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The Life of Another - Chapter 29

© Jake Atkinson

P.O.V. - Roger - Just out of the shower

Much to my disappointment, Nick's sense of modesty compelled him to wrap a towel around his waist. It left me wondering how he planned to dry the fur underneath but imagining the possibilities proved interesting in its own right.

"Here," said Nick as he rummaged through the clean clothes and produced a sock. "Let me wrap this around your arm."

"Heh, that's what I used with Steven. I hate to ruin one of your good socks though."

Nick shot me a stern look and tied the makeshift bandage gently around the gouges in my forearm.

"Oh please, I've got so many I can barely cram them all in my dresser. Now get the dryer started and warm up. David has my phone so I'm going to step out and call the medical department. Dr. Tamner is probably busy but they must have a backup person."

I started to protest. "But..."

"But nothing!" He said, cutting me short. "You promised."

Wordlessly I pointed to his towel with its tent-like bulge throbbing for attention.

"Ahhh!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands over his crotch and bending forward.

I grinned with an evil twinkle in my eye. "No big deal, I'll go make the call."

As much fun as we had in the shower, my physical desires had gone unfulfilled. The after effect of which was an unrelenting erection that I suspected wouldn't go down until our planet was well into its next ice age. Fully aware of the magnitude of my excitement, I stepped to the door and threw the latch to unlock it.

Nick practically tackled me. "You can't be serious!"

"What?" I said with mock innocence as I spun to face him.

Despite being too tired to really enjoy the game, the look on his face was well worth the effort. He was trying so hard to avoid staring openly at anything south of my chest it was downright comical.

With crossed arms he replied "You know perfectly well what!" and huffed testily. "Roger, I was so worried! Why do you keep deflecting my questions about what happened out there? Not that I mind the distraction..." he said as his gaze drifted momentarily downward only to shoot nervously back up again. "But this isn't the right time."

"I know. Truth be told, I'm beat." I said as I leaned against the sink. "Let's start up the fur dryers and as soon as one of us calms down enough to go outside, we'll make the call. I'm not really up for yelling over the dryer so how about I tell you and everyone else at the same time? Saves me having to tell the story over and over."

Nick looked disappointed but nodded slowly. "Alright, but... you'd better tell me everything. And none of those half-truths you're so good at!"

I nodded with a tired smile and started up the fur-dryer, turning away from Nick to accommodate the short cord. Moments later, I heard Nick flip on another dryer and was pleasantly surprised as I felt it blasting into the fur on my back. My ears folded down in sheer ecstasy and with a slow, deep breath I finally started to feel truly warm and relaxed.

P.O.V. - Nick - After drying off - Chris' room

Roger sat across from me in Chris' chair with one of my clean socks tied around his injured forearm but otherwise looking no worse for the wear. I was dying to hear what happened but now that he was warm and dry he was clearly exhausted, sitting low in his chair and responding to everyone's questions with noticeable delay.

I, on the other hand, was still swimming in the afterglow of our encounter in the shower and it felt as if everyone in the room knew it. Although nothing went further than a hug, kiss and some 'accidental' groping while scrubbing each other, I felt as if we were pounding like porn stars and got caught in the act.

Kriana prodded Roger again. "Stop stalling and tell us what happened already!"

Roger blinked lethargically and rubbed the fur on his face. "Ok, but everything stays in this room. Ugh, who am I kidding? If I don't put the truth out there who knows what rumors will get cooked up? I guess it's alright if you talk about it, otherwise Melina and the gang will fill the void with all sorts of wild tales."

The Otter rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Stop worrying and get to the story already!"

"So I went for a short walk to clear my head before supper." He said after a deep sigh. "And right after I got to the stream, Steven fell out of nowhere onto some rocks. I couldn't just leave him in the freezing water like that so I pulled him out and used his phone to call for help."

Silence hung in the air for several seconds, all of us expecting more of the story, but he just stared blankly past his sock covered paws at the floor.

Finally, Chris spoke up. "That seems a little... condensed. Like, what happened with your arm? It doesn't take a forensic specialist to recognize those as claw marks. Steven teleported out there and started something didn't he?!"

