"Hello, this is the General Large-Breed Canine Hospital. You were registered as an emergency contact..."
The message kept repeating in Louis' head while his bus sat in traffic. He closed his eyes and tried to will the honking cars to move. The bus seemed to answer and inched forward.
"Legosi is fine." He kept telling himself. "He's done this before. He's just a little banged up." On one hand, he was thankful. It was better that he found out now. Rather than a casual mention, weeks later. Still, Louis couldn't help but imagine all the horrible ways Legosi could be dying. Why else would they bring him in, other than to identify a mangled corpse?
The bus lurched forward, rolling before planting itself again. His nerves pulled his lips into a tight line. The line curved downward into a frown as they passed the source of the traffic: two cars totaled at the side of the road. New grisly images injected themselves into him as he watched the mangled metal disappear behind the bus.
What would he do in the worst case scenario? Could he handle it alone? He picked up his phone and called a number he hadn't in awhile. A small voice he hadn't heard in a while hushed another familiar one before answering.
"Louis?"
"Hey, Haru. Um... Could you meet me at the General Large-Breed Canine Hospital? It's Legosi."
"What happened?!"
"I don't know."
"I'm heading out now."
Louis put the phone back on his lap and tried to think of happy moments with Legosi. He thought about fetch in the park, Legosi tackling him, but that melted away to all the times he had mistreated Legosi. Called him names. Got him killed.
Louis squeezed his eyes shut. He wouldn't be seen crying in public. Not in front of these animals. He pulled the cord on the window and got off at the next stop. His phone guided him as he sped through the streets to the hospital.
Haru ran from the front desk and squeezed Louis around the waist when the sliding doors pulled apart. He put his hand on the dwarf rabbits head as he tried to make an awkward shuffle to the desk.
"Are you visiting?" The tiger in purple smocks asked.
"We're here to see Legosi the gray wolf."
She went to her computer for a moment. "I'm afraid that only family is allowed to visit him at the moment. If you'll wait over there I'll let you know when visiting hours begin."
"Can you at least tell us what condition he's in?" Haru peaked over the counter.
"He's stable now."
"Now?!"
Louis pulled her to the waiting area before they found out too much. They sat down without a word.
"This doesn't feel real." She said.
"Yeah."
"How are you feeling right now?"
"I feel like I'm going to kill him." Louis huffed. "I told him not to do this and then he went off and got himself killed."
Haru put her hand on his.
"I'm scared." He said , turning to her and hugging her. He had forgotten how nice it was to hug her. She was wearing the perfume he had given her. He caught a whiff of another.
"He's going to be fine." Haru's muffled voice came from inside his arms. "It's Legosi." Her phone caught Louis' eye as a wall of text grew in her lap.
"So..." He smirked. "Juno?"
She pushed out of his arms and quick sent a few texts back. "We started talking after Legosi and I broke up." Catching his playful eye she blushed. "She's sweet."
"I just never thought of you two getting together."
"I could say the same for you and Legosi."
"You could say that." Louis smiled.
She punched him in the ribs. "That's for stealing him from me."
"He stole you from me! It was only fair."
She punched him in the ribs again "And that's for leaving me without a word in school. I had to hear from Legosi that you had become a crime lord?!"
"I guess I wasn't as good at communicating as I thought."
She grabbed his hand again. "I'm glad you called me."
"If you two would follow me." The tiger was suddenly in front of them. Louis wondered how long they had been talking.
They followed her down the hallway. Even though the overhead lights were bright, the hallway seemed dim. Beeping from dozens of machines followed them. The tiger stopped and ushered them into one of the rooms. Haru held Louis' hand, he squeezed it gratefully.
"Sir, you have some visitors."
Louis wasn't sure he had the strength to enter, but suddenly he was in the room, staring at Legosi. It took everything not to turn and run. Run from the machines forcing breath into the wolf. Keeping him alive.
"We weren't expecting company." A Komodo dragon set down his book and got up and moved towards the pair. Louis wouldn't have guessed they were related if he hadn't read Legosi's file. And the fact that Legosi had his eyes. "It's nice to meet you." He shook Haru's hand. "I'm Gosha."
