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Chapter Text

I am a fifth year Law & Political Science Joint Honours major at the University of Kagiso. My name is Louis.

The name’s Legoshi. I’m studying at Kagiso U. I'm in my first year of my BEd. My undergrad was in the Interdisciplinary Arts.

I am an intern at Yamaguchi Law, the forefront leading Common Law firm in Kagiso. One day I will graduate to the role of Partner.

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I know I can seem, uh, intimidating, to some, but kids tend to love me for that reason. Kids don’t judge. Or, er, they do, but not in the way adults do.

Louis sits in his Civil Procedures class, in a seat towards the end of one of the middle rows. He takes notes by hand, paying close attention to what his prof has to say. He knows there are eyes on him. He doesn’t blame them- his horns are gleaming and standing proudly.

Legoshi sits in his Learning Theories and Practices in Inclusive Classrooms Part One class, in a seat in the middle of a row right at the back of the class. His right leg is bouncing up and down beneath the desk, and he can’t help it. He’s worried about the report due tonight for his Curriculum Planning, Implementation and Assessment Part Two class. He has to finish writing the conclusion, adjust the bibliography, add a cover page, not to mention edit the whole thing. He can’t fathom why he decided to leave it to the last minute again. He thought he’d agreed with himself to leave his penchant for procrastination in his undergrad.

Louis’ lecture had wrapped up, and he had twenty minutes to get to Juridical Political Thought. He had been schmoozing with that professor, so he needed to get there at least three minutes early to uphold his image. He collected his things quickly, gracefully tucking them into his brown satchel, avoiding the eyes wandering over his toned body. He had his way across campus mapped out in his head.

Legoshi was infinitely glad that his lecture was over. He had the rest of the day free, and was on his way back to his apartment in order to get his report done. He had to catch the bus on the North-East side of campus in fifteen minutes. He made sure his head was bowed as he waited for his classroom to clear, not wanting to stand out at all.

Louis kept his head forward, his back straight as he walked down the hallways, a blank expression on his well-featured face. He smiled back at various peers who smiled at him, probably making their days. He was halfway through Kamryn, the Health Sciences building, when he saw him.

Legoshi kept his head low, his shoulders rounded as he passed through the corridors. If he could have one power, he would choose invisibility. No matter how much he tried to conceal his large stature, it was unavoidable. He had big, bulky headphones on, mostly to protect his sensitive ears from outside noise. Soft acoustic singer/songwriter nonsense was playing faintly through them. He kept his eyes trained on the floor in front of him.

Louis was taken by the sheer height of the beast in front of him. Even with his head down, his ears turned back, his back hunched over, carrying a too-big black backpack, he stood a head taller than all of the other beasts in the hallway. He shook his head slightly, knowing that what he was about to do would be insane had he been anybody else. But he was not. He was Louis, the future Beastar.

Legoshi was caught off guard by the beautiful deer who had just grabbed his bicep. He almost stopped walking due to the shock of it all. “O-o-oh!” He stuttered. Despite everything, he kept walking. He tried to pretend everything was normal, that he was normal. He tried not to stare at the other man’s wide eyes or his proud horns.

“Hello, my name is Louis. I am studying under Professor Gwynedd Richmond, and we are looking for research participants for a political research trial. You, sir, seem like you have opinions to share.” Louis told him confidently, maintaining his grip on his arm, almost holding him in place.

“Uh… I don’t know about that. I- I don’t have a lot to say,” Legoshi responded in a low, cautious tone.

“Nevermind that. There’s an intake session at Cathalan, tomorrow at 4pm. Be there.” Louis told him, before veering off down a hallway to the left, leaving Legoshi to overthink the subtext of that interaction for the next day. Louis was proud of having come up with that bullshit on the spot. He was at the top of his game, he thought, as he rerouted his way towards his next class.

Legoshi was a complete and utter mess. He desperately tried to shake off this feeling of unrest. The place where Louis had touched him was tingling. He went over Louis’ words in his head, picking through them relentlessly. As he went down one of the staircases, he stopped. He took a deep breath, trying to center himself. It didn’t work. It felt like the walls of the staircase were closing in on him. Why would Louis seek him out of all animals? Did it seem like he had opinions to offer? Did he seem overly opinionated? And what about how he’d responded? His stutter had been overwhelming. He wanted to die right there.

In the end, Legoshi missed his bus, and just walked home instead of waiting for the next one. The whole time, he wracked his brain, trying to add some sense to that interaction which had confused him so much. Meanwhile, Louis was sat in Juridical Political Thought, absolutely content with himself. It even showed in his notes, his cursive overly curly and swoopy. In his mind, everything was as it should be. He felt as though he had been given a new sense of purpose with the meeting to look forward to. He had no doubt that the wolf would show up. He knew that his charismatic pull was too strong to resist.

Chapter Text

It was two o'clock, and Legoshi was feeling restless. He didn't have any classes today at the university, as there had been a horrible thunderstorm early that morning, taking down powerlines and flooding streets. Subsequently, all his classes had been moved online. This would normally be cause for celebration, as there was nothing Legoshi loved more than getting to stay in his apartment all day.

