So here it is. The fluffy masterpiece by Dekra and RedLiteAlexi. And what an emotional rollercoaster they´ve created. I really enjoyed reading it.

All credit goes to them, I just borrowed them the setup of my story.

If you´re interested in the smut chapter attached to this, you might want to check out Dekra´s profile here on AO3. He´ll post it there as soon as it´s finished.

Now I must shut up though and give the stage to them. Enjoy!

Beastars – Into the Spotlight

Bonus Chapter – Juno´s Perfect Rexmas (Part 1)

(Christmas Special by Dekra & RedLiteAlexi)

POV Juno

I let out an audible sigh as a barrage of passersby maneuvered in front me. I had never been one to fear the intimidation caused by a crowd. During my school career, I'd spent so much time in the spotlight. But as I looked at the hustle and bustle of holiday travelers, I felt a little more irritable.

I wasn't a stranger to traveling on a train, even on Rexmas Eve. Yet under current conditions, watching pedestrians weave around one another made it more unpleasant than expected. I sighed again and adjusted myself in the hard plastic folding chair. Barely in front of me were two rolling suitcases. I tried to keep them super close to occupy as little space as possible. I felt rude sitting down in the bustling station. There was surely someone that could use it more. I yawned deeply, I was so tired. Maybe if I was lucky, I could just close my eyes for a second. My feet were in pain, my exhaustion being exacerbated by the annoying loud noises of those who passed.

I needed to sleep, it felt like years since I had a comfortable careless night. My heart raced suddenly, from my arms and against my body, a fidgeting occurred.

"No no no." I whispered. "Please not now." I looked down at my lap. Swaddled in a little yellow blanket was a small gray fluffy face. The newborn wolf pup wavered slightly as he slept. His tiny eyes were tightly shut while his arms made a few sporadic twitches beneath the blanket. I was deathly quiet as I held him still. The raucous sounds of the station fell away as I looked down at the little soul.

"Please Leon, no…just a little longer. You didn't sleep all night. In a few hours you'll have doting grandparents that you can cry and scream at. Just be good for mommy, she's so dead tired." I said desperately to myself.

I continued to stay painfully still as the baby wolf seemed to contemplate waking up and bursting into a fit. He yawned, opening his big toothless mouth and snuggling back into his blanket. He moved less and less until only the gentle rhythmic motions of his breathing remained. I sighed a momentary relief as he returned to a deep sleep.

The last two months of my life consisted of long periods of sleeplessness and high-pitched shrieking. Leon had been a slight terror in the two months since his birth. My pregnancy and delivery had been a relative breeze in comparison. The doctors had informed me that despite being a first time mother, they were extremely pleased with how I handled myself and my body's reaction. However, once we left the hospital, the little pup did a complete 180-degree flip.

Leon would cry loudly, specifically at night when his poor mother would try to cling to the few precious moments of sleep. He could be a fussy eater and not suckle like he should which also caused me discomfort. He also had the potential to be very annoying to the people around.

I was slightly embarrassed by that. During the stressful time of the holiday season, I didn't want to upset anyone around me with the sound of a yelping baby. Nevertheless, I loved him more than anything. The noisy pup was the product of the love between his father and I. He was beautiful and from the moment I first laid eyes on his little light gray face, I was enraptured by him.

I yawned and smiled weakly. The little wolf snoozed and I held him close. A sound of footsteps seemed to stand out from the multitude of others. They got closer until they were right in front of me. I looked up and my heart fluttered. The large gray wolf who I shared my precious little pup with lumbered over me. He had a steaming hot paper cup in his large hands.

"Uh… do you wanna trade?" He gave a little smile. The wolf had bags under his eyes to match my own. I almost teared up.

"Please." I said, concealing my desperation. The gray wolf placed the large cup of coffee at my feet. He reached under my arms and delicately raised the little bundle of blanket and baby. He gently held the small wolf in the nook of his arm.

He whispered, just loud enough to get through the background noises but quiet enough to not disturb Leon. "Sorry it took so long, the line was incredibly long."

I blushed. After all this time, he still was my hero. I was so grateful for Legoshi. My pregnancy was very unexpected, but after the initial shock, he was my rock. Part of me felt very overwhelmed by the directions of our lives. The difference that a mere three years between the wolf walking into my life and today made.

I leaned down and brought the cup closer and closer to my face. The hot steam carried the powerful aroma of the beans and sugar to my nose. I wrapped my lips around it and poured it back. The scolding hot liquid ran over my tongue. It was slightly burned but I didn't care. I needed the caffeine rush as much as possible. The coffee itself was rather distasteful though. A watered down and slightly burnt brew was masked by an overabundance of artificial sugar. I guess I shouldn't have expected much from a train station coffee shop but still.

The complications between canines and chocolate made drinking coffee sometimes unfulfilling. Yet I continued to funnel the piping hot contents down my throat. I looked up at my sweet tall boy.

