tickling me for a moment and I also achieved the goal of getting him shirtless in front of everyone.
I couldn't deny that it was kinda fun showing off our bodies like that, I did feel a little bit guilty about it after all.
POV Gerard
"Dude" Yuma now told me with a little nudge, "You´re still staring at him…"
"What?" I asked with an innocent smirk.
"You need to get that fox out of your head" he told me, shaking his head with a big grin.
"Oh yeah?" I asked, nudging him back, "But you are talking? Still waiting for Leon´s mom to show up?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Mark the hyena asked, joining us by our spot in the pool now.
"Yuma´s waiting for Leon´s mom to show herself" I told him dryly and with an unforgiving little grin. I was pretty sure the dingo regretted starting with that topic already.
"Haha, typical" Mark just chuckled, "Be careful what you wish for though, as far as I can remember Juno, she´s quite dangerous to simps like you."
"What you´ve met her before?" Yuma now asked in great surprise.
"Sure dude" he chuckled, "I know Leon since like forever. We met a lot as kids, way before Highschool already."
"Is she nice?" Yuma shamelessly kept on asking, apparently feeling somewhat nervous but also somewhat confident at the same time.
"Yeah…" he said with a shrug of his shoulders.
I noticed that Legoshi now used the pool ladder to climb out and take a break from the action as it seemed like. Yuma looked at him as well, I assumed it was more of fear than anything else.
"You´re scared of John Wick finding out, aren't you?" I asked him teasingly.
"S-shut up, okay?" he said, feeling kinda caught actually.
"Man, you have her posters across your entire bedside wall!"
"Shut up!" he said again.
"Oh I´d do that too if Julian wasn´t living in our dorm…" I grinned with a chummy little nudge, "But then again…I don't really need to, look he´s finally undr-"
"Whats the topic?" Leon now suddenly asked while joining us by our corner in the pool.
"We uh…" I chucked, "Nothing!"
"Oh…" he said with an amused smirk, "Okay."
"What about you, birthday boy?" Mark asked him with a little grin.
"Oh I can´t complain so far" he said with a happy smirk, "I´ve been very well taken care of this whole day already."
"Lucy treating you alright today?" I grinned.
"Today especially" he told him with a wink, "But it´s nice you guys could make it here too! Thanks for coming!"
POV Juno
"I think I need some time of my own now" Laureen said as she stood up from the sun lounger on my balcony, "Thanks for the talk Juno!"
"Yeah" I waved after her, "Anytime! You know I´m always there if you need an ear!"
She nodded with a little smile, then she opened the door to the bedroom and left the Loggia.
I took myself another moment, then I decided to get up from my lounger as well and take a look over the handrail. I could perfectly overlook almost the entire porch and the pool from up here, it seemed like Leon and his guests were enjoying quite a good time this afternoon.
My gaze wandered around with great interest, I was trying to find out who Leon could have meant when he told me I had quite a big fan amongst one of the boys from his dorm. He had called him a perverted simp and that I´d probably do best if I didn´t show up down there at all, but I thought he like always was a bit overly-dramatic about it.
I guessed Leon didn´t want to get into an awkward situation yet once again, but I thought he should really know me better than that by now. I had fun making the boys and men drool after me, I thought it wasn´t fair I should miss out on all that just because he was ashamed about it.
I deduced from all the friends he had invited, that the guys I recognized from their drama-club performance couldn't be the same ones from his dorm, so there pretty much were just two canine boys who came in contention. Mark I knew since his childhood days with Leon already of course, Julian was not a stranger to me either anymore, so there pretty much were just a striped Jackal and a dingo in contention. I watched them for a little while, trying to find out what they were looking at most during their conversations. Leon was actually chatting with them right now, and he also had already noticed me standing up here on the loggia looking down in great amusement.
He did a rather good job hiding it though, I was kinda impressed by his poker face.
I took a look over to Legoshi and his fans, the guys from Leon´s drama club had started bombarding him with thousands of questions quite predictably. They had the opportunity to talk to their great inspiration and mentor, so it was pretty clear they didn´t want to miss a single minute.
