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Taking the Stage Dénouement

(January 6th)

Honestly? He didn't believe it.

He couldn't let himself. He wasn't even sure if he'd believe it tomorrow. If he'd believe it two weeks from now. He had let himself become so pessimistic, so scared, that he had never really prepared for the best. Only the worst. And now that it was finally here, it was just...too surreal. It was like a fantasy. A dream. Even if only by mere seconds -- it was still in the future. It hadn't happened yet. So, it wasn't real. Not until it was tangible and solid. Not until he could hold it in his paws. Squeeze it. Smell it. Feel the weight and reality of it against his chest...

But even then. Even when the future became the present -- became the warmth of fur and flesh in his paws -- would be able to believe? How could he trust that it wouldn't just get ripped away again? That his dream wouldn't twist itself back into the nightmare of the last two months?

He'd signed the papers. He'd watched a second paw do the same. He'd read the agreement. He'd been given the reasons: the lies and the truth behind. He'd made his calls and spread the word. He'd risen, and showered, and dressed, and driven himself to the designated place at the designated time. But he'd done it all in a daze. And even now, stepping up onto this old, familiar curb, he was terrified that it would all be some sort of elaborate, cosmic lie.

But it all fell away. Every fear. Every doubt. Every maddened irrational thought. The dream, at last, became a reality the very instant when that distant door cracked open...

...and Elliot stepped through.

Kristoff rushed up the walkway of the home he used to own, and his son raced out to meet him. Halfway between the curb and the porch they collided, the elder husky hoisting the younger off his feet, and each draping their muzzle over the other's shoulder. Kris gripped his son so tight, he imagined pulling him literally into himself, and Elliot whined at the pressure. He loosened his grip for the barest of moments, afraid he'd hurt the boy...but the small head on his shoulder shook frantically: a silent and desperate 'No,' at the prospect of being let go. Elliot held ever tighter. Kristoff nodded, complied, and squeezed again. And that whine hit his ear, once more...

...followed by a whisper: "I didn't think it was true."

"Me either sweetheart. Me either."

Kris knelt down, and Elliot's knees lit on the cement. They held one another there for what felt longer than Kristoff could ever remember having held any lover or friend in his life. Robyn. Stephen. Billy. Even his own parents so many years ago. He didn't want to let go. He didn't want to lose him, again...

...but there's only so long, regardless of the circumstances, that an adult male can hold a 14-year-old boy in broad daylight, before it begins to look a bit inappropriate. He knew this. And as they slowly unwound themselves from one another, he felt Elliot knew it, too.

Then, eyes finally open, Kristoff saw his ex-wife.

Robyn watched on in silence, leaning against her door frame. He expected disgust in her eyes. He expected anger. He wouldn't have been surprised, in fact, if she'd refused to even look upon the scene, at all. But what he saw, instead, was different.

She stared, half-lidded and sullen. The fur beneath her eyes lay dark and matted. She'd been crying. Not much. Not so much, at least, that a proper purebred Sibirskaian such as herself would deem it untoward. But she had been, nonetheless. And there was no hate in her eyes. No rage. Instead, there was a profound sadness...and it wasn't alone. Mixed in, somewhere deep beneath it was the tiniest spark...

...to match the gentle grin splitting her muzzle.

He'd known her for a long time. He hadn't expected this from her, today...but he could read it, just the same. She felt the pain of loss: of giving her son up to him, just as he'd had to do two months before. She felt the sting of envy: of seeing her son show her ex-husband the sort of love she hadn't gotten, herself, since he'd been a child. And she felt just the tiniest tinge of joy and pride. Joy at finally seeing her son so happy again. And pride that she'd helped to make it happen.

Elliot looked back at her as well, and when his face turned back to his father's it was clouded. All that jubilation melting away behind pity and guilt. And Kristoff nodded...

"Go."

On January 1st, Kris has gotten a phone call. Robyn had dropped her custody suit. She was ready to make a deal. She'd spoken to her lawyers, and they to his...and he was only five days and a few signatures away from having his son back.

Thursday, they'd met with the lawyers in person. Her parents had forced her paw, she said. She was dependent on them to survive. Old money. No degree. Few marketable skills. And they'd threatened to cut her off. She was making them look bad: tarnishing the Kharski name with her divorce splashed all over the news. And Elliot was no Kharski, anyway. He was a Masters, and he belonged with his own kind...

Kristoff knew it was a lie. She'd never fooled him: not in fifteen years. Her parents had never forced her to do anything. They hadn't kept her away from a brash and lascivious young husky. They hadn't stopped her from marrying 'beneath herself.' And they damn sure couldn't make her give up her son, now, unless she wanted to. He didn't know what changed her mind, but he let her lie. He allowed her to save face. Perhaps it was his way of saying 'thank you.' Perhaps he simply didn't care. Or perhaps he already knew the truth...

...knew the lengths to which a parent would go to see their child happy.

But either way, the deal was set. She'd give up her suit to revoke his parental rights, so long as he agreed to let her retain her own. There would be no allotted visitation. There would be no supervision. No one would be denied anything. They could each see their son whenever they pleased for however long he chose. He would live with his father primarily -- five days a week at least -- because that had been his choice and because he was a high school student, who needed some stability during his week. But his weekends and his holidays would be his to spend with whomever he pleased.

Kris agreed. They both signed. And the following Monday, he pulled up to the curb of what used to be his home. He dashed up the walkway. And he held his son again for the first time in two months.

And now, Elliot stood up from his knees and turned slowly from his father. Kristoff remained, kneeling there on the walk, and watched. Watched as his son jogged back to the porch, leapt up its tiny steps, and threw his arms around his mother, just the same.

Robyn buried her face in his shirt. Elliot thanked her, barely loud enough for his father to hear. And tears darkened Kristoff's fur...

It was finally over.

~

(January 7th)

Elliot was home...

...which called for a celebration!

And his father was well prepared. At first, Elliot thought the whole thing had been a last-minute decision. That his dad had started making phone calls and prepping the apartment Tuesday morning. But, on the contrary: he'd asked for these days off from work the second the lawyers had called. He had phoned Stephen, Aaron had phoned Josh, and they had both decided to task the family-slacker, Will, with gathering supplies. They'd set the date, the time, and the guest-list before Kris had even stepped foot in front of his old home.

And so, less than a day after the boy had been reunited with his father, their small apartment was packed to the brim with friends and family. Of course, Kris, Elliot, Will, and Aaron -- the residents of the apartment -- were there. But a couple of others were, as well. The kangaroo Elliot once knew as 'Uncle' Stephen showed up first. Apparently, they'd spent a lot of time together when Elliot was a cub, and Stephen definitely remembered him. Elliot, though, really only remembered Stephen the way he remembered a story from a history book: he'd been told the facts, and he could recite them back, but they were other people's stories...not his.

And then came Joshua. Josh was a different matter, entirely. He was a skinny little horse -- or, well, no: that's not fair. He was skinny FOR a horse, but he still dwarfed Elliot, and was bigger than everyone else in the apartment, except for Stephen. And Elliot, of course -- the pervert he was -- couldn't help but wonder exactly...HOW much bigger. Unlike Stephen, Josh was someone whom Elliot had never met. But very much LIKE Stephen, Josh was still someone whom Elliot knew very well...thanks to the stories others had told him...

Joshua was an old high school friend of his father's. He and Will were the first of the group to fool around. Or maybe that was Will and Kris, but theirs was more of a...private affair. Either way, Josh and Will had a little 'tit-for-tat' sort of rule, and soon it had spread amongst their entire group. Stephen, Kris, and Aaron got involved. Kris and Will's 'familiarity' with one another got revealed. Aaron got his nickname: Rimmer. And soon enough, they'd become no less 'familiar' than Elliot and his friends were, now.