Roger responded sedately. "No, nothing like that. He was holding my wrist and I turned to leave without realizing how tightly he was latched on." He shrugged and looked up. "There's really not much more to it. I guess it was some sort of teleportation accident. He had a punctured lung and several broken bones so he wasn't particularly chatty. I couldn't get a signal for the call down in the ravine so I was forced to leave him and run up the hill. He was in pretty sorry shape so as soon as the call was over I had to run right back down. I would've called but there wasn't time. I'm sorry for getting everyone so worried."

Before we could pester him with more questions, the door handle rattled and a knock sounded at the door. Chris raised his voice to respond. "Who is it?"

"It's Jack Ward! Tell Roger to get his tail out here! We've been looking all over the school for..."

Roger rose wearily and opened the door mid-sentence, momentarily startling the very wet and ill-tempered Wolverine on the other side. "We called the school's emergency number ten minutes ago. It's not like I'm hiding out. Look, I'm fine. You must be miserable. Go dry off and I'll get my arm checked tomorrow."

Jack grabbed Roger's uninjured wrist and pulled him into the hallway. "Nothing doin'! Dr. Tamner is with Steven so that leaves me to stitch up your arm. Besides, gives me a chance to redeem myself after that trach tube injury that screwed up your voice."

I moved to follow but Jack stopped me. "Three's a crowd Nick." He must have noticed the glares we were all giving him and paused. "Take it easy everyone. Roger's not in trouble; hell he probably saved Steven's life. But there's still certain protocols that have to be followed." He shook his head. "What a night! Now I'm starting to sound like Sarah and Laura!"

Roger waved sarcastically to the group of students forming in the hallway and then looked back into the room at us. "It's fine guys. I'm too tired and hungry to argue about it; besides, he's right. Sorry about missing dinner and the Fallout 4 party and all. Maybe I can make up for it tomorrow, unpredictable horrors permitting."

I put my hands on my hips. "You don't even have shoes! I know mine are too small but just leave the laces undone and they'll be better than nothing until yours dry out. Here..."

Hopping first one on paw and then the other I untied them and pulled them off, tugging at the tongue of the shoe to expand the opening. "And you'll be at the medical department right? I'll bring you something to eat."

Roger tensed at my public display but accepted the shoes, jamming his larger Wolf paws into them with only moderate success. Painfully aware of all the eyes on him, he nonetheless lower his ears and offered a soft smile. "Thanks Nick. And this won't take long, I'll stop by as soon as it's finished. Go ahead and eat and I'll grab something on my way over."

He didn't wait for a response and turned to face the crowd of students clustered around and behind Mr. Ward, his aura beginning to flicker softly. With a raised voice he addressed the masses as he and Jack made their way to the stairs. "Please direct all inquiries to my attorney, Alan Shore. Fight the power! Att-i-ca! Att-i-ca!" He pumped his fist in the air to accentuate his words but received only confused mumblings from those nearby. I could hear him chastising the onlookers as they rounded the corner and disappeared from view. "Come on, don't you guys pay attention in history class?!"

Jack responded, his powerful voice audible despite the distance and murmurings. "Knock it off Roger. I'm not taking you to prison!"

Roger's behavior struck me as rather odd and I tried to sense his emotions to get a clue as to why but was unable to read them through the confusing array of signals emanating from everyone else. Worried, I returned to the room, shutting the door behind me.

"I'll get your bathroom cleaned up Chris. I assume your supplies are under the sink?"

"We'll help." he said as he lead the way in. "Gives us a chance to get the details from you anyway. Damn that is one weird Wolf! What was all that 'Attica' stuff about? And does he really think we buy that story about what happened?"

I felt instantly defensive and almost shouted. "He is not weird! You've been saying that since the day you met him!"

"Hey!" he said turning to face me. "Take it easy. You know I didn't mean it that way."

"I'm sorry." I said with splayed ears. "It's just been such a strange turn of events. He has been acting a little... different. But after all he's been through I suppose it's not too surprising. He's always had an off-key sense of humor and I've noticed it gets more pronounced when he's tired."

Kriana and David crowded into the tiny bathroom behind me and the Otter spoke up. "Attica is a reference to a prison riot that happened back in the early seventies. The prisoners revolted and demanded better living conditions. Chanting the name of the prison got to be a battle cry of sorts."

We looked at her in silence until she threw her hands in the air. "What?! I like history! Can't girls like history?! Anyway... Nick, don't let us down! What really happened?"

I grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know any more than you guys. I think his story is real but he's definitely holding back some details. He tends to be kind of guarded. Give him a little time and I'll bet we get the whole story." I grabbed a sponge from under the sink but Chris took it from my hand.

"Nick" said the Snow Leopard. "Sometimes you have to be willing to bend the rules. Just because Mr. Ward said you couldn't come along doesn't mean you can't go over there now. Stop by our kitchen and heat up a few burritos and bring the whole plate over to the medical department. That Wolverine will be so busy eating he'll forget to be mad at you. And it'll give you a chance to see what's up with Roger."

My tail curled. I worried about leaving such a mess but I knew Chris was right. Roger needed me. Something deep inside him was starting to crack and I could feel it. His aggressive advances in the shower, the way he just stared at the floor when he was talking with us afterward... something wasn't right.

I felt hands on my shoulders and realized Chris was pushing me out the door. "Get going already! We'll take care of this but in return we'll be expecting sordid details! Sordid I tell you!"

P.O.V. - Roger - Medical Department

"Jack, consider me duly impressed; now go towel off. The ice on your fur is starting to melt."

I indicated the growing puddle on the floor but he dismissed my concerns with little more than a grunt. I knew Wolverines had a well-earned reputation but for being tough but the guy wasn't showing even the slightest sign of discomfort, other than being irritable.

Feeling a need to fill the silent void, and having already been stopped from leaving twice, I tried a different tact. "You sure got my arm stitched up fast. I remember you mentioned the war earlier, were you a medic?"

"Something like that." He grumbled.

"Ok then... so uh, you've gotten my statement, my arm is all fixed up and I've thanked you several times soooo... can I go now?"

Jack looked up from the form he was filling out but just as he as going to say something Nick walked in with a foil wrapped plate in his hands.

"Hey guys." he said with an apologetic glance towards Jack. "I figured everyone was probably hungry so I made a bunch."

He pulled back the foil and revealed a heap of steaming burritos, some of which were oozing cheese and sauce onto their counterparts below.

The scent alone was enough to make my stomach gurgle with anticipation and everyone else must have felt the same way. The three of us set upon the pile like ferals on a fresh kill. Jack was practically swallowing them whole and I barely took the time to bite them in half. Only Nick showed any pretense of polite restraint but it was clear that even he was hungry.

Finally sated, we all leaned back in our chairs and Jack's mood seemed much improved. "Gotta admit Nick, when you first walked in I was pretty upset. But now I'm glad you came along."

I echoed the sentiment. "Yeah, thanks Nick."

"Aw, It was nothing." he said, lowering his ears and subtly wagging his tail at the attention. "Hey is your arm already fixed up? Wow Jack, how'd you do that so fast?"

"I've had a little practice." he said while wiping at his muzzle. "But I'm not quite sure how to fill out this incident report. Your friend here hasn't exactly been overwhelming me with details."

Feeling almost sedated now that I had eaten, it took a moment for his words to sink in before I responded. "Sorry, I'm just exhausted and there really isn't much more to say. As crazy as it sounds, the poor kid literally fell out of the sky and onto those rocks. I pulled him out, called for help and... here we are."

Jack drummed his fingers and glowered disapprovingly, clearly unhappy. To top it off, Nick actually took his side. "You do kind of leave people with the impression that maybe there's more to the story."

P.O.V. - Nick

Roger flashed briefly with anger but it was gone in mere moments. Groaning, he rubbed his temples. "Fine... first there was a bright light in the sky and then I heard this wretched mooing. That's when I found the mutilated cow! And there was something moving rhythmically behind it! It was Steven, with an anal probe! Only it wasn't Steven, it was an alien that LOOKED like Steven!"

I was getting better at reading Roger's emotional tricks and I knew he had just used one. It felt as if he wasn't even there despite being right in front of me. The numb void left behind always made me uneasy and I hoped it would pass as quickly as the last time I had witnessed it.

Meanwhile, Jack's patience wore thin. "Roger, knock it off! You think I want to be sitting here in my wet pants filling out forms?!"

"Then why are you?" Roger shot back. "I already gave you my statement."

Jack grumbled and shifted position, his chair creaking under the strain. "Have it your way. But don't be surprised when you get called into Burwell's office tomorrow. I know him and he's not going to be happy with such a vague report."

