FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 7

Jacob sat in the passenger side of the car as the family rode down the freeway. The tires smoothly glided over the road which made little noise. Alejandro and Madeline's eyes were fixated on their tablets, the two streamed movies and games to pass the time during the trip. Their nanny Jennifer scrolled through her social media posts on her cell phone, the car was silent from the inside. Traffic had been bumper to bumper toward the end of the trip as other creatures headed home from work. The house warming gift Michael and Jacob bought was neatly wrapped and decorated as it sat in the rabbit's lap. Jacob looked around Michael's car, he couldn't help but notice how decorative Michael's driverless car was.

While Michael relaxed in his seat, Jacob decided to stir up a casual conversation, "Hey hun, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go right ahead, what's up?" Michael asked.

"How did you get such a nice house and car anyway? I know plenty of creatures at work who have similar high end salaries like you, but such luxuries are still crazy expensive nowadays."

Michael chuckled, "Funny you mentioned it. I wasn't the main bread winner when I got this car or the house. My wife Anna was, she was an accountant for several wealthy individuals in SoCal. There was no way I could afford any of this. But even with my wife's salary, we've obtained ownership of our house from a special offer."

"How so?"

"Do you remember the recent housing crash? The second one, not the first one!"

"Of course,"

"Well a few years back, my sister hooked us up with a friend of hers that happened to work in the real-estate market. Her friend warned us to not buy any houses until the market collapsed sometime in 2020 to 2021. Once it did, we were able to buy the property from a local bank for dirt cheap before prices rose once again."

"Has it been hard to pay for everything by yourself lately?"

Michael's rabbit ears drooped, "Thankfully no, my wife's insurance was able to cover the rest of the payments. I was able to reach a comfortable cash settlement for my family to survive on. Though I am still bogged down with medical school debt. I won't be able to pay that off 'til I'm 40. And in my profession, that's being lucky."

"Sorry to hear... you know if you ever need any help I'm here for you. I may not make as much as you, but I'll gladly chip in whatever I can if need be," Jacob assured him.

Michael leaned over to kiss his forehead, "Thanks, I appreciate that. But if you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask for it either."

Jacob pecked his lips, "Alright, but I'm glad you're doing alright for now."

"We'll both be alright. I don't care whatever happens out there. We'll make it out of anything life throws at us, okay?" Michael nuzzled him.

"We'll have each other's backs always!" Jacob's fox tail wagged.

"That's right, speaking of which looks like we've already arrived," Michael looked out the window.

Jacob looked out as well, the family sedan slowly crawled to a stop as it parked near the curb. On the outside, the house was comprised of standard American architecture with slight variations to the front yard. Instead of a direct walk path toward to house's entrance, the naturalistic stone walk path zig-zagged across the front yard. The soft green grass contrasted against the tall elegant Japanese maple tree, its red leaves gently sprinkled throughout the yard. The front of the house was aligned with short shrubs and small purple flowers. A soft glow of indoor lights had shone through the windowsill, tall shadows passed back and forth inside the home.

Though as the family inside Michael's car got out, Jacob notice that there were other cars that parked outside his parents' house. The silver fox assumed the cars owners were his siblings that had arrived before him as he lead the small group to the front door. Alejandro was mesmerized by the large tree and tried to collect several of its small beautiful red leaves. Though Jennifer had stopped him before the group arrived at the front door. Jacob ranged the door bell, his ears twitched from the sudden movement inside the home.

After a few locks were undone his mother opened the door and exclaimed joyfully, "Jeichan. Watashi no musuko wa ie ni yokoso!" ("Jay-chan, welcome home my son!")

Jacob chuckled as his mother reached out to give him a warm hug. The small statured red fox lightly hugged Jacob as he returned it, his tail wagged enthusiastically.

After the hug, his mother turned her attention towards Michael and slightly bowed, "And you must Jay-chan's partner. It is nice to meet you, I am Akari Hayashi."

After she bowed, the red fox extended her paw as Michael politely shook it, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I am Michael Garcia. And these are my children, Alejandro and Madeline. This lovely blue jay right here is our nanny, Jennifer Ann. Also..."

Akari's fox tail swayed with excitement as Michael presented the house warming gift, "Thank you very much for hosting us tonight. I hope you and your husband will enjoy this gift."

Akari red fox ears stood up, "Oh, you are too kind. You did not have to spend so much money on us."

"It's truly no trouble. We are all pleased to be here," Michael insisted as he handed her the sake basket along with two small cups.

"Again, thank you so much! Please come inside and take off your shoes," Akari welcomed everyone inside.

Michael nodded as the small group headed inside the large home. Akari had headed for the kitchen to prepare the final details for the large family dinner. The air was thick with different smells, most of which came from the kitchen. Jacob could already tell what the main course meal would consist of from just the smell alone. The main protein dish for the fox's would be expertly grilled and lightly seasoned mackerel. Followed by the lightly sweetened scent of vegetables that were fried in tempura batter. And lastly, there was a familiar scent of fried rice that aroused a deep hunger in Jacob's stomach. Though as Jacob took off his shoes, he had noticed there was already five pairs that were placed inside the genkan as the group collectively removed their own footwear.