I short handedly decided to leave the Loggia now and see if I could check out the situation a little bit closer. On my way through my bedroom I stopped by my closet for a moment. I wanted to wear something light and fun but not too sexy either. Thinking back to my Cherryton Highschool-days, I picked a white summer dress that ended just above my knees. It was a snug fit that showed off my curves a little bit, but it wasn´t too slutty in my opinion. I knew Legoshi always liked seeing me in it, I also knew Haru found it really pretty on me as well.
Being content with my looks, I now grabbed the empty coffee cup from earlier and went on my way downstairs.
Anita had just texted me they would be arriving here soon as well, so the timing seemed pretty good anyway. I was a happy wolf today.
POV Haru (by RedLiteAlexi)
I entered the back yard amidst the sounds of teenage animals splashing around the pool and laughing loudly. A pleasant atmosphere to accompany the beautiful weather. As I got closer, I found my eyes wandering to the very tall defined canine. Dressed in his blue and white swimming trunks with a white towel draped over his shoulders. He obviously had been in the water already, he was wet from top to bottom, but the powerful summer heat had started drying him up already anyways.
The small group of animals gathered around him were a few kids that I recognized as Leon's fellow actors from the drama club. I guess they realized their invitation to the famous Legoshi's house was an opportunity to get up close and personal with him. I was still amazed by how far the wolf had come. He looked so charmed and confident in the presents of the aspiring young actors. I could remember a time when he couldn't even tell me hello without having a nervous breakdown. He had said something that caused all the surrounding students to laugh and I realized this was my chance to save him.
"Alright kids, that's enough questions for him."
Their faces turned to slight disappointment.
"Oh Haru, they just wanna ask me about the production process."
"I'm sure if they looked hard enough, they could find an interview where you answered that question, I mean I don't know if you're the most insightful wolf ever."
I could tell the various animals were in slight shock that a small dwarf rabbit was talking so cavalierly with a famous wolf.
Legoshi chucked and smiled. "Alright kids, go enjoy yourselves! There's a pool and food so go act your age." The young actors smiled and thanked him for his time before departing.
I smirked at him.
"What?" he asked, "I'm just trying to help out a new generation of Cherryton actors."
I laughed, "I know, it's just I remember back when the thought of you being in a crowd would have made you run away." I teased.
"Well, I guess I've changed then." He smiled, his tail wagging.
"It's okay, there's a lot that's still the same. The strength and kindness. A few nice things that you also inspired in your son. But a bit of the awkwardness is still there, especially around a certain rabbit."
The wolf turned red and fidgeted with the drawstrings on his trunks. "Well, I suppose I should cool down in the pool. Wanna come with and rinse off from working in the garden.
"Maybe." I smirked.
"For a kiss?" He asked, as if he was trying to sweet talk me into a deal.
"Oh but Mr. Legoshi, what if your girlfriend finds out?" I tease, faking an exaggerated concern.
He rolled his eyes. "Oh she'd be furious…that she wasn´t here to watch." He said with a smile.
I laughed and grabbed his hand. "Come on, I'll lead the way."
"I mean, it's my house so…" I tugged him along to shut him up.
POV Yuma (feat. RedLiteAlexy)
"Thanks" I told the hyena when he handed me one of the soda-cans he got from the fridge on the porch.
He had handed one to Gerard as well and was just about to open his own orange drink, when from the corner of my eye I noticed something move inside the house. It was just a short glimpse of a white dress and brown fur as she went from the right side of the room to the left and then disappeared in another one, but I would recognize that color anywhere. I had seen so much of her work, I was sure my eyes weren't lying to me. I had just about forgotten that Gerard kept teasing me about wanting to meet Leon´s mom here, but then my pulse suddenly began racing.
"Was this really happening. Would I really meet her in person today? I just hope I can stay sane and don't do anything embarrassing..."
"…Yuma!" Gerard told me, now a little bit louder while nudging me with his elbow a little bit.
"Huh?" I snapped back into reality.
"You were just zoning out again, weren't you?" he asked with a grin.
"W-what is it you want?"
"Oh nothing" he waved it off with a little grin, "I think I already know what´s gotten you so distracted."