"Did you get anything for yourself?" I asked, holding the warm cup in my hands.

"No, I just had a slip. I'm not much of a caffeine drinker when I haven't slept. It'll just make me hyper before I crash." He yawned and slightly rocked the little wolf in his arm.

"Well do you want the seat? If I'm not holding him I don't need to be sitting." I gave him a little supportive smile and stretched my legs. He nodded. I stood up and my back popped. The tall wolf moved past me and got into the hard plastic chair. He looked kinda comical, the large carnivore gently maneuvering his rear into the seat. I giggled and drank my coffee. He sighed in slight relief and looked down at Leon.

A smile crawled across his face as he did. I wanted to keel over out of an abundance of happiness. As much as seeing the little wolf brightened me to my core. Seeing the man that made me so happy, admiring the product of our love was almost too much to handle. I got closer and leaned towards the sitting wolf. His lips met mine. It was only a second or two but it cut through the menial discomfort of the day.

He looked at me and smiled.

I smirked back at him. "What's on your mind?"

"You look so dead exhausted." He said with a giggle.

I chuckled. "Aww don't tell me I've lost my charm and cute face."

"Don't worry, you're not quite there yet." He returned the chuckle

I laughed and felt warmth inside me. The poor wolf didn't look anymore well rested. To be honest, this wasn't a deviation from the norm before we had the baby. I suppose that was the life that he chose. The life of a Beastar is anything but blasé. Being the societal symbol of justice meant that he dedicated his life to his unique role. But beyond his obligations to the world, he also embraced his duty as a father with open arms.

"Hey… Juno." He said to me quietly.

"Yeah Lego?" I replied curiously.

"I…" he tightened up and looked like something heavy weighed on his heart. "I really missed you." I was taken aback. I smiled and nearly tested up as well.

"I really missed you too, but I understand. It's just part of who you are." I smiled and was glad I wasn't alone in thinking about this. As a result of his commitments to being a Beastar, I knew that his presence could be sporadic. He belonged to the world and everyone was vying for his attention. During my final year attending school, he made efforts to try and give me the proper attention but he struggled.

My senior year and the most of the year that followed were actually rather lonely and difficult times. It was during one of our rare intimate moments together during those times that we conceived Leon. I was initially very scared about the prospect of bringing Legoshi's child into the world. Part of me feared that between his duty and his family, he would falter and be unable to handle the pressures.

"No...that's… it doesn't excuse my actions." He sighed and held my hand with his free one. The gray wolf's massive arm was able to cradle the pup by itself. "When you told me you were pregnant… I know you were scared of… well what I would do. I wasn't the partner you needed before that happened. I was stressed about my new life, but that should have never resulted in me pushing you away."

I wanted to hold him so bad but just listened as he spoke.

"You were afraid that… I'd be distant to the baby. The same way that I was distant to you at the time." He looked ashamed.

"Legoshi… please" I said through little tears. I couldn't quite tell if they were from sadness or joy.

"I may be a Beastar, but I'm not going to be the kind of person to raise their child on their reputation. I will be a part of my child's life." He said, his thumb rubbing the top of my hand.

"I know, I could tell the first moment you held Leon. You saw him as a soul, not as part of some great legacy but as your family." I said through gritted teeth. "I see how much you've already dedicated to him. You're as great a father as anyone."

"Hmm… but Leon's not my only family." His eyes met mine and stared in deeply. "You're my family too…"

I was silent. When I was newly pregnant, Legoshi had told me about his dedication to providing for his child and wanting to give his everything for them. My pregnancy had been wonderful. While I generally had some discomfort and difficulty, Legoshi was an absolute godsend. Every moment he could afford was spent caring for me. Making me food and holding me close. We shared a lot of conversations and he even accompanied me to my dance rehearsals during the early months.

That time had been wonderful. However, the sudden shift in his devotion to our relationship was so rapid and intense, it made me question the gesture. I wondered for a long time if he was only doing this because of his insecurities about being a father. After I gave birth, his attention like mine went into nurturing the little pup. I understood the necessity but I began to feel the distance from my lover that had unfortunately become familiar.

POV Legoshi

My guilt was so heavy. Like an iron shell that encased my heart. Her hand felt so warm and touching it sent chills through me. I sighed, this conversation had been put off for far too long. I don't know why I didn't say something sooner. Not that I didn't mean it, I guess I was afraid of the possibility of screwing up again.

"I was a completely different person during your pregnancy. I really did everything I could to make things easy and better for you. But that's not who I was for a majority of our time together. I was distant and unresponsive after I graduated...I" she cut me off.

"That's… that's behind us." She said with sadness welling up inside her. "This is what matters now."

"Well I've been falling into my old habit of being distant… with you." I gulped, my mouth felt dry. "I love you, and I wouldn't rather be anywhere else." She leaned forward and I felt her soft hand against my cheek. Her lips met mine again, her warm breath on my nose made me shudder.

