Hero Chapter 3
Hero Chapter 3 -- Here in Your Arms...
"Father Milner?" Softly and timidly, unlike his normal demeanor, Jacob stepped through the ornate wooden door, into the priest's office.
Jacob's mother had contacted the Father Milner three days earlier, the same day Jacob had jumped to Billy's rescue in the hallway. The young otter had decided earlier this morning that it was probably best to go talk to Father Milner in person, before the priest could show up at his apartment and say anything he shouldn't around Billy. So he left Billy at the apartment alone for the day, after making sure that Billy was ok with it, and then made his way to his parent's church.
"Yes?" The father, an almost unnoticeably heavyset Panther, stood up from behind his desk. "Hello son...and you are?"
"Uhm...my name is Jacob...Jacob Dubois. My mother's spoken to you." Jacob shook the priest's paw and sat down in the rather overly upholstered chair across from Milner.
"Oh yes..." Father Milner sat down as well, "You're Martha's boy. The deviant."
Deviant. The father, at least, put on no airs. Jacob had hoped for a movie moment. The priest would be more liberal, more understanding than even Jacob's own parents. He would greet the otter with the kindness the church claims to hold a monopoly on. And this meeting could serve as a stepping stone: the first step toward a reconciliation with his family, and a better understanding of God's role in his life, than his current agnosticism.
But, already, he had the feeling this would be more akin to a face-to-face with the Westboro Baptist church, than with the kind and gentle priests of TV and film.
"Yes father." For now, Jacob feigned civility, "I'm Martha and Stuart Dubois's son. My mother told me she had spoken to you and given you my address. I was hoping I could...forgo your having to show up at my apartment by speaking with you here, instead."
"Well now's as good a time as any, my son. Let me make sure I've gotten my facts straight." Father Milner held out an open paw.
"Of course."
"You're not of the Catholic faith, correct?"
"No sir. I'm a Protestant." Jacob wanted to say 'atheist,' or 'agnostic,' but he hoped some form of Christianity would be better received, "My parents converted to Catholicism; I didn't."
"Hmm...then you may not quite understand this in OUR terms. I guess I'll have to use more common language to explain." Once again, the priest's condescending tone and word choice told Jacob that this little meeting stood little chance of ending well. He said nothing, though, and simply let the father continue. "I've known your family for a very long time Jacob -- even before they converted."
"I know...I remember you."
"And I just can't..." Father Milner leaned on his elbows on his desk, fingers intertwined, "For the life of me, I can't figure out what could have brought you to make such an irrational, impetuous decision with your life." Jacob winced under the priest's words, but still said nothing, "However, the church is here to help. We have certain programs that-"
"Programs?"
"Camps, if you will, dedicated to-"
"You mean 'Straight Camp,' don't you? I'm not interested."
"Please, Jacob. We can help you change. This is an awful, sinful lifestyle you're choosing for yourself, my son. It is not in God's plans for you -- for anyone. It is immoral, it is wrong, and it is an affront to your maker."
"I don't think I see it that way father, I-"
"Have you not heard the word of our Lord, Mr. Dubois?" The priest arced an eyebrow as he interrupted the Otter, "God will not abide your kind, and your perversion of his gift!"
"Gift?" Jacob rubbed the top of his muzzle, holding back saying anything more.
"Life... sex...and the pleasure they can bring to us. God did not give us these things for our entertainment. Sex is an affirmation of live -- a tool through which new life is created, in the glory of His name."
"God does not wish us happiness?"
"Happiness in opposition of his greater plan is not true happiness. It is an abominable thing. Our Lord did not give us the gift of sex for it...for it to be perverted by whoremongers, adulterers, homosexuals, pedophiles, polygamists, and the bestial."
Jacob tilted his head, "Did you just compare me to a child molester?"
"You see yourself as better?" Father Milner tilted his head, in return, "You pursue fornication outside of marriage, with partners whose union with you God could never bless..."
"What happened to your God blessing love!?" Jacob shot back, finally letting his emotions get the better of him.
"There is no love without God. This is evil, sinful behavior, and if you plan to make it into God's kingdom, you will have to change!"