But today was different. He had a meeting to get to. What would that pretty deer think of him if he missed it? What if they one day bumped into each other again in the hallways, and the deer glared at him for having stood him up? He couldn't live with himself if he did that to another animal. No, we would face the weather and get to campus in order to see that deer. He had promised to, after all.

That’s how Legoshi found himself sitting at a table in Cathalan at 3:45, looking out the window at the few animals on campus rushing from building to building, avoiding the giant puddles on the ground. Legoshi didn’t have galoshes of any kind. His runners were his only option. He made a mental note to go shoe shopping later during the season when the sales came out. But his slightly wet paws would be inconsequential compared to how much he’d be beating himself up if he’d just stayed home.

He kept glancing at the time on his phone, trying not to let the time get to him, yet letting his mind run absolutely wild anyways. At 3:52 the table was practically vibrating due to how fast Legoshi was bouncing his leg up and down. He mentally chastised himself for being so childlike, and willed himself to calm down. He needed to make a good impression on this deer. That was the whole point of coming here to meet him.

At 4:03 the object of his desire appeared through the glass doors of the building, shaking the water off of a retractable black umbrella. His big hazel eyes scanned the building which had been deserted for the day, before landing on Legoshi’s figure. The wolf tried not to seem too enthusiastic as he waved to the deer. Louis nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. He was going to have fun.

Louis walked over to where Legoshi had stationed himself, making sure to keep perfect posture. He gracefully slid into the seat across from him, placing his hands on the table to seem more approachable. Legoshi made a comment about the weather, and Louis replied affirmatively, fulfilling the necessary pre-conversational discussion quota. There was a beat that passed as the two of them analyzed the other.

They both spoke at the same time. “So what was the research you were doing?” Legoshi had asked. “There is no research” Louis had supplemented. All of this was lost on them, of course. Louis tilted his head down slightly, eying Legoshi. “S-sorry. What was that?” Legoshi asked. “I said, there is no research project.” Louis told him, eyes baring right into him. “Oh.” Legoshi revelled. He took a beat. “So why did you want to meet me here?” Legoshi asked, slightly glancing at the greyness from outside. “A-and, I’m so sorry to ask, but what did you say your name was?” Legoshi forced himself to look at Louis.

Louis shook his head. “My name is Louis. I just wanted to get to know you.” He explained, assertively laying all his cards out on the table. Legoshi stared at him, a blush creeping across his cheeks. “O-oh! Okay. Um, my name is Legoshi. By the way.” The wolf supplemented. To that, Louis made a sound of acknowledgement. “Er, what’s your major?” Legoshi asked him, trying to make this conversation less awkward. “Law & Political Science Joint Honours major, fifth year.” Louis replied simply. “Oh, cool. I’m also a fifth year, technically. I finished my undergrad last year, so now I’m working on my BEd. I wanna be an elementary school teacher.” Louis waited for him to stop talking before nodding.

“So, Legoshi, tell me, what motivates you? What makes you tick?” Louis asked, slightly tilting his head to the side. Legoshi’s eyes grew wide as he inhaled a deep breath. “I dunno.” Louis had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Legoshi rested his head on his hand, looking thoughtfully out the window as he considered his imminent answer. “I think… the way that a kid’s face lights up when they realize that I’m an animal just like them. That’s what keeps me going, I guess.” Legoshi turned his head to look at Louis, looking for acceptance.

Louis didn’t miss a beat. “That’s quite noble of you, Legoshi.” The wolf’s breath caught in his throat at the utterance of his name. How delicate it sounded in the deer’s mouth, steady and deep. How he wished to have Louis calling his name. He could imagine it: heavy breath, hot skin, wetness. “... Legoshi.” Louis finished. Legoshi snapped back into reality.

“Uh, sorry. I… I didn’t quite catch that.” Legoshi explained. Louis looked at him knowingly. Louis kept at that for a while, holding Legoshi in his gaze, who was increasingly losing his composure. He knew he had been caught, and that was almost thrilling to him. Louis knew exactly what was happening to him. Louis wanted to laugh, wanted to cry. In the end, he expressed nothing at all.

“It’s wet outside. Why don’t we go back to your place?” Louis repeated, voice low and firm. Legoshi’s heart soared. He had no choice but to say “Yeah, sure.” Louis once again nodded his head, pleased with his work. “We’ll take my car. Let’s go.” Louis offered as he slid out of his seat, walking towards the exit without checking to see if Legoshi was following. He knew he was. How could he not?

Chapter Text

Louis stalked into Legoshi’s apartment haughtily. Slipping his loafers off onto the front carpet, he glanced around, taking in his new surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the decor.

Warm woods, picture frames everywhere. House plants scattered throughout the living space. It was small and lived-in, yet undeniably charming. It was homey.

Louis let his eyes trail back to the owner of the space, who he could sense was watching his every move. Probably even discreetly sniffing the air to gauge his shifting pheromones. When Louis' eyes found Legoshi’s, and held them, he knew in his soul that he was right. He always was.

Legoshi looked away, shy. Louis chuckled, deeper than would be natural for a deer of his size. The wolf seemed caught off guard by the sound, but he was caught off guard by everything. Louis truly had chosen the perfect target. Tall, generous, kind, self-loathing, and all that topped by killer instincts.

