{"sf1_id":1068906,"sf2_id":"J1OLEkde","title":"Come as You Are - Scene 5","author":"gamerw0lf18","words":1415,"posted_at":"2016-09-07T02:44:08.000Z","tags":["Gay","Human-Only","M/M","Relationships","Story Progression"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1068906-come-as-you-are-scene-5","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/J1OLEkde","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=1068906\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"Imported from SF2 with no description.","content":"Hey there,\n\nFor those of you that read this, I hope you enjoy it. \u0026nbsp;That being said, this may offend some readers. \u0026nbsp;This is merely the way I view myself, and what being a furry means to me. \u0026nbsp;These are my views, and this is not intended to insult anyone elses view. \u0026nbsp;I would love to hear your opinions, but please, no flames, as in no way did I mean to offend or force my views on others. \u0026nbsp;Thank you, and enjoy.\n\nScene 5\n\nAt RISE:\n\n(A country café. \u0026nbsp;It is a sunny, beautiful day. \u0026nbsp;There are several tables, surrounded by chairs, and people are scattered around at the tables. \u0026nbsp;At on near the front of the café, Dave and Aaron are sitting close together. \u0026nbsp;Opposite them are Dave's parents, Jeff and Eileen.)\n\nJeff\n\nI don't understand, what do you mean you're a “furry\"? \u0026nbsp;Is that a cult or something?\n\nDave\n\nIt's not a cult, it's a word to describe a person who views themselves or identifies with anthropomorphic animals.\n\nAaron\n\nTechnically, it's a fandom.\n\nJeff\n\nA what?\n\nAaron\n\nNever mind, it's not important.\n\nJeff\n\nSo not only are you into guys. You like animals too? \u0026nbsp;I'm not sure I can condone that.\n\nDave\n\nJeez, why is that always the response? \u0026nbsp;It's not that we like animals in a sexual way, we just identify as them.\n\nAaron\n\nFurry is a rather nebulous term, as it encompasses quite a range of people. \u0026nbsp;Dave and I are more of what people picture when they hear the word furry. \u0026nbsp;We both identify strongly with our animal forms, and dress and act as such.\n\nJeff\n\nReally? \u0026nbsp;I don't see either of you on all fours.\n\n(Dave smirks, and Aaron kicks him under the table.)\n\nDave\n\nOw, what was that for?\n\nAaron\n\n(Mutters)\n\nI thought the goal of this was to explain our relationship.\n\nDave\n\nSo?\n\nAaron\n\n(Mutters)\n\nDon't be dirty then. \u0026nbsp;He has a valid point.\n\nAaron (Cont'd)\n\n(Aloud so the others can hear)\n\nSorry about that. \u0026nbsp;When I say animals, I don't mean in the traditional way.\n\nDave\n\nEarlier, Aaron said that the term furry referred to a fandom, and that is probably the best way to think of it, at least for now.\n\nJeff\n\nSorry, but what is a fandom?\n\nDave\n\nA fandom is a group of fans of an idea or concept or media item that have formed a distinct culture. \u0026nbsp;Trekkies, for example. \u0026nbsp;Furries, however, are fans of a concept, specifically anthropomorphic animals.\n\n(Jeff furrows his eyebrows)\n\nJeff\n\nIf you're trying to make this sound normal, you're not doing very well. \u0026nbsp;To me, it sounds like you share some freaky fetish for cartoons or something.\n\nDave\n\nWhat about you mom, what do you think?\n\n(Eileen looks up, startled)\n\nEileen\n\nOh, I don't know what to think. \u0026nbsp;This is between you and your dad.\n\n(She goes back to staring down blankly)\n\nAaron\n\nIt isn't a fetish, not for us anyway, and it's not about cartoons, either. \u0026nbsp;When he says anthro-animals, he doesn't mean like Looney tunes. \u0026nbsp;He means… I don't know, It's hard to explain. \u0026nbsp;When I think of myself. \u0026nbsp;Who I am, of course I know I'm human. \u0026nbsp;I'm not delusional. \u0026nbsp;But that's only superficially. \u0026nbsp;When I see myself in my mind's eye, I see a humanoid grey wolf with hands like paws, and streaks of blue fur. \u0026nbsp;I feel more comfortable as that form, more free and open, more confident. \u0026nbsp;Forgive me for talking about sex, or preferences thereof, although to be honest, maybe if people were more honest and open about it, and could speak without feeling shame or fearing prejudice there would be more tolerance in the world… but I digress. \u0026nbsp;I've never felt attracted to humans. \u0026nbsp;There, I said it. \u0026nbsp;But don't think that means I want to go and do it with a dog, either. \u0026nbsp;I feel attraction toward other anthros, or furries as we are called. \u0026nbsp;I love your son for his personality, his creativity, and the fact that he cheers me up when my life seems to be over. \u0026nbsp;If he wasn't a German Shepard with deep golden eyes and luscious black fur, though, I probably couldn't say he was my soul mate.