We're Only Animals: Book 2 - Part 1: Building the Tower

Chapter 52 - Heartbeat For Comfort

Louis was shaking in his sleep and making noises. "No...no...Ngggh...Legosi! Don't hurt him!" He called and then began thrashing about.

His leg smacked Legosi, rousing him from sleep. Hearing his name made him alert. He felt the deer in his arms, thrashing, so he pulled him closer and started licking his face.

"Lou...Lou, hon...I'm here...I'm okay."

The buck opened his eyes. "...Legosi?"

"Lou!" The wolf embraced him and nuzzled into him. "Lou, I'm here...I'm here."

"They killed you...they killed you...The blood..." He sniffled. "Oh, god..."

Legosi shook his head. "No. No, I'm still here, see?" He took Louis' hands and brought them against his chest. "I'm here, and I'm breathing."

Louis moved to put his ear against his chest, listening to the heartbeat. "The claws..."

"Hm? My claws, hon?"

"No...the...metal ones..."

"Oh, in the dream?"

"Yeah..."

Legosi squeezed him closer. "It's okay. I'm alive. They don't know what's going on. And I'm going to train and learn to fight so I can protect myself. I'll get stronger, Lou."

"Mmm..." Louis clutched his arm. "You shouldn't have to..."

"I know...but we have to." Legosi's chest hurt as he looked upon the wreck that was his husband, eye puffed up and quivering. And it was all because he cared. He cared so much for him. The wolf's own eyes began to tear up. "W-we have to, Lou. It'll be okay. I promise."

"We're between something I really don't want to be in between. Can't we just...run away?"

"Where would we go?" His husband asked.

"...I don't know. It's probably more dangerous to run, isn't it?"

"Unless we have a plan, yeah. Gouhin-san and Melon-san know, so we have them to help. Maybe even Oguma-san if we tell him."

"No. Absolutely not, Gosi. We can't tell Oguma. They'd kill him instantly."

"Mmmm." Legosi nuzzled into Louis more. "When do you have to go back?"

"What time is it?"

Legosi reached over to his phone and looked. "It's 2:14."

"Today, then." He groaned, sniffing. "I'll listen to what he says."

"And I'll be at work today." Legosi reached down and stroked his stomach. "Maybe...we can set some furniture up in front of the door after we lock it so we know if someone comes in while we're gone."

"That might be smart. I have a feeling they won't do anything if I cooperate, though. It's my fault we got deeper threats, after all."

Legosi rubbed his chin on top of Louis' head, scratching an itch with the antler stubs coming in. "And then you can learn some things to tell Melon-san."

"Anything to keep you alive..."

The canine nodded, which Louis couldn't see, but feel. In fact, he couldn't see anything since the cardboard blockers were still in the windows.

The wolf spoke again. "If we meet up with him, maybe it'd be best if I go alone, to avoid suspicion?"

"That means I'll feed information to you, which in turn, you feed to him. There's just...one thing..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"I don't...trust your ability to keep a secret. You gave me away back there."

"Gave you away how?"