Louis took a step towards an innocent spiderplant. “Uh, t-that one's name is Eve.” Legoshi rushed to supply him with, his large hand scratching the back of his head nervously. Louis looked at him long and hard. “Eve, you say?” Louis looked between Legoshi and the plant. Gingerly, he picked up the pot, admiring the subtle intricacies. Quaint, handmade. Terracotta. Louis noticed a warmth blooming in Legoshi's hunter eyes. He knew that look. He knew it well, in fact. Without any hesitation, Louis dropped the pot. It smashed on the wooden floor with a resounding clunk. Big pieces of bronze coloured clay were upon the floor in various directions, the soil spilling about the dark wood, earth tones blending into each other. Legoshi inhaled deeply, in utter shock and terror. He could not believe what he had just seen. Louis kept his eyes trained on him, examining his reaction.

After standing there pathetically, Legoshi rushed to the plant’s aid. He was on his knees, sweeping the dirt into a heap on the floor. Cradling the plant like it was his baby. “No, no, no, no, no!” He exclaimed. He could barely look up at Louis, but he forced himself to after this transgression. All in the name of Eve. “Why did you do that?” He asked. But he didn't think that he wanted to know the answer to that question.

Louis looked down in contempt. Utter disgust. After studying Legoshi's tearful eyes, Louis chuckled once again. He leaned down slightly, not much. Just enough to caress the wolf's jaw. “You imbecilic faggot.” Louis whispered to him. Legoshi's eyes widened, once again shocked by Louis’ vulgar behaviour. “W-what?” Legoshi stammered. Louis scoffed in his face. “What?” He repeated confidently. “Do you need me to repeat that for you? You. Imbecilic. Faggot.” He said, enunciating each. Damn. Syllable. Louis took his hands off of Legoshi's jaw sharply, suddenly. He stood up, straightened himself out. He looked around once more, no longer feigning interest in the place he stood in. “Tell me, why am I here, Legoshi?” Louis asked, though he already knew the response. Of course he did. The both of them knew, yet they were both unwilling to speak it aloud. All of the sudden, Louis looked back down at Legoshi. “Stand the fuck up,” he commanded. Legoshi immediately did as he asked, standing at attention, still cradling Eve in his arms. “Drop the fucking plant.” Louis told him. And so Legoshi did. He dropped Eve like a loyal dog drops a stick at the park at the beckoning of his owner. “Come here, boy.” Louis commanded, uncharacteristically gently. Legoshi nervously approached.

He was careful to step over Eve's remains on the ground. Louis' hand reached up to pet him behind the ears. Legoshi couldn't help it. The touch made his tail move- swing back and forth rhythmically. He couldn't deny the happiness that it brought him, despite Eve's mangled body laying right below his paws. Suddenly, Louis grabbed a tuft of his fur and pulled his face right in front of his own snout. “Show me why I'm here.” Louis growled. Legoshi's eyes widened for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past five minutes. He was struck by the man in front of him, in more ways than one. He knew what he was being commanded to do, yet he couldn't fathom that Louis even wanted any part of his banal existence. It was at that moment that Louis leaned up and kissed him.

The kiss was rough. Their teeth bashed against each other. Legoshi was scared of his canines ripping Louis' flesh. But Louis didn't seem to care. He didn't seem bothered by the imminent danger that Legoshi's teeth posed him. No, he kept going. Harder. Deeper. And before he knew it, Louis’ tongue had slipped inside his own mouth. Moving rhythmically, grasping at his own tongue, winning the fight for dominance. Not that Legoshi put up much of a fight. Legoshi was beside himself. He wanted this badly, but at what cost was it coming? He supposed it didn't matter. All that mattered was pleasing Louis at the moment. So he kissed back. He kissed back with all that he had, all that he could give. Thankfully, Louis seemed receptive to this… in a way. He pawed at Legoshi's neck, almost in a strangling motion. Legoshi did not know what Louis was capable of, but he had gotten a taste of it. However surprisingly it came, he desperately wanted more.

Legoshi removed his arms from his sides and placed them on Louis’ hips, maneuvering him onto the couch. It was covered in a soft leaf green fabric with a hand-knit coral blanket covering the back. The blanket fell right off as the two men crashed into the structure, Louis sitting down with Legoshi awkwardly kneeling over him, one knee in between his legs.

“Down, boy.” Louis commands, and immediately, Legoshi is on his knees in front of him, at his mercy.

Louis looks down at Legoshi expectantly. Legoshi seems to take his cue, and begins using his long blue claws to reach for Louis' belt buckle. He's surprised when Louis' paw swats his away. “No.” he tells him. Legoshi is at a loss. If he didn't want this, what did he want?

Louis reached down and pulled Legoshi by the ear to meet his face. He kissed him once more, but this time it was slower, much more intentional. He infused his movements with a fire, an unnamed passion. It captivated the wolf to no end. Just when he was getting used to the exchange, Louis pulled away, but not before grabbing onto the yoke of his shirt.