Jacob looked over towards the main living room, he spotted his siblings as they sat on one of the large couches. The three siblings had settled in with their wine glasses held in one paw, they relaxed and casually conversed with one another. Hugo, the eldest brother, already spotted Jacob from across the living room and gave a friendly nod. The other red fox's looked over and acknowledge Jacob's presence as the three stood up and approached him. Jacob quickly slid on his slippers before he stepped onto the main part of the house. While his older brother and sister were enthusiastic to see him, his younger brother gave a disinterested expression.

"Great to see you Jay-chan, you look well!" Hugo chuckled and gave him a friendly hug.

"It's to see you too, Hu-chan!" Jacob said with a nervous laughter as he returned the hug.

"Is Jay-chan some kind of nickname?" Michael chuckled.

The silver fox then turned to Michael, "Yeah, we all have nicknames. Anyway, everyone this is my boyfriend, Michael Garcia! Michael this is Hugo Hayashi, he's the eldest in the family."

"Pleasure to meet you Hugo," Michael gave a slight bow as he shook Hugo's paw, the red fox smiled warmly.

Jacob then continued, "And this is my sister, Rachel Hayashi. She's the eldest sister in the family."

The rabbit continued the same courteous bow and pawshake before Jacob settled on the last red fox, "Finally, we have my youngest brother, Itsuki Hayashi."

While Michael respectfully bowed and extended his paw, this time the friendly gesture wasn't reciprocated. Itsuki simply stood with his arms crossed, his eyes stared down at Jacob in particular. A brief awkward tension filled the air, Jacob chuckled uncomfortably as Michael was briefly confused from the fox's lack of response. Though before the awkward mood persisted, Rachel nudged her younger brother's arm and gave him a stern look.

Itsuki reluctantly shook Michael's paw, "It's good to meet you, Mr. Garcia."

Michal nodded, "Likewise, it's great to meet all of you."

Jacob felt a nervous shiver trickle down his spine as everyone stood near the door way. Though the mood of the room changed once Michael's children stood next to their father. They both looked up at the fox's in awe, impressed by their well-groomed exterior and tall size. Foxes were naturally taller compared to their rabbit counterparts which made Michael's kids much smaller in comparison to a fox similar to their age. Madeline hid behind the blue jay nanny, slightly intimidated by the tall foxes before her.

"Papa, look how tall they are!" Alejandro enthusiastically praised.

Michael chuckled and rubbed his head, "Yes, I know. These are Jacob's brothers and sisters."

"Cool! Does that make them my aunt and uncles too? Like with Rosa?" Alejandro asked innocently.

Michael's ears grew warm, "Um... well I mean..."

Rachel giggled and crouched down, "I don't see why not. Pleasure to meet you, what's your name little guy?"

"I'm Alejandro! And that's my sis, Madeline! Hey sis, come say hi!" The brown bunny motioned over his sister.

Madeline shook her head as she continue to hide behind Jessica. The blue jay giggled softly and slightly nudged her shoulder, "They're Jacob's family. They won't bite."

"I don't know, I can't say the same for Itsuki," Rachel playfully retort.

Itsuki growled with annoyance, "What makes you say that?"

"For starters, you don't exactly scream kid friendly with that attitude of yours," Hugo said bluntly.

"I'm going to get another drink," Itsuki left and headed for the kitchen.

The group shrugged off the awkward mood as Hugo and Rachael guided them toward the main living room. Jacob's siblings split from the group to retrieve their drinks as the rest explored the large living room. The room was assembled with a simple and elegant design from the furniture placement to the layout of the house. Due to the purposeful placement of the furniture, there would always be an unobstructed view wherever anyone looked. Much of the furniture was composed of naturalistic wood as home decor was used sparingly. However, there was one piece of furniture that stood out from the rest that caught Michael's eye. His children were also captivated by what Michael saw as they admired a large elegant wooden cabinet.

The large wooden cabinet was heavily decorated compared to other pieces of furniture. The cabinet's shutters were implanted with gold leaflets that formed into various geometric shapes. A vivid image of the Buddha deity was painted and placed in the center of the cabinet. On the large alter were two plaques written in Japanese, they were on opposite sides of one another. Near each plague had separate images of Jacob's Grandparents from his father's and mother's side. Though in the center was a separate image of a young adolescent red fox that had a distinctive platinum colored fur coat. Her large colored photograph took prominence as it sat on the center, as Michael calmly approached it. There were a few candles still lit as a faint smell of incents lingered in the air.

Jacob stood next to Michael as the rabbit turned to him, "What is this?"

Jacob nodded, "This a butsudan. It's a sacred shrine that is meant to honor the Buddha and our ancestors. My family provides small offerings to tend to the spirits of our loved ones who have passed on."

Michael asked, "And who's the young girl?"

Jacob's throat tightened up, "That's my youngest sister, Hinata Hayashi. She passed away at 11 years old. Hinata would currently be 19 years old if alive today."