They hadn't spoken to Josh in years, though. At least not until recently, when the little horse saw Kris and Will on television and decided to reconnect. Thanks to bad timing, though, he reached out on January 1st, the same day when Robyn decided to retract her custody suit, which meant no one had time to hang out with an old friend from high school. They couldn't just turn him away, though...so, Will suggested inviting him to the party. After all: Stephen would be there, too...so it would be the perfect opportunity to get the old gang back together!

And so, that Tuesday, Elliot greeted his father's friends as they arrived. He hugged Stephen and shook Josh's hand. He was told how much he had grown, and how much he looked like both Billy & Toffy had at his age. Only smaller and cuter. He reminded himself that 'cute' wasn't necessarily flirting, and that not everyone had the same inclinations as Will, Scott, James, and -- to an extent -- his father. He tried to keep his eyes where they belonged. He tried not to wonder about equine girth and the position of a kangaroo's balls. He tried not to imagine how the five of them looked over a decade ago, bare and intertwined...

And then the doorbell rang, and Elliot sighed in relief. Thankfully, HIS guest had finally arrived, and he could remove himself from the adults crowding the living room. When he opened the front door, though, he wasn't quite greeted with the sight he'd expected...

Instead, he saw Hunter's nervously smiling face, as Stan's car pulled away, in the background...

"...hey, Elliot."

"Hunter!" the husky yelped in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Your, uhm...your dad invited me." Hunter panned his eyes over the door frame and then at the dog blocking his way, "Uhm...may I?"

"Oh! Yeah, of course," Elliot stepped aside. "Sorry."

The tiger slipped through, and his ex-boyfriend closed the door behind him. "I hope it's not weird: me being here. But I think...I think your dad still thinks we're a couple."

"Yeah..." Elliot rubbed the back of his neck, "I haven't had a chance to tell him, yet."

"It's not a problem, is it?" Hunter double-checked. "I mean, it's not like it was such a bad break up, or anything. Not like we can't be in the same room with each other."

"Of course not, Hunter." The husky smiled and leaned in for a quick hug, "I'm happy you're here."

"Well of course I'm here! This is a big day!" Hunter smiled as they parted. "Back with your dad...finally got away from your bitch of mother..."

Bitch.

Elliot averted his eyes and rubbed his arm. He couldn't blame Hunter for calling her that, even if it was a bit speciesist. After all, Elliot himself had called her much worse, not so long ago. But still... "She's not that bad."

And the tiger tilted his head in confusion, but didn't argue. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't invite all of us to begin with! Or am I wrong? Was I the only one left out?" He smirked, "Are Mic and Jeffery already naked in your room?"

"No," Elliot chuckled and then shrugged. "I just didn't wanna' invite too many people. This is just a little three-bedroom apartment, after all. And Dad already invited two of his friends."

But he was lying.

Obviously, he obviously couldn't have invited Jeffery, but there was more than enough room for everyone else. Hunter & Mic. Donald. Brandon, after his trip to the farm and recent speech on the news. Even Viri, if his host family would allow it. But he'd only invited the one guest. He'd wanted this to be a more private and intimate celebration. He'd wanted to pose a question that had been on his mind for some time. And if all had gone well, he'd planned to have a bit of news for his dad. Nothing big. Nothing earth shattering. But there was someone his father needed to meet.

He couldn't tell Hunter any of that, of course. Or, no. He probably could. He probably should. After all: they weren't together anymore. They both knew it would come to this eventually. But he just didn't have the balls to do it. So, he lied.

And then, as if the universe, itself, had a sense of comedic timing...the doorbell rang, yet again.

But there was nothing Elliot could do. He had to own the moment. He wasn't going to fool Hunter, and he shouldn't try. And he couldn't just brush off the guest on the other side of the door. He owed them both more than that.

So, he ignored the awkwardness and pushed it aside. He let his lips curl into the wide, enchanted smile they were so desperate to be. And he flung open the door to the sight of the German Shepherd waiting on the other side.

"Donald!" he wrapped his arms around him, just as he would have had Hunter not been there to see them: a tight, lingering embrace bearing no resemblance to the short hug he'd given the tiger only moments before...

...and the shep returned it in kind, "Elliot!"

The littler husky gave the larger dog an affectionate little nuzzle and then turned, still nestled under Donald's arm, as he looked at Hunter, once more. He could see it in the tiger's eyes: the surprise, the realization, and the hurt. But his ex-boyfriend grinned through it, nonetheless. He soldiered on for Elliot, like he always had...

...and slapped a paw on Donald's shoulder, "Donny! Glad you could make it! Elliot's been absolutely beside himself waiting for you to show up!"

"Has 'e?" Donald looked down at the husky with a raised brow.

"Oh yeah! You were just about the only thing he could talk about," lies. "And look at him glow! Haven't seen him that happy in months," mixed with the truth.

Elliot and Donald blushed in unison: the shepherd no more prepared for this little meeting, than the husky under his arm. But the bigger dog slapped his feline friend on the shoulder, right back, "An' you? I didn't expect ta' see you here."

"Yeah," Hunter raised a brow and looked at Elliot. "A lot of that goin' around."

Elliot shrunk, stung by clear but subtle complaint. He couldn't imagine how it must feel for Hunter -- even with their breakup being as mutual as it was -- to find that the husky he'd so recently called his boyfriend, had invited someone else to such an important celebration. And Donald, no less! Hunter had been the one who introduced them. And now he had to see this? Elliot knew that the tiger wanted the break up, just as much as he had. He hadn't just left Hunter for Donald. And he wasn't cheating on him now. So why did it feel like he was? Why-

Fingers ran through his headfur. The weight of a familiar paw laid on his scalp.

He looked up into Hunter's eyes, and the tiger smiled back down at him. The paw brushed his headfur aside as the cat offered a tiny, simple nod. Acceptance? Approval? Pride? What exactly was that look in those eyes? No matter what it was, Elliot at least understood that Hunter was giving them his blessing. And the husky smiled back as he clung tighter to Donald's side.

And it was done. It was finished. His secret was out. No more worrying and hiding. No more concern over how Hunter might react. No more imagining the fight that he and Donald might have or the potential drama that might tear their little group of friends apart. Elliot was free to do as he pleased, and Hunter was okay.

More than okay, in fact. Hunter was his same, old self, as if nothing had changed! The trio retreated to Elliot's room for a time, and they migrated to and from the living room both for dinner and to fraternize with the adults. They played video games, just the three of them...and board games, as a party of eight. They fielded increasingly inappropriate questions from their ever-drunker elders -- questions which Josh and Stephen were at first surprised by, but more and more comfortable with by the second. They compared their own recent tales to those of Kris, Will, Aaron, Stephen, and Josh from over a decade prior. Elliot recounted his relationship with Hunter, omitting the ending. Hunter recounted their parties and their relations with Mic, Jeff, Viri, and Donald. And Donald recounted how he'd first met Elliot...in the locker room showers.

The adults whooped, howled, and nickered. The children laughed in their more muted sobriety. And the entire time, Hunter and Donald were just Hunter and Donald. Donald didn't seem the least bit slighted that Elliot let his father believe he and Hunter were still an item. Hunter didn't flinch when Elliot held Donald's paw. And Elliot was happy and content. He was reunited with his father and uncle, who were happily reliving their youths. Hunter, despite everything, remained a friend. Donald, perhaps, could be something more. And not a hint of jealousy darkened the celebration...

...not between the teenagers, at least. The horse, on the otherpaw...this Joshua? Elliot had caught more than a few sideways glances from him. The reaction he'd expected from Hunter when he'd hugged Donald in the door: he was seeing it in Josh's face, instead. Every time Kris and Stephen's paws brushed. Every time their shoulders touched. Every time they looked a little too long into one another's eyes...

But it wasn't Elliot's business -- least of all tonight. They were all varying degrees of buzzed and drunk, anyway, and he was probably misreading them. Perhaps he'd ask tomorrow. Ask if his father and Stephen had something to tell him. Ask if Josh had reason to be jealous. For now, though, he had his tiger and shepherd to attend to.