“Show me to your bedroom,” he commanded as he pulled Legoshi up after him. “Er, it’s t-that way,” Legoshi said lamely as he tried to take Louis’ hand in his to lead him down a short corridor. Louis slithered his paw out of the contact, shaking it out and wiping it on his pants, as if Legoshi was diseased.

Legoshi's gaze rivaled that of Orpheus with the amount that he looked behind him on the short trot to his bedroom. He was hunched over, trying to meet Louis’ height, wondering what his end goal was with making him suffer like this. Louis, on the other hand, was standing tall, looking straight forward, letting no emotion show on his well-harmonized face. Legoshi opened the door with one strong arm, allowing Louis to step inside before him. A common courtesy that Louis seemed to decide befitted his ephemeral presence.

Then Louis turned to him coldly. “Strip.” he said. So Legoshi did. He peeled his shirt over his head, following by his trousers. He hesitated at his boxers, but after glancing back to meet Louis' unchanging glare, he went through with it. After all, he would do anything to please Louis. He was gifting him his time.

Louis stared at Legoshi's now exposed body, analyzing every part, every extremity with a discerning eye. Legoshi felt evaluated, judged like a piece of salted meat at the butcher's. But none of that mattered once Louis stepped forwards, taking Legoshi's space for himself. Legoshi leaned down to kiss him again, taking this invasion as an invitation. But Louis quickly maneuvered his lips out of the way, so that Legoshi ended up missing his mark and kissing his cheek messily instead. Legoshi's vision temporarily turned blurry out of utter shame at this horrible development. He was anything but smooth. He was an oaf, especially compared to the angelic beauty in his presence. Whom he still didn't understand how he currently had in his bedroom.

Louis took him roughly by the scruff on the back of his neck, and practically threw him onto the bed. Legoshi could feel his blood rush downwards, but much to his dismay, there was no longer anything to hide it with. Louis gently pulled his sweatervest over his head and placed it on a chair. “It's Saint Laurent,” he explained. “Oh, o-okay.” Legoshi replied from where he remained sprawled on his bed.

Louis took his time approaching Legoshi, who gulped in anticipation. Louis’ eyes were laser focused, obviously planning something nefarious. A chill ran down Legoshi's spine, feeling Louis’ ill intentions and being all the more drawn to him.

With all the elegance in the world, Louis slid on top of Legoshi. He grabbed his muzzle in what now felt an almost comforting gesture, and kissed him. First soft, then hard. He bit down on his lower lip, causing Legoshi's heart to be filled with an emotion too dangerous to name.

Being so drawn to the kiss, Legoshi barely noticed Louis’ calm hands sliding all over his torso, familiarizing themselves with the curves of his body. Legoshi had always been ashamed of his physicality, being tall and lithe with little muscle or fat. Louis, on the other hand, was an example of the perfectly healthy masculine body. Wonderfully balanced, strong yet not overly so. Legoshi wished he possessed the natural grace that Louis had been blessed with.

Louis took hold of Legoshi's right nipple, teasing it between his long fingers. Legoshi gasped into the kiss in surprise. Louis took advantage of this in order to withdraw from the kiss, instead placing a trail of kisses from Legoshi's jaw down to his neck. That's where he started biting and sucking, with no gentleness whatsoever. He was cruel about it. Despotic. Legoshi's head rolled back as ragged breaths clawed their way out of his throat, breathing through the pleasurable pain. Everything about Louis' touch set him on fire.

Soon Louis was at his nipple, biting down so hard that Legoshi expected blood. He had a ferocious hunger that went far beyond what Legoshi had expected from a herbivore. He felt tears burn his eyes as Louis’ teeth sank further into his skin, marking him. Louis suddenly held his head up, feeling Legoshi's emotions intuitively. He wiped his eyes gently, surprising Legoshi with how kind he was being. Then Louis’ eyes hardened, and he spat out, “turn around.”

Louis moved out of the way so that Legoshi could move to being flat on his stomach. His eyes were trained on Louis, who was now behind him, straddling him. Louis’ teeth sank into his left thigh, making him groan. He sucked that spot so long that Legoshi knew that the evidence of this night would remain. Louis eventually made his way farther up his leg, Legoshi shaking so much in the process that Louis had no choice but to hold him down, tightly. The indents of Louis’ rounded fingernails on his thigh alone were enough to leave Legoshi breathless. He wasn't prepared for what Louis did next.

In a long line, Louis licked from his thigh all the way up to his asshole. Using his hands to spread Legoshi's cheeks, Louis’ tongue teased the outside of the hole, almost mockingly. Then, it slipped inside. Legoshi's body tensed around the unfamiliar feeling, but he had no choice but to accept it as Louis’ tongue started dancing inside of him.

Legoshi was infinitely glad that he was on his stomach, his dick under him, concealed. He could feel it wetting uncontrollably with precum. And once again, just as Legoshi was starting to relax into Louis’ gestures, he pulled away from him. Legoshi snapped out of his reverie and locked eyes with Louis, who was wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, looking disgusted. He then spit into his hand, ridding himself of Legoshi's horrible flavour. Legoshi's eyes fell, feeling sorry for having taken pleasure in something that Louis obviously didn't enjoy himself.

