FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 7: Splashed From Above

On the late afternoon of Tuesday, a nice free time remaining for students before going back to their dormitories or to their homes close by. Xavier the parrot is exhausted from the basic training and heads back to his dorm. His legs are throbbing. Just passing by, Milagros and some of her close friends sitting on the bench saw him and she greeted him. She had heard from Sergio that he had joined the soccer club but is still not yet confirmed if he had officially got through.

"Hey, Xavier! How was practice?"

Xavier stopped and tried to recover a smile. "Ah, it was great, but I'm so tired!"

"You think you're officially in the team?"

"I don't know. I didn't talk Sol or Broderick today and they had told me they be watching us training." He said.

One of the girls, a black cat in an indigo shirt and a gray thin jacket and jeans, looks interested. "You're playing?" This was Natasha, a close friend of Milagros. Xavier had seen her around mostly with Milagros. "Cool! Finally, another parrot playing in the field. Last year, there was Alfonso and Vector who were rivaling on the same team, remember?"

Xavier remembered from Broderick about the two parrots who graduated from last year. Two exchanged students from Brazil; a scarlet macaw and a blue-and-yellow macaw. While naturally equals, the two were witnessed as rivals which Broderick was in between them every chance to break up their rivaling antics.

Xavier responded, "Oh, yeah... I remember..." Now, he wishes he doesn't end up making rivals in the same team. He isn't the one to always in the competition, depending on the circumstance. He had nearly faced with a certain red-tail hawk back home. In fact, he saw one joining in the team of football where Xerxes is playing and practicing in. The chances of ever be that same person he had been through is likely low. He doesn't recall the fellow hawk-man that buff. But the differences between middle school to university might be a big difference.

"I'm definitely looking forward this year's games!" Natasha said in enthusiasm.

"Because there's another parrot in the team?" Milagros said.

"You know they're good at playing soccer, Milagros."

"True, but I don't remembered Xavier being that interested in sports."

"It may not seem like it, Milagros, but I have longing for some time about it." Xavier stated. "So, is Sergio at the dorm?"

"I think he's still there."

The parrot snorted. "He really wanted to have the dorm to himself for some quality time."

"W-wait! So, you know..." Milagros then stopped.

"What is it?" Said Natasha.

"Know what?" Xavier crossed his arms. "I'll tell you what I know that coyote is probably bringing a girl for a nightstand when I'm not around each there. Is he like competing with Sol or somethings?"

Milagros confidently said. "Sergio is quite the ladies' man with his accent as his weapon. We are in college, after all."

"It's always about sex, isn't it?"

"Men." Natasha quipped.

"See you, girls. I'm exhausted." Xavier waved them and heads back to his dorm.

The remaining free time left for Keanu before heading back home at the library is soon becoming his new habit to spend and study here all semester. A little guilty that while his new friends have their busy time is surely a bit lonely some. On the bright side, he and Hunter are going out together to the train tram station every morning and afternoon. This is now becoming of a regular thing and routinely. He can now say that he's comfortable walking around with Hunter everyday.

Putting the books back to the shelves and picks up his back to leave the campus. The library has a somewhat hotel-like lobby with twin staircase for the second level of the two-story building. Keanu haven't checked the second level which is usually overlooking the first floor. He normally walks straight between the split stairs. Now doing the opposite, leaving. Surprised, he saw Hunter entering the main entrance and waved at him as he saw him leaving. He's probably looking for him to go out together at the station.

Above, an argumentative voice nearly shouts the decibels limits of library's standards, but clear enough to hear and echoes around the lobby, it was angry and getting stronger. They faintly hear it. "...so, do I! I don't care if you're... Hey! Hey! It's over!? Now!!??.... Well, fuck you, too!!" A loud plastic bang sounded and followed a splashing spillage. Keanu heard it but didn't know where it came from until...

"Oh, shit!" Hunter cried.

Keanu was confused of his reaction but something cold and filthy came down on his head. Drenching him every bit until he could muster a scream of the sudden change of temperature of his body.

When it stopped, it was too late. Keanu found himself wet. Hunter sprint a few steps to meet him. Keanu's stood there in shocked and confused of what just happened. His white fur on his face is drenched of dirty water and a smell of some sort of cleaning product. His body shivers of cold in the air-conditioned room.

A librarian staff saw this and came to his help. "Oh, my God!" She cried. "Are you alright?"

Hunter looks up and saw a yellow bucket for mopping right close to the railing and edge of the second floor. Then saw the first person coming down the stairs. "Hey, what the fuck is your problem?"