I sadly couldn´t even deflect that accusation in any way. I was majorly distracted, and I really had just this one thing on my mind. It took just another short moment and she suddenly came walking back out of the kitchen again, coming closer and closer towards the porch with every step. But she stopped in the living room again, apparently engaging in a conversation with someone I couldn't see because of a piece of furniture in the line of sight.
"Yuuummaaa…" someone whispered into my ears lowly and with a little chuckle.
I sighed loudly. "What do you want from me?"
I looked at the beautiful she-wolf again as she stood mere meters away from me. She was more beautiful that her magazines and pinups could express. Not even the magazines could capture the way that the daylight bounced off the curves of her ass. Even though she wore a dress. The white fabric hugged the softness of her cheeks so nicely that I couldn't help but stare.
"Dude your at Leon's house and you're just staring at his mom like some pervert." Mark said as he sipped on his soda. I hadn´t even opened mine yet.
Even Leon commented that in slight amusement now. "I mean I'm pretty used to it by now. He's got her pinups in his bunk. Besides it's simps like this that help my parents have this pool so I guess it's no harm."
"Yeah but you don't have to sleep under him when he's jerking off to it at night." Julian said as he watched Bailey dog paddle near the edge of the pool.
I just shook my head in slight annoyance and let my attention return to the beautiful wolf. She was laughing and chatting with a golden Labrador and a pretty red vixen. Their voices turned to mumbles as I stared.
"Hey boner, you're staring again." I heard Gerard say to me. I got angry and snapped back.
"I don't bother you when you're staring at Jules, give me the same respect!" I saw the jackal blush and Julian kinda looked away awkwardly as my words left my mouth. Leon and Mark laughed which left me with a satisfied smirk.
"At least I've talked to him, why don't you go up and talk to her instead of just looking like a creep."
My smirk took a dive bomb as my roommates suddenly grinned.
"Yeah creeper, go right up to her and introduce yourself" Julian said with a light hearted chuckle.
My heart was slamming in my rib cage. I couldn't do that!
"Seems only fair" Mark said with a smirk. Suddenly I could tell that all eyes were on me with everyone getting on board with the suggestion.
I sat there silent, my legs felt weak and clammy. The chocolate Labrador had swam over to us as she perched herself on the poolside near Jules.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Oh fuck don't bring her into it!" I screamed to myself.
"We're trying to get this perv to stop just staring at Leon's mom and go talk to her."
She looked right up at me and I groaned. It hadn't taken any explanation to direct her to me.
Bailey giggled. "Go on and do it! She's really nice!"
I gulped and looked back at the stunning wolf lady. I stood up and they started jeering as I did.
"Shut up you dicks, when I get back imma be Leon's new stepdad!" I said with gusto. Everyone laughed including Leon who was face palming.
I smirked, maybe I could get away with this. After all it was just an introduction, we could talk about anything. I could even just tell her thanks for hosting and ask where the bathroom is.
Juno had moved outside as well in the meanwhile, her guests remained in the living room for another moment as it seemed. Rather convenient for me, it was now or never.
My feet carried me across the grass, further from the pool and towards the wolf. I could see her fur in finer detail and I saw how warm and soft she looked.
"Fuck she's beautiful!" I thought as I was getting closer and closer.
My feet moved closer, "I can do this". She was giggling and just hearing her made me happy. My tail wagged as I prepared to speak. Suddenly Juno leaned down her backside to me. I wasn't sure why, maybe an itch but regardless my brain power was suddenly dropping as the blood in my body rushed elsewhere.
Juno leaned over and the comfy party dress began to hike up and conform to her sizable ass even more. My eyes scoured every inch as her thighs graced my vision. I felt my swim trunks become a little more ill-fitting. I stopped moving as I tried to casually conceal my lower region.
"Maybe I could just veer away, retreat to the pool and face the wrath of my roommates. Anything would be worth avoiding approaching my absolute fantasy with a semi-chub and a stupid look on my face. My vision blurred as I prepared to flee.