That's when he let out a surprised gasp. Louis had fingers inside of him, and began thrusting them in and out rhythmically. Legoshi started unconsciously bucking his hips into the movement, absolutely content. Louis’ fingers curled as they planted themselves inside him, and Legoshi let out a sound so lewd he could not believe it had come from him. Louis became a blur behind him as the pleasure fogged his perception.

That's when the fingers withdrew. “N-n-no,” he breathed, shocked by his own ragged speech. Louis smirked at him, the first smile he had seen on his face since he'd grabbed his arm in the hallway on campus. Nevermind all the things that Louis had done to him thus far- that was the most breathtaking action Louis had bestowed upon him.

Legoshi had been so wrapped up in appreciating Louis that he was shattered by the pain that emerged from his rectum. Louis leaned forward, pinning Legoshi into the bed. “Shhh, baby. Don't tense up.” He whispered into his ear. Legoshi, ever the sheep, followed the directions. “Good job, baby. You're doing so well.” Louis rewarded him as he pushed himself farther into Legoshi. He patted the sides of his ribcage gently, moving his hands in soothing motions. Once Legoshi had settled around him, Louis began to move slowly. The wolf grabbed his bedsheets like they were life buoys, but nothing could save him from the ecstasy he was beginning to feel at the hands of Louis. Legoshi let out sounds that sounded alien to even himself, but he heard Louis chuckling as he pumped him. “Cunt.” Louis muttered under his breath. If Legoshi heard him, he didn't care. The air was too filled with his abhorrent sounds of appreciation.

“M-m-more, Louis” Legoshi dared to ask between thrusts. Louis peered down at his meek form, deciding what to do. He didn't stop moving, but he leaned down, using his hands to pin Legoshi's own hands on either side. “You'll do what I tell you to, whore.” Louis rasped. He then bit down on the back of his neck, cruel and unforgiving. Legoshi whimpered slightly, the pain mixing with the pleasure. At that moment, from that position, Louis’ thrusts met their mark. Legoshi began twitching from under him, unable to control his own body. Louis let out a chilling laugh, watching Legoshi become undone from beneath him as he continued to hit that spot relentlessly.

“Slut! Say my name!” Louis commanded. “L-Louis!” Legoshi replied shyly. “Louder!” Louis pressed him. Through continual hits of chemicals, Legoshi channeled all his remaining sense to howl “Louis!” right as his body gave out. With a last twitch, Legoshi leaked his fluids onto his sheets, breathing out in a ragged sigh.

Louis scoffed from where he was, and continued taking deep thrusts from within him. It wasn't over until Louis deemed it appropriate. So Louis kept moving until not long after, he reached his own limit. With a controlled grunt, he released his fluid inside Legoshi, letting it bloom there as if that was its rightful place. He quickly pulled out, and buckled his pants. All while Legoshi took shallow breaths beneath him, dazed by all the feelings he had just had the pleasure of experiencing because of Louis.

The deer climbed off of his mount, and sat beside him, waiting for the wolf to once again come to his senses. In the meantime, he went on his phone to check his emails, and proofread one of his upcoming papers. Just as he was adding a semicolon to one of his previous sentences, Legoshi stirred from beside him. Louis rolled his eyes unabashedly.

“That was… amazi-” Legoshi started, before being harshly interrupted by Louis’ cold tone. “Go take a shower; clean yourself up. You're disgusting.” And so Legoshi got up and limped towards his bathroom, daring to glance at Louis, who had his muzzle buried in his phone. Legoshi sighed, taking note of the sweet scent of release that marked the air.

Whatever had just happened, he was too happy, too content to overanalyze it to death. He smiled softly as he turned the shower's dial, making the water as hot as he could handle. He had just proved that he could handle quite a lot.

Chapter Text

Legoshi stepped under the stream of hot water, exhaling slightly. His mind ran through all the events of the afternoon. He wasn’t sure what time it was. He was so pleased, yet so caught by surprise by the whole situation. He hadn’t been expecting any of this to happen, yet Louis seemed to have it all planned out. He was so smart, so handsome.

As he passed the suds over his fur, he remembered Louis’ tongue passing over it as well. He inhaled deeply, savouring that thought. He took inventory of all the marks Louis had generously left on his skin. One, two, three, four… he’d lost count after eleven. He shuddered with the excitement of living with these marks for at least the next week. He would cherish them until the next time.

When would the next time be? Legoshi needed there to be a next time. He couldn’t imagine there wouldn't be one- he’d done exactly what Louis asked of him, and that seemed to please the pretty deer. He knew his body wasn’t nearly as perfect as his, but he seemed to be able to satisfy Louis enough… Or, was that really true? What about how Louis swatted his hand away from his trousers? Well, maybe he just didn’t want oral sex. But he had been fine performing it himself. Surely it wasn’t because he anticipated Legoshi being incapable, right?

And the missed kiss. Legoshi buried his head in his hands, trying to shake the memory out of his head. But it was in there. Ugh. He couldn’t believe he’d messed up that badly. Not only was it embarrassing, but it was also something that was impossible to forget. Legoshi’s entire life had been full of embarrassing moments, executed by his own hand. He was usually able to soothe himself by reminding himself that he was the only one obsessing over his overly stupid actions. But this was different. He knew Louis had deemed him slow.