Roger's ire retreated and he slid down in his chair again, staring blankly off into space. Unable to stand the awkward moment any longer, I tried to move things along. "It's not that we don't believe you Roger. We're just concerned that maybe there's more to it. Are you ok?"

I rested my hand lightly on his shoulder and for once he didn't wince. Instead he seemed almost catatonic, sighing deeply before responding with unfocused eyes. "For the last couple years I've had a quiet, solitary routine. Shades of grey occasionally coloured with the soft tones of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I drifted along in the background of the tapestry woven by the paths of our lives. Then there was the accident. Since then it's been nothing but electric blue and blood red set to a soundtrack of beating hearts and sirens, all while the world watches."

Jack and I exchanged worried glances but Roger continued before we could think of what to say.

"Don't mind me; I'm just tired. I'm an off-beat kind of guy but I've learned to filter it. Problem is, my filters tend to fail when I get worn down. Next thing you know I'll be doing a Wilson Fisk impersonation."

He lifted his head and looked at us each in turn. "Heh, guess you're not Daredevil fans? Anyway, I'm ok. And the only stuff I'm leaving out is irrelevant. Suffice to say the water was cold, the rocks were slippery and my life would probably be a lot easier if I had a phone. Look, I have to report to the admin office in the morning. If Burwell wants more details, he can get them then."

Jack signed the bottom of the form on his clipboard and set the pen down. "If that's how you want it kid, then you can go. Remember to take it easy on that forearm for awhile. Oh, and once the local anesthetic wears off you'll probably want a few of these."

Jack slid a bottle across the table. "Deep scratches like those can really burn the first day or two."

Roger picked up the bottle and read the label. "Thanks Jack. Hey uh, if you hear anything about Steven..."

"You'll be one of the first to know. Now get to your room, take a couple pills and climb into bed. You're practically a zombie and if I remember correctly, you've got talent training tomorrow."

Roger grumbled under his breath and stood from the chair. "Ugh, I forgot about that. Anyway, thanks for fixing up my arm. Hope you get dried off soon. Goodnight."

P.O.V. - Nick - Outside with Roger

As soon as we were walking back to our dorm and alone, Roger cleared his throat to talk. "Hey so uh, there is more to the story but I'm kinda stuck. Maybe you can help me out?"

While I wanted to walk quickly to get us both inside where it was warm, Roger's paws practically dragged, causing me to hang back. It was probably just as well because I was wearing Roger's over-sized, wet shoes. They felt like clown shoes with my too small paws and the extra water weight only added to the effect.

"I'll try, what are you stuck on?"

Roger trod forward, his ears folded down and his eyes filled with concern as he looked at me. "I swore I wouldn't hold stuff back from you. But some stuff happened and I promised not to tell anyone about it. I don't want to break either promise."

My tail curled gently. "I thought there was something more." A stone on the sidewalk unconsciously caught my attention and I kicked it off the path. "What kind of secret is it? I mean, if it's just something gossipy then I suppose it doesn't matter. But if it's more along the lines of him attacking you then I think maybe I have a right to know."

His ears flattened further. "He didn't attack me. Actually, I don't know what his intentions were. I just heard screaming and then a splash. For all I know, he was teleporting out there to apologize." He shrugged. "But that still doesn't really cover it. See uh, sometimes when people think they're going to die they kinda feel the need to confess. It happens in cliché Westerns and old crime dramas all the time, but there's some truth to it. People confess their love for someone close or maybe they cough out an apology for some argument that happened years ago."

My ears perked. "Are you saying he has feelings for you?!"

Roger smiled and shook his head. "No no, nothing like that. I only meant it as an example."

We rounded the last bend in the path and our dorm drew close. "I want to know because it feels like it affects you deeply and I care about you, but I don't want you to break your promise with Steven."

Roger looked away and picked up his pace. Whether he was anxious to get out of the cold or because of our discussion, I wasn't sure.

"It's nothing to worry about. He wasn't planning a dastardly attack or anything like that." he said as he pulled open the door for me. "But... oh that's nice." We paused in the entryway and Roger basked in the heat before continuing. "But uh... where was I?"

I grasped his hand. "Roger, I think Mr. Ward was right. Head upstairs, take your pain medication and climb into bed. We can talk about it tomorrow."