"I love you too…" she said. I smiled and looked into her deep violet eyes. "You're my family, and I'll make time for just you and I." Her arm was now around me.

"I'm gonna hold you to that" she said with a little chuckle.

I smirked and held the hug. She backed away and smiled at me. "You sure you're okay with going to my parents' house?"

I thought about it. "Yeah… I don't have any room to complain. I've been to some absolutely horrible places in my life and your parents are sweet."

Juno smiled at me and blushed. "They really like you." I awkwardly smiled.

"Yeah, I guess in the seven brief times I've met them before it's been pleasant."

Juno looked down and wiped a dribble of drool from our son's face. He wiggled as she touched him. "Plus they like the fact that you made them grandparents."

I smiled, Vincent and Mora had travelled to the city to see Leon when he was born. I felt bad about that day. I had stayed at Juno's side through her entire delivery and by some cruel coincidence, I had to leave just as they arrived. They were very kind, but I always got the feeling they thought more about me than they ever said. I guess by agreeing to visit their home for Rexmas, I was playing by their terms. I couldn't run away, and I would be spending nearly all my time with them. But it was the right thing to do, and if I was going to make my plans for the future a reality, I wanted their blessing.

Juno smiled at me. "I'm really excited! You finally get to see my childhood home." I smiled.

"I don't know if I've ever travelled this inland unless it was work related. I don't know if I've ever been in that town before."

My girlfriend gleamed, her very tired face still looking sweet and lovely.

"If you'd actually seen Mt. Okami, you'd never forget it. Maybe I'm biased because I was born there but I think it's the most beautiful place on earth!"

I smiled at her excitement. From what she had told me, Mt. Okami was a small town built near the large mountain where it got its namesake. Beside the mountain was a large lake and wooded area. Vincent had a large house built on the shore where she had lived her entire life.

"I'm really excited, I think I could use a little break from the city" I said.

Leon yawned again and we both looked at him. Glancing up from our pup, I looked at a large digital clock on the wall. Our train was going to arrive in a few minutes. Juno yawned as well causing me to chuckle.

"How long did you sleep last night?" I asked.

"I think I got a few hours between 3 and 6 am." She said with a tired giggle. I smiled.

"Okay for your first Rexmas present, I'll hold him so you can sleep in the train. You can make up some of that lost sleep" I said

She smiled. "Well that's very sweet, but the train ride is only like an hour and a half." She giggled and yawned. "But I will take you up on that."

She blushed and offered me her hand. I carefully stood up and held my little pup. Juno walked ahead and pulled her suitcase. I did the same and followed her into the mess of the holiday crowd.

Normal POV

The sleek silver train shot like a bullet across the serene white winter landscape. Moving with intense speeds, it roared its way inward towards Mt. Okami. Inside one of the cars, the young wolf family sat closely in a little cabin.

POV Legoshi

I sat on the soft fabric bench of the private cabin. Juno rested her weary head on my shoulder, her quiet snores blending in with the noises from our sleeping Leon. I felt hot from the two sleeping bodies pressed against me and my arm was falling asleep. Yet I stayed still, I'd hate to wake them.

I looked around the small room, I really didn't like such fancy accommodations. As a Beastar and public figure, I was expected to use these kinds of things. It felt like a gross status signal, conveying that I would never mingle with the common people.

I had only made the purchase because of the absurd amount of money I was overpaid. Also to spare the other passengers of the screaming that my small pup was unfortunately capable of. I got comfortable, at least as much as I could under the current situation.

POV Juno

As my consciousness returned to me. I felt the gentle rocking of the train as it sped through the snow. My face was warm against my boyfriend's arm. I must have conked out as soon as I hit the couch. I felt a small wet spot on my cheek.

"You were drooling." The deep voice said above me. Opened my eyes wider and smiled up at my tall wolf. I leaned my muzzle up to his and kissed him.

"Sorry love." I said with a slight embarrassment. He chuckled. I leaned up and as soon as I did, he stretched out his arm. It clearly was sore from me sleeping on it but he didn't want to distract me. "You're so sweet."

"Haha no, you just deserve to sleep. You stayed up with Leon almost all night" He said.

"Well soon we'll have my parents around, they can slave over this baby while we get some well-deserved rest and cuddle time…" I said with glee.

He smiled and leaned closer. "That sounds nice." I looked out the window, a flurry of white cloudy mist was thrown into the air as the train passed. I smiled; snowy winters were such a defining part of my childhood. The coastal city that I now call my home had rarely gotten this white.

"So I forget, does your dad like to be called Doctor?" Legoshi asked. Leon suddenly shook and opened his little purple eyes. He quivered and made a small squeal of discomfort.