"Sir, I have come, freely, as a guest into this place: into God's house! You could at least show me some respect..." Jacob pressed the tip of his index finger into the top of the priest's desk, "Just as I have done for you."
"Respect?" The Padre snidely retorted, "What kind of respect are you showing to God with this...blatant rejection of all he's given to you? Do you forget the story of Sodom and Gomorra? The Bible's many verses speaking out against these actions you so willingly embrace?"
"No sir, I do not forget! That story and those verses have, on more than one occasion, turned me away from God and from the Church! And I have worked long and hard to bring faith back into my life: to feel close to God, again, like I did as a cub. And I've come to believe that it has nothing to do with my sexuality in any way!"
The father leaned back in his chair, "I should no longer be shocked by such heresy. It is the way of our world, now, I suppose." He tapped his chin, "God fearing countries around the world legalize homosexual 'marriage,' while our own considers it. Our government legalizes, supports, and funds contraception, abortion, masturbation, and sodomy. We stand on a slippery slope to legalized bestiality, incest, polygamy, and the physical perversions of our children. And our own younger generations -- pagan degenerates such as yourself -- shall be the flag bearers for this change."
Jacob abruptly stood, "I've had far too much of this abuse for today, Father! I came here for my mother. I did not come here to be berated and chastised by a 40-year-old virgin!!"
"My son...I am 36 and I am celibate..."
"A 36-year-old virgin, then. Either way, I'm done here. I request that you to stay away from my apartment, my school...and from my friends...despite what my mother would have you do." Jacob smiled, far from calm, but trying, "I do not want or need your brand of 'help!' I can handle my life on my own."
Jacob left the room and the church. He jumped in his car and turned it on, and only avoided peeling out of the parking lot for the safety of the other people there. His next stop was the high school.
He looked at his watch as he stopped at a red light: it was 12:34, and the principal would be in his office, eating. He lowered his paw back onto the wheel and took a deep cleansing breath, still trying to remind himself that it wasn't the Priest's fault. He was a product of environment.
Not feeling right being so angry at a man of the cloth, Jacob continued telling himself the same things over and over again on the way to the school, trying desperately to make a plausible excuse for Father Milner. But it all proved for naught, as he was still seething when he reached the school's parking lot and stepped out of his car, enroot for the main building.
He made his quick walk to the doors, into the main hall, up a flight of stairs, and to the school's main office. The entire way, his face was stuck fast in a grimace. He barely noticed the teachers looking him over, and paid no attention when they called to him. He was violating more than a few of the dress code rules, and they were trying stop him and take his name, for a write up and a trip to the office that he was already on his way to.
There was no need to waste the time dealing with them, especially since he wasn't even AT school today, officially. So he just continued his walk to the main office, until just in front of its door, he heard a friendlier voice: one he could stop for.
"Jacob?" She even sounded jovial when she was worried, "Where have you been?"
He turned to see fox, a vixen nearing middle age, walking up to him in the hall. She was Mrs. Brenda Davis. She oversaw all of the school's journalism programs: the yearbook, the newspaper, and their newest addition, broadcast journalism. Jacob had been involved in her classes his whole high school career. He'd taken a photo journalism class; he helped out with the yearbook, been a reporter, editorialist, and eventually assistant editor for the newspaper; and this year, he'd become very involved in the broadcast class, acting as an anchor and various other on-screen talent, as well as serving as one of the program's lead production editors.
Needless to say, the two of them spent a lot of time together. She was his favorite teacher, and had become something of a mentor.
"Hey Mrs. Davis." Jacob smiled. "Sorry to just disappear on you like that."
"It's fine." She smiled back, "We have plenty of people dying to be on camera."
"But what about the videos...did I mess up any deadlines?"
Mrs. Davis just laughed, "Like I've been trying to tell you, Jacob, you're not the only person in there who knows how to use the editing software. You even taught some of them. They're taking care of it ok without you."
"That's good."
"Seriously, though...where have you been?"
"Eh..." Jacob shrugged, "Do you know Billy Adell?"