\n\nDave\n\nSo if I wasn't a dog, you wouldn't love me? \u0026nbsp;That's a little insulting. \u0026nbsp;Maybe we should have talked this through before.\n\nAaron\n\nI would love you whether you were a dog, a tiger, or a dragon. \u0026nbsp;I would probably be your best friend if you were purely human, but I wouldn't find you sexually appealing enough, and we wouldn't connect on the same level if we didn't share this similarity; you wouldn't be my soul mate. \u0026nbsp;I know that probably sounds shallow or mean-spirited, but I hope you know I don't mean it that way. \u0026nbsp;I'm also pretty sure this sounds messed up and perverted to you, Jeff, and I don't really expect you to accept our views and identities, but I do hope you can accept or understand that as a culture, we exist, and that our feelings, our dreams and our fears aren't that different from yours. \u0026nbsp;Despite the difference in self-perception, I don't really see why this can't work out well. \u0026nbsp;\n\n(Aaron leans against Dave as he finishes, then remembers his surroundings and sits bolt upright. \u0026nbsp;Jeff seems to be in deep thought, and Eileen continues to stare out the window.)\n\nJeff\n\nI think I see where you're coming from. \u0026nbsp;I won't pretend I really understand your relationship, but I can't see a reason not to support you. \u0026nbsp;I haven't been that great of a father, but hopefully that will change.\n\nDave\n\nThanks, dad.\n\n(Jeff smiles and shakes hands with his son)\n\nJeff\n\nSo, tell me more about yourselves, and furries I suppose. \u0026nbsp;Are you a large group?\n\nAaron\n\nQuite large, actually. \u0026nbsp;There are probably thousands of furs. \u0026nbsp;The fandom gets a bad rap for not being friendly and open to the media, although that is usually because the media turns around and portrays us as perverts. \u0026nbsp;It's a diverse group. \u0026nbsp;Not everyone identifies as completely as Dave and I do. \u0026nbsp;Some just wear ears or a tail, some only role-play online as their fursona, and some just read the stories or look at the art people draw.\n\nDave\n\nA fursona is the furry form.\n\nJeff\n\nAh, I suppose you have conventions?\n\nDave\n\nYes, quite a few. \u0026nbsp;In fact, I'm showing my art at Anthrocon next weekend.\n\nJeff\n\nNext weekend?\n\n(Beat)\n\nSo that's why you wanted to skip the church hike. \u0026nbsp;Well, I suppose you won't be doing those anymore.\n\nDave\n\nI will. \u0026nbsp;We don't want to ruin our appearance, do you?\n\nJeff\n\nIt's up to you. \u0026nbsp;This town could use to expand its views.\n\nDave\n\nYikes, what brought this unexpected openness and support about?\n\nJeff\n\nThe thought of losing my son. \u0026nbsp;I'm going to go start the car and give you two a moment. \u0026nbsp;Welcome to the family, Aaron.\n\n(Jeff leaves. \u0026nbsp;Eileen looks at Aaron, smiles slightly, then she too leaves. \u0026nbsp;Aaron and Dave interlock fingers and hold hands.)\n\nDave\n\nWelcome to the family, Aaron.\n\nAaron\n\nThat went well. \u0026nbsp;That would never happen in my family. \u0026nbsp;My dad would either be absent or be present, but blindly support me in order to piss off my mom, and mom would break any argument I made line by line to see why I'm wrong, assuming I could build up the courage to say anything. \u0026nbsp;\n\nDave\n\nSpeaking of unexpected, since when have you spoken up for your views?\n\nAaron\n\nYou give me confidence. \u0026nbsp;What's up with your mother? \u0026nbsp;She seems a bit…\n\n(beat while he searches for the word)\n\n…distant.\n\n(Dave frowned)\n\nDave\n\nShe and dad have issues.\n\nAaron\n\nOh. \u0026nbsp;Sorry.\n\nDave\n\nYeah, it sucks. \u0026nbsp;You should contact your parents, though. \u0026nbsp;It's not fair to them that you just left.\n\nAaron\n\nThey were very unfair, and caused me a lot of grief. \u0026nbsp;All I wished for was something similar to the acceptance you found in your family. \u0026nbsp;But, no. \u0026nbsp;Mom just wanted to fix me.\n\nDave\n\nYou should still call them though; they deserve to know you're ok.\n\n(Dave pauses, looking at a flier in the window, and then pulls away from Aaron and goes to get it. \u0026nbsp;Aaron watches as he walks away, and then sighs. \u0026nbsp;Dave comes back, holding the flier for the church dance.)\n\nAaron\n\nI guess you're right.\n\nDave\n\n(smiles deviously at Aaron)\n\nI have an idea, and I think you'll like it.\n\nEnd Scene 5","series":{"name":"Come as You Are","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1068905-come-as-you-are-scene-4.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1068908-come-as-you-are-scene-6.json"}}