"Uh no someone's awake." I said with a grin, I knew what was coming next. The little pup made more noises that teetered on cries. Legoshi tensed up and moved himself towards me. I reached in and removed the small bundle from his arm. I held him to my chest and undid the small buttons of my blouse. I noticed the wolf staring at me. I put on a little smirk.

"Hey a little privacy please." Legoshi smiled lightly and turned to the cabin door. He pulled the little curtain that blocked the view from the hallway. He looked back at me.

"Perfect." I said with a giggle. I pulled my left breast from my shirt. The little wolf's snout rooted around and eventually wrapped his toothless mouth around the nipple. I let out a little coo as he attached himself. I blushed and looked back at my boyfriend who blushed as well.

"Jealous?" I giggled. He sighed and smiled back at me.

"Maybe slightly" He replied.

I chuckled as Leon drank. "…oh and he hates being called a doctor when you're not a patient. He actually joked with me about how much you've called him that in the past." I laughed and tried to imitate my dad's voice. "When I went to medical school to become a vagina expert, I had no idea I would be so intimidating to my daughter's boyfriend." I broke out laughing and my grey wolf blushed hard and looked away.

"Okay...I guess I've just never spent that much time around him."

"Haha just be yourself, you know he's friendly." I smiled. My wolf smirked at me.

"So are we going to be sleeping together in your old bedroom?" He said. I suddenly realized I had been holding something from the wolf.

"Oh shit I don't know if I ever told you, my parents have been caring for my great grandmother Dealia."

"Oh okay, what is she like?"

I blushed. "Well uh she's really old, I think she's in her late 80s. But she's sweet, like as sweet as she can be. She's kinda not all there at this point and she can get confused. Which is why she's living with my parents. They can keep her comfortable and make sure she's okay."

"I see, that's very admirable." He said. "I worry that I'll have to care for my own grandfather like that someday" He said solemnly. I reached my hand out and took his.

"Naw, Gosha is one tough lizard. I'm sure anything like that is still far away..." I smiled and squeezed his fingers between mine. Leon released his grip on my breast and yawned again. I held him and patted his soft back until he belched. The little pup closed his eyes once again.

"Is he going back to sleep?" Legoshi asked me.

"I hope so, he hardly slept at all last night" I smirked and scooted closer to him. "You know I love you right." I said as I kissed him.

"I had a suspicion" He said with a coy smile.

Normal POV

The train travelled further until it entered the outskirts of the small town of Mt. Okami. A fluffy sheet of alabaster snow covered the streets and buildings. The speedy train pulled into a station and came to a long-awaited stop. The young wolf couple departed with their small pup in tow.

POV Legoshi

I smiled as I held my son in my arms. Juno cheerfully skipped ahead of us. She danced in the slow but steady downfall of snowflakes. She spun in a small circle until we caught up to her.

"Oh my god, I haven't been home in so long!" She said as she moved in the sleet. I giggled and looked down at my pup. His little eyes were open, but he did make a sound. It occurred to me that this was his first time seeing snow.

"Mommy's quite the dancer isn't she." I whispered to him. Juno laughed and wandered back to us.

"Oh Legoshi, I'm so happy to be here!" She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "This place is just as beautiful as I remember."

I looked around. The town was certainly cozy. Small crowds made their way around the outside of the station. I looked at the mountain that stood tall over the town. It was covered in snow but a few dark spots of earth showed through, almost resembling dark blue. Atop its peak was an almost cyan sky-blue.

"It certainly is breathtaking" I said, leaning my head to her neck and nuzzling her. She blushed and Leon cooed softly. Juno smiled and took him from my arm. She held him so he could see the pristine mountain.

POV Juno

I suppose I never imagined that I'd return to Mt. Okami like this. The station that took me to school and out of the city never struck me as a place where I'd show my son the beautiful mountain view of this town. Yet here I was, through everything that life had put in my way. The air was cold and crisp, yet I felt so warm and toasty inside. The world felt… tranquil, almost utopian in fact.

I stood and took in a deep breath. I didn't want to say it in those words but truly all was well. A voice from behind me brought me back to earth.

"Should we get a cab?" Legoshi asked. I looked back at him with a giggle.

"Oh but it's so pretty outside are you sure you don't wanna walk?" I said with a cute hint of sarcasm.

He chuckled. "I'm sure you're just saying that. Seeing as you were asleep within a minute of sitting on that train bench..." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and snuggled up to him. "Fine I guess we can, I bet my parents would skin us if we had this little pup out in the winter for that long anyway."

Legoshi hailed one of the cabs that loitered near the train station. He opened the door and an elder tanooki greeted us.

"Happy Rexmas Eve folks!" he said with a small sincere smile. I returned with a little wave. I got in and held the little pup on my lap.

"Can you please pop the trunk?" Legoshi asked as he stuck his head through the door. The tanooki said nothing but flipped a little latch. A clicking whoosh sound popped from the back of the car. He then turned to me.