"Oh hello." A cheerful voice said cutting through my internal conversation. My head turned as I prepared to step away. The beautiful wolf had turned around in my panic and noticed me. I could sense my horrific nature take hold of me as I began to look over her body. She looked so inviting to touch. Her soft fur gleaming in the sun. The reddish brown gave way to a creamy tan as it ventured towards her neck and breast. Those in question were soon demanding my attention. Her dress being designed to accentuate them. She leaned forward which caused them to perk up slightly.
"Was this all for me?" Part of my mind assumed. After another second her face changed. She was getting confused.
"You okay?" She asked.
She was leaning forward to listen to what I had to say. Of course she wasn't trying to show off her body to some random canine. I was being a weirdo that could do nothing but stare.
"Come on!" I screamed internally. "Say anything you stupid bastard."
My mouth opened and my tongue jolted.
"Mrreebb!" I think that was the sound I made. My eyes returned to hers. She looked more confused that she had been.
"Mmmrraaahb!" I shrieked again. This clearly wasn't working. I had to resort to my original plan. I had to get out of there. I prepared my escape, the muscles in my body contracting. My stomach lurched away but my legs were still frozen in fear. My center of gravity tipped and I was suddenly falling. I closed my eyes and hoped that I would never open them again. It was a blur when I hit the ground.
"Are you okay?" I heard a sweet voice say. Calling to me from the darkness, I opened my eyes. She was even closer to me than she was before. Behind her face, I saw the sky. I laid on the grass and saw several other animals looking at me. But none were closer than Juno was. She was on her hands and knees, mere inches from my face. Her dress gave me an exclusive window towards the mommy milkers.
"Do you need me to call your parents?" She asked me. I snapped my attention to her face.
I shuddered. "…no… I'll be okay."
"Oh okay, good." She reclined and kneeled above me. "You're my son's friend right? Yuma, isn´t it?" She asked as she extended a hand towards me.
"Uh….huh…" I stuttered out.
I nervously extended my own out and grasped the soft and slender hard. Her skin felt smooth and well moisturized. She had also taken care to have her claws finely manicured. Touching her was just how I imagined it would feel. None of my artwork could ever describe or represent this perfection. She pulled me up quickly and I felt like she nearly pulled my arm out of my socket.
"Christ she is incredible." I thought, being lifted up onto my feet.
"Well I hope you're okay to stay. I'm glad you could make it to Leon's party. I'm happy that he has so many friends." She said gleaming.
I was amazed, I was actually talking to her. "Yeah, he's a good kid at heart. I'm sure his mom has something to do with that." I said with a cheesy smirk.
She giggled. "Haha stop it." She said ironically. I took a deep breath and I was about to turn and walk away.
"Thanks for the party." I smiled, my head held high.
"Wait." She said taking my hand again. I felt the urge to collapse once again but I overcame it as she spoke softly. "If you wanna chance with girls, you gotta work on not falling down. Just talk to them like you did me and you'll be all set." She said winking.
I said nothing but stood with my mouth slightly agape and my face getting redder by the second. "Thanks…"
I turned around without another word and proceeded back to the pool.
"Hey Yuma!" Juno said aloud. I looked in her direction as I'm sure others did as well.
"Don't be a stranger." She said with a cute little flutter of her fingers towards me. I smiled and waved back before returning to the pool.
POV Gerard (later that evening)
I´ve been waiting long for a moment like this to happen. I liked this game for multiple reasons, the most important one being that they would finally have to get out of their shells a little bit.
Since everybody knew I wasn´t exactly the straightest of boys, and I owned it to its fullest, I was basically untouchable at this game anyway.
They had all laughed in great amusement after the bottleneck had pointed towards me, I chose "truth" and the tough punk coyote girl from Lucy´s dorm asked me if I had ever thought about doing something physical with a girl someday.
I just asked back if that was an offer with a big ironic smirk, and that just made her grin even wider. I was glad she owned it and therefore encouraged the others to open up a little bit as well.
As they all seemed content with that answer of mine, I had already grabbed the bottle to spin it again.
I took another look around our remaining circle of friends while the bottle turned around multiple times in a row, it was just eight of us left in the meanwhile. Leon had encouraged everybody invited to spend the night here as well, but quite a few of them went home already anyway.