Mrs. Davis chuckled again, "Only from how much you talk about him. Why? You finally ask him on a date?"
Jacob shook his head somberly, "Not exactly."
"Is..." She looked more concerned, "Is everything ok? Is...is HE ok?"
The otter looked around, as if trying to make no one else was near-by to hear his answer. "No."
"What happened?"
"It's not really my business to tell..." Jacob ran his paw through his hair, "But it is why I'm here right now. I'm still not officially 'back,' I'm just here to talk to Mr. Marshal."
"About what?"
"You know...I'm not even really sure." Jacob shrugged again, "Just one of those trying-to-cover-all-my-bases sort of things, I guess."
"Well make sure he knows you're not really at school today, because-"
"I know; I know...dress code."
She just nodded, "Any idea when you'll be back?"
"Not yet."
"Well...keep me updated, ok?"
"Will do." He nodded and watched the older vixen turn to walk away, before turning back toward the main office.
Jacob pulled open the glass doors and stepped inside. Without a word, he walked on past the secretaries' counter and desks, through Mr. Marshal's oiled door, and into his well furnished and decorated office. Jacob stopped. He realized that, not only was this his very first time inside Mr. Marshal's office, since the vice-principals handled all the disciplinary problems, but that he hadn't even knocked.
Mr. Marshal turned away from his computer to look up at Jacob with a bit of a sneer on his muzzle. He didn't stop talking though. He was busy with a phone call and simply motioned for Jacob to sit down. Jacob took his seat and looked around Mr. Marshal's office, admiring his desk, his blue walls, the oversized black leather computer chair Mr. Marshal himself was sitting in, and his randomly placed trinkets. Jacob wondered whether all of this was for Mr. Marshal's benefit, or if it was there to give the office a more home-like and less imposing and threatening feel. Once he'd had his full of taking in the sights of the office, he just watched the large Lion, go about his business, waiting for him to get done with his call.
After a few short minutes, "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Dubois, what can I help you with?" Mr. Marshal hung up the phone, and turned to Jacob, gliding a very natural looking, although probably forced, smile onto his face.
"I'm sorry about coming in without knocking. I wasn't thinking."
"Don't worry about it Jacob. Just tell me what you're here for. I've got a lot of work I need to get finished..." Mr. Marshal's smile faded and he leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his mane.
"Ok. I'll try not to keep you, too long." Jacob adjusted himself in his seat nervously, and continued. "I've come to talk to you about a friend of mine: Billy Adell."
"I'm sorry. It's a large school. I don't think I know who that is."
"He's a good friend of mine: a sophomore. Billy and I were both absent yesterday, and today, and we'll probably be absent for a good week or more past this."
"Isn't this something that you should be talking with the attendance office about, Mr. Dubois?"
"No sir. I'm not here to let you know that we'll be gone. I'm here to ask for your help in making sure that it doesn't count against us."
"And what makes you think that I can do that?"
"Because sir, there are...uh...there are rather extreme circumstances keeping us away from school. It's not really under our control whether we're here or not."
"If they're so extreme, to warrant your missing nearly two weeks worth of school, then why aren't his and your parents here to talk to me about this."
"That's not an option!" Jacob sets up a bit straighter, trying not to be angry at all, "If it were, don't you think that they'd be here instead of me?"
"Well-"
"And besides, I'm 18. I can speak for myself."
"But you can't speak for Billy." Mr. Marshal leaned over his desk, with his same smug look as always ...but not a bad one. It was a look that Jacob was sure all such faculty members had to train themselves to master: a mix between sincerity, anger, caring, concern, happiness, and sadness that all melds into an almost cocky, self important stare, but never really conveys an actual emotion. "I'm sorry Jacob, but there's nothing I can do for you. I can't simply let you and Billy off for no reason. You will be counted truant: both of you."
"But sir-"
"No Jacob. That's the way it's going to be! Be here tomorrow, or suffer the consequences."
