The Cameron Hotel Chapter 2
The Cameron Hotel Chapter 2 -- My Son
"Okay, whoa! Both of you have got to stop!" Matt held up his paws, silencing the wolf and the raccoon standing in front of him. "And you," he pointed at the 'coon, "...need to take a breath."
Jasyn and Luke both nodded at the ottercoon as he rubbed the top of his muzzle. It was late evening, near dusk, and Matt was seated in his couch, trying to assimilate the day's events.
"Okay," the eldest fur began after a pause, "Let me see if I've got this straight:" Matt pointed at the raccoon again, "You're Luke."
The boy just nodded quietly.
"And you two didn't like one another?"
"No." Jasyn shook his head, "He liked me fine. I just...I wasn't reciprocating."
"Until you two fooled around." Matt added, and the two meekly acknowledged, "And when Alex found out, he suggested a threesome." He paused for another nod, "And you were none-too-shy to agree?"
"I..." Jasyn started to disagree, but just looked down, "...yeah.
"And then you got carried away, and uhm..." The ottercoon looked at Luke, "...took your sexual frustrations out on this one?"
Luke lowered his ears, and Jasyn patted him on the shoulder, "I was...anything but gentle...yeah."
Matt nodded, remembering his own first time with Sirrus, and then arched an eyebrow, "Didn't leave any teeth marks, did you?"
The two looked back at the ottercoon, and Luke stammered through a blush, "Wh-what?"
"Nothing." Matt waved a paw, "Then you and Alex had it out -- first real fight, I'll bet -- and that's when he ended up over here?"
The wolf rubbed his neck, "Alex didn't tell you any of this?"
"Haven't spoken to him." Matt shook his head, "He got here while I was at work, and, from what Chris told me, just went right to bed. I expected him up by now...but apparently he's asleep for the night."
"For the night?" Jasyn blinked, "But didn't he get here at like...5?"
Matt shrugged, "When Lance and I broke up...I barely ever got out of bed."
"This is all my fault." Luke whimpered, looking between the two, "I'm so sorry! I never meant to make you and Alex fight a-and, to get you involved, Matt and," he took a breath, "All I've done is cause trouble and-"
"Quit it, Luke." Jasyn cut him off, "No one blames you for this."
The ottercoon shook his head, "I can't say that I blame either of you." He leaned back in his chair as the two looked at him again, "That's not to say that there's not some guilt to pass around...but I, of all people, can't start laying blame in a situation like this. Who am I to tell anyone how to handle their sex lives? I'm not exactly a model example, now am I?"
Jasyn managed a smirk, "I guess not."
"I'm just lucky that Sirrus doesn't have the presence of mind to care about monogamy and all that." The ottercoon's eyes darted toward the kitchen area, where he knew Chris had run off to, "Otherwise I'd probably be in the same boat with him, right now, that you are with Alex."
"What do you mean by that?" The wolf's brow furrowed and he looked toward the kitchen, "You..." then looked back, "...are you and that lion...?"
"Please sit down," Matt changed the subject instead of answering, "both of you."
Jasyn nodded in response and pointed Luke toward the couch by Matt, as he took the recliner. Luke smiled shyly at Matt as he sat down beside him.
"Jasyn..." the ottercoon continued, "...why are you here? I know you knew you'd find Alex...but why did you come? What are you hoping to accomplish?"
Jasyn looked down, "I really don't know anymore Matt. I was just hoping..." he looked back up, "...I mean, Alex came to you for help. You're surprised I did too?"
"I suppose not..." Matt sighed, "I just don't know what to tell you. I mean, sure, you fucked up, but I can't say I would have done any different. Seems to me like Alex offered, and like the kid, here, wanted it...and you were horny. And I...fuck...I can't even pretend I have a habit of staying 'in control' when I'm with Sirrus." Matt sighed, "I really don't even think I can really give you any of my...'hindsight is 20/20' advice this time."
The three furs sat in silence for a few long moments, each surrounded in their own thoughts. Luke still blamed himself for everything...Jasyn just wanted some magical answer that could fix everything...and Matt was simply bracing himself for what he had to say next.
The ottercoon raised his head, "Alex is asleep down the hall with Sirrus."
Jasyn coughed and leaned forward, a bit shocked, "W-wait! Did they...?"