And so, he did...until Donald's phone buzzed a bit after 10pm.

His mother had only agreed to let him stay 'til a certain hour, and it was time for him to go home. When asked what was so different about tonight, compared to all the others, he would only answer, "It's just...different, is all." But either way, she was outside, waiting in her car. And like a polite host, Elliot walked him to the door, but stopped just shy of opening it.

He took the shepherd by the paw and pulled him close, leaning in nearly nose-to nose for a goodnight kiss. Donald, though, shied away, apprehensively. And for a short moment, the husky was hurt that his little kiss had been denied...

...until he noticed where Donald's nervous eyes were cast: at the tiger who'd followed them to the door.

"It's okay," Hunter assured them, in a calm and almost condescending tone. "Don't let me stop you."

And Donald smiled, silent but for an anxious chuckle, before bending down and kissing the husky on the lips.

Elliot leaned into the kiss: firm and steady, heavy against his flesh, but no less tender than he'd been used to with his tiger. There were no parted mouths, though...no mingling of tongues...only the lingering warmth of lip to lip, until the bigger dog pulled away.

And still, Donald didn't say a word. He only smiled, head tilted at his little friend, and then gave Hunter a quick nod -- a thank you -- before turning and leaving through the front door.

Elliot turned back to the party, and saw Hunter already padding off toward the husky's room. And so, he followed along slowly, passing through his father and uncle's corner of the celebration, along the way.

Aaron was in William's lap, by this point. Joshua had disappeared into the restroom to relieve himself of a hefty portion of the night's beer. And Stephen was slowly lifting himself up from his place on the couch.

"I'sh..." he stretched and blinked, "...I should pro'lly take the shep's lead, yeh?"

"Hmm?" still lounging on the couch, where they'd been sitting side-by-side a moment before, Kris blinked and looked up, sleepily, at his friend, "Ya' mean yer' leavin'?"

Elliot paused to listen, honestly mystified by the slight slurred speech and the tiny hint of Stephen's old Australian accent, as the roo answered, "Yeh. 'Bout time I get home, I reckon."

And the older husky pushed himself to his feet, as well, "Woah, woah! I thought you'd be stayin' th'night! I mean: Josh is. You should, too!"

"Nah! Nah..." Stephen shook his head, "I don't wanna' impose..."

"You wouldn't be -- you wouldn't be!" Kristoff needlessly repeated himself, as if it better made his point. "C'mon, stay! Besides, I don't think any of us're sober enough to drive. Least of all, you: ya' big kiwi."

"K-kiwi? Aw man! Is my accent leakin' through?"

"Li'bit."

"Whatever. Seriously, I'll be fine." The kangaroo took a breath and steadied himself, "Not stupid enough to drive. I'll get an Uber or somethin'."

"I don't...I dunno' if they're in this city, yet."

"Well either way, I'll figure it out." He motioned over at Elliot, still standing and watching, "Ya' should spend the night with yer son."

"Elliot?" Kristoff scoffed. "He don't need his drunk old dad botherin' him all night. He's got his boyfriend waitin' in his room."

Boyfriend? Oh! Hunter! Right! Elliot shook his head and turned, padding down the hall after the cat and catching only a bit more of his father and Stephen's conversation as he went...

"Really. It's fine. Stay. He and I've got all the time in the world. I won't MAKE ya' stay if ya' don't want to. But don't leave on my account. I want ya' here."

"...you sure?"

"Very."

And coincidentally, down the hall in his room, Elliot was about to have an almost identical conversation...albeit with a good deal fewer slurred accents. As he stepped through his door, he found Hunter standing by the foot of the bed, slipping his wallet into his pocket and holding his phone in his paw...

"Hey! Who ya' callin'?" the husky asked as he plopped down on the edge of his bed...

...and the tiger answered, distantly, "Stan."

"What for?"

Hunter looked up from his phone with a halfhearted smile, "Lettin' him know that I changed my mind about staying the night. Gonna' see if he can come pick me up."

"Wait. What?" Elliot's brow furrowed, less at the news and more at his ex-boyfriend's expression: the first real sign of a negative emotion that night. And he stood up, placing a gentle paw on the phone, "You don't have to go."

"Don't I?"

"Well, I mean...you were gonna' stay, anyway. Why not crash with me?"

"Do I really have a reason to?" Hunter argued, but he lowered his phone, just the same. "I'm not the one you really wanted here, tonight."

And Elliot took a breath, before admitting: "No. You're not." The honesty was liberating, and so was the smile of appreciation it brought to the tiger's muzzle. But the husky added: "But that doesn't mean you're not welcome."

Hunter sighed and put his phone away, before lowering himself down onto the edge of the bed, "Sorry, Elliot. I'm just being dumb."

"No. You're really not," Elliot assured him, as he sat down as well. "Was it the kiss? Was that...too much?"

"No. That was fine. That was sweet," the tiger grinned a genuine grin. "Donald's never had something like that. He deserves it. And I can't blame you for loving him. That's not your choice."

Elliot, though, just blinked. Love?

"Neither is not loving me anymore," Hunter continued. "I mean. We're just kids, right? Maybe what we had wasn't ever really love, anyway."

But the husky shifted closer to his ex's side as he softly argued: "I think we loved each other."

"Maybe. Or maybe I was just the first gay guy you'd met. Maybe you were just the first gay guy who needed me for something more than sex. Maybe we were just...searching for something..."

And Elliot chuckled, "You've been thinking about this a lot, tonight, haven't you?"

"Just tonight? No. Since long before the break up was official," Hunter answered. "And the thing is: no matter what you felt for me...now that you've got other options...I'm not the one you chose. And that's okay. Really. We're done. We're over. It's fine. I really hope you two are happy..."

"But?"

"But it was easy when he was still here," the tiger finally got to the heart of it. "I was able to be happy for the two of you. I was able to enjoy the party and hang out with two of my best friends and four of the coolest adults I know..."

Four? But there were five. Who didn't he like?

Hunter went on, though, before Elliot could ask: "But now that Donald's gone...it's just me sitting alone, in bed, with someone else's boyfriend. And now that it's just me and you here, alone...I don't feel like I belong here, anymore."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Huh?"

The husky shrugged, "We're not a couple. I don't even know if I'm ready for that, yet."

"But you love him."

"I...have feelings for him," he corrected.

"Then what's the problem?"

"That I don't wanna' repeat what happened with us," Elliot answered. "I think...I think us being a couple might really be what messed things up. There are all these expectations. Emotions and pressure and..." he sighed. "And so long as we're not really a couple, then he can sleep with you and Mic, and I can keep fooling around with Jeff and...and maybe even Will and my dad, if that's still an option...and no one's cheating! None of those other guys are getting in the way of what we have, because we don't HAVE anything to get in the way OF. This way, I can feel my feelings...and maybe he can, too. But I don't think it needs to be anything more than that, yet."

"Have you asked him?"

"What?"

"If he has feelings for you," Hunter elaborated...

...and his former boyfriend shrugged with a shy smile, "I was going to tonight."

"He would have said yes, you know?"

Elliot's eyes shot open, at that, "How do you know?"

"Aside from the fact that he hasn't done anything with me or Mic without you present in weeks?" the tiger arched a brow. "I've never seen that boy look at anyone, like he did at you, tonight."

The news made Elliot happier than he'd expected. He felt a tremor of giddiness in his chest, and a smile splitting his muzzle so wide it felt unnatural. He'd hoped he was reading the signs right. He was optimistic. But to hear Hunter confirm it?

And he turned to the tiger, with his wide smile...but saw that the expression on his ex-boyfriend's face was anything but happy. The husky's shoulders sank, and he relaxed. He was being insensitive. Too happy. Talking to much about his new faux relationship...