"Pfft! Fine..." Jacob just shrugged and stood up from his chair abruptly, "But don't expect to see me here tomorrow..." He turned and walked to the door, swinging it open, "Either of us." Jacob wanted to threaten the principal with court action, or throw in his face what was actually going on, but the first would do him no good -- not unless Billy was willing to go to the police - and the second would only betray the rabbit's trust.
Passing the secretaries, again, on the way, Jacob passed through both sets of doors, and back out of the office. He stepped over to the railing on the second floor's balcony: a balcony railing that overlooked the school's cafeteria and commons area, bustling with lunch-time traffic. With a huff, he dropped his arms onto the railing and began taking deep cleansing breaths to keep himself calm.
"Today is not going well..." Jacob closed his eyes and let out a slow sigh, "...not well at all."
He pushed himself off the railing, returned to the same flight of stairs that had gotten him here, and jogged down them, skipping every other stair on his way. Once at the bottom, into the school's commons area, he stopped at one of the many coke machines littering the cafeteria walls. He yawned as he slowly pulled out his wallet, wrenching a slightly wrinkled dollar bill from it. Just as he's about to slide the bill into the machine, he caught a glimpse of bright orange out of the corner of his eye, and turned with an inadvertent growl.
Unexpectedly, though, it wasn't Keith. It was the OTHER tiger, and the rest of Keith & Jeff's friends.
Jacob looks over Jeff and the rest of the group, standing by the glass doors to the front of the school, and his soft growl rose up out of his throat as a deep chuckle. Jeff, standing closest to Jacob, was leaning up against the wall; his head was bandaged, he looked exhausted, and it looked to the raccoon like the wolf was nauseated by the sight of one of his friends eating. Beside him were the mutt and the tiger. The canine's face was swollen and stained, one of his eyes barely opening, and the tiger limped when he moved, and kept, again and again, grabbing the small of his back, with a pained mewl Jacob could hear even as far away as he was. Best of all though, was the littlest of the bunch, the coyote, whose own paw was nearly constantly rubbing at the bandaged base of his tail.
Jacob could barely believe it, but Robert really did try to his tail off. He tried not to laugh as he slid his dollar bill into the machine and presses in the button for a Dr. Pepper. It offered to him, then, as he grabbed his drink, that the coyote's tail wasn't the best part. Keith was. If Keith wasn't there, that could only mean that he was even more banged up than his friends. Robert had left him in traction.
Jacob walked casually on by Jeff and the others and out the door, as if nothing was amiss, save for the huge grin on his face that the wolf certainly saw. No sooner had he gotten to his trunk and taken his seat, though, than he began to laugh hysterically. He sat his drink in a small cup holder that he had sitting in the middle of his bench seat, and shifted into gear before his laughter had even started to die down. Eventually, though, as he sped down the street, past Billy's dad's house, and on to his own, he all but forgot about the priest, the principal, and even the sight of the coyote's bandaged tail, and his thoughts drift to just the one thing. Before he'd made it half way home, his every thought had turned to getting back to his apartment to see Billy. The rabbit had been alone all that time, and, as Jacob pulled into his complex's parking lot, all he wanted was to get back to him.
Without wasting any time, thinking only of getting inside to see the fur, the bunny that had unknowingly stolen his heart, Jacob turned off his truck. He jerked the keys out of the ignition, and bounded out, jogging, to his building, up the stairs, and to his door. He quickly unlocked the door and swung it open...and no sooner had he stepped through the door, than everything simply froze. Time slows to a halt as his eyes widened and he stares into his apartment, at Billy, standing by the counter barefoot & shirtless, listening to the actively recording answering machine.
"-cob, your mother is very worried about you." The priest's voice droned out of the answering machine's speakers, much more shrill than in person, "If you can't change for your God, or for yourself...at least change for your mother." Jacob's gaze dropped down to the carpet at Billy's heels, and he let the door go, to swing open, just a bit wider. His mouth gaped open, and his vision started to blur. "I hope to see you at my office sometime soon, Jacob...for your mother's sake."
"Oh my God...Billy..." Jacob's voice squeaked out, of its own accord and barely audibly, but just loud enough to get Billy's attention, who had yet to notice that the otter was home.