The bottle slowed down slowly but surely, it went past myself again when it wouldn't make a whole nother spin anymore, it passed Mark as well, then Lucy and Leon, went really slow past Bailey and then it came to a halt exactly pointing at Julian. Finally.
I already couldn't hide that evil little grin anymore, he already rolled his eyes a little bit.
"Oh this was inevitable, wasn't it?" Mark asked with an amused chuckle while already raising an eyebrow at me.
"Alright, pretty-boy" I grinned at the red fox, "Truth or dare?"
Julian took a really long look at me now, apparently seeing right though my really crappy poker face. I just couldn't hide that naughty little grin, I believed he knew just what question I would ask him if he chose ´truth´.
"Have you ever had anything with a guy?"
It seemed like he knew that I would be asking him exactly that in front of everyone, because after another short moment of consideration he just dryly stated: "Dare."
Even though I would have preferred him choosing truth and having to answer that -for him- really embarrassing question, I wasn´t totally bummed out by this either of course.
"Well then…" I chuckled, "Then I dare you to…"
He now raised an eyebrow at me since I still thought about something fun, I felt they all could already tell it would be something mean and crazy. They knew I liked him and I had never been trying to hide that.
"…why don't you…go inside the house and ask Leon´s mom for a spare towel."
"What´s the big deal about th-"
"Nude." I added with a big grin.
"Yeah, okay" he said ironically sure, just shaking his head while everyone was laughing about that suggestion in great excitement.
I just loved seeing the red fox out of his cool for once, he usually was the most confident of all of us.
"What?" Bailey asked with a big grin, "You´re really chickening out on that one?"
He looked at his girlfriend in slight surprise now, apparently not having expected her to push him into something like that either.
"Bailey" Lucy giggled, "I think you maybe like those pina coladas a little too much…"
"Whaat?" she giggled back, "I´m only on my second one! …and I like seeing him nude. Don't tell me you wouldn´t."
The red fox still seemed a little baffled by his girlfriend, she was a whole different beast tonight from what I had heard about her. When I first met her, she seemed kinda shy and holding back.
Julian still looked a bit hesitant, but then it seemed like he was slowly but surely considering it. I just raised an eyebrow at him now.
"Come on" Yuma now grinned at him as well, "Just be glad you didn't pick truth right now and do it, foxy!"
I was a little fascinated by Yuma´s cockiness right now. He collapsed in front of Leon´s mom earlier and now he apparently felt totally invincible as he couldn't think of anything more embarrassing that could happen to him today. I could see that attitude backfiring at him already, and I was really hoping it would happen. I loved this already.
"Oh what the hell" Julian sighed loudly now, getting up from his spot on the floor now, "Fine. Sorry Leon, I guess this is the last time your parents are gonna have invited me here. Just know that you all wanted me to do this!"
"Pfff" Leon laughed, actually just highly amused about this, "As if they cared about that. They´ll probably give you a high five for that as well."
Having witnessed how not at all innocent his parents were behaving earlier today, I guessed he really had a point there. They were so cool and fun to be around, it still didn´t make full sense to me how Leon could have had such a big stuck up his ass when I first met him at the beginning of this school-year.
The red fox now started unbuttoning his white shirt and gently tossed it onto his girlfriend´s head when he had gotten out of it. She just giggled happily while he undid his shorts and then finally his underpants in front of us. Like the show off he was, he wasn´t actually that bothered about us seeing his private parts, he knew what he had and that he didn´t have to be ashamed about anything either.
I took an investigative look around, most of them enjoyed this almost as much as me as it seemed like. If anything, he now was looking even better than last time I´ve seen him like this.
With another little sigh he now went on his way inside the house, we all just looked after him in great excitement, listening into the house if we heard anything.
"You know" Lucy giggled, nudging Leon a little bit, "I´m gonna make you do that as well if I get the chance to."
We all laughed about that suggestion, Leon just raised an eyebrow at her now. He wasn´t even that afraid of that happening as it seemed like, having a girlfriend must have given him quite a lot of self-confidence as well. I couldn't say I wasn't curious either what he looked like under his clothes, maybe we would get him that far tonight as well.
