Chapter 13: Family Matters: Part 1
It was Saturday morning and Legosi was in the middle of getting dressed. Despite what happened with Louis the other day, the wolf could feel nothing but excitement. The reason, today was the day he was going to visit Jack's family.
"I'm not so sure about this," Jack said. He sat at the table next to Legosi with his ears folded back.
"Come on Jack, it's gonna be ok," Legosi said as he walked over to his mate. "Like I said, we don't have to tell your family anything. We can just go there and have a nice dinner."
"I know, but that's not the issue," Jack said as he looked down. "I want to tell them, I really do. I just… I just don't know what to say or even how to say it. Do I just come out and say it, do I ease them into it, or do I wait until they're happy about my grades and then tell them? It's just so confusing."
"Jack, you're thinking about it too much," Legosi said as he started petting Jack in the special way he liked. "Remember, you used to tell me the same exact thing."
"I know. Now that we've switched roles, I regret it," Jack said with a deadpan face.
Legosi just smiled at his disgruntled boyfriend before giving him a little lick. Feeling playful however, the wolf's smile grew mischievous and he gently pushed Jack to the floor, pinning him down. With the labrador trapped beneath him, Legosi started to mercilessly lick his mate's face as his tail wagged with sheer joy
Jack tried to protest, but was powerless to escape.
"Hey Legosi, Jack, you here?" Collot asked as he opened the door.
When the white sheepdog didn't get a response, he stepped in. Once he did, he immediately saw his two roommates in the middle of their love fest.
"Good to see you two are comfortable enough to do this in front me," Collot said with a laugh.
"Oh, hey Collot," Legosi barked, his tail still happily wagging.
Gasp "I thought I was gonna drown," Jack exaggerated. "Hi Collot, when did you get here?"
"About half a minute ago," the sheepdog answered. "Though I gotta say, when I didn't hear anything after I knocked, I didn't think it was because you two love birds were making out."
"We weren't making out," Jack said with a smile and half lid eyes. "Legosi was trying to kill me by using his salvia as a weapon."
Legosi stuck his tongue out in response as he gave his Collot a wink.
"Oh, so does that mean you aren't going to get off of Jack anytime soon?" Collot asked.
Legosi tilted his head before looking back down at his mate. He smiled before wrapping his arms around Jack as he laid down on the labrador, making sure to shift his weight so he wouldn't be too heavy for the smaller canine.
"Probably," the wolf said with a grin, not caring that his mate was struggling under him. "Having Jack under me like this is very comfortable. I can just lick him and kiss him and cuddle with all day long. He's my mate, the person I love above all else, and I don't want to be apart from him."
Jack blushed a bit and tried to hug his mate. With his arms trapped, the labrador could only move his hands up slightly and grip the sides of Legosi's side. He then nuzzled the wolf's neck, which made Legosi return the favor.
"I feel the same way," Jack said softly. "I love you too and I'm proud to be with you."
Collot smiled a bit before stepping in and prying Legosi off of Jack.
"Well, as diabetically sweet as that was, you two should really start getting ready," the sheepdog said with a laugh. "After all, you do have a train to catch."
"Yea, but that's not for another two hours," Jack said as he wiped off his face. "Plus, it's not like we're bringing a lot."
"Mhmm, we were told to just bring ourselves," Legosi added.
"Glad to hear that," Collot said with a smile. "By the way Jack, are you gonna tell your parents about you and Legosi? I'm assuming that's what this diner is about."
Jack looked to the side. "Well, that's-"
"We're still figuring that out," Legosi barked as he put his hands on the labrador's shoulders. "It's not an easy thing to talk about, even if he was dating a girl."
"Yea, that makes sense," Collot replied as he brought a hand to his chin.
"Hang on a sec," Jack said as he took the wolf's hand off of him. "Collot, this dinner isn't about telling my folks about us. It's just something they wanted to do. They invited us over so we could talk and see each other. I'm the one who wants to tell them, it's just that I don't know how."