Billy swung around, his eyes wide and blurred with tears. His face was clouded with in surprise and fear, as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't, but behind it was a well of pain and anger, completely directed at Jacob. Jacob though, saw none of it; his eyes were still stuck on the ground.
Billy didn't say a word, and neither did Jacob. Billy's light sobs grew in intensity and he ran out, pushing past Jacob and darting down the stairs...but Jacob barely moved, even as tears welled up in his eye and dropped down onto the carpet below.
After what could only be a couple of seconds, that on like hours, Jacob lifted his head up, to look at the answering machine.
"GOD DAMNIT!" Jacob took two quick, running steps toward the machine and drove his clenched fist into the side of it, shattering the second answering machine this week -- this one against the kitchen tiles.
The otter couldn't manage to focus his anger. He was angry at his mother for talking to the priest, the priest for calling after he told the panther to stay out of his life, himself for hiding the truth from Billy, Billy for running out before he could explain, the answering machine for existing, and Robert for buying another answering machine after he broke the last one. The innocent machine was just the closest target, so it took the brunt.
Before the pieces of plastic had even finally settled and become still on the floor, Jacob turned and darted out the door. He cleared the small flight of stairs in only two steps, and ran like mad in the first direction presented to him, hoping that that was what Billy did as well. He frantically turned the corner of the building into the parking lot, almost falling over as he did, and saw Billy just on the other side of the lot, padding off towards the street. Without a thought of what to say or to do, the now openly crying otter dashed across the parking lot. He ran up to and past Billy, turning quickly to cut him off and to stop him, on the side of the road.
He placed his paw on Billy's arm, lightly, and looked him in the face with silently pleading eyes, but Billy turned his head away. Jacob tried to follow his face, to look him in his eyes, and finally, Billy jerked his face back to meet Jacob's.
The rabbit's eyes were narrowed in anger and pain, and tears poured down his face, "Why didn't you tell me you were gay!?" Billy snapped, but Jacob just stared back, nearly matching tear for tear, but with no words to comfort the rabbit, "You...you're no better than Keith!" Billy pulled his arm away from Jacob, and leaned toward him, his voice reaching a full scream, "You pretend to care about me!? You bring me into your house, and say you'll protect me: that you won't let anyone hurt me!? And for what!? To get yourself a little fuck toy!? TO GET ME INTO BED!? You haven't meant one thing you've said, have you!?"
"Billy," Jacob could barely form cohesive thoughts, let along words, and what he could say sputtered out through his own tears, "I...I would never..."
"You didn't even have the decency to tell me you were gay! When the fuck were you planning on making your moves on me, huh? I guess you couldn't really do it when you had me naked in the bath-tub, since Robert was there..." Billy blinked, leaning away, "Oh my God...you pretended you were trying to clean me up and you were just getting off on it, weren't you!?"
Jacob began to shake as he cried, not able to control himself anymore, and placed his paw softly onto the side of Billy's face. As he spoke, his words just poured out of his gaping and sobbing muzzle, no filter left between his thoughts and his lips.
"Billy...Billy, no, please. You have to believe me. I would never hurt you. God...God I could never hurt you." Jacob cut himself off with a sob, and a shaky breath, as he ran his fingers up through Billy's head fur, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you I was gay, too. I was just so scared. I was so scared of...of this! I was so scared of losing you. I know I'm a horrible person...I know I could never deserve you because of this...but despite everything, these last few days...I've...I've been so happy! I've been happy because you were here." The otter put his other paw on the other side of Billy's face, lightly cupping the rabbit's head, as he fought the urge to kiss him, "And I was terrified -- TERRIFIED -- that if you found out I was gay then you'd do exactly what you're doing right now! You'd think I was using you like Keith. But I'm not, Billy. God...I'm not! I care about you so much. More than I can say...more than I can...more than..." Jacob moved his paws and ran them gently down Billy's chest, as he stared down as the ground, watching his tears strike against the pavement, "It's why I jumped in to save you from Keith. I've wanted to reach out to you for so long...so...so long. And I'm so sorry I didn't get there sooner...that I couldn't have protected you better. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." The otter's paws continued to trail south, and he collapsed down onto his knees. His paws rest on Billy's stomach, just above his waistband as he struggled to get his words out through sobs, "Just...don't...go. Please don't go back to your father! Don't go back to that place. I couldn't bear to see you hurt again! You don't have to be with me, you don't have to feel the same way, you don't have to love me back..."