"I don't know." Matt rubbed his forehead, "But I'm not about to wake him up to find out."
"Sirrus..." Luke timidly interjected, "Sirrus is your talking pet dragon? The one who, uhm, who likes to 'play,' right?"
Matt eyed Jasyn, "Someone's been forthcoming with my information."
The wolf held up his paws, "It only came up because he has one too."
Matt recoiled slightly, "A talking feral dragon?"
"Rabbit." Luke corrected.
"Really?" Matt flashed a devious smirk, "Remind me to ask more about that later..."
"N-not the same as you and Sirrus..." Luke barely murmured, and then raised his voice to continue, "B-but my point is: Alex wouldn't do that, right? I mean, he's never tried anything with me..."
Jasyn sighed, "You'd be surprised what someone might do when they're hurt..."
"More importantly," Matt added, "Luke, here, underestimates how persuasive Sirrus can be."
"Do you think..." Jasyn paused, thinking, "Do you think that's what he came over for?"
"Wouldn't know." The ottercoon shrugged, "I doubt it, but I wouldn't know."
"But I just don't understand..." Jasyn shook his head slowly, "I...I realize that I hurt him. I know what I did...but I don't understand why it hurt him THIS MUCH..."
"It's not about you, Jasyn." Matt shook his head.
"I know." The wolf ran his paws through his headfur, "It's about what Peter did to him."
"No." Matt crossed his arms and leaned back.
"No?"
"It's not just about what you did, or even what Peter did." The ottercoon tilted his head, "I think it's about what Peter's DOING."
Jasyn just blinked, "How do you mean?"
"Alex is plenty scarred by what happened back then." Matt leaned forward again, elbows on his knees, "But I imagine it's a lot harder right now, because of the trial. Peter's got to be on his mind every day, and, now, so much of what he was able to just ignore before...is just constantly right there on the surface."
The wolf hung his head, "It's like he's reliving it all..."
"Daily...nightly..." Matt nodded, "It's gotta' be a lot harder for him right now, and-"
"Right now," Jasyn cut him off, "More than anything, the last thing he needs is more things to remind him of all that."
"Exactly."
Jasyn looked back up, "Matt...what would you do? Y'know if that had happened to you?"
"If I were you...or is I was Alex?"
"Alex."
"Well...the last time my boyfriend cheated on me..." the ottercoon sat back, "I threw his ass out on the curb. But that was a different situation, Jasyn. With me and him, the cheating wasn't a onetime thing...and more importantly: I found out he was using me for my money. Now, if I were in Alex's shoes, exactly...?"
"Y-yeah..."
"I really don't know." Matt shook his head, "I mean: it's not even about the cheating for him. It's about Peter, and about his fears and insecurities and..." He paused, "I mean, I've watched enough prime-time drama to sit here and muse pseudo-psychologically about what I think he's feeling or thinking...but when it comes right down to it, I just don't know. I've, thankfully, never been in his shoes, and I can't begin to actually say how I'd handle any of this. I might have even done worse than just getting into a fight with you..."
Jasyn looked away. He hadn't been able to bring himself to tell either of them, yet, that Alex left him.
"...and I can't say finding comfort in...what Sirrus has to offer...would be a stretch either." Matt continued, "But, at the same time, I might have been fine. I might have just talked to you and forgiven you completely."
Jasyn just huffed and shook his head, "I guess it doesn't really matter what you would have done, though, yeah? Won't change how Alex feels."
"I want to stay here tonight." Luke interjected himself into the conversation.
"What?" Matt looked at the raccoon to his side...
...as Jasyn looked back up, "Why?"
"I want to help." Though timid as always, Luke's voice rang more determined than usual, "He won't talk to Jasyn, right? But maybe he'll talk to me. And you said he's already asleep for the night, so I can't try until tomorrow..."
Matt raised an eyebrow, "What about your parents?"
"Yeah," Jasyn added, "They think you're with me."
"I don't care." The raccoon shook his head, "This is more important than that. I need to help!"
"Luke, no..." Jasyn shook his head, "I don't want to get you..." he paused, looking across at the ottercoon, "...or Matt in trouble. I mean, what if your parents called?"
Luke looked down. His eyes darted about as he tried to formulate a plan, and then he looked back up, "Cell phone swap!"