...and he needed to apologize, "I'm sorry for, I dunno'...rubbing your nose in all of this?"

But Hunter shook his head, "Don't be. I'm not jealous, I'm..." he paused, "or maybe I am. But...what did you tell me once? The difference between jealousy and envy, I think? I'm more envious. I don't want you back. And I don't want Donald. But..."

"You want someone," Elliot finished the sentence...

...and the tiger nodded, "I miss feeling wanted. Feeling loved." He shrugged, "I guess I'm just lonely."

Elliot placed a comforting paw on his friend's back, "You'll find someone, Hunter. You know that, right? You're too way sweet and WAY too attractive not to."

"But that's the thing. I HAVE found someone," Hunter sighed, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I'm just not sure if he's found me, yet."

And there was no question in the husky's mind as to who that 'someone' was. So, with a smirk, he shifted ever closer to his former tiger, lowering his arm from Hunter's back and winding it around his waist, "Don't worry. I'm sure he will, eventually. After all: Viri's just a foreign exchange student. He's gotta' go home eventually, right?"

Hunter laughed, amused by Elliot's telepathy, "Am I terrible for counting down the days?"

And, for a moment, his former husky laughed along with him, before squeezing him and changing the subject to ask: "So then. You're staying?"

"I am," he nodded.

"Good! 'Cause see: I was thinking..." Elliot placed his free paw on his friend's chest, "...here in a little bit, we're gonna' be hearing muffled sex noises from every room in this apartment."

"Every room?" the tiger arched a brow in confusion. "I mean, I got the feeling that your dad and Stephen were a bit friendly, but-"

"But nothing!" Elliot cut him off. "Josh is here, too. You think Will & Aaron are gonna' turn down a threesome?"

"...probably not."

"So," Elliot continued, trailing a finger down Hunter's torso with a lewd little grin. "Since we're both still technically single..."

"Let me guess. You wanna' add to the noise?"

~

(January 8th)

The following morning, William Masters sat at his kitchen table, breathing in the steam and magical aroma of his morning coffee...

Across from him, Elliot and Hunter dug greedily into the warm box of donuts placed before them. To his left, Stephen politely waited his turn, with his own coffee cup nestled in his paw. And to his right, stood Will's current-least-favorite lifeform:

Aaron Jones.

It may have been true that the coffee in Will's and Stephen's paws had been provided by the rabbit. Same with the donuts in front of the boys. But nothing could forgive his lover's gravest sin: the metabolism of a teenager in the body of an adult. It was bad enough that the bunny could eat whatever he wanted and not gain a pound. But he was also completely and totally immune to hangovers! Given any amount of alcohol less than required for legitimate alcohol poisoning, and Aaron would, at worst, have a dry mouth in the morning.

So, while Will, Toffy, Stephen, and Josh were all groaning awake -- some more hungover than others -- Aaron had already dressed himself, pranced his way out of the apartment, and returned with coffee and diabetes-inducing breakfast foods.

Damned perfect little asshole!

At the moment, though, two cups of the recently-bought coffee sat alone on the counter. Because while the rest of the house, save for Aaron, was dressed in pajamas at best and boxers at worst -- or was that the other way around? -- their equine guest, Josh, was wrenching himself into his clothes. Toffy had the day off. Aaron had a bit of time before he had to be to work. And Will, Elliot, Hunter, and Stephen had nowhere to be. But Josh had to leave, now.

And so, while the rest of the household hung around the table having breakfast...Toffy -- who was not as immune to hangovers as Aaron, but infuriating nonetheless -- was seeing their friend off. And over the sound of Elliot and Hunter's courteously muted chatter, Will could hear his brother's voice...

"It was nice seeing you again, Josh. You'll come back soon, I hope?"

"I might, at that," Josh answered. "But uhm...before I go...do you think you could slip some clothes on, for me?"

"Why? What's up?"

"I uhm...I'd like to talk to you outside."

Will had only been half-listening up until this point, but suddenly his ears perked up in interest...and beside him, he noticed Stephen's posture shift. For a moment, the kangaroo froze. And then slowly he sat up straighter, eyes cast on the living room.

Will listened. He looked on, as Stephen listened...

...and from the living room, Toffy laughed: "So what? You think I won't walk outside in my pajamas?"

"It's a bit cold," the horse chuckled along.

"And I'm a husky!"

And Will watched Stephen's eyes. Toffy and Josh, and the living room in general, were to William's back, but Stephen had a clear view. And so, the husky watched the 'roo, while the 'roo watched Toffy and Josh walking toward the door. The knob turned. The door creaked. Paws tapped. And wood slipped into its frame with a thud.

There was something Josh didn't know, though. That door didn't have a very snug seal. On cold days, a draft blew through. And thanks to a combination of its gap and the large front window, if the apartment was quiet enough, the Masters could hear everything that happened outside. Josh may have wanted a private conversation...

"Boys!" William whispered sharply, pointing toward the door, "Shhh!"

...but he wasn't going to get one.

"So what's up?" Toffy's voice was the first to filter through.

"I uhm...I wanted to talk to you about why I...why I showed back up."

"I thought that was pretty obvious. I assumed you were looking for some tail with some old playmates. Y'know? Like that threesome I'm sure you had last night?"

"Threesome?"

"With Billy and Rimmer!"

"Oh!" muted laughter barely caught Will's ear. "No. We didn't do anything. Didn't you notice how I slept on the couch?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you didn't do something, before then."

"Well...I didn't."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to assume."

"No, it's fine. I mean, I considered it. It's just that, well...I didn't come here for them." And Will watched Stephen's eyes narrow as Josh explained: "I came for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah. Okay. I'm sure I'm wasting my time, but this is the entire reason I came back, and I'm not leaving without giving it a shot. I saw you on television the other day. I saw you talking about your divorce, and you said you're bisexual now, and I thought...I mean I'm not saying I've spent the last ten years pining after you, or anything...but..."

There was a pause. William looked Stephen directly in the eye, and the kangaroo looked back. His eyes were sharp. His breaths were shallow. And his empty paw tapped the table...

...as Josh went on, "I'm just saying: I'm not seeing anyone. And if you're not either...maybe we could go on a date sometime. A real date. Not like back in high school."

Stephen slowly exhaled a deep breath. And silently, William placed his paw on top of the kangaroo's. From his peripherals, he saw Elliot's eyes follow the paw, and saw him recoil when he realized what he was watching.

"Uhm...wow," Toffy finally responded. "Came a long way for this, huh?"

"Brooksboro's not that far."

"Yeah. But calling us up, after all this time? Taking this sort of risk. You really put yourself out there. I didn't even realize you were bisexual."

"Gay. Just gay."

"Right."

"So? Come on. Don't leave me in suspense. What's your answer?"

There was another pause, and Stephen eyes closed. The kitchen sat silent and still, as five pairs of ears listened in. And then...

"No."

Stephen exhaled so violently he slumped forward. Will smiled and squeezed his paw. And from outside, the conversation went on:

"Oh. Okay. Well, I guess it's better not to pussy foot around, right? Straight to the point."

"Look, Josh. It's just-"

"No. You don't have to explain."

"But I want to."

"But you don't have to. I already know the reason. It's Stephen."

And the kangaroo sat up straight, once again...head tilted.

"How did you...?"

"You two were all over one another last night."

"So what? It's not like I haven't done that before. And not just with him. With you, and Rimmer, and...and even Billy!"

"Yeah. But you were never in love with the three of us." Another short pause ticked by, and then: "Oh, don't look at me like that! You two have been in love since high school. I knew it. Rimmer knew it..."

William looked up at his rabbit and mouthed a silent, 'Did you?' to which Aaron simply shrugged and nodded, with a sly grin.

"Hell," Josh went on, "everyone knew it, EXCEPT for the two of you! So, when I saw you two holding paws and leaning on one another...it wasn't hard to guess. That's why I said I was probably wasting my time. But. I didn't know that before I showed up, so I decided there was no harm in at least trying, while I was here."