"I'm sorry for your loss, I would've loved to have met her. But I'm hopeful that she's at peace," Michael nuzzled him.

Jacob could hear a sudden scoff from behind, he turned around to see it had come from Itsuki. He could feel his younger brother directly stare at him with a cold stern look on his muzzle. Jacob decided to ignore the rude remark as Madeline looked up to Michael.

"What was she like?" Michael asked casually.

Jacob chuckled, "She didn't talk very much, but she would always play such elegant music whenever I was home. Despite her small size, she made for an amazing musician, especially as a euphonium player!"

"She played the euphonium? At such a young age too?" Michael smiled with intrigue.

"Yeah, while she could play the piano and shinobue, the euphonium was her favorite instrument to play. I think my father still has a few CD's of her when she joined the renowned local concert band here in Irvine."

"Interesting, so who mainly takes care of this butsudan anyway?" Michael asked.

"That would be my wife and I. Though the children also do help up from time to time. Sorry for the interruption," Jacob's father said as he approached the two from behind.

The tall and muscular fox towered over the two of them from behind. Without a slight hint of hesitation, Michael turned around to greet Jacob's father, "Ah, it's no trouble at all. Please to meet you, I'm Michael Garcia. Though I also go by Dr. Garcia as well."

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, I'm Steven Hayashi. Though I don't mind if you just refer to me as Mr. Hayashi," Steven nodded as he gave Michael a firm pawshake.

Michael didn't mind the firm pawshake and returned it as Steven commented, "Nice grip you have there. Always good to meet a creature that can give a proper pawshake."

"Agreed, I am thrilled to be here and taste your family's cooking," Michael smiled.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I'll show you all to your seats," Steven offered,

The group followed Jacob's father from the living room to the kitchen. Everyone collectively took their seats and settled into the dining room. Jacob happened to sit directly across from Itsuki, the younger fox avoided any and all eye contact as he sat with his wine glass. Though nervous, Jacob took in several deep breaths to calm his nerves as Michael sat right next to him. Akari and Steven both help serve everyone their dishes before the two sat down. To Jacob's relief, Michael's family were served standard silverware rather than chop sticks to avoid a potential mess. After everyone expressed their gratitude for the meal, the family began to dine.

Jacob sat back in his chair, his chop sticks picked apart the grilled mackerel as he eagerly ate it. He couldn't help but instinctively smile, the fox hadn't tasted his parents' home cooking in years. Everything had tasted exactly how he remembered it, which made his dark tail sway underneath the chair. Jacob glanced over at Michael to watch his reaction, the white rabbit enjoyed the fried rice and tempura vegetables. Alejandro, Jennifer, and Madeline all seemingly enjoyed their meals as well which quelled some of Jacob's initial worries. For Jacob, the first few minutes of the dinner seemed to run smoothly. Michael's kids hadn't complained about the meals, everything was cook and prepared to perfection, and the general mood at the table appeared relatively calm. Other than the few passing sirens that blared by the house, other noises were kept to a minimum.

As Jacob sat, he contemplated about the possibility to begin his apology rounds. With everyone present, Jacob had the opportunity to finally apologize to everyone he had hurt in the past. The constant demons that have haunted his heart might finally be set free once he fully expressed his upmost sincerest apology. Though before Jacob could begin, the fox overheard his mother casually talk with his older brother in Japanese. The conversation lasted for a while as the group ate.

Michael looked over to Jacob as he was unsure whether or not to ask what the two talked about. Jacob put his thoughts on hold and politely interrupted, "I apologize to interrupt, but can everyone here speak English just for tonight. I kind of don't want Michael to feel left out."

Akari nodded, "Oh of course, I apologize Michael. I am used to speaking only Japanese with my family. I was just asking how my son's wife was doing in Japan. She recently had to fly over there to attend her grandfather's funeral. That was what we were discussing about."

Michael chuckled, "It's quite alright! My mother's the same way, so I get it!"

Ituski spoke up, "Mother, there's no reason to apologize. Private stuff is private stuff, especially when it concerns family affairs. You weren't speaking to Michael after all," Itsuki protested.

Steven let out a low aggressive growl, "We are here to show respect to our guest, Itsuki. And that includes having them participate in the conversation. I expect you to do the same."

The red fox shrugged his shoulders, "Mother had never showed any of my friends that same kind of respect when I brought them over here growing up."

Steven's fur had risen as he continued to growl, "I would tread lightly if you choose to continue this behavior."

Ituski scoffed as he sulked in his chair, "Alright, alright I apologize for speaking out of turn."

"Good, now let that be the last of it!" Steven's fur had flatten down and relaxed.

A tense mood started to build in the air as Rachel tried to de-escalate it, "So Jacob, I heard you're a game developer now. How's that treating you?"

Jacob's ears perked up, "Oh, it's been great! Our recent game is close to completion."

"That's great son! And how long have you've been sober?" Steven asked before he sipped from his wine glass.

Jacob contemplated as he touched his paw pad fingers to count, "Let's see today's June 25th today so that's... 1,908 days so far. Which is roughly about 5 years and 3 months or so."