Jacob's eyes opened and he nearly choked as he realized what he'd just let himself say: 'you don't have to love me back.' He'd just finally admitted out loud that he loved Billy. He loved the soft, white bunny he was gripping with his paws...and there was no point in hiding it anymore.
"I love you...I love you so much Billy. You don't have to love me back. Just don't leave...just don't..."
Jacob's words trailed off into whispers and sobs, as Billy stared down at him. On his knees, eyes clenched shut, the otter's fingers involuntarily clutched at and scritched through the fur on Billy's bare stomach. Billy watched Jacob convulse as he cried; thinking that he'd lost Billy forever. He watched Jacob's back rise and fall with his labored breaths, and then ever so lightly, the rabbit bent down and placed his paws under the otter's arms, guiding him to stand.
Jacob slowly and shakily did as Billy's paws elicited, and stood up, knees still slightly bent and shaking, and his face met Billy's. His breaths continued to rasp out shakily and in sobs, just as Billy's had been, and he stared on, embarrassed and scared, into the younger, much smaller rabbit's eyes.
"Keith..." Billy whispered after a moment, his sobs long since halted, "Keith never cried...never cried for me..." He slowly leaned in, until he lightly pressed his nose against the otter's, "...never told me...he loved me."
The rabbit's shaking lips touched Jacob's, and the otter's arms wrapped around him on the cue, encircling his waist and back. Both furs closed their eyes, and tasted the salt of each other's tears on their mouths...neither considering for a moment that they were standing on the side of a busy street, and kissing one another, for the world to see.
They just stood, deaf and blind to the world...quietly murring, eyes closed, and melting into the kiss.
~
A week or so zipped quickly by, and the two love stricken furs spent it in each other's arms. The day immediately following their first kiss, Jacob, with Robert in tow, helped Billy move himself, and what little he had, out of his father's apartment. To no surprise, proving just how much the old rabbit 'cared' for his son, Billy's father put up no argument, offered no help with the move, and didn't even tell his son goodbye.
Since then, Robert kindly moved to the futon in the living room, to allow Billy and Jacob to have and share the queen sized bed in the apartment's only bed room. It had been Robert's bed, but the wolfbear had never been one for sexual insecurity, so, baring nights when he had "company" he'd let Jacob share it with him since the otter had moved in the year before. Now, though, he gave it up to Jacob and his new boyfriend. Robert of course insisted that he made the decision because he genuinely liked the futon couch better, but all three knew better.
And that's the way it had been for Billy and Jacob for those 4 days following the move. They fell asleep every night, staring into each other's eyes and hearing only the soft sounds of one another's breath, and they woke each morning, one with their arms wrapped softly around the other.
This night, soft moans and murrs filled the bedroom, as Jacob and Billy, Billy lying atop his otter lover, were intertwined in a passionate kiss. Both lovers, somewhere in the back of their minds, were thanking whatever God might have been listening that Robert has long since fallen asleep...because, if he'd been awake, there would be no question in his mind as to what his roommates were doing.
Both furs' bodies writhed as they press their muzzles hard and hungrily into the other's and felt their lover's tongue glide gently across and under their own. The smell of their musk filled the air even thicker than their murrs, soft moans, and occasional laughter. But that smell was more Billy than Jacob. The rabbit was still young, but his scent was so strong it basically overrode his older lover's.
Their eyes were tightly closed, their breaths only being caught during the small few, short moments that their mouths were apart, and their paws were sliding gently up and down each other's bodies...smoothing down their lover's fur and lightly massaging their already relaxed muscles.
At one point, Billy broke the long kiss, but just to trail his way down Jacob's neck. He kissed, nipped, and nuzzled him until he reaches his shoulder and then trailed back up. As he did, Jacob craned his neck backward and moaned before leaning it back forward to meet Billy's lips and continue the kiss.