"Well, see: the problem is...I'm not really sure where we stand."

"You and Stephen?"

"Yeah."

"Well, do you love him?"

"Uhm...yeah. I do."

Will watched Stephen blush and look away, as every eye in the room turned to him.

"But I haven't told HIM that!" Toffy went on. "It's just: he doesn't live here. He'll be leaving soon, and I don't know what that means for us. I don't know if that's something either of us can deal with: a long-distance relationship like that. No matter how I feel OR how he feels, we're not officially an item right now. We just can't be. Too much uncertainty, too much to figure out..."

"That makes sense..."

"But at the same time, I do love him. And so long as there is even a tiny chance that he and I could actually be...anything? My answer, here...has gotta' be no. Stephen is...he's not a chance I'm willing to miss. Not again. And besides: it wouldn't be fair to you, if my heart wasn't in it."

Will still held Stephen's paw on the table, both squeezing the other, while the embarrassed kangaroo proved incapable of maintaining eye contact. Hunter patted him on the shoulder. Elliot bounced in his chair. And the world's peppiest rabbit circled the table, hugging his old friend and whispering a barely audible, "Told you so," in his ear.

"Oh well!" Josh chirped. "I had to try, right? Let me know if it doesn't work out with the 'roo, though, okay? My offer's always on the table, and...you know where to find me."

"That wouldn't make you feel like a...fallback or something?"

"Nah. I'm confident I could make you love me, in time!" The horse's voice grew dimmer, "Later, Toffy!"

"Yeah. Later, J."

The doorknob turned, and Stephen shot to attention. In one fluid motion, he pried the rabbit off of him, jumped up from his seat, and leaned in close to Will, to whisper, "Play along, damn-it!"

And with that, he was already standing, coffee in paw, alongside the table, by the time Toffy made his way back inside. William was so caught up in the spectacle, he barely even noticed Aaron pluck his buzzing phone from his pocket and step away. And before either the rabbit had disappeared into the bedroom or the returning husky could say a word...

...the Kangaroo set about arguing with a statement no one had made. "I'm not saying you're wrong, Billy," he began. "Yeah, your rent's not very high, but this is still an apartment."

For a moment, Will only blinked, before doing his best to 'play along' as instructed, and argued only with what little information he had: "But it's a three bedroom apartment! Trust me. I looked around. You can't get three bedrooms for cheaper than this."

Will watched Toffy walk silently into the kitchen and snatch up his coffee, seemingly not paying any attention to their conversation, as Stephen went on, "I understand that, but I'm not worried about the price. I have plenty of money. I'm just more interested in a rental house."

Suddenly Toffy was interested! And Will had to restrain a smile as his brother turned and joined them at the table. He ignored it, though, and continued on with the 'argument:' "I think you're underestimating how much a rental house is really gonna' cost you, Stephen."

"And I think you're underestimating how much money I've saved up." The kangaroo stopped to casually greet the returning husky, "Hey Toffy," before continuing with his charade: "I don't have kids or a family, and I've developed a pretty hefty savings. Price isn't an issue. But I need a house."

Toffy's eyes darted back and forth between the two, in stunned silence, and Will barely kept himself from laughing as he shot back, "But you live alone! How do you expect to maintain an entire house on your own?"

To which Stephen just scoffed, "On my own? I'm sure Toffy and Elliot'll be willing to help. I mean, there'll be visiting enough...and I'm sure the pup would love to do some chores for the extra spending money." And with that, he turned to the bewildered husky at his side, "Toffy! What do you think? Should I rent a house, or an apartment?"

All the dog could manage in response, though, was... "R-rent?"

"Well yeah! I can't keep living in a hotel, can I?" The kangaroo laughed, as if mocking the ridiculous suggestion Toffy never actually made, "I've gotta' have an actual home of some sort, if I'm moving back to Sibirskaia."

And Will looked on, as his brother lit up: beaming nearly as bright as he had when he got the news that Elliot would be coming home. "You're moving back??" he took hold of Stephen's shoulders.

"Well, yeah!" Their old friend tilted his head, "We're a couple now, right? Don't you think we're a little old for the whole long-distance thing?"

Elliot bounced. Hunter laughed. And Will watched on, in pride, as his brother jerked the kangaroo into a sudden and frantic hug, showering his face in rapid-fire kisses, and lifting the larger male up from his feet. Stephen, meanwhile, could only chuckle and attempt to evade the assault, until Toffy finally stepped away, shaking his head as he asked:

"Wait. We're a couple? S-since when? I haven't even had the guts to tell you that I-"

"You don't have to," Stephen cut him short...

...and the husky tilted his head, with a grin, "You knew?"

"Oh, no! Not at all. I was actually worried as hell!" He poked his new boyfriend in the chest, "After that night at the lake? Nearly a week later, and you haven't said it back, yet?"

"Sorry," Toffy smiled a guilty smile. "But in my defense: you did say it in the past tense."

"Look: don't worry about it. I figured it all out, eventually, anyway."

"How?"

Stephen leaned in with an evil little smirk, "I heard you tell Josh."

And a sudden wave of embarrassment and realization washed over Toffy's face, "Fucking loose door."

"Kristoff?" the kangroo stepped up, nose-to-nose with the husky. "I love you."

And the monochrome dog smiled back, "I love you, too."

Elliot cheered as his father and Stephen kissed. Hunter just shook his head. And William had never felt so happy for his brother. Not even when Elliot came home. Not that this was more of a momentous occasion than that, of course. But...maybe Will was just a romantic at heart...

As Toffy and Stephen's kiss broke, William stood. He stepped toward them, his muzzle parting to offer his congratulations and his help in finding Stephen a place to live. But there was more news on the way. And before Will could say a word, Aaron's voice drifted into the room...

"Guys? I'm sorry to interrupt your moment, here, but uhm..." Will and the others turned to watch the rabbit stepping back into the kitchen, "...I just got an interesting phone call."

"What's up, hun?" William moved to his lover's side.

"You've...you've been ignoring some calls for the last few days, haven't you?"

"Uhm...yeah, I have," the husky answered, slightly confused. "From the old firm."

And Aaron held up his phone: "Well I can't ignore them. Until Kili gets his firm going, they're still the ones I'm trying to get published through."

"That was your agent, then?"

"No," the rabbit shook his head. "That was Castagnoli, himself."

Castagnoli. The dragon who ran William's old firm. The ultimate say in Will losing his job, and in every hurdle Aaron had faced, since. Bigot. Homophobe. General asshole...

And Aaron went on: "He says he's been trying to contact you for days, and you won't answer."

"Of course I won't! I have nothing to say to him."

"Well he has things to say to you." Aaron took a breath and shifted closer to explain: "He's offering you your old job, back, Will. He's prepared to offer you more money. Prepared to publicly change the company's discrimination policies..."

"What?" William was staggered by the news.

"You've got him over a fire, here, Will."

"How?" The husky shook his head, "Kili and I never even mentioned his name on TV."

"No, but it wasn't hard for people to figure out who he was. And between the negative press and Kili threatening to open a competing firm?"

"He's scared," Will smiled...

...and Aaron nodded, "Terrified."

"Wait," from behind him, Toffy interjected. "What does this mean, Billy? What are you gonna' do?"

What did it mean? Good question. Too many answers...

It meant William had his old job back, if it wanted it. It meant Aaron could finally get published. And it meant Will had a decision to make. It meant he could work for a friend: for a small, untested, upstart firm, where he'd been promised a job, but where there was no guarantee of success. It meant he could return to a successful, reputable, and stable firm, at the cost of working for a dragon he hated. It meant deciding between hopefully helping a friend succeed, and definitely helping a bigot clear his name. It meant Aaron would be facing exactly the same decisions, but in regard to where to publish his book. And it meant, above all else, that William had to decide between becoming an agent again...or letting his boyfriend and brother continue to support him, while he finished his own book...