A ferret-man put his phone down his pocket and didn't shown any signs of regret. He looks at Hunter. "What problem?"

Hunter got angrier, "I saw you kicking that bucket and look what you did!" He pointed the bucket above and then Keanu who was shivering with arms heavily hugging himself.

The ferret shrugged, "He shouldn't have been there when I kicked it." He left the scene without running away and left the building.

"Hey! Get back here!" Hunter shouted.

"Don't bother him." Said the young human librarian. "That was Terrence."

"Terrence Browne? From the football team?" Now Hunter remembers, one of Xerxes' teammates he has talked about, the best agile runner.

"He's one annoying prick." She said. "Looks like his girlfriend dumped him. Boy, I'm glad she did."

"H-Hunter, I-I'm want go..." Keanu shivers his speech. "P-please..."

"Sure, come on. I'll take you to the showers and clean you up."

"Oh, God. I better report this..." Said the librarian and leaves to the desk and find the janitor.

Hunter escorts the soaked Keanu to the gym facility where locker room showers are. His clothes are a mess with the smelt of filth after the janitor mopped up the floor with hint of new floor smell...

Hunter mutters angrily at what that ferret did to him. Treating his actions as if nothing will ever happen to him badly like the term consequences doesn't exist in his life. Keanu is only upset but all he could think about is how uncomfortable is feeling the insides of his ruined clothes. He hopes his underwear and backpack is spared from getting wet...

Hunter picks his phone and calls someone. He calls Xerxes which he assumes he's still at the gymnasium. "Xerxes, are you still at the gym?"

"Yeah, what's the problem?"

"There's been an accident at the library and Keanu is soaked by mopping water."

"Gross! But poor thing to Keanu!"

"I'm taking him to the lockers so he can shower there."

"Sure thing, but what gives for calling me?"

"Your ferret teammate was the problem."

"Terrence? What the hell?"

"He kicked the bucket from the second level and didn't know Keanu was under and shit just happened. He just walked away and not giving a fuck."

"I'll let the coach know."

"Okay, I'm gonna call Broderick or others if they have any dry clothes to donate."

After hanging up, the pair entered the 800 building of Physical Training and Sporting Center. Inside the locker room, there was the adjacent of the showers with stalls. Keanu stood there with arms mixed of discomfort or trying to keep himself warm. He looks even more dirtier as his white dirty fur looks dried up or poorly treated. Hunter had brought him a towel and an extra.

"You can take off your clothes, Keanu." Hunter said.

"I...need some privacy, Hunter." Keanu was nervous.

"Oh! My bad!" He simply turns around his back at Keanu and patiently waited. Not all the time guys are used to see each other nearly naked in the locker room. He should have known his behavior.

"Okay. You can turn around." Keanu somehow automatically said that.

Maybe he isn't that self-conscious than he had thought. Hunter turns turns around like nothing and...

...It wasn't a pleasant sight.

Keanu with just a towel around his waist, covering his privates and upper legs, his upper body is matted with dirt, his all-white fur is messed up of a yellowish or brownish color from the filth of the mopping bucket. Even worse than the torso was his face that got most of it and trails down his chest and shoulders. Hunter really feel sorry for him to this ever happen to him the beginning of his first-year semester.

Keanu picks the first stall and showers at ease. Hunter just sits a nearby bench and waits. Xerxes came and brought his own body wash and shampoo for Keanu to fresh him up.

"Hey, Hunter! I brought some shampoo and body wash." The pink dragon said. "Where's Keanu?"

"Already in the shower." The wolf pointed.

Xerxes walks to the closed shower curtain and handed him the bottles through with one hand intruding in. "Here, Keanu! I brought you body wash and shampoo."

"Ah!" Keanu startled at the big hand of the dragon with two bottles. "Uh, thank you, Xerxes."

Xerxes sits next to Hunter as he spoke to him. "Have you already talked to Coach about Terrence?"

"Yeah, I'm on it. Really, I knew Terrence was a bit of a... You know, hard to work with."

"Hah, apparently, his girlfriend just dumped him." Hunter stated.

"Vicky? She dumped him? Wow..." For some reasons, it all made sense for Xerxes. "I had met her before by Terrence. They were just fine in their relationship. Hm, now that she broke up with him, I don't know how he's going to handle it."

"Well, kicking buckets at random people sure is a good start." Hunter sarcastically said.

Then a ringtone sings...

It wasn't his own cellphone but then Keanu spoke, "Is that my phone?"

Hunter picks it up from the retired pants. "Yeah! It's still working." He looks at the screen with a picture of a smiling older arctic wolf-man with a police cap hat. "It's your father. Should I answer it for you?"