"Impressive! I know it must've been difficult to stay sober. But I'm very proud of how much you've matured and grown by yourself," Steven softly swayed his tail under the chair.

Jacob nodded, "Thanks... though father I do want to say a few things. I mainly want to start off by saying that I am deeply sorry about how I mistreated you. How I mistreated all of you, and I don't deserve such a wonderful family like you all. I hope that you all will forgive me for my past mistakes. I'm committed to turning over a new leaf and regaining everyone's trust no matter how long it will take!"

After a few seconds of silence Akari sniffled, "Of course we forgive you! You are always welcomed back home!"

Jacob looked around and saw that almost everyone at the table had agreed with her sentiment. Everyone had nodded with the exception of Itsuki, who intentionally glanced past Jacob. Even with the glowing reception Jacob received, it still secretly bothered him that Itsuki didn't seem to agree with the rest of his family's sentiment. The mood of the room seemed to return to normal as Jacob's family members started to ask Michael basic questions about the rabbit's life. Though Itsuki had stayed silent for most of the conversation as Michael explained where he lived, how they met, and simple work-related questions about his medical specialty. With dinner slowly winding down to a close, Michael and Rachel had started to receive several text messages and a phone calls. Michael and Rachel had to excuse themselves from the table for a few minutes. After the two departed for a while, Jacob felt his phone violently ring and vibrate in his pocket. Everyone's cell phones had gone off to express an emergency distress signal.

Because the phones blared an emergency alert, everyone had quickly checked their phones. Jacob had opened the message which displayed a mandatory emergency curfew notice. All residency in southern California were ordered to stay indoors until the curfew had been lifted. This puzzled Jacob as he pulled up several social media apps to see what had happened outside. He tapped on his phone screen to pullup a live video feed that showed a nearby town close to Irvine. Protest signs cluttered the streets as people poured out onto the roads to confront riot police officers. Multiple fires were set ablaze at several prominent banks and corporate offices. Every major population center in the country also showed several strings of violent riots. Michael's children looked around with a worried expression, unsure of what was happening.

Michael had returned to his table and sighed deeply, "I apologize to cut this short, but I've been urgently requested back to work."

Rachel nodded and looked over to her mother, "Same here, whatever's going on they need me back at work immediately as well."

Hugo interjected, "But wait, we've been issued an emergency curfew. Have you seen the news feed?"

Itsuki nodded, "I hate to admit it, but he's right we're stuck here. The world is going to hell in a handbasket out there."

"Papa, are we going to be okay?" Madeline asked.

"Yes, sweetheart. We'll be okay. Jennifer can you take the kids to the living room real quick?" Michael looked over to the blue jay,

Jennifer nodded as she guided the kids from the kitchen to the living room so everyone can continue their discussion uninterrupted.

Michael spoke, "As much as I'd love to stay, I'm needed back immediately! Jacob, we have to go!"

Steven stood up from his chair, "Now just wait a minute. Michael, if I may interject. I strongly recommend that none of you leave. From what I've read, all of the main freeways from the 405 to the 91 have been jammed. I wouldn't suggest leaving just yet. I'm prepared to let you all spend the night for the time being. Or if you would prefer, until the curfew has been lifted."

Michael replied, "I appreciate the offer, Mr. Hayashi. However, I wouldn't wish to burden your family. You've done so much for us already."

Steven smiled and approached the rabbit, "Nonsense, your family is more than welcome to stay. We have plenty of rooms for everyone. Just let us clean up and we'll have everything set up. That also goes for the rest of you."

Michael stayed silent and conceded to the older fox as Rachel protested, "But father! You have no idea how much I'm needed right now! It could be disastrous if I'm not at the hospital!"

Steven gave her a stern expression, "And what happens if you get yourself killed out there? I'm not going to lose a daughter under my watch."

"Too late for that," Itsuki mumbled.

A nervous sweat trickled down everyone's backs as they all heard Itsuki's comment.

"What was that you little shit?" Steven growled loudly as he approached his son.

Akari stood in between them, "That is enough! Do not fight in this household. My son, I want you to apologize to your father this instant!"

Itsuki stood up and walked away, "Forget it, I don't need to deal with this bullcrap!"

"Itsuki! Come right back here now! Itsuki!" Steven yelled.

Jacob gulped as he watch his brother leave through the backyard. Steven grunted and growled angrily at the disrespect he experienced from his son.

Hugo looked over to Michael, "I really do apologize for my brother's behavior tonight. He's been acting like a little brat ever since he'd arrived."

"Don't worry, it's alright... now then Mrs. Hayashi would you like some help cleaning up?" Michael sighed as he tried to change the subject.

Akari smiled, "It is fine. My husband and eldest son will help me clean up. Just relax in the living room and we will show you to the spare bedroom soon."

Michael nodded and bowed, "Very well, thank you for such a lovely meal Mrs. Hayashi."