"Huh?"
"We'd trade phones, right? And if they call mine, looking for me, you can answer, so they'll think you're with me!" The raccoon, counted on his fingers as he went through the various steps in the plan, "And if they ask to talk to me, then you just hang up and text me. Then I'll call back on your phone, and say mine died! And that'll help too, 'cause how could I call on your phone if you weren't with me?"
Jasyn shook his head, "They might wanna' talk to my parents."
"They don't know your dad's voice." Luke smiled softly, "So, Matt could..." he looked at the ottercoon to his side, "...er...uhm...I mean...if he was willing to pretend..."
Matt just looked back and forth between the two, but had no chance to say whether or not he agreed with Luke's plan.
"Luke, seriously..." Jasyn continued fighting the suggestion, "You really don't have to fix this. It's not your problem."
"Of course it is!" The raccoon shot back.
"Luke?" Matt finally spoke up.
Both the teenagers turned to look at the ottercoon.
"Why are you so set on this?" The ottercoon leaned on a paw, "Why are you so determined to fix it?"
Luke looked down, "...because it's my fault."
"Luke!" Jasyn jumped back in, "I already told you-"
But Matt held up a paw, cutting the wolf off, "How is it your fault?"
"I'M the person Jasyn cheated with!" Luke whimpered, "I'm the one who came between them. I should be the one to fix this: to make Alex forgive him and to stop the fight."
"Alex isn't mad about the cheating." The ottercoon just shook his head, "He...it doesn't even sound like he's mad, honestly. He's just scared-"
"By what Jasyn did in the threesome," Luke cut him off, "right!"
"Right," Matt nodded, "And-"
"And," the raccoon cut him off again, "there would NEVER have been a threesome if it wasn't for me! If I'd never gotten involved-"
"You can't put this all on yourself, Luke." The time, Matt cut HIM off, "Don't you think there's plenty of blame to go around? Jasyn was just as complicit in the cheating as you...Alex suggested the threesome...and if anything, when it came to the act, you were a victim..." The ottercoon looked at the wolf apologetically, "...you were hurt by Jasyn as much or more than Alex. How can you blame yourself for being raped?"
"It doesn't matter WHAT happened today!" Luke shook his head, as his body trembled, "If I'd never shown up in their lives, NOTHING would have happened! I wanted friends so bad...and...and I followed them through the mall a-and forced myself on them...and..."
Jasyn, eyelids drooped, spoke up again, "Luke...no..."
"If I hadn't done that," the raccoon continued, ignoring him, "I would have never been around to cause all this trouble! And I wanted Jasyn to like me so much...and...and it led to what we did. And then...then I was scared of the threesome, but I..." Luke started to cry, "I just wanted them to be my friends, and I let...I let..."
"Luke..." Matt laid a red furred arm over the boy's shoulders.
"I just wanted friends..." Luke sniffled and shook under the arm, leaning against the older fur, "...I didn't mean to ruin everything."
Matt hugged him and sighed. He held the little 'coon against his chest and looked at Jasyn, his usual blank stare breaking under the weight of his sympathy for the boy, "It's okay, kid. Really...everything'll be okay..."
Jasyn looked away from Matt and closed his eyes tight. It was bad enough that he hurt Alex...but now he had Luke blaming himself for everything? A little self control and all of this could have been avoided.
"Jasyn...you want my advice?"
The wolf looked back up at the sound of Matt's voice, and caught the ottercoon's eyes again.
"Do what Alex asked...take care of Luke. He needs you...and Alex needs to see that you'll do it for him." Matt nuzzled the raccoon's head, "Besides, if you don't...I'm gonna' end up looking after him...and people don't look too kindly on 29-year-old gay men being friends with 15-year-old boys..."
"14..." Luke corrected him through a sniffle.
"Even better."
Jasyn nodded, "Of course. I never had any other intention."
"Good." Matt continued, still holding the raccoon, "Now...you said the trial is starting soon, right?"
"Yeah." The wolf nodded slowly, "I'm going to testify."
"Surprising." Matt raised an eyebrow, "What do you have to say that's not hearsay?"
"Uhm..." Jasyn rubbed his neck, "Character witness? I guess..."
"Well, anyway..." The ottercoon shrugged, "Alex is gonna' testify, too, right?