Just about a minute later, Julian came walking back out onto the porch, his lower half now covered in the towel he had gotten, still shaking his head in slight disbelief but also having a little smile of content on his face as well.
"Haha, you actually got a towel?" Bailey asked him with a big grin.
"Well done" Mark chuckled.
"How did she react?"
"I actually met Legoshi, and he really just chuckled in amusement" he said with a shrug of his shoulders, "And then he asked me if I lost a bet or something."
"Told you" Leon chuckled, "They´ve done worse things to me than that."
Julian just nodded with a little smirk, then he tossed his towel onto my head since I was the one who made him do this and began dressing himself again in front of us.
I just kept on watching him in great excitement, holding on to that towel with great pride.
"Now it´s my turn" he said when he was finished and had taken his spot on the floor again, taking the bottle and spinning it in our middle.
He was just getting done buttoning up his white shirt again when the bottleneck came to a halt pointing almost half-way between Yuma and I, but more on his side than on mine. I already couldn't hide a little grin anymore.
"Okay" Julian told him with an excited grin, "Truth or dare?"
"Truth" Yuma chose without much consideration, probably not wanting to end up having to do something like Julian right now.
"Okay then…" the red fox grinned, apparently having hoped for that to happen, "Your ´art´ that you´re drawing and selling online... How much does that make you? Like the one that made you the most money. What was the picture and how much did you get for it?"
This already made me laugh so hard I almost chocked. It was no secret in our dorm that he was mostly drawing nsfw stuff on his tablet and that that was the reason he never really wanted to show us anything, but that question exactly would bring him into a really tight spot.
"Uhhh…" he said slowly, really blushing right now as he was exposed like that in front of everyone, "…well, the entire comic of three pages got me like…20000yen."
"Wow, what?" Lucy giggled, "Really?"
"Y-yeah…" he said nervously.
"What kind of art brings you that much cash online?" Lupe the coyote from Lucy´s dorm asked while raising an eyebrow, "Either you´re really good or you´re drawing porn, isn´t it like that?"
I just continued grinning at him, Julian seemed really content with that s well.
"Busted…" Mark told him while shoving his shoulders a little.
"S-shut up man…" he said lowly.
"You still haven't told us what it´s about though" Julian reminded him.
This just made him feel even more uncomfortable of course. I was pretty sure it was that comic he made with the fox character he based off of Julian, and that would just be the most embarrassing thing in the world to confess in front of him right now.
"Come on man" he said lowly, hoping he would let him off the hook with this, "It´s just straight up porn, okay? My client had really specific requests."
"Specific how?" the red fox told him teasingly while raising an eyebrow.
Yuma still stalled a little bit, somehow hoping he would get out of this right now.
"Come on dude" Lupe cackled with a dirty grin, giving him a light chummy shove against his shoulder, "We know about it anyway now. Own it!"
"Yeah man" Julian told him, "I just had to get a freaking towel nude!"
"Oh as if that was such a big deal for you show off!" he complained ironically and with a hint of sarcasm, "I´m sorry we don't all look like the ideal male erotica-models!"
He let that stand in the room for a moment, I wasn´t quite sure if they actually understood that he was actually serious about that.
"Haha yes!" I said in great pride he actually did it, patting his shoulders shortly, "Well played!"
"Huh?" Julian asked, apparently not sure he heard that right.
"Are you serious?" Leon asked with a big grin, "You put him into the porn you´re drawing for money?"
"Man I gotta see this" Lupe commented with a big excited grin now, but it seemed like Yuma didn´t even hear it.
"Well-" he said loud and hectically, "…not him exactly of course! I…I just…used him for reference a little bit."
"You serious?" Julian laughed out now, still in great disbelief but not actually too mad about it, "You´re simping for me too now?"
"No!" he yelled in embarrassment, "Shut up! It´s what my client wanted and-"
"No no!" he grinned, "I get it…I mean-"
"Oh fuck you" he grumbled now while we all were laughing in great amusement, "Why did you have to ask that fucking question even?"
"Oh this is great!" Julian laughed, completely ignoring that, "I kinda wanna see this now!"
"Never" Yuma said while shaking his head, already reaching out for the bottle to spin it now, "Just forget it, okay? It never happened."