The mood seemed to finally calm down as everyone had dispersed. Just as Akari said, her husband and eldest son helped her clean up in the kitchen as the rest of the group relaxed in the living room. Alejandro and Madeline seemed frightened by the verbal argument that they over heard from the next room. To ease their tension, Jennifer had streamed and broadcasted their favorite children's cartoons on the nearby flat screen TV from her phone. Jacob and Michael sat with the small rabbits as they tried to pass the time with a few cartoons. Rachel sat on a couch across the living room, her back was hunched over as she monitored the situation outside on her phone. Jacob looked over at a nearby window, he still saw his younger brother outside. The only visible source of light from outside came from Itsuki's cigarette as the forecast concealed most of the moonlight.

Michael whispered so that the TV would drown out their conversation for anyone else that tried to eavesdrop on, "You know something? I've never realized how much of a dick I was until today?"

Jacob gave a puzzled expression, "What could you possibly mean?"

"I mean earlier when your mother and older brother were only speaking Japanese. You had them speak English so that I could be a part of the conversation. I appreciated that. I hadn't done the same thing for you when my parents were speaking Spanish in front of you. So now I realize how awkward it must've been for you," Michael smiled warmly

Jacob chuckled a little before he let out a heavy sigh, "Well it doesn't matter now anyway. God knows how long we'll have to stay here with the shit that's been going on outside. As if things hadn't gotten bad enough already,"

Michael softly rubbed the fox's handpaw, "I thought everything went fine for the most part. I mean, your family did forgive you."

Jacob gripped onto Michael's paw, "But not all of them though. I know this sounds petty but, I was afraid my younger brother Itsuki wouldn't feel the same way. Plus he's been very rude to you tonight."

"Don't feel too bad about it. My sister has acted shitty towards you anyway, so I have no right to judge."

The silver fox shook his head, "It's not that, Itsuki is right to be angry with me. I'm honestly surprised that Hugo and Rachel didn't feel the same way. I've really fucked things up with my family, especially my younger brother Itsuki."

"I see..."

"If anything, I wanted to apologize him in particular. But I'm just afraid of what will happened once I confront him again."

Michael gently caressed Jacob's paw, "Would you like me to come with you for emotional support?"

Jacob swallowed, "I don't know, you don't have to."

Michael nuzzled, "But I want too, Jacob. We have each other's backs remember? If you don't want to make amends right now, that's perfectly okay. But if you do, I'm right here for you."

Jacob sighed as he looked over back at Itsuki, the younger fox had sat on the couch patio alone in the backyard. The silver fox looked over to Michael and nodded, "Alright, then I would like to make amends with Itsuki right now if that's alright with you."

Michael smiled, "Okay, would you like me to come with?"

Jacob nodded as Michael gave him a small peck on his muzzle. The silver fox stood up from where he sat and stretched out his limbs. The two had left Jennifer to watch over the kids as Jacob made his way through the backyard. Jacob had turned the patio lights on as the two ventured out into the large backyard. Itsuki hadn't acknowledged their entrance as the young fox held a cell phone in one paw and a cigarette in the other. The only source of warmth outside was from Itsuki's cigarette as he continued to smoke, only focused on his cell phone screen. With Michael close behind Jacob, he stood in front of Itsuki as the young fox looked up to his older brother.

Jacob's amber eyes stared directly into his younger brother, "Itsuki, I need to talk to you."

Chapter 8

Itsuki set down his cell phone, cigarette smoke wafted in the air as the fox tapped out the left over ashes on a nearby ash tray. He glanced upward toward his older brother, his eye brows furrowed with anger. The fox's amber eyes glowed with bitter hatred, his upper lip snarled back to reveal the sharp canine teeth. Itsuki's fox tail swayed cautiously as if confronted by an angry predator creature. A cold shiver traveled down Jacob's neck, nervous butterflies consumed his stomach as he stood with discomfort.

"What is it now? Did father asked you to talk to me or something?" Itsuki said coldly.

"No, I came out here out of my own terms so that I can speak to you fox to fox," Jacob said as he sat down across from his younger brother.

"And what about your rabbit boyfriend?" The red fox pointed at the white rabbit.

Michael sat next to Jacob, "I'm just here for emotional support."

"Whatever... so what is it you wish to talk about?" Itsuki asked as he continued to smoke.

Jacob deeply exhaled to relax himself, "Itsuki, I wanted to give you my upmost sincerest apology for how I acted. Not just when I was an addict, but how I failed to protect you and Hinata growing up. And... I would do anything to make this right even if it takes years to rebuild your trust. I'm truly sorry, for everything."

A brief few seconds of silence filled the air, a warm sensation overtook the silver fox's fur coat as he made his apology explicitly known. Itsuki sat back on the couch, unmoved and unshaken by the outpour of Jacob's emotional confession and apology.

Itsuki spoke softly, "Do you really mean it?"

Jacob's fox ears perked up as he made direct eye contact with him, "With every fiber of my being."

"Okay... I don't forgive you," Itsuki said bluntly.

Those words acted as anchors around Jacob's neck, it struck a nerve into him as a large emotional lump formed in his throat. Michael also appeared surprised as well from the cold response, his white short fur coat flustered.