"Right."
"Then THAT is the priority." Matt rubbed Luke's back, "Everything with this...and with you and him can come later. For right now, whatever fights you're having, whatever you or he thinks needs fixing can wait. He needs you to be his friend, and to be there for him. He needs to see an end to this situation with Peter, and he needs to know that he has you at his side, no matter what."
The wolf nodded, "And he does."
"You do that, and you take care of Luke," Matt continued, "And I'm sure he'll forgive you, and all of this will be a thing of the past."
Jasyn sighed and looked down. Would it? If it was just a fight, it would: sure. But it was more than that. Would Alex take him back?
"Thanks Matt." The wolf stood up, "I...I guess I should get going."
"You're always welcome here, if you need anything." Matt smiled, "Don't be a stranger."
"Sure thing." Jasyn smiled back, and then looked down at the raccoon, "You still want to stay here, Luke?"
The boy just nodded back.
Jasyn fished his cell phone out of his pocket, "Then let's hope your plan works out."
"It will." Matt answered for Luke, as the raccoon stood up to make the trade, "I'm sure I can pretend you're my son for a few minutes. I do it all the time anyway."
Jasyn just glared back playfully as he put Luke's phone in his pocket.
Matt stood, too, putting his arm back around the raccoon's shoulder, "And, don't worry. I'll take care of him for the night."
"Be good." Jasyn pointed at the ottercoon, "Just because Sirrus is sleeping somewhere else, doesn't mean Luke's here to replace him."
Luke blushed deeply and sank into Matt's grasp.
"No worries." Matt smiled and held up a free paw, "Chris'll keep me in check."
"If not more..." Jasyn turned and left the room.
Matt and Luke followed, seeing him to and out the front door. Luke waved at Jasyn as he walked down the driveway, Jasyn waved back as he unlocked his truck, and Matt opened his muzzle to tell Jasyn goodbye as he was getting into the truck...
...but the ottercoon was distracted by another car pulling to a stop, in front of his house.
"Luke, straighten up a bit, okay?" Matt let go and brushed at the 'coon's headfur, "Someone's here. They'll probably just think you're my son, but no sense in taking chances."
The older fur brushed at the kid's headfur a little more and stood back up straight as he watched a female panther with long blonde hair climb out of the driver's side door of the car. Luke took a few steps back, half hiding behind Matt and watched the attractive panthress walking to the door.
"Uhm..." Matt stepped forward, "Hello. And you ah-"
"Where's Chris?" The woman cut Matt off, "I paid good money to find him...and if this is your house, Cameron, then I know the information was good."
Matt slumped a little and put his arm back around Luke.
Now, he recognized the woman at the door, and he no longer had a reason to care how he looked in front of her, "Why hello, Cheyenne. If you're here for more blood, you might as well turn back around. I think you got it all in the divorce."
"Shut your fat cock-hole," Cheyenne snapped back, "and let me speak with my ex-husband!"
Almost on cue, Chris walked out of the kitchen and into living room.
He was only in his boxers, as he looked around the room for his roommate. "MA~ATT!" He whined loudly, "WE'RE OUT OF BEER AGAIN!!"
The lion stomped his foot, pretending to throw a fit as he turned toward the door, and stopped dead in his tracks.
Matt held up his paws at the panthress, "Alright, alright, whatever. He's right there. Just be sure to send him back to us with his testicles. I know how bitter you've been that you didn't get those in the divorce, too..."
Chris let out a long sigh and padded, barely dressed, toward the front door, as the ottercoon turned around with Luke, "Come on kid, this doesn't involve us."
Chris and Matt passed one another, the two sharing a glance before the lion was left alone with his ex-wife.
With a breath, he straightened up and smiled his big, toothy lion grin, "Cheyenne! Please, oh please tell me you finally learned to bottle evil for us! You know, so we can drink it when you're not around?"
Cheyenne clicked her tongue and smiled back, "Chris, dear...I see you're living with the fag now. What happened? Did women stop putting up with your..." she chuckled, "...expedience? So you had to find someone who didn't care if you finished first?"
The lion squinted, "I'm sure Satan is getting lonely. What do you want?"
