We don't hate being micros chapter 10a - Restating the terms
Authors note: This will chapter (chapter 10a and 10b) will be the "season finale" of sorts. If/when I write the next chapter it will likely not start where this one left off (though I will definitely make sure you're up to speed on what happened in-between :))
We don't hate being micros chapter 10a - Restating the terms -
It feels nice, finally something good happens. Both Veir and Din stay wrapped in one anothers arms, wanting to hang on to this moment of clarity and harmoniousness. Unfortunately, neither can deny what must happen next.
"What're we going to tell my dad, Veir? How are we going to tell him....?" A hand sweeps over Veir's ears gently, slowly as Din wonders aloud with the wolf. "I don't know what he's going to say or what he'll do."
"I think we should just tell him. You're an adult and so am I, we're both 18, we can't let our parents tell us what to do all of the time..."
Din rubs his head, seeming unsure still. "I know I know but what if he reacts badly? What if I get kicked out? Or if he tries to do something to you?"
"I don't think your dad would go that far. Granted, I haven't spoken to him at length, but he always seemed nice enough when I was over to visit in the past."
"You don't understand, Veir, he has no doubt that his solution to micro abuse and discrimination is perfect. He won't listen to anything else, and if he finds out that I don't believe it then I just... can't imagine him taking it well, that's all."
Veir sits up and pulls off of Din for a moment, settling down on the edge of the bed. He rubs over his armlet, happy that it's there again. He's definitely more comfortable when he has it on. His head turns to peer to Din. "I'm not here to free all of the other micros, Din. I myself am not strong enough to walk around outside in my small form, and because of this... I can't ask them to do it either, not yet. I just want for you and I to be able to live freely for now. If we could convince your father not to pursue me then that's enough. The others will stay here."
"Stay here? But I thought you hated it..."
"I do... kind of. It's not for me, Din, but the others... I can't guarantee their safety and I don't have food to feed them myself. They're better off here for now. It's not optimal, but it works. Les gardiens has a bad perspective, one that I could never agree with, but the work they're doing, getting micros off of the streets, giving them a place to stay, food to eat... at least as far as those things are concerned, they're doing us a bit of a service I guess..."
"I'm happy to hear it's not all bad," Din settles next to Veir and peers over to the wolf's face. "I'm still not sure my dad will go for it. He was really proud that I caught you, you know? You're the first micro I've captured on my own. That day he told me that he really felt that I had moved on to the next level. That I had... well, become more like him. Living up to his name and what not."
Veir smiles. "Isn't mate-ship just another form of bondage? You're not letting me go, you're simply... restating the terms."
Din's eyes roll just as a knock sounds at the door.
"Din? Are you in there? I have something for you."
Din and Veir both look at one another. Din's ears lower but Veir wraps an arm around him and rubs his side, nodding to the rabbit. "We have to do it eventually, Din..."
"Come in, dad."
The door opens and Din's father walks in, carrying something small in his paw. Before Din can see it, his father stops and peers over to Veir.
"I know you didn't expect this, Mr. Koontz, but please hear Din and I out..."
"You gave him the armlet? Why, Din?"
Din squirms a little and furrows his brow. "Dad... Veir is different from other micros. He doesn't need our help, he as a way to live as if he were one of us. Why should we hold Veir here when he -can- take care of himself?"
Veir wants to add on his distaste for les gardien's views but knows it won't help, at least not yet. "All I want is for you to let me free. I don't want your food or a place to stay, I can take care of myself."
Mr. Koontz furrows his brow for a moment. "What about about the pledge, Din? Are you just..."
"Yes, dad..." Din cringes. "I'm sorry, but... well, I love Veir, dad. I want him to be happy, that's why I captured him. I thought I could help ease his fears and protect him here, but I can't. Not like that. Veir may be a micro, dad, but I grew up knowing him to be one of us. I can't pretend that we're so different, not after that."
Mr. Koontz regards the two. "You love him?" He seems stumped, unsure of how to respond to that. "A micro?"
"Yes, I love a micro, dad. I'd do anything for Veir..."
"Well-"
"And it doesn't go against les gardiens' rules! You say that micros are to help us in our personal lives by staying by our side, right? But keeping them as pets or servants isn't the only way to do that..."