"Sure, he's wondering where I am."

Hunter swipes green for answering and spoke. "Hello?"

"You're not Keanu." The voice sounded serious; he didn't expected hearing this as Hunter felt he was about to be tracked down. "Who is this?"

"Uh, this is Keanu's friend-Hunter."

"Ah! Right, he had talked about you." Mr. Winters said. "Why you're using my son's phone?" Out of curiosity or he's really demanding. "I was expecting my boy to come back at the station by five."

"Well... You see..." Hunter explains the whole incident at the library and now he's taking a shower. "...and now some of my friends are coming to give him some clean clothes, and we'll deal with the ferret who did this, so no biggie here."

"I see... Well, thank you for your help, Hunter."

Keanu had just finished cleaning and gestured to hand him the phone. "Hi, Dad. Sorry that I'm coming late today."

"It's all right, son. Just be sure to call me when there's anything to let me know, okay?"

"Sure, Dad. I'll be at the station shorty."

After a short conversation and Keanu ended it with "Love you, Dad" and hung up which Hunter and Xerxes chuckled. "What?" He said.

"Nothing." Hunter replied but his tail wags out of urge to tease him some more which he made some mock kisses at him.

Keanu flushed, "S-stop it!"

"Oh, cheer up, Keanu. We're just teasing."

"Well, it-it goes the same to both of you, right?" Keanu slight agitated voice said. "Y-you would say the same thing to your moms."

"Jeez, he has a point there." Xerxes nonchalantly said at Hunter, but he grinned at Keanu for, "But you said it to your dad!" The big log of scales heartily laughs.

"Okay, Xerxes, that's enough." Hunter tried to chill him out. Much to Keanu's embarrassment.

Not too long, Xavier and Broderick arrived with some fresh cleaned clothes for Keanu. Despite that Xavier was tired from his first day of training he felt that it was serious about the situation. Still, his legs and feet are killing him from walking more from his dorm.

"Phew, you're one lucky boy, Keanu." Said Xavier. "It just so happens that I have an unopened pack of new underwear. I think they'll fit for you."

"Really? Thank you." Replied Keanu, still wearing a towel.

"I also got some t-shirt and pants from leftovers." Broderick said. What meant was some Rexville t-shirts and shorts for sports with the R and U logo that were for the new students joining the clubs.

After Keanu get himself settled and cleaned from mop water. He looks different from wearing his accustomed clothing. The red t-shirt and shorts for sports, fits his size but slightly bigger, possibly medium, he looks like a model volunteering the school's uniform or for summer camp wear. Red and blue, the university's official colors, is not Keanu's taste.

As always, his soft peaceful voice spoke. "Thank you, guys." He said with hands behind his back and fidgeting his right foot in circles. "Been a great help."

Hunter and Keanu left the campus toward their homes at Oasis Boulevard. During the train ride, Keanu was rather quiet of the ordeal. He tried to ask Hunter about ferret guy, but the older wolf told him to not to worry. He'll get what he deserves for committing a minor case of hit-and-run.

But, one more thing. "Hunter..."

"Yes?"

"Here..." Keanu fetched out an unopened chocolate bar. "I was saving it for later, but I want to thank you for all the troubles." He wasn't looking at him and he was embarrassed of showing this much of sympathy.

"Huh, well, thank you, Keanu." Hunter smiled and took the chocolate bar.

"No, problem." Keanu was still looking away. Hunter just patterned him on the back. Hunter opened it and snapped the chocolate bar in two. "Here, have some."

This time Keanu looks at him curious, the older wolf-man was smiling at him in offer of his treat. Guess he was a little surprised of how generous he is. Keanu accept it. "Thank you."

Their train arrives at their home station. Arriving late at six, Hunter and Keanu meet a familiar figure that is mostly seen around patrolling the city. A uniformed arctic wolf-man with intimidating sunglasses that hides every facial expression minus the muzzle, which is also scowled carefully to a stoic look, wearing a cap hat with the signature of Rexville City Police Department, or RXDP.

Keanu greeted him. "Hi, Dad."

Officer Winters looks at his son wearing the given clothes after the soak incident. "Hello, son." Then looks at the other wolf. "You're Hunter, right? It's nice to meet you at last." He offered his hand and Hunter happily shakes it.

"It's a pleasure, mister...uh, I mean, Officer Winters." He nervously chuckled.

"Quick thinking, young man. Better get used it when I'm in uniform."

"Uh, sure." Hunter chuckled. Keanu just rolled his eyes at this. Though, he has a point.

"Is it true you live across the street?" He asked.