"As much as it pains me to admit it, my dear ex-fuck...you're right. 'Satan' happens to be at home waiting for me to fly back to him. But I will remind you, before you reopen that beer-soaked muzzle...that Michael is rich enough to buy and sell your ass." Cheyenne wiped the corner of her mouth with a thumb and continued. "That being said, I tire of this rent-a-car, and would like to get on with this."
Chris just crossed his arms and stood impatiently. "Never opt for a ten words when you can shoot for a hundred. Same as always, eh, Shiva?"
The panthress just kept smiling, "When was the last time you saw your son Chris?"
Chris's ears perked up, and he growled, "You mean before you stole him?" He stood silent for a moment, "I'd say he was about three when you dragged him away."
"The correct term is not 'stolen,' dear. It's: 'won in a custody battle.' And to spite you, I might add."
"I've gathered that, Lilith." The lion twirled his hand, "Now get on with it."
"Well, Satan, as you so lovingly refer, has grown tired of taking care of your disobedient, disrespectful punk of a son. And since I've already taken twelve years of your time together, I don't see as I need to take anymore."
Chris moved his ears forward, "Pardon?"
"What I'm saying is that WE no longer want to deal with him. So we'd rather put him on your shoulders. You know, that way we can let you drag him back and forth across the country for your..." the panthress paused to feign a chuckle, "...job."
"Oh, I see: use it and then lose it." Chris crossed his arms, "So, tell me...have you used him as a slave, yet? Beat him? Come on, Hecate; give me a reason to sue you."
"I've done nothing to the boy!" Cheyenne looked appalled, "I haven't laid a finger on him!"
The lion narrowed his eyes, "Not even to hug him, I'm sure."
"Come now, Chris..." Cheyenne forced a saccharine sweet tone to her voice, "He IS my son..."
"Impossible!" Chris gasped, "Medusa caring for another creature?"
"First of all, caring for the boy was the job of the money and the maids. Secondly, I believe Medusa DID care for her gorgon sisters. And third..." the panthress flipped her hair, unintentionally showing off her naturally white roots, "...burn in hell, you pretentious...overbearing...beer-hog."
"Ladies first, Jezebel." Chris kissed the air, "Be careful though: the heat might melt your breasts."
"I doubt it. Mike buys only the best for me." Cheyenne put a paw on her hip, "Now, would you like your son? Or would he be better taken care of at a homeless shelter somewhere?"
The lion yawned and scratched his mane, "Fine, fine. Look, did you come here to give me the paperwork to fill out, or something?"
"Paperwork? Holding pens is for lawyers..." Cheyenne turned around, "No, we're not taking this through the courts. Mike doesn't need that type of publicity." She took a deep breath and screamed out in that same fake, happy, whiney voice that nearly drove Chris to rip out her vocal cords years earlier, "Oh, Riddick! Your father is here, waiting for you!"
Chris stumbled back and almost fell over, "HE'S HERE!?"
The passenger door of the car opened, slowly, as the panthress turned back around, "Well of course he is! What on earth makes you think I'd want to smell you more than once over this?"
Chris looked around, totally spellbound, and tried his best just to stand up straight, "YOU WHORE!"
"Hmm? What happened to your library of nicknames and clever insults, Christopher?" No one got out of the car for a few moments and Cheyenne turned back, "Riddick! Come on, now!"
The lion stood, looking silently at the car, preparing himself to see a son he hadn't seen in twelve years.
Slowly, Riddick slid out of the passenger side of the car. Like a panther, his fur was a black, except for his lion features -- his short mane and the fluff of fur at the end of his tail -- which were both snow-white. He didn't look at either of his parents; he just pulled a bag out of the back seat, and padded up the walk-way towards Matt's house, his eyes on his feet.
Chris just stood in shock, barely breathing as he looked at, "My son..."
Cheyenne skipped to the panthion and hugged him, "Riddick! I'm going to miss you so much!"
Riddick jerked away and glared at her, "Are you kidding me? You haven't hugged me in nearly 16 years! Don't bother touching me now, just to show off..." He pushed past her and kept walking to the house, "And miss me, my furry black ass. I'll never see you again, and we both know it."
"Oh, son..." the panthress pretended to be hurt, "...you know that's not true."
Riddick huffed before she could continue, "Didn't say it was a bad thing."
Cheyenne just smiled, "Well, then...have fun, you two!" She turned around to leave, continuing in a sing-song voice, "And if that fag friend of yours lays one finger on him, I'll see you both in prison!"