"But Itsuki... I am truly sorry for what I've done!" Jacob exclaimed.

"Yeah and I won't accept your apology. Simple as that," Itsuki took one last breath from his cigarette before he snuffed the flames out on the ash tray.

"Itsuki..."

The red fox blew out the rest of the smoke out through his nose before he growled, "Enough! If I can never get any fucking closure than neither can you! You want to win back my love and trust that badly? How about you do me a favor and go kill yourself!"

Jacob sat awestruck, every word from Itsuki's mouth acted like a sharp knife as it impaled deep into his chest. The silver fox's eye lids had become watery, Jacob was at a loss for words as he tried to process what Itsuki told him.

Michael feet paws thumped on the ground as his fur stood up in anger, "Okay, hold up! I don't know what Jacob has done to deserve that kind of response, but for Christ sake he's opening his heart up to you! Show my partner some God damn respect! He didn't have to give you an apology! What did Jacob due to warrant this distain for him?"

Itsuki stood up with a loud snarl, "Do you want to know how much of a pathetic worthless sack of shit your boyfriend is? That... pitiful excuse for a brother witnessed our uncle Yamato... abuse Hinata and I. That sicko would pick us up from school every day just to later abuse us. Jacob had come home early from baseball practice one day and caught out uncle in the act. And what did Jacob due after he saw what we went through? Not a gone damn thing! He stayed silent, like a coward! And when I tried to speak out about it, Jacob convinced me to stay silent about it! Because of Jacob's recklessness, Hinata couldn't take it anymore and ultimately ended her own life. And it was all Jacob's fucking fault for her death!"

Michael stayed silent after the outburst, a conflict of many emotions filled his mind as he looked over at Jacob in disbelief. As tears crawled down Jacob's muzzle, the silver fox replied, "What was I supposed to do? He would have destroyed our entire family by killing all three of us if word had gotten out. I was trying to protect everyone!"

"How would you know? That slimy fox could've just been bluffing to keep you under his thumb!" Itsuki yelled at him.

Jacob sniffled as he spoke with a shaky voice, "Yamato had always made his victims disappear if they ever spoke out. You don't think he would've done the same to us? He would have made our deaths look like an accident! Just like his other victims, I didn't know what else to do!"

Itsuki fur coat bristled as his voice cracked with anger, "You've should've had our backs, Jacob! We needed you, I needed you! But you weren't there for us. You let him get away with everything. That slimy fox bastard passed away before he could pay for his crimes. And you let that happen! That is why I will never forgive you for that!"

Endless amount of tears crawled down Jacob's cheeks as he tried to reach over to hug his brother, "I'm... I'm so sorry!"

Itsuki pushed him off, "Don't you dare fucking touch me! You may have been invited back into this family, but I will never consider you as such. I sincerely hope you'll rot in hell! And Michael, leave while you still can. It's better to not have a parasite latched onto you no matter how friendly it may seem."

The red fox walked passed the two of them and exited from the patio into the kitchen. Even with Itsuki gone, a sharp tension was still present in the air as Michael looked over to Jacob. The silver fox seemed visibly shaken by the encounter, his paws clawed down his arms with self-hatred. Michael could hear soft whimpers and sniffles from the fox as Jacob avoided any eye contact with him. Jacob's panted heavily, his throat had tightened up as the emotional lump had over taken him. The fox's heart beat pounded against his chest, as waves of different emotions were in conflict with each other. A mixture of self-hatred, sadness, anxiety, and pessimism all combined into a deadly cocktail of emotional distress.

"I guess you know the full ugly truth about me Michael. What I did was unforgivable," Jacob his ears flattened as he fought hard to hold back his tears.

"Jacob... that's not true."

"Of course it is! If I wasn't such a coward Hinata would still be alive today! They could've lived a better life if I put a stop to it! This was all my fault! It has always been my fault," Jacob broke down and cried in his paw pads.

Without another word, Michael leaned forward to tightly hug Jacob. He could feel Jacob's tears land on his head fur as the fox continued to weep. Jacob hesitated to return the hug at first, but Michael grabbed onto his arms and held them close. The pain inside the fox's chest was intense, his shoulders felt heavy as if metal shackles weighted down on him. Jacob continued to shake as Michael softly nuzzled his face.

After a long period of silence Michael softly spoke, "Jacob, you did the best that you could. This was never your fault. Yamato was ultimately responsible for this, not you."

The silver fox wiped his eye lids, "I just wish I'd made the right decision the first time around. Now, nothing I can do will ever fix this."

Michael rubbed his backside, "That may be the case but this is not the end of the world. I know how hard it is to receive a rejected apology like that."

"You do?"

Michael nodded as he guided the fox to the couch so that they could sit, "I had gotten into a heated verbal argument with Anna before the car accident. Because I was arguing with her, I distracted her from the road so we both didn't see the drunk driver that came from behind us. Her parents had later found out what happened after I testified about that in my deposition. To this day... my wife's parents still blame me for her death. No matter how much I apologized to them, they never forgave me. So... since then they've cut off all contact with me. They won't even come over to see their grandchildren anymore. That's how much they've hated me and they've never accept my apology."