"Yeah, the Emerald Tower." He pointed eastwards at the green-painted building. "Looks like we go out the same train every morning and afternoon."

"Though, you've missed the train yesterday morning." Keanu chuckled.

"Ouch, man." Hunter sheepishly said and rubs his back head.

"Better cash on or miss the ride or be late for class, young man." Officer Winters said.

"Yeah, I know." Though, that Monday morning his brother sabotaged him by changing the phone's timer. Hunter's very peeved of his brother's lame excuses he's making. He's just trying to make his life a little in hard mode. "Well, I should go and take care of things. See you, Keanu. And nice meeting you too, Officer Winters."

"It's a pleasure."

Hunter left the arctic wolves. The Winters made back at their home apartment. While Hunter had explained the situation about the student whom kicked the bucket from the second floor, Keanu also talked a little about it. The guys at Rexville Uni will take care of the situation. Likely a week suspension, but this isn't high school. Normally, if a student in college gets in trouble for breaking the rules will be given a warning like three strikes and you're out or a law that could easily lose all three warnings. This case, however, for Terrence Browne will be warned for his actions. For now, Keanu wants to forget about it and get his ruined clothes for washing.

At Hunter's home apartment. His parents aren't at home until the end of the week. Taking the elevator to the ninth floor, he's feeling a sense of nerves of something is likely to happen. Nothing bad but very, somewhat conflicting. On the other hand, he has a copy of the house key. Meeting up to the door of his respective home he unlocks the door until it stops after four inches of clearance. The door's have its chain locked on.

"Oh, son of a..." He mutters. "Rylan! Open up!" He shouted. Rylan Montana, 17, and very hard on his big brother since a year ago. "Rylan!" Hunter shouted. By this time, His younger siblings should be back at home after school. "Sally? River? You there?" Hunter knocked the door louder. "God!" He cursed. He sighed and slumped down against the closed door. Another day siting and doing nothing until whoever opens the door.

Hunter picks his cellphone and calls first Sally and River. Hunter is now the man-of-the-house since father and mother are out in Florida for the week, but this pest in the house is getting in the way of Hunter's control. Why do you have to be so hard on me? Thought Hunter.

His sister responded the call. "Hey, Hunter. What's the problem?"

"Rylan's the problem." Hunter stated nonchalantly.

"Again? It's been a year, you know."

"Where you two are?"

"Stopping by at this new café you have talked about."

"For real? Come on, Sally! Come back home now. I'm tired of sleeping by the front door like a stray!"

"Okay, okay! It was River who wanted to try those açai bowls."

"Tell him to save it for dessert, we're cooking tonight."

"Wait...you said that we should get Chinese food. You changed your mind, right?"

"No, I didn't. I told you that since morning. Why? Don't tell me that you already bought some?"

"Yeah...I did..."

"When did I changed my mind to tell you to buy Chinese food?"

"Well...River told me that Rylan called him to buy Chinese food because Hunter said so." Sally stated. Now it all made sense!

"And he believed that!"

"Sorry! You know how gullible River is."

"I heard that!" River's voice shouted. It wasn't on speaker. "Same goes to you!"

"Sorry, Hunter. We're now on our way to the apartment. Just hang on. And call Mom and Dad about this."

"Oh yes, I will." Hunter's voice goes in a serious tone.

Hunter picked up his phone to call his parents, but still, Rylan ignoring the eldest son is clearly stating indirectly to Hunter as "you're not my father!". The two have gotten sour after Hunter came out a year ago, he had looked up upon him for a long time since they were kids, but that heyday had ended for Rylan. He has become, for what Hunter can describe as, a hindrance he must withstand. He doesn't know when he'll stop. Recalling the day he came out, Rylan didn't say anything but just stared at him in disbelief and ran back to his room with the biggest disgruntling shout of swears. The parents tried to talk him out of it, but he refused to listen with a locked door.

The next day was quiet, he didn't sit next to Hunter for breakfast and ate by the balcony of the apartment or by the living room watching the tv. Hunter's father thinks he just need to adjust and let it pass and he'll eventually get over it and apologize later. Maybe a week after Hunter's outing, his father and mother gave him the serious talk. All what Hunter got from his parents was that he won't bother about it and around school, his friends at the time didn't know this news yet until Sally and River openly talked about it to their friends in middle and high school. This little subject reached to Rylan's perspective and felt ridiculed of having a gay brother, even some of the students, even some who have met Hunter, made fun of him. Angered and finding out that Sally was the culprit, he told her how other students were making him like a disgrace of having gay brother and that it qualifies to him as gay. It pisses him off than ever, his high school years as hoped are over for him. Sally just lampshades it. He is just exaggerating and taking it too seriously.