Collot smiled at the labrador before petting his head. "Is it that you don't know how, or are you just too afraid to say anything?"
Jack looked down at the floor as his ears folded back, pretty much confirming what Collot said.
Legosi was about to say something, but before he could, the door opened.
The three looked to see who it was and found Voss hanging from the doorknob.
"Oh, hey Voss," Jack said happily, despite his tail not wagging. "What's up?
Voss waved his hand before using a series of hand gestures to explain that he came to get something. When Collot asked where Durham and Miguno were, the fennec fox made running motions with his fingers to explain that they were playing chase with some of the other canines from the dorm.
"Heh, good to know those two are having fun," Legosi said with a small smile.
"I'm just glad none of the canines left the school," Collot said with relief. "I mean, after what happened with Arthur…"
As soon as the sheep dog said that, he covered his muzzle and turned to Jack.
"Jack, I, I'm-"
"It's ok Collot," the yellow dog said as he raised a hand. "Arthur is gone and I'm doing a lot better now. I've even talked to Oscar a few times."
The room was silent as the other three canines stared at their roommate. All of them were certain that Jack had cut all ties with the husky brothers, even if one of them helped save him.
"You've been talking to Oscar?" Legosi said as calmly as he could.
"I have," Jack responded. "I know you guys think I shouldn't, but he's really sorry about what happened with his brother. Honestly, it seems like he spends most of his time trying to make up for it."
Legosi's ears folded back. It was true that Oscar helped to save Jack. He had also talked to the brown husky a few times after what happened since he knew what it was like to be an outcast. However, Legosi had assumed that talking to Oscar would be too painful for Jack, so he decided not to say anything.
"No, I'm glad you're talking to him," the wolf barked. "I've also talked to him a few times and you're right. Whenever I say hello to him, he always has this look of guilt and I feel bad for him."
"He's probably dealing with a lot of stuff," Collot said as he crossed his arms. "Not just with his personal life, but probably with the other students. I hate to say this, but his brother pretty much screwed him over."
Voss, who was now on the table, tapped Collot's arm. When the sheepdog looked down at him, the fennec fox did an impression of Durham.
"He's right Collot, that does sound like something Durham would say," Jack said with a bit of a laugh. "Guess he's rubbing off on you, huh?"
"Please, we've all been rubbing off on each other since day one," Collot said with a smile. "That's just what happens when you've shared a room for five years."
The four canines laughed for a bit before Voss turned to Legosi. To the wolf's surprise, Voss made himself look like an angry panda. Understanding what his packmate was asking, Legosi looked down as his ears folded back and his tail drooped.
"What's wrong Legosi?" Jack asked.
"Voss asked me about Gohin," the wolf answered.
"Wait, you mean that panda who gave you a black eye?" Collot asked in surprise.
Legosi nodded to his friends who now looked concerned. When he saw this, the wolf took a deep breath and spoke.
"I've been keeping in contact with him," the largest canine said with a guilt filled tone.
"Why would you still talk to him after what happened?" Jack asked with a worried tone. "I know you said he's a doctor that helps carnivores, supposedly, but that's what we have Dr. Riako for."
"Dr. Raiko is different," Legosi said sadly. "Gohin, well, he's a doctor that helps carnivores control their instincts. I know you guys are gonna say that I don't need to talk to him since I haven't had an incident since the night I confronted Arthur, but I thought it would be good to at least keep in touch."
"Why's that?" Collot asked.
"Well, the last time I really talked to him, he talked about some kind of boot camp, so to speak. Basically, I would train under him and maybe even work for him. He said he could teach me some coping methods that would help me control myself if I ever went feral again," Legosi explained.
"I kind of get it," Jack said in confusion. "But I still don't see why you would need to."
