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

Chapter 62 - The Help We Both Need

Legosi rubbed his ankle along Louis', bouncing his other leg. He stared at the infographics on the wall of the waiting room as his claws danced around each other. He reached up and undid another button of his shirt, realized it was too low, then buttoned it again.

The deer sat by his side, looking at the ground. "Quit fidgeting."

Legosi whined and grabbed his wrist. "I hate waiting."

"Why is that?"

"More time for my head to think thoughts." Legosi drummed his fingers on the cervid's wrist, gently.

Louis leaned on him. "And what are you thinking? Maybe I can assuage some of these thoughts."

"Well, I know we have to talk to the therapist, but there are also things we can't talk about, and I'm worried that I might accidentally talk about it."

"So talk about it now. Get it out."

"Well...I just want to know where external problems end and our problems begin. I guess we just have to try and get back into the mindset of...after the hospitals and before this whole Ichi business..."

"And what mindset is that?" Louis asked.

"Um...wondering how we can move forward in our lives and address our issues so something like that never happens again." Legosi began to trace his claws gently up and down Louis' arm.

The deer always loved the sensation of that. "Well, that's what we're here to get help with."

"Yeah...it's just like...hard to remember it with the current thing going on," Legosi sighed.

"I will make sure I don't talk about it. Keep the conversation on us and our love."

Legosi nodded. "I wonder what kind of questions she'll ask. Or maybe she won't even ask questions."

"My biggest concern is that this won't help at all. Even if we aren't paying for it, it would still be a waste of time if it didn't."

The wolf stroked his husband's arm more. "I'm sure it'll at least help a little bit..."

"Well, even if this is a bust, we have all night together." Louis moved a finger up his chest.

Legosi smiled. "Yeah. Oh, and Mel-san said he wanted to start a website for the shop and I thought I should ask Kai about that, but he might be too busy..."

"I think you should ask him. He'll make time."

"Maybe he could even teach me a few things. Always good to have more skills." Legosi leaned in and nuzzled Louis.

"Like a hobby." Louis kissed the side of his muzzle.

"It'd be a good way to spend free time. I could start drawing more too. And we could maybe get a game console. Maybe I should write all of this down." Legosi swayed in his seat and looked up at the ceiling.

"Oh, right. It was fun while we had the Gamestation. It's too bad we didn't use it as much as we could have."

"Yeah, I don't think Durham would let us keep it. Probably for the best, since you'd probably destroy the apartment if we played anything together..."

"At least I'd win." Louis kissed down his muzzle more. Luckily, there was no one else in the waiting room.

"You'd cheat," Legosi said with a soft smile.

"But the game doesn't know that," Louis grinned. "Meaning I'd win."

"The game doesn't have a brain, dear..."

"Weh-I know that! That was my point!" He sat back.

Legosi laughed, softly, observing his deer. He had been shaken up Sunday, but seemed a bit better when he got home from work. Today, he seemed almost normal, but the wolf knew how the deer could wear masks.