"Bet you have saved them on your phone somewhere, don't you?" I asked him with a little nudge.
"Nope" he said stubbornly while shaking his head, "I´m gonna spin the bottle now."
"Come on" Lupe told him with a big grin while he set it off, "Don't be such a killjoy now."
The dingo just kept shaking his head and ignored it now as we all watched the bottle getting slower and slower.
This was just getting better and better. My stomach already hurt from all the laughing, but just as luck would have it, the bottle came to a halt pointing at nobody else than Julian yet once again. Not just near him or between him and somebody else, it pointed directly at him once more.
"Oh damn" Leon laughed loudly, "The bottle seems to like you, doesn't it?"
Yuma suddenly had a really different expression on his face. It didn´t just seem like he wanted to take revenge for getting exposed like that, it seemed like he completely wanted to destroy that red fox right now.
"Truth or dare?" he just asked dryly, "Choose wisely. You won´t like either of the two, I can tell you that much."
We all looked at him in great excitement once again, I already had a slight foreboding where this could be going. I was pretty sure Yuma would have him jump in the pool fully clothed or do something else completely ridiculous if Julian would choose ´dare´, but I also had a pretty good idea what would happen if he chose ´truth´ as well.
"Truth" Julian then decided, already looking slightly afraid of what was about to come. Yuma already grinned very widely.
"Okay…" he began with an evil smirk, "Before you got together with your Girlfriend…did you ever have something…physical…with a guy."
This had just been inevitable. I just couldn´t help but grin widely, it was the only logical consequence for Julian exposing Yuma about his porn-drawings like that.
"Oh f- you" Julian muttered very lowly.
"What?!" Bailey now asked in great surprise.
"I knew it" Yuma told him with a big proud grin.
"Haha no way!" Lucy grinned in great amusement.
Julian just remained shaking his head a little while resting it in one of his palms in great embarrassment.
"How was it?" I asked him dryly, not at all being able to stop myself. His gaze now went towards me for a second, sending me the daggers of instant death if looks could actually kill.
"Yeah" Lucy asked him, "How was it actually? You need to tell us everything!"
"It was one fucking time, okay?" he groaned in great annoyance, "I was fuckin horny and the opportunity was good."
He probably thought this would be enough to make us shut up about it, but he wouldn't get off that easily either, apparently. I didn´t even have to say anything more to keep that topic going.
"…I don't think that answers our question" Yuma told him dryly, "Did you enjoy yourself is what we want to know? Remember you have to be honest and tell the truth."
"What did you do exactly?" Bailey now asked boldly, "Were you really…?"
He just nodded very slowly, seemingly a little fearful his girlfriend might really not like this at all, but to me she still seemed rather chill about it.
"How was it?" she now asked as well, apparently really interested, "Did you enjoy it?"
There was a moment of tense silence now, Julian seemed stressed out but also slightly puzzled about her asking like that.
"What answer would you like to hear right now?" he asked in slight confusion.
"I don't know" she giggled unforgivingly, "Just the truth I guess. Don't be such a wuss now, own it, okay?"
Now knowing that she wouldn't leave him whatever he would tell her, the red fox just deeply sighed once more.
"It wasn´t bad. I enjoy it with you a lot more, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it at the time."
I was just left smiling contentedly. I wasn´t sure if anyone noticed, I guess Yuma knew it anyway. But he didn´t say anything either. I was kinda glad Julian owned it like that now, I was kinda proud of the words he used and for being honest.
"Thanks honey" Leon now said with a big ironic smirk, "I´m glad you say that. I feel the same way, I thought you were great too!"
"What?!" Lucy said in slight shock, apparently believing him there for a moment.
Leon´s grin now went even wider, but in that moment, Bailey seemed to have noticed Leon´s ironic bit as well, minus the irony.
"What?!" she now asked as well, "You and Leon did…? I thought you two didn´t like each other at first and-"
I was completely lying on the floor because of laughter in the meanwhile.
"No!" Julian told his girlfriend with a sigh now, "It was not with Leon."