It meant: "I honestly don't know."

~

(January 13th)

Six days later, Hunter feigned a smile.

It was the first day back to school after the holidays. Hunter stood alongside Mic and Viri outside the building, waiting for the first bell of the day. Brandon was just now joining them. And Hunter suppressed a grimace.

It wasn't because of Brandon, though -- at least not entirely. The tiger would have been well within his rights to be upset to see the wolf. This was the first time they'd been this close to one another on campus without nearly -- or legitimately -- coming to blows. And Brandon had very recently done his best to make Hunter and Elliot's lives hell. But since then, he'd apologized. He'd met them at Hunter's farm and taken steps to becoming a better wolf: a friend. And he'd even defended them on the local news! Hunter and Brandon's problems had passed...

Instead, the tiger's secret internal grimace was one of jealousy. Not envy. Not loneliness, as he'd felt a week before. But legitimate jealousy, at seeing Mic snuggling up so close to the white folf at his side...and at seeing how he smiled when the black wolf joined them...

Hunter hated himself for it, of course. He had no right to be jealous. And he knew better than to act on such emotions. Mic was free to date whomever he pleased, and it was none of Hunter's business. The hyena was doing nothing wrong. And all Hunter could do was wait. Wait, and hope that one day Mic would look at him...like the hyena looked at the two of them...

Mic hugged Brandon when he arrived, and surprisingly -- or perhaps not, after his appearance on the news -- the wolf hugged back.

"Been a while!" Mic beamed...

...and Brandon nodded as they stepped apart, "Yeah, well. I've been busy."

"So we saw!" The hyena tilted his head, "And, I can only assume that ya' don't want us getting' all mushy, right? Tellin' ya' how much we appreciated your interview?"

And Brandon just coughed, "Yeah. Let's not get into all that."

"Ya' sure? Ya' don't wanna' hear about how thankful we are? How much it means to finally have you on our side?" Mic batted his eyes and shifted, standing uncomfortably close to his friend, "How happy I am to have my best friend back?"

Best friend? Brandon was his best friend, now? Hunter didn't even rate high enough for THAT label, anymore?

"Oh, fuck off, ya' big spotted ass!" the wolf pushed his friend away...

...and Hunter took a breath. It was just a joke. And 'best friend' wasn't exactly a legally binding title, anyway, now was it? He really had to get a grip and stop taking everything so damn personal.

Mic laughed as he stumbled from the push, steading himself, before continuing in a more serious tone: "Really, though. Thanks, Bran."

And Brandon just nodded politely, and then swiftly changed the subject. "So who's this guy?" he turned to Viri. "I don't think we've met."

"This is Vir!" the hyena answered. "Foreign exchange student."

"Hel'lo, Brrandon," the little, white folf presented a paw...

...and the larger, black wolf took hold of it and shook, "Oh! Listen at that accent!"

Viri, of course, simply blushed.

"And no, you two haven't met," Mic explained. "I was...kinda' protectin' him from you? I guess? He's not prepared for all our American violence."

Brandon drew in a deep breath and frowned at Mic, "Once again...I'm sorry." And then, he turned back to Viri with a little smile, "...and I'm not the guy I was before, okay? No need to be scared."

The folf, though, just tilted his head and bluntly asked: "What'sh wrrong with yourr paw?"

"Ah. Right. That..." Brandon held up his left arm, pivoting it as he looked at his cast. "Uhm...let's just say: I broke a window, and it broke me, back."

"When are you gettin' that damn thing off, anyway?" Mic asked.

"If it'd been a normal break? It would've been later this week. But at this rate?" he glanced at the broken paw again, and shrugged. "Maybe at the end of the month?"

As the folf, the wolf, and the hyena went on, seemingly oblivious to both Hunter's presence and silence, the tiger caught sight of two other familiar faces. Elliot and Donald were walking together from the shepherd's car, and approaching them from across the parking lot. And at the sight of them, Hunter sighed and whimpered...

...because he didn't feel a thing.

Seeing Elliot with Donald? Being reminded of his discovery from a week earlier? It made him feel nothing. Not a hint of jealousy, or envy, or betrayal...or even happiness on behalf of two of his closest friends. Nothing. But he could barely even look at the other three -- at the way Brandon and Mic turned into giddy children the mere sight of one another, at the way Mic instinctively protected Viri and kept him close at his side, or at the way the Viri stared, enraptured, at the Mic -- without feeling his jaw involuntarily clench.

So, this was the state of things now. He was over Elliot, completely. And in the place of everything he'd felt for the husky, he'd fallen in love with his best friend. Completely, madly, hopelessly in love. Or maybe he'd finally realized that he had been for a while. Maybe that's why he found comfort in the hyena, in a park restroom two months back. Maybe that's why Mic was the only one who he'd confided his concerns in, when he felt Elliot slipping away. And maybe that's why...no...he knew it was why he'd kissed him three weeks ago...

And just his luck: he'd fallen for someone completely out of his reach. Hunter had never bothered to ask, but he was certain, with the way they acted, that Mic and Viri were together. They had to be. And then, there was Brandon. The way they looked at one another? The bond they'd formed? The experiences they'd shared? The hell that Mic had dragged the wolf out of? There was no way Hunter could ever compete with that.

But...but maybe it would all be okay in the end. After all, like Elliot said: Viri had to leave eventually. He was a foreign exchange student. He had to return to Finland. And what the folf had with Mic? Was it really strong enough to survive that kind of distance? And then once Viri was out of the picture, Brandon wouldn't really be a threat, would he? Sure, the wolf had changed, but he was still straight. No matter how close they were, no matter how deep their feelings, they were still only friends. Maybe Hunter couldn't be as close of a friend as Brandon was, but, after all: Hunter wasn't looking to be a friend...

So, he just needed to wait. Everything would be okay, in the end. Viri would leave. Mic would be available. No matter their connection, Brandon would never really be an option. And Hunter would finally have his chance. He just needed to wait. He just needed to be-

"Hunter!"

The tiger jumped, Mic's voice startling him back to reality, "Huh? What?" He looked up, to see the hyena's muzzle right in his face. His breaths stalled. His lips literally tingled with the sudden urge to kiss that spotted muzzle...

...but then his friend reached forward, tapping him on the side of the head, "Where are you at, in there? Didn't you hear the bell? You don't wanna' be late!"

"Right! Sorry," Hunter smiled and shook his head, following along as Mic turned and led him into the school building.

And he breathed. And he smiled. It would all be okay, in the end.

He just needed to be patient.

~

(January 14th)

Damnit! He was supposed to have the house to himself...

Michael Taylor reluctantly withdrew his muzzle from the white-furred groin in his face. A folf's damp, little balls slipped off the end of his nose. Viri whimpered and frowned. And Mic offered an apologetic little smile as he kissed him on the tip of his twitching rod.

His parents were out for the night -- for hours, still -- and he and Vir had worked very hard to convince the folf's host family to let him come over on a school night. But it was worth it, because they had the place to themselves. No concern that someone might walk in on them. No reason to bother being dressed. They could take their time, wrap themselves up in one another, and make a night of it.

But then the doorbell rang. And now Mic was standing up from where he'd been kneeling alongside the bed, so he could leave and answer the door. Before he could take a step, though, Viri leaned forward, devouring the hyena's spotted rod in one swift motion. Mic's knees shook, as he drew in a sharp gasp. He watched his shaft disappear into that hungry, little, white muzzle, and he forgot all about the doorbell...

...until it rang again.

And so, he gently pushed Viri away, and held up a finger. He'd be quick. But he needed to see who it was. Whomever it was, though, they weren't worth him actually getting dressed! So, he snatched his boxers-briefs off of a nearby chair, and hopped into them as he hobbled out of the room. They were tight, which helped. It was one thing to be in his underwear, but it was another to be standing at attention at a complete 90-degrees!