"Haru."
Gosha lingered on her before moving to Louis.
"Louis."
"I remember seeing you in the paper! You were in the drama club with him!" He said. "It's so nice that his friends came to see him." He fell silent for a moment. "Why don't you come sit down?"
They obliged and sat down next to Legosi. The steady beeping poked holes into silence. The ragged breath of the machine made Louis feel sick.
"Would care for something to drink? I'm going to make a trip to the vending machine."
"Yes, please." They said.
"They tell me, he can hear you even in a coma. I'm sure he's getting tired of me reading to him. Maybe he'd like to hear about how school is going." He suggested as he left.
They both looked at the sleeping wolf, unsure of what to say. Haru cleared her throat.
"H-hey, Legosi. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Not for breaking up with you, but I regret how I told you. And I wish, I had made more of an effort to communicate afterwards." She thought for a moment. "Uh- Juno and I are seeing each other now. I can see how she wasn't your type. And I wanted to say that I approve of you and Louis. I think you two can learn a lot from each other. Can you believe Louis actually called me for help?" Her grip tightened on Louis' hand. Tears began to fall from her eyes. Louis pulled her into a hug. He knew what he wanted to say, but wasn't sure if he could.
Gosha came back in carrying bottles of water. The coolness helped relax Louis' tightening throat. If Legosi could hear him, he didn't want him to have to listen to him cry. Gosha sat down next to them. The Komodo dragon couldn't help himself and began asking them about their lives.
While they told him about themselves, Louis felt more at ease. It had something to do with the eyes. It was the same look Legosi gave when he listened to Louis. A look great made everything seem alright. A few more hours and Haru got up and left. But not without a hug from Gosha. Louis felt strange being the only one not hugging, so he offered Haru one as well.
"Thank you for coming with me."
"Please, let me know if his condition changes."
Louis nodded and sat back down in between Gosha and Legosi.
"Legosi once mentioned that he had feelings for a female rabbit. Was that her?"
"Uh-" Louis was taken aback by the forwardness. "Yes. But they broke up."
"I think she's a lovely girl, but in a way I'm thankful. I know how difficult an interspecial relationship can be."
Louis nodded, wondering if Gosha would approve of the two of them. He knew it was Legosi's right to break the news. The wolf had an empty peacefulness, like he could break apart at any moment. Louis put his hand on Legosi's. The limp fingers didn't reciprocate his squeeze.
"You care a lot about him."
Louis turned. Gosha was smiling at him. His glasses made him look more like Ibuki.
"I'm glad he has others to take care of him, in all the places I failed as a grandparent." He said sadly. "He didn't have many friends growing up. It's nice to see him making more."
"I don't think you failed."
"I failed and he resents me for it. But I can't help but think, he's grown into a fine young man. Don't you think? The bittersweet happiness was overpowered by the immense pride shining through.
Louis nodded, tears beginning to form. "Yeah." He whispered.
Gosha chuckled and enveloped Louis into a hug. Louis squeezed back into the safety of his arms. He smelled like Legosi. If Legosi has rolled in mothballs. He buried his face into Gosha's shoulder, soaking it with snot and tears.
"Why'd he have to do it? I told him not to!" He cried.
Gosha sighed and pulled Louis out of the hug, hands on his shoulders. "You've put a heavy burden on yourself." He said. "If I know my grandson, there was nothing you could say to change his mind. I'm sure he was trying to protect the ones he cares about."
"He didn't have to, though."
"Would you do the same for him?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Then there's nothing to worry about." He smiled. It was one of those side smirks that Ibuki gave him. Louis took in a breath. His shoulders released with his exhale. He buried his face back into Gosha's shoulder. Gosha held him until he finally broke away.
"Thanks." He said, wiping his nose.
Gosha smiled.