"Where are you headed?" he asked. I gave him the address and he plugged the street into an old GPS unit on his dashboard. "One of those lake houses?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're visiting my parents for Rexmas, this is our son's first holiday and his first time visiting Mt. Okami" I said, trying to be as humble as I could.

The old tanooki smiled and gave a small wave to the little pup. I heard a few clunks from the back as Legoshi put the luggage in the back. He returned to the backseat and joined beside me.

"Well, not many more beautiful places to spend a holiday." The tanooki said warmly. His GPS dinged and he started the meter. The car then began to roll forward, a crunching sound came from underneath as it trampled snow.

Legoshi looked at me. "Mind if I try and close my eyes?" I giggled and nuzzled up to him.

"That's fine but it's only gonna be like a 15 minute drive." I said. Legoshi simply sighed and closed his eyes.

POV Legoshi

The feeling of soft fur brushing against the side of my face stirred me from my sleep. "Wake up Lego, we're here." I opened my eyes to the sound of her voice. I took a moment to look around and gather myself. The cab had come to a stop at the side of the road where a stone path led up to a large house with its roof and the surrounding land covered in a thick layer of snow.

I turned back toward the driver as I moved to get my wallet from a pocket on my jacket. "How much was it?"

"About five hundred yen" he answered. I counted a few bills, took them out of the wallet and handed them to him. "You can keep the change sir, happy holidays."

"Wow, thank you very much! Same to you and your family." He responded in a very cheerful tone and flipped the latch to open the trunk.

I gestured with my head for Juno to follow me and we both got out of the cab. She waited on the sidewalk as I lifted the top of the trunk and took out our suitcases. I closed it again and walked up to Juno as the cab departed behind us. I noticed that I could see my breath in the air due to the cold now, and it certainly did feel as if the temperature had dropped a bit more compared to the station earlier.

"It sure gets cold around here" I told her with a smile as I looked around again.

She let out a soft giggle before responding. "Oh you get used to it. I remember playing around here in the snow as a kid and having snowball fights with school friends."

"Sounds nice. I suppose I could learn to enjoy it as well. But we better get inside, I don't think Leon will appreciate the cold just yet" I told her while glancing at the thankfully still sleeping pup.

"Oh but you will eventually though" She happily whispered to Leon as we started walking down the stone path. Thankfully It didn't have much snow on it compared to the several inches that covered its surroundings. Someone had passed a snowblower over it not too long ago. The house we were approaching was very impressive, two stories tall with angled roofs and a mostly rustic aesthetic with some nice touches of modern architecture. A large lake could be seen not far behind it, with a few similar houses dotting its shores in the distance.

"Your father must have been very good at his job to afford a house as nice as this while you were growing up" I told Juno as we reached the front door.

"He was always very dedicated to it, that's for sure. Perhaps you should ask him yourself, there could be more to it then even I know." She responded.

"Sounds as good a topic as any I guess" I said as I took a step forward and rang the doorbell. A loud bell sound came from inside the house and I stepped back. Before long footsteps could be heard on the other side and the door was opened by an older male wolf wearing a light blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black jeans. His brown fur had started to grey a little around his face but he still looked quite well for a wolf in his late forties.

"Princess! So glad you made it, now come give your old man a hug!" He said as he stepped out to give her a hug, though he was careful not to squeeze the pup in her arms.

"I missed you too dad." She said with a quick laugh as he let go of her. Leon had woken up though and started to whine a bit as he opened his eyes.

"Aww, who's the cutest grandson in the world, yes you are little Leon. Sorry I woke you up now, we will get you back to sleep in no time." He said in a baby voice to the pup while softly running a hand through the fluffy grey fur on his head.

He then turned to me with a sincere yet more reserved smile. "And Legoshi, nice to see you again son. Thank you for joining us for Rexmas" He said as he extended a hand.

"Uhh.. thank you… sir, it's good to see you too. I'm glad I could make it this year!" I responded as I shook his hand.

He chuckled. "Well at least it's not doctor anymore. But please just call me Vincent or Vince."

I let go of his hand. I was rather surprised he would be so casual with me considering how little we really knew each other, but it definitely helped lessen the tension in the back of my mind.

"Vincent it is then, thanks." I told him.

"Great, now come on in, it's freezing out here" he said as he turned around and led us in. "You can leave your jackets on the hanger to your left" he said as he closed the door behind us. It was quite warm and pleasant inside, with a soft scent of wood in the air.

I took off my jacket and put it on the hanger before holding Leon so Juno could do the same. I left our suitcases beside the entrance as Vincent walked past us and we followed him down the short entry hall.

