FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Anders felt like he was floating through a dream as he approached the school parking lot. The place looked like chaos. Students streamed out onto the buses at the front while black and white police cars littered the side entrance. He could see the uniformed officers bustling about. He wondered which one Nathan was in.

The coyote exited his car and approached the scene. He couldn't keep the phone call that had summoned him here from replaying through his head.

"Doctor Erikson at Briarwood General Hospital. How may I help you?"

"Hello, this is Principal McLawhorn from Briarwood High School. Is this Anders Erikson, Nathan Salt's husband?"

_ "...yes? Is something wrong?"_

_ "I'm afraid there's been an incident at the school. Nathan is currently being arrested for sexually assaulting a student."_

_ "He what?! What happened?"_

_ "I can't give you all the details over the phone. You'll have to come talk to the police."_

_ "I'm on my way."_

_ _ Anders walked onto the scene and felt goosebumps. The whole thing was a blur to him as if he were floating through a dream. As he passed the police cars, he almost thought he felt his husband watching him through one of the windows. He tried to ignore it.

Instead, he found a couple officers and asked, "Excuse me, can you tell me where the student who was assaulted is? I want to talk to him."

The officer stopped his conversation with his colleague and frowned. "He's inside, but I don't think anyone's allowed in. Only friends and family of the victim can talk to him."

"I'm Nathan Salt's husband," Anders insisted. "I just want to give him my condolences, that's all!"

The officer still looked uncertain. "There are other officers inside. Maybe if you ask, they'll let you talk to him."

"Thank you," Anders breathed and moved past them to the entrance. The cool inside air washed away most of the goosebumps, but his heart still raced. He found a few uniformed figures huddled around the nurse's office. "Excuse me, I'm Nathan Salt's husband. Can I talk to the victim?"

They were hesitant, and two of them looked to the third, who eventually replied, "The student isn't fit to talk right now. Maybe you can contact him later."

"Please, I'm not going to bother him. Just talk," Anders said in desperation. Only then did he realize his paws were shaking. He stuffed them both in his pockets. "I'm a doctor. There's a chance I can help."

The third officer hesitated again. "Okay, fine. But don't say anything to upset him. He's pretty shaken up about the whole thing."

"I won't," he promised. He went inside and found two white wolves, one an adult and the other a teen - he couldn't have been older than sixteen. He remained stock still staring at the floor under the arm of a familiar black jackal, who gasped in recognition when Anders entered the room.

"Who are you?" The older wolf demanded at once, making Anders flinch.

He tried to compose himself. "My name is Anders Erikson. I'm Nathan Salt's husband," he began. "I need to apologize for my husband's actions. They were...inexcusable and reprehensible."

"That's putting it mildly," the jackal grumbled, but the father's response nearly drowned him out.

"You've got some nerve talking to us after your faggot husband just tried to rape my son!" The wolf's rage was palpable.

Anders flinched again at the offending word, having to stop himself from snapping back.

The young wolf spoke up. "Dad, stop. Please. I want to hear him out."

"I don't," said the father, making to leave the room. "We're leaving."

"No, _you're_leaving," said the son. Anders was taken aback at the response, as was the father it appeared. "If you're just going to throw a tantrum anyway, why don't you do it at home where no one can see you?"

The father's hackles rose. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!"

Anders felt his heart start to race as the scene developed. He found himself taking a step back as the officers grew wary.

"Just let me talk to him," the son asked feebly. "He's just trying to apologize."

"He can't apologize for this!" The father continued to rage. "Are you even aware of just how serious this is? This little faggot's husband -"

"Is that what this is about to you?! Him being gay?" The son shouted back, his eyes beginning to tear up. Anders wanted to comfort him but was afraid he might get his paw bitten off if he tried. The son's retort continued. "Is that all that matters to you? So what if he's gay? Even if he was straight, that doesn't make what happened any better! Why are you so caught up on whether or not he's gay?"