Louis sat with the Komodo dragon while he read to Legosi. It wasn't a very interesting book. Just some old western. Gosha's calming voice added weight to Louis' eyes, pulling his head forward. Warmth wrapped around him. He lifted his head to find Gosha's cardigan draped across his shoulders. He shivered and put his arms through the sleeves. His head began to tiredly fall sideways, until it rested on Gosha's shoulder. The Komodo Dragon shifted, putting his arm around Louis. The two of them slept, listening to the sounds of the hospital.
The alarm on his phone vibrated under his leg, stirring him. His head rose from his palm. He was still in the hospital. Gosha was still asleep, head in his chest and hands folded on his lap. His lips, being pushed apart by his breath. Legosi was still in his bed, unmoving. Louis got up and took off the cardigan he was still wearing and folded it and placed it in his seat. He stood over Legosi's bed, running his fingers through his hair. After he looked a little less disheveled, Louis leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. He smelled like the hospital.
Louis signed out and got on a nearby bus. It took him slowly through morning traffic, all the way to his dorm. The entire day in class, he felt restless. Like he wasn't where he should be. He knew where he wanted to be. As soon as his last class was over, Louis packed a bag with his laptop and all of his homework. He took another bus back to the hospital.
"Visiting hours are not until later." The nurse said when Louis tried to sign in. Luckily Gosha was nearby and greeted Louis with a hug.
"Could you let him in just this once?" Gosha asked. "He just wanted to visit my grandson. I thought it would be nice because we get so few visitors." His voice was sickly sweet. The nurse slowly gave in to his elderly charm and let Louis through. As they walked away from the front desk, Gosha gave Louis a wink, who was impressed that someone related to Legosi could be so devious.
Louis sat down next to Legosi and pulled out his laptop and began doing his homework.
"That looks tough." Gosha said, watching Louis complete equations on screen.
"Kind of. It's easy when you have the formulas." Louis tapped his pencil to the formulas written at the top of his notebook paper.
"Although I went into the military at you age. We didn't really have a use for that sort of thing."
"I wouldn't have taken you for the military type."
"I was a bit of a troublemaker back in the day." Gosha mused.
"Now I see where Legosi gets it from."
"Luckily he took more of his mothers reserved nature."
"He's never talked about her."
"He'll talk when he's ready."
Louis continued his homework as the sun went down. Gosha asked him questions about the subjects. Louis sensed the loneliness pushing the questions and went into as much detail as possible, happy for the company, himself. This became their routine. Day by day, keeping each other company by Legosi's bedside.
Haru came in when she was able. Only once did she bring Juno, who became a wreck as soon as she entered.. Haru mouthed "Sorry" to Louis as Gosha swooped in to console the weeping wolf. Even though she had been much to deal with, when they left, Gosha seemed to glow a little. Louis couldn't tell if it was interacting with new and young faces or finding out that his grandson had others who cared for him. Or something else entirely.
One night, Louis was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. The late nights and early mornings, finally getting to him. Gosha was telling him about some of the children in his neighborhood. Louis didn't really hear what he was saying, his mind craving sleep. A knock woke him up. They both got up to face the horse that had just stepped in. Louis recognized him immediately. He prepared himself if he made a move towards the bed.
"You must be Louis." He stuck out his hand. "I've read a lot about you. I personally think you would have made a wonderful Beastar."
Louis shook the horses hand. His grip had ungodly strength. The compliment from a former hero sat funny in his stomach.
"What do you want, Yafya?" Gosha not as much asking as much as he was telling Yafya to leave.
"I wanted to see how Legosi was doing." Louis wasn't sure if it was guilt that he heard in Yafya's voice.
"I think you should leave."
"I need to talk to you," He glanced over at Louis. "Outside."
Anger blazed in Gosha's eyes as he followed the horse. With nothing left, Louis sat down and checked Legosi for any reactions to the unwelcome company. He wondered how Yafya and Gosha knew each other and what was with Legosi's family. The thoughts became muddled as his eyes closed and his head slumped forward.
He opened his eyes to find a blanket covering him. And all of the hair covering it. Disgusted, he stood up quickly, letting the blanket fall to the ground. He looked over to Legosi's bed. Empty. His heart pounded.