Jacob sniffled as his amber eyes shined, "But Mina told me that you did everything you could to save Anna. Wasn't that enough?"

Michael shook his head as his voiced cracked with sadness, "To them, nothing was ever enough. For the longest time, I thought they were right too and I started to blame myself for her death. But... that's not how it works. We don't possess the hindsight to know what exactly was the right decision to make is at that very moment. Suppose you did put a stop to the abuse, can you say with absolute certainty it could have prevented your sister's suicide?"

Jacob shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I like to think so..."

"Jacob that's my point. There are thousands of different decisions we both could've made now that we can look back on them. But at that moment, we don't have that luxury. So, we can't beat ourselves up over what we could've done back then. The only thing we can do now, is to just move forward and use that experience to make better decisions in the future," Michael rubbed his backside.

Jacob let out a heavy sigh, "This guilt has consumed me for years. As an older brother, it was my duty to look after them. But now that I've lost both of them, how can I ever get past a pain like that Michael?"

Michael's paw moved down to hold onto Jacob's, "It simply takes a lot of time. My family and friends were there to pick me up when I was at my lowest point. And your family and friends will do the same. After all, your other siblings love you, your parents love you, and I still love you. It may not heal your broken heart right away, but it will slowly over time. And we'll all be here to support you through it."

Jacob rubbed his nostril as his chest still stung, "It still hurts though..."

The rabbit leaned forward to kiss his cheek, "I know, but we'll get through this. Would you like to head inside? It's getting pretty cold out here."

Jacob shook his head and held onto the rabbit's warm furry arm, "Not yet, I probably look like a fucking mess right now. Let's just stay here for a little longer, okay?"

Michael pressed himself against his fox companion, "Fair enough. Take as long as you need."

Jacob's tail softly wagged as the two sat on the large outdoor couch, the dark shadowy night concealed most of their figures. For Jacob, his shoulders had suddenly felt as though they've been lifted an extremely heavy burden. While there was some semblance of weight that still tugged him down, most of it seemed to have dissolved away entirely from his shoulders. It wasn't as though all of the weights have completely disappeared, but rather it was shared equally with another creature he loved the most. The cold night time air prevented Jacob from feeling overheated after the encounter.

Jacob's body heat radiated from his fur coat which kept the two warm from the cold night air. The silver fox's muzzled nuzzled into Michael's neck fur, his breathing had returned to normal. Michael's warm physical contact and emotional support had help to prevent Jacob's panic attack. For Jacob, his partners loving support was had ultimately calmed him down for the rest of the night. Though before the two stayed out for too long, Jacob's ears perked up as he heard the patio door open up.

Steven had walked onto the patio, "Excuse me, are you two very busy right now?"

Jacob nodded and rubbed his eye lids, "Not really, everything alright?"

"I can't find Itsuki anywhere. Is he back here?" Steven asked.

"No, he headed back inside after I talked with him. Is his car still out front?" Jacob stood up.

"Couldn't find it. I guess he must've left," Steven shook his head.

"Should we go out to look for him?" Jacob asked with concern in his voice.

"I think he'll be okay. There's a nearby hotel he always stays at that's not affected by the riots. But is everything alright, my son?"

Jacob rubbed his eye lids, "Yeah everything is fine, father. I just hope Itsuki will be alright as well."

Steven patted his shoulders, "He'll be fine. We have the all the bedrooms ready, its best if you two come in."

"Alright," Jacob smiled and grabbed into Michael paw.

The two of them headed back inside the warm house, the screen door closed behind them. Alejandro and Madeline were fast asleep on the couch as they laid next to Jennifer. Hugo and Rachel were in the living room as the two watched the live new feed. Though the TV's volume was kept low so that Michael's kids could still sleep next to Jennifer. The blue jay had stayed still on the couch to not accidently disturb their slumber. Michael chuckled as he lifted Alejandro in his muscular arms, the small brown rabbit was knocked out cold. Jennifer slowly awakened Madeline and helped her walk to the nearest bedroom for the two to sleep for the night. Michael and Jacob however headed to a separate bedroom right next to Jennifer's as the large white rabbit carried his son.

Jacob smiled warmly as the three were about to sleep in his old bedroom. The moderately large bedroom was still kept pristine, exactly the way Jacob left it. While the bed's blankets and sheets were still freshly clean, everything hadn't been moved. Michael looked around and spotted various awards Jacob had collected over the years. From academics, local contests, and baseball achievements; Jacob had shelves that were filled with various trophies and awards. For Jacob, the mix of old memories from his childhood was bitter sweet for the silver fox. The nostalgia had made the fox feel stable and safe as the two sat on the bed. Michael gently placed Alejandro on the bed as the two climbed under the covers. Jacob dug through his pockets to retrieve his pill bottles, taking his necessary medication for the night before he settled into bed.