So, he adjusted himself, bending his dick to the side and silently admiring the rigid mound it made: held against his upper thigh and just below his waist by the tight cotton. A dark spot appeared at his tip. Pre. Not much better than normal boxers, after all then. But, whatever. If the uninvited guest at the door didn't like it, maybe they'd leave...

And at his front door? Brandon Sutela rocked on his heels.

Memories. He repeated the word to himself again, and again. Memories. It's what Jeffery told him, weeks back. He needed to be more comfortable around gay guys. He needed to make his friendships work. And he was trying. He was doing better. But so much of it was still a façade. It was still so hard for him to see them kissing one another. So hard for him to think about what they did together, in private. And he needed to make new memories: new emotions and thoughts to associate with homosexuals.

But that didn't make him gay. It didn't! It's not like he was here to have sex with the hyena, after all. He'd just come to hang out. Just the two of them. Alone. In Mic's bedroom. And Brandon had brought a present...

Fuck! What was he thinking? He'd brought a present for another guy? It was so mushy! So girly! He lifted it up and looked at the bag in his paw. It was just a game. Something that Mic had once said he'd wanted. But it was still a gift! It was thoughtful, and sentimental, and...

...it was gayer than sucking a dick!

Maybe he should put it back in his car. Maybe he should just leave, altogether. He could do this another time. He could-

The door opened.

The late afternoon light shined in on the bare spotted torso of a hyena. The warm central heated air washed over a wolf's clothes and fur. Brandon's eyes widened at the sight of his nearly nude friend. Mic's eyes widened at the realization of exactly who he was standing exposed in front of.

Mic looked at the bag in his friend's paw. The local game-store's logo. He'd brought a game? No. Through the plastic, he could see the name of it and...that was the game that Mic had been wanting! He'd brought a present!

Brandon looked at the bulge in his friend's underwear. That trickling line of pre. He'd been masturbating? No. In the warm, rushing air, he could smell...balls! Fox? Wolf? No. Folf. The one Brandon had met the day before. He'd been having sex!

Mic tilted his head. Why was Brandon bringing him a gift?

Brandon gulped. Why wasn't Mic covering himself up?

The wolf looked away, but Mic had already seen the track of his eyes, and a jolt of electricity shot through his body. Brandon tried to ignore the scent of hyena and folf stinging his nose, but it was impossible. What was happening? What should they do? Should he greet the wolf like everything was normal, or just quickly close the door? Should he give the hyena the gift and then leave, or just rush back to his car without saying a word? Why hadn't his friend already run away; should he invite him in? Why didn't that scent disgust him, anymore; should that frighten him? Viri was waiting -- the folf must have been waiting. Would he welcome or resent the intrusion? No. Brandon was interrupting them. He should go...

But first. The gift. And, slowly, bag in paw, the wolf's arm rose up, as his eyes trailed down...

"I...I brought you something."

But he hadn't left. Not yet. And Mic twitched as he drew in a breath, taking a tiny step back...

"You, uh...wanna' come in...?"

~

(January 15th)

Scott Hammond sipped lightly at the tea in his paw. Bergamot. Vanilla. His favorite blend.

It was the morning of their third day back to school, and, despite having slept in most mornings over the holiday, Scott was already back into the swing of things. His boyfriend, though? James Callaway could barely hold himself upright.

The two were waiting in their principal's office some time before the first bell of the day. As he drank his tea, Scott was snooping: looking through the books, trinkets, trophies, and awards on his boss's shelves. Only with his eyes, though, of course. Not his paws. James, meanwhile, was slouched down in one of the chairs before Principal Rivers' desk, threatening at any moment to fall asleep, where he sat.

The past few weeks had been a whirlwind.

While Scott and his lover had been preparing themselves and their lesson plans for the spring semester, the media campaign they'd both been so embroiled in had finally bore its fruit. Opinions began to change all across Sibirskaia. A former bully defended his victims on the local news. A bigoted CEO announced a change in his company's long-standing exclusionary policies. A mother reunited her son with his father.

All around him, his friends and lovers were rejoicing. They'd won the war! They were victorious! But Scott remained cautious. Because there was still one battle left to be fought. A battle that was supposedly already won. But the final shot had yet to be fired, and the white flag had yet to be risen...

Principal Rivers' door opened, and the polar bear stepped through.

"Good morning, gentlemen," he greeted them as he circled his desk. Scott turned from the bookshelves. James forced himself to sit upright. And Mr. Rivers came to a stop behind his desk, with a smile, "I honestly can't get over this. I can't believe you two really managed it. Here. In Sibirskaia."

"Well, we had help," James confessed. "It wasn't just us."

And, no. It wasn't. There was a rabbit, desperate to help his brother and adopted son...a kangaroo, returning to save his home town...an otter, willing to stand toe-to-toe with a juggernaut...a wolf, battling his past...and a family, fighting to stay together...

Scott felt that he and his lover had ample reason to be proud of their contributions. But James was right. They may have started this, but they didn't do it alone.

"Of course, of course," the principal nodded. "But no matter who's responsible, you've accomplished something I thought was impossible! I'm told Genevieve called you a couple of weeks ago...?"

"She did," Scott confirmed. "She told us there would be a second vote. Tomorrow. She claims Ms. Banks has changed her mind. She believes we've finally secured our three-to-two vote."

"No," Mr. Rivers chuckled.

"No?"

"No. The vote isn't tomorrow. It was yesterday," he explained. "Behind closed doors. It's already done. Your proposal passed!"

Scott was stunned silent, and, to his side, James was suddenly awake. They watched as the polar bear lifted two stacks of paper from his desk, holding one out to each of them: to the seated raccoon and to the standing fox.

And Scott took the papers, glancing at them for a moment, before looking back up, "This is the proposal."

"No," the principal corrected him again. "That is our newest policy."

"It's passed?" James repeated the news, excitement and disbelief in his voice.

"It has!" Rivers answered. "There were, of course, the two expected hold outs. Sibe and Philips weren't to be swayed. But Finley, Laika, and Banks all voted in your favor! That document is now the law of the land." Scott laid a paw on his lover's shoulder, and James's head fell back, relief and elation washing over them both. But Mr. Rivers went on, "It's not over yet, though. There's still the meeting tomorrow night."

And the fox blinked, "But I thought you said...?"

"The actual vote happened behind closed doors, yes. But there will still be a public meeting tomorrow. They'll officially announce the vote. The media's been invited, the three of us are all expected to attend, and I'm sure Chaney will be there to voice his disapproval, as well." The polar bear smiled, "But it's happened, gentlemen. It's official. You've won!"

~

(January 16th)

It didn't really feel like they'd won, though.

James had received a call from Genevieve over two weeks ago; she'd told him it would happen. He'd spoken to Rivers just a day ago; he'd told him it already HAD happened. He'd held the papers in his paw, he'd phoned Stanley, Stephen, and the Masters clan, and he'd seen the news van waiting outside of the school district's administration building. But he didn't really believe it -- he didn't feel it -- until this very moment...

Not until he saw Chaney's face.

James and Scott were among the first to arrive, beaten there only by Principal Rivers and by News Eight's van. The network's star reporter, Jerry McCollough, was setting up -- dragging equipment into the building and preparing to film the event -- as the fox and the raccoon made small talk in the parking lot, with their boss. But it was all still surreal. None of it actually felt real...until Chaney arrived.

The chipmunk's defeated expression -- his impotent, angry eyes and sunken shoulders -- finally brought everything together. Chaney had really been the catalyst for it all. The storm had been brewing for some time, of course. Robyn, Tony, Brandon, Castagnoli, and so many others had all played their parts, but it was Chaney who finally pushed James over the edge. He'd lied. He'd refused to protect homosexual students from being bullied. He'd covered up for their attacker. He'd painted them as instigators. And there was no way to hold him accountable.