"Where is the patient?" A nurse stood in the doorway.
"How did you lose a patient?!"
"Weren't you in here with him?"
She ran out to warn the other nurses. Louis picked up the blanket and set it on the bed.
"Where did you go?" He whispered and ran off after the nurse. Surely there was something he could do to help. The nurse was far ahead of him and turned outside because of a commotion. Louis went out the door to find her scolding Yafya and Gosha, like a couple of children.
She quickly turned and passed Louis, almost bumping into him on her way back to the hospital. "Fighting at a time like this, honestly!" She hissed under her breath.
Louis walked up to them, in the middle of a hushed argument.
"We have to go find him!" Yafya hissed.
"I'm sure he'll show back up at the hospital if we just wait."
Yafya, not understanding that he wasn't getting his way, continued. "I have men out looking for him now. We will go to assist with the search effort."
Gosha, seeing that there was no way of stopping him, begrudgingly followed. Louis tagged along. If they were to find Legosi, he was going to be there.
To say the limo ride was uncomfortable was an understatement. Louis could feel the history between the two, pulling the atmosphere taught. He held his breath, not wanting to disturb the volatile environment. Gosha and Louis sat across from Yafya. The horse looked forward, seeming not to notice.
They drifted wordlessly through the streets. Louis' eyes began to droop again. Every time he saw a gray tail in the crowd, they perked up. Still nothing.
Until Yafya picked up his phone.
"Ok." He said, putting it back down and looking over at the other two. "He's turned up at the hospital." Gosha's fist clenched against his leg.
Louis almost leapt out of the vehicle when they arrived. The energy between them had become suffocating. He ran into the building and towards Legosi's room.
"You need to sign in sir!" A couple of nurses tried to stop him as he ran past. He skidded into the room. Legosi jumped, spinning around. Louis was already on him, with a hug.
"Louis, that hurts." Legosi groaned.
"Sorry." He said, removing himself. Gosha and Yafya entered soon after.
"Are you alright?" You gave us quite the scare." Gosha said.
"I'm fine." Legosi assured. He looked to Yafya standing in the doorway. "I'd like to talk with you alone."
Yafya nodded, and they left Gosha and Louis. The komodo dragon had calmed down now that Legosi was alright. They sat down and waited.
"I'm sorry for how I was acting." Gosha said. "Legosi's all I have."
Louis put an understanding palm on his shoulder.
Yafya and Legosi returned and Gosha pushed the horse back out to talk with him. While, they talked, Louis signed Legosi out and paid his bills.
"I can pay." Legosi complained.
Louis raised an eyebrow and handed the nurse his card. He grabbed Legosi's hand, reveling in how it squeezed back. The nurse gave them a stack of pamphlets on care for the next few weeks.
"Looks like I'll have to grab some supplies at my place first." He said, looking over the cleaning instructions. "I don't think you'll be able to do some of this stuff on your own."
Legosi was perfectly capable of doing it on his own. Louis just didn't trust him to do it well. That, and he wasn't ready to let Legosi out of his sight.
Gosha came out into the waiting room. Yafya had not followed, much to Louis' pleasure. "Are you two leaving already?"
"We're about to get a cab if you'd like to join us." Louis offered. "I need someone to make sure Legosi gets home while I grab some stuff at my place."
Gosha smiled and left with them. The cool morning breeze made Louis realize how much he wanted to shower. He raised his arm and one of the idle taxis pulled up to them. Gosha got in first, Legosi got in the middle, despite having the longest legs. Louis got in last and gave the addresses to the dormitory and Legosi's apartment.
It was a quiet ride. All the way to Louis' dorm, they sat in their cramped silence. Louis was almost relieved when it was his stop.
"I'll meet you at your place."
Legosi nodded.
"I'll make sure he stays out of trouble." Gosha winked.
Few students were out on the campus. Most, including himself, had opted out of weekend classes. The dorms, however, were not empty. His hallway was filled with students visiting and making plans. He squeezed past them and into his room.