Although every part of him would like to focus on the kiss, Jacob's mind couldn't help but trail off, thinking of how they got here...together...in this bed...in this kiss. He thought about the first time he saw the little rabbit, last year, before Billy had ever met Keith, when he was just a little 'nothing' freshman. Jacob had taken to him from the very beginning: his awkward smiles when an upper classfur would talk to him, his insecurity around other people...and his large innocent blue eyes. He thought back to the first time he watched Keith hit him...and how it took everything he had not to kill Keith on the spot: how all he could think about, even then, was just to hold the little rabbit in his arms and comfort him.
He remembered, just under two weeks ago, the very first time that he stepped in, no longer willing to watch Billy being treated that way. He recalled that same day -- the first time he ever spoke to Billy -- and the way the rabbit's voice was most literally like music, despite how trite he used to think that saying was. And he thought of the first time they looked into each other's eyes, and how he could see that that same innocence that he had been attracted to the year before...was gone...crushed, bitter, and frightened .
Then naught more but the very next day he had held the crying rabbit in his arms, as he told him everything about Keith, Jeff, and what they did...as if Jacob were an old friend, or family, and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, for him to lay there in Jacob's arms, and bare his beaten heart. He had fallen asleep on his shoulder...and that shoulder was wet with Billy's tears for hours more of that long, sleepless night, but he never changed shirts. Then, late that night, he remembered as well, was when he finally realized that he was actually falling in love with the poor, abused, little rabbit.
And he remembered everything since then: their hugs, their talks, every time he held the rabbit in his arms as he cried, or as he just laid close to his chest in silence, their first kiss, and every night they'd spent together since. But his train of thought was cut short, as he felt the pads of Billy's open paw trail across his stomach, lightly hooking a finger under the waistband of the otter's boxers.
Jacob abruptly broke the kiss, as Billy's paw slid down under the waist band of his shorts and glided across his full erect cock. "Billy?" Jacob managed through a light gasp.
"Yes, love?" Billy slowly trailed his paw down the length of Jacob's long, moist, pink member, stopping at its base, as he leaned his head back down to give Jacob another quick kiss on the side of his muzzle.
"Not that I don't appreciate the fervor..." Jacob sat up. Softly, he moved Billy's paw to the side, and laid it on the bed, before pulling his boxers back up, "But why the sudden need to get so serious?"
"D-do you not want me to?" Billy moved no more than an inch closer to Jacob, looking into his eyes, "Was I not doing it right?"
"That's not it at all..." Jacob lifted Billy up, gently gliding the little rabbit on top of him, straddling his waist, and kissed him lightly, "I just don't want you to feel like you're being forced into anything...you don't HAVE to do it if you don't want to."
"But...but that's what I do..." Billy lowered his eyes, looking down at his otter's chest, "I just want you to feel good." He leaned down and began to kiss Jacob's neck, while he slid his paw down the otter's stomach and back into his shorts. "It's my job...it's what I do..." Billy lightly caressed Jacob's already throbbing dick, as he lifted his muzzle up along his lover's neck, nearing closer to his ear, "Don't you want me?" He squeezed down on Jacob's rod, causing the otter to gasp and moan, and then he lowered his voice you a whisper, "Don't you...want to be IN me?" Billy licked across Jacob's ear and moved back a bit, to stare into his eyes.
"Of course," Jacob reluctantly moves Billy's paw again, "Of course I do...but-"
"But what?" Billy looked almost hurt, his brow lowered, and he moved farther back from Jacob, but never left his lover's lap, "I thought...I thought you loved me? Am I...you...you don't want to be with me?"
"No...no Billy! That's not it, at all! Come here..." Jacob reached and grabs onto Billy, shifting him on his lap, and pulling him in close, into a tight hug, "This," Jacob let one of his paws trail down Billy's frame and land softly onto the rabbit's still sheathed package. He slowly rubs his paw across it, through the fabric, "This is why I stopped you..." Jacob moved his paw, "You don't want this. You're not ready for something like that, and I'm not going to let you do it just because you...you think you should: just because you want to 'make me feel good.' That is NOT your job, Billy." The otter smiled, rubbing the rabbit's stomach, now, "If anything, it should be my job to make you...'feel good'."