Jacob snuggled up and spooned Michael as the white rabbit slept right next to his son. With the lights turned off, the two eventually drifted off into a deep slumber throughout the night. Though the three felt as though they hardly had any sleep once they've woken up the next morning. It was 6:00am by the time Jacob woke up, and Michael had already sat up in his bed as the rabbit scrolled through the news feed on his cell phone. Jacob yawned softly and sat up from his bed to see what Michael was watching.

"What are you looking at?" Jacob looked over at his cell phone.

Michael showed him the live news coverage on his phone. Jacob looked over, there were aerial drone shots of large masses of people rioted in the heart of LA's financial district. Avians, mammals, scalies, and other creatures from all walks of life were present during the riots. As for the police, most of the reports showed them stationed and guarded near large luxury hotels and gated communities. The local police did little to stop the riots in the central hub of LA's financial district. Instead their efforts were to contain the riots to a few specific areas in hope that the populace would tire and burn themselves out eventually.

"Looks pretty bad, huh?" Michael commented.

"How long have they've been at it?"

Michael swiped his cell phone screen to show different footage, "All night, they haven't let up."

Jacob spotted a messaged that quickly scrolled passed Michael's cellphone screen, "From the looks of things, there's been talks about sending in the National Guard."

"Shit already? Guess we'll need to leave right away. As much as I love your parents place, I have to go back to work. The hospital's been messaging me all night!" Michael shut off his phone screen stood up to fix his clothes.

"Do you think it's safe to travel back? Even with the curfew lifted?" Jacob replied as Alejandro slowly started to wake up.

"I think so, there's several routes we can take that will avoid most of the chaos. I'll drop you off at your place first once we're on the road. I don't want the National Guard to show up and shut down all major routes. If they do then we'll be left stranded. I can't abandon my coworkers and patients, they need me!" Michael insisted as he stretched himself out.

Jacob nodded, "Fair enough, I'll let my parents know that we're about to leave."

Jacob exited the bedroom as Michael helped his son get ready to leave. The silver fox quietly walked throughout the house to see who else was up. The kitchen light was turned on from where he could see, Jacob headed for the kitchen to see who was awake. There was a faint smell of coffee that travelled throughout the air as Jacob looked over to see his father already up. The tall red fox brewed himself some coffee as he sat at the kitchen table and looked over at his phone.

Steven smiled, "Good morning son? Sleep well?"

Jacob's tail swayed, "I slept okay, but sadly Michael and I will need to leave soon. We want to beat traffic before the situation worsens."

"Okay then, Rachel had already left to clock in her shift at the hospital. So I can understand what Michael must be feeling right now. Would he like some coffee before you two go?" Steven offered.

"I'll have to ask him. But father, I do appreciate the fact you let us come over in the first place. And I hope from now on I won't disappoint you ever again," Jacob slightly bowed.

Steven's fox ears twitched, "Oh come now. You've all disappointed me at some point, no reason to hold yourself to an impossible standard."

Jacob gave a puzzled look before his father chuckled, "I'm only half kidding about the disappointment part. We've all had our missteps and misfortunes from time to time. But in all seriousness, you're always welcomed back into our home. Although if I catch you stealing your mother's jewelry again, I'll shun you for all eternity."

Jacob chuckled and replied with a joking tone, "I won't do that again that's for sure. I'll pay you two a visit again very soon. That's if society hasn't completely collapsed yet."

Steven shook his head, "Yeah, just be careful out there alright?"

"Got it... by the way have you've heard from Itsuki yet?" Jacob asked as Michael's family slowly came enter into the living room nearby.

"I have, he's stayed at the nearby hotel like I thought he would. The riots are nowhere near where he's at, so he'll be safe for now."

Jacob sighed with relief, "I'm glad."

Before the group left, Steven had offered Michael a few cups of coffee before they headed out. Michael accept his offer and drank a few cups of coffee before the group climbed into the rabbit's car. The GPS route was calculated to be several hours longer than normal to avoid the major road blocks. Alejandro and Madeline were still sleep deprived as they spent most of the car trip asleep. Jennifer had also fallen asleep in the backseat of the car as the two sat and watched from their phones. The roads had seemed empty, traffic was light as the group traveled throughout Irvine.

As their car merged onto a nearby freeway, the couple passed by several large armored vehicles that carried a plethora of uniformed National Guardsmen. Every soldier was armed to the teeth with expensive military gear, as Michael's car seemed dwarfed compared to their military tank styled vehicles. The massive tires alone could've easily crushed Michael's car like a soda can if they drove too close. Michael's driverless navigation system had followed a military convoy carefully for a few miles before it inevitably diverged. The National Guard headed toward LA as Michael's car exited the freeway and took several detours through the streets towards Riverside County.

Jacob softly held onto Michael's paw, his eyes wandered aimlessly as the silver fox watched the early morning sunrise. The calm atmosphere inside help Jacob relax in his seat, his mind contemplated about the potential next step for their relationship. The silver fox continued to hold onto Michael's paw as they approached the city of Riverside. All Jacob could do was enjoy Michael's presence and contemplate about their future.