He had a good time, evidently, but did Louis? He had come too, so that was a good sign. But only after Legoshi did. Some time after, actually. What did that mean for Legoshi? What should he have done differently? Why did Louis insist on being the top? Did he not trust Legoshi to do him right? Why had any of it happened in the way he did?

Not to mention Eve! What had that been about? Legoshi got upset just thinking about it, imagining her exposed roots sitting on the wooden floors while he was being satiated in his comfortable bed. Even now, she was still lying there, helpless. He needed to save her. He was sure it was all just a misunderstanding on his part. Louis had put aside time in his busy day to be with Legoshi, a stranger. He was a good guy. A kind man.

Legoshi quickly washed the rest of his body, being especially gentle. He was still quite exhausted from their activities. But he needed to transfer Eve into a new pot ASAP. She deserved as much care as any other living thing.

Legoshi stepped out of the shower and padded back into his room, surprised to remark that Louis was gone. Legoshi was taken over by sadness, before worry took its place. He removed himself from the doorframe, and rushed past Eve to the bay window that framed his living room, looking outside with concern. It was still raining. Not as heavily as before, but still a worrying amount. He sincerely hoped Louis was okay, driving in the rain. Although he didn’t seem very worried on the drive there. He was ever so confident. He always seemed in control. It was breathtaking.

Legoshi snapped out of his reverie, turning his attention to Eve. A frown appeared on his face, thinking about how uncomfortable Eve must be outside her pot. He began wracking his brain for his collection of pots, deciding which one would be the best to put her into. He decided on a mid-sized speckle-glazed eggshell number. Big enough to allow her room to grow, and neutral enough to let her beautiful tinted leaves shine.

Obviously Louis wasn’t a plant dad like he was. If plants weren’t his thing, what was? Certainly not pottery either. Legoshi thought long and hard as he took the time to clean the soil off his floor. He finally settled on either photography or cooking. He could imagine Louis with a collection of mirrorless DSLRs and adaptable cinematographic lenses. He could also see the deer moving around a modern monochromatic kitchen with ease, dicing vegetables and sauteing them to make some sort of impressive vegetarian dish. He longed to know more about the ravishing man.

Finally, Eve was repotted. Legoshi admired his fine work, mentally apologizing on Louis’ behalf for that misunderstanding. Leaving her back on her designated shelf, he went to go prepare dinner for himself. A mushroom and cheese omelet. Nothing fancy, but just enough to sustain him. Louis would not leave his thoughts for the rest of the evening, especially as he settled into his freshly washed sheets that night.

What he didn’t know yet was that Louis had left him a bone.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖⋆.𐙚˚‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

Louis slipped out as Legoshi was in the shower. It wasn’t anything personal, he just had other places to be. Before he left, he wrote his number down on the small whiteboard Legoshi had on the side of his fridge. He knew he'd find it in due time.

He was on his way to his father’s house for dinner. He called him home once a month, just to maintain their relationship. Or so he said. He usually left his father’s house with a brand new reason to kill himself.

Pulling up to his father's five bedroom ten thousand square feet house in the richest borough of Kagiso, Louis steadied himself. He could never be ready for what his father threw at him, but he had to be.

Ogma was already sat at the formal dinner table in the dining room, on the phone with what must've been a business associate. His body language was rigid, yet open, using his hands to gesticulate, punctuate his sentences; he spoke in a harsh, whispered tone. Louis took a deep breath before sitting across from him, taking extra care in making sure his movements were fluid. The last thing he wanted to do was stumble in front of his father.

He collected his hands to sit in front of the table. He allowed his eyes to wander over the decorations in the room. Exactly the same as they had been in his childhood. Dark woods, sconces, ornate flourishes. Ogma had brought Louis into this world with one sole purpose, and it was evident. To succeed. He knew that much.

Ogma gave him a quick hand signal to tell him that he was in the process of wrapping up the call. Louis nodded, for what else could he do? He waited patiently.

Soon the call was over, and Ogma slipped his phone into his pocket. He took a short moment to collect his thoughts before he turned to his only son. “Louis. Thank you for coming.” He started with. “Of course. It’s nice to be home.” Louis responded. There was a beat of silence. Louis waited for his father to pick up the conversation.

“How is school going?” Louis internally cursed this turn, wishing his father would stop with the truisms. He knew his GPA was among the highest in his entire class. Asking was redundant. Louis civilly continued the conversation with his father as the maid brought their meals. Caesar salad and roasted carrots. Louis bided his time, navigating through the changing topics with the ease of someone who was practiced in these kinds of platitudes.

As they neared the end of their meals, Louis knew some sort of bomb was about to be detonated. He ran through the possibilities. His father was no longer contributing to his university fund. His inauguration as the head of Horns Corp. was sooner than he’d ever thought. He was being forced to give up his secret hobby of calligraphy for something more modern.

Louis was beside himself when the actual news reached his ears. “Now, I know you’ve sensed that I have news for you. Louis, in order to continue the lineage of Red Deer at the head of Horns Corp, you will one day need to find a suitable woman. I have gone ahead and done that task for you. Her name is Azuki, and she will be contacting you within the next week.”