"I mean, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it," the wolf said as he scratched the back of his head. "It would be good to go through with it. Even more so if it meant I wouldn't have to worry about going crazy again. But, I honestly don't know if I can trust Gohin. There's also the fact that his place is right next to the black market, a place I never want to go to again."
"Then don't go," the labrador said in a stern voice. "Why should you put yourself under the care of a guy who uses violence on his patients and who operates in the worst possible place in the city?"
"Because it might be good for him," Collot said, causing everyone to turn to him.
Voss tilted his head, not understanding the white sheep dog.
"What I mean is, even if it's tough, Legosi should go for it. If this will give him some peace of mind, it might be worth a try," Collot explained.
"Collot, you can't be serious!" Jack barked.
"I am," the sheep dog replied. "Sometimes you need to do scary things if you want to get better. You know, kind of like telling your parents that you're gay."
Jack's eyes widened before he started to growl.
"That's completely different!" the labrador barked in frustration. "Having trouble telling my parents is one thing, it's a whole other story to put yourself in danger!"
"Then why are you acting like it's the same?" Collot asked.
"What do you mean?" the yellow dog asked, trying his best to calm down.
"Jack, you keep acting like telling your parents the truth would lead to the end of the world. Meanwhile, Legosi is dealing with something that's a lot worse. I'm just saying, even if something's hard, you should go through with it if you want more control over your life," Collot explained.
Jack's ears jumped. He looked at his mate before looking down at the floor, feeling somewhat ashamed. Legosi was about to say something, but Collot beat him to it.
"I don't mean to sound harsh, but I thought you should hear it," the sheep dog said in a calm tone. "I get that you're going through a lot, but I'd like to tell you a story if that's alright."
The three canines nodded and sat down at the table. Collot took a deep breath and spoke.
"I've never told anyone this, but when I was a pup, I had surgery done," he said.
Legosi and Jack practically jumped out of their chairs as they exclaimed their disbelief. Even the muted Voss seemed to be yelling, despite no sound coming out. Collot calmed them down and started his story.
It was back in elementary school, long before I met any of you guys. It was during the second month of the winter term that it started.
"Ok class, who can answer this question?" the hamster teacher asked.
"I can," I barked happily. "The answer is ten!"
"Oh, so close, but you forgot the two," the teacher said in a supportive tone.
"The two?"
The teacher directed my attention further to the left of the board.
"Oh, there it is," I said embarrassingly. "The answer is twelve."
"That's right!" she cheered. "Now, the next question is-"
As the class kept going, I heard the other kids talking about me.
"Heh, Collot's funny," a French poodle girl said.
"Well what do you expect when his fur covers his eyes," a panther cub said with a laugh.
I remember feeling a little awkward about it. Sure, I let out a little laugh, but it was still embarrassing. In fact, that was the first time I thought about cutting my fur.
After that, I started noticing the little mistakes I made. I missed some numbers in math, I read half sentences in English, and I dropped the handout in social studies.
At first, I thought it was because of my fur, but even after I pushed it out of the way, I still had a hard time seeing. I eventually told my mom and she took me to see the eye doctor.
However, the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with my eyes. The results from the exam were normal too. The only thing that he could see was that I had a hard time seeing out of the corner of my eyes, which is actually common for my breed.
I was relieved of course, but I still didn't like that this was going to keep being an issue. The doctor reassured me that it would get better in time though, so I just put up with it for a little while.
At first, I thought it was ok. Just one of those things that you learn to deal with. Sure, I had to move my head a lot more, but it wasn't anything insurmountable. After a few months though, things got worse. There were times when my vision would either get blurry or fade to black before going back to normal.
Needless to say, I was starting to get scared. I ended up telling my mom and she rushed me to the hospital. That's when we found out the truth.
"Mom, am I gonna be ok?" I asked.
"Don't worry Collot, we'll figure this out," she answered.
That's when the doctor came in. I don't remember the exact words, but she told us… that something was wrong with my eyes and unless something was done… I was going to go blind. I remember my mom falling to her knees as soon as she heard that. I also remember her hugging me tightly while she started crying.