He grabbed a duffle bag and began tossing in anything he thought he would need. Most were items he was sure Legosi didn't have and wasn't going to buy it. After grunting to get multiple pillows zipped up into the bulging bag, he headed out the door and got another cab. As he neared the Back Alley Market, he put on a baseball cap and slipped on a pair of sunglasses.
The strap cut into his shoulder as he climbed the steps. By the time he had reached Legosi's floor, he was wheezing. He was starting to see the benefits of mandatory exercise in high school.
Legosi's door was unlocked when he tried it. Louis rolled his eyes and went in. Gosha and Legosi were sitting around the box that Louis had tried multiple times to get rid of. Gosha got up and squeezed Louis.
"I think you'll make a wonderful addition to the family." He whispered.
Louis' face grew hot as Gosha moved towards the door. "We're going to be ordering food here soon, if you'd like to stay longer."
Gosha opened the door. "I should get going. I know it's not cool to be hanging out with your grandfather." He chuckled. "But maybe I could convince you guys to catch up with an old reptile over lunch?"
"We'd love to." Louis said.
Gosha left before his grin got any bigger.
"I take it you told him." Louis said, sitting down by the box. Legosi nodded. Louis wanted to get mad at him. Yell at him. Punch him. "I'm glad you're ok."
Legosi smiled.
"Ok, let's get that wound redressed and then get you something to eat."
Legosi lifted up his shirt. Louis began to peel away the bandages. He winced at the sight of the wound. The skin had been torn up where the bullet had entered Legosi's body. Yet another scar.
"Sorry." Legosi said.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I made you worry."
"I'm always going to worry about you. So don't get shot again."
He dabbed the wound with a cloth and then put some gauze over it. He got in close to wrap a bandage around his middle. Legosi's breath hit the back of his neck
"Let's order some food." He said, leaving Legosi to gingerly put on his shirt. He took out his phone and opened up Zuber Eats. Legosi's head rested on Louis' shoulder, watching him scroll through the options. "See anything you like?"
He tapped the screen with his nail.
"This will be your first meal in a week, and you want an egg sandwich?"
"It's not my first. I ate when I left the hospital this morning."
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You looked peaceful."
Louis rolled his eyes and ordered two sandwiches for Legosi as well as a salad for himself. Legosi's arms and legs snaked around Louis and hugged him from behind. His cheek rubbed against Louis'.
"I'm so glad you're ok." Louis whispered again. He slowly rubbed Legosi's arm in gentle strokes. His palm running over old scars. Legosi pulled Louis' thin body in tighter. Louis closed his eyes, never wanting it to end. A knock at the door made Louis check his phone.
"Food's here." He said crawling out of Legosi's embrace and walked over to the door. A little aardvark handed Louis a plastic bag with a smiley face on it.
"You really need to get an actual table." He said, setting the food down on the box. He pulled out Legosi's sandwiches and his salad. "How's your sandwich?" Louis tore the lid from his salad.
"Mm." Legosi mumbled. His eyes were less focused than before. The wolf struggled to eat and fight sleep at the same time.
"Let's get you to bed." Louis chuckled.
"I can finish." Legosi whispered, hands in his lap, still holding onto the sandwich.
Louis helped him up, and put the sandwich down. "You can finish tomorrow."
"Ok."
Louis laid him down on his back, tucking him in. He pulled out the extra pillows from his duffle bag and set them on the bed. He gingerly lifted Legosi's head and propped it up with another pillow. He cleaned up the food, putting it in the mini fridge. He didn't bother taking his clothes off before turning off the lights and climbing into bed.
"I can stay up with you, if you want." Legosi mumbled, eyes half open.
"Are you sure about that?" Louis asked, rubbing Legosi's cheek. His fingers rubbed deeper into his fur.
"Mmm." Legosi leaned into Louis' hand. His breathing became slow and heavy.
Louis watched Legosi sleep. Gosha's words created a warmth in his chest that buzzed through his entire body. "A part of the family." He whispered. He couldn't help but grin as he laid down and hugged Legosi's arm. He slowly drifted off, Legosi safe in his arms.