As he reached his father, Riddick looked back, watching her get into her car, "F-fag?" He turned back again, looking up at Chris.
"Uhm...sh-she means Matt." Chris scratched his mane, "He's gay."
"Who..." the young, half-panther, half-lion didn't even look back to watch his mother drive away, "...who's Matt?"
"He's my friend..." Chris smiled uncomfortably, "...this is his house."
"Oh." The panthion tapped his toes on the porch, "You two...you aren't...?"
"Me?" Chris's eyes widened, "No! Nonono! That's just Matt; I'm not gay."
"Oh..." Riddick looked down, "O-okay."
"It...it won't bother you, will it?" The lion looked down too, both watching Riddick's shifting feet, "Living with..."
In unison, the two cats froze, stilling even their breaths, as it struck them. The second the word left Chris's mouth, they realized it was real...as of this moment, Riddick was living with him.
"Erm..." Chris grunted and stammered to continue, "It doesn't bother you, living with a gay guy, does it?"
"No." Riddick shook his head, looking up and catching his father's eyes, "It's cool."
The two stood, surrounded on all sides in awkward silence. Riddick shifted his feet again and looked back at the ground as Chris rocked on his heels, looking everywhere but at his son. He didn't know what to say, or even think. It had been 12 years since he'd even seen Riddick, and the boy was only 3 then. He'd barely even begun speaking in any coherent phrases, and he was only STARTING to get out of diapers. But, now...now he was nearly six feet tall, his mane had come in, and he might as well have been a stranger.
The lion rubbed the back of his neck with an inaudible sigh. He should be nothing but happy to see his son, but Cheyenne always had a way of knowing exactly how to bitch up just about any situation.
All he wanted to do was hug Riddick: to take him inside, to show him to everyone, and to make up for the years he lost, but he could barely even believe it was really his son. And besides, the poor kid was just staring at the ground. Chris had no idea what he was thinking...how he felt...or what HE wanted to do. For all Chris knew, Riddick didn't even want to be here, and had no interest in any kind of emotional reunion with his long lost father. Besides, after this long, why would the boy even care?
"Your mom's hair color not-withstanding..." Chris slowly reached out, placing a paw in Riddick's headfur, "Your mane's coming in really nice." Obvious pride in his voice, he moved his paw to his son's shoulder.
Riddick didn't say a thing back. He just looked up, his lower lip shaking and his eyelids low. In a burst, he dropped his bag and jumped forward, hugging Chris as tight as possible.
Though shocked at first, the lion quickly wrapped his arms around his boy as tightly as he could without hurting him. All at once, as he felt his son against him, his muzzle spread in a smile, and tears streaked his cheeks
As he felt his father nuzzling his head, Riddick buried his face in the lion's mane, letting is catch his own tears. "I missed you."
Chris lifted his muzzle from his son's head, "I...I wasn't even sure if you remembered me."
"Would you hate me..." the panthion pulled his muzzle just far enough away to not be muffled by the mane, "...if I said I don't?"
"Of course not..." Chris rubbed the boy's back, "...but you said-"
"I don't have to remember you to miss you." Riddick cut him off, "I always knew you were out there somewhere. And I...I just wanted...I..." He trailed off, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with saying all of this to his father.
"I missed you too...son." The lion ran his fingers through his boy's mane, "If there had been any way...I would have gotten you back, years ago. I'm so sorry..."
"N-no..." Riddick just shook his head and buried it, again, in his father's dark brown mane again. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I know it's not your fault."
"Still..." Chris scratched Riddick's back.
"Promise..." the panthion took a deep breath, "...promise you won't let her take me back."
Chris squeezed him tight again, "Never. I won't ever let you go again." He leaned away from his son just enough to look him in the eye, "Twelve years is a long time. But I want you to know that...you're still my son, and I still love you. That has NEVER changed."
Riddick smiled back, "I love you too...Dad."
"No..." The lion winced through a smile he couldn't hold back, "You...you don't have to say that back, yet. You don't even remember me, Riddick."
"But it's true." Riddick shook his head, "These...these couple of minutes with you have been better than thirteen years with her."
Chris counted in his head, and then corrected his son, "Twelve."