Ogma noted how winded Louis seemed after his announcement. He knew it wasn’t good news for the deer, as arranged marriages were seen as overly traditional these days. Yet he was confident in the sense of duty that he had instilled in his son since the day he’d rescued him from the Black Market. He knew what kind of son he’d raised, and that he could be proud of him.

Louis recovered from the news as quickly as he could. He tried not to think of the irony of maintaining the sanctity of Red Deer blood when he had been inside a Grey Wolf not even three hours prior. What’s more, he still saw himself as having come from a marked heritage, having never known his biological parents who had left him to the fate of the Black Market.

The younger deer accepted the responsibility, pleasing his father. The conversation went on after that, but Louis was even less present than he had been to begin with. Finally, Ogma brought his hands together, declaring that he was happy to see his only son doing so well for himself, and that he was looking forward to their next visit. Louis accepted that cue happily, excited to get back to his apartment to decompress. Not only that, but get his readings done for the next week.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖⋆.𐙚˚‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

Louis was a mess the whole trip home. There was no sugarcoating how he felt. He had always known that he would inherit his father’s capital. That wasn’t the worrying thing here. To think that Ogma wanted to have a say in not only his career, but also his partner, was horrifying to him. His entire future had been planned out by that man. If this was his plan from the start, why had he lured Louis into a false sense of freedom by withholding this key part of his future from him? Louis was angered by it all.

The white lights of his building’s parking garage shone through the skylight of his car as he reversed into his spot. He removed his key from the engine and placed his head on the steering wheel, feeling hopeless.

He moved from the parking garage to the elevator and into his apartment on autopilot, his mind elsewhere. He steps into his living room, the sharp corners and monochromatic colour scheme coming together to reflect the coldness that is encircling his heart. He knows that he must do what's right for the company- that's why his father saved him in the first place. But he also knew what he was. There was no denying that.

He sat on one of the metal chairs which accompanied the metal dining table within the odious walls of his space. With his head in his hands, he took shaky breaths. He would figure this out. He always did. He was Louis- he could do anything.

Louis spent the night in various states of compromised dread. He attempted to get through his stack of readings, but his mind was elsewhere. He found himself staring at the pages having internalized nothing of the material. He then tried writing one of his upcoming reports. He didn't get much of that done either. After those strikeouts, he ended up sitting with his thoughts for a while, which ended with him spiraling into a fit of rage.

Louis finally sat down with some parchment and a brush, and tried practicing his calligraphy to calm him down. The thought that he had to put into each stroke took up his entire consciousness, and he was enthralled by the bold black markings that he left on the material. That was, until his eye twitched and he ended up shaking his brush, making an imperfect line. That was it for him. The deer stood up with a start, his knee bumping his desk and the vial of ink splashing about, staining the parchment with putrid little dots. He'd had it.

Louis slipped on a Margiela trenchcoat from Fall/Winter 2008, grabbed his keys, and was back down at his parking spot in an instant. He ignited the ignition and sped off in a sweat, frustratingly furious.

Louis drove himself to the only spot that he could think of- the only spot that made sense. Velveteen Point. This outcrop of land was on the outskirts of the city, in a nature reserve that he'd often travelled to as a teen. When he'd needed space to himself, this spot was there for him. Despite the numerous joggers that were often about. But that usually wasn't the case at night. Although, he'd never been there this late. While he was at the Academy, he'd always had extracurriculars to attend early in the morning, preventing late night traipsing. On top of that, he'd found that in uni, it was always better to wake up before most creatures. It gave him an edge that tended to speak for itself. He couldn't usually afford to do this. But tonight was anything but usual.

So there he was, outstretched on the grass, head against his car's bumper, admiring the lights emitted from the city. He breathed a sigh as he took stock of the emotions he was feeling. Betrayal, ferocity, anger, sadness, fear. Excitement, for what he had planned for Legoshi. That was the only thing he had to look forward to. He wouldn't stop his habit just because he was being forced to marry a fertile woman. Why would he? He was Louis, and he could do anything. Within the bounds of what his father deemed appropriate. He remembered all the interspecies trysts his father had called off over the years. But he couldn’t take everything from him.

Louis paid attention to the hum of the wild mixing in with the coldness in the air. Soon, he had inadvertently been lulled into an innocent sleep. He dreamt of soft pillows and the sound of the city underneath him. He dreamt of verdant moorlands and the delicate taste of celery. He was inconsolably fragile, yet bent on being tougher than leather. He had to be, as the future head of Horns Corp.

Louis awoke to the pale light of the early morning touching his snout. It was maybe 5 or 5:30 on the clock. The valley opened itself up to the light in a welcoming yawn, and Louis was stunned by the sight. He was entranced by the mist which clouded the ground, the softness of the grass on which he sat, the glow of the city, the rustling of the trees. Then came the panic.

He'd slept in the woods. It's a miracle he wasn't fucking kidnapped. His horns could go for a pretty penny. What's more, he’d slept. In. The woods. What was he, some sort of environmental fundamentalist? Fuck no! He was Louis of Horns Corp. and there were certain activities which were simply below him. He stood up only to be greeted with a head rush, which he consequentially ignored in favour of sliding into his car and driving back to the safety of his apartment building.