"Mora dear, guess who finally arrived to join us for dinner" he said into the air with a loud voice and then turned to the right through an archway. We followed him into a large kitchen area with white marble countertops, an island in the center and the same light brown wooden floor which seemed to extend through the rest of the house. The metallic silver door to the fridge closed to reveal the older female wolf. She looked almost identical to Juno, only more plump and slightly shorter. She also showed very little aging in her fur, and thus a surprisingly young appearance for someone in their mid-forties. A bright smile spread across her face as she went up to Juno and they both shared a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you came Juno, we missed you so much." She said in a warm voice as she embraced her daughter.

"Aww, I missed you too mom" Juno told her before they separated again. Mora then turned toward me holding the same smile on her face.

"And there is my grandson with his ever elusive father." She said while walking up to me, and the bundle of fluffy fur in my arms.

"You know Legoshi, if little Leon ends up taking his looks from you like he seems to be doing, I will be one happy grandma. Juno certainly had a good eye, I will say that much…" She remarked as Leon babbled and playfully tried to grab at the finger she used to trace the fur on his ears.

I saw Juno blush a bit behind her and couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. "I will happily take the compliment ma'am." She glanced up again at me and smiled before turning around to Juno again.

"The three of you must be tired after the trip. Why don't you have a seat in the living room with Vincent and I will join you in a minute."

"Sounds good to me, let´s go you two!" Vincent said, and we followed him out of the kitchen and into the main area of the house. The room was quite big and encompassed both the living room and the dinning-area beside it. Large glass panels gave an excellent view of the lake and outside patio behind the house, all covered in the smooth white snow. We walked into the living room and Vincent motioned for us to have a seat on the couch in the center while he sat down on one of the armchairs across from us. Juno quickly snuggled up beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. The origin of the crisp wooden smell was the large fireplace in the wall. Its bright flames gave off a soft crackling sound and warmed the room quite nicely. I then glanced toward the beautifully decorated Rexmas tree in the corner of the room beside the fireplace which already had a few presents wrapped beneath it.

Vincent´s voice brought my attention back to him. "So how's life as new parents been going for you these past few months?"

As I was thinking of how to answer that, Juno beat me to it. "Two words dad. No. Sleep." Vincent chuckled at her blunt response.

"Yes, I think I can tell as much…" he answered with an amused smile.

"Pups will be pups Juno…" Mora said as she walked into the living room and sat down on the other armchair beside Vincent. "I should know, you weren't much different as a newborn either."

Juno sighed, "Even so, I wouldn't change it for the world" she said as she lovingly stroked the fluffy fur on Leon´s head, who had thankfully returned to his peaceful sleep in my arms.

"But don't worry, it does get easier with time…" Mora continued, "…at least when it comes to sleep. As they grow older you will face many other challenges, especially in the teenage years. Isn't that right Vince?" She said, glancing at her husband.

"Oh, for sure. Boys and girls are different of course and I can only speak from experience with Juno, but you can bet Leon will have all the girls chasing after him and it's you who will need to guide him through all that, if you know what I mean.

I chuckled at that last comment and nodded as I answered. "I'm sure it will be quite the journey."

Though I tried to keep a calm and relaxed demeanour, Vincent's words did make me start to think about the future again, and all that awaited me as a father. It would probably be the hardest thing I would ever have to do in my life, especially since I never had that figure while growing up. The thought of my son having to go through the same experience I did filled my heart with dread, a feeling straight out of my worst nightmares. But at the same time it was probably my greatest motivation. I was going to do everything in my power to ensure that never happened, because no child deserved that, and I wanted Leon to have the happiness, joy, comfort, and support that had been so lacking in my own childhood.

I took a deep breath to snap myself out of my thoughts and return to the conversation. "By the way, Juno told me her great grandmother was staying here as well, but I haven't seen her."

"Oh she's in her room probably taking another nap, but she will be joining us for dinner later." Mora responded.

"Ah ok" I said and nodded slowly. I noticed that Juno was leaning more on me, so I glanced down. I saw she had her eyes closed and was starting to fall asleep. I felt a rush of sympathy and affection at seeing her resting against me like that and laid a kiss on her head. However, this made her stir out of her sleep.

"Huh…oh, sorry." She said in a dreary voice.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." I told her softly.

"Speaking of naps, you should probably take one yourself Juno. It's still quite early so dinner will be in a few hours still…" Mora added.

"I guess you're right." Juno said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Go, I will leave our luggage in the room with you" I added before laying another quick kiss on her cheek. She stood up and stretched before walking out of the living room and toward a short corridor. This was her house after all, so I supposed she knew where the guest bedroom was.

"Here, you can leave him with me for now" Mora said as she extended her arms.

"Thanks." I answered as I stood up and very gently passed Leon into her arms. She held him closely in the same way Juno usually did, and for a second I couldn't help but notice again how similar they both looked. I shook it off though and went back to the entrance to collect our luggage, bringing it with me through the house once again and down the corridor Juno had gone. I went through the first open door and entered the room where Juno was already asleep on the king-sized bed. There was also a crib opposite to the bed and a window with a view of the lake behind the house. I laid both suitcases down on the floor and opened one up to retrieve the Rexmas gifts we had gotten for Juno´s parents. But I also took the chance to grab a very special present I had hidden away in my personal belongings, a small black velvet box. I smiled as I glanced away from the box to the beautiful she-wolf sleeping on the bed. I took a deep breath and put the box in my pocket.