"W-what?" Leon stuttered now, almost acting like in his Romeo and Juliet performance on stage, "W-why would you say that? Don't you remember our very meaningful time together my love? I-I thought you had feelings for me as well? I was gonna propose to you later tonight and-"
"Oh fuck me" Julian now complained loudly, shaking his head while everybody was dying of laugher around him.
Bailey now tried to console him a little by giving him a big loving kiss on the cheek, Leon was still in his role, rubbing it in even deeper.
"You know I meant it when I told you you were the best lover I´ve ever had!" he told him ironically, "There is nothing to be ashamed about, you know?"
"I swear to god" Julian now sighed, having a little growl in his voice while staring daggers at him, "I know it´s your birthday, but one more word and I´ll throw you in that pool again!"
The grey wolf just kept in grinning at him now, his girlfriend still rested her shoulders on her head with a big smile on her face as well.
Julian now slowly reached out for the bottle again, it seemed like he was done with this now, no matter what else they would throw at him regarding that topic.
"You´ll all be sorry about this" he grumbled as he sent the bottle off again, "Just you wait until that thing hits you, John Wick junior!"
POV Juno
"To Leon!" I said while raising my glass, "And to all of us meeting up like this again!"
I clinked glasses with Anita and Haru, then also with Jack, Legoshi and Laureen."
It was nice to have all of them here, we now had a little bit of a party of our own going on up here on my Loggia. Jack and Anita have given their kid´s to their grandparents for the night, and even thought the came here to surprise Leon, we of course invited them to stay with us and have a drink.
Not wanting to disturb them in what apparently was becoming a rather spicy game of truth or dare down on the porch, this was just the ideal location for our little gathering.
Even Laureen could be convinced to join us for at least a little while, I thought it was good for her to meet some new friendly faces and socialize a bit.
"So who´s the next one you think will knock on our door and ask for a towel?" Jack asked ironically.
"You think Leon would have that kind of confidence?" I asked with a little chuckle, "I´m not so sure to be honest…"
"I mean…" Jack said with a shrug of his shoulders, "He´s been on the Cherryton stage half naked already. And he´s not looking too bad either, is he? He has his parent´s genes after all."
"Anyway" Haru told us now, "I´m glad he finally found the courage to invite some friends for his birthday. I´m proud of what he´s achieved."
"Yeah" Legoshi agreed with her, "I´m glad he finally opened up a little."
"To Lucy" I now chuckled, raising my glass once again with a big smile, "I guess most of that was up to her."
We clinked again to that, I figured that really needed to be said as well.
"I guess we should mention Sanu here as well" Legoshi reminded us, "Giving Romeo and Juliet a comeback."
"It has been quite a ride" Haru agreed with a little smile, "Let´s see what else awaits us in the next few years."
I noticed how Jack now nudged Legoshi a little. "You ready to become a Grandpa, Legoshi?"
That comment just made him sigh a little bit, but he also had a little smile on his face. He knew just as well as I that it would be happening one day, but we also both knew we would be able to tackle this challenge as well when it was about to hit us. This journey by far wasn´t over yet, and I was ready for whatever was about to come our way in the future.
"Just you wait until your kids hit puberty" Legoshi told his good old friend with a little nudge himself, "I´m gonna remind you about this in a few years."
Jack´s tail just wagged even more now, it was still so cute how happy he was when Legoshi was around.
"You guys gonna be along for the ride?" the Lab then asked.
"Have we ever not been?" Legoshi asked back with a smile while raising an eyebrow.
Jack just happily shook his shoulders with a slight tilt of his head, having to accept that Legoshi really had a point about that.
"We´re gonna get through it" Anita said with an optimistic chuckle while patting his head and playfully stroking his Labrador ears.
"We just gotta keep writing our own story" Haru said with a little smile while I gently rested my arms on her shoulders from behind. I took a look around our circle of friends, I felt really lucky to have all of them here right now, it truly was a perfect summer day today.
"Yeah…" I agreed with Haru´s words, my tail still wagging with great happiness as well, "And we better make it one to remember!"
This is it. You´ve reached the end of this story.
I had fun writing it, I hope you can say the same about your reading experience!
Feel free to let me know what you think!
See you later!
~furr