"I..." Billy shifted himself as he felt Jacob's erect otter-hood slowly losing size as it pressed against his hip, "I just wanted to make you...happy..."
"I'll only be...happy with that...when you are, sweetheart." Jacob kissed him lightly on the top of his head, closed his eyes, and laid his cheek between his lovers slicked back and hanging ears, "Then and only then."
The two sat silently, listening to one another softly breathe. Jacob's head stayed on his lover's, his cheek brushing the rabbit's head, and Billy's paws explored his otter, combing through his fur. They held each other there, until Jacob's still unsatisfied cock retreated completely into its sheath...and finally, Jacob spoke up again.
"I love you Billy, more than I think I've ever loved anyone in my entire life." Jacob stopped again, to smile as he breathed a soft sigh, "One day Billy...one day we will do all that and more. But it won't be until you're really ready. It will be for the right reasons...and in a way that will be a memory worth both of us keeping forever." Jacob leaned away from Billy, to look back into his eyes, noting that they seemed to have almost recaptured that innocence that was long ago taken from them, "And...and I know that it could take a long time before you are. But I..." Jacob leaned in and kissed him once, softly and quickly on his nose, "...I am very willing to wait."
~
With a rattle and a labored roar, Jacob's 1980 model F100 slowed to a stop on the side of a normally busy street, left eerily empty and quiet on this particularly dark night.
As the truck came to its stop, two shadowy lupine-like figures, one stockier than the other, hopped out of the bed and onto the sidewalk. Under the streetlights, Robert and Jack hurriedly sifted through their pockets and shuffled out the correct change for the parking meter. And behind them, the lights, engine, and radio switched off and the truck's doors opened.
Billy somberly made his way around the front of the truck and to Jacob's side, on the sidewalk. He softly wrapped his arm around the larger otter's waist, and received a quick kiss between his ears. After a moment, he took a small, slow step forward, with Jacob at his side, and Jack and Robert patiently waiting to follow.
After the two finally began the slow process of walking towards the small, 5-step flight of stairs in front of them, Jacob turned his head back to Robert and Jack, "Guys, maybe it'd be better if you two waited out here..."
Jack and Robert didn't say a word; they both understood. Jacob tossed them the keys so they could listen to the radio, and he and Billy each took their first, hesitant step up onto the small stairs.
The pace never hastened, and once to the forth Step, Jacob stopped himself and his bunny. They slowly looked upward, across the large wooden doors in front of them, the glass windows nestled near their tops, and then at the large "Stevensville Police Department" sign hanging above it all.
Jacob lowered his head down and sighed, "Are you sure that you're ready to do this?"
"I'm ready, I'm sure of it." Billy nuzzled his head softly into Jacob's shoulder and sighed as well, "I'm ready for anything...so long as I'm here, in your arms." Billy forced them to take the next step, to the top of the stairs, and stopped in front of the doors, "So long as you're here...nothing could go wrong."
The two kissed softly, and push through the big wooden doors into the station.
~
There we go! Hero comes to an end!
I originally wrote Hero as one whole story. I wrote it between TMCS 1 & TMCS 2. It was REALLY long, though, so I decided it shouldn't just be a single story. I broke it into three chapters. This is the final of those chapters!
I applogize if there are ANY tense problems remaining in this final product. I tried to fix that, but the entire original was in present tense...so I might have missed something here or there while converting it to past tense.
Side note: Like I said before, this is my "Mary Sue" story, I think. It's based on an old romantic fantasy of mine, and...as such, Jacob is basically me. Just...a little cooler. But, going along with that -- Mr. Marshal is based off of my real highschool principal. He was a former NFL Player for (I think) the Atlanta Falcons. He once compared me being openly gay to me bragging about being a teenaged alcoholic. I didn't like him.
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.
Hero is over! See you for Forbidden and all that follows it! ^_^