"Let's hope it all goes to plan" I told myself as I got up with the other two wrapped presents.

I then walked out of the room and closed the door behind me before returning to the living-room. I noticed Mora was gone, only Vincent was still in his seat while having a look at his phone. He glanced up and smiled when he noticed me walking toward him.

"Na you didn't need to Legoshi" he said as he motioned at the presents I was carrying.

"We wanted to, it's the first Rexmas I get to spend with her family. Besides, I need something to spend this ridiculous Beastar salary on and this is as good a reason as any."

Vincent chuckled at my answer. "Well alright then. Leave them under the tree with the others, we will open them after dinner." I nodded before I walked over to the tree and placed the presents under it. As I turned around I saw Vincent had gotten up from his armchair and put away his phone.

"Mora went back to the kitchen with Leon to keep an eye on him, so in the meantime I figured we could pass the time together. Do you play pool?" He asked casually.

"Um, well, yes. I've played a few times since I graduated. But I'm far from being good at it." I answered somewhat nervously.

"That works just fine son, it's just some casual rounds. It'll be fun I swear, come on!" he said as he gestured with his hand and turned around.

"Alright then" I said as I followed him out of the living room. We went down another corridor in the opposite direction of the guest room and quickly came to a pair of double doors at the end of it. Vincent opened it and I followed him in.

"Go ahead and close the door behind you" he said as he walked over to a side of the room and I did as he asked. It was then that I could first get a good look at the room we were in. It was quite large, almost as much as the living room. To one side of it was a lounge area with many leather couches and a large flatscreen TV. Right beside that was a full sized and quite elegant pool table and with a sliding glass door behind it which connected to the patio at the back of the house. And finally on the other side of the room where Vincent had gone was a whole mini bar, complete with counters, bar stools, a fridge, and shelves with a vast array of bottles and bar equipment. It all reminded me of some of the high-end club houses I had seen and been invited too for Beastar related meetings and such.

"Wow, this is a really nice place you got going here" I told him as I walked further into the room.

"You like it? It's my own part of the house where I usually have friends over. Put a lot of work into it over the years." He said as he leaned against the bar and glanced around.

"So, what can I offer you to drink? I have a little bit of everything when it comes to spirits, whiskey, rum, vodka…what do you fancy?"

"Well uhhh…" I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "I don't know very much about alcohol. Usually I just accept whatever I'm given out of courtesy."

A very surprised look appeared on Vincent´s face. "What? A Beastar who doesn't enjoy a good beverage? I mean you're still quite young I guess but still, would never have guessed."

"It's alright, I'll just have whatever you prefer, I'm sure it'll be great" I quickly answered.

"Very well then, a simple Bourbon old fashioned it is…" he said as he knelt and came back up with two glasses which he put on the counter. "Go ahead and set up the table while I get these done, everything is in that wooden cabinet beside the table."

"Sure, thanks." I answered as I walked over to the table and opened the cabinet behind it. Like he said, all the balls, cue sticks and miscellaneous game items were neatly arranged inside. I took out the box with the balls and triangle, set them on the table and started to put everything in position. After I finished with the ball setup, I placed the box and triangle back and brought out two chalk squares to set them on the edge of the table. Just as I did this Vincent came over with a glass in each hand. Each was just over a third full of a rich brown liquid and had a large sphere of perfectly clear ice as well as a twisted strip of orange peel in it.

"Here you go Legoshi" he said as he handed me one of the glasses.

"Wow, this looks amazing Vincent" I quite sincerely told him.

"Bartending is like a hobby for me. I really love a good cocktail and learning to make them is great fun. Cheers." He said as he lifted his glass.

"Cheers" I responded in kind as I clinked glasses with him and took a sip out of mine. I was surprised by how good and pleasant it tasted. Usually when I drank something I was offered it was horribly sweet or too bitter or left a nasty burning sensation when I drank it. But this didn't burn nearly as much, it was a very rich and well-balanced bitter taste, and the orange peel added a nice aroma and slight tinge of its flavor to the liquid.

"And it tastes just as good as it looks! Way better than everything I can remember trying before." I told Vincent with a big smile.

"Glad you liked it." He answered and patted me on the shoulder. "Go ahead then, pick your weapon son." He said as he gestured toward the cabinet. I glanced toward it again and took out one of the four cue sticks which were arranged vertically side by side.

"Aha, good choice. Now let's get this show on the road!" he said as he picked out a cue stick for himself and we both walked over to the table. He put down his glass on the border of the table and took a chalk cube to coat the tip of his cue stick. I followed his lead and did the same.