"Seemed longer." The panthion laughed softly, "But...but the point is: when you touched my mane earlier...you...you, like...complimented me."
"And...?"
"You sounded proud! And it was just for my...my mane." Riddick brushed his mane, "Mike and Cheyenne...they were never proud of me for...well, for anything."
"Well so far, I am." The lion brushed his son's mane as well, "Especially since...since you look like you've grown into a fine young cat, DESPITE being raised by the two of them."
Riddick reflexively purred at the touch, "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, son."
Meanwhile, inside...
"So that's the story, Luke." Matt still had his arm around Luke, though not entirely by choice, since the kid wouldn't leave his side. "They were teenagers, she fucked him, broke his heart, took his kid...and this is the first time either of us have seen the bitch since."
Luke continued to hold on, "Wow..."
"Yeah...she's the queen bitch, and the worst mistake of Chris's life, too." The ottercoon shook his head, "Worst part, though, is Riddick. I just wish Chris could see him every once in a while."
Luke nodded slowly, and then pushed off of Matt and stood up, "Come on. Let's go see how he is."
Matt looked up at the raccoon, "You sure you wanna' be around Cheyenne? I've heard that the mere proximity can give you cancer."
Luke just laughed lightly as Matt stood up.
"Wait...no..." The ottercoon rubbed his neck "I didn't HEAR that, I think I said it..."
Luke smiled, "Come on. He may need some backup!"
"Y'know? He just might." Matt turned to leave, but the raccoon ran along ahead of him.
Luke had to screech to a halt, though, as he nearly ran right into a white haired panther stepping through the door. Or was it a black lion?
Riddick, too, stumbled...barely managing to not fall into the raccoon in front of him. He just stared at the 'coon, as the two blinked and shared a shy and awkward smile.
"H...hi! I'm uhm...who..." Riddick stammered and shook his head, before widening the smile, "Hey there! Who are you?"
The raccoon blushed, barely even able to make eye contact with the cute black cat in front of him "H-hi...I'm Luke..."
The panthion extended a paw, "I'm Riddick..."
~
There we go! The soap opera, Forbidden, continues!!
* Starring: F. R. Borealis as Eric Matthew Cameron Riddick Dumar Eden and Cheyenne Crystal Rivers Eden Terrence Cecil B. North as Lucas Joseph Trammel Jasyn Aiden Fuller and Christopher Phillip Eden *
Whoa! Wait! Did anyone see that? We had a cast change! Up until this point, I played Luke, but starting with this chapter, Cecil does! See, what happened, was I got Riddick, and all of the sudden, we felt unbalanced, so we gave him Luke for the rest of the story. In related news: I'll be playing Rei the next time you see him. Anyway, back to the usual credits...
Cecil was a writer here as well, back in the Yiffstar days. If you want to check out the stuff he wrote back then, go ahead and look him up. His username on here is: Cecil_88
This was like two chapters in one! On one hand, we have the continued story of Alex and Jasyn, by way of Luke's struggles with it...and on the other hand we have the touching reunion of a father and son, by way of the return/debut of Riddick! Or...was it really two stories, or just just one? Is it possible that those snippits were just two branches of the single story which was told in the last few paragraphs? The story of Riddick and Luke meeting one another. So now what? Chris maintains his heterosexuality, but Matt alludes to his and Chris's continued sexual relationship. Which one is telling the truth? Could it be both? How will Chris's son fit into their relationship, whatever it may be? And what OF Riddick? How might he react to his father's alleged homosexual relationship? What will come of his meeting with Luke? The raccoon definitely has a crush on him, if not more. Did we see hints that it's a feeling the panthion shares? Am I asking too many questions? Should I stop typing? Is anyone even reading this anymore? If I were to write spoilers about the impending alien invasion I have planned for Book 3, would anyone even read this far to notice it? Will that Alien invasion prove once and for all that I am indeed the very model of a scientist salarian? How soon will someone recognize that quote? How soon will someone correct me and tell me it isn't technically a quote, but a paraphrase? Only time will tell!
Anyway, thanks for reading!
I welcome any feedback! Comment or PM me here, or email me at frostborealis[at]gmail.com I'll also be getting myself a twitter and a facebook dedicated to Borealis soon.
See you for the next 38 chapters of Forbidden! ^_^