It was six o'clock when Louis found himself in his building's gym, running on the treadmill as if it could take him from the horrors of what was becoming of his life. It was seven o'clock when he stepped off of the treadmill in a daze, having forgotten most of why he had slept outside in the first place. It was seven thirty when he was finally done with the loaded barbell, and on his way out.

It was seven forty-five when he stepped out of the shower, looking over his emails. Nothing yet, the slobs. It was eight o'clock when he was stood over the stove, making himself a breakfast of porridge and sliced fruit. By eight fifteen he was done eating. By eight thirty his dishes were in the dishwasher rack and he was fully dressed for the day. By eight forty-five, he was at the university, ready for his morning class followed by a block of studying, and then a group tutorial.

It was a little past eleven in the morning when Louis received a text message from an unknown number with an area code outside of that of Kagiso. It was eleven forty-five by the time Louis read it over a steaming cup of black coffee from the hidden campus coffeehouse. It was two o'clock by the time Louis had calmed his angered nerves enough to finally respond to the message.

(XXX) 648 9267: Hi, it's Legoshi. Found your note on my fridge, lol.
Louis: I can see that. How are you?

Though Louis truly did not care how the wolf was doing. He knew that after yesterday, he'd be in some amount of discomfort. That didn't matter to him.

It was almost quarter past two, and Louis was at a late lunch with one of his TAs when he felt a buzz in his pocket, knowing in his bones that it was Legoshi.

Louis went on with his day as per usual, returning to his apartment sometime after nine. The first thing he did was pour himself a glass of water. He looked over his schedule for the following day, deliberately ignoring the message he'd gotten from the wolf several hours earlier. He could wait.

That evening, Louis completed his nighttime routine before settling into his queen-sized bed, appreciating its comfort as opposed to the forest floor. He glowered, thinking of that misfortune. To add to his misery, he was so focused on topics which he now refused to name, that he couldn't fall asleep naturally. Instead, he found himself drifting off to the muffled sound of a geopolitics-themed podcast playing from his phone.

It was six fifty-five ante meridiem when Louis woke up five minutes before his alarm. He went to the gym. He showered. He ate his breakfast and checked his emails. He had no plans which required him to be at the university today, so he got dressed, and took himself to his favourite coffee shop.

Considerably out of the way, actually, fully in a different pocket of the city, Mana Bunaa was a haven for the deer. Delicious, robust coffee sourced from Ethiopia was the serendipitous backdrop for an African-themed café. With straw hut roofs hung from the walls, live plants all about the room, and quaint wooden furniture, Louis was settled into the warm environment. He was further put at peace knowing that there was absolutely no chance that he would meet someone he knew at this café. It was simply too far away from all the hubbub.

Finally in his zone for the first time in what felt like forever, Louis finally decided to put Legoshi at peace.

Legoshi: I'm fine! Thanks for asking. How are you, Louis?
Louis: I'm doing fine.

He set his phone to “do not disturb” before setting it on the table and getting to work. He finished his report, edited another one, sent a few emails, reorganized his schedule, and updated his lecture notes within the next couple hours.

At five, he checked his phone again. A couple banal texts. One from Legoshi. And one from Eugen.

Eugen Taxidermist: Was it Rosney's or Richmond's at 6? I forgot.
Louis: You have the wrong date, my friend. We'd scheduled dinner for next Tuesday at Rosney's.

Louis was proud of his quick thinking. He was on cloud nine, ecstatic of having escaped one of his business meetings. This was great news. Now he had the evening to himself.

Louis got home that evening and poured himself a glass of wine. He felt like he deserved it. He got to work making himself dinner, which consisted of braised collared greens and a variety of sautéd vegetables on a bed of quinoa.

It was as he was dicing the capsicum that he got the feeling. The thought, rather. It would be so easy for his fingers to slip under the knife. More than that, he imagined the knife following his veins up his arm, leaving a mean red streak. He imagined licking the blood- how it would taste. A little bit bitter, maybe. He imagined many more horrific things happening to his body, his orifices, and new ones alike, all sporting blood.

His vision was blurred when he finally looked down again. The hand holding the knife was shaking. He quickly dropped it onto the cutting board. Then, he sunk against his kitchen cabinets, his hands coming up to shield his face from the bright kitchen lights. He kept that position for a long while. Until he finally raised his head, and steeled himself. He made a split-second decision, and was quick with the follow-through. He had to be.

In one swift motion, he brought out his phone and hit “call.” After a few rings, Louis contemplated blaming his call on a butt dial. But that's when the wolf picked up, his breath ragged, his tone surprised.

“Uh, hello.” Legoshi spoke through the receiver. The sound reverberated through Louis’ cold apartment, his cold heart.

“Come over.” Louis said matter-of-factly. Then into the silence, he followed with his address. He could hear Legoshi scrambling to copy it down. “Uh, got it. Okay.” Legoshi responded. And that was all Louis needed to hear before he disconnected the line.

He slowly put the phone down as he forced a shaky smile. He was Louis, and he could have anything he wanted.