Probably around October from last year that Rylan may have recomposed himself as Hunter's outing gossip in high school had ceased. Nothing has changed, he's still has his old friends, but they are aware of his dislikes of Hunter, he never invited him along or talked about him.

When they say about that one out of three people are homosexual or bisexual, it was that very case of one of Rylan's three main friends; Perry Brighton. A young 17-year-old bisexual giraffe-man. He learned the news of Hunter being gay and Rylan's cold behavior. You would normally think Perry should consider stopping hanging out with Rylan since he himself like men. The chances he had got to meet Hunter were very well. Rylan of course when he brings his friends to his house when Hunter is around are surprisingly exceptional, but not getting near him or to speak to him, but his friends were. Including Perry.

The young giraffe-man enjoyed giving hints of his sexuality towards Hunter. To Hunter, he was almost like Sol, but less flirty but still sending hints of subtext like he really wants to get to know him more and let him know he's not alone in this game of charades behind the closet. To put it straight, Rylan doesn't know Perry's sexual orientation that includes men on it.

One day of November, Rylan found out and it was like those cliches; being caught in the act. Perry hoped it was going to be a quickie, but Hunter did it all the way. It was at Hunter's home apartment bedroom when Perry came to the apartment by himself as Rylan was hanging with the other two. Hunter was at home alone in the weekend and both parents were out of the house that time. Perry was a daredevil; he made the first move and he had scored. He really wanted this, maybe just once, or he'll never get another chance like this again! Hunter took him to his room where the rest was performed. Because of changes of plans, Rylan came back home sooner and heard the rocking bed and moans.

Surprisingly, he ignored it and thought he should threaten him to his parents that he brought some guy through Craiglist. When the two came out into the living room, Rylan Montana exploded. Maybe a day or two after, Hunter told Xavier and Milagros about his ordeal which Xavier easily described it as the infamous scene of Soraya Montenegro from the Mexican telenovela Maria la del Barrio known as the "Maldita Lisiada Scene" when the villainess caught her fiancé kissing her stepdaughter who is in a wheelchair and she goes in a unstable mental breakdown rage and beats up almost everyone in the room like literally a demon had possessed her and all other soap opera crap. Hunter's case, however, Rylan was furious equally both at Perry and especially Hunter. For him -Rylan- was the biggest plot twist he did not expected; Perry was gay, well, bi, but still, he felt betrayed and glare at Hunter and started in a physical fight, Perry tried to breaking it up, but Rylan pushed him away and called him the "F" word probably for the first time. Hunter managed to calm his brother down, but Rylan forced Perry to be kicked out of the apartment and likely to never see him again and avoiding him in school.

The next day, for strange reasons, everything felt like nothing happened. Rylan never said a thing to his parents and further ignores Hunter as if he had never existed. Almost a year since he came out and he's still been treated like shit on his older brother. Hunter had, so far, survived his young brother's antics. As long he doesn't get on his path, everything will be fine, but they both live in the same roof which makes things complicated.

Hunter wish he could diplomatically fix this and make amend to his brother, but he's one stubborn mule that doesn't want to listen from him. If he can't, then his parents will. The parents are aware of Rylan's mild case of homophobia, but no matter what they can do to cure his cold heart, the parents gets mentally hurt of seeing their two children fighting each other. They just want the best for their children, but Hunter and Rylan had brought an unwanted chapter in their family life, and the pages are endlessly in the thousands...

Hunter had overheard their conversation; they really feel helpless on what to do. Hunter is the elder brother and must act like a parent to take care of his younger siblings like he had in his younger days. So far, he took measures to handle if Rylan strikes again but it seems that most of it didn't happened in front of the parents. If he tries to piss Hunter off, it must be away from his parent's sight. Then Hunter complaining to his parents so Rylan can get grounded is simply said and done, but Hunter decides not to bring up troubles to his parents when they are not around. It is just too much for them to bear and now Hunter at the end did not call to tell his parents. Even if they call him to open the door, he won't even do it.

Hunter sighed and lied down near the door and wait for his younger siblings to come back, Rylan had to open them up.

It's not his fault that he's been in the closest since he was around fourteen in middle school. He was internally ashamed back then and he hid it for the longest time until he started his first year in Rexville University. He met the greatest people of open minds out there. That's where Solomon Stone appeared in his life. Despite his devious and promiscuous personality, he really takes serious on the matter of closeted fellows. The way he does it may raise some questions, but the results are promising. Hunter's case was assuring.