He took a deep breath, trying to summon the strength to defy me, and failed. "You're right."

Suddenly awash in affection, he threw his arms around me. "Thanks Nick." he said, his breath tickling at my ear. "I don't know where I'd be without you."

He leaned against me so heavily that I swayed under his weight. "Good night Roger." I said, returning the hug as he rested his muzzle on my shoulder. "Now get to bed and think about something fun, like the dance... or what we might do during Spring break."

Roger felt a momentary burst of excitement and pulled back, his tail wagging. "Spring break? That never even occurred to me. When is it?"

I squeezed his hands and laughed at his innocent ignorance. "The dance is a week from Friday and Spring break begins the Monday after that. You really didn't know?"

The Wolf shook his head. "The thought never crossed my mind. That's only like... a week and a half away!"

It felt so good to see his spirits lifting, my tail waved brightly. "Yeah. You'll love my parents, and the weather there is amazing! It's like a whole other world."

Roger's enthusiasm took on a tinge of anxiety. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I always go home when school's on break. And don't worry about the cost of the tickets and stuff. My father has more than enough frequent flier points to cover both of us. It won't cost anyone a cent."

Roger relaxed, the wag returning to his tail. "You're the best Nick."

I could tell he was just about to kiss me but he reflexively froze when he heard voices coming down the hall. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I leaned forward and gave his nose a fast lick. "Quick, get upstairs before the press gets here! I'll take care of them."

Roger gave my shoulder a squeeze and offered a silent nod of gratitude on his way upstairs just as I turned to intercept Matt and Josh.

Matt raised his voice. "Roger, hold on!"

"Hey guys." I said. "He's had a really long day. I'm sure he'd be happy to talk with you tomorrow though."

The Raccoon and Fox looked let down but didn't try to go around me. "We've heard all sorts of stuff. Did Roger really put Steven in the hospital for calling him a fairy?"

Josh seemed almost too excited at the possibility and I was quick to correct him.

"No!" I said with a level of vehemence that caught me be surprise. "You guys should know better than to believe stuff like that. Hey, have you seen Jim?"

"Yeah." said Matt. "He's in the rec. room playing games and stuff. He's got a new computer that runs everything! But he wouldn't even let us touch it."

"You might want to leave him alone." said Josh with look back towards the room. "He practically chased us away with a stick!"

I smiled apologetically. "Don't take it personally. I think he's just being protective. You have to keep this a secret but..." my voice lowered to a conspiratorial level. "That computer is actually Roger's. We were going to throw a big party and give it to him tonight but... things came up. Jim just wants to make sure Roger gets it in perfect condition. We'll probably reschedule everything for tomorrow night. Stop by then and I'm sure Roger would be happy to give you guys a turn at the keyboard."

They both brightened and Matt's tail stirred softly. "I didn't know that, cool! Roger's going to LOVE it! Hey so uh, if Steven didn't get beat up by Roger, what did happen?"

"I don't have time for details right now. Suffice to say Roger didn't hurt him." I could feel they were disappointed so I reluctantly added a bit more. "Steven fell on some rocks in that ravine behind the dorms and Roger saved him. Really, that's it. No one got beaten up."

"See?" said Matt, giving Josh a friendly jab with his elbow. "Told you!"

Josh gave Matt a playful shove. "You did not! You just said that..."

Knowing the two could go on all I night, l dodged around them and started down the hall. "I have to go talk with Jim. Goodnight guys!"

"Goodnight Nick!" They called after me. "See you tomorrow at the party!"

I dropped off the burrito plate at our kitchen, feeling a pang of guilt for not bothering to take it all the way back to Chris' dorm where it came from, and swung around to the rec. room. The only illumination came from the giant TV screen and the sole occupant's glowing orange fur. Jim had a bluetooth keyboard balanced on his lap and was mindlessly surfing through news sites. Although he didn't turn to face me, an ear swivelled my direction. "Hey Nick."

His voice was subdued, his mood somber. I sat down in a nearby recliner and turned my attention to the screen. "Hi Jim. How come you aren't playing a game?"

At first I wasn't sure he heard me but eventually he muttered "I got tired of dying in Dark Souls II."

An awkward pause followed until, just as I was about to say something, he added "David called... I guess Roger's ok huh?"