I didn't fully understand it at the time, but I also started crying. I mean, I understood that I would go blind, but not exactly what was wrong with me.
That's when the doctor said that there was a treatment, but that it involved very complicated surgery. We didn't know how to feel if I'm being honest. Sure, there was a solution, but because of how risky it was, there was a chance I could lose my eyesight sooner. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how terrified I was.
I ended up agreeing to the surgery, but it took a lot of convincing. I remember staying up all night thinking about it. How painful the surgery would be, how dangerous it was, and how pointless it felt. If I was going to go blind anyway, why waste the time and money on something that was such a huge gamble.
My mom, on the other hand, didn't see it that way at all. She kept saying that if there was even the smallest chance of it working, then I should take it. She knew how scared I was, but she never stopped trying to get me to go through with it. She even said that she would be the first person I saw when I woke up. I think that's what did it for me.
In the end, I went under the knife. According to my mom, after the surgery was finished, I was asleep for two weeks. I was right about feeling a lot of pain, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. What's more, it wasn't a lasting pain and when it was all said and done, I was able to keep my eyesight.
After Collot finished his story, he sat back into his chair and stared up at the ceiling. He then let out a sigh before looking at his roommates.
"And that's what happened," the white sheep dog said with a smile. "It was incredibly scary and really painful, but all that pain from the surgery only lasted for a little bit and in the end it was worth it, I was able to keep my sight."
The other three canines looked down with their ears folded back. As hard as it was to imagine such an event in their friend's life, it was even harder to think that they knew Collot most of their lives and had never once heard about this.
"Why?" Jack asked as he clenched his fists.
Collot tilted his head.
"Why tell us now… AND WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING BEFORE?!" the labrador yelled in frustration.
"Jack!" Legosi said in a calm yet stern tone as he closed his eyes. "You need to calm down. Something like that isn't exactly easy to talk about. I know I couldn't."
Jack started to growl in anger. He was about to say something when Voss put his hand on the labrador's arm. Jack looked down at the fennec fox who gave him a look of sadness. The yellow dog's eyes widened at this, causing him to back down.
"I'm… sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that," Jack said with a whimper.
"It's ok Jack, I get it," Collot said with a soft smile. "I just want you to understand what I'm trying to explain. I get that you're afraid of what your parents would say about you and Legosi, but you can't let that stop you from doing what needs to be done and living your life."
Jack looked down at the floor. He knew that Collot was right, but yet he could not help but still feel hesitant. This made him feel like a coward and made him wonder if he had really grown as much as he thought.
Seeing this, Legosi put his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. When he saw Jack turn to him, the wolf brought the labrador into a soft hug. He then started petting the back of Jack's head, further comforting him. He then turned to Collot before giving him a smile.
"Thank you Collot. I'm sure that wasn't easy to talk about. Thanks to you, I realized that there's something I need to do too. Don't worry though, it doesn't have anything to do with Gohin," the wolf explained.
"I'm glad," the white sheep dog said with a smile.
Jack, having calmed down, disconnected himself from Legosi before sitting down at the table. He turned to Voss, who was sitting by his hand. Voss looked up at his friend and gave him a big smile. He then started petting Jack's hand, comforting the larger canine as best as he could. The fennec fox grabbed Legosi's hand and placed it on top of Jack's before putting his own hand on both of them.
Legosi and Jack understood that they had Voss's full support and that he was here for them. They both smiled at the fennec fox who wagged his tail in response.
With their spirits lifted the canine couple got ready, said goodbye to their friends, and headed to the train station. They still weren't sure if they would tell Jack's family the truth, but they were ready to face them.
This chapter's secret
Did you know that Collot's hair style is common for his breed? His, however, is slightly different than normal because he combs his bangs in a way that not only covers his eyes, but the surgery scars around his eyes as well.