The older rabbit blinks a few times and then chuckles a little. "I see, I suppose you're not entirely incorrect... Din, you're 18, you can do with your life as you see fit. You wanted Veir as your micro anyway, right? Well, fine. This is the way you want it." He turns his head to Veir. "And you, you haven't had much of an opinion of us according to Din. You're not looking to free the others?"
"No... well, not entirely. You help us survive in an otherwise cruel world and I can't fault you without acknowledging the good you've done for us. Still, we want the freedoms that you normals enjoy. If you were in our position wouldn't you want the same thing? My...my problem with les gardiens is that we can't be properly free if we can't live independently. I want to help other micros live independently and you want them to be dependent on normals."
Mr. Koontz grins a little. "You think you'll be able to do all of that?"
"Well, no, not alone..."
"A lot of normals still think you're pests to be gotten rid of or used in whatever manner they see fit. Les gardiens is trying to change that and in a way that makes -sense-. They're not going to go from treating you like bugs to treating you like people in only a few decades, it takes time. What're your plans? What're you going to do? You speak big but can you back your words up?"
"Look, I said you're doing us a favor, alright? I have an idea of how hard it is out there for other micros and your keeping them safe is good. Y-you may even have a point about us needing to introduce our equality demands more gradually as to allow normals to become used to it. I don't have the answers, but at least give me a chance to come up with one... I'm not asking for their freedom now, I just want my own..."
"Dad, let us try it our way. We're not trying to stop les gardiens." Din says as he holds the wolf to his side, feeling Veir's shiver.
"I already said you're an adult, Din. You can do as you like. Don't worry, I'm not going to bite your head off or anything." Mr. Koontz looks to Veir again. "I know you micros want your freedoms, I've taken care of enough of you to hear the arguments. I feel it's unrealistic to want it so quickly, there's hardly any way the world will change that fast. I feel your inexperience is going to bite you sometime in the future. Still, Din believes in you. I just want you to know that you can come back here and help our cause when you find that your methods aren't sufficient. That said, I understand your want and I hope you somehow find success." He blinks as Din stands to hug him, and he hugs back with a little smile. "I feel like you thought this was going to be harder than it turned out to be. I'm sorry if it felt like I was pressuring you, Din. It's hard for a father not to have dreams and goals for his son. I realize this is your life, despite my perception of what you should become. There's always a place for you here."
"Thanks..." Din finishes hugging and stands near his father, his blush visible despite being covered by his fur.
"Thank you, Mr. Koontz..." is all Veir can work out of his muzzle. He can hardly believe it went that easily. Especially after what he'd been put through.
--
The very next week, Veir walks home from school with Din. Things had smoothed out, he is back in his apartment and Din is living, mostly, with him, visiting and sleeping at the other three houses the rabbits own on occasion. He's still a little nervous that he'll be discovered by a student using the cloaker-detecting device that had been used in his lab, but it seems like the devices were only to be used with that one lab, so he hopes he'll be out of the school by the time they're used again. While not in school, he can't help but wonder what, exactly, he could do to help the other micros he runs into that don't have cloakers. It's not an easy question to answer.
"We can send them back to dad! You said it yourself, les gardiens can take care of them for now," are Din's words whenever Veir brings it up but he still felt uneasy about putting his own people in that kind of position, despite Din being correct.
The rabbit walks in from the front door and settles down next to the wolf, bringing his hand up and pawing at Veir's armlet. "Please?"
Veir smiles a little and pulls his sleeve up, allowing the rabbit to remove the armlet. As soon as he's small again, he crawls into Din's lap and leans back against the rabbit's warm stomach. The two watch television for a while, enjoying the cool evening air, and becoming drowsy in one anothers company. In his half-asleep state, Veir watches the headline to one of the local news channels scrolls by.
"Are micros living among us?" the headline reads. Veir's eyes widen and he sits up but Din presses him back down into his stomach and changes the channel. "Later, Veir. We'll deal with it later. We should enjoy this while it lasts."
A smile creeps over the wolf's face and he nods gently. "Okay, Din." He closes his eyes and relaxes, finally happy -- at least for a while.
Once Veir is asleep, Din changes back to the previous channel, happy that the story is still running. He furrows his brow as he listens and watches, noticing one of the figures in the video of what was apparently a fight."
"Cameron...?"
He shakes his head again and lays back against he cushion of the couch, debating on whether he should tell Veir or not. Despite the news, he can't help but smile at it all. He can make up for what he did. He can help them. He falls asleep with Veir sprawled over his thigh, dreaming of their life together in the future.