"Alright since you're the guest you get to break my friend." He said as he finished and put the chalk back down.

I nodded and walked to the end of the table and leaned over it to line up the shot with the cue ball at the balls arranged in a triangle at the other end of the table. It had been a while since I played but it really was like riding a bike so I could at least not make a fool of myself and hit the balls. As I prepared to take the shot Vincent spoke up again.

"So Legoshi, since it's just the two of us now, wolf to wolf, how are you looking forward to being a father?" He asked as he took another sip of his drink.

I tightened my grip on the cue stick and took the shot, hitting the white cue ball and sending it crashing into the other balls and scattering them across the table. I stood up straight again and took a deep breath before meeting Vincent´s gaze and answering.

"I know I want to do my best to be there for my son and my family. To give both Leon and Juno the attention and support they need now and in the future."

"That's good." He said as he put down his glass and walked around the table, looking at the balls spread across the dark green carpet. "It means your heart is in the right place, and you've taken the first step on the true path to adulthood. Taking responsibility." He then leaned over to line up his shot. "I suppose you had a good role model in your own father?"

I walked around the table and grabbed my own glass again. "No. Unfortunately I never met mine, my mother never talked about him and I never asked too many questions."

Vincent glanced over at me and then back again to the cue ball in front of him. "Oh, I see." He took the shot and knocked one of the striped balls into a corner pocket. "If that's the case, then that must be one of your motivations right? You don't want your own son to have to go through what you did." He said as he stood up straight and walked around the table for another shot.

"Yes, that's right" I told him, and took a sip from my glass.

"Well, I think it's probably one of the strongest motivations one could have…" he said as he once again lined up the shot on the cue ball toward another stripe beside a side pocket. "But motivation isn't enough on its own, without having had a direct role model you may find yourself without previous experience when needing to make certain decisions."

"I, guess that's true" I said while watching him. He took the shot, and the cue ball hit its object ball at an angle sending it toward the pocket. However, it was just slightly off center and it bounced from the edge of the pocket, not going in.

"Damn it..." Vincent said with some frustration as he stood up. "Anyway, what I'm getting at is that you can always come to me if you feel like you need any advice, I very much want my grandson to be the best he can be, and helping out his father when he needs it is the least I could do." He walked back around the table as I put my glass down and mirrored his movements, looking for what ball I would aim for.

"I appreciate it Vincent, and I think you're right, sooner or later I will need the help." I said while leaning over to line up a shot on one of the solid color balls.

"Don't mention it. I had a very close relationship with my own father, right up until he passed away. There are many fond memories with him I cherish, and I think he played a big role in making me the wolf I am today. A father-son relationship can be something very special, and important for a pup growing up. And the fact you are who you are without having had that speaks volumes of your character to me."

I nodded as I kept my eye on the ball. I prepped the shot, and took it. It was a long one across the table, and I hit the ball I aimed at, but it narrowly missed the corner pocket. I stood up and took a moment to think.

"Thank you Vincent, for your trust. Though I think, in part at least, I owe part of my determination to you actually, through Juno. It was meeting her that truly changed my life, showing me what I could accomplish when set myself to tasks I never thought possible. That by stepping into the light and living up to my potential I could help so many others and make the world we live in a better place. I can only imagine that Juno must have gotten at least part of that from you. And it's that kind of determination that I want to put forward for the good of my family."

I didn't expect to get so emotional all of a sudden, but it just came out. Vincent had remained on the other side of the table as he heard me speak. When I finished he kept the neutral expression on his face for a few moments until it broke into a wide smile. He talked around to me leaving his cue stick against the table and before I knew it he was giving me a hug. I didn't expect it, but welcomed it and returned the gesture.

He patted me on the back and we separated. He looked at me in the eyes with his hands on my shoulders. "You'll do great Legoshi, I know you will."

I smiled back at him and answered. "Thank you, for everything."

He nodded and went back to grab his cue stick. "You know, I always wanted a son Legoshi. Unfortunately, Mora didn't want any more pups after we had Juno, so I respected her wishes. But if I had ever had one, I would have been proud if he had been like you." He said as he stared down at the glass that was now in his hand. "To fatherhood." He said as he raised it.

I moved to grab my own glass and raised it as well. "To fatherhood." And we both took another sip.

Vincent put his glass back on the edge of the table and looked at me with a smile. "So tell you what Legoshi, if you manage to beat me, not only will I give you the bottle of bourbon this came from, but I will teach you how to make the cocktail yourself."

I chuckled quite a bit at his offer. "I doubt I will even get close to beating you but you're on."

"Excellent. …I could even tell you of some of the fond memories I have of my dad from around the time when I was in Cherryton myself."

"Haha, I'm all ears." I answered.

"So, where should I begin..." he said as he walked around the table for his next shot.