The father paused. "I'm not! But -"

"But what?!" Came his son's exclamation.

The father stopped and sighed. He glanced over at Anders, and the coyote wanted nothing more than to dig a hole into the ground and stay there. "I'll wait in the hallway." He looked at the jackal. "Keep an eye on him, okay?"

"Yes, sir," the jackal mumbled, appearing every bit as angry as the older wolf.

The father left the room, but not before fixing a withering glare on Anders. He tried not to let it bother him but failed miserably. Anders waited until the wolf had left before stepping forward again and exhaling.

"I didn't want to cause anymore trouble," Anders tried again, feeling his voice quiver. "I just wanted to apologize for my husband's actions. There's no excuse for him to be drinking or to be attacking his students. He had..." Anders caught his mistake and corrected it. "He has a drinking problem. He removed everything from our home, and I guess he was hiding it here in the school. Had I known..." Anders didn't know what to say anymore. Words completely escaped him as he shook his head in shame.

"You couldn't have. He was trying to hide it from you." Anders looked up to see that the white wolf had indeed spoken and was trying to make him feel better. Bless his heart.

"That doesn't make it okay," Anders replied. "If there's anything I can do to make this alright...anything at all, please don't hesitate to reach out to me." He swallowed, briefly glancing outside before returning to the young wolf. "Although I will say this - Nate's problems began when his family started to tear him down for his sexuality. If your father is doing the same to you, I suggest you find a way to escape before you go down the same slippery slope."

Anders took out his wallet and handed the wolf a business card. Clearing his throat, he said, "Again, I'm sorry. Please, be well."

Not knowing what else to say, Anders left the nurse's office. The kid's father was waiting just outside the door when he emerged and glared daggers at him as he passed. Anders kept his head down and walked past him. He thought he heard the wolf start to say something but then scoff and go back to meet his son.

Anders drifted back outside to where flashing red and blue lights awaited him. He felt a familiar set of eyes watching him again. He remembered the weak and defeated state of that young wolf and for the first time since his arrival, a fire burned in his chest. Without thinking, he marched over to a cruiser, yanked open the door, reached in, and pulled. There was a strangled cry of pain as he dragged the husky out by the ear.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Anders shouted, shoving Nathan against the side of the car. "Attacking a student? What were you thinking?!"

Despite his size, Nathan looked positively tiny as he cowered in his cuffs. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't - I wasn't thinking straight!"

Anders heard the slight slur in his husband's words, and he paused. "Are you drunk?"

Nathan grimaced and shrank further. "Andy l-look, I -"

"You fucking idiot!" Anders barked, silencing the husky. "I offered to help! Why didn't you just come to me?! You could've - and now you're - god damnit Nate!"

"I didn't mean to!" Nathan protested in a pathetic whine. "He came into the locker room and I was drunk and I just -"

"Hold kjeft!" Snapped Anders, and Nathan snapped his muzzle shut. Rarely did the coyote ever speak in his mother tongue. "It's not the whiskey's fault, it's yours! Don't try and blame this on a bottle. You know what you did!"

"I know, I didn't...Andy, you've gotta help me!" Nathan begged, glancing frantically at the approaching police officers. "They're gonna take me to jail. I can't go there!"

"What do you want me to do? You brought this on yourself!" Anders retaliated. "I can't do anything."

"Andy, please!" Nathan begged as an officer moved in and attempted to push him back into the car. "I can't go to jail! Help me!"

"I..." Anders found himself suddenly unable to react as another officer urged him to step away. He helplessly watched as the door slammed shut and his husband disappeared from his sight once more. Nate needed his help again, but he was still powerless to do anything.

The police wanted him to leave after the argument. Anders could only comply and go back to his car. Away from Nate.

Sinking down behind the wheel, Anders stared in silence. His paws gripped the leather, unsure of what else to do. The pit in his chest grew into a great void. He glanced back to where his beloved sat trapped in the police cruiser.

He swallowed. It hurt.

He let the tears come.