That was why James had gone to the school board. After that, the media got involved and Stan saw an opportunity. A kangaroo returned to his hometown, and the eyes of a nation descended upon Sibirskaia. But it all began with Chaney. And here he was...broken...defeated...and indignant. And that was it. They'd really won!

Slowly, more and more familiar faces trickled in. Stephen and Kristoff appeared with Elliot and Donald in tow, and not far behind them came Stan, escorting his adopted son, Hunter. Hunter joined Donald and the Masters, laughing and chatting away, while Stanley and Stephen greeted James. And in time, Brandon and Mic arrived as well, with Mr. and Mrs. Sutela and their sides.

And James was proud.

He couldn't help himself. Standing there with Stanley and Stephen -- as one of the three architects of this great victory -- he felt proud. They had accomplished so much. They had achieved their every goal! But he forced himself to remain realistic. Humble. Sober. They hadn't changed the world. It felt as though everything were different, but what had they really done?

They'd backed a CEO into a corner with negative press. They'd changed one mother's mind. They'd convinced a school board member and a few small-town citizens that this fight wasn't worth the controversy it wrought. But there were still bigots and bullies. Castagnoli, and Chaney, and Laika, and Sibe, and the badger and porcupine who'd voiced their vile opinions on the national stage? They were all still exactly who they'd been. before...

Big steps. Personal victories.

But they hadn't changed the world.

The doors opened to the school board building, and the gathering crowd began to filter in. Inside, News Eight's lights brightened the room. Its cameraman adjusted for just the right shot. And the gallery took their seats, as the board members filed into the room, one-by-one...

~

Hours later, Jeffery Hammond clutched onto a pillow, as he watched the local 10 o'clock news.

A ferret stood illuminated by artificial lights in a dark and crowded parking-lot. An old brick building lay behind him. A microphone hung from his paw, before his nose. And Jerry McCollough reported on Thursday night's school board meeting.

He'd led with the core of the story, as journalists do: James Callaway's proposal had been accepted by a three-to-two margin. The new policies would take place immediately. And, "Despite the controversy surrounding the proposal, the reaction in the boardroom was a positive one, to say the least."

The image of the ferret cut away to that of a crowded room, where five officials sat behind a long, curved desk in the background: a lizard, a cat, an eagle, and two huskies. The room was silent, save for the board, as they each uttered only a single word:

First, the lizard, "Yea."

Then the male husky, "Nay."

Then the cat, "Yea."

Then the female husky, "Yea."

And, finally, the eagle, "Nay."

A murmur spread through the room for the briefest of moments, before the lizard spoke once more: "The motion has passed."

And at once, a roar buzzed from the speakers of the TV, as a smile split Jeffery's little, gray muzzle. He watched Scott and James hug. He watched Stanley and the kangaroo he still had yet to meet shake one another's paws. The crowd cheered. Three members of the school board smiled. Two sat stone-faced, along with a chipmunk and a scattered pawful of the crowd. But an elated joy filled the room, nonetheless...

...and Jeffery soaked it in. They'd finally done it. For once, he and his fathers had faced their problems head-on. They didn't just sit back and ignore them; they'd done that enough in the past. Instead, they stood up for what was right. They fought the good fight. And now? Look at what they'd accomplished! Jeffery's friends were protected. People like Chaney couldn't turn a blind eye, any longer. And none of Scott's fears had come to pass: Jeffery hadn't been found, and his fathers still had their jobs. And along the way they'd done so much more for Elliot and his family than they'd ever intended...or even imagined.

It felt good, for once, just to help.

"It's unclear what will come of tonight's vote," Jerry McCollough continued, as his face returned to the screen. "Will the policy be challenged? Will the controversy continue, or will Sibirskaia fade from the spotlight? No matter what tomorrow may bring, though, all that can be said, tonight, is that at least one group of Sibirskaians is celebrating a hard-fought victory."

Behind the ferret, Scott and James were greeted - congratulated -- by passersby: strangers, coworkers, students, huskies...and a single, lone, black wolf. Brandon Sutela held out a paw. Scott took it into his own. And Jeffery felt a knot rise in his throat as the fox and the wolf pulled one another into a sudden and unexpected hug...

"Live from the SISD Administration Building: Jerry McCollough, News Eight."

~

(January 17th)

"Do I see yesterday's decision as a victory?" the voice of a large, dusty rabbit rumbled from the speakers of a television...

...as a little gray cat adjusted the waistband of his pants. And a gray furred head popped through the neck of a brand-new T-Shirt...just as two gray arms through its sleeves.

"Of course! This is, in every way, everything it has been made out to be. Sibirskaia is every bit what we consider to be a 'small-town America.' It may not officially be a part of our Bible-belt, but it is still close. At least...hanging from our shirt tail, if you will."

Iridescent eyes -- oil slicks split in half by narrow black slits -- peered back from a mirror, as gray paws combed clumsily through furry cheeks and disheveled headfur.

"And if Sibirskaia, of all places, can enact such change, is the rest of the country really so far behind? This was a stepping stone. An example to the nation. No matter whether you believe it to be a herald of progress, acceptance, and freedom, or a harbinger of immorality, decadence, and chaos, it truly does not matter. Because either way, you may well be right."

A kitten sat down, fidgeting uneasily on a couch. A tiny suitcase lay closed beside him. And a jacket lay over the top...as a cold, winter wind whistled past a farmhouse window.

"As of yesterday, a school district in such a town has recognized its LGBT students. A business in such a town has promised to protect its LGBT clients and employees. And the citizens of such a town have said -- in as unified a voice as any group so large can manage -- that they have had enough of discrimination and hate."

Gray paws tapped against shaking knees...and footpaws against the floor, just the same. The cat stood again, and paced. His tail twitched...

"But if these claims seem hyperbolic: they likely are. All of those things may well be true. I would like to believe so. But at the heart of all of this lies something far more personal. We can speak of what this may yet mean for the nation, but we cannot forget what it has already meant for those most directly affected."

The boy shook himself out and breathed. Calm. Still. His paws reached for a leather collar lying by the television. And he turned: walking back to the mirror. Carefully, he slipped it around his neck. He fastened it tight. And he smiled.

"What it means for my brother, who may finally see his book published. For his boyfriend, whose unlawful termination has been rescinded. For my adopted son and his friends, who can attend school without fearing that their bullies' actions may be sanctioned by the staff. For the young girl who was born a boy -- or the other way around -- who may finally believe that they can be themselves in the streets of Sibirskaia or in the hallways of its high school. For the frightened, the closeted, and the suicidal who, today, have been given a glimmer of hope."

A car approached outside: the sound of tires crunching gravel. And the cat -- breathless -- spun to face the farmhouse door.

"...or for a boy finally reunited with his father."

The knob clicked. The door swung open to the cold, January air. Iridescent eyes shimmered with tears. A fox, with a raccoon only steps behind, padded into the dim, warm house. And a little gray cat leapt into his fathers' open arms...

~

And Sibirskaia draws to a close...

* This particular chapter (and the rest of Sibirskaia) was written entirely by Oloroso Rhone. But it was based on characters and story lines I created jointly with my friend Phil Anthro Pist

If you'd like to go say hi to Phil, he's got an account on here at http://phil-anthro-pist.sofurry.com/ *

Elliot's back with his father! The school board passed the reform! Will & Aaron's careers are saved! The boys are all friends again! The media campaign has been a success and our heroes have won! With a few small exceptions (Mic's romantic quagmire and what decision Will will make) all our stories have come to an end. The loose ends are tied up, and everything seems to have come to its happy conclusion. All of which begs the question:

Why is there still one chapter left?

I welcome any feedback. Comment or PM me here, add me on skype, or email me at theottercoon[at]gmail.com

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See you around